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May 21, 2008 - Volume XVIII - Issue 9 - Dexter

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

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Students’ cars sniffed, searched Olivia Scheffler staff writer

Drug sniffing dogs, approved by the board of education, made their first visit to the high school on May 1. During second hour, the dogs and their handlers went through the student parking lot and got hits for drug residue on eight cars.

According to Principal Kit Moran, no tickets or penalties were given, but the visit was a success. He also said the police and the high school administrators tried to make the process as painless and as private as they could.

“When the dogs and their handlers come, we don’t control,” he said. “We waited until we had a list of all the cars the dogs liked, and then we began matching license plates to the parents and kids the cars belonged to.”

The search was more of a training run for the dogs, Moran said, so when a dog stopped at a car, they would be led away and another dog would pass the cars to make sure their was no confusion between the hit.

After second hour, the dogs and their handlers left and the administrative staff began calling students whose cars were hit down to the office throughout the day.

Moran said, “We weren’t accusing any of the students, but we did ask them if there was any reason the dogs would like their car.”

Junior Alex Erber was one of the eight students brought down to the office. According to him, the staff handled the whole process really well.

“They didn’t accuse me or make me feel guilty at all,” Erber said. “I thought at first

they had made a mistake when I got brought down. I was really surprised they wanted to search my car, but I didn’t really care if they wanted to because I knew I didn’t have anything.”

Erber said he was asked some questions in the office, and his backpack was searched.

After that, he was brought out to his car and School Liason Deputy Paul Mobbs looked in it.

Nothing was found, but according to Moran, that isn’t uncommon.

“The dogs are really smart and can smell if there is any residue in or on the car, or even if someone has smoked in the car recently,” he said. “It is possible that someone could have just smoked a joint and touched a couple cars, and the dogs would pick up that residue.

Saline High School also had a visit from the dogs, and according to Moran, they got many hits inside the school. For this reason, Moran said the dogs will probably be back this year.

Larry Cobler, President of the Dexter Board of Education, said the Board would support a second search as long as it was done in a safe and respectful way.

Moran said that the biggest complaint he got was that parents were not called as soon as their kids were brought to the office. Although the students called down said they were comfortable with the whole process, Moran said he would make sure that in the future, the parents would be called.

He said, “We care about the students here, and we don’t want Dexter to be a place where kids can go to buy and sell drugs.”

Bonding with technology School hopes new bond will bring better education Heather Siller news editor

Community members voted 1586 - 799 on May 6 to approve the $47,890,000 bond issue. The bond has a $0 tax levy increase, but the current debt levy will extend for an additional 7-10 years.

The bond will mean improvements to DCS infrastructure and energy efficiency, security, traffic and pedestrian safety, technology, athletic fields and facilities, Wylie Pool, land acquisition for further growth, music and performance, transportation and the senior center.

According to Principal Kit Moran what would eventually have happened if the bond had not passed is computers would break and the district would not be able to replace them to keep pace with the demand. However, since the bond passed Moran said students will be ready for the 21st century.

“Specifically the bond will impact technology,” he said. “This means more computers. Twenty-five percent of the bond will go to technology. (At the high school) what we would really like is improvements to the mobile computer labs and to improve the wireless connection signals.”

According to Board of Education President Larry Cobler, community member should expect to see improvements to the schools in two large ways: by the purchase of equipment like busses and also technology, out of the bond, that would normally have to be purchased from general funds, which will take a little pressure off the DCS budget.

“This will in no way solve the budget problems we have due to inadequate state funding,” Cobler said.

“It will relieve some of the pressure.”

Secondly, DCS will be able to pay for needed repairs, maintenance, safety and security and classroom equipment. In addition, Cobler said the district will be able to provide additional support to community members who attend functions in the arts and athletics.

Superintendent Evelyn Shirk and DHS Principal Kit Moran both encouraged voters to vote yes on the bond issue so that the district could make improvements with buildings, buses and technology. And last September Shirk said she worried about the deterioration that would happen if the schools did not receive the bond money to help pay for their upkeep.

Having the bond money in the district will also mean more money will be available to spend on textbooks and classroom materials because bond money will foot the bill for the school’s technology, transportation and building improvements that would have otherwise taken up that money.

According to the Dexter Community Schools School Bond Issue, studies have concluded that strong schools play a key role in attracting new business to communities, providing good jobs for families, enhancing property values, recruiting outstanding professional staff, and providing community pride.

“Over the last four decades, the community has chosen to rely on bonds to support the school infrastructure,” Cobler said. “If our general funding from the state does not increase so that we can devote more to these capital sustainment activities, and the community continues to value their school environment, it is possible that the community would choose to use the bond mechanism again in the future.”

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

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School maintains accreditation

NCA officials rank DHS higher than in self-assesment Kyle Boren contest manager

A No r t h C e n t r a l A c c r e d i t a t i o n v i s i t i n g t e a m c a m e t o Dex ter High School and assessed t he school on t he basic s f rom Apr il 8t h to Apr il 9t h. The team found a school on t he r ise and considered a highly f unct ional school.

A c c o r d i n g t o P r i n c i p a l K i t Mo r a n , t h e NC A a c c r e d i t a t i o n c o n s i s t s o f t h e s c h o o l g i v i n g i t s e l f a s e l fassessment a nd t hen a llow ing f ive of f icia ls to come in to t he school and assess it.

In t he procedure of t he NCA a ssessing t he school, t he v isit ing team of f ive people come in and per for ms a q u a l i t y a s s u r a n c e r e v i e w. T h e y i n t e r v i e w r a n d o m st udent s, pa rent s, teachers a nd pa raprofessiona ls. A nd t h e y a s s e s s t h e s c h o o l a f t e r t h e s e l f- a s s e s s m e n t .

A f ter t he assessment t he school receives a recommendat ion. The best ra nk is accred ited operat iona l level, followed by accredited war ned, accredited probat ion, deny or d rop accred itat ion. Dex ter received accred ited wa r ned due to hav ing been ra n ked w it h one o r m o r e “e m e r g i n g ” r a n k i n g s .

Mo r a n s a i d t h e s c h o o l d i d b e t t e r t h a n e x p e c t e d h o w e v e r. “ T h e f i v e o f f i c i a l s t h a t c a m e i n r a n k e d u s hig her t ha n we or ig ina lly assessed ourselves, so t hat w e n t p r e t t y w e l l ,” h e s a i d .

There are four rank ings t he school ranked itself on in t h e s e l f- a s s e s s m e n t : n o t e v i d e n t , e m e r g i n g , o p e r a t i o n a l a nd hig h ly f unc t iona l. A nd on t he school assessment o f f i c i a l s r a t e d DH S a s a n e m e r g i n g s c h o o l , w h i c h m e a n s t he school has beg un t he process of engag ing its stake holders to commit to a shared pur pose and direct ion.

D e x t e r H i g h S c h o o l w a s s e l f- a s s e s s e d b y s c i e n c e t e a c h e r Je f f D a g g a n d P r i n c i p a l K i t Mo r a n .

T h e h i g h e s t r a t e d c a t e go r y w a s s t a k e h o l d e r c o m mu n i c a t i o n a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s , a s i n t h e s c h o o l f o s t e r s e f f e c t i v e c o m mu n i c a t i o n s a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s a m o n g i t s s t a k e h o l d e r s . It w a s r a n k e d a s h i g h l y f u n c t i o n a l .

The point of t he NCA wa s to g ive t he school point s t h e y a r e d o i n g w e l l o n a n d p o i n t s t h e y n e e d t o i mp r o v e o n a c c o r d i n g t o Mo r a n . “ We g o t a l o t o f go o d i n f o r m a t i o n o n w h a t w e n e e d t o i mp r o v e o n a s w e l l ,” h e s a i d .

Document ing a nd using resu lt s was one of t he lower s c o r i n g c a t e go r i e s .

A n o t h e r t h i n g D e x t e r r e c e i v e s a f t e r t h e QA R a r e recommendat ion statement s. The recommendat ions t hat

illustration by David Bays

Dex ter received were t hat t he school needs to use data to g uide all per for mance decisions, t he school needs to agree upon a unif ied v ision to infor m t he d irec t ion of t h e i r s c h o o l i mp r o v e m e n t e f f o r t s , t h e s c h o o l n e e d s t o d e v e l o p a s y s t e m a t i c w a y t o r e v i s e go a l s a n d i mp r o v e m e n t ef for ts as needed a nd deter mined by t heir data.

In add it ion, ev idence coming f rom t he inter v iews o f t h e s t a f f s h o w s s c h o o l i mp r o v e m e n t go a l s d o n o t a l l cur rent ly meet t heir need s.

DH S r e c e i v e d c o m m e n d a t i o n s t h a t t h e h i g h s c h o o l s t a f f

i s h i g h l y r e s p o n s i v e t o i t s c o m mu n i t y o f s t a k e h o l d e r s a nd t here is a st rong commit ment a mong sta f f to ma ke s u c c e s s f o r a l l s t u d e n t s a t o p p r i o r i t y. Po w e r S c h o o l w a s c i t e d f o r b e i n g h i g h l y r e s p o n s i v e t o t h e c o m mu n i t y a s w e l l a s p a r e n t- t e a c h e r c o n f e r e n c e s .

T h e NC A w i l l n o t b e v i s i t i n g f o r a n o t h e r f i v e y e a r s b e c au s e i t ’s a f i v e y e a r c y c l e . “A l l i n a l l w e d i d r a t h e r w e l l o n t h e NC A ,” Mo r a n s a i d , “a n d f o r t h e s t u f f w e d i d n’t d o t o w e l l o n , w e c a n j u s t t r y a n d f i x t h e m i n o r p r o b l e m s .”

Dunn paralyzed in car accident

Drugs, alcohol, speed all cited as factors in police report; charges filed Kevin Yarows Staff writer

accident.”

Tomshany sustained injuries to his hands and was alert the entire time. He was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

A car accident involving two former Dexter students took Since the accident, Tomshany has made a full recovery and place at the intersection of Jerusalem and Steinbach Roads at doesn’t have any permanent damage.

The accident occurred when Pat was driving eastbound on approximately 5:06 a.m. on April 12.

