UNCAGED 02 volume 23

02 UncaGED

MEDITATE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE DAY Do you want to feel relaxed? Check out the benefits of meditation and how you can try it. page 9 WINTER BREAK IDEAS Have you seen “Frozen 2” yet? If you haven’t, see what you are missing. Make your winter break one to remember. Learn what Netflix shows you should be watching and more. page 11.

VOL. 23

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF STOCKBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Anxious.

Social Media. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Lack of Motivation. Threats. Homework.

Do they affect you; what can you do to help yourself?

18. DECEMBER 2019

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

STOCKBRIDGE, MICHIGAN

Content 3

News Stories SRSLY’s impact of preventing substance use

4

Feature

5

Feature

Junior pianist earns standing ovation at holiday show performance

Stockbridge InvenTeam receives grant The effects of social media and anxiety

In case you missed it, scan this code to see Haley’s live performance.

6-7 Cover Story

Anxiety having negative impacts on people

8

Editorial Columnist Kaitelyn Walker: Raise your voice

9

Opinion Everyone should get health care

10 Advertising The people who make this all possible

11 Entertainment

Ideas to keep you entertained over winter break

12 Culture

Short on cash? DIY Christmas gift ideas inside

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.

With eyes closed and music memorized, Haley Gipson played for a full house. After the performance, Gipson received a standing ovation. PHOTO HANNAH BOLTON

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.

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

Pianist and junior Haley Gipson, winner of the Stockbridge Area Arts Council (SACC) 2019 scholarship, played songs such as the “Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op.3, No.2” by Rachmaninoff at the Stockbridge town hall for the Home for the Holidays show on November 16-17.

Gipson began playing at 6-years-old with the local teacher Michelle Castle switching to Dr. Nikie Oechsle because Castle became a parent.

According to Gipson’s father, David, Haley was selected to perform at a master-class for high school pianists during the Michigan Music Teachers’

on front and cover design by Sydney Switzenberg.

CORRECTION In the previous issue a caption in the article ‘Make a run for it,’ we misspelled a name. It should have been Sidney Gipe. We are very sorry.

2

NEWS 18. DECEMBER 2019 UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

is Uncaged’s editor-in-chief.

November 3 posts of #sarahstrong and #resteasy filled the village residents’ social media accounts.

Sarah Salow Henderson, aged 54, died after a relentless and tiring battle against breast cancer. But, Sarah was more than just a fighter of cancer; she was a friend, a sister, a wife and a mother among other roles like volunteer.

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

FRONT PAGE CONTENTS & ART. Photo illustration

Hannah Bolton

Local mother and volunteer leaves loving legacy

CONTACT US FIND US ONLINE AT

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

Association State Convention.

“Her performance was astounding and I was even more impressed to see she didn’t even need sheet music to play a piece of Bach,” senior and friend of Gipson, Andrew Carriero said.

Stopping by out of kindness, Sarah discusses The Hannah Glair memorial with head of fundraiser Cassandra Chapman about what she could do to help.

Emily Breslin is Uncaged’s reporter.

PHOTO ELIZABETH CYR

To read the full story go to uncagednews.com

Jazz band opens for Randy Napoleon and MSU jazz band members at town hall

Opening for Randy Napoleon and MSU jazz band, Kaitelyn Walker, Joy Youngblood, Ben Chapman, Xyan Torrey along with the rest of the jazz band captivate the audience with their performance.

Performing “Blue Groove,” gave them a chance to showcase a newer song that they had help from the MSU jazz band members to improve their style in songs. PHOTO SAMANTHA

New stylings through advanced training hallmarks recent performance

NICHOLS

W

hile jazz band members jazz guitar to the performance. open for Randy The MSU band and Napoleon Napoleon and Michigan State met up with the jazz band after University jazz band members, school that day for a rehearsal Napoleon and others prepared clinic where they will listen to for playing for Napoleon talk for a I think the event turned the rest of the bit and then played out better than I could night at the a little bit for them have imagined. Band town hall on followed by a dinner November 26 for director Pniewski and together. associate professor free admission.

Afterward, Napoleon worked Napoleon they packed up together very well, as if brought his everything and head they had been teaching knowledge to the town hall to together for many years and skill as get ready to perform. instead of just meeting an assistant Prior to the event, each other. - Jo Mayer former community professor at Patty Pniewski, the education director MSU teaching jazz band teacher,

“

thought, “What I would ask him to talk to us about is the style.

