Edition 4 by Uncaged (Stockbridge High)

04 UnCAGED VOL. 23

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF STOCKBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

SECONDARY ROADS EARN SECONDARY SAFETY Michigan ranks as the most dangerous state to drive in during the winter. Ingham County’s 1,253 secondary roads give students safety concerns. Page 11 5G, THE NEW NECESSITY CONNECTING CITIES TO RURAL WASTELANDS

As 5G becomes more prominent, rural students are left throttled. Page 9

THE MIDDLE OF

NOWHERE Limited access to funding, sports, diversity–and even 5G–leaves rural students disadvantaged.

20. FEBRUARY 2020

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

STOCKBRIDGE, MICHIGAN

Content 3

Feature Rural kids travel the extra mile for sports

Feature

School funding impacts achievement expectations

Feature

Achievement gap in rural areas

6-7 Cover Story Smaller areas lack divercity that students need

Editorial

Smaller communities need closer places for teens to work

Opinion

5G connects cities to rural areas

10 Advertising

The people who make this all possible

11 Feature

Road conditions need more attention

12 Sports

NCAA players should be paid

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.

Special millage for education A posting for a secondary special education teacher popped up February 4. This middle-ofthe-semester opening signals need for assisting the growing population of special needs students and caseloads in the district. With steady growth, teachers just can not keep up. A caseload is the number of students that a teacher must help to manage things like IEPs (individualized educational program), scheduling and making sure students are on track for post secondary goals and employment careers. An average caseload for special education is 18 students. Anything over 20 is considered an overloaded class. “There shouldn’t be any more than 23 students in a caseload,” SEA president and Chair of special education Mary Waterhouse said. “The junior senior high school is from 20 to 23 students right now.” Considering the overloaded classes for special education, the district is reaching out for more funding as a part of a special millage. On March 10, 2020 tax payers will be asked by the Ingham ISD to vote on a restoration millage for special education. The Headlee Restoration millage increases the amount of money the district receives to fund the special needs for its students. “Historically, special education throughout the state has been under funded,” special education teacher Kathleen Riley said. “That money from the millage would go toward hiring more teachers, hiring more paraprofessional support and being

able to purchase new and updated curriculums to cater to the needs of all the students.” Since 1988, the Special Education Millage in the Ingham ISD service area has eroded .2438 mill according to the Ingham ISD. “The state-created Headlee Amendment caps property tax increases at the rate of inflation,” Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications for Ingham ISD Micki O’Neil said. “When the taxable values of properties rise faster than the rate of inflation, the actual tax levy is rolled back.” Considering the Special Education millage has decreased, Ingham ISD has been collecting less revenue than originally approved by taxpayers. If the restoration is approved, it would generate $2.3 million of special education funds annually. If not, it would not reduce the home property taxes for homeowners. The extra details such as how much money each district will receive has not yet been determined. Local district and Ingham ISD representatives within the Special Education Finance Committee are still working on that aspect of the millage. “The intent would be to provide more transitional types of support for kids that are moving on to skilled programs,” Waterhouse said. “The money is going to go to the ISD and then through there it would be dispersed to different schools and support additional programs.”

Mickenzi Merriweather is Uncaged’s reporter.

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.

Hannah Bolton Editor-in-Chief Web designer Zack Sawicki Freelance Columnist Kaitelyn Walker Feature Editor Bella Roberts Illustrator Sydney Switzenberg Web Managing Editor Justin Jazkowski Business Manager Jordan Myers Business Manager Hannah Smith Assistant Editor Chris Kaltner

Photo Editor Danielle Barbour Photo Editor Tyler Gipson Staff Reporter Mickenzi Merriweather Photographer Sam Nichols Staff Reporter Isabelle Bliss Staff Reporter Emily Breslin Creative Editor Abigail Douglas Opinion Editor Samantha Stitt Adviser Elizabeth Cyr

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 and photo illustration by Sydney Switzenberg and hand modeled by Danielle Barbour. 2

NEWS 20. FEBRUARY 2020

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“That money from the millage would go toward hiring more teachers, hiring more paraprofessional support and being able to purchase new and updated curriculums to cater to the needs of all the students,” Special Education teacher Kathleen Riley said. Students going over vocabulary questions with Mary Waterhouse. PHOTO MICKENZI MERRIWEATHER

BRIEFLY

Congratulations to our web editor Justin Jaszkowski for being recognized as SRSLY’s citizen of the month for his writing about important topics in Uncaged and his volunteerism!

