Portrait Issue 2

Volume 51, Issue 2 Week of Oct. 31

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2022 Midterm elections. Pg.4

Sailing team Pg. 3 New attendance policy Pg. 7 College app stress Pg. 8

PORTRAIT. EAST LANSING HIGH SCHOOL. EAST LANSING, MI.

photo by Tianna Tran

Letter from the editors We are happy to announce that we have taken our issue from 12 pages to 16, a change made possible by our quickly growing staff. Our last issue was written entirely by returning staff members, and was only eight pages. But with our new members’ news training now complete, we have over double that staff size. This is an increase we’ve been waiting to do for a long time, and we couldn’t be happier to be bringing you more perspectives and stories than ever before. As usual, we would love to hear from you, the readers, because there is no more valuable opinion to us. We aim to write about you, and are always open to any changes or suggestions you have.

As you look through the stories we’ve chosen for this issue, you’ll more than

likely see names you recognize and topics affecting you. We encourage you to explore the paper and get to know what’s going on at your high school, get to know students you’ve never talked to, an d learn about all the amazing things students, clubs, and teams are doing. You might just learn something you’d never have known.

Throughout the next month, keep an eye out for Portrait online exclusives.

We will be doing student Instagram features (which could be you) and publishing shorter news pieces on our website, eastlansingportrait.com. As our staff gains confidence, you might notice us experimenting on both of these platforms. We hope to grow the amount of and make more consistent the content we publish online, for your

Gretchen Rojewski- Visuals Editor-in-Chief

convenience.

We’d also like you to recognize the hard work of our amazing new writers, photographers, and designers. Over half the staff have written their first articles ever in this issue. This means they also had their first interviews, their first time figuring out how to use a camera, or first time using digital design. They have faced countless challenges on their way to create this work, and yet it is outstanding. If you see the work of someone you know, congratulate them on their very first work!

We are here for you, we are here to tell your stories. We will always take feedback.

Enjoy!

Willa Cornillie- Copy Editor-in-Chief

Adan Quan- Copy Editor-in-Chief

Students for gender equality to host self defense classes to help students feel protected

By Sama Sakhi and Ella Moore

Students for Gender Equality (SGE) announced they will be holding self defense classes to support any students who want to participate and inform them on how to protect themselves in dangerous situations.

They’ve been holding these classes every year for five years.

Around 30 percent of women are targeted by physical violence in large numbers and about one out of every six women will be the victim of attempted or completed rape, according to Arnold. Even though members in SGE know that conducting self defense training will not completely solve the issue, but will only serve as a bandage itself, they want to do what they can to help protect women while they work towards changing society on a larger scale.

The self defense teacher, Mike Mahaffey, is a certified martial arts

News • 2

trainer and Black Belt. SGE, who’s held this class for years, first hosted Mahaffey for some of the same reasons they plan to have him here this November.

Alexander Arnold (12), one of the club’s co-president’s, mentioned that neither the club leaders or any of the members have participated in this class before, and hopes everyone takes something from what they’ve learned.

“We want to provide people with some strategies to defend themselves if they are ever in a situation like this,” Arnold said.

Self defense classes are a one time event for this year. SGE is offering this to club members so they can be engaged while educating themselves, and see this as an opportunity.

This opportunity isn’t just for SGE, anyone can participate in the self defense classes.

Beatrice Carr (10), another one of the club’s co-presidents, wishes these

Leading an exercise at Students for Gender Equality on Oct. 25, Alexander Arnold (12) lists common things associated with masculinity and femininity said by the club members in Elena Espinoza’s room. Photo by Quinn Martin

problems for women weren’t a thing and is sad to see that people have to take issues like these into account.

Carr thinks the self defense classes are important for not only learning how to protect yourself but to inform people that you have to treat others well.

“I’m hoping to gain enough information from the self defense classes to be able to protect myself and feel safe,” Carr said.

Anna Dean (9), was introduced to SGE by her older sister, Halle Dean, who encouraged her to join. When joining, Dean saw how much she loved the community. After joining SGE, Dean saw how the members helped her feel included and saw how

they were open to talking and hearing from others, especially about gender equality.

Dean appreciated how supportive members in SGE were and that Arnold and Carr encourage people to talk and be open to conversations.

“It’s also just like a really good group of people and it feels like a safe environment,” Dean said.

Bonnie McGraw, the club’s advisor and ELHS Registrar, enjoys seeing the students participate in activities like this that have been open in the past and have been really successful.

In the class students will learn the basics of self defense including how to get your hand out of someone’s grasp or trying to get away from

someone attacking you according to McGraw.

“It was really successful in the past we had forms that parents had designed for consent...but I think it’s great for students who want it,” McGraw said.

When joining SGE’s self defense classes students will be given a permission slip that their guardian will sign, even if they haven’t joined through club rush or other means.

SGE and their self defense classes allow any student to join. The club will be holding classes on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in the high school on Tuesdays in room 611.

East Lansing student musicians audition for All-State ensembles

By Leo Kendall

From Oct. 19 to 23, ELHS band and orchestra students traveled to Mason High School for a 10-minute audition for Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA)’s state-wide bands and orchestras.

Corinne Williams-Hough (10), a viola player in the Symphonic Orchestra, auditioned in Mason on Oct 23 for the All-State Orchestra.

Last year, she felt like she wasn’t quite ready to audition, but this year she decided she should.

“As a musician, you have a lot of opportunities in your future to audition, and if you never kind of get that practice in your earlier years, you’ll never fully understand or grasp the concept,” Williams-Hough said.

The band and orchestra students aren’t unfamilar with auditioning; they were expected to use the music for All-State as an in-class assessment, something clarinet player, Erika Stokstad (11), says helped her a lot.

“I think having already had an experience of going in, and knowing I had to get it right, it made it easier,”

Stokstad said. “I knew what I had to do to stay calm and be prepared.”

Many students dedicated hours of practice so they would be ready for both their class assessment and the real auditions. Preparation amidst the rest of their schoolwork was one of the biggest challenges, especially for students who auditioned on more than one instrument. For Stokstad, music is an important part of her life and the hours spent towards it are worth it.

“I really see All-State as an opportunity to kind of push myself towards a goal,” Stokstad said. “Music in general has just been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

And it’s always really interesting and really exciting to have an opportunity to take it to the next step.”

Stokstad, who last auditioned in middle school, finds her skill has grown a lot since then. WilliamsHough agreed and she felt that years before, she wouldn’t have been able to audition for All-State. This year, the change they both have gone through has made the audition and actually getting in seem achievable.

“The audition really wants to look

at your whole ability as a musician, which is something that, for me, has grown a lot since middle school, and I think what you play reflects that,” Stokstad said.

To some of these auditioners, AllState could be a big part of their high school music career, and they were all too aware. Stokstad and WilliamsHough both found themselves stressed Rehearsing Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in Symphonic Orchestra on Oct 27, second chair Corrine Williams-Hough (10) plays her viola. Photo by Quinn Martin out about the Of these numbers, 20 were band made it into the All-State orchestra, auditions, but did their best to stay students and 12 were orchestra Williams-Hough still encouraged calm under the pressure. students. Of the 20 students last year, younger students to audition.

“You can’t put your whole selfseven made it into the ensembles, “If it’s too hard and you feel worth on it,” Stokstad said. “You have but many more received honorable it’s too challenging, don’t do it,” to be like, ‘This is something I’m mentions.

Williams-Hough said. “But if you find doing, but it’s not like the end all be This year’s students are yet to find something that you can audition for all of music.’” out if they made it into the All-State and feel like you can either get really This year, East Lansing’s band and orchestra, but are expected close to get into or actually get into, participation has increased to within the coming weeks.

Even then go for it and just do your best.” significantly, going from nearly 20 though she doesn’t know if she participants last year to 32 this year.

A Capella club returns following COVID-19 hiatus

By Joseph Powers

Singing a song for the club members, Jack McGuire (12) explains the song options for the ELevate club’s concert. Photo by Quinn Martin

ELevate A Capella is returning for the first time since the 2019-20 school year thanks to help from choir teacher Eric Cadena and many students.

Jack McGuire (12) is the president of ELevate and he wished to recreate a space that was a now missing performing arts space for him and many others. “[ELevate] was an incredibly impactful thing for as long as we had it, obviously prior to COVID-19 my freshman year,” McGuire said.

McGuire had been in the original ELevate his freshman year where he was one of the only underclassmen in the club. During COVID-19 the club shut down. After many other attempts to restart the club McGuire would come to the choir teacher Eric Cadena about recreating the a capella club.

“I feel like if I can, I should leave a legacy in our fine arts department [and] put that there for future generations,” McGuire said.

Micah O’Neal (11) is a new member of ELevate and is very excited to see what the club does from this point forward. He is looking forward to new opportunities to practice the things he loves doing.

“I just feel like it’s a cool concept that now a lot of people can do or experience and there’s lots of ways you can take it and make it sound cooler, like more traditional or contemporary,” O’Neal said.

Newcomer Anna Sarinopoulos (11) joined because she couldn’t find the time to fit ELsingers within her already busy schedule. So, in an effort to find a singing club, a capella became her best option..

“I wanted to join some kind of singing club because that is

something I really enjoy I guess you could say I found a passion for it,” Sarinopoulos said.

Advisor Eric Cadena is the choir teacher and wanted to create an outlet for those who couldn’t fit concert choir or ELsingers into their schedules. “[I hope to]kind of see this collaboration that we’ve been having today where everyone gets a voice,” Cadena said following their first meeting on Oct. 28.

Sustaining a group has been their biggest challenge since the club shut down.

“The big thing is just seeing us sustain the group throughout the course of the entire school year,” said Cadena.

