profiles
the
For the scoop on head janitor Scott Markle’s art passion and a profile of chess extraordinaire David Meyer ’16, turn to page 4.
&
March 1, 2013
Volume 92
Black Gold
Issue 5
S. Hutc hison
2012 MIPA Spartan Award Winner
Photo:
Traverse City Central High School 1150 Milliken Drive, Traverse City, Michigan 49686
Newsline
West shoowdown
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Photo: A. Hilden
For highlights of the Camera Club photo contest, the National Writers Series and visiting author Chip Johannessen, and reviews and recommendations on the latest movies, music and TV, turn to page 3.
sports
Photo: K. Raymond Photo:K. K.Raymond Raymond Photo: Photo: J. Myers
Trojan winter sports come to a successful end. For round-up coverage of downhill skiing, nordic skiing, basketball, bowling, hockey and wrestling, with words from the players and coaches, turn to page 5.
Anti-bullying program
Photo: K. Raymond
An anti-bullying program, called the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, will be implemented at TCAPS for grades K-12 starting next school year. Elizabeth Pine, an Olweus trainer, is confident in the program. “The main long term benefit is that students are going to feel safer and happier in school,” Pine said.
Senate can drive
Photo: K. Raymond
Student Senate will hold their nonperishable food drive through Mar. 8. It’s a competition between fifth hours, and the top three hours will get a pizza party. Connor Becker ‘13, a student organizer, is excited for the new format. “With the teachers leading it, the students will know about it more and get involved,” Becker said.
Photo: S. Hardin
Talent show winners Aleksa Szunko and Hayley Padden, both ‘14, performed Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” with friends, winning this year’s “Central’s Got Talent” show on Feb. 13. “It was fun because people were reacting really well to it,” Padden said. The Trojan Varsity basketball team faced cross-town rival West Feb. 22. The game ended 54-66, with a Central loss. Tanner Kenney ‘14 wasn’t nervous to attempt his jump shot. “I felt confident I was gonna knock it down,” Kenney said. “I’ve been playing for my whole life.” The team will compete Mar. 4 at the first district game, held at West. The losing team will be eliminated from post-season play, while the winner will play in the second round of districts. “I’m definitely nervous,” Kenney said, “but I’m pumped for it because we have the opportunity to knock them off after losing to them twice in the regular season.”
Security changes proposed TCAPS evaluates district security policies; Central’s spread-out campus and many entrances prompt proposed security changes, including locking doors
John Minster
A Staff Reporter
After the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, schools across the country took a closer look at their own safety procedures. Within our district, TCAPS assessed each school’s security vulnerability and will be instituting changes in the coming months. “Central was named as the most challenging building in the district to keep safe,” Cody Inglis, Central’s Assistant Principal and Security Coordinator, said. “Because of the open campus, the layout of the school, the amount of security, the movement of students and staff and how we use the camera system.” Inglis believes that keeping the school open and friendly to the public is important, but safety should come first. “We can’t let the public relations standpoint overwhelm the safety of our students,” he said. Central was built before Columbine, a mass shooting in 1999 at a high school in Colorado. After that event, the construction of new schools changed to a much more closed, almost prisonlike design. Compared to other schools such as West Senior High, Central has a much more open layout, many more doors and ease of access. Our school was designed to welcome the community; thus, Central’s campus presents a challenge for the entire school staff to keep everyone safe. “My biggest charge is to create a safe and orderly environment for learning,” Head Principal at Central Dr. Rick Vandermolen said. “And with Central’s layout, it’s a tough job.” Central Liaison Officer Joe Soffredine began full time at Central on Dec. 17. His job is to work in correlation with the T.C. Police Department to provide safety for Central staff and students, as well
Photo: K. Raymond
Central Liaison Officer Joe Soffredine talks with a student. “I’m constantly out looking for any issues,” Soffredine said. “The most important thing about what I do is keeping the school safe and secure.”