The driver, former Dexter student Pat Dunn, 16, was Jerusalem Road and lost control of the silver Ford Focus he was driving. The car ran off the road on paralyzed from the chest down as result of the north side and went airborne. The the crash. The passenger, former Dexter car flipped, hit a tree, flipped again, student Tony Tomshany, sustained minor clipped another tree and skidded on its injuries to his hands, but he received “They’re both really no permanent damage. Both Dunn and roof into a field. lucky to be alive. But Tomshany had been driving earlier in Tomshany were wearing seat belts when the it’s a thing they both accident occurred, according to the police the night, but let Pat drive because he was report. “too drunk to drive”. He knew Pat didn’t gotta live with for the After the accident, Dunn was removed have his driver’s license but let him drive rest of their lives.” from the car by fire department personnel anyway, Pat said in the police report.

The police report says drugs, alcohol and transported to the University of - Deborah Dunn, Michigan Hospital via survival flight. and speed were all factors in the crash.

Mother of Pat Dunn Dunn shattered three of his vertebrae and Jerusalem Road is an unpaved road, but hit his head in the accident. He was rushed police established that under normal into emergency surgery and given a 50/50 driving conditions the road would not chance to survive the surgery. He survived pose a safety hazard.

Calculations made by police reveal the surgery and has since began to recover.

“He can use everything above his stomach,” said Deborah that a minimum speed of 74 mph was needed to obtain the Dunn, Pat’s mom. “But the stomach is about where he loses damage sustained in the crash.

According to Pat’s brother and former Dexter student, Kyle all feeling. His memory is good. He didn’t have too much injury to his brain. He actually was conscience for most of the Dunn, Pat and Tomshany arrived home at about 4:30 a.m. and

“

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woke Kyle up by knocking on his window. Kyle went out to the car and immediately smelled alcohol and marijuana. Pat asked him if he wanted to go “drifting” with them in Tomshany’s car, but Kyle declined because he had to wake up early the next morning.

Kyle went back to sleep but was awaken again at about 5:10 a.m. to the sounds of emergency vehicles. Deborah, was also awaken by the sirens. She and Kyle left their house and went to Jerusalem Road where they found Tony’s car flipped onto its top. The accident occurred only about a quarter mile away from the Dunn’s house, Deborah said.

“It was a mother’s sixth sense (that made me go to the scene of the accident),” Deborah said. “We called the one kid’s phone who was in the car, and he didn’t answer. But it was mainly my motherly sense.”

According to the police report, Pat said there were four people in the car at the time of the accident. But by the time emergency personnel arrived only Pat and Tomshany remained.

Pat and Tomshany face several charges including: driving under the influence of alcohol, allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a vehicle, permitting a person under the influence of alcohol to operate a vehicle and having a blood alcohol content of less than .02%.

“It’s a sad thing you know,” Deborah said. “They’re both really lucky to be alive. But it’s a thing they both gotta live with for the rest of their lives. They’re both just so young. It’s just really sad.”

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

news

3

news

BRIEFS Zip-tie bandit caught in act

photo by Chas Sloan

New classes require new books Rachel Butler staff writer

The new Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements will cost the district a little over $200,000 thousand in new books, but Principal Kit Moran said he and members of the staff are working to get new materials needed to fulfill these requirements.

Moran and various department chairs presented textbook requests needed as part of Michigan’s new Merit Curriculum for classes to the Board of Education on the April 28 meeting. “Most of the books we want are 2009 editions and are aligned with the Merit Curriculum,” Moran said.

The graduation requirements for the class of 2011 include one more science credit, an arts credit, two language-other-than-English credits, and four mathematics credits.

Because of these new requirements, there will be more students in these required classes, which leads to the need for more books.

“Since (these classes) are now required, when

(students) become seniors and juniors, there will that he was concerned about.

At the April. 28 board meeting he and the debe kids in these classes that weren’t required for students to take in the past,” Moran said. partment representatives asked the board to dip For example, students are now required to into the district’s savings for money to pay for the books. “We checked for the take a third science credit . best prices and worked out This will increase the the best deals we could get,” number of students who We checked for Moran said. “The text book take science classes. “We’ll companies are having a hard need more books since the best prices time selling their books, so we’ll be getting more stuand worked out they are open to offering disdents,” biology teacher Kathe best deals we counts.” tie McKinley said. could.”

For instance, he said that The books currently in use are not in good shape because the district ordered either according to McKinso many books, the book - Kit Moran, ley. “They’re old and are companies were willing to ofprincipal falling apart,” she said. fer discounts on shipping. “(The new books are) visuMoran said he is optimisally appealing, well organized, they have lots of tic about the decision the board will make at the guided resources and have big nice colorful pic- next meeting on May 19. “The board seemed very ture.” pleased with our presentation,” he said. “They When it comes to buying new books, Moran were very positive and supportive of what we’re said a book’s weight, price and age are all things trying to do.”

“

During April there were numerous zip-tie strikes.

It started as one person zip-tieing a backpack’s zippers together so the student couldn’t open their bag.

Soon the trend caught on and lockers, doors and bathroom stalls were zip-tied.

“We gathered info, found names and brought the people in. We had a pow- wow and in the end obtained a culprit,” Dean of Students Ken Koenig said.

For punishment Koenig said the “zip-tie bandit” must reimburse the school employee for stolen zipties, and if there’s ever another zip-tie problem, the “zip-tie bandit” will be the first one blamed whether they did it or not.

Koenig said the reason behind this is the person was at fault for the trend so they must take the punishment as well.

NHS holds officer elections National Honor Society will be holding its officer elections on May 7. This is also the first junior meeting of the year. According to adviser Cheryl Wells, the old leaders/ officers make ballots, put the ballots in a hat and the club picks who they think fits the requirements.

After choosing the new officers, these new officers start to meet every Tuesday of the month.

Then people sign up for different committees, and the committees meet once a month.

In terms of how well the new officers will do, Wells said, “Well, I have no idea. They’re the new crop, or lay of the land, (it) depends on how well the old officers taught them.”

Seniors conduct food auction The senior food auction held on April 18 raised more than $2,300 in 45 minutes. Half of the money raised went to a program for Muscular Dystrophy and the other half went to a program for Cystic Fibrosis.

“It’s a good spring event that brings seniors together, and the donations made goes to a good cause,” Wells said. All of the food at the auction is donated by staff.

DCS searches for superintendent

photo courtesy of Paul McCann

Construction site: A construction worker helps to lay the foundation of the new district library next to the farmers market in downtown Dexter. The village expects the library to be finished in late fall of 2008.

High hopes for new library Allison Sutter staff writer

The new Dexter library, which has been under construction since the ground breaking ceremony on May 7, 2007, is scheduled to be finished in late fall of 2008.

“Over the course of the winter, we did lose a couple of weeks due to weather conditions and the exposed nature of the sight,” library director Paul McCann said in an e-mail. “Our construction managers from O’Neal Construction believe we will still be able to meet the late fall deadline and hope to make up some of the time that was lost over the winter as the weather improves and the building takes shape.”

Some of the constraints in the current library that are going to be improved in the new library include insufficient room to house new books and

other materials added to the collection, Allison Brueckner, the library’s web site coordinator, said on the web site.

There are also narrow aisles that don’t facilitate browsing, especially for children, seniors and people with disabilities, extremely limited study space, inability to segregate quiet areas from public service areas, and a limited capacity for programming.

The new building will also have several study areas and a quiet reading room that is separate from the children’s area according to McCann.

“I’m really excited because it’s going to be really big and nice,” frequent library user and junior Jasmine Injejikian said. “If there’s a lot more books, I’ll be really happy because I feel like I’ve read all the books in the library.”

The children’s books and young adult books will be located downstairs, while the adult books and reference area will be upstairs.

There will also be meeting rooms large enough to accommodate 150 people and several smaller ones that hold up to 50 people.

“The library will be looking to add computer instruction classes, movie nights, additional book discussion groups for different age groups and additional presentations by outside groups and performers after the new building opens,” McCann said. “There is never a membership fee for residents of the Dexter District Library’s service area.”

Though the new location is not far from the current library, the bigger plot of land allows for less crowding which pleases junior Emily Williams.

“Now I’ll have a better place to read. I think it will have a better selection and it’ll be close to the school,” Williams said. “I’m so excited about the new library.”

Superintendent Evelyn Shirk will retire at the end of this school year. And the board of education has named four finalists for the position.

All of the candidates are already administrators in other districts. The final four were Harrison Cass, superintendent of Marshalltown, Iowa; Brian Metcalf, Assistant Superintendent of Marshall; John Savel, Superintendent of Trenton; and Nancy Staub, Assistant Superintendent of Pinckney.

Cass dropped out of consideration on May 8. The final pick will be made on Wednesday, May 28.

“Throughout the week of May 11- 16, Dexter administration will be doing site visits to get information about the candidates,” Principal Kit Moran said.

At these visits administrative and board of education members will be going to the candidates’ schools and interviewing students and staff about the candidates.

Womens tennis heads to regionals with high hopes On May 15 the womens tennis team will attend regionals. Only the varsity team is going and a few JV players will tag along.

Regionals will be held in Farmington Hills starting at 6:30 a.m. and going on the rest of the day.

According to junior Jenna Kolakowski, “We’ll do pretty good depending on where everyone is seeded and if they are. The only team I’m really worried about is Farmington Hills.”

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

feature

Taking a tardy for Darfur Forty students were, for once, quiet. Seven o’clock on May 1, they scrambled to their places: lying prone on the ground in front of the main entrance as a part of the Peace Club’s Darfur Awareness Week Activities. Each wore a sign that said, “I represent 13,000 people murdered in genocide.”

Everyone who came in to school on time had to walk through two rows of motionless students, and it was hard to miss the giant spray-painted “Genocide: The deliberate killing of a race of people” sign next to the bell.

Sophomore and Peace Club president Alex Everard said the morning was inspired by the peace rally they attended in Ann Arbor, where demonstrators lay on the ground to represent fallen soldiers in Iraq. He also said it was ideal for raising awareness.“Obviously when you walk into school and see 40 people passed out, you wonder what’s going on,” he said. “I think it brings it all into perspective for people.”

And Everard thinks the Darfur genocide needs to come into the spotlight. “It’s government-sponsored elimination of a certain people because of their race or beliefs,” he said.“And a lot of people just ‘hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.’ They’re turning their head away so they don’t have to realize it’s going on. That’s the approach lots of governments are taking, and we’re trying to say it’s not right. Just because they’re thousands of miles away doesn’t mean they’re not dying.”

The club didn’t stop at lying down, however. Throughout the week, members put up large signs in the stairwells and commons, circulated a petition, submitted announcements and sold “Stand for Darfur” T-shirts, all in an attempt to let students know what was going on.“I like to think we got people to think about it, if only for a second,” Everard said. “I don’ t think a lot of people knew.”

