2727 Fuller Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105
The Emery
Volume 3 Issue 1 September 2017
The Student Publication of Huron High School
What does CP mean for Huron? Jack Harrison | Staff Writer What is the CP program? The DP program is in full swing, but many students are not aware of the CP program coming to Huron. The CP program is an international education that incorporates the principles of IB into a program designed for students with career-related interests. When this program is established at Huron, students will gain skills, knowledge and experience that can be used throughout their lives, specifically in a career path. How does CP differ from DP? The CP programme is not a separate full diploma program, it is a track a DP student can take while still taking a CTE course. Both the CP and DP programme have similarities; the first being that they both span two years. Both programs also incorporate a service element, research project and language development. Where they differ is that CP students are required to take two DP courses, whereas DP students are not required to enroll in CP classes. A CP education provides CP Core experience, “allowing students to meet the unique requirements that earn them an IB CP Certificate,” according to CP facilitator Carrie James. How do students benefit from a CP education Not only will CP students become language learners and learn through service opportunities, but students will develop many critical skills that will aid them throughout their lives. “A CP student will have the opportunity to learn, reflect, and hone some personal and professional skills as they prepare for their next steps toward a career,” according to James. A unique component of the program is the opportunity students have to work on a reflective project focusing on a challenge apparent in a desired career field. Lastly, students who graduate with this certification will gain skills, knowledge and experience that will be very useful in college, apprenticeships and the workforce. Who should enroll?
After returning from stations, students gathered back in the main hall for a closing activity and lunch. Students were informed they would be facing off in a head-to-head rock-paper-scissors tournament with their peers, where only one person would be left standing.
IB students get a first taste
Jack Harrison | Staff Writer
The wait is over. IB is here! On Thursday, Oct. 24 the first batch of Huron’s full diploma students gathered in the Michigan school of Education for an IB kick off event. The main purpose of the event was for students to interact with their soon-tobe classmates and to familiarize themselves with staff members. The event began with opening remarks from IB Director Kevin Karr, Diploma Programme Facilitator Eric Wynn and Huron Principal Dr. Janet Schwamb. From there, students were divided into four groups, which they would travel with for the remainder of the morning. Students rotated between four stations, each one with a different purpose. The first station was aimed to create interaction among students by forcing them to meet others and ask questions. Specifically, students had to search for other students that could answer “yes” to a specific question. The second station was designed to inform students of ways to relieve stress by educating them on strategies, most notably yoga poses. From there, students traveled to the next station to work
together to build a tower with a limited supply of resources. The activity served to spur teamwork and creative thinking. Students were only told they had 15 minutes to build a tower. Groups thought the challenge was to build the tallest tower, though they were surprised to find it was not. The activity was meant to illustrate that IB is not a competition among students and that they are each taking part in IB for their own good. Furthermore, students were presented with the idea that they could have worked together to create one big tower, similar to how students can collaborate in the diploma programme. “The orientation was a great opportunity to meet other students who are taking the full diploma path, and through a few activities we got the chance to meet new people; for example, the tower building exercise allowed us to work together as a group of people with a common goal,” said junior Sarah Wamsteker. The last and most informative station was where students learned more details of the CAS program, which requires students to earn 150 volunteer hours through services and activities involving creativity. Students collaborated together to compile ideas of ways in which they can earn the 150 volunteer hours. The event concluded with closing remarks and lunch served by Chartwells.
Students interested in taking IB classes in 11 and 12th grade should consider both DP and CP programs. Specifically, students interested in career-related education should apply for the CP programme. James, Eric Wynn, diploma coordinator and counselors will be meeting with 10th graders to assist them in their IB selection process. When will Huron receive CP certification? The application process will be completed by the end of first semester, with an assessment team coming second semester. It should then take another one to two years for curriculum planning.