Standing a broom on its bristles, freshman Micah Bolton, partakes in the frenzy on February 11.

PHOTO HANNAH BOLTON

Uncaged web editor Justin Jaszkowski acceptes a certificate for citizen of the month from SRSLY Coalition Director Emily Steward. PHOTO ISABELLE BLISS

On February, 11, videos of people attempting to stand a broom on its bristles went viral. The captions of these videos said NASA announced that Monday was the only day you could do this. If you haven’t tried it yet you aren’t missing out, you can do this any day of the year. All it takes is a broom that is in good shape and patience. To read this and other stories, go to Instagram @uncagedstudentnews

Kindness bridges friendship

Eighth grader Paul Baird and his LINK, senior Cassandra Chapman, work on grammar in teacher Carrie Kalmar’s classroom.

LINKS begin as helpers, finish as friends “They make me laugh and make me do my work,” eighth grader Wyatt Perry said. “Chris Hall is my favorite because we’ve been friends for two years now.” Senior Chris Hall is a LINK for Wyatt—well, not just a LINK— but a friend, too. In the classroom, LINKS serve as students who help peers with creating social interaction, completing school work and reaching goals. Social worker John Twining thinks that because of the kindness the LINKS, all 80 of them, bring to their buddies, there are 16 buddies, peers act on that kindness and share it as well. “LINKS are an opportunity for students that are struggling in a class to have enough support to be successful in that class,” Twining said. “And the older students provide the encouragement and courage and some of the knowledge to get these kids going. Some students get so overwhelmed with school that they just stop working, and these LINKS give them the courage to try and give them some of the stick-toit-iveness that maybe they had to learn over time, too.” Having a small classroom with students that have a disability helps them understand what they are learning. Even a quiet place away from distraction helps these students with their learning. At the booths in the center of school, LINKS and buddies create opportunities for one-on-one experiences between them. Social interaction, or a blending with different people and having different experiences with their classmates, naturally forms. “Kids love them,” Twining said of the LINKS with their buddies. This could be because LINKS don’t just help other students with work, they

help themselves, too. When a student gets a buddy and becomes a LINK, it changes the perspective of who they want to be. “The kids they work with, actually, absolutely adore them,” Twining said. “Adults are great and they’re very helpful, but the students bring a social connection. So, the buddies get the benefit of the older Big Brother, Big Sister kind.” One such relationship formed between juniors Brooklyn Baker and Emily Evans. “Well, her birthday is extremely special to her,” Baker said. “And, up until her birthday, she would tell me every single day, how many days were until her birthday. Like, how many days, how many weeks, how many months—every single day.” For the entire month before her birthday, Baker planned a birthday party for Evans. It was a surprise, so leading up to the event, Baker would ask her about her favorite foods, colors and gifts. “She would always ask for Spaghettios,” Baker said. “So, the morning of her birthday, I got here at 6:30 a.m. and set up for her birthday. I brought balloons and Ms. Cyr bought her a cake. Everyone got her presents. Everybody in the entire class made her a card out of giant construction paper.” Evans described her party as “awesome—Because there was cake and milk.” In the end, instead of eating her own cake, Evans cut up the rest of the cake and gave it out to all the teachers. Of her time with Baker, Evans thinks they are a team and work hard in the classroom. “Emily and Brooklyn are amazing teammates,” Twining said. “They work great together and both get a lot out of working together.”

Sami Stitt is Uncaged’s opinion editor.

