Black & Gold Quarterly (BGQ) - January 2024

BREW SAYS NO GOODBYE

SHROUDED IN SECRETS: F BUILDING GONE

pg. 18

pg. 14

BLACK AND GOLD

QUARTERLY

FRIENDS become RIVALS!!

Titans and Trojans CLASH over EVERYTHING

BLACK & GOLD QUARTERLY

THE RIFT AND THE RIVALRY

BGQ

JANUARY 2024 // VOL. ONE HUNDRED AND THREE

school of rock Central staff member Ben Ludka shares his passion for Petoskey stones and beyond

central speaks & houghton hears students share their takes on current school issues and head principal Jessie Houghton responds

college credit conundrum which is better: dual enrollment or AP?

6

8

10

brewing controversy

new year, new projects

aspiring athletes

over the summer, 108 East Front Street closed its doors as Brew for the last time, reopening them as Outpost, leaving many unanswered questions

two prominent Traverse City organizations share their improvement plans for 2024

for some of Central’s student athletes, their passion continues to follow them as they venture into collegiate sports

18 20 22

digital divide the PSAT is going digital, and not everyone agrees

laying the a tale foundation of two for the schools future threats, harmful gesa look into the excitement—and all the controversy—surrounding the construction of the new innovation labs at Central and West

tures, rowdy student sections, and more outlandish acts taint the relationship between Central and West. the investigation of our infamous rivalry has commenced, and no one is innocent

12 14 16 sensational slopes

reps on the rink

exploring the ski season alongside Central’s best skiers

traverse City’s first allfemale hockey team makes their long-awaited debut

crossword & the recipe

28 & 24 26 30

black & gold quarterly january two thousand and twenty four bgq staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elizabeth Phillips CONTENT EDITORS Samuel Elkins Eliana Hermel Kristen May Lucy Poppleton PHOTO EDITOR Bridget Belden GRAPHICS Elizabeth Phillips

STAFF WRITERS Kailyn Groves Morgan Hill Peggy Probert Kate Unger Bryce Ward

editor’s note “Nothing ever happens in Traverse City!” is a frequent refrain heard amongst the student body. However, after putting together the second issue of the BGQ, I can confidently say TC is far from boring. Our staffers spent weeks uncovering the truths about recent controversial issues within our school and the community at large. What you find in the following pages may SHOCK YOU. In honor of this scandalous issue, I drew inspiration from the dramatic tabloid magazines you might find in the checkout line at Meijer or Walgreens. But instead of featuring quirky celebrities and their antics, we highlighted Central’s own celebrity, Trojy (the West mascot declined to comment or provide a decent photo). From the debate of digital versus paper testing (pg. 10) to the unexpected closure of Brew (pg. 18) to the historic feud between Central (pg. 16) and “that school up the hill” (-Jessie Houghton), the BGQ found no shortage of scandal.

However, we also made room for non-controversial topics as well. The Bay Reps have officially debuted a long-awaited girls hockey team (pg. 26) and are currently crushing the competition. Despite the recent lack of winter weather, the ski season is finally underway, and we provide some tips and insight on the best that the area’s ski resorts have to offer (pg. 24). And right here at Central, our very own history teacher Benjamin Ludka showcases his budding Etsy shop, where he crafts custom jewelry pieces from the beautiful stones of the Great Lakes (pg. 6).

We refrained from putting our own opinions into this issue; instead, we hope that you take our findings and draw your own conclusions. But if our staffers have anything to say about, there is a LOT of controversy happening around Traverse City…

COVER Elizabeth Phillips ADVISER Susan Roskelley

From the Pub,

Elizabeth Phillips

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 4 // BGQ // January 2024

quarterly showcase

Photographed by: Carson Suttle

SCH

L

F R

CK

Central staff member Ben Ludka shares his passion for Petoskey stones and beyond

by Sam Elkins content editor

6 // BGQ // January 2024

Graphic Courtesy of: E. Hermel

It all started with a trip. Central’s own history teacher, Ben Ludka, was visiting the in-laws with his wife. He decided to go down to the beach, and that’s where it hit him: Rocks. More specifically, Petoskey stones. “My wife said to me, ‘Let’s go find some agates,’ which [are] a type of rock found on Lake Superior. I said ‘okay,’ [because] we didn’t have anything else to do, and man, I was hooked,” Ludka explains. “It was fun finding different types of rocks, colors, [and] textures. That’s how I really got into it. And then, obviously down here [people] started to get into Petoskey stones, Quartz, Leland Blues, [and] Frankfort Greens.” Unlike other beachgoers, who spend their days sunning and swimming, Ludka is “the one in the water with my fanny pack finding rocks, and [then he] starts tumbling, polishing, [and] cutting.”

And so he did. He mastered his hobby and refined it to the point where he decided to sell most of what he makes. “My wife is the one that usually takes almost everything I make, because she says, ‘I like it, so you’re not selling that,’” Ludka jokes. However, his wife isn’t the only consumer. Ludka has made enough money with his Etsy shop to keep his hobby going beyond just giving away his creations to family and friends. “Obviously, I need to buy supplies to make this jewelry, but I’m making enough where I’m not having to use my real job money to pay for supplies. The hobby is paying for itself right now,” Ludka adds.

Ludka is specific with his materials for his side business. Every time he picks up a rock, he brings up a creative process of how he thinks when he makes each item. The more unique, the better. “It all starts when you’re hunting rocks. When I’m out finding rocks and looking at the webbing of the Petoskey stone, right then and there I’m thinking of how I would cut it so it’s the most unique when you make it into a piece of jewelry,” he shares. Ludka is very meticulous and even goes as far as to make his creative process span from the moment he picks up a rock until he’s nearly done with that one piece. “[I’m] always looking from the time I find a rock [to] the time I’m tumbling it to size

Photos: B. Ludka

[to] the time I’m cutting it to the size I want.

Obviously you want the most unique looking piece. That’s what people buy. Does every piece have to be unique? No, of course not. I make an average looking Petoskey stone piece and people buy those, too, but I find the more unique looking [I] make it, the easier it is to sell.”

Although Ludka enjoys his side gig, he makes sure to note how much he doesn’t want to have this diversion as a full time job. After all, it would take away from the overall experience and feeling of making the jewelry as a job versus something he enjoys doing for pleasure.

“I like working with the rocks and making the jewelry, but I don’t want the pressure of having to make or sell a certain amount in order to make a living,” he admits. “I’m more to the point where I sell a necklace or set of earrings, it’s cool I can go get more supplies for my next batch of things. I’m making a profit, but that profit goes back into the hobby.”