Want more information? Go to: http://www. ibo.org/programmes/ career-related-programme/
School board approves new measures over summer Jack Harrison | Staff Writer
Updated transgender policy •
On June 22, 2017 the Ann Arbor School board passed a policy aimed at providing transgender individuals with more specific protections Although transgender students were protected under the previous non-discrimination policy, this updated version outlines guidelines for how transgender individuals are to be treated by students and staff within the district This policy is aimed at replicating the policies of the Michigan Board of Education and
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Do students think the policy goes far enough to create a safe environment for transgender students? Neutral (10%)
Staff and peers are to address students by their desired pronouns in order to reflect their gender identity properly
New contracts = more cash The new guidelines:
Students have the right to use which ever bathroom they feel aligns with their gender identity
30 students were sampled at random
More training will be offered to staff to help them better understand transgender
Private bathrooms will be available to all students regardless of their gender identification
Protections from bullying, harassment and discrimination are outlined as well, including privacy rights
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I am pleased the school board has taken these means, but more needs to be done to ensure trans students feel comfortable 9th grader at school
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In the past school year, AAPS has discussed the idea of using modular classrooms to accommodate growing class sizes at Thurston, King, Burns Park and Mitchell Elementary The board of education approved buying the modular units for $2.9 million in March of 2017, when the decision was finalized. Each modular unit will contain four classrooms, two bathrooms and office space. It is important to note that the units will be attached to the school buildings by an awning and walkway
How will teachers’ pay change? In the next two school years, teachers should expect a 5% increase in district contributions to health insurance Teachers with 9 years or less of experience, will experience a 2,500 to 4,600 salry increase depending on their step schedule
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The district believes an additional 977 students will enroll in the next two years due to new housing developments. The district's enrollment has grown by 1,001 students over the past four school years -Lowers class sizes which allows students to learn better
Last year, 14 schools in the district were at or above capacity.
-Prevents over-capacity -Not as sturdy
-Less supervision -Less bathrooms per classroom -Cost to the budget
No student can be picked up before 7 a.m. by buses.
Ann Arbor has the 37 th highest teacher salary of the 551 school districts in Michigan
Teachers with 10 t0 14 years of experience, they will receive a 1% increase in salary increase and possibly move to the next step schedule Teachers with 15 years or more of experience, will receive a 1% increase in salary and a 750 bonus each year of the new agreement
Avg. high school teacher salary in AAPS is 70,978
Michigan has the 10th highest teacher pay of the 50 states at 61,560
Fun Facts!
Late start has finally arrived •
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Exceeding class sizes means module classrooms
On Wednesday June, 28 the Ann Arbor School Board of Education approved tentative agreements with teachers, administrators, technical support and many other staff members in the district The agreement guarantees that teachers will experience raises each year, and, for raises to occur, the district’s fund balance must be at least 9.5 %. By the end of the school year, the fund balance is projected to be 9.8% Superintendent Jeanice Swift noted that the proposed contract would create an additional 8.5 million dollars for teacher salaries in the next two years
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On Wednesday, June 28 the Ann Arbor School Board approved a measure that gives students the option to begin class during 2nd hour Students who take this option will have to take an eighth hour or an online class. Transportation will still be offered, though students will have to ride middle school bus routes that will then go to the high schools In the past three years, AAPS surveyed parents in the district and found that many favor later start times Many health organizations recommend that students begin school after 8:30 in order to better meet the needs for student health and academic
The late start time is 8:39
Do students have a favorable opinion on the late start option? 16 30 students were sampled at random
Students can now participate on the sports team that fits their gender identification
What do students think? I am encouraged to hear that these steps are being taken, however, I feel the news of these measures could be shared in a better -11th grader fashion
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No (20%) Yes (70%)
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14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Yes
No
Neutral
Sports
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At the starting line is junior Kyle Martin. Martin is training to break school records this year.
