The Huron Emery Issue 4 February 2020

THE

HURON EMERY

@THEHURONEMERY

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

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MISHAL CHARANIA ONLINE EDITOR

Former school board president Harmony Mitchell congratulates Huron’s class of 2019 graduates last June. ANDREW CLULEY

AAPS School Board President resigns SAMI RUUD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEWS

Harmony Mitchell’s journey first began in 2015, when she noticed a disparity in what kids were learning across the Ann Arbor Public Schools, specifically where families with lower incomes lived. A year later, she ran for the Ann Arbor Board of Education, serving two years as treasurer and one as president.

Last month, she had to make a big decision.

Mitchell had been attempting to balance a lot over the past year: her position as Board President piled on top of a full time job, going to school to receive her MBA in Human Resources from Penn

State, four children at home, as well as health difficulties.

On Jan. 16, Mitchell stepped down from her position as the president of the board.

“Resigning was a tough decision for me,” Mitchell said. “I’ve actually gone back and forth about this the last couple of months. There comes a point in time where you say ‘Yes, just because I can do something doesn’t mean I should.’ And just because I could remain on the board and finish out my term, it didn’t necessarily mean I should do it, because there are a lot of other pressing matters in my life, and my time would be so divided that I would not

See MITCHELL, PAGE 3

VOL. 5 ISSUE 4

The first time Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher Andrew Collins recognized cheating in his AP Chem class was in 2007. Following this incident, Collins informally polled his AP Chem classes to understand the severity of the cheating.

About 87 percent of his students agreed that cheating was happening within the class.

This year, several incidents of academic dishonesty were identified in the AP Chem classes. AP Chem teachers Collins and Veronica Choe* decided that as a result of this cheating, the structure of the class would be changed.

AAPS’ cheating policy is laid out in the Rights and Responsibilities handbook, which Huron follows. Huron also follows the Ann Arbor International Baccalaureate Academic Honesty Policy. Both policies work to prevent cheating and help students learn from incidents of academic dishonesty. The administration works with students who commit academic dishonesty, involving teachers and guardians when necessary. According to the guidelines, students are given a zero on plagiarized assignments.

The consequence for cheating is decided on a case-

by-case basis.

Huron’s administration commented on the situation by providing the cheating policy that the school follows. Due to the sensitivity of the current situation, they did not comment further.

AP Chem is notorious for building up study skills and work ethic due to the difficulty of the material. According to a current AP Chem student**, many students care more about their rank than about class content.

“To some students, an A is more important than learning [in] the class, and many students will sacrifice their morals to get that A,” a current AP student said.

“Some people just suck at cheating so they got caught.”

In AP Chem, rubrics are not given to students to write their lab report because they contain answers to the pre-lab questions. Since the lab experiments are repeated each year, returned rubrics and lab write-ups are often available from past students.

In class, AP Chem students are given their t e s t s back

See CHEATING, PAGE 2

GRAPHICS BY JULIE HENG

briefs

Erik Thompson fills Ninth Grade Dean position

pervised the school psychologists as well as students who go to the Michigan School for the Deaf and students who are hospitalized or on homebound services.”

LYDIA HARGETT

Thompson’s favorite thing about STAFF WRITER this job was getting to work with all the

Huron did not have a Ninth Grade high schools.

Dean this school year until last month, “Of course, Huron was my favorwhen Erik Thompson officially filled that ite,” Thompson said. position and joined the Huron administra- Growing up in a small town near tive team.

Plymouth, Massachusetts led Thompson to

Thompson has worked for various be a fan of the Patriots football team as well schools across as the Red Sox baseball team.

Michigan, most

“I played a lot of sports as a kid: recently workbaseball, basketball, track and field, you ing as AAPS’ name it,” Thompson said. “I had a lot of Assistant Direcgreat friends, I even went to college with tor for Student one of them.”

Intervention

Now, Thompson lives near Ann Arand Support bor with his wife and daughter who attends GEORGE WHITE Services.

Early College Alliance at Eastern Michigan.

“I supported all of the high schools in Ann Arbor,” Thompson said. “I also su-

See more briefs, PAGE 3

NEWS:

Teacher leaves Huron after two years

SPORTS:

Men’s swim heads into postseason

PAGE 5

FEATURE:

Highlights from the 2020 Art Night

PAGE 9

PAGE 14

OPINION:

How my life changed after adoption PAGE 7

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 2 | NEWS

Musicals hit different “when you’re an Addams” 1

2

3

4

5

6

Over a hundred students including cast, crew and pit orchestra worked to produce the Addams Family musical, which ran Feb. 6 -9. 1. Freshman Ioana Dumitrasc, as Pugsley, is “tortured” for fun. 2. Surrounded by the Addams family ancestors, senior Connor Fischetti pleads for his niece to find love. 3. In the opening number, Gomez played by junior Rafael Esteva introduces Morticia, played by senior Sophie Wolf. 4. Junior Marisa Redding, who plays Alice, goes through old photos of Wednesday. 5. Esteva and Aidan Davis discuss Gomez’s collection of torture devices. 6. Junior Sophie Hammond sings her solo “Pulled” as she is excited to start in a new direction. MAYA KOGULAN

CHEATING | FROM PAGE ONE

vantage of,” Collins said.

Both Choe and Collins to keep. The tests are recreatunderstand the pressure that ed each year, according to Colstudents are feeling with exlins. tracurriculars and tough class The Chemistry departloads, but they do not condone ment decided to remove some the cheating that has been goof the curves on test grades for ing on.

AP Chem students. Curves are

“If you’re starting to determined by the teachers. sacrifice your ethics and mor While AP Chem als to get into a place, why are tests may be difficult, many you going there?” Collins said. students have received full “If you’re intelligent, you can marks accordget into a great school without ing to Choe. sacrificing The curves your repufrom previous tation.” tests are un Colchanged. lins also “Alteaches though to stuthe Interdents this may national AP CHEM STUDENT seem like a Baccapunishment, laureate it’s not a punDiploma Program chemistry ishment,” Choe said. “A punclass and has noticed a differishment means that I’m taking ent type of learning environsomething away from you that ment. you earned, but at this point

“The culture in DP no one has proved to me that seems to be more about enjoyno one knew about this.” ing the ride and the process,”

While maintaining Collins said. “It’s okay if you higher grades will be hardmake a mistake, but there has er for many students without been some cheating there too.” curves on tests, Choe and Col Cheating in other lins want to make sure the stuclasses at Huron isn’t uncomdents are ready for college and mon. Math teacher Andra their careers. Collins partially Warsinske agrees. attributes the cheating to the

“While I haven’t seen environment students are in. someone going very far in

“I’m hesitant to curve terms of cheating, I usually see things when I know that a lot small pieces here and there of people’s grades are heaviduring most quizzes or tests,” ly inflated, and in a way, I’ve Warsinske said. been taken advantage of and

Before her AP StaMs. Choe has been taken adtistics final exam, Warsinske

“

Some students just suck at cheating so they got caught.

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GRAPHIC BY JULIE HENG

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took student’s phones, cleared calculators and had students take off jewelry and watches to prevent cheating.

DP History and U.S. History teacher Jeff DeMoss has experienced plagiarism and cheating in his classes, not only at Huron but also at other schools where he used to teach.

“At a certain point, teachers accept that they probably have missed some cheating because you can’t catch everything,” DeMoss said.

“When students cheat...they don’t actually learn the content. That comes back to bite them later on.”

For essays, Huron also uses Turnitin, a plagiarism checker that compares student submissions with literary work on the Internet and previous work turned in by Huron students.

“I don’t think Huron has a cheating problem compared to other schools,” DeMoss said. “I think it’s a really common thing. Especially when they offer rigorous programs that put students under stress, students will stupidly turn to easy fixes to their stressful problems.”

Additional reporting Manit Patel.

by

*As of second semester in the 20192020 school year, Choe is no longer teaching AP Chem at Huron High school. Lisa Benton will be taking over her AP Chem lecture class, and Collins and Victoria Sturt will be taking over the lab portion of AP Chem. **Quoted anonymously

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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 Kaitlyn Sabb Business Manager Austin Aldrich 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 Halliwill Lydia Hargett Ridhima Kodali Davis Malmer Brian Moskus Blake Mundy Manit Patel Nancy Shevtsova Matt Wyderko Samer Yassir Feiyu Zhang

NEW HEADLINES ON thehuronemery.com: - The MLK Assembly technical malfunctions - The return of local business Bagel Fragel - Choir and orchestra perform in Grand Rapids despite snowstorm

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 3 | NEWS BRIEFS | FROM PAGE ONE

All HOSA club members to compete at states VISH GONDESI SPORTS EDITOR

GRAPHIC

BY MAYA KOGULAN

MISHAL CHARANIA, ONLINE EDITOR MITCHELL | FROM PAGE ONE have been effective as I could be if I would have remained.”

She was also sick a lot of the time last year, which caused her to miss a few board meetings.

