0607-9

May 17, 2007 - Volume XVII - Issue 9 -

Dexter High School - 2200 N. Parker Road - Dexter, Mi 48130

THE

Squall

Photo by Kim Wiesner

With only 23

HOURS left in their high school experience, take a look at the last 18 YEARS of the class of 2007 on PAGES 8,9 Violence hits home: Recent occurrences of violence across the nation stir up local threats

page 2

Baccalaureate: Students plan traditional religious service on their own as community religious committee backs out

page 3

Roughing it: Teachers spend the night outside the school despite little money raised for Key Club fund raiser

page 4

Prom goes Bond: James Bond-themed prom dazzles students with amazing decorations and new things to do

page 14

2

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

news

When

VIOLENCE

hits home

Marsh, several others, receive threats Katie Fricke features editor

Three teachers received fake e-mails with the return address of Principal Kit Moran on April 24 and 25. Although they were not sent from Moran, they did lead to the suspension and criminal investigation of the three students allegedly involved in sending them and subsequently making threats.

“Students found a web site called fakesend.com (which is now closed down), and e-mailed teachers from my e-mail address,” Moran said. “(Social Studies teacher Tracy) Stahl received an e-mail that looked like it was from me that said something like, ‘I need to talk to you about your career.’ (Band teacher Ken) Moore got an e-mail that also looked like it was from me that said something about the band. (English teacher Deb) Marsh also got e-mail coming from my address. None of the e-mails had threats in them.”

Moran said the students who allegedly sent the e-mails also found two other web sites where users can send text messages from an e-mail address and also a web site where users can send anonymous voice mail.

“Mrs. Marsh got some text messages and voice messages that said something scary about her and her daughter,” Moran said. “The threats were taken very seriously, although I was 99.9 percent sure the students would not act on these threats.”

According to Marsh, not only was her oldest daughter Abbey threatened in these texts and voicemails, but a student in her second hour was threatened as well.

“At 9:21 I received the first of three text messages all saying they came from moran@dexter.k12. mi.us,” Marsh said. “This one said, ‘Your daughter abby(sic) is unsafe.’ The next (text message) came at 9:24. It said ‘tell(senior) Kevin Monteith he is next.’

The final one came at 9:31. It said, ‘Kevin Monteith soon as we could.”

Although school was never canceled due to the is NEXT!’.”

Marsh said she didn’t take any of this too seri- threats and false e-mails, Moran said he took many safety precautions and did the best he could with ously until her daughter was threatened.

“It wasn’t until they threatened my daughter did the information he had at the time.

“I had police in the building, along with a few exI take it seriously,” she said. “I really couldn’t figure out how anyone here would know her so I thought it tra hall monitors,” Moran said. “I sent out e-mails to teachers and parents to inform them the best I was really strange and disconcerting.”

When Marsh’s daughter, Abbey Craft, was noti- could at the time.”

And as soon as Moran was aware of what was fied about the threats, she, too, was shocked.

“My initial reaction was complete surprise and happening, he said he called police liaison officer shock,” Craft said. “But my mom sounded serious Paul Mobbs in to investigate.

“I sat down with Mobbs and (Assistant Princiso I believed her. I couldn’t believe that someone pal Tim) Authier, and we all discussed what to do,” would want to hurt us.”

Moran said. “Mobbs notified the poMonteith, though, said lice where Marsh’s daughter lives to he took the threats seriousinform them on the situation. The ly, right away.

Each student involved Washtenaw County Sheriff technol“I was pretty shocked,” had different parts. ogy department worked with our he said. “I tried to think Mobbs, Authier and I technology department to figure who could have done it. I need to sit down and out where these threats were comtook it pretty serious. My decide together on the ing from.” mom and all my friend’s punishments.”

Craft said the police in Colorado moms were freaking out.” used many safety precautions as Monteith also said he - Kit Moran, well. thinks administrators and principal “Because of the incident at Virpolice did not keep him upginia Tech and because the police dated frequently enough reports were filed in two counties about the investigation.

“It really sucks the police and school left me out here in Colorado as well as with my school, the Uniof the loop,” Monteith said. “The rumors at school versity of Colorado, the police told me that I should not come to campus until we got more information,” was where I got all my information.”

However school liaison deputy Paul Mobbs said she said. “They also told me I should not stay in my the school did not have very much information, but apartment, and I should remove all of my contact as soon as they did, they passed it on to Monteith’s information from places like the school directory, my Facebook account and if I could think of any family.

“We did not have much information to give,” other place where I had contact information.”

According to Moran, after a 48 hour investigaMobbs said. “We made (Kevin) aware with what information we had and informed his family more as tion, a group of students was called in for question-

“

ing.

“The technology folks figured out the e-mails were being sent from the school on a lap top,” Moran said. “Last Thursday we were able to identify the students involved. As of now, over three students were involved.”

Moran said the consequences of the students will vary depending on how involved they were.

“Each student involved had different parts,” Moran said. “Mobbs, Authier and I need to sit down and decide together on the punishments.”

One student involved, junior Chris Paddock, was suspended for five days.

“I loaned my lap top to someone who sent out the threats,” Paddock said. “I did not know it was being used for that before it happened. My friends and I did some pranks on it, like sending the fake emails, but I never sent any of the threats. I got a five day suspension for having Internet on my computer and sending the fake e-mails.”

Paddock said he knows it was a wrong thing to do but does not think the other students involved should be expelled.

“It was a stupid thing to do,” Paddock said. “I don’t think the person who sent the threat came up with the idea on her own. Everyone was around her telling her to do it. It definitely was not meant as a threat.”

The other students allegedly involved in the incident have not returned to school and could not be reached for comment.

Real threat or not, though, Marsh said she was glad to have Mobbs in the school during the whole situation. “Luckily we have Paul Mobbs in the building,” she said. “He was incredibly helpful and reassuring during the whole thing. We are living in a time of national crisis in terms of school and work violence. It could happen to anyone, anywhere.”

Photo from US News/ MCT

Is Dexter at risk of in-school violence?

Austin Shapiro managing editor

V

irginia Tech. Columbine. Chelsea. Dexter? In our small town, the thought that we could ever have such a horrific event as a school shooting take place seems ridiculous. But it’s that kind of neglectful back turning that leads to these awful occurrences.

As students pace the halls, it’s doubtful that they are glancing around corners suspiciously looking for possible assailants, because at school we feel sheltered. At school we feel safe. We don’t think we’re

YEARBOOKS

are available for purchase in room 407.

Cost is $75, first come first serve.

at risk of being caught in the line of fire. Our greatest fear is that we will be trampled in the middle stairwell after lunch. But why do we feel so safe?

What has warranted this sense of security?

In 1992 a school shooting shook Chelsea. A disgruntled teacher came back to the high school after leaving a meeting and fatally shot the superintendent and wounded the principal. This is not a warning to watch out for angry teachers. It is a reminder that just because we’re a small town in Michigan, we aren’t guaranteed safety. And for the record, Dexter is larger than Chelsea.

School violence happens more than we like to believe. Last year, a crazed truck driver, suffering from some kind of mental dysfunction, marched into a Pennsylvanian Amish schoolhouse and killed every girl in the building.

In March 2005, a student shot and killed five of his peers as well as a teacher and an unarmed security guard. This was after he killed his grandfather

“

and grandfather’s girlfriend at their home on the Red Lake Indian reservation in Beltrami County, Minnesota.

These both pale in magnitude when compared to perhaps the most infamous school shooting in recent history prior to the Virginia Tech massacre. At ColumFor a few days, bine High School in though, we caught Littleton, Colorado, a a glimpse of what town about the size of Ann Arbor, Eric Harit was like to be a ris and Dylan Klebold student at Virginia killed 12 students, a Tech or Columbine teacher and wounded in those days of 24 others before takstrife.” ing their own lives.

For months the country sat shellshocked. But as time went by we forgot. We moved on. And then Virginia Tech happened. Once again America stood still, not knowing how to react.

Some asked how this could have happened,

again. Some asked how to prevent it from happening, again. Most just sat there, withholding reaction until they realized what had happened.

In eight years we have accomplished nothing in preventing school violence. We’ve made no changes to insure our safety. We’ve done nothing to warrant our beliefs that at school we are safe.

Recently, our school felt the scare of possible violence.

Three of our teachers were threatened. Luckily, nothing transpired from the threats, and those who made them were caught. For a few days, though, we caught a small glimpse of what it was like to be a student at Virginia Tech or Columbine in those days of strife.

This time, don’t forget how it feels to see the gruesome pictures on TV. How it feels to see the families of the victims crying. How it feels to see the rows of freshly dug graves.

Remember this history so that we are never doomed to repeat it. For now Dexter is a small town scarcely known outside of Washtenaw County. Let’s hope it stays that way.

The Squall congratulates the

SENIOR CLASS OF 2007 2007.

To keep receiving The Squall when you’re out of Dexter High School, send us an email at letters@thesquall.com with your request and your address. Subscriptions are $20 for 9 issues.

3

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

news

Baccalaureate run by students

For the first time in 20 years a pastoral board won't plan the ceremony this year Charlie Pettit staff writer

Baccalaureate, a religious service held for seniors on the Sunday before their commencement, will be student-planned for the first time in 20 years, and it will also be switched to Wednesday for the class of 2007.

A pastoral board has normally planned the ceremony, but this year the board backed out of its usual role.

The board put their 20 years of organizing the ceremony behind them because they didn’t see much student interest in the ceremony in the years that they were in charge of it, according to Allison Warr.

“I got a letter from the pastoral board saying that they weren’t going to plan the Baccalaureate ceremony this year,” senior Allison Warr said. “I felt like I had to help with the planning because I got the letter, so I called the meetings and helped to decide what format we were going to use.”

Members of the pastoral board did not return e-mails seeking comment on the reasons for them not organizing the ceremony this year, but Warr thinks there were some other underlying reasons.

“We think it’s because last year ended up being a huge fiasco with the administration,” Warr said. “Many parents complained that last year’s ceremony was being funded with the senior class money including all the postage stamps that invited students to attend the ceremony.”