as conduct investigations. “It’s extremely important to make sure the school is safe and that the students feel safe,” Soffredine said. Sustainability, capability, and practicality are the most important issues when considering safety protocol. There are many possible solutions being explored to create a more safe environment, including improving the site’s signage. “We always end up having parents wandering around not knowing where to go and a lot of that could be eliminated,” Soffredine said. “Signage has always been a big issue.” To reduce the access points where unknown visitors could enter campus, administrators are also considering locking doors during class periods. “Just last week, I had two parents wandering the school looking for the ninth grade office,” Vandermolen said. “They hadn’t been checked in, they weren’t approached by anyone, and no one knew who they were. That needs to stop.” If administration decides to lock the doors between classes, they may be set on a timer where
doors would only be open during passing times and a minute or two after. But that change could present problems, namely, students being locked out if they’re late, or possible safety concerns if multiple visitors or students are trapped outside the building. To avoid some of these problems, the district is also looking at possibly giving students the ability to open locked doors with their school IDs. “The ID thing isn’t an instant fix,” Vandermolen said. “We would have to install scanners into the doors in the summer, as well as issue new IDs with chips in them to read the scanners.” The buzz-in system is also being explored. If implemented, all of Central’s doors would be locked after school begins. The main office would use the camera installed by the front door to see visitors before they enter. If they are legitimate visitors, the main office will “buzz” them in by unlocking the doors. Although nearly all schools in the district already have the capability to use this system, it’s not done often. “The buzz-in system has a few
ArtPrize takes over Central A first-time event, ArtPrize features top Central artists. Students will vote for their favorite
Photo: K. Raymond
Co-leaders Jayme Madison and McKenzie Sanders, both ‘13, hang artwork for ArtPrize. “I think the best part of ArtPrize will be that I get to see other people’s work,” Sanders said.
Hayley Rozema Staff Reporter
Members of Central’s Art Club are celebrating their ArtPrize accomplishments. A first-time ever event, the student-led art show displays every art form that can be viewed: jewelry, photography, paintings, drawings and sculptures, in and around Central’s library. Art Club secretary Tori Fisher ‘13 says ArtPrize is an opportunity for all students, not just those involved in the art program. “A lot of kids are intimidated or they can’t take art classes,” Fisher said. “But we have so many artists here, and we want everyone to be recognized and have their artwork displayed.” While ArtPrize Central is a new event at our school, it’s not a new concept in the art world. Central’s Art Club was inspired by the the original ArtPrize held in Grand Rapids, MI, a worldwide competition. “The ArtPrize down in Grand Rapids was pretty cool,” McKenzie Sanders ‘13, co-leader of Art Club, said. “You get to see so many different types of artwork scattered all around the city. My favorite part was when I got to see the top 10 pieces of art.” At ArtPrize Central, students will have the chance to vote on their favorite piece of art, and a cash prize will be awarded to the first place winner. Graham BeVier ‘14 had his work displayed at the opening night event. His piece depicts a book with a speech bubble containing a large picture. “I was reading a really good novel, and it struck me how vivid the image was that the words put in my head,” BeVier said. “I tried to capture that on paper. It represents how the book placed such a unique picture inside my mind’s eye.” Kimmy Zeeryp ‘14 submitted three pieces to this year’s ArtPrize: a clay gnome, a color painting and the mural across from the art room. But her clay gnome, inspired by the movie Gnomeo and Juliet, is the piece that Zeeryp’s most excited to show. “I put so much work into the gnome and he looks so real,” Zeeryp said. “I’m really excited to see the reaction it gets at the ArtPrize.” Christina Karakos ‘13 submitted three photographs: a fast-motion piece, a photo of a pocket watch on a clock face and a portrait of one of her friends. “I want to get my art seen,” Karakos said. “The more people who see your art, the more it is appreciated. Professional photographers will go out looking for a meaning or message behind their