the
One Life, One Love ‘11
Dexter High School 2200 N. Parker Road Dexter, MI 48130
May 26, 2011 Volume XVI Issue 9
Seniors invade the Rostrum
Gas prices inflate
Rising gas prices take a bigger bite out of students', teachers' incomes
Collin Northrup
Tips to save gas
staff writer
Gas prices have risen dramatically in the last several month. In fact, according to MichiganGasPrices.com, The statewide average for regular gas as of May 16 is $4.06 a gallon. As a result, students and teachers who have long commutes are feeling strain at the pump, including junior McKenzie Goff. Goff works at Outback Steakhouse in Ann Arbor. “A round trip (to work) is 25-26 miles,” she said. “I drive a 2005 Hyundai Sonata that gets only about 20 or 21 miles per gallon because the car needs a service. On the weekends, if anyone rides with me anywhere, I ask them for gas money. Gas prices are ridiculous. Whoever’s in charge should be prosecuted. I wish I lived in a big city, so I could walk everywhere.” Math teacher Al Snider, who drives to work from Brighton, is feeling the pinch as well. “We are paying about a third more for gas now,” he said. “We went from $300 a month to $400 a month.” Snider said he fills up once every 10 days. He has a 2002 Ford Focus that gets 28.5 miles per gallon. “My car holds 12 gallons, so at $4 a gallon, it would be $48,” he said. “My commute is 17 miles one way.” Snider’s wallet isn’t the only item affected by the gas prices. “We just bought a Ford F-150 when gas prices were lower, and we thought they would stay lower for a while,” he said. “We
• Use a feather foot instead of a lead foot. • Avoid rapid starts and stops, also known as “jack rabbit” driving. Tailgating also burns a lot of fuel. • Use cruise control on freeways (except hilly areas). Cruise control can save 7 percent on fuel. • Drive the speed limit. • Use the air conditioning sparingly. Not using the AC is 20 percent more economical. • Avoid idling when possible Source: High Prices Got You Down? 22 March 2011 www. teendriver.com
aren’t driving it as much these days. We’re just not doing as much outside the home because of gas prices.” While everybody’s bottom line is a casualty of the high gas prices, drivers education instructor Dee Braden says there are ways students and teachers can save gas money. “When starting from a stop sign, start slowly, increase speed slowly,” Braden said. “When you see a red light, slow down, and combine errands as much as possible.” Braden teaches these and other strategies to students in segment one of Drivers Ed. Math teacher Kathy Day, who drives from Livonia every day, is also seeing her pennies get pinched when she fills up. “I fill up twice a week, and at $4.25 a gallon, it’s very expensive,” she said. “My drive is 65 miles round trip.” Day drives a 2007 Jeep Compass, which gets about 26 miles per gallon. “I’m still paying off my Jeep,” she said. “It will be nice not to have a car payment. I’m trying to save money for my wedding, but it’s harder to do that now. I’m glad I don’t drive a truck. I hope gas prices come down soon.” There isn’t much that teachers and students can do about the price of gas, but you can save on gas by making simple changes in the way you drive. According to TeenDriver.com, studies show that you can save 10 percent on gas by doing what’s called eco driving which includes such things as using cruise control, avoiding jack rabbit stops, driving the speed limit and not using the air conditioning.
Photo and photo illustration by Claire Berger
School board incumbents triumph in election
Charlotte Morrill
staff writer
The school board election that took place on May 3 yielded positive results for incumbent candidates Richard Lundy and Julie Schumaker. Lundy, 69, has served on the board for 32 years, and Schumaker, 54, has served for eight years. Lundy has held the positions of treasurer and vice president in the past, and Schumaker has served as a trustee. According to Superintendent Mary Marshall, these two, along with the rest of the board, have an important responsibility. “The School Board members are representatives of the community, and so the more people vote, the more we know where the community is coming from,” Superintendent Mary Marshall said. “Two incumbents were elected, so we will likely continue the way we have been going. But when we have discussions with school board members, we hear new points that we agree or disagree on and are wiser when we know multiple points of view.”
And Marshall said her job is greatly impacted by the school board, and, subsequently, the board elections. “(The relationship between the two) is extremely important because the school board sets the general direction, and then it is my job to implement the direction of the School Board,” she said. “I report to them, so it is important for me to know their desires and bring the educational background to the experience. By sharing thoughts, we come up with a good idea of the direction to take.” Lundy is a graduate of the University of Michigan and is a resident of Lima Township and cited his lengthy tenure on the board as part of the reason for his re-election. “I believe that my long-term positive relationships with fellow Board members, administrators, professional staff and support staff are an asset in addressing current and future challenges to maintain and improve the quality of education in our community,” Lundy said. “While facing these budget reductions is a significant
challenge, the greatest challenge in creating a budget is the ongoing uncertainty of what the actual numbers will be.” Schumaker received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, as well as a Master of Arts degree from Eastern Michigan University. She said her positive initial impressions of Dexter lead her and her family here. “(My family) looked at many communities in Washtenaw County, and felt that Dexter combined the best of both worlds – a small town with excellent schools and easy access to recreational opportunities, in close proximity to a world-class university in Ann Arbor,” she said. Schumaker is a resident of Webster Township, and feels encouraged by the results of the board election. “I appreciate the support of the community in re-electing Dick Lundy and I to the board,” she said. “We are fortunate to live in a community with such strong support for our schools. I believe that residents feel that Dexter Community Schools
are financially well-managed and provide a high quality education to our students.” Both board members say that state budget cuts are some of the biggest challenges the board faces. “We are closely watching what is happening in Lansing and have been active in contacting our state legislators to let them know that the proposed cuts to public education will severely impact our district,” Schumaker said. “Our goal is to try to keep the reductions away from the classroom and to preserve the quality of students’ education in Dexter.” School Board meetings are open to the public, so citizens can observe the board in action, which Lundy said is ultimately what his job is about. “Final decisions are the result of listening to and learning from others,” he said. “The decisions are the result of the teamwork and collaboration of many individuals and reflect the collective wisdom of people who care about doing the best possible job to create a successful learning environment for every student.”
Photo and photo illustration by Claire Berger
What seniors will miss most about DHS:
Rejected ideas for senior pranks:
What to do now that you’ve graduated:
• • • •
• • • • •
• • • •
Connie Hobbit Day The Squall Stromboli Day
Actually doing homework Senior scavenger hunt Hobbit Day Riding pogo sticks to school Paint the rock gray
Go on Facebook during school hours Break the dress code Wake up after the sun rises Eat lunch over 100 feet away from DHS
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NEWS
Thursday, May 26, 2011
NEWS briefs
Brent Kellenberger
staff writer
Gov. Rick Snyder announces his controversial K-12 education proposal Gov. Rick Snyder gave a speech on his plans for education on Feb. 23. His words were less than what many teachers and school workers had hoped for. The governor wants to give all of Michigan’s more than 500 school districts budget cuts of 8 to 10 percent. The proposed plan is to take money from public K-12 schools and give it to public colleges, but this could leave public K-12 schools empty handed. The cuts would affect Dexter’s budget in many ways including the possibilities of layoffs of school staff and cuts to teaching supplies. Principal Kit Moran said that he’s not sure exactly how much money might be taken from Dexter yet, but he’s concerned no matter what. “I appreciate that someone is trying to improve education, but I don’t think that this is the right way to do it,” Moran said. “This approach will end up hurting kids.”
