P.1: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
the overachiever
JANUARY 2016 Vol. 11 Issue 4
international academy central student newspaper
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A Farewell to Mrs. Hartman The International Academy Central gathered together on January 22 and paid their farewells to Mrs. Hartman, who has served the school for over 20 years in the front office– a true backbone of the school. By Arslan Raheem (‘16)
January 22 marked the last day of work for Mrs. Hartman before her retirement. Mrs. Hartman has worked in the International Academy Okma Campus front office for well over 20 years. She is an inspiration to the students and the teachers. On Friday, students and teachers assembled to form a line that extended from the ISC all the way to the front office and around the school, where Mrs. Hartman stood to accept well wishes and gifts from students and teachers. Many students wrote short notes or drew nice pictures to show their affection. Other students gave her Ali Garada (Senior) warm puts his short note into hugs. Mrs. Mrs. Hartman’s gift box Hartman while Ryuji Arimoto received gives her a farewell many gifts hug along with
some flowers on her last day at the IA. Some students felt that a short note would not fully convey their feeling to-
at the International Academy before a math test already, but when these students suddenly realize that they do not have a calculator, they freak out even more. In these situations, Mrs. Hartman is there to help. Gayathri Reddi, a 12th grader,
Mrs. Hartman shows off her gifts from the students and teachers wards Mrs. Hartman. These students along with some teachers shared their stories in a video dedicated to her. Omar Al-Ejel, an 11th grader, shares his memories of Mrs. Hartman. He says, “Whether it is a calculator or making an announcement for a club, Mrs. Hartman is always there to help.” Omar, like other students with similar memories, are happy to have Mrs. Hartman in the front office helping them out when they need it most. Many students are often stressed out
Erika LaCasse (Senior) gives Mrs. Hartman a warm hug shares another memory of Mrs. Hartman in the video. She says that she is thankful to Mrs. Hartman for constantly opening the door for her and her harp everywhere around the school. Gayathri says that she has continued, PG.9 >>
MORE INSIDE El Chapo finally caught [P.2.]
Photo Credits (left to right): clipart, clipart, clipart
Our analysis of Facts [P.4.]
Inside the mind of IA’s famous dancer Zackary Jordan [P.6.]
P.2: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
WORLD NEWS
Staff PRINCIPAL Ms. Lynne Gibson
The Capture of “El Chapo” Guzmán
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
January 8th marked the capture of El Chapo Guzmán, one of the biggest drug lords in history. Read more to find out about who he is and the events prior to his capture. By Imran Quazi (‘19)
Mr. Christopher Smith FACULTY FACILITATOR Ms. Sarah Clancy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rana-Armaghan K. Ahmad SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR
Neehar Haryadi WORLD NEWS EDITOR Abrar Quazi FEATURES EDITORS Sydney Rosen Alayna Wong ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Alaina Valente Megan Akins Mexican security forces arrest the one billion dollar drug man ( ABC News) Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo, is arguably the most notorious drug kingpin ever since Pablo Escobar. El Chapo has been arrested multiple times for leading the Sinaloa Cartel, a cartel known for trafficking cocaine shipments from Colombia to the US through Mexico. His drug business put him on the world radar as one of the most richest people, as well as one of the most dangerous and wanted people in the world. El Chapo was first arrested in 1993 for his actions, but escaped prison 8 years later through a hefty bribery of $2.5 million. According to CNN, this daring escape was possible because he paid off 78 guards. El Chapo was then arrested again in 2014 when the police were notified that he was in a beachfront hotel, planning another drug expedition into the United States. However his arrest was again unfruitful as he, according to Vice News, made a “movie esque escape” by tunneling through his prison cell. Recently, on January 8, 2016 El Chapo was captured again for the third time while on the run from his safe house. El Chapo’s recent arrest parallels a classic crime movie.
