Cardinal Columns (February 2015)

CARDINALCOLUMNS

Self IdentityD e f i n i n g Y o u r s e l fStudent Individuality at Fondy P.13

T r a n s g e n d e r D i s c r i m i n a t i o n ?Acceptance of Trans StudentsP.19

Also Inside: Staying HealthyValentine’s Day

Diamonds InThe Rough

FEBRUARY 2015

1 | FEBRUARY 2015 CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG

The I d eaWe wanted to show how different ways of self expression makes one seem. The photo we used gives multiple personalites to one student just by the way she represents herself.

C r e a t i n g t h e C o v e r

The Pro ce s sJunior Autumn Vesper was a delight to work with for this issue’s cover. We went through multiple outfit/hair changes to get the right photos before merging them together for the cover.

I n s i d eCas Bacon was used as one of our feature candids for self expression. We made a spread displaying Cas as gender variant: how they express their identity. The photos were merged to-gether to show how Cas can mesh easily into both expecta-tions of what gender is known to be.

Transgender

Discrimination?

conte

nts

Around Fondy P.3New Years Resolutions, Technology and Relationships, Pet Peeves

Sports P.7Girls Basketball, Boys Swimming

Entertainment P.9Diamonds in the Rough, Staying Healthy

Reviews P.25Movies, Music, Books

Editorials P.27Goodbye Miranda, Valentine’s Day, Freshman Advice

11

7

25

29

Defining YourselfP.13

CardinalColumns

Fond du LacHigh School

801 Campus DriveFond du Lac, WI

54935920-929-2740

www.cardinalcolumns.org

Editorial Board

Editor(s)-in-ChiefLaura Engebretson

Brittany Lange

Managing EditorCory Scherer

Art DirectorKatelyn Lavrenz

Sports EditorsKatie Nett

EntertainmentEditor

Brittany Lange

News EditorLaura Engebretson

Staff WritersZac Jaschob

Madison SuppleMolly Ramirez

Mackenzie WhiteKay SacasaGlenn ElmerAllie Souders

Cas BaconCassie Groeschl

Alexis FreundKatelyn LavrenzMykayla AnthonyMitchell Albertz

Max BarbeeZoe Hayes

Miranda ComeauxShanelle Tucker

Caitlin HernandezMorgan Bloechl

Shelly Faris

AdviserMatthew Smith

To Advertise920-929-2740

[email protected]

Letters to theEditor

Room 2610smithm@fonddulac.

k12.wi.uswww.cardinalcolumns.org

(click on “Contact Us”)

CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG FEBRUARY 2015 | 2

P.19

3 | FEBURARY 2015 CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG

As we’re waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square, many people make a New Year’s

Resolution, to help them get their lives on track for the new year. Out of 127 Fon-dy students that filled out our sur-vey, about 76 per-cent of students made one, and 65 percent of students are actually keeping up with those

goals they set two months ago. Ac-cording to CNN, 45 percent of peo-ple make New Years resolutions, but

only 8 percent keep their prom-ise, so compared to the nation, we are doing much better at keep-ing the promises we’ve madeto ourselves.

Of all the resolutions made, the highest percentage of specific resolu-

tions amongst Fondy is physical fit-ness with 18 percent, following with eating healthier with 13 percent.“I just don’t see the point in saying that I’m going to change myself when really the only difference is a single day,” junior Andie Baker said. For the people in Fondy that haven’t kept their resolutions, CNN recommends doing yoga to help, especially if your goal has something to do with the mind or the body.

Kay Sacasa // Staff Writer

“I just don’t see the point in saying that I’m going to

change myself when really, the only difference is a single

day.” - Andie Baker

New MeFondy students’ resolutions

New Year,


The Effects Technology has on RelationshipsMichelle Faris // Staff Writer

In a world where we simply just have to push a button or check our devices to keep in

contact with our friends, you’d think that friends would be clos-er; that we would all be more social. Technology is considered by most to be a blessing. You can stay in touch with friends, update people on your life and with what you are doing, have access to all of the information you could possibly ever need or want, get directions, read re-views on entertainment, etc., but what about the negatives? Does technology really bring us closer together? In a recent Cardinal Columns survey out of 192 students, 40% of students said that when they are with friends they only check their devices about half of the time they are together, 33% said they hardly check their devices, 20% said they checked their de-vices most of the time, and sur-prisingly only 5% said that they never check their phone or de-

vices. In the survey when students were asked what kind of impact that technology had on their re-lationships, 60% said that tech-nology had made their relation-ships closer, 33% said that it did not make their relationships closer and 7% had no answer to the question. Sharon Ni Chonchuir, a re-porter with The Irish Examiner, found that the average person checks their phone at least 110 times a day, but why are we so addicted to our phones and other devices? Well, according to Chonchuir, every time we hear our phones vibrate, a neu-rotransmitter called dopamine is released into our brains. Dopa-mine is the pleasure hormone. It makes you happy when you hear your phone go off. Dopamine is a very addictive feeling. “Honestly I think it’s okay so long as you know how to use it,” junior Andie Baker said. “Like with limits. It helps kids our to

age experience the world with just a touch or a click. It helps us to connect when we physical-ly can’t. And most importantly it has helped me find myself in this crazy, hectic world.” “Technology is sweet,” junior Cholena Smith said “I love it be-cause it helps me stay in touch with my friends and family. I can also go on Facebook and Insta-gram all the time. I love always having access to Internet, it lets me see what my friends are up to.” There are some bad sides to technology. Many people feel that technology does not make relationships closer. It makes it easier for you to feel left out and lonely, even when you’re physi-cally with your friends. “The Internet is compulsive,” psychotherapist Lisa O’Hara said in The Irish Examiner. “It can have a stronger draw than the person beside you. You can be in the same room as a person, but at the same time you’re not really there.”

Technological Gains or Technological Pains?


Pet Peeves

Name: Corey Streblow Grade: Freshman Pet Peeve: “When people interupt me.”

Name: Kyra EricksonGrade: JuniorPet Peeve: “Getting cut off in the hall-way.”

Name: Kaleb SabelGrade: SophomorePet Peeve: “When people take my pic-ture.”

