THE
TALON
ROCHESTER HILLS, MI // NOVEMBER 2019 // VOL. 82 ISSUE 2
Photo courtesy of : Kari Eickholdt
PAGE 2 || NEWS
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
News In RHS
Junior Class puts on Painting with a Purpose
KAYLA MOW
MEGAN SPLAN
STAFF WRITER
NEWS EDITOR
Students at last year’s Painting with a Purpose.
Painting with a Purpose will take place on Nov. 19 and Dec. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Rochester High School upper cafeteria. Students will come to decorate ornaments for veterans and patients with
Junior Sophia Cichocki at last year’s Painting with a Purpose. Photo courtesy of Mr. Z
RHS students CAN donate
Photo coutesy of Mr. Zwolinski
cancer at the Children’s Hospital this holiday season. The event on Nov. 19 is a smaller version of the big one on Dec. 19. In November, all ornaments made will go to Veterans, and in December, each attendee will be able to take one home and donate the other to a child with cancer. The event in November is free, however, the December event costs $5. Students can pay for a ticket during lunch starting after Thanksgiving break. “Last year Painting with a Purpose was really fun. I thought it was organized and executed very well,” junior Alyssa Hart said. The idea for the event came from multiple different sources, but they all had the intentions of giving back to society during this holiday
season. “The idea has come from trying to give back during the holiday season, and bring some holiday cheer into other people’s lives while doing something upbeat and positive to make students have fun with their friends,” junior Sophia Cichocki said. The reaction from the people receiving the ornaments has been very positive in previous years. “This is the first year we will be donating to veterans [and the children’s hospital]. Last year, we donated to a retirement home and they were so happy and appreciated it so much – they even sent cards thanking us. We donated over 100 bulbs,” Mr. Chad Zwolinski said.
Imagine wandering the town in the brutal snowstorm... Without a home to go to, the cold breeze chills your back and your stomach growls. The only hope that comes to you is in the form of the Neighborhood House’s welcoming doors. At Rochester High School, it is an annual tradition to organize the can drive. All of the cans donated are then trucked off to the Rochester Area Neighborhood House, located at 1720 S. Livernois, Rochester Hills. “People right in our own community benefit from the Rochester Area Neighborhood House,” Mrs. Cusmano said. “But the second thing, and I didn’t realize this, is that two-thirds of food totals annually comes from the three high schools’ food drives. So, if we don’t have a good collection, it affects them. And I think that’s something a lot of people don’t know; it’s not like they just continue business as usual without our donations.” RHS urges students to try and donate as many cans that they can from their homes. RHS is very accepting and thankful to the students and faculty who choose to donate cans to the drive, Mrs.
Cusmano said. “When they go there, they are able to eat and take care of themselves,” Mrs. Cusmano said, “in a way that beforehand I don’t think they had the same opportunity to do so.” The Neighborhood House appreciates Rochester High School’s donations and relies on it during the holiday season. “The food pantry benefits from donations from the help of Rochester high schools,” Neighborhood House employee Nicole said. “And the students don’t realize the impacts of this annual can drive. It feels more welcoming because it’s not a group of people, it’s a whole high school full of kids. And that’s what makes it feel more impactful.” In Rochester High School, tradition is very important part to the students and staff members. “When you’re given the opportunity to make someone’s day or help them in any way possible, you should take it,” sophomore Eden Mccullough said. “This week is all about helping those in need all around the community and that’s another reason why I love Rochester so much . We’re always looking for more ways to make someone smile!”
PAGE 3 || NEWS
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
City News RCS approves new sinking fund ROSHNI VEERAMACHANENI STAFF WRITER
A building and site sinking fund proposed promotional video. He, along with Cindy for Rochester Community Schools was Linder, the Director of Technology approved by voters during the November and Strategic Initiatives for the district, 5 midterm election: Approximately 11,677 spearheaded the push for the sinking residents voted “yes” on the proposal while fund. With their support, members of the 5,321 voted “no.” Advanced Planning Committee proposed The fund the plan to will generate the Board of $7.8 million Education, which “A sinking fund is an opportunity to approved the over 10 years for protect that investment [the previous proposal to be put maintaining on the ballot. bonds] by offering a sustainable the current Principal Mr. mechanism to support current and condition of DeLuca sees the future needs,” the schools sinking fund as an and for future exciting opportunity unexpected for students. Superintendent Dr. Shaner repairs, such “Common as broken maintenance items generators. like windows, doors, It will cause no tax increases for Rochester heating and cooling—those will be set for residents. the next ten years, instead of waiting for the Eliminating the need to borrow money next bond to come through twenty years from the government, the fund allows from now. We’ll be able to address issues as the school district to pay for repairs and they come up, not just waiting, putting bandimprovements as it needs them without aids on stuff,” Mr. DeLuca said. any interest. Previously, the school district When asked what improvements he had to rely on bonds, which often came looked forward to making the most, Mr. unexpectedly, for maintenance money. DeLuca responded quickly: “Being able to “A sinking fund is an opportunity to balance heating and cooling. You know, from protect that investment [the previous students [you hear that] we have shifts from bonds] by offering a sustainable mechanism really hot to really cold. And maybe lights in to support current and future needs,” the pool,” he said. Superintendent Dr. Shaner said in a
Booth set up during holiday bizarre to promote the sinking fund. Photo by: Roshni Veeramachaneni
Rochester re-elects Mayor Bryan Barnett PRESTON SCHROYER STAFF WRITER As the election for mayor was coming up, Bryan Barnett was the favorite to win. He announced his re-election campaign as an attempt for his fourth term as Rochester Hills Mayor. Barnett had to run as a write-in candidate last election, as well as this year. As expected, Barnett won the election. When he found out he won, he celebrated with his family and friends. During Barnett’s 13 years of serving as mayor, Rochester Hills has been recognized as “One of the Top Places to Live in America.” Mayor Barnett loves his job and is glad that he gets to keep doing what he loves. “I love living, working and raising my family in Rochester Hills. Being mayor means I get to tell municipal leaders across the world all the great things happening in Rochester Hills. I am humbled, excited,
and honored to be re-elected,” said Mayor Barnett. Barnett’s son, Kenneth Barnett, is a sophomore at Rochester High School. When Kenneth and his family heard the big news, he was very excited for his dad. “I am very proud of him and all of his hard work,” Kenneth Barnett said. Barnett believes that his record of what the town has accomplished during his terms is why the people of Rochester Hills wrote him in again this year. “I have been blessed to serve as the Mayor of Rochester Hills for 13 years and we have received all kinds of national recognition for everything from our environmental leadership to how we handle our budget to how safe we are to just being a top place to live,” Barnett said. Barnett said he will continue to try to keep Rochester Hills the safe place that it is now.
Mr. Trudeau: The Snow Tie Guy PRESTON SCHROYER STAFF WRITER Ever heard of the snow day calculator? What if I told you that a tie was more accurate for predicting snow days. At West Middle School, Science teacher Brian Trudeau has the responsibility of carrying on a tradition of wearing a snow designed tie if he thinks the next school day will be deemed a snow day. The tradition started in 1970 and has been passed down from teacher to teacher and now is in the hands of Mr. Trudeau. As of now, the snow tie stats are perfect at 260, a hundred percent prediction rate. If he does predict it wrong, he’s only human. He might get it wrong a couple times, he said. All students love snow days. So of course this tradition has became a huge hit with the students and staff. “Of course my student’s love the tradition. My former students at Rochester love the tradition too,” Mr. Trudeau said. “The staff here at West always checks in with me to see if I’m wearing the tie too. It’s fun, but it does put some pressure on me when a winter storm comes up.” When trying to predict a snow day, he has some tools he looks at before making a
decision. He checks the National Weather Service, if the storm is an advisory watch or warning, the amount of snow predicted, and the timing that the snow will hit. Going 26-0 is very impressive, but doing this every year does get pretty stressful, according to Trudeau. “I’d like to pass on the tie at some point. Who knows when, but it’s a nice tradition, even if it does put a lot of pressure on me. Also, I think it’s remarkable that Mr. Wencel and Mr. Schnaar were able to predict the snow days, because they did it without the help of the internet.”