With a climax full of action, it feels as though Hollywood took a trip to the coastal city of Los Mochis on January 8th. It took the Mexican Government one month to pinpoint El Chapo’s hiding location through a variety of tips and surveillance of the kingpin’s associates in Los Mochis. Once the evidence of his location was verified, Mexican marines stormed El Chapo’s compound at 4:30 AM. They were met with furious resistance, and soon enough, a continued, PG.7
OPINIONS EDITOR Max Totsky SPORTS EDITOR Kenan Sinan BACK PAGE EDITOR Evan Kolin CONTRIBUTORS Zoe Hunter Adrienne Joe Zachary Jordan Sophia Kapur Sophia Kim Payge Lindow Imran Quazi Arslan Raheem Richa Shah Vivian Xu
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Coming Together When Lead Leads to Disaster The city of Flint has been plagued with contaminated water, stealing 10 lives and creating health problems for many more. President Obama has declared the problem in Flint as a federal state emergency. By Sophia Kapur (‘17) “Children are suffering life-long consequences due to lead present in tap water”. This is a headline expected in a developing country - not in a city less than an hour away from our school. The Flint community continues to suffer adverse health effects from the high levels of lead in their drinking water. Since the contamination problem has been
brought to Governor Rick Snyder’s attention, ten people have passed away due to water related causes. Residents of Flint were told their water was safe to drink, despite concerns arising from strange colors emerging from their faucets. Now, the nation is pooling its resources to help our neighboring city in a state of continued, PG.7 >>
P.3: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
FEATURES Post Winter Break Blues How to survive and thrive through the dark winter days. By Richa Shah (‘17) The couple weeks in December leading up to winter break are filled with excitement for the holidays and anxiety for midterms, but the few weeks after returning from winter break can feel like the longest weeks of the year. The reason is simple; after a relaxed 2 weeks off, who is eager to get back to the routine of school, especially when the weather is so cold? January and February is when many experience “the winter blues” for the first time and suffer from symptoms (clipart) such as apathy, irritability, fatigue, boredom and cravings for carbohydrates. It is not as serious as the depression associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which requires medical intervention, but even so, it is tough to combat. Here are some ways to beat the winter blues: Hang out with friends more! Your mood will instantly become better after seeing your friends! Even the simple act of getting out of the house to get coffee or to see a movie with your friends can make you feel better and energized.
Find a new hobby! Instead of sulking around saying that you hate winter, try to use that time to pick up a new skill. Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding are great choices! If you’re looking for something indoors, you could try to learn some basic cooking skills or learn to cook a certain cuisine. If cooking doesn’t suit you, then take up programming, painting, yoga, or photography-the possibilities are endless! Exercise! With the chilly weather, it becomes increasingly difficult to be active outside, but there are many indoor activities that can give you the same exhilarating experience. If doing monotonous workouts at the local gym sounds like a real bore, you can join a basketball league at your local community recreation center or just join the kids who hang out in the ISC afterschool to ball. Eat healthier! The holiday season is very sweet, figuratively and literally! All of the extra snacks, while tasty, can put your body in a sluggish state. This is definitely easy to solve by reintroducing 5 fruits and vegetables per day back into your diet along with reducing the processed foods to allow your body to get back into its normal self. Last but not least, think positive! No matter how much the blues are affecting you, you always have power over your mind to change your thoughts about winter. Instead of viewing it as a dull, cold, lifeless time, try to think of the wonders of winter like the potential of snow days, the increased consumption of hot chocolate, and some great sledding opportunities! The lull of these first few weeks will pass, and signs of spring will begin to surface, but hopefully these 5 tips will help you power through your winter blues!
