51.4 by Tisha Pankop

night Life

Loy Norrix School News

AP Exam Dates

May 2nd: 8:00 am- Chemistry, Enviromental Science 12:00 pm- Psychology May 3rd: 8:00 am- Computer Science, Spanish Language/Culture 12:00- Art History May 4th: 8:00 am- Calculus AB, Calculus BC 12:00 pm- Chinese Language/ Culture May 5th: 8:00 am- English Literature and Composition 12:00 pm- Japanese Language/ Culture May 6th: 8:00 am- US HIstory, Studio Art 12:00 pm- European HIstory May 9th: 8:00 am- Biology, Music Theory 12:00 pm- Physics B May 10th: 8:00 am- US History, Government and Politics 12:00 pm- Comparitive Government and Politics May 11th: 8:00 am- English Language and Composition 12:00 pm- Statistics May 12th: 8:00 am- Macro Economics with History 12:00- Macro Economics May 13th: 8:00 am- Human Geography, Spanish Literature

Loy Norrix Prom Get down at prom on May 14th at Rose Street Market on Rose St. Tickets are 35 dollars and the prom starts at 8:30 p.m. and goes until 11p.m. This is a junior and senior prom. If a guest pass is needed, make sure to get it taken care of a week in advance. Guys be sure to reserve your tuxedo and ladies be sure to get your dress!

606 E. KILGORE ROAD KALAMAZOO, MI 49001

APRIL 2011

Upcoming Events

April 29th - Don Lukens Track Invitational Day

May 6th - Half Day 7:35-10:37 11th - Band Concert at 7pm 12th - Parent Teacher Conferences 14th - Prom

KNIGHTLIFENEWS.COM

Index News...............................1- 2 Opinion...........................3- 5 Feature........................... 6- 8

A&E...............................9- 10 Sports.......................... 11-12

THE LOY NORRIX NEWSPAPER

KNIGHTLIFENEWS.COM

VOLUME 51

ISSUE 4

Fewer Bridge Cards Available for Students Marrisa Wilson Staff Writer

Living on your own for the first time can be extremely hard. Finding money for loans, books, housing, and food are all expensive necessities. Imagine having two hundred dollars a month to help you out with food and it being suddenly cut. Bridge Cards are Michigan’s form of food stamps in a debit card form. The Department of Human Services created this food assistance program to help people in need. This program has been made available for college students that qualify too. Simply being a college student allowed eligibility some say. It was made available to students because most students have a hard time making ends meet and this is exactly what the program was designed for. Students can obtain up to two hundred dollars a month on their Bridge Card. Eighteen percent of Michigan residents receive some form of food stamps. New regulations announced by the Michigan Department of Human Services says that they will, “Crack down on what some state officials view as widespread abuse of the food stamp program among college students.” These new regulations will

MARRISA WILSON / KNIGHT LIFE

Bridge Cards are slowly becoming harder for college students to get. The cards are now reserved for those who are in great need of one.

take place in April, revoking some student’s benefits. The new regulations say that a person will still be able to obtain a Bridge Card if they have a child and a low-income job. Some officials say that students get assistance from their families and do not report it as income. This is said to be a fraudulent act. Officials say that they don’t want to teach these kids that they are entitled to something just because it is a government program. Some argue that it’s a no strings attached program, causing students to be lazy and to be dependent on something besides

themselves. With tuition rates rising, students who are taking a full load of classes and working to pay for school, a Bridge Card becomes an extremely helpful tool in survival. Sometimes asking parents for money is not an option. Going to school full-time and working as much as possible is stressful enough. Not having enough money for food because these students are trying to make ends meet is just what the program was designed for. Sarah Giannaris, a college student at Western Michigan University, uses a Bridge Card

to help buy food. She is taking a full load of classes, working as many hours as she can, and asking her parents for extra money is not an option. With paying for school, books, housing and other expenses, she will have to work as many hours as possible to pay for all of these necessities, potentially affecting her schoolwork. Giannaris originally received two hundred dollars a month since she started living on her own and recently received a letter notifying her that her Bridge Card will be revoked in April. She does not understand why Michigan is just taking her Bridge Card away. ”I don’t think it was necessary for Michigan to take away everything.” They could’ve just cut back on what they were giving me,” said Giannaris. She feels that Michigan should have at least decreased the amount she was given in increments, giving her enough time to make a better arrangement. Although many college students depend on this money to get by, critics believe getting a Bridge Card is just too easy to get and abuse the tax payers’ money. Giannaris’ application process was hard; she missed the scheduled See BRIDGE CARDS page 9

Governor Snyder has a New Plan for the Education Budget Jeremy Petersen Staff Writer

College Tours Members of Loy Norrix High School’s class of 2012 and 2013 are invited to attend one of the four College Day Visits. Students are invited to tour Grand Valley State University and Muskegon Community College on May 6, 2011. The University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College on May 19th, 2011. Wayne State University and Schoolcraft Community College on May 12, 2011. Michigan State University and Lansing Community College on May 27, 2011. The transportation is free, but students must complete their permission slip that was sent to their house to indicate which college they would like to attend. Parent/ guardians must complete their part of the permission slip and have it returned to the guidance office by April 26, 2011. The trip may not be done until after the school day finishes, so make sure transportation is planned. Details for arrival and return times are based on each college day visit.

1960 - 2011

GINGER NEAL / KNIGHT LIFE

Seniors Charlese Robinson and Teriah Fleming display their vocal and acting abilities in the play "For Colored Girls." The play was shown February 17, 2011 during second period in the Kasdorf Auditorium.

“For Colored Girls” is back in the spotlight at LN Ginger Neal Staff Writer

“Get offa me all this blood, bones shattered like soft icecream cones. I couldn’t have people lookin at me pregnant. I couldn’t have my friends see this dyin danglin tween my legs. & I didn’t say a thing, not a sign or a fast scream to get all those eyes offa me. Get them steel rods outta me, this hurts! This hurts me! And nobody came, cuz nobody knew once I was pregnant & shamed of myself.” By Ntozake Shange, author of the play “For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf.” English teacher Bettina Smith is directing the play “For Colored Girls” here at Loy Norrix High School. Smith has performed in the play before and is very familiar with the script, putting her at the top spot for the job. “The production will be an eye opener to the community,” said Dean of Students Valerie Boggan, guest performer in the production. This play will show how students and staff work together and how they perform an emotionally engaging script. The play includes issues that apply to all ages and races. Rape, murder, religion, abuse, teen pregnancy, love, and neglect are issues that characters experience in the script and

issues that people go through every day in our community. “This will show people that they can turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones,” said Boggan. “For Colored Girls” won’t strain our schools budget. The play is not expensive and the props needed are as simple as a flower pinned in all of the female cast member’s hair. The title “For Colored Girls” does not mean the play is only directed to African American females. In our school’s production, cast members represent races including African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic women. There are males included in the play as well. The play is a good fit due to the diversity in Loy Norrix. The cast is not filled, so there are opportunities for staff and students to audition for a part in the play. Boggan said, “The main goal of the production is to embrace who we are and our excellence in education.” “For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf” tells powerful stories about working together and teaches life lessons. The play will be performed in June and admission will be charged for the audience.

Newly elected Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is already starting to make changes to the state economic plan. He has been making budget cuts in many different areas. With a state debt of over $80 billion and a national debt of over $14 trillion, everyone knows that cuts need to be made in some areas, which means making sacrifices or not. That being said, there are many areas where, when cuts are made, controversy is stirred. The area of the governor’s budget that so far has caused the most controversy has been the proposed cuts into the education budget. Fifty-three percent of the state’s resources in the Governor’s budget are devoted to education. The actual dollar amount that goes toward education each year is nearly $14 billion. Twelve billion of this fourteen goes towards K-12 school districts, over $3 billion of which goes to at-risk students who need remedial education. In Kalamazoo Public Schools, the 30% comes after the proposed $470 per student cut in funding. This on top of the class size reduction grant that will eliminate $200 per student, and the 18% increase in state mandated retirement costs, will cost school districts $230 per student. That amounts to a $900 cut per student to school districts and with the projected 12,500 students in Kalamazoo

Public Schools it will add up to over 11 million dollars for 20112012 . Between 1999 and 2006, KPS has made many cuts in their budget. They closed three schools and privatized many different services such as janitorial positions and food service workers. Governor Snyder is trying to urge school districts to implement programs that will reduce their spending. According to Snyder, if school districts were to cut spending in unnecessary areas, these cuts would not be a problem. If schools were to cut spending by ten percent, the state would save $300 million a year. The problem, according to administrators and school staff, is that they have already made these cuts to pass the budget in prior years. No matter what happens with the education budget, people of all walks of life, politically and socially, are starting to realize that times are hard. All of the recent turmoil in the news makes it apparent that people need to remember education is for the well being and the future of the children. Educators and politicians both need to put their differences aside and start to work together to find a working solution that not only helps the budget, but also more importantly looks out for the well being of the students and remembers that the purpose of education is to create well functioning members of society.

This information is taken straight from Governor Snyder’s budget plan. Education takes up to 30% of the entire budget.

News

APRIL 2011

World News

Chicago School Bans Bringing Lunches from Home A school in Chicago recently banned home-made lunches. The principal reasoned that kids, who bring their own lunches, bring unhealthy foods such as pop and chips. Arguments against the school are that the school lunches are not appealing and the quality is below what they want. Kids who have medical conditions such as allergies can bring their own lunch; however, there are also cases of students who are vegetarian or just do not eat the school lunches because of the less than acceptable quality. There is concern that the lunches are inadequate and unhealthy. Instead of eating the lunches, the kids throw them away and go hungry. DECHELLE JONES / KNIGHT LIFE

Egyptian Man Names Daughter After Website Many people have trouble picking names for their children, but not Egyptian man, Gamal Ibrahim. He chose to name his daughter ‘Facebook’. He chose the name because of the recent Egyptian Revolution, and the overthrow of Egyptian dictator Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak. The revolution events were mainly planned on the social sites like Facebook and Twitter. The aftermath was also found on Facebook thus encouraging Ibrahim to name his daughter (Facebook).

Not Intended as a Factual Statement Arizona Republican Senator, John Kyl, recently caused controversy with his statement that abortion is “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does,” on the floor of the Senate. When it was pointed out that abortion is only three percent of the services offered by Planned Parenthood, his office stated that Kyl’s figure was “not intended to be a factual statement.” Steven Colbert, the host of the Colbert Report, a late night comedic political show, has taken the phrase and run with it. Colbert has been using “not intended to be a factual statement” as a one word hash tag on his Twitter and on his show as a joke. Recently, this hash tag caught fire on twitter achieving nearly fifty tweets a minute.

