Coffee gives the students energy to tackle the day

Feature
By Corey Wilczynski
Husky Herald Reporter

  A morning coffee is one of the most important parts of a student's morning, or so they think. It’s what helps a student get through the day after staying up late doing homework or working.

  Does coffee really help a student in the morning or is it just in their head? A few students did a test to see if it  really helps.

  Four students did an experiment to see the difference between a morning with coffee and a morning without coffee.

  “I never go anywhere in the morning without some coffee, I always get my coffee from Tim Hortons.  I tried going one morning without coffee and I couldn’t concentrate at all. I was dozing off and was crabby all day,” Jacob Schroeder (‘16).

  Bo Devroy had a different experience. “I usually don’t drink coffee in the morning but I tried it one morning. My coffee from Tim Hortons didn’t help me concentrate, it really did nothing for me, that's why I normally don't drink it,” Bo Devroy (‘16).

  It has been back and forth between students. Some say it helps some say it does absolutely nothing.

  “I normally don’t drink coffee in the morning but when I do I feel it does help me concentrate, I feel like I am more focused and awake when I do drink it. I either get my coffee from Tim Hortons or Speedy Q,” Adam Cook (‘16)

  “I definitely drink coffee in the mornings after a long night at work. It really does help me concentrate. I tried not drinking it and all I could think about was going home so I could sleep, I make my own coffee at home I normally don’t go out to get one unless I’m running late,” Zach Helton (‘16).

   This experiment found that the students that normally drink it in the morning can’t go without it and that non coffee drinkers were not affected by it. Many drink coffee in the mornings and maybe they really don't need to, but it all depends on the student.

Flannel becomes the fashion trend on Fridays

Feature
By Paige Rodgers
Husky Herald Reporter

Flannel Friday has become a popular event at Port Huron Northern. Celebrated every single Friday, the event has attracted a group of loyal participants.

  Evan Kercher (‘16) became a trendsetter and admin for the group by proudly sporting a flannel to school on Fridays as a way to express his happiness and appreciation for flannels and Fridays simultaneously. “I think it’s the most iconic thing Evan Kercher has created.” Owen Louks (‘16) said.

  The movement began in the 2013-2014 school year at PHN. “I had a couple flannels and I had just bought a flannel vest from Goodwill and I wanted to show off the vest so I wore it on a Friday. Then I continued to wear a flannel every Friday and people noticed and joined.” Kercher said.

  Flannel Friday is out of pure fun and there’s no real reason to do it other than to celebrate the fact that it is Friday and to show off some flannels that otherwise go neglected any other day of the week. “Flannel Friday is fun, I usually participate.” Ben Steary (‘16)  said.

  Kercher has created a Remind 101 to remind those involved to wear their flannels. To join, one must send the text  `@flannel to the number 81010 and reminders and updates will automatically be sent to those who have joined. 50 loyal members have accumulated in the Remind 101 since its creation.

  Flannel Friday is a group activity and something anyone can become a part of. “Flannel Friday brings students together and it’s something to participate in.” Louks said.

  In the midst of the joys of Flannel Friday, a rivalrous few attempted to establish Flannel Tuesday in rebellion. “Imitators tried to start Flannel Tuesday but it never really caught on. I believe imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Kercher said.

  If there’s ever an occasion to bust out a flannel and show it off, it might as well be on a Friday. Chances are, if you look around PHN on a Friday, you’re bound to see the unmistakable print and fabric of flannel somewhere.

Northern Moves AP Testing to Baker College

Feature
By Sophia Ahmed
Husky Herald Reporter

 Port Huron Northern has recently changed its Advanced Placement (AP) class testing location from the Auxiliary Gym to Baker College in attempt to improve testing environment.  There has been a mixed reaction to this change, with most being a negative response.

  “I was confused when I first heard about the change and now I am just frustrated,” said Margaret Smith (‘17).

  There are arguments to support both sides.

  On one hand, testing at Baker College is a major inconvenience in terms of transportation, especially those with no drivers license.  While the school is providing busing, students still have to get up earlier than usual, which will cause them to lose the crucial sleep they need the night before the exam.

  In addition, most students seem to think that changing a testing location won’t change the test scores-- for PSAT testing, some students were testing in the Auxiliary Gym while others were testing in classrooms.  Selected scores indicated no correlation to testing locations, students received scores of above 90th percentile both in and out of the Auxiliary Gym.

