NEWS
The 13th annual Plymouth Pom variety show kicked off on April 15 at the Gloria Logan Auditorium. The show featured many world-themed performances by both the JV and Varsity Wildcat Pompon teams. It also included 29 performances by singers of Plymouth Canton Community Schools including Zoe Stirrett, Canton senior, Abbey Sexton, Salem junior, Binyah Howard, Plymouth junior, and Hilltop Drive: an up and coming local band.
Olivia Dillaha, a junior at Plymouth and a member of the Plymouth Varsity Wildcat Pom team said about the season: “It’s been a lot of fun this year, it’s a lot shorter than normal, which is nice, but things seem to be going really well.”
Patrick Wayne, a Plymouth junior, who participated in the Guy/Girl dance with his partner Urara Kaneko, Plymouth junior, said, “It was pretty lit and the girls did a great job.”
It was also the last show for the seniors of PomPon. The spotlight was on Courtney Bryden, Emily Divens, Ryan Fisher, Jessie Hall, Emily Lindbloom, Anastasia Piwko, Ryann Traver, and Taylor Tyszkiewicz as they walked across the stage to receive flowers and traditional Plymouth Pom t-shirts.
In the handout that guests received at the door, all senior girls put their favorite “Plymouth Pom has…” quotes. Lindbloom put in hers, “Plymouth pom has taught me how to break out of my shell and I have become more confident while being part of the team.” Anastasia Piwko said “Plymouth Pom has taught me to become a better leader and work better to communicate with people who have different personalities.”
Around the World with Plymouth Pom
By: Claire Heise
Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Over spring break, the Chamber and Madrigals choir students had the opportunity to travel to Italy and perform in some beautiful churches in front of a whole new audience. The choir performed at four churches; San Moise, St. Mark's Basilica, St. Agnes, and St. Peter's Basilica, better known as the Vatican.
This is the second time P-CEP’s choirs have travelled internationally; the previous time was in 2014 when they went to England.
“It [preparing for the trip] was a very long process. They [the songs] all had to be in Latin or English,” said choir teacher Jennifer Neumann. One of the songs performed was Sanctus composed by Tim Schoenherr, who used to be the arts director for P-CEP but is now retired.
The trip’s main focus wasn’t performing though; it was exploring the historical sites and churches. Over all, the favorite church that was visited was St. Peter’s Basilica. “When we sang at the Vatican it was very emotional. It’s interesting to see something like the Catholic church that’s been around for so long.” said Salem senior Kallie Ives.
The trip was a once in a lifetime chance. “It [the trip] exceeded all of our expectations. We were excited going there, but when we actually saw it, it was a completely different thing. We all miss it a lot.” said Plymouth senior Hannah Rhode.
Next year, the choirs will travel to Cedar Point to perform for a festival competition.
Choirs Travel to Italy
By: Ashley Hegener
Editor-in-Chief
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Neumann
The Madrigals and Chamber choir students perform and tour in Italy
Every year during winter, a blast of cold air hits Michigan and a wave of snow fills the streets. This happens every year, but there may be fluctuation between the years with one being milder than another. Weather Underground reports that this year was average for Michigan temperature and snow wise, but in the past Michigan has seen record lows, chilling wind chills, and tremendous amounts of snow. 2014 was in fact the snowiest winter on record for nearly every part of Michigan according to the Huffington Post.
With snow and cold come many problems. One of the biggest is the slick roads due to ice and snow, bitter cold air, and slush. Overtime, Michigan’s weather has taken its toll on the roads. The amount of potholes, cracks, and crevices has seen a dramatic increase especially after Michigan was a victim of the Polar Vortex in 2014. Canton Township has initiated the winter road maintenance program which will fix the damage to the roads over the course of this year.
Students are especially facing struggles as they commute to school. In fact, there have been over 45 accidents on campus thus far this school year; more than any full year of school at P-CEP, according to school resource officer, David Eyl, who spoke to P-CEP’s Advanced Video class about the importance of safe driving. Whether it has to do with reckless driving or other factors, the slick roads through winter months definitely play a role in accidents.