For students who thought about Darfur for more than a second, there are better things to do than think. For example, Everard suggested signing the petition at savedarfur.org, supporting fundraisers like the “Stand for Darfur” T-shirts, demonstrating and writing Congress.

“At the high school level you can’t go over there yourself,” he said.“But there is lots you can do to show people on Capitol Hill you want things done.”

As the 7:35 bell got closer, Peace club adviser Ryan Baese and science teacher Jessica Kreeger began to outline the demonstrators in chalk, a lasting genocide reminder that is sill partially visible. Seven-thirty-five became dangerously close, and the demonstration was over.

“OK guys, it’s about that time, ” Baese finally said. “Take a tardy for Darfur. Good job.”

Maria Brundage copy editor

A line on the concrete: Peace club adviser Ryan Baese traces a student’s outline on the sidewalk. The Peace Club wanted the demonstration to continue after they stood up.

2.5 million

fled their homes in Darfur and now live in refugee camps, relying on aid organizations.

Playing dead: Sophomores Megan Hee-Jung-Kim, Waleed Mansour and Max Berry each represent 13,000 dead in Darfur.

1 million

still live in villages under constant threat of bombings, raids, murder, rape and torture.

killed in the Darfur genocide *this is the conservative estimate

Crisis in Darfur: Darfur, an area about the size of Texas in western Sudan, holds some of Africa’s poorest people. They exist largely on either subsistence farming or nomadic herding. Even in good times, the Darfuri people face a very harsh and difficult life; these are not good times in Darfur.

2003: Drought, oppression, small-scale conflicts and poor allocation of government resources cause two rebel groups to mount an insurgency against the central government. These groups represent “non-Arab black African” Muslim farmers.

In response: the Sudanese government supports tribal militias known as the Janjaweed. Their members are composed mostly of “Arab black African” Muslims who herd livestock.

The Crisis Now: Humanitarian operations are increasingly targeted by both sides of the conflict. Vehicles are being hijacked and robbed, aid workers are assaulted while carrying out their work and offices are broken into and looted.

No mercy: The Janjaweed begin wiping out entire villages, systematically murdering, torturing and raping hundreds of thousands of Darfuris. This all happens with the support or at least approval of the Sudanese government.

Summer 2007: Violence between tribes of the Janjaweed begins to occur more frequently. Tribal fighting is now killing more people than the clashes between the government and rebel forces.

Information from http://www.savedarfur.org Refugee photos from http://physiciansforhumanrights.org All other photos by Maria Brundage

Baese ponders principal position Says he’s not looking to leave classroom anytime soon however

Kevin Butler staff writer

Ever since social studies teacher Ryan Baese attended Ovid-Elsie High School, north of Lansing, and watched his father as the principal there, he dreamed of becoming a principal himself.

So after student teaching at DHS for a year and teaching at DHS for four years, Baese decided to add to his education and get the degree necessary to become an administrator. After completing his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in education with a major in social studies and a minor in earth science, Now he’s going back to U of M for his masters of graduate studies of public administration with a concentration in education administration.

All of this extra education, he said, is to better prepare him for an administrative position.

But it doesn’t look like Baese will be turning in his classroom and students for a walkie talkie and an iTouch.

“The whole administrative thing is definitely for the future,” Baese said. “It depends on the opportunity. I don’t want to leave the classroom anytime soon.” “(Becoming an administrator), has been something he has been passionate for, for a long time,” English teacher Andrew Parker said, “He put himself

in a god position for all the things he has done such as being a class advisor, coach, going to the dances and a lot of other school related activities.”

Becoming qualified is the first step One of the reasons Baese would like to become an administrator is to create a high school he envisions.

With a principals position, Baese said, he wants to be able to institute his vision and direction into his school. “To really institute positive change in your school.”

One of these ways would be hiring quality teachers. “Maintaining a high level of quality teacher shows that you care,” Baese said. Although someday Baese would like to gain control of a public school, he said he will miss teaching.

“Some of the things that I will miss is just some of the relationships with the students as a teacher and the connections that you make,” Baese said. “That’s what I will miss the most.”

But Baese doesn’t want to leave the high school scene. “High school would be the most challenging,” he said, “but what I could do the best.”

His belief in being able to manage a high school is because of his relationships and people skills.“I think I can manage people well,” Baese said, “I think I can be a strong leader and value the input of others.”

By listening to everybody’s opinions and voices, Baese plans to be “very democratic,” when it comes to running his school and the decision making.

Parker also believes Baese’s people skills will be his strong point. “(Baese) will get to know the people in the building,” Parker said, “And by having as many teachers as possible involved in the decision making process.”

This way of governing was largely influenced by his father. Baese looked up to him and admired the way he did things. From doing the punishing to listening to people on what they think about things going around in the school “Just the way that he is able to deal with people,” Baese said, “To stroke that balance of being the boss and making the decisions. But at the same time being very personable with people.”

But Baese’s father was not his only role model and someone that helped him out.“(Mr. Moran) has been meeting with me a lot,” Baese said. Moran went as far as allowing Baese to follow him to shadow him for a day. “(He’s) showing me how decisions are being made, and how to run things,” Baese said, “I’m just trying to learn from him.”With all this learning experience and education, Baese hopes to become the best administrator possible. When it comes how he would like to be perceived, Baese said he would not like to be seen as the punisher.

“I want (kids) seeing me as the boss.” Baese said, “Don’t know too many who relish the punisher role.”

FORMERLY ARGIERO’S IN DEXTER!

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5

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

feature

Katie Johnson features editor

Journalism teaches important life lessons For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to write.

When I was little, I always preferred crayon and paper, writing stories about my world: my brother, parents, friends, everything that made up who I was.

Every week in first grade, we used to write short stories. We would publish our stories, with red, green and yellow covers with titles written in thick permanent marker. They weren’t much, maybe two or three pages, but they were always my favorite part of the week. I still have some of them tucked away somewhere in my closet as a reminder of the very beginning.

I continued writing throughout middle school, confining my thoughts to the pages of a journal, but it wasn’t until high school that I fell in love with writing.

It wasn’t until I arrived at DHS my sophomore year.

I’ve moved for most of my life, living in numerous towns in Michigan and in Texas for five years. When my parents told me we were moving to Dexter, I’d never heard of the place but figured it’d be like any other move: make new friends, get involved in something and wait to move on to a another town.

The move went as I planned. I made new friends, joined the basketball team and had even started to like Dexter a little as it became more familiar. But even after being at DHS for a semester, I still hadn’t found something that fit with me, something that just clicked.

I finally found it the first day of second semester.

I can still distinctly remember the first time I walked into the journalism room. I was just joining the newspaper staff, and to say the least, I was a little intimidated. I remember seeing awards littering the walls and ceiling and everyone sitting at a computer, claiming their territory.

Even though this was scary, above all, I was afraid that now, people could read what I wrote. At first I struggled to find my own voice in my writing, but each day, the room became less intimidating, and I became more confident of my writing. It wasn’t until the end of that year that I realized I had found it. I had found what I clicked with.

Since then, I’ve never stopped writing. After almost three years on The Squall, I can’t imagine what high school would have been without it. It’s been my outlet, the one thing that has become as much a part of me as anything else. It’s been my slice of the real world, my one escape from the monotony of school.

The Squall is my own summary of high school. If I were asked to summarize senior year, or our four years at Dexter, I couldn’t do it. I could rattle off stories about teachers, friends, classmates, but I wouldn’t do justice.

It’s different for everyone else. After all, high school is only four years of your life. That by no means defines you as a person, but it may help you get to know yourself a little better. Take it for what it’s worth. In the end it doesn’t matter how anyone else saw you. It matters how you saw yourself. I know that in my four years, that is exactly what I’ve learned.

photo by Maria Brundage

Dancing queens: Seniors TJ Fenske, Phil Huddleston and John Crist practice the dance “Bye, Bye Bye” for the Mr. Dreadnaught pageant. Seniors Michelle Chirby and Danielle St. Pierre helped the boys choreograph the dance.

Students participate in pageant Brittany Martini staff writer

Last year the lights flashed and the students screamed as 15 senior boys had the times of their lives on stage. This year everything is promised to bigger, better and packed with even more excitement according to the Mr. Dreadnaught pageant coordinator Megan Ullmann.

This year’s Mr. Dreadnaught pageant is Friday, May 16.

“This year the whole pageant will have more excitement than last year,” Megan Ullmann said. “The senior class is very excited for it because of the participants.”

However, this is going to be a challenge for senior class because of the lack of participants and shortage of time between the day of starting to plan and the date of the pageant.

“One problem we have is that we don’t have a ton of people who signed up,” Ullmann said. “Right now we have eight contestants, and we are hoping for more. If we don’t get at least 10, we will consider canceling the event. Also, we don’t have a ton of time to plan and get ready so it’s going to be hard to get everything ready.”

Although this problem lies ahead, many seniors say the pageant will be even better than ever due to the students being involved in Mr. Dreadnaught. Senior Ryan White is one of the many students who feel this way.

“This year’s Mr. Dreadnaught pageant will be even better than the pageants in past years because our class has a lot of really

talented guys who are participating in it,” he said. “The seniors this year are really going to make the pageant better because they are really funny and are truly a great bunch of guys who are guaranteed to entertain.”

Senior Jessi Pressley, who attended the Mr. Dreadnaught pageant last year, agrees.

“Last year was so much fun,” she said.

“The performances, songs and modeling were so fun to watch and despite the shortage of people this year I still plan to go and to have a ton of fun.”

White plans to participate in this year’s pageant and try to make what Pressley said come true.

“I have gone to school for 12 years, and this is my last chance to show the school who I am and leave something behind for people to remember me by,” White said.

Ullmann and White both agree that seniors who are in the Mr. Dreadnaught pageant are going to have just as much fun participating as the students watching.

“The guys participating in the pageant are going to have a lot of fun, and the students are really going to get a kick out of watching them,” Ullmann said. “The whole experience is great for the guys to go through and the students to watch.”

This will be the fourth annual Mr. Dreadnaught pageant. Students who attend will pay a couple of dollars and see participants respond to an interview, model evening wear and perform a talent.

White said he is still unsure about what is he going to do up on stage for the talent portion of the pageant, though.”

“Although I am not for sure on what talent I am going to choose, I know it will be one that people will enjoy watching me perform up on stage,” he said.

While everyone is watching the pageant, students may be surprised to know that the winner of the pageant will not receive any regular prize from past years.

