Summer is coming and you want to look good! But, leaving the house every day to go to a gym and work out can get a little repetitive. Why leave the comfort of your own home when you can simply turn on your entertainment system and work out better then you could at any gym? According to IGN.com, with games like Zumba Fitness Party for Playstation 3, you can expect nothing more than a full workout. Making the systems more interactive will influence the gamer even more, making it a full out workout in your living room.
“Working out while playing a video game.. they must never want me to leave my house,” said senior Stephanie Dunham.
Dunham said she uses an Xbox 360 Kinect and likes Micheal Jackson: The Experience.
“[It's] probably the best workout you can get, with all the moves and intense party modes,” said Dunham. What about that gym again?
Thanks to an article from Slate.com it states that all kids shouldn’t play over 2 hours of video games a day with only an hour of that being used for the internet. Since the 1980’s, screen play has contributed to a tripling in the rate of obesity, but industries now have found a way to counter the negative preception about gaming.
“I may not get out as much, but with my Wii Fit yoga I have the time of my life in my game room,” said Freshman Austin Buzzo. “I don’t really like gaming all that much, but who can resist the temptation of playing sports games interactively with your family?”
Going to a gym is not a bad thing at all, but with parents having to do a lot in today’s busy world it makes it a lot simpler to just make away with simply pressing a button.
There’s nothing new about working out in front of your TV, but now it’s all about being able to interact and move with your set and game console. Before, it was a matter of watching another person do a work out and you repeating it. Now, people are looking for something easy, simple and stylish.
Eating right and exercise is something that these gaming companies know, and with all the new gaming there are ways to track and monitor your diet. Games like Zumba tracks progress in both eating and exercise habits, encouraging more than a gym or diet plan could. Although gaming is a good way to exercise, nothing is better than first-hand experience so don’t forget about the outdoors.
Here are some good titles to look at for the following systems.
Wii
Zamba fitness 2,
Walk It out,
U fitness first
Yoga Edition,
Wii Sports Resort,
and Just Dance 3

PS3
Sporting on the Move,
Zamba fitness party
Micheal Jackson the Experience
Ea Sports Active
Fit in six
get fit with me.

XBOX360 Kinect
Micheal Jackson the Experience
Kinect Sports
The Biggest Loser Ultimate Edition
And Your shape Fitness “Evolved”.

Each one of them makes for a different workout experience.

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Growing up: to parents, its a huge step, but to the person actually growing up it can be invigorating and maybe even a little scary. Coming of age comes with more responsibilities: going out late, driving, tattoos, piercings, and finding yourself on social networks. This generation is deeply involved with staying socially active, especially on the internet. Parents usually have a strict age at where their child would be allowed on social media like, Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. Some parents prohibit the use of it.
“I don’t even have a Facebook,” said junior Aalin Askew.
Some students who are signed up for a social network have protective parents, who ask their students questions about their activity online.
“They be lurkin’,” said freshman Von Johnson.
Parent involvement in their online life isn’t a problem for some students.
“They’re just making sure I’m okay, not being harassed and using appropriate language,” said sophomore Erianna Gilliam. “I have no privacy issues because I’m appropriate on Facebook.”
Sophomore Cameron Brewer also said he didn’t have a problem with a parent checking up.
“My mom can follow me on Twitter if she wants,” said Brewer.
“She has my password but, its not like she logs into my account. As long as I respect her, she respects me,” said junior McKayla Merinoff.
Many students said they know their parents are looking out for them, and don’t mind… as long as they keep some distance.
“They Should be a little concerned, but just not over protective,” said sophomore Sadie Davis.
Moreover, Freshman, Justin Bulock includes “Ill never actually give them my passwords because its an invasion of privacy, but they still read my posts and I’m fine with that.”
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, Three in four (74 percent) young people have a home Internet connection (31 percent have high-speed access). Nearly one-third (31 percent) have a computer in their bedroom, and one in five (20 percent) have an Internet connection there. In a typical day, about half of young people (48 percent) go online from home, 20 percent from school, and 16 percent from someplace else
However, there are students who do have an issue with their parents’ annual “Check-up”. From http://www.enough.org/inside.php?id=3K03RC4L00
32 percent of teens clear the browser history to hide what they do online from their parents. The two main points for arguing is what parents limited on their child’s social networks. And their right or individuality to say what they want.
“They don’t like me to use profound language or to post pictures that show too much,” said freshman Jaliyah Kelly.
And Also, “Not to be rude they’d say,” retorted sophomore Alexiah Sanchez. “They should just let me have my privacy!” she exclaimed.
From http://www.enough.org/inside.php?id=3K03RC4L00 43 percent of teenagers have closed or minimized the browser at the sound of a parental step
“My mom is my friend on Facebook, but on my fake account. She always asks for my Facebook password and that’s why i have two.” says Freshman Tori Murine.
From the same site, 11 percent have unlocked/disabled/ parental/filtering controls.
Freshman Shyann Lafay adds, “If I curse on Facebook my mom usually scolds me and the same treatment if there’s anything inappropriate. I feel like she doesn’t need to watch my every move if i cant watch hers.”
Do parents have enough reasons? According to http://www.enough.org/inside.php?id=3K03RC4L00
63 percent of teens said they know how to hide what they do online from their parents.
Although students have justifying arguments, the 6 steps to dealing with over protective parents are according to http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Overprotective-Parents is to:

