Ms. Carlin Takes on a New Position at Wayne State University
May 15, 2024 | Hannah Borders
Mrs. Carlin, an English teacher and the director of BHS Tiger Drama, is leaving BHS and taking on a new position at Wayne State University.
Mrs. Carlin is a beloved English and New Tech teacher as well as the director of Tiger Drama here at BHS. She is well-known for her passion for teaching, students, and the overall positivity to brings to this school. Recently, Carlin has informed us that next school year she will be taking on a position as an academic advisor for theater and dance at Wayne State University, where she got her bachelor’s degree.
When asked what advice she would leave behind, Mrs. Carlin says, “The advice I would leave behind is to continue to make connections and build bridges. You never know what glorious places they will take you.”
Regarding her favorite thing about being at Belleville High School she explains, “It’s hard to lock down a single favorite. I’ve loved so many of the people I work with, being a part of drama, joining New Tech, and all of the amazing talent we have in this building.”
It is needless to say that we will all miss Mrs. Carlin and the wonderful impacts she has had on this school, especially our theater program very much. We are all wishing her the best on her new chapter.
BHS 2024 Graduates Joining the Military
May 15, 2024 | Shelby Yeoman
Joining the military is not very common for students just leaving high school, so when they do it’s very honorable.
There are many different reasons why people join the military right out of high school. Some of those reasons could be getting college benefits, buying time to figure out life plans, or just joining for the benefits. There are six different branches in the military, the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Joining the military is at a low right now, according to Defense.gov there are only 23% of people that are ages 17-24 that would even qualify to join the military. When people join the military and actually make it through basic training/boot camp, they should be recognized since they are fighting for the country. According to stripes.com, two reasons why people don’t want to join the military anymore are that people don’t want to get hurt or get stuck with PTSD.
At Belleville High School, there are four seniors that are joining the military after they graduate. Their names are Zachary Suiter joining the Navy, Chandler Obradovich joining the Marine Corps, David Beauchamp joining the Marine Corps, and Shelby Yeoman joining the Marine Corps.
When talking to David Beauchamp, he was excited or nervous about joining and what his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or job would be and he said, “I’m excited, I’m looking forward to all of the training exercises and tactical situations and my MOS will be Security Forces (8152).”
Shelby Yeoman, why join the military, so I said, “Well, I didn’t want to go to college immediately and I’m not in the best financial situation for that even if I did want to go. Also, this gives me time to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
 | David Beauchamp Marine Corps Security “I chose the Marine Corps because it’s not something many people can achieve.” |
 | Zachary Suiter Navy-Machinist Mate “I’m pretty excited about going and can’t wait to see what it opens up for me.” |
 | Shelby Yeoman Marine Corps-Combat Support “I decided to join the Marine Corps because my brother did and I didn’t want to join any of the other branches.” |
 | Chandler Obradovich Marine Corps |
BHS Retirees: Reaching New Milestones
May 15, 2024 | Caitlynn Reed
The end of the 2024 school year is when their marks end. Putting a mark on all their students in the past and present ends after they end their careers and move onto the next part of their life.
Starting their careers young knowing that they want to teach and taking the next step in college to achieve their passion is what each one of them did. Mr. Philips, Mrs. Duda-Osborne, Mr. Wilsey, and Mrs. Brooks each took their careers to the next level.
Mr. Phillips is in his 30th year teaching at Belleville High School. Before his time here he was a substitute teacher in the Lake Orion school district. During his time here at Belleville he has taught American History, World History, Sociology, Social Studies, World Geography, Aerobics, Zumba, Physical Conditioning, Intro to PE, Team Sports, Swim One and Two, and Wrestling Tech. Not only did Mr. Phillips teach but he also coached many sports like Wrestling, Cross-Country, Track, and Tennis. Mr. Philips made a big impact on many students and staff. After all his time spent here at Belleville High School Mr. Phillips said, “He said he works with a great group of educators here at Belleville who he would miss dearly as well as he will miss his students he connected with.” After he retires he plans on moving back to Oakland County and enjoying his life.“The thing I will miss the most about him are his dad jokes, they are so bad but they are so funny at the same time, because of how hard he laughs at them.” After all his time spent here at Belleville High School Mr. Phillips said, “He said he works with a great group of educators here at Belleville who he would miss dearly as well as he will miss his students he connected with.” After he retires he plans on moving back to Oakland County and enjoying his life.
Strzalkowski said “I’ve always really enjoyed working with Scott Wilsey because when it comes down to it, he’s always willing to get in the mix and do the work that needs to be done.” After retiring from Belleville he plans on focusing on familial responsibilities and golf. He hopes that he gets back into assisting with a golf program somewhere in the future. Mr. Wilsey has been a part of Belleville High School’s staff for 20 years. Nine of those years teaching in a classroom setting and 11 years being an administrator. Throughout his years with BHS he has taught Biology, Algebra 1, Physics, Weather Class, and Digital Electronics. While also coaching the boy and girls golf club and bowling when it first started at BHS. Mr. Wilsey said, “He’ll miss the team of the staff, colleagues and students that I work with. I’ll also miss seeing students grow and mature over the four years that move through the halls of BHS. After talking to Jason Strzalkowski about the work ethic Mr. Wilsey had his years here at BHS.
Mrs. Brooks has contributed to the Belleville High School staff for 25 years. During her time here she has taught Algebra as well as teaching Psychology. While Mrs. Brooks has been a part of this school for so many years, she plans on taking the next step in her career and retiring at the end of this school year. While Mrs. Brooks said she would miss the students and staff. After asking Jaiden Haney what he will miss He said “ I will miss her happiness, she was always happy no matter what, and her amazing gratitude kept people going.” She plans on moving to Florida this summer and starting a new chapter in her life
Mrs. Duda-Osborne attended Belleville schools her whole life Kindergarten through 12th grade. She then left for her post-education for four years and returned to teach for Belleville schools. Now Mrs. Duda-Osborne has been teaching for a little over 31 years. During her time here at Belleville she has taught elective classes, mainly American Sign Language, Personal Living, Health 2, and College Readiness. She said, “I’ll miss getting up at the crack of dawn for work, getting my coffee at Starbucks every morning, talking with kids in the hallway, sharing stories with colleagues, the first day and last days of school, the most i’ll miss is teaching the students about the things I am most passionate about.” All of the things she did in her daily routine made her have the best years teaching.
When asking Ellie Kerrigan about what you’ll miss about Mrs. Duda she said, “It makes me very proud to know that Mrs. Duda’s last year is also my last year. She has been one of the best teachers and I’m sad to see her leave but she will always leave an impact on us and the way she has set us up for the rest of our lives.”
After she retires she said, “I plan on continuing coaching trapshooting at Saline High School and Western Michigan University. As well as traveling with my husband to the “bucket list” places we’ve been talking about for years. I will also be hanging out on Mackinac Island where my husband owns a few businesses to enjoy the breeze from the Straits of Mackinac.”
Photos taken by Caitlynn Reed
Maxwell Azzarello: The Third Self Immolation in the US in 5 Months
May 15, 2024 | Isabelle Porzondek
37 year old Maxwell Azzarello performed the act of self immolation outside the Manhattan Courthouse April 19, 2024.
On April 19thLast Friday, at around 1:30, an individual made his way into Collect Pond Park. At the same time, individuals were being chosen as jurors for the criminal trial of Donald Trump. After dropping his backpack and throwing a pile of papers into the air, he pulled out a canister of fluid and lit himself on fire.