Crossing lines and breaking records Sami RUUD | Staff Writer
The gun went off, and Kyle Martin began to run the fastest 200 and made sure he stayed loose so his muscles weren’t tight or sore, mostly meters of his life. He got off to a great start, and as he came off the curve, he because he was having some hamstring issues. He did not let his hamstring found himself running next to some of the fastest guys in the country. He stop him from running his best, though. stayed with them for the rest of the race, and as he came to the finish, he was “In the heat of the moment, running against some of the fastest the fifth to cross the line. people in the country, I just had to block out the pain and realize ‘this is a “When I crossed the finish line, so much was chance that some people only get once in a lifetime,’” going through me,” Martin said. “I wanted to jump up Martin said. “No matter how I was feeling or what and down I was so happy.” pains I was having, I knew I had to do this for me and Martin, a junior at Huron High School, was countless other people who were counting on me. So competing at the 2017 AAU Track and Field Junior I just had to block I blocked out the pain and just ran like I never did Olympic Nationals at Eastern Michigan University in before.” the 15-16 age group. He ran the 100 and 200 meter dash, out the pain and realize Although Martin did great at Nationals, he and he was also supposed to run the 400 meter dash, but ‘this is a chance that some is nowhere near done with his running career. He has pulled out of the race due to hamstring issues. many goals for the future, starting with the upcoming Coming into the meet, Martin was not seeded people only get once in a high school track season. to medal in either of his two events, but after setting lifetime. “This school year, I’m hoping to break personal best records in both events, he placed sixth in Huron’s all time school records for the 100, 200, and Kyle Martin the 100 meter dash, and fifth in the 200 meter dash. In 400 meter dashes, and to break Michigan’s state each event, the top 8 medal, therefore he medaled in record, which is a bit of a stretch,” Martin said. “But both events. Also, since he placed in the top eight, he I’m mostly just trying to hit the times I need to and became an All-American in both events. trying to break as many records as I can.” “I didn’t really know what was going to happen in my races, But although those goals are impressive, Martin has even more because you can’t think about that. You just have to go for it sometimes. impressive goals. He hopes to run at a major university and at some point I didn’t expect to run as well as I did, but I was just hoping for something represent Team USA and the country, and even go to the Olympics. amazing to happen so I could leave with a couple of medals, and that’s what Martin credited a lot of his success in his most recent races to I did,” Martin said. his friends, family, and coaches and the support they have given him this The preparation in the weeks leading up to the meet was a key summer. component of his success. He did a lot of start work so that he could get out “All the support I received before and after Nationals really of the blocks fast and a lot of endurance work so that he could maintain his helped me with the extra motivation. Even though I might have felt like I top speed. Coming into nationals week, he rested while staying hydrated couldn’t do it, all the support just helped push me through.
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Junior Kyle Martin placed fifth at the AAU Track and Field Junior Olympic Na-
tionals this summer.
Future looks good for freshman River Rat diver meet on one-meter, where she scored about 60 points higher than her She had visualized all of score at Nationals. She’s hoping to her dives countless times, so as she do much better at Nationals next was waiting for her event to start, year. she was talked with some of her “Next season, I will try fellow competitors and listened to not to focus on the other really good her music. After countless hours divers and how they are doing, and of training in the pool, freshman more on myself,” Costello said. Annie Costello was ready to go Costello has been diving at the McCorkle for four years. Aquatic Pavilion She dives at at the Ohio Legacy Diving, State University. a competitive She felt well team that prepared for her practices upcoming diving at Eastern competition, Michigan considering she University year had been at the round. pool two times “For a day for a week the upcoming straight, training high school just for this season, I’m competition Freshman Annie Costello dives at excited to S o m e Nationals. This season her focus is connect more to become an All-American diver. of the best divers with my coaches from around the and teammates nation were in the because at Legacy there’s a ton of OSU pool for the 2017 USA Diving people, so you don’t get super close National Championships. Annie with your team,” Costello said. Costello was among those divers, She is already off to a competing in the one-meter and good start in the season, as she got three-meter competitions. second place in her first career high “I did okay, but it wasn’t school meet on Aug. 24, losing by my best meet,” Costello said. “I did only 10 points to Zain Smith from decent on three-meter, but not so Skyline High School, one of the well on one meter. I did have a great highest ranked divers in the country time with my friends, and on three- in the 16-18 age group. meter at the end I did super well on Costello hopes to dive in my inward 2 ½.” college, but other than that she has But don’t be deceived. no plans about the specifics of her Although Costello said she didn’t do diving career yet. She doesn’t plan her best, that doesn’t mean she did on stopping anytime soon though. bad. She placed 13th in the country “I love diving because on three-meter and 32nd on one- when you get a new dive, it just feels meter for the 14-15 age group. She so good.” had won first place at the regional Samantha RUUD | Staff Writer
