52.4

Knight Life

606 E. Kilgore Rd. · Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Volume 52 · Issue 4 Loy Norrix High School · April 2012

“I Thought This Was a Party. Let’s Dance!”

Loy Norrix Hispanic Students Dance Their Way Into the Public Eye

Daniela Paz / Knight Life News Senior Gabby Vargas and Sophomore Joe Santamaria practice dancing to the opening number of Footloose. Loy Norrix’s Footloose opening night is April 20.

The stage shown to the audience as the spotlight shined on the actor. The students danced to the music, popping their hips to the beat.

The feeling was different compared to other students. There are students who have never felt the moment of intense attention. One student never went to class. He was always in the hallway skipping instead of going to class, but something soon changed.

“He’s been going to his classes every day,” said Loy Norrix paraprofessional Yasmin Ibarra.

Ibarra works with students who come to Loy Norrix who do not speak much English. She follows a specific set of students each day. She works with them on their English and their classwork. Ibarra has worked at Loy Norrix for about five years.

People who have jobs like Ibarra are one way the school system has responded to the growing Hispanic population in Kalamazoo.

As part of the Bilingual and ESL program, Kalamazoo Public Schools will have a total of nine centers where the students can get assistance with learning English; they include the elementary schools Arcadia, El Sol, Edison, Lincoln, Spring Valley, Woods Lake, the middle school Maple St., and the high schools Kalamazoo Central and Loy Norrix. These centers have teachers like Steven Howell and assistants like Ibarra.

The main goal is for the students to be able to read and write in English.

“We also want the students to

Racheal Koole Knight Life News be able to have access to the same materials . . . to increase the number of students to have success in school . . . and to take advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise,” said Manuel Brenes who is the coordinator of the Bilingual and ESL program for KPS. Teachers have also been supportive of the students.

“I think teachers understand the difficulties that students have learning English . . . Teachers are willing to give a chance to other students,” said Brenes.

The Hispanic population has been growing for years. According to The United States Census, there were over 26 million Hispanic people in the United States in 1998. In 2010, there were 49 million people of the Hispanic origin according to The Census. In 12 years, the U.S Hispanic population increased by 22 million people.

There have been a variety of responses to this growth in population. One response is the new immigration laws. There are several states that are trying to decrease illegal immigration, including Alabama. When people talk about this topic, there is a general assumption that most of the illegal immigrants are of Hispanic origin, specifically from Mexico. According to Fox News, only 60 percent of the illegal immigrants in the United States are from Mexico.

However, there is a new voting movement happening in the United States called Movimiento Hispano.

The movement is backed

by The Hispanic Federation, The Labor Council for Latino American

Meredith Farrer Knight Life News It is near the end of class, you head to the library to print out your final paper that needs to be turned in for your next class. You see one computer free, you squeeze by everyone else in the row and flop your backpack on to the ground. You grab the broken keyboard, type in your login information and wait. The computer beeps, the ‘can not find tree server’ window pops up. You look around you, others are also struggling to log onto their computers Aggravation builds up within you; we know this feeling all too well. The frustration of the computers’ inability to work consistently, the Internet not working, the randomly logging off or shutting down and losing all of your work.

Junior Allie Creamer finds the

computer failing during her fourth block computer class difficult to work with.

“It is aggravating, [I am] falling behind because of the computers sluggishness,” said Creamer.

We are not alone; teachers know exactly how we feel when the computers fail to work. Computer teacher Atiba Ward related to these feelings, “[I get] Frustrated, there are so many things we need to get through in the curriculum we are given and we can’t,” said Ward.

Teachers have to have a plan ‘B’ when creating lesson plans. “Plan B is usually a movie or book work,” said Ward.

Students and teachers alike get frustrated with the speed of the Internet. Scott Patrick from KPS technology services stated that each

Advancement, and the League of United Latin American Citizens. The goal is to increase the Hispanic voter turnout by 200 thousand new voters by the end of 2012.

At Loy Norrix, the Bilingual Club has been going on for more than 10 years. The group celebrated international night earlier this school year and brought awareness to Dia de los Muertos by creating several showcases.

“We’re planning the Cinco de Mayo even as we have every year to celebrate the success of Mexico against the French in the battle of Puebla. We are also planning on attending events that are statewide for all Latino students. They encourage young Latino students to go to college and see how rich our culture really is,” said senior Aimee Lopez-Linares.

The work the club is doing is trying to gain more public attention.

Back in February, Lopez was part of the Loy Norrix senior Winterfest court. She was one out of four Hispanic students on the court.

“I felt not many Hispanics wanted to do it or felt they would not get nominated,” said Lopez.

In other areas of Loy Norrix more Hispanic students are participating. The musical at Loy Norrix High School this year is “Footloose.” “Footloose” is about a teenage boy, Ren, who moves to a town where dancing is banned. In other versions of “Footloose,” Ren was played by mainly white men including Kevin Bacon and Kenny Wormald. see HISPANICS page 7

Staff and Students Experience Frustration with Provided Technology

Leah Rathbun / Knight Life News Students in Sue Mills class resorted to working on wind socks during their Strategic Computer Technology class due to the computers not working.

Index

News.............1-3

Features...........4-8

A&E...........9

Opinion..............10-12

Sports............14-16

individual computer has different issues with the Internet.

“What is slow for one computer may not be slow for another,” said Patrick. However, we all seem to experiencing the same problems.

Librarian Jack Sewell estimates that the library computers have, on average, malfunctions six times a week. That’s approximately 216 times a year with only 180 days in a school year. This is a problem.

“KPS has about 6 thousand computers. Six thousand is a small city to try to provide for,” said Patrick.

“The KRESA internet provider [also] provides to all the surrounding districts,” said Patrick. “… the technology for the Internet changes, web pages are no longer mostly see TECHNOLOGY page 3 KNIGHTLIFENEWS.COM

NEWS

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Love Yourself Enough to Live Kalamazoo Drives Forward Suicide is Not the Answer to Use Electrical Vehicles

Photo by Bill Pugliano Doctor Jack Kevorkian, born in May of 1928, was known as “Dr. Death” because of his fascination in assisted suicide and death.

He helped many terminally ill people end their lives. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in prison for conviction of murder, but was released on his word that he would not take part in another assisted suicide. He recently died in June of 2011 of a blood clot.

Esmer Alonzo Knight Life News Look in the mirror. Love the person you see. For some people this is hard to do.

They see someone that they don’t like. They hate themselves. They feel like their life has no purpose, like they don’t need to be alive anymore. A solution that many look to is suicide. Their life just gets too much to bear that they may feel suicide is the only option.

For instance, homosexuals are targeted because of their sexual orientation.

People taunt and bully them because of the life they choose or feel like they have to live.

In 2010, Tyler Clementi, a student of Rutgers University committed suicide because his roommate decided to violate his privacy and recorded him having a sexual encounter with another male. Tyler then jumped off the George Washington Bridge and into the harbor a few days after his roommate posted the video on the internet. He had been bullied and harassed because he was gay. The two people involved in harassing and invading his privacy were Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei. Ravi could face up to 5 years in prison because of the 15 counts of indictment involving invasion of privacy and “secretly viewing a same-sex encounter involving his roommate.”Wei is facing a charge of invasion of privacy but no sentence yet.”

Ravi’s lawyer says that he cannot be held “criminally responsible” for Tyler’s death.

This doesn’t just happen in America though. Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Seventy percent of Japanese people carrying out suicides are men, according to Online Schools. Reasons for committing suicide include unemployment, social pressures, and depression. The most common method of committing suicide in Japan is jumping in front of trains. When people do this, their family actually has to pay for any damage done to the train.

In America there’s a problem with teens committing suicide. Thirty-six thousand people of all ages die every year because of suicide.

One million people actually commit suicide throughout the world. This is equal to about one

person dying every 40 seconds.

“Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24 year olds,” according to the website titled, Suicide, the first being accidents and the second being homicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students according to the American College Health Association (ACHA). Michigan is ranked the 36th state with a rate of almost 11 people committing suicide per every 100 thousand people; Alaska is in first place with almost 24 per 100 thousand and Washington with the lowest of 6 per 100 thousand. Males are four times more likely to commit suicide than females.

There are even assisted suicides. This is where doctors can take your life away with your consent if you are terminally ill. It is hard for the doctor but even more difficult for the loved ones who are there. In Sweden, Russia, and Italy this is illegal. The doctor could be charged with manslaughter if he assists someone in killing themselves.

In Finland, Germany, or Scotland this act in helping to end someone’s life is actually legal. This is sending a mixed message to people all over the world. It is ok to kill yourself; it is even fine to have someone help terminate your life. In other parts of the world, like in most of the United States, this is a crime, you serve jail time, and if someone assists in helping to kill a person then it is called murder.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided that assisted suicide laws should be up to each individual state.

Suicide can be prevented. There are so many ways to help. There is even a World Suicide Prevention Day which is on September 10. This day brings awareness about reasons why people commit suicide and how it can be prevented. Your life is so valuable even though you may not see it. Life is a gift. You’re just throwing it away because you can’t deal with something or because you feel as if your life is meaningless. I may not know what someone is going through when it comes to suicide, but I do know that nothing is worth killing yourself over.

Suicide is a big problem that people don’t understand. You feel alone, depressed, mad, worthless, empty. You want the pain to go away.

Suicide is not the answer. Live your life, it will get better. You are stronger than you think and you are on this earth for a reason. I wish I could express how major this issue really is because a death every 40 seconds is unbelievable.

There are options out there. There is help; you just have to understand that your life is not over yet. If you or someone you know is thinking about committing this act consider talking to someone. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention explains that 90 percent of people who are suicidal have some form of a psychiatric disorder, from a mild depression to Schizophrenia. Go to a hospital, see a therapist, counselor, teacher, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Gryphon Place (269) 381-1510, you can even tell a trusted friend or adult.

There’s so many options, so many people willing to listen. You do not need to go through this alone. Get help.

I don’t know what it is to lose someone close to me and I don’t want to know either, especially in the act of suicide. You are full of life, live it. Life is already short, no need to give yourself an expiration date.

Morgan Steffler / Knight Life News

Western Michigan University’s Miller Auditorium holds 15 solar panels that go towards the central energy management system that powers the campus. These panels also power the electrical car charging stations that WMU has.

