October 2021

THE

TALON ROCHESTER HILLS, MI // OCTOBER 2021 // VOL. 84 ISSUE 1

Photo courtesy of Sydne Chambers

Photos taken at the 2021 Homecoming Pep Assembly. View more pictures from Homecoming on page 4.

PAGE 2 || NEWS

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

NEWS BRIEFS: 2.

1.

Photo courtesy of RHS Twitter.

1. RHS

This season, the girls swim and dive team has been doing phenomenal. They have won all league meets so far.

Captains Rachel Kim and Grace Agius predict that the team will continue the winning streak on Tuesday, Oct 12 against Avondale High School.

“I think the team is going to do great,” said Kim. “At every meet so far, we’ve had amazing performances from a lot of our swimmers.”

“We have won all of our league meets so far, so I believe that we will do very well against Avondale,” said Agius. “I’m worried for our league meet. I’m worried because we have a chance at league champs and I want to get the state cut. But I know that we have all been working hard so everything will end well.

The girls were right! They won against Avondale High School 170-36, making the team the OAA Blue League champions.

Brief by Keira Long

5.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

Photo courtesy of Trina Mollicone.

2. RCS

As the school year kicks off, the three rival high schools of Rochester School District hold their first homecoming in two years. Although the dance is a universal experience in high schools across the country, each RCS high school has their own unique homecoming specialties.

In an interview with a junior at Stoney Creek High School, Megan Kennedy explains that SCHS is known for being creative with the names of their spirit days.

“Our spirit week days are not just ‘neon’ or ‘USA’ but they go with our year’s theme (outer space). Like, ‘brighter than the sun day’ for neon, and ‘NASA day’ for USA day.”

Adams high school on the other hand prioritizes honoring their seniors at the homecoming dance.

“Our theme for homecoming was Hollywood, and in the hallway they had a little tribute for the seniors with their names on the wall in stars,” junior Paulina Tether said.

Rochester high school is well-known for its raging school spirit, “Our spirit week has participation like no other school,” junior Kaci Andrews, a third year member of student council, said.

After a season of successful homecomings, students are proud of the unique traditions that their schools uphold.

Brief by Trina Mollicone

3. STATE

One of the biggest state dividing events is right around the corner. On Oct. 30, the Michigan Wolverines will travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State Spartans in the annual crosstown rivalry football game for the Paul Bunyan trophy.

Both teams have had excellent seasons so far, both with winning records. After last year’s antics of both teams ending their seasons with losing records, head coaches of the two teams are looking for a good season and a comeback from last year, and so far they have been successful in doing that.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Michigan is favored to win by a little bit over Michigan State but that doesn’t guarantee they will. Both teams have a strong defense and offense with similar and close team stats.

Michigan has much skill when it comes to moving the ball on offense, and Michigan State has many new talented players from the transfer portal including one who leads the country in rushing yards.

The fans are a big part of what makes this game so special. Because of last year’s events, no fans were allowed at the game last season. Since both teams have had a good start to the season so far, everyone is fighting to go.

Brief by Erica Proctor

4. COUNTRY

5. WORLD

Hawaii’s volcano Kilauea, is currently spewing lava, and the lava lake on the volcano has been expanding ever since the eruption. The lake is becoming dangerously close to overflowing and spreading towards towns. Kilauea began erupting on Sept. 29 at 3:45 p.m. The volcano hasn’t shown any signs of stopping as far as experts are aware. During the eruption, H2O, Co2, and So2 were released into the air. So2 being released from the summit and shooting into the atmosphere has created vog (volcanic fog) and has been observed moving down the mountain towards more densely populated areas, which would lead to dangerous outcomes. The vog creates dangerous and deadly results.

With the volcano being more active ever since 1924, Kilauea has become much more dangerous. The lava from the volcano hasn’t slowed down its flow, but luckily scientists have been able to contain some of the flow from reaching the populated areas and having deadly consequences.

“Stay inside and avoid any exposure to ash” prompts the USGS. According to the USGS website, vog can lead to airborne health hazards. It can also damage crops and plants in the surrounding area.

The unsettled conflicts between Palestine and Israel have been going on for some time now, and without a solution.

It seems that there hasn’t been enough work done to resolve what’s been erupting between the two countries as they tire over what land is whose and what they can do to keep their people safe.

The airstrikes in Gaza during May of this year shocked the world causing many, especially Palestinians, to protest for their rights. Though, Facebook seems to be adding more fuel to the fire.

Earlier today, insight from Human Rights Watch stated that the company has been censoring content from Palestinians and their supporters.

“With the space for such advocacy under threat in many parts of the world, Facebook censorship threatens to restrict a critical platform for learning and engaging on these issues,” said Deborah Brown, a researcher and advocate, in an interview for Human Rights Watch.

This is not the only instance that this suppression of freedom has occurred. Social media apps like Instagram, also owned by Facebook, removed similar content for “hate speech or symbols” as said in the article.

There has been quite a lack of transparency with the issue so it’s sure that Facebook’s users are in need of an explanation.

Brief by Elijah Henegar

Brief by Sara Milaj

PAGE 3 || NEWS

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

NEWS BRIEFS: 2.

1.

3. COUNTRY

2. STATE

RHS gained some new faces in the building this year, including Ms. Freeman who previously taught at Davison High School. She runs The Talon and teaches Freshman Language Arts. Ms. Everhart is also new to the building and she teaches Algebra 1 and Geometry.

