Communicator: Volume 4 Edition 5

A STUDENT VOICE

The Communicator Magazine May 2018

Senior Edition. |

May 2018

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The Communicator Magazine

About the Cover

BY GRACE JENSEN AND MEGAN SYER

For this cover, we present the class of 2018.

Over the course of two weeks, we invited all of the seniors to come to the book room on the third floor, where we set up a make-shift photo studio. We told each senior to “strike a pose.” For some this was an easy task; others needed more guidance. Many of our peers chose to use objects around the room as props, and some even used each other.

Each of these photos is meant to capture these people in a moment, authentically themselves, near the end of senior year.

BACK COVER DESIGN BY FRANCESCA OLEGARIO, SENIOR AT COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

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March For Our Lives

On March 24, thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C. to protest the lack of gun control legislation in our country.

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2018 Senior Profiles

Students from the class of 2018 share some thoughts before they head off to the next stages of their lives.

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Abroad.

A glimpse into Fiona O’Rielly’s experience so far as an exchange student with Rotary Youth Exchange in Puebla, Mexico.

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Rosewood

A local, student-run band looks back on their journey as the majority prepares to graduate this spring.

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Senior Mock Awards

Over a hundred students submitted their votes as to which seniors should receive various Community-related awards.

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Teachers offer advice to graduting seniors

CHS teachers Judith DeWoskin, Brett Kilgore. and Ed Kulka remember their times in high school and give direction to the seniors about to leave.

Mission Statement: The Communicator is a student-run publication and an open forum established in 1974 and created by students at Community High School. The staff of The Communicator seeks to recognize individuals, events, and ideas that are relevant to the community. The Communicator journalists are committed to working in a manner that is professional, unbiased, and thorough in order to effectively serve our readers. We strive to report accurately and will correct any significant error. If you believe such an error has been made, please contact us. Letters of any length should be submitted via e-mail or mail. They become the sole property of The Communicator and can be edited for length, clarity, or accuracy. Letters cannot be returned and will be published at The Communicator’s discretion. The Communicator also reserves the right to reject advertising due to space limitations or decision of the Editorial Board that content of the advertisement conflicts with the mission of the publication. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the journalism staff and not of Community High School or the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

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Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, As we write this final letter from the editors, we are sitting in the last fifth black of our last Friday schedule ever at Community High. With one month left, we, along with many seniors, are beginning to fall into the familiar pattern that occurs every spring: as the weather warms and graduation grows nearer, we stop doing our homework and instead spend afternoons lying on the back lawn, contemplating what life will be like next year — separated from the people we have spent the past four years with here at Community.

But, unlike most of our peers, we cannot begin completely slacking yet — we still have to put together this final edition of The Communicator, our last gift to this school that has given so much to us. Last night, we stayed at school until 10 p.m. working ourselves into a state of delirium in which we wrote a very unpublishable letter from the editors which we, luckily for you all, decided to scrap, and then had a dance party in the lab. That’s where we’re at right now. But we keep doing the work, despite the beckoning calls of the sunshine streaming in through the windows, because of our love for this publication.

Adviser

Staff

Tracy Anderson Print Editors-in-Chief

Mary DeBona Grace Jensen Isabel Ratner Megan Syer

Web Editors-in-Chief

Mira Simonton-Chao Gina Liu Managing Editors

Abigail Gaies Ava Millman Andie Tappenden Design Editor

Ella Edelstein

Infographic Editor

Isaac McKenna

This edition is dedicated to the class of 2018. You will find features on our classmates’ accomplishments, like artist Deven Jones, pilot Carter Schmidt, future Marine Iosmani Frometas-Canales, and musicians Clarence Collins III, Mei Semones, Emily Tschirhart, and Sam Uribe in their band Rosewood. We put together profiles of some of our seniors with their thoughts on their high school experiences and their futures. Next, you will find college essays that seniors submitted in their applications and a college map of where they finally decided to go. Just for fun, we gave mock awards to seniors who got the most votes on our online survey. Finally, you can read teachers’ and senior citizens’ advice to the graduates.

Photo Editors

Thank you to all of you readers for taking the time to listen to the stories we have published these past four years. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to be apart of this journalism program, where we have learned how to question, how to listen, and how to empathize with those whom we would otherwise just pass by on the street. Being a part of The Communicator has taught us that there is a story to be told behind everything and everyone that we see. We have realized our role in the world as storytellers and being a voice for the voiceless. We will take these lessons as we embark on our next journeys, whether involved in journalism or not. Lastly, we’d like to thank our adviser, Tracy, because without her, none of this would have been possible.

Business Manager KT Meono

Your Editors,

Alec Redding Cammi Tirico Copy Editor

Paige Duff

Social Media Editors

Atticus Dewey Claire Middleton

Art/Graphics Editors

Caitlin Mahoney WM. Henry Schirmer Sports Editors

Shane Hoffmann Viv Brandt Shea O’Brien Content Editors

Elena Bernier Sam Ciesielski Madie Gracey Zoe Lubetkin Shea O’Brien Emily Tschirhart Sacha Verlon MARY DEBONA, GRACE JENSEN, ISABEL RATNER, AND MEGAN SYER

Mission Statement: The Communicator is a student-run publication and an open forum established in 1974 and created by students at Community High School. The staff of The Communicator seeks to recognize individuals, events, and ideas that are relevant to the community. The Communicator journalists are committed to working in a manner that is professional, unbiased, and thorough in order to effectively serve our readers.

We strive to report accurately and will correct any significant error. If you believe such an error has been made, please contact us. Letters of any length should be submitted via e-mail or mail. They become the sole property of The Communicator and can be edited for length, clarity, or accuracy. Letters cannot be returned and will be published at The Communicator’s discretion. The Communicator also reserves the right to reject advertising due to space limitations or decision of the Editorial Board that content of the advertisement conflicts with the mission of the publication. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the journalism staff and not of Community High School or the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

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Human Resource Managers

Camille Konrad Mazey Perry Suephie Saam

Evan Ash Bernie Barasa Hannah Bernstein Neil Beveridge Grace Bradley Viv Brandt Joshua Caldwell Milo Chalin Benjamin Cooper Lauren Cooper Leah Dame Jordan DePadova Elinor Duck Ava Esmael Isabel Espinosa Ojanis Frometas-Canales Ethan Gibb-Randall Ebba Gurney Daniel Gutenberg Eli Hausman Jane Heckendorn Axel Hiney Jenna Jarjoura Loey Jones-Perpich Owen Kelley Hobbs Kessler Miles Klapthor Max Klarman Linden Kronberg Joshua Martins-Caufield Andrew Lafferty Ed Lewis Spencer Morgan Rishi Nemorin Jonah Nunez Suibhne O’Foighil Roxana Richner Ella Roberts Bruno Ruderman Sophia Scarnecchia Lucy Scott Joseph Simon Charles Solomon Angelina Smith i.O. Soucy Treasure Sparkling Kat Stanczak Jakob Stoney Ruby Taylor Geneve Thomas-Palmer Sarah Tice Camryn Tirico Morraina Tuzinsky Tai Tworek Jay Walker Madison Wallace Emma Winegarden Marley Wolff Ben Wyngaard

FIND THE COMMUNICATOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

@communicatorchs @communicatorchs @chscommunicator

The Communicator Online Read more at www.chscommunicator.com or download the app, available on the App Store.

NEWS

TAGORE ON SOUL AND STRINGS

FEATURE

A TROOP OF COUSINS

VOICE

THEY DIDN’T WANT THE TRUTH TO GET OUT

A & E

ISLE OF DOGS REVIEW

Though the Ann Arbor, Mich. non-profit Tagore Beyond Boundaries and the musicians of Pioneer High School’s Concert Orchestra only began the collaboration in late 2016, the music goes much further back. The performance was a Westernization of the music of Rabindranath Tagore.

BY LUCY SCOTT Even though Brooke Rafko lives with just her mother and sister, she has grown up in a big family. Her big troop of cousins are like her siblings — playing games, making mischief, and growing up together. The cousins live in Dearborn, Mich., and they meet up often.

BY ELENA BERNIER For the next seven months, Iron Cloud spent his time keeping warm, praying with others in the camp, and protesting the establishment of the Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL, that would run directly through the southern point, Native American land.

BY GENEVE THOMAS-PALMER Filmmaker Wes Anderson’s latest film,“Isle of Dogs,” is a bilingual masterpiece that tells the story of Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin) and his epic quest to find his beloved dog, Spots. The cat person controlled world has left all dogs to be exiled to a filthy trash island; what ever happened to man’s best friend?

BY AVA ESMAEL

SPORTS

LAMAR JACKSON: QUARTERBACK

Jackson electrified college football not only with his arm, but with his legs too, rushing for 1600 yards and 18 touchdowns last season — which are unparalleled numbers for any quarterback, no matter the level — to top off his already impressive passing numbers.

BY SHANE HOFFMANN

HUMANS OF COMMUNITY

NINA BEARDSLEY

SONG OF THE DAY

BURN THE HOUSE DOWN

“I lived in Germany my freshman year. It was good and bad. I went to a really privileged school where I was really isolated. It was in a very wealthy part of Berlin, and I remember in German class one day we learned about all the underprivileged impoverished parts of the city, and that really opened my eyes to how lucky I am.”

BY RUBY TAYLOR

On Fri., March 23, two-time platinum-winning electronic pop music group AJR released their newest single, “Burn Down the House,” an unexpected song teased on their Instagram page only days before the actual release of the song

BY ATTICUS DEWEY

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March For Our Lives

Men, women, and the youth of America joined together in protest.

BY MAZEY PERRY AND ELINOR DUCK

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n the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., thousands of people stood shoulder-to-shoulder, crowding the street. “Enough is enough” and “vote them out” were a few of the many chants screamed by the men, women, and the youth of America. Signs rose above the crowd with phrases such as “protect human rights, not gun rights,” “students stand stronger together,” and “now is the time to talk about gun violence and common sense

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gun laws, enough is enough.”

The march started off with the powerful song “Rise Up,” performed by singer Andra Day and the Cardinal Shehan School Choir. The performances and speeches were given on a stage in front of the Capitol Building, but several screens were set up farther down the blocks for the crowds who couldn’t see. As Day performed, some sang along, but many cried and held the person standing a shoulders’ width away.

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Every speech had a different feel and story to be told. Some talked about personal experiences with gun violence, while others told stories of immediate family members who had been affected by gun violence.

Edna Chavez, a student from Los Angeles, told a powerful story about her brother being shot, and about how in Los Angeles gun violence on the streets is an everyday encounter. But Chavez did not represent

the kind of gun violence that is attached to school shootings; her brother’s life was not taken in school or in a mass shooting. Instead, her brother, who was in high school at the time, was killed in a shooting outside their home in 2007.

Countless survivors from the Parkland shooting came to speak. David Hogg, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas student and one of the leaders of the #NeverAgain movement, called on the crowd to focus on upcoming midterm elections, urging firsttime voters to head to the polls and vote against lawmakers who accept money from the National Rifle Association.

“We are going to make this the voting issue,” Hogg said. “We are going to take this to every election, to every state and every city, when politicians send their thoughts and prayers with no action, we say, ‘No more.’ And to those politicians supported by the NRA, that allow the continued slaughter of our children and our future, I say get your resumes ready.” Continuous phrases were chanted by the crowd after every speech.

As time went on the street became more crowded. People pushed and shoved to get closer to the stage. The speech everyone was waiting for came last in the lineup.

Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, gave the final speech of the march. Gonzalez has become the face of the #NeverAgain movement through her speeches and activism. The speech Gonzalez gave was unforgettable for many. She talked about how it took six minutes and 20 seconds for the armed shooter to come into her school and kill 17 of the students in the building with an AR-15. She then stood in silence for six minutes and 20 seconds, to give the crowd perspective on what a short amount of time it took.

The speeches and songs that were given and sung gave people a sense of hope: a hope that laws would be changed, and that Congress would hear the voices of the 800,000 people standing outside their office and finally agree, #NeverAgain.

Left Page: People march down Pennsylvania Avenue holding signs with all different phrases. Many signs had words about human rights vs. gun control rights.

Top of Right Page: Students from all over the United States come together to protest. Many have signs about saftey in their schools.

Middle: A man stands in front of Trump Towers, protesting the way Trump is handling the current crisis. On the day of the march, March 24, President Trump spent the day at his Palm Beach golf course, Mar-a-lago.

Bottom Left and Right: People of all ages gather in the streets. Friends came together and strangers became friends. The event brought together a whole nation and gave the students hope for a safer future.

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Well-dressed students dance in Community High’s Craft theatre.

“Everyone seems like they’re having a good time, and that makes me happy,” said Sam Ramser, a student in the Levin forum.

Many Masks and Dances

Community High School hosts its first masquerade dance.

BY SOPHIA SCARNECCHIA

On April 8, 2018, Craig Levin’s forum hosted their first ever masquerade dance at Community High School (CHS). The dance started at 8 p.m. in Craft Theatre.

Since the dance was a masquerade, attendees were asked to wear masks when arriving, to fit the masquerade theme. If you wore a mask before purchasing the dance tickets, prices were reduced by 20 percent.

“We knew we wanted to do something together as a forum, but we also wanted to give back,” said Chloe Kuri, a student in the Levin forum. “We then decided we wanted to plan a dance, and from there we started brainstorming ideas for a theme.”

The forum discussed many possible themes, and ended on masquerade. The idea beat the runner-up theme of ‘Robot Pirate Superheroes.’ All profits from ticket sales will go to a charity in Michigan.

The event kicked off by playing the song “God’s Plan” by Drake in the decorated theatre. The room was tricked out with streamers, gold and black balloons, and dimmed pink, purple, and blue lights all over. Around 50 high schoolers of ages 1418 set their belongings into Room 222 for storage, and went into the theatre to dance.

Besides dancing, there were a few more things you could do. There was a pop8

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corn machine that made popcorn. A forum member supervised the machine, and served the buttery treat to students in small, white, paper bags.

To accompany the snack, there was a self-serving water jug with complementary plastic cups. Once someone filled their glass, they could write their name on their cup with a marker to identify whose drink was whose.

An alternative activity available was coloring pictures from coloring book pages. The activity was set up like a station, with a plastic white table accompanied with chairs for those who wanted to sit.

“It’s different that there’s other stuff to do,” said Simone Mahler, a student who attended the dance. “I guess not everyone likes to dance.”

“The whole event was time consuming, yet fun as well,” Kuri said. “It was a lot of effort on my forum’s part, but it turned out pretty well. People that came had a great time, and I’m glad we could provide this night for them.’’

The dance carried on with party favorite songs like “The Time Warp” by Richard O’Brian, “Wobble” by N.I.C, and “Work”

by Rihanna.

“All of us [forum members] got together,

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and started listing songs,” said Sam Ramser, another student in the Levin forum. “It took about an hour to get the songs for our playlist.”

Even though the dance was fulfilling and exciting, it had to come to an end. At 11 p.m., students retrieved their things from Room 222, walked down the hallway steps from the second to first floor, and left CHS. “I think there will be more masquerades like this,” Ramser said. “[The forum] said if the first dance went well, then we would do it next year too.”

It seems as if the dance will be an annual tradition in the forum. The turnout wasn’t big, but it was plentiful enough to start a new CHS classic. And all that is made is given to help others. There was food, fun, dancing and of course many, many masks.

On his first day of school at Community High, Terrence Vick was looking for black people. Standing outside St. Andrew’s Church, he eventually saw a few, still wondering if he should have gone to Huron.

BY ISABEL RATNER

Race had not played a role into Terrence’s decision to come to Community.

“At the end of the day, I just come and get my education and go home,” he said. “I didn’t come to look at people.”

In the winter of 2015, Sophia Scarnecchia attended an eighth grade orientation with her mother, who had attended Jones Elementary, the African-American-dominated elementary school that preceded Community. On the car ride home, her mother asked her if she would be comfortable at a school where she might not fit in as much.

She wanted her to feel protected. Sophia already knew she wanted to go to Community. A small school was the right fit for her.

Simone Mahler’s mother shared a similar worry.

“She wanted me to go to Pioneer so I could fit in with more kids and be around people more of my race,” Simone said.

Simone also knew Community was where

she wanted to go, for its opportunities and unique structure.

Francesca Olegario transferred to Community from Huron after her freshman year, when she was accepted off the waitlist.

When she told her primarily Asian friend group at Huron that she would be transferring to Community, they told her, “You know there’s no Asian people at Community.” Today, Olegario acknowledges that they were right.

According to an enrollment summary taken on April 11, 2018, which indicates reported ethnicities, out of Community High School’s 528 students, 140 are non-Caucasian, 26.5 percent. These non-Caucasian subgroups include African American, Latino/Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska, Asian, Arab American, Multiethnic, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander, or other.

The data is only one part of the story.

There are voices behind it.

JOURNALIST STATEMENT This story is told in multiple sections, this being only the beginning of the first. The rest can be found online at chscommunicator.com and addresses several other components: the history of Jones Elementary and segregation in Ann Arbor, the recent transportation initiative at CHS and other diversity initatives within the school, and the experiences of several students of color at Community High. This story is composed of over 40 pages of transcription, hours of interviewing, and in-depth research.

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ANTELOPE CANYON 10

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News

Lower Antelope Canyon, located on Navajo land east of Page, Ariz. is a sight never forgotten by its visitors. The canyon — 120 feet deep — is made up of red, purple, and orange-hued sandstone. This beautiful photography opportunity attracts people from all over the country (visitarizona.com). Tours are required to enter and are run daily by tour companies in the area. Many tour guides include members of the Navajo tribe, and the tours usually run around $40 per adult. The canyon was formed by millions of years of water erosion and is prone to flash flooding.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EBBA GURNEY

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Ann Arbor’s Not-So-Starving Artists

How our artists find their communities and their careers.

BY ISAAC MCKENNA

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Feature

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nya Klapischak walked aimlessly.

Her footsteps were muffled on the dark wood floor, her voice reflecting off of her taffy-pink walls. The 26-year-old conversed with her sister, the conversation as unmemorable as the countless faces she passed every day as she walked out of her house. Always anxious, Klapischak’s mind was far from her call. She was thinking about her dream.

Sixteen months later, the bright walls are adorned with paintings, the dark floors occupied with racks of antique clothes, every piece of space filled with the fruition of Klapischak’s goals.

The Hosting is a gallery and artist residency program started and run by Klapischak at her 207 N. State Street home. She hosts art shows, galleries, workshops, and Generous Market, a place for artists and people in the community to sell art, clothes, and a myriad of other items.

“It’s an ever-evolving space that’s malleable to the needs of the artists that I’m working with for the respective event,” Klapischak said. “I ask the artists what their needs are and then I act as a facilitator and producer to meet those needs.” She believes in The Hosting not only as an important factor in the community but also as a small spark of rebellion.

“The government and larger institutions don’t like it when we come together in the spirit of creative generosity and creative endeavors, and I try to promote a space and promote a philosophy in which that is something we can center a community around,” Klapischak said. “The moments that we’re in here and we’re supporting each other are moments that we’re not playing into what’s happening in the news. It’s political by focusing on art rather than on politics.”

Artists who participate in events at The Hosting are benefited with a community of friends. The welcoming atmosphere of Klapischak’s home allows people like Shingo Brown, a 27-year-old artist, to support their creative endeavors.

“You need money to survive, and the more money you have gives you more freedom to do art projects or be able to dedicate more time to it,” Brown said. “It’s not just the creative process, it’s figuring out how art and being creative fits in the lifestyle that you’re trying to create.”

The Hosting is an important part of that lifestyle for Brown. He has been able to join Klapischak’s community to sell vintage clothes, using the profit to support his art, which varies in medium from illustrations to murals to silversmithing. He’s learned many of these skills from his own friends and mentors, but doesn’t feel that his two years at The Art Institute of Atlanta, from which he received no degree, helped him along his chosen path.

“I wanted to do graphic design… but my focus was making money, and that ruined my whole creative process,” Brown said.

“After two years I got an internship at ABV Gallery in Atlanta, and that changed my life. I don’t want to be a graphic designer. I see all these people that we’re working with

at the gallery pursuing a passion for creating and art.”

After moving to Ann Arbor, Brown has continued to find opportunities. “I’ve worked with this dope skateboard company, I’ve done t-shirt graphics and skateboards,” Brown said. “It’s not just the artwork, they’re supporting the scene, and I feel like that’s really important.”

Ethics is important to Brown, and it’s often a way that he finds people and businesses that he wants to work with, and a way that he knows when to turn down offers.

Brown has previously taught youth summer camps at the Ann Arbor Art Center. Angela Lenhardt, the ceramics studio manager at the Art Center, thinks that it is an important part of Ann Arbor’s creative community.

“The Ann Arbor Art Center is a great resource for artists,” Lenhardt said. “We have monthly meet-and-greets where we invite artists to come and listen to a topic, usually something related to the practice of art and the business of art. We also offer exhibition experience. You can apply to different exhibitions or even curate your own show.” All of this provides both professional and amateur artists a venue to grow their creative skills.

Lenhardt feels lucky to be working where she is. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Lenhardt found it hard to find work in her chosen field, ceramics. “I worked for 10 years as a florist,” Lenhardt said. “You wouldn’t think of it as something in the arts, but when you get down to it it’s all design, color, and pattern, just like we use for everything else. My art training really helped me with that experience and it made it an easy thing to choose. I would have liked to have been doing more clay at that time, but I had small kids and had to make different decisions.”

Lenhardt feels that the value of art in our community isn’t as strong as it should be. “I have big pieces where I’m really exploring my craft and what I consider my art, and working very hard on them,” she said. “For me to put a price tag on that to sell it is quite high, and at that point it becomes prohibitive.” Because many people are unwilling to spend hundreds of dollars on pieces done by complete strangers, Lenhardt has found it nearly impossible to support herself with those works, even though they represent her at her most creative.

