The Huron Emery Volume 5 Issue 3 2019

THE

HURON EMERY

@THEHURONEMERY

HURON HIGH SCHOOL, 2727 FULLER RD., ANN ARBOR MI 48105

VOL. 5 ISSUE 3

Truth behind the smoke: the realities of vaping THIS ISSUE:

CATHERINE BASS GUEST WRITER

Ann Arbor as the new motor city, car models to look out for and more

PAGE 7

Dylan Peterson works on the wheel of a car in the auto shop at the end of a long day. Peterson can be found in the auto shop every hour except sixth hour. SAMI RUUD

Motor-minded

SPORTS:

Womens’ basketball season preview

Senior spends six hours a day in the auto shop

PAGE 14

ENTERTAINMENT:

NEWS

“Frozen 2 was the worst movie I’ve ever seen” PAGE 10

SAMI RUUD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Totaling his Mustang on the first big snowfall of the year was a blessing in disguise for senior Dylan Peterson. He invested in a Taurus Sho soon after and spent some of his time in the Huron Auto Shop fixing it up.

“I’m making it faster, making it louder, having some fun with it,” Peterson said.

Peterson spends six out of seven of his class hours

briefs

Black Student Union performs 100 acts of kindness ALENA HALLIWILL STAFF WRITER

On the week of Nov. 4, the Black Student Union performed 100 Acts of Kindness. Most people get so caught up in their own lives that they forget that the simplest of things can make a significant impact on others.

ALENA HALLIWILL

The main point of 100 Acts of Kindness was to show appreciation to people and teachers,” senior Mi’lisa Curtis said.

The main way people showed kindness was by giving anonymous notes to people and teachers. A person could write anything they wanted on a sticky note or any piece of paper and give it to anyone. The point was also to be anonymous because it shouldn’t matter who is being kind. The point is to just be nice.

“The random acts of kindness made me feel very

every school day working and learning in the auto shop.

“I have a couple extra [auto] classes, I have an independent study with Mr. Snyder and I’m in his pass class as well,” he said. “I pretty much busted my butt the first three years, took all my core classes, figured out what credits I needed. My senior year, I just needed a math credit, which auto counts for a math credit, and then I needed an English credit, which I’m taking yearbook for.”

During his time in the auto shop, he not only gets to work on his own car, but also gets to work on some other cars in the shop and work on some of the Huron teachers cars.

“I do a lot of brakes, so changing out brake pads,” Peterson said. “I also do a lot of oil changes and wheel alignments. I welded an exhaust the other day. I also fix all the teachers cars, and then they donate to the program.”

See AUTO, PAGE 7

good,” senior Brooklyn Cooper said. “When someone did something for me it changed my attitude and mood for the whole day.”

Boxes were set up in all the grade offices, where students who were impacted by the actions could write what the BSU students did and put it in the box to help the BSU president, Kennedy Kelly, know that people were participating.

Abbot’s furry new employee MISHAL CHANARIA ONLINE EDITOR

Abbot Elementary wanted to promote a calm learning environment in their school — so they got a dog. Abbot principal Pam Sica worked with the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) thrift shop to get a therapy dog named Star for COURTESY OF PAMELA SICA the students.

“We are just seeing more and more kids that have experienced trauma,” Sica said. “We

See DOG, PAGE 3

Vapes are designed to be marketed to children.

“It looks safe, it looks like candy, it looks fun, it looks cool, you never see in the few commercials about vaping out there, you never see elderly people using vaporizers, you see young, cool, hip, groups of kids, teenagers and young twenties vaping and passing around juuls and views,” Health Sciences teacher Lynn Boland said. “So it’s definitely targeting that market.”

It also doesn’t help that many students and teens in general remain uninformed or misinformed about vaping and other inhaled drugs, which

See VAPING, PAGE 2

Assistant Principal Sumerton confiscated numerous vaping devices during last year’s fourth quarter.

MICHAEL SUMERTON

Traverwood library branch closes for the winter MAYA KOGULAN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

On Monday, Traverwood Library closed for 10 weeks of renovations. This renovation was expected by many since all the other district branches have already been refurbished this year.

Still, students and families are upset about the closure because it overlaps with winterbreak and midterms.

“Many parents & children rely on the library for books and activities during school break. Shutting down the library during break abso-

See LIBRARY, PAGE 2

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 2 | NEWS

Literature circles get a fresh perspective

LIAM GOFF

STAFF WRITER

Teachers are very passionate about the books they teach in class. Each book has a meaning that they want to illustrate for their students — whether is be the theme of innocence throughout ‘To Kill A Mockingbird” or the ever-present motif of eyes in “1984.” This year, the English 9 team, Bob Fox, Sean Eldon, Alison Eberts, Shari Horwitz, Christina Zager, Letitia Kunselman and Sara-Beth Badalamente, wanted to add more choice to the curriculum.

With the integration of IB courses into Huron, the opportunity to refresh the curriculum is more accessible with all subject areas having collaboration time during the school day.

Eberts is one of the teachers who helped decide what the next round of books will be for incoming freshmen.

“[We] discussed the values, limitations, and considerations the books offered before we moved ahead to purchase them,” Eberts said. “Author and time period certainly played a part in this selection as we were trying to blend contemporary examples with historical examples.

Overall, we looked at the story being told and considered what service reading these stories would do for students.”

The process of the book

adoption process began with teachers picking books, which they suggested to the department chair. They asked the questions: What audience does it serve? What will students get from this book that other books don’t offer?, Is it dramatized in a way that still relevant to the class, and isn’t so explosive that it could be potentially overwhelming for groups of students?

Then, each teacher read their chosen book.

“We want more students to see cultures and time periods that they recognize reflected in their reading,” Eldon said. “It’s a problem when most books are depicting bygone eras. We want to reduce the required reading load and at the same time increase the amount of actual reading by giving kids more investment in what they’re reading.”

Eberts read the book “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, which tells the story of a Nepalese girl named Lakshmi who is sold into sexual slavery in India.

The book, which is written in a series of short episodes, was a National Book Award Finalist in 2007, and won the Gustav-Heinemann-Peace Prize in 2008.

Other texts included: “Book of Unknown Americans” — Horwitz, “The Lines We Cross” — Badalamente, “American Street” — Eldon, “Rabbit-proof

Fence” — Fox, “Q & A” — Zager, “Tsotsi” — Simmons, “Farewell to Manzanar”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Monster.”

Then the discussion began.

“I appreciate the thought that goes into choosing each text,” Badalamente said.

“Having a process helped guide us in our decisions, which allowed us to eliminate the novels we felt would be less beneficial in the classroom.”

Books that didn’t make the cut: “Q & A,” ‘Tsotsi” and “Rabbit-Proof Fence.”

“The biggest obstacle we have faced in this is money to get copies of texts,” Eberts said.

“Todd Newell, the MYP coordinator, really advocated strongly for us to get some money from IB funding to purchase these books, but that request was denied from the central IB administration.”

Previously, the English 9 team was asked to other sources of funding, according to Newell.

Newell has since spent much of his time working on grant requests from the PTSO. The PTSO has granted $1,500 for the purchase but the English 9 teachers hope to receive more if they’re going to reach the price range of $4000-$6000. Freshman students should expect to see these books in their classes some time in February.

VAPING | FROM PAGE ONE

THE EMERY STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Julie Heng 2020hengjulie@aaps.k12.mi.us Sami Ruud 2020ruudsamanthaa@aaps.k12.mi.us ADVISER: Sara-Beth Badalamente Clara Bowman News Editor Nathan Penoyar Opinion Editor Maya Kogulan Arts & Entertainment Editor Vish Gondesi Sports Editor Shannon Stocking Design Editor Mishal Charania Online Editor Hana Hughes Social Media Editor Samer Yassir Copy Editor Kaitlyn Sabb Business Manager Ira Brann Glory Bradley Ivan Cardenas Sydney Cohen Alex Cole Micah Cross Kade Cupp Joshua Durant Aaron Garrett Liam Goff Juan Gonzalez-Esquivel Liam Graham

George Gueorguiev Alena Halliwell Lydia Hargett Ridhima Kodali Davis Malmer Brian Moskus Blake Mundy Manit Patel Aisha Said Nancy Shevtsova Matt Wyderko Feiyu Zhang

may lead to uninformed decisions. This has become a rising concern given that there are 2,291 EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) cases (people admitted due to vaping related lung injuries) as of Dec.3 of this year, according to the CDC.

“I had a lot of kids surprised that vapes are bad for you,” Health Sciences senior Stephanie Cotitsas said, who participated in the recent

LIBRARY | FROM PAGE ONE absolutely disregards the needs of its users,” commented Patrick Thornton under the announcement on the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) website.

While AADL Director, Josie Parker, sympathizes with families concerns, she explained that several factors lead to the timing of this closing.

“We have been doing renovation work on all branches this year, and Traverwood was the last building in the list because it’s the newest branch,” Parker said.

“So, the timing is determined by how long the other renovations lasted. And so for us to get this done in a 10 week period that does not [move] into our spring program or summer, we needed to do it now.”

SOLD by Patricia McCormick, tells the story of a Nepalese girl named Lakshmi who is sold into sexual slavery in India.

BOOK OF UNKNOWN AMERICANS by Cristina Henriquez features multiple points of view of a family from Mexico who risks everything to come to America.

THE LINES WE CROSS by Randa Abdel-Fattah tells the story of two friends whose families have conflicting views on immigration, one anti-immigration and the other immigrants from Afghanistan.

FAREWELL TO MANZANAR

by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston shows the experience of a family in a Japanese-American concentration camp during World War II.

MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers is a first person account of an African American teenager who is being tried for felony murder during his time in prison.

Great American Smoke-Out at Huron, a day that is dedicated to informing students about the dangers of inhaled drugs such as cigarettes, hookah, e-cigarettes, marijuana and vapes.

During the Great American Smoke-Out, which took place outside of the cafeteria all day, students voted on informative posters about inhaled drugs, saw treated pig’s lungs that show the effects of smoking on the lungs and more.

“Teenagers generally

think that they are immune,” Boland said. “They know that there might be dangers, but they take a very naïve view of it and think that it’s never going to happen to them.”

This, is certainly not the case. Just recently a 17-year-old in Detroit had a double lung transplant due to vaping (according to Time), when he was just fine a year before. It certainly can and will happen, and the scariest thing of all is that we know little about it.