“I have loved teaching here, the atmosphere is amazing,” Ms. Freeman stated. “At first it was scary switching from Davison to here, but I knew I would like Rochester with previous student teaching in the district.”

Ms. Everhart also agrees that switching to Rochester has been a little challenging at first but she has loved how helpful the staff has been.

“I love Rochester,” said Ms. Everhart.

“It has definitely been a challenge starting at a new school but the staff has been very helpful and I love the students.”

Ms. Freeman and Everhart both agreed that it was a challenge at first but have embraced it with the help of other teachers and staff members.

“It has been difficult to make the switch at times but I love everything about Rochester,” said Ms. Freeman.

“It has definitely been an adjustment switching to RHS,” said Ms. Everhart.

“The staff has also been very helpful and supportive.”

Brief by Wyatt Perkins

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

Photo courtesy of Sydne Chambers

1. RHS

4.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, along with Michigan Legislature, passed a $70 billion budget bill and was met with overwhelming bipartisan support.

The bill, which outlines budget provisions for economy and infrastructure as well as new guidelines concerning mask and vaccine mandates, is considered proof that ¨Michiganders elected a divided government, not a dysfunctional one,¨ according to Whitmer in a statement.¨ One section of the bill forbids local health departments from issuing K-12 school mask mandates, and these health departments risk defunding should they issue a mandate. This means it is up to the discretion of individual school districts whether or not to enact mask requirements, without guidance from local health officials.

Because of this, several Michigan school districts have rescinded their school mask mandates.

In her original statement following the bill’s passing, Whitmer did not address the pandemic measures included in the bill directly. ¨We did not come to agreement on certain things,¨ Whitmer says outside the Mackinac Policy Conference, ¨We did on others.”

On Sept. 28, Whitmer released another statement calling the pandemic measures in the bill “unconstitutional and unenforceable.” “These dangerous, anti-public health boilerplate provisions that seek to tie the hands of local health departments, municipalities and universities will not be enforced as part of the final budget.’’

While Whitmer cannot strip these provisions from the bill, legally she can deem them unconstitutional and contest their ability to be enforced.

Brief by Sonja Hansell

On Oct.3, 2021, a massive oil spill happened on the coast of California, dumping more than 126,000 gallons of oil into the ocean, affecting 13 square miles of Californian coast. The leak happened off of Newport Beach and is sealed off to prevent further damage, however the damage is already done.

“We’ve found dead birds and fish washing up on the shore” Orange County supervisor Katrina Foley posted on Twitter.

The effect of this oil spill will affect the environment and its inhabitants for months until the oil is cleaned out of the ocean.

The oil spill situation is described by experts as a “worse case” scenario, as this spill could cause significant harm to the environment and its inhabitants.

There’s so much oil in the area that Foley described it as “egg yolks in the water.”

Foley pleads residents not to disturb the oil splotches and stay away from them to avoid spreading the oil and to avoid damage to health.

Brief by Shannon Carr

4. WORLD Residents of Afghanistan are scared for their life, especially those part of the LGBTQ community. As things have gotten worse the climate has gotten more dangerous and has resulted in disarray.

Some of the turmoil that has ensued so far has been discrimination, assault and rape, as well as harassment and arrest from authorities. Here, homosexuality is seen as taboo and indecent. In an interview with CNN, one of the Taliban’s top decision makers said the country will be run by “Sharia law and that’s it”. A Taliban judge says there are two punishments for homosexuality, stoning or being crushed under a wall.

Under prior control, homosexuality was punishable with two or more years in jail. People are in a constant state of fear now. CNN spoke with LGBTQ Afghans who say they heard reports of friends, partners and members of the community being attacked and raped because of this.

Due to these harsh conditions, many have resorted to hiding.

Many of these people say they feel abandoned by the international community. Any international flights out of Afghanistan already left, and anyone who could have escaped has done so, but there are many who were never able to escape.

Brief by Marta Svirgun

PAGE 4 || FEATURE

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

HOMECOMING 2021

Photo Courtesy of RHS Students

PAGE 5 || FEATURE

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

HUMANS OF ROCHESTER Sophomore athlete Dylan Rodman BRICE BOGGAN STAFF WRITER As we all have hobbies, we have those special moments where we do something amazing.

Dylan Rodman recently had his special moment during one of his football games.

As Rodman runs down the field during the home game on Sept. 16, he starts to feel the adrenaline as he’s about to score the first touchdown for his team. He hears the cheers of his team as the crowd roars. Rodman realized how hard he worked this season to get to the moment he’s at now. As a fellow student of many, and a human of Rochester, it’s important to know about students like Rodman.

“They were doing good blocks and making good holes so I can run it,” said Rodman. “[I] wouldn’t be able to do it without them 100%.”

When Rodman was asked about the touch down, he mentioned the offensive line. Without the line and their efforts, he would not have been able to score the touchdowns. The line and Rodman had to have good teamwork and coordination for Rodman to score the four touchdowns.

“I think it probably could, or at least come close [to varsity’s teamwork] because we have a good team bond,” said Rodman. “Everyone’s great, good atmosphere.” His teammates agreed with this statement.

“He’s cool. He’s all around a great guy,” teammate Ethan McCullough said. “He’s really focused and knows what he’s doing. If you ask him about a job he normally knows. He’s a good leader on the team.”

His coaches, a similar thing.

