March Issue

TALON THE

MARCH 2014

I NEVER SAID YES. PAGES 10 & 11

180 S. Livernois Rochester Hills, MI 48307 Volume 76

The robotics team competed in its first district match up of the school year.

Page 4

Check out the pro and con opinion pieces about the new scholars of distinction system.

Page 16

Issue 7

March 24, 2014

The boys lacrosse team adjusts to new coaches for its upcoming season.

Page 18

2 I NEWS

MARCH 2014

news briefs: 1. RHS

2. RCS

3. STATE

4. COUNTRY

5. WORLD

STUGO hosted this year’s dodgeball tournament on March 7 in the main gym.

Nineteen teams composed of students from all grade levels signed up to compete; however, freshmen team, Lee Harvey Dodgeball proved to be the champions.

The team went into the competition with low expectations, but, after their success in the first game, they were fully motivated and prepared to keep fighting. “[In] the last round of the first game, Anna Cloutier beat Mike Murri one-on-one,” freshman Zack Delang said. “It really pumped our team up.”

Although the competition occurs annually, many RHS students continue to enjoy the tournament whether they are playing dodgeball or simply watching.

“It’s fun to watch and participate in,” sophomore Ed Grijalva said. “It gets really hype when a lot of people come.”

On March 6 , RCS teachers gathered in Downtown Rochester to participate in a district-wide cash mob.

The cash mob was orchestrated to show support for local businesses and raise awareness about the lack of a teacher contract. “[It was] a way for us to help economically stimulate Downtown Rochester,” Science teacher Erin Slomka said. “About $15,000 was used to purchase items whether people were buying dinner or purchasing items in Downtown.”

The teachers who participated in the district’s cash mob passed out ‘union bucks’ when purchasing items in an attempt to increase local awareness.

“We were trying to raise awareness about how important unions are,” Mrs. Slomka said. “We are a group of people who are involved in a union, and we’ve worked without a contract since the beginning of the school year.”

As a result of the brutal winter and lack of long-term funding, the Michigan Senate has approved a bill that would send $100 million to road agencies to help maintain the state’s roads. While further legislation has yet to be passed, many students at RHS believe legislators need to focus on solving the issue of road funding.

“Whatever way funds are raised the roads really do need to be fixed,” senior Megan Tack said. “If the Michigan Legislature can do something about that, they should.”

Although Michigan legislators have shown interest in discussing shortterm solutions to the state’s road problem, long-term budget reforms, such as a yearly increase in revenue for road reparations, have yet to be agreed upon.

“In Michigan people often drive everywhere and when the road safety is poor the risk of injury or car damage increases dramatically,” junior Rachel Trachtenberg said.

“This funding could help save lives and a lot of people money from car repairs.”

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act: SB 1062 was introduced in Arizona’s senate on Jan. 10. This bill would allow for the refusal of service to certain individuals in order to preserve a business owner’s religious beliefs.

Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed the legislation, claiming that it created more problems than it endeavored to solve.

“Just because someone identifies with a certain orientation does not mean that they should have less freedom,” junior Lucas Marselle said. “Whether you support them or not, it is unjust to keep them from purchasing from businesses or even keep emergency services from them.”

While Marselle supports the veto, freshman Jacob Post disagrees with Brewer’s stance on the bill.

“People who have religious beliefs should not get banned from it,” Post said. “They can’t take [religious freedom] away.”

Following Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s removal from power, citizens of Crimea have been torn between Eastern European ties and pro-Russian ties.

“It’s a bummer Russia wants to take over Crimea because it currently belongs to Ukraine,” junior Chase Macinski said.. “Even though the government in Ukraine is currently unstable and people are revolting doesn’t mean that Russia needs to deploy troops to ‘protect their economic interests’ with supplying most of the Eastern world with oil.”

On March 20, Russia’s lower parliament approved a treaty to make Crimea part of the Russian Federation despite European and American threats of sanctions.

The treaty still needs to be approved by the upper house and signed by Vladmir Putin.

The legislation is expected to be in full effect by the end of the week.

“Technically Crimea isn’t part of Ukraine,” Macinski said.

“The U.S. doesn’t have to get involved yet.”

3.

5.

Photo by Sam Medved

4.

Photo Courtesy of Cheryl Evans

DESIGN BY EDGAR SOKOLI

Photo Courtesy of Loisa Gouliamaki

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

NEWS I 3

RCS PREPARES

FOR NEW 21F LEGISLATION

BY DANIELLE KULLMANN & SAM MEDVED

WHAT IS 21F?

In 2013, Michigan passed 21F, which is a section of the State School Aid Act that would allow students in public schools such as RHS from grades 5 to 12 to enroll in as many as two online classes as a part of their regular curriculum.

According to curriculum director Mrs. Carrie Lawler, administrators are finding many different issues with the new legislation including: comprehension, implementation and spreading the word.

“Generally, it is a law that hasn’t been talked about in the community a whole lot as of yet,” Mrs. Lawler said. “Educators are just starting to understand it, and they are working to determine how to make online learning a part of a viable curriculum.”

According to Mrs. Lawler, the new law left many unanswered questions for school districts in Michigan to solve themselves. Curriculum consultant Mrs. Ashley Painter has been working with the administration to help solve these issues in the short time frame since the law’s passing.

“We have needed to communicate with the state about several questions and issues that were not made clear in the law that required our consideration to make sure we were abiding by the law,” Mrs. Painter said.

Despite complications they have faced with the bill, administrators are making strides to implement the legislation. For example, an email was sent out informing students and parents about the possibility of online courses for next year.

According to a study done by sloanconsortium.org, the number of students in high school and college taking at least one online course has

surpassed 6 million. 21F may be a response of public schools not wanting to lose students fully to online schooling, since taking two fully paid online classes would still give schools a full-time enrolled student. However, the official reason for the legislation is unknown.

“I really can’t say why the law was enacted, but I will say that there are many unanswered questions surrounding this legislation,” Mrs. Lawler said. “[The state legislature] left much for districts to figure out, and districts are taking many different approaches to meeting the law.”

students an easier way to learn when it comes to what time periods are best for them.”

Senior Saloni Sharma believes that despite possible drawbacks, taking online classes may help in aiding students to become more independent learners.

“The increase in students taking online classes would implement less interaction with other students and further being glued to electronics,” Sharma said. “However, they would learn to be more independent and be forced to put in more effort to perform well in the classes.”

Overall, Sharma PROS? believes that her Online experience taking course I think that social interaction AP Macroeconomics providers such that kids get from physically online helped to make as Michigan going to school is a necessity to her a better learner, Virtual High be successful in life, I think that and may lead others School have [with online classes] teachers to do that too. a broad range lose their ability to connect and “Taking a class of classes build relationships with their online definitely which may be students. requires more selfbeneficial for CHLOE LEEKS, 11 study time and there those students isn’t a teacher to who want a give you immediate wider range of feedback,” Sharma said. “It was a classes to choose from. positive experience in the fact that it “I believe that the benefit [of online classes] is more student choice forced me to do a lot more work and find out the best ways I learn.” in terms of courses,” Mrs. Lawler said.

CONS? Not only would students have According to Mrs. Lawler and more course options, but the others there are many possible introduction of online classes negative effects of 21F. For example, along with the growing popularity an increase in certain courses being of blended classes could provide made available online instead of students with technology skills. in the classroom could lead to less “This gives our students the teachers being needed in school. technology skills that will be helpful “We believe that we have very to them in the future,” Mrs. Painter talented teachers who would be able said. to adapt their current curriculum to Freshman Julia Labban believes an online format, most likely through some students could learn better Moodle,” Mrs. Lawler said. “The through online courses. effects could be that we simply adopt “I believe it would be a beneficial a new way to deliver instruction, or it addition to our school system,” could mean some reduction in regular Labban said. “[Online courses] offer courses, and therefore, in staff.”

A major issue that the administration is having with 21F is that they have no concrete data on what classes students would take online, and how effective they could be.

“There is no data or research the district can use to determine the best way to approach online learning that the state has provided us,” Mrs. Painter said. “These are things that we would have to determine ourselves.”

Along with not having information regarding what classes could be converted to online, there are some other drawbacks to the law 21F. “This law could negatively affect our funding if students decide to take courses from providers other than Rochester Community schools,” Mrs. Painter said. “For teachers and students, they will need to successfully navigate a new medium in teaching and learning.”

Junior Chloe Leeks believes that online learning could not replace the experience of the in-class learning environment.

“I think that social interaction that kids get from physically going to school is a necessity to be successful in life,” Leeks said. “I think that [with online classes] teachers lose their ability to connect and build relationships with their students.”

According to Mrs. Lawler, another difficulty that may arise due to online learning is that many students who don’t end up liking said classes or being able to manage them would still have to commit to them, despite not doing well.

“Online classes are difficult and are certainly not a fit for all types of learners,” Mrs. Lawler said.

“Unfortunately, students who sign up for online courses will most likely not be able to ‘switch’ to a regular course if they find that they don’t like the online.”

e2020

MiVHS

e2020 classes are conducted completely online with prerecorded lectures. These classes typically are used for credit recovery.

Michigan Virtual High School classes are completed online, and take the place of a complete class at RHS. These courses are typically sponsored by the state, and they would be used with 21F.

THE TALON

WHAT students

THINK

DO YOU LIKE online classes? % 48 said YES % 52 said NO

IF YOU COULD WOULD YOU TAKE an online class? % 63 said YES

37 % said NO out of 55 students polled

HYBRID

Hybrid classes are conducted with instruction online and in the classroom.

Teachers will typically utilize websites like moodle to accept assignments.

DESIGN BY DANIELLE KULLMANN

ACT PREP CLASSES provide juniors with tips and tricks

4 I NEWS

MARCH 2014

BY SYDNEY BAMMEL Juniors are anxiously awaiting their results from the ACT test that was administered at RHS and across the nation on Tuesday, March 4. Many see this test as one that could make or break the list of colleges they aspire to attend, which is why many were thankful that RHS offered a free, 10-session ACT test preparation course from Jan. 14 through Feb. 27.

“I thought [the classes] were helpful,” junior Aaron Koss said. “[They] helped me understand not only what I was going to be tested on, but also how to solve the problems and use my time effectively.”

ABOUT 200 STUDENTS INVITED 134 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED A group of over 200 students, including anyone who had scored two points below college readiness in one or more of the four sections of the PLAN test: English, math, 2 2 2 2 2 = 10 attended some reading or science, were sent personal SCIENCE GENERAL MATH READING ENGLISH COURSES sessions TEST TAKING invitations to the ACT preparation program; participated did not 134 students signed up for the program.

