The Huron Emery Volume 9 Issue 2 October 2023

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

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

2 | NEWS

During a rehearsal on Oct. 26, junior Selene Koremenos-Tsebelis shows emotion in a rehearsal for their play. This year’s performance is Little Women. Shows will be on Nov. 2-5, 2023. PHOTO BY ROWAN GRENIER

The Huron Players puts on Little Women this fall ASHLEY KIM & MELINDA MEI NEWS EDITOR & WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Huron Players, the student-run theater production group at Huron High School, is hard at work preparing for their upcoming play, which will be showcased Nov. 2, 3, 4, and 5,

2023. They are currently working on the play Little Women, based on the coming-of-age novel by Louisa May Alcott, published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869.

“It’s about these four sisters who are at home while their father’s away fighting in the Civil War,” said Huron Players President Evie Sikkenga.

The current rehearsal schedule for Little Women is de-

manding, as the showcasing of the play is just around the corner.

“Usually we’ll have rehearsals most days leading up to the show and then we’ll have more intensive rehearsals,” she said. “Right now, I’m usually there everyday because I have to be at every rehearsal.”

In addition to rehearsals, the preparation of the show extends to costumes, tech, sets, and more.

“I’m the stage manager for the show, which means I’m kind of in charge of all the different areas of tech,” said Sikkenga.

“During the show, I have to call the different cues. For example, if there’s lights that need to change, then I’ll say different lights cues.”

Because of the intensive hardwork and dedication necessary for plays, teamwork carries the crew through,

evident Huron

through the strong Players community.

“It’s just a really great community and there’s so many different things that you can do in it,” she said. “There are so many different people you can meet and there’s just always something that can be done.

You all come together to create this really fun production and it’s just a very good experience.”

Digital SAT: The new age of standardized testing has started PHUONG-ANH DO STAFF WRITER

Over the last 96 years that it has been administered, the Scholastic Assessment Test (more commonly referred to as the SAT) has been on paper. But since Fall 2023, the PSAT will be taken digitally and the SAT will follow suit in the spring. It will be taken using the application Bluebook, which can be accessed on computers or tablets.

Along with being digital, the actual test content will change. The paper SAT consisted of four sections: Reading, Writing, Math with no calculator, and Math with calculator. Instead of being split into four sections, the new SAT will consist of ‘modules.’

There are two sections: Reading and Writing and Math, and each section will be split into two modules. A calculator will be allowed for the entirety of the math sections. In the English section of the paper SAT, a set of 10-12 questions corresponded with a long passage, but on the digital version a short paragraph will pair with one question.

Perhaps the most signif-

icant change is that the test will now be adaptive, meaning that the test will change depending on the test taker’s performance. This means that the test is specific to the individual, and everybody receives different questions–as opposed to the paper SAT where everybody was given the same exam.

Additionally, the exam itself is shorter, taking two hours and 14 minutes to complete which is an hour shorter than the paper test. The scores will be released only a couple of days after the exam date, which is much shorter than the weeks it took to receive scores with the paper SAT. “I thought the digital one was a lot easier. I don’t think it’s supposed to be, but it was,” junior Zara Lin said.

The SAT has virtually been the same for the past century, so why change it now?

There are a couple of reasons, one of them being that the paper SAT is no longer as relevant as it used to be.

Many people have criticized the material and format of the SAT for being outdated, and going digital is a way to combat these criticisms. Especially after the pandemic, more and more students are doing their learning and testing online, and the SAT is adapting to these changes.

“It’s a lot faster and more c o n v e n i e n t ,” junior Maya Martinson said.

W i t h TikTok a n d other short-

form media being so prevalent in teenagers’ lives, the attention span and test-taking stamina of students has significantly decreased.

The hope is that with the test being a whole hour shorter and the questions being based off of short paragraphs, students will feel better suited for the exam. Going digital also allows more flexibility for where and when the SAT is given.

After juniors took the digital PSAT, there were some mixed feelings about the change.

Lin found herself preferring the digital to the paper despite her initial skepticism. She found the material to be more relevant and in line with the curriculum at Huron “The digital stuff is definitely [what] we would look at in class whereas the paper ones are like, ‘if you don’t study for this specifically, you will not know how to do it,’” Lin said.

Likewise, she felt less pressure taking the digital.

“I get a lot of anxiety when I take tests, but this one wasn’t really anxiety-in-

GRAPHIC BY ANJALI NADARAJAH

ducing,”

Lin said.

However, not everybody felt the same way as Lin. Martinson felt the ease of the exam to be off-putting at first. “​​I felt like this was just so much easier,” Martinson said.

“Which was strange. It initially gave me a little bit of a freakout.”

She found the format of the digital exam to be more convenient, with the short paragraphs in the reading, but preferred the way the paper exam was split up. Even with the changes she likes, Martinson still finds herself leaning more towards the paper version.

“Having [the PSAT] be digital feels a bit weird,” Martinson said. “I think I’d still prefer paper but maybe it’s just because I haven’t gotten used to it yet.”

Serena Chang shared similar thoughts. Like Lin and Martison, Chang was hesitant going into the exam.

“Initially, I was pretty confused by the concept of it,” Chang said. “It was supposed to be standardized, but now they’re making it adaptive and I don’t really unREAD THE FULL STORY ON THEHURONEMERY.COM

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

KAYLA FU STAFF WRITER Since the beginning of the Earth as we know it, Antarctica has been a balance beam for global temperatures. Its cool temperatures are a safe haven for countless animals who rely on its icy caps and cold climate.

The frozen peaks, in a way, are a symbol of the balance of climate around the world. As long as they stay, there is a way of knowing that the world is okay, and danger is not near. The area, as we all remember, holds a dangerous environment that allows for little to no plant life. In a way, it stands as a point of extremes, holding remnants of past ice ages that have not yet thawed.

However, a recent shock occurred to visiting researchers.

Antarctica, the usually dead and barren landscape of ice and snow, was covered in grass and flowers. Oddly enough, the beautiful scene was enough to be terrifying. Two species in particular have been thriving more than usual these past few years, and researchers have seen a massive influx in their populations. The Antarctic Pearlwort and the Antarctic Hair grass, the only two flowering plants in the barren area, have been flourishing with the newfound warmth that climate change has brought to them, overshadowing the other plant species that live in cold weather. According to Earth. org, “The rapid growth of the Antarctic Hair grass and Antarctic Pearlwort poses a direct threat to the established mosses and lichens.”

Although this phenomenon is seen in Antarctica, it heaves a heavy warning of danger. As plant life thrives under warmer temperatures, we as humans need to realize that climate change is approaching much faster than we’d assume.

We are not fixing climate change, we are just barely outrunning it.

According to Phys.org, “Prior research has shown increased plant growth of several species in the Northern Hemisphere in response to warmer temperatures over the past several years.

This overwhelming plant growth in Antarctica does not just mean that the specific area is going through drastic changes. Although we may not notice it, everywhere on Earth is changing. As the temperatures continue to rise and the sea washes closer to the shore, it is hard to find hope in our seemingly drastic situation.

Victoria Sturt, a science teacher at Huron High School, has had the opportunity to witness climate change and its effects on the people she is surrounded by on a daily basis, as well as discuss ways to help change the world in little ways.

“We can all make individual choices about our lifestyles,” Sturt said. “So for instance, supporting solar panels or buying solar panels. Shifting to cars with better fuel efficiency or hybrid or electric vehicles, anything we can do to help reduce that CO2 emission. However, the biggest impact is coming from large companies and the government.”

Sturt’s hope for the future and a better place for all is reflected in the way she speaks of climate change. Despite all the negatives that climate change proposes, she still is willing to see the positives from what can arise from struggles. Sturt acknowledges the people’s efforts but also realizes that the large corporations are the ones who need to change.

Zoe Zhang, the founder of the Sustainability and Veganism Club at Huron High School, has been passionate about the planet for a long time, which led to her deciding to create her club.

She has had time to decide what she can do to help protect the environment and stop or slow down global warming in ways related to her club and ways of living as well.