Name: Payton TorgersenGrade: FreshmanPet Peeve: “When people won’t stop mov-ing.”

Name: Devan Johnson Grade: JuniorPet Peeve: “When people think that be-cause I’m black, I do what the typical black people do.”

Name: Max TemplinGrade: FreshmanPet Peeve: “When people talk over you when you’re trying to talk to them.”

Katie Nett // Sports Editor

Fondy has pet peeves. What are yours?


Name: Wade Vaughan Grade: SeniorPet Peeve: “When people stand in front of every bathroom in the school blocking part of the hallway, and blocking the bath-room for people that actually have to go.”

Name: Bella Olson Grade: SeniorPet Peeve: “When people are driving five under the speed limit, but when you get to a passing zone, they speed way up.”

Name: Mrs. JoslinGrade: Science TeacherPet Peeve: “When students don’t do their homework, but wonder why they don’t do well on their tests.”

Name: Kiara Tabbert Grade: Freshman Pet Peeve: “Couples constantly touching each other. when peo-ple say my name wrong, annoying people, and people who repost the same pictures on Ins-tagram.”

Poor Driving

Chewing with mouth open

Bad Grammar

Movie talkers/Spoil-ers

Getting Interrupted

Gossip

Getting Tickled

Technology Probs

Cheating

Poor Fashion

Other

Pet Peeves around Fondy High(213 responses)

54%

34%

22%

32%

42%

21%

28%

42%

58%

48%

49%


Scoring for a CauseGirls basketball takes a stand against cancerMackenzie White // Staff Writer

As the girls basketball season progresses, the players are finding themselves pushing towards playoffs. Although their 3-12 record does not show it, they are continuing

to improve and believe they are headed for a great end to their season. “We are fixing a lot of the little things, and when all those little things come together, I think we have the potential of be-ing a very high ranked team,” senior Zoelle Reinke said. “We are like a bunch of pieces of a puzzle trying to figure out where we all fit in together,” senior Jordan Quackenboss said. “When we figure that out, we will be headed for a strong second half of the season and for strong playoff games.” On Jan. 30, the girls basketball program here at Fondy par-ticipated in a Coaches vs. Cancer game against Oshkosh North. For the game the team asked for fans and players to wear purple to represent the fight against all forms of cancer. The Cardinals pulled off a 42-39 victory over Oshkosh. “We have the potential to beat any team in the conference as well as to lose to them,” coach Bell said. “It all depends who shows up on game day, and more importantly who gives their 100 percent to get better in practice. If we do all the right things and work hard I feel the second half of the season could be completely opposite of the first half.”

Ab o v e, s e n i o r br i A n n A Hu b-b A r d g o e s u p f o r A s H o t d u r i n g wA r m-u p s.

Le f t, j u n i o r mc k e n s e y He n d r i x, s e n i o r br i A n n A Hu b b A r d, A n d s e n i o r jo r d A n Qu A c k e n b o s s p o s e f o r A p i c t u r e i n f r o n t o f t H e i r “wA L L o f Ho p e”.


Pizzas, Subs,Party Trays, & Gifts!

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368 S. Park AvePh: 921-9531

Splashing into SectionalsBoys swimming advances towards sectionalsMackenzie White // Staff Writer

Currently 2-5 in duals, boys swimming and diving has high hopes set for playoffs. With one returning state swimmer, coach Mcbride intends on sending

more. “I believe our team is working really hard together,” senior Matt Ryan said. “We have a lot of seniors this year that are being great leaders and are helping the younger guys out. We have a tough conference, but we are match-ing up really well.” “We are constantly working on technique and the abil-ity to finish races. The guys have done a good job of that, but we can always improve,” coach Mcbride said. As the season comes to an end, seniors start to think of the qualities and advancements that swimming has brought to their lives. “I’ll miss just hanging with guys and making some great memories,” senior Matt Ryan said. “I’ll also miss the coaches and parents that put a lot of effort into this program.”


Gage Zahradnik, age 16, started wrestling in first grade. He was a mere 6 years old when he began. Ten years down the line he

is getting tougher every day, and he says the sport has changed his life. “I really started working out freshman year,” Gage explained. “I’ve lost 15% of my body fat. Wrestling is one of the toughest sports in the world, and it has taught me that practice and dis-cipline are some of the most important things you can learn”. Freshman year, Gage started to workout. Two years later, and he has lost 15% of his body fat and turned it into muscle. “Wrestling takes a lot of commitment,” Gage said. “There’s always room to improve, always something else you can do to get better.” Gage has been committed to wrestling for 10 years. The sport has become a part of him. It has taught him a lot about life, and his goals for losing weight and staying fit are stronger and more prominent than ever. “Wrestling is 10% physical and 90% mental. It’s a real grind,” Gage said. “Most people can’t handle wrestling because it’s so tough and personal. It takes a ton of conditioning and prac-tice.” Gage’s arsenal of moves has been growing over the years. He admits to have had trouble with certain moves, but he prac-ticed them at least “a thousand times” until he got them down. Gage plans on staying committed to wrestling and exer-cise. Among the other sports he plays, Gage said “wrestling will always be my favorite.”

-Glenn Elmer

Diamonds

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Za

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dn

ik

Everyone has a story. We set out

to shine a spotlight

on some of them.

Des

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Diamonds

therough

Many people feel fulfilled in their life learning one instrument to perfection, but senior Angel Ramirez feels differently. “Learning a new instrument ex-

pands my musical ability,” Ramirez said. “It gives me something to strive to get good at, something new.” For Angel, there is enjoyment to be found in many different instruments, and he’s been playing many for most of his life. Ramirez first learned how to play piano in third grade. When he joined the school band in middle school, he started out playing the flute. He later tried out the saxaphone for a while but ultimately decid-ed to move back to flute. `“It comes with it’s own benefits,” Ramirez said. “I asked a girl to homecoming last year by singing to her.” In high school, Ramirez taught himself how to play guitar on his own time. Even after all that, he decided to also learn the baritone for the school band. “I started choir in sixth grade, and I’m in Music The-ory right now to continue expanding my musical artistry,” Ramirez said. “It’s a nice talent, and I can connect to people through common interests.”

