NOCTILUCA October 2017

nor thnoct . com @Nor thNoct

Appleton, Wisconsin

October 2017

Vol. XXIII

Issue I

Hope, help, and strength Wellness program promotes positive social network

By Amara Neitzke Homecoming controversy: Kindness over tradition Per usual, I was periodically checking my social media. I was unfazed by the memes; however, I began seeing tweets from my peers spewing about Appleton West’s decision to have a gender neutral home- coming court. On Sept. 20, the homecoming committee of Appleton West posted on their Facebook page details about this year’s home- coming. The post contained the announcement: “There will be no selection of a single Queen or King or roy- alty position.” West will still allow students to vote for six seniors, two ju- niors, two sophomores, and two freshmen to make up their homecoming court. What’s dif- ferent? There is a lack of con- difficult for a school to support running a popularity contest. Student-leader input suggested that the focus on a group of representatives rather than indi- viduals is most appropriate for 2017.” The uproar on Twitter was sparked by students and alumni feeling as though a “tradition” was being taken away from them. “I think that true ‘inclusion’ should be allowing anyone to be on homecoming court. Let the school vote for two homecom- ing representatives, regardless of their gender. It doesn’t seem right to break the tradition for the entire school,” said North senior Kalen Klitzke. It is frustrating when a par- ticular group of people simply want equal opportunities and they are told that they are ask- ing for too much. Kudos toWest for celebrating diversity, and focusing on the qualities of the Amara Neitzke is the Social Media Editor for the Noctiluca cern when it comes to this individual’s gender or popu l a r i t y. West further backed this decision by stating, “It has been in- c r e a s i n g l y

By Ahmad Abdel-Azim A woman strolled on a waterside every day, and one day, she came upon a drowning man about to fall over the edge of a waterfall. The woman leaped into the water and rescued the man. The next day, the woman was strolling along the water, as per usual, and saw a lady drowning, about to fall over the edge of the same waterfall, so the woman jumped in and rescued her. The follow- ing day, the woman came back to the same waterside with a few friends to aid her in case of another person drowning. Indeed, there were four people drowning at the edge of the wa- terfall, and the woman’s friends jumped into the water strug- gling to rescue them. Instead of jumping in with them, however, the woman walked upstream to try to find out why people were falling into the water in the first place. Instead of having to deal with drowning people, she de- cided to prevent the problem before it happens. This is the idea behind a new Literary works are an im- portant aspect of society. They force us to think about previ- ously unconsidered subjects as well as oil the gears of progress and change. However, books can create a chasm between the readers and authors. After read- ing a fantastic book, a reader yearns to meet the author to ask questions and know the thought process behind the story. This desire to acquaint authors and readers was the basis for the start of the Fox Cities Book Fes- tival. The festival was started by El- len Kort, Wisconsin’s first poet laureate ten years ago. “Her goal was to connect readers and writers,” says Mr. Bernard Ed- monds, North ELA teacher and the president of the Board of the Fox Cities Book Festival. Mr. Edmonds has been a part of the

North Principal Mr. Pynenberg holds the Sources of Strength ball, a symbol of the new initiative. Sources of Strength was started to focus on positive social networks at Appleton North. Photo by Olivia Molter.

their condition worsens to de- pression or to that “dark spot,” as Mr. David Pynenberg, princi- pal at North High School, calls it. Last school year, the Positive Psychology club introduced Sources of Strength, when students were invited to write about their sources of strength and post them on a colorful pinwheel in the commons. This pinwheel still stands as a re- minder that we all have sources of strength, which we must con- tinue to construct and refer back

See Abdel-Azim , page 2 to whenever needed. There are eight strengths that have been shown to reduce suicide risk: medical access, mental health, family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, gen- erosity, and spirituality. Horton- ville High School adopted this program two years ago, and they have already seen dramatic improvements in social con- nectedness among students and teen mental health. This year,AppletonNorthwill

program coming to Appleton North, known as Sources of Strength. Sources of Strength is an inclusive wellness program that focuses on suicide preven- tion by using peer leaders ad- vised by adult mentors to pro- mote positive social behaviors. The goal of the program is to build students up by providing them with three things: Hope, Help, and Strength. It aims to help struggling students before n For more about suicide prevention, see Pages 6-7 festival from the beginning. “El- len Kort was a friend of mine, and she asked me to be a part of it,” he said. Around fifty au- thors are involved in the festival and come to meet their readers and discuss their work. These authors come from in and out of Wisconsin, one of the most notable being Laurie Halse An- derson, the author of the popular book, Speak . Around 110 events will be held in the span of a week, previous attendance at about 10,000 people. Funded by many organizations, attendance is free and available to all, from toddlers to adults. marily libraries. Visit the website at www.foxcities bookfestival.org. If you go The Fox Cities Book Festival is from Oct. 9 to 15 at various locations in the Fox Cities, pri-

Fox Cities Book Festival connects authors to audience By Salma Abdel-Azim

Mr. Edmonds, president of Fox Cities Book

Festival for three years,

reads Crafting a life in essay, story, poem, by Donald Murray. Photo illustration by Olivia Molter.

about their experiences about writing two novels together and advice on how to write a book. Closest to the Appleton Area, the Appleton Public Library will host eleven events with at least one on nearly everyday. Many more venues will be held across the Fox Cities in a variety of places. To access information about the events and authors, visit the website, www.foxci- tiesbookfestival.org.

