October 2019

connections

the quest to stay connected in today’s ever evolving internet culture p.12 1000 Idaho Ave. Portage, MI 49024

volume 50 issue 1

www.portagenorthernlight.com

Contents Staff Ed: A new kind of stardom

Social Media Activism

Sports Minute with Malcolm

How social media has completly changed the way a succesful career can be defined and led.

The debate of whether social media activism causes more harm or help to the situation at hand.

The positive impact and dynamic energy of the Huskie superfans extends far past the bleachers.

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Michigan has become the first state in the US to ban flavored e-cigarretes.

But will it fix anything?

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Design by Snigda Narisetty and Aleja Chambers

The cover is portraying our generation’s ‘quest’ to find internet connection everywhere in order to stay connected to the rest of the world. In a society dominated by social media and new technology, it has become essential for kids and adults alike to learn how to utilize these tools both for entertainment and success.

News Staff Editorial

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Opinion

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Feature

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Sports

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Entertainment

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02 Contents

ts min e ut

On the cover

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Welcome to our brand new satire section! This edition we explore the reality tv show qualities of the democratic debates.

E-Cig Ban

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Northern Dark: It’s time to spin the wheel

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 Design by Gabe Flota

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.

Portage Northern Light

NL Staff Snigda Narisetty Malcolm Gaynor Editors in Chief

Gabe Flota Creative Editor

Kylie Clifton Feature Editor

Astrid Code News Editor

Arushi Mithal Opinion Editor

Cerena Read

Entertainment Editor

Liam Fagan Sports Editor

Brianna Neuhouser Digital Media Manager

Natalie Grinder

Assosciate Digital Media Manager

We have an app now!

Follow these steps and download our app to stay updated!

1. Go to the app/play store and download the Student News Source App 2. Open the app and search for Portage Northern High School 3. Customize your push notifications and you’re all set!

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Abby Vanderberg Business Manager

Kellie Miles Photographer

Komalpreet Kaur Katie Knight Carrie Jacobson Melissah Morris-Adkins Gavin Stevens Staff Writers

Scan to follow!

September 2019

Dear readers...

We’re all so excited to bring to you the first edition of the PN Light!

Over the summer, we decided that we wanted to focus this edition on internet culture. We feel like often times this generation’s relationship with social media and the internet is demonized, and we wanted to shed light on how internet culture brings young people and can create a positive environment too. Also, in our Staff Ed, we explore how this connection and culture has led to the rise of more creative career options.

We hope that this issue resonates with you, and we would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, or suggestions about anything you read in this edition! Contact us at PNHSnorthernlight@gmail.com, and Design by Snigda Narisetty

we’d love to publish your comments either online or in our next edition!

Also, with a new school year comes new changes to the PN Light. Not only do we have a number of new members on our official staff, we have many talented new members of our Journalism 1 staff, who have already been publishing articles on our website, portagenorthernlight.com!

Finally, we thank you all for reading! All of us here at the PN Light have worked so hard to produce this edition, and we can’t wait to start working on the next one! See you all next edition!

Sincerely, Snigda Narisetty & Malcolm Gaynor About 03

Huskie Headlines

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PN Drama presents Spamalot for fall musical

By Astrid Code

For this year’s fall musical, the Portage Northern Drama department will be preforming Spamalot.

“Spamalot is a musical comedy adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” explains musical director Denene Mulay Koch.

Spamalot, which won the 2005 Tony

Award for Best Musical, follows “King Arthur and his trusted servant Patsy as they travel through England recruiting knights to serve at the Round Table in Camelot,” Koch says. King Arthur will be played by Hunter Pitsch and Patsy will be played by Charlie Marsh, along with the Lady of the Lake (Ellie

Mancina), Sir Bedevere (Britton Gustafson), Sir Galahad (Ben Eiler), Sir Lancelot (Jordan Bruner) and Sir Robin (Jason Koch). The performance dates are November 8-17 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Make sure to visit pndrama.org to buy tickets!

Student Brennan Green stocks classrooms with vital supplies

By Astrid Code

The ALICE buckets are stationed in every classroom at PN. Photo by Astrid Code.

04 News

Students may have noticed the blue buckets in classrooms saying “BSA Alice Pack”. These are created by PNHS student Brennan Green, a boy scout from Troop 283. For his Eagle Scout project over the summer, Green created these survival buckets, one for each classroom. Each bucket is stocked with essential items that would be useful in the case of a school shooter situation, including alcohol swabs, a fire extinguisher, a steel rod, eight golf balls, two towels, 10 glucose tablets, two tampons, ten feet of rope, and one whistle. “The buckets have a bunch of tools in them, that can be used for any situation.” explains Green. “Like, golf balls: its harder to shoot someone if there’s golf balls being thrown at you.”

On the ALICE drills, Green says “I think it’s good that we have them, but Design by Astrid Code

it’s sad that we need them… I hope [the buckets] do calm people down.”

Scan Me!

with your phone camera (not snapchat) to read additional articles online

portagenorthernlight.com Portage Northern Light

Teacher Amy Meyer provides supplies for kids in need

By Astrid Code

For five years, Amy Meyer has been helping the Portage community by filling cinch sacks with school supplies for kids in need. She is able to do so through a partnership with ThirtyOne, where she works alongside of teaching. “My customer donates $20

to purchase the cinch sac. All commission I earn on the sale of the cinch sac goes toward buying all the supplies.” explains Meyer. “One of Thirty-One’s core values is to be gracious and to display a servant’s heart. As an educator and a parent, it’s important to me

that every student feels ready for the school year and has the supplies and gear needed to start the year off right!”

Meyer plans to continue to make a positive difference in kid’s lives, one cinch sack at a time.

