10.30.
2009 haslett high school 5450 marsh road haslett mi 48840
REVELATIONS rock community
by emma CLAUCHERTY & elizabeth YOUNG
The room buzzes urgently with a life that only comes from the
presence of public scandal. Chatter echoes through the large hall.
Five TV cameras and three news reporters are here to cover the
school board meeting. Students are here, teachers are here, parents
are here, alumni are here. Every seat is filled and latecomers are
forced to stand against the walls and sit on the floor.
The meeting is called to order. Superintendant Mike Duda begins
his statement.
“Good evening, everyone. To begin with, I’d like to thank, on the
behalf of the Haslett Board of Education and the district’s administra-
tion, everyone here who has decided to come here today. I want to
take a few minutes to talk with you about what’s likely on many of
your minds this evening and then we’ll listen to your concerns.”
Duda pauses.
“I can tell you straight off that I’m angry and upset about what
happened two years ago.”
It’s 7 p.m. on Monday, October 26. The Haslett board meeting
is set to address the inappropriate actions of five Haslett teachers
revealed in a Michigan Messenger story and later the Lansing State
Journal. According to the LSJ, a 90-page police report describes the
incident that occurred in June 2007. The report includes details of
excessive drinking, drug usage and drunk shaming. No charges were
ever filed in the case. The shock over this event has pulsed through
the community since the first article came out and continues to be a
highly discussed topic.
STUDENT REACTIONS
Senior John Jess had heard murmurs about the article towards the
end of school on the day the article was published. He read it online
later that night.
“I was kinda surprised actually, because I had heard there was
a scandal but I didn’t know what it was about,” Jess said. “Then I
read about it and I was pretty surprised our teachers would be doing
something like that. I was a little bit in shock.”
Astonishment and disbelief reverberated among the students when
they saw highly regarded teachers behaving in such a way.
“These were the people who are our role models. These are the
people who are supposed to be setting a good example for us,” soph-
omore Lauren Choi said.
Even though their views were changed, other students had a less
severe opinion.
“You do look at them in a different light because you know their
business,” junior Dave Sheets said. “But I’m not one to judge.”
Others said these teachers should not be judged by the actions they
take outside the classroom.
“My perspective of the teachers hasn’t really changed,” Jess said. “I
feel they are still good teachers and what they did outside of school
shouldn’t really reflect on how they act inside of school. They’re go-
ing to teach one way and if they are going to behave in an inappropri-
ate manner outside of school, that’s their choice and it shouldn’t affect
how we think of them as teachers.”
Some students are sympathetic toward these teachers because their
Timeline Of Events
June 8, 2007
March 2008
Six teachers
Haslett files for
involved in drunk
police report.
shaming incident.
lives have been exposed to criticism.
“The way I see it is that it’s their
business. It’s outside of school,” Sheets
said. “I feel it sucks because when teach-
ers hear about kids doing bad things, they
will know about it, but they won’t be talk-
ing about it. They won’t throw it in the kid’s
face. But right now, that’s kinda happened to
the teachers. It’s being thrown in their faces.”
The school has been a hot item in the media
recently and not in a positive way. Many students
find it sad that their school is receiving so much
negative attention.
“It didn’t really have anything to do with
school,” Choi said. “It was in the summer and it
was not on school property or anything. I didn’t
think it should be associated with our school as
much as it has been.”
Jess believes the media attention brought to
the school has been unfortunate and unfair.
“Even though it’s bringing attention to
Haslett, it’s not good attention that were get-
ting,” Jess said. “Even though it’s only five
teachers, people who don’t know Haslett will
see these teachers had a scandal and they will
think badly on all of Haslett.”
Many people have never dealt with this
type of shock in their lives. Principal Bart
Wegenke is sad that students have had to
endure the controversy for the past two
weeks.
“School’s hard enough and now all of
a sudden the students have to deal with
a situation that was caused by five or six,
six or seven teachers,” Wegenke said. “I
feel like I need to guard them against
that and unfortunately, I couldn’t.”
STAFF REACTIONS
Despite being unaware and unin-
volved, many Haslett teachers have
experienced the effects of this incident
on the school.
“It’s the other people who weren’t in-
volved that are getting pulled into this
as well. And you know, I don’t like
that,” Wegenke said. “It’s Haslett teach-
ers, instead of just the five or six. And
you know, I think that some of our
folks, both in this building and around
the district, are being faced with some
of that, and I’m sad for them. They’re
October 13, 2009
6:48 a.m.
October 29, 2009
Haslett District Schools
Michigan receives redacted
Messenger publishes police report.
story about the incident.
volume 15 issue 2
not even involved. But because it’s Haslett
teachers, everybody gets lumped into it. Be-
cause it’s Haslett Public Schools, we all are
affected by this.”
Many teachers find it unfortunate the en-
tire school district has been hurt by something
that did not directly involve everyone.
“It’s very embarrassing. There’s no question
about that and I really don’t necessarily think
it’s fair,” social studies teacher Bradley Brunner
said. “I really think that Haslett, without a doubt, is
a wonderful institution.”
“I do think it’s been a black eye,” math teacher Rog-
er Lawrence said. “Getting bad publicity is certainly
not good for our school district or community.”
Many teachers felt the same disbelief and raw shock
as their students after reading the article.
“I don’t think my reaction was any different than the
student reaction that I heard,” Brunner said. “Everyone
seemed to be pretty shocked. I think I felt the same as
anyone else did.”
Rattled by the behaviors displayed by their colleagues,
some teachers were also stunned by the content and for-
mat of the Michigan Messenger story.
“I was surprised at the graphic nature of the pictures,
and I was surprised the article named names of people
that did not have much involvement,” Lawrence said. “I
didn’t understand why the Michigan Messenger had to
name all the names. It appeared to me that the reporter
may have been writing it the way they did and naming
the names to get a reaction.”
Brunner decided to discuss the incident with his stu-
dents to discourage the start of false rumors.
“I knew as soon as students started talking about it,
the rumors would spread and there would be prob-
lems after that,” Brunner said.
Deciding what to say to the students was another
thing on the minds of many teachers—what to say,
how to say it and if it should be said.
“The day after the article came out, I spent as
much time needed discussing the issues at hand,”
Brunner said. “Mr. Wegenke had mentioned to
the teachers if students bring the issue up then
you can talk about it. We spent as much time
as needed discussing the student issues and
concerns for what had happened. For (the
students), it is something very sensitive and
they were very concerned about it.”
Brunner understands the disappointment
of many students after learning about their
see REACTIONS page 2
October 26, 2009
7:00 P.M
Haslett Board of Education
meeting. Supt. Duda reads
statement. Public comments are
made.
2 October 30, 2009
REACTIONS
from page 1
teachers’ behavior.
“I think students have a different perspective of teachers than they do
the average community member,” Brunner said. “I think that can be said
for any person that was ever a student. They have a different perspective
of teachers than they do other individuals.”
Lawrence believes it’s unfair to judge anybody by looking at one par-
ticular event.
“I’m really not sure if my opinion has changed a whole lot on any of
them,” Lawrence said. “My opinion is not based on one action or one
behavior.”
Despite being nonjudgmental, Brunner believes that teachers are held
to a higher standard of behavior as public figures.
“Logically, the overall nature of the profession requires a different kind
of responsibility because you are expected to be a role model,” Brunner
said. “Just as if a police officer was doing something against the law. If
he was doing that in public, it would show a certain disregard for the
law more so than the average citizen breaking the law. Public officials in
general are held to a different standard.”
PARENT REACTIONS
As parents and community members approach the podium one by
one at the board meeting, the room swells with tense anticipation. Each
of them is limited to three minutes of speaking time and all of their vary-
ing opinions will be heard.
Parent Steve Lampman feels teachers are responsible for fulfilling a
role that parents can’t while their children are at school.
“I have an expectation that as a parent, I’ll be a role model for my
children,” Lampman said. “And I want to choose to send my children to
the public schools—and I can’t be there six, eight hours of the day—that
they’re in front of other role models. So I do have a high expectation and
high standards that teachers will recognize that responsibility.”
But the concern for standards doesn’t stop there. Other parents feel
that there has been a lack of action on the school board’s part, a lack of
action that communicates an ambiguous message to students.
“I find myself in this odd situation where it seems that there is one set
of standards for the students and what apparently seems to the students
to be another set of standards for the teachers and staff,” parent Carol
Mader said.
Parent Jan Wellemeyer, on the other hand, is a firm believer in get-
ting to know the involved teachers’ side of the story. When it is her
turn to speak at the podium, she cautions others against rushing to form
opinions.
“I really needed to just say, anyone who has never made a poor
choice, anyone who has never made a wrong decision ever, anyone who
has never done that, you can stand up here and you can judge these
people,” Wellemeyer said.
And then there are parents whose opinions lie between the middle of
the two extremes. On one hand, they feel that the teachers need to be
held accountable. On the other hand, they view the incident as old news
that shouldn’t be dwelt upon.
“We’re talking about something that happened two years ago,” parent
