Uncaged 03 Vol 23 by Uncaged (Stockbridge High)

03 UncaGED VOL. 23

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF STOCKBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE Attending college isn’t the only way to succeed. Following a more untraditional route is sometimes they way to go. Page 4 STAR WARS MOVIE Another Stars Wars movie was released. Were fans satisfied enough for “The Rise of Skywalker” to be the greatest Star Wars movie of all time? Page 5

Our Future Leaders Teen demonstrates activism in his community through Eagle Scouts

KALEB ADKINS PLUS

3 more small town teens achieving big dreams

24. JANUARY 2020

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

STOCKBRIDGE, MICHIGAN

Content 3

Feature Superintendent Karl Heidrich is stepping down

Feature

Making your dreams reality Senior portfolio build up

6-7 Cover Story

AcTEENivists: The next generation takes charge

Editorial School is designed to make us hate it

Opinion Assault weapons should be illegal

10 Advertising The people who make this all possible

11 Feature

Asking for help is okay

12 Sports

Senior Kael Bunce dominates senior season Senior wrestler Kael Bunce picked up his third straight wrestling tournament title. Bunce is starting the season with a 20-1 record with the only loss coming from a championship match at the Blissfield invitational earlier in the season. “My goal is to make it to finals and win States” Bunce said. “Right now, I’ve been practicing six, seven times a week, also working out if there’s time after practice.” Bunce said this about his future college options: “I’d really like to go to Purdue, any Big 10 school would be really cool.” Varsity wrestling coach Brent Young supports Bunce’s assertive goals. “So far, I think Kael is on track to reach his goal of doing better than last year 8th in the state,” Young said. “He’s healthy. His wrestling moves are explosive, and people can’t hold him down.” In

Waiting for time to run out, senior Kael Bunce holds down his Olivet opponent to win the match 17-4. PHOTO TYLER GIPSON

order for Bunce to make it to States, he first must place high enough in the district and regional tournaments. Bunce’s impact on the team reaches farther than his record. “He’s taught me, like, all my moves because I wrestle with him at practice,” like the headlock, double leg and banana splits, sophomore Kevin Killinger said. “I saw his true skill show when he had to wrestle the kid who was third in the state last year.”

Zack Sawicki is Uncaged’s feature editor.

High school sports injuries

Uncaged is the student-run newspaper for the students of Stockbridge High School. An open forum for student expression, Uncaged provides independent reporting and opinion. Something to say? Letters to the editor must include the writer’s full name, cell phone number, and be 150 words or less in length. Response to ideas presented through the newspaper and web are encouraged. Letters are subject to editing and may not be anonymous or to third parties. Leave letters in Elizabeth Cyr’s room #207 in the freshman hallway or email us at uncaged@panthernet.net.

GSA makes a comeback, MEETS ON TUESDAYS GAY-STRAIGHT

ALLIANCE

Also known as the Gender-Sexuality

Uncaged receives individual critique through state and national competition through various state and national organizations. Staff awards may be viewed at uncagednews.com in the About section.

Alliance, a studentled or communitybased organization, intends to provide safe and supportive environment for

Hannah Bolton Editor-in-Chief Feature Editor Zack Sawicki Feature Editor Karley Flores Opinion Editor Kaitelyn Walker Opinion Editor Bella Roberts Creative Editor Sydney Switzenberg Web Managing Editor Justin Jazkowski Business Manager Jordan Myers Business Manager Hannah Smith Social Media Editor Taylor Carey

Photo Editor Danielle Barbour Photo Editor Tyler Gipson Staff Reporter Amelia Pulley Staff Reporter Mickenzi Merriweather Staff Reporter Tyler Showerman Staff Reporter Isabelle Bliss Staff Reporter Emily Breslin Freelance Reporter Abigail Douglas Freelance Reporter Samantha Stitt Adviser Elizabeth Cyr

lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children, teenager and youth as well as their cisgender heterosexual allies.

