October 2017

The Northern Light volume 48 issue 1

triggered page 12

the school shooting epidemic and how ALICE can help PN survive it

Portage Northern High School

1000 Idaho Ave Portage, MI 49024

www.portagenorthernlight.com

contents issue 1, volume 48

HIGHLIGHTS

I don’t know about you, but LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO

05

new staff

10

veganism

14

depression

17 jv sports

11

MEGAN RINOCK

new taylor swift

TABLE OF CONTENTS

design by LILY ANTOR

22 fall fun 2

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEAR READERS,

I cannot begin to express how excited I am to present you with this year’s first edition of the NL! Each and every member of our staff has dedicated countless hours to ensure that this paper is the best it can possibly be for you.

As you can probably tell already, we have made a significant change to our paper: we are now a magazine! I think this format will only continue to make the NL more enjoyable for our readers. It also allows us as a staff to develop increasingly modern designs in contrast with our previous tabloid format. Not only that, but we think it makes it easier to carry around and, quite frankly, that it just looks cooler.

In this issue we address both topics of significant importance and lighthearted fun. This is not to detract from the gravity of

some stories, but to balance our coverage sufficently.

The focus of this issue explores school shootings as a whole, Portage Public School’s transition to ALICE, and the warning signs of people struggling with mental health issues. This is why our cover depicts an incident of a school shooting. The gun photographed on the cover is an airsoft weapon and is not held by a student, but by PN’s public safety officer Nathan Slavin. In the background our staff is simualting the ALICE tactics of counter attacking. Our choice of this cover is to convey a powerful message, not to promote the use of guns by students.

As a staff we look forward to hearing your feedback from this issue. Thanks for living right and reading the Light, Huskies. Way to make good choices out there!

- LILY ANTOR | editor-in-chief

THE NL STAFF LILY ANTOR editor-in-chief BEN LEWIS chief designer ISSRA SAID feature editor LEXI GAVLAS creative editor MEREDITH ABLAO news editor 3

POLICIES AT THE NL The Northern Light in print and online is the student-produced newspaper for Portage Northern HS. It is an open, designated public forum for student expression, and the newspaper provides staff members with independent reporting opportunities and individual evaluation. Writing is based on a wide variety of research for a broad and diverse audience and topics of coverage are decided by the staff and editorial board with consideration to what is timely, relevant, compelling, educational, and important to the student body.

In accordance with best practice for student media, the Northern Light is not prior reviewed by administration. Building and district administration do, however, reserve the right to oversee the paper if necessary to ensure that the mission and vision of Portage Public Schools and the safety of students and staff are maintained.

As a MIPA, JEA, and NSPA publication, the Northern Light adheres to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Photos, art, and other visual elements are created by Northern Light staff, formally designated for free use, or part of the public domain. In rare circumstances, we may use other media with the owner’s written permission.

It is our desire that our readers join the discussion on our published work. We welcome letters to the editor and guest contributions, and the Northern Light will publish online all pieces received provided that they include the author’s full name and are appropriate for publication in a school setting. Letters to the editor are limited to 150 words in length and guest contributions are limited to 350 words in length. Pieces can be delivered to Amanda Thorpe’s room, 3.129, emailed to pnhsNorthernLight@gmail.com, or mailed ATTN: Portage Northern Light to Portage Northern High School, 1000 Idaho Avenue, Portage, MI 49024.

CARTER LANDIS sports editor DEMI JENSEN opinion editor LEXI KAVA entertainment editor ALLISON MCKENZIE business manager MACKENZIE BREY media manager

design by LILY ANTOR

staff writers:

KEEGAN TENNEY SHELIA MWANDA ANAI FREEMAN MEGAN RINOCK KOMALPREET KAUR CAMERON MYERS MAX MAYWELL HON-MAN TSANG BRI NEUHOUSER LAURA KOSCINSKI

NL OCT 2017

all

ph

oto

sb

yM

AN N Ke Y TS lly AN Hin G ga

Nic ole

Co

lin

Ail

es

Bie

sza

rd

What’s the buzz?

New staff joins the hive Lor i

Na

tha

NEWS

nK

off

ler

by MANNY TSANG

Fris i

ng er

Nicole Ailes is a special education teacher who currently co-teaches freshmen classes.

“I wanted [to come to PN] to be closer to my own community and also be a part of a great school district who has a progressive vision,” she said.

Lori Frisinger is the ELL (English Language Learner) tutor and a resident substitute teacher. She works with students whose first language is something other than English. After she got her ELL certification, she planned to run an English school in Ecuador.

“Then I heard there was an ELL job opening at my favorite school,” she said, explaining how she chose PN. Kelly Hinga is the new assistant principal for the 9th and 11th graders. Ever since she was a child, she wanted to become a teach-

design by MACKENZIE BREY

er, whether it be sitting in school wanting to be a teacher or playing schoolhouse with her friends. To her, “My childhood game never changed, it just became a reality,” she said.

Colin Bieszard is a paraprofessional working in the DLR. Before working here, he was a student at Western Michigan University. He became a teacher because “Seeing the response that others have when they achieve an “Ah-ha!” moment provides me with one of the strongest emotional responses I have ever had.”

Nathan Koffler is a hall monitor. Before coming to Portage Northern, he was a graphic designer and taught art. He came to Portage Northern because his daughter goes here and his son is coming next year.

4

by DEMI JENSEN

5

NL OCT 2017

MS media centers reconstructed

by LILY ANTOR & ISSRA SAID

I

s it really a library without a librarian? Students and teachers at the middle schools are wrestling with that question this year after Portage Public Schools’ reconstruction of the media centers at the middle school level resulted in the reassignment of the middle school librarians to elementary school positions. The administration team informed the District Advisory Council (DAC) in late May about the changes and the reorganization was finalized over the course of the summer. Full-time clerks have now replaced media specialists at WMS, CMS, and NMS to assist students in checking out books.

One impetus for the change is the nature of the media center in the new middle schools. “I think the changes we are making reflect the needs of students for the 21st century,” said Superintendent Mark Bielang. “The media centers, which will now be referred to as Learning Resource Centers, are designed to evolve into what libraries will become.” The new Learning Resource Center will be primarily technology-driven, but will also house a limited print collection. This was the plan from the beginning of the building process, according the the district-wide construction manager Robert McGraw. “The middle school original plans had 3 or 4 variations, but the general concept was the same,” he said.

The changes were put in place to not only follow suit with the new middle schools, but also to “free up space in

the budget for a new service at the elementary level,” said Portage Northern’s representative for the DAC, social studies teacher Kellie Pittman. These new positions are called Student and Family Engagement Specialists. This full-time job was established to alleviate the stress placed on elementary school principals engaging in time-consuming disciplinary action.