“I had no idea that only students below = total cost of classes for attended all sessions attended 8 or 9 sessions the standard were invited,” junior Giselle administration teachers’ salaries snacks buses Sommerville said. “I do believe that is a bit unfair. There are students who are above sessions. standard but still do not have many chances to Students were assigned a group and followed attentive and appreciative of the extra “We think [low attendance is] mostly due to practice and get extra help if they want it.” a set rotation: general test-taking tips with Ms. practice and information about the ACT that other commitments and after-school activities Program organizer Mrs. Julie Harris Angela Lowry or Ms. Sarah Monroe, English they received.” going on,” Mrs. Harris said. “It’s just a busy explained that those who didn’t receive with Mrs. Julia Satterthwaite and Ms. Jean It appears that the ACT program, which was time of year.” personal invitations, but wanted to join were Wood, math with Mr. Nick Merlo or Mrs. established last school year, will continue to Ten RHS teachers volunteered to teach the welcome to do so.

Stefanie Shooks, reading with Mrs. Jill Jessen or evolve. courses and received an hourly pay of $28.50 “Students who were interested in doing Mr. Chad Zwolinski, and science with Mr. Paul “Last year, students attended six sessions per hour, before taxes. Math teacher Mr. Nick better on the ACT test were welcome to join Duffy or Mrs. Erin Slomka. and this year we expanded it to 10,” Mrs. Merlo explained why he volunteered. in,” Mrs. Harris said.

“We had different instructors throughout the Harris said. “Also, this year we planned in a “The reason I wanted to be part of it is Of the 134 students who participated in the process, and for the most part, they were all few minutes at the beginning of each session because I’m a really big fan of having extra program, 41 students attended all 10 sessions, good at informing us about the ACT,” Koss said. for snacks! And we added the attendance practice for our students,” Mr. Merlo said. “It earning one week of off-campus lunch; 27 “None of them did anything wrong; it’s just that incentive – receiving off-campus lunch gives them a better chance of succeeding on the some were easier to understand than others, just students attended 8 or 9 of the sessions, passes.”

ACT and other standardized tests. In the two earning one day of off-campus lunch. like how it is in school.”

Only time will tell if the program continues sessions I was able to cover the entire math “I attended all the sessions,” Koss said. “I While the program seemed to be a success, to be a success. portion. In the first session, we talked about figured that if I wanted to get a good score, there were challenges as well, mostly revolving “I think [the sessions are] a great math test-taking tips, how the test is broken it wouldn’t hurt to spend two hours a week around bad weather. opportunity to learn and improve and get the down and what material was on it. Also, we studying. They were informative enough that “The main problem was rescheduling due to most out of taking the ACT,” Mr. Merlo said. worked on algebra problems. On the second day, a snow day,” Mrs. Harris said. “But, while we they wouldn’t have hurt my score at all.”

“It only helps to practice, so I think it will be we focused on geometry practice problems and won’t know until we get our scores back, the There are a variety of reasons students a great program and hopefully more students we did timed practice tests.” might not have been able to attend all of the teachers have reported that overall students were participate next year.”

BY THE NUMBERS

65

66

134

27

DESIGN BY MELODY ZHANG & DAVID MARTIN

10 TEACHERS PREPPED

41

$

+

+

$5,000

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

FEATURE I 5

FEDS COMPETE IN FIRST DISTRICT COMPETITION

BY AUBREY RITZ

Feeling a mixture of pressure and excitement, junior Kushal Jaligama waits behind a line with junior John Cockerill for the signal to take control of their robot for the match with the two other teams on their alliance. As a part of the drive team, Jaligama helps direct what their team will do with their alliance and is the head of programming.

“My favorite part as a driver was the fact that I operated the robot and was on the competition field, calling the shots on what our alliance had to do,” Jaligama said. “It helped me gain a sense of leadership and it was just plain fun, being able to use the controls to operate an amazing creation like the robot.”

On Feb. 28 and 29, the Falcon Engineering Designs Solutions (FEDS) Robotics team competed at their first district competition this season in Southfield, Mich. Jaligama and Cockerill were the robot’s drivers while junior Sam Guerra was a human player on the Drive team. This year’s game, Aerial Assist, involves two-foot diameter bouncy balls to be used to score and cooperation is more essential this season than in years past, with alliances consisting of three teams.

“There’s a huge emphasis this year on cooperation between robots on an alliance, or team, with points doubling and tripling when all robots play a role in a score,” FEDS mentor Mr. Alan Wareham said.

“Also, there’s a human player component that hasn’t been in place before. A human member of the team can be involved in the relay of the ball from one end of the playing field to the other.”

Jaligama says the cooperation aspect has led to some instability in confidence when heading into matches.

“I was not entirely confident before all of our match, because we were paired up with random teams in our alliances that had robots that were less than subpar in performance,” Jaligama said. “The nature of the game requires excessive cooperation, and without strong alliance members, it becomes difficult to score high points.”

Early in the season, Mr. Wareham says their first goal was to get the robot to move, then their focus was on getting it to pick up balls and score them. Their ability to toss balls over a truss has helped them in their first competition.

“As for strategy, we’ve been working on being able to play more than one of the positions of the relay to be flexible in our ability,” Mr. Wareham said. “At the Southfield competition, we narrowed our focus down to tossing the balls over an elevated truss for bonus points. We were drafted into the playoffs due to our ability to do so.”

Junior Mikayla Stephens helped with the design aspect this season and was cheering on the Drive team in the audience at the Southfield District.

“We all stand and shout in support

THE TALON

ROBOTICS TERMS TO KNOW AND LOVE

The Pit- Square area designated for teams to work on their robot Autonomous Period- The first 10 seconds of the match in which the robot is programmed and moves around on its own without drivers taking control; extra bonus points can be scored during this period Teleoperated Period- The remaining two minutes and 20 seconds of the match in which the robot can be controlled by the drivers The students on the Drive Team are tested on knowledge of the robot and answer questions for the judges. Photo Courtesy of Mr. Alan Wareham

Drive Team- Consists of two students who control the robot, a human player and a coach who are allowed on the field when the match begins Scouting- Technique used which consists of writing down a team’s abilities and strategies from going up to teams in the pits or watching their matches; this information can be used to work with or against teams in the future

Supporters cheer on the FEDS during a match at the Southfield, Mich. District Competition. Photo Courtesy of Mr. Wareham

Juniors Sam Guerra and Kushal Jaligama stand by their alliance at the end of the match to see the final score. Photo Courtesy of Mr. Wareham

when our robot is called out during the alliance, as well as exclaim extreme happiness when our robot actually does what it’s suppose to do,” Stephens said. “I think my favorite thing to do during competitions would have to be cheering for our drive team, because even though they probably can’t hear us over all the noise, it still feels really good to show some support.”

Although ranked 35th of 40 teams in the qualification rounds at the Southfield District, the FEDS were drafted by Team 2960 Alliance Captain Automation Nation with Team 4384 Benzene Bots to play in the quarter-finals and won the Underwriters Laboratory Industrial Safety Award for their safety program.

“Our team tossed a ball over the suspended truss as time expired to tie the match at 105105,” Mr. Wareham said. “They had to go to the second tie-breaker to determine a winner.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t us. It was an exciting match with lots of defense, lots of offense, last second heroics and a tie score … all with a berth in the championship round on the line.”

Stephens believes the team has improved this year compared to last. Furthermore she thinks

they improved over the two day competition.

“I think that we definitely did better than we did last year and we improved a lot on Saturday at Southfield in comparison to Friday,” Stephens said. “We worked really hard and even though we ranked 35/40 teams for eliminations, we still made it to semi-finals that day, which was an amazing accomplishment.”

Their last competition was in Howell, Mich. on March 14-15. From qualification matches they made it to the 9th ranking and made it to the quarter finals. Despite not winning the district, they plan on going to the Queen City Regional in Cincinnati, Ohio March 27 to 29. Jaligama has confidence that the robot will have minimal flaws and that the cooperation will be better at the next competition. The potential to go to States is high Jaligama says, but the team isn’t there yet.

“I can’t say anything about going to Nationals because there are so many robots that perform there just as well as our robot performs and the field becomes very competitive,” Jaligama said. “With some work, we can be the team that has a robot capable of perfection and going to Nationals.”

Truss- A metal structure used to support buildings or in this case used as an obstacle Qualification matches- Matches used to rank teams in order so the top eight are automatically qualified to play in Elimination Matches Elimination Matches- The first eight teams ranked based off qualification rounds pick two other teams to be on their alliance, so even if a team is not the top eight based of the qualification matches they still have the chance to be picked by a team that is in the top eight; elimination matches are used to decide the winners of the district

DESIGN BY AUBREY RITZ & MAURA LOSH

P O O C .

V M U C I PRACT

MARCH 2014

6 I FEATURE

Both Practicum and Co-Op provide students with experiences in different career sectors.

BY SYDNEY BAMMEL

different places,” Mrs. Malsbury said.

“I have kids who work at a physical therapist’s office, Ace Hardware, Tim Senior Kara Cendrowski is Horton’s, lawyer offices, T.J. Maxx, sitting behind a desk at the Regional and all different things.”

Chamber of Commerce. She Practicum students are required to straightens her white blouse as the complete 90 hours of work by the end phone rings. She picks up the desk of the semester, while Co-Op students phone and says, “Hello, Rochester are required to log 200 hours.

Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“It wasn’t hard to get in the hours How may I help you?” She then at all,” Cendrowski said. “Right now directs the phone call to the right I’m done with my hours. I finished individual. This is one of several jobs early and I only worked two hours Cendrowski does at her practicum every day. Now, I can go home, watch internship television, and take through RHS. two hours off.”

“I help [the However, there Chamber of I definitely have developed skills are other things Commerce] that I will use later on in life. Now students must do plan their I’m not afraid to answer phones to pass the class events or talk to someone important besides complete including the and I know how to find what I’m the hours. registrations Monday, looking for. It also helped me they needed Tuesday, learn proper behavior between for the Thursday, and coworkers.

Rochester Friday students Christmas KARA CENDROWSKI, 12 go into work from Parade,” 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Cendrowski On Wednesday said. “I went students come into class for two hours. through every single banner and made Students are graded on participation, sure [it] had the correct information, which means going to work, filling and I just do daily stuff around the out time sheets, and doing their job office.” placement. Also, they are evaluated Practicum is a two-hour block by their employer and they also have course offered for seniors at RHS assignments from Mrs. Malsbury, during fifth and sixth hour. Students which may be on tax laws, human can choose from a variety of resources, safety, sexual harassment practicum internship fields, including: and ethics laws. medicine, teaching, engineering and “The assignments given in class are others. interesting,” senior Jack Sinko said.