1. The key to any relationship is Communication.
2. Compromise.
3. Act responsibly.
4. Realize that sometimes, your parents really do know best
5. Have patience.
6. Prove to them that you are mature.

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Flawless. Faultless. Out-of-this-world. Ten. The words usually used when you refer to ‘Covergirl,’ ‘Americas Next Top Model,’ ‘Movie Stars,’ And ‘models.’ According to heartofleadership.com, many teenage girls (15-19) would want to change something about themselves, with weight being the top thing. More than 9 million girls below 15 are obese, three times as many as in 1980.
More than 50% of 10-year-old girls and younger wish to be thinner, according to weighingthefacts.com, while the current media ideal of thinness is achieved by less than 5% of the female population. The increase in obese Americans has resulted in this trend being labeled the “Obesity Epidemic.”
Acording to health teacher Marcelle Carruthers, obesity tends to start out when you’re a child. It can come from diabetes, depression, family issues, or just not eating right. And, it doesn’t help to come to school and eat the lunches, take a nap, and decide not to run around at recess. Then, growing up you begin to get made fun of, judged, and not taken seriously.
“It starts as a child. There should be more information given on obesity because it is such a serious topic,” said Carruthers.
When a child proceeds to high school, often nothing is being done. Students are required to take a semester of gym, but most students stop there after they’ve met that requirement.
“I just did gym my freshman year, so I just got my requirements over with,” said sophmore Sadie Davis.
A tremendous part of being healthy and staying fit is eating healthy, and Carruthers said that high schools don’t provide that.
“There is so much emphasis put on math, English, and science but everyone seems to forget about physical activity which is just as important,” said Carruthers.
Here are basic steps to become healthy, from Carruthers:

1. Word of mouth. Inform your parents about obesity and how it is an epidemic. Try to encourage your home to promote healthier eating habits.
2. Make healthy choices. Some families struggle with money issues and only buying certain foods. So instead if buying junk food like chips, candy and pop try things like dairy, vegetables, and fruit.
3. Get up and get active! Maybe join a high school sports team.

According to Carruthers exercise and nutrition are the two most common steps that students lack on a day to day basis. At school students are not provided the nutrition that is needed.
“Every food has a grade, and the grade of this food is not appropriate for students” says an anonymus lunch aid. “If i could change anything about the food here it’d have to be the food that we order.”
The food during the lunch contributes to most of our daily nutrition intake. The lunch aid was then asked would making lunches healthier increase the money usage and her response was, “Yes, especially dealing with the fact that students receive free lunch. If the school were to go healthier then the option for free lunch wouldn’t be available.”
Overall, according to her the best choice of food would be the Wraps and the Grab N’ Go sandwiches and the worst would be the infamous Chicken patty.
While everyone is concerned with getting a job and living large you cant forget about your health.
“You can have a good job and make good money but without being healthy you wont be able to spend any of that money,” said Carruthers.

