3.12.
2010 haslett high school
Budget cuts break bank
graphic by
andrew BEAUMAN
Tough cuts take
tough decisions
by emma CLAUCHERTY
The school board meets to make a very difficult decision next
month. It has been discussing, debating and arguing over this
decision since last year. Board members polled over a thousand
school district parents to get their opinions over the issue. What-
ever they decide will impact every school in the district. Whatever
they decide will impact an entire community. The school board
meets in a month to cut $1.8-2 million from the district budget.
“I’ve been in the (school system) for 35 years and this is the
worst I’ve ever seen it,” superintendant of schools Mike Duda
said.
The struggles of the Michigan government and economy haven’t
been any secret for the past few years. The government funds
schools with the 6 percent sales tax placed on all goods. After the
automobile industry went bankrupt, spending took a nose dive
across the state. No money was coming into the state, so they state
had none to give to the schools. Many schools will not be able to
survive this severe decline in funds over the next few years.
“School districts are going to be falling off the cliff. They are
going to no longer be able to afford to operate,” Duda said. “The
problem is that there is no silver bullet coming. There is no relief
coming for this whole recession. That’s the scary part about this.
It’s difficult and all districts are in this scenario. It’s the worst for all
districts and you will see school districts actually going bankrupt
this year.”
Last year the legislature cut $165 per student from district bud-
gets; this year it is eliminating another $250 per student which trans-
lates to about $2 million for the Haslett school district. A large fac-
5450 marsh road haslett mi 48840
tor in this huge
deficit is the loss
of students in the
district.
“The graduating
class is probably some-
where around 230-235.
The birth rate is lower
than it has been in years
in past. The kindergarten
groups of the last couple years
have been somewhere around 165
students, now you’re talking about a loss
of nearly 80 students,” Duda said.
In addition to a lower birth rate, Michigan communities are
losing families as they move out of state. “What we’re starting to
see and all school districts are experiencing it, is (we are) losing
families because the parents are being forced to look for employ-
ment outside of the state of Michigan,” Duda said. “I don’t know
if people recognize the fact we lost nearly 100,000 students in the
state just in the last four years. That’s a lot of students.” The loss
of families across the state is a main factor in the state-wide school
budget crisis.
Eliminating $2 million from the budget will be a difficult task to
do seamlessly and unnoticed by a community.
“We take this very, very seriously,” school board member
Kristin Beltzer said. “These are not easy times for Haslett Public
Schools. It’s not easy times for the state of Michigan. We’re going
to have to make some very tough decisions.”
The school board must make these decisions fairly soon.
“June thirtieth or July first of this year, all school districts have
to present a balanced budget to the (State) Board of Education,”
Duda said.
The magnitude of the situation has been under the radar of the
community in some ways. Many parents, students and teachers
do not understand the severity of what the district is facing at the
moment.
“I don’t think people understood the gravity of the budget prob-
lem,” Duda said. “My sense is that most of us when we have these
kinds of issues sitting in front of us do not react one way or the
other until the actual reductions come about.”
Decisions page 3
volume 15 issue 6
Teachers and
students react
by elizabeth YOUNG
Budget cuts.
It’s a subject the school board addresses, teachers worry about
and students as a whole tend not to know much about. What
people may not be aware of is the severity of the deficit—$1.8-2
million—and how it may affect all aspects of the high school.
But the people who are aware are concerned.
Budget effects on student programs
There have been rumors that student athletes will have to pay
more to participate. Some students have also heard that they may
be responsible for funding their own sports.
“I haven’t heard (about) sports getting cut, like ‘We’re not
going to carry them anymore,’ but I have heard of budget cuts
to the point where the sports are on their own to fundraise all the
money,” freshman Sam Wegenke said. “Their starting budget will
be zero and if they fund raise money and stuff, they can keep their
sport. But if not, they’re on their own to try and get money.”
Math teacher and girls golf coach John Moore believes that
the budget cuts will force his team to be more active in providing
its own funds to play.
“The girls are going to have to pick up some more of their
own costs or we’re going to have to do some fundraising or some
mix of things in order to get things to go,” Moore said.
One prominent issue the school board has to consider when
making cuts is how to deal with massive transportation expenses.
Sophomore Tara Mahon feels that some of the parent survey re-
sults could be used to incorporate less costly changes in athletic
transportation.
“It would cut down a lot of costs if you took only one bus for
each sport as opposed to two buses,” Mahon said. “For basketball,
freshman and JV are on one bus and varsity is on another bus, so
if you just took one bus, it would cut down on fuel costs and you
wouldn’t have to pay for two bus drivers.”
Another suggestion for cutting down on transportation includes
having athletes find a ride home from away athletic events rather
than providing two-way transportation. However, science teacher
Dan Kohler is uncertain that this would be the safest option.
“Having people getting their own transportation back from
games would concern me,” Kohler said. “Now you’ve got students
getting rides with other students late in the evening. That’s a really
big concern.”
Opinions page 3
2 March 12, 2010
Current athletic director Jamie Gent sits in the athletic office that will belong to associate principal Darin
Ferguson next year. Gent will step down from full-time duties, but continue to help with event scheduling.
New athletic
director to replace
Gent for 2010
Promises broken: MME
by kerry MORRIS and gabe NESTER
As the budget declines, the rumors grow tre-
mendously. From teachers and students there
have been whispers all over the school of associ-
ate principal Darin Ferguson leaving his current
position and replacing the athletic director Jamie
Gent. Other rumors have Gent and Ferguson
splitting the job half and half.
The truth is that at the end of this school year,
Gent will retire from his full-time position at the
high school. “I will still be scheduling all events
and contests while working at home,” Gent said.
Next fall, Gent’s job will be split into three
positions. Gent will organize sporting events, dis-
trict director of finance Steven Cook will manage
financial aspects and Ferguson will take on the
majority of Gent’s former duties.
Superintendant Mike Duda came to Ferguson
with the idea of him taking over Gent’s job. With
the problem of the budget being so small, hiring
a new person wasn’t an option.
“Due to the budget issues, we can’t replace his
position,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson’s familiarity with directing sports
made him a practical candidate for the job. Fer-
guson was a head basketball coach for six years
and a head football coach for 10 years at the
school district he worked for prior to Haslett.
Without hesitation, Ferguson agreed to do the
job. “I grew up here,” he said. “I like this com-
munity.”
In taking this job, Ferguson has hopes of find-
photo by keeton SNOWDEN
ing more ways to save money. He respects the
way the athletic program is run, but he sees an
opportunity to alter a few things and he is look-
ing forward to doing so. No major changes will
be made, however. He plans to pick right up
where Gent left off and continue the job.
Beginning next year with the new title of
APAD (associate principal and athletic director,)
Ferguson sees that the biggest problem will be
balancing time between both jobs and his fam-
ily. Although he has the full title, principal Bart
Wegenke and fellow associate principal Andrea
Rumsey will help out with the task of athletic
director. He expects this will make the balance
easier.
During the day, students will see him in his
normal office and also doing his daily attendance
runs through the halls. After school, however, he
will move into his new office down in the athletic
portion of the cafeteria.
Everyone in the school district is making ad-
justments because of the budget restraints, and
Ferguson is more than happy to help out. “We
have a little more with a little less,” Ferguson
said.
Gent knows this is not a job for just anybody.
“You can’t do this job and not enjoy it,” Gent
said. It includes many after school hours and
weekends, as well as dealing with new parents,
students, coaches and teachers.
Juniors struggle to schedule
by bailey MCMILLAN and
cassie STASZUK
Scheduling can always pose
problems and challenges for
students. But when a person
can’t get into a class he or she
wants, or if the school doesn’t
offer a more advanced class
entirely, scheduling can turn
into a full-fledged nightmare.
This year, many of the typical
“senior” classes are filled with
more juniors and even sopho-
mores. With all of the different
graduation requirements for the
class of 2011, the juniors really
have to challenge themselves.
Many juniors, including
Aaron Dimet, are not being
offered the challenging classes
they need to fill their schedule
or graduation requirements. Di-
met, who is currently enrolled
in Spanish IV and AP calculus,
will not be able to advance to
the next level. As many stu-
dents are aware, calculus II and
Spanish V will not be offered in
the 2010-2011 school year.
“Two of the classes I was
hoping to take next year sim-
ply aren’t being offered by the
school, mostly due to lack of
eligible students,” Dimet said.
One of the options for stu-
dents in this kind of situation is
to dual enroll and take classes
either at Michigan State Uni-
versity or Lansing Community
College. Students who attend
