Uncaged Volume 24 Edition 1

01 UNCAGED VOL. 24

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF STOCKBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Mind. Body. Soul.

An investigation of the health and welfare

of teens during a pandemic

STOCKBRIDGE, MICHIGAN| UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | april 2021

In this edition, we explore the internal and physical effects of the pandemic on teens.

Hashtag Cancel Culture Is Over Party Rise of cancel culture on social media stunts personal growth

FRONT PAGE CONTENTS & ART. COVER DESIGN KAITELYN WALKER AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION MAGGIE MAXWELL

YourSELF

EDITORIAL. Staff

Your old version no longer serves you. Times have changed, and so did you. Stop fighting the change and accept who you are now. Instead of focusing on the past, be present. Nourish your mind by reading a book, move and take care of your body to stay healthy, and talk to a friend to keep peace in your soul.

Take a little break and allow yourself some quiet time. Find a balance and pay attention to small details that bring you joy.

Go for a walk to enjoy the sunshine and breathe some fresh air.

Relax. Use this time to benefit your future self. In this edition, we want to inspire you to have a desire to grow and take action. Get to know yourself, do not overthink, be confident, do things that are meaningful to you and appreciate what you have. Try something new and move forward. Do things that bring you happiness, one task at a time. Be the person you want to be around. What you put out is what you attract. Be your true self.

- Uncaged Editors

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.

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.

Editor-in-Chief Kaitelyn Walker Web Editor Justin Jaszkowski Assistant Editor Abigail Douglas Editor Samantha Stitt Business Manager Grace Dreier Freelance Reporter Isaac Lance Staff Reporter Andrea Borowy Staff Reporter Isabelle Bliss Staff Reporter Lucia Bottlíková

Staff Reporter Olyvia Hoard Staff Reporter Alexis Griffith Staff Reporter Peyton Killinger Staff Reporter Amber Knoll Staff Reporter Maggie Maxwell Staff Reporter Ethan Tappan Staff Reporter Grace Tervo Staff Reporter Todd Williams Opinion Columnist Aubrey Williamson

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

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

EDITORIAL

Every other week someone new is getting canceled. At them moment, it happens to be YouTuber David Dobrik.

Before that it was James Charles, again.

If you scroll through many social media influencers, TikTok or Twitter comments, you are bound to find people canceling them at some point.

So often, the cancel cycle starts with a tweet, allegation or video of an influencer using racial slurs from 3 plus years ago. Consequently, they get canceled. It doesn’t matter if they have never done anything like that since.

Their comments demand apologies— logically they do so—except it is never good enough.

There is a difference between canceling someone and holding them accountable for their actions. These influencers and celebrities will never grow if they get canceled.

In 2011 and 2012, YouTuber Jenna Marbles uploaded videos to her channel that involved blackface and racial epithets aimed towards Asians. These actions are common themes in those getting canceled as they are hurtful and derogatory.

Eight years later she started getting canceled for it, despite the fact that she has not uploaded that type of content since. This backlash resulted in a video upload that included an apology for her actions and an announcement of her departure from social media.

Bryce Hall is a TikTok influencer with a follower count of 19.4 million. Yet, he has been canceled numerous times for a long list of actions, with the most common one being him throwing large

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parties in the middle of a pandemic.

Despite apologizing and claiming to learn from his mistakes he continues to repeat the same problematic actions.

The issue with the logic of cancel culture is that there is no room for influencers to grow.

Hall was canceled yet still had and has a massive platform. He suffered no real consequences. His comment section was filled with comments calling him out, which still makes him money.

Calling out and canceling stars for actions they made years ago is pointless unless they are still continuing those actions and displaying them.

As people age, they mature. Looking back on past actions from when they were younger brings a feeling of embarrassment or shame.

The difference is that the average person doesn’t have millions of people constantly bringing those moments up.

In social media, any attention is good attention, calling people out still gives them attention.

Instead of constantly visiting influencers’ profiles, just ignore them.

Take their platforms away, which in turn takes their income away.

If they are still making money despite being canceled what good is that doing?

Cancel culture is quick to jump to conclusions instead of trying to actually hear out the person being accused. Those who have large platforms still need to be held accountable without having their ability to learn and grow taken away.

Call them out, but don’t shut them out.

Provide them with a consequence by taking their attention away.

Healing in THE post pandemic ERA

Meditation helps students and teachers get through the week ALEXIS GRIFFITH. Reporter English teacher Rita Stricklin decided to start a meditation group for students. She wanted to provide a simple way of relaxation. According to Stricklin, she worries about the “health and wellbeing” of her students.

“I saw a lot of people struggling with anxiety and stress and thought this is just one way I can help,” she said.

Meditation—a word often used to describe relaxing, calming, inner peace—is a scientifically proven resource to help calm the body.

Meditation groups are very common, and although some people prefer being alone when they relax, having others there can often help you relax more.