During this year’s ren- and replacing it with a new, ovations, the library will be more accessible system that is doing multiple projects. They more equitable to the Ann Arwill be conducting typical bor community,” Parker said. maintenance such as replac- “It’s not perfect. We know that ing the carpet, refinishing all it does sometimes split up auof the floors, thors. But it rearranging also allows the shelves people to find and the furmore on a niture and subject when repainting browsing.” the building.

UltiThere will mately, Parkalso be some er hopes that more radithese renocal changvations and es such as a changes help new bookpreserve Traable meeting The renovations will be taking verwood for room and place during the winter break to future generalibrary book add a new meeting room. MAYA tions to come. system rear- KOGULAN She encouragrangement. es students to use the city buses

“We are eliminating and explore all the other great the Dewey Decimal system branches AADL has to offer.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 3 | NEWS

The Green Team and the battery recycling dream

JULIE PARK GUEST WRITER

As an effort to reduce toxic waste within the community and raise environmental awareness, Huron’s Green Team organized a school-wide battery drive. From Dec. 9 to Dec. 13, both students and teachers participated by bringing in their used batteries.

Over 1000 batteries were donated. Why is the Green Team collecting all these dead batteries anyways and where are they going?

What happens when you recycle a battery?

When a battery gets recycled, the battery is broken down and separated by product.

These products are then reused to manufacture new commodities. Recycling your battery prevents the toxic chemicals from polluting your community.

What’s inside a battery?

There are many different types of batteries that are made with various materials.

Household batteries are mainly made of metals like steel. They also often contain hazardous chemicals including cadmium, lead, and sulfuric acid.

What happens when a battery is thrown in the trash?

When a battery ends up in a landfill, chemical reactions take place which release greenhouse gases. The hazardous chemicals in a battery can leak into our water supply and soil. Not only is this harmful to ecosystems but humans as well. Detrimental health effects can result from ingesting crops grown in contaminated soil, drinking toxic water, and breathing polluted air.

What type of batteries can you recycle?

Almost every type can be recyclable, From big car batteries to coin-sized lithium batteries. However, it is important to double check that your batteries are accepted before dropping them off.

Where can you recycle batteries?

Batteries are not recycled with paper and plastic. You must recycle batteries at specialized centers. There is likely one near you! The Washtenaw County Home Toxics Collection Center in Ann Arbor accepts all household batteries and other toxic materials like light bulbs, old fire extinguishers and more. The Home Toxics Collection Center collaborated with Green Team to help make the battery drive possible.

What can you do to help?

Using rechargeable batteries is one way to reduce toxic waste. Although rechargeables also contain harmful chemicals, they are more conservative as they can be used up to 1000 times more than a regular battery. Recycling your batteries is also plays a vital role in reducing toxic waste.

Late lunch meetings break down stereotypes to build friendships DAVIS MALMER STAFF WRITER

Students in the Peer program have a goal to clear stereotypes surrounding people with disabilities.

“One misconception is that because someone has a learning disabilities or trouble with speech, they can’t communicate or be friends with them which isn’t true,” senior peer Alex Cole said. “They are just as human as the rest of us and should be treated that way.”

A new club at Huron is offering a unique opportunity for students to connect and engage with students with disabilities through fun activities and field trips during late lunch every other Monday in the Room 6218.

“The bowling trips we went on last year were probably my favorite memory from Peers,” Cole said. “It was the first time we had an out of class experience and it was the first time I felt less like a peer and more like a friend.”

The club offers a great opportunity for students to have lunch and spend time with their friends as well as

Students play name games, socialize during Unified Club meeting on Dec. 16. DAVIS MALMER.

meet new people.

“You get to hang out with friends, hang out with teachers and play sports,” junior Hunter Ward said.

At their first meeting, teacher advisor Nicole Pilkins explained that this club is a chapter of the Unified Champion Schools which is run through the Special Olympics.

The club will meet every two weeks during late lunch where students will eat lunch and do activities with some of the students with disabilities at Huron. Each month, the club will also have a field trip during school to go bowling.

A club like this is very important for students to get a better understanding of these disabilities they may not have been ex-

posed to before.

“Being an IB school, understanding that there are all different types of students and that there isn’t just diversity in things such as race and gender but that there is also diversity disabilities and that many students may have more in common with students that have disabilities than they think,” Pilkins said.

The next meeting of the Unified Club will be Monday, Jan. 13. Cole and other members of Unified Club strongly encourage all those interested in the club to stop by during lunch for a unique experience that gives students a new opportunity to make friends and do fun activities.

DOG | FROM PAGE ONE are just seeing more and more kids that have experienced trauma,” Sica said.“We are looking for additional ways to social and emotional learning in our school.”

In the Brighton Public Schools, every school in the district has a therapy dog. Sica’s son goes to Brighton Public schools, and she saw the impact that the dog had on him. She then realized that this is a program that she wanted to pursue at Abbot.

She was inspired by his experience and made a plan of action. Sica sent out information about the potential of bringing a dog to Abbot to parents on Nov. 6.

She received positive feedback not only from the community, but from the faculty too.

“At the very end of last year, I told them that we were getting another employee next year who would mainly provide comfort and support, and then I put her picture up,” Sica said.

“There was a very loud cheer from the room. There is so much support.”

Star will have a bed in every classroom. Students will have an opportunity to opt-out of interacting with

the dog if they feel uncomfortable or if they are allergic.

“A good therapy dog is calm at all times,” Sica said. “Even if it sees kids who are upset, the dog won’t react.”

Brighton Public Schools had an established breeder that worked with Sica to choose a dog that would be good with the kids. Star is currently being trained and won’t be interacting with the students until after winter break.

“I’m hoping it will be a calming force,” Sica said. “There’s a lot of research behind the fact that animals provide a calm environment when they are trained to do so.”

The PTO supported the idea of adding a therapy dog to Abbot wholeheartedly. Kim Lazaraz, a PTO member speaks about why she supported the idea.

“The principal had put in so much work to create a sustainable program and we wanted to provide the training for the dog, which was the last thing missing,” Lazaraz said.“I think it is a wonderful idea.

We need to do all we can to support our community and let them know that they are not alone.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 4 | OPINION

All opinions matter

The term “hate speech” is problematic and freedom of expression must be protected for all

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the speech (as well as other violations of tion and ideas through any media and regardhuman rights) of their subjects. Any step in the less of frontiers.” direction of censoring speech is one step too

Freedom of expression plays a many. It could potentially snowball into somekey role in a free society. It is important thing way worse. to be able to express our own views NATHAN PENOYAR There are several cases in which speech is not without fear of censorship or retaliaOPINION EDITOR protected, however. These are cases of libel tion, no matter how controversial and slander, where someone and/or a publicathey may be. It is a human right

As someone who holds opinions that tion publishes lies about someone, defaming for everyone and it must be are unpopular and controversial, I know the their name and taking down their reputation; protected. It must be proimportance of freedom of speech. It is imdirect calls to violence where tected everywhere, from portant that I am able the speech in question directthe classroom to public to express my views, ly threatens to harm another forums to public spacbecause it allows those person, and unnecessarily es to work spaces to who disagree with me inciting chaos.

These are an places of worship. to gain more perspecexception to the rule, and do tive when it comes to not validate arguments for knowing about what speech to be censored. In fact, the other side thinks. some of the examples I just It leads people to provided are a bit vague. When become more moderI refer to “libel” and “slander,” ate after learning that that word makes me I am referring to cases where it the other side isn’t feel as a black person. can be proven beyond a doubt evil, which is a terriI also try to explain how where it significantly smears ble misconception in that word was reclaimed the character, honor, and repthis day and age. The acceptance of differences by black people and how utation of the victim and not a mistaken detail of opinion has been one of the things that has disrespectful it is when a nonthat was quickly retracted upon finding out the made the U.S. so great in the past, and I hope black person says it. I get mixed whole truth. One can’t deliberately lie about to see the continuation of this trend. responses but if someone won’t Freedom of expression must be protected at someone and get away from it if one works respect my request, that is not somein media: the media will be held accountall costs. Ideas must be allowed to be discussed one I will associate myself with again able by the public to a basic standard of and debated. because of its harmful nature. accuracy.

What if you couldn’t express dissatisfaction

I have been on both sides. I have Free speech is not something with President Trump (or any previous presisaid things that are derogatory, like the unique to the U.S. It is a univerdential administrations) or his policies due to R-word, even if I didn’t mean it that way. sal concept, as stated by the fear of retaliation from the government? It’s I have also had people use hate speech Universal Declaration of Huhard to imagine, isn’t it? For many around the against me, both by people who meant world, expressing dissatisfaction with leaders is man Rights, which states every syllable and people who never meant our “Everyone has the right to dangerous. It can result in a strong and brutal to hurt me. I encourage everyone to speak vocabufreedom of opinion and retaliation from the government, including (in lary, when up when someone says something that expression; this right some places) imprisonment or possibly worse. makes you uncomfortable. just a few includes freedom The First Amendment to the Constitution pro Just recently, a student in our years ago we to hold opinions tects us. It states that “Congress shall make no school got a video leaked on Snapchat of were signwithout interlaw respecting an establishment of religion, or them saying the N-word. This student was ing petitions to ference and to prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridgArab and not black. This deeply offend“Spread the Word seek, receive ing the freedom of speech, or of the press; or ed me and many other students. When I to End the Word.” and the right of the people peaceably to assemble, confronted the student, they refused to

It happened to impart and to petition the Government for a redress of talk to me and went on to tell others that me the other day, when inforgrievances.” they would beat me up.

By ignoring the my boyfriend and I were ma Therefore, so-called “hate speech” problem, I felt this asserted racist culture walking the streets of downlaws are problematic. The term “hate speech” through the power of the N-word, and its town Ypsilanti headed for the is completely subjective and the definition effects when used by a non-black individulibrary. We do this almost every could vary from person to person. Such laws al to a black individual. day so we can do our homework leave the door open for abuse by someone in

There’s a certain power dynamic in a quiet place. power to use as a means to go after political when a person who is not black says the As we were crossing the street a opponents simply by declaring their speech N-word.

