THESQUALL
May 1, 2009 Volume XIV Issue 8
%FYUFS )JHI 4DIPPM 2200 N. Parker Road
Dexter MI, 48130
Library looks into a new security system Kevin Yarows & Caitlyn Rize sports editor & staff writer
At the end of each trimester, library science students scan all 11,000 books in the media center. During their inventory check at the end of the second trimester, they found surprising results. According to the library science reports, 90 books have been lost or stolen according to the students’ inventory report, which amounts to over $9,000 lost. In 2008, inventory showed that $2,410 was lost. Librarian Jeanine Fletcher said this increase is based on availability. “At the request of students, I’ve been buying more fiction books,” she said. “The books stolen are always the best books on the best topics, and they’re popular to talk about.” Fletcher said it’s not only students who walk out with books but also community members who come to the high school library for various services. Fletcher said she has even seen community ed. parents slip books into their briefcase before walking out of the media center. “Some people think because it’s tax payer’s money, it’s their due to take these books. To me,” Fletcher said, “the loss of these books is the most difficult part of my job.” To prevent recurring theft, Fletcher has proposed the addition of a new security system. “One wonderful option which I’ve suggested for both bonds is to install a security system which would be similar to department store systems,” she said. The security system includes the application of small metal stickers onto each book. If not deactivated by the scanner at check out, the system would ring an alarm, embarrassing the perpetrator. Neighboring schools such as Pioneer, Chelsea, and Skyline all use similar security systems, and with positive results. Shelley Weber, a media clerk at the Chelsea High School library, said, “We have been very fortunate over the years to have minimal missing materials when we do inventory. I would say that is the direct result of having a security system in place thus keeping an expensive collection in tact and readily available to our students and staff.” CHS has had their security system installed for at least two decades. “Media center collections are worth thousands of dollars,” Shelley said. “Having a security gate gives assurance that we aren’t wasting our time looking for material that has been removed from the room and the material is still in the Media Center.” Dexter High School principal Kit Moran said Fletcher’s security proposal wasbrought up in the recent bond wish list, but since it did not make the final list given to voters, it is unlikely to go through. However, Moran said the security upgrade the entire district is receiving through the bond will also help the library. The security upgrade will add several cameras to the library as well as prevent the library from being as accessible outside of school hours he said. Despite the small chances of the security system being added through the bond, Moran said adding a security system is important, and money should eventually be found to support the cause. “We should’ve had one (a security system) before I got here,” Moran said. ”It’s probably cost effective since we are losing so much money. In the long run, we need to let kids know you can’t just walk out of the library with books.”
XPSUI PG CPPLT NJTTJOH Ashley Stephenson staff writer
JJ isn’t the only one who is missing. Anne Cassidy’s novel “Looking for JJ” is only one of over 90 books that have been stolen, and it is needless to say, JJ isn’t the only one they’re looking for. From May 1, 2007 to March 5, 2009 Dexter High School’s library has lost $9,160 in books due to theft. Picture a large room. Full-length windows span up to the height of the vaulted ceilings. Rows and rows of wooden shelves line the walls, and computer desks dot the floor. Students work diligently with only the soft tapping of computer keys audible in the background. This room would not be expected as a stage for crime, yet theft continues to be an ongoing issue for Dexter’s library science students and staff. “I’ve been the librarian here for 34 years, and it has occurred every year. It’s a typical problem in every library,” said librarian Jeanine Fletcher. “A lot of it is just human nature. I think they want to keep it for their own personal collection. They don’t want to be bothered even though it only takes a couple of steps to go to the desk and check the books out.” Although the library was designed for a se-
curity system when it was built, one has yet to be installed. The concrete and steel footings needed to install a security system are already in place, but the cost of the installation is preventing it. “A security system costs $12,000$16,000 depending on the type. I think it would be worth it to install one, but I’m not the one who makes the decision. You have to decide whether to buy things like computers or a security system.” Fletcher said. If the current theft trend continues, Fletcher expects a system would pay for itself in about two years. “I have hopes (that a security system will be installed), but absolutely no assurance.” Fletcher said. Assistant Principal Tim Authier said before the school invests in a security system for the library, the causes of the theft should be investigated to determine what the best solution would be. “Dexter students are generally really good people, and we feel comfortable relying on the honor system,” Authier said. Authier also said even if a security system was found to be the most effective deterrant to theft and the most sensible solution to the problem, there isn’t currently enough room in the school’s budget for a security system. “Other needs such as upgrades in the building and technology outweigh the need for a security system, and there isn’t an allowance
for a security system currently in the bond,” he said. Regardless, Fletcher said the majority of the theft occurs at night when there isn’t any supervision in the room. “It isn’t just high school students,” Fletcher said. However, Fletcher also said the current state of the US economy has contributed an increase in theft. “It affects the school because we don’t have the money to replace them all,” Fletcher said. “The school has a different population than it did 30 years ago when it was just a farming community. Now it isn’t just farm children. People don’t know each other as well and don’t take pride and ownership in the books they borrow.” Fletcher, along with others, hopes to see a resolution to this problem. However, without the installation of a security system, there doesn’t seem to be a resolution in sight. “It’s a silent crime,” Fletcher said. “As far as a punishment goes, there isn’t much we can do. Once the books are gone, it’s too late. When you steal from the library, you steal from everyone. Convenience for one person could mean the education opportunity of another. We’re all part of the same education community, and when you’re on the receiving end, you don’t always realize how much effort and time goes into adding each new book to the library.”
4 5 11 Dread Notes is the newest Dexter sensation Page 4
photo by Candice Wiesner
Rob Glass gets evaluated after a
year of being in Dexter
Page 5
Check out the Pro-Con about gambling Page 11
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News
Friday, May 1, 2009
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+BDLTPO UBLFT QSFDBVUJPO UP QSFWFOU CFJOH B DSJNF WJDUJN XIJMF PO CSFBL Sarah Molnar staff writer
Sophmore Heather Jackson visited Cancun for spring break and like many people, she and her family had concerns about visiting Mexico. “I’m going to Mexico, with my cousin, my aunt, my grandpa and my sister,” Jackson said. “My little cousins were going to go, but my uncle wasn’t comfortable with this, because of the drug wars.” Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year, but violence in the country has increased rapidly. According to the Mexican Tourism Board, 80 million Americans visited Mexico last year alone. By February, news was breaking daily about growing violence between Mexico’s drug cartels. News stations are warning parents to not let their children go to Mexico for spring break. According to the Media Awareness Project, Mexico tourism took a hit during spring break last month, when several universities advised students against traveling there. The Media Awareness Project states that visitors have been declining steadily, and more than 20 percent of businesses in the tourist district have closed. “I hear people talking, and from what I hear the problems are more towards the border of America, maybe Mexico City, but not really Cancun,” Jackson said. The U.S. mission in Mexico currently restricts non-essential travel to the state of Durango and all parts of the state of Coahuila, south of Mexican Highways 25 and 22 and the Alamos River for the U.S. number of areas along the border are experi-
encing rapid growth in the rates of many types of crime. Robberies, homicides, petty thefts and carjacking have occured over the past year. “I am not personally nervous. I tend to be a trusting person when it comes to these things,” Jackson said. According to the Media Awareness Project, the greatest increase in violence has occured near the U.S. border. However, U.S. citizens traveling throughout Mexico should exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surrondings at all times. Ciudad, Juarez, Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities that have recently experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues. “I think I have enough sense to stay out of trouble or any shady business,” Jackson said. And the resorts in Mexico are trying to spread a key message that Mexico is a large, diverse country, and not every area has been affected by the increase in drug violence. Security experts say tourists can safely travel to Mexico, if they stay within their known resort areas and avoid traveling to Mexico by road and to avoid the U.S. border areas. In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped across Mexico. U.S. citizens who believe they are being targeted for kidnapping or other crimes should notify Mexican officials and the nearest American consulate or the embassy as soon as possible and should consider returning to the United States. U.S. citizens should be aware when visiting the border region, criminals are armed with a wide variety of weapons, according to the Mexico Travel Warning in Perspective. U.S. citizens should make every attempt to
travel on main roads during the daylight hours and to avoid areas where prostitution and drug dealing may occur. The U.S. Embassy and consulates advise people to not travel on certain roads and places they have seen criminal activity, according to the Mexico Travel Warning in Perspective. According to the Mexico Travel Warnings in Perpective, when traveling to Mexico, U.S. citizens are encouraged to stay in well-known tourist areas of the cities. Travelers should leave their itinerary with a family member or a friend who is not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone and check with their cellular provider prior to travel to confirm that the cell phone is capable of roaming in Mexico. U.S. citizens are urged to not display expensive- looking jewerly, large amounts of money and other vauable items. Jackson said, “My grandpa has a timeshare right on the coastline, so if we travel around, it will just be close to town and stuff.”
