What can we expect this

Stampede
C E N T R A L
Dec. 11, 2015
Kelsee Ha/STAMPEDE
Cute: Adam Laroy, Welcome Center
coordinator, displays the recent find.
Adorable baby
Timberland
intrigues Mustangs
Vol. 22, Issue 3
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@CentralStampede
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Portage Central H.S. l 8135 S. Westnedge Ave. l Portage, MI 49002
?
What can
we expect
this
Fewer snow
days expected
this season
BY JORI GELBAU GH
Focus Editor
BY B E N MI LLE R
Staff Writer
A small child tragically lost his Timberland boot last month. Fortunately, it was
found by senior Adam Lutz in the staff
parking lot after leaving rehearsal for the
fall play. Aware of the severity of the situation, Lutz promptly brought the missing
boot to secretaries Donna Bourbeau and
Diana Buckstaff the following morning.
“I mean, it’s adorable!” Lutz said. “It’s
like a three-centimeter boot! I couldn’t
NOT turn it in.”
The “Toddler Field Boot,” in size 5, is
comprised of nubuck suede and black
leather and adorned with gold-plated
eyelets. After Lutz brought the boot to the
office, Bourbeau sent out an all-staff email to attempt to find its presumably distressed owner, as the estimated price for
the pair is $65. “It’s not a staff member that
lost it, and band is done; we don’t know
who it belongs to,” Bourbeau said.
While the search continues, Buckstaff
has noticed the boot has become quite
a conversation piece in the main office,
where it sits in front of Bourbeau’s desk.
“In the beginning, [teachers who received the e-mail] came in not realizing
the boot was that little. It’s been very
intriguing to everybody,” Buckstaff said.
“It’s so funny; besides the adults and the
teachers, even the students have commented, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cute!’”
If you have information regarding the
owner of the missing “cute” boot, contact
Bourbeau or Buckstaff immediately.
The wind is howling, snow is piling up
by the foot and meteorologist Jeff Porter
is predicting overnight lake-effect snow on
Twitter. That evening, you go to sleep hoping to be awakened suddenly by a phone
call from Portage Public Schools. For many, the euphoric sensation of
receiving a phone call for a snow day is
one of the best feelings in the world. Last
school year, there were seven snow days.
However, this year, there may be significantly fewer. This winter is predicted to be
more mild and not nearly as cold as previous years.
Porter, a WWMT-Channel 3 meteorologist, said that early models indicate an “aggressive El Niño pattern continuing.”
“Let’s be clear, this doesn’t mean we
won’t have bouts of cold and snow nor
efficient lake-effect snow events,” he said.
“Consistent cold and snow, similar to parts
of last winter or nearly all of winter 20132014, aren’t likely. All this said, it seems
reasonable to expect less than eight snow
days as we move forward.”
According to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this
What’s Inside...
Stampede vs. Roundup:
The Showdown
page
5
Men’s basketball hosts
Benton Harbor tonight
page 11
Oct. 4, 2013
Courtesy of FamilySponge.com
year’s El Niño is one of the strongest on
record. El Niño is when surface water becomes warmer than normal in the Pacific
Ocean. This weather phenomenon affects
temperatures and weather patterns globally.
The NOAA stated that southern Michigan has more than a 40-percent chance of
having warmer temperatures. While this
may not seem to be a very large percentage, it is significant when predicting the
severity of the weather. It is almost guaranteed that southern Michigan will have
less intense snow conditions this year as
opposed to last year’s.
The Farmer’s Almanac, a publication
famous for its seasonal weather forecasts,
recently released its 2016 weather predictions. They predict that we will experience
colder than normal temperatures and a
snow-filled winter. This contradicts the
predictions made by a majority of weather
and governmental organizations in our
country and around the world.
Many students may be thinking that
even if we don’t have a super cold winter,
we could still have a snowy winter. This is,
again, probably not the case. According
to MLive, “Michigan has greater than a 40percent chance at being drier than normal
The ‘boot club’ grows in
size
page
7
this winter. The breakdown is a 40-percent
chance at dry, 33-percent chance of normal moisture and a 27-percent chance of
wetter than normal. So again, you can see
the official forecast just leans toward it being drier than normal this winter in Michigan.”
Of course, southern Michigan will still
have fluffy snow to build snowmen with
and go skiing on, but there may not be
much of it. Senior Amanda Boelman is still
hoping for a hefty amount of snow.
“Although they say it’s going to be a
mild winter, winter is always harsh to me.
Anyway, bring on the snow days because
I’m a senior and won’t have to make them
up!” she said.
Not everyone is so partisan on this issue, such as Spanish teacher Pilar Forero.
“It doesn’t matter what we get. I just
hope we’re happy!” she said.
Based on predictions from many organizations, this winter will be much less remarkable than Michiganders have become
accustomed to. As parents rejoice about
not spending as many days telling you
to change out of your pajamas at 3 p.m.,
many students hope that El Niño decides
to spare Michigan from its warm temperatures and dry conditions.
Central alum finds success
on YouTube
page
9
news
2
Behind the scenes of recycling
BY SAMHI TA S U N KAR A
Staff Writer
You throw your papers and bottles away into a
green bin, and somehow they magically disappear
and get recycled into other various forms. That could
be what you think happens, but in reality, the result
of your failed math test turning into recycled mulch
is the behind-the-scenes work of the students of the
environment class.
Teacher Chris Lane teaches the Environment and
Ecology class, where students learn about the natural world around them. The class has been available
for students to take for five years, but it used to be a
joined class with IB Environmental Systems.
Every Wednesday, the Environment and Ecology
students go around the whole school, collecting the
recycling bins from every teacher’s classrooms. Once
all the bins are collected, students sort through the
bottles and paper. Any bottles that cannot be recycled are thrown away, and the rest are recycled.
There are two types of bins in classrrooms that
are collected by the students. There is the green recycling bin for papers, and a blue one for plastic and
aluminium.
Lane explains the amount of products the class
recycles.
We did the math, and we recycle about 16,000
water bottles a year,” Lane said, “and that’s just water.”
Paper is sorted with the new Paper Gator system.
Once the paper is sorted out, it is given to the Paper
Gator company to be processed and recycled into
Last month, Portage voters approved two proposals for Portage Public Schools, totaling $144 million.
This money will fund two new middle schools, renovations at West Middle School, two new aquatic facilities, new buses, new technology and a new football
stadium at each high school campus.
The passage of these proposals was a result of a
large community effort 15 months in the making, and
Superintendent Mark Bielang credits community engagement in the process for the successful passage.
“We involved the community from the very beginning by creating a committee made up of both
school and community members,” Bielang said. “They
took the time to look at all of the information that was
generated...and formulate the recommendations that
came to the board. I think the process and the transparency of that process really led us to get the kind of
support that we ended up getting.”
The district hopes to have some of these new facilities in use by the 2017-2018 school year, meaning
current sophomores would be able to utilize some of
these facilities in their senior year.
Many students are excited at the prospect of new
facilities and technology.
“I'm especially pleased with the new football fields
and the new pool because I think it'll help increase
participation in these and bring in more money for
the school,” senior Elena Northuis said. “I'm really jealous, but I think it's great. Even though I can't be a part
of it, I'm still really excited, and I'm definitely going to
find a time to come back to visit.”
“I hope the new athletic facilities inspire more
people to participate in athletics and band,” said Evan
Andrews, a senior football player at Portage Northern.
in brief
Tennis banner raising at
basketball game
Tonight, the men’s tennis state championship
banner will be raised before the first home men’s
basketball game. The ceremony will be in between
the women’s and men’s game against Benton Harbor.
The tennis lineup will be announced along with spotlights lighting up the banner as it is lifted to the gym
ceiling.
Saving
Kelsee Ha/STAMPEDE
the
Earth: Seniors Hannah Dzwonkas and Ashley Whitehead (left) get rid of pop bottles while
seniors Chelsie Morgan and Sophia Lentz (right) take care of the trash in a classroom.
other things including mulch, lawn repair products
and dog litter.
Not only do students learn about recycling, but
they learn about other topics too. Senior Hannah Dzwonkas explains that the class is very enjoyable, and
the students control the different topics in the way
they want to learn about them.
“Right now we are learning about water, like for
example, the effects of water pollution,” Dzwonkas
said. “Our midterm project is to research something
about water. It sounds really boring, but I think it’s really interesting.”
