february 2018
The Crystal lakeview high school volume 81 issue 4
iPhone Lawsuit
Apple faces lawuits after new update slows down phones. pg. 3
Secret Admirer
See which LHS students are crushing on each other. pg. 12
Teacher Athletes
LHS teachers tell us about their workout routine and why it’s important to stay in shape. pg. 18
2 Crystal Staff Adviser: Jodi Darland Editor-in-Chief: Jerry Haadsma News Editor: Abby Yott Feature Editor: Haidyn Markos A&E Editor: Clementine Hutchins Sports Editor: Karlie Kucharczyk Opinion Editor: Claire Tobin Photographers: Jace Canfield, Alyiah Hall Reporters: Kirsten Butler Lacey Campbell Jayla Carpenter Ashley Craig Riley Damore Moriah Edwards Hernan Garcia-Quijano Hannah Techumseh Angel Wachera Business Manager: Shelby Boggs Administration: Blake Prewitt - Superintendent Jeffrey Bohl - Principal Stacy Helmboldt - Assistant Principal Cody Japinga - Dean of Students Editorial policy: The Crystal is a self-funded student publication distributed free of charge to all Lakeview High School students and staff with a total press run of 500. The publication is an open forum for expression and a two-way communication for both the school and community. The editor-inchief and staff are solely responsible for the content. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of the staff or the administration of Lakeview High School.
In the Issue NEWS
SPORTS
A&E
OPINION
FEATURE
ADVERTISEMENTS pg. 19, 23, 24
iPhone Lawsuit pg. 3 Snow Day Policy pg. 3 Sessions Against Legalization pg. 4 World-Wide News pg. 5
Staffer’s Choice pg. 6 Camilla Cabello pg. 6 Fortnite pg. 7 Tips and Tricks for Travel pg. 8
Getting through School pg. 9 The Power of Empowerment pg. 10, 11 Which Club Fits You pg. 12 Gwen Trautman & Lauren Helner pg. 13 Secret Admirer pg. 14
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 269-565-3731 or emailing at thecrystal@ lakeviewspartans.org.
The Crystal is printed by: The Argus-Press Company 201 E. Exchange St. Owosso, MI 48867 The Crystal is a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2013-2014 Crystal won a MIPA Spartan award. Lakeview High School 15060 Helmer Road South Battle Creek, Mich. 49015 269-565-3700 lakeviewspartans.org
Crystal Point: Standardized Tests pg. 20 Teacher Pay pg. 20 Pro-Con: Valentine’s Day pg. 21 Celebrity Presidents pg. 22
Cover Photo: by Jace Canfield Senior Abby Bailey encourages others to use their voices and make a difference in the world on page 10. Thank you, Nicole, Ratto, for the artwork on the chalkboard.
Letter from the Editor
The mission of The Crystal is as follows: to inform and entertain audiences of Lakeview High School and 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.
To view The Crystal in full color, visit: issuu.com/thecrystalLHS
Teachers Who Play Sports pg. 15 Trust the Process pg. 16 Sports Rivals pg. 17 Committed Athletes/Recruitment pg. 18
I often spend time reminiscing about my incredible experiences throughout my life. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to have spent the first week of February detailing my knowledge and love for politics and government. As I sat at the Reagan International Airport in Washington D.C. I persistently watched hundreds of people walk by and go upon their busy days. Though I do not travel often, I find a common trend recurring to everyone. That is, we all have somewhere to be, whether it’s an important business meeting, a dream vacation, or just trying to make our way back home. Throughout my trip, I toured D.C. with students from all over the country, learning about the importance of government and why government and politics can pertain to our everyday lives. While doing this, we visited historic monumental landmarks such
as the MLK Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, The White House and an abundance of beautiful Smithsonian Museums. We even met and spoke with our U.S. Representatives from Michigan. Although many of us are weary and/or could care less about any of this, our government is something everyone should partake in. Yes, you’re probably thinking all this is all bogus because our system seems hopeless, but it’s not. Since only spending a week in D.C. I’ve refined a question in regards to our governmental system. Although it may seem close to impossible, I’ve invariably thought about how we can create a system that works for everyone, not just a small percentage of Americans. As stated previously, we all have our destinations. From a governmental standpoint, that destination should be nothing less than the complete happiness and equality for all. Clearly we have diverse viewpoints on politics, but if I can take away anything from my trip it’s the hope that someday everyone will have the same dream and aspirations as our government officials, and that is to better our country for everyone. Jerry Haadsma, Editor-in-Chief
“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America.”
-Barack Obama
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February 2018 3
Apple faces lawsuits over speed of old phones Apple faces lawsuits after confirming that new updates slow down older generations of iPhones. The company claims that the updates keep older phones from shutting down completely and that in the contract users sign it says that updates may cause phones to become buggy, or not work correctly. The eight lawsuits come from citizens in California, Illinois and New York. There are some that also come from overseas in Israel and France. The california lawsuit is seeking $1 trillion for damages. Consumers claim that Apple intentionally caused harm to their own property and were not open about it because the company wants people to purchase newer phones. They also claim that it is a consumer violation right. Consumer rights protect consumers from being exploited by unfair trade practices. After the news of the lawsuits came out, Apple released a statement saying that simply replacing the batteries in the phones
would make them run better. Consumers were angry that Apple did not release this information sooner and before they had already bought a new cell phone. “Had Plaintiffs been informed by Apple that a simple battery replacement would have improved the performance of their iPhones, Plaintiffs would have chosen to replace their batteries which was clearly a more cost effective method rather than upgrading to a new iPhone that was extremely costly,” a lawsuit in New York stated. Apple later put out an apology for being unclear about updates making phones slower and is offering a discount on battery replacements for the iPhone 6 and up. Users will be able to pay $29 instead of the original $79 for a replacement battery. Although Apple released an apology, they are still rejecting the claim that their updates slow down phones to persuade consumers to purchase new phones. “First and foremost, we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades,” Apple said. Written By Clementine Hutchins, Art and entertainment editor
SNOW DAY Checklist In the past, Lakeview families have dealt with a certain standard for conditions for snow days. Since the recent hiring of new Superintendent Blake Prewitt, concerns have been raised about the enforcement of the requirements for snow days. So far in the year, Lakeview School District has has only one snow day and one health day. The health day was based off of not student absences, which were at a normal 10 percent, but staff absences were extremely high. Too many classes left uncovered prompted Lakeview and three other districts to take a day off for rest and a district-wide clean up of the schools. If students are staying up late wishing for a snow day, this checklist is what the superintendent looks for. If any of the listed conditions are met before 6 a.m., accompanied by the closing of the other three school districts in Battle Creek, there is a pretty good chance of a snow day.