Morgan Steffler Knight Life News Electrical vehicle charging stations are appearing in many locations around Kalamazoo.

Because of this, it is becoming more convenient for people who drive electrical cars to charge them in Kalamazoo. Western Michigan University has more than fifteen charging stations on campus, Near Miller Auditorium, and more at the WMU Business and Technology buildings. The WMU electrical car charging stations are powered by 50-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar-powered array.

WMU is known for making attempts to saving energy, and being a ‘greener’ university.

According to Azure Dynamics, WMU already operates 38 conventional Transit Connect vans.

Along with the Transit vans, they have a central energy management system that powers the campus. Western has recently added 15 new stations.

According to Ursula Zerilli of MLive Kalamazoo, the fifteen stations were funded by a seven hundred thousand dollar clean energy coalition grant by the U.S Department of Energy. Western Michigan University is the first college in the state of Michigan to purchase full-electrical-vehicles. The energy produced by the solar panels, located near the Miller Auditorium parking ramp, powers the charging stations. The energy that is produced that does not get used for the cars goes back to the WMU energy grid, according to Zerilli.

Other locations in Kalamazoo that have electrical car charging stations include Celebration Cinema, which has two reserved parking spots for charging stands, the Fourth Coast / Crow’s Nest, which has one station, and the Rave parking ramp in downtown Kalamazoo on Portage St., which has two charging stations. Installing more electrical vehicle charging stations in Kalamazoo is a part of Michigan’s plan to encourage citizens towards purchasing electrical vehicles.

Senior Nora Carpenter is a working student that drives a conventional car and has to buy her own gas. Carpenter thinks she would purchase an electrical vehicle in the future, “if it became a normal thing to have,” said Carpenter.

Many people would agree with Carpenter that the trend of electrical cars has not entirely caught on yet. For electrical cars to become ‘normal’ there will have to be more people purchasing them and taking advantage of the

opportunity to use these charging stations. If more locations around Kalamazoo installed these stations, there could be more of a demand for electrical cars.

Many people in Kalamazoo and at Loy Norrix, are affected by the price of gas, and the continuous increase. Senior Ray’Von Jones talks about how she is affected by the price of gas, as a working student.

“I work and most of the money I get goes to gas, and when the prices go up, it affects my pocket,” said Jones.

Jones is one of many students here at Loy Norrix that has to spend their own hard-earned money on gas.

Junior Ciara Krimmel is another student that is affected by the prices.

“I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and I spend about $65 a week on gas. When I go to my dad’s house once a week in Battle Creek, it takes up half my gas tank,” said Krimmel.

There are many benefits to using an electrical car like the cost reduction and the environmental benefits. Using an electrical vehicle that is powered by renewable energy eliminates the amount of hazardous gasses, carbon dioxide, emitted into the air, which gasoline-powered vehicles are hugely responsible for. The batteries that run the electrical cars are recyclable, which is also beneficial to the environment, instead of the batteries of a conventional car, which are just placed into junk yards and cannot be re-used.

The price to use an electrical car charging station can cost around two to four dollars to charge an all-electric car, according to Plug In America. There are other ways to change an electrical car, and the easiest could be a station at your home. A benefit to using the charging station at home is that you can charge the car overnight, and it will be fully charged by the morning. Although it costs “approximately $2,000 plus tax and license fees” to install a standard home-charging dock, according to Nissan USA, it is still cheaper to use an electrical car in the long run.

For example, if you were to drive 15 thousand miles at 20 mpg, at $3.90 per gallon, you would spend $.20 per mile with a conventional car. With an electrical car, you will be spending around $3.00 to charge the car for 100 miles, which would be $.03 per mile.

Overall, you will be spending less money per mile to run your car, with an electrical vehicle.

NEWS

Frustration with LNHS Technology Continues TECHNOLOGY from page 1 words and text, they are now mostly animation and video.”

Not only are all the people in the surrounding area online, but all the computer labs have a class during this time, Barb Rocky, Sue Mills and Ward all have classes during fourth and fifth blocks, when the internet is slowest, while their plan periods are first and second block. Teachers who have plan during fourth and fifth block get fed up with the lack of speed of the Internet.

Now that teachers are on an Internetbased grading system, the school Internet speed should be a higher priority than it is. Starting February 24th we all noticed a change in the speed and the lack of access to our usual sites including email providers. This was quick to change though, through the week of the 24th, tech services began testing a new Internet server. This server was only being borrowed by tech services; however, due to its success in the week of the trial run, tech services has the intention of buying the new server for next year.

The servers are not the only issue. Our generation is so focused on technology that we don’t know what to do when we do not have access to the technology we are used to. When the computer you use outside of school has a

newer version of software than the computers at school one tends to run into problems. Naimbi Pringle has two main problems with the school computers “The first is Pinnacle not working when count is due. The second problem is working from home and not being able to transfer work because the school computers are not compatible,” said Pringle.

Ward states that teachers are told to incorporate technology into their curriculum, this is not always possible because there are not enough computers available. There are 30 computers in the library and 60 computers in the C21 computer lab, that is only 90 computers in the building that teachers can bring their classes to. Some classrooms are computer labs, and some have access to laptops, but for the rest of them it’s a fight to use the computers.

Teachers have to schedule way ahead of time when they want the computer lab. Teachers are not always able to incorporate technology into their curriculum because they do not have constant access to the technology they need.

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Michigan Raises Expectations for MEAP Test Scores Sarah Sherman Knight Life News This year, Michigan’s Department of Education drastically raised the cut score for the MEAP test with the desire to paint a more realistic picture of how Michigan students are doing in school with reference to being on track to succeed in college.

The term “cut score” refers to the score that students must reach to be deemed proficient. Because of the raise in cut scores, all Mighigan, and more specifically, Kalamazoo MEAP scores will appear drastically lower, despite the fact that the average number of correct answers has steadily risen for the past five years in the Kalamazoo school district. A January 2011 prediction of test scores released by the state projected that the number of schools that made adequate yearly progress would drop by 2/3 as a result of the new cut score.

Ric Seager, the director of school improvement for the Kalamazoo Public School district said in an interview, “It looks like achievement fell, it didn’t, and our students didn’t become all of a sudden less capable, and our schools didn’t become all of a sudden less effective; we just changed the measure and we changed it so dramatically that it almost takes your breath away.”

In previous years proficiency was judged based on proficiency to succeed in a factory job, now an irrelevant bar for proficiency as much of the manual labor force has been replaced by machines. Before the cut score was raised, a Michigan third grader could answer two thirds of the math MEAP incorrectly and still be deemed proficient.

This year’s cut score is based on the average MME scores students who went to college and recieved Bs in entry level college courses got when taking the MME in grade school.

The MEAP test is not graded on a curve or based at all on the aggregate performance of all of the students like AP tests. Although the rise in standards will paint a more realistic picture of where students stand as far as college preparedness, we must consider that a college education is not the only pathway to success, nor is scholastic ability

the only talent that can garner a job.

Why did the Department of Education raise the cut score so drastically this year? No one seems to have a clear answer, but now that the new standards are in effect, Kalamazoo is taking action to meet the rising demands.

In a statement recorded earlier this year.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan stated, “Michigan’s education leaders are putting kids first by taking critical steps to help them compete in a global economy.”

The way in which the scores were raised puts Kalamazoo schools in a situation where much creative thought will have to be used in order to prep students for meeting the higher standards when they take the MEAP. Seager stated, “We need to, as a community, embrace that education is for every kid and that we all need to elevate our expectations. It’s not that our students can not; we just need to make sure that the expectation is that they will.”

By getting the community involved in the education of Kalamazoo students, Seager argued that many of the social and emotional factors that make school challenging for students will be lessened. There are many organizations in the community such as Gryphon Place, Interfaith and YWAM, as well as churches, synagogues, sport programs, and community service organizations. By getting the community involved, many of the issues that cannot simply be fixed by classroom learning such as family problems, self-esteem issues, and social issues can be solved in a variety of different ways from many different angles.

Seager stated, “In Kalamazoo we are trying to develop a college-going culture where every kid realizes their promise.”

Kalamazoo continues to be an impressively unique district that offers its students an impressive array of resources and programs from the Kalamazoo Promise to EFAs and EFEs, as well as much community involvement. Reaching a higher proficiency rate is what every district strives towards, and like any other goal, it will depend on hard work.

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FEATURE

Loy Norrix Knights Share Their Story of Friendship Through the Ages April Curtis Knight Life News

Senior Micaela Vanburen

Junior Thomas Hooper

Freshman Scott May

Junior Beatrice Powers

Junior Trae Williams

Junior Zaria Starfeldt Best friends since: 4th grade.

Their story: Beatrice Powers moved to Kalamazoo from Hawaii in 4th grade. Zaria Starfeldt said how she remembers seeing Powers touring Parkwood.

Powers said she liked Starfeldt’s clothes and was jealous. They later met through Sarah Townsend and instantly hit it off.

How often are they together? All day / everyday.

They have an advantage because they have all of the same classes at Loy Norrix. It’s not hard to notice that they are best friends because you can always spot them together and they even travel to KAMSC together.

What do they do when they hang out? Make food, eat, talk, watch movies, do stupid stuff and laugh.

Alike? Starfeldt and Powers have a close connection and when they were asked separately if they both think that they are alike, they both agreed that they are similar on the inside. “We’re so much alike but so different at the same time,” said Starfeldt.

“We’re like the same person, but we look exactly opposite,” said Powers.

Why are they best friends? “We share so many things and bring out the best in each other,” said Starfeldt.

“She’s the only person who can make jokes as stupid as mine,” said Powers.

Senior Quentin Bryant Freshman Nathan Jaworowski

Best friends since: Child Development Care (daycare) Their story? Their moms knew each other and they grew up together. Thomas Hooper moved away when he was younger and moved back to Kalamazoo in the 8th grade. They didn’t exactly remember each other. They were at a Greg Jennings football camp and they had to defend each other.

“He was talking crap,” said Hooper. Later, Trae Williams reminded Hooper of their past and they reunited.

How did they become best friends? They have the same interest like fashion and girls and they just started hanging out a lot.

How often are they together? Usually everyday.

