NOCTILUCA June 2017

nor thnoct . com @Nor thNoct

Appleton, Wisconsin

June 2017

Vol. XXII

Issue VIII

North putting mental health front and center Students and staff speak up; new programming reaches out

By Jake Zajkowski

The YRBS is an anonymous survey administered to North freshmen and juniors. Of the total 732 students sur- veyed in the fall of 2015, 401 were freshman and 331 were juniors. Graphic by Kate Bennett

“The common thing to hear is ‘it gets better.’ Don’t get me wrong, it does, but I think a bet- ter thing to say is ‘it’s all worth it.’” These words are from Sam Stratton, an Appleton North ju- nior who has dealt with mental illness as early as the 4th grade. The month of May was Men- tal Health Month, and helped draw attention to an issue that affects everyone, students at North are no exception. According to results from the 2015-2016 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey question, which asked “during the past 30 days, how many days was your mental health not good?”, 60.5 percent of surveyed North students reported one or more days, compared to Outagamie County results of 64.2 percent. With more than half of North’s surveyed students reporting troubles with mental health on one or more days in a thirty day period, North has continued to emphasize awareness and re- sources. “I don’t know if we can ever have enough [resources]. I do think that Appleton North is making a cognitive effort to raise awareness about mental health,” said Mr. Eric Eastman, Psychology teacher and leader of Psych Club. “When you look at stats saying 20-25 per- cent of people in the U.S. suf- fer from depression, people still try to fight alone. They thinking they’re alone. Peer-led efforts work better, so students make other students aware of re- sources and peers that can help them and get them the help they need.” Though many fight mental illnesses like depression alone, some students are willing to talk about their experiences with

Appleton Area School District Superintendent Mr. Lee Allinger celebrates his time with the district. Photo by Andrea Calzada-Vera. Lasting legacies After 36 years of service to AASD, Superintendent Mr. Allinger retires

By Nora Ptacek

He began his career 36 years ago as a substi- tute teacher; now he’s the retiring superinten- dent of theAppletonArea School District. “It’s a tremendously impactful profession, and I’m fortunate to have had such a great opportunity with an excellent school district for so many years and to be a part of it at the teacher level, principal level and then central office. It’s been a real passion and a lot of learning for me as well,” said Mr. Lee Allinger.

The beginning “My interest in teaching started in 6th grade….you know we all find teachers that make that special connection and I was a young man who had a lot of energy and was maybe somewhat immature and [my 6th grade teacher] found a way for me to get connected to school in a very positive way so I really liked that,” said Allinger. When looking at career

mental illness. “If I had a message for people with mental illnesses it would be: don’t be afraid of admitting that there’s something different about you. Just because there’s something different about you doesn’t make you any less ca- pable,” North Senior Yasmeen Ashour said. Diagnosed with anxiety at a young age, Ashour went to therapists and tried dif- ferent medications to help her handle her anxiety. However, these weren’t completely effec- tive. “Whenever I wasn’t occupied or anxious, I would notice how tired, sad, and exhausted I was.” This led to another diagnosis of chronic depression. “Anxiety and depression are like two but- See Zajkowski , page 3

See Ptacek , page 2 After 30 years, Mrs. Fenlon steps down from Appleton Board of Education

By Nora Ptacek

“Well, you can think of yourself as an architect or as a shepherd,” is what Mrs. Sharon Fenlon’s daughter told her about her 30 years on the School Board, 23 of which she served as president. “When you’re an architect, that’s when you’re creating something, but when you’re a shepherd, you’re supporting, you’re leading, you’re being part of the process but not necessarily… you’re not the architect. So I think for most of my ca- reer I’ve been a shepherd, but there was one time when I was an architect,” said Fenlon. In her architectural act, Fenlon wrote a book and got grants to develop a display of the Hmong culture. “The idea

Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna recognizes School Board President Sharon Fenlon by proclaiming April 10, 2017, to be “Sharon Fenlon Day.” Photo courtesy of AASD

Local resources include: NAMI Fox Valley: 920-954-1550 or namifoxvalley.org HOPELINE: text 741741 for 24/7 support for struggles North Psychologist Sue Davis and Social Worker Debbie Strick: davissusan@aasd.k12.wi.us or strickdebbie@aasd.k12.wi.us For a full list of resources, go to northnoct.com

See Ptacek , page 8

After 26 years, Dr. Mielke resigns from School Board, says he wants “to give younger people the chance to serve on this Board.” Page 3

NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin June 2017 Volume XXII

Issue VIII

Page 2

From substitute teacher to superintendent

choices, the outgoing superintendent had considered an accounting career because of his interest inworkingwith numbers but “ultimately I decided to go with my heart, and education was the direction. Even as a young man I had a bulletin board in my bedroom that I decorated with seasonal stuff like you would have in an elementary classroom, so my interest in educa- tion goes way back,” added Allinger. As he ends his career here inAASD, Allinger has some important words to share with us about the importance of a public education and diversity, of making mistakes and learning, of the future of education and of the state of the district as he leaves it. The state of the district “So much takes place before stu- dents actually show up in our school,” said Allinger as he spoke to the im- portance of an early connection with students. There is now a 4K program and the district works hard to connect with families and community agen- cies, leveraging the “wealth of oppor- tunity” that exists before school even begins. “Certainly in the last decade we’ve become far more connected to children at birth to age 5,” added Allinger. But the desire to be connect- ed with students outside of the grades K-12 realm exists not only before but also after the standard schooling years. The district has been involved in strong career-based learning ini- tiatives. “We want to be viewed as a school district that helps kids be con- nected to what their future could be beyond high school.” Among building strong relation- ships and ensuring students feel safe and welcomed in the district, it has also been a focus of this superinten- dent to educate “the entire child,” which to himmeans that “our schools play a significant role in making sure that the arts are a valued part of what happens not only in art class but inte- grated throughout [the school].” As the leading visionary for the district, Allinger hopes that students know this is a great place to make mistakes, because he knows there are multiple ways to show understanding and that learning is not solely mea- sured through tests. “Students are go- ing to make mistakes; they’re going to make poor decisions, and I hope that we’re seen as a school district that understands that and that works with kids even when they might be struggling the most, that we’re not pushing them away or turning our backs on them,” said Allinger. Public education Allinger places heavy value on di- Ptacek , Allinger, from page 1

“To be a good educator or good school district, you need all 1,800 people feeling that they can bring their innovation and ideas to work.”

versity and hopes that students realize as they graduate that diversity is our strength. He describes public schools as “perhaps one of the last places of coming together, whether it be differ- ent religious groups, different ethnici- ties, different cultural experiences or different political views.” AASD has a priority pyramid that sets a safe and welcoming community as the basis of a successful district, leading to great instruction and curriculum. School vouchers, Allinger mentioned, he feels hinder the coming together that public schools offer. He’s spoken with various legislators, including Governor Scott Walker, advocat- ing for public schools and educating about the dangers the voucher system can bring. “I think people are more focused on the money than on what philo- sophically we want to try to create in the school experience. I think that [school vouchers] will lead to greater segregation.” Allinger believes that it is more powerful to learn about expe- riences from real people and not by solely reading it in a book. “I do and I don’t get the whole idea that com- petition will drive improving schools, that’s a business model. We might be better off to take a look at it as schools share information. I think we’d be better off ensuring that all students get quality learning opportunities versus going to a competitive model,” added the superintendent. Speaking about collectively sharing information as a teaching model, Allinger also warned against the system of merit-based pay, deeming it “not a formula for suc- cess.” Future of public education AsAllinger looks forward at the fu- ture of education, he thinks there will be a higher level of student respon- sibility, integration of technology and online courses, and expansion of “anytime, anywhere learning.” This anytime, anywhere learning is facilitated by technology, allowing students access to information and Related Stories: Huggins named assistant superinten- dent, Mielke to retire, page 3

school work at any point. Maybe high schoolers would arrive at different times with more flexibility in course- work and class times, similar to col- lege courses. “You’ll continue to see technology pushing the bounds of the typical school day and school year,” said Allinger. As science advances, Allinger also pointed out that our understanding of brain development will grow, especially in helping with mental health issues. “Those types of developments [in mental health sci- ence] will help us better target strate- gies to work with particular students and their families, and hopefully im- “I love to bike. And it’ll be nice to not have to go just on weekends or high traffic times in the evening,” said Allinger. Besides enjoying more free time, Allinger plans to stay engaged in the community through his in- volvement with the Performing Arts Center and the Bubolz boards. Both he and his wife have an educational endowment that will go towards en- vironmental education and he plans to have a different advocacy role for public education. Soon, his grandkids who live right down the street will enter school, and he plans to support them in their schooling careers. “The school district has allowed me to raise my family.” Three of Allinger’s four children are teachers, one is an artist, and two are married to teachers. “I’m proud that my kids are educators; I love to talk to them about it. Two of them teach in the school district, so I get complaints from all angles,” he said with a laugh, quickly adding that it was okay. “I’m not necessarily thinking that I have to be done with work; there may be opportunities to serve in a differ- ent capacity, most likely not in public education but in some other way. I’ve only known education, so it’s kind of intriguing what other opportuni- ties might come forward. I go to the Copper Rock downtown almost ev- Related Story: Herrling to retire after six years as North’s activity director, page 12 prove outcomes.” What’s next?