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Temptation vibrates through your finger tips as you’re driving and receive a text. What’s more important? The text message or your life? The answer may seem obvious, but texting and driving continues to be an issue. What will it take for this movement to stop? There are plenty of commercials, signs, and motivational speakers that encourage teens to avoid their phone while behind the wheel, however, the message still has not sunk in.

Whether it’s texting while at a red light, or texting while doing 60 mph, it’s still against the law. However, the laws in Michigan are much less severe than the laws in other states. Currently, legislation does not have a law preventing the use of a cell phone to make calls while driving.

“People in New York and New Jersey can’t even talk on the phone unless its hands free. [Michigan] needs stronger laws,” said accounting teacher Gregory Clugston.

Many states have a three stage learning system distinctively designed for teen drivers. These are called graduated licensing laws (GDL) and are used to phase young drivers into higher driving privileges overtime. These laws include a prohibition on nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage and a passenger restriction prohibiting more than one non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over the age of 21 is in the vehicle. These restictions remain until the driver is 17 years old.

“The graduated licensing laws are annoying at first, but I can see their value now that I’m an unrestricted driver,” said senior Amanda Robertson.

Although many teens don’t see the value in the GDL system, research shows that it is very effective. In 1997, the first full year of its GDL system, Florida experienced a 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes for 15-17 year-olds, compared with 1995. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1999) An estimated 2,000 lives per year can be saved if all states were to enact all of the elements of GDL (National Safety Council analyses of data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

“I don’t want to put my life in danger, my passengers life in danger, or other driver’s lives in danger,” said senior Raven Odom.

Currently, the fine for texting while driving is $100 for the first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses.

“I feel like if the fine was higher, it would discourage people from texting and driving,” said Odom.

Even with the possibility of a fine, more than 60% of teens worry about getting into a car accident, but still admit to practicing distracting or harmful actions while driving (Shifting Teen Attitudes: The State of Teen Driving 2009).

“If someone causes an accident while texting and driving, the penalty should be more severe,” said public safety officer Mark Langschwager.

Teens crash four times more often than any other age group. Car crashes are the number one killer of teens and take an average of eleven lives a day (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (II HS), Fatality Facts 2008). Some students recognize the issue and understand the need for the law.

“I like that there’s a law against it because it’s not safe,” said Robertson. “No text message is important enough for you to text while driving.”

The Allstate Foundation is one of a few organizations that aspires to identify effective approaches to prevent teen texting and driving. Allstate has a website (KeepTheDrive.com) set up led by teens intended to educate teens about safe driving. According to KeepTheDrive.com a texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non texting driver (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and NHTSA).

“Some people, including myself, think ‘oh this is a piece of cake, I can do this!’” said senior Yvonne Ford. “But once you actually get into a situation where you’re risking your life, it’s not worth it.”

Ford recently had an experience that permanently changed her views on texting and driving.

“I was driving down the street, and I was texting a friend back,” said Ford. “When I looked back up, I almost ran over someone’s mailbox.”

Unlike Ford, many teens aren’t so lucky. Yearly, about 4,000 teens die in car crashes, and about 450,000 teens are injured in crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (II HS) Fatality Facts 2008 and 4 Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, ‘The Teen Driver”). Many teen drivers believe that is okay to text while sitting at a red light considering the car isn’t actually in motion.

“It’s not the best decision because at the end of the day, the police don’t care if you’re driving or at stoplight,” said Ford. “If you’re behind the wheel, you’re still considered driving.”

Texting takes the driver’s eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s equal to driving the length of a football field absolutely blind (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute).