“If a student wants a work “They are about things that can come experience there are two ways we into play while working at a job.” can provide that,” practicum teacher In practicum, placements students Mrs. Karen Malsbury said. “We can get the opportunity to work with provide a practicum program which adults in the workplace. is for people that are interested in a “I definitely have developed skills specific career who are not necessarily I will use later on in life,” Cendrowski wanting to get paid for, so it’s more said. “Now I’m not afraid to answer like an internship where you go and phones or talk to someone important observe and take notes.” and I know how to find what I’m Another program that students have looking for. It also helped me learn the opportunity to participate in at proper behavior between coworkers.”

RHS is co-op, where they get released According to Mrs. Malsbury, 6th hour and go to work and get paid. several practicum students have “We have kids that work in all

DESIGN BY SYDNEY BAMMEL

HOW THEY ARE DIFFERENT

PRACTICUM

CO-OP

Practicum is an unpaid job shadowing where Mrs. Malsbury sets up the shadowing for the student.

Co-op is paid job placement where RHS students can work at current jobs or Mrs. Malsbury can help find placements.

Practicum would allow one to work in a field he/ she is interested in such as engineering, medical work and teaching.

In Co-Op, people work at stores, offices, fast food restaurants and offices.

HOW THEY ARE SIMILAR PRACTICUM AND CO-OP BOTH TEACH IMPORTANT CONTENT ABOUT THE WORKPLACE INCLUDING: SEXUAL HARASSMENT, TAX LAWS, HUMAN RESOURCES AND MORE. BOTH ARE OVERSEEN BY MRS. KAREN MALSBURY. received a job offer after their placement time was finished.

“Both practicum and Co-Op have helped me,” Sinko said. “I switched from practicum to Co-Op. With the practicum position, I did my 90 hours of unpaid service and then they offered me a paid job, so that’s why I’m in Co-Op now.

In the summer I’ll be working full time there. I really enjoy the work I do at my job. I do compliance work with the IRS. I do a lot of tax preparation for our clients. Our firm serves almost 72 hundred clients and that ranges from businesses to individuals.

Personally, I work with one to two bankers and that accounts for about 800 of the clients and a majority of those clients are businesses. In

order to be a client of those two bankers you have to 6.5 billion dollars in assets.”

However, there are some trade-offs in order to take practicum. Practicum is a two hour block, which means it takes up two elective hours one semester.

“It does prevent you from taking other fun electives,” Cendrowski said. “It is a really fun class thought that gives you good real world experiences, so it’s worth taking up two hours.”

By taking practicum and CoOp students can gain prospects that may help them later on in life.

“It also is a great resumé builder,” Mrs. Malsbury said.

“You are able to put that out there and be that kid who has above and beyond. You aren’t that kid who just does school sports and band, but you’ve actually gone out and experienced the real world.

However, the number one thing is that it gives students an idea of what they might want to do as a career. There’s not really much exposure of the different career paths in school. You go Online and you do the surveys in career cruising and you talk to your counselors, but for you to get a real feel for work experience you need to go out and go into the field.

It’s great for students to have this opportunity and really figure out what they want to do before they go to college.”

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

BRIDGING THE GAP:

BY AMBIKA VOHRA

on

ond L , k r a de P

y h Salie H Maahira

embiak

TRAVELING AFTER GRADUATION

“The world is a book and those who foreign place. Also, traveling with someone do not travel read only one page,” St. else would force you to share or compromise Augustine once said. The idea of taking a your desires and wants with them.” year off between high school and college in Ms. Porembiak shares a similar opinion order to travel and explore areas of interest, about the relationship formed from traveling, now commonly referred to as a gap year, and she even has learned tokens of wisdom in is becoming more popular. With more the form of travel adages. and more prestigious universities such as “I have found out that there ain’t no surer Princeton and Harvard adopting gap year way to find out whether you like people or programs, the question of whether it is the hate them than to travel with them,” Ms. best choice for high school Porembiak quotstudents is becoming more ed. “This holds pressing. true for me. Trav“The biggest challenge el can bring out for me is that I don’t want the best and worst to put my academic life on in people, so you pause for a year,” senior really get to know Pranita Balusu said. “I mean, them. I hardly it’s called gap year for a knew the people I reason: it leaves a gap in your spent my summer [educational] experience.” in Mexico with, Spanish teacher Ms. Kathy but the ups and MS. EAST, SPANISH TEACHER downs and unique Porembiak has traveled a notable amount in her life. She experiences that first began traveling in college come along with when she spent the summer travel creates a of her sophomore year in Mexico. She has really special bond. We share the bond of also been to Italy, Peru and Spain twice with our travel experiences that no one else can student groups. She believes that, while a understand.” year may seem like a long time to be away, Balusu wants to travel not only because the big picture must be taken into account. of her dreams of sightseeing and exposure to “I think it can be difficult to get back other cultures, but also because of her experiinto the routine of being a student after you ences. She went on a People to People travel take some time off, so it’s important to keep trip a few summers ago where she traveled all that in mind if higher education is a goal across Europe. In addition, through Spanish of yours,” Ms. Porembiak said. “But travel National Honors Society, she is now pen pals can teach you so much about yourself and with a peer living in Spain and has learned a the world. And when you look at the grand lot about different cultures and customs that scheme of things, a year is so short.” cannot be taught in school curriculum.

Seniors Saloni Sharma and Maahirah “You mostly learn about the history of Salie are considering taking gap years.

France and whose side the country took Sharma hopes to travel to French and during a war, but you never learn about the Spanish-speaking countries and travel to different customs in school,” Balusu said.

Africa to volunteer for a period of time.

“There’s a lot of things about culture we She believes that traveling early-on in life don’t know.” is important not only to see the sights, but Even with the things to be learned from to understand the bond between fellow gap years, there is still the issue of maturity travelers. that Spanish teacher Ms. Beth East brings up.

“Traveling with someone means being She is an avid traveler and has been to exotic with them 24/7, and it allows you to learn places such as Machu Picchu. more about their character,” Sharma said.

“While traveling for a year can provide “It shows how they deal with situations in a more of an education than any classroom

Regardless of when, I believe that travel nurtures the soul, and enhances character.

Morocc

Ms. Por

o

London Pranita Balusu

POSTCARD

THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS ONLY

l u b an

IMsst. East

FEATURE I 7

could, I am not sure that every 18-year-old possesses the open mind to fully appreciate or comprehend all of the world’s people, cultures, history, languages and politics,” Ms. East said.

“Personally, I was not able to at that age.”

Regardless of maturity, there is the looming question of financing the expensive trips.

Traveling abroad is not a luxury that lowincome families can manage without some sort of aid.

“It would be great if colleges had some sort of gap year programs for students that allowed them scholarship or loan opportunities with the promise of attending the school once the year was over,” Mrs. Porembiak said. “I think that is underway.”

Princeton University has a Bridge Year Program with such opportunities. It is a tuition-free, nine-month program that provides need-based aid and allows students to defer their admission for a year in order to do community service in countries such as Brazil and India. Harvard University implements a similar program and even deferrals for military service are allowed. In addition, other external scholarships unrelated to universities are offered based on need and merit.

However, even with the aid, students such as Balusu agree that the cost is still an obvious deciding factor.

“I guess I would do it in a heartbeat if my parents could shoulder the entire cost,” Balusu said. “But even taking a road trip across the nation adds up, so living somewhere like Europe with the currency difference seems impossible.”

Balusu, Sharma and Salie are all seniors at crossroads. Along with worrying about what college to attend and what majors to choose, they are also faced with the numerous other options and choices. However, even if it is not right after high school, they still want to travel extensively in the future just as teachers Ms. Porembiak and Ms. East have.

“Regardless of when, I believe that travel nurtures the soul, and enhances character,” Ms. East said. “It makes one learn more about his or her strengths and weaknesses, and forces us to look closely at other cultures, as well as our own, and appreciate the wonderful qualities and harsh realities of each.”

D n’t Be Afraid ...

MARCH 2014

8 I LIFESTYLES

BY MELANIE WONG

Phobias are often defined as irrational fears that cause individuals major discomfort and anxiety when thrust into certain situations.

These fears tend to vary amongst different types of people and may stem from personal experiences or construed ideas. In a world filled with creepy-crawlies, infectious diseases and dark imaginations, what things send shivers down your spine?

Name: George Azzam

Name: Shelby McClelland

Occupation: Freshman

Occupation: Sophomore

Fear: Being home alone at night

Fear: Basements

Reason: “I hear stuff on the news all the time about people breaking and entering, so it’s kind of freaky being home alone.”

Reason: “[Basements] just scare me. They’re dark and there are no windows; they’re just not a nice place to be.”

The fear of being home alone is a form of monophobia in which individuals experience heightened anxiety due to undesirable isolation. This phobia may stem from the idea that a burglary, abduction or other crime may ensue while one is alone at home and cannot fend for oneself during an emergency situation.

There is currently no term to describe the fear of basements; however, it is often associated with the fears of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia) and darkness (lygophobia).

Horror movies and TV shows often depict basements as the epicenter of suspicious and eerie activity, which may be the reason why people are scared to descend down the steps to the lower level for the fear that the “unknown” is waiting for them.

Occupation: Junior Fear: Waking up in a zombie apocalypse Reason: “I’m afraid to wake up in a zombie apocalypse due to the thought of the dead still walking around. Overall, the thought of being eaten alive by other people and becoming a zombie scares me.”

Kinemortophobia is a common fear held by people who are terrified of the walking dead and the idea of an impending zombie apocalypse.

Individuals who are afraid of these undead beings have possibly experienced an overexposure to media that glorifies the apocalypse (like “The Walking Dead” or “Zombieland”) or may maintain an internal fear of the deterioration of society during poor socioeconomic times.

Name: Priti Patel

Name: Mr. Larry Adams

Name: Mrs. Sara Rosell

Occupation: Senior

Occupation: Social Studies teacher

Occupation: Science teacher

Fear: Cottage cheese

Fear: Spiders

Fear: Dots/holes clustered together Reason: “Dots or holes close together make me squirm! It seems unnatural because you shouldn’t be able to see holes in things like skin or leaves.”

Trypophobia is termed as the fear of irregularshaped holes or other circular objects that are clustered close together asymmetrically, such as spider eggs, honeycombs, and lotus seed pods. It is believed that people who suffer from this phobia associate the holes with some type of danger and may perceive the clusters as a semblance of certain diseases, like measles and chickenpox.

DESIGN BY MELANIE WONG

Name: Paul Lee

Reason: “When I was 11, my aunt made me eat warm cottage cheese and I got sick. Ever since then, I can’t eat cottage cheese.”