Meditation improves anxiety levels 60 percent of the time according to Mindworks’ online reporter.

Sometimes, you just need that little break, you just need that slow down. It is good to just take a breath and zone out for a couple minutes.

Stricklin provides this group weekly Mondays and Thursdays, just a quick 10-15 minute session.

“I have been meditating for over 10 years. It’s a big part of my life.

Without it, I’m a big bundle of anxiety,” she said.

She simply does this for the wellbeing of herself, and her students.

Her motivation is the health of her students. She wants to help in every way possible.

Meditation club runs right after school, for 15 minutes, and will sometimes stay until 2:45 p.m. to chat with each other.

Stricklin thinks everyone needs to zone out and ease their mind every couple of days, and a lot of research agrees with her. All sessions are in person, but can be virtual if needed.

A survey taken in 2020 around the U.S. shows more than 35 million people have considered giving meditation a try.

Roughly 75 percent of those who have meditated have felt happier and their minds have been more clear.

Now it is time to give your mind a break. Join a local meditation group, or simply just meditate in your free time by yourself. Take that 15 minutes out of your day and relax by meditating.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION ALACHUA COUNTY

The hope is to find a new normal post pandemic. However most do not understand what that means for them.

Who better to turn to than the healers of the community?

“I do not believe we will ever completely return to normal,” Alon Weizer, MD, chief medical officer at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea said. “The COVID pandemic has forced us to acknowledge that we truly are a global community and that something that starts in another part of the world has the potential to impact our lives.”

Weizer hopes the pandemic will focus our government and public health infrastructure to develop better processes and protection to allow us to return to a new normal.

It’s not a one person job, though.

The best actions we can take

to achieve a new normal are: continue to maintain social distancing, wear masks and wash our hands.

In addition, when the community can get vaccinated for COVID-19, they should, regardless of which vaccine is available to them.

This will provide the protection we need to be able to resume more social activities according to Weizer.

The key is that we should open up slowly and in a stepwise fashion to allow us to understand the impact of decreasing restrictions and back track if we see an increase in cases.

“We can’t stay shut down forever, even this open and close cycle is still killing society,” Weizer said.

GRACE TERVO. Reporter

“The COVID pandemic has forced us to acknowledge that we truly are a global community and that something that starts in another part of the world has the potential to impact our lives.”

PHOTO ALEXIS GRIFFITH

-ALON WEIZER. MD

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 3 | APRIL 2021

News: New Normals

COVID killed my spiritual health I stopped going to church, this is how it made me feel When the churches shut down, we all shut down. I stopped going to the church because of fear, concerns about the virus, and sadly—laziness.

“Make sure you’re spiritually healthy, too, not just physically healthy,” pastor Fr. Dan Kogut from St. Mary Catholic Parish in Pinckney, Michigan, said, “It’s never a good idea to sacrifice your spiritual health because that’s eternal.”

I come from Slovakia, where many people are Catholic. I went to church weekly and confessed monthly. It nourished my soul, helped me focus, filled me with joy and love for others, but when the pandemic hit, everything closed, including churches. As the days went by, I kept forgetting to pray, and I felt lonely.

beliefs anyway, and they did not return once there was an option.

“Right before COVID, we had about 700 people on Sunday, and now we have about 350,” Kogut said. “I think it made people isolated and frustrated.” He talks to people all the time, and he noticed a lot more fear and anxiety about the future.

Many people wonder if it is safe to go back.

“It is pretty safe, statistically,” Kogut said. They had public mass since towards the end of May, sometimes even multiple a day. They had zero super spread events thanks to precautions they take. “We ask people to wear masks, we wash down the pews, and surfaces, and doorknobs, and take precautions, ask people to social distance,” Kogut said.

“Right before COVID, we had about 700 people on Sunday, and now we have about 350.”

- FR. DAN KOGUT

PHOTO KARA WARREN

Talking a moment to herself during the school day, senior Peyton Killinger makes a silent prayer. “I do this often during school. Most people don’t even know I am praying. It calms me,” Killinger said.

“It’s encouraging to pray with other people because it lifts us up,” Kogut said.

“Our faith is personal, but it’s not private.

It’s not supposed to be just me and God, otherwise, Jesus wouldn’t have called the Jewish people to be the chosen people.

And wouldn’t have had the church. He would have just had individuals.”

A lot of churches streamed their mass, but people became distant from their

I went to church myself after a long time last week. I did not feel threatened at all, and it lit the light inside me that was missing. When I heard the entire community sing together and worship God, a tear rushed into my eye. I was happy, and I enjoyed the feeling of being present.

I think it is a good idea to seek comfort in actions we were familiar with before the pandemic and focus on our soul.