ery morning to get my coffee, maybe I’ll serve coffee there or something,” he said with a smile. “I don’t think I have the skills though,” he added with a chuckle. But for now, he’s ex- cited to travel with his wife. As the job of superintendent is all-consum- ing, they haven’t had the opportunity to explore as much and plan to go to Italy. Last words of advice For educators: “You’re so busy, but what an incredibly valuable pro- fession you’ve chosen. Thanks for choosing it. So many kids are count- ing on you to give us your best. And your best is all you have to give us,” Allinger said warmly. For students: As he commented on the number of opportunities avail- able, Allinger suggested students take advantage of them. “Don’t be afraid of failure. I think this is the place to do it. This a chance for you to try things and don’t be afraid; we’re going to be there to help you and so are your parents — to pick you up if things don’t go well in the cross country race or on the play stage or playing your bassoon or giv- ing a speech or writing a newspaper article,” Allinger said. “It’s been my desire to connect with individual students and staff. That’s been really important to me. I hope that people recognize, and I think they do, that I’ve tried to keep that [connection]. Everyone has ideas, but we have 1,800 people on our staff and I would hope that if I had a legacy, if there’s such a thing, it wouldn’t be a particular program or project. It would be more about the idea that to be a good educator or good school district, you need all 1,800 people feeling that they can bring their innovation and ideas to work with kids. Every student is so different in what they might need to be effective, so I would hope that my legacy would be around leveraging the strength of everyone on our staff and also in our communities.”

Related Editorial: Legacies of Education, page 4

Related Story: North’s Nurse Dougherty to retire, page 8

NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin June 2017 Volume XXII Page 3 North’s Mr. Huggins to be district assistant superintendent Issue VIII

By Salma Abdel-Azim North High School Principal Mr. James Huggins announced on Wednesday, May 17, that he accepted the position of assis- tant superintendent for school services/student services of the West Cluster Schools for the Appleton Area School District. Huggins will be assuming this position this coming July 1, in place of Dr. Judy Baseman, who is to become the new su- perintendent of the district. Mr. Huggins has been an ed- ucator for 22 years, 17 of those years at North, 9 of which as principal. It all started when he was in college working at the Bob Hope Hughen handicap school in Port Arthur, Texas. “It interested me and I fell in love with it… I got really con- nected and close with those students.” After his time there, Mr. Huggins joined the Marine Corps for 4 years, during which he enjoyed working with the young adults as a leader. Out of the Marine Corps, he served as principal of Einstein Middle School for 5 years and be- came a teacher at North, rising through the ranks to become Zajkowski , mental health, from page 1 tons. When one is pushed down, the other is pushed up. It makes it really hard to find medication for one that doesn’t set the other off.” Ashour eventually went through five different medica- tions over the following years, looking to balance anxiety and depression. Ashour explains she is in a much better place now. “I can still have bad days, but the people I surround myself with are really understanding and positive. You just need to insert yourself in a positive environ- ment.” These experiences have made Ashour passionate about raising awareness about mental health. “I see people struggle and I want to make it easier for them and have themunderstand all the stigmas around mental health. I want them to know they’re still capable people,” she said. Stigmas play a large role in the fight against mental health issues. “Since there’s a stigma, people don’t want to say they have [a mental illness]. Since no one wants to talk about it, the stigma gets stronger,” Eastman explains. This stigma led another stu- dent, Stratton, to believe what he was feeling when he was

principal with more responsi- bilities, geared toward the West Cluster schools; however, what the position actually entails is yet to be determined. “How we do this is we look to see who we hire and then we look to see how we can best use that person’s abilities.. We (assis- tant superintendents) all have unique responsibilities across the district,” Vogel said. Mr. Huggins is most excited to work with new people in a new setting, while Mr. Vogel is most excited about, “all the dif- ferent experiences he has had... he has a great work ethic.” Mr. Vogel says the biggest challenge in this position is “...to continue to attract the best possible people to educa- tion.” Having the best people as teachers and staff with a de- sire and passion to go into edu- cation ensures success at the highest level for every student. “We want to make sure that there’s a place for everyone,” Vogel said. Mr. Huggins is worried about the state and overwhelming us- age of social media. “I really have seen such an explosion in Dr. John E. Mielke, who has served as a member on the Ap- pletonArea Board of Education for the past 26 years, recently submitted his letter of resigna- tion, effective in late June. “My reason for resigning at this time is to be able to give younger people the chance to serve on this Board,” Mielke said. Mielke is an Appleton native who attended Appleton Senior High school, where he gradu- ated in 1951 as a member of the