Eighth grader Wyatt Perry performs their perfected handshake with his “favorite LINK,” senior Chris Hall.

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20. FEBRUARY 2020

PHOTOS SAMI STITT

FEATURE

ACCESS Hannah Smith 12 checks out a book using her school username with head librarian Sherri McConnell. PHOTO

School funding, not enough

hen small, rural schools do not have the funding necessary for classes and supplies, students suffer the consequences and teachers are left to stretch the budget. Teachers have to cover several classes and multiple grade levels and most don’t obtain an efficient amount of funding to buy supplies for their classes. “I can fund almost everything I need for my classroom through PTO money and school provided supplies,” eighth–grade math and AP calculus teacher Lissa Avis said. “I may spend about $25-50 out of pocket beyond what the PTO and school provide.” Because Avis is a middle school teacher, she gets funds from the PTO. High school teachers do not. The district does provide a dollar amount per teacher and funding to each department. “The funding per teacher has dipped from $100 when I started 20 years ago to $40 now,” Avis said. A teacher poll revealed that 13.6 percent of building teachers spend at least $200 annually. Some even answered a high of $2,000. The rest of the expenses laid somewhere between $50 and $2,000. Electives educators like art teacher Jay Langone, choir teacher Carol Hatch and band teacher Patty Pniewski are even required to travel back and forth between the elementary and jr./sr. high schools each school day. The budget seems tight with teachers pitching in from their own pockets and working difficult schedules. School funds come from taxes, and as a district made of three small villages, the funding base does not cover all expenses for teaching and learning. Those who teach subjects like art, music or even math cannot afford to have all of the supplies like new paint, instruments or even up-to-date math books in more advanced subjects like precalculus and calculus. Teachers are encouraged to consider asking for grants through the Stockbridge Area Education Foundation (SAEF) that will

ISABELLE BLISS

support additional needs that go outside of their department budgets. “Grants have even been matched 50/50 with the district,” superintendent Karl Heidrich said. “The SAEF has been very supportive. The PTO has also been very supportive.” Teachers may see even more relief with the recent funding proposal from the Governor Gretchen Whitmer that includes an incentive for teacher reimbursement. In a press release about the 2020 budget the governor announced that it is “focused on education and championing students through strategic investments at every stage of their education.” Her proposal includes $15.4 billion for the state’s K-12 schools, with $507 million in additional investments for a weighted foundation. This increase will provide additional resources of between $120 and $180 per pupil to fund basic classroom and operational expenses. The increase will also “continue to close the equity gap between schools at the minimum and maximum foundation allowances, bringing the gap down to $478 per student,” as stated in her budget plans. As for teacher out-of-pocket expenses, MLive reported on February 6 that the governor’s proposal includes $25 million to reimburse teachers for out-of-pocket supply costs. “There is no other job in the world in any industry that I can think of where the employee has to pay for materials that the employer should provide,” shop teacher Wesley Perry said.

Bella Roberts is Uncaged’s feature editor.

Art teacher Jay Langone reviews his paint bottles to make sure he doesn’t need any new supplies for his classroom. PHOTO ANDREA NICHOLAS

FEATURE

20. FEBRUARY 2020

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Innovative ideas from the local library Head librarian Sherri McConnell develops kid-centered programs

n a tech desert like the local village, young people need Wi-Fi for their homework, want to check out books, and dream of Wi-Fi to stream movies, TV shows and games. These upcoming services will help you just with that, and all you have to do is walk over to the village library. This oasis of services can all be obtained through an online SSI card or “Student success initiative card.” Any local student can make an SSI card. Don’t live in Ingham County? No problem. All students have access. There are an abundance of items that card holders can borrow: books, audiobooks, ebooks, movies. DVDs, blu-rays, CDs, Library of Things and Library of Things Jr. are available, but students cannot get them with their online SSI card. They will have to go to the library to get them. Stockbridge Library will have either 6 or 8 hotspots that will be available just to students for