Written By Abigail Yott, News Editor
Wind chills -20 degrees or below *State requirement that automatically closes school
Roads unplowed School lots unplowed Icy/unsafe roads Sufficient amount and speed of snowfall Buses unsafe to travel
4 News
Sessions attempts to end legalization of marijuana
A
ttorney General Jeff Sessions has shared his dislike towards marijuana on many different occasions. But it was just recently that he decided to make the change to the Obama-era policy that seemed to quicken the process of marijuana being legalized throughout the country. This law entailed that the federal government wouldn’t become involved or repel against those complying with the state marijuana regulations. Sessions first began to push back against the bill in May 2017 when he sent a letter to both the Republican and Democratic leaders requesting that they stop the protections for legal weed. “I believe it would be unwise for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Department to fund particular prosecutions,” Sessions wrote in the letter. “Particularly in the midst of a historic drug epidemic and potentially longterm uptick in violent crimes.” Sessions succeeded in convincing Congress to consider ending protections surrounding marijuana. He announced that the Justice Department agreed review the guidance memos from the Obama administration to consider whether or not that had gone too far. Sessions went on to stir up more controversy in a speech where he compared marijuana to heroin. “I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful,” Sessions said. Although this would usually seem to be more of an issue for the Democratic side, it would seem as though even some Republicans have become strongly opposed to Sessions’ new pot policy. 51 percent of Republicans are currently in favor of federal legislation. “Dear @jeffsessions - Prosecute Hillary Clinton, not medical marijuana businesses and patients,” U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz tweeted. Federal prosecutors are now at liberty to enforce marijuana laws much more forcefully than ever before. This presents a big issue for dispensary owners and cannabis growers who
have all been living under the Obama Administration’s safe space. Sessions’ new pot policy may serve to be a difficult challenge to overcome for these businesses in the future. “A lot of folks in the business and broader society didn’t realize how tenuous the Obama Administration’s safe space was,” California Growers Association’s Hezekiah Allen said. “There is much more exposure to risk than there ever has been.” There’s been a disconnect between federal and state laws on the issue for some time now. Almost 30 states have already legalized medical marijuana. But the federal government appears to still disagree with the drug, continuing to view it as a dangerous substance. California was one of the most
recent states to have the drug legalized, but with the new law many cannabis growers are re evaluating whether or not they’re going to pursue putting in applications for state licenses. The assumption that staying on the “black market” might be a safer course is now floating around amongst cannabis growers because the Justice Department changes are likely to slow investment down. “Investments are less secure,” Criminal law expert Michael Vitiello said. “They were insecure anyways, but potential forfeiture of assets and criminal prosecutions all make legitimate business more difficult.” Sessions is going to continue his route towards ending marijuana. It’s been said that by the end of the year he’s going to attempt to completely abolish the drug as a Written By Moriah Edwards, Reporter whole.
February 2018
AMERICAN DREAMER
5
21%
of the students of Lakeview knew why the government was shut down
13%
knew who the Dreamers are
217 students were interviewed
After two government shutdowns, thousands of people losing their identities and being deported to what supposedly are their “home” countries, the DACA fight between Republicans and Democrats is far from over. The argument that caused the shutdown was first named on Sept. 5 when the Trump administration rescinded the program of DACA, potentially affecting 690,000 beneficiaries. These people that were attached to DACA were undocumented immigrants that were brought to the US when they were minors, also known as the “Dreamers”. For being a beneficiary of the program created by Obama in June of 2012, you needed a high school certificate, have came into the US before your 16th birthday and have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor or three or more other misdemeanors and
do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety. Also the dreamers had to pay $465 every two years to renew their DACA among their normal taxes as every American. Without DACA taking place everyday, 122 Dreamers lost their deferred action status so all their papers were not legal since September 2017. They can not work or drive. The Dreamers are not seen as US citizens; they have deferred action for a period of two years. Deferred action is a use of discretion to defer deportation against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful
Carlos Rodriguez, senior
Q A &
How do you feel about the dreamers getting deported? I think it’s wrong because everyone should be able to come to the US and make a family. America was made out of immigrants. Do you think America needs DACA back? I do believe that we need DACA back, because they need to stay in this country.
status. On Jan. 20, 2018, the Federal Government entered into shutdown. Senate Democrats demanded a solution for the Dreamers in exchange for their votes on another bill that would keep the government running. When the Senate took up a House measure that excluded a deal for Dreamers, many Democrats rejected it. With a failed bill, the government entered its first shutdown since 2013. A shutdown consists in the closing of all the government and all the jobs financed by the taxes because in the Congress or the Senate there is no agreement about a new bill. But after almost three days the lawmakers voted to reopen the government. In a procedural vote, Senators voted 81-18 to end the shutdown. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, said there was commitment from
Republican leadership that if an agreement was not reached by Feb. 8, the Senate would “immediately proceed” to consider DACA-related legislation. But after the three weeks any bill was passed and there was a second shutdown that finished with Trump signing a spending bill at 8:40 a.m. “This is our new American moment,” Trump declared to lawmakers and administration officials gathered at the Capitol. “There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream. So, to every citizen watching at home tonight — no matter where you have been, or where you’ve come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together we can achieve absolutely anything.” Written By Hernan Garcia Quijano, Reporter
Nate Kelly, senior
Q A &
How do you feel about the dreamers getting deported? I feel it’s not right. If they grew here this is their home; they should not be deported. Do you think America needs DACA back? I think we need it back. People shouldn’t get deported and DACA protected them.
A&E 6 Arts & Entertainment
Oddly Satisfying
When I watch something, I look for the perfect balance of cheesy, awkward and enticing. It has to be entertaining enough for me to watch a whole season in a day with just the right amount of uncomfortable humor. I found a show that does all of these things and more: The End of the F***ing world. This series is available to watch on Netflix. It starts out previewing the main characters, James and Alyssa. James is a struggling with his self identity. He thinks that he is a psychopath and has been murdering small animals for a while. He begins to talk about his desire to upgrade from animals, to humans. Next they introduce Ayssa. Alyssa comes from a home with an abusive stepfather. Due to the lack of attention at home, she lashes out on the people around her. Her character is very blunt and often times creates the awkward tension with her comments. James and Alyssa eventually meet and decide to date after one day. Alyssa doesn’t want to be alone and James wants to murder her. The show really begins when the two decide to run away together. Alyssa runs to escape the bad home life she has and James figures
that it would be easier to murder her on the road. On the journey both characters make new self discoveries and often life threatening choices. The show was directed by Jonathon Entwise and Lucy Tcherniak. The directors took something that had a lot of serious topics, such as murder and abuse, and made it into a quirky and playful show. There was never a dull moment in the show and it was hard to predict what would happen next. James and Alyssa are played by Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden. James was the best part of the entire show because you got to see his character grow. He started out talking about murdering his neighbor’s cat and progressed to believing he was in love. Lawther really made the character very enjoyable, even though he wanted to murder someone. He worked very well with the dark humour in the show. Overall I would give this show a ten. It kept me interested and laughing, but had just the right amount of emotion to tie everything together. I became very attached to the characters and their bad Written By Clementine Hutchins, Arts and Entertainment Editor choices.