When a non-black person says man told my boyfriend to “stay with to be “hateful” based off of some ridicuthe N-word or another racial slur, it feels your own kind, or just flush your DNA.” lous standard. Some speech is, in fact, outdated, like we’ve taken more steps We were both stunned! Interracial marhateful. However, it should still be back than we have riage was legalized allowed to be said. The government taken steps forward as a by the U.S. Supreme should not be involved in what society.

We, as a society, Court in 1967, so why

someone can or can’t say due have to come together did this man have

to the potential that it could to recognize the effects such a problem with spiral into the government

of hate language of all two people being simply censoring any kinds.

There is an illuhappy together?

speech it doesn’t like. sion that hate speech is

It shouldn’t

There have taboo, but some people matter if we are black

been too many exare comfortable with and white, black

amples of authorusing it. It makes others and black, or white itarian leaders uneasy in certain circumstances, and we GLORY BRADLEY and white; love is love, and this is the free taking power need to make sure we understand everyworld.

STAFF WRITER throughout one’s perspective.

We as a society must be

When confronted with how our Ignorance is bliss, until history by more empathetic to other people’s feelings words may affect other people, we often the person who is blissful trying to retreat to telling someone that they are be- towards hate speech and recognize that is no longer ignorant. Many conthe connotations surrounding it, to get a ing too sensitive, that it is their fault that people in our generation, introl we hurt them. We deflect their feelings and better look on how our words matter. We cluding me, say things that are as a school can promote the effects of hate go on with our lives. When people I know inappropriate and often offensive speech on us as a generation, as to influsay the N-word, I openly express to and when we speak. We have learned to ence the generation after us. try to explain to them how them saying take the meaning from the word and transform it. We add it into a part of

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There is an illusion that hate speech is taboo, but some people are comfortable with using it.

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Being exposed to views that differ from our own widens our perspective of the world and, ultimately, helps us understand each other.

Words hurt The connotation of words is real

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 5 | OPINION

Make the switch to electric Staff editorial: doing our part against pollution

Nearly 500 cars are driven by students and teachers to Huron each day, and that doesn’t include those that drop off or pick up students. For a lot of us, cars are a means to an end. We barely think about the effects of driving, even though we’ve been warned of the danger of greenhouse gas emissions and the warming planet, of Greta Thunberg and climate strikes, and the Green New Deal.

So why are we still driving along like nothing is wrong?

Maybe because we live in a state fueled by the auto industry.

Maybe because increasing emissions feels like a foreign concept, distant and unrelatable.

Or maybe it’s just because it’s too convenient to stop.

These are all valid reasons, and we get it. Cars offer freedom and access, especially for students with places to go and people to see. But it’s time to recognize the impact of our driving on the planet.

In the mornings, many students idle in the parking lots, oftentimes

STOP

with the radio and heaters on full blast. This idling can spend nearly as much fuel—and, by extension, fuel emissions—as driving. According to the EPA, every minute spent idling can emit anywhere up to 8g of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide compounds and volatile organic compounds (waste that hasn’t been fully combusted in the car engine).

That’s the weight of a pencil. Now think about the waste generated as your parent waits six minutes to pick you up after practice.

“Cars that use internal combustion to burn fossil fuels produce CO2,” biology teacher Daniel Bai said. “CO2 is a greenhouse gas and the increase in CO2 has a strong correlation to increase in average ocean temperature.”

According to Bai, evidence suggests that the rise in CO2 will increase the global temperature which will cause more extreme weather events such as stronger hurricanes, drought conditions, etc.

“Cars can also shape the environment directly [from] the infrastructure needed to support cars [to] roads, gas stations, and cities located around roads,” Bai

TRANSPORTATION AT HURON: - 327 student parking passes - 154 staff parking passes - 269 bus passes - About 20 school buses - 17 a.m. routes with 64 total stops - 15 p.m. routes with 70 total stops

said. “The direct change in the environment has negatively impacted many species [by] being a physical barrier for movement and fragmenting ecosystems.”

Chemistry teacher Victoria Sturt notes that it’s not just environmental effects.

“Cars burn fossil fuels, from which the resulting smoke contains chemicals that are harmful to the atmosphere and harmful to breathe,” Sturt said.

And it’s only getting worse.

Especially under this administration’s national EPA, laws that have been created to measure and control pollutants have been reversed or repealed, oftentimes from industry lobbyists.

So how do we reduce these emissions?

Increasing the use of public transportation is one solution.

Riding bikes is another.

“People can vote for local officials that will improve public transportation and create more bike-friendly neighborhoods in any part of the city,” Bai said.

But assuming that cars are necessary, do we have options besides supporting more fuel efficient vehicles?

The answer? Electric cars.

Electric vehicles directly use electrical energy from a plug, which is converted into traction for physical movement, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

This eliminates the combustion step in gasoline engines which contributes the most to individual

car emission pollution. As a 2014 Department of Energy report described, “If we transitioned all the light-duty vehicles in the U.S. to hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles using our current technology mix, we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30-60 percent, while lowering the carbon pollution from the transportation sector by as much as 20 percent.”

The only difference from a consumer standpoint would be that we plug in our cars instead of fill up their tanks. And researchers in labs like the University of Michigan’s are already working to make electric charging more convenient, or even wireless.

“But we should make sure that a system is in place to properly recycle batteries from electric cars,” Bai said. “We should also have a system in place to source the materials for batteries from factories that don’t exploit the workers and the environment. We should also fund battery research to find new materials that have a smaller environmental impact.”

Car mechanic Hugo Davalos has been working on cars for two years. He deals with gas cars, for the most part.

“I prefer to work on gas cars because they are not complicated as the electric vehicles,” Davalos said.

The switch from electric cars from gas cars has been slow.

But Davalos is ready to embrace the change.

And we should too.

The Young Scientist

Micronuclei mysteries under the microscope ERIC HENG COLUMNIST My fascination with biology started when my science teacher brought a sheep heart and lung into class for us to dissect. I was in fifth grade, far before I’d taken any formal biology classes. While my classmates retreated from the smell of formaldehyde, I peered intently at the cadaver.

This summer, I had an opportunity to work in a biology lab at the Center of Molecular Medicine and Genomics at Wayne State University. I jumped at the chance to do all the things I had learned in class in real life.

On my first day, I was teamed up with a summer undergraduate student and assigned to my project. I was to perform cell cultures, drug treatments and chromosome preparation, as well as check for normal and abnormal chromosome and nuclei structures. The goal was to characterize micronuclei clusters as

a biomarker (something that can indicate the existence of a disease).

At first, the lab was a foreign environment, a huge open lab space filled with equipment and people I didn’t know, performing experiments that seemed completely otherworldly to me. Those researchers in bright white lab coats were all too busy to spare me a glance.

But with help from my team members, I quickly learned basic laboratory skills. I was always busy, and there was always something more to learn. Every day, I prepared a list of tasks I had to do, which was not unlike a shopping list.

While doing the same task every day might seem a little monotonous, the new discoveries and observations made every single action unique and refreshing. Looking into a high-powered microscope for the first time was like entering an alien world of cell nuclei.

Dyed pink for better resolution, there were nuclei of various shapes, both giant like the Brobdingnagians and tiny like the Lilliputians. There were even nuclei shaped like

smiley emojis.

Even more exciting was observing the many unknown structures that I had seen while exploring this new world. Some of the structures didn’t match what textbooks described at all. Each time we observed one of these particularly unusual structures, I went online to research the scientific literature on it—only to find that even scientists with many more years of experience could not figure out its function. It was exhilarating to see the same things that scientists now are struggling to find. It goes to show how much there still is to learn in all the scientific efforts after over many decades of research.

Nuclei are structures that anyone in ninth grade =biology could tell you about, so it was extremely surprising to find multifaceted variations on the nucleic theme. The nucleus is so well-researched, after all. We did not anticipate observing so many abnormal ones, including micronuclei clusters, the main topic of our research. Micronuclei clusters, unlike normal

Micronuclei clusters are a novel discovery that could be potentially used as a cancer or disease biomarker. ERIC HENG nuclei, seem to have burst into smaller nuclei, each with fragments of DNA. We were lucky, my team member told me, as these structures are induced by drug treatment and could represent a new type of biomarker. We theorize that micronuclei clusters are intermediary structures that occur when DNA reshuffles from generation to generation. It was so exciting to see real discoveries in action!

When my time in the lab was cut short by school, I had

to postpone my visits to the lab. However, I did not have to stop trying to learn science.

For my personal project this year, I wrote a scientific paper based on the observations and data I witnessed in the lab.

And of course, discoveries are not limited to biology. It doesn’t matter what you do: as long as you think critically, and look carefully, you can find things in any field. You just have to look.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 6 | THE AUTO ISSUE

Not sure what your next car should be? Let’s take a look at some features so you can properly

CHOOSE YOUR VEHICLE Ford Mustang $26,395 Manual Transmission 21 City / 32 Highway Made in: Flat Rock, MI Honda Civic SL Coupe $24,300 Turbo Charged Engine 28 City / 38 Highway Made in: Ontario, Canada Chevy Camero SS $25,000 6.2 L V8 Engine 22 City/ 31 Highway Made in: Lansing, MI Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat $65,800 707 Horse Power 13 City/ 22 Highway Made in: Ontario, Canada Chevy Tahoe $48,000 8 Seats 15 City / 22 Highway Made in: Arlington, TX Jeep Grand Cherokee $86,000 Upgraded 8 Speed Transmission 11 City / 17 Highway Made in: Detroit, MI Cadillac Escalade $75,000 Surround Vision 14 City Made in: Arlington, TX

GRAPHIC BY GEORGE GUEORGUIEV AND MICAH CROSS

Misaki Mochihara and her father, an engineer at Toyota, pose in Arches National Park in July this summer. COURTESY OF MISAKI MOCHIHARA

Far from home

Senior Misaki Mochihara’s family followed her dad’s Toyota job from Japan to Ann Arbor LYDIA HARGETT AND RIDHIMA KODALI STAFF WRITERS

came to America, I had a hard time communicating with people, and I think I could help Japanese people strengthen 1,718 people work at their English-speaking skills.”