#SJEHF DPOTUSVDUJPO GPSDFT VTF PG BMUFSOBUJWF SPVUFT Patrick Ledwidge trends editor
The reconstruction of several bridges have been the focus of construction in Dexter for the past several years according to Construction Supervisor for the Washtenaw County Road Commission, Aaron Berkholz. Berkholz said the two bridges under his jurisdiction are the Main Street Bridge over Mill Creek and the East Delhi Road Bridge. Berkholz, a member of the Road Commission since 1996, is a graduate from the University of Michigan College of Engineering. He began as a co-op for the Commission, but 13 years later, he is the Construction Section Supervisor of the Engineering Department. Though the Main Street bridge has been under much scrutiny because it is a big intersection for students’ morning commute to school, Berkholz says the community has been very positive about the bridge’s outlook. “Certainly the construction in 2008 did complicate traffic in and around the Village of Dexter,” he said. “However, the village residents, area motorists and business owners were patient and understood the need for the bridge to be replaced. The new bridge is a long-term investment.” Berkholz said the majority of reconstruction of the Main Street Bridge has already been com-
pleted. “Remaining items to be completed include the installation of bridge railing, color staining of the bridge, concrete curb and gutter work, final asphalt paving of the road approaches and restoration: topsoil, seeding, mulching,” he said. According to Berkholz, the remaining of the work should be finished on the bridge in approximately four weeks. Senior Dan Moir has been anxiously awaiting the completing of the Main Street bridge and already loves the improvements made. “I’m much happier now,” Moir said. “I don’t have to get up 10-15 minutes earlier anymore.” Moir also said the commute around town was a stressful one due to the bridge construction. “It made me really angry,” he said. “The whole town was backed up and congested.” Other than the Main Street Bridge, the East Delhi Bridge has been out of commission for several years. “Work on the East Delhi Road Bridge over the Huron River did continue over the winter months, to the extent possible considering the weather conditions,” Berkholz said. “Completion of the northerly foundation for the bridge has been delayed due to high river levels. Pending a drop in the water levels of the Huron River, the northerly foundation will be completed and the truss will be set in place.” According to Berkholz, remaining work in-
cludes: the installation of the new timber bridge deck and construction of the new road approaches to the bridge and restoration. “The timeline for the completion of the project depends heavily upon the springtime weather conditions, since the completion of the northerly foundation is the controlling item of work,” Berkholz said. Senior Jennarose Rolfes lives in the subdivision Loch Alpine, and her commutes are highly affected due to the construction of the East Delhi Bridge. “It takes 20 minutes just to get on the other side of the bridge,” Rolfes said. “I have to go all the way through town.” The East Delhi Bridge’s construction has taken longer than expected Berkholz said. “Area residents have been patient and are excited to see the historic truss bridge rehabilitated and returned to service,” he said. Though the Delhi Bridge construction has been a long one, Rolfes is anxious for it to be finished. “It’s going to be awesome because it’s going to the more convenient to go to the Delhi Park and Amanda (Orr)’s house,” she said. The construction of the Main Street and East Delhi Bridge are almost complete, but another bridge is in the works. “The Road Commission is currently designing a new bridge on Dexter-Pinckney Road over the Portage Lake Canal,” Berkholz said. “Construction of the new bridge is currently scheduled for 2010.”
Photos by Rachel Dethloff
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News
Friday, May 1, 2009
News Briefs by Krickett Luckhardt
Dance Marathon cancelled
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Illustration by Gabe Altomare
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Flowers Second @ States
$MBTTSPPNT CFDPNF UPP PWFS QPQVMBUFE GPS UIFJS PXO HPPE Erin McAweeney staff writer
As the student population inches closer to the school’s capacity, more classrooms are growing in size. The downsides of overloaded classrooms are visible, but there are also hidden advantages to the increasing number of students joining Dexter High School. Overloaded classrooms vary from subject to subject. Counselor Gerry Holmes, said an overloaded classroom is one which has one or more students over the contractually designated limit of students in a subject. “DHS is doing its best to limit general classes such as Economics, Psychology, Algebra or Popular Literature to 30 students; lab classes such as Biology, Chemistry or Art to 25 students; writing classes and AP classes at 27 students and most PE courses to 33 students,” Holmes said. Holmes said there are 37 overloaded classrooms this trimester.
From Holmes’ perspective, though, overloaded classrooms are almost unavoidable. “It is nearly impossible to create a perfect master schedule to fit all 1,200 students and staff,” Holmes said. And Principal Kit Moran said the overcrowded classrooms can be considered a plus for the school. All over the county schools are feeling the effects of the plummeting Michigan population. So, the growing number of students in the school is a symbol of the community’s strength against the crumbling Michigan economy and population according to Moran. “I hope to have overcrowded classrooms,” he said. Holmes, however, said that the overcrowded rooms could have an impact on students’ learning ability. “I believe everyone agrees that somewhat smaller class sizes provide the best learning environment,” she said. Unfortunately, she said, the district does not have unlimited funds to address this problem, and Holmes said the best way to combat overcrowded
classrooms and possible effects on a student’s learning ability are great teachers. “Fortunately, DHS is blessed with many excellent teachers,” she said. Also, Holmes said counselors are working hard to decrease the number of overloaded classrooms for next year. “Counselors are working closely with administrators and staff to create a better trimester master schedule for next year,” she said, but added the problem will likely persist into following years, with the number of packed classrooms significantly reduced. Although, as Moran said, “I would much rather have an overcrowding problem than not enough students.” And despite the problems overcrowding brings, Holmes said she and other counselors are off to a good start on fi xing this problem. “In my view, we are way ahead of where we were at this time last year,” she said. “I’m confident it will be much better for everyone next year.”
4UVEFOUT m OE KPZ JO DPOTPSUJVN Sarah Akbarifard ad manager
When senior Taylor Bartscht arrives to school she isn’t worried about the fact she may not have completed her first hour homework, or that 50 question Scan-Tron test in second hour or the dreary notes she may have to take in third hour. Instead, Bartscht looks forward to her pre-veterinary classes she takes at Saline High School for Consortium. “I decided to go into Consortium when in my sophomore year there was the intro day which introduced everyone to Consortium,” Bartscht said. “I knew since I was nine that I wanted to be a vet, so I knew that taking Consortium would help me out a lot in the future.” But not only has Consortium helped Bartscht out, she has done things in her pre-veterinary program that she could not have been able to do in normal high school classes. “In my classes this year we’ve groomed dogs, raised chickens and got them killed and sold them and raised tilapia,” she said. Yet Bartscht said during her junior year she took more science-related courses. Even so, all of the science related classes Bartscht has taken, whether it being at Saline High School or at DHS have taken Bartscht far. She said she plans to attend Michigan State University next fall and enroll in their Pre Veterinary Program. Like Bartscht, junior Colleen Kennedy plans on going into the field of consortium she’s in. “I decided to go into
health sciences,” Kennedy said. “It seemed really interesting and I wanted to get some college credit.” Kennedy’s health science classes take place at Chelsea High School, and according to Kennedy, starting April 27 for the entire week, she’ll be at the Chelsea Nursing Home. “While at the nursing home we’ll be learning how to take care of the elderly and their needs,” she said. But Kennedy said traveling to the Chelsea Nursing Home isn’t the only visit she’ll make while being in consortium. “The last two weeks of school we get to visit St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. We’ll be in the Neo Radical Intensive Care System which deals with premature babies,” Kennedy said. “While there we’ll learn about how to take care of babies.” While Kennedy likes visiting the hospitals and nursing homes, she said she’s most excited about the fact she gets to leave school for three hours during the day. “It’s nice to get away for a couple hours,” Kennedy said. “I’m able to meet new people from other school districts.” Kennedy said she said has met people from Chelsea and Manchester districts. All in all Kennedy finds consortium a positive thing. “Consortium is really career set,” she said. “If you know what you want to do or have an idea I definately recommend going into consortium, not to mention you can even get some college credit.”
Saturday, March 28 was a busy evening. As students and staff hurried to get things ready for Dexter’s first annual Dance Marathon, the work staff, volunteers and Student Leadership put into the dance was all for nothing it seemed, because the dance was cancelled soon after 8 p.m. due to lack of participation. “Apart from Student Leadership, Student Council and the teachers and parents that helped, only three people showed up,“ said freshman Jennifer Stirling, one of the Student Leadership students appointed to help set up. “All the chaperones unanimously decided to cancel the dance when no one really showed up. It was $25 dollars so it’s kind of expensive, and there are other activities and sports that happen on Saturday nights, and I just don’t think it was advertised well enough.”
Taylor Bartscht: Takes veterinary courses through the Consortium program
Collen Kennedy: Works at the Chelsea Nursing Home through her Consortium classes
Kelly Johnson: Studies cosmetology through the Consortium program.
Thursday, March 12 through Saturday, March 14 was a crucial time for wrestlers who made it to the Palace of Auburn Hills for wrestling states: junior Dan Flowers along with his two teammates, seniors Scott Santoro and Corey Chamberlain. Flowers took runner-up in the state finals. Flowers said there are some things he would have changed to take first. “I would have stayed away from the tie-ups,” he said. “I never really got any good shots in. I would have been a lot more aggressive. It felt good to represent Dexter in the finals. The entire state was watching. It was kind of nerve wracking, but that went away before I went down to warm up. I am looking forward to next season; I have a lot of tournaments coming up soon too. I am ready to win states.”