While “the staffing issue is a separate issue from the new media centers themselves,” Bielang said, “it’s a part of a larger picture of support we are trying to create at different levels.”

As for current middle schoolers, the school board-approved curriculum “will not be met,” said PN media specialist Jeanna Walker. PPS has a comprehensive media literacy curriculum that includes teaching students how to effectively conduct research, locate and analyze reliable sources, find texts to match their reading level, and appropriately utilize social networking tools, among other skills. Because these tools are essential to know as students enter high school, without media specialists, the burden of teaching of library science is placed on content-area teachers, who are less educated in the library science field. Furthermore, the curriculums for this school year -the first year without media specialistshave not yet been modified to absorb these changes.

This does not appear to be a concern for Superintendent Bielang, who said, “I’m not

sure how much fidelity there has been over the years in the delivery of that curriculum. . . my understanding is that a good bit of the skills that students need are being taught in ELA courses.”

Some teachers do not share the Superintendent’s confidence.

Newly-retired West Middle School teacher Linda Holzwarth, 2016 Michigan Teacher of the Year, said she “[wishes] the administrators had asked teachers what their thoughts were about the matter.” Visibly disappointed in the changes at the media centers, she added: “Our kids have read more books, participated in book clubs, and written hundreds of book reviews, all thanks to our media specialist. Now that incredible flood of excitement will dry up without her.”

Even students who are new to the middle school are sensing the difference in this year already. Sixth grader Ben Torrance enjoys attend-

ing North Middle School, but said, “It’s weird not having actual librarians.” He is also already having difficulties without the media specialists: “It’s hard to figure out some of this new technology stuff,” he said.

Cutting school library funding and eliminating the position of media specialist is a trend that is appearing all over the nation, but is has come with negative academic consequences. A study by the Education Law Center and Health Sciences Library Consortium revealed that, in the 22 states studied, having a full-time librarian impacted student achievement, especially for “the most vulnerable students.” The Pennsylvania System of School Achievement, the state’s official testing board, also found that reading and writing scores were better for students who had a full time librarian compared to those who did not.

LILY ANTOR

NEWS

design by BEN LEWIS

6

Intended to protect immigrant children, DACA is rolled back

by MEREDITH ABLAO

D

ACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), a policy that allows children of illegal immigrants to remain in the US, was introduced by former President Barack Obama in 2012. Due to the change in policy in the Trump Administration, the DACA program stopped accepting new applications for legal status after September 5th.

According to the President, the rationale for the rollback, as stated at a tax reform meeting, is: “we are focused on criminals, security threats, recent ‘border-crossers,’ visa overstays, and repeat violators.” However, these groups are not protected

by DACA in the first place, and the Administration’s attitude toward Mexican immigrants has sparked tension for many.

Senior Noe Rodriguez, a Mexican-American citizen, said, “It makes it seem like being Mexican is a bad thing.”

According to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, DACA’s mission is to carve a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before they turned sixteen. These teenagers are known as Dreamers. Young adults all over the country are Dreamers. According to migrationpolicy.org, as of 2016, the state of Michigan alone is home to 15,000 immigrants who qualify for DACA. Many students at PN stand as allies and friends of diverse people dealing with the harsh circumstances they face today. “I believe DACA is an opportunity for many immigrants to receive a better life,” says Rodriguez.

Oftentimes, many immigrants who come here and are a part of DACA do receive a better life.

Statistically speaking, americanprogress.org says about 70

7

percent of DACA recipients are pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Not only do many individuals here support the initiative, but some have real ties to the policy itself. “My husband’s niece currently is a recipient of DACA, and just recently renewed it.

[The family] brought her to America because in El Salvador there is a lot of gang violence,” said Spanish teacher Heather Canenguez.

A study was done by Ike Brannon (a fiscal policy, tax reform, and other issue leader) which uncovered the negative economic changes that will occur with the termination of DACA. “The cost to the federal government alone would be about $60 billion over the course of the next 10 years.” This is due to the amount of assets required to take down a program that has thrived for the last five years in addition to the workforce benefit lost from DACA recipients.

The process of obtaining legal status under DACA is lengthy.

According to citizenpath.com, after filling out the application, it can take up to eight months to have all the proper credentials in order to proceed. Canenguez’ niece experienced this process firsthand. “She went through all of the paperwork, with the schools having letters sent.

Then she was able to have a social security card and a work permit,” said Canenguez.

The first stop in phasing out DACA is filing pending DACA requests and applications for Work permits that have been previously accepted before September 5th. Also, all individuals who currently are a part of DACA will be allowed to remain protected by the program until their work permits until they expire.

Facts and Stats After receiving DACA guidance, about 82% have their driver’s license According to migrationpolicy. org, as of 2016, the state of Michigan withholds 15,000 immigrants who qualify for DACA. As well as about 800,000 immigrants globally Americanprogress.org says about 70 percent of DACA recipients are pursuing a bachelor or higher 600,000 recipients of DACA originate in Mexico 91.4% of recipients are employed

design by BEN LEWIS & MEREDITH ABLAO

DACA IMPROVING LIVES

graphic from americanprogress.org

NL OCT 2017

WE WILL

NOT

LET

HATE ST A

ND STATUE OR NOT

This past Saturday, white nationalists again protested in Charlottesville, North Carolina, carrying torches and rallying around a statue of Robert E. Lee. A decorated war general and slave owner, Lee’s legacy, like our nation’s past, is troubled, and the contradictions that formed the foundations for our early nation are coming back to visit us again. They’ll keep coming back, too, unless OUR generation is the one to stop it.

Fifty-four years after the “I Have A Dream” speech, race is still a prevalent issue in our society. If we don’t acknowledge it, then we will not be able to make any progress towards a goal of a world without racism. Every fight against oppression starts at the personal level, and we should be challenging racism here at our school and in our community. To do this, we must firmly establish some universal truths. First, racial supremacy is vile and disgusting.

You don’t have the right to be moved to violence or intimidation simply by someone else’s existence. The fact that people think they are superior to others due to the amount of melanin they have in their skin

STAFF EDITORIAL

RACISM IS UNACCEPTABLE

by THE NL STAFF

is outrageous and unacceptable. Second, we’re all equal, regardless of race, religion or any other factors. These factors give us individuality and humanity, they’re not a way to determine someone’s value or potential. We all are made of the same basic cells, tissues and organs, and events ranging from WWII to the Civil Rights Movement the recent shooting in Las Vegas prove that we all bleed the same. We are all equal, and it’s time people realize that. Enough is enough.

Where do these attitudes come from?