Later that day, he was confirmed to be Maxwell Azzarello; a 37 year old man from St. Augustine, Florida. He deemed himself as an “investigative researcher” and his papers consisted of his many conspiracy theories, and thoughts about what was happening in the realm of the government. He began to post what many people have been calling his “manifesto” about anti-establishment conspiracies; he seems to have an idea that the entire government is just a huge Ponzi scheme, essentially, people funding with money that isn’t there, or produced legally. He also referenced cryptocurrency, The Simpsons, and Jeffery Epstein. His manifestos can be found online, but to sum it up simply; he believed that the entire government was built against the public who thought there was an underlying fascist, authoritarian government that truly controlled the US.
Many people believe that his act was led on by mental health issues, especially the loss of his mother. Friends of Azzarello explained to The Independent that, “That was around the time when he became more outspoken…They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken” His friends also remarked that his act of protest fell right around the two year anniversary of her death. It was right after his mother died, that his social media all took a complete shift from personal life to constant government conspiracy theories.
Even if the main speculations on his act of self-immolation boil down to mental health issues and clouded judgements, it is still important to note that this is the THIRD act of self-immolation in five months within the United States. The last self immolation, before the late Aaron Bushnell in February and an unidentified female in December, was 18 year old high schooler Linda J. Zhang, a climate activist who self immolated in July of 2020. Why has this become so prevalent in today’s society? It’s slowly becoming a norm in our news and media. There is no pattern between these individuals, or similarities in their causes, however it’s still happening.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Azzarello.
BHS Students Explore Europe 2024
April 22, 2024 | Brayden Lane
Belleville High School students explored parts of Europe with their classmates from March 21st through the 31st with chaperones Matt Davenport, Ryan Said, and Stacey Buhro.
Going to Europe is an experience of a lifetime. You get to experience different lifestyles, cultures, and foods while spending time exploring famous landmarks and historical artifacts. Going to Europe took a lot of planning and time to figure everything out. We went to many meetings for a little over a year to get ready for the trip leading up to our departure. You don’t realize how diverse the world truly is until you experience it for yourself. Going to Europe truly shows the different perspectives people have on life and how different so many of the cultures are. The first few days we spent in Athens, Greece. We visited all the major landmarks such as The Acropolis,The Parthenon and the Theater. We got to try authentic Greek food which was way different than American style food. After a few days in Athens, we flew to Rome, Italy. In Rome we got the chance to go inside the Colosseum, and the Forum.This was the most packed and eventful place out of everywhere we went because it is the capital of Italy. During our time in Rome, we ended up going to the smallest country in the world, Vatican City. This country was truly beautiful for how small it was. In the Vatican we went inside St. Peter’s Basilica and the museum.
When leaving Rome and the Vatican City, we had a Renaissance Debate as we were on the bus heading for Florence, Italy. In Florence we got to go to the baptistery and Duomo. We also got to go to the Academia, where we got to cook our own authentic Italian meal. We made everything from the dough to our noodles to a special Italian dessert. That was our last night in Florence, the next morning we set off on the buses to go to Venice. On our trip there, we stopped in Ravenna, Italy to walk around the whole city for only a couple hours. Then we got back on the bus and finished our trip to Venice. Once we almost made it to Venice, our bus had to get on a ferry. The ferry took us on our bus to the island our hotel was on. This is because there isn’t any other way to get there besides a boat. We stayed in Venice for a couple days and went to the Bridge of Sighs, Doge’s Palace and the Grand Canal. Junior Addison Tulik said, “I loved the life experience we got in another country. Venice was so beautiful and lively.”
On our final day we flew back to Frankfurt from Venice and had a 16 hour layover so we got a hotel and relaxed there. After having to wake up at 5 am, we had made it to the Frankfurt Airport, but because we were flying against the wind, the flight was over nine hours. We finally made it home to Detroit after 12 days in Europe
ETIAS: A Guide
April 22, 2024 | Madison Bitner
As Europe has always been a dream destination for travelers worldwide, it’s especially important for those who possess a US passport to stay up to date on the latest travel news. ETIAS, or European Travel Information and Authorization System, will be required for entry to Europe for people possessing a US passport. ETIAS was first talked about in November of 2016 and was then added to Legislation in September of 2018. The travel authorization was originally supposed to take effect in 2024, but due to technical difficulties, it has been postponed until May 2025. ETIAS will be required to enter a total of thirty European countries, not including the UK, Ireland, and some countries on Europe’s eastern edge.
The ETIAS will allow multiple entries to the continent for up to ninety days within a one hundred and eighty-day period. The ETIAS are an important change in the security system designed to improve border security, the safety of the people, and collect data on non-EU travelers to ensure they don’t pose a risk. As overwhelming as this sounds, the ETIAS are quick, easy, and one hundred percent online, and getting approved only takes a few minutes. Applications can be done through the official ETIAS website or the official ETIAS mobile app.
History of Earth Day
April 22, 2024 | Alex Sakcriska
April 22nd is a day that has been celebrated annually since the 1970s to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainability. It was passed into place by the U.S. Senator Gaylord, Nelson, who wanted to institute a day dedicated to environmental education and activism. He was inspired after witnessing an oil spill.
During the 1970s Earth Day was something that brought people together to protest and advocate for a healthier environment, which completely tied into the hippie movement of the ’70s, these protests were largely peaceful and non-violent. The focus was positive change, and with that rather than resorting to violence. But with peace and love comes challenges as well. The organization of these massive protests was difficult because the people participating in them had to deal with many logistical issues like obtaining permits and ensuring the safety of everyone participating. And in a lot of cases, many protesters faced oppression or opposition from people who disagreed with their cause. But the clouds began to clear, with all this determination from such a wide vast group of people, 20 million to be exact. The importance of the environment was brought to the attention of the nation and the world.
How is Earth Day celebrated now? Many people make a conscious effort to reduce their carbon footprint by conserving energy and reducing single use plastic. To this day people still protest for Earth Say, rallying together can show the solidarity and demand for a more sustainable future. Some influential people that are known to lead or put together these protests, probably the most notable. Greta Thunberg, Jamie Margolin, who is Colombian American climate justice activist, and Leah Thomas an environmental Instagram activist who is mainly online. Compared to the 1970’s there are many influential climate advocates today. Many actors are climate advocates, Leonardo DiCaprio being a very famous actor who is also a climate activist. With the amount of influential people supporting the cause, and the millions of people who have reduced their carbon footprints. Our biggest problem is the corporations taking advantage of us. For climate change to be stopped. Everyone including people, businesses and the government, would work together to reduce the impact of climate change and create a more sustainable future.
Bellevillains Robotics Team dominate FIRST in Michigan Competition and Head to Houston
April 22, 2024 | Caleb Smith
On the weekend of April 4-6, Team 6615, the Bellevillains, competed in the FIRST Robotics States competition at Saginaw Valley State University, competing against 160 different teams.
Our home robotics team, the Bellevillains, achieved an invitation to compete in the FIRST Robotics State competition through their hard work and dedication to the program. Arriving at the competition at Saginaw Valley State University, they were assigned to the DTE Foundation field, known to be the hardest field at the competition. Despite this, the Bellevillains fought their way through the qualification matches and got to alliance selection, where they were chosen by Team 6081 Digital Dis-locators from Manchester High School and Team 4362 CSPA Gems from Charyl Stockwell Preparatory Academy.
Together, this alliance stayed completely undefeated and won the entire DTE field. From there, they were chucked into a final four and took second place, only being beaten by the Hemlock field champions, the alliance of Team 5712 Hemlock’s Grey Matter, Team 27 Team RUSH, and Team 51 Wings of Fire. Today, the Bellevillains sit at Rank 23 in the state of Michigan with 250 Ranking Points. The team went to the World Championship in Houston, Texas, where they will face off against 600 other teams from across the globe, including teams from almost everywhere in America, Canada, the Middle East, China, Australia, and many more places.