Crawford nearly wins date Senior Mitch Crawford that 102.9 W4 country was looking for a junior or senior to call in and get a chance to take Katie from the radio station to prom. Crawford called the radio and asked Katie to prom along with four other guys and one other girl. Crawford said the reason he decided to call in was, “I didn’t go my junior year, and I thought what better way to go than in a limo and not have to pay for anything.” Crawford was then put on a poll on the W4 country website for his classmates to vote for him. Soon after he was in a close second place. After about a week of voting the girl who entered the competition was caught cheating and was disqualified from the polls. The station only ran the polls for another day or so and Crawford took second place, enabling Nakona from Milan to win. “I knew that I had pretty much lost by seeing that the Milan kid was winning by like 70 percent so it wasn’t really a surprise,” Crawford said.
Food Auction a success
The senior food auction was held during third hour on March 20. This auction helped raise money for Muscular Dystrophy and Cystic Fibrosis. “I think we rose around $2,100 dollars or a little less,” senior Annie Oxner, one of the food auction chairs, said. “We sent a letter to staff and asked them to donate food or money for pizza, and almost everyone did. Tickets were a dollar, and we used the ticket money to buy all the other groceries. It was around $300. When the auction started, we had absolutely no money but a lot of food.”
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Feature
Friday, May 1, 2009
Coleen Hill staff writer
keynotes
Junior Waleed Mansour was inspired. Ever since he saw “Three Men and a Tenor� in third grade, he wanted to start an acapella singing group. He knew singing was in his blood, and he wanted to share his talents to others. So he finally decided to start a group called the Dread Notes. “I still sing in every class,� Mansour said. “(AP US History teacher Angela) Chea commented me on it one time.� Senior Mike Szymusiak said he and Mansour used to sing in A.P. U.S. History every day. “Chea said she misses us singing,� Szymusiak said. “She said it made her day.� The new group of Dread Notes consists of five people: Mansour, junior John Oliver, freshman Patrick Rodgers, Szymusiak and junior Brandon Vant’land. “We used to have seven people when we started, but they couldn’t find time to do it anymore, so now our group is down to five,� Vant’land said. “We were trying to recruit people because we originally wanted nine people in our group.� Mansour said everyone in Dread
Notes is fully devoted to the group, and they practice twice a week. “We practice in the choir room in the morning and then at my house on the weekends,� he said. Rogers said it always tiring to practice in the morning before school. “We start practice at 6:45,� Rogers said. Currently, the Dread Notes are practicing singing “Drift Away,� “My Girl,� and “Stand by Me.� “We really want to get better before we start performing in front of people,� Mansour said. Vant’land said everyone in the group thought it would be cool to sing in an acapella group without instruments. “I think that it’s really cool Waleed made this group,� he said. “It’s a fun after- school thing to be a part of.� Vant’land said he has been singing for as long as he can remember. Not only is he a part of Dread Notes, but he is a part of a church worship group that he sings with every week. “Our practices are pretty laid back, but we focus enough to get stuff done,� Vant’land said. “It’s just hard to get
everyone there at the same time.� Rogers said after people left in the group it seems that the amount of effort put towards practices has declined. “We still get things done at practice but if we had more people we would try harder,� Rogers said. Vant’land said with every practice the group is getting better. Before Dread Notes goes out and performs in front of people, they want to practice more to become even better. “We sang one time for Waleed’s family, and they thought we were pretty good,� Vant’land said. Szymusiak said since the group has perfected their three songs, they are hoping to make a youtube video soon. We’re playing it by ear for now,� Szymusiak said. Oliver said Dread Notes doesn’t have any definite plans, but they are thinking of fun ways to make Dread Notes a part of the school. “We had talked about following people in the hallway and singing to them,� Oliver said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to just hang with some guys and sing.�
There is a video on www.youtube.com, coming soon of Dread Notes singing They are hoping to sing at choir concerts in the future
Mike Szymusiak
Their motto during practice is that they are “Too Legit to Quit�
the nearlywed game getting hyped off sugary sweets dancing like there’s no freshman moms watching
Patrick Rodgers Waleed Mansour
They hope Dread Notes carries on after everyone leaves
John Oliver Brandon Vant’Land
theguys
Parents help with prom pwning in mini golf hollywood squares a new activity to be unveiled
Brittany Martini managing editor
When students walk into the high school on May 2, the decorations will be breathtaking; the food will be exquisite; the games will be amusing. Dressed in their best attire, most students will mosey around the school, “We want taking everything in. this Prom After all it is Prom. But to stand a major factor of prom is out...� often ignored. An aspect that without it, the dance would not exist. The aspect being parents. “The parents do such a w o n d e r f u l job planning�, Chair of Prom, Mary Ann Parr said. “I honestly could not tell you how much work is involved. Every member of the committee work so hard and the end product is simply spectacular.� According to Parr, the time and effort put into Prom are all worthwhile in the end. “Our time is absolutely worthwhile as long as the students have fun and have
a memorable experience. We want this Prom to stand out among the Proms from previous years,� Parr said. Parr not only plans a unforgettable Prom night, but also wants more students to come. According to Parr, to encourage more students to come to Prom, the ticket price has been reduced from $40 to $30. “We hope to have an significant number of student attendees, at least 400, because of reduced ticket price this year,� Parr said. “We wanted to help everyone out a bit and with this economy right now, we can not afford to have such high prices. We want everyone to come who wants to and not have people turned down because of a money problem.� Parr said she just wants students who attend to have a great experience. “I feel happy regardless of the turnout,� Parr said. “This experience has been a great opportunity for me.�
Rob Glass Evaluation Kendall Chappell staff writer
According to the recent evaluation of Superintendent, Robert Glass, he has done well with the transition to and working with the district including the implementation of trimesters. The Board of Education’s evaluation said they are extremely pleased with the way Glass has been able to transition in just a few short months and has “exceeded the Board’s expectations in all areas that were reviewed and has address each goal in the Transition Plan.� Glass was evaluated on things such as oversight of the new trimester system, implementation of the recently passed bond and evaluation of Dexter’s future kindergarten program. The Board said Glass has a good understanding of the program that should help future students as well as helping avoid current problems.
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5
Feature
A few places to look this summer
Ali Bowman staff writer
The song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sexy Backâ&#x20AC;? by Justin Timberlake blares as several senior boys enter center stage. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something unusual about this performance. This time, the stage is being used for something other than the occasional band or drama performance. The boys, dressed in the most ridiculous outfits they could find, are all sitting on chairs, and then they start breaking out into a choreographed boy band dance. This was the scene that senior Mike McCarthy had been looking forward to for weeks. McCarthy was supposed to perform in the third annual Mr. Dreadnaught Pageant along with at least seven other senior boys, but now is not sure if it will even happen due to lack of participants. The competition was originally planned for Friday, April 17 in the CPA, but has been delayed until further notice to give others extra time to join. The pageant may not happen at all if not enough people to get involved.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guess there just wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough motivation for people to join. Seniors are too lazy,â&#x20AC;? senior Steve Merz who plans to compete in the pageant, said. Just a short time away from the scheduled date for the competition, there were only four boys committed to perform, only half of the necessary eight needed to have a valid competition according to Senior class adviser Ryan Baese whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in charge of the pageant. The competition is open to any senior boys who would like to be involved. Merz advises others to join so the pageant will still be able to happen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was really excited for the talent part and being able to show off all of the cool outfits we picked out,â&#x20AC;? Merz said. There were a series of practices to prepare for the opening dance, which all of the competitors will be involved in. The dance is being choreographed by senior dance team members Charlotte Frutig and Krista Valdmanis.
Frutig said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were chosen (to choreograph the dance) kind of at random, but also because we both had dance experience.â&#x20AC;? The boys will be judged on their performance of the opening dance, sports/casual wear runway walk, talent competition, formal wear runway walk, where they are escorted by a girlfriend or friend and lastly an interview where they are asked questions based on their given individual interests. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the competition is a fun last thing for seniors to do before they graduate,â&#x20AC;? Baese said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disappointing (that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being postponed). Over the past two years, people have worked hard to build Mr. Dreadnaught. There are a lot of great guys in the Class of 2009 who could make this pageant great, but there is just not enough interest.â&#x20AC;?
Illustration by Gabe Altomare
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Friday, May 1, 2009
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,FZT GPS 4VDDFTT + Come to rehersal
+ Have fun
+ Be on time
+ Be prepared
+ Have friends there
+ Be humorous
for support
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Summer Jobs, Tips and Tricks 1: Choose what type of job you want
Stucchiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
7050 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 424-0525
Dairy Queen
8041 Main St. Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 426-8647
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s be honest, no one wants a miserable job over the summer. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to rake in some dough, why not pick something that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dread doing every day? If the smell of grease bothers you, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suggest working at any sort of fast food joint. 2: Research before signing up
7080 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 424-0152
Meijer
5645 Jackson Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 222-0300
Nothingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worse than heading into a job not knowing what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in for. Now, there is small possibility you may be in for a nice surprise. But, if your luckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like most of us, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be stuck with a job you did not intend on getting. Being prepared before taking the job can also score brownie points with the big cheese of the office .
3: Prepare a resume Writing a resume is an important part of the job process. Make sure to stay focused throughout and include your qualifications and accomplishments. 4: Be ready for interview In some jobs, the interview will make or break you. So, telling the boss about the funny story from the party you had last night? Yeah, not a good idea. Expect to be hammered with questions about why you qualify for the job and past experiences as well. Make sure to sit with a nice posture. Looking like you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help the situation at all. However, the key point is stay cool and calm, looking the boss in the eyes following with a confident answer.
