The flash vol 54 issue 3 2014

Fraser High School-34270 Garfield Road, Fraser, MI 48026 - Volume 54 - Issue 3- May 2014

Dancing the Way Through Life Page 5 By: Josephine Morenski Who is Debra Krussman?

Page 6 By: Starria Coppins

Have You Heard?

Page 7 By: Savanna Distefano

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Opinion

Words Hurt www.fhstheflash.com

Ashley Derry

Flash Staff Reporter

Hugging, holding hands, and small kisses are seen throughout the halls of Fraser High School as couples socialize before school and in between classes.

The rest of the students go about their business and let these small acts of affection continue. That is, until they see something new in the Fra café one morning. A small kiss was shared between two girls who are dating. The word spread throughout the students as two girls dating is taboo to people. Many other couples, or friends who hug and kiss numerous times within a school day with no worry of judgement.

The students have begun to express their opinions.

Many are either supportive or have no issue with same-sex couples; however, some students disagree with that way of living and have decided to firmly voice their unwanted and hurtful views.

Even those interested in the

same sex who aren’t in a relationship have experienced name calling, dirty looks, and rude gestures. There are even instances where violence is involved. Fraser isn’t alone; all schools deal with bullying, even

if it’s small.

Change is coming, but not soon enough for those who need it. In order to stop

step. According to the Student Code of Conduct, “Peer Harassment/Bullying is intimidation of others by acts such as, this double standard and bullying in but not limited to the following: threatening or committing actual harm; unwelcome contact; verbal, written, or electronic taunting; racial slurs, blocking or impeding student movement.” There are many forms of bullying, but all of them need to be prevented.

Once you have figured out what bullying is, the next step is to do something about it. Even though not everyone can or will want to speak up for them, a teacher or hall monitor will hopefully be nearby and end the situation. Stopping bullying when it happens is only half the battle, preventing that attitude and any thought of bullying is the hardest part.

Everyone can make a difference, from changing the way they think to standing up for others. Bullying and double standards like these should not be tolerated and students The fight for equality will never end. should feel comfortable Photo Credit: Hannah Loudermilk being themselves in a place where they spend four years of their life. general, we need to take action. BeHopefully, in the future many can put ing able to recognize when someone aside their prejudiced minded thoughts is being bullied is the first and easiest and become civil with each other.

Visit The Flash online at: www.fhstheflash.com

Editor-in-Chief Josephine Morenski Editors Starria Coppins Savanna DiStefano Design Editors Starria Coppins Savanna DiStefano Flash Reporters Karoline Asdal Lauren Carbonara Ashley Derry Emily Drumn Laurel Kraus

Rachel Moore Jessa Stallsmith Anna Stemmler Amy Weed Courtney Winnie Web Editor Lauren Carbonara Business Manager Erica Kloski

Adviser James Flanagan

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The purpose of the Flash is to inform and entertain our audience, which includes the entire community, on subjects that may affect our readers. We also aim to be an open forum for the audience to be heard and make comments and observations. It is our intent that we provide this information in a clear, meaningful, and journalistic way. The Flash is a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA).

Editorial Policy The editorial board is the decision-making group for the newspaper staff. It includes the editor-inchief, assistant editors, and all other writers, web editors, and photographers. The board is in charge of making the decisions on what will go into the newspaper. If a controversial issue arises, it is the common assumption that there will be nothing published in the newspaper that is libelous, obscene, copyrighted, disrupting, or advocating illegal activities.

Contact Us At the Flash, we encourage letters to the editor so that our readers can cooperate with us to make a better newspaper. Any signed letter of which is not libelous, obscene, or regarding defamation or incitement may be accepted to be published. Letters are subject to edit for grammar and content if necessary. Please keep letters 250 words or less. Letters can also be submitted to the journalism room or in the main office, as well as via e-mail to theflash@ fraserk12.org Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: Letter to the Editor, The Flash 34270 Garfield, Fraser, MI 48026

Opinion

My Hospitalization Lauren Carbonara

The reality of mental institutions

Flash Staff Reporter

October 30, 2013, was by far one of the scariest days of my life. I sat in an uncomfortable lobby room chair for about eight hours before being evaluated. Once I was finally taken back to talk to a nurse, I was asked what seemed to be hundreds of questions. ‘Do you want to hurt yourself?’ ‘Have you ever attempted suicide?’ Were just a few of the many.

After they determined I should be admitted into the hospital based on my answers for the previous questions, I had to say goodbye to my mom and my sister, who were crying more than I was. I remember cursing at the ground because of how upset I was, and I got scolded by the nurse, which only made things feel worse.

Having seen TV shows like American Horror Story Asylum, I honestly had no idea what to expect of a psychiatric hospital. Were people going to be locked up in rooms constantly screaming? The Asylum season of American Horror Story was set in the 1960s, so of course things and practices have changed, but I was nervous about the things that haven’t changed.

The media is great at painting horrific ideas of psychiatric hospitals, or mental hospitals, through movies and television. Based on the media, psychiatric hospitals are prisons to the most eccentric of oddities. Patients are always being strapped down to beds while nurses struggle to calm them.

Nurses are also always portrayed as using crude medical remedies and unruly treatment to their patients.

“Never in a million years did I think I would be spending Halloween in a mental hospital.”

It is easy, then, to understand why people are often intimidated and put off by psychiatric hospitals; however, is the media’s portrayal of these hospitals true? While mental hospitals are not the most comforting of places to visit, the media tends to over exaggerate the negative aspects of psychiatric hospitals, like they do with most everything else.

As someone who has visited relatives in psychiatric hospitals and someone who has been in one myself, I would like to bring a more realistic idea of what really goes on behind closed doors. Of course I know the media paints mental institutions as twisted, haunted buildings for entertainment purposes; I myself like a good, creepy movie, but I think more people need to know the reality of such a serious issue.

On my second day, which was Halloween, all of the patients in the adolescence unit went “trick or treating.” We all made masks to wear to get into the holiday spirit, and

all of the staff members gave us candy. Never in a million years did I think I would be spending Halloween in a mental hospital.

After Halloween, things went back to what was seemingly

“After my week in in-patient and two weeks in out-patient, I have a completely different perspective of what really goes on in mental institutions.” normal. We participated in many group discussions and therapies every day. It was interesting to hear what other people my age were going through in their life. It reminded me that no matter how alone you might feel, there are others that know what you are going through.