MHSAA looks to build middle school program Samantha Ruud | Staff Writer Getting athletes involved at a high school level can be challenging, so the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is starting to get involved at the middle school level. According to MHSAA director Jack Roberts, they hope this involvement will help encourage young middle schoolers to pursue sports at the high school level and beyond. “The better job we do at informing people about the values of school sports at an early level, the more likely it is that our high school programs will stay strong, so we’re spending a lot of time and some money on the junior high middle school level,” Roberts said. In his personal blog on the MHSAA website, Roberts said most middle schools are not getting involved is because they “want to do their own thing – make their own rules – and don’t see enough benefits in MHSAA membership to overcome the advantages of their local autonomy.” The MHSAA wants these middle schools to join, so they are willing to make changes to their policies that may be discouraging the schools by adding more school sponsored competitions and tournaments. The MHSAA is becoming the presenting sponsor of some league junior high school meets “where we can convey their message about what we think education athletics stands for, and try to encourage many more people to join school sports.”
Opinion
Starting off on the right foot niyati kallenberg | Staff Writer Transitioning from middle school to high school is a big leap. Here are some tips and tricks to make sure you start off on the right foot in high school.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your teachers are happy to help you but they won’t know unless you ask.
2. Use the resources around you. Huron has a lot of extra help opportunities such as the Spanish Help Club, Math Lab, Cocoa and Cram. All these things are very accessible to you, all you need to do is ask. 3. Take notes. This may seem like an obvious one to you but there are many different ways to take notes such as bullet points, highlighting, and rephrasing in your own words. . Quizlet is great resource to have because you’re able to use the flashcards on their games help you remember stuff and also it makes you many quizzes to practice on. 4. Don’t just do your homework, study. Doing just your homework is doing the bare minimum of filling in the blank and answering the question. When you study you actually go over the key concepts and ideas of the information you are receiving and you’re then able to comprehend it. 5. Make a Study Plan. Start studying for a test about three to five days in advance. This will help make sure that you’re not cramming in all of your work at the last minute and will help you retain your information better. Break down the study plan by either chapters or concepts and work through it day by day.
Three The creepiest thing to come out this summer: Snap Maps katherine gurgenian | Staff Writer
One of the fastest growing companies today, Snap Inc., has taken stalking your peers online to a whole new level. This summer, they released a new feature for their popular social media platform, Snapchat, called “Snap Maps,” and it blew up. Snap Maps gives you the option of making your location public to all of your friends, public to certain friends, or not public at all, and possibly viewing your friends’ locations. Quite a few people found it intriguing.
It’s not.
It’s creepy.
“We’ve built a whole new way to explore the world! See what’s happening, find your friends, and get inspired to go on an adventure!” said Snap Inc., in a blogpost that announced the feature. “Inspired to go on an adventure?” I wonder if they’re being serious when they say this. Who in the world will be inspired to go an adventure because of this feature? They’ll be too busy looking at other people’s “adventures” and locations. The very idea of some people being able to see my location 24/7 sends shivers down my spine. Why would anyone want others to see where they are whenever they please? That is an extreme invasion of privacy. Yeah, there’s a feature where you can make it so nobody can see your location, called “Ghost Mode.” But what if someone forgets to turn on “Ghost Mode?” Or what if someone gains access to your account and turns off “Ghost Mode” without your knowledge? To make the risks even worse, what if someone gains access to your account and finds out where one of your friends lives and goes after them? Yes, that may seem quite farfetched. But what with the amount of hackings and online predators, these risks are all very real. To add to the creepiness level, Snapchat knows when you’re listening to music, sleeping, driving, and waiting at the airport, and have this show via your bitmoji. The app knows this by looking at your current or recent location, when you last used your phone, your speed of travel, and more. Please explain to me why someone has to know what you’re doing whenever they want? What would they gain? Nothing.