them to check out with the SSI card according to head librarian Sherri McConnell said. “They won’t be available to anybody else; they’ll just be available to students with their cards.” Students will have to go to the library to check them out. Students are allowed to have them for two weeks, but if kept over that time, a $2.50 fee will have to be paid every day that a hot spot is kept over. Taking this opportunity in May, McConnell plans to renovate new and refreshing ideas for the library. McConnell has been with the CADL program for over 5 years now, having served as a library assistant, public services librarian and finally the head librarian of Stockbridge Branch. “Eight people from Stockbridge schools have used the new services as of January 31,” McConnell said. “I helped another student use their SSI card to use a computer in the library.”

Isabelle Bliss is Uncaged’s reporter.

Am I prepared?

‘‘ ‘‘

I think, for what I’m going to be doing, I’m fairly well prepared. Just because I’ve had to teach myself discipline.

Free falling

“In contrast to 1993, Michigan’s tax rates and student performance now fall well below the national average.”

-Michigan State 2019 University Education Policy Report

Money’s influence on education Abby Douglas

is Uncaged’s creative editor.

College costs money and requires preparation to transition. Smaller communities can lack the funds and resources to give the help needed.

Senior Kaleb Adkins

I’m not hundred percent sure where I want to go yet. I am debating between Central Michigan State. But, I mean I’m ready, I’m ready to go. I’m excited to see where it will take me and what I can do. Senior Anastasia Schlaff

‘‘

So, I think I’m really well prepared because I’m pretty much set on where I’m gonna go. I want to go to Grand Valley, so I’ve set up like dorms and roommates and everything for myself. I’ve also signed up for classes. I’ve declared a major so I feel really well prepared. Senior Brad Niec

‘‘

So currently, I’m kind of not decided on where I’m going, but I have an idea. I haven’t been planning financially and it’s kind of upsetting. But I’ve got a few schools picked out, and I know what I want to go into. So, I think college might be a little difficult, but I feel prepared. Senior Maira Cervantes

PHOTO SAMI STITT

Performance expectations for Michigan schools continue to rise, yet many remain

Underfunded.

Consider that Stockbridge High School serves 430 students, while Bloomfield Hills High School serves just under 1,750. School size seems to dictate the size and price of tuition a student will encounter. Small colleges attract small, rural students; large universities attract the opposite. Smaller school means fewer elective options and fewer ways to be exposed to cultural diversity, so it makes sense that of the local graduating class of 2018, the top three colleges that students chose to attend were: Jackson College, Grand Valley State University and Lansing Community College. The average tuition of these colleges can vary between $5,460 and $11,520, excluding scholarships. At Bloomfield High School in Oakland County, the top three schools that their seniors chose were Michigan State University, University Of Michigan and Wayne State University. Tuition for these schools starts at around $12,69-$14,062. The larger and more prestigious of high

-Michigan State 2019 University Education Policy Report

The classic Ramen noodle dinner and the freshman 15 may be true, but how about winning the lottery? Gen Zers in college struggle day to day to afford housing and other expenses. These expenses can be more than money, like time available to study instead of work. “Studying is something I struggle with, also taking 18 credit hours is a nightmare. I alone have four exams today,” Derek Young, a freshman at Michigan Tech, said. The way college is portrayed by movies such as “Pitch Perfect” is that it is another type of high school full of drama and fun. The reality is that it is more about buckling down and striving for success. “It is definitely different from what people tell you,” Young said. “Just be prepared for literally anything.” Young thinks high school did a decent job of preparing him for college, but some classes did better than others. “Overall, I would say it did well. I would just wish I knew how to study better,” Young said. High school is supposed to prepare students for their next step in life, skills such as studying plays a major role in the college world. School is supposed to educate, and studying is a part of the learning process even though it has not been proven that high schools fail to teach their students how to it could put students into a trajectory of hardships if not taught basic skills. Whether the student or the school is to blame for failed study habits, graduation rates locally are just as high as surrounding schools. MLive reported that in 2018 Stockbridge had a graduation rate of 87%, Chelsea had a 94% and an urban school like Bloomfield Hills had 95%.