Relief for Japan After the recent earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, many athletes and celebrities have been using their fame and fortune to aid the relief. Disney Channel star, Demi Lovato, donated one million dollars of her own money. Besides donating their own money, celebrities have also been encouraging their Twitter followers to purchase relief bracelets, text in donations, and donate money. Notable tweeters include Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, and Danny DeVito. Athletes are taking charge in the relief effort as well, especially Major League Baseball’s Japanese players. The MLB has eleven active players originally from Japan and 29 with team contracts. Mariners star, Ichiro Suzuki, donated 100 million yen, which is 1.2 million dollars. South Korean professional golfer K.J. Choi donated 100,000 dollars, and American Bubba Watson donated 50,000.

During IT’s show on March 11 the improv team members are playing Mono Hijack. Senior Maurice Sanders is taking his turn at center stage.

Putting Aside the Nerves,

“IT” Delivers a Strong Performance Karylle Hillard Web Master

The art of acting, talking, singing, pretending and being able to create a response within the moment is a skill called improvisation. The improv team at Loy Norrix High School, “IT”, combines all of these elements into one funny and clever performance. Coached by Cece Weeks, the team practices once a week in preparation for the games they will be playing in upcoming shows. “It’s one of my favorite high school activities because you can be whoever or whatever you want to be,” said senior Stuart Wheaton. “You can let go and no one judges you.” Wheaton is a two year member of “IT.” During his

junior year of high school, he was talked into trying out by a former improv team member’s mother and at first did not like it. “My first year was stressful because you are trying to be good,” said Wheaton. However, by his senior year Wheaton actually enjoys the improv games and has become very talented at performing. “Before each performance I am in the zone. I focus on what funny thing I can add to the scene,” he said. “I watched the shows in the past and thought they were the coolest thing ever, and now I am on the team and living the dream,” said junior Sarah Sherman, a second year member of the improv team. Sherman’s favorite thing about being on the team similar

to Wheaton, is being able to say whatever and be whatever you want. “I like being able to say what I want and not be looked at like I am crazy,” said Sherman. The team has been a great experience for Sherman and she loves performing. First year member and sophomore Josh Johnson loves being on the team and looks forward to being on it his next two years of high school. Even though he is the youngest person on the team, Johnson’s nerves do not stop him from putting on a great show. “I was nervous at the first show but not anymore because people laugh at whatever you do,” said Johnson who has become more confident in his performances after being in the shows this season.

“IT” is made up of nine students of all different grades who all have different personalities but come together and put on quite the show. “Everyone is different and we all band together to be funny,” said Johnson. Even with losing four seniors for next years team, Wheaton is convinced his team will still do well in upcoming years. “I think “IT” will continue to succeed after we [seniors] leave because we have some good underclassmen on the team. Josh Johnson is full of energy and tries hard to improve in practice. He’s hilarious and does great characters; the team can’t go wrong with Sherman and Johnson leading it in the coming years,” said Wheaton.

New Driving Restrictions for Level 2 License Jenna Fiore Guest Writer You are a sixteen or seventeen year old driver on a level 2 license driving home from the movies with some friends after 10:00 p.m. As of March 30 you have broken the new Michigan law. Bill number 4493 passed in December 2010 and was made effective as of March 30 2011. This law states that a person with a level 2 license cannot drive between the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The law also states you may not operate a motor vehicle carrying more than one passenger who is less than 21 years of age unless they are an immediate family member or you’re driving to or from school or a school event. Critics of the bill said that it takes the decision making out of the hands of the family and creates a “one size fitsall” approach by placing all teenagers under the same restrictions. Critics also believe the earlier curfew is extreme, especially during the summer when it gets dark so late. Loy Norrix junior Micaela Vanburen and sophomore Jack Rupp agree that the new curfew is too early. “I am usually out driving after ten [o’clock],” said Rupp. “Twelve [o’clock] was a good curfew.” Vanburen thinks the new law is definitely not a good idea. “It’s just stupid and going to get more teenagers in trouble,” said Vanburen. “I carpool with my friends to lots of places like bowling and the movies; why waste all that gas?”

Proponents of the bill won out however. Supporters say the new law will reduce injuries and save lives among teenage drivers. They believe the bill focuses on key vulnerable areas such as distractions and teenagers driving at night. Sophomore Tasia Heintzelman understands the passenger restriction. “The one student rule is fine because too many people can be distracting and you’re paying attention to friends instead of the road,” said Heintzelman. Rupp also understands the passenger limit but thinks it is too extreme. “I think there should be a limit on the number of people, but not only one [person],” said Rupp. The law that passed is

not as strict as it could have been. The bill, as proposed in July 2010, had no provisions for driving to and from school and school related events. It also prohibited the use of cell phones for those on the level 2 license while driving (with the exception of contacting 9-1-1). The Michigan license process has three levels, and many students trying to get a license do not understand this process. First, the level 1 license requires you to have met vision and health standards, completed segment one of drivers’ training with six driving hours and received written approval by a parent or legal guardian. On a level 1 license you may only drive with a licensed parent or a licensed driver 21 years or older with

parent permission. Next comes the level 2 license which you may only get after spending six months on the level 1 license with 50 hours of driving and no moving violations for 90 days. You must also complete segment two of drivers’ training and pass the driving skills test by the Secretary of State. The level 2 license is the one affected by the new law. A level 2 driver can get a level 3 license before the age of 18 by holding the level 2 license for six months and avoiding traffic violations. Any 18 year old is eligible for a level 3 license providing they meet health standards and pass the Secretary of State driving test.

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Opinion

APRIL 2011

Letters to the Editor High School Love Dear Editor, I read the article “Can You Really Fall in Love in High School?” and I would say that I agree with the writer. Love is a small word with a tremendously big meaning, and people always seemed to abuse it. Usually people believe they’re really in love, but if we are realistic, it’s just a strong emotion that someone has for another. This article has alot of proof for this opinion, like statistics in the U.S. This article really clears up the true reality of what people actually feel inside and the things that they say to cover it up, like the word “love.” Daniela Sandnez, Freshman

New Homework Standards Dear Editor, I read the first article on the front page, “Kalamazoo public schools Adopts New Homework Standards.” I normally don’t get 90 minutes of homework. When I do get 90 minutes of homework, it is a big project. So far these standards aren’t working. Adam Bobler, Freshman

Lost Dear Editor, “The Mystery that keeps on Giving.” I watched a few episodes when it first started, and I wasn’t lost at all. Except when you miss an episode. Then it’s very confusing. Because someone turns bad or goes missing. Or is found dead and there is now someone bad among them, your right. That show is pretty crazy. So I guess you covered everything I did, so I completely agree

Sara Marcinkowski, Freshman

ID’s Dear Editor, “Student IDs New Name for Self Expression”- When I put sparkly nail polish on my ID I got in trouble for it! If the wrong teacher catches you messing with your ID you could get in big trouble, it’s defacing your ID and if you put stickers all over it you can’t see the picture and you get in more trouble. My friend got in trouble by Ms. Blake and had to buy a new ID. Yeah, it’s cute, but you can get in trouble! I agree with Julia, cute lanyards sold in the office is a good idea, that way you can’t get in trouble but you can still be expressive. P.S. It’d be nice if you got the facts straight. Yani wasn’t the first person to paint their ID, that goes way back to Maple Street days where she still wasn’t the person who made it up, no offense.

Cayesha Small, Freshman

16 and Pregnant Dear Editor, I read “16 and Complaining” and I agree with this because there are a lot of pregnant girls out there that are going through the same thing that the people on “16 and Pregnant” are. However, I think that the ones that went on T.V. just want attention, but I don’t think that they should have given them the show because then all the other pregnant girls should get one too. The girls on the show know what they’re doing and they could have been smart about it and wrapped it up. Nikita Smith, Freshman

Dear Editor, “16 and Pregnant” is a T.V. show because it’s showing other young girls what they go through and things they didn’t expect to happen to them. Maybe they thought this would be an easy experience and something they could go through with, but life isn’t always what you expect it to be. Therefore, the show is saying pregnancy is hard and something you should be prepared for. Dae’Jaunae McClenton, Freshman Dear Editor, I read “16 and Complaining” and I totally agree. Why have sex when you can wait for that special person? At least when you have sex use a condom or… how about this: don’t have sex at all! It’s children that get pregnant at the age of twelve, how about a show about that. 16 and pregnant is a show about 16-year olds not taking care of business, and trying to make people feel sorry for them. Skylar Johnson, Freshman Dear Editor, I read “16 and Complaining,” and there is more to it than just drama and crying, even though I don’t know what those teenage girls are going through. We don’t really know their problems. We have an image about their lives, but do we really know what they decide not to share? The T.V. show gives us an idea of what some of our lives would be if we ever got into that kind of situation. So it tells us to be careful and look after ourselves and others. Cynthia Romero Diaz, Freshman

Students Going Pro Dear Editor, My opinion on basketball players going pro instead of getting a high school degree is that it is bad. When people become pro, something could happen where they would need something to fall back on. Without a college degree they could go from being pro to flipping burgers. It would be better to go to college because you do need education in order to make it in life. Cheyenne Gandy, Freshman

Nicki Minaj Dear Editor, I believe that Nicki Minaj is an inspiration to all the females that to make a difference and stand up for their dreams. By Nikki Minaj wearing the different color wigs is only showing people [that] it’s okay to show your true colors. Nikki Minaj is my girl and I love her self-esteem. She does what she does with no hesitation. Florisha Pratt, Freshman

Story Time Dear Editor, I read storytime with Tae, I love this story it’s very creepy and gives me goose bumps. I really like how Sam just went from sad to scared out of her mind. It made me want to read more. Daj’anae Wilson, Freshman Dear Editor, I read “Story Time with Tae.” This was a good story and as long as you keep writing them, I will keep reading them. DaShanae Brown, Freshman

One Sport

True Friend

Snack Line

Dear Editor, I read one of your articles called “Specialize in One Sport or Not.” I know Sierra James, she is a hooper and all she does is hoop. I know her because we played basketball at Upjohn Park when she had her cast on from when she hurt her tibia in softball. All she does is give her all but coming back from an injury, that’s an amazing thing to do. Good job Sierra James.

Dear Editor, I love your section “True Friend.” It shows that every individual has a different opinion about what a true friend really is. One thinks they should tell them if they have a booger in their nose, ha ha, love that. Another one thinks they should tell them if their hair is messed up. I like that one too. Keep doing a great job! Gregory Davis, Freshman

Dear Editor, I read the article “Change We Can Snack On.” I think we should keep the snack line as it is. People keep saying that we need more nutritional food to sale to stop obesity. Well, if we do that nobody’s gonna wanna go to that snack line and Norrix won’t make no money. Norrix makes almost a quarter of the money from the snack line and what if that’s all gone. I say snacks is snacks and shouldn’t be changed in the lunch line. Alexis Tyson, Freshman

Marcus Torres, Freshman

Poems Dear Editor, I read Reana Smith, the junior’s, poem. It was really good I like how she put “I’m not a game,” because feelings are not games so it was a good way to put stuff. Summer Meyers, Freshman

Comics Dear Editor, I like [the comic where] the hall monitor told her to take off her scarf and her friend had on a bikini top in school and she’s looking like she’s caught, but not even thinking that her friend got something that’s inappropriate. Then her and her friend are looking at him with a mean look, and he’s looking straight at the girl while he told her to take her scarf off. Latisha Gillespie, Freshman

Athlete Rituals Dear Editor, I read “Athletes use Rituals to Gain Competitive Edge,” and I think this is not necessarily fake. These are preparations that can mentally prepare these people for whatever they may be doing. When I play football before I play, I have to stretch and not be tired whatsoever, or I tend to kind of freak out and then I’ll get really nervous.

