Graphic by V. Labarbera
Graphic By M. Spencer
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Black & Gold Quarterly
November Two Thousand and Twenty FIVE
BGQ Staff
Editor-In-Chief
Bridget Belden
Content Editors
Molly Desmond
Kerrigan Jenkins
Kate Unger
Parker Ziegler
Graphic Editors
Kaleb Labarbera
Mia Spencer
Landon Willet
Staff Writers
Logan Hatton
Jack Jones
Khyleigh Kile
Brooke Kurtzal
Myah McCotter
Saryna McDonald
Lucy McLean
Makayla Mulligan
Cash Riddle
Natsuki Sado
Patton Vaughan
Portlin Wheeler
Ava Williams
Morley Yin Advisor
Susan Roskelley
Send information, advertising, and other inquiries to:
Black & Gold Quarterly
Central High School
1150 Milliken Drive
Traverse City, MI 49686
Phone: (231) 933-6533
Email: roskellesu@tcaps. net
Editor's Note
Holy moley guacamole, it’s finally year number four, and my fourth and final Issue 1. As Content Editor Parker Ziegler would say, “this is high key crazy,” and low key, it’s true. This issue has confronted me with a lot to think about, and while everyone is looking towards the future, I’ve been looking to the past. Specifically, this issue has prompted me to reflect on my first day in the BGQ. I remember being really concerned because I didn’t know anyone in the class, and I entered as a quiet freshman. Over time, though, I would come to meet some of my favorite people and closest friends in the BGQ, like Kristen and Eliana (my co-editor-inchief last year). Now, I mourn the fact that they are gone and have graduated, especially now that I don’t have Eliana’s help and creativity for designing the magazine. This year, as I entered with my oldest BGQ friends having left me, I recalled my freshman self entering the Pub doors, afraid to be left alone. This year, though, I entered the BGQ not fearing my friends’ absence, but welcoming the idea of meeting our new and creative staffers who come from all different clubs and circles of CHS. It is because of this that Issue 1 is themed around connections.
For seniors and freshmen alike, high school is a place where new connections and friendships are formed. More often than not, the unlikely ones are the most powerful of all, and can lead to the strongest friendships anyone will ever make. With a new school year, we highlight all the ways to form connections in school, whether that be starting in a new teaching role (pg. 14), going on exchange (pg. 8), joining the school musical (pg. 12), or joining a sports team (pg. 11).
I hope you enjoy our first issue! It really is “The Beginning of the End” (pg. 7).
From the Pub, Bridget Belden
From the Pub, Bridget Belden
Freshman Fundamentals
Freshman Patton Vaughan ‘29 gives some advice to his fellow first-year students about going to Central
By Patton Vaughan // Staff Writer
Greetings and welcome to Central High School, freshmen! Already, this year is going to be fantastic. But first, we should address some issues, some rather frequent issues, such as getting lost between classes, making new friends, asking people for help, and of course, finding something fun about school.
To begin with, class scheduling can be so frustrating. It’s almost as if the building was made to be confusing. To counteract this, it is best to find a teacher, or trusted adult, for assistance and guidance. Freshman Teacher Autumn Reamer commonly assists confused students on their way to class: “I would stand outside of my classroom door, and people would often come up to me and ask me [where to go], and I’d have to either walk them directly there, or point them the right way,” she shares.
Most students have issues trying to fit in with other students. It’s almost like a big puzzle, and everyone is just one of the many puzzle pieces, with their own traits and things that make them different from the piece right next to them. But making friends, especially in anyone’s freshman year, is imperative; they can help one get to their classes, shed some light on confusion, or even volunteer to do one’s homework (maybe). Henry Yonts ‘28 explains how important it is to gather some buddies during freshman year: “If you’re really scared [to ask for guidance], you can ask the people in your grade. If you’re really
new, just try to make friends and ask them,” he advises. “If you keep asking, I guarantee people will know their way around and be able to fix things.” Plus, who else is anyone really gonna yap about Clash Royale decks to, the bus driver? Make some friends, and it is assured that anyone’s freshman year will go way better than without them! Getting lost in the dust in a corn maze of a school or one’s own schedules can be horrible, but arguably the worst thing anyone could do in their freshman year would be to become one’s own worst enemy. If no one ever has any fun in their freshman year, are they well and truly living? Find something you like and expand upon it! Some freshmen have already found their favorite classes, such as Autumn Terhune ‘29, who shares her favorite class simply from what she did over the summer: “I’d probably have to go with the band because of the time I spent during summer rehearsing [for] marching band and all the people I met.”
Enjoying school is quite the challenge, but what were humans made for if not challenges? Instead of thinking “school is boring” for 8 hours or more a day, think how people go to school to meet up and problem solve with their friends, make bonds with the people around them, and think of school as an opportunity to get a good job, to get a good education, and to get a good life! Find ways to get involved, make new friends, ask questions, and freshman year will be more rewarding. //
Graphics by V. LaBarbera
GraphicbyV.LaBarbera
The Beginning of the End
A year of change, challenge, and celebration at Central
By Lucy McLean // Staff Writer
The beginning of the year is an adjustment for everyone—especially for seniors. “Compared to other years, I feel like I’m a lot more prepared for…what’s coming next,” Daphne White ‘26 shares. Going into her last year at Central, she feels more comfortable and ready, especially with the help of staff that she’s made connections with over the last few years. “I think that all of the teachers here do a really good job of supporting you and getting the resources you need to feel like… you’ve accomplished what they’re asking,” White explains.
When one thinks of senior year, the first thing that comes to mind is…college! It’s always lingering in the back of students’ minds. While Central staff support us all four years, senior year is a major focus. “We try to impart [that] right away on the freshmen,” shares Central counselor Tom Passinault. Change—like college—can be scary. It takes independence and resilience to figure out what to do next. “There’s all kinds of options for these kids, and I think there’s a lot of pressure to think that they have to get it right the first time,” Passinault points out. Gina Houdek, a Central English teacher who works closely with seniors, says, “My goal is to help them navigate what can be a scary year and help them plan for the future and identify their skill sets, their goals and what they want to pursue,” she states. And, most importantly: “[help them] enjoy their senior year and don’t regret that they missed out because they’re anxious about the future.”
Senior year brings excitement too—free
hours, CTC, front row at games, and the respect of underclassmen. “This year, specifically, I was super excited about really bringing the hype,” says White. “I’m excited to go to all the games and have so much fun, enjoy my last year here, savor every last moment, and make the best of it for sure.” After four years, White feels like she has finally earned it.
As a freshman, I lack confidence—and I’m sure I’m not alone. Many students enter high school without many connections. It can be tough to find that sense of belonging. Even when peer relationships were tricky, White found support in her teachers. “[Mr. Gorman] is one of my favorite people inside of this entire building. He’s so awesome,” White gushes. “He wants to know what he can do to make things better by hearing your perspective.” Another favorite of White’s is French teacher Madame Grant: “I think everyone will attest to her being an amazing and wonderful teacher,” White elaborates. “She brings such a community into her classroom.”
For most seniors, this year is not without its challenges and triumphs. “It’s a very emotional year. There is a finality to it,” states Passinault. But for those just starting high school, White advises that “It’s not as hard as you think it’s gonna be... freshman year feels like you’ve got a lot of space to fill... but you also feel like you’ve got a lot of time for that.” She continues: “I’ve met all sorts of people...and I think that it really helped me be able to be in a community.” It’s only four years—so enjoy it. //
Connecting Traverse City to the World
For nearly 50 years, the Rotary Youth Exchange has connected Traverse City students with cultures around the globe, offering teens a chance to study abroad and local families the opportunity to welcome the world into their homes
Since 1975, the Rotary Youth Exchange has welcomed foreign students and provided Traverse City teens the opportunity to experience an academic year abroad. The students stay with a host family to guide them through their time in the country. To prepare, they undergo training and orientation sessions. These teens live abroad for eleven months to attend a foreign school and experience another culture. Throughout their exchange, they will live with two to three different families. Host families provide the incoming students with room and board and accept them into their lives.