5 Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions January is the perfect time to reflect on the past year of your life and make new resolutions. However, if your New Year’s resolutions have gone unresolved, you’re not alone. By Sydney Rosen (‘16) Making New Year’s resolutions is 1. Be Specific: To be effective, Grzebienik (’16) says that she only a tradition in which a person makes a New Year’s resolutions must be makes goals she knows she will promise – typically an act of selfspecific. Instead of the vague, “I’m be able to handle in her busy improvement. Originating in 49 B.C, going to spend less time on Instaschedule, “with school and track I the New Year’s resolutions tradition gram” make it, “I’m going to check don’t have that much for huge started during the reign of Julius CaeInstagram after I finish my homechanges, so I make smaller goals I sar. Similar to the current tradition, at work”. Having specific goals will know I’ll have time for. that time resolutions were a way of help you narrow down the exact improving morals and becoming a bettask you are trying to accomplish. 3. Make changes one at a time: ter person. However, more often than Whether it is one change a month not, New Year’s resolutions fall victim 2. Limit your list to a number you or a week, it is important to create to their creators’ busy lives. Whether can handle: It is best to have smaller steps toward your goal, it’s organizing your binders or cutting two or three resolutions so you are rather than just having one dauntout social media, here are 5 ways to focusing your efforts on the goal ing goal that can seem unattainakeep your New Year’s resolutions stick you truly want. Put some thought ble. Trying to continued, PG.7 this year: into the goals you want. Cailee make changes >>
P.4: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
ENTERTAINMENT An Analysis of Facts One of the biggest diss tracks in the last year was strangely levied against a sporting goods company. By Imran Quazi (‘19) On New Year's Eve, rapper and creative genius Kanye West released his Nike diss track, Facts. The Grammy winning rapper is notorious for his outspoken attitude and sometimes ridiculous public statements. Accordingly, this song was created by West to make his dislike of the he Nike company public. Kanye West is currently signed with Adidas, Nike’s competitor. Although West had signed and created a fashion line with Nike in the past, he claims they limited him from creating to his full potential. His song may be called “Facts”, but the statements border on the line of truth and revenge. In order to distinguish between fact and fiction, the lyrics of the song need to be broken down. West starts the song with the introduction of Dirt and Grime, a song by Father’s Children. However, the lyrics are changed slightly to convey how West become successful, amidst all his obstacles. This introduction is unique and unexpected when compared to his previous work. It is then followed by the hook of the song were West raps, “Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman.” Kanye mocks Nike and its Jordan Brand by saying that his fashion line has done better than anything either of them have ever created. However, Kanye ironically raps to the tune of the song Jumpman by Drake and Future-a song that actually praises the Jordan Brand. It can be argued that the Yeezy fashion line is indeed better than the Jordan Brand. Jordan Brand’s iconic sneaker are still sitting on shelves, while Kanye West’s sneakers sell out in seconds. He goes on to rap about how he knows that Herzog, a famous designer, and Adidas truly appreciate him, unlike Nike. Even more shade is thrown as West moves to the next verse. He states that without Drake or Don C, Nike would not be worth anything. This is an exaggerated and hard to believe statement, as Nike also boasts an arsenal of world class athletes, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. After this, Kanye raps another one of his “facts”, by exclaiming, “Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy they line up for days.” This is another true statement. When the Yeezy 750 Boost “triple black” sneakers were announced, fans and sneaker heads everywhere went crazy and waited outside local sport shops for days and even weeks before the Yeezys came out. The verse then continues when Yeezy says that Nike can’t sell anything at the same rate they did when he was signed to them. West does not stop there, and also teases people by saying that he hasn’t released his highly anticipated album, SWISH, but his shoes went “platinum”. The “fact” that West’s shoes went platinum is actually true because he won the “Shoe of the Year” award at the Footwear News Awards Ceremony in December. Kanye West also uses this song to take a stab at Nike’s treatment of its employees by rapping, “Nike, Nike treat employees just like slaves.” This line refers to Nike’s use of child labor and sweatshops in order to create cheaper products. Lastly, West claims that LeBron James and other stars actually do not have loyalty to Nike, but rather are only swayed by the money offered. He raps “Gave LeBron a bili’ not to run away”. Overall, this new diss track, Facts, does actually contain many true statements about the Nike company. There have been a few other cases where Kanye West hinted about his feelings towards Nike, but Facts provided an official stance. Kanye also showed the whole world how influential a musician can be. He managed to “diss” an entire corporation and still sell millions of albums. Though this track specifically targeted Nike, there’s no guarantee that West will back down against other people or businesses that will oppose him.