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
PAGES 4-5 || FEATURE
THE POWER OF ART
What do RHS Students think?
Featuring five students’ passion for art and its importance in education
210 students were surved about their views on the importance of art education and how they see it at Rochester High Schoo, and here are the resuts:
MARIAM HANNA FEATURES EDITOR
The benefits of Art education are astonishing: From improving social skills to increasing test scores to decreasing high school dropout rates, art programs in public schools are debatably the most significant part of education at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. However, after the economic recession of 2008, 80 percent of schools across the nation received budget cuts. Most schools decided to cut or lessen funding for art programs, thinking that it would give more money to core classes, which would boost standardized testing scores and improve the school’s academics. At RHS, however, it is evident that the art program is not unprioritized by the administration “You know one of the things I say is that if you just go to school for your four cores how do you express yourself ? What ways can you express yourself ? Art gives students a chance to express themselves,” Principal Mr. DeLuca said. What many people don’t know is that art curriculum is actually proven to increase scores. Studies have shown that students who are taking art classes score an average of 91 points higher on the SAT than their classmates who have not taken art classes. In addition, art is a method of therapy for many people. It is proven that drawing or painting can improve one’s mood in a heartbeat. Many students who come from difficult backgrounds or who simply have a lot on their mind are able to use are as a form of self-expression and as an outlet. “Schools everywhere are consistently cutting funding for art programs, and it’s honestly so disheartening,” senior and A.P. Studio Art student Val Buchheister said. “Art is important to so many students and gives them a safe place to let themselves
Val Buchheister “Still at Home”
forget worries about their other classes and just explore their creative side, we need that in school, especially high schools where stress can be at such a high level, kids need a place to relax.” In Rochester’s art classes, students are able to meet and interact with their classmates who have the same love for creativity as they do. Because of this, they are able to establish strong friendships that they would not have had if it wasn’t for art programs at school. “I think it’s important that schools provide art classes because it gives a sense of uniqueness that sets apart from other general classes,” senior and A.P. Studio Art student Kat Sutherland said. “The friendships I’ve made through being in art classes I am so grateful for; to be able to connect with likeminded people is wonderful to experience.” Art is not only something that affects school-aged kids. Everything around you- from the skyscrapers in New York City to the desk you sit at at work to the spoon you ate your dinner with yesterday- was made by an artist. “Without art there would be no interest, no beautiful architecture, no paintings to hang, nothing to awe at and wonder what it’s all about,” Buchheister said. “Art even comes down to the cups and bowls you use everyday, art is everywhere and it affects us all.” Many current art students can recall their passion for art beginning as young children in elementary school art classes. Overtime, these students have been able to grow as artists through life changes and their increased love of art. “Art has always been an interest of mine since I was young,” Sutherland said. “Dating all the way back to when I when I
would use coloring books with crayons and colored pencils. It’s always been a huge part of my life. It gives me the opportunity to express myself and my own ideas without the use of words. I love to be able to tell a story within one image to inspire the viewer’s own imagination.” While some of the individuals who have a passion for art now developed this passion as young children, that’s not true for all art lovers. There are a lot of people who did not realize
their fondness of the arts until high school classes. “I recently got into art and discovered that it’s something that comes to me naturally,” senior A.P. Studio Art student Legacee Mayes said. “I used to do coloring books and things like that when I was younger but it wasn’t anything special to me until sophomore year.” Rochester High School offers a variety of art classes like 2D art, Ceramics, Graphic Design, AP Studio Art, 3D Art, and Advanced Drawing & Painting. Many of the art students at RHS have taken more than one art class and have even taken a
few of them several times. “I like doing art because it helps me clear my mind to let my imagination fly,” senior A.P. Studio Art student Valentina Gonzolez said. “I like taking art classes because I can learn something different from each of them and apply them to my art pieces.” All of these different art classes are focused around certain techniques and mediums, so taking several of them increases students’ creativity range and teaches them new ways to get their point across, artistically, of course. Art classes allow me to improve on my skills and explore different mediums,” Mayes said. “It’s somewhat of a way for me to try something new. Usually when I’m doing art I’ll only stick to a specific medium for a month or so before I try something else.” According to Gonzolez, in A.P. Studio Art, students have the freedom to work with a wide range of mediums and create whatever they want to put in their portfolios. A lot of these students will be submitting their portfolios as part of their college application if they would like to pursue a career in art. “I’m planning on dual degree-ing to get a major in both Art and Anthropology,” Mayes said. “Art is somewhat of my backup plan, and I’ve been looking into painting conservation. If not, knowledge of art history is crucial to anthropology so it benefits me regardless.” Similarly, some students are planning on using skills they learned in art classes in their future careers that may seem far from related to art. “I am not planning to pursue art in the future, but I will be going into marketing which is a career that involves creative
thinking,” Gonzolez explained. Although RHS places an importance on the art program here, this is unfortunately not the case for most elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation. “I believe some schools prioritize art much more than others,” Sutherland said. “I knew a boy who was extremely talented in art, but had to attend summer classes to get any experience because his school did not even have an art program. I definitely think there needs to be a change there and have art programs provided to all schools.” Many of these schools have made their art programs selffunded, meaning that none of the money all public schools get from the government or as grants goes to them. Because of this, families have to purchase art supplies for their kids and teachers spend their own money to supply basic supplies. Thankfully, this is not as big of a problem at RHS. The school provides basic supplies and expensive machinery, and students are able to purchase personal supplies on their own. “At Rochester we’re lucky enough to have readily accessible art supplies,” Buchheister said. “You can find almost anything you need here- but ever since I have gotten a job I’ve begun purchasing my own art supplies on the side, to fill my creative habit.” Art programs have been undermined for years, even though the significance and prominence of art in both today’s society and the world’s history is bewildering. “Art is a huge part of my life and I feel in general the class itself goes unnoticed,” Sutherland said. “[It] is beneficial to people and the world through providing a sense of beauty and aesthetic to the viewer.”
Valentina Gonzalez “Thalassaphobia”
Legacee Mayes (untitled)
Kat Sutherland “A Cunning Crusader”
Ava Van Veck (untited)
“Without art there would be no interest, no beautiful architecture, no paintings to hang, nothing to awe at and wonder what it’s all about.” Val Buchheister, 12
Do you think art education is important?
Do you think schools in general prioritize art education enough?
Are you aware of the budget cuts to art programs across America?
In your opinion, are art casses prioritized enough at RHS? Val is a senior at RHS who has taken Ceramics, 3D Art, 2D Painting, and A.P. Studio Art. He has been interested in art since he was a young kid, and hopes to pursue it as a career in the future.
Valentina is a senior at RHS who has taken several art classes such as 2D Art, Graphic Design, and A.P. Art. She likes expressing herself through her art, and diving deep into her imagination to create masterpieces.
Legacee is a senior at RHS who has taken 2D Art, Graphic Design, Ceramics and A.P. Art. She discovered her passion for art recently in her sophomore year, and now wants to study it in anthropology or painting conversation.
Kat is a senior at RHS who has taken Advanced Drawing/ Painting, Photography, Graphic Design, 3D & 2D Art, and A.P. Art. She enjoys using her art to tell stories, and her dream job is to work for Disney or Pixar.
“Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a passion for art, my dad is an art teacher and starred me on a creative path as a kid… Art is a form of expression, and can be quite moving. Art is everywhere and affects us all.”
“I think that art classes are very important because they allow teens to develop the creative and open side of a person… [It] is beneficial for everyone because it helps a person to express themselves through it.”
“I don’t really like to title my art, it seems a bit cliche to me and insinuates the idea of how it’s supposed to be interpreted. Too restrictive.”
“The meaning behind this piece is an idea I like to call “the beast within”. It plays on the idea of a spirit animal or an inner driving force each individual has within their soul that influences actions they make or obstacles they face.”
Ava is a senior at RHS who has taken 2D Art, Photography, drawing/painting, and A.P. Studio Art. She loves to use art to express hersef and her feelings. Ava wil not be going into art as a career, but she hopes to use what it has taught her in the future. ““Art enhances students’ creativity, which is a very important part of the world. It is the part of my day when I can just reax and enjoy what I’m doing and ay out everything on a piece of paper. “
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
PAGE 6 || FEATURE
The Garden For the People, By the People The Grow to Give Garden cultivates kindness in Rochester Hills ROSHNI VEERAMACHANENI STAFF WRITER Driving down Hamlin Road, the Grow to Give Garden is immediately apparent. To the slight right of the Faith Church, a Presybterian place of worship, the garden boasts fruits and vegetables that altogether comprise a bold rainbow. The Grow to Give Garden was founded in spring 2018 by a small group of volunteers who attended Faith Church. “Our mission is to grow produce for people in need and in the local community,” Jayna Pyke, one of the volunteers involved since the beginning, said. She added that 75 percent of what is grown in the garden is given to the food pantry at the Rochester Area Neighborhood House and the other 25 percent is sold at the local farmers’ market. All proceeds from the market fund the cost of maintaining the garden. For the first year, the garden was supported by Raising Rochester, a non-profit that encouraged community gardens in town. The organization had previously started gardens at McGregor Elementary School and other locations. Raising Rochester has since disbanded as the founder, a pediatrician named Jay Mitchell, retired. But it has provided a number of tireless long-term volunteers,
such as expert horticulturist Jane Pierobon, to the newly independent garden. “Our first year, we planted as all the Raising Rochester gardens: high intensity, square foot gardening. This second year,
notorious for discouraging digging, with its practitioners opting for using wetted paper or cardboard covered in mulch. Currently, the garden is home to a multitude of fruits and vegetables: kale,
“I hope one year from now we will have closed on another successful year. I pray more people come out to the Grow to Give Garden to learn how to grow food and work the market garden. It is a great place to be.” Jane Pierobon we have started a different approach and it was a great success. We are guided by permaculture principles and a no-dig method,” Pierobon said. Square foot gardening is a technique that separates gardens into sections of square feet, each of which contains a different plant. Permaculture, on the other hand, relies on plants living in harmony with one another without boxed restraints. This method is also
The Grow to Give Garden outside of Faith Church. Photos courtesy of Jane Pierodon.
spinach, okra, green peppers, apples, radishes, tomatoes, green beans, bean sprouts, cabbage, cucumbers, watermelons, eggplants, onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery are just a few. Some herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, are also grown. In addition, there are the more unusual offerings like bakkana lettuce and “supermelon”, a sweet cucumber that looks like a watermelon on the outside.
“We can grow fruits and veggies that you cannot find in the stores, and we pick them fresh and ripe so they are at peak flavor,” Pierodon said. This tradition of growing quirky food had began with Jay Mitchell. With such a large amount of plants being grown year-round, the Grow to Give Garden is always looking for more volunteers. Although affiliated with Faith Church, the garden welcomes those who are not Presybterians. Pyke also mentions that the Grow to Give Garden is one of the few opportunities for smaller children to become involved in the community. Her own children have served as volunteers from time to time with some unforeseen but favorable effects. “[Because of the garden,] my kids sampled vegetables that I could never get them to try at home,” she said. Both Pierobon and Pyke are optimistic about the garden’s future. “I hope one year from now we will have closed on another successful year. I pray more people come out to the Grow to Give Garden to learn how to grow food and work the market garden. It is a great place to be,” said Pierobon.
PAGE 7 || FEATURE
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HONOR VETERANS SIDNEY BURLISON BUSINESS EDITOR
Red, white, and blue was filling the snowy Principal Mr.Wescott said. lawn of Rochester High School on Nov. 11 Not only does the school help put this at 8:38 a.m. event on, but the local firefighters also help RHS students received American flags and to make this day special by raising a flag on placed them outside on the grass boarding their firetruck during the first part of the Livernois and Walton roads during their school day. second hour. In doing so, the students “We appreciate what veterans have done paid tribute to the community and nation’s to keep us safe in our homes and in the veterans. United States,” Fire Chief of Rochester Hills The RHS students taking aside a small John Cieslik said. portion of their day to respect their veterans This tradition was especially important has become a tradition every year on for students with family members who are Veterans Day. veterans. Junior Jadyn Lucey, who’s father “We have so many people that have who served in the air force for 28 years, served and are currently serving in our especially loved the day. community, in our state, and in our country,” “It was cool to see that my school cared Assistant Principal Mr. Wescott said. “It’s about what my dad did for our country important along with the for us as a other veterans community in our “I think it’s important to never to come community,” forget not only the sacrifices that together Lucey said. and honor Veterans have been made, but the sacrifices them.” Day is that continue to be made, and to Another symbolic in just bring awareness” tradition reminding done on and allowing this day is Americans to Superintendent Dr. Shaner conducted give thanks by not the to those who students, have left but by the their families, administrators of RHS. This includes putting homes, and who have even risked their lives a massive American flag across the side of to keep America safe. the school. “I think it’s important to never forget not “It is our Administrative team that only the sacrifices that have been made, but partners together and puts our fear of the sacrifices that continue to be made, and heights aside to put that flag up,” Assistant to just bring awareness,” Superintendent of
Students lined the sidewalks outside of the school with flags. Photos by: Sidney Burlison
RHS therapy dog Finn on Veteran’s Day. Photos by: Sidney Burlison. Rochester Community Schools Dr.Shaner, who also served in the United States Marine Corps, said. Along with the sacrifices veterans make on their country’s behalf, Dr. Shaner, mentioned the need to acknowledge another side effect of their service. “Veterans’ mental health issues are very prevalent now a days,” Dr. Shaner said. “I don’t think anyone with a situation like that comes back the same human as they left.” The three high schools’ student councils have been collaborating and have decided that this year’s Charity Week will aim to donate to The Yellow Ribbon Project. The Yellow Ribbon Projects is an
organization that helps veterans with mental illness and injuries after being in war. “They do a tremendous amount of work for post 9/11 veterans, particularly those that are amputees and suffering the effects of mental health problems brought on my combat experience,” Dr. Shaner said. This is a way for us to give back to the veterans who sacrificed themselves for our freedoms. To donate to this organization head to https://yellowribbonfund.org/payit-forward/
Flags placed off of Walton Rd while snow falls over RHS. Photo by: Conner Arsenault
PAGES 8-9 || FEATURE
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
“I like to read for fun, chapter books or car books. My favorite movie is ‘Elf ’ and I want to be a truck driver when I’m older, I like seeing new places. I like bulldogs and my favorite singer is the newer Justin Bieber.”