school the student attends, the larger and more prestigious the college they will likely pick. In rural areas, diversity is hard to come by. Exposure to social diversity does not only benefit a student in a traditional way but also educationally. Finances impact college choice as well. Out of the senior high students, 31% of them receive free/reduced price lunch. The average income of an Ingham county household is $52,691 versus a neighboring country such as Washtenaw, with $70,286, according to DataUSA, a site dedicated to visualizing U.S. government data Oakland County residents earn an average of $80,193. These numbers may just look like a salary, but in reality they can determine the type of vacations students are exposed to and whether they are able to participate in extracurricular activities and or having access to a private tutor. Students in Stockbridge, on average, bring in about $10,056 for the school in per pupil UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

funding as reported on MLive compared to those in Oakland County with $15,927, even Washtenaw County comes in higher at $11,316. These numbers mean something: They draw the line between the wealthy and middle class. These numbers can mean more than a mere income. They mean if a child was able to be exposed to a private tutor or expensive school field trips or where they have lived. Admissions will look at such things and quite possibly can bypass it. Bridge Magazine presents data that “demonstrate yet again that not all high schools are created equal in preparing students for future success. In some districts, nearly every graduate enrolled in college. And in others, very few did.” The most successful school at producing the most graduates ready to attend the best schools is the International Academy of Oakland County, located on three campuses with students coming from 13 districts according to Bridge reports.

20. FEBRUARY 2020

FEATURE

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

RAISE

YOUR VOICE

I’ll be your voice.

Not every mental illness is visible 5 a.m. - My alarm demands me to start the day after only 5 hours of sleep. 5:20 a.m. - My energy kicks in as I look for breakfast, so my mom hands me my long acting Concerta. 5:50 a.m. - Thoughts about what things could happen consume me as I stare in the mirror trying to decide if I like how I look. 6:20 a.m. - I pack my bags and check my hair and outfit for the 20th time to make sure it still looks good. 6:40 a.m. - I remind my dad we have to leave in 10 minutes. 6:45 a.m. - I remind him again to make sure he is ready. 6:51 a.m. - My anxiety rises now that we are one minute late. 7:06 a.m. - I walk in the school and go check my hair once again. 7:12 a.m. - I wait for my friend and we go talk in math teacher Steve Allison’s room. 7:30 a.m. - I head to band and start watching what I say so people don’t think I am stupid. Yes, my overthinking sets in. 7:50 a.m. - I start getting distracted by a million other thoughts I have. “Do I smell?” “Did I forget something?” “What future thing am I not remembering?” 9:12 a.m. - I sit down in chemistry and think the same thought that I have each time I enter this room, “Where is my DNA model?” 10:00 a.m. - Just like first block, every time I talk, I worry people think it was stupid or annoying. 10:42 a.m. - I open my lunch box and hate everything I put in it. 11:10 a.m. - I rush to English so people in the hall don’t talk to me. I sit down and see people laughing and talking and assume it is something I did. 12:30 p.m. - I start thinking about government, and whether I didn’t finish an assignment. 12:42 p.m. - I step into government class feeling anxious. 1:00 p.m. - I stop myself mid thought and realize I didn’t pay attention at all. I