One of these families - The Coulters - has been hosting for seven years now. “We have had exchange students since 2016,” shares Laurie Coulter, who works at Traverse City Central as a library media paraprofessional. She loves hosting international students. “It’s really the coolest thing ever. I cannot recommend it more highly,” she adds. “It’s such a life changing experience for the host family, but also the student who gets to come.” Her husband’s experience exchanging in high school inspired her family to open up their home. “My husband did Rotary back in 1997, so he chose to apply his junior year and got accepted into the program and chose to go on exchange for our entire senior year,” she explains. Now, as a host, she has felt the
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ByMollyDesmond, ContentEditorStaffMorleyandYin, Writer
impact of the program firsthand. “It teaches us so much about their home country and their culture and their community and their way of life,” she notes. “We also get to share ours. It’s just really fun, truly a cultural experience and an exchange.” Their generous and welcoming attitude has not only impacted the Rotary community; it has changed the Coulters’ lives for the better, as her daughter Sylvia Coulter ‘27 is currently working to finish her high school credits early so that she can be on exchange with Rotary next fall.
This year, a Japanese student, Natsuki Sado ‘26, is studying at Central. Initially, she was scared: “This area has a large white population. Before coming here, I’d heard that Asians face discrimination,” Sado admits. She had studied English in school but still struggles with the language barrier. Despite this challenge, she explains, “Everyone is very kind. They help me every time.” Some other cultural differences also surprised her. “In Japanese schools, students stay in one classroom while teachers move between classrooms,” she explains.
“In America, I was surprised that students could choose which classes to attend and move around separately.” Japanese schools also use pen and paper, instead of relying on laptops. There are some things Sado wished she knew before coming: “It’s very
cold. I should have been able to speak English better. I should have studied American history and politics beforehand to keep up with the school classes,” she lists. Some aspects of exchange can be tough, but Sado finds the differences in lifestyle habits fun, and she has become close with her host family. “They take me outdoors. I [also] have a host sister. She is 13 years old,” Sado shares.
Across the world, Brody Warren ‘27, an American student from Traverse City West High School, is currently studying in Taiwan. As soon as he arrived, his host family welcomed him. Warren recalls what the program told him before he left: “I kid you not…they were saying school is going to be super strict… It’s not; none of it was true,”
Warren points out. “The only thing they prepared us for was not to take culture personally.” His hosts treated him as if he were their own son, helping him to adjust quickly. Warren appreciates their lenient attitude. “I think my favorite thing is how relaxed [my host family is],” he shares. “Another thing that surprised me is that I felt Asian countries were [really] strict…they are [actually] super chill.” In school, he has not struggled with the work. As an exchange student, he is not required to complete the assignments or tests in class alongside his peers, which is sometimes a good thing, but also has its downsides. “As a foreigner,
I’m exempt from any work. I sit in class and just study Chinese by myself,” he describes. School work isn’t difficult for him, but the social aspect can be challenging. “If you don’t learn the local language, you’re kind of feeling left out. Just like their sense of humor, they make jokes with each other, so you don’t know what they are saying. It’s that kind of thing. You really learn how important it is to learn the language,” he finds. Warren has not experienced a lot of culture shock; however, one thing that surprised him was the food. “There are some things that are really good, and then some things you have no idea what it is,” he mentions. Despite these challenges, Warren recommends the program to other students and thinks it is a great experience overall.
For half a century, the Rotary Youth Exchange program has built bridges between Traverse City and the world. Exchange students like Brody Warren and Natsuki Sado demonstrate how living abroad can impact not only their own lives but also the lives of those around them. It can be tough at times, but challenges are crucial for lasting growth. Families like the Coulters give the program life through their kindness and generosity, while exchange students themselves form connections without borders and gain experiences that will define the rest of their lives. //
Photo Couresty A. Raftery
Homecoming Season
By Brooke Kurtzal // Staff Writer
Every fall, Traverse City Central High School students celebrate their homecoming with a football game and dance. There is a lot to do during the Homecoming season, like the dance itself, the football games, assemblies, and Spirit week. Along with this dance, many students spend time to ask their significant other to Homecoming with a poster or other creative ways. Roderick MacNeil, the advisor for Student Senate, knows a lot about what it’s like setting up Hoco and what goes into it. “There’s been a lot of documentation going into homecoming, and so there are a lot of things that exist in to-do lists or spreadsheets,” he shares.“There’s different checklists that we use to make sure we’re including everything that we need to include, and completing all the different tasks that we need.” The Senate has a lot of logistics to figure out. “There’s different aspects just based on the specific day or activity that’s going on [including] spirit theme day planning…[the] homecoming dance, the assembly..the new community tailgate, and community parade that takes us over to the actual field,” he lists. “There’s a lot of communication with [the] band and the different sports teams that are going on for each year.”
Homecoming is especially fun when you get asked or get to make a hoco poster. I
Samantha&Arlo
asked Arlo Augusta ‘26 and Samantha Dykstra ‘26 about their perspective of it. Dykstra was really impressed with what Augusta decided to do for the proposal. “So Arlo flies planes, that’s his thing that he does. And I like Taylor Swift. And so he made a poster that says ‘it’d leave a blank space in me if we didn’t fly to Homecoming,’” she shares. “And we drove to the airport, and as a plane was taking off, he asked me.” I asked her if she was expecting it and she said, “ I was a little surprised, but I was kind of expecting it a little bit,” Dykstra says. “I was excited to go to homecoming.”
For Augusta, he enjoyed planning and giving a Homecoming poster to Dykstra because it incorporated aspects of both of them and combined those passions. “I thought that I wanted to incorporate both parts of things we both liked. So, I talked to her about flying planes and I knew she liked Taylor Swift, so I figured I’d go with both,” Augusta explains. //
The Titans Fall
By Cash Riddle // Staff Writer
When you think about rivalries in sports, you might think about famous rival-based matches such as Real Madrid vs Barcelona El Clasico, the Michigan vs Ohio State “The Game,” and the Boston Celtics vs The LA Lakers. All of those are amazing examples of rivalries, but if you are from Traverse City, one of the first rivalries that comes to mind is TCW vs TCC. For 28 years, TCW and TCC have been same city rivals and have always had hate for each other. But there is nothing worse than losing to your little brother.
In 2017, the TCC Boys Soccer team lost to West at the district playoffs. This was the beginning of the eight year losing drought. TCC would have to wait until September 18th, 2025 until we got over the drought. Caleb Byland ‘26 has played varsity soccer since his freshman year and has lost to West many times since. After this year’s big win, he says, “It felt like a weight being lifted off my chest.”
How do you keep up morale?
“We like [playing] Clash Royale and music on the bus and singing,” shares Byland. “Dinners [are also fun] cause everybody likes pasta. Just finding those things that we can incorporate into practice and into bus rides and stuff that we can all enjoy and share is how the bonding happens.”
During their second game against West in the 2025 season, TCC would lose a player due to a red card, but they still overcame the one man deficit and won 1-0. The team captain Ethan Rademacher ‘26 played a big part controlling and leading the defense.Rademacher felt like the defense was particularly strong. “ I think our entire back line played an amazing game,” he shares. The clean sheet was secured by the back line, but the single goal that defined the game the moment that shattered the eight-year drought belonged to Collin Rademacher ‘28. //
Just Say It!
Underneath the satirical jokes and ironic bits, Urinetown brings light to the theme of people vs. authority
By Mia Spencer // Graphics Editor
Greg Kotis came up with the idea of Urinetown by visiting Europe and having to pay to use guarded public restrooms. In America, we don’t even think to budget for that; we can walk into places like McDonald’s and Burger King just to use the restroom. We use them freely and without even having to ask, so in most places, when they have locks or require a purchase, we think it’s absurd! Most kids at Central know about the locked bathrooms in the morning; one might hear kids complain or rant about how stupid that is. Now imagine that and having to pay for it, too. The bathroom quality in Europe is not even monumental; in fact, it’s probably the same or worse quality as American public restrooms. This is when Kotis probably wondered: Who would pay to pee?