LUCIA BOTTLÍKOVÁ. Reporter

Churchgoing habits of U.S. Christians 65

Attended religious services in person less often

45

Watched religious services online or on TV instead of attending in person

25

PERCENT

Opinion: Soul

0

AGES 18-29

AGES 30-49

AGES 50-64

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AGES 65+

SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER 2020

Music soothes stress “I had to read a story out loud that I was not ready for along with all of my other work that I have to do which gives me anxiety attacks,” freshman Macy Cipta said.

“One third of Americans are living with extreme stress and nearly half of Americans believe that their stress has increased over the past five years,” according to the American Psychological Association.

Stress can happen because of so many different things, but regardless of why someone is stressed, it is solved the same way. So many people experience stress in their daily lives and don’t know how to escape it. According to Gallup, 79% of Americans experience stress in their daily lives.

There is a way to calm stress, it is just a matter of finding which way works best for you.

For many, music is a very good way to relieve stress.

“Music helps me with stress because whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with assignments, deadlines, or studying, taking a short break and turning on a playlist with really upbeat music that makes me feel

AMBER KNOLL. Reporter

good,” Melanie Satkowiak said. “I’m able to lose myself in the music and just feel the beat and hear the lyrics. I’m able to sing and dance away all my previous stress and it just puts me in an overall better mood. I’m able to soothe my mind when I listen to calming music when I’m stressed. I’m able to just relax, take a breath, and let go some of my stress before diving back into the workload.”

Some people let stress ruin their entire day, or their life. As soon as you are stressed you want to quit, but quitting is never the answer.

No matter how much it affects your life there’s a way to help stop it. According to the American Music Therapy Association, “Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.”

Music is different for everyone, yet finding the music that makes you feel the best is the most important part.

Finding the thing that makes you happy is what will help you relieve stress in the best way possible.

Teen mental health on the decline More than 42% of people surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau in December reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in December according to Nature Portfolio, a leading international weekly journal of science.

Ninth grader Melanie Satkowiak thinks it’s important to have good mental health.

“I believe that having good mental health is important in life because just as taking care of your body and looking after your physical health is important,” Satkowiak said. “Taking care of your mental health is equally, if not more, important.”

According to Nature Portfolio, teenagers have fallen down the slope of mental health in the past year by more than 11%.

“Having good mental health can be beneficial because your mind is strong, and with

a strong mind, you are able to accomplish anything,” Satkowiak said. “Good mental health means knowing your limits. It means knowing how to motivate yourself and staying motivated and focused.”

Satkowiak thinks having good mental health means recognizing overwhelming feelings with negative emotions and then finding ways to cope with those feelings in a healthy way.”

There are many ways to cope with a bad mental health mindset.

“Some good ways to calm yourself and relax when you don’t have the best mindset about your mental health would be listening to music.

“Whether it be a playlist of rain sounds, calming nature sounds, instrumental music, or a playlist of all your favorite songs that make you feel good, listening to these can help bring you into a better

mindset,” Satkowiak said.

Mental health can be greatly affected by being on social media and other places where comparisons are easy to make.

“Another thing you could try is repeating positive affirmations to yourself in the mirror. Try standing in the mirror and repeating phrases like ‘I am strong,’ ‘I will get through this,’ or ‘I know my value and self-worth.’”

“Another good exercise could be just high-fiving yourself in the mirror, or going through and naming something positive about each of your body parts, ‘my mouth has said hello to friends,’ or ‘my ears have listened to a million stories,’” Satkowiak said.

You could try is just talking to yourself and really listening without fear or judgment.

Ask: “Are you having a rough day? Is there a way you can fix it?”

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“SOME PEOPLE LET STRESS RUIN THEIR ENTIRE DAY, OR THEIR LIFE.”

PHOTO AMBER KNOLL

ANDREA BOROWY. Reporter

“.“...and ..and with a strong mind, you are able to Accomplish anything.”

FRESHMAN MELANIE SATKOWIAK

PHOTO ANDREA BOROWY

News: Mind

“I’m so OCD”

It is so much more than a self-deprecating comment: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

32 To most of us, 32 is simply the number between 31 and 33, but to sophomore Abby Schlaff, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it is a beautiful number.

You can divide it by two and always get an even quotient.

This is called arithmomania, which is a number and counting based obsession.

To someone like Schlaff, this is very satisfying.

OCD is thrown around casually in conversation, but what is it really?

“An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions or both that cause significant distress, are time-consuming or interfere with normal daily functioning, and are recognized by the individual affected as excessive or unreasonable”: The definition given when one searches for obsessive-compulsive disorder on the Merriam-Webster Dictionary website.

Yet, a textbook definition does zero justice to the actuality of living with a mental health condition.

If I had a dime for every time I have heard

COLUMN: RAISE YOUR VOICE

someone say, “Sorry, I am so OCD” or “We all have some OCD” I would not be driving around in an old Buick.

OCD is so much more than liking things to be in order. It is a tiring internal battle that 1 to 2 percent of children and adolescents fight every day.