Students can see ELevate perform at the winter high school choir concert and at the Collage concert in December.

News • 3

Back in the game

Varsity girls basketball welcomes new coach Story by Elizabeth Gisholt

For Grace Whelan’s (‘13) whole life, she just focused on being a player. She played four years on varsity basketball, won a State Championship, and competed as a college athlete. Once she was done with college, she wasn’t ready to give up basketball yet, but her body could no longer handle playing. So, she got into coaching and assistant coaching.

Now, a decade later, Whelan is back coaching for her former team.

Former coach and current Physical Education and Health teacher Robert Smith retired last year to spend more time with his family. Whelan, who was coaching the freshman girls at Holt at the time, saw the position was open and decided it was a job she wanted to have.

“I thought ‘Why not me, why not now?’” Whelan said.

Growing up, Whelan admired her

brothers’ basketball playing, and following in their steps, it soon became a passion of hers.

“I just wanted to do whatever they did,” Whelan said. “So I got very involved in basketball because they were.”

In her freshman year, the 2010 season, her team won the State Championship. Whelan remembers only being in for a few minutes, but scoring a three-pointer.

“Right when I shot it, coach Smith was like ‘No, no. no, no, don’t do it!’

Then it magically went in,” Whelan said.

Now, as coach, Whelan is proud to carry on ELHS’s legacy and build on the foundations of respect and unity.

“Of course, I want to win, that’s what makes it fun,” Whelan said. “But my priority is just to build character.”

The players on the team are excited to be able to benefit from the coaching of a former high school and

collegiate player.

Sophie Klinger (11), is the point guard on the team and has shown up to many of the preseason workouts with Whelan. “[Whelan] knows what to expect,” Klinger said. “She played in college so she knows what it takes to get there.”

As a coach, Whelan is focused on promoting the team aspect of basketball and building the community.

“I enjoy what basketball does to groups of people,” Whelan said. “Like becoming a team and seeing the girls interact and communicate with each other.”

In practice, Whelan focuses on team building activities. Nevaeh Vasquez (10), has attended some of the pre-season workouts.

“We play a little scrimmage at the end of practice with ourselves where she’s [Whelan] not allowed to coach during that time,” Vasquez said. “So it gives us a chance to get to know each

Cheering on her players at varsity girls basketball practice on Oct. 27, coach Grace Whelan leads a group workout. Photo by Quinn Martin

other for ourselves.”

Whelan is thankful to be able to come into a basketball program that is known for winning around the state.

“So walking into that is pretty cool,” Whelan said. “It gives me the chance to not only try to win to the

Stuck on the Sideline

best of our ability all the time, but it gives me an opportunity to really unify our program and work on our individual relationships and respecting each other.”

Luke Foster

Injured athletes work towards recovery Story by Amelia Hagerstrom and Mitchell Roberts

Hannah Smith

Hannah Smith (12) thought her final season of volleyball was over after a severe ankle sprain at the beginning of her season.

But on senior night, Smith was able to play one last time.

“I was pretty sad about that being my senior season,” Smith said. “Luckily I got cleared pretty quickly so I kind of had an idea of when I’d be back.”

Smith was one assist away from 600, so her team gave her the support to complete this career goal. She went in for just a few minutes to assure that she got that final

Anna Delgado

Courtesy photo by Regina Stout

Sports • 4

assist. Smith’s family supported from the sidelines.

“It was very heartwarming and just nice to see everyone with a family for senior night,” Smith said. “But seeing my dad so excited for my 600th assist did feel very good.”

Her mom had been to almost every game, but her dad hadn’t been able to make it to most of her games. It made the night extra special to see that her dad was there to watch with a sign he made in his hands.

“I just felt like really happy, [it was an] exciting moment for me,” Smith said.

As Anna Delgado’s (12) senior year approached, she knew she was gonna be a highly ranked runner in Michigan. But six weeks after summer cross country camp, she started having sporadic pain. She got checked out, and discovered she had a stress fracture. This was supposed to be her year to qualify for states.

“It’s definitely been hard. It’s like, still, you know, as a senior, being like, top five in the state, and I’ve never made states. I was close last year but I missed it,” Delgado said.

Before her injury, Delgado received offers from several colleges Northwestern, MSU and Grand Valley.

“When I originally got injured, colleges were willing to give me scholarships, and so I was nervous about their reaction to my

Courtesy photo by Gunnar Gresens

Photo by Tianna Tran

stress fracture,” Delgado said.

Her coaches have dealt with this injury plenty of times. Stress fractures are common according to the National Library of Medicine. One out of seven runners experience this injury in their life.

Luckily, these schools saw that and told her it won’t affect her scholarships.

Unfortunately she was forced to make the call to end her season, but her training won’t stop. Anna has been doing CrossFit during all the practices and just staying in shape so she can bounce back this outdoor track season.

“For now I am just trying to stay positive, keeping others motivated and stayin’ in shape though my cross training,” Delgado said.

Battling multiple injuries throughout high school, Luke Foster’s (12) final football season is finishing off with a new set of injuries. Junior year, Foster took a hard hit to the side, tearing and dislocating his knee. With surgery and muscle recovery, he made it back for his senior football season. Excited to be back for his final year, Foster had another accident on the field, causing him to pull a hamstring.

With college applications and decisions on the way, Foster decided to use the injury as an opportunity to focus on his education. For him, academics were just as important if not more important than sports. Although he wasn’t worried about college recruiting, football is his hobby and he is missing out on his final year of varsity.

Watching from the sidelines, there was little Foster could do for the team. The most important thing for him is to keep encouraging and supporting his teammates even through losses.

With uncertainty on when the football season will come to a finish, Foster doesn’t know if he will be back before the final game.

“It’s pretty tough cause it’s just completely out of your control,” Foster said. “It’s the worst feeling ever.”

Foster has continued showing up for practice to watch his team, but it’s difficult to watch his friends do things that he is unable to do. He throws the ball with his teammates during games so they can get some extra practice in, but other than that Foster can’t do much.

“When you’ve been injured so much you don’t really take any practice for granted,” Foster said.

Set by set

Freshman girls volleyball works together to win multiple games after a rough start Story by Mitchell Roberts

The freshman girls volleyball team started off with a slow year, losing most of their games. For most of the girls, this was their first or second year of playing on an organized team.

“I had played during my eighth grade year and it really intrigued me, but last year we weren’t good at all and our coach was just bad,” Aliah McGrew (9) said.

This story is similar for many of the other underclassmen players. Due to the year off because of COVID-19 in seventh grade, volleyball wasn’t available for these girls until eighth grade. Instead of gaining two years

of experience on the team, they only ended up with one year in middle school due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling sports seasons.

So this year, the team focused heavily on building relationships within the team, spending plenty of time working together off the court so they could improve on the court.

The team went to MSU volleyball games, and even watched their coach compete in a local league.

“We were bad last year. [Team building] helped us become a team a lot better and work together in a way more [effective way],” Olivia Millard (9) said. “It was way different than [what I was used to] but I got better,

and tighter with them.”

By week nine of their season, the team had only won one game. When they were scheduled to face Lansing Everett, they knew they had a good chance to win. While they won the first set, they would go Sitting on the bench #6 Olivia Millard (9) #4 Aurora Matthews (9) #12 Taylor Martin (9) #13 Aliah McGrew (9) on to lose the second and watches as their team takes on the Everett Vikings on the road on Sep. 25. Courtesy photo by Virginia Philip ran out of time to play the were able to beat twice. they plan to continue playing the rest third set.

“The bonding made us stronger of their high school careers.

Before the end of the season, the and more able to communicate, “I started playing in eighth grade. team was able to catch two more passing,” Berm Woldu (9) said. “Like So I’ve had a good start, but I can’t wins, taking down the Waverly Warthe team bond itself, the team stayed wait to play the rest of my three riors twice. The win against Waverly together rather than brushing it off years,” Woldu said. served as a defining moment for the and fighting each other.” team. This was the only team they Although they are just freshmen

A team for all

A unique sport creates a unique community Nina VanOtteren and Holyn Walsh

Preparing for a race on Oct. 8, Clayton DeBruyn (9) participates in the cider cup home regatta at Lake Lansing. Photo by Allison Treanor

Clayton DeBruyn (9) started sailing during COVID-19 because the summer activities he usually participated in were shut down. Summer sailing camps could still be open because they were outside. But what was supposed to be an activity to fill time ended up being a sport that he would pursue into high school.

“I went there for a few weeks and I really enjoyed it,” Debruyn said.

“And then I just kept coming back and eventually joined the team.”

Having never sailed before, the team was a great place for him to start something new. Debruyn enjoyed the supportive community of the small team, and recommended sailing to anyone interested in trying a new sport.

“I think it’s really fun and it’s a good skill to have and a lot of people

could benefit from it,” Debruyn said.

Unlike Debruyn, who was new to sailing when he joined the team, William Severin (9) has been sailing since he was in third grade. Severin’s’ grandfather, who taught him how to sail, inspired him to join the team and sail competitively. He would sail on Wednesday nights and weekends at the club. When he joined the team, he received a warm welcome from the members.

“For people starting, this community is very good,” Severin said. “Like if you go to the club, anyone will teach you how to sail.”

Severin has had many memorable experiences with the sailing team, his favorite being a competition in Spring Lake that ended last year’s season.

Since the season goes late into November, the weather conditions were more extreme. This specific competition took place while it was snowing, which made it more exciting and memorable for Severin.

“We ended up getting third overall,” Severin said. “It was a really cool experience. It was really cold and the food there was really good.”