Uneducation? Lack of communication and discussion? Fear of the unknown? A leader who gives us permission by example to bully others? Wherever they come from, we can’t deny that they’re not just in Charlottesville, they’re here, too. We hear non-black people saying the n-word, people mimicking the accents of people who are not U.S. born, enforcing cultural stereotypes, unfairly judging others over their skin tone, or even

design by LILY ANTOR

cracking “jokes” that make fun of others for their race. The fact that this behavior is normalized is dangerous, and the fact that it’s here is frightening.

Confederate statues like the one white nationalists surrounded in Charlottesville represent a time in our history that is dark and ominous; a time that nobody should want to repeat. The fact is that our current reality is little more than this time in history: white supremacy is an epidemic. Before we start talking about things like whether or not these statutes should be removed or remain, we’ve got work to do right here.

Rather than spewing more blame and more hatred into the world, right now we need to focus on ensuring that racism - systematic, prejudicial, and otherwise - is no longer an issue that we avoid simply because it’s uncomfortable. We must learn from the horrors that occurred in Charlottesville and recognize that we must become more inclusive and understanding people. It’s time to take a stand and make a change in order to create a better tomorrow. This is our generation, this is our time. Let’s get started.

8

Community College: friend or foe

by SHEILA MWANDA

that the reputation a school has is not equal to the education they will receive.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) has several available programs in different subjects for people planning on attending college.

Some of their programs include culinary arts, dental hygiene, business, nursing and accounting. KVCC also has an Honors College that provides an academically rigorous curriculum, and it also reimburses its students

for the tuition they pay.

Teacher Scott Crocker shared his personal experiences with the Honors College saying “In my experience, we paid [tuition] and then they reimbursed us [around

higher education costs.

In Michigan, the average cost of tuition is $12,500 per year. This figure excludes other costs that come with four year universities, such as rooming expenses and meal plans.

Portage Northern counselor Amy DiMaggio says that attending community college is beneficial as “you get more one on one help as there are only thirty [students] in the room.”

She also says that because all majors require general education classes, it can be helpful to

You get the same “ classes for cheap

and sometimes with better teachers mid-October]...they do reimburse you before grades come out and the semester is over.”

By attending KVCC, students can save several thousand dollars on

“

With the cost of college continuing to rise and the growing fear of student loans, more and more high schoolers are deciding to stay local and attend community college. Even though people typically want the “full college experience” of a four-year university, attending a local community college is a valid choice when it comes to postsecondary plans.

Currently, seniors are applying to colleges and counselors are beginning to talk to underclassmen about their futures.

During this process, students often overlook attending community college. Students may want to go to a school with a fancy name, but what without realizing

earn those credits at a cheaper rate.

Senior Elizabeth Kerr did consider attending KVCC for college. “You get the same classes for cheaper and sometimes with better teachers... some of the best teachers are at these community colleges”, she explained.

As seniors start applying to colleges and think about their futures, attending community college is worth consideration, as it is cheaper than a four year university and students can benefit academically.

“Students could really benefit from staying at home and transitioning into college more carefully and it can save them more money”, says Crocker.

The graph at left shows the tuitions of some of Michigan’s most popular colleges.

The estimated tuition cost at KVCC is $2,800, while on average, the cost of a four year university in Michigan is $13,219.

By attending KVCC, a student can save more than 4.5 times on college tuition per year.

9

design by SHEILA MWANDA

OPINION

Vegan Shmeagan A satirical approach to veganism

by MACKENZIE BREY Whether we are riding a bike as opposed to driving a car to minimize the use of fossil fuels, using metal water bottles instead of bottles made of plastic to reduce plastic waste, or shopping local as opposed to larger chains to promote a healthy local economy, many people have decided to live a more natural lifestyle. This all makes sense, but there is one thing that the American people WILL not get behind: Veganism.

Seriously. There is no possible way that a country built on cattle herds, barbeque ribs, and unmatched freedom can claim that it’s “wrong” to eat an animal. For goodness sake. Not only is this movement here, it’s coming in hot.

Last week, the Average American Times published an article written by some liberal muckraker exposing a local cattle farm for “poor treatment of pigs, cows, and chickens.” The farming community of this land, the land of the free that is, couldn’t believe it. Sure, our factory farms do provide for their livestock with scalding water baths to strip their fur and feathers, small cages to break their will to live, and injections of growth hormones and steroids to expand their bod-

ies to increase the amount of consumable meat, but who can blame them? Families at sporting events across America need their hot dogs, and farmers are just exercising their right as a member of our capitalist nation to make money. HUMANS in this country are granted the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Animals aren’t. Who are vegans to impinge on a farmer’s right to make money and a person’s right to enjoy a double bacon cheeseburger?

And what do these liberal veganizers even want? Hundreds of millions of farmers out of a job and out of money? Our nation out of food? Seriously? While these so called “animal-liberators” are seemingly just exercising their own right to free speech, they need to know that they are, essentially, taking the rights away from farmers and should take a moment to really consider whether or not eating vegetables all of the time is really worth it. Looking at the many “delicious” vegan lunch combinations of vegetables smooshed into a paste and formed into things that are supposed to resemble real food, I think not.

LILYANTOR

OPINION

design by MACKENZIE BREY

10

PRO:by LEXI GAVLAS

Over the years, Taylor Swift has gone through several genres of music, a plethora of personas, and a handful of boyfriends - as every girl should. With the release of her new hit single “Look What You Made Me Do,” many so called “fans” are coming after Taylor and her new found identity.

But why is that? After years of jumping from persona to persona, Swift has had her fair share of trials and tribulations. Because of this, Swift has every reason to want to reinvent herself.

In regards to Kanye West, he and Swift have had a very, well, complicated relationship throughout the years. It all began at the 2009 MTV awards where West had the audacity to jump onto the stage after Swift was awarded Music Video of the year, and defend why he thought Beyonce deserved it. West did eventually apologize a year later, things were still a little off.

In 2015, Swift and West were

photographed together at the Grammy’s, 6 years post- incident.

In the months to follow, Swift Instagrammed a photo captioned: “Awwww Kanye sent me the coolest flowers!! #KanTay2020 #BFFs.” The photo came shortly after the she presented Kanye with his award at the MTV VMAs. Clearly, she wanted to move on.

All of the love between Taylor and Kanye came to a screeching halt when he released the single “Famous” at his Yeezy fashion show at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 11, 2016. The infamous lyrics “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b---- famous,” Though, days after the controversy began, West tweeted that Taylor in fact gave him her blessing to include the line in his song, a point which Taylor has contested and that hasn’t been confirmed.

West’s treatment of Swift has been inappropriate from the beginning, but somehow he’s not

to blame and she is the “snake.”