There is no formal or scientific term for the fear of cottage cheese since it appears to be an uncommon phobia that is shared by few individuals. A traumatizing childhood recollection or other mortifying incident involving the dairy product may be contributing factors to the cause of this particular phobia.

Reason: “[Spiders] are so sneaky. They just pop up from the ceiling and start crawling on you.”

Arachnophobia is universally recognized as the fear of spiders or other arachnids and appears to be one of the most common phobias held by people around the world, according to a study done by the National Institute of Mental Health in 2012. Although there is no definitive cause for this fear, it is believed that humans inhabit an archaic instinct to avoid spiders since these creatures may have posed a threat to health in ancient times.

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

LIFESTYLES I 9

1.

Buy a disposable camera. When you go somewhere this break, resist the urge to pull out your phone and start snapping impeccable photos. Buy a disposable camera like you did back in elementary school, and take photos where there is a limited amount of film and no redo/filter option available.

2.

Watch a T.V. show from way back when. Lizzie McGuire? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Find a show that has been off air for years, and watch a couple of episodes.

Chances are you’ll catch a couple of references whose meaning you missed the first time around as a kid.

How to Relive Your Childhood

By Ambika Vohra

3.

Go to your elementary school spring social.

There is an ice cream social in the spring for every elementary school. Look up your school, take one of your old elementary school friends with you, and eat ice cream Play a pointless game. Back when as you reminisce about that time when you were a kid, there has to be a board a kid’s tongue got stuck to the game or computer game that was your guilty flagpole. pleasure. Minesweeper? Candyland? Find that game online or dig it out from under the cobwebs Eat a Lunchable or the kind of lunch in your basement, and play it again. Chances are some on the kids’ menu. Stop the orders of the time away has made you a little rusty, but your heart sophisticated Panera soups and Subway remembers what your mind forgets. sandwiches for a second. Relive your old diet

4.

5.

6.

of utter bliss and simplicity by eating nothing but ice cream, apple sauce, pudding, and macaroni n’ cheese from the box.

Go to a laser tag place. There’s nothing that makes you feel more alive than deliberately hiding behind barrels and lying in wait to tag unsuspecting little children. Make sure to train before this endeavor – it’s going to take some real concentration and accuracy.

THE TALON

DESIGN BY DAVID MARTIN & MELODY ZHANG

NOVEMBER 2013 MARCH 2014

10 & 11 I FEATURE

SEXUAL ASSAULT

what is

According to the Journal of Adolescent help, one in five high school students experienced sexual assault; two members of the RHS community share about their experiences.

BY SARAH WALWEMA

ONE IN FOUR GIRLS UNDER 18 ARE RAPED

“If you ever have a problem, tell an adult.” This piece of advice is familiar to students and kids who are looking for help for problems that seem bigger than them. This was the advice that student Linda Wall* followed when she confided in someone that she has known for most of her life. But this advice backfired after her trusted adult allegedly sexually assaulted her (the charges were later dropped).

Here’s the alarming statistic: one in four women will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18, according to the Women’s Organization Against Rape. The rate for men is only slightly less at 1 in 6 before the age of 18.

A teacher at RHS who preferred to remain anonymous, so she’ll be referred to in this article as Sally Smith, was raped at 14 while on a family vacation.

The two cases are similar because the victims chose to remain silent about the attacks for a period of time, but different because Wall knew her attacker and Smith did not.

ATTACKERS AREN’T USUALLY STRANGERS

One common misconception is that the people who commit sexual assault crimes are creepy strangers. According to rapecrisis.org.uk, only 9 percent of rapes are committed by people who would be considered strangers. Wall’s case is one that didn’t fall into that 9 percent.

“It was a lot harder to deal with since it was someone I trusted since kindergarten,” Wall said. “He knew everything about me. He knew my family, who were close with him too. It was a lot harder to deal with because it was the biggest betrayal that someone could do to you.”

The intimacy of the case made the experience even harder on her.

“I definitely have some trust issues now,” Wall said. “He was the one person I trusted with everything. If I had a problem I’d go to him. It was like being betrayed by a best friend. He was almost like a parent figure to me that I went to talk to. He was like a mentor. I learned to have boundaries to keep from people.”

On the other hand, the case of Mrs. Smith did involve a stranger.

“I was at a family reunion one summer; my cousin and I (who were 13 and 14, respectively … but introduced ourselves as 16 and 17, of course) were hanging out with some older kids, playing volleyball,” Mrs. Smith said. “Later that night, the same group of older kids invited us to a bonfire.”

ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

Alcohol and drugs were also factors in Mrs. Smith’s case.

“We were thrilled to be included, then nervous when the guys handed us alcoholic beverages,” Mrs. Smith said. “We drank them anyway. I’m not 100% sure, but I’d guess my drink was drugged or I was super drunk after only one drink because I wasn’t someone who experimented much with alcohol at that point.”

Senior Brian Stasevich believes that the school should educate teens more about what happens at parties and how to avoid dangerous situations like Mrs. Smith’s. “[Schools should] teach about what can happen and what can go wrong and just how it’s just a dangerous scenario [when you drink],” Stasevich said. “It’s a big problem in high school and the way that it’s handled is not proper.”

If a student is ever sexually assaulted, Deputy John Ashley is one person of many who that student could go to for help.

“If a student comes forward claiming sexual assault, the case is immediately turned over to law enforcement without questionining [the student],” Deputy Ashley said. “If this happens to anyone, they should report it to someone they should feel comfortable telling. He or she should also keep it quiet so rumors don’t spread.

Certain information can’t get out when a child is involved.”

PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULT

The U.S. Department of Health and Services claims that 70 percent of teens will

at least try a drink before the age of 18, and psychologist Mrs. Lauren Greve thinks that staying informed about factors like drinking and its connection to sexual assault would help.

“While there may not be a clear cut way to always ensure sexual assault does not occur, if men/women are vigilant and aware of factors which may increase one’s susceptibility to assault the potential for assault to actually occur could be reduced,” Mrs. Greve said.

Mrs. Smith also recognizes the importance of staying informed and utilizing resources.

“There’s more information out there for young people to try and prevent things like this from happening, and help lines to call than there ever was when I was a kid,” Mrs. Smith said. “I also think kids need to continue to have open and honest conversations about sex with adults.”

RAPE POSTPARTUM

After being sexually assaulted, some go through a period of shame and depression that keeps them from reporting their cases and getting help.

“It took me a while; it happened my sophomore year, and I didn’t say anything until April of my junior year,” Wall said. “It was a lot of ‘this was my fault. I’m not going to say anything. I was the one who went in there.

I didn’t stop it. I was the one who had these communications with him on Facebook. Maybe it was something I did or maybe I led him on?’ It was a lot of questioning myself and thinking I was at fault for it. I just really kept it to myself every day without anyone knowing. I went through a depressed time just because no one knew, and it was my biggest secret.”

Mrs. Smith also had trouble telling anyone about being sexually assaulted.

“I woke up mid-act, if you will, and it was terrifying, painful and shameful,” Mrs. Smith said. “I thought I was going to get killed, and when I didn’t, I thought I’d die of shame. I walked back to the hotel where I was sharing a room with my cousin – we exchanged knowing glances but didn’t discuss what happened – and took the longest shower ever. I didn’t really speak about what happened for at least five years.”

Mrs. Smith cites her age as the main reason for staying silent.

“I was too young and too uninformed to know what to even do,” Mrs. Smith said. “I had never seen a penis before, let alone know how to talk to my parents or law enforcement officials about it. Had I involved law enforcement at that point, it would’ve put the issue at the forefront of my life far too soon and I just wasn’t ready to process the information for many years.”

Wall thinks that the number of cases that actually get to be prosecuted is also a factor when it comes to sexual assault cases getting reported.

“A lot of people don’t even report their cases to the police, mostly because a lot of these cases aren’t prosecuted,” Wall said.

GETTING HELP

Mrs. Greve offers words of advice for anyone who has been sexually assaulted.

“Seek help; do not hide it or be ashamed to seek help,” Mrs. Greve said.

“You are not at fault – no one deserves to be violated. While [RHS] does not offer a formal support group for rape victims, students at RHS always have access to their counselors as well as other ancillary staff including a school social worker and school psychologist if they are in need of emotional support.”

If needed, counselors and ancillary staff also have information for students and their families for more direct, intense support outside of the school setting for issues related to rape. Mrs. Smith recommends getting help from an outside source.

“Do the work with a trained therapist; if you don’t like that person, find

someone else,” Mrs. Smith said. “It takes time and effort to ‘recover’ from a negative experience like this. It’s also possible to turn it into a positive … eventually. I sincerely believe happiness is a choice that humans have the ability to make daily; make that choice. It’s so much better than allowing that shame and guilt to bury you.”

Wall took advantage of RHS’s counseling staff as well as outside help from Haven, a nonprofit organization that helps with domestic violence cases. She also took part in the Joyful Heart Foundation, founded by “Law and Order: SVU” actress Mariska Hargitay.

“I couldn’t have made it without them,” Wall said.” I just went through those programs, looked online and found all these resource that they had. That really helped me.”

Stasevich believes that mutual support among friends is crucial.

“If they are willing to talk about the story, then if you could somehow bring that into [light] how it’s not actually them sleeping with [a] guy,” Stasevish said. “[Really] it’s them being taken advantage of.”

“SOCIETY SUCKS SOMETIMES”

“A lot of my friends knew him, so they were kind of in disbelief that it happened,” Wall said. “I really distanced myself from my friends, because a lot of people didn’t know how to talk to me and act around me, because it’s something so major to deal with.”

Sometimes that disbelief can influence the way a case is handled in a court.

In the case of Daisy Coleman, an All-American athlete from a prominent political family who allegedly raped her was found not guilty.

“If those athletes truly did not receive due justice because of their star status I believe that is extremely disturbing,” Mrs. Greve said. “I would like to think that despite one’s status they are subject to the same rules/standards as every other citizen.”

Wall thinks that all cases should be treated equally.

“I think every case should be treated the same,” Wall said. “Sexual assault is sexual assault. Rape is rape. Just because you have power doesn’t meant that he should be treated any differently.”

CONSENT* ?

It is voluntary, sober, imaginative, enthusiastic, creative, wanted, informed, mutual, honest, and verbal agreement.

CO NT

RAC

T

Even if the involved parties are married or together, consent still needs to be given.

It’s never implied and cannot be assumed.

A person who is intoxicated cannot legally give consent.

LOOKING ON THE BRIGHTSIDE

Mrs. Smith tries to look at the bright side instead of focusing on the negative.

“Society sucks sometimes,” Mrs. Smith said. “Bad people get away with bad things. Again, it’s all about perspective. Focus on the good. There are plenty of awesome people doing truly noble things. The media could focus more on them instead.”