  Administrators first changed the location of the test due to parent complaints regarding “lighting and ventilation,” according to Mr. Barden. Instead of focusing on environment, successful AP students say that their peers should focus on their studying habits.

  Despite student frustration over the location change, most do appreciate the effort that the school has made to accommodate the concerns expressed. “I do understand why they did it, I would just appreciate if they took our opinions into consideration before the change,” said Andrea Johnson (‘17).

  However, not all testing is going to be at Baker College.  

  AP 2D and 3D Art students compile a portfolio of their previous assignments to send to the College Board before the May deadline. AP classes that were self studied are also being administered at Northern and late exams are not going to take place at Baker College either.

  Most students are concerned over how they will have to get up earlier and how the will be in an unfamiliar environment. “I hope that the school will reconsider their stance on the Baker College testing location, I would really appreciate it and I’m sure a lot of other students will too,” said Johnson.

Following Phone Policy at Northern

Feature
By Allie Wight
Husky Herald Reporter

  All of the classrooms in Port Huron Northern are supposed to abide by the rules laid out by the  Port Huron Area School District in the student code handbook. This handbook includes a wide range of policies that are to be followed by both students and teachers at Northern.

  In the Electronic Communication Devices section of the handbook, it is stated that “Students may possess a cell phone in school, on school property, at after-school activities, on a school bus and at school-related functions, but students may not use cell phones or other personal technology during class time at school unless it is approved by the teacher for appropriate educational purposes.”

  I think that just about every student at Northern would agree that the amount of students who follow that rule is slim to none. There also are not many teachers who enforce this rule.

  In some ways, I think it is understandable that some teachers do not see it completely necessary to comply with the rules, because if a student is on his or her phone the whole class period and therefore does not learn anything, they will have to suffer the consequences. This will help to teach the student a sense of responsibility for him or herself

  I think the school district handbook is too strict in stating that students can’t use their phones for anything in class with the exception of using it for educational purposes.

  There are times in class when the teacher issues a “free day” or a day for make-up work, and some students are already all caught up. In this situation, I think that students who have all of their work done should be allowed to use their phones to text or play games at their own discretion.

  The handbook also states that “Cell phones must be turned off during class time unless approved by the teacher for educational purposes. Ringing, buzzing, and/or vibrating or any interruption of class due to cell phone use/misuse is prohibited.”

  I disagree with this only because I do not believe that phones have to be completely turned off. I think they should be on for emergency purposes.

  However, cell phones should be silent so that they don’t distract other students. The biggest concern involving technology use during class is distraction, but moderation is key in combating this problem.

  

Northern Choir Sings at MSVMA

News
By Lia Roberts
Husky Herald Reporter

  Northern’s Mixed Chorus and Concert Choir went to the MSVMA (Michigan School Vocal Music Association) festival on March 14th at Dakota High School. Both received Division 1 “Excellent ratings” and are qualified for State competition.

  Choir members were so excited when they found out their rating. They screamed while jumping up and down with joy.

  Both choirs had to learn two contrasting pieces, including one piece that was composed in a foreign language. Additionally, each choir had to sight-read a piece of music that is the same level of the two contrasting pieces.

  “I was nervous at first and thought I would mess up or fall off the risers. In the end, both choirs did well and were professional,” Morgan Weeks (‘17) said. Others admitted they were nervous and sick to their stomachs before festival.

  Not everyone was nervous though. “Mrs. Palazzolo did an outstanding job at preparing us for festival,” Kaitlyn Ware (‘18) said.

  This is Mrs. Palazzolo’s first year teaching here at Northern and everyone in the choir agrees that she is the best teacher there is. “Mrs. Palazzolo has done a lot for us this year and it’s more than any teacher has ever done,” Shane Labadie (‘17) said.

  Labadie is not the only one who believes they have grown as a choir. “I am very proud of the choir program, and we can only go up from here,” said Garret McVay (‘16).

  Both choirs will be attending the State competition, hosted at Marysville High School in April.

  Some choir members have never gone to States before and are excited. “I think we will do great. It’ll be a fun experience even if we don’t win,” Milo King (‘18) said.

  Choir president, Kayla Webster (‘16), has a good feeling about States. “We did a great job at festival. I am not worried about States because Mrs. Palazzolo is going to lead us to success as usual.” said Webster.

The switch between ACT to SAT

Feature
By Pagie Rodgers
Husky Herald Reporter

  The sudden switch from the ACT to the SAT standardized testing has sparked quite a controversy amongst students at Port Huron Northern.