Ludka’s unique hobby is something he plans to continue pursuing after retiring from teaching at the end of the school year. “I am probably going to be working, but instead of teaching, I’ll be starting another career,” he reveals.

“I will still be doing jewelry as a hobby of mine.

My main two hobbies are golf and jewelry making, but that’s about it. But it won’t become my full time job.” Ludka’s retirement comes as a great hit to Central, but he is excited for the changes to come and to continue pursuing his beloved hobby. His Etsy shop will still be available online, however, at the QR code below:

central speaks

keira wesley ‘25 I appreciate a lot of things about Central. We have a great, uplifting community, many options for students with diverse interests, and plenty of counseling for future endeavors (college, trade/job, etc.). All the staff members I've met are kind, welcoming people who care for us students. However, a few recent developments at Central disappointed me, one being the changes in the F Wing. As a passionate art student, it was disheartening to see one of my favorite teachers (Ms. Sandy) get pushed out of her photography room to accommodate the STEM teachers. While I appreciate the wide selection of classes for STEM-interested students, the art department is already limited. Making [the department] even smaller almost makes me feel smaller or less valuable. I firmly believe that the arts are wildly underappreciated and underdeveloped in schools, and compressing the art rooms into one tiny corner of the F Wing certainly makes it feel like there is a lack of support for visual arts-interested students.

carson haskin ‘25 One of the issues I believe could be improved is the punishment system for students who have broken school rules/code. I feel that sending kids to RTC is not enough enforcement to deter students from committing the exact same offense. One could say people WANT to obtain it strictly for leaving the room. Students quite simply head there and fill out a form they do not care about in the first place. The enforcement we use and the punishment promised is hollow; it does not serve meaning to any of the students. With better quality of enforcement, one may speculate that student obedience will climb. Students are not afraid to bend or even break rules due to the lack of severity of enforcement.

gwendolyn kudlack ‘24 In my opinion, there is a big food waste problem at Central and in TCAPS overall. In the lunchroom, the cafeteria staff make you take a fruit and a beverage in order to buy lunch and make it a “meal”. Almost everyone ends up throwing away their fruit and other items after they leave the lunchline.

For the fifth installment of the Sam Speaks “franchise,” we decided to mix it up and throwback to a previous feature, “Central Speaks,” where we sent out a form asking for controversial opinions on our school and having Head Principal Jessie Houghton respond to them. To pair it with our controversy package for this issue, we picked some of the more controversial responses from students about hot-button issues at Central.

by Sam Elkins content editor

8 // BGQ // January 2024

So last year we had four art classrooms. We still have four, and over Christmas break, we plan to renovate those rooms so it will be a full room as opposed to two half rooms with a door. With the STEM rebuild, it allows for art to expand into other spaces as well. It’s coming, but any time you do construction it makes everyone feel cramped. We had a couple teachers move, but there were four classrooms last year and four this year. We actually had an increase in seats for art as we have a West art teacher for two hours a day come over and teach it for us due to the increase in popularity in the arts. They also have the ability to display artwork in display cases and the TV in the auditorium to have art running up there as well. I love the art department and love seeing the arts highlighted by our students in any way.

in response: [RTC] really is just taking a pause to preserve the classroom environment, and every time [someone is sent there], the student has to do a negotiation meeting. We follow up every time with a conversation and make sure the student knows their role and knows their expectations in the classroom. It then gives not only the student and staff but [also] their classmates an opportunity to move forward learning as a community. Unfortunately, the ones who repeatedly have these behavior problems are the ones that don’t earn their diplomas or end up graduating. It’s not a perfect system at all. We are continuing to monitor how strict RTC is, when they use the bathrooms, and we’ve removed all phones so it’s not a fun place to go. It’s interesting to hear someone think it’s not harsh enough, but the conclusion I would want you to hear is [that] I’m a big believer in the research on how to shape and coach behavior, and being harsh doesn’t usually change behavior in a community.

in response: I don’t disagree. I see it everyday with the food we throw out. We’ve tried different things.

[Others have suggested] composting our food or collecting it for a food bank or the homeless, and we aren’t allowed to do those things. We have to fit under FDA regulations and all federal regulated programs. The free lunch program is from [the State of] Michigan, and it’s disguised as ‘you need a full meal to fit under the free lunch program.’ If they wanted to know more about regulations on what we can give away versus what we have to throw away, our amazing food director, Mr. Friedas, would for sure come in and talk to more kids about that. But because it’s federally regulated and under the free lunch program, I have very little jurisdiction on that.

houghton hears

in response:

COLLEGE CREDIT CONUNDRUM Which is better: dual enrollment or AP?

by Morgan Hill staff writer Dual enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP) are two opportunities that Central offers for students to earn college and high school credit at the same time. They both work in very similar yet very different ways, but one thing is certain: if you succeed, you earn college credit. So the question may arise: which is more “worth it” for students pursuing this path?

“In AP, you’re taking a class to really prepare you to sit for one day to take one test….[In a dual enrollment] class, you’re going to have assignments throughout the length of the class,” compares Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) admissions representative Rorie Kawula. “If you’re not a good test taker, then that’s a risk to sit for one day to take a test and hope you get the score you need to get the college credit, whereas in dual enrollment classes, you can do the work along the way and get [credit] at the end of it.”

What’s important is knowing what each program offers. Dual enrollment was created as another way beyond AP to prepare students for college and provide an opportunity for them to earn college credit. Currently, it is offered to 11th and 12th grade students who must have high quality grades, notably in math and English, in order to be accepted into the program at NMC. Central students are especially fortunate because of our close proximity to the college, so it’s much more accessible. Students can take an array of courses that are not offered at Central, such as Calculus 3 and Physics 221. Grant Miller ‘24 takes both NMC and AP classes, even leaving his AP Literature course early in order to make it to his NMC class on time. Even though the journey over can be a hike, the benefits are worth the walk. Miller states 10 // BGQ // January 2024

that at NMC, you are “given a lab” to work with and that “there’s a lot better equipment” compared to that of Central. Madeleine George ‘24 also takes both AP and NMC courses and finds that NMC has “people of all [sorts of] different places, ages, and backgrounds, so it’s a lot more diverse in that sense,” she praises.