“Very nice kid. [He] does everything we ask him to do,” Varsity Coach Vernon said. “[He] treats people really well. Really good caliber, high character kid.”

As coach Vernon watches the JV team for the kids he will train next year, he notices Rodman and his good personality. JV Coach Fox, the coach that works with Dylan personally, restates the same.

“I never noticed anything bad about his character at all,” said Fox “He’s shown me that he’s kind of a high character, especially in the locker room and on the field.”

Hearing these good things about him from his teammates and his coaches makes Rodman happy.

“I agree with everything they said,’’ Rodman said. “You know it makes me feel appreciated to hear everything that the coaches and my teammates said.”

Rodman, like most people, works harder to get better at his hobby. So getting a loss can not be the best feeling. On Sept. 16, The Rochester JV team had a home game loss against Adams.

“I mean we worked so hard all week and just coming out and losing is hard,” Rodman said. “I think it really helped motivate us and it made us work harder so we could bounce back and get a win the next week.”

Rodman mentioned how, like all the other players, he was left frustrated about the game. With all the hype leading up to that game, and the chance to redeem themselves from the loss against Stoney Creek, there was a lot riding on their backs. “[I] wish we could get that game back,” Rodman said. “But we’ve just got to keep moving forward and working to get better.”

And they did, winning the following two games and making them four wins and two losses.

On Oct. 12, the JV team had an away game against Oak Park, which resulted in a loss.

“Yeah, I think we will come out on top in tomorrow’s game,” Rodman said, days before the game.

When asked about what Rodman thought happened to result in the loss, he said that he thinks they felt intimidated by their size and that after realizing they didn’t need to be intimidated, they were able to hold them off from Oak Park scoring.

Outside of football, Dylan leads a simple life. He likes to relax when he can, and play video games. He hangs out with his friends often. Overall Dylan is an active person. In the spring, he does sprints for track, in the summer he does morning football practices, and in the fall it is football season. He also likes to go on walks, runs, and bike rides. In practices and conditionings, he tries his best to better himself and his teammates.

Overall, said by others and himself, Dylan Rodman is portrayed as a good man with a great character. One who is liked by his teammates and coaches, who is trusted to get the job done when needed. One who, when gets a loss, expects to learn and grow from it.

Photo courtesy of Dylan Rodman

PAGES 6-7 || FEATURE

HOLLY MCDONALD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

JENNY KIM

(RE)INTRODUCING THE FACES

FEATURE EDITOR

MR. AMORE

MR. WRINKLE Being in charge as the principal of a high school is not an easy job, especially in a time like this. But Mr. Wrinkle has taken this job into his own hands.

Mr. Wrinkle is in his first year of being the principal of Rochester High School after four years of holding his spot as the assistant principal. He has enjoyed his time working under the former principal, Mr. DeLuca; however, the principal position opened up after Mr. DeLuca took another job. Mr. Wrinkle soon knew that he wanted to follow behind his footsteps and fill in the vacancy.

Mr. Wrinkle went to Michigan State University to earn his bachelor’s degree in Biological Science. After his graduation, he was at Rochester Adams High School for seven years, coaching football and track, as well as teaching Biology and Forensics. He always knew he wanted to be a teacher because many of his family members were educators and he was inspired by them to make significant impacts on students’ lives.

“I just wasn’t sure what subject I wanted to teach because I really liked both science and social studies. So it took me some time to figure that out but I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

The decision between science and social studies came to an end when he got offered a position from his student teacher during his senior year in high school who worked at the Detroit Zoo in the educational department. He was offered a position as a camp counselor.

“I loved teaching about different animals and the science behind them, so I knew a couple years after that that I wanted to teach science to high school kids,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

Mr. Wrinkle also got a master’s degree in Educational Administration, which allowed him to work in administration as the assistant principal and principal.

“A couple years ago I started to go back to school at Oakland University, to get my Educational Specialist degree in leadership,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

So far into the school year, Mr. Wrinkle has been adjusting to the new and different roles that are given to him on a daily basis.

“Assistant principals deal a lot with stuff like student discipline and attendance things. I’m learning that in my role as principal, I have a lot more meetings with parent groups and community members, but Mr. DeLuca has always given me an insight into those things, so it isn’t really that different from being an assistant principal,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

Yet, no job comes without difficulties. Challenges are different every year, but predominantly this year, Mr. Wrinkle’s biggest challenge is acclimating the 9th and 10th graders to the high school setting, because they haven’t been able to get the full experience of being in high school.

“I want to help them know our expectations but also be involved and to help form what we are as a school,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

Despite the obstacles, Mr. Wrinkle has been adjusting to his new position smoothly. He enjoys a lot of the same things as the years before, especially the people that are here and having the students back in the building.

“I think the coolest thing to me is that I get to help work with three new assistant principals, so that’s been a fun part of the new role, but a lot of the same things I loved about being an assistant principal, I love about being a principal,” Mr. Wrinkle said.

Mr. Amore has always enjoyed getting to form relationships with his students. You may have seen him as a familiar face around the hall or maybe have even had a conversation with him, but it’s unlikely you know him as well as you know your teachers.

Our principal staff at RHS wants to remain friendly faces around the school and know that they are just as approachable as anyone else in the building.

“I like to get to know kids, and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed in the classroom, and I miss it a little bit now because I don’t have that same type of relationship with kids as I did as a teacher,” Mr. Amore said. “I work on trying to do that by talking to kids at lunch and at games.”