Another difference between this year and last year’s Mr. Dreadnaught is that the winner will not only receive the title of Mr. Dreadnaught and the glory of being the “top dog” of the senior class, but will also receive a scholarship of a couple hundred dollars.

“If I were to win, the winning for me wouldn’t be just the crown and the title of Mr. Dreadnaught; it’s the feeling inside of knowing that I will represent my senior class,” White said. “Just knowing that I could be remembered for years to come by winning or simply participating, makes the whole experience worth it.”

White said, however, that winning Mr. Dreadnaught isn’t everything. He said he thinks most of the guys are excited to participate, no matter what the outcome may be.

And having fun seems to be a common theme through seniors, students and teachers that who plan to participate in the Mr. Dreadnaught pageant.

“Sure, winning would be great,” White said. “However, it’s far from the most important thing to gain from the experience.

Mr. Dreadnaught is something fun for me to participate in, a good time and a good way to end my senior year with a laugh.”

Student places second in Dalai Lama contest Facts about Dalai Lama poetry • Jewel Heart, the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Intermediate School District assisted in advertising the contest • The poems were inspired by themes dear to the 14th Dalai Lama - harmony, kindness, sustainability and peace • All of the curriculum directors for the public school districts in Washtenaw County received e-mail notification of the contest.

•The volume of poetry presented to the Dalai Lama was titled "Poems from the Heart and Dedicated to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama."

•The book was in memory of Allen Ginsberg, Jewel Heart’s Eternal Poet Laureate.

Information courtesy of Zoe Starkweather

very confident in the poem.”

Zoe Starkweather, a sponsor of the contest, said 29 students ranging from third grade through seniors in high school entered a total of Entering poetry contests isn’t something sophomore Aiyana Em- 35 poems all judged by eight community judges who read the poems erson normally does, but this April she stepped outside her comfort and selected the winners by consensus. Despite Emerson’s doubts, zone and entered a contest where the top five poems would be put she placed second. into a booklet and presented to the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiri“When I read her poem, I wept. I had no idea that she was such a tual leader of Tibet, in his visit to Ann gifted writer,” Russell said. “I was so happy to see AiArbor on April 19. yana receive recognition for her work that came right Emerson’s half-sister’s grandmother, from her heart. It takes courage to outwardly express Rory Russell, works for “Current Magayour creativity, but it is the only way the dream can zine,” a free magazine listing upcoming take form.”

When I read her poem, I events in the Washtenaw County area.

The five winners’ poems were bound and presented She heard about the contest across Ann to the Dalai Lama when he visited Ann Arbor on April wept. I had no idea that Arbor and surrounding communities in 19 by the winner of the contest. The five runners’ up she was such a gifted southeast Michigan and contacted Empoems were also put in the booklet. writer.” erson right away.

“The poems had to be about peace, happiness, sus“Last year Aiyana told me that she tainability or passion, and they were presented to the wanted to be a writer, and I stored her Dalai Lama during his presentation on sustainability,” - Rory Russell, dream in my heart,” Russell said. “When Emerson said. As a prize for placing in the contest, Current Magazine I heard about the student poetry contest, Emerson was given two tickets to the Dalai Lama’s I immediately thought about Aiyana and presentation on sustainability. sent her the contest rules. There was only His presentation on sustainability is not the only a couple of days until the deadline.” presentation Emerson attended, though. She and Emerson said she jumped at the opportunity and wrote a two her mom had prior plans to attend every one of the Dalai Lama’s page poem about peace as soon as Russell contacted her. presentations. “Seeing him was exciting because it’s something I’ve “I have never entered a poem into a contest before, but I thought it been interested in for my whole life,” Emerson said. “I was raised would be really cool to have my poem presented to the Dalai Lama,” Buddhist, and it was a really good opportunity to see the Buddhist Emerson said. “I didn’t expect to even place in the contest. I wasn’t spiritual leader of Tibet.”

Betsy Eber staff writer

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Nichols, Sacks, Slanks, Sendelbach & Buiteweg Attorneys at Law (734) 994-3000

6

Wednesday, May 21, 2008



health

The Squall

Emily VanDusen staff writer

Also making it harder to resist crash diet schemes according to Kernohan are the advertisements and commercials from diet companies that are plastered all over popular magazines and For a teenager the pressure to look good comes TV programs.

“I think teenagers are attracted by the idea of from many different sources: friends, family, fashion magazines, even store windows. As a re- quick fi x, of losing 8 - 13 pounds in the first two sult, many turn to the process of dieting, but some weeks,” she said. “Unfortunately the weight loss is often water and muscle mass, not fat, and when diets are more healthy than others.

With the introduction of Atkins, the grapefruit the fad diet is stopped the weight comes back.”

As a matter of fact, a lot of these commercials diet and the cabbage diet, among others, “crash diets” have been an easy way to get a quick fi x of are embellished Kernohan said. Many viewers are amazed and inspired at the fact that the hefty weight loss for an important event.

But such diets might actually hurt one’s body brunette woman holding up her huge trousers and the petite blond woman 10 times smaller are rather than help.

“They do not promote healthy eating habits the same person.

In reality, they are so remarkably different beor lifestyle changes,” school nurse Aileen Kernohan said. “You may lose weight initially but usu- cause they are two different people.

To lose weight in a healthy way, ally gain it back once the Kernohan recommends simply diet is stopped. Some watching what you eat, exercising diets can upset the metregularly and paying attention to abolic balance in your You may lose portion sizes. body, leading to various weight initially but “A good general rule for porhealth problems.” usually gain it back tion control is one portion equals Even diets that reonce the diet is the size of your fist or cupped ceive a lot of media atstopped.” hand,” Kernohan said. “Calorie tention and seem at intake should not exceed output least somewhat crediand should be less than calorie ble, like the South Beach - Aileen Kernohan, output if weight loss is required. diet or Atkins, are not school nurse A healthful weight loss is 1/2 to diets recommended by two pounds a week.” many health officials.

As more companies present more ways to lose “I do not believe in any crash diets,” Kernohan said. “The best way to lose weight and maintain weight, it is still hard to tell whether they are getweight loss is to eat a healthful diet and exercise ting more or less popular.

“I have encountered many crash diets over the appropriately. A healthy diet includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains (complex car- years,” Kernohan said. “The Grapefruit, the Fat bohydrate), some healthful omega 3 fatty acids Flush, the Zone, the Atkins, The Sugar Busters, such as those found in salmon and other fatty The Eat 4 Your Blood Type, The South Beach, The Three Day, The Cabbage Soup, The Scaresdale, fish, nuts, avocados, etc, and adequate protein.”

If crash diets are so unhealthy and eventually The 7 Day, The Metabolism diet, the list goes on make a person gain weight, then why do people all and on.”

To people who are attracted to the world of over the country still rely on them?

“I think the reasons are varied,” Kernohan crash dieting, Kernohan urges them, teenagers in said. “Some teenagers want to lose a few pounds particular, to think before they diet.

“I can tell you people are always looking for a in a quick way for a social occasion; others have a distorted body image and feel they need to diet magic cure,” Kernohan said. “I would hope the when they don't; still others wanting to lose wait instance is falling as students become better eduthink it's a good way to get a jump start on weight cated about good nutrition and healthful weight loss.” loss.”

“

Factbox • Crash diets can lead to kidney failure, liver failure, heart attack or stroke among other health complications • Crash diets are a quick fix that promise dieters will loose six to 13 pounds in two weeks • The Atkins, cabbage soup, and Special K diets are just a few of the many popular crash diets

health.yahoo.com/weightloss-dietplan/

Photo illustration by Val Argerio and Leah Gibson

Teens think binge fun calls for binge drinking Jake LaRosa staff writer

“It’s kind of hard to recall those stories,” junior Steve Lokie* said. “The last thing I remember was jumping on my friend’s table and breaking it in half. When I woke up, I was in a pile of splintered wood and beer cans. There’s a point where you drink so much that you can’t remember anything from last night.”

Lokie’s story is not an unusual one. Many students say they have experienced first hand the adverse health effects associated with binge drinking, which is defined as a heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time that brings the blood alcohol level to 0.08 or above.

For a typical adult this would be about four or more drinks for a female, and five or more drinks for a male, over a two hour period.

According to school nurse Aileen Kernohan, shortterm effects of binge drinking include blackouts, continuous vomiting, and hangovers usually felt the day after and make the user feel ill and groggy.

“There are many (ill effects to binge drinking) in addition to being hung over; frequent binge drinking can cause difficulty concentrating thereby affecting school functioning, memory lapses and mood changes,” Kernohan said.

Long-term effects of binge drinking can be more severe.

According to Kernohan they include weight problems, high blood pressure, and a propensity toward alcoholism, and liver and nerve damage.”

But junior Eric Bacon* said the health risks of binge drinking don’t bother him at all. “I usually don’t tend to worry about the health risks,” Bacon said. “I just like to get f----- up with my friends and have fun.”

Bacon said his biggest binge was on Halloween two years ago. “I drank half a fifth of vodka to myself,” he said. “It was my first time drinking vodka, so I wanted to make it count.”

Bacon said he soon regretted drinking so much however.

“After about half an hour I started puking nonstop. After that I blacked out and my friends called my parents.

When they came and got me, I was still passed out. They took me to the hospital and had my stomach pumped. I wasn’t even grounded or anything. They seemed more disappointed in me than angry.”

But Kernohan said students like Bacon should worry more about drinking too much because there are more health risks associated with binge drinking than just alcohol poisoning.

“Other health consequences include disease, injury and death,” she said. “For example, getting hurt or injured in accidents; engaging in unplanned sexual activity leading to STDs and or pregnancy; driving impaired or riding with an impaired driver which could cause serious injury or fatal accidents; and death from choking on vomit and/or respiratory arrest from alcohol poisoning.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning include extreme confusion, an inability to be wakened, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, low body temperature, bluish or pale skin.

Kernohan also said If you think someone may have alcohol poisoning, turn them on their side and call 911 right away.

But despite the numerous things that could go wrong, students like Bacon say they continue to binge drink.

“It’s more of a social thing,” Bacon said. “You don’t want to be the only loser at a party who’s completely sober. And plus, the ladies love it.” * Name changed for privacy photo illustration by Valentino Argiero

7

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

arts

Entertainment offers escapism Ryan Aliapoulios entertainment editor

I think the most important thing I’ve learned in my four years of high school is how great a distraction art can be from real life. More and more I’ve realized that my ritual absorption of art is a cornerstone of my life.

