Will he last? - My High School Journalism

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2 The Southfield Jay / October 2006 Here Here w wwe w e go go again again Another new year; another new principal This year, as with the five previous years, Southfield High has a new principal to lead the way. And, this year, as with the previous several, the question on everybody’s mind is, “How long will the new principal stay?” While we don’t really know much about the new guy yet, we do know that it would be nice to have some stability in the internal ranks of Southfield High. It’s become somewhat of an embarrassing Southfield High tradition to meet a new principal every year, to conform to a new set of standards and expectations. The tradition is getting old. So far Principal Michael Horn seems OK. His “Principal’s Council” idea is a brilliant one and can only help improve student-faculty relations. He plans to bring together about two dozen of the top student leaders for monthly Blue Jay meetings with him. This would mean a council of team captains, organization president, and club leaders who could dialogue with the principal about the direction of the school and what’s on everybody’s mind. It’s a great idea. Even if this principal doesn’t last, we hope his Principals’ Council idea does endure. We also like how he gets around the school. We see him in the hallways between Editor-in-Chief News Editor Centerspread Editor Editorial Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Back Page Editor Photo Editor Webmaster Staff Artist Circulation Manager Business Manager Exchange Editor Faculty Adviser Jensen Allen Rachel Cook Ericka Pritchett Justin S. Johnson Rae Larkins Emanuel Johnson Makia Brooks Kayla Hurst Josh Polito Justin S. Johnson Tiara Hill Mia Fleming Tomeka Kolleh Sahsha Daniel Diane Hofsess Staff writers: Kyle Baber, Sahsha Daniel, Personna Hover and Amber Lucy The Southfield Jay is a member of Quill & Scroll and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The Jay is a 2004, 2005 and 2006 George H. Gallup Award winner and a Spartan Award winner for 2004, 2005 and 2006. We welcome your letters to the editor. Letters may be edited for space reasons. We do not print unsigned letters. Write to us at The Southfield Jay, c/o Diane Hofsess, Southfield High School, 24675 Lahser Road, Southfield, Mich., 48033. Or phone us at (248) 746-8963. Edit Editor Edit or orials or ials & & Opinions Opinions classes and in the classrooms while they’re in session. It appears that he will make himself visible to the students and staff, rather than hibernating in his office, mired in paperwork. His image suits us, too. His conservative suits and ties set a professional tone, unlike one previous principal who once came to parent teacher conferences dressed like an ice cream man. We could also use stability among our assistant principals. We are a month into the school year and are still interviewing for an assistant principal to fill the spot left vacant now that Kellie Cunningham has left us to go to Southfield-Lathrup High School. In Cunningham’s absence, English teacher Robert MacFarland is stepping in for the vacant assistant principal’s position. This unfortunately means that the students in his Advanced Placement English Language classes, as well as his Senior Composition & Literature classes, are being instructed by a substitute to whom they will have grown accustomed, only to have to reacclimate themselves to another system when MacFarland returns. While some change is good some of the The The Ja Jay Ja rene renews rene s its its editorial editorial policies policies The staff of The Southfield Jay reaffirms its long-standing editorial policies with this opening issue of the 2006-2007 school year. The paper’s editorial policies are as follows: All information printed in The Jay will be factually correct and unbiased in content. It will not knowingly be published if it is injurious to a person’s reputation or constitutes libel. The Jay will strive to present the widest possible scope of information dealing with Southfield High School while ensuring that articles are of interest to a significant segment of the student population. The Jay will publish in-depth features highlighting both positive and negative areas relating to SHS in hopes of enhancing The Blue Jay bird house is bigger and better than ever, but the principals keep flying away. time, changing everything all the time is too hard on the students. Southfield High could use some consistency and stability at the top. Those of us at the bottom are weary of trying to figure out how to please the principal of the month, the assistant principal of the month, or even the substitute of the month. the readers’ understanding of important issues and events. The opinions expressed in unsigned editorials are those of the paper’s staff and not necessarily those of the school administrators or The Board of Education. Signed opinion pieces represent the opinion of the named writer. Editorials