Photos Donated by Kaylee Haisma
Origin of April Fools Day
April 22, 2024 | Leigh Ann Gooch
Every single year people celebrate or at least know that it is the first of April, that means spring. The start of April Fools Day came from 1582 when France switched from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar by the Council of Trent. The Julian Calendar was a Hindu calendar which meant the spring equinox was around April 1st. Many people didn’t get the news of this or failed to recognize the start of the new year had moved to January 1st, and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1st. When this happened April 1st became the butt of jokes and hoaxes, which led to the people calling it “April Fools”. Some of the pranks were having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish). This mostly symbolizes a young, easily caught fish and gullible person.
Some people also linked this to the festivals such as Hilaria (Latin for joyful). This was celebrated at the end of March by followers of the cult of Cybele. This festival had people dressing up in disguises and mocking fellow citizens. This was also inspired by the Egyptian legend of Isis, Osiris, and Seth. Most people think this is from the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, this happened when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather. This had spread out throughout all of America and eventually hit Britain during the 18th century. Scotland had started a tradition that was a two-day event, this started with “hunting the gawk” where people were sent on phony errands, which was followed by Tailie Day, where they had pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them. These pranks have gotten more elaborate and better through modern times. Some of these are the classics like swapping the sugar and salt containers, telling people their shoes are untied when they’re not, or making them sit on a whoopee cushion.
Photo Provided by Pinterest
BHS Hosts Band O Rama
Aprill 22, 2024 | Emily Bryant
On Saturday April 6th, Belleville High School hosted Band O Rama, for the first time.
In attendance, was Owen Intermediate, McBride, and Belleville High School concert, varsity, and symphony band. This was different from anything our band program has ever done before because there were three different bands set up in the gym at the same time. Each band on the floor took turns playing a piece from their most recent concert, aside from the symphony band, who played parts from two of their songs. After each band played there was a 50/50 raffle as a fundraiser for the next upcoming marching season. In the end, the marching band also played some of their stand tunes and had fun entertaining the crowd.
FIRST BHS Robotics Event
March 21, 2024 | Caleb Smith
On March 8th and March 9th, Belleville Robotics, aka the Bellevillains, went head to head with 39 other schools in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
At the FIRST Robotics Competition, Team 6615 The Bellevillains competed against thirty-eight other teams for the title of FIRST Robotics Champions for that event. The team was led by teachers such as Mr. Watkins, Ms. Haisma, and Mr. Lang as coaches, and the robot was expertly maneuvered by the four drivers. Carson Conley, Nasir Daiz, Desmond Reinhard, and Parker Mears dressed for the part in suit jackets and large top hats while they expertly drove the robot (named “Pitch” by the team) to victory. The team ended up winning first place in the qualifying competition, meaning they had first pick of their teammate and the title of Rank 1 for the competition, a feat that had not even been close to a reality since 2018. The team then allied with Mercy High School’s “The Riveters” and Southfield A&T’s “The TechnoJays” and continued to prosper until they were knocked out in the round right before the finals, landing them a fourth place finish. Their efforts were not in vain though, as they also received the Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen which is given to the team who best shows “attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance.”
The team also competed in their second event, hosted at Ann Arbor Skyline High School. In that competition, which took place March 16th and 17th against forty-one other teams, the Bellevillains took Rank 3 in the qualifying round, and when the first seat chose the second seat for their team, they became captains of Alliance 2. Belleville allied with Pioneer High School’s “Pi Hi Samurai” and Chelsea High School’s “Technical Difficulties” to push their way through the competition, ultimately ending in a third place finish. At the event, the team won the Team Spirit Award and was secured for a place in the state competition. States will be held April 4 to April 6 at Saginaw Valley State University, so be sure to wish our Bellevillains good luck!
Exploring Careers with BHS
March 21, 2024 | Madison Bitner
Important announcement for all Belleville High School students! On April 25th, 2024 Belleville High School is hosting its highly anticipated career fair in the cafeteria and commons. The career fair is an event that has become widely loved by students over time as it presents them with opportunities to connect with professionals in their field of interest.
This year, over 40 businesses will be participating in the Belleville High School career fair, with each career pathway having representation. This allows students to gain valuable insights into their dream profession. The fair will take place during second and third hours. Second hour will be dedicated to juniors and third hour to seniors. Underclassmen will still have the opportunity to attend if they submit the Google form and identify their career pathway. The Google form will be pushed out by English teachers.
Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to connect with professionals by asking questions and learning about the skills and qualifications needed in their field while also making connections that can potentially lead to mentorships, internships, or even future job opportunities. As the career fair is designed to motivate students to take action in their professional goals.
Overall, attending the career fair is something you won’t want to miss! With such a wide range of businesses and professionals present, it’s the perfect way to discover different career pathways. Whether you’re looking for job opportunities or just simply seeking inspiration, the BHS career fair has your back.
Michigan Principal of the Year Nomination
March 21, 2024 | Adeline Volk
Belleville High School’s Nicole Crockett has been nominated for Principal of the Year Award.
Every year, the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) organization nominates various principles for the Principal of the Year award. Out of the hundreds of entries for POY, Belleville High School’s very own Mrs. Crockett has been chosen to be nominated. This award acknowledges exemplary leadership and ability to lead a school community. According to the MASSP organization’s website, “Award recipients are typically surprised with an award and honored at our annual EdCon conference for being an outstanding Principal or Assistant Principal.” The announcement for MI POY 2024 will be released between March and April, and finalists will be notified closer to the announcement date.
Student, staff and community feedback has been enormously positive and supportive of Mrs. Crockett’s nomination, “Our Tigers are extremely blessed to be led by such an intelligent, genuine, and positive individual!”, a community member wrote on Facebook. Mrs. Crockett’s infamous motto, “Purpose, Excellence, and Achievement!” is an everyday reminder to make the most out of your day and strive for success within everything you do, also agrees is Mrs. Slingerland, “Mrs. Crockett embodies Purpose, Excellence, and Achievement – she works tirelessly for her students, staff, and community. It has been a privilege to be a Tiger under the leadership of Mrs. Crockett. The energy and positivity that she exudes is infectious!”
Ellie Kerrigan Wins the “Yes I Can” Self Advocacy Award
March 21, 2024 | Alexis Watkins
Ellie Kerrigan poses for a picture with her certificate. She presents her speech to the school board. Photos Credit Alexis Watkins
On February 29th Ellie Kerrigan traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan to accept her “Yes I Can” Self Advocacy Award”.
The “Yes I Can” Self Advocacy Award is an award that shows the achievements of children with disabilities and shows the public their aspirations in life, and the potential they have. Talking about what they can do and how they self advocate for themselves. Their lives aren’t much different than anyone else’s. Even if someone is not physically capable of doing something there is always a way to advocate for yourself. Mrs. Testorelli recognized Ellie Kerrigan for all of her growth throughout her 4 years at Belleville High School, she has grown not just as a self-advocate, but also as a person. Ellie is a prime example of this, she has overcome many challenges throughout her life, but with the help of friends and family she is thriving. She does many things by herself without the need of others. When I asked Ellie what “self- advocacy” means to her she stated, “It means independence and that I can be mentally independent even if I’m not fully physically independent”.
Ellie has always been passionate about doing things herself, and not needing help. When asked how she felt when she won the award for “self-advocacy” she said, “It made me feel good to be recognized for the hard work and dedication I have done”. Ellie has done so many things, being physically incapable has never stopped her from having a normal life, she hangs out with friends, goes to school, has a job, and even has her license and drives a fully joy-stick driven van. With the love of warm weather, she recently just committed to the University of Alabama and can’t wait to move away from Michigan and start this new chapter of her life.
Preparing for her speech and trying to keep her nerves calm was one of the things she struggled with, “I was very nervous but I prepared by reading my speech over and over to my family and friends, while I was giving my speech I was nervous about messing up, but I had a very welcoming audience that made me feel more relaxed and comfortable” said Ellie. By doing these things she was very much prepared and she felt more secure in front of the audience. In her speech she stated, “If I could give any advice to anyone who is in my position I would tell them to never give up and just because you are not physically capable of something does not mean that you cannot do it”.