-Max Barbee

According to U.S. Census, one in every four high school students are employed. One of these students is Desirea Giese, a senior here at Fondy High. She works as a cashier at Menards and says she adores her job.

“I love the people that come in almost every day,” Giese said. “They always have a positive attitude and usually have interesting stories about why they came

in this time.” She says she likes how upbeat everyone seems and how sometimes, people will come in just to talk with them.

It may seem that in every job there’s always a fair share of cranky customers, but Desirea says most of hers are

very friendly, and throughout the course of a work week she says she hears many stories and jokes from her

customers. “There’s this guy who comes in every so often and he always has the cutest jokes!” she said. She said that he asked her, “Do you know why I can’t ride my bike? … Because it’s two-tired!” Giese says it’s the little things like that that make her job fun. She thoroughly enjoys being a cashier and says she doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

-Casandra Groeschl

An

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Des

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ingHealthyC a s s i e g r o e s c h l / / S ta f f w r i t e r

If you feel a cold coming on, avoid touching or coming in close contact with many people, even if they’re sick

too. It’s a good idea to avoid touching your face after you have touched public surfaces, especially when there is not a sink around. Washing your hands frequently or using hand sanitizer will help significantly. Because we carry millions of germs on our hands it is recommended that you do not share phones, pens, pencils or keyboards to avoid spreading the germs. Acording to Nurse Sarah, sharing food and drink is one of the biggest culprits for spreading sickness. She said that people cough at 100 miles per hour and spray saliva and germs all over in doing so, so if you have a cough, be respectful to others and cover your nose and mouth. Bundling up in these freezing winter months is essential. Most body heat escapes from your head, so wear a hat when you go outside, and avoid going out with wet hair.

To prevent sickness, sanitizing door knobs, light switches and handles may be a good idea and could put your mind at ease. If there are youngins in your house-hold, their toys should be cleaned and sani-tized every 3 months. The number one key to prevent getting the flu is by getting an an-nual flu vaccination. A study performed by the Center of Disease Control and Preven-tion found that, “flu vaccination was associ-ated with a 71% reduction in flu-related hos-pitalizations among adults of all ages and a 77% reduction among adults 50 years of age and older during the 2011-2012 flu season.” If you are sick with the flu, stay com-fortable, sip on water throughout the day and get plenty of rest. Ibuprofen or acetamino-phen will bring down a fever if you have one, but talk to a parent or doctor first. Staying hydrated is very important (even when you’re not sick), so Nurse Sarah recommends drink-ing eight cups of water a day.

Consume too much sugarDrink alcohol

Excessive lounging

Consume excessive caffeineSmoke tobacco

Oversleep

What to do

11 | FEBRUARY 2015 CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG FEBRUARY 2015 | 12

Easy and healthy snacks

Tips to help keep you in shape! A good diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables, proteins and grains is vital, along with enough water. Eating right is a good way to give us vitamins such as C, D, and E and nutrients that we need to help get you through the day. We can get vitamin D from the sun, which is essential because it helps us absorb other vitamins we need.

It is recommended that we get 7-9 hours of sleep a day, so if you’re one of those people who take a while to fall asleep, putting your electronics away about an hour before bedtime will help your brain activity to slow so that fall-ing asleep is easier. This hour should be “wind down” time, where you can do whatever you find most relaxing to help you to sleep easy.

Visceral fat wraps around your organs. This type of fat is particularly bad for your overall health. Accord-ing to WebMD president, Rockert Eckel, “A big waistline puts you at increased risk for many health prob-lems -- diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.” Exercise is the only sure-fire way to keep your body in shape and healthy in general.Nurse Sarah recommends exercising five times a week for about 30 minutes each time.

Another factor that most people don’t realize causes a depressed im-mune system is stress. It is recom-mended that you make “me time” to de-stress by listening to music, doing yoga or meditating. Having a support network or people you know you can talk to also helps.

Foods to avoid

1 c sliced strawberries dipped in vanilla greek yogurt and

frozen (200 cal.)

1 c frozen grapes (100 cal.)1 c homemade baked kale

chips (70 cal.)1 serving of pretzels dipped in

spicy mustard (120 cal.)

½ c fat-free cottage cheese w 1 cup berries (160 cal.)

1 oz. dried blueberries w 10 almonds

(170 cal.)Information from dietrecipesblog.com

Chocolate-Coated Doughnuts, Mini Doughnuts, Snack Pies/

Cakes examples: Entenmann’s, Little

DebbieMicrowave Popcorn

examples: Mega-Butter, Movie Theatre

Potato chips, crisps, and snacksexamples: Ruffles, Pringles,

Lays, CheetosPackaged Frozen Microwavable

foods examples: Ore-Ida, Jimmy Dean,

Hot Pockets, White CastleInformation from webmd.com

11 | FEBRUARY 2015 CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG CARDINAL COLUMNS.ORG FEBRUARY 2015 | 12

“I think what sets me apart from others is how much I’m willing to stand my ground. I getpressured to change how I

- Julia Schmitz

look a lot. I’m strong willed and happy withhow I am, most people never expect anything like that.“

Defin

ing

- Julia Schmitz

Walking from class to class each day, you may have seen someone singing and playing a ukulele down the hallway. For those who don’t

know who that person is, he is a senior that goes by the name Brandon Resop. His main interests include skate-boarding and playing Magic, but the most important to him is writing music. “Music is important to me because it’s the best way for me to express myself. I let my feelings out in writing instrumental parts on guitar rather than writing lyrics to express my feelings.” “I first decided to play guitar when I saw my friend [Cole] start to get into it,” Resop said. “I had to teach myself everything I know, I’ve never had a lesson.” There is a range of different instruments Brandon plays which is the bass, drums, banjo, ukulele, piano and guitar. “I’ve probably played about 20 shows for my friends and also complete strangers,” said Resop. He is in not only one, but four different bands which go by the names Ten Year Old Cheddar, Canals, The Lady Hedgehog Project and Acoustic Beach. “I enjoy the feeling of people paying attention to the music and dancing to the songs that my friends and I write.” says Resop, “It makes me happy that I’m the reason these people are having a good time.”