2008
2007
International- A giant melt on Mars hints that global warming is caused simply by the sun not by humans. National- The Virginia Tech massacre occurs. Student Seung-Hui Cho kills 32 people and wounds 25 more before shooting himself on April 16. Local- Appalachian State upsets the fifth ranked University of Michigan football team 34-32 in the first game of Lloyd Carr’s final season. This game marked the first time a team ranked in the AP poll had ever lost to a Division I- FCS team.
Seniors present the main events of their years in high school
High school earns College Board honor Dexter was one of the 400 districts in the country honored by the College Board for having more students take AP tests while increasing the number of students who get a 3 or better on the tests. Dexter High School has seen an increase in the number of AP test participants from 148 students last year to 215 this year. The percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher on the test has increased by four percent since 2008. “This recognition by the College Board highlights the collective effort we place on preparing students for their post high school plan,” Superintendent Mary Marshall said in a statement released by her office. “Our staff, students, and community work together to support high academic achievement for our students, and career and college readiness is an important part of that preparation.”
Quiz Bowl team takes second in states The Quiz Bowl team finished second in the state at a competition in East Lansing on April 15 and 16. This is the highest the team had ever placed . The team prepared for the competition by practicing every Wednesday and by doing mock quiz bowl sessions using packets of questions asked in previous quiz bowl competitions. The competition can be viewed as an academic game of Jeopardy where members of the team answer questions right to get points and an attempt at a bonus question, which could get them even more points. If the team gets the question wrong, then they lose points from their score. Dexter beat Okemos High School’s team, but lost to Detroit Catholic Central in the finals. “I hope the varsity quiz bowl team is able to maintain their reputation as doing well in states,” varsity quiz bowl participant and senior Andrew Schneider said. “This is the best we’ve done, and I hope the team can do this well in the future.”
Women in Science help March of Dimes The Women in Science club attended the March of Dimes fundraiser on May 1. The March of Dimes fundraiser is an annual event held at Huron Mills Metropark, with about 3,000 attendants this year. The Women in Science club, which helps girls learn about possible careers and fields that are science-related thought March of Dimes was a natural fit for their group. “We were inspired to go to the March of Dimes,” said Women in Science club member Miranda Mors. “We have done research on cancer and helped spread awareness of breast cancer awareness month, so this was a good opportunity to help.”
2009
International- Pakistan begins to crumble from within while possessing 100 nuclear weapons. It is also kept close in the United States’ operation in Afghanistan. National- Pop icon Michael Jackson dies on June 25. The cause of death is described as a dose of Propofol. Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray, is still being investigated in the death, which has been ruled a homicide. Murray’s trial is scheduled for Sept. 8, 2011. Local- The Ann Arbor News closes down on July 23 after 174 years of publication. The newspaper now exists online only at AnnArbor.com, and is printed three times a week.
2010
International- The Haiti earthquake devastates the country. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake is accompanied by a tsunami. Anywhere between 92,000 and 316,000 deaths are reported National- Wikileaks’ 32-page report on the U.S. Dept. of Defense puts Washington on damage control. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is currently a fugitive from the American government for the alleged rape of two women. Local- Squall-gate begins with anonymous parents starting a blog complaining about the content of the school paper. Board meetings continue as the board tries to decide how restrictive the district =should be with the Squall and other student publications and productions.
2011
International- Osama bin Laden is killed during a raid by the Navy SEALS on his compound on April 29. His death, however, also raised many questions. Among these are Pakistan’s involvement in hiding bin Laden to begin with, since his compound was 40 miles from a Pakistani military base. His compound was also in the suburbs, not in the caves where many expected to find him. National- Spring tornadoes bring destruction and mass floods throughout the midwest including Alabama and Missouri. Local- Mary Marshall is named superintendent after former Superintendent Rob Glass takes the job of superintendent in Bloomfield Hills. Marshall was originally the interim superintendent, but the board named her the permanent superintendent, believing she was best for the job.
Memorial garden under way The DHS/Kevin Sullivan Memorial garden outside room 283 is coming along well according to Lori Sullivan who spearheaded the garden in honor of her late husband. Six garden beds are now in place with a wood chip path outside of the school, which is visible out the window of the middle stairwell. The garden will hold vegetables for making sauces and salsa, and will include tomatoes, garlic, onions and peppers. “Many people have gotten involved, including Girl Scouts, Mill Creek Community Service and Leadership members, parents and teachers,” Sullivan said. “We’re planning to have an additional build day for the garden to plant and install fencing.”
International- The Large Hadron Collider is invented, with the ability to successfully recreate post-big bang conditions. Physicists have used this machine to try to explain some of the laws of physics that appear basic but remain openended. National- President Barack Obama is elected on his “Change” campaign. Obama defeated Republican candidate John McCain with 365 electoral votes, while McCain received 173 electoral votes. Obama is the first AfricanAmerican to be elected President. Local- Michigan’s film incentives bring Hollywood to Dexter, where the movie “Trust” is filmed. Directed by David Schwimmer and starring Clive Owen and Catherine Keener, this movie required extras that residents of Dexter provided. The movie was released on Sept. 10.
Photos and photo illustrations by Claire Berger
Kevin Skiver news editor
High school encourages change, develops relationships Four score and seven years ago, plus four score and three years (that’s four years ago), I walked into the halls of Dexter High School. It’s been an interesting four years, and I’ve seen a lot of change. I’ve met new friends, had teachers that I’ll probably keep in contact with after high school and have dealt with the oppressive Dexter administration. It’s been interesting, and I hope that I’ve created as many memories as high school has given me. The amount of change in this school over the past four years has been truly incredible. I feel as if I attended the school during a period of revolution.