“We can help slow down the effect of climate change by eating more plant-based options and understanding why it is important for the climate and animals and how they are all connected,” Zhang said. “Addi-

3 | ENVIRONMENTAL

tionally, doing simple actions like recycling, composting, and ensuring a smaller greenhouse gas footprint is important. I think it starts with every individual taking the time to understand how they contribute to climate change and how they can take little steps at a time to help the environment.”

We are lucky to live in a safe haven of privilege and good weather. However, our circumstance is becoming increasingly rare in the world. Ann Arbor has long been a peaceful place, far from the drastic effects of climate change. Many of us have enough money to afford roofs that can stand beating rain or storms that threaten to tear entire communities down. We are not close to oceans that threaten to flood or air that is heavy to breathe. The majority of our houses contain AC for when the heat is too much to bear, and we have water to quench our thirst. It is people like us who need to live in a different way, as we have the resources to do so.

Flowering plants blooming in Antarctica are just one sign of climate change’s effect.

Although you may not feel it right now, climate change is not sudden. However, within the next few years, negative effects will begin to hit, no matter how privileged you may be.

A few years ago, you may have pictured Antarctica as a white wasteland of ice. We pass down this earth to the lives that will come after us, so it is part of our responsibility to take care of it. It would be hard to imagine our future generations forced to imagine Antarctica as a land of lush grass and flowers.

The thing about Antarctica is that it’s not beautiful.. It doesn’t have flowers and grassy meadows, rather it is harsh and cold and it’s not possible to survive there as a human. However, it is our job to take these warning signs to heart and change our ways of thinking and living, we all live on Earth anyways.

GRAPHIC BY ANITA GAENKO

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

Embracing diversity: Snapshot of Huron Hispanic students NADIA PETERSON STAFF WRITER

Everyone participates in different traditions, and families create their own celebrations. When people commemorate their culture, they connect with people they don’t know because of their shared heritage.

Sophomore Mayte Pereira talks about her family’s experience with this.

“My family members travel to our own country, and usually on Christmas, we have our own Christmas traditions.

Like for example we have to eat three avocados every Christmas for good luck, which my family made up, but I guess other people from my country Junior Alondra Juarando didn’t celebrate many holidays growing up, but she was surrounded by American holidays and traditions.

“It would kind of upset me because I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t get to celebrate like the other kids do or to do the things they’re doing. My mom helped me realize like, oh, it’s really not necessary,” Juarando said.

Juarando celebrates American holidays with her friends now that she’s in High School. But for a time in her life, she felt disconnected from her culture since there weren’t many people similar to her growing up.

“I kind of always felt like an outsider,” Juarando

do that too.” Pereira said.

In Pereira’s home country, she celebrates and laughs with the people around her. Her favorite part of being Hispanic is the people.

“So [Hispanic people] is one of my favorites just because they’re so funny,” Pereira said.

Pereira also celebrates traditional celebrations even if her family doesn’t believe in the traditions.

“We also celebrate Los Muertos, even though it’s not really part of where I’m from,” said Pereira. “We have our own traditions and we spend the day thinking about our family members and appreciating them.”

said, “I feel like since we’ve barely just started getting a lot of Hispanics, I feel like this year the population of them grew a lot as the freshman came in,” Juarando said.

Now, most of Juarando’s friends are freshmen and sophomores.

At Huron, she’s found a larger community of people she can relate to due to cultural connections. Since she didn’t grow up with Hispanics at her previous schools or near her she finds comfort in being friends with people she can relate to, especially with all the new incoming Hispanics in younger grades.

4 | FEATURE

What do you do to celebrate Hispanic heritage month?

BERENICE VENEGAS & KEVIN TREJO-GALINDO STAFF WRITERS

Lupe Nicio (11) “We play random games with the cousins and watch movies on our phones.”

Brandon Carmona (10) “For Mexicans, we like to party and throw a carne asada and put a lot of Mexican music like bachata, regatón, cumbias, etc. at [Lake Pinckney].”

Omar Reyes Galindo (9) “We go to Lillie Park, play soccer, hang out to eat family, dinner, go shopping, go to parties and clean.”

Rashelle Hernandez (11) “Eat pupusas and watch caso cerrado, we do simple things.”

PHOTO BY BERENICE VENEGAS

Junior Berenice Venegas lived in Mexico growing up and found ways to connect and relate with her friends and fellow Mexicans at Huron High School. When talking about her childhood she can connect to other Hispanics even if they didn’t grow up the same way.

“I’ve noticed people from the same country as me, when they talk about how their childhood was, it’s different from mine, you know,” Venegas said Venegas finds comfort in differences between fellow Hispanics at Huron and her family is proud and communicative about their identity.

Hispanic Heritage Month is important to her family, “It is important to us because like, you can teach your siblings, you can teach anybody, you can teach anyone that doesn’t know about our culture,” Venegas said.

Hispanic Heritage Month is important to Venegas since she can teach and spread her culture to anyone who wants to learn about it. She’s from Mexico and although she can inform people about her culture year-round, Hispanic Heritage Month allows her to express her identity proudly and confidently.

PHOTOS BY RIHANNA GLEASON

Lindsay Vasquez Mejia (10) “We travel to see other family members in other states and spend time with people that we haven’t seen in a while.

We look for fun activities to do as a family and go out to nice places as a family.”

Heillin Valencia (11) “Me and my family stay home and listen to salsa songs and just chill with our same people from the same country and eat [tropical] food.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

5 | FEATURE

Two, three, unthread: What living in A2 is like for a Filipino FAYEZA MUIZZ STAFF WRITER As an international exchange student who wished to be hosted in a place where she does not feel different or foreign from others, what more could I ask for?

As an international exchange student whose one of her best observations was how different ethnicities in Ann Arbor just seemed to embrace each other as one community together, what more could I ask for?

As an international exchange student who wished to not only be immersed in an American culture, but also be exposed to more diversity, what more could I ask for?

What more could I ask for than being hosted in Ann Arbor, Michigan?

There are many nerve-wracking parts about an exchange year that an exchange student should prepare for prior to their departure.

One of them: standing out because of your ethnicity.

One unexpected, surprising truth after my departure, however: I did not.

(And I am so glad for that.)

I can vividly recall— when I first stepped foot in Detroit Metro Airport last August 9, 2023—how I was walking (almost running) to look for my luggage and meet my host family for the first time. While trying to navigate my way to the baggage counter, looking around, fresh

Fayeza Muizz Paniorotan, a Filipino KL-YES exchange student, proudly wearing and representing Maguindanao people’s Banggala Sugyang and Inaul during her exchange program’s Pre-Departure Orientation on Aug. 5, 2023, a day before she left the Philippines to embark on her exchange journey. PHOTO COURTESY OF PANIOROTAN in my memory, my mouth shaped into “O” out of genuine shock. Despite looking up the diversity statistics of my host community before, personally seeing so many people with different ethnicities in one place, naturally blending like it has been done a million times before, was beautifully surprising.

Never in my list of expectations, never something I prepared for, and never what I pictured.

Right from that moment, I knew I was going

to find another home 8,585 miles away from my home.

I can vividly recall how wandering around Ann Arbor for the first time left me starryeyed. There were just so many pieces from different countries of the world that made me gawk through my host dad’s car window. I came up with a silly thought: If someone asks me to suggest a place to move in with great consideration to diversity, what is to come out of my mouth is Ann Arbor.

According to Data USA, the fifth largest ethnic

Welcoming new counselor Tiffany Kincaid MELINDA MEI WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“I got into taking some teaching classes and found out that wasn’t really the way For four years prior, I wanted to go,” Kincaid said.

Tiffany Kincaid worked “So then I ended up studying as a counselor at Skyline psychology for my Bachelor of High School. This year, the Science. I did some research district asked her to come to and I went straight into a Huron due to the enrollment counseling program right after at Skyline was dropping. that. And I really liked it.”

“My other counselors More specifically, and the staff here at Huron Kincaid enjoys working in have been really schools. supportive,” “ I Kincaid said. “ like being a I love getting to person that know different connects things about how people’s Huron operates. different The students here areas of have been really, their lives,” really awesome Kincaid to work with. It’s said.