LCC for dual enrollment will
scholarship gone and missed
by jenny LITTLE
Every March, juniors across
the state are required to take
the Michigan Merit Exam. One
of the incentives to do well on
the test has been the Michigan
Promise Scholarship. After the
last state budget was decided
in 2009, students no longer can
receive that scholarship.
The Promise Scholarship
was signed into law in Decem-
ber 2006 by Gov. Jennifer Gra-
nholm. The scholarship provid-
ed up to $4,000 to students who
passed a certain grade level on
their MMEs or by completing
two years of post-secondary
education. The Promise was
awarded to approximately
96,000 students statewide.
The scholarship was put
to an end in September 2009
by the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Higher Edu-
cation in an attempt to cut the
estimated $1.7 billion state bud-
get deficit.
have their classes paid for by
the school. Those who decide
to dual enroll at MSU will have
to pay for half their tuition.
“The worst part about this
whole situation is that I can
only get high school credit for
calc II because the Michigan
Merit curriculum requires (the
junior class) to take a math
class for high school credit their
senior year,” Dimet said. “I
think I could get college credit
for Spanish V.”
Junior Christie Hamilton,
who is in a situation very simi-
lar to Dimet’s, began taking
Spanish in eighth grade. She
believes that the school district
wasn’t ready for an inpour of
students who wanted to take an
advanced Spanish class.
“The district didn’t expect
us to go farther than this,”
Hamilton said. “It was kind of
disappointing because the ww-
wdistrict set us up to take more
advanced classes, but now they
aren’t offering them.”
Dimet believes this problem
could have been fixed with
some planning.
“It might help if [the school
district] determined next year’s
schedule as soon as possible so
they can let us know exactly
what they’ll be able to offer,”
Dimet said.
With all the difficulties and
frustrations that come with
scheduling, some students
“I feel really bad for the
people who had the scholar-
ship and got it taken away,”
junior Lizzie Schab said. “They
might have needed it to pay for
tuition.”
The removal of the Promise
Scholarship is giving college
students a rough time finan-
cially.
“It’s disappointing,” said
Central Michigan University ju-
nior, Ashley Reisbig, an Ionia
High School alum. “It’s making
us come up with money that we
didn’t have to before. I know a
lot of people who can’t come
back to Central because they
don’t have the money.”
Students are in agreement
that the scholarship was neces-
sary.
“There’s always someone
who needs the money,” senior
Anna Schlachter said. “And
there’s always someone who
will benefit from it.”
news
feel the counselors are not in-
creasing their efforts to match
the challenging requirements.
Junior Sarah Budde believes
that the counselors do not have
enough time to help her with
her schedule.
“They could work with us
more, and help us out so it’s
not all on us,” Budde said.
Dimet believes the counsel-
ors are struggling to answer
some of the student’s schedul-
ing questions.
“They didn’t seem to have
any definite answers,” Dimet
said.
The counselors are stretch-
ing themselves thin running
between the high school and
middle school this year. Be-
cause of the budget cuts, the
middle school no longer has
specific counselors. They are
shared throughout the district.
That means the high school
counselors must help with new,
much harder requirements and
have less time to spend helping
the soon-to-be seniors
“Scheduling is a frustrating
time,” Dimet said. “But not
offering classes makes it even
more so. I’m just really disap-
pointed that the merit curricu-
lum ends up detracting from
my education, credit-wise. It
should be helping students get
(more) college credit before
they graduate, not less.”
The proposed 2011 budget
includes a reformed version
of the Promise. Under the new
budget, students would receive
a $4,000 tax credit for getting
a degree from a state univer-
sity, then working one year in
Michigan.
Until then, students have
to find other ways to get the
money.
“I’ll have to push for more
scholarships and I’m getting a
job this summer,” Schlachter
said.
Reisbig will have to resort
to other methods for obtaining
money.
“I’ll have to take out other
loans or ask my parents for
money,” Reisbig said.
Schab maintains hope for
other scholarships.
“I’ll try to do as well as I can
on the ACT to try and get other
scholarships from the colleges I
want,” Schab said.
3 March 12, 2010 news
Tough Decisions from page 1 Reactions from page 1
In order to assist completing this arduous task, can make this work.” The future of the music eliminated, class sizes will in-
the school board administered a survey to all Solutions to the budget reduction are in the ents know what’s best for their
and art programs is just as crease as well, which could kids, but most of the kids at
Haslett parents. The survey included questions process right now. The school board is currently uncertain. Sophomore band create problems for teach-
asking exactly how the district should reduce the examining one of the district’s biggest money this age now know what’s best
member Monica Walker be- ers. Kohler worries that larger for them.”
budget, whether that is adding a fee to all after- vacuums: transportation. lieves band and choir have a chemistry classes could lead
school activities or reducing transportation. The “Transportation costs us well over a million However, polling students
strong impact on students’ lives to safety issues when conduct- could lead to skewed results
school board wanted to get a feel for the types dollars a year. The school district does not have and hopes they will not be af- ing labs. Moore, on the other
of programs that were important to the commu- to provide transportation but the fact is we know because people may not be
fected too severely. hand, is concerned about how aware of the budget situation.
nity. The main goal of the survey however was it is very important to some families,” Duda said. “Both of the music pro- changes in class size will affect
to alert parents with the crisis facing the district “To say that we’re just going to cut transportation There is also the potential that
grams we have are really im- students’ learning. people would treat a student
at the moment. altogether would not be accurate. We know we portant because statistics show “Classes will be bigger than
“Part of the (survey) was to put some of those can’t do that, but we’re going to have to make survey too lightly. But Mahon
that more people who are in- they are now,” Moore said. believes that students could
issues on the table so that people had an under- some modifications in what we’re doing. Some volved in music programs go “That means less personalized
standing of how difficult some of these issues are examples of that might be reduce the number give effective opinions if they
to better colleges and get bet- attention and more lecture-for- were knowledgeable about the
going to be,” Duda said. “Hopefully, the com- of bus stops that we presently have set up for ter grades,” Walker said. “And mat with very little follow-up.
munity has a better sense for some of the issues students.” issue.
they make a lot more friends It means the availability of “I think that students
that we’re struggling with right now and the chal- While the parent survey indicated the commu- too because there’s a social as- teachers will be less because
lenges.” nity supported making reductions in transporta- would take it seriously if they
pect of it.” now if you’ve an extra five were more informed, like if we
Overall, the school board is pleased with the tion, it opposed eliminating it altogether. Science teacher Michelle kids per class, then that means
community concern over the budget issue “We Surprisingly, the survey showed large parent were to have a class meeting
Pifer also supports keeping you’ve got an extra 25 kids a about the school budget and
had 63 percent of our people complete the support for an increase in athletic fees, as well as both the music and art pro- day. That’s 25 more quizzes, 25
survey,” Duda said. “We were hoping for 30- a fee put on all after-school programs including about what we have to cut,”
grams in school. While Pifer more tests, 25 whatever you’re Mahon said. “Then they can
35 percent return on that and the fact that so music. understands that cuts will have doing.”
many people took the time to get involved and “Those are things that we will probably be conduct an opinion based on
to be made, she hopes that en- Moore also feels that the in- what they learned and (have)
express their opinion about some of these things looking very closely at,” Duda said. tire programs won’t be elimi- creased number of students will
truly says a lot about the community. They’re All Michigan school districts are feeling the been told.”
nated completely. take a toll on teachers. Wegenke, on the other
involved, they want to be involved, they have burn of the recession. Partnering with other dis- “That’s the reason a lot of “It does affect individual
ownership for this district. They want to make tricts to split costs on services is another option hand, feels that surveying stu-
kids stay here…we have such a teachers…how much stress they dents could have gone one of
sure the things they have come to enjoy here are being looked at. “There is always going to be good music and art program, have during the day,” Moore
continue.” talk between districts in order to find some com- two ways, the first being less
including photography and said. “I think you’re going to than productive.
Diverse opinions and values of the community mon ground.” Beltzer said. “We did that with the TV station,” Pifer said. “I have teacher illness go up be-
make the budget reductions more complicated the bus maintenance and transportation so may- “The teachers could have
would hate to see those go. cause they’re just going to be been like, ‘Here’s a survey.
for the school board. be there’s some opportunities to do some other They really produce some worn out.”
“It’s not that black and white to be able to cut things too.” Take it. Do the best you can,’
amazing results for kids and As far as students go, and that way would not have