OCD is not needing to straighten a paper because it is bothering you, nor is it fixing a crooked picture.

It is needing to straighten the paper 20 plus times until it feels right, or thinking something terrible will happen.

It is washing your hands repeatedly until they feel raw because they aren’t actually clean.

It is checking the oven over and over again to make sure it is off.

OCD even affects how Schlaff eats to the point where she can’t even eat certain foods anymore, simply because her brain says so.

OCD is made up of two parts, one is obsessions, and the other is compulsions, which act as a way of getting rid of the former. For example, someone whose obsession is germs or contamination may wash their hands repeatedly to make those

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intrusive thoughts go away.

The difference between having OCD compulsions/rituals and liking order/ routine is simple. Liking order and routine means actually wanting to do those things, whereas someone with OCD doesn’t want to but feels compelled to perform those rituals.

Schlaff says she can’t justify her actions and knows how unreasonable they are at times.

Yet, she can not just ignore them.

That in lies the difference, someone without OCD can ignore a crooked picture and justify why they want to straighten it.

As a society, we need to start recognizing that using the term OCD in the wrong context is damaging for those who have it.

I admit that I, too, have used those commonly said phrases that imply a need for order as being “a little OCD,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn and grow.

Using these terms only builds on the stereotypes and invalidates the experience of those who have it.

We can do better.

KAITELYN WALKER. Editor-in-Chief

Long live the worrying thoughts that anxiety creates Feeling anxious is only creating a bigger fire underneath anxiety filled teens SAMANTHA STITT. Editor Anxiety doesn’t care if you are having a good day or are relaxed.

It always comes around. Teens are feeling that they have to face anxiety alone, but in actuality, they are not alone.

“A teenage anxiety problem might be hard to spot. Many teenagers are good at hiding their feelings and thoughts.

They might even mask their feelings with aggressive behavior or withdrawal. There are also several different types of anxiety disorders in teenagers, and not every child will have the same symptoms,” according to The Australian Parenting Website.

Suffering from anxiety kills the perspective on how to live life. Anxiety, a mental health disorder and should be taken seriously, is characterized by feelings of worry and fear that can interfere with someone’s daily activities.

Sometimes anxiety can cause unwanted thoughts or lack of concentration. Other remarks are sleepless nights because the mind can not sleep without adding salt into the wound of worried thoughts.

“Stressful life experiences may increase your risk for an anxiety disorder, too. Symptoms may begin immediately or years later. Having a serious medical condition or a substance use disorder can also lead to an anxiety disorder,” according to

Kristeen Cherney who wrote for Health-lines.

People with anxiety will always have anxiety, it doesn’t go away. But, there are some implementations that can calm anxiety.

“You can’t turn off your anxious thoughts. They keep running through your head, on endless repeat. But no matter how overwhelming things seem now, you can break free from chronic worrying, learn to calm your anxious mind, and regain your sense of hope,” according to helpguide.org.

The thing is that the mind wants to protect everything that comes around. For example, social anxiety, it gives fear to people that they are going to make a fool out of themselves when meeting someone new.

Don’t think about the bad income of meeting someone new, think about the good outcome.

The bad income, the phrase of what if it goes wrong. The good outcome, meeting a new friend, now talking with this friend, and starting to feel confident.

“When a person becomes anxious, stressed, or frightened, the brain sends signals to other parts of the body. The signals communicate that the body should prepare to fight or flee,” according to Jayne Leonard from Medical News Today.

Teens should always think

about the outcomes of starting a new conversation with someone. Yes, teens can think about the income about what they are going to say and how that person is going to react.

The income, think before you speak. If their classmates or people outside of school don’t like them, it’s not their fault. The outcome is the important part,they were confident enough to make a conversation.

Never give up a chance to do something because of anxiety.

Be bold and grow from it.

Don’t rely on the past mistakes, rely on what the future holds. Another thing teens with anxiety can use, the five senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, hear. Five things they can see around them. Four things they can touch. Three things they can hear. Two things they can smell.

One thing they can taste.

Common Signs of anxiety GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATOR OLYVIA HOARD

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 7 |APRIL 2021

OPINION: mind

Nothing feels real Symptoms of depersonalization in a snapshot Feeling like you are no longer in control of your actions.

Feeling as if you are a stranger in your own body.

You don’t recognize yourself if you look in the mirror.

Imagine looking in the mirror one day and not recognizing who you see staring back. You look around and something just doesn’t feel right. You feel like there is a pane of glass between you and what is happening in front of you. You can only describe it in this simple three word sentence.

Nothing feels real.

This is the reality for 2 percent of the population living with a condition called depersonalization (DP). While the instance of DP is not rare for someone to experience at some point in their life, it is uncommon for the feelings to last very long.

Most people experience DP in the event of something traumatic or highly stressful like a car accident or house fire in order to allow them to save themselves. It is designed to help their mind detach and handle a perceived threat.