Held from Oct. 9 to the 15, these events will take place at over twenty locations around the Fox Cities, the majority in public libraries. From impor- tant discussions about censor- ship to strange stories about the Midwest, these events cater to a wide variety of interests and re- lay information.Appleton North is hosting two of these events on Sunday, Oct. 12 in the LMC. Authors Bruce Chudacoff and Tanya Solomonwill be speaking

See Neitzke , page 2

NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Volume XXIII Issue I Page 2 Appleton North students organize hurricane Irma drive

On Aug. 30, a tropical storm, now known as Hurricane Irma, began to form. On Sept. 10, Irma decimated the western side of Florida. In order to combat the destruction caused to her former home and long- time friends in Naples, Florida, senior Molly Brinkhoff set up a donation drive to help them. “I saw the devastation there Student from Florida collects donations to help damage By Maddie Clark going to help Appleton North,” Mr. Pynenberg said. He is mak- ing partnerships to help bring Sources of Strength to more school districts around the area. One of these crucial partner- ships is with Wendy Magas, who works for the Northeast Wisconsin Mental Health Con- nection, a nonprofit commu- nity coalition of stakeholders doing system level work to improve the behavioral health system. She is the coordinator of a project called the Healthy Teens Minds Initiative, which seeks to improve the behavioral health of teens in the tri-county area. They received an 8-year grant from the Medical Col- lege of Wisconsin, which they are using to improve behavioral health and reduce the rates of depression among teens. Their initiative searched for global strategies to adopt in the tri- county area to improve the mental health of teens. “We know that we have high rates of teens in our tri-county area who are struggling with depression, and we have a high- er than average suicide rate than the state initial average,” Ma- gas said, based on the data her team collected over the past few years. Magas said this showed there was a substantial need for a program to help reduce the high rates of struggling teens. At Appleton North in particu- lar, Magas said that there is an increase in the number of teens feeling sad or hopeless year by year, which is aligned with the clinical definition of depression. “We want to see that number go down,” added Magas. One of the

and heard how challenging it was to get supplies, and I want- ed to help in any way I could,” said Brinkhoff. Brinkhoff received help from Mrs. Pavelski, the director of the student marketing team, senior Leah Armstrong, who prepared the semi truck to de- liver the donations to Florida, and her mom, who helped her with the organization. “I got involved by contacting Truck Country...I coordinated when the truck would be at the site and when it would leave…” promoted good mental health for students.After hearing about the success Hortonville High School had with Sources of Strength, Magas and her team used their grant money towards trying to provide Sources of Strength to more schools in the tri-county area. They are work- ing to make the program more affordable as well. Currently, it costs $15,000 to bring the program to a school; however, Magas and her team are using the grant money from the Medi- cal College of Wisconsin to pay for half of the startup cost of the program in schools. Moreover, due to an investment they have made, the cost for a new school to adopt the program should drop to $750 in 2020. The Mental Health Coali- tion’s goal is to scale Sources of Strength so that all schools in the tri-county area have Sources of Strength. They want to “go upstream” and prevent kids from going into crisis at all. When kids have popular so- cial supports and trusted adults, the risk of depression decreas- es, which is why Sources of Strength can be an effective program; it provides both of these protective factors. Mr. Pynenberg wants stu- dents to know that they do have sources of strength; they simply need to realize them. “It’s never too late to get help,” Mr. Pynenberg said.

said Armstrong. The pair also needed to find a drop point in Florida for their delivery, de- ciding on the well known non- profit, Meals of Hope. Brink- hoff’s next step was contacting the Pathways Church for a lo- cal donation point in Appleton, which accepted donations the weekend of Sept. 16. Her final step was to get the word out. “I made posters, announcements, and was on several news chan- nels.” The truck left on Tues- day, Sept. 19, and arrived the morning of Thursday, Sept. 21. Neitzke , Homecoming, from page 1 individual rather than allow- ing it to be a popularity contest. Moreover, West high school should be recognized positively for taking steps forward to make everyone feel more included. No one is having an opportu- nity taken from them; nor is this a way to shame the way things have been done in the past. This is a positive social change in our community. Rachel Brosman, an Apple- ton North alumnus, spoke up on Twitter about the student back- lash. “I was shocked (in a good way) to see that Appleton West made this decision. It is quite progressive for a Wisconsin school. I think the purpose of the elimination of the Homecom- ing King and Queen titles was to make these people feel just a little more comfortable in the scary world of high school that they are forced to be a part of.” “These progressive changes should be celebrated because the sole purpose is inclusion. In- clusion equals kindness. There- fore, I cannot understand why these students are up in arms, choosing tradition over kind- ness,” concluded Brosman. West’s decision to eliminate the title of Homecoming King and Queen is allowing for more students to be represented in the homecoming court. Moreover, any student seeing an issue with this decision should realize that there will still be a homecom- ing court, and this should be the least of your worries in life. Students should take from this experience the idea of ac- cepting positive change, rather than focusing on the “break- ing” of a tradition; just because it’s a tradition doesn’t mean it’s right. Let’s embrace the idea of including everyone with the mindset that everyone deserves fair opportunities.

The semi truck, coordinated by Armstrong, that brought the donations down to Florida . Photo courtesy of Molly Brinkoff.