The recycling program has an effect on more than
just students. Teachers love the recycling program.
Students come right to their doors and recycle it for
them, rather than having to recycle it themselves.
Also, English teacher Rachel Kubinski explains that
she is more conscious of recycling.
“I notice that if I put something in the trash, the
students watch me, so I constantly find myself pulling things out of the trash and putting them into the
recycling bin,” Kubinski said.
So after all, the magical green box is a myth. Students of the environment class help in the process
of making unwanted papers and bottles into useful
items that someone across the nation will be using.
Portage passes bond proposals
BY S H AWN A HUANG
Editor-in-Chief
Dec. 11, 2015
Proposal 1:
64%
of Voters
Approved
56%
of Voters
Approved
Proposal 2:
“This would also help the athletic teams at Northern
gain a sense of pride, because they would be playing
on their own field for the first time ever.”
The new facilities will also allow Mustang athletics to expand and improve its programs, according to
Athletic Director Joe Wallace.
“We already have high expectations in our athletic programs and have a proud history and tradition
at Portage Central,” Wallace said. “It was time, though,
for us to match that tradition of excellence with excellence in our facilities at two critical places: our pool
and McCamley Field.”
As for the design and location of these new facilities, Bielang says nothing is currently set in stone. The
district hopes to hire an architect and a construction
manager by the end of December. They will work
closely with the architect to evaluate the two secondary campuses and determine where each facility will
be located. Bielang hopes to have some preliminary
designs and locations set within the first few months
of 2016.
“By passing both proposals, we were able to meet
many of our facility needs,” Bielang said. “Plus, knowing that we could build stadiums at the same time
while we’re addressing middle schools and pools
gives us the greatest flexibility in looking at what
we can do on our sites. For example, if the stadium
proposal had not passed, we would be locked into
having McCamley Field located where it is now, and
we’d have to work around it. With the passage of both
proposals, now we can take a look at [if there is] a better location for a stadium on this property than where
it is now.”
The different pieces of the project will be phased
in over the next three to five years.
With the new technology, the district is aiming
for a goal of having one computer for every student.
Technology and education specification committees
have been formed to help the district determine
plans for the new facilities and new technology, such
as which classrooms will be located near one another
in the new middle school and what technology will
be purchased and distributed.
All homeowners with property inside the Portage
Public Schools district bounds will receive an estimated increase in property tax of $116 a year for a
$150,000 home, the average home value in Portage.
This includes residents in Texas Township, Pavilion
Township and Kalamazoo whose homes are within
the boundaries of Portage Public Schools. However,
this is not the case for school of choice students, such
as those who live in Vicksburg or Gull Lake.
Bielang said he would like to thank the community for recognizing the district’s need for new facilities
and for their support in these proposals.
“Our voters realized that we [couldn’t] do this
without them, and they stepped up to the plate and
supported our kids,” Bielang said. “We’ll be able to do
things in our facilities that we haven’t been able to
do before. This is a real turning point for the future of
education in Portage.”
Filmmaker Festival
takes place on Feb. 20
The 13th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival will be
on Feb. 20. The entries for this contest are due by Jan.
30. This contest is for teens ages 12-19 in the state
of Michigan. There are many different categories for
this festival. Some categories include best animation, best music video, and best short film. A panel
of judges will select the the winners of each category
and a grand prize winner.
Administration and
staff make Senior Guide
Last month, the first ever Mustang Senior Guide
was released. PC administration and staff created
this guide to help senior students and parents stay
on track for senior year. The guide consists of a senior year checklist, counseling office reminders, and
graduation details. It also includes all the yearbook
information for seniors and how to get a stampede
senior ad.
Final exams just over
one month away
Final exams for first semester will begin on Monday, Jan. 25, with the first two-hour exam session
beginning at 7:35, followed by a second session beginning at 9:45 and ending at 11:45 a.m. Exams will
continue throughout the week in this way: 3rd and
4th hour exams on Tuesday, 5th and 6th hour exams
on Wednesday, and 7th hour and makeup exams on
Thursday. On Friday, Jan. 29, there will be no school
for students, and teachers finalize first semester
grades and prepare for the second semester, which
begins on Monday, Feb. 1.
DECA season preparing
for first tournament
DECA season is arriving at the first District Tournament on January 5. DECA, Distributive Education
Clubs of America, is a professional business organization for high school students. It’s a competition of
preparing and testing to become leaders and entrepreneurs subjects Marketing, Finance and Hospitality
and Management. This is Portage Central’s second
year participating in the DECA tournaments. This program helps build social skills, better presentation and
communication, and increases business knowledge.
Briefs Compiled by Stampede Staff
Dec. 11, 2015
news
3
New bill may
change school
start date
BY JA C K S HINA BA R GER
Staff Writer
BY A LEX DAVI S
Contributing Writer
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Caught
on
Camera: Above, Mrs. Laasseur feeds Walter outside of her classroom window. Below, Walter is spotted hanging out on his favorite tree.
Keeping up with Walter the crow
BY A LEX DAV I S
Contributing Writer
Janet LaVasseur has a special friend who visits
her classroom several times a day. This friend is not a
teacher, a staff member or even a student.
He goes by the name “Walter,” and he’s a black
crow that LaVasseur befriended several years ago.
Many times a day, Walter comes darting past
LaVasseur’s second-floor classroom to pick up food
from the windowsill. Walter has been around Portage
Central for many years and has grown very popular.
LaVasseur estimates that Walter has hovered
around the area for the past eight years or so. She
said it all began when she used to teach a class so
large it had to be held in the in the cafeteria of the old
high school building. Many kids forgot to clean up
their messes after breakfast, and LaVasseur thought
she could either be mad about it or feed the leftovers
to the birds.
She chose to feed the birds, and thus began the
appearance of Walter, the friendly crow.
“If there was a day where there wasn’t that much
food, he’d give us heck,” LaVasseur said. “He’d sit on
the air vents on the roof and just say, ‘Where’s my
food?!’”
LaVasseur said she has no idea how Walter transi-
tioned from the old high school building to the new
one, but she found him again by just leaving food out
for him.
“They fly high,” she said. “They’re scavengers, so
they search, so he figured it out.”
LaVasseur said she can’t recognize Walter
amongst a group of crows, but Walter recognizes her.
He is the only crow out of the murder that ventures
close to LaVasseur, taking her food and flying away,
but also “talking” to her on occasion.
“When I get out of my car, he has flown to the roof
and talked to me,” she said. “He has once sat on the
edge of the fence of the garden and talked to me.”
Many students throughout the day are delighted
by the chance to see Walter. This includes students in
LaVasseur’s sixth-hour Honors English class.
“He sometimes flies across the window and eats
food on the window sill,” freshman Ty Smith said.
Many students see him as a friendly figure, and
sometimes, a necessary break from class.John Foley
said, “It kind of makes English class somewhat less
boring because then we go [off ] on a tangent.”
Walter’s diet consists of many leftovers that LaVasseur and other teachers bring him. Walter is treated to everything from chicken wings to bread crusts
to stale potato chips.
“Today, Mrs. Mills brought him chips - stale chips,”
Jakob Maynard/SPECIAL TO THE STAMPEDE
LaVasseur said. “So we put stale chips out.”
On a typical sunrise for Walter, the first thing LaVasseur sees is Walter flying east to west, looking for
food. If there is no food, he flies by her window - this
time west to east - letting LaVasseur know he’s in
need of food.
LaVasseur gets to see Walter all year, even in the
summer.
While Walter the crow may never compete with
Edgar Allen Poe’s famous raven, he’s found a fast
friend and a lot of fans on the second floor at Portage
Central.
Since 2007, Michigan public schools have been
forced to start school on the Tuesday after Labor Day.
A recent bill in the Michigan state legislature would
allow schools to start before that date.
The current law was put in place because the
tourism industry theorized that more people would
travel in the state if school started after Labor Day.
However, the support for this claim is a little shaky,
according to many educators, which causes many to
feel the current law should get a second look.
The bill, Senate Bill 567, has not had a hearing yet,
and as a result, no analysis has been done yet on how
the change could affect the tourism industry, said
Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Texas Township.
“It is unclear what data actually exists," O'Brien
said.