the past 5 to 10 years in the use of social media, and how info is used and shared is not all good. I don’t think technology or so- cial media is negative, but it’s irresponsible usage that I am worried about.” Mr. Huggins will most miss his staff and students at North and “...watching the students going from freshmen to shak- ing their hands and giving them their diplomas.” Over the next month, Mr. Huggins will transition into his new position, while Appleton North obtains a new principal. According to Mr. Vogel, the district intends to find someone within the district, and they are open to the input from parents, staff, and students to find a suit- able candidate for the position. North will have a new principal for the next school year, but the district will take the necessary time and consideration to find the best person for the job. “I really do care deeply about this school. It’s been a sig- nificant part of my career...I’m still going to be vested in this school in the years to come,” Mr. Huggins said. National Honor Society. After receiving his B.S. and M.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Mr. Mielke served as a captain for the United States Army Medical Corps. In 1967, Mielke founded the Fox Valley Academy of Medicine and has been in private prac- tice of internal medicine since 1965. In the past fifty-two years, he has also been an active member of several community orga- nizations, bearing the titles of Director for the Mielke Family Foundation, Elder of the Me- morial Presbyterian Church, Director of the Fox Cities Children Museum, Director of the Appleton Medical Center Foundation and Director of the Appleton Education Founda- tion. On Mielke’s dedication to the Fox Cities community, AASD Superintendent Lee Allinger said, “He is an innovative force -- his ideas have spawned many great opportunities not only in our schools, but throughout our community. While he is step- ping away from the Board, he and Sally will continue their ef- forts in our schools and broader community.”

Current North Principal and future AASD Assistant Superinten- dent Mr. James Huggins reflects upon his 17 years as a North faculty member. Photo by Salma Abdel-Azim.

hands on principal, cares about all kids, wants to do everything he can to help all kids succeed.” Huggins says his hardest challenge he has encountered in his current position has been the loss of loved ones. “The loss of loved ones, includ- ing students, staff, and family members are the hardest chal- lenges I have faced. I won’t say I’ve overcame them, but you persevere,” Huggins said. The new role of assistant superintendent is a leadership position focused on the district level. It is broader in scope than Huggins’ current position as Davis. “It’s probably much higher than that,” Eastman said. “After a while, we don’t realize what it means to be healthy. The chaos doesn’t give us an opportunity to stop and take care of ourselves.” “[Stigmas] have created an en- vironment where people are fearful of even saying suicide.” One way North is approach- ing mental health is Sources of Strength, a suicide prevention project that uses peers to change culture to prevent things like sui- cide and bullying. With a goal to create a mindset of getting help, Sources of Strength approaches the topic with less focus on the risks and more on connections and resources. North has integrated this new program with the wheel in the commons showing where stu- dents of North find their strength from, be it family, friends, healthy living, or many others. “I think it will be incredibly beneficial. It will create a con- versation and won’t hide the is- sue,” Eastman said. While May is the official Mental Health Month, mental health is something that can af- fect people at any time, and one of the first steps to a healthy life is by telling someone. “Life is really wonderful,” Stratton said, “and once you can live it without the weight of these negative feelings, it’s the most amazing feeling.”

principal. “Being a teacher in this building since it opened in 1995 to me has been very spe- cial,” Huggins said. Mr. Huggins says the accom- plishment he’s most proud of in his time as principal has been building relationships. “Having previous students come back to be teachers and parents is really cool to see.” Mr. Ben Vogel, the assistant superintendent of the North Cluster, who has worked with Mr. Huggins as a colleague and has supported him in his role of assistant superintendent, describes Mr. Huggins as, “...a young was normal. “I’d never learned it wasn’t normal. I thought everyone else had these feelings too.” After an increase in severity, Stratton finally decided to speak up and get help, going through nine different medications and eight different therapists, and at one point needing to go to a psychi- atric hospital. “Being there isn’t like any other experience in your life. You see these people who seem fine – they are amazing people – but you know they’re struggling too... It was a revelation for me. It was the first way it really oc- curred to me that I wasn’t the only one.” After finally finding a thera- pist he clicked with and a medi- cation that worked, Stratton was able to lead a positive and healthy life. “The first step is re- ally letting someone know. The moment you share with some- one else, it’s liberating.” “I think that it’s unfortunate, but honestly not shocking,” Stratton said about the statistic that 19.4 percent of North stu- dents felt extended signs of de- pression, according to theYRBS survey.Additionally, Outagamie County YRSB results show 24 percent of surveyed students re- ported extended signs of depres- sion. “It’s always an eye opener to look at these statistics,” said North Social Worker Mrs. Sue

Longtime School Board member Dr. Mielke resigns By Maddy Schilling

Board member John Mielke resigns after serving on the Board of Education for 26 years. Photo courtesy of AASD.