Mr. Amore began his teaching career at Van Hoosen Middle School, where he played a variety of different roles in the building between teaching and athletics.

“I was a seventh-grade history teacher at Van Hoosen Middle School,” Mr. Amore said.

“That was my main subject that I taught, which was mostly ancient history. I also taught sixth grade for a while and I taught an eighth-grade class called multimedia. I had fun with that one; I did everything from photo editing to web page design, audio editing, videos.

Also when I was at Van Hoosen, I was the athletic liaison, so that’s like the middle school version of an athletic director. I also started and coached an archery club. It eventually became a team between Van Hoosen and Adams, so we had a combined team.”

After having his teaching position for nearly a decade, Mr. Amore felt it was time for a change. He strived to accomplish more, driving him to apply for a position as an administrator.

“When the opportunity came up at Rochester High School I was super excited and I jumped on it,” he said. “I wanted to be able to have a bigger impact on a whole building level instead of just my classroom, and have a new challenge for myself.”

When the time did come for Mr. Amore to begin his new position at RHS, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his transition. After teaching half a year at Van Hoosen, he moved to Rochester High in February.

“I was here for a total of three weeks before things got turned upside down with COVID,” Mr. Amore said. “Obviously March 11, 2020 was when that happened. I still enjoyed my time here, and it was not typical, but in a way it wasn’t a bad thing. For my family, my wife was pregnant with my son so I got to be home and help her, and still work from home and spend time with my daughter when things were shut down. The transition was tough, but it was a good thing for my family at the time. I learned a lot and I feel like it helped prepare me for now that we’re back in action.”

Mr. Amore notes that the school spirit at Rochester cannot compare to any other high school, and he wishes that he had had a similar high school experience.

“My high school was fine, I had a good experience and I enjoyed it, but I feel like here at Rochester everyone is more like a family,” he said. “There’s more togetherness, there’s more fun, there’s more school spirit, more pride in our school, and what it means to be a Falcon.

That’s something I’m super excited to be a part of and something I wish I had as a kid.”

Mr. Amore notes that he values a lot of things in life, but one precious thing sticks out to him the most. He hopes that he can carry this understanding through all aspects of life.

“I value time,” Mr. Amore said. “Things like money and possessions, those things come and go. I try to keep that in mind every day that my time is valuable and I want to make the most of it. Whether that is servicing the kids and the staff here at Rochester and making sure I have an impact or making memories with my family, I think time is important.”

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

S OF THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE

MRS. COLLIER

From a Meadow Brook mouse, to a Brooklands bear, to an Hart eagle, to now a Falcon, Mrs. Emily Collier has finally landed at Rochester High School as an administrator. Mrs. Collier is new to RHS and is an assistant principal.

Students spend time with teachers every day and are able to develop a strong bond within the classroom, but a relationship with the admin can look a little different. One may see their faces in the hallways, but how well do students really know our principals?

“I started my career at Meadowbrook Elementary,” Mrs. Collier said. “I did that for five years and then went to Brooklands Elementary where I was a fifth-grade teacher for a few years. I was also a resource teacher at Brooklands. After that, I was at Hart Middle School and I taught sixth-grade math, and math for all middle school students in the resource room. Then I came to Rochester as an RHS Admin.”

Mrs. Collier had known she wanted to be a part of a principal’s staff due to a special circumstance she got to embrace at her most recent school.

“I like change,” Mrs. Collier said. “I was teaching for 13 years, and I really liked when I was the teacher in charge at my old building. I liked being able to reach out to more students than those that were in my classroom. After doing that, I realized that is what I wanted to do, and then they posted this position and I took it as a sign. I applied for it and now I’m here!”

As one can assume, the responsibilities that come with being an admin are very different than those that come with being a teacher. Mrs. Collier noted one of these differences, saying that she is on her feet all day.

“It’s really fast-paced, and every day is different but I enjoy that part of my job,” Mrs. Collier said. “Fun fact— admins on average walk 12,000-15,000 steps a day. There are 1700 kids in this building too, and I want to be able to get to know as many kids as I can. I definitely think I am suited for high school.”

Mrs. Collier has always had a passion for getting to know her students. Even though she doesn’t have a classroom to teach in this year, she still hopes to get to know as many Falcons as possible.

“I’m most looking forward to just being with the students,” Mrs. Collier said. “I love talking to students at lunch and in the hallway and getting involved with them. Because I was a teacher at Brooklands, I know a lot of the students here because I was there when they were in elementary school, so sometimes I’ll recognize somebody.”

As a new face on the principal’s staff, Mrs. Collier wants to assure all students that principals are friendly, approachable and always looking out for one’s best interest.

“I really want students to know that above getting good grades and being successful, I really want them to be happy in their life in general,” Mrs. Collier said. “I think sometimes admins get a bad rep that we’re out to get kids, and that’s the least enjoyable part of this job. I want them to know that they can walk into this office at any time of day if they have a problem, if they want to say something good, if they want to share something that’s happened in their life, or if they just need a moment to color in my stress coloring book, I just want them to know that I’m here to support them.”

One thing most educators can agree on is that they, too, are always learning. Mrs. Collier is able to learn something new every day as a Falcon and takes inspiration from all at RHS. “Mr. Wrinkle inspires me and I think he inspires our team to be better and be leaders in our school and to serve others,” Mrs. Collier said. “If you don’t know it already, our students are leading the way. I am inspired by you guys!”

