The_Huron_Emery_Volume_11_Issue_2_November_2026

It’s 11:40 a.m. and senior Aarna Desai is done with school.

More specifically, she has finished her in-person classes for the day. Desai has had a reduced schedule for online classes every year of high school. This year, she has an online fifth, sixth and seventh hour. She is one of 249 Huron students taking an online class this year and part of the larger pool of approximately 270 students with a reduced schedule.

In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, the floodgates for online learning opened up within AAPS and at Huron. Since Covid, the number of students with reduced schedules has increased.

There are many reasons students opt to not have an inperson class. Some students taking advanced classes want an hour or two off to make their workload more manageable. Some students want to take classes online for wider course offerings. Some students just want flexible schedules to dedicate more time to careers not involving a four-year university.

Social versus study

The Huron media center is the designated location for students who do

not have an in-person class. This means that the library is often very populated during the school day.

The number of students who spend at least one hour in the library has been growing each semester.

One factor that dictates numbers of open hours is when departments have collaboration hours. The English team’s hour off is fifth hour, meaning that no student can take an English class fifth hour. Counselors have to work around that when creating the

schedules for students.

“Supervision of open hour student is becoming a growing responsibility in this space,” librarian Caroline Hughes said.

Librarians are spending more time writing passes, helping with resource collection and managing students, which allows for less time to do other administrative and organizational tasks that also need to be done.

The library can also be distracting for many students.

“It’s normal developmentally for students to want to socially connect with each other,” Hughes said. “I celebrate that, but I think there’s also a time and a place for everything.”

Some students who live within walking distance or drive opt to go home early or come late if their free hours line up that way.

Desai walks home after spending late lunch with her friends because she feels more efficient at home.

“I’m the type of person who just likes to be alone for studying,” Desai said. “If I’m at the library, I’ll just go on my phone or talk.”

Hughes said she feels sad that having so many students might negatively impact her ability to have positive relationships with them.

In early October, Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) students got their accounts compromised and emails were sent to other AAPS students that were later identified as phishing.

“Phishing” emails are malicious emails that attempt to steal the recipient’s

personal information through suspicious links, attachments, and more.

The phishing email contained a table asking the user to open the attachments, which turned out to contain malware. Many of the messages sent used titles like “Review And Sign Document Attached” and other generic subjects. They appeared to be from AAPS students, deceiving some people.

“It was really frustrating and annoying,” an anonymous Huron student, whose account was compromised by the incident, said. “If you get sent something strange and [Google] gives you a scam

AVAN ZAMAN STAFF WRITER

Artificial Intelligence has made its way into high schools. Students have been incorporating AI into coursework, resulting in a need for an organization to ensure fair and accessible use of AI.

Senior Isaac Thomas is leading the way through the AI Rights and Responsibilities Council (AIRRC), a board of students and two Ann Arbor staff members who try to make AI usage in the district something that everyone has an opportunity to use equitably. Thomas helped work on the AI Bill of Rights for Ann Arbor Public Schools.

“The AI Bill of Rights was Michigan’s first AI Bill of Rights created by students, and was made to clearly outline the rights of students regarding AI usage,” Thomas said. “I thought it was really important because, as many

Lorri English joins Huron as the new ninth-grade dean

FIRDOWZA ADAN STAFF WRITER

Lorri English is the new ninth-grade dean for Huron. She attended Michigan State University as a business major and graduated with an undergraduate degree in logistics management. English started out teaching in Detroit Public Schools, but spent most of her career in Southfield Public Schools.

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This year, level four and AP world languages were cut, which made some students turn to DP and others to online learning for those classes.

The AP teachers recommended to as many students as possible to take DP classes in-person.

“In a language class, because so much of it is listening and speaking and interaction, students are just not getting the languages in our online classes,” said Ellen Schultz, former AP Spanish who now teaches DP Spanish and Spanish III at Huron.

Chinese teacher Fan Wu is in a similar position. She used to teach Chinese IV and AP Chinese, and now teaches Chinese levels I, II, III and IV. She said that the AP track should not have been cut from world languages.

“It is not good for students,” Wu said. “In the DP standard level, no college gives credits, but in AP Chinese, they can at least have the chance to get credit.”

A key detail in her life is keeping her work and personal life separate.

“It’s just setting boundaries for the most part,”

English said. “I try not to check my email first thing in the morning, so I replace it with social media.”

Before English became a ninth-grade dean, she taught different classes in different grades. One standout was AP AfricanAmerican Studies, which has

Starting young

Some students begin accelerating in fifth grade. Two people with this

“I

was just relearning stuff over and over

again. What I liked about A2V was you could do it as fast as you wanted.”

Seventh grader who comes to

been a controversial course throughout the country, especially in the state of Florida.

“This is me speaking with no political affiliation,” English said. “I think the controversy is that there’s a lot of information that’s communicated in the curriculum that people either don’t understand or they don’t want people to know. That’s just giving it to you real. There are things that happen, that

experience are sophomore Anoushka Prasanna and Clague seventh grader Medha

“Last

year, I was in Calculus, and all my friends were in Geometry, and

I

would just have so much more work with them. Sometimes I just wish I was in Algebra II this year.”

are documented, that folk don’t want to believe happen.”

English voices her love for the class along with how she learned with her students.

“I really enjoyed learning with my students,” English said. “It was a journey that my students and I kind of went on together.”

Alongside teaching, in her free time, English journals

Supervision efforts

When counseling department chair Heather Potocki joined Huron in 2018, reduced schedules existed, but in a more restricted way. Now, many more of her students are requesting to remove hours from their schedule.

This year, the counseling department in collaboration with Huron administration prioritized having free hours during first and seventh hour as much as

Of the Huron students taking classes online, 150 are seniors, 141 are juniors, 45 are sophomores and 34 are freshmen.

ADVISOR

Sara-Beth Badalamente

EDITORIAL BOARD:

Satvika Ramanathan 405293@ aaps.k12.mi.us

Anjali Nadarajah 424587@aaps. k12.mi.us

Ella Yip 316340@aaps.k12.mi.us

Annabella Mi 403008@aaps.k12. mi.us

Grace Henley 403008@aaps.k12. mi.us

EDITORS:

Bai, Emily Hu, Ishaan

sympathy.”

Social worker Waleed Samaha said that students being in the hallway when they’re not supposed to isn’t a major problem. He tries to be in the halls every hour.

“It’s an honors system,” Samaha said. “It only becomes a problem when you have individuals not meeting the expectations.”

“That is taking a little bit more creative planning opposed to just dropping a class and then a student having a free hour in the middle of the day,” Potocki said. “But if a student does have a free hour in the middle of the day, it could cause more work for admin to find out why the student is in the Potocki’s goal is to work with kids and families.