“It’s the reason why people so often describe traumatic incidents or events as being like a dream, or they say they feel like [they were] outside their body [or] they weren’t really there, that’s depersonalization,” Shaun O’Connor, author of The Depersonalization Manual, said in a recent interview.

On August 31, 2005, Connor was having a day like any other when he suddenly experienced a panic attack out of nowhere, in an effort of self preservation his brain caused him to become depersonalized which continued for the next two years.

“I felt like I was going crazy. I felt like I might die,” Connor said.

After his panic attack subsided the feeling of disconnectedness remained. He, as many do, tried to sleep off this feeling, but found no luck the following morning.

During those two years Connor quit his job, moved home, lost weight, and lost sleep all because of this anxiety based condition.

It completely turned his life upside down.

Every small task seemed like a huge hurdle to overcome, every day was filled with fear and anxiety.

“I used to play video games on my phone. [But I] never really played

“I felt like I was going crazy. I felt like I might die,”

outside Feeling like an ur own body. observer to yo ow if your You may not kn yours or not. memories are ed from reality Feeling detach with it. or out of touch

CLINIC.ORG

SOURCE: MAYO

FEATURE: Cover St0ry

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 8 | april 2021

Depersonalization: an explanation a lot of video games. So it was something that I kind of had to force myself to do, but it was good, it was really good,” Connor said.

At times the only way to escape this scary experience is to find an escape through a very stimulating activity.

Connor spent every day of those two years battling with his own mind, constantly anxious.

He did recover though, it is possible to get through something as intense as this.

“My recovery was actually quite quick, relatively quick when it happened, but it only happened when I started doing all the right things that I hadn’t been doing for a long, long time,” Connor said.

The length of your recovery is entirely dependent on you and how you go about it.

The most important step is to know that this is temporary.

Anxiety and DP are like a fire, the more fuel you give it the bigger it gets.

“I just became obsessed with it. And part of recovery was winding that down, and realizing that, [as] positive as it seems to, you know, obsess about something that you think you can fix that way. [It can] often be counterintuitive to, you know, obsess about something like that, which in itself is based on habits of thought,” Connor said.

Those with DP already feel alone, due to it being uncommon most PHOTO CREDIT MICHELLE RUTLEDGE-WALKER probably don’t have anyone to relate to.

If a friend reaches out to you about something like this, listen to them.

DP is a scary thing, but it is also a beatable thing.

STORY PACKAGE AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAITELYN WALKER. Editor-in-Chief IMAGE: Kaitelyn Walker uses a clear shower curtain to show how it feels to suffer from a symptom of anxiety called depersonalization.

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percent of the population experience depersonalization as a separate or chronic condition

50 16

percent of the population experiences transient depersonalization

years old is the averaged age people develop depersonalization.

SOURCES: CLEVELANDCLINIC.ORG AND MERCKMANUALS.COM

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 9 | April 2021

FEATURE: Cover St0ry

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Internet culture, social media process of and you The changing our

negative internet culture would take a long time, and could take generations to change

about “25% of young people (13% of boys and 37% of girls) said celebrities have caused them to worry in relation to their body image, and 19% (10% of boys and 28% of girls) said TV shows caused them to worry in relation to their body image.”

SOURCE: EUROPEAN CHILD ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

Look around yourself. If any, count how many smartphones you can see.

The chances are, you’ll see at least one.

Most of your classmates will have one on their desk or in their pocket.

According to a study done by Pew Research Center, every 81 out of 100 Americans own a personal smartphone.

Around 265.8 of our 328.2 million Americans have smartphones, so to say social media could not contain various cultures is improbable.

With the rise of the internet, we saw the rise of subcultures in internet communities and forums that grew into multi-million dollar websites. The likes of Facebook, Myspace and Instagram all started with small fanbases and were similar in theory.

These focused more on profile-based content, with every user owning a unique account. These platforms exploded, with various cultures connecting across the entire world. This transfer of knowledge, however, marked the start of a negative culture shift for most teenage Americans.

“I think the culture around social media can be negative,” senior Evan Williams said. “We see so many examples of unrealistic expectations, both generally in reference to body image and wealth.”

“Especially the younger users bear a high risk from exposure to the online world through social networks, as the new phenomena that have appeared such as seduction online, cyberbullying, cheating by hidden advertising messages, etc., greatly influence their psychology and emotional development and often irreversibly stigmatize them forever.” According to a 2016 US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health study.

“I don’t think the entirety is negative, but I feel there are some areas that need to be changed,” Williams said.

According to a 2015 study by European Child Adolescent Psychiatry “25% of young people (13% of boys and 37% of girls) said celebrities have caused them to worry in relation to their body image, and 19% (10% of boys and 28% of girls) said TV shows caused them to worry in relation to their body image.”

However, it seems that many younger people see this problem, and want to change it or help those affected by it. But how does culture change?