MS. APRILE

After another school year being affected by COVID, both students and staff are attempting to return to a more traditional school year. To assist in this transition, Ms. Aprile has joined the admin team at Rochester High School as an assistant principal.

Ms. Aprile went to Michigan State University for her undergrad and received her master’s degree in Education Administration. She worked at Clarkston High School for a couple years, where she taught Spanish and English classes. Besides teaching in the classroom, she had a broader impact through several programs.

“I also helped run a couple programs: the Oakland Youth Innovation Lab, some Teacher Professional Development, and a fun Positive Behavior Program,” Ms. Aprile said.

New changes can be challenging at times. But the transition from being a teacher to an administrator has been going better than Ms. Aprile expected.

“I thought I would miss being in the classroom more than I do. There are still some days where I get to pop in when I miss teaching but everyone has been really awesome here so it’s made it really easy. I’m looking forward to getting to know all the students and staff a lot better and to work with all these awesome people,” Ms. Aprile said.

Although it has been a brief time since Ms. Aprile settled into her new position at a new school with a new job title, she already feels the great school culture here. She attended several different school events and experienced the school spirit of RHS. One specific event that stood out the most was the Falcon Frenzy back in September.

“It was just so cool and it was a lot of planning, but so fun to see everyone there. I was in the dunk tank, which was a crazy experience; so for me, that was my first big football game with all the school spirit,” Ms. Aprile said.

Ms. Aprile’s high school experience was different from what she notices today. The main difference was technology and the way students communicated through that.

“Cell phones were just becoming a thing so I did have a cellphone, but it was a flip phone, and we had a minimal amount of text we could send. Also, we didn’t have computers, we had a computer lab, but we didn’t have our own laptops. I think just some of the technologies were the biggest difference,” Ms. Aprile said. “I had to wear a school uniform too where I went, which was very different. So that one was kinda boring, having to wear the same thing everyday.”

Outside of school, Ms. Aprile spends a lot of time with her siblings and parents. She likes to go on walks with her dogs, Lucy and Walter. She bakes a lot and reads often, since she used to be an English teacher. Ms. Aprile also enjoys traveling, having been to a couple different countries. She loves to cook with her fiancé because of their high interest in food.

“I spend a lot of time with my fiancé Tony, we’re getting married this upcoming summer. We are foodies and we love trying new places,” Ms. Aprile said.

While the students and staff are adjusting to the new faces of the admin team, Ms. Aprile wants all of the students to know that they can always come talk to her about anything. Especially about food.

“Even though I’m an administrator, I am also a good listener, I can help with any issues you are having. And I love talking about food, so they can always come talk to me about all different types of food,” Ms. Aprile said.

As an assistant principal, educator, and fiancée, something Ms. Aprile values the most in her life is kindness.

“No matter who it’s with, being kind and understanding is something that is really important for me,” Ms. Aprile said.

PAGE 8 || FEATURE

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

RHS ALUM PUBLISHES DEBUT NOVEL

2010 graduate Mallory Kuhn shares about life after high school and her latest accomplishment HOLLY MCDONALD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It’s been one decade. One decade of hope, dreams, challenges, and life-changing decisions. But after one decade, she finally holds the published novel in her hands; a dream come true.

Mallory Kuhn, who goes by MJ, is a Rochester High School alumni and a newly published author. Her fantasy novel, “Among Thieves” was published by Simon & Schuster and is now available for readers all around the world.

“Among Thieves follows the story of six thieves who have teamed up to steal a magical artifact,” Kuhn said. “The twist is, each member of our heist team is secretly plotting their own betrayal. As the story unfolds, you can get a sense of each thief ’s plan to stab their fellows in the back. Who will win in the end? You’ll have to read to the very end to find out.”

The feelings of holding the novel in her hands for the first time were indescribable for Kuhn. However, many expectations come with being a published author.

“I’ve been trying to get published for almost a decade now, so most people assume that now that the goal has been reached it’s all sunshine and roses,” Kuhn said. “I’m so ecstatic to finally have a book on the shelf at Barnes & Noble. But there are pressures associated with publishing. Now I have to worry about sales and marketing and events, not to mention writing and selling the next book. All the stress is worth it, but it’s definitely a roller coaster!”

Although Kuhn has had the goal of becoming an author for quite some time, her interest in publishing a book only sprouted after college.

“I have always dabbled in writing, but I didn’t actually start writing novels and trying to get published until after college,” Kuhn said. “My favorite genre in all things (writing, reading, TV/movies, games, etc.) is fantasy. I just love being able to immerse myself in an amazing world full of magic and sword fights and stuff.”

The process of publishing a novel can be very time-consuming. For Kuhn, the COVID pandemic made her process even longer.

“I first started drafting ‘Among Thieves’ in 2016,” Kuhn said. “The initial writing and editing process with my agent took three years, and we sold the project to Simon & Schuster in mid-2019. Then, it took over two years after that to actually see it on the shelf. Some of that is thanks to COVID, but for any aspiring authors out there, a lot of that timeline is pretty normal. Publishing moves incredibly slowly, so pack some snacks and be ready to exercise patience.”

Kuhn, although not always knowing she wanted to be an author, has always had an interest

in writing. Some of the classes she took at RHS have influenced her love for writing.