Justin Block, Freshman

Dear Editor, I read “Athletes use Rituals” and I think it is useful cause during swimming we almost always did that even if it was joking around. I think it helps me the times I did swim.

Demetrius Berry, Freshman

Dear Editor, I read the “Athletes use Rituals” to gain competitive edge, experts debate effects. I feel that the writer has a good point. Pre- game rituals have been linked, even in a small way, to OCD. I have noticed at our home games that many of our players and players from the opposite teams have these rituals. Many watchers and players believe that these rituals help bring them good luck. But really it’s mostly because they are great players and are really good at what they do. I think that eventually something might happen just as something happened to Kelly MacDonald.

Alexis Meinert, Freshman

Dear Editor, I read “Athletes use Rituals” and I felt like I could understand why they might have OCD. You should always try and switch it up.

Rashid Burks, Freshman

Dear Editor, I read about “A True Friend.” I think that it’s true because a true friend should tell you if your boyfriend was cheating on you or if you had a booger. You don’t want to be walking around and people are talking about you. If you didn’t tell me then I would think that you are not a true friend. I also think if you’re not my friend and your hair is messed up or you had a booger, I would tell you because I’m a true friend. Angel Curtis, Freshman Dear Editor, I read the article “A True friend.” It wasn’t a long article. I read the statement other people did, I agree I would want a friend to tell me if I had something on my shirt or crumbs on my face. A true friend is supposed to tell you something they would want to know.

Alexsandria Burse, Freshman

Bowling Team Dear Editor, I read the article “Loy Norrix Bowling Teams Need Publicity.” I agree with what he is saying because I am on the bowling team. During the season I shot a 299 leaving the 4 pin. After that I did not get any recognition. I also made the state team as a freshman and came in 27th place out of 60 kids. I was the only Norrix bowler to go, but nothing was said. Zach Brandt, Freshman Dear Editor, I read the article that bowling needs more publicity. Even though I do not play bowling, I believed and agree that football and basketball are the real sports that’s bringing in good attendance members. The reason is that they’re the only sports you hear about on LNTV. And now the other sports aren’t really heard about and they fall away. People don’t even know about some of the sports we have. John Gettbs, Freshamn

Childhood Sayings Dear Editor, I read the article “Reminiscing on our Childhood.” I remember using all those little sayings when I was younger and some I still use because I’m still a big kid at heart. It’s funny that people have good childhood memories like that, so I related. “Miss me, miss me now you got to kiss me” is my favorite. Akelah O’Neal, Freshman

Websites Too Lenient Dear Editor, “News Websites too Lenient on Commenting.” This World is already ruled by gossip, but not all comments are bad. Some are good and that’s why they have them. Some people do use websites like Facebook to stay in touch with friends, they say that’s what it’s made for, but a lot of people use it for something else that everyone wants, attention! Some people will do anything for it. On Facebook people are over dramatic and crazy about what they post, and it’s to get a reaction. They want people to comment. They want to be heard. Then there’s the people that comment mean, bad things to get a reaction. They want to start drama. They’re the instigators of the web. They like to change up the story or chat and comment about someone to get a bad reaction out of people. So yes, it is kinda bad, but it is also their fault. It’s called the World Wide Web for a reason. Everyone knows the whole world will see it, but they still do it. If you don’t want it seen then don’t post it online. Still, it doesn’t matter who you are, we all comment because we get something whether it’s a friend you get to stay in touch with, attention, or gossip drama, we all do it for self-fulfillment. Sometimes it’s not the reaction you want, but we keep doing it hoping we do get the reaction we want. Matthew Meier, Freshman

Busy Counselors Dear Editor, I read the article “Counselors busy Schedules cause tension for Loy Norrix Students.” In the article it says that students have the same counselor every year so that every year it won’t be such a problem; and they continue to progress us physically and emotionally since freshman year. Also having the same counselor would allow families to connect with the counselor. Victoria Gonzalez, Freshman.

Day of Solitude Dear Editor, I read the article about “Loy Norrix Student Experiences a Day of Solitude.” I think this article is funny, but it is also something I would like to do. I think that it’s a good idea for the whole school to do it. The best day would be a Friday because that’s when people get together and talk about their weekend. Well, I loved the article and I read them every chance I get so good job. BreAnna Crawford, Freshman

APRIL 2011

Knight Life Publication Policy Got opinions? Disagree with something we’ve said? Just want to get your say in the paper? Write us! Direct letters to the Editor to: Knight Life Loy Norrix 606 East Kilgore Kalamazoo, MI 49001 -ORSubmit to Room K-15 -ORE-mail to pankoptl@kalamazo. k12.mi.us Guidelines: -250 words or less -Contain author’s name, third hour class and I.D. number. Right to withhold: -As space permits -Guest columns -Personal opinions -Contains libel or obscenities -Disrupts school environment -Invades privacy of others Notes to reader: -Any photography that has been manipulated will be labeled a photo illustration. -Knight Life will publish a formal correction of any factual error made in a previous issue. The Knight Life Staff: DeChelle Jones Editor-in-Chief

Ava Gaines Layout and Design Editor Gwen DeYoung Business Manager Marissa Wilson Assistant Business Manager

Opinion

Driving Under the Influence, of Cellphones Staff Editorial Texting while driving has been banned in Michigan and thirteen other states for safety reasons in an attempt to decrease accidents and create safer roads. Although texting has been banned, people are now finding not only texting an issue on the roads but all cell phone usage, even for something as simple as getting directions or as important as taking a call about a death in the family. Talking on the phone while driving can be a distraction. Driving requires two hands on the wheel and your eyes focused on the road. When talking on a cell phone, it takes away one hand from the wheel and according to Safety First online, 1.5 percent of your attention is taken off the roads. When you think about this being an issue, think of how many times you see people smoking cigarettes or eating while driving. Those examples are distractions that require one hand off the wheel, and how about those who drive cars with a manual transmission. Many people believe handsfree devices such as a bluetooth or using a speaker phone would be safer while driving, but hands-free devices also take focus off the roads. Using the speaker phone of your cell phone is commonly used on the road, but what will happen once your phone slips off your lap or your bluetooth

As Senioritis Plagues Loy Norrix: Make a Plan to Stay on Track

Racheal Koole News Editor Madison Luckett Opinion Editor Jazmine Houston Assistant Opinion Editor Jocelyn Jensen Veronica Hughes Feature Editors Brittaney Tyson A&E Editor Haley Pfeil Sports Editor Omar Al-Jayyousi Assistant Sports Editor Jared Eckley Comics Editor Cristina Bryant Photo Editor Nikki Hegler Assistant Photo Editor Karylle Hillard Web Master Lucas Leibold Web Assistant Hunter Lee Marta Grabowski Joey Birdsall Web Team Annie Ruffe Lauren McGlinn Melinda Wielinga Tom Stankewicz Copy Editors Sa-Niqua Langford Brian Griffin Robby Cox RayKisha Vaughn Daequan Mitchell Ginger Neal Jeremy Peterson Jevonte’ Hughes Stuart Wheaton James Prochno Jenna Fiore Staff Writers Tisha Pankop Adviser

falls out of your ear? You are going to want to get it, not only because your device has fallen but because the distraction has now interrupted your phone call, which has then drawn your attention away from the road and on to finding your device to resume your conversation. Dropping, and then looking for a fallen device while driving can cause a quick accident. According to the website Smart Motorist, it only takes three seconds for an accident to occur. It takes only five seconds for a little boy to run into the street after his rolling ball, and within those five seconds of you are picking up your device, it may cause you to miss the little boy running into the street and hit

Jocelyn Jensen Feature Editor “I am so over it.” What senior has not said this, and what teacher has not heard this? The truth is that there are none. There is a common disease plaguing the halls and classrooms of Loy Norrix. It is called senioritis. The symptoms for students are: lack of trying, less participation, no effort put forth, and less than quality work. The senior class is starting to give up, and it is not because the classes are getting any harder. It is easy to walk into a class and pick out which students are seniors. They are the ones staring off into space or doodling instead of taking notes. They show up tardy to class, and their homework comes in late if it even comes in at all. There is no way to deny it, every year the seniors are faced with this potentially future changing illness. I know that I have senioritis. High school has always been about trying hard and getting the best grades possible, but with college applications to turn in, the search for college money, the last free summer, and the pressure to get a job right around the bend, it is hard to pay attention to seemingly worthless classes. It is even more of a struggle when a senior is placed in classes that they have not taken in previous years that are labeled required, or when they are placed in classes that they did not request. There is nothing worse than being a senior stuck in a sophomore class like college readiness

KNIGHTS SPEAK

SHOULD TALKING ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING BE ILLEGAL?

or world history. What is the motivation to stay focused in classes? The CollegeBoard gives a few good reasons for why seniors should avoid slacking off during their final year of high school. “Senior-year-slump is likely to do more harm than good. Although your goal is in sight — graduating from high school and entering college — school isn’t over yet and college admission officers are still paying close attention to your performance.” Senioritis can affect the student based on the colleges that are tracking and looking to accept that senior. A great finish could likely increase your chances of getting into a higher ranked college, as well as your first choice college. Another reason to stay focused as senior year comes to an end is the little warning in most acceptance letters; our admission is contingent on your continued successful performance. This means that at any point a college can revoke your acceptance. There is nothing to worry about if you continue to work hard, but if you have succumbed to senioritis, it will be obvious and may result in your future plans being ripped away from you. However, there is a way to push through the lack of motivation. What seniors need to remember is the pay-off of a successful graduation at the end of the year. Colleges can kick incoming freshmen off of their acceptance lists. There is not a single senior that does not want to go to the school that they have picked out and planned to attend. Seniors need to continue to keep up their grades until the end of the year. It will all be worth it in the end. A good senior year, means a great summer and an even better start to college and your future.

JARED ECKLEY / KNIGHT LIFE

him with your vehicle causing his death. Now really, was that conversation worth causing a death? There are many different types of conversations that can cause a distraction for a driver such as exciting news, bad news or even arguments, but those conversations don’t require you to look at your phone and yell while driving because you are angry or overly excited. Yes, certain conversations can become a distraction while driving, but talking on the phone is not so much different from talking to another person in your vehicle or blasting loud music while driving. Should we drive alone and in silence?