“I been going well.” think high Though school is a Kincaid sees really cool, herself as a fun time in counselor for the your life. foreseeable future, Kincaid with her fiance [Though] she didn’t always and dog in Maryland sometimes know she’d be PHOTO COURTESY OF KINCAID it’s not fun, drawn to this job. it’s a really Throughout most of college at important time in your life.

Eastern Michigan University, I really like being there for Kincaid was unsure of people and getting to make what she wanted to do. some people’s days better.”

A funny consequence of working with high schoolers is the accidental run-ins she has outside of school.

“Some I think [students] don’t think we exist outside of school,” Kincaid said. “But it’s always sweet. When I see someone and they’re like, ‘oh hey, Ms. Kincaid!’ it just makes my day.”

The most common places she’d see students were at Blank Slate and Washtenaw Dairy when she was walking her dog.

“I’m a little bit of an introvert, so I like to decompress a lot,” Kincaid said. “I engage socially with friends and family. I [also] love playing sports like volleyball, badminton, and pickleball.”

To hear more about Kincaid’s life in and out of work, a quick visit by her office wouldn’t hurt, especially because she really wants to get to know the students at Huron.

“There’s a lot of you guys that I haven’t met yet,” Kincaid said.”I really want to make sure I get to call everyone down and meet you guys so that you know why I’m here and who I am.”

groups in Ann Arbor are White (Non-Hispanic) (67.4 percent), Asian (NonHispanic) (17.2 percent), Black or African American (NonHispanic) (6.44 percent), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.72 percent), and White (Hispanic) (3.59 percent). If this appeals to you, considering moving to this small city might be a good choice.

Lisa McKarns, a longtime resident of Ann Arbor and an AFS Intercultural Programs (an international exchange program) volunteer, is equally

enthusiastic about the small city’s quality living traits.

“Ann Arbor is a very diverse community,” McKarns said. “We enjoy having friends and neighbors whose heritage represents all many different cultures. It makes for interesting discussions and delicious potlucks!”

Undoubtedly, the community has a lot to offer in various aspects; may it be public schools, night life, transportation, diversity, outdoor activities, jobs, and housing. In fact, with all these factors, Niche lists Ann Arbor as the country’s sixth best city to live in.

At this point, if it is that easy to blend in with the student population, won’t homesickness be easier to overcome with all of the Asian stores around the area too?

Yes, I suppose.

(And I am so glad for that.)

I can vividly recall how the idea of home on the other side of the world seemed to be so hazy and distant before departure. Two months in my exchange year in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the idea of home does not seem to be so far away anymore.

Never in my list of expectations, never something I prepared for, and never what I pictured; But definitely something I will always continue to willingly embrace.

THE EMERY STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD: Anjali Nadarajah 424587@aaps. k12.mi.us Anna Esper 310650@aaps.k12. mi.us Satvika Ramanathan 405293@ aaps.k12.mi.us Jamie Tang 311245@aaps.k12. mi.us ADVISER Sara-Beth Badalamente Maya Fu & Melinda Mei Website Editors-in-Chief Emily Hu & Julya Mae Jones Social Media Editor-in-Chief Kiki Choi Copy Editor Zain Charania Photo Editor Anita Gaenko Coverage Editor Rowan Grenier Sports Editor Anna Lee Design Manager Sydney Aldrich Staff Writer Aicha Bah Staff Writer Sam Butler Staff Writer Nicholas Casey Staff Writer Ethan Demps Staff Writer Lamarana Diakite Staff Writer Phuong-Anh Do Staff Writer Mori Escobar Staff Writer

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER 6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

For all the dogs: An album of disappointing nostalgia ANJALI NADARAJAH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF At 6 a.m. on Oct. 6, 36-year-old rapper and singer Drake released “For All The Dogs;” an album full of features, poor attempts of recreating the “old Drake,” and influence from a 5-year-old.

Rumors of his eighth studio album began earlier this year, and was confirmed when he posted the album cover on his Instagram, captioning it “FOR ALL THE DOGS OCTOBER 6 Cover

By Adonis.”

The album has features from popular artists, namely J. Cole, Yeat, SZA, and 21 Savage; who he’s collaborated with in his preceding album “Her Loss” and is currently on a North America tour with.

Thrilled by the idea of an album reminiscent of his older albums, Drake fans prepared to be amazed, but many were let down by his attempt. After his last few albums, they knew the Canadian rapper needed redemption. “Her

ANNA ESPER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Loss” delved a little too deep into Drake’s misogynistic ideas.

“Honestly, Nevermind”

could have gone a little lighter on the dance-floor music and heavier on rapping. “Certified Lover Boy” was carried

by Drake’s features, like Jay-Z and Future.

To start, “For All The Dogs” felt dragged on, like I was waiting for it to end instead of enjoying it while it played. Its efforts to capture the same “old Drake” vibe, like fan favorite albums “Take Care” or “Nothing Was The Same”, fell short. Some songs were almost comically terrible, like “Daylight’s” last verse sung by Drake’s 5-year-old son, Adonis. He repeatedly warns us to not “talk to my man like that.”

GRAPHIC BY BRODY TURNER

“Calling For You,” the third track with a feature from 21 Savage, didn’t reach the same level as his other collaborations with him, like “Jimmy Cooks,” a no.1

Billboard hit.

Similarly, “Slime You Out”, featuring SZA, was subpar for many. Considering both their short-lived relationship in 2009 and the fact that SZA is one of the greatest artists of our generation, both artists’ fan bases were expecting something with more substance.

Luckily, some of the other songs were pretty amazing to say the least. “Rich Baby Daddy”, featuring Sexyy Red and SZA again, is definitely the most memorable. Sexyy Red comes in clutch with her signature flair, and SZA’s last appearance on the album blessesears.

Its pop-focused style hits the spot that we were all looking forward to.

After a decade since their last collaboration, J.Cole and Drake shined in Track 6, “First person shooter.” They had witty lyrics like, “Love when

they argue the hardest MC/ Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?/ We the Big Three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammed Ali”, referencing the “Big Three” in the rap industry, Drake, J. Cole., and Kendrick Lamar. The flow and theme made this one of the best songs on the album.

Finally, “Away From Home” is the album’s best attempt at recreating Drake’s old work.

The lyrics, telling a solid story, and the flow create the perfect recipe to satisfy what fans were requesting.

Drake’s “For All The Dogs” was a pretty inadequate attempt at being a renowned album, but it still had a few unforgettable songs.

And while it’s miles away from being comparable to his more distinguished albums from the past, it’s definitely worth a listen.

“The rest”: A beautiful ending to an era

Almost seven months after the release of their first album and a summer of sold out shows, Boygenius is back to break our hearts and make us feel loved again. The world’s “greatest boyband” made up of Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers released “The Rest” on Oct. 13, 2023, giving us four extra songs that did not make the original album. Needless to say, they gave our ears a gift instead of dread.

The EP has an overall feeling of nostalgia, like meeting up with your closest friends after a long week. Sharing stories that you have heard over and over, and debriefing on how new memories connect. Remembering that even though everyone has their own troubles, something that brings the group together is a little obsession with the moon and space.

The album starts with the song “Black Hole.” The first verse starts with Baker’s soothing voice to a repetitive instrumental. As she continues to sing about news headlines sharing bad news, the instrumental becomes more intense. There’s then a shift to the second verse of Bridgers and Dacus singing what sounds like a list. “Bad boy, big fight, you’re a good guy/ Good day, good night, good talk, goodbye/ It’s out of your hands,

but have a safe flight.” This verse is choppy, focusing on the story they are telling us.

Something that sets this band apart from others is the connection. Just like when a friend starts a relationship with a boy you don’t approve of, you keep supporting her. After all, we all just want our friends to have the best life they can.

We connect to Boygenius like they are our friends. Their lyrics become something we can rely on to share the way our brains work, and tell the hard memories we are consumed by.

We then transition right into “Afraid of Heights,” narrated by Dacus.

This is a classic Dacus song, heavy on the lyrics, building up from light instrumental.

This song focuses on fears, and how far we will go for the validation of the ones we love.