Michael Cyrul (11) has been competing with the team for six years. He was inspired by his dad who taught

him how to sail. Coming into high school and joining the team continued his passion for sailing. He really enjoyed being able to sail with his teammates and people around him.

For Cyrul, the team has mostly been about having fun.

“It’s been so nice just to get such a close relationship with all the people on the team,” Cyrul said.

Cyrul has also really enjoyed the close-knit community of the team. The small size of the team has allowed the members to connect with one another. He described the team as a welcoming and friendly environment, especially for beginners or people new to the sport.

“It’s very easy to join,” Cyrul said.

“Everyone is just there to help out. It’s very fun and quite simple to pick up, at least the basics.”

East Lansing trains with other schools in the region such as Bath, Okemos, Lansing Everett, and Lansing Catholic. This unique joining of schools sets the sailing team apart from many other sports teams in the school. Team members from East Lansing like Cyrul have formed relationships with students from other schools. At races, everyone eats and spends time with one another when

they’re not racing, which is different from other sports where the teams competing are usually separated.

“It’s nice because you always see the same people from the other teams at the different races,” Cyrul said. “So eventually you start to get to know them. You can talk with them out in the water and when you come back in. So you make a lot of new friends.”

Michael Kovalchick (12) joined the team his freshman year. Like many others on the team, he started sailing during the summer with classes at Lake Lansing. He really enjoyed it and eventually became more involved with the team. Kovalchick thought the sport was lots of fun when he first joined and interesting because was not as known and not many people did it. Something that really stuck out to him about the team was how open and helpful they are to newcomers.

“I think one really big thing is some of us knew how to sail coming into the team,” Kovalchick says. “There’s also other people that just showed up, never knowing how to sail. It doesn’t matter what your experiences are or how much or little you know. People will teach you.”

Most recently, the East Lansing team has qualified for a Tier two regatta in Chicago, IL, which they will compete in Nov. 12-13, the furthest level of competition the team can go.

“As a team, we’re really excited to go, because this is such a unique opportunity,” DeBruyn said. “We never expected to get to this level, so the fact that in a few weeks we’ll be heading to the championship is awesome.”

Sports • 5

Pay or play?

What do athletes think?

Charles Sparrow (10)

After two years of not having to pay, the future of sports fees are up in the air Story by Kyrah Bey Four years ago, I wanted to play basketball for the middle school team.

During tryouts, I went to practice every day, bent on improving my skill and stamina. Playing hard and sleeping late, I prepared myself for what I thought would be the best year of my life. Two days before teams were announced, the coach told me I wouldn’t be able to play.

Sports fees were over $200, and even with a scholarship, my family couldn’t afford it. He suggested trying again next year, maybe saving up some money, but I knew then that it didn’t matter. $200 was something that could be used to put toward groceries or the energy bill. Not my 13-year-old dreams.

Stories like mine can be found everywhere. That’s the problem. If we truly want to achieve equity for all of our students, administration can start by keeping sports free.

For the past two years, sports fees

have been waived. Thanks to extra funds from COVID-19 relief, administration suggested athletic fees be waived for the 2021-2022 school year. The motion was then passed by the school board.

Returning from our online year, it seemed an amazing way to help athletes adjust to what is now the new normal.

Following another year with a good budget, the same privilege was granted again.

According to Nicole Norris, the future of our participation fees is up in the air. It’s too early to tell whether or not athletes will have to pay close to $300 to participate in sports next year. If we go back to the regular $275 model with scholarships available, it’s possible things will be fine. Data given by the athletic department shows no major change in team sizes in the 2019-2020 season to now, with numbers staying within fifty athletes. However, because we have not had to pay to play since our return to school, these numbers may not account

Wait to walk

for the economic conditions we’re now experiencing. A gallon of gas is now averaged at $4. Food prices have gone up by 8.2 percent since August of 2021. The cost of consumer goods has inflated by 9.1 percent in the past year. But at some point, we will need to go back to normal.

Athletic fees will return. What needs to be taken into account is that the world we live in is not the same, and will never be.

Families are struggling. Communities are struggling. According to our district leaders, our high school’s general fund is not. There’s no telling what our school may have to fund and fix throughout this year, but in a community as wealthy and affluent as East Lansing is, how could a solution not be found? What a general fund is applied to must be expanded to account for the changes we’ve all faced in the last three years. Will our district adjust their prices to the cost of being alive? If sports fees are returned next year, it’s viable that stories like mine could come back in full force.

“Considering all the fundraising we do and all the funding we get from like taxes, I have to assume that they’re covering costs pretty well.

So I feel like be a bit wrong to up the price to play sports.”

Photo by Mitchell Roberts

Adrien Lafaive (12)

“If the sports fees were brought back, I would dig a grave and jump in it.”

Photo by Johnny Swords

Dakari Thomas (12)

“I don’t think it’s fair at all. Sports is something that keeps kids out of trouble, keeping them busy so they’re not, you know, doing stupid things in the streets. I don’t think it’s fair that kids have to pay $275 to play a sport that they just enjoy playing.”

Photo by Gunnar Gresens

You’re not walking in the hallways correctly.

Here’s how to do it.

Story by Tyler Keefe

When the bell rings and I walk out of class, the halls are already filled with what feels like thousands of students.

Students standing still in groups with no consideration for others trying to get by, and countless people walking on the wrong side of the halls, bumping into each other after seemingly each step. In turn, this causes me to feel more rushed on my way to class, and sometimes even end up late.

Having improper hallway etiquette affects every student in the school.

Whether or not you’re the one causing the traffic, or the one the traffic is affecting, it still affects you. Though people may not be intentionally causing this traffic, it makes it difficult to get around the school in a timely manner.

The main purpose of our hallways is to walk courteously and appropriately from one destination to another, in a timely manner. However, even with rules and guidelines in place about which direction and side to walk on (and to not crowd/something), the halls have become a place where students crowd in groups, walk on the wrong side, and leave no way for others to pass even when asked to do

Opinion • 6

so politely.

When you are walking in the hallways, you need to be attentive.

At this point, the lack of awareness is becoming a safety hazard not only for the people not paying attention, but also for the people that are. I’ve noticed students beginning to push their way through others in order to get by. No one should be getting shoved in the halls, even if they aren’t walking properly. Shoving people will only create more issues in the halls, and end up making the traffic even worse.

Not only does having poor hallway etiquette affect students’ ability to get to class on time, it can affect what students are able to do with their free time.

During the day, we have five sevenminute passing times, some of the most crucial times a student has in their day.

It’s when we can use the restroom, talk to our friends, prepare for our next class, and ask teachers questions about things like grades, work they may have missed, and attendance.

So when people are blocking others in the halls, this shortens the time people have to get these things done.

As it is, passing time doesn’t feel long enough when seven minutes is all you

Students walk down the 400s hallway towards the main door after the end of school on Oct. 27. Photo by Quinn Martin

have. That’s rarely enough time for me to get from class to class without feeling rushed.

However, hallways aren’t the only places affected by people being unattentive. There is a lot of crowding in the locker commons as well. Each day after all my classes, I usually meet my friend at her locker. Now, I find myself taking a new route to her locker each day because there are just clumps of students who are unwilling to move, even when asked to do so nicely.

I’ve tried to get through by saying “excuse me” when walking by, and all I receive from people are dirty looks, and at times, no acknowledgement

at all. I don’t think it’s an issue for students to be talking, especially during passing time. They should just be more considerate of other people trying to get through.

When walking in the hallway, there are plenty of things you should be doing to support the flow of traffic. One way to do this is be sure you’re aware of your surroundings. If you see someone walking towards you, don’t assume they’re going to move, not everyone is as aware as you may be. Also, when talking to friends try and find an appropriate place to do so like in a classroom, on one side of the locker commons, or even walk and talk.

Despite opening up the locker commons, the issue with crowding still isn’t solved, it’s just been pushed into the lockers. Which brings up some of the same conflicts as crowding the halls do.

I think the solution is simple. People need to walk on the right side of the hall, be respectful of people around them, and be attentive. Following these basic rules and having good hallway etiquette isn’t rocket science. It’s okay to talk to your friends, but make sure you realize you aren’t the only ones in the hallway, and let people that need to, get through.

Teaching timeliness

Students and teachers face inconsistencies and confusion towards the attendance policy

Story by Maddie Polleys

When teaching students future life skills, administrators prioritize being on time for classes. This year, after a two-year COVID-19 related pause, I have noticed an increased effort from teachers in my classes making sure students get to class on time. Sometimes

it’s public shaming, and others it’s lectures on the importance of timeliness.

While it never really went away, the attendance policy is back with a vengeance.

For those who don’t know or those of you who forgot, the attendance policy states that if students are late to at least 20 percent of their classes

they will be required to serve lunch detention; if a student misses two detentions, they will be given an out of school suspension.

Many students are confused by the “tardy” piece of the attendance policy.

A major issue with the policy is that each teacher chooses to assign tardies differently. Each teacher can individually decide how late is “too late” according to their own internal rules. In one of my classes, I can be five seconds late and earn a tardy. But in another, I could walk in just under 10 minutes late and never see one on my record.

I’m always unsure of whether or not I’m going to be marked tardy or not.

With teachers who are stricter with tardies, students face the very real consequences of detention and possibly even suspension, while students with more lenient teachers can be twice as late and never have a tardy recorded.

The lack of consistency or standards is confusing and frustrating Although we run into these issues there are positive aspects in having a

strong tardy policy. Focusing on the importance of “being prompt and timely” really is a lesson that all students should take “into their post-secondary lives,” as Assistant Principal Quiana Davis said in an email. While these skills are important tools for students to carry into adulthood and future careers, the policy is too open for inconsistent interpretation on the teacher’s side, so it’s not giving students any sort of tools for their future.