Camila Cabello Releases Debut Album
S
inger-Songwriter Camila Cabello became the talk of 2016 when she opted to leave the increasingly popular girl group Fifth Harmony. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding her name since the day that she left and a lot of speculation over whether or not she could make it as a solo artist. It didn’t take long for her to put a stop to all of the doubts floating around about whether or not she could be successful on her own. Cabello has seen success in various collaborative tracks whether it have been in the girl group or outside of it with other artists. She spent four and a half years with the other four girls of Fifth Harmony, releasing songs like ‘Work From Home’ which went triple platinum in the US and accumulated over 1 billion views on YouTube. Cabello enjoyed being in the group, but as she grew older she realized that she didn’t want to sing generic pop songs anymore. She wanted to create her own music, her own sound. “I was just curious and I wanted to learn and I saw all these people around me making music, writing songs and being so free,” Cabello said in an interview. “I just wanted to do that and it did not work.”
It became blatanlty obvious after collaborating on duets with other artists such as Machine Gun Kelly and Shawn Mendes, that creating her own music wasn’t going to be a luxury that she could keep if she stayed in the group. There was tension created between the girls whenever she decided to branch off and explore new sounds with different artists. This furthered even more when she began attending writing sessions with big producers. She was eventually given an ultimatum. “It became clear that it was not possible to do solo stuff and be in the group at the same time,” she said.“if anyone wants to explore their individuality, it’s not right for people to tell you no.” 2017 was the first time that Cabello got a taste of complete solo success when her Latin smash hit song ‘Havana’ started topping the charts, quickly becoming the longest running female number one in the UK since Adelle in 2011. Havana is going into week 25 of being in the top of the Billboard Hot 100, scoring Cabello her first Billboard Hot 100 number 1. She won several awards for the song, which not only has over 620 million streams on Spotify but is also certified
platinum. She’s currently the second most streamed artist on Spotify, the only woman to achieve over 42 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and just broke Taylor Swift’s record for the most views on an audio song video on YouTube. Cabello’s long awaited album was initially titled ‘The Hurting, The Healing, The Loving’ but was later changed to ‘Camila.’ The album was supposed to debut in September of 2017 but was pushed back until January 2018. When the album was finally released, the Havana singer not only gave everyone everything that she had promised, but also broke a few records in the process. She became the first woman to ever have a debut album reach number one in over 100 countries in just the first few days after it’s release. The eleven track album includes both ‘Havana’ and her newest single ‘Never Be The Same.’ Cabello showcases her vocal abilities and her writing talent through all of her songs, presenting a much more vulnerable side of her. With the release of her debut album, Cabello is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in the music industry. Written By Moriah Edwards, Reporter
February 2018
7
FORTNITE
SAVE THE WORLD VS. BATTLE ROYALE Player vs. Environment
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, zombies attack the remaining 2 percent of the population. Epic Games have announced that they are going to release “Save the World” for free sometime in 2018.
Player vs. Player
Battle Royale is a last-one-standing game mode released for free on Sept. 26, 2017. Allowed up to four man squads, 100 players drop into the map (pictured below) and battle for the win. Written By Abigail Yott, News Editor
Fortnite Hall-Talk “Battle Royale is a lot more fun since you compete against real people” junior Hannah Sheipe said. “Not a lot of people like Savethe-World becaue is costs money” junior James Fields said.
8 Arts & Entertainment
Tips and Tricks: Airfare 101 In this day in age flying is one of the most popular forms of travel. But like other forms of travel, airfare can be Written By Angel Wachera, Reporter quit costly. Here are a few tips and tricks to finding a cheap plane ticket.
Using Frequent Flier Miles
Buy Early • Buying tickets late can cost you more money (money goes up 2 weeks before flying) • Flying internationally buy tickets 3- 6 months in advance. • Check sites like Groupon for cheaper tickets
Air Pass
• Countries, many national airlines offer air passes at reduced rates for tourists • If you’re planning to do extensive travel in one country or region, an air pass might be your most cost-effective option.
Refund
• If fares go down after you’ve purchased your ticket ask for a refund
• If you’re booking early, airlines designate a limited number of seats on each flight as eligible for award travel, and these seats go quickly
Buy Late • Depending on the airline, buying late can score you cheap tickets • Better deals go out late due to need of filling seats
Deals/Discounts
• Check out discounts/deals websites like Travel Deals, Groupon, and Fly.com for the latest fare sales
Top five destinations Michiganders travel to by air (based on AAA travel bookings nationwide). Las Vegas, Nevada
Orlando, Florida
Miami, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Anaheim, California
F
February 2018
Barely getting by
Senioritis quiz
do you think you have senioritis? take this quiz to find out Do you actually do your homework? Yes No Do you wait until the last minute to do your homework? Yes Sometimes No How many days a week do you come to school? 1 2 3 4 5 Are you going to make it through the rest of the year? Yes! Eh, maybe I don’t think so How are you handling this? Very well! I guess okay Im not handling this very well. Is reading this too much work for you right now? Yes No If you answered yes to more than 2 of these questions then you have senioritis.
As graduation creeps closer, seniors lose their motivation in school.
When did your senioritis start?
“It started a few weeks after the beginning of this year,” senior Athena Owens said. “I’ve had senioritis since freshman year,” senior Carlos Rodriguez said. “Right now it’s coming on, especially since this is my busiest time of the year so i’m most stressed. But it doesn’t get to me too badly because in a few months it’ll all be finished. It still feels surreal but I know when the time comes I’ll miss it,” senior Kyla Marquez said.
How do you plan on getting through the rest of the year?
“I think I just plan to make sure I get the stuff that I absolutely need to do done,” senior Stella Huang said. “Dude I don’t know I just wake up in the morning and tell myself I can do it,” senior Chase Roebuck said. “I’m doing my best I have a wonderful team at Lakeview I attend the CACC now and KCC as well and I attend to stay on track,” senior Keiera Whitlock said.
Has senioritis affected your grades at all or your attendance? “It has affected my grades and attendance a lot, I have missed a lot of days,” senior Olivia Nass said. “Attendance? No. Grades? Yes sadly. My focus has been terrible,” senior Johnna Broadnax said. “It has affected my attendance a lot but it really hasn’t affected my grades,” senior Marcel Moldenhauer said.
What is the biggest struggle about senioritis?
“The biggest struggle is that it feels like the work we have to do is a waste of time so it is harder for me to focus on doing work,” senior Jekwan Stockford said. “Having motivation to get things done,” senior Netsanet Chane said.
Advice for upcoming seniors who already have senioritis?
“Definitely stay focused because if not you will be a super senior,” senior Christopher Poole said.