The biggest change I’ve felt since I came into the high school came in the form of trimesters. My freshman year I had semesters, which I was comfortable with. We got a lot done, and I felt like I could establish solid relationships with teachers. However, I’m not knocking trimesters. They had many advantages of their own. It was good being able to get in all my credits relatively quickly. This has allowed me to slack off in my last year of high school, having classes with the likes of English teacher Andrew Parker, which has been wonderful. The staff here, however, is often taken for granted. The students of Dexter High School often don’t realize how lucky they are to have a staff that’s so interested in getting to know students on a personal level. This all starts with the administration. Kit Moran is one of the most interpersonal principals if not in the country then certainly in the state. Now that I’m all sentimental, I also have to pay tribute to the most important people in the high school: Connie and Dee. Our students wouldn’t be anywhere without these two. Well, they would be anywhere. Anywhere but the high school. That’s why these two are so important. In fact, Dee is the only reason I can drive, which is awesome. And Connie is the only
reason I come to school, since I don’t want to face her wrath. That’s kind of awesome. However, it hasn’t all been fun and games since I’ve started high school. I’ve learned a lot of important lessons. The most important one is not to slack. Juniors, don’t mess around too much senior year. It will destroy you. That much is inevitable. It’s senior year. Live it up, but try to get your work done, or you’ll be in your mom’s basement for a long, long time. This also goes for underclassmen. Freshmen and sophomores, you’re getting older, and you probably think you have more power to mess around and your 4.0 GPA is safe. You can’t mess around, and it’s not safe. It’s a lot easier to trash you GPA than raise it, so I recommend you keep it up and wait until the trashing will be minimal, such as the last trimester of the year. All in all, high school has been awesome. It’s strange I’m done today, but now I’m moving on with my life. Thank you to all the staff and administration of Dexter High School. They’re the people that have made these four years unforgettable and relatively productive. My only message to students is farewell and respect the staff, since they never show anything less than respect to the students.
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Feature
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Students look forward to their first jobs
Jennifer Stirling
Staff Writer
Junior Alex Friedman never imagined he would have the job that he does now. He never imagined he would have to work hard in the rain, snow or burning sun. But when he was in need of some money, he couldn’t resist. He applied at the Ann Arbor Meijer and was hired soon after. For Friedman, every day is very active. “It isn’t fun,” he said. “The shifts are typically four hours long with a 15 minute break. I push carts into Meijers and clean the trash out of them. I have to make sure the parking lot is clear at all times.” Friedman applied to Meijer looking for money, but he only brings in minimum wage which is $7.40. Friedman isn’t that happy about the job, but said he finds comfort knowing that some of the guys he works with go to Dexter. “We can talk about sports and events at school while on the job,” he said. “It makes the job more laid back.” While money is an incentive for some, others have a different reason for getting a job: to make people happy. The Dexter Dairy Queen has always been the a place to hire high school students. They look for quality products and happy employees and customers. “Our entire staff, besides me and a few others are teenagers. They are all very energetic and motivated,” said Shannon Emmons, one of the managers at Dairy Queen. Sophomore Emma Kill, who said she has always loved ice cream, is one of those teens. “I applied at Dairy Queen because it’s an awesome
job,” she said. “I love ice cream, and I needed a job, so it seemed like the right place. I love my job. Everyone is so nice. Seeing people I know is fun. Kill also said she really enjoys working at Dairy Queen. “I love the customers,” she said. “Some of them spend a half an hour in line just to get our products. The tips from the customers really help us workers. We make less than minimum wage, but with tips, we make a lot.” Kill also said she enjoys the job because she knows her employees. “Almost all of the employees are Dexter High School students, and I like that about my job,” she said. “Plus, the customers are typically people I know, which makes it fun.” And Emmons said Kill possesses all the qualities she wants in an employee. “She is very reliable and fills in all the time. She is very nice, and helpful when shifts need to be filled last minute,” Emmons said. Senior Evan Oxner also works at Dairy Queen, and agrees with Kill. “I love working at Dairy Queen,” he said. “I serve happiness and smiles. I needed money, and my mom told me I should apply at Dairy Queen. The fun part is making up my own ice cream treats.” Oxner also agrees with Kill that the pay at Dairy Queen is pretty good. “We make money off of tips,” he said. “So, come tip me.” Emmons also appreciates Oxner’s qualities as an employee, including his charisma. “He is very chatty, fun, outgoing, friendly and artistic. He always draws random pictures. He is outgoing and a people person. He is very motivated and some times shows up even when he is not working to help.”
Photo by Michelle Stone
Pulling in the Carts: Junior Alex Friedman works his shift at the Ann Arbor Meijer. His shifts are normally four hours long, two to three times a week.
Ocean Bowl travels to Texas for competition Michael McGonigle
Ocean Bowl Facts • The Ocean Bowl team includes seniors Maggie Grundler, Spencer Bussineau, Derek Fead, Paul Parker and Wesley Powell. • The Ocean Bowl is advised by science teacher Cheryl Wells. • The Ocean Bowl team went to nationals on April 29 and placed 11th overall. •On the trip to Nationals, the team went on field trips including a manta research ship, a turtle recovery center, data gathering on the Galveston shore and sharing data with marine scientists at the Moody Aquarium, dissecting sharks with marine graduate students at Texas A & M and the Galveston Duck Amphibious Vehicle tour. •The team also attended four lectures from scientists and oceanographers
Staff Writer
Senior Spencer Bussineau has been part of many groups in Dexter throughout his four years including Science Olympiad football, rugby and Ocean Bowl. Of all of these activities, however, he said Ocean Bowl is his favorite. Ocean Bowl, a club competition where students answer questions about ocean and ocean-life themed topics has teams from two schools present arguments about funding, protection or care of the nation’s waterways, including multiple choice and short answer questions, completed individually and as a team. “You take the ocean and you put a microscope to it and memorize it,” said senior Derek Fead about Ocean Bowl. “It’s like going to the bottom of the ocean and seeing marine stuff.” Ocean Bowl traveled to Nationals from April 29 to May 1 and came in eighth in mock arguments to Congress and 16th overall. The finals were four days in Galveston, Texas. The club went 2-2 in the finals. They won the first two arguments, but they dropped the last two. Even though Dexter was eligible to break out into a more advanced round, the club was not given the opportunity because of a loss to the third place team even though they won against the second place team.
The finals were also a learning opportunity for the students. Along with Bussineau and Fead, the other members of Ocean Bowl include Paul Parker, Maggie Grundler and Wesley Powell. Science teacher Cheryl Wells is the group’s adviser. “We were able to attend five lectures and four worldclass field trips,” Wells said. The field trips included going on an ex-Navy cargo ship and going on the open ocean on a boat. The only thing better than the trips was the food that Wells brought in according to Grundler. “She puts everything she has into Ocean Bowl,” Grundler said. “She is superwoman.” Wells is also Bussineau’s inspiration. He first heard about Ocean Bowl when Wells approached him while he was taking her Oceanography course. “Mrs. Wells recruited me and a few of my friends had joined,” Bussineau said “I really like the competitive nature of Ocean Bowl.” The ability for Ocean Bowl to do so well in the competition is impressive since they prepared a Great Lakes argument according to Bussineau. He said coming in 16th overall when most schools that are in the finals are near a coast is something the team is proud of. Bussineau said, “As a program, there is a strong history of winning, and it feels great to know that the five of us have added to that winning tradition.”