programs,” Beltzter said. “Some things like mu- As decisions about the budget are made, the a lot of kids go on to that in Moore isn’t worried about
sic are going to be important to (some) parents, school board’s main focus is still to do what is gone by even moderately
college.” some of them. He knows that well,” Wegenke said. “Kids just
some things like athletics are going to be impor- best for Haslett students. “I will tell you this: I Budget effects on teach- the top students will still suc-
tant to parents, and some things like technology think we have as a school district by and large would have screwed it up just
ers and academics ceed because they are “aggres- to make fun of it and just be-
are going to be important to parents. That’s re- done a great job over the years of keeping the sive” and active in improving
One of the biggest dilem- cause, if they got done with it
ally very difficult for us sometimes to make those cuts away from students. I think school districts their education and preparing
mas is the future availability of sooner, they’d have more free
cuts because all those things are important to in general have done that,” Duda said. “When- for the future.
academic classes. Junior Paige time to do what they wanted.”
people.” ever we have had to make reductions in areas I But Moore is worried about
Grettenberger worries that she However, if teachers were
The survey addressed the six main areas of think we’ve tried to make it as seamless and easy the average students.
won’t be able to challenge her- to emphasize the gravity of po-
district funding; technology, transportation, ath- a transition as we possibly can for students” “Your middle students, the
self and complete her gradua- tential budget cuts, the results
letics, counseling, library/media and music. Par- Elimating $2 million cannot be expected to go ones that need a little bit more,
tion requirements next year if of a student survey could be
ents voted on the areas they believed the district unnoticed, but the school board wants it to seem shall we say, prodding, they’re
certain classes are cut. different.
should make their highest priority. Completely that way for the students at least. “We are always the ones that are going to be
“I’m kind of upset about “If the teacher said,
eliminating one area of funding is not an option. going to put kids first,” Beltzer said. “We want a affected,” Moore said. “There’s
the classes ‘cause there are ‘They’re thinking of cutting
“Even if we were to examine each one of those quality education for kids but when it comes to just not going to be the time to
really no options for math,” choir or football or the play
areas in that survey, we still wouldn’t come up dollars we have to figure out the best way that get around to those middle-of-
Grettenberger said. “It’s not and the musical,’ then that
with enough dollars to be able to balance our we can provide that and sometimes making those the-roaders that, with a little bit
like I’m going to take busi- would get the kids’ attention,”
budget,” Duda said. “As we work through this decisions is not going to be very easy. Everybody of nudging and a little bit of
ness accounting when I really Wegenke said, “and then they
we are going to be seeking other avenues to look in our district needs to take a look at that and we help, would do better.”
want to be getting ahead. And would be like, ‘Well, if I mess
at where we can make reductions and having dis- need to start saying ‘Okay, how are we all going Opinions on the online
there’s no time to do a col- up on this survey, (it) might say
cussions with our employees to find out how we to work together to make this work?’”
lege course that’s an hour, two survey that I want those things to be
hours long when I’ve got sports While the parent budget cut when in reality, I don’t…be-
Spring play will be a “tearjerker” and…other classes to study and
pay attention to.”
survey was considered a suc-
cess and will help the school
cause I really love and enjoy
those things.’”
Cutting classes also means board as they begin making de- The next three-and-a-half
Lauren Ezzo plays of the story is in the Czech- The play, though depressing,
cutting teachers. While layoffs cisions, many students feel that months will be filled with long
ghetto, Terezin.” is also inspirational.
lead in production are likely to be made before they should have a chance to discussions and debates as the
Ezzo, along with support- “Even though it’s sad, it’s up-
the start of next year, Pifer be- voice their opinions as well. school board decides on the
about WWII and ing actors senior Noah Timm lifting,” Ezzo said.
lieves that her position is safe “I think students should be fates of the different school
and junior Lyndsay Manson, Anderson believes that while
the Holocaust will be starring as the play’s the subject of the play is de-
for now. polled because it affects their programs. It’s not going to be
“I am a newer teacher here lives more than it affects their easy and sacrifices will have to
by bailey MCMILLAN lead role. The angle of the pressing, it’s a story that needs
so I am certainly concerned if parents’ lives,” Mahon said. be made.
play is very unique. to be told.
there is going to be any layoffs “They’re the ones that will have “It’s just going to be a
Taking place during World “It’s a very serious subject “It’s a really moving play and
as far as teachers go,” Pifer less classes and that will have hard decision to find out which
War II in the middle of the matter,” Ezzo said. “It’s a very it’s a very important historical
said. “However, earth science teachers cut from their school.” things to cut and which not to
Holocaust, this year’s spring small, personal show.” tragedy,” she said, “It will make
is a class that is very much Wegenke feels that stu- cut because there’s so many
play, “I Never Saw Another Senior Meghan Anderson, you cry. But it’s inspiring and
needed because it is part of the dents, particularly high school things that are valuable here,”
Butterfly,” lacks a convention- a newcomer to the stage, be- it’s a really good story.”
MME and I am one of the few students, have a better idea of Wegenke said. “If you cut one,
al setting. lieves that the small cast’s Ezzo, who agrees with Ander-
who can teach (it). So I’m not what they need in their school. it might look like a small thing,
“The play is a Holocaust chemistry will make for a son, believes that the play, run-
as worried as some of the oth- “The parents don’t go here but then there’s always the
story told through the memo- better performance. ning from March 26 through
ers who are in the same posi- every day. They don’t have to ripple effect…When it’s all said
ries of a survivor,” senior Lau- “It’s a small cast, which March 27, will be a tearjerker.
tion as me.” experience the things that we and done, it never goes down
ren Ezzo said. “The majority makes it a lot of fun at prac- “Make sure you bring the tis-
As teaching positions are do,” Wegenke said. “Most par- like you think it goes down.”
tices,” Anderson said. sues,” Ezzo said.
4 March 12, 2010
Future holds greater
responsibilities When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinar-
ian right up until I realized I would have to
euthanize animals. I was mildly heartbroken
at the thought, but the dream was quickly re-
placed by one of being an actress. I wouldn’t
by jenny have to put down animals, I could play pre-
LITTLE tend all the time and would, of course, be best
friends with Johnny Depp and the Pink Rang-
er, Kimberly, from Power Rangers. It couldn’t
get better.
Sometime in the near eight years since I developed my starry-
eyed dreams, I realized how improbable my fame would be and
started thinking of other possible occupations. As I bounced
around from English teacher to forensic scientist to psychologist,
I dis- covered just how scary and insane growing up
really is. When I was 10, being
older was all I wanted. Now,
I’m almost out of high school
and deciding which college
to go to. I find myself look-
ing fondly back at the days
when being grown merely
meant that all I would have to do is wish for whatever I wanted
and I would have it. It turns out growing up means work and
responsibility.
Back in sixth grade, everybody always thought that the
10-problem math sheet and the chapter of a novel assigned for
homework was ridiculous. We all spent the rest of the day trudg-
ing through hallways and grumbling to friends. If only we could
see to high school. Nearly everyone I know is in at least one AP
class. We all have nightly math homework and essays aren’t un-
common. The difference in attitude is also clearly present. Now
we know that, while still not always fun, this all matters. Maybe
it’s maturing or the fact that the future is within sight, but the
knowledge and will to do our work is there. We know it’s impor-
tant to our college-bound lives.
Learning balance was another skill I never even considered
needing when I was little. I now know that I need to juggle study-
ing with relaxation to be even close to successful (or sane).
It didn’t occur to me that I wouldn’t always be so free to do
what I want. If I missed a night of homework, I would get a
lunch detention. That’s nothing I couldn’t get over. Now if I
miss a night of homework, I lose points and run the risk of fall-
ing behind.
I miss the days when I could just hang around the house
without worrying about getting to places on time or if I have
enough money to go out with friends. My parents were my time
management. They made sure that I was where I needed to be
at the right time. It only makes sense that it didn’t occur to me
that I would have to do that on my own some day. It’s that
sort of balance I am still learning.
Now, the future is right before me and it’s an odd
sensation. I know that I can do pretty much anything
occupationally as long as I’m willing to do the work.
The weirdest part is, while I always wanted to be at
this point, I never saw it happening. I imagined myself
getting to about 12 years old and then Peter Pan-
ing my way through the rest of my life.
Nevertheless, I’m glad to have made it this far.
I’m thrilled at the thought of what my future
will hold, even if I’m figuring it out as I go.
graphic by
andrew BEAUMAN
opinion
Scholarship game
is impossible to win