I think the biggest misconception about psychiatric hospitals is that only insane people with a laundry list of severe problems are admitted into these hospitals. With the way the media sells psychiatric hospitals, it is easy to understand why people think this way.

After my week in in-patient and two weeks in out-patient, I have a completely different perspective of what really goes on in mental institutions. Patients there are regular people who have been dealt a bad hand and have their fair share of problems. Everyone goes through tough times in their life, and there is nothing wrong with needing additional support to get through them.

While I am not planning on returning to the hospital anytime soon, it was an amazing learning experience for me, and I am almost glad it happened. I was able to meet some incredible people who have the same problems as I do and people who truly care about your journey to recovery.

On the day I got discharged, I was warned to not tell people why I had missed so much school, and that I should make up some sort of cover up story. I understand the reasoning behind telling patients this, but it is discouraging that a lot of people have to lie about where they were in fear of getting bullied or looked down upon. Support from friends and peers is an important step after transitioning from the hospital back to daily life; others should be supportive and encouraging.

If you or anyone you know needs help, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. While it may seem scary, it will be worth it in the long run. Help is out there; you just need to ask for it.

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May 2014, Volume 54, Issue 3

Fact:

- More teenagers die from suicide than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.

- Suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 15-24.

- Over 20% of high school students have seriously considered suicide, 14% have made a plan, and 8% have made an attempt.

- Depression that untreated, undiagnosed, or ineffectively treated is the number one cause of suicide.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

News 4 Bitter Cold Michigan

www.fhstheflash.com

Josephine Morenski

Editor-In-Chief

Get out your winter coats and gloves. With dangerous record breaking temperatures that felt like 30 degrees below with the wind, this has been one of the worst winters Michigan has seen in decades. January has been one of the snowiest months that broke records in parts of the state. According to The National Weather Service, the Detroit area saw 39.1 inches of snow in January, which tops the record for the snowiest month previously set in February of 1908.

Hundreds of schools have closed down and are running out of snow days due to the bitter weather.

“The decision to close school is always a difficult one. Several factors are taken into consideration,” Superintendent Dr. Richards said.

Those several factors include temperature, wind chill, snow accumulation, timing of the snowfall, road conditions for buses and drivers, and potential time students will spend in the elements while waiting for a bus or walking to and from school.

From there, several communications are made.

“In addition, several communications are made between superintendents of neighboring districts, our transportation directors, and the consultation of various weather forecasting systems,” Dr. Richards said.

Under law, schools districts can cancel up to six days before it is required to make up the time. It’s necessary to have 170 days of teaching and 1,098 hours of class in order to receive a funding from the state. Fraser Public Schools have used all of their snow days; the school board is now debating on whether or not to add more days till the end of the year or make the school day longer.

The Michigan Legislature may modify attendance laws to give districts more options in making up lost class time. Representative Phil Potvin will introduce a bill that grants districts more power over deciding what to do to make up lost time in order to meet all state requirements. The only problem is that it could possibly affect

teacher’s contracts.

“We are at the point where we would need to look at a variety of options for making up the instructional time per the requirements of the State of Michigan,” Dr. Richards said.

Fraser along with many other districts across the Midwest have set a record this year with the most amounts of snow days in a school year.

“I believe this has been a record setting year for many school districts across the Midwest. I have been in Fraser since 2005 and I can’t recall more than 3 days of school being closed in a school year due to inclement weather,” Dr. Richards said Governor Rick Snyder signed the One-Time Change into state law in May 2013, which allows schools to extend their day rather than adding extras days to the end of the year. That year, 17 districts made their days longer, while 30 furthered their school year.

Fraser’s decision on making up lost time in the classroom is final. The district has decided to take away two early release days, making them full days.

Accidents are very common throughout the winter, this year multiple accidents have been caused by the tremendous amount of snow. Once there is one accident, it becomes a domino effect, accident after accident occurs. According to Lt. Mike Shaw of the Michigan State Police, people believe once there is no snow on the road, they can drive normally, but that is not the case. Black ice, a thin coat of glazed ice on a surface, is more than likely to be on the road. Michigan has seen a total of 891 crashes this winter. The number only seems to be going up from here, and drivers need to realize that it is better to be safe than sorry.

As the cold days pass, Michigan along with the Photo: Spun out car due to dangerous rest of the north hopes to see warmer days. weather.

Credit: Amy Weed

Features 5 A YouTube Star in the Making

May 2014, Volume 54, Issue 3

Courtney Winnie

Flash Staff Reporter

YouTube has been a way for people to express their selves and show their talents since 2005. When the site was first founded, viewers were seeing quick thirty second funny clips and as time went on the site really grew. Nowadays people can search almost anything they want to see and find multiple videos on the topic.

From helpful tips and advice videos, to some of the top YouTubers making weekly videos for their viewers. The site has come such a long way in the last nine years.

YouTube has become an outlet for people to get noticed. “YouTubers” are now going on tours and reaching millions of views and subscribers on their channels for their entertaining videos. We see channels from comedians, motivational speakers, and now beauty gurus. Their viral videos had made these YouTubers almost red carpet famous.

Freshmen Alexa Paniccia is a YouTube star in the making. Alexa has had her beauty channel on YouTube for a little over a year now and has already reached almost 4,000 subscribers. For her YouTube has been a way for her to help people and make videos about something she is very interested in.

“I really love getting comments where the subscriber tells me that I helped them on doing makeup or discovering new products,” Alexa said.

Lucky for our generation, the internet is now a place for a great career. Some of these YouTube stars are being offered deals for their videos and are partnering with companies to turn making videos into the best job ever for a teenager. Alexa has reached a point in her YouTube career thanks to her subscribers and views that she partnered up with StyleHaul. Although she

YouTube screen shot photo

is not able to tell us how much she makes she can say that it all depends on how many videos she posts every month.

“I really hope to keep making videos for a while because I actually started making money on YouTube and I’m hoping it will be a secondary job.”

For many, YouTube has been people’s way of communicating to large groups and doing something they enjoy.

Dancing the Way Through Life Josephine Morenski Editor-in-Chief

At just three years of age, senior Daniel Palimino began his impeccable dance career and has continued it all the way through the age of 18, all thanks to his father and hard work.

Palimino dances at RhythmN-Jump Dance Academy, and takes a total of 16 classes a week, 10 non-competitive and six competitive.