To get rid of your senioritis I suggest that you get more sleep. Written By Ashley Craig, Reporter
9
10 Feature
Power of Em Power ment Students gain opportunities to learn about others who may be different than them The word “empowerment” is defined as the authority or power given to someone to do something and the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. Social interactions are a significant aspect of daily life for high school students. What many people are not aware of is that a social interaction can change someone’s outlook on life. That is what makes empowerment so powerful; empowerment is about understanding that you have an influence in your life and in others’ through social interaction. Because you can gain knowledge about others through social interactions, clubs can be beneficial to both students and the community, as well as the school’s culture. During previous years, the school had a club called, Project Passion This project’s purpose was to empower students to take control in order to make a positive change in the community. Senior Abbey Bailey plans to start an Empowerment Project. “The Empowerment Project is a group of people who strive to ‘Be The Change You Wish To See In The World’,”said Bailey, ”It is a group of Lakeview High School students who are passionate about building a strong community. Our goal is to make everybody feel like a somebody.” Bailey believes that an Empowerment Project is essential in order to break apart the cliques that have formed within the school. The Empowerment Project wishes to help spread kindness within our halls, give everyone a purpose and create stronger bonds within the community. Its main focus is to make every person feel like they matter. “Sometimes you feel like you can just disappear in high school; like you’re some kind of wallflower, but in this project, we want people to know that they aren’t invisible to everyone,” Bailey said. Although the Empowerment Project is not in full advancement yet, it does have many projects in the works. These activities include solo and group projects, which are all optional. The group projects are usually done in the weekly meetings. Members of the Empowerment Project,
including Bailey, are available on social media in case you need advice, a pick me up, support, or homework help. Students can learn more about empowerment through clubs like People for Equity, Multicultural Club, Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), and Youth in Government. People for Equity is not directly about empowerment, but it does discuss topics related to social change. The GSA is all about the empowerment and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Multicultural Club makes connections between students of different cultures and is especially important for the international students because it can help them to feel more comfortable around others. Students should take advantage of these opportunities to learn about, and get to know, students who may be different from them. Still, you don’t need to join a club to learn about something new. The English 10 classes are very familiar with the book Night, written by Elie Wiesel. In Night, Wiesel describes his experiences in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. These same English 10 classes had the opportunity to attend a presentation with Judy Sima, an award winning storyteller, author and teaching artist. During the presentation, Sima tells students about her mother, who had to adjust to a new life in America after coming from Germany. Last year, English 10 teachers changed the way they taught the themes of Night. Teachers decided to integrate the aspect of social justice. All of these opportunities connect in some way. They all build off of each other to create a positive effect on students. An Empowerment Project, for example, allows students to realize that they do have a voice, and that they are truly a part of the Lakeview community. Empowering others who feel like they are different than their peers is the real power that comes from all of these opportunities. Learning a little bit more about someone else is the first step you can take to empowerment. Most importantly, these opportunities allow students to get a better understanding of cultural differences and gain a heightened social awareness of others.
If you are interested in the Empowerment Project... Email: EmpowermentProject11@gmail.com Instagram: @Empowerment_People Facebook: visit the “Empowerment Project” page
February 2018
In contour to cultural differences and social awareness outside of the community, senior Maggie Wood was fortunate enough to attend the #StandWithUs conference. The StandWithUs conference was held in California and was a two day program where students and citizens from around the world came to endure the contstituality. “This was a huge experience for me, It was a cultural immersion and empowering to see how we’re more alike than different,” Wood said. Cultural differences are constantly embraced through clubs at Lakeview and around the world, but the social awareness is something not everyone has thought about. Social awareness is defined as being aware of the problems that different societies and communities face on a day-to-day basis and to be conscious of the difficulties and hardships of society. “It was a conference to promote anti-Israeli,” Wood said. “It helped me get out of my comfort zone as it forced me to examine how other cultures worked, and in this case, how to stand up against anti-semitism.” Anti-Semitism is the hostility against the Jewish religion and cultures. In the U.S. anti-semitism has been happening for ages, but since cultural changes in the 1960s, movements such as the Civil Rights Movement has largely decreased general attitude toward the jewish religion/community. In a 2007 ABC report, they assessed that just 6 percent of Americans still hold prejudices against jewish people. Boycott Disinvestment Sanctions (BDS) is the global campaign in which is putting pressure on Israel to end violations of international laws. The StandWithUs conference practices BDS as a movement to end racial bias against jewish practices and people of Israel. “It was really cool to actually see everything they were doing.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11
A Powerful Experience
Although I’m not Jewish, I was there to experience and respect their culture with them,” Wood said. In addition to cultural differences and social awareness, everyone is in regard to this conversation. Although only 1.8 percent (4.2 million people) are Jewish by religion, there are many people who aren’t necessarily perceived to be Jewish. “There are so many people who you wouldn’t expect to be Jewish,” Wood said. “Everyone is apart of this conversation, we are one world and at the bare minimum we need to educate ourselves.”
Senior Maggie Wood speaks on behalf of the role of Christians in the Middle Eastern conflict at the StandWithUs conference.
If you are interested in Night...
The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
Photo Courtesy Maggie Wood
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Maus One: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
Written By Riley Damore, Reporter and Jerry Haadsma, Editor-in-Chief
Key Club
Athletes combine student’s passsion for sports with their passion for Christ
Religion
Spanish Club French Club Burmese Club Japanese Club Culturally-based activies to learn more about Spanish speaking countries and their popular traditions Multicultural Club Students interested in sharing their culture with others and learing about others at Lakeview Gay/Straight Alliance Club Place to be accepted for who you are and to aid in advocacy for students who identify as “LGBTQ” Friends Forever Opportunity to meet and connect with students of all abilities
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Group of students who work to increase sustainability in the school and community
SEA Club
To create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, and community
Peace Jam
Promotes volunteerism by working various activities in the community
Art
Dance Team Performs at home football and basketball games, and also active in spirit activities during the year Ski Club Opportunity for students and adults to participate in snowboarding and skiing, regardless of skill level
Sports
Art Club Uses art to promote various causes and community projects Theater Presents fall and spring productions Anime This club watches school appropriate anime cartoons weekly and discusses them
Learning about different cultures
Helping Others
Japanese Bowl State-wide quiz bowl of Japanese language and culture that is held annually for all levels of Japanese MITES State-wide competition that allows students to display their talents as it pertains to technology Robotics Builds and programs robots to compete against other schools across the nation Science Olympiad Science team that solves realworld problems in life science, chemistry, physics, earth science and engineering Book Club Opportunity for members to read and discuss books and view movie versions of books Youth-in-Government Members travel to the state capital to take part in a 5-day hands on mock government experience
Academics
Pep Club Supports Lakeview teams and clubs by attending games/events and making signs, banners, etc. Student Government Students’ voice in school policies and activities
School Pride
Written By Jayla Carpenter, Reporter
With an extensive list of extra-curricular clubs, LHS offers a wide variety of opportunities beyond the classroom. Follow the chart below to determine the clubs that will best fit your interests.
Which Clubs Fit You?