Stockbridge High School 416 N. Clinton Stockbridge, Mich. 49285 Room 207 P: (517) 851-7770 E: uncaged@panthernet.net

Web: uncagednews.com Twitter: @uncagedshs Facebook: Uncaged Online Instagram: @uncagedstudentnews Snapchat: uncagednews #UareUncaged

FRONT PAGE CONTENTS & ART. Cover design by Kaitelyn Walker and photo by Tyler Gipson. Cover model Kaleb Adkins at school pond. 2

NEWS 24. JANUARY 2020

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BRIEFLY

Flyers appeared in the halls recently: The Gay Straight Alliance has started back up. The student club’s biggest goal for 2020 is to bring more people into the group. Doing so will require GSA to make their group more visible to the public. “Last year, we were more of a social group, meeting to support each other and to make friends,” GSA adviser Pam Gower said. They have a small group of nine right now, but they are hoping to expand.

“We plan to grow through promoting our group,” Junior Haley Gipson said. We are selling carnations on Valentine’s Day to raise money for the community and hope to spread news of GSA.” They are giving proceeds to the Community Outreach Program. Group members work on projects at every meeting. They meet on Tuesdays after school in Room 109.

Bella Roberts

is Uncaged’s opinion editor.

Most final exams are tests of your knowledge. The psychology final, however, requires more than just a test score. Students are required to run a study. To read the full story, go to Instagram @uncagedstudentnews

KARL HEIDRICH HAS WORN MANY HATS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE: SON, BROTHER, STUDENT, ATHLETE,

alongside his wife. All three, Baylee, Kylin and Kolton attend Stockbridge schools. Heidrich’s time as principal ran smoothly, as principal he enjoyed interacting with his students in their everyday lives, but enjoyed being superintendent even more as he could bring more change to the district as a whole. Science teacher Bryan Tasior said that Heidrich, “was a great principal, very attentive,” and he “helped teachers out when there were issues.”

teacher, principal, superintendent, husband and father. On the 1st of July, 2020, Heidrich will be hanging up his administrative hat as he retires from his 21 years of service at Stockbridge schools. With what Heidrich calls “great role models” and “good relationships” as an adolescent, he was guided down the path to where he is today. One of Heidrich’s first of many, was his father Conrad Heidrich, an elementary principal in Findlay, Ohio, where Karl got his first influences of school life. During his time at high school in Findlay, Ohio, Heidrich wore both a scholar hat and a football helmet. He was studious and hardworking. His Heidrich was head football coach teachers also held the position of role model from 2000-2002 and assistant as they “altered and changed me to make me a football coach from 2002-2012. PHOTO BRIDGETTE HEIDRICH better person,” Heidrich said. One subject in particular that Heidrich enjoyed through high school was biology, and it would later influence him in his field of study in college. Graduating high school in 1990, Heidrich attended Hillsdale College where he got the chance to be a student athlete and play football at the collegiate level. Blocking the line, Heidrich’s position was the offensive Prior to a school event, superintendent Heidrich tidies guard. While on the team, he learned valuable lessons up the high school parking lot about organization and teamwork. from the construction during “It was a good experience,” Heidrich said, “being able to the bond renovation. work as an organized group and doing the best we could.” PHOTO DANIELLE BARBOUR In 1995, Heidrich graduated from Hillsdale with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. Choosing to stay in Michigan, he received a job at Deerfield Public Schools teaching biology and serving as the athletic director. Fresh out of college, Heidrich described this newfound experience in teaching as “new” “rewarding” and a “great opportunity.” As a teacher he wanted to help his students “reach their dreams and goals.” Trying on the hats of those role models who influenced him, Heidrich took his influence outside of the classroom. Heidrich coached both football and middle school track and was able to influence students in more than just school. While at Deerfield Schools Heidrich met his wife Bridgett. They were married in 1999 after he left Deerfield Schools and came to Stockbridge for his job as assistant principal at the high school. After only a year, he was promoted to principal in 2000 after Daniel McConeghy stepped down. From 2000 to 2013 Heidrich held that position. During all this time of acting as principal and a role model for his students, Heidrich wasn’t just lounging around at home. He was raising his children

