The Huron Emery Volume 6 Issue 6 June 2021

THE

HURON EMERY

@THEHURONEMERY

HURON HIGH SCHOOL, 2727 FULLER RD., ANN ARBOR MI 48105

VOL. 6 ISSUE 6

Opinion PAGE 3 Why critical thinking is more important now than ever

Feature PAGES 4+5 The Huron Emery's seniors say goodbye On May 22 Ann Arbor held its first organized pro-Palestinian protest for about three and a half hours. VISH GONDESI

Ann Arbor pro-Palestinians protest for peace

T

heir voices reverberated all across downtown Ann Arbor for about three and a half hours in the afternoon, and anyone in the vicinity could hear them clearly.

“Free, free Palestine.”

On May 22, hundreds of protestors chanted those words repeatedly.

They carried, waved and cloaked themselves in the Palestinian flag, marching in unison as organizers spearheaded the path, talking through a loudspeaker on a large,

Dr. Schwamb retires after 31 years in education RIDHIMA KODALI MANAGING EDITOR

She briefly looked to the side and questioned, “ O n e word?...

One word, to describe my experience being a principal at Huron?”

Dr. Janet Schwamb, who has been Huron’s principal for seven

SEE DR. SCHWAMB RETIRES PAGE 2

army-green Ford truck.

With signs referring to the conflict as an “apartheid,” “genocide” and a “holocaust,” the protestors demanded change — change for the approximately 250 people who passed away due to the fighting over the course of 11 days in the Gaza strip between Israel and the Hamas (a Palestinian militant group).

On May 21 both groups reached a ceasefire agreement.

This is the latest event in the decades long and tragic history between Israel and Palestine.

Former Huron student and current junior at Washtenaw Technical

NEWS

VISH GONDESI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Middle College (WTMC), Adam Kasham, joined the protests with his mother Naela, his cousins and three younger siblings — Isra, Malic and Tarik.

“I went to the protests because I think it's a very important issue,” Adam said. “There's many people out there with really wrong interpretations of what's going on. It's important that I, as a Palestinian, get my point across because I'm also a second generation American.

Both my grandparents who are here today lived in Palestine.

They know exactly what's going on firsthand.”

Adam’s grandparents, Fatheih

briefs

Sophomore Virginia He elected to vice chair for Michigan High School Democrats

and Jamil Kasham, moved from Palestine to the U.S. in 1962.

“They came because they wanted an opportunity, and they took advantage of it,” Adam said.

“When they came, they didn't really have much, and they had to provide for people that were back in Palestine. Now it’s like everything that they came to do is being thrown out the window. I feel that it's important for justice to be served and for the land to be restored.”

Adam often turns to his grandparents for a better understanding of Palestine.

SEE PALESTINE PROTEST PAGE 2

Review PAGE 6

Caffeine Corner with Lydia

Sports PAGE 7 Athletes react to masks coming off

SCAN HERE

To find more content on our website Virginia He is grateful for all who voted for her. "It's nice to know that many people resonated with what I was doing, and actually cared," He said.

ALLISON MI

ALLISON MI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When sophomore Virginia He joined the Ann Arbor High School Democrats in August, 2020, she soon realized there was a disconnect between the state and local level of the organization.

In March, He found out through social media that elections for executive board positions for the state-level of this organization opened.

“I was like, ‘Okay, I'm going to run for vice chair, see if I can change some of these issues,’” He said.

The campaign really pushed He out of her comfort zone. She ended up reaching out to government officials to get support for her campaign and received endorsements from important figures such as Jeff Irwin, Michigan State Legislature Senator, and Robert Sembarski, Chair of the Young Democrats of America National Labor Caucus.

On June 4, the Michigan High School Democrats

(MIHSD) announced the results, and He was elected as vice chair.

As vice chair, He helps the chairperson, acting as a main representative by coordinating chapters and overseeing the organization as a whole.

“I hope that I can figure out how to make MIHSD more unified as a state, rather than decentralized, random chapters, and to get better outreach — possibly in more rural or low income areas with marginalized communities, making sure that they have a voice in the organization as well,” He said.