Mochihara’s dad has the Toyota Research and De- also liked living in America velopment facility in Ann Arand says this is a good opporbor, and senior Misaki Mochitunity for him to try to imhara’s dad is one of them. prove his English-speaking

Mochihara’s experience in America emerged skills. Mochihara and her famthrough her dad’s work. While ily have lived in Japan their she is only here for a few years, whole lives. While in Japan, she has enjoyed living here in her dad also worked for ToyoAnn Arbor and meeting many ta mainly as an engineer.

“He has been working new friends. Mochihara will be at Toyota for his entire life. going back to Japan after she Right after he graduated from graduates, but her dad will be graduate school, he started staying here longer to finish working for Toyota,” Mochihis work. hara said.

“I really like the peoMochihara’s dad came ple here. They are very differ- to America in January of 2017. ent from Japanese people who In March of 2017, Misaki and tend to be shyer,” Mochihara her family moved to America. said. “Here, people are more

“My dad was asked open to people from other to come to America because countries, and I have learned he has unique skills and ideas to broaden my perspective and and the company wanted him learn about many different to come and teach the skills to cultures.” other people,” Mochihara said.

While she has made On the weekends, friends and is comfortable in Mochihara goes to Japanese Michigan now, the transition school so she can continue to from Japan was not easy. learn Japanese.

“My English was lim“Japanese people, inited. I had a really hard time cluding myself, go there beexpressing myself and comcause many of them are planmunicating with others,” Moning to go back to Japan in the chihara said. “Everything, future, so including they need the culto keep up t u r e , their Japschool anese so system that they and the will not fall language, behind,” was totalMochihara ly differsaid. ent from MISAKI MOCHIHARA, 12 M o what I had chihara grown up says the biggest takeaway from with, so it took some time and America that she will take effort for me to adjust.” back to Japan with her is the

She hopes to continue significance of learning about her education when she gets and accepting other people’s back to Japan. cultures. She has become a

“I want to study education because I want to be more brave and fearless peran English teacher in Japan,” son while staying here.

“

Right after he graduated from graduate school, [my dad] started working for Toyota.

Mochihara said. “When I first

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 7 | THE AUTO ISSUE

Mcity’s cars of the future CLARA BOWMAN NEWS EDITOR

host programs that promote research regarding transport.

However, Mcity is differenti Ann Arbor’s proximity ating itself due to its focused to the Detroit automotive in- research scope. dustry and access to the Uni- “Our only thing is versity of Michigan may set it connected and automated up to become the next Silicon vehicles,” Waters said. “So it Valley. While cars are not pro- means we can be broad within duced in Ann Arbor, there are that one area. So what you’ll several companies and organi- find is that we’re doing a ton of zations in the area dedicated things, and these other places to discovering new automotive are only doing some of those technologies. One is Mcity, things.” which manages research sur- Connected vehicles rounding connected and auto- refers to vehicles’ ability to mated vehicles. communicate with stationary

“Being part of the uni- landmarks along the route and versity, Mcity is uniquely posi- other vehicles. Ann Arbor is tioned to take advantage of all one of the world’s largest conof those researchers through- nected vehicle environments, out the university in a variety with about 2,500 connected of disciplines,” Assistant Di- vehicles. Because of this, rerector of Mcity Victoria Waters searchers have discovered nusaid. “Think the Law School, merous ways connected vehiSchool of Public Policy, School cles can be beneficial. of Information, College of En- “Think of a signalized gineering, and then we have pedestrian crossing, like we all these other labs and insti- have all throughout Ann Artutes.” bor,” Waters said. “And then

Companies such as think about that being activatGM, LG and Ford are mem- ed by a pedestrian and then bers of the Mcity research that information going back programs. They pay annual to your car. Perhaps your line fees ($1 million across three of sight doesn’t allow you, or years) to access the research your vehicle to see that the peand these funds, in turn, are destrian crosswalk has been much of what fund research activated. Then, you’re getting programs. that inAll of the formaresearch is tion and conducted [then] by affiliates y o u of the Unik n o w versity of t h a t Michigan. you’re “We’ve g o i n g VICTORIA WATERS f u n d e d to have Assistant Director of Mcity anywhere to slow from six to d o w n 12 projects each year,” Waters and come to a stop.” said. “This year we just select- There are also ways ed six projects for 2020, and in which connected vehicles those projects are anywhere can have positive environmenfrom a year to two years. The tal impacts by reducing the researchers are expected to amount of time spent needprovide regular updates to our lessly waiting at traffic signals. members about the progress “Think about having of their research, provide any your car communicate to the publications that come out of intersection, saying ‘hey I’m that research and then dis- coming to the intersection,’” close the final results.”

Waters said. “Perhaps that

Other research insti- light is red or that light is on a tutions such as Baylor Uni- timer so that it’s about to turn versity and Virginia Tech red but there’s no other traffic

“

We’re starting to rival, if not in some respects surpass, Silicon Valley.

AUTO | PAGE ONE

He said has always had an interest in cars, but Peterson first became interested in taking the automotive industry more seriously through the auto class at Huron last year.

“[Mr. Snyder] taught me some stuff, how to fix things, and then I kinda went on my own way and I got a job in the automotive industry,” Peterson said. “I started out just doing oil changes, and then recently I started a job at Suburban Chevrolet on Jackson Road as a technician there.”

On top of the six hours a day that he spends in school every day, he also works at the Suburban Chevrolet for three to four hours every day after school, and six hours on Saturdays.

“I do a lot of the same stuff at my job,” Peterson said. “[At Huron] I can do some things like pulling out transmissions and engines and stuff, and at my job they don’t really let me do that yet. But a lot of it’s the same stuff, brakes, suspensions, stuff like that.”

Clockwise from top left: Seniors Sean Underwood and Anna Leone work unerneath a car. Micah Cross looks under the hood of a car. Leone works on the bottom of the car. SAMI RUUD

A city within a city: Mcity’s test facility is fully adorned to look like a real small town. The 32-acre facility is used to test autonomous (self-driving) vehicles and is equipped with all of the typical road features: street signs, a traffic circle, a small stretch of freeway and more! CLARA BOWMAN in any other direction. Think about, that light knowing that you’re coming and knowing there’s no other traffic, and as a result keeping the light green or turning the light from red to green for you so that you can just cruise on through instead of sitting there idling at the light for no reason.”

Mcity applies much of the information regarding connected vehicles to developing an autonomous (self-driving) system. Mcity’s primary goal is to produce an autonomous system that is not only safer, but also more convenient than typical driving. Doing so, however, has caused countless challenges.

“Things like pedestrian interactions with automated vehicles are hugely important,” Waters said. “We as humans rely upon doing that kind of nonverbal communication: eye contact, hand waving and so forth to navigate the space that we share with pedestrians. Well, what does that look like when we have automated vehicles?”

Research studies at UM have collected countless amounts of data that covers all aspects of autonomous driv-

ing: motion sickness, coexistence of operated vehicles and autonomous ones, potential insurance and ethical issues along with countless more.

In the end, autonomous vehicle prototypes can be tested at Mcity’s state of the art test facility at the University of Michigan’s North Campus.

“The test facility is available for people, companies and faculty to use for their own private use, and we also use the test facility for our own learning purposes,” Waters said. “And while it’s not [an] overly big space, about 30 acres, there’s a ton of technology and features packed in there.”

The test facility is fully equipped with all the features that cars typically encounter like traffic signals, a roundabout, street signs, pedestrian crossings and a short stretch of freeway. The track is also adorned with details, such as fake buildings, bicycle racks and parking meters, that make it resemble a real town. Access to a test facility like this is just another reason automotive research organizations are centering themselves around Ann Arbor. For example, Honda

and Toyota each have R&D (research and development) offices in Ann Arbor, as well as the Center of Automotive Research (CAR) headquarters.

“Center for Automotive Research is a nonprofit, unbiased, independent automotive think tank,” CAR CEO Carla Bailo said. “Our mission is to conduct research and studies that promotes the sustainability of the automotive mobility business, here by Detroit and around the World.”

The large amount of technological development surrounding the automobile industry in Ann Arbor encourages other industries to also make a presence here.

“Now you have these tech companies co locating themselves to be near the auto industry, so that we’re starting to rival, if not in some respects surpass, Silicon Valley,” Waters said. “This is because, while a lot of these automotive companies have a presence in Silicon Valley, that is an isolated area and not every piece of the food chain is there, but every piece of the food chain is here.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 8 | THE AUTO ISSUE

36-year-old Holly Howell replaces tires on an old Ford at Gene Butman’s Ford dealership. She’s been a mechanic for eight years. MAYA KOGULAN

The girl in the garage MAYA KOGULAN ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

As the people walk into the body shop of Gene Butman Ford dealership, they will encounter many stereotypical car mechanics: tall, muscular, and male. However, among these men, there is one woman. She is only 5 feet tall and weighs under 130 pounds. While some might be surprised at the thought of a small- framed women auto-technician, cars have always been a constant in Holly Howell’s life.

“All my life, I’ve loved cars,” Howell said. “I’ve always

been a backyard garage mechanic. Even from a young age, instead of playing with toys, I would take parts of my car apart and put them back together.”

Initially, Howell thought she wanted to be a mechanical engineer but quickly found that she hated sitting at a desk all day. She decided that she wanted to pursue her hobby of fixing cars full-time and go back to college.

“It’s not that easy to get hired with only backyard experience as a woman,” Howell said.

“Some men can walk right in without a certification and shops will hire them. I knew I needed a

degree to prove my skills.”

The first years of being a mechanic were hard physically on Howell. Her body had to quickly adjust to lifting car parts heavier than half of her body weight.

“Even though I have been an athlete my whole life, the constant lifting and moving took a toll on my arms.” Howell said.

“However, after a while, I started to notice both my arms and shoulders growing bigger and stronger.”

Howell was also forced to develop a thick skin about comments towards her skill as a mechanic. Over the years, she has

had to deal with a hand of sexist comments about her work from customers.

“When I was working in the middle of East Side Detroit, I have had customers when they do find out that I am a girl, they don’t want me working on their car,” said Howell. “Instead of trying to fight them using my words, I defend myself through my work. I like proving to them that I can do something as quickly and as fast as any of the guys.”

Although she faced challenges in the past, it is clear that Holly earn the respect of her fellow mechanics at the Gene But-

man Ford dealership. They see her no differently, they poke fun of her and ask her for advice. Currently, in the US, only 2.1 percent of auto mechanics are female.