Portage Northern Marching Band takes on Contrarium

By Carrie Jacobson

On August 4th, the official season for the Portage Northern Marching Band kicked into full gear. This year’s show, titled “Contrarium,” which means “opposites” in Latin, focuses on the left and right sides of the brain, jumping between creative chaos and logical formations split down the middle of the field. The show “embodies simplicity buried in complexity. It’s

about two dissimilar concepts coming together, showing that opposites can work together,” says band director Josh Bartz. The show looks to top last year’s show, “Run, Rabbit, Run,” which placed 4th at the Michigan Competing Bands Association (MCBA) State Finals with a school record-breaking score of 89.525. The band debuted “Contrarium” last Friday at the first

home football game, which was met with great passion from Huskie fans.

Their next performance will be held on September 27th, followed closely by their first competition of the season, the Huskie Marching Invitational, hosted by Portage Northern on October 5th.

The PN Marching band practices their show at Huskie Stadium. Photo by Kellie Miles.

September 2019

Design by Astrid Code

News 05

Meet the New Staff at Portage Northern

By Astrid Code

New teachers L to R: front - Rose Hellmers, Anna Gwyn; middle - Matt Kolodzieczyk, Josh Quist, Lisa Miller; back - Joey Wood, Jim Long, Chris Prom, Brennan Pierman. Not pictured: Nicole Callen.

Photo by the Staff.

Joe Wood is teaching world history and Student Senate this year. He has been at Battle Creek Public Schools for the past 12 years. “The family atmosphere is amazing,” says Wood about PN. “I have felt so welcomed by everyone. I have also noticed how willing students are to work with each other. I plan on helping them discover how the world came to be the way it is and what they can do to make it better.”

Josh Quist is teaching Modern American History, Economics, Government, and College Success Strategies. He previously taught for three years in Houston, Texas.

“Everyone seems proud to be here.

I hope to spread my enthusiasm for social studies while building strong relationships with everyone at Northern,” he says.

Rose Hellmers is the new choir director for both NHS and MMS. Before Portage, she worked as the founding music director at Nashville 06 News

middle school Harding Academy.

“Northern students seem willing to try new things, go the extra mile, and expect excellence and equity for all.” says Hellmers. “My mission in my choral teaching is to create lifelong, musically-literate learners who love music, themselves, and their world.”

Lisa Miller is the new media specialist. Before coming to Portage Northern, she was an English teacher and media specialist at Gull Lake Community Schools. “Northern is much bigger than my previous school, so that will take some getting used to, but I’m enjoying how friendly the staff and students are at PN,” she says. “I hope to make great book recommendations to students this year, and I’m excited to work with teachers and students on research projects.”

Nikki Callen is teaching Algebra 1 and Geometry. Although she started teaching this year, she worked at PN last year in the DLR. “I love the Huskie Design by Abby Vanderberg

Pride I see around the school, and my goal for this year is to teach students in my Math class to be better problem solvers than their previous selves.”

Jim Long is teaching Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus, as well as being a swim coach. He has taught for 11 years in Michigan City, KPS, and Decatur. “I really have enjoyed the engagement of the students thus far. PN has a culture of academic excellence and the students have demonstrated this thus far,” he says.

Chris Prom is teaching Physics 1 and Earth Science, along with being on the varsity football coaching staff.

This is his seventh year teaching high school science, with his previous six years in Watervliet, MI. “One thing I have noticed already is the school spirit. It was on full display at the,” he says.

Matt Kolodziecyk is teaching ninth grade English. He previously taught at a high school in Pahrump, Nevada.

“My plans for the year include guiding my students through a successful year of English and surviving my first full Michigan winter in almost 15 years,” he says.

Officer Brannon Pierman has been a police officer in Portage for eight years, and will be serving as the School Resource Officer at NHS, NMS, and PCEC. “What I noticed immediately was the energy of the staff members, they all seem excited to be here and to work with students. It is refreshing to see,” he says. “My plan for my first year at Northern is to get to know my students and staff so that I can learn how to best serve them.”

Nicole Powell spent the previous 12 years teaching math at the Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center. “The other staff at Northern are very helpful and willing to answer questions,” she says. “The students have been very welcoming as well.”

Portage Northern Light

A new kind of stardom By the staff

The age of new technology and the growth of the internet, the different expectations and requirements to live a successful and fulfilling life have created a controversial environment. The main contributors to this change are Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

While the creation of social media has enhanced the vain and narcissistic side of society, it has specifically given users an opportunity to be launched into a lifetime of regret and shame or a lifetime of fame and respect.

Given these large platforms, so many have gone instantly viral by posting something as simple as a funny tweet. This leads to a rapid growth in followers, likes, and all things that lead to people building a career out of an app. They can put whatever they want on the internet, and if it is seen by the right people, they can live the lives they have always dreamed of.

People all around the world are turning to the internet and outlets such as Youtube and Instagram to launch their careers. Especially in this world in which our youth is ‘attached by the hip’ to their technology, this type of career is thriving.

There are many stars that started posting videos and pictures for their own pleasure but as people started noticing their posts and they started September 2019

to gain a following, their hobby soon turned into their career. While some companies use social media as a compliment to their existing careers, most of the youth completely rely on it for their entire career.

For many companies, once a person has gained a certain sized following, they start offering sponsorships and requests to advertise for them on their platform. These offers give these internet stars a chance to get more income as well as gain even more following and make connections, which can then help them grow a business or market themselves as the business.

Taking an example from our own community, Portage Northern alumnus, Keegan Bach, more popularly known as KBeazy, gained 42.9K followers on Instagram over his highschool career. This popularity stemmed from his career making beats in the music industry, which started on SoundCloud. However, social media careers can implode as quickly as they develop. After one controversy, James Charles, a popular youtuber, who previously had 16.5 million subscribers, lost nearly 3 million of them in the span of just one week.

A few years ago, these professions would not have been considered real jobs and now they are one of the most sought after, highest paid, and Design by Arushi Mithal

most respected jobs in the world.