Many summers when people wanted to go see the biggest blockbuster at Quality 16, I’d be up in my friend’s basement with a stack of old VHS tapes from the library.

Half of them were usually in a different language, others were just relatively big hits that everyone forgot about. These dusty old tapes would include such classics as John Woo’s “The Killer,” or Otto Preminger’s “Anatomy of a Murder.”

I remember constantly pushing my parents into letting me see “The Matrix” for the first time when I was nine years old. My mind was so rattled by the ideas that I stayed up in bed all night, shaking like a crack fiend.

Even more so than movies though, music has had a profound effect on me.

It’s also hard for me to imagine life without the hyperactive pop guitar of The Strokes, or the carefree, accessible hooks of Third Eye Blind. Or on the other hand, the driving brutality of bands like Lamb of God. Generally speaking, there’s a type of music to match the mood I’m in, and I’ve learned not to discriminate.

Except against country music, but that goes without saying. Although My Morning Jacket definitely has a country twang, and they’re growing on me.

I don’t think I’ve ever been teased more in my life than when I made the mistake of saying that I didn’t mind the song “Rock Lobster” that much. What can I say. The B-52’s have a strange place in my heart since my dad used to play their CD in the car before all my soccer games in elementary school.

I was also pretty shocked to discover that “Rock Lobster” was in the top half of Rolling Stone’s top 500 songs of all time. It takes different strokes, I guess.

All jokes aside, music has really helped me through some hard times. I started to miss home after living overseas for a few years, but when my parents introduced me to the cosmic blues of Jimi Hendrix, somehow I could overcome it.

Vacations were always a bittersweet experience because even though all of Europe was at our fingertips, no exotic location or experience can give a person roots.

For most of my childhood, I felt like a refugee, an alien both back home and where I was living.

I can remember driving through some barren country side in Portugal that was being beaten down by the most vicious thunderstorm with all these restless thoughts going through my head.

Late in the night my dad put “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd on the radio, and I was able to fall asleep.

When the news came that my parents were getting divorced, I went to the bathroom and dumped water on my face about a half hour.

I think I was trying to wash off the news, maybe.

Right after that, I put on my headphones and fell asleep to a myriad of artists who could say what I was feeling better than I could understand it.

After many years of memorizing facts and dealing with day to day life, there were few things more meaningful than spending an afternoon soul-searching with whatever album I was into that week. There’s real power in the escapism that art can grant those who take the time to invest in it.

Photo courtesy of Anna Petrovskis

Lights on Broadway: Sophomore Anna Petrovskis performs as the lead role of Annie in the play ‘‘Annie’’. Petrovskis plans to attend Interlochen next year, dedicated to study acting and singing.

Sophomore Petrovskis plans to go to Interlochen ed to go there.

“The tide turned after her visit to the school, where she was thrilled about the stimulating environment, diverse student body and theater immersion,” he said.

Ever since she was 6 years-old, sophomore Anna “After doing more research on Interlochen programs, Petrovskis has loved to sing and act. But when she faculty and alumni, I began to realize what an incredstarted performing in plays with the Pinckney Players ible opportunity this would be.”

Out of a pool of about 1000 applicants, Petrovskis in third grade, she never thought she would one day attend a boarding school for singing and acting. Next was chosen to attend the school based on her applicayear, though, Petrovskis will attend Interlochen Arts tion, monologues and singing abilities.

“I will be taking half academic and half arts classAcademy near Traverse City.

It’s a long way from where she began her acting es (at Interlochen),” Petrovskis said. “I have to take more English classes, but I like math better.” career in “The Wizard of Oz’’.

Petrovskis also said the experience she will get “I was really little, so I played a munchkin,” she from acting and singing every day will be very benefisaid.

Though she has done many plays over the years, cial to advancing her skills.

“I want to go there to take acting classes every Anna said her favorite one was Annie with the Pinckney Players. “I played Annie in ‘Annie’ when I was in day,” she said. “It’s every different than just being in a show.” seventh grade,” she said.

With this opportunity ahead of her, Petrovskis The Pinckney Players appealed to Petrovskis besaid she is ready to take on the challenge. “It’s unreal cause of the great shows and new people to meet. that I’d actually be gone all year,” she “I ended up loving it,” she said. “It’s said, “I’m really excited. I’ll come back outside of Dexter where I can meet new (to DHS) for a day since we have long people, and they have really good shows It’s unreal that breaks (in school).” and an amazing theatre.”

I’d actually be Anna’s dad also thinks she is ready Although Petrovskis loves to do gone all year.” for the challenges and opportunities Pinckney shows, she has done a few Interlochen will present. shows in Dexter. “I did ‘The Wizard of - Anna Petrovskis, “I am thrilled that Anna will have Oz’ and ‘Oliver’ in Dexter,” she said. sophomore the opportunity to grow as an artist Petrovskis said her family first began and mature as an independent thinklooking into Interlochen when she was er,” he said. “She’s ready, and I am in eighth grade.

“My dad was researching arts schools, and I wanted confident that she will succeed.”

Leaving her friends and family for long periods of to go in eighth grade, but it was way too expensive,” time is a downside to attending Interlochen. “I’m sure she said.

Petrovskis’s dad, Erik Petrovskis, said it was Anna’s I’ll miss Dexter,” she said. “I’m going to miss (Alexander) Dobbs and (Alex) Ev (erard) in French very idea to look into Interlochen again this past winter.

“Anna checked out the Interlochen web site and much.”

Even though Erik is excited for Anna to have this wanted to pursue it further,” he said. “So, she took charge, called the school and started to prepare her opportunity, he said he will miss her while she is gone. application and audition materials.”

“It feels like Anna is starting college a few years Petrovskis began filling out the 25-page school application and financial aid application. “We literally early,” he said. “I’m sad that she’ll be gone but happy decided in January to apply, and the application had that she’ll be studying with a group of like-minded kids.” to be in by Feb. 1,” she said.

At Interlochen, Anna said she plans to combine Erik thought that applying to Interlochen would be music and theater programs because they don’t have a a good opportunity for Anna. “(I) thought that it would be a great experience to specific musical theater curriculum. Through studygo through the process, whether she was accepted or ing at Interlochen she said she hopes to achieve her dream of attending University of Michigan. She said, not,” he said.

Erik said he wasn’t too enthused about Anna at- “I want to study musical theater at U of M. That’s my tending Interlochen until he saw how much she want- ideal goal.”

Alexis Sobczak staff writer

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Ceramics class adds interest to art curriculum Matt Kaas staff writer

Photo by Allison Sutter

Enjoying ceramics class: Junior Jamie Innis digs away at a mold of clay in order to start making her ceramic piece. Ceramics class is a new art elective that was added this year as an effort to broaden the choices for students aimed towards vocational careers.

Growing up is a process that everyone goes through, but some have found a way to allow themselves to grow up in an art-bound world.

The Ceramics class allows students to learn and grow in the field of art.

One of these students is Advanced Ceramics student senior Marcia Grace. “Clay is a fun medium once you learn the tricks,” Grace said.

Ceramics class is run by art and math teacher Tracy Wolsefer.

“My favorite thing about clay is that it has instant gratification.” Wolsefer said.

According to Grace, ceramics isn’t just the traditional mind set of making pottery on a wheel; ceramics takes it to another level. In addition to making pottery on a wheel, students can make sculptures out of clay and other materials like wire.

“We make both functional (plates, bowls) and nonfunctional (sculptures) pieces,” Wolsefer said.

Although ceramics can be intimidating, Grace says that beginners can enjoy it too. “I

have been doing ceramics since kindergarten and have gone to Blue Lakes Art Camp to get better,” she said.

Newcomer senior Jessica Otto said that she learned the fundamentals of forming clay.

“In ceramics class I learned the essentials about making ceramics,” Otto said.

Wolsefer said that one of the strengths of ceramics is its versatility.

“I like the fact that clay is a very giving medium,” she said, “in the sense that students can experiment with it.”

Grace has entered her art work in different art shows and displayed them in different places, including the Ann Arbor Art Show and the Ann Arbor Art Festival.

“I entered a mermaid sculpture at the Ann Arbor Art Show,” she said. “The body was made of clay, and the tail was made out of wire.”

Wolsefer said she was impressed by Grace’s ability.

“I’ve had Marcia in class before and this year her work is showing maturity that I’ve never seen before,” she said. “I think it comes from her ability to translate things into clay.”

Even though the rookies don’t enter their

ceramics into shows, they still walk out of the class with an experience they will never forget and some pieces of art that will make good decorations. “I’ll never have any art to display,” Otto said, “but I still have memories.”

Another place where students can display their ceramics is at the Ann Arbor’s teen center the Neutral Zone.

Grace said The Neutral Zone allows students to grow through art, because it allows teens to meet new people and display their ceramics in a non-judgmental environment.

“The Neutral Zone is fun,” she said. “You leave your problems at the door.”

Many students who involve themselves with ceramics seem to love it.

“I hope to stay with it. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a good hobby,” Grace said. “It’s a way to beat out your anger because you get to hit the clay.”

Even newcomers would like to stay with ceramics and keep it as a hobby. “I would like to continue doing ceramics,” Otto said. ”It is interesting to play with clay.”

For her part Wolsefer said, “Everyone should take it, I think people would be very surprised quickly they catch on to it.”

8

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

sports

Rugby team ready for State

Devils face some of the toughest teams in the country Ian McCarthy Staff Writer

Just four years ago, when senior Mike Swager was a freshman, rugby had just begun, and the Devils were a brand new team in Division 3. “I’ve been starting on the rugby team since it started when I was a freshman and every year besides last we have gone down a division, because now were Division 1 which is as high as you can go,” Swager said.

And rugby’s came a long way. Currently, the team is 6-0 and they have won all of their games by a large margin. Still, they had to test their skills against the top teams from the region on Saturday, May 10 in Elkhart Indiana. Some of the elite squads include teams from Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

At the regionals the team finished 1-2 and came in 12th place out of all of the teams that attended. This doesn’t contribute to their overall record, however, since tournament play is not counted.

Their first game was against Lasselet High School in Indiana who proved to be a tough contender for the Devils who were handed their first loss of the season. Lasselet is an all boys Catholic school, and they are #1 in the state of Indiana.

The Devils lost this match but held high hopes going into their next game seeing that this team was one of the best in the nation.