For an amount of time they were living together in the same house.

What do they do when they hang out? Listen to music, play basketball / baseball, play videogames and talk to each other.

Best friends since: 7th grade.

Their story? Quentin Bryant started liking Micaela Vanburen in 6th grade. They had Spanish class together and he told her that he liked her.

Vanburen told him that she liked bad boys He came back the next day and said he broke eight windows and got ten referrals. After that, they started talking and became best friends.

How often do they hang out? Used to hang out everyday. Now they hang out any chance they get.

What do they do when they’re together? Play videogames, watch TV, do stupid things and they’ve eaten cereal at 4:00 a.m. and made videos to “Burning Up.”

Best friends since: pre-school Their story: In preschool, they were playing around in Ms. Wolve’s class. A kid was bullying Scott May so Nathan Jaworowski said he could play with him and his friend. Jaworowski stopped playing with his other friend and then May and Jaworowski became best friends.

How often are they together? All the time. They don’t see each other much during school, but they hang out after school any chance they get.

What do they do when they’re together? Talk, play videogames and play sports.

Alike? “Yes, to the max,” said Bryant.

“We think alike,” said Vanburen.

Alike? Yes, they like doing and eating the same things like playing baseball, eating pizza and chicken wings.

Why are they best friends? “She gets my goofiness in a way that no one else can,” said Bryant.

“He knows what to say and he gets me; he’s there for me,” said Vanburen.

Why are they best friend? Jaworowski said they’re the same and are like brothers. May said they are like brothers and he can always go to Jaworowski for anything.

Alike? In some ways. They have some personality similarities and they like the same things like sports, fashion and girls.

Why are they best friends? “He’s always been there for me when I need him, vise versa,” said Hooper.

“I grew up with him and he always has my back,” said Williams.

Friendship Can Exist Between Students and Teachers Despite Social Norms Keith Toornman Knight Life News

Keith Toornman / Knight Life Paul Mahar and Connor Sims are still overjoyed to meet eachother in the halways. They often stop to converse with each other.

Sometimes you meet someone who, regardless of age, you just click with. Teachers only hang out with teachers and only have teacher or adult friends. Students only look to each other for advice and for friendship. Just imagine someone really hurt your feelings and you need someone to talk to, who is the first person to pop into your head? It was probably someone around your own age or in the same clique as you. Though this may seem like the social norm, there are exceptions to this rule.

One such example is the relationship between Coach Paul Mahar and sophomore Connor Sims. Mahar and Sims have known each other for seven or eight years. They first met at a swimming club called Kalamazoo United at Loy Norrix, Mahar being the coach of the club and Sims being a participant. They soon established a mentor and mentee relationship.

“The longer you know someone, the stronger your relationship with that person is,” said Mahar.

After knowing one another for so long their relationship has become more than just athletics, they consider each other friends.

“Yes, I would definitely say he’s my friend,” commented Sims. “I know he has my best interests in mind, and if I need anything he’s there.”

This is a good example of how a teacher and a student created a relationship that is more than just educational.

Another example of two people that have known each other for a long time is computer teacher, Atiba Ward and senior Kevin

Bechtel. They met six years ago in Millwood Middle School in Ward’s shop class. However, their relationship is not nearly as personal as Mahar and Sims’. Neither of them considers the other to be a friend or someone they can look to for advice.

“He doesn’t need a lot of direction,” said Ward.

Some teachers that are relatively new have not had the opportunity to make long term student friends, one such teacher is Erin Rolfe. She has only been teaching for nine years and has taught freshmen for eight of them.

“I never get to have students more than once,” said Rolfe, “This is the first year that I have taught a ninth through twelfth grade class,” Rolfe also commented. “I think a lot of teachers can build better relationships when they know a student for a long time.”

Rolfe said that she feels somewhat bad that she has not had the experience of knowing a student for a long time. Other than seeing siblings in her different classes, she has almost no interaction with former students.

Students that are able form friendships with teachers definitely seem to have an advantage. They have someone that they can talk to and share emotions with. It shows that teachers have emotions and are human. Without this friendship they would have to hold their thoughts in all day or interrupt another teacher’s class to talk to them. It also benefits the students greatly by giving them someone to look up to.

5 FEATURE Being A Teen Mom Can Be A Struggle And A Blessing

Keith Toornman / Knight Life News

hR Lea y b on

Veronica Olan Knight Life News

Is the baby boom back, but for teens? It seems like there are so many teens becoming moms just within the past few years. According to TeenHelp, about 820 thousand teens become pregnant every year. A lot of people look at teen moms as bad role models or bad influences to young children. Sometimes when girls get pregnant as a teen it is an accident or just their choice to have a baby at a young age.

There are 820 thousand teens yearly with babies and still girls are getting pregnant knowing how hard being a mom can be. In the United States 1 in 10 girls will get pregnant at least once before age 20. Some may think it’s easy to take care of a baby.

Others may think ‘this is not what I wanted’ and the rest may think having a baby as a teen is very hard.

Regina Love and beloved daughter Layla play together in the Loy Norrix Daycare Center. Layla is 2 1/2 years old.

When you are a teen mom, a major thing to worry about is school. Less than half of teen moms graduate high school because having a baby is so overwhelming.

Patricia Martinez a former Norrix student is 17 years old and has a 6 month old baby.

She can not go to school at the moment because she has no one to watch her son and she can not afford daycare.

Patricia is engaged to her boyfriend Joaquin. He helps support Patricia and the baby financially and emotionally.

Patricia says it is difficult raising a baby but she loves being a mom.

“It is really hard sometimes, no sleep, limited time for myself and I am always on a budget. I can never just worry about nothing because I have another life to take care of,” said Patricia.

Norrix, unlike other schools, has a childcare center that serves the community and the students. This is very nice

for the students with kids here at Norrix. Five Loy Norrix students enroll their children in this daycare. The preschool is open for the public. There are 15 kids enrolled from the public in the preschool.

Regina Love is one LN student who takes advantage of the daycare. Her schedule consists of getting up and ready for school. Then after school she gets Layla, her daughter, from daycare and then heads home.

It is nice for mothers to have daycare for their children for when they go to school, work or other things in between. Patricia cannot afford daycare for her baby since she does not go to Norrix.

Regina on the other hand does go to Norrix and does not have to pay for daycare because there is a program through Department of Human Services that assists students in paying for daycare. The people who have children in the preschool that do not attend

Norrix have to pay $3.75 an hour.

Regina enjoys caring for her child but wants to do things her way which her mother sometimes gets in the way and tells her what to do. Regina’s mother tells her things like when to feed Layla or take care of her which Regina knows when to do these things. Regina knows when Layla is sick that she needs to stay home and care for her or when Layla is learning new things like how to talk Regina will be there.

Having a baby at a young age can be hard, but for Regina it is pretty easy as long as she can do things her way.

There is an event called National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. This occurs on May second 2012. This day helps teens realize that having a baby could postpone your plans for the future. The national campaign website says that this day has helped to decrease a large number of

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pregnancies.

Depending on the situation you are in having a baby can be the best thing at a certain point in someone’s life.

“I never really did stuff people my age were doing. I’ve always acted older than I really am,” said Regina.

For Regina having a baby at a young age is not a bad thing. She had her daughter Layla at the end of her freshman year. At first things were not as easy as they seemed and a bit uncomfortable.

“Things were a little hard when I first had her because I was so tired,” said Regina.

Regina was preparing for the challenge of having a child and is being the best mother she can be. For others it may not be the right point in their life.

Being a teen mom can be both a struggle and a blessing.

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FEATURE

Lots of Love Provided by Locks of Love

April Curtis / Knight Life News Senior April Curtis and sophomore Angel Curtis are shown before and after getting their hair cut. April and Angel donated ten inches and twelve inches, respectively.

Jess Moshoginis Knight Life News “I think after you do it that you kind of feel better about it,” sophomore Angel Curtis said regarding her experience of donating ten inches of her hair to Locks of Love. Although she misses her hair, Curtis is considering donating her hair once again.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides

help for boys and girls under 21 years old who experience hair loss medically from a variety of diseases, with the majority of recipients suffering from alopecia areata. This organization assembles hairpieces for these deprived children from the hair donations of people all around the United States and Canada.

Locks of Love is constantly in need of hair donations, but the requirements are plentiful. First off, ten inches is the minimum length of hair one may donate. These ten inches of clean, dry hair must be in a ponytail or braid before cut and stay in this form when sent in their Ziploc bag enclosed in an

envelope.

Along with these conditions, there are specificities on the type of hair that is allowed to be donated. Donated hair must be straightened or naturally straight. If a donator has layered hair, the longest layer must be ten inches, and the shorter strands of hair are received and sold to other companies to balance the costs of manufacturing. Gray hair is also accepted and sold in this way.

Lastly, colored or permed hair is acceptable for donation, but bleached hair and dreadlocks are not permitted.

Senior Aimee Lopez-Linares contributed to Locks of Love this past year. Not only was she bored with her long hair, but Lopez wanted to help others. Her hair donation was one foot long.

“I felt good. I felt like I did something right,” said Lopez about her participation.

Locks of Love upholds their objectives in their mission statement, which states their promise to “return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children.”

In an article titled “Lots of length for Locks of Love” written

by David Humphrey this summer in “The Herald Bulletin”, a hairstylist named Lois Melzer speaks about her experience with Locks of Love. Melzer personally knows a cancer patient, one of her clients named Diana Larimore. “‘When I began losing my hair,’ Larimore said, ‘Lois shaved my head and helped me find a wig that properly fit. She talked to me about wigs and had one sized for me. I’ve known Lois for several years and she showed great compassion for me.’”

Lopez believes this organization is a kind gesture and she may in fact donate her hair again once it grows to a longer length.

“Do it. It’s something really nice. Even though you probably won’t know about it—like who’s getting it—you know it’s going to a good cause,” Lopez said.

Treating Senioritis: How to Help Students Plagued by Laziness Adam Kemp Knight Life News

Understanding the Symptoms You may have senioritis if you show any of the following symptoms:

Each year around late winter or early springtime high school seniors start showing an unusual change in behavior. It’s clear to most that high school students begin to show a decrease in overall work ethic.

Sean Bergan teaches American History and AP Psychology. A majority of the students in his AP Psychology are seniors, and he notices it when his students contract senioritis.