Shanelle Tucker // Staff Writer

Brandon Resop


“Dressing well (at least in my opin-ion) helps me like the person in the mirror a whole lot more which can be really hard some-times. Love yourself; feel good about yourself.”

- Jacob Stadler

- Joelle Thibadeau

“I am a per-son who loves to be seen as my-self, to show people that they don’t have to be afraid to walk in their own skin. I don’t want to be seen as some-one who is not me.”

Every generation has grown to express themselves in many different ways. Although it may not be the only reason to express yourself, self image can

be easily affected by how we are perceived by our peers. Students at Fondy continue to try to express themselves, but it is not always easy to do so.

“Some students express themselves through physical alterations like hair colors, hairstyles, how they dress, pierc-ings or tattoos.” says Graphics teacher, Mr. Staerzl. Styles vary between many different types, whether it’s considered preppy, grunge, goth, hipster or any other stereotypical term in the book.

“I think expressing yourself comes from values we were brought up with as children, being told that every-one is different, and to be your own person is awesome,” senior Eli Voss says. “Anybody can copy someone, but to be original is really something special.”

“I have come to realization that other people’s opin-ions don’t matter.” Senior Jacob Stadler says, “Of course I would like everyone to like me, but realistically, this will never happen. There will always be people out there who hate me for everything I do and there is nothing that I can do about it.”

Recognizing Self

- Joelle Thibadeau


“I used to be so self con-

scious of the way I looked,

and now I can wear no make-

up and feel good because I know every-

body is unique and should be

able to express themselves

the way they want.”

- Raelin Schreifels

I feel some people judge

the way I dress because

I “dress up” or dress “nicely”

everyday, but that is just normal for me. I enjoy

cute clothes and they make me

happy!

- Johannah Georgeson

Many students here at Fondy admit they have judged others, which can affect how they truly express themselves. In fact, in a survey conducted by the Cardinal Columns, more than 60 percent of the students who responded to the survey claim they do not feel like they can express their “true colors” without the fear of being judged by others based on how they look.

“Adolescence is a time to try on many different hats.” Mrs. Severson says, “Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson calls this stage “Identify vs. Role confusion.” This means that kids are trying to find out who they are. It is important that teens be allowed to express themselves so they can figure out their identity. Self expression is a way for an individual to visually showcase how and what they feel on the inside, how they see the world and how they see themselves through their eyes.”

Self Expression is about how you represent yourself based off of your own interests. What is considered “so-cially acceptable” to one isn’t always approved by everyone. “I am all for self expression as long as it is truly an expres-sion of the individual and not acting on a fad & that is respectful to both the individual and others.” Says Graph-ics teacher, Mr. Staerzl, “I feel it should show one’s inner beauty and not be a cause for violence or distractions.”

Shanelle Tucker // Staff Writer

ExpressionAt fondy

(pictured on center fold)also see Pg. 19-22

“What it means to express myself is that I get to be unique, I get to drop masks

that cover me and my being, which makes me vulnerable but undeniable. I think it’s harder for others to ignore

your existence when you are yourself.”

- Cas Bacon

Throughout high school, many students aspire to obtain a mostly traditional or conventional job, such as a teacher or nurse. Most strive to make

more money than happiness, but Mahlik Carroll has had a different mindset for his future. “Making music has changed my life in a lot of ways,” Carroll said. “It has given me a tool to be creative and ex-press my ideas, and it has taught me a whole new skill set that not many people possess.” Carroll, a senior here at Fondy, is often found on his computer generating music through a program which may be confusing to an inexperienced eye. Mahlik experienced a serious interest in music in eighth grade and found him-self wrapped up in the creation of the beats behind the voices. “I enjoy that moment right after you finish a song, and you finally sit back and enjoy your work,” Carroll said. After graduation, Mahlik plans to attend college for music production. He said that his favorite genre of music is rap, although he is experienced in others. He shares his work on Facebook, Youtube and also on Soundcloud. “Music is my friend, my support system, my enter-tainment, it’s really a part of me,” Mahlik said. “All in all, music has been a great part of my life that continually brought me happiness even in the darkest situations.”

Mahlik CarrollMackenzie White // Staff Writer

- Matt Ryan

that sets me apart

from others,

Rep- repre-sent

myself is me trying to

do My best. I may not always be

but how I

“I don’t think

there’s anything

Special

the greatest student, athlete or friend, but I

feel as if I can onlygrow if I work on my

mistakes and never give up.”

Yourself

Laura EngebrestonEditor in Chief

On January 22, 2015, senior Cas Bacon tried out for a spot in Mr. Fond du Lac, a tradition-

ally males-only beauty pageant hosted yearly at Fondy. After a sophomore exited from his tryout, Cas entered the room apprehensive and shaky. In front of teachers and student advi-sors, Cas performed a rendition of the poem Modern Meltdown by Steven Boyle, which concerned the fear of being outed as a trans person. While the subject was heavy concerning Cas’ audition into a relatively lighthearted competition, it was with good reason: Cas is transgender. “I was interested in Mr. Fond du Lac even as an underclassman,” says Cas, who is a member of the Car-dinal Columns. ”But I didn’t have the guts to try out and talk to the advisors running it until this year, because I was afraid of the stigma around asking.” “I hoped I would get enough votes for the other competitors to see me as their equal,” says Cas. “In the competition, the swimsuit part scares me because wearing a chest binder re-minds me I can only live so authenti-cally at this point.” Cas was originally 5th in the voting process, however a student was disqualified from competing, making Cas eligible to be in the running. Cas will be allowed to participate in Mr. Fond du Lac if she meets the academ-

ic prerequisites. “Last year, Cas approached me about the possibility of participat-ing in Mr. Fond du Lac,” says advi-sor Elizabeth Severson, who is help-ing organizing Mr. Fond du Lac for 2015. “I wasn’t at all sur-prised when they auditioned. But we talked a lot about how the student body may react, but I was pleasantly surprised when the reception was mainly positive. A lot of people talk about this generation not being ac-cepting... I really think this is the most accepting on whole I’ve seen.” “As nervous as I was for Cas when I heard about the plan to enter the Mr. Fond du Lac contest,” Ken Bacon, father of Cas says. “It was mi-nor in comparison to the feeling of pride in knowing that Cas was brave enough to even attempt to gain en-try into the contest. I could not be prouder of Cas.” Being a gender-variant youth in today’s world is both scary and ex-citing. With civil rights being once again a hot topic and debate, there are states left and right legalizing gay marriage, a homeage to the 60s. Even President Obama has expressed un-wavering support for gay marriage, and many other politicians are in fer-vent support for these rights. Students at Fondy are not an exception when it comes to types of people, especially

those persecuted by people who can be well meaning, but misinformed.

the non-dis-crimination policy The non-discrimination policy for the Fond du Lac School District currently covers specific cat-egories: sex, sexual orientation, race, disabilities, and nine others. The poli-cy, however, has faced criticism for its

Following the prescense of trans students at Fondy


Pictured above: the symbol used to represent transgender.