Becoming a youtuber has become equivalent to being an extremely talented and well paid actor.

As social media continues to progress and become more complex, people tend to rely on it more and more, especially the younger generations. It’s become a very important aspect both in social lives and work lives. These social media careers are the future of our world.

This could be especially beneficial for highschool students who are undecided and don’t really know what they want to study past graduation, or if they even want to pursue higher education. For the people that are not interested in a higher education or are not able to, Youtube has become a go to trial round. If they are one of the lucky ones to get the ball rolling and become a successful youtuber, they are set.

In addition to the creation of jobs, creativity as a trait is continuing to gain importance in our society; one of the most positive aspects of the internet and the rise of social media. Platforms such as YouTube have given many artists an outlet for their creativity. Channels with videos ranging from painting tutorials to daredevil stunts have become extremely popular over the years.

Staff Editorial 07

“13 Reasons Why”: welcome to your tape

By Brianna Neuhouser

13 Reasons Why is Netflix’s second most popular show, with about 6 million viewers nationwide tuning in for Season 2. Despite it’s large fan base, it has been receiving criticism - and rightly so - for its portrayal of disturbing and sensitive topics.

The Bystander Effect

Showing graphic rape

The Bystander Effect is the idea that someone is less likely to stand up to a bully if there are others present. Take Clay for example. He saw how Bryce and others treated Hannah before her death and said nothing until the her tapes came out. The show tries to convince the audience that not saying anything is okay.

Broomstick. Need I say more? Why was there a need for a scene where a teenager gets sexually assaulted with a broomstick? The quick answer is the producers wanted to show that men can also be victims. I’m not going to knock them for that but there was absolutely no reason for it to be as violent as it was. The effect could have easily been achieved without actually showing the act itself. It is interesting to note, however, that the charactr who does the assaulting is a Portage Northern alumni, Tim Granaderos.

The sexist Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope A manic pixie dream girl is all around sexist. Producers cannot preach about the tragedy of Hannah Baker’s death while making her nothing more than a straight, male fantasy. Nathan Rabin, who coined the term, never even mentioned women in the definition. To Rabin, a MPDG “exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures.” Where are women supposed to fit into that? Can’t that be achieved using men or women that have more interest than physical?

A manipulative narrative structure

“13 Reasons Why” tries to convince the audience to feel bad for Bryce, a rapist. No matter what, in any context, should that be okay. Besides that, using plot points reliant on cliffhangers is only drawing kids in more, just to be grotesque and frightening to kids for nothing more than shock value.

08 Opinion

Showing graphic suicide In a show that supposedly aims to bring awareness to self harm and suicide and how to prevent it, it sure uses a lot of graphic imagery, thus triggering their core demographic. My best friends, who loved the book, were so excited for the series and couldn’t even finish season one because of the way the show handled Hannah Baker’s suicide.

For the most part, “13 Reasons Why” can be an entertaining show, as long as events like these don’t trigger watchers. However, the point must be that this show and the story itself is supposed to bring awareness to suicide. All it serves to do is trigger viewers who may be sensitive to these graphic scenes and events.

Design by Brianna Neuhouser

Portage Northern Light

SATIRE

It’s Time to Spin The Wheel!

By Liam Fagan

bates, there was a ton of reality T.V. worthy drama, with 5 candidates suspending their campaigns, and others being cut due to not meeting the criteria set by the DNC.

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September 2019

one stage on one night, in what felt like an excellent culmination of all of the hype they had been receiving.

The final lineup was Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Andrew Yang, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, and Kamala Harris. This was most definitely the most exciting episode yet. There were fierce head to head debates, one liners directed at other candidatesand the president, and candidates really started to stake their claim for the White House.

The next debate is scheduled for the 15 and 16 of October. We may see some familiar faces return, and the top 10 will all be there. I don’t know who will come out on top, but this season has been one of the craziest so far, with drama, clashes, and some of the most heated debates we have seen so far. I am very excited for the next episode, and I know I won’t be able to put down the popcorn.

AR W

Fall has come and with it a plethora of exciting new T.V. shows. Among these new shows is quite possibly the most entertaining game show I have ever seen. It has a diverse cast, hilarious hijinx, serious moments, and major implications for the future of our country. That’s right: the best game show in the U.S. is the democratic national debates.

The first episode was a 2 part episode airing on the 26 and 27 of June. The first night featured Wa r r e n , O’Rourke, B o o k e r, Klobuchar, Castro, Gabbard, Ryan, Inslee, de Blasio, and Delaney.

The second night featured Biden, Sanders, Buttigieg, Harris, Yang, Gillibrand, Hickenlooper, Bennet, Williamson, and Swalwell.

They were two action packed episodes, featuring debates on immigration, and some zingers from Klobuchar. There were even celebrity cameos from suh famous stars as Lester Holt and Rachel Maddow.

Between the second and third de-

Candidates were upset that polls they felt were important weren’t recognized by the DNC, and it cost some their campaigns. In the end, the top 10 candidates all met on

Design by Gabe Flota

Opinion 09

VS

#ACTIVISM

PROS

By Arushi Mithal

Linkedin and Youtube fascinated people globally when they first launched back in the early 2000’s.

People could now easily talk to each other and share creativity without extra inconveniences. Facebook and Twitter gained fame as social networking sources in early 2006. Instagram instantly faced success in 2010, and Snapchat grew big as a fun and diverse chatting space back in 2011.

Ever since it’s rise to prominence in throughout the 2000’s, social media has become a massively effective way for communication and the spread of different thoughts and ideas. Social media websites have more specifically become a rising platform for people to promote businesses and political ideals. This is known as social media activism. In terms of informativeness and timeliness, social media activism can be quite helpful for this generation.