Enforcement of the attendance policy raises another basic issue: what really is the point of giving someone a tardy? Students don’t know what the point of giving tardies out really is.

We are told by some teachers that if we are late anytime after the bell that it’s tardy whereas some have a policy of 5 minutes after the bell. This puts the whole thing up for interpretation on how late is late. Without knowing what the point of the policy itself is, it’s difficult to tell whether enforcement helps to achieve any goal.

Another major problem with this strict policy is the size of the school itself. Passing time is when students are supposed to use the bathroom or fill up a water bottle, but there is no time for this with the threat of a tardy on your neck. Between trying to take

care of our personal needs and getting through the crowded hallways there isn’t enough time to do these things and get to class on time.

I myself don’t have enough time during passing time to go to the bathroom or fill up my water bottle.

Because I don’t have enough time to do those things sometimes I will get a pass during class and by the time I come back I have missed five minutes of instruction and this causes frustration for me and my teacher.

At that point I would rather be one minute late than miss five minutes of instruction.

Additionally, having freshmen and sophomores in the building who may not be used to getting to class on time, it makes sense to bring attention to the need to be in class at the time the bell rings.

I think that there are ways to enforce the importance of the policy other than giving out detentions. It is important for young people to be disciplined but I think that if a student is late that much it’s time to sit down with them and explain the importance of being on time rather than punishing them for being a little late.

Working in her office on Oct. 31, Associate Principal Quiana Davis prepares for a morning meeting. Photo by Quinn Martin

On election day, make the only reasonable choice

Story by the Editorial Board

In a time when politics have become extremely partisan and polarized, it can often be hard to pick who to vote for down the ballot. But there are some issues that we, the editorial board of Portrait, believe should be made a priority. With the overturning of Roe v.

Wade over the summer and increasingly extreme rhetoric from Republican candidates, we feel that there are some choices that are only reasonable.

For the past four years, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has led Michigan through thick and thin– a global pandemic, rebuilding the state, and working to make sure that Michiganders are safe and healthy. It is for these reasons that we are endorsing Gretchen Whitmer for the office of governor.

It is often easy to focus on the top position in the state or nation, and local elections don’t usually receive much coverage. But that does not reflect their

importance. In election matters, the Secretary of State of Michigan is at the center. Jocelyn Benson (D), our current Secretary of State, is now running for another term in office. She certified the election results in 2020, despite a large number of Republicans– including her opponent– supporting theories that the election was “stolen.” Benson is extremely competent and has stayed in the background for much of her term– something that is rare for politicians.

Another state wide position open is that of the Attorney General. State attorneys general function as the chief law enforcement officer of the state, and are also able to sue the federal government. Notably, state attorneys general can announce whether or not they will enforce or prosecute certain federal and state laws. The current state attorney general, Dana Nessel (D), recently announced she would not enforce Michigan’s 1931 abortion law, which makes abortion a felony. Nessel is also a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and provides much needed diversity and perspective to the position. While she has been the subject of some controversy surrounding charges levied against an East Lansing man shot by police, we believe that she is a better option than her opponent.

The board would also like to unequivocally endorse Michigan Proposition Three, which would enshrine the right to an abortion and the ability to make decisions surrounding pregnancy, “including but not

limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care,” in the Michigan constitution. We believe this should not be up for debate at all, but unfortunately, it is. The right to an abortion, and more importantly, the rights of women and people who can get pregnant to choose whether or not they will have a child, is a right that we believe should be unhindered. The blatant attempts of conservatives in the United States to steal this right U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin speaks to a crowd of community members at a political event held in the high school gym alongside US Senator Liz Cheney. At the event, Slotkin primarily spoke about political polarization, from the people, and extremism on both sides of the aisle and her relationship with Cheney. Photo by Tianna Tran thus open the path to more loss of rights, are house, but she has still served Michigan These are by far not all of the dangerous and inhumane. Proposiwell for two terms and has served the races that can affect our lives, and we tion three protects this right, should country under both Republican and encourage our readers to do their own the current court order that suspends Democratic presidents. Running on a research into both these races and any Michigan’s 1931 law ever be lifted. It platform of bipartisanship, Slotkin can other local races, including but not would be a step towards a better and alienate some voters with her opposing limited to City Council, school board, brighter future for all Michiganders, votes compared to the general consencounty positions, and additional state and there is no question that we as a sus of her party. But she has stuck with legislature races. For more information, board will support this proposal. her party for many issues, and is an adwe recommend that you visit local pubLastly, the board wishes to endorse vocate for expanded healthcare access. lications like the Lansing State Journal Elissa Slotkin (D) as candidate for the Slotkin faces a challenging race against or East Lansing Info, where you can U.S. House of Representatives, for the Tom Barrett, a former Republican state find the candidates’ platforms in their Michigan 7th district. Slotkin is one of senator, in a rural district. own words. the more moderate Democrats in the

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EVERY VOICE COUNTS

VOTERS Barbara Stout (12) The influence of local elections is left unnoticed by many, but was one of Barbara Stout’s (12) primary focuses as she decided who to vote for.

“People do focus on presidential elections a lot. I just think that it starts at the bottom and that I just think local elections have a lot more influence and people think, because it just really matters, even the small stuff like the school board really matters,” Stout said.

Aside from reading about candidates and issues on new platforms, Stout also recently attended an event at the Breslin Center to see Governor Gretchen Whitmer speak along with other Michigan politicians.

“I wanted to see her speak and there were a couple other people speaking too; Sam Signh

and Debbie Stabenow were speaking too and I just wanted to hear what they had to say,” Stout said.

Stout considers smaller elections, like the upcoming school board election, to carry weight just as larger elections do. When thinking about the impact the chosen board members will have on the district, Stout thinks of safety, COVID-19 precautions, curriculum changes, all which directly impact students.

Stout encouraged people to use their voice this Nov. 8, if they have a chance.

“I just think that every vote counts, especially in small elections, they are sometimes decided by very few amounts of votes,” Stout said.

Graham Flynn (12)

When Graham Flynn (12) thinks about which school board candidate he plans to vote for, he thinks of who will influence his little sister’s future, who still has a few more years at ELHS. “I want to elect someone who’s going to look out for them and the balance,” Flynn said.

And when it comes to the candidates, Flynn did his research. He read about them in the Lansing State Journal and Detroit Free Press, also watching debates between parties to get an idea of each candidate.

“But of course, all the ads constantly hit me. So it does

leave an impression, but you’re trying to get over that and get to the actual bottom,” Flynn said.

Flynn stressed the importance of students getting out to the polls, as voting is often overlooked by newly-eligible young adults.

“We’re the ones who are directly affected by the policies, like all the adults in the communities, they’re great, but they don’t understand what these policies are that the school board candidates are in favor of are actually going to do. We have like a unique insight into what happens.”

Evan Newcombe (12)

Evan Newcombe doesn’t see why students shouldn’t vote. After all, students have opinions, all of which are valid. Newcombe himself plans on voting this Nov. 8, and is already registered.

“It’s not like student’s opinions aren’t as valid as adults,” Newcombe said.

He recognizes that there are many issues that people feel strongly about for this election, including reproductive rights and the elections themselves. Newcombe has noticed many more attack advertisements compared to previous years.

Yet it hasn’t affected many of his thoughts– a large amount of his opinions come from prior knowledge.

Newcombe hopes that students both register to vote and actually vote, based on their views. He attended the League of Women Voters event earlier in the year, where the League registered students to vote.

“I feel like that was a good way to get students to register because I know a lot of people did register for that,” Newcombe said.

CAMPAIGNING Reena Natla (10)

A 15-year-old would not be who you’d expect to see in the offices of Elissa Slotkin, making phone calls and aiding in campaigning. But that is exactly where you’ll find Reena Natla (10).

Over the summer, Natla canvassed for Julie Brixie, a candidate for the Michigan state Senate, and then later for Slotkin, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.

In August, she was offered an official position working with Slotkin’s campaign.

Natla was excited to take the opportunity to work on the campaign, but she was especially excited because she was attracted to Slotkin’s moderate platform.

“She appeals to different groups of people,” Natla said. “And she doesn’t worry

Center • 8

about the two political systems or parties. I guess she just views things as a problem, not a Republican problem or a Democratic problem.”

Politics are not new in Natla’s life. Ever since she was little, her parents would take her to the polls when it was time for them to vote.

When Natla is eligible, she plans on following in the footsteps of family members and registering to vote.

“I think you just have your voice, like that’s your voice,” Natla said. “If you’re a citizen, that’s your job, to see change in our society.

Especially right now. There’s some changes that need to be made. And so I think your vote is your voice.”

Grace Rose (12) and Gwen Petrie (12)

Gwen Petrie (12) and Grace Rose (12) canvas to support prop 3. Courtesy photo.

Grace Rose’s (12) first time going door to door canvassing was with her mom, for Obama.

It set a pattern that Rose continued, now having canvassed for countless other candidates.

Though she won’t be old enough to vote this Nov. 8, Rose has been especially active doing door-to-door visits with the election so close.

Rose’s current undertaking is advocating for Proposition three, which would amend the Michigan constitution, and will be a part of the Nov. 8 elections. It protects reproductive rights and abortion.

Because with Roe v. Wade being overturned, I think it’s very important that we protect we protect the reproductive rights and women in Michigan, and keep the ability to choose if they want abortions or not and have control over their bodies,” Rose said.

Rose’s inspiration to be politically active largely comes from her parents, who have always been very politically active. When she goes door to door, she goes with her mom

as well as Gwen Petrie (12) and her mom.