“We know that seven classes and five academic classes can be a lot,” she said. “So we definitely have

THE EMERY STAFF

Tenth and eleventh grade assistant principal Claire Federhofer said administrators have set standards.

This year, they initiated a student contract for students with free hours during the day to sign to tell them distinctly that they should be in the library doing work with that free time.

“We have to have the procedures to support flexing students’ time effectively,” Federhofer said. “[The question is], ‘How am I growing as a human in that time and space?’ It’s our role to teach students how to do that.”

Inside the library, behind the desk

Librarian Jennifer Colby leaves position after 12 years

IVAN WU STAFF WRITER

Former Huron librarian Jennifer Colby left the position she held for 12 years to be an Instructional Technology Coach for high schools in the district.

“I’ll miss not having those really positive interactions with students on a daily basis,” Colby said. “I might be in a classroom, but kids won’t know me, I won’t know them, and that’s what I’ll miss.”

Colby started in the fall of 2014, but has now left Huron and is an Instructional Technology coach for high schools in the district. She might still appear in the Huron hallways, already being back at Huron three or four times the last couple of weeks, helping teachers get their Apple Classroom up and running.

“I had the opportunity to become their substitute librarian in their building, and I absolutely loved it,” Colby said. “I loved being a school librarian. I love working with the kids. I love teaching. I was not a teacher before. I used to be a landscape architect, so

enjoyed more than the last five days I’ve spent here doing this job,” Colby said. “Then someone told me that I should become a school librarian. And I said ‘I can’t become a school librarian, I’m almost 40 years old.’ But she looked at me, and she said, ‘Yes you can.’”

This story not only introduced her to a whole new chapter of her life, it also affected her view of life and mentality.

“I tell the story time and time again, because it is so important,” Colby said. “Nobody, and I mean, nobody in my life, had told me those words, ‘Yes you can. They’d always given me reasons why I couldn’t do something, but Julie, my mentor librarian at the time, told me I could.”

After a new and fresh start to her career being a librarian, she then settled in at Huron for 12 years. During that time, she not only experienced a lot, she also learned, observed and realized more.

“Anytime that the library has been incapacitated in some way, we would need to change our program and that’s been a struggle,” Colby said. “Because of the last carpet was all wet so it had to be pulled up, meant every bookshelf had to be removed, and that every book had to be removed.”

Colby also liked the change of system from assisting class to class to also helping students one-on-one. And there were also other changes to the library throughout the

12 years she’s been there, like the physical space, the genres, the sorting system and the seating.

Not only did she discover and experience a lot, she also enjoyed the time as a librarian at Huron very much.

“Seeing students that I saw in the library, seeing them shine in something else that they were doing, whether it was in Huron players or whether it was on the volleyball team, or whether it was even just going to homecoming,” Colby said. “I loved seeing them shine outside the library.

library to out books, but that’s have to do. I love when I see them do things that they want to do, seeing them enjoy that and just how happy that and also seeing how talented our students are.”

years of she has some advice to give to the next person who’s going this role.

collaborative because not by yourself,” Colby said. “Also, having lunch outside going to other departments for lunch. I’ve had lunch with the science department, with the math department, with the English department, with the art department, and with

“Read for pleasure,” Colby said. “Get off your phones and open a book. It could be printed, it could be an e-book, and it could be an

audio book, but engage with something that’s longer than 30 seconds. Reading is super important, and if we stop reading as a society, we lose our ability to concentrate. So the more information you can consume by reading, the more empathetic and compassionate you can be about the world around you.”

Ann Arbor District Library takes ownership over Ann Arbor Observer

SAANVI KULKARNI OPINION EDITOR

On Sept. 29, the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) announced plans to acquire the Ann Arbor Observer, one of the city’s most recognized and longstanding publications. This would bring the nearly 50 year old publication under public ownership while preserving its independent operations.

“Our goal is to leave the Observer in the hands of capable and caring people,” Ann Arbor Observer Publisher Patricia Gracia and Editor-inChief John Hilton said. The idea first took root in 2024. Later in the year, AADL hosted an exhibit called the Observer Observed AADL’s archive staff’s 500 favorite pages of the Ann Arbor magazine, and was

visited by the Observer staff.

“[Garcia and Hilton] hinted to our archives manager that they were looking to retire, and they were thinking about the future of the Observer,”

Neiburger said. “We picked up on that hint, and we reached out to them later that year to start talking about if it was something that they were interested in. And that has brought us to this point.”

At the moment, the acquisition process is at the letter of intent stage. The next step is to develop a 40-50 page purchase agreement that specifies all the details of the acquisition, and the transaction will be complete once the agreement is put together and approved by the library board.

The library maintains an unrestricted reserve fund, which serves as savings not tied to its annual budget or any designated project. This balance is approximately nine million dollars, and the planned purchase is expected to require less than 10% of that total. After the acquisition, the Observer will continue functioning as a selfsustaining newspaper.

“We don’t anticipate the library funds getting involved with it at all,”

Neiburger said. “It would be separate from the library, even though it is owned by the library.”

Community responses on this topic have been positive.

“I think that it seems like a good idea, and it will bring more attention to the Ann Arbor Observer since it will be advertised through the AADL,” Huron freshman Kora Monroe said. “I think it will bring more people to read the newspaper and become more focused on the community.” Garcia and Hilton will be succeeded by the Observer’s Media Director Danielle Jones and Deputy Editor Brooke Black. However, there is no set date for the acquisition, though it is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

College, Career, Cobello : aiding seniors to next steps

ISHAAN KAMAT WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Throughout the fall semester, Ann Arbor Huron High School’s College and Career Center (CCC) has transformed into one of the busiest rooms in the building. Representatives from a wide range of colleges and

universities, from large public institutions to small liberal arts schools, have been meeting with students to share information about academics, campus life, and the admissions process.

“Colleges go on to a rep visit site and see when we have available dates,” CCC coordinator Daniel Cobello said. “According to their travel plans, they’ll pick a date, and I build a list. I have a spreadsheet that I send to seniors every day, and they see who’s coming.”

On any given day, the CCC hums with quiet energy.

Students filter in between classes, check in with Cobello, and work on essays or scholarship applications. During college visits, the center becomes a small lecture space where admissions representatives share details about their programs and answer questions about applications, student life, and majors.

“You need both types of visits,” Cobello said. “There’s a lot to be said for being on a campus, feeling the environment and seeing what

fits. It’s not just from me or a website. They get to talk to a real representative from that college, which is kind of cool.”

Attendance has surged this year. After the pandemic years limited in-person opportunities, students are once again filling the center for visits and workshops.

“This year has definitely exploded,” Cobello said. “Last year had a good amount, but students weren’t used to this because it was closed for a couple of years. Now, I’ve got lots of students coming in. We’re working on all their stuff. I’m reading 30 essays a day. The atmosphere is very next step. Everybody feels it, and they work on stuff in here. That’s a big part of it.”