“[People] think they’re pros and it’s no big deal. [They think] they won’t get in an accident or anything,” said senior Taylor Wysack.

When a person reaches for a phone while driving, they increase their risk of a crash by nice times. When teens text and drive, their reaction times become as slow as some senior citizens (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, NHTSA, University of Utah). Despite these facts, teens continue to text and drive.

“I’m not sure you can motivate teens to stop. People are going to do what they want regardless,” said Robertson.

Many people don’t know how to respond while in the car with someone while they’re texting and driving. However, brain power used while driving decreases by 40% when a driver listens to conversation. (2008, Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University Study).

“[If the driver is texting while I'm in the car], I would tell them not to text because it’s dangerous and I know they won’t be focused,” said senior Amee Yang. “There’s a big possibly of getting in an accident.”

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On September 23, Earvin “Magic” Johnson caused a media stir when he visited Everett with business partner Best Buy Mobile. Best Buy presented the school with a $5,000 check.

“We had been going around the country and I decided I wanted to go to Lansing,” said Johnson. “They [agreed], and I picked Everett.”

Johnson periodically travels to Lansing to visit family, but an Everett homecoming is a rare event. So rare, that some see it as evidence that he has no affection for his alma mater. This is far from the truth, Johnson said.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson was born in 1959, right here in Lansing. As a basketball player, Magic won championships on every level. He won at the high school level in 1977, the college level in 1979 and then five more times at the pro level.

Johnson had an unbelievable career, but where his career started was a source of controversy.

Magic grew up on the west side of Lansing and many expected him to attend Lansing Sexton, but he was forced to go to Everett.

“About two or three years before Earvin was to enter high school the boundaries changed which made Everett his home school,” said Pearl Johnson, Magic Johnson’s sister. In the mid-1970s, Lansing was working to desegregate its schools, and the boundary change was a result of that effort.

In an interview with ESPN’s Rick Reilly in December 2010, Earvin Johnson talked about his feelings toward being forced to go to Everett.

“I was upset, disappointed, frustrated, I tried everything I could to get out of going to Everett because I wanted to go to Sexton,”

Johnson said.

Since he graduated from Everett in 1977, Magic has only returned a handful of times.

Many people say Magic never liked Everett, so that’s why he never comes back. His sister Pearl said that is not the case.

“At first Earvin didn’t like Everett, but as time passed he made new friends and the basketball season began. His feeling about his new high school and new classmates changed,” said Pearl Johnson. She added that Earvin made a lot of life long friends whom he still hangs out with whenever he is in Lansing.

“I had a great time at Everett, the memories were great,” Johnson said. “I took advantage of everything Everett had to offer and I wouldn’t trade growing up in Lansing and going to Everett for anything in the world.”

He even admitted that being bused to Everett may have helped him, in the long run.

“It prepared me for what real life would look like later on, in terms of dealing with people that weren’t my race,” Johnson said.

Everett was not a very well known school in the early ‘70s, but when this superstar came, so did the national publicity.

“Everett has always been a great school; however, I do believe that as with any athletic program who has a super player, more attention will be given to that school,” said Pearl Johnson. “I believe because of his skills on the basketball team he brought state-wide and nation-wide attention to Everett.”

The rumors that Magic doesn’t like Everett persist, fueled by the idea that he’s never done anything for the school since he left. According to some, though, he has tried.

“Magic has attempted to contribute to Everett, but the school district has denied him doing so,” said math teacher Eric Hartley. “Magic’s donation was to go directly to Everett, but the school district wanted to distribute it amongst the three schools.”

As far as giving to Everett goes, Johnson himself said that he hasn’t ever really been asked.

“No one has approached me to give back to Everett,” he said. “But if Everett needed something I would look forward to helping out.”

Johnson has quite a record of helping out. Since 1991, his Magic Johnson foundation has raised over $20 million for charity, according to pros giveback.com. He said that his work takes him all over, and his giving is spread out, as well.