  As of 2016, high school juniors from all across Michigan will be required to take the SAT, opposed to the ACT

  Colleges require a score from applicants from either one test or both. The differences between the two tests lies in the format and scoring system.

  “The ACT and SAT help students to start planning outpost secondary education.” Alexx Landacre (‘16) said.

  The math and evidence, reading, and writing portions of the SAT are scored on a scale from 200-800, and the composite score is calculated from both sections and ranges from 400-1600. Meanwhile, the composite ACT is scored on a 1-36 based on the average between all four sections of English, Reading, Math and Science.

  The cause for the controversy is students feel as if they have been prepared for the ACT their whole lives, and suddenly that preparation will not matter.

  Other sparks of controversy stem from standardized testing in general. “I think it’s a good idea for colleges to get an idea of how students do in school, but I don’t think the SAT/ACT are a good way to do it.” Mikaela Dobel (‘17) said.

  “The tests adds unneeded stress and anxiety. Also, some people are good at taking tests and not school in general or vice versa,” said Dobel.

  The cause for the change from the ACT to the SAT is because SAT scores are more widely accepted by colleges and the scores are thought to be more accurate.

  Despite the sudden switch, students have taken the initiative to prepare themselves for the SAT. “I’ve been preparing for the SAT with the SAT Question of the Day app,” Ellie Kolar (‘17) said.

  Students can still take the ACT if they wish, however they must pay a fee of up to 62 dollars, and they must take it on their own time.

  No matter what test is being administered, all students are wished the best of luck on their SAT and/or the ACT from Port Huron Northern staff and fellow students.

Finding a career that fits every student

Feature
By Karson Schenk
Husky Herald Reporter

  Finding a career can be hard. Especially when the pressures of finding a college to suit that career looms ahead as high school life comes to an end. Many students go beyond the basic career cruising to highly regarded career and personality tests; ranging from pathfinder 2.0 to buzzfeed and zodiac career tests.

   “I plan on becoming a veterinarian.”  Abbey Kern (‘16) said. “I love animals and I feel like it’s the career for me.” Finding a career that you enjoy and suits your personality is key.

  If you are not sure about a career for you, according to Kiplinger online magazine, the top college degrees to pursue in 2015 and 2016 are; 10. Nursing 9. Actuarial Mathematics 8. Civil Engineering 7.Statistics 6. Physics 5.Finance 4. Economics 3. Software engineering 2. Management information systems 1. Computer science

  When you get an idea of what you want to do, it is still possible that it might not be for you. Be sure to do lots of research about what majors would be best for that career as well as  the average starting salary in relation to the cost of your tuition.

“I really like reading people’s essays and critiquing them.” Holly Hall (‘16) said.  “That’s why I’ve decided to try to become an editor.”

  Don’t worry if you still can’t decide when it comes time for college, 80% of students end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

  On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career. Also, many colleges accept undergraduates that are “Undecided” this gives them the first year to get the basic classes out of the way and decide on a major.  

  This can also be a bonus, college admissions see the willingness to discover new things as an positive edge on your application. “I have no idea what I want to do.” Sarah Dobrowski (‘17) said. “But there are tons of resources for me to figure it all out.”

“I plan on being an illustrator” AP Art student Briana Johnson (‘16) said.  Another reference for unsure students is College Board’s Big Future, stating that the hottest jobs of 2018 are elementary school teachers, accountants,secondary school teachers, and computer system analysts. Each with the highest demand in their fields.

Northern offers free meals to all students

Feature
By Sophia Ahmed
Husky Herald Reporter

At the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, Port Huron Northern began to offer its students free breakfast and lunch as a part of a district wide income-based program.  From pancakes to salad, food was free not only for those who qualified for the free and reduced program, but for all students.

 “Before this program came into place, I never really thought about eating breakfast at school, but now it’s become part of my routine,” said Maddie Luke (‘17).  The breakfast choices that the school offers are both healthy and tasty, according to First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.

 Mrs. Obama played a large role in getting the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act to pass through Congress, and now Port Huron Northern gets to see its effects.

  Breakfast foods consist of a wide array of options including sandwiches, warm food, pop tarts (low fat, of course), and much more. Students are also required to take some sort of fruit, this can be in the form of juice or just a piece of fruit.

 Students must take something from each of the food group requirements in order to qualify for the free food, and these food groups are based of of Michelle Obama’s food plate, which notoriously replaced the food pyramid in 2011.  Like many around the country, the students of Northern were not pleased with this change.