He also hopes to promote more inclusivity and to ensure that the organization is in a good place to go into the 2022 midterm elections.

“It really is a great organization,” she said. “Hopefully we can go up from here.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 2 | NEWS PALESTINIAN PROTESTS

“My grandpa was telling me a story about how his dad used to own land in Jerusalem,” Adam said.

“His dad was a gatekeeper, which is pretty cool, but his land literally got taken away from him, and his family had to move. I didn’t really know how to respond.”

To learn more about the current situation, Adam’s direct family watched several YouTube videos together.

“There were a lot of checkpoints with people with guns, and just out in the area, people with AK47’s,” Adam said. “There’s a lot of little kids losing their parents and losing their own lives too. I saw this one kid get taken away right in front of his family and it’s just really sad to see. I just feel horrible because I feel like I got an opportunity that they don’t have and I wish they could have it too.”

As of May 17, the Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 66 Palestinian children, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Four years ago, a United Nations International C h i l d r e n ’ s

Emergency Fund (UNICEF) State of Palestine report stated that the armed conflict at that time resulted in 17 Palestinian children killed and 1,017 injured.

In short, violence against Palestinian children is yet to be stopped, and other health and environmental problems brought on by the pandemic have only multiplied their daily stresses.

“It digs deep,” Adam said, “because I feel like that could have definitely been me if my grandparents didn’t come to the U.S. And it just makes me so thankful but also sorry for the kids who couldn’t get the same opportunity. I feel like I would trade anything for them to be in my position.”

Two years ago Adam visited Palestine with his family — albeit when the situation hadn’t escalated to its current level.

“I saw how crazy it was,” Adam said. “It wasn’t as bad as it is now.

But there were soldiers all over guarding checkpoints, and it was an experience that opened my eyes.

Growing up here, I realize that I took it so much for granted. When I went out there, there were kids on the streets, people trying to do anything, hustling for money.”

Adam’s family was even cautious of avoiding dangerous territories, yet it was clear the After 11 days of fighting, a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and the Hamas.

VISH GONDESI

DR. SCHWAMB RETIRES years, took a pause.

She then looked straight into the camera.

“It’s been awesome,” Schwamb said. “When I first walked through the halls of Huron, I felt it. There are very strong connections between the staff and the students, which I have never felt anywhere else.”

On May 5, 2021, Schwamb announced that she would be retiring from Ann Arbor Public Schools on July 1, 2021.

Schwamb thought about retiring for a year now. Working full time as a principal of a high school during a pandemic kept her busy due to the demanding schedule.

“There’s a lot of

reasons why a person decides to retire and a lot of it is for personal reasons,” Schwamb said. “I’ve spent about 48 years of my life — 17 of them as a registered professional nurse and nurse administrator, and 31 years in the area of education — in the workforce, so I just felt like it was time for me to spend time and really enjoy it with family and friends, as well as pursuing some new things.”

H o w e v e r , Schwamb’s journey didn’t start in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It began in the suburbs of New York, just a train ride from Manhattan.

READ THE FULL STORY ON THEHURONEMERY.COM

country was still in a state of unrest.

“When we were first entering and exiting Palestine, they separated my grandparents and parents from me,” Adam said. “I didn’t know how to be in an airport alone but I had to navigate everything by myself. An airport personnel questioned my grandparents and then my dad for an hour. They got out, almost right when the plane was boarding. I was honestly kind of scared.”

While Adam’s direct family entered and exited the country safely, his family, who are still living in Palestine, doesn’t have that same luxury.

“They can’t leave,” Adam said. “There’s no airports out there and you can’t go past the checkpoints. I feel really bad about that.”

The protest speeches were given outside of Larcom City Hall by politician Dr. Abdul ElSayed, local activist and organizer Mohammed Furrha and University of Michigan Ann Arbor Ross School of Business graduate Lexi Zeidan. President of the New Generation of Palestine (NGP) and Palestinian-comedian, Amer Zahr, also played a huge role in rallying the crowd.

“It was cool to know that the community is taking a stand and that we can’t forget about this,” Adam said. “The speeches also taught me a lot because they were talking about personal experiences and how things are going in Palestine.”