Okubo and Mears: Finalists for National Merit Scholarship
March 21, 2024 | Anthony Norfleet
Parker J. Mears and Thomas K. Okubo, both seniors at Belleville High School have been recognized as finalists for the 2024 National Merit Scholarship.
Parker Mears, the son of Angela and Todd Mears from Van Buren Township, has an incredible 4.74 grade point average and is ranked first in his class. He enjoys Chess Club, National Honor Society, band, soccer, science, robotics, and track. Parker plans to study Computer Science at the University of Michigan.
Thomas K. Okubo, is the son of Shunsuke Okubo from Van Buren Township and Carol Okubo, is ranked second behind Parker. He has been a leader for the school’s band and swim teams, achieving great success. Thomas wants to pursue a career in biomedical engineering.thomas okubo-I feel like it’s a good opportunity and hopefully it will inspire other kids to pursue their goals”
The National Merit Scholarship Program has been around since 1955 and recognizes high school students with great academic ability and potential. Each year over 16,000 students are named semifinalists. Those semifinalists have a chance to compete for around 7,140 scholarships totaling almost $28 million. To make it to the finalist level and be eligible for an award, the Semifinalists have to meet some requirements. Only 95% of the semifinalists will become finalists. Half of those finalists will actually receive a National Merit Scholarship. The winners of the 2024 scholarships will be announced starting in April through July. These students will join the over 375,000 past Merit Scholars.
Juniors Ivana Goff, Karla Rivera, and Kennedi Robinson Win at Student Council Regionals
February 21, 2024 | Anaya Goff
Student Council Wins First Place at Regionals Conference and Heads to State Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On Friday, February 2, 2024, The Belleville High School’s Student Council went to the Regionals Conference in Livonia. Regionals is a leadership event gathering Student Councils and Honor Societies from various schools within our Michigan region. It’s with great pride to announce that Belleville High School clinched First Place for their outstanding Student Showcase Presentation at Regionals. The Student Showcase Presentation offers students the platform to demonstrate any ongoing programs within their school and discuss their execution strategies. A presentation can even be selected to present at the State Conference after voting takes place at Regional Connect conferences. From February 23 to February 26, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Belleville High School Student Council will present its showcase and compete against schools statewide and the State Conference. Beyond the competition, the State Conference provides a valuable opportunity for our Student Council to engage with peers from leadership organizations across Michigan, participate in group activities, and gain insights from keynote speakers. It’s a chance for collaboration and learning to enhance their own organization.
Ivana Goff, Karla Rivera, and Kennedi Robinson received accolades and an award for their presentation on voting. These student council members displayed their logistics in getting student votes, which wowed the crowd considering that our school is very large with over 1,800 students and staff. Congratulations to Belleville High School’s Student Council on their success at Regionals, and best wishes for a great experience at the State Conference! Go Tigers!
Photo by Mijaun Green
School Store Revamp
February 21, 2024 | Courtney Reed
The school store is located inside Belleville High School next to the cafeteria. The school store has been open for years and has been passed on from teacher to teacher over time. The current teacher running the store is Mrs. Rembert with her fourth-hour Marketing 2 class.
To be a part of the school you must take Marketing 1 first as a prerequisite. Marketing 2 is a full-year class. Another opportunity is if you have no class during lunch or need volunteer hours. You can also help out after school during football and basketball games. You must contact Mrs. Rembert early in the school year because there are only a limited amount of volunteers needed.
The school’s store sells a variety of products like snacks, school apparel, and merchandise.
As of January 31st, a district-wide decision was made that the school is no longer able to sell unhealthy items during school hours. We proposed our rebranding after the superintendent first stated we could only sell healthy items. We are currently trying to determine what kind of merchandise will be available going forward.
The rebrand went from junk food to healthy snacks and then took a leap to no snacks at all. We are brainstorming and some new merchandise is coming soon. We will also be launching a website to make everything accessible at any time. If you have any ideas we will be sending out a Google form for students and teachers to fill out during your Tiger 10.
Lastly, the store hours will remain the same. Wednesdays and Fridays we will be open for all lunches. Teachers and students are encouraged to visit at lunch, but teachers and students may also contact Mrs. Rembert to arrange a time to buy merchandise before or after school, or even during Mrs. Rembert’s prep period (3rd hour). Her room number is 120!
Photos donated by Mrs. Rembert
Who Will Be the Next Tyrone?
February 21, 2024 | Andrew Matheny
Senior Gunnar Rochon has been Tyrone for the past couple of years at BHS, but who will take over the task of becoming the next tiger mascot for BHS?
Tyrone is a fan favorite and has attended so many BHS events and even has his own Instagram page. Tyrone bleeds orange and black and our events would not be the same without the fuzzy costumed mascot that hypes up the crowd and poses for pictures with toddlers on a whim.
Have you ever been interested in being a mascot for your favorite team? Well, you’re in luck because Belleville High School is looking for a new mascot for the 2024-2025 school year. Our current mascot is a senior and we need a new mascot in charge of school spirit.
The current mascot has a Google Form going out and will host interviews or tryouts when they can for the new job. You need to be slightly athletic and you will be jumping around and riling up the crowd during the big game. You also have to be passionate about the school spirit since you will be the leader of the crowd.
The current Mascot says the best part about being the mascot is that he gets to be around sports all the time. As a sports fan, he says it’s the next best thing to being out on the field and playing. Tyrone is really a part of the team and he is there cheering them on all the time. Special thanks to Gunnar for his dedication to BHS and the community! He will be missed as he moves on next fall.
If you are interested in being the next mascot for Belleville High School here is the interest form.
Oxford Shooting: Crumbley’s Mom has Been Charged with Manslaughter
February 21, 2024 | Isabelle Porzondek
In November 2021, the lives of four high school students were lost due to gunfire by one of their own classmates. Shooter’s mother has been facing charges for her son’s actions.
Oxford Michigan is just a few miles away from Belleville High School. Over 2 years ago, high school student Ethan Crumbley came into the high school with a 9mm pistol and began shooting.
Arguments have risen as in 2024, Crumbley’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley has been charged with manslaughter. People have begun to wonder how much her influence (or some would even call neglect) led to the shooting overall.
Before committing the shooting, Crumbley showed many warning signs of mental health struggle. Teachers discussed issues the student visibly had, such as drawing graphic images on his work, being very closed off from the rest of his classmates, and just being simply unwell. It seemed as though even after discussing these issues with his parents, they just shrugged it off.
The neglect of Crumbley, and even their enabling of his violent behavior – buying him a pistol as a gift, was the flame that lit the fuse, causing the lives of Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, and Hana St. Juliana to be lost.
In this decade, mental health struggles have risen to the forefront for teens across the globe; depression and anxiety reported in children from ages 12-17 have skyrocketed, with Newport Academy stating, “16 percent of US teens (ages 12 to 17)—more than 4 million adolescents—had at least one major depressive episode in 2022. In addition, 11.5 percent of US youth (over 2.7 million high school students) are experiencing major depressive disorder with severe impairment.”
Ethan Crumbley has been sentenced to life in prison, and his mother following; being charged with all four counts of manslaughter, facing up to 15 years each.
While many other underlying issues led to the horrific experience in our Michigan community, it’s important to recognize what happened and face the reality of what has been happening to students across the US. As the District Administration has explained, “the troubling trend bleeds into 2024, and the data shows. This year alone, there have been 38 incidents of a school shooting on K12 grounds.” It has been a growing issue in our country for over a decade, and change is a necessity at this point.
While reporting on the guilty, we also remember the victims and all of those lost somewhere they thought they were safe to learn and grow. Remember their names.