Which setting is most popular? Certain People (57%)
Ghost (34%)
Do students have a favorable view of Snap Maps?
Yes: 43%
Conservative Corner
________________________
The Emery The official student newspaper of Huron High School ________________________
Adviser: Sara-Beth Badalamente Editor-in-chief: Kara Kozma Staff: Katherine Gurgenian Gena Harris Jack Harrison Niyati Kellenberg Samantha Ruud Shannon Stocking Anna Weigel George White ________________________
The Emery Staff Policy: The Emery, a newspaper produced for and by the students of Huron High School, will provide the student body with insight on current events in our area, as well as activities and issues that affect the Huron community. Our staff wants to hear the voices at Huron. We encourage you to write letters pertaining to what matters to you. All letters must be deemed publishable by our staff, they should be 200 words or less but may be edited for content of length. All letters to our staff must be signed. Students may drop letters in the publications room (room 4203).
Public (9%)
No: 34% Neutral: 23% 35 students were sampled at random for both surveys
The new form of political correctness and the potential consequences
Political Correctness. Where does this phrase come from? Why do people use it? What do you think it means? These are all valid questions most have probably considered, especially after the recent presidential election in which political correctness was often discussed. Most people have a general understanding of the the meaning of political correctness. To clarify, the definition is, “avoiding use of forms of expression or action that would offend others, often being minorities.” By this definition, most would agree it is important to exercise political correctness to ensure people do not feel insulted or targeted based on characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation or religion. However, has the phrase political correctness morphed into something beyond the original definition? Have we become too politically correct? Many politicians have made politically incorrect statements; however, I feel this label of political incorrectness is being overused as media often easily tags conservatives with this title whenever they disagree with an opinion. Let’s take a look at why this might be. I feel the definition of political correctness has been expanded to further the agenda of the media and Democratic Party. This broadening has allowed anti-conservatives to paint conservatives as insensitive and uncompassionate as the definition seems to now go beyond what it was originally intended to mean. So, in what way has the scope of the definition broadened? I feel political correctness has extended to include avoiding comments that may hurt someone’s feelings just because they do not agree with an opinion. More importantly, it has evolved into a phrase that includes the expression of positions that do not align with the liberal ideology and a social, progressive agenda. Therefore, people with a conservajack Harrison | Staff Writer
Summary of the main points:
Democrats changed the actual definition of political correctness to further their agenda
tive agenda are labeled as politically incorrect, which is true when according to this new definition, but not according to the original one. However, since much of the public is unaware of the change in meaning of political correctness, they think conservatives often target minorities when they do not. So, what is the motivation of many liberals to represent conservatives as politically incorrect, event when it is not the case? It is important to consider that the liberal media and democrats are using this as a tool to gain votes, or make conservatives look intolerant, closed-minded or even racist. This new form of political correctness has caused conservatives to be unfairly perceived by Americans and people across the globe. But beyond this, it has led to some negative consequences for America. Firstly, allowing for any unpopular position to be portrayed as politically incorrect has led to division in the country. Conservatives feel the media has sided with the Democratic Party, because they are constantly being portrayed in a negative way. This is quite noticable through the assaults on the current administration. I would argue the media has gone too far in their attempt to take statements out of context and turn them into cause for political correctness scrutiny. I would also argue this has led the public to believe conservatives are against particular groups of people. For instance, in my experience, many conservatives have a neutral stance on gay marriage. But most liberals support gay marriage, they have presented conservatives to be against it. Secondly, some conservatives have become afraid to express themselves and their opinions. They feel if they don’t say what liberals want them to say they will be labeled politically incorrect and be called a racist or a bigot by their peers. The risk is significant as it could cost them their job or their reputation. An example of this is animosity towards pro-life conservatives in Hollywood. Actress Patricia Heaton, who is a pro-life advocate has been labeled as against women by other