“My mom is always out trying to do what she thinks is like, she always wants to help society progress positively and that’s why she participates in a lot of political activism and my dad’s a lawyer, so he is not only active and just like, ‘the lawyer side of things’, but also he goes out and canvases and campaigns.

This was Gwen Petrie’s first time ever canvassing. Though she knew it was a hot topic to talk about, she found it mostly effective and enjoyable.

For Petrie, canvassing for Proposition Three provides an opportunity for her to become involved in the political process.

“It’s a way to educate myself on topics, not just with proposal three. It sort of brings in the knowledge of how some of the questions can be a little tricky,” Petrie said. “Voting yes on something? What does that actually mean? You have to actually know about what you’re voting for in order to vote the

way that you want.”

When Petrie went door-todoor, canvassing for Proposition three, she was surprised by how many voters simply turned her away, saying they didn’t care for politics.

“This one woman we came up to, she was like, yeah, like, I’m just retired. So like, I just don’t really care anymore. And I was like, okay, like, you don’t care I guess but I do,” Petrie said. “It was a little frustrating.”

Before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that guaranteed women the right to an abortion nationwide, Petrie didn’t consider herself involved in politics much either. But the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which overturned Roe, pushed her to become more involved.

“To me, this isn’t politics.

This is more about like, just like people’s rights, which shouldn’t be like a political stance in my opinion,” Petrie said.

Governor

Gretchen Whitmer (D)

Whitmer is the Democratic candidate for governor, and is running again as she concludes her first four years in office. She supports Proposition 3, the protection of abortion in the state of Michigan. She wants to raise funding and taxes for education and healthcare.

U.S. Representative

Tudor Dixon (R)

Dixon was a conservative news host, and now the republican candidate Michigan governor. Dixon opposes Proposition 3 and wants to limit rights to abortion. Dixon has also been endorsed by former president Donald Trump.

Elissa Slotkin (D) Slotkin is most notably a former CIA agent. She frequently touts her military service and bipartisanship, and is a more moderate Democrat than most. She was recently campaigned for

by Representative Liz Cheney (R) at a campaign event at ELHS.

Tom Barrett (R)

Barrett is a former state senator and state representative. He is against Proposition three and was endorsed by Tulsi Gabbard and Harriet Hageman, the candidate who beat Liz Cheney in her primary for Wyoming’s only house of representatives seat.

School Board Candidates Lind Brown-Wren

Wren is a graduate of ELHS and Michigan State University. They have served as building manager at the Salus Center in Lansing, a LGBTQIA+ youth resource and support center, as well as the Red Cedar Family Council. Wren hopes to serve underserved students, and say they will take into consideration all different identities when considering policies.

Terah Chambers

Chambers has served five years on the school board and has a son in ELPS. She is one of two incumbent candidates for the school board.

Chambers is a Michigan State University working with those who want a future in education. She is also an Associate Dean, where her main goal is to advocate for students from minority backgrounds

Amanda Cormier

Cormier has prior experience with education and hopes to bring a non-political voice to the school board. She believes in diversity and inclusion and believes that marginalized communities should have recognition and equitable opportunities. She stresses empathy and making sure that the mental health of all students is prioritized.

Tyler Allan Smith

Smith is a licensed attorney and public defender. He runs on a similar platform to many candidates, but emphasizes the importance of having culturally responsive curriculum as well as addressing implicit biases in teachers and students. He also wants to address the social, emotional, and mental health issues among students.

Smith is for early intervention by staff in order to keep students out of the criminal justice system.

Library Millage

Yes vote: Voting Yes on the millage would essentially be a renewal of an existing property based tax that funds the library. Without the millage, the library would have little to no funding. A No vote would remove the current millage, thus depriving the library of crucial funding.

Tali Faris-Hylen

Faris-Hylen is a self-described progressive. Faris-Hylen supports efforts to increase awareness for mental health and wellness practices, and wants to protect what she describes as East Lansing’s inclusive curriculum.

Mike Feldpausch

Feldpausch is a lifelong resident of the Greater Lansing area and has children who attend East Lansing.

He owns small business Feldpausch Cleaning Services in Holt, Michigan and hopes to apply similar methods of problem solving and creating solutions that he learned through his business to the school board. He has been notably vocal before in school board meetings as a parent and is greatly concerned about setting up all children for success.

Kath Edsall

Jim McEvoy

Rob Sumbler

Steven J. Davis

Edsall is one of two incumbents running for school board. She is the parent of eight ELPS children, and has served on the school board for eight years, making her one of the longest serving members. She hopes to continue the board’s work in racial equity and social justice. A major part of her platform includes addressing student mental health and creating safer schools within the board’s ability to do so.

Sumbler is an alumni of the East Lansing school district and currently has two children in the system. He recognizes the diversity that East Lansing has and the responsibility they hold to create the next generation of global citizens. He thus wants to ensure the safety and opportunity of all students.

Policy and Law Prop 2

This proposition, among other things, creates a nine-day early voting period, creates state funded absentee ballot dropboxes and postage stamps and ensures public election audits. Most notably, it would include language saying “harassing, threatening, or intimidating conduct” and laws or practices with the “intent or effect of denying, abridging, interfering with, or unreasonably burdening the right to vote.” Yes votes would support all of the above, essentially expanding voting rights and ensuring them. No votes would be in support of placing the issue on the state legislature, which is overwhelmingly Republican.

McEvoy moved to East Lansing in 2018 and currently serves as vice president of the Residence Halls Association. He believes all students should be treated with equity while making sure they are as safe as possible. He values the opportunity that East Lansing has to offer and plans to recognize and honor the teachers and administrators who make that possible.

Davis has not gone on the record with any local media, and there is therefore no information available on him.

Prop 3

This proposition enshrines in the state constitution the right to an abortion and many other pregnancy related rights, including but not limited to the right to contraception, prenatal care, miscarriage management, and infertility care. Yes votes would adopt the proposition into the state constitution, while no votes would mean it is not added.

Center • 9

Marching in the wrong direction Marching band senior night stirs controversy among members Story by Frankie Calabrese Barton

“I can’t wait until it’s my turn.”

That’s all that trumpet player Andrew Schreiber (12) could think at marching band senior night his freshman year, three years ago. As marching seasons passed, he would watch the tradition of the senior class being celebrated at the last home football game of the season. Each year, seniors would get to choose any song of their liking to perform at halftime, usually being a song from their freshman or sophomore year. They also got to wear a unique hat of their choice while doing so.

Schreiber, along with his fellow marching band members in his class, couldn’t wait to finally do the same.

This year, however, the tradition was disrupted when band director David Larzelere announced a change to senior night. Instead of choosing any song, seniors were given two choices: play their current half time song again, or play You Can’t Stop The Beat, the song from the marching band’s 2016 show and a pep tune used in 2019. This came as a disap-

pointment to many seniors, who were looking forward to playing Space Race, the song from their freshman year.

“There’s just a lot that goes into [Space Race],” Larzelere said. “It’s a complicated production to put together, and we didn’t have enough time to prepare.”

You Can’t Stop The Beat won the vote, and was performed at senior night on Oct. 21.

“Mr. L told us that we couldn’t play Space Race because it would be too hard for the underclassmen to learn,” Schreiber said. “It definitely sparked controversy, and me? I was upset.

I was so excited to have my special moment.”

Zane Slanger-Grant (12), sees where Schreiber is coming from, yet as a drumline member, he acknowledges that the drum parts for Space Race were difficult to learn.

“I think it would be unrealistic to ask the freshman to learn Space Race,” Slanger-Grant said. “The drum line parts are getting harder. Like, we

Performing ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat,’ Andrew Schreiber (12) plays alongside trumpet players Elliot Shiu (11), Sepehr Ataei (9), and Nicholas Fleming (9) (left to right). Schreiber is wearing the old marching band uniform’s silver helmet. Photo courtesy of Eva Kuiper

didn’t even get our part for this year’s show down until the last game.”

In 2018, the marching band began competing in regional competitions.

With the switch to competing, members have noticed that the songs they

Becoming Reality

perform have increased in difficulty.

The band began buying full shows directly from a composer, instead of buying individual pieces. Along with the new pieces, a percussion instructor had to be hired to help

teach them.

“I do think that this will be a permanent change to senior night traditions,” Slanger-Grant said. “I just hope we’re not playing You Can’t Stop The Beat for the next seven years.”

Students talk about how submitting college applications has affected their mental health

By Jade Westjohn & Maddie Polleys Applying to colleges was found to be nerve racking for Isabella Souza (12). When applying to University of Georgia where she likes the southern atmosphere and University of North Carolina whose values she resonates with.

However, trying to submit these applications on time has emotionally impacted Souza and her mental health.

“I get very emotional with the thought that someone is going to read what I’m producing and decide whether or not I get to continue the next four years in my life at school,” Souza said. “And that’s just like, it’s really hard because you think you’re doing well, and then someone could just say no.”

While college applications can be a daunting task, many students have found help through family members, counselors or friends. For example, Lucas Richey-Cook (12) has been getting help from his family members.

Feature • 10

“It’s been a little bit stressful but I’ve had help from my family to make sure I stay on track,” Richey-Cook said. “It can be a little demanding at some points, but I paced myself pretty well to the point where I’m on track to be able to submit it.”

Counselor Nicole Moore-Coss thinks that senior year of high school is a stressful time for everyone.

Between college applications and balancing senior level classes, as well as sports, Coss feels that it can be a lot to handle. Simultaneously, Coss recognizes that the process isn’t the same for everyone, and that there are mixed feelings for many staff and students.

“But for everyone next year, especially for seniors, everybody is taking different paths,” Coss said. “And for some that’s really exciting, but for others, It’s really scary so I would say there is a lot of nervousness out there about what next year is going to look like for them.”