Photo by People.com
Monster Jam In Detroit This Weekend
February 21, 2024 | Emily Bryant
Monster Jam has been around since 1992 and their next show is on February 24 and 25, 2024. This show is on Ford Field in Detroit. Monster Jam features generations of decorated monster trucks showing off flips, jumps, etc. In these events, the monster trucks face off in three forms of competition: racing, two-wheel skills, and freestyle.
This shows featured competitors and their trucks will be Adam Anderson in Grave Digger, Cory Rummell in Megalodon, Joe Foley in El Toro Loco, Bari Musawwir in Zombie, Ryan Anderson in Son-uva Digger, Colt Stephens in ThunderROARus, Camden Murphy in Bakugan Dragonoid, Chris Koehler in Monster Mutt, Kayla Blood in Soldier Fortune, David Olfert in Velociraptor, Jim Koehler in Avenger, and Mike Christensen in Vendetta.
Do you know how huge these trucks are? 10.5 feet tall, 12.5 feet wide, 17 feet long and they weigh 12,000 pounds! The engines that the trucks use will generate 1,500 horsepower.
Even people who haven’t heard about Monster Jam, or people who don’t know much about it, most likely already know about one of Monster Jam’s most famous trucks, Grave Digger. A lot of people only know about this truck, but for good reason. It’s one of the most memorable trucks they use in shows. And the driver, Adam Anderson is also a very memorable driver, as the original Grave digger driver was his father, Dennis Anderson.
Monster Jam shows are really loud, so you have to wear earplugs. And shows can smell heavily of gas because of the methanol fuel that the trucks use.
While there are some negatives to the shows like sound and smell, there are an overwhelming amount of great and positive things about monster jam that make going out to their shows family-friendly and super cool.
Unified Basketball
February 21, 2024 | By Leigh Ann Gooch
The Unified Basketball Team had their last home game last Monday, February 5th. It was a close game with Belleville coming on top with another win of 35-24 against Walled Lake. There was a lot of positive feedback from the cheer team, dance team, and marching band supporting each other throughout the game. WDIV was also there to watch the basketball game on live TV. Many people take part in the Unified Basketball Team, like the leadership team. Most of the students who are in this class support the students on the team, and help and encourage them in many ways. On the back wall of the gym there were many posters made for the team to encourage them and cheer them on. The head coach Mr. Cender leads the games. There are still more games for the team but the rest are away games. The MHSAA started doing this in 1989 to include people that have disabilities and let them be included in social interaction with people their own age. This can also help their communication skills while having fun. There are many different sports they can play, but at Belleville, we have unified basketball.
Five Prominent African-American People from Michigan
February 21, 2024 | By Hannah Borders
- Charles Diggs Jr.
Charles Diggs Jr. was born December 2, 1922 in Detroit, MI and was an American politician who served in the State Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Diggs was the first ever African American from Michigan to be elected to congress. Before his death on August 24, 1998, Charles Diggs was involved with civil rights for an extensive period of time beginning early in his life. He attended the University of Michigan, Detroit College of Law, and Fisk University throughout his career. He also served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1945.
- George Jewett II
George Jewett II was born April 1870 and was an American athlete and the first African-American football player at the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and in the Big Ten Conference. During his career Jewett played as a fullback, halfback, and field goal kicker. In 1890 and 1892 he was considered one of Michigan’s greatest players before his passing on August 12, 1908.
- Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin was born March 25, 1942 and was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Before her passing on August 16, 2018 the “Queen of Soul” was named the greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone. Among many titles Aretha Franklin holds the name of one of the world’s best-selling artists with over 75 million records sold. Franklin began her professional music career at the young age of 18 after signing with Columbia records.
- Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was born in 1797 in New York and died on November 26, 1883 in Battle Creek, Michigan. Sojourner Truth was an American abolitionist and an activist for Women’s and African-American’s civil rights. After being born into slavery, Truth escaped with her infant daughter in 1826. She delivered her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in 1851 which became widely known during the Civil War.
- Jackie Wilson
American singer, Jackie Wilson was born June 9, 1934. Before his death on January 21, 1984, Wilson was nicknamed “Mr. Excitement” for his prominence in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Alongside being considered a “master showman” and one of the most dynamic singers and performers in soul, R&B, and rock and roll history, Jackie Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame and two of his recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
BHS Teachers Promote New Classes
February 2, 2024 | By Marc Gore
Starting next school year (2024-2025) there are new and old course offerings being promoted by teachers at Belleville High School! This is good news for students looking to try new classes or explore potential career paths. One course looking to keep running is the Teacher Cadet Program, taught by Mrs. Romak. This class prepares students as they learn the skills needed to become future educators. The students will get in-field experience where they go to the Early Childhood Center and interact with the younger students there. Students will also be able to earn early college credit through this program.
Another course that will be offered is an Unreal Game Design class. In this class, students will learn about video game design and design their own games using Unreal Engine. The class is run by Mr. Butka and is sure to be a fun and educational experience for anyone interested in video game design.
There will also be three new courses being promoted in the psychology field and a Detective Fiction course offered by Ms. Cross. That class is sure to be fun for anyone who likes true crime and mystery! These classes have students excited and it is a sign of good things to come for the next school year!
Mrs. Slingerland also would like to add some new psychology courses for students who are interested in learning more about this field. She would like to run Sports Psychology, Forensic Psychology, as well as Developmental Psychology. These courses will get you a wealth of knowledge and can even lead to a new career pathway that you didn’t know existed!
Weather Predictions Going Into 2024
February 2, 2024 | By Braylon Mannan
Michigan weather is very unpredictable. The past few weeks have been very rough with ice, so who knows what will happen next.
Michigan is known for its strange weather. We can be using the heat in the morning and air conditioning in the afternoon. Schools across the state have already used up a heavy amount of their snow days. Belleville High School has already had four snow days going into the new year. With the harsh weather conditions last year and days of school being closed, schools have been having to extend the school year. High schools in Michigan have limited schools to six snow days allowed. Once the school surpasses six the school year starts to extend. Going into February, the average high for the state temp is thirty-four and the low is twenty. Schools usually close when roads are icy and/or the windchill is in the negatives. As time goes on and we get into March the high will bump up to forty-six and the low will as well, to twenty-eight. Roads are starting to ice up very fast from the snow melting into water and freezing back up. From that, the rate of accidents can quickly rise and destroy environments. In the next week, the Midwest is looking to get hit hard by snow. States are going to be below the average temp during the next week so we should be expecting snow days, store closings, road closings, and more. The average temperature for the next week is supposed to be at thirty-six degrees throughout the whole week. February is known for being particularly bitter, so we may see some snow days.
Kindness Week
February 2, 2024 | By Madison Bitner
Take a quick peak into what Belleville High School’s third annual Kindness Week will look like, but first, let’s make sure we all have a clear understanding of what Kindness Week is.
Kindness Week is how BHS emphasizes the impact we have on our peers even with simple day-to-day interactions. The idea of Kindness Week is to celebrate acts of kindness within the community as the week is dedicated to spreading positivity, kindness, and compassion. The real question is, what can you do to spread kindness within the community? Acts of kindness can be as simple as holding the door open for someone, giving a friendly wave or smile, giving a genuine heartfelt compliment, helping a fellow student with something they may have fallen behind on, helping a faculty member, or arguably the most important act of kindness would be to stand up against bullying and injustice.
Kindness Week will take place from February 12th through February 16th. Starting February 12th, BHS StuCo will be selling T-shirts and bracelets during all lunches to raise funds for further events. During the specified week, BHS has made it their mission to come up with the most unique and inspiring spirit days. Our school is ready to show its support by having themed days! Make sure to participate! Not only has BHS provided its students with the spirit week but there will also be a pep rally held on Friday, February 16th in the main gym.