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Entertainment
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Staff playlist Nina Smith
Classes at the DAC include:
‘Lights’ Ellie Goulding “She’s a hot mess.”
• Earth Smart Project • Exploring Nature • Pop Art • Portrait Week • Under the Sea • Fun with Sculpture • Mosaic Flower Pot • Poly-Clay Play
Carl Schimmel ‘Senior Skip Day’ Mac Miller “The Rainbow Tribe used to rock out to that song. Much love.”
Emily Darrow ‘Take It Easy’ Bright Eyes “Very risqué.”
Travis Chaffee ‘Bleeding Love’ Leona Lewis “I go to my happy place when I hear this song.”
Marne Little ‘Party Rock Anthem’ LMFAO “Because errday i’m shufflin’.”
Nicole Minzey Entertainment Editor
After all these years, it’s been great My years in the Dexter school system have shaped me into the person I am. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing is up to you. While most of my time has been spent learning information that will “be very important for me to know one day” that is not what I will remember the most. The things that I will take with me are the memories I have made along the way, with the exception of the birthing videos that are screened in Anatomy. Those will forever be ingrained into my mind. Thank you, Mrs. Wells. No, the lessons I learned in school were not all taught by the
8015 Huron Street Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 426-1900
DAC hopes to provide student artistic outlet Dan Edwards
staff writer
The new Dexter Arts Center downtown is a place for young artists in the area to express themselves artistically. The Center offers many different classes such as painting, mosaic, pottery clay, polymer clay and even music classes. These classes are for kids, teens and adults. The purpose of the Dexter Arts Center is to enrich the lives of people around town and build a vibrant community through the arts, according to instructor Pam O’Hara. “We inspire creativity, learning and personal growth through our arts programs: performing and visual arts, presentations and community collaborations,” O’Hara said. “We try to promote the enjoyment of the arts through outreach, private instruction classes, performances and special events for all ages.” The Center opened last summer when two Artisitica artists, O’Hara and Lisa Wandres, were approached by Dexter residents who expressed an interest in an arts center in Dexter. “Last July we decided to see if any one in the community was interested in an art studio in Dexter,” O’Hara said. “And we had over 20 people that expressed interest.” Currently, there are only two classes taught, a children’s class and an adult mosaic class, but programming coordinator Sarah Davis hopes these classes will grow. She said the Center is always looking for new students and volunteers to help out around the center. “Classes are open and very inviting, with a lot of space. Three classrooms, so that we can have more than one class going on at the same time,” she said.
teacher. The first defining moment I can remember from my time in school was in pre-school. This is where I had my first encounter with problem solving. The assignment was to construct a Mother’s Day card. We were each given a cup of paste and told to use it wisely because that was all we were getting. While my back was turned, someone who shall remain nameless decided to eat my cup of paste. What did I do? I cried. In all honesty, Kindergarden was a struggle for me. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. In my case, I broke my arm and knocked my two front teeth out in the first two weeks of school. I missed a few weeks of ABCs and addition. I had a bright pink cast up to my armpit and unfortunately my teeth were gone for two years. It was an attractive look. However I did learn some very important lessons from these unfortunate events. I learned that if you run in the classroom, there is a chance you will fall, hit the desk, and your teeth will be knocked out and impacted into the roof of your mouth. I can safely say I haven’t run in the classroom since. The rest of my time spent at Cornerstone was in Mrs. Boyce’s class. I certainly hope everyone had the experience I did during first and second grade because these were some of the best days of my life. It couldn’t get much better, three recesses a day, snack time, and even most of the things you did in class were fun. The hardest part of our day was getting the straw in the milk bag. You have to stab it pretty hard to get the straw through, but too hard and it’s game over. Milk everywhere. Middle school was an awkward time for us all, not the most attractive period of one’s life. A majority of people had braces, everyone had acne, no one wore make up yet, and Limited too was still in style.
Davis also said if any teens want to contact the center and are interested in taking a class, they need three interested teens in order to run a class. They can contact the Center on their website, Dexterartscenter.org. “We really want The DAC to be a place where artists and creative people can meet each other, take and teach classes,” she said. Art that the students create at the Center is often showcased around town in such places as Joe and Rosie’s Cafe and in the window inside the TLC bank. Davis strongly believes that art is crucial to life and that it is important to be involved in it. “Art is very important for people, for us to express ourselves and what it is to be human,” she said. “To cheer us up, to make life richer, to connect us as people.” Art teacher Louise Lutton also said more people should become active in art, and she encourages people to check out the Center and take classes. She especially thinks kids who are just sitting around all summer should take classes because if gives them something constructive to do. Like Davis, art is very important to Lutton, and she hopes to see a rise in popularity and participation in art classes in the school as well. “I really wish that our high school had more art teachers,” Lutton said. “As it is now, DHS has one art teacher for 1200 students. This is the worst student/art ratio in the county. I have been teaching one Ceramic class this last quarter, but I believe kids want more art. You’ve got to have art. I was just at Artistica several weeks ago, and I’ve just learned about it so I don’t know much. But the more art, the better.”
But seventh grade was when I got my start in journalism. Everyone should remember the Mill Creek paper. It was a lovely packet of stapled together printer paper with stories about nothing and images off Google. I’m certainly glad to have moved on to The Squall, but hey, we tried our best. Seventh grade was when we also learned how to get out of school, or better yet get the school evacuated and shut down. One kid’s eyes hurt and all of a sudden everyone was dying. I’ll be honest, I was one of those kids. I’m pretty sure almost everyone was. And to the approximately four kids who were actually in pain due to the chemicals in the ventilation system, thank you for letting the rest of us capitalize off of your misfortune. Seniors can remember how cool it was to be the first group of eighth graders to be able to go to Washington, D.C. too. Since it was the first year of the trip, the teachers and chaperones didn’t quite know what they were doing yet. Being 13 year olds, we took full advantage of that. I can’t speak for everyone, but I can say that my room did. What were they thinking dropping us off in the middle of a courtyard and expecting us to go to museums? We did what you could expect from any 13 year old, we found a Merry-Go-Round and rode it for two hours. Good use of time and money. After eighth grade graduation, it was time to us to enter high school. This time grades actually count and for some, that was really unfortunate. This was also the time that I changed and grew the most. I started out as an awkward, annoying freshman, cluttering the halls and being loud and obnoxious. In four years, I have matured to be an individual capable of (I hope) surviving on my own. I guess we’ll find that out in the fall. These may be my last few days as a Dexter student, but I will never forget my time spent here, and I’ll always be proud to be from the Dirty D. Goodbye DHS, it’s been a great run.