Abdel-Azim , Hope, from page 1 officially become a Sources of Strength school. Over the sum- mer, 15 teachers and adminis- trators went through training. In early October, a group of about 70-80 students will be selected as peer leaders to implement the Sources of Strength program. Their role will be to support a healthy culture and construct positive social networks within the North High School com- munity. The students will be advised by these trained staff to create positive events, such as the pinwheel, and act as “life- guards” for those students who fall into the water. Even though Sources of Strength is intended to prevent students from ever falling into the water, it also provides a safety net for those who do. Sources of Strength seeks to provide a refuge for when students fall into crisis, but also before they fall over the waterfall. As Mr. Pynenberg puts it, “Students are still going to fall into the ‘water,’ we un- derstand that, but our goal is to help them get out right away, so they are safe.” There are many sources at North to help students with sui- cidal thoughts or students strug- gling with depression and men- tal illness. Two of those sources include School Psychologist Mrs. Nancy Van Der Loop, and Social Worker Mrs. Deb- bie Strick. Both Mrs. Strick and Mrs. Van Der Loop are part of Sources of Strength. “The big- gest thing we want to provide is a sense of hope,” Mrs. Van Der Loop said. They welcome all students, including those who just need to talk, at any time. One of the most crucial as- pects of Sources of Strength that Mrs. Strick, Mrs. Van Der Loop, and Mr. Pynenberg em- phasize is “breaking the si- lence.” Friends of those with suicidal thoughts should never try to keep it a secret. It is cru- cial to deal with a friend’s sui-

cidal thoughts in the right way and never hide the problem. A trained professional, such as a school psychologist or social worker, must be notified as soon as possible. The group of students that will be trained in early October should aid in this aspect. They will be trained to recognize the warning signs of suicide and will know when to tell a trained professional about their concerns. The new initia- tive will emphasize the impor- tance of involving others when someone has “fallen into the water” and connecting them to their sources of strength and support. For Mr. Pynenberg, student safety has been the number one priority throughout his career, and now, with his leadership position, he has been working with teachers and administra- tors to incorporate Sources of Strength into Appleton North this fall. Mr. Pynenberg com- pares each suicide at Appleton North to the loss of a family member and acknowledges the harmful effects it has on the rest of the school. “I never want to go through that again,” he ex- plained, talking about suicide. He said his primary goal is to help every student out of the water. Every year, Teen Wellness Screenings take place at North, where freshmen and juniors go through testing to determine every student’s level of men- tal wellness. In previous years, students had to sign up for the Teen Wellness testing; howev- er, this year all students will be required to take the screening unless they opt out. In conjunc- tion with Teen Wellness, Mr. Pynenberg hopes that Sources of Strength will help identify students who might be having difficulties with mental health. While he acknowledges that there is no “magic pill” that will stop suicide at North, they are doing what they can to help students stay safe and never consider suicide as an option. “I really believe this program is

programs that stood out to

them in their search was Sources of Strength, a pro- gram that her team believed re- duced suicide-re- lated behaviors and

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Volume XXIII

Issue I Page 3

Noctiluca Editorial

Mental health: Deconstructing the stigma

Suicide prevention is not easy, nor is it an exact science. What is a helpful coping mech- anism for one person may not necessarily apply to the next. In the wake of a student taking their own life, some people find it tempting to point fingers and to say, “That is where things went wrong.” Hindsight is, as they say, 20/20. They might find it tempting to assign the blame to one specific person or group of people, to shake a vengeful fist in the air and curse an almighty power. Rightfully, they are upset and searching for someone or something to take Smooth, shiny, spotless sur- face. Reflecting the rays of the sun off its rose gold, polished back. Soothing in its grasp, mesmerizing in its capabili- ties, we are held spellbound by its power and greatness. Ad- dicting in its usage, we look to it to answer our every question and to connect us to those far from us. It is our news source, our entertainment source, the source of our enlightenment. As we charge our phones, we charge ourselves with it. It is so integral in our lives, we feel lost without our constant companion. For most of us, it is unimaginable to live even a day without it. Three weeks-- that would be a nightmare ago- nizing to even consider. It was one I not only had to consider, but to live through. I lived without my beloved iPhone for three weeks, and I kept waiting for that defining mo- ment with some angelic music in the background and a halo around my head when I real- ized that I didn’t need a phone in my everyday life. It didn’t happen. While I realized that I didn’t need my phone as much as I thought I did and learned a few valuable lessons from its absence, I largely learned to appreciate my beautiful, powerful phone. I have always been a firm believer in progress. While the elderly might fret over the lack of face- to-face commu- nication today and lament the amount of heads cradled over their phones, I have always be- lieved that the communication of our generation is just differ- ent, but not horrible. While the preoccupation of some with

the blame, for an explanation. Rarely do we get a satisfac- tory explanation, but there is a commonality between all suicides. The crushing reality is that we are ALL partially re- sponsible. We are partially re- sponsible because we passively participate in a society that sweeps mental health under the rug. We are partially responsi- ble because perhaps we saw the warning signs and dismissed them, thinking things weren’t really that serious, or perhaps that they were just joking. We are partially responsible be- cause we did not ask, so they social media is extreme, I have never felt that technology and social media are negative as- pects of our society. Commu- nication is communication, re- gardless of the media through which we communicate. I was engaged in this revo- lutionary method of commu- nication on my way to Door County on the final Sunday of summer break when I sud- denly lost service. I thought nothing of it, as we were in the midst of the vast Wiscon- sin wilderness. Distracted by the beautiful, clear water and the sun streaming through the green foliage, I continued sit- ting on the sand and soon re- gained service at the end of the day. A few days later, my phone was completely inca- pacitated just in time for the new school year. This meant that the first week of school, a time already worthy of tears without my pocket-sized su- percomputer was my inability to quickly search my every question. Although I still had access to my chromebook and other electronics, I realized I was so reliant on that instan- taneous access to any infor- mation. I also did not have a convenient distraction at my fingertips to use or check when there was nothing to do. Before class, I checked my email and found I had nothing else to do. I stared forlornly at others and their dear phone and burned with jealousy to- even with my dearest companion, was my first week with- out my phone. The first dis- advant age I noticed