“While at Rochester, I took Creative Writing, Poetry, and Sci-fi Fantasy & Horror,” Kuhn said. “I also took Film Production (Hey, Mr. Guyor!). I wish I had continued pursuing that kind of coursework into college, but I decided to go for a more stable major that was more likely to get me a job right out of college. Sometimes I do wonder where I’d be in my writing career if I’d had the guts to follow that dream right out the gate, though.”

Currency Kuhn is not a full-time author, but that is a goal she may want to pursue down the road.

“I currently work full-time in digital marketing,” said Kuhn. “I help build websites and write marketing copy and things like that. Previously, I worked in higher education, working full-time in the Registrar’s Office at various colleges for about seven years.”

Back in high school, Kuhn was an involved student who left a legacy in many different activities.

“I graduated back in 2010,” Kuhn said. “At Rochester, I was on the drum line, ski team, and softball team, so shout-out to all the folks in those activities, or any activities, honestly follow your passions!”

Finding your passion is not an easy task to do, and Kuhn understands that process is different for everyone. She wants to advise high school students to take it slow, and don’t stress if they don’t know what they want to do after high school.

“In high school, I honestly didn’t really have a clear picture of what I thought I would do with my life after college,” Kuhn said. “I changed my major twice, finally landing on Communication and Advertising. So if anyone reading this doesn’t know exactly what they want to do with their life, don’t sweat it! It’s going to be okay.”

Kuhn has a lot of experience navigating through changes. For anyone who has a passion to follow their dreams, she recommends going for it, no matter how scary the challenges may seem.

“If you have complicated emotions about pursuing your dream, just roll with them,” Kuhn said. “Be patient with yourself. Sometimes things move slowly for reasons outside of your control, and sometimes things move slowly because you’re still learning a skill you need.

Lastly, be kind to yourself. You are probably your own toughest critic, so ease up on yourself and try to take time every once in a while along the journey to appreciate how much you’ve learned and how far you’ve come.”

(Left) Head-shot of Mallory Kuhn. (Right) Novel cover of Among Thieves. Photos courtesy of Amanda Pregler

PAGE 10 || LIFESTYLES

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

REAL TALK: COLLEGE APPLICATIONS The stresses of applying to colleges MEGAN SPLAN

LIFESTYLES EDITOR

As January slowly creeps up upon the seniors of Rochester High School, the stress and overwhelming feelings place a burden on their shoulders.

The pressure of applying to multiple colleges can be overwhelming and difficult for many students at Rochester High School, but with the help form our experienced counselors and other sources, this process can become an exciting experience.

“I really enjoy doing that [helping students apply to colleges], that’s a part of my job that I really really like,” Counselor Mirabito-Messing said. “I really like sitting down with my students and then helping them through the process [of applying]. The part that is more overwhelming for a counselor is probably completing the common app on our part. We have to run transcripts and fill out all of the common app requirements for our students. It can get overwhelming, but working with the students and helping them is very enjoyable about my job.”

Although it can get overwhelming for the students at times when it comes down to submitting the application, some may say it’s the easiest part of the application process. “[When some students] can carve out the time and they’re disciplined and they can get it done,” said Messing. “I’d have to say hitting the submit button because you can feel that relief.”

With college applications it can become super stressful if put on hold or procrastinated for a long time. This is why schools have a deadline for entries and also why schools encourage and try to help their students through the application process.

“I think students’ biggest challenge when applying to colleges is probably finding the time to do it,” Messing said. “Our students are incredibly busy with extracurricular activities, home life and academics. So sitting down and finding the time to do it can be challenging. And the other challenge would be students not knowing where to apply or what to major in, so more of that deadline can be hard for students as well. That uncertainty of not knowing what to major in or what school to go to. It’s so individualistic, it

really depends on the student and what their goals are. So there isn’t a college that I would recommend to all students, it’s really about sitting down with the student and finding out what they’re looking for, what are they comfortable with, what are their goals. So it’s not a one school fits all.”

Juggling school sports and other after school activities can become stressful for students, not to mention choosing what to do with life post-high school. Between deciding a college and a career path, some students may feel that college is not the best option for them post-high school.

“There’s definitely other options, college is not for every student,” said Messing. “I believe that students have to do some kind of training or education beyond high school, but that can look different for each student. It could be an apprentice school, trade school, community college, on the job training, or a college. That’s where I think we need to do a better job with helping our students understand themselves, and where they want to end up so that they follow a path that gets them where they want to be. Because sometimes I see students go to college because they feel that that’s the normal thing to do, but they’re not sure what they want to do. So then they change majors or they are not doing well in classes. so if we could do more in career development in high school, hopefully they will be able to see their path more clearly and see the other options.”

Some important tips and tricks to help not stress too much about applications is to carve out time and sit down at least once a week. This may be a great time to look over and review or edit some essays that one may have written. That’s what makes up a good college application.

“A good college application is going to double check it, review it, make sure everything’s spelled correctly, that you have capitals where you need them, and that you have someone review your essay, ‘’ said Messing. “The essay, if the college requires it or asks for one, is your opportunity for the college to really see who you are as a person and that can be really impactful on your college application. But always have someone proofread it for you.”

(Top) A college setting. (Bottom) College students studying. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

PAGE 10 || COLUMN

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

ADVICE COLUMN

Talon’s input on your pressing questions!