Pages and pages filled with all types of schol-
arships ranging from $250-$10,000, and I won’t
get any of it.
No matter how perfect an essay you write,
or how high an ACT score you earn, or how
many extracurricular activities you’re involved
in, there is always someone who will outdo
by ali FOOTE
you.
I feel like I’m playing an unbeatable game,
where it’s me versus college. And so far the
ball hasn’t bounced into my court.
College is the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.
Not only because it’s a million times academically harder than
high school, but because it’s one of the biggest expenses I’ll
ever face.
I spend hours applying for all different kinds of scholarships.
And the whole time, I sit there thinking about how pointless it
is because I won’t receive a dime from any of them. So now I
sit here puzzled as to how I’m going to pay for my education. I
could go to a smaller school and make it easier for my parents
and myself. But I feel like I have worked too hard to not go to
the school I’ve been working hard to attend.
To qualify for these scholarships, you either need a tear-
jerking sob story to whip out in essay form or an incredibly
convincing way with words to win over the judgmental and
hard-to-please minds of the people handing out the funds. With
both of those notches on my belt, I still find it incredibly dif-
ficult to even begin an essay when all I can think about is who
I’m competing against. I think about the numerous academically
advanced students my own age applying for the same scholar-
ship who have a million times greater chance to receive it than
me. I’m a white, middle-class female who attends an average
high school, with an average grade point average and average
achievements. I am in no way an appealing candidate for the
money of any type of scholarship.
These gruesome details also entitle me to little money when
applying for financial aid. The government is going to look right
past my form and move onto the girl who lives in a two-bed-
room apartment, whose father died in a tragic car accident. She
works two part-time jobs but still manages to volunteer at the
animal shelter.
I just can’t win.
Even if I received a $500 scholarship, that wouldn’t make a
dent in the hefty tuition price tag. According to FinAid.com, the
average cost of tuition is increasing about 8 percent per year.
That’s a rate I cannot keep up with.
It’s not only me I’m concerned about. What are my younger
brother and sister going to do? I’m going to use up all the
money and leave them just enough to attend the local commu-
nity college.
Things just aren’t looking up from here.
College costs add up
Here are some of the typical tuition and costs for
Michigan colleges:
• MSU Tuition and Fees (for in-state stu-
dents): $11,434
• MSU Housing and Meal Plan: $7,444
• WMU Tuition: $4,836 per semester
• WMU Housing and Meal Plan: $3892
• LCC Tuition: $73 per billing hour
• Textbooks and supplies: $700-$1,100
Sources: http://admissions.msu.edu/finances/tuition.asp,
http://www.nacs.org , http://www.wmich.edu/registrar/tu-
ition, http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/schedule/general_
information/tuition_fees.aspx#Billing
5 March 12, 2010
STAFF EDITORIAL: Extra credit isn’t like free candy, folks
“Is there anything I can do to bring
up my grade?”
“Is there any extra credit I can do to
pass this class?”
“How many points are you offering
for that extra credit assignment?”
These questions may be an example
of some questions students ask during
many classes. The issue is extra credit,
which may or may not be offered by
teachers. There are many teachers who
give extra credit away like free candy,
while others offer a limited amount (or
none at all). There truly seems to be no
middle ground in the battle for extra
credit.
Much debate goes into the whole
“extra credit” system and whether or
not it is valuable for students to have
this opportunity. Some teachers see ex-
tra credit as a last-ditch opportunity to
turn some student’s grades (and GPAs)
around. Others view extra credit as a
useless tool that just raises a student’s
grade instead of actually teaching the
student. They could argue that students illustration by andrew BEAUMAN
who do easy extra credit assignments
and earn a higher grade are being
cheated of their education. They are also being taught that it is more essential to
earn high grades than to gain academic accomplishment.
What students need to realize and accept is that extra credit is not a “one-size-
fits-all” grade. Teachers could argue that offering extra credit points for a com-
‘Call of Duty’ eclipses math homework
It’s 3:00 on a Tuesday afternoon. I’ve got
nothing to do. Just a little bit of math home-
work. I’ll do it later. There’s “Call of Duty” to
be played.
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” was re-
leased in November. Since then, millions of
students and homework assignments have
by chris ANDRESEN been affected. The game is the sequel to the
wildly popular game “Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare”. This game was a bad influence on my grades, but it was
also FREAKING SWEET. To say I anticipated the sequel coming
out is a gross understatement.
Back to the present. It is now 8 p.m., and my backpack re-
mains unopened. My math homework remains untouched. Unfor-
tunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Damn you, “Call
BC feature editor
The CREW Ali Foote
opinion editor
Viking longboat staff Bailey McMillan
sports editor
editor-in-chief Jerry Eastwood
Emma Claucherty
& Lexis Guarnaccia
copy editor
feature editor
Elizabeth Young Hannah Nowicki
photo editor ad manager
Taylor Parker Mary Hilker
graphics editor
adviser
Andrew Beauman Julie Price & Jeremy Whiting
opinion
pleted assignment teaches students that
quality doesn’t matter. It does teach that if
you do the work then you’ll get the points;
it doesn’t matter how much time and ef-
fort students put into an assignment, just
so long as it is finished.
We believe there should be a school-
wide extra credit policy, one that will sta-
bilize the handing-out of extra credit. It
isn’t fair for some students to gain 50 extra
credit points by completing a few easy as-
signments while other students are offered
five extra credit points, at the most, for
writing a four-page paper.
There needs to be some evenness to this
school’s extra credit policy. Balance is key
to maintaining steady extra credit stan-
dards. Furthermore, extra credit should
not just be given out all willy-nilly. Extra
credit assignments should be challenging
and should help students utilize what they
have learned throughout the year.
Extra credit is not a stupid device, ei-
ther. If students truly care about their
grades and GPAs, they would be jumping
all over any extra credit assignments they
could get.
illustration by andrew BEAUMAN
Everyone deserves a second chance to
improve their grades, even if they didn’t give it their all the first time. These
students just need to understand that these extra assignments will hopefully be
challenging and take some time and effort. After all, they don’t call it extra credit
for nothing.
“
of Duty.” that Xbox and CoD4 for my birthday. Imagine
Playing “Call of Duty” (CoD) is a labor of This game was a the possibilities. With all the time I’ve put into
love. While it is incredibly fun and addicting, that stupid piece of plastic, I could have: cured
at the same time, it is insanely frustrating. Any bad influence on cancer, learned to fly, solved world hunger,
player will tell you that this game makes you my grades, but become a professional football player, been
”
a complete jerk at times. It’ll make you say granted the Rhodes Scholarship, won The Mas-
horrible, foul things that one wouldn’t even
it was also freak- ters, signed a multi-million dollar record deal,
think of saying outside the realm of Xbox ing sweet. become President and maybe even have main-
Live. To be frank, the game just straight up tained decent grades in math (in that order).
pisses people off. All right, kids. I know CoD is the greatest
That said, because this game is so frustrat- thing ever. I know how much fun it is to play
ing, it forces players (including me) to play until the wee hours of the morning. But remem-
more to improve their skill. School work suffers because of this. ber: play in moderation. Too much CoD is a very bad thing. It
Let’s flashback to 2007 for a little while. I don’t have an Xbox detracts from your grades and makes your thumbs sore.
360 yet, and my GPA is sitting at a solid 3.6. Let’s say I don’t get Take my advice to heart, and please, game responsibly.
STAFF Gabe Nester
Ali Adkins
Chris Andresen
Liz Baker
Zach Parker
Chelsea Ridenour
Liz Ringlein
The Viking Longboat is a monthly publication of Haslett High School, 5450
Marsh Road, Haslett, MI 48840. It is published by the fifth and sixth hour
Courtney Black Nick Rosenbery
Journalism and Newspaper Production classes. The Longboat has been
Mary Brown Kat Smith
established as a student-run public forum circulated within the school and to
Ryan Cyzman Keeton Snowden subscribers in the community and outside the school district. The Longboat
Aaron Grove Cassie Staszuk is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism
Shane Heston Maggie Turney Education Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Michigan
Lauren Hooper Nick Wakulsky Interscholastic Press Association. The publication is a eight-time Spartan
Kevin Jayne Kevin Wilson award winner and CSPA gold medalist.
Jake Lampman Shelby Wood Letters to the editor are accepted at the discretion of the editorial board.
Jenny Little
Forms of speech not protected by the First Amendment will not be published.
Chris Lounsbery
Jacob Meier Letters must be signed by the author and may be edited for grammar, spelling
Kerry Morris and style. Direct all questions to the Publications Room, Room 411.
6 March 12, 2010 feature
March 27
March 12 HHS Play March
Caravan Circus HHS Auditorium 28
START Breslin Center
7 p.m.
March 13
Muse
March 26
Taylor Swift
7:30 p.m.
(Other dates available)
Sleeping
Beauty Ballet
w/ Silversun The Palace of
(Other dates available) Detroit Opera
Pickups Auburn Hills
MARCH The Palace of 7 p.m.
(Other dates
House
2:30 p.m.
Auburn Hills (Other dates
2010 7 p.m. available)
available)