Discrimination is more than skin deep

exclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming students. Sexuality and Gender Equality, formerly known as GSA, or Gay-Straight Alliance, is seeking to change the non-discrimina-tion policy to cover these groups and be inclusive for students who may not have found a footing before. “We wanted to change our name to advocate for all students,” junior Haruka Yukioka says, who is co-leader of SAGE. “There are many students who identify as different gen-ders, and we want them to know that there is no reason to be ashamed.” “We are doing our best to push for the inclusion of the policy,” Haruka says. “But we would really ap-preciate more accounts of discrimina-tion that we can compile and use to create graphics and statistics. We were able to hold the school’s first-ever Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is a huge step forward for trans justice in our school.” According to Principal Hagan, the bullying policy in place for the Fond du Lac School District covers anything a student may feel is bullying, including perceived gender and gender identity; however, gender identity is not listed in the non-dis-crimination policy for the district. If a student feels they are being bullied for any reason, she says, they may speak to a teacher or fill out the proper form in Student Services, to which the inci-dent will be dealt with accordingly. “Our goal is to make the school a place where everyone feels safe,” Haruka says. “Things like uni-sex bathrooms and having a box on Skyward which indicates a person’s preferred gender. This helps to com-bat the embarrassment a trans student may face in everyday life.”

Identification and Terms “Gender identification has different categories,” says Ms. Struck, a teacher at Fondy. “There is cisgen-der, which is when one identifies as the sex they were assigned at birth, such as a woman who was born as fe-

male. There is also transgender, which is when somebody identifies as a sex other than what they were assigned at birth. Another includes gender non-conforming, who do not fit into soci-etal expectations for either gender.” Many of today’s students have grown up with the LGBT move-ment. Standing for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender, the LGBT movement originally focused on sex-ual orientation almost exclusively. As recently as the 1990’s, huge controver-sy was ignited when Ellen DeGeneres “came out” - being honest about her sexuality - in national news. It hasn’t been up until the past few years that gender identity has taken a front seat in America’s social issues, however, with various media personalities and actors coming out as genders not assigned at birth. One of the most popular is Laverne Cox, known for her role in “Orange is the New Black,” a popular Netflix-exclu-sive series. “There have been a variety of people around me growing up,” says senior Ryana Prus. “It was odd to me at first, though, I didn’t un-derstand ‘transgender.’ I didn’t know what it was. It just wasn’t a concept. People were boys or girls. I still have trouble sometimes with that thought, but people should be who they are. I don’t have any say in their lives, they don’t have any say in mine. What’s the problem?”

The Policy Change “My goal is that the SAGE is able to make a positive change in our school,” Haruka says. “We would like to add the identities of transgender and gender expression non-conform-ing to our non-discrimination policy. Right now, our non-discrimination policy protects our students and staff from discrimination based on things like race, ethnicity, and pregnancy sta-tus, but it does not protect our trans-

gender and gender expression non-conforming students.” She is not the only person in the building who feels strongly about changing the policy. “The need for this change is immense,” says Ms. Struck, teacher at Fondy. “Gender nonconforming students could be given respect with something as simple as their pre-ferred name or their identified gender on Skyward, because while a teacher might know and respect these, substi-tutes in the building don’t - it’s a mat-ter of feeling included and validated.” “I know a few who go by a different gender other than the one assigned at birth,” says Lesly Colon, a student at Fondy. “And honestly the transgender umbrella is so big chanc-es are everyone one knows someone who identifies as trans. I didn’t know what SAGE was doing before, but it’s something we definitely need to see pushed.” “I was walking with music one day,” said Jacob, a student who identifies as male and has been re-named for this story. “And a group of girls told me to turn it off, and when I didn’t, they started harassing me about how I want to be a boy. I feel like it [the non-discrimination policy revi-sion] wouldn’t help, because students wouldn’t listen to it. I haven’t had much trouble from staff members for this, but it’s definitely a big problem


Pictured above: trans actress Laverne Cox.

with students. I’m not entirely sure much can be done, honestly, because a lot of it is just how students are. They’re mean but I don’t know if it would actually help to change some-thing they don’t even read.” One of the things SAGE wants to be pushed is the increased usage of preferred pronouns for stu-dents, and having something as sim-ple as a box in Skyward to tell sub-stitutes and teachers immediately the preferred pronoun of their student without the awkward conversation to prompt it, given the very personal nature of pronouns in a very public setting.

Why Trans Students Need Protection According to Transequality.org, one-fifth people have been de-

nied housing due to their status as transgender. One-fourth of transgen-dered peoples have lost employment, and three-fourths have faced discrim-ination in the workplace. Two-fifths of seniors in the transgender com-munity have been denied health care or received inferior care due to their status. On December 28, 2014, Ohio teenager Leelah Alcorn took her own life after being distraught from her family due to her status as transgender. Leelah was taken out of school in her junior year, enrolled in an online school, and isolated from most outside contact for five months as a result of her original identifica-tion as a gay man. Leelah was sent to Christian conversion therapy, which is currently illegal for minors in three states. Leelah’s parents have faced criticism for using her birth name and gender in all statements regarding her death. According to a survey of