Newest Additions to the Early College Program
February 2, 2024 | Caitlynn Reed
The list of the accepted sophomores for the Belleville Early College has been announced! The list may look small, but typically there are under 30 students selected to be the best fit to take on college courses in high school.
Having the opportunity to take free college courses in high school is an amazing opportunity. Your sophomore year is when Belleville’s Early College program gets introduced to you. The decision is yours if you want to take on the challenge of the tedious process of getting accepted into the program. The process of getting accepted is more than just joining a club. You do the process from start to finish, and then the sophomores best fit for the role get accepted and can officially join the program at the start of their junior year.
Having a tough process could make some want to quit. However, the students who wanted to stand out made it through the tedious process. Ms. Andrea Sprague said, “Students fill out an application which includes several short essays and get at least two letters of recommendation. Then the Early College Committee goes through those applications, decides which students meet the qualifications, and invites them and their parents/guardians to an interview. After the interview, the committee selects around 25 students to be admitted into the program.” Having such a tedious process to get into the program makes each and every student commit to the program before they get accepted. Everyone wants to get accepted but the student best fit for the program gets accepted.
Congratulations to the newest additions to the program!
While each student has a long process to go through. It takes about a month to officially get the acceptance letter. But they had months to apply, and students had to think if they really wanted to do it. They made the applications due on November 22, 2023. Then students had to set up an interview by December 11, 2023. Then getting the acceptance letter on December 20, 2023. The students officially into the Early College program are Harmony Adams, Liliane Baseka, Fallon Billups, Corissa Cannon, Vincent Farrugia, Angel Field, Stephen Frakes, Tiye’ Gee, Niddiany Grullon, Gracie Hallock, Tamya Horsley, Kaidence Howard, Jaeden Jones, Quinn Jones, Khloe Krueger, Onalia Malasky, Takira McCarter, Kayla McEwen, Aeryal Myles, La’Nay Richards, Riley Saathoff, Sir Samuel, Natalie Sanders, Morgan Scott, Riley Smith, and Bailee Taylor.
BHS Helping to Spread Joy this Holiday Season
December 21, 2023 | Madison Bitner
BHS has just wrapped up its eighth annual toy drive and raised money for families in the community to ensure everyone enjoys this holiday season.
As the season for giving is quickly approaching, it’s important to keep those less fortunate in mind. Toy drives are a crucial part of the holiday season because not only do they provide those in need with opportunity, but they also invite people to come together and celebrate despite any differences in their day-to-day lives. keeping this in mind, BHS has taken the initiative and hosted its eighth annual toy drive to help give back to the community. The annual BHS toy drive occurred from November 28th through December 14th, and during this period, BHS was accepting any form of wrapped or sealed toys for donation. Donation boxes were stationed in the front of the media center and in the main office.
Not only had BHS collected physical toy donations; they were also helping to raise cash donations to further give back to the community. Students were able to donate one dollar to nominate a teacher of choice for Christmas karaoke in the cafeteria. Teachers were selected based on who received the most votes from each floor. The Christmas sing-a-long was so successful that students ended up raising nearly five hundred dollars.
BHS has set up a wish tree in the staff mail room decorated with tags for specific items families are looking for, the proceeds from the Christmas sing-a-long will be used to buy items off of the wish tree. The generous amount of support and donations BHS has received this year will help spread joy and happiness all throughout the community.
Owen Intermediate and McBride Middle School Bands
December 21, 2023 | By Emily Bryant
In our community, we have the Owen Intermediate Band, McBride Middle School Band, and varsity, marching, concert, jazz, and symphony bands at the high school. Of course the bands at the high school are more advanced; they play more complex music. However, each member of the band started somewhere, way back to the fifth-grade band.
Owen Intermediate 5th grade band just had their first-ever band concert on December 6th! For this concert, they played the beginning band classics such as “Hot Cross Buns”, “We Will Rock You”, and “Jingle Bells”. The 5th grader’s upcoming concert dates will be on April 6th and May 30th, 2024. The 6th graders at Owen will have their concerts on December 5, April 6, May 29, 2024. Owen Intermediate band director Mrs. Courter says, “6th Graders continue to make progress playing more involved songs like “We’re on a Mission” to “Rock and Meltdown.”
For McBride middle school bands, 7th grade and 8th grade concerts: 7th grade has their concert on December 19th 2023 and they are performing three different songs. They are playing “Jubilant Spirit” by Carol Brittin Chambers, “Aztec Dance” by Michael Story, and “Storm” by Soon Hee Newbold.
The 8th grade will also be performing on December 19th, 2023. They are performing four different songs. They are playing “Red Thunder” by Larry Clark, “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Gustav Holst, “Battle Pavane” by Tielman Susato, and “Carol of the Bells/Greensleeves Traditional”. During this concert, McBride bands in 7th and 8th grade will also be featuring a large number of brave players performing chamber pieces. Chambers are small groups of two – five players performing shorter pieces of music chosen just for them. Their chamber performances include:
- “Fanfare” performed by Alaina Green, Kalib Mahdi, Kelsey Braatz, Leyla Freeman, and Michael Stubbs
- “Hunter’s Chorus” performed by Laiana Tomlin, Donnie DeYoung, Miriam Peterson, and Jacob Kadwell
- “Little March” performed by Tristan Callahan-Kitigawa, Kalib Mahdi, and Lee Cerrone
- “Once Upon a December” performed by Emma Lucas, Daniya Alrawas, Donnie DeYound, Laiana Tomlin, Jacob Kadwell, Addisin Pitylak, and Keira Frederick
- “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” performed by Hailey Bryant, Mya LaDouceur, Kelsey Braatz, and Alaina Green
- “Sweater Weather” performed by Evee Kloian, Emma Lucas, Kenzee Jones, Addisin Pitylak, Alexx Rucker, and Janelle Finfrock
- “Let Every Heart be Merry” performed by Katie Loria, Dallas Caudill, Evee Kloian, Mya LaDouceur, and Hailey Bryant
- “Watchman’s Song” performed by Lauren Jones, Kennedy Stokes, Kaiden Tanana, Tristan Callahan-Kitigawa, and Lee Cerrone
- “Liftoff” performed by percussionists: Kelsey Leads, Janelle Finfrock, Red Thompson, Alexx Rucker, Landon Suvada, Jermaine Plummer, Amirah Kolawole, Malcolm Biggs
All these students have worked very hard and will continue working hard to do what they do. No matter the level of skill, they all have worked for their place in our band program. It seems it is overlooked that all performers start at level one. Just learning how to assemble their instrument. But they work hard, getting better every day.
Photos By Emily Bryant
PAES Lab at Belleville High School
December 21, 2023| By David Matheny
Students who learn differently than others will take the PAES lab when they are at Belleville High School so they can be better prepared for their future. The PAES lab is meant to help those students be prepared for life after high school. The way they do it is individual for the students. The class is repetitive, they do checklists so they can see their success, and they learn actual job skills to make them more marketable and prepared for their future. This makes students happy and like this way more than actual school.
Photo by David Matheny
A support staff member at Belleville High School Carol McClean said, “The kids get so happy when they finally reach their objectives in class.”
In class, students will learn a lot of different jobs in different categories to help them find a job they can be successful in. They are all put into five categories: business/marketing where students will learn things like cashing a register. Computer technology, where students learn digital photos and more things to do with computers. Construction/industrial, shop where students will do multiple different electrical projects. Consumer/service, where students will do tasks with food and housekeeping. Processing/production, where students will do things with pipes and bolts, designing, and more. The students also get a job outside of school that they are good at or are interested in. Students get to do a lot of advanced tasks early that they might have never gotten the chance to do.