So Warr contacted fellow seniors Kim Wiesner and Will Desrochers, and they all took

on the responsibility of planning the ceremony along with the help of math teacher Brian Baird.

“We saw it as an opportunity for us to do what we want to do with the ceremony and to reach more kids,” Wiesner said. “(The previous way Baccalaureate was done) was all right, but it was boring when they had a lot of old people speak, and we want to focus it more on Christianity and teach the kids more about the Gospel.”

Desrochers said making the service more student-oriented was one of his top concerns.

“It’s going to be more enjoyable because we’re running it the way we want to run it and having people we want to speak, speak,” he said.

“It’s kind of like Burger King. We’re having it our way.”

So this year the ceremony is planned to be an hour and a half long on May 30, in the center for Performing Arts at 7.

Speakers include senior Sarah Rademaker, physical education teacher Angie Scott and youth pastor Matt Demorest.

“A worship period has also been planned, as well as showing a Nooma video by Rob Bell, a Christian DVD meant to tackle life topics and spark conversation to those attending,” Wiesner said.

Pastors around the community are also expected to give prayers throughout the ceremony.

“Everyone should come to the ceremony,” Warr said. “Seniors will be facing many tough decisions in the future, and the ceremony is trying to help them make the decisions they are supposed to make.”

“I felt like I had to help with the planning because I got the letter.”

- Allison Warr, senior

“We saw it as an opportunity for us to do what we want to do with the ceremony.”

- Kim Wiesner, senior

“It’s kind of like Burger King. We’re having it our way.”

- Will Desrochers, senior

Angered: Junior Chris Henes says rugby jerseys should be allowed in school.

“They did an excellent job, the group took initiative and change to get things done.”

- Brian Baird, math teacher

other: it sells food not just alcohol.”

In fact, Henes said a class shirt some The rugby team was told by administra- seniors are wearing has a more direct imtors that they cannot wear their team uni- plication to alcohol.

“The senior shirt has the word ‘Dreadforms in the high school because the name of one of their sponsors, “Dexter Pub,” ap- naughts’ printed so that it looks like a pears on the shirt.

Budweiser can,” Henes Assistant Princisaid, “and on the back it says, ‘Dread responpal Tim Authier told sibly’. This is definitely the team that if they Dexter’s Pub is just a more direct implicawore the shirts to a restaurant like any tion of alcohol, and I school, they would don’t know why they have to cover up other: it sells food, can wear their shirts the advertisement not just alcohol.” when ours only has the by turning the shirt name of a restaurant inside-out, which - Chris Henes, on it.” upset members of junior Authier, however, the team.

“It’s said administrators really are only enforcing the dumb,” junior Chris rules.

Henes, a member of “It’s district policy that students not the team, said. “The administration said we needed to turn the shirts inside-out be- wear shirts that promote the sale of alcocause they inspired people to drink. But hol,” Authier said. “The state considers Dexter Pub is just a restaurant like any students in public schools a captive audi-

“

ence, and because of this advertisements cannot be made for services that are illegal for minors.

“The senior class shirt is also a concern,” Authier said. “But it is not possible for the administration to police every single student and what he or she wears. We are not trying to slam the students for what they wear to school, but we do have to enforce the rules the school board passed.

“What makes the rugby shirts different than other shirts is the fact that the word ‘Pub’ explicitly advertises alcohol,” Authier said. “If the pub were to come up with a logo or another way to advertise their restaurant, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

But Henes said Authier’s explanation doesn’t sit well with the team.

“I’m disappointed that this is a problem when the real problem is students actually drinking and smoking,” he said. “A shirt that says ‘Dexter Pub’ on it is really no different than any other shirt with the name of a restaurant on it. Both places sell alcohol.”

Library moves to new location Rawlin Myers staff writer

As early as this summer, construction will start on the new Dexter District library on Alpine Street in downtown Dexter. The new location will be significantly larger than the current library on Fourth Street, and according to library board members it will feature more space for materials, ample parking and enhanced access to new technology.

Library patrons at DHS are awaiting the new building.

“I’m a pretty big library fan,” junior Francis Bremmer said. “I check out a lot of books, and the librarians are super nice.”

In 2002, following several public forums, the library board decided on a new larger building, and bought two properties on Alpine Street, overlooking the Huron River. The new plan calls for a two story building totaling up to 25,000 square feet and will also provide room to grow for the next 15-20 years. In 2002, a proposal for a single story building located south of the high school

was rejected by a 2-1 margin.

“In the last 10 years, library use has increased over 282 percent,” library director Paul McCann said. “In 1994, the library circulated 17,559 items. Last year, the library circulated 265,613 items.”

According to the district library’s web site, the current facility faces many constraints, including limited study space, insufficient room to house new books and materials, narrow aisles and limited capacity for programs and meetings.

“The library board recognized the insufficiencies in our current location several years ago,” McCann said. “As the library began to add significantly more materials and offer more programming opportunities, use of the library increased dramatically.”

According to McCann, the new location will solve the problems that the current building suffers, mainly lack of space for holding programs.

It will also provide more shelf space for new materials, quieter study areas and improved public access computers.

Close forced to leave French Matt Close, a long-term substitute for French II and III, had his last day of school on April 25. Close began substituting for French classes when former French teacher Harry Wilcox took a medical leave due to brain cancer.

According to Principal Kit Moran, Close was originally supposed to substitute from 2006-07, but the district attorney said otherwise. The attorney pointed out that it is illegal to hire a substitute for more than 150 days without offering a permanent position. So Close was let go.

“He never even let us know he was leaving,” sophomore Laura Brakhage, a student in Close’s French II class, said. “It was definitely a huge surprise.”

• Close

Mill Creek wins school award

Rugby jerseys deemed inappropriate Scott Sarver staff writer

BRIEFS

NEWS

Mill Creek Middle School was presented with the Schools to Watch Award, the only middle school in Michigan to win the award presented by the Schools to Watch Organization. The organization cited Mill Creek as having academic excellence, being responsive to student needs and socially equitable. Mill Creek has won other awards for excellence including Michigan Awards for Student Council and Governor Service Award for community service and volunteering. Mill Creek Principal Jamie Bronson said the new award is one the whole community can take pride in.

“Without the support of the parents and the community,” she said, “Mill Creek would not be where it is today.”

F&N changes to healthier menu Dexter Food and Nutrition will change their offerings next year in an attempt to make lunch healthier. “We are modifying the menu to incorporate healthier ideas,” Sara Simmerman, Director of Food and Nutrition, said. “But the old favorites and popular items will remain.” According to Simmerman, Dexter Food and Nutrition is partnering with Whole Foods to have educational food demonstrations and taste testing. Upcoming changes in the menu include a wider variety of fruits and vegetables and foods with higher protein and less fat.

Woolfolk retires after 35

Illustration courtesy of Maria Brundage

Relocated: The Dexter Community Library moves to a new location in Dexter and will upgrade to a brand new building to better serve its patrons.

“I believe the new library will be a real milestone for the Dexter area,” McCann said. “It will be an attraction that draws people downtown, bolsters our sense of community and provides an attractive destination for people from all over.”

Band Director Gerald Woolfolk announced his retirement after 35 years of teaching.

“My goal was to teach at least 30 years, but I ended up teaching for five more,” Woolfolk said. “It takes courage to retire when you like your job so much.” Though Woolfolk said he would miss many things, he said he would miss the students the most. “The kids are so wonderful,” Woolfolk said.

“I will miss all of their smiling faces.”

4

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

feature

Key Club uses teachers incentive for fundraiser Shut eye: English Teacher Zach Lindke and social studies teacher Ryan Baese try to get some sleep in the tent outside the commons.

Luke Altomare staff writer

Blowin’ off some steam: Baese and Social Studies teacher Ken Koenig use a leaf blower to inflate their air mattresses. They then turned the blower on each other.

Prepared for anything: With a flashlight strapped to his head, Baese puts the finishing touches on his tent. First he put up the siding, which helped make a stable tent for the night.

Working as a team: Hoping it doesn’t rain, Koenig and special educaton teacher Amy Raus work to put up a tent for the night to keep dry.

Recently on the doors of classrooms signs have appeared reading, “I’m Participating In The Teacher Camp Out,” which is the first fundraising event organized by the Key Club, a student-run organization that provides community service.

The president of Key Club is junior Gina Steffey, and the faculty adviser is Amy Raus.

Teachers participating in the camp out kept collection cups in their classrooms where students deposited donations to the club.

If a teacher collected $100, on May 11 he had to camp out overnight in the school courtyard.

The money raised is going to be used to adopt a family for Christmas next school year according to Steffey.

“During Christmas we adopt a poor family in the Washtenaw County area, and we buy them Christmas presents and make sure they have food for Christmas,” Steffey said. “We wanted to do that this year, but we didn’t have enough money.”

The suggestion of a camp out came from a parent during last school year, but there wasn’t enough time to organize it.

However, the teacher camp out failed to attain as much money as the club wanted. Out of the 16 faculty members collecting money, none of them raised the required $100 that would have them camp out.

Raus and Steffey attribute this to a lack in advertising and the amount of money required. The teacher camp out’s publicity consisted solely of the posters on the doors and a daily message on the morning announcements.

“Our goal was a little lofty,” Raus said.

One of the teachers participating in the camp out was human growth and development teacher Shirley Bitters who said she participated because she wanted to help the less fortunate.

“It’s good for us to support organizations and staff that are involved in community service activities and so I’d just like to help,” she said. “I’m a little disappointed that we weren’t able to raise more money.”

However, despite the financial shortfall, some teachers, like social studies Ken Koenig, are planning to camp out anyway.

“I made a commitment ahead of time to say that I would.” Koenig said. “The incentive was to get $100, but those who did pay deserve at least (for us) to see it through.”

Next year, Raus said, Key Club will advertise the event more and require a smaller amount for the teacher to camp out.

Also, she said, the collection jars will be placed out during lunch and students can decide which one to donate to. “It’s sort of a typical jar-wars idea,” she said.