in The Jay will be a forum for honest opinion and will not be influenced by any outside powers, including the faculty or the administration. The Jay exists as a public forum to serve the student body of SHS and will not function as an instrument of any individual. Letters to the editor are encouraged and will be published as space provides. They must be signed and must abide by the stated standards regarding Jay articles. Vote no on Proposal 2 Michigan voters need to get off of their duffs and vote a resounding “no” on the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI), known as Proposal 2, which will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot. This initiative would ban all public institutions, corporations and contracts from making preferences based on race, gender, sex, ethnicity, national origin or color. It will unravel affirmative action’s doings. This proposal stems from a similar bill passed in California in 1996 that ended affirmative action statewide. If passed, this bill would terminate all accomplishments that the Civil Rights activists and rallies in Detroit pushed for. The issue of the MCRI branched from citizens of the state of Michigan complaining that affirmative action was playing the role of reverse racism. In other words, it began to discriminate against those who were not of a minority background. However, components of this initiative will revert the public back to the days of Jim Crow laws and prejudiced attitudes. Ending affirmative action would be devastating to the many minority communities within Michigan. If removed, students in schools in lower income areas would lose out on opportunities in college because their test scores and grades would reflect the availability they were given. However, students from affluent suburban communities with bubbling resources would have better chances to be picked over the lower-income children, no matter how competent or capable those inner-city pupils are. In addition to educational facilities, groups and organizations that are specifically based on a race, gender or ethnic origin would be eliminated and no longer allowed. This is the lowest blow because these groups exist to educate and inform the public. The bill should not pass. Michigan still needs affirmative action because Michigan still has discrimination based on race, gender and ethnic backgrounds. We still have areas with mostly minorities that don’t receive the same amount of money as primarily Caucasian areas. There are still male-dominated areas that hold women down. Affirmative action has certainly not finished what it was designed to do, which was to level the playing field for women and minorities. - Jensen Allen
Fiv Five Fiv e ne new ne w classes classes attract attract learner learners learner Compiled by special writers Five new classes are available to students this year. The new classes are Humanities, Animation, World History, African-American Literature and African-American History. Mark Trexler’s Humanities class is a semester-long social studies course offered to juniors and seniors. The purpose of the class is to expand student knowledge of cultural literacy and to better prepare them for college, Trexler says. The students learn about Socrates, the Reformation and great works of art. Trexler says the class allows students to understand the foundations of who they are and the origins of why they think, act and believe what they do. Junior Stephanie Moore, who is enrolled in Humanities, says, “This class is interesting because it tests my mind and makes me think on the past.” John Shirkey’s computer animation class teaches the character modeling and set up techniques that allow animators the freedom to move characters as dictated by story boards. The students use 3D Studio Max and Audio Desk VIZ to produce animations, says Shirkey. It is a full-year class that any student can take. Richard Cok’s new elective semester class called World History is for juniors and seniors. Topics in the class are the Roman Empire, Ancient Greek civilizations, world religions, the Middle Ages and modern times. Melton’s African-American literature course will cover a variety of works written by African-Americans, including plays, novels, poems, short stories and fiction. The course is a half-credit, which means it’s a semster-long class. The last time African-American Literature was offered was 15 years ago, according to Kara Shuell, cochair of the English Department. “I feel that the kids should be able to find out about African American authors who were left out of the school’s text books, and with this class, you can do so.” The class is offered to juniors and seniors. News Emily Bailey’s African-American History course is a semester course. The class aims to educate students about the historical significance and the accomplishments of African-Americans. It covers the time periods of ancient Africa up to the present day. “I think this class is essential for all students to learn New w s sstaf