For the past five weeks, the mere mention of the words “chocolate” or “pop” can cause either a deep discussion about one’s faith, or a deep desire to plug one’s ears and avoid the topic. Every year, millions of people across the globe participate in the Christian celebration of Lent for 40 days leading up to Easter.
Yes, that big party called Mardi Gras in New Orleans is actually religious (despite recent practices that suggest otherwise, with the use of beads). And those delicious, fattening jelly donuts (Paczkis) are used to celebrate the coming fast, when Catholics and some Protestant denominations vow to give an item up for the Lenten season (such as pop, chocolate, sweets, gum, fast food, junk food, etc.).

So how are Grand Blanc High School’s students doing with keeping their pledges?

Junior Magdalena Babinska, who gave up chocolate, joked, “Well, I haven’t cheated yet!”

Cheating of course, can be any number of things. There is the great debate among Catholics of the acknowledgement of the “Mini Easter” which allows one to indulge in their forbidden item, only for one day, once a week, as if it were a mini-Easter-Sunday celebration.

And, when you count up all the days of the Lenten season, not including Sundays, the number does, in fact, total forty days. Having gone to a Catholic school for many years myself, I was often told by teachers that, “Jesus didn’t get to indulge every Sunday while he was in the desert, so why should you?”
Having given up Facebook for Lent this year, a mini-Easter sure would be nice.

And even Bobcat Banner Copy Editor, Sarah Campbell, has been struggling (although she has yet to cheat) with her choice to give up chocolate.
Just like some Muslim women choose to wear a hijab, fasting during Lent is strongly encouraged, but not required. It is simply a choice you make, and for those that do, you live with for forty days, and forty nights.

Disaster has struck once again in the world, first Haiti and now Chile. On Saturday Feb. 27, 2010, Chile, a Latin country located in the south west of South America, was struck by a scale-topping earthquake of 8.8 on the rector scale, along with 120 aftershocks and multiple tsunamis. So far they have reported deaths of about 279 people.

What shocks me the most is the lack of aid from the rest of the world, especially the U.S. Not long ago, horrible earthquakes occurred in Haiti, and the whole world jumped to its aid, including Chile. In fact, Chile was the first country to offer aid to Haiti. So why has the rest of the world not jumped at the opportunity to help the Chilean people? After all, Chile has always helped any nation in need, including the U.S.

Helping Chile is also helping us. Chile is the worlds’ leading supplier of copper, which is used to make air conditioners work to death in the summer; without Chile’s copper we would not have an affordable way to cool ourselves down. Also, when you are eating fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, they were most likely imported from Chile. Even the gold medals won by America in the Olympics– where do you think the U.S. ski team practices in the summer?

Yes, it’s true that Chile has the best economy in South America, but their stability has been a huge benefit to the United States. And even someone with the best economy needs help when it comes to having over $30 billion in losses and more than 279 casualties.

Chile needs help; if America really wants to show the world how generous and benevolent we are, than we should aid in the recuperation of Chile.

With course selections being passed out and handed in, many students debate which classes to choose. Counselors and teachers combined are both trying to increase the number of students in AP classes.

Is this really a good idea? Pushing teens to take AP classes when they aren’t ready could cause stress, even worse grades, or in many cases, the class is dropped by the student. In addition to this, by putting regular students in AP classes, the classroom environment AP tries to create, as well as, the speed of learning can be hindered. Although students that want these courses are more likely to benefit from this and add to the environment, but this will only be successful if they are a very determined student.

AP stands for advanced placement, not every student in GBHS fits into that category, and the stress of trying to make the cut might just cause bigger problems. Many students make it into a good college without much trouble and zero AP classes.

Students prepared for AP classes strive to get into those classes without that extra push from teachers. Even for students who are used to the honors classes, AP is a wake up call. AP demands intelligence and an excellent work ethic. Students joining these classes without the qualifications cause classes to lower standards and limit the learning of the rest of the students.

It seems often when Dr. Hammond speaks, she talks about Grand Blanc’s levels of diversity. I can only speak for myself when I look around for this racial and ethnic potpourri, and see lot more white faces than advertised.
“Is Grand Blanc diverse enough?” is the question, but how diverse is “diverse enough?”

I have friends at other local high schools that talk about the one or two black people they know and it always seems absurd to me, as it would for most Grand Blanc High School students, I imagine. Maybe this isn’t just a race thing either, Dr. Hammond could mean the diverse personalities or the diverse levels of income, of diverse background of the students forcing their ways through each other in our knotted halls.

Here is what some of them had to say:

One student said it was“ super diverse” continuing by saying that we just had like Muslim week. Which is true, during the past week the Muslim Student Association encouraged students to ask any of its members a question regarding their religion. Hijabs were also made available to any girl who wanted one; some teachers even gave extra credit for wearing one.
Despite this, senior Hisham Al-Jabban who is a Muslim (not a member of MSA though) said that Grand Blanc was mostly white people and was not diverse enough when asked the same question.