October also marked Michigan College Month, which brought widespread application fee waivers across many Michigan institutions. The initiative makes it easier for students to apply without financial barriers.

“The state of Michigan and its colleges usually have a month, October, where they offer free applications,” Cobello said. “’Some are only for part of the month, but many are all month long. It’s a great opportunity for students to

apply without paying fees.”

Beyond organizing college visits, the CCC serves as a central resource for students navigating life after high school. The space doubles as a workshop area, where Cobello helps students polish essays, complete applications, and prepare for FAFSA submissions.

The CCC’s mission, Cobello said, is not just about college admissions, but about helping students find direction, whether that means higher education, trade programs or other opportunities.

“Right now, we’re heavy with the Common App,” he said. “I’m helping students with structure and content. FAFSA is easy now. We can get it done in 15 minutes. One of my students already received a $7,000 Emerald Scholarship from Eastern Michigan because her materials were submitted early.”

Cobello also emphasizes collaboration between students and teachers in the process.

“Students should know they have resources, counselors, great teachers, and this space,” Cobello said. “Not many schools have a room like this or a program like ours. Whether a student wants to go to MIT or become a welder, we try to help them find their path.”

“We just try to make sure that if it’s skilled trades, somebody wants to be a welder or builder or anything like that, we have answers to some questions,” he said. “And if we don’t have them, we’ll find them.”

As the semester wraps up, the College and Career Center remains a cornerstone of support for students exploring their postsecondary options, helping each River Rat take their next step with clarity and confidence.

“Stop listening to your friends and shut out the hallway chatter about who’s going where,” Cobello said. “If they can just focus on themselves, they’ll realize success isn’t about where you go, it’s about what you do once you get there.”

Local Washtenaw County organizations fighting food insecurity

LAKSHYA JAIGANESH

COPY EDITOR

With recent uncertainty around free lunches for students and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, initiatives to combat food insecurity have become increasingly important. According to Feeding America, in Washtenaw County in 2023 alone, over 50,000 people were considered food insecure and 55% of residents were below the SNAP threshold.

Growing Hope

Growing Hope, founded in 2003, is a nonprofit organization based in Ypsilanti. Made of the Growing Hope Urban Farm and the Ypsilanti Farmers Marketplace, they work for a sustainable food system.

“We’re really trying to not only fight food insecurity, but empower people to have more ownership of their food system,” teen and schools manager Jenny Pritchett said.

Local organizations have been working tirelessly to alleviate this food insecurity, but their work often goes unnoticed, despite being so crucial to the health of our community.

Food Gatherers

Established in 1988, Food Gatherers is a nonprofit organization that serves as the food bank and food rescue program for Washtenaw County. A member of Feeding America and one of the seven regional food banks in Michigan, they aim to alleviate the symptoms of food insecurity.

food insecurity still have dietary needs,” Miller said. “We want to make sure we’re getting food for them that they can use.”

The nonprofit hosts many programs, like their Teen Leadership Program, which gives youth the opportunity to work on sustainable farming.

Willow Run Acres

Founded by Takunia

“Farmer TC” Collins in 2018, Willow Run Acres is a nonprofit organization in Ypsilanti that aims to fight for food justice through teaching about farming and gardening.

“There was a need for low-income communities to have access to food,” Collins said. “But a lot of times you would see food that you didn’t

“As cliche as it is, [they’re] the next generation,” Pritchett said.

With SNAP benefits being cut, it’s getting harder for communities to access proper resources. Despite these struggles, Growing Hope continues to provide and support in the local food system.

want to eat.” Rather than distributing food, Willow Run Acres aims to combat food insecurity through teaching others. They offer gardening workshops and help create garden plots, as well as a small farm operation called Clay Hill Community Farm and Garden.

“We could be any organization to just sit down and grow plants and give out

“Everyone should have the food they need,” Pritchett said. “That’s not a radical idea.”

plants,” Collins said. “But we want to be an education force.”

Willow Run Acres continues to advocate for the rights of all people, no matter their demographic.

“Water is important, air is important, the soil is important, and food is important,” Collins said. “And we all should have the right to have food.”

“It’s an issue that is still pervasive in our country,” Director of Community Food Programs Markell Miller said.

One of Food Gatherers’ programs is the Healthy School Pantry Program, where they distribute nutritious food to different schools in Washtenaw County, including Huron High School. In addition, they have a Summer Food Service Program and a community kitchen. The nonprofit ensures that the food they source is varied and is what people ask for.

“People experiencing

Food Gatherers believe that it’s important to provide assistance for everyone, no matter their situation. They understand that people’s experiences are diverse, and some may still need resources despite not meeting the SNAP threshold.

“Those thresholds are really low,” Miller said. “They’re set nationally and not adjusted for local cost of living.”

They are currently hosting drive-through emergency distributions to help those affected by the lack of SNAP funding.

“We’re trying to increase our response and [make] sure there’s more food going out to our network of partners,” Miller said. “But we can’t replace SNAP.”

Hispanic heritage month at Huron High School

EMILY HU WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the leaves start to turn into beautiful shades of oranges and reds, signaling the arrival of October, the month holds a special meaning for members of the Latino Student Union (LSU). It marks Hispanic Heritage Month.

For LSU President Nadia Ochoa Peterson, the month is less about big events, but more about her connection with family and culture.

“We don’t necessarily do anything huge, but there’s more of an emphasis on quality time and just being together,” Peterson explained.

The same sense of connection is what helps drive Nadia to lead LSU this year.

While the club isn’t hosting a major celebration yet, numerous ideas are in the air as members brainstorm what events could help reflect their culture during the month.

“We’re trying to collaborate with Pioneer to set up an event,” Peterson said. “We want to do a Día de los Muertos event.”

LSU has also been planning a fundraiser, similar to the one last year. This will be a paper flower fundraiser where students can donate to have a flower with a special

Underneath the full circle skirt, called falda de doble vuel, and festive mariachi music, there is a taptap-tap that can be heard — a pulse that can be felt.

“The hardest part initially was learning the footwork, because it’s not necessarily something that you do in everyday life,” sophomore Lorena Moore said. “You have to be very precise with your feet.”

Folklórico dancing is a traditional Mexican folk choreography that demands grandiose gowns lifted to unveil the shoes called zapatos de ballet folkloricó

footwork.

Moore began selftaught from YouTube videos. So, with an annual family voyage to Houston, Texas, Moore had a blue ruffled skirt and glistening black shoes in possession.

Moore first wore ballet shoes at four years old, but has since grown into the attire of folklórico, jazz and tap dancing.

will be held mid-December, right before winter break.

For Peterson, expressing her heritage happens both through her leadership in LSU and her daily life. Through LSU, she’s had the chance to meet and connect with other Latino students at Huron. At home, her cultural connection only strengthens.