How to get a summer job â&#x20AC;˘ Keep an eye on the classified section in the newspaper â&#x20AC;˘ Take advantage of friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; workplace â&#x20AC;˘ Ask to set up a time where you can talk to the manager â&#x20AC;˘ Fill out more than one application, expand your choices â&#x20AC;˘ Look out for help wanted signs at local businesses
Q&A with Ariel Star
[employed by Stucchiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s]
Sarah Moir staff writer
Buschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
(and appropriate)
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Q: What was the first step you took to try and get a job? A: I went in and got an application to a couple of places. Initially, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the job, but a couple of months later I got an e-mail asking if I was still interested. Q: How would you suggest finding a job in the summer? A: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d go in early and try to find a job before the summer starts. Q: How many hours do you work per work and is it worth what you make? A: Per week, it depends. But usually I work around 10 hours. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth the pay, especially when it gets toward summer because you get more tips. Q: Did you find the process for finding a job hard? A: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say it was difficult, but not hard. It takes effort, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just expect to get hired right away.
6
Health
(FU 'JU )VETPO .JMMT
Friday, May 1, 2009
John Brundage staff writer
For those seeking physical activity outside as the last of the snow melts away, the options that Hudson Mills offers are almost limitless. Regardless of your interests, your day at the Metro Park will probably begin at the Activity Center where equipment rental, exhibits, information about the park and on the weekends, food, are available. Several paved and unpaved trails, including a 3.5 mile paved hike/bike trail allow for activities such as jogging, walking, biking, roller blading, skate boarding and hiking. Hudson Mills is also a pet-friendly facility. Provided that they are on a maximum five foot leash, pets are allowed in all areas. To accommodate anyone with a ball and a couple friends, Hudson Mills features tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts and shuffleboard courts. It also has baseball diamonds and several large, multi-purpose soccer fields. These facilities can be reserved in advance via the activity center. Also in Hudson Mills is a 24-hole disc golf course, as well as an 18 hole golf course with a country club. If you just want to relax, Hudson Mills has several pavilions for picnics, scenic hiking trails, benches by the Hudson River, a plethora of nature-related activities, most of which have activities and clubs surrounding them sponsored by Hudson Mills, including but not limited to hiking, botany and bird watching. Even for those who hate the outdoors, Hudson Mills has a number of indoor facilities. Patrons of Hudson Mills have access to a comprehensive, informative nature center and a staff who have DNR training. Hudson Mills is also located on the coast of a large river, opening up activities such as fishing, kayaking/canoeing. If your interests are of an artistic nature, Hudson Mills offers no shortage of scenic locations and quiet places to work. If you need a quiet place to work or read, there is space enough in Hudson Mills for everyone to have a quiet place to of their own. If you drop by during the winter, Hudson Mills offers cross country skiing on nature trails. Each year, Hudson Mills grooms over four miles of trails for use by cross country skiers. If you have younger siblings, Hudson Mills has many activities for children in nearly all of the above activities. Swing sets and play structures are also among the many things that make a day in the park with your younger sibling(s) possible. If the deer population at Hudson Mills becomes too high they will open it up to hunters for a few days. For those who seek permission, Hudson Mills allows people to camp on the grounds. The sites available for camping are equipped with fire pits, pumps and porta johns, and the sites are frequented by youth organizations and adult groups alike. Hudson Mills is also the host of several festivals, most notably on the Fourth of July and Labor Day. These include live music, food and fireworks. The numerous grill equipped picnic sites and pavilions give people a place to eat as well as providing a gathering place for companies, sports teams and churches to have banquets and get togethers. Whether alone, with some friends or with several hundred people, Hudson Mills has designed itself to meet your needs.
illustration by Gabe Altomare
*DFE UFB DBO PGGFS IFBMUI CFOFm UT Lisa Crompton staff writer
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Knowing hot herbal tea is healthy, sophomore Colin Clegg automatically assumed iced tea was just as good. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I drink iced tea, and I think it prevents me from getting sick,â&#x20AC;? he said. And according to school nurse Aileen Kernohan, iced tea does contain many antioxidants which are good for health. White tea has the most antioxidants, but all teas contain them Kernohan said. However, Kernohan also said many iced teas students drink contain high levels of corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup which means students essentially pay to drink sugar water. Lisa McDonald, owner of TeaHaus, a tea shop in Ann Arbor said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The beverages you buy in the drink aisles in supermarkets and convenience stores like Snapple or Lipton Iced Tea really shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be considered real tea.â&#x20AC;? McDonald said these popular iced tea drinks are a combination of little tea concentrate and sugar water. Therefore, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diet or not, the health benefit is very minimal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Freshly brewed iced tea is best. It has the most flavonoids, the antioxidants in tea,â&#x20AC;? Kernohan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To get the most health benefits, tea should be brewed from tea leaves.â&#x20AC;? A good way to make your iced tea tasty in a
healthy way is to add natural citrus. Kernohan suggests squeezed lemon or orange juice into the tea. If sweetness is desired, natural sweeteners such as brown sugar can also be added Clegg said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I drink iced tea all the time. Usually before, after and during my shows and practices with my band. The iced tea soothes my vocal cords.â&#x20AC;? Even though Kernohan says she has never heard of tea soothing vocal cords, she said it could be true knowing tea with lemon and honey was an old-time remedy for colds. McDonald said TeaHaus carries a green tea with very strong peppermint oil that many people get when they have a sore throat. Clegg said he figured this home remedy out by drinking iced tea flavored with ginseng and honey which helped his throat while he had a cold. Although iced tea is, in fact, labeled as a tea, it may not be as healthy as freshly brewed tea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many bottled iced teas are that in name only,â&#x20AC;? Kernohan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tea is from powders and concentrates that resemble tea but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the antioxidants of freshly brewed tea.â&#x20AC;? However there are ways to make hot tea, iced tea. McDonald said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any tea whether it be herbal, black, green or whatever can be made iced. One just brews it hot and either puts in the fridge until cold or pours it over ice. I can say that as long as it is not a bottle of sugar water or diet sugar water with a bit of tea in it, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say all real iced teas will be healthy.â&#x20AC;?
7
News
LOTUS rocks the mic. Kyle Boren Entertainment/arts editor
What happens when you splice the genres of electronic, techn and jam band? How about putting this mixture with an intense light show, a good-vibe crowd and a stellar ballroom? You get a damn good Lotus concert to enjoy, nod your head to and, depending on your mood, dance in the crazy lights. Going into Rothbury last summer, Lotus was on the obscure list of the jamatronica bands that played the crazy midnight show. But most Rothbury-goers were impressed by these five musicians from Colorado. Lotus clawed their way into many festival-goers favorite bands and got the second invite to this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s festival. Lotus played at a smaller venue than Rothbury on April 1, but it was obvious many people who attended this concert,
also saw Lotus at that show, as many people sported their Rothbury apparel. Although there was a smaller crowd at the Crofoot Ballroom, it was a much better Lotus experience, and it did not affect the rowdiness of the crowd. Lotus has had their own rowdy following for some years now. Lotus started as just another underground band trying to catch a break. But with non-stop touring beginning in 1999, they have attracted an army of nationwide fans. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not hard to become interested in Lotus. Going to a Lotus concert without any prior knowledge of their albums or songs is what attracts people to them. The concert started with a loud thump of a techno bass, and bone-chilling bass guitar followed. And then the rest of the band erupted into a jam session that lasted two and a half hours. With less than a five second pause between each song, Lotus
May 1, 2009
wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the audience catch its breath from the epic song before or recap on the awesomeness of it. The two main founders of Lotus are twins Jesse Miller and Luke Miller. Luke plays bass, and Jesse plays rhythm guitar and deals with electronic panels as well. And the Miller twins have some ties to Dexter. Ever seen senior Caleb Polley, or freshmen Dylan Polley a freshmen, sporting a Lotus T-shirt? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty sweet to see all these people drive to Pontiac to see a band that my cousins are in,â&#x20AC;? Caleb said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;To hear the crowd chant Lotus afterwards was pretty neat too.â&#x20AC;? Caleb also attended the concert to see his cousins play for the first time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was pretty neat to go backstage and meet the whole band,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One second Luke was just in the crowd with me. The next second he was up on stage being applauded.â&#x20AC;?