In the third verse, Dacus sings “I never rode a motorcycle/I’ve never smoked a cigarette/I wanna live a vibrant life/But I wanna die a boring death/I know I was a disappointment/Know you wanted me to take a risk/Not everybody gets the chance to live/A life that isn’t dangerous.”

She focuses on hiding from known dangers because not everyone has the same opportunities that you have. Being scared of living freely, but succumbing to the people around you.

First played by Bridgers in July 2022, track three is nothing but sad. Titled “Voyager,” Bridger’s haunting narration feels oddly familiar, like a nostalgic winter day that you forgot your coat, hoping someone would lend you theirs, which Bridgers does beautifully in the lyrics, “There are days spent tangled up together/ And sometimes, you let me read your mind/ Then there are nights you say you don’t remember/ When you stepped on the gas and you asked if I’m ready to die/ You thought I’d never leave and I let you believe you were right.”

GRAPHIC BY ANITA GAENKO AND ANNA ESPER

Bridgers beautifully describes an unrequited, consuming love. No matter how hard you try to understand, you will always end up confused.

The last verse is classic Bridgers, connecting her love with the moon. On her sophomore album, her song “Moon Song,” she sings “If I could give you the moon/I would give you the moon.” This directly connects to the last verse in Voyager. “Makes me feel like a man on the moon/ Every small step I took was so easy/But I never imagined a dot quite as pale or as blue/You took it from me, but I would’ve given it to you.” This connection brings us a harsh taste of reality. Longing to have what someone wants from you, begging for them to love you back. The two songs are parallel, even though you want to be enough, you will never be able to change yourself completely.

The last track, “Powers” is sung by all three, but headed by Baker. When singing about space and comets, we are forced to think about life. The last minute and 11 seconds is the trumpet outro, writing out a story with no words.

As Baker sings “The tale of how I got my powers,” Boygenius gives the world a voice.

Although we all have different stories, we all hear the same notes, lyrics, and most importantly, live under the same moon.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

7 | ENTERTAINMENT

A new way to shop for the TikTok universe: TikTok Shop SYDNEY ALDRICH STAFF WRITER The newly integrated TikTok shop has caused a lot of heads to turn. TikTok is an online social media platform where users can make and post videos of different things. It originally was called Musical.ly, but has transitioned into TikTok in 2018. TikTok has just added a new program called TikTok shop where everyday users can sell a variety of products.

From selling shirts from mass production companies like Shein to homemade products, users have much to choose from. Depending on what you are looking for, TikTok Shop is bound to have it.

Although you wouldn’t expect one of the biggest social media platforms in the world to start up its own online shopping program, TikTok keeps adding more.

TikTok never has a shortage of new updates that developers come up with. Some good, some bad, it doesn’t matter, people always have something to say about it. Now with one of the most significant updates the app has ever created, many users have their

controversial opinions. Kayla Fu is a freshman at Huron High School. She talks about her experience with TikTok and how it affects her day-today life. She talks about how TikTok is one of her most used apps and she really enjoys it. She’s recently bought a sweater off of a TikTok shop for 3 dollars with coupons.

“I really like it so far and it’s okay quality for the price I got it for,” Fu said.

A survey was conducted by Civic Science on how many users enjoy TikTok shop and other categories relating to it. 41% of users who took the survey said that they have used TikTok shop and have enjoyed it, which Challenges Facebook MarketPlace’s 40%.

But Facebook Marketplace was started in 2016 when TikTok was still Musical. ly. So since Tik Tok shop is so new, not a lot o f

and surveys have been conducted. So as time goes on the numbers may change.

Small businesses everywhere are starting to use TikTok shops to sell their products. Entrepreneurs sell earrings, artwork, and even 3D-printed items in the shop.

Now that small businesses have taken advantage of the shop, so have normal users looking to dropship. Teenagers all around the country are taking cheap products from Shein, Temu, and Wish and are reselling them to make quick cash. Fu explains how it affects her likelihood to buy a product on her For You Page when it’s through TikTok shop. One of the most fundamental things that need to take place

companies are doing it right it can make a tremendous difference.

“TikTok shop makes me less likely to buy the product because the advertisement is fake as it’s not a real reaction,” Fu said.

As TikTok Shop continues to grow, so will the number of sellers. The young users on TikTok have made videos about how scamming has become common in the newly formed platform. It is very easy to scam buyers as they succumb to fake advertisements made to spread lies. Fu talks about how the reliability and trustworthiness of TikTok Shop will affect if she actually buys the item.

for a successful business is marketing.

And if the

“Personally, I think TikTok shop can sometimes be a big scam,” Fu said. “Amazon is much more trustworthy.

I’d definitely rather shop on Amazon which I know I can count on.”

As teenagers take TikTok shop into their own hands, it builds a persona around TikTok shop. Things are being sold for very cheap and the quality of the products usually isn’t good.

Sadie Plumb is a freshman at Huron High School. She discusses how she feels about TikTok and what it makes her think about.

“I think TikTok shop is a lot like Temu, and I would never shop on Temu,” Plumb said. “The products are not good and they are being sold for ridiculously low prices.

It reminds me of TikTok. Honestly, I really don’t like Tik Tok shop and I get why they added it, but I don’t enjoy it.”

research

GRAPHIC BY BRODY TURNER

Author Colleen Hoover’s “November 9” breaks TikTok JULYA MAE JONES SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Colleen Hoover has gained a very large readership on TikTok, having many of her books go viral. November 9 is one of them. For the past two years, I have seen the book pop up numerous times on my TikTok ForYou page, especially on the days leading up to Nov. 9. Sounds of Ben, the main love interest, would fill up my ForYou page time after time. Each time I saw a video, the sound would intrigue me. It looked

genuinely good.

The first couple of chapters pulled me in, and I liked the concept. Every year since they first met, they would meet up on that exact day, Nov. 9. Ben and the main character Fallon never contacted each other any other day of the year with the purpose of just them being together that one day. I thought it was cute, but there had to be some drama to ruin the happiness.

Towards the end of the book, there was so

much drama it just became annoying and honestly unnecessary. There was a lot of lying from Ben, and it wasn’t just silly white lies; it was life-changing things. Fallon was

dramatic and constantly refused to look at things from a different perspective.

Although Ben did stir up quite a bit of drama, I still liked his character. He’s charismatic, chivalrous, and overall caring and would drop everything to make sure others are okay.

Fallon annoyed me a lot, although I did feel bad for her. Sometimes she was selfish and refused to think about anybody else’s feelings but hers.

I would give the book GRAPHIC three and a half stars.

BY ROWAN The book held so much GRENIER

potential but was ruined by the drama that could’ve been prevented from the beginning.

I wouldn’t say I liked many things about the book, but one thing that I did like, no love, was how in love Ben was with Fallon. I loved how he would wait for her no matter the circumstances. Topics regarding the book will fill my feed for the next couple of years, which will no doubt create a love-hate relationship with my feed now that I’ve read the book because I now have a love-hate relationship with the book.

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

8 | INCLUSION

Students first: behind special education plans “There’s

nothing

ANITA GAENKO AND in this world, evSATVIKA RAMANATHAN idence-wise and COVERAGE EDITOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF e x p e r i e n c e - w i s e , “Students with disabilities are students, first and foremost.”

Dr. Marianne Fidishin, the Executive Director for the Office of Special Education at Ann Arbor Public Schools, is passionate about treating students with disabilities the same way as students without them.

“They’re students who, because of a disability, require additional services,” she said. “Special education is not a place, it’s not a room.”

Fidishin has worked for AAPS for five years, and has worked as an administrator for 16 years overseeing special education programming. She has worked in-person ever since the return after the COVID-19 pandemic. She oversees all special education programming and services in the district, including students with IEPs and 504s. 504 students receive accommodations to help them access the curriculum, while students with IEPs require additional instructional services.

Fidishin believes that students with disabilities should have the exact same access and opportunities.

“Sometimes people think that more is better, meaning if I provide more services to the students [with disabilities], or I separate them from others, that that’s better for students,” she said.

to indicate that’s the case.”

The route to getting an IEP involves multiple steps. There are different areas that qualify students for special education: emotional, visual, and hearing impairments, as well as learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.