Both Mrs. Smith and Wall do their best to look on the bright side and grow in spite of the hardships that they have faced.

“I have a unique perspective about life and have learned to embrace the good and bad things that come my way,” Mrs. Smith said. “I think working through the bad feelings and coming out in a better place makes me a victim with perspective. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Wall looks on the bright side by defining herself in her own terms.

“When people look at me they’re thinking ‘That’s the girl that it happened to,’ and I didn’t want to be known as that,” Wall said. “I didn’t want to be known as a victim. I really don’t like the term victim. I would like to think of myself as a survivor. The word survivor really makes me think that I did something good, and I brought good light to the situation.” *Name changed to protect those involved.

Absence of a “no” doesn’t mean “yes.”

resources COMMON GROUND 800-231-1127 commongroundhelps.org

*Courtesy of the University Health Center of The University of Georgia

HAVEN 877-922-1274 haven-oakland.org

TURNING POINT 586-463-6990 turningpointmacomb.org

MARCH 2014

12 I LIFESTYLES

M R O F S N A TR

s t i b a h r u o change y to healthy

BY KAILIE FOWLER

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A GYM? LIFETIME FITNESS

BURN FITNESS

FITNESS 19

ROCHESTER GYM

EXERCISE TIPS

-Cardio! Cardio! Cardio! Cardio is one of the best ways to lose total body fat and promotes increase in endurance and strength.

-Vary your exercise. Try loosening and strength building with yoga.

Try a heart-racing, active sport such as martial arts. If you’re at a gym, try out different classes and machines.

-Establish a routine that works for you. If you can’t exercise everyday make sure that the days you do exercise count.

Use your resources (internet, personal trainers, gym) to the best of your ability.

Target these areas during your exercise: -Abdominals -Back -Butt & thighs -Arms

AFFORDABILITY HOURS

DIET TIPS

FEATURES PERSONAL TRAINERS? CLASSES? OVERALL RATING

20/25

18/25

20/25

20/25

-Drink green tea -Eat more protein -Grilled instead of fried -Eat less sugar -Cut out as much sodium in the form of salt as you can from your diet; it causes bloating.

-Chew your food as much as possible (aids the digestion process).

-Drink a glass of water before each meal.

EAT SMART PASTA PERSON: -Trade enriched pasta for wheat pasta.

There are more grains and fiber in whole wheat pasta that is removed from enriched pasta when it is processed.

-Use low-fat sauces. When cooked, marinara and alfredo sauces that are low fat taste similar to the original sauces that are super high in fat and sodium.

-Skip the salt; it causes more bloating and water-retention.

-Add a lean protein - that way you won’t have to eat as much pasta because the protein will fill your stomach.

Salad Person: -Skip the salads at restaurants like Chili’s and Applebee’s. They are often higher or equal to the amount of calories in a chicken strips and fries basket & always ask for dressing on the side if you do.

-Try different salads: romaine, spring mix, arugula and more will leave you pleasantly surprised.

-Use low-fat dressings; they taste almost the same but contain about half the calories.

-Add color to your salad! Add things like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado and/or spinach.

Fast Food Person: -Avoid upgrading sizes. Keeping it small gives a chance to taste the food without over indulging in the food.

-If you’re someone who eats fast food as an easy and cheap way to refuel when you’ve forgotten to pack a lunch, try instead to pack your lunch right before you go to sleep. That way you can sleep in and avoid upping your calories and spending your money.

-When it becomes inevitable to eat fast food, go with a cheeseburger and small fry. Allowing you to feel full and satisfied but not going over in portion size.

Pizza Person: -Eat thin crust pizza, it tastes the same but contains less bread, therefore less carbs.

-Add veggies like peppers, spinach, and olives.

-Avoid pizzas like meat lovers, they have tons of meat that is processed and tons of calories that could be avoided.

-Add salad to the side of your slice of pizza. That way you can keep your meal balanced, and you’ll be eating less pizza.

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

Chvrches debut album disappoints

BY DANIELLE KULLMAN In a time when exciting new music artists can appear anytime thanks to Internet recognition, the Chvrches (pronounced Churches) are one of the latest to gain hype. Forming in 2011, their recently released debut album “The Bones of What You Believe” is a very vocal take on electronic synthpop, inspired by bands such as The Knife and Passion Pit. Overall the album is not a stand-out in terms of first albums. It has a few unique and catchy songs that keep the album from being a failure and lead singer Lauren Mayberry’s young and innocent sounding voice keeps the listener interested in each song. However, the album as a whole lacks the variety to keep each song special.

One of the best songs on the album is the debut single “The Mother We Share,” which has a slightly robotic opening

and a smooth transition into actual lyrics. Although the meaning behind the song is slightly imperceptible, the chorus is still fun to sing along with, helping to make the song a good prelude to the entire album. However, what follows becomes slightly repetitive and boring.

Many of the songs that follow such as “Lungs,” “Night Sky” and “Lies” are songs that are fine to listen to on their own but when taken in context of the entire album, they are incredibly banal. The choruses and overall ebb and flow of the songs become monotonous when listened to in order. Albums are supposed to be composed of songs that are each unique but still maintain a nice connective flow between them. Chvrches has not mastered this art with their debut album. However, their work has a unique and progressive quality as heard in “The Mother We Share” among other songs

that displays talent and hope for improvement in upcoming albums.

Must-listens on the album are “Recover,” “We Sink” and “Gun.” These songs show a lot of promise for upcoming albums in that they show that Chvrches is capable of variety and a very unique, modern sound.

Mayberry’s voice is unobtrusive and catchy. Despite the album in it’s entirety not being a winner, the band will likely become more refined in its style in later releases.

The Fray takes a chance

BY SARAH WALWEMA

From certified hits “How to Save a Life” and “Over My Head,” The Fray’s most popular songs involve strong lead vocals, emotional lyrics and great melodies. Since they first released “How to Save a Life” in 2005, The Fray has been consistently putting out music perfect for those days when feelings

just need to be felt. But with “Helios,” released on February 25th, this Denver band decides to take a couple chances, some of which pay off and some don’t.

There’s nothing better than an album that’s used as a way for an artist or a band to change their sound, and ultimately, the way their band is viewed.

While “Helios” still has those emotional songs that everyone knows

IF YOU LIKE: THE GOO GOO DOLLS YOU’LL LIKE: “CLOSER TO ME” THE TALON

and loves, some are just downright fun. “Love Don’t Die” is one of the more mainstream sounding songs on the album, and its upbeat tempo coupled with a catchy chorus makes the sound of this song parallel to a OneRepublic hit. The other song that’s great to dance to was “Hurricane,” a song about “a crazy girl” whose only 5’2’’. Usually, when The Fray writes a song about a girl, or

relationships in general, they tend to be about the sad and depressing parts. This song, on the other hand, is about the euphoria that comes along with chasing a girl who you like.

While having a diversified album could be a good thing, what The Fray achieved with “Helios” felt more like a bunch of singles smashed onto one album; simply put, it lacked cohesion. Artists

IF YOU LIKE: DAFT PUNK YOU’LL LIKE: “GIVE IT AWAY”

who have accomplished the cohesive album include Sara Bareilles with “Blessed Unrest,” Arctic Monkeys with “AM,” and The Fray’s former album “Scars & Stories.” But because “Helios” didn’t quite get there, listeners may want to select their favorite singles and purchase those instead of getting the whole album.

IF YOU LIKE: CLASSIC FRAY YOU’LL LIKE: “HOLD MY HAND”

ENTERTAINMENT I 13

DON’T GET IRONPANTS

BY A.J. PRISCIANDARO

If you missed out on the extraordinary opportunity of repeatedly crashing a stupid flying bird into a maze of green pipes in Flappy Bird before it was taken off the app store, then fear not- the joyous new app Ironpants takes the Flappy Bird spirit to another level and will definitely make you want to hurt yourself.

Instead of a disabled bird, this time you play as a mentally handicapped dude in a stupid red cape who thinks he’s a superhero and wants to fly wherever he damn well pleases, as long as it’s going forward and directly into those huge pillars of wooden crates with way-too-narrow gaps in between them. Of course if your finger isn’t on the screen, our grand superhero falls straight to the ground and bounces off the pavement to his pathetic death, but if you hold your thumb down just a millisecond too long, ya’boy gets way too pumped up and ascends toward the heavens before being stonewalled in the dome by a tower of boxes, while you get to hear the sound effect of someone punching you in the face.

I don’t know about you, but after trying it a few times and getting a maximum score of zero, I realized there was a crater in my head from me pounding it against the wall in frustration.

Because Satan is alive and well, this demon app is of course free and ready to mingle with anyone who wants to have their lives ruined. The Devil’s dark magic must be the fact that even when you utterly fail at getting ANYWHERE, you still want to try again and get farther even though you know you won’t.

I don’t know who created this piece of crap game, but he or she needs to have his/her head examined. Did the guy who made Flappy Bird not get enough death threats before finally taking it off the app store? Did these people learn their fricken lesson? Do they WANT to destroy America?

Save your soul. Don’t get Ironpants.

DESIGN BY A..J. PRISCIANDARO & PAIGE FARNSWORTH

MARCH 2014

14 I ENTERTAINMENT

Games on smart phones cause frustration and joy for different people.

BY A.J. PRISCIANDARO According to techfortune.com, Americans spend about 2.38 hours a day playing games on their phone.

A study done by Mashable.com shows that one out of three U.S. smart phone users are regular mobile gamers.

Senior Andy Matles, he plays games such as Flappy Bird because they are easy to download, and easy to play.

“Whenever you’re sitting down and have nothing to do, you can just pull your phone out and have

DESIGN BY A.J. PRISCIANDARO AND PAIGE FARNSWORTH

instant entertainment,” Matles said.

“Plus, the good games are usually free so anyone can download them whenever.” iTunes Top 10 game downloads are all free. Senior Avery Grant enjoys the low cost of smartphone games.

“I usually get every game that becomes popular around school, but I never pay for them,” Grant said.

“Even the ones that cost money usually have free versions.”

Junior Joey Doneth, who has a high score of 592 on Flappy Bird, believes the competitive nature of games is what attracts people to playing them.

“It’s the fact that all of my friends

are into it the same time that I am that drives my interest,” Doneth said. “I want to be the best at it.”

According to Matles, what makes games like Flappy Bird addictive is their challenging yet possibly achievable nature.

“It’s a great game because it’s really hard to play at first, but not hard enough to make you want to give up and quit,” Matles said. “You always want to play it again to see if you can beat your record.”

Doneth found the game to be easy.

“Once you get the hang of it, it becomes simple,” Doneth said. “At least for me.”