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin June 2017 Volume XXII

Issue VIII Page 4

Noctiluca Mission Statement 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 ex- pression. 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 ethi- cal standards and provide a des- ignated public forum for free and responsible expression of views. Appleton North High School

Noctiluca Editorial

Legacies of education: Society depends on people like these

Education: the foundation of success in modern-day society. It holds the greatest precedence in preparing individuals for their future. Yet, education remains one of many establishments that is immensely un- dervalued on a national scale. As Lee Allinger, Sharon Fenlon and Dr. John Mielke step away from their long- standing roles in education in the district, now more than ever, it is apparent that education requires increasingly greater at- tention. These three individuals have dedi- cated immeasurable time and resources to our community. It is imperative that we celebrate these advocates of education and strive to contribute to the ever-dynamic and ever-prevalent nature of education. Because without education, society is inca- pable of progression. With a combined total of about 92 years serving in education, Allinger, Fenlon and Mielke have significantly improved the AASD through idealistic action and pro- gressive invention. Mielke has helped es- tablish the Appleton Education Foundation and has served on the board of directors for the Mielke Family Foundation and the

Related articles Lasting Legacies, Page 1

versity and the outreach with the Birth to 5 program, emphasizing that “We want to be viewed as a school district that helps kids be connected to what their future could be beyond high school.” With the expounding integration of tech- nology into our society and the greater prevalence of service-based jobs, educa- tion serves as the primary vehicle for suc- cess and progress. Not only does education provide students with analysis and inno- vation tools that can be utilized outside of academia, it supplies individuals with the means to discover their individuality. Education allows students to explore po- tential areas of passion and to develop aspi- rations for their future. But, of equal impor- tance, education fosters democracy. We wholeheartedly thank these three pio- neers for their service, and call on the next generation of Allingers, Fenlons and Miel- kes to continue to carry the torch.

Mielke

Allinger

Fenlon

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

Building for Kids. Similarly, Fenlon, the president of the AppletonArea School Dis- trict Board of Education for 23 years, as- sisted in fostering cultural diversity within the AASD by promoting awareness of the Hmong culture residing in Appleton. Ad- ditionally, she has helped integrate char- ter schools into the AASD, a project that ensured charter school students were not left behind. Finding adequate educational resources within charter school systems is difficult in today’s society, but that issue is uncommon here in Appleton, as a result of her work. Since the AASD Board of Edu- cation operates on a service without pay basis, Fenlon and Mielke have been volun- teering for decades to improve our educa- tion. Similarly, Allinger discussed both the di-

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

Editorial Staff Senior Editor-In-Chief Nora Ptacek Junior Editor-In-Chief Jake Zajkowski Managing Editor Kate Bennett News Editor Ally Price Opinions Editor Maeve Salm Features Editor Henry Ptacek Centerspread Editor Salma Abdel-Azim Olivia Molter Copy Editor Fatima Ali Advertising/Social Media Rachel Sina Graphics Editor Henry Ptacek Online Editor Kate Bennett Investigative Editor Erik Bakken Advisor Mr. Ramponi Contributors Salma Abdel-Azim Fatima Ali Culture Editor Maddy Schilling Sports Editor Maddie Clark Photography Editor

The importance of true activism in initiating change

Only when I took real steps to initiate change could I justify my views and criticisms. It sud- denly seemed very hypocritical to take a very firm stance on a cause, shun those who saw dif- ferently and do nothing more. So, I decided to do more. I be- came one of the leaders of Gen- der Equality Club and began to organize projects and events. I started the Appleton chapter of Days For Girls, an organiza- tion that crafts and distributes reusable pads and other hygiene products to women in parts of Africa and third world coun- tries around the world. My team raised money and are currently in the process of sewing these kits to the standards requested on the national organization’s website. During the same time as DFG was getting off its feet, I helped organize a march for International Women’s Day in Appleton. This brought to light a lot of feelings I hadn’t recog- nized before, pertaining to how I witness others reacting to injus- tice. So many people showed up to the event that I’d never seen or heard from before. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of activists from my community showed up, but so many people came who hadn’t been around for the election, or in the past years.

Standing on College Avenue with a sign clenched in my mitted hands, my face almost covered by my hat and scarf, while battling 30 mile per hour winds wasn’t very glamorous. It wasn’t what my mom expected me to be doing on a Wednes- day after school in the middle of March. But I wanted to be at the Women’s March, because just holding my beliefs wasn’t enough anymore. I knew that in order to initiate change, I had to take responsibility for a cause, and subsequently, take the re- quired steps to make that change a reality. So there I was, freez- ing, in the middle of Downtown Appleton, standing up for what I believed in. For the longest time, my idea of what it took to represent my opinions in a just light was very simple. If I spoke up in con- versations and posted articles online, that was enough, right? That’s what I was supposed to be doing. But, during my junior year, I did things that challenged my beliefs on what good activ- Change requires more than passive action By Sophie Plzak

Sophie Plzak accepts the Democratic Youth Leadership Award from the Bettin on Blue Bash, held by the Outagamie County Democratic Party, for her activism in the community. Photo by Kate Bennett