NMC offers college transcripts as well, according to Kawula. “Because you’re enrolled in a college class, you actually start your college transcript with NMC,” Kawula states. “So, if you do dual enrollment classes in high school and you’re gonna go off to [a different] college, and you want to get credit for those classes…you actually have to order your NMC transcript to be sent to that college.” Something worth noting is that dual enrollment may be confused with another program Central offers called Early College. These, however, are not the same. While dual enrollment provides college credit, Early College students take a fifth year of high school, and earn their associates degree and graduate from high school at the same time.

The more commonly taken AP classes differ from dual enrollment primarily because of the AP exam students take in May. The exam is what decides whether the student will earn college credit

or not, which is often awarded at most universities if you get a 3 or higher. Everybody in the nation takes the same AP subject exam at the exact same time, though alternate times are available if needed. AP exams cost about $98 per exam, but students may apply for financial aid, which doesn’t hurt to try for and could potentially save you even more money. “[Taking AP] could save you upwards of a thousand dollars at least,” AP Gov teacher Paige Paul states.

“I know students that’ve taken so many AP classes that they’ve gone into college with the status of a sophomore....That’s huge. That’s a lot of money you save by getting those prerequisite classes out of the way.” For some, the downside of AP could very well be the AP test itself. “I think it’s a big risk [that] you may have a bad day…You may not pass the test and therefore [not] get the other advantages. The university you go to may not accept whatever score you get. There’s a risk in that too,” explains Paul. No matter what courses you take, whether that be NMC or AP, the two have a lot of risks involved. However, no matter which route you decide to take, both can be beneficial in their own ways.

Looking at a comparison of the two, dual enrollment is completely free and paid for by the high school, unlike AP classes, which require payment for the college credit exam. Miller finds that AP is not as difficult as his classes at NMC, and the payoff is greater. “[With a] college class, you’re getting one college credit per semester, whereas in AP, you’re getting one college credit for the whole year,” Miller explains. “So, it’s twice the amount of content than in AP classes, plus the grading’s tougher, and there [are] less filler assignments.” Miller also points out that in the case of taking NMC classes, “if there’s an AP equivalent, just take that. You can take Calc 1 and 2 at NMC, but you can just take Calc BC here, and that’s much better. It’s less [of a] hassle.” Depending on the student’s preferences, it might be better to take an AP class over an NMC class or vice versa, but both options allow students to customize the path they take in high school in order to help them in the long run. //

January 2024

DIGITAL DIVIDE

The PSAT is going digital, and not everyone agrees

by Kailyn Groves / staff writer Every year, Central holds a PSAT day for high school students. Traditionally, the test has been given on paper, but there have been many changes to the format in recent years. When COVID initially forced staff and students to stay home and quarantine, students were not able to take the test, and it was uncertain when and how makeup tests could be done. In response, College Board, the organization who designs these standardized tests, created a digital version of the test so students could remain at home, and it was successful. As a result, the College Board started to play with the idea of making all of their tests digital in the future.

After a few years of trying digital testing with freshmen classes, it proved to be a success.

Because of this, College Board opted to expand digital testing to all grade levels this past fall. All 9th-11th graders at Central took the PSAT digitally for the first time, but it wasn’t without its problems. Due to some technology issues, some students and staff struggled to access the test before nine in the morning. “You have to keep in mind that there were over 500 high schools in Michigan that were given that same test, at the same time, on the same day, and the College Board had not done that yet,” Assistant Principal Brian Guiney states. “It’s logical that there was some lag time, but I know that was stressful for us.” Despite the technology issues in the beginning, the test flowed smoothly without many other issues.

October’s testing brought both positive and negative perspectives and some strong opinions, especially in the pacing. “I think that it is a lot more stressful for students,” Isabelle Cox ‘27

12 // BGQ // January 2024

claims. “Last year, I had done it on paper, and I felt like that was a lot easier and better.” Students tend to worry about how much time they have when taking standardized tests, and the digital PSAT uses a timer at the top of the program that counts down the time remaining in the current section. For some, the timer is anxiety-provoking, while for others, it’s a helpful tool to use when they are finished with the test or just starting. “We are always on screens [anyways, and] the timer shown at the top [makes] us rush and not think clearly,” Cox shares.

Some students did find the digital format better for their own needs. “It just felt faster,” explains Elaina Chippewa ‘25. “Instead of me staring at a piece of paper, I could easily go to the questions I wanted to…and come back to them when needed.”

Teachers seem to have a more positive attitude toward digital testing based on the advantages digital assessments bring. “I think it’s a good thing,” Science teacher Mary Boulanger argues.

“I also like that students can move along and then their test will automatically start the next [section] so that they don’t have to sit and wait for everyone to start and end at the exact same time.”

Administrators and other staff members are also thankful for digital testing because it removes the time spent going through instructions and organizing thousands of testing materials. “The number one benefit for the digital tests is [that] we don’t have to organize, pass out, collect, and then ship a bunch of paper materials back to the College Board to be graded,” Guiney remarks. “It saves money on our end and it also is much less

13

Paper (12th) 12.0% Digital (12th)

Digital (9th) 20.5%

6.3% Paper (11th) 6.3%

Paper (9th) 11.3%

Digital (11th) 15.5% Digital (10th) 14.8% Paper (10th) 12.7%

of an environmental footprint for Central and the College Board.”

The digital PSAT will be established for upcoming years for all high schoolers registered to take the test. According to the College Board, it’s mandatory to take the test digitally from now on unless they decide otherwise. In the foreseeable future, students will most likely be sent back to class after the test and will continue until the end of the school day, regardless of whether a student has accommodations. In past years, students had the rest of the day off from school. “We have to meet a certain amount of instructional minutes over the course of the 180 day school year in order to receive funding from the state of Michigan,” explains Guiney. Even though this is a downer for students to have to go back to class, the day would not “count” towards the required attendance and we

A recent Central testing survey indicates the majority of underclassmen prefer digital testing, while upperclassmen are more split. (graphic courtesy of: E. Phillips)

would have to make up the lost time later in the year.

To get data on what the general consensus is for this issue, the Black & Gold Quarterly polled Central students about their opinions. The overall results showed that more students favor digital testing rather than paper, but when it comes to the class breakdown, the freshmen class was the only group that overwhelmingly preferred digital testing. In comparison, upperclassmen seem more split, with seniors preferring paper testing significantly more.

Standardized testing and the new format for the PSAT has been a hot-button issue for many Central students this year. The way testing will be formatted now and for the years ahead is the future for all of us, and hopefully in time, it will be a better experience overall. //

Laying the Foundation for the Future

A look into the excitement—and all the controversy—surrounding the construction of the new innovation labs at Central and West BY

O

LUCY POPPLETON / CONTENT EDITOR

utside the auditorium off Milliken Drive, chain-link fences surround the entrance to F Wing, blocking the entrance while commanding half the parking lot. “They took away my mega spot so that they could put the fences up!” exclaims one disaffected teacher. “There’s no good parking now.”