Follow us on for daily updates: dhs_squaller and “like” us on Roseanne Crompton, PT Physical Therapist 4220 Sunderland Way, Ann Arbor MI 48130 rocrompton@comcast.net
check out The Squall website: www.thesquall. com
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Sports
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sophomore sensations earn spots on varsity baseball team Ben Bruetsch
Softball works to overcome adversity through momentum Toliver Rogers
staff writer
The varsity baseball team holds tryouts in early March before spring break, and as everyone wonders who made the team, another question pops up. What sophomores made the team? This year, Mackay Little was the only sophomore brought up to varsity after the tryouts finished. Due to a lack of pitchers, however, sophomore Brett Garwood was brought up along with junior Chris Zalucha to play with varsity against Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s. The sophomores have not yet had to go through any hazing or any underclassman work because of the immediate respect they were given by the guys on the team, according to both Garwood and Little. In fact, Little plays first base, third base and pitcher and really enjoys being part of the team. “Being on varsity is fun because Coach Penn is the man and Coach Schmidt is a boss,” Little said. “The coaching staff is just awesome.” According to Little, he has been doing fine so far but needs to start hitting a lot better since he said he is probably hitting near .200. Like Little, Garwood has also said he has just done fine but hopes to “fire up”. He also said his highlight this year has been coming in to close the game to get the save against Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s in his first game playing on varsity. Garwood plays shortstop, second base, pitcher and third base and said, “Playing on varsity is fun because you get to play on baseball on a much higher scale of competition than you get to do on J.V.” According to Garwood, the coaching staff is experienced, awesome and makes it really easy to have fun but still get better at baseball. “They know what they’re doing,” he said. Varsity head coach Don Little agreed that Mackay, who is his son, and Brett are both doing fine but have room for improvement. “They have not been hitting that well, which is expected, but they are fielding very well and are holding their own on the team,” he said. “They’re hanging with the team getting good experience, and I look toward the future with them.” According to Coach Little, there isn’t anything different about coaching sophomores except that they have less experience and consistency than the upperclassmen on the team which is expected. Varsity pitching coach Mike Penn agrees. He said, “There really isn’t any difference in coaching underclassmen because both of the sophomores are great ball players, and in the sport of baseball, if you can play, you can play, unlike sports like basketball or football where size matters. If you can hit, you can hit. If you can throw you can throw. No matter what age or size you are. They’re both good ball players. I’m glad we have ‘em; they add a good dimension to the team.”
staff writer
When the season started, the softball team had one problem: Knowing how many girls were going to tryout. But it was a good problem as there were more girls that wanted to try out than the coaches thought there would be. “There were more than we expected coming out,” said JV coach Mark Whitley. “In the end, (Coach Day) ended up with 14, and I also ended up with 14 players.” The varsity team is made up of only four seniors, while there are six underclassmen on the roster. With only four seniors on the team, they are trying to stay positive and set good examples for the younger players according to senior Karly Crawford. “We are trying to help improve the younger players and start positive attitudes for the future,” she said. “If we have the right attitude, it will start a bright future and we can also have success this season.” This season, some seniors, who would be entering their final season of softball as a Dreadnaught, opted out of playing. “We were bummed out when we found out some people weren’t playing,” Crawford said. “But I don’t think it was too dramatic.” Opinions on the matter were somewhat of a sore subject for Crawford. “Last year, the work became harder and playing time wasn’t fair to some players,” Crawford said. “It’s senior year, people want to try something new their last year of high school and that’s OK. It just means who is playing has to pull together and become closer as a team and keep fighting.” That’s what the team has done so far, she said, and they plan to keep that going. “Team bonding has been extremely important this season and we feel we have done a good job of that so far,” she said. “We need to keep it up.” Senior Serena Bidwell was one of the players who opted out of playing softball to try something different her senior year. She said, “I have been wanting to try something new for a while, and when I heard about lacrosse in the spring, I was instantly interested.” So she made the switch from softball to women’s lacrosse with her friends Lauren Schoof and Caitlyn Molloy. While they all had different reasons for making the change, Bidwell said it was nothing against the softball team. “I love the softball girls and the coach, but I wanted to play a faster-paced sport,” she said. The team started off with a 7-7 record and that has Crawford confident the team will continue to build off their start. “If we are able to keep up the work and use the momentum we are building, we can win more games,” she said. “Having a winning senior season would mean a lot after everything that has gone on in the past.”
Photos by Nick Byma, Merve Oztroprak and Kristie Duve; photo illustration by Kristie Duve
Lacrosse team reaches new heights with few losses Tucker Whitley
Photo by Merve Öztroprak
Moving towards the goal: Junior Mike Spuller looks to make a pass as he moves down the field. Spuller has been scouted by colleges such as U of D Mercy.
Sports Editor half hours,” he said. “We end at about 7 o’clock each and every day. We
They have the highest goals per game average in Michigan. They have the fewest goals scored upon them. Most importantly, though, the mens varsity lacrosse team has only lost one game, and they plan on keeping it that way, according to junior Mike Spuller. With a 16-1 record, the team has only experienced two close games, the first being a 13-12 double overtime win against Saline, and the second a 10-6 loss against Pioneer. The lacrosse team is ranked 17th in the state. There is some controversy to this though, as other teams are ahead of Dexter that have more than one loss. “At first, it’s not really fair, but then again our schedule isn’t the hardest,” Spuller said. “We have played some hard teams and stuck with them though. Beating a ranked Saline team and sticking with Pioneer really says a lot.” Ann Arbor Pioneer is ranked eighth in the state. Senior midfielder Andrew Erber had a positive attitude towards the 17 ranking, however. He said, “I think it’s pretty darn good for a second year team.” The team has lost only once, and has a lot to be proud of, Spuller said. “We are doing great, as we have only lost one game,” he said. “We are doing a lot better than last year, and that is because the team itself is really strong together.” Coach Brian Callaghan said his team’s success is not more than he expected, but he is impressed. He said, “I go into every season with no preconceived expectations other than that the players play hard. To say that I anticipated the success would not be true. This team has worked really hard, and it has translated to the outcomes of the games.” It’s not only the offense that gets the job done either. It’s also the play of the defense and senior goalie Carl Baker. Baker leads Michigan in fewest goals per game, with a 1.16 goals per game mark. Spuller said another reason for the team’s success is the discipline. “We have tough practices that usually last about three to three and a
will warm up, shoot a lot and we will end with live drilling with the defense.” Spuller also said that he has a lot of respect for his coach as does everyone else on the team. “To us, his name is Coach Callaghan, and he’s a great coach,” Spuller said. “He comes from out east, and he has a lot of experience with lacrosse. He motivates us all really well. This is because he is an ex-Marine, as well as an ex-cop. He intimidates us, and that’s a good thing.” Callaghan agreed that discipline is important. He said, “One of the foundations that I base my coaching on is discipline. Not only on the field, but in the class room and in the social life.” Erber agrees. “He sure knows how to keep his players in line,” he said. Lacrosse is often called the fastest sport on two feet, and that is just what Spuller likes about the sport, that and lacrosse is a combination of almost every sport. Spuller said that he loves everything about it. “To me, it seems like a mixture of every sport,” he said. “It combines every aspect that I have loved in those other sports.” With this start, a run at the state playoffs seemed very likely to Erber. He said, “If we can get out of our region, we can win the whole thing.” Though lacrosse is a team sport, it requires individual accomplishment as well. Two players have signed their college letters of intent, and many other players have been recruited by colleges. Erber signed with Virginia Military, and senior Corey Diamond signed with Albion. “U of D Mercy has scouted me, but I plan on being more heavily looked at out east during the summer, when we go to camps,” Spuller said. “I have always wanted to play college lacrosse, and it would be great to go onto the next level. Though I want to perform well, it would be nice to see the team itself win states this year.” When talking about his scoring ability, he said, “ I have a good shot, and I’m able to help out the team by scoring a couple of goals every game. This is because I practice shooting for at least three hours every day.”