Erik Bakken Maddie Clark Sky Iwanski Sophie Plzak Ally Price Henry Ptacek Nora Ptacek Maeve Salm Maddy Schilling Jake Zajkowski

ismwas. The first time I brought my habits under scrutiny was when I sold Chex Mix during school lunches for Lovestruck Week. The Gender Equality Club had decided that in order to bring awareness to the wage gap and start a dialogue in school, they would sell the mixes for 75 cents to women, and a dollar to men. I ran the booth every day during 5th hour for that entire week, and held many interesting conversations with skeptics and allies alike. I managed to even sway a few students towards my

ultimate goal of accepting and understanding that the wage gap was not a myth. Through my conversations, and the aggres- siveness of how I was confront- ed with several differing views, I came to understand where the line between pseudo-activism and real activism lies. To really represent a cause, you must take action, real ac- tion. My habits of posting on social media and calling out some ignorant person in the middle of a class weren’t things that would make a difference.

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin June 2017 Volume XXII

Issue VIII Page 5

Gaming provides individuals with important skill sets With the approach of summer, students are looking more and more to its warm embrace. As schedules open up, and people relish their newfound inde- pendence, the question arises: “what should I do with all this time?” Amongst the vacations and the summer plans, many will fill their free time with video games. If you’re a gamer, you know how infuriating they can be at times. By Jake Zajkowski Gaming offers an alternative approach to obtaining academic and communication skills. Photo by Jake Zajkowski

to compete on the same field. While some people have their grades, or their courts, others find that gaming is what gets their blood pumping. Incorpo- rating split second decisions and lots of multitasking, the brain is stimulated in many ways that nurture growth and learning. Furthermore, players must learn to adapt to various situations. These changes are constantly being implemented into the ever shifting “meta” and keep play- ers on their toes, thinking of so- lutions around these challenges to succeed. This skill of adapta- tion is also extended into puzzle and strategy games that require the player to formulate a plan to succeed. These games can also create an interest in history and sci- ence. Many games are based around historical events provid- ing historical information in an enjoyable and interactive way. Games like these can foster a love for science in children and are more enjoyable than learn- ing in a classroom setting be- cause they combine creativity, logic and fun to showcase these ideas.

would be uncomfortable going into the same bathroom as a person who is trans, and that’s just blatant transphobia. There is no arguing otherwise. If you are unaccepting of the fact that yes, a trans woman is really a woman, and yes, a trans man is really a man, (and yes, a trans nonbinary person is a nonbinary person) then you are in fact dis- playing transphobia. In the most extreme cases, the government is telling people who they are and what they can and cannot do in direct relation to how they identify. In the least extreme cases, they are asking for you to out yourself to your parents if you are a transgender student in school to get special permission to be allowed to use the restroom you identify with. We don’t have to let this stand. Students, teachers, employ- ees, business-owners-- anyone and everyone can write to their legislators. Call officials, take action, participate in elections, stand up for equality. If there is one thing you will stand for in 2017, please let it be equal- ity. Respect other people and their identities, respect their re- ligions, their sexual and roman- tic orientations, their different physical and mental abilities, re- spect their race, their ethnicity-- respect other human beings, and we are on our way to respecting the world. There is a social component to gaming as well. Some stu- dents, anyone really, may not have that many friends in real life. Weather it’s because of shy- ness, anxiety or some other lim- iting situation, games give these people ways to interact without fear, or even create entire friend groups through people met on- line. Naturally, players want to perform well for their friends, and if they fail to do so, it can cause frustration. With that also comes a sense of disap- pointment, in that they did not play up to what they think their friends should see. This internal criticism is only compounded when an outside source ridicules a player for showing their frus- tration. Such negative forces on students, and players in general, creates the opposite outcome for what games at their core should be: a form of relaxation and fun. These are just a few exam- ples, and it leads me to wonder: with all of the benefits, skills, and growing experiences found in gaming, how can it be a bad thing to find passion in it? Is it really just a game?

birth. These 16 states have sug- gested that, with varying nu- ances, transgender students at schools must use the bathroom of the gender they were as- signed at birth, a single-person bathroom, a unisex bathroom, or a faculty bathroom. Usually, these transgender students do not even have all of these op- tions, because, for some rea- son, a trans girl using the same bathroom as a cis girl is seen as a threat by the proposers of this legislation. This is interesting because there have been absolutely zero documented cases of a trans person harassing anyone in a bathroom, but there have been countless documented cases of trans people being harassed in bathrooms (NPR, Mic, the Ad- vocate). Claims have been made of sexual predators pretending to be transgender as an excuse to harass people in bathrooms, which is quite an offensive comparison. Yes, there have been cases of sexual predators assaulting people in bathrooms, but these individuals were not transgendered individuals-- they were sexual predators. Thinking that the two are even comparable is abhorrent. There have also never been any re- ported cases of a person “using” their identity as a trans person to harass people in their respected bathroom. Even before the bath- While games are made as a leisurely pastime, it has many benefits for students and chil- dren that are easy to overlook through the lens of “it’s just a game.” While an immediate thought can be drawn from puz- zle games and the likes when looking for beneficial outcomes of gaming, even games like Call of Duty can yield positive skills. Multiplayer games teach chil- dren immediately that there is success in teamwork; countless shiny new tablet for one thing: fun! That is why people play games after all. So why does this “age of technology” con- demn players for showing their frustration? It can be argued that one cause is as simply put as: ig- norance.