ERIELLE OCAMPO

OPINION EDITOR

For this month’s issue we have decided to start a new column dedicated to helping anyone who needs advice on various topics they have on their mind.. Towards the start of the year, we sent out a google form anonymously asking people for anything they needed advice on and once we collected all of our responses, we got to work! Thank you to everyone who submitted responses, Enjoy!

COLLEGE College and the whole application process can be hectic. So we hope we can help! SAT and ACT preparation is a great thing to do with your down time. Khan Academy is a great place to find free prep questions. Also reaching out to older siblings, friends, and teachers for SAT books and advice is a great way to prepare yourself for the upcoming spring testing! College visits can also be really helpful when finalizing the process of where you want to go. Many colleges offer both online and in person tours where you can sightsee around the campus and see what a typical day is like during the school year. Another thing that many seniors have found helpful when doing the whole college application process is figuring out what you want to major in.

Picking a major can help start off the whole process of essays, picking a college, and choosing what you want to do! There is no pressure of not knowing what you want to do quite yet but choosing a starter path can help you feel more confident during years to come! You’re always expanding your knowledge and learning, college is a great time for this. You’re constantly changing and that’s okay! This is a part of growing up and figuring out what you want to be and what you want to do.

COLLEGE ESSAYS College essays can be overwhelming. I know for me, my mind is always so focused on what I can do to perfect these essays.

But what I had to teach myself is that you can always perfect everything. First, I would plan out where I would want to take these essays. Reading the prompt then strategizing a plan can easily be the first steps to a great essay. Most people go through multiple drafts and different directions which is totally normal. Another thing many upperclassmen do is get others to read it.

Whether it’s one of your past teachers, parents, or closer friends, having other perspectives can help find what parts of your essays are solid and what parts need more work. College essays are your chance to show these schools what you have to offer.

Show them WHY you will be a great part of their community. Never be afraid to truly open up about yourself!

COMING OUT Coming out. I’m gay. I’ve known for years and I’m not at all ashamed of who I am, but I’m afraid of the way my peers will perceive me if I came out. Not to be conceited but I’d consider myself well liked, and I don’t want to be miserable just because I wanted to be myself. My family knows, and so do those that are closest to me, but I can’t bring myself to tell anyone else. Should I bother trying?: “Coming out isn’t something that you should feel pressured to do until you want to,” said LGBTQIA+ member Lauren Teats “It’s totally normal to be scared because of the negative social stigma surrounding the community but it’s also good to normalize it and not let that fear overpower you! If you have a good support system with your friends and family, and you’re already well liked, chances are that others will support you as well. It’s normal to lose people in the process of coming out. I lost a lot of people who I considered friends, but that just means they weren’t meant to be there in the first place. There’s no pressure on coming out, and if you’re comfortable with who already knows then that’s okay! You don’t have to tell anyone else. If you think it’ll make you miserable, then don’t put yourself through that. What I did is just let it float around in the air- if people find out or know because someone told them, then they know and so be it! Most people will be proud of you and just want you to be happy!”

Photos by Erielle Ocampo

PAGE 11 || ENTERTAINMENT

THE TALON STAFF Adviser: Ms. Freeman Editor-in-Chief: Holly McDonald Feature Editor: Jenny Kim Lifestyles Editor: Megan Splan Sports Editor: Preston Schroyer Opinion Editor: Erielle Ocampo Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff

Writer: Wyatt Perkins Writer: Trina Mollicone Writer: Stephanie Bulat Writer: Sonja Hansell Writer: Shannon Carr Writer: Sara Milaj Writer: Randy Herfi Writer: Marti Svirgun Writer: Landon Henderson Writer: Kristine Hart Writer: Kiera Long Writer: Justin Lal Writer: Jake Vanderhoof Writer: Jaemin Kim Writer: Erica Proctor Writer: Elijah Henegar Writer: Brice Boggan Writer: Adriana Duhanaj

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

‘VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE’ Movie review and film analysis JAEMIN KIM

STAFF WRITER Eddie Brock struggles with his alien symbiote Venom to adjust to life as they both have their differences, while serial killer Cletus Kasady escapes from prison as the host of Carnage who is an anarchic spawn of Venom. Eddie and Venom must put their differences to the side as they take on “the red one”. This film is by Andy Serkis, and stars Michelle Williams, Tom Hardy, Naomie Harris, and Woody Harrelson.

My favorite character had to be Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady in the movie. Harrelson’s performance was amazing as he was able to capture the rage and insanity inside Cletus Kasady’s mind just perfectly. He is a guy with an evil grin, multiple awards as an actor and a dark childhood all contributed to the perfect spot as Cletus Kasady, a serial killer. He also played roles as a criminal in other movies which helped him a lot since it gave him basic knowledge on what he is supposed to be as Cletus. I wish I could say that Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock was my favorite character but if I had to choose between Woody Harrelson as Cletus and Tom Hardy as Eddie I would choose Harrelson.

The movie was great. Other than the fact that I haven’t been to the movies in a long time the movie was really exciting.

The movie had great action and great visuals but it lacked a storyline. The story seemed rushed as if they didn’t have enough time to make the movie. The characters were very interesting as individuals but I think we needed more time to get to know each of them. Even though the movie is only about 90 minutes long it was still a nice movie to watch. The movie felt like a 100-meter dash to the post-credit scene, but it was very worth watching.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes action and/or thriller movies. Venom is a good blend of both and has great visuals. Anyone who likes Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson will have a good time watching this movie. Each scene keeps you at the edge of your seat and Venom Let there be Carnage has a great post-credit scene that gives you many different possibilities that could happen in future Marvel movies.