In the second game Dexter played their rival Birmingham Senior Matt Janos and junior Kyle Boren lift teammate and senior Ben Vanderput to catch a thrown in

who was #1 in the state of Michigan. The match was one of the most even games the Devils played all season. They came out victorious by a single point, building steam towards their next game. Heading into their last game, the Devils hopped to come out of the tournament with more wins than losses.

Then, in the final game of the regionals, the team faced off against Saint Charles from Illinois. Dexter lost 10-3, ending their regional tournament with 12th place. Swager said he took some positive things out of the tournament and the experience they have now gained playing against some of the best teams in the country.

Swager said, “We did good even though we lost. We didn’t get a fair shot because we got seeded last. Since we got seeded last, we had to play against all of the toughest teams. If you don’t win the first round game, the highest you can get at the regionals is ninth place.”

But the team’s season is far from over. The Devils, now the number one team in the state, can still look forward to the state tournament.

This year’s team captain, senior Pat Farrell, likes the experience the team has gained from the regional tournament.

“I think that regionals has really prepared us for states,” Farrell said. “We just played against some of the best teams from around the country, so I think we’re going to come in ready.”

Senior Brad Williams runs to the field to attempt a try.

photos by Hadley Stoll

Michigan weather interferes with track Kaitlyn Shepard staff writer

photo by Jojo Parin

It’s raining, it’s pouring: Freshman Shaun Kreimes runs on the indoor track. Michigan’s weather has kept the track team often kept the track team from practicing outside and has forced the cancellation of some meets.

For many seniors, sports are the best part of their high school career. They finally have seniority over everyone, and unless they are going onto college sports, it’s their last chance to make it to regionals and beyond.

However, this year for track and field members like senior Mari Couasnon this dream may not come true. Because of recent weather conditions, many track meets and practices were canceled for the safety of the participants.

Couasnon said these setbacks in the season have greatly affected the team.

“It’s hard for a lot of the people who are on the verge of qualifying for regionals,” Couasnon said. “When they lose the opportunities to practice and get better, their chances of qualifying get worse.”

According to Couasnon, losing opportunities to qualify for regionals isn’t as bad as the mental affect the cancellations have on the team.

“It’s hard because you get all psyched up for the meet during the day,” Couasnon said. “And then for it to be canceled is a major disappointment.”

Athletic Director John Robinson said this is not a new thing for any outdoor sport to have to deal with and the weather cancellations should have little effect on the track and field team’s performance in the post season.

“Track is more of an individual sport,” Robinson said. “You don’t need the playing time to function as a team because it’s done individually. As long as you are working hard at practice and consistently improving, you should be OK.” Coach Tom Barbieri also said these meet cancellations should have little affect on the team because of their past experience with these kind of set backs.

“We have a veteran team,” he said. “They’re used to this kind of thing. They’re really flexible, like Gumby.”

According to Robinson, the MHSAA is considering adding a fourth sports season between winter and spring sports for womens basketball. This addition

would push back the spring sports season making it less likely for weather to interfere with the many outdoor sports.

“The spring sports season is caught in the middle,” Robinson said. “The late winter weather and the early post season leaves little time for competition. If they moved the season back, the late winter weather would be less likely to interfere with the season.”

Robinson said, however, what many students don’t know is sport schedules are set up, up to a two years in advance. This makes it very hard to plan for the weather, he said.

“In November we might schedule a soccer game for April 23,” he said. “Because it is only November, we don’t know if April 23 will be snowy or if it will be sunny and 70. This is Michigan were talking about.”

According to Barbieri there is no good way to prevent the weather from interfering with any spring sport. By scheduling meets late in the season the chances of nice weather are higher, however you also end up scheduling right up to the post season.

“You have to try and schedule things later in season, because that’s when your chances of playing are better,” Barbieri said. “You have to be careful though because you don’t want to end up with several meets right before regionals.”

Cousanon said these kind of setbacks have more of an affect on the younger runners who need the experience of running competitively compared to the veteran runners who have been doing this for years.

“It’s hard on the new runners,” Couasnon said. “It takes a lot more work for them to qualify then it does for some of the older runners. But for the program to continue to be as good as it is, we need the younger runners to qualify.”

But while the team has only missed one meet because of weather, Couasnon said every meet lost, even if it’s just one, affects the entire team.

“It’s nicer to have more chances to compete and qualify for regionals,” she said. “Every chance we lose, is one less chance we have.”

9

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall Golfers take absences for sport Inconvienent golf matches prevent golfers from attending school

sports

Charlie Pettit Sports Editor

Athletes thought to hold a greater value

Looking to the pin: Senior Don Knight hits a long drive in his last golf match. Knight had to miss school for this match which happens on a regular basis. However, most golfers say missing these classes has not affected their GPAs. photo by Kevin Butler

Morgan Quist Staff writer

days of school by the end of the year b ecause of golf. And like Marken, he said it has not affected him.

Jun i o r J o r d a n M a r k e n e s t i m a t e s h e w i l l have missed Knight said it was a relatively easy decision, choosing five sc h o o l d a y s b y t h e e n d o f t h e y e a r . N o t f rom sickness golf over his last day of school. or per s o n a l i s s u e s , b u t d u e t o h i s h i g h s c h o o l golf matches “I might regret (going to the tour nament instead of sched u l e d i n c o n v e n i e n t l y d u r i n g s c h o o l d a y s . school) a little bit,” Knight said. “But it’s my last golf Mar k e n s a i d t h e q u i n t s , o r m a t c h e s , tournament, so I don’t think I will regret sched u l e d d u r i n g s c h o o l o n M o n d a y s , it that much.”

Wedne s d a y s a n d F r i d a y s , h a v e n o t Knight also said his coach, as well as affect e d h i s a c a d e m i c p e r f o r m a n c e the athletic director, are upset over the “I f we have a or gra d e s j u s t y e t , d e s p i t e t h e f a c t h e conflicting schedules. misses s i x t h h o u r f r e q u e n t l y a n d h a s test that day, Athletic Director John Robinson, too, missed s e v e r a l f u l l d a y s o f s c h o o l . is familiar with conflicts confli cts between school (coach) just “I’m O K w i t h m i s s i n g s c h o o l , ” and golf. But said there is little to do tells us to get Marke n s a i d . “ I t h a s n ’ t r e a l l y a f f e c t about the conflict. ed me .” it done on our “The golf schedule is dictated by course If a g o l f e r h a d a t e s t h e h a d t o availability,” he said. “The school does own time.” take t h a t d a y , M a r k e n s a y s i t ’s o n l y not have their own course, so we, as well tough l o v e f r o m c o a c h . as the other schools in the league, have “If w e h a v e a t e s t t h a t d a y , ( c o a c h ) -Jordan Marken, to use the courses when they are open.” just te l l s u s t o g e t i t d o n e o n o u r o w n Robinson said the r eason the team has junior time,” h e s a i d . “ T o t a k e i t e i t h e r b e 3 p.m. tee times, which causes the athforeha n d o r a f t e r ( t h e m a t c h o r t o u r letes to frequently miss sixth hour, is namen t ) .” the goal of the golf team is to get to the Mar k e n a l s o s a i d i f a p l a y e r w e r e course before they become crowded by to mis s a m a t c h , a n d i n s t e a d g o t o s c h o o l , t he rest of the the general public . team w o u l d b e c o me f r u s t r a t e d a n d d i s a p p o i nted. Choos“We need to get on and off the course before league ing sc h o o l o v e r a m a t c h i s s o m e t h i n g t h e r e s t of the team play starts for the public,” he said. “We do occasionally would f r o w n u p o n . get to use a course on the weekend, but with 16 play dates Mar k e n s a i d n o g o l f e r h a s d o n e t h i s y e t o r even thought to get in within a six to eight week period, we can’t play about i t . them all on the weekends.”

The r e i s o n e s c h e d u l i n g c o n f l i c t t h a t c o u l d in fact cause Although members of the team say the school work senior s t o m i s s t h e i r l a s t t o u r n a m e n t , a n d i nstead go to missed hasn’t affected them, it could catch up to them, schoo l . I t i s a l s o t h e s e n i o r s ’ l a s t d a y o f s c h o ol. and according to Robinson, the scheduling has been a reThe s e n i o r s ’ l a s t d a y , w h i c h i s M a y 2 1 , i s a l so the day of occurring issue throughout the years. the me n ’s g o l f S E C t o u r n a m e n t . T h i s c o n f l i c t could answer “This has always been somewhat of an issue,” Robinson the qu e s t i o n , w h a t ’ s m o r e i m p o r t a n t : s p o r t s or school? said. “But it is the responsibility of those who play golf to Sen i o r D o n K n i g h t i s o n e o f t h e a t h l e t e s who is choos- make up any missed work. If it ever became a real probing go l f , a n d m i s s i n g t h e l a s t d a y o f h i s h i g h school career lem, then it may have to be considered to eliminate golf as to pla y . a high school sport.”

Kni g h t e s t i m a t e d h e w i l l h a v e m i s s e d s e ven or eight

“

Throughout the thousands of years humans have been on this gaseous planet, sports have provided entertainment, brought different cultures together and essentially kept us all from going crazy.

No matter what sports you are into, it’s a release from your everyday stresses and allows you to turn your aggression into something positive rather than a destructive behavior.

Looking back at ancient civilizations, many games, some still played today, were developed by native cultures and the people of ancient Greece. These athletes were not paid millions of dollars to play their hardest.

Soccer started out in small villages, today it is played in every venue of the world.

The Olympics, as well as tradition, has kept these sports alive for centuries with very little change considering the eras in which they have been played.

Today, those who are exceptionally talented at a sport are paid much more than our congressman on Capitol Hill. Don’t get it twisted. I love my sports just as much as the next person, but I don’t see how society has turned professional athletes into a kid’s role model for their skills on the field, rink, diamond, course or pitch.

As multi-million dollar athletes stand in the light of Muhammad in all of our eyes, we constantly forget they are real flesh and bones like the rest of us. There have been myriad cases where high-profile athletes find themselves getting caught breaking federal laws but are not punished because people hold their sports stars so high above everyone else on a pedestal and turn the other cheek.

The powers we vest in our “famous” people is sickening. They should not be making more money than those who are making decisions that affect the lives of not only millions of Americans but Iraqi and Afghani people as well.

But who can you blame? Thousands flood into arenas across the nation and spend the millions of dollars that pay the athletes these ridiculous amounts of loot.

Let’s think about all the Piston’s jerseys that are sold. There are hundreds of sports teams with more memorabilia than most households can fit without exploding. Every purchase that is made, they get a cut of the profit, and it’s as if it is coming off the trees at their houses.