Although, with a device you have the option to either answer the call or to end the conversation, not everyone has that option. There are people whose jobs depend on their cellular device such as travelers, property owners, lawyers and every day business people who can’t ignore a phone call without missing out on a great opportunity or financial gain. This option doesn’t only affect workers but parents as well. Many times parents call to check on their children while driving to or from work. Some parents leave their children home alone while they are out. An emergency could pop up, which then a child’s first thought is to call their mother or father. The call could be a matter of life or death. So banning cell phone usage while driving would be difficult for those people to follow, which could cause an increase in tickets, a decrease in employment, or the loss of a family member. Talking on the phone while driving has responsibility written all over it. If you are unable to talk and drive at the same time then you shouldn’t do it. You can always pull over to make your call or text. It is better than risking the lives of others. Banning cell phone usage while driving is not necessarily going to stop car accidents but your decisions can.

Seniors Unite....When You Get Around To It

Stuart Wheaton Staff Writer I was planning on writing a catchy line to draw readers into this article, but then I decided that my time would be better spent with Netflix. Senioritis, noun \sē-nyər-ī-təs\: an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades. Yes, the epidemic known as senioritis has spread so much that Merriam Webster himself has even recognized its legitimacy. With all the senior activities looming ahead, it is hard for many students to stay focused. Prom, senior trip, graduation, Grad Bash, and the unlimited possibilities that await us after high school are way too tempting. Not to mention the 60-degree weather that slides in with the coming of spring. In the age of technology, instant distraction is merely a push of a button away, whether it be texting, Facebook, StumbleUpon, or watching reruns of “Jersey Shore” on Hulu. Max Klepper, a freshman in college and alumnus of Loy Norrix, remembers the strain of senioritis last year. “Senioritis is like Pringles. Once you pop, you just can’t stop,” said Klepper. The national government has officially recognized this daunting illness. The U.S. Department of Education created the National Commission on the High School

Senior Year to investigate the causes and consequences of “senioritis.” This commission has released many studies on the topic, including many recommendations for schedule and school culture changes. Interested readers can find more information in the report, “Raising Our Sights: No High School Senior Left Behind,” at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation website. Some school districts are attempting to fix the problem themselves. McKeesport High School in Pennsylvania offers a “Senior Semester,” in which seniors are required to complete a senior project in an area of their interest. Instead of coasting through easy classes and counting down the days until graduation, seniors at McKeesport High School have a chance to work in a field that they enjoy, while gaining valuable, practical experience for when they enter the workforce. Many other districts have dual enrollment programs and work-study programs like Education For Employment (EFE). Whether senioritis has affected you or someone you know, we know that it grabs ahold of lives, threatens to choke out success, and then ultimately gets distracted by the newest Cracked.com article. To all juniors: you think you might have senioritis as a junior, but I promise you do not. It gets worse. To seniors: stay strong and keep the faith, brothers and sisters in seniorhood. To parents: stick it out, there’s only a little while left until we leave! To teachers: keep your classroom senioritisproof by making learning interesting, fun and practical to “real life” after high school. To underclassmen: good luck....

OFFICER WILLIAMS

MICAELA VANBUREN

TATAVANA FOSTER

Officer

Junior

“Yes, with a system that is not hands-free because it’s unsafe and distracting.”

“Yes, because it distracts you from driving.”

Senior “Yes, because [there are] too many car crashes happening due to talking on the cell phone.”

Opinion

POINT / COUNTER POINT

What about Sex After Marriage?

Cristina Bryant Photo Editor Waiting to have sex until after marriage is a gift, not only to you but also to your life partner. Having sex is a responsibility that needs to be handled with care. In choosing to have multiple sex partners, one is exposing themselves and their various partners to potentially contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STDs) or unwanted pregnancies. A person should wait to become intimate with someone until marriage. This helps reduce the spread of STDs and unwanted pregnancies and producing children that could potentially be raised by a single parent. Single parents usually struggle more than a married couple when raising a child. This is because of financial necessity and the time that is needed to raise a well-rounded child. According to Pro-choice Forum, an online website, the article “Psychology and Reproductive Choice” by Nancy Felipe Russo and Henry P. David, shows that in an unwanted pregnancy, the child is more likely to “engage in criminal behavior, be on welfare, and receive psychiatric services.” Not only is there an increased chance of harm being done to the child if there is an unwanted pregnancy, but also in a situation where an unwanted pregnancy does not occur, there can be emotional harm done to those who are being intimate before marriage. According to the online website Scribd, “Pros and Cons of Sex before Marriage,” the more you have sex with someone, the more attached you feel to them and the more difficult it is to face a break-up. “During the sexual

process, hormones are released into our brains that are designed specifically to facilitate emotional bonding…the more sex you have; the more connected you become to your partner and/or the act of sex itself; the less rational and more emotional you becomeanatomically,” Scribd. Once being sexually involved with someone, most would want to remain with that individual because of the comfort and trust that is shared between the two of them. The act of having sex before marriage is not healthy and you can become depressed after a break-up with someone that you have been intimate with. Waiting until marriage will only improve your health and help you avoid symptoms of depression that can occur from the attachment to previous sex partners. Without even mentioning sex before marriage, STDs are one of the first things that come to mind. The idea of STDs is more frightening than a scary movie. According to the website Avert, Michigan is the number 8 reported state for Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia has been rising at an almost constant rate since 1984. On top of that, out of both men and women who have been screened for Chlamydia, women were infected almost three times more than the men were. Even for a risk taker, STDs are nothing to gamble with. When dating someone tell him or her you want to wait to have sex. If they care about you, they will wait for you and this can help you have a clear mind to determine your true feelings for them. If you have already been sexually active, you can choose to stop having sex and remain abstinent until marriage. It is all about having the right mindset. Sex was created for the purpose of reproducing, which should occur after marriage. So wait for the right person when there will be no regrets.

As Long as You Use Protection, You do not Have to Save Yourself for Marriage

DeChelle Jones Editor-in-Chief

Waiting to have sex until you are married is just a little bit overrated. A lot of people would probably think that having sex after you get married would be the right thing to do. Well, I think you should not have to wait until you are married as long as you use protection. “No, you should not wait to have sex until you are married. These are new times, change is inevitable,” said senior Maurice Sanders. There is nothing that says you cannot have sex until you are married, so why should you have to wait? Either way you end up having sex at some point. There are a couple of downfalls to saving yourself for marriage such as, what if you get married to a person and decide that you do not want to be with that person anymore? That would mean that you saved yourself for a person who you did not end up staying with. That is like going to the store and buying something that you decide you do not want. In past generations, people would save themselves until they got married, but we are in a whole different era now. In this era, nearly 80 percent of teen mothers are on public assistance and are on welfare longer than women who delay childbirth, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette reporter Julie Mack, but that could be cut down if people just used protection. Yes, there are times when accidents happen and people accidentally get pregnant, but that does not mean that sex before marriage is wrong, because

it’s not! But come on let’s face it; if everybody in the world would have “saved themselves for marriage,” then half of us would not even be here. My parents were not married when they had me, so that means that if they would have waited until marriage, I might not have been born. Think about this, were your parents married when they had you? If the answer is no, then you are a subject of sex before marriage and honestly it is not that bad living, huh? I’m not saying that everybody should just go out and have sex with whoever they want because there are limits, but you should still be cautious due to the fact that there are still diseases. Marriage, that’s a big word and a huge commitment when you just look upon it. The question is what about marriage? Or better yet, are you truly ready for marriage? Some people are not ready to settle down until later on in their life, so if they want to have kids they would not have them until they are approximately between 35 and 40 years old and by then they will be too old to have kids. Having kids at an older age presents some risks. According to WebMD, women over the age of 35 are more likely to have stillborn babies and babies with a low birth-weight. Then we have a group of people that just do not want to get married at all, so that would mean that if they stuck to the “save yourself until marriage” statement, they would be a virgin for the rest of their lives. Come on now, who would want that? Not only is the word marriage a scary thing, but the term “till death do us part” could be a little bit scarier. There could be a rush of questions that would come to one’s mind such as, am I sure that I want to be with this person for the rest of my life?

Rick Snyder’s Budget Plan Reinvents Michigan

Robby Cox Staff Writer Rick Snyder, the governor of Michigan, has recently proposed a budget to cut spending in Michigan. This proposal is controversial in many areas, as it cuts pensions from senior citizens and funding in education. This may seem like a bad thing, but with a deficit of over eight billion dollars, something has to be done. Michigan ranks fairly low on the MiDashboard, which was implemented as a part of Snyder’s plan to help the citizens of Michigan track his progress. Snyder hopes to

change the economic crisis with his new budget. Through research on this topic I have found that Michigan is one of three states that does not tax senior pensions, so why is this a big issue if the other 94 percent of states do it? Michigan’s senior population looks to increase from 12.8 percent to 19.5 percent over the next 20 years according to the U.S. census bureau. This does not bode well for Michigan, as the seniors who are retired do not pay taxes on their pensions under the current system. Seniors may be up in arms, but seniors rarely see cuts towards their section of the budget because politicians do not want to lose their support in the polls. Funding for education is another major issue that has caused debate within schools. Cuts are going to be made in many areas in the

Emily Meinema

Junior “I think that it should be illegal because when you talk on the phone you’re taking away from the attention you need to drive.”

K-12 and university setting. Many people are unhappy with this change, as schools are not known for their vast wealth. Snyder wants to change the way the government gives money to schools as well. He has made a large cut on the per-student amount of money granted and is going to focus on giving incentives to schools instead. He hopes that this, as well as the privatization of many services, will keep the schools afloat, as well as cut down on the budget crisis. Another alarming statistic is that Michigan is ranked fourth as the state with the highest unemployment rate according to the U.S. Department of labor. Snyder hopes to correct this by taking out the complex Michigan business tax, which adds complexity to the system as well as an unfair advantage to some

Domanic verburg

Senior “No, because it’s dumb. If you need to talk to them because you need them, then you need to talk to them.”

businesses, with a flat six percent tax. This will allow businesses to know exactly what they are going to be taxed and prepare for that. Snyder was elected on the premise that he would change the budget, yet when he stays true to his word he gets bashed. He has stood by his plan, even through the criticism of the Republicans and Democrats. In the face of all this opposition he stands strong, which proves he believes this will make a positive impact on Michigan’s economy. Things need to be done in this state, and by actually researching the topic many will find their arguments against his plan are just facts distributed that are not really relevant, but used as tools to spread hysteria. His plan will help reinvent Michigan, and with the support of the people, it will turn Michigan around and resurrect it as a strong economic state.

timothy phillips

Senior “No, because it isn’t a distraction.”

APRIL 2011

PROPS R

Prom Get your dresses and your tuxes It’s time to look like three hundred bucks.

than One More R Less Trimester Left The school year is almost over. YAY!

Basketball Team

Snow Gone

Spring

What a great season.