“They tend to lack focus and put less effort into work and studying,” said Bergan.

This phenomenon is unofficially referred to as ‘senioritis,’ because it generally afflicts seniors after they have gotten their college acceptance letters.

Bergan said, “It usually starts around this time of year, but for many it’s right after winter break, or just the beginning of the school year. By the transition of spring their minds are just starting to go.”

Teacher and seniors alike seem to agree that there is validity to the idea of the senioritis. Adam Hosler teaches AP Calculus, a class of mostly seniors. He can relate to their feelings.

“I seem to remember having a little senioritis when I was a senior,” said Hosler.

Senior Valerie Filipowcz is a strong believer in the existence of the dreaded senioritis, and believes she has it. “[When I get assigned homework], I feel like I’m not going to do it,” said Filipowicz.

Reasons for the occurrence of senioritis are unclear. Bergan offered a possible explanation to the phenomenon.

Bergan said, “It’s possible that people see it as a rite of passage. They’ve watched seniors go through it before them, so they feel like they have to as well.”

Grades Slipping

Lethargy

Chronic Inattention

Photo Illustration / Adam Kemp

Suggested Treatments for Senioritis •

A firm slap administered directly to the face.

•

A healthy dose of reality in combination with humility.

•

Regularly reminding yourself that your college admissions officers are still watching your academic performance.

•

Stop daydreaming about moving out and being in college. Focus on finishing out the school year.

•

Senioritis can make you lazy, but don’t just use it as an excuse and tell yourself that you’re unable to do an assignment before you even try.

•

Put effort into maintaining better study habits. Use your planner to schedule time for homework or studying.

•

Have study and homework groups with friends.

7

FEATURE

HISPANICS from page 1

Sophomore Joe Santamaria plays the lead Ren opposite of senior Gabby Vargas who plays Ariel.

“It’s great that Gabby and I are both leads since we are both of Hispanic descendants,” said Santamaria. “It would be cool if we had more Hispanics in school plays. It’s pretty much white people.”

Santamaria also participates in Loy Norrix Forensics.

“It’s our duty to get more Hispanics in Forensics,” said Santamaria.

Ana Morales, who graduated from Loy Norrix in 2002, is excited to see more students participating in school activities.

“I like the idea that students are being more involved in school activities. When I was in school a lot of the students were shy and kind of just kept to themselves,” said Morales.

However, Morales felt that not many kids were pushed hard in school when she was at school.

“A lot of the kids that should’ve graduated with our class didn’t,” said Morales.

Occasionally, people try to help push students in school to success.

“I’ve never really seen someone get put down, but people always assumed because they were Hispanic they needed the extra help,” said senior Daniela Paz. “When I was in middle school, I was assigned a tutor in my English and Math class without me even needing it. I know there were other non-Hispanic kids in the class that needed more help than me.”

Paz is currently taking AP Calculus at Loy Norrix.

This is a current trend in some students.

Besides taking AP classes, students who used

to skip are now going to class. Ibarra sees more students going to class than before.

“I think now they’ve taken more advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise,” said Ibarra.

The Kalamazoo Promise has done so much for everyone, including the Hispanic population.

“I’m happy to see the population growing

“I’ve never really seen someone get put down, but people always assumed because they were Hispanic they needed the extra help.” and am especially proud when I see Hispanic students going to college and becoming professional,” said Morales.

“Thanks to the Kalamazoo Promise, students are getting the opportunity to do both.

I’m glad to see students have incentives to continue with their education, where they don’t have to worry about how they or their families have to pay for college.”

Racheal Koole / Knight Life News Senior Raymond Ryan and senior Aimee Lopez-Linares pose as their names were called at Loy Norrix Winterfest 2012. Lopez is the president of the Bilingual Club at Loy Norrix High School and aims to have more people join and participate.

The hit broadway musical right here at Loy Norrix!

Friday April 20 at 7:30 Saturday April 21 at 7:30 Sunday April 22 at 2:30

Friday April 27 at 7:30 Saturday April 28 at 7:30

$12 for Adults $10 for Students and Seniors

“Tonight we’re gonna cut loose...Footloose!”

8

FEATURE

Former Loy Norrix Graduates Establish Diversity in the Music Scene S A M R U S S

Morgan Butts / Guest Photographer

Morgan Butts / Guest Photographer Arson Part performed live at Louie’s Trophy House on March 10th. The band (from left to right) included Abe Epskamp on guitar, Grant Kennel on bass, Kamesha on drums (back), Sam Russ doing vocals, and Evan KleePeregon on guitar.

Aubrey Butts Knight Life News

A B E E P S K A M P Morgan Butts / Guest Photographer

K A M E S H A R O L A N Morgan Butts / Guest Photographer

Described by rhythm guitarist and former Loy Norrix student, Abe Epskamp, who graduated in ’09, as “queercore”, former Loy Norrix students Evan Klee-Peregon, who graduated in ‘10 (lead guitarist) and Kamesha Rolan, who graduated in ‘09 (drums) established Arson Party. Other band members include former Loy Norrix student, Sam Russ who graduated in ‘09 (vocals) and Grant Kennell (bass) of Traverse City.

Starting a band is a theme in so many teen films. Many students secretly wish to be a part of a band growing up, especially during high school when plugging in and turning up the music can seem like the best (and often only) escape from the mundane. These former Loy Norrix students made this teen bucket list item a reality.

Prior to settling on the name Arson Party, Evan Klee-Peregon and Kamesha Rolan, along with other local musicians, played under the names A Short Drop and A Sudden Stop, Born Against, and Exit Bag. The two words represented two separate things.

Rolan stated that the word “arson” was chosen for the band’s love of the idea of fire and the word “party” for the band’s political lyrics.

“We wanted a name that would not be very acceptable to the rest of the world,” added Rolan.

Klee-Peregon defined the word “party” as being a “group of people gathered for fun or to change the world,” and the idea of fire as “burning the old to build the new.”

Evan Klee-Peregon was always involved with music throughout high school. Originally, Klee-Peregon was the guitarist for the band Leech Life, along with Sam Russ, who sang vocals, Kamesha Rolan on drums, and former bassist, Josh Weirick.

“The band started my junior year, Sam and Kamesha’s senior year. Kamesha and I met through band and drumline,” said Klee-Peregon.

“We both liked metal, so we started

jamming together. We eventually started playing with Sam,” continued Klee-Peregon.

Rolan and Klee-Peregon both had similar interests and were lucky to find each other.

“I officially got to know Evan in my senior year. We knew that we wanted to start a metal band,” said Rolan.

Leech Life eventually dissolved when Russ left to attend college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor during the summer of 2009. At this time, Epskamp joined the band originally as bassist.

“One day I went with my buddy Jordan over to Evan’s house. I went to their practices a couple of times,” said Epskamp. “Their bassist couldn’t be at the practice and I said, ‘Let me try. I can do it!’”

Epskamp later took up rhythm guitar and vocals while Russ was away.

Klee-Peregon followed Russ to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan. There, they met their current bass player, Grant Kennell.

Russ could not stay away from the band scene and later rejoined as vocals for Arson Party. Russ missed the ability to have a creative outlet and that she remembered as being so helpful throughout high school.

“I started (playing in a band) in my senior year. Senior year is always hard,” continued Russ, “so it was a good outlet and a way to connect with people.”

Russ and Klee-Peregon agree that finding the right people to play with is important.

“Find people who are like-minded,” said Russ. “You need to find people that will push you even on days when you don’t want to be doing it.”

Klee-Peregon agrees, feeling thankful for the people he is currently working with.

“I spent about a year looking for more people before I found Kamesha. I basically wanted to make the kind of music we’re making,” said Klee-Peregon. “Only in the last

Morgan Butts / Guest Photographer

E V A N K L E E P E R E G O N

couple years I’ve had the fortune to meet people who share that vision.”

Arson Party is interesting in that four fifths of the band members are Loy Norrix graduates.

They credit a lot of what they’ve learned from attending high school as influence in writing music.

“Some of the things we write, we’re using skills we’ve learned from classes like English and history,” said Russ.

Russ and Klee-Peregon credit much of their inspiration from LN English teacher Anne Bowser and history teacher Matt Porco. Rolan also credits Porco as an influence, stating that his Advanced Placement United States History course was an influence for her “drum fury.”

In addition to Bowser and Porco, Rolan credits much of her growth as a drummer and metal fan to drumline instructor, Nate Waller.

“He really expanded my mind when it came to including percussion,” said Rolan. “He has great taste in metal.”

Arson Party is not the average metal band.

Self described as “queercore”, three fifths of the band members are a part of the LGBT community, not a common feat in the metal music scene.

Arson Party’s sound is progressive and all their own. The band does not fit into the “metal” music mold, but it also does not fit into the “shoegaze” (a type of alternative rock music popular among local Kalamazoo bands) mold.

Rolan noted that Arson Party’s sound differs from other metal bands in Kalamazoo.

“The taste and sound in which they make their music doesn’t compare,” said Rolan. “I think we’re a bit more serious about our work.”

The unique members of the band contribute to the depth and quality. Sitting in a room with these Norrix graduates, one can feel their excitement and dedication to their music.

9

A&E

Secret Society Influence on Popular Music Asia Davis Knight Life News In today’s society we’re surrounded by conspiracies: theories about UFO’s, 9/11, John F. Kennedy, and a million other radical ideas.

But what if the conspiracy was in your iPod? Lately, there has been a large amount of speculation about a super secret society called Illuminati and its relations with the music industry. The main idea of the conspiracy is that mainstream artists such as Jay-Z, Rihanna, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West have sold their souls to “the Rain Man” in order to be rich and famous, and have subliminally engrained satanic ideals into their popular music.

Supposedly in the music, artists do not come right out, which is why it is subliminal.

Your normal conscience does not detect it, your sub-conscience does. These satanic ideas are weaved into the music using symbolism, numerology, and different wording that people are exposed to in songs and music videos.

Artists have openly recognized Illuminati and “the Rain Man” within their music. Most of us have heard of the Rain Man in our favorite songs.

Who the Rain Man is, is up to interpretation and belief. The name “Rain” means abundant blessings from above, and “Man” means he is a male. In the songs mentioned, artists refer to the Rain Man as someone frightening and has a control over them. Eminem calls the Rain Man the devil.