On the other hand, Grant wasn’t

so enthusiastic about the game after playing it for a certain period of time.

“After a little while I just get sick of playing it,” Grant said. “All the popular games have that period when I’m hooked, but then I get tired of them.”

As the population of app games like Flappy Bird increase, some might say these games are just another reason for teens to get too attached to their phones. Matles doesn’t think that’s true.

“I don’t think they’re a big distraction in class or anything like that,” Matles said. “They’re just a cool activity to mildly entertain you when you have nothing to do.”

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

OPINION I 15

STAFF EDITORIAL: Will RHS’s free ACT prep classes be a success?

As the educational pendulum has swung back in the direction of placing emphasis on high-stakes standardized testing (both to evaluate the effectiveness of a school/its staff AND the individual student as he or she applies to college), students have to bear the burden of preparing for what everyone says will be “the most important test of their lives” - the ACT. In the past, the ACT wasn’t meant to be a test that students would have to prepare for, but as the stakes have increased, the amount of preparation students do to get ready has as well. The result in recent years has been an increase in the socioeconomic divide; students whose families had money and cared about education paid for additional ACT tutoring or practice books and these same kids performed higher on the test, resulting in the rich/ educated kids getting into the best schools. RCS implemented a system to address students who needed additional ACT preparation in order to level the playing field for ALL kids, but there were many challenges that may render the program ineffective.

First of all, to identify students who needed extra ACT practice, the RHS ancillary staff looked at data from the previous year’s PLAN Test and offered a free, 10-session ACT Preparation class to any RHS student who was two points below college readiness on any of the four sections of the PLAN Test: English, math, reading or

It’s unfair that all students were not given a chance to participate in the program. I really would have enjoyed trying to improve my score by attending the practice sessions.

Sydney Bammel, 11

science. The offer included snacks and transportation home via district buses when the sessions concluded at 4 p.m., if needed. A total of 200+ students were identified and invited to the after-school program; 134 students took RHS up on the offer to participate in the program, yet only 41 students attended all 10 sessions (27 students attended 8 or 9 sessions).

Therefore, the first problem with the program was the lack of interest in participation. Who wouldn’t take the school up on the offer for free ACT preparation? Sure, it’s boring, but it’s important.

Secondly, the 10-week sessions were broken down into sets - two classes for each of the following five topics: general test-taking strategies, English, math, reading and science.

The courses were taught by a variety of teachers from RHS, and the quality of the instruction was somewhat determined by the teacher your

The ACT is a stressful thing to think about as a high school student.

However, the program really helped me figure out ways to perform better and excel through time management as well as other general tools.

Emberly Skaggs, 11

group ended up with. Therefore, the sessions weren’t always comparable.

In addition, the general test-taking strategies didn’t need two full sessions, while the English sessions were packed with information about both the English and the writing portions of the ACT. Students should be able to provide feedback about what sessions (and what instructors) were most beneficial and the changes should be reflected in management choices year-to-year.

Finally, in order to get kids to show up at the sessions, the organizers used little carrots to string the bunnies along. Snacks were provided at each session for snack time from 2:28-2:45. Are we 5?

Sure, it was nice to have free food, but seriously, the fact that students need bribes to do things is telling of the apathy of this generation.

Also, students who were present for all 10 sessions received an

Nothing can truly prepare you for the ACT, it’s just like ever other standardized test. The only thing that classes and books can help you learn is better test taking skills and what kind of questions you’re in for.

Kailie Fowler, 11

additional incentive: five straight days of off-campus lunch privileges.

Getting a better ACT score to get into a better college to have a better future isn’t enough? The focus on rewards and the need for extrinsic motivational factors is disheartening; what happened to good ‘ole intrinsic motivation?

Once the ACT scores come back in late spring, RHS staff members will be able to see if this 10-week program did anything to improve the scores of the 41 students who participated in all of the sessions.

It’s likely that the students who participated for the free snacks and lunch privileges won’t perform much better; one the other hand, those who genuinely wanted to do better likely paid close attention, kept the documents they were given, reviewed before the test, and actually tried on test day. Time will tell.

The Talon Staff Mrs. Julia Satterthwaite, Adviser

Camille Douglas, Editor-in-Chief Danielle Kullmann, Web/Design Editor Sydney Bammel, News Editor Sarah Walwema, Feature Editor Olivia Bennett, Lifestyles Editor A.J. Prisciandaro, Entertainment Editor Melody Zhang, Opinion/Photo Editor Zach Libby, Sports Editor Erin Eyler, Staff Reporter Paige Farnsworth, Staff Reporter Kailie Fowler, Staff Reporter Michael Kainz, Staff Reporter Maura Losh, Staff Reporter David Martin, Staff Reporter Grant McPherson, Staff Reporter Sam Medved, Staff Reporter Aubrey Ritz, Staff Reporter Bilqees Salie, Staff Reporter Emberly Skaggs, Staff Reporter Edgar Sokoli, Staff Reporter Ambika Vohra, Staff Reporter Melanie Wong, Staff Reporter

The Talon Policy

The Talon presents an open forum for student expression to be used by the Rochester High School community to promote and express thought and action.

The stories, opinions and bylined content in The Talon do not necessarily represent and should not be interpreted as the views of the Rochester Community School Board of Education or any of its staff, faculty or employees.

The Talon is devoted to professional journalism and fairness in all reporting.

The Talon will adhere to a standard of responsible journalism and will refrain from publishing material which is legally libelous, obscene or could disrupt the operation of the school.

Letters to the Editor

If something annoys you about us, school or life in general, write a letter to the editor. If something amuses you about us, school or life in general, write a letter to the editor. If we got something wrong, write a letter to the editor. If it’s coherent and under 300 words, we’ll run it.

Drop signed letters off in B123 before or during 3rd Hour, email them to Mrs. Satterthwaite: jsatterthwaite@rochester. k12.mi.us, tweet a link to us @rhstalon, post them to The Talon’s Facebook page or any other form of 21st Century communication you prefer. We look forward to hearing from you.

Memberships

Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Colombia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

THE TALON

Comic by Erin Eyler

DESIGN BY EDGAR SOKOLI

MARCH 2014

16 I OPINION

HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE NEW TOP SCHOLAR SYSTEM

BY SYDNEY BAMMEL

Juniors have finished their mandatory standardized testing and are now ready to make seemingly one of the most important decisions of their lives: where to apply for college. There are many aspects of a college to look into in order to narrow down your options and find a place that’s right for you.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION The simplest factor is how far away from home the college is. Some people are homebodies and find comfort in being a short ride from their family, while others would prefer to stand on their own and be as far away from home as possible. Another element of location is the environment of a college. Many colleges are located in suburban or urban areas. Some colleges, such as University of Michigan are located in larger cities like Ann Arbor; however, many colleges such as Rochester College are located in the suburbs. Additionally, out of state schools are a consideration for some students. Most students tend to stay in state due to the lower costs for in-state residents. Students who choose the out of state path may be trying to get into a “big name” school such as Harvard or Juilliard, yet students should also consider whether they plan to move out of the state in the future. This respect is important because states have different qualification exams for certain areas of study, and sometimes moving there for college will make it easier on the student when they graduate. All these factors should be taken into play when choosing the right location for college.

MAJORS ARE A MAJOR ISSUE Different colleges have strengths in different programs. A major mistake among college freshmen is choosing a college that has a bad program for their field of study. Many people go to a college for the name or its familiarity; however, this idea is not always the best plan. For example, University of Michigan has strong programs for engineering and medical doctor majors, yet their teaching program is underdeveloped compared to schools such as Michigan State University and Central Michigan University. For students who are undecided about their career path, picking a college for a field of study can be troubling. In this case, there are two routes to take. The first is to attend a community college, where the student can further explore his or her interests in an adult setting. The advantage to going to a community college comes into play when transferring to a University. Community colleges are very good about matching their classes to Universities, so it is easier for credits to transfer. The second path is to go to a university that concentrates on an area of study that you’re looking into. Finding a college that has a suitable program is an important consideration when selecting where to apply.

SIZE MATTERS Studies have shown that people have different learning capabilities based on how they are taught. When looking into a college, it’s important to consider how you learn best. Students who learn tactilely or visually are better suited for a college with smaller class sizes. These colleges focus more on individual students, so it is easier to get a more hands-on educational experience. People who are auditory learners will have no problem going to a college with large lecture halls because they will be fine learning by listening and taking notes in class.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES People tend to select colleges based on what they are studying, but it’s also worth considering what kinds of extra curriculars you’ve enjoyed in the past and whether or not the universities you are considering have similar programs. Colleges offer sports, Greek living and a variety of clubs. Sports are something to think about when applying to college. People who excel in a particular position can acquire sports scholarships.

College sports can range from the traditional football and basketball to out-of-the-ordinary like rowing, Quidditch or ultimate Frisbee teams. Greek living is also an additional activity college students can be a part of, which include being a part of a sorority or fraternity. Being a part of Greek life gives people a chance to meet others, potentially live in a house with their Greek family and establish important connections with others who share similar interests. Finally, depending on the college, there are a variety of clubs to consider, ranging from vocal groups to religious groups to mathletes. It’s definitely important to consider ways to build your social life outside of the classroom as well.

IT’S ABOUT THE MONEY When applying to college, money is an important detail to look into. Sometimes a college may seem out of a student’s monetary grasp; however, there are ways for a student save money when going to college.

The best option for some people is to start out at a community college. Community colleges offer its students a chance to do their required core classes that normally take up the first two years of college at a cheaper price. Community colleges are significantly cheaper than their counterparts. Another way to save cash is to apply for scholarships. Scholarship opportunities are everywhere. They can easily be found online or at the district board office. Although some applications may require an essay, some of them are as simple as clicking a button. Taking the time to apply to many colleges can have a major impact on what colleges are affordable. There is also a FAFSA form for students parents to fill out. Based on the income of students parents, the student may be eligible for a large sum of money to help them afford college. By taking these three aspects into account most colleges can become affordable for the general public.

DESIGN BY CAMILLE DOUGLAS & MICHAEL KAINZ

SPARKS MIXED OPINIONS PRO:

NEW SYSTEM IS BETTER

CON:

OLD SYSTEM IS BETTER

BY AUBREY RITZ

BY MAURA LOSH

The change to the new top scholar system has led to factors besides one’s grade point average (GPA) to be taken into consideration. It now considers a variety of factors including the number of Advanced Placement classes taken, one’s ACT score and his or her overall GPA. This new top scholar program is an improvement because it involves more than just one’s grades, but rather rewards someone who truly is at the top of his or her class in intelligence and work ethic.