IA in Vogue Valentine’s Day is coming up, and fortunately we have fashion resources available at the IA By Payge Lindow (‘17) With February rolling around, Valentine's Day and Mid-Winter Break are on their way too. This means the classics; pink, red, and sparkles. If you are lucky enough to be travelling somewhere warm over break, then it’s time for swimsuit shopping! Styles with lots of cut outs and criss cross backs have transcended from fall shirts and sports bras, to the beach. New at IA this month is style fanatic Jessica Bao. She is a sophomore who loves fashion and pursues it as a hobby. She extended this to her MYP Personal Project, by creating her own Personal Shopping website. The website offers closet organization tips, clothing care information, and her own favorite outfits. She can find outfits for you based on your own personal style, as well as answer specific questions. Jessica’s style features everything from bright colors to classic neutrals, and she describes it as classic, fun, and girly. You can find her website at Jbaoscloset.weebly.com. With help from Jessica or your own shopping extravaganza, the middle of winter can go from drab to fab in a snap.
This is Jessica’s Personal Project Board and website, detailing the steps she took in determining and executing her project.
P.5: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
Humans of IAC
Grease is Back and Bigger than Ever
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York” photo blog, “Humans of IAC” aims to share the stories of students and staff at the International Academy Central. By Sophia Kim (‘17)
Grease: Live aired on Fox at the end of January By Megan Akins (‘17)
“My dad got stung by what he thought was a jellyfish- but it was actually a Portuguese Man-of-War. We had to go to the hospital, but we didn’t know where the hospital was because we were in Miami, so we went to Whole Foods and CVS Pharmacy instead, where my dad chugged a bottle of child’s Benadryl. Then, we bought some vinegar and Vitamin C powder and baking soda, and we poured that all over his hand and it started fizzing. And then, we found the hospital, missed the entrance of the hospital, and the only way to get back was to get back on the highway and it took 12 minutes to get back into the hospital, and we finally made it into the hospital emergency room. The doctors were like, “What happened?” and my dad said, “I got stung!” and they asked, “By what?” and he said, “By a Portuguese Man-ofWar!” and then they said, “Well, what have you done about it?” and he replied, “Well, I dipped my hand in vinegar and baking soda,” and they said, ‘Well, you know, that’s the treatment so that’s all that you can do and wait it out.” And then my dad started crying. So they said, ‘Wait,” and gave him tranquilizers. And he felt better. …That was my trip to Florida.” - Kevin Huang (’17)
On Sunday, January 31st, Grease: Live made its big debut on Fox. This was Fox’s entry into the world of live musicals during an era of NBC’s dominance with productions such as The Sound of Music in 2013, Peter Pan in 2014, and The Wiz. Originally a stage musical in 1971, Grease made its way to Broadway a year later, and then a movie in 1978, instantly becoming a classic. The director, Kali, who also directed the Broadway masterpiece Hamilton, chose to make Grease: Live a combination of both the stage version and the movie version. He told The New York Times, "I deeply believe that theater should be for everyone. I want people to do new plays for television."