“I don’t really want to get into the particular health reasons,” Mitchell said. “But it also made me miss time with my family. I was so sick that I couldn’t even go downstairs to eat dinner with them, or let alone cook dinner and spend time with my kids.”

Although her time as president was short, Mitchell was able to accomplish some of the goals she set when first deciding to run for the position.

The Board was able to pass a comprehensive school redesign last June, which would introduce the International Baccalaureate program as well as a STEAM curriculum into Bryant and Pattengill.

“The past year, it was great for me to be able to make connections with the people at different school communities around Ann Arbor,” Mitchell said. “One of the best impacts I made was with the communities at Bryant and Pattengill.

Those parents are incredibly active and they’re just a wonderful group of people, and I’m honored and privileged to have worked with them to make sure that the cohesion and the future of that school would benefit for generations to come.”

The largest project completed by the School Board during her time as president was the $1 billion dollar bond which was passed last November. Mitchell played a large part in its success.

“As one single board member, I did nothing. As one single board member, no one can do anything,” Mitchell said. “You have to have a majority of support from the board. So as president, of

course the biggest thing we did last year was pass a $1 billion bond that will have the school’s infrastructure and technology and stuff like that for the next 30 years. That was huge to do, and it was also pretty taxing on the mind, the body, because you have to be out there campaigning, answering questions as they come.”

However, Mitchell’s family is most important in her life. In her household of seven, her two oldest children are seniors at Huron.

“My oldest two children are adopted, and it has According to Harmony Mitchell, her biggest accomplishment been my goal to give them the as school board president was passing the $1 billion bond. best life that I could possi- ANDREW CLULEY bly give them,” Mitchell said. ly young age. I just want to let with.

“That weighed a lot in my her know that all of her hard Her spot on the board decision to leave the board. work wasn’t for nothing.” needs to be filled in 30 days I didn’t get a lot of time with Ariel and Aaron real- from the time of her resignathem when they were little, ize that they are going to col- tion by someone who would since they came to me at the lege soon, so the family has take her Trustee position. ages of three and four, and been trying to spend as much Her replacement needs to because I didn’t get that time time together as possible in re- come from the community, so with them before, I started to cent months.

Mitchell encourages anyone feel mom-guilt for not being “We mainly watch interested in board service to able to spend time with them movies, something where we look into it. in these final months before can all relax together,” Aar- “I would just say for they go off to on said. “We also play board anybody that’s thinking about college.” g a m e s board service and can also

Huand vid- campaign at the same time, ron seniors eo games because my seat was up for Aaron and s o m e - reelection in November, that Ariel Garrett, times. She they should go ahead and look appreciate feels like into it,” Mitchell said. the sacrifices it’s neces- Although Mitchell did their mother sary for us step down from her official has made for to get in as position, she is still looking to them over much time stay involved in the communithe years. as possible ty and the school district.

“My before we “I encourage people to mom is one HARMONY MITCHELL go to col- reach out to me for some adof the most lege.

We vocacy work,” Mitchell said.

FORMER SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT important were her “I plan to help direct people people in my first kids, in the ways that they can get life,” Ariel said. “We’re adopt- so the time coming up to where things accomplished when aped, and I think the fact that we have to leave the house is proaching the board, where to my mom took a chance on us causing a lot of emotions for look for answers when they’re means a lot. I always want to her, because she knows it’s looking for answers, where to make her proud because I time for us to get out into the start, and how to go about it. don’t want to let her down and world and be on our own.”

And then I just plan to advoI don’t want it to be like she Mitchell also has two cate on their behalf. There’s a made a sacrifice for nothing, young children, ages four and lot of people that don’t have a because she was 25 when she six, whom she also wants to voice, and I consider myself to adopted us and that’s like a make sure she’s spending time be that voice for a long time.” really big deal to do at a real-

“

There comes a point in time where you say ‘Yes, just because I can do something doesn’t mean I should.’

After the regional Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition was canceled due to extreme weather, all Huron HOSA members qualified for states.

“I was disappointed [regionals] was canceled,” HOSA advisor Lynn Boland said. “To my knowledge, they’d never canceled before.”

The cancellation mattered most because the event couldn’t be rescheduled. Out of all Michigan regions, this was the last regional event, and they couldn’t set back the date even further. It forced the hand of Michigan HOSA’s state director Mark Burley.

“He had to figure out how to make this fair,” Boland said.

“His response [was that] everyone from Huron qualifies.”

The state competition is slated for early March. There, as tests become more complex, competitors are held to a higher standard. It makes not going to regionals a disadvantage, denying a valuable opportunity to practice and receive feedback.

“I would suggest [to] continue studying or preparing for states,” junior officer Divija Chandupatla said.

“Members can also ask previous students how the skill sets or the presentational events are since they haven’t experienced it at regionals.”

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 4 | NEWS

An unexpected candidate runs for Congress sidering pursuing politics in college, but then I realized the government was bought and sold by big businesses.”

When John Dingell Rajput thought being Sr. first won the congressional a doctor would be the best way seat in 1932, you could buy a to help his community. Howhouse for $540. Since then, ever, this changed after he saw the Dingell family has held the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez win Michigan 12th congressional New York’s 14th seat over an seat for the past 87 years. They establishment Democrat. are not simply a political fami- “It got me thinking, ly, they are a political dynasty. we can actually get people in However, an outsider is trying office who will unapologeticalto push them out. He is a 27 ly fight for what people need year old, Muslim American, instead of being brought by University of Michigan med- corporations,” Rajput said. “I ical student named Solomon started looking into our curRajput. rent congresswoman’s record,

Rajput grew up in and I thought that we needed Ann Arbor and graduated a congressperson from Pioneer High School.

He praised the town for its diverse community, which ultimately helped shape his political views.

“I feel very blessed to have grown up in Ann Arbor, you get to see all the different pieces of life,” Rajput said. “When I was younger, I was really involved in politics. I was class president for three years and even interned for the Obama campaign. I was con-

MAYA KOGULAN ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

that would fight for the progressive values that our district champions.”

Many critics dismiss Rajput for his young age and lack of political experience.

However, Rajput has worked on several campaigns and founded his own activist organization, “The Michigan Resistance,” to fight Donald Trump’s policies.

“People love to dismiss young people, but what is all the experience the establishment has? The old ideas are not working for the American people. In my lifetime, you cannot point to anything that the government has changed.”

Rajput hopes to advocate for progressive policies such as Medicare for All, tuition-free college and the Green New Deal.

“Climate change was the number one reason why I entered t h e race.

W e only have 10 years left to act.

Currently, Dingell doesn’t support the Green New

GRAPHIC BY MAYA KOGULAN

Deal, and this decision was impacted by the fact that she takes money from corporations such as DTE.”

While Dingell remains firm that Congress should take action on climate change, she hasn’t made an official comment about her opinion on the Green New Deal.

If Rajput wins, he would become the first Muslim American to repres e n t Michigan’s 1 2 t h District, home to the highest Muslim population in the United States. Rajput believes that there needs to be more Muslim represention in congress to fight the rising Islamophobia in America.

“Muslims in this country will not tolerate Islamophobia, and recognize that we can’t just have people who are supportive of Muslims issues, but have Muslims actually representing us in congress,” Rajput said. “I don’t think Dingell is doing the best job advocating for

the Muslims in our community. She recently withdrew her support from Bill HR 2407, which supports the rights of Palestinian children.”

Dingell defends her choice, stating that Bill HR 2407 was counterproductive in establishing a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

I n order to defeat Dingell, Rajput plans on building a grassr o o t s army of y o u n g people, including high schoolers, through offering internships and fellowships.

“All the establishment knows how to do is make small changes,” said Rajput. “We’ve been asking them for a long time to fight for the big solutions that we need in order to be able to tackle the issues in our country in a meaningful way. At this point it is clear, they are putting a bandaid on a broken system, I realized that if we want to tackle the big issues, we have to do it ourselves.”

Verdugo’s class magazine wins awards at international conferences

Students in Spanish class write and publish a bilingual magazine NATHAN PENOYAR fluent in Spanish and are still

studying the language,” junior OPINION EDITOR

Victor Alexandrov said. “Mr.

Learning Spanish is Verdugo touches up the artirelatively straightforward. cles [as] editor. The magazine Application of that learning, is well-formatted and features however, is much more com- a beautiful cover illustrated by plicated. That’s why Spanish a student in the Huron art proteacher Daniel Verdugo has gram.” his Spanish 4 class work on Verdugo is originally producing the award- winning from Barcelona, Spain. Bebilingual magazine Ñ Maga- fore he became a teacher, he zine. “I tend to design the worked for a newspaper in semester ahead of time and Puerto Rico that covered both then develop activities for stu- national and local news. dents to read,

“That listen and was my write about first experithose things,” ence in the Verdugo said. press,” Ver A s dugo said. magazine ed“I was very itor, Verduimpressed go chooses because the which pieces guy who ran of students’ the newswork to pubpaper put lish.