“I started dancing because my dad always went to watch my aunt’s dance classes growing up and always wanted to join. He was the one who signed me up for dance, which is rare. Dads never sign up their sons for dance,” Daniel Palimino said.

Not only does Palimino spend continuous hours at a studio, he also helps teach the Creative Movement and Fitness class at FHS while teacher Anne Cook takes a leave of

absence. The class is designed to keep students active by dancing. Dances taught in the class include; salsa, hip-hop, ballroom, and more.

“Teaching Creative Movement and Fitness is such an amazing experience! It’s a cool way to teach my peers the art of dance.

It’s also sad to not see Mrs. Cook standing in the front of the room teaching though,” Palimino said.

Cook could not be more overwhelmed and happy to have Palimino teach the class while she is away. Palimino is able to teach the students on various levels with his knowledge and background on dance.

“I never would have imagined that I would need to take a block of time off work. I feel absolutely lucky that I have the option to have Daniel instruct the class. Otherwise,

the long-term guest teacher (Mrs. McGee) would just have to do her best, and the students would have to have a semester of aerobics videos. I am so glad he was able to step up and instruct! Daniel is definitely a great asset to the class,” Anne Cook said Earning countless awards and scholarships throughout the years, Palimino has studied with the American ballet theater in Austin, Texas, as well as traveling with a “Jazz on Tap on Tour”, and assisting at a dance camp held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Palimino hopes to attend Western Michigan University to study dance and business.

He was recently accepted to the dance program, receiving a scholarship. While Palimino would love to make a career out of dance one day, his real dream is to work at Walt Disney

World as a Park Manager or Imaginer. Whether Palimino decides to continue dance or not he has a bright future ahead of him.

Daniel showing off his moves.

Credit: Dance Makers Inc.

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Features

Who is Debra Krussman?

www.fhstheflash.com

Starria Coppins

Flash Staff Editor

Favorite Spanish teacher to some, and favorite storyteller of cultural stories and life lessons to others, Spanish teacher Ms. Debra Krussman, has a story to share. Ms. Debra Krussman attended FHS as a student and started teaching here years after college. When Krussman was in middle school, she was excited to get to high school to start gymnastics.

“When I finally got to tenth grade I was so excited to join gymnastics. This was when gymnastics had just been established as a girls Varsity sport.

I tried and made the team; I earned the title of Co-Captain.

As a tenth grader, I competed in all around: balance beam, floor, parallel bars, and the horse (vaulting). I became a state finalist and competed in balance beam and floor, and you had to be all around to even qualify for states,” Krussman said.

Krussman still loves gymnastic. She worked out at the Mt. Clemens YMCA on the weekends.

“I think that gymnastics and athletics in general are so great because you learn to work out, to eat well, to exercise, to be strong, and to have good posture. I feel the best thing I did was compete on gymnastics because I still have good posture from doing it,” Krussman said.

After high school Krussman didn’t work on her gymnastic skills for an entire year. That was challenging for her because working out at the Mount Clemens YMCA wasn’t the same as her workouts at Fraser.

“I think gymnastics is great.

Like any sport, it takes strength, dedication, and working out, but with gymnastics it takes strength and grace. I like how women can be feminine, have strength, and still do a sport

with elegance,” Krussman said.

Krussman loves art, language, literature, and theatre. With so many interests, it was hard for her to choose what to study in college; however, a childhood memory helped her decide.

“As a child, I would read my father’s book Children from Foreign Lands I loved that book and still do. It made me think, one day I’m going to go to those countries to visit those people, and I’m going to speak their language. As a senior in high school, I had French and Spanish. My interest is mostly with languages (International Studies). When it really came down to choose my major, I chose Spanish,” Krussman said.

After high school, Krussman attended the University of Michigan. She finished her double major in Spanish Language & Literature and Social Studies, and a minor in the History of the Americas.

“When I graduated, I immediately became a substitute in Fraser Public Schools. I substituted as a music teacher at the middle school for six months.

When I first started, I told Miss.

Holstein, my middle school choir teacher, that I didn’t play an instrument, but I had been in choir. She told me, ‘Just sing with the records,’ and so we learned all the words and sang to all of the Broadway musicals,” Krussman said.

After substituting as a music teacher at old Kennedy Jr. High (which is now RMS), Krussman moved on to gain experience in her career, finish off her Spanish Language skills and have an adventure.

“I went to Mexico City for three years to work for a private Mexican company,” Krussman said.

After being a worker in Mexico, Krussman came back to work in the school system. She started working at Parochial

High School, and then moved to work at Lakeview High School.

After a few years, while at Lakeview, Krussman received many phone calls to apply and work in Fraser; however, she did not accept right away.

“I thought, ‘Why are they calling me? I have a good job: I’m head of the World Language Department.’ The school kept calling me and I thought the same thing. So I asked my mom, ‘Why is Fraser calling me to work there?’ My mother said that when people retire they want to know that someone really good is going to replace them, someone who cares about the subject and the students,” Krussman said.

Krussman decided to go to the interview that she had been invited to by Fraser. After being interviewed, she was hired right away.

“I think they were very concerned about hiring someone who was accomplished, qualified, hardworking, etc.,” Krussman said.

Along with Krussman’s friendships that she’s built over her years at Fraser, she has also developed many memories.

“I remember when we first started block scheduling. It was hard at first because we went from 55 minutes to an hour and a half. I went to Meijer and bought myself a clock to hang on the wall: it helped me pace myself. So one day during Spanish III honors class.

I looked up and the time was running out, so I started going faster and faster. The bell rang and the students got up and left except one boy,” Krussman said. “I asked him wasn’t he going to go to lunch and he said it wasn’t time yet. The students had left early and were going to go to two lunches. They did a joke on me. The students did a joke on me so I ran and told Mr. Repickey, I told them they must

have detention and he agreed.

I gave them a lunch detention and the next class we had pizza in class, but they wanted to do it again,” Krussman laughed. “It wasn’t a punishment at all.”

Almost every incoming freshman hears the story about how Krussman threw an old, overhead projector out of her classroom window. Hearing this story is like playing telephone: the story always gets a twist.

“I was teaching Spanish I (a full class of about 35 students) and we were using overhead projectors. I had the oldest in the school. I looked over and noticed that the overhead projector on the inside the mechanism was on fire, but I couldn’t smell any smoke.