Coss hopes that seniors– both current and future– know that there are

support systems open to them. For example, every Thursday in October during excel in the media center, there is a college application open house for any senior who needs help.

“You have all your counselors down there so if students have questions they can come down and ask,” Coss said. “We also push out a lot of content in Google Classroom, we put out a lot of reminders and Powerpoints to also offer support.”

Once they get through their submissions, seniors hope to receive a letter from the college they applied to.

When Sommer Aljaari was sitting at her lunch table with her friends during her lunch period on October 21st she received an email from Central Michigan University.

“I was happy because colleges actually want me and I was excited because I want to go somewhere next year for college,” Aljaari said. “I don’t want to take a gap year and so to see the acceptance letter it was real, because that’s becoming reality.”

Whichever college Richey-Cook

Photo by Quinn Martin decides to go to, he is most excited to meet new people and try new things in a new environment.

“I think there’s the experience of getting to be on a campus I’ve never been to before,” Richey-Cook said.

“And just getting to meet new people and trying to do new things I’ve never done before.”

With every school doing the appli-

cation process differently, Souza has struggled with managing her time.

“Because if you’re meeting all these various lists of demands, then how are you supposed to manage your time,” Souza said. “How are you supposed to manage yourself? Because you’re like, do I throw myself into this one school or do I throw myself into another?”

Around the world in 60 minutes Language teachers collaborate on brand new club Story by Auset Pope

French teacher Brenna Christopoulos, alongside German teacher Adam Orange and MSU student intern Katy Miller want to take the traditional idea of language learning at ELHS to a new level with the formation of the new World Language Club.

They started the club after club rush to teach students about various cultures and languages outside of what they already learn in class.

“So we wanted something that would kind of be more of like an East Lansing community thing, and kind of expose students to all the other languages and cultures and give them opportunities,” Christopoulous said.

Miller, a Spanish student intern for Gehres, had previously coordinated a Spanish club for MSU students during her undergrad. Over time, she built connections with other students and shared them with Christopoulos and Orange when they came to her

to start the World Language Club for ELHS. One of those connections they’re using at MSU is the Center for Language and Teaching Advancement (CELTA). According to Orange, they’re looking at a course using the foundational language curriculum program provided by CELTA. Some of the languages they’re hoping to incorporate are some African languages and East Asian languages.

“We’re starting in hoping to look at languages again that are basically inside of our school in our community as a starting point, recognizing that this is the first year that we’ve had a club that has been able to meet in this format,” Orange said.

Students interested in learning new languages have found the World Language Club to be a space for just that. Molly Ford (12) has been taking French for years and wants to learn more about new languages. That has

become a main reason why Ford decided to join the World Language Club and become a member.

“I thought it would be nice to build and meet some people who had that same interest and so to speak French,” Ford said.

Although there are no student leaders at this time, club advisors are hoping to make this the best experience possible. Ford wants to see more upperclassmen in the club, which has had roughly 8-15 students per meeting “It’s nice to see that there’s a lot of underclassmen knowing that it’s something that people are interested in,” Ford said. “If we can get more people to join, that would always be nice.”

According to Orange, the club is certainly looking to go beyond the scope of just the languages that they know through teaching so that they can embrace the cultural and linguistic diversity of the students

Help from afar

Laughing at a joke in World Language Club on Nov. 2, French teacher Brenna Christopolous talks with the club regarding board elections. During this meeting, they decided on the president of the club as well as a few other positions. Photo by Quinn Martin

that are in the club, and those who might want to join.

“We are certainly also encouraging and hopeful of some of the students who are joining our group to be able to contribute to that very diverse group of non commonly spoken languages based on the languages

and cultures that are spoken and are celebrated in their homes.” Orange said.

Students interested in joining are welcome after school every other Wednesday in Madame Christopolous’s room 303.

Students support family affected by Hurricane Ian

Story by Anita Pereira Nunes and Mia Hagerstorm On Sept. 28, 2022 Hurricane Ian made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida and devastated the entire state.

Throughout the following days the storm surge had effects that reached all across Florida until it finally dissipated in Virginia on Oct. 2. Many families were forced to evacuate, homes lost power, lots of properties were damaged, several people went missing, lots of casualties and fatalities, and major floods destroyed towns. Multiple students at East Lansing High School have relatives who were affected both physically and mentally.

Kaeden Ondrus (12) (Largo)

When Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, it wasn’t the damage caused that scared Kaeden Ondrus (12) and his mom, it was the fear that his Grandma Sharon lived there all alone and had no one but them to help.

Ondrus’ grandma lives alone in Largo, FL just east of Tampa. When the hurricane hit, although there wasn't much damage done to her property, there was plenty of fear for

her and her family. His grandmother was required to evacuate from her home, where she headed to a hotel in Clearwater, FL. “I feel kind of sad that I don't talk to her more,” Ondrus said. “[Like] if something were to happen [and] I wasn't there with her.”

Ondrus and his mom have supported from afar through communication with his grandma.

With them being her only family, as far away as they are, they stayed in touch to keep her spirits high.

The last time they visited was Spring Break of junior year. They hope to visit again as soon as possible, but with the damage, it may be difficult.

With little information on the matter until he looked into it himself, Ondrus didn’t know exactly what he could do.

“We're just staying in touch, talking to her, keeping her happy because we are the only people that she really talks to now,” Ondrus said.

He has racked his brain trying to figure out how to help all the way from Michigan, and when he realized his grandma was in the evacuation

zone it broke his heart.

“I kind of started to panic, because there's really not much I can do and I don't have a lot of information,” Ondrus said.

Naomi Sowa (12) (Orlando)

For Naomi Sowa (12), it was a scary thought that her aunt and uncle were being hit by a hurricane across the state. Although Orlando wasn't hit the worst, having children in the house made the situation scarier for their family. Even though the situation was stressful and sudden, Sowa kept herself calm knowing her family would be okay.

Knowing her grandma is with them and helping also brought comfort to her and her family. Sowa’s’ aunt and uncle lost power for a brief moment, and with lots of flooding in the area she is just glad everyone is okay and safe.

“It's just a lot of communication and talking to each other,” Sowa said.

“Keeping spirits high and making sure that they're just feeling good and everything.”

They keep in touch with each other

by facetime. While the adults talk with each other, their kids are heard running around and playing in the background. Knowing the kids are okay has been a major relief for Sowa and her family.

“They're just like running around oblivious to everything.” Sowa said.

“So it was good that they were able to kind of still have fun while they're [in a] really difficult [situation].”

Photo by Dagny Hagerstrom Hurricane Ian destroys cities near the coast, and causes trees to be knocked down.

Sophia Fickies (10) (St. Petersburg)

The dorms at Eckerd College sat empty while the people living in them waited in fear from a safer location.

When Sophia Fickies’ (10) cousin Maddie moved away to go to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, she didn’t know she would endure one of the worst hurricanes they’ve had in years.

Hurricane Ian not only led to her evacuation, but also to having to live in her car all alone. She had medicines that needed refrigeration, so after the hurricane hit she had to

Photo by Madison Franklin Sophia Fickies (10) cousin, Maddie, evacuated from her dorm at Eckerd College. She had to Live out of her car for a few days.

buy a generator.

“It was really stressful hearing like about her situation and how she had to travel all alone after like being away for the first time ever,” Fickies said.

Fickies and her family have been supporting from across the country as much as they can. There’s little to do in a situation like this, but communication has led many families struggling in Florida to keep a positive mindset.

“We're always here to support her if she needs anything,” Fickies said.

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A look into LINKS

How the LINKS program benefits the special education curriculum Holyn Walsh and Nina VanOtteren Phoebe Miller (10) learned of the LINKS program through her counselor, who suggested it as a potential elective. She decided to join because she thought it would be a good learning experience and an opportunity to help out. For Miller, the program has proved to be much more than that.

The LINKS program partners general education students with students in the special education program and is scheduled during an open class period. During this period, the students work together on schoolwork and other activities in the curriculum.

The program is a recent addition to the high school and has changed the way educators, like special education teacher Elizabeth Bastin, run their classroom. Bastin has students pair up with their LINK to work collaboratively on an activity instead of just sitting and listening to her.

“One of our biggest goals is we want to give the special education students as much of a regular school experience as possible, and having the links really gets on that,” Bastin

said. “[General ed students] sit in class and have discussions and work in groups, LINKS allows us to do that with them as well.”

For Miller, the program has been an excellent way to learn how to be a better friend to people with disabilities. According to Miller, it took some time to develop a relationship with her LINK, Zander. At first, she didn’t know how to best communicate with him and was worried she would make him uncomfortable. However, the more time she spent with him, the more their relationship grew.

“You just have to get to know them as a person and their- certain challenges and their strengths and then you’ll know how you can be a better friend to them,” Miller said.

Talking and listening to Zander through the program has made a lasting impact on Miller.

“He’s really kind and good at paying attention to what others are thinking or feeling,” Miller said. “He’s taught me how to be a kinder person to others.”

Another participant in the pro-

Marquis Muzambi-Dodd (12), left, and his LINK Paul Tyszkiewicz (12), right, work on math problems together during sixth hour. Photo by Quinn Martin

gram, Christine Keough (11), has also learned a lot from being a LINK. In class, she participates in many activities involving conversations and speaking. Because of this, Keough has been able to connect with her partner, Gavin and learn what he enjoys and how he prefers to communicate.

“I’ve learned a lot about patience and working with others,” Keough said. “It’s helped me understand how everyone learns things differently.”

Marquis Muzambi-Dodd (12) is a senior in the special education

program. He has worked with many LINKS during his time at ELHS. Marquis works with numerous links throughout the day in many of his classes. Muzambi-Dodd is a huge advocate for LINKS, he enjoys working with them on schoolwork and giving them high-elbows in the hallway.