Class it together projects are using Microoften based soft Word. I on material didn’t know required for that you the magazine. The fifth edition of the Ñ mag- could just

“ T h e azine (Viva La Vida) COURTESY use Word to quality is very OF VERDUGO put together good consida newspaper. ering that most of the articles The newspaper looked profeswithin the magazine are writ- sional. That really inspired me. ten by people who are not yet If you can do this with Word,

[then] we can [make a magazine] using Google Slides.”

Verdugo also wanted his students to be able to express themselves to people outside of the classroom.

“To have students publish their work, I think it makes sense from [an] educational point of view,” Verdugo said. “I think that sometimes we have students write essays, write articles that only teachers read. It’s such a waste! I think it’s important for them to share their voices and to empower their voices.”

Verdugo has received a lot of positive feedback on the magazine, including several awards such as first prize for “El profesor como creativo” at a 2019 conference in Salamanca, Spain, third prize for “Best educational practice of Spanish as a Second Language based on information and communication technologies,” and a recognition award from the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan for “giving visibility to the Hispanic presence in our community” in 2019.

Verdugo is now working to market the magazine to the community, so it can get sponsors and exposure.

“[We don’t want] this

Verdugo accepts the award for the best practice for a Spanish class for his work on Ñ magazine in Salamanca, Spain.

COURTESY OF VERDUGO

magazine to stay in the classroom; [we want] to get it out there and enrich the cultural scene of Ann Arbor,” Verdugo said.

Verdugo and the students raise money in order to cover the costs of production. Parents as well as local businesses have donated.

In addition to trying to get a community presence, Verdugo wants Ñ Magazine to be “an open educational

resource” that other students can access for free. For the magazine, the students use images licensed under creative commons (no copyright) and content created by the magazine is also licensed under creative commons so that it can be reproduced.

Copies of Ñ Magazine can be found in the Huron library or in the foreign language office.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 5 | NEWS

Choe goes: AP Chem teacher transfers to Slauson RIDHIMA KODALI STAFF WRITER

you just learn once you get into the position,” Trevisan said.

“So Ms. Choe will know after a

After teaching just while whether her new job is a three semesters at Huron, Ve- good fit or not. All professionronica Choe has taken a new als make these assessments.” position at Slauson Middle Teaching AP Chem School.

Lab (which takes place after

Choe taught eight school) meant that she had to different classes in the last spend almost all her time aftwo years, including Person- ter school in the building. This al Project, AP Chemistry (AP didn’t allow her to focus as Chem), AP Chem Lab, and much time to help her underMYP Chemistry 1. She was classmen. also an assistant coach for “It makes me unmothe River Rat volleyball team. tivated, makes me not want

“I love working here, to teach here and I could be I love the sense of community using my energy better elsethis school has,” Choe said. where,” she said. “I chose the

Choe’s students de- field of education because I scribe her as “bubbly” and wanted to help create a better “kind.” But she began to feel future for all students. Helpreally overworked, burned out ing all students with diverse and depressed about what she backgrounds through the conwas doing at Huron in Decem- text of chemistry and having ber. the freedom to make choices “I felt about curlike I was riculum… crawling these are towards the things w i n t e r I looked break, just forward to trying to spending make it,” my energy VERONICA CHOE Choe said. and cre“I had apativity on. plied for a I felt like I couldn’t do those position across the district be- things the way that I wanted fore and during winter break.” to, or to the capacity that I

Choe was initially wanted to.” an intern at the University of On top of the daily Michigan MAC, where she work, students were caught earned her Master of Arts in cheating on AP Chem Lab reEducational Studies. She stu- ports. dent-taught at Huron under “While I’m grading Daniel Trevisan in 2017. these, I thought to myself, why

“There are so many do I spend all of this time outthings you don’t know when side of school for this?” Choe you begin a teaching job, and said. “Can I justify working

“

I felt like I was crawling towards winter break, just trying to make it.

a sixth day of the week when there is evidence of academic dishonesty?”

Choe accepted a position at Slauson Middle School, where she will now be teaching sixth-grade math.

“[M]eeting with the admin there, [it] seems like a really great place to work,” Choe said. “It will give me a little bit more work-life balance because the AP lab class I was teaching here takes a lot of time, it just seemed like more work than I need to be doing.

And it also gives me more freedom to explore different aspects of my pedagogy.”

Andrew Collins, who has been teaching AP Chem for 17 years, worked with Choe.

“When you teach AP, you have to be really organized, and be a content expert,” Collins said. “If we have two people in the building who teach the same course, and if one of them had a health issue, retired or took a job somewhere else, then there will be another person who knows how to teach that specific course very well. Choe has a chemistry degree, so she would be a good natural person to jump in on that situation.”

Since Choe left, the science department is looking to hire a chemistry specific certified (DC), teacher.

“[W]e were interviewing people with DCs all day yesterday [Jan. 28],’’ Collins said. “Because of the nature in which Ms. Choe left, as opposed to at the end of the year, it’s just harder because any teacher that you want to inter-

Choe with some of her chemistry students at Huron High School.

COURTESY OF VERONICA CHOE

view for a job has a job. It’s like they’re having to leave their school in a lurch to come here, so it’s a tricky thing.”

In the meantime, Zoe Fisher (who is certified for Integrated Science) is substituting for Choe’s Chem I classes while long time Huron chemistry teacher Lisa Benton takes over her AP Chem class. Collins and biology teacher Victoria Sturt will be taking over the AP Chem Lab.

“If I knew I was teaching this course earlier, I would have looked over the organization of the course which is

one of its biggest issues,” said Benton. “Of course, I haven’t looked at it, as I haven’t taught AP Chem lab in a while.”

Although leaving Huron was a difficult decision, she loves her new job working with middle schoolers and coaching sixth grade volleyball.

“The students are and will forever be my favorite part of Huron, and that’s going to be the hardest thing to think about once I leave,” Choe said.

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 6 | OPINION

Money Mania: the failure of both sides A look at the federal budget deficit and how both Democrats and Republicans are responsible NATHAN PENOYAR OPINION EDITOR

handling of money. Wheth er it be wars, too much foreign aid, bad welfare

When discussing policies or government politics, I get frustrated. subsidies, our government While I tend to lean toseems incapable of settling wards the right side of the its spending issues that political spectrum, I’m not could lead to us falling off a fond of Republicans defiscal cliff. spite agreeing with them

Our debt could on policy more than with cause an economic crash.

Democrats.

While recessions do hap I’m not the only pen and are a natural part one frustrated with the of the economic cycle, one two-party system that has caused by the national debt dominated American polcould be worse than averitics more recently. Many age. politicians seem to be more Another bad poteninterested in trying to make tial outcome of a recession their opponents look bad is hyperinflation, caused by rather than making the countries printing a lot of country better. money if order to pay their

One thing in partic- debts off. Some examples ular in which our elected are Germany in the 1920s, officials lack basic comArgentina in the last depetence is their ability to cade and Venezuela most balance federal budgets, recently.

Each maintaining large deficits. time, living To cover many years of standeficits, our government dards takes out loans, resulting in fell our national debt reaching dramatover $23 trillion dollars, ically, according to U.S. Debt currency Clock. Now, for the first became worthtime since 2012, our govless, and people ernment will be running rioted in the streets a deficit of over $1 trillion as a result. In Germany, dollars. the conditions brought on

The U.S. taxpayby hyperinflation led to ers will be the ones that the rise of the Nazi party, shoulder the burden of the which went on to murder federal debt. In addition millions of people (includto paying back the debt, ing six million Jews) in a our government will need mass genocide. In Veneto pay interest, just like on zuela, people can’t afford any loan. food, so they eat trash.

It’s our generation It’s been governed by an that will bear the weight authoritarian dictator who of paying it off. Because raised the minimum wage of this, our government 11 times in the past two will likely have to undergo years to try and combat austerity, meaning that our inflation, which didn’t government will have to work. raise taxes and cut social

In order to preservices which will affect vent that from happenmany. Countries in Europe ing again, we need to have had to undergo auswork to combat the terity, such as Greece, the debt now.

UK and Spain. The reason Some say that a “balthat we got in this situation anced budget amendwas the government’s poor ment” should be put

into our Constitution so that the government will be forced to act. However, this isn’t practical because sometimes our government needs to run large deficits, such as during times of war. For example, during World War II, our government had to run large deficits in order to maintain the industrial output necessary to win the war.

The fact that our government can’t run a balanced budget without a constitutional amendment perfectly demonstrates their failure to be fiscally responsible.

Most Republicans and Democrats appear to be fine with

the status quo of racking up huge budget deficits.

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky) was right when he said “The dirty little secret is that, by and large, both parties don’t care about the debt.” He’s one of the few people in Congress who’s actually trying to encourage some fiscal responsibility.

The only difference appears to be that the Democrats have people like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang who are promising to hand out free stuff (tax dollars) like it’s Halloween candy.