52,000 Palestinians displaced due to Israeli air strikes

250

Palestinians killed, 66 of which are children

United Nations Aid Agency

5,000

Over people injured in Gaza and the West Bank OCHA

132 buildings in Gaza completely

OCHA

destroyed

3,000

More than rockets fired onto Israel by the Hamas, 1,150 were intercepted while 450 misfired

OCHA

10 people killed in

Israel and hundreds more wounded, estimated at 796

npr.org

OCHA

The OCHA is the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Data is accurate as of May 17, 2021.

what the conflict is,” Adam

The U.S. is currently said. “So I think the most giving Israel $3.3 billion important thing is to find in aid, according to the an actual person, not just a United States Agency for YouTube video or website.

International Development. It’s important to find people Throughout the protest who know more about the there were calls to defund subject, because sometimes Israel. the media can be portrayed

“There’s been so in a very wrong way, which a many, so many indigenous lot of the time it is. My main people in history who have thing is finding people who been, swept under the rug, truly know the situation and have everything taken like my grandparents and away from them,” Adam parents.” said. “I think people aren’t Adam even buying into it at first and admitted how he wanted to then later on, everybody’s actually go to Palestine, and gonna be like, ‘Wow, what despite it being dangerous a horrible thing,’ but it’s and illogical, he just wanted too late. So I think it’s to do something to help. In important to talk about it the end, he decided to walk now.” the downtown streets of his

For Adam, gaining home city surrounded by a first person perspective is Palestinian flags, creative vital. signs and hundreds of like “Some people don’t minded protestors to chant: know what Palestine is, “Free, free some people don’t know Palestine.”

THE EMERY STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Allison Mi 2023miallisonl@aaps.k12.mi.us Vish Gondesi 2022gondesivishwas@aaps.k12.mi.us ADVISER: Sara-Beth Badalamente Ridhima Kodali Managing Editor Maya Kogulan Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Clara Bowman Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Mishal Charania Managing Editor Emeritus Lydia Hargett Kaitlyn Sabb Quinn Newhouse Julie Park Kiana Hemati Shania Ahmed

Uthman Al Andulusi Ruqayyiah AlSaady Jaden Boster Zach Brewer Neeko Cho

Gabriela Dimova Anita Gaenko Eric Heng Bridget Jung Blake Mundy Rio Ohtake

Visruth Rajendiran Adam Schork Jamil Wilson

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 3 | OPINION

The Young Scientist

Why critical thinking is more important now than ever

ERIC HENG COLUMNIST

Generating over a billion hits on Google alone, critical thinking has become a buzzword in the fields of academia, business and the job market. Businesses want to see it in their workers.

Teachers want to instill it in their students. But at the same time, if you ask anyone what critical thinking is, most would hesitate to give a concrete answer. So what is critical thinking really?

To find out, I talked to Dr. Anna Edmonds, the instructor of the University of Michigan’s undergraduate Critical Reasoning class, to understand why it is so critical to think critically.

Edmonds described critical thinking as “best heard as just thinking well.”

At first, this seems like a vague answer to an already hard question. After all, who wouldn’t want to think well? However, in reality, this speaks to the broad functionalities of thinking critically. Thinking critically is extremely hard, which involves taking the information we already know, and constantly refining and updating that knowledge to acquire a set of information that is most likely to be correct. This requires especialThe value and importance of critical thinking in the job market is rising. ORIG-

ly paying attention to the beliefs we already have and being ready to challenge them if enough information contradicts it.

Why is critical thinking important? The truth is, though we might like to think humans are rational creatures, in the end, they are not. In fact, Edmonds points out that, “much of the time, we arrive at conclusions that make us feel better.” This mental shortcut, known in philosophy as a heuristic, is often employed in daily life, because it is more convenient and less time-consuming.

This can often lead to quick-fire judgements that are not necessarily accurate.

Edmonds explains this through Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman’s theory about the brain’s two modes of thought: system one and system two.

“System one processes are evolutionarily, much older and we share that with some of our mammalian ancestors,” Emonds said. “System two is associated with much more careful reading reasoning kinds of outputs that are a lot more time and resource intensive.”