never told. We are partially responsible for the suicides of our fellow students because prior to their deaths, we were irresponsible. We didn’t take the appropriate measures, we didn’t take them seriously. We are not asking for you to take individual blame in this, nor are we trying to make you to feel guilty. What we are ask- ing for, then, is for change. Change the little things. Show compassion and genuinely lis- ten after asking someone how they are doing. Honestly regard the difficult emotions inside and express them, even when ward them, and anger at Apple for what had been a very ex- pensive phone rendered to a mere piece of scrap metal. In retrospection however, I real- ize this gave me a great deal of time to contemplate other matters. I wasted less time and slept more without my be- loved rose gold box of beauty. My exercise level also dra- matically increased. With my phone, I merely had to call p e o p l e

it is tempting to bottle them up and hide them away. Seek help when you are feeling low, and reach out to your friends when you know they are. If you know they are feeling suicidal, tell an adult you trust--a teacher, a mentor, a parent. Utilize coping mechanisms and draw on your sources of strength. Depression and suicidal thoughts are chemical battles that cannot, and need not, be fought alone. It may sound cliché, but things can get bet- ter, and they will, if you reach out. There are more resources available now than ever before, others, but I also learned that with detailed planning, it was not absolutely necessary. By my third week, I made better plans, which resolved the is- sue. Thus, my first week with- out my phone was over. After speaking for hours with various Apple represen- tatives over the weekend, they confirmed what I had already known eons before: my phone was broken. This meant I had

thanks to the efforts of Apple- ton North High School’s staff to provide resources for sui- cidal and depressed students. They indicate a willingness to address the problem and to de- construct the stigma surround- ing mental illness. One block in a pyramid not yet at its pyramidion, North’s efforts to reduce suicide and treat mental illnesses do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Here’s to a continuing process in helping students be wholly healthy. By the end of the week, I was excited to receive a new, working phone. We drove. We arrived. We were denied. I could not receive another phone and was to wait another week to receive one. My half- formed angel halo and new- found enlightenment imme- diately crumbled to pieces at my feet. Three weeks was too much. That third week was unbear- able. I bitterly swept through it, determined to post a bar- rage of horrid reviews. The one silver lining was that I had learned to deal with this great grievance and had relatively minimal troubles without my phone. I continued to talk to my newfound friends and to learn more about my cur- rent ones. The disconnection helped me think about issues that I would have been too distracted to contemplate. Yet, I missed my trusty CNN noti- fications and the flowing text messages. I missed the abil- ity to call anyone at will and google quick facts. I missed the ability to calculate quick problems rather that rummage through my backpack for a calculator. I was ready to have my phone back. I received my phone on the following Saturday at 9 a.m., a feat that the Apple representa- tives on the phone swore, for hours, was impossible. While I am glad to have my phone, I have found that my preoc- cupation with it has lessened somewhat. Upon inspection, I still have not found even the slightest trace of that angelic gold halo, but I now rest as- sured that the lack of a phone is not, by any means, apoca- lyptic.

By Salma Abdel-Azim Surviving three weeks without a life line

t o travel about an hour and a half to the Mayfair Mall t he following week to receive a new one and yet another gru- eling week without m y beautiful com- rade. My most valuable lesson was learned during my second week without my phone. To all those w ho know me, bless y our souls, because you all have experi- enced my lack of abil- ity to be silent. I always talk, often to the point of exhausting my vo- cal chords, so I decided

to employ that talkativeness to communicate with those around me. I learned new things about many people I had preconceived notions about and that everyone has an end- less supply of stories. I made new friends and learned more about my current ones. By the end of my second week, I had come to terms with the fact that while my quality of life without a phone paled to my life with one, I learned that life without a phone was not the impossible horror I thought it was.

to know where they were. I found myself running around the school like a headless chicken looking for people. Needless to say, my plans be- came much more descriptive. My level of fitness likely in- creased tenfold in just three weeks from searching for peo- ple from room to room, like a wide-eyed madwoman. Rather than running on a treadmill to lose weight, I would personal- ly recommend my method for faster, better results. I learned to appreciate my phone’s lightning speed connection to

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Volume XXIII

Issue I Page 4

Another step back for gender equality in Trumpmerica I t was hardly perfect. But it was a step forward. By Olivia Molter

Noctiluca MissionStatement The Noctiluca and north noct.com are the student-run news sources of Appleton North High School. Noctiluca and northnoct. com are designated public forums for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Noctiluca’s mission is to publish information relevant to its readers and its community. Its goal is to maintain high ethical standards and provide a desig- nated public forum for free and responsible expression of views. Appleton North High School

those attacks will be reported, a safe environment for victims to come forward is a necessity. It’s a school’s responsibility to make sure no student is forced to suffer in silence. As mentioned previously, the 2011 guidelines are not without their faults. If a student accused is innocent, they have very little opportunity to prove the allega- tion false. Unfortunately, this does happen and supporters of DeVos’s plan are quick to point out that the few students who are expelled for false sexual abuse allegations are the victims that the guidelines don’t protect. And, in a way, they are right. No one deserves to be punished for a crime they didn’t commit. I can agree with them there. The real problem with De-