An arguable benefit of this bill is it would allow
schools to be more flexible in their schedules. Students starting school before Labor Day could also
have an easier time learning and adjusting to backto-school life. For instance, many students were
engaged in athletic and marching band practices a
full month before the first day of school, which took
place on Sept. 8 , one of the latest start dates in recent memory. However, schools already using a yearround schedule will not be heavily affected at all.
An earlier start date wouldn’t necessarily mean,
however, that the school year would end any earlier,
as the state has a minimum number of school days
required. The bill would offer more flexibility on how
those days should be scheduled within a typical
school year.
Students participating in extracurricular activities
such as sports, music, art or other engagements are
allowed to start before the official date.
“I prefer how things are right now. I would have
more time to practice and condition for soccer,” sophomore Mitchell Pollack said.
Many may also feel that starting school after Labor Day is a benefit because summer is extended into
September.
“Just like students, I also enjoy my summer vacation,” French teacher Rachel Flachs said. “I like to maximize my time with my family.”
If the bill were to be passed and signed by the
governor immediately, the law can take effect. If it
is not passed with immediate intent, then it will take
control at the end of the session, which the the plotted time for the state's laws to exist and stay in effect.
The end of the next session is in December 2016.
Ski Club takes first ever trip to the Rockies in Colorado
BY BELLA PEDR AZ A
News Editor
This January, the PCHS Ski Club is Rocky Mountain-bound and ready to hit the slopes on their first
ever ski trip to Colorado. The students will depart
from the Kalamazoo airport Friday Jan. 29 and will return Tuesday Feb. 26. Jason Badders, Ski Club Advisor,
will be in charge of the group.
Earlier this year, Badders also led a trip with the
Outdoor Adventure Club to the Red River Gorge in
Kentucky. The group camped in the national park
for five days and participated in backpacking, rock
climbing, zip lining and more. Five students went on
the trip, including senior Nolan Caranci.
“Besides getting to skip school for five days, zip
lining was definitely my favorite. It was awesome,”
Caranci said. “[The trip] was a great experience. I’d
definitely recommend it to students next year.”
On this trip outside the state, the Ski Club is traveling to both Keystone and Arapahoe Basin ski resorts. Keystone has a total of 131 different runs, and
Arapahoe Basin has a total of 109 different runs. By
comparison, Timber Ridge (where the club skis every
Friday), has only 15 different runs. The club is excited
to ski the bigger and better terrain, according to Badders.
“The most exciting thing for me is that all but one
student hasn’t been out there, and it’ll be a great experience for them to go out and see the Rocky Mountains,” Badders said.
An intermediate experience level is recommended for participants due to the more difficult terrain,
but all are welcome. Sophomore Sam Scheffel is an
experienced skier and has skied in Colorado before.
“I’m just really excited to go out and ski and have
a good time,” Scheffel said. “I’ve skied out there before
for ski racing, but this time, it’s cool that I get to ski
just for fun.”
Though all of the available spots are filled for this
trip, the Ski Club hopes to continue to take more trips
in the future.
“I think a lot of times, experience outside of the
classroom is just as important as learning inside the
classroom,” Badders said. “I think it’s really positive for
a kid’s self esteem, and they learn a lot and get to try
something new.”
view
Change in Labor Day law could lead to school-year flexibility
4
Dec. 11, 2015
Public schools across Michigan are
required by law to start after Labor
Day. A proposed bill would allow
school districts to choose whether or
not to start school before the holiday.
The option does not change the total
number of school days required; however, it does give schools the liberty
to alter their breaks and spread them
out however they want. We believe
proposed Senate Bill 567 should be
passed.
This bill would be beneficial to
students because there is the option
to place additional breaks between
Stampede
C E N T R A L
Shawna Huang
Lucy Forster
Editors-in-Chief
Dayton Juday, Bella Pedraza.................News Editors
Olivia Oles..................................................View Editor
Jori Gelbaugh............................................Focus Editor
Dakotah Lilly...............................................Vibe Editor
Zach Franks..............................................Sports Editor
Kelsee Ha, Sharwari Salvi.....................Photo Editors
Staff Writers: Brianna Martinez, Theo Kizer,
Alyson Koh, Ben Miller, Kyle Palmer, Gabe
Pedraza, Allison Sachwitz, Jack Shinabarger,
Camille Smaling, Samhita Sunkara, Mark
Williams, Isabella Wilson
Business Manager: Ethan Dunlop
Adviser: Cheryl Braford
The Central Stampede publishes approximately one
publication a month, primarily by the Journalism
II class at Portage Central High School, 8135 S.
Westnedge, Portage, MI 49002. It also uses work
from Journalism I students.
The Central Stampede is a member of the Michigan
Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA). The
purpose of the Central Stampede is to act as an open
forum for students of Portage Central. The staff
will achieve a balance between informing and
entertaining our readers.
Editorials
Staff editorials are unsigned and represent consensus of the staff. The opinion of the staff is represented in the “Our View” column. The opinions
of the editors, staff writers and guest writers will
have bylines and will carry their own views.
Letters
As an open forum, the Stampede welcomes all
members of the Portage community. However,
the staff reserves the right to edit letters based on
length and content.
Phone: (269) 323-5218
Fax: (269) 323-5290
Room: 2116
The Central Stampede
Portage Central High School
8135 South Westnedge Ave.
Portage, MI 49002
the longest
stretches of
school: during the fall
and after spring break. There are many
differences between a school in a rural
area and a school in an urban area,
therefore allowing everyone to cater
to their own needs.
Fall sports such as volleyball,
football and cross country start many
weeks, if not a full month, before
school starts. That was the case this
year when school started on Sept.
8. For those students, once practice
starts,
summer
officially
ends. For
those types of students, an earlier start
will not pose any interference with
their sports. Due to the number of
government regulations forced upon
schools, districts do not often get
chances to make local decisions, but
this bill would give districts the flexibility of choice.
It could pose endless benefits,
as long as there isn’t abuse of the
power by any of the school districts.
staf f editorial
For example, we would hope schools
would not abuse the new law, going
to school an extended amount of time
without paying its teachers properly.
There should be a time range that
dictates the amount of days required
to prevent any abuse of power.
We think this step forward would
give districts an increased amount
of freedom, and we urge the Legislature to pass it. The next logical step is
to begin thinking about year-round
schooling, which would give teachers
and students more days off during
each grueling school year.
five on five
Cameron Nosal, 9th
Brooklyn Joslyn, 10th
Brandon Onstott, 11th
Megan Buckley, 12th
Mr. Czuk
1. If you could improve one thing about the school building, what would it be and why? (pg. 2)
Add a Subway because it is
healthy.
Brighter colors on these walls.
These dark and droopy colors
are very depressing.
Bigger parking lot, so people
can park and not get a dent in
their car.
More exits in the student
parking lot. The traffic gets
irritating.
My classroom would have a
planetarium on the ceilling
because it would be awesome!
2. What age group do you think spends the most time texting? (pg. 5)
Freshmen because we were
younger and more exposed
to it during the time when
smartphones first came out.
14-18, the socially awkward
group with too much time on
their hands.
14- to 17-year-olds.
Teenagers.
40 -to 50-year-olds because
they can’t see the buttons and
use full punctuation.
Watching the movie “Elf”
because it never gets old.
Watching “Emmet Otter’s
Jug Band Christmas” with my
family.
3. What is your favorite holiday tradition and why? (pg. 6)
Opening Christmas presents
because I get a lot of new
things, and it shows my family
cares for each other.
EATING! Every holiday has its
own amazing food.
Thanksgiving because I get
to see family and watch the
Lions lose.
44. If you were a YouTuber, what would your channel be focused on and why? (pg. 8)
I would mostly focus on
making soccer videos.
Happiness. There is not
enough positivity in the world,
and that needs to change.
Hockey! My life is eat, sleep,
hockey.
Anything but cat videos.
Eclectic television from the ‘70s
and ‘80s. Ha! You thought I was
going to say “Star Wars.”
5. What sports equipment best represents your personality? (pg. 10)
A soccer ball because soccer
is life.
My saxophone because
marching band IS a sport,
whether you think so or not.
A helmet, because I have a
hard head, plus I have three
concussions.
The pogo sticks they use in
extreme pogo sports because I
like to think I am a fun person.
Asics G7-2000 running shoes.