Despite this setback, Raus said her club is hopeful that next year will be better.

“Even though we didn’t raise a huge amount of money, it’s all going to a good cause,” she said. “We appreciate everyone’s support in the Key Club and everything they do.”

Lounging around:

Baese and Lindke sit on the couch that was brought to the campout from Lindke’s room. Luckily for Lindke, their camp was not out of his cell phone’s service.

Photos by Maria Brundage

(734) 769-3888 www.sunrisetees.com 5277 Jackson Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48103

5

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Q A &

Freshman Erin McAweeney

By: Conor Daining Q: True or false section.

You have three seconds to answer each question.

A: OK Q: My brother has 10 fingers.

feature

Best things to do over summer Kelsey Schiltz entertainment editor

Ah summer. For seniors it is only days away, while the rest of you must suffer until June. Regardless of when your summer does begin, it goes by way too fast.

And although spending countless days by the pool or sleeping in until noon is fun, it makes summer blur into an indistinguishable mess. Instead of watching the days fly by, take advantage of the freedom that summer offers by trying some of these ideas.

Get a job. I know I just sounded like a parent, but seriously, getting a job is a good idea. It’s easier to handle a job without school, and think of all the money you will make. Also there are plenty of jobs out there that won’t be a complete buzz kill to your summer.

Go floating down the Huron River with friends. This is an inexpensive way to have a lot of fun. I mean the river is right there. All you

A: True. (False)

have to do is buy a $10 raft. However, be aware of the rapids and drunken canoers. They’ll getcha.

Venture to downtown Ann Arbor. With attraction such as Top of the Park and The Art Fair, how can you avoid such a great city? I recommend that you explore the deuce, run around the top floor of parking lots and go to the Diag.

Go to Cedar Point. This is a summer necessity and worth waking up early for.

Read books. Do not act like you

Kyle Boren staff writer

(End True/False)

Since Stucci’s moved to town, many are asking “Which ice cream parlor is better, Stucci’s or DQ?” So here are the pros and cons of both parlors.

Dairy Queen Pros: • The young attractive staff. It creates a better surrounding and keeps the high school boys coming back. Everybody loves a Dairy Queen girl.

• The outdoor chairs and umbrellas are perfect for the summer days when most people visit Dairy Queen.

• The tradition it has in Dexter. It has been here since most students can remember. When one thinks ice cream in Dexter, Dairy Queen im-

Q: What’s wrong with me?

A: Um, your beard?

Q: Do you feel you are more mature than most guys in your grade?

A: Yes, totally.

Q: Do you feel you are more mature than your brother, Colin?

A:Yes, all the time.

Q: Would you prefer dating older guys?

A: Yes. Q: What one senior guy would you like to date?

A: Danny Jackson.

Do spontaneous acts and don’t have any regrets.”

Have a movie day with friends.

This summer there are bound to be a few days of gloomy rain, so curl up inside and watch all the movies you have ever wanted to see.

A: False. (True)

A: Is that the question?

Camp outside. Get a group of friends together, set up tents, open truck hatches and get some tunes going. You’ll have fun underneath the stars, chilling by the bon fire, s’more in hand.

Go out to Silver Lake with friends.

It’s about a 15 minute drive and a day pass is $6. Enjoy bar-b-quing with friends, playing sand volleyball or floating in the lake.

Go to the Peach Mountain observatory on a clear warm night. You’ll be amazed by how much you can see through that giant

telescope. It’s a fun and informational activity. This could also be romantic for the young couples in love.

Drive around aimlessly with friends. Put your windows down and blare your music as loud as possible. You’ll enjoy driving without a destination.

Go to concerts. Lots and lots of concerts. They are fun and some are even free. Summer concerts are the best thing on the planet.

Go out to Hudson Mills and go disc golfing. This is popular among a lot of guys, but girls should try it also. The sport is fun, yet chill at the same time. While playing the course you can stop and have a picnic.

In the end summer is our two months of freedom before we go back to the hell known as school. With that in mind, live it up as much as you can. Do spontaneous acts and don’t have any regrets. Most importantly have fun and be safe.

The battle between soft serve and handdipped ice cream

Q: I ate 10 blazin’ wings at Barbeque Buffalo Wings.

Q: The time in Hong Kong is 11:06.

“

will be busy the whole summer with absolutely no down time. When you’re not out and about, read a little bit. You’ll thank me when you’re brain doesn’t turn to mush and you can function when school starts.

mediately comes to mind.

Dairy Queen Cons • It is not open throughout the year, which means Stucci’s is the only other choice.

• The ice cream is soft serve, which means the quality is a bit lower.

• All DQ has is ice cream, unlike Stucci’s.

Stucci’s has Oscar Meyer hot dogs and Kraft Mac and Cheese.

Stucci’s Pros • The abstract indoor atmosphere is really modern and interesting, and it’s a cool thing to have for the young crowd.

• It is open throughout the whole year so people can get ice cream, hot dogs and mac and cheese.

• Stucci’s has the ever-classic Superman ice

cream. Don’t ask me why any ice cream parlor wouldn’t have this type of ice cream. Why not, DQ? Stucci’s Cons • Gross, utterly awful milkshakes, especially for the high price tag. They have shakes that have a bunch of random flavors that don’t mix well.

• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Oscar Meyer Wieners at an ice cream parlor. But why?

• Stucci’s is hidden behind other businesses, compared to DQ which is on Dexter’s Main Street, in town, right next to the gazebo.

Ultimately the winner is the Dairy Queen because of the history and because it’s right in town.

Sorry Stucci’s. You can’t beat the tradition of Dairy Queen.

The real story about Neil The counselor's secretary, Harold Neil Reichard, enjoys his job and helping students daily Conor Daining staff writer

To some he is known as Harold. To others Mr. Reichard. But to most he is simply known as Neil.

Originally named Harold Neil Reichard after his father, he changed it shortly after because as he said, “Neil Harold sounds better than Harold Neil.”

Reichard first began working in Dexter as a substitute custodian. But after only just beginning he was laid off with five other custodians.

That led him to apply for a new position as Assistant Director of Grounds.

He had previous experience as Director of Grounds and secretary at Northville Schools so he was hired for both positions.

“My primary job after moving here was opening the new high school up though,” Reichard said.

“I like dealing with students,” Reichard said. “I get to help them with their transcripts and getting into college. That’s my priority.”

Reichard said he spends most of his time in the counseling office during the day dealing with transcripts and passes.

“When a student is accepted at a

college, they’re very happy, and I tell them I’m happy for them and we can share that happiness,” he said.

Aside from work Reichard met his late wife, Leslie, on a commuter train, and soon they married in 1972. She was a dog lover and trained three golden retrievers which later became his passion too.

Reichard occasionally took his wife to car shows in Detroit, but she was more interested in her dogs. When Reichard saw a car in a book he thought his wife would like, he bought it for her on eBay from Amsterdam in 2003 in an attempt to peak her interest.

In 1992 Reichard and his wife divorced, but they remarried in 2000.

“We had our own individual problems, and they were solved, so we just got back together,” he said.

A few years after, Leslie got sick with lung cancer. It spread to every part of her body he said, and sadly in January 2007 she died.

After her death, Reichard and Leslie’s friends decided it was his job to raise and train her dogs, especially her youngest retriever named Tartan.

Tartan proved a difficult dog for Neil to train. He said, “We laugh. The dog knows obedience, and I don’t. It’s like he’s training me.”

Photo by Maria Brundage

Diligently working: Harold Neil Reichard sits in the counseling office helping students with their schedules. Richard also works alongside the counselor aids who help him.

• Reichard first began working in Dexter as a substitute custodian.

The Facts

The Squall

• He was hired as both Director of Grounds and secretary.

• He enjoys working with students and helping with transcripts.

• He enjoys training his dog a golden retriever named Tartan.

• Occasionally Reichard would take his wife to car shows in Detroit.

• Reichard changed his name from Harold Neil to Neil Harold.

Going to College?

Students, use your Apple education discount today.

Shop Now at: www.apple.com/education/store

6

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

entertainment THE

TRICKLE This month’s Trickle is an elegant and mind provoking piece from none other than senior Scott Campbell. This inspired work was composed during the wee hours of layout night and has captured the hearts of many.

Enjoy!

Myspace or Facebook: which one is better?

David Pisano staff writer

For the last decade, teens have been flocking to the Internet as a means of connecting with other people. The explosion of online personal accounts such as MySpace and Facebook in the last few years is unprecedented. Remember when the closest thing to these was a measly “buddy profile” on instant messengers?

These titans of online social interaction have attracted not only teens, but also the likes of movie production companies, musical artists and authors. They are undeniably great ways to keep in touch with and meet new people, although I would not recommend trying to “meet up” with anybody you don’t know.

Lately, with the booming popularity of Facebook, almost two separate ethnicities, MySpacers and Facebookers, have developed. The question is, It came before which one is better?

Facebook. Also, it First, MySpace. allows a lot of It came before Facecreativity with book. Also, it allows a background design lot of creativity with background design on on your page. your page. You can post pictures, write whatever you want and you can choose who you want to be able to look at your page and who you don’t. You can also have music or videos playing on your page.

There are groups and networks that you can join, but they are pretty insignificant in the MySpace community. MySpace is defi-

nitely the more ghetto of the two, as it is featured in several rap songs, and its members tend to be slightly more hardcore. It is also more popular among the musical artists and movie companies.

Facebook has most of the things MySpace has. You can also post pictures, write what you want and choose who can see your page. What it does not have is the music or the creative backgrounds.

I think the design of the Facebook page is much nicer and easier to use anyway.

Facebook has groups, which you can join or create. MySpace does, too, but the set up is much more desirable in Facebook because the group has its own page It is all those on which members can post picsmall details that tures and notes. add up to make Facebook also has features like tagging people in pictures, poking Facebook the better and the “Friend Quiz.” These feaof the two. tures may seem insignificant, but it is all those small details that add up to make Facebook the better of the two.

Overall, Facebook is supreme.