0SDIFTUSB USBWFMT UP #JH "QQMF PWFS CSFBL Emily Van Dusen copy editor
Photo by Emily VanDusen
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In the city that never sleeps, the towering skyscrapers, vivid advertisements and neon lights paint a picture of urban life at its finest. For the members of the Dexter High School orchestras, this picture of lively color came to life when the group traveled to New York City for spring break. For viola player Jeanette Ganz, the trip was her first visit to New York. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of those cities where you can walk down the street and hear five different languages spoken,â&#x20AC;? Ganz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You drive into a different neighborhood, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a completely different world.â&#x20AC;? For sophomore cello player Jeff Pituch, the trip was his sixth to the city, although it was his first time traveling in such a large group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just basically wanted to avoid all of the really touristy kind of stuff,â&#x20AC;? Pituch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hate feeling like a tourist.â&#x20AC;? Unfortunately for Pituch, the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activity-packed itinerary included visits to popular tourist sites like the Statue of Liberty and the Lincoln Center, as well as a bus tour of city monuments. However, Pituch still managed to have a good time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say it met my expectations,â&#x20AC;? Pituch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My favorite part was tanning on Liberty Island and definitely me and Jesse (Schoof) getting a ton of compliments from old ladies saying they liked our look at the Phil.â&#x20AC;? The performance of the New York Philharmonic was one unique aspect of the itinerary that Pituch got to experience for the first time.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The New York Phil was dece,â&#x20AC;? Pituch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I could only pay attention to the first five minutes of each song, so in the other time I counted all of the lights in the whole place and got 899.â&#x20AC;? In addition to the philharmonic performance, the group also had the opportunity to see the contemporary, awardwinning Broadway musical â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the Heights,â&#x20AC;? about life in the Washington Heights area of New York City. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really liked the musical,â&#x20AC;? Ganz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was reminiscent of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the sense that the characters were people you can actually relate to.â&#x20AC;? Pituch also enjoyed the performance, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The play was pretty good, but not quite â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lion Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; caliber.â&#x20AC;? Another important part of the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule was a performance in the Madison Avenue Sculpture Garden atrium, where the orchestra played a mixture of pops tunes and classical pieces for an audience of businesspeople enjoying their lunch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The atrium was hard to play in,â&#x20AC;? Ganz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear worth anything, but I think we held together pretty well considering the circumstances.â&#x20AC;? In addition to the performance, the group also had a string clinic during which they worked under the instruction of one of the conductors of the New York Philharmonic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really cool,â&#x20AC;? Ganz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The conductor was a little intimidating at first, but he got a certain finesse out of us that we hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever reached before.â&#x20AC;? All in all, students said the trip was a success. After all, as Ganz said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It really doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get much better than being able to go to a big, exciting city to hang out with your friends and play music.â&#x20AC;?
/FXMZ QBJOUFE NVSBMT IFMQ MJHIU VQ UIF IBMMT Kaitlyn Shepard features editor
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being green is staying clean.â&#x20AC;? This is the phrase surrounding one of the new murals being painted on the second story walkway by the library. Recycling and becoming green has become a part of everyday life. And now it will become part of Dexter High School with the new student mural dedicated to becoming environmentally friendly. Student Leadership teacher Erin Palmer and her peer leadership class are in charge of the new student-designed murals going up around DHS. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a new teacher, when I came into the school, I noticed the murals that had already gone up,â&#x20AC;? Palmer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of student leadership is school beautification, and school spirit, and I thought the murals would be a good way to help this.â&#x20AC;? Palmer and her students are very passionate about the new murals. Palmer said her students are especially excited about them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of them we will start painting around the time we get back from spring break,â&#x20AC;? Palmer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The students working on the project are all very excited to paint the murals and make their school unique.â&#x20AC;? Upon noticing how plain the school was, sophomore Codi Troutt, one of the students working on the new murals, said the student leadership class began to think of ways to make the school more exciting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started thinking about things that would make the school
brighter and more fun,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eventually someone mentioned the murals that were already up, and we decided to hold a student mural contest.â&#x20AC;? According to Palmer there will be three new murals going up around the school this spring. Each one will be painted by students who have volunteered to paint, such as senior Garret Camilleri, and each painter will be assisted by the Student Leadership class. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Were going to be putting up three new murals,â&#x20AC;? Palmer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One will be about recycling and going green, another will be a senior mural, and then the other one will be one designed by a student.â&#x20AC;? Troutt said the new murals will make the school more exciting than it is currently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The school is really boring right now. The walls are just plain white brick and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not very much fun,â&#x20AC;? Troutt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once we put the murals up, the school will be more exciting and colorful.â&#x20AC;? Troutt decided to become involved with these murals not only because of how bland she thought the school was but because of her own interest in art. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am not a very artistic person,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I really like art, and I thought the murals would be a lot of fun, because they were art.â&#x20AC;? According to Troutt, these murals will have a positive affect on the school as well as the students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The school will be a lot brighter and fun,â&#x20AC;? Troutt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hopefully this will help but students in a better mood and make them more excited to come to school.â&#x20AC;?
Photo by Lindsay Gagneau
1BJOUJOH UIF TDIPPM Freshman Peer Leadership students Taylor Cassidy, Lindsay Green and Stephanie Matich paint a mural of the earth to encourage people to save the environment.
8
Sports
Friday, May 1, 2009
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.VTF BOE 4DPUU HP UP UIF OBUJPOBM DIBNQJPOTIJQ HBNFT BU UIF -JPOhT TUBEJVN Alexander Dobbs staff writer
Tyler Hansborough elevated into the air, brought the basketball back behind his head, and slammed home a resounding dunk, bringing over 70,000 screaming fans to their feet on his way to leading his North Carolina Tar Heels to a NCAA college basketball National Championship. In the middle of the mass of fans stood two of Dexter High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own, loving every moment of being able to experience an NCAA Final Four in person. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love basketball, especially college basketball,â&#x20AC;? said math teacher Dewey Scott, who attended the Final Four and National Championship game in Detroit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being able to go the Final Four is something I have always wanted to do.â&#x20AC;? The Final Four is the culminating event to the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. The tournament, commonly known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;March Madnessâ&#x20AC;?, places the 65 best teams from Division I basketball into a winner take all set-up, where one loss
means elimination. The team that survives the madness earns the right to be crowned National Champion. Connecticut, Michigan State, North Carolina and Villanova survived the madness this year and advanced to the Final Four, which was held at Ford Field. The bracket set-up pitted Michigan State against Connecticut in the first game and North Carolina against Villanova in the second game, with Michigan State and North Carolina winning. Those two teams then met in the National Championship, with North Carolina topping Michigan State 89-72. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a huge (Michigan State) fan so I really wanted to go,â&#x20AC;? senior Brent Muse said, who attended the National Championship game. â&#x20AC;?It sucked that they lost, but it was still a really fun experienceâ&#x20AC;? Scott, a Michigan fan, did not mind seeing State lose as much, but he agreed with Muse and said the experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously we would have wanted
closer seats, but we still were able to watch the games in person, which was something I have always wanted to do,â&#x20AC;? he said. The basketball games were played at the Detroit Lions home football field, verus a basketball arena for a basketball game, a topic which caused a lot of debate for many sports journalists before the games were played. Many had worries that the stadium would be too big for a basketball game, too quiet and the fans would not be able to see the game. However, Muse had a slightly different experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad got the tickets through work, and they were really good seats,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were in row 10 in the first half, and then for the second half we got to sit in a luxury box. Our seats were great, and we had an amazing view of the game. I had no problem seeing anything.â&#x20AC;? Scott said his seats were also surprisingly decent for the size of the arena. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were in the lower bowl, and while we were fairly far away, but we could still see the game,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bad, but
I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have sat any farther away.â&#x20AC;? Scott also said the arena as a whole was a successful venue to watch a basketball game in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think there were a lot of great seats, but I do think there were a lot more good seats than for a normal basketball game,â&#x20AC;? he said. As for the journalists fears of the arena being too quiet, Muse said the noise in the larger arena was much more intense than he had expected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was pretty crazy in there. There were a ton of people, and a lot of State fans,â&#x20AC;? he said. Scott, who attended the two Final Four games and the National Championship game, said that the National Championship game was especially loud. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The noise was pretty good,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At points it may have even been better than a game in a regular arena. The Championship game got kind of crazy with all the Sparty fans there. I loved the whole experience. Just being able to go to a Final Four. I would love to go again.â&#x20AC;?
(ZNOBTUJD USBJOJOH JT OP FBTZ UBTL Sirah Camara staff writer
She sticks the landing, getting a rare score of 9.575 on the vault. Freshmen Claire Tewksbury, is a gymnast who said she got her start because she had way too much energy. Her mom enrolled her in gymnastics when she was 7 years old, and she said she has been in love with it ever since. Sure, she has had some ups and downs, but who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just knew that I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to quit anytime soon,â&#x20AC;? Tewksbury said. When she first started, Tewksbury said she was physically fit and ready but,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;No matter how strong you are they will always make you stronger.â&#x20AC;? Gymnasts are on strict diets, they watch what they eat and have to be totally dedicated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes you come home and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t function,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The pain and injury isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worth it.â&#x20AC;? She even fractured her skull, but she still did not want to quit. In fifth grade Tewksbury had a practice at EMU. She finished a routine on the vault and was going to help a fellow teammate out of the pit when the teammate let go of her hand, and she fell off the four-foot stage and dove head first onto the wood floor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought that the wall kept going behind me but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? Tewksbury said. She was out for four weeks, but quitting did not cross her mind.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;All I could think about was getting back into they gym,â&#x20AC;? she said. People may think the reason someone does a sport is because they are dedicated to it, but Tewksbury said she is addicted to it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine what I would do with myself if I stopped; the adrenaline rush is what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about,â&#x20AC;? she said. She said she has seen friends around her quit and become disinterested, but she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to quit just because all her friends had quit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to quit the sport I loved just because all my friends quit,â&#x20AC;? she said. She plans to follow through in high school but also said when it comes to participating in gymnastics in college, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heck no! My body cannot handle too much more. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m done after I graduate.â&#x20AC;?