Joe Walsh said. “So, maybe we should just, if we could possibly do it,
have them undergo the adult equivalent of taking them out to the wood-
shed and sending them to bed without their supper and grounding them
for a couple weeks.”
Walsh said the teachers have undergone a level of scrutiny that many
people have not. He feels there should be less focus on potential punish-
ments for the teachers and more on how students can learn from their
example.
“Did [the teachers] do something wrong?” Walsh said. “Absolutely.
Should they pay the rest of their lives for it? No.
“So…maybe we can turn this around and have them say to these kids,
‘Look, see why you shouldn’t do this?’”
THE INVOLVED
For the past two weeks, teachers Tim Beebe and Brian Town have
had to face a community staring straight at their personal mistakes. Both
teachers were mentioned in the online article regarding the June 2007
incident.
Beebe and Town both addressed their classes the day after the article
came out.
“At the end of class I was like, ‘All right, everybody sit down and we
need to talk about this.’ And I’m glad I did,” Town said. “Then after that,
I did that at the beginning of each hour. And it was a relief for me and I
think it was a relief for the students.
“I think it was a good lesson for them too, to know that bad decisions
can wreak havoc on anybody. I mean, look what it did to the commu-
nity, look what it did to me. It’s been hard to walk around, but I think
it was a good lesson for them. I mean, I told them, ‘Whenever you get
in a situation like that, I want you to think about me.’ And I think they
took that to heart.”
In addition to teaching their students a lesson, both teachers openly
apologized to all of their students.
“The first thing I did was apologize that they have to deal with all
(this),” Beebe said. “I guess my biggest thing was, I didn’t want there to
be an elephant in the room even for one day. I feel like having some-
thing that everyone knows about, but doesn’t want to talk about makes it
uncomfortable for them. I’m going to be uncomfortable regardless; that’s
just something I have to deal with. But I don’t want my students have to
go though that.”
Beebe went on to explain to students that the building is for them and
not for the teachers.
“I apologized that there is such a negative light on this whole thing,”
Beebe said. “Hopefully it’s not impacting their experience here. Hope-
fully they understand people make mistakes. I just try to turn it into a
learning tool for them. I just say you can get in a situation, and you think
you’re having fun. And then things get too far and you have to think
about all possible consequences before you make decisions. I try to ex-
plain we all make mistakes and none of us are perfect.”
Beebe wants his students to know the controversy surrounding that
night has not affected his teaching.
“We want to let the kids know we’re not bad people,” Beebe said.
“We’re good teachers. We’ve taught for two and a half years since this
happened. Nobody knew any different and then all of a sudden the min-
ute the article comes out…(That) doesn’t change the type of person that
you are.”
Town finds it unfortunate that people have labeled these teachers as
unsafe.
“I just think it’s sad that the day before the story came out, we were safe
and good role models for you guys,” Town said. “And the day after the
story came out, we weren’t.”
The few teachers involved in the June 2007 incident have been ex-
posed to public scrutiny of the highest degree. Blog messages and TV
interviews rant back and forth in support or protest of the involved teach-
ers. Wegenke is aware of the contradictions.
“I think professionally, you have good people that are involved in it.
They are good people,” Wegenke said. “The perception is, that they’re
not good people and by not being good people, that means they’re not
good teachers. And so, for me it’s difficult. How do you change percep-
tion?”
The community’s perceptions of these teachers have been divided right
down the middle. Not knowing who disdains and who supports has been
difficult for those involved.
“The only thing that was difficult was trying to come into school…the
last two weeks, trying to go around to the community, wondering who
hates me,” Town said. “I mean, that’s been hard.”
Beebe and Town feel nothing but remorse for what this has done to the
community and school district.
“I think the worst part about it is that some people are trying to equate
that night or what was in the Michigan Messenger to how Haslett is as a
whole and how you guys are or how we are with you guys,” Town said.
“And I think that’s the worst part for me because I…care more about (my
students) in the school than anybody. I mean…more than I do myself.”
They also regret the attention the administration has had to devote to
this issue.
“(One of the worst parts) of course is the embarrassment of the school
district, and the fact that the administrators and school board have to deal
with this is also difficult to watch,” Beebe said. “I have to watch them not
focus on their daily jobs and have to deal with this stuff.”
Beebe and Town were also confronted with the anger and concern of
some parents, though not directly.
“No parents have come to me personally,” Town said. “But I know
probably the administration has had parents complain, but I haven’t had
anybody come up to me. I just wonder when that’s going to happen.”
Wegenke has been approached by parents who expressed concern
and anger about having their children taught by people who were in-
volved in the drunk shaming incident.
“I understand that parents see this as unprofessional and a real black
eye to our community,” Wegenke said. “I also try to say to them, ‘Look,
day to day, these teachers are still being effective in these classrooms.
They’re still putting their best foot forward and they’re giving 110 percent
or more to these kids.”
On the other side of the spectrum, both Beebe and Town have received
immense support from students, former students and other parents.
“I’ve gotten numerous text messages, emails, cards in the mail from
former basketball players, parents of players, parents of students I’ve had
in class who’ve all been extremely supportive,” Beebe said. “Nothing but
kind words.”
Town’s students have been among his strongest advocates.
“The students have been amazing. They have been probably the most
supportive out of anybody,” Town said. “If you walk into my classes…it’s
like it was any other day.”
During the school board meeting, a few HHS alumni speak to the
board in support of their former teachers.
“Our main reason for being here is to support Brian Town,” alum and
current TV22 employee Andrew Izzo said. “I think that he’s just an out-
standing person and has been such a large impact on my life and many of
my friends’ lives and just so many kids, students, adults, everybody.”
Several of Beebe and Town’s former students spoke of how these teach-
ers inspired and supported them throughout their high school careers.
“I was able to play basketball for Tim Beebe for two years and coached
Hoop Camp with him for three. He was a great coach. He’s a great
teacher, good person,” Caitlyn Haas said. “The second person, Town, I
was in class with him for two years. I was part of the 2007 telethon, spent
hours in that studio working with him. He’s an amazing individual. He’s
done great things for this district, for the community. I think nobody can
news
Drunk shaming not a joke
Lauren Allswede, MSU Sexual Assault Program
advocacy coordinator, gives insight into practice
by bailey MCMILLAN
WHAT IS DRUNK SHAMING?
“Drunk shaming is… anytime someone
draws on another person who is drunk or
passed out for the purpose of humiliating
them and causing shame,” Allswede said.
It’s usually done with a group of people at a
party or social activity.
WHO IS AFFECTED?
High school and college students are the most
frequently involved in drunk shaming inci-
dents. Many of these incidents are targeted
towards gay, lesbian and transgender youth.
CONSEQUENCES
“Drunk shaming is considered a battery.
Depending on where the drawings are, drunk
shaming can be considered sexual contact
and conduct,” Allswede said. “Emotionally and
psychologically, it can be a very serious trauma
for a lot of people, waking up and finding out
people have touched your body and drawn on
you inappropriately and humiliated you.”
AVOID IT
Drunk shaming can be prevented by not
drawing, shaming or humiliating other
people when they’re passed out.
argue with that.”
MOVING ON
Nothing has stirred the Haslett community in recent history like the
Michigan Messenger article has. The question now becomes, when will
the community put this event in the past and move on?
“This community, it’s strong. It’s strong. You don’t get to be the
42nd best community in the United States because you don’t persevere,
because you don’t rise above things that may be negative,” Wegenke said.
“I’m confident this community is going to rise above this and I believe
that everybody that was either directly or indirectly involved in this will
become better, as a result of this.”
How does the school and school district earn back the trust of the
community?
“I think consistency of our delivery as a school district and how we’re
providing the best possible instruction to our students each and every
day,” Wegenke said. “How we continue to involve parents and our com-
munity into our schools. I think that level of consistency over time will
prove that we’ve overcome this hurdle, this event and we’ve begun to
heal or have healed.”
Town believes getting past this event means focusing on the positive.
“It’s something I try to tell the kids about all the time,” Town said. “The
only reason that you’re struggling with something is because you think it’s
bad and it’s never as bad. And so, it’s a matter of getting your head in the
right place and focusing on today.”
Duda wraps up his official statement at the board meeting. He reminds
the community members of the single most important job of Haslett Pub-
lic Schools.
“What we’re going to do now is keep focusing on the important job of
giving our students an excellent education despite the tough challenges,”
Duda said.
The school board prepares to end the portion of the meeting regard-
ing the June 2007 incident. As the last speaker quietly steps away from
the podium, the school board thanks speakers for their opinions. They
briefly shuffle their papers. Take a sip of water. And prepare for the next
order of business.
3 October 30, 2009 news
The truth about H1N1:
It’s the season of sickness. And everyone remains
fearful of the infamous H1N1. Here is the medical
information about how to spot it and prevent it.
by jenny LITTLE