The obtrusive fences are a telltale sign of new construction; a section of F Wing is under renovation in order to create a new, multi-million dollar STEM and robotics lab for a club, along with select STEM classes, in need of more space. That club, founded nineteen years ago by math teacher John Failor, has played a crucial role in Central’s history. Failor was first introduced to the FIRST Robotics program at a math conference nineteen years ago. “I was super impressed by the maturity of the students… and the cool things they were doing with robots,” recalls Failor. As the program was introduced to Central, he has seen the same results displayed in today’s students; robotics provides students with a place to express their creative and technological interests while succeeding on the national level. Raptors member David Russell ‘24 remarks, “it gets me out of my comfort zone, and it pushes me to work more as a leader.” Robotics includes more than what meets the eye. “It’s basically like running a small company,” analogizes Russell. “We 14 // BGQ // January 2023

also have an entire non-tech team, which is doing all of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ [work].” In order to support the club, new innovation labs are currently under construction at Central and West, though not without controversy.

The two robotics labs were originally approved in 2018 by a community vote on a TCAPS bond, which included $10 million allocated specifically for the robotics program. Since then, $2.1 million of that total was drawn to cover the new turf fields at both high schools, but $7.9 million remain for the use of the STEM labs. Executive Director of School Improvement Heidi Maltby-Skodack has overseen the project since its inception, and she is incredibly passionate about the opportunities it brings. “The most exciting thing to me about the labs is…the opportunity to impact so many [students] inside and outside the school day,” reveals Skodack. “It will just have a ripple effect on the quality of programming that we have in TCAPS. Our goal is to be a world-class program, and so these facilities will help us get there.” The aim is to rival other, more established robotics programs downstate with facilities that better allow students to succeed. Under the current setup, “clean” lab materials such as computers are used in the same area as manufacturing and construction tools.

“We’ll be able to have a proper environment for some of the equipment that requires a clean space, [including] 3-D printers and equipment like that,” explains STEM teacher James Baran. “Then there will be a dedicated space for machines that make a lot of noise and are dirtier as far as producing scrap material.” The new layout will allow STEM classes to utilize the various materials and machines. “I really look forward to the opportunity to work not only [with] the classes I’m specifically involved with but also [with] students in other classes,” declares Baran, “giving [them] the opportunity [to] take advantage of some of the equipment or capabilities that we have in the space.”

However, the construction of the two labs on the campuses of Central and West have not been met with a warm welcome from everyone. The lab at Central was originally set to be built near Baran’s current room. However, a change in location was prompted, and there does not seem to be an exact reason for it as stated by TCAPS. Skodack maintains that she is unsure of the cause, though she believes that “parking was one of the reasons.”

She also mentions safety and security concerns as possibilities that prompted the change. However, according to Baran, it happened for a different reason. “I’m told [it] is because the superintendent wanted it to be visible,” discloses Baran. “You arrive at Central, and you see this cool, neat space that is going to differentiate us from other schools in the area.” Both labs will be built on the road because the school district allegedly wanted to display the

Photo: L. Poppleton

multi-million dollar labs to anyone who drives past.

TCAPS wishes to continue to enhance its image in the face of state rankings and the reputation of their schools, and one of the best ways to do so is by constructing an impressive STEM building.

In addition, the labs have faced some criticism from both teachers and students because of the sheer amount of funds allocated for STEM. “I’m wondering if the [other] science teachers…or the general math teachers [could use it],” ponders a skeptical teacher who chose to remain anonymous. “[I know] how it feels if you’re working in the foreign language department, and everything seems to go to sports, arts, and STEM, but nothing for a lot of other programs.” Some worry they will only be able to be used by a select group of robotics students. “I just want to make sure that it’s available to more people, and if that’s how it’s utilized, then it will be awesome,” aspires the anonymous source. “I really am hopeful that it’ll have a greater impact on the students than what some people assume.”

In the end, the new robotics labs will be a welcome addition for robotics and STEM students at both TCAPS high schools, even if they pose a momentary inconvenience while the entrance to F Wing is closed. “If we want to expand and keep expanding, it is definitely going to be needed,” contends Russell. “I’m super happy that my team’s going to be able to use it and expand on [the current lab], as well as for every [other] STEM [group] in the school.” //

Photo: D. Hardy

A Tale of Two Schools BY

ELIANA HERMEL / CONTENT EDITOR

Photo: C. Schulz

Photo: D. Hardy

Threats, harmful gestures, rowdy student sections, and more outlandish acts taint the relationship between Central and West. The investigation of our infamous rivalry has commenced, and no one is innocent.

16 // BGQ // January 2024

P

icture this: it’s the mid 90s, and the overcrowding of Traverse City Senior High School is becoming too much to bear. For years, there have been thousands of students in each graduating class, and the school’s capacity is bursting at the seams. In 1995, local voters made the decision to build another high school to distribute the students. This fateful decision caused a schism, a rift between our town. Trojans became Titans, friends became rivals. However, those original students have long since graduated. 26 years after West’s grand opening in 1998, the rivalry between the two schools has shifted and evolved with the times.

Our feud is legendary, infamous, fiery, and wellknown. The line in the sand has been drawn. However, when morals begin to blur, the lines and opposition become personal; when exactly does this “healthy” competition become too much?

140 years after Central’s founding, our undying enthusiasm for anything sports-related remains secure.

Our trophy hall is full of prized, physical manifestations of our victories from years past. Because of our long-standing reputation and our passion for athletics, we tend to take our competitions very seriously.

Central’s Student Senate Governor, Addy Booher ‘24, shares this sentiment. “There’s just so much emotion behind a rivalry, especially with sports,” Booher mentions. “Each time it gets more passionate.” As someone who competes in two sports, Booher’s competitive spirit burns brightly. “You don’t want to give [West] any room for ego,” she affirms. Central’s own athletic director, Justin Thorington, shares the importance of the competitive edge of the rivalry. “My favorite part about having a crosstown rivalry [is that] they push us to become better,” Thorington adds.

With all rivalries comes some negative consequences, especially when participants can take it too far. One of the more recent examples of this uneasiness in the rivalry surrounded the Patriot Game and its pre-game assemblies. This well-known and beloved event brings hundreds of people from the TC community together. However, due to poor student behaviors, some feel that the purpose of the Patriot Game has been lost. “We’re there for a certain cause, you know; it’s bigger than football. It’s bigger than the rivalry,” Booher asserts. “I think West took it way too far by rushing the field, throwing up Ls, chanting ‘FC.’” The behavior during the Patriot Game baffled many.