12 Feature
February 2018
Pursuing
13
Film students make documentary about Battle Creek
Passions
Hometowns are often not thought of as an interesting or peculiar topic and the history tends to fade away. (Although seniors and film enthusiasts Lauren Helner and Gwen Trautman broke this mold.) They enjoy looking into the sometimes odd history of Battle Creek. Their fascination lead them to an independent film project, a documentary about the history of Battle Creek, more specifically the old sanitarium that is now the Federal Center. “Battle Creek is just about the strangest place you could ever live.
We have the weirdest history,” Trautman said. “Originally [the documentary] was just going to be about Battle Creek very broadly. We have an amusement park underwater here, and a man made lake. We have the underground railroad, and cereal is a huge influence here. We’re the cereal capital of the world and then there was the sanitarium. We decided to narrow [the documentary] down and just make it about the sanitarium.” In 1846 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg took charge of the sanitarium, and treated it as a health retreat for mentally ill patients. He wanted it to be a place where patients learn to stay well rather than a place where sick or invalids go to live. The army purchased the sanitarium in 1942 and become a hospital for World War 2 victims. Helner likes the idea of telling stories through a new outlet.
Above and Beyond
3,2,1
ACTION!
Photo Courtesy Lauren Helner
“I really like interviewing people and telling their stories and being able to tell everyone else about them,” Helner said. “Documentaries are really cool because they’re stories that not a lot of people know, so they’re really informative.” When the girls are in school they participate in the school news Channel 101. Both girls have used Channel 101 to help their film skills grow over the years. “The more that their skills have grown, the more their confidence has grown. The more their talents have grown, the better models of leadership they’ve become,” broadcast teacher Jodi Darland said. Helner and Trautman both look forward to sharing their documentary with other people. The film will be available to watch in May 2018, on the video platforms Vimeo and Youtube. Written By Clementine Hutchins, Arts and Entertainment Editor
On March 9, Gwen and Lauren will be honored at Chapman University for their second place film entry in the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest. Their documentary, “All it Takes,” on Holocaust survivor Sonia Tebrich can be viewed on Chapman’s YouTube channel as well as the Channel 101 Vimeo channel.
Photo Courtesy Lauren Helner
BUILDING BONDS While working on editing a segment for the school news, Channel 101, seniors Lauren Helner and Gwen Trautman spend time together. “Gwen is really fun to work with. We have a lot in common and we’re both really interested and invested in film because we both want to go into it when we’re older,” senior Lauren Helner said. “We both like working on projects about the more important, or controversial stuff.” Both Helner and Trautman treasure the memories and bonds they’ve built together through film. FUTURE PLANS As she prepares the camera, senior Gwen Trautman gets ready to film something. Trautman hopes that her love of film will pay off for her future. “In college I’m going to double major. One of my majors is going to be in film production. I’d love to start off working for an indie film company somewhere small where you can work your way up,” Trautman said. “I’d love to be a producer and editor of some major documentaries or films.”
14 Feature
I love who?
Secret Admirers
Darrien Daniels
What do you admire about them? They’re cute and nice. They aren’t judgemental and they listen. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences In seventh grade, my ex was my Valentine and he got me chocolate, but I had a whole boyfriend and someone ended up stealing the chocolate.
freshman
What do you admire about them? She’s smart, nice and does her homework. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences In fifth grade I had a huge crush on a girl that was way taller than me.
Grant Bacik senior
Josef Quispe
The Admired
Claire Tobin
How do you feel about having a secret admirer? I feel uncomfortable about it. What do you want to say to your secret admirer? Why?
sophomore
sophomore
Anna Metzger
junior
Chase Roebuck
How do you feel about having a secret admirer? I don’t know... Kinda bad because they aren’t confident enough to tell me. What do you want to say to your secret admirer? Can you do backflips off locker? That would be sweet.
Try to connect the broken hearts together and match up the secret admirers to the admired!
What do you admire about them? They are smart and funny. Not too dumb or too boring. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences Nothing significant has ever happened to me on Valentine’s Day.
What do you admire about them? I really like the way his hair looks, he’s pretty swole and good at what he does. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences This Valentine’s Day I’m gonna try to confront him.
Written By Hannah Tecumseh, Reporter
freshman
What do you admire about them? Their personality is intresting and outgoing. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences I don’t have any. I hate Valentine’s Day.
Maddy Cipcic
Whether you secretly admire your crush or your best friend, this article gives you a sneak peak at who may be your admirer
Dawson Gillette freshman
senior
How do you feel about having a secret admirer? It’s kind of weird to think about, but cool. What do you want to say to your secret admirer? What is your name? Past Valentine’s Day Experiences In third grade, I brought a giant Hershey’s Kiss to eat at school but I ended up giving it to a girl.
How do you feel about having a secret admirer? I guess it’s pretty cool. I don’t know. What do you want to say to your secret admirer? Talk to me. Add me on my social media. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences I only celebrated it in elementary school when we gave each other candy.
Justice Powell
sophomore
Bailey Smith junior
How do you feel about having a secret admirer? I want to say it’s creepy, but its kinda funny. What do you want to say to your secret admirer? Hit me up. Past Valentine’s Day Experiences When I was younger, I got melted chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
S
February 2018 15
Fit 4 Life
A look into the lives of teachers and why they like to hit the gym and stay in shape
Racing around, gathering belongings, hitting the gym and trying to fit school work in. Students aren’t the only ones that have a tremendous amount of work to do after school. Staying in shape and being involved in a sport can be very important to a teacher’s routine. Many teachers devote their time and energy into keeping a spot open for working out during their busy week and hitting the gym can be a great way to relieve stress. According to ADAA, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a recent online poll gathered some statistics that 14 percent of people make use of regular exercise to help cope with stress. Business teacher, Myra Bost, exercises for many reasons, one being to relieve stress. “To be honest I’ve been working out since I was eight,” Bost said. “It makes me feel better and it’s a big stress reliever. If I go run or do yoga I feel 100 times better.” Whether it’s going to Planet Fitness, the YMCA, doing yoga or just going for a run, part of their week includes a workout session. English teacher John Miller works out almost every day depending on the season. “If it’s cross country season I workout every day because I’ll run with the kids which is nice because it’s always easier to work out when somebody is there with you,” Miller said. Different seasons will bring different workout routines. Squeezing in fitness and health during a busy schedule, just like what some teachers do, can be very difficult. On top of that, having the motivation and energy isn’t always the easiest thing to do. “Motivation is tough,” Miller said. “It’s staying on a plan and sticking with it. If you lose that motivation it’s hard to get back on track.” Business teacher David Vander-Horst believes staying in shape will help portray a healthy mindset.