Some boys were saying, ‘Look Mrs. Krussman. Look Mrs. Krussman, look.’ I saw flames shooting out of it, not smoke.

I was so stunned that I walked over and unplugged it (hoping to not be electrocuted) and grabbed it by the arm,” Krussman said. “As the flames were shooting out of it, I walked it over to the window, opened it, and through it out in the snow. Back then the windows could open. The flames were still going and then finally smoldering,” Krussman said.

A witnessing hall monitor didn’t like that Krussman had thrown school property out like it wasn’t a piece of junk. Krussman was reported to the principal, Mr. Heethuis and was called down to the office.

“I went to Mr. Heethuis and I told him what happen. He thanked me and said I was a hero. He said ‘Mrs. Krussman you’re a heroine,’ and I said, “I am? He said, ‘Yes you are because student safety is more important than an old piece of equipment. Students are our most valuable asset here at Fraser,’” Krussman said.

Krussman has been a part of Fraser for most of her life and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. After being told, “Students are our most valuable asset here at Fraser,” Krussman has done her job by living out that motto. Telling stories, sharing history, and teaching Spanish is Krussman’s passion in life, along with being accomplished, qualified, and hardworking.

Photo: Krussman stands proud with her Global Trade Mission Certificate.

Credit: Debra Krussman

Features Have You Heard?

Savanna DiStefano

Flash Staff Editor

“

What is All this SMA

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease affecting the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement.

Type I: earliest onset, usually at birth, and the most severe symptoms.

Type II: usually happens in early childhood and is less severe but still disabling.

”

The proceeds are forwarded to Families of SMA, an organization dedicated to supporting families experiencing the effects of SMA and finding a cure.

“If my brother’s power chair broke, the organization would go through all the fund raising money and help us buy a new power chair for him. We want to help his muscles stay strong; if not, help them grow… and help him with all his additional needs being a special needs child,” Loudermilk said. “I want to see my little brother live past me. I don’t want to be the one burying him; I want to see him succeed. I don’t want to see him get sick. If he decides to have kids, they might have it because he does. I want him to know for a fact that they will survive. It would be a lot easier on everyone. There’s going to be a lot less death.”

Loudermilk’s brother, Max, is a fun-loving kid who enjoys playing video games and reading adventurous fiction novels. His optimistic personality helps himself and others to stay strong and fighting for a cure.

“I can’t do everything my friends can do, like go on bike rides and play laser tag,” Max said. “Some positive aspects would be my awesome sister (Hannah) and being able to live a life as exciting as mine.”

The Loudermilks gain support from their family and friends.

Dakota Herbin, a life- long friend of both siblings, has committed to help the family raise money and awareness.

“It’s a fun experience; it’s more of a group thing with our other friends helping us fund raise. It’s interesting. It’s different because I’m not used to fund raising in that style or way, but it also has that touch to it because you’re helping people out, whether or not you realize it,” Herbin said.

May 2014, Volume 54, Issue 3

Business?

Fund raising is a part time job for freshman Hannah Loudermilk. Her disabled 12-year-old brother, Max, is her best friend, and she shows her love through raising money and teaching others about Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the recessive genetic condition Max has. SMA affects the nervous system associated with muscle movement, making it difficult to stand and walk.

“There’s no cure; there’s no treatment. There are four types, and he has type two. If he gets a common cold right now, he might not survive. There’s a lot of stress, and then with him only being 12, you want him to feel like he can succeed,” Loudermilk said.

Three years ago, Loudermilk and her mother began fund raising by selling simple homemade accessories.

“We sat in front of stores. We were the ones that probably annoyed customers, the ones that sat out in the cold, and we just had fun constantly,” Loudermilk said. “We rose over $4,000 last year, so it’s this big thing this year; we hope to have a bigger outcome and keep raising money.”

I want to see my little brother live past me. I don’t want to be the one burying him; I want to see him succeed...

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Type III: can happen as late as adolescence and may be only moderately disabling.

Max Loudermilk Photo credit: Loudermilk family

In February, senior Sydney Harris teamed up with Loudermilk to organize a table to sell her homemade products in the cafeteria during lunch times.

“I thought the project seemed like a cool idea, and I thought it was cool that she wanted to help her brother out, so I was willing to do whatever I had to do with the fund raiser to help her raise money for the cure,” Harris said. “If there’s another thing that came up about SMA, now that I know more about it I would be willing to donate or help out with another fund raiser.”

From nationally organized events to mini traveling boutiques, Loudermilk is constantly ready to work and support her favorite 12 year old.

“I think it’s something she does out of the goodness of her heart,” Max said. “She has never been made to help me, but she does.”

There is no cure for SMA. Treatment consists of managing the symptoms and preventing complications.

Estimated one in every 6,000 live births.

Worldwide, 13,000 lives are lost every year.

Over 25,000 Americans have SMA. For more information, visit fsma.org.

Differences United States

Language: English Food Fact: 252 million pounds of pizza are eaten a year and 1.2 billion pounds of potato chips are eaten every year.

Religion: Christianity

Mexico

Language: Spanish Food Fact: Known for its range of flavors and spices. Tacos, burritos and enchiladas.

Religion: 95% of the population is affiliated with Roman Catholicism.

Brazil

Language: Portuguese Food Fact: Consists of much fish, meat, tropical rice, and beans.

Religion: Roman Catholic

Around the World Ireland

Language: Gaelige (Irish), English Food Fact: Most foods use simple, basic ingredients Religion: Roman Catholic

China

Language: Mandarin, Jin, Wu, and Gan are all spoken in China Food Fact: silken tofu, grass jelly are common foods.

Religion: Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism are major religions.

Tanzania Language: Over 120 languages; mostly Bantu, a category of over 535 languages and dialects that are spoken throughout Africa.

Food Fact: Variety of fruits and vegetables, meat and milk products Religion: Islam and Christianity

Features 10 Feeling The Pressure www.fhstheflash.com

Karoline Asdal

Flash Staff Reporter

It’s six o’clock Friday morning when your alarm sounds off.

The grating noise is interfering with your delightful dreams and you do your best to block it out from your head. After slumbering for a little while, you grit your teeth and roll out of bed.