First people have to understand what others generally consider the culture’s values and goals on social media.

The shared values in social media generally show through who is followed and what types of information we consume. Instagram and Facebook, while quite

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 11 | APRIL 2021

PHOTO WILL COX

different, both influence what information we are given, either through advertisements or their suggested content. Facebook mainly draws the attention of older generations, while Instagram is the most commonly used by high school and college students.

On both platforms, Christiano Ronaldo is the most followed individual with 268 million followers worldwide, which is more than the amount of Americans who own smartphones.

From there, other popular celebrities are in the top ten.

Names like Kylie Jenner (221 million), Kim Kardashian (210 million), Ariana Grande (227 million), and Dwayne Johnson (224 million) flush out the next five places.

In this list, six millionaires to multi-millionaires have been listed, which shows how we follow wealth and status. To further exacerbate our internet culture’s problem with body image, many people see these famous women and men, mostly fit and sometimes artificially enhanced, and they see themselves as lesser in comparison.

We cannot let these negative comparisons influence our society, as it leads to many detrimental health effects.

“Body dissatisfaction and a pressure to be thin have been linked to depressive symptoms and symptoms of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety or panic disorder, particularly in those children who do not match societal views of the ‘ideal body’.” A 2017 study done by Dev Psychopathol found.

While social media is not inherently negative, and brings many groups of people together, society cannot ignore the negative impacts that are affecting many across the country. Although society cannot change internet culture in a day, you can help to make social media a more positive and much less toxic place.

It doesn’t take much at all, really.

It takes less than a minute to comment something nice on a friend’s post, then they might even follow suit.

Regardless, you’ll have made someone’s day better.

Those are the positive interactions people need, especially in such trying times.

ISAAC LANCE. Freelance Reporter

FEATURE: MIND

STUDIES SHOW CHANGES IN DIET RESULT IN BETTER SLEEP Sophomore wrestler Ethan looked more energetic when he originally cut sugar and sweets out of his diet.

“I feel better especially when I work out in the gym,” he said. Teens have been repeatedly told that sleep is important. Some go to bed very early and others go to bed really late.

Studies show that having a better diet can lead to better weight loss, mental health and better sleep.

“Data shows that eating less fiber, more saturated fat and more sugar throughout the day is linked with lighter, less restorative sleep,’’ according to Sarah DiGiulio, NBC News.

Local PE teacher Susan Lockhart thinks the best way for a young person to start a diet is to begin an awareness of what is consumed

by reading the nutrition labels and understanding what it is in the food being eaten.

“There’s a lot of hidden sugars in food that people don’t understand about,” Lockhart said.

Even yogurt has hidden sugars that are not good for a diet. Some people avoid eating processed foods at all and eat all natural foods. Some natural foods that do not have hidden sugars are eggs, beans, nuts, apples, and soup. ‘’Tips on eating healthy are to try to stay in balance, try to stay as close to nature as possible, think back to ancestrally, like how we ate then and again we really come into a time with a lot of manufactured food,” Lockhart said.

Some foods that can provide better sleep are kiwi, rice, fatty fish and nuts, or there’s even a diet for better sleep that includes eating fish, almonds, turkey, chamomile tea, and passion flower tea.

Even teens know that caffeine can keep us awake: It’s why many of us start the day with a cup of coffee or regular tea.

But, “caffeine can be found in a wide variety of foods and beverages,”according to Johns Hopkins sleep expert Rachel E. Salas, M.D. Eating healthy can be fun and you can make good healthy food. Just have fun with it and do your best to stay on the diet.

TODD WILLIAMS. Reporter

Looks similar, but not the same.

bell pepper calories 37 protien 1 g carbs 7 g sugar 5 g

Takis chips calories 140 protien 2 g carbs 17 grams sugar 1 g

One bowl of Takis™ is the equivalent of eating four and a half red bell peppers. One bowl of Takis™ is also four times the amount of calories. NUTRITION SOURCES MYPLATE AND TAKIS | PHOTO ETHAN TAPPAN

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 12 | APRIL 2021

FEATURE: BODY

THE SECRET IS SAFE WITH ME

STORY PACKAGE ABIGAIL DOUGLAS. Assistant Editor

FACTS ABOUT THE LAW OF ATTRACTION It never stops working, because energy can never be destroyed.

It directly affects every single one of us.

It works by your dominant thoughts and feelings. So, it’s all about your vibe.

A growth mindset conquers fear, provides abundance Waking up and choosing greatness is the best way to start the day.

Participating in positive affirmations and encouraging self talk can make a tremendous difference in how someone leads her day, and even her life.

This practice is called a growth mindset.

The core of this practice is being able to openly see an issue, but instead of self degrading, finding ways around it and making a positive out of a negative.

“I was introduced to the growth mindset and its applications to education at a month-long workshop for teachers in the spring of 2019,” physics and algebra teacher Bryan Tasior said. “It immediately resonated with me and pointed out how our education system fails our students in this way.”