He is also right. According to the files in the main office, GBHS is comprised of 77 percent Caucasian students. Other Nationalities represented include African American, 16 percent, Asain American, 4 percent, and Hispanic American, 3 percent. Any other ethnicities were either not tallied at all or less than one percent and rounded down.

These numbers are very similar to the ethnic breakdown of the United States, with the exception of Hispanic American percent which is much larger. Keeping in mind that the United States is one of the most diverse countries in the world, what does this say about Grand Blanc? If anything we are a pretty accurate representation of the country we live in, and most likely just as, or more, diverse than other local high schools.

Whether or not we are diverse enough depends on who you ask, although a common theme seemed to appear within the people I asked. Those who fell into the bulky 77 percent tended to think we were diverse enough, and those who fell into the other 23 percent did not.

Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, began with a terrible tragedy. Nodar Kumaritashvili, a luger from the Georgian Olympic team, was killed during his trial run of what would have been the 21-year-old athlete’s first Olympic games. Kumaritashvili’s fatal crash was caused when he lost control in the final turn and was thrown off his luge and over the side of the track where his body hit a steel pole. Paramedics tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead later at the Whistler Hospital.

Millions of people grieved along with the nation of Georgia and Kumaritashvili’s family. The response was sympathetic and natural to the announcement of any tragic death. News networks do not need to show a picture of a dead child for people to react with shock and grief. But the NBC news network felt the only way to get people’s attention on their coverage was to show a man’s death several times on television for the entire world to see.

In a tasteless move, NBC aired footage of the entire crash, including Kumaritashvili’s body flying into the pole and the paramedics trying to revive his bloody corpse. Forget the fact that there could have been millions of children watching this coverage, Kumaritashvili’s own family has now seen this footage. Is it fair to force the trauma of watching your son die on anyone? Absolutely not. NBC and the other networks that showed this footage sacrificed their media ethics to engage in the most obvious type of sensationalist journalism.

Of course, there are some that believe this footage should have been aired because it can act as a warning to children, that sports aren’t just games. However, just hearing that an athlete died is enough to warn me of the danger of a sport, I don’t need to see it. Even if NBC felt obligated to air the footage they could have given parents enough time to change the channel, and then refrained from showing it over and over again, in agonizing slow motion while news anchors provided commentary in the background. NBC even showed the clip right before the opening ceremonies.

They disrespected this incredible athlete, his family, and in my opinion the entire nation of Georgia. News networks refrained from showing Americans jumping from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 because the footage was so upsetting. So why is it ok to show the death of a Georgian citizen on national news? Kumaritashvili’s father even came out and asked that the videotape no longer be shown, so as of Feb. 14, NBC President Steve Capus ordered that the footage should no longer be shown, but Kumaritashvili’s family can not unsee their son dying and that video will be online forever.

What it comes down to is that NBC could have reported this story without the video. We didn’t need a clip of Michael Jackson’s last moments in order to grasp the enormity of his death, and people did not need to see a video of Nodar Kumaritashvili being thrown from his luge in order for them to feel sad and shocked by the danger of the sport. I, personally, was grieved at the mere description of the crash and horrified when I saw the video. This is coming from a 17-year-old who has seen her share of blood on TV and in movies. I can’t begin to imagine a child’s reaction. There is a lot on TV that parents have to censor their children from, but the Olympic games should not be included. Nodar Kumaritashvili was a tremendous athlete, and he died doing the thing that he loved. His parents do not deserve having to watch their son die and he does not deserve to have his last moments on Earth broadcast in front of the entire world.

Hmm, this looks familiar. Oh wait, that's because I gave it to you last Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day brings a certain tension to the air. I wouldn’t be surprised if guys particularly loath the fact that they are ‘pressured’ to make sure that this day is perfect for their girl, and that she still wants to be with him when all is said and done. Breaking up is harder when you don’t have an incredibly good reason. Here are some reasons that should make it really easy for you girls:

1.) He spends Valentine’s Day with another girl.
Why wouldn’t your boyfriend spend Valentine’s Day with you? He shouldn’t have anything better to do. Spending this certain day with someone else shows you that she means more to him than you.

2.) He tries to pressure you into taking your relationship to the “next level.”
Any guy that tries to pressure you into doing physical stuff, stuff that you aren’t ready to do, should be dumped. He should accept that you aren’t ready. The excuse, “Ohh, but it’s Valentine’s Day,” is pathetic. No girl needs a guy like that in her life.

3.) You two agree on exchanging gifts, but he doesn’t get you anything.
What, did he forget? He shouldn’t if you’re his girlfriend; he should be thinking about you often enough to remember to get you something. This totally screams, not boyfriend material.