Warren and Sanders are particularly egregious when it comes to this, with their promises of free college for all and student loan forgiveness. That would be unfair to the people who

$23 T rillion

U.S. National Debt

$1.054 trillion

$23.3 Trillion

Cheating: Make it clear

worked hard to save up for college as well as people who didn’t go to college, because they’d have to help foot the bill for those who do. Yang’s Universal Basic Income (UBI) idea, which would give $1,000 a month out to every American, has the right idea (potentially replace the flawed welfare system) but it isn’t practical. According to the New York Post, that idea would cost the government $3.8 trillion dollars per year.

While I do like Yang more than the other Democratic presidential contenders due to him not alienating those who disagree with him, his monetary ideas aren’t fiscally feasible despite being novel in concept.

Our government’s spending is out of control, and it’s time that we do something about it. We need to encourage our government to stop spending increases, which will come back to bite us. Vote for politicians that will keep our government responsible.

This is our future that we’re talking about here. And that’s not something that should be taken lightly.

$4.568 Official Federal Spending

U.S. Federal Budget Deficit

106.7% Debt to GDP ratio (typically good to keep it under 90 percent at the max)

$70,636 Debt per citizen

Staff Editorial

It seems like everyone has a different definition of what cheating is. Is getting intel from students who have taken tests in prior hours cheating? Is using past rubrics for AP chem academically dishonest, considering that the rubrics were returned when tests explicitly weren’t?

Administration describes cheating consequences as determined on a case-by-case basis, but there should be clear guidelines between daily assignments and final exams. The AP Chemistry teachers established that using past rubrics or copying entire labs is considered cheating. Many

other departments have yet to put a specific consequence on what would happen if students were found cheating, and what is constituted as cheating. Even then, should consequences affect entire classes, or should it only affect those involved in the cheating? Is knowing about cheating and not reporting it just as bad as cheating?

The Huron Emery does not condone cheating. But in order to support academic honesty, we believe the grey areas must be defined.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 7 | OPINION

2007

2007

2019

2018

GRAPHIC BY MAYA KOGULAN

Adopted love: finally finding my forever family felt.

I was put in a foster

home when I was four and my

AARON GARRETT STAFF WRITER

Before getting adopted, I felt alone. In kindergarten, all the other students would show up to school with their dads for Dads and Donuts and I was the only one who didn’t get anything.

I didn’t get anything for Moms and Muffins, either.

But the event that made me feel the most alone was Bring Your Parent To School Day. I remember seeing the other kids and their parents streaming into the cafeteria. There was a staff member in the doorway who told me that I couldn’t go into the cafeteria without my parents so I needed to go back to the classroom until either my parents showed up or until the event was over.

The first couple of times these events happened, I was the only one left in the classroom.

Over time, I became numb towards the pain I previously

sister was three. We went to three different foster homes, each for less than a year, and we had to relearn a new set of parents each time we moved.

When we got in trouble, our foster parents would stick our hands in hot water. Once, they put my sister’s hand in the water for so long that it burnt her skin and she had to spend a couple weeks in the hospital.

That’s where we met my mom. She worked at the hospital. She said she immediately knew she wanted us to be her kids.

From the first time I met her, I felt happy. In the three months before she adopted us, she spoke to us as if she knew us her whole life - made us feel warm and normal.

Closer to the adoption date, the court system would let us spend weekends with my mom. Being in her house was amazing. They had a dog

2006

- a pitbull-boxer mix named Picasso. He was a comforting kind of dog - he seemed to know that we went through a lot.

The day my adoption was finalized, we were at a courthouse. I wore formal clothes - I wore a black suit and my sister had a black dress. My grandmother joined my mother, sister and me during the court trial and stood right by our side during the whole thing, just as she did from the moment she first met us along with my mom.

After all was said and done we went to Red Lobster. We were told that we could get anything we wanted. I don’t remember what we ate for dinner, but for dessert I had a chocolate lava cake.

I’ve had love-hate relationships to mother figures.

For the longest time, I was upset with my biological mother.

I felt that if she had kept us, my sister and me, then we wouldn’t have gone through everything we did in our foster homes. We wouldn’t have been looked at that way at school. She could have saved us a lot of heartbreak. And in each foster home, the mother

figures were the ones that treated us the worst.

So I was iffy before jumping out there with a relationship with my mom. I had a tendency to make dumb decisions or not exactly respect my mom because I didn’t want to put my heart out there to get hurt. After they put me in therapy sessions, we talked about how I could make things better- how to let things go.

After getting adopted, I would come home from school - to a place I could actually call my home, not a place where people just looked out for me for the time being. On “Bring Your Parent to School Day’, my mom came with me to talk about her job at the hospital.

In the United States, 150,000 children get adopted each year. Fifty-six percent of kids are put in the position of adoption due to child welfare.

Children are usually placed in foster care due to the fact that their parents are not in a position to take care of them.

There are cases where parents with addictions to drugs are forced to give up the rights to their children. This is what

happened to my sister and me. In this scenario, the children are placed in foster care until the parents have gone through rehabilitation and have been tested over different periods of time to see if they are still using the drugs or not. If the parents pass the drug test, then they will be granted access to their children again.

I didn’t know so many kids were getting adopted each year. It opened my mind knowing that my sister and I weren’t the only ones going through this. Usually, when people go through certain things, they feel like they’re the only ones. But if you go out and talk to other people, you’ll find someone who has a relatable experience. You’ll find empathy.

Now, I have three younger siblings. It’s heartwarming because I know they’re with parents who have their best interests at heart. I know I have to set an example for them. I want them (and everyone) to know that people that are close to you are the ones that you should always keep around.

The Young Scientist

Put away the phone and repair your DNA ERIC HENG COLUMNIST You can see it in the eyes of the zombies that roam the halls of Huron. In fact, many of my friends say that they wish they could live without sleep, and some come close to that reality with regular doses of caffeine. But how important is sleep really?

According to the CDC, the required amount of sleep per night for a teen is between 8-10 hours. For most students at Huron, this simply isn’t true. In a poll conducted by The Huron Emery, based on 272 responses, only 4.4 percent of students reported getting more than eight hours of sleep on a school night. 18.0 percent reported getting 7-8 hours, 44.1 percent reported 6-7, and one

in three students reported regularly sleeping for less than six hours.

All this sleep debt can be dangerous. Studies have shown that people with abnormal sleep patterns, like those who work graveyard shifts, have an increased chance of getting diseases such as cancer.

According to psychology teacher Nadine Ghawi, sleep helps “consolidate new information into long term memory, heal tissues or muscles and release human growth hormones and to regulate emotions.”

Still, even though it might be simple enough to brush sleep off as a time to rest the body and “reset” the mind, the reality is that scientists don’t actually know the underlying mechanisms of sleep.

A recent study published by Nature Communications might shed light on the issue. Researchers from Israel found that the rate of double strand break repair increases during sleep in zebrafish. Double strand breaks (DSBs) occur when a piece of

your DNA is completely severed.

If not repaired, DSBs can lead to DNA rearrangement, which is a precondition for cancer. DSBs are usually caused by ionizing radiation, oxidizing agents and accidental enzyme activity, but more recently, have also been linked to neuronal activity.

Using this rationale, researchers concluded not only that a) sleep results in more DSB repair in neurons, but b) elevated levels of DSBs occur during states of wakefulness. In other words, sleep is the balancing factor that allows your neurons to repair their DNA after a day of brain usage. Professor Lior Appelbaum explains this mechanism using a pothole analogy: “Roads accumulate wear and tear, especially during daytime rush hours, and it is most convenient and efficient to fix them at night, when there is light traffic.”

Whatever the exact mechanism of sleep, what we do know is

GRAPHIC BY JULIE HENG

that the overwhelming majority of Huron students do not get enough sleep for optimal learning and memory development.

“Sleep hygiene is very important,” Ghawi said. “[S]tudents should have a regular routine with a set time of going to bed and waking up, keep lights low in the evening [and] do not look at electronics before bed.”

So the next time you’re in bed, scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, maybe put away the phone, and repair some DNA instead.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 8 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

In focus: aesthetics in and around Ann Arbor The best student work from Andrew Sigworth’s digital photography class =

----- ETHAN PHILLIPS, 11-----

“

This is a collage, and I was trying to mix all of my favorite things and ideas in one photo. I chose a quote in Chinese, and it means that every long journey starts from a single step. It actually describes all of my work because it shows what I’m willing to achieve in the future.

And then there is a Kazakh girl. Since I am Kazakh, I was trying to find someone of my nationality. I think she represents our concepts of beauty and our duty as a nation.

----- JULES KOSHANOVA, 11-----

”

----- AVA DESKOWITZ, 10 -----

“

The assignment for this was a professional portrait. I used back-lighting to give a more intense effect when you’re actually looking at the subject. I tried to use darker lighting because of the back lighting, and I wanted a black background for contrast.

----- CADENCE FRANKE, 10 -----

”

“

I was walking around outside near the tennis courts, and I saw these sticks, and I thought that’d be a good photo. I just took it to see what would happen, and then I edited it, and then it turned out like that, and I thought it was really cool.