He had no right to stand on that VMA’s stage in 2009 and degrade Swift in front of millions of viewers; nevertheless, Swift forgave him and laid low on the whole issue for 7 years until the release of “Famous,” where West once again took advantage of Swift and objectified her as well as disrespected all of her hard work to get to where she was in her career.

For some reason, people really like to take advantage of Swift and her nice-girl persona.

In another more recent case, a jury ruled in favor of Swift in a high-profile case in Denver. The case started when a radio DJ sued Swift, her mother, and her manager for falsely accusing him of assault and getting him fired from his job. Swift countersued for a dollar: yep, $1. She said the 51 year old DJ put his hand up her skirt and groped her during an event in 2013 when she was 23.

The Denver DJ was then quietly

fired, so the matter didn’t come up again until he decided to sue.

Court transcripts show that Swift testified, “No, he did not touch my rib. He did not touch my hand.

He touched my bare @**,” The dollar she won from the case became symbolic of all victims of sexual assault who have not been able to speak out.

Whether or not Taylor Swift is indeed a genuinely nice girl or has just evolved a series of cute-girl-personas, people and the media have been taking advantage of her and objectifying her further. Taylor has every right to want to reinvent herself, whether it be her style, music, or even persona. After all, she is one of the most famous and criticized artists in the music industry. So, can we please stop talking about how we miss the “Old Taylor”?

Why? Cause’ she’s dead.

Everything Has Changed Will Taylor Swifts change in persona lead to her success or desmise?

CON: by ANAI FREEMAN The world was introduced to Taylor Swift in 2006 when she released her first single “Tim McGraw.” Throughout the years, though, Swift has lost touch with her roots. Her attempt to “kill” Old Taylor is useless: when she entered the pop world, she became a snake, and as long as she stays there, she will still be one.

Aside from her music, Swift is well known for the 2009 Video Music Awards, when Kanye jumped on stage and said that Beyonce should have won the award instead. While this wasn’t the correct way of going about the loss, West had good intentions. He later blamed the incident on, “sincerity and alcohol” in an interview with Time magazine.

West immediately felt remorse and apologized to Swift within a few short days of the incident, and Swift appeared to, move on

11

from the incident, even hugging it out at the 2015 Grammys. The tension that was released in “Look What You Made Me Do,” however, shows that she likely never moved on and all of the friendly exchanges were fake.

Swift could not stay out of controversy for long. In 2015, Nicki Minaj tweeted, “If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year.” This was not directed towards the people who vote for the awards, because it always seems to be the smaller women who win.

Swift responded to her tweet, “I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to put women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot...”

Even though the post wasn’t directed at Swift, she took it upon herself to tweet back, which

sparked another feud that was blown way out of proportion.

What Minaj was ultimately trying to explain is how smaller women are getting awards for the same thing she was currently doing and artists were being glorified for promoting the message that skinnier is better. Perhaps because Swift is skinny, or because she wins, she took a jab at another performer for no reason.

Swift is known for her videos showing her quirks in a visually appealing way. Sadly, one thing that goes unnoticed is Swift appropriating cultures. In her video “Shake It Off,” Swift used different forms of dancing, and decided to insert a “twerking” scene.

While anyone can twerk, the fact that she dressed in golden chains, a cheetah print jacket, and short shorts felt like she was making a mockery of the prominence of

design by LEXI GAVLAS

twerking in African American culture. It is also worthwhile to note that aside from Katy Perry, Swift’s feuds have all been with African American performers and celebrities.

Taylor Swift has indeed “died” and left no reminiscence of old Taylor. Although change is inevitable, it is possible to control, and to a certain extent she has lost sight of where she came from and what her career was based on. She’s not cut out for the world of pop music: she has nothing to prove to others, but she seems to be trying anyway. If being there has turned her into the snake she has become, she should probably go back to the less cutthroat world of country music. Likely she won’t... “The haters gonna hate,” so all she should do is just “shake em’ off” right? What happens when she can’t shake em off?

PRO-CON

by LILY ANTOR

The reality of school shootings and how ALICE can keep students at PN safe “We’re so numb to it right now,” mumbled senior Joe Marsh during the first lockdown drill of the year. “It’s as if school shootings are a normal topic at this point.”

While the implementation of ALICE across PPS has stimulated conversation about the topic, students still do not realize just how many school shootings actually occur on a regular basis.

Just this past month two

separate school shootings occurred in the US. First, Freeman High School sophomore Caleb Sharpe opened fire on his classmates, killing one student and wounding three others. He was taken out by a custodian who had been ALICE trained just the day before. Eight days later, another school shooting occurred during lunchtime at Mattoon High School in central Illinois.

The gunman was restrained by an ALICE-trained teacher before

he managed to wound more than one student.

These stories, while tragic, do not seem to resonate fear among students. “I just don’t see something of this caliber happening at Northern,” said sophomore Hunter Pitsch, “We have lots of ways to get involved in activities and make friends, which can prevent people from feeling that excluded.”

Research shows that this confidence is misplaced: a vast

majority of school shootings happen in places eerily similar to Portage. “Almost every school shooting in our country occurs in a white, middle-class suburban area with a large retail district,” said Nathan Slavin, the Portage Public School safety officer who is responsible for ALICE training the district.

“Without a doubt, Portage fits that demographic.”

“As a police officer and a soldier, when I saw my very first lockdown here, I noticed it made no sense,” said Slavin. “I knew then and there that there was no way I was going to allow that policy to continue.”

Because of those reservations, Slavin was happy to undergo ALICE certification with some of the district’s administrators.

“Most of the places that had experienced a school shooting had the same policy we used to have, so it was important that we changed it as soon as possible,” he said, “The old policy is how all the killers from Sandy Hook and Columbine got such high numbers.” While these large numbers might seem like figures that happened in a place far away from here, each represents a person that could have been a student right here at Northern.

While the entire district will be trained by Thanksgiving,

Northern staff has already spent three hours training with Slavin towards the end of the summer.

“Northern was the best audience I’ve had so far, they have really embraced it,” Slavin said.

Part of that may be due to the fact that some members of the staff were concerned with the practicality of the old policy. “I was always planning on doing something,” said social studies teacher and IB manager Rick Searing. “I could live with being fired, but not with doing nothing.”

Slavin, along with presenting information to the staff, had them undergo multiple training drills.

“The first drill they were in rooms and used the old method

of huddling in the corner, and I just walked into the room and shot everyone with airsoft gun bullets.”