“My mom and I cook a lot of Mexican food together,” she said. “When she was younger, she used to visit her family every Sunday, so she’s kept that tradition going.”

Peterson believes that students outside the Latino community can also play a role in celebrating this month alongside them.

“If there’s a fundraiser, help out,” she said. “And even if you’re not Latino, you can attend LSU if you’re passionate about supporting underrepresented communities. Just being open-minded and wanting to learn about the culture means

Through her leadership, LSU is hoping to better showcase their culture and heritage.

“Representation, to

things, just in different ways.”

Tap dancing, folklórico dancing and Spanish flamenco all create percussive sounds in their shoes; the sound of cultures can share the same rhythms and meters.

“There are a lot of connections in different people’s cultures,” Moore said. “It’s really interesting to see how everyone kind of has similar

“I started in elementary school, and I kind of learned on my own,” Moore said. “My school hosted a Heritage Festival every year, and I wanted to participate in an act.”

In the spring, Logan Elementary School planned an international night that helped Moore find this creative channel. To

her, that’s the best part of folklórico dancing.

“The most rewarding part is getting to perform the dances and showing other people about my culture, exposing them to new things,” Moore said.

Although there are scarce resources nearby,

Moore mentions a location in Flint that may teach folklórico dancing and plans to collaborate with the Latin Student Union (LSU) on representing the art form as an ensemble.

“It’s just a really good way to connect to my culture,” Moore said.

SATVIKA RAMANATHAN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ann Arbor Public Schools currently has five major construction projects in progress in the works. Over the summer, they completed around 40 minor projects across the district.

AAPS Manager for Capital and Construction Programs Moe Nagpal said that the projects can be categorized under three buckets: one is facilities, condition assessment and remediation, the second is improvements to enhance the learning environment and the final bucket is energy efficiency enhancement.

SLAUSON

• Pool has been demolished

The funding for these renovation projects comes primarily from the billion dollar bond that was passed in 2019. There is also a sinking fund that provides some money for capital improvements.

It has been challenging to continue the projects into the school year, though.

“The construction process is dusty, to say the least,” Nagpal said. “We know this is not fun for residents, students and staff while this is going on. We try to minimize the [disruptions].”

LOGAN

A new Logan Elementary School is being rebuilt next to Clague Middle School, down the street from the original school.

George Lindquist, 88, lives right behind the new building and walks over every day to check up on it.

Sometimes the drilling does get noisy for him, but he said that he is happy about the construction.

“I’m greatly in favor of kids, so I’m very glad to see it happening,” he said.

• Steel is going to arrive for the building this month

• Working on building the foundation of the new building

• Starting to renovate the Auxilary Gym

• Working on installing geothermal heating, cooling and ventilation systems, like in all other new schools across the district

DICKEN

• New building is on the same campus as the old

• Working on forming and reinforcing foundations

• Completed site grading and playground relocation

• Horizontal piping for geothermal system is being installed

The new Mitchell Elementary is also being built close to the old building. Mitchell Young 5’s teacher Lisa Thompson loves this for her class.

Breaking down the AAPS construction around Ann Arbor

THURSTON

• Being built on where the old Thurston Nature Center was

• First phase of pier installation has finished

• Some tree-felling measures are starting to be taken

• Some families have concerns about the proximity of the new building to the old one while their kids are at school and the construction is happening

HURON

No active projects, but recently:

• Updated front athletic field

• Replaced pool lockers

• New LED scoreboard for pool

• Installed pool Monorail and updated filtration system

• Replaced wall on exterior

“It’s super cool for them because it’s trucks and cranes and metal moving people up on top of beams,” she said. Thompson is excited for the shared spaces that are going to be added to the new building.

“We used to be quite a small community school, and we’ve just been spread out [over time],” she said.

“We’re ready for a building like the one we’re about to get, where we there are going to be lots of places for collaboration to happen.”

MITCHELL

Detailed information about projects around the district can be

The lasting legacy of Title IX: Delving into its current impact at Huron

SATVIKA RAMANATHAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

At the corner of Fuller and Huron Parkway stands an unmissable and bright sign stuck on to the softball stadium. The yellow and green colors spell out: Dottie D. Davis Softball Stadium. The stadium is named after a former Huron athletic director (AD) who was important to the way Title IX looks at Huron.

In May of 2000, the Huron

Teachers Christy Garrett and Amy Van Appledorn were two softball coaches who, along with Davis, took charge on this case, and eventually did get the changes made. Davis said that the bigger challenge that the softball team faced, though, was that the baseball team was harassing the girls on the softball team because they were worried about their own access.

manifests mainly in terms of exposure, numbers of sports and resources. Current Huron AD James Trush said that Huron is allowed to have more women’s sports than men’s sports, but cannot have more men’s sports than women’s sports.

women’s softball captains filed a complaint saying that their softball field was in worse condition than the men’s baseball field was for numerous reasons cited.

Huron’s varsity field hockey coach Lauren Hall said that is a common concern regarding Title IX, especially right after it was first enacted in 1972. Rather than providing more funding for women’s sports, many programs and schools would instead take away funding from men’s sports in order to meet the basic requirements of equality that were underlined in Title IX. This caused lots of clashes between the boys’ and girls’ sports.

“Whenever [we] tried to work towards something closer to equity, it just fell short,” Hall said. Now, Title IX at Huron

Head women’s swim and dive coach Andrea Stanczyk said a lot of their recruitment is because the boys’ team is also getting the same.

“Title IX has helped with giving girls the opportunities that prior weren’t shown to girls as much,” she said. “Now they know they can do any of these sports.”

Echoing this idea of equal access is varsity volleyball coach Stephen Wheeler.

“It’s important that all students have an opportunity to participate in athletics,” he said. “The interpersonal interactions, learning how to support each other, learning how to work with different personalities – all these things are important in a much wider range of life than just the small arena of sport.”

For sports that do not have an exact counterpart for the opposite gender, anyone

can technically join. Varsity football coach Jamonte Love said that he has had girls play for his team before. Varsity baseball coach Eamon Horwedel just joined a year ago and has not yet had any girls join his team, but he said that he would let anyone join regardless of gender.

“I would never turn anybody away,” Horwedel said. “We’re a baseball team. If you’re good at baseball, you’re good at baseball.”

Proportionality

As

Davis said that Title IX is important to keep improving for future generations.

“What really inspires me the most is to see the young kids have the confidence in themselves to move forward, to come play for a sport,” she said. “While I may not have had [Title IX], it warms my heart to see these kids at Huron play.”

The pioneering women of Title IX in Ann Arbor

The fight for the Block M

ANJALI NADARAJAH PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Sheryl Szady, an UofM athlete and alumna, advocated throughout these pivotal years for equal rights in wolverine sports. In hopes of the transition from intramural sports to varsity sports, she teamed up with Linda Laird, manager of the women’s basketball club, to prepare a presentation received well by specifically president Robben Fleming in April of 1973.