The facts The vaccine

• Appeared in the United States in April 2009.
• Named “Swine Flu” because it originally showed genes similar to a
common North American pig virus. Further research has shown it is
quite different.
• The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on June 11,
2009.
• Spread by those infected coughing or sneezing. Also can be
spread by touching a surface with the virus on it, then touching
your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Contagious one day before illness and up to seven days after.
• Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose,
body aches, chills and fatigue. Some experience vomiting and diar-
rhea.
• If you become sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home for 24 hours
after the fever is gone.
• 75 million doses will be administered before the end of the year.
• Two types if vaccines: 1.) An injection with fragments of killed
virus and 2.) A nasal spray with a weakened live flu virus.
• So far no serious side effects have been recorded.
• Recommended for pregnant women, people between 6 months
and 24 years, and people 25 to 64 with existing health problems.
The prevention
• Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Frequently wash hands with soap and water.
• Avoid touching mouth, nose and eyes.
• Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
information gathered from: “2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You.”
www.cdc.gov N.p., 24 Sep. 2009. Web. 1 Oct. 2009 <http://www.cdc.
gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm>. Cohen, Elizabeth. “2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
and You.” www.cnn.com html?iref=newssearch>.

Former high school

teachers adjust to
new enviorment
by kerry MORRIS
Due to the school’s lack of money, a few teachers moved to
the middle school this year. If anyone has noticed, teachers from
each of the four core subjects have all but disapeared. Many stu-
dents have noticed this absence because they had these teachers
more than one time, and have had the opportunity to really get
to know the very talented teachers that were forced to leave.
History teacher Henry Brunnschweiler and math teacher Lar-
issa Golna both miss the relationships they built with students at
the high school. In fact, those student relationships are what they
claim to miss most. However, both agree the change has been an
easier transition than either of them thought it would be.
“The middle school staff has really helped out,” Golna said.
“It’s nice to have a teacher across the hall that is teaching the
same subject.”
She also really enjoys the students she has. “They are all so photo by liz BAKER
goofy, and they make me crack up every day,” said Golna with Junior Barrett Peters lounges at Four Corners after his fifth hour Wednesday. He moved to Haslett High School this year from Okemos High School.
a smile.

Stereotypes not his thing

While seeing some positives of the new teaching situations,
Golna also mentioned some negatives.
“I enjoy the high school content more,” Golna said. “It’s more
challenging.”
She also finds it a struggle on how to structure a day to accom-
modate the age group that she now works with. New student something different.
“I moved from Okemos for
everyone here knows their
place and some groups aren’t
his band becomes his career.
High schools can be full
“There are more rules here because of the younger age, and
there is more to think about daily,” Golna said. “You almost true to self fun,” Peters said. “I didn’t like
the aspect of people growing in
very accepting,” Peters said.
“But I guess that goes with any
of stereotyping, cliques and
gossip, and teens tend to push
have to teach them their independence.” one image.” high school. Okemos was the others away when they dare
Brunschweiler also has felt the change and challenges as he by kat SMITH However, changing schools is same way.” to be different. It’s up to the
moved down to the middle school. A positive is the age-group’s Different students, different nothing new to Peters after a big Peters spends his time as the others to make something out
approach to learning. “The middle schoolers are more eager and teachers and different places - move from Illinois to Okemos lead singer in his band “Skyline of themselves and stick to who
excited to learn,” Brunnschweiler said. - moving to a new school can when he was younger. Rush.” And his past includes they are despite the challenges
But he, too, has dealt with the struggle of adapting to the be a scary thing. Junior Barrett Stereotypes can be huge time spent as a sponsored that come their way. Peters is
younger age group. “You trust high school students to learn Peters of Okemos moved into among teenagers and, for snowboarder. He has big a great example of this, “I am
much more quickly,” he said. “You can tell them something the Haslett school system this Peters, that just didn’t seem plans for himself and doesn’t still indecisive about my choice
once, and you’d have to tell the middle schoolers the same thing year. Not because he had to, but right. He understands that allow anything to get in the to switch to Haslett schools
three times.” because he wanted to. people his age aren’t very open way of them. Peters wants to and right now I’m just kind of
Both teachers have made a smooth transition, and are settling Peters didn’t like the idea to new styles and different attend Columbia of the Arts in floating around and trying to
into their new classrooms. There may be a few bumps in the of only experiencing one high personalities. Chicago for vocal performance fit in.” Peters said. “But I won’t
road, but nothing they can’t handle. school. He felt the need to view “I’ve already noticed that and news and business, unless change who I am.”
4 October 30, 2009 opinion
LONGBOAT STAFF EDITORIAL:

Time for community to move on

“What are you going to do, draw on me?” one
student jokes to the other.
After almost two years of rumors, the truth
of the June 8, 2007 incident was revealed. By
the end of the Oct. 13 school day, almost every
student had heard about the scandal involving
several of our teachers.
As the week progressed, opinions were
formed. Some students felt betrayed, others were
indifferent. Some parents were outraged, others
didn’t see the problem. No matter how the topic
was viewed, the spotlight constantly remained on
Haslett.
The “drunk shaming” scandal itself should not
be taken in a light manner. Some of our teach-
ers were accused of very serious behaviors, and
proper actions should be taken against these
individuals. Not only were their actions embar-
rassing, they were also offensive.
But the bigger fact of the matter is that the issue
undermines people’s confidence in the school dis-
trict. As a community, we must realize that, yes, a
few teachers made some horrible choices.
Nonetheless, this one issue shouldn’t define
the entire district. As a community, we need
to take on this issue, deal with it and move on.
We shouldn’t let one group of teachers affect
or change our respect and attitudes towards the
other teachers.
People enjoy hearing bad news, but we
shouldn’t let our school be the source of that
bad news. Haslett’s integrity has taken a hard hit,
and as a community we need to recover.