Jay-Z claims that when he refers to the Rain Man he is referring to Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 flick “Rain Man”. In the movie Dustin Hoffman was an autistic man who had impeccable math skills and counted cards.

The roots of Illuminati trace back to the fraternal organization of the Freemasons.

Members of the free masons included Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Illuminati stemmed off the fraternity

during the 1800’s. The main symbol associated with illuminati is the All Seeing Eye. It’s basically the triangle or pyramid with the eye in the middle.

There are a ton of references to the eye, not just in music, but also in pop culture in general. It is on our dollar bill. Rihanna’s “Rated R” album cover puts emphasis on one eye. Lady Gaga frames one eye in most of her radical outfits. Jay-Z’s clothing line emblem is the all seeing eye. This symbolism is in music videos too.

In the Umbrella video Rihanna was painted silver in a triangular prism. In the U2 video “Yahweh,” there’s a series of symbols transforming into one another like the cross, the pyramid, the eye, the circle, the Star of David, and many others. In the “In Paris” video by Jay-Z and Kanye West the fans in the crowd are forming triangles with their hands.

The eye itself symbolizes spiritual sight, inner vision, higher knowledge, insight into occult mysteries. The eye within the pyramid is the Masonic symbol for the allseeing eye of god - a mystical distortion of the omniscient (all-knowing) Biblical God. “Illuminati is in most entertainment and we should take a closer look at what’s really going on in our society,” said Jordan Taylor, a sophomore at Loy Norrix.

Where your religious beliefs lie is up to you. At the end of the day we all have our different tastes in music. Music has symbolism whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

“Jay the Rain Man is back with little miss sunshine.

Rihanna where you at?”

- Jay- Z and Rihanna “Umbrella”

“Dear God, I wonder can you save me?

Illuminati wants my mind soul and body.

Dear God I wonder can you save me?

Secret society. Tryin to keep they eye on me.”

- Jay-Z “D’Evils”

“Speak of the devil its attack of the Rain Man. Chainsaw in hand.

Blood on his apron.”

- Eminem ft. Dr. Dre “For Old Times Sake”

“Release me.

Rain Man. Rain Man. Rain Man.” - Jamie Foxx “Rain Man”

Photo Illustration / Piper Simons

Don’t Judge a Book By Its Movie

Piper Simons Knight Life News

It seems like every decent book gets turned into something, whether it is a television show or a blockbuster movie. It’s normal for teenagers to never read books; they simply wait around for the movie to come out to get on the bandwagon.

“Twilight” was published in 2005 but didn’t attract hype until early 2008 when the movie adaptation was announced.

The first book in the series “Pretty Little Liars” was published in 2007, but until ABC Family started airing previews for the television series, it was not a popular choice for high school Mark Lowrie students to read.

The Twilight Saga Senior Calli Sweetland said, “I never read books anymore.

After AP classes and other homework, I don’t have time to read for pleasure.”

This is common among teenagers nowadays. Books have become obsolete. These new generations are so used to constant stimulation by video games, iPhones, iPads, and other easily accessed electronic items. Now having to focus on a book which forces you to create images in your own mind is considered a waste of time.

Regina Love What about the teenagers that do read? And the adults? Not Pretty Little Liars everyone agrees on which is better.

“The books are always better. Always. No question.

The only book that has had an equally good movie is ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’” said science teacher Mark Lowrie.

“It was like 60 pages long and they made a fantastic movie out of it.”

This year, many popular books are being adapted. The final Twilight movie, “Breaking Dawn: Part Two”, is being released in November. “The Hunger Games” was released in March and Marissa Klee-Peregon Harry Potter “The Hobbit” will be released in December. “The Great Gatsby” will have its second adaptation released in December.

Did you read the books or watch the adaptations first?

What differences have you noticed between the books and adaptations?

What do you think of the actors?

Which do you like better, the books or the adaptations?

I read the books first.

I think. Yeah, I did.

The characters in the Eh. Meh. movie weren’t what I had created in my head, so there were a lot of differences.

The books because I’m in control, in my head, of how it all looks and happens.

I read the series first.

The storyline is out of order between the books and the TV show. Plus, in the book Emily had a baby and gave it up.

Well, Emily was white in the books. She’s not a mixed girl with brown hair.

I liked the books better. The TV show sucks and the actors suck.

I read the books first.

Ginny and Harry’s relationship in the movies makes me want to scream, but it’s good in the books.

Snape and McGonagall are cast perfectly. The new Dumbledore isn’t my favorite. It bothers me that Harry’s eyes aren’t green.

The books.

No question about it.

10 KNIGHT LIFE PUBLICATION POLICY Got opinions? Disagree with something we’ve said? Just want to get your say in the paper? Write us!

OPINION

STAFF EDITORIAL

Internet Filters are a Necessary Evil

Direct Letters to the Editor to: -Knight Life Loy Norrix 606 E Kilgore Kalamazoo, MI 49001 -Submit to Room K15 -pankoptl@kalamazoo.k12.mi.us Guidelines: 250 words or less, must contain author’s name, third period, and ID number.

Right to Withold: If space permits, guest columns, personal opinions, contains libel or obscenities, disrupts school environment, invades privacy of others.

Notes to reader: Any photography that has been manipulated will be labeled as a photo illustration.

-Knight Life will publish a formal correction of any factual error made in a previous issue.

Leah Rathbun/ Knight Life News

KNIGHT LIFE EDITORIAL BOARD Racheal Koole Editor-in-Chief Lucas Leibold Aubrey Butts Web Editors April Curtis Asst. Web Editor Piper Simons Marta Grabowski Layout and Design Editors Jess Moshoginis Business Editor Morgan Steffler Asst. Business Editor

At Loy Norrix the students and staff are provided with internet access and working computers. These resources are used on a daily basis and by nearly every student in the school.

In a world that is getting ever more dependent on technology, schools have no choice but to join the race. People all over the world use the internet every day for every imaginable use. Without this powerful resource the schools would have to edit and purchase many text books costing a very large amount of money. Students and teachers use the

Leave the Drama to Facebook

Daniela Paz Leah Rathbun Photo Editors Adam Kemp Piper Simons Feature Editors Matt Streitel Sports Editor Asia Davis Arts and Entertainment Editor Meredith Farrer Miki Patel Veronica Olan Esmer Alonzo Copy Editors Jazmine Houston Opinion Editor Keith Toornman Asst. Opinion Editor Regina Love Staff Writer Tisha Pankop Advisor

internet on a daily basis for school presentations and research.

The internet access at Loy Norrix is arguably the most important piece of equipment at the schools’ disposal. Teachers use the web for showing educational videos, viewing presentations, and recording grades. Students can use the internet for anything from researching a project to playing games; though these can sometimes prove to be more difficult than one would think.

The internet at Norrix, like many schools, has some restrictions on student usage. Any website that is deemed disruptive or inappropriate is blocked by a filter. This filtering prevents students from getting distracted from their work or making others feel uncomfortable. Since different people’s opinions can vary on what is deemed acceptable, the board of education had decided on what is allowed for viewing. This filtering may seem like it is infringing on First Amendment rights like freedom of speech or expression. However, the web is not something that is required to be provided by schools. Access is a privilege that is granted by the schools. If you are still unconvinced consider this: A case study in the school year 2003/2004 was conducted in a high school. The test was to determine whether the computers were being used inappropriately. In the first day the program recorded approximately 2000 violations. A violation was considered anything that could be inappropriate or disruptive to school.

After two weeks there had been over 20 thousand violations. The school had only 16 hundred students, meaning there were more violations per day than there were students.

This was the turning point for the school and a new system was installed increasing network productivity by 60 percent. With the new system there is an average of less than ten violations per week.

Many people think that teenagers should be responsible enough to not mess around and just do their work. The study showed that this is not always the case. The internet blockage may seem like it is restricting things on a level that is not necessary, but in reality is much more productive than the alternative.

Evelyn Banks Assistant Web Editor On February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched a social networking site known as Facebook, while attending Harvard Law School.

His intentions were to create an online place for his classmates to connect. Before he knew it, Facebook had spread worldwide. This social website has made it possible for people to connect with their relatives and friends thousands of miles away. Who knew this website meant for people to connect would turn into a place for drama?

Electronic devices such as cell phones and iPods have been updated for us to access Facebook.

This is how we get distracted in class because instead of paying attention we are on Facebook posting about the big fight that just happened in the girls’ bathroom, a fight caused by something that was said on Facebook. And there is always that person who thinks it is funny and decides to record a video and post it online. Then students get mad because others are asking questions about the fight and they do not want everybody in their business.

Well if you do not want everyone in your business, do not post your business on Facebook.

For most teenagers and some adults, their lives revolve around their Facebook page.

“When I wake up I immediately check my Facebook page,” said freshman Malyk Thomas.

“I’m on Facebook from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. Facebook is how I get all my information; it’s the quickest way because word gets around fast.”

When something big happens in our city it spreads fast on Facebook. Every thirty seconds you will see a new post about whatever it was that happened. Once people start to talk about it, words get twisted and the story gets turned into something that did not happen.

Everyone knows how teenagers start rumors.

Once rumors are started they spread and spread until it turns into a big disaster. A disaster that could have been prevented if one person decided to think about the consequences before they started a rumor on Facebook they knew wasn’t true.

“I was once involved in an incident on Facebook where someone confronted me because of something they heard I said. Something that I didn’t say,” said freshman Jala Tolin. “I feel like Facebook isn’t safe for teenagers anymore. It starts so much drama and too many rumors. Some of these rumors are so major that teens commit suicide.”

Simon Foxley, 21, of Gloucestershire London became infatuated with a girl he met on facebook.

They exchanged many messages over Facebook but had never met in person. One day Foxley decided he would tell his romantic feelings for her. After seeing the message, the girl unfriended him on Facebook, removing him from the list of people who could view her profile. When Foxley tried to

get back in contact with the girl her friend began to send him abusive and hurtful messages. After being sent a message that ended with “Go and die,” Foxley later hung himself in the garden of his family home.