“The LINKS are the best and they work hard,” Muzambi-Dodd said.

The program has enriched the learning experience for special education students and fostered greater independence for them while

working on activities. According to Bastin, it’s made the curriculum more fun since the students have a chance to work with friends and peers. It has also given general education students a chance to learn through helping others.

“I think some students join links because they see it as a free period and then they end up loving it,” Bastin said.

Beyond the Pages A look into our school’s book club Ella Moore and Tyler Keefe

Lila Hardy (10) joined the school book club in 2021 because she wanted exposure to a wider variety of books she thought she might not enjoy.

The books are chosen by students and librarian Katie Smith, who asks the book club members what genre they would be interested in and looks for books that she thinks would appeal to the students. They try to read diverse books, and make an effort to have the books be relevant to when they’re read, like reading a book by an Indigenous author during November, Native American Heritage Month.

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“We definitely look at making sure that the books themselves reflect all sorts of different voices, whether they be racial or any kind of identities, by the characters and by the authors as well,” co-leader Emily Holmes said.

Holmes and the other co-leader, fellow English teacher Steven Neal, agreed to run the book club when Smith asked if any teachers could.

Neal described himself as a “gigantic book lover.”

“I love books and I’m an English teacher,” Neal said. “So I doubly love books.”

Smith does planning while Holmes and Neal lead discussion.

“We have some really great conversations about real world things while

we’re reading the book, and we get to learn a lot from each other.” Neal said.

Although they came for the books, all agree that community building is what keeps them going.

“You might be interacting with people that you’ve never met that you don’t normally cross paths with during the day,” Neal said.

And even if books and community aren’t enough of a draw, Holmes makes sure to remind them about the most important perk.

“We always have snacks.”

While the next book club for November is already full, students can visit the library after Nov. 10 to sign up for January’s book club.

Sitting at her desk on Oct. 28, English teacher Emily Holmes helps one of her AP Literature students in fifth hour Photo by Quinn Martin

Crochet clubs come together Students start two different organizations to advance fiber arts Story by Joseph Powers and Auset Pope When Ellie Anderson (10) wanted to start crocheting, she had no outlet to learn outside of taking a class. But her schedule didn’t line up to do that, with sports and other activities she already had on her plate. Anderson had difficulty fitting running a club in with her cross-country activities.

“I wanted to do something with the club because I was gonna do pickleball club last year, but I just didn’t have time,” Anderson said.

After asking for help from her friends and support system, she was able to find time to help start a new crochet club at the high school, the first of its kind in years.

Anderson was first introduced to crochet last year when Emily Zann, her U.S. History teacher, started crocheting and she thought that it would be fun to have a club for crocheting.

“I was really inspired to start it and we thought that it would be a really fun idea,” Anderson said. “And having started a club always looks good on

college apps.”

The club began meeting on Sept. 19 and the members have enjoyed their time together, learning the ropes of crocheting and spending time together. The club has spent time teaching their members the basics. While they could not participate in Club Rush this fall due to being unable to register in time, they still have a membership of more than a dozen students. With donations of yarn and needles being supplied crocheting is made possible but students must bring their own if they choose to make personal items.

Josie Smith (9) is a member of the Monday group and is currently making a blanket.

“I’ve always wanted to make one since the good ones are pretty expensive,” Smith said.

In addition to the club started by Anderson, a second crochet club that meets on Thursdays and aims to advance existing skills held by its members. It was founded by Alia Djomehri (9), Safa Djomehri (9) and Marwa Djomehri (9). Rachel Gehres acts as their adviser and they first met

Being a friend

in her room 305 on Sept. 22. As the advisor, Gehres provides a share of the crocheting tools, but most members bring their own.

The two clubs were created with different goals, but still plan on merging due to their similar agendas.

“Coincidentally two crochet clubs were established without each other knowing,” Alia said. “Both relatively have the same agenda and are planning to merge or collaborate in the near future.”

The presidents of the two clubs have spoken, and may consider either merging and meeting one day per week, or having two options for members to attend, and keeping each club’s current schedules.

As crochet gains popularity, the clubs provide the members the chance to either strengthen their existing skills, or to learn the basics of crochet in order to expand their abilities and make items which would be cost prohibitive if they were to buy them themselves.

Whether club members are learning the basics or

Advisor Emily Zann explains a basic crochet stitch to Tyler Keefe (10) on Nov. 1 during one of the weekly crochet club meetings. Photo by Quinn Martin

refining their skills, crochet has been a good way to help them get their mind off of a busy day or stressful schedule.

“It’s really fun, it is a great hobby to get your mind off of stuff,” Anderson

said. “If I’m like stressed I’ll just start crocheting.”

Tabooli Tutors helps provide learning opportunities for East Lansing students Story by Donald Keough

On an autumn afternoon at the East Lansing Public Library, cliques of various students fill the tables.

Among them, Ali Alamery (12) meets with a nervous seventh grader for their first meeting.

“It was definitely hard the first time I [tutored],” Alamery said. “I realized that he really just needed someone to talk to more than the actual teaching.”

Alamery is the head and founder of the Tabooli Tutors program created this year, along with being one of the tutors. The program coordinates National Honor Society (NHS) members and pairs them with younger students in need of tutoring. The organization runs on a volunteer basis, which aims to help any student in need, despite their financial situation.

“Growing up in the area, I struggled in school with math and stuff,”

Alamery said. “I didn’t really have a tutor or anything because my dad thought it was really expensive. So thinking about how I grew up and not being able to have a tutor, I wanted to give kids a chance to kind of like having a tutor whether they could or couldn’t afford it.”

The club’s biggest challenge has been to find tutors to fill the kids’ need for assistance. Anna Philips (11), is one of the NHS members who decided to volunteer for the program.

Philips first started tutoring this September, and joined the program for a number of reasons.

“At first, I was just looking for an opportunity for NHS hours,” Philips said. “But I also want to be a teacher when I grow up. So it seemed like kind of a good opportunity to just get some practice into something I enjoy

doing.”

Philips now tutors three different students during the week.

“It’s really fun actually,” Philips said. “Like I kind of was expecting not to enjoy it, but the hour usually goes by pretty quickly and Explaining a math problem on Oct. 17, Ali Alamery (12) tutors a seventh grade student at the East Lansing Public the kids are really Library. The pair meet weekly to work on homework and studying. Photo by Quinn Martin nice.” things she told me was that since ested in supporting the education of In the club’s two months of operthis program started, she could see the community to become a tutor. ation, it’s been able to match its 14 a change from a lot of the kids that “[Teaching] isn’t the only thing my tutors with over 20 students in need were doing it, like they’re more kid needs, it’s also someone to talk of academic help. open to talking in class and asking to,” Alamery said. “The best thing I “After I started the program, I questions.” can do for him is to be his friend.” talked to Mrs. Busby at the middle Alamery encourages anyone interschool,” Alamery said. “One of the

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“Midnights” disappoints: A Taylor Swift album review

By Frankie Calabrese-Barton and Allison Treanor

Overall:

F: If I’m being honest, and I’m saying

this as a devoted Swiftie, the album was a bit disappointing. It was so hyped up and I don’t think it lived up to all of its press. The ads leading up to the release were very 70s-esque, with cryptic lyrics, causing me to expect an acoustic, 70s vibes album.

The pop took me aback, not exactly in a good way. After many listens, though, I’ve grown pretty fond of it. I love how you can match many of the songs to Taylor’s other “eras,” following the theme of midnights throughout her life.

“Maroon:”

A: “We were cleansing incense off your vinyl shelf” is quite a way to start a song and make me instantly roll my eyes. Also, “so scarlet, it was maroon”, what?

A: I agree. Also coming from a Swiftie at heart, I know Taylor can do better than this. “Midnights” takes every flaw in her previous worst album, “Lover,” and expands on them.

Commercialized beyond recognition as a Taylor album, there genuinely wasn’t a song I thought was amazing on this album, a far cry from “Folklore” where almost every song was jaw-dropping. There were some good songs, but in any other Taylor album they would be unacceptably bad. I wanted to love “Midnights,” but left with a bitter taste in my mouth.

F: Maroon has the best lyrics on the album by far tbh. I see it as an answer to her song “Red,” realizing her relationship was darker and more toxic, now calling it Maroon.

“Anti-Hero:” A: Might as well be five minutes of yelling “please make me a TikTok audio!!” Saying this is her favorite song she’s ever written is a massive insult to the rest of her discography.

“Vigilante Shit:”

A: “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man”. Need I say more? Well, I certainly didn’t listen more.

F: I agree with Allison, I wouldn’t dislike this song so much if she hadn’t given it so much credit before it dropped. The depressing lyrics mixed with the pop sound, in my opinion, do not give what could’ve been given if the song was acoustic or slower. I’ll admit that the song is catchy though, and I have been catching myself singing “it’s me, hi” (embarrassing).

F: This song is not for me. Or anyone under the age of 30.

“Lavender Haze:”

F: The little “meet me at midnight” tag at the beginning caught me so off guard. A little cringe. This song has kind of grown on me, but overall, the overproduced sound is giving target commercial.

A: So Target commercial! Just bland and uninspired, which I guess makes it a good opener because the rest of the album is too.

“You’re On Your Own, Kid:” A: The Betty/August/James trilogy on Folklore being from teenager’s perspectives made sense, because Taylor was telling a story about them. Maybe she’s trying to do that again here, but it just comes off as an out-of-touch 30 year old trying to get another hit by playing off Teenage Angst. Maybe it could stand up on another album, but here again it’s just another try for a hit.