Elizabeth Young
Hannah Nowicki

Julie Price

THE
Jeremy Whiting

Lexis Guarnaccia Emma Claucherty

Bailey McMillan

Andrew Beauman

Ali Foote
Taylor Parker

Mary Hilker
Jerry Eastwood

Kerry Morris
TheCREW STAFF
Ali Adkins Gabe Nester The Viking Longboat is a monthly publication of Haslett High School,
Viking Longboat staff Meaghan Andersen Zach Parker 5450 Marsh Road, Haslett, MI 48840, It is published by the 6th hour
Chris Andresen Chelsea Ridenour Newspaper production class and Journalism class. The Longboat has
editor-in-chief sports editor Liz Baker Liz Ringlein been established as a student run public forum circulated within the
Emma Claucherty Jerry Eastwood Courtney Black Nick Rosenbery school and to subscribers in the community and outside the school
copy editor & Lexis Guarnaccia Mary Brown Michael Sherman district. The Longboat is a member of the National Scholastic Press
Elizabeth Young feature editor Kelsea Ellis Kat Smith Association, Journalism Education Association, Columbia Scholastic
photo editor Hannah Nowicki Kristen Everhardt Jessica Stanich Press Association and Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The
Taylor Parker ad manager Aaron Grove Cassie Staszuk publication is an eight time Spartan Award winner and CSPA gold
Andrew Beauman Mary Hilker Shane Heston Maggie Turney medalist.
BC feature editor adviser Lauren Hooper Calla Van Atta
Letters to the editor are accepted at the discretion of the editorial
Ali Foote Julie Price & Jeremy Whiting Jake Lampman Casey VanDenBerg
board. Forms of speech not protected by the First Amendment will
opinion editor Jenny Little Nick Wakulsky
not be published. Letters must be signed by the author and may be
Bailey McMillan Chris Lounsbery Kevin Willson
edited for grammar, spelling, and style. Direct all questions to the
Jacob Meier Shelby Wood
Publications Room, Room 411.
Rebecca Wright
5 October 30, 2009
Community needs to halt gossip mill
As this town recovers from the madness that has taken over
for the past week, I sit back and watch the fanatical citizens rant
their opinions as if they’re the only ones that matter. We’ve
got parents who run their mouths about how they immediately
wish for their students to be removed from certain teachers’
classrooms, students who applaud their teachers for the
substances they were said to be using and administrators who act
as if nothing has happened.
I love it.
This stuff gets me going. The
chatter, the scandal, the blaming, the
antagonizing. I’m not the kind of person
you would want to tell your darkest
secrets to. The enjoyment I get from
by ali FOOTE
juicy gossip tends to repulse people.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel for the
“
people who are in this situation. From
personal experience, it’s not fun to have
What the entire school talking about you. I
cannot fathom what it would be like for
this town the entire district, or at this point the
needs is entire Lansing area, to be scrutinizing
your mistakes. Hats off to you.
correction. But this isn’t about the accused
teachers. I don’t want any
A reality
”
misunderstandings here. They’re getting
enough as it is right now. This is about
check. you, Haslett.
The answers in
black and white
by meghan ANDERSON and liz BAKER
Why were all the
heaters painted
green?
“For change. Each year I try to
change something different. It
keeps everybody’s eyes busy so
they don’t notice the other things
that need attention in this school”.
-Steve Kioski, head custodian
“
The second I heard what
happened, all I could think
about was the verbal wrath
the victims were about to
”
experience from this town.
Although in some twisted way I find amusement from the
reactions of people to scandal, it’s still downright absurd the way
the people in this town handle drama. It’s immature the way the
parents run around gossiping to each other. Sometimes I swear
the parents are better at being high school students than we are.
The parents don’t realize the damage they can do. According
to Haslett parents, I am not only a drug addict, but also an
alcoholic and a bully to other girls. I’m thankful to be the type
who can just laugh off these rumors. But for someone with a
much more sensitive personality, the gossip can hurt. It feels
impossible to create a new reputation for yourself when adults
gossip about you as if they know what goes on. Then the parents
tell teachers, and teachers judge you. How are you supposed to
prove yourself as a student then? I never thought that on top of
the loads of math homework I have every night, I’d have to think
of a way to stop the glares I receive from teachers. That’s just
extra work I don’t want anything to do with.
Why are the doors to
the student parking lot
locked?
“Safety and security reasons. We
want everyone to be as safe in the
building as possible”.
-Bart Wegenke, Principal
Is the wi-fi in the library
security blocked?
“The wireless connection in the li-
brary is security blocked. It’s basically
like logging in on a desktop, except
you can’t save on the school hard
drives.”
-Margy Barile, Library Media Specialist
opinion
Then there are the students. That’s an entirely different story.
According to them, I’m pregnant. Not a day goes by where I
don’t hear a rumor about somebody. At this point in my senior
year, I’ve learned to ignore those people and move on. But I
can’t help but feel for the girl who gets verbally beaten up by
the words of some jealous girls caused by the boyfriend she
probably will break up with in a month. It’s all revolting. But
hey, it’s high school. What do you expect? So we don’t need
to take up too much space in this newspaper on that overrated
topic.
What this town needs is correction. A reality check. I know
this is hard to believe, but there’s another world outside of
this place. There are bigger problems going on other than the
football team not making playoffs or our superintendant making
a racial joke during a staff meeting. Get over it.
So what if some teachers got wasted and got creative with a
marker? Oh wait, I forgot: Everyone else in this town has never
made a mistake before so they all have room to judge. Right?
Wrong.
I’m not excusing these people for their actions. They are
unpardonable. But the second I heard what happened, all I
could think about was the verbal wrath the victims were about
to experience from this town. Those teachers are supposed to be
our role models and they’ve dug a huge hole for themselves. As
of right now, they have enough to deal with. The last thing they
need is the mouth of Haslett whispering in their ear.
Mistakes happen, people. Get over it. Lessons are learned. Lay
off Haslett.
Why are there
no doors on the
stalls to the boy’s
bathroom?
“There are no doors on the
boys’ bathroom stalls because
people keep tearing them
down. Students from other
schools, as well as our own, are
to blame.”
-JavierPerez, Custodian
6 feature

3
October 30, 2009

2009 Musical cast ‘rocks’ the school

Shows,
by calla VAN ATTA vember, we will have rehearsal the most solos, the features sing 10 lines all together.”
For a Haslett musical, a cast of on Sundays as well.” some solos, the ensembles ap- Although there has been a
32 is considered relatively small. Regardless of the intense pear in 50 percent of the show recent decrease in choir enroll-

people,
This year’s musical, “School rehearsal schedule, the cast is and chorus in 20 percent of the ment due to increasing curricu-
House Rock Live,” is an ensem- happy with the musical selection. show. lar requirements, the theater
ble cast, which puts less empha- “The music is really fun,” senior The principle group includes program remains strong. “I