The main flaw of the previous top scholar system was that top scholars were selected solely based their GPAs. This meant that a student who took less challenging classes throughout high school may have had the highest grades, while another student who challenged him/herself with honors or AP classes may not be rewarded with a top scholar distinction because he or she had a lower overall GPA. In this way, the old system was rewarding a potentially false measure of who is truly the top of his or her class.

Furthermore, the new system rewards more people than before for the reason it does not just pick the top 10 or so with the highest grades, but rather anyone who meets the criteria.

More people are recognized for their accomplishments in high school instead of people not making the top list by a miniscule amount; it’s a range. As a result, students are encouraged to do well in multiple ways and they still have a chance to succeed even if their GPA isn’t the best in their grade.

When developing the new criteria, a lot of research was compiled by a committee of stakeholders (including math teacher Mrs. Sue Zaleski and then-principal Ms. Wendy Zdeb) that included talking to counselors, calling top universities in the country to see what they are looking for and looking into what other excellent districts such as Birmingham, Bloomfield and Lake Orion were doing. Those against the newer system say that including the ACT score is unfair because not all students are good test-takers, and therefore a combination of challenging courses and GPA should be enough.

The reason for having the ACT score included was to give a national standardized way for colleges to know how a student is ranked because GPA ranking systems are inconsistent from district to district.

With the new system, considering the multiple factors of one’s GPA, challenging courses and ACT score, it leads to a desirable result: to identify the true top students in a grade. It’s not called the “hard-working students,” it’s “Top Scholars,” so it should only go to those who are at the top in multiple facets. It doesn’t specify a set number of students to award.. The purpose is to identify the best and brightest, and the current system does just that.

As education evolves and the race to the top has become more competitive than ever, RHS has done away with Valedictorians, Salutatorians and Top Scholars. However, the new guidelines to be a top scholar include not only grade point average (GPA); they also include AP classes and ACT scores. These new changes open the opportunity for more people to graduate with honors because there is not a set number of the amount of students that earn the recognition and therefore making the awards less meaningful altogether.

One of the great things about the old honor system was that it recognized students based only in one categorytheir GPA. By giving out awards based only on GPAs, there was a clear black and white line as to who had earned the top spot and who had not. Even if students do not take AP classes, they still deserve an award if they had the highest GPA because they did work hard for the grades they got. Every individual is unique and challenges themselves in different ways and enrolling in AP classes may not be one of them.

They should not be penalized for not challenging themselves in that way, especially if they did earn As in the classes they did take.

Also, the new system gives honors to more people than before by having a range of different categories of honors making the award hold less meaning.

If more students are rewarded for their work, then it is not that special to be one of them because several more students would also have the same award instead of just a select few. This new system is less competitive and by lowering the standards to needing a 3.5 GPA as a requirement, students are less likely to try to aim for the highest spot because they know they will still receive some sort of recognition.

The new system also includes ACT scores to be a top scholar and although that may narrow down the number of students who receive honors, it is not a fair evaluation of students’ work.

Including ACT scores as a requirement to be a top scholar, the award is measuring yet another category of intelligence that is completely different than measuring one’s GPA. GPA is measured by the work ethic of a student all year whereas the ACT only measures a student’s work in a five-hour block of time.

By taking into consideration three different categories to be a top scholar, more people will be given the award and the outstanding recognition of being the best is lost when one of a larger, rather than smaller, crowd. Not having a set number of students to earn honors cuts out the competitiveness of the award and does not encourage students to work as hard because an unlimited number of students can earn honors, making the old system better.

THE TALON

SPORTS I 17

MARCH 2014

BASEBALL LOOKS FORWARD TO

UPCOMING SEASON

BY ZACH LIBBY “Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and some cracker jacks.” Or how about some snow blowers and shovels?

The excess amount of snow that has fallen this winter and the consistent cold weather could take its toll on RHS spring sports, including this year’s Varsity baseball team.

Assistant coach Steve Fox says some games could get pushed back.

“There’s so much snow on the ground and it’s not getting any warmer to be even thawed out,” coach Fox said. “Sure games will be pushed back because rain is always an issue in the spring.”

However, Fox still believes that his team will manage to fit in more games this season because of the way the baseball diamond is structured and placed on the school’s property.

“With our field, because it sits up on higher ground, it drains better than most fields,” coach Fox said. “I think our field has a little bit of an advantage in terms of being gameready, but it has been such a funky winter that it could change.”

Even if there weren’t winter weather issues to contend with, the varsity team is striving to improve from last year’s disappointing predistrict loss which bumped the team from out of state championship eligibility early.

“We knew we were a young team with a lot of talent and were hoping to surprise some people, but it didn’t work out like that,” senior Connor Pacella said. “As an individual, I feel like I tremendously underachieved; I always set high goals for myself at the beginning of the season and

THE TALON

didn’t feel like I lived up to any of them.”

Fox believes that age played into factor with the team’s early exit in pre-district action last year, but wouldn’t use the word ‘disappointing’ to describe last season.

“Our record may have been disappointing, but we were a pretty young team last year,” coach Fox said. “We also played some good competition, so it’s kinda hard to judge our success. I think this year we’ll have better gage as to where we are this season.”

In order to not repeat last season’s finish, the team is working hard this offseason to improve in every aspect of the game. Specific players have stepped up and helped lead the workouts with coach Fox. Whether it’s at morning throwing or after school weight training, Fox praised the players who were there everyday to not only get themselves better, but help motivate other players as well.

“I’ve seen more kids lifting for baseball this year than I ever have; it’ll get us going a little bit sooner come spring time instead of having us adjust once the season starts,” coach Fox said. “Andrew Bauer is one guy that really comes to mind.

I mean everybody has been doing something ... other guys like Jake Stout or Conner Pacella - those guys are working hard. I think its going to pay off for them.”

When asked about his leadership, senior Andrew Bauer discussed his

plans as a second-year team captain.

“I know it is my job to set a good example and lead the team,” Bauer said. “It is a duty that really suits me well because I believe I have natural leadership qualities. I find the best way to do things is lead by example. Do things the right way and the others will follow.”

An important aspect for 2014’s Varsity team is that it is only losing three seniors from last year’s graduating class. According to Fox, having so many kids with varsity experience makes his expectations for his team even higher.

“The experience definitely does help; there were a few times last year where the inexperience took its toll,” coach Fox said. “This year there’s no excuse because we have a lot of three year or two year varsity players.”

With the amount of varsity experience, as well as a better physical and mental mindset heading into the regular season, the Falcons will be competing in the OAA Red division with the likes of Clarkston, Lake Orion, Oxford, Adams and Stoney Creek. The team embraces the tough competition, due to the fact that there is no clear-cut winner coming out of the league at the end of the season.

“The great thing about this league

this year is that everyone has the chance to beat everybody,” Fox said. “There’s no guaranteed winner; there’s no guaranteed bottom feeder. It all depends on how you play that day- how you execute. Talent wise, everyone matches up pretty well.”

Bauer looks forward to the pre-season training paying off.

“Our biggest goal this year is to bring home a district title,” Bauer said.

“Everyone has been working extremely hard this offseason, so that we can achieve that goal. If everything falls into place and everyone plays to his full potential, we will be a major threat in the league.

Senior Joey Iannetta concurs and isn’t intimidated by their competition.

“I’m looking forward to whooping their [butts] this year,” Iannetta said.

“My expectations are that we are going to beat all the schools in the league. A district championship is in reach this year and our team is going to play hard for it.”

DESIGN BY MELODY ZHANG & DAVID MARTIN

MARCH 2014

18 I SPORTS

LACROSSE TEAM ADJUSTS TO NEW COACHES

BY DAVID MARTIN After two years of Rochester Lacrosse, the program recently underwent some staffing changes. Rochester Athletics reached out for new coaches for this year’s team. Athletic Director Mr. Luke Beach hired Mr. Nick Facca, who had previously coached at DeWitt High School for three years.

“Nick possess all of the leadership qualities we are looking for in a coach here at Rochester,” Mr. Beach said. “I expect Nick to run a program based on integrity, discipline, sportsmanship and hard work.”

Senior lacrosse player Vince Piacentini says the new coaches are very knowledgable.

“We are still trying to figure each other’s strengths and weaknesses out,” Piecentini said.

“I still expect to win leagues though.”

Mr. Facca says he’s up for the challenge.

“I have been an assistant on Varsity coaching both offense and defense, as well as a JV head coach, so I feel very well-rounded at this point,” Mr. Facca said. “I know what goes into making a program run and the time commitment that is needed.”

Senior lacrosse player Drew Harm sees the new coaches as more professional.

“These coaches are way more organized,” Harm said. “It seems like they know that they are

DESIGN BY ZACH LIBBY AND BILQEES SALIE

running a lacrosse program, not just a team.”

Mr. Beach also hired Varsity assistant coach Jeff Spisak, head JV coach John Kowalski and assistant JV coach Matt Mastracci. Each of these coaches has prior coaching experience.

“I try not to place expectations on any of our teams outside of giving their maximum effort at all times, and displaying the character and sportsmanship that we expect out of our student-athletes here at Rochester,” Mr. Beach said. “ I do think they have great senior leadership, and with players such as Vince Piacentini and Drew Harm, I think they will make sure that our team goes in a positive direction.”

Varsity lacrosse manager Michelle Harm interacts with the new coaches daily and says, so far, things are going well.

“Interactions have been great,” Mrs. Harm said.

“The coaches are open to suggestions, easy to talk to and [are] very organized.”

With the the change, there’s potential for the team to lack cohesion, but Mr. Facca isn’t worried.

“I expect that we will be competitive with every team we play and that is a mindset,” Mr. Facca said. “As a program we need to step up to the challenge of playing historically good teams but not allow that to play into our heads.”

The Varsity boys team lost only a few seniors to graduation last year, so it expects to be even more successful this year.

“In the short term, I want move up to the higher OAA division and establish ourselves as a competitive and tough team,” Mr. Facca said. “Also, I want to make regular pushes through the state tournament.”

Piacentini has specific goals in mind.

“I just mostly want to beat Adams’ and Stoney’s Varsity teams”, Piacentini said.

With such high hopes for this year’s team comes a need for good management. Varsity manager Michelle Harm is most excited about the abundance of new players.

“I’m most excited about the fact that we have close to 70 boys who have indicated they plan to play lacrosse this year,” Michaelle Harm said. “I like that we have been able to give boys a chance to play who have never been introduced to the game.”

Mr. Facca hopes that Rochester will be able to compete on a state level.

“It is very important for us to be comfortable with our play,” Mr. Facca said. “If we do not play with confidence, good teams will eat us alive.”

Drew Harm really wants the team to be competitive this year.

“I just want a fun season that I can look back on and have no regrets about.”