ANDREW CLARK, 11
TIM MACLEAN, 9
JOSHUA BOLEWITZ, 11
KIMMY MILLER, 12
ASHLEY COBBLE, 12
NOAH KRANIAK, 9
“I like to write movies and tv shows on my phone and do an overview. My favorite movie is ‘X-Files: Fight the Future.’ I want to be an actress like Julie Andrews. I want this red star with gold letters that says ‘Ashley Cobble’ so people can remember me. My favorite animal is an elephant because it’s gray and so cute. My top three favorite song writers are Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Def Leppard.”
“I like to dance and I like action movies. I want to work at home and help my family. I like little dogs and I like Spanish music.”
ANI CUETO-SANCHEZ, 10 “I like to go on cruise ships and I like to travel. My favorite movie is ‘Despicable Me 2,’ I would like to work in a store, my favorite animal is a gorilla, and my favorite singer is Luke Bryan.”
RYAN TESSMAR, 10
“I like to play basketball, my favorite movie is cars 2, I want to work in a store, my favorite animals are black labs and cats, and my favorite singer is Bruno Mars”
“I like to dance and I like the Avengers movies. I want to work in a store when I’m older, my favorite animal is a cat, and I listen to Justin Bieber and Michael Jackson.”
KEEGS WILLIAMS, 10
Inclusion among ALL students update
“I like to go bowling and my favorite movie is the second Shrek. I would like to be a police officer, I like dogs, and I like country music.”
ANTHONY BOMMARITO, 11
KARI EICKHOLDT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
There have been times where I’m sitting in class and have seen the same particular smiling faces walking around in the halls. Not paying attention to class of course, I started to wonder: Who are they? What are their names? Where are they going? I continued to wonder until I discovered room D119 and room D122. Where these familiar faces radiate, the smiles go on for miles, and where no good morning greeting will go left unsaid. Rochester High School is home to the Cognitively Impaired Program taught by two special education teachers, Mrs. Gina Campbell and Mrs. Tara Dodge. Alongside the two, there are two peer mentor students, two paraprofessionals, and twentyone students split between the two classes. The peer mentor program at RHS is open to all students with the ability to promote inclusion and equity within the classroom and outside of the classroom. An application process is necessary with enrollment to this class but it’s merely about your individual interests and aspirations. This application process is similar to the Best Buddies program application because it considers your individual interests in order to pair you up with another student with
“I like to sing and dance and watch ‘Descendents,’ ‘Bratz,’ and ‘Barbie.’ I want to work on music videos and singing. I like white baby bunnies my favorite singer is Celine Dion.”
MEGAN MOORE, 10
He likes to bowl and is in a bowling league. He loves cheese quesadillas and to vacation with his family up north.
similar interests. To join the Best Buddies program, students must be eighteen years old and enrolled in a university that offers the program. Therefore, high school students are not able to join this program until they graduate, but they still have the opportunity to be a peer mentor. Learning of these programs made me wonder what I could do to promote inclusion and equity in high school to all students and faculty. Over the course of a couple Friday mornings, I was able to go into the two classes and interview each student. I set up two chairs in the hallway for the interviews and asked them a variety of questions based on their interests. The equitable opportunity was given to interview each student whether they are verbal or non-verbal communicators. For the students who are non-verbal, communication devices are provided with icons to form sentences. The intention of this graphic is to allow students to take action in forming friendships with these students on their own time based on the interests of the student and their own interests. These students may be wondering the same about you. Who are you? What’s your name? Where are you going?
“I like to watch DJ MAC and the Pistons, my favorite movie is the first Spongebob movie, Blake Griffin is my role model, and my favorite animal is a dog (Marmaduke).”
“My favorite animal is a big dog. My favorite subject is science, out of school I like to cook at home with my family. I want to work in the community, my favorite movie is ‘Despicable Me 2,’ and I like country music.”
LUCAS WHEELOCK, 11
MILEN NEHAL, 9 “I like to draw and art in general. My favorite movie genres are comedy and horror.” Badr would like to be a teacher when he’s older, his favorite animal is a rooster, and he likes pop music and rock n roll.
She loves to get her nails done, dance to pop music (Taylor Swift), and loves when her sister comes home from college.
KATY ASMUS, 11
BADR ELKALAWOZGY, 9
“I like acting and dancing and my favorite movie is ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.’ I want to be an actress when I’m older, my favorite animal is a bunny, and I love Justin Bieber.”
AVA GILLELAND, 10
CALVIN TEMPIA, 11
NICK STELLA, 12
THE FACES OF FRIENDSHIP
“My favorite thing to do is go to the Pistons games. My favorite movie is ‘Angry Birds 2.’ I want to work at Little Caesars Arena when I’m older. My favorite animal is a dog, my dog Cooper is a golden retriever. ‘Shake It Up’ is my favorite song with Bella Thorne and Zendaya. I like both of them.”
“I like to do math for fun. My favorite movie is the first Spongebob movie. I want to work as a teacher when I’m older and my favorite animal is a monkey because they eat bananas. My favorite song is ‘The War Pigs.’”
“I like to play basketball, my favorite show is ‘The Upside Down Show,’ I want to be a firefighter when I’m older, my favorite animal is a giraffe, and my favorite singer is Justin Timberlake.”
“I like to perform. My favorite movie is ‘The Hannah Montana Movie.’ I would like to be a nurse when I grow up, my favorite animal is a dog, my black lab jake, and my favorite singer is Hannah Montana.”
“I like to dance and I love comedy movies. I would like to be a professional dancer, I love golden retrievers, and my favorite singer is Meghan Trainor.”
LINDSEY KESLER, 11
“I like to play football with my friends and my favorite movie is ‘Despicable Me 2.’ My favorite animal Is a big dog and my favorite singer is Luke Bryan.”
“I like to visit my grandma, I like adventure movies, and I want to work as an actor at Disneyland.”
MATTHEW STEVENS, 12
ADAM STATON, 9
PAGE 10 || ENTERTAINMENT
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
Shrek the Musical: From Big Screen to Live Stage Cast and crew prepare for the musical CLAIRE BENSON
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Photos Courtesy of Anna Konno
Before the lights turn on, the music begins, and the actors sing, the crew and cast of Shrek the Musical are busy at work preparing for the upcoming show. The show, a comedy set in the medieval time period, promises entertainment, humor, and music that appeals to every age. From everyone interviewed about the show, it seems as though the cast is striving towards creating a performance unparalleled by any other in RHS history. The crews have been working for months in order to get everything ready for the show. Each has been meeting since mid-September, but during the week(s) leading up to the show, cast and crew had been at the school until about eight to ten p.m. each day.
order to bring their set ideas to life. These elaborate sets were planned by members of the crew, cast, and Mr. Gollon, the RHS theatre director, in order to translate the iconic movie scenes onto a live stage. The scenes created include Shrek’s swamp, Lord Farquaad’s castle (outside/inside), a cathedral, the dragon’s keep, the woods, Fiona’s tower, Duloc, and a campsite in the woods with a barn. “It is a very long and complicated process,” Senior Anna Konno, executive board and cast member, said. “We build and paint all of our set pieces from scratch, which is why we have Saturday set builds where all crew and cast comes and helps build the shows set.”
Makeup and Hair Crews The makeup for this musical is different from past performances in the history of RHS because most of the characters they create are not human, but ogres and other mythical creatures. The makeup in use extends beyond normal products, to foam latex, face paint, and creme face makeup in order to sell the illusion. The Shrek head and nose in particular are made up of foam latex. One of the more difficult aspects of the show is the transformation of Fiona from a human to an ogre in between scenes in the show. The actress rushes backstage to have her face painted green to complete her change. The makeup and hair looks are a crucial part of the show, and their respective crews have worked hard to get them right. “I’m really excited to see the show come together,” senior Ashley Alt, head of hair crew, said. “It’s been really fun creating looks for the show because everyone’s character is so unique.”