But, like Brown, Lenhardt has found ways to support her creative pieces. “I also make a lot of smaller things that I don’t necessarily consider all of what my focus is, but I’m able to use those smaller things to then inform the bigger things that I do,” Lenhardt said. “Those smaller things, those 20 to 50 dollar price points, that’s what sells. That’s what gets really hard is finding that balance between the things you know you’re going to sell and the things that drive your passion.”

Education was important to getting Lenhardt to a place where she was able to find balance and stability, but coming out of school, making money can be difficult. Alison Franco is an art major and oil painter

who is graduating from Eastern Michigan University this year with a BFA. She works as a gallery assistant at the Art Center and is searching for a career.

“I’d like to be a practicing artist,” Franco said. “I know that I also like working in galleries and I like working with other artists because I enjoy the community of it. For me, in addition to needing income as an artist, it’s a very solo activity, so I need the social aspect of it, and I think that’s why I like the gallery work.”

Although she’s able to support herself with her work at the Art Center, the path to selling paintings to make a living has been hard to find. She’s never successfully sold a piece, but she’s currently working on a commission for a mutual friend. “They asked for a specific style, which I was fine with, but then they were also like ‘whatever you want,’ so it’s finding that happy medium of their style and what you do,” Franco said.

Despite struggling to find people to buy her work, Franco enjoys the artists that she meets at the Art Center. “I like meeting people that are local [or not local], and they come in and everybody’s got a unique story,” Franco said. “It exposes you to a whole bunch of different kinds of artwork, and it’s important to stay on top of not only the medium that you work in but what everybody else is doing.”

Working as a gallery assistant has also given her a unique view of the way that the Ann Arbor community values art. She often hears comments like “why is it so expensive?” from customers looking at the art’s pricing. “You have to realize that the Art Center itself is a nonprofit,” Franco said. “They need to earn money to keep the programs going and keep their staff, and then also the artists need to make a living, so that’s how that pricing is based. Sometimes I try to convey that to customers, and a lot of people will be very understanding.”

Even artists coming right out of high school are able to find a place in the Ann Arbor community. Poet Kyndall Flowers, a 2017 Pioneer graduate who dual-enrolled at Community in her senior year, is Klapischak’s assistant at The Hosting, and an artist in residence. She works on the Hosting’s website and plans events. “Ann Arbor is really great with mentors and role models and people that are already doing it, already made space [to make art],” said Flowers. “It made it easy for me to come in and try things out.”

Ann Arbor provides many opportunities for artists to live their most creative lives; from Klapischak and Flower’s The Hosting to Lenhardt and Franco’s Ann Arbor Art Center, art, although not necessarily valued highly by the community, has been allowed to flourish. Artists surround themselves with effective teams of friends and peers and utilize side hustles to support their work.

Young or old, educated or not, the passion of Ann Arbor’s artists has created a vibrant, powerful group that influences the culture of the city and supports the creativity of those brave enough to choose it.

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An Adventure to Remember

27 students travelled to Italy to experience the rich history, art, food, and culture that it has to offer.

BY WM.HENRY SCHIRMER

The music of Vivaldi dances around the Chiesa di San Vidal, a former church located at the edge of Campo Santo Stefano, a square in the city of Venice. On the stage sits an orchestra consisting of five members and a pianist. The crowd listens closely as the bows dance across the strings, presenting Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Among the crowd is a group of students who made the decision to spend their spring break in the country of Italy. As the song comes to an end, one student is nearly brought to tears from the sheer beauty and passion of the music. This student is Phoebe Bolz, a junior at Community High School (CHS).

“It was an otherworldly experience,” Bolz said. “You couldn’t have experienced it anywhere else.” This was day nine of the trip.

Steve Coron, CHS art teacher, started the trip back in 2003 and has returned every two years with a new group of students.

“Well, this is called experiential learning,” Coron said. “We could sit here forever and talk about this stuff, and look at pictures, and sit and talk, and try and get a sense of what it is. But being in this place that we have been talking about, it is like getting your hands dirty and getting your feet wet.

It is the best way to learn.” Coron was one of the chaperones on the trip. The others included Karin Coron, his wife, Kevin Davis, Lizzie Peterson, and Chelsi McKnight.

The group consisted of 27 students from both Italian Art and Culture and Latin classes at CHS. “It was a good group,” Bolz said. “We weren’t crazy. I think a lot of us were genuinely interested in learning more.” The group consisted mostly of juniors and seniors, with only two sophomores, one of whom was Grace Bates.

“I had really high expectations going in,” Bates said. “But it lived up to my expectations, and I had a really great time, and the people who I went with just made it better.”

The trip began in Rome, a city encompassed by history. The first day, the students took a walking tour through the streets of Rome, exploring small shops along the way.

The group was led by Eleonora Agostini, a tour guide, born and raised in the city of Florence. At some point, the group broke for free time, where students were allowed to explore on the own.

“We learned that you need to have these experiences,” Bolz said. “Don’t be on your phone the whole time, and actually have experiences, go on adventures, travel down that ‘path less traveled,’ go down that crazy street that looks a little dangerous; it will be worth it.” This trip taught these students how to engulf themselves in the culture around them. The following day, the students went to the Colosseum, the main forum of ancient Rome. Here, the students learned about one of the greatest ancient civilizations to ever exist.

Their next stop was Sorrento, a smaller town that overlooks the Bay of Naples.

The following day, the students broke into two groups. One group went on a hike up to the ruins of the ancient villa of Emperor Tiberius.

“He would throw all these grand parties,” Bolz said. “Just being there was so amazing, and I’m a history nerd, so I loved it.”

The second group took a boat tour around the island and saw the natural rock structures that were formed from years of erosion. That night, the whole group learned to dance the tarantella, the dance of the tarantula, at a local theater. The next morning the students got on a high speed train and headed for Florence. On the way to Florence they stopped at Pompeii, where they got to see the city, destroyed in a volcanic eruption and preserved under layers of ash.

After walking through the streets of Florence, the students stopped at Accademia, the art museum containing the statue of David.

“In the Accademia in Florence, when I was sitting in the background, which I do watching you guys and how you interact and how you are taking everything in,” Coron said. “Phoebe was leaning against the railing and just staring at one of the un1

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finished pieces by Michelangelo. Like awestruck.” That’s one of Coron’s main reasons for doing the trip, to see the students’ amazement with Italy. After visiting David, the students hopped on a bus and drove to San Gimignano, a small city in the countryside of Italy, before heading to a local farm for lunch.

The next day, the students went to the Uffizi museum to see artworks such as the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli and a collection of works by Leonardo da Vinci.

That night the students went to a cooking class where they learned to make pasta and meatloaf.

The final destination of the trip was Venice, a city built on over 100 small islands.

The students arrived in Tronchetto, where they took a ferry to their hotel in Lido di Venezia. To get to dinner, the students got to experience the public transport of Venice: small boats that functioned similarly to a bus system.

The next day the students went to San Marco square, the main square of Venice.

Here housed Palazzo Ducale, the palace of the doge; the doge was the elected lord of Venice after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Attached was Saint Mark’s Basilica, the cathedral of the Roman Catholics of Venice, both of which the students toured.

After, the students were given free time until they met for their final Italian dinner. The mood was both somber and ecstatic from the memories of the past 10 days.

The trip is expensive, but the travelers believe it is worth every last penny. “If you’re considering it,” Bolz said. “Just go for it, because it is a once in a lifetime experience that you can just treasure forever.”

“It is so worth it when you come home and you break it down,” Coron said. “You think about all of the wonderful times and know how much you got out of it, because it will stay with you forever until you go back.”

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1: St. Peter’s Basilica sits in Vatican City. Completed in 1626, the Basilica is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines. It is also the burial site of Saint Peter, chief among Jesus’s Apostles.

2: One of the many small streams that lace the city of Venice. Students were offered the option to take gondola rides down through a section of the city. Gondolas are traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boats.

3: After touring the Vatican museum and St. Peter’s Basilica, the students were released on a small street just outside Vatican City. Here they enjoyed shopping, lunch, and gelato.

4: The view of Capri from the ferry the group had taken from sorrento. Here the students enjoyed warm weather, beatuiful scenary, and amazing food.

5: The group poses for a photo just inside the Palazzo Ducale, the palace of the doge.

6: A view of the main river of Venice. To the right is Palazzo Ducale and in front of that two pillars, carrying symbols of the two patrons of Venice. The first contains a statue of Saint Theodore, the patron of the city before St. Mark, holding a spear and a crocodile representing the dragon he had slain. The second holds a winged lion, which represents St. Mark.

7: The Cathedral of Saint Mary, more commonly refered to as Il Duomo di Firenze — the dome of Florence — or just the Duomo, marks the center of the religious center of Florence. The Gothic-style church was completed in 1436. Some students made the decision to climb the bell tower in order to get a full view of the city.

8: On the island of Capri a small group of students opted to take a boat tour. The tour guide took them around the island to witness the natural rock structures that had formed due to years of erosion.

9: On the way to the last dinner in Florence a small group got separated from the rest. They ended up at a small church where they were able to witness this beautiful sunset.

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A Look for Success Rebecca Westrate steps into Community High School as the new assistant dean.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRACE JENSEN

BY GINA LIU

In 2007, Rebecca Westrate, the newly employed assistant principal at Hamtramck High School in Wayne County, stepped foot into Community High School’s main office; her job was to analyze what made a successful school. Her previous knowledge with Community High School – an alternative high school in Washtenaw County – was that it was a school able to create a safety net for all students with its unique open campus and forum class. She was intrigued as to how the students were learning, and met with teachers across the school.

Even a decade later, after her initial visit, she remembered meeting with CHS’s esteemed English teacher Judith Dewoskin.

She remembered the feeling of a cohesive network of students and teachers working together to create something different: the feeling that all students had access to the support they deserved. Westrate knew that the staff, students, and learning program were something exemplary.

So when the position for assistant dean opened up, she applied.

Ten years after her initial visit, Westrate became the new assistant dean of CHS starting in the 2017-2018 school year.

Westrate grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich., and was raised by her father, who was a social worker, and her immigrant mother who was a public health nurse. Both were pas16

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sionate about social justice, and Westrate said that they were giving and respectful people who imprinted lifelong values on her.

“People that were different, or even people that my parents didn’t agree with x-y-z, never were put down,” Westrate said. “Everybody deserves respect. Differences between us are strengths.”

Growing up with her parents, Westrate attended Calvin Christian High School in Grand Rapids. Westrate was able to frolic on the beaches and enjoy the outdoor life of Lake Michigan. But her joyful high school experience contrasted with the schools she worked with in the lower-income Metro-Detroit area at Highland Park Community School and Hamtramck High School.

In 2015, Highland Park had the highest percentage of residents aged 18 or older living under the poverty line, at 44.7 percent.

The city of Hamtramck came in second at 25.5 percent. Schools in the Highland Park District were thousands of dollars in debt, and enrollment had dropped almost 70 percent after a district overtake in 2012.

When Westrate worked for both Hamtramck and Highland Park, her team of principals, teachers, and administrators focused on academic support, high-achievement scores, and the way students learned.

She found what lacked in these poorer Met-

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ro-Detroit areas was the relationship between students and teachers: relationships she found back at Community. Westrate asked herself what strategies, techniques, and structures made students feel supported. Looking at programs like forum, she found herself entranced with the support Community offered students.

Creating a system of support for these students was one of the qualities Westrate found unique at Community, and one that still excites her in her first year at Community. After wrapping up her first year at Community, Westrate has encountered the restless nature of Community, and hopes to exemplify it in her future years as dean.

“I was impressed with the way Community never stops, never rests, and never feels like they’ve reached the top,” Westrate said.

“They are always striving to be better, to provide more, and every single day it’s making sure that the child is getting what they need.”

After her first tumultuous day at Community, she found a pink sticky-note on her desk. It was addressed from the Stapleton forum, wishing her good luck with the school year. She didn’t feel like the stranger observing the ways of Community, or an outsider. In her second-floor office of a job of what seemed like a chance encounter, Westrate felt welcome.

The Ann Arbor Rockets participate in an inner-team scrimmage at Yost Ice Arena. The team was given the opportunity to showcase their hard work in between periods of a University of Michigan Ice Hockey game.

“Our goal is just to get them out on the ice and playing hockey however the best they can,” Head Coach Jacqueline Kaufman said.

Blasting Off on the Ice

Their diagnoses may have brought them together, but their love of the game is why they stay.

BY AVA MILLMAN

Hands in, matching red and white sleeves outstretched into a pile of bulky mismatched hockey gloves. “3, 2, 1… goooooo Rockets!” The team sang as the pitch of their voices blasted off in a crescendo. The players filed off the ice one by one as beaming grins crossed their flushed faces.

They had spent the preceding hour working as a team to overcome their personal challenges. It is a time when they have an opportunity to be part of a community, something that is a rarity for many Rockets players.

Much like their gloves, the Ann Arbor Rockets are a diverse group of kids with one main thing in common: they each have been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental or physical disability. They were brought together by the University of Michigan’s Dr. Jacqueline Kaufman, head coach and founder of the disabled hockey team.

For years, families of disabled children from southern Michigan have been coming to Dr. Kaufman at the University of Michigan complaining that there is a scarcity of opportunities for their kids to participate in activities such as sports. Her solution was to create her very own disabled hockey team.

“I think a lot of people believe that our athletes are really fragile and that’s just always annoyed me,” Dr. Kaufman said.

“They should have the same opportunities

to get hurt, to work hard, and to have high expectations as kids on other teams.”

This philosophy has been a main pillar of the Rockets’ organization since their creation in 2011; the team encourages players to be physically aggressive in a controlled contact sport environment.

“We don’t allow failure as often for individuals who have neurodevelopmental disability as we do for our physically disabled, and I think that does them a great disservice,” Dr. Kaufman said. “When we mess up or when someone’s better than us, it encourages us to get better. It helps us fight so we have to grow, and I think that those opportunities are paramount for this program.”

Despite their age, gender, years of experience, and other challenges they face, when they step on the ice on Sunday mornings, they are all athletes. During this time they learn more than just the game: practices improve the players’ sense of teamwork, personal effort, social skills, and self confidence. These are all lessons that follow them out of the rink.

As with many youth sports teams, Dr. Kaufman and the Rockets meet challenges and successes. For the Rockets, while the challenges may be more apparent at first glance, the team’s successes are plentiful.

One of Dr. Kaufman’s favorite success

stories regards a former player that struggles with medical complications due to a troublesome early birth history. “I remember when he first started our first season he laid on the ice and cried and was miserable,” Dr. Kaufman said. For this particular athlete, just getting him on the ice was a success. He relied heavily on coaches to help him take the first step from the bench to the ice.

“I’ll never forget that when this athlete figured out that he could get onto the ice by himself, and then get back off the ice onto the bench without us helping him,” Dr. Kaufman said. “That moment when he realized that he could do this thing that he saw everyone else doing is very blazened in my mind, it felt pretty magical.”

For many of the Rockets’ families, the team provides a place of global acceptance where everyone can come as they are. “People are so accustomed to apologizing that they aren’t used to being in a safe space, and I hope that we can be that safe space,” Dr. Kaufman said.

The Ann Arbor Rockets give players and their families so many opportunities to grow and be part of a community, but in the end they are, as Dr. Kaufman said, “a typical hockey team with a lot of accommodations.” |

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It’s been nine years since the first time Henry Schirmer stepped onto a diving board. Now he’s a two-time state champion.

GOLD,

, TWO

THREE.

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BY MIRA SIMONTON-CHAO

Three steps forward, a push off the left foot — this is how the day begins. Seated in an empty hallway at Eastern Michigan University, Henry Schirmer begins his days long before the sun rises. He is quiet in focus. As Schirmer describes it, there are two kinds of divers in the world, and he — seated alone in a lonely corner of the school — belongs to a select group of those who prefer empty hallways to crowded pool decks.

But ultimately, regardless of the environment — loud or quiet — one thing is sure of any diver at a time like this: they are preparing. Stretching. Breathing. What may be less than a total of five seconds spent in the air is backed by hours of training — both mentally and physically. From neatly written journal entries to hours of meticulous practice, diving is so much more than a flourish of the legs, a splash of water, a breathless reach for air. It is more time spent in the pool than at the dinner table, stretching until your limbs can get no longer, early mornings in the Skyline weight room, and second practices when your friends are curled up at home. Diving is hundreds of hours, days, and months of work accumulated into what can be three seconds of show. One. Two. Three. That’s it.

For Schirmer, those three seconds are everything. They are what all the hard work has led up to, and they are all the time he has to prove himself. When he dives for that

gold, that perfect 10, he can feel it. Almost as soon as he breaks through the surface of the water, he knows. But this is not an “in my bones” kind of feeling. It is a calculated analysis. Was his entry clean? Were his toes pointed? Diving is an intricate equation, and Schirmer can feel a good dive.

“It’s hard to explain,” Schirmer said.

“When I look back after doing a dive it’s hard for me to realize what I was doing, what I was thinking, because I was so focused at that moment and so unfocused afterwards, when I got out of the pool, that it’s funny to think about it.”

Bouncing from pool to playground in a seemingly never ending cycle, Schirmer met diving on the deck of the Georgetown Country Club. An eight-year-old ball of youthful energy, he was an everyday swimmer and occasional golfer. Diving was new and flashy — pictures of pikes and tucks (two of the most common types of diving) drew Schirmer in like a magnet. Nine years later, Schirmer can’t imagine a life without diving. Just as one can never really imagine not having an arm or a leg, Schirmer has been diving so long, he can no longer remember a time without it.

When Schirmer came to surface after his final dive at the 2018 Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Boys D1 Swim & Dive Championships, he could tell he had won; his dive had been that

good. What had been a rough start to the meet had finally sorted itself out and made Schirmer the best male high school diver in Michigan. But in no way had it been an easy win.

Having won states in 2017, the expectation of another first place hung in the air like a cloud, and the pressure was on.

Schirmer was anxious — and it showed.

His concentration and focus were scattered; he was on edge. But by instigating practices like writing in his dive journal and talking it out with coaches, Schirmer was able to clear himself of that first relatively shaky day. He was determined to turn his score around. Repeating a mantra of “I can focus. I can do this. This is something I am very capable of doing,” Schirmer faced the day with a refreshed outlook. Gone was the bad energy of a few missed dives, and Schirmer could feel an immediate change in his diving. The last dive of the day, coming up for air, Schirmer knew that he had won.

That eight-year-old boy, who so many years ago didn’t even know what diving was, had just become the best high school aged diver in Michigan for the second year in a row. Nine years later, after years of failure and great success, Schirmer is sure of one thing: all the work, the busy weekend and evenings spent at the pool instead of at home, has been worth it. |

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PUT THE KIBOSHOVEN ON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAIGE DUFF

John Boshoven sits in his office at Communty High.

Boshoven will be retiring from CHS at the end of this year.

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After 20 years, Community High School guidance counselor, John Boshoven is retiring. What comes next?

BY ANDIE TAPPENDEN AND PAIGE DUFF

His office teems with university posters, flags, and notepads. “The Fiske Guide to Colleges” on his bookshelf, a print of the Italian painter Masaccio on his wall, a basset hound stuffed animal in the corner.

“This office is a metaphor,” John Boshoven said. “Because look at all these opportunities.”

When Boshoven came to Community High School, he had a wealth of experience in counseling and development; however, he didn’t really understand the college admissions process.

So, he traveled to high schools all over Michigan to see how their counselors approached things like recommendation letters and junior meetings. He also pulled from his own personal experience in high school for guidance on how he should counsel. Or rather, how he should not counsel.

“My high school counselor told me not to apply to Stanford, because I wouldn’t get in,” Boshoven said. “I was freaked out, and so I never tried. One 15-minute meeting my senior year was the extent of my relationship with my high school counselor. I basically said, ‘I better do a better job than this.’”

Boshoven’s finesse with college admissions is recognized by those who he has helped: Senior Sean Parmer credited Boshoven with getting him into his number one college; Emily Tschirhart said Boshoven helped her find schools that would balance her seemingly opposite interests of engineering and music.

“He’s got that huge wealth of knowledge and experience,” said Lizzie Peterson, who has interned beside Boshoven for the past year. “It would take years for people to be able to do what he does and do it so well.”

But it’s this expansive expertise that makes some current juniors panic. Or

rather, it’s about the impending absence of this expertise that juniors like Francisco Fiori, Josh Martins-Caulfield, Isabel Espinosa worry. Who’s going to write their letters of rec?

Brian Williams, counselor at Community, will also miss working next to Boshoven.

For the past four years, he has been able “pick [Boshoven’s] brain,” and “leech off” his vast experience, but Boshoven’s wisdom is a resource he will soon lack. Williams isn’t worried about having to continue without Boshoven, but he knows it will be an adjustment.

“If I have a question related to this school and this profession… it’s going to be me!” Williams said. “I’ll have to figure it out.”

Boshoven came to Community in 1998, exactly 20 years ago.

Now, he is retiring.

Boshoven is the primary counselor for 325 students; what will happen to them when he’s gone? Boshoven hopes that whoever is hired to replace him will understand “the value of college counseling for this school.” He recommends that rising seniors build a relationship with the new counselor quickly, and hold onto their notes from the junior conference.

But let’s not pretend that Boshoven’s college advising is all that will be lost from his retirement.

“He walks in the office whistling, he leaves the office whistling,” said Kelly Maveal, counseling intern. “He’s a constant source of joy.”

“He’s got a unique sense of humor that… you know that’s John,” Williams said. “I hear a joke, [and] I’m like ‘oh, that’s a John joke.’”