That’s always a difficult thing to learn, but having someone like him who is actually a world renowned jazz musician come and talk to the kids, I think that’s gonna be cool.”

Following the event Pniewski’s wishes were granted.

“Randy and his quartet were awesome. They were nice and friendly with the kids and very complimentary, and overall it went great.”

She also thought her students performed well.

“I think they did a nice job, there

New Year’s Eve Party

was one song that they fell apart on, and we all knew that, but overall they did a really nice job.”

Clarinet players, junior Makenna Allison and sophomore Xyan Torrey anticipated the event, particularly their opening at the town hall.

“I’m actually really excited for it. We don’t really get a lot of chances to do things like that,” Allison said.

The event was envisioned by former community education director Jo Mayer who reached out to Dick Gordon, the president of the Arts Council of Stockbridge and Pniewski, asking

them to participate in the event as a collaboration between all of the groups.

“I think the event turned out better than I could have imagined. Band director Pniewski and associate professor Napoleon worked together very well, as if they had been teaching together for many years instead of just meeting each other!” Mayer said. “The town hall looked so inviting too. I was proud to show off our students and town.”

Zack Sawicki

is Uncaged’s feature editor.

Impacts of SRSLY youth substance use prevention begin to emerge

SRSLY hosting Non-Alcohol New Year’s Eve Party at Beach Middle School in Chelsea

December 31, 2019 4-8 p.m.

Receiving the check will help the SRSLY team go to event and help out the local youth. This program is trying to help people that need help in the community. PHOTO BECCA JASKOT

T

he White House gave out 150 grants that would help with drug-free community support programs, and the SRSLY Stockbridge team earned one of them.

The grant gives the SRSLY team $125,000 per year for the next 5 years.

To spend funds, the team plans to attend events and learn more about youth substance use.

“Our goal is to make Stockbridge a safe and drug-free com-

munity for our youth,” SRSLY Stockbridge director Emily Stewart said in a recent press release.

Specific goals for the coming year are to expand membership and to learn more about the effects of vaping, marijuana, and drug use.

The team went to Dallas, Texas to attend a national event along with other SRSLY programs across the country to learn and explore what other students do in their programs and maybe use

some of their ideas.

Over time, the SRSLY group’s impacts have shown results.

According to the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth (MiPHY) survey, from 2010 to 2018, students at Stockbridge High School report “lifetime alcohol use is down by 6%, past 30-day (recent) alcohol use is down by 12%, and binge drinking is down by 38%.” To plan for the future, at the Dallas anti-drug conference, the student team identified the

need to help the local SRSLY program reduce vaping use.

While in Dallas, the group attended an event sponsored

by CADCA, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, with the goal of obtaining information to help out the community.

“Fellow SRSLY members who attended this year were able to come up with a plan that we brought back to the community and we’re hoping to implement

soon,” sophomore member Brenden Yannella said.

Education of substances ranked high on the list during the event and will be a push for the local group.

“The biggest thing that I learned was that even if a vaping products says it’s nicotine free, it still most likely contains nicotine,” Yannella added.

Justin Jaszkowski

is Uncaged’s managing editor.

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM 18. DECEMBER 2019 NEWS

3

Safety

New security upgrades prove useful during evacuation Near 650 staff and students were rushed out of the building the Monday morning of November 11.

Principal Jeff Trapp made an emergency announcement of an immediate evacuation with no extra information as to why.

Students who drove were allowed to go to their personal vehicles, the rest of the student body boarded buses that quickly drove to the Stockbridge Area Emergency Services Authority (S.A.E.S.A.).

A bomb threat written on a girls bathroom stall was notified to the office at 8:45 a.m., causing school administration to take action immediately.

“We had to take it serious and react the best way possible, and we did,” Trapp said of the incident.

Administrators did not have much

time to react or organize anything.

Diane Evans, a junior, said she felt the administration did a decent job on getting everyone out of the building so quickly. The school was evacuated within about 5 minutes.

All guardians of students were called to be informed of where their children were and what had happened.