Your eyes fall on the clothing rack in the corner, filled with tops and bottoms from the big chain stores at the mall. From there, your eyes travel to the big mirror on the wall. It’s time to make the first decisions of the new day. What kind of make-up should you wear? The blue or the red pants? What will your friends like?

Countless decisions and 12 hours later, you meet up with your friends to get ready for the night. They have talked you into joining them at the party tonight, even though you’re positive you’ll break curfew and get in big trouble with your mom. As the dark falls you all head out, and the very moment you step into the house the party is at, you’re offered a beer. You knew this kind of question would come, and you’ve prepared your answer.

“No, thank you.” But in this moment, everyone’s looking at you. The cute guy from your algebra class and the popular girls you’d love to eat lunch with are all staring at you with eyes hazy and bloodshot from the alcohol. The only thing to do if you ever want to be a part of their clique is to take a sip of the bottle somebody shoved in your hand. So you do.

“We think of peer pressure as forcing someone into doing something. It’s really forced because you accept it,” psychology teacher David Kuppe said.

The accurate definition of peer pressure is “social pressure by members of one’s peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or oth-

erwise conform in order to be accepted.” This phenomenon mostly affects teenagers in middle and high school, as they search for a sense of belonging.

According to a survey done by The Canadian Lung Association, “my friends smoke” and

Peer pressure has caused numerous teenagers to deviate from both the law and their parent’s restrictions.

“The biggest pressure is to ‘fit in’ in social situations. It can involve things like participating in drugs, alcohol, sexual activi-

“I thought it was cool” are two main reasons why kids between the ages of 12-17 start smoking cigarettes. Peer pressure can appear in terms of everything from serious, life-changing actions to simpler things, like the way you dress and behave.

“The last time I did a choice based on peer pressure was today. I think almost every choice we make is at least a little bit affected by peer pressure. You’re always going to think ‘what will my friends think of this’ and ‘what will my family think of this’. Never do you think first ‘what do I think of this’,” sophomore Sarah Gordon said.

ties, whatever it takes to fit in with a particular group,” Karen Colby, counselor at Fraser, said.

It’s often proposed that in the adolescence stage of life, parents have little or no influence in their teenager’s life. Their son or daughter now emphasizes their friend’s opinions and choices, even though they might not always be the wisest.

“I tried smoking cigarettes once. My friends pressured me into it; they told me smoking would let out a lot of stress. At the time I was happy with my decision,” Gordon said.

She is not the first and defini-

tively not the last one to give in to indirect persuasion from people close to her.

“Peer pressure is human nature. I don’t think most people realize that they’re being pressured and even pressure others all the time. It’s not possible

The result of peer pressure.

Credit: Karoline Asdal

to eliminate peer pressure, because it comes with the growing up-stage, where you’re trying out different things,” Colby said.

Over the years, pressure in peer groups has changed remarkably. Today’s accessibility to social medias, such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, has definitely made teens easier victims to peer pressure. A study done by the Prevention Center of Michigan found that teens are strongly influenced by what pops up in their Facebook timeline: The more alcohol-

related pictures teens saw from friends, the more they drank themselves. In the past, a child or a teen could be shunned by his or her class, and only they knew, but with Facebook being as significant in teen’s life as it is, everyone is up to date with what’s going on in the blink of an eye.

“Today doing illegal things is a common norm, and probably too easy accepted. Back when I was in high school, girls had much stronger morals and their standards were different.

Sex before marriage was totally unacceptable back then, while today it’s common,” Kuppe said.

It’s not all bad; peer pressure has its good sides as well. A clique of friends can pressure you to study harder or they can pressure you to give up smoking or drinking. Hanging out with a group of people where everyone takes responsibility, thinks positive thoughts, and speak kind words, can motivate you to do the same. To a certain degree, you become who you hang out with.

“I believe there’s good peer pressure. If you have a basketball team and one of the girls has a 4.0 G.P.A, is hanging out with her a good thing? Absolutely. You see what her study skills are like and how dedicated she is. You can have good role models as well,” Kuppe said.

At the end of the day, everyone, both kids and grown-ups, are exposed to some kind of peer pressure at almost all times. The difference is made in how you deal with it. Do you go with the flow or do you put a concentrated effort into withstanding your comrades’ encouragement to deviate? It’s said that as your brain develops with age, resisting peer pressure get easier and easier, but you will always have to pay attention to your actions.

Informative Features

11

Get a Grasp on Your Future Emily Drumm Flash Staff Reporter

Picture a dystopia where students without an education come home to parents without a job or any way to secure their child’s future. In today’s rising economy, it is imperative to sustain an efficient and updated education. Times have changed since our parents were in school. A proper high school education seems harder and harder to attain with the rising tech industry, and college seems further and further away with financial problems sweeping the nation. What is it exactly that each student can do to secure a stable future?

There are multiple tests that students can take during their high school years to help them get into college. Many students take the AP test, the SAT, or the ACT in hopes to receive college credits or apply to universities.

Hundreds of students

crowded in a room filled only with desks and suspicious eyes of supervisors hover over the same dense paper packet. The scratching of pencils and the occasional exasperated moan can be heard from outside the room. This series of multiple tests is known either as the ACT or SAT and can be the start or end of a student’s future.

The ACT is an achievement test that assesses what has been learned in high school English, mathematics, science, and reading.

When a final score ranging from 1 to 36 is reached, you may send it to colleges. The SAT is an aptitude test with a mandatory writing portion and is said to be more difficult than the ACT. The brilliant thing about both tests is that

you can retake them as many times as you want. Second chances do exist.

“I took the ACT early to get my nerves out before our ACT in March and to work on timing to improve my score,” junior Becky Carson said.

Many teachers and parents

have hopes of their children going to college after high school. The ACT is the prime way to invest in the future.

Once the test is taken, colleges are now able to find you, which is another way prepare for your life after high school. Taking the ACT early is the best way to get ahead.

“Personally, the ACT went well for me. I took it early to help me see where I am in terms of college acceptance,” said junior Jessica Allison. “It helped to narrow down where I want to go.

Also when I saw my scores I knew the areas where I needed to improve.”

Another way to get an early start with college would

ACT booklet.

Credit: Emily Drumm

May 2014, Volume 54, Issue 3

be to take early college credit courses during the school year or in the summer.

“The college classes I’m taking are to get ahead and save money also prepare myself for a college schedule,” Carson said.