According to the Pew Research Center, “Some 88% of 18- to 29-yearolds indicate that they use any form of social media”. The majority of young adults use social media, and a major-

ity of users of social media sites fall within that same age range. This implies that the majority of young people are getting exposed to social and economical movements on a daily basis. According to the US Census Bureau, “In 2016, young voters ages 18 to 29 were the only age group to report increased turnout compared to 2012, with a reported turnout increase of 1.1 percent. All older age groups either reported small yet statistically significant turnout decreases (45- to 64-year-olds and those age 65 and older) or turnout rates not statistically different from 2012 (30- to 44-year-olds)”.

Essentially, this can be considered a beneficial thing because compared to older generations, young adults are becoming more involved in politics.

Through social media, young adults are becoming more knowledgeable and encouraged to participate in events that stand up for what they believe in. Even by just retweeting hashtags and commenting on posts, many people can be involved in the spread of posi-

tive new messages and ideas.

Social media provides a large variety of people to get exposed to important happenings that need more attention. Many people argue that social media activism causes more harm than help, but this can be argued with. For example, according to Huffpost, “After NBC correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin was pulled out of Gaza for reporting on the killing of four Palestinian boys playing soccer on a beach by the Israeli Defense Force, the hashtag #LetAymanReport was created to bring attention to the issue. Within 24 hours he was on his way back to Gaz”.

In general, social media activism is the modern method to spread creativity and awareness. The way we write and receive news has revolutionized throughout the years and social media activism has provided many benefits for organizations that need them.

Although others may view it as controversial, social media activism does eventually provides many advantages.

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10 Opinion

#AWARE

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Design by Gabe Flota

Portage Northern Light

VS Everywhere one goes, school, work, the coffee shop, the gas station, most people are holding a smartphone. On that smartphone, one could expect at least one of the most popular forms of social media open: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, the list is endless.

These platforms have taken the world by storm as every day hundreds of thousands of posts are put up each second. Sometimes, these posts aren’t just selfies, pictures of cute dogs, or a throwback Thursday. Rather they could be posts that pertain to people’s ideas, thoughts, and opinions on much more serious topics. This concept is called social media activism.

Social media activism is arising as numbers of social media users rise, as the Pew Research Center reports that as of 2018, 72% of adults in the United States use some sort of social media.

Therefore, logically, one could assume that because so many eyes are glued to social media everyday it is probably the perfect place to spread awareness for issues that need exposure in mass media.

However, the effectiveness is low.

Though it does do the job of spreading awareness, the goal of the exposure which is usually some sort of aid is not fulfilled by social media as effectively September 2019

#ACTIVISM

CONS

By Komalpreet Kaur

as the average person may believe.

For example, despite the large number of social media users, issues such as the South Sudan Crisis that were posted about by millions seldom get the resolution they need. Actually,

on the contrary, the reposting of the South Sudan Crisis on Instagram started a trend that was more harmful to the crisis than helpful. The Atlantic reports thousands of pseudo accounts posing as UNICEF affiliated refuge Design by Gabe Flota

resources for those that need aid in Sudan. Those accounts usually posted for the sake of increasing a follower or like count, and did not share useful links that actually led to real donation centers to help Sudan. One account even claimed to provide a meal for a kid in Sudan for every share a post got, however Joe English, a UNICEF Communications Specialist, says that it is very difficult to get meals to Sudan without real connections.

The issue got the awareness for sure, but this awareness did not lead to the help it needed. Not enough donations on credible sites were made to help at least a large portion of the 4.3 million Sudanese that were displaced, thus making it a crisis still.

Furthermore, even people who were reposting that could not help financially, were often reposting to a demographic on their social media t h a t could not really help in a better way either.

Overall, social media activism is effective to a certain extent. Without more accuracy and specific goals in place, spreading awareness cannot create an impactful difference through the use of social media outlets.

Opinion

11

connections

By Kylie Clifton, Arushi Mithal, Katie Knight

In 2019, Generation Z has been growing alongside their young counterparts, social media. With most current social media platforms booming with popularity within the 2000’s, and through the entirety of the 2010’s social media is in full effect. These platforms may simply be websites, and empty applications, for they’re nothing without what caused their surge in popularity; who have built this innate culture of course, Generation Z. According to SmartSocial.com, “Instagram continues to attract a younger audience with 72% of teens saying that they use the platform. This is an impressive increase from 2015 when 52% of teens said that they used the platform” Teens continue to flourish the internet today, one meme, viral video, and clickable moment at a time.

recognized, its definition is obscure.

Of the many forms of internet culture which exist, few represent internet culture as well as memes.

This view is shared by Freshman Justin Wessel who sees memes as the defining characteristic of internet culture.

What is Internet Culture?

Internet culture. A concept ingrained into the minds of everyone alive in the twenty-first century, but that few understand as well as teenagers. To them, the internet is a form of expression, a language capable of connecting people within their community and around the globe. Although the term “internet culture” is widely 12 Feature

“Internet culture to me is something that a large amount of people over the internet believe, think about, or act on. Memes are the best example of that,” says Wessel.

Wessel believes that the deep love of memes comes from a desire to be part of a community.

Design by Snigda Narisetty

“Memes are a large common interest that many people share, so posting them online and receiving feedback is socially pleasing.”

To senior Margaux Gendre, memes are both an amusing pastime and form of escape from a confusing world.

“It’s entertaining, funny content,” she says. “It also helps teenagers struggling with some problems feel less alone.”

Memes are an important part of her daily life and have the ability to bring her friends closer together.

“My friends and I share memes and even make our own ones for inside jokes. We also, out loud, say recent memes that have been going around online.”

Millions of people are involved in posting, viewing, and sharing memes.

With so many people contributing to the meme community, the nature of memes and of internet culture as a whole is largely temporary.

“Internet culture is fast-fading, and memes often die out within a few weeks or so to be replaced by new memes. Like the people who create them, memes and slang can never stay in one place at once and they have to constantly move on to something new,” says sophomore Kairi Martin.