It’s time to bring out the shorts and flip flops.

Flowers, warm weather, clear blue sky.

New Classes

Successful Blood Drive

New classes with a new start.

83 pints of blood were donated. What a success!

Spring Sports Track, Soccer, Lacrosse, Tennis, Baseball, and Softball.

STOPS Q

Gas Prices

Allergies

Attendence Prodedure

Dang, lower the prices. Geesh.

ACHOOO ACHOO!!

Cut us some slack.

Raising Standards on Tests It’s hard for us to get a good grade in the class now.

PDA (Public Display of Affection) Get a room.

Skipping Go to class. You’re not learning anything in the hallways.

Failing Classes

Accidents Due to Talking on the Phone While Driving

Get those grades up and get those credits.

WATCH THE ROAD!

Fatia parker

Sophomore “No, because if you can smoke while driving, you should be able to talk while driving.”

Top 10 Unusual Food Combinations For Loy Norrix Veronica Hughes Feature Editor

Students at Loy Norrix are all unique and express who they are in many different ways. We eat what we think tastes good. Students here at Loy Norrix enjoy weird and unusual food combinations. Knight Life stopped a few random people in the K Wing and asked them to try some of these wacky combinations. Here are the responses to the top 10 most unusual food combinations rated by Loy Norrix students.

1. 2.

Hot Cheetos and Frosting

Syrup and Breakfast Foods

Raman Noodles, Cheese, and Hot Sauce

9. 10.

Corrina Hinton’s-

Stephone Haden’s-

Briana Pfeil-

“Sexy, tall, clean, fresh hair cut; Trey Songz look- a-like.”

“Tall, caramel skin and slim; Halle Berry look-a-like.”

“All day”

Hot Cheetos and Cream Cheese

Pull Up In

Pickles and Kool-Aid

“It’s iight, it taste spicy and then sweet.” -Alan Johnson

Spaghetti and Barbeque

Popcorn, Sugar and Chocolate

Shaqualia Carter-

Pop in Cereal

“I love it! It’s the best.” -Sa-Niqua Langford

Caleb Caton-

Prom 2011 Ginger Neal and Madison Luckett Staff Writer and Opinion Editor

“30 minutes”

After Prom Plans Lashala Buchanan-

Get your Prom Dress from... Squid, Hot Sauce, Macaroni and Cheese “Limousine”

“Not very good, but it’s not bad. They’re weird, but it’s all right.” -Robert Bradford

Getting Ready

“It was more than good, that is the best!!” -RayKisha Vaughn

“It was Tangy. I liked it” -Cody Gall, junior

3. 4.

French Fries and Ice Cream

Dream Date

“I’ve had better.” -Jason Wagner

“Oh my God, this is good.” -Leslie Akoma

Randy Burgen-

• • • •

Memories Bridal David’s Bridal JC Penny Deb

“Going to a Hotel” Timothy Phillips-

Get your Tuxedo from... • • • •

Top 10 Best Throwbacks at Norrix

“Antique White Limousine”

10. 9. 8. 7.

TLC“No Scrubs”

At Norrix we go through changes of music and sometimes we forget about the old music we used to ‘wang’ out to. Here is a list of songs that Norrix students voted on for the best throwbacks:

♫

♪ ♫

Ciara“Goodies”

Usher“Yeah”

Missy Elliot“Music Makes You Lose Control”

Genuwine“Pony”

Look-a-likes Senior- Marvin Strong “Trey Songs”

Chingy“Right Thurr”

Usher-Let It Burn

♫

Annie Ruffe Staff Writer

What if you were stranded on an island for three days with no phone? What would you do? “I’d be happy. It would be like a vacation for me.” –Officer Frank Williams

It is the one place you can hide things from your parents, keep sports equipment, store clothes and use as a junk pile: your car trunk. Students at Loy Norrix are famous for their cars, but most people do not know what junk is in the trunk.

Brandon Arcand, Senior

What if…? Jazmine Houston Opinion Editor

“I would get a big stick and write SOS in the sand.” –Trenton Beamon, sophomore

What if you were blind? “I would feel like I’m missing out on life.”- Brittani Williams, senior “I would feel lost because I wouldn’t know what to do.”- Tyler Johnson, sophomore

What if the world ended today? What would you do? “I would tell the people I love that I really love them.” –Erika Nuzzo, senior “I would go bungee jumping.” – Shawan Seaberry, junior

ANNIE RUFFE / KNIGHT LIFE

Most used for: Storage Interesting item: Quesadilla maker. “I’m a hungry girl.” Spidey Mask? “You never know when you need a new identity.” Most loved item: “The Box” Quote: “I like to keep miscellaneous objects in my trunk, you never know what you’ll end up needing.”

ANNIE RUFFE / KNIGHT LIFE

Mathilde Moyet, Senior

Senior- Desmond Garland “Usher Raymond”

♪

What’s in Your Trunk? Most used for: Hiding things from parents Favorite item: “Stuey’s gloves” Most random item: Shoes that were found at Crane Park Item with the most history: Bongo Drum Quote: “My trunk is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to find.”

Many Seniors dream of what they would love to look like for prom. These four seniors want to look like their favorite stars for their fun-filled prom.

♫

SA-NIQUA LANGFORD / KNIGHT LIFE

Bri Pfeil, Senior

Senior- Tatavana Foster “Tweet”

Lil Bow Wow“Take You Home”

Destiny Child“Bills, Bills, Bills”

“Going to Party”

Old Burdicks Carrabbas Applebee’s Hibachi Sushi Bar Zazio’s Epic Bistro Websters Bravo’s TGI Fridays

Senior- Tracy Bennett “Julia Styles”

♪

50 Cent“I Get Money”

Places to go Eat.. • • • • • • • • •

Sa-Niqua Langford Staff Writer

Mens Warehouse Libins Memories Bridal JC Penny

Most used for: Storage Favorite item: Coconut Bra. What do you use most from your trunk? “Definitely my blanket.” Why do you have a coconut bra? “What can I say? Hackett parties get wild.” Item with the most history: My old headlight. “It brings back memories…a deer hit that headlight.” Quote: “I got a lot of junk in my trunk.”

What if you had a million dollars? What would you spend it on? “I would buy a million pair of all white Air Forces and donate one pair to charity.”Tony Boykins, junior “I would give some to charity and then take my mom somewhere.” – Travis Greer, junior

What if you had super powers? What would they be?

What if there were no parents in Kalamazoo? What would you do?

What if you had fairly odd parents? What would you wish for?

“I would move somewhere else.”- Beatrice Powers, sophomore

“I would wish to be rich.” – Nicholas Zaczek, freshman

“I would have a party, and it would be awesome.” – Kaila Larkins, junior

“I would wish for unlimited food for me and only me.” –Noelle Scott, sophomore JAZMINE HOUSTON / KNIGHT LIFE

Alexis Word, Sophomore

“They would be reading people’s minds.”Corina Leppen, freshman “They would be to fly and have super strength and have lighting fast speed.” – Torry Lavender, senior

5 on

A&E

APRIL 2011

Marta Grabowski Staff Writer

Who would play you in a movie?

Andy Santamaria 9th grader

Mikayla Brown 11th grader

Andy Samberg Myself

Angry Birds Lame is__________________.

Nick Moored 11th grader

Jacob Namenye 12th grader

Tyler Caton 10th grader

Gandalf the Grey

Adam Sandler

Daniel Tosh

Strange game

DUH BESTEST

Over rated Overrated

Addicting

Place you MUST see before you die.

Tokyo

Bahamas

The Redwood Forest

Budapest, Hungary

Spain

Worst Fashion Fad

Flip flops and socks

Short leggings with boots

Guys wearing skinny jeans

Osiris’

Worst TV show

Walker Texas Ranger

Jersey Shore

Neon skinny jeans, rosary, etc… Jersey Shore

Skins

Fairly Odd Parents

Story Time with Tae By Jevonte’ Hughes Layout Editor Love. It’s a word that most of us use loosely. We just throw it around freely as if it has no meaning. It’s like Cupid just goes around and shoots everyone but love is a sacred form of flattery, extreme feelings and acceptance. There is always that one girl or guy that you think you love, but how do you know it is true love? How do you know when you’re in love? There was this girl, Arial, who was always around because she was my cousin’s best friend. My cousin was like my sister, my partner in crime, the Bonnie to my Clyde. She was always with me or at my house and Arial always followed. I always liked Arial but I could never tell her. For about four years I had the biggest crush on her but didn’t think the feelings were mutual. She was about a year younger than me, so my freshman year in high school my feelings kind of died out. The following year I saw her at lunch one day, and I walked over to talk to her. It was a friendly conversation, all laughs and catching up. We started to see each other more often because of school and chilling with my cousin. We were really good friends for a long time and would hang out in the summer sometimes when I didn’t have stuff to do. I tried to make my feelings for her obvious. My cousin and I would talk about how bad I wanted to be with Arial and how we would be cute together. For a while this girl had me sprung, and I wasn’t even with her. I liked everything about her; she was fun to be with, she laughed at my jokes, and was so cute. My junior year in high school we really connected, and I tried so hard to show her that I wanted her, but I guess she couldn’t see it. We flirted, smiled and giggled but nothing happened. Finally I just gave up and stopped flirting as much and tried to flirt with her best friend at the time, Brittney. That was a bad move because deep down inside, she was into me, but didn’t want to tell me, so she got mad. Arial’s friend was cute but nothing compared to her. Arial had a glow to her and always put a smile on my face. Brittney and I talked for about a week when I realized I still wanted Arial. Junior year ended and the summer started. I barely saw Arial at the start of the summer, but I always saw Brittney because she lived in the neighborhood where I hung out.

Video Games Bring Entertainment Omar Al-Jayyousi Asst. Sports Editor

GWEN DE YOUNG / KNIGHT LIFE

One day I went to go talk to Arial’s friend, and she told me something that lit up my face. She told me that Arial was feeling me and that she wanted me to come over. I said “What! You’re lying. No!” It was so hard to believe, almost like a dream come true. I’ve liked this girl for three years by then, and I was ﬁnally getting a chance to be with her. I told Brittney to text her and tell her that I was on my way to her house. I walked to her house and knocked on the door. She came out smiling with her friend Dondrail, who we called Drail. I had known Drail for a couple years; I hooped with him at the Boys & Girls Club and we were good friends. Arial, Drail, and I walked around the neighborhood the rest of that day talking about how Arial and I liked each other and how we should be together. I went to her house the next day and Drail was there again. Arial, Drail, and I walked around the neighborhood again, and Drail suggested that we should go out. Arial said, “I already have been telling people we are. Am I lying?” I responded “No,” with a big grin on my face. At that time I had a girlfriend, but I wanted Arial so bad that I didn’t care. The next day my girlfriend called me and I told her it was over. She told me she hated me and not to ever talk to her again, but I had no worries because I was stuck on Arial. For the rest of the summer I saw Arial almost every day. I got in good with her family and she got good with mine. We had an amazing end of the summer together, when something bad happened at the beginning of the school year. Arial moved to L.A. We were so far apart and I was so unhappy. We begged and pleaded to her mom to bring her back, but her mom wasn’t having it. About a month later her mom gave in and said that she could move with her dad who lived 30 minutes away from me. It

wasn’t the same, but it was the next best thing. For winter break she was sent over to visit and she was living with her friend Diana just for the break. I was so happy but so nervous. I hadn’t seen her in two months, and she was coming back like a dream come true. She was texting me the whole ride back to town. I missed her so much, and I couldn’t wait to see her. She arrived at the bus station and called me when she got to her friend Diana’s house. When I went over to Diana’s house to go see her, she was hiding in the bathroom, too shy to see me. I sat in Diana’s room waiting, scared to see her. She finally came out of the bathroom and there I was waiting on the bed looking in amazement. Arial came to sit next to me, and there was an awkward silence. I made the first move and kissed her. It felt so good kissing her again. I hadn’t seen her in so long, and now I could finally be next to her again. All of my feelings came back to life, and I felt complete again.

