What is your favorite part about winter?

Chatbox

By Alyissa Schweihofer

Husky Herald Reporter   

Savannah Doan :

“My favorite part of winter

is hockey season!”

Senior

Marques Wheeler:

“My favorite part of winter is

Christmas and the snow makes

me happy!”

Junior

 Neve McNutt :

 “My favorite part of winter is

doing donuts in the parking lot.”

Sophomore

Ethyn Blair:

 “My favorite part about winter

Is Christmas because I get

presents.”

Freshman

Senior Students Supported by Jostens

Feature

By Molly Capadagli 

Husky Herald Reporter   

   Senior year is full of bitter sweet moments. Ordering cap and gowns is one of those moments that make you realize how close you are to graduation.

  The company Jostens provides seniors the ability to order their cap and gowns, yearbooks, class rings, and everything needed to graduate.  They give the option to design keepsakes and packages ranging from $39.99 to $300.00.

   Jostens came to Port Huron Northern High School this past month to talk to seniors about getting ready for graduation and our futures. “Meeting with Jostens made me excited to graduate but had me realize how fast this year will fly by,” said Kayla McIntyre (’14).

   They returned to Port Huron Northern High School to collect student’s purchases, packages and mementos. They separated the girls and the boys to make things easier; girls on Thursday and boys on Friday throughout A, B, and C lunches. “Even with Jostens separating the boys and girls, the lines were still outrageous with only one employee from Jostens working the line,” said Thomas Dado (’14).

   Justine Colston (’14) had something to say about the long lines “I think they should have had more than one employee working to avoid long lines especially with people who take college classes.”

  Jostens staff gets students ready and very excited for graduation. They provide many choices to make senior year just right.

   Photo cards, senior apparel, announcements and graduation packages are just some of the things that can be purchased. Jostens gets seniors ready to look and perform perfectly for graduation.

   Staff members come to the school at the beginning of the school year to get pumped up and excited to graduate. They show slide shows on all the different packages you can acquisition.

   Jostens is an awesome system for students to get ready for graduation, and get them off to college. 

Students Speak up about Soda

Opinion

By Lauren Westrick  

Husky Herald Reporter   

 Studies show that about one in four teenagers in the United States drink pop every day.  The question posed is whether or not pop should be sold here at Northern.

   While some argue that students should not have the option of buying pop at school, others believe they are old enough to be making their own decisions.

   “Pop should be allowed in schools as an option to drink for staff and students alike,” said Mr. Black.

   Black believes students should have the ability to make the choice for themselves.  

“We should also educate our students on healthy options so they can make their own decisions.  Plus, I love Coca Cola,” said Black.

   Another reason why people think pop should be sold at school is because they enjoy drinking it.  Some students are going to drink pop no matter what, so the school might as well make a profit out of it. 

   “I love pop, so I think it should be sold at school,” said Tori Fenner (’15)

   On the other hand, many students feel that pop should not be sold at school because of its high sugar content.  They argue that schools should not be promoting unhealthy choices.

   “I don’t think that pop should be sold here because it is so unhealthy and gross.  There is already a problem with obesity in America and I think that allowing students to have easy access to pop at school every day would just add to the problem,” said Christen McMath (’15). 

   Another major concern some had is the effect it could have on students in the classroom. 

   “Imagine how hyper everyone would get from all that caffeine,” said Hannah Majeske (’14).

   Majeske believes if students were to drink pop at school they would get a sugar rush and then crash.

   “I do not think selling pop here would be a good idea because it is unhealthy and would make it more difficult for students to focus in class,” said Majeske.
    The opinions here at Northern vary widely on the matter.  Some believe that pop is unhealthy and should not even be an option for students, and others believe that students should be able to make that decision for themselves. 

Northern Hockey Team Shoots for State Finals

Sports

By Payton Schieman   

Husky Herald Reporter   

   Last year the Port Huron Northern Hockey team lost in the semifinals in Overtime.

   “It was a tough loss last year to come that close and not make it. It really hurts," said Brenden Shagena ('15).

   “I think we should be back to where we were in states last year. We are going to have to put in a lot more hard work into achieving that goal this year but as long as we give it the effort there’s no reason we can’t reach that goal” Shagena continued.

   The Hockey team has its home opener on Thursday November 21^st, where they will start off against Detroit Catholic Central.

   When asked what his favorite part of playing for Northern was, Shagena stated, “Definitely the team and the atmosphere. I love my team, and there couldn't be a better group of guys to play hockey with. Northern hockey has a rich history and it’s an honor to be a part of the Northern hockey family”.

  Asking him also about how he expects the year to go, Brenden stated “I am really excited to play this year! We should have a great team and hopefully we can bring home a state title! Even though we lost a couple of seniors, we are looking good this year so far”.

   Jake Schott ('15), talking about his teammates, stated, “Losing our goalie from last year is going to be tough, but we have another good one this year, and as a defense man, I’ll try to help him out as much as I can.”

   “The atmosphere in the locker room is the best! It’s like we are a family; all of us get along great. It is an honor to play for this team, and hopefully we can bring home the state title!” said Schott.

   It sounds like it’s going to be another great year from our hockey team. Hopefully the fans will go out and cheer them on so they can bring home that state title!

   “If we won the state title, words can’t explain the happiness I would feel, and they couldn't explain the emotion that the team and I would feel. That would be more than a dream come true for all of us!” said Shagena.

  

  

     

Evaluating Teachers Unjustly

Opinion

By Thomas Saura 

Husky Herald Reporter

   Port Huron Northern is a school that prides itself on its effective and high quality teachers. From the new-blooming teachers getting their chance to shine to the educators with the strongest tenure that can be achieved, Port Huron Northern has a wide selection of the brightest teachers in our area.

   To get and maintain the job as an effective teacher can be quite challenging, however. From creating rigorous assessments to challenge students to developing engaging teaching strategies, it is no surprise that a teacher’s job can go from a near promise to a lost dream in a matter of a confusing lesson plan.

   That is why the new evaluation process, implicated last year, has become such a problem for teachers recently. It is a new piece of adversity for all teachers to face, with the fear of a target on their back, it is no wonder why most teachers are on the edge of panic and paranoia disorders.

   So who decides these decisions that could result in a life-changing event for all teachers, tenure applied or not? What comes into play during these evaluations? What decides whether a teacher is considered ‘effective’ or not?

   The evaluation process is a strict rating system on many of areas teachers are supposed to focus on. Some points include: creating a positive working environment, including entrance/exit passes into lesson plans, and the most dreaded of all – keeping students engaged.

    Let’s face it, it is not a ride up easy street trying to fully engage 32 students while having to juggle lesson plans, grading, answering questions, among other responsibilities that teachers are delegated to. It is easy for us students to forget how the little things we do can create a large impact on a teacher’s evaluation.

   Yes, we impact the evaluation and it is a larger impact than one would think. Next time you are in a classroom with an evaluator, notice they are not just taking notes on the teacher, but on you. Every time you pick up that water bottle as the teacher is discussing what y = mx +b, you are not engaged. Every time you look off into the corner of the room, you are not engaged.

   Little things like this that slip over our minds, and that teachers just do not have the time to stop during a lesson to correct, are the things that could possibly put teacher’s positions into jeopardy. Does this sound fair and just? I do not believe so.

   Not every teacher is superhuman; they have just as many responsibilities as these evaluators, just in different forms. I believe the evaluation system needs to be cut back, for the sake of the teachers who are beloved for their personalities and teaching strategies, that are effective because the student says so, not a piece of paper.