s af affer af er ers er s join join Blue Blue Ja Jay Ja y nes nest nes By Makia Brooks Staff Writer As the new school year begins for Southfield High, there are new students, new buildings and new staff. Madeline Everson, Tonya Hickman, Milton Jones, Mary Small and Laurie Whalen are the new staff joining the school where “Blue Jays soar.” Jones and Everson are both mathematics teachers. “Teaching is not just learning out of the book or the 50 minutes in the classroom,” says Jones. “It’s about a lot of different aspects, the holistic aspect of education,” says Jones, who also coaches Junior Varsity football. Although he’s been teaching in a Laurie Whalen classroom for six years, Jones has been counseling and mentoring young people for many years. Before becoming a teacher he taught a program at the Detroit Urban League mentoring young boys and girls, where he worked for more than two years. Everson replaced Dave Volz as a ninth grade mathematics teacher. Before becoming a teacher at Southfield High, Everson worked for the Birmingham school district, Bernie Middle School in Southfield, and at Ford Motor Company as a supervisor. As students walk the halls and enter the new building, home to Houses B, C, and D, they are greeted by security specialist Laurie Whalen. Whalen is one of the first faces students see every day. Going from Detroit police officer to security specialist, Whalen has been protecting people for 19 years. Although she may be a new face to many, Southfield High isn’t a stranger to Whalen. She previously worked at the school before transferring to neighboring Southfield-Lathrup High School. “People keep asking me what’s different between the Southfield High kids and Southfield-Lathrup kids.,” Whalen says. “There is no difference; you’re all the same, and you are all wonderful.” Photo by Artavia Kinney History channel: History teacher Emily Bailey instructs her new African-American History class. The Southfield Jay / October 2006 to appreciate their heritage,” said Bailey. African-American History is open to juniors and seniors. This story was reported by the Writing for Print class, which trains students for staff positions of the school newspaper. Speech Pathologist Mary Small is one of the many new faces at Southfield High. She specializes in helping students better their articulation, language and fluency skills. “I love working with students at all levels because it is important that they learn to communicate with others to be successful in life,” Small says. A joyful expression was planted on her face as she remembered her past at Southfield High and spoke about what it was like to return. “It is very refreshing to come back to many of the people I worked with and be able to collaborate with them again.” As students make their way from B house to D house, they may pass by the room of Tonya Hickman, a support services teacher. An educator for 10 years, Hickman has taught at both elementary and middle school levels before becoming a staff member at Southfield High. “Teaching is my passion in life, the interaction with my students. I love it,” Hickman says. The school is still looking for another math teacher to replace Deidre Cary, who transferred to Brace-Lederle School to be a counselor. At press time, the school was also looking for an assistant principal to replace Kellie Cunningham, who transferred to Southfield- Lathrup. By Jensen Allen Editor-in-Chief 3 Ja Jay Ja receiv receives receiv es 3rd 3rd Gallup Gallup Award ard For the third year in a row The Southfield Jay newspaper received the George H. Gallup Award for outstanding achievement in journalism. The award is presented by Quill and Scroll, the international honor society for high school writers. The Gallup award is the highest acknowledgement that a high school newspaper can receive. The paper had to receive 925 points out of a possible 1,000 to be eligible for the award. The Jay received 947 points. Former Co-editor-in-chief and Sports Editor of The Southfield Jay for two years, James Andersen, said, “I’m very pleased to hear that the newspaper won the Gallup award again. It reaffirms all of the hard work that we put in it last year, and it seems like winning the Gallup award is becoming somewhat of a tradition at SHS. It really does validate the claim that The Southfield Jay is one of the best (high school) newspapers in the country.” Earning the Gallup Award is a strenuous process. A year’s worth of issues is evaluated for writing, photography, design, and staff policies, along with the entire year’s worth of bookkeeping. Gary Davis, former editorial and exchange editor, said, “It was gratifying to receive the Gallup Award after working so hard to show our journalistic talents.” This year’s judge wrote, “The staff of The Southfield Jay is a hardworking and talented bunch. You put out a notable and valuable newspaper for your school and community. Your readers are lucky to have such a strong newspaper.”
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