“Students have to show that their disability impacts their ability to access the general ed curriculum without support,” Ms. Janet Lemanski, the department chair for special education at Huron, said.

If students are found to qualify, the department of special education works to write an individualized education plan (IEP).

“It is specific to the student and puts in what kind of support they’re going to get,” Lemanski said. “It gives them academic goals or behavioral goals.”

An IEP lasts for one calendar year before it must be re-written.

Every three years, students are tested again to ensure that they are still eligible for an IEP. Often, the extra support given to students is simply taking additional time to review material.

“One example I give students is, if I have two jugs, and one is full and one is empty, and I’m trying to pour the water from one jug into another, I can use a funnel,” Lemanski said.

“There are different size fun-

nels. If I pour the water too fast and the funnel fills up, and things spill over, all this water is missed. If I pour it slowly enough, I can get all that water in. Some kids have a smaller funnel, and they just need the information poured in a little bit slower.”

IEPs are specific to schools, but 504s are more general. They cover any health condition that could impact a student or employee’s work. For example, a student could have an 504 for Type 1 diabetes or asthma that would allow them time to access a glucose monitor or inhaler.

“If people feel the 504 plan is not supportive enough, then they can request a special ed evaluation,” Lemanski said. “But we’d like to have all those steps tried. We don’t want to jump right to a special ed evaluation.”

The district is going through a transitional period, with changes in leadership and recent complaints about the handling of special education students. Fidishin believes that it’s important to recognize that parents and administrators have the same goals.

“It’s not unusual for parents to disagree with the way a school is proceeding with something,” she said. “I think it’s important to have conversations, it’s important that a school team and the parents have an open and fluid communication because ultimately, we all want the s a m e things for our

9 | INCLUSION

The student perspective on IEPs

students. The means to the end is what can sometimes be confusing to parents.”

A recent report in MLive broke the news on Fidishin’s resignation, on which she declined to comment.

“We work on developing strong, solid relationships with families, school teams, and our building leaders,” Fidishin said. “And that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

The job of handling 504s and IEPs becomes harder as the department undergoes a transition.

“It’s a challenging job to begin with,” Lemanski said.

“When you can connect with a kid that other people can’t connect with, it’s the best feeling in the world. But sometimes you go home and you’re just worn out. When there’s all this disruption, it makes things more challenging for our department.”

However, Lemanski is confident in her team.

“This is the best team of teachers I’ve ever worked with,” she said. “We are a cohesive group and we all support each other. I have kids on my caseload, but anybody will work with anybody’s kids. We all work together, we support each other, and that makes all the difference because I wouldn’t want to teach anywhere else.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

SATVIKA RAMANATHAN J u n i o r and things have improved a lot since then. listens to audiobooks when she has to read.

Charis CrawBecause of her dyslexia, learning for Having dyslexia has also made EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ford went to a charter school until fourth grade, where she was treated “differently” from her peers. Her teachers there thought she was “acting out.”

In fact, she just has dyslexia. Once she came to the Ann Arbor Public School district, she got an Individualized Education Plan (IEP),

her isn’t always the same as for others. Sometimes, teachers don’t always teach in the way that’s best for her to learn in. Before she got her IEP, that made things really, really tough.

Her IEP allows her to get extra support as well as an extra class for learning. She voice types whenever she has to write, and

her

outlook on the world different.

“I see things differently and I figure out different problems in more of a creative [way],” Crawford said.

Now she’s in DP English as well as Language and Literature, and doing well in school, which is, in part, due to her IEP.

The amount of students with autism in the nation according to Pew Research Center

GRAPHIC BY ANITA GAENKO

Balancing student support: Special education teacher Carmen DiFranco shares his story ROWAN GRENIER SPORTS EDITOR

The difference between male and female students with learning disabilities in the nation according to Pew Research Center

All students learn things at different rates, and different classes have different speeds of learning, but some classes’ paces can be just too quick depending on the student. Someone who supports students with these issues and gives the best learning experience possible is Special Education teacher Carmen DiFranco. DiFranco has been teaching at Huron for 18 years but taught at Scarlett Middle School and other

schools outside of Ann Arbor Public Schools before Huron.

DiFranco feels that Huron has a very good culture set by principal Ché Carter with a positive message, clear expectations, and guidelines.

“I feel like there’s an acceptance of different kids and cultures, so that permits me to try to connect with kids at many different levels,” DiFranco said. “And I feel like a lot of times, I’m teaching but I’m learning from the kids too.”

DiFranco’s favorite aspect of being a teacher con-

sultant is that he is able to get to know the students on another level and help them find what they want to do in life after high school. He gets them on his caseload for all four years of their high school career which allows him to understand who they are as a person and a learner. He loves to help kids find their interests throughout high school and see the growth they create.

“I get to see the growth throughout those four years,” DiFranco said. “Young people turn the corner and

find things that they didn’t know they were good at or help them find their interests and maybe put them on a path to something they might want to do after high school, and that’s rewarding to me to see.”

DiFranco feels that though some kids may need accommodations, teachers can’t make it too easy or else they won’t end up learning anything. There needs to be a middle ground to make sure students are getting the knowledge out of their classes without getting it handed to them.

“It’s like lifting weights,” DiFranco said.

“You want to find that weight that’s difficult for you but not too easy or too hard. Where you can lift and get stronger, but not too heavy or you can’t pick up the weight or too light where it’s too easy to do. We want to provide just the right amount of support.

So that we can make sure the student has a clear understanding of class material.”

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

10 | ASF

SATVIKA RAMANATHAN, ANJALI NADARAJAH, ASHLEY KIM AND EMILY HU CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF, NEWS EDITOR, AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Sweet Tea Sweet Tea not too sweet or or plain, richrich tea tea not too sweet plain, flavor, chew and soft bubbles. flavor,super chew and soft bubbles. delicious except too supermany delicious except too bubbles and too little formany the drink, and too expensive. bubbles and too little of the drink, and too pricy. $6.20

4 stars $6.20

Coco Coco great flavor, perfectly

great flavor, perfectly sweetened sweetened bubbles, just bubbles with a nice-tasting slightly hardhard to chew syrup, just slightly to chew. decently priced.

4.5$4.60 stars $4.60

Ding Tea Ding Tea golden bubbles, good taste golden bubbles, of the tea

GRAPHIC BY ELLA YIP

good taste of the tea $5.25

Sweeting Sweeting prettygood good flavor, blandbland and pretty flavor, unsweetened tapioca pearls and tapioca withunsweetened too little chew, convenient location, overpriced pearls withslightly too little chew, convenient location, $6.30 slightly overpriced

3 stars $6.30

4 stars $5.25

Moge Tea Moge Tee milk milk tea tea lacked richflavor, flavor, lacked rich super sweet sweet brown sugar sugar pearls, super brown medium was on the smaller side pearls, medium was on the but pearls were perfectly chewy smaller side, but pearls $5.94 chewy were perfectly 3 stars $5.94

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

11 | FEATURE

Social Studies: the eye to the future SATVIKA RAMANATHAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

four years, and decided it was time to move back to the Midwest. She was cold-calling AP U.S. History (APUSH) principals and came to Huron teacher Kathryn Jones is not to look for a job. The principal worried about the direction at the time, Dr. Williams, took the world is heading in. In her on a tour of the school. a broad sense, of course. One thing led to another, Jones finds that when and she started working she talks with her friends who there in the fall of 1999. don’t know history, they are She’s always constantly in a state of alarm taught U.S. History in one over the state of the world, form or another, but she’s whether that’s with regards to only taught APUSH for elections, climate change, or the last eight years or so. foreign affairs, to name a few.

“I have always thought, But she doesn’t feel that way. with no disrespect to other “That might be subjects, that social studies is because I am dumb or lazy, or the most important because it could be that I’m enmeshed if we do nothing else, we have in thinking about history on a to get along in the world to more 24/7 make it as b a s i s , ” a species,” Jones said.

Jones said.

“The world “Social Social studies courses has been studies in crisis courses are really all about many times are really how we get along. And before.