I have a dynamic duomax
support system that enhances
stability and support, with
reduced weight and increased
platform control.
view
Dec. 11, 2015
Too much
sensitivity
ruins
holiday
season
Teens don’t always abuse technology
BY LUCY F O R S T E R
Editor-in-Chief
According to the New York Times I
am comparable to a compulsive gambler simply because I live in the days
of advanced technology. According to my parents I spend too much
B Y OLIVIA OLES
View Editor
An increased number of ignorant Twitter fights and social media blow ups can be
expected now that holiday season is upon
us. I’m talking about unjolly, senseless
arguments with people taking great offense to ideas that shouldn’t even matter.
For example, in November there
was an uproar towards Starbucks with
their new cup design for the holiday
season. Instead of decorating their seasonal cups with dancing snowmen or
snowflakes, it’s now just a plain red cup.
Joshua Feuerstein started the revolution
with a viral rant video on Facebook that
has trended worldwide. Some people
have joined the revolution expressing
outrage at Starbucks by tricking them
into writing “Merry Christmas” instead of
their name on their cup to protest. They
also claime that Starbucks hates Jesus.
This is an overreaction. Just because
there isn’t a reindeer on your morning
latte doesn’t automatically mean Starbucks has malice towards Christianity. It’s
not like the symbols they used on previous cups were Biblical to begin with. There
were no sparkling snowflakes or kids on a
sleds sliding down dunes in the middle of
the desert when Jesus was born, so why
are people getting so worked up over it?
There is also sensitivity over the festive saying “Happy Holidays” as opposed
to “Merry Christmas.” People argue that
using “Happy Holidays” degrades and
generalize against other religious celebrations. With our vast demographic
diversity of religions in this country, using “Happy Holidays” is a perfectly adequate phrase because of its flexibility.
Are people really offended by an attempt
to be politically correct? If you know that
someone is Jewish there is nothing wrong
with saying “Happy Hanukkah” to them,
just like there is nothing wrong with
wishing a Christian a “Merry Christmas.”
The reality is the amount of offense
that is taking place during this joyous
season borderlines excessive. Instead of
getting upset over a simple crimson cup
or the saying “Happy Holidays,” we should
focus on the joy this time of year brings,
no matter the holiday you celebrate.
5
time on my phone. According to me,
I have adapted to my generation, and
use technology for its many benefits.
In the article compulsive texting is
considered an epidemic taking over
the world. The article was published in
October of this year, making it pretty
late to the criticism on texting. What
parent doesn’t think that already?
Roni Caryn Rabin, the writer of the article, is simply shedding light on something that has been sunburnt already.
What bothers me most about the article
is its simple uneducated tone. There are
so many topics addressed, such as texting
during class and texts waking us up in the
middle of the night, that are simply not
relevant to most high schoolers I know. If
you looked at what teenagers do on their
phones it would not be texting. It would
using social media. However, I will admit
we do text a lot, a majority of the texts I
send are asking about homework assignments or when the next NHS meeting is.
But forget the New York Times, parents think a majority of the same things.
For any parent who claims their teenager spends too much time texting, or
even on their phone, I want to ask three
questions. Do you have a smartphone?
Do you have any social media accounts?
How much of your daily communication
with others is through text messages?
If you know your parents would an-
swer yes, yes and over 50% of their communication, then the next time your
parents criticize you point out what
you’re doing on your phone. Most likely
sending an email to a teacher or texting a friend about homework, and if I’m
not maybe I’m just enjoying a few minutes of peace on Instagram or Twitter.
Since my generation has grown up with
technology, our parents can’t wait to say
“well back in my day we didn’t have cell
phones” and so on. To say it bluntly, it’s not
the 1980s, and the world is progressing.
There are studies showing technology is
bad for us to use so prevalently in our lives,
but to comparing our generation to compulsive gamblers is taking it a little too far.
Yearbook vs. Stampede: who is the best?
BY SAM M Y PR A E G E R
Roundup Co-Editor-in-Chief
Along with a multitude of other creative classes, our school offers the opportunity to join two publications, the
Stampede newspaper or the Central
Roundup yearbook. These two publications differ in many ways. A yearbook
allows for a student to hold on to his or
her high school years with the use of pictures with personalized student coverage.
Although Stampede publishes a
monthly issue, the yearbook staff dedicates an entire year to designing and
creating one book so that it can be kept
by students for their entire lives. How
many Stampedes have you kept since
your freshman year? How many yearbooks do you have? Our yearbooks
are easier to save and contain more
memories than a school newspaper.
A fun aspect of the yearbook is the
uniqueness of each page. Looking back at
old Stampede issues, the layout and design is seemingly similar in each one. Every year, the design editor of the yearbook
spends a substantial amount of time individually designing every page in the book.
Also, while it may seem like we
cover the same things every year, each
book tells a completely different story.
We spend weeks developing a theme
to be carried out throughout the yearbook. Along with this theme comes new
and unique stories that are revealed
to students each year. This also allows
us to substantially increase our coverage of each student. Working with
pictures is
is one of my
f avo r i te
parts
of
yearbook.
T h e
Stamp e d e
focuses
mostly on
writing, while
the yearbook tells
its stories through
frozen moments in
time. Whoever said “a
picture is worth a thou-
sand words” must have been a part of his
or her high school’s yearbook staff. It’s
kind of like comparing Twitter to Instagram. Think about it like this: which gets
more likes, a Tweet or an Instagram post?
The yearbook staff has an open and
enjoyable environment. Just compare the
two labs. At first sight, the Stampede lab
may be more organized but a closer observation reveals that the yearbook lab is
more relaxed. We have an entire wall dedicated to pictures of staff members and
a separate wall dedicated to humorous
quotes. Our lab stays relaxed as the seasons shift, we decorate our room accordingly. However, a Christmas tree stands
in the corner of the lab all year round.
Also, you don’t even have to take a
graded preparation class to join the yearbook staff. In order to write for the Stampede, you must take a semester-long,
graded class called Journalism 1. All of our
learning and preparation is condensed
into the first couple weeks of the school
year. If you’re looking to join a publishing
committee that will fill your high school
years full of memories, join the Roundup yearbook staff. You won’t regret it!
BY SHAWNA HUA NG
Stampede Editor-in-Chief
In the great Stampede Shirt Design
Contest of 2014, Brian Taggett, in an
attempt to annoy the yearbook staff,
submitted a design bearing the words
“Portage Central’s finest publication.” After much laughter, his idea was quickly
dismissed and forgotten. A year later, his
words still ring true. No matter how much
you or I or Mr. Taggett may love the yearbook, when it comes to which publication is better, there’s no contest that the
Stampede is absolutely superior.
I do love the yearbook. I love flipping
through the full-color spreads, reading
mock election results, and remembering
the highlights of the past year. But the execution of this monstrous task is precisely
why the yearbook just can’t compete
with us.
When you have to make a book that
big, you’re forced to focus less on content
and more on making the spreads look
pretty. While I certainly appreciate the
ability of the “yerds” to lay out photos and
make punny titles, the quality of a publication has to be based more on content.
We keep students up to date on what’s
important as it’s happening, not at the
end of the year when it’s already long
over.
Every single member of our staff
has, through a semester-long Journalism 1 class, been thoroughly trained
to know what stories need to be told
and how to tell them. In essence, we’ve
been trained to be journalists. Interviewing people and putting what they say
in quotes next to their p i c t u r e s
doesn’t make
you
a
journalist. It certainly
doesn’t
make your
publication
very strong when
most of what you write is
only photo captions.
Who even reads the entire yearbook?
Personally, I skim the pages for my friends’
faces and then jump straight to the index
to find my photos and complain about
how awful I look. Granted, I doubt everyone reads the entire paper, but 12 pages is
a lot easier to stomach than 300. If you’re
bored in class on a Stampede day, it’s easy
to pick up a paper, flip to a random page,
and learn about the new club or food policy in just a few short minutes. Plus, who
doesn’t appreciate a few coupons?
Students pay the equivalent of a pair
of name-brand shoes to receive a yearbook that they leaf through a few times.
While I don’t wish to undermine the hard
work of our Roundup staff, the Stampede
has no such luxury to be funded by the
students. Our business manager works
tirelessly to sell ads to local businesses to
pay for our publication, and even then,
sometimes we’re barely scraping by. We
have to work that much harder to fund
our own program, which is now an awardwinning publication. (I suppose it’s a bit
ironic that ads support us - not the stories
we work so hard to create - are what most
of our students are interested in.)