By interning with Boshoven, Maveal and Peterson have learned to put students first, because that’s what he always does.

Boshoven will drop anything he’s in the middle off to give attention to a student.

His “wonderful moral compass” leads him to always fight for the best interest of the student, said Maveal, even if it means he has to battle the administration, higher-ups in the district, or colleges.

Boshoven loves Community because of what sets it apart. Every student at Community is here because they applied and chose to come. To Boshoven, that adds a special aspect to the school’s environment.

Boshoven finds the students and teachers visibly love being here and working together.

He also loves the spontaneity of the job.

As he put it, every person who walks into his office is different: one person could be having a crisis, another might just need advice. Students could even, say, just walk on in and interview him about his retirement.

Each day is never the same, except that each day Boshoven loves working here.

“There’s not hardly been a day where I’m not like, ‘this is a great place to be,’” Boshoven said.

He worries, of course: about the person who will be taking his place, about the students whom he is leaving behind. But he also intends to take advantage of the rest and relaxation retirement will bring. He is excited about the prospect of exploring Europe and traveling to warm Florida beaches during winter. He is also looking forward to spending more time with his family — especially his three grandchildren, all of whom live out of state — and waking up without an alarm clock.

“I’m sort of taking a gap year, to figure things out,” Boshoven said. “I’m so old!

It’ll be nice to slow down a little bit.”

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Being a Conscientious Objector

Ann Arbor Friends workshop teaches what being a conscientious objector entails and how to become one.

BY ELENA BERNIER

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, a group of teenagers gathered at the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House for a conscientious objector workshop.

When young men turn 18, they are required to register for the draft. Soon, young women will most likely have to register as well. Registering as a conscious objector — someone who is morally against war — excludes them from the draft.

There are two different types of conscientious objectors: the kind that still participate in the military, and the kind who do not. The latter is simply a civilian who is required to do work for their country. It is important that a conscientious objector does not judge anyone who does decide to participate in the military — everyone has their own personal abilities of what they can and cannot do. Being a conscientious objector does not put them on a higher moral ground than anyone else.

When a conscientious objector is in the military, they do not carry a gun and they don’t kill anyone. “It’s a precarious position to be in, because the other soldiers are not comfortable being with a soldier that doesn’t carry a gun,” said Sheila Johnson, a member of Friend’s Meeting who was running the workshop. “They’re going to get a lot of criticism and harassment.”

Desmond T. Doss didn’t pay any attention to the criticism he received. Doss was the first conscientious objector to receive a medal of honor for his heroic actions in World War II. He served as a combat medic and saved countless lives. “There were other important jobs to be done other than having to take lives,” Doss famously said. “I was willing to go to the front lines to save life, but not to take life.”

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“The purpose of the draft is to be ready for war,” Johnson said. “And I can tell you right now that our country is ready for war, and we’re ready to staff a military as big as we had in World War II — maybe bigger.

And they will have you in uniform in 10 days. That’s literally possible. That’s why we are very, very concerned about this.”

The workshop stressed that it is never too early to start documenting one’s conscientious objector beliefs. The Selective Service reviews everything — from letters you write stating your beliefs, to other people’s testimonies about your views. “Even if [the draft] never happens, at least you’re ready,” Johnson said. “But if it does happen and you’re not ready, that one’s bigger. The consequences there are huge.”

The draft is not something that is unforeseeable in the future. The U.S. has implemented the draft numerous times: during the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. And now, according to Johnson, the U.S. is in an endless war.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we have troops stationed in most countries in the world,” Johnson said. “And we have a war that just keeps going on and on in some places. There’s ISIS — these are wars we never heard of before. These are different kinds of things. And if you talk to soldiers, you’ll find out that they keep getting deployed back to these war zones. And it’s hurting them horribly. They’re terribly injured. It’s called a moral injury, because they’ve realized how horrible it is what they’ve been doing or seeing. And they’re having a lot of struggles with it. So, we’re going to need more soldiers. And if we have a bigger war, we’re going to have to do this

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[draft.]”

The Selective Service is different than istused to be. During the Civil War, wealthier people would pay others to stand in for them. In addition, there were all kinds of deferments. For example, if someone was a student, was married, had a baby, or just had connections in high places, they could get excluded from the draft. Now it is a lottery, and getting a deferment is harder than ever.

In Vietnam, the most recent draft war, the lottery was used. “I was there when the lottery happened,” Johnson said. “I remember I was [watching] on the TV, and what they did was they called one number between one and 366, and that was a day of the year.”

If they drew 222, for example, everyone born on September 9th would automatically be drafted into the war. “That was a very tense night for the entire country, because everyone had a brother, a son, a husband, or something,” Johnson said. “It didn’t matter if you had a little baby, it didn’t matter what your deal was.”

The demographic that is considered eligible for the draft is probably going to expand as well. As women continue to gain more equal rights in the military, they will likely soon be included in the draft. In addition, Johnson passed on the fact that there has been talk that people older than 26 years old and skilled workers — such as engineers and doctors — will be considered eligible for the draft in the future.

The workshop ended on the note that while being a conscious objector requires lots of planning and documentation, if someone’s beliefs are strong it is worth it.

Locking Their Doors Denise and Jeff tend the store during its final week of business. After closing, the building will be sold.

After 105 years and four generations, the Vogel family is retiring and closing their business.

BY CAITLIN MAHONEY

Vogel’s Lock and Key opened in 1913 after Gustave Julius Vogel, Sr. bought the building on Washington St. from his cousins the Lutes, who used the building to house their machine and sporting goods shop.

Gustave ran the business until 1945 when his son Gustave Julius Vogel Jr. and his wife Margaret Alice Vogel took over. Gustave Jr. ran the business with his wife until his death in 1971. Margaret continued to run the business with their son David Harley Vogel until she was in her 90s. In 2005, Robert Douglas and Denise Marie Vogel took over as the fourth and final generation to run the business. Robert retired a few years ago after working as a locksmith and firefighter for 26 years, leaving the business to his wife Denise. Now Denise has decided to retire, and after 95 years, close the business. All their other employees are retiring as well, with the exception of one who is going to work for another locksmith in the area, Howlett Lock.

Robert got his start in the store by stamping the keys with the stores’ name and

phone number for his grandmother, Margaret. In a summer, Robert would stamp as many as 10,000 keys. Once he was old enough, he was allowed to operate the machine and cut keys. In exchange for his work, he could walk up to Kiddie-Land toy store (where Mongolian Barbeque is today) and pick out a toy. After the work day, Grandma Margaret would go and pay for it. Eventually the business was passed down to him and he decided not only to be a locksmith, but a firefighter.

“We were keeping the city safe whether with keys or at the fire department,” Denise said. “We did all their works so we became a trusted name and we did a lot of stuff for a lot of people. We really liked serving the people.” In addition to working at the fire department, Vogel’s also serviced the city by making their keys and locks for city hall, the police station, and even for a military facility.

The family’s renowned service to the community eventually caught the attention of talent searchers from the television network

A & E who sought out to make a show on the family and their business called ‘Safe Crackers.’

“We don’t want people to think we’re goofy because on the TV show they wanted us to be goofy, and if you ever see Pawn Stars in Las Vegas have you seen that?”

Denise said. “Like are you for real? So we chose to service the community and pass off the TV opportunity. This is a serious business.” Eventually A & E went with another family store out of California that did more safe work then the Vogel’s.

“You go ahead and go with them,” Denise said. “We have to stay loyal to our customers. We can’t be having a TV crew when we are working with the security of people’s houses. So we are going to stay and service our community safely as we always have.”

The Vogel’s legacy will continue on, Denise estimates 90 percent of the city has a key with her name on it. She also hopes that her employee, Hutch, who is now at Howlett Lock, can continue to serve many of their customers in Ann Arbor.

Left: The original storefront of the building that was owned by the counsins the Lutes. This building still stands on Washington St. Right: The store dog, Maizie Blue has been featured on the cover of the Ann Arbor Observer twice.

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Puerto Rican Love and Destruction

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Emma Zielinski reflects on the destruction of Puerto Rico, a place that has always felt like home.

BY ISABEL ESPINOSA

E

mma Zielinski has been visiting her family in Puerto Rico every year since she was young, but this year’s trip was different. On Sept. 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the island with winds of over 115 mph, destroying the power grid and leaving the island in the dark. Six months later, almost a third of the residents still live without power.

According to Zielinski, right after the hurricane hit, there were two kinds of people: those trying to leave the island, and those trying to find their family and a safe place to stay.

Zielinski’s grandparents were one of many that moved to the mainland, but her aunt and cousins were not as lucky: they had to go back to school.

The lights weren’t restored for almost four months, so the kids worked in the dark most of the time. Zielinski’s youngest cousin, Delia DiPonio, had a lot of friends that moved to the United States and never came back. Due to so many kids leaving the island, schools started combining.

Puerto Rico has always felt like a home to Zielinski, and seeing it

so broken terrified her. There are holes in the ground where homes used to stand, power cords hanging down on sidewalks, traffic lights that still aren’t functioning, and houses with tarps instead of roofs.

“Going there, being there, used to give me this beautiful, hopeful feeling,” Zielinski said. “Seeing those same places just destroyed was heartbreaking. There’s so much damage and there’s nothing being done.”

On April 12, 2018, one of the main working power lines fell, plunging over 900,000 people back into darkness. There are plans to fix the entire power grid beginning in June 2018, but many residents are frustrated with this for one reason: he hurricane season starts June 1.

The worst part for Zielinski is the feeling of helplessness. “I keep getting updated articles with news about another power loss, or that more schools have shut down, or that more people are leaving,” Zielinski said. “I just miss my family and I wish I could do something.”

Left Page Top: A view of rooftops near Dorado, PR where Emma DiPonio, Zielinski’s aunt, lives. Many rooftops were blown off of houses during the hurricane, and are currently being replaced by blue tarp.

Left Page Bottom Left: Broken traffic signals at an intersection near DiPonio’s house. This is one of many broken signals throughout the island.

Left Page Bottom Right: A downed telephone pole in DiPonio’s neighborhood.

Top Left: A road in Dorado, PR completely washed out by water.

Top Right: A street in DiPonio’s neighborhood blocked by a mudslide.

Left: A snapped telephone pole near DiPonio’s house.

Above: Fallen trees brush up against a two-story apartment building.

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Tips to Thrift

Marisol Cisneros, Sawyer Dupree and Thea Rowe all sit wearing thrifted items from The Salvation Army.

Five tips to improve your thrifting experience.

BY MADISON WALLACE

Thrifting is the art of second-hand shop- Tip #2 ping. Thrifting has become, for many peo- Know What You Want ple, their job, by buying valuable items at If it’s your first time thrift shopping you the thrift store and reselling them on plat- might not know what to look at first. The forms like Depop and Etsy. Thrifting has best thing to avoid this problem is to go in become something that you can be good at knowing what you want. “I always look for instead of just being a normal shopping trip white T-shirts with graphics on them, and at the mall. usually there aren’t any cool ones, they’re all Walking into a store like The Salvation from Planet Fitness,” said Sawyer Dupree, Army, the first thing you see is tons of full junior at Community. “And then I look for racks and a large mass of people around Dickies pants or Levis.” Whether it’s a Calyou. You smell the scent of old grandma vin Klein shirt or a pair of patterned pants, clothes. The vast amount of items around know what you’re looking for so when you you can be intimidating, especially if you arrive you can start looking right away. have never been thrifting before. Here are some tips to help you get started and become an advanced thrifter.

Tip #3

Be Prepared Thrifting can be a long process and

Tip #1

Know Where to Go The most important thing in thrifting is knowing what store to go to. In Ann Arbor, there are many thrift stores to choose from.

For example there are The Ann Arbor Thrift Shop, on Washtenaw Avenue; Goodwill, which is closer to Ypsilanti; PTO Thrift Shop; and The Salvation Army, which are more popular. There are many more thrift shops throughout Ann Arbor with many unique items waiting to be purchased.

even longer depending on the size of the store. To have the best thrifting experience you can, it is best to bring headphones to have some music to sway to while you look through racks. Eat a snack before because you never want to do hours of shopping on an empty stomach, and clear your schedule to be sure you can take your time and look through everything you desire.

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Tip #4

Bring a Friend Looking through tons of racks at a store can sometimes be uneventful when you’re all alone. “Go with friends and be ready to not find anything, but you can still have a really good time and try on weird stuff,” said Thea Rowe, junior at Community. Bringing a friend can make shopping, which can sometimes be boring, a lot more fun.

Tip #5

Research A good way to get better at thrifting is to see how other people find stuff. Marisol Cisneros, a sophomore at Community, explained her first experience with thrifting.

“I have only been thrifting since last summer and I didn’t really know anything, but I watched Youtube videos of people thrifting and it helped,” Cisneros said. There are tons of videos online of people doing thrift hauls, thrifting vlogs, and tip videos. Watching these videos can help you know what to look for and where to find it.

GRAPHIC BY ZOE LUBETKIN

More Than an Addiction

Three students share their experiences with vaping.

BY ATTICUS DEWEY

“I had been caught; my coach and parents sat in the room in silence before opening their mouths to criticize me,” remembered Peter Smith*. “They told me that I would have two options: to quit vaping and possibly stay on the team, or to continue using my vape and be disqualified from participating on the team. I had said I would quit — I had even given them my Juul — but within a week, I had obtained another and was vaping again, making sure to be more careful than before.”

Vaping has become a national phenomenon that is as integrated into high schools as pencil sharpeners. One study conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse showed that 9.5 percent of eighth graders, 14 percent of 10th graders, and 16.2 percent of 12th graders had used a vaping device in the past month. As these numbers grow, a new generation of nicotine users could be emerging.

“Electronic cigarettes are both a blessing and a curse in my opinion,” said Tony Johnson*, a previous user of nicotine products.

“While they have been shown to really help people that have been addicted to conventional cigarettes, at the same time they have caused high schoolers, and even some middle schoolers, to begin using them. When I’ve talked to most of them they mainly say it’s because it’s a vapor, not a smoke, so vapes can’t be bad for them, while this just is not true. The medical research on vaping

has not been researched for a long enough time that scientists know what the medical repercussions of vaping could bring.”

So with repercussions anywhere between a dry mouth to popcorn lung — a scarring of tiny air sacs in the lungs — to even damaging blood vessels, it’s astounding that teens would willingly put themselves at such a risk. “Lots of people I know started to vape just to do the cool tricks we saw other people do,” said Bruce Miller*, a high school senior. “We started out with using a juice that had no nicotine in it because we were worried about becoming addicted to it. Back then, I used to use it maybe once a week, whereas now I use three to four times a week. Some people use it every couple of hours a day, using a higher concentration as well.”

“Sure, I knew it was bad for me, but I didn’t want to be left out of group activities just because I don’t vape,” Smith said.

“So I was willing to risk everything just so that I could stay with the friends I’ve had for years.”

Because electronic cigarettes have only been around for 10 years, very little is known about the long-term effects of vaping. Scientists have discovered some of the short-term effects and know that the ramifications that people experience when coming off of an addiction to any nicotine product are similar to those of normal cigarettes. However, the long-term effects of

using propylene glycol are less clear. Yet evidence suggests that they could produce irritants, which could lead to lung problems further down the line.

In addition, it’s easier now than ever before to acquire these nicotine products.

“Because there are a lot of shops that don’t check your ID in the Ypsilanti area, people go there or they get someone that’s older to go in for them,” Miller said. “Also, there are websites where it’s really easy to get products online because it avoids that human interaction, as well as the only identification before entering is a question asking if you’re an adult.”

“It’s so easy for people our age to get into vaping, especially when they can do it in the middle of class,” Johnson* said. “People will have it tucked up in their sleeve, or attached to their collar where they can just hit it in the middle of class, then zero it out so it looks like nothing is there.”

As vaping continues to grow in popularity throughout school districts around the country, the risks associated with vaping must be remembered. “Don’t do it. If you want to try it when you’re older, that’s fine it’s your own decision,” Johnson continued.

“You’re only going to do it now though because you want the social interactions that come with it, and trust me, your health isn’t worth ‘fitting in’ for.” *name has been changed to protect anonymity |

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A Career Takes Flight Senior Carter Schmidt has his head in the clouds, pursuing his dream: flying as an Airforce Pilot.

BY JORDAN DE PADOVA AND SHEA O’BRIEN

Ultimate frisbee aficionado, MC, poet, actor, puppeteer, and the big bad wolf.

Carter Schmidt’s goofy exterior is famous throughout the halls of Community High.

What is lesser known, is the sense of duty and responsibility that Schmidt feels towards his country.

Schmidt has been seen in the hallway impersonating Donald Trump or playing with a marionette. Next year however, he will be pursuing his dream of becoming an Air Force Pilot, studying Aviation at South Dakota State University.

“Aviation flight science to be specific, so I can learn how to be a pilot and how to become a pilot,” Schmidt said. “Moreover, I’m already a private pilot, but I’m planning on continuing that through college to get my degree in aviation.”

In tandem with his college classes, he hopes to join the Air Force Reserve Officer 28

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Training Program: “Through college, I’d also take air force ROTC classes,” Schmidt said. “Then I would go into the military as second lieutenant and work my way up as far as I can through that.”

Such selflessness for his country might not be something you’d expect of such a funny and animated person. And yet, the self proclaimed libertarian is a strong protector of American values.

“I feel very privileged and blessed to be born in a country that is developed, and that I have everything that I need to live,” Schmidt said. “I’m honored and humbled to be able to have that.”

Schmidt shows his commitment to a future in aviation through his thorough planning: “The way ROTC works is you go in for four years for whatever it is — the army or the air force or whatever,” Schmidt said.

“I’d go in for 10 years as a pilot, and then

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I would re-enlist for another 10 years, as to come out with full military benefits and the pension through the military.”

Schmidt envisions his career coming to an end in the commercial airline business: “I would either retire out of the military or retire out of the military and take my rating and go commercial,” Schmidt said. “Then I’d fly with a military rating, in around five years I’d make cap, then with my military rating, I would retire at 65, then have a commercial business pension and a military pension.”

Schmidt not only feels blessed to have the opportunity to defend his country and the rights of his peers, but also will be fulfilling his childhood fantasy.

“When you’re a kid, you either want to be a cowboy, a police officer, or a pilot,” Schmidt said. “I wanted to be a pilot.”

A Countdown Until Deployment Senior Iosmani Frometas-Canales pursues his dream of going into combat, fighting as a U.S Marine.

BY OJAMIS FROMETAS-CANALES

A 2018 graduate plans on taking a major step in his life, serving his country and risking his life. After 12 years of educating himself, Iosmani “Yoshi” Frometas has decided to turn his ambitions into a lifestyle.

On Aug. 3, 2017 Frometas committed the next eight years of his life to military service by taking his Marine Corps oath.

“I have a contract for eight years,” Frometas said. “I have four years of active duty and four years reserved, meaning I come back to the States and go to college and after that, we’ll see if I re-enlist.”

Frometas is joining a very demanding branch of the U.S military. The first stages of boot camp are made up of tests. You either complete them or you leave. Frometas is doing a lot in order to get ready for bootcamp.

“I’ve been doing a lot to prepare for it,” Fromentas said. “I’ve thought about this

ever since eighth grade, so I’ve done a lot.

I’ve given myself many obstacles to overcome, mentally and physically. I’ve picked up things that I know will help me with the challenge later in life.”

Frometas is willing to take a risk into helping his people, and to serve his duties for the military. He wants more than the experience.

“I’m willing to take the risk because I’m determined,” Fromentas said. “I want to help people; I want to help people around me. A lot of people can say otherwise that the Marine Corp does so little to help. I’ve always had a place in my heart that it does more than it’s said to do.”

The cadet is not scared about the hardships he may face in the next eight years. It’s been a dream of his since he first learned about the military.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m fearless, but I am

bold,” Fromentas said. “I don’t really have any sense of fear, but I do have a sense of caution about what I’m going to do.”

The branch that Frometas wants to go into requires a lot of commitment and determination. Not only does he need to be in shape, he has to be in the mindset of a soldier. Going into combat means you’re taking one of the biggest risks of life or death.

Frometas is willing to take on the challenge since he feels like he knows what it takes to be a Marine.

“I chose this occupation in the Marines because it is the most challenging one,” Fromentas said. “It’s the worst one you can do apparently, but I like to challenge myself.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I’ve had a meticulous plan growing up but now it’s become real. Now I know my options and I’m striving to do the best I can.” |

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From Seniors, For Seniors Senior citizens give advice to senior students about how to survive college.

BY LUCY SCOTT

“Your ideas are going to change, all the time. You’ll think, ‘ah, that’s exciting,” but then it’s, “ah, that’s more exciting!’

Everything you come to is going to be exciting. You’ll change your mind every time you turn around. You go out and feel, and find, and it’s exciting. The world is so big; There’s so much out there that you don’t even know about.”

- Kathleen Sell

“It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s up to you how hard you work. The harder you work, the better off you’ll be, but it’s hard to convince yourself that that’s the case.”

- Richard Davis

“Work your way through college and keep your debt down, even it if takes you longer to finish. When you get out, pay off your debt as soon as you can. And then, as you get it all paid off, start investing in the stock market, keeping two things in mind: one, leave your money in for a long time; two, don’t sell off every time the market goes down, because it goes up and down all the time. But don’t invest any more than you can afford to.”

- Margaret Croft “If you have a job coming out of high school, work it hard.

If you get into college, try to maintain a good work ethic.

A lot of kids want to go out and party, but you can do that later. I’ve been working since I was 12, so it hasn’t held me back and I still had time to do other things.”