I all about think, oh, how we get not just get along, but there’s a along. And how we thrive and do lot of crap not just get happening along, but it right. right now how we KATHRYN JONES that is thrive and APUSH teacher m a k i n g do it right. p e o p l e [Social crazy. But the world has made studies classes] were the courses its way through knots before I was always drawn to myself.” and come out on the other One of the reasons side. Humanity has survived. Jones likes teaching is So maybe I’m dumb, maybe because it feels like a personal I’m lazy, or maybe I’m just a challenge to do it well. little mellowed out because “To make a classroom of the history teaching.” of 30 kids function is a Jones started teaching skill,” she said. “And even in the fall of 1995 in Baltimore though I’ve been teaching at an all girls public high for a long time, my skills school. She taught there for are still always tested in the

“

NEWS

briefs

MARIA FARAH STAFF WRITER

Operation Smile begins next goals for the year Millions of children worldwide struggle with untreated clef conditions. They have difficulty performing everyday tasks such as eating, breathing, and speaking, and are often not accepted by their peers. Operation Smile is a nonprofit organization that works towards providing care and free surgery to children with cleft conditions. Their 6,000 volunteers provide care in over 60 countries, and their work has been recently brought to Huron.

In November 2022, now-senior Olivia Bok brought Operation Smile to Huron due to her interest in dentistry and oral surgery. She reached out to Eric Geiger to

most elementary manner.

Can you make a good class?

And I like that challenge.”

The other part of that “challenge” that she likes is the chance to learn about history.

“I’ve taught US history for 30 years, but I’m still learning alongside [the students],” Jones said. “I’m still challenged intellectually every day to make sure that I understand it well enough to teach it to [them]. When students write their papers or do a research project, they’re always presenting pieces of history or ways of looking at history that I hadn’t thought about before. It’s never dull.”

She loves the diversity of Huron. While she didn’t grow up in a to a diverse school, her parents were always encouraging her to “look at the bigness of the world.”

“I always like to look at class rosters before I even know anyone and just admire the diversity of names before I even meet people,” Jones said. “You can just see in the names that we are this giant smorgasbord of personalities.”

She likes the eagerness of APUSH students, and she likes teaching American history because of the distinct connection to everyone’s daily lives.

“It feels like it’s closest to heart,” she said.

“It goes a long way to explain [how] our country works and doesn’t work.”

Jones has seen many changes throughout her teaching career. For one thing, when she started teaching,

History teacher Kathryn Jones in her classroom. Jones teaches AP U.S. History. PHOTO BY ZAIN CHARANIA she would have to write out a worksheet on a piece of carbon paper and crank it through a machine to make copies. Access to resources, for teachers and students, too, has grown much more. That’s not the only change she’s seen, however.

“Teachers now are more expected to deal with larger social ills,” she said.

“When I started teaching, nobody had IEPs, nobody had 504s. Teaching faculty wasn’t talking so much about equity or diversity or how to help kids who are struggling socioeconomically. Teachers and schools are more expected to dedicate ourselves in a more holistic way. I think that’s a good thing, but it definitely enlarges the responsibilities of the [teachers] in a way

that is overwhelming.”

She’s learned many lessons, too, in her teaching styles and perspectives.

“I’ve definitely had to learn to exercise my patience, and my sense of humor,” she said. “I’ve had to learn to be less rigid. I’ve certainly had to expand my own worldview. This should be true of everybody as you grow up, right? Your worldview is constantly expanding and you’re understanding people in new ways and learning to grow your own heart, your own sense of empathy, your own perspective on what’s important.”

When Jones

be the advisor of School, under the club. Despite the guidance how recently the of art teacher club was formed, L y n d s e y they have Vockel, is not already managed just a weekly to help out gathering; underprivileged it’s a creative k i d s . haven where “ L a s t students are year, we were encouraged able to pay for to practice and raise enough and showcase money to pay for their artistic seven kids to have achievements. cleft lip and cleft Art club palate surgery,” takes place Geiger said. The Art Club meets in classroom 3204 after school on Tues- in classroom B u tdays. PHOTO BY BRODY TURNER 3204 every they don’t Tuesday from the community at Huron. want to stop there. Last “The other people 2:51 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Art year was more focused on in the club are all really nice club typically engages in a fundraising and getting kids,” Geiger said. “They range of creative activities, money, but this year they always have jokes and have including drawing, painting, want to expand their scope. fun during the meetings and collaborative art projects.

“I would like to or when we get together. They may host guest speakers see more information get It’s a nice way to connect to discuss art-related topics put out in the school so to other students that you and organize communitypeople know more about might not normally see.” building activities. the club,” Geiger said.

Additionally, art clubs Operation Smile A place to express often provide a platform for meets every other Monday. themselves: Art Club a members to share their work, Though it might not seem like space for all to create offer critiques, and participate it, Operation Smile is a great in art exhibitions, fostering way to get more involved with Art Club at Huron High a sense of community

and artistic development among its members.

Vockel spoke about the one place where art is made, and heavily encouraged to create and experiment outside of class to not only practice but also showcase and this place is known as Huron High School Art Club.

“Art Club is a little different every week,” Vockel said. “Sometimes we do community building activities like playing drawing games. Sometimes it is independent work time.”

Art Club is a place where students come together to one place and express their creative talents.

“I think that it is a welcoming place,” Vockel said.

“Artists are typically an openminded bunch. I want it to be a safe place where anyone interested can come to make art and some new friends.”

Vockel says that the students are very devoted to their time spent at the club.

“An artist can be anyone who declares themself one,” Vockel said.

READ THE FULL STORY ON THEHURONEMERY.COM

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

Freshly popped: Travis and Taylor ANNA ESPER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On Sept. 24, Taylor Swift was seen at Arrowhead stadium seated next to Travis Kelce’s mom in his family’s box. After almost a month of rumors, it was confirmed that Swift and Kelce are the new couple to watch.

Obviously, the world had to stop. Taylor Swift has a new boyfriend that happens to play football for the Chiefs, and apparently it’s all of our business. Every news outlet was reporting on it and every website had them as the first thing you saw.

Bringing Swifties and football fans together is something that I never saw coming. After years of making fun of Swifties, the two communities are bonding over their favorite player being with their favorite pop star.

But why do we care so much? I am a huge fan of Swift and my family is from Kansas City, but it is not my business.

Swift’s dating life has always been the topic of conversation. The amount of people she’s dated and the amount of songs she’s written about someone has always been assumed to be more important than her talent.

Instead of caring about her songwriting, people seem to care about her relationships.

After the first sighting, the month of October was filled with couple photos of the two spending time together in New York.

Seen holding hands, attending football games and making a surprise appearance on

With a new relationship gone public, Taylor Swift fans and non-fans have a lot to say. Photo from the Eras Tour. PHOTO BY ANJALI NADARAJAH

Saturday Night Live (SNL), the two seem to be having a good time getting to know each other out in public.

Whether people love the relationship or not, people always seem to care. Swift has not been this public with her relationship since before her boyfriend of five years. Joe Alwyn, so although it might be different, she is doing what is making her happy.

We shouldn’t be judging her for the amount of people she’s dated, or how often she has a new boyfriend, or even how much she is seen

with men. We don’t know her, and she is not a child.

Swift has been in the public eye since she was 16.

Instead of deciding who she should date, we should let her live.

GRAPHIC BY KIKI CHOI

12 | OPINION

The Young Scientist: Genetic testing ANITA GAENKO COVERAGE EDITOR Ever since 23AndMe became the first company to offer personal DNA testing in 2007 — hailed as the Invention of The Year by TIME in 2008 — the public has been obsessed with figuring out their ancestry.

This specific branch of biotechnology, called personal genomics, now costs less than $1000 per kit, making it reasonably accessible to people wishing to find out more about their ethnic background, family history, or risk of disease. On one hand, this has opened up a new way for people to connect with their heritage, especially groups affected by diaspora, slavery, and generally incomplete records. On the other hand, the sheer volume of hyper-specific data that is being collected could be an incredible privacy risk.

On Oct. 6, 23, andMe suffered a major data leak, in which hackers collected an unspecified amount of user accounts and offered the information for sale. They published a list of people with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on internet forums, attempting to attract an anti-Semitic audience. Information leaked included full names, photos, and genetic code, all of which were also offered for sale.