The 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter out- lined new standards for how colleges were to handle sexual assault cases on their cam- puses. At the time, it seemed ideal. Some- one was finally taking action to end the epi- demic of sexual assaults that have become increasingly prevalent on college campus- es. Of course, the guidelines had their flaws (and I’ll touch on those later), but it was a start, a step in the right direction. However, Betsy DeVos’s recent decision to rescind the guidelines once again puts survivors of sexual assault on campuses at a major dis- advantage when it comes to getting justice. Before I get into the How and Why this causes a major issue on campuses today, I’ll give a brief rundown on the set of guidelines and laws I’m referring to. Title IX was a law that was put in place in the 70s, and it reads as follows: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from partici- pation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any edu- cation program or activity receiving Fed- eral financial assistance.” Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well that law has been continuously built upon in the past few decades with new legislation and regulations. In 2011, it was built upon yet again. The “Dear Colleague” letter was one that was sent to colleges across the country. It detailed new guide- lines regarding how colleges should handle sexual assault cases on their campuses. It stated that if colleges refused to see and handle sexual assault accusations on their campus, federal funding could be withheld from them. It also required colleges to use the lowest standard of proof in sexual as- sault cases (meaning less evidence would be necessary to find someone guilty) and didn’t allow for the cross-examination of

5000 N. Ballard Road Appleton, WI 54913 Phone: (920) 832-4300

Mr. Ramponi, staff advisor, at: ramponiaaron@aasd.k12.wi.us.

Editorial Staff Senior Editor-In-Chief Jake Zajkowski Junior Editor-In-Chief Salma Abdel-Azim News Editor Maddie Clark Opinions Editor Carl Zuleger Features Editor Henry Ptacek Center Spread Editor Ahmad Abdel-Azim Culture Editor Lila Metko Sports Editor Kyle Hoffenbecker Photography Editor Olivia Molter Copy Editor Silvia Knighten Adithi Reddy Social Media Editor Amara Neitzke Graphics Editor Sonia Tallroth Online Editor Sarah Fleming Advisor Mr. Ramponi Contributors

College-aged women on campus are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted, as compared to all women. Information from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

victims. Among undergraduate students, around 1 in 5 females and 1 in 20 males will expe- rience sexual assault (Jennifer L. Truman, Ph.D., Lynn Langton, Ph.D., Bureau of Justice Statistics). I know, these are statis- tics that most of us have heard time after time, and it’s easy to remove yourself from it. But we have to realize that these victims are someone’s friend, someone’s neighbor. They’re someone’s brothers and sisters. They could be yours. They could be you. What the 2011 guidelines did was create a safer environment for these victims to come forward. They could come forward without the fear of having to face their at- tacker, without worrying about not having sufficient evidence (as most rape and sexu- al assault cases leave very little evidence), and with the confidence that school au- thorities will do what it takes to help them. When we live in a society where 1 in 5 will be sexually assaulted but only 20% of

Vos’s plan is that it chooses to focus on the few who are falsely accused instead of on the staggering number of victims. While we took two steps forward in 2011, we take one step back today. I’m not say- ing that the guidelines should stay as is, or that we shouldn’t somehow protect those who are falsely accused, I’m saying the guidelines were a start. They were a base for government to build upon. It opened up the conversation and shined light on the unignorable number of sexual assaults on college campuses. Rescinding these guide- lines show a scary favor for the perpetrator and an equally alarming disregard for the victim. Although the “Dear Colleague” letter guidelines were far from perfect, it was a much needed start. Taking that effort away instead of revising it was a mistake, but not one that can’t be fixed. I just hope they do it right.

Ahmad Abdel-Azim Salma Abdel-Azim Maddie Clark Sarah Fleming Logan Gaertner Mickayla George Kyle Hoffenbecker Lila Metko Olivia Molter Amara Neitzke

Depolarizing conversations: It starts with us By Carl Zuleger

sides than those that are making themselves known. There is a tendency to believe that you can only be for or against, friend or foe, when in actuality, real life is far more complicated and nu- anced for that to be practical. It is natural to immediately view things from your own perspec- tive, but it is human to do your best to view things from the per- spectives of others. This isn’t something that will be easy; not every day will you be able to actively listen, nor will you be able to always hear someone out without instantly formulating your own opinion. However, if we journey toward perfection, it is on that journey where progress is made and re- sults are achieved.

standard that society is being held to? We don’t. We change the standard, because we are a society, and as mentioned ear- lier, it starts with us. The plan, then, consists of two simple parts: 1. Listen to others. This can be difficult, for numerous reasons, but it can be even more reward- ing. When someone is speaking, or writing, keep an open mind and really consider what they have to say. Give them a chance to express their ideas without interrupting or trying to counter them. 2. Be kind and accept diver- sity. The biggest goal here is to recognize that there are two sides to every coin, and a lot of times, there are even more

ability for what is said through social media outlets, a polarized culture of toxicity has thrived, and will continue to do so unless something changes. And that change has to start here. Within you, within me, within we. Now, I am not suggesting that we strive for unity--in fact, I think striving for unity has been part of the problem. So often, we expect people to share their opinion, and if they don’t, oh, if they don’t, then they must be terrible, awful, no good human beings. In the back of our brains, we might know that such a sen- timent isn’t actually true, but it becomes very easy to ignore the little voice pointing it out. So how do we achieve any sort of peace with the current

Listen to others; hear what they have to say. How often have you found yourself only half-listening to what someone has to say? Or even worse, not listening at all and simply doing enough uh-huhs and mm-hmms to get you through the conver- sation? How many times have you instantly checked out when someone says something you disagree with? Too often we go through life without actually en- gaging with the people around us, and it’s impacting our soci- ety in a BIG way. Examples of people not lis- tening to one another occur far too frequently in today’s society. Between the current political climate and the lack of account-