The new meaning supports a progressive, leftwing agenda
actresses and has received a great deal of criticism for expressing her opinions. President Reagan is also a strong example of this because when he came out in support of conservative policies, it cost him many acting roles. “Everybody in the van was bashing [President Reagan],” said Morgan Brittany, a hollywood actress. “I never said anything because I thought I’d lose my job. And I probably would have lost my job.” Lastly, this leftist form of political correctness can compromise a person’s right to free speech and perhaps even public safety. Much of the media has perceived people as racist when they report the suspicious activity of others who are not white. Therefore, this has caused people to not report incidents and unusual activity for fear of being labeled. This was true after the terrorist attack in San Bernardino. According to The Daily Mail, “neighbors of husband and wife San Bernardino shooters ‘noticed them acting suspiciously but did NOT report them for fear of racial profiling.’” One can only speculate that there would have been a different outcome if the couple’s suspicious behavior had been reported. If we understand that it is important to be respectful of others and to think about the consequences of our words and actions, we should not have to censor opinions because those opinions are unpopular with the majority. I have experienced animosity as a member of Huron’s Young Conservatives Club, being called a bigot solely based on my membership in the club. Unfairly labeling someone’s opinion or belief as politically incorrect because it is not the opinion of the majority is actually as politically incorrect as it offensive. If we all respect each other and practice political correctness as originally defined, America would be a more unified country, perhaps with a better sense of humor. As always, any questions you may have please feel free to email me at jack48105harrison@gmail.com
Because of this, conservatives with a different agenda are politically incorrect according to the left wing definition
The liberal media presents conservatives as politically incorrect, knowing the public thinks they are referring to the original definition, when they are referring to their new definition
Hear from some of Huron’s incoming freshmen students
AXD AVRAM
HALEY CAMPAIN
ZIHAO WONG
THALLIA EPPS
Favorite show to binge: The Office
Favorite show to binge: River Dale
Favorite show to binge: Pokemon
Favorite show to binge: Lost
Favorite song: Prison Blues
Favorite song: Sign of the Times
Favorite song: 7 Years
Favorite song: Juke Jam
What are you looking forward to at Huron: Attending new clubs
What are you looking forward to at Huron: Huron football season
What are you looking forward to at Huron: Crew season
What are you looking forward to at Huron: Piano class
“Band camp was really fun, making music with my friends 24/7 -Sophomore was great” Nathan Chervin
Written By: Staff Writer// Shannon Stocking Stepping off the bus into the wonderland of no service and bad food is a tradition loved enough by Huron Bands to be returning for their 50th year at Interlochen Center of the Arts Camp for a week every summer. Rising freshmen through the experienced seniors are combined into one band which this year totaled to 216 students. The week is filled with full band rehearsals, marching , instrument sectionals, and plenty of fun night time experiences. This year at Interlochen Huron Band welcomed the new director of bands Rob Ash. Ash brought new styles of conducting with plenty of emphasis on dynamics and
breathing. This year the band preformed Robert W. Smith’s Africa, The piece was intended to recreate a tribal war song filled with loud screams, heavy percussion and unique instrumental parts. Alison Hendricks also returned this year as the conductor of Huron High School’s Varsity Band and to show Robert Ash the ropes. Hendricks conducted the classic ‘Elsa’s procession to the cathedral’ composed by Richard Wagner. This piece demonstrated the bands technique of showing their emotion through the music. An element to a concert that former Director of bandsSteveRobertsemphasizedwastomake the audience both laugh and cry, this piece moved the audience to tears. The marching
seen at every home football game all starts up at Interlochen. With 2-3 marching rehearsals a day everyone comes out of the week having learned the basic fundamentals of marching. The end of the marching week is completed with a marching test, a competition, and a final marching demonstration for the parents. HuronBandwasjoinedbytheHuronChoirs, Orchestras and Skylines band choir and Orchestras. Interlochen 2017 was finished with a touching performance composed by this years seniors honoring their last time up at Interlochen. The Huron Music association has brought in many new voices this year, Stay in tune with the upcoming concerts and events.