Genetic sequences are difficult to interpret by themselves, but there are well-known markers to look for which could give information about ethnicity and medical conditions.

Unlike other types of personal data, genetic data has an extra consideration: individuals who are related to each other share a lot of their sequence, so information gained about one person could impact their family members. People could become targets for ethnicallyor disability-motivated hate crimes, just because one of their family members took a DNA test.

There’s a deeper social issue when it comes to ancestry tests. Our obsession

with ancestry perpetuates the age-old idea that someone’s genetic makeup — or lineage, or “blood” — determines something about their identity as a person. There’s allure in the thought of being connected to some great royal bloodline or finding a secret family member you never knew about. But the truth is, if you go back far enough, all humans are related (descended, in fact, from one woman in Africa known as Mitochondrial Eve). The percentages in an ancestry report don’t seem to have a lot of scientific value, either. “20% Neanderthal DNA” doesn’t mean much when you consider that the average human shares 84% of their DNA with the average dog. Additionally, companies like 23AndMe and Ancestry. com are only as good as the data they’ve already collected.

When it comes to finding biological family members, you’ll only find a match if that person has also had testing done with the same company.

Ethnicity reports suffer massive gaps in data from certain groups—for example, American Indigenous groups have barely any DNA samples in these databases.

But even with more data, DNA shouldn’t be how we define our cultural heritage or family connections.

Ancestry tracking is rooted in racist ideas: a person’s ethnicity percentages should have nothing to do with how they’re treated. Family is about who you choose to bond with, rather than how much your blood is similar to theirs.

Genetic testing does have a major benefit: it can inform people about possible medical conditions, from genetic disorders to predicted reactions to certain drugs.

But it’s time to question the idea that our genes define our human identities, especially with the dangers of collecting so much private information.

Cultural heritage and family are more than just a string of DNA base pairs.

GRAPHIC BY KIKI CHOI

Students should be focused and engaged in class Staff Editorial: The cell phone procedures are here to stay On the first day of school, students were surprised with new cell phone procedures. It was decided that all English and math classrooms would have a phone caddy where students are assigned a pocket where they will place their phone during class. This was one of the many new procedures that would be implemented at Huron, this was something that shocked everyone, and it has been working.

Throughout the year, teachers have either become more lenient with their students’ phones, or more strict. With some science classes getting phone caddies as well, it has become a norm to put your phone away for at least one class period.

Including the phone caddy, students are not allowed to bring their phones to the bathroom in any class.

Whether students dislike the phone procedures

or not, what is the big deal behind phones?

It is understandable to want to have your phone in class. From listening to music or having all your work done, it could be a good distraction and pass time.

Additionally, some students believe that the procedures should be more lenient. With the stress of school emergencies, the use of their phone would help relieve that.

But overall, it is a distraction in class, especially for main subjects like English and math. By limiting the use of phones in these classes, the procedures force students and teachers to not use their phone as an excuse for not paying attention.

Instead of phones in class, the caddy forces us to connect with our classmates, teachers, and school work.

GRAPHIC BY ANNA ESPER

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

The Misfits

13 | COMICS

JUSTIN PHELPS GUEST WRITER

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FINE COFFEES AND TEAS IN NICKELS ARCADE

dear HurON High scHOol COmMUNIty, ThAnkS for aL l YOuR LovE AND sUpPOrt. xoXO

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THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

Huron the

14 | SPORTS

Varsity Soccer Wins SEC Red Conference

JULES HESKIA STAFF WRITER The Huron River Rats came into the game top of the SEC Red, southeastern conference first division, but not by much. Pioneer was just behind them, still waiting to lose a game. They had already played each other earlier in the season and the game ended in a 0-0 tie after 50 minutes of playing. The game got called off early due to thunder and both teams were disappointed.

They would meet up again on Oct. 3rd for another game, this time a lot more important and decisive. After a well, hard fought game, the River Rats came on top 1-0. Gabe Priestly scored an early, decisive goal and the Huron team was able to keep the score that way for the rest of the game.

“It was early in the game, so it was nice, but there was still a lot left to do,” Priestly said. “It took a lot of concentration because you had to watch everyone on the field and stay focused for the rest of the game.”

As the game went on, both teams tried to keep their cool. There was a lot of intensity, and it started to

get heated. Yellow cards were given and there was even a red card for Pioneer.

This was expected as it was a very big game and the two teams were rivals.

“The game was super intense,” junior Antonio Cassone said.

“Everyone was just fouling.”

This win wasn’t just about beating their rivals, it also meant that the River Rats had just won their first SEC Red Conference title in 13 years. A huge accomplishment for everyone, coaches and players. It meant a lot for everyone in the program and they had to celebrate for these huge victories.

“We celebrated in the

locker room. It was a good moment, because it was the first time in a while,” Priestly said.

For some players it was not about just winning the conference, but beating Pioneer. Huron had struggled beating Pioneer in the past and this win meant everything.

“I instantly felt happy, more because it was the first time we won in five years against Pioneer, not because we won the conference,” Cassone said.

Winning this game and the conference may lead to many great things in the future for the Huron Soccer Program and will now be seen as a totally different and improved team.

Looking for a pass is senior Will CookDiamond. CookDiamond was one of the captains this year with Jack Regan and Gavin Brooks. The three leaders were big contributers to the team’s success: winning the conference.

This photo was taken on the River Rats first game against Pioneer, which ended in a 0-0 tie. PHOTO

BY MELINDA MEI

Senior Jack Regan running with the ball at his feet. Regan was also one of the captains for the team. PHOTO BY RYAN BEZAS

Changing the narrative: three women coaches in the men’s soccer program ROWAN GRENIER SPORTS EDITOR Most people when they think about sports, they think about the major sports leagues like the NFL or NBA. All the coaching staff in those leagues are predominantly male with very few women with any type of job in those leagues. The only times we often see women coaching in sports is in female dominated sports and still, many men coach teams who are competing in those sports.

The Huron Men’s Soccer program changed the script this year with three of the four head coaches in their soccer program being female–SaraBeth Badalamente, Suzanne Dickie, and Angela Heflin.

“We had our best year to date since I joined the coaching staff at Huron in 2016,” Varsity head coach Luis Gomez-Dominguez. “All four teams in our program had a successful season on the field with all teams having a winning record and our Varsity team winning the very competitive SEC Red Division.”

The four full teams in the Huron soccer program are the Freshman team, the Junior Varsity White team, the Junior Varsity Green team, and the Varsity team. The

Taking a quick selfie at practice are Sara-Beth Badalamente, Suzanne Dickie and Angela Heflin who are men’s soccer head coaches. PHOTO BY SARA BADALAMENTE Freshman team is coached by Badalamente, the JV White team is coached by Dickie, the JV Green team is coached

by Heflin, and the Varsity team is coached by GomezDominguez and assisted by Erik Beehler who is also the goalkeeper coach. The Junior Varsity White team, the Junior Varsity Green team, and the Varsity team. The Freshman team is coached by Badalamente, the JV White

team is coached by Dickie, the JV Green team is coached

by Heflin, and the Varsity team is coached by GomezDominguez and assisted by Erik Beehler who is also the goalkeeper coach.

A few years ago, there were only two female coaches at the Varsity level in the state (including Dickie) for men’s soccer, but now this is starting to evolve. A sport that most people consider to be male

dominated is finally changing and slowly becoming more equal. According to Zippia. com, one-third of high school coaches are female now for all high school sports.

JV White coach Dickie just completed her first year coaching in the program but had prior coaching experience in the Skyline women’s and men’s soccer program.

“To have three female coaches in one program

demonstrates how times are changing and how progressive Huron and Coach Luis are,” Dickie said. “I hope that it starts a trend.”

Freshman coach Badalamente has been in the program for three years now and has coached the freshman team all three of those years.

Badalamente also coached the women’s JV soccer squad before coming to the men’s program for seven years. Prior to that, she coached men’s and women’s soccer in Grand Ledge for eight years.

“I think that Luis recruited coaches specifically to help push this agenda of the whole player, not just on the pitch, in the real world too,” Badalamente said. “I think that there’s a different approach to the game by the players based on this mindset created by the coaches.”