It even went as far as making people leave the game early because of the unruly student section. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new occurrence, either. “Sometimes our spectators, our fans, sometimes even our student athletes lose the big picture and perspective,” Thor-

ington reflects. “When things get heated or when there’s animosity or even hatred [is] probably my least favorite part [of the rivalry].”

Upon further investigation, not everyone at West feels like the rivalry is at a breaking point. “I feel like at some games there’s definitely a lot of…I wouldn’t say hate, but it’s pretty heated between us,” Charlise Schulz ‘24, the Senate Governor at West, admits. “In games, we’re always going at each other [and] comparing each other, but I think in a lot of things, we also work together, so I feel like it brings us together.”

Schulz finds that there’s still a lot to improve when it comes to the rivalry and sportsmanship, especially at sporting events. “I think both schools can do better at not nagging at the other team, especially when we’re playing against each other, [and] cheering for their own team… my school DEFINITELY has to work on that,” she confesses.

No rivalry can exist without the cooperation of both parties involved. There’s a certain level of respect, dignity, and maturity that needs to be attained in order to achieve such a state. However, there are occasions where our schools don’t necessarily meet this standard. “Since I got the job here… I’ve worked really hard to try and take some of the edge out of the rivalry,” Thorington says. He believes that the rivalry should be a motivator for the two schools instead of something that causes a vast rift between us. “Without West, we wouldn’t really have another school our size to push us, right?” Thorington remarks. “It’s that idea of iron sharpens iron, be[ing] competitive with each other [and] learning from each other.” Throughout the years, this idea has seemed to become more apparent as our rivalry continues to grow and become more prominent in the lives of all who live in Traverse City.

The rivalry is famous throughout town, and it appears to have changed the way people view the two schools.

When being a part of such a fiery and passionate rivalry, it can be easy to lose sight in the chaos. Some tend to criticize or even shun the opposition when the final score isn’t in their favor. However, that isn’t the point of our competitiveness towards each other; it never has been. The rivalry between West and Central has been something full of spirit and pride. When it’s done right, our rivalry draws us closer together as people living in Traverse City. At least, in the opinion of Central, it has always been a force that binds us together. “Having that rivalry just makes the game so much more fun,” Booher beams. “I love it. I hope it never goes away.” //

Brewing Controversy BY

BRIDGET BELDEN / PHOTO EDITOR

Photo: Brew’s Facebook Page

Over the summer, 108 East Front Street closed its doors as Brew for the last time, reopening as Outpost and leaving many unanswered questions

18 // BGQ // January 2024

Photo: K. May

E

very town has a place—a place for connection, creativity, and community. For downtown Traverse City, that place was Brew: a coffee shop by day and a bar by night. As such an innovative establishment, Brew was a place that had a little bit of something for everyone; its relaxed and fun atmosphere was the perfect environment for first dates, homework nights with friends, and warm memories. “[Brew] was a place where you can get coffee, play games, study, and work,” former employee and Central student, John Smith*, remarks.

In 2022, following ten years of ownership, the previous owners of Brew, Melissa and Sean Kickbush, handed the establishment over to Fernhaus, a hospitality company who had purchased the majority of shares. “We poured our heart and soul into that place, so we cared a lot about our employees, and we were just trying to make sure that the space was inclusive and that everybody felt comfortable there,…[but] I think every restaurant owner hits a burnout point,” emphasizes Sean. “I had known one of the owners of Fernhaus, so I just mentioned it in passing, and then that ended up turning into a sale.” With Fernhaus in charge, the Kickbushes hoped that the new owners could elevate the customer experience at Brew by offering finer food and adding to the nightlife.

With new management, Brew underwent major changes, one of which was renovating the storefront; however, some employees felt that it took away from what Brew originally was. “When they remodeled, they took down our community bulletin board…the doors used to have flyers on them.

They tore down all the community stickers we had…[and] because the people at the bar were too distracting to the employees, they just removed it,” explains Smith. “They took out the couches…to make people leave faster.” These alterations were heartbreaking to the community that had formed around Brew. “I was disheartened that they…took a place that was really special to a lot of people,” laments Smith, “and they decided to make it a place [with] no community, no talking, no connection.”

Along with physical changes to Brew, changes in the work environment also followed, with conflicting perspectives: “The people I worked with were great…but it got pretty bad when it came to [the management],” recollects Smith, who had been hired as a barista, but was placed in food service instead. Management shares their own story:

“[Our employees] love it there…currently our staff is very happy to be working…at all of our locations.

Our staff is great,” asserts Turner Booth, a partner of Cochran and Booth, the real estate business that oversees Fernhaus.

In August of 2023, Brew’s doors were abruptly shut tight with a note addressed to Traverse City on the entrance: “We have received a lot of questions and concerns about what’s been going on at Brew and what the future holds….Over the past year, we have tried to make small changes to keep Brew true to what it was…while starting to make our mark on it. Unfortunately - the business has never been what it was pre-Covid and as much as we pushed, pulled, and tweaked - we haven’t found our groove as ‘Brew.’” Seemingly out of nowhere, Brew was gone. Due to such a lack of business, they were unable to meet the time requirements of their lease and were forced to close, but this left the Downtown District Authority (DDA) wondering what to do next. “Brew was a coffee shop at the time, and having a place open after 5:00 is really important…not just having a restaurant open, but also other opportunities for people while they’re walking on the sidewalks, to be able to go in and…have a[n experience] after that 5:00 hour,” explains Jean Derenzy, CEO of the DDA. Without Brew’s presence, the DDA’s structure for downtown was disrupted, leaving a void that they needed to fill.

In October of 2023, Outpost opened in Brew’s place as a pop-up with much shorter hours. For the DDA, this offered a new promise. “I have hopes that they can succeed in being able to…offer different aspects of what the community needs and wants,” maintains Derenzy. Now, as people drive by the old grounds of Brew, they are greeted by the name “Outpost” and windows filled with loaves of fresh bread, and while the new storefront is pretty, it is a bittersweet sight for those who made so many memories at Brew. Most hope for the success of Outpost so that they may have back that place of simple community, but for now they wait and watch to see what Fernhaus or someone else will do in order to fill that void. // *name changed upon request for anonymity.