The Michigan State K-9 unit was quickly called to check the high school. The building got an all clear, no bombs found. The suspect was captured by the end of Monday: Students were safely taken home by buses or picked up by family members.

The suspect appeared in juvenile court on November 12 for a preliminary hearing. On November 21, the

suspect reappeared for pretrial. The next court hearing is December 18 for a dispositional hearing.

While the high school administration cannot prevent written false threats, it can help prevent real threats. The new security upgrades have not stopped threats, but they can stop those threats from entering the school.

Recent enhancements include increased time of police officer Kevin Marshall patrols the building, in and out throughout the day.

To tell if students leave school, new door locks and alarms were installed.

Hannah Lockhart, a junior, thinks the new upgrades are good, but forceful on students to stay in the school.

After the school day starts, the main entrance doors are locked. The doors have a buzz in to the left of the doors. A buzzing sound is sent to the office with a live camera feed.

“They’re trying harder to keep us safe in school,” Lockhart said.

During a rare November snow storm, all of the staff and students evacuate to the S.A.E.S.A. site as the bomb task force team checks the junior/senior high building.

Students were held on buses until family members signed them out or until the buses took them home.

PHOTOS ELIZABETH CYR

Amelia Pulley is Uncaged’s reporter.

Stockbridge InvenTeam receives grant from MIT Even though they are renowned internationally for their work in underwater robotics, the InvenTeam’s most recent and largest award is anything but fishy.

The team received a grant from the Lemelson-MIT Program of up to $10,000 in their own classroom on November 8 after months of work from the team members.

That meant that even through the summer months, instead of relaxing, the InvenTeam was hard at work applying for the grant. “It was a long process,” Anastasia Schlaff, a Senior finance manager for the team, said. “There was different sections that we had to make everything make sense into. We had to give a detailed outline of what we were doing and how we were going to it. It was really important because it was applying for this $10,000 dollar grant, that we did get, which was really nice.”

The grant comes from the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a way to provide teams the funding they need to invent technological solutions to real-world problems of their choosing.

Stockbridge is 1 out of 14 schools to receive the grant out of thousands around the country that applied, and the team already has an idea in mind.

Enter the Emperor Micro-Lander, an environmentally-friendly device used for benthic operations, meaning it can conduct valuable research at the bottom of bodies of water.

Named after a species of fish that the team had previously recorded video of wherein the animal changed color to camouflage, a never-before caught on video event, the Emperor Micro-Lander will not only be tetherless, but is also small and light enough to be deployed by hand from small boats. It is designed to stay upright regardless of the seafloor terrain, and will contain multiple sensors for collecting data, including a depth and temperature sensor, but can also be outfitted with other custom sensor packages as needed.

Upon finishing its job, the device will automatically release biodegradable anchors that act as sacrificial weight and resurfaces for retrieval at the surface of the water.

“The ‘Emperor Micro-Lander’ fills a void in the current marketplace for a low cost, easy to deploy, operate, and recover sensor system that can be used by professional researchers and citizen scientists alike,” InvenTeam mentor Bob Richards said in a release.

The team plans to test a prototype in Key Largo, Florida, before presenting the design and concept at the National Museum of American History in Washington DC, along with the other 13 grant winners.

The effects of earning the grant are being felt throughout the team, no matter whether if the member is a seasoned veteran or a new beginner. “It’s really cool,” Jack Hammerberg, freshman member of the InvenTeam, said. “I knew that we were going to do some big things, and people were going to come along that were important, like legislators and things like that. But, truth be told, I didn't even know they were coming today, and so I was really surprised when I was handed an award.”

Danielle Barbour

is Uncaged’s photo editor.

14

teams of high school students awarded up to

$10K

for invention projects LEMELSON-MIT INVENTEAMS

Seniors Baylee Heidrich and Sylvia Whitt and Teacher Robert Richards dive into deeper detail about the InvenTeam’s history and their plans for the future with State Representative Kara Hope.

PHOTO DANIELLE BARBOUR

4

FEATURE

18. DECEMBER 2019 UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

Look up from your phone. See the problem.

The phone buzzes, your heart races and anxiety starts to consume you. As the minutes pass by, you obsess over the numbers rising on your new post. Social media used to be a place for people to connect, but it is rapidly turning into a toxic obsession.

Technology has taken over our lives, increasing anxiety in young adults at a rapid rate.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder.