Tasior thinks that while he was good as a principal, he has been an even better superintendent. As Heidrich followed his path from position to position he didn’t forget to, as he said, “keep pushing,” himself. He kept picking up multiple degrees along the way from a masters in education from Toledo University in 1997, a specialist of arts in educational leadership at Siena University in 2004, and as current as receiving a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University at the end of 2019. “Finance, labor negotiations, mentoring of administrators and representing our district at a state level or locally,” are all skills that school board president Carrie Graham thinks Heidrich excels at. As a superintendent, Heidrich used his abilities to help the welfare of the school. He is well known for improving school finances, expanding the student population, and as Karl Heidrich and his wife a feather in his cap, passing the Bridgette at his graduation from bond that expanded the schools Eastern Michigan University with and updated a doctoral degree in educational technology. leadership. PHOTO BRIDGETTE HEIDRICH Crediting the staff for their ability to care for the district, Heidrich thinks that “through all the ups and downs, the staff always works together and are proud to make a difference, even if it is small.” After 21 years of switching hats Karl Heidrich will be retiring from Stockbridge. During retirement Heidrich hopes to “explore opportunities and see what’s out there,” hoping for the opportunity to take up another position of educational leadership, he said. As he says farewell and goodbye, Heidrich thanks all the teachers of the district and says, “what a great district to be a part of.” School board president takes off her hat to Heidrich. “He has been with the district for 21 years and we have benefited from his varied roles during that time,” Graham said.

Emily Breslin

is Uncaged’s reporter.

As he says farewell and goodbye, Heidrich thanks all the teachers of the district and says, “what a great district to be a part of.” UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

24. JANUARY 2020

FEATURE

Senior Brandon Nelson dreamt about going to college to play football, and he thinks it was a sign. “I thought it was crazy to dream about something like that, but it really strengthened my decision to play football in college,” Nelson said. Like Nelson, we have all wondered why we dream what we dream. Many Psychologists and researchers have discovered the meanings behind the dreams. Sigmund Freud was one of the first psychologists to do so. According to Owlcation, Freud's psychodynamic approach to dreaming led to his theory of unconscious wish fulfillment. Nelson’s dreamed of a future and he put the plays in motion to achieve it. There are many reasonings behind the way Nelson dreamed. One of the reasons could’ve been The cognitive ILLUSTRATION SYDNEY SWITZENBERG approach. The cognitive approach focuses on how individuals think, understand, and what is happening around them. The mental process affects people behaving in their environments. The neuroscience approach consists of the biological process of humans. The focus is how neurons are firing within the body and the brain. Psychologist Robin M. Ward based in Grand Rapids, Michigan thinks our dreams are an extension of our thought process. “On the side of dreams meaning something, dreams are thought to be simply the way we think when we’re asleep,” Ward said. Some scholars think that dreams are senseless, but there are theorists that believe that dreaming is meaningful. Nightmares, those horrifying realities, appear during REM sleep. REM sleep stands for rapid eye movement. This is where your eyes move quickly in different directions. Dreams typically happen during this time. According to WebMD, only 1 of 2 adults have nightmares on occasion. An abundant number of triggers cause people to have nightmares. Those who experience anxiety, depression or PTSD, could attribute these diagnoses to the cause of their nightmares. In children, nightmares are more likely to happen because of a time in their lives that could’ve been extremely rough for them or taking medications that they have prescribed for them. Nightmares can happen to anyone at any age, even though some may not even get any at all. Senior Elysia Medina has nightmares. “It started a month ago, and I have a fear of falling asleep behind the steering wheel and going off of the road,” Medina said. She thinks her reasoning behind having nightmares has to do with recent stress that she experienced. Senior Hannah Smith does not have nightmares. “I have never had a nightmare before, I’ve only had good dreams.” Convinced, she thinks she doesn’t have nightmares because nothing tragic has happened during her life. Ward thinks that “roughly one-third of my patients experience some type of problem with sleep.” As a psychologist, he has to figure out if his patients sleeping problems are dealing with more of organic problems or something that he can help himself. “Having a problem with sleep is a system that can be due to different conditions. Sleep problems are primary symptoms both for people with anxiety disorders and mood disorders.”

dreams mean anything?

FEATURE

24. JANUARY 2020

Third Coast Craftsman and Class of 2004 graduate Chris Schoenberg

Imagine a future where all your dreams come true, every little thing that you wished you could do in life happened. Now, this could be you but only if you actively look for ways to achieve those dreams of yours. Rushing things along won’t pay off in the long run. Instead of jumping head first into something new a person needs to make it so they can live off of their side jobs just in case this new job does not turn out the way they want it to. This is a strategy called “building a bridge” that comes from the Jeff Goin’s book “The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do.” Class of 2004 graduate, Chris Schoenberg, a full-time YouTuber from the StockbridgeChelsea area, was able to find and pursue his dream job. But, it has not always been like this for him. “It was a lot of work getting where I am,” Schoenberg said. “I had to basically work 2 full time jobs when I first started off.”