A comparison of the original to today’s adaptation (CNN) Fox casted A-list actors and singers in order to create a memorable production. This included Jessie J for the opening song, Julianne Hough as Sandy, Aaron Tveit as Danny, Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo, Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchy, and Keke Palmer as Marty. The actors' main focus was to make this "breathtaking," as Daniel Fienberg wrote in The Hollywood Reporter. Critic Darren Franich notes in the Entertainment Weekly, "In this moment overrun with must-see TV events, Grease wasn't just live. It was alive.” There was a few negative critics, who felt that the acting was very stiff. A few glitches occurred during the performance during the songs Hopelessly Devoted to You and Born to Hand Jive. Another unfortunate event that happened the night before the actors took the stage was the death of Vanessa Hudgens' (CNN) father. She tweeted, "I am so sad to say that last night my daddy, Greg, passed away from stage 4 cancer. Thank you everyone who kept him in your prayers." She then added, "Tonight, I do the show in his honor." Vanessa went on to give a great performance for her father. Even with these problems Grease: Live drew about 12.2 million viewers. Hopefully this encourages other major networks to develop more live TV musicals. Overall, Grease received mostly positive views and many hailed as a great adaptation of the original movie in 1978.
P.6: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
OPINION
A Grade Above
To Dance or Not to Dance Oakland County famous dancer Zachary Jordan gives an insider’s perspective into the world of dance. By Zachary Jordan (‘16) Let’s just cut to the chase. I’m a Remember the fella who danced professional dancer, so I guess you on the tables at IA Olympics? That was could say I know a thing or two about me. What about the guy leading the “moving my feet” and “bustin’ some group of youngsters who come out and moves”. I’m not gonna waste your time dance during halftimes and timeouts at with false humility. I’m one of the best Detroit Pistons games? Yep, that’s me at what I do, at least in the state of too. So yeah, I’m the real deal. To me, Michigan. As I have progressed along dance is like an onion; the tears only my path to excellence, the question fall once you dig into the layers. This people have come to ask me is no means that my dancing has come to longer “do you dance?” but “how do symbolize a vehicle towards introspecyou dance so well?”, a gratifying albeit tion, and as I drive this vehicle down appropriate metamorphosis. The anthe embezzled highway, I am bomswer? I just go out there and be me. barded with petty ambiguities. Can anyone dance? Is dance a sport? What’s the point of dance? The answers to those questions are “no”, “yes”, and “don’t get me started”. Dance is as much of a sport as anything else, and I’ll tell you why. The first thing you need to understand about sport is that athleticism is far more important than competition. If this was not the case, then we would have professional Connect Four and Monopoly leagues. Why do you think schools have “athletics departments” but no “competition departments”? Competition is for businessmen, not Zack performing at the Palace sportsmen. What do we call a person that plays sports? An athlete. What do during halftime we call a person that scratches away continued, PG.9
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Our Nutrition is a Right With a surge of nutrition awareness in the last decade, consumers are still pushing for their healthy wholesome foods. By Vivian Xu (‘16) Every day, we are confronted by a subtle life-changing decision. What should we eat? It is something that holds a massive bearing on our general wellbeing, but something we often negate in favor of indulgenceaka the hedonistic plight to gain the most immersive sensory experience and throw yourself into a satisfy- continued, PG.9 >>
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It’s that time of year again, with midterm exams dominating the thoughts of IA students. Don’t fret, as our seniors leave some words of wisdom! By Zoe Hunter (‘16) Second semester is finally here, which means more than one thing. Yes, the stress of midterms and getting in those incomplete assignments is over with, but that doesn't mean it’s time to start thinking it's already summer! January is the month where we establish new goals for ourselves to carry throughout the New Year. The whole purpose of “New Year's Resolutions” is so that we can change ourselves, and fix what was wrong from the previous year. However, it’s highly unlikely you are going to change into a brand new person. It’s hard to change old habits, and that’s why most people tend to not accomplish their resolutions. For 2016, I would advise to start small. Don’t try to change too many things at once. Instead of the typical list of New Year's Resolutions, here are some quotes about New Year's Resolutions that might just inspire you. "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." Edith Lovejoy Pierce "We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...not looking for flaws, but for potential." - Ellen Goodman "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." Oprah Winfrey "I think in terms of the days resolutions, not the years'" - Henry Moore
P.7: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
The Capture of “El Chapo” Guzmán (CONT. P.2) full on gunfight exploded. After nearly two hours of fighting, the marines were able to seize the compound, with only one soldier wounded and five of El Chapo’s thugs killed. However, El Chapo was nowhere in sight. He had taken all the precautions necessary and had equipped his safe house with elaborate escape hatches and decoys. The marines realized soon enough that the kingpin had escaped through a 1.5 km long tunnel behind a mirror in his closet. After El Chapo got out of the tunnel, he and his cartel associate, Óscar Iván Gastélum Aguilar, stole a car at gunpoint. El Chapo made it 20 km south of Los Mochis when the police intercepted his vehicle. El Chapo then offered a bribe to the officers, who refused. After refusal of the bribe, the Mexican Marines took El Chapo and Aguilar to the same
maximum security prison where El Chapo had previously escaped in July 2015. The Mexican Government currently have him held in Mexico’s highest security prison. The United States Government has offered to take him off Mexico’s hands, but court services that could take up to six years are required first. One of the conditions for the United States to take El Chapo is that they cannot use the death penalty on him, according to Insight Crime. El Chapo is wanted in several states in the US for the distribution of cocaine and indirect cause of homicides. He has been convicted of many crimes and only time will tell if justice will be served. In the meantime, he will be resting easy in his prison cell. .