Henry Ptacek Adithi Reddy

Sophie Sullivan Madeline Waters Carl Zuleger

FEATURES Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Vol. XXIII

Issue I

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H UMANS OF N ORTH : A NNOUNCEMENT C REW L EXI A SARE E RIK N ELSON

years ago called Positive Psychol- ogy, which is getting merged into Psych Club. N: What are your interests? Sam enjoys watching movies in his free time, especially Wes Anderson movies. S: “There’s this movie called The Grand Budapest Hotel, it’s an amazing movie, I love it so much.” When asked about his favorite artist, he said it was Nat King Cole. N: Do you have any plans for the future? S: “I want to go into theatre direction.” She also enjoys listening to the band ABBA. L: My favorite band of all time is ABBA, which is probably weird for someone my age. It was before I got into theatre that I got into ABBA, when I was in 8th grade. N: Do you have any plans for the future? L: I have been thinking about nursing and midwifery, or Eng- lish. The Noctiluca: What are your plans for live announcements? Lexi: We’re hoping to get more people interested [in live announcements], we’re gonna try to freshen it up, keep it real. The antics shared within these live announcers are similar, the sense that they are all fun teenag- ers, just like the rest of the stu- dents at North. N: How are you involved at North? L: I’m involved in the theatre department, the music depart- ment, in choir and orchestra. N: What are your hobbies? L: I love writing, and reading, and playing the piano. “We’re hoping to get more people interested [in live announcements], we’re gonna try to freshen it up, keep it real.”

Erik Nelson works out fre- quently, and is ready for his final year of high school soccer. Learn about the selection process, and more importantly, who Erik of the live announcement crew really is. The Noctiluca: How did your name get selected as a live an- nouncer? Erik: My name got selected because I was nominated by a number of teachers and adminis- trators, they must have seen me as a good fit for the job. To be hon- est, I wanted to do it in the first place, I thought it would be a fun thing to add to the list of activi- ties I am a part of here. N: What do you hope to do during your time as an announc- er? E: I hope to connect with the students here at North and build relationships. Ones that exist and ones that are created this year. N: What are your involvements here at North? E: I am involved with the boys’ soccer team as a 2-year cap- tain, a DECA officer, a member of NHS and Link crew and now the live announcements crew. N: What are some of your Hobbies? E: I enjoy a fit lifestyle, so working out and spending time in the gym is one of my favorite hobbies. Although I have recently taken up a sort of graphic design interest. The internship I have allows me to create a bunch of content the way I would like to rather than with a bunch of guide- lines, and I begin to like it more Many of us have already seen Sydney on the basketball court, and even on TV with the Girls Varsity team. Sydney and the team brought home the State Title this past year, and she hopes to have a great season this upcom- ing year as well. The Noctiluca: How did your name get selected as a live an- nouncer? Sydney: I was selected to be an announcer based on teacher recommendations. Teachers rec- ommended students they thought were responsible and personable. N: What do you hope to do during your time as an announc- er? S: I hope to have fun and meet new people.

Lexi Asare is very active in the theatre program here at North, along with fellow live announcer Sam Stratton. Her relaxed atti- tude and jokes lighten the mood of any situation. Teachers rec- ognized her outgoing and happy personality. Get to know more about Lexi and her interests be- low.

and more. N: What are your plans for the future as an announcer? E: Become better at reading out loud... I mess up too much and it’s rather embarrassing. Also, I’d like to create a really fun introduction for our team. Some- thing that has never been done before. I think that would be a lot of fun.

S YDNEY L EVY

S AM S TRATTON

Sam, a light hearted and cheery guy can be heard in the hallway, “Hey, it’s me, Sam! I’m a senior, remember me? It’s Sam!” in the most sarcastic tone possible. Sam’s latest acting role was playing Hamlet in Summer Shakespeare’s rendition of “Ham- let”. We asked Sam a few ques- tions to get to know him. The Noctiluca: What would you like to do as a live announc- er? Sam: Make the morning a bit less unbearable. N: What activities do you par- ticipate in? S: I’m in choir, band, Im- provedy, I’m [also] in the the- atre department and principal’s cabinet. I started a club a couple

N: What are your involve-

ments here at North?

S: I am on the varsity girls basketball team and I am also involved in NHS. N: What are some of your hob- bies? S: I love to play basketball and I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. N: Any interesting facts you want people to know about you? S: I have a four year old little brother, my favorite athlete is Steph Curry and I love Door County. N: What are your plans for the future? S: I will be attending UW- Milwaukee and continue to play basketball in college.

Sources for Help in the Community...

NAMI (920) 954-1550 The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a non- profit agency recommended by several social workers and advi- sors on mental illness. Their mission is to ameliorate the quality of life of people living with mental illness. They offer support programs, educational programs, advocacy, and crisis intervention training. It is an

excellent resource for people living with mental illness. The Center for Suicide Awareness (920) 475-4748

The Center for Suicide Awareness offers support groups free of charge for any individual who has lost a close friend or other loved one to suicide. On the 2nd Monday of each month, adult groups meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; on the 3rd Monday of the month, youth groups meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. All groups are open to anyone who wishes to join and are held at

*Data gathered from 2015-2016 Outagamie County High School Yo Behavior Survey. Outagamie County data consists o comprised of 401 9th grade stu

the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Appleton. Prevent Suicide Fox Cities (920) 931-2552

This non-profit organization offers suicide prevention guidance and support for survivors of suicide. One of their groups, Support After Suicide is offered for individuals who were affected by the loss of a close friend or family member.