Props Crew Although the sets have a definite wow factor, one of the most notable aspects of the show is the large dragon prop that makes several appearances throughout the show. “The dragon puppet was rented from a company in New Hampshire and it’s very large and very heavy,” senior Brendan Eaton, the stage manager, said. “Weighing over 100 lbs, we need to have seven student crew members operate the dragon during the show. I think it looks amazing, and I’m ready for the audience’s reaction.” The props crew is also working on a myriad of other objects for such a large-scale performance. “Shrek the musical is probably the biggest performance we’ve really put on yet when it comes to props because there’s a lot of big props and a lot of small ones with intricate details,” a props member said.
Stage Crew and Set Design The preparation of the sets has been a long process as well. Stage crew has been working tirelessly for more than a month in
Cast and Pit Orchestra The cast has been practicing the songs and dances since auditions in late September. The music and choreography have been a good challenge for the cast, inspiring them to work together. Molly Zaleski, the choreographer, and Ms. Lykins, the choir teacher at RHS, have been working with the cast.
“There are some very layered harmonies, and we’ve definitely had some difficulty grasping it, but I’m really excited to see how it is going to turn out,” senior Roshni Veeramachaneni, cast member, said. There is one song, “Story of my Life” that seems to be a cast favorite as it incorporates many of the characters in one song, showing not only the personality of each character, but how they fit together. “Lots of work has gone into this show, and we are so excited to share the final product with everyone,” Veeramachaneni said. From the perspective of the pit orchestra, the students are very excited to take on the sheet music written for the musical. “One of my favorite parts about the pit orchestra is being able to contribute to a larger effort,” senior Maya Shih, pit orchestra member said. “While your one or two notes might not be significant by themselves, they mean a lot to the overall performance regardless. Seeing all of these different instruments and voices come together for every musical number is really cool, especially when I get to be a part of it.” The music has been fun to bring to life because of the nostalgia that it invokes in students, teachers, and kids alike. “Shrek the Musical is really different from the shows in the past because it’s based on a movie that a lot of us have watched before, especially when we were young,” Shih said.” Seeing the musical with this in mind is like having the characters you know and love come to life.” Lighting and Sound Crews The lighting and sound crews have many jobs throughout the duration of the musical. These crews are crucial to creating the atmosphere. For example, senior Connor Jordan, head of sound crew, said that the sound effects highlight the comedic elements in the musical. Senior Talia Bowes, head of lights crew, detailed how the lights help to set the scene.
These crews are mainly self-sufficient and allow students to get the feel of a professional theatre with opportunities such as coding their own lights. Jordan has had similar experiences in sound crew. “During the show, I manage the soundboard, and I turn microphones on and off and make sure that everything is balanced and sounds good,” Jordan said. “We also have people backstage changing people’s microphones and following through in the script to make sure we play all of the sound effects that we need.” The lighting and sound equipment is better than ever before. The district pooled money to buy a new sound board for the sound crew to ensure that the show ran smoothly. Additionally, the lighting is more advanced than it has been in previous years with more LED equiptments and lights that move on their own. Costumes Crew Costumes has been working hard since the end of September to create costumes for the large variety of characters and was still creating new looks until the week of the show in order to accommodate the large variety of characters that appear in the show. “Last year’s show there were still a lot of people, but less than this,” sophomore Joey Zieman, head of costumes, said. “Maybe not more people, but more costumes. Some people play around four characters.” The costumes department has been busy not only making pieces with the help of Mrs. Goble, their sponsor, but also buying little parts of costumes and borrowing pieces from Stoney Creek High School and Adams High School. They are very excited to contribute to the show and help bring the feel of the big screen to the RHS theatre.
PAGE 11 || OPINIONS
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
WAITING OR DATING? Are high school relationships worth it? ALYSSA HART
OPINIONS EDITOR From innocent hand-holding to pointless blushing, relationships can cause many changes in someone’s life, no matter what age. Learning how to wrap your life around a single person and being considerate of their every emotion is something that takes commitment and maturity. That is why most parents have age restrictions on when they allow their children to start dating. Some say 13 is enough, some say 16, while some won’t even approve of any relationship whatsoever until marriage (how’s that supposed to work?). Nevertheless, this age varies from student to student, as everyone is different in their cognitive maturity and development. However, just because you can start dating in high school doesn’t mean you should. This begs the question: Are high school relationships worth it? In short- yes. Starting to date in high school can be very beneficial. While not all students are ready to bring something new into their life, which is completely understandable, if a student is ready, there
are many positive outcomes. Obviously, not all high school relationships will result in marriage, but that doesn’t render them pointless. The average high school relationship lasts 4-6 months. During these 4-6 months, each participant will learn new things about himself or herself. Every relationship should be used as a learning experience. Success of a high school relationship should be determined by what is learned, not by how long it lasts. These relationships should be viewed as an opportunity to gain more knowledge about what went well, and where it went wrong. Once these shortcomings have been recognized, the teenager can work consciously to improve upon themselves. Each relationship a person goes through teaches both parties more and more about what they value in a partner. This ultimately makes them a better person and improves their problem solving-skills. Some might say that having a relationship as a teenager will prove futile, as they can
serve as a major distraction from sports, family, and school. However, that is precisely why they are necessary. In the schedule of a student, learning how to manage time is an important skill that will be used for the rest of their life. Trying to juggle all the different aspects of their life will be a challenge. Thus, having a significant other can teach students how to prioritize what is actually important and manage their time efficiently. According to a Brandon Gaille study, couples who meet in a school setting are less likely to divorce than those who meet in any other setting. Not only is there a lot to learn from being in a relationship, but there is a lot to learn from its backlash. Heartbreak. It is nearly unavoidable. Heartbreak is something that most people have to go through in their life and is something that can have a detrimental effect on someone’s mental health. However, going through something like this at a young age will better prepare teens for future heartbreak. On average, it takes 6 weeks for someone to recover from a broken heart. But in this time, that person
will discover things about himself or herself and grow stronger as a person. Having to go through something like this so early in life will serve as an aid when they may inevitably go through a similar experience later in life. According to a study by Bradon Gaille Marketing, 25 percent of marriages are composed of high school relationships in today’s society. Comparatively, in the 1940’s only 2 percent of high school relationships resulted in marriage. So although it is not realistic to conclude that every high school relationship will result in marriage, this study shows that it is not completely ludicrous to be hopeful about such a thing. Overall, high school relationships are an important part of a teenager’s development and can serve as a crucial part of their learning experience. No relationship should be classified as a failure if something of value is brought out of it. That value can be expressed in the form of gained knowledge, a stronger will, better emotion regulation skills, and many other takeaways.
HAS DISNEY CHANNEL LOST ITS MAGIC?