System one is involved in many of the heuristics I described.

Unfortunately, since system one is very much de-

pendent on your scope is an even harder skill to of knowledge, it can very teach, because instead of quickly fall trap to logical teaching a set of facts, you fallacies due to ingrained have to teach a new mindbias. Meanwhile, employset. According to Edmonds, ing system two allows the “Becoming better reasoners inspection of each fact is actually forming the habbefore we believe in it. This its that make us want to do can filter out misleading better. I’m understanding or blatantly false inforthe kinds of mental attimation. This is succinctly tudes that we have, where put in Kahneman’s book we actually come to develop describing these two sysa goal of being accurate.” tems “Thinking, Fast and Thus, to practice critical Slow.” thinking on a

Of daily scale, one course, just must not only knowing be willing to

how to do new inThe truth is, though we learn something formation but is an entire- might like to think of hu- challenge one’s ly different mans as rational creatures, own beliefs. battle from Why is implement- in the end, they are not.” critical thinking a way ing important of thinking. now?

How do we keep our minds

The explosion of in a system two oriented access to information in the manner? In an interview 21st century has changed with NPR’s Hidden Mind how we get our information, Podcast, Kanheman himself and platforms such as social said this, “Delay intuition. media have connected peoDon’t give it up unnecessarple like never before. ily - delay it. And the results

In the current social are just better when you do climate, where conspiracy things that way.” Realizing theorists run rampant, from that your intuition, or the flat-earthers to COVID-19 quickfire decisions of system denialists, critical thinking one, are fallible, and therecan be an important tool to fore, consciously shift your evaluate novel information. mind to system two. This is Dr. Edmonds says that this how you think critically. involves an important shift

Just learning critical in mindset: “Somebody thinking however, is just who indicates that they’re half the battle. Critical listening carefully tries to learning track the thing that we’re disagreeing about to figure out in a positive, cooperative way what reasons we have to think

“

INAL PHOTO COURTESY OF MOHAMED HASSAN

about what you know is true.” The ability to approach every argument like a learning experience instead of a battleground also has the added benefit of making different perspectives more accessible, also key to challenging one’s beliefs and biases.

Kahneman also explains how some ideas, such as global warming, can have so much evidence supporting it, yet continue to have large portions of the population ignore that evidence. In the same interview, he states, “If you were to design a problem that the mind is not equipped to deal with, climate change would fit the bill. It’s distance. It’s abstract. It’s contested. And it doesn’t take much. If it’s contested, it’s 50-50 for many people immediately.”

The abstraction of climate change makes it unintuitive for many people to follow and believe. When most people present a judgement, they forgo a rational line of thinking, defaulting to system one.

The increasing importance of critical thinking in the job market is also of note. In the World Economic Forum’s newest 2020 jobs report, employers cited critical thinking as the most important skill in the modern workplace. In our high school education, almost everything we learn is with near 100 percent certainty, which gives us an illusion that critical thinking is not needed. Edmonds argues for more earlier teaching of critical thinking.

As high school students, teachers and parents fostering critical thinking should be a top priority, whether for academics, work or simply navigating life in a more

objective, well-in- formed manner.

When the pandemic goes, mask culture should not go with it elderly or immunocomStaff Editorial: Masks are effective and important, even beyond a pandemic the promised, wearing a mask is Before vaccines, we had two relatively primitive ways to personally avoid COVID-19 and stop the spread of the disease: social distancing and wearing

masks. Social distancing is In fact, they can prevent not going to stay; in fact, it any disease spread through was pretty unpopular when droplets, which means there it was required. Masks will is a much lower chance of still have a benefit long after seemingly everyone you the pandemic stops ruling know catching the common our lives. cold at the same time each First off, masks, unyear. like vaccines, are not

Sure, anti-mask specific to COVID-19. sentiment is rampant in 67 percent of students the U.S., even during the think that mask culture pandemic. But masks have should continue accord- always been popular — and ing to a Huron Emery even fashionable — in placInstagram poll with 215 es like Japan, South Korea responses. GRAPHIC BY and Hong Kong. They proVISH GONDESI tect faces from cold or dry

air, and there’s something to be said for the social comfort of having half of one’s face covered.