Portage Northern Light

An entity as ever-changing as internet culture cannot be explained by a singular definition nor should it be.

The internet, and its culture, exist to evolve along with those who use it.

How does it influence teen behavior?

There are many benefits to large numbers of teenagers and young adults being actively involved in internet culture.

It does not only bond people together through smiles and laughter, but it provides an escape from all the stress caused on a daily basis from school and other time consuming activities. “ I find myself involved because I use memes which is the most common form of internet culture right now to find enjoyment during the day when I’m upset.” says freshman Minaleah Koffron. “I think teenagers have such a deep connection because we often feel lonely and internet culture helps us feel like we’re not alone.”

Internet culture has always been criticized for preventing teens from

maintaining person to person relationships, and therefore people claim this generation is losing important social skills. But, this claim can be rebutted. “Internet culture is simply how people interact and find ways to bond with one another through the internet,” Koffron says.

Many adults and parents of teenagers find it unfunny and a waste of time.

teens are familiar with including saying “period” and “tea” along with other new slang. Freshman Justin Wessel says, “My favorite meme at the moment is either ‘cursed images’ in general, or the ‘Change da world. my final message. good b ye’ meme.” Participating in the new trends of internet culture brings a lot of joy to teens which past generations might not understand.

Internet culture has essentially transformed young adults’ and teenagers’ perception of humour and connections with each other. However, there are also many toxic parts of this culture such as “cancel culture” and excessive negativity. But this does not mean that this itself is silly and a waste of time. Social media is the modern revolutionary link between people all around the country that previously had no connection whatsoever.

The things we share on social media regarding pop culture unexpectedly succinctly impact lives. With just a few clicks, there is an unbelievable amount of culture that all types of people can become exposed to.

Internet culture has essentially transformed young adults’ and teenagers’ perception and connections with each other

“

“My mom gets mad at me because she says that all I do is watch dumb videos and that it is making me lose [my French] culture” Gendre says.. “I don’t think they understand that it’s something that everyone participates in and is used to having since basically our entire lives. It’s quite difficult to explain to an outsider how it works and how it’s relatable.”

There is a common lingo many

Illustrations by Aleja Chambers September 2019

Design by Snigda Narisetty

Feature 13

A figure of superfandom: the story of Mia

Mia, and SuperFans alike in their element. Cheering and celebrating their school, while all dressed together in Red, White, and Blue.

Photo courtesy of Foreign Exchange Student Daniel Wester.

(Pictured left to right) senior Andre Walker, senior Riley Shoemaker, senior Lily Case, senior Grace Fan, senior Peter Todd, and Dominic Kava PN SuperFans pose with Mia, demonstrating their school spirit while all dressed in white.

Photo courtesy of @miathemannequin.

(Pictured from left to right) junior Aidan Gleason, junior Sam Van Winkle, junior Connor Sullivan, junior Tyler Bowers, junior Gavin Stevenson, and junior Drew Jepson pose with Mia early on in her rise. Photo courtesy of @miathemannequin on Instagram

14 Feature

It was the summer of ‘19 and unbeknownst to Portage Northern’s student body, the newest, most statuesque SuperFan named Mia had just hit the scene.

Prior to Mia being welcomed into SuperFan Culture with open arms, she was met with mixed reactions.

“My first thought was that I thought it was really funny for sure.

I was confused too, but I just went along with it. She’s really cool and a fun addition to the Superfans for sure. Love her,” says senior Andre Walker, head of the SuperFans.

“Bringing Mia to the games has been very fun, but Portage Central

Design by Kylie Clifton

doesn’t enjoy Mia as much as Northern does because they won’t let her into any of the games, which is very disappointing,” says junior Sam Van Winkle.

That’s probably because she’s a mannequin.

“I got Mia over the summer when Sears was going out of business and they were selling their mannequins, so I bought one,” says Van Winkle.

This purchase became the SuperFan phenomenon Mia the Mannequin. Summer joke between friends turned SuperFan and social media mogul, Mia has the whole SuperFan team behind her, with members even stepping up to help with her wardrobe.

“It was fun dressing Mia because I liked my shirt being displayed on a wonderful mannequin!” says junior Sophie Novak, Mia’s pre-game stylist.

Mia’s future is nothing if not on the rise. “I’m trying to get Mia to become the number one super fan and plan on passing her down to the grades below after I graduate,” says Van Winkle.

Follow her epic and improbable story on Instagram @ MiatheMannequin

Portage Northern Light

Electronic cigarettes banned in Michigan

By Gavin Stevens

On September 4, 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer made Michigan the first state to temporarily ban all flavored electronic cigarettes, giving sellers 30 days to comply with the new regulations established by Whitmer and the State Health Department. These actions were prompted by the nearly 450 suspected cases of lung illnesses and six deaths associated with e-cigarettes. Lawmakers, parents, teachers, and concerned citizens argue that flavors such as mango, cherry, citrus, green apple, and blueberry specifically target young people, and current research validates these concerns. According to a recent survey conducted by NPR (National Public Radio), 1 in 5 high school seniors reported vaping nicotine in 2018. In fact, the largest spike in student e-cigarette use occured between 2017 and 2018. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, reports that the prevalence of nicotine vaping continues to increase with some students starting the habit as early as eighth grade. As a result of this increase, school administrators have ben forced to establish disciplinary actions f o r

September 2019

dealing with e-cigarette use on their school campuses.

Jim French, principal of Portage Northern High School, reported “about 22 incidents of vaping infractions” during the 2018-2019 school year and identified such infractions as including any kind of vaping materials on one’s person or be- Source: CDC (as of ing caught in the CNBC.com act of vaping. The consequences for having possession of a vape pen or vape materials include a three day suspension.

If individuals are caught with a dab pen or THC oils, they would then incur a ten-day suspension.