This experience helped him write Urinetown, a play featuring a fictional society that has experienced a drought for 20 years, where a mega corporation starts charging for bathroom use and banning private us-
age. This creates arguments and rebellion against both the people who can afford it and the mega corporation, who makes a profit from the bathrooms and takes away the right to freely pee. If citizens don’t obey, they’ll be sent away to Urinetown. While this appears very serious and grim, the play makes it very entertaining. “It sounds a little more dark and mysterious than it is,” Urinetown choreographer Minda Nyquist notes. “It actually is quite funny and quite humorous, and it’s poking fun at a lot of different styles of musical theater.”
With a show titled Urinetown, one might wonder if it’s well-liked among students, and it mostly is. Some people were hoping for the other options, but the people who know its ins and outs love it. Nyquist previously performed Urinetown as a small choir concert; she comments on how the audience and students loved it. For this year’s actors, “They’re working so hard. These kids are really committing, and they’ve been singing and dancing for three hours after [an] already long day of school, and they’re really picking it up and having fun with it,” she observes. Brett Nichols, this year’s director of Urinetown, agrees: “It’s hard work, and it’s stressful, but they’re having a blast,
Graphic by M. Spencer
and it’s full of a ton of great music, great choreography, a lot of funny one-liners, and a lot of funny scenes.”
Sophie Bonnadio ‘28, an ensemble member, is excited to be in her first Central musical, even though it’s an unusual one. “I think there are some songs that I just don’t personally like, just because they’re hard to learn. But I think it’s really good because they all just work together,” she comments.
Today’s society is very polarized and divided, which poses the question of whether we should have political themes in plays like Urinetown. Bonnadio counters this: “I think art SHOULD be political, because if you’re not making a statement to incite conversation, then your art really isn’t speaking as much as it could,” she asserts. A lot of people want art to have a meaning, a reason to exist. On the other hand, “Imagine every time you went to a museum or…a show or a concert, you were pounded on the head with political statements. I think people wouldn’t want to go,” Nichols points out. Art can offer an escape from today’s already heated society for people to escape into musicals, shows, and books that may also have political themes. What consequences come from this? Bonnadio thinks that when we do plays or musicals from other cultures and societies, it can receive backlash because of today’s political climate. Nyquist echoes this sentiment: “We have to be really careful about what we do and who we’re pretending to portray because the world is sticky right now,” she remarks. Nichols agrees that today’s society is hard on people; since people are so polarized, it’s difficult to have a constructive conversation with someone of a different viewpoint. “I think that [guided conversations] would be extremely
important in teaching people how to have intelligent conversations,” he continues. “Even if they disagree, being able to walk away from that disagreement and not hate each other [is important].”
Beyond the political themes, getting involved in theatre builds community and confidence for those involved. “It helps with interpersonal skills [and] how to work well with others [and] how to present yourself well in front of others,” Nyquist explains. “[It’s] also kind of a family… just [like] a sports team, we work really hard together.” For the performers, it’s about getting out of one’s comfort zone. “I personally used to be really shy, but [theatre] really got me out there,” Bonnadio reflects, “and I just started feeling more comfortable in my own body…and it was just a great opportunity for me to get to know myself.”
Being on stage isn’t the only way you can help the theater. Some examples are stage managers, props and costumes, lighting and sound, set construction, or set painting. You can also audition for future musicals or plays. But the best way you can support Urinetown is to buy a ticket and watch everyone’s hard work in action as they bring this oddly-named musical to life. //
Graphic by M. Spencer
Return of the Staff
Three
CHS staff members debut in new roles this school year
By Parker Ziegler // Content Editor
Every year at CHS marks another round of new students, and sometimes, staff. Though not all new staff members this year are entirely new to the community. Some “new” members of staff aren’t really new at all, and are actually returning to CHS, just in different roles.
Not only is Jordan Burnham ‘20 one of the newest teachers, she also graduated from CHS. She spent her college years downstate at Grand Valley State University, before moving over to East Kentwood to complete her student teaching. Originally, Burnham wanted to be an engineer, but eventually decided that wasn’t the career path for her. “I decided I really loved the math. It’s something I’m super passionate about, and I thought that it would be really cool to come back and be in the school system to share that passion with students and make those connections and build those relationships,” remarks Burnham. Much to Burnham’s luck, soon after she finished her student teaching, a long term sub position opened up for her at CHS. However, the transition hasn’t been without its challenges. For Burnham, one of the toughest things about coming back to her old high school was the name changes: “I’m still adjusting to calling [my coworkers]
by their first name,” she laughs. “Most of the teachers that…I can look up to as coworkers were people that I looked up to as role models…as a student.”
Burnham wasn’t just a regular student during her time at CHS. She also played volleyball for the Trojans, a passion she now carries on as an assistant coach for the Trojan volleyball team. In fact, Burnham’s experience as a student athlete played a big role in her decision to return. “I felt such a support from the community being a student and being an athlete here, that I wanted to be a part of that again in a different role,” reminisces Burnham. In terms of her transition into being a certified teacher, Burnham gives many thanks to the Central community: “…the community has definitely… been super welcoming and super accepting, so that has made the transition a lot easier. I can breathe a little more,” Burnham finds.
The second returnnee is Casey Christensen, who has had a unique and twisting journey to becoming a CHS teacher. He first arrived a couple years ago as the new Boy’s Tennis Coach. Unfortunately, there weren’t any open teaching positions, so Christensen filled the role of a security guard. For a brief few months, Christensen
patrolled Central’s halls before taking a teaching job at East Middle School. After about two and a half years, Christensen has finally made his way back to Central as the AP World History teacher. For Christensen, the experience of being a high school teacher is a lot more comfortable than being a middle school teacher. “I’m more comfortable with building a rapport with older kids. It’s a more natural fit, whereas middle schoolers are at that younger developmental age, which I think was a challenge for me sometimes,” admits Christensen “High school kids are getting ready to become adults, and so they have skin in the game. “
Christensen isn’t just focused on making his transition into being a CHS teacher; he also has continued coaching tennis. With four sections of AP World History to teach along with tennis tournaments and practices, Christensen has kept himself very busy. And while he admits that the job has many perks, there are some less than favorable cons. “[My least favorite part of the job is] grading. For sure, if there was a way I could get AI to grade all of my stuff, I would figure that out,” he wishes. Even though he still has to grade hundreds of the same assignments, making an impact on student’s lives makes it all worth it for Christensen. “If you can get kids to go from ‘I’m just here because’ to ‘I really enjoyed this about the class…’ that’s something that you can’t really measure,” Christensen shares. “It just makes you feel good.”
Last but not least, Ashley Howe. Many people know Howe as a history or spanish teacher, but she has recently made a career switch into an administrative assistant role. Howe spent a short first year in this role at West Senior High School before making the decision to come back to CHS. Howe
spends the first hour or so of her day in the main office taking calls and helping students and parents. Later in the day, she moves to Student Services, assisting with a wide range of tasks such as 504 plan coordination, college board testing accommodations, IEP paperwork, and school events like fall awards. Although she doesn’t spend time in the classroom, Howe still sees the impact of her work. “I think still being able to help [students] reach their full potential through these different services…[and] get to where they need to go by processing a lot in the background [is] still really nice,” she notes.
The differences between being a teacher and being an administrative assistant has been shocking at times to Howe. “It’s very different. [With] teaching, you’re in front of students all day long, and you’re constantly working with them. And in here, it’s really quiet. It’s just me on my own working more with the parents and the teachers in the background,” remarks Howe. For teachers, there’s so much they have to do outside of the classroom and the school week. There’s tests, quizzes, and assignments to grade, as well as just overall planning to do. It’s much the same for school admin. Even though they’re not grading tests, schools couldn’t be run without the help of non-teacher staff. “[For me], I was completely naive of how much goes on in a school. When you’re in a classroom, you’re just focusing on ‘okay, cool, U.S. History.’ Like we’re going to learn about WWII today, but you don’t realize how much other people are also doing things,” admits Howe. Despite missing some of the student interactions, and occasionally feeling isolated in the Student Services, Howe doesn’t regret the switch and is glad she made her way back into the CHS community. //
Get Out OF MY WAY!
Overcrowding at TCC is at an all-time high. Perhaps it’s time to use traffic flow management in halls and add more buses to reduce student stress.