People become so consumed by their televisions they don’t see their children grow as individuals. And if many more were playing the sport they are instead watching on the couch, then Americans wouldn’t be as fat as we are.

Sports require a hell of a lot more movement than pushing the clicker and feeding your face. That is the difference between us and a lot of the world. We are lazy, and anytime someone has to move around, they are all red faced. In our society, if you make your living using your back (besides in sports), then you are not as good as the man to your left with a suit on.

It’s amazing to see how far sports have really come, but at the same time I’m still nervous to see what they turn in to within the century.

Pilkerton takes pole vaulting to new heights Joe Sayre Staff writer

Photo by Maria Brundage

Skying high: Senior Rebecca Pilkerton practices pole vaulting.

Pilkerton holds the school record of 12 feet 3 inches.

Senior Rebecca Pilkerton likes to get high.

In fact she has been doing it since her freshman year. However, Pilkerton doesn’t use drugs or alcohol. All she needs is her pole vaulting.

Last April Pilkerton broke her own school record during a meet versus Tecumseh. When she recorded a height of 12 feet 3 inches, resulting in a personal best for her.

Pilkerton said breaking the record was really exiting. The height was only three inches off the state record, which she said she hopes to break this season.

Pilkerton said she dedicates her year to pole vaulting. From the winter through the fall she trains.

By lifting weights and running Pilkerton is able to stay in shape year round. Besides a small break during fall, Pilkerton said she doesn’t really have an off season.

Despite breaking the school record she said she hasn’t lost her drive and determination and attributes her work ethic to her constant desire to improve and better herself.

“I really want the state record,” Pilkerton

said. “I always want to get better and go higher.”

In addition to her goal of setting the state record Pilkerton will also attend the University of Minnesota in the fall where she will continue her pole vaulting career.

She also credits her friends for always pushing her and encouraging her to do her best and try her hardest.

Senior Christine Murray, one of Pilkerton’s friend’s and fellow pole vaulter, will be the fist to tell you of Pilkerton’s work ethic.

“Sometimes I forget things at practice and will come back an hour after practice is done, and she will still be there practicing or something,” Murray said.

According to Murray, Pilkerton’s work ethic is infectious. Through pushing herself she sets a good example for the rest of the team.

“She keeps the rest of the team motivated,” Murray said. “She sets the bar really high, both metaphorically and physically.”

Without her friends Pilkerton says she wouldn’t be nearly as successful as she has been in pole vaulting.

“It’s tough training by yourself,” Pilkerton said. “Having my friends there really helps me stay focussed.”

Fact Box • Pilkerton broke her own school record with a jump of 12 feet 3 inches • Pilkerton will continue vaulting in college at the University of Minnesota •She began pole vaulting at the beginning of her freshman year Information from interviews with Rebecca Pilkerton

10

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

columns The Cartoon

By David Bays

Facing fear of change David Pisano opinions editor

opinions editor

Leaving DHS, some things will be missed, others not so much As excited as I am to begin my college years, there will be things I’m going to miss about this place I’ve so hated waking up to come to for the last four years: •Being able to make Mr. Riethmiller references without having to explain why they are funny.

•Spicy chicken sandwiches with all the fi xings. Lettuce, tomato, banana peppers and ranch if you know what you’re doing.

•The Squall. It has given me the freedom to do everything from warn people about how to deal with a staph infection to single-handedly ticking off the entire emo nation. And a little side note to the kid who thought he’d be tough by throwing that article at me while I was trying to eat my lunch: apology accepted. I say this because you said the words, “I’m sorry,” about 300 times when I ever-so-politely confronted you. Now back to the things I’ll miss.

•Hanging out behind the Mobil. Who am I kidding, though? I’ll still hang out there, just with less respect for myself.

•Sports. From here on out, I’m only a spectator, which isn’t so bad. I do know, however, that come next school year, I’ll be missing Tom and Randy.

All in all, I’m a good kid. I work hard. I’m responsible, and I’m usually pretty nice. But everyone has a weakness and mine is change.

That’s the fancy way of saying I’m a big old scaredy-cat.

A first rate chicken. A play-it-safe sissy. I tend to explore all my options, get a feel for things and do some research before making any decision.

These mind-boggling decisions include anything from, “What ice cream f lavor do I want for dessert?” to, “What college should I go to?”

It’s not that I freak out or need to control everything. I’m actually pretty good at handling changes once they come, but it’s just something I’m afraid of.

I like to take baby steps, and I like to know what’s going to happen. Risks are risky, and the only surprises I like are parties.

My discomfort with changes didn’t fully hit me until high school, but looking back it makes sense: I cried when I moved from my first house, and I had to say goodbye to my tiny bedroom, even though I knew I’d be getting a bigger one soon.

I cried when my dad picked me up from the last day of third grade because I didn’t know what the next year would hold, even though I was just dying to be one of those cool fourth graders. And though it’s embarrassing to admit, I wrote my fair share of angry-girl poetry through those days of middle school puberty.

Coming to Dexter at the beginning of my freshman year was the biggest change in my life, though. I can still remember that first day when I walked into Mr. Parker’s American Studies class and couldn’t decide (of course) if I wanted to run out the door or just cry. But being the rule-follower that I am, Parker said to me, “Hey, take a seat,” and I knew the tears would have to wait.

I still remember what I was wearing. I still remember Deke Glahn, the first Dreadnaught to speak to me, and what he said: “Hey ... you new?” It’s all very life changing, I know.

I still can’t believe how many of the little details I remember (it’s slightly pathetic), but that just goes to show how much changes stick with me and why I fear them so much.

Four years has nearly f lown by since that first day and now there are some greater changes out there for me to

•All the teachers and staff members I have had the pleasure of interacting with. Some of you were awesome and some of you, well, not even close. Either way, I appreciate the effort.

•Not caring. I’ve come a long way, and I’ve accomplished quite a bit, all without much concern about the future or a whole lot of effort.

Unfortunately, this will probably no longer be possible.

•Knowing who most of the people around me are. This year more than any other, I have been seeing people in the halls I have never seen before. However, I can still accurately match the name with the face of roughly 87 percent of the kids in the classes of 2008 and 2009. Next year, I’ll be not only be going to school with, but living in a 12-by-10 room with, complete strangers.

I’m not going to act like I’ve loved everything about high school, though. Of course, there are some things that I will gladly leave behind: •I will certainly not miss the feeling I experienced in, coincidentally, 87 percent of my classes, that there was no legitimate purpose in my being there for an hour each day, pretending to be attentive.

•In high school good grades meant a good college. Well, whoopdy freakin’ do. In college, good grades lead to making money. Cha-ching.

•Having a scheduled lunch time. I like to eat. For the last 12 school years, I have only been able to do so when the school allowed me to.

Well, no more shall I be held down by such oppressive bonds.

•The parking lot. I’ve endured countless walks in all kinds of weather from the back of the lot to the school doors in what might be one of the most inconveniently designed parking lots in the world. You can park in the front row and still be a good 75 yards from the entrance, and still have to walk all the way down the front hallway, through the cafeteria and past the library before you get to any of the classrooms.

Even with it’s shortcomings, DHS has been a huge part of my life for the last four years, and I leave it a much wiser, more humble and mature young man. Or at least that’s what my college thinks.

Celia Kuzon health and arts editor

opinions editor

For the last t wo years of high school, peers have labeled me a hippie girl. Apparently I stand for peace and love and say things like, “I just want to be f ree.”

I’m not say ing I don’t have any hippie-like qualities; however, I think people are tak ing the idea and r unning too far w ith it. So I plan to apply ever y stereot y pe when descr ibing a hippie to see if I f it the role. A m I a tr ue hippie girl? L et’s see.

I wear my peace sign shir t f rom time to time and eat yogur t and granola ever y morning. I braid my hair and love long, f low y sk ir ts. I’m all for big headbands and tie-dye shir ts.

But who can blame me? Even non-hippies think these things are cool.

Yes, my favor ite clothing store is Urban Out f it ters, and I wear my Birkenstock s almost ever y day, but what can I say? It is just my st yle.

I admit my favor ite, f lower-covered shoulder bag doesn’t exactly help my case, but whatever. If you want to call me a hippie just because of my appearance, that’s for you to decide. Go for it.

A real hippie, however, is def ined by their at titude and outlook on life. Hippies are all about peace instead

Michelle Chirby copy editor

worry about.

But I’ve been OK so far, and I’ve learned that if you surround yourself with good inf luences, like supportive parents, smart friends and a fine environment like the one we have at DHS, the changes will be a little easier to get through.

Now I know my personal story isn’t all that fascinating, and I won’t go into the details of how long it took me to find a lunch table to sit with that first year here (I think I settled down sometime around March ... The Commons really are intimidating). But I’ve come to realize we all go through changes, and we’re all a little scared to some degree. But that’s OK because changes make us learn and grow, and only good can come from that. And if you’re like me, you’ll want as much help/advice as possible. So here goes: Freshmen: You’ll probably grow a little in height and maturity. So that’s a good change – nothing to fear there. Don’t get too cocky and give the incomings a break.

Sophomores: You know what they say about junior year.

So you might need to buckle down on the studies and start thinking about college. It had to happen sometime.

Juniors: Aren’t you in for a treat ... Senioritis comes as quickly as the year goes. Take it from a first-hand victim.

Even the hard workers and rule followers find it hard to stay on track. Stay respectful and don’t slack off.

And to you, my fellow graduating class members of 2008 (pretty cool, eh?), I think I’ve become bold enough in the past four years that I can look change in the figurative eye and say, “Hey, Change, you’re not bad. You are good. Change is good.”

And if I can do that, then we can do anything.

We all have a little bit to learn from hippies of war and love instead of hate.

They think ever yone and ever y thing is beautif ul. It is tr ue I stand for all of these things, but what k ind of pessimistic person doesn’t?

I think it is impor tant to recycle and take care of the Ear th. I hate people who lit ter and people who waste things. I’m not say ing I have a compost station in my house. I’m say ing I recycle my pop cans and don’t throw my McDonald’s garbage out the w indow of my car.

I don’t believe these should only be considered hippie qualities, though. These things make a person a good citizen of the world.

Hippies are human r ights activ ists, which I do not consider myself. I would actually consider myself slightly naive on global issues. Of course, I am anti-war, but when it comes student r ights and social justice issues, I am inactive.

A nd the biggest hippie stereot y pe of all, I do not f it.

Hippies are k now n for smok ing weed. I am in no way, shape or form a stoner.