6
Get Involved
Thursday, May 26, 2011
National Honor Society welcomes new officers Natalie Collins
• Harvey, president
staff writer
National Honor Society inducted 125 new members on April 20. This is the largest induction class Dexter High School has ever had. Over 100 NHS members will be graduating in June. Along with a new NHS class, comes new NHS officers. Being an NHS officer takes a lot of work and time. But this doesn’t seem to turn away people such as Jake Claflin, Lynn Metz, Ali Bowman and Sho Harvey. “I thought it sounded like a fun thing to do,” said Claflin who is the Treasurer for the 2011-2012 NHS. “My job is to keep track and balance to budget to make sure we don’t have any over spending.” Metz is the new Secretary. “Being an officer is a lot of work,” she said. “My job is to keep track of people and things. I have to send emails and make sure people show up to things.”
Like anything, becoming an officer has a few steps. “You have to get nominated in order to run for officer,” Claflin said. “The process to get nominated is kind of weird,” Metz said. “Everyone is in the library and people just shout out names. While this is happening, someone is writing the names on the board. And then you vote for the names that are on the board. They do this for each position.” Ali Bowman, who is the Vice-President, said she joined NHS for the volunteering and community service projects which also one of the perks of NHS membership according to Metz. She said, “We get to do a lot of helpful things around the community.” But each person seemed to have different reasons for wanting to become an officer. “I really wanted the position,” Bowman said. “I knew that I was going to be an officer. I thought it was a great opportunity. I also knew NHS was a good program to be involved with.”
Prior to being an officer, Bowman had various other leadership positions. “I had been president of the 4-H group I am in. I had also been secretary and such of that group. I knew what it was like to be a leader.” Harvey, who is the new NHS president, had a different incentive for running for office. “I had been looking at running for President because I had never had a president role before,” he said. “I had never had any leadership positions before, so I thought this was a good opportunity to build leadership skills.” Harvey and Bowan’s jobs are different than that of Claflin and Metz too, he said. “We have to make sure all things that have to be done, get done.” he said. “We have to be spot on and keep track of everything. There is specific things that have to be done by the end of the week.” Bowman agreed and added, “The most important thing is that all four of us work together with Mrs. Wells to make sure everything gets done.”
• Metz, treasurer
• Bowman
• Claflin, treasurer
Relay for Life: A reason to walk
Lisa Crompton get involved editor
A journey through the ‘D’ Everyone travels through four years of high school with different experiences and different outcomes. And every year of high school has its expectations of what it will be like. Throughout my journey, I have dreaded yet enjoyed most expectations. Not only was my journey more than I expected, but it left me with memories I’ll never take for granted. As a tribute to our senior class, I’m going to take you back to what each year meant and how it led to uniting us. Before I begin, I would like to remind everyone what our graduating class went through from when we were a little kid to an almighty eighth grader. Growing up, we jammed out to the one-hit wonders of the ‘90s and watched “Rocket Power” and “Hey Arnold.” In middle school we suffered the year of being called a “sevie” and bonded at seventh grade camp. In eighth grade, we were the first class to go to DC. To be honest, that week was more or less seven days of goofing off rather than a week of serious learning. Kudos to us. Now, I’d like to take a flashback to each year of high school and what I learned or took out of it along with what I hope our graduating class has taken from these events. Freshman year: the year of discovery. We wondered why the third floor has room numbers in the 500s. And as freshmen, we were introduced to a few things most of us didn’t even know existed. I’m not going to lie, I would define myself as a sheltered, insecure freshman, and I probably wasn’t the only one. This was the year I realized kids don’t always follow the rules, which was outrageously shocking for me. Sophomore year: often the year to go through the motions and the year that tends to blend together with freshman year. To be honest, there isn’t much to say about this year because I almost feel as if it didn’t happen. Oh, wait. Is this the year when the dances started to suck? Enough of that. Let’s move on. Junior year: the “hardest year.” Since most of the time is spent stressing over the ACT and where to apply to college, this year is a wake-up call for many and probably the biggest transition in high school. For those who took AP classes, it made us realize that high school isn’t all a smooth breeze. Basically, this is the year the most effort is put in. From here, senioritis kicks in, and it all goes downhill. Senior year: the best year of high school. From first grade to junior year, this is what we have been waiting for. Once we got here, we realized we could do just about anything. Combined with the teachers loving you, Connie not caring anymore and riding the elevator, this year is basically the culmination of 12 years of bull crap. The best part of this year, though, is the union of our class. We have all forgotten about the drama and focused on living out the last year with the people we grew up with. This is the one year in high school I can say I felt as if I could talk to any senior in the school, and it wouldn’t be weird. We all came together, and that is what makes this year unforgettable. For some, moving on from high school is the greatest part of their life. Others would be a high school student for the rest of their lives if they could. But, I would define the end of high school as bittersweet. Each year meant something significant to me as I’m sure it did for everyone. We’ve come a long way from being a freshman, and now it’s time to continue the journey onward. So cheers to you DHS--it’s been real.