Masks can certainly be inconvenient sometimes.

You can’t eat or drink with them (though we’re sure most of us have accidentally tried) and your speech is often muffled to the point of annoyance. They also could be a security risk when it’s important to see your face for identification. But on crowded public transport, in hospitals and when visiting

the best way to spare yourself and the people around you from, if not COVID-19, a week of Kleenexes and misery.

No one is forcing you to wear a mask at all times after you’re vaccinated. But maybe save a little awareness and compassion for after the pandemic passes. America’s public health movements are few and far between, but if we keep up the habits that save lives, we can be more prepared for another crisis.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 4 | FEATURE

The Huron Eme ry’s

Maya Ko gulan- Edi to r-in-Chief

The Emery pushed me to form a complicated, intimate relationship with the English language. I felt frustrated removing oxford commas throughout 1000-word articles.

I felt moved when editing the work of my peers, who utilized their storytelling skills to evoke change. I feel pure joy when I finally figure out a perfect lead to an article. Yet, with the hours of writing and editing I have accumulated over the past two years, I cannot find the perfect words to say goodbye to The

Emery. I never expected to be an editor-in-chief, especially amidst a global pandemic. Leading our virtual staff room often made me feel powerless. It is hard to connect with staff writers when faced with a wall of muted Zoom participants, and even more challenging to find uplifting news with the constant cancellation of events and the steady rise of COVID-19 cases. Despite these obstacles, COVID-19 has proven that student journalism is worth it. We connected and informed hundreds of students

isolated in their homes this past year. For that alone, it is worth copy editing until 2 a.m., attending six hour school board meetings and dealing with Adobe Indesign crashes.

The past two years have been atypical. But, the constant in my life has been The Emery.

Over the summer, it gave me something to look forward to when the outside world seemed on fire.

Throughout the school year, it has kept me socially engaged with my peers. Now, it

has given me a community that is so hard to leave behind. I am grateful I got to be a part of this organization at such a pivotal time of growth. And I have the utmost confidence in our future.

Keep ultiziting your voice and platform for good, remember to lead with empathy and most importantly, don’t break the column!

Clara Bo wmanEdito r-in-Chief

I never in a million years thought I would dedicate so much of my time to my school newspaper. One second I am signing up for introductory journalism because moving schools left me with extra space in my schedule, and the next, I am an editor-in-chief of one of the most highly ranked student publications nationwide.

I could go on and on about all the things being part of the Emery taught me, both journalistic and life skills, but what I have to thank the most is the community it gave me.

The Emery gave me a family away from home along with a

sense of purpose and belonging at the time I needed it most. For that I will always be grateful. While I will never forget the journeys my reporting chased me on, the memories I will cherish most are those that I made with my fellow staff and Ms. Badalamente in the classroom, out of town and this past year, over Zoom. I know this year has been less than ideal, but it was my pleasure to help guide us through it.

We have all worked so hard these past months and it has paid off. I wish all the best to The Emery’s future members and leaders.

Verena Wu- Staff Writer

I joined my first journalism class in the second semester of junior year and instantly I wished that I had taken it earlier.

Ms. Badalmente did a great job of making the class fun and relaxed, while also helping us improve our journalism skills and learn about a new field. Unfortunately, I only was in that classroom for a few months, because shortly after second semester started, school closed due to COVID-19. But COVID-19 brought a wealth of topics to write articles about, and I ended the year with an article about how the recent shutdown was hurting local restaurants. I reached out to several business owners in Ann Arbor to write my article and learned more about the

topic. I had a lot of fun researching an issue that was impacting my community and other communities. I joined The Emery the next year, looking forward to writing more stories about the community and talking to people who I didn’t normally talk to. An article that I also enjoyed writing was about Ann Arbor’s carbon neutrality plan, for which I reached out to several Ann Arbor city administrators. I helped others learn about climate change and how they could reduce their carbon footprint. While I didn’t expect to be in newspaper during a pandemic, it was even more important to learn

about what is going on around us in these times when we’re more separated from others than ever before.