Both new and experienced drivers are having difficulty adapting to increasing poor roads. Canton junior Michael Crawford says, “The roads are definitely deteriorating and they have more and more each year. Driving has been difficult because I hit potholes on every major road and there’s no way to get around it.” Crawford added, “I’m baffled as to why no one has attempted to fix it. Of all the roads they’ve fixed in the past few years, if any, the roads that have been fixed weren’t in as bad of conditions as some like Warren Road., Canton Center, or Sheldon Road.”
Despite what some may assume, there has been a substantial amount of effort to fix roads but with not much done so far. Governor Rick Snyder signed a $1.2 billion road relief package will increase taxes to fix roads starting in 2017. For many, this relief comes too late as residents have become angered by damages to their cars as result of potholes.
Canton senior Jordan Joy has been actively searching for answers and justice after his car being a victim to the terrible roads. “I’ve sent numerous letters to our township office and to Lansing asking if they could fix the roads. At the very least they could have filled the potholes and not completely redone the road, but I have not once heard back nor has any places I’ve asked to be fixed been touched.” Joy has found an interest in seeking answers from government officials and says that even though he hasn't gotten a response, exercising his right to the first amendment has been a knowledgeable experience and he’s told his younger brother the importance of questioning executive decisions.
Statistics show that young drivers are more susceptible to accidents and other car damages than any other specific age group. Canton sophomore Jacob Riegal expressed his concerns, “Being a new driver and driving with a permit was something I was looking forward to, but now that I’m on the road it is difficult to avoid potholes and keep my parents care undamaged. They never taught us anything like this in driver's ed.”
Deteriorating Roads Cause Havoc For Drivers
By: Alec Middleton
Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Perspective Staff Wins 16 Awards
By: Hannah Saad
News Editor
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Staff members of P-CEP’s student newspaper, The Perspective, claimed 16 awards at the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) Spring Conference. These 16 awards included one first place award, four second place awards, one third place award and 10 honorable mentions, which are rewarded to students who place in the top six in the division.
Canton senior Robyn Apley placed first in the Editorial Cartoon category for her cartoon, “Gay Marriage.” Apley also placed first in the Editorial Cartoon category last year.
Salem seniors Genevieve St. Jean and Chris Robbins placed second in the News Story category for their story, “District charges student big bucks for emails.” St. Jean also placed second in the Editorial category with her story, “District should be more transparent,” and Robbins placed second in the Online Follow-Up News Coverage category with his story, “FOIA request sparks widespread response.” Canton senior Jared Stephens received second place in the Personality Profile category with his story, “Humans of P-CEP: Lorenzo Sigmon, chess player.”
Students in Advanced Journalism produce the monthly newspaper as part of their class, which is taught by Leola Gee, Plymouth English.
“I’m always impressed with the energy, passion and hard work that journalism students at the Park demonstrate,” said Gee. “Every year they walk into the class eager to learn and eager to make a positive difference in their school and in their world. They never tire of learning and the challenges that come along with testing limits and the status quo. Criticism doesn’t slow them down; it just motivates them to press on. Awards are a perk—never the most important thing but deeply appreciated.”
P-CEP competed against 19 schools in Division 1 on April 21, and MIPA processed a total of 4,303 entries from high school newspapers and yearbooks across the state. These award-winning pieces can be found on The Perspective’s website, and in the print edition of The Perspective. PDF files of the print editions can also be found on The Perspective’s website.