March 14
Jay-Z: The BP3 Tour
The Palace of Auburn Hills
7 p.m.
March 15
Spring Sports Begin
March 29
March 17 Spring Sports:
March 25
Bon Jovi Meet the Team
Michael Bublé
w/ Dashboard Confessional HHS gym
The Palace of
The Palace of Auburn Hills 7:30 p.m.
Auburn Hills
7:30 p.m.
8 p.m.
March 18
Honors Night
HHS Auditorium
7 p.m.
March 16
Detroit Pistons vs.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Palace of Auburn Hills March 30
7:30 p.m. Girls Tennis vs.
March 24 Mason
Boys Lacrosse Varsity @ Mason
vs. Brighton JV @ home
Varsity and JV 4 p.m.
@ home
March 20 March 19 4 p.m. (V)
George Lopez “Repo Man” 5:30 p.m. (JV)
Fox Theater featuring Jude Law
Detroit and Forest Whitaker
March 21 8 p.m.
Disney on Ice
Finding Nemo March 31
Van Andel Cirque Du Soleil
Arena Breslin Center
Grand Rapids 7:30 p.m.
2 p.m. (Other dates
(Other dates available)
available)

March 22
Detroit Red Wings vs.
Pittsburgh Penguins FINISH!
Joe Louis Arena March 23
Detroit “The Wedding Singer” Musical
7 p.m. Dow Event Center APRIL
Saginaw
7:30 p.m. 2010