F: This one is my favorite on the album. I love the bridge, and how it follows her through her career, sort of a tribute to her younger self. The reason it resonates with me is probably because it’s kind of about high school and coming of age, so it hits close to home. And it’s just a cute song.

“Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey):” A: Probably the biggest disappointment in history. You can’t tell Lana even came within a mile of this song, especially because Lana is known for her excellent lyrics, which was the least of my expectations, until I heard “life is emotionally abusive.” Again, what?! And the punch line of the song being “weird but f****ing beautiful” WHAT?

F: LANA! WAS! ROBBED! While Lana Del Rey deserved an actual line, I do think their voices blend beautifully (if you listen hard enough to actually hear Lana over Taylor) and this is one of my faves.

Read the rest of the review online at Eastlansingportrait.com!

Photos and Photo illustration by Quinn Martin

Staff book recommendations Frankie Calabrese-Barton: “The Silent Patient”

by Alex Michaelides

I’m not a big mystery book girl, so I was hesitant to read “The Silent Patient,” but my friend recommended it to me so I gave it a try. The story is about a woman who had been found guilty of murdering her husband, but when she is brought to a psychological treatment place, she becomes completely silent. The main character is the woman’s therapist, and his persistence to uncover the truth left me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. “The Silent Patient” is a rollercoaster of emotions and definitely worth the read.

Gretchen- “Bewilderment” by David Ferry

A poetry collection containing both translated work as well as original, Ferry has a way of appealing to the human condition, memory and loss, with some poems only being a few lines while others are a few pages. Readers will be sure to find themselves somewhere within the prose. Overall, a rewarding read that is sure to stick with poetry fans and non-fans alike.

Lifestyle • 14

Adan Quan: “Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe, and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of War” by Lynne Olson

This is one of my favorite history books. Even if you aren’t normally into history, I would recommend this book. While it may seem a daunting read with nearly 600 pages, it goes by surprisingly fast despite its non-fiction nature. One of many stories about the forgotten of World War II, this book focuses on the contributions of the governments-in-exile based out of London, and the political and cultural factors behind their decisions. From the stories of the Norwegian king during his time in Great Britain to the exploits of brave Polish soldiers and fighters, this proves to be an engaging and indepth read that highlights often underrepresented stories in our common history.

Willa Cornillie: “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

If you’ve seen the movie “Where the Crawdads Sing,” please don’t use it to judge the book. Though the movie may have flat characters and is lacking good composition, the book is full of exciting plot and dynamic characters, including Kya, a girl living on her own in 1950s southern marsh. The book explores the beautiful relationship between nature and its interaction with the people that pass through, while also using a complex and fascinating crime storyline to keep readers interested. I was never bored reading this book, and the ending was both shocking and well set up.

Dress to to Impress Impress Dress

East Lansing students share their fall style By Joelle King

eezz m a m a G G o t o a errrrat Maarriissaa SSe Where to to shop: shop: Amazon, Target Where

Style inspo: Pinterest Summer vs. Fall fashion: “I think for my summer fashion, I’m way more basic. Like I feel like I don’t tend to like try a bunch because I don’t see a lot of people. So it’s mainly just like T-shirts and like basketball shorts. In the fall? A lot more of like cargo pants or like baggy jeans and stuff and then not to buy like T-shirts or a nice throw.”

Nala Noel Noel

Fashion Advice:

“I think honestly I think using like Pinterest and stuff like that just kind of like seeing what you’re into with enough styles. And that’s like just what pops up in your feed all the time. Like that’s where I get like all of my inspiration.”

Where to shop: Depop, Thrift Stores Style inspo: Mom, Pinterest Summer vs. Fall fashion: “Summer Fashion, obviously. You have less layers, warmer clothing, and like I typically wear more like skirts, tank tops.” Nala said.

Grade 10 She/Her

Favorite part of fashion: Layering Fashion Advice:

Where to shop: H&M

“Just like get things that you like and don’t like be intimidated or afraid to wear what you want and like I feel like the more stuff you have, the better because you can build and like wear and like add accessories which really make a good outfit.”

Style inspo: Surroundings, Family Favorite part of fashion: Comfortability Fashion Advice:

“Experiment with gendered clothing.”

Grade 11

Ben Cook Cook

She/Her

Grade 12

Ki ey dley Ridl ra Ri Kira

They/Them

Where to shop: Thrift stores, especially Goodwill Style inspo: Pinterest, TikTok Summer vs. Fall fashion:

Where to shop: Volunteers of America

“I feel like with fall I’m able to like express myself more,” Kira said. “Like with fashion because summer like it’s hot and I can’t really wear like much layers and stuff. But with fall like you can wear more clothing so I’m able to like express more.”

Style inspo: Brother, skate culture Favorite part of fashion: Getting to show your personality

Fashion Advice:

“Just like be true to yourself. I know that sounds corny, but like it definitely take inspiration from like your friends and social media is a good place. To live. And just know what you like.”

Fashion Advice:

Grade 10 She/Her

“Just be you, just think of what you want to do. And don’t listen to anyone else. It’s hard to go through, but once you find out what your sense is and you’re happy about it, people understand that and it’s nice.”

Casey ith Smith sey Sm He/Him

Design by Gretchen Rojewski

Grade 9

Lifestyle • 15

Lunch on the town

POTBELLY

Suggested by: Ginger Johnston (11) What they get: A veggie sandwich on multigrain bread and extra cheddar cheese Their favorite part about it: “I think it’s delicious, I’m a vegetarian so I don’t eat meat,” Johnston said. “But I really do like the bread because they always warm it up for you.”

What we think: Anita: I didn’t have high hopes for this sandwich because I’m usually not a fan of some of the vegetables but everything worked extremely well together. The texture of the avocado blends well with the cheese and the bread being toasted was a delicious touch. The sandwich is easy to carry and a healthy option. I would definitely recommend this for lunch and overall I rate it a 8/10.

Elizabeth: The sandwich was a pleasant surprise. I am usually not a fan of mushrooms and avocado but in this sandwich they worked. The texture of the avocado made the sandwich what it was meant to be. The mushroom added flavor and a smooth texture and the melted cheese tied the whole sandwich together. As a lunch it is a practical option. They cut the sandwich in half for you and it is easy to take around if you can’t finish it all at lunch. Overall this was a healthy, practical option for lunch, I would rate it a 6/10.

We asked you what to get for lunch this month. This what we ordered.

Story by Elizabeth Gisholt and Anita Pereira Nunes

NO THAI

Suggested by: Nick Chenault (12) What they get: pad thai and fried rice What we think: Anita: I hoped the noodles themselves would have more flavor but they overall just tasted kind of bland. I felt that there wasn’t a good balance between savory and spiciness. It’s also not the most practical to carry and doesn’t fit in your bag the best. However, it was a good quantity for a total of only $10. Overall I would give this a 4/10.

Elizabeth: The pad thai was a flavorful meal. The noodles had a great texture and the chicken at the bottom had a good spice that the peanuts were able to balance. As a practical option, the container would be hard to transport and for the amount of food they give you, you probably will have leftovers, but at least you will have fun. Overall I would give this meal an 8/10.

QDOBA

Suggested by: Layla Miller (12) What they get: A bowl with rice, chicken, lettuce, corn and salsa Their favorite part about it: “I just think that it’s very versatile, you can get a burrito, you can make bowls,” Miller said. “It’s pretty cheap and it’s healthier than going to McDonalds.”

What we think: Anita: Tasting a lot like a salad, the bowl was very fresh and unique. The lettuce and meat made it a lot like your average salad, while the corn and rice added a wonderful balance. This would be an easy and quick lunch that would keep you energized for the day, however it would be difficult to carry around from class to class if you weren’t able to finish. I would rate this a 6.5/10 Elizabeth: The bowl left you feeling full and satisfied while rejuvenated. The rice as the base of the bowl gave it a specific texture with the chicken and the corn with salsa carrying the flavor. The lettuce added the sense of freshness and the bowl all together was a healthy balanced meal. For as good as the bowl tasted, the container was impractical and it would be hard to carry around. Overall I would give this meal a 9/10.

STAFF EDITORS IN CHIEF (WRITING) ADAN QUAN WILLA CORNILLIE EDITOR IN CHIEF (VISUALS) GRETCHEN ROJEWSKI PHOTO EDITOR QUINN MARTIN PRINT EDITOR ALLISON TREANOR ONLINE EDITOR DONALD KEOUGH COPY EDITOR JADE WESTJOHN SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR FRANKIE CALABRESE-BARTON

WRITERS HOLYN WALSH TYLER KEEFE SAMA SAKHI MITCHELL ROBERTS NINA VANOTTEREN JOELLE KING LEO KENDALL KYRAH BEY AUSET POPE ELLA MOORE ANITA PEREIRA NUNES ELIZABETH GISHOLT JOSEPH POWERS MIA HAGERSTROM MADDIE POLLEYS DESIGNERS NICK ACEVEDO MARGARET BEAVER KIRA PALUCH KATIE PALSROK

ADVISER CODY HARRELL

P

STAFF MISSION

PORTRAIT IS WRITTEN, EDITED AND SIGNED BY STUDENTS OF EAST LANSING HIGH SCHOOL WHICH SEEKS TO INFORM, EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN ITS READERS. PORTRAIT IS READ BY STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PORTRAIT COVERS SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY NEWS AND COMMENTS ON ISSUES REGARDING THESE AREAS AFFECTING STUDENTS AT ELHS. OPINIONS STATED ARE THOSE OF THE WRITER AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE SCHOOL. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS MAY BE SUBMITTED TO EASTLANSINGPORTRAIT@GMAIL.COM.

Lifestyle • 16