- Joe Sharrar

“I remember going [to college] and being very nervous about it, and wondering what it would be like. I remember finding out very early that yes, it’s work, but it’s okay, and I’m meeting new people from the dorm, and finding out what people are like from other towns — the many things you have in common, and the things you don’t. It was a broadening experience, and it all will work out.”

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20 SENIOR PROFILES

BY GRACE JENSEN, ISABEL RATNER, AND MEGAN SYER

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The positive thing [about senior year] that I notice very quickly, actually, was that everyone kind of got a lot closer.

Everyone had this relatable idea that this is our last year together after being together for years, so I definitely noticed that everyone has been a lot more close-knit, and everyone is friends with everyone, which is a good thing in my opinion.

I’ve definitely realized that there is no such thing as the right thing to do or the good thing to do, it’s just about what you want to do, because it’s all subjective. It doesn’t matter how good a school is if you’re not going to be happy there. None of that matters. All that matters is if you feel like you belong, and that you’re appreciated, and valued where you are, I strongly believe that. I think that it is an important thing to think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. Are you doing it because it makes you happy? Or because that’s just the plan, or that’s what other people told you to do. I think your future is supposed to scare you a little bit.

I’m very excited. Basically, I have no idea what I’m doing next year, but that is so exciting for me because I just know that I am going to make it work, whatever I do because I don’t give up when I want something, I keep working till I get it. Ideally what I want to be doing next year is probably get a teaching job at a dance studio, because of I really choreographing. It is something that comes naturally to me. I just want to make a living what I love, even if it’s a small living. It’s just not about money for me. I’ve never defined success with money; I’ve always defined it as content, and actually being able to look at yourself and saying, “I’m proud of myself, and I’m proud of what I’m doing, and proud of where I’m going,” because that’s what the most important. I think that no matter what you’re doing if you have a purpose and you’re going for it, that’s what really matters. It is definitely a lot harder to defy that and actually question it because it’s really easy to accept what you’re told. You have to get a 4.0, and you have to go to a school that’s hard to get into to.

That’s what people are told and they accept it without questioning it and the challenging part is actually being introspective and looking at yourself, and thinking, “Is this actually going to fulfill me, or am I just going to look like a better person to other people?”

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BEN CHOSID

When I think of Community, the first day embodies it pretty well. All the other schools are like ‘ugh, shoot we have to go back to school,’ and all the Community kids are like ‘I’m so excited for getting Orange Leaf and Jimmy John’s on the back lawn.’ We go and we’re excited, and we don’t really have class, we just go across the street and go to forum and meet all the new people, and everyone’s just kind of excited to be back.

It’s a different environment than it is at other schools. [My freshman year] I came in and I didn’t have a ton of friends and I kind of didn’t know what to expect. I was honestly in a pretty bad mood just because I wanted to go to Huron, like I didn’t want to go here, I was kind of forced to go here. But just seeing that was the first step in me being like ‘Oh, I think this is where I belong.’

That day I was okay with telling my parents that I was wrong and they were right, and that this was the best place to be. I think I realized that being in a place that was better for me was more important than being right. And being happy was more important than being right.

I think [Community has] made me a lot more of a responsible person. I think in middle school I banked on my parents to make me be productive with homework, but I think being at Community has made me a lot more of a person that will do my own stuff and my parents will be like ‘Did you do your homework?’ and I’ll be like ‘Yeah, I did it a couple hours ago.’ They’re not really breathing down my neck as much anymore just because they know that I’m going to get my stuff done. I’m more of a responsible human being now.

[I will miss] everything, to be completely honest. It’s just a great place to wake up and come to every day.

MARISSA CORZINE The biostation trip this year was the best experience so far of my time in high school. I just felt like this year especially, everyone on the trip bonded more, and I saw the teachers do so many funny things. We got to go on a lot of hikes, and a couple of us stayed up all night and just talked, stayed by the fire, and saw the sun rise by the lake. It was really nice and peaceful. I can’t even describe how much I love it there, and I wish I could go back next year. On the hike, we found a really steep hill that we could’ve sledded down, but we didn’t have any sleds, so it was just our bodies. Francesca almost ran into me because she was going so fast down the hill. Throughout the hike, all of the paths were frozen over, so it was a treacherous journey. Half of the group got lost at one point. It was an adventure.

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ZOE MILLIMAN

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JULIAN MAYES-BURNETT

Being in Anne Thomas’s forum is an amazing experience. Anne would always make everything great and make everyone feel included.

I never felt excluded as a freshman and sophomore. I just remember really connecting with my forum. [I love Anne’s] willingness to get everyone together and make everyone feel equal and safe and just overall have an amazing time. She really did just feel like the best forum leader. I will miss that bond.

When I was a freshman, the seniors seemed like gods almost. The famous Isaac Scobey-Thal was my senior leader as a freshman so he showed me around. He showed me the ropes of the community. If I didn’t have that opportunity, I feel like I’d be a different person almost.

I’ve learned that whatever happens, happens, and if something bad happens to keep pushing. Let’s say, my parents got divorced last year during finals week, and I had to pack up all my stuff and study as hard as I could and just get the grades that I wanted. Or like, I quit the sport I was doing to do CET and all of my teammates were sad that I had to leave but eventually I was definitely happier being in CET. You will get through it.

[Community is] a very chill environment.

It’s definitely a good place to go to high school. I would not have wanted to go anywhere else. I almost went to Pioneer, and I’m very glad I didn’t. I think Community is a better fit for me personally. I think I do well with more freedom, and that doesn’t mean I get to slack off, it just motivates me to do my best work. At Pioneer I would have been held back creatively, not just in art but kind of my ideas.

I don’t think my ideas would be as valued at Pioneer. I’ve changed a lot [here]. I’ve matured a lot and become a more rounded person. Definitely more intelligent and more cultured. It’s a good place to mature. I think Community has a lot of freedom in what you want to learn, and I think that following what you like and almost having structure that almost forces you to explore new things, and just understand other people and yourself a lot more. I think at other places it’s a very one track, like go do this and go do this and it’s very planned out for you. Here though you can find more things to explore and become curious about. I think curiosity is a really important thing to have. Community definitely fosters the environment of curiosity.

AVERY HARTSOCK

My favorite memory at Community I would have to say is probably graduation. No, I’m kidding, I don’t know. I feel like it would probably be one of the field days. I like field day. That’s like my crème de la crème. We come together as a school and tug-of-war is pretty intense, and I love competition.

[Since] freshman year I definitely feel like I’ve changed. I feel like I used to be super quiet and now I’m more not quiet. I think I just grew to like myself more, like become more confident. I would say Emily Solbrig [helped me with that].

She has this walk, it was like the biggest thing I remember about her, she had this walk and it was just so confident and I was like, ‘I want that walk.’

And so I imitated it and it became like

my whole personality. Fake it till you make it, honestly. That’s the best advice you can give anyone: fake it till you make it.

I’m going to miss the teachers, definitely. I really like the teachers. I just feel like they’re all so passionate about their subjects and it really translates into how they teach, so like in their respect for the students. I am going to go to Kettering and get a degree in applied mathematics and become an actuary. [I decided to do that in] middle school. I’ve stayed pretty consistent. I like math. And I think definitely the math program at Community, it’s not like super advanced, but it really makes you have a good understanding of math and really makes you fall in love with it.

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BY AJAY WALKER

Artist Profile Dylan Hearn 12th grader Ink Illustration

What is the story behind this piece?

I’ve always loved the idea of stark contrast: Detail versus simplicity, light versus dark. I loved the black panther since I was little and I wanted to make a piece that was just... him. I’ve been told by countless teachers and fellow artists that I leave to much negative space, which I do, but I do it with a purpose; the negative space compliments the detail in my mind. This drawing took me longer then most but I feel like this one is the most true to what I find visually appeasing.

How did you get involved in this art form?

Reading comics has been a constant in my life since I was four. Those, “larger than life” characters always amazed me. When I realized that average people with a skill made those images I tried it myself, telling stories with images, turning my beloved heros into what I wanted.

Who or what inspires you to create?

My biggest idol is Jim Lee. A maverick in the comic community, he has drawn so many books that I read asMagazine a little Feature kid. | 36 of | theThe Communicator

Do you prefer this art form over other art forms?

Definitely.

How has art helped you since you got involved in it?

It’s allowed my imagination to grow like wild. I’ve thought of things that were either God awful or mind blowing and art has allowed me to visualize those ideas and make them something I can hold onto and improve upon.

Why is art or this medium important to you or others?

It’s the first way I learned to draw. I remember googling, “How to draw like Jim Lee.” Ever since then I’ve been drawing how I’ve been drawing. The funny thing is I could never get my art to look like his so eventually I gave up and made my own style. Best decision I made.

BY AJAY WALKER

Artist Profile

Francesca Olegario 12th grader Ink Illustration

What is the story behind this piece?

It was a self portrait and I was really into yellow so I didn’t only want a yellow hoodie so I added a banana eel.

How did you get involved in this art form?

Experimenting.

Who or what inspires you to create?

The series Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Do you prefer this art form over other art forms?

I regularly use micron pens and watercolor so I usually do more detailed work.

How has art helped you since you got involved in it?

It has gotten me money from commissions. Also serves as a creative outlet.

Why is art or this medium important to you or others?

Art is a way to translate something so I think it can illustrate an individual’s aesthetic.

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ABROAD. What would have been senior year spent at Community High School for Fiona O’Rielly is instead spent in Puebla, Mexico as an exchange student. She is a part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program, where she stays with three different host families over the course of 11 months while attending a Spanish-speaking school.

BY MEGAN SYER

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Right: Fiona O’Rielly sits in a field of flowers while on her way to a small town in Puebla with her host family. They found the flower field on the way there and stopped to take pictures.

Above: Fiona O’Rielly hikes up the Uxmal Pyramid while on a trip with other exchange students.The trip, the Ruta Maya, is one of two offered through Rotary for the exchange students.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FIONA O’RIELLY

How did you come to the realization that being an exchange student was something you wanted to do?

I think an exchange is something I’ve always wanted to do. I have a passion for traveling, and ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to have an exchange student. It was my “thing.”

I remember that I used to Google information when I was little about hosting exchange students, and I would always ask my parents, but they would say no. Then one day I realized instead of hosting an exchange student, I could actually be one. After that, I kind of just made it happen. I started looking at a lot of different programs and then I found Rotary, and it was the best fit for me. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to go to a Spanishspeaking country because I had learned that in high school, and I think it’s a really useful and beautiful language to know. I had to put 10 different countries on a form, so I put my top five countries that I was really passionate about first, and after that I put a few more random countries. Mexico was my second choice, and I could not be happier.

What was your first day like on the exchange program? Walk me through your day.

The night before, I was up pretty late doing some last-minute packing, which is not something I would recommend. I remember my flight was super early in the morning, so I woke up around four or five in the morning, and my mom, dad, and brother came with me to the airport. As we were driving in the car to Detroit, I was going through checklists. I was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m not going to see you guys for 11 months, and there is so much I need to ask.”

Then we got to Detroit, and I was really excited, but I didn’t know what to expect. I had been

talking to my host family in Mexico before though. When I was leaving Detroit, I said bye to my family, and I just started crying like crazy, and I got scared. Then I had a layover in Dallas, and that’s when I started to get really excited.

I was still nervous, but in less than six hours I was going to be in Mexico and see my first host family. So much was going through my mind. When I flew into Mexico City, I got my bags and went out the doors past security and couldn’t find my host family because it was a Sunday, and there were so many people there.

My face lit up when I finally found them. That was the moment I started to relax and know that things were going to be okay. I realized that it was real, and I didn’t have time to worry.

After we left the airport, we went out to eat in Mexico City and then walked around to see some of the monuments there. Then we went to Puebla, which is the city that I am staying at, and walked around one of the malls. After that we came back to their house.

When you were with your first host family, what was that like?

The one thing that I didn’t keep in mind was how hard it was going to be to communicate with my host family because I only had a few years of basic Spanish. When I got there, I couldn’t really say anything, and that was stressful. My sisters could speak a little bit of English, so that helped me. I was with them for about five months, so after about three, I definitely got better, and they were able to understand me. At that point, I was able to be myself because it’s hard to be yourself when you aren’t able to speak the language.

It’s the little things [that stand out to me the most]. I remember one day, we were driving

to this small town, and there was this flower field there with so many perfect yellow flowers.

I remember asking, “Oh my gosh, wouldn’t it be so cool if we could get out and take a few pictures?” So we pulled the car over in the middle of the highway, and we asked the gardeners if they would mind if we took some pictures, and they said something like, “Of course you can take photos in our flower field.”

They even cut us some flowers for us to take.

I think those little moments have really made my exchange [so great] because it shows the spirit of the people here. They are so kind and welcoming. Also, one thing I love about Puebla and where I am is that the scenery can change so quickly, and it’s gorgeous. You can be in the city, and then thirty minutes later, you can be in small towns with the mountains and beautiful views.

When did you start school?

So for me, I jumped into things super quickly.

We didn’t know at the time, but my school here in Mexico wanted me there on the first day of school. I flew in on a Sunday, and we got back to the house around nine p.m., and then the next day I woke up at six a.m. and went to school. A lot of my other exchange friends had a week to settle in, but I went to school on the second day. I think it was a good decision to jump right into it. I was scared, and I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I just kind of followed some people around, but it took a while for things to settle in and feel normal.

It was so different, and I didn’t understand anything, but everyone was so nice. Also, I didn’t know there was going to be another exchange student at my school, so that was nice. I like it that way actually because we are

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in different grades, so we’re friends, but at school we hang out with other students from the area. At other schools there are close to 10 exchange students, so they’re always together, and it’s hard for them to disband.

How has school been different from Community?

It’s definitely not easy. In the beginning, I wanted to say so much, but I just couldn’t because my level of Spanish wasn’t there.

Then I got to a point where my Spanish was better, but it was still hard because teenagers have almost a second language. They talk in a different way. I couldn’t pick up on a lot of that because it was so different from how my host parents spoke at home. It’s not easy to make friends that don’t speak your first language, but I think does help you appreciate the small things because you have to work to get there.

I had to work to get my Spanish better, and I had to work to make friendships, so it makes it that much more meaningful. Of course there are hard days, and I can’t always say the things I want to say, but I’ve learned that you have to struggle and go through those hard points to make friendships.

You started school close to the big earthquake that hit Puebla, what was it like when that happened?

I think there have actually been four different earthquakes here, but the big one

was in September. I can’t even describe what happened. It was scary, and it all happened so fast. At the same time, in the moment, it felt like it was going on forever, and that it would never end. To be honest I think it was the scariest thing I’ve ever been in. I remember that I was on the first floor in gym class, and at first I thought something was wrong with me. I thought I was super sick or I was going to pass out because when I looked up the room was all wobbly.

Then I remember that I just literally froze, and somebody in class had to push me and they said, “Fiona, let’s go, let’s go.” Everyone ran to a field because there’s nothing around there if something were to crash. As we were running, I saw all of these cars shaking and water dumping out from a fountain nearby. One of my classmates jumped out the window from the second floor because he was too scared to take the stairs, and that was his reaction.

I’ve never experienced anything like that, and I didn’t know that earthquakes happened often in Mexico. I didn’t expect that I would be in an earthquake while on my exchange.

I know you’ve gone on some trips with your exchange program too. Can you tell me about those?

With Rotary Youth Exchange, they offer two main trips, so one of them is called the Ruta Maya, and the other is the Ruta Independencia. The Ruta Maya is a two-week bus trip, and everyone leaves from Puebla. We

went to a lot of the main beaches like Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Merida, Playa del Carmen, and more. We went to the pyramids too, and it was such an amazing experience. I was super happy that I decided to go. Almost all of the exchange students in our program did it, and you get to know everyone so well. We had a welcome weekend before, but we got to know each other best while we were on the trip. On the Ruta Maya, there was a ton of driving, so we sang and told jokes on the bus. When we got to Cancun with all the other exchange students, we went to this public beach and it was the most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. I actually got stung by a jellyfish there too, which was kind of funny. I was like, “Guys, do you feel anything?” and everyone told me it was just my imagination, but then later we found out that I was stung. There were probably at least 100 of us, and we were all just having a great time. There’s nothing better than that. It’s so amazing to have the opportunity to have friends from literally all over the world. I have made friends in the exchange program from the U.S., Canada, France, Indonesia, Germany, India, Holland, Japan, Brazil, and Belgium.

What have you done while on your exchange?

I’m a part of an interact club, which is similar to a volunteer club, through Rotary. We meet weekly, and sometimes we just do fun things like go bowling. We also do a lot of service projects, so during the earthquakes we helped out with that, and we are planning on going in the city to raise money to buy and donate clothes.

My organization is a service organization, so I am always looking for volunteering options.

I also did some volunteering with my second host mom because she’s a part of Rotary. One thing I did was make donation boxes of packed food, and they gave them out to a bunch of people in Puebla. Another day I volunteered in a city nearby and washed wheelchairs because they hosted a day where you could bring them in, and we would repair them and wash it for a good price.

In the U.S., I am into water polo and swimming, but I decided not to do that this year just to try new things, so I joined the soccer team. I also have been doing a little bit of rock climbing, but I want to do that more. I’ve also been learning some traditional Mexican dances with

“As we were running, I saw all of these cars shaking and water dumping out from a fountain nearby. One of my classmates jumped out the window from the second floor because he was too scared to take the stairs.”

Right: O’Rielly stands with the siblings of her host family, Mariana, Ilse, Ivette (from right to left). It was on the first day of her exchange, and they were exploring the city.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FIONA O’RIELLY

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A view of Popocatépetl, an active volcano, from O’Rielly’s hike with her first host family on Christmas.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FIONA O’RIELLY

my friends, but in the summer I’d like to take a class because there is nothing like that in the U.S. I also went to this leadership weekend with Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, RYLO, and one night, a few of my exchange friends and I hung out and sat on the grass. In Mexico, it’s not very common to have a yard, and we just got to talk and see the stars until late that night. That’s something I will never forget.

Another thing, with my second host family, I recently cooked macaroni and cheese for them. It was really exciting because that was something I got to share with them; it was a dish that they didn’t know of as well. There are hamburgers and other dishes that cross over, but my family had never heard of macaroni and cheese, so I went to the store and bought the ingredients like sharp cheddar. I remember that whole afternoon was spent making a gourmet macaroni and cheese, and then we all ate it. Also, in that house there was a flat roof that we could go up on, and it was close to Popocatépetl, which is the volcano, and I just found it the most beautiful thing. Every night I would run up the stairs around 6:30 p.m. when the sun was setting, and I got these beautiful photos with the sun setting and the volcano. I took a series of photos while I was there around the same time, and every night the photos turned out different with the colors.

you’re not allowed to walk right by it. That has been another one of my favorite memories. It’s hard for me to think about my exchange as a whole because I am still on my exchange, and it has just become a part of my normal life. I’ve also celebrated Día de la Independencia, their Independence Day. My school had a party and we dressed up in traditional Mexican clothes, and my host family had a party that night. I also celebrated Día de Muertos, Day of the Dead.

Have you celebrated any holidays while you’ve been in Mexico?

Yes. In Mexico, Christmas is not as big of a holiday on the 25th, it’s more the 24th.

They have a lot of family in another state, Morelos. It was my first tropical Christmas, so we were eating outside while my parents were sending me pictures of everyone in the snow. The next day, we went on this hike in the mountains. There’s a volcano — I can see everyday from my school, and it’s one of my favorite things — and right next to it, there is a mountain range. You can hike or drive and be right next to the volcano, which is active, so

Is it hard having to switch who you’re staying with three times?

No, I actually think it’s a great way to get to know people. With each family, you meet all of their cousins, grandparents, and their friends.

With my first family, I had a 19-year-old sister, an 11-year-old sister, and two parents. With my second family, it was completely different because I lived with a single mom and her daughter who is 21, so it was a huge change.

With my third family, I am currently living with twins that are nine years old and the mom and dad.

Have there been any hard moments for you while on your exchange? December was a really hard month for me. I didn’t think it would be that hard for me to celebrate Christmas without my family, but it was. Sometimes I would be happy, and other times I would start crying out of nowhere... In the end though, the good moments make up for those hard moments. I missed my family a lot in the first months because I came to Mexico not knowing anybody except my host family. Now, if it makes sense, I am more used to being without them. Of course I still keep in touch with them, and I’m excited to go back, but this has become my life [right now], and I’m more in the rhythm. Having a host family also helps.

I am currently living with my last family. [With Rotary] we switch families three times while on the exchange.

Why did you decide to go on an exchange during what would have been your senior year?

I guess I don’t really have a reason. It just felt like it was something that I needed to do.

I knew I could’ve waited to study abroad in college, but in my mind, I knew this was the year. Part of it was because I thought being away for a year would teach me a lot about myself. When you’re in a place where you don’t know anything, I think you do learn more about yourself. I think also another factor was that I wanted to become more fluent in Spanish before I transition into college because that might be something I would like to do. It has been a little hard knowing that I am not going to graduate with my class that I started with or go to prom with my friends, but those are small things for what I have been experiencing here...

I think everyone should go on an exchange if they have the opportunity because they are so wonderful, and I have changed and grown so much.

How do you think being on an exchange has changed you?

It has definitely made me more confident because I went in not knowing anyone, and to think that eight months later I have built a community here — family, friends, teachers, classmates — and I know the language, I have grown so much. Also, just knowing a second language and to be able to communicate with other people is amazing. I don’t know how much I’ll get to use Spanish in the U.S., but if I hear someone speaking Spanish, I hope I get to talk to them and have a conversation with them. [Being on an exchange] has opened a lot of doors, and I have connections with people all over the world.