New Year, New Projects Two prominent Traverse City organizations share their improvement plans for 2024 BY

BATA

PEGGY PROBERT / STAFF WRITER

If you’ve lived in Traverse City long enough, you have surely seen the Bay Area Transportation Authority’s (BATA) green buses crawling through the streets like ants. BATA provides 1,000 rides a day to the people of Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties and is the area’s main transportation provider. However, BATA is moving from their current location in Traverse City to Garfield Township.

This came as a surprise to some residents; some wondered what impacts this would have on the community and why BATA made the change. “It is going to be the new operations center where administrative offices are [located], where all of our maintenance abilities are, [and] where our new buses will be located,” BATA employee Eric Lingaur reveals.

As BATA grows, so does the fleet. “We were a smaller transit agency, and we’ve just grown and expanded. We’ve got close to 80 vehicles, we’ve got over 120 employees, and…the facility has gotten too small to work in. We’re moving into the new location [for more space to operate],” Lingaur explains. “With the new facility BATA is building, buses and staff will be in one centralized location.”

To help build the new station, BATA has taken on more projects and made a few sacrifices.

Teaming up with construction companies and local businesses, Lingaur notes how there are a lot of different people involved in building the new 20 // BGQ // January 2024

facility. “We’re working with designers and architects out of Grand Rapids, and [Team] Elmer’s is helping,” he shares. While gaining one new station, BATA is losing its Cass Street location to support the building process of the new one. Other properties are also being let go.

BATA hopes to be moved into the new station by August or September of 2024. Until then, riders will have to navigate the growing pains alongside BATA. While some have expressed their problems with the company previously, such as a lack of drivers, BATA hopes to provide more services with their new location, as the building will be multi-use.“[The new station will hold] new amenities like additional affordable housing units, a daycare, child care center, and possibly a cafe of some sort,” Lingaur lists.

Linguar believes this new station will further build the community. “I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase what transit and housing combined can do for our community, and it solves two of our region’s [major issues]. To go to a doctor’s appointment, to go grocery shopping, or go to the pharmacy, you need to be able to get there somehow. For those folks who may not have access to a vehicle or just need help getting around town, having this project set us up to be able to meet those needs,” he concludes.

Photo: P. Probert

Downtown Traverse City is considered to be the business capital of Northern Michigan. Prior to a crucial effort to improve downtown, the popular place to go was the Grand Traverse Mall; but now, it is the other way around, thanks to a new financing plan called TIF. Short for “tax increment financing,” TIF is a funding tool used by the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to develop infrastructure that promotes economic development in the downtown area. TIF uses property tax generated from the district. As development occurs within the district over time, the property values increase, generating additional tax revenue. Unfortunately, the TIF plan cannot last forever. Once instated in 1997, the TIF plan was set to last only 30 years. Now the 30 years is almost up, leaving Traverse City with three years left with the increment financing plan. This plan promised that over thirty years, the city would let tax money go, giving uncapped taxes and money to fund projects throughout town like sidewalks and new construction. The financing plan also pulled money from other things like the library, the local college, and other buildings.

Regarding how the money would benefit the community, assistant finance director of Traverse City Benjamin Peek gave his input. “It is a lot of money…There [are] a lot of tax dollars that the neighborhood could use for sidewalks, something that for years and years has been in need,” Peek explains. This begs the question of how many of those projects could have been done at all if that money was not reallocated. “So in the past, it worked, but a lot of people are wondering if that money should be better spent through the whole city, [for] authorities, [for] the people who support

TIF

the downtown district, and [for] the extension of that financial plan,” Peek adds. Different organizations want money from the plan, which would take money away from projects that are meant for the community. “With the expiration date approaching, now there’s this heated debate that’s going on about whether they should continue [the financial plan] or not,” Peek reveals. “I’m also a city resident right now, [and] a group just came by my house with a petition …to make it so the city commission [cannot] extend the TIF district [and] that it has to go to the ballot. That petition is going around, and if that petition gets on the ballot next year, that could be a big deal for the city.” The idea behind this petition is if you take the commission’s power away and create a public vote, they will get a better idea how the people at large feel about it.

There are consequences to the community not having a voice. In 2014, city commissioners approved a project to convert the four-lane road between Woodmere and Lake Avenues into two lanes. The residents grew upset, calling upon businesses and other community members to install lawn signs protesting against the commission’s approval. However, against their wishes, construction continued, with one resident angrily spray painting graffiti on the side of the governmental center in protest. This particular incident shows how the community might potentially react to the financial plan’s end, causing some to be weary.

“Everybody has their priorities in the community.

It doesn’t mean that it won’t still pass; it just means that debate needs to be given to the community at large rather than [just a] small group of people [with] influence,” Peek concludes. //

Photo: E. Heffner

2025 2025 2025

NCAA: For some of Central’s student athletes, their NOW passion continues to follow them as they COMMITTING venture into collegiate sports TO

by Kristen May content editor ACADEMICS AND 2024 2024 ATHLETICS 2024 2024 2024 2024

Graphics: E. Phillips

Photo: C. Craig

22 // BGQ // January 2024

College applications. High school sports. AP tests.

All of these are very pertinent on students’ minds as they consider their future plans and the path they will take. There are so many items to consider that may end up having an impact on college admissions, such as students’ hobbies, clubs, extracurriculars, and more.

There are spots on college applications for all of these, but in the end, the most important are the interests that matter most to the student. For some, that interest is athletics. But, only a few have the opportunity to be recruited by a collegiate institution and have a spot on the team.

Elyse Heffner ‘25 never imagined that her junior year would present the chance for her to sign with a college before even filling out an application. “The college offer has definitely changed my plans because I was planning, even if I hadn’t played volleyball in college, [on still] attending college,” Heffner explains. “It [has] provided me [with] the opportunity of going out of state...I don’t know if University of South Alabama is a school that I would have necessarily chosen if I hadn’t played the sport there.”

Heffner’s story differs from many Central athletes, such as Camryn Craig ‘24, who had the opportunity to sign on at University of Dayton during the fall of her senior year. “I know [Dayton was] interested in me because I’ve been talking to them since last year when they came to my tournament,” Craig recalls. “I didn’t know for sure they were going to offer me a spot, but I was in contact with a couple colleges and that was the one I had the closest contact with.”