Oatmeal Step 1 & Honey Protein Step 2 Shake
Pour 1 1/2 cups of organic almond milk into a blender
Add 1/2 cup of cooked organic oatmeal, 1 teaspoon of organic honey and about1/2 cup ice to the blender
“It helps me mentally and now I’m no doctor but I heard that if you stay fit you have a better mindset too,” Vander Horst said. “I workout because it’s a stress reliever and because it eases my mind.” Planning out a routine and making sure it doesn’t change can be a great start to a fit and healthy lifestyle. There are many options that are available to people that like to workout. Hitting the gym or doing any activity that can keep the heart rate up is a great way to stay in shape and staying in shape doesn’t necessarily mean just working out, it also means eating proper and getting the right foods into your body. History substitute teacher Trevor Klein, filling in for Cody Japinga, has a full schedule, which includes hitting the gym six days a week. “It’s extremely important for me to work out because I think it’s important for everyone to stay in shape and keep a well balanced diet” Klein said. “You don’t have to be the strongest or the biggest, just be healthy for you.” Having a well balanced diet is one of the most important things next to staying in shape. Eating healthy and feeling healthy are two great factors to living a happy, positive lifestyle. Whether there’s some kind of league to play in like Vander-Horst does, anything will help to stay in shape. “Every other day is when I work out if I’m able to,” Vander Horst said “There’s basketball leagues that I play in in Kalamazoo and football leagues that I play in just to stay active.” Like many teachers do, working out with a group or a friend can definitely motivate you to push yourself and keep going. “Being physically fit gives me more energy throughout the day,” Klein said. “It’s a stress reliever and it makes it easier for me to come to work because I already have energy and it also gets my blood flowing.”
Written By Kirsten Butler, Reporter
Step 3 Blend on low speed for 30 seconds, take the lid off and run a spatula around the sides of the blender to remove any oatmeal or honey stuck to it
Step 4
Blend for an additional 30 seconds, and drink immediately
16 Sports
Trust the Transformation from being the youngest player on record-breaking team to being the captain of a newly developed team
Pr cess
Written By Karlie Kucharczyk, Sports Editor
The gym has always been my sanctuary to get away from the outside world of stress and failure. Sports are always there for me to fall back on when I need a stress-relief method because nobody can tell me not to play them. Basketball has been the reason I am who I am today, without my teammates and coaches growing up, I wouldn’t have learned many lessons about being as strong as I am. Learning to be athletic seems impossible at times, but for me they just come naturally. Luckily I was born into a really athletic family where both my parents were college athletes and both my grandfathers were college basketball and baseball coaches. My basketball career has always meant the most to me over anything else. My sophomore year I was a part of what might’ve been the best girls basketball team in Lakeview History. Not only was I the youngest on the team, but at one point I was the only player playing that was not a senior. Yes, that means that we had seven seniors on the team, along with two juniors and another sophomore but they were all injured. My experience with last year’s team taught me many lessons and showed me that when you establish a goal that you are serious about and you work to achieve it, it will be accomplished. Our only goal when the season started was to win three districts in a row, along with a few personal and small goals. We ended up breaking two records and achieving two firsts for our school basketball program. Our winning record of 23 wins and three losses was a school record along with winning 22 games in a row (another school record). We did win our third district and we won our conference, two firsts for our school. My team put each other first all the time and when it was time for our season to end we made a promise to always stay close because each of us were a part of something much greater than just ourselves. We get to live with the memories of what we had done for our school that year for
the rest of our lives and those emotions that were felt all season will never be forgotten. Being a sophomore on the team, I had to come back the next year without all my senior teammates. I had three other players returning with me, I knew it would be difficult for me to transition from being the young silent player on the team to being the team leader and stepping up to take the spots of the girls who lead me. The nerves
Photo Courtesy Heather Kucharczyk
that went through me at the beginning of the season were outrageous. I was the only person on the team who played with varsity experience until my other returners could get back on the court. At times I let the pressure show, but my main goal is to keep it all in and be the best player I can be for my teammates and coach. There was no way that the team this year would compare to the team I played with last year, just because of the experience all the seniors had last year. My coach and I knew that we would have to do some more learning this year in order for us to succeed the way we want to.
If you ask any of the returners we would tell you that we didn’t expect to win very many this year. The first month of the season showed that doubt as our record went 3-4 into winter break. During the transition into 2018, my team agreed that our effort that we put into the team and sport needed to improve. We made a promise to each other and ourselves that we would do it for each other and for Buss. Going into 2018, we were going to change our ways; we were going to work harder in practice to lead us into the games. We were going to become stronger mentally and physically as a team and individually. We were going to set goals for ourselves and for our teammates for games, practices and the season. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to have an above 50 percent record. The hardest feeling is the feeling that you let you team down. None of us have the intentions to do any of that. Over break when we all made the commitment to each other, we changed our potential. As we went into 2018 we improved our record from 3-4 to 9-5, winning 6 in a row after our “coming to jesus meeting” as Buss would say. The way we are playing compared to last year has surprised many. Our predicted potential for this year after last year’s season was at an all time low, but as a team we have proved that prediction wrong because of the heart and love our team has for the game of basketball and each other. Not only have we blown the minds of many, but we have gained pride, confidence and respect that we weren’t expecting to have this season. I would do anything to experience last year’s season again, but the relationships and pride I have gained with this year’s team will never go unforgotten. The lessons learned along with the relationships strengthened and confidence gained throughout all of my teammates will always stay with me to prove that I will ALWAYS be a little part of something much greater than myself. It’s all about the team. •
February 2018
Working Harder to get Further
17
Athletes work together as a team, but strive to be better individually The innate perception of the word rival means that you have to be enemies. However athletes have rivals within their teams. Team members support their team while also fighting to get to the top. “You are trying to develop individually and you are trying to develop your skills but at the same time you are trying to be there for your team no matter what,” junior McKenna Evans said. Evans also supports her teammates on the basketball team by helping them improve and encouraging them to do better, showing how rivalries within an athletic team can come with positive outcomes. “[Competition] brings us together because when we face each other, we strive to do better. We get more strength and come closer together as a team,” senior Alex Morely said. Most members of each team use this sense of drive to excel in their given area. Even though they’re trying to be better, they still bond and get along.
“When we compete and really get into it, we practice harder. Competing makes us a better team,” senior Zarrion Davis said. In most cases, certain schools develop a deeper sense of competition between each other. The desire to dominate each other consumes the entire game, and makes for a more exhilirating game. “Our biggest rivals are definitely Coldwater, because we go against them every year, and Harper Creek because coach Bussler’s daughter plays for them. It’s different because [Coach Bussler’s] daughter plays on the opposite team. Kalamazoo Central is also one of our rivals because we always go back and forth with who wins,” junior Alexandrea Spears said. Whether they’re competing as individuals, or growing as a team, the healthy competition drives the members of each sport. This natural sense of competition makes the act of Written By Ashley Craig, Reporter playing sports worthwhile.
18 Sports
The next
Athletes take the next step from high school to college sports Written By Haidyn Markos, Feature Editor
D1 is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.
18%
JC D1 D3 D2
16%
D2 is an intermediate level division of competition in the NCAA.
JC (Junior College) is a college offering courses for two years beyond high school.
NAIA
31% 23%
D3 is a college that consists of athletic programs that choose not to offer athletic scholarships.