“

This piece was really fun to shoot. I planned this outfit for these pictures. I wanted to do a ‘70s themed shoot. I told my friend who took the picture to shoot from a low angle to get the whole outfit and the stairs, and I think it came out really well. I think this picture represents me because my style is very unique, and it really accentuates my outfit and the theme behind them.

----- ERIN FITZGERALD, 10 -----

”

”

----- LAUREN IRVINE, 11 -----

----- SARA ABDUL-HAK, 10 -----

----- IRIA BLANCO PERNAS, 11 -----

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 9 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Getting hands-on at Art Night 2020 2

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4 1 1. History teacher Jeff DeMoss and his daughter Penny painting a bookmark. DeMoss was joined by other Huron teachers at Art Night. 2. Junior Ari Leflein, who started ceramics in ninth grade, throws a pot as an Art Night demonstration. “I joined the

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class because I like art in general and the idea of physically making something with my hands.” Leflein said. 3. Junior Benjamin Pollitz demonstrates soldering to an audience. 4. Juniors Kristin Thorsdottir, Abby Jelic, Payton Bristol and Elena Kaul dress

up in costumes in Art Night’s photo booth.

5. Junior Faith Yun creates a button at Art Night. 6. A student dips their brush into paint to add designs to the Art Night mural. MISHAL CHARANIA AND MAYA KOGULAN

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7.

Senior Jaide Wilson designed the banner. 8. A mountain painted by junior My Nguyen on demand. 9. Pots on display by junior Ari Leflein. 10. At Art Night, junior Jules Koshanova worked on her piece in front of the crowd.

11. Senior Jaide Wilson painted a closet for one of the art rooms. 12. A painting by senior Selina Liu. 13. Junior Trenton Brann’s sculpture. 14. Junior Uyen Dao had multiple pieces on display. 15. A shoe display designed by a senior in DP Art. MISHAL CHARANIA AND MAYA KOGULAN

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“A great night for film”: analyzing last night’s Oscars with Huron’s own R. J. Fox JULIE HENG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF What was your favorite moment of the show?

My favorite moment was, by far, the director of “Parasite.” He was the highlight of the night in terms of his sincerity, his passion, his humbleness. He didn’t use his wins to promote his politics, even though his movie has a lot of political statements in it. I was impressed with just how gracious he was. It’s fascinating because he had a translator, and he even made Martin Scorsese cry.

What did you think of the Best Picture win for “Parasite”?

It by far deserves it — it was my choice to win. One of the most unique films I’ve ever seen, in so many different genres all in one….I really thought “1917” was going to win because it had all the elements of what typically wins. But between “Moonlight” and now “Parasite,” we’ve seen the Oscars pushing the needle forward a little bit, even though they had some setbacks with diversity this year and inclusion.

Were there any surprises?

Not really. Joaquin Phoenix was a heavy favorite. He won. He turned his whole speech into a political platform. I mean, Joaquin Phoenix had a lot of great things to say and a lot of social concerns. But I like when winners at least acknowledge the people who helped make the movie.

He didn’t acknowledge all the people who made the film that led to him winning an Oscar. I would like to see more of that. I think too many politics get into the Oscars sometimes. I think “Jojo Rabbit” winning Best Adapted Screenplay was the one shocker. I thought that “Little Women” was going to win. It was a beautifully written script. I thought it was going to be a consolation prize for the director (Greta Gerwig, who wasn’t nominated for Best Director).

Was there anything you wish won?

Well the heavy favorite for best actress was Renée Zellweger. Everybody pretty much knew she was a lock.

But I just feel like she had one those showboating performances that was

Film teacher, screenwriter and movie aficionado Robert Fox, with posters of his own soon-to-be feature films, celebrated the Academy Awards with a small gathering of friends. “I did watch the Super Bowl, but the Oscars are my Super Bowl,” Fox said. The party host made movie-themed snacks such as “Marriage Story’s Eight Layers of Negotiation Dip” and “Joker is Nuts Pecans.” JULIE HENG tailor-made to win an Oscar. I also would have liked for “I lost my body” [to win Best Animated Feature]. It was just kind of a beautiful, bizarre love story that was about a disem-

bodied hand trying to find its owner.

I knew it wouldn’t win but it would have been kind of cool to see. You should watch it.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 10 | FEATURE

Unlock artificially intelligent secrets at Decode Detroit

A lit blue pathway located at the entrance of Decode Detroit. VISH GONDESI

VISH GONDESI SPORTS EDITOR

A symphony of electronics hum, blue colors flash like a laser tag system and smoke fills the room. Here, technology reigns. But this isn’t a new scary addition to the Terminator. It’s part of an escape room created by Decode Detroit established in 2015.

Being locked with no easy way of exiting is a fun way to apply logic in a time constraint that provides a thrill and adrenaline rarely experienced anywhere else.

These awe-inspiring aspects of escape rooms have caused the, to become a global trend.

Brothers Patton and Peter Doyle, founders of Decode

Detroit, followed this trend installing several locations in the Michigan area, including Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

“I think escape rooms have been successful because you know what you’re signing up for,” Patton said. “Everyone understands the premise: you have one hour, you have been given a bunch of puzzles and you’ll be expected to accomplish a goal.”

The Ann Arbor Decode Detroit location circles around the “Minerva” AI system, delivering an immersive experience to customers. The technological theme creates an eerie atmosphere. However, the theme takes on a whole new meaning as you start to learn more about Minerva.

Minerva, like voice assistants

Siri or Alexa, is a helpful resource, yet maintains a mysterious aura in the game. She functions on a TV screen and can turn lights on and off.

This is normal for an AI system, but sometimes she does it without anyone requesting.

Her main goal is to gain internet access. If this occurs, the audience learns that devastating results may result. The underlying question lands on if Minerva is a protagonist or something that if you use excessively, correlates to failure.

These lingering thoughts line up with the intentions the founders had.

“We try to envision stories into our escape rooms,” Patton said.

His team applied basic plot elements to develop a

suitable midpoint and climax, which is clear to the audience when played. Regardless of how widespread escape rooms might be, such concepts aren’t implemented in many of them.

“We balance the story and the full experience, whereas some escape rooms create very distinct puzzles and some just focus on the story,” Peter said.

All these factors ensure a great experience, yet the ordinary person might feel that escape rooms can be too difficult at times, and that they might simply end up stuck in a room for an hour unable to get out. Contrary to that opinion, sometimes the greatest determinant of escape room success isn’t being smart.

“When you come in with an enthusiasm to play the game, understand the game, and have a good time those teams solve the puzzles faster and more effectively,” Patton said.

Selecting people you know well to go in with too can also end up with a more positive outlook.

“It also depends on how the group works together, because people who can communicate and talk together, or know the skill sets of the group can task accordingly,” Peter said.

Part One is an invigorating adventure, and efforts to expand it have already been made.

After that, Part Two is an exciting scavenger hunt styled escape room, which is in the city of Ann Arbor. By part-

nering with local businesses, the game can be played inside their stores, and the companies are open-minded to anyone choosing to do it. Next, Part Three is a continuation of Minerva, which gives a satisfying conclusion to her tale.

Many people resort to movies or books to get a taste of an alternate reality. But if you want all your five senses invested into that reality an escape room is definitely the place, and Decode Detroit is an exceptional one near home.

1

2 1. The Aurora Society Library is part of the Decode Detroit branch in Ypsilanti. 2. This boxed clue device is one of the ways Decode Detroit uses technology and visual components to intrigue the audience. VISH GONDESI

Huron alum on Marine boot camp, basic training and drill sergeants AUSTIN ALDRICH STAFF WRITER Michael Pocrnich graduated from Huron in 2019. His senior year, he was on the varsity hockey and lacrosse teams as well as playing double bass in Symphony Orchestra.

What motivated you to enlist?

I had a lot of family members who served, and I wanted to better my opportunities for a future job.

I saw that you just completed basic training. How did that go for you?

It was tough. I sort of had an idea of what boot camp would

be like going into it, but once I got there I realized how difficult it would be. I actually got sick a couple weeks in, but I had to work through it because I didn’t want to get sent home.

Can you call home at boot camp?

Nah. They let you call your parents when you get there, but you have to send letters until you graduate.

Do they send a lot of people home?

In my training group, two guys got sent home. Their rank was at the bottom of the stats list and there was nothing else the drill sergeant could do.

I heard that there’s a survival thing in the woods towards the end of boot camp.

Oh yeah. That’s the crucible.

It’s two days long and a lot of hiking. They only let you sleep for a few hours during it.

Are the drill sergeants like what they are in the movies?

Yeah. They can’t physically do anything to anyone but I wouldn’t mess with one.

2

Eight years is standard.

Four years active duty and four years reserve.

What’s next after boot camp?

I go to combat training.

What’s your plan after that?

I definitely want to do something in business.

Maybe real estate. I’ll have experience because of my job with the Marines.

How long are you serving after training?