“These numbers have been rising steadily; between 2007 and 2012, anxiety disorders in children and teens went up 20 percent,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This is no coincidence; no filter can mask the statistics. We are creating a bad habit of isolation from social interaction.

The internet was made to help us connect, but it seems to be doing the opposite. The less we interact face-to-face with each other, the more social anxiety we create.

“If it isn't checked right away, then anxiety levels in the student increase greatly,” Jason Rickli, AP Computer Science and Math teacher said. Students “must open and reply to either make the other person believe they aren’t being ignored or to keep a streak going. This addiction can be visible in some students when a phone gets taken away for being used in class.

The students will start looking around and shaking their legs.”

The constant pressure of social media negatively affects the mental health of users.

“I think a lot of people feel the need to be what’s popular at the time, and if they aren’t, they feel bad about themselves,” senior Kaylie Shepard said. “You're always worried about what other people are doing, or what they’re going to think of what you're posting.”

With everyone’s lives at our fingertips, platforms like Instagram have become an unhealthy place for comparison.

“I think people try to make their lives look great on social media platforms,” Shepard said.

No one is going to post their worst selfie or the most raw angles of themselves. Everything is either edited or Photoshopped to seem perfect.

Instagram is making changes to stop this dangerous cycle. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri the app is testing hiding likes from followers, so they are private to users.

Mosseri told CBS News that he wants Instagram to be a place where users can connect with people and the things that they love and not be such a competition.

With efforts already being made to help anxiety in teenagers caused by social media, it is important to keep this conversation going to help future generations.

Technology will only continue developing, so we need to combat this toxic pattern.

“I've felt pressure because I think social media portrays that you should look a certain way, and if you don’t fit that exact image, you're in the wrong and weird,” senior Ori Hackworth said.

Tyler Showerman is Uncaged’s reporter.

LIKES. The rising anxiety factor of Instagram. Ori received 29 likes on this post. PHOTO TYLER SHOWERMAN

People "feel anxious that there's something wrong with them because they aren't the exact same as someone else."

-senior Ori Hackworth

Social media anxiety.

The percentage of people who are concerned about the negative effects of social media on their mental and physical health.

SOURCE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

48%

37%

22%

15%

MILLENNIALS

GEN XERS

BOOMERS

MATURES

1981-2000

1965-1980

1946-1964

PRIOR TO 1946

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM 18. DECEMBER 2019 FEATURE

5

R

Homework ≠ better education

RAISE

YOUR VOICE

I have cried over homework.

I have spent countless nights taking my math homework out of my bag and working through a few problems only to find myself stuck. I search through my notes, search online and eventually ask a friend for help as I become increasingly frustrated and confused.

Every time, as tears run down my face, I give up, shove my homework in my bag and don’t look at it until the next day in class. I go to bed stressed and hopeless about Algebra C, and that is just one example of the many classes that give us overwhelming amounts of homework.

In class, I struggle to finish the assignment occasionally resulting in tears once again. This is my endless homework cycle.

I’m not alone in this tear stained, emotional cycle. Unfortunately, this common repetitive cycle I find myself trapped in captures many others as well.

The students need a voice, so here I am on full volume.

Stop giving us homework. It is ineffective.

We begin to stress about homework and finishing it. Instead of trying to think through the assignment, we only try to get it done. Homework becomes about points, and we simply complete it so we can keep our grades up. This confidence crushing task creates an unhealthy pattern of students’ putting off homework only to copy it from someone else or rush through it.

Researchers at Stanford agree. Their studies show that at around 2 hours of homework, its benefits become ineffective.

In a survey of students, 26.1 percent said they have 2 or more hours of homework on average per night.

That’s not something we should be proud of.

Stanford’s study found that 56 percent of students view homework as a primary source of stress. Large amounts of homework causes students to miss out on developing other important life skills or pursue their interests. As we stay inside or in our rooms working on homework, we don’t create as strong of relationships and friendships.

Students don’t get the amount of sleep their bodies need. We begin to suffer from other mental and physical health problems.

Some 58 percent of our students report going to sleep at 11 p.m. or later on nights we have homework. That time consumer is unhealthy and unfair to us. Every morning, we wake up tired and when we get to school we remember all the homework we still have to do.