Above all, I’ve found that the thing
that most draws me to journalism is the
unrivalled camaraderie of the Stampede
staff. Every day for the past year and a half,
I have looked forward to sixth hour simply
because I love these people. There’s no
better group to bounce story ideas off of
or lose countless rounds of Mario Kart to.
Every month, we get a chance to show off
what we can do as a team and to be proud
of our work.
The Stampede has taught me how to
conduct interviews, express my opinions,
and write informative but concise stories.
I’ve learned a lot more about Photoshop
than I ever would’ve cared to know. I’ve
learned the difficulty of working to meet
a quickly-approaching deadline when
there are 12 pages to design but only 10
computers. I’ve learned how to collaborate with others and be proud of our collective work.
I have to agree with Mr. Taggett that
the Central Stampede is unparalleled in
its quality as both a program and a publication.
focus
6
Courtesy of Natalie Liou
Celebration: Senior Natalie Liou celebrates Chinese New Year as a child.
December
holidays promote
cultural diversity
BY DAYTON JU DAY &
SHARWA RI SALV I
News Editor & Photo Editor
With Christmas tree farms dotted
across the countryside and plastic Santa
Clauses stocked on shelves, it’s clear that
America’s number one religious holiday
is Christmas.
Somewhere in the bundle of red and
green ribbon, other religious holidays
celebrated can get tangled, buried and
forgotten. From Chinese New Year to
Kwanzaa, each religious holiday has its
own culture and customs. A significant
December holiday is the Jewish holiday,
Hanukkah, an eight-day holiday that
starts on the 25th of Kislev, the ninth
month on the Hebrew calendar. During
this period, celebrators exchange gifts,
play dreidel and light a menorah.
One of the most significant traditions
of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah. The menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum, where candles are lit on each
of the eight days, and the ninth candle is
used to light the other eight candles.
Much like Christmas holiday customs,
there is no shortage of food during Hanukkah. Hanukkah’s meals carry its own
culture and traditions as well. Hanukkah
meals can consist of matzo, gefilte fish
and brisket. “It’s fun to be different,” said
junior Carly Fleck, who celebrates Hanukkah instead of Christmas. “It’s a great time
to celebrate light and happiness, and it’s
a cheerful time with friends and family.”
Chinese New Year, another holiday
forgotten among the holiday hype,
happens on the last day of the Chinese
calendar, which can fall between Jan.
21 and Feb. 20. Celebrants generally
receive a red bag, Hong Bao, with money
inside which is supposed to bring good
luck for the upcoming year. One of the
district’s part-time teachers, Isabelle
Xhou, celebrates Chinese New Year in
China and America. Xhou said she gets
together with colleagues from work to
make dumplings, similar to traditions in
northern China. Senior Natalie Liou also
celebrates Chinese New Year.
“Chinese New Year is a very fun time
because we eat a lot of good food and
it’s great because all the family gets
together,” Liou said.
Dec. 11, 2015
ahohomemade
ho- gift idea
This quick, inexpensive present is perfect for friends
Anyone with a Pinterest account knows that Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Christmas gifts have become
an exceedingly popular method of gift-giving during the holiday season. These gifts are both
thoughtful and extremely easy to create, making them perfect for anyone on your list this year.
This “Sharpie Mug” turned out wonderfully and only takes about 45 minutes to finish.
Step 2
Supplies
1. One white glass mug
2. A variety of oil-based Sharpies to
decorate the mug
Step 1
Pick a design and decorate! I chose a
simple snowflake and the phrase “Winter
Wonderland,” but the possibilities are
endless. You could use “Happy Holidays,”
or “Merry Christmas,” for example. Be
careful not to touch the ink on the mug
as you’re drawing. At this stage
in the process, the ink comes off
easily and smudges if
it’s messed with. If
you mess up, simply
wipe the ink off with
a paper towel and
some rubbing alcohol
and start again!
When you are finished decorating,
preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once
preheated, place your mug in the oven
(I recommend placing it on top of a pan
or baking sheet) and leave it in for 30
minutes. This
process dries
the Sharpie
onto the mug
and prevents
smudging of
the design.
Girls Learn International
comes to Portage Central
BY CAM I L L E SM A L I N G
Staff Writer
If you are interested in actively making a difference in the fight for gender
equity, Girls Learn International may be
just the club for you.
Girls Learn International is a program
of the Feminist Majority Foundation, an
organization dedicated to gaining equality between women and men. One of the
biggest aspects of gender equality is having the same access to education for girls
and boys; in many places in the world,
that is not a reality. Girls Learn International was created to help make solutions
to address the gender gap through the
creative initiatives of U.S. students.
The club’s founder at Portage Central,
junior Dana Schau, said, “I’ve recently
been reading about the large disadvantage girls are at for having access
to education around the world and I
become very passionate about closing
that gender gap. The club will focus on
learning about the obstacles girls face
and what we can do to help.”
The club’s advisor, French teacher
Rachel Flachs, said she is very passionate
about the issue as well.
“I am continually impressed by
Portage Central students,” she said.
“Although this was not the first time a
student showed how much he or she
cares about something larger than him
or herself, I was amazed at how passionate Dana is about equality, human rights,
and women’s equality in particular.”
Some may be worried that the club
won’t be inclusive for male students, but
that is incorrect, Schau said.
“The organization addresses this,”
she added. “To help girls get an access
to education, we need girls and boys to
work together and address the issue. This
club focuses on girls because they are
the ones at the disadvantage regarding
education access around the world.”
The club will focus on raising funds
and brainstorming solutions, and anyone
who would like to make real change is
free to attend.
Meetings will be held every other
week in Room 1107 every other Monday.
Step 3
After the 30 minutes are up, remove the mug with oven mitts. It will be
EXTREMELY HOT. You must let the mug cool off for about 15 to 20 minutes.
You'll have an amazing gift to satisfy even the most difficult people on
your list this holiday season!
-by Brianna Martinez, staff writer
VOLUNTEENS offers opportunities
BY A LY SON KOH
Staff Writer
Looking for a few volunteer hours
for your Modern American History class,
need to fill up your National Honor
Society hours or just have a burst of
charitable energy? Join the volunteer
program, VOLUNTEENS to receive
information about upcoming community
service opportunities.
VOLUNTEENS is a year-long service
program designed to get high school
students more involved in the community. This large organization works with
participants from all over Kalamazoo,
including students from Portage Central.
Junior Lily Kitagawa said, “I love
VOLUNTEENS! It’s a great program that
allows me to help the community and
work towards my goals while having a
great time with friends I hang out with
anyway!”
The VOLUNTEENS program is overseen by Emilia Moore, the AmeriCorps
VISTA, and Mario Gonzales, the program
manager. Its main goals are to build
capacity for effective local volunteering,
promote volunteerism in the community
and connect people with opportunities
to volunteer. Each year, thousands of
residents contact Volunteer Kalamazoo
for opportunities.
There are many benefits to being a
VOLUNTEEN according to the group’s
website. For example, participants
receive upcoming notifications about
events, volunteer hour requirements can
be satisfied through countless volunteer
opportunities, and there are many fun
and unique experiences for college and
scholarship applications. Kitagawa has
acquired more than 600 hours through
VOLUNTEEN opportunities so far in her
high school career. Members also gain
work experience for job opportunities,
as well as being able to explore future
careers and participate in group volunteering.
“I really enjoy all the different people
and how much they all care about the
community,” senior Ben Behrens said.
“Whenever one member has a volunteer
opportunity, they share it with the group
and try to get everyone involved. It is a
great chance for people who are getting
involved in volunteering and want to find
more opportunities, or just other people
to volunteer with.”
To become a member, students can
apply at the VOLUNTEENS website.
focus
Dec. 11, 2015
7
Name: ______________
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5
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7
4
Famous
Christmas
movie quotes
crossword
Down
1. “I don’t want to make toys, I want to be a dentist!”
2. “I never thought it was a bad, little tree. It’s not bad
at all, really, maybe it just needs a little love.”
3. “Every time you hear a bell ring, it means an angel
just got its wings.”
4. “I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, twohundred shot range model air rifle!”
5. “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real
things in the world are the things we can’t see.”
6. “Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”
7. “May your days be merry and bright...”
Across
1. “‘What if Christmas’, he thought, ‘doesn’t come
from a store. What if Christmas perhaps means a
little bit more.’”
2. “I don’t know what to say, except it’s Christmas,
and we’re all in misery.”
3. “Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a state of mind.”