Although Schoenberg had earned his degree in finance from Davenport University, his current profession deals with subjects like woodworking and home improvement. Schoenberg is not alone in this dual life. Only about 27 percent of college graduates get a job related to their major according to Jaison Abel and Richard Dietz of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Students are most times encouraged to get a secondary degree, but it does not always work out that way. David Walker works as the chief engineer at Oakland Hills Country Club; most days you'll find him at meetings or managing a group of around 20 people. Walker did not attend college and thinks that people do not need a post-secondary education in order to follow their dream careers. “I knew that college would not give me the opportunity that I wanted for a career,” Walker said. Instead, he thinks a dream job can be achieved through learning

from mistakes and hard work. The average person tends to change their career 5-7 times during one’s working life according to Career Advice Online. If you don't know what you want to do in life ask yourself what would you be doing if money was not something to worry about? Noted philosopher Alan Watts asked this question in a famous essay. Is there anything that you love doing even though it is not doing anything for you? You could basically take money out of the equation entirely and you might just find what you're looking for. “If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you'll spend your life completely wasting your time. You'll be doing things you don't like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing things you don't like doing,” Watts said.

Sydney Switzenberg is Uncaged’s creative editor.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHRIS SCHOENBERG

Whether it's plasma cutting a steel slab for a metal river table or hand planing the end grain of a workbench, Chris Schoenberg has accumulated a YouTube following by showing his woodworking skills, his current subscriber count is 379,000.

Isabelle Bliss is Uncaged’s reporter. 4

Making dreams reality

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Fans use the force of their opinion Zach Hann: 3/5 “It was a boring fetch quest”

Star Wars: ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ Review: Not a good, but not a bad ending to the Skywalker saga

John Morris: 4/5 “I think the rise of skywalker is the best movie of the sequel trilogy. Rey is a pretty trash character, because up until The Rise of Skywalker she was too strong for no training.” Peyton Buurma: 5/5 “I feel like the beginning when Kylo Ren was in the Sith Temple, when he heard Darth Vader's, then Snoke’s, and then Palpatine's voice in his head was crazy, but when Palpatine was actually talking to him and was hiding and he came out—it was insane from there on out.”

PHOTO WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

he new installment to the Star Wars series, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” really isn't much better than the past two movies in the new Disney trilogy. Director J.J. Abrams directed it along with the first episode of the new trilogy, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” both of which are at least better than

the eighth episode, “The Last Jedi.” Centering on Emperor Palpatine who we find out is still alive and the resistance wants to find where he is to eliminate him, viewers of “The Rise of Skywalker” find Finn and Poe leading the resistance and Rey preparing for possibly another battle with Kylo Ren. The storyline with Finn and

Poe is kind of difficult to care about since Finn and Poes character arcs already happened in the previous movies. Fans are left to just watching them do missions, but not really seeing them change or be that interesting except for some decent comedic moments. And, Rey spends her scenes running around trying to find

Unnecessary

build up

to Senior Portfolio

The last obstacle of graduating isn't as hard to conquer as it seems Being a studious person during the school years is an important step that can help you get into the college that you want, and gain new opportunities that are in your favor. But being successful as a senior is not as difficult as it is drawn out to be. “A lot of things are hyped up.” Senior Adam Twining said. During the years leading up to senior year, working on keeping a good GPA is in a student’s best interest. Completing and turning in assignments on time is the best way to do that. Senior Anastasia Schlaff advises. “You want to take classes that will

set you apart from everybody else, like AP classes and harder classes or different classes than everyone,” Schlaff said. One of the projects that you do during senior year in English is the senior portfolio project. The senior portfolio is a presentation about a students personal journey through high school and lessons learned and the struggles had. To achieve success in the senior portfolio you should pick a theme that is important to you and take the time to make it the best you can. Reflecting on your theme honestly and sincerely can help the chances of a better

presentation and it can be easier to remember because it is something actually important to you. Trying to make it unique to you is great and shows that you put effort into your presentation. And it can reflect who you are as a person and what you have learned during your school years. “You want to take your time and make it really good and include stuff about your grades and the struggles you’ve had and how you got through everything,” Schlaff said.