Disney channel has gone downhill HOLLY MCDONALD NEWS EDITOR
Disney, the place where magic became reality. With hit shows and movies, Disney has been a common household name for decades. Kids would anxiously await the next episode release of their favorite show or a new original movie that would air on Saturday night at 8pm. But, is it the same today? In its prime, Disney featured shows such as Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place and movies such as High School Musical. However, Disney Channel has gotten worse since those days. Is this because students have outgrown their days of Disney, or has the network’s programming gotten worse? Disney Channel has lost its magic. Today, Disney is attempting to hit all ages with shows such as Andi Mack. With a storyline that tackles the troubles of growing
up, it is currently Disney’s biggest show with an average of just over one million views per episode. Although it’s a current Disney hit, the ratings just don’t compare to Disney ten years ago. When Hannah Montana premiered in 2006, it had 5.4 million views on the pilot episode which was the highest rating in Disney history. Hannah Montana was a show about a teenage girl who lived a double life as a famous pop star and a normal teenage student. This show applied to all ages, whether it inspired little girls to become a singer or a place where high schoolers could relate to the plot. Disney Channel is also known for their cable movies. With hit movies such as Camp Rock, Lemonade Mouth, Teen Beach Movie, and High School Musical, Disney made its name in cable tv movies. Of the top seven
most-watched cable movies in history, Disney holds six out of seven spots. Disney’s most-watched cable tv movie was High School Musical 2, which aired in 2007, with more than 17 million views. The number two spot is held by Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, which had 13.5 million views. When Descendants aired in 2015, it became Disney’s fifth most-watched cable TV movie with more than 12 million views. Since then, no Disney movie has ranked amongst the rest. Although Descendants is fairly recent, it has been four years since Disney has come out with an original movie. In 2018, the Disney movie, Zombies, only got 2.5 million views on its premiere. Disney Channel is losing subscribers in big amounts. In 2017, Disney lost 13 million subscribers across Disney owned channels such as Disney Channel, Disney
Junior, Disney XD, and Freeform. As cable tv viewers across the country drop their subscriptions and switch to streaming services, Disney is forced to keep up. In hopes to regain their subscribers, Disney released its streaming service called Disney+. The streaming service has content from Disney, including TV and movies. The launch of Disney+ was on November 12. Those who subscribe will pay $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Overall, Disney Channel has gotten worse over time. The loss of ratings has had a big impact on the channel, resulting in a loss of subscribers. Disney Channel is missing their “wow” factor that they used to have and is currently lacking the magic that allowed them to become so popular years ago. Disney today is not the same Disney many generations grew up with. Photo courtesy of: Creative Commons
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
PAGE 12 || FEATURE
WHERE FRIENDS AND FOOD MEET MARIAM HANNA FEATURES EDITOR
Vintage meets modern at The Meeting House, an upscale casual restaurant located in Downtown Rochester. When guests first walk in through the traditional red doors, they notice the classic wooden tables accompanied by black leather booths and black chairs. Retro red tables and chairs line the side of the restaurant and give it a more classy look. The multi height ceiling add dimensions, and the dim lighting gives it a warm and cozy feel. Owned by sophomore Macy Johnson’s father, Chef Chris Johnson, The Meeting House has been open since December of 2012. Chef Johnson believes some aspects of his restaurant have changed since then and others have not. “I mean ultimately our goal, what we talked about originally, has stayed true, but the whole concept was about kinda getting our finger on the pulse of what the community wanted,” Chef Johnson said. “Overtime, we are constantly making adjustments… We do a minimum of four menu changes a year where we’re constantly just making adjustments, so staying current with market trends.” Chef Johnson was born and raised in Rochester. He attended Rochester High School and graduated as part of the Class of 1997. When it came time to raise a family and start a business, he knew his lifelong home was just the right place. “I grew up in this town,” Chef Johnson said. “All these businesses who have been here forever, like Lyttle Pharmacy, Lipuma’s Coney Island, Knapps, these are all places I frequented all the time… Half of business is filling a niche, you know what I mean. Like figuring out what the demographic needs and providing a service, and we thought there was a lack of upscale casual neighborhood spots that are doing more progressive food.” The city of Rochester is a historic town; it is actually the oldest settlement in Oakland Township. On one of the walls of The Meeting House are a few photos of what the city and building used to look like, giving the restaurant its homey and classic feel. “[Rochester] was like a huge hub
of industry,” Chef Johnson said. now,” Johnson said. “Here was the Chapmans who With 40 workers and 500 visitors owned the mill. They raised sheep. on an average day, stuff is bound to And then there was one point in go down at The Meeting House. time when they were gonna put 1.5 “It’s like a soap opera in here,” million dollars back then, and this Chef Johnson said. “I mean you was before the turn of the century, have so many lives that all come into into a sugar beet refinery. They were one place and mesh, so it’s hard to going to make granulated sugar tell one story, to be honest. It’s like our of sugar beets, and no one one, whole, big episodic saga.” ever tested the soil. They built the While it does get chaotic at The building, and they never produced Meeting House quite often, the one bit of sugar on it.” people are what make Chef Johnson The building was built in 1882, so love his job. it has been home to a plethora of “[My favorite part is] the people, businesses in its lifetime. working with people that I love “Prior to us, there was a place being around,” he said. “It’s like called Mind, Body, and Spirits, which working collectively with a group was open for around a year and a towards a creative goal is the end half,” Chef Johnson said. “Prior to game for me.” that, it was an Alvin’s, like a ladies Although a lot goes on at the clothing boutique, at one point. restaurant on a daily basis, Chef Before that, it was a design firm, like Johnson still enjoys telling some false some kind of interior design. Before stories to entertain and trick people. that, there was a fire, but it was a He describes the tales he tales and general store for many, many years.” ones that are partially true so that Since this building had been if someone were to look it up, it around for so long and is in an old actually seems believable. town, Chef Johnson and his business “I’ve been known to spin a yarn partner decided to hold on to it’s that’s not particularly true,” Chef physical historical characteristics. Johnson said. “I made up this story “When we took over the space, we about this guy, his name was Barren did as close to a historic restoration Horives, who built this building as we could in our budget,” Chef in like 1892… and it went on to Johnson said. “But we took down all how his wife passed away and he the facade in the front, and brought would hear her when he was in the back the original Moyen windows, elevator.” some original brick detail that was Chef Johnson loves Rochester. He in the front of the building, and so has lived here since he was born and forth.” has witnessed everything that has According to Chef Johnson, changed over the past few decades. business has always been good and While some people get sick of loving is a slow progression. In a town as in one place for a long time, Chef close-knit as Rochester, restaurants Johnson could never get tired of life and shops have a great chance to in Rochester. flourish. “I went to Rochester High,” Chef “We’re based off word of mouth Johnson said. “I’m blue and white, and being a neighborhood spot,” bleed it for life. Huge fan to this Chef Johnson said. “There’s a day… As a I got older, I realized statistic of for every guest who what a great place it actually is to comes in, they’re gonna tell ten raise your family and what a great people, and they’re gonna tell ten town it is to do business in. I’ve people, and they’re gonna tell worked in a lot of different areas in ten people, you know it’s like the the state, and it’s the best. We have spiderweb of how information flies.” the best clientele, the best people Macy Johnson agrees with the idea who come in, and we draw the best that The Meeting House will increase employees. It’s just a great place to in popularity as time goes by. be, Rochester is. [Working here is] “I see it just growing from here my dream. It couldn’t get any better.” because it’s been growing since it Photo courtesy of: Mariam Hanna and Chef Chris Johnson opened and it’s super popular right
PAGE 13 || SPORTS
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
ROCHESTER STUDENT OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
RHS senior reaches for the stars, aiming for the 2024-2028 Olympics SUMMER RAWASHDEH COPY EDITOR
Every athlete’s dream: Standing on the top podium, lights shining, your country’s national anthem playing. Thousands of people around the world devote a majority of their lives to get to this moment.Though some peoples’ paths have more obstacles than others, at the end of the day, drive, ambition and the will to win is the only determination. As for RHS senior Elizabeth Stevenson, the 2024 or 2028 Olympics is her shot. The women’s 3K Individual Pursuit Race in Track Cycling is her event, and she is excited and ready to achieve this dream. “I want to go to the Olympics because I want a challenge,” Stevenson said. “I know it is not easy to get there, and I know it will take a lot to get to the top, but the end result at being the best at what I love doing and having results from years of hard work is what I really want, to show myself that I can succeed in doing anything I put my mind to.” Starting her cycling career young, Stevenson rode her tricycle around the house with reckless abandon, damaging carpets and walls. She quickly grew to love the sport. Continuing her passion, she soon excelled and started racing her parents in her backyard. Not knowing any prior information about the official sport, her mother saw an advertisement in the newspaper about free classes to learn how to ride the track at the Bloomer Park Velodrome.