Coming Together When Lead Leads to Disaster (CONT. P.2) federal emergency. This issue began in 2013. Flint was bankrupt, scraping together money in any way possible. The city’s Emergency Manager, Darnell Earley, discovered that instead of sourcing Flint’s water from the Detroit River as usual, they could draw their water from the Huron River. As a result, millions of dollars would be saved. However, the Huron pipeline could take up to three years to construct. While the Huron pipeline was being established, it was decided to source water to the citizens’ homes from the murky Flint River.
A display of the clearly contaminated water of Flint (The Independent) Chemicals were then added in an attempt to purify the
unsanitary river water. This was not going to fool anyone though, as the water did not smell, taste, or look clean. Citizens brought their complaints to community meetings, but they were ignored. A year and a half later, doctors began to recognize abnormally high levels of lead in the blood of Flint’s children. Even during this time, the state’s department of Environmental Quality insisted with a full consensus that the water was suitable to drink. After investigation, it was determined that the chemical water has corrosive properties while the age old pipelines were composed of lead. Anyone with a morsel of knowledge in science could realize that corrosive water mixed with decaying lead pipes is a recipe for disaster. President Barack Obama has declared the situation in Flint as a state of federal emergency. In addition to pledging 80 million dollars in aid to the city, an international awareness has been created for our neighboring city in its time of need. Southeastern Michigan has rallied to help Flint as well. An organization named “Who is Hussain?” donated 30,000 water bottles to provide relief to quench the thirst of those in need. Radio stations, including 98.7, are encouraging their listeners to donate cases of water bottles as well. Government officials should never jeopardize safety to save money. There were many red flags in this tragic case, and there was no excuse for issues to have gone under the radar. Luckily, people continue to reach out to those affected in Flint.
5 Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions (CONT. P.3) that are too big all at once will most likely cause added stress – definitely not a prescription for a happy New Year. 4. Have patience: Life doesn’t change overnight – unless you won the lottery. The biggest reason New Year’s resolutions often fail is because people do not give themselves time to make the changes. If you fall off the wagon on your resolutions, it’s important to jump back on. It is easy to give up on a change that you are trying to make and simply brush it off for another year, but the truth is, stumbling is part of the process.
5. Have fun: Setting goals can be difficult and frustrating, but it is important to set time for yourself and remember to have fun. Make it your goal to be the best you, you can be. Whatever your goal for 2016 is, have a happy and healthy New Year.