“I’ve given back around the country, you can’t just focus on one place,” Johnson said. “I live in Los Angeles so it’s hard for me to focus on just Everett because my businesses are everywhere, but I do a lot in the state of Michigan. I love Lansing and I love Everett.”

Since retiring from basketball, Johnson created Magic Johnson Enterprises, which owns movie theaters and restaurants like Starbucks and Burger King, all over the country. Johnson uses his fame and fortune to help out in many ways through business, community and charity.

“I think it’s really been through charity and community. Right now I have 150 students on scholarship through the Magic Johnson Foundation, [through] our Taylor Michael Scholarship fund. We support them not only with a check but also with a printer and laptop. I love being involved in the community,” Johnson said. “Our slogan is, ‘We are the community that we serve.’”

Though nothing official has ever happened, there have been times when Johnson has helped Everett behind-the-scenes.

Head basketball coach Johnny Jones, the first coach to take Everett to a state title since Magic, said that Johnson had helped out his players before.

“Magic has bought the basketball team shoes in the past, but he only did it when he had his own shoe out,” said Jones.

“The Magic Shoe,” from a line called the Converse Weapon, was a shoe produced in the ’80s and early ’90s.

Even though he no longer plays, Johnson still stays close to sports. One recent venture has him working with a group of investors to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers, a Major League Baseball team. He said it’s a long process that is currently underway.

“In the process of buying the Dodgers, we have to place bids. We are now in the second round of bidding and there are eight or nine bidders left,” said Johnson.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is an undisputed legend on the court. In business, his magic touch has made him a success, as well. His charity work has benefited hundreds of thousands in communities around the country. Yet, Johnson still calls Lansing his home, and Everett his school.

“I’m going to be a Viking forever,” Johnson said.

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It’s that time of year when colds and flu start spreading. According to Sherri Kuhlman, the schools clinic personnel/therapist, all students should get flu shots. These shots prevent you from catching the flu and if by chance do catch the flu, it’d be a much milder case.
Other things you could do include: washing your hands thoroughly (at least two minutes), coughing and sneezing into your arm rather than your hand, eat right, and get good rest. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth because germs spread quicker that way.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends  that sick people stay home, avoid contact with infected people, and try to avoid infecting others.  People that are at high risk of the flu are young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions such as asthma. If you start to have flu symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, chills and fatigue it’s important to take antiviral drugs within the first two days. Antiviral drugs can make the illness milder and shorten it and also prevent serious flu complications.

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Everett seniors are back at it again! First it was Boo Grams, now it’s Candy Cane Grams. Senior Stanley Pates said that they are selling the candy grams because they are trying to raise money for causes such as prom, field trips, and other school activities.
“They cost one dollar each,” said Pates.  “The [main] reason for the candy cane grams is so that we have more money for prom.”
All sorts of candy will be in the bag, not just candy canes, said Pates. There will be different kinds of Christmas chocolates, and more.
Candy Cane Grams are on sale now during lunch hours.

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A new year is coming, that means new resolutions. Resolutions are goals that people make for themselves that they want to follow through with. It could be something like losing weight or getting good grades. Everyone has different goals set for themselves.
“I want to be nicer to people,” said sophomore Taven Thuma. “Sometimes I get an attitude and can be really mean.”
Some people don’t have any resolutions.
“I don’t really have [resolutions],” said junior Sharaya Lundy. “I don’t believe in making goals just in the beginning of the year. You should make goals all year round, there is not a bad time to make one.”
A lot of people make resolutions, but have a hard time sticking to them.
“Most of the time [I keep resolutions], unless it’s something I do everyday, then I get tired and quit,” said Thuma.
Sticking to your resolutions can be hard, most people do quit after awhile. 45% of people make resolutions. Only 8% achieve their resolution.
“A lot of people don’t [keep resolutions]. They make [them] to try to feel better about themselves, but then don’t have enough confidence to keep it,” said Lundy.
Thuma adds, “Some people just wish for the impossible.”

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