In her blood: Freshman Claire Tewksbury has been a gymnast since she was 7 years old
photo courtesy Claire Tewksbury
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Sports
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Friday, May 1, 2009
4PNF TFOJPST RVJU CBTFCBMM UFBN XIFO UIFZ m OE QMBZJOH UJNF XJMM CF MFTT UIBO FYQFDUFE Murphy Hansen Staff writer
Senior Scott Crompton was looking forward to baseball season. When it came to the final decisions of who made the team, a wave of relief crashed over Crompton knowing he had made it. The happiness faded, however when Crompton was told he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be starting and his playing time would be cut. Crompton responded by quitting. Senior Andy Whitaker soon followed with the same decision. Whitaker said he was surprised to find his playing time was cut. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When it came down to the coaches making cuts, they told me I was going to be a relief pitcher, and I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be playing as much,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They told me there were juniors that were faster than me, and they could hit better.â&#x20AC;? The coaches were also surprised when Whitaker made his decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They wanted me to be a good leader for the younger players, but I felt that I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a good leader without being able to play on the field,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My coaches made the decision. I feel like I worked hard to deserve it, but the coaches had to do what they felt was best for the team.â&#x20AC;? Whitaker also said the other players on the team were upset when they heard he was going to quit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were disappointed because we are all friends.â&#x20AC;? He said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would have
been nice to play with them my senior year, but they understand my reason for quitting. Now looking at how the season panned out, I am glad I quit. It would have been fun playing with my friends for my senior year, but I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have liked sitting on the bench a lot of the time. I am having a lot of fun on the track team and with all my friends on the team.â&#x20AC;? Only two seniors remain on the team, Steven Zalucha and Mike Clutterbuck, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both leading the team this year. Junior Alex McMurray is one of the 10 junior players on varsity this year and said he understands his coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I understand, but not everyone does,â&#x20AC;? McMurray said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our coach is very old school. This was unfortunate. I would have liked all the senior leadership. It would have been fun, but we all have to accept it and move on.â&#x20AC;? Although the team will be playing without Steve Grafton, Crompton, Whitaker and Jordan Rodriguez, the team is working hard to perform their best. About 60 players tried out for baseball this year and Berklich said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Making cuts are always extremely hard.â&#x20AC;? Although most seniors arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t playing on the team this year, Berklich said he has faith in the two seniors who are still on the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Both seniors are strong pitchers,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe this will be a big year for them.â&#x20AC;?
Berklich doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem worried about having a young team either. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re young and learning,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alex McMurray is a front line pitcher and Henry Haley is a great hitter. I expect a great year out of them.â&#x20AC;? Haley, a junior, said he was shocked when he found out some of his teammates decided to quit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would have stayed, but if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the sport enough, they can decide and do what they want to do.â&#x20AC;? Haley said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coach gave the players the option to stay on the team or not, and they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;? Despite the older players quitting the team, Berklich has found the missing key to success with the younger players who have stuck around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lately, the younger players are always getting better, and the competition is getting stiffer. Players that play all year round keep improving,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working very hard, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited.â&#x20AC;?
When he was young: Senior Steven Zalucha, pictured in his younger days, is one of two seniors left on the baseball team after some teammates quit because of lack of playing time.
3FDPSE UFOOJT HPMG OVNCFST DSFBUF OFX DIBMMFOHFT GPS CPUI UFBNT Tucker Whitley Staff writer
other hand, disagrees. McAuliffe said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great that more and more people are Mens golf and womens and mens tennis taking interest. Though all of the players is a now have something in common. They are good thing, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really have enough help.â&#x20AC;? McAuliffe said he likes the surplus in playboth overcrowded. Both the varsity and JV golf teams are ers, but he wishes he had some assistance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I filled. No cuts were made. But because both wish we had more help,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With all of teams are filled, there are quite a few kids who the players, there is a need for more help. We have to stand and watch while their buddies certainly have some kids that are brand new take the course. This is degrading to some, to the game. There are some kids who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t played in any tournaments and some kids wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be yet.â&#x20AC;? back because of it. The JV takes but six playForty-five people ers as well, which means played golf this seaas their friends take the son according to head course, players who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t coach Frank McAuliffe. practice well enough have The varsity takes only to just watch, according to six people, leaving the McAuliffe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In some cases, JV entirely too crowdi"MM PG UIF QFPQMF NBLF UIJOHT golf isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as demanding ed. The junior varsity TPNFXIBU EJTPSHBOJ[FE :FT JU JT physically,â&#x20AC;? he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Golf team is filled, and some DSPXEFE w is a sport you can play for people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily a long time. You can play it care as much as others, for a lifetime, as opposed but there are some peoto football or basketball, ple who think the oversports which demand more crowded environment physical ability.â&#x20AC;? takes the fun out of the Tennis is also experiencsport. ing record numbers. Senior Freshman golfer tennis player Ryan Kuhns Mitch Manzagol said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of the people make things somewhat dis- said he likes the fact more people are playing organized. Yes, it is crowded. With all of the tennis. He thinks skill isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really an issue if people, there comes the bad players, who kind there are more people.â&#x20AC;? He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say that more people of ruin it. They ruin it because they take so long on the course. I would prefer less play- basically results in more skill. I would rather ers, so you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to wait so long, and have more people. I would say 20 people is a the groups would be smaller. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool good number, so you have 10 for varsity and that more and more people are taking inter- ten for JV,â&#x20AC;? Kuhns said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, weak talent est to the sport, but I would rather have (golf) will come with all of the people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tennis is a really fun sport. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sport where you get smaller in numbers.â&#x20AC;? Head golf coach Frank McAuliffe, on the to hang out with friends. I really hope ten-
nis continues to grow in Dexter, even though I will be leaving this year, considering I am a senior.â&#x20AC;? McAuliffe sees the benefits of the record participation this year. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great thing that all these people are playing.â&#x20AC;?
Photo courtesy of the Zalucha family
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Photo by Rachel Detloff
Dealing with crowding: Junior Katie Frauhammer gets ready to serve. Frankenhour has played all three years and is one of the players forced to deal with issues related to record numbers of players on the tennis team.
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10
Columns
Friday, May 1, 2009
Brent Muse get involved editor
Scott Crompton Editor in chief
It’s a great day to be a Dreadnaught You might be a Dexter High School student if ... •You hate Chelsea. •You have ever come across a fresh, steamy, perfectly-shaped, unadulterated turd in the elevator. •You have taken part in receiving an extensive oral beating about who have zero integrity and about how you will never do anything with your life. •You usually weep after most Friday nights in the fall. •You have seen your own reflection in the opaque glossy finish of Assistant Principal Tim Authier’s head. •You have taken part in a shaving cream fight. •You have been hit in the head with a bouncy ball during lunch. •You have witnessed an awe-inspiring girl fight. •You have had to hold your breath on your way to school because the smell of manure is overwhelming. •You have wondered what the hell is on your school walls when you walk to lunch each day. •You have given Connie a hard time. •You have shaken your head while watching trucks being parked reverse style. •You send your friends pictures of your bowel movements. •You have shuddered at the sight of math teacher Randy Swoverland. •You have been turned to stone by “the stare”. •You are white. •You were part of the #1 student section in the SEC. •You attempted to get the teen rapping sensation Scooter Smiff to come to your school. •You have tried to go to prom with a girl from some crappy country radio station. •You have been the victim of sexism in the classroom. •You have gotten a picture of some naked freshman girl. •You have wondered why you’re being treated like a 4-year-old in gym class. •You have had a principal that looks like former secretary of state Condaleeza Rice. •You have blasted “Rockin’ the Suburbs” and sang along. •You have been in an awkward situation while walking by a couple sucking face when no one else is in the hall. •You have gotten a singing cow thrown at you while asleep in class. •You have been video taped starting a food fight. •You throw in a big, fat, juicy, delicious chew in the bathroom before, after and during class. •You have ever yelled, “Git-r-done!” •You have gotten a “hall shot.” •You have gotten a “greenhouse shot.” •Your principal is addicted to caffeine. •You have resorted to the, “Win or lose, we still booze” chant at the end of sporting games. •You have screamed along to “Hey baby” no matter how many points your team is down. •You are related to the majority of the school district. •You have watched “Hellmaster.” •You know that Amendment 22 is two terms for the president. •You know it takes two taps to turn on the projector. •You have experienced greatness. •You are a senior and gets to be paraded around the halls on the last day of school like a bunch of cattle.