By Jack Jones // Staff Writer
During the course of the school year so far, TCC classes and buses have been packed, sometimes exceeding capacity. Teachers have been overwhelmed and students haven’t always been able to get the full attention needed to successfully learn and perform at their best, including this year’s new packed freshman class, with a total 345 students. The halls have been more busy than usual, with students frequently stopping in the middle of the hallways and not paying attention, making it harder to get to class on time.
Carter Schlegel ‘28 and English teacher Missi Yeomans have both acknowledged the same idea: halls, buses, and classrooms are crowded to the point where we need a new plan to have smaller classes, less crowded hallways and buses, and get students to classes on time so they can be more successful. Wanting them to feel good about coming to school and not be stressed about the over population of students is key.
This year, Yeomans has taken on an overload, where she teaches for six hours a day, rather than five. “You have to plan everything because of the 185 students I see every day, but there’s not too much
time to plan or grade because of the hours I do,” she shares. This simply shows a major reason, coming from a teacher, that even for teachers, it can be stressful having lots of students. With 185 students five days a week, it can be a hustle to get all the grading done, and not leave so much room for self relaxation. Yeomans tries to stay ahead of the game, though: “You have to change your plans up because of your changing assignments. The best thing I’ve done for myself is stagger. For two hours, I prep for one class and [then] three hours for another, and make sure I don’t have 185 things to grade,” she comments. “You just have to be much more organized.”
Not only are classes bigger and teaching schedules more packed, the hallways are at their worst. Schlegel finds that “Not as many people [are] just sitting in the hallways, and [are now] just talking to friends and being late to class because they’re just talking.” This shows how a student such as Schlegel is bothered by the other students taking up space, walking slowly, and talking instead of trying to get to class on time.
One solution would be to divide the hallways, with one side for people going a certain way and vice versa, like how the
flow of traffic works with cars. The left and right sides of the hallways both go different ways to keep the flow of students in a good pace to keep moving and get to their class. Many people get highly annoyed and show strong emotions such as anger when they can’t get by in the hallways. As a result, they suffer from tardies, and it’s not completely their fault for being late due to the congested hallways.
Like the hallways, the buses too are busier than ever. Lots of students complain about how they even have to ride it to and from school in the first place. It honestly seems to cause a lot of strong emotions, such as anger, annoyance, and disappointment. Artin Taymour ‘29, implies a few difficulties on the topic of packed buses. “Maybe I’m a little angry, because if one of my friends isn’t here, then every seat has [about] three people, and there’s nowhere to sit,” he comments. “It’s very tight to get into seats.” Even coming from a freshman that is new to our school, it’s frustrating with the overwhelming amount of students at Central with the buses alone. Students often ask for rides from friends to avoid the crowded buses, showing how poorly people think of riding the bus. Students should feel more comfortable and happy about the thought of going to school on a bus, rather than dread it. School can already be draining enough with waking up early, hard classes, and figuring out transportation.
Students should feel safe and comfortable with transportation, even if they take the bus or not. Students at Central shouldn’t have to even think about dreading transportation, because the buses are just simply too packed, and that’s not fair to the students that already have a lot on their plate.
People don’t really talk about how all of this overcrowding actually affects students’ motivation and mood. When the hallways and classes are packed and the buses are crammed, it just makes school feel way more stressful than it already is. It’s hard to stay focused or even want to be there when one starts the day already frustrated from trying to get to class on time or find a seat on the bus. Teachers also have a tough time since they can’t always give enough attention to every student when
classes are that full. It makes the day feel rushed for everyone. The school could fix this by having more buses, changing the bell schedule a little, or having staff help move people through the halls faster. Even simple things like reminding students to keep moving instead of stopping in the middle could help a lot. All of this might sound small, but it would make school feel a lot calmer and more organized. At the end of the day, students just want to feel comfortable and not have to stress about getting through the halls or just getting to class on time. //
Photo Courtesy M. Desmond and M. Yin
More than Meets the Eyes
The struggles with mental health are real at Central, but students and staff are finding ways to cope
By Myah McCotter and Saryna McDonald // Staff Writers
Mental health difficulties have been on the rise over the last several years, and there’s often been a stigma attached to talking about one’s mental health problems. Marcy Terrell, one of Central’s school counselors, finds that “people are more comfortable talking about it now. There’s still a stigma to it, but I do think that it’s on the rise because people…were hiding it,” she explains. “And now there’s just better ways to [get help],” mainly from more people being open to it. Especially for the younger generation, such as teenagers and young adults, people ages 13 to 25 have had the most impact on mental health over the past few years. Social media has also been a big part of mental health issues from insecurities, false information, and low self-esteem, causing them to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed. Following that, COVID-19 came, along with the lockdown, leaving everyone stuck at home with little to no social encounters. In today’s generation, people don’t normalize
mental health struggles as much as it is needed. Although some people don’t like to share or let others know they are struggling, making it harder on themselves and the people wanting to help around them. Besides the pandemic and rise of social media influence, Terrell finds many of the students she sees have issues outside of the school day. “I see more home problems. A lot of times [students] don’t have support at home or lack of transportation, or little to no consistency at home,” she clarifies. Not having a quiet place to study, a parent or guardian who doesn’t care about their child’s education, or pushing their child too hard can be stressful. There is just a lot of stress that comes along with school, home, work, and future and past thoughts. Although, school can be a safe space for many students, even though it can be stressful. Terrell acknowledges that “[school] is a safe space to come. [School] helps because [students] have consistency and routine, safe adults, [and] food. If you’re being abused or neglected at home, you come to school.”
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
However, there is definitely a mix of pressures, from grades, friendships, relationships, communication, and other stressors that can cause mental health issues. “[Students have] a lot of drama. I think that the biggest thing that I see is that drama piece. [Most isn’t even] school related,” Terrell expresses.
Even students feel that school has been stressful. Although, for some freshmen, this year seems to be better than middle school, but with a bigger load of homework and more pressure. Chrissy Schwarz ’29 mentions that “[My] mental health is better this year than [in my] past middle school years. In middle school, there wasn’t a great education. But this year, the education is a lot better, and I also feel a little more free with what I’m doing.” Additionally, school is very overwhelming and tends to make students feel exhausted by the end of the day. When one is in a bad mental state, it can change the way one thinks and causes tension on relationships and friendships. “I think mental health is something people don’t acknowledge enough, and people need to start paying attention to more,” Schwarz emphasizes. “I think it’s very important.”
There are many ways to manage and help with stress, anxiety, and maintaining positive mental health. One big help for many students is seeing a counselor. “[I] provide a safe space for people to talk about whatever’s on their mind, making
sure there’s no judgement, and it’s confidential,” Terrell assures. Seniors - arguably the busiest and most stressed students at Central - also have to find ways to improve their mental health and stress. McKenna Wilcox ’26 has found that therapy, as well as other methods, help her the most. “I go to therapy, so normally if I’m having a really stressful or bad week, I schedule or ask for an appointment,” she shares. If talking to someone isn’t your thing, Wilcox also mentions a few ways she relieves stress without chatting with someone. “I go home and I immediately do all my work, and then I can kind of take the rest of the day to myself. I usually go to the gym, which has helped a lot. I go home, shower, eat my food and just wind [down],” she lists.
Sometimes people regret not talking to someone sooner or getting the help they need right away. But when one is struggling, it’s hard to find the courage to get there. “I should have been seeing someone way sooner. I was very quiet about it for a long time, and now I don’t care about telling anyone. I think it would have allowed a lot more people to understand me better,” Wilcox admits. “And I think I built more meaningful connections and I [have] been more transparent about it.” //
GraphicbyV.LaBarbera
Crossword
By Parker Ziegler // Content Editor
Across
4. Central’s cross town rival
6. A school dance that happens in the fall
8. TC’s current mayor
9. A popular social media platform in the mid-2000s
10. ___ is often a strongly dividing topic
11. An exciting TC summer event
14. Prejudice in favor of one view rather than another
15. The most popular pastry at
Merlyn’s Patisserie
16. ___ Tour, a rock music festival that has been touring since 1995
17. Central’s newest administrative assistant
18. An exchange program for students Down
1. ____ change is a result of Earth’s global warming
2. The generation that many Gen Z share a music taste with
3. A type of rock music
4. Season characterized by frigid temperatures
5. The author of Urinetown
7. The last year of high school
9. A state surrounded by 4/5 of the Great Lakes
12. The metal music band that came from the dark ages of rock and roll
13. The first year of high school
Courtesy Zach Harding
Courtesy Ian Anderson
Courtesy Ani Free
Courtesy Quinn Gerber
Courtesy Sadie Hodges
Courtesy Elias Russel
Courtesy Bridget Belden
Coming Together for Compassion
By Khyleigh Kile // Staff Writer
From volunteering to advocating for affordable housing, our community has the power to make a difference.