From there, Stevenson’s first track practice was on Saturday, July 25th, 2015. She started training immediately and began racing a year later, loving the feeling of seeing positive results in her racing, she said. Stevenson’s training regimen depends on where she is in the season or how close she is to a major competition. “Right now, my training consists of a lot of gym and volume on the road bike and some on the track bike,” Stevenson said. “My coach has me doing two sessions a day pretty frequently a week where I will have to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to go to the gym for about an hour and then train on my bike after school. That duration depends since I am an endurance rider and focus on pursuit efforts. My coach has had me do lots of long hard rides as well on the weekend, such as riding for 2-3 hours hard at a time. Sometimes, if I have a gym session that lasts like two hours and then I have to ride in the afternoon after
school, I will have to wake up at 3:30 a.m. to go to the gym before school. That also means I go to bed at 7:30-8 p.m. depending if I have a morning session the next day.” With all her hard work paying off, Stevenson placed 2nd at Nationals in the 17-18-year-old International Omnium in 2018 along with two other bronze medals in team events. This year, she brought home
“Whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve it as long as you believe and don’t give up. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true.” Elizabeth Stevenson, 12 three bronze medals in individual events known as the 15-18, 2K, and Scratch and Point Races. Like every Olympic hopeful, having family support is critical. Stevenson is thankful for her parents ongoing support towards such an expensive sport, and for the inspiration they give her when times get tough. Next year, Stevenson will turn 18, allowing her to race with the elite women.
“I will be racing with women between the ages of 18 to 34 years old. I will be competing against them in the 3K Individual Pursuit and other races.” Stevenson says that her inspiration for cycling is from her willingness and need to excel in things that she is very passionate. In addition to her parents, Stevenson is inspired by Chloe Dygert Owen, an Olympian that holds the world record for the women’s 3K Individual Pursuit. “I know that she trains very hard, and I make myself train just as hard or harder since I know that is what it takes to get to my goals,” Stevenson said. Stevenson’s mother could not be any prouder. “I think that she works hard and it has shown with her results in big competitions such as Nationals for the past couple years,” Mrs. Stevenson said. Mrs. Stevenson says that cycling has changed her life monumentally, and calls it a second job. She has learned a lot about Elizabeth through track cycling. “She does not give up even if things might not be going the way she wants it to. I saw this when she was at Nationals for the first time. She didn’t place too well, but she didn’t let that hold her back and instead trained harder and smarter the next year and ended up getting 2nd in the Women’s 17-18 International Omnium.”
SKI TEAM HEADS TO THE SLOPES CLAIRE BENSON
LIFESTYLES EDITOR
The winter sports season is beginning, and with the promise of a snowy season, Ski Team gears up to take to the slopes. The team is tight-knit and always looking for new members. “My favorite part about the team is my teammates,” Senior Robby Shaw said. “It’s just a fun close group of people.” Both players and the coach, Susie Mackens, agreed that the team has a great sense of community. “It is always rewarding to see how each racer’s skill set develops over their time on the team, but I think my favorite part of coaching this team over the years has been the opportunity to work with kids with such
a strong sense of community and inclusiveness,” Coach Mackens said. The team has already begun meetings and conditioning, but it is not too late to join. Conditioning is held throughout November each Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at RHS from 6:00-7:30 pm. “Anyone with a love for skiing is welcome to join the team,” Coach Mackens said. “It is best if you can ski in control which means turning and stopping at will. Prior racing experience isn’t required but it does help. We are a no-cut sport with opportunities in JV and Varsity teams for both girls and boys athletes.” Senior Emily Eckle skis her way through the Winter season. Photo courtesy of Emily Eckle
PAGE 14 || SPORTS
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
Four Rochester football players make All-League KELLEN BURKE STAFF WRITER The OAA-White All-League votes are in. Despite an unsuccessful season, four of the Falcons received AllLeague honors, a huge achievement in high school football. One of the four players included sophomore wide receiver and safety Preston Schroyer, a breakout player for Rochester who only played four games on varsity, making his achievement even more impressive. Senior quarterback Peyton Youngblood and senior linebacker Camden Williams also both received AllLeague honors for their outstanding final seasons as Falcons. Peyton Youngblood is viewed by his teammates as one of the Falcons’ toughest players, never letting injury stand in the way of his season. As both starting quarterback and team captain, Youngblood always put the team before himself. “I was most proud of my rushing touchdown against Athens in overtime,” Youngblood said, “I dislocated my kneecap, but played through it for the rest of
the game.” Williams was arguably the Falcons’ defensive MVP, as well as the team’s most versatile player. While he did make the All-League Team as a linebacker, Williams also starred as one of the team’s main running backs, and had the highest yards per carry on the team. He also returned as the Falcons’ kicker for a second season. On defense, he recorded 50.5 tackles, second on the team to only junior Anthony Piccirilli. He also snagged two interceptions on the season, a team high. “My interception against Adams was a really cool moment,” Williams said, “I ended up juking out the Adams’ quarterback, who did a front roll trying to tackle me. It was such a cool moment to do that right in front of the Adams’ student section and shift the momentum of the game.” Sophomore Preston Schroyer made his debut both on the OAA-White All League Team as well as the Varsity football team this past season. Schroyer played the first five games of his sophomore season on the JV team before he was bumped up and
instantly started as a wide receiver for the Varsity team in their Homecoming matchup against Athens. He made his statement right away, with a leaping twenty-nine-yard catch over an Athens defender which was key in taking the game into overtime. Schroyer kept making plays all year, racking up 259 receiving yards and a touchdown on 14 catches, despite only playing in four varsity games. He also started the last three games both ways, playing safety on defense and even led the Falcons in tackles during their Week Seven matchup against Lake Orion. Falcon fans can’t wait to see Schroyer suit up in the blue and white again next season to play his junior year alongside another returning All-League wide receiver for the Falcons, junior Bobby Kronner, who capped his first varsity season off with six touchdowns. Head football coach Erik Vernon is extremely proud of his athletes and the honors that they received for their outstanding seasons. “I’m proud of the kids who made All-League,” Coach Vernon said, “and I’m also just as proud of the kids who didn’t. Even though the season didn’t go the way we wanted, everyone on our team worked hard this year, and All-League or not, that’s what really makes me proud.” Sophomore receiver Preston Schroyer juking out a Lake Orion defender. Photo by Nicole Terenzi
A First Look at
Falcon hockey hopes to recreate 2018 magic COLLIN KILPATRICK STAFF WRITER The Rochester United Hockey team, coming fresh off a spectacular 2018-19 season where they made it to the state semi-finals, is preparing for another season of hopeful success. The team has been conditioning and practicing in the offseason, in an effort to make their 201920 season the best one yet. Last year’s Rochester United team was one of the most successful teams in the program’s history, however varsity head coach Bryan Kowalski believes this year’s team also has great potential. “Last year was a special team with special players. To their credit they have had the most successful season to date in the history of the program,” Kowalski said. “That being said, we have a great core of returners as well as good influx of new players who are committed to replicating last year’s success.” The players have been putting in work in the offseason in order to ensure another successful season. “We have been working really hard for the past two months,” Junior Steve Myers said. “We have workouts twice a week and practice on ice twice a week,k with extra conditioning after.” Some of the players are using the success of last year’s team as motivation, by trying to continue the accomplishments that the team had last year. “We realize that we have a big target on our back after our success last
Senior right wing Kody Seguchi scores against Portage Central. Photo by Mr. Seguchi season,” Myers said. “We are staying motivated by trying to get back to the same position this year. It will definitely be a big challenge for us to replicate last year’s success, but hard work goes a long way, and we’re up for that challenge.” Last year was the first team in the program’s history to win the league. This team was made of 13 seniors who graduated last spring, however the coach feels this years seniors will be ready to step up and take on a bigger role. “We graduated 13 seniors last season. But we have a senior group this year, similar to last years group who bring a wide variety of special talents to the team,” Coach Kowalski said. “I am really excited to see how the new seniors respond to the leadership role this season.” Despite losing 13 seniors from last year’s team, Rochester United will be returning a number of last season’s players, which adds depth and experience to the roster. “We will be returning eight players from last years team including five forwards, two defensemen and one goalie,” Coach Kowalski said. “These
young men know what it takes to succeed and will be tasked with getting the team ready.” Last year’s success created a new standard for Rochester United hockey according to some players, and it raised the bar for where the team should be in seasons to come. “Yes, the standards have been raised for RU,” Myers said. “Every team is going to be gunning for us just to say they beat Rochester United.” As Rochester United is gearing up for what looks to be another exciting year for the program, the team has set high expectations and goals for where they want to end up at the end of the long season. “The goals are discussed with the team early every season. I can tell you the one that is consistent is win the OAA as well as Regionals,” Coach Kowalski said. “Both of those tasks were achieved last season, and we have a clean slate with a hard road ahead. However, I firmly believe we are up to the task.” Rochester United faced off against Stoney in their home opener on November 22nd.