Karley Flores

is Uncaged’s feature editor.

some important mechanical pieces that help tell her where to go to find palpatine. Although, negatives of the movie exist, there are still positives such as the visuals. A really cool water planet they go to, and Emperor Palaptine’s evil dark dungeon/throne room are interesting. Tons of different environments

greet the characters like forest, water and desert. If you are a fan of Star Wars and have seen the others, then just go and see this one too. You’ll be entertained enough to be happy you did so.

Zack Sawicki

is Uncaged’s feature editor.

“You want to take your time and make it really good and include stuff about your grades and the struggles you’ve had and how you got through everything,” senior Anna Schlaff said.

Senior Andrew Carriero based his presentation on the process of photosynthesis. Here he is talking about the absorption of light to plants. PHOTO HANNAH BOLTON

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

24. JANUARY 2020

OPINION

Talking

Got an issue you want me to explore? Contact me at kw5100@panthernet.net.

RAISE

YOUR VOICE

I’ll be your voice.

about mental health is not enough Staff Ed

School is designed to make us hate it. I know this because when I enter the building each morning, it’s quiet with people scattered throughout the cafeteria and booths. This may sound calming, but we students are separate but not equal. Walking by the junior high hallway, I see—at most—one of three doors leading to their space is open, like it is some sort of master plan to separate them from the high school, as if high schoolers and junior high students interacting with each other during school is going to be the end of the world. My morning calm erupts when I hear, “I don’t want to be here” or “I really don’t want to go to so and so’s class” most days. I look around to see learners struggling with homework because they didn’t understand the lesson the way their teacher explained it the day before. Students chatter about how much they don’t like a certain staff member because they feel like that staff member doesn’t like them. Making my way down the freshman hall, I notice the junior high students rushing to their small hall that I know myself is hard to navigate during passing time due to overcrowding. This quarantine makes high school seem unnecessarily scary. If you take time to really listen and observe, you see that there are cultural routines that are repeated every day, negative routines. Let us learn to relate to each other. Allowing students to spread out to work and giving them more passing time in the hallway makes them feel less like prisoners and more like actual human beings according to Practical Theory, an education blog. It makes them feel more valued so they see school as a place to learn and not someplace they have to go to. And, the hallways aren’t the only cramped, crazy spaces. Larger classes tend to be loud; for some that makes it very hard to focus. Allowing a few students to go out into the hallway to work can be vital to them succeeding as well.

Not to mention, when we are around our same-aged peers all day, drama does happen, making it hard to work when we are stuck thinking about something else. Being allowed to leave for a few minutes to clear our heads is just as important. Obviously, all of that comes with trust and responsibility. The way students are taught isn’t always the best way for them to learn. According to Stanford researchers, knowing how you learn helps you to communicate with your teachers so you can learn more effectively. Paper and pencil work or writing notes on the board is frustrating to people who learn better by hearing the notes or looking at pictures. Some teachers only teach one way and don’t switch up different methods of learning throughout the class. And, let us move around a little. Students tend to excel more in classes where they can move around and feel they have enough time to finish the work. At times it feels like some teachers assume that the way they teach is fine, when that isn’t always the case. There isn’t a good relationship between staff and students, which doesn’t allow proper communication of how to improve. Researchers at The Scots College found that a positive teacher and student relationship creates an environment where students are more willing to participate and turn to their teacher for advice. When students feel like one of their teachers doesn’t like them, they won’t enjoy the class and will be more reluctant. Creating a relationship encourages the student and teacher to provide feedback to each other so that they can both grow. I find it scary to talk to some teachers that I am not as close with, so in those classes I don’t always get the help I need. That’s why it is so important to build that relationship. Changing the way we do these things will make students want to come to school for more than just to see their friends.

Kaitelyn Walker is Uncaged’s opinion editor.