couldn’t focus at all during class. 2:17 p.m. - I walk out and head to my locker to change for indoor track or cheer practice. 2:30 p.m. - My Concerta wears off and I start acting crazy. I take my Ritalin so I don’t annoy everybody. 6:30 p.m. - I am finally done with my day so I go home to face homework. 8:30 p.m. - I start thinking about all the things I did or said wrong and what I could have done better. 11:00-11:30 p.m. - I finally quiet my thoughts enough to sleep. I have ADHD. A burden and blessing all at once. My ADHD does make me who I am, though, so it isn’t something to be ashamed of. Yet, I still struggle with tasks and thoughts that most people don’t, which is hard for my peers to understand, leading to frustration. It is hard for some of my teachers and friends to understand that just because I do well in school doesn’t mean I don’t need accommodations to help me. Especially, when every little noise I hear distracts me. My mind races 90 miles a minute. Yet, I still get stuck in the same thought for way too long. If this paragraph seems scattered, you now have an understanding of how my mind works. The thing that makes me unique and creative also makes me hyper and emotional. It is hard to make friends and keep them at times. At times, people say I am lying about having ADHD. I hate having it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Look around. Notice. Just because someone looks put together on the outside, she may be struggling internally. Not every mental condition is visible, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Kaitelyn Walker is Uncaged’s opinion editor. 8

OPINION

20. FEBRUARY 2020

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

Close–knit communities need closer places for teens to work

magine you spend eight hours in school, one or two hours for extra curricular, and then have to drive for the same amount of time to get to work. This is the life of a rural student— students who have to go out of the way to get a job. With school, homework and after school activities, traveling 30 minutes to an hour to get to a job seems a lot to balance. High school already fits the definition of a full-time job, forcing those who need money to take on a part-time work as well. For many teens, jobs are a night time activity, after school has let out. However, nighttime is also a dangerous time for teens to be on the road. In fact, the fatal crash rate of 16-yearolds is nearly twice as high at night according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. It’s an accident waiting to happen, as for many teens nighttime is the only time they can work. Not to mention, many teens have to work to support their families. The state of Michigan only allows minors of 16 years and up to work as early as six in the morning.

In effect, the law makes it so teens can only work after school as many secondary schools start around 7:30 a.m. Not to mention, school activities and school drive time cut into a teen’s available time to work. When that time is factored in, students find themselves working late and getting home even later. “Only 14 percent of the miles driven by 16- to 17-year-old drivers occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., yet this time period accounts for 32 percent of fatal crashes in this age group,” the Children’s Hospital noted in a research study. This time crunch presents a crucial risk for teens because these are the times when students are driving the most. Despite all of this, the reward outweighs the risk for many as they continue this routine day in and day out. While the problem of long commutes to work seems like the issue, a larger issue emerges: Students should not have to work just to keep the lights on or food on the table. They should be focusing on school. Our close-knit community should find ways to help these teens concentrate on their real jobs–attending high school.

A TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY FOR SENIOR ROBERT ELLIS. ILLUSTRATION SYDNEY SWITZENBERG

Staff Ed

andwidth. Latency. Coverage. Capacity. Density. These are the promises of 5G. While these serve as a nice commodity for many, they are crucial for rural areas. As technology has become more prominent in schools, so has the gap in accessibility. This chasm represents why 5G is not

Latency

When a website takes a couple of seconds to load, it is more of an annoyance than an issue for most academic classes. The problem arises in those like robotics when real-time feedback is essential for those working with robots to get real-time feedback or visuals, because without them, it is impossible to operate safely. Without 5G, real time visuals are impossible. Competing with other programs in fields like robotics or journalism in areas where schools have 5G will become unrealistic. “People will vote with their feet and move away from places that do not provide high-speed internet access,” Jonathan Chambers, a former FCC official and partner at the Washingtonbased consulting firm Conexon, which works with electric co-ops looking to deliver rural broadband service told CNet. “They will leave, and that community will not survive.” While not everyone can or will move, some are still willing to work for an internet connection. “I would work a part time job,” to pay for access to Wi-Fi freshman Tierney Hackworth said.