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1. Pocrnich with his former auto teacher at Huron, Mr. Snyder. 2. Pocrnich and his training group during a march demonstration in Parris Island, South Carolina. 3. Pocrnich with his former military recruiter Sergeant Diaz at 2019 Huron graduation. COURTESY OF MICHAEL POCRNICH

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 11 | FEATURE

Where did the stars go?

would be able to see the Milky Way in JULIE PARK

the clear sky.

GUEST WRITER

Last summer, I traveled 250 Who is affected? miles north for a camping trip in The University of Michigan, Petoskey, Michigan. The city is which has been an important figure known for the views of Lake in the field of astronomy since Michigan and the Peto1856, is impacted by skyskey Stone, but this glow. Sally Oey from the isn’t what made University’s Astronothe trip so special my Department is es15 million to me. pecially concerned tons of CO2 It was at about the problem are emitted annunightfall when in Ann Arbor. ally to power U.S. I looked up at

“We have an residential outdoor the sky. The city observatory on top lighting was asleep, but of Angel Hall,” Oey the stars electrisaid. “We can see some fied the night sky. I things there, but it is very was overcome with nosdifficult to see things like talgia of laying on the grass in nebulas and galaxies. These phemy backyard as a child. I couldn’t nomena are some of the most beautiful remember the last time I had seen objects in the universe and we can’t see the stars as awe-inspiring as I did those at all from Ann Arbor and that’s that night, but the blissful moment a real loss.” ended when I realized I would have The problem is not limited to to return to Ann Arbor where even Ann Arbor. Millions across the globe a hazy glimpse of the stars is rare. are affected by the vanishing night sky.

Like myself, millions across the Las Vegas, Chicago, Paris, Madrid and globe share the same longing for Kyoto are among the brightest cities in when the stars illuminated the sky. the world.

Dylan Ma is an astrophotographer and University of Michigan gradWhere did the stars go? uate in B.S.E. Aerospace Engineering The skyglow restricting the and a Minor in Astronomy and Astronight sky is rooted from light pol- physics. He describes these glowing lution. The International Dark-Sky cities as they impact his work.

Association defines light pollution “When I take pictures of the as “the inappropriate or excessive night sky, I can usually clearly see ‘light use of artificial light.” In our ever domes’ in the direction of cities and growing urbanized society, artifi- towns, obscuring that part of the imcial light is everywhere. age,” Ma said. “With more light pollu The U.S. alone emits about 15 tion, astrophotography becomes more million tons of CO2 each year to difficult, and my images of the night power residential outdoor light- sky becomes washed out.” ing. If all these lights were turned off, you Why does it matter?

Light pollution matters because stars serve a

unique purpose in every individual’s light toward downward angles life. only. The U.S. Department of Ener “I think it’s important to pre- gy estimates that 35 percent of enserve the night sky because I person- ergy is wasted from poorly shielded ally am sad that I don’t get to see the outdoor lighting. Investing in full stars too much anymore,” junior Nick cutoff fixtures can tackle pollution Grosh said. “I also think the youth of within the community while saving today should have the chance of expe- energy and money in the long-run. riencing the real night sky first-hand.”

It is also important to con Light pollution doesn’t just sider the color temperature of lighttarget the night sky; studies have ing. Instead of choosing blue lights, shown that it impacts entire ecosys- which have high energy waves that tems. For example, nocturnal bird mi- increase environmental repercusgration patterns are being influenced sions, warm-toned lighting options by artificially illumination rather than should be utilized. The City of Ann the moonlight and starlight. Birds are Arbor revised The Sign and Outseen migrating at the wrong times and door Advertising Ordinance on running into light towers.

Dec. 13, 2019, to include more reg In an effort to protect wildlife, ulations on intensity of illuminated there are reserved locations such as signs. national parks and marine The good news is, there is protected areas. Michimore awareness surgan Headlands Internarounding light poltional Dark Sky Park lution, and many 35 percent in Mackinaw City is organizations and of energy from one of these locations government offipoorly shielded protected by the Incials are working outdoor lighting is wasted ternational Dark-Sky towards change.

Association. However, One of the leading in recent years, light has figures in the moveeven started leaking into ment is The Internationthese preserves which are asal Dark-Sky Association. They sumed to provide refuge for wildlife. are working all around the globe to preserve the night skies, and one of What’s the solution? their locations is right here at the

In a society that relies so heav- University of Michigan. The Michily on artificial lighting, it is unrealis- igan Dark-Sky Association works tic to simply stop the use of lights to specifically in the Ann Arbor area solve this issue. However, there is a to raise awareness and advocate for middle-ground solution that addresses alternative lighting solutions. The the needs of the urbanized world while City of Ann Arbor is also developworking to preserve the night sky: illu- ing a lighting ordinance to tackle minate only what you need and when the problem within the community. you need it. For example, the globeshaped street lights in downtown Ann Arbor project light in all directions.

This illuminates unnecessary areas instead of shielding the

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 12 | FEATURE

A bakery of dreams: from refugee to business owner AUSTIN ALDRICH STAFF WRITER

As you walk through the glass doors of DJ’s Bakery, you’ll be greeted by the pleasant aroma of delicious pastries in the oven and a welcoming smile from Kim behind the counter. She’ll greet you by name and talk about anything from the weather to what the freshest doughnut is on display. You can sit down, relax and enjoy your snack on one of the many bar stools facing the bustling activity of Packard Street.

DJ’s Bakery has been established as a center of the community since last April.

Run by Kim Yam and her husband Saing Yam, the bakery is named after their sons Dennis and Jason who help out and may eventually inherit the business.

From 1975 to 1979, t h e Khmer Rouge under t h e leade r ship o f P o l Pot, caused t h e deaths of more than one million Cambodian people from forced labor, starvation, disease or execution.

“We used to have a business like this [in Cambodia], but they kicked us out and made us work in a rice

field,” Yam said. “Young kids are forced to work and are separated from their parents. We thought we could stay in Thailand until the end of the war, but they didn’t let us stay. We had no money and possessions because [the Khmer Rouge] took it all.”

Workers in a UN refugee camp asked Yam where they wanted to go. Her brother said America. She laughed as she recalled that “America” was the only word of English they knew.

“We thought we would be working for food in America,” she said. “We came to San Francisco, and we were put in a hotel. There was a food truck outside run by the Salvation Army. I kept going to the food truck to get more noodles over and over again.

I thought I needed to keep them to save for the next day.”

They stayed in San Francisco for 11 days while the UN representatives tried to find them a translator.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen to us because we couldn’t speak to anyone. We thought we were going to be sent back. When they finally found a Cambodian translator in San Diego, they told us that we were not going to be sent back. They took us to a grocery store.

When you come from starvation and you don’t have food and you see all the food, it’s like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I am very thankful for America.”

The process of starting a completely different life in a new country is not an easy task. If you ever talk to Kim, she will tell you about the great people that are and once were a part of her life.

“When I was in school, we had this teacher who taught us English after school,” she

Kim Yam, owner of DJ’s Bakery, fled from Cambodia to America in the 1970s. Through her perseverance, she was able to become her own boss. Her latest venture is her newest doughnut shop on the corner of Packard and Platt. AUSTIN ALDRICH said. “She would take us to the zoo, and she would have us remember what all the animals were. She was the best teacher I ever had. She would point at things like paper, napkin, box and we would try to memorize it. When you first learn English, that is what you do.”

Yam continued her education beyond high school and eventually attended college at San Diego State for three and a half years until her husband met someone who had a brother that was from their hometown in Cambodia.

Yam learned that he worked at a doughnut shop and figured out he had an uncle in Livonia, Michigan who owned a doughnut shop as well. When they went to Livonia to visit, her husband found out that the Dexter Bakery was for sale and they ended up buying it.

“The previous owner was so nice,” said Yam. “He gave us a lend agreement contract, and we worked hard to build it up. The people were

so nice and supportive and for bakery in Chelsea and Yam beeight years we ran it.” gan her next project of open In 1993, Yam sold the ing a bakery in Ann Arbor. business. Having three young “I didn’t plan on comkids, she wanted to spend ing [to Ann Arbor] because it more time with her family. She is so expensive. My husband moved to Pinckney, Michigan and I came for dinner and saw and bought a small shop there. the for lease sign. We called

“It was easier to run the guy he told us the price the smaller bakery in a smaller and we said never mind. The town,” Yam said. next day, the agent kept calling

After 15 years, Yam us to get us to buy it. It was like realized it was meant there was to be. That’s a cupcake how we endshop that ed up in Ann closed Arbor. The down in communiChelsea ty here is so Michigan. nice. We are She took like a neighownerborhood ship of bakery.” the shop DJ’s KIM YAM and would Bakery is OWNER OF DJ’S BAKERY bake in located at Pinckney 3031 Packand bring ard. (734) the down to Chel- 369-2068. Mon.-Sat. 5 a.m.-7 sea to sell. This past year, her p.m., Sun. 5 a.m.-2 p.m. nephew took over running the

“

We used to have a business like this, but they kicked us out and made us work in a rice field.

