The Huron Emery Volume 9 Issue 2 October 2023

Page 1

THE

HURON EMERY

@THEHURONEMERY

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

HOLD THE PHONE NEWS PAGE 2 Digital SAT

OPINION PAGE 6 Freshly Popped: Taylor & Travis

SPREAD PAGE 8+9 About IEP’s/504’s

JAMIE TANG MANAGING EDITOR Ann Arbor Huron High School has refined its procedures for cell phone use for the 20232024 school year, which faces mixed feedback. The English and mathematics departments have introduced new procedures to enhance student engagement during class. Some of the procedures include requesting students to place their cell phones on cell phone organizers during class and leaving their phones with their teacher to receive a hallway pass. Senior Gabby Mayrend is among the students who find the procedures unwarranted. “I get why the policy is there, but we’re high schoolers,” Mayrend said. “We should be able to be respectful and responsible without relying on someone to take our phones.” Assistant Principal Michael Sumerton and Yearbook and Newspaper Advisor Sara-Beth Badalamente have been observing the impact on students putting their cell phones a w a y during c l a s s time.

SPORTS PAGE 13 Q and A with Maddy Ryan SCAN HERE

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“Teachers make procedures, the school district has policies,” Sumerton said. “This is not a district or building policy. It’s a procedure in a classroom.” As printed on page 17 of the Student Handbook, the cell phone rule enforced

VOL. 9 ISSUE 2

New procedures met with mixed reception

by the school staff remains the same as in previous years. Sumerton clarified that the procedures are “teacherdriven.” “The n u m b e r of times I find students o n TikTok is unbelievable,” Badalamente said. “I have already found that in three weeks, I have more assignments turned in that showcase understanding of the material, more student interaction between peers, and a better community in my classrooms b e c a u s e cellphones are not competing with collaboration time.” A 2019 British Medical Journal study New procedures for cell-phone usage have been implemented for the s u g g e s t e d English and Mathematics departments, whose classrooms now have celle x c e s s i v e phone holders in which students are required to store their phones during screen time is class. These procedures are “teacher-driven.” associated with GRAPHIC BY KIKI CHOI obesity and higher depressive symptoms. hard for students to connect time among children rose Sumerton and other school with their teachers and one 52% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study shows stakeholders expect the another,” Sumerton said. He went on to say that screen time increased the new procedures to support that the classroom culture most for individuals aged 14 to the student experience by has taken on a huge hit since 18, with a daily increase of 44 fostering a collaborative the COVID-19 pandemic, minutes in handheld devices learning environment and emphasizing that the and 46 minutes in personal caring relationships. procedures have students computers. “Students have at the forefront. A study reported getting 50+ READ THE FULL STORY ON notifications per class. Cell published in JAMA Pediatrics THEHURONEMERY.COM phone distractions make it noted that the average screen

New club on the block: Dear Asian Youth creates a space for activism ANJALI NADARAJAH Editor-in-Chief

Starting in October of this school year, VietnameseAmerican sophomore Salem Dinh launched a Dear Asian Youth (DAY) chapter at Huron High School. DAY is a youth-led organization centered around empowering Asian identities and creating

change.

Dinh, who’s never started a club before, started their club with sophomores Aarna Desai, Ella Yip, and Natalie Cho. “We had to go through a lengthy process with the actual worldwide organization,” Dinh said. “We had to be approved to be a chapter and talk to people. It was long, but it was worth it.”

DAY was established to create a space for Huron students promote the Asian American experience and unite through activism. “I like it because it’s rewarding,” Dinh said. “I’ve always wanted to create change and being Asian is a really large part of my identity. There’s not really a club out there that talks about those experiences in an

accurate way.” From bonding events to fundraisers, Dinh hopes for an exciting year ahead. “Our first event is going to be this November, a Diwali fundraiser,” they said. “We might be doing a Boba fundraiser for Lunar New Year too.” Social media manager Ella Yip is also excited to coordinate activities, but the

Dear Asian Youth members brainstorming fundraiser ideas. PHOTO BY NATHALIE READ THE FULL STORY ON THEHURONEMERY.COM


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