MIPA Award Winners:
First Place:
-Robyn Apley, Canton senior-“Gay Marriage”-Editorial Cartoon, May 2015
Second Place:
-Genevieve St. Jean and Chris Robbins, Salem seniors-“District charges big bucks for emails”-News Story, December 2015
-Genevieve St. Jean-“District should be more transparent”-Editorial, December 2015
-Chris Robbins-“FOIA requests sparks widespread response”-Online Follow-Up News Coverage, January 2016 (Online)
-Jared Stephens, Canton senior-“Humans of P-CEP: Lorenzo Sigmon, chess player”-Personality Profile, November 2015
Third Place:
-Lauren Flynn, Salem senior-“Lorenzo Sigmon, chess player”- Environmental Portrait, November 2015
Honorable Mention:
-David Wang, Plymouth senior-“Why are websites like Pinterest blocked?”-Information graphic, December 2015
-Natasha Pietruschka, Canton senior –“December 2015 A1”-Front Page/Newspaper Style
-Sydney Ortiz, Salem graduate -“M-STEP or misstep?”-News page/spread, May 2015
-Hannah Saad, Salem junior-“Plymouth vs Canton Hockey”-Sports Action Photo, December 2015 (online)
-Ally Schwinke, Canton senior-“Plymouth Student Section”-Sports Feature Photo, October 2015
-Ally Schwinke-“Khadega Mohammed”-Environmental Portrait, January 2016
-Caitlin Flora (Salem senior), Natasha Pietruschka and Jared Stephens: “Which deserves more funding: the arts or sports?”-Pro/Con Editorial Columns, November 2015
-Claudia Saveski, Plymouth junior-“Grapes of wrath: schools unclean”-Environmental, Health or Science story, December 2015
-Emmanuel Jones, Plymouth senior-“My View on Sports”-Sports Columnist, monthly column
-Emmanuel Jones-“New scoreboard honors fallen alum”-Sports News Story, April 2015
Thursday, April 28, 2016
P-CEP's Jazz Band's Presence in the Community
By: Natasha Pietruschka
Art Director
P-CEP’s jazz bands held a community performance at the Canton Public Library on April 24. Members of both the John Coltrane Ensemble and the Miles Davis Ensemble invited family, friends and any visitors to listen to their musical selections.
Significant pieces from the John Coltrane band included Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train,” and “Caravan,” and Stevie Wonder’s “You are the Sunshine of My Life.” A highlight of the performance was Plymouth junior Julia Scannell’s guest appearance as a vocalist during “You are the Sunshine of My Life.” A student in the band program and a trumpet player in the Plymouth-Canton Marching Band, Scannell volunteered for the position. Already classically trained, the challenges of vocal jazz offered a new perspective.
“I had no idea she had such a beautiful voice,” said Noah Bellamy, jazz director. She also sang for the Miles Davis Ensemble, with “Almost Like Being in Love,” by songwriters Lerner and Lowe.
The Miles Davis band, composed of primarily upperclassmen, gave an excellent performance. Significant selections from their performance included Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays’s “Something to Remind You,” an alto saxophone feature, and Andy Weiner’s “Cruisin’ for a Bluesin’,” which was chosen as a challenge for the members.
“Something to Remind You” was selected for Plymouth senior Mitch Luttermoser. The University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater and Dance offers one of the best saxophone studios in the nation, and Luttermoser is attending on a full ride scholarship. Classically trained, Luttermoser was challenged to perform jazz. Working with Bellamy on the piece, Luttermoser said, “It really expanded what I could see as a musician. It opened up avenues, especially when I learned how to improvise.”
The show was open to the public. Library visitors were encouraged to stop by and listen to the afternoon event. Canton senior Caleb Salame happened to be at the library when he overheard the jazz band playing. “It's great knowing that our band has such a community presence. It was unexpected, so I checked them out for a little. They’re pretty good,” said Salame.
Such community connection is what Bellamy seeks to accomplish. Spending 10 years as a professional musician, even traveling with KC and the Sunshine Band and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, both Grammy-winning musical groups, Bellamy is bringing his experience to the Plymouth-Canton community. Only his second year as P-CEP Jazz Director and Visual Caption Head for the Plymouth-Canton Marching Band, he has a strong vision for the program.
For many of the members, jazz is a new style. Not taught inside the concert programs, Bellamy values the importance of teaching it to music students. Born in New Orleans, jazz is a truly American art form. Bellamy said that it’s a form of oral music, and it needs to be listened to, understood, and felt.