Macomb Community College offers high school juniors classes to take, so that when you start freshman year of college, you’ll already have credit earned. This saves you time and money. On top of that, these courses help prepare students for skill training and more choices in college life.

“In regards to taking classes at Macomb, it helped me get an idea of what college life would be like, and it was academically challenging,” said Allison, “However, I decided the program wasn’t for me. I believe the program is a great opportunity for students who are independent and may not be able to afford college, but that just wasn’t me.”

The Military Life

Jessa Stallsmith

Flash Staff Reporter

Thaddeus Soboleski saw joining the military as the plan of action for him to follow after high school. At the young age of 18 he chose to leave for the Marines. He started in second Marines stationed on a camp in North Carolina, and then he was later on assigned to ninth marines where he stayed in Okinawa, Japan. Soboleski admitted that he would go back to the Marines in a second during this interview.

After meeting a Marine at seven, Soboleski knew he wanted to be one. After meeting the man he told his dad that he was going to be “one of those guys.”

“The Marine Corps is a different breed of people. If you actually join the Marine Corps

you want to be there. It’s not like you were drafted, you had to, or you did it for a college fund. The Marine Corps is actually a character thing. You

day. He attends reunions at least two to three times a year and had just gotten back from visiting a roommate from one of the desert storms when I

vel a Che reene n a G Ev ter tt Hun s Barne i x Ale

join the Marine Corps, you want to be there,” Soboleski, said.

While being in the Marines, Soboleski made many close friends that he still sees to this

interviewed him.

“I see these guys all the time,” Soboleski said. “If I need them, I’ll call them and they’ll be there. They know if they need something they can call me and

I’ll be there.”

The highest rank that Soboleski received while being in the Marines was Staff Sergeant E-6.

According to him this was his biggest accomplishment.

Anyone who receives this rank is in charge of being responsible for the welfare, morale, discipline, and efficiency of the Marines in their charge.

“When I was in scuba school my instructor’s last name ended with “ski.” He was always messing with me because I was a “ski” too. I almost failed the first time we were in the ocean, and he gave me a second chance. That was actually in seventy feet of water, taking your mask off, and just breathing through your mouth piece for two minutes. That was hard because I always thought the bubbles would hit me in the nose or that my lungs would fill

up with water. I thought, you know, I was going to die. I tried actually getting up and these guys all tried to hold me down.

What got me through that part were James Bond movies. I thought to myself “if Bond can do it, I can do it.” Soboleski said.

Soboleski obtained many skills in the Marines that he applies to his everyday life. He gained organizational skills and learned discipline and responsibility. Even though he misses his Marine days, Soboleski is now a successful business owner.

Many students at Fraser High School plan on serving our country after they graduate.

Read More about Seniors Evan Chevela, Hunter Greene, and Alexis Barnett and their journey to the military after high school on FHSTheFlash.

Features

12

Life Abroad

www.fhstheflash.com

es between the two countries were.

Flash Staff Reporter “Scotland’s a very small country and if you live 30 miles Imagine one day you are away from someone in Scotland uprooted from your safety net, you feel like you live a long way your bags must be packed, and away.

Whereas in this country you suddenly leave your homepeople think nothing of driving town to a foreign community 100, 200, 400 miles,” Wright you have never seen. In instancsaid. es this can be the situation for Wright also explained that many. “...When it beback in Scotland the I had the opportunity to interview came real it was a family did not own a Ms. Wright, one of little scary leaving car, for they did not need one because of the the French teachour family and public transport and ers at our high means to walk around friends...” school as well as easily in a small town. senior Dominika Leaving one part of her heart Jarosz who can relate to this back in Scotland but seeking experience. When Wright had new opportunities in the United first come here on vacation at States lead Wright to decide to age ten, Wright described it as become a French teacher when a Hollywood like place, saying she was influenced by one of it was sunny all the time and her elder ambitious college that everything was indeed bigger than in Scotland. At first, professors.

“I have 24 cousins in Scotland Wright was excited to move. and nobody went to college.

“But then when it became And it wasn’t expected that real it was a little scary leaving they do, that was just they go our family and friends, changing schools, going to a different country. Even though we had family here to come to it was still quite intimidating,” Wright said.

Furthermore, jumping across the pond was not as simple as some may imagine.

“It was exciting when we first got the information we had applied four years before we actually got approved,” Wright said.

The tedious process of traveling down to London at different times and meeting with immigration officials did not make it easy. Good things come to those who wait, and finally Wright, her sister and their mom were able to move to Michigan! With a fresh start on their shoulders, the family did not know what was awaiting them. I had asked Dominika as a child Wright what was the differencPhoto Credit: Jarosz Family

Julia Kovacova

and they find a job leaving high school and that’s what you do.

When I came here it was the expectation my mom said ‘you’re going to college, we’ll figure out a way to make it happen,’” Wright said.

Wright noted that there was more opportunity here than back then in Scotland.

Wright had been required to take French in high school, and if students in her class did well, the school would decide to give students an additional language. German was Wright’s other language in high school. Wright ended up spending a summer with her college professor “the little old lady” and was taught right outside of her backyard in France and took Wright and other students on adventurous, historical day trips.

“It was just such a neat experience and she just inspired me to go on with French and then combining that with liking to work with kids...and it inspired me to become a French teacher,” Wright said.

From a different perspective is Dominika Jarosz’s story, a girl who emigrated from Poland to Hamtramck when she was only eight years old. Jarosz’s Dad had come prior to her family to get settled in.

“We went to our first house which was in Hamtramck and it was a lot smaller and crammed and I had to share a room with my brother and at first we had to sleep on the ground,” Jarosz said.

Jarosz describes the hardships she had to face as a young girl living in a foreign environment. For Jarosz, the whole thing was a culture shock: she went from the small town countryside to houses that were squished close together and narrow sidewalks. For Jarosz,

Leesa Wright (center) in FHS musical Annie Photo Credit: Leesa Wright

it seemed like everything felt doing everything so quickly and so close- the housed and yards people in Poland are more laid seems like they were piled on back. Also, public transport is top of each other. One of her big and the family only owned most accomplished struggles one car back in Poland. Jarosz was learning English. recounts having no problem “What are you going learn biking ten kilometers to see as a first grader? Just like you her grandmother, but here it is learn foreign languages here… quite unlikely. or don’t really learn enough to “Everybody took trains communicate especially when everywhere and buses. I guess you’re in first grade. So learning its more social when it comes the language was pretty to transportation “...in Poland we because you see tough,” Jarosz said.