4. “We skip Christmas?”
5. “Bah, humbug.”
6. “Keep the change, ya filthy animal.”
7. “The four basic food groups are candy, candy
canes, candy corns and syrup.”
3
2
Courtesy of Isabella Wilson
Turn in to Room 2116 by the end of 5th hour
today for a chance to win free candy!
The ‘boot club’ members
take over elevator (and halls)
BY I SA B E LLA W I LS O N
Staff Writer
Nathan Parry
BY JORI GELBAU G H
Focus Editor
“I was born without a femur, tibia, and I have a
very small amount of fibula. It’s not painful, I just
wear a simple belt [for the prosthetic leg]. This is my
fifth [prosthetic leg]. I [change them when] my leg
outgrows it, which takes about a year or two, and I
got my first one when I was 2. Each one has different parts, like [the one I’m wearing now] has a shockabsorber so it can rotate. Not being able to do 100
percent of what everybody else does is probably the
most difficult challenge about it, but I play basketball, baseball and I ski. Basketball is the most challenging because it’s consistent running, but to [overcome this challenge], I just work harder.”
If you find yourself crossing the bridge on any
floor and are dumbstruck by the unusually large
group of unfortunate souls surrounding the elevator,
you are not alone.
According to secretary Diana Buckstaff, the
school has actually exceeded 40 elevator passes given to students and has run out of extras due to the
plethora of injuries students have suffered. The string
that ties these students together is their bright and
shiny injury boots, distinguishing that they are official members of what many refer to as the “boot club.”
It seems that there would be an evident cause for
the large amount of injuries, yet the “boot club” members received their injuries in entirely different, and
somewhat obscure manners. Whether it was having
an accident in the weight room, like junior Gannon
Foley, receiving a sprain from cheer, like freshman
Elizabeth Johnson, or getting your foot run over by a
car, like senior Natalie Sturdy, each “boot club” members has their own story to tell.
Though leaving class early may seem like a
dream, having to wear a big, grey boot greatly restricts movement and everyday lifestyle.
“It’s pretty frustrating not being able to walk,”
sophomore Grace Ritchie said. “You don’t realize how
dependent you are on your feet, and going from
place to place is so frustrating.”
Though the boot is made to heal and prevent further injury, it’s not necessarily designed for comfort.
Sturdy describes her boot as cumbersome and stiff,
as well as a hindrance to her everyday movements.
Foley explains that he’s never had a serious injury before, and that it is interesting to try to do the normal
things he used to do while wearing a boot.
Members of the “boot club” assemble every day in
the dreaded elevator, their only way of getting from
floor to floor during the school day.
“The elevator is terrible,” Sturdy said. “For an elevator that is designed for disabled people, the doors
close super quickly. Almost every time I am walking
out, the doors hit me.”
Although the negatives to wearing a boot tend
to add up, students say that there are some potential
benefits to their experiences. “Boot club” members
have the ability to leave class early, and even get their
friends out of class early when they need assistance
carrying their books. Sturdy says that she has made
a lot of injured friends and enjoys hearing their accounts of how they received their injuries.
Many “boot club” members will wear their boots
for anywhere between a few weeks or a few months,
but will be able to move about freely without their
boot as soon as possible. With the healing of the
“boot club” members, the elevator will soon retire
from its excessive usage, and the students can get
back to their everyday lives.
“The best thing about having a boot is looking
forward to getting your boot off,” Foley said.
Kelsee Ha/STAMPEDE
Tardy Boot Club Member: Senior Natalie Sturdy
walks out of the elevator at the end of class to
make it to her next class on time.
vibe
Google’s smart cars may fall
Reviews Stampede
victim to a knee-jerk reaction
‘Krampus’ fails to deliver on Christmas horror
8
Dec. 11, 2015
from
the
“Krampus” tells the tale of the ancient legend Krampus, a shadow of Saint Nicholas. The
film is a horror and Christmas crossover about a family that has their in-laws visiting. When
the family argues, a kid tears up his letter to Santa and throws it away. Afterwards, a blizzard
hits causing a power outage through the city.
It was easy to see this movie was going to be bad when its first attempts to scare were
a snowman appearing and a cookie being stabbed. The only reason this movie was scary at
all was because it had lots, if not too many jump-scares. Considering the movie is only 98
minutes, it’s safe to assume over half of the scares were put in just to make the movie longer.
“Krampus” drops the ball on characters as well. The family consisted of a two crumbling
marriages, a rude and snobby daughter, a suspicious grandmother and a nice son. Not to
mention the alcoholic aunt, rude son and two bullying sisters. Not one person was likable. I would’ve been
rooting for Krampus the whole time, if he had bothered to show up.
The movie is named after Krampus, but his name is only said once. It didn’t seem like he was the family’s
biggest issue, his helpers did all the work for him. I do have to give this movie some credit though. There was
a scene in this movie where the grandma tells a story about her previous experience with Krampus. The animated flashback that plays was great, it felt like the movie would’ve been better if it was animated. Overall,
“Krampus” ended up being a failed attempt at a low-budget horror movie, with a terrible ending to boot.
-REVIEWED BY KELSEE HA
‘Creed’ is sure to please new and older fans alike
To appreciate “Creed,” one does not have to be deeply educated on “Rocky”
culture, but it wouldn’t hurt to know the backstory.
The story of “Creed,” similar to John G. Avildsen’s “Rocky,” focuses on the fearless boxer, his mentor and the woman who becomes his world. “Creed” takes place
in good old Philadelphia, as young boxer Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), son
of Apollo Creed, is in search of boxing champion and his father’s rival, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). When Rocky finds out Adonis is the son of his old friend
Apollo, he agrees to train him, and the movie takes off from there. As it progresses,
the love interest between Adonis and his significant other, Bianca (Tessa Thompson) becomes more inflamed, and Adonis starts to transform into a world-class
boxer with the help of Rocky’s training. As expected, the humble hero fights his
dominant foe in a fight for the ages, as the film slowly nears its end.
Director Ryan Coogler creates a film with its own identity, but of course, he seizes every opportunity to
stick to the “Rocky” roots. To indulge the senses of experienced viewers, Coogler produced many scenes in the
familiar streets of Philadelphia and paid tribute to the original Rocky film by incorporating scenes in “Mighty
Mick’s Gym.” To get new viewers up to date, Rocky and Adonis have many conversations about Rocky’s past,
including Apollo’s last fight that eventually cost him his life. These scenes ultimately help new watchers understand the underlying storyline of “Creed.”
So whether one has seen the “Rocky” series or not, Creed is a must-see and an instant classic.
BY DA KOTA H L I LLY
Vibe Editor
With every generation of revolutionary technology there comes a time where it’s opposed by various groups for a variety of reasons. While sometimes
unfounded, the concerns brought up are valid and
can shape these new developments. However, there
is the period where tensions rise between those who
embrace the technology and the people who deny it.
Google’s smart cars are cars that drive themselves,
without any input beyond a destination. Using traffic
data and sensors, they detect other cars on the road
and plan around them. Right now, they’re doing an
incredible job staying safe.
It sounds great in theory, as it leaves passengers
free to do whatever else. The problem here is something that’s inherent to technology. As anyone who’s
used a smartphone will know, there are bugs. Things
go wrong when it comes to the hardware and software and require fixes to work properly. For normal
devices this is fine, it’s impossible to have a perfect
launch. This is a completely different beast however,
as a mistake in coding could cost a family their lives.
Naturally, this risk is reduced in comparison to a
normal device running into software issues. The engineers behind these cars aren’t going to throw code
around, but they’re only human. Mistakes happen.
This is where the danger comes in. First off, there’s
the inevitable. Eventually, one of these cars will crash
into another and either kill or fatally injure people.
Through a bug in the code or a sensor malfunction,
something is going to go wrong and end a life. While
this is certainly a tragedy, what’s more important is
the danger that occurs after.
If this inevitable accident occurred say 100 years
from now, where smart cars are ubiquitous, then it
wouldn’t be a big deal. However tension already ex-
‘Undertale’ is a flawed but beautiful hidden gem
-REVIEWED BY DAKOTAH LILLY
Ratings Key
terrible
very bad
average
very good
incredible
currently out on the roads.
ists between the smart cars and the human populace.
It’s difficult to trust a machine with the lives of your
friends and families.