Afterwards, teachers used the new ALICE policy. Using the new tactics, Slavin noted that more often than not he could not even get inside of the rooms. For the teachers in the rooms, things were intense. “The room was chaotic,” said Latin teacher Jeanne Friedman. Teachers seemed to get rushes of adrenaline and were “literally launching desks towards the door.” While the craziness was overwhelming for Friedman, she believes that the intensity helped teachers better prepare to handle a situation as

calmly as possible in the future.

Slavin personally finds playing of the 911 tape from Columbine to be the most impactful part of his presentation. “In the enhanced version of that recording, if you listen closely, you can hear one of the kids ask the librarian, ‘Why can’t we leave?’” said Slavin. “That child was one of the 10 people murdered in that library.” Due to the lockdown policy, the 52 students in the library at the time could not use the door less than 100 feet away that led outside. 19 of those students were shot, and 8 of them died from their wounds.

Even worse: there were only 4 students who were killed at Columbine who were not in the library.

While he finds the topic difficult to talk about, Slavin believes it is essential. “ALICE does not guarantee safety, but it increases chances of survival.

It’s about being a hard target.”

FEATURE

- Nathan Slavin

design by BEN LEWIS & LILY ANTOR

12

It’s not just teachers that are an important part of ALICE training. While they are being trained to make a school shooting more survivable, it’s the actual student body that can actively help prevent one in the first place. “Part of our job is to be observant,” said Friedman, but it rests on both teachers and students to observe and report warning signs.

“If you look at 30 plus years of active, mass shooters, they all tend to follow three steps,” said Slavin, “a foreshadowing,

a small personal act of violence and finally a large impersonal act of violence.”

The first period of foreshadowing can last from weeks to years and is the easiest step to notice. These warning signs include posting messages on social media, researching how police respond to active shooters, and unusual obsessions with guns, past school shooters and serial killers.

Other signs can take forms of self harm or suicidal thoughts and statements.

The second step is some-

times skipped, but still occurs more frequently than not: the small personal act of violence.

This could be the murder of a parent, a bully, or anyone the shooter person actually knows. It is this act that precedes the most deadly one.

The last step is the one most familiar: the act of impersonal mass violence. This is when shooters target as many people as possible, whether they know them or not. The intention is to kill people, regardless of who they are.

Easily the best way to pre-

vent any school shooting is to notice the warning signs and report it to a teacher or guidance counselor. Nothing is too small to discount; minor signs, such as posting pictures of guns on social media, are important to bear in mind.

“These people just don’t go and do something,” added Slavin, “It’s death by one thousand cuts. If you ever have any doubts or even just a funny feeling you should tell any adult at school. Staying silent is the real killer.”

40% of mass shootings end before the police arrive either because the shooter killed himself or was stopped

There have been

190

School shootings since Sandy Hook

6

have been in Michigan

There have been

273

mass shootings so far in 2017

Since Columbine roughly 135,000 students have experienced a shooting on campus

There have been

12

Schools are the

5-6 minutes

school shootings in 2017

2nd

most common place for mass shootings

national average law enforcement response time to a mass shooting

graphic by BEN LEWIS

13

design by BEN LEWIS

NL OCT 2017

Sea

swimming in a how depression continues to drag students under

by KOMALPREET KAUR The general consensus is that a teen’s life should be filled with creativity and the kind of fun that one only gets to have during these youthful years. However, the reality is that for many teens, this time is plagued with exactly the opposite: depression.

According to Merriam Webster, Depression is a mood disorder marked by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in concentration, a significant increase/decrease in appetite, and time spent sleeping. Research from UCLA shows that 11.9% of all students are dealing with this illness.

Depression severely limits teens from doing the things they should be at their age.

Sophomore Emmaline Greter says of her depression, “I can’t force myself to leave the house.” She even struggles to go hang out with friends or attend school-wide events. She’s not alone. In a high school the size of Portage Northern, the 11.9% national statistic translates to depression like Greter’s affecting 3 out of every 25 students.

It is important to note that depression affects teenagers differently than it does adults.

The causes and consequences of depression are different for students because of the social, academic, and parental pressure experienced by students in combination with their growing and changing brains and bodies. Research at the University of Michigan shows that two out of 100 of young children are depressed, and this number grows almost sixfold by the time these children are teenagers.

When looking for signs of depression, health department chair and health teacher Chris Andrews says, “A giveaway is body language that is withdrawn from the social norm,” for instance, low participation and lack of eye contact. Teachers are often aware that students are struggling, but not always.“I can see [it] as an English teacher, kids communicate it through writing,” said English teacher Ben Neal. “They hint at it.” Depression is recognizable in others if one is conscious of the signs, and it is important for students to recognize and support their peers who might be depressed, or seek help for themselves if they’re experiencing depression.

Identifying and treating depression is so important because there is a direct relationship between depression and suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 25.6% of female students and 31.7% male students have contemplated suicide. There are many resources available for students struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1800-273-8255) is available for anyone who may feel like suicide is the only option, and a local resource is Gryphon Place (269-381-1510) in Kalamazoo in addition to teachers, counselors, and other trusted adults. If students see someone drowning in depression, it is important to seek help. The life they save could be someone else’s, or it could be their own.

LILY ANTOR

FEATURE

design by LILY ANTOR

14

CuLture & society with ISSRA SAID

RUNWAYS & REPRESENTATION

YEEZY Halima Aden for autumn/winter 2017 Yeezy at New York Fashion Week.

15

In an age of Islamophobia, never did I expect to see a hijab-wearing model walk down a Western runway, let alone during New York Fashion Week. Somali-American Halima Aden’s debut at Yeezy S5 did just that. Aden played a crucial role in changing the face of fashion in the West because she was brave enough to be the first.

I first stumbled upon Aden in a YouTube video in the fall of 2016 that discussed her entry into Miss Minnesota USA. Aden decided to enter the competition because she did not want to accept that people who looked and dressed like her were not represented in beauty pageants. She told Allure Magazine, “...eventually I realized I needed to create my own category. To forget them, and just do me.” Instead of holding back any longer, Aden acted individually for for her own progress and that of others.

Although I had assumed I had seen the last of Aden’s modelling career after the pageant, her influence was rather immediate.

Before long, her photos began creeping into my social media feeds and onto the covers of magazines, including Allure and Vogue Arabia.

I find it equally satisfactory that, like myself, Aden is both a hijab-wearing Muslim woman and an African. The Western view of Muslims is often stereotyped as being only Arab, erasing the culture of Muslims who do not originate from the Middle East. Although she is just doing her thing, Halima Aden is simultaneously pushing for the acceptance of hijab-wearing women in the fashion industry and the understanding of the intersectionality of race and religion.