LGBT Americans conducted by the PEW Research Center, 5% of the respondents on their survey identi-fied as transgender, with an estimated .3% of Americans being transgender. This translates to just under one mil-lion transgender people in the United States alone. This is only accounting for those who will openly answer on the survey, instead of remaining in the closet on the topic. The amount of respondents was too small to ac-curately release statistics on the trans-gender community. In a report conducted by the Center for American Progress and the Movement Advancement Project, the GPA of bullied LGBTQ+ students is 2.8, with 3.3 being the average of students not affected by bullying. Relationships with parents can be damaged due to friction in the home environment when parents are not accepting of their child’s preferred gender, leading to reduced grades and potential trouble filling out the

FAFSA. Even when parents are accepting, many students will have to be sent to anoth-er school to have their pre-ferred gender used, which can put a burden on finances through transportation and tuition costs. “As much as many deny it, Fond du Lac is a relatively close-minded com-munity,” says Tracy Abler, the President of the United for Diversity program here in Fond du Lac. “Prejudice and discrimination exists on so many levels, too many! We must do more to make Fond du Lac a truly open and welcoming community. A place where people want to come - and stay. Having said that, there are many making the honest effort to do just that. UFD has seen increased awareness and support, on is-sues of diversity, even at the government level. Still, there is much more work to do.”


Conclusion Although the road is rocky for transgender people, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. Stu-dents and faculty are on the whole ac-cepting, and this is the foundation of a good support system to help those who are struggling with themselves. “I think of an issue as a prob-lem,” Lesly says. “And there is nothing wrong about questioning your gender or not feeling the same way about love as everyone else.”“It hasn’t been easy so far, but I’ve come this far,” says Jacob. “I do believe outing myself to the school has had a positive im-pact,” says Cas. “Because I came out on my own terms and now when people think of transgender people they won’t have a vague image, but an actual person. As for trans students that haven’t come out yet, there are so many people who are there for you and working to actively make sure you are safe. You are not alone. Gender is a lot more fluid than what others think it is.”


If you are bullied, especially like the students featured in this ar-ticle, do know that you are not alone. Life in high school is scary, and sometimes it seems like it’ll never end. A recent survey by

Fusion.com found that 50% ages 18-34 believe that gender is on a spectrum; the totals for those under 18 is probably higher. If you ever feel the need to discuss your feelings, please know that help is always there. Calling a friend or talking to someone over an anony-mous hotline is always an option. If you ever need someone to talk to at school, you can attend SAGE meetings after school on Tues-days in room 1225 in the English pod, talk to a counselor at Student Services, or Nurse Sara in the office. Many teachers will be wiling to aid you should you need confiding or help confronting a bully. Ad-

a note from the author

ResourcesTrans Lifeline

1 (877) 565-8860

Cas BaconCo-leader of SAGE

[email protected]

Julie RehfeldtSocial Worker

[email protected]

Laurice SnyderSupport Staff

[email protected]

National Suicide Hotline 1 (800) 273-8255

The people and hotlines listed are suitable for all students to use.Contact Cas Bacon for questions regarding gender, sex, and SAGE. They are always open to talk to trans students, or people wanting to learn more.

Many have heard of Kim Jong Un’s recent threats on Amer-ica. Should they be shrugged

off? Or taken seriously. Would the North Korean leader really declare war on America over a movie? I guess we’ll see. In early June, 2014, the North Korean govern-ment threatened merciless action against the United States if Colum-bia Pictures went ahead with their movie release of The Interview as scheduled. “I didn’t really take the threats too seriously,” senior Jake Wesley said. “They seemed like empty threats. There’s no way North Korea would attack the Unit-ed States over a movie.” The movies plot portrays actors Seth Rogen and James Franco as two agents hired by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Columbia Pictures eventually went ahead with the release despite the warn-ings, delaying it more than two months from its original October 10 release, to December 25. They had edited the film to be more acceptable by North Korea. In November, Sony Pictures Entertain-ment was hacked by a group following the name of “The Guardians of Peace”, a group the FBI believes has ties to

North Korea. “In my opinion, if another country threat-ens the United States, we should take it se-riously,” junior Gage Zahradnik said. “I’m amazed that despite the threats, the movie

was still released any-way, although I did en-joy the movie myself.” After leaking several other upcoming Sony projects and movie releases, the group de-manded that Sony pull The Interview, which they referred to as an act of terrorism. On December 16, 2014, the Guardians of

Peace threatened violent attacks against cin-emas that played The Interview.

“I wasn’t really afraid to go see the movie,” junior Mikayla Anderson said. “I mean, there’s no way someone would start a war over a film.” On December 17, 2014, after a num-ber of North American cinema chains canceled screenings of The Interview for safety, Sony cancelled the theatrical release of The Interview, drawing criti-cism from the media, Hollywood figures, and the White House. Despite stating that they had no inten-tions of releasing the film, Sony made The Interview available for online pur-chase and rental on December 24, and had a limited release in select cinemas on December 25. The Interview has earned 31 million online so far, making it Sony’s most successful online movie, and 5 mil-lion in the box office.


EMPTY THREATS, FULL SEATS

H H H

H

THE INTERVIEWGlenn Elmer // Staff Writer

H

“I didn’t really take the threats too seriously,” -Jake Wesley

Movies7 Must See Films of 2015Max Barbee // Staff Writer

Like any other year, there will be many movies com-ing out in 2015. Since it’s still very early in the year, most announced films are big budget productions

that movie studios need to make a lot of money, so peo-ple need to start getting excited as soon as possible. Be-cause of that, there aren’t any smaller films on this list, as many have very little information out about them, or aren’t announced at all. Regardless, this is a list that will hopefully be worth your time.

Avengers: Age of UltronThe sequel to The Avengers, the first Marvel film to gross more than $1 billion dollars, Avengers: Age of Ultron is set to be the biggest event of the year for movies, let alone the Marvel Cin-ematic Universe. A cyborg called Ultron decides to try and destroy the human race, and the Avengers have to band back together to stop him. A plot very similar to the first Avengers film and just as simple, but writer/director Joss Whedon is never one to make unexciting films. This film has every reason to be great.

Ant-Man

Tomorrowland is a movie about 2 people who travel to a place where their actions directly affect the world and themselves. Many of the details of this film are being kept a secret, which is unusual and hard to accomplish when being made by Disney. It has a pretty vague premise that could mean anything, but I’m particularly interested in this film because it’s directed and co-written by Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and more. Basically, he’s never made a bad film, and I can’t see this one being any different.