I’m not say ing I am opposed to those who smoke a lit tle hash now and then, but I don’t take par t in such activ ities. Because weed is not an essential par t of my day, a fairly large chunk of the hippie facade is taken away f rom me.

It is fair to say I f ill many hippie stereot y pes, however, some cr ucial pieces are missing. For this reason, I cannot call myself a tr ue hippie. Sure, I like the hippie st yle, but I’m not sure I have a complete hippie outlook on life.

Call me a hippie if you please. But remember, stereot y pes don’t always f it and don’t def ine people. A nd to be honest, I think ever yone has a lit tle hippie in them.

11

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Squall

editorial

THE

Squall EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Austin Shapiro

MANAGING EDITOR: Scott Crompton

EDITORS DESIGN: Candice Wiesner FEATURES: Katie Johnson ENTERTAINMENT: Ryan Aliapolious NEWS: Heather Siller OPINIONS: David Pisano PHOTO: Jeff Leonard SPORTS: Charlie Pettit HEALTH & TRENDS: Celia Kuzon uPAGE & Get Involved: Hunter Lyons COPY: Maria Brundage & Michelle Chirby

DESIGNERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Chas Sloan, Val Argiero, Leah Gibson, Maria Brundage, Melanie Pytel, Lauren Daugherty, Kasondra Engholm, JoJo Parin, Derek Wooton

MANAGERS ADVERTISMENT: Caitlin Henderson, Brittany Martini CONTEST: Nic Miller, Kyle Boren, Jake LaRosa

STAFF WRITERS Sarah Akbarifard, Kyle Boren, Kevin Butler, Rachel Butler, Michelle Chirby, Shantal Daratony, Betsy Eber, Alex Everard, Casey Hall, Caitlin Henderson, Matthew Kaas, Jake LaRosa, Pat Ledwidge, Brittany Martini, Ian McCarthy, Nic Miller, Brent Muse, Morgan Quist, Lisa Ritchie, Joe Sayre, Olivia Scheffler, Kaitlyn Shepard, Alexis Sobczak, Karly Stanislovaitis, Allison Sutter, Emily VanDusen, Kevin Yarows

all

Squall

ADVISER Rod Satterthwaite

POLICY: The Squall is distributed monthly to 1,192 students and is estimated to reach 4,786 people with each issue. The Squall is printed by the Owosso Argus Press in Owosso, MI and produced by the first and second 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.

AWARDS/ MEMBERSHIPS:

Members of MIPA since 1999

call

Newly approved bond well received The $47,890,000 bond issue passed on May 6 and the funding will gradually improve our future.

Specifically, our community will see significant improvements in technical equipment including improvements in every classroom called “ The Classroom of Tomorrow”.

Every class in the district will now be equipped with data projectors, sound field systems, interactive white board, multimedia cameras (digital still and video) and documents cameras.

Surprisingly, the bond passed with ease, 1586-799, with none of the expected tension from eliminating some of the sports requests from the bond.

We would like to offer a heartfelt thank

you to the community for understanding that we need continual funding to create the optimal learning atmosphere.

However, we would not only like to thank the voters of Dexter for understanding the importance of funding for schools, but also for being willing to accept some of the debt that comes with the bond. And we would like to thank those who campaigned for the bond and did the behind-the-scenes work.

Perhaps even more importantly we thank those who had the nearly impossible job of formulating the bond: all the board of education members who helped construct the bond including, President Larry Cobler, Vice President Michael Wendorf and Superintendent Evelyn Shirk.

The bond will provide funding for remod-

eling and constructing additions to several buildings, energy conservation, security improvements, acquiring land, improving and developing sites including play grounds, play fields and outdoor athletic fields.

Specific improvements will also be seen in the district’s transportation with the acquisition of school buses and in the technological department, which will acquire and install new equipment in every building in the district.

Though thanks are all we have to offer at this time, we hope all community members will soon see the benefits reaped from the passing of this bond, benefits that will be evident not only in our lives but in the lives of the next generation of Dreadnaughts as well.

PRO CON

CARTOONIST David Bays

THE

illustration by David Bays

"Nothing gets me more than walking up to a drinking fountain only to discover that the water tastes like it came from a lake."

School drinking fountains

Alex Everard staff writer

On the list of the most annoying things on earth, poorly functional drinking fountains rank right behind Hannah Montana, Britney Spears’ latest album and sports columns that wrongly criticize high school athletes.

Nothing gets me more ticked than walking up to a drinking fountain, nearly dying of thirst, only to discover that the water tastes like it came from a lake.

To be honest, I’m not sure if we ever fixed the unbalanced copper levels that made the water undrinkable at the start of the year. And if we did, perhaps we shouldn’t have because it sure tasted better. Nothing wrong with a little too much copper in your system. Puts hair on your chest (sorry, ladies).

And if you like to get a refreshing drink with a friend, good luck. If one fountain is in use, the opposite one will merely leak, making it impossible to drink out of.

Some may try and tell you the sinks in the bathrooms have too much pressure, making them more annoying than the pathetic drinking fountains. That is simply not the case.

Besides, even if the sinks were fixed, some people still wouldn’t wash their hands. That means even if you had the utmost personal hygiene and scrubbed those hands, you would then walk five steps and put those same hands on the disease-ridden door handle which most likely houses E. Coli and possibly SARS. The easy alternative to the sinks is a little miracle I like to call Purel. What’s the alternative to the drinking fountain issue? Carrying around a Nalgene water bottle? Please, I feel like a big enough tool writing an article about drinking fountains. I don’t need to look like a wannabe mountain climber.

Perhaps the reason the fountain issue has been neglected thus far is due to the fact that administrators get to sip out of water dispensing machines far superior to the student body’s.

I hear Moran’s personal fountain offers Mountain Dew, Hawaiian Punch, or a luscious blend Magarita mix and fruit juices straight from the Virgin Islands.

(This may not be true. Actually, I just made it up).

But for the sake of our student body, someone, please, fix our drinking fountains so I can quench my thirst without sacrificing my health and my dignity.

"When I wave my hand in front of the faucets, I have about a 50 percent chance of the faucet releasing water. ”

Crompton Scott managing editor

Everyone should wash his/her hands after participating in restroom activities. The sinks in our school provide all the necessary characteristics in order to get the job done.

Our sinks provide a water supply and faucets that allow the water to flow out of the pipes and onto students’ hands, thus allowing students to participate in post-restroom activities. Also, our sinks provide a source of collecting the water that passes over our hands. This is the basic definition of a sink.

However, what our sinks do not do that is absolutely necessary for complete satisfaction, is provide pleasure for students while washing their hands.

I am not talking about a pleasure that runs throughout the entire body and brightens your day. I am talking about receiving the pleasure washing your hands can bring.

This pleasure comes from the satisfaction of knowing that the germs are ridded from your hands while only getting your hands wet.

What I continue to realize about our sinks is they do not provide the necessary and complete satisfaction, however.

When I wave my hand in front of the motion sensor implanted in the faucets, I have about a 50 percent chance (yes, I did test this in a scientific manner) of the faucet releasing water. This is a huge problem.

Students do not have the time to stand in front of a sink waving their hand back and forth in front of an inanimate object while looking like a complete fool because they cannot get a simple machine to work. The sinks in this school must find enjoyment out of making students look at least half retarded. Otherwise, they would work the first time.

In addition to never working the first time, our sinks tend to spray everywhere when they do work. One hundred percent of the time the water hits my hands, it bounces off and ends up soaking my arms as well as my shirt and pants/shorts depending on the weather.

Behavior like this from the sinks will not be tolerated. I encourage everyone to boycott the use of school sinks and be dirty for the rest of the year. For every unwashed hand, 10 new and usable sinks are made. Help rid the world of this evil.

12

Friday, May 21, 2008

The Squall Below: Junior Jesse Schoof takes a ride on the “Chocolate River” slide.

Below: Senior Remme Cortwright poses with one of the Oompa Loompas that decorated DHS.

Above: Prom-goers watch as teams compete for candy in a game of Willy Wonka Squares.

Above: Senior Mike Champagne hands his prom ticket to the collector at the prom entrance.

Above: Senior Omega Skeean walks into the dance with Joe Quist, her date from Northview.

Below: Senior Trevor Wheeler pushes hanging streamers out of his way as he arrives at prom.

Below: Junior Jamila Odeh looks around at the prom decorations as she enters the school.

Operat ion Decorat ion Games and garlands make prom a night to remember Lisa Ritchie staff writer

Expensive dresses and the extensive smell of hairspray filled the Willy Wonka-themed cafeteria. Couples walked up and down the decorated halls, and the prom was deemed a success by many.

“The decorations were really awesome,” junior Lindsey Simon said. “But Dexter is known for its amazing decorations, so I wouldnʼt have expected any less. It was cool, because you couldnʼt even tell where you were in the school--there were so many decorations.”

Although junior Alex Bercu was impressed by the free candy, streamers and game show setups, he said that one of the decorations was absolutely unforget-

table. “There was an Oompa Loompa,” he said. “An actual live Oompa Loompa woman. Iʼve never been so fascinated.”

There were many activities to choose from, but many of the attendees found the Nearlywed Game to be the best. “It was my favorite thing about prom,” senior Matt Cambridge said. “It was just really fun to learn how much I knew about my date.”

Many seniors said this was an amazing to end their high school career. “I had a lot of fun with my friends playing the Nearlywed Game, singing karaoke and dancing,” Cambridge said. “All in all, it was a great night, and a great way to go out.”

Photos by Rachelle Alcini and Ruby Grammatico

Above: Juniors Jasmine Injejikian and Steve Merz pose for a picture taken by one of their friends.

Below: Junior Jocelyn Coast plays blackjack with a group of friends.

Below: Junior Emily Rion sings karaoke on stage.

Above: Seniors Jaimie Brougham and Geo Rutherford dance during a break between prom

Right: Senior Julia Burke and her date, 2007 graduate Nate Cook, have their picture taken by the prom photographer.

Above: Seniors Jimmy Hamby, Cody Masten, Kevin Pawlik, 2007 graduate Justin Fegtly and senior Trevor Wheeler sing karaoke.

Seniors Jessie Boren and Amanda Marsh try to guess their dates’ responses to the Nearlyweds questions.

Junior Adam Boonstra and sophomore Alex Watson play a game of putt-putt golf.

Seniors Deke Glahn and Zack Jerger, junior Logan Powell and senior Scott Rescorla listen to the questions posed by the host of the Nearlyweds Game.