sis on individual performances.
With a smaller-than-usual cast
and rehearsals starting three
weeks late this year, the musical
crew has to stay focused on the
rapidly approaching show dates
of Nov. 20 and Nov. 21.
“We are all really serious – we
all want to be there,” senior Ga-
briel Nester said.
Being involved in the musical
requires a large commitment of
time and energy.
“We have rehearsal every
day, including Saturdays,” Nest-
er said. “And beginning in No-
Favorite local
Molly Hudgins said. “It is music
people know.”
Since the musical is an en-
semble, stage appearances are
more equally divided between
characters. “We had several
deserving students who needed
stage time,” musical director
Erich Wangeman said. “Several
students get tons of stage time in
this musical.”
“School House Rock Live”
is a unique musical because the
characters are divided into four
tiers: principle, feature, ensemble
and chorus. The principles sing
four boys and four girls: Nester,
Molly Hudgins, Nick Angel, Liz
Albrand, Aaron Petrovich, Mar-
cus McGuire, Lindsay Manson
and Katharine Nunn.
“There are a lot of strong
singers this year,” Nester said.
“Anyone could play any of the
parts.”
Another factor that sets
“School House Rock Live”
apart from other musicals is the
extremely limited amount of
dialogue. “It breaks out from
the traditional plot,” Nester said.
“There are 15 songs and at most
my sisters take it over,” Manuel said. As for now, Blondie’s Barn
is going strong.
personalities
have not seen a decrease in the
number of students in extracur-
ricular theater,” Wangeman
said.
As for the progress of the
Can’t get enough ‘House’
by chelsea RIDENOUR
musical, the rehearsals are
Senior Anna Schlachter races home to watch her favorite
right on track. “It’s going really
TV show “House.” When Schlachter gets home she often
well,” Hudgins said. “I enjoy
cheers with joy when “House” is about to come on.
the people I’m working with.”
“When House is almost on I usually freak out,” Schlachter
Wangeman is happy with
said. “I’m super excited and bouncing around and I can be
the students’ progress as well.
really annoying to my family sometimes.”
“The kids seem to be en-
Schlachter isn’t the typical “House” watcher.
joying themselves, and if they
“I watch house two or three times a week,” she said.
aren’t they sure are hiding it
Out of all the actors in the show, Hugh Laurie is one of
extremely well,” Wangeman
Schlachter’s favorites.
said.
“He’s British but has the most real American accent,” she
said. “He can be completely hilarious and he really knows how
to channel House as a grudgingly likeable jerk.”
Schlachter enjoys watching all the drama that happens in
House.

restaurants owned
Fellow local restaurant Blue Gill Grill shares a similar role in “One of my favorite episodes is about Cuddy coming back
the community. Sophomore Payton Warner’s family founded it from a medical conference in Singapore when an epidemic
a few years ago and continues to run it. breaks out so they have to figure out what it is so they can pre-

by Haslett Families
by casey VANDENBERG
As senior Mikey Manuel clamors out of bed early Saturday
morning, he wishes he didn’t have a job at Blondie’s Barn. But for
Manuel, Saturday mornings are a family affair.
Blondie’s Barn and Blue Gill Grill are restaurants owned and
operated by Haslett families. Though the two restaurants tailor to
different mealtimes, each has earned an important role in bringing
the community together.
Primarily a breakfast destination, Blondie’s Barn is operated by
the entire Manuel family. Mikey Manuel buses and waits tables
every weekend with his sisters Sammy and Suzie.
“I love the fact that my parents own a successful business in
this community,” Manuel said. “It brings a lot of people together.”
Sports teams often have breakfast or after-school meals at Blondie’s,
as do members of the school board.
The menu is even family-oriented, with meals such as the “Big
Mikey.”
Yet for Manuel, work is work. “My mom treats me like she treats
any other employee,” Manuel said. “She’ll yell if necessary.”
Though the restaurant has felt some effects of the slow economy,
the Manuels aren’t worried about Blondie’s future. “We’ll probably
own it for several years before we sell it, rather than having me or
“It means a lot to me to see the community come together as
a family,” Warner said.
Every Thursday, the junior varsity football team has dinner
at “The Grill,” and the restaurant plays host to several banquets
every year for Haslett’s lacrosse teams.
For Warner, his family’s business has many benefits. “I get to
meet people,” he said, “and I get free food whenever I want.”
Warner is also familiar with many of the employees there, several
of whom are former Haslett students.
According to Warner, Blue Gill has not been affected by the
economic setbacks that many other businesses have seen.
“Everyone has stuck around town with local business,” Warner
said. He thinks that less money has caused people not to travel
far to go out to dinner.
Warner’s parents enjoy owning Blue Gill Grill as well. “My
parents like owning it because they don’t have to be there all the
time,” Warner said. “They can leave whenever they want to go
somewhere.”
Since he doesn’t work there yet, Warner isn’t sure if his parents
would be strict or lenient with him as an employee. In the future,
though, he plans to find out.
“I’ll probably work there after college,” Warner said. “My
sister or I will probably take it over.”
The Warners and the Manuels can agree that Haslett is a
wonderful place to own a restaurant. For Manuel, it even makes
working a rewarding experience.
vent the other passengers from getting it and dying, it’s quite
the dramatic episode.” Schlachter said.
Before she watched “House,” Schlachter never really loved
any other show.
“I once watched a show called ‘A Rip Off of House’ so of
course I had to watch the real thing.” Schlachter said.
Even though Anna doesn’t have friends who watch House
as much as she does, she still loves watching every season and
every episode.
“I’d like to say I contributed to spreading the popularity,
I got a few friends to watch it more that was pretty exciting.”
Schlachter said.
All about ‘Office’
by gabriel NESTER
“The character you love to hate changes from week to
week in the Office. It is “the only show besides “Friends”
that makes me laugh”, said junior Lyndsay Manson,.
Manson has followed “The Office” into the current fifth
season. Jim Halpert, a character in the show is “adorable,
funny and the best boyfriend in the world,” said Manson.
Every Thursday, Manson goes to Campbell hall in
MSU to watch the weekly episode with her brother and
friends. In a typical episode the boss Michael, played by
Steve Corral, usually does something stupid and most
of the time it resolves. Manson loves to predict the next
character that will be kicked off the show. When Manson
is with friends who also watch “The Office” she “quotes it

Dance team works hard and competes well maybe once every three minutes.”

by nick WAKULSKY
Most students think they
know a lot about their friends
and fellow classmates, but
there is a group of eight girls
who lead very unique and in-
triguing lives outside of regular
school.
These eight girls spend most
of their free time dancing and
working out at a local dance
studio, Tari’s Cornerstone Stu-
dio for Dance.
“The Haslett girls spend as
much as 10 or more hours a
week dancing at the studio,”
said Tari Ott, owner and di-
rector of the dance studio.
“They are there almost every
day of the week.”
The girls in this group in-
clude juniors Hayley Kosloski,
Monique Cheng and Chelsea
Tinney; sophomores Deanna
Lewycky, Chelsea Root and
Anna Romsek; and freshmen
Janie Brink and Kim Pre-
scher.
For most of these girls, the
studio is their home away from
home. Many of them started
dancing when they were only
4 or 5 years old, Ott said. Some
of them have been dancing for
over 10 years.
The girls do more than just
dance at the studio, they are
also part of a highly trained
traveling competition team.
During the year, the team
works hard on several dances
and, then starting in March,
they travel around the state to
different competitions.
They have won many awards
including Most Entertaining,
Best Choreography and Best
Technique, and have earned
numerous Platinum scores and
First Place Overall Scores. They
also travel farther away in the
summer, such as to Wisconsin
or Tennessee, to compete in a
national competition and have
also won many awards at these
Nationals.
Ott says she really enjoys
working with this group of girls
from Haslett, “They are a very
dedicated group of girls who
work very hard at everything
they do. They’re here at the
studio all the time and have an
incredible work ethic.”
Gleeful obsession
The new hit show “Glee” has captured many followers.
For Sophomore Nick Angel, “Glee” is his new obsession.
Angel heard about the show because it incorporates big
name Broadway actors.
“I watched the pilot episode 12 million times over the
summer”, Angel said. The amazing music and interesting
plot keep Angel pumped for Wednesday nights to roll
around. Angel can’t watch it live because he has Men’s
Chorale rehearsal Wednesday nights.
“I wake up at 5:30 Thursday mornings so I can watch
the show before I go to school,” Angel said.
He is in love with the character Rachel Berry played
be Lea Michelle.
“She is the best singer in the Glee Club,” Angel said.
Angel, an enthusiastic fan, enjoys introducing “Glee” to
his fellow students.
“I was fortunate enough to introduce [Katharine] Nunn
to the wonderfulness that is Glee” said Angel.
F L
A
L
photo illustration by taylor PARKER

photo illustration by Taylor Parker

8 October 30, 2009
blue compass October 30, 2009 9

����
SPIRIT WEEK

��� ��

NEW BEGINNINGS
Even though students dread
summer coming to an end,
���
Everyone loves spirit week. Every single day of the week is dedicated
to bringing out the creativity and uniqueness each student has locked
up inside of herself and himself. It’s a week to put to use the imagina-
tion that ponders in the heads of students while they’re bored in class.
The competition between different grades brings everyone together to
������� begin the year.