It has a much classier feel to it and has many more practical features. It has clearly become the more popular of the two and rightfully so.

So if you’re looking for a great way to keep in touch with the people that you see every day, talking to them in person seems good enough. But if not, Facebook is the way to go. I will admit, though, it is a great thing for college kids who are separated from all their old friends.

“

“

Illustration by Luke Altomare

The Vikings came across the seas To distant lands their gods appeased Their wooden ships with dragons heads Sailing high on tides of fear and dread Braided beards and helms with horns Their assaults left ordered civilizations torn Barbaric desires destroyed many a village wielding fire and steel, they often did pillage But where now are these kinds of chaos?

Their traditions and culture forever are lost Their superiority over all others is striking No mortal can match the power of the VIKING!!!!

MAY SWEEPS

is the time of year when television networks compete for the loyalty of viewers. May is the month which produces jaw-dropping moments and shocking words done and said on the season and series finales. NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX produce the following shows to gain your loyalty as a viewer.

TONIGHT MAY 17

8-9 pm

9-10 pm

10-11 pm

TOMORROW MAY 18

“Ugly Betty” season finale, “The East Side Story”

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” season finale part 2

“The Office” season finale “The Job, Parts 1&2”

“Dateline NBC”

MONDAY MAY 21

TUESDAY MAY 22

“Dancing with the Stars” season finale “NBC Special, SNL in the 90’s”

“Deal or no Deal”

“CSI, Living Doll”

“Thats the Way it is: Celebration Cronkite at 90”

“Day After Tomorrow” movie

“House” an encore episode

“24” season finale

“American Idol” all-new live episode

“Grey’s Anatomy, Didn’t We Almost Have It All”

“National Bingo Night”

“Scrubs,” two shows. “My Rabbit” and “My Point of No Return”

“The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman” season finale

“Dancing with the Stars the Results Show” season finale

“Dateline NBC”

“Dr. Phil Primetime Special”

“Dr. Phil”

“Day After Tomorrow” movie

“Bones” an encore episode

“Lost: the answers”

“20/20”

“ER, The Honeymoon is Over”

“Law and Order, The Family Hour”

“CSI, Fallen Idols”

“NUMB3RS, The Janus List”

“Day After Tomorrow” movie

“Fox News at 10”

WEDNESDAY MAY 23

“NCIS” season finale

“Heroes, How to Stop and Exploding Man”

“Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Renewal”

“24” season finale

“On the Lot” an all-new episode

“The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman” season finale

“Boston Legal” season finale, “Trial of the century

“The Real Wedding Crashers, Jina and Christian” “Fox News at 10”

“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Screwed”

“American Idol” season finale “Lost” season finale, “Through the looking glass” “NBC Special, SNL in the 90’s”

“American Idol” season finale “Lost” season finale, “Through the Looking Glass” “NBC Special, SNL in the 90’s”

“NUMB3RS, The Janus List” “Fox News at 10”

“Fox News at 10” Information compiled by Heather Siller

Three summer blockbusters to see ogre and his ogre wife Fiona (Cameron Diaz)? his first appearance.

Venom is an evil clone of Spider-Man and Will Shrek (Mike Myers) be King of “Far Far by far the coolest bad guy in the Spider-Man Away?”

Don’t expect to see a lot of movies coming series.

This is the story the writers came up with out in May. With three of the biggest summer to wrap their jokes around. How does it look?

It will be interesting to see the balance of blockbusters coming out this month, smaller romance between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Based on the previews, which generally show movies are hiding.

Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and his battle with their best scenes, it look good.

That’s to be expected since what most are evil, such as the Sandman (Thomas Haden Like the last one, I’m expecting some solid calling “The Big Three,” all the third installjokes with a lot of bodily Church), Uncle-Ben’s real ment of each series, are coming to functions thrown in there killer, and Harry Osbourne the theater in May. for the kids as well.

(James Franco) who seeks “Spider-Man Three” – By the time Also look forward to revenge against Peter as this comes out, a lot of you will have Puss in Boots (Antonio the new Green Goblin. seen this movie and can evaluate this Banderas) getting some of This movie should be at prediction. the better lines. least as good as the last one I see the geek in tights coming out Hopefully, critics won’t if not better. Who doesn’t and making a ton of money. be screaming, “You’re a love watching a hero turn Spider-Man gets the bonus of Monster!” to the producers bad? striking first. Moviegoers want a • Shrek The Third of this DreamWorks movie • Spiderman 3 “Shrek the Third” – It has reason to come out of hibernation which is sure to have a huge been a while since I heard after a long winter, and this movie Donkey (Eddie Murphy) say, “ I’m sorry, the box-office fairy tale ending. is the first to do so.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End position of annoying talking animal has alThe catch in this installment is that Spidey ready been filled.”

– While I’m still recovering from the disap(Tobey Maguire) turns bad and Venom makes What would we do with out the fat, green pointment of the last one, Disney is releasing, Sean Wallace staff writer

what seems to be the final “Pirates” movie.

With the last one telling us who anyone that died is alive and anyone who wasn’t a pirate is now one, I’m hoping for a better plot.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it and the film is long at two hours and 30 minutes.

Apparently, the Black Pearl’s crew rescue Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from the Kraken and must call upon the Pirate Lords from the four corners of the Earth to a gathering place where they must defeat the East India trading company.

You can expect Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), Will (Orlando Bloom) and my favorite Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to put up quite a fight with Davey Jones (Bill Nigh• Pirates ly) and Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), who has possession of Jones’ heart.

This seems like a forced way to end the trilogy, but it will have its redeeming scenes and is sure to plunder movie fan’s booty.

7

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

reviews

Spiderman 3 • •

‘Frances the Mute’ • • • •

Scott Campbell staff writer

Ryan Aliapoulis staff writer

T

here’s a saying that goes, “There is no such thing as bad press.” It means simply that any amount of exposure something gets is good because it gets the word out.

This optimistic theory can work against a particular piece of entertainment if it builds too much hype during its run on talk shows, endless streams of television trailers and eye-grabbing flash ads on the Internet, causing a letdown on a colossal level when it is finally released.

“Spiderman 3” is plagued by this type of hype build-up. The most recent installment of Spiderman’s movie career attempts to raise the bar above the previous films by throwing Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) into a multitude of situations.

Not only is he dating Mary-Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), but he also must deal with his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) becoming the Green Goblin to avenge his father. On top of this, two more villains are introduced: the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and Venom (Topher Grace).

While an explosion of plot twists and characters to keep straight make for a perfect summer popcorn flick, they do not make for a solid movie franchise. There is altogether too much going on.

In traditional domino effect style, the movie suf-

fers from taking itself too seriously, trying in vain to wretch out emotions and evoke a sense of care for the characters onscreen.

Sequences that were supposed to be tragic turned out to be humorous, with full-face seizures from the actors in their bid to act grief-stricken.

Conversely, the sections that were meant to be comic relief from the rest of this heavy-hearted romp became tragic themselves, the pursuit of a laugh strikingly apparent, to the point where a viewer is left wondering if “Spiderman 3” was still the movie being watched.

It’s not all bad though. The visuals are still pleasing to the eye, especially when the Sandman is onscreen. A towering behemoth made entirely of CGI, he alone makes a strong case for “Spiderman 3” to win numerous accolades for visual effects.

The bottom line is that the series has gotten away from its roots. What made “Spiderman 1” so good was the simplicity of it. One villain, one secret love and one major revelation the main character comes to about himself. It’s time for screenplay writer and director Sam Raimi to come to his own realization, aim lower and get back to the comic book origins of the friendly neighborhood Spiderman.

I

n the rock world the genre of “progressive” or “art” rock is generally considered something of a dirty word. The music is often thought of as derivative and unoriginal.

The Mars Volta are assuredly prog rock, and they are definitely derivative, but nobody can argue the originality of their vision.

Regardless of where listeners stand on the issue, the band can at least be praised for their reckless ambition. “Frances the Mute” knows no musical boundaries; it is equal parts psychedelia, free-jazz a la John Coltrane and Latin samba.

“Frances the Mute” is a the second concept album by The Mars Volta, and it details an orphan’s quest to find his biological parents. The story is based on the experiences of an ex-band member working as a repo man and a journal he found in the backseat or a car he towed which described the life of an orphan.

The story doesn’t even come close to being clean-cut and neither does the music. But the band prides itself on breaking convention. The album is filled with psychotic arrangements, unorthodox time signatures and take-no-prisoners guitar furiosity. The songs themselves are

more like movements in an opera than individual songs, and even the language switches from English to Spanish periodically.

Radio-friendly it’s not, but The Mars Volta are at their best when they are at their most deviant. On “L’Via L’Viaquez” the band really kicks it up a notch. The rhythm lurches up and down, the style ranges from a slow Latin club-grind to a frenetic rock rushes, with guitars that forcibly blindside listeners through the song after calm sections.

The Mars Votla accomplish a lot on this album, but they take on a bit more than they can handle.

Their experimentation with ambient sound between songs becomes very noticeable at times. It works to make the album a seamless experience, but to use ambient sound successfully it needs to be unobtrusive.

All in all, the quirks of the album are just part of the charm.

For patient listeners, “Frances the Mute” is exhilarating and ground-breaking music that takes many sessions to fully appreciate. It may not be for the Myspace generation, but this is an undeniably good album.

• Absolute Failure • • Had Redeeming Qualities • • • Toss Up • • • • Worth taking a look at • • • • • Complete Genius

Paper Mario • • • • Ryan Winchester staff writer

S

sions, where they learn that the world is, in fact, three dimensional. This is no longer the average Mario platformer.

The gimmick in this game is that players can switch between dimensions to find hidden items, pathways and enemies in order to progress through the game. If they can’t figure out what to do in 2D mode, flip to 3D mode and they’re sure to figure out what to do.

This game is very simple to play, holding the Wiimote sideways, similar to an NES controller.

The gameplay is solid and somewhat familiar for anyone who’s ever played a Mario title in the past but has enough going for it to seem fresh and new.