Victims of cyber bullying usually experience depression, loneliness, poor self-esteem, and feeling like they don’t belong. They often have suicidal thoughts and behavior. Studies indicate that cyber bullying can be more damaging than in-school bullying. On the web nothing ever gets erased, so students don’t have the opportunity to escape the harassment. In school you can always go to an adult and they can help take care of the problem.

If something happens on Facebook, of course, people are going to talk about it at school. That is just how teenagers are; they start rumors that aren’t true. Even if something big happens outside of Michigan, we will find out about it because once it is on Facebook, it is on the internet. Especially if the event involves a student or staff member at Loy Norrix, everyone should get prepared to hear about it every day for a month.

So before you start to talk about something that has happened on Facebook, think about how it can affect your fellow classmates or the person it involves. You don’t know what that student is going through, or has already been through. Sixty percent of students with Facebook accounts get bullied on Facebook every year.

According to CNN News half of high school students admit to cyber bullying. If you see bullying going on try to stop it, don’t add to what damage that has already been done.

OPINION

11

Point / Counter Point

Level Two-License Law Needs to be Enforced for Safety Purposes

Jazmine Houston Knight Life News “I agree with the law, because some sixteen year olds are immature these days,” said Senior Brandie Batten Sixteen year olds really do not see that car crashes are the leading cause of death for young people, according to Michigan State Police.

Most 16 year olds are irresponsible and are less experienced than adults when it comes to driving. They do not know how dangerous and risky driving can be.

On March 30, 2011 it was said that Michigan teens driving on a level two license can’t have more than one passenger under the age of 21 in the car, unless the passenger is a family member. Driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. is strictly prohibited unless driving to and from work or with a parent/guardian or licensed adult over 21 years old. I think this law is beneficial.

Sixteen year olds already have a curfew of midnight with the state of Michigan. There is no reason for them to be out driving past 10 p.m. anyway.

Allowing only one passenger in the car while driving is a good restriction.

Teens have a lack of skills and experience. They get in the car and think they are all that because they are in the car with a bunch of friends. The

risk of being in a car crash increases when they transport passengers. It gets frightening because the teen driver is responsible for the life of others. Some teens are not mature enough to take on that responsibility.

Would you want your life in the hands of a 16 year old?

Teens are also easily distracted and tend to take more risks due to peer pressure and overconfidence in their driving ability. Teenagers speed, swerve, and cut in front of people thinking it is cool and amusing. Young people underestimate crash risks and overestimate their ability to avoid danger while driving. Teens face risks of crashing during the first year of driving. One out of five 16 year olds will be in a car accident in their first year of driving, according to the Department of State.

The opposing side to this argument says that adults considered as “elderly people” (65 years old and older) have more accidents than teens, but that is not true. Relatively few elderly drivers are involved in accidents because of their lower rates of exposure. Teen drivers ages, 16 to 19 are four times more likely then older drivers to crash according to AolAuto.

Between 2007 and 2008 almost seven thousand teens were involved in fatal car crashes, and more than five thousand elderly people, 65+, was involved in fatal car crashes. Teens are more likely than older drivers to not be able to recognize hazardous situations. Senior citizens may be old, but they are more experienced than a 16 year old.

.

Michigan Driving Restrictions are not Taking Affect on Teenagers

Daniela Paz Knight Life News In March of 2011, the state of Michigan developed new restrictions to teenagers with a Level 2 driver’s license. It states that teenagers with a level 2 license are not allowed to drive between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless they are with a parent or legal guardian or driving to or from their job or school activity.

Also, the driver may not drive with more than one person that is younger than 21-years-old, although this excludes immediate family members.

What is Michigan concerned about? Teenage related car crashes?

Facts show that elderly people, 75 and older, are more likely to be in a car accident then people ages 16 to 25. According to USA today, the fatality rate increased to nearly four times higher than teenagers in 2004. Being that the baby boomer population is so big by the time they reach the age of 75 these numbers could skyrocket to nearly eight times more than it was in 2004.

Senior Haley Warner has had her license for two years. She had no problem when she started driving and has never been in a car accident.

“I felt very prepared,” said Warner. “I felt I had the proper

Knights Speak

preparation and I practiced a lot Should schools block some with my parents.” websites? If so, which sites.

Most parents are concerned over where their child is at and what they are doing driving past 10 p.m. Some parents take it Alex Bridges, over the top and follow the law Junior exactly how is stated. It is not necessary for parents to be so “Yes, because they strict. Teenagers should be let free are distracting to and experience driving on their many students. Social own. Being worried is one thing networks need to be but being a total control freak blocked.” is another. Whatever parents do to try to get their children out of trouble will make teenagers want to break the rules even more.

Damien Hegler, If parents want to teach a Senior valuable lesson to their children and possibly risk them getting “No they shouldn’t a ticket then so be it. Teenagers because we will find think it’s so easy to get away a way to get to them with anything. If they do end anyway.” up getting a ticket or getting in trouble it could end up being a valuable lesson.

Since the 1970s, teenagers Shari Williams, were seen as kids that like to Senior party, kids that want to always break the law or that want to rebel “No, because people against everyone. Society has still know how to get brought that stereotype into the 21st Century. Not all teenagers go to them. Students still have their phones. out, drink and do illegal things.

Students will use them “I’m usually just with more.” friends,” said Warner. “If I am driving it’s because I’m with a group of friends going somewhere Elzey Roellchen, where we can all hang out.”

Sophomore Teenagers are not hazardous drivers, adults just do not put “Yes, because enough trust in them. school is a learning environment. It is not the place for Twitter and Facebook.”

Medical Corporations Have No Right to Suppress the Cancer Cure

Miki Patel Knight Life News For the victims, this is a struggle for survival; it is a fight between life and death. The victims of cancer experience the sorrow and the pain that comes with each dose of chemotherapy as the powerful, highly toxic drug works its way through their bodies causing hair loss and weakness.

According to the Nanomedicine Center, approximately 7.2 to 7.5 million people die from cancer worldwide each year. Even though this number is quite high, pharmaceutical companies are not supporting scientists who are looking

for a simple cancer cure. A simple cure could result in pharmaceutical companies losing their business of drugs and other products that they produce and administer to the diseased.

According to the cancer statistics, the deaths caused by cancer will reach 12 million by the year 2030. Regardless of the human knowledge and the advancing technology available to us, the deaths caused by cancer are not slowing down and neither will they unless the cure is available for those that need it.

“The Most Effective Treatment For AIDS and Cancer in History!” was one of the headlines of NBC news in August 2001. There are many other headlines similar to this but still, we do not have a cure for cancer available to us despite what the media tells us. So, what happened to this cure?

The truth is that the medical corporations do not want us to know that an alternative cancer treatment with minimal side effects has been found even though cancer is the

leading cause of death in humans.

Chemotherapy was discovered in the 1930s and it is still being used today as a cancer treatment despite the fact that a very simple cure has been found. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells along with white blood cells. The symptoms of chemotherapy include headaches, fevers, diarrhea, skin irritation, and anemia.

Chemotherapy has also been known to kill the patients as well, depending on how well the patient’s body responds to the drug. According to ABC News, studies show that chemotherapy contributes to a quarter of the deaths caused by cancer. In other words, chemotherapy is not a very effective treatment for those battling cancer.

Radiation is another treatment that is being used today to battle cancer. The purpose of radiation is to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.

Just like chemotherapy, radiation also has its side effects. The side effects of radiation therapy depend on which part of the body is treated. These side effects may include skin irritation,

fibrosis, nausea, hair loss, damage to the salivary glands, and Officer Williams memory loss.

According to Dr. William “Yes, those that do not Donald Kelley, an orthodontist pertain to learning at and the developer of the Kelley school.” cancer therapy, physicians that attempt to find a cure for cancer may face consequences such as a year or so in prison and they can also be kicked out of the country, stripped of their license to practice medicine, or even killed.

Jamilah George, Dr. Kelley himself had his College Adviser medical license suspended from him but that did not stop him “Yes, because all from helping approximately 30 of them are not thousand people fight cancer appropriate and they through his Kelley cancer therapy. distract from the Dr. Kelley’s cancer therapy purpose of school. “ takes a nutritional approach to curing cancer through proper diet and exercise. With this approach, Dr. Kelley was able to cure his own cancer as well. see CANCER page 14

12

PROPS AND STOPS

PROPS -One More Trimester Just keep going -Spring Sports The weather is warm enough to practice outside -Scholarships Are we ready for college yet?

-Spring Cleaning Time to come out of hibernation -New Classes New opportunities -New Movies Different drama, action and entertainment -Spring The sun is shining, the air is clean

STOPS -Hall Sweeps Dont sweep us up, we’re not dust -Senioritis The end is near -Dress Code It’s getting hot we need shorts!

-No Snowdays Spring is officially here -Sicknesses Make sure to wash your hands -AP Tests Coming Up Study, Study, Study -Bullying Around School Pick on someone your own size!

-Bad School Computers Why are they so slow?

OPINION

Letters to the Editor Legos for Girls Dear Editor, I think that by Lego creating legos for girls it is a good idea. I used to play with my brother’s legos when I was little. Most kids still play with them. If I had a choice when I was little I would of chosen the legos for girls. They are pretty colors and look fun.

Molly Gritter Freshman

Dress Codes Help Students Practice Professionalism

Dear Editor, I completely agree with your article “Technology becomes a mask for teens.” It is hard to communicate over text and web. You can easily misunderstand someone. Most of the time you cannot tell their emotions. How they feel about something. You cannot see their facial expressions or tell their tone of voice over text. It can be very misleading.

Jessica Thomas Freshman

Leah Rathbun Knight Life News

18 at 18 Dear Editor, The article, “18 at 18,” was creative and educational. It teaches high school students that when you turn 18 it is a change, a big change in your life. You have a lot of responsibilities, but not only that you get to have a lot of opportunities. There are also advantages of what or when you can do these things.

Dear Editor, I read the article “Loy Norrix: Bringing Back the 1980s.” I think it is really funny because the teens are really bringing back the ‘80’s clothes and making them better. My mom told me that she likes how we brought back the clothes she used to wear.

Shaquona Gardner Freshman

Jasmine Miller Freshman

Strategies to Mastering the ACT Dear Editor, The article that I read was “Loy Norrix Students learn strategies to mastering the ACT,” by Leah Rathbun. I thought that it was so interesting. I love how it had tips to get ready for the ACT, what requirements there are and who to talk to if you have questions. It was really good and I enjoyed reading it.