“We don’t have a lot of clarity that kids and parents understand what this could be doing to them,’’ says Principal French. Due to the lack of knowledge regarding the effects of electronic cigarettes, Portage Northern High School is working to implement Vape Educate, an online course designed as an educational program for teachers, parents, and other community members. If a student is caught vaping and/or with the possession of vaping materials, the three-day suspension can be reduced to a one day if the student agrees to pay seventeen dollars to complete a Vape Educate course which can be completed during the in-school suspension.

In total, the program is comIllustration by Snigda Narisetty Design by Gavin Stevens

September 24, 2019) Diagram courtesy of

prised of six chapters with quizzes after each chapter. “We can’t just legislate totally, we have to also educate,” Principal French emphasized. Although this ban will limit the amount of smoking options for e-cigarette users, there is a concern that the prohibiting of these flavors will cause a black market of vaping and a rise in illegal sales. “There is still a market for it. If people want it, they’ll find a way to get it,’’ said Police Officer Brannon Pierman.

“There are shops completely dedicated to selling e-cigarettes, they aren’t just going to close up and go out of business.” Officer Pierman is correct. E-cigarettes will continue to be sold and their use among students will continue to rise thus facilitating the need for, not just regulation through legislation, but more programs such as Vape Educate to help inform parents and students of the health determinants and consequences of e-cigarette use.

Feature 15

This season, the PN superfans have dialed up their attempts to bring fans and energy to Huskie sporting events.

Not only does this create an improved social environment for fans and students, but this actually supports and motivates the athletes on the field.

Senior Levi Crooks, captain of both the superfans and Huskie soccer team, understands how important crowd support can be for athletes. “As an athlete when I’m playing it always boosts my confidence level when I do something and the fans go crazy,” he said. Junior Christian Hernandez, a teammate of Crooks on the soccer team, agrees that fans have the ability to create energy that manifests itself on the field. “I think the number of fans and energy has a massive effect on a team’s performance,” said Hernandez. “Every player feeds off energy Football, Soccer and Volleyball Home vs. Away winning percentage

Sp

it h

w

By Malcolm Gaynor from anyone and can convert that into helping the team.”

These ideas are what based the superfan’s increased activity this season.

And it has seemed to work. So far this fall, the Huskie football, soccer, and volleyball teams are all undefeated at home. But the support hasn’t stopped there. The superfans also showed up in large numbers for nearby away games for football victories at Loy Norrix and Portage Central.

While this home success can be mostly attributed to the athletes themselves, an energetic crowd feeds off of good play on the field. “Whenever someone makes an amazing play and the fans have a bunch of energy it makes you more energetic to make another play and helps you focus in a lot more,” said senior Nate Mason, who plays basketball. Mason remembers last year’s PN PC rivalry basketball game, when the hot shooting of PN combined with the crowd’s energy.

“We kept throwing up threes and they kept on going in,” said Mason. “Every time the shots went in we could hear the fans chirping and it positively helped us on the court by feeding off their energy.”

Another way in which fan energy can impact games is through oppos-

M alc o

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m

While the superfans may seem to be just a fun group of students, their support has a big impact on games

ts min e ut

Superfans making an impact

or

ing fan bases. For many young athletes, it is easy to allow what other fans say to get to their head. This is something that the PN superfans have used to their advantage. “Trash talk can be good or bad,” said senior Andre Walker, another captain of the superfans.

“It can be good when we want to spice things up between our rival teams… you could call it a little friendly banter if you must.” This friendly banter from opposing fans is something that many PN athletes have learned to cope with.

“During a game I stay focused by doing little things such as “rituals,” doing a certain action such as rubbing the number on your jersey,” said Mason.

“It helps to keep me locked in, and when I do that action all the noise is gone and it’s game time.” Techniques such as these are one way that PN athletes can set themselves apart in big games and use fan energy as a tool, not a distraction.

Overall, an increase in superfan support has been a major plus for Huskie athletics. While every fan knows that on the other side of the field are just other high school students like themselves, being a part of team fighting against the “bad guy” is a rewarding experience for both the fans and the athletes on the field.

Huskie Superfans came full-force to the PN-PC football game, armed with signs, chants, and cheers helping push the Huskies to a decisive 56-26 win in the rivalry match. Photo courtesy of @PNHSHuskieSports Twitter.

16 Sports

Design by Malcolm Gaynor

Portage Northern Light

XC team integrates new coaching staff

By Melissah Morris-Adkins

Pictured from left are head coach Ahren Kaylor, assistant coach Dan Higgason, and assistant coach Dave Walch. “¨Our goals are simple. We must UNITE. Keep the kids healthy. Improve their times from last season and remain focused on a SMAC and Regional team championship,” says Kaylor. Photo courtesy of Ahren Kaylor.

Following a state championship ap- it was at North Middle School cross pearance last season, interim coach country or Portage Northern track Ahren Kaylor is looking toward strong and field,¨ says Kaylor. ¨So, I see this senior leadership to lead the team. as an extension of the track season and “We all need to I’m fortu“I appreciate the new coaches nate enough UNITE and the seniors have stepping in. They are doing the to get to done an amazeven best they can and we all really spend ing job leading more time this team,” said appreciate them for it. It’s hard working diKaylor. “They’re rectly with to start off again with a new showing so coach and building that trust up these amazmuch character ing young again will be difficult.” as they want to adults.¨ KaySarah Strawhun leave their leglor is not the acy and tradionly coach tions with the program as they venture the track kids have to get used to. on to new chapters of their lives after Dan Higgason is the other interim this season.” coach. Higgason has been in retireSenior Sarah Strawhun is also ment for the last 10 years, coming out looking forward to the cross coun- of retirement to be part of Portage try season and working with the new Northern cross country team. ¨My coaches. “I appreciate the new coaches motivation to return to coaching is to stepping in,” she says. “They are doing be part of the proud Portage Northern the best they can and we all really ap- culture. The motivation of the Huspreciate them for it. It’s hard to start off kie student-athletes is amazing,¨ says again with a new coach and building Higgason. that trust up again will be difficult.”