As the game progresses, players can eventually play as Peach, Luigi and even Bowser, each with their own unique abilities that players need to use to get through the game.

In addition to the different characters, as players progress though the game, they find different creatures called Pixls that give them even more abilities, such as shields and the ability to ground pound, each of them necessary to progress through the next level.

Although the game is a bit on the short side and is fairly easy for any seasoned gamer, this game should keep those who’ve managed to find a Wii entertained until such titles as Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Mario Galaxy come out later this year.

Sydney Ross staff writer

G

etting to know three very different people through a book is usually challenging. However in “The Bitch Posse” by Martha O’Conner, getting to know Amy, Rennie and Cherry (a.k.a. The Bitch Posse) is easy.

The book depicts three teenagers in their senior year as best friends and then again as adults in their mid-30s, completely separated from each other and now totally different and distant people.

Although the three friends aren’t friends as they become older, they have one secret that binds them together now but ripped them apart in their final year of high school.

Each chapter jumps from their teenage years to their present problems, their lives and what they have to deal with.

It’s easy to read because the things that were issues when they were teenagers are still present sometimes as they become adults.

When they were teens, the three girls are looked at as outsiders and rebels in their school.

They each have some impossibly difficult situation going on in their home life that makes them self-destructive in their own way.

3 Including smoking, drinking, cutting, pre-

scription drug use and even sex with one of their high school teachers. Their friendship is the only positive thing the three have going for them.

Still damaged and separated by their secret as 30-somethings, they keep some of their high school traits.

Although they now lead their own lives far from each other, they are as unhappy as they were before.

Renni becomes an author. Amy an almostmother and Cherry a psychopath. They still have issues and are unhappy in their own skin.

As much as they don’t want to admit it, and forget about their secret, they need each other to still get by.

O’Conner does a good job making “The Bitch Posse” a light read but definitely gripping. This is a fast-paced book where something is always happening.

Although some parts of the book are disturbing, such as the description of Rennie and Cherry killing a wounded deer, and also their description of their secret.

“The Bitch Posse” is borderline addicting, however the ending is a bit abrupt and surprising. It’s very dramatic, entertaining, suspenseful and something I’d encourage people to read.

Rawlin Myers

Finding Karl

uper Paper Mario is one of the latest offerings for the Nintendo Wii. Recently there has been a ‘drought’ for the Wii There aren’t a lot of new, good games coming out, and this game should fill that spot for the time being.

One of the most important things to note about this game is that it’s a single player game.

This could be good for some and bad for others.

Because the Wii is such a social gaming machine, many people are looking for great multiplayer games to bring out at a party, and this isn’t one. But, on the bright side, it’s one of the most solid single player games the system has yet to offer, second only to Twilight Princess.

Super Paper Mario’s story, at the beginning, is fairly similar to how every Mario game starts.

Mario and Luigi head out to the castle, only to find out that, surprise, Princess Peach has been kidnapped.

Knowing how things are, the brothers head on their way to Bowser’s castle, but he has no knowledge of the kidnapping and was about to depart to do the same. Just then, a mysterious man, Count Bleck, appears and announces that he is responsible and kidnaps everyone except Mario.

This is when players are thrown into a search, trying to find out where everyone has gone and exactly who this Count Bleck is. They’re taken to the town of Flipside, a place between dimen-

‘The Bitch Posse’ • • • • •

8

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

the spread

A new kind of future awaits

Senior Will Desrochers takes nine months off to travel with evangelism team Michelle Chirby staff writer

For senior Will Desrochers college will have to wait. When many of his peers start a new chapter in their formal education this August, Desrochers will begin a nine-month project with National Evangelism Team Ministries (NET), a Catholic youth ministry program.

From August to May, Desrochers will be divided into a team of 10-12, 18 to 30-year-olds.

The team will travel across the United States, putting on retreats for different youth groups.

“This is supposed to be the most memorable year of my life,” Desrochers said. “It will be a lot of work, but it will be a lot of fun.”

Last December, Desrochers heard about NET from his dad who Will said is very supportive of his decision. After researching NET, applying to the program and being interviewed, Desrochers was accepted. “There is a wide range of people who were chosen,” Desrochers said. “But they’re basically looking for committed people who are devoted to Catholicism.”

And devotion is definitely something Desrochers said he will need for the year ahead.

Since NET is a nonprofit organization, he said

S

S

he needs to raise $3,400 to pay for his year. Mission Christ.

He has helped to organize past retreats for “This is something I feel called to do. There’s been lots of prayer and thought put into this,” these groups, and he is a leader of Dexter’s Desrochers said, “but there’s nothing whatso- Genesis Club, a group that joins in prayer and Christian discussion after school every Friday. ever that I’d rather do.”

After his year off, Desrochers said he plans Desrochers said he looks forward to traveling the country for a year, getting a break from to attend Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. And although he still has to go through school and gaining experience with youth. orientation and resend a “I didn’t really know what transcript, Desrochers’ reI wanted to go to college for, quest to defer for a year at but I was thinking youth Franciscan was granted. ministry,” he said. “This It will be a lot of “All I have to do now is type of experience would work, but it will be waltz in there and own the be a good foot in the door place,” he joked. to see if that’s what I want a lot of fun.”

For now, though, Desroto go into.” NET will not be chers is just excited to be Desrochers’ first experience - Will Desrochers on his own. working with youth, howsenior “The way NET is run, ever. the only people on the road He has participated in are you and your team several Catholic and Chrismembers. It’ll be the first tian youth groups at various time I can be indepenchurches including Mustard Seed at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church; Life dent,” he said. “I’m an adult, but I still live at Teen at Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann home and have a curfew. It’ll be nice to get out Arbor; and a non-denominational youth group, there and live a life.”

“

E

T

N

A

I

T

O

S

Jet Set: Desrochers will travel across the country spreading the word of God.

R

Average SAT: �����Average ACT: �����Average GPA:�����

Where are you going?

Will you miss high Will you miss high school? school?

23 military/work force/other

Yes 26%

Maybe 52%

Where are you going after high school?

51 2 year college

No 22% 183 4-year college

e

Cl boys: 138

girls: 119

Notabl Number 17

breakdown

th

basketball in AP Bio.” ~ “Lunch time and past high school pranks.” ~ “Ultimate Frisbee!” ~ “The last day of each year.” ~ “’The Gauntlet’ and team dinners.” ~ “Putting Edge mini golf.” ~ “Pulling one of Bill’s hairs during class and making him scream when the rest of the room was silent.” ~ “Hearing Mrs. Doss whisper the word ‘penis’.”

What is your favorite school memory? ~ “The seventh grade lock in when the big slide fell over and a whole bunch of kids were falling off.” ~ “The great food fight of ‘05.” ~ “When DDexter b

Top 10 favorite teachers: 10. Bitters 9. Wells 8. Callaghan 7. Doss 6. Parker 5. Baird 4. Grannis

3. Satterthwaite 2. Marsh 1. Muszkiewicz

Seniors planning a senior p including five people who s

New seniors, including 10 new fore exchange stude

66

People who waited to take senior year

Seniors in A lunc

257

Total number of senio class of 2007

Seniors in a first year langu c

Least favorite cafeteria food: Cheesy Taco Mac

Based on a survey of approximat

ments.” ~ “Playing Starcraft for 12 straight hours.” ~ “Recess.” ~ “Mr. Riethmiller massaging my scalp. It was a pretty spiritual experience.” ~ “Letterboxing.” ~ “Hackey sack at lunch.” ~ “Playing paper

9

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

the spread

b beat Ch Chelsea l at b basketball this year.” ~ “Layout night.” ~ “Gym class - but just when there here r was a sub re sub.”” ~ “The senior food auction.” ~ “Once I called the radio station from the bathroom and got caught

Years of our liv... ‘88-’07

1989 - Veronika Buckley went to her first race car race.

1990 - Jessie Vickers fell off a counter and had to get stitches in her mouth.

1991 - Alex Hoxie lived in Lithuania.

1992 - Ashley Espinoza’s private school was on “Good Morning, America” for its 100th anniversary.

1993 - Kelsey Roberts went to the first grade circus.

1994 - Johnny Benjamin was kind of a ladies man and got his first kiss under the tire pyramids.

1995 - Heather Bradshaw was obsessed with the Spice Girls.

She sang to all of their songs and had the dolls.

1996 - Eric DeVries made a really cool Valentine’s Day box.

His mom helped him make it. It was a shoebox with fur and sunglasses.

1997 - Curtis Blackwell got in a fight with someone on the playground.

1998 - Katelin Davis got her head shut in a car door on Halloween, but she still went trick-or-treating.

1999 - Mandy Forrester remembers the Y2K scare and everyone trying to re-program their computers but nothing actually happened.

2000 - TJ Ward went to Korea.

le rs:

prank said “maybe.”

eign ents

19

e gym until

ch

103

ors in the

uage class

3

tely 126 seniors

2001 - Jonathon Lamb and his brother “Big Cat” Bergstrom played social studies teacher Ken Koenig in wiffle ball and won.

2002 - Kaitlyn Mitchell went on a hot air balloon ride. It was her birthday, and they had to try three times to get into the air.

2003 - Katie Earl and Kelsey Dubay lit a trash can on fire.

2004 - Jamie Valliere and her friends went to Chuck E. Cheese for sophomore homecoming.

2005 - Lauren Westphal and Kate Check started cheerleading.

2006 - Kevin Monteith saw The Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.

“It was the best show ever,” he said.

Courtney Layton went on Spring Break. “It was the best time of my life,” she said.

2007

h ” ~ “Wi “Winning Battle of the Bands in 2007.” ~ “Cedar Point in eighth grade. I only went on three rollercoasters that whole day because I was afraid of heights.” ~ “Making ‘your mom’ jokes on Jimmy Priestley in Quiz Bowl practice.” ~ “The prank with the Gator.” ~ “Playing on the playground” ~ “Swov’ skipping school. I was a sophomore.”