TO SEE ALL OF THE EMERY’S SENIOR REFLECTIONS VISIT THEHURONEMERY.COM

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 5 | FEATURE

senio rs say g o o dby e Mishal Charania- Managing Edito r When I think of my time working on the newspaper I imagine a painting.

I have quite a bit of bright yellow and orange, to represent the laughter and happiness I found in room 4203.

So much purple, as my writing style,

attitude and personality have all shifted and reformed. And of course, deep reds and blues, when I felt stings of disappointment or self doubt.

While navigating through these different feelings, there was one thing for

certain: I am who I am because of my time working for the newspaper, and I am eternally grateful to be given this opportunity.

Shortly after I joined The Emery, I started thinking about everything in terms of a story. Not only did I consider the anecdote I would lead with, or the quote that would end my article with “a bang” but also how I would create the connection

between the subject and the reader. I hope that all of the Instagram posts, news articles and hours on Indesign have helped the people in our community connect with each other and their inner self. I hope that I can help them find the colors in their own painting, just as everyone in the newsroom helped me find mine.

Bridgit JungG raphic Designe r

I had a great time designing for the Emery during the 2020-2021 school year. I did start during the pandemic, so my experience was a bit different than what it normally would have been, but I still enjoyed it a lot. I was amazed at how the Emery was able to consistently create high-quality work despite the pandemic. It was an honor to work with such a talented, creative and supportive

team. The Emery provided a lot of opportunities that I had a fun time working on, and it was great to collaborate with others. Some of my favorite projects were designing stickers, advertisements and infographics.

Julie Park- Design Edito r

My journey with The Emery began in my junior year journalism class. If I’m being completely honest, I only signed up for the class to fulfill my English credit requirements. Never would I have imagined how meaningful and impactful the newspaper class would be to my high school experience. I

would like to thank Ms. Badalmente for getting me involved -- her love for journalism is contagious. My time as a staff writer and the design editor for The Emery has taught me how to work under pressure and with a deadline, push the boundaries of my creativity, and collaborate with a team and be a leader.

These are skills I will carry with me for the rest of my life, even beyond journalism. Working for The Emery was especially comforting for me during the pandemic. Reaching out to people for my writing helped me feel more connected to my community, and graphic designing was always so therapeutic. I would

often work on my page designs for hours in one sitting and not even realize it because of how much I love creating art. Thank you to all The Emery staff members on such a successful year and I wish you all the best of luck in the future!

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 6 | ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

LYDIA HARGETT NEWS EDITOR

Located in Ypsilanti, Cultivate Coffee and Tap House is the perfect place to sit with friends and sip on an iced tea or latte. A wide variety of coffee drinks are offered including cold brew, lattes and espressos, and they also serve many tea flavors from green to black. I recommend the iced honey cinnamon latte as well as the iced earl grey black tea, and the staff is more than welcome to help you decide on a drink. Their prices are not too expensive and milk modifications or extra syrups are available to add to your drinks. If you are of age, they also serve beer on tap or prepackaged. Inside, the space is very modern and clean with plenty of seating options that are spaced out, following COVID-19 regulations.

They also have picnic tables outside if you prefer to enjoy the fresh air.

Online ordering is available as well as contactless payment inside.

GRAPHICS BY ALLISON MI

Popular among students to hang out and study, Vertex Coffee Roasters is located on South University Ave, in downtown Ann Arbor. The cafe offers a simple menu with espressos, lattes and teas for you to enjoy. A few of my favorites are the iced vanilla latte with oat milk and their iced chai tea latte, which is made with their own chai recipe. Their prices are fair, and cost around four or five dollars per drink. Milk and syrup add-ons are available for around 50 cents and they have many options to choose from. Because of COVID-19 regulations, the shop is unfortunately not offering indoor seating at this time, but there are many outdoor tables available. The shop sells their own coffee with a wide variety of flavors and roasts, along with stickers and t-shirts with the Vertex logo. All of the baristas are extremely kind and the shop is definitely a great place to grab coffee if you are near downtown.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version): The songs have changed but so has she ANITA GAENKO STAFF WRITER

If “Old Taylor” died in 2017 with the release of “Reputation”, then this is “New Taylor” paying her respects.