THE TALON POLICY The Talon is the official student publication of Rochester High School. We are now available both in print and online editions. Check out rochestertalon.com, @rhstalon on Twitter, @falconsofrhs on Instagram and like The Talon on Facebook for more great content.

The print edition of The Talon is issued monthly during the school year and is devoted to the interest of the student body, parents and alumni of RHS. The Talon strives to create a publication that is informative, entertaining, accurate and professional.

The mission of The Talon is to accurately, truthfully and professionally report on events and issues that are of interest to the student body, entertain readers and serve as a valuable archive of the happenings of the school.

The views expressed in The Talon are those of the staff or individual staff writers and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration.

The editors encourage communications and reactions from students, alumni, parents and friends of the school.

All communications must be signed, but signatures may be withheld from publication upon request. The Talon values feedback from the community on its articles and other media. However, we maintain the right to censor inappropriate dialogue in comments.

MEMBERSHIPS

(Top) Venom: Let there be Carnage Title. Photo courtesy Wikameadia (Bottom) Movie Theater. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

PAGE 12 || SPORTS

THE TALON || OCTOBER 2021

2021 HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME The Falcons take home the big win on homecoming night PRESTON SCHROYER SPORTS EDITOR

The last couple years have been nothing but normal. So many events that the students were looking forward to were taken away from them last year. There wasn’t a homecoming football game last year, which is an event where the students and alumni of Rochester High come back to see.

Fast forward a year, Rochester High is taking on Oak Park in the homecoming game in an important divisional game.

Going into the game, Rochester’s record is 4-2. They were off to a great start as they are coming off an undefeated regular season the year before. Rochester has not been very successful in the past against Oak Park, so they were looking for some revenge.

“This team has seemed to never back down from their opponents no matter who they play,” Varsity Coach Fox said.

“They really took in the message that it’s not who you play, it’s how you play.”

The stadium was full as everybody was ready for the big game. The team ran out from under the bleachers and the stadium was rocking. Rochester came out hot as Junior Alex Bueno threw a dart for the first touchdown of the game.

All the momentum seemed towards Rochester as Oak Park couldn’t get anything going on offense. Defensive players Cam Czerwien and Peyton Osentoski were making great plays, tackling the opposing players behind the line of scrimmage.

“We had a great week of practice and we were prepared,” Senior Cam Czerwien said.

At the end of the first quarter, Rochester was up 7-0. Oak

Park wasn’t ready to give up yet. They scored right at the start of the second quarter to tie the game up. The offense needed to step up and pick up the defense. They did just that. Juniors Grant Calcagno and Jaiden Bolden made big plays through the drive, marching down to Oak Parks one yard line. Needing only one yard, Qb Bueno ran right up the middle for his second touchdown of the game.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” Junior Alex Bueno said.

“Whatever this team needs me to do, I will do it!”

Bueno has shown this all year. He fights for extra yards and has developed into a big leader for this falcon team and offense.

Oak Park answers again. They drive down for another touchdown showing their athleticism and their great run game. Oak Park was now winning 14-13 as Rochester missed an extra point. Both teams were executing very well and seemed very well disciplined. Right before halftime Rochester scored again. Rochester kept punching back to each score they had.

“This team handles adversity very well,” Coach Fox said.

“They have had chances all year to give up but get up and punch back.”

The falcons went into the locker room feeling confident, but they knew they had a few mistakes to clean up. A couple holding calls hurt them, which one took back a touchdown that would’ve put them up by two touchdowns. The second half was again back and forth. Oak Park was driving into the Falcons territory trying to extend their lead. The score was

22-20. On second down, Senior Linebacker Nick Gerbi made a great tackle for a loss and the next play, Senior Cornerback Hunter Krempel had a pass break up which led to a turnover on downs.

The falcons only had 5 minutes to score. Great runs by Alex Bueno and Grant Calgagno allowed the offense to get into scoring range. Oak Park made a great stop forcing the falcons to attempt a field goal.

“I just love playing with this team,” Senior Peyton Osentoski said. “We have so much fight in us and I know that we are never out of a game.”

This field goal would put them up by 1 point. Junior Aidan Osentoski lined up the field goal. He nailed it, putting the Falcons in the lead. The whole stadium was filled with electricity.

The falcons needed one more defensive stop for them to win the game. Oak Park got a couple first downs. They were in field goal range but showed no signs of bringing out the field goal team. They threw 3 incomplete passes and it was now 4th down. It came down to one more play. He dropped back, and tried to find his favorite target. The Oak Park receiver ran across the middle of the field with a defender right next to him. The quarterback tried to sneak in the pass but it was incomplete. The whole team rushed to the student section to celebrate the big win with their friends.

Falcons at the homecoming football game. Photo courtesy of Nicole T.

“All the players have made this season so special. Everyone has a good work ethic and we would do anything for each other.”

-Senior Cam Czerwien Photo courtesy of Cam Czerwien

“My teammates made the season very enjoyable because they make practice fun and we are always laughing.”

-Senior Leah Stone Photo courtesy of Leah Stone

“Our team was special because we were very talented and we worked together very well. It helped us play as a team.”

-Senior Griffin Chamberlin Photo courtesy of Griffin Chamberlin