When you ask someone what games they play, they usually respond with “Halo” or “Call of Duty”. If you compare these games to the classic games such as “Super Mario Bros”, “Tetris”, or even “Pong”, you can see how much video games have changed from the game play all the way to the graphics. How far can technology go? In today’s world it is hard to imagine not having digital entertainment in our homes, but it took time for games to come this far. Gaming gave people a new definition of fun. “I like the adventure in it, things you want to experience in real life” said senior Collin Martin. “I like playing sports and action games but classic games are always fun to play.” said senior Tyler Horton. Think back to the first wildly popular home console system, the Atari, that played the game “Space Invaders”, which became a best seller and is much different than the games today. Over time games also started to be categorized in certain genres themselves and have evolved and changed over the years. Graphics also contribute to the very competitive game world we have today. It does not matter if you play games or not, you can tell the difference in playing tennis on the Atari and playing on one of the new generation consoles, such as Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or Wii. “I enjoy playing games that look realistic.” said senior Tyler Horton. Graphics are a huge part to many gamers, but some still enjoy that classic game feel. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are the three leading companies for producing video games. Every year they attempt to make the best games and accessories to achieve the goal of being the best. From the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to the most recent Wii, Nintendo has made great progress since the 1980’s. Nintendo made a drastic change in the gaming world when they developed the Nintendo 64, which

JARED ECKLEY / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

was called this because of its 64-bit processor. This console brought us into the world of 3-D gaming. Some of the best game titles came out on this console, such as “Legend of Zelda”. It sold well over 33 million games. Their release of Pokemon also became a hit. The Nintendo Game Cube was another success but got overlooked since it was released at the same time as the Playstation 2 and Microsoft’s Xbox. Nintendo got a lot of props for creating the Wii, taking gaming to a whole different level with motion sensing. Sony made a great decision for creating the Playstaion. After the release of the Playstation, Sony took a big step into the gaming world. Sony has had great success and managed to get hundreds of developers to license games for their console, including the hit game Crash Bandicoot. Sony followed with the Playstation 2 and Playstation 3. Bill Gates releasing the Xbox was a big risk, but he obviously got the last laugh. The Xbox did not sell as much as Sony’s Playstation 2, but it lead Microsoft to the popular Xbox 360, a console that some people think is the best so far and has recently come out with the Kinect which brings games to life without the use of controllers. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft gave us a new form of entertainment, but depending on the type of person you are, any of these could be considered the best.

feature

April 2011

It Can Happen to Anyone “Why me?” is the first thought that comes up in the mind of an abuse victim

CRISTINA BRYANT / KNIGHT LIFE

Madison Luckett Opinion Editor Abuse is defined as being mistreated or treated badly. There are four different forms of abuse: sexual, physical, verbal and emotional. According to National Child Abuse Statistics, over three million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States.

Often, those who abuse others are normally unhappy with their own life. Statistics say that parents who beat and neglect their children were likely once victims themselves; meaning they may have been physically, sexually or verbally abused by another. With the chain reaction of those parents beating their

children, about 30 percent of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse. Abused children are also 25 percent more likely to experience teen pregnancy, and are three times less likely to practice safe sex, increasing the rate of STDs spreading. What parents do not understand is that physically, sexually or verbally abusing their child will only make both the parents’, and the child’s, lives harder. Even though the parent may feel better after releasing their anger on the child, they are unaware of the thoughts or feelings running through the child’s mind. Abuse can, and most likely will, stick with a person as a burden. The fear of it happening again can come up everyday, causing emotional stress to the victim. With these burdens eating at them, the stress and pain can cause the child to become angry, violent, and even suicidal. The worst situation you can put yourself in, is to tease someone or play around about abuse, not knowing the victim was once abused because abuse could easily be covered with a smile or a jacket. Many people do not realize that abuse can happen to anyone; the person walking next to you in the hall, sitting across from you in class, or even your best friend. So next time you see someone with a black eye or crying, do not laugh at them because you never know how it happened. A way to help these victims is to always say positive things and help them feel better and comfortable at Loy Norrix.

ANONYMOUS STUDENTS ANONYMOUS FRESHMAN

ANONYMOUS SENIOR

When I was sixteen, I have been dating I was abused and raped by this guy for over a year now. It my uncle. I kept it a secret used to be perfect, we would as it happened two times. have fun and I would smile I always had bruises on my anytime I saw him or talked body and low self-esteem. I to him. But it is not like that often cried and I hated men anymore. A few months ago, for the rest of the year. My his ex-girlfriend told him I was uncle always touched me cheating on him. We worked it out, but now when he kisses me and hung out with me more he wipes his lips and make little than anyone, but because he was family, I did not want to jokes like “I forgot you have tell. He promised he would whore lips” or “OMG, I hope I never do it again. But I finally don’t catch herpes.” It really told because I did not want hurts to hear that he thinks him touching my little sister. of me that way. I did not even cheat on him, and when I try to My mom put him out of the sit down and talk to him about house and said he was never allowed back in. The rest of my feelings, he tells me to go my family hated me because exercise because the more I I told on him. My uncle is talk, the fatter I look. I do not now in prison, in Chicago, want to leave him because I love him. I just want the old him and was sentenced to twelve years. to come back.

ANONYMOUS SOPHOMORE ANONYMOUS SENIOR About two years ago I decided I liked boys. I told my friends because I thought they should know, but now I regret ever telling them. I thought they would understand and be cool with it. I figured they just would not change clothes in front of me anymore. Instead, they teased me and called me names like Fag-Bag, Booty Doer and Wood Lover. I used to ignore the names and tried to keep our friendship, but they would bother me about it every day. I am not friends with them anymore, but my decision still eats away at me.

I was like ten when my dad left my mom, and ever since then she has been abusive. She would throw things at me, but she would beat me sometimes and just yell how I would never be anything and be lucky to graduate or to ever step foot in a university. I remember her telling me I will be just like my father, worthless. Sometimes I wish I could change my face so I would not remind her of my dad every day. I think that is why she hates me. I hope one day she loves me and will attend my graduation.

Under Pressure: Unhealthy Ways of Dealing With Pain Brian Griffin Staff Writer “I lower the blade to the pale skin on the inside of my arm, and using a sharp corner of the blade, I quickly make a two-inch slash. I know not to go too deep. And when I’m in control, like now, I can do it just right. And just like that, I’m done. I hardly feel the pain of the cut at all. It’s like it doesn’t even hurt,” said Ruth Wallace, a fictional character from the teen novel “Blade Silver,” written by Melody Carlson. Cutting or intentionally slashing parts of the body and selfmutilation are what two to three million Americans practice to cope with stress, depression or pain they feel is too difficult to bear in life. Other methods of self-harm could be burning oneself, ripping one’s hair out or even stopping a wound from healing by excessive picking. According to Essortment, a website that covers information in a variety of topics, “self-injury is not something people talk about very often, but for an estimated two to three million Americans it’s

a serious problem.” There are over two million reported cases of self-abuse among teenage girls and more unreported cases. There are also 11,000 cases among teenage boys. That is just in the United States. There are many different reasons people cut themselves. Some cut to gain social popularity, to cope with a serious problem, or to feel something and recreate pain from a past experience. No matter what the reason is, cutting can happen and the victim feels that no one cares about them or tries to help them through their problems. “Sometimes cutting is to cope with pain. Like if someone has no friends or gets bullied a lot, and no one’s there to help them, it would really create a feeling of hopelessness,” said a Loy Norrix junior. Cutting has been associated with being Emo or overly emotional. Some stereotypes for being Emo include wearing tight clothes, crying excessively, cutting or thinking about suicide, listening to angst filled music or being really skinny. Those are just some stereotypes for boys who are Emo;

and throwing herself down because you don’t want to for girls it’s a different story. Some stairs on several occasions. conform to their views. of those include being a little Some cutters and self “Why should we care overweight, wearing baggy pants, abusers go through so much about other peoples feelings and regularly dying their hair. torment in school, at home when they don’t care about “When you cut yourself or in public. They hide us and judge us by the way you get a label,” said a Loy what they do to themselves we dress and the music we Norrix junior who wants to stay to preserve the secrecy. listen to. We get pushed to anonymous. This student has Would you care for someone the limit and don’t know personal experience with cutting, who constantly physically, what else to do,” said the and while they don’t cut anymore verbally, and mentally abused anonymous Norrix junior. they still bear the scars and you? Perhaps they abuse you memories. “The reason I cut myself was because my If you know someone who self injures: cousin tried to get me to - You should not chastise them or start yelling at them, accept the behavior, or give them an go to jail and just doing a ultimatum. lot of stuff to ruin my life. - You should show them you are there to help, try to find the root of their problem. I haven’t heard from them since, and all of a sudden Steps to getting help: they texted me, ‘I love you.’ - Find someone who you are comfortable talking to about sensitive topics or someone you can go to for support. That sort of thing would - Hide things you can hurt yourself with. mess with your mind and - Create a support group heart,” said the anonymous - Call someone when you feel the urge to cut or go visit them. junior. Several celebrities Help is all around and if you are considering getting help have also admitted to you should call, email, or visit: self-abuse like Disney Gryphon Place: Kalamazoo Channel star Demi Lovato, Phone - (269) 381-1510 actresses Angelina Jolie, HELP-Line: Dial 2-1-1 or 269-381- HELP (4357) Megan Fox, and Christina Ricci and musicians Amy Jen Emmerich, ACSW; LMSW: Kalamazoo Whinehouse and Courtney Phone - (269) 544-2460 Love. The late Princess E-mail: jenemmerich@sbc.global.net Diana admitted to cutting BRIDGE CARDS from page 1 from their parents and phone call because do not work, also receive she was in class, two hundred a month on her case worker their bridge card. Getting would not return money from home and not her phone calls and reporting it as income is her application was considered fraud, making originally denied. Then Giannaris had to Giannaris’ roommates sit in the Department fraudulent. Lawmakers are trying of Human Services office for three hours to prevent wasting millions of tax payers’ dollars by so that she could stopping the lying on apply in person applications to get a Bridge instead of online. She believes that her Card. Some critics say that if the student can’t afford application process to pay for food in college was difficult. then do not go to college. Lawmakers Some say that students are seeking for legislation to change will use the money on the bridge card to buy things the eligibility as a other than food. They say response to abusive that students buy pop, students and fraud. dump it and get cash back Giannaris says she does see people abuse to buy cigarettes, alcohol, the system on a daily or gamble. Although some basis. Her roommates, students depend on the who receive money

money put on their Bridge Card each month, legislators and officials believe that too many college students are abusing the program. The change will take effect in April, causing many students to find money for school, food, housing, and the many other expenses that come along with college. College Expenses Tuition Books Computer Program Fees Supplies Housing Food Laundry Phone Entertainment Parking/Transportation Clothing Entertainment