“I love the campus, the music, the friends you live with and the music you create, choir camp is one of the highlights of my summer.” -sophomore Stephanie Mccurrah
Entertainment
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The Rua: a Family on the Road Anna Weigel | Staff Writer
International recording artists The Rua have an unusual story about how they met; they didn’t. The Rua of Windsor, England have known each other all their lives— they’re siblings. Alanna, Jonathan and Roseanna Brown have been playing music for a long time (Roseanna even has a degree in Music from Royal Holloway). All three are classically trained: Jonathan plays the violin, Alanna plays the piano and Roseanna plays the guitar. They all sing, but Roseanna is the lead. One of the things that sets The Rua apart is the violin; whenever people see them setting up, their violin attracts interest and helps showcase their Irish roots. “When people see the violin, they think of classical music,” Jonathan said. “But I think it should be used a lot more in pop; you can do a lot with string instruments in pop music. Some of the best pop songs have strings.” One of the other unique things about The Rua is that all three siblings have been in at least one Harry Potter movie as an extra. Alanna was a Gryffindor in four of the movies, Roseanna was a Slytherin in three and Jonathan was a Hufflepuff in one. They have also appeared in other movies, including Stormbreaker, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Thor: the Dark World. A few of the things they liked the most about being in these movies was seeing the behind the scenes work as well as seeing and meeting cool people. The Rua use their past experiences to their advantage; when filming their video for “Without You”, which was a one-shot, the director, who shot Taylor Swift’s “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” music video in the same style, told the group that it wouldn’t have been possible to film the video the way they did if they didn’t already know all the “stage lingo”. Singing competitions and acting experiences from their youth have helped them be more comfortable performing for an audience and creating a better stage presence. “Because it’s the three of us getting up on stage, it’s a bit better than the competitions,” Alanna said. People compare The Rua to many different artists, such as Fleetwood Mac and The Corrs, a group popular in England. The Rua themselves refer to their style as a mix between pop, folk and rock. All three siblings are co-writers of their songs, and each one has a special meaning. “Music is like therapy,” Jonathan said. “Once you write it, it’s just done. A lot of the songs now have a different meaning than they did
Siblings Jonathan, Alanna and Roseanna amke up the members of the band The Rua. Courtesy Photo
when we wrote them. A lot of the time, we don’t like to say what they mean, because we like people to get their own interpretation. It’s good that even though the years have changed, the songs are still relatable to us.” The Rua have had an impact on the people who listen to them. “Someone told us what they’d been through and connected [one of our songs] to themselves,” Jonathan said. “I’ve heard of that happening to some of the bigger bands, but I never thought that would happen to us.” While some people may think being
in a band with your siblings might lead to more conflicts. However, Alanna believes the opposite. “Being siblings you’re more willing to say things than you would be with friends,” she said. “If Jonathan is annoying me, I’m more willing to say ‘stop doing that’ to him rather than one of my friends.” For siblings, these bandmates get along better than one would expect. “Friends hold grudges,” Jonathan added. “When it’s family, you forget about bickering a few seconds later.” Apart from performing at a sta-
dium for the first time in Omaha, Nebraska, alongside Train and Parachute one of The Rua’s favorite concerts was here in Michigan, Saginaw to be specific. “It was one of the first places we got our lyrics sung back at us,” Jonathan said. “That was cool.” The Rua recently sang on a Southwest flight from Denver, Colorado to Los Angeles, California. “We literally had a captive audience,” Jonathan joked. “They couldn’t leave the plane!” Although the group shares a house in Windsor, England, they really enjoy touring
in the United States. They said there is a good positive energy, and people are more receptive to new music. The thing they miss most about England is their dog. They are always appreciative of their home when they come back to it. The siblings of Rua are just that— siblings. “I see us as siblings who just happen to be in a band together,” Jonathan said. “Family came first, and we’ve always kinda played music together.”