When people picture those without homes, they often imagine the same story: someone who made poor choices and doesn’t want to work. However, in Traverse City, the reality is much more complicated. Many who end up unhoused are working, yet still unable to afford rent in a region where housing costs rise far faster than wages.
Safe Harbor, Traverse City’s only emergency shel ter, offers just 74 beds and is nearly always full. Facility manager Brad Gerlach has witnessed many changes over the years in who seeks help. “Our population at the shelter…is getting [both] more younger…in the 18 to 25 group, and more older,” he says. “We’re seeing people in their 60’s and 70’s homeless for the first time. They’re both, in their own ways, very tragic.”
struggles, addiction, or health problems. These challenges compound quickly, and a single crisis can push someone into instability. Understanding that homelessness is often caused by systems, not choices, helps the community focus on compassion rather than judgement.
Ryan Hannon, a longtime outreach coordinator who has spent more than two decades working with individuals facing housing insecurity, says affordability remains at the heart of the issue. “The cause of homelessness in our community is the same cause of homelessness in every community…it’s the lack of affordable housing,” Hannon explains. Traverse City’s limited rental options leave many working residents competing for the same few affordable units.
Beyond rising costs, trauma often plays a major role in why someone loses their housing. It can stem from childhood experiences, sudden job loss, mental health
Despite these challenges, Traverse City’s compassion shines through community involvement. Safe Harbor alone relies on more than 2,300 volunteers each year to
Graphic by M. Spencer
prepare meals, assist with check-ins, and maintain a clean, safe environment. Local churches and nonprofits also step in. Central United Methodist Church provides free meals, clothing, and showers several days a week, while other groups focus on outreach and recovery services. These everyday acts of kindness make a huge difference - sometimes offering someone the first sense of stability they’ve had in a long time.
But for lasting change, short-term support must be paired with long-term solutions. Mayor Amy Shamroe believes that local action paired with advocacy at higher levels of government is crucial. “One of the major things people can do is advocate at the state and federal level…because that is where a lot of the funding comes from,” she explains. Shamroe also emphasizes that the city can help by supporting creative tax relief programs and partnerships that make building and maintaining affordable housing more feasible.
Still, change doesn’t just happen overnight. Shelters like Safe Harbor remain vital for immediate support, but they cannot solve the problem alone. Gerlach believes that the solution starts with one simple truth: housing itself. “The only known ‘cure’ for homelessness is housing,” he expresses. “And most people, when provided housing, will do just fine.” His words reflect a growing understanding across the country that ending homelessness isn’t just about emergency beds - it’s about long-term stability.
For students, families, and neighbors in our city, helping can take many different forms. Volunteering at Safe Harbor or local food pantries is one option. Donating essential supplies - like socks, toiletries, or blankets - is another. Community members can also make an impact by challenging harmful stereotypes, showing respect, and supporting policies and leaders that make housing affordable. Even small actions, like spreading awareness or writing letters to local or federal leaders, helps keep the issue visible and bring attention to it.
Prevention, at its core, is about compassion in action. It means recognizing that losing housing can happen to anyone, and that rebuilding takes support from everyone. Every volunteer hour, donation, and act of kindness brings our city and the world closer to meaningful progress. Homelessness may feel like a problem too large for us to solve, but Traverse City’s shelters, churches, and residents continue to prove that progress is possible when compassion and collaboration come together. As Hannon reminds us, “Helping someone find housing isn’t just about giving them a roof - it’s about giving them hope.”
When a community volunteers, listens, and advocates for change, hope turns into action, and that action turns into prevention. In Traverse City, that hope continues to grow, one helping hand at a time. //
The Heart of Pure Michigan
The self proclaimed “Cherry Capital of the World” is experiencing an exponential tourism growth.
By Kerrigan Jenkins, Content Editor and Natsuki Sado, Staff Writer
Traverse City is more than a picturesque town; it is the economic powerhouse of Northern Michigan. Locals have seen more and more people come around during the warm months; however, they are present in every season, whether for a getaway during spring break, looking at the stunning leaves in fall, or hitting the slopes at Christmas time. TC offers nearly every amenity one could ask for.
To understand this phenomenon, one must consider the human element of the industry. Tracy Jenkins, Visitor Information Specialist, and Charlotte Inda, the Assistant Marketing Manager, work for Traverse City Tourism, the area’s official visitor hub. Both share a love for the community but approach the industry from two different perspectives— front-line service and digital promotion. Jenkins’ position places her at the heart and face of the guest experience. She consistently goes above and beyond for visitors, and admits, “I usually interview them a little bit.” This commitment to providing a personal experience and agenda is the image of TC’s reputation. Jenkins recalls a small, but meaningful, memory with a visitor; calling a local shop to confirm they stocked sunscreen, an action that highlighted “it’s those little things that matter.” Interactions like this happen often for Jenkins; one that really stuck with her was with Kyle, a visitor who returned to the
center to thank Jenkins after she helped him choose a proposal spot, illustrating how the industry connects people at pivotal life moments.
When looking to the future, Jenkins predicts “we will get more and more people coming from Southern states,” where it’s becoming too hot to enjoy the summers. She also believes agritourism is gonna be a bigger focus because “not many places have as much diversity and agriculture as we do.”
TC was once known as a quiet resort town where visitors came to enjoy wine and nature. In recent years, this small town has rapidly gained attention. Behind this growing popularity lies a new form of tourism centered around social media. As a local marketing professional, Inda points out that the growth of TikTok and Instagram has fundamentally changed the decisionmaking process of tourists. “They want to picture themselves there, ” she explains. In the past, choices of travel destinations were often influenced by brochures, word of mouth, and television advertising. Today, however, the “real experiences” shared by others on social media have become the most powerful form of advertising. Short form videos on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube vividly convey the atmosphere of the town’s scenery, directly appealing to viewers’ emotions. This kind of visual storytelling
Graphic By M. Spencer
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
has become the driving engine of modern tourism marketing. “If we have influencers here, they’re posting about their trip, and the comments are saying, ‘I need to plan a trip there’,” Inda notes.
Unlike traditional advertisements that simply deliver a message in one direction, social media generates two-way empathy. Followers learn about the town’s attractions through influencers, gaining a sense of trust as if a friend had recommended the destination. Traverse City Tourism has embraced this trend, promoting collaborations with local businesses and creating content. As a result, the number of visitors has increased, generating a positive ripple effect throughout the local economy.
Heavily depending on social media does carry certain risks. It is easily influenced by trends and may fade as quickly as it rises. Nevertheless, those involved in the local tourism industry remain optimistic.
“We have a community that is thriving and always growing. We have wonderful businesses that continue to appeal to tourism and find ways to get people here, ” Inda reflects. TC’s appeal lies not only in its beautiful nature and fine cuisine, but also in its willingness to embrace digital-era tourism and treat communication as a form of cultural expression. Rather than viewing tourists as mere consumers, the community welcomes them as co-creators of its story.
While tourism professionals universally support and encourage growth, the true cost of that expansion is felt by the local community. The conflict between economic necessity and quality of life is the primary tension of the debate surrounding tourism with locals. Anelise Free ‘25, who moved from Ohio last year, notes that while for her
personally the traffic is manageable going to cross country practice, but the trip home is often “bumper to bumper,” specifically caused by the constant construction. Free summarizes the popular local annoyance: “[It] takes 40 minutes to get three miles down the road.”