1988

Kim Wiesner was conceived in September.

being i together.” h ~ “Friday night football and basketball games.” ~ “Becoming a three time district champ in forensics.” ~ “Carpe Diem m s ‘what are you doing’ face.” ~ “Hanging out, laughing, just b

10

Want to look smart today? Throw this fact into a conversation.

Upage

On this day in 1988, RJ Helton ws born in Pasadena, California. Helton made it to the first season American Idol finals by a wild card and placed fifth.

A. Coach a high school varsity sport.

B. Talk about Dexter football all the time.

C. The organizer of about 10 different school clubs.

D. An expert on Teddy Roosevelt.

E. The best snowboarder ever.

3. What kind of hairstyle do you sport?

A. I like the comb-over look myself.

B. Short and spiky.

C. Silky, golden locks.

D. Hair isn’t really my thing.

E. Long, brown hair, slicked back into a ponytail.

4. What do you like to wear on a daily basis?

A. Short sleeved collared shirts and loafers.

B. Dexter athletic attire.

C. Casual yet classy attire.

D. A mismatch of salmon colored shirts and yellow vests.

E. Whatever is clean.

5. What characteristic describes you best?

A. B. C. D. E.

Hardcore.

Competitive.

Liberal.

Awkward.

Chill.

1

6. How do you carry a conversation with others?

A. B. C. D. E.

By intimidating the other person.

By making fun of the other person.

By being very outgoing and talking a lot.

By making strange analogies.

By being really cool.

To-dos

2. What do you hope to do when you grow up?

Caitlin Henderson staff writer

If you answered answered mostly “A,” you are most likely one of the serious male teachers on the third floor. Acting extremely hardcore and scaring others are obvious characteristics, while discussing the show “24” and “Seinfeld” are a favorite past time. You probably also like being involved in varsity sports, and if you are lucky, you will become the announcer at the varsity basketball games.

If “B” dominated your answers, you are most likely obsessed with Dexter football like many of the teachers/coaches at Dexter. And although the football team is far from the most dominant sports team at Dexter High, it still consumes your life. You go to the weight room every day after school and take up the entire track.

If there are a bunch of circles around the letter “C,”. You fall into the group of sweet English teachers. Everyone tends to love you, for you make border-line strange comments and always make others laugh. Just like the teachers listed above, you’re not mainstream. However, everyone still seems to love you.

Not-to-dos

A. I watch it religiously. It is the best show ever.

In fact, I Tivo it each week so I can watch it over multiple times.

B. It’s pretty awesome. I watch it as often as possible.

C. It’s OK, but I like “Heroes” much better.

D. The History Channel is much more thrilling.

E. What is “24”?

If you choose a lot of option “D” than you are straight up a history teacher. Knowing every last detail of Teddy Roosevelt’s life is a dead give away.

You probably explain your grading system through analogies that no one understands and memorize history movies.

Finally, if you were partial to letter “E”, you belong with the laid back, cool, young teachers.

You are extremely relaxed and fun, and everybody tends to love you. Snowboarding is a favorite past time of yours, and you like reptiles.

Alex Taheri

Kevin Yarrows

Who’s your favorite senior?

Tom Swedereske because he’s good at dancing.

Margot Parin because of her attitude.

What’s your fondest memory from this past year?

Singing “A Whole New World” with Colin McAweeny.

What’s your definition of Fergalicious?

The Squall

Things to do/not to do: as a senior

Do you know which teacher you are?

1. What do you think about the show “24”?

Thursday, May 17, 2007

2

Graduate. If you don’t, it will be embarrassing to you and your parents.

Your parents will be upset that they have to deal with you through another year of high school. Also, the other students in the school will think less of you, and you will probably have no friends.

Skip on senior skip day. It’s not really skipping if you have your mom call you in, so if you want to say you skipped, you actually have to do so and take responsibility for your actions. Take the detention. Take the zeros on your work that day, and take the pride of skipping on senior skip day.

3

Pull a senior prank that will be remembered for years. Don’t put tires on the flag pole or paint the building. That is just a waste of time. Do something that has never been done before, that is original and would have everyone in the school talking about it.

4

“Borrow” Connie’s walkie talkie for the day and try to communicate with all the other administrators acting like you were her. This would be fun, hilarious and talked about forever.

5

Take a ton of gym classes. Your schedule as a senior should not be hard, so do the least you can. Have fun with Mr. Barbieri.

1

Have a full schedule. Take reduced scheduling, stay up late and party because you can sleep in the next day, go to McDonald’s in the morning before school and make a quick stop at the Bear Claw to grab a latte.

2

Skip class so much that at the end of the year you have to worry about not graduating. You only have nine months of school left. Don’t blow it with skipping and tardies.

3

Stack tires all the way up the flag pole. Number one, it’s not funny and no one even understood it when it happened before, and second, if you get caught, then you have to pay for the whole thing.

4

Poop in the elevator at school. What are the toilets for? That is totally disgusting.

5

Quit the sport you have been playing your whole childhood.

Whether it is because you are lazy or that you are just not playing a college sport, it’s not worth it. Have fun with your friends your last year. You won’t regret it.

Vince D’Onofrio

Camille Hanks

Karl the Moose

The Squall

5X5 Josh Ball staff writer

Alex Krausman because he plays piano.

Conor Daining because I like his beard.

Dan DeWaele. He drives a Ford Taurus.

Dexter beating Chelsea in basketball.

Breaking five minutes in the mile.

When Conor was passed out on the floor next to a picture of my brother.

Knocking Conor out with a picture frame.

Make them boys go loco.

Ryan Lemasters.

Running cross country.

Make them boys go crazy.

Pat Farrell’s pectoral region.

How many friends do you have on MySpace?

I don’t have a MySpace because I have too many friends.

Over a million, for sure.

3,762.

69 friends.

(sobs of loneliness)

You just won the world meatball eating contest, what do you do next?

Go to the spaghetti eating contest.

Keep ‘em comin’.

Nothing. I’ve completed my life goal.

Throw up.

Return to the mating grounds and die.

11

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

sports

s s e c

Baseball team hopes for good season

g n i ing

c su

for

Sw

Krystyna Taheri staff writer

Varsity golf coach looks to introduce athletes to the sport early in hopes for them to develop their game.

Nic Miller staff writer

During his first three years with the women’s golf team coach Fred Ligrow was an assistant where he won two championships back to back under previous coach Marc Militello.

When Militello stepped down as coach in 2005, Ligrow led the golf team to the state championship match where they finished runner up, losing by one stroke.

He has been involved in golf for a long time for being such a young coach.

Ligrow has been involved in the Dexter golf program for five years and in golf for 19 years, since the age of 10.

He said, “I was introduced to the game by my father at a young age and fell in love with the game.”

And he said he plans to try and do the same thing with the womens golf program by trying to introduce girls to the game early, leaving them plenty of time to develop their game.

Ligrow said because of the success of previous teams he feels some pressure to succeed, but he said he has confidence his team will compete and said he has great leaders for his team in senior Katelin Davis and juniors Maris McAuliffe, Katelyn Young and Karen Hill.

Davis, who has been competing in golf competitively since

eighth grade, also said she feels some of the same stress Ligrow does to succeed. “ I feel some pressure. We should not fall short,” she said.

“Because we are a good team, second place doesn’t feel so good.”

Perhaps its not surprising Davis feels pressure since she has won two state championships, one her freshman year and one her sophomore year. She was also runner up her junior year.

As Ligrow said, much of the pressure on the team comes from within.

“We put pressure upon ourselves to perform,” he said, “ I don’t look at it as a negative pressure. I look at it a positive pressure,” adding he thinks the pressure has helped keep the team longing to improve and focused on their goals and not staying complacent.

And Ligrow and the team share the same goals, including hopes of going undefeated in the regular season and placing in the top three in regionals which will qualify the team for states, which is another source of stress on the team. McAulifffe said, “Every tournament this year we had had people talk to us about (winning the state championship) so I definitely feel there is pressure.”

With a combination of good pitching and nine returning seniors, math teacher and coach Al Snider said his team has high hopes for the season.

“Pitching is definitely our strength, along with our returning seniors and four returning juniors,” Snider said.

Returning player and senior Johnny Benjamin agrees. “This should be a really good season for us. We have good pitching, lots of experience as well as good Chris Marsh: strong leaders.”

Thinks the team Junior Chris Marsh agrees but said the team must is helped by good chemistry guard against individual play over team play.

“We are very strong, but some of our weakness comes and bonds well from when we sometimes don’t play as a team but in- together. stead play as individuals, looking out for ourselves,” he said.

Despite these concerns Benjamin said expectations are high. “As a team, we hope to win a regional championship,” he said. “We really want to because it will be the first time ever for baseball to go that far.”

This dream is also shared by Marsh. “I think we have a good chance making it to regional championships. We have really good team chemistry and bonding which has helped us a lot.”

Most of the teammates already We have good know each other from previous pitching, lots of teams, such as football and basketball. experience as well And Marsh and Benjamin, who as good, strong played football together, said this seniors.” similarity helps the team chemistry.

- Johnny Benjamin, “Sometimes it seems like we bond too much,” Benjamin said, senior “by getting a little too close.”

Snider also notices a bond forming. “We bonded during spring break when we went to Florida,” Snider said. “It was a lot of fun and helped to get to know the team. We also bond a lot with playing three and four double header games a week.”

Even with good team chemistry and pressure to perform well this season Snider finds joy in everyday practice. “I like coaching the team,” Snider said. “The best part is after practice I get to watch the boys mess around and have a good time. It is really fun to watch.”

“

Nine year court battle leads to season change Brent Muse staff writer

Courtney Krips: Feels the season change will benefit the volleyball team giving them more time to practice

A nine-year battle in the courtroom, first brought up by two moms out of Grand Rapids, has ended.

At the beginning of next school year, eight high school sports will switch seasons, including volleyball, basketball, golf and tennis.

Girls basketball moves from fall to winter and will play at the same time as boys basketball. Both girls and boys golf will switch seasons and so will girls and boys tennis. Volleyball will move from winter to fall.