Howell hopes that more women will join her in the future, and equal out the gender disparity in the field.

“If girls have a passion for cars and you really want to pursue mechanics as a career, you have to go for it,” said Howall. “It will be rough at first, but you just have to let all the comments go over your head. Prove them wrong by showing them.”

For math teacher Lauren Taube, seven miles is a daily biking commute. SARA-BETH BADALAMENTE

Why math teacher Lauren Taube bikes to school

KADE CUPP STAFF WRITER

Math teacher Lauren Taube is committed to leaving a smaller carbon footprint on the world. This is why she rides seven miles to work.

“I would ride every day if I could, but I usually ride about three times a week,” Taube said.

Her cycling route is contingent on weather. She hasn’t ridden in the pouring rain, but isn’t against the idea.

“I’m working on being tougher when the weather isn’t nice,” Taube said. “I do ride when it's very cold, I just put on layers and gloves and

let the workout warm me up.”

Despite just starting cycling, she really enjoys it.

She’s always wanted to try an alternative to driving to work, but she never had a bike. She didn’t think she would enjoy it since she never found a cardio exercise that worked for her.

When she heard her sister, who is a serious cyclist, was looking to downsize her collection, Taube wanted to try it out.

“Cardio always felt like a chore, so when I found I actually enjoyed biking, it seemed like the perfect option to be able to keep it going during the school year,” Taube said.

Senior Dylan Peterson works adjusts the breaks on a Lincoln Zephyr that was donated to the auto class. Senior Alex Dubin checks out the interior of his Chrysler Sebring, which needs brake repairs. Junior AJ Stewart checks under the hood of a Nissan brought in this week. He’s reworking the suspension and adding new inner and outer tire rods and struts. MANIT PATEL

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 9 | FEATURE

Looking back

Why Geometry teacher Yichen Zhang left, in her own words JULIE HENG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

gut,” Zhang said. “As the year went on, it just didn’t go away. And it was just like a lot of dread, a lot of negativity, and I couldn’t place it.”

This year, she was teaching five sections of Geometry in three classrooms, which she thought would be better than last year, when she taught four sections of Geometry and one Geometry AC in four classrooms — but it didn’t get better.

I never had Ms. Yichen Zhang as a teacher — I took Geometry before she started teaching it at Huron last year — but anyone could tell she is the kind of teacher that cares.

A couple of weeks ago, she became our second mock trial coach.

She’d take care to transcribe her thorough handwritten notes from our practice trials and email them to each of us. She always asked us what we needed before making thoughtful suggestions.

I’d talk to her about the University of Chicago, where she got her bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in education, not only, but also about her experience on the mock trial team but about life and expec“I was more exhausttations and hopes and ed,” Zhang said. dreams.

“My heart goes out

Her former stuto everybody who dents describe her as has to switch be“peppy” and “excited.” tween the classShe’s the kind of person rooms, especialwho listens to you intensely ly as a teacher. and dances with her eyes.

We’re all trying

When I found out, to make sure evmidway through fourth hour, erything is shipshape.” that today was Ms. Zhang’s

She felt like she last day at Huron, I did a bit wasn’t giving students the of a double take. feedback she wanted to

It turns out I wasn’t give them fast enough.

She the only one. felt like she couldn’t take

“It was just a lot of care of her students and quiet shock,” Zhang said. “I make sure they were all tried to [tell my students] in learning. a way that felt rushed to me.

“I think most peoGRAPHIC BY I didn’t know if I could do it — LYDIA HARGETT ple didn’t appreciate her not cry, hold it together — like, we as much as they should still have a project we need to get have,” sophomore and Georgian exdone!” change student Giorgi Berdzenish But she’d been thinking vili said.

“I’m probably the only one about it for a while. who thinks so.

She showed us videos

“Since the beginning of the that helped a lot and even translatyear, I just had this feeling in my

ed quizzes and tests from English to Georgian for me. She was constantly asking kids to stop talking. And I think it was really hard on her.”

Some students admitted they’d just stay on their phones during class, whether during lectures, activities or otherwise.

“I understand...the pressure and stress that students are under,” Zhang said. But for some students, “sometimes that kind of comes out” in class.

“There’s a lot of you that is outside of this classroom, that’s even outside of the school, that needs to be taken care of,” Zhang said. “And I was getting frustrated that I couldn’t do that in the time and under the constraints that I was given. Again, unrealistic expectations, but it was just a layer after layer of exhaustion.”

The stress also manifested physiologically — pain lasting weeks that would keep her up or wake her up.

“I was turning into somebody that I did not like: I was not as patient as I wanted to be. I was not as empathetic as I wanted to be,” she said.

She saw the effect of her behavior on her family. She started feeling the alarming tug of toxic internal dialogue.

Two weeks ago, she announced her resignation. It was a Friday.

There were definitely students that brought positive energy to every class. For that, she was grateful.

“There have been a lot of good times here,” Zhang said. “And

I really don’t want any of [my students] to think there’s anything that they did. There’s a certain point where I realized I just have to take care of myself.”

For the time being, she hopes to finally get that gym membership. Clean the apartment. Eat healthier. Read. Think.

Think about the state of education, she says. About the disconnect between high school and college math and practical life skills.

About equity in a much larger system designed “to exhaust you so that you don’t have as much time to take care of your students and have it be equitable for everyone.”

She heard that at a conference, once. It really struck her.

I asked her if she might want to be a part of such educational development. For now, she said she’s completely stepping back.

“I will keep my ears open, but I am not going to be involved in anything yet,” she said. “Just to sort out where I am. And to make sure that whatever I decide to do next, I go into it with a very healthy mindset and with realistic expectations.”

Ms. Zhang took a second to swallow a few almost-tears. Her many-layered scarf, covered in colorful logos of Hogwarts houses, was loud in the quiet room. Her hair was pinned up as always. She wore a thin silver watch on her left wrist and a jade bracelet on her right.

In Chinese culture, it is said that wearing jade has healing properties. When you’re healthy, you nourish it, so that when you’re ill, it nurses you.

“I appreciate everyone around me a lot more,” she told me. “Because everyone is struggling through something.”

She insisted I take a doughnut, and then she smiled.

University of Michigan students bring soul to newly-opened smoothie shop

A Soul Smoothies employee poses with “The Protein, The Protein, The Protein” smoothie to promote the refreshing smoothie during finals week. COURTESY OF SOUL SMOOTHIES

VISH GONDESI SPORTS EDITOR Going straight from the books to running a business is a very rare, but that’s how Soul Smoothies came to fruition.

What further separates Soul Smoothies from the rest, however, is its founders, who aren’t big bucks CEOs but rather everyday college students.

The company is a student business led by DJ Bailey,

Justin Schulman and Sabeen Khan, University of Michigan business students. The student-led aspect of the business has heavily influenced the company’s build-up and impact in the community; while being stationed in the Ross School of Business provides convenience for students.

For Khan, being the Marketing Director of a fully functioning business was completely new, and it quickly became a worthwhile and beneficial endeavor.

“I think, to be honest, socially, [Soul Smoothies] has been the most rewarding experience of my college career,” Khan said. “I have talked about it in every single interview and have taken away so much because I think it’s very rare that in college you can get such a hands-on experience.”

In the beginning stag-

es of development, the group had to set detailed expectations for what they wanted Soul Smoothies to be, and what it would be known for.

Two main components emerged, as ultimately the company caters to everyday people’s health and convenience needs.

“As students, one of the main things that we really understand is if you don’t have the time, we want to be a convenient way [to] get a healthy snack or meal,” Khan said.

“What’s on our menu is what you get: there are no other

sugars, juices, or preservatives and [it’s something] we’re very proud of.”

This initiative on health was carried out by co-founder Justin Schulman, and it has been an influential addition in the community.

“Ann Arbor in general has seen a surge of health-focused restaurants,” Schulman said.

“I think that we’ve definitely contributed to that.”

Continue reading on our website thehuronemery.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 10 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Why “Frozen 2” is the worst movie I’ve ever seen

“Sadly, Frozen 2 did not live up to expectations.” MAYA KOGULAN

RIDHIMA KODALI STAFF WRITER

did not live up to expectations. It disappointed not only me, but plenty of other fans.

“Frozen 2” takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. That includes Olaf’s amazing singing skills, and the plot was nothing compared to the original. Small incidents were made into huge deals, which was unnecessary.

This really annoyed me, especially since Frozen was such an iconic film. Did Disney do this because they couldn’t come up with anything else? As if the plot itself wasn’t disappointing, the music was no better.

“Let it go” by Idina Menzel, “Do you want to build a snowman,” “Sum

When Disney announces a sequel to one of its most beloved movies it sets up huge expectations from its fans. I was one of those fans, until I watched “Frozen 2.” ‘Frozen” was an amazing movie: the songs were great, the plot was entertaining and everything felt just right. So naturally, “Frozen 2” was one of the most awaited movies of 2019. The beloved characters Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven have returned after six years! I was very excited so I went to one of the early shows with all my friends. But it ended up being a huge let down.

Sadly, “Frozen 2”

mer” and other songs from the soundtrack of the first movie were huge hits. In Frozen 2 the soundtrack didn’t strike a chord with many. For me, I thought “Into the Unknown” was the only good song. Overall, the soundtrack didn’t fit the movie as it didn’t match the plot at all. They were all pretty much random, and I think they were trying something different, more mature, but they ended up failing. The songs weren’t catchy enough.

The graphics portrayed and covered up most of the terrible plot.

Especially when Elsa is using her powers and the surroundings, such as the palace. The palace, where can I start. It is enormous, and just beautiful. I would want to live there. But, some of the graphics were too basic, I didn’t really notice much of a difference between this movie and the first movie. Let me remind you, the movie came out six years ago, and technology has advanced. But, you can see they put a lot of effort, and imagine if they put this much effort into the plot.

See the rest of this review online at thehuronemery.com

Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit redefines historic film CLARA BOWMAN NEWS EDITOR

A comedy about Nazis? Seems a bit strange, if not impossible. “Jojo Rabbit” somehow makes it work in an enjoyable satire about Nazi Germany. The film follows Johannes, a 10-year-old German boy at the end of World War II. He considers himself a Nazi and his imaginary friend just so happens to be Adolf Hitler. Upon discovering that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic, Jojo is faced with some difficult situations all while the war is coming to a close.