DETROIT TIGERS SEASON PREVIEW

BY ZACH LIBBY

Fans will have the opportunity to experience a completely different Detroit Tigers team compared to the past two years.

This season features a first year manager taking over for retired Jim Leyland, a rookie third baseman, a respected pitcher heading to Washington, the loss of a Detroit native slugger, as well as the addition of speed to the batting lineup.

It was a series of moves that general manager Dave Dombrowski had to make in order to continue competing for a World Series title. The window for owner Mike Ilitch to finally see his club win a World Series is severely closing each year. A change was needed and it couldn’t come at a better time than now.

2013 Record: 93-69 (1st American League Central division) Playoff Finish: Lost to Boston Red Sox in ALCS in six games (4-2) Head Coach (Record): Brad Ausmus (0-0 1st year head coach) Key Additions: P Joe Nathan (Free Agency), 2B Ian Kinsler (From Rangers), OF Rajai Davis (Free Agency), P Joba Chamberlain (Free Agency) Key Departures: - 1B Prince Fielder (To Rangers), SS Jhonny Peralta (Free Agency), P Joaquin Benoit (Free Agency), P Doug Fister (To Nationals) Projected Starting Lineup/Rankings: C: Alex Avila/ 2 of 5 stars. 1B: Miguel Cabrera 2B: Ian Kinsler 3B: Nick Castellanos SS: Jose Iglesias LF: Rajai Davis CF: Austin Jackson RF: Torii Hunter SP: Justin Verlander SP: Max Scherzer SP: Anibal Sanchez SP: Rick Porcello SP: Drew Smyly CL: Joe Nathan The projected opening day lineup most certainty will not have the same power at the plate like the previous years; however, the improvements in terms of base running provides a major upgrade for 2014. The lineup deserves a ranking of 7.5 stars out of 10. Best Case Scenario: Pitching - By bringing in Joe Nathan to solidify the closer position, fans can expect a consistent sigh of relief in the ninth inning clutch scenarios.

Bruce Rondon and Joba Chamberlain also can add late-inning help, which can decrease the need for the starting rotation to pitch to the seventh or eighth inning every outing. Drew Smyly and Rick Porcello can form the backbone of the rotation and help fans forget the painful trade of Doug Fister. Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez will again prove why Detroit arguably has one of the best pitching rotations in the league by finishing the year competing for the Cy Young award.

Best Case Scenario: Hitting - Missing Prince Fielder’s slugging at the plate will not be an issue as Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez fill the void. Rookie Nick Castellanos will prove that he can be trusted at third base and won’t have to be platooned with another player. Torii Hunter continues to add a veteran leadership presence to the lineup and doesn’t show signs of his ability declining with age. Rajai Davis and Austin Jackson produce more opportunities to score runs by stealing bases, an aspect of last year’s squad that was severely lacking. Finally, newcomer Ian Kinsler doesn't become a locker room cancer after his character was revealed in an “ESPN Magazine” story earlier last month.

Prediction: The AL Central division won’t be an easy task in 2014, as teams like the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals have improved their roster in order to become true competitors. National writers and media networks still have big expectations for the Tigers to win the division and possibly appear in the World Series again. However, it won’t be an easy path for the team because of the huge roster changes and the improvement of other teams.

Projected Finish: 95-67, 1st in the AL Central. Lose in the American League Divisional Series to the Texas Rangers.

THE TALON

MARCH 2014

BY ZACH LIBBY There’s no question that this year’s NCAA tournament will feature upset after upset, as well as a Cinderella story that will be told for years to come. It’s hard to choose four teams that will be guaranteed a shot a the final four, due to the fact that every team in the top 25 has the talent and the experience to go the distance.

Florida, has bulldozed its way through the Southeastern conference and with the No. 1 seed in the South region with only Kansas without Joel Embiid standing in their way, there’s no question they’ll reach the Final Four.

If Louisville wins the National Championship this year, they will be the first team to win backto-back titles since Joakim Noah and the Gators in 2006-2007. They were disrespected by being a fourth seed in the Midwest and will show why they deserved to be No. 1 in the bracket.

Winning the Big 10 tournament showed that MSU is back and with everyone on the starting five back from inujury, they cannot be stopped, even though they have Virginia and Iowa State in the East region.

Aaron Gordon for Arizona ... That’s all I have to say.

BY GRANT MCPHERSON Wichita State capped an amazing undefeated regular season 31-0. They haven’t been stopped this season and nothing is going to change besides the level of competition the Shockers will have to play against in the tourney.

Every four-year player under Tom Izzo has made it to the Final Four. Seniors Keith Appling, Adreian Payne, and Dan Chapman hope to keep this trend going as they need to make it to the Final Four for it to continue. Even though the Spartans have been plagued by injuries, the Spartans should play like a house of fire come tournament time. All the Spartans are back, so they should be ready to dominate by the time March Madness begins.

Syracuse is a great team and will make it because of their talent. They have been in the top 25 for almost the entire season. In March Madness, they will climb to the top and show that the Orange are better than all the rest.

Arizona was number one for a long time this season. In fact, they never really left the top 15. The Wildcats look to make a statement and show they can play basketball.

SPORTS I 19

ARIZONA FLORIDA LOUISVILLE MSU

4

FINAL

PREDICTIONS MSU SYRACUSE ARIZONA WICHITA STATE

*ALL TEAMS CROSSED OUT ARE NO LONGER VIABLE TO BE A PART OF THE FINAL FOUR

THE TALON

LOUISVILLE MSU ARIZONA KANSAS

SYRACUSE MICHIGAN MSU ARIZONA

BY A.J. PRISCIANDARO This season has been unique in the way there isn’t a heavy favorite to win it all; any of the top 12 teams seem to have a good shot. Florida, who has dominated its SEC competition this year, has been the only consistent power-conference team, while Syracuse and Kansas keep struggling to get in a groove.

Despite that, Kansas has the deepest talent of any team in the tourney. Wichita State shouldn’t be trusted to continue its undefeated streak in March when they haven’t played a truly tough game all year against elite competition. That’s why reigning champions Louisville,who are on fire at the moment, will expect to upset them and eventually win the tough Midwest region over Michigan and Duke.

The Spartans are finally healthy after a year riddled with injuries and are playing at their best, and Arizona also has a great chance to go far. Then again, it’s March Madness, so no one really knows what the heck’s going to happen.

BY EDGAR SOKOLI Arizona’s Aaron Gordon has proven an on court threat at all times, and the bench’s depth will continue to give teams problems night in and night out.

Michigan has been known this season for coming back in games that they should have won easily, but nonetheless kept fighting tooth and nail to pull out the W. After clinching the Big Ten championship outright, the combo of Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert will continue to give opposing teams defensive headaches, along with a solid bench that will also contribute.

Michigan State has one of the best, if not the best defense in the country. MSU’s depth really helps as they have a threat to score at all times on the floor, and Gary Harris has shown time and time again that he can flat out play.

Syracuse has been struggling as of late, but Tyler Ennis and Co. will make a run in the tourney under the wings of the deadly 2-3 zone Syracuse has been known for implementing for years.

*ALL PREDICTIONS WERE MADE BEFORE NCAA TOURNAMENT BEGAN ON MARCH 19

DESIGN BY OLIVIA BENNETT

CHARITY WEEK

MARCH 2014

20 I PHOTOSTORY

Student Council facilitates the collection of close to $10K throughout Charity Week.

Student Council planned a week in March to encourage students to donate to charity. The charity chosen was Angels of Hope: a program that aids families who have a family member with cancer who have bills and other financial issues.

“What we really liked about Angels of Hope is that it really is more of a local charity,” senior Julia Magas said. “For example, there are really great charities like Make-AWish that have a similar purpose, but we thought it was really more meaningful that it was right here in Michigan like we are helping out

MONDAY: LOUNGE DAY

$1,500

our neighbors. It just makes it more personal.”

Student Council’s goal was to raise $10,000 in donations for Angels of Hope; they raised over $9,000.

“It doesn’t just give them money for treatment,” sophomore Ellen Weagner said. “If someone in their family wanted to play a sport or to join a class, it also helps the family out financially in general.”

Student Council used the opportunity of Charity Week to include dress-up days and activities that were brainstormed for homecoming but were not used. “[At] previous events we always come up with more ideas than we need so we always like to pick and chose and have a variety,” senior

and Student Council leader of Charity Week Alyssa Latarewicz said.

“These days and activities were just things we haven’t done in awhile or were chosen in previous years. We try to mix it up a little, so it’s not the same thing for every event.”

One of STUGO’s main moneyraising ideas was to hold a teacher court. Student Council came up with a random list of teachers names and asked them for their approval to be in this activity. Ms. Jean Wood and Mr. Erik Vernon were the winners of teacher court.

“Teachers came up with creative ways to raise money,” STUGO adviser Mrs. Cusmano said. “I think students liked that teachers had fun with it, and that was the incentive that made them donate.”

TUESDAY: SUP

ER HERO DAY

WHAT IS ANGELS OF HOPE? A CHARITY TO HELP OUT FAMILIES DEALING WITH MEDICAL BILLS DUE TO CANCERS OR TUMORS

THURSDAY: W

$6,000

GOAL

REACHED

$10,000

$9,014

WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM? STUGO SPENT ABOUT

$2,400

ON PREPARATIONS FOR CHARITY WEEK

Photos by Paul Lee, Alyssa Latarewicz and Danielle Kullmann

DESIGN BY DANIELLE KULLMANN

‘Wheels for Wings’ was the last charity event of the week. STUGO rented out Roller Rink and charged students five dollar admittance fee to roller blade in neon.

“We were thinking about moving away from dances and brainstormed several different ideas like a band, but we decided we were going to try a roller rink,” Magas said. “We really wanted to incorporate that 80s theme. We were thinking that, since we are doing it at a roller rink, it just gives us that 80s vibe, like disco lights and we just decided it was going to happen and we went with it.”

Mrs. Cusmano thinks that close proximity of Angels of Hope makes the impact of Charity Week all the more powerful, since so many in

HITE-OUT

$2,000

BY MAURA LOSH

FRIDAY: NEON OUT

$7,000

the area have been affected by cancer.

“I have been touched by the effects of loved ones having cancer,” Mrs. Cusmano said. “Also, we lost a young boy from my hometown elementary school class many years ago; that loss has stayed with me.

Young people who have serious illnesses deserve to live their life to the fullest.”

According to Magas, any amount of money RHS raises will make Charity Week a success.

“Usually charities appreciate every little thing, so I’m hoping we [made] a big impact,” Magas said.

“Hopefully from [all the money] we raised, we can provide them with funds that will help them in every aspect of their charity.”

SATURDAY: ROLLER RINK

$7,500