games are implementing ways to aid the player’s’ interactions with each other. It provides an environment that promotes lead- ership without giving any seri- ous consequence. As students grow intellectually, socially and physically, skills they learned while playing “just a game” could prove pivotal in their scholarly career. Research has even been done by the Ameri- can Psychological Association showing students gaining posi- tive social skills just from play- ing video games. These games also provide a healthy and safe place to har- bor friendly competition. Let’s face it, school can be very com- petitive. And while that may be the case, not everyone wants

Should we, as the United States of America, as the land of the free and home of the brave, allow transgender individuals to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity? Gender identity, as defined by the Human Rights Campaign, is “one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gen- der identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.” The reason that allowing cer- tain people to use certain rest- rooms is even a topic of debate is because, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 16 states have proposed legislation to “restrict access to multiuser restrooms, locker rooms, and other sex- segregated facilities on the basis of a definition of sex or gender consistent with sex assigned at birth or ‘biological sex.’” Essentially, 16 states (and this is just in 2017-- other states have considered “BathroomBills,” as they have been dubbed, in past years, 24 in total between 2013 and 2016) have proposed dis- criminatory legislation based on cisgender people’s comfort levels. The term “cisgender” means that you identify as the gender you were assigned at The common response to game rage is “get over it, it’s just a game,” followed with an ensu- ing sense of shame in the player for letting themselves allow an emotional response from some- thing as simple and insignificant as a video game. As a gamer, I find that this view of “it’s just a game” is one that is more dam- aging than beneficial. In this age of technology, children are being exposed to an ever ex- panding world of gadgets and games. This exposure has begun at younger ages, and of course, what comes with technology? Games. Now, naturally, children want to use their newfound iPhone or By Skye Iwanski

Government condoned discrimination, known as the bathroom bills

Sixteen states considered bathroom bills in 2017, and 24 states considered bathroom bills between 2013-2016. Infographic by Kate Bennett

room bills were proposed, there were many documented cases of trans people being harassed about their bathroom prefer- ences. One woman decided that she would feel much safer if she brought her gun into a Tar- get bathroom to protect herself from trans women, in light of the store’s declaration during the spring of last year. Target announced that it would allow transgender people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their identity. This woman acted as such, because, as she stated in an interview with Orlando Weekly in late April of last year, her gun “identifies as [her] bodyguard.” This isn’t only an incorrect use of the word “iden- tify;” it’s an attempt to devalue the word itself. Another woman protested Target’s decision by holding a Bible over her head while marching down the aisles, declaring that the store was an

unsafe place and urging moth- ers to “get [their] children out of this store,” according to an article by Syracuse, also in the spring of last year. Because of these women’s and others’ ac- tions, over 700,000 people have pledged to boycott Target stores as of April 28 of last year, ac- cording to USA Today. Some people are more threatened by transgender people than by gun- wielding people in bathrooms, which seems more than a little backwards. What is more dan- gerous?Ahuman being who has to pee or a human being who is prejudiced and holding a gun? Why would our government willingly put legislation in place that makes an entire group of people feel unaccepted and marginalized? This is not the only case in which this has been done, but the BathroomBills are especially prominent in the me- dia as of late. Some people argue that they

Job Training Program Robert Brennan Ewokolo Fonkem Erica Miller Madeleine Noel Alexandria Richter Nicholas Smithback Danielle White Judson University Madeleine Klepps Alexis Tesch Junior Hockey Matthew Gruber Lawrence University Oscar Brautigam Loyola University Courtney Rooyakkers Salah Siddiqui Macalester College Brennan Arnold Kayla Schang Madison Area Technical Ryan Jozwiak Carl Valk Marian University Naomi Lueddecke Michigan State Kieran Brosnan Michigan Tech Jacob Hiltunen Mid State Technical College Zachariah Groskreutz Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Neela Vang Missouri Valley College Kylie Fahey Moody Bible Institute Anna Duehring Jacob Madalinski MSOE Weston Verhoff Northern Michigan William Tews Olivia Debruin Los Angeles Valley Emely Espinoza

Alma College Justin Sanders

Congratula Class of 2

Apprenticeship Amberlynn Nichols Arizona State University Kirsten Vermeulen Anna Wendt Augustana College Katherine Peregrine Bemidji State University Nina Landowski Skye Iwanski Bentley University Levi Werlein Brigham Young Camille Christensen

FVTC Michael Kerrigan Yosseline Cerda Cendejas

Mckenna Amo Trinity Arnold Treber Balthazor Alyssa Bates Kelsey Brehmer Cinthia Cerda Cendejas Mee Chang Dayton Dewall

F l y t o N e w H e i g h t s !