Jazz band students have experimented with the unique characteristics that make up jazz, like swing, articulation, and improvisation. “I get to see a different teaching perspective. I get to apply styles I learn in class and from jazz band, and it helps me maximize my success,” said Jonny Martindale, Canton junior.
Interest in the jazz band has grown the past year. With now two bands, Bellamy hopes for the groups to grow and expand their role in the community.
The bands will be traveling to the Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival in Hastings, MI on April 30.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
HSE Prom Dress Sale
By: Ally Schwinke
Staff Writer
The annual Human Services Exploration Class Prom/Homecoming Dress Sale is coming up on April 30 from 9 a.m. -12 p.m. Currently, the HSE class is collecting donations of all old homecoming and prom dresses for their sale. The dresses will be no more than $20, according to Lisa Benages, a teacher at Plymouth High School.
The Human Services Exploration class is a peer-to-peer class where both special education students and general education students partner up and do numerous activities. There are two HSE classes: an art class and a foods class.
Benages said, “I started this sale about five years ago to make sure every girl could afford a beautiful dress for prom.” Benages’ motivation for starting the sale came from buying her three daughters prom dresses and realizing how expensive they are, and then her girls graduated, leaving their gorgeous dresses hanging in the closet.
Alexis Polidori, a senior at Plymouth and a leadership student in the HSE foods class, said, “The HSE program has put together this prom dress sale in order to sell dresses to people who otherwise could not afford them”. Polidori added, “Lisa Benages even goes above and beyond to hem the dresses for the girls that buy them.”
Benages said that they collect gently used formal dresses, long or short, all year because it is not just about dresses for prom, but any formal event.
Polidori also said all profits help fund the HSE classes at the Park in order to get the supplies they need to help further the classes.
Sam Howell, a senior at Plymouth High School and a leadership student in the HSE arts class, said, “I am really excited to see this event all come together. I think this sale is beneficial to all people who are involved.” Howell thinks the sale will be a great success.
Benages said that they have hundreds of dresses and everyone is welcome to attend.
Photo by Kristen Rodwell
Tom Wullaume, Adrienne Paton, Mitch Luttermoser, Deron Bilezigian and Ethan Fitzgerald are in the front row playing their saxaphones.
Both Canton and Plymouth Gymnastics teams competed in the MHSAA state competition on March 11, where Canton’s team placed fifth and Plymouth followed in sixth place by less than a point. Salem Gymnastics did not qualify for states as a team, but sophomore Jordyn Williams qualified for individual finals and placed second in floor exercise.
Canton is now the team to beat at the Park, not only finishing before Plymouth at states but also earning the title of KLAA division champs. The girls are optimistic and ready to continue their hard work next year.
“Throughout the season we had various injuries and sore muscles that limited our skills from time to time. Some meets we didn’t have our full team on the competition floor making our team scores lower than we had hoped,” said Canton sophomore Rachel Socha. “Next season, we want to come out as a strong team with many new skills and a positive attitude going into every meet.”
Two of Canton’s girls medaled in the top 10 for vault, with juniors Kelsey Kernosek finishing third and Jana Hilditch in sixth.
Plymouth finished third in the division and is pleased with their performance at regionals and states, but remains determined to come back better next year.
“We got sixth out of 12 teams [at states], which was better than last year,” said Plymouth freshman Jaya Dhande. “I’m really looking forward to next year to start learning new skills and hopefully breaking the school vault record.”
Though Salem finished last in their division, the team doesn’t consider this year to be a loss.
“Each meet our scores were getting higher and our routines continued to get stronger,” said Williams.
Williams was one of three Salem gymnasts to make it to states, along with freshmen Riley Fisher and Cloe Longeway, and she hopes to see more numbers next year.
“Our team goals are to have everyone qualify for regionals and have even more of us qualify for states.”
Not only does Williams have high hopes for her team, but she also wants to work to become the number one gymnast in the state for her floor routine.
Plymouth and Canton Gymnastics Teams Goes to States
By: Kylie Cardenas
Staff Writer
Thursday, April 7, 2016