In a 2013 study published by Edutopia, researchers found that students who are assigned too much homework may suffer from severe mental and physical health issues like high stress levels and sleep deprivation.

I woke up with a nagging feeling that I forgot something this morning. I ran through everything I had due today. Nothing came to mind. As I got ready, I remembered everything. I didn’t study for my test, I had some math, I had to read an article.

The problem: That wasn’t just this morning. It was yesterday morning, and the morning before that.

It’s every morning for us. Teachers, I’d love to hear from you about what solutions you may have.

Got an issue you want me to explore? Contact me at kw5100@ panthernet.net. I’ll be your voice.

Kaitelyn Walker is Uncaged’s opinion editor.

8

OPINION

18. DECEMBER 2019

Diagnosis: Anxiety.

Prescription: Motivation.

Individual dosage as needed.

A feeling of nervousness, maybe in an imminent event or around people in general, is commonly defined as anxiety.

This feeling takes away from who a young person can become.

Students do not always realize the fact that it is okay to differ from other people; being unique and personable is better than being unrealistic and missing out on being happy with who they are.

Anxiety creeps in any chance that it gets, leaving a sense of darkness within a student’s mind. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) website, “It’s not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression or vice versa. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.”

After 14 years of being an English teacher and five years of being a testing coordinator within the school, Jessica Martell noticed the rise of anxiety among students as the access to technology increased.

“So whether it’s social information they might be getting from their cell phones, or even the workload that teachers are capable of expecting from students now, because we have chromebooks, they’re just constantly being bombarded. I think that technology plays a huge role on the level of anxiety among teenagers,” Martell said.

H Q

Apprehension can engulf anyone during many different times throughout the day, and our students are no exception. A poll of 17 percent of the student body indicates that 71.9 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 believe they do have anxiety.

In order for these percentages to go down, students must figure out how to break past the drowning energy and become more personable with people including themselves.

However, they must determine what it really is that makes them feel anxious the most, and how they can solve it.

Our school social worker John Twining thinks that students tend to feel the most anxiety when they feel like they can’t meet up to the

expectations and pressures for all of the things they have to do.

“Between balancing home life, work, and all the various other things they have to do and the lack of experience in doing it.” Twining said. “Breaking down the problem into sizable solutions, taking each piece by itself and coming up with a solution for that one thing, is very helpful.”

One remedy he recommends for immediate use is for students to “try to maintain a positive view of their problems.”

That’s a medicine that is pretty easy to swallow.

Staff Ed

When Bailey Bartrum 9 finds herself anxious, talking to someone helps her to calm down. She tells her friends to talk to her when they feel anxious, telling them “It’s gonna be okay,” to try and ease the feeling. ILLUSTRATION MICKENZI MERRIWEATHER

elp from Kathryn Walz, LMSW, CPC | Behavioral Health Navigator St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea

What advice would you give to a student going through anxiety?

The first thing I would say is that they are not alone nor should they feel bad about asking for help. Anxiety is more common than people realize and there are a vast array of tools/skills to learn that help people cope. I would also say, don’t be afraid to speak with a caring adult who can help someone get additional resources or counseling support from a mental health professional.

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

Q

What ways could students get their mind free from it?

Each person is different and each situation may be different, too, which might require a different set of skills to cope. Things that we find are often helpful are exercise, deep breathing, mindfulness, journaling, taking a brisk walk – there are so many suggestions.

Meditation is key There is a way to reduce your stress, anxiety, and improve brain function.

It’s meditation, and you can do it right now.

Meditation has gained popularity for helping lowering metabolism, improving breathing, brain waves as well as reducing stress.

The technique improves focus and academic performance, while reducing stress and anxiety according to the Knowledge Review.

But, meditation can be useful because of all the stress that is associated with going to school and getting good grades can affect how well we can prepare to into a good college or start a career later on.

Some colleges and universities have meditation rooms or buildings and encourage students to use them. University of Michigan students who want to practice meditation can do mindful based practices and they have a slew of options open to the students on and off campus, said a website that the University of Michigan wrote called ‘Student Life University Health Service.’

Thinking that meditation is just not for you?

Well, there are different types of meditation.

Not every type will fit with a person’s lifestyle. Healthline describes a few types of meditation. They are mindfulness meditation, spiritual meditation, focused meditation and transcendental meditation.