There were benefits start education a somebody in the along the way when lot sooner and it train you see someJarosz was able to skip body in the bus and second grade and move gets into differ- you know them,” right to third. ent subjects a lot Jarosz said.

“I knew the material Perhaps a sense of quicker...” so it wasn’t that hard a tight-knit combecause in Poland we munity is one thing start education a lot sooner and what we may be missing. As the it gets into different subjects a years have rolled on Jarosz has lot quicker than here get babied been back to visit Poland but in everything so it was kind of says she wants to reside and different,” Jarosz said. go to college here. It is always It took Jarosz about a year to important to remember that get accustomed and comfortwe are only human and it is able in her situation. The difpossible to live in any condition ferences between the countries others do, while we all come greatly impact the way people from different cultures- we are live their lives in Poland. Jarosz one community of humanity on noted that everybody here is this earth.

Entertainment

13

May 2014, Volume 54, Issue 3

Young the Giant Captivation with Imagination Rachel Moore Flash Staff Reporter

Debuting in 2010, this angular sounding band has reached over the top to become widely known and to share this funky sounding music with everyone in the world. Young the Giant has accomplished just that in the matter of a few years, while many great musicians take more than a year or two to make themselves a name and create a dent in the music making industry.

The caffeinated bluesy sound emitting through the headphones as people begin to first listen definitely throws the unexpected music lover off, but as soon as the bouncy tunes continue, it gets their fans to sway and dance to their new album. With high pitched vocals and heavy techno beats, the band surely has made a difference in the music world.

This indie pop group first began with Jacob Tilley, Addam Farmer, Kevin Massoudi, Young the Giant Ehson Hashemian, Photo Credit: gomoxie.com and Sameer Gadhia in the name of The Jakes as an acronym for the first band members names in 2004. After some personal changes in 2009 and playing at four different shows, Ehson Hashemian departed from the band and they decided to change their name to Young the Giant. As 2010 rolled around, they began touring with Minus the Bear and Steel Train and working on their first debuting album called Young the Giant.

After that was recorded in early June 2010, they started to tour with bigger bands like Marina and the Diamonds and Neon Trees.

They quickly became popular as their first song “My Body” hit the radios in January 2010 and climbed to the top five in the Billboard Alternative songs chart.

Young the Giant’s new album Mind over Matter was released in January 2014. With their hit single “It’s About Time” hitting the radio station in October, these bubblegum indie musicians have suddenly picked in their fan basis and fame. With other popular songs like “Anagram” or “Crystallized” Young the Giant is surely making a name for themselves.

With lyrics that speak more in a confusing tones then fortune cookies, listeners find themselves at a loss for words to describe their love for the band’s sound. “Don’t go-o! It’s About Time, it’s about pistols.” These lyrics are from the song “It’s about time” from the album Mind Over Matter. Young the Giant are talking about that it’s time to end things between the two people, yet they don’t want to do that because of how much pain it’ll cause.

Over all, as indie bands go, Young the Giant is the heart soul of the up and coming in indie music. With odd lyrics, that speaks the truth and has their fans loving them all the more, Young the Giant is certainly something to listen to. If you’d like to see them live and choose how you feel about the music, they’ll be at the Fillmore on March 8th.

Laurel Kraus Flash Staff Reporter

Being part of a fandom is becoming the “thing” to do with today’s teens. A fandom is a massive group of people from all over the world who unite on social networking sites, like Tumblr and Instagram, over common interests in books, TV shows, and movies. So what happens when fandom’s and teen writers mix?

The answer is fanfiction.

Fanfiction is exactly what it sounds like: fiction written by fans. These fans borrow their fandom’s characters, settings, and ideas and write them into their own short stories.

“I got into fanfiction when I wanted to look up more stories because I was unsatisfied with the ending of a show I liked,” Former FHS student Jenn Relph said.

Some of the most popular fandoms written about are Marvel’s The Avengers, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Sherlock.

Fanfiction.org is one of the main internet sites for this.

Although fanfiction is mainly popular with teens, this site holds millions of stories from people of every age, race, and back round. The stories are categorized in every way possible to make the readers experience easy. First they are split apart by fandom, but then they are judged by many things including the length of each story, the level of inappropriateness, and the genre. The reader can even categorize the stories by which character or characters they wish to read about. As of July of 2010, there had been a total of 6,085,534 stories posted on Fanfiction.org alone.

FictionPress.com is a sister site to Fanfiction.org and is also for young or starting out

authors. The difference is that the writers on FictionPress create stories off of their own completely new ideas. Nothing is taken from fandoms, but instead from their own minds.

My personal favorite fanfiction site is Quotev.com Quotev is in many ways very different from the other sites.

The biggest way is that unlike the other sites who only have the option of stories, Quotev users are able to read and write quizzes as well. And not only are there quizzes for fandom’s such as, which TV show character are you most like and which should you date? But there are also plenty of quizzes for silly entertainment such as: what is your personality, create your own boyfriend, and can I make you laugh?

“I like Quotev because the structure of the website is clear and extremely easy to navigate, and the rules are very reasonable and do not interfere with the creation of stories and quizzes and so on,” Australian teenager Theresa Chalon said.

A part of fanfiction that is wildly popular is shipping characters. Shipping was derived from the word relationship so it essentially means to pair two characters together. It doesn’t matter if the characters are actually together in the show or book or if the fans just want them to be. The characters could even be pulled from two different fandoms. Ship names are easily

A student beginning a fanfiction.

Photo Credit to Laurel Kraus

created by using the first half of one person’s name and the second half of the others. For example, the ship name for the characters Beth and Daryl from The Walking Dead is Bethyl.

“I think it’s fun to ship characters together because I think that certain characters together would just make the perfect adorable couple,” Senior Jessica Kloski said.

A fairly new type of fanfiction that has been steadily growing more popular is virtual RP, otherwise known as role play.

RP fanfiction is when two or more writers connect through the internet and choose their own characters to act out and interact within a fantasy world.

“I enjoy doing RP fanfictions because they give me the perspective of what others think would happen in certain situations and son on. It’s entertaining and intriguing to me,” said Kloski.