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P.8: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
SPORTS The Pistons: Still figuring it out halfway through the season? Nobody quite knows what the present or future for the Pistons really is. By Kenan Sinan (‘16) The Summer of 2015 was a big one for the Detroit Pistons. They hoped to create a winning culture by drafting a potential star in Stanley Johnson, acquiring key veteran players Aron Baynes and Steve Blake, and hiring multiple new members to the front office. During the summer, Stan Van Gundy-the coach and presi(NBA.com) dent of the Pistons-looked into a possible trade with the Boston Celtics to acquire all-star guard Rajon Rondo. The trade failed, but expectations were still high. At this point, the Pistons are not in the best position, especially with all the hype in the beginning of the season. They have been playing well, but not good enough. All the correct pieces are in place, with the current franchise centerpiece Andre Drummond and young key players like Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell. The problem is a lack of strong execution. Despite having good coaches, young talent, and veteran players, the Pistons still don’t seem to be a big threat in the Eastern Conference. They are stuck being a mediocre team. Knowing it is not the lack of talent, expertise, or skill that is holding back the Pistons, it confuses fans as why they are not doing so well. Deducing from previous matchups, it is evident that it is due both to the amount of egos on the court as well as a lack of team chemistry. One of the biggest problems is the Piston’s inconsistency on the court. They have had constant win and losing streaks that seem to show almost no trend. They demolished the reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors, but then almost lose to the Philadelphia 76ers, practically the worst team in the NBA of this decade. The lack of consistency can be attributed to one key factor. The Pistons have been too attached to their home court and fail to grind out the same play in foreign stadiums. The Pistons have been atrocious on the road this year with a road record of 11-15 when compared to their home record of 15-8. Next, the Pistons must stop relying on the same three players to carry the team if they want to stop their sporadic record. In the game of basketball, every player, no matter the skill level or contract, will have his on and off days. The Pistons rely too much on Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Andre Drummond. The bench is known for its terrible play and routinely fails to match up with the secondary units of opposing teams. Also, the heavy minutes and dependence on the starters increases the risk of injury and inefficient performance due to fatigue. With the constant moving of players and switching of playing styles, the organization should have finally found the solution. However, more than half the regular season has already passed and still the Pistons are one of the bottom teams in the Eastern Conference. Being of the most unpredictable teams in the league always leaves the fans with the question: What is next for the Pistons?
Student Athlete of the Month Every month, a standout student athlete is chosen to be featured in this column. Not only does Spencer excel in the classroom-- he also dominates in two varsity sports! By Adrienne Joe (‘16)
Name: Spencer Haisha Grade: 11 Sports: Football and Wrestling Years Played: Since freshman year Teams: Bloomfield Blackhawks Varsity
When you go in to compete, what are you thinking in your head? You always have to try and keep it positive. For wrestling especially, you try not to size up the guy too much and go out to win even if the guy is bigger than you. Both sports are very mental, you can’t be intimidated by the opponent’s physical size. Describe a trial you’ve had to overcome in either sport. For wrestling, in my first year, my partner was an all-state wrestler. He dislocated both my shoulders in practice. I just rehabbed super hard and ended up getting back by the end of the season and taking 3rd in the league. What do you enjoy most about football and wrestling? For both of them it’s been the same idea of camaraderie-- having a good group of friends, especially since I don’t go to Bloomfield, it’s a way to see old friends and make new friends on the team. It helps me stay in touch with people I normally wouldn’t since I go to IA.
Will you continue football and wrestling for high school or even beyond? Yeah, I’m definitely going to finish them through high school and right now I’m looking at colleges to play football at.
P.9: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
A Farewell to Mrs. Hartman (CONT. P.1) always been annoying Mrs. Hartman with her harp, but Mrs. Hartman always opened the doors with a smile, day after day. Along with these students, Frau Schultz and Ms. Zwolinski also gave their well wishes to Mrs. Hartman. Frau Schultz says, “Thank you for everything you have done for this school and thank you for bringing so much sunshine to the [International Academy].” Ms. Zwolinski says, “I wish
you so much happiness and success and relaxation in your retirement. We will miss you so much.” Many students and teachers are sad to see Mrs. Hartman go, but they can only wish her the best in her retirement. Mrs. Hartman has kept everything organized for many years, and has put smiles on many people’s faces. Thank you for making the International Academy great Mrs. Hartman.