Muslim women are rarely represented in the beauty and fashion industry, and therefore cannot be included in Western society’s standard of beauty. However, Aden’s modelling career helps to normalize Muslim women in these fields. Her aspirations for the future mirror my own: “hopefully we will get to a place soon where a hijab in a fashion show is just as normal as anything else,” she said. Her work is just the beginning.

Fashion is an artistic expression for everyone, and it would make sense that the products that stem from these designs would be modelled on all kinds of people. When the media influences the youth before we can form ideas of our own, it is important to see people who look like us to look up to for inspiration. It reminds us that we are capable, too.

design by ISSRA SAID

GETTY IMAGES Halima Aden for autumn/winter 2017 Alberta Ferretti Ready-to-Wear at Milan Fashion Week.

NL OCT 2017

Domestic Violence why does the NFL turn a blind eye?

by CARTER LANDIS

Josh Brown, arrested for domestic violence in 2015.

He was suspended only one game. Photo courtesy of creative commons.

It’s always uncomfortable to talk about sports when it becomes more than just a game. It’s hard to talk about a game when it crosses over into reality. This is especially true when it comes to domestic violence, an unfortunate commonality in NFL athletes. It’s been happening way too often in the last few years - there have been 20 major cases in the last four years and likely countless other incidents that never received media attention - and sports fans, while still becoming unnerved when hearing or reading about these cases, have become more desensitized to them.

This is not to say that all fans choose to ignore the domestic violence charges against players.

They have made some people quite angry, and still commissioner Roger Goodell seems to never imply strong consequences against the athletes in question. Some demand severe indictments for the

people in the NFL who cause the domestic violence, including release from their team or as far as a ban from the league, but Goodell seems content to give other players larger punishments for lesser crimes. The blame for the prevalence of domestic violence in the NFL falls squarely on Roger Goodell for having a very miniscule understanding -or willingness- to give out punishments in correlation with the crimes players commit. For example, Josh Gordon hasn’t played a down in the NFL in three years because he smoked marijuana. Why does a player receive a larger ban for smoking than a player who beats his wife? It seems easy enough to understand that he shouldn’t give a player more suspended games for smoking than he should for hitting his wife. Goodell’s backwards policies relating to the punishment of certain players is making the NFL a worse place.

There have been countless cases of domestic violence in the NFL. Dez Bryant assaulted his mother in 2012. He received no punishment. Josh Brown assaulted his wife in 2016 and got a one game suspension. Ezekiel Elliott threw his girlfriend against a wall and choked her several times, yet his suspension is being upheld and he’s still being allowed to play, as determined by the NFL. Joe Mixon knocked a woman out at a bar in 2014, and later was drafted by the Bengals in the second round and is now their feature running back.

Why did these players not receive a severe punishment? Why is a guy like Colin Kaepernick who peacefully protests injustice being blackballed by the league when he had a QBR of 90.7 and is completely capable of playing in the NFL, when other men like Mixon who violently attack women are being allowed playing time every Sunday?

Nobody wants to hear about a domestic violence case because nobody wants them to happen.

They’re terrifying to read, they make fans of the player embarrassed that their team would employ such an awful human being, and it’s not easy for parents to explain to their kids why their favorite player isn’t playing because he abused his wife or girlfriend.

There’s no easy fix for domestic violence, but thankfully there is an easy fix to how it relates to a professional athlete’s time on the field. Don’t allow them to play. It’s better for the league if they’re held on the sidelines or away from the team completely. It may be a detriment to winning games, but is that a huge price to play when the law is in question If no stronger action is taken, this will continue to be allowed to happen.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant physically assaulted his mother in 2010 before he was drafted. He faced no discipline from the Cowboys. Photo courtesy of creative commons.

SPORTS

design by CARTER LANDIS

16

MUST-SEE

J V

by MAX MAYER

His name is Tyler Amos, and he has been catching people’s attention during JV football games this year. The JV football team is off to a undefeated season so far and Amos is one of the reasons why. The 5’8 sophomore has had some huge plays in many of the games this year.

He plays running back on offense and cornerback on defense and excels at both. In the homecoming game against Kalamazoo Central, Amos dashed for a 48 yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 21-6.

While Amos has had a hot start to the season, he attributes his motivation to succeed to something more important than himself: “Definitely my parents. I work hard and want to make them happy,” he says. “I really have to give it to my dad for all the help he has given me

by LAURA KOSCINSKI

Water Polo The men’s JV water polo team consists of members from both Portage Northern and Portage Central. Practicing everyday at Central, the “Muskies” prepare for their upcoming games. Games take place in pools anywhere from five to 20 feet deep, and “it can sometimes be difficult to stay above the water,” says freshman Rowan Compton. With one win down so far, they are working hard to earn more victories as the season continues.

Mens soccer Practicing on the brand new multi-purpose field, the men’s JV soccer team has been off to a great start. Although they are halfway through their season, they are still getting used to the new practice area. The team is currently 10-1 in league play, but are 12-4-1 overall. “I think we’re really bonded together as a team,” said sophomore Malcolm Gaynor. “We really play like a family.”

Volleyball The JV volleyball team is off to a strong start with an 11-11-5 record and games Wednesdays and tournaments most Saturdays. The JV team has five freshman, including Lydia Miller, who says that, “my favorite part about being a part of the team is being able to enjoy working really well together.” Coach Kelsey Kuipers said, “In every tournament we have played in, we have made the gold bracket.”

17

Golf The women’s JV golf team has only three members this year, which is one member too small for them to compete as a team. Instead, they compete as individuals, and each of them competes once or twice a week. The main goal this season is, “just to have fun and try to do our best,” says freshman Lia Dittenbir. They have recently played against Gull Lake, Comstock, Mattawan, and Central, and they’re approaching the end of their season with an average score of 55. Coach Robert Eustice said, “Lia, DeShana, and Allie have been awesome!

Golf is very challenging and they are up for the challenge.”

design by KEEGAN TENNEY

over the years.” That help has made a tremendous difference in Amos’ high school career and was a contributing factor to his shocking freshman debut a year ago when he scored seven touchdowns in his first game for PNHS. But Amos isn’t just a talented football player; he aso has a deep love of the game. “It makes me a better person in every aspect, from school, to sports: it makes me work harder in everything I do,” he says.

Working harder has already paid off this season and resulted in Amos recently being moved up from the JV team to the varsity team. Catch him and the varsity Huskies in action next on October 13th at McCamley Field against Mattawan at 7:00 pm.

Cross country Lead on the guys side by sophomore Matt Schieber and junior Zaid Ahmed and on the girls team by sophomore Madelyn Wilke and junior Emma Pilnick, the JV cross country runners provide a solid foundation to the team overall. One unique aspect of XC is that runners compete as individuals and as a whole team because, “we all do our best to help one another strive for our very best, but then it’s up to us to compete and finish those goals,” says freshman Caitlin Sullivan. JV and varsity also practice and sometimes compete together, making for a close-knit team.