UNCLE JOHN’S CIDER MILL

������������������
there still is a semi-good feel-
ing that comes out of a new Warm doughnuts, fresh apple cider,and fun for all ages. Uncle
John’s Cider Mill never grows old. Only in fall can you plan a day trip

��������
year of school. Students have
reached a new level in the out to St. Johns and partake in wagon rides, pumpkin patches, the
school system and feel one step corn maze and, of course, the cider mill. It’s a great place for family
by ali FOOTE
more important than last year. and friends and is the perfect place to make the fall experience
complete.

photo by zeb FEDEWA

PERFECT WEATHER FOOTBALL

As much as everyone would like to complain that football is overrated,
As the hot summer days come to an end, the cold brisk air of fall meets our
there is a reason for the dramatic attention this sport gets. The lights, the
skin. There’s nothing more relaxing than walking outside to a 50-degree,
ache you get in your throat from screaming for 90 minutes straight and the
sunny day. Something about the cold air mixed with the hot sun gives off
thrill of watching your team dominate, or not dominate, the field. Some-
the relaxing adjustment from summer to fall. The fact that there are no
thing about the cold air mixed with the screaming fans and smell of burnt
bugs outside may also contribute to the joy that fall weather brings.
popcorn and greasy pizza from the concession stands drags more and more
people to the fields every year. Whether it’s watching Haslett, Michigan State or even the
Lions, football is America’s past time and it contributes to the high spirits of fall.
FALL CLOTHES
Moving away from the tank tops and shorts, fall means
shopping. Spending hours at the mall trying to find the HOMECOMING
Homecoming is the first main event that takes place during the school
perfect pair of jeans and finally being able to wear a cute
sweater without worrying about the chance of a possible year and some would say one of the best weekends of the entire year.
heat stroke. Dark colors come out and the worn down flip- The Friday night game, the parade and the dance all in one make for
flops are retired. an entertaining celebratory tradition that creates many memories
for all. The transition from hair dye and extreme face paint to decor
photo courtesy of ian HANCKE ties and pretty dresses only contributes to the phenomenon labeled
Homecoming.
photo by taylor PARKER

LEAVES
Nothing looks more beautiful than driving down a country road in the
photo by taylor PARKER
photo by zeb FEDEWA

late afternoon with the sun peering through the trees and the multi-
colored leaves aglow for miles. Although raking leaves isn’t one of the
bonuses, jumping into a 4- foot pile of cold, damp leaves brings joy to
all ages. They are the symbol of fall and signal changes to in the minds
of summer.
FALL SPORTS
The two-a-days, rigorous camps and long summer training pays off when fall sports
begin. Athletes put their weeks of hard work into the first games of the year and
spectators rush to see their performances. Sports such as football, cross country,
volleyball, girls swimming and boys soccer bring the first look into the athleticism
that is brought to the table.
HALLOWEEN
Halloween is the first real celebration of fall. The decorations, the activities and
the atmosphere of Halloween just bring out the excitement and anticipation
that fall holds.
5 Reasons Why Halloween is #1
5. Free Candy – Enough said.
4. Pumpkin Carving – Nothing is more satisfying than the cold, squishy feeling of pumpkin
guts between pruned fingers. Although it may not be the easiest thing in the world, the
outcome is worth it.
3. Costumes – One night out of the entire year to dress up as absolutely anything desired.
The one time where hidden weirdness is tested and people’s true creativity comes out.
2. Haunted Houses – They only come once a year and everyone loves nothing more than to
drop $20 on a five minute rush where your eyes are closed 99 percent of the time.
1. ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween – Thirty days of the finest horror movies and Hal-
loween-themed shows.
10 October 30, 2009 photo story

WEEK

Above: Freshmen Katie Harris and Olivia Foote dress up on movie character day as Cindy Lou Who from “How
the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Bottom Left: Senior Alex Totten dazzled every Twilight Fan with his Edward Cullen
look for movie character day. Bottom Middle: Seniors Allie Eisele, Sam Solomon, Molly Martin and Rochelle
Holliday rev up the students at the pep rally. Bottom Right: Seniors Torey Deimling,
Autumn Root and Shelby Deimling searched their closets and rocked these outfits
for retro day.

Senior Aili Beauchine watches the powderpuff game on the sideline at Lake Lansing Park as the senior girls
brutally defeat the juniors 18-6.

photo story by Taylor Parker

11 October 30, 2009 Features

ZOMBIE ATTACK

“What is your Zombie

Apocalypse Defense Plan?” by andrew beauman

Alex Totten
Kwane Shacks “Did you just ask me
“First I would band Andy Szedlak that question!? I was
up with Shibes (Ja- “I would go to
just thinking about
cob Schaibly) and Cody Molnar’s
Santiago that. First, I would get
take refuge in the house and fight
in my car and drive to
mall and take people Fashbaugh them off with my
the mall. On my way
in and quarantine “I would steal a Mac-10.”
I would pick up my
them for a day.” bunch of canned
friends and family. Once
food from L&L, and
I got to the mall I would
find a sword. Then
Coach O travel North so
barricade myself into
“I would go to my Dick’s Sporting Goods.
deer blind and that the zombies
The mall would be the
shoot them with wouldn’t find me
perfect place because
my bow.” and if they did, I
you have food and any-
would have a sword.”
thing you want.”

We Suggest
1. Always be carrying a golf club, shotgun, num chucks,
crossbow, or any yield-able, hard or jagged object.
2. Don’t forget the buddy system, so the zombies have
someone to eat while you run for it (but don’t tell them).
3. Shoot both ways before you cross the street.
4. Always run WITH scissors… eh, make that an AK-47.
photo illustration by andrew BEAUMAN
12 features
’0
October 30, 2009

“People who en-

French If you like helping others and need com-

Key
9-
joy speaking French, munity service hours, you should look at Key

Club
learning more about Club. The group meets Thursday mornings in
French culture, eat- the Viking Room at 7:20.

� 10’ Club
ing French food and by nick ROSENBERY Club president senior Meghan Anderson
watching French movies would enjoy joining”, said Chel- and the vice president senior Rebecca Abel
by cassanda STASZUK
sea Chapin, the newly appointed treasurer of the club. help plan community service projects and
French club meetings are every other Tuesday at 7:20 raise money for needy charities. Currently, members are trying
a.m. in Madame Dykman’s room. The club is always trying to raise money for UNICEF. They are also working on volunteer-
to find new members and a local bike tour called the Tour ing at the Humane Society among many other things. Their

�
De France is being discussed. The requirement to join main goal currently is to raise $200 for Invisible Children.
French club is either one prior year in French class or you If you want to learn more, the club’s adviser is Rebecca Kipp
have to be currently enrolled in French class. (a.k.a. Ms. Verdun) or go and visit their group page on Facebook.
Because of new graduation The Spanish Club
requirements, not as many kids can Art Like reading? Like
Book
has been around
Spanish
�
take art classes. If you are one of books? Then join the for many years and

Club
those kids, then come to Art Club. book club. In this club Senorita Southwell
Rhonda Sherwin and some advanced
art students will hold Art Club two by becca WRIGHT
you read books that
intrigue your age
Tuesdays a month from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sometimes the groups and topics
Club has big plans to
keep it around.
In the past, the
Club
club will be held in the art room and other times the will that appeal to your by lauren HOOPER club has conducted by kelsea ELLIS

�
go to art studios in the area. interests. This club meets every Thursday many fundraisers for numerous events. A
If Art Club sounds interesting come to some of the in the Media Center during both A and B recent event that Southwell is proud of is
meetings. Nov. 10. and 17. They are going to an art lunches. Occasionally authors visit the club the Heifer Project, which helped raise money
studio in Williamston, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 they will be and talk about their books, new or old. For for people in South America to own chicks
paintings windows for holidays, Jan. 5 and 19 they will example, Libba Bray visited the club to talk to raise. Senior David Sheets, a club officer,

�
be knitting and sometime in March the annual Chicago about her books. They’re always accepting enjoys every part of being in the club. “The
Art Institute trip will take place. new members. If you would like to join, you people are what make it so great,” Sheets said.
“It’s a way to expand opportunities for art kids who can show up to any meetings. Come down Although the club has only recently begun
can’t take it because of graduation requirements or just and discuss great books. For more informa- having meetings, the current students in the
because its fun,” longtime member Emma Cheatham tion, talk to the director and adviser Margy group have hopes to have many exciting
said. Barile in the Media Center. events to look forward to this year.