Participating in a sport is a very time consuming commitment that can make it challenging for students to balance other interests; however, in Heffner’s case, that hasn’t changed the way she views academics or herself as a student. “I would say that it’s definitely super important to balance both because you’re called a student athlete when you play, and you have to prioritize the student part of that,” Heffner points out. Sometimes, when a student dives into athletics, sacrifices have to be made in order to juggle the most important items of a students’ schedule. “I don’t always have the time to hang out with my friends,…or [I] miss out on events because of the time management I’ve needed to create for myself with the balance of school work and athletics,” Heffner notes. However, for the majority of athletes, the sacrifice is worth it if it means participating in their sport is possible. “I’ve definitely had to sacrifice some of the social events,…but it’s definitely worth it in the end,” Craig reflects.

There are many resources here at Central available to student athletes that can assist them with their application process. Ooley office counselor Michelle Morrison explains that “a big part of my job is helping

kids figure out the college application process and helping them through it.…[Counselors are] involved in a lot of different ways, so we always think it’s important for our seniors to be in communication with us so we can help them get where they need to go.” Applying to school for athletics is a different journey than applying purely for academics, as there are varying requirements and tasks that have to be completed. “[Students] can either go through the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) or the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)…

They have to enter the NCAA or the NAIA portal by the fall of their senior year to become eligible,” Morrison elaborates. “If you’re an athlete, you have to keep track of your classes throughout high school because the NCAA and the NAIA have their own rules on what classes they view as acceptable.” The process of entering college sports may be a little tedious, but it’s definitely worth it.

The gap between general students and athletes applying to college athletics isn’t huge, but there is a distinct difference between the two. Morrison finds that many schools with athletic programs tend to seek out potential recruits prior to applying. “If you get recruited by a school,…that school will be in touch with you, and you’ll probably get a little bit more assistance [with the application process]…because they want you to come there,” Morrison remarks. “You’re going to get more scholarship money if you’re an athlete for certain schools…[and] you’re definitely going to get more financial aid at certain schools.” The recruitment process isn’t the same for everyone, but for many of our student athletes, it starts on the court or the field.

Craig notes, “the [Dayton head] coach was [at one of my games] watching me play, and so they reached out to me…and asked if I was interested, and then I kept in contact with them all summer,…and then I went on a visit this fall.”

It’s very important for athletes to ensure that the college they are considering has everything they need and want. One way this can be done is by visiting the school and touring the campus so that every decision made is an educated one. “I think…my number one [piece of] advice [is] to go and visit the school, see what they’re all about, see what their message is, and…[see] if it goes with what you want to do,” Morrison recommends. “Oftentimes, a kid will get scholarships for sports, and then they’ll [realize the school doesn’t] have the degree program [they] want to go into.” There’s no right or wrong answer when considering one’s future, but it’s crucial to take everything into consideration, especially for students who are pursuing athletics in college. //

Sensat onal Slopes Exploring the ski season alongside Central’s best skiers

by Bryce Ward / staff writer The winter season comes with plenty of extraordinary ways to enjoy this time of year, skiing being one of them. From grandma’s backyard to the top of Zermatt in Switzerland, winter skiing brings smiles to billions of faces around the world. For many here in Traverse City, ski season is the best time of year.

Since it’s located so far up north, Traverse City typically has its fair share of snow time. Having five consecutive months of snowfall every year, Central’s students, who partake in outdoor winter activities, are eager to begin their long-awaited season. Beginning to ski again after months of no action is annoying, but when the time comes, skiers and snowboarders ease their way back into their technique as soon as the opportunity arrives.

The day they can get their stuff and head out the door first thing in the morning is what they’ve been waiting for all year. “I just kind of do it,” comments Alex Packer ‘24. “I slap all my stuff on and go.”

Beginning a season as soon as possible is common among people who take skiing seriously. The Traverse City Central Alpine Ski Team starts their season before the snow even arrives. Holding dryland practices during preseason weeks, skiers are able to condition in team effort in weight rooms or outside, getting in shape as a whole before the season officially begins. “The team has dryland practices Mondays and Thursdays,” describes Hayden Schugars ‘26. “We also go to the Modus workout center on Wednesdays.” Once the snow starts to pile on the ground, skiers hit the slopes at Hickory Hills and Schuss Mountain. However, being on a team comes with some personal dedications to help skiers develop both their individual spots and the team all together. Communicating 24 // BGQ // January 2024

during personal time allows the team to create bonds and grow as a whole. “From school to attending volunteer opportunities, [we] can get to know and grow with each other,” states Schugars.

Team participation comes with many upsides to the season. Going head to head against each other and other schools is the feeling skiers are eager to enjoy once again, especially when it comes to the big day of the peppy conference at Hickory Hills. The dual rivalry against Traverse City Central and West High School is one of the most anticipated events of the season. “[The] crosstown rivalry against West, that’s just one of our fun local races that we all enjoy. It’s [when] people can come out and support us,” Schugars shares.

However, you don’t need to be on any sort of ski team in order to partake in the season’s amusement. Since not everyone has gotten the chance to ski all their life, some not at all, everyone has their unique reason for enjoying skiing. “I want to get back into the sport because I love the season’s aesthetic,” comments Samuel Novik ‘24. No matter the circumstance, skiing is something everyone should try. For Novik, hockey took priority over his interest in skiing around the age of six. Since he has been practicing a different sport over the years in the place of skiing, it wouldn’t be easy for him to pick up where he left off 11 years ago. Having to start learning the sport from scratch, Novik would need to know what resorts would fit his needs as a newcomer. “I would need a training hill since it’s been so long,” comments Novik. But how do you know what resort you should go to in order to have the best experience during the season? Here are what different resorts in the area offer to their visitors in terms of location and amenities:

boyne mountain Total Ski Lifts: 11 Total Ski Trails: 65 Distance from TC: 1 hour 11 minutes Food & Beverage: 17 establishments

mt. holiday Total Ski Lifts: 3 Total Ski Trails: 11 Distance from TC: 14 minutes Food & Beverage: resort

hickory hills Total Ski Lifts: 6 rope tows Total Ski Trails: 16 Distance from TC: 12 minutes Food & Beverage: Hickory Lodge

schuss mtn.

Total Ski Lifts: 12 Total Ski Trails: 53 Distance from TC: 54 minutes Food & Beverage: 5 establishments

crystal mtn.