SPORTS

k o r B en but not shattered

Two different athletes share similar injury stories

by LILY ANTOR

SPORTS

by MACKENZIE BREY

GREG

TORIAN

Junior running back Torian Jackson remembers the first moment of his varsity football career in grisly detail: “I dove to block a punt and someone’s knee came flying into my back,” he said. “At first I tried to stand up, but it was the worst pain I’d ever felt in my life, so I collapsed on the ground.”

The day was August 24th, 2017: just a normal game day. The events that unfolded that day, though, struck a blow to more than just his back. “My family has been known for being good players, and I wanted to carry the family name on by playing college football,” he said. Knowing that his injury could be severe, Jackson feared that he would not play a full game his junior year, greatly reducing his chances of playing in college.

The solemn news delivered in the emergency room that night crushed Jackson’s spirits: the doctor told him that his lumbar spine was fractured in two places. “Right when I heard those words, I broke down crying,” he said. “I felt as if everything that I ever wanted was taken away from me that night.”

After the initial shock, Jackson vowed that missing this season was not something in his future. He did everything he could to make his injuries heal more quickly. Jackson’s rehab strategies actually worked: when he went back to see the doctor three weeks later, he was told he could play again as long as he was comfortable.

This news was a tremendous shock to his family and friends. “I was amazed, relieved and confused all at once!” said Jackson’s mother, Andrea Smith, who watched her son cry again, but this time out of incomprehensible joy. Jackson’s girlfriend, junior Lucia Brosco, was equally surprised.

“I didn’t believe him!” she said, “He seemed so happy, and it was almost too good to be true.” But it was true: Jackson would have the chance to play again, and did so at Homecoming. “It felt great to be back,” said Jackson. “Now I just have to put in the work.”

Football. The sport of contact, comradery, and occasionally, injuries. This sport and all of the athletes that participate are known for the broken legs, necks, heads, shoulders, knees, and toes, but still 1.1 million high school students nationwide partake each year. Of these 1.1 million, roughly half will suffer from some sort of injury every year. Sophomore linebacker Greg Lapetina fits both statistical categories. He has suffered two major injuries, yet continued to come back through two seasons at the high school level.

Lapetina suffered a broken leg during a big game during his freshman season on JV football. He said that, “Honestly, it made me work harder because I realized how much I missed it.” He continued, “It made me want to play more.”

This perseverance after injuries is not uncommon among athletes of the sport, but most don’t obtain two injuries back-to-back like Lapetina did.

This season, he broke his arm at a preseason scrimmage. “As soon as I got up it was just…dangling there. It felt wrong,” he said.

Even Lapetina’s teammates were surprised by the injury. Senior Michael Lincoln recalled, “I didn’t expect someone that solid to get hurt. It was gross. Like a freak accident.”

Lapetina’s come back season seemed shattered before it even started. “I was really sad because I’d worked hard and I couldn’t play...again. I was out for five weeks, four games,” he said.

Though he was obviously upset, he learned a lesson vital to the spirit of any real athlete: “you can’t take anything for granted,” he said. Lapetina had a renewed spirit for the game, and a diligent recovery allowed him to play in the game against Kalamazoo Central on September 22nd. He didn’t just play, either: he made 12 tackles, including one tackle for a loss.

It might not have been the comeback season he envisioned, but it’s a comeback story he can appreciate.

LILY ANTOR

design by BEN LEWIS

18

Varsity soccer is kicking it up a notch 1

3 5

4 2

8 6

7

11 10 9

CAMERON MYERS & LILY ANTOR

1. Defending himself is senior Grant Perrine, who not only plays varsity soccer but also varsity football.

2. Number 5, senior Steven Garside, has learned how to maneuver the ball around his opponents after playing four years of soccer for the Huskies.

3. During the 1st half of the game, Gavin Vinstra protects the ball from the rival team, Forest Hills High School.

4. Number 5 Steven Garside sneaks the ball around the other team to try and get closer to the goal.

5. This dedicated varsity soccer player jumps to knock the soccer ball with his head out of Mattawan’s way.

6. Prepping for the first game on the brand new Huskie Field, the varsity soccer team starters huddle up before facing against Mattawan. This special event was free for all spectators.

7. PN’s varsity goalie, junior Ryan Ingersoll, always gives it his all when it comes to defending the net. This is Ryan’s first year as the main varsity goalie.

8. Josh Hartman is a junior playing on varsity. He delivers kicks with a power-packed force, as seen in the image.

9. Huskie number 19 dashes to catch up with his teammates after a goal is scored by a fellow Huskie.

10. Senior Steven Garside gazes out over the brand-new field, scanning for both his teammates, Mattawan players, and the ball.

11. This varsity soccer player demonstrates dashes towards the goal, looking to find an opening so that he might score.

19

design by BEN LEWIS

NL OCT 2017

A look into the latest nerdy entertainment news Alert is back and Nerd ready to roll! Starting

off this geek fest is a major update on the mega-anticipated film The Avengers Infinity Wars. There have been many speculations as to if Tony Stark (Iron man) and Bruce Banner (Hulk) will use Dr. Strange to travel back in time to the Battle of New York.

These theories came after a photo was leaked of the film set. In the photo there are some key indicators to confirm this thought: Stark has his arc reactor back, which he had removed at the very end of Iron Man 3, and they are also standing in rubble that looks almost identical to the destruction in the first Avengers movie.

Now I know what you’re thinking, it probably was a picture from the set of the first movie, but I promise it’s not! The reason this photo has so many theories bouncing around it is because Dr. Strange is in the picture with Banner and Stark. Strange is a new character to the MCU

ENTERTAINMENT

(Marvel Cinematic Universe), recently making his movie debut. Therefore, many Marvel nerds have put together this theory that there will be a highly-anticipated time travel scene in the Avengers Infinity Wars.

On the other side of the superhero spectrum, DC’s big blockbuster Justice League is scheduled to be released this November. In addition to that, a brand new historical movie is to come out this fall about the creation of electricity and it stars two of our favorite Marvel actors: Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange) and Tom Holland (Spiderman). The movie is called The Current War and is the story of the race for electricity between Thomas Edison (Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon). It’s highly anticipated by the more historically-minded and scholarly audience.

That’s all the news for this edition’s Nerd Alert. Until next time, stay nerdy my friends.

pre-sale prices available

design by LEXI KAVA

NOW!

stop by our store at 1750 S. Drake Rd to sign up today!