“We recommended that six sports be supported as varsity sports for women starting that fall, “ Szady said. By the time July rolled around, Fleming agreed, even appointing a women’s athletic director.

“We started six sports very rapidly which was great, because that was my senior year. I got to participate in the first year of varsity athletics.”

Even after the relentless work toward varsity sports, women’s sports still didn’t reach the same treatment and appreciation that men’s sports did. They were hardly featured in the Michigan Daily newspaper, and didn’t even receive varsity letters. The iconic block M, proudly adorned by male Michigan athletes on their varsity jackets, was not available for women. The fight had just begun for Szady. Upon her request for The athletic department sent out a letter signed by football coach Bo Schembechler and basketball coach Johnny Orr.

“[The letter] said, ‘How can you let synchronized swimmers and softball players get the same block m that you sweat and bled on the

fields of Michigan for?’” she recalled.

It became a highly contentious topic for the community. Accredited Detroit sportscaster Al Ackerman even threatened to never announce another Michigan score on his broadcast if Michigan doesn’t give women the same block M.

“Oh, this is important,” Szady said. “Radio, TV and newspaper were the main conduit. It was like free advertising of all sorts of intercollegiate athletics at Michigan and you didn’t have to pay for it. Well, if Al Ackerman is saying [he’ll] never announce another score, that’s 1/3 of your marketing horizon is being left.”

The board almost unanimously voted to give women the same block letter. But in the fall, when the current and alumni athletes received their new letters, they failed to meet the expectations built throughout the fight.

“I get my jacket, I get this box, I open it up, and instead of the yellow, rectangular M, [we get] little square orange M’s on our varsity jacket. What is this?

You know, we won the battle. We get the equal block M.”

ANJALI NADARAJAH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The world changed for girls in 1972.

Just over 50 years ago, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibited discrimination of sex in educational programs and activities– namely sports. Before the title was passed, women across the United States were limited in opportunities to play anything off the sidelines of a football game. The situation was the same for women like Carol Poenisch.

Continued practice of program inclusion and expansion in response to the female students at our school. Consistency

For the next 18 years, women got the wrong letter on their jackets. In 1991, the athletic director at the time, Jack Weidenbach,

Before the University of Michigan’s varsity women’s track and field team was created, Poenisch started running for the AAU team, the Michigammes. They didn’t compete with other schools. At the time, girls at Pioneer High School were limited to cheerleading.

“I was degraded,” she said. “That was not me. I did not want to put a skirt on to cheer the boys. I wanted to be cheered on.”

Poenisch was known across town for her athleticism and long time training with the Michigammes. Pioneer coach Don Sleeman, who still coaches today, finally asked her to run at one boys meet.

“It didn’t even occur to me at the time that I could have entered,” she said. “I should have been able to just be on the team, because I beat all of the JV team on Dexter and all but three of their varsity. I gave them a 100 yard start. The next day, the whole school was just buzzing about it.”

Oftentimes, athletes

like Poenisch would advance to the collegiate level. But when she attended the University of Michigan in 1972, they didn’t even have a women’s track team. UofM straggled behind as all the other colleges across the country started to offer varsity sports for women. Being the last in the Big10 Conference, she knew she needed to make a change. That started with Don Canham, the athletic director and track athlete.

“I said, ‘Hey, we need women’s sports here, especially need track,’” she said. “He was very much against it. He pretty much told us that women have cheerleading. That’s all they need.”

What she didn’t know at the time was Canham was simultaneously lobbying the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C. to let UofM off the hook for Title IX’s new laws. Finally in 1978, after Poenisch graduated, the university launched their women’s track team. Though she missed running at the collegiate level, she joined Michigan’s women’s volleyball team. That didn’t come with it’s own unique struggles.

“Well, funding was difficult back then,” she said.

“We didn’t have uniforms. I have a picture of our volleyball team back in 1974, when we played in T-shirts. It didn’t even occur to us– We just kind of accepted it as the norm.”

They had to wear their own shorts, shoes, essentially starting from scratch with the limited resources. Similarly, Candy Cooper, a Huron High School alumna of 1973, hardly remembers there being any uniform for Huron’s girls gymnastics team. Access to any sports, at the time, was more of a distant dream for many.

“Unfortunately, in

Ann Arbor at the time, it was a matter of privilege,” Cooper said. “If your family could afford to provide lessons for you, and you had an interest and the support, then you could pursue it that way.”

The lack of organized activities provided by Huron led to many girls like her make use of what they had at home. For some it was paying for swimming lessons in the community, or tennis lesson summer camps. For Cooper, it was both of those, as well as the neighborhood trampoline.

“[My] good friend had a trampoline in her backyard,” she said. “We used to spend hours and hours, learning how to do tricks. We went to the ER a lot with various injuries. So when we understood there was a team, it just seemed like it would be fun. We were sort of teaching ourselves as we went along, but I loved practicing and the relationships that you create when you’re part of a team.”

The start of girls sports at Huron sparked community and gave students like Cooper an outlet for their interests. While the lack of resources was inconvenient, it was just the start of female athletes here. Now, Huron has 18 sports for girls to participate in.

“Looking in retrospect, I can see that we were right at the cutting edge of it,” she said. “I’m quite grateful because I was a tomboy growing up. I was an athlete, and it was just a part of my being. The fact that I was able to engage with that part of myself at school was really a big deal. You’re [at] a time of searching and trying to figure out who you are. That helped me stabilize my life in a particular way. Just to be able to practice every day added dimension to my high school life.”

The price of being a senior

ANJALI NADARAJAH PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nobody prepares you for how expensive senior year is. As an underclassman, I was amazed each year by the “Senior Sunday” Instagram posts, beautiful floor length prom dresses, and the regal, forest green graduation gowns. What I didn’t realize, before this past August, was how costly everything would be. Who was going to

tell me each college application can be upwards of $85? Or that a prom dress comes with the cost of alterations, mani-pedis, heels, and a bouquet? To save current and future Huron seniors the trouble, here are all of the ways you can save money, without skimping out on the fun.

Senior photos Dresses and suits

Every Sunday since I started high school, my Instagram feed is filled with professional, filtered photos of Huron’s senior class. While these are a rite of passage, perfect for yearbooks and graduation party invites, prices can be anywhere from $350 to $1000. My suggestion is to find a friend with a camera, and watch a few tutorials on editing. I highly recommend using Adobe Lightroom, a software many professional photographers use, which is only $11.99 a month. If you take your photos with a friend, you have the opportunity to change into multiple outfits, drive around looking for the perfect location, and even a lunch break at Chipotle to look at the photo results. Your only additional cost might be treating your photographer friend to a burrito.