Total Ski Lifts: 8 Total Ski Trails: 59 Distance from TC: 48 minutes Food & Beverage: 9 establishments

HO

CKEY

BAY R

S P E

VARSITY

REPS ON THE RINK Traverse City’s first all-female hockey team makes their long-awaited debut

by Kate Unger staff writer

26 // BGQ // January 2024

Graphics: E. Phillips

Traverse City now has its first ever varsity girls hockey team: the Traverse City Bay Reps. As girls hockey is such an overlooked sport, this is very significant to the players. “It's really exciting to have this team in Traverse City. Playing hockey for twelve years and not having a high school team until my senior year, [I am] really [excited] to finally be in a high school sport,” Bailey Reister ‘24 proclaims. Throughout Reister’s twelve years of playing hockey, she has felt that her sport doesn’t get recognized or appreciated as much as other sports. Since this new team has been created, she has noticed how many more people now acknowledge girls hockey. “I’ve felt like girls hockey [didn’t} really get recognized until this high school team [was created],” Reister remarks, “so it’s interesting to see people actually knowing about the team.”

In order for these players to come together as a team, there were people that were needed for this to happen. The coach of the team is Taylor Lundberg, who has been playing hockey for fourteen years and started when she was ten years old. Growing up in Traverse City, there was never a high school girls hockey team for her to play on. When she was fifteen years old, she moved downstate to live with a host family so that she could play hockey at a more competitive level. “It ended up being something that I wouldn't trade for anything. I got to go to a couple different high schools and meet a ton of friends and play hockey at the highest level possible at the time, and it was really cool,” expresses Lundberg. In her junior and senior year of high school, Lundberg started doing some private coaching for hockey. When she was approached by the board that was creating this team, she thought that this would be an amazing opportunity. Her main goal is to help these girls thrive both as a team and as individual players. “I love being able to influence the lives of these players that I can see a lot of myself in….I know how much it meant to me for someone to take the time and show me their experiences and share their knowledge,” reflects Lundberg. “I really like being able to do that for these players, and to watch them succeed is incredibly rewarding.”

Since there are not many girls from each school that play hockey, the Bay Reps players come from varying locations around the area. “It's always fun to see kids in the student section from West, Central, St. Francis, and Elk Rapids…come together and provide a unified fan base for other friends and students that are supporting these girls out on the ice,” says Stacey Feeley, a board member of the program. Lundberg comments on how the players coming from different schools does not tend to affect them as a team: “I think it's been awesome for them to come together and have a common purpose. They really fit together as one unit….You wouldn't know that they're from all different schools. They all wear the jersey that says Bay Reps on it, and they’re proud of that, but really, first and foremost, they care about the Bay Reps logo on the front of the jersey.” Already, the girls have created a close bond because of the shared experience of not being able to play on a varsity team in Northern Michigan until now.

Along with providing them with the opportunity of playing on a varsity level, having an official girls hockey team in Northern Michigan will hopefully encourage more young girls to pursue the sport. “I think one of the most important goals they can set is to really be a role model to the younger girls that are going to be watching them play,” explains Feeley. Now young girls will be able to see that they could play hockey in high school, too. “I want to go in and develop them as athletes and hockey players, but I’d also like them to walk away from this experience as better people,” states Lundberg.

Already, the new team has several games under their belt, but they’re only just getting started. Lundberg and the players are excited for the opportunities to come and seeing their dreams of girls on the ice coming true. “For years, boys growing up in the area got to try out for [varsity hockey] when they reached high school,…so now [the girls] have something to look forward to, and there’s a lot of excitement around it,” reveals Lundberg. “I think if anything, [this team] will increase the interest in hockey in the area and increase the drive for the girls to get better.” //

Photos: T. Lundberg

The "Controversy" Crossword 1

2

by Bridget Belden & Kristen May 3

4

5 7

6

8

9 10

11

12

13 14 15

16

17 18

20

19

21

22 23 24 25 Down: Across: 1. Camryn Craig committed to the University of Day3. CHS and WHS share this color ton to play ________ 5. In 2014, it was approved to convert the four-lane 2. In 1995, Traverse City decided to build Traverse road between Lake Avenue and ________ into two City ____ Senior High lanes 4. College Board plans to turn all tests _______ 6. Bus transportation system 7. Brew was a coffee shop by day and a ___ by night 8. Central vs West is an example of a long-lasting _______ 10. The hospitality company that purchased Brew 14. Michigan typically has five consecutive months of 9. The T in CTC stands for ____ 11. Through AP classes and courses at ___ , one can ________ receive college credit 17. In 1952, Advanced _________ classes were first 12. The S in PSAT offered 13. F Building is being rebuilt with new ________ labs 20. The name of the new girl's hockey team 21. In the fall this year, students took the PSAT in this 15. A type of stone commonly found in Michigan 16. This ski resort has 65 trails month 22. What kinds of activities will the new F building be 18. At Hickory Lodge, ____ and drink are available for purchase used for?

19. 140 years ago, this beloved school was founded 23. What hockey players hit with their sticks 24. Mr. Ludka teaches __ History 25. College Athletic Organization Acronym 28 // BGQ // January 2024

Freaky FAST Freaky

FRESH

®

1217 E FRONT ST 231.929.2999 1294 W SOUTH AIRPORT RD 231.935.9355

the recipe by sam elkins

30 // BGQ // January 2024

na

na

c ake

wh

f

ord’s chee se it e

instructions: step one: Heat oven to 325 step two (make crust): Smash graham crackers into crumbs, crush well. Make sure there are no whole pieces bigger than a chocolate chip. step three: Mix crumbs, sugar and PARKAY. Press firmly into pan, press against bottom and a pinky height in the pan.

ingredients:

step four (make filling): Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla at medium speed with

crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs equivalent to 1 pack (10 graham crackers) 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons Parkay Spread Sticks melted filling: 4 (8 oz.) packages of Philadelphia brand cream cheese softened 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoons vanilla 4 eggs 1 cup sour cream topping (optional): (21 oz.) can of any filling, such as cherry, be applied on top

electric mixer till well blended.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition just until blended. step five: Blend in sour cream. step six: Pour over crust in pan step seven: Let the mixture heat, set in pan for 70-75 minutes. Run knife or metal spatula around outline to prevent cracking in the middle due to lack of space to expand step eight: Refrigerate for 4 hours before consumption. step nine (optional): Add topping to your liking.

Bridget thinks EVERYTHING is ILLUMINATI

Kristen RELENTLESSLY teases BRIDGET Eliana RAMPAGES over name MISPRONUCIATION

Sam CONSTANTLY makes up FAKE words

Bryce’s blonde hair is FAKE?!

Peggy has intel EVERYWHERE

Kailyn calls the PACKERS the BEST football team

Liz pushes issue 2 release AGAIN

Kate CHANGES name spelling out of NOWHERE

Morgan’s ponytail STRIKES BACK

Lucy is a PERSON specifically