20

“ VERYBODY”:

Logic on mental illness and his new album

by ALLISON MCKENZIE

s

on

m

ive

t ea Cr

om

C

s

iou

v re sp ic’

e

r r fo

ov ec

: th

low

.

d te ea -cr

sa

e;

s ba an f ge ar . a l ure s s ha res gic r P Lo nde : e ov , U Ab bum l a

21

d re tu pic

h

ei er

fan

po

ait rtr

of

him

Be

g Lo

“I feel like I’m out of my mind / I feel like my life ain’t mine / Who can relate?”

In his new song, 1-800-2738255, Logic uses his music to express the importance of suicide awareness. According to Newsweek.com, 42.5 million people can relate due to 18.2% of American adults suffering from a mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

On August 27th, Logic brought out suicide survivors to accompany him with his song during his performance in the MTV music awards. “I am here to fight for your equality because I believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally and that is why we must fight!”

Logic boldly exclaimed during his performance. His message was made even more poignant by the survivors bravely standing alongside him.

In an interview with the Grammy Recording Academy, Logic revealed that his inspiration for this song comes from his fans around the world who struggle daily and the problems he encountered himself. “Society has led me to believe that my anxiety is stupid and shouldn’t be talked about or suicide; who cares and who’s weak enough to kill themselves anyway, which is the most terrible, disgusting, and ugly thing someone can say,” he said.

Overall, it seems that society

design by ALLISON MCKENZIE AND BEN LEWIS

has normalized the idea of mental illnesses and continuously pushes out the causes of suicide. “I think that the message of this song is really important because it shows that more people need to pay attention because it’s not talked about a lot,” says freshman Courtney Bale.

Also, having the title of his song be the suicide hotline number allows listeners to be aware of the help they can receive if they are struggling.

When writing this song, Logic never thought about the impact that his words would have on his fans. In an interview with the Washington Post, he stated that his main focus was on getting his message across and letting people know that they are not alone in their struggles.

“In my mind, I was like, ‘Man I wasn’t even trying to save anybody’s life,’” he said. “And then it hit me — the power that I have as an artist with a voice.

I wasn’t even trying to save your life. Now what could happen if I actually did?”

The real impact of the song might not be able to be measured, but it is an important, first step in removing the stigma surrounding mental illness and empowering the teens and adults that are enduring it.

NL OCT 2017

BEST FALL ACTIVITIES

by KEEGAN TENNEY

The results of @PNLight’s October Twitter Poll...

Best Scary Movie:

Children of the Corn If it’s Stephen King, you know it’s good. In a very messed up, twisted kind of way.

Best Fall Clothing:

Flannels

Best Cidermill:

Gull Meadow Farms Donuts so tasty you may cry tears of joy. Cider made from fresh picked apples. Heaven.

Best Senior Picture Location:

Who can go wrong with the soft, incredibly comfy feeling of fall’s best piece of clothing?

Downtown Kzoo So many different spots in such a small area. Additional fun comes when people walking by give you funny looks.

Best Haunted House:

Psycho Ward

Don’t you just love getting scared to the point where you nearly wet yourself? Me too!

ENTERTAINMENT

design by KEEGAN TENNEY

Best Pumpkin Patch:

Gull Meadow Farms Gull Meadow Farms is literally just the spirit of autumn. For like $5.

22

LILY ANTOR Matthew Hurtwitz, pictured conducting, is one of the three Drum Majors for this year’s marching band, with the others including Isabel Hernandez and head Drum Major Jillian Bowe.

“Band helps us grow as players, as people, and as leaders, and I could not be more grateful for having experienced marching band these past four years of high school,” said Bowe.

the band’s new buzz PNMB makes big changes

by LAURA KOSCINSKI

Taking the field for the first time in their new, modern uniforms, the marching band is looking to score big this season performing their show “Pollination.”

This year’s marching show tells the story of a colony of bees working together in times of stress. “In our show, the queen dies and they have to crown a new queen,” says senior drum major Isabel Hernandez. “It has elements of tension, success, victory, happiness and sadness.” The show is more than just an interesting concept; it has come to represent the band as a whole and the way they interact together. “The bees work together to reach a common goal, just like a marching band does,” says senior brass area chair Andrew Pridgeon.

Unlike in years past, the first home football game was actually the band’s first time performing on a grass field, as the new stadium is currently being

23

built in their previous rehearsal area. The temporary rehearsal spot consumes the entire bus loop, and the downside of this arrangement is that it “doesn’t prepare us to march on grass,” says freshman trombone player Olivia Bagley.

Despite the imperfect rehearsal space, the band has implemented many changes that will greatly benefit them. Aside from the new uniforms, the band has also switched to straight leg marching and increased in overall size. With help from new and returning staff, the marching band is heading into the season ready to compete. “With new management we have adapted so well,” said Hernandez, “and on field day we have never reached the level we are at now, where judges can talk to us about specific things instead of overall concepts.”

As the largest organization at Portage Northern and only growing each year, change is necessary but not always easy.

Adapting to some of the new improvements has been hard for the upperclassmen, mostly because it alters the way they’ve been doing the activity for years. “Even with the increasing size of our band,” says Pridgeon, “It can be difficult to get around to each individual.”

While the band is highly competitive, it’s not just the results of competitions that give the members happiness. “Seeing the huge smile across our band director’s face is a perk, too,” says junior flutist Rebecca Netz.

“We don’t live and die by numbers,” says band director Josh Bartz, acknowledging that the sport of marching band is more than just a score received from competition and more about creating an environment where everyone plays an important role: a place where students can come together to express themselves through music and perform an amazing show, and a place where everyone is a valuable member of the hive.

design by LILY ANTOR

perks of pep band

TROMBONE SUICIDES

LILY ANTOR

The student section and superfans go crazy when the trombones nearly take off eachother’s heads during “All I do is Win.”

CLASSIC TUNES

LILY ANTOR

The Pep Band is truly skilled at playing a variety of all-time favorites, from “Sweet Caroline” to Smash Mouth’s “Allstar.”

PLAYING IN THE RAIN

LILY ANTOR

This actually might not be considered a perk of pep band, but it is almost as neat as Singin’ in the Rain. The movie, I mean.

NL OCT 2017

ph

ot os

by

LIL YA

NT OR

hardworking huskies

a ye a

al do l H th u is y

Even before the first bell of the 2017-2018 school year rang on September fifth, students at Portage Northern High School have been hard at work. Whether it be playing on a fall sports team, cheering on the Huskies at football games, marching in the “Pollination” band, celebrating Huskie Homecoming, or engaging in academic rigor, students have started the year by hitting the ground running. While these photos capture many different aspects of the start of this school year, they hardly skim the surface of all Huskies have done and will continue to do this year.

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.”