In any form, it teaches deep self connection, also, methods to calm down and look at stressful situations in a different light.

Meditation gives you different ways to approach situations and people. People who have neuroticism, a personality trait strongly linked to anxiety, sadness, and similar emotions, may find it to become less of an issue. This allows people to feel more happy and content with their lives. Young people should consider participating in meditation to help them get over little issues that are continuously bringing them stress and stacking on top of each other.

Everyone, especially students, are in need of time to calm down and forget about what happened at work or school for a few minutes. PsychCentral wrote that, “Most teens find it difficult to sit, breathe and focus on the present. Their world runs at a mile a minute, and they need to keep up.”

Meditation allows your mind to open up and grow so you can grasp and explore new ideas. It brings out creativity and limitless possibilities. When you can focus and clear your mind your brain becomes more efficient and faster at analyzing problems.

So, give it a try.

Karley Flores is Uncaged’s feature editor.

Everyone should be able to have health care As the 2020 election draws near, so does the deadline for candidates to solidify their stance on the topics that are dividing the nation.

One of these topics is health care.

This is not some new liberal idea either—it was put into place in 1948.

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control,” according to Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Member states of the United Nations agree that everyone has a right to health care, yet people are still dying of preventable causes.

The uninsured rate of all Michigan residents is 7.8%, according to the Michigan Household Survey on Health Insurance. While that number seems low, consider that the highest percentage (26%) of the uninsured falls between the ages of 20 and 29; 21% are between the ages of 30 and 39. That’s right around the corner for high school graduates.

“The U.S. continues to spend the most on healthcare per person, even though health outcomes and quality of care is not often ranked highest,” according to

Investopedia, a resource for investors, consumers, financial professionals, and students who seek guidance or information on various topics.

It does not add up: More spending should equal better quality, yet people are still dying of preventable causes.

And the price is just the most visible when it comes to problems within the health care system.

“We just had to set up payments,” senior football player Brandon Nelson said. “I’m still paying off my first surgery that was four years ago because of how expensive it was.”

The longer something is put off the worse it gets, until it is even harder to fix than it started off.

“The result of delaying or avoiding treatment is obvious; eventually, the care required will be even more expensive,” according to Investopedia.

Even in this case, the cost is not the biggest issue.

Putting off treatment can cause serious illness; people should not suffer because of the price of treatment.

Health care is a hotly debated topic as the Republicans want to get rid of Obamacare while the Democrats are working to universal health care.

Whatever party you align with, you should care about the side that wants the least amount of people to suffer.

Hannah Bolton

is Uncaged’s editor-in-chief.

Uncaged is taking on topics affecting young adults in the 2020 election.

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a response from MICHIGAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE KARA HOPE 67th MI House District Representing Stockbridge “It isn’t right that income is a major factor in determining your lifespan here in the U.S. From a moral perspective, health care should absolutely be a human right.

The tough part is funding. As a country, we would have to seriously re-prioritize our spending. And I am not sure that there is the political will to do that right now.”

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ILLUSTRATION HANNAH BOLTON

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM 18. DECEMBER 2019 OPINION

9

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.

Susanne & John

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ADVERTISING 18. DECEMBER 2019

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

‘Frozen 2’: The

awakening the Spirits

snow glows white on the mountain tonight as the sequel to the 2013 “Frozen” arrived in theaters on November 22. “Frozen 2” is worth seeing in theaters for the great storytelling, songs and details it evokes.

The music in this cinema does not free away from the first “Frozen” song hit, “Let it go”; although, the songs in “Frozen 2” are enchanted by the way the songs are sung. Viewers can hear the same tempos as the first Frozen.

The same composers returned for “Frozen 2,” Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

One song from the movie that stood out was Olaf’s hit “When I am Older” and Elsa’s “Into the Unknown.” Don’t let the upbeat musically pleasant songs fool you. This movie is much darker and has a very serious tone.

The initial plot finds Elsa suddenly hearing a voice where she eventually finds out that it is in the Enchanted Forest. She has to find the voice in order for the evil spirits to not destroy their village of Arendalle.

She takes Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf onto her adventure to find it.

These five friends have to go through giant rock monsters, tornadoes and purple fire to get to the hidden voice.