12%
NAIA is an athletic association that organizes college and university level athletic programs.
82%
of college athletes compete outside of D1 schools
Cameron Wirtz
Levi Youmans Diving
Football
Committed to University of Indianapolis
Committed to Ferris State University
Committed Tuesday- January 23
Committed in October
Decided to commit there because he liked the coach and school, small campus focused on success.
Decided to commit to Ferris State because he liked the coaches and the other players on the team and the team is good at football.
In high school Youmans did fantastic. He reached higher potential than he thought and broke a record for diving
Photo Courtesy By Rob Youmans
In high school Wirtz was very successful on and off the field, enjoyed his teammates and coaches and loved playing football. Wirtz plans for his college season are to do well as a football team and to win a lot.
Youmans plans on getting better each year he dives in college. Recruiting Process- Youmans met the University of Indianapolis coach at an outdoor pool sophomore year. Schools reached out to him and he reach out to them and decided where he wanted to further his diving career. Photo Courtesy By Erin Wirtz
Recruiting Process- Wirtz met with the coaches of Ferris State and they were interested in Wirtz. They asked him on numerous visits and offered him a spot on the football team.•
February 2018
19
How to get recruited for college sports Get Started Early If you’re a high school freshman, you’re on the right track. The earlier you get started, the better chance you have of being recruited by college coaches.
Contact Coaches Nothing shows dedication more than a high school athlete who calls, emails, and sends letters directly to coaches. There are so many players on the recruiting radar of these schools, so personal letters or emails really help you stand out. Most email addresses or mailing addresses can be found on the school’s athletic web page.
Create Recruiting Profiles Although some athletes prefer to pay recruiting companies to keep their information out, simple and free recruiting sites, like berecruited.com, can get your name out there as well. If you keep your profile updated, you’d be surprised at the amount of interest you can receive from college coaches.
Keep Your Grades Up Obviously your athletic ability is an extremely vital part of the recruiting trail, but your academic success is very important, too. No coach is going to show any interest in you if your test scores, GPA, and class rank are not up to par. Focus on the classroom.
Information Courtesy fastweb.com
Don’t Get Discouraged Even if you’re a senior without any recruiting interest, it’s never too late. Get your film out to college coaches, and start making those phone calls and emails as soon as possible. If things don’t work out at the end of your senior season, there is always the Junior College option. However, you can also try to walk-on at a bigger institution as well. The most important thing you can do to help your cause on the recruiting trail is to be visible. Get your film out there, and initiate contact with college coaches as often as you can. Keep your social media pages clean of profanity, and give 100% effort in both the classroom and on the field.
O
20 Opinion
Crystal Point One Staff, One Opinion: Standardized tests are an ineffective way to measure intelligence
The SAT is a standardized test that is used for predicting success and college admissions in the United States. Though this test measures writing, critical reading and mathematics it has no real way to predict someone’s success in college. You can probably think of someone who did poorly on the SAT and yet graduated from college or someone who did extremely well on the SAT but who flunked out of college after just one semester. Standardized tests exist for administrative, political and financial purposes, rather than for educational purposes. Standardized test are long and don’t allow students’ minds to take many breaks. For example, The ACT requires students to sit down for nearly four hours to answer 49 writing questions, 54 mathematics questions, 67 critical reading questions and also write an entire essay. Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT cause high school students a lot of additional anxiety and stress on top of their schoolwork. This stress can take a toll on mental health and development. Studying for standardized test rather than studying for school classes can cause students grades to drop and GPA to go down. According to the 2016 Gallup Survey, 67 percent of parents whose students go to school believe there is too much of an
emphasis on these test. High school is already an environment where the level of your character and intelligence is determined by your GPA, and we continue to get judged on things like SAT and ACT scores rather than more important aspects like creativity and diversity. Adolescent Medicine specialist Kenneth Ginsburg says more and more teens are being sidelined by anxiety and depression as standardized tests grow in importance and make decisions that profoundly affect their lives and their college choices. One of the most challenging parts of these tests is that there is little you can do to prepare; each test is different and unpredictable. Unlike a test at school that you can prepare and study for, you will never know for sure what questions will be on the test. Standardized test scores are a powerful factor in college admissions. Yet they do not accurately portray important aspects of students such as a student’s willingness to work hard, to study, to be positive and how involved a student will be within the campus. Students all across America are required to take this same test yet every student is different in their own way. It is unfair to measure students the same way when each individual is so unique.
Give Them a o
Written By Lacey Campbell, Reporter
Why teachers deserve a better pay.
RAI$E!
There’s no doubt in my mind that teaching is outright the most underpaid job in society. For god’s sake, a garbage-man’s salary is comparable and in some cases higher than a teacher. Despite the fact that teachers get summers off, their job is undermined by a preposterous number that simply hasn’t rose much in over 40 years, compared to other professions. In recent years, we’ve seen a shortage in teaching degrees, largely in part because the lack of pay. According to ballotpedia.org, in Michigan, there is one teacher for every 18 students, where as the national average is one teacher to every 16 students. As time goes on, college degrees are essentially becoming a piece of paper that are earned through an interest in a high paying career. The expense of college goes handin-hand with this issue. In 2012, according to ticas.org, 66 percent of graduates from a public college institute took out student loans, while 75 percent of graduates from private
college institutes took out student loans. Although these numbers may not mean much, a teacher will be paying these student loans off for years at a time and bringing home less money, while a garbage-man/ woman can bring home the same amount without paying student loans, therefore, making more money than someone with a teaching degree. By no means am I undermining the importance of jobs in society such as garbage men/women, but it’s important to understand the qualifications and/or experience earned between the two professions. Teachers attend college for four-six years, and will often only make a decent living with a masters degree, which requires six years of school. In Michigan, teachers who have three-five years of experience will make around $38,000/ year, which is $2,000 less than the national average. Many argue that teaching is an easy job due to the fact that they get summers off,
but in all reality, it takes pure, meaningful people in order to help kids achieve academic excellence. Nearly 17 percent of teachers in Michigan burn out before their sixth year of teaching. If we were able to pay these teachers more, they’d have more passion to stay in this profession. I constantly hear teachers go on-and-on about how they’re not making enough money to do what they do. From an educational standpoint, there’s other ways to improve this system, but in order for them to work, we need well qualified and well paid teachers in order to put these regulations in place. In all, I strongly believe that teachers deserve a better salary. Furthermore, teachers and education is the key to a healthier and more successful future. Our future is dependent upon our youth, and without better teachers who deserve a good wage, only time will tell its tale. • Written By Jerry Haadsma, Editor-in-Chief
February 2018
21
$ Valentine’s Day $ Keep spending money on Valentine’s Day because it affects us and the economy
Pro
Written By Haidyn Markos, Feature Editor
Written By Karlie Kucharczyk, Sports Editor
Con
Valentine’s Day is a great day for everyone to celebrate because it helps the economy, it helps promote businesses and products and it increases and helps sales at small businesses. The economy runs off of our supply and demand. In other words it runs off of what we (the people) buy. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that people celebrate to share love and passion for each other. On Valentine’s Day you have to buy the person you love flowers, chocolate or jewelry. For many people Valentine’s Day is seen as a Hallmark holiday that they don’t want to celebrate or they find it a waste of time, but the economy gets a lot of benefits just from people celebrating Valentine’s Day. According to the NRF survey that was conducted, $448 million was spent on candy, $784.30 million was spent on cards, $1.35 billion was spent on flowers, $1.31 billion was spent on other gifts. Those numbers are just for the girl portion of the money spent on Valentine’s Day. $7.86 billion was spent on eating out and $2.05 billion was spent on romantic getaways. Even people who are not in relationships still celebrate Valentine’s Day, and often buy gifts for pets, friends or family. The same survey shows that on average one person will pay $3.27 for their animals on Valentine’s Day. According to fundivo.com, 35 percent of money is spent at department stores such as Macy’s, JCPenney and Burlington. During Valentine’s Day businesses do specific advertising and even sell certain things that have to do with Valentine’s Day specifically, which improves and helps the businesses. Regardless of everyone’s own beliefs, Valentine’s Day is happening and there is nothing that will change that. Valentine’s Day is a way for businesses to promote their services and products and small businesses to get their name out there because it is a way for the businesses to invest in promotions and advertising without spending money on anything. Valentine’s Day is the second holiday that people spend the most money on after Christmas. Since social media and technology is constantly advancing, people are shopping a lot more online than they have in the past. With people shopping online this gives a chance for businesses to advertise and invest in pop up ads in advance to Valentine’s Day, which leads to their promotions and profits. When businesses can invest in advertising and pop up ads, they will be more likely to get their name out there and sell products. If the business or small business does the advertising during Valentine’s Day, more people shop online, so more people will see their business and products and will be more likely to buy from them.