Rachel Dodge Freshman Technology, a Mask for Teens Dear Editor, I read the article “Technology becomes a Mask for Teens,” by Meredith Farrer. I agree with everything she said. The internet really is being used as a screen to hide behind. The article was very well written and I really liked it.

Hope Nicholas Freshman

Dear Editor, I read the article on “How the End of the World Theory Effects Others.” I do not think the world will end December 21, 2012. In my opinion the only reason that the calendar ends that day is because the Mayan generation ended. There were no more generations to carry on the tradition of making calendars by looking at the coordinations of the stars. One more reason I don’t want it to end is because it is my little sister’s birthday that day. Overall, everyone has their opinions and I respect them.

Maria Garcia Freshman

Dear Editor,

I really liked the article “Dubstep is a Genre for Abstract Minds,” by Lucas Leibold.

I thought it was really cool to hear about how much the dubstep genre has spread. I like dubstep too. I think Lucas did a good job on his article. It was interesting and kept me focused on it until the very end.

Grace Gale Freshman

Dear Editor, I enjoyed reading “4 on 4,” because it was easy to read. Anything in a chart is easier than paragraphs. You want to read stuff with pictures, charts or with people you know so it makes it more interesting.

Amara Fink Freshman

Dear Editor, I want to talk about hall passes. Some of the teachers are saying no more passes, but that’s not fair because even though some people are being dumb in the hall, they don’t have to blame everyone. Especially for girls, because sometimes girls really need to go for lady issues. I’m just saying they shouldn’t blame everyone for immature people’s behavior, because it’s not healthy to wait the whole hour just to go.

Destiny Shananaquet Freshman

If there wasn’t a dress code at Loy Norrix High School, many students would not even bother getting dressed in the morning. There would be students walking through the halls wearing the pajamas they slept in the night before and a pair of slippers on their feet.

There would also be a group of girls that see getting ready for school as an opportunity to look like they are heading to a club in Vegas.

Especially on hot days, such as the week we had earlier this March, people seem to forget about the dress code and only dress to stay cool while trying to look cute at the same time. Short skirts and low cut tops are not appropriate for school.

Neither are pajama pants.

Having a dress code not only keeps the school atmosphere PG, it also prepares students for future dress codes they may come across in the workplace. Granted, coming to school is not a black tie affair, but it is also not a place for catching up on naptime or looking like you’re about to work the pole.

Sophomore Cheyenne Gandy agrees with the dress code in place and says that it is important, “So girls won’t show off things that could potentially ruin their future. Plus, when people are dressed raunchy it gives our school an uneducated look... If we didn’t have some sort of [dress] code, we’d look trashy,” said Gandy According to the Loy Norrix student handbook “Any fashion that disrupts the educational process, is considered revealing or ‘provocative’ in nature, or demeans/degrades/ offends the individuals that make up the school community will not be tolerated.” Along with a list of forbidden attire on page 23 in the student handbook, it states that anything else deemed by the staff is also prohibited.

The Loy Norrix dress code is very restricting for some, many students have to keep the dress code in mind when they get dressed in the morning, and often they have to make alterations to their outfit in order to comply with the dress code.

“When I wake up in the morning and feel like wearing a cute sundress and I go to school and they say it’s too short when it clearly covers my butt, that’s annoying. And then I see a girl wearing spandex shorts and they don’t say anything,” said Jade Gant, a junior at Loy Norrix.

With spring just around the corner, students may want to remember what is expected of them concerning their apparel. So before you rush out of the door in the morning, make sure your shorts meet the two inches above the knee rule.

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SPORTS

There’s a Passion for the Red Wings in Hockeytown Marta Grabowski Knight Life News

Detroit, Michigan is not only known as motor city, but it’s also known as Hockeytown.

Detroit is home to the Red Wings, a team that has 84 seasons under its belt including 11 Stanley Cups, so far.

Red Wing fans have been credited with being some of the most loyal fans in all of the NHL. Detroit Red Wing players, coaches as well as the general manager, realize the presence of the passionate Wings fans.

“The fans have a huge impact. As the season gets going fans get more excited. It helps for us to have a full crowd that’s excited. We’ve got great fans,” said forward Danny Cleary.

“We are very fortunate to play here in Detroit,” said forward Todd Bertuzzi.

The Wings are ranked fourth in the NHL for the 2011-2012 season making them one of the top teams in the NHL, making it easy for Michiganders to cheer for the Wings.

“We are blessed with great fans here in Michigan,” said Head Coach Mike Babcock.

“There’s a real passion for this team in our city,” said General Manager Ken Holland.

Maybe there is such a passion for hockey in Michigan because of the cold climate we live in which has allowed generation after

“There’s a real passion for this team in our city,”

Marta Grabowski / Knight Life Head coach Mike Babcock instructs his team during morning practice. The game the night before is when the Red Wings set the NHL record of 21 home games won in a row. generation to play pond hockey or maybe it’s the Wings 11 Stanley Cups and the 23 straight games won at home this season.

The Wings recently made National Hockey League history by winning 23 games in a row at home, breaking the previous record of 20 games held by the Boston Bruins.

“I am proud of everything our organization has accomplished. We’ve had some

CANCER from page 11 Steve McQueen, a famous movie actor, once threatened to “blow the lid off [of the] cancer racket” in a phone call to the FBI. The FBI, CIA, and the Media constantly harassed McQueen after this threat according to the Cure Zone. Dr. Kelley, who also helped treat McQueen, claimed that McQueen was actually cured from cancer but was murdered after threatening the medical corporations.

All Dr. Kelley wanted was to have his approach to the cancer cure tested by the medical establishment. Unfortunately, Dr. Kelley’s approach to the cancer cure was never really tested by the medical establishment simply because they did not want to perform the tests and were not convinced that an orthodontist can actually find a cure to a disease.

Evengelos D. Michelakis, a cardiologist working at the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta discovered another effective cancer cure.

Michelakis discovered an inexpensive, nontoxic molecule that kills cancer cells called Dichloroacetate (DCA).

Michelakis reports that “DCA turns on the mitochondria of cancer cells, allowing them to commit cellular suicide, or apoptosis.”

Benedict Fitzgerald may not have found a cancer cure, but he certainly has his thoughts on how the medical corporations are treating cancer.

Fitzgerald exposes the American Medical Association for suppressing the cancer cure and also lets us know his thoughts about cancer suppression in his Fitzgerald Report.

“This is the weirdest conglomeration of corrupt motives, intrigue, selfishness, jealousy, obstruction, and conspiracy that I have ever seen,” states Fitzgerald in his report.

The medical corporations will go beyond what should be acceptable to hide the truth about the cancer cure from the people. The medical corporations should not have the right to suppress the cancer cures that have been found.

People should have the right to know about any cancer cure that has been found and the right to treat the disease effectively.

disappointments but we have also had some championships,” said Holland.

“When I am sitting at the lake in a few years later and I look at the 21 [23] game win, it’ll be something I can be proud of,” said Babcock.

While a 23 home winning streak is something to be proud of and quite remarkable, the success of the Red Wings will ultimately be measured by winning the Stanley Cup. “It’s all about the cup. We’re going to be judged on how far we go in the playoffs.

Standards are high,” said Holland.

The Red Wings have featured some of the most notable hockey legends like Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lindstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik

Zetterberg.

With such big hockey legends coming from the Red Wings organization it is hard to imagine the Wings being able to play as a cohesive team, but the Wings success has been credited to their ability to play as a team.

“We are a team, that works hard all the time and I think that’s why we have been able to be so consistent. We’ve got a great group of guys. No egos. They all work hard and we all work hard for each other,” continued Cleary. “We are a team and if you want to be an excellent team you’ve got to really love each other. If you really care about your teammates that just makes you want to work harder to not let them down.”

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SPORTS

15

Coach Slamer to Coach at Albion College SynQuissa MorrIs Knight Life News

Joe Romph / Guest Photographer Loy Norrix Health teacher and volleyball coach Kristin Slamer coaches one of her last high school games at Kalamazoo Central.

She will be leaving Loy Norrix to coach at Albion College next year.

Next year current health teacher and head volleyball coach, Kristin Slamer, will be leaving Loy Norrix to go coach at her alma mater Albion College.

Unfortunately, Slamer will not be teaching at Loy Norrix starting next fall.

“Really there’s good and bad to it. One I’m going to work at a University that’s an awesome experience. Then there’s the other part, I’ll really miss the students and the experiences here too,” said Slamer.

Slamer recently met with the volleyball team to let them know what was going on.

“It was a sad kind of thing; they were really upset and I’m going to miss them too,” said Slamer.

Slamer has been coaching volleyball at Loy Norrix for three years and had previously coached at Northern Michigan University for two years.

“Their head coach [from Albion College] approached me about taking the position because she was resigning to move into an athletic director role at the college. So because she knew of my coaching experience at Northern Michigan University, and then here as head coach at Norrix, and also because I was alumni and had actually played for her back in

2006-07, she thought I would be a good fit for the job,” said Slamer.

Slamer is also going to be getting married in July and says her fiancé has been nothing but supportive.

“My fiancé is a college football coach too, so we’re coaching people. He was really supportive in the decision; he thought it was an awesome experience to take. Now we’re both going to be coaching college athletics, so that’s a cool thing,” said Slamer.

Junior Brianna Leip has been playing volleyball for six years. Coach Slamer has been her coach for her most recent years.

“She’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. I have never had that good of a connection with a coach,” said Leip.

Leip does not want to see Slamer leave.

“I trusted her for so long and it’s upsetting because she’s not going to be here for my last year,” said Leip. Leip is still looking forward to the season next year, but not as excited about the changes.

Junior Erin Romph also played volleyball for Coach Slamer.

“I love her as a coach. She’s taught me basically everything that I know and she understands struggles for the kids because she’s

been a student athlete before, so she relates well.

I’m very very upset that she’s leaving. She is a really great coach. It should still be a good season.

“She [Slamer] said she’s going to try and find a coach that’s either as good as or better than her.”

Although Slamer is excited about her future coaching position it took a lot of thought to make the right career decision.