College applications

Seniors applying to college, especially those that are applying to multiple top universities, are faced with hundreds of dollars in application fees. While in some cases they are unavoidable, you can apply for fee waivers through the CommonApp or admissions offices, and apply to schools with lower/free applications. Schools like Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and Wayne State University are free for the month of October. For future seniors, Michigan State University applications are free during the first 10 days of October. Talk to your counselor if you have questions.

Popular stores like Windsor and Macy’s are known for their dresses and suits for prom. Because many don’t want to spend a ton of money on an outfit they’ll likely only wear once, a great alternative is to buy them second hand, or borrow a friend’s. Online consignment stores like Depop and Vinted are great tools to find unique outfits. You can even rent beautiful dresses on Rent the Runway, where they carry high end brands for occasions like this. My personal favorite is going to local thrift stores, like the Salvation Army on S. State St., for vintage and unique pieces. The Ann Arbor Dress Project is an organization where you can buy gently used dresses for prices as low as $10. Huron alumna Lucinda Paliani purchased her prom dress last year here.

Graduation caps and gowns

Did you know gently used Huron graduation gowns and caps are redistributed by the Huron PTSO every year? They can also be found at local thrift stores and even parent Facebook groups. You can always ask your older siblings or friends who’ve graduated too. The options are innumerable. If you’re interested in donating a gently used cap/gown, the PTSO is currently accepting donations in the counseling office.

The pressure to succeed is ruining the high school experience

AMY YANG A&E EDITOR

Before entering high school, my parents sat me down, and with stern voices, stating that starting this year I needed to work hard, to focus on schoolwork, prioritize club commitment, to succeed in high school and excel

experience that the little girl that I was, once dreamed of. Sure, the movies were exaggerated: school dances weren’t as extravagant, and football games weren’t as dramatic; there also wasn’t as much interesting drama or some type of heart-swooning romance as I had envisioned at the age of nine.

blandness of high school, however, I believe that there still is a “high school experience” to be fulfilledwhether it is sitting on the bedroom floors with your friends curling your hair, and painting your nails before heading to the school dance held in the cafeteria, or the “study sessions,” with the

studying. Or, just as simply as relaxing and having time for yourself and the things and people that you love. Though different from what I envisioned, along with the academic challenges that high school brings, these still should be the things that I think of when hearing the words “high school.”

internally. “How will I ‘make up’ the four hours that I spent going out with friends?” or “Should I even go to the event? I still have so much APUSH homework that needs to be done.” wwTaking up all of my time and energy seems to be the never ending list of homework and studying piled up on my google calendar.

Staff Editorial: Protecting Title IX’s promise of inclusion

We are in a very different place than we were 40+ years ago. The expansion of rights for all persons has arguably grown. However, with the Feb. 2025 executive order attempting to ban transgender girls from competing in interscholastic sports, threats to

upstanding progress from moves like Title IX are overtaking any initial progress.

Title IX was created in an attempt to create equal opportunities for athletes across the country, expanding participation without limiting opportunities. Following the executive order, Title IX has been used to defend Tennessee v. Cardona, which states,

“ignoring fundamental biological truths between the two sexes deprives women and girls of meaningful Access to educational facilities.” Using this impactful precedent as a tool to exclude transgender youth promotes the idea that inclusion is conditional.

It’s not to be without mention that Title IX policies protect

students from sex-based discrimination in dress code policies and even STEM courses and programs. While there is still work to be done in regards to both, Huron’s representation within STEMrelated programs like PLTW (Project Lead the Way) and an unbiased dress code should be the standard for schools across the country.

We at The Huron Emery believe in creating spaces where all students feel empowered and a sense of belonging, regardless of the space they are in.

Title IX

am willing to trade

GRAPHIC BY KAYLA FU

promises youth inclusion in the classroom and fair treatment in athletics. All attributes of Title IX allow youth to focus on what’s most important at school: a learning space. Learning to express yourself wholeheartedly, learning with equal opportunities for everyone, and learning the importance of resilience through athletics. By picking apart the basis of Title IX and weaponizing it, a promise to youth all over the country is abandoned.

The culture of sleep deprivation

LAKSHYA JAIGANESH COPY EDITOR

It’s only the second month of junior year, and I can already feel the weight of homework, tests and extracurriculars piling up. My to-do list is full, my body is running on caffeine and my sleep schedule is destroyed. I am sleep deprived. Somehow, a culture of sleep deprivation has become the norm. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 77% of high school students in 2021 did not get the recommended eight hours of sleep on a school night. The majority of teens aren’t receiving enough rest for their bodies and minds to function properly, and it’s become so common that we barely question it.

constantly hear people bragging about how little sleep they got. Whether it was 5 hours of sleep or they pulled an all-nighter, it’s said almost like some kind of achievement. Social media only amplifies this mindset, with energy drinks becoming an accessory at school and all-nighter vlogs filling up our feeds.

where everyone treats the “grind” as competition, getting sufficient rest feels like a weakness. I’ll admit, I often fall into this mindset. I stay up later than I should, just so I can feel like an academic weapon, even if I end up getting nothing done. Over time, I’ve realized that constantly pushing myself to the limit

It often seems like the sleep deprivation is romanticized. I

From what I’ve seen, a lot of this stems from hustle culture. We’ve glorified the feeling overworked and having sleepless nights, convincing ourselves that being tired all the time is just a side effect hard work. The association between exhaustion and ambition continues to grow because we believe that burnout is bound to happen if we want to get into a “good” college or build a successful future. But, while hard work does pay off, it should come at the expense of our physical and mental health.

Yet, in a world

or less dedicated. It’s time we stop promoting exhaustion and start valuing our bodies and minds. The truth is, your homework can wait. Sleep shouldn’t have to.

From TikTok to Billboard: how music really goes viral

ESMIE SALINAS STAFF WRITER

A 15-second TikTok clip can launch songs to the top of the charts faster than traditional radio or labels ever could. But what makes this possible?

TikTok’s famous algorithm is designed to surface content based on user engagement rather than follower count, allowing any videos and the music within it to reach millions overnight. This allows for snippets of songs to pop up constantly, especially when attached to a trend or hashtag. Still, not all short clips become lasting hits. The separation between a viral moment and a true hit is up to the viewers.

The difference comes from how TikTok users interact with the songs outside of TikTok. If users look up the full version of the

The Misfits

song and stream it on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music, the track can make it onto real charts. That crossover is the key to those streaming sensations. Without it, the song risks being remembered as just catchy background noise for a short-lived meme or dance trend.

When that transition from TikTok to streaming platforms works, it can propel a track well beyond social media, giving it a real shot at chart success. A clear example of this is “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars. “APT.” quickly went viral on TikTok after its release in October 2024. The track features a catchy chant that is based on the Korean drinking game “Apartment,” which took off instantly. Hashtags like #apt and #apartmentchallenge flooded the platform, helping the song reach over 100,000 video

JUSTIN PHELPS STAFF WRITER

uses within its first week. The rush of online engagement pushed the track far beyond the app. “APT.” debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually climbed to number three.