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Meridian Mall, Okemos 517-349-8840
www.schulerbooks.com
7 March 12, 2010 feature

Alice Through the Ages by liz RINGLEIN

Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland SYNOPSIS
Lewis Carroll’s
bizarre masterpiece,
“Alice’s Adventures in Alice in Wonderland
Wonderland,” has been a
well-loved children’s tale for over (Tim Burton) REVIEW
140 years. It attracts the senses Tim Red Queen, however, is not to
through its mystical plot, eccen- Burton be confused with the Queen of
tric characters and the outlandish March has done Hearts. The Red Queen is a chess
scenery of the world of Wonder- Hare’s it again. piece in “Through the Looking-
land. home. He has added his Glass” but she is perceived more as
It starts off with six-year-old Upon ar- twisted views to a the Queen of Hearts in the movie.
Alice sitting with her sister on rival, a chaotic classic tale, reinvent- Throughout all of Underland, every
a river bank on a hot day. While and disheveled tea ing it and producing creature is anxiously waiting for
contemplating how to busy her party is commencing a modern but dark Frabjous Day, the day that Alice
mind, the sight of a hurried-look- and she becomes a guest, version of “Alice in Won- kills the Red Queen’s Jabberwocky
ing white rabbit scampers by along with the Mad Hatter derland.” and ends the Red Queen’s reign.
her. Being a naturally curious girl, and a sleepy dormouse. The movie, however, The movie has subtle hints
Alice chases after the rabbit and Being rather offended and does not follow the original to the classic tales interwoven
goes down a large rabbit hole in confused by the other guests of story plots of either of Lewis throughout it. Whether it’s through
pursuit. the party, Alice leaves the gather- Carroll’s books, but is more of a direct quotes, strong allusions or
Alice falls down the hole for ing and finds herself in the garden creative continuation. Alice Kingsley characters such as Tweedledee and
what seems like hours and, when of the demanding, implacable is now 19 years old and faces an Tweedledum, Burton stays true to
she finally hits the bottom, finds Queen of Hearts. The Queen, engagement to Hamish Ascot, the the books without losing his vision.
photo illustration by andrew
herself in a dark hall with locked screaming “Off with his head!” at BEAUMAN homely and intolerable son of the He has tweaked every single thing
doors lining it. Exploring the hall any unsatisfactory patron, orders man who has taken over Alice’s late in the film without ruining what
for unlocked doors, Alice comes Alice to join the croquet game, father’s company. Not sure about the book represents.
upon a glass table with a tiny where the equipment consists of a how to answer Hamish’s proposal, The Mad Hatter in Burton’s ver-
golden key that unlocks a 15-inch flamingos for mallets and hedge- Alice runs away and chases a white sion steps up as more of a hero and
tall door leading into a beautiful hogs as balls. rabbit, dressed in a blue waistcoat, protector of Alice than someone
garden. After meeting a gryphon and to a large rabbit hole just off the who spits riddles and is absorbed
Finding herself too tall for the hearing the mock-turtle’s tale, Ascots’ property. Falling down the in his tea-drinking. His relentless
door, Alice goes through three Alice is ordered to appear in court hole, Alice finds herself in the world and selfless commitment to Alice
size changes, small to big to small to find out who has stolen the of Underland. and her destiny is touching and
again, an emotional breakdown Queen’s beloved tarts. Growing Although Alice does not remem- heart-warming.
and two more size changes be- once again to a normal size and ber her original visit to Underland, With laughs and heart-wrench-
fore she finally makes it through riling up the court into an uncon- everyone has been awaiting her ing moments, the movie has a
to the garden. Here, she encoun- trolled argument, Alice is awoken return. However, she believes that terrific range of emotional demand
ters a caterpillar, famously smok- by her sister and finds herself still she is just trapped in another dream from its audience. The version that
ing a hookah, atop a mushroom. on the river bank and, pondering of her’s that she has had for as long Tim Burton has directed is a mar-
After a few more size changes whether or not her adventures as she can remember. She quickly velous and bizarre new spin of the
and meeting the Duchess and the that day were real or just a dream, finds that Iracebeth, the Red Queen, equally strange books that have
ever-grinning Cheshire Cat, Alice she runs off for dinner back home. has conquered her sister, Mirana, been around for so many lifetimes.
is pointed in the direction of the the White Queen, and now is the Definitely a must-see.
tyrannical ruler of Underland. The
Alice Timeline
1865: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” was published by Lewis Carroll.
1871: Carroll publishes the sequel “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There”, which is more successful than its predecessor.
1903-1915: Three silent film versions of the movie are made.
1951: Disney creates the animated film, “Alice in Wonderland”. Also a part live-action version of the story is created at the same time, with sup-
porting characters portrayed as puppets.
1966-1999: A series of made-for-TV movies is created by various television stations.
2006: “The Looking Glass Wars” is a spin-off of the original and the first of three books written by Frank Beddor.
2009: The SyFy channel aired a mini-series called Alice.
March 5, 2010: A movie extension of the original novels is released, directed by Tim Burton.
8 March 12, 2010
graphic by ANDREW BEAUMAN
Fear of ovens
and swimming
in the ocean don’t
hold Bird back
by kat SMITH
At the age of 13, most girls are afraid of things like creepy
crawly spiders and the occasional teenage boy. Though their
fears may last for a little while, they are generally able to get
over it with age.
For senior Emily Bird, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
When Bird was 13, she accidentally bumped her arm on
the red hot coils of her oven, and hasn’t been able to
put her hands in an oven since. The fear of being burned
seems pretty common, but it’s a little different when the
phobia is so intense that even giant oven mitts cannot give
her the ability to bake.
“I seriously cannot take stuff out of the oven,” Bird said. “I
know it sounds weird but I am incapable of baking unless
someone else can help me.”
Surprisingly, there actually is a name for the fear of ovens,
clibanisophobia. And even if Bird is able to shake off her fear,
there is another fear that still plagues her. Selachophobia, the
fear of sharks.
After her older brothers made her watch the movie “Jaws”
when she was only three years old, Bird can’t be in open water
that is over her head. Not only the ocean, but any body of wa-
ter. Pools, lakes, anything.
“It doesn’t matter what type of water it is, if I’m completely
under and have my eyes shut, it makes no difference,” Bird
said. “I still feel like a shark could come up and attack me.”
Though the phobia seems easily avoidable, Bird is even af-
fected by it in her sleep. She has the same reoccurring nightmare
where she is underwater and opens her eyes, seeing only a giant
shark coming straight for her. Bird does have a plan of attack if
this nightmare ever comes to life.
“I limit myself to swimming in only bodies of water with a
bunch of other people,” Bird said. “That way, when a shark
comes it can eat the other people first, giving me the chance
to swim away to shore and safety. I know it seems kind of
Strangest Phobias
evil, but it will definitely work.”
Having one phobia seems like it’d be enough to shake
up a person’s life pretty well, but Bird is able to manage Eisoptrophobia – fear of
with two. seeing one’s self in a mirror
“It doesn’t really hold me back much now, but when Cacophobia – fear of ugli-
I’m older I could see myself running into some prob-
ness
lems,” Bird said. “And I don’t really think I’ll be getting
over it anytime soon.” Sciurophobia – fear of
squirrels
Anatidaephobia — fear
that one is being watched
by a duck
feature
Ailurophobia
by kerry MORRIS
Warm salty tears stream down the pink cheeks of her face as
she sits and awaits the return of her doctor in the office.
Am I gonna die? the young girl wondered.
At four years old, junior Molly Duda had a horrible encoun-
ter that forever ruined her.
A longtime friend named Creed lived at Duda’s grand-
ma’s house. She would visit frequently and play hide and
seek with him. But one day Creed didn’t want be found. Lit-
tle Duda found him crouching behind a plant with his back
turned and decided it would be a good idea to seek him.
When she went to say hello, Creed, unaware and caught-
off guard, lunged at her and clawed Duda’s neck and chest
severely. Laying in agony on the floor and scared to move
in fear of another attack, Duda suffered and waited until her
grandpa came upon her and took her under his wing.
From that point on Duda will deal with Ailurophobia: the fear
of cats. Still to this day, she cannot stand them.
“I give them a look of disgust or punt them across the room,”
Duda said.
After the incident she was taken to the doctor to get checked
for cat scratch fever. The area attacked was inflamed and she
was nauseated. Both are symptoms of the illness that 40 per-
cent of cats carry. Luckily, Duda did not end up having the
sickness but was still left with the aftermath of the attack.
Having bad dreams, and crying every time Creed, or an-
other cat came in contact with her, her grandma decided it
was best to give the cat away.
In addition to this clash, Duda also had problems with a stray
cat that took refuge underneath the porch at her old house.
“It would scratch at the back door constantly,” Duda said
“And then she had kittens and all they did was meow all the
time. It was dreadful.”
Whenever Duda is near a cat now, she experiences a
shortness of breath out of anxiety of what the cat may
Peladophobia – fear of bald or may not do.
“They have ugly faces, and they slink around ev-
people
erywhere,” Duda said. “They smell like tuna and are
Dextrophobia – fear of lazy,”
things on the right side of Duda can’t seem to get away from the horror of
cats, her friends play jokes on her about it and wher-
the body
ever she goes, someone owns one as a pet. She
Geniophobia – fear of chins
hopes that with more exposure to them she will
Paralipophobia – fear of ne- overcome her phobia. But for now, cats remain the
glecting responsibly enemy.
“Their demeanor is that of a patient from ‘Shutter
Phagophobia – fear of being
Island’,” Duda said.
eaten
 9 March 12, 2010
Haslett names former MSU
defensive end Saint-Dic
Defensive Line Coach
by jerry EASTWOOD
Wednesdays after school usu-
ally are the hardest for players
on the defensive line. As they
enter the weight room, they
anxiously wait for their defen-
sive line coach. They know the
conditioning and the drills they
are about to do are intense and
they have to go hard each and
every time. The clock hits 2:45
p.m. Jonal Saint-Dic enters the
school and prepares them for a
long challenging session.
Saint-Dic, a former Michi-
gan State University defensive
end, has come to the Vikings to
teach the defensive line. Saint-
Dic decided to work at Haslett
after full support from head
varsity football coach Charlie
Otlewski and the ability to get
the job right away.
“Coach O. showed a lot of
love for me,” Saint-Dic said.
“He didn’t hesitate to give the
job to me. He said if I wanted it
I could have the job. I wanted
it and he gave it to me.”
It will be Saint-Dic’s first time
being a coach. He knows that
this is a chance to gain valuable
experience and knowledge
about what it takes to become
a coach at the next level. How-
ever, the most important thing
to Saint-Dic is to teach kids to
be better players.
“Coaching at Haslett will
help get my feet wet with coach-
ing,’’ Saint-Dic said. “I want to
come in here and teach these
kids about football and life. I
love kids and being around
them. I want to teach them dis-
cipline and pass on what I have
learned. I want to make these
kids better players and men.”
Saint-Dic has played foot-
ball for over 10 years, which
includes high school, college
and even at the professional
level in the National Football
League. He is knowledgeable
about the game and brings the
experience that the Vikings
need. Saint-Dic is very differ-
ent than many coaches. He
isn’t the kind of coach to yell
at a player if he messes up or
makes a bad play. Saint-Dic
has his own way of coaching
that he feels will bring the best
out in his players.
“My coaching technique is
simple,” Saint-Dic said. “I work
on the little things like your
footwork or your technique
on the line, working hard and
most importantly, going hard
every play.”
Saint-Dic also is going to be
disciplined with his players.
He will treat them with respect
but if they don’t try or make a
mistake, they have crossed his
line.
“I am going to treat them
like men and I expect them to
act like men,” Saint-Dic said.
“If they aren’t going hard or
make a mistake, I will bench
them like most coaches do and
they will probably make up for
it with running.”
Wherever Saint-Dic has
gone, he has been a winner and
his records and awards prove
it. When he was a senior at
Elizabeth High School in New
Jersey, he was second team All
State Honors after recording
24.5 sacks. When he attended
Hudson Valley Community
College, he got the most sacks
in a career with 21 and was
named Northeast Football Con-
ference Defensive Player of the
Year as a sophomore. In 2007,
while Saint-Dic was at MSU,
he was named First Team All
Big Ten. Saint-Dic also holds
the Big Ten Record with most
sports
forced fumble in a career with
eight. All of that helped him get
a chance to play for the Kansas
City Chiefs.
“I enjoyed my time with the
Kansas City Chiefs,” Saint-Dic
said. “It was a dream come true
as many people told me I was
too short and not fast enough to
play at the next level.”
Saint-Dic knows the difficulty
of being a player. The two-a-
days, the lifting, the training
camp, the off-season condition-
ing programs and more are all
part of being a football player.
But Saint-Dic actually finds it
being a coach much more dif-
ficult.
“Coaching is a lot tougher
than being a player,” Saint-Dic
said. “When you are a player,
you know your abilities and
what you are good at. When
you are a coach, each player is
like a math problem. You have
to break down each player indi-
vidually. You have to figure out
their strengths, weaknesses, how
fast they are and how strong
they are.”
While he puts his NFL career
on hold, Saint-Dic is focused on
coaching the kids and provid-
ing his knowledge of the game
for the younger generation. Not
only will he be teaching them
about the game, he will also
teach them that there is a life
after football as well. photo by taylor PARKER
“I want to teach these kids
MSU alum Jonal Saint-Dic and Coach Charlie Otlewski talk to future varsity football players junior Paul
about life,’’ Saint-Dic said. “Foot-
Marvin, sophomore Johnny LaRosa and junior Andrew Heinz.
ball is something I did. It didn’t
define me as a person. Life is coaching staff has and hopes the staff. It is better to learn take his coaching to the next
more important than football. It to gain valuable information from someone who knows a level whether it is as a college
helps you figure out what you from Otlewski. lot about the game.” coach or an NFL coach.
are going to do and to do that “I hope to learn a lot from As Saint-Dic approaches “The sky is the limit for me.”
you must come up with a plan Coach O.,” Saint-Dic said. “He his first season of coaching, Saint-Dic said, “I am only 25, so
and set high goals.” has a lot of experience and he knows he has a long road I am a fairly young coach. But
Even as a coach, Saint-Dic he knows what he is talking ahead of him. But Saint-Dic is in five years I hope to be one of
will still be learning. He sees about. Haslett has a great staff determined that his intense pas- the top defensive coordinators
the knowledge that the Viking and great friendships within sion for the game will help him in the country.”