Taylor Schmidt
staff writer
In late 2006, physical education teacher Angie Scott’s father was diagnosed with cancer. It was a rough time for her and her family, but she said this diagnosis inspired her to fight for the cure through Relay for Life. Scott said she always knew about Relay for Life, but it wasn’t until January 2007 when she found out it was coming to Dexter. “I first got into Relay for Life five years ago when my father was diagnosed with cancer in December 2006,” Scott said. “In January 2007 I found out that Relay for Life was coming to Dexter for the first time. So he and I organized a team in honor of my father where he too would walk. However, two weeks before the Relay for Life, my father passed away, so ever since then I’ve walked in honor of him.” This year will be Scott’s fifth year for the Relay for Life, which she credits with helping her deal with the loss of her father. “The first year I got into the Relay for Life it really helped me cope with the death of my father knowing that there were others out there like me who lost loved ones from cancer,” she said. “It helps speed up the healing process.” Scott said Relay for Life has helped the fight against cancer by raising awareness to further increase prevention. “Sixty years ago, there was a 35 percent, five-year survival rate for cancer survivors. Now there’s a 60 percent, five-year survival rate for cancer survivors thanks to the increase in awareness.” The Dexter Relay for Life has been held on the track behind Mill Creek Middle School, but this year it was held downtown at Memorial Park on the same day as prom. “No doubt that having both on the same days causes conflicts, but we found a way to work it out,” Scott said. But that wasn’t the case for junior Taylor Marcel who has participated in the Relay for Life for the past three years. Because of the conflict between prom and Relay for Life being scheduled on the same day, she was unable to participate this year. “Normally the Relay for Life has been scheduled during the summer which made it easy for me and the other students participate in it,” she said. But she said this year was strange, because it was scheduled it during the school year. Marcel first participated in Relay for Life as a Junior Advisor for CS&L in middle school and said her three years walking have been very emotional. “Participating in Relay for Life allows you to feel the emotions of all the survivors and those who have lost ones from cancer and talk to them about their stories,” she said. “Doing the Relay for Life shows the ones who are there that you are actively fighting with them for the cure. It’s a great experience, and I plan to continue doing it in the future.”
Photo by Drew Richardson
Walking with a purpose: Arnie’s Army team member Doyle Garrett walks the path at Relay for Life on May 14. Garrett is a friend of the Scott family and godfather of their children.
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7
Opinion
Friday, May 27, 2011 Thank you to all of my friends for giving me the best of times and helping me through the worst of times. Although I don’t have the word count to name each of you individually, you should know that you’ve all taught me the most. Thank you to my swim coaches, Cory Bergen and Michael McHugh, for teaching me time management and discipline. After making it through four years of doubles, I know I can make it through anything. And thank you, McHugh, for being able to put a smile on me face when I feel completely dead during week 10 of swim season. Although I can’t say I’ll miss the swimming part of season that much, I will miss the team. Brian Semple, first of all, thank you for teaching me the wonderful sport of water polo, and second, thank you for teaching me the importance of team work. This past water polo season, the team has made tremendous improvements, so thanks for never giving up on us. Thank you, Mr. Moran for the support you give to The Squall and the rest of the student body. You’re a phenomenal principal, and I couldn’t imagine a high school without you. I would like to thank all of the teachers I’ve had these last four years, but more specifically I would like to thank the ones who have made the biggest impact on my life: Satt, thank you for introducing me to the crazy world of journalism and teaching me so much about life in general. I am honored to have been an editor-in-chief for such an amazing newspaper and
Squall The
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Marne Little
MANAGING EDITOR: Connor Thompson
EDITORS NEWS: Kevin Skiver DESIGN: Claire Berger FEATURES: Steven Miller ENTERTAINMENT: Nicole Minzey PHOTO: Kristie Duve SPORTS: Tucker Whitley TRENDS: Sirah Camara GET INVOLVED: Lisa Crompton COPY: Ray Carpenter WEB: Emily Darrow WEB DESIGN: Rachel Lomax
DESIGNERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Travis Chaffee, Bethany Martini, Brandon Otto, Merve Öztroprak, Drew Richardson, Caroline Rossini, Carl Schimmel, Nina Smith, Michelle Stone, Bryce Walls
MANAGERS ADVERTISEMENT: Lisa Crompton
STAFF WRITERS Benjamin Bruetsch, Natalie Collins, Dan Edwards, Murphy Hansen, Brent Kellenberger, Charlotte Knoerl-Morrill, Michael McGonigle, Colin Northrup, Toliver Rogers, Taylor Schmidt, Jennifer Stirling
TWEETER Carl Schimmel
CARTOONIST Carly Cash
ADVISER Rod Satterthwaite
POLICY:
The Squall is distributed monthly to 1,200 students and is estimated to reach 3,600 people with each issue. The Squall is printed by Owosso Argus Press in Owosso, MI and produced by the first hour newspaper class.
TALK BACK:
The Squall is an open forum for student expression. It accepts letters to the editor from any and all concerned parties. The Squall reserves the right to screen and/ or edit any and all letters for inappropriate content and length. All letters must be signed. Requests to remain anonymous will be considered by the editorial board.
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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: dhs_squaller
Marne Little editor-in-chief
Thanks for everything As I sit at the computer editing my page during May’s layout night, most of the staff is watching YouTube videos and laughing with each other. To them it’s just another layout night, but to me, it’s my last, and pretty soon it will be my last day of high school. It will be the end of the best and worst times, and for that I have so many people to thank. Mom and Dad, thank you for giving me life and raising me to be the best I can be. There is no way I could have made it this far in life without your guidance. Thank you, MacKay, for being the best brother you can be. Although at times you may really annoy me, you’ve been a good kid to grow up with.
Letters to the editor
for you. And thank you, Kaitlyn Shepard, for talking me into applying for the position of editor. Thank you to Mrs. Muszkiewicz for giving me the most academically useful class during high school. Thanks to you, I will never forget the difference between effect and affect or how to properly use a semicolon. You are truly an inspiring teacher, and I will always remember your words of wisdom. Thank you, Mr. Lindke, for showing me what the truth really is and thank you, Mr. Dudash, for keeping it real through the whole class period. The two of you gave me the best American Studies experience I think I could ever have. Thank you, Mrs. Doss and Mrs. Walters, for being you and for teaching Humanities. I absolutely loved your class for making me feel so much more cultured and so much more intelligent. I can now watch Jeopardy knowing I will be able to answer all of the questions in at least one category thanks to humanities references. Thank you, Autumn, for allowing me to be creative and reach my artistic side in your class, and thank you for opening my eyes to so many issues that are overlooked and neglected by society. Although I am so ready to be done with high school and move on to the next chapter of my life, in all honesty I will miss Dexter and everything that has helped me become the person I am today. So for my one last thank you I would like to say thanks to my newspaper staff for allowing me to lead them through a successful year of The Squall.