While pricey, the Bacon Barbecue Burger from McDonald’s is perfect for lovers of greasy food

BLAKE MUNDY

STAFF WRITER

McDonald’s is known for their infamous Big Mac. Now, with the newly released Bacon Barbecue Burger, a different competitor enters the game. The shocking combo of barbecue and burgers was released on Dec. 12 last year. It was possibly predetermined due to the infamous creation of the McRib, and its limited return within the fall season of sales.

I personally love barbecue

items and burgers, so I was excited upon the release. Unfortunately, the price for an individual sandwich is pretty steep, a whopping $6.90 and an option with a double pattied burger for $8.19.

When I received the item, it was a nice warm temperature that is supposed to delight the digestion. The burger is served on a steamed Artisan Roll, with the world renowned ¼ lb patty, all American cheese, smoked apple wood bacon, bourbon barbecue sauce and an op-

tional choice of fried onion strings.

The hefty built sandwich has a nice overall look.

Going into the burger, the taste is quite delightful. It’s like the McRib, but it’s on the ¼ lb beef patty. I’d say it’s perfect for your average grease hog, by definition, someone who is a lover of greasy foods. One bite and your hands are covered in barbecue, which is something that most people don’t like. The bourbon barbecue sauce was what I thought was the best part of the sandwich,

whether it was leaking off the burger or not. I actually enjoyed the overall taste of the sandwich, and I recommend it to barbecue lovers.

This sandwich is a limited time purchasable item, just like the McRib or Holiday Pies, which are seasonal. It can only be purchased until Feb. 2020. If you’d like to try this delicious grease ball of a burger, you best hurry to the nearest participating restaurant.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY

“The Sky is Pink”: the first time I cried watching a movie

“The Sky is Pink” tells the story of Aisha Chaudhary and was released in Oct. 2019. It brought in $2 million in its first week. RSVP MOVIES

RIDHIMA KODALI

STAFF WRITER

Death is something we all eventually have to go through. Even though we may never admit it, it’s something we are scared of at any age.

“The Sky is Pink” is a clear representation of how we should celebrate the lives of our loved ones, even after they’ve passed away.

“The Sky is Pink” is a biographical film based on Aisha Chaudhary, an Indian motivational speaker and author who was diagnosed with SCID (Severe Combined Immune Disorder). Let me tell you, it is one of the best Indian movies I have seen.

Chaudhary narrates the movie from the grave.

It’s a love story about Niren and Aditi Chaudhary, Aisha’s parents, or as Aisha would call them, “Panda” and “Moose.”

It is about the sacrifices they made throughout their lives, until the point Aisha died.

Aditi was played by Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra.

Chopra did a phenomenal job. I felt like I was actually watching Aditi Chaudhary because I was watching a concerned mother, and Chopra showed us how Aditi would react to situations. She also showed a lot of emotion which made me feel that she really embodied the role of Aditi, as did Zaira Wasim who played Aisha, and Rohit Saraf who played Ishaan, Aisha’s older brother. Farhan Akthar, who plays Niren Chaudhary, did an amazing job in his role as well.

Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra are my favorite on-screen Indian couple to watch. Their chemistry in “The Sky is Pink” was so natural and organic it made me believe they were actually Niren and Aditi because they acted like a real couple. The humor they brought to the movie in certain scenes made it over the top, especially

when it came to the romantic scenes and how they both care for their daughter.

There was only one song in the film, “Dil hi toh hai” sung by Arijit Singh, a very famous Bollywood singer, and Antara Mitra.

Everything about the song is so beautiful, from the background music to the lyrics.

Typically, Bollywood films consist of multiple songs. Some of them don’t even relate to the storyline, and this is why I found it quite refreshing that there was only one song in the film. It was woven into the love story and was actually related to the storyline.

Everything was good about the film, from the acting to the music to the story, but what I didn’t like was how depressing the film was. This was the first time I’ve ever cried watching a movie. I think the hardest part for me to watch is when Aisha was about to die, and the ups and downs the couple had to go through.

As she was on her deathbed, one of the last things she ever saw was her book “My little epiphanies.”

Although Aisha is gone from this world, she will always be kept alive by her family, friends and her book. You may not know who Farhan Akthar, Zaira Wasim or Rohit Saraf are, but regardless, you still need to watch the film. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in Hindi, because a movie is a movie.

Netflix’s new series “The Circle” is too one-dimensional CLARA BOWMAN

NEWS EDITOR

This past January, Netflix debuted its own social reality, competition TV show.

In “The Circle,” contestants remain isolated in individual rooms and their only means of communicating to other contestants is through a social media platform called the Circle. Each episode, the most popular players choose which character they would like to block (remove) from the game. The winner then receives $100,000. Here’s the catch: since players only interact through profile pictures, status updates and chats, they can be anyone they want to be. Contestants may share someone else’s photos to seem more attractive or even invent an entirely new “catfish” persona.

I have always been interested in competition shows like this. There is something so unexpectedly entertaining about watching a group of strangers live together in a power struggle for a cash prize. At first, the concept of “The Circle” seemed very

‘The Circle” was released on Netflix in Jan. 2020, based off of the British TV show also called “The Circle.” NETFLIX

interesting to me. It was something new that I had never seen before, yet similar enough to shows like “Big Brother” that I already knew I enjoyed. However, in many respects “The Circle” left me underwhelmed.

The show is designed to blur the line between fake-

ness and reality. As a result, every contestant is a certain level of artificial. Even those who are advocates for being true to themselves lie, in one way or another: saying they’re

Read this and other show reviews on thehuronemery.com

13 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

IP

RA’S ICKS

ATLANTIC RECORDS

AI YoungBoy 2 doesn’t disappoint IRA BRANN STAFF WRITER

Kentrell Gualden, known by his stage name NBA YoungBoy, is one of the most popular rappers in today’s game. NBA Youngboy is a young 20 year old artist from Baton Rouge, LA. Back in October of 2019 NBA YoungBoy dropped his highly anticipated album “AI YoungBoy 2” which has a few singles he previously dropped “Slime mentality,” “Self Control” and “Make No Sense.” NBA YoungBoy is on Apple Music’s top ten most viewed albums.

The life YoungBoy Never Broke Again raps about on his new album, “AI YoungBoy 2,” is a harrowing swirl of personal trauma, treacherous relationships, murderous fantasies and ice-cold bluster. How he renders it is striking: a sing-rap drawl, sometimes em-

phatic and sometimes absent-minded, flecked with light touches of the blues.

NBA YoungBoy dropped his album in October of 2019 and it’s still in the top ten. That says something about the young rapper. I personally like his music because he hasn’t disappointed me yet. My favorite songs that he has previously dropped would be “4 Sons Of A King,’’ “Better Man,” “Lonely Child” and ‘’Gravity.” Those four songs let you know who Kentrell is, where he comes from and what he has gone through his life. With some of his lyrics, I can relate so much by the pain he shows in his voice. As he keeps making a huge impact on the youth in today’s generation, NBA YoungBoy is one of the best rappers in the game.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 14 | SPORTS

Men’s swim team flies through season CLARA BOWMAN NEWS EDITOR

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Last Thursday, the Huron Men’s Swim Team faced off Saline, the team ranked number one in the state. Despite a difficult 49134 loss, the team’s hard work at practice throughout the season is showing through. There were many excellent swims, especially for this point in the season. Although the season is coming to a close, it is not quite over yet. Soon, swimmers will prepare for either SECs or the state competition and have their best races of the season.

Come support Huron’s Men’s Swim Team at their last home meet against Monroe High School for Senior Night this Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Ratatorium.

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1. Freshman Samiran Muli prepares for a relay dive for the 200 yard freestyle relay. 2. Daniel Lee, freshman, on his third length of the 100 yard butterfly. 3. Freshman Kenneth Jiang in starting position for the 100 yard backstroke. 4. Tired after his race, Senior Brian Moskus awaits his time on the scoreboard after swimming the 100 yard backstroke. 5. Although they swim for different high schools, Huron junior AJ Stewart and Saline sophomore Joshua Brunty congratulate each other after swimming next to each other on the last leg of the 400 yard freestyle relay. 6. Senior captain Noah Flott swims the 100 yard breaststroke. 7. The Huron team cheers for Saline, congratulating and thanking them for a good meet. CLARA BOWMAN

A sport per season: a look into the lives of tri-sport Huron Athletes

Fall, winter and spring: sophomore Kate Hurley plays on three varsity sports teams each year. In the fall she plays on the field hockey team, during the winter she is a starting defense-man for the Skyron ice hockey team sand in the spring she is a starting midfielder for the soccer team. PHOTOJOURNALISM STAFF

TAHA EBRAHIM AND LEXI DIONNE

STAFF WRITERS

High stress levels after school. Pressure to reach perfection. The motivation to work hard in school so they can play their sport. This is what student athletes are face on a daily basis.

All athletes deal with time management with education, social life and athletics, but for yearround athletes, it’s completely different.