A growth mindset includes positive self-talk, encouraging and proposing new ideas along with giving one self the benefit

of the doubt. An example of this: instead of going to school to pass, go to learn. Accept the bad grade on a test, and then learn from that mistake. Not knowing the information is going to only hurt the student. Not the teacher.

“I knew that day that I would make a point to not only foster a growth mindset with how I interact with my students, but I would also directly teach them what it is and the benefits of understanding it,” Tasior said.

A fixed mindset occurs when a student focuses only on basic abilities.

“We have all heard people say, ‘I am just not a math person’ or ‘I’m just not a physics person,’” he said. “This is an indication that they have a fixed mindset.” Tasior thinks this attitude just sets up a student for failure.

The law of attraction can be simplified in this way: Whatever someone puts out into the world is what someone gets back In practice, it comes down

‘THE SECRET TO TEEN POWER,’ COMPELLING, BREAKTHROUGH NON-FICTION

It can be your worst enemy or your biggest strength.

It manifests what you think, and if you think negatively, then negativity will come your way.

It is the scientific law of the universe.

The power of positive thinking has been proven and supported in medical journals.

Neurologists have discovered that the use of visualizing goals makes one more likely to succeed in them.

The use of affirmations is greatly encouraged.

Creating dream boards to constantly see and remind yourself helps improve your successes.

It is all about likes attracting each other.

to the vibes a person gives off, because we all have energy.

Whatever overpowering thoughts are in the forefront of the mind are going to be the ones manifested in life.

This law has always existed, and as long as the earth is moving, and people still exist, it will forever exist according to Kathleen Hurst in the article “6 Science facts that prove that the law of attraction exists.”

The power lies within the reader.

Creating a change in mindset as well as verbalizing those thoughts not only can bring money, relationships and more into someone’s own little universe, but it will also help create a more positive and open individual.

“It just made sense to me that thoughts become things, and I guess that I like the idea that we can have more control in our lives than we think,” seventh grade math teacher Alexis Dyer said.

“The Secret To Teen Power” holds the keys to success and much more. How to make friends, build relationships and even attract money into someone’s life—all are revealed in this riveting book.

Paul Harrington, the author, also created a movie called “The Secret” and has written an adult version.

So, what’s the secret? The law of attraction.

In physics, students learn everything in existence contains energy. Since thoughts have energy, what someone thinks will become their reality.

Ever wondered why teachers have always said,”Think you will do well on your test and you will,” instead of saying, “I am going to fail.” Same concept.

Not only does this non-fiction masterpiece focus on the law of attraction, but it also promotes a growth mindset. Harrington suggests that people focus on the bad whether it is in the news or on social media.

What would happen if we finally just focused on the good?

This book literally holds the key to success. The best part is Harrington so selflessly gives away tools to manifest the things readers want most in their lives.

Each chapter is labeled with the most common desires such as money, love and nature. While the book was written for teens of all ages, it would help anyone from the age of 13 all the way up to 19.There is no cap on the age and the impact it can have on a single person. Readers will find it easy to read, easy to understand and the takeaway makes immediate life changing results.

PHOTO SIMON AND SCHUSTER

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 13 | APRIL 2021

FEATURE: ENTERTAINMENT

‘Soul’: Pixar explores music, contemplates mortality

ETHAN TAPPAN. Reporter

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION DISNEY MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

Disney Pixar’s latest animated film, “Soul,” questions, What comes after death? Is there a reason for life? Is there something before life?

“Soul” simplifies these concepts using goofy, abstract characters and colorful locations.

The film takes place in modern day New York City where the main character, Joe Gardener, lives. Joe is a middle school band teacher who is not satisfied with his job.

Joe’s main goal is to become a

professional jazz pianist.

Joe unexpectedly dies shortly after landing a gig with one of the hottest jazz bands in New York City.

He is about to go into the great beyond when he tries to cheat death and manages to end up in the great before, where new souls are created.

After his identity is mistaken, he becomes the mentor for a troubled soul called Number 22. As a mentor, his responsibility is to find a soul’s “spark.”

The idea of a soul’s “spark” is a critical part in “Soul’s” plot, as a “spark” is what inspires a soul and allows it to become a complete soul and a person on earth.

The animation in “Soul” is excellent at capturing the tone of the movie with bright colors and vivid, occasionally abstract landscapes. The animation also presents the darker moments with somber colors and atmospheric lighting.

Additionally the soundtrack,

composed by Trent Reznor, Jon Batiste and Atticus Ross, pulls everything together with its soulful and authentic jazz.

“Soul” tackles concepts that many films do not attempt to capture: the idea of death and what comes after.

The question, “What comes after death?” is a question asked by people of all ages, so for Pixar to make a family friendly movie about this topic was a successful decision.