Alex Everard managing editor
Help bail out The Squall Dearest Administration, The Squall is $3,000 in debt. We cannot even afford to print our next issue. You may be shocked, perhaps even appalled, at this staggering figure. However, let me explain to you how such a landmark student newspaper became so incredibly indebted. First and foremost, our spending over the past few years may be described as less than responsible. We have made numerous poor investments, such as out-sourcing reporters to rural India, printing on thin plastic for a more durable feel (which did not work out, turns out plastic doesn’t fold well), and giving our editors each a $500K bonus for each of our Pacemakers. But, despite our dark past, there is hope for this paper and for this school (be-
Change is not always for the better As time goes on, people change. Sometimes it’s for the better, and sometimes it’s for the worse. There have always been cliques among students and there always will be. When we were in middle school there were two groups: skater kids and preps. That didn’t seem to last too long, but when it ended, more cliques started to form and fashion seemed to be changing rapidly. “Goths” seemed to be taken over by the new and improved “emo” crowd, and most of the preps changed into “gangstas,” if you will. I am not sure if some of these students are confused, or they are completely aware of how they act. Just for clarification, the D-town we live in may be spelled similar to Detroit but is far from it. We don’t have as many gangs and violence as Detroit, although, we do have a Dairy Queen. Don’t get it mixed up with the hood. Our community is close to, if not exactly, 99 percent Caucasian and for the most part, fairly wealthy.
cause let’s face it, you need us). I have detailed an in-depth Squall Recovery Plan and need only a small portion of the recent bond (a quaint $3M). You may be concerned with how all the money will be used, and how I plan on saving this paper, but do not worry, I have it all under control. Please, bail us out. 1) First, $200K will be needed immediately, effective tomorrow. This portion of the money will go towards boosting the morale of our investors. I plan to take our yearly sales and subscriptions, multiply them by three, and post them on the Internet. This will surely prompt our stockholders to buy like crazy. I realize we are a student newspaper, not an actual corporation, and do not have real investors, but you’re missing the point. This is America. 2) The next step will take $500K, which will be used to grant to each of our senior editors a full-ride scholarship to the university of their choice. If you say this is irresponsible spending, I have but one question for you: why do you hate learning? (But seriously, this is the least important of all the steps. If you have to cut this one to give us the rest of the money, then go for it. I don’t think any of us are going to college anyway). 3) Detroit Red Wings Playoff tickets * 4) Next, we need another $200K to improve our image to the public. After the infamous money-burning festival of 2003, some people might think we’re economically irresponsible. That’s why I will use this portion of the money to hire Jim Cramer to come hold up a bunch of graphs and statistics that somehow prove we’re not actually in debt, and everyone will love us again. 5) $100K for me. 6) The sixth and final step requires the largest portion of money, $1M. This is the most crucial step to our recovery, and I even gave it a cool name, “The Student Appreciation Grant”. To finalize The Squall’s triumphant return to glory, we need one million dollar bills. I’ll gather the money in Louis Vutton bags, get together with my
I know times are hard for most families, and the economy is struggling. But that doesn’t mean you live in a rough neighborhood or that you need to prove your gangsterness. Just because you listen to Lil’ Wayne and wear a fitted hat, doesn’t mean you are hood. You still live in Dexter, which last time I checked, was a small farming community that stretches about five miles and smells like manure 50 percent of the time. But I guess I can kind of understand where you are coming from. It’s tough growing up as a middle to upper class white citizen in America. I never wear flat billed hats, but I don’t have a problem with them. They just aren’t my cup of tea, but for some reason they make people feel as if they are as hood as the rappers on the radio. And some even believe people will be bumpin’ to their rhymes on the radio some day. But just because you try to dress like these rappers, doesn’t mean you can rap like them. And many people seem to think it’s cool to drive around in their nice cars their parents bought for them and “spit” rhymes about their challenging lives growing up in Dexter. I’m not sure if these fitted hats give a person the power to spit or not, but I might have to try it out. Another thing that has changed is how people talk. This also must be a side effect of wearing fitted hats and listening to rap music, but everyone seems to be talking “ghetto”. If you have lived in Dexter your whole life, I don’t know how you adapted these habits. But I feels you dawg. I am just trying to understand why you be actin’ hard and s - - -, dawg. It’s not the language that bothers me. It’s the person who does not fit the language. Some people need to stay the same as they have been their whole lives. Change is not always for the better. The next time you look in the mirror of your nice house located in Dexter, remember you aren’t that hood. And just because you listen to rap music and try to dress all hood, you live in a suburb of Detroit. And most people don’t view Dexter as D-town
fellow editors, and disappear to the roof of the school. Then, we wait. Once the final bell rings on the last day of school, we’re going to make it freaking rain. A million dollars in singles, pouring from the sky onto the heads of Dexter students, each bill with “courtesy of The Squall” written on it in gold ink. If you’re worries that this is too extravagant, that it is simply too over-the-top, you are obviously ignorant to the finer points of capitalism. Let me clue you in on a little secret: it all trickles down. Literally. The wasted money trickles down onto the ground, people pick it up and somehow everyone spends excessively for decades without any repercussion. *The playoff tickets were not included in the bottom line, nor are they necessary for reviving The Squall. Just throw me a bone here. So there it is, our best chance for recovery. Money is tight, but we are prepared to make sacrifices. We have already cut our budget for military defense spending by almost 4 percent! (Yes, we spend money on military defense. Free speech ain’t free). With your money, we can make it. If you have any questions about The Squall Recovery Plan, or if you’re wondering why $1M is still unaccounted for, please forward all questions to my secretary, because by the time you read this I will be in Fiji on an all-inclusive vaca- er, business trip. Thank you for all the support (money) and concern (money) you have given to The Squall. Sincerely, Alexander R. Everard Managing Editor P.S. As a last resort, our adviser, Rodney Satterthwaite, is prepared to step down in return for a $1.6M retirement package. OK, fine, $1M and a Lambo. Take it or leave
Editorial
11
THE
Friday, May 1, 2009
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4DIPPM TIPVME FODPVSBHF DPOTPSUJVN FOSPMMNFOU Arts and communication, business management, health services, industrial services and cosmetology are all part of the consortium program at Saline High School where students who already have some idea of what they want as an occupation can get a head start and learn specific knowledge in that area. There should be more courses like these offered to students. As opposed to sitting at a desk all day to learn, Consortium is a hands-on way to learn, and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have many course offerings for students who learn better hands-on. The way high school is set up is not fair for kids who learn this way. More consortium classes would mean more kids would succeed with the opportunity to learn a way that is best for them. Leading to more kids getting jobs to support themselves. Also, many of these programs offered through consortium are in growing fields that give people a much better chance of getting a job when they graduate. With the economy and the job market as they are now, it is important people get the right education in areas that offer more jobs. In addition most of the consortium programs fields have good salaries.
Also, there should be more connection between school at Dexter and consortium elsewhere. For example, the kids in business management or marketing could help run the school store so they could apply their knowledge, Consortium can be an expensive program to run because of transportation issues though. Also, some students in programs like cosmetology and nursing provide their own transportation so with bad weather, some parents lean away to allowing their kids to drive to places like Milan or Saline. But students should be responsible enough to get to where they need to be on time. And according to Assistant Principal Tim Authier, there havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been any issues with kids getting it more car accidents while driving to consortium than driving to school. Some form of consortium should be offered to the underclassmen as well. Ninth and tenth graders are not offered consortium so students who could succeed better in an alternative learning environment could benefit from this in their first years of high school.
Consortium benefits many students, and it is a positive alternative learning program that many students get a lot out of. Encouraging more consortium will only help benefit the students here.
(BNCMJOH GPS CBTLFUT Aaron Gilman staff writer
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the last minute of the game, and your team is down by two. The ball gets inbounded. You get off your seat. A screen is set and a three-pointer is launched. The buzzer sounds, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the last shot of the game. You hear the sweetest sound in the world, leather hitting nylon. One of your teams just won, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve moved one step closer to winning with your bracket. There is nothing like the thrill of the NCAA tournament. The thing that magnifies this all is everyone making brackets. If you have a
P R O
Le t te rs to the
March Madness is a magical time that only Ian McCarthy staff writer comes around once every year. The most talented 65 college basketball teams in the country battle it out to determine who the best team in the country is. Some people decide to fill out brackets in attempt to the predict the tournament, which is great fun. How many points can you get? How many games can you predict right? But gambling on basketball? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illegal. How wrong is this? It ruins the sport. Can people not have fun and enjoy watching a sport without the exciting thrill of gambling? The rush that you get when you realize the team that you called for the upset is winning. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard it just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any better than that, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never know because I have morals. Gambling is an addiction that can ruin peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, even though people may say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just brackets. I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get addicted.â&#x20AC;? Next thing you know, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stranded in Vegas, down 50 grand, with the loan sharks
C O N
after you because you were just waiting for your big hit. It makes me sick that this type of gambling is happening here at Dexter High School. The people who are involved should be ashamed. Anyone who would lower themselves this far, needs a new direction in their life. Here is how it could happen. You will start out with bracket gambling, and the worst thing that will happen is that you will win. Then you will move onto many bigger and better games. Win some and lose some. Then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in with the wrong crowd. Your best friend is a 6 foot 8 man named Tiny who takes care of people for you. Then you sit back, stop and wonder, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What have I done with my life?â&#x20AC;? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell you. You participated in the Dexter High School March Madness bracket, and now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a thriving criminal. The sad truth to this all is that gambling is an addiction, even though it may seem as harmless as a high school bracket group, it can escalate very quickly. So next year make your bracket and enjoy. Just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gamble on it.