The song’s quick success can also be attributed to the fact that Bruno Mars and Rosé already had established fanbases, with Rosé being a part of Blackpink and Bruno Mars already being a renowned artist amongst the music community. Ultimately, this hit became Rosé’s first top ten as a solo artist, marking a substantial event in

her career and showing how TikTok trends can launch a song into mainstream chart success. While some songs ride their online successes all the way to the top of the charts, others catch fire on TikTok for

just a brief moment without translating into lasting mainstream popularity. For example, “abcdefu” by GAYLE blew up on TikTok for its catchy chorus snippet. The song was very repetitive, especially regarding the main chorus

Overall, many listeners were

unable to connect with the full song, and the song was unable to maintain strong chart success.

Other artists were able to gain recognition through the social media platform. Song artists like Sombr, Doechii and Benson Boone all gained lots of popularity through TikTok, and they even started up their own fanbases. This highlights the app’s effect on how people find new music, and how listeners come to support upcoming artists.

TikTok has now become a very powerful launchpad for music, especially as new artists show their talents. But virality alone doesn’t guarantee long-term success. It’s the connection beyond the app where listeners seek out the full song and keep streaming that turns a small clip into a lasting hit.

Joshua Slone debuts at the biggest concert in US history

ANNIKA RICHARDS STAFF WRITER

An artist with no released music somehow got the opportunity to perform at the biggest ticketed concert in US history. Joshua Slone did just that.

Zach Bryan, one of the most popular country artists of our generation, with hits like “Burn, Burn, Burn,” “Something in the Orange” and “Revival,” recently broke the record for the biggest ticketed concert America’s ever seen, taking place Sept. 27, 2025 at the Michigan Stadium (the “Big House”) in Ann Arbor, Mich. With an estimated 112,408 people attending, Slone was the starting opener.

Slone began his music

career on social media, establishing his place as an upcoming country singer from Kentucky, making and posting videos of himself singing and playing his guitar. He didn’t just sing covers, but would release samples of songs he wrote on his own. It wasn’t just his voice that got people hooked, but the lyrics of said songs that hit listeners right where it hurt.

Slone first debuted the song “Your Place At My Place” on June 25, 2024 on TikTok, and continued to post snippets until the shown

completion of the song, Dec. 28, 2024. This song has only gained popularity with time, receiving recognition for its devastating chorus with lyrics saying;

“But now it’s too late So much for another soulmate Should’ve known you only get one, babe Nobody’s ever taking your place at my place.”

Over the course of the next year, Slone attracted more listeners with his lyricism perfectly showcasing the painful process of getting over heartbreak. As he continued to come out with songs, and began to perform his music in smaller venues, Slone started grabbing the attention of larger artists, including Bryan. The duo initially collaborated in an Instagram post on March 25, 2025, covering Bryan’s song “Madeline,” and teasing new unreleased music between the two, subtly foreshadowing the announcement of Slone’s participation in Bryan’s concert at the

Big House. Slone began the concert while many fans had just begun to take their seats. Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentleman followed Slone’s performance, with John Mayer later finishing the opening acts. Slone’s act stood out as the clear outlier, with a cruder setup and less production than the other performances. It didn’t hold him back whatsoever, though, and his passion for his music that many had never heard before wooed all who heard it.

Attendees of the concert were amazed by the talents of Slone. For an artist with no released music, he was surely ready for the big country star life. After the concert, viewers began sharing their experiences with seeing him live online. A flood of support came through, begging Slone to continue making music and going on tour. With nothing but positive feedback, it only encouraged Slone to announce the drop of his debut album “Thinking Too Much”, now streaming on all music platforms.

“

I remember his voice being really good, and it made me want to check out his music. It’s pretty impressive if he’s that new.

Sitcoms are more important than we think

ISHA SAVI WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Do you know how to live? People spend their entire lives trying to learn how–they cycle through routines, relationships, careers, and cities. Even so, this question often goes unanswered. In our pursuit of an answer, we made sitcoms.

Sitcoms are defined by a set of characters who are involved in various humorous situations–a situation comedy. One of the earliest and most well-known sitcoms is I Love Lucy, which ran from 1951-1957. I Love Lucy was influential for a variety of reasons, ranging from crossing cultural lines by casting a Cuban lead (something that was

unheard of for its time) to establishing the standard for the classic three-camera sitcom. What stands out to me most about this show, though, is its portrayal of Lucy. At a time when the ideal for women was the perfectly polished housewife, Lucy was everything but. She wanted to work, to chase fame. She was scatterbrained, zany, and painfully funny. More than anything, she was a whole person. The beauty of Lucy is that she could truly only have her impact within the realistic context of the sitcom. By simply allowing her to exist in this context, she became a possibility of what women could be, a possibility of how they could live. As time went on, we got

the classic, long-spanning, ‘rewatch-every-year’ type sitcoms: Friends, Gilmore Girls, The Office, Modern Family, New Girl, etc. These shows, while varying in social contexts, have the sole goal of exploring the inner workings of their characters. Each episode of these shows is completely character-driven; they serve the purpose of developing a character or relationship, making you understand them better. Built on the back of the I Love Lucy scene, characters were written to reflect people who could exist in real life. A naive rich girl, a single mother, an incompetent boss–these are all people you could run into at any point in your life. A good sitcom makes you feel

like you know a character, like you’ve been them, and shows you how to handle situations. It shows you that growth is not only possible, but beautiful, and happens with time. It is this trait that makes sitcoms so special; their innate humanity and ability to empathize with their audiences humorously is absolutely invaluable. Sitcoms may appear simple, but if you look below the surface, you’ll find something far deeper. They may not teach us exactly how to live, but they teach us how to keep living through mistakes, pain, and change. We’ll probably never know exactly how to live, but maybe having this persistence is more than enough.

ELLISE BAIDEL, 11

I thought he sounded good on the guitar and I liked the way he sang. I had no idea it was his debut.

DILLON FREETH, 10

Women’s Varsity Golf team heads to states

JULES HESKIA

SPORTS WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

20 years later, the Women’s Varsity Golf team are regional champions once again. The River Rats persevered through many challenges throughout the season and ended on a good note at the state tournament. Five golfers were able to live this unforgettable experience that they’ll take with them for the rest of their lives.

As one of the top five golfers, junior Ellise Baidel got the opportunity to play at the state tournament for the second time in a row. The tournament took place at The Meadows in Grand Valley State University. With this tournament being the most challenging of the season, preparation was key for Baidel and her teammates.

“As a team, we had practices every day, specifically focusing on, chipping and putting a lot,” Baidel said. “We struggled a little bit with that in regionals, especially myself. I knew what I needed to work on from how I performed at regionals to get ready for states.”