Talking about mental health is just the first step, not the solution. Having people like Will Heininger or Anthony Ianni come and speak to students about mental health is only a part of the solution. Often, people who speak out about their struggles have little risk in doing so. Celebrities are rich and famous— they won’t lose as much as the average person who is less stable. High school students are some of the most unstable, with no reputation or money to fall back onto. They are trying to make a life, speaking out could jeopardize that. Even for those brave students who will reach out, resources to help them are lacking. Our junior and senior high schools have counselors, yet never advertise them as student resources. A more proactive response is needed because, “Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 1034,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.

see page 11 for lists of critical teen resources

It ranks higher than homicide according to the CDC. You are more likely to kill yourself than die in a school shooting. Despite this, schools are more prepared for a school shooting. Administration could start by being harsher on negativity around mental health. Insults like, ‘are you autistic?’Should not be tolerated. It is hate speech and should be treated as such. It’s no joking matter when you consider that “50.6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment in 2016,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. This silence can not continue. An issue of this magnitude requires more than just speakers, it requires resources. According to the national alliance on mental health the average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years, the time to stop talking is now. Stop talking and start doing.

1IN 4

Americans ages 18 and older suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

of youth with major depression are still in need of treatment.

SOURCE MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA

“Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to cooccur with substance abuse and anxiety disorders. SOURCE MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA INFOGRAPH HANNAH BOLTON

OPINION

24. JANUARY 2020

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

Assault weapons are too powerful for civilians Assault weapons, a class of semi-automatic firearm specifically designed to kill humans, do so quickly and efficiently according to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation’s leading policy organization dedicated to researching, writing, enacting, and defending proven laws and programs. If police officers do not use them, neither should you. Assault weapons are dangerous because they are

designed to kill as many as possible as fast as possible. Three reasons commonly cited to use them are hunting, sport and safety. None of the reasons that require a gun that powerful. Ammonium nitrate is good for fertilizer and bombs, and like assault weapons, ammonium nitrate is a commonly used product. Most people who use ammonium nitrate are not using it to hurt people, farmers are using it for

HUNTING: TO KILL OR TO OBLITERATE? A major use of guns in rural communities is hunting. According to the Pew Research center 48 percent of all hunters live in a rural area. No matter where you live, animal products are a big part of the economy, from fur to meat. Hunters do not use assault weapons to hunt; however, the claim is still made that these high powered weapons are needed for hunting. Yet, they can be customized to do a lot of damage to an animal or a human. When hunting an animal, it is best to shoot it as little as possible to preserve the meat and fur. If the animal is full of holes, it means the hunter gets less product. Some more appropriate guns to the task are the Winchester Model or the American Longrifle because they are manufactured specifically for hunting.

SAFETY: TO PROTECT OR KILL? Owning a gun does not increase safety. Instead, “Access to firearms is associated with risk for completed suicide and being the victim of homicide,” Andrew Anglemyer, PhD, MPH; Tara Horvath, MA and George Rutherford, MD found in a study about the relationship between availability of guns and homicide and suicide. As well as, “In 2012, for every justifiable homicide in the United States involving a gun, guns were used in 32 criminal homicides,” according to the violence policy center. When you get a gun for safety, it is to protect the homeowner, not kill the threat. Assault weapons are made to kill. You do not need a weapon that kills to defend yourself, just one that can stop the threat so the police can take care of it. A simple pistol would be the best choice. No matter the occasion, there is always a better alternative to assault weapons.

its purpose as fertilizer. Here’s the difference. Ammonium nitrate is regulated due to its potential uses, even though very few use it for bad purposes. Assault weapons are the same in their potential. Few use them for mass shootings, but they have the potential for it and need to be regulated because of it.

SPORT: FOR CONTROL OR POWER? Shooting for sport is rising in popularity, landing itself on the list of why automatic weapons are necessary. However, an automatic weapon is not necessary for sport. “Shooting as a sport demonstrates the accuracy, control, and speed of the shooter in aiming at targets using guns like pistols and rifles,” according to Topend Sports. Shooting for sport is about precision, not damage. The goal is to hit the target. The goal of automatic weapons, however, is to do the maximum amount of damage in the minimum amount of time. Most serious competitors choose MSRs in .223 caliber with fairly short barrels in the 18- to 20-inch range and 30-round magazines according to the Firearms Trade Association. MRS, or modern sporting rifles, are not considered assault weapons because they only fire one round every time the trigger is pulled

A RESPONSE FROM OUR LEGISLATOR “Yes. These are weapons that are designed to make it easy for the shooter to inflict

MICHIGAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE KARA HOPE

67th MI House District Representing Stockbridge

maximum damage to human bodies as quickly as possible. They are weapons of war, not weapons of sport or weapons for defense of oneself or the home. If assault weapons were banned along with high-capacity magazines, it would result in fewer shooting injuries and fatalities.”