Coverage

The farther the distance from highly populated areas, the farther one gets from Wi– Fi. In rural areas like Stockbridge, there are not many places to connect. That said, not all students live in Stockbridge. Wi–Fi becomes even more and more sparse in areas like Gregory and even more sparse in Munith. Most restaurants have free Wi–Fi, however, the Wi–Fi is for paying customers. Even with free Wi–Fi at libraries, not everyone can hang out at the library every day to do homework. This blockage has become a big issue as school has gone online. When not every home has internet, it becomes hard for teachers to assign online assignments, even though the jr./sr. high has committed to one-to-one learning with Chromebooks. With 5G there will be more places to connect without having to pay at a restaurant. These areas need the same

a luxury but a necessity. More and more learning opportunities are popping up online; however, without 5G these new opportunities can not be used to their full potential–or at all.

upgrades that a small pocket of Lyndon Township is currently implementing. But, it will take time to set up. “We live in Washtenaw County, within twenty miles of the University of Michigan, seven miles from downtown Chelsea and cannot get a highspeed internet connection,” Maribeth Hammer, a Lyndon Township resident, said during the Michigan Broadband Cooperative vote for 5G in 2017. The broadband initiative was passed by voters two to one.

5G, the new necessity connecting cities to rural wastelands

Density

As technology upgrades, devices get more and more specialized and more are made for the general public, like with computers. 3D printers are the next big thing in engineering, popping up everywhere from schools to homes, making hands or parts for a robot on the spot. When all of these devices are connected to the same Wi–Fi, it slows down. 5G plans to deal with this by increasing how many devices the Wi–Fi can handle. This is going to be crucial as learning goes online, as teachers start to use more and more online applications to teach. Science teachers can show students the universe or the inside of a human body all from websites. “It gets really annoying

ILLUISTRATION SYDNEY SWITZENBERG

because when we are trying to work it will just glitch out and we will lose all of work,” Samantha Aiken, sophomore and yearbook student said.

Capacity

Students in Michigan spend an average of seven hours in high school each day, and with an average of 426 students per school according to a government survey. Locally, when the roughly 630 jr./sr. high students are on their Chromebooks on the student private Wi–Fi, it cannot handle all of the server requests. While loading times may not be significant, they add up. This is especially true since the schools have a one to one ratio of students and devices according to Mike Lilly, the director of information technology services for the Ingham Intermediate School District. Without 5G, rural students will not get the same quality of education as their more densely populated peers. The state of Michigan has stepped in to help, offering internet plans to those that qualify. Those who have a child in the National School Lunch Program and meet the other criteria are eligible for low cost home internet. Hannah Bolton is Uncaged’s editor-in-chief.

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Secondary roads earn secondary safety Beat the conditions

“Michigan is the most dangerous state for winter driving, with nearly 50 road deaths every year.” -The Detroit Free Press Senior Oriana Hackworth rose out of bed the Saturday morning after a terrible January snowstorm. She had hoped that road workers would have plowed the back roads she lived on by the time her late morning shift started. They hadn’t. Hackworth spent hours getting ready for her shift at 10 a.m. As soon as she stepped out of her home, she was assaulted by the bone-chilling air and the horrendous sight of deep snow coating everything. “I work in town at McDonald’s, which is a long drive for me, so I had to call in because of the shin-high snow,” she said. The winter conditions can hinder students and their families but not enough to close the school. Snow days provide relaxation and get rid of the worry of trying to figure out a way to school. This forces students to either miss school or drive in terrible conditions when the chance of an accident increases. More than 116,000

Americans are injured, and over 1,300 are killed on snowy, slushy or icy pavement every winter according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally, almost 40% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur during snow or on icy pavement. Michigan is the most dangerous state for winter driving in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With older students driving to school in the winter weather, lowering the requirements for a snow day could save lives. “We try to make an announcement as early as possible while watching for a variety of conditions,” superintendent Karl Heidrich said about the process of trying to make the best call for students. Many students live in counties that don’t get the immediate response time they need. The majority of the roads in Michigan are country or back roads. “Michigan has a total of 120,256 miles of paved roadway (9,669 route miles of state trunkline, 89,444 route miles of county roads, and

21,198 route miles of city and village streets), according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. With a school district that covers four counties, students scramble to make it to school when snowfall accumulates. Eastern and Mid-Michigan areas yield a yearly average between 50-175 inches of snow according to the National Weather Service. “If snowfall is continuous, we must keep clearing the primary roads as many times as necessary, which means the subdivisions and local roads are secondary to this priority,” Ingham County Road Department (ICRD) Public Information Coordinator Kellie Knauff said. According to their own records, the ICRD is responsible for more than 1,253 miles of roads outside incorporated cities and villages throughout Ingham County, employing 70 employees and 450 pieces of equipment to care for them.