  “I was born and  raised learning about the pyramid, not some plate. I was so disturbed by this change-- bring back the pyramid,” said Abhishek Tekemulla (‘17).

  Besides this change in food proportions, students are enjoying the luxuries of free food not only for breakfast but also for lunch. The lunch selection is even more diverse than that of breakfast’s and includes some unique selections that change every day.

  “The broth bowl was a cool addition to the lunch selection,” said Marissa Hartman (‘17).  These bowls include the options of either vegetable or chicken broth, a wide choice of vegetables, and chicken.

  No matter their position on Michelle Obama’s new food plate, the students of Port Huron Northern seem to be enjoying the free breakfasts and lunches that the school has begun to offer.

PHN Drama Club presents Singin’ In The Rain

Entertainment
By Bridget Dooley
Husky Herald Reporter

  On the weekend of March 17th, the Port Huron Northern Drama Club presented their spring musical, Singin’ In The Rain.

  Singing in the Rain is a humorous show about a young T.V. actor named Don Lockwood and his ventures in the movie-making business, as movies transition from silent films to talking pictures. In the midst of his efforts, he falls in love with an aspiring actress, Kathy Selden.

  However, this threatens Lockwood’s career due to his existent fake relationship with his current co-star for publicity. This love story kept the audience on the edge of their seats, and appealed to all ages.

     With hours and hours a week being dedicated to practice, the director, Mrs. Renee Barr, works tirelessly to address any questions and concerns.

  Mrs. Barr has 35 years of theater experience, and this is her 9th year directing the PHN drama club.

“My favorite part of directing is that I get to do a little of everything, ” Mrs. Barr said, “I love the idea of being involved in all aspects of the theater.”

  She is adored by the students of the drama club. “Working with Mrs. Barr is a dream come true, she is an absolute angel.” said Gillian Bolt (‘16), the actress who plays the main antagonist of the musical.

  PHN drama club is a tight-knit community and has a high reputation for putting on extremely professional shows. Most of the actors have incredible theater experience.

      Brady Esterline (‘16), who acts as Don Lockwood, has been in theater for 10 years. Elizabeth Dewey (‘19), who acts as Kathy Seldon, has been involved with theatre in the local Civic Theater, school shows, and has a youtube channel dedicated to her singing.

     The showtimes were Thursday March 17th, 11:00am and 7:00pm, Friday March 18th, 9:00am and 7:00pm, Saturday March 19th, 2:00pm and 7:00pm, and Sunday March 20th, 2:00pm. Ticket prices were $8 for students and seniors, and $10 for adults

As the Weather changes, Winter Sports come to a close

Sports
By Robbie Bacheller
Husky Herald Reporter

  Sporting events have a way to speed up the cold winter.

  PHN has competitive teams in a wide variety of sports. Northern has the traditional sports including boys and girls basketball, boys and girls hockey, bowling, and wrestling.

  But some of the lesser known teams are boys swim and dive, competitive cheer, figure skating, and girls gymnastics. And don’t forget about the quiz bowl team.

  The ultimate goal of these varsity sports is to make it to state competition. Before this can be achieved, teams need to get past districts and regionals. On February 26th, the Lady Huskies basketball team defeated Romeo to become the MAC Red champions and then beat them again in the district finals.

  In the alley, our bowling team has been striking out opponents all season long. “We had a pretty solid year. The 10-2 record was a step up from last year. We fell short of making states, but we won the MAC White,” said captain Chris Baunoch (‘16).

  The success didn't come quite as easily to the wrestling team, however. “I mean we did alright, bro. But yeah there is definitely room for improvement next year,” said Brennan Coleman (‘17).

  On the ice, the Port Huron Northern hockey team is grinding out their season, posting a 7-17-1 record. “We've handled the local area teams pretty well; the big name schools in Detroit give us our most trouble, said captain Colton Fockler (‘16). He also noted that the team’s “depth” and roster “loaded with young talent” will lead to good things in the future.

  The winter sport here at Northern that draws the largest crowds is boys basketball, coached by Brian Jamison. After doubling their win total from one year ago, the team’s season can be deemed a success. But the team believes they can do more than that.

  “Our goal is to finish the season strong to make a run deep into the playoffs,” said Billy Fealko (‘17).

  With only a handful of games remaining on the schedules of PHN’s winter sports teams, there is no time to be wasted. Hopefully the countless hours spent at practice will  lead to championships and rewards for Husky Athletics.