“I would agree it’s harder to balance education with athletics during the whole school year,” three-sport athlete sophomore Kate Hurley said. “I find myself calling off practice and games near finals time to help prepare myself more, but for the most part as long as I stay on top of my work I’ll be fine.”

Finding a list of all of the students in Huron that play three sports through the school year was hard in of itself since there aren’t many. Those that do participate in three sports all have two attributes in common: hard-working and dedicated.

“I am excited to see how I can better my time managing and organization skills,” freshman Abigail Cullen explained.

“I think those two things are helpful skills that can benefit me in future years to come.”

Being a three-sport athlete comes with responsibility and maturity.

“I think it’s hard to manage different things like socialities, education and physical activities. I’m thankful my sports taught me how to do those things,” junior Sam Hastie said.

Huron’s athletics are some of the best in Ann Arbor.

Our athletes maintain above average GPAs while representing the school in sports. In addition to creating scholar athletes, Huron has a lot of people that go off to play at college.

“A lot of my teammates plan on swimming in the collegiate level, and I think that’s the end goal for all high school athletes,” senior Sean Underwood said.

“

It’s challenging; I have to plan every day around my sports events.

ABBY CULLEN, 9

“

Sports is an outlet for me.

It is a way to meet new friends and I can bond with my family about it.

KATE HURLEY, 10

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I have to have a schedule and make sure I don’t procrastinate so I stay on top of things.

SAM HASTIE, 11

“

As a captain I am expected to be at practice and to lead by example. But when I’m playing sports it allows me to clear my head and relax.

SEAN UNDERWOOD, 12

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 15 | SPORTS

MANIT PATEL STAFF WRITER

GRAPHICS BY GEORGE GUEORGUIEV MADE WITH PHOTOS COURTESY OF FREEPNGING.COM

SPORTS

Where were you when it happened? I got a text from a friend — a screenshot of a Google search with a terrifying headline across the top.

“Kobe Bryant among five killed in helicopter crash in Calabasas.” No. No way this was real.

Over the next couple of hours, the news broke that Kobe, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others had died in a helicopter crash on their way to Kobe’s Mamba Academy for Gianna’s game.

The first time I was old enough to comprehend Kobe Bryant’s greatness was the 2010 NBA Finals.

My favorite player, Rasheed Wallace, was on the Boston Celtics, and the Celtics were up on a one game lead in the series, one game away from winning the title. That game six, Bryant played 40 minutes, and he and the Lakers absolutely torched that Celtics team. That team featured greats such as Paul Pierce,

Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace, but the Mamba led the Lakers to the crucial victory they needed to force a Game 7 at home.

Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals was played on June 17, 2010. My dad and I sat down on the couch to watch the game. I was rooting for the Celtics, but every single time Kobe made a play or drained a bucket, my dad would say, “You can’t stop Kobe.” That was exactly what the storyline of the game would be. The Lakers entered the fourth quarter down by four points, with the score being 57-53 in favor of the Celtics. The Lakers scored 30 points in that quarter, outscoring the Celtics by eight, with 10 of the points coming from Bryant.

That instance was just one of many throughout his career that convinced people of my generation that he was great. He was the one we all looked up to growing

updates

Men’s basketball ranked in Michigan’s top ten

In the midst of hard-nosed SEC Red play, and after some outof-state showcase games, Huron’s men’s basketball team is currently undefeated. But the team understands a game they played in the past has no bearing on future contests. Hype and early success just leads to more scrutiny or attention,

up. Kobe inspired an entire generation of players and fans alike.

After he retired, Kobe set forth on growing sports. His Mamba Academy has eight subsets of different sports focused academies (basketball, volleyball, jiu-jitsu, football, baseball/ softball, esports, soccer and strength and conditioning) and was meant to inspire millions around the world to play sports, just as Kobe did during his legendary career.

Bryant also won an Oscar for his short film “Dear Basketball,” which was based off his retirement letter in the Players’ Tribune. It was an emotionally charged, beautiful masterpiece.

Following his death, countless young players, seasoned veterans and coaches were seen emotional on the court the day of his passing.

Since that day, many more heartfelt tributes have been presented, from murals, to

VISH GONDESI AND MANIT PATEL SPORTS EDITOR and STAFF WRITER

not the fulfillment of the team’s eventual goal. This message is reverberated everyday by the coaching staff.

“The most important game is the next one,” head coach Waleed Samaha said. Coaches Mike Lewis and Marcus Edmondson agreed.

This mentality ingrained into the players is why the Rats were ranked first in the state by MaxPreps. Last season, the Rats went 14-7, but matured greatly throughout as they went on.

speeches, to jersey retirements and jersey number changes.

A personal favorite of mine was Sportscenter host Elle Duncan’s story. She only had one, 30-minute long conversation with Bryant, but in that conversation he left a lasting impact on her.

In the conversation, he had asked Duncan, who was pregnant at the time, about the gender of her child.

When she told her the child was a girl, he beamed. He said “Girls are the best! I would have five more girls if I could!

I’m a girl dad.” The story of her conversation with Bryant became instantly viral, and the phrase “Girl Dad” also be-

“Even though they dropped the last three rivalry games of the season, they played better as a team and seemed to work better, even though it was their first season playing together,” senior fan Kade Cupp said.

This season, the key has been the mental and physical growth in the players, yet there wasn’t any single standout player from offseason activities. The only thing that stood out was how much closer the team became.

“Every single player put in tons of work in the offseason, and they all wanted to get better because they knew what they could achieve this season,” Samaha said.

“We have the talent to reach the Breslin [the Final Four] and we’re starting to put it together now.”

came a viral hashtag all over Instagram and Twitter.

Kobe Bryant is a household name. He inspired millions around the world regardless of background or financial standing. He transcended the game of basketball when it was desperate for a superstar following the retirement of Michael Jordan. His long-lasting legacy was to be carried on by his daughter Gianna, the only one of his daughters who has taken up basketball so far. His “Mamba Mentality” attitude will live on forever, along with the lasting legacy he left on this amazing sport.

Dear Kobe, thank you for changing our lives.

My dad would say, “You can’t stop Kobe.”

Starters Devin Womack, Tyson Edmondson, Julian Lewis, Mike Robinson, and Kingsley Perkins get ready for tip-off in their win against cross-town rival Pioneer.

TYREE HILL

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 4: FEBRUARY 16 | FEATURE

Impeachment

The National Blueprint

SHANNON STOCKING DESIGN EDITOR

Trump’s impeachment investigation was prompted after a formal House inquiry found that Trump was involved with potential foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election.

The House also found that Trump withheld money from Ukraine to pressure an ally into unintentionally helping him take down Joe Biden, a prominent political opponent.

The investigation started in Sept. and took place over the next three months following the whistleblower complaint, alleging Trump’s abuse of power. The whistleblower law protects whistleblowers who work in the government who report potential activities violating laws or the Constitution.

How members of the House voted on the articles of impeachment Abuse of Power

Obstruction of Congress

197 230 yay

198 229 yay

INVESTIGATION The Constitution of the United States states that a sitting president may be removed for “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The investigation consists of collecting evidence and witnesses to see if a President’s actions fall under one of these categories.

How members of the Senate voted on the articles of impeachment Abuse of Power

48

nay

nay

HEARING

A judiciary committee from the House of Representatives reviews the case presented to the House and investigates the evidence provided to evaluate if there is a strong enough case for impeachment.

They use this evidence to determine whether or not said case matches any of the articles of impeachment.

ANDREW JOHNSON

yay

VOTE The House of Representatives holds an official vote, proceeding the presentation of the case and evidence. All 435 members of the House vote, and over 50 percent of the members must vote in favor of one of the articles for the president to be impeached.

1868

Former President Andrew Johnson was impeached under charges of violating the “Tenure of Office Act” after he fired his Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without consulting Congress beforehand. Following the impeachment, The House stated that he had violated the law and disgraced Congress.

After a long investigation, The House of Representatives charged President Donald Trump guilty on both charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. After passing The House, Trump officially became impeached, moving the process to the Senate where he was acquitted. The vote was completely along party lines, except for Mitt Romney, who voted for conviction on abuse of power.

52 nay

TRIAL

Obstruction of Congress

47 yay

53 nay

CONVICTION

Now that the president has If the case passes through been impeached, the House the Senate with a 2/3 appoints members to the majority vote, the presiSenate for a trial run by the dent is convicted and thus Supreme Court Chief Jusremoved from office. No tice. All 100 senators vote, president has ever been reand at least 67 senators, or moved from office through a two-thirds majority, must the grounds of impeachvote in favor of conviction ment. for the case to proceed.

BILL CLINTON

1998

Former President Bill Clinton was first investigated in regards to a financial scandal referred to as “Whitewater.” Following this investigation, the former President was sued for sexual harassment. During this trial, Clinton lied under oath about having sexual relations with intern Monica Lewinsky. Congress eventually impeached Clinton after they found him guilty of perjury.