The volleyball change pleases junior Courtney Krips. “This change is a good thing because with club season for volleyball we are always behind everyone else,” junior Courtney Krips said. “We will be better next year with this change because we will have the whole summer to practice.”

The two moms who originally brought the court case believed Michigan’s high school sports scheduling discriminated against girls. Michigan was the only state where volleyball was a winter sport, and it was one of two states where girls basketball was not in the winter.

According to Athletic Director John Robinson, there has to be equal number of girls and boys

sports in both the fall and spring seasons, making team will play at home and one will play away.

The teams will switch back and fourth when it fair for both genders. When the lawsuit was first brought, there were more boys sports in the fall playing Friday and Thursday nights. They will most likely switch on and off weekly for those two than girls.

Although this change may make it easier for days to make the scheduling fair.

According to John Johnson, Communications girls to be recruited for sports and get scholarships, many athletes are worried it will be harder to play Director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, schools in Michitwo or three sports in a year. gan were very attached to The change in the seasons the previous high school might also make it a little more sports schedule because it challenging to find coaches, We will be better hadn’t changed in the past officials and maybe even gym next year because 30 years and change can be time. we will have the hard.

According to Robinson, whole summer to He also said the parDexter’s conference, the SEC, practice.” ticipation level will drop in will need 56 officials for the high school sports due to the winter season because both new schedule. Johnson said boys and girls basketball play - Courtney Krips, Michigan’s participation levin that season, and more imjunior el is usually ranked around portantly, some students might eighth in the country, and he not be able to play as many said other states that had to sports.

For example, according to Robinson, girls and change their sports schedules lost a lot of student boys basketball games will be played on Tuesday, participation.

He said, “We are disappointed in the outcome, Thursday and Friday.

On Tuesday the boys and girls teams will play on but we are not disappointed for how hard we fought opposite sites, while playing the same school. One to keep the schedule the way it was.”

“

The Facts • The SEC will need 56 officials during next year’s winter season due to the change • Both girls and boys basketball games will take place during the winter season • Michigan’s current high school sports schedule has been the same for 30 years

12

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

opinions

dexter

by Luke Altomare

Robert Kuzon editor-in-chief

D

ear seniors,

Today is the day. Today is the last day that we will walk through the halls of this high school and be able to call ourselves students. Today we will leave this district, the district that many of us have called our home for the last 12 years. Today we become alumni.

But before we do that, lets take the time to remember our journey to this point. For most of us, it started 12 years ago, at Copeland, and has brought us here, to DHS, on our final day. This journey has been filled with many colorful memories, both good and bad. In this time we have had the opportunity to get to know each other, to learn and grow with one another and most importantly to share a common bond between us.

Here are some of my favorite and most notable memories: The boat is taken away at Cornerstone: We all remember the boat. The big wooden play structure that we were the first class to have the privilege of playing on it.

It was the most popular structure on the whole playground until it was swiftly taken from beneath our feet. Rumor has it that a student fell off the boat and broke his arm, thus causing a liability issue.

The first grade circus: Every senior who was there remembers what they were

Frank Dufek opinions editor

C

ommencement always inspires the strongest emotions within people. The realization that the end of an experience is approaching has the power to unite enemies, break apart comrades and inspire a whole hell of a lot of personal reflection.

As I head out of Dexter High School, I feel both elated and devastated at the same time. The promise of the future keeps a smile etched upon my face, but the certainty of closure on the first true era of my life leaves me undeniably melancholy.

Looking back on my first 17 years of life, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with emotion when I think of how far I have come— how far we all have come. It’s almost eerie to look back on friendships you once held so dearly but now couldn’t bring back into your grasp even if you tried. We’ve experienced loss, success and everything in between the two.

Growing up is an incredibly unique experience to be reflected upon for the rest of

Rachel Moir staff writer

I

...with special guest Karl the Moose

’m going to say some things that will probably cause some of my teachers not to like me very much.

Of course,I can’t say for sure whether or not they liked me in the first place. It doesn’t matter though. I’m out of here in just a little while.

Now, if you know who I am (and I flatter myself in thinking at least some of you do) then you probably think I’m quiet.

You know, that kid who keeps their trap shut and their pencil to the page. The one who you think can talk, but muteness is not out of the question.

I’m not. I’m actually loud, opinionated and absolutely obnoxious. I’m telling you this for a reason. If you pay an ounce of attention to the news, you know that someone famous flies their idiot flag high and proud weekly.

Alec Baldwin certainly has dug himself in a nice hole by speaking to his daughter out of the wrong end of his body. And George Allen’s little slip has turned him

The end of the beginning in the first grade circus. I was a snake charmer. But I wanted to be a strong man.

Mr. Keppler: Third and fourth grade gym teacher Mr. Keppeler had a way of making gym enjoyable. We played games such as crab soccer, clean the room and dodgeball, where Mr. Keppler would count the runs out and say the word three as “tree” and draw a little tree instead of a tally mark.

Then, of course, there was the Donkey Kong award if you were able to touch the ceiling by climbing the rope. Lastly there was the parachute, those peaceful days where we would all sit under the chute and play games.

Tech Ed: As we made the transition from Cornerstone to Wylie, there is one teacher and class that stood out from all the rest. Mr. Haslett’s Tech Ed. class. The days of being assured we would never beat his Sim City high score and “shooting the koosh” are long gone, but the memories of Sim Ant and Haslett’s extensive toy collection live on in our hearts.

Milk bags: Wylie also brought to us the debut of the milk bag. A small sack filled with milk that had the ability to shoot small objects with great velocity and distance with the right knowledge. It was a sad day when the milk bags were taken away from us beginning a never-ending cycle of milk

changes.

Wylie Talent Show: In my mind the best act of the Wylie talent show was the group of girls (I can’t remember all of them, there were about 34) who did their own rendition of Destiny Child’s “Say My Name”. The stage was filled with girls who performed an elaborate dance while lip synching the pop hit.

Seventh grade camp: Seventh grade camp was bittersweet. Obviously it was filled with laughs, fun and “boy/girl” drama, but it also stands out in my mind for one specific reason. I think every senior can remember the moment we found out 9/11 happened, gathered together in the cafeteria of Camp Storer, when Mrs. Berryman gave us the news, right after we sang the “Zero Waste” song. I don’t think the reality of the magnitude of the event set in until we were home because we were kept sheltered from the majority of the facts.

Those are my most prominent memories of Dexter Community Schools. I hope that all of you have memories you can look back on and enjoy as well. I want to thank everyone who has helped make the last 12 years worth of memories. So teachers, classmates and coaches, thank you.

Keep on keepin’ on, Robert Kuzon

Funny feelings and enticing emotions your adult life. The memories made during this time period are unique and will never be lived by any of us again in the same capacity.

As each day ends and brings us that much closer to graduation, I have begun to feel a simultaneous increase in my affinity for clichés and cheese. I find myself thinking ridiculous thoughts such as: “This is the last time I’ll ever lay my eyes upon Missy Elliot,” or “This is the last time I’ll ever fail a quiz in Mr. Scott’s Calculus class.”

Such sentiment is what has consumed my soul during my final days at DHS. Next year we will not be returning to the people we have grown to love or hate. We will never again stand together as the Dexter High School Class of 2007, and for the most part many of us will likely never meet each other ever again during this lifetime.

While the thought of this initially inspires me to make confetti, I would be lying if I said a part of me won’t truly miss this building and some of those who filled it.

The friendships that only exist within the confines of the school will be a shame to bid farewell to. The acceptance of a Cheesy Taco Mac-less future is nothing short of grim, and the ability to wear hoods (while liberating) will be a strange new way of life.

So thank you to everyone who laughed at me, with me or while seeing me fail. You haven’t necessarily inspired me to achieve any substantial amount of greatness, but you’ve certainly pissed me off enough to try.

Be proud of who you are and seek the company of those who feel the same way about both you and themselves. Forget the others. They’re not going to make you the best person you can be.

My final advice to everyone is: stand firm for what you believe in until and unless experience proves you wrong. It’s been a good run. Thanks for reading to those who bothered.

When in doubt, Frank Dufek

The best time to shut up is never from presidential hopeful to shameful laughingstock. All in all, being loud and obnoxious can get you in a lot of trouble on the political scene.

Every once in awhile, I wake up from the boredom-induced stupor school provides to get into a little political argument. I’m a conservative, born and bred.

A Rush baby, a ditto head, a right wing Bible reader.

Whenever you’re in a public school, you’re going to be faced with a pantheon of liberal-leaning staff members. It’s the way of life,and it’s all well and good. Unless those leanings become curriculum.

That’s when I’m driven by an insane need to be antagonistic.

It has led me into some interesting Dexter experiences. How could I forget the “debates” on the orchestra festival bus, loud enough to get everyone else yelling at all parties to just give it up already? Or the heated argument in the Mill Creek gym with one of my leftist

friends?

Or the time my challenge of a piece of evolutionary evidence got me shot down by the teacher and laughed at? Perhaps, like Baldwin or Allen, I would be better off keeping my mouth shut, but frankly that is just not the way I do things.

How about one of my favorite classes, Government? Now there was a provocative scholarly experience. Being the only vocal conservative in a class that is basically one big political debate, left me with plenty of things I cherish. New nicknames, like “F------ Christian,” for instance. Or the joy of being told to shut up mid-sentence because the other person didn’t like my point. Rascally radicals.

Maybe I should shut up. Maybe I should just go with the flow, write papers on safe topics and keep my own views to myself. I’d certainly be safer on the grade and friendship side of things. I guess I’m just a slow learner, though, because I doubt that’ll happen anytime soon.

13

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

editorial

Letters

THE

Squall

to the editor

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rob Kuzon MANAGING EDITOR: Austin Shapiro DESIGN: Kim Wiesner

Dear editor, The dress code is a perpetually tricky issue at DHS as well as other schools across the country.

As a teacher, I am asked to watch out for clothing that is deemed “inappropriate” for various reasons.

EDITORS

I accept this as part of my job and do what I can in order to fulfill this commitment. However, I feel that one particular article of clothing should not be banned at DHS. The article of clothing happens to be the rugby jerseys that don The Dexter Pub logo on the front.