After this season, athletic director The transition of getting to know Chris Riker plans on finding a permathe new cross country coach may be nent coaching staff for the cross couneasier because of Kaylor’s previous in- try team. “The interim coach for this volvement in coaching track and field. season was the best option because “So, some of these kids I have coached many of the qualified candidates had for 6 years in some capacity whether conflicts or previous commitments for September 2019

Design by Melissah Morris-Adkins

the fall season which created either conflicts of interest or simply issues of them being present at practice and/or events,” he says. “ I did not want to hire someone who could not give their full attention to the program.”

Despite being coaches just for one year, Kaylor and Higgason aren’t worried about the future. “I’m not focused on the interim part. I have a job to complete right now,” says Kaylor. “It is to ensure every athlete has a positive and memorable experience and I hope it leads to them improving times and becoming a lifelong runner, too.”

Coach Higgason has a very clear goal for this years cross country season. ¨Our goals for the season are to grow stronger as a team, and to improve everyday,¨ says Higgason.

With the new cross country season here, the team is woking hard to stick to their new team motto of “UNITED.” put into place some rules for themselves to follow. The athletes, as a team, chose their core values of discipline, commitment, respect, integrity,¨ says Kaylor.

With the new motto and a set of disciplined rules to follow the team is sure to be in for a good year. The Huskie’s next next race is in Lakeshore on October 2nd.

Sports 17

College sports commits

Six senior Huskies have already commited to pursuing their athetic careers in college

By Malcolm Gaynor Gannon Andrew, Purdue University Northwest Baseball “I have had a dream to play college baseball since I was little and can remember,” said senior baseball player Gannon Andrews. That dream came true with Purdue Northwest. Andrews, who was selected for the second team division 1 all state team last season, is excited about the opportunities that Purdue Northwest offers. “I liked the coaches, facilities and the GLIAC conference has great baseball,” Andrews said. After being a part of the state championship baseball team last season, Andrews will look to continue his baseball success on to the next level. Photo courtesy of Tom Sielatycki.

John-Mark Torrence, Hope College Lacrosse For senior John-Mark Torrence, hard work is what propelled him towards the chance to play lacrosse at Hope College. “I worked my butt off to get really good at the little things and make myself a better all around player,” he said. This hard work extended off the field and into the classroom as well. “I really struggled in school earlier in my high school career, but I really got it together because I know everything is going to be harder at the next level, so I need to push myself as much as possible,” Torrence said. His next step in pushing himself both academcially and athletically will be at Hope College next fall. Photo courtesy of John-Mark Torrence.

Levi Crooks, Western Michigan University Soccer For senior Levi Crooks, a chance to play D1 soccer at Western Michigan University is the first step towards his longtime dream. “Growing up as a little kid my only dream was to play professionally as a soccer player,” he said. “As I got older and more realistic with my goals, I decided I would try to play in college first.” He found the perfect fit for this in WMU. “I felt like there are people there that want what is best for me.” Before moving on to one of the top programs in the country, Crooks is hoping to lead the soccer team to a conference title. Photo courtesy of Brett Paige.

Nolan McCarthy, University of Kentucky Baseball Senior Nolan McCarthy will play college baseball with University of Kentucky. “I set my mind on playing college baseball probably about 6 years ago and the past couple I’ve had to work extra hard to reach that goal,” he said. This hard work has paid off for McCarthy, who will play at a highly competitive level in college. “I chose Kentucky because of the coaching staff and all of the academic opportunities they offer,” he said. In his senior year, McCarthy looks to follow up a state championship season where he was first team division 1 all state. Photo courtesy of Tom Sielatycki.

Taylor Armstrong, Concordia University Lacrosse Senior Taylor Armstrong hasn’t always had college lacrosse in her mind. “I didn’t ever think I could play in college but I never thought it wasn’t possible,” she said. Armstrong will be playing lacrosse at Concordia University. Her favorite memory from PN sports was scoring the game winning goal in triple overtime against Grand Haven. “Every kid will sit in their driveway and shoot baskets and countdown the seconds to have that winning shot, you will never realize how amazing of an experience it is until it happens to you.” she said. Photo courtesy of Taylor Armstrong.

Gracie Poulsen, Western Michigan University Soccer Western Michigan University was the perfect fit for senior Gracie Poulsen to play college soccer.

“It’s really close to home and I’m not a person that can move away,” she said. “I also really liked the team chemistry there.” For Poulson, WMU soccer represents the culmination of a lifelong ambition.

“That’s been my goal pretty much my whole life,” she said. Poulsen, who was on the division 1 all state honorable mention team last season, looks to build on her success in her final season of high school soccer this spring. Photo courtesy of Gracie Poulsen.

18 Sports

Design by Malcolm Gaynor

Portage Northern Light

HUSKIES Portage Northern welcomes coach TJ Tyus

By Carrie Jacobson As a new year starts, so does a new chapter in Huskie history, both academically and athletically. This year, a handful of new staff joined the Portage Northern team, some of which students may have in their own classes.

Along with these new teachers Portage Northern also welcome a new football and Strength & Conditioning coach, Anthony Tyus Jr, who’s already started to make an impact on Huskie athletes.

Coach Tyus has been in the football scene ever since he was six years old, where he “fell in love with [football] from the beginning.” Growing up with football being a large aspect in his life, Coach Tyus went on to play football at J.W. Sexton High School, and then played college football at Central Michigan University. He also later went on to sign a five year contract with the Ottawa Renegades of Canadian Football, as well as playing three years of arena football with Kalamazoo Explosion. He started out coaching football at Lansing Catholic Central High School for four years.

His passion for the game has fueled a winning drive which he strives to inspire in his players with, aiming to show his team that, “it’s one of the best sports that teach about overcoming obstacles, pain, leadership and teamwork.”