The team had set an objective to win the regional tournament before the season

started. They did just that without an issue. However, their grandiose victory got in the way of their preparation for the big tournament.

“I do think we lost a little bit of focus,” Baidel said. “We didn’t prepare as much for states as we did for regionals. For regionals, we got out and played the course that we would play on multiple times. We didn’t really do that for states, because we kind of knew where we were going to place.”

Being consistent was key for Baidel throughout the whole season. It was also an issue for her at times. It was about bouncing back from those inconsistencies to find the right mindset for states.

“I just try to block it out, the bad holes and the bad days,” Baidel said. “Especially during a round when I have either a bad hole or maybe it’s an 18 hole round, and I have a bad front nine. I try to turn around, shift to a more

positive mindset instead of the negative. Instead of thinking about what I was doing wrong, I focused on what I can do better in the future.”

wThis isn’t her only way to focus during big match ups, however. At states, Baidel used a tactical strategy to make sure she stayed focused and calm all throughout the long day.

“I personally never look at the scoreboard,” Baidel said. “We have it all on our phones and I choose not to look at the leader board, because that stresses me out. If I see that we’re up by one maybe, I just get in my own head. And I start thinking about what happens if this happens. I think it’s just kind of a personal decision.”

Although golf is an individual sport, the final score of the team is a combination of each individual golfer’s score. This plays a big role when it comes to teammates cheering for each other and creating a good team environment.

Baidel believes that this has been one of the team’s biggest strengths throughout her three years on the team.

“I think we’ve all definitely gotten closer as a group. We’ve all really bonded a lot because there’s a lot of time that we’re spending with each other. We’re going on these long drives, long trips to faraway tournaments and far away places,” Baidel said. Not only does she think they have become close, but she also believes they have gotten better as golfers.

“I would also say we’ve all improved our games. Last year we lost Emmi Conrad, who was a senior. This was kind of rough for us,

because she was one of our most consistent players. We kind of had to bounce back from that and have people fill in, have people rise up,” Baidel said.

Now that the season is over, Baidel is looking ahead in the future. She will be one of the captains next year alongside juniors Tia Tarnal and Charlotte Wright.

“I think we’re losing the majority of our varsity team, and so I think the main goal is to keep the momentum going,” Baidel said. “Even though we’re losing a lot of those people, we have to try

Women’s Freshman and JV Volleyball teams battle it out against Saline

1. Freshman Harper Broughton after a hard point. “I was definitely feeling down, [but] my team reassured me and made sure I was okay before the next point,” Broughton said. 2. Determined to win, freshman Gabrielle Jones prepares to serve the ball. “I feel good especially for my first year in high school volleyball, and I feel like we accomplished so much and grew as a team,” Jones said. 3. With focus and power, freshman Sreshta Arcot prepares to hit the ball. 4. Freshman Siya Laddha puts power behind her serve. “I remember feel-

ing really happy because I got the ball over,” Laddha said. 5. Sophomore Lucille Giblin prepares to bump the ball. She has enjoyed her time on the team. “I’ve had a lot of personal growth and as team we’ve gotten a lot better,” Giblin said. 6. During the JV game, sophomore Lucy Valentin challenges the ball at the net. “I feel like it went well. I bonded well with my teammates and this game we played good,” Valentin said. 7. Sophomore Ashlyn Burton fights to get the ball up. “I’m passing and running for the ball,” Burton said. “My favorite part of the season was winning our first

game.”

“This

2 4 8 1 3 5 7 6

Balancing spirit and scholarship: the Huron high school student section Huron’s student section brings the energy, on and off the field

RYAN BEZAS SPORTS EDITOR

At Huron, the student section isn’t just about screaming their lungs out on Friday nights, it’s about showing pride for their school, their team, and their community. This year’s leaders, seniors Max Pinsky and TJ Conley, along with junior Shayla Ly, are proving that school spirit can be just as important as schoolwork when it comes to building a

“Making posts seems to be the best way to boost attendance, they have a domino effect,” Pinsky said.

However, leading the student section is not just about likes or reposts.

“Being a student section leader is about getting people to see the school as a community and support one another,” Pinsky said.

“There’s a lot of people who only see the ‘me’ aspect of things, and school spirit is a way to show the ‘we’.”

hair, senior TJ Conley is ready before a big game.

“I take a lot of pride in setting the tone for the crowd,” Conley said. “Talking to Mr. Carter gave me a lot of perspective about how important our position is for the school and our culture.”

The roller coaster chant at half time is Conley’s favorite chant.

“It gets everyone going again,” he said. “When the student body is behind the team, we feel almost

group watching the game together. People I barely knew three years ago are now right there next to me. It’s become like a family.”

Stepping up to carry on this energy into her senior year is junior Shayla Ly.

“Being a student section leader is more than posting on Instagram or being front row,” she said.

“It’s about creating a school community that people are proud of.”

Ly admits she was

and cheering again. But what matters most to her is building something lasting.

“In the past, we’ve lacked the school spirit that other schools have,” Ly said. “This is the start of something that can change that.”

For all three leaders, it’s clear that Huron pride goes beyond the games. It’s about community, connection, and balance. They want students to know it’s possible to show up for their grades and their team.

Fall Faves

What we think will get you into the fall spirit

ELLA YIP & ISHA SAVI PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The sweetest fall movie of all time! This film follows sixteenyear-old Juno MacGuff in her tribulations with teen pregnancy. Juno ultimately decides to give her baby to commercial jingle composer Mark Loring and his wife, Vanessa.

The film explores the relationships Juno has with everyone involved as she goes through the situation. The depth of its content, paired with its hilarious dialogue and beautiful aesthetic, makes for the perfect fall

Dead Poet’s Society: Perfectly warm and heartwrenching, this film follows the story of English teacher John Keating’s introduction to an all-boys preparatory school. His teaching style is eccentric by the hyper-

The Craft: Spooky and witchy, The Craft is one of the most iconic witchcraft movies of all time. The film follows new girl Sarah Bailey as she transfers to a Catholic school and clicks with a group of outcasts.

traditional school’s standards, but it allows him to reach out to his students. The film explores this student-teacher relationship as well as how the lives of each student change with Keating’s help.

She finds out that they practice witchcraft, and once they tap into their powers, chaos unravels. The film explores the danger of power, the complexity of friendship, and the price of revenge.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox: Perfectly charming, this film follows the clever and charismatic Mr. Fox as he tries to outwit three greedy farmers after returning to his old chicken-stealing ways. As Mr. Fox’s schemes endanger his family and woodland neighbors,

he must face the consequences of his actions and find a way to bring everyone together. With its cozy autumn palette, witty dialogue, and whimsical stop-motion animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a heartwarming and hilarious treat for the season.