Star Wars: The Force AwakensThe only film to out-hype an Avengers sequel is none other than a new Star Wars movie. Written and directed by J.J. Abrams, who recently wrote and directed Star Trek to new heights, The Force Awakens is a continuation of the original Star Wars trilogy from over 30 years ago. Little is known about the plot itself, but original characters like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Prin-cess Leia will be returning. It’s the first canon Star Wars film in over ten years, and this time around it looks to be giving the fans exactly what they want. At least, I hope so.

Tomorrowland It’s clear Marvel Studios is doing well when they are comfort-able making huge budget films about obscure superheroes. In this film, a con-man named Scott Lang, with a super-suit that can make him shrink in size and increase in strength, must pull off an important heist with his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, in order to (you guessed it) save the world. Esteemed director Edgar Wright (The World’s End, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) was set to direct this film, but signed off last May, citing creative dif-ferences. The fact that Wright wasn’t satisfied with where the project was going is troubling, so I’ll be curious to see how this one turns out.

SpectreAfter the success of Skyfall, there is a lot for the next James Bond film to live up to. Spectre is once again directed by Sam Mendes and written by John Logan, the same crew behind Skyfall. The fictional James Bond terrorist organization called SPECTRE will be a center point in the story, as one might assume. Not much else is known about the plot, though it’s implied that there will be lots of cool action, cool spy inves-tigating and plenty of cool snappy dialogue, as well as plenty of shots of James Bond looking very cool. For many people, including me, that’s all you really need.

Photo courtesy of starwars.com


musicartists to watch out for in 2015Mitchell Albertz // Staff Writer

Miles Prime is a 19 year old unsigned hip-hop artist who, at the age of 17, was being compared to Kendrick La-mar, a rapper who was Rapper of the Year in 2013.

deM atlaS (Joshua Evans) is St. Paul based amateur hip-hop art-ist who signed to Rhymesayers Inc.He is slowly but surely proving himself by working with other Rhymesayers artists such as Atmosphere to get bigger into hip hop music.

Liquid Stranger is the project headed by Martin Sääf, launched in 2003 in Varberg, Sweden. Traveling in the uncharted terrains of music, Liquid Stranger’s creative output ranges from suggestive ambient soundscapes to movie scores, pop, dub, and electron-ica.

Hustling to make his mark in Denver, Colorado’s electronic music melting pot, Late Night Radio is earning the respect of fans and peers through music pro-duction. Alex Medellin has put in his time in the industry, coming up in Texas and California, but his ascension in the Colo-rado scene speaks to his ability to cre-ate a stunning array of original tracks.


T-swift pops onto the pop chartsCas bacon // Staff Writer

After almost a decade of coun-try twang, Swift has rolled into the pop scene with her

new album 1989. With a new sound, very few songs feature her iconic acoustic guitar, and veer towards an 80’s synth-pop style. The title is both a wink to Swift’s birth year and a nod to that time of musical sound. With her work in full swing and the help of Max Martin as a producer, Swift was able to execute the perfect extreme with emotions flying and an intense instrumental background. 1989 is a polished finished product with twists like Wildest Dreams paint-ing the man as the victim, and invert-ing the narrative that was seen as a staple in Swift’s songs. All of this has been shown in the numbers as well, According to Bill-board, both pop and country took drastic turns statistically, in favor for pop. Taylor Swift knows that her time away from country music may not be embraced by everyone, but she’s okay with that.

Cas’ FavesTaylor uses the range of emotions in Bad Blood, which often makes songs feel cluttered and like the storytelling is forced. The song goes against the norm, while still retaining the sto-rytelling elements often found in her country roots. The story-telling of rage, betrayal, and loss through broken friendships. The compilation of these topics fluently have given Bad Blood a feel that’s truly unique.

Welcome to New York starts with an iconic snare that was a staple of 80’s pop and transcending to a happy synth. Lines like “The lights are so bright but they never blind me” and “Everybody here was someone else before -- and you can want who you want, boys and boys & girls and girls” were some of the few quips that shone like the lights she sang about.

music



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EDITORIAL POLICY

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The Fond du Lac High School Media Editorial Policy applies to all FHS me-dia, including the Cardinal Columns News Magazine, CardinalColumns.org and the daily broadcast of Fondy To-day. All student media referenced in this editorial policy are designated pub-lic forums written, edited and managed by FHS students as part of journalism classes tought by a certified journalism instructor.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORThe Cardinal Columns newsmagazine welcomes opinions from students and faculty in the form of letters to the editor. Letters must be signed with a first and last name and be 250 words or less. Letters may be submitted using the form on the “Contact Us” page on CardinalColumns.org.

EDITORIALS

Miranda Comeaux is a writer for the Cardinal Columns. She is also a senior this year at Fondy High

and will be graduating at semester, therefore leaving this team. Miranda has written stories about Christmas traditions and seniors gradu-ating from high school. She has been a great addition to this class. “She always is giggly and happy and keeps everyone happy, I think that’s going to be what I’m going to miss most,” said fellow classmate, Alexis Freund. Even though Miranda is leaving us, she has a good reason. She has many plans and am-bitions she is ready to get started on. Miranda plans to keep working at her current job, Back-yard Grill and hopes to gain more hours or even go full time. In the next year or two, she hopes to begin going to college for cosmetol-ogy and even start up her own hair salon. She says her family is completely supportive of her decisions and think whatever plan she has will be awesome. She still plans on attending gradu-ation and prom with her friends.

0“I’m gonna miss seeing my friends all day everyday and my favorite teachers that have helped me all these years,” Miranda said. Miranda is going to miss how close this class has become. She says it’s awesome to see how people can care so much about each other in a class. Her favorite stories that she helped write were the christmas stories because she had so much fun hearing about people’s Christmas traditions and the differ-ent things they all do. Miranda brought such a light to this team, and she will be missed. “She’s always so positive about every situation,” friend Brianna Badke said. “Its definitely going to feel different without her not being here second semester.”