“Frozen 2” still has the same Disney

Your

magic as the first “Frozen.”

Expect to see stunning animation that will evoke your senses.

The Disney matured story entertains from all angles with some surprising moments and heartbreaking twists throughout. Another situation that I found superb was bringing back their attention to Olaf.

As he starts to grow up, Y ISNE UP/D he has many questions GRO E ATIV CRE about the world around ION LEG M O FR him. He adds humor to the ION MISS PER H IT movie to give relief to the DW USE audience for a break of laugh.

This movie does show some Thanksgiving weekend. Overall, flaws, though. The sequel lacks the “Frozen 2” was a pleasant movie emotional connection between the experience with fun musical numbers two sisters. It is also too busy with too and a beautifully animated storyline. many plot lines throughout.

The film has already made $127 Isabelle Bliss million in North America is Uncaged’s reporter.

Local film critics let their voices be heard

With so many new upcoming Disney movies approaching, “Frozen 2” has been quite the topic amongst younger kids and older teens. Surprisingly, there has been a lot of talk about this movie specifically. These little animated Disney characters can make the mindset of young adults speak out.

HOLI D AY bucket list

Top 10 Netflix movies “Dolemite is My Name” “Step Brothers” “Grease” “Zombieland” “The Game” “The Matrix” “Scream 2” “Men in Black” “Ocean’s Twelve” “The Invitation” SOURCE COLLIDER

Gingerbread houses Find them at Target for $6.99 for a smaller one or a whole small village of houses for only $6.99 to $14.99, Meijer: $12.99 Walmart: Range from $5 to $41

Top 10 Netflix marathons “The Crown” “You” “Orange is the New Black” “Money Heist” “Elite” “BoJack Horseman” “Lovesick” “The Get Down” “Russian Doll” “GLOW” SOURCE BUSTLE

Cameron Brewer 11

Kylin Heidrich 10

Shailynn Walker 10

“I liked it a lot. I didn’t expect it to be that good.”

“The storyline was well thought out.”

“The movie is for little kids, but if you’re a kid at heart, you’ll enjoy it.”

4/5

5/5

4/5 UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

Must see blockbusters “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” “Cats” “Bombshell” “Ip Man 4: The Finale” “Just Mercy” “1917” “Little Women” “Spies in Disguise” “Uncut Gems” “Clemency” SOURCE INSIDER

18. DECEMBER 2019 ENTERTAINMENT 11

Snow globe MATERIALS: Mason jar Clear glue Small ornaments Glitter Hot glue gun

To make a beautiful snow globe, first, use the glue gun to glue the ornament(s) to the inside of the Mason Jar's lid. Then, pour clear glue and glitter in the jar up to just before where the jar starts to curve towards the opening. Next, pour warm water in the jar to melt the glue. Finally, secure the lid on the jar and enjoy your homemade gift!

DIY

Holiday Gift Ideas Bella Roberts is Uncaged’s opinion editor.

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Wood Slice Ornament MATERIALS: A cut and drilled wood slice A picture that fits on the slice Mod Podge or brushable glue Ribbon or yarn Paint brush/Sponge brush Scissors

3 The first step to making a wood slice ornament is to put mod podge on the wood slice. Place the picture on the wet mod podge and add another layer of mod podge on top of the picture. When dry, add an additional layer of mod podge.

When you've finished all that, add the ribbon/yarn through the hole on the wood slice.

Room 207 turned into Santa's workshop this holiday season PHOTOS TYLER GIPSON & ELIZABETH CYR

1. SHAILYNN WALKER 10 2. RILEY MILLER 11 3. TREVOR POOLE 9 4. JOSLYNN CASKEY 10 5. YARLEY MELCHOR CERVANTES 10

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Book Page Wreath

MATERIALS: A book that you won't miss Ornaments of varying sizes Tape Cardboard Hot glue gun

6. DAVID BAILEY 12

First, cut out book pages from a book. Then, fold the pages into cones and tape them to the card board, making a circle with their tips meeting at the center. Next, add a layer of paper circles on top of the first layer, tips also pointed inward. Last, add ornaments in the center of the wreath, using hot glue to secure them.

For more thorough instructions, watch video posted on our website, uncagednews.com.

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CULTURE

18. DECEMBER 2019

UNCAGEDNEWS.COM

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