Tyrone the Tiger: Our Amazing Mascot
December 21, 2023 | By Andrew Matheny
Tyrone the Tiger is the biggest supporter of Belleville High School sports! You can find him at almost every single sporting event, home or away. His creativity is what makes him the best, whether he is trying to fire up the crowd or doing something just to lighten the mood.
The Belleville High School mascot started in the 1960’s and has been around since. Throughout the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s we saw different variations of the tiger and in 2023 we saw a brand new mascot. The mascot was around all the time, attending football games and other events until 2013 when his appearances decreased dramatically and Tyrone only showed up randomly to events and pep rallies. In 2022, the BHS mascot made its return and has been a hit ever since. Tyrone the tiger can be seen at sporting events and community functions.
Brett Wallman stated, “Tyrone the Tiger brings excitement to the games, he rallies up the crowd and provides entertainment in between plays.” He also says, “He’s undoubtedly the best mascot in the state, he’s the most dedicated high school mascot I’ve ever seen.”
The War in Palestine
December 21, 2023 | By Isabelle Porzondek
The war in Palestine has been waging for over a month now, and as things slow down, journalists are taking action and still emphasizing the struggles Palestinians are facing.
It is important to understand the history of the current situation in Gaza – here’s the rundown:
Since the rise in nationalism – people of a common culture feel obligated to have their own independent state – groups have felt the right to their own countries. The land of Palestine was originally owned by the Ottoman Empire. As Anti-semitism was rising around Europe, many Jewish individuals began to migrate towards the Middle East, particularly Palestine – where Palestinians resided.
During WWI, the British, as a means to take down the Ottoman Empire, promised both Palestinians and the Jewish occupation of the land. However, after the war neither gained the land and it became a British mandate (because, colonialism.)
As WWII was on the rise, and Nazism was spreading in Eastern Europe, most Jewish residents were being oppressed and pushed out of the continent – more and more spread to Palestine, ESPECIALLY post-war with the millions of refugees. More tension was rising between the groups – and in 1947, the UN Partition agreed to “solve the issues,” by dividing the land between the groups – the Palestinians occupied 45% of the land, and the Jewish 55% (keep in mind, at this time Jewish occupancy was under 30%.)
Angered by their loss, Palestinians began to fight – and as they fought the more land they lost (the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 1948, the Six Days war, etc.) By the 60s, the Hamas, a military group formed, aimed to get their land back. More land was lost, Palestinians were pushed out of their homes, arrested, and even had their citizenship taken away in their own land.
By understanding the history, and also separating the truth from myth (such as the idea that this is a “religious” fight, war, etc), it is easier to recognize and understand how devastating this issue is.
On October 7, 2023, the Sunni Islamist group, the Hamas- a militant group within Palestine, led surprise attacks against Israel by land, sea, and air on Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish Holiday. Israel would declare war on Hamas. Their forces surrounded Gaza and are closing the area in. Israel has made efforts to cut off all food supply, water, and internet from coming into Gaza. Reuters, an analytic news source, reports, “ At least 17,177 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures, while 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas incursion into Israel, according to Israeli tallies.”
What does this mean for the civilians of Gaza? Well since the beginning of the war, hundreds of journalists have been sharing their stories all over the internet.
They share videos, updates, and their own experiences in order to allow people understand what is happening to them and their people. It provides a real connection to outsiders who have never been in the midst of a conflict. Bisan Wizard, Motaz Azaiza, and Hind Khoudary, just to name a few, have been documenting their lives and experiencing a war firsthand.
Videos of filled hospitals, bombs exploding, and children crying, have all been recorded through their eyes for ours to see. Why does this matter? With the rise of the internet in the past 20 years, individuals have been able to use their voices in order to demonstrate anything, including an active humanitarian crisis. No one better understands the horrors of this war than them, so what better way to hear about it.
No matter an individual’s ideals, ethnicity, religion, or even political views should stir them away from recognizing that this is an attack on real people, real civilians; this is more than just a war, it’s an active genocide.
With December 10 being Human Rights Day, it’s important to recognize the oppression on Palestinians that has been occurring for years.
New Belleville Area District Library
December 21, 2023 | Hannah Borders
The Belleville Area District Library hosts a variety of clubs and events and is full of knowledge with its large selection of books, movies, databases, and other sources for information.
The Belleville Area District Library began in 1920 as a small library of only two hundred books. Over the next ninety-six years, the library expanded and outgrew several locations. To accommodate the increasing population of Belleville, the library became more and more crowded as new shelves were added. Recently, in November 2016, voters recognized the need for a change and approved funding to build and operate a new library. Since then, a new, three-thousand-square-foot library was built and opened on February 29, 2020.
The Belleville Library is consistently making positive impacts on our community every single day. Not only is the library full of books and movies, but they also host loads of clubs and events catered to every person they meet. These events include: toddler story time, family story time, teen comic club, several book groups, technology tutoring, and much more. The variety of books and access to databases make knowledge accessible to everyone. When asked her favorite things about the Belleville Library, staff member Karen D. says, “We provide spaces for groups like rotary and Girl Scouts, and students can come and hangout after school. There is a lot of knowledge here, not just in books but also in databases, so anyone can learn anything they need for school or even for personal interest.” Overall, Belleville’s local library is full of positivity, and opportunities, and is a wonderful place to be. Students can also look for opportunities to acquire senior hours for graduation! Check out the site here: https://www.belleville.lib.mi.us/.
Photos by Caitlynn Reed
Getting To Know Your New Assistant Principal
December 20, 2023 | By Caitlynn Reed
In the fourth quarter of the 2022-2023 school year here at Belleville High School, Mrs. Paula Slingerland took the role as assistant principal for the school.
The newest addition to the assistant principal team, Mrs. Paula Slingerland. Photo by Jason Strzalkowski
Slingerland has worked for the school for 23 years, currently in its 24th year. She went from 22 years in the classroom setting teaching students to now completing her second year as an administrator. Teaching in a classroom setting was normal for her until she got the option to take on a bigger role here at Belleville High School. She has taught many different subjects ranging from physical education and yearbook to your classic English 9-12. All of which was a traditional classroom setting, nothing that was too big to take on. Having the same day-to-day responsibilities of being that teacher that everyone loved changed when she took on the role of being one of our many assistant principals.
In the fourth quarter of the 2022-2023 school year here at Belleville High School, Mrs. Paula Slingerland took the role as assistant principal for the school.
Taking on the role meant having goals to work towards. After asking Mrs. Slingerland what her goals for the school are now that she has a bigger role, she said, “I want to continue to support Mrs. Crockett’s vision for BHS of Purpose, Excellence, and ACHIEVEMENT! I have been working with our special education department to expose students to real-world opportunities with a personal curriculum. We have students who are working in different career pathways. Some of the places where our students are learning at jobs currently are Chartwells Food Service, Davenport Construction, VBPS Early Childhood Center, and Gloria Jean Cafe & Bakery. We also introduced a Special Olympics program within our curriculum supported by SOMI Fit. This program teaches students a completely healthy lifestyle. Students learn the benefits of physical activity each Monday. On Tuesdays, they prepare and eat healthy foods. On Wednesdays, students learn how to take their emotional and mental well-being.” All in all, Mrs. Slingerland supports the goals that Mrs. Crockett has to continue to help achieve bigger and better things for the school.
The difference in her day-to-day life changed from just being in the traditional classroom setting to having an important role through Belleville High School. “Even though I am no longer a classroom teacher, I feel like my current position still impacts students similarly; however, I now get to be part of students’ whole high school experiences instead of just academically. I now get to help make sure students get to school safely, get to classes on time, and challenge themselves in and out of the classrooms to name a few. As of my role with staff, I have more of an impact on the teachers, paraprofessionals, custodial staff, cafeteria staff, and administrative assistants. I want to continue to be a positive point in the lives of all BHS community members. I try to greet all students and staff each and EVERY day, and I try to make their jobs easier by lending a helping hand.” Even though she was a teacher helping the kids that were in her classes, nothing changed for her. She still continues to greet them but now she gets the opportunity to have a part in every student’s achievements here at school.