Anyone is capable of writing their own fanfiction. It takes barely a minute to sign up on any of these free no download sites and then you’re on your way. Simply let your imagination flow off through your fingertips.

“Think of all the possibilities.

You can kill off the character you hated the most or give more time to the neglected character. You can write about whatever you wished would happen,” Relph said.

14 www.fhstheflash.com

WHY

Pop Culture MAKE-UP?

Amy Weed Flash Staff Reporter

A typical morning of a high schooler would be: wake up, get out of bed, brush a comb throughout their hair, get dressed, eat breakfast, and leave for school half awake. But there’s a step that’s been missed that 85% of Fraser High School girls, who have been surveyed, take: applying their choice of make up for reasons of feeling better about themselves to experimenting with their looks.

“Make-up is a perfecter. It’s pretty much the only thing I like putting on my face,” Mikayla Winbigler said.

66% of girls at Fraser wear makeup to school every day and spend a small chunk to a larger piece of time every morning. 29% Activities Done For Apperance: Depicts activites done for ones own apperance excluding the applicaonly wear makeup to dress; 5% tion of make-up. Please note that the FHS girls surveyed chose multiple activites and not just one, so the total never wear it. percentages will not add up to the total number of students who took the survey.

“Maybe a half hour, forty-five minutes, cause I do my hair in the morning to. I wake up at four in the morning to do that and then to make my younger siblings breakfast,” Shay Ryan said. “I always wear make-up and try to look my best when I go outside cause you never know who you’re gonna meet. You could meet your future husband outside. It could happen.”

Reasons for wearing the ‘perfecter’ range from ‘to feel better about yourself’ to ‘pressure’.

“I started wearing make-up in seventh grade. Because my sister told me ‘if you do your make-up the same every day and you do your hair the same way every day you get made fun of,” Winbigler said.“In seventh grade I started getting made fun Products Used: Depicts products normally applied according to the FHS students surveyed. Please note that of for not wearing make-up, so I the FHS girls surveyed chose multiple products and not just one, so the tota amount will not add up to the total number of students who took the survey. started wearing it and was like’

Whatever.’ They didn’t really stop making fun of me after I started wearing it.”

The make-up industry itself is also a pressure for wearing its products. Seeing the same body type and perfect complexion can leave the impression of ‘that’s what I should look like’.

“I want to be like them; jealous of them; all the above,” Winbigler said.

Although make-up is an instrument to boost self confidence, it can also be a pressure, but it is also not necessary. There are several tasks and activities besides makeup that can be a boost to ones appearance and happiness. For instance: exercise, eating right, wearing what makes one comfortable, or styling hair.

“I exercise quite often, I wear make-up, I dyed my hair, and I wear nice clothes. I’m a fan of wearing dark colored clothes, but I’ll wear other colors too,” Ryan said. “I change my style constantly, cause I have so much clothes. But it depends on what I’m feeling in the morning and the type of music I’m listening to.

Sometimes I’ll wear a band t-shirt and sweats, then other times I’ll be like dress shirt and jeans.”

Make-up is a pressure, a prefecter, and a paint brush. It can enhance ones’ own unique face to bring out the dimples, the whoosh in ones’ brow, and the shape of ones’ eye. Or it can intimidate with its power.

Whichever way make-up is viewed, it won’t go away, so the best way to go about it is to embrace it in a chosen form; acceptance or denial.

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Sources for this Issue’s Content:

15

May 2014, Volume 54 , Issue 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_Chinese http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/blog/100-chinese-foods-to-try-before-you-die http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/religion/ https://flagspot.net/flags/ie.html http://www.dochara.com/the-irish/food-recipes/traditional-foods-of-ireland/ http://www.dochara.com/the-irish/facts/about-religion/ http://mentalfloss.com/article/49480/8-fun-facts-about-irish-language http://www.Google.com http://www.braziliansfood.com/brazil-food-facts.htm http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/mexico.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Mexico http://www.africabridge.org http://www.mapsofworld.com http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-76579-stock-footage-real-united-states-of-america-flag-flying-on-flagpole-against-clear-blue-sky-hd-noaudio-medium.html http://www.iup.edu/page.aspx?id=11805 http://www.ask.com/question/how-many-pounds-of-pizza-do-americans-eat-a-year http://m.voices.yahoo.com/fun-american-food-facts-8510241.html mdaustrallia.org.au www.ninds.nih.gov our-sma-angels.com

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Sports

16

Senior Superstar Athlete

www.fhstheflash.com

Erica Kloski

Flash Staff Reporter

Senior Rachel Kloski has, over the course of the past year, earned the accomplishments of being accepted to Wayne State University, trying out for the Wayne State track team, and earning a scholarship for doing so. On February 10th, Kloski was awarded the athletic scholarship to join Wayne State University›s track team.

“I was shaking as I signed my national letter of intent because I knew how important the document was! The feeling was unreal. I was signing a document that was getting me into a great University, doing what I love,” Kloski said.

Kloski has been involved with Fraser›s varsity track team since her freshman year, also participating in cheer each year.

«I enjoy track more than anything,» Kloski said. «It puts stress on your body, but by the

end of the day you feel good about the workout you did. I feel like I am always learning something new about how I can adjust what I›m doing in track, and I love that. There is always room for improvement. There isn›t a wall that prevents you from bettering yourself.»

Kloski has been influenced by many people throughout her years in school and sports, the most influential being Rob Wingert.

“He always told his athletes to be who they want to be and that every rep makes you better.

And I remind myself of that everyday. Even when I feel like there is nothing left to give, I remember that giving it that little bit more will make me better overall,» Kloski said.

Even though she has participated in track since middle school, Kloski never loses that feeling of excitement before each race.

“I get butterflies before

every race. The feeling never disappears. I am fine right up until the gunman says ‘runners take your marks,’ and my stomach drops,” Kloski said.

“Once the race is over though, the feeling is completely different. If I won, I am beyond ecstatic. Unfortunately, if I lose, I am upset, but I just tell myself I can do better next time.”

Being a senior this year, Kloski knows how it feels to juggle school, sports, and activities.

“My advice is to do anything that you think might even interest you a little bit. You never really know if you will enjoy something until you try it. Sports were the best thing to happen to me in high school.

I have met some of my best friends and gotten to know a ton of people that I wouldn’t have known without being involved in a sport,” Kloski said.

Photo: Kloski signing her Wayne Contract Credit: Kloski Family

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