The entire movie is very funny and laced with a satirical and mocking tone throughout. While it may seem distasteful to make a joke about such an intense subject, it is so over the top that it seems more or less acceptable. Some may find

TSG ENTERTAINMENT

the jokes about WWII unsettling and inappropriate, however, for the most part I found it enjoyable. Despite the humorous overtones, “Jojo Rabbit” discusses many deep themes surrounding WWII. While I would not necessarily consider it an educational film, I do believe that there are many important messages embedded. For example, characters risk their lives and go against

strict standards to do what they believe is right. Coming from someone who is typically not interested in historical dramas, I believe that “Jojo Rabbit” brings a new perspective to this genre that appeals to a wider audience. Some may find the film to be too much for their taste, but all in all I find that it can provide a certain level of entertainment to virtually everyone.

“Jojo Rabbit” was widely released on Oct. 18 and is still currently shown in many theaters. It is rated PG-13, largely appropriate for most 12-13 year olds but it should not be one’s first introduction to WWII. Additionally, some of the humor is dark/more mature so I think it may be more entertaining for a slightly older audience in high school and above.

IP

RA’S ICKS

COLUMBIA RECORDS

“Jesus is King” album reflects Kanye’s spiritual growth IRA BRANN STAFF WRITER

Kanye West never stopped talking about God. From his breakout “Jesus Walks” to last year’s “Ye,” religion has always been if not a fixation, a thematic concern.

While his ninth album, “Jesus is King,” was his first to be classified as religious music, it was also the latest entry in the public diary West has been writing for 15 years, in which his relationship with Christianity is constantly shifting.

Through the times I’ve been living, I haven’t really took the time to even listen to West. I’m not saying he is a bad rapper, I don’t like his style of rap. West is an entrepreneur by creating his own brand “Yeezy” with Nike as well as Adidas. I like his shoes but I don’t partake into his music. I don’t have one song that I like.

The album is a declaration of faith, Kanye is giving his testimony through the art of form he’s spent a lifetime perfecting. West himself, who at one time called “The Life of Pablo,” a gospel album with a whole lot of cursing also explains to Apple Music that he has been actively trying to cut back on swearing and even asked unmarried collaborators to abstain from sex while working on the album. For their efforts, gospel rap was delivered as envisioned by one of the hip hop’s all time greatest composers.

It appears that West’s album “Yandhi” had leaked on Spotify in October but was only up for ringtones, so fans were disappointed but going further into Kanye dropped his highly anticipated album “Jesus Is King.” I don’t like the album.

Check out these movie reviews and more on our website: thehuronemery.com

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER

11 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Orchestra director Timothy Krohn led the Philharmonic, Concert Gold, Concert Green and Symphony Orchestras for their annual winter performance Dec. 2. Hundreds of students performed various selections including Ewazen’s Four Royal Dances and Dvorak’s New World Symphony. 125 students in the combined concert orchestra played Bizet’s Carmen.

According to director Timothy Krohn, Huron’s original concert orchestra had fewer than 20 students when it started with then-director Larry Dittmar. Last year, the concert orchestra split into Green and Gold sections due to overwhelming numbers.

The

SOUND of music Since middle school, Huron’s orchestra has been a big part of my life.

In eighth grade, upon watching the Huron Symphony Orchestra perform George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” at orchestra night at Hill Auditorium, I was inspired. I wanted to be a part of that ensemble.

Out of the three orchestra ensembles at the time, Symphony Orchestra was the most advanced and therefore the most difficult to audition for. I had to really work to prepare for AUSTIN ALDRICH my audition. When the audition results finally came out, I had STAFF WRITER done it!

My introduction to the Huron orchestra community was Orchestra Camp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a week before school started my freshman year. I remember being overwhelmed by the very first rehearsal we had. I couldn’t believe the size and skill of the group I was a part of. For me, Orchestra Camp was not only an introduction to orchestra but also an introduction to high school. Being able to meet students of all ages before the first day of school was a relief.

Since my very first Orchestra Camp, the comfort of meeting during 7th hour every day to make music with my peers has been something I look forward to. Orchestra at Huron under the direction of Mr. Timothy Krohn has given me countless opportunities to travel and work with incredible musicians from all over the world. Orchestra is more than just a class, it is a community. Looking back on high school, I will always remember all of the great people I met and all of the great experiences that I had in orchestra.

Fin d vi

Huron choirs perform at Hill Auditorium

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Hill Auditorium was full last Friday night as Ann Arbor schools performed at the holiday pops showcase. The concert showcased Huron choirs such as Bel Canto, Capella, and other top groups from Pioneer and Skyline high school. The Rats proudly performed four pieces of music filled with holiday cheer.

Joining them was The Ann Arbor Symphony. They played with the students in addition to performing their own set of holiday music.

“The jazz music was my favorite part,” junior Rafa Estava said.

At the concert, the man of the hour, Santa Claus, who made an appearance bringing joy to the young kids in the crowd who can watch the holiday cheer.

The concert ended with the crowd favorite “Let there be peace on earth,” a heart-warming song that brought many audience members to tears.

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SYDNEY COHEN STAFF WRITER

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Huron vs. Community: fusion of classical and jazz music education JUAN GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

Playing a musical instrument can be beneficial to young children. It can help improve one’s motor and cognitive skills. It also provides an outlet for creative expression which is why it’s a type of class in

the education system allowing for a non academic approach of critically attempting a challenge of playing for crowds.

Huron takes the approach of focusing on the quality band literature encompassing various styles and periods of music to presenting numerous concerts throughout the year and participate in festivals.

Senior Jibreel Johnson believes that Huron focuses on the mental ability to perform.

“They showed me how to identify an issue musically and mentally and how to approach it,” Johnson said. “It’s not easy

to get up and perform but they showed me confidence and motivation to show people what I have for them to offer.”

Community focuses on small group collaborations and studies all relating to the idea of a strong emphasis on improvisation with the goal of understanding the history, techniques and theories that the jazz culture is all about.

Senior Evan Marshall was skeptical of taking a new approach outside of Huron but was up to the challenge of approaching a genre of music he had little experience with.

“Community has showed how to work as a small group as a whole and how we want to show different types of pitches and sounds through the melody of jazz,” Marshall said. “While at Huron is about working as an ensemble and creating

Jibreel Johnson warming up and performing at CityFest on the Friendship Shell stage in Wenonah Park, Bay City, Michigan with fellow performers Shades of Blue. ATHENA JOHNSON harmony as a group.”

Both of these classes impact students, mentally allowing them to improve their social public interaction focusing on improving the mindsets of performing in public doing solos or be able to work with others in small duets. Nervousness and anxiety easily impacts one’s

quality of performing and approach to public performing.

“It has helped me be able to improve my public skills in which I get very nervous performing in front of people,” Marshall said. “Slowly these classes have showed me that I want to show the community are talents and just provide entertainment.”

Clockwise from top left: Community High School Jazz Combo “Funk’s Dream” performs at a Washtenaw Community College event last April. Community High School jazz students perform at an event at Zingerman’s Greyline Ballroom. Multi-instrumentalist Jake Lee during a masterclass workshop with drum legend Kenny Washington. Austin Aldrich performs at Kerrytown Concert House. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AUSTIN ALDRICH

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 12 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Local teen miserably fails McChicken eating challenge, surprising no one but himself BENJAMIN ZHAO GUEST WRITER

right from the first McChicken, spending just over two minutes to consume the en Speed eating is much tire sandwich, nearly twice the more difficult than most of time recommended per Mcus think. Just ask local senior Chicken (one minute per McBen Zhang, who thought he Chicken, since the challenge could down eight McChickens is eight McChickens in eight in eight minutes. minutes).

Benjamin Zhang was There was a noticea proud and honorable man, able drop in Zhang’s morale full of hope and dreams for the by the second McChicken. The future. That all changed one realization that he could not fateful day when he slowly de- complete the task dawned on scended into the abyss of de- him, slowly and visibly. His spair. But to truly understand chewing slowed, and he began his story, let us go back to laughing at his own naivete the moment before the eating of ever thinking that he had challenge, to follow and un- a chance. Zhang kept taking derstand his journey to dark- quick glances at the mountain ness. of sandwiches Zhang inileft, and one tially procould see the posed the light slowly This is the worst idea as a bet, fading from thinking that his eyes as the decision of my life. this would be once bright, I can’t think of any the perfect ambitious opportunity to man delved failures that even get a free meal deeper into come close. from McDonthe realm of ald’s. In order hopelessness BEN ZHANG, 12 to prepare for and despair. the event, he His expression opted to skip went from one breakfast and lunch in an at- of confidence to one of pure tempt to starve himself, to in- pain. By the third McChicken, crease what little space he had Zhang was having an existenin his stomach. tial crisis. He began question He came in with swag- ing his very own existence, ger and confidence, eager to thinking about his entire life, take on the challenge. Unfor- the mistakes that he has made, tunately, he set his expecta- all culminating to this one motions too high, falling behind

“

Ben Zhang shows a face of hope before being harshly defeated by the upcoming impossible challenge of attepting to eat eight McChickens in eight minutes. BEN ZHAO ment. Where did he go wrong? or not he had applied to MIT, trying to speed eat anything

As the eighth min- he responded with a resound- in the future, know your own limits and set realistic expecute drew near, one could see ing “No!” Zhang, clearly, had tations for yourself. Rememin his eyes the soul of a lost man—one who has been led lost it. He spent the rest of his ber to pick your battles everyastray in this world. As the time at McDonalds in quiet re- one, and in this case, it seems eight-minute timer went off, flection, his eyes wandering, that Zhang picked the wrong one. the once proud Zhang sat de- lost, along the horizon.

He was never the feated, with five more uneat- en McChickens still pristinely same again.

Zhang’s experience wrapped in front of him. What showcases the true hardships a waste.

Not only did this chal- of competitive eating, and only lenge take a physical toll on gives more credit to the proZhang, it also severely affected fessional eaters in our world.

Throughout the years, there his mental health.

“Nothing in this world have been several deaths relatcan keep me alive except ed to competitive eating, many someone walking in and tell- of which result from chokWatch a video of Zhang’s eating me that I got accepted into ing.

Take his experience ing challenge on our website MIT,” Zhang said.