When it comes to his main goals

September 2019

this season on the field, Coach Tyus is working for everyone on the team to “become the best player and best coach we can individually be. Control the controllables. We can only control our personal growth as players and coaches, not the scoreboard. If we focus on becoming the best version of ourselves the scoreboard will take care of itself. Maximize our full potential and I’ll be happy.”

As for the players on the team, it seems everyone’s taken to Coach Tyus’ “energy and a starving dog-like attitude,” as he calls it, looking at this season. Gregory Lapetina, a senior and the teams linebacker and fullback, had previously known Coach Tyus before he became part of the team, as well as Anthony Tyus III, Coach Tyus’ son and the teams running back. Looking at this season, much like the rest of the team and Coach Tyus himself, they have high hopes for this season, With Anthony Tyus noting how they’ve been “focusing more on small things.

The lack of focus at practice affected last year win,” with Lapetina adding “This season is going very well so far but we can’t look ahead of ourselves we just have to be where our feet our and take things one step at a time.”

Looking forward, the football team has big ambitions for this season, hoping to go to regionals, having last

Design by Carrie Jacobson

year won districts for the first time in school history, and then to the State Championship. As he strives to push the team further and further, Coach Tyus continues to motivate his players everyday with small achievements equating big results “Of course we want the State Championship and we believe it’s within reach, but small steps first. Small steps, great distances.

The REPS are the steps.”

Photo courtesty of Anthony Tyus III Pictured above are Coach Tyus and Anthoy Tyus III

Sports 19

Rise of the VSCO Girls

By Natalie Grinder

Trends are a big part of social media, and social media is a big part of a lot of teens’ lives. Most trends tend to spread all over, and even people who don’t use social media hear about them. VSCO Girls are are a huge trend that blew up quickly.

The name VSCO comes from a photo-editing app, which has more than 2 million paid subscribers, with 50% of those subscribers under the age of 25.

VSCO was founded in 2011, and was built for photography enthusiasts and offers an array of filters and editing tools. One interesting part about this app that sets it apart from most apps is that is has no likes or comments.

When you put it all together, “VSCO Girls have a very specific style, including handfuls of scrunchies, oversized T-shirts, Hydro Flasks, Starbucks cups, puka shell necklaces, Birkenstocks, and Mario Badescu products”.

The VSCO Girl meme is all over social media. You can find tons of tutorials and parodies on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. When people hear the name VSCO Girl the most popular things to think of are some saying including “and I oop”, “sksksksk” and “save the turtles”.

From left to right, Octavia Simpkins, Autumn Beeke, and Sarah Foley at a Caffe in downtown Kalamazoo. Photo courtesy of Octavia Simpkins.

Photo of Autumn Beeke taking an aesthetic photo with nature. Photo courtesy of Autumn Beeke.

From left to right, Octavia Simpkins, Megan Bowers, and Autumn Beeke taking a mirror picture on the VSCO app. Photo courtesy of Megan Bowers.

When you walk around the halls you see many VSCO Girls, one girl who represents the VSCO style is Octavia Simpkins. “I don’t really think I have a vsco style but I just thought the trend of clothes is cute and it’s what most stores are selling right now” says Simpkins. “I don’t personally consider me a vsco girl but a lot of people have always told me that I fit that style so I’m not completely s u r e ,”s a y s Simpkins.

Another VSCO Girl is Autumn Beeke who does not agree with the meme. “Nothing drew me periodt” says Beeke. “The meme needs to end its an app not a style” says Beeke when asking what she feels about the meme culture surrounding VSCO Girls.

“Sksksk and I oop” says Beeke when I asked her if she considered herself a VSCO Girl.

Although Megan Bowers fits the VSCO style she does not think of herself as a VSCO Girl. “Nothing drew me to the vsco style” says Bowers. “No I don’t consider myself a vsco girl” says Bowers.

20 Entertainment

Illustrations by Snigda Narisetty Design by Natalie Grinder

Portage Northern Light

Lover V.S.

Hollywood’s Bleeding

By Cerena Read The new albums of Post Malone and Taylor Swift were released late this summer. Two different genres, Hollywood’s Bleeding and Lover aren’t very close in comparison to each other but both very popular.

Taylor’s album has eighteen songs, including hit singles ME featuring Brendon Urie and You Need T o Calm Down.

The album is empowering and relatable for young people who are finding themselves and gaining confidence to be who they truly are. It has some great bops that are sure to make you dance.

Altogether, Lover is upbeat and catchy, yet throughout sounds forced and repetitive. As you listen, the album ends up getting somewhat boring as the songs all have the same

September 2019

beat, merging into what seems like one very long song especially mid album.

C omparatively, Post Malone’s album has seventeen songs which includes three popular singles; Sunflower with Swae Lee, Goodbyes featuring Young Thug, and Wow..

Ten different artists are featured on Hollywood’s Bleeding all of which are: DaBaby, Future, Halsey, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott, SZA, and Young Thug.

Every single song on the album is a banger and is sure to make you bop. With each song you can feel and hear the emotion in Post’s voice.

His sound is empowering, versatile, and easy to vibe with.

To say that the albums are equal to each other would be a lie. They are different artists in numerous ways, and both worthwhile to listen to.

Clearly, Hollywood’s Bleeding surpasses Lover in all aspects of comparison.

Design by Cerena Read

Entertainment 21

22 Entertainment

Design by A. J . Chambers

Portage Northern Light

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September 2019

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Portage North Middle School Photo story by Katie Knight and Kellie Miles

“There’s less books, but everything here is moveable,” says principal Travis Thomsen.

Principal Thomsen says band teacher Ms. Holso, “is excited” about the band room.

The cafeteria stands ready to feed hungry students.

Bathrooms shine with school pride.

North gets a splash of color in the art room. All photos by Kellie Miles.