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NN AND ALEC RED

Rosewood performed at Threads All Arts Festival, on March 11 at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. This was Threads’ second year hosting the event. The festival revolves around artists in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEC REDDING

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BY SHANE HOFFMA

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rowds filled East Washington St. for Ann Arbor’s annual summer festival, Top of The Park. Families and friends of all ages moved through the maze of food stands, grassy picnic areas, various activity tents, and stage area. Community High (CHS) students Clarence Collins III and Emily Tschirhart — rising sophomores at the time — strolled together near the University of Michigan Graduate Library.

They walked around talking about their new plan: they were creating a band.

The Inspiration For Collins III, Tschirhart, and their eventual band members, other local student bands were large influences in their early high school years.

“Popularity was a thing, but really what it was, was [their] professionalism,” Collins III said.

Their role model bands included The Euphorics, Creel, and The Stellars, groups which were mainly composed of CHS seniors.

“I was like, ‘why can’t there be more of these [bands], because they’re going to be gone next year,’” Collins III said.

In search of a band name, Collins III created “Rosewood,” inspired by an Ann Arbor street sign. Despite its lack of significance, the name has caught on throughout the group and some of the community’s youth.

Rosewood’s goal was, and still is, straightforward: become the next big Ann Arbor high school band and continue the cycle of upperclassmen providing inspiration to underclassmen musicians.

The Band Aside from Collins III and Tschirhart, the group’s original members included Sam Uribe (saxophone), Mei Semones (guitar),

and Mason Cox (drums). Later on, through the Neutral Zone — which is a youth center in Ann Arbor dedicated to artistic expression, community leadership, and more — the group met Huron High School (HHS) student Jamal Harding and was taken aback by his talent on the bass guitar. His skill earned him an invite to join the band.

Rosewood went on to audition for Live on Washington 2016 (LOW) and received a spot. Curated by the Neutral Zone, LOW is an annual outdoor teen music and arts festival held in downtown Ann Arbor. After a successful performance, the group temporarily dissolved during the summer due to various scheduling issues between its members.

As the following school year got underway, however, Harding resurrected the group and brought his friend and fellow HHS student Sterling Robinson on board as Rosewood’s new drummer, replacing Cox. In need of a pianist, HHS senior Lawrence Rowley joined the fold. However, Rowley graduated the following year, and Saki, Semones’s twin sister, would go on to take his place.

Throughout the school year, the group played consistent gigs and concerts, eventually partaking in the Neutral Zone’s Battle of the Bands (BOTB). This yearly event consists of several youth bands competing against each other through multiple rounds of performance while being judged by renowned musicians within the community.

Rosewood was awarded first place and concurrently rewarded with a spot to play at the next LOW. Another one of the BOTB prizes was free studio time to record a single with The Neutral Zone’s record label, Youth Owned Records.

As underclassmen, the group’s goal was simple: play music, and lots of it. With every passing month, Rosewood’s members

gained more experience, and with experience came maturity. They started making their own music and gained a sizable following. It took time, but once they figured out the basics and became more organized, Rosewood began to thrive. For many of the band’s members, the band experience taught them to be leaders, harder workers, and they carried these lessons with them into the community.

“I would say playing any sort of improv music will make anyone a leader,” Collins III said. “When you are taking a solo in any sort of music, you kind of end up being a leader in that aspect and the dynamic of the group at that time… Making music is such an intimate and expressive art form, so if you are not making sure that you are conveying your message the way you want it to be conveyed then it is not going to sound good. Just being in the band helped make me more confident in my goals and aspirations. [It made me] try my hardest to get somewhere.”

The Community “It’s exciting; it’s amazing,” said Veniece Session, a Neutral Zone employee who has worked extensively with Rosewood, helping to produce their music. “They’re such talented artists and people. They happen to be teenagers who are in high school… To have a full seven-person band that’s creating original material, that’s influenced by jazz and R&B and hip hop, it’s such an amazing experience.”

Session is just one of many adults in the community who have had the pleasure of indulging in, learning from, or working with Rosewood and their music. Their appearances on WCBN — one of the many rewards for winning Battle of the Bands — and at LOW have helped get Rosewood’s name on the radar.

Threads was cancelled during the summer and moved to March 11, Rosewood had already applied during the summer and secured a spot to perform at the festival. The band performed a sixsong set in front of roughly one hundred people.

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Rosewood rehearses at Uribe’s house prior to their WCBN recording. They also spent time composing new music for their upcoming album. They plan on releasing their eight-song album in late May.

During the band’s airtime on WCBN, “I hope we are having that impact on the own group. This is really us putting out many called in to express support and in- underclassmen, because I am already see- some objectives for ourselves, and doing terest in the group. People were taking no- ing a couple [of underclassmen bands],” he [them] for ourselves.” tice. Later, WCBN put the 45 minute clip said. “It is more so like getting it out there, One of those such objectives is to comon their Soundcloud account. With several and if we are doing our job right, bands will plete their eight-song debut album and rethousand streams, that clip is now the sta- come out of the woodwork.” lease it before graduation, as they now have tion’s most played. a full partnership with Youth Owned ReDespite the publicity, several band mem- The Future cords. bers still believe there is a prove-it factor Spring has finally begun in Ann Arbor “I really want to make as much music as when it comes to the adult audience. and school is almost over, which means possible together,” Collins III said. “Just in “There is... to be frank though… we have Rosewood’s final months are coming. Given general, I just want to have more original a lot of things under our belt,” Collins III that all but two of the group’s members are music that is played within our band… I’m said. “I more so want the adults glad and excited for what we to not just think we are the Ann can do, but it is going to be so Arbor band. I feel like even with short. I want people to see that “I’m glad and excited for what we all the accomplishments, we we can be what I envisioned us can do, but it is going to be so short. to be.” can still be blanketed under the Ann Arbor teen band that just Along with their album, the I want people to see that we can be plays some music.” group hopes to land as many While Rosewood’s musicians gigs as possible. Several are what I envisioned us to be.” have worked diligently to gain already in the works, one of the respect of the adult comwhich is particularly special to munity, their focus still lies with them. Early this summer, RoseAnn Arbor’s youth, especially promising seniors, this summer will be the last chance wood will perform at Top of The Park. young musicians. Another local band, The for the group to write, play, and record mu- Some of them have dreamed of playing Left Lanes, has caught the eye of several sic together before they go their separate there for years, and now they have finally Rosewood members. Comprised of four ways in the fall. Several of them plan to gotten their chance. Rosewood’s journey sophomores and a junior, some of which go continue their musical careers as they tran- will end right where it began. to CHS, the group has taken a similar path sition to college. Collins III will attend The Before they won Battle of the Bands, to that of Rosewood. They meet consistent- New School’s music program, while Semo- twice; before they released their first origily, write original music, frequently perform nes is headed the Berklee School of Music. nal song; before they signed a contract with local gigs, and have started to build a follow“For me, what it has meant, besides [be- Youth Owned Records; before they pering of their own. This is exactly what Col- ing] a great time, is that it has been a great formed on WCBN; before Rosewood was lins III was hoping would happen when he life experience with people,” Uribe said. Rosewood, it was an idea, it was a vision, envisioned the band almost three years ago. “It’s just very bonding to be a part of our it was a goal.

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Uribe, Semones, and Collins III take turns soloing at Battle of the Bands (BOTB). This was their second time winning the event.

BOTB awarded several prizes including a spot at Top of the Park, a spot at Neutral Zone’s Live on Washington, and more.

The group performs at the Threads festival as Tschirhart leads the way with her strong vocals. Some of the group’s members with continue to pursue their musical interests next fall at music school. Semones and Collins III plan to attend Berklee and The New School, respectively.

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SENIOR MOCK AWARDS Based on survey responses from over a hundred students.

GRAPHICS BY MARY DEBONA, GRACE JENSEN, AND KT MEONO

Class Heartthrob Sam Uribe

Misses Vine the Most Bree Linton

Cutest Couple That Never Was Neil Beveridge and Suephie Saam

Club Addict Award: Can Only Talk About Mock Trial KT Meono

Best Bromance Charlie Kotila and Sean MacLatchy Biggest Drama Queen Brennan Eicher Most Likely to Cheer You Up When You’re Feeling Low Lia Kahan and Fiona Lynch Most Accident-Prone Grace York Most Likely to Become President Grace Jensen First Couple That Will Get Married Sean MacLatchy and Tanvi Jaikamal Spends the Most Time at School (Boarding School Award) Saul Vielmetti

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Feature

Most Likely to Sing in the Hallways Emily Tschirhart Most Changed Since Freshman Year Ryan Klooster Aux Cord King Ethan Ziolek Most Likely to Raise Hand in Class and Ask What’s Going On Juliette Nanos Most Likely to Forget About Forum Snack “Everyone” (won with 3 votes) School Spirit Award Basil Rutkowski Best Forum Member Zane Jones

Class Clown Carter Schmidt

Neutral Zone Enthusiast Clarence Collins III

Best Senior Sneeze Molly Johnson

Most Likely to go on a Coffee Run for a Teacher Audrey Jeffords

Most Likely to Trip at Graduation Terah Blakemore

Never Logs Out of Google on School Computers Oscar Anderson

Most Likely to Park in a Spot That’s Not a Spot Trevor Cross

Most Likely to Sleep in Their Car During a Free Block Lukis Brod

Most Likely to Train for Field Day Tug-of-War (Tug-of-War MVP) Dylan Hearn Most Likely to Walk Into a Wall While Texting Erika Chesky Best Nickname Kaleb Doughten-Priuska (Shalissa) Most Selfies in the Bathroom Mirror Grace York Most Spirited Jacksonian Whagger Will Carroll Most Likely to Roll Into Class 20 Minutes Late with Sweetwaters Brynn Stellrecht

Forum Spirit Award (Wears Those Forum T-Shirts No One Understands) Katy Pasquariello Taken Personal Fitness Most Times Yoshi Fromentas-Canales Most Likely to Get the Last Spot in the Lot Sean Parmer Spends Most Time on the Back Lawn Cortez Thomas Most Likely to Win the Spork Game Lily Gechter

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Sabina Fall Spring Peepers It is the very sound of sunshine Even though I hear it Only after dark After all the lights are turned off In my home and in the sky When my windows are left open Not asking for permission To let in the slowly crisping air It’s then that I can hear them The peepers A sound that feels so nostalgic even though it returns to me every year, In the same way, Waiting for me outside my window The peepers The chorus frogs Who have been singing Me lullabies since before I could understand the words of my mother’s song And continued long after hers finished The peepers Every one of them are there for my ears To hear For when the eyes Sitting in my head Shut again I’m suddenly the same age as I was the first time I heard Their lullaby

Senior Poetry Profile

BY MADIE GRACEY

How long have you been writing poetry?

The past two years since creative writing at the beginning of my junior year. After that, I would occasionally come to poetry club but I wasn’t really writing poetry all that much.

What theme do you use most?

I usually use themes about nature, love, friendship, or my sisters.

What inspires you to write?

Most of the time, I’m given prompts whether that be in class or poetry club. But occasionally if there is something going, just me driving around, or walking and thinking and a phrase comes to me and I write more about it later.

What is your process for writing?

Normally, I will have a prompt, idea, or something that inspires me and I just have a brain dump on a page and write whatever I’m thinking. After that, I usually don’t edit it much, I just make sure it makes sense.

Do you read in front of crowds?

I’ve only read twice. Once at a Community Poetry Reading and once at an Ann Arbor Poetry Event but I don’t usually perform them.

When was your first time reading?

I think the first time I read in poetry club was my sophomore year and in front of a crowd was my junior year.

How do you feel when you are reading?

When I read in a classroom, I’m always a little nervous and never really feel that great about my poem until afterwards. I don’t love reading in a crowd because I don’t really write slam poems. Compared to some other poetry read in a bigger event mine feels very out of place.

Why do you write poetry?

It just feels easy to me and I think it’s a really wonderful and fun way to express yourself and your thoughts or feelings in a less direct way. I think it can also be really calming and therapeutic in a way to just get your thoughts out on a page.

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Will Carroll You were a man of dignity You were a man of principles You walked the waters of Candlewood Lake, in my heart you were invincible.

You built oceans out of matches, And phoenixes out of the ashes You paid 11 cents to go the movies, And a penny for my thoughts.

You left Queens when the Bronx was burning, just like your passions To provide a better life for your offspring’s generation To avoid the degradation it took to grow up in your time.

In your last moments you were the closest yet the furthest you’ve ever been from me.

I could feel the soul leave the surface, as Jehovah touches the crevices on your face, but wait!

You hate religion, remember?

I’m not a big fan either.

In life you were so desperate to leave where you came from that you never stopped running for waterfalls of gold atop the hills that Manhattan used to be.

My mother sometimes says you’re obsessed with money, and when she’s mad she tells me I’m just like you.

I always took it as a compliment.

How long have you been writing poetry?

It depends what you call poetry. Part of me feels like my soul has been influenced by the power within the art of words since I first heard them. You could also say maybe sixth grade, when me and my friends would always battle rap. I miss those.

What theme do you use most?

I’m not too routine when it comes to themes. I try be as diverse with themes as possible. However, common themes that often reoccur for me within my writing are different aspects of love, social injustice, and drug addiction. I try to bring to life whatever it is within the silhouette of the definitive years of my life. I just have a story to tell, and certain people who will listen.

What inspires you to write?

The world I live in. It is only existing concurrently with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, creative expression, and art. I try to only teach my audience as much as they can teach me.

Do you read in front of crowds?

I read in front of crowds. I read in front of microphones. I read in front of my peers. I read in front of my life. I read in front of death.

When was your first time reading?

I think it was my freshman year, I wrote a poem about my experiences at Tappan Middle School. However, my subject matter, thought process, and lyrical dexterity as a whole has evolved and metamorphosized since then.

How do you feel when you are reading?

I feel intoxicated from the taste of my own tongue. I love the thrill of it, it makes me the perfect type of manic.

What is your process for writing?

It usually starts with one rhyme scheme, theme, thought, or dream. It serves as the means of my deepest creations within its matrix.

Why do you write poetry?

I’m weird as hell. I have a voice and word choice unique to myself and I love to find all of the different ways I can artistically present that.

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ACROSS ACROSS THE THE

*Data may have changed since collection on April 23rd.

CALIFORNIA CalArts Emily Tschirhart Harvey Mudd College Neil Beveridge

Riverside City College Deven Jones

COLORADO UC Boulder Nicole Kotov Juliette Nanos Alec Redding

ILLINOIS Columbia College Katy Pasquariello

DePaul University Nicole Coveyou Sean Parmer

Knox College David Jacobson

Loyola University Ethan Ziolek

University of Chicago Sean MacLatchy

INDIANA Earlham College Em Howard

OREGON MASSACHUSETTS

Berklee College of Music Mei Semones

Hampshire College Eliza Perkins-Hart

Smith College Grace Jensen

Williams College

Hope College

Minjun Kim

Abigail Bogits Alex Linders

Kettering College

MICHIGAN

Avery Hartsock

Kalamazoo College Isaac Agranoff Rose Bogard Ben Chosid Sabina Fall Ryan Klooster

Adrian College Maya Powell

College for Creative Studies Erika Chesky

Eastern Michigan University

Lake Michigan University

Will Carroll Marissa Corzine Francesca Olegario Saul Vielmetti

Daille Held

Lake Michigan College Bree Linton

Lake Superior State University

Grand Valley State University

Rachel Hystad

Anna Mellett 50

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Michigan State University Jorge DiGiovanni Wilson Gipson Dylan Hearn Lindsey Helberg Gabrielle Hornak Maura Johnson Ian Keller Andi Krawcke KT Meono Catherine Nicoli Suephie Saam Hevin White

Northern Michigan University Mary DeBona Gavin Lemieux Chrysanthe Patselas

COUNTRY COUNTRY

WHERE WILL COMMUNITY SENIORS BE NEXT YEAR?

NEW YORK

The New School Clarence Collins III

OHIO College of Wooster Lia Kahan

Oberlin College

Danny Freiband Isabel Ratner

Ohio University

Megan Syer

University of Dayton Terah Blakemore Caitlin Mahoney

PENNSYLVANIA Curtis Institute Calvin Mayman

SOUTH DAKOTA South Dakota State University

Carter Schmidt

VIRGINIA Washtenaw Community College Washington and Lee University Oscar Anderson Aurora Atkins Max Bonevich Zeke Casteel Liam Driscoll Brennan Eicher Lily Gechter Logan Hayner Zenna Hodge Holly Johnson Natalie Katz Callie Krawcke Julian Mayes-Burnett Zoe Millman Ryan Sauer Cortez Thomas Kiernan Tomtishen Connor Vitale Roman Wanczyk Daniel York

University of Michigan

Oakland University

Ashlyn Strain

University of Detroit, Mercy Trevor Cross

Lindsey Dye Coyne Gatto Denali Gere Charlie Hickman Tanvi Jaikamal Audrey Jeffords Zane Jones Charlie Kotila Fiona Lynch Kasey Neff Rishi Nemorin Suibhne O’Foighil Ellen Reed Max Resnick Brynn Stellrecht Ajay Walker Timothy Walters

Mairead Erhardt

WISONSIN University of Wisconsin

Vivienne Brandt

OTHER/GAP YEAR Audrey Angus Mateo Deas-Morales Hawa Dicko Kaleb Doughten-Priuska Iosmani Fromantes-Canales Amber Gamache Liam Greene-Kaleski Kyin Griffith Cameron Hawley Maxwell Johnson

Western Michigan University

Maddie Timmer

Andrew Reynolds Nyah Selassie Natalie Sherson Firavich Sam Uribe Felix Weber-Bailey Grace York

Wayne State University

Justin Carthage Spencer Rech

OREGON Reed College Ben Mannheim

University of Oregon Shane Hoffmann

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BY BELLA YERKES AND SUEPHIE SAAM

Isabel Ratner Macalester College

Prompt: Macalester is a community that includes people from many different backgrounds. Please write an essay about how your background, experiences, or outlook might add to the Mac community, academically and personally. (250-500 words)

I come from a small liberal town where attending the latest rally downtown or retweeting the popular hashtag has become more of a trend than something based on a genuine belief. I watch people in my community automatically agree with their friends on every issue — whether political or societal — and rarely seek out their own perspective.

Upon hearing the latest news in the world, I take a moment to consider what I think on my own. I ask myself questions like, what if I were on the other side? I am willing to disagree. Recently, when a white supremacist asked to speak on campus in my city, I watched the words of the popular opinion spill out of my peers’ mouths without thought — that his voice is dangerous.

Although I was uncertain of my opinion

about his right to speak on campus, and my views do not align with his, I paused for a moment. I asked myself, what about freedom of speech, even for those we disagree with? By shutting down their speech, aren’t we doing the same thing they want to do to us? Asking these kinds of questions should not be off limits. It is through these conversations that we come to a better understanding of each other’s opinions.

I have come to this questioning attitude through my work as a journalist for my school’s newspaper. My reporting has taught me the importance of the other side of the story. I listened to this “other side” last year, when I wrote an article about a woman who served four years in prison for a crime she did not commit. Telling her story was crucial to me, because it shed light on

the voice of someone whom many thought of as a criminal — and some still do. The research and reporting I did showed me that even the systems we are taught to trust can make mistakes. This lesson comes to me as I watch the news pour in and my peers think once, not twice. It takes me back to when this woman told me of how she was wrongfully convicted, how the doctors looked at her nephew’s CAT scans and quickly accused her of shaking him, when really he had suffered from a form of child stroke.

Telling this story has instilled in me a skeptical outlook on the commonly shared view.

In the Macalester community of different backgrounds and opinions, I would hope to bring this independence of thought and willingness to listen to campus.

Tanvi Jaikamal Common Application

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

A few years ago, my parents suggested watching a documentary called Blackfish on our weekly movie night instead of our usual lighter fare. I consented, though reluctantly, as I was already an animal lover and did not believe I could be the target audience of this movie.

The film delved into the life of a whale at SeaWorld named Tilikum, and the journeys of various trainers that worked alongside him. I recall my throat closing as I witnessed the whale in his tank, a mere fish bowl, dragging himself in languid laps like a goldfish suspended in endless limbo. Seeing the injustice being done to such a majestic creature for human profit reaffirmed my desire to make a difference in animal welfare, and I began to reflect on this ambition of mine.

I had always worn the label of being an animal lover with pride. Everyone around me was well aware that I aspired to fill my future home with shelter dogs and had sacrificed many a birthday present to donations toward adopting an elephant at the local zoo. I practiced veganism because I refused to support factory farming. I organized a donation drive for the American Veterinary Medical Foundation in the seventh grade, not stopping until I’d reached my fundraising goal.

Despite my depth of research on the mis52

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treatment of animals, watching Blackfish unveil the horrors that ensued at SeaWorld left me aghast. Self-interrogation spawned a myriad of questions inside me, one rising above the rest: What was I doing to spread my love for animals and catalyze collective actions beyond my own?

My first opportunity to speak out presented itself at the eighth grade Chicago trip.

We visited the Shedd Aquarium and were scheduled to watch a dolphin show there. I was sickened by the idea of supporting entertainment that exploited animals. I hesitated as my classmates poured into the showroom and contemplated my next move in the face of what was a clear violation of my beliefs. My sympathy for the trapped animals stuck in their bathtub tanks against their will vanquished the voice in my head goading me to pursue the popular option.

I turned on my heel and persuaded my teacher that it was imperative for me to sit out of the show.

Though at the time it seemed fruitless to be sitting out there while my classmates cheered on the dolphins, my conscience cheered for my conviction, awaiting acknowledgement.