Mrs. Strick School Social Worker

As a social worker at Appleton North, Mrs. Deb- bie Strick has a plethora of experience in dealing with topics such as suicide prevention. She will listen to a student that comes to her in need of help,

Y o u A R E Text “Hopeline” to 741741 if you are struggling, having a bad day, need someone to listen, or need resources

offer them hope, and connect them to the community resources (i.e. NAMI). She wants students suffering with depression or other mental illnesses to know that they do not have to suffer. They can get better, and they are most definitely not alone. “I’d like them to know that it [depression and other mental illnesses] is treat- able.” Likewise, she says it is very important to get help, and she stressed how important of a role friends can play in preventing suicide. If a student suspects that their friend is having trouble, they should first and foremost listen and let their friend know they care. They should

Septembe National Suicide Month, during which vocates, prevention orga allies, and community me

never keep it a secret and should tell a trusted adult if they suspect suicide.

raise awareness to prevent sui ond most leading cause of deat aged youth, suicide is a rising he must be addressed. There is no sin suicide. According to school social Strick about 1/5 of teens feel sad an some point; however, suicide is not response to these feelings. On avera die by suicide each day amounting t cide deaths each year in the U.S. As tinues to rise each year, it is crucial warning signs and risk factors of s vent it from occurring. Suicide is from depression and other ment

I n f o r m a t i o n g a t h e r e d f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f S c h o o l P s y c h o l o g i s t s ( N A S P )

Risk Factors... There are particular risk factors that may lead to greater likelihood of a death by suicide… • Previous attempt(s) at suicide. • Loneliness and isolation. • Non-suicidal self-injury, such as cutting. • Depression and other mental illnesses, including conductive disorders and substance abuse • Dysfunction and stress in the family • History of suicide in the family • Environmental risks, including keeping firearms acces- sible at home • Situational crises

Center Spread Ahmad Abdel-Az Salma Ab

There are protective factors that can lessen the effects of risk factors, such as North’s new initiative, Sources of Strength.

I n f o r m a t i o n g a t h e r e d f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f S c h o o l P s y c h o l o g i s t s ( N A S P )

*

Warning Signs... According to the NASP, in 2013, 17% of high school students in the U.S. considered suicide and 8% actually made an attempt at sui- cide. Youth who consider suicide usually give warning signs; people must know these warning signs to be able to help when another person is in trouble . • Suicidal Threats. These may be direct, such as, “I am going to kill myself,” or indirect, such as, “No one will miss me if I’m gone.” • Suicide Notes. These should never be ignored; they are a serious sign of danger. • Depression. Aperson has a greater risk of suicide if their symptoms of depression include strong notions of hopelessness. • Final Arrangements. In adolescents, saying goodbye to friends, clearing social media profiles, or giving away prized possessions may be warning signs of suicide. • Hurting Oneself. This is a serious warning sign of suicide. • Dramatic Changes inMood, Behavior, Appearance, Thoughts. Close

th Risk Behavior Survey and 2015-2016 Appleton North Youth Risk a survey of 3,995 students. Appleton North’s data is ents and 331 11th grade students.

people will be most likely to notice this. Aperson may be losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, losing sleep, skipping school, or staying further away from friends and family. N ever keep the fact that someone is sui- cidal a secret, and tell an adult ASAP.

Suicide is preventable. By ACTing, you could save a life. A cknowledge that your friend has a problem and how they are feeling is serious. C are: let them know that you care and want to actually help them. T ell a trusted adult: never keep the information a secret.

Mrs.VanDerLoop School Psychologist

Mrs. Nancy Van Der Loop, North’s school psy- chologist is working with Mr. Pynenberg among others in the creation of North’s new initiative,

was Prevention mental health ad- izations, survivors, bers came together to ides. As the sec- among school lth concern that le cause of worker, Mrs. depressed at normal e, 121 people Contributors: m, Adithi Reddy el-Azim S u i c i d e over 44,000 sui- this number con- to understand the icide to help pre- preventable. People suffering l illnesses can get better. o t A l o n e P r e v e n t i o n

Sources of Strength. “The broad goal is really for students to help their peers...we want these students to have a web of sup- port to rely on,” said Mrs. Van Der Loop. “The biggest thing we want to provide is a sense of hope.” The club is currently se- lecting students, a process that should be complete in time for the training date on Oct. 10. Anyone who is struggling with depression or other mental illnesses should know that they are not alone, that teachers and staff members who want

to help, and that there’s no shame in it, according to Mrs. Van der Loop. “Just because they feel like this today, doesn’t mean they’ll feel the same tomorrow.”

The following interview is anAppleton North High School student’s account of losing someone to suicide.

Who have you lost to suicide? A very good friend of mine that I met in class. I realized how down they were on themself, and how disrespectful people were to them. I tried to be their support system. Can you tell me about how you found out that they had died by suicide? I learned the next day from their friends and social media that they had died by suicide. The previous night they messaged me, saying “sorry”. I responded with “for what?” but they never responded. They were gone the next day. What were some emotions you were experiencing when you found out? I harbour a lot of regret that I had not gotten them professional help. I thought my support was enough, but it wasn’t. If there’s people reading this going through the same things as your friend was, is there anything you want them to know? I would tell them not to let one bump end their journey, not to

let one fleeting moment drag them down. Suicide is “a permanent solution to a temporary problem”. Get as- sistance and always know that you are NOT a burden, and your life means some- thing is this world.