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%PO U DSJUJ[F IPNFMFTT few being: â&#x20AC;&#x153;stagnant or falling incomes,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;less secure jobs with fewer benefits,â&#x20AC;? being poor (many people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t receive enough income to provide for basic needs Meghan Brown let alone their rental or mortgage, which as we all know, is evident by the many Senior foreclosures), â&#x20AC;&#x153;lack of affordable health Dear Editor, care,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;domestic violence,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;mental illness,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;addiction disorders.â&#x20AC;? First of all, Kristi Hughes, when did the There used to be SRO housing (single world revolve around your happiness? room occupancy housing), which providYou say you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to â&#x20AC;&#x153;come off ed housing at a low cost to poor individustuck up or meanâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;Ś? I was angry when als, possibly afflicted with mental illness I read your article (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dilema: to give or substance abuse. However, almost all or not to giveâ&#x20AC;? in the last Squall), but I of them have been eliminated. According mainly felt sorry for you because of your to the Michigan Coalition Against Homeignorance of the homeless. lessness, â&#x20AC;&#x153;thirty three percent of homeThe man you looked down on, who less families are working,â&#x20AC;? seventy seven happened to be such a burden to you percent of families are homeless due to a on the sidewalk, is so far above you in lack of affordable housing,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;one out his knowledge of reality and deserves so of three homeless persons is a child.â&#x20AC;? much more respect. Many people with They, like the NCH, contribute homeadequate incomes suffer from alcohol or lessness to a â&#x20AC;&#x153;lack of affordable housing,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;debt and/or lack of income,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;disdrug addictions. The only difference between them abilities,â&#x20AC;? and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;lack of employment or and the homeless who may also suffer, is underemployment in the economyâ&#x20AC;? (as that they have both enough money and we all know there currently is). Those resources to overcome the addiction, or are simply a few of the many facts I could they have enough money to live a mod- find. I hope you read further into them for erate to wealthy lifestyle with the addiction. your own benefit. Thank you for your I agree there are â&#x20AC;&#x153;other ways to help time. Here are some additional resources the homeless without giving them money,â&#x20AC;? however there is no justifiable reason about homelessness: to stereotype or judge a person or the life â&#x20AC;&#x153;What you need to know about homethey lead. If I were you, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d concern my- lessness in Michiganâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? Michigan Coself with issues that fall closer to home, alition Against Homelesness. 2007. 27 such as factual underage drinking and March 2009. <www.michiganhomeless.org> . â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why Are People Homeless?â&#x20AC;? drugs that we all knows goes on. How can you and others that agree with National Coalition for the Homeless. you, as a student of a high school that has 2008 June. 27 March 2009. <www.naissues with drugs and alcohol, so harshly tionalhomeless.org/publication/facts/ judge another that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know why.html>. the facts on? According to the National Sincerely, Coalition for the Homeless, homelessMeghan Brown, senior ness happens for a number of reasons, a
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bracket, there is always someone youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re rooting for. This is especially the case if money is on the table. With the tournament you pick upsets, 16s, Elite Eights, Final Fours and, of course, the winner of the national championship. Each stage of the tournament is exciting and seeing how your bracket unfolds compared to what really happens can be disappointing or extremely awesome. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way more thrilling. If you just make a bracket to see how well you do, it can be fun, but who do you get to brag to if your bracket turns out to be really good? Your experience with the tournament will be a lot better if you bet on it.
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&OPVHI OFHBUJWJUZ Nico Warden Junior Dear Editor, I like the Squall, especially the fun and thought- provoking opinion columns. Unfortunately, the last couple of months The Squall has run two negative and condescending columns by Brittany Martini. Yeah, the columns are controversial, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing; it gets people talking. The problem is that Brittanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s columns are negative, insulting and hypocritical. I read Dave Pisanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emoâ&#x20AC;? column two years ago that caused a lot of social unrest at our school. I thought it was great. A key difference between Brittanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gray Blobâ&#x20AC;? and Pisanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emoâ&#x20AC;? column was that Pisano was just poking fun while Brittany attacked people. Pisano criticized people for their negative attitudes toward other people. Brittany attacks the way people dress. Brittany, if you are trying to anger people, you are doing a good job, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a fool of yourself in the process. And what makes you feel the need to criticize people for the way they dress anyway? Sure, maybe you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like some of the styles in our school, but maybe those people do. It is absolutely unnecessary for you to dictate what other people should wear, because if they did what you told them to, that would be losing their individuality, not making a decision to wear the clothes they like,
even if the â&#x20AC;&#x153;managing editorâ&#x20AC;? of The Squall doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like it. I believe peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions and attitudes toward others are what makes them better or worse people. So if you need an idea for your next column, maybe you should write one about why you actually are a better person than the two girls walking in the hall. And since according to you they have taken over the halls, you could title it something like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Better Than You.â&#x20AC;? It would go well with your two other superiority columns. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not endorsing conformity, nor am I condemning individuality. All Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m asking is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who gave you the right to judge other people?â&#x20AC;? Your first column said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t judge me before you know me.â&#x20AC;? Yet here you are being a hypocrite, judging other people for following a different trend that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like. Do you really think being the future editor of The Squall makes you superior and gives you the right to judge other people? Not only that, but then you also act as if you deserve an exemption from being judged too. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that I think that there is anything wrong with what you like or how you think. Maybe you should just take a chill pill and stop worrying about how other people dress. Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you just leave their decisions to them and your decisions to yourself? I hope you learn something about accepting people who are different from you. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, it will be very sad.
Sincerely, Nico Warden, junior
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spring sports
12
Photostory
May 1, 2009
4UJDL UIF MBOEJOH Freshman Alani Letang lands during the long jump event.
$BUDIJOH UIF QJSBUF Dexter sophomore Caci Dishman catches and passes a Pinkney runner during the 400 relay
3FBEZ UP TUBSU Senior Josh Abbot takes his mark before a race. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mind is always going out of control before a race,â&#x20AC;? Abott says.
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0O UIF SVO Rob Kolander, a Saline senior, runs down the field for the Dexter Devils as his teammates and opposing players follow close behind. (FUUJOH MJGUFE " CBTJD SVHCZ NBOVFWFS B MJOFPVU JOWPMWFT POF QMBZFS MJGUJOH UIF PUIFS JOUP UIF BJS UP DBUDI BO JOCPVOEFE CBMM 5JNF PVU 5IF UFBN SFMBYFT EVSJOH B UJNF PVU IBMGXBZ UISPVHI UIF HBNF
'JHIUJOH GPS UIF CBMM Senior Kyle Boren leads the Dexter Devils rugby team in a scrum during a recent match against Howell. 5BDLMJOH UIF PQQPOFOU Senior Petey Washabaugh tackles a Howell player running with the ball. This is Dexter defeated Howell 73-6 in their first match of the season. Washabaughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second season playing rugby.
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David LaMore staff writer
1FSGFDU TUBODF Junior Jordan Jack puts the ball.
-JOJOH VQ UIF QVU Sophomore Eric Macki lines up his put, making sure he is aware of the dips, slants and divets in the green before he puts.
'PMMPX UISPVHI Senior Jordan Markins follows through in his shot, watching the ball.
You will always see Frank McAuliffe in the pro shop by 7 a.m. He has many things to do: restock merchandise, run the shop, teach lessons to beginning golfers and play in a senior mens league. When McAuliffe is done with all of his work and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to go home, the clock reads 8 p.m. In the summer at Ann Arbor Country Club, this is a normal day for McAuliffe. Sometimes he even has to attend meetings for the Michigan PGA because he is a board member. To add to his busy schedule, he has to run tournaments at the club or even compete in one himself. McAuliffe has been a professional golfer for 32 years. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe it, look at his resume. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to play until I stop competing, and right now, I feel I can compete with them,â&#x20AC;? McAuliffe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the young guys getting better, I can still play in senior events and compete very well.â&#x20AC;? He placed second in the Michigan Open and has had many other tour victories in his career. But what motivates McAuliffe? What keeps his competitive edge even as he grows older? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I play the game to compete,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the position to win, why wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you take full advantage of it. I think that is why everyone plays the game: to win.â&#x20AC;? Numerous top 10 finishes have made McAuliffe one of the premier golfers in Michigan which has also led to a
sponsorship. TaylorMade and Adidas sponsor McAuliffe and actually pay him to play golf and promote their products. McAuliffe is given products early to demo them before the public is allowed to even test them out. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another side to McAuliffe many people do not know about. Behind the sponsored golf guru is a charitable man who believes in helping out the community and a family man. From September through May, McAuliffe travels to inner-city Detroit to help teach and introduce kids to golf. The program is called Midnight Golf and is sponsored by the United States Golf Association, (USGA), and the PGA of America. McAuliffe is a coach different from many other football, basketball and baseball coaches. Instead of coaching an entire team at once, his job is to coach kids individually on their swings. This year with 45 kids on the team, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to coach each one individually. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great that 45 kids play because it promotes the game,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, the downside is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard for me to individually coach each player on his game so some kids might feel left out.â&#x20AC;? Regardless, McAuliffe said he feels obligated to teach each player up to his full potential. The problem is that there are so many players. Junior Tony Ceccolini, varsity golfer, feels that McAuliffe is very inspirational in many ways. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coach is someone to look up to, not just for golf, but for many other things in life.â&#x20AC;?