The love and passion for gymnastics

My feet that matters, and all worries
by kat
pound against seem to fade. Gymnastics has
SMITH the beam after been my safe haven my whole
flying through life, and though at times it
the air. I ar- causes stress, it somehow man-
rive in my ages to calm me down at the
own world same time.
and nothing I love gymnastics because to
else seems to do well, you need to put your-
matter. self in your own little bubble,
Sports are and having that ability can help
a great way to channel thoughts with pretty much anything in
and get through pretty much life. We learn to block every-
anything. You are given the thing out and focus on what we
ability to block out everything need to do to succeed. When-
ever something upsets me, I
know that I can go to the gym
and completely forget about
whatever is wrong. Last year, I
was so upset after typical high
school relationship troubles, I
didn’t even want to consider
getting out of my house until
my older sister, who is currently
my coach, threw a leotard at me
and forced me into her car. We
went to open gym at The Sum-
mit where I was able to finally
smile again. She pushed me
to my limit on each event and
I was surprisingly able to ac-
complish a lot that day, and
not only gymnastics-wise. I
also had time to forget about
what had happened and move
on. Gymnastics is the best ad-
vice I’ve ever been given.
I’ve noticed that this part
of gymnastics is the same for
each member on my team.
After some of the girls have a
rough day, I always tell them
to use their frustration and put
it towards what they are work-
ing on. It makes them feel bet-
ter and actually be more pro-
ductive at practice.
A friend of mine talked to
me about how running proves
to do the same for her. When
her feet hit the ground and her
strides take her wherever she
wants to be, she enters her own
world. She is able to put every-
thing behind and concentrate
on what really matters at that
moment, running. You can
take this to any sport really; it
doesn’t matter as long as the
passion is there.
Before each beam routine,
Coach Marcie looks at me
sternly and says, “Kat, find
your bubble.” And from there I
know exactly what to do. Block
out all that is surrounding me
and go big on everything. After
practicing the same routine for
months, the confidence is there.
All that matters is that my feet
hit the beam, and the rest of my
world slips away.
10 March 12, 2010
Death Sentence
The problems with concussions
Senior Colin
Kopke was playing
against the DeWitt
Panthers when
he got slammed
into the ground.
As soon as he got
hit, he knew some-
thing was wrong.
by jerry Kopke’s vision
EASTWOOD became blurry and
he started seeing
spots. He got up
and figured he could just shake
it off, so he stayed in the game
and continued to play. After a
couple of plays, Kopke was still
seeing fuzziness and spots and
decided to take himself out of
the game. He told the coaches
what he was experiencing and
they allowed him to sit. A cou-
ple of days later, after taking
some tests, Kopke got back the
results and learned that he had
suffered a concussion.
Concussions have become
one of the most serious issues
regarding sports because of the
long term dangers. In profes-
sional sports, concussions have
ended the football careers of
Troy Aikman and Zach Thom-
as and have contributed to Kurt
Warner ending his hall of fame
career. This also has become a
problem with players because
they don’t speak up if they
have a concussion or a pos-
sible concussion-like symptom.
According to the Associated
Press, after doing a poll of 160
NFL players, nearly 20 percent
of players said they have hid-
den or downplayed the effects
of a concussion. And over 50
percent of the surveyed group
said they had a concussion.
Even after one concussion,
problems may arise.
One of the studies that has
proved the problems of concus-
sions was of former NFL player
Andre Waters. Waters was a
safety in the National Football
League for the Philadelphia Ea-
gles and the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2005, Waters committed sui-
cide at the age of 44. They did
a study on the brain and found
the long term effects of Waters’
concussions disturbing. Waters
had the brain tissue of an 85-
year-old and had shown early
signs of Alzheimer’s because of
the multiple concussions he sus-
tained while playing football.
According to Brainline.org,
one concussion can cause mul-
tiple problems. Symptoms can
range from confusion, head-
aches, nausea, mood changes,
sensitivity to light and more.
Most people say that after one
concussion, you are fine but it
still can lead to long, everlast-
ing effects. This is why as a
player; you have to speak out
about any possible concussion
symptoms you have. Accord-
ing to acsm.org, 85 percent of
concussions go undiagnosed,
which is an eye-popping num-
ber to see.
Along with getting a con-
cussion, you have a better
chance of getting diagnosed
with depression. According to
Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz, you
are three times more likely to
be diagnosed with depression
if you have had three or more
concussions and one-and-a-half
more times likely to be diag-
nosed with depression if you
only had one or two concus-
sions.
This is why the NFL has fol-
lowed a new concussion guide-
line, stating that a player who
has shown any signs of a pos-
sible concussion cannot come
back into a game and if they
are diagnosed with a concus-
sion, they must sit out the fol-
lowing week. And mostly all
the players support it because
they know that there could be
something developing inside
their brain and the possible
long term damage could poten-
tially be life-threatening.
Haslett has followed these
guidelines as well. If a player
is diagnosed with a concussion,
they cannot play in any game
until they are approved by a
doctor and the trainer. These
are the mandatory steps the
school needed to take and they
have made sure that no player
comes back into the field of
play until they are fully healed
from their concussion
Concussions have become a
serious matter in the world and
it is up to the coaches and play-
ers to help diagnose any possi-
ble concussion right away. For
the coaches, if a player comes
up and says they have dizzi-
ness, have blurry vision or say
they are seeing spots, you need
to sit them out. There is no ex-
cuse ever to put a player back
into the field of play if they are
experiencing any symptoms
that could be from a possible
concussion. And to the players,
don’t be afraid to speak up if
you have any concussion-like
symptoms. It doesn’t make you
a wimp or soft if you need to be
pulled out of a game or have to
sit out of practice. This is about
your life and having the ability
to live a long, healthy life for
years to come.
Left: Senior Eric Ratkiewicz’s height gives his team an advantage. Middle: Junior Tim Stockwell and senior Brian Pless-
cher battle for the ball in the air. Right: After winning two out of three games, Ratkiewicz, senior Shelby Deimling and
Stockwell receive their first place trophies.
IM Volleyball is a success
by jake LAMPMAN
It’s Thursday, the 2:23
bell rings to let Haslett stu-
dents out where many hurry
off to the locker room to get
changed for basketball prac-
tice, cheer practice and band
practice. However, there are
42 students along with volley-
ball teacher Patty Terres, her
intern Bryan Alescio and var-
sity volleyball coach Colleen
Pringle that head down to the
practice gym to participate
in the intramural volleyball
league that wrapped up Satur-
day afternoon.
Terres, who thought of the
idea so kids could play volley-
ball outside of the actual class
and school, was very pleased
with the first session that the
high school has ever had.
Terres started IM volleyball
so that students who couldn’t
take the class this semester
would have the chance to
play. And so it could be a little
bit more competitive as well.
Terres was very pleased with
the results of the league.
By the numbers...
52
The number of wins fresh-
man Taylor Grenawalt had in
wrestling this season, making
him one of Haslett’s most
dominant and productive
wrestlers this year.
4.57 1
The 40-time junior Jake Lamp- The number of times the
man ran at the ESPN Rise
Combine, where hundreds of
athletes in football
performed.
“I feel that overall it went
very well,” Terres said. “We
had 45 participants including
Mr. Alescio, Mrs. Pringle and
“
myself, and it was competitive
It’s better
than vol-
leyball class
because ev-
eryone takes
”
it serious.
-Torey Deimling,
senior
and a good time.”
Senior Kyle Levine, who is
one of the IM participants,
also thought it was a favorable
experience.
“It was probably my favorite
part of the day,” Levine said.
“It went well and the best part
was how competitive it got.”
18 137.325
The number of points senior The score posted by the
Dominic Choma scored
against the DeWitt Panthers
to help lead the Vikings to a
59-53 victory and winning
the season series against the
Panthers 2-1.
competitive cheer team has
won the league title. The
team outperformed every-
one this season and earned
Haslett’s first league title.
Many of the participants,
including senior Torey Deim-
ling, enjoyed the intramural
league more than the volley-
ball class just because it was
competitive alone, and every-
one wanted to win.
“It’s better than volleyball
class because everyone takes
it serious,” Deimling said. “In
volleyball class you can run
into the net and go over a line,
but in IM if you do that it just
won’t go over well because
the other team will call you
on it.”
With competition one can
expect some disagreements
among some of the athletes,
but Levine believes it comes
with a territory.
“There were times when
people got a little too into it,
and there were arguments,”
Levine said. “But it’s going to
happen because it’s a competi-
tive sport and they all pretty
much go hand in hand.”
Although everything
went relatively smoothly, the
only thing that Terres would
Haslett/Williamston/Bath
gymnastics team at the re-
gional finals, earning them a
trip to the state finals, a first in
Haslett High School history.
sports
photos by taylor PARKER
change is the amount of time
they got to play.
“Some of the kids would
get mad when we had to take
the nets down,” Terres said,
“because they would be in the
middle of a close game and
we couldn’t let them play it out
because there was a practice
coming in right after us.”
With the exception of the
time limit, the league was
a success in the eyes of the
participants. So much so that
Terres is trying to get a gym
time for a spring league. This,
combined with outdoor spring
sport practices, could possibly
open up longer gym times.
The season wraped up
March sixth, in which junior
Tim Stockwell and seniors
Shelby Deimling and Eric Rat-
kiewicz won the tournament.
“I don’t think it could have
gone any better,” said Terres.
“The kids are competing and
having fun, and that’s all you
can ask for when running an
IM league like this.”
BREAKING NEWS:
Robert Currier has of-
ficially been offered the
position as the girls var-
sity basketball coach.
This was Currier’s first
year of coaching varsity,
although he was work-
ing under the title of in-
terim coach.
“He did a good job
this year and now will be
the permanent replace-
ment,” athletic director
Jamie Gent said. “This
decision was approved
by all.”
11 March 12, 2010 sports