Sun Mon
NOVEMBER
Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
1 -Day of the Dead
2 -Taking Back 3 4 5 6 7
-Day of the -Cookie Monster’s -The Men
Sunday Concert -MSU-WMU Football
Dead Birthday Who Stare
(MSU Audito- Game
-Dierks Bentley -OAR Concert (Orbit at Goats Movie
rium) -Dinner Fund-
Room, Grand Rapids) Montgomery Gentry
(Van Andle) -Trans- Siberian Orchestra -All American Rejects raiser at First Baptist
Concert (The Palace)
(Breslin Center) (MSU Auditorium) Church of Holly
8 9 -Ok Go and 10 11 12 13 14
Princeton
Concert (The
-Veterans Day -MSU Mens
-Metallica (Van -2012 movie
Intersection) -Sean Kingston Hockey vs. Michi-
Andle) - Bruce Springs-
- Call of Duty Modern Concert (Emerald gan (Munn Ice
Warfare 2 Release teen (The Palace)
Theatre) Arena)
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
-Star Trek Movie -Radio City Christ-
on DVD mas Spectacular -HHS Musical
(The Fox Theater) -New Moon Movie
-HHS Musical
22 23 24 25 26 27 28

-Funny People -Thanksgiving -Starwars

Movie on DVD in Concert
(The Palace)
29 30 1 2 3 4 27
-White Christ-
mas (Temple
Theater)
13 October 30, 2009 sports
Girls hoops
team gets
new coach at
last minute
Beebe resignation after
14 years has powerful
effect on players
by lexis GUARNACCIA
As basketball coach Timothy Beebe walks
away from his long, successful coaching career,
it is having an everlasting effect on many people,
including his daughter freshman Mariah Beebe.
“It’s hard to deal with because I’ve been want-
ing [my dad to coach me] since I was 6,” Mariah
said following her father’s resignation. She will
have to settle for a new coach this season.
After training with her dad all summer to pre-
pare for the upcoming season, it was a disappoint-
ment to see her dad resign. “The toughest part is
that it was both of our dreams,” Tim said.
Both of them have wanted this ever since
Mariah was a little girl, and seeing it vanish has
been a difficult thing to handle. But Tim Beebe
thinks it will be OK for him to be in the stands,
rather than along the sidelines.
“It might be better,” Tim said. “It could be photo courtesy of sierra BAIN
less pressure [on Mariah.]” After winning first place in the Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Marathon, Stanko is swarmed by several reporters interviewing him about his achievement.
Besides Mariah and the rest of the team losing

Stanko rolls
their former coach, they will have to deal with
someone

“
new to
the varsity
coaching
The toughest position.
part is that it But not 2:20:22 Detroit marathon time
someone
was both of new to the
gives cross country coach victory

”
coaching
our dreams. program.
-Tim Beebe, Former
junior var-
Resigning coach sity coach
Bob Cur-
rier will
take over as varsity coach. Athletic director Ja-
mie Gent said he was chosen for the position
because having to make the change late in the
year with tryouts coming up will make “it easier
for the girls playing this season.”
Also, having a former junior varsity coach will
keep the basketball program consistent. This
will allow for a smoother change of coaches and
keep the same system, rather than having a new,
outside coach come in and alter things, he said
As Currier moves up to varsity, the junior
varsity coaching position was emptied. Previous
freshman coach Kaci Reid has stepped up to the
plate and taken that role.
The freshman coaching position has not been
filled, but Gent expects to fill it by today. The
transition is supposed to be as, “un-rippled as
possible,” Gent said.
People seem to have full confidence in Curri-
er’s future success as the varsity coach, including
Tim. “He works hard and prepares well,” Tim
said. “He will do a good job.”
Tim will miss coaching greatly. It was more
than coaching: it was a lifelong hobby of his.
“I gave up something I did for 14 years.”
by jerry EASTWOOD
Twelve weeks ago cross country coach Nick Stanko was heavily into train-
ing for the Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Marathon. He would run 10 to 15 miles
each day and pushed himself to be better. When the time came for him to run
in the marathon, his hard work paid off. Stanko placed first on Oct. 18 with a
time of 2:20:22.
“Placing first in the marathon was comforting,” Stanko said. “All the hard
work started 10 years ago. You run and train real hard. You are lucky to have
it once a year or even once in a career. The feeling lasts a couple of days and
you move on.”
One of the hardest things to do through a grueling 26 mile run is to keep
yourself mentally focused and keep yourself running. But Stanko felt as if the
marathon was going by fast.
“It flies by,” Stanko said. “It is over in a blink of an eye. It goes by quick and
you just focus on your competition.”
Even though Stanko enjoyed placing first, he felt his time could have been
better. He came into the marathon with a time goal and a place goal.
“My time was OK,” he said. “I wanted to be faster and the second guy
wanted to be faster. I didn’t hit my time goal, but I did hit my place goal.”
One of the challenges for Stanko this year was the training. Even though the
training was critical to his success, he felt it wasn’t good as previous years.
“The preparation was tough,” Stanko said. “My training wasn’t as ideal as in
the past. I had outside support that helped me. I had some small nagging inju-
ries that were worry some, but I had a lot of help from physical therapists.”
One of the goals many runners set going into a marathon is to simply finish.
But for the elite athletes, running 26 miles involves more than that mindset. It
takes strategy and a comfort level to be successful through a marathon.
“The race doesn’t start until 20 miles,” Stanko said. “Your legs will start to
ache. But the strategy is you need to be comfortable through the first 20 miles
and cling on through the last six.”
photo courtsey of sierra BAIN
Stanko races his way through the brutal 26-mile course.
As the head of the cross country team, Stanko knows that this win in the
Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Marathon gives a boost to the program. It helped
show the runners’ strategy and ideas to help them win the race.
“Ten runners (from the boys and girls cross country teams) came to see me
run, “he said. “They got to see the things we preach and see racing tactics and
different approaches to win.”
Stanko doesn’t plan on running another marathon this year. But he does
plan on one next year.
“I usually run one or two marathons a year and then move on” Stanko said.
“I’ll probably run one next fall.”
With his goal for running, Stanko doesn’t really have one. He enjoys run-
ning because that is what he likes to do and what makes him happy. Stanko
knows his days of running fast are coming to a close but he is in the midst of
helping the next group succeed.
“Running keeps me happy,” Stanko said, “I have about five more years to
run as fast as I can. I want to share the sport and encourage the young people
to do it. It is possible they can become an Olympian or a good role model. It
is about getting the next generation prepared.”
14 October 30, 2009 sports

by lexis GUARNACCIA
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
Senior Ian Hancke
Ian Hancke’s most important race was against Corunna.
His legs weren’t [feeling] very well and he wasn’t feeling the
race either. Two runners were in front of him and they were
pushing their pace. After a mile and a half, they slowed
down and Ian pulled through and finished in first place.
He trains every day in season and almost every day dur-
ing the off-season. Before his races, Ian stays relaxed. He
doesn’t over think it.
“Whatever happens, happens,” is his motto.
Before the races, he stays calm and does a 20 minute
warm up. Then he stretches, drinks water and Gatorade and
clears his mind.
Ian’s goal is to keep his record undefeated for States this
year. He wants to go to college to run, and believes that by
winning States he will be looked at by colleges.
Ian first broke the 10 minute two-mile at DeWitt. He ran
at his own pace, and won. He also ran a 15:58 3.1-mile last
year at States.

photo courtesy of ian HANCKE

Ian takes the lead in the race to get one of his many first place wins.