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Modern Adventure Kara Kozma | Staff Writer
Rarely can one find a book that seems to synthesize all of one’s interests. For me, Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is just such a book. From topography to typography, from humanism to transhumanism, from books to book scanners, from museum storage to Google’s data storage, Sloan writes about it all and does so with flair and wit. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is certainly fiction, but it is not fanciful, nor does it cultivate a tone of gritty realism. Sloan writes like a good conversationalist, applying a tone common in modern
high fantasy to a twenty-first century mathematical caper. Sloan’s casual style, combined with his attention to detail, makes his work fast-paced but intricate and lends his characters an uncommon relatability. Sloan’s tone is far from the only masterful aspect of his storytelling. His book bursts with vibrant characters and subtleties of plot, each of which serves a purpose. As the story continues, each of its parts comes together, and the plot seems, marvelously, to construct itself. This makes the book truly satisfying to read.
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore follows Clay Jannon, a graphic designer turned bookstore clerk as he, with the help of his numerous talented acquaintances, galivants, or meanders, through life, attempting to solve a puzzle and assist his employer. The book is a mystery, to be sure, but it is also, perhaps more, an examination of our modern sensibility and how it may not, in fact, be unique to the modern age. I highly recommend this book, which is available at the Huron High School library.
Check out Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24hour bookstore this fall.
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Worker Bees live for on average 40 days before dying
Bees preform 80% of all pollination
Shannon Stocking | Staff Writer
A single teaspoon of honey is worth the lifetime of 12 bees. Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, performing 80% of all global pollination. The save the bees movement has recently gained more attention than ever before. This year, we lost 44% of the bee population worldwide. The wide production of agriculture is the main cause for the mass deaths of bees. Bees are also at immediate risk because of human caused climate change. Quickly changing climate conditions are throwing many organisms off guard, and this is especially true forthe bees. Ann Arbor contains many parks, forests, and flowers, which provides a safe home to many bees. The Ann Arbor Bee School provides a simple, local educational opportunity to learn about bees and how to support both
What YOU Can Do Honey Nut Cheerios is giving out seeds for their customers to plant to help bring back the bee’s
Plant bee friendly flowers in your garden such as Borage, Chives Goldenrod and Blueberries.
1 out of 3 bites we eat are derived by plants that have been pollinated by bees.
5% of our population are allergic to bees Melissophobia; The fear of bees
Don’t use chemicals on your lawn! Let your grass and the bees breathe freely.
Honey Bee’s arent out to get you! Leave them alone they have a family that’s depending on them.
their and your community. Only 5% of the united States population is allergic to bees, but many others have melissophobia, the fear of bees. Beekeeper David Pearce is a teacher at the Ann Arbor Bee School and has several beehives of his own. “I want my students to learn how to have sustainable apiaries. In other words, I want them to know how to care well enough for their bees that they can help them reproduce and thrive without dying out year after year.” Controlled beehives are a huge part of the bee population and economy. 16 billion dollars of agricultural funds were lost to the death of bees this year. Bee death is a prominent issue that we all need to take steps in solving.
Bees are thirsty!! Put a small bowl of water outside as a welcoming refresher.
Buy local raw honey for that sweet tooth in you.
2017 River Rat Rookies
Mr. Daniel Bai Earth Science and Biology From Davis California IB profile: Caring Pump up song: “Where is the Love” -Black Eyed Peas
Ms. Kathryn Bellows World and US History From South-east Michigan IB profile: Risk Taker Pump up song: “Don’t stop me now” -Queen
Mr. Jeremy Schuitman Algebra, Geometry, PASS From Bay City IB profile: Open-Minded Pump up song: “May we all” - Florida Georgia Line
Ms. Sarah Palermo Algebra, Geometry, Pre Calc From Lansing IB profile: Inquirer Pump up song: “Beat it” -Michael Jackson
Ms. Christina Zager English From Midwest IB profile: Principled Pump up song: “Don’t stop me now” -Queen
Mr. Kent Wattleworth Choir From Canton IB profile: Reflective Pump up song: “Under Pressure” -Queen/David Bowie