Hannah Bolton is Uncaged’s editor-in-chief. IMAGE CREATIVE COMMONS SUSAN MELKISETHIAN

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

24. JANUARY 2020 OPINION

STOCKBRIDGE BARBER SHOP 121 E. Elizabeth St. Stockbridge, MI 49285

(517) 945-2038

Hours: Sun. - Mon. Closed Tues. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wed. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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ADVERTISING 24. JANUARY 2020

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It’s okay to ask for help.

Over 71 percent of students said they have experienced some form of anxiety according to a sample survey taken in December 2019. Out of the 7.7 million teens and children in the United States

with a treatable mental health disorder, at least half of them did not receive treatment from a mental health professional according to the University of Michigan Health Lab. Countless teenagers are in need

Abuse and Assault

LGBTQ+

“Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 9 minutes, that victim is a child,” according to RAINN. Survivors of assault experience extreme trauma, and many don’t speak up because of fear and judgment.

LGBTQ+ youth are almost five times as likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual youth according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Not everyone receives acceptance from those around them. It is important to provide support to those who need it.

Child Abuse hotline: 800-422-4453 RAINN: 800-656-4673 Love Is Respect: 1-866-331-9474 OK2Say: 855-565-2729

of help, but many do not have the means or courage to seek it. Counselors Leslie Cummings for grades 9-12 and Natalie Kinsella for grades 7-8 have many resources available for students and families.

GSA Pam Gower: gowerp@panthernet.net LBGT Resource Center: 517-353-9520 The Listening Ear: 517-337-1717

Mental Health Services Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. according to AFSP, and 90 percent of people who engage in self-harm begin during their teen or pre-adolescent years (Healthy Place). Mental health resources are all around us. Reach out to friends

Grieving “By the end of high school, 5 percent of today’s students will have lost one of their parents, and 20 percent will have experienced the death of someone close by age 18,” according to Vitas Healthcare. Grief is a very complex and difficult experience to go through. Ele’s Place: 517-482-1315 The Listening Ear: 517-337-1717 Vitas Healthcare: 855-539-1012

National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255 Trevor Project: 866-488-7386 Adolescent Depression Support Group: 517-258-0083 Community Mental Health: 517-346-8460 Lifeways Community Mental Health: 800-248-8288 Support for Parent of Adolescents in Need: 517-292-2801 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: 888-333-2377 | Counselors 7-12

Drug and Alcohol Abuse “There are more than 22 million people in the U.S. who need treatment for drug or alcohol abuse,” according to WebMD. “Sadly, only about 11 percent of people over the age of 12 years receive treatment, 10 percent for those aged 12 to 19 years.”

SRSLY: 517-985-6115 info@srslystockbridge.org Al-Anon Teen: 517-484-1977 Gateway: 877-833-3689

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24. JANUARY 2020

FEATURE

Common among individual and team sports: injuries The numbers look good, but according to athletic director Meghan Kunzelman, winter sports injuries resulted in slight sprains all the way to concussions. No matter the sport, athletes need to stay on alert.

2019-2020

Justin Jaszkowski is Uncaged’s managing editor. Senior Taylor Carey knows injury It wasn't five minutes into the game when senior Taylor Carey got a hit on the first at-bat. Fellow senior Emily Breslin was up next, and she smacked it to the outfield. Carey got to third, and then the opposing pitcher hurled her next pitch to senior Paige Wooden. “Coach wanted me to steal home so that we could get on top and get our first run,” Carey said. “When the pitcher threw the ball, the catcher drop it, and I thought that it rolled past the catcher, so I went to steal.” Carey thought that she had the chance to steal the base. Her plan did not go as planned. “When I noticed the ball was right under the catcher's feet, I stopped really fast and want to turn around to go back to third,” she said. “When I did, I heard the snap.” When Carey’s knee snapped, she ended up at Michigan State University for an MRI. The doctors determined that she needed surgery on her ACL. After all of this, she had to be out for the remainder of the 2019 softball season and is still in recovery but getting better. She looks to the 2020 season to return.