Getting her dream job as a part of the administrative team made her the happiest. She loves that she gets to be a part of every student’s academic and personal achievement. She loves that she gets to greet everyone throughout the day. Her life changed for the better once she got the position she had wanted for a long time. Having Mrs. Slingerland as our newest addition to the administrative team was a great change for everyone at Belleville High School.
Mears and Okubo: National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
November 29, 2023 | By Erica Boulas
Parker Mears and Thomas Okubo, both Belleville High School seniors, earned the prestigious semifinalist spot qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship award.
The SAT, otherwise known as the Scholastic Assessment Test, is known for being entirely intimidating. According to CollegeBoard, the average US SAT score was 1050 in 2022. There are new changes happening to the SAT as it is going digital. A score of 1350 would put a student in the top ten percent of test takers and would shine a spotlight on the students who score at or above the ninetieth percentile.
In order to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship, students must have outstanding academic performance, take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year of high school, and score in the top percentile. In October of 2022, approximately 1,300,000 U.S. high school students took the PSAT/NMSQT, and in April 2023 50,000 of them were ranked as high scorers. From there, only 16,000 Semifinalists were ranked in September as the highest-scoring participants for each state – Parker and Thomas were in that number!
In February 2024, we will find out which participants reach “finalist” status, and after that, which will be actual Merit Scholarship winners. Mears and Okubo could win a $2500 scholarship that could go towards their tuition at any college or university. This may seem small; however, the total amount could cover their book costs over the course of their college career. Mears and Okubo both plan on attending universities in the fall of 2024. Parker is interested in Computer Science, while Thomas is interested in Biomedical Engineering.
Preparing for the SAT can be daunting; however, Thomas’ advice to students is: “Do Khan Academy!!! Their SAT prep is made in partnership with CollegeBoard, so it’s a high-quality resource. The key though, is to analyze your practice as you go.” Thomas also suggests understanding the problems you are making mistakes on and knowing what content you need more practice with.
Parker suggested, “Make sure you know the tips and tricks for the PSAT and SAT as well as practicing.”
We all know practice makes perfect! Good luck to the juniors as they embark on their SAT journey and congratulations to Thomas Okubo and Parker Mears! In Purpose, Excellence and ACHIEVEMENT – GO TIGERS!
Photo by Erica Boulas
BHS Has New Teacher Cadet Program
November 29, 2023 | By Hannah Borders
Photo Donated by Cassady Taylor, ECC Teacher
Mrs. Romak and her teacher cadets are at the Early Childhood Center learning about childhood development.
The BHS Teacher Cadet Program, coordinated by Mrs. Romak, is a program for high school students to study all forms of childhood development to prepare them for professional teaching jobs.
The BHS Teacher Cadet Program is teaching high school students what life as a teacher is like. Students explore the challenges, joys, and responsibilities of being a teacher. Cadets take weekly trips to the Early Childhood Center (ECC) to gain real experiences working with young children while earning the State of Michigan’s required number of field experience and classroom instructional hours, so students who have completed the program for two full years can graduate with a Child Development Associate (CDA), which will allow them to become a teacher in a preschool classroom and can provide credit at some Michigan colleges and universities.
When asked about why she wanted to become the Teacher Cadet coordinator Romak explained, “I want to share my joy for this profession with students who are considering careers in education so that they are able to explore the opportunities available to them.” One of the main goals that BHS has for its students is to discover and explore their purpose. Mrs. Romak has the very important job of making sure that students with a passion for education have all of the resources they’ll need to be successful and with her help, students will be able to pursue their purpose right after they graduate from Belleville High School. The BHS Teacher Cadet program is an extremely useful tool for anyone looking to pursue a professional career in the field of education.
MERT Alert: A New Protocol at BHS
November 29, 2023 | By Madison Bitner
Due to our school’s recent spike in MERT alerts, it is now especially important to know what a MERT alert is and what a student’s role is during a medical emergency.
The first thing we need to know is what MERT stands for. MERT stands for medical emergency response team, which consists of three or more staff members who have been trained for high-stress medical situations.
Training for these individuals includes a one-day course, and all MERT members must be CPR and AED certified, as well as basic knowledge of first aid. These medical situations call for very specific procedures, in which a member of the MERT team should be taking notes on the victim’s condition from the moment they’ve arrived on the scene, the victim’s change in condition, and how the victim has responded to treatment. 911 should also be called if deemed necessary. The circumstances for a MERT alert being called can be major or minor.
However, the most common mert alerts would be choking, dizziness, seizures, etc. Regardless of the circumstances when a MERT alert is called, there is one crucial procedure that all staff and students need to follow, and probably the largest responsibility is put in the hands of students. During a medical emergency, halls need to be cleared as quickly as possible so the MERT team and EMS are able to make it to the scene as fast as possible. When EMS arrives on the scene, the MERT team should then pass down all information about the victim’s condition.
BHS Marching Band goes to Florida
November 29, 2023 | By Emily Bryant
On November 8th, the BHS Marching Band left for Florida via plane. For a lot of people going, it was their first time ever on a plane, let alone out of the state. We went in two different groups, flight one and flight two. People on flight one had to be at the airport by 5:00 AM, while people on flight two had to be there by 8:15 AM.
On the first day there, they got to go around Magic Kingdom for the whole day. They all had their own meal vouchers. Those were coupons that paid fully for everyone’s meals for the places that took them. Everyone was given one voucher for every meal. They were in charge of where they ate every day.
On the second day, November 9th, they did their recording. They recorded a couple of Disney songs with a silly clarinetist who works there, as the teacher. Our own directors Taylor and Campbell had their own parts in the recordings as well. They recorded the songs and listened to them and it was great. The band was able to sight-read and learn the music very quickly. They recorded “I See The Light” from the Disney movie Tangled.
The third day, November 10th, they marched. They dressed in their sweaty uniforms and marched down main street in Magic Kingdom. It was very hot but it was worth it. It was a great experience being able to march in Disney. Color guard member Emma Blosser said, “I thought I was gonna melt onto the concrete.”
Additional activities included seeing Epcot as a group to have a fancy dinner in Italy. Everyone from the band was able to dress up fancy and go have a dinner followed by a Disney-exclusive fireworks show. The last day, November 11th, The whole band went to Universal. They were allowed to go wherever they wanted throughout Universal. At the end of the day, they all went back to the resort and went to sleep. The next morning, they left Disney to go home.
Just like on the way to Florida, there were two flight groups. The groups stayed the same, just as they were on the way out. On November 12th, flight one landed back in Michigan at 1:50, and flight two landed at 4:45. This was an experience many band members won’t forget and is always a great way to celebrate their hard work for the season!
Photos by Brett Wallman, Emily Bryant, Micaya Cannon, Kelly Newberry, and Natalie Sanders
BHS Robotics Club
November 29, 2023 | By Marc Gore
The first and largest Robotics Club competition is coming up!
After a long pandemic, the robotics club is finally picking back up. Students of all grades in the high school are joining, learning, and working on all types of projects. The robotics team has been running for roughly six years and the robotics department has been stepping up their game every year. They have even been dubbed the “Belle-Voxel Bots” which is a very prestigious placement in the robotics scene.
After little word surrounding the robotics club, a competition is set to take place soon. This is not just any competition, but one of the biggest in the world of the high school robotics club’s history! One of the leaders of the robotics team, Mr. Watkins, has said, “Our team will get together and design a robot to design a game. So it can pick up a ball, and shoot it into a goal. All different things.” Tryouts have already passed if you are interested, but next year is always around the corner!
A Belleville High School Student Publication 