Dickie also feels that the program at Huron does a great job of creating a family type atmosphere and feels that all teams and coaches are connected in one way or another to each other. She also loves the fact that the program goals are not just centered around winning games. The READ THE FULL STORY ON THEHURONEMERY.COM

THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER

15 | SPORTS

Maddy Ryan: Q&A with a varsity volleyball player ZAIN CHARANIA SPORTS EDITOR Q: How has the season been going so far?

A: The season has been pretty good.

Q: What is your record this year?

A: I believe it is 1-7.

Q: How has that affected you as a team?

A: It is hard because you go into practice working really hard and thinking you are going to win and then at the end, you end up losing.

Q: How do you feel about senior night?

A: I am very excited, my entire friend group is coming and they have never seen me play before so that is very exciting, but, I am kind of nervous because a bunch of people are coming and I don’t want to make mistakes.

Q: What has been your favorite part of volleyball this season?

A: Probably the team in general, the team this year has a lot of good personalities, and everybody is nice to each other, which has not been my experience in previous years, I have had a lot more fun

Ryan Warms up for her game: ZAIN CHARANIA

playing front row and serving.

Q: What are your plans for volleyball after senior year?

A: So right now, I am being recruited to play by colleges, NCAA division two or three mainly, 20 schools are looking at me and only one is D1 Q: When did you start playing volleyball?

A: I started in third grade, and in fifth I started playing club and I have played for seven years now.

Q: What is your least favorite thing about volleyball?

A: Probably the mental aspect, a lot of people think that it’s easy, its 90% mental and 10% physical.

Ryan Spikes the ball vs. Skyline: ZAIN CHARANIA

Ryan is recognized in the lineup: ZAIN CHARANIA

Ryan hears the final game plan: ZAIN CHARANIA

River Rat rivalries: Hot takes on who Huron’s biggest competition is BREYANA JACKSON STAFF WRITER One thing any popular group has, is competition. Call it what you want, beef, feud, challenges, or enemies, but the idea is the same. Competition is all around us, and used to increase support, and fun into things. But one of the friendly local competitions that we can hold close to is the rivalry between the Ann Arbor Public High Schools.

And boy, does it have history.

Michael Sumerton is the sophomore class principal at Huron. His history with the school gives an essential view into the busy and inspiring rivalry AAPS has.

“Definitely Pioneer. That rivalry goes back 52 years,” Sumerton said in response to who Huron’s biggest rival was. Huron, founded in September of 1969, was created as the second high school of Ann Arbor.

The mascot was the product of a rivalry joke from Pioneer that Huron embraced with pride and acceptance. The Huron River Rats have since then continued to withstand friend-

ly opposition with Ann Arbor Pioneer ever since. “It feels like a Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry, but just as fun, it’s like good nature,” Sumerton said.

He continues to state the fun and petty ways administrators go and continue the fun up within their titles. He also hones in on how Ann Arbor Skyline isn’t a major part considering they are newer, only joining the community in 2008. However, after talks with the student perspective, the fun and petty ways stated before, doesn’t stay as fun down in the student class. His perspective is the opposite in senior Mikaela Carter’s eyes.

“I actually feel like our biggest rival is Skyline,” Carter said. “I don’t know much about Pioneer. But being a student at Skyline in the past and seeing their @a2_nest page,” she references the Skyline Instagram page, “and they talk trash a lot. Even recently, it was a Huron vs. Skyline soccer game and they made a post about us. And then they captioned it, ‘pest control who called about rats.’”

The caption in reference to the song “Who Want Smoke’’

by Nardo Wick is only the tip of the iceberg with students and the high school feud. The week of the Huron vs. Pioneer football game on Oct. 12, Pioneer students have been posting TikToks, sharing posts of vulgarity expressing their strong feelings, imitating our cheers, etc. The students and administrators are under two vastly different levels of hostility towards the rivalry. The students take it so seriously, it sometimes isn’t fun anymore.

“Honestly, I stay away from all the Skyline football games.”

Carter said. “‘Cause going to the football games at Skyline, even as a Skyline student, wasn’t fun at all. I’d go to the Skyline games and sit on the Huron side instead.

Now, this year I went to the Skyline/ Huron football game, and people were calling people mean names, and fat shaming, and they are simply homophobic. Just the student section in itself. It’s not much

of a fun rivalry anymore.”

Although these rivalries seem to be equally balanced between perspectives, Pioneer takes the cake in the most exciting feud.

“Pioneer because it’s the closest school to us and it’s always been a rivalry taught to the students,” senior Jack Regan said. “There’s still a rivalry between Skyline, but Pioneer and Huron are the oldest. But, varsity soccer won the conference championship against them two weeks ago.”

But no mat-

ter the recent or historic ways of the competition, what matters is that it brings us closer together. There’s always sports games, conferences and exciting events to look forward to when you know there’s a cheerful and passionate relationship between the neighboring schools.

That’s what we can count on.

Out of 237 students surveyed.

GRAPHICS

BY ANJALI NADARAJAH

THE THE HURON HURON EMERY EMERY | ISSUE | ISSUE 2: OCTOBER 2: OCTOBER

Inside

the honey comb

A2B2, which stands for Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers, is an organization dedicated to supporting beekeepers and promoting beekeeping around Ann Arbor.

A2B2 provides handson classes to beginners who want to start beekeeping, and to intermediate beekeepers looking to expand their knowledge. Their once a month classes provide excellent insight into the world of hobby beekeeping, along with expert advice on beekeeping equipment, and biology

Classes for A2B2 are held at Matthei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105

The beekeeper’s backyard: teacher Marie Whybark shares her passion for art and the environment A beekeeping potter, high school science teacher Marie Whybark wears both titles with polish.

Using her science and math background, Whybark’s career in both beekeeping and pottery has been fulfilling.

W h y b a r k entered the world of pottery in

college, and she enjoys many things about it. “[I] really do like making things on the [pottery] wheel and sort of just the mediational process of that and I think I really like the symmetry as a math teacher,” Whybark said.

Even though she does a lot of pottery, Whybark has never taken a pottery class.

She found her inspiration and interest in pottery during her high school years, and she relies on her natural talents to learn more.

“The strange thing is to this day, still I’ve never actually taken a class in pottery - I just kind of like figure it out,” she said.

Through methodical practice and inspirational mentors, Whybark works through the challenges of pottery, striving for perfection.

“I was making these

coffee cups, and they’re all way too heavy on the bottom. They look great from the outside but in pottery, we say the inside and the outside should match.

So you can imagine it’s easy to have a cup that looks [good] on the outside, but on the inside we have all this extra clay and it’s heavy and it doesn’t feel right in your hand.”

Whybark says the formula for making the perfect coffee cup is to “make 100 coffee cups, and then you’ll probably have a good one.”

Pursuing perfection in pottery has proved a success for Whybark, so when an opportunity came to support her daughter’s interest, the chance was taken by storm.

“My daughter did it as her sixth-grade science fair project,” Whybark said. “She was interested in bees and she wanted to learn more about it just wanted to make a

bee model and my husband said, ‘let’s just get a hive.’”

Today, Whybark shares how her beekeeping abilities have evolved.

“We’re called backyard beekeepers,” she said. “I live in Ann Arbor on a little tiny plot of land, and the city says you can have two hives, so I only have two hives.”

With these two small h i v e s , Whybark has become immersed in the world of beekeeping.

“We got a hive, and there’s a group in Arbor called Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers,” she said. “And it’s all just volunteers. It’s a club and you go and you just learn from other

The Whybark hive (left) came about from Whybark’s daughter’s science fair project.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WYBARK

people and some of it you learn the hard way and some of it you learn the easy way.”

Whybark has now been involved for 12 years with both beekeeping and pottery going strong.

With the abundance of products that she has, W h y b a r k gives extra honey to her community and shares her pottery with her students.

Whybark s a y s that with these hobbies, “There [are] endless o p p o r t u n i t i e s . ” Left: At science teacher Marie Whybark’s home, the family has a hive for bees. Above: The Whybarks share honey with the community. PHOTOS COURTESY OF WYBARK