Feel good Feel good

Feel-good music from the uncaged staff WANT TO PUT SOME PEP IN YOUR STEP? CHECK OUT THESE SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS. TELL US WHICH ONE YOU LIKE THE BEST ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

Playlist by Ethan Tappan FEATURE: Entertainment

Playlist by Grace Dreier

Playlist by Peyton Killinger

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 14 | april 2021

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PHOTO RYAN LASH / TED

Black history in our schools Black History Month may be over, but remembering Heroes is not Black History Month is a very important month in our country’s history, paving the way for many more generations to come. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Henrietta Lacks, and so many more unnamed, brave souls have helped our society become a more accepting one throughout the decades.

But, are teachers sharing this history with students?

In a survey of staff, 16 teachers responded. Of the group, 62.5% did assignments for Black History

Month, and out of that, the average number of assignments was two.

Full statistics show two teachers doing one assignment, two teachers doing two, three teachers doing three, one teacher doing four and one teacher doing five or more.

While these numbers represent a rather large step in the right direction, and teaching methods vary in approach.

Corey Baird, who, while not teaching specifics for Black History Month, does teach black

history to his students.

“African American history was not getting it’s proper attention,” Baird said. “And so, they wanted to devote a particular month to that cause.”

Black history, along with other indigenous cultures, can sometimes be skipped over in classes, as it can be seen as political by some, or inappropriate for children, due to said previous alleged political nature.

An elementary school in Mason,

for example, reprimanded a teacher for wanting to teach their students about Black History month, which led to the teacher resigning from their position. The school deemed the subject too political for the learning environment.

This teacher wanted to teach her students this, as she had many students of diverse backgrounds in her classroom.

Learning about black history can open up mindsets to different views

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 15 | APRIL 2021

“But that doesn’t mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge a union with purpose, To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.

And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us, what stands before us.”

-AMANDA GORMAN NATIONAL YOUTH POET LAUREATE

and cultures, make people become more aware, and help children that are associated with these cultures feel more accepted and normalized by society.

“Pretty much any minority in U.S. history, for the most part, up until recently, [had it] hard, so I believe that there’s months that were put together to try to emphasize the fact that it’s not being covered up,” Baird said.

MAGGIE MAXWELL. Reporter

FEATURE: SOUL

SENIOR ANDREW SCHLAFF

Results mixed for signing athletes SENIOR PEYTON KILLINGER and committed recruiters, futures of collegiate athletes hang in the As hard as playing a college sport already was, it got harder this year. With everything going on, student athletes in high school had to work even harder to get in touch with college coaches, and get noticed.

“It was difficult to get noticed and have recruiters and coaches come to my games because of COVID restrictions. With everything going on the recruiting process got really stressful,” Grace Hall said.

Many seniors who lost a spring sports season last year, and most likely a delayed fall or winter season this year, are struggling to get on the radar of college recruiters.

Senior Bri Hill, a soccer player, has struggled immensely. “Since I lost that junior season it really made it hard for me to play and look into colleges.

If I would have gotten it, I would have been more inclined to search. I don’t play soccer with a club outside of school so I lost that opportunity to improve and play.”

According to CNBC, “ In a recent T-D Ameritrade survey, 47 percent of student athletes said they now believe the cancellation of sports during the pandemic could put their college scholarship at risk.”

FEATURE: BODY

B

PEYTON KILLINGER. Reporter PHOTOS ALLIE TEACHOUT, PEYTON KILLINGER, KIM KILLINGER

A correlating problem with missed, delayed, and restricted seasons is visiting colleges and their programs and being able to meet the coaches and get a feel for what your future may look like. It is important for many different coaches to watch athletes, and meet them to see if they would be a good addition to their team.

The Recruiting Coordinator for Central Michigan Football, Jason Johnson, said, “It has been harder to recruit though due to lack of ability for coaches to evaluate on the road as well as recruits not being able to attend Jr days, practice, or camps. The recruiting process has been different especially from an evaluation standpoint.”

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM | 16 | APRIL 2021

Aa c l e SENIOR GRACE HALL

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Another issue with this is singing and committing.

Although coaches do their best, it still can be hard to plan a signing and be able to do it with your team and loved ones around you. We had a student that was able to get it all figured out.

“Right now I am committed and signed to Lourdes and I am going to be running there,” Andy Schlaff 12, track and cross country runner.

On the bright side of things, athletes say that it isn’t too difficult to contact college coaches or recruiters.

“I contact all my coaches via text message, so there’s nothing different,” Grace Hall said.

As athletes go through this process, there are many different ups and downs. Many are doing their best to recognize the good in the midst of the bad.

“It’s a once and a lifetime opportunity to be able to run in college. I am privileged to be able to have this opportunity. Being a college athlete is something I’ve wanted to accomplish for a long time, “Schlaff said, “It was really cool to be able to sign and see all my friends and family come out and support me. The whole process was still fun.”