From the very beginning of the first track, “Fearless,” it’s obvious that Taylor Swift’s voice changed since she was 18 years old.

It’s softer and richer. Listening to the old version of Fearless seems almost pitchy in comparison on the high notes. The instrumental also seems quieter on most songs in Swift’s new album. “Taylor’s Version” is a calmer and smoother version of Fearless.

For songs like “Fifteen,” “Breathe,” “You’re Not Sorry” and “White Horse,” it fits the theme.

“Fifteen” is melancholy and nostalgic, “Breathe” relies heavily on vocals with very simplistic lyrics and “You’re Not Sorry” and “White Horse” are heartbreak songs. As shown in her last two albums, her vocal control has gotten better on high notes. She’s also gone through much more heartbreak since 2008, so there’s naturally more weight behind her melancholy songs.

But some of “Fearless’” songs are best with the edge of her younger

voice, notably “You Belong With Me” and “Tell Me Why.” This isn’t just for nostalgic reasons. They’re angrier, rougher and more desperate songs in concept, and Taylor just isn’t as angry or desperate anymore. It’s probably been years since she sat on bleachers and wrote jealous songs like “You Belong With Me” about some evil teenage cheerleader dating the guy she’s in love with; it feels strange to hear it from her 31-yearold self.

Arguably her most popular song from “Fearless,” “Love Story” sounds better from 2021 Taylor, and not just because of her older voice.

“Love Story” is a “happy ending” song, and when she was 18, she was several media circuses and failed relationships away from her happy ending. Now that Taylor is in a happy, overfour-year relationship that she has kept a comfortable distance from the press, “Love Story” makes more sense to her, and she’s able to properly sing a lighthearted

song without it feeling fake. A song about Joe Jonas (which his wife, like “Fifteen,” which is about not Sophie Turner, seems to enjoy). understanding love as a teenager,

Taylor Swift’s talent has also makes more sense from a always been in her versatility 31-year-old woman than a girl who across genres and moods, so there’s was technically still a teenager. something for almost everyone in

Some re-recorded songs, these tracks. She gets extra points even though they’re enjoyable, for this album being a massive are almost childish from her insult to the owners of her original now, like “The Way I Loved You.” albums. The rights to Taylor’s first The glamorization of a toxic past six studio albums were acquired by relationship over a comfortable and Scooter Braun when he bought her healthy one seems like an antithesis old record company, Big Machine to everything Taylor sings about Records. She tried to buy back now. her albums, but claimed that she

As for her From The Vault was offered impossible conditions. songs, which were previously Taylor’s re-recording of the albums unreleased, some tracks shine has allowed her to regain rights to through, and some blend her back catalog without any profit into the background vibe going to Braun. She reclaimed her of the entire album. art, significantly improved it and she Some personal certainly seems to enjoy the process, favorites are the especially if she can drive her fans piano version of crazy along the way. Four out of her “Forever & Always”, nine albums are officially owned by “The Other Side Of her as of April 9, 2021.

The Door”, “That’s

Overall, Fearless (Taylor’s When” (featuring Version) is a solid 8.5 out of 10. You Keith Urban) and “Mr. can listen to it on Spotify, Apple Perfectly Fine” — a song Music and YouTube Music. that deserves extra note for reportedly being a song Taylor Swift is re-recording her albums and releasing them as her own as “Taylor’s Version.” ORIGINAL PHOTO COURTESY OF WOLF CRAFT

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 7 | SPORTS

Masks come off: Athletes react to this new normal

athletes have been very, very, ALLISON MI

very good.”

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

According to Whiren,

After almost a year out of the 10,000 COVID tests of mandated masks, they are between Huron, Skyline and officially coming off for ath- Pioneer, the positive rate has letes participating in outdoor been less than 0.2 percent. sports.