Senior Tiffany Oricchio

“The Haslett Invite was top notch,” she said.
Tiffany Oricchio is a hard worker. She’s been
training since April. She does doubles (two
practices per day) and she hasn’t stopped.
Before her meets, she eats pasta and
scrambled eggs. She went on a recruiting trip
to MSU but is still undecided on where she
wants to go next year.
All her competition is against Okemos. She
trains with them in the off season and watch-
es their times and tries to beat them during
the season since it’s separate.
She has broken several records and has
many personal bests. Several of her records
are: a 1.56 200-yd Free Style, a 101.8 100-yd
Butterfly, a 5:11 500-yd Free Style, a 1:04:09
photo by taylor PARKER 100-yd Back Stroke, and a 1:14:09 100-yd
Tiffany works on her Buttferly stroke as she races to get first place in this event.
Breast Stroke.
15 October 30, 2009
Brett Allen: The coach’s son
by kerry MORRIS
The scoreboard is tied at 20
points, and the game is going into
overtime. All the fans in the stands
at the Michigan State University
versus University of Michigan
game were watching intensely
as though they felt the emotion
being played on the field.
Junior Brett Allen, son of Tim
Allen, MSU’s Director of Football
Operations, had a whole different
feel as he stood on the field while
number 22 ran in the winning
touchdown.
“Everything’s a lot more intense,
all the emotions are a lot more
serious,” Allen said. “Everything
is magnified 100 times.”
Throughout his childhood,
Allen has been raised around
football.
“The game is in my blood, it
seems like it is physically a part of
me,” he said.
His dad has been coaching all
Allen’s life, working at University
of Kansas to the University of
Minnesota and now MSU. Just
like his dad, Allen plans to be a
Division 1 football coach.
“I see how happy it makes
my dad, and how excited he is
to go to work,” Allen said. “It has
always been my dream.”
His little brother Brandon
Allen wants to follow in his
father’s footsteps as well. “It’s a
family thing,” Brett Allen said.
Being a starting football player
on Haslett’s varsity team adds to
his love for the game. Instead of
seeing it as just a contact sport with
an attitude of “just hit somebody,”
Allen sees it as so much more.
“Me and my dad both see it
as a chess game,” Allen said. “We
see the players as chess pieces.
The better the player, the higher
the meaning of the piece. The
best player is the Queen.”
With such a different way to
view the sport, the question was
posed if he felt intimidated when
his dad watched him play. “When
I was little I was nervous because
with everything I did, I knew my
dad had a better play. But now
I just see it as my dad watching
his son play, and not my dad as
a division one coach, because I
know just as much as he does
now.” Allen said.
Although being a coach’s son
may appear to be something
everyone might want, it comes
with its struggles too. Allen was
new to Haslett High School
last year due to his dad getting
fired along with the entire staff
at Minnesota. After living in
Woodbury, MN his entire life, he
had to leave his five best friends
and start all over.
His feelings on being the
son of such and important man
were evident when he said, “It’s
awesome because of all the perks
you get, but you have to take the
good with the bad.”
sports
When there is a win, that’s when
there are the perks. The family
gets the respect they deserve from
everyone. The peers, the radio,
the TV and the newspaper all
rave about the team and coaches.
But when there is a loss, they
have to take all the smack talk
from everyone who praised them
the last week.
“Most people see it as just a
team, but I see it as a business,
and people like my dad get fired
when the business isn’t doing
good,” Allen said.
Even though there is a lot of
pressure being a coach, Allen
has done and will always do
everything he can to get to that
point. His ideal goal is to coach
for the Dallas Cowboys. With his
talent, capabilities and his dad’s
determination for his son’s future,
Allen has great resolve. This is a
dream he refuses to let go of, and
something his dad plans on living photo by liz BAKER
to see come true. Brett Allen sits at the football field he is familiar with from Friday nights.

8X5
by chris ANDRESON and zach
PARKER
Volleyball
We have the questions, they have the answers
Describe your season in
one word:
Favorite Movie? Favorite Pro Sports Team? How about those Lions? Favorite Soup?

Molly Ste-
phens Interesting Ratatouille Tigers Devastating French Onion
Senior
27-13-3

Varsity
Football
Tampa Bay Rays Oh God... Beef Stew
Josh Delaney Interesting Seven Pounds
Junior
5-4
Cross Country
Travis Stirewalt
Sophomore Exciting Transformers 2 Atlanta Braves Really bad Chicken Noodle

JV Football
Griffin Marinez Chicken Noodle
Sophomore Legit Gran Torino Pittsburgh Steelers Disappointing
8-1

Swimming
Taylor Vance
Junior
Undefeated Twilight Tigers They suck Tortilla
8-1

Tennis
Aaron
Laatsch Awesome Fight Club Chicago Bears They suck Clam Chowder
Freshman
12-1-1

Girls Golf
Chelsea Root
Sophomore I don’t know Don’t watch Chicken Noodle
Fun Titanic
5-2

Soccer New England Clam

Ian Culver
Senior Win Beerfest Long Island Lizards Garrrr.... Chowder (only if
15-3-7 fresh)
 2
16 October 30, 2009 back of the boat

yrotS yrevE ot sediS Sides to Every Story

by hannah nowicki

What do you do to prepare for game day? What do you do to prepare for game day?
We all usually go home, get showered and go to “I have to be alone. I just put my iPod in and
Subway. Once we get back to the school we all walk around the school. I think about how
have to get our uniforms on which is a huge hard I’ve worked to get to this place and how
ordeal. It takes about 45 minutes for us all to hard I need to work in the game that night.”
get dressed. But personally, I don’t have a
ritual or anything. Uniformity is a huge
part of the band and that is what we Are you nervous when you get out to the
always strive for. field?
“It’s more of a feeling of anticipation and
Are you nervous when you get out excitement rather than nerves. I have been
to the field? playing football for 10 years so I know what it
Yes it is nerve wracking but it is feels like to be out there.”
a bit different because I am out-
side of the whole group. I don’t What are you thinking when you get
want to make a mistake because out there?
[as drum major] they depend on “I think about what it is that I need
me to conduct them. But I am con- to do and why I’m there. I think
fident that in my group that if I make about how much I love football
a mistake they will be able to keep the and I tell myself that I better
performance going. not mess up.”

What are you thinking when How do you feel about

you get out there? your team as a whole?
I usually run through the “There is a lot of young
song that I need to con- talent on our team. It
duct just to make sure I would be nice to have
have the right speed to the older experience
start. Plus I wear an earpiece though. The team will
so I hear Mr. (David) Gott in my be really good next
head telling me when to start. year because of all of
the young players.”
How do you feel about your
band as a whole? What are the thoughts
I am really proud of them. I going through your
have tried to total the hours mind after a good
that they have practiced and I have performance?
lost count. The amount of work they “I feel happy and
put into this band is tremendous. somewhat relieved
Plus the freshmen have learned so because I know that
quickly and effectively. They blew me we have another game
away. The band makes me proud to be under our belts. It gives me
their drum major and it is an honor to work with them. something to be proud of.”
Gavan Lienhart, senior Colin Kopke, senior
What are the thoughts going through your mind
after a good performance?
I get so much energy. I am ready to cheer. It is like the
student section. There is a huge adrenaline rush and
it’s really powerful.
photos by taylor Parker & andrew beauman
photo illustration by andrew beauman

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