Sure enough, when my classmates emerged from the show, they demonstrated understanding of my protest, some pointing out the tank sizes to each other in disdain. My heart fluttered…all my years of personal ef-

forts to help animals were collectively unable to produce change as effectively as one outward act of defiance. Though personal commitment had played a role in getting me to this point, sharing my views openly had planted a question in my peers’ minds and proven to be far more influential in amplifying my message.

Animal rights is a cause that is integral to me, and I find myself engaging in lively discussion when this topic arises. However, I realize not everyone has the same priorities, and I should not judge anyone who does not wish to support my agenda, as I too have not granted time to solicitors at my door.

Still, since the moment I reaped the rewards of voicing my beliefs, I am always on the lookout for opportunities to do so. For example, I have taken steps such as fostering dogs and writing essays about my stance on issues like animal testing. I have learned that an individual can initiate change, but must be supported by a community in order to incite impact. For this reason, I plan to participate in animal welfare organizations and continue my mission of implementing my principles through public activism in college and beyond.

Audrey Jeffords Common Application

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realizaton that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (650 word limit)

When I was almost finished with ninth grade I won a poetry contest. At the time, I was failing math, my grades were slipping, I was coming up short in the sport I had the potential to be great at, and I was hiding poor test scores and uneaten lunches in the depths of my room. Reactions to my deficiencies from my coaches, teachers, peers, and parents, whether alarm or indifference, made me feel like I had no allies, no one to turn to. I was enormously insecure, demoralized, panicked, fatigued, and in desperate need of encouragement. I was watching myself dim, like a lightbulb flickering out.

I received the award from a Michigan organization called One Pause Poetry. Local high school teachers were asked to select students to submit poems that would be judged by Matthew Olzmann, a Michigan-born poet, and other various affiliates of the organization. My poetry teacher asked me to submit a poem I had written so I emailed one to her and thought little of it after that. I was at once too stressed to worry about a contest and too defeated to expect that I could win anything. First prize was awarded to me, however, and it changed the course of my high school career.

The contest finalists were asked to read at a local bookstore. My winning poem was nothing special, a cluster of pretty words

and played-out imagery, but the poem I chose to read in addition to my submission is one of the most introspective things I’ve ever written. Titled “Atlas Children”, the poem was about my fears - of expectation, poor performance, and squandered potential. While reading it in front of a warm group of peers, parents, and pedagogues I came to a realization - my voice has value. They were listening to me. A bona fide poet had picked my poem, and these people were thoughtfully absorbing what I had to say, confirming the merit of my words.

Writing has always been my purest and most powerful form of self-expression, and so the award felt like commendation of a deep, personal version of myself. There was newfound efficacy behind my words. I began to form a new relationship with that more vivid version of myself, and, most importantly, I was ready to be heard again. In me was unearthed a sanguine and self-reliant identity, and I began to flourish and bloom after what had felt like an interminable hibernation.

During my sophomore year my annual GPA rose seven points, I dove into a particularly difficult piano piece, I became the fastest rower and a stalwart leader on the crew team that had doubted me, and I began to build secure and spirited relationships with my teachers, coaches, parents,

and peers. I found my place in my world as a confident and blossoming young person, with a strength that surprised even me.

I was liberated by the avowal of my quiet and disheartened voice. If it weren’t for the award I wouldn’t have realized how powerful my words can be.

That pivotal turning point still inspires me. I want to listen more, to hear the voices of the world around me and to share my own. I want to continue to empower myself through expression and encourage others to do the same. Acknowledgment, acceptance, and understanding of quiet, defeated voices is how we, as humans, create meaningful communities and powerful societies. There is nothing I can discern more powerful than truth, and there is nothing truer to me than the unadulterated human voice. We must strive, as people, to empower those who are unheard, to create outlets for uncensored expression, so that we can begin to address the issues we face as a society. I was told as a discouraged fourteen year old that my voice had value, and it changed my life. I want to continue to spread that message.

Coyne Gatto Common Application Some students have a background, identity, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then pkease share your story. (650 word limit) I am transgender.

KI first came out in the seventh grade, when I told my close group of friends that I didn’t feel like I was a girl, but I wasn’t sure if I was a boy either. I called myself genderqueer and hid this from my parents for around three years. It made it difficult for me to talk about myself with family because I was so uncomfortable with my assigned gender and was afraid of being rejected for who I really was. It took a lot of long, latenight conversations with my closest friends to come out to my family. Their reaction was nowhere near the awful and terrifying experience I had anticipated. My parents reassured me that they would always love me and would try their best with my new name and pronouns.

It was hard for everyone at first, but as time went on we all began to get more comfortable with the whole idea of being trans-

gender. It is a process. I had to learn that I needed to let other people catch up with where I was, three years ahead in knowledge, while my parents needed to learn how hard it was for me to live as a boy in the wrong body. We cried, we laughed, we argued, but in the end, we made it work.

In time, I learned how to advocate for myself out in the world. I started using the male restroom and locker room. I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me from going where I belonged. I asked my teachers to respect my identity and help educate any of my classmates that didn’t understand what I was doing. I pushed my parents to make appointments to begin my transition starting with transgender counseling and a name change. Currently, I am receiving hormone replacement therapy and on my way to getting top surgery in the near future.

Throughout this process, I have been an

ally, advocate, and voice for other transgender teens both in my area and around the world. I am the president of my school’s Queer Straight Alliance, and I am active in queer-centric online forums and chatrooms.

I participated in a panel at our local Intermediate School District teaching educators from around the state how best to serve and protect transgender students.

When looking for a college, it was important to find a place that challenged me academically but also provided a culture of inclusion and acceptance. By the time I enter college, I will be able to be myself to the fullest and ready to pursue my need for knowledge wherever it takes me.

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Juliette Nanos Common Application

Some students have a background, identity, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then pkease share your story.

Lollipop lamb chops, tenderloins and filets, tri-tip cap-off, bone-in pork shoulder.

This is my language; not the language on my transcript or in my cultural history, but a language I have come to love at a job that has expanded my sense of self and community. My part time job at Sparrow Meat Market has influenced my life in many meaningful ways.

When I tell people I meet that I am a butcher at a meat counter, they are often surprised. Yes, I am a five foot, two inch, pony-tailed high school girl who doesn’t necessarily look the part; and certainly not intimidating enough to wield knives at the meat counter. Many people ask me why I want to do this particular kind of work, and you would think this might be a challenging question. But every week, when I report to work, I engage myself with people who are just as eager to learn about meat as I am. I love meeting people who come from unique backgrounds and possess specific culinary tastes, and I enjoy being able to create new relationships. In this job, I get to know customers as my “regulars” who visit the market.

My current goal is to learn the ins and outs of being a butcher. To do this successfully, I pay careful attention to my manager as she explains countless recipes using cuts of meat that will fulfill a wide range of cus-

tomer desires. I use that knowledge to educate new and old patrons who fully examine our refrigerated case of fine cuts of meats.

I value these teachable moments between employee and customer.

During my first year as a butcher, my co-workers informed me that some customers have more of a story to tell than simply buying meat and making dinner for themselves. It was on a frigid Sunday morning when I personally experienced this first hand. I curiously asked one of the regulars what they did with the unusually large amounts of meat they purchased weekly.

Little did I know, this conversation would spark a new passion in my life. The customer explained that he is a volunteer who prepares food for the homeless people of Washtenaw County. I was astonished that a man I barely knew had immediately gained so much of my respect. Ever since this exchange, I have made a commitment to give back to others.

I joined my school’s Service Club shortly after the inspiring interaction and dove into many projects. Our projects not only serve our own community, but support important organizations around the world. Our team of dedicated volunteers is determined to help people who are food and resource insecure. As a result of my desire to support those in need, I was elected co-pres-

ident during the end of my junior year. I currently am focused on bringing my school and community together to make donations toward the Red Cross and other organizations that are helping thousands of people who have been affected by the rage of the 2017 hurricanes.

Not many high school girls can say they have had the opportunity to work at a meat counter, and even fewer have truthfully said it has changed their lives. In essence, my job is one of the most important things to me because I have expanded my meat cutting skills, helped customers with their culinary needs, and interacted with customers who have taught me the importance of community service. Being an employee at Sparrow Meat Market has helped me to carve out my sense of self. I am now more determined to get personally involved in issues that I am passionate about, and I will continue to ask questions, teach people, and give back to others.

Isaac Agranoff Common Application

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

The walk down to the building is full of cracked roads and constricted alleys. We approach the seven foot tall splintered wood door covered in barbed wire; as it slowly creaks open, I have no idea what to expect.

A flood of young kids rush at us with the biggest smiles on their faces yelling “blanc!”.

One of the children, whose name I learn is Odelin, grabs onto my hand and does not let go whenever I am with him. He asks me how I am today to which I respond “good!”

However, he was asking my name, not my mood. Throughout my entire trip in Haiti, he calls me “good” even after I correct him; however, he laughs at my frustration from him calling me that. I get the feeling from his sense of humor we are going to be superb friends.

The next day, I ask him how old he is to which he responds “14.” I am absolutely shocked, as he is about 2 feet shorter than me yet only two years younger. We can have more complex conversations because of our translator, but he prefers talking without one, as he likes trying to learn more English from me and tries to teach me some Haitian Creole. One day, he calls me “ufu” or “crazy” and that becomes like an inside joke where we call each other that whenev54

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er we can. My mind hasn’t accepted that I’m going to leave at the end of the week without him.

One day, we bring boxes of party supplies to the orphanage including balloons, chalk, and candy. I have an incredibly hard time tying the ends of the balloons and Odelin has to take it and show me how to. For almost an hour and a half we play a game where the balloon can’t touch the ground.

Even with such a simplistic game, it is some of the most fun I’ve ever had because it was filled with mutual laughter and “ufu!” every minute. I could have been doing it with my friends at home and it would have been no different. I would have never imagined that I would be such close friends with someone who lives in such a different situation than mine.

We get one day off to go to a resort and are allowed to take some of the kids. Of course, I pick Odelin. The resort borders the ocean, and there is a large trampoline in the middle of the water. We spend an hour just doing different jumps into the shimmering turquoise water, and decide that the cannonball is our favorite jump. The lunch is included and consists of a huge buffet of meats, vegetables, and fruits. Odelin’s eyes

become as wide as the plates we are about to eat off of. He fills his plate completely before going back another two times and it hits me that this is the most food he has seen in his life. I take eating three full meals a day more as a right than a privilege. Before we leave the resort, Odelin calls over a translator and has him say five words that I will never forget, “I will miss you Good” I realized all at once that I will probably never see Odelin again even if I do go back, as he has to leave the orphanage in two years. The incredible friendship I forged with him over one week was going to disappear, a feeling I’ve never felt. Those five words kept me awake at night for days while I thought about what he was doing and how different his future will be than mine. I still think of him to this day. Odelin taught me how no matter how different we are, no matter where we live, no matter what language we speak, we are able to come together and connect.

Letter Home Community High alumni talk about their first year of college and share advice with the class of 2018.

BY SUEPHIE SAAM

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARSON BORBELY

Carson Borbley Class of 2016

“I go to Wash U, originally thinking I was going to be an English major. Part of that is because of the work I did at Community where I just really fell in love with reading and writing. I had Judith, Ellen Stone, and Tracy to thank for that definitely. I just felt really supported as a poet and really loved. When I got to Wash U, I got really interested in global health so I switched my major to anthropology with a concentration on global health and environment. I also started majoring in writing and then eventually picked up design as well.

Last summer I went and lived in San Francisco for three months and interened with a really great organization called Breakthrough Collaborative and I got to teach visual writing, a section of visual arts, and a section of creative writing. It felt like I finally had a chance to kind of engender that same spirit of wonder and interest about writing that I’ve been lucky enough to have taught to me.

I taught a sixth grade class all summer. [It was the] craziest summer of my life for sure. I would be at work for 12 hours and then come home. Breakthrough was an incredible experience I’d really recommend it to anyone. It gave me a new appreciation for teaching and it made me think it was something I’d want to be involved with later in life. It’s helped shaped what I want to do post-grad.

I’m a lot quieter [since high school] which is surprising.

I think that part of it is because I’m going to this big school where I’m one of many. Whereas at Community I was a member of this small wonderful thing. At Community they were just so wonderful and so valuable in helping me build my voice, but I think being at Wash U I feel more sure of myself, more willing to let other people have the floor, and learn from what other people have to say.

Do not rush the transition [into college]. It is a really big change to go from somewhere you have lived for conceivably your whole life and then you pick up your legs and you move somewhere else. It is a really big change and expect a lot of emotion to come with that change. Know it’s not wrong to feel unsure or to feel sad to be in a different place.

I think I put a lot of pressure on myself for the first semester of college to be totally adjusted. It was brand new, and I’ve lived in Ann Arbor for literally all 18 years of my life before, so I wish I had been a little bit more understanding of myself.” |

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Hannah Rubenstein Class of 2017

“After leaving Community, I came to Barnard College which is in the Upper West side in New York City. It’s an all women’s college that is kind of part of the Columbia University umbrella. There are a few different schools and I’ve taking classes here and starting to learn more about where my interests come from. A lot of what I did at Community was Communicator or mock trial, but since coming here I’ve really fallen into doing a lot of theater. I’m now looking at possibly a theater concentration and English major. I stage-managed a one act in the fall this past semester, and I assistant directed into the woods for our musical theater group. Our musical theater group did Into The Woods in the spring and did the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in the fall. So it’s sort of like I never left Community. I also started working as a technician at the black box theater on campus.

Barnard being an all women’s school wasn’t the thing that attracted me [to the school.] It was appealing to me for other reasons and I think I really like the environment that Barnard has provided. The reasons I originally wanted to go was because I wanted to be in New York City, and I wanted to have a liberal arts education. I also wanted to be able to have control over my liberal arts education.

Barnard is actually kind of unique and gives me all those things. Columbia is much stricter about what courses you are required to take whereas Bernard has an umbrella of requirements. You have to take some kind of science class but you could take physics, you could take chemistry, or you could take bio. I took environmental science so I got to take soil samples and water samples from Riverside park in the Hudson river which was just something that was a lot more interesting.

Honestly [the transition to college] was really hard for me. I want to say that just because I feel like there is a big narrative of ‘your years in college are the best years of your life.’ First of all, college is not the best years. Second of all, if your college years are the best years, then it’s probably not freshman year. I know that my experience starting college was very different than the experiences of a lot of my friends. It was a hard experience because of the different nature for me. That adjustment for having built such a community for myself at Community in Ann Arbor for the first 18 years of my life, and then coming somewhere and entirely starting over. Not knowing anybody, and starting from the bottom of the screen. I was feeling unhappy, but I think what was true is that those first couple of months can feel long. But eventually you meet people, and you start doing things. Now even at this point in the year, I know people around campus, I know that I have friends that I can talk to, I have people that I can get meals with, and that I have people that I’m going to arrange to live with next year. It really has gotten a lot better and I am now very happy here. For the first couple of months I relied a lot on my parents and my friends from Ann Arbor. We texted and FaceTimed the lot because I think it’s important to just keep yourself grounded when you feel like you’re kind of lost. I felt like who I was was defined in Ann Arbor, and I didn’t have that anymore. Reaching out to the people that you know love and support you while you’re looking for a new place is important.

Just spend a little time to find yourself. Inevitably you find people. One of my best friends I just met in one of my classes. I do think that the theater community has been the single thing that has been the best for me in terms of feeling like I have a place here. Working in the theater for a semester was really important for me. Knowing that I would have that job [in the theater] to go into every week and that there would be people there that I would know was import56

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WESLEY CAMP

ant. I felt like I really didn’t have a network of people that I knew anywhere else. Theater has definitely been the biggest course of finding a community for myself here.

I miss the people [at Community]. I miss my friends, and my friends are including the teachers honestly. I’m starting to develop some closer relationships with some of my professors here, but I miss being friends with my teachers. Whenever I go back to Ann Arbor I find people like Judith, Tracy, Chloe, and Quinn and I reach out to them. I really feel like those relationships lasted. [Also I miss] chilling on the back lawn. I miss that sometimes when I’m like ‘I’m in the concrete jungle, where is my Ann Arbor back lawn?’ [I miss] knowing everyone around me. I like that. It’s a very comfortable familiar memory for me to think of those back lawn days.

Just as a general rule to make sure that wherever you do end up to take time for yourself and to take time to make sure you’re keeping in contact to the people you’re closest to in Ann Arbor. Don’t lose those connections because you have the rest of your life to find the new places that you’re going to be. Make sure that you are not losing the same things that you gained [at Community.]”

Josh Krauth-Harding Class of 2017

“I’m at College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and I’m studying communication design. This year I’ve been doing a lot of fundamentals for art. I had a drawing class, a basic 2D and 3D class, and then on top of that I started doing major specific stuff which means I’m doing some print design and web design.

I think part of [the reason I chose this school] was the fact that it’s close to home. It’s actually a pretty quality school especially for communication design. The department is pretty good and the faculty is nice. It’s really nice to be in Detroit right now because Detroit is such an expanding place to be so it’s pretty cool.

I’ve been interested in design since I was really little. I can’t even remember to be honest. Unlike a lot of people who are still kind of figuring out what they want to do, I’ve known what I wanted to do since I was a little kid. I feel there probably was a moment that struck my interest in design but for as long as I can remember it was kind of just an interest of mine. I don’t know what made that happen. My dad has always been really interested in technology and I think that has a lot of overlap with design so because of that I was drawn to it more.

Communication design is basically a more broad term than graphic design. It kind of includes all sorts of design. There’s print design which is a lot more like Communicator. I’m doing a lot of stuff like I did [in the Communicator] where I’m doing layouts and dealing with print. Then there’s digital design and that range is all over the place. That can be app design, motion graphics, or interactive.

Community has a lot do freedom, and because of that it felt like a pretty easy switch [from high school to college.] Honestly I think I actually got pretty lucky in my transition because it went pretty smoothly. I found friends pretty quickly so for me Community was a really good preparation for school. One thing that Community didn’t really prepare me for was a crazy workload that is here. The school is notorious for the amount of work they give their students, and I didn’t really experience that at Community at all. That was probably the biggest issue l faced overall. Based on the freedom I had at Community, I think it kind of reflects a little bit like what college is like.

I really just miss the people [at Community.] I really miss the teachers, and I miss the friends I had there.

It’s not really like an aspect of Community, but I don’t know, I think I just missed the people that make up the school.

I’ve tried to stay in touch with my teachers and my friends. It’s difficult because for friends they are also experiencing college and also have a crazy life. With teachers I think I’m still trying to figure out the balance of what’s appropriate. I think I should be better about reaching out to my teachers. I haven’t talked to Tracy in a long time, and I wish I had. That’s probably something that I should work on.

It’s just good to know that once you’ve been [at college] for a few weeks it’s not as scary as it feels like it is on the first day. You go into the situation and it’s really overwhelming and terrifying. The more that you adjust to it it becomes a lot easier. For me, it was the fact that I had no idea how to do college, but then I was there for a while and I realized ‘I can do this.’”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSH KRAUTH-HARDING

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SIGHTS & SOUNDS of

Italy

BY EMMA WINEGARDEN

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3 4 1. PONTE VECCHIO One of the oldest standing bridges in Florence, the Ponte Vecchio stretches over the Arno River. The bridge is important not only because of its beauty but also because of its historical significance. As the Germans were retreating from the British they crossed through Italy destroying all of the bridges acrosss the Arno... except this one.

4. MICHEALANGELO’S DAVID Located in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Michealangelo’s David is one of the most visited pieces of art. Carved in the early 1500s, the statue depicts David from the biblical story of David and Goliath. Standing 17 feet tall with a sling shot over his shoulder and amazing detail to the rest of his features, he is a sight to see.

2. I GELATI DE BONDI A hidden gem in a sea of gelatarias, I Gelati De Bondi is owned by Tulio Bondi, who travels all over the world to teach people the art of making gelato. His unique flavors range from classic vanilla all the way to charcoal; Bondi has truly created something for everyone.

5. FIRENZE FUTBOL GAME At Stadio Artemio Franchi, the football (or soccer) stadium for the official Florence soccer team, the Firenze team takes on an opponent. For a day with on and off rain, the die-hard fans still poured into the stadium. The chants and cheers rang out during the entire game. The Firenze fans sure give Michigan fans a run for their money.

3. THE GALLERY OF MAPS Although most visitors of the Vatican swarm to see the Sistine Chapel, the journey to the chapel is almost as amazing as the chapel itself. In a long stretch of hallway, gold paintings cover the room head to toe. But that’s not the only thing you’ll find in there, old maps are expertly painted on the wall of all over Italy.

6. THE BORGESE GARDENS In the beautiful gardens of a former Pope’s nephew, visitors can enter a small museum and look at an esteemed collection of art. But for those who want to enjoy the Italian weather, the gardens are the place for you. With bike rentals, gelato stands, beautiful grounds, and much more, the gardens provide many with a great experience.

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BY NEIL BEVERIDGE, ALEC REDDING, AND SUEPHIE SAAM

Community High Teachers look back on their high school experiences and offer advice to graduating seniors.

Judith DeWoskin “I remember graduation and suffocating. I come from Saint Louis and I went to a big high school like Pioneer. It was huge. So I remember graduation being hot and sweaty and icky. I remember going out later that evening and dancing on a table. I wasn’t a drinker and I didn’t do any drugs, so I must have been really spirited.

I remember being a little nervous about going to college but my father didn’t give me any choice, he made it impossible. Because I lived at home I think I missed an enormous experience that my children have had and all of you I hope will have. I was sad about that but I was happy to be going to college. I don’t remember thinking much of it except that I was going and that I was going to be a teacher.

My high school English teacher whom I adored convinced me that I didn’t want to teach elementary school. He thought that teaching high school was much more interesting. I’m so glad I took his advice, and when I give people advice for their futures, I tell them to be high school English teachers.