Rugby isn’t as dangerous as article portrayed
Dear editor: While Dexter Rugby attracts players from all over the Washtenaw and Livingston areas, the majority of our players are from Dexter, and many of them are avid and enthusiastic readers of The Squall. However, we did take exception to the portrayal of rugby in the article, “Rugby Can Be Dangerous” in the April 2011 edition of The Squall. Though we realize that this article wasn’t an intentional hit piece, articles that simply laundry list injuries without context, and allow claims like “Rugby is football without pads” to go unchallenged do real damage to the growth of the sport because they needlessly scare parents and athletes away from joining. If rugby were football without pads, catastrophic injuries like the one outlined in the article would happen in every game, rather than once in the entire history of our program. Fortunately, there are numerous key differences that make this not the case. The overarching distinction is that rugby is a contact sport, and football is a collision sport. In football pads allow players to make explosive hits with little regard for personal safety. What makes it especially dangerous is that anyone involved in the play is vulnerable to a blindside hit at full speed. In rugby, it is illegal to contact a person that does not have possession of the ball, which means that only one person on the entire field can be hit, and that person will always know it is coming. If they decide to take the hit, ball carriers can take comfort in knowing that
it is illegal to take a person down without attempting to wrap up; it is illegal to tackle above the shoulders, and if they get picked up, their tackler will be immediately ejected and suspended for one game if they are slammed to the ground. Almost all of the injuries that occur in rugby take place when players play as if they were playing football, and those injuries are usually self-inflicted. Any physical activity entails some risk of injury, but the risks associated with rugby are overstated. Rugby is an excellent alternative sport for any athlete. It is a global game, played in over 100 countries and for millions of players around the globe, the benefits outweigh the risks. It is a hearty, euphoric, adrenaline-pumping, rough and tumble game. Selfish players will not survive, because when they have the ball, they have 15 unimpeded tacklers to avoid. Rugby emphasizes, demands, and develops teamwork, character, sportsmanship, toughness and physical fitness at a high level. On June 4 from 3:30 to 6:30 we will be hosting our annual Old Boys Game at Hudson Mills Metropark. Coaches and former players will face the current team, and anyone who shows up with a pair of cleats is more than welcome to join in. It is a perfect opportunity to see what rugby is all about, and if you are feeling adventurous, to experience it first-hand. We hope to see you there. Sincerely, John Brundage, senior
THE all
Squall
Call
Governor’s education proposal not good for state
Gov. Rick Snyder is creating a new education plan for the State he would like to see take effect, including measures that would require school districts to accept students from anywhere in the state, increase standardized testing to ensure continuous progress in student proficiency at core subjects, and award bonuses to districts that demonstrate increasing performance. Snyder says the underlying goal in these measures is to create a competitive environment for schools and educators. He also said he wants people to be able to easily judge schools based on standardized testing such as the MEAP and ACT to allow parents and students to choose “the best product.” In addition, he said relaxing restrictions on students’ abilities to enroll in various schools would allow them to choose from a greater variety of educational opportunities, therefore increasing competition. The problem, however, in the current environment is that this system would increase the gap between proficient and struggling students and cause many of the state’s struggling districts to fall further behind.
Currently, public schools receive funding from the state according to student population, which is measured on multiple Count Days throughout the year. If the state institutes a system that encourages students to abandon their school district if it doesn’t perform well, then students will begin to leave struggling districts in droves. The depleted district will then receive even less funding to continue operating, creating a significantly worse learning environment for the remaining students and a worse school district in general. Unless Snyder’s plan involves allocating funds according to some other quantifiable basis for establishing need, an enormous gap will quickly appear between successful and struggling schools. This problem will be worst in inner city schools, which have many more charter schools and create more opportunity for students to migrate. Furthermore, the increase in standardized testing will not necessarily lead to an increase in student proficiency. Instead, standardized testing will create students who are proficient at standardized tests. When monetary bonuses are awarded to districts that perform well on
standardized tests, teachers will be encouraged or required to emphasize content likely to appear on them. Students will lose class time devoted to art, music, foreign language, computers, etc., because the tests won’t focus on them. Entire courses will suddenly become irrelevant to school districts, and students will miss out on countless potentially enriching educational opportunities. Cursive penmanship and French won’t last very long if the state only cares about English, math and science. In a letter to Michigan’s state legislature, Gov. Snyder wrote, “Our education system must position our children to compete globally in a knowledgebased economy. To prepare and train the next generation of workers, Michigan needs a capable, nimble and innovative work force that can adapt to the needs of the emerging knowledge-based economy and compete with any nation.” He is absolutely right. Michigan needs a strong work force and will need one in the future; however, Michigan will never have a strong work force if its students are either woefully undereducated or only skilled at a narrow range of topics.
Behind
Photostory
8
Friday, May 26, 2011
the Mask P R O M 2011
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Parents make it possible for another unforgettable Prom Sirah Camara Trends Editor
Alumni step up: DHS graduates help set up early Friday afternoon. This is when the decorating begins.
ll, moms y stairwe In a nearb rds to be used r: e th e g Working to uns to create boa forming g urs trans use staple n. They spend ho tio for decora l. o o h c the s
A masquerade ball-themed prom was held on May 14 in the high school commons from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The prom committee consisted of the two co-chairs, parents Mary Parr and Stephanie Surfus, along with 12 area chairs that included other parent volunteers. The meetings were held every third Wednesday at 7 p.m. in room 34. The group has been meeting since December, and the last meeting was held on May 11. On the Friday before prom, the committee met at the high school at 3:30 p.m. to set up and built until around 10
p.m. that night. They then begin again on prom day at 8 a.m. and work until 6 p.m. The tickets this year were $35 beforehand or $40 at the door. The money that came from ticket sales went into a separate prom budget which is used to start up the spending for next year’s prom. Prom is self-supporting every year, meaning that the committee fundraises on their own and most often rely on ticket sales. “The goal is to give DHS students an extraordinary experience for just $35 a ticket,” Surfus said. Students seem to enjoy the work put in by the parents. Juniors Olivia Cares and Jay Lewis did not plan on going to Prom but after consideration, they decided to attend and were
glad they did. “We had fun. The decorations were nice, especially the bathrooms,” Cares said. Lewis said overall he had fun but would’ve liked to play more games. “We wanted more activities with prizes,” he said. Freshman Haili Bowlds had the opportunity to go to prom this year and added that she also liked the decorations. According to senior Nyki Caldwell the parents put a lot of hard work into not only this prom but also past year’s proms. “I think we have great parents who put a lot of effort into making sure that we have a special prom experience,” Caldwell said. “The parents should be appreciated and recognized for all the things they do. Without parents there wouldn’t be a prom.”
It’s time to get funky: Senior Ben Wilson shows off his unique dance moves. Students nearby couldn’t help but watch.
rate and unteers work to deco Full house: Parent vol rd ca d ye pla nts de a. Stu create the casino are a. are d de clu games in this se
Music fever: Students wait for their turn at the guitar, drums or microphone during prom rock band. This was one of the most popular prom attractions.
Bright thinking: Freshmen help string lights all over the sc hool. Hundreds of feet of lights were used for decoration.
of y the prom’s version take the stage to pla . s es nd nc frie r ma he rfo d pe an ff judged the Rock on: Carrie Wolfe Rock Band. DHS sta
Photos by Kristie Duve and Merve Oztoprak
Know your date: Couples wai t patiently to play the famous Nearlywed game. The winning couples recieve d T-Shirts for prizes.
Dance off: Senior girls take over the dance floor area. Popular dance-floor songs include “Sandstorm,” “The Cha Cha Slide,” “Cupid Shuffle,” and “Love Shack.”