4.) He takes you on a date, but his eyes are glued on other girls.
Seriously dude, this is a no brainer. Any guy that does this has near to no respect for you, and is therefore not a keeper; respect is a must.

5.) He re-gifts something that you gave him.
I mean wow! If he doesn’t want to keep said present, it obviously has no sentimental value when it should. He is your boyfriend – anything he gets from you should mean at least a little something. It should be a little special to him. The only thing that would make this worse would if he knew it was a re-gift. He knew that you gave it to him, yet is stupid enough to try to give it back to you. That idiot needs to be kicked to the curb, and quick.

Although the constant ACT prep may have you in tears now, you may be a happy later on when you view your score.

Ready or not, the dreaded month of March is approaching. While most people think of March as the beginning of spring, for juniors, March is the much-feared month in which they will be forced to take the ever so terrifying ACT.
Odds are, despite that your teachers are doing their best to prepare you, most of you are still shaking in your skin with anxiety. But never fear, in order to take some of the stress off of you, your loving seniors have compiled a list of things that they wish they had done during their ACT experience in hopes that you will learn from their mistakes to make your experience the best that it can be!
1.) Take a Practice ACT – “I feel that if I had practiced before the real test then I would have had a better idea of what it would have been like and it wouldn’t have been such a culture shock.” -Alyssa Gibson
2.) Study the Material More – “There were a lot of unfamiliar things on the test that I should have just taken the time to look at before the test which would have made it a lot easier.” -Deanna Satkowiak
3.) Be Prepared With the Needed Materials – “I forgot my calculator the morning of the test and had to do all of my math by hand. I could have gone faster, been more accurate, and saved myself a lot of stress had I just remembered to bring it.” -Taylr Holbert
4.) Dress Appropriately – “The room I was testing in was very hot and I was very uncomfortable the whole time which made it hard to focus. I should have dressed in layers so I could have been prepared for any temperature.” -Jon Waller
5.) Stay Healthy – “I was sick the morning of the ACT and I couldn’t focus on the testing because I was so distracted with how awful I felt.” -Morgan Overstreet
6.) Pay More Attention During Daily Classes – “The stuff your teachers are teaching on a daily basis actually does show up in the ACT and it will help you in the long run if you just listen in the first place.” -David Christian
7.) Eat – “I took the test at another school that fed all of us. It really helped because it would have been impossible to focus while testing when all you can think about is how empty your stomach is.” -Erin Shea
8.) Get More Sleep – “I was so nervous before the test that I barely slept the night before and then the only thing I could focus on was how tired I was during the test.” -Anna Darzi

Look Out! Guest speaker Justin Lookadoo's lively presentation got students talking about gender roles.

Letter to the Editor

By Matthew Joyner

As a member of the Grand Blanc Community, and High School student I have always found that the speakers that present their oratory to Grand Blanc High School students are usually very impressive.  Mr. Lookadoo was an exception to this trend.  The level of sentiment afterwards was the equivalent to knowing that something is wrong with a close friend, despite denial.  Something did not feel right, and it felt as though something was very wrong about the whole situation.  Some people, I found, were filled with rage, some people felt caught or even trapped, and some people really enjoyed the speech overall.  It would be naïve to deny that people were not shocked by what Mr. Lookadoo had to say.  But first, let me clarify my feelings on the event.  I am not entirely pleased with his message.  Mr. Lookadoo’s strong use of generalizations and stereotypes did not demonstrate an ability to relate to such a diverse group of individuals like Grand Blanc’s close to three-thousand students; in combination with polarizing dialogue, he portrayed members of both sexes in a negative light.

My initial thoughts when I walked into the Gymnasium were: This will be interesting, relationship building, and importance of teamwork in a relationship, chivalry, and self-confidence, amongst others.  I expected that the pep talk would be something to boost girls’ confidence in asking guys to the Sadie’s Hawkins Dance, or even long-term impact of guys being able to approach High School girls.  Whatever I happened to have been thinking at the time, nothing could have prepared me for the sex talk I was about to receive from a complete stranger.  But I noticed as the speech moved further and further through his hour time slot.  The mood of the crowd seemed to change; I felt an awkward tension between myself and the individuals sitting next to me as though I had committed some treacherous betrayal.  The conversation turned from a simple chat about relationships to more of a condescending lecture about how teenage boys have wronged girls, and how girls are day-dreamers.  As I mentioned the use of generalizations continued to offend many of the students in the crowd.  He called out many guys for wrongdoings, but his failure to preface his comments by stating that it was a generalization became an embarrassment for Mr. Lookadoo, and showed him to be “painting the world with one wide brush”.  His appalling comments regarding women driving, and his rant about the level of naivety that high school girls have in relationships was disgraceful at best.  In my study of Mr. Lookadoo’s profile and accolades, I discovered some interesting truths.  He says he has five plus years experience as a probation officer.  Don’t you think this helps characterize his view of adolescent males!?  When the only people you are dealing with are juvenile delinquents it’s clear to see why he views every boy as a problem.  As the great Abraham Maslow once said, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Clearly Mr. Lookadoo views every high school male as a nail, if his view of the world is that narrow, clearly he needs to get out a little more and see that not all guys are bad.