ATHLETES OF THE MONTH Chris

Talented diver demolishes McLauchlan’s
Records:
records everywhere he goes • McLauchlan

“
by zach PARKER
McLauchlan also broke holds the 6-dive
“I remember my dad teach-
He is one of the varsity record twice with record (334.15).
ing me how to dive. The first 334.15 ponts with six dives and
time I jumped, I did a belly
smacker instead of a dive,” ju- the hardest 471.50 points with 11 dives.
“He is one of the hardest • Holds the 11-
nior Chris McLauchlan said.
Starting at the age of six, working working athletes I have ever
coached in any sport,” boys
dive record,
McLauchlan found his true
athletes in swimming coach Bob Oliver which he broke
love in diving. said.
Tuesday (471.50).
“It’s the greatest feeling in any sport. McLauchlan is getting

the world standing at the edge
of the board and knowing you
have everyone’s attention,”
McLauchlan said.
McLauchlan has had a suc-
cessful career at Haslett High
School. He is the only person
in the school’s history to be
named an All-American.
“I was a freshman when I
was named All-American and
it was the greatest feeling in
the world,” McLauchlan said.
“Now each year I work hard-
”
looked at by multiple colleges
- boys swim throughout the nation, but he • He also has
coach Bob Oliver is leaning more toward Michi-
gan State University. “I’m five pool records
thinking about going to State around the area.
because it’s close to home
and I have been working with
their coach for a while now,” • Holds the
er and harder to regain that McLauchlan said.
title.” Even though McLauchlan is Haslett Invita-
McLauchlan was also leaning toward MSU and has tional Meet re-
named fifth in the state and big plans in his future, he will
was on the dream team for the never forget who taught him cord.
state of Michigan. the basics—his dad.

Kosloski is highly dedicated to team

by liz RINGLEIN
No matter how many times
she steps onto the mats to per-
form, Hayley Kosloski always
gets anxious. Even though the
junior has been cheering since
freshman year, she still gets
the jitters.
“I get really nervous before
I perform but it goes away
once we start,” Kosloski said.
Being on the varsity cheer
team that has claimed the
first spot in most of the sea-
son’s competitions, Kosloski is
proud of the way her team has
delivered.
“At the beginning of the sea-
son, we were really committed
and it’s paying off,” Kosloski
said. “We have done really, re-
ally well.”
Getting to this point has tak-
en a lot of concentration and
effort from the team. Warm-
ups, stretches and the deter-
mination to perfect each move
dominates the team’s practic-
es. Because such perfection is
demanded, Kosloski reaches
out to struggling teammates
who need extra guidance
through certain manuevers.
“I figure out the counts for
most of our moves,” Kosloski
said, “so I like to help peo-
ple if they’re struggling when
learning them.”
Kosloski is a flyer for the
team, which is not an easy
task as many may think. “You
really need to work on body
control to be a flyer,” Kosloski
said, “so I try to work hard at
all times.”
Kosloski also has high
hopes for next year’s cheer
season, and a hidden hope.
“I would love to be a cap-
tain next year,” Kosloski said
in a humble tone, “but we just
have to see how everything
plays out.”

Junior Chris McLauchlan dives in the pool during one of his meets.

photos by taylor PARKER

Junior Hayley Kosloski doing a backhand spring during practice.
12 March 12, 2010 photo story
defeating dewitt for
DISTRICTS
Left: Junior Zach Parker goes up against a De-
Witt player for the rebound. Middle: Seniors
Meghan Gifford, Ben Rathbun, Cammy Hen-
ry and Emily Veit paint signs for the game at
four corners. Below: Players on the sideline
jump up in excitement for their teammates.

THE STANDS
WERE CROWDED.
THE PARKING
LOT WAS FILLED.
THE GYM WAS
SMOLDERING
HOT. OH, AND
WE BEAT
DEWITT.
Right: Coach Rob Porritt fires up
the boys during a time out in
the fourth quarter. Below: Junior
captain Zach Porritt defends a
Panther as the crowd cheers on. Right: The buzzer announces the end of
the game and the Haslett Vikings win dis-
tricts. Below Right: Seniors rush the court
to celebrate.

Photos by Ryan Cyzman

and Taylor Parker

photo story by TAYLOR PARKER