“So, it is well deserved

“It totally took me by and it’s time to move forward,” surprise, but I was happy to he said. hear it because to me it meant While other athletes that the COVID vaccination reacted with excitement as program and overall knowl- well, an underlying nervousedge of the disease had pro- ness remained. gressed sufficiently to allow “The lift of the mask unmasked outdoor activities,” mandate allows vaccinated Huron’s women’s lacrosse people to not wear masks outcoach Reagan Malcolm said. side, and I don’t want to come

In a release on May 15, into contact with unvaccinatthe Miched people igan High without School a mask Athleton,” Huic Assoron womciation en’s soc(MHSAA) cer player executive Verena direcWu said. tor Mark Even TONY WHIREN Uyl anthough ATHLETIC DIRECT0R nounced about 90 that face percent m a s k s of the would no longer be required players on the soccer team for outdoor activities, includ- are vaccinated, those who ing contact spring sports, such are unvaccinated continue to as lacrosse and soccer. wear their masks, in addition

“I thought ‘Thank to a few who are vaccinated. goodness. It’s about time,’” Also, some players don’t wear AAPS athletic director Tony masks during practice, but Whiren said. “I think we have they do during games. done everything that the state, In mid-May, the womthe county and the district en’s varsity soccer team had a have asked us to do, and our game against Bedford High

“

it is well deserved and it’s time to move forward.

The mask mandate was lifted on May 15, allowing spring sport athletes who were outdoors to practice and play games without a mask. “It’s nice to see my teammates’ smiles,” Huron’s women’s varsity soccer player Rose Basch said. VERENA WU School, which recently had a COVID-19 outbreak.

“I was slightly suspicious and my trust in the CDC and MHSAA was definitely tested,” women’s soccer player Rose Basch said. “I ended up only wearing the mask for the start of the game because it was so hot that I felt my health was more jeopardized by overheating than wearing a mask while I’m fully vaccinated.”

A major benefit from the lifted mask mandate is

that it made it more comfortable to be active as the weather became warmer.

“I think everyone feels energized because the masks did restrict our breathing a lot, so we feel like we can move faster now,” Wu said. “I don’t know if this is actually true, but it definitely feels that way.”

No matter if someone decides to keep t h e i r mask on VERENA or take it off, according to Basch, her team is a very “supportive and friendly community,” making it a safe space for members to respond to the lift of the mask mandate in whatever way they want.

“

“I think this was the right decision since it is backed by the science behind outdoor transmission rates, which are very low,” Malcolm said. “I trust the CDC guidelines.”

Not to mention, the lift of the mask mandate has made interactions easier to navigate.

“I definitely prefer it without masks,” Wu said. “I think that it just helps the team get to bond better because there’s not this extra barrier WU between us.

It’s really nice to see people smile and laugh — not just through their eyes. Also, my mask tan is really bad so I’m looking forward to that going away.”

It’s really nice to see people smile and laugh — not just through their eyes

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 8 |FEATURE

HURON MARCHES THROUGH PANDEMIC

Every year, over 200 members of the Huron Band participate in marching band. In previous years, during the fall season, band members would march a half time and pregame show at football games. However, due to the pandemic, this didn’t happen this year. However, AAPS was able to work with band directors to create the “Ann Arbor Marching Marathon,” in which Skyline, Pioneer and Huron each prepared a 20 minute show to perform to a limited capacity audience.

Directors Robert Ash and Evy Rodriguez were in charge of preparing over 100 Huron band students for a

show, which they did over the span of five weeks during in-person classes and night-time rehearsals. Drum majors T.J. Bai and Chris Stocking aided in this effort, along with various section leaders.

This spring marching season proved to be a success.

The final performance featured famous hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “How Far I’ll Go” and “Despacito.”

Changes this year included bell covers and special masks. AMY XIU AND BRAD CARLSON

The band was able to continue many traditions, including spirit days and awarding the revered spirit stick. NICO PONTIUS

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

To watch the full performance, scan this QR Code or go to https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=fAz3XnDpXQM 1. The Huron band marches onto the field. 2. The trumpet section poses for a picture. 3.

The drumline stands ready. 4.

The tubas face the stadium to play. 5. Trombonists stand tall in attention position 6. Huron trumpets practice playing music.

ALLISON MI AND BRAD CARLSON