TAYLOR CAREY, SHORTSTOP

Sophomore Kalysta Connolly knows practice can be as rough as meet play Wrestling: A fun sport to watch. The thing is, wrestlers can get intense injuries. Even if the injury is small, it can affect how long a wrestler stays off the mat. “This year, I got pulled out for a hamstring,” Kalysta Connolly, sophomore wrestler, said. When the injury happened, Connolly was afraid that she would not be able to wrestle again. In the end, she was only out for a week and got back on the mat to wrestle again. The injury happened during practice with freshman Ashton James because James was doing a move that he was not ready for so instead of asking the coach questions he accidentally injured Kalysta. “We incorporate roughly 15 minutes of stretching and warm-ups before we go into our drilling of moves,” coach Brian Connolly said. “Along with stretching, we incorporate extensive drilling to be able to perform moves properly.” Good form prevents injury. “If a move is not executed properly the athlete will have a higher chance of injury,” coach Connolly said, exhibiting that while wrestling can be a dangerous sport, under the right surveillance the players should be able to have fun, KALYSTA wrestle and prevent injuries. CONNOLLY 140 WEIGHT “Wrestlers have an injury rate of 2.33 injuries per 1,000 CLASS athlete-exposures,” according to Justin Saginaw, MPT, ATC.

Boys basketball: 2 injuries Competitive cheer: 1 injury Wrestling: 1 injury Bowling: 1 injury HAYLIE STEINKRAUS, BASE

Senior Tyler Gipson, ambidextrous competitor

TYLER GIPSON, 122 AVG.

“It is both because you can go out on a Friday night with your friends and go bowl a couple of games” that the game is fun thinks sophomore Alexandria Teachout. “But when you're going into the competitive part you have to be focused.” In either situation, a bowler can get injured, but in competitive, the risk is higher to experience rotator cuff tears, knee meniscus tearing and low back pain. The injury that senior captain Tyler Gipson incurred was a popped vein when he was bowling in the biggest competition of the season. The vein was on his right arm and this all happened at Flat Rock Lanes in southeastern Michigan. “For bowling meets like Regionals, once you’re in it, your in it,'' Gipson said. “So I had to bowl left-handed.”

Cheer choreographed to keep injuries low There are multiple ways to get hurt in competitive cheer according to UPMC Sports Medicine. The most common injuries are muscle strains in the hip, lower back and legs; ligament sprains in the knees and ankles, according to UPMC. According to pediatrician Dustin Currie, “Although, concussions were the most common cheerleading injury (31.1% of injuries), concussion rates were significantly lower from 2009 to 2014 cheerleading (2.21 per 10,000 athleteexposures) than all other sports combined.” There has been much conversation about the risk of injury in competitive cheer, particularly for flyers. The season stats show that cheer is actually low on injury tallies reported to our trainer. “We have multiple spotters, but sometimes you can't prevent it,” junior captain Haylie Steinkraus said. “I dislocated my finger and two people had an ankle injury.” Even with spotters, flyers still are prone to injury.

When a basketball guard sinks his teeth into the game

CHRIS HALL, GUARD

During basketball practice, senior guard Chris Hall broke his tooth. He couldn’t play because the tooth wouldn’t fall out. Hall had to sit out a couple of games until he could get a replacement tooth to play. Situations like these are when athletic trainer Lance Letourneau comes in. “The trainer [would] check them out and assess what the injury was” senior John Moores said. “If it was to severe injury they would probably have them sit out.” While Hall’s injury was extraordinary, players can normally prevent getting injured by stretching and warming up before practice or a big game.“Warm-up techniques are primarily used to increase body temperature and are classified into three major categories: passive warm-up, general warm-up, and specific warm-up according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine. “The best of these appears to be specific warm-up because this method provides a rehearsal of the activity or event.”

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE KAITELYN WALKER, TYLER GIPSON, JUSTIN JASZKOWSKI, TYLER GIPSON

SPORTS

24. JANUARY 2020

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