Chris Kaltner

is Uncaged’s Assistant Editor.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE ON THE ROAD

WINTERIZE YOUR CAR: Check your vehicle’s battery and fluids to make certain you can drive through poor conditions, especially wiper fluid. Pop that ice scraper into your back seat along with a warm coat. CHECK YOUR TREAD: Have your tire tread looked at. Goodyear Tire recommends the penny test. Insert a penny into your tire’s tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch and it’s time to replace your tires. BEWARE OF BLACK ICE: Use your car thermometer to determine if it is cold enough for black ice to form. Proceed with caution.

ILLUSTRATION SYDNEY SWITZENBERG

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

20. FEBRUARY 2020 FEATURE

MONEY TALKS FOR THE NCAA, SORT OF On September 30, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed a historic bill that could alter the future of the NCAA. This bill would allow NCAA student-athletes to profit off his/her likeness, without losing NCAA eligibility. This was the first step to a new beginning. The definition of the NCAA is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletes from 1,268 North American institutions and conferences. However, fans of collegiate sports would argue this is the exact opposite of what the NCAA is. The NCAA tournament in March. The 68 team mens basketball tournament is considered a holiday to some, a great way to create competition between co-workers and students through bracket challenges. To people across the country, it is a fun challenge

to compete in, but to the NCAA it is three quarters of its total revenue. According to Investopedia, in 2019 “the NCAA pulled in $933 million in revenue from media rights fees, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and a proliferation of television ads anchored around the three-week-long tournament.” The worst part of all this is how much the NCAA president makes, which is $1.9 million per year. Over 50 Division 1 head coaches make even more than that number. It is no secret that the NCAA is not a true non-profit, hence why a substantial amount of programs are being investigated by the FBI. With all of this money flowing around in a circle there is one group that doesn’t receive any of this. The players. If they are the stars of

the show, and the ones that bring in the cash and corporate sponsors, why do they not receive a dime? On October 29, roughly a month after the California bill, the NCAA passed its own bill that would allow players to make money off their image and likeness. This was a unanimous decision. The question is how this will be done. Will all players receive a base salary? And, will every athlete of every sport receive pay? This wouldn’t be too difficult of a task to complete despite what other people have said. It would be a good start, but a great number of amendments will be made to this hot button issue as time progresses. Let’s hope the NCAA can rebuild its image, and it can start by paying its overworked athletes.

Spencer McLennen is Uncaged’s guest writer.

PLAYERS FORM MIXED OPINIONS “I have mixed feelings about the bill because it takes away the point of college. If a kid is getting a full ride, they don’t need to be paid.” Brandon Nelson 12 Center forward PHOTO TYLER GIPSON 12

Junior Matthew Killinger wrestles against an Olivet Eagle who he later fell to. PHOTO TYLER GIPSON

Pay the players On September 30, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill allowing NCAA college athletes earn money off their images. Other states like Kentucky and Illinois contemplate having bills of their own, yet similar to the original bill signed in California. While the NCAA has said it will present rules governing college athlete compensation no later than January 2021, bills active in state legislatures will proceed regardless of its progress. -Fox Business

ON NCAA PLANS “I personally do not think college athletes should get paid. It is not their job to play it is a choice. If you want to play sports in college thats your decision.” Grace Hall 11 Outside Hitter and Defensive Specialist PHOTO ALEXANDIA TEACHOUT 10

SPORTS

20. FEBRUARY 2020

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

“I disagree, because it shows athletes that they can go to college for their name and get money for it, but they don’t learn much about the sport.” William Porter 12 Defensive NOseguard PHOTO RILEY MILLER 11