This is what’s scary about smart cars, not that
they’ll get into a small number of accidents, but when
it finally does happen, what will the reaction be? If
this happens within a few years, we could be looking
at a rejection of this technology.
Considering that more smart cars being on the
road communicating with each other makes everyone safer, it could only cause more issues for getting
this technology implemented. The longer that takes,
the more accidents that could have been avoided,
and the more any danger this technology had becomes irrelevant.
As of October, Google has about 50 smart cars on
the road that have covered a total of 2 million miles.
They’ve had a total of 14 accidents, and only one of
the crashes caused injuries. Every single crash was at
the fault of the human driver, not the smart car.
They are clearly a good thing, and need to be
developed to their full potential, but due to a kneejerk reaction in the future, we could be held back for
decades from this positive turn.
Reflections on my path to becoming a Jedi
-REVIEWED BY THEO KIZER
“Undertale” is an indie game developed by Toby Fox, created
in the vein of titles like “Earthbound” and the “Mother” series. It’s a
turn-based RPG that takes elements from the “bullet hell” genre,
which builds itself around throwing hundreds of bullets at the enemies at the player. An odd choice at first but it plays into the idea
that this RPG doesn’t force the player to kill anyone at any point,
and plays off of some traditional game ideas to break the fourth wall near the end of the game.
The game’s strength comes in the form of the boss encounters with main characters throughout the game,
as each boss requires their own unique method of defeat. While other enemies in the game will simply require
a special action to be performed in the “ACT” menu of the combat screen, the bosses all have their own puzzle
you have to solve through various actions. Combining this with the turn-based nature of old-fashioned RPGs
means the player has to try to survive onslaughts while figuring out what each boss takes to defeat. Combined
with a soundtrack that switches between classic MIDI tunes and bits of orchestral composition, the boss encounters by and far away carry this game to greatness.
Unfortunately, the game suffers a bit in terms of mechanics and general game design, as questionable decisions were made throughout the game. However, all of the unique mechanics and build-up to the boss fights,
as well as how fantastically they play out themselves, culminates into a fantastic experience if you can get past
the flaws. It’s worth a playthrough for anyone who loves a good boss fight.
Courtesy of TheOatmeal.com
Test Drive: Several of Google’s smart cars are
B Y G AB E P E D R AZ A
Staff Writer
As I prepare to take on this great big world, my
parallel odyssey a long time ago in a galaxy far far
away seems to come full circle. My journey begins
with my second grade open house, where my destiny
was realized.
Walking down the hallway in a sea of posters
doctors, firefighters, and lawyers and other kids’ aspirations. My parents were surprised to find a Luke Skywalker with my face pasted on, light saber upheaved
into the sky. It was then and there where I decided
that I was to fulfill my destiny to become a jedi, not
just like my father.
My young days consisted of adventures with
Chewbacca (my 75lb Goldendoodle) and dueling with the pure evil sith being named Trevor (my
neighbor) who also claimed to be a jedi, but obviously wasn’t because he was the one who always got
smacked in the head by a light saber and ran crying
home.
I lived and breathed “the force” and thought the
universe was mine to explore. I can remember the
countless hours spent playing “Star Wars Battlefront”
on my PS2 and reenacting the battles and adventures
with my friends, whether we were on the snowy planet of hoth at christmas break or the deserts of Tatooine in the summer, the force guided us.
I don’t know why Star Wars had such an affect
on me, but what kid doesn’t want to be one of most
elite warriors of the galaxy, flying through space in
an X-wing. Theres one thing that I know for sure, that
Star Wars transcends time, language, gender, and
borders. It is what connects this generation to the
past one. Maybe George Lucas had the force writing
these movies because there is a timeless aspect that
brings imagination to the forefront, and when the
saga seemingly ended in 2005, there was a void to
be filled.
Over the years I have drifted from my old fascination of another galaxy. Sports, school, a social life
and the eventual “growing up,” which might not be
complete, has taken its natural course squashing my
childhood dream of adventuring as a jedi. However,
my long lost past from a long time ago has been reignited, along with a whole generation to the return
of the saga that touched so many.
“Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” comes
out in just under one week and the suppressed geeky
kid in me has awaken. Just the experience of reliving
my childhood makes this movie worth seeing. I’m
very tempted to show up to the midnight premiere
as Luke Skywalker, but this may result in the loss of
my girlfriend.
Either way, my destiny to become a jedi has come
full circle and the next generation will be inspired just
as I was a decade ago.
vibe
Meet the musical cast of ‘Guys and Dolls’
Dec. 11, 2015
9
2014 grad
rises to
YouTube
fame
BY KYLE PA LM ER
Staff Writer
Ever wondered how to reject a date? Who are
the people you shouldn’t trust? What are some great
road trip games to play? Spencer Westley can help
you with these questions.
Westley is a 2014 Portage Central graduate and
a youtuber who has found great success in the
YouTube industry.
A youtuber is someone who consistently makes
videos and uploads them to YouTube. In more recent
years they have been even rising to celebrity status.
Westley has 44 hilarious videos where he gives
his opinions on a wide variety of things. Some
examples are things you should own, getting over a
breakup, bathroom thoughts, new holidays and 1st
world problems.
With 2,000 subscribers and counting, Westley is
an up and coming youtuber with a bright future. On
his 44 videos, Westley has a total of 55,000 views,
and he shows no signs of stopping.
Westley has started to be recognized for his YouTube channel. He was featured in Shout Social Magazine along with several other famous youtubers.
Bestfan.com rated him one of 12 up-and-coming
youtubers we should be watching.
Westley has been recognized in other ways as
well. He said that he had been stopped in public to
take pictures, and companies like Pizza Hut, Rately,
Groopie and Snow Joe have requested to work with
him.
Westley said that college life has put YouTube on
the “back burner” but he hopes to start making a lot
of videos again.
Despite all the attention, Westley makes his
videos because he enjoys making them.
“My favorite part about making videos is that I
make myself laugh,” Westley said. More often than
not, I’ll find myself cracking up at something I just
said all alone in my room. I amaze myself with what
comes out of my mouth sometimes.”
...as Nathan Detroit
...as Adelaide
...as Sky Masterson
Supporting Cast
...as Sarah Brown
John Hart, Mitchell Harpenau, Grant Niven, Till Longjohn, Leah Alburtus, Sydney Gonser, Nick Behnke,
Elena Northuis, Darius Ledbetter, John Culbertson, Rusty Shlikhta, Nevin Schuring, Charlie Godsil, Riley Lentz,
Brady Mills, Jacob Rose, Dillon Wheeler, Bryce Bateman, Olivia Brunner, Angel Budden, Hunter Davis,
Courtney Hunter, Liz Johnson, Molly Podiak, Grace Schafer, Isabella Wilson, Kylie Sunman, Mitchell Harpenau,
Brady Mills, Kylie Brown, Melissa Bunnell, Acacia Costales, Kaylee Hopwood, and Emily Lancaster.
“Guys and Dolls”
Feb. 5,6, 12, and 13
7:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 and 14
2 p.m.
Mustang Meal Deal!
$5.00 8-inch sub, chips and fountain drink!
7886
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(Corner of
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We cater
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11 a.m.-4 p.m. ... School days only!
(Must show valid student ID)
sports
10
Dec. 11, 2015
Rob Brown assumes role as head varsity coach
BY MA RK WI LLI AM S
Staff Writer
Coach Brown has made a step up to the head
coach position for the women’s basketball team. He
was previously the coach of the JV team. Now that he
has moved up, Brown states the transfer from JV to
varsity as “not a big change for me.”
“At the varsity level things just go at a faster
pace and the expectations of the players are higher,”
Brown said.
Players for the team look forward to the season
due to the recent changes. Players describe the
practices as “intense” and say the team is “very hardworking.”
“I feel like the dynamic between last year’s coach
and this coach is very different,” sophomore Kayla
Mathieu said. “Coach Brown is very understanding,
and I feel like he is gonna push our team to the max.”
Brown has also made some big changes to the
way the team plays.
“Our whole system defensively and offensively
has changed from top to bottom,” Brown said. “We
will be a defensive minded team, that will try to shut
our opponents down offensively.”
Due to the recent coaching changes, the players
feel as if their season this year may go better than
expected. Junior Josie Muffley describes Brown as a
very “determined person who really cares.” Muffley
states that due to these aspects, she feels confident
about the season.