When asked whether as a warning before recklessly by scanning the QR code

Vegetarian and meat eater debate Burger King’s new Impossible Whopper

MAYA KOGULAN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

VEGETARIAN I am a life-long vegetarian in a country where comfort food, particularly junk food, is an everyday staple in our culture. I grew up lusting after my friends’ happy meals at McDonald’s while I was left to eat bland salads. I went to countless summer barbeques where my only food option was to eat corn on the cob. After years of being forced to eat a healthy vegetarian alternative, I developed a strong desire to eat a quintessentially American dish-- the hamburger.

In recent years, more people are switching over to vegetarian diets for health and ethical reasons. Many fast food chains have capitalized on the new wave of consumers by adding veggie burgers to their menus. During these changes, a new type of burger emerged-- the Impossible Burger. The Impossible Burger is a plant-based alternative to beef that is designed to look and taste like meat. Now for the first time, life-long vegetarians can fulfill their curiosity without sacrificing any moral values.

Immediately after the Burger King’s Impossible Whopper was released, I made the drive across town to try it. However, my excitement for the burger quickly turned to disappointment. The appearance of the

burger was very underwhelming. The patty was hard and difficult to chew.

The patty is genetically engineered with protein called heme, which creates an undesirable flavor. In addition, the flavors of the patty linger in your mouth to create an even worse aftertaste. I wished Burger King had put more vegetables and cheese on the burger to counteract the intense flavors.

The Impossible Whopper comes with a hefty price tag of $7, which is significantly more than the other items at a fast food restaurant. I would much rather spend that money on the Shake Shack ‘Shroom Burger, which uses a cheese stuffed Portobello Mushroom instead of the traditional patty. The ‘Shroom Burger is testament to the fact that unconventional burgers often taste the best. I would not recommend the Impossible Whopper. The only positive experience from trying the Impossible Whooper is that I will have no desire to eat meat again.

JOSH DURANT STAFF WRITER

MEAT EATER

If you find regular burgers greasy and unhealthy, the Impossible Whooper is the perfect fit for you. Be warned, the impossible burger tastes distinctly different than the standard beef patty. Personally, I really enjoyed the Impossible Whooper because it defies all of the conventions of a regular burger.

The Impossible Whopper patty is much more chewy, not as greasy, and lighter compared to beef. In addition to great taste, it is much better for the environment. An impossible patty uses 75 percent less water, 87 percent less greenhouse gases, 95 percent less land compared to the production of beef patties. I think it’s great that more fast food companies are expanding their menus to be more inclusive of their Vegetarian and Vegan customers.

Although, I do see some ethical problems with Burger King’s promotion. Burger King is really pushing the fact that the burger is a healthier

and Vegetarian. Their slogan “100% Whooper, 0% Beef” is very misleading. In fact since the patty is cooked on the same surface as meat patties, the plant based patties will mostly come in contact with beef. In addition, the Burger is not much healthier than the regular Whopper. The Impossible Whopper comes with less protein and more sodium. The only true health benefit is the patty contains less fat. If people want a healthier burger, they should look for a more upscale restaurant not Burger King.

Putting aside the suspicious promotion, The Impossible Whooper is a great clean alternative for people who don’t like the heaviness of regular fast food burger. As a meat eater, I found the flavors of the Impossible Whopper refreshing and unique.

The general public seems to like the Impossible Burger as well. On average, one location will sell around 45 Impossible Whoppers a day.

However, I would warn Vegetarians of the cross contamination issues that arise from cooking the plant based patties with the beef patties. Overall, I would definitely recommend to meat eaters that might want a change to the overused recipe of a traditional burger.

Even though the product is targeted towards Vegetarians, I think many meat eaters would enjoy the taste of the Impossible Whopper.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 13 | SPORTS

Synchronizing her own success KAITLYN SABB STAFF WRITER

up on studying and homework. By training so much for figure and synchronized

Ballet is junior Sa- skating, Mouliere has to manlome Mouliere’s favorite type age her time with tremendous of dancing and ice skating skill. Mouliere always makes adds a little extra depth to the sure that school is her top priart that she loves. Working on ority. her arabesque and feet posi- “If I have to skip tioning off the rink, increases skating because of school her stability and performance things, then I’m goon the rink. ing to,” Mouliere said.

“I love to dance on “School is more importand off the rink ant, and even as well as come though I love up with my own skating I will choreography,” skip it.”

Mouliere said.

Mouliere Howevlives by very er, skating and high stanballet take up a dards, trying lot of her time. to be the best

“I practhat she can be tice two to three in school. By hours six days a taking classes week, and I have like AP Chemto do an extra istry and AP workout by myLanguage, it self,” Mouliere Junior Salmoe Mouliere holds is hard for her the flag with her fellow U.S. said. “On aver- skaters at the Mozart Cup in to miss school age, it is about Salzburg Austria, where she for her dance three hours a placed second. COURTESY competitions. day.”

PHOTO For Mouliere,

The rink it seems that it is a stress-free zone for Mou- may always be like this. liere. However, when she gets Not only does she off the rink, it’s time to catch want to go to a good col-

lege, but the schools that she has chosen are close to some of the best skaters in the country.

“It’s hard to communicate with teachers,” Mouliere said.

“But I’m used to it because I miss a lot of school.”

Mouliere missed the Salome Mouilere performs in the 2019 National Solo Ice Dance Finals in first few days Provo, Utah. She finished first place in her event. COURTESY PHOTO of school due to a competition in Salt Cup for synchronized skating. and ice time. Yet Mouliere’s Lake City, Utah. Even though Even though she had to miss parents pay the price to see she loved the escape from two weeks of school, she and her happy on the ice. her first few days of her ju- her family were so proud that With her large supnior year, it was hard for her she was one of the few to be port system at the competito catch up in her classes and chosen by Team USA officials tions and her friends sending this happens more often than to represent the United States. her the homework from all one would think.

Mouliere has a large support her classes, Mouliere can both

“If it’s a good season, system that helps her to go to do well at competitions and I’ll have nine out-of-state these competitions. in school. Not only does she competitions that I have to “She has seven coach- have friends in school that miss school for, and maybe es, plus two physcial trainers,” help her, but she also has her one out-of-country” Mouliere Ingrid Macquin-Mouliere, teammates who all do homesaid.

Mouliere’s mom, said. work together, because they

In 2018, Mouliere The cost of ice skating all want to succeed. went to the National Austria is immense,travel, training

Skyron hockey’s new dynamic duo LEXI DIONNE GUEST WRITER

come.”

Cullen plays defense which makes it tougher to The new season for come by a goal, but she had two the Huron-Skyline hockey assists in the game that day. team began and this year they

“The Wild put up a have more players than ever. good fight but we fought hardA record 24 girls playing, five er. We knew we weren’t going of whom are freshmen. to let them dominate us at our

As everyone adjusts home to the ice so team, two it was freshmen n i c e stood out to win to coaches t h a t and playone,” ers. Abby Cullen Cullen, a said. freshman Culat Huron, l e n leads the a n d team in Heung points as a have defensembeen an, and Ava playHeung, a i n g freshman since at Skyline they leads the were team in k i d s points as Freshmen Abby Cullen and Ava Heung smile a n d a forward. after a 6-4 victory over Walled Lake at Yost Ice Arena. Cullen had two assists and made t h e y

played H u - several big defensive plays. Heung had on the ron-Skyline three goals and lead the offense. COURTESY A n n ( S k y r o n ) , PHOTO A r played their home opener at bor Cougars team together Yost Ice Arena against Walled in the past and had an inLake Wild, with Heung and separable friendship since.

Cullen on the starting line up.

Their first year playing in “It was a fun game, to say the high school would be an offleast,” Heung said. “I got my beat world than travel hockey. first hat-trick with this team

“It’s different, but and hoping it sets the pace it’s my favorite team that I’ve for the rest of the season to

played on,” Heung said. “My past teams have been all about one goal: Nationals. And that tends to make everyone competitive and selfish which for sure drove wedges between us.”

“As Ava said, on travel, it’s all about one goal,” Cullen said.”It’s not just the players but the coaches as well and it made that hockey experience not so fun. With Skyron, there’s a great group of girls here. We lift one another up and cheer each other on. This team is selfless and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

In the past years, Skyron had struggled to win some games due to a lack of players. Ann Arbor isn’t a popular “hockey hub” city in Michigan, so it’s harder to find coaches and players that are interested as opposed to Farmington Hills. When Heung and Cullen joined, it was a happy moment for the Skyron team.

“I never thought of myself as the best on the team.

On past teams, I definitely wasn’t the best. It’s cool to be recognized as ‘the best defenseman’ as a freshman but it’s also kind of weird,” Cullen said.

Heung currently leads the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League in points.

“It’s weird being told I’m the best on the team, I don’t see it that way,” Heung said. “I see room to improve

Despite not being able to hear, sophomore Nathan Kaiser leads on the ice against the Pioneers. PATRICK TIBBETTS

Communication is key for Kaiser

SAMER YASSIR COPY EDITOR

Sophomore Nathan Kaiser has been playing hockey since he was five years old, but things have not always come easy for him on the ice. Hearing is a key part of almost any sport in order to hear the sounds of the game and communicate with teammates. Kaiser wears hearing aids, but he can’t wear them while he plays.

“I’d say my biggest challenge on the ice is that I’m not able to hear anything,” Kaiser said.

“Other than that, I don’t really have any challenges.”

Kaiser went on to explain that nobody knows that he’s deaf on the ice, so it’s still a level playing field.

“Besides the occasional misunderstanding, there is really no impact of it,” Kaiser said.

He communicates through hand signals and body language with his teammates.

Kaiser is on the Huron hockey team and will play an integral role in the team’s success this year. He hopes to be able to act as a support system for the team.

“I feel like my greatest strength is hyping up and motivating [the team] on the ice,” Kaiser said.

He helps provide that extra spark that the team needs to stay motivated.

“Honestly, I just want to improve at the sport and work well with all of my teammates.”

He also has high hopes for the team overall this season.

The hockey team has gotten many new players, and is looking to take the league by storm.

“I want to show everyone who we are and just how good we are together,” Kaiser said.