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
PAGE 15 || SPORTS
Rochester’s Winter Sports Season
Rochester basketball looks for a bounce-back season COLLIN KILPATRICK STAFF WRITER
The boys Basketball team is preparing to kick off their season. The Falcons had a down year last season finishing 1-22; however, the boys freshman team had an impressive 20-0 record, proving the future of the Rochester Basketball program is strong. Rochester boys basketball coach Vance Kirkwood is entering his third season as Varsity head coach and is hoping his team will grow from previous seasons. “This is only my third year as program leader so it’s still a process,” Coach Kirkwood said, “but I believe that we are in a great spot right now heading into the season.” The players used last year’s record as motivation to work harder in order to create a better season for the basketball team. “Since the season ended in March everyone has been in the gym working on their skills to improve their game. Whether that’s lifting weights, or just simple drills,”
Junior Mark Williams said. “Despite losing a lot of seniors last year all of us are determined to pick up where they left off and improve from last years season, since our record was not the best.” Hard work has been a major theme throughout the offseason, and the Coach feels that is what will give the team the edge on other teams this upcoming season. “This groups work ethic has been unreal so far. They are always in the gym wanting to get better,” Coach Kirkwood said. “They want to have a successful season more than anything and they put in the work to prove that. It’s amazing to witness.” The team’s hard work has made them confident in their ability to succeed this year, the coach believes confidence is a major part of success as a team. “Their confidence is through the roof right now. That will definitely give them an edge
this season,” Coach Kirkwood said. “They believe that they can beat everyone on the schedule, which I believe is the first step to success.” This year’s team will be heavily dominated by young talent, as
Sophomore Jeff Hawkins takes a shot. Photo by Mr. Reedy many of the sophomores from last year’s undefeated freshman team will be ready to make the jump up to the Varsity level. “We will have a lot of
sophomores on this year’s team. May even have more sophomores than seniors which is abnormal for a varsity team,” Coach Kirkwood said. “These younger players will come in and immediately be a huge part of this years success. We also lost six seniors so those positions are here for the taking!” Because of the team’s youth, some of the older, more experienced players are ready to help guide, and mentor the younger players. “This year we have several talented sophomores ready to play,” Williams said. “As a junior it’s part of my responsibility to guide them and show them the ropes, and I feel that type of chemistry will lead to big wins.” This year’s schedule outside of conference play is tougher than usual, but Coach Vance feels that this will help the team get better as players and will help them in the conference. “We have a tough non-
conference schedule that I put together on purpose that will get us ready for league play. Tough games but it will make us better,” Coach Kirkwood said. The team is vying for a successful season, and hoping for many wins and conference championships, however the main goal is for improvement as players, and as a team. “Our main goal this year is to become better individuals, better athletes, better students, and overall better young men! In doing so, our success will have no choice but to follow,” Coach Kirkwood said. “Part of that success is winning our 2nd league title in three years and finally winning the district finals after two straight years of tough losses.” The Falcons open up the season away at Bloomfield Hills on Dec. 10, their first home game will be Dec. 20 as they take on the Troy Colts.
New season, new attitude for varsity cheer KELLEN BURKE STAFF WRITER
Last year’s competitive cheer season didn’t go as planned for Rochester High. Unfortunately, the team suffered too many injuries and losses of key athletes, leaving the team morale in shambles by the end of the season. After a heartbreaking loss at Regionals to end last year’s run, the Cheer team is ready for a bounce-back season this winter. The biggest change for the team this season is a whole new mindset. The team has a newfound attitude of positivity and commitment that seemed absent during last year’s unsuccessful season. “After last season we now have a really tight-knit bond,” senior Maddie Senac said. “We don’t really have any individual leaders anymore, everyone on
the team leads with their positive attitudes and commitment.” Everyone on the team is prepared to put in all the hard work that comes with winning a Division I state title. The team’s seniors have established this attitude and it has been adopted by every athlete on the team. “I truly believe there is no luck in cheerleading,” senior Melodie Wong said. “Everything you do is in your power; how you practice, how you perform, the time and effort you put into it, is all in your control. This upcoming competitive season, we plan on working as hard as we can and ending the season with no regrets.” With only seven seniors returning this season, the varsity cheer team has a whole new
look with many first time varsity athletes. But no matter what grade they’re in, every member of the team is fully committed and has high goals for the team’s season. “Our overall goal is always to win states,” sophomore Holly McDonald said. “It’s something we’ve been aiming for since the summer practice, and it’s always been our biggest goal.” Junior Riley Butz also has similar goals for her team in her first Varsity Competitive Cheer season. “The goal for the team is definitely to go to states and hopefully win after last year’s disappointing season,” Butz said. The team is continuing to be led by the legendary Coach Wood, who has won 19 state
titles in her coaching career at Rochester High. “Coach Wood is great at setting goals for us,” senior Maddie Senac said. “She always has a mission she wants to achieve and is very passionate
about what she does.” Coach Wood hopes to lead her team to states again this season, and add another title to her resumè.
Cheer team competes at Athens High School. Photo courtesy of Melodie Wong
THE TALON || NOVEMBER 2019
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THANKSGIVING GAMES CONNER ARSENAULT
PHOTO & DESIGN, NEWS EDITOR
Travel over the spaghetti to make it to the other side of the sauce!
Find each word in the Alphabet Soup!
G G F N F
PIE CIDER
Follow the gutters to the bottom of the wall!
DINNER FALL
S T U F F I N G L
A F E Y N B Z F T E R
M C U A G N O O U A T
I F B H M U M F O R V H V
FAMILY FOOD
Find the three cats hidden in the Leaves!
J N L W S Y F W S N M P G P E F T B K E E S A N W I
D I N N E R F O A Y I K B
C I D E R D A O L N R F X
G R S H Z M D L V N U
STUFFING THANKFUL
P I E F P I J F L V L
F A L L L M Q T H
S Q Y J T
TURKEY YAMS
LEAVES FOOTBALL