APRIL 2011

Twitter: The Internet Disease Infecting Loy Norrix Brittaney Tyson A&E Editor

For a while Loy Norrix students have been switching back and forth from Myspace to Facebook because of the popularity of both social networks. Now the two networks are losing popularity as Norrix students switch over to a new site called Twitter. Twitter is a social network that allows all users to post updates, answering a specific question, “What are you doing?” This is considered a “Tweet” which is limited to 140 characters and can be posted in different ways, such as on the web, as a text message or even an instant message. However, many people do not just answer the question but instead write random things such as what they are eating or their favorite quote. The founders Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams launched Twitter in March of 2006. It was first used for businesses where they would have meetings and conversations through their tweets. Soon the site turned into a public social

network where anyone could join. Celebrities from the A-list to the D-list have now joined Twitter and realized how addictive tweeting can be. Norrix students are also experiencing these addictive qualities. Almost every day you might find a new Norrix student who has an account on Twitter. Senior Analesa Olvera is one of the students at Norrix who is considered a “Tweetaholic,” which is a person who is addicted to Twitter. Olvera joined Twitter three years ago after she saw someone using it on a TV show. “I was watching ‘Making the Band’ and I saw them doing it, so I said, ‘What’s Twitter?’ then made an account,” said Olvera. Olvera tweets about things that pop into her mind or whatever she is feeling at the moment. In 2009, Olvera made a goal for herself to reach her one-thousandth tweet before the year 2010. Now Olvera has up to 11 thousand tweets. “It depends on what I’m doing. I can tweet five [times] or once or not at

TOM STANKEWICZ / KNIGHT LIFE

Senior Analesa Olvera loves to tweet whenever she gets a chance. On average Olvera tweets about 20-30 times a day.

Feature

all, but usually I tweet a lot,” said Olvera. Other than Olvera, senior Tatavana Foster is also addicted to Twitter. Foster joined Twitter this year and is already considered a Tweetaholic. “Some of my friends kept telling me to make an account because it was better than Facebook,” said Foster. Foster also tweets about anything that comes to mind. “I don’t keep count, but I know it’s kind of a lot a day,” said Foster, regarding the number of times she tweets daily. If a Tweeter tweets a lot, they end up in a situation called “Twitter Jail.” You can be sent to Twitter Jail by tweeting 100 tweets per hour and 1000 per day. Twitter Jail prevents you from posting a tweet for a specific period of time. This can range from a half an hour to a few hours. Both Olvera and Foster have not been in Twitter Jail, but Foster has attempted to see if she could “get arrested.” “I never got close to Twitter Jail. I tried to go, but I get tired of tweeting,” said Foster. Twitter has become so popular that there is even an individual Twitter in Japan called Twicco.jp. This site is only available in Japan, and instead of following individual users, you follow a group. The Twitter experience is different and at first posting status after status may seem very boring, but as you continue to post, the twitter disease can overcome you.

HALEY PFEIL/ KNIGHTLIFE

Red Wings coach, Mike Babcock, answers questions from students. Babcock allowed students to interview him to gain hands-on experience.

Student Journalists Spend Day with Red Wings Haley Pfeil Sports Editor

Children dream of becoming princesses and super heroes when they are little then they get a little older and want to be sports starts or president. Once they get to high school, their dreams become more realistic and they begin to think of becoming doctors, lawyers, engineers, or reporters. Imagine what you could gain by getting a glimpse into your future job. Most students never get this opportunity, but the Detroit Red Wings gave students who are interested in sports journalism the chance to experience their future career. During the High School Student Journalist Day students from several Michigan high schools were invited to mock press conferences with Jennifer Hammond, a Fox 2 sports reporter, Bill Roose, of DetroitRedWings.com, Kevin Allen, a USA Today reporter, and Ken Kal the Red Wings play-by-play announcer. All of this occurred in just the first hour of the event. The atmosphere was very much like that of a real press conference. The students were extremely serious and started asking questions almost immediately. The event was a wake up call about what a real job in sports journalism would be like. Sports journalists work from early in the morning to late at night on game days. However, working long days can feel short if one enjoys what they do and they are truly passionate about it. Online journalism

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is becoming much more popular, and Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism found that 46 percent of Americans get their news online. The change has been happening because of new technology and everyone has to adapt, including reporters. Despite this change, reporters must still be accurate in their information. With online journalism there is more pressure to get the story first, but being first is useless if the information is incorrect. When inspiration comes into play, writing good stories and doing the best job possible becomes easier. Hammond, Roose, Allen, and Kal were inspired when they were younger to do what they do now. For Hammond, it started in eighth grade when she saw Phyllis George reporting on sports. “To be working with the Red Wings is a dream come true,” said Allen. Inspiration can make writing easier and criticism can change a writer’s mind set. Criticism sometimes has to be dealt with, just like in many other careers. When reporters publish a story, not everyone is going to agree with it. “Most of the criticism is self-inflicted. Everyone makes mistakes and you move on,” said Hammond. Before this conference, some people may have believed that sports journalists focused on certain aspects of the game; however, this is not always true. Allen focuses on many different angles and he usually writes the first draft of his story before the game is over. Doing research and knowing as much as

possible about the teams is a key factor to writing a good sports story. “A good story is the best story to cover,” said Hammond. After interviewing media representatives, the students were invited to watch the Red Wings practice. Watching the Red Wings practice gave students the opportunity to think of questions to ask the coaching staff and players later in the day, just like sports reporters on game days. Interviewing Head Coach Mike Babcock, General Manager Ken Holland, and three Red Wings players was an amazing real life experience. The press conference was also a great experience because it revealed what sports reporters do everyday. Integrity leads to trust, and when reporters are trusted they are more likely to get answers. “If you don’t trust the reporter, you talk about what you want to talk about,” said Coach Babcock. This is a great piece of advice for anyone interested in professional journalism. A future in sports journalism probably is not going to happen for every student who attended the event, but it will make them better prepared for whatever they decide to do. For those who do become sports reporters, they will have had real life experience that most other students pursuing a career in the same field did not have. “Get experience necessary for the job. Take classes for what you want to do. You have to set yourself apart,” said Christy Hammond, the Public Relations Coordinator for the Red Wings.

Feature

Athletes in the Spotlight Nikki Hegler Photo Assistant

Senior Abbi Schreck

NIKKI HEGLER/ KNIGHT LIFE

S O F T B A L L

Q: How long have you played this sport? A: I have played softball for seven years. Q: What made you play this sport? A: To be honest, my dad told me he would give me ten bucks if i tried out for little league softball.

Q: Does anyone else in your family play your sport? of my parents played on a co-ed A: Both team and my aunts and uncles play. Q: Do you still have that passion for your sport? Yes I do. I always want to win, it is a competitive sport.

Q: What do you think of this sport? fun way to shine as an individual and yet A: Itbeisaapart of a team.

Senior Caleb Caton

DECHELLE JONES/ KNIGHT LIFE

B A S E B A L L

Q: A: Q: A:

How long have you played this sport? I have played baseball for 13 years.

The Kalamazoo United Women’s Lacrosse team is starting fresh this year as an official Michigan High School Athletics Association team with five new players, a new coach, and a new field. Kalamazoo United is a joint lacrosse team with players from both Kalamazoo Central High School and Loy Norrix High School. Kalamazoo Central graduate Marilyn Holewinski established the team in 2007, as a freshman, with the help of her mother, Mary Beth. In the team’s first season, it barely had enough players to field a team of twelve and finished the season with no wins.

see LACROSSE page 12

Gwen De Young Business Manager Have you ever heard someone say, “Norrix sports have always been bad.” Well, taking a look back through the decades, sports at Norrix have not always been terrible. A wide range of great teams have repersented Norrix over the years, not just one team in one sport.

70’s

Varsity Football, Coach Greg McCammon

1972: The varsity football team finished the season 1-8 overall, but the season itself was more important for the Norrix football program. In 1972 the football stadium was given its name, Griffith Stadium, which was dedicated to former principal Elwood Griffith. The field also got the addition of the press box and new grass was put in. Senior Jim Leibrandt, quarterback for the Knights was awarded All Conference honors. Leibrandt also passed for more than 200 yards in a game against Niles High School, a Norrix record at the time. Middle Linebacker for the Knights Rich Sthal, played almost all the season injured, yet was on the Greater Kalamazoo All Stars and Big 6 Conference teams. Both Sthal and Leibrandt were cocaptains on the team.

80’s

Varsity Hockey, Coach Mark Evans

did when they where in high school.

Q: Do you still have that passion for your sport? A: Yes, I will play in college one day and hopefully

move on and be around the game in some way.

Q: What do you think of this sport? A: I love it, it is scientifically proven to be the hardest sport to play and be successful at and there just is not anything like it.

Q: A: Q: A:

How long have you played this sport? I started in fitfth grade. What made you play this sport? Just the fact that I’d get to meet more new people and that I’d live a helathy life style.

Q: Does anyone else in your family play your sport? A: No, just me. Q: Do you still have that passion for your sport? I think it’s a fun sport, it really makes you see

A: the real competion that is out there and shows you that track is a lot more than just running.

Q: What do you think of this sport? A: You have to be really dedicated because if

you are not it is hard to be a part of the team because running is about dedication.

SCORE!: KU Women’s Lacrosse Becomes Official Melinda Wielinga Staff Writer

A Look Back at Loy Norrix Sports Throughout the Decades

Q: Does anyone else in your family play your sport? A: My family used to. My dad, uncle and grandpa

SUSAN GAUNT/ GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER

In the team’s second year, Kalamazoo United’s number of players almost doubled and a new coach, Kim Kerekes, was introduced. Kalamazoo United maintained a record of one win for their second, third, and fourth seasons. This season will mark Kalamazoo United’s fifth year as a team and many changes are being made, including the addition of a new coach, Josh Plaggemars, a former defenseman for Holland High School with thirteen years of lacrosse experience. With a new coach comes new expetations. “Everyone has a betteer attitude. There are higher standards now that there

What made you play this sport? For something to do, and my parents signed me up.