“We have a really good team, hard working athletes, and we have really built up bonds. I think our teamwork will take us far.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 14 | SPORTS

Looking to make a championship run Lady Rat hoopers start season off with undefeated record, hopes high captain Reeya Patel. She has been on varsity all four years at Huron. Last year she averaged 10.5 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds per

With 52 wins over three years, any game. Patel plays the most important position basketball program would be considered suc- on the floor: point guard. Especially in the cessful. However, the Huron Women’s Varsi- system Hunter runs, Patel’s skills as a point ty Basketball team feels differently. The Rats guard are truly vital to the teams offensive and have come up short of a state title the last defensive success. three seasons, but they’re looking to change “I facilitate the floor,” Patel said. “I try the narrative this year under the leadership of to lead by example with the way I approach second year head coach Scott Hunter. practices and games. I feel like we can win Hunter is the first coach in four years to re- states.” turn for a second season. Coming off an up Another key piece to this year’s team and down first year at the helm, Hunter has is senior captain Alexa Lyon. Last year she avlofty expectations for his team this year. eraged 10 points, 1 assist and 6 rebounds per

“I think we can definitely compete game. Lyon has seen it all throughout her four for a league championship, compete for the year varsity career. Lyon said the keys to the district title and beyond,” Hunter said. “We season are maintaining good team chemistry, have a good group of coming out with high enseniors coming back so ergy every game and being I think we can have a open to new game stratvery good season.” egies. Lyon believes that

He describes their daily practice schedhis coaching style as a ule will help the team find fast-paced style with success. an emphasis on re“We have a pracbounding and man to tice overview in the green man defense. Huntroom, thirty minute warer also spends a good mup, run through plays, amount of his time doand scrimmage at the ing one on one train- Bringing the team together during a end.” timeout, Coach Hunter goes over the ing.

Coach Hunter felt

“I believe in gameplan. SAMI RUUD the best way to describe player development, his team was “experithat is something that I believe in very strong- enced.” The Rats will look to show this experily,” Hunter said. ence throughout the season and make a run at

He said that the time spent work- the state championship. ing on personal development will not The girls are currently undefeated. only help the person, will help the team.

The Rats go up against Detroit Ed A large part of this year’s team suc- ison PSA Early College of Excellence HS cess will be due to the performance of senior this coming Saturday.

ALEX COLE STAFF WRITER

Top: Senior captain Reeya Patel waits to check into the game against River Rouge. Huron won the game 68-16. Bottom: Senior MiLisa Curtis shooting a free throw against the Panthers during their home contest. SAMI RUUD

In the Cold: winter training with the distance team stays strong

NATHAN PENOYAR

OPINION EDITOR

For any members of the Huron men’s cross country team, the season never ends.

Looking at the year-round running schedule that some on the team follow, that’s hard to argue against. From the actual cross country season in the fall, to running in the cold of winter, to the track season in the spring to summer practices, the grind never stops. Winter training can be particularly grueling. Being in the cold almost every day, sometimes just wearing shorts and a t-shirt, draws confused stares from onlookers.

The guys on the team are very competitive, pushing themselves to do better and beat the competition. Freshman Jesse Newpol, who improved his five kilometer time from 23:22 to 19:29.6 over the course of the fall cross country season. This four minute improvement has boosted his already-confident personality as he is among those predicting success for the upcoming season.

“[The upcoming season] looks very competitive,” Newpol said. “I’m looking forward to dominating. I always [smoke opponents in races].

I think my competitiveness is gonna help me improve the most, because if I see someone pass me and they’re from my school I’m like ‘no they’re not passing me’ and it motivates me to overwhelm myself with pain and win the race,” Newpol said.

Newpol would like to run the 800 Meter event in the spring, but is willing to run other events if the coaches want him to do so.

“I did the mile last year, but I’m not with distance anymore,” Newpol said. “I’m more of a sprinter. Distance is boring [seeing] as you are running for a long period of time, it’s like sitting down [and] doing nothing, but since you are running the time feels like [its] doubled.”

Newpol isn’t the only one who wants to run a distance that is shorter than a mile.

“I would like to do the 400 Meter, [however] the

Freshman Jessie Newpol and sophomore Thomas Schorer battle the elements in order to finish the reginal reserve race. The Rats train year round, which helps them prepar for this type of situation. JULIA COLE [coaches] might want me in the mile,” freshman Adam Bigelow said. “It is easier, and way shorter than [running] the mile.”

Bigelow is somewhat of a prodigy, being voted “Most Promising Freshman” by his cross country teammates in

the fall after running a 17:51.4 five kilometer race in the fall.

He is encouraged by the attention that his success has been getting him.

When the track season starts in the spring, the distance team hopes to have their winter training pay off in

a big way, with the ultimate goal of going to the state meet in June. Whatever happens, they all plan to compete as hard as they can to prove that they should be taken seriously.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 15 | SPORTS

Baseball Buzz: Taha Ebrahim Commits to Alma College MANIT PATEL STAFF WRITER

The Huron Baseball team is just oozing with talent this season. Following senior Alex Cole’s commitment announcement to Northwood University, senior Taha Ebrahim has announced his commitment to Alma College.

Ebrahim, after breaking out as one of the conference’s best third baseman in his first year on varsity last season, gained some recruiting interest with the help of Huron’s head baseball coach, David Brooks. One of the coaches Brooks referred Taha Ebrahim hits a E b r a double in their var- h i m sity baseball game to was against Canton Jason High School.

Crain, t h e head coach at Alma College.

He sent an invitation to Taha to attend the Scots fall prospect camp, where prospective recruits for Alma come to the college showcase their talents. Ebrahim continued to impress the Scots coaches at the camp, earning him an official visit.

“Taha is an individual of high character,” Crain said. “We also look for versatility and the ability to be a ‘team’ baseball player. We believe Taha has all those attributes and will be a great Scot.”

Such confidence in a recruit is key when trying to convince someone to spend the next four years of their life under a coach’s tutelage.

Ebrahim loved the confidence given to him by Crain and is eager to compete for a starting for a starting spot in the infield, be it at shortstop or third base. That kind of versatility in the field and with his bat is another reason why Crain offered Ebrahim a spot on his team.

“Taha can play multiple positions on the field and demonstrates good barrel control,” Crain said. “I look forward to Taha continuing to develop and see him being a big part of our program for years to come.”

Ebrahim announced his commitment publically in November. Following Ebrahim’s commitment, senior Kade Cupp announced his commitment to Madonna University.

ARD OF E H R E V E N E ’V U O Y S T R CULTURAL SPO FOOTBALL ,

AS UNKNOWN. DOMINANT SPORTS SUCH HER CULTUR ES’ SPORTS OT IN AM ERICA THER E AR E G IN AV LE , LL BA SE D BA BASKETBALL , SOCCER AN

FIERLJEPPEN- NETHERLANDS Jumping over water with a long pole seems more like a cartoon scene than a sport.

Competitors sprint to the pole, climb its thin but sturdy frame and at the peak of their climb, jump across the water

1.

A caber is a lengthy thick pole made from larch tree. Caber toss participants have to throw this as far as they can and

are judged based on how effective they do so. Just to get it off the ground is a feat of strength in itself.

to a sand pit. One mishap in coordination or a regrettable lift-off will make this seem like a highly unsophisticated form of diving.

CABER TOSS - SCOTLAND 2.

KABBADI - SOUTH ASIA

Many people have a belief that the only sport with more contact than American football is rugby Kabaddi might have just as much. Teams are composed of seven players, and all of them take turns to get points. By crossing a cer-

3.

tain line on the opponent’s side and running back to a safe line, that team would get a point.

The complicated part? All of the opposing players have the liberty to tackle and pull down on a person like a nagging dog.

MUAY THAI/SUMO - THAILAND/JAPAN The term kickboxing is practically the Americanized version of Muay Thai. Competitors can box per usual, but also incorporate elbow, knee, and leg strikes. It’s as if someone wanted there to be more ways to get KOs. Sumo is a very different style of fighting. Two opponents

fight in a circular ring called a dohyo and try to force each other out of the boundary or to the ground.

Because of these rules, weighing more and being hard to move is the most practical body composition and the reason why it seems like both the fighters weigh more than a car.

PHOTO CREDITS: 1- Bertknot 2- Tracy O. 3. Syed Ahyauddin (All photos from flickr.com)

GRAPHIC BY VISH GONDESI

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 3: DECEMBER 16 | FEATURE

A sneak peek of Huron’s annual Multicultural Show 7

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1. Senior Austin Aldrich plays the Bass to “Oh Christmas Tree” as apart of his Holiday Jazz Trio. 2. Karsin Dass and Nico Pontius dances to along to a medley of Hindi and Hip Hop songs. 3. Tian Zhang showcases his rap skills during his Chinese Rap Performance. 4. Junior Sara Anderson performs a high energy dance routine with her Hip Hop dance trio. 5. Nikhil Gandikota and Karsin Dass dance to Indian Version of Panini, popular-

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ized by Tik Tok, as apart of the ISA boys performance.

6. APEX Chinese’s Yo-Yo group warms up before the first multicultural rehearsal. 7. Junior Hannah Hu dances to a melody of popular K-pop songs along with her dance trio. 8. Devon Haris practices his jokes for his MC position at the multicultural show. 9. Sophomores Durva Chavarkar, Niharica Suri Kannan, and Nishita Shah showcase their Bollywood dancing skills during the ISA

girls performance of “Nache Si Chad Gayi”. 10. Juniors Koen Van Nieuwstadt and AJ Stewart play their tenor and baritone saxophone to “Let it Go” from Frozen with their saxophone quartet. 11. APEX Hip Hop, the largest group performing at Multi-Culti, starts their elaborate performance in a powerful formation. MAYA KOGULAN

Huron’s German Program visits Chicago’s annual Christkindl Market 6

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7 7 1. Huron High School’s German classes went on a day long field trip to Chicago. They viewed artisans from around the world selling handcrafted goods on Dec. 13. 2. Sophomore Lydia Hargett and junior Zoe Soloman stand in front of the Cloudgate “Bean” sculpture. 3. The Christkindl Market offers a variety of traditional German treats and dishes. 4. It is the biggest of its kind outside Europe, with over one million visitors each year. 5. The students also explored other parts of downtown Chicago. 6. The entire group poses in front of the Bean. 7. From left to right: seniors Tom Dunietz, Anton Ferguson and Luke Carlson stand in front of the signature Christmas tree. LIAM GOFF