“It was a really tough decision because the whole process had been going on for a little while now of what I was going to do because I loved teaching and I loved the team and the girls here, and it was just more of a career choice. Did I want to go back to working for a university or stay in a high school setting?” said Slamer. “An opportunity like going back to coach at your alma mater is not something you can just go and apply and get, it’s kind of like a once in a life time opportunity, so I felt like I had to jump on it while it was there, presented in front of me. That’s how I started my career and I felt like I would get back into it eventually, I just didn’t think it’d be so soon.”

Loy Norrix Women’s Soccer Prepares for 2012 Season Matt Streitel Knight Life News

Daniela Paz / Knight Life John McKenzie explains the warm up to the Loy Norrix women’s Varsity Soccer team. This is McKenzies fourth year here at Loy Norrix and he also coaches the boys junior varsity soccer team at Portage Central. The Lady Knights hope to improve from last years 8-10 season.

Team work, improving, commitment, winning and beating Kalamazoo Central are all elements that captain junior mid-fielder, Mia Leibold, thinks about when it is time to play Norrix soccer.

Spring is just around the corner and coming faster than ever this year with the lack of snow. With spring, come the spring sports seasons and, in particular, women’s soccer. The Loy Norrix soccer team looks to improve on their 8-10 record from last year. “[We are] more focused on team work and better communication,” said senior goal keeper Brandie Batten.

The head coach of the Loy Norrix women’s varsity soccer team, John McKenzie, has challenged his team to a new formation.

“I always try to pick a formation that caters to the skill sets of the players on the team,” said Loy Norrix women’s varsity coach John McKenzie.

A formation in soccer is what a spectator would see on the field. It starts with defense and works up to forwards. The Lady Knights will play a 4-2-3-1 this year. A more common and simpler formation is a 4-4-2. This means four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards.

The Knights will have six defenders, three midfielders and one forward. The two and the four in the formation combine to make the six defenders. Four will be straight across the field and two directly in front of the four in the back. This is a little more complex for someone who is just starting out with soccer. For a 4-4-2 there are four defenders that line up in a line across the field. Once you get into more than four defenders there are so many combinations that you could use in the back which makes the formation more complicated for beginners.

McKenzie has been coaching for ten years. This will be his fourth year at Loy Norrix. At Loy Norrix he lead his 2010 girls to a Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference Silver Division Tournament Title and won the annual Super Saturday tournament held here at Loy Norrix. This hard earned work does not just start a week before the first game but a month before tryouts.

Just like many sport teams, one cannot just show up to tryouts without training or working out beforehand. The girls start winter training the day after winter break. This is

around one month before tryouts, which were held on March 12. Training is held every day except Fridays and Sundays.

Tuesdays and Thursdays consist of weight training and conditioning.

Saturdays consist of small group soccer training.

Mondays are saved for futsal.

Futsal was originated back in 1930 by Juan Carlos Ceriani from Montevideo, Uruguay. Futsal is a small sided soccer game played mainly indoors on basketball size courts.

Many soccer teams use this game to work on their foot skills before and during their sports season.

Many take steps to get their body in shape for a sport like soccer every day or even before team training starts. “[I] run a lot on off days,” said Loy Norrix sophomore Mara Timmeney.

Not only do you have to prepare your body for soccer but many have to make sure other aspects of playing any sport are up to par. “[I] work on getting to know incoming freshman and make sure grades are good,” said Leibold.

To be able to play or even tryout for a team the athlete must maintain a GPA of 1.5 and keep a 2.0 throughout the sport season. Once these aspects of playing are taken care of then the athletes can focus on the real task at hand, doing well in their season.

The Knights will compete in the SMAC East conference this year.

“We will be seeing teams we don’t regularly play and have dropped teams from the schedule we have played for years,” said McKenzie.

But the Knights are excited to play different teams. “[I am] excited to compete with teams that we haven’t been able to before,” said Leibold.

Due to Gull Lake transferring into the SMAC, it was changed to two divisions of eight. With Kalamazoo Central and both Portage schools in the other side of the conference where before they were all in the same conference.

The Knights kicked off the season on April 15th with a 4-0 loss to a very talented Ann Arbor Pioneer team. The Knights will play at Kalamazoo Central on Monday May 14th at 6:45 p.m. Their last home game and senior night is Wednesday May 9th at 6:45 p.m.

“I look forward to seeing what they [players] can accomplish on the field,” said McKenzie.

16

SPORTS

Skilled Sophomore Dominates Terrain Park

Lucas Leibold / Knight Life News Lucas Leibold Knight Life news Regardless of visiting so many large and extravagant resorts, sophomore Stokely Eller will always have a special spot in his heart for his home hill, Timber Ridge. Stokely has been skiing since he was three years old, first touching the snow at Mammoth in California.

Throughout the 2011-2012 ski season, Stokely has been making trips up north every weekend to various ski resorts for competitions.

Stokelys family members are skiers as well, his mother is part of the Timber Ridge Ski Patrol, and his parents have facilitated his skiing career, supporting him in every endeavor that he pushes for.

Last winter, Stokely traveled out to Copper Mountain in Colorado for nationals and placed 8th in his age group of 14-15 year old skiers.

This year, Stokely is placed at 10th in country in his age group of 16-18.

Spring Break 2012, Stokely traveled out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is

notorious for its impressive quantity of snow.

The mountain had received thirty feet of snow this season by the start of our spring break, more than Alta in Utah, Whitefish in Montana, and many others resorts.

Rather than slap on spandex and don a pair of racing skis, Stokely prefers to fly inverted through the air and slide backwards off of technical rails.

Stokely is sponsored by Epic Planks, a ski company that produces handmade skis and snowboards for the rider. Epic Planks emphasizes durability, appearance and performance to boost a rider’s steeze (to show style and ease simultaneously). Being sponsored by a large skiing company is very beneficial to Stokely because it gives him exclusive access to the best gear and improves his reputation, which is important when competing against other skiers.

Skiing these days has become something more of a fashion contest rather than a sport of free expression. “Some people just try to look

like thugs,” said Eller. In the past few years, the baggier clothes and lower riding pants supposedly made you a better skier. Stokely however prefers to keep his outfit modest and dresses for function.

He turns heads with his extreme skill on skis rather than an XXXL tall tee, “I’m not a gangster,” said Stokely.

Stokely Eller is a very busy sophomore.

He played varsity soccer here at Loy Norrix and plays with the TKO soccer club during travel season in the spring. Year round, Stokely is an athlete. Although the snow here in Michigan has melted, Stokely is looking at a potential ski trip for this summer, you heard right, this summer.

Windells Action Sports Camp is located in Sandy, Oregon and provides year round coaching and facilities for skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and BMX bike riding. This program is very popular and effective for the skiing community, ambitious skiers like Stokely travel there year round to improve their skills.

Windells has many professional skiing alumni, which include Tj Schiller, Tom Wallisch and others. The ski slopes are located on Mt. Hood, because of the natural year round snow.

Stokely is really pushing himself to become a better skier and hopes to make another big hit at the nationals this coming winter. His goals for the coming season are to join the terrain park team at Timber Ridge, sculpting jumps and placing rails, perhaps even drive the snowcat on the mountain. It is extremely difficult to become a professional skier and make a real living off of it, so Stokely is aiming at becoming a team manager or perhaps a coach for his later life. He wants to share his skill and love for skiing with others.

The bottom line is Stokely Eller can shred the mountain with an uncanny ease; he is completely comfortable flying through the air, and he is way too modest. However, when he clicks into his skis, nothing can touch him.

Softball Team Pitches Their Sights Towards Conference Win Aubrey Butts Knight Life News

Aubrey Butts / Knight Life News Senior Alex Elwell prepares for a pitch Tuesday, April 17th. The Lady Knights defeated Battle Creek Harper Creek 4-0 to continue their winning strike.

The Loy Norrix Softball team can be found on the grassy, softball fields every day after school for two and a half hours. A diverse group consisting of two seniors, six juniors and sophomores combined, and eight freshmen, the team has a large number of new talent, showing promising years to come.

Freshman Olivia Stier is on the varsity team as one of two pitchers.

She has been played softball through the local Hurricanes travel team for eight years. Although she has played since she was young, coming in as a freshman on the varsity team was nerve wrecking.

“It was intimidating at first, but since I knew the majority of the team, it wasn’t bad,” said Stier.

The team has strongly bonded this year, making it easier on the newcomers, such as Stier.

“You don’t get treated differently being a freshmen or not,” said Stier.

Senior Alex Elwell agreed the team has bonded.

“Everyone is getting along better than in previous years. Getting along helps with trusting each other on the field and off,” said Elwell.

Lady Knights softball has only been a varsity team for the last three years. There are several reasons why there aren’t enough people to make both a varsity and junior varsity team, including ineligibility and lack of interest due to softball scheduled during the same season as other popular women’s sports (soccer, tennis, track).

Senior Gwen DeYoung, utility player, use to be on the JV softball team before the numbers were so low.

The lack of interest upsets DeYoung.

“It’s sad because it’s such a fun sport and it can help you grow as an athlete and as a person in general,” said DeYoung.

The Lady Knights currently are 4-0 in their season, a first in a long time, Alexandra Elwell, noted.

Alexandra Elwell, who is a pitcher and sometimes a catcher or short stop, is one of three captains and has been on the varsity softball team all four years. Elwell recently signed with Wayne State this fall.

“I’m really proud of us. We’re

4-0, and I don’t know the last time the Loy Norrix has been 4-0,” said Elwell.

The team has grown stronger throughout the season, and has had a successful time thus far. The Lady Knights played Coldwater Thursday, April 12th. The game was an important one for the Lady Knights.

“We played Coldwater and it was a nine inning game. As a general rule, we couldn’t play a whole game.

We’d play a couple innings than make a few mistakes. But we played strong the whole game and came out with a win.”

The team pulled out a 17-1 win.

The Lady Knights continue to play well and look forward to their conference at the end of the season.

Stier is excited to see how it turns out.

“I hope that we continue our winning strike,” Stier said.

The Lady Knights team has had a tremendous season, but one thing that is still lacking is support.

“Softball never gets as much support,” Elwell stated. “Spring sports in general don’t get as much support as football or basketball.”