Think you’re the only one who’s disappointed in Mr. Lookadoo’s presentation?  In my investigation of his book, “Dateable: Are You? Are They?” many of the reviews showed me that other people who listened to Lookadoo’s presentation and read his book were stirred by what he had to say.  Most of the reviews talked about how much of what he had to say were broad generalizations, and how disappointed they were that he encouraged the idea that all high school relationships were short-term.  “The book teaches that EVERY girl is a pushover, and EVERY boy is demanding sex.” In the same review it says, “This book focuses WAY too much of negative aspects of dating” Clearly, my level of thinking was not varied in comparison to many of the people who reviewed his book.

I’m rather disappointed that Grand Blanc decided to bring in a speaker who has little insight as to how real life works.  Like I said, he views every problem as a nail, and that hammer comes from his time as a probation officer.  His derogatory remark on how guys “operate” was disgusting, how he portrayed men as chauvinist pigs, and how he said that all girls do is day dream.  I personally thought that it was unfortunate that Grand Blanc students had to listen to the gender bias that Mr. Lookadoo inhabits.  In the future, I would hope that Grand Blanc High School would choose speakers that embody character education traits that are included as part of our curriculum.

Chilhood bliss: the excitement of the holidays is so great in children, but as the older generation, we should find happiness in the company we keep.

Okay, so you’ve joined the Facebook group, “I’m a kid of the ‘90s,” and you’ve taken all the quizzes to see if you’re truly cut out to be called one, but do you remember what you did for the holidays when you were a kid?

Personally, it was all about grabbing a blanket and snuggling up by the fire listening to mom read The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve. I realize not everyone celebrates Christmas, but perhaps this will take you all back to when you felt happiness overflowing inside you as a kid.

Apple cider, holiday animated movies (yes, the cheesy puppet ones), and tacky holiday sweaters your grandmother bought you: those are just a few things that take me back to my childhood. Not to mention running down the stairs to be greeted by presents—my hands, eager to rip all the paper off the boxes, only thwarted by Christmas Mass at 8 a.m.

Although the holidays are different for everyone, the time symbolizes the same thing: family time. Yes, now you may say that you hate hanging out with your “annoying” family, but when you were younger, there was nothing better. Especially for your parents: who got you off their hands at the relative’s house for a few hours.

When the holidays are all over, you can go back to your Facebook and video games, but when you do click on those “kid of the ‘90s” groups, you are really doing one thing: going back to when you felt safe and comfortable.

Nowadays, teenagers have to worry about grades, extracurricular activities, jobs, and preparing for the future; it’s no wonder we want to step back into our past and back into the comfort of not worrying about the future. Traditions are comforting, just like being a child was comforting.

The ‘90s are gone, but we’ll always have them in our hearts, as well as our photo albums. When our children are growing up, we can tell them tales of our childhood—just as our parents do now—and pass our joy from them onto future generations. Without our childhoods, the world would be a very bleak place.

Don’t forget to share your favorite holiday memories by clicking on this story at bobcatbanner.com and adding a comment!

As if we don’t already know, parents love to give us “children” pieces of advice that, for most, are pure common sense. Parents are constantly nagging their children on a wide range of topics; anywhere from staying away from sex and drugs to asking what you are going to do with the rest of your life.

One major thing that parents love to bother their kids about is doing the right thing and making the right choices. As if we haven’t heard this speech from about the time we were four years old, not only starting with our parents but our teachers and guest speakers. We fully understand the concept, by now, of right and wrong and continually nagging about what is right and wrong will not change any decisions we choose to make. While our parents choose to believe the more they talk about it, the more we will do it, that’s not the case. Our choices will be based upon the values and morals we have created for ourselves, not continual reminders.

Yet another way parents drive kids wild these days, is the constant questioning of what we plan to do for the rest of our lives. If you know what you want to do and what direction you want to take for the rest of your life, you are lucky; you have the advantage of always having an answer to the everlasting question and having the personal satisfaction of a life plan.

But, if you’re anything like me, you don’t have a clear-cut direction for your life. While I am already stressed out enough for my own personal life, I am forced to deal with the constant questioning from my parents and other significant adults in my life. They think that the more they ask and beg for an answer from me, the easier it will be for me to come up with an answer. Continually asking someone what they want to do in their life will not help to further them along into a definite decision.

Constant questioning and advice from your parents could be very high on the list of things that bother kids. The repetitiveness and nagging is something that we cannot handle.