Miranda Leaving The CardinalCollumns StaffAllie Sounders // Staff Writer

MirandaMoving Out


This year, many new things are happening at Fon-dy High: new teachers, new principal, new grad-ing system. However, for the freshman, they are

handed a brand new experience. I think all of us can re-member our first days at Fondy. We were all scared of the upperclassmen, and didn’t know where any of our classes were. It was crazy, but for some students, it wasn’t so hard. “I was afraid of not being able to find all my classes, but after four days, I got the hang of it all,” freshman Ivan Angelov said. “I really didn’t need to worry about it.” Ivan is involved with concert band, marching band and soccer here at Fondy. Megan Prellwitz, also a freshmen here at Fondy, said that so far her experience here at Fondy has been pretty good. Her favorite teacher is Mr. Jacoboski. She is also involved in band, and is an ice skater.

When asking the teachers and upperclassmen what they think about the freshmen, I received many different re-sponses. “You can’t judge them all by their class,” social studies teacher Mr. Barthuly said. Senior Bailey Beyer said that, aside from a few, they seem more disrespectful than past years. Going down the hallway, I hear different kinds of com-ments about the freshmen from “stupid freshman are al-ways in my way” to “the freshmen class this year is worse than mine was.” I think all of us heard these things once or twice throughout our freshman year, and it can shoot down a freshman’s confidence, but then there are some people who don’t have a problem with freshman, and are even friends with some.

The Fresh Life Alexis Freund // Staff Writer

Some Tips for Freshman

Megan Prellwitz*Is an ice skater*Plays the flute *Her favorite teacher is Mr. Jacoboski

Ivan Angelov *Soccer player*Plays percussion *Likes the freedom here at Fondy

Keep calm, and ask for help if you get

lost. Not all upperclassmen are scary.

For the first week of school, set your class schedule as your lock screen on your phone. Then you don’t have to keep pulling out your crinkled up paper.

Organize your schedule into what pod

each classroom is and what floor makes

it a lot easier to find your class.

Look into different kinds of clubs. There are so many to choose from, and there is one for everyone.

Get prepared the night before. Get a map of the school, and figure which classes are where, and that will make it a little easier to find your way around.

Valentine’s Day, is a day dedi-cated to reminding your loved ones of just how much you

care, showering them with candy, cards, flowers and gifts. All around the world, Valentine’s day is celebrated in cute and clever ways that are sure to bring a smile to faces. Whether it be receiving a stuffed bear holding a heartfelt message, or a witty card, the main

goal of this holiday is to spread love and joy.

Though commonly per-ceived as a day solely for

sweethearts, Valentine’s Day is a day set aside

for going that extra mile to show your

love and dedica-tion, not only

to your partner,

but

also to family, friends and the greater community. The holiday is based on the idea of getting along as a whole and giving recognition to each and every persons’ qualities. Valentine’s Day isn’t just about all of the material items received. Over time, this holiday has transformed from a Christian holiday to a holi-day celebrated generally worldwide, dedicated to gestures that go beyond the day to day interactions. While acts of love should generally be shown every day, Valentine’s day provides an opportunity to go above and beyond and make it a day even sweeter than normal. Price tags aside, take advantage of this Valentine’s Day to do something special for the people in your life. If you’re not in a relationship, pass out candy to your friends, buy your favor-ite teacher coffee or pamper yourself for the day. The holiday is what you make it to be, so why not fill it with

happiness.

FOR Zoe Hayes // Staff Wrtier

YouDid

Know?

The Italian city

of Verona, wh

ere

Shakespeare’s

lovers Romeo and

Juliet lived, r

eceives about

1,000

letters addres

sed to Juliet

every

Valentine’s Da

y.

Physicians of the 1800’s often

recommended eating chocolate

to ease their despairs of lost love.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this

name pinned onto their sleeves for one week

for everyone to see. This was the origin of the expression “to wear your heart on your sleeve.”

In medieval times, women ate bizarre foods on Valentine’s Day in order to make them dream of

their future spouse.

Valentine's



Zoe Hayes // Staff Wrtier


Valentine’s Day is a day of love--a day to show appreciation to your loved ones, right? Wrong. Valentine’s Day

is nothing but a consumer-based holi-day...if you would even call it a holiday at all. It’s just an excuse for stores to put out chocolate and roses in hopes of making money, and it works. According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day contrib-uted an estimated $17.3 billion to the economy, which is actually lower than the $18.6 billion from the previous year and the $17.6 billion the year before that. Maybe people are starting to realize how pointless Valentine’s Day really is. Society basically says that on this day, you have to buy your significant other chocolates and flowers, making it mean nothing. If you want to show your love and appreciation to someone, do it on a day where you’re not pressured to. If you’re single, Valentine’s Day is just there to remind you that out of the billions of people in the world, you still have not found “the one.” It’s especially fun for singles when they get to see all of the girls walking around with roses and teddy bears from their boyfriends when they got nothing, except maybe a box of choc-

olates from their sympathetic mothers. Though selling roses at school to send to friends on Valentine’s Day has good intentions and really is a great idea, it’s usu-ally the same “popular” people receiving them every year. As if the single kids aren’t feeling bad enough that they don’t have a “valentine,” they get to watch everyone parade around with their flowers in their hands all day at school. Whether you decide to go out to dinner with your significant other, go to a friend’s house to watch movies and eat ice cream, or just lay in your bed watch-ing Netflix by yourself, remember that Valentine’s Day is just another day, so don’t feel pres-sured to buy into society’s standards.

Brittany Lange // Editor-in-ChiefValentine's Day


AGAINST

VARSITY BOYS HOCKEY

2014 - 2015

William Shober

#31

Ryan Sabel

#2

Thomas O’ ‘Leary #4

Caylen Dyni #7

Jack Nejedlo

#8

Zach Schmit

#9

Dayne Hefter

#10

Chase Auchue #13

Chase Koenigs #15

Henry Lange #17

Noah Wilson

#18

Hunter Garrison

#19

Bryce Benedict #20

Joseph Voight

#22

Kolton Sabel

#24

Tanner Koenigs #25

Sam Todd

#28

Nate Polakoski #35

Joe Roloff #36

Adam Grimm

#37

Cardinal Columns (February 2015)

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