Sophomore Jade Hubbard T R A C K

APRIL 2011

AVA GAINES / KNIGHT LIFE

Loy Norrix sophomore Zinziey Ndlovu brushes up on her defensive skills in preparation for the Super Saturday Tourament. Their first opponent for that day is Dewitt.

Hockey team listens to the coach to start off the season.

1981 and 1982: The varsity hockey team was class A champs and finished the season 11-2-4. The next season the team also won the Class A Champs title and finished the season 9-6-1 with two big wins over Comstock and a 4-2 win over rival Kalamazoo Central. In the 1982 season, junior Mark Roof, goalie for the Knights, had 28 saves in a 4-3 win over Hackett and was honored as a Greater Kalamazoo Prep Star of the Week.

90’s

Varsity Baseball, Coach George Green

1991: The Norrix baseball team started off slow in the 91 season and only finished 8-18 but hit a stride in the district play. The team won 11-6 against Benton Harbor, a 9-1 win against cross town rivals Kalamazoo Central, but a 9-1 loss to Portage Northern ended the Knights season and their terrific playoff run. The Knights starting line-up was very rich in veteran players. Senior catcher, Jason Leonard and third basemen Scott Wetherbee hit over .350 average. The rest of the Knights infield was all seniors.

Womens Varsity Tennis, Coach Alollard 1991: In the fall of 1991the Loy Norrix women’s tennis team were state champs. They were undefeated in dual meets. The team also got a lot of press coverage from all over the state, which included the Detroit News and The Free Press. Head coach Al Pollard was honored Class A coach of the year. The team upset top-ranked and defending champs Grosse Point University Ligget and then defeated Seaholm in the finals.

2000’s

Women’s Varsity Basketball, Coach Damian Smith

2008: The lady Knights varsity team made the jump from the fall to winter in the 2008 season. However, this did not stop the Knights from having an amazing 17-3 regular season, which included winning their second Districts Championship. The season, however, came to an end for the Lady Knights in a close 44-59 loss to East Lansing. The team was undefeated in conference play in the South Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC). Sophomore Ondrea Hughes, senior Janell Smith, sophomore Barbara Johnson and junior Talisha Bridges made the All Division team. Head coach Damian Smith was named coach of the year for the SMAC central.

ANNE BROWN/ KNIGHT LIFE

The LN Women’s Basketball team listens to Coach Damian Smith during a time-out in a game against GR Creston on February 4th. The ladies won with a score of 67-16.

Sports

APRIL 2011

Red Wings Have Passion and Drive Haley Pfeil Sports Editor

Watching a professional sports team practice is a rare opportunity for most people. Aside from gaining professional journalism experience, the High School Journalist Day with the Detroit Red Wings gave students this chance. The Red Wings structure their practices around what they need to work on. The coaching staff and players are more concerned with becoming a better team, rather than focusing on winning or losing. “I try to be a solution based coach,” said Head Coach Mike Babcock. Practices are enjoyable, but are treated like a game. Babcock views most losses as a way to improve the team overall. “Heartbreaking is when you do everything right, and the other team is better than you and they win,” said Babcock. Along with improving, the Red Wings also have to deal with injured players. Goalie Chris Osgood had to sit out for a few months due to a necessary surgery. Osgood returned to the team on Monday, March 14. Despite injuries the team seems ready for the post-season. Veteran players have been an asset to the team, according to Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland. “We keep players around for as long as possible,” said Holland. Having players return for several years gives the new players someone to look up to and go to for help. When returning players are around, it can give the other players comfort and confidence. “I help them [the other goalies], when they ask,” said

HALEY PFEIL / KNIGHT LIFE

Goalie Chris Osgood works with an assistant coach during practice on March 8th. Osgood was placed on injured reserve after a hernia surgery in January.

Osgood. Although veteran players are usually comfortable in game situations, new players sometimes have trouble staying focused. “It’s not the game that’s stressful; it’s everything leading up to the game. Before the game you’re anxious and you just want to get playing. If you’re thinking about something that’s when you’re in trouble,” said Osgood. The coaches also rely on each other for help. Babcock and Holland are constantly talking to each other and working together to solve problems and have a successful team. Diversity could be one of

these issues for some teams, but for the Red Wings it is not. Several NHL teams, including the Red Wings, are made up of players from many different countries. “It’s [playing with people from other countries] pretty cool. I played with people from other countries in Sweden,” said Red Wings assistant captain Henrick Zetterberg. “No one really thinks too much about where they’re from or anything like that. We’re all just players from other countries,” said Red Wings captain Nick Lidstrom. Different players bring something valuable to their team. Lidstrom is a defenseman, Osgood is a goalie,

and Zetterberg plays left wing and is the leading scorer on the team; each of these players spoke about an asset they have. “What I think I can bring to this team is trying to play physical and move the puck out of our own zone and contribute something,” said Lidstrom. “I think it’s to bring calmness and confidence when I play because I’ve been around for a long time,” said Osgood. “Playing wise and just do the right things out there. Try to get a goal and do what is best for the team,” said Zetterberg. The coaches and players gave some advice for everyone at the event. Babcock talked about how everyone has doubt at some point in their lives.

However, that doubt should not stand in the way of goals and dreams. “That momentary doubt leads to a speed bump to get you going a little faster and working a little harder, and people that are successful have had their fair share of failure. I knew I wanted to be successful, but I had no idea what I wanted to do growing up,” said Babcock. Winning the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh in 2008 was a favorite memory for some Red Wings players. The players put in hard work during the season to win the Stanley Cup. “It was a relief to win,” said Zetterberg. “Hard work is put in and all of a sudden it’s there and over,” said Lidstrom about winning the Stanley Cup in 2008. One factor that sets the Red Wings apart from other teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) is the sacrifices the players make. “They [the players] make sacrifices on and off the ice,” said Holland. These sacrifices include long practices and volunteering in their spare time. Five to six times a year the team autographs things like photos and hockey pucks to donate to charities and hospitals. Players also hold meet-and-greets with sick children and read books to students at different elementary schools. “The players are great people,” said Babcock. The kindness the team demonstrates is something that all sports teams should admire. Loy Norrix senior Tom Stankewicz has been a Red Wings fan forever because both of his parents are. “They always make the playoffs, and they never let you down,” said Stankewicz.

New Players, New Talent

Loy Norrix Women’s Tennis Team Starts New Season with an Abundance of Players Racheal Koole News Editor

In past years, the Loy Norrix Women’s Tennis Team has dwindled in numbers. This season, however, more people are joining. Tennis practices started March 14 with over 35 people signed up. This year, the team has less than 15 returning members with about 16 new members. With new members the team gains fresh talent. Junior Marta Grabowski is a current addition to the team this year. Grabowski has been playing soccer her entire life and decided to start a new sport. Tennis was her choice and she made the varsity team her first year. “I came from playing soccer . . . It’s [tennis] less serious. It’s more about having fun,” said Grabowski. The new players are not all freshmen. Like Grabowski there are also many new juniors playing. Coach Art Williams noticed this during the first couple of practices. “We have a lot of new

players . . . not just freshmen but also juniors too,” said Williams. One of the new players is junior Mikayla Brown. Brown is on varsity this year after playing many years with friends and family. “Normally, I would just play with my brother or some friends. I decided to join the team because I wanted to play a spring sport, and I heard tennis was really fun,” said Brown. Tennis requires focus and with a large amount of people it leads to pressure. Since there are many new players, the pressure is on the varsity players to do well. Senior Yeak Wong feels that pressure is constantly put on returning members especially with talented new players. “[Tennis is] a lot of pressure, especially when you play people a lot better than you,” said Wong. The mixed playing level of the tennis team requires different coaching habits from Williams. He includes fun experiences along with the work when there is less of a chance of going to the championship games.

“I’ve learned that in years rebuilding, I coach differently,” said Williams. “You focus on fun while developing the basic skills.” While Williams is elevating the fun, he also makes the practice benefit the players. “Mr. Williams’ practices consist of working on fundamentals, different challenges to prepare us for matches, and challenge matches against each other,” said Brown. The team builds itself up to work together to have a connection with other players. “The larger the team, the easier it is to have a connection . . . the more people I have the easier it is to match up [based on skill],” said Williams. A new year means new talent for the Loy Norrix women’s tennis team. The first-time players improve the team’s chances at forwarding themselves in the future. This year, however, will be another rebuilding year for the tennis team in hopes of eventually returning to many championship games.

Baseball Swings Into Gear Overcoming the Cut James Prochno Staff Writer

Loy Norrix kicks off the start of another baseball season with try-outs and cuts. The official start was on March 16 when the boys took the field. During these try-outs players demonstrated their abilities in 5 different categories. They can receive a total of 80 overall points. They must show their skills in throwing the baseball, running/sprinting, fielding ground balls, hitting the ball, and their ability to bunt the ball. Head Coach Brian Neal

then keeps 13 players with the highest scores and uses grades to back his decision. “The team looks great this year,” said senior Jacob Namenye, ”I wouldn’t change anything. We are solid all around.” The team has a long road ahead of them with high hopes and dreams for their 2011 season. These young men have ambitions of winning a conference title, winning at least 20 of their 30 games, winning the Loy Norrix Invitational, and winning the GK tournament. With a “solid” team so far,

senior Caleb Caton feels the team has what it takes to reach these goals set for the season. Many others on the team share this same feeling. “Yes I am happy with the team as of right now,” said Coach Neal, “however, I would like to see some more pitching and maybe another big stick in the line up.” Other players agree with their coach, but everyone involved with Loy Norrix Baseball feels that the 2011 season could be one of their best.

RACHEAL KOOLE / KNIGHT LIFE

Sophomore Tasia Heintzelman serves the ball, as number one singles, during a game against Mattawan on Tuesday, April 12. Heintzelman played well but was defeated by her opponent with a score of 0-8.

Lacrosse from page 11 is a new coach. We have to prove something to people if we want to be taken seriously,” said Loy Norrix sophomore, Alexa Kinnison. Coach Plaggemars says that his first expectation is that all players keep their grades up and that they work hard, play harder. Coach Plaggemars and Loy Norrix senior, Tracy Bartley, agree that attitudes and team commitments are what need the most work. “The hardest part is getting a commitment from the players and getting attitudes in check because when they’re on the field nothing matters but lacrosse,” said Coach

Plaggemars. In addition to a new coach, the team will be given practice and game time on the Loy Norrix football practice field, a huge improvement from the small field at Hillside Middle School where they previously practiced. The drastic changes in the Kalamazoo United Women’s Lacrosse Team were inspired by their induction as an official high school team through the Michigan High School Athletic Association this season, allowing them practice time at Loy Norrix as well as providing increased opportunity for games.