Despite the frustration, Free is ultimately in favor of expansion: “It’d be good for the economy, and it’s a cool place for [more] people to discover,” she states. Nonetheless, she shows empathy for long-time locals, understanding why they may get annoyed during Cherry Fest, admitting they essentially “lose their town.” Free believes the town’s uniqueness lies in its “closed community” and its location on Lake Michigan. Sharing her desire to preserve this character, Free states that she is a “big supporter of not having chain places in a small town,” believing “[this] adds to the uniqueness of the small town.”
While TC’s natural beauty and welcoming atmosphere have always drawn visitors, the rise of internet popularity has transformed it into a lively and well-known destination. Yet, at the heart of this transformation is not technology, but people. Tourism will continue to evolve in the years ahead, but its heart will always remain the same — a desire to make others fall in love with this place. The charm of TC lies not only in its beauty but also in the warmth and pride of the people who call it home. That is why this town will continue to capture the hearts of visitors for generations to come. //
Starting as a passion project at the farmers market, Merlyn's Patisserie now draws locals for it's authentic pastries and magical touch
Sweet Success At the Farmer's Market
By Kate Unger, Content Editor, and Ava Williams, Staff Writer
In the heart of Traverse City, local businesses are finding new ways to thrive through community-centered spaces. Located downtown, the Sara Hardy Farmers Market is a local favorite for fresh produce and artisanal goods. Every weekend, locals and tourists alike gather to explore the market’s colorful stands, creating a space where community and creativity thrive side by side. Just steps away, Merlyn’s Patisserie offers a sweet complement to the market offerings. The Farmer’s Market is a thoughtfully designed space that supports and uplifts small businesses, and Merlyn’s Patisserie is one of many that have flourished because of it.
Merlyn’s Patisserie is a bakery that started as a small passion project built on a love for baking; their goal was to introduce authentic Asian pastries to Traverse City. Owner Jun Dupra had help from his sister Anna Kucharski, and some help from his mom, in making his business thrive. Dupra explained how the Farmer’s Market, “...was a great platform for us without taking the risk of having a store.” There are very little to no opportunities for small businesses to get a fair start at vending, and it can be incredibly challenging without some form of support. Having a supportive
platform, such as the Farmer’s Market, can help boost small businesses from struggling to becoming successful.
The bakery is known for their carefully crafted pastries that bring a taste of other cultures to Traverse City. They make every thing from bread to cake, focusing on au thentic flavors. However, their most popu lar and well known pastry is a croissant; most customers come just for that. Many of their pastries feature traditional Asian fla vors, which offers something both authentic and new to Traverse City’s food scene. People who enjoy trying something new would appreciate the chance to taste pastries from Merlyn’s that they might not find anywhere else in the area.
But beyond its pastries, Merlyn’s has become something deeper; it is a symbol of how the Farmer’s Market connects people. It isn’t just a great place to grab a treat, and it’s become part of the local community. At the Farmer’s Market, Dupra reveals how “there's so [many] resources needed to be able to start a business, so having a farmer’s market creates a platform to launch our business and not just ours, but other people's businesses, too.” He’s very grateful for the community to provide such a
Graphic by M. Spencer
welcoming place for Northern Michigan small business owners. By participating in the Farmer’s Market, Dupra and his family have built connections with customers and other vendors alike. Many locals say they enjoy supporting a business that feels personal and connected to the area. “A good thing about it is when you are usually at a restaurant…you don't get to see the cooks in the back,” he explains, “but at the Farmer’s Market, you get to actually see who is making the goods.” He believes it’s much more of a community rather than a business as “You get to see the creator, and you get to communicate with people that like our products, which is amazing.” Regulars often stop by just to chat or see what pastries Merlyn’s has to offer that week, turning a simple Saturday visit into a meaningful tradition for many families.
Since starting at the Farmer’s Market, Merlyn’s Patisserie has grown steadily. Even without a permanent location, the business has found ways to reach more customers through special orders and community events. “Being in the farmer’s market gave us an opportunity to fulfill our goal,” Dupra expresses. Now, the business continues to grow alongside the Farmer’s Market that helped it begin. Together, they reflect the heart of Traverse City; local people support each other, share good food, and create a special place for the community. //
Merlyn's Biko (Filipino Sweet Rice Cake)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of uncooked glutinous rice
- 2 1/2 cups of water
- 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Recipe:
1. Rinse the glutinous rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Using a large sieve, drain the water from the rice and place the rice back in the bowl. Add enough fresh water to completely cover the rice and cover the bowl.
2. Let the rice sit for 1 hour at room temperature. After the rice is done soaking, drain the rice using a large sieve. Set aside.
3. Combine the water, coconut milk, brown sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the mixture comes to a boil, 11 to 12 minutes. Once it starts boiling, immediately stir in the rice.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and the rice has absorbed the liquid, 30-45 minutes or until rice is soft.
5. Transfer to the desired dish.
6. Let the biko cool before cutting.
7. Top with latik and serve.
Latik (Coconut curd) the Biko Topping:
1. Pour the coconut cream into a
saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent the cream from boiling over.
3. Continue to cook as the oil and solids start to separate, stirring frequently to make sure nothing is burning at the bottom of the pan. Keep looking until the curds are a golden-brown color.
4. Strain the coconut oil from the saucepan using a large sieve.
5. Sprinkle on top of Biko.
Graphics by M. Spencer
GraphicbyM.Spencer
Photo Courtesy Merlyn's Patisserie
The Spirit of the Film Fest
Great Movies continuing the cinematic tradition.
By Portlin Wheeler and Makayla Mulligan // Staff Writers
Traverse City has had many exciting summer events over the years, one of them being the Traverse City Film Festival. If anyone have lived here long enough, you might remember the Film Fest, and you might have even gone once or twice. Traverse City Film Fest, or TCFF, was an annual event where people would gather in the open space and other area venues to enjoy films both old and new. The film fest tradition was started in 2005 and was created with the idea of bringing everyone together.
“The selling point was the hope that you wouldn't have to watch the movies alone at home. You could come down and watch them together,” Doug Stanton, one of TCFF’s co-founders, states. TCFF has had many co-founders, including Oscarwinning director and filmmaker Michael Moore. Which is one reason it was so important; it was an event created for the community by the community: “A community inspiration,” Stanton calls it.
food, and spend time with those around them while enjoying a good movie. “I went to all of the film festival years when it first started. My family would take the week off from work, and we would bring the kids, and we would buy tickets for a bunch of the movies,” Angie Forton, executive director of TCFF, says. “We made that part of our summer vacation every year.”
Another great thing about the TCFF is that it not only brought the community together, but the event also brought in tourists and showed them how great the Traverse City community is. The Festival was a unique way to show tourists what living in Traverse City is like and make them feel like they were a part of it.
TCFF was loved by many people. It was something for the Traverse City residents to look forward to every summer. It was a great way for people to relax, eat some
The festival wouldn’t have been the same without all the volunteers that helped bring the whole community together; they had to do stuff including selling tickets, setting up venues, making popcorn, and organizing lines, but after all their hard work, they would hang out together and create new friendships and memories. “It was just wonderful to see all these people that have been volunteering for years all gathered,”
Graphic by M. Spencer
Forton reflects.
The Film Festival was not only important to the people who attended, but it was also important to nearby downtown businesses. Little Fleet owner Allison Jonas tells us that “The festival was always a great boost to sales. We would plan many events around the festival to get people to come in for a drink or bite before or after the movies.” It brought many new and exciting people to local businesses.
The festival was enjoyed for many years, but unfortunately, in 2023, it was shut down. The festival had been going strong for 18 years but eventually had to close due to financial issues. Forton explains how because so many people wanted to come to Traverse City for the festival, everything from renting a hotel room to going out to eat became very expensive. They ended up deciding that it wasn't worth it for both filmgoers and the board members. “[The festival] was a week long, and it involved lots of venues, it involved a huge amount of volunteers, and it takes a lot of money, it takes a lot of time, [and] a lot of planning to pull off something that big,” Forton elaborates, “and the board looked at it and said, ‘Is this the best place to put our money? Is this the best place to put our time?’”