Valentine’s Day is a way to express your love to your partner through gifts and affection. You should not only show affection to your partner on Valentine’s Day because if you are actually happy, you should show affection every other day as well. Gifts bought with money are not a way to show your love on one day of the year when you should love your partner every other day of the year as well. Valentine’s Day expresses to couples that the only time they should express their love for each other is through gifts on February 14. If the couple is actually in love, they should be able to express their love through actions and not through materials that only money can buy. Couples are pressured to spend their money on chocolate to give to their partner but in reality you should be buying your partner chocolate throughout the whole year. Holidays are celebrated through gifts and not through the real meanings of them. Valentine’s Day is a holiday of love but has been capitalized through a way that no longer represents the meaning of love. Love should be shared everyday through the way they act and express their feelings toward one another. According to abcnews.go, on average each person spends $136 on their significant other just on Valentine’s Day in the United States. $4 billion is expected to be spent on jewelry nationwide, along with $2 billion on flowers and $1.7 billion spent on chocolate. Only 53 percent of Americans have a partner to celebrate Valentine’s Day with but almost 98 percent of Americans buy Valentine’s gifts for themselves, their partner or family and friends. 57 percent of single people in America are women, which leads to them buying candy for themselves to make up for the partner they don’t have. Although some people think Valentine’s Day is much more than just the gifts, I beg to differ. Beyond the gifts and rewards of being in a relationship, the egos of single people get to an all time low. After the day is over for all the couples in love, the singles go on their biggest shopping spree of the year to buy out the clearance chocolates and candies. Valentine’s Day will be what you make it to be. Expensive things are nice and all but in reality if the only way you can convince your partner you love them is through how big the number is on a price tag, you are in for a long disaster of a relationship. Show your partner you love them through your actions and not through the money you don’t have. Spend the day together and don’t feel pressured to spend any money, instead make your time worth it without breaking the bank. •
HALL TALK: Pro Valentine’s Day
HALL TALK: Con Valentine’s Day
John Mead, senior: “It is nice to give and receive gifts.”
McKenna Evans, junior: “Instead of spending money on a card you should make it. I think that would be more sincere.”
Myra Bost, business teacher: “When I get to see their faces opening the gifts, it is all worth the money I spent.”
Frank Tatum, sophomore: “There isn’t a price on love.”
Alayna Satterfield, sophomore: “If you are in a committed relationship you should get each other gifts.”
Mark Gibbs, business teacher: “My wife doesn’t like me spending money on her on Valentine’s Day. Everyday is Valentine’s Day for us.”
22 Opinion
Celebrity President Written By Claire Tobin, Opinion Editor
Come one. Come all. Anyone and everyone can run for president... even if they have no job qualifications. It seems that Oprah, Tom Hanks, Kanye West and Donald Trump would be perfect for the job. They already have the massive fan base to be amazing presidents and get the signatures to get started. If the fact that they have no prior qualifications to be president are a turn off, don’t worry. No one needs to know about politics to be a great leader of America. All that these celebrities would need to do is compare button sizes with the fellow leaders of the world. This truly makes America great again. If button sizes aren’t enough, sexual harassment has become a part of the credentials to become a great president. Even if there are countless marches against sexual harassment, as long as our leaders do it there must be nothing wrong with it. It is like what your parents say: if your friends jump off a bridge you should do it too. Personally, I think Oprah would make a great president. She would get Americans on Weight Watchers, then there would be no problem with obesity in the United States. Good job, Oprah. Maybe if we are really lucky, Oprah will give all Americans cars.
To have a prosperous presidency, these incoming celebrities need to know that all world leaders love it when the microphone is stolen from them, especially our closest ally Kim Jong-Un. As well as the fact that foreign relationships don’t matter; it is okay to call NATO obsolete. America doesn’t need any help if there is a nuclear crisis. Make everyone an enemy, friends are for the weak and America is strong on its own. Speaking of global problems, global warming is no longer an issue because it doesn’t exist, so feel free to grab mother nature by the ozone. Mental health has been a hot topic in the government, especially to our current president, Donald Trump. Since Trump is a self proclaimed stable genius, America should be at ease and trust that he will have momentary lapses of judgment. He also gives the Americans a sense of consistency when he completes his cyberbullying on Twitter. If America is really lucky, they will see a full-on mental breakdown in front of all the world leaders. This creates a great impression of what type of leader America has. We have a front row seat to reality television at its finest. If we’re really lucky we may even hear the words “You’re fired.” Or this could all be fake news, so check with Fox and Friends.
Hall Talk: Who is your dream celebrity president? “Beyonce because she is a queen,” sophomore Karissa Jones said.
“Drake has really inspiring music, so I think he would be great because he would inspire people,” freshman Kayliana French said.
“Leonardo DiCaprio is really smart and knows about the environment,” sophomore Kaylee Ross said.
“Killer Mike has good music, he is smart and knows a lot about politics,” senior Reeve Lynn-Hillman said. *This is a satire.
February 2018
Dr. Brett A. Myers, D.C.
ElementsChiropractic.com
Special Thanks to our monthly sponsor Allegra Battle Creek
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