FEATURES: Katie Fricke ENTERTAINMENT: Kelsey Schultz NEWS: Sydney Ross OPINIONS: Frank Dufek PHOTO: Maria Brundage SPORTS: Celia Kuzon COPY: Scott Campbell ADVERTISEMENT: Katie Johnson STAFF WRITERS Ryan Aliapoulios, Josh Ball, Kyle Boren, Michelle Chirby, Scott Crompton, Conor Daining, Caitlin Henderson Jake LaRosa, Hunter Lyons, Nic Miller, Rachel Moir, Brent Muse, Rawlin Myers, Charlie Pettit, David Pisano, Lisa Ritchie, Scott Sarver, Heather Siller, Krystyna Taheri, Sean Wallace, Ryan Winchester

by Luke Altomare

the all

SQUALL call:

Although I feel that they really don’t need any defending, I would like to take a few moments to come to the defense of The Dexter Pub. Yes, this is a local establishment that serves alcohol (AND really decent food, by the way) to ADULTS THAT ARE OF LEGAL AGE. The Pub has been a longtime supporter of the Dexter school system, donating literally thousands of dollars to the schools for one cause or another.

Fake threats handled well by administration

CARTOONIST: Luke Altomare AD DESIGN: Candice Wiesner ADVISER: Rod Satterthwaite POLICY: The Squall is distributed monthly to 1,186 students and is estimated to reach 4,744 people with each issue. The Squall is printed by The Argus Press in Owosso, MI and produced by the fourth hour newspaper class.

TALK BACK: The Squall is an open forum for student expression. It accepts letters to the editor from any and all concerned parties. The Squall reserves the right to screen and/or edit any and all letters for inappropriate content and length. All letters must be signed.

Requests to remain anonymous will be considered by the editorial board.

ADVERTISING: Requests for advertisements can be called into the Business Manager at 424-4240 x7407.

Ads must be called in at least two weeks prior to the issue’s publication, which is at the end of each month.

E-MAIL letters@thesquall.com WEB SITE www.thesquall.com

With the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech, threats have arisen at high schools around the nation, including Dexter.

We think our administration dealt with the recent threat situation well. But we would encourage them to continue to work on preventing bullying since many people involved in school violence are seeking revenge on those who bully them.

In the Dexter threat situation, threats were sent to English teacher Deb Marsh, social studies teacher Tracy Stahl and band director Ken Moore through a web site that allows the user to send text messages, voice mails and e-mails from unreachable numbers and addresses.

Stahl and Moore only received threats on their jobs while Marsh’s threats were on her life as well as the life of one of her family members.

Marsh was the first to report her threats. She told Principal Kit Moran, and he put Marsh in contact with school liaison deputy Paul Mobbs within a half hour. Once Marsh explained the situation to Mobbs and a Washtenaw County Sheriff, they confiscated her phone and began tracking the calls and the e-mails.

Moran and Mobbs knew not to take the situation lightly and began acting on it right away, which we commend them for.

By the next day, Marsh received a threat on her daughter’s life. When Marsh told administrators and police about this threat, they quickly took steps to make her family feel safe.

The Washtenaw County Sheriff contacted the police in Colorado, where Marsh’s daughter attends college and the police in Colorado assigned her daughter a police escort to all classes until the people making the threats were caught.

Even though some students say they overreacted, administration were right in taking all the threats seriously and making Marsh feel safe at school.

Police officials had a good idea of who and where the threats were coming from by the third day after they were originally reported, and administrators took the right first steps by suspending the kids.

Related to this situation, though, is an equally important problem in most schools, bullying. While Dexter administrators do a decent job of protecting kids from bullying while on school grounds, there is always room for improvement.

It seems as if administrators will help kids fix a bullying problem if the situation is brought to their attention by the kids, but we’d like to see the school and the district do a better job of keeping an eye out for bullying that often goes unnoticed such as in the hallways between every hour.

Since Columbine and now Virginia Tech, most schools have opened their eyes to the problems of bullying and how it relates to school violence.

Our school and our district dealt with the recent threat situation well. Let’s hope they continue to work to prevent bullying as well.

DrEaDs

in the hall

“Yeah, I see Deputy Mobbs quite a bit, and he makes me feel safe because he’s a cop.”

The Dexter Pub is NOT our enemy, folks. They are NOT here to promote underage drinking, which is the alleged reason for the banning of the jerseys. We should respect The Pub and ALL of the businesses that support our school system.

So I am humbly asking that we allow the rugby team to wear their jerseys on game day, just like with any of our other athletes. These boys work hard out there in the field, and they should be proud, not ashamed, of being a part of a team that represents Dexter.

I find our current policy of banning their jerseys during the school day troubling at best. Powers that be ... please reconsider.

Sincerely, Matt Martello Video, speech and drama teacher Dear editor, This year has been a blast. I’ve enjoyed being your principal at Dexter this year more than I imagined I would. I’ve gotten to know some of the greatest kids around, met some wonderful parents and been fortunate to work with some truly inspired and inspiring teachers. But the energy and optimism from Dexter students makes every day exciting. When I am mired down in my office in bureaucratic paperwork, I take a break and hit the commons at lunch, my favorite place and time!

I’d like to offer a particular and very serious thank you to the class of 2007. You’ve helped my administrative team make it through our first year by being patient and helping us learn how things are done at DHS. You have set the bar high for future classes. I can’t wait to see you all 10 years from now to see how your dreams and aspirations have been realized.

Have a safe and restful summer. See some of you back to school in September. And seniors, as Mufasa said, “Remember who you are!”

Dear editor, As an avid reader of the Squall for four years, I would like to congratulate you on a job well done.

Because of your hard work, each month I anxiously await the arrival of those freshly printed papers.

Austin Sullivan, ‘10

“Yes, because there’s a lot of law enforcement in the school and cameras.”

Jordan Marken, ‘09

“I think when it comes to anything people can always do better, because nothing’s ever completed perfectly.

Anytime anyone comes to a place they enjoy working at, they should be able to feel safe.”

Ken Koenig, social studies teacher

James Bell, ‘08

Margot Parin, ‘07

“Yeah, because I think our faculty does a good job of developing a close relationship with the students, which makes me feel safer.

The students know that there’s just the option of working it out rather than getting in a fight.”

For example, I do remember a few years ago enjoying a meal at The Pub in which the owners donated 10 percent of your bill to the French Club for their summer trip to France. I also note that they are almost always advertising in school publications such as The Squall and the yearbook.

Sincerely, William Moran Principal

Q: DO YOU THINK THE SCHOOL IS DOING ENOUGH TO PREVENT BULLYING AND PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THREATS?

“No, the administration cares too much about if girls’ shorts are too short, or using iPods, and if you have a hood on. If a paraprofessional sees shoulders or a kid getting beat-up, they’d confront the shoulder-showing girl first.”

The players are not allowed to wear their jerseys in school because The Dexter Pub is an establishment which sells alcohol. Curiously, students ARE allowed to wear the red Budweiser rip-off shirts that say “Dread Responsibly”. However, that is a different issue for a different day.

The Great Lakes Interscholastic Press Association and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association have both acknowledged The Squall as a worthy newspaper, and I believe the students here at Dexter High School agree.

So I would like to thank you for providing me with humorous commentaries, clever articles and newsworthy stories. After four years of coming to the same building and running through the same schedule day after day, The Squall comes at the end of each month like a breath of fresh air.

Thank-you Mr. Satterthwaite and the rest of The Squall staff for providing us with a paper that makes our monotonous days just a little more interesting.

Sincerely, Stephanie Van’t Land, senior

14

Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Squall

photostory

Entering the scene: Principal Kit Moran welcomes senior Aiden Shapiro and sophomore Jamie Innis to prom. The doors opened at 8 p.m., although most people arrived between the hours of 9:30 and 10 p.m.

Prom goes Hunter Lyons staff writer

For senior Michael Machnik, last year’s prom was somewhat of a let down, and he was somewhat hesitant to spend another $80 of his hard earned cash this year on something he didn’t really want to go to.

But Machnik thought since he was a senior he would give it one last shot. It paid off. “I was pleasantly surprised with how it went,” he said. “I expected it to be worse than last year but ended up being much better than last year’s.”

Bond

And perhaps the reason why was the time and effort parents, staff and community put in to make prom great, according to prom chair-person Allyson Lyons. Lyons said set -up and take down of the prom usually takes around 20 hours not including the preparation and work people do at their homes.

But Lyons said she worries the tradition Dexter has become accustom to for prom maybe coming to an end.

“It has been a tradition at Dexter for the past 10 years or so to have great proms,” Lyons said. “But with the lack of volunteers, I don’t know how long we can keep the tradition.” Lyons also said she encourages parents and even students to help out and volunteer their time if they would like to see Dexter keep the tradition going.

Of course, prom was filled with mini-putt, Blackjack, Hollywood Squares, fortune tellers and, of course, James Bond. Since the theme was 007, the casino from the most recent Bond film “Casino Royale” and a replica of the plane from the 60’s film “Moonraker” where part of the decoration.

Summiting the slide: Juniors Marianne Vu and Huron High School student Holly McDaniel climb the stairs to go down the slide that was built for prom. The slide was a new item last year and was brought back by popular demand.

But after all the time and hard work put into prom, Lyons still says it’s worth it. “Sometimes you think to yourself, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’, but when we’re all done, and we walk through and know how much fun kids are gonna have, it makes it all worth it.”

Hit me: Juniors Eric Erdman and Meredith Bricault and seniors Justin Danuloff and TJ Ward play Blackjack at the casino. This year, the casino was held in the commons.

Wall of fame: Part of the decorations included official movie posters from all of the James Bond movies. Other Bond decorations could be seen in both the girls and guys bathrooms.

Super slide: Junior Ross Segram and Chelsea High School senior Josh Branham slide down the slide that was built over the stairs to the commons. “I went down the slide like six billion times, and I screamed like a girl,” Segram said.

Photos by Candice Wiesner