“I feel pretty confident about going into this season as a team because we bring in hard work on the
court in order to succeed,” says Mathieu. One major
aspect in order to succeed in this sport, is working
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Game Plan: Sophomore Kayla Mathieu, senior Broghan Gamble, sophomore Kylee Taylor, sophomore Josie Muffley, junior Kenzie Pikkaart and junior
Maddie Bell listen attentively to coach brown as he discusses strategy and game plays.
as a team.”
“Our whole team is pretty close, we are like family,” says Junior Anna Kolassa. “We’ve already had a
few sleep overs.” As the team is bonding off the court,
it may influence their performance on the court.
In one word, Coach Brown describes coaching
BY T H E O K I ZE R
Staff Writer
and have acquired a number of young, skilled players.
Everyone on the team hopes to make another
long run through the playoffs, but as of right now
they are just trying to come together as a team and
concentrate on the tasks in front of them
“Obviously we want to win some championships
but we are going to focus on one game at a time and
worry about getting better each and every day,” said
Renda
However, if and when the time comes to start
preparing for the playoffs, PC will have an advantage.
Even with the loss of talent from last year, they still
have tremendous leadership.
“A ton of leadership is being shown this year ,” said
junior forward, Max Mones. “We have a few four-year
seniors including Davin, who have a lot of experience
and are filling into those important leadership roles.”
With all of the experience, leadership, and new
talent on this team, it shouldn’t surprise people if the
mustangs have a sufficient regular season with pos-
the team and the whole program as “meaningful.” He
encourages everyone to come out and support the
women’s basketball team alongside with the boys.
Hockey team hopes to meet last year’s success
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Dirty Dangles: Forward Max Mones maneu-
vers the puck around defenders before going
bar down and scoring in the 5-2 win against K
united Dec. 2.
It won’t be easy following in the footsteps of the
2014-2015 PC hockey team but this year’s squad is
looking forward to it.
Last winter PC puck had a fantastic year, ending their
regular season with 18 wins and eight losses. They
made a deep run in the playoffs before finally getting
knocked out of championship contention by Traverse
City Central in the regional final.
Making it back won’t be impossible, but it could
be a challenge, considering that this years team is a
rather young group of guys.
“We are a young team and lost many seniors from
last year, but we have a lot of new players with talent,
and they will play big roles this season,” said senior
captain, Davin Renda.
Nine seniors from last year’s team were lost including Zach Kinney who led the team in scoring.
This year they return seven seniors and four juniors,
Athletes of the Month
will return next issue
Vote for next issue’s Athlete of the Month on Twitter!
@ Central Stampede
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Legendary Leaders: As captains, senior Davin
Renda and junior Max Mones will lead the team.
sibly a nice playoff run.
As of Monday Dec. 7. the team has a record of 2-3.
The next chance to watch the stangs in acton will be
Wed. Dec. 16. at 7:30 p.m. when PC battles conference rival Mattawan at Wings West.
sports
Dec. 11, 2015
11
Swimming and diving team finishes great season
BY A LLI S ON SA C HWI T Z
Staff Writer
The women’s swimming and diving team came in
eighth place at the state meet on Nov. 21-22. The athletes are proud of everything they’ve achieved this
season and how hard they have worked as a team.
“The entire team works very hard at practices and
meets, and everyone pushes each other to compete
to the best of their ability,” sophomore Sophia Maddux said.
The team won their fifth consecutive Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC) on Saturday, Nov. 7. Eleven athletes achieved all-conference
honors at SMAC.
During the conference meet, junior Maddie Jump
broke the 11 dive women’s varsity record that had
been upheld for 22 years. Jump had been working
hard with the team every day throughout the season
to prepare for important meets such as this one.
“When I get ready for a meet, I never think about
breaking a record,” Jump said. “I just think about
performing to the best of my ability and making my
team and coach proud.”
The state meet qualifiers competed at Oakland
University on Nov. 21-22. In order to be able to com-
Coutesey of Anna Griesbach
Diving In: Senior Anna Griesbach dives in during the state meet. Griesbach and her teammates placed
eighth in the meet, which took place at Oakland University on Nov. 21-22.
pete at the state meet, athletes needed to achieve
teammates,” said senior Anna Griesbach, who will
qualifying times at the SMAC meet or throughout the
continue her swimming career next year at Bowling
season.
Green State University. “Everybody is really positive,
“To prepare for meets I just hangout with my
we all have really great energy, and our coach is full
of positive energy too.”
The team hoped to be in one of the top spots
at the state meet, as they have taken high ranking
places in the past. In 2013, the team came in second
place, and in 2014, they came in third.
The team took eighth place at the meet to conclude their season. Athletes who earned all-state
honors were Sophia Maddux, Sam Sonday, Anna
Griesbach and Madison Carlson. In addition to her
all-state honors, Carlson broke a 10-year-old varsity
record in the 100 butterfly at the state meet.
Although the swimmers and divers train separately, the team’s athletes remain very close. The team
bonds by all hanging out, joking around and having
fun at practices and meets.
“The swimmers are also very supportive of the
divers because there are many more swimmers than
divers in the team,” Jump said. “The whole team is
very encouraging and supportive.”
According to Griesbach, the senior class this year
really had to step-up in order to be leaders and good
role models on the team. She is going to miss having
fun and bonding with the entire team, especially with
the seniors.
The team has had a tremendous season thanks to
its hard working athletes and fantastic coaching staff.
Men’s basketball gears up
BY ZA CH F RA NKS
Sports Editor
The basketball season is starting soon, and the
team has been hard at work trying to improve its
game. Players are focusing on getting a win in their
opening game against powerhouse Kalamazoo Central.
This year’s team consists of mainly seniors, with
a few juniors moving up from JV, as well as returning juniors Raine Potts and Austin Mccullough, who
already have varsity experience. The team only lost
three varsity players in the off-season, and its experience and new talent on the varsity team gives them
the opportunity to improve this year.
“I’m expecting a good year,” Mccullough said.
“We’ve got some guys coming up from JV, and they’re
really going to make a difference. Our seniors are going to be really good leaders this year and we’re expecting the best.”
The team is balanced with some skilled shooters
such as Mccullough, Potts and senior Austin Laurencig, as well as some size in players such as seniors
Jack Eichman and Joe Stewart. Compared to previous
years’ teams, this team is a very close knit group of
guys, which should help them work as a team, according to senior Drew Kristen.
“We’ve been around each other playing Elite for
a couple of years during middle school,” Kristen said.
“We’re a close group, there’s no fighting on the team
or anything.”
The team’s toughest competition will be Kalamazoo Central and Benton Harbor, and as always, Portage Northern. They face off against Benton Harbor
at home tonight, at 7.
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Always Juggling: Sophomore Kayla Mathieu balances several sports throughout the year. Many
multi-sport athletes face the struggle of juggling sports with schoolwork and sleep.
Multi-sport athletes balance responsibilities
BY K Y LE PA LMER
Staff Writer
Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE
Preparation: The men’s basketball seniors prepare for the upcoming season.
Our society is filled with athletes. Most specialize in one or two sports, but there are a certain few
who play sports year round.
These people play a different sport each season
of the year. For example, they may play football in
the fall, basketball in the winter and track in the
spring. These athletes are different because of the
amount of time they are willing to put into each
sport that they play.
Balancing time can be either difficult or beneficial for these athletes. Sophomore Kayla Mathieu
says that it is hard to get school work done, while
sophomore Sam Scheffel says that playing sports
year-round forces him to concentrate.
Mathieu runs cross country and plays basketball and soccer. Mathieu believes that playing
many sports can making school more difficult be-
cause there is not enough time to do everything.
“It’s really hard to get homework done and stuff
like that but I guess just the drive of wanting to be
there makes me feel like it’s all worth it in the end,”
Mathieu said.
Scheffel plays soccer, skis and runs track. Scheffel thinks that playing a sport every season helps
him with his school work and keeps him busy,
though he sometimes sacrifices sleep.
“If I don’t play a sport then I end up super bored
and doing nothing with my day,” Scheffel said.
Conditioning is another issue with multi sport
athletes. The problem is when conditioning start.
Many find themselves preparing for one sport
while playing another. Scheffel said that he is always running and conditioning for track, even during the fall and winter while he plays other sports.
“I’ll be skiing over the winter and i’ll do conditioning for track, and I lifted for skiing all summer
during soccer,” Scheffel said.
stampede
12
Dec. 11, 2015
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