To Dance or Not to Dance (CONT. P.6) at lottery tickets, blindly hoping to stumble across a few bucks here and there? A competitor. When you think of dance, you don’t think of two people facing off against each other. This is because dance is not for the cavalier pretty boys at the U.S. Open. Dance is for the finest athletes in the universe. We can do things with our bodies that you would never dream of. Once we are done performing a routine, our muscles ache and throb. However, we are not circus freaks. The beauty does not end with jaw-dropping body movements. We do all of this while keeping up with a complex rhythm, making sure everything is aesthetically and musically coordinated. In my eyes, dance is the only thing in the center of the Venn diagram between sport and art. You don’t see people playing basketball at MoMA. I have never seen LeBron James kick a field goal in the backdrop of a Rihanna video.
Dancers can do amazing things. Think you could do them? I would love to watch you try (and fail). I have three words for those who don’t think dance is competitive: it IS competitive. Do you know how many people I have had to leap over to get where I am today? I can’t even count. With each move, each intricate thrust of the hips or shimmy of the abdominals, we are not only trying to be the best that we can be, but the best that anyone could ever dream of being. And let me tell you buddy, that is no walk in the park. It is time to face facts and realize that dance is not a game, but a sport, not entertainment but art. To put it bluntly, it is a multimedia craft that is unparalleled by anything else. So next time you see me up on the court at The Palace, just remember, what you are witnessing is nothing short of a godforsaken extravaganza
Our Nutrition is a Right (CONT. P.6) -ing combo of flavors and textures. However, is it better to eat “good” or to eat well? That is the question that many reformists have been bringing to our everyday environment. In my eyes, it is absolutely imperative that we maintain good nutrition in our schools. When we go to the cafeteria every day, we are often bombarded by options. Unfortunately, some of the most enticing of those options include a good portion of your daily recommended trans fat intake or even twice the recommended carbs. Despite the difficult nature of finding healthier choices, continuing with our current unhealthy diet is completely unacceptable. We must choose to eat healthy, but when that choice is taken away from us, we must find ways to work within our corrupt system to emerge successful in an effort to live a wholesome lifestyle. Whether that consists of activism or just raw real action, I support it. I used to be a slave to the corporations that poison, but I decided to change when I understood what I was really putting into my body. Postnutrohydrotoxins? Yuck. Anti-flagrant inflammation oil? No thanks. So I petitioned that the foods that are regularly available for us are filled with the good stuff that we need: the protein and nutrition that turn our bodies into fresh palettes for prosperity. And I won. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that the foods offered in our cafeteria are filled with yummy, healthy fibers and free of the useless detrimental calories. We don’t offer Coca-Cola anymore; it’s Diet Coke from now on. Most importantly, we have options. Don’t
want to eat the same Americanized junk daily? Good, because now our cafeterias serve food from every continent.
Healthy eating leads to a healthy life (nutritionfacts.com) But we are not done yet. We still are given the opportunity to waste ourselves away. Did you know that the Caesar salad dressing in the lunch line is 100% fat? I didn’t know that. But now I do. So remember, when you are making eating choices, whether that be in or out of school, really think about what you are subjecting yourself to. When it all comes down to the wire, you’ll know what the right choice is.
P.10: THE OVERACHIEVER / January 2016
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Phoenix Poll With Winter Break just a couple of weeks back and Mid-Winter Break just a few weeks upon us, IA Central was asked which break during the school year they favored the most. 203 of those students helped us receive an answer. Of the 12 people who voted ‘Other’, 4 said ‘Summer’, while ‘Memorial Break’, ‘Labor Day’, ‘End of Semester’, and ‘College Graduation’ each received one vote. The other 4 votes were either left blank or unrelated to the question.
Of the 203 voters, a whopping 132 chose Winter Break as their favorite, while just a single voter chose Thanksgiving as their preferred time off.