When people heard about the festival closing, they felt sad that a tradition was leaving Traverse City. Jonas says “We were super bummed. It was one of our favorite summer events in Traverse City. The energy and creativity it brought to our town was wonderful.” It was a time to relax and just make memories. Moore was the one to announce the decision to close, but his focus was not just to close the festival, but to create something new in the future and
to make it a weekly event at the historical Traverse City State Theatre. The new event is called TCFF Tuesdays. The board of directors still wanted to bring families together and shift the focus on restoring the historical site. Stanton says “The idea was to bring people together in Traverse City, which is my home town.”
GraphicbyV.LaBarbera
Even though the week-long summertime Film Festival is closed down, the weekly Film Fest is keeping the memory and the community bond alive .“The board was saying we need to return to films, movies and local community versus this great big huge thing that it has become,” Forton explains. “The state theater is very important to me. Now that I work here, I can see how important it is to the community.” But even after the original festival was shut down, Forton continued working with the State Theater to create the weekly program. The TCFF Tuesday movies are still being chosen by Film Fest's former owner Michael Moore, just like the week-long events.
The original film festival was an important and unforgettable part of Traverse City history that will be remembered by many. It was a time during the summer when the community could come together and enjoy the delicious food and good movies and just forget about all of their worries. But it's important to remember that it's not gone: it's just rebuilt. //
The Treble with Time
Three
central staff members share their thoughts on the evolution of music over time
By Landon Willett // Graphics Editor
We often perceive retro music as outdated and a product of its time, but has it really changed that much? In reality, old music actually dominates the current music market. One of the main reasons for this may be nostalgia and the belief that old music is of higher quality than newer music or because it's like a connection to the past for people to relive or discover for the first time. While music back then has its merits, it's important to recognize that present day music is an evolving art form and continues to produce more innovative new sounds that are enjoyed by millions. Modern music today starts its story with the introduction of rock and roll.
Rock and Roll has cemented itself as a key part in the music industry. It originates after the Great Depression in 1939, when musicians began to experiment with different types of instruments. Ben Lantz, a classic rock enthusiast and CHS history teacher, explains that “coming out of the great depression, you get what we start to recognize as modern rock and roll. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and The Beatles. So it's at this time that you actually start to see those sounds that came out of ragtime and jazz at the turn of the century go from coming out of brass instruments [and] converting
into string instruments, like guitars.” This genre of music became popular with the youth at the time thanks to new technology like radios and television. Lantz adds, “these bands [started] to leverage television, because they already had radio. And because television is a new technology, it's very appealing to young people.”
In the 60’s, we start to see a change in the genre with counter culture and hippies wanting “music that speaks to what they think about,” Lantz remarks. “You start getting music like Earth, Wind and Fire and Jefferson Airplane and Buffalo Springfield. Music becomes an act of protest.” Further down the line, rock and roll transitions to what people describe as the darkest time in its history. At the time, more pop sounding music was taking over the music scene and almost overshadowing all other forms of rock and roll. However, from the dark ages came metal music from bands like Metallica and Slayer that built off what was already established from bands like Black Sabbath. The final decade before the turn of the next millennium the 90’s introduced a new sub genre of rock called “grunge,” which is a rebellion against the popularity of pop music at the time. This subgenre of music in a way got carried into the 2000’s,
starting a new wave of music.
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, a new wave of music called “emo,” or alternative rock music, started taking over the music industry. During this time, the internet was still somewhat new and helped this genre of music become mainstream. CHS math teacher Collin Hall is particularly passionate about emo music, which was a frequent staple of MTV and Myspace. “MTV…would play music videos, but then Myspace was the social media in the mid 2000’s, and you would add songs to your profile that would play when people visited your page,” Hall reminisces. “There was this whole spread of Myspace fans. And so that was a huge way that people got recognized on social media.” Many teens back then were drawn to this music because it spoke to what mattered to them at the time. “Essentially what it was [is] anxiety, angstiness of growing up, of relationships,” he lists. “That's what I think [was] big with high schoolers and anybody going through that angsty period in life.” Some of the most well known bands of this era include Fallout Boy, Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore. Many of these artists would go on Warped Tour, a rock music festival that has been touring since 1995. This festival was one of the biggest congregations of fans of the alternative rock music genre and allowed people to connect with one another. “You would spend all day out in the scorching hot summer heat and you would just go from stage to stage listening to the bands that you wanted to and you would discover new music,” Hall reminisces. Nowadays, this genre of music has
slowed down but still thrives with bands like The Wonder Years and State Champs, which are still making music today.
In the present day, music has not changed much. We still see concerts and new waves of bands and genres, but one thing is different: lots of Millennials and Gen Z share a common music taste. English teacher Katie Polus is an unapologetic Swiftie. “The one thing I like about Taylor Swift is that she follows the millennial generation, but I've [connected to other] generations because of her music,” she shares. “My students or my nieces are really young, and they still like her, and I like her [because she] can reach out to people of lots of different ages.” With the rise of streaming platforms and social media, music becomes more accessible and allows niche artists to have a larger audience. “TikTok and social media is shaping which songs are popular is so interesting. So it's like if you can make a splash, like if you can make a name for yourself, like your voice can define the generation,” Polus claims. One question some people ask is if modern music will be considered classic music in the far future.
“I don't know if [modern music is] as long lasting, because I've seen pop artists come and go, and yet I still like to listen to David Bowie [or] The Rolling Stones or The Beatles. I don't know if someone is gonna have that much of an impact.” Polus adds.
Whether people prefer old or new music, It should be recognized that old and new music are important parts of musical history and each has something unique to add to the table. //
Checks & Biases
Exploring how social media affects political bias among students
By Kaleb LaBarbera // Graphics Editor
Division has run rampant in a nation once called indivisible. Many media and news sources are biased. Bias is prejudice in favor of one view in favor rather than another. Media and news sources can be biased by taking a side of one viewpoint and often use misinformation in order to support their own views. Bias is prevalent in most news sources, but it is particularly prominent across social media. Currently, most students take in their political news, facts, and ideas from social media. These platforms feed their users through algorithms that then push them further and further away from unity, leading to mass national division.
The division caused by social media significantly impacts today's youth. Central student Abby Houghton ‘26 gets much of her political information and news from social media. Houghton explains that she thinks “media consumption does greatly impact political views and political influence. I think that especially social media allows people to get trapped in echo chambers.” Social media can cause our own beliefs to be thrown back at us and cause us to only hear ideas that we agree with.
Algorithms see what our values and ideas are and feed us content that we mostly agree with. Along with algorithms, social media users have the ability to mute others they disagree with or sources that cause them internal tensions. Bias often causes many to join online groups consisting of others they agree with, where they spread ideas in echo chambers. AP Gov teacher Paige Paul has seen this happen to many of her students: “Social media is controlled by those algorithms that tend to give you more of what you consume,” she shares. Paul’s students are greatly affected by media bias. This has caused a great amount of change.
Since social media has become more important in the lives of young people, politics has become a more common topic of discussion for students. Paul explains that this was less common when she was a student: “I honestly don't remember a ton of political discussion when I was in high school,” she recalls. However, the proliferation of political opinion on social media has led to mass political division among students. “I think social media has definitely polarized my political beliefs for sure,” Houghton admits. “I think that seeing people in different circumstances and just getting more information that I would have been exposed to otherwise makes
me feel more strongly. In some ways, it's positive. It encourages me to connect with communities that I might not otherwise know about…but that also in turn makes me feel really strongly about things that I'm not connected to, and feeling really strong about something that you don't know a lot about can also be dangerous.”
Social media has caused many to divide among each other. Politics is often a strongly dividing topic that causes a lot of hate, and the combination of social media and politics can be challenging. TCC teacher librarian Larissa VanderZee argues that any political issue currently creates more of a schism than it does a point of unification, particularly when it comes to a common online practice: confirmation bias. “We [tend to] read and seek out information that's going to confirm what we already think, as opposed to looking at it through a questioning lens of saying, ‘Oh, well, I think that horror books are too harsh for anybody to read. They're way beyond the limits of imagination,” VanderZee comments. “And then I might be able to find people who agree with me. And then I use those sources to bolster my own belief instead of then saying, ‘Well, but maybe I should check the other side, see what they say. Maybe Stephen King is not that bad.’”