I do believe it’s the best job in the world. I’m grateful to him for that. I think I’m a better paper grader than he was, but I don’t think I know as much. Even today I don’t know as much as him.

[My advice to seniors is] to read books for fun. You know, as a 60 percent teacher this year and last year, I’m finding the time to be reading the books I’m teaching, as well as reading for fun. I think it’s really important because it broadens us.

I think that the other thing that is important for college is that if you can, and not everybody can, you shouldn’t go away with an idea of what you’re absolutely going to do. Because you could go to college and find an incredibly interesting teacher who just lights your whole world on fire. I want you to be open to that, and I want you to be open to as many experiences you can have.

The other big advice is to travel. Speak another language even if you speak it badly. I’ve spent a lot of time in China and my Chinese is really bad. I had two babies in Kyoto, Japan and my Japanese was really limited, but it didn’t stop me from having wonderful experiences or from being able to connect with people in a way that I couldn’t have if I hadn’t tried to speak. I think it’s really important to go to another country, try to speak another language, and try to learn about the other country. What you learn about when you’re in another country is who you are and what your country is all about. Then you start re-evaluating yourself in terms of the experience you’re having there.

I want you to love learning. I want you to love reading. I want you to question everything as politely as you can, and that’s advice I have to give myself often because I’m a little bit testy myself sometimes. I think that as you go out into the world you want to embrace people who are different and hopefully move them closer to what you think is right. Try to appreciate why they can’t [understand]. I think the country right now is so terribly divided and I’m frightened for everybody. I’m trying hard just to figure out why we’re in such a hideous mess. I mean, I have some answers, but I can’t fix those things.”

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Brett Kilgore “I went to a boarding school in northeast Ohio as a day student. It was a pretty unique experience. It was a pretty small school about the same size [as Community]. That’s why I sort of connect with Community. I love how everyone knows one another. I think that those relationships that you’ve built over the past four years, a lot of them might fade but hopefully not all of them. You’d be surprised the network of people who have come through this great place, and that it is going to be very useful to you. I was in that place where I was trying to make the most of those relationships. Because it was a boarding school, so many people were from out of state and out of the country already. We knew we were all going to spread out pretty quickly and I think that’s not uncommon here too.

I had applied early decision to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and frankly I had no idea what I was doing. I was just trusting my family who said it was a good decision and a good school. It turned out not to be the school for me. Miami has a pretty big greek population and that wasn’t really my scene.

I had always been in high school athletics but I wasn’t doing that at the university level so I didn’t really find that social group that I was connecting with. I came up and visited [my best friend at U of M] and I was taken back by how great Ann Arbor is. I tried transferring into the business school which I found out to be extraordinarily hard to do. I came midway through my sophomore year to transfer into Michigan.

I wish I had taken a gap year because I had a lot going on personally in my life in high school. I lost my dad my sophomore year of high school and I think I was a little bit lost of where I would go from there. I’m still glad I went [to school], but if I were to do it again I wish I would have taken a gap year. My advice would be find out what you’re good at. You can’t find out what you’re good at and interested in without taking some risks. Not just taking classes that you’re paying for,

but if there’s an awkward ice cream social that’s being thrown by the university just go to it. Meet people and talk to people. So many people at Community already have that skill set of starting conversations with people you don’t know. Just ask questions and try new experiences. I think that at Community especially, there are 400 to 500 students and you are used to knowing everybody’s names. But then when you’re apart that transition is hard for a lot of people. Just try new things and get connected as early as you can.

I love that global perspective of just realizing there are people that are different than you who have different experiences. It just makes you more humble and considerate of what people are going through.

It makes you a better communicator and decision maker when you realize the world is bigger than Ann Arbor.

Ed Kulka “I was just excited [to go to college]. I wouldn’t say I was anxious to be done, but I was excited about being done. I had a good high school experience, but it was time to move forward. I was gonna go to U of M and running track, so I was excited.

I went to Grosse Pointe South High School. It was a big school. I think there were 400 people in my graduating class.

I’m not sure it was good for me but I liked it because I could be anonymous. I could just kind of blend in the background, and I was good at that.

You just gotta get to college and work hard. Do what it takes to succeed. I went to U of M. I was prepared but I certainly wasn’t the smartest person, so I had to do a lot of work to be successful in college. My first couple of years it was a step up, that’s for sure. I was a very run of the mill high school student, but when you go to U of M, you can’t be a run-of-the-mill high school student.

[I want my students to know] that life is good. Life is fun.

I think you can be serious and have a good time at the same time. I think you can enjoy yourself and work hard and be serious. They’re not two separate tracks. Don’t get stressed out.

You guys get so much more stressed out than I ever did. You know, the stakes are higher.

I don’t remember anything about what I did on April 7th, 1971. I don’t remember anything about a particular day, or a topic I studied, or whether I got a B or a C. I don’t remember anything, so why get so stressed out about it now. You know, enjoy life and get down there. Just take who you are and be comfortable with who you are. If you’re not meant to go to Brown, you’re not meant to go to Brown.” |

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Future Freelance

ILLUSTRATION BY DEVEN JONES

Developing digital dark artist and Community High senior Deven Jones has clear plan for future career.

BY iO SOUCY

Through the Instagram tags of “dark illustration” and “digital art” or the halls of Community High School, one particular individual makes a mark on all surrounding communities. Community senior Deven Jones is a growing freelance artist that creates artwork with digital applications and drawings pads, though not afraid to dabble in paint markers and spray paint.

As for categorizing his artwork, Jones describes his artwork in a fairly unique way.

The senior artist began creating art when he was four years old. A couple scribbled daisies or some wiggly stick figures were concepts Jones never practiced. Instead, he drew evil robots.

“I mostly drew them because they looked cool,” Jones said. “I’ve always liked making ominous and kind of creepy artwork.”

Since then, his technique has progressed and developed into a style that are most often delineations of “evil skeleton people.”

Jones’ process for creating his meticulous artwork starts with finding inspiration. With endless scrolling on Instagram and Pinter62

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est, he looks for outlandish photos.

“I try to take classic images of ominous people or mugshots that are a little vintage,” Jones said. “I draw out their clothing and find some skull references online. I think I should try to get a permanent skull model.

Not a real skull, though.”

Jones executes his artwork in a fashion that showcases his inspiration from artists such as Matt Bailey and Tim Burton. Working mostly in grey-scale and some occasional red, Jones is not a fan of colors for reasons unknown.

“If I were to categorize my art, I’d say that it’s randomized,” Jones said. “I change it a lot depending if it’s linear or not. I would also say that it’s mostly black and white.”

Though his parents work in construction, a majority of Jones’ family lives in California. In hopes of growing his audience and artistic maturity, he plans on moving to Orange County, Calif. to live with his grandparents and to work with his aunt, who is a freelance artist as well. “[My aunt] wants to hire me and I think

Feature

that could help me get started,” Jones said.

“She does websites for famous people like Bruce Lee and Fortnite. I’m not sure that I want to go into graphic design, but I think it could be a good start.”

Living with his grandparents in California would heavily expose him to some of the greatest artists in the country. With more than 200,000 artists living in the large areas of California (CityLab, 2016), Jones plans to work as an artist full time.

“I’d like to be successful without having a real job,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t consider it a real job because I guess no manual labor is involved. It’s hard work, but it’s not for a major corporation or anything like that besides your own.”

Before moving out to the West Coast, Jones is spending his time with his five brothers and creating album covers for his little brother’s future band projects. Jones’ Instagram is open for commissions or questions at “_lankybrain_” and will continue to post his brilliant artwork for months to come.

Asking for Help

BY LUCY SCOTT

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tacked on top of my wooden dresser sit three hospital bands. friends knew, and I could make jokes about it with ease.

One, from Ann Arbor, Mich., is thick, loose enough that it was With my psychiatric hospitalization, however, I found myself slipped off my wrist while I sat at my kitchen table. A second, avoiding openness. As I returned to school, a single sentence that from Louisville, Ky., is smaller, made of itchy plastic with an uneven had been spoken to me while in the hospital played on repeat cut through it from a pair of nail clippers. The third band, from a through my mind. “You don’t seem like someone who would be dehospitalization in Grand Rapids, Mich., has pressed,” one girl had said, putting words to a plastic surface crinkled and adorned with my fears. As a white, relatively well-off persmall stickers — a peach-colored rabbit, a son, I felt I didn’t deserve to be depressed, dainty dandelion, and a peeling bunch of and that I should be able to “snap out of it” violets. This band — the third one — holds and help those who, in my eyes, had “more at the same time both some of my worst reason” to feel sad. I knew I didn’t fit the and some of my best memories. stereotype of a depressed teenager, as I’ve The first and second bands were from the always been an athletic, energetic person, same week: the week I broke my hand. One but this invalidated me to the point where is from surgery, the other from the emergenI realized I didn’t fit in anywhere. I was too cy room. The third band is from a few short depressed and anxious to feel like I truly bemonths before, when I was hospitalized belonged in my day-to-day routine, but didn’t cause I could no longer be trusted to keep appear depressed, and therefore didn’t feel I was too myself safe. Number three was the result of like I truly fit into the psychiatric hospital a depressive episode. setting, either. depressed and It was on my wrist while I sat in the corner The stigma surrounding mental health anxious to of my wing of the hospital. Beside me, comcan kill. According to the National Alliance panions nearly as constant as my hospital on Mental Illness (NAMI), in 2017, only feel like I truly band, were people who have changed my 50 percent of youth were given the menlife. There was Natalie*, our dancer, the girl tal health services they required. NAMI has belonged in my who helped me convince our fellow patients found that suicide is the second most comday-to-day that it would be more fun to watch Animal mon cause of death in teenagers, showing Planet than the Super Bowl. There was that many teens are not provided sufficient routine, but Alex*, who liked the same music as me, and assistance for their mental illnesses. This Maria*, who wanted to become an astrocan be due to both the difficulty of getting didn’t appear physicist. And, of course, there was Zak* — mental health treatment and the negative depressed, our rapper, our rebel, and one of the most associations that surround asking for help. genuinely caring people I have ever met.

For some time, I felt that I was weak for and therefore Yet hardly anyone in my life, hardly any needing so much help with my mental of the friends I’ve known for years, even health. Brainwashed by the stigma of mendidn’t feel like knows that these people exist. They haven’t tal illness and portrayals of mental illness I truly fit into heard about the time Zak tried to escape, in the media, I viewed psychiatric hospitalor the time my psychiatrist spoke to Natalie ization as something I should be ashamed the psychiatric and me about saber-toothed tigers, or the of. I’ve realized, though, that my hospitaltime Maria, a Catholic, told the chaplain ization is something I should be proud of. hospital setting, that she was a Satanist. They don’t know I reached out and got the help I required, either. about the dance parties my roommate and I which I now know was a sign of courage, would have when one of us was particularly not of weakness. sad, or the bitterness we all hosted when a Asking for help is hard. But if you struggle nurse started doing one of our puzzles — with mental illness, you aren’t alone. There the nerve! They don’t know about this segare people like me who are still alive, even if ment of my life, because all my life, society sometimes the smallest things can make me has impressed upon me that being hospiwant to give up. Reach out. It will be worth talized for my depression is embarrassing, it, because you, and your life, are worth it. while being hospitalized for a physical ailment is completely normal.

*Names have been changed to protect People don’t tend to talk about their mental health. It can’t be anonymity. seen, so the suffering that comes with mental illness is viewed as lesser than, say, a broken bone. When I was hospitalized after breaking my hand, I was open about it. I wasn’t embarrassed in the least — after all, it was just bad luck that the injury had happened. All my

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I want you to know how that July night — more than a year ago — shaped my everyday life. I want you to know how your unwanted body felt on mine. I want you to know that not a day goes by without me thinking about how you took advantage of me that night.

The minute your hand clasped onto my thigh in your car was the minute I realized what your intentions were. As my heart hit the filthy floor of your cluttered car, it was clear that this night was going to change me.

The hours in your cramped, dim-lit basement seemed to be never-ending.

Time stood still while you continuously invited yourself onto me, disregarding my fight to get you off. My bare back on the cold basement wall as you hovered over me telling me everything is fine, I felt my body crumble and my mind shut down. I wanted nothing more than to be away from you.

Your firm words in my ears and your tight grip around my wrists stripped me of my pride and innocence that night. You brainwashed me into thinking what you were doing to me was okay. That it was what I wanted. That it was normal.

I blame you for the person I’ve become since that night. I now walk fearful of men. I walk in fear of being taken advantage of again. I am no longer my bold, reckless self. I now hold my mace, ready to attack, as I run to my car after dusk.

You are the reason for my panic attacks and self hate; you are the reason for my nightmares in which I am sexually assaulted again. You made me terrified to see you in the halls at a place that is supposed to be safe. You are the reason for cutting off all my male friends — because how am I supposed to know who to trust?

I am not alone, though. Monsters like you did the same unspeakable actions to five of my close friends. Although our power was taken and our self love was torn, we have begun to build each other back up. We burn it into each other’s minds that it wasn’t our fault, despite the guilt that you cowards laid on us. We tell each other that we are beautiful, that we are stronger than what our assaulter made us. Most importantly, we tell each other that we are okay.

Although my power was taken from me in the three hours spent in your presence that July night, I am stronger than I’ve ever been and stronger than you’ll ever be.

More than a year later, I have begun to overcome so many obstacles you have installed in me. I can look you in the eyes and not visualize the look you gave me as you violated my body. I have learned to live my life, and to take the fear you gave me and turn it into bravery.

So to the person who changed me in more ways than one, I want you to know that I am okay, that I am rebuilding what you ruined. I want you to know that I am stronger than your words, and I now can say with confidence, it was not my fault.

I have reported this and it has been addressed by the police. I am now writing about my story in hopes to help others in similar situations.

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I Forgive You Ebba and Ken Gurney sit in the woods .

BY EBBA GURNEY

As humans we naturally expect the worst.

We channel our fear, attempt to premeditate every failure or pain in order to protect our hearts, to protect our lives. But no matter how much we try to brace each individual fall, some things can never be expected.

Sometimes you just fall.

On Nov. 3, 2013, I fell. My injuries: a broken heart, a transformed mind, and a part of me that never got back up.

It was a normal day, just like every day seems to be. I woke up at my friend’s 12th birthday party to the ringing of a phone. I gathered my things and found myself back at home, sitting in my living room with my mother’s hand pressed against my knee.

Her eyes were puffy and tired, and I could sense the cloud of sorrow looming in my house, as if the sky outside was my ceiling.

My brother was sitting next to me, my stepdad sitting nearby.

I listened as my mind began to spin. I listened as my world flipped upside down. I listened as she spoke the words that forever changed who I was. The words that told me my dad was gone, and never coming back.

My mom and step-dad had been visited by a police officer very early that morning.

My dad had died, that Sunday, by suicide.

To me, he was a photographer, a Sunday morning pancake-maker, a Wii bowling champ, a runner, a cat-lover, and my knight in shining armor. And that is how I will al-

ways remember him.

That is who he was.

But he was also hurting. His depression was consuming, his alcoholism was worsening, and his children, the light of his life, were being taken away. In the last six months of his life, my nine-year-old brother and I were only able to see him during supervised visits. Being twelve years old, I wasn’t aware of his pain.

I was too young to completely understand, but I wasn’t too young to feel every ounce of pain that followed.

One of the hardest parts about dealing with loss is realizing there are a million things, and more, that will now never happen.

I will never walk downstairs and see him making pancakes; he won’t be there when I leave for college; he won’t walk me down the aisle; I will never feel his arms around me, hearing the words, “I love you, Bubbles.”

I was forced to say goodbye to an entire life I once imagined — one with him in it.

I was reminded of these things, and my loss, daily. The mention of suicide made me bawl my eyes out, and hearing suicide jokes brought an unfamiliar rage. Seeing father-daughter moments, hearing references to death or dying, listening to the music he used to play, or being alone with my thoughts, it all hurt. Existing hurt. I dreamt

that he would come back to me, but he never did.

Through it all, the world around me moved on. It was shocking to see the strangers on the street and in my classes living just like normal, because for me, life was anything but. Largely, this is what taught me to be understanding. Every day that I live my regular life, I am one of those strangers to someone facing hardship.

Over the next few years, I learned to live.

I truly came out of it stronger than I had ever been, but not without repercussions.

Change, as a whole, is more difficult for me in every sense. I see moments as finalized, because I am more aware that nothing happens the same way twice. I can’t help but miss the things in my life that I know are over, to a much greater extent than the people around me seem to; making transitions, break-ups, and even small things like saying goodbye harder than they should be.

I am still finding aspects of who I am that are clearly an effect of his death: in the way I approach situations, in the way that I think, and in the way that I feel. It follows me.

It remains the hardest thing I have had to deal with, and will probably continue to. Regardless of the cliché, this has truly made me who I am.

You left me, Daddy. But I forgive you.

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PRO-CHOICE NOT

PRO-CHOOSING

BY CAMMI TIRICO

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Last week I read something horrifying: 99.9 percent of fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted in Iceland.

Yes, I am a strong believer in pro-choice ideals, and that women should have the right to choose if they have an abortion or not. But this is treading a very thin line — the line of choosing to have an abortion or not, and choosing traits.

Iceland, like many other European countries, is crossing the line between health and eugenics. Doctors in Iceland are rumored to urge people who are carrying a fetus showing symptoms of any genetic diseases to abort the fetus, according to patients at Landspitali University Hospital in Reykjavik, reported CBS News.

with those tests, there is still a chance of false-positive results: a 15 percent chance.

Utah introduced a bill that would make it illegal for doctors to perform abortions for the sole reason of a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Conservative lawmakers in Utah know that this will not be put in practice.

They understand that it will be shut down in courts based on the Roe v. Wade ruling, and that many places — i.e. Planned Parenthood — do not ask the reasoning behind getting an abortion.

“It is a statement bill,” said State Rep. Karianne Lisonbee at a hearing. “Utah’s message to the world [is that] we will not tolerate discrimination.”

I disagree with almost every law that lim-

are other factors that make the expectant mother want to have an abortion, the moral issues become a lot more minute. I am well aware of the possible low quality of life people with Down syndrome may have, but they deserve a quality of life regardless of this possibility.

People argue that by aborting a child they will eradicate Down syndrome, which they are successfully doing in Iceland. However, Down syndrome is not a hereditary disease, meaning that even by getting rid of a case, the likeliness of the next case is the same.

When speaking with Community High students, they are shocked by the high percentage of abortions in Iceland.

“That’s awful.”

Iceland has nearly eradicated Down syndrome.

They are walking the line of eugenics.

It is not okay.

Though the tests that determine mental disabilities in fetuses are optional, doctors in Europe “strongly encourage” expectant mothers to take them. Over 85 percent of people in Iceland take these tests, according to the same CBS News report, despite the possibility of risks — including harming both the mother and the fetus, and miscarriage. They can determine the likeliness of the baby being born with Down syndrome, as well as other disabilities, by a combination of factors: the mothers age, blood samples, size of the fetus’ neck, and samples from the placenta and amniotic fluid. Even

its or attempts to limit reproductive rights — except this one. I believe strongly in the right to have an abortion. But like representatives in Utah, I do not believe people should be able to have an abortion on the sole basis of a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The debate goes from pro choice — the choice of having an abortion or to not — to pro choosing — choosing what child you have.

I am not naive. I understand there are many struggles facing families that have children with Down syndrome must navigate, but where is the line drawn? If there

“Truly disgusting.”

“At least we don’t do that here –” But, we do. The abortion rate for fetuses that test positive for Down syndrome is 68 percent in the United States.

I have said it time and time again: I believe in the right to have an abortion. I believe in pro-choice values. But I do not believe in the right to choose traits.

I believe Iceland has crossed the line of eugenics, and the United States is nearing it; this Utah bill is sending a message that crossing this line is not okay, and it never will be.

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The Proof is in the Pudding How can something so sweet be so harmful?

BY LEAH DAME

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ickness is an inconvenience to Michael Dellheim, a Research Lab Specialist at the University of Michigan. More focused on his Sims video game than the swelling limb and redness in his calf, Dellheim was too stubborn for his own good.

Dellheim’s mom came downstairs to tell him the inevitable: “If your temperature doesn’t come down by tomorrow, then we’re taking you to the hospital.” The next day, Dellheim’s parents drove him to the hospital. He had a temperature of 104 degrees, a case of cellulitis in his leg, and some scary news from the doctor: Dellheim had tested positive for type 2 diabetes.

It’s been about 12 years since Dellheim was diagnosed. He has adapted to the daily insulin injections, and now has a greater understanding of his diagnosis. Instead of getting frustrated, Dellheim changes his mindset to be selfaware. He prefers to focus on the issue put in front of him instead of running from it.

Metabolic dysfunctions (when atypical chemical reactions in the body alter your metabolism) affect 35 percent of American adults. More commonlyknown diseases, such as fatty liver disease, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes fall into this category. Some of the leading causes of death in America are heart disease and diabetes.

There’s a health crisis at hand. We can agree that there’s a problem with metabolic dysfunctions stretched across the world. But what we don’t know is that it’s a toxin all of us are exposed to every day that’s causing the problem.

There’s something toxic in our food supply: sugar. The compound is part glucose — the half our bodies benefit from — and part fructose, which has no nutritional value at all. When we take in sugar, the fructose metabolizes in the liver and turns into fat, increasing the risk of diabetes, heart, and liver disease. The average American consumes 66 pounds of added sugar each year. If it’s the fructose in sugar that’s making us sick, no wonder we have a metabolic epidemic.