If you or anyone you know are having suicidal thoughts, talk to a trusted adult or call 1-800-273-TALK

New local businesses arriving in Appleton FEATURES Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Vol. XXIII

Issue I

Page 8

Nectar Juicery

includes smoothies, juices, Açaí bowls, chia puddings and an array of health shots. The Green Bay location also offers on-site detox sauna sessions and juice cleanses that can be picked up in shop. For more information on Nectar and their mission visit http://nectarofgreen- bay.com/

Nectar is a non-GMO juice and smoothie bar set to open in the Riverheath area near Tempest Coffee Collective. The Green Bay based company uses lo- cally sourced ingredients whenever possible and is dedicated to offering or- ganic, nutrient dense foods to customers. In addition to seasonal items, the menu The Crafty Wood Maker is a DIY sign-making studio that opened on College Av- enue early this summer. All the signs made there start with a customer selected wood. Customers can also choose their stain, paint, message and images. Every sign that leaves the doors is unique in some way. You can schedule to attend a workshop, or schedule a Bona Fide Juicery is one of the two juiceries coming to Appleton this year. The De Pere based company will be adding a second location on College Avenue this Novem- ber. They offer smoothies, juices, smoothie bowls, health

By Olivia Molter

Located in the Riverheath Building by the Fox River Mall, Grace Under Fire Yoga is a yoga studio for beginners and yogis alike. The studio is run by mother-daughter duo Lauren Quella and Sandi Top- pins; they opened last June. They offer all kinds of classes from the beginner-friendly “Sunrise Yoga” and “Begin- ners Grace” to the more in- tense “Inner Fire Flow” and “Yogalates”. They also have outdoor classes in warmer months and free Boardwalk Yoga on Saturdays during the summer. For more informa- tion you can check out their website at http://www.gra- ceunderfireyoga.com Grace Under Fire Yoga

The Crafty Wood Maker

private event through their website at http://www.the- craftywoodmaker.com/

Bona Fide Juicery displaying their company logo to attract at- tention to their central downtown location. Photo by Olivia Molter

Komorebi & Co.

Breast Cancer affects 1 in 8 US women, a daunting statistic, but every case of this cancer has a personal impact on many people’s lives. However cliché, it is important to remember that behind every statistic is a life. To bring awareness to an issue, such as breast cancer, it is often necessary to provide a personal example. To serve this purpose, North student Jack Cain re- flects on his experiences with his mom having breast cancer. “When I was 9, my mom was diagnosed with breast can- cer. Even though this disease is common, and often times easily treatable, breast cancer brought fear, pain, and exhaus- tion to our little family of four. When the chemo began, she became a new woman. Watch- ing my mother go through this seemingly endless pain hurt my sister and me, as if we were the ones being injected with the di- verse variety of chemical stew. However, all of this was over- come with the hope of her be- coming cancer-free, and soon she did. It was a long, grue- some process, but in time she beat the cancer to a pulp.” Understanding what Jack Komorebi & Co. is a spa lo- cated on W. Franklin Street in Appleton. They offer massage therapy, organic facials, wax- ing, and specialty skin care treatments. In addition to fea- turing all chemical free prod- ucts, the business is centered around what they call a “cul- ture of inclusivity.” Which, as their website mentions, means that “EVERYbody – every body type, every gender iden- tity, every skin color, every

sexual orientation, all beliefs and backgrounds – is welcome at our facility.” The name Ko- morebi actually comes from the Japanese word for “sun- light shining down, filtering through the trees”, which the spa says is the feeling they want to provide to their guests. For more information, go to their website at https://ko- morebi.company/

Crafty Wood Maker logo shown in store window. Photo by Olivia Molter

Bona Fide Juicery

The chemo visit starts off by blood draws and tests. Then, a nurse or medical assistant takes you to the room where the nee- dle is inserted. Because I was going to have several rounds of chemo, I decided to have a port installed in my chest. The needle would be inserted directly into the port - essen- tially the same procedure as if one were to have an IV in their arm. After the needle is set, I was taken to the chemo room - often FULL of patients, which I found very sad because it il- lustrated just how many are af- fected by cancer. The IV with medicine/chemo is connected to the needle in the port and then you sit for 1-2 hours while the medicine drips and is ad- ministered. I often would fall into a deep but unsettling sleep due to the side-effects of anti- allergy meds included in the chemo. K: Find the BEST doctors available and somehow find a way to trust them. Don’t read too much on the Internet. And accept help when it is offered by friends and family. shots, and kombucha on tap. Meal items like avocado toast, soups, parfaits and salads will also be available. For more information on Bona Fide Juicery visit their website at https://www.bonafidejuicery. com N: Advice for others fight- ing breast cancer?

Send us info of new businesses in the Appleton area via @northnoct Twitter or The Noctiluca on Facebook.

Cain family speaks on their dealing with breast cancer By Henry Ptacek

Karen Cain reflects on her experiences with breast cancer. Photo courtesy of Jack Cain

and his family had to go through gives one an insight on how his mom’s illness effected him, personally. However, get- ting a look into Karen Cain’s time dealing with breast cancer helps to personalize the illness. Karen speaks about the cancer itself and how it affected her life. The Noctiluca: Could you explain the type of cancer you had? And its affects on your

body?

loss and have trouble with their fingernails weakening. For me, chemo made me very tired, ex- tremely nauseous - especially a day or two after treatment - and caused me to lose my hair. The hair loss was one of the biggest challenges for me because until that time, I could ‘fake’ healthy. Hair loss was the telltale sign that I was dealing with some- thing big. The process:

Karen: Early stage triple negative breast cancer detected via routine mammogram. No signs or symptoms. N: How did the chemo af- fect you? What was that pro- cess like? K: Chemo is very hard on the body. One of its character- istics is to attack fast-growing cells like cancer - which is why many people encounter hair

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