This, however, does not need to be the result of social media. Online connectedness can let others see that people different from themselves are still deserving of respect. Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, TikTok, and many more social media platforms have places for people to come together and discuss different viewpoints, ideologies, and beliefs. Online communities can be used as echo chambers; however, many exist to aid in discussion between believ-
ers of different ideologies, allowing many to bridge the gap of hate. If we are to use social media as a tool of unity, a better world can be made. Students today often see opposition as evil. Many only want to politely talk to those with similar values. “I think we need to have compromise. I don't think it's a betrayal of one's values. Sometimes it means you learned…new information, [and] it means you're able to change and adapt and grow in your beliefs and evolve,” Houghton shares. While people don’t necessarily need to become friends with those from opposition parties, it is good to talk to others online or in person in a polite manner when they disagree with you.
No matter how extreme or centrist one is, they can talk to and understand those with opposing values; while a Stalinist and an anarchist capitalist have many things they disagree on, they can still talk to each other without being aggressive. We don't need to agree with someone in order to respect them. In the 2020 Utah mayoral election, for instance, both candidates agreed to respectfully disagree while not attacking their opponent's character. Political violence and aggression are only fair to use when fighting oppression, corruption, and authoritarianism, but it is never fair to use them against another free citizen. Dividing based on ideology divides the nation, causing more needless violence. We can bring unity to the world and not hate. Build the world you want to see. //
GraphicbyV.LaBarbera
Red,White, and True?
Test your political knowledge with our political quiz!
By Kaleb LaBarbera // Graphics Editor
1. Who was the second president of the United States?
a.) Thomas Jefferson
b.) Benjamin Franklin
c.) John Adams
d.) James Madison
2. The United States is on its ___ president
a.) 46th
b.) 47th
c.) 48th
d.) 49th
3. Who is the current Secretary of the Treasury?
a.) Scott Benssent
b.) Lee Zeldin
c.) Kelly Loffler
d.) Pam Bondi
4. Who is the Traverse City Mayor?
a.) Jackie Anderson
b.) Mark Wilson
c.) Betsy Coffia
d.) Amy Shamroe
5. Who is not a current U.S Senator?
a.) Ted Cruz
b.) Bernie Sanders
c.) Jacob M. Howard
d.) Sarah McBride
6. What has been a major symbol of youth protest movements internationally in the 2020s?
a.) Athens owl
b.) The One Piece flag
c.) The Pegasus
d.) The Discord logo
7. Where was a new leader elected over Discord in 2025?
a.) Cambodia
b.) Bangladesh
c.) Morocco
d.) Nepal
8. When was Michigan founded?
a.) 1806
b.) 1837
c.) 1776
d.) 1868
9. JFK was the ___ president named John. a.) 2nd
b.) 3rd
c.) 4th
d.) 5th
10. Which president created the FDA?
a.) Teddy Roosevelt
b.) Woodrow Wilson
c.) Howard Taft
d.) Calvin Coolidge
11. How long was the shortest presidential term?
a.) 8 days
b.) 31 days
c.) 79 days
d.) 204 days
a.) Knowing the first senator of your state
c.) William Harrison
12. Which president served the least amount of time in office?
a.) John F. Kennedy
b.) Abraham Lincoln
c.) William Harrison
d.) James Garfield
13 Which of the following is not required to become a US citizen?
a.) Knowing the first senator of your state
b.) Renouncing allegiance to all other nations
c.) Understanding English
d.) Listening to the song “I’m Proud to Be an American”
Weather is weird
From climate change to polar vortexes, we take a look at everchanging weather
By Logan Hatton // Staff Writer
The weather has shaped the world for years, whether it's checking the temperature, predicting whether it will rain or snow, or determining what's appropriate to wear that day. It is an essential part of our world and how we view it. It can also affect how we travel, from flights being canceled to visiting family or simply getting around town. The weather will always change our perspective, and we must adapt to these changes, whether we like it or not.
Traverse City is located on the waters of Lake Michigan, and Michigan is a unique state, being surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes. Our geographic location is challenging because storms can dissipate or strengthen over the lakes. Winter will continue to change due to global warming, as well as phenomena such as La Niñas, El Niños, and the polar vortex. La Niña and El Niño are weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean that typically recur every three to seven years. The issue with being surrounded by most of the Great Lakes is that it's sometimes unpredictable what the weather will be like today. Most of the time,
weathermen are correct, but when they are wrong, it can create some issues. Local meteorologist Joe Charlevoix agrees: "If you get a forecast wrong, people get upset.”
Although we live in a beautiful area, Traverse City has seen its fair share of environmental concerns, many of which Domenic Reardon ‘26 has noticed over the years. “We just don't have good environmental conservation in Traverse City…I just noticed that when I was younger and wanted to try and do something about it,” he recalls. Geography and pollution have numerous ways of affecting the weather, from pH levels to greenhouse gases, which can exacerbate natural disasters and crises. “[Climate change] is constantly distorting the areas and biomes that are already there,” Reardon explains. “If climate change keeps going, it can keep raising temperatures, which could mean some animals will not be able to live in those biomes anymore, and fully just warp the whole earth that we live on.” Reardon finds that although Traverse City environmentalists are concerned with the changing climate, not enough is truly being done about it. “We focus a lot more on trying to improve our environment in the way we look, rather than actually trying to make it better,”
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
he argues. “[For instance,] the Boardman is a huge problem we've had and has been destroyed from our past actions…Yet our biggest focuses are on if the water is safe to swim in for tourists.”
Winter, especially, is a harsh time of year in Traverse City, characterized by frigid temperatures and the formation of ice on roads, making them slippery and unsafe for the public. There are also floods and runoffs. For most kids in their sophomore year, driver's training is a step toward the future; some of these obstacles, like icy roads, might be challenging for this new generation to navigate. For the staff here at CHS, many have children and worry about getting them to school due to winter road conditions and runoff. This can also change schedules for working parents by canceling school, making roads less busy. If their kids don't have school, then they might have to find a babysitter early in the morning.
Climate change is a result of Earth's global warming, temperature, and weather patterns, and is always changing how we view the seasons, especially our winters. AP Bio teacher Kristin Laing has lived in both Michigan and Oregon and has experience living in different climates. While growing up in Michigan, Laing “felt like [winter] was maybe more extreme…and I remember that students and adults had the same concerns of being safe on the road and driving, and some of the preparedness to make sure that you
can stay safe while making it to school,” she recalls. Unlike when Laing lived in Oregon, where winters tended to be milder. “It really doesn't snow there, and whenever it does, it is extreme; they just don't have the infrastructure to deal with it,” she clarifies.
One of the biggest buzzwords in Michigan weather conversations in the last several years is the polar vortex, a large region of cold air surrounding the poles that sometimes drops south towards North America. “If the polar vortex breaks off… you're going to get these cold spells quickly, but then it warms right back up again, and it's just a little unstable,” Charlevoix explains. “You can get all this cold and then suddenly it's melting again. You'd rather have things just stay stable.”
It might seem like our climate predictions are all doom and gloom, but these changes might not be completely irreversible. “Hopefully in educating the next generations…[people] are just getting more innovative, more creative, [and developing] better engineering,” Laing expresses, “and I feel like…I don't ever have a loss of hope.” Maybe it’s not too late to turn things around when it comes to our environment. //
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
Graphic by V. LaBarbera
Fall Recipe Fall Recipe
Apple Hand Pies
By Kate Unger & Khyleigh Kile
Ingredients:
filling:
- 3 apples
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp cinnamon crust:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegtable oil
- 2 tsp water
Steps:
1.) In a medium bowl, combine the diced apples, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. mix well and set aside.
2.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the vegtable oil and water to the flour mixture. Stir until dough forms. If it feels too dry, add a tiny bit more water.
3.) Preheat to 375 degrees
4.) Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick ness.
5.) Using a round cutter or a glass, cut out circles from the dough.
6.) Place about 1 tablespoon of the apple filling onto the center of each dough circle.
7.) Place a circle of dough on top, and press the edges togeether firmly, then crimp with a fork to seal. Cut a x on top of the pies to allow steam to es cape.
8.) (optional) Sprinkle brown sugar on top of each pie.
9.) Place the hand pies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Then bake for 2025 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Class