Robert Lustig, the president of The Institute of Responsible Nutrition, was a part of a study that found a “di-

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rect relationship between added sugar and these chronic diseases.” For nine days they catered every meal for 43 obese children. They substituted starch for sugar in all processed foods. They took out the pastries and put in the bagels. All of the children’s fat and protein content was kept the same. They also gave the kids enough extra calories to stay at their original weight.

Just days after eliminating added sugar from the diets of “obese” children, their symptoms of metabolic syndrome significantly decreased.

“Every aspect of their metabolic health improved,” Lustig said. “Their LDL cholesterol level and fasting blood glucose also fell, and their liver function tests improved — all without changing the children’s calorie intake or weight without exercise. We simply substituted starch for sugar in their processed food and watched their health improve. Results were consistent in every child — everyone’s metabolic health improved.”

This is a fairly new discovery. You’re probably thinking this is a bunch of hullabaloo, as did I. But, to save our communities from metabolic diseases, you will need an open mind. Addressing the fact that we are being manipulated through our food purchases, overall health and thoughts on healthcare is difficult to comprehend. However, we need to be exposed to how these industries are shaping our lives.

Health care is a popular topic in the United States. Our whole world is suffering from metabolic dysfunctions, and it’s no help that the United States is suffering from highpriced healthcare as well.

“America wastes at least $830 billion per year caring for disease linked to metabolic syndrome,” Lustig said. “This is unsustainable, and a major reason why Medicare and Social Security will be broke by 2030.”

The problem surrounding our ridiculously priced health care is that some Americans scapegoat diabetics and “obese” people for high-priced health care. They think that it’s the problem of one group affecting everyone else.

“By exercising regularly and eating a healthful diet, you can significantly decrease your health care costs and avoid being a part of the group who drives up the overall cost of health care,” writer Van Thompson said. As much as some people would like to think this would fix anything, it’s not an energy balance situation; it’s what’s in our di-

ets. The truth is, there are more “normal” weight sick people with metabolic syndromes than there are “obese.” Given the current population, 70 percent of American adults are at a “normal” weight, and the remaining 30 percent are “obese” or “overweight.” 80 percent of “obese” Americans have a metabolic dysfunction, and 40 percent of Americans at a “normal” weight experience the same health problems. The ratios reveal that health cannot be determined from the outside.

Because the majority of America buys their food from supermarkets, we need to start at the source of our consumption. The food industry needs to start reducing the added sugar to processed foods they stock on our shelves. The industry earns about $450 billion a year and we can’t help but to drive up the number. It’s hard to find foods these days that have zero grams of sugar written on the nutrition label.

How do we proceed knowing the food industry is killing us with added sugar? Regulation could play a key role. A world without Pixy Stix may seem dull, but would result in a drop of diseases. A lot of ideas for change may seem too big to act on, but we used to think smoking was good for our health, and now restrictions have been implemented to protect us. Sugar can get you hooked just like cigarettes. A long term consumption of sugar changes the brain’s neurons to seek higher levels of dopamine by consuming more and more sugar. This is the same way an addiction with nicotine or alcohol would develop. The tobacco industry knew what they were producing; now it’s time for the food industry to make some changes too.

All this talk of sugar must make you sick to your stomach. Metabolic dysfunctions are prevalent in society regardless of your appearance. Lustig’s studies revealed that sugar is causing our health to plummet.

Sugar is the lethal source of our metabolic health crisis. We need a health system that cares and a food industry that stops supplying the toxin. Added sugar runs our money down the drain and straight into the industry’s pockets. We can work together to shape public health policy. Let’s stop shaming those who have metabolic diseases and confront the real enemy. Now wouldn’t that be sweet?

Dinner Talk

GRAPHIC BY ZOE LUBETKIN

No matter how awkward, political conversations with your loved ones are worth having.

BY ROXIE RICHNER

I have a lot in common with my grandma. We both love spending time with our family, telling funny stories, and watching the news. We both cherish the traditions of Christmas, have fierce sweet tooths, and work hard for what we want. We both proudly consider ourselves as independent women.

Yet in some ways, we are not alike at all.

She scoffs as protestors kneel for the national anthem, stays silent as families are torn apart by ICE, and on the top shelf of her closet sits a Make America Great Again hat.

When I was in elementary school, political conversations around the dinner table seemed irrelevant to me. I knew as much about politics as I knew about football: nothing. But as I grew older, politics became more interesting to me — and I began noticing the racist remarks made during family gatherings.

It didn’t make sense to me. I love my relatives, and have an immense amount of respect for them. Nevertheless, my fists would tighten under the dinner table as my aunt — a speech therapist at a Detroit school — told condescending stories about her students, speaking in disparaging African American vernacular. I sat in silence.

Years later, I approach things very differently.

I spend the majority of my time working as an intern for a progressive gubernatorial campaign. This creates an interesting situation, because it leads to an unavoidable conversation about politics when people ask me what I do for fun, or what I’m interested in.

Many of my friends and family members tell me that bringing up politics brings up

unnecessary conflict, but I completely disagree. Conversations about current events, political issues, and personal beliefs are important in order to maintain healthy relationships with the people you love.

Especially in the age of social media, when you can easily see your family members’ stances, conflict is hard to avoid. Seeing those differences in views often fuels bitterness, which continues to accumulate over time. Personally, before I started talking through these issues with my family, I started resenting certain members. But talking things through is the fundamental way that I am able resolve those feelings.

Not only that, but these conversations are an essential part of healing the deep divide in our country right now. Without real discussion, nothing is ever going to change — which a lot of Americans refuse to accept.

According to an NPR poll, 60 percent of Americans dread politics coming up at family gatherings. But instead of dreading it, why don’t we just embrace the inevitable?

Political conversations don’t have to end in screaming matches. Talking through our stances on important issues ideally creates empathetic communication. But how can we accomplish that?

In my experience, when liberals first discover that someone close to them supports Trump, the first thing we want to do is list all the reasons why they shouldn’t. I admit, it’s hard for me not to. But you have to keep in mind that your goal should not be to change their mind, but to try to understand, and introduce your point of view.

The most important part of these conversations, I’ve discovered, is truly listening.

Instead of immediately thinking of your re-

buttal to what is being said, take the time to ingest their argument. Take the opportunity to put yourself in their shoes. Think about the experiences they’ve had that contribute to their beliefs — ask them! Make a conscious effort to truly understand their side, before arguing your own.

When talking about your beliefs, use stories from your life; use your experiences to create a clear picture of how issues affect you and impact your life, or the lives of your peers and neighbors. Humans have been communicating through story for over 40,800 years; our brains are wired to be perceptive to them.

Although it’s unlikely that one conversation will change someone’s core beliefs, it’s very likely that they will remember the conversation, hold on to your words, and see things from a new perspective.

Addressing comments that you feel are morally wrong is even more difficult, yet even more important. If you don’t speak up, you’re signaling that it’s ok for those things to be said.

Instead of making assumptions about the perpetrator, or arguing in an accusatory way, explain why it makes you uncomfortable. Again in this instance, asking questions such as “What do you mean by that?” or “What information are you basing that on?” in the right tone can open the door to an insightful conversation.

Avoiding the hard topics with the people you love can cause a rift in your relationships. Besides that, if you stay silent, you truly are contributing to the problem. So make the effort, try to be empathetic, and, most of all, try to understand. |

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OUT LOUD

“WATERMELON IN EASTER HAY” FRANK ZAPPA

“&BURN” BILLIE EILISH FEATURING VINCE STAPLES

Watermelon in Easter Hay by Frank Zappa is considered one of the most exceptional guitar solos of all time. Written in the winter of 1979 by Frank Zappa, Watermelon in Easter Hay is a tearjerker and an emotional joy ride. Starting with a robotic monologue explaining the story of the Guitar Solo, which is a song written by the album’s main character, Joe, he follows with almost eight minutes of magic, with a catchy tune and amazing effects. I was introduced to this song years ago by my father, who adores Zappa’s music. While listing, it reminded me of so many things, like love and happiness. That is what makes a song beautiful. As the song begins, you may overlook it, as it is quite creepy and misleading. However, as the guitar comes to fruition, you’re put in a trance and the music takes over.

The fast-paced riffs and the repetitive chorus is enlightening and you can’t stop listening.

The riffs may seem simple, but the complexity of Zappa’s work is underrated. The music is produced in such a way that sound effects match with each note. After the monologue, there is no speaking, only music, and this is refreshing and different. Zappa didn’t need lyrics to create a mesmerizing piece.

As you listen, think. It is the best way to take it in and that was Zappa’s intention. It is going to be different and you need to be ready. This song will remain a favorite of mine forever, and I hope it has the same effect on you.

- Evan Ash

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Do you ever wonder what would happen if you toyed with a girl’s heart who plays with fire?

Billie Eilish, a 16-year-old singer from Los Angeles, California, released her debut EP in August 2017, titled ‘Don’t Smile at Me’. The project consisted of nine tracks, written by Billie and her brother Finneas O’Connell.

The last track on the project ‘&Burn’ features rapper Vince Staples. The track starts with a reverberating kick drum that recreates the acoustics of an auditorium. Following the kick is a trap-esque snare. The snare resonates like multiple matches being ignited. Throughout the track, there is a inconspicuous blowing of air that pans from left to right in the mix. These small details added lots of depth, and overall created such an interesting atmosphere for Billie to sing over.

The first verse and hook are very calm, with lots of breathing space between Billie’s lines. But as the track progresses, multiple musical elements are added to build up the song.

After the second hook, the beat switches for Vince’s verse and he starts to inflame the mood. As soon as the final chorus starts, the track engulfs you in flames with a full orchestral effect featuring beautiful harmonies of Billie’s vocals and snippets of Vince’s verse.

Overall the build-up on this track was executed perfectly, fueling Billie and Vince’s vocals and leaving the listener gasping for air.

- Alec Redding

“CARE FOR ME” SABA PROM/KING, a two-part saga, is a clearly streamlined story. Initially, the style reminded me of rapper J. Cole, whose songs often follow a storyline: think “Wet Dreams” for example, which follows the story of Cole’s first time having sex. In PROM, Malik—known as Saba—is also a virgin and insecure about it, another parallel to Cole. Saba chronicles the days before his first prom, and how his cousin Walter used his connections to help him find a date.

The cousin’s name comes up often in CARE FOR ME; in fact, the whole album feels almost like an ode to Walter, who was stabbed to death about a year ago. Before his death, the cousins had a musical group together, called PIVOT Gang.

Musically, PROM is laid back; Saba raps calmly over a simple beat comprised mostly of piano and bass. In PROM, Saba is innocent, a high schooler whose biggest worry is getting laid on prom night. Saba loses some of his innocence in KING. The track is faster and ramps up in intensity, as does the subject matter. Saba and Walter are beginning to advance in the music industry, and life seems to be going well. Saba receives a call that Walter and his friends were shot at on the highway, possibly a wake-up call to the dangers that still exist in their area of Chicago. Six months later, he gets another call that Walter is missing.

The song fades out with the lyrics, “Just another day in the ghetto/ Oh, the streets bring sorrow/ Can't get out today with their schedule/ I just hope I make it 'til tomorrow.”

The story continues in the next track, “HEAVEN ALL AROUND ME.” While each track on CARE FOR ME has its own appeal, I would recommend listening to the album chronologically, as it truly is a story. Saba shows off his lyrical abilities, like writing a screenplay, in a way that is rarely seen in rap today. While I enjoyed his previous album “The Bucket List Project,” and his various features with artists like Noname and Chance the Rapper, I think CARE FOR ME has the potential to bring Saba into the spotlight next to Chicago-native peers.

“THE MORNING” KANYE WEST FEATURING KID CUDI, RAEKWON, D'BANJ, CYHI THE PRYNCE, 2 CHAINZ, COMMON & PUSHA T Two eras of rap collide on “Kanye West Presents Good Music Cruel Summer,” as revolutionaries like Ma$e and Ghostface Killa meet fresh faces like Cyhi the Prynce and Big Sean. Even the younger voices on this album have made names for themselves. But six years ago, when the project was released, the contrast was stark. Kanye West’s ability to gather such a diverse and at the same time congruent group of artists is arguably paralleled only

by DJ Khaled.

The album features unique production and well-crafted bars on every song, with “Mercy.1,” “Clique,” and “Don’t Like.1,” among the most popular tracks.

With an intro comprised of strings and a staccato, exotic vocal sample, the beat suddenly undergoes a drastic change and a heavy-hitting first verse delivered by Raekwon. The track’s overall theme regards the artists’ rise to success. Following Raekwon, Common checks in for a short second verse, which leads into Pusha-T’s more aggressive and boisterous bars. These first three verses are all very wordy and descriptive, using a lot of imagery and sensory language. To combat this theme, 2 Chainz delivers merely four bars of less dense, more ostentatious content, which is followed up by Cyhi and West. Cyhi’s verse discusses his youth and humble beginnings: Huh, fake friends and siblings Like to wish you well but ain’t never flip the nickel in Haters wanna pull they pistol when they see me in this race car But you can’t spell war without an A-R 15, I was pushing carts at K-Mart By 21, they said I’d be inside a graveyard Can’t wait to get that black American Express So I can show them white folks how to really pull the race card This track is a celebration of the G.O.O.D Music label as a whole and the success those affiliated were experiencing. This is a very confident and positive track, which also contains clever lyricism and complex production.

- Ella Edelstein

- Jordan De Padova

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On Literature by Charles Solomon

Parents or Panthers?

In Kekla Magoon’s Novel “The Rock and the River,” thirteen-year-old Sam must balance the struggles of conflicting loyalties amidst the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement.

What do rocks and rivers have to do with racism and equal rights struggles in the heart of Chicago? That was the first thing that came to mind while reading “The Rock and the River” by Kekla Magoon, but by the end, the metaphor made perfect sense.

This historical fiction novel starts at a civil rights rally, held in 1968 in downtown Chicago. The protagonist, Sam Childs, is the son of a community leader and activist in the movement and a friend of inspirational speaker Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sam, with his older brother Steven or “Stick,” is listening to his father speak at this rally.

The book never moves away from the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement, chronicling Sam’s experiences as he struggles to find faith in the movement, and that change is really occurring. As the “good” child in his parent’s eyes, he tries to follow his father’s lead of nonviolence, but when he sees a close friend beaten and incarcerated from police brutality, and hears of Dr. King’s shooting, he begins to find it hard to “turn the other cheek,” as his father calls it.

While Sam struggles, the Black Panthers come into the picture – an African-American organization protesting racial injustices very differently from his father’s marches and rallies. They speak of arming African Americans, and of demanding freedom by force if necessary. Sam’s father calls this party “dangerous.” But many young people join the Panthers, desperate for some change –including Sam’s brother Stick.

Beyond navigating the complex currents of conflicting loyalties and balancing the demands of the people he cares about, Sam has to somehow also negotiate the tricky time of adolescence. He comes of age throughout this story, and he gradually begins to move away from his parents, making his own decisions. He begins to follow his brother, who has left, siding with the Panthers after an argument with their father.

But even as Sam beomes no longer content to sit on the sidelines and starts to fol72

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low Stick’s example, ignoring his parents and siding with the Panthers, doubts assail him. Who, his father, or his brother and the Panthers, really has the right strategy? Who is he in the story his brother tells; is he the rock – solid and immovable – or the river of motion and turmoil? And which is which?

I enjoyed this book a lot. I read historical fiction a fair amount, but don’t often read novels set in the 1960s. This book was a new perspective for me, a reminder of how

IMAGE COURTESY OF ALADDIN BOOKS

Title: The Rock and The River

Sequel: Fire in the Streets

Author: Kekla Magoon

Published: 2010

Series: Rock and the River Series

Awards: John Steptoe Award for New Talent

the Civil Rights Movement, even while everyone was working towards a similar goal, was divided into different factions, sometimes with very different strategies. It was also interesting to think about how organizations such as the Panthers could divide families and communities with their radical ideology and methods.

However, I did have one or two issues with the book. My main problem was with how abruptly I felt interactions between characters changed. It seemed that one moment Stick was a slightly rebellious son but still definitely following his father’s lead — the next, he’s leaving the house and not coming back, a diehard Black Panther. A similar, if less drastic transformation seemed to happen with Sam’s girlfriend Maxie — one moment she’s a distant crush, the next she and Sam are everywhere together.

Some of this stems from a point in the book where the author says “several months pass” to tell us things are changing, I assume, but I felt this transition to be somewhat awkward and unsatisfying — I still wanted to learn how and why things changed, get the slow shifts in character.

Sam, however, I thought grew slowly and satisfyingly, and this pacing issue was relatively small.

“The Rock and the River,” by Kekla Magoon should appeal to a large number of potential readers. Historical fiction fans should enjoy it, set as it is in such a pivotal time and place in this country’s history. Readers who enjoy coming-of-age narratives should also like this novel, with its gripping story of how Sam matures in a place and time fraught with danger to be a teenage African-American boy. Even if you don’t think you enjoy those genres, you should try this book. As the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the John Steptoe Award for New Talent, “The Rock and the River” is a meaningful and interesting read.

Summer Playlist

BY CAITLIN MAHONEY

what to listen to

listen when you’re

Centerfold J. Giels Band

ready to bop

I Wanna Be Adored The Stone Roses

in the park

Talk Show Host Radiohead

taking a walk

Semi-Charmed Life Third Eye Blind

at the pool

California Love 2Pac

driving

Champagne Supernova Oasis

watching the sunset

Way Too Much Wavves

skateboarding

When I’m With You Best Coast

with friends

Battery Kinzie Fleet Foxes

relaxing

Words F.R. David

contemplating

Fight For Your Right Beastie Boys

wanting to party man

This is Radio Clash The Clash

feeling angsty

Time Wind M83 (feat. Beck)

up late

Bennie And The Jets Elton John

thrifting

Praise You Fatboy Slim

lounging in the sun

The Promise When in Rome

working

Goodbye Stranger Supertramp

leaving town

Let’s Dance David Bowie

wanting to dance

LISTEN ONLINE! http://spoti.fi/2k3l88q

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The Communicator for

Ann Arbor Community High School

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77

Our Turn: On Moving On

BY MAZEY PERRY

I’m going to Smith College in the fall, which is a small all-women’s liberal arts college in Western Massachusetts. I visited a lot of colleges over the summer, and when I visited Smith, it felt like a place that I could call home. I really liked the programs that they had, and that they don’t have required courses. I wasn’t expecting to want to go to an allwomen’s college, but after visiting I found out that I did. Thinking about leaving, I’m really going to miss The Communicator, and I’m going to miss seeing my high school friends every day. I feel like I’m just going to miss this building and going across the street to Kerrytown, just all the classic Community things. I’m ready for something new though, and this is definitely something new. And I’m going far away. I will be away from everybody and that’s scary, but it’s also exciting so I sort of have a chance to start over but keep who I am, just in a new environment. Learning a lot is what I’m most excited for.

GRACE JENSEN

I’m going to U of M. I got into the STAMPS program, which is the art program. I’m really excited for that because it’s where I wanted to go. I’m actually building an apartment above my garage. We still have to finish it with, you know, everything: the electrical, plumbing, all of that, but I’m going to live there with two other friends. I’ve been having to design the apartment for the past year now, and I grocery shop for my own food, so I’m not dying to leave because I love it at Community. But I do feel genuinely prepared to go. I’m really going to miss the teachers, and just how tight knit Community is. To go to such a small school, even though some of the clases are kind of big, you still know everybody. I think it’s such a unique experience that I was lucky to have.

AJAY WALKER I’m going to the University of Michigan in the fall. I am excited to go, but I kind of wanted to switch things up and get out of town. From what I’ve heard though, going to the University of Michigan is not living with your parents anymore, so I’m excited for that. Something about being on your own and taking care of your responsibilities is very appealing.

Community didn’t do a lot of hand-holding, which I think is good practice for college. Also just the social skills you develop, like working with teachers in an adult manner instead of a minor, all definitely prepared me to leave. I’m really going to miss the people. I like a lot of the teachers, and honestly, I’m probably not going to see many of these seniors again, so I’m going to miss that a lot.

SUIBHNE O’FOIGHIL

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Where was the last place you flew to?

Last time I flew was this weekend. I flew right after it rained and it was like semi-snowing, but was letting up.

I flew to Jackson, Michigan to meet a friend of mine and then take him up with me and we flew around, did some stalls, had some fun.

one

Where was the last place you went on vacation?

The last place I went on vacation was Daytona Beach this past mid-winter break for three days with my mom. We went there for a college visit to Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University and got to explore the campus and have a little bit of time on the beach, and it was really nice to get away from school.

last thing

BY ED LEWIS

Carter Schmidt

What was the last job you had?

The last job I had was working at Young People’s Theater over the summer as a summer camp counselor. I helped organize little kids, ages kindergarten through fifth grade, and I lead games, taught them songs and dances, and had fun with the musical theater.

What was the last TV show you watched?

Last night I watched an episode of Hand of God, which is about a judge who is corrupt played by Ron Perlman, who is a fantastic actor; I love his acting. He’s a very interesting man as well. He’s a corrupt judge and lots of things happen involving sexual assault and then him talking to God and then trying to find different things about the sexual assault of his daughter-in-law and stuff like that. It’s very interesting.

What was the last song you listened to?

“Feels Like the First Time” by Foreigner. I’m a big fan of classic rock; my dad got me into it.

What was the last college you visited?

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. It’s one of three top choices; South Dakota State University in Brooking, South Dakota, and Western Michigan.

What was the last dream you remember?

Well this morning I woke up and I was like, “Wow that was a weird dream,” cause whenever I have a dream I kind of like say it out loud or try and remember it. This morning I woke up and I was like “What if you could have a book and then it would tell you how people are going to die,” and then I was like “Wait a minute that’s just the plot to ‘Death Note.’” But that was just what I woke up dreaming about.

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