Jacob Fischer Andrew Gall Dawson Gohla Brenna Grantman Kiana Herman Anitha Kongkeo Shanae Lapean Kimberly Larsen Mai Lee Brandi Lueck Dayana Martinez Andrew Nimmer Cody Perreault Lillian Poremba Isaac Jerde Paul Knapp Jacob Prudom Jordan Purath Timothy Rausch Autumn Renier

Undecided Becca Avila Petr Combs Devon Coon

Northwest Missouri Madelyn Ahrens Paul Mitchell Adrianna Vandecorput Project Search Kia Mies

Robert Weed Jacob Wright

Quinn Countney Corrina Czarnik Heavenly Ann Dupree Justus Eldred Savannah Griggs Meliha Husic Dylan Recker Alyssa Rhodes Garret Richey Ross Rysewyk Johnathan Stephens Zay Thao Parker Vanlith Hannah Wentzel Kong Meng Xiong Emily Ludovic Austin Mccoy Vaughn Oestreich

Brown Katherine Bennett

Purdue University Hayden Kreul

John Riley Tyler Sales

Jennifer Schipper Clayton Schramm Nicholas Schurrer Tommy Chia Thao Brandon Tomazevic Joshua Vanderaa Ma Vang Melinda Vang Yeng Vang Kia Vue Jacob Wellner Matthew Wimberger Landen Witt Grant Wroblewski David Yang Ger Yang Riva Myhill Luke Lacosse Gap Year Avriel Sowatzka Hamline University Carmen Danz Dagny Norbeck Hillsdale College Noel Schroeder Iowa Central Community College Zachary Parker Cameron Kolbe Iowa Lakes Community College Evan Sankey

Ripon College Alejandra Cardenas

Case Western Reserve Maeve Salm

Rock Valley Joseph Kiesau

Coe College Charles Wu Columbia College Yasmeen Ashour Sydney Pomrening UW-Concordia Abigail Henn Creighton University Hannah Gilboa Daytona State College Zackary Anderson Paige Londre Dominic Matosevic DePaul University Nicole Labrie Edgewood College Lydia Dean Paige Kipping Faith Technologies Nathan Schuh McKendree Calypso Pohlman

Southern Illinois Carbondale Jaicie Wilson St Cloud State Nicole Friis Allysun Mcnaughton St. Norbert College Megan Gonnering Madelyn Kapheim

Connor Zilisch Sayfuddin Amin Harold Beck Christy Breuer Sarah Fieweger Madison Hebl Graciela

Hernandez Tamayo Alexander Hohman Hitimana Ndabirishe William Witek

St. Olaf College Sophia Mariano Anna Olson

Virginia Ally Price

Stanford University Macalister Bagwell SUNYAlbany Gabriel Noel

Marquette University Allison Mattioli

University Jack Heimerl Kade Pena

Ashley Wong Megan Fencl

Padua Olena Gavrylova South Carolina Lauren Hilt St. Thomas Anna Bougie Oklahoma Connor Steenbock Southern California Rachel Moten Western Washington Skyler Singer Minnesota Twin Cities Nora Ptacek Maren Mcleish Madison Alsbach Tiyu Cheng Madeline Cuff Kenady Duester- haus HayleyDunlop Brittany Horn Nathaniel Maslanka Kayla Muinde

ions 17!

UW-Stevens Point Kai Abshire Tristan Debruin Kali Houston Amber Keenan Addisyn Kohlbeck Madeline Plantiko Hannah Schneider UW-Superior Rashel Fields UW-Whitewater Padee Vang Alyssa Jansen Colin Johnson Carley Katzman Andrew Wilks Winnona State Claire Huss Katrin Pfaffenbach Erin Wayland Working Cameron Birling Marissa Delzer Mercedes Dempsey Taya Granberg Megan Hemauer Young Herr Aavid Jahnke Vincent Olson Brett Peters Dylan Schleicher Hannah Sicard Monika Vanenkenvoort Ko Yang Brianna Zevik Yale Saul Roselaar Regina Lobner Ethan Munoz

UW-Oshkosh Tyler Boldt Catherine Gullickson Shay Hendricks Jacob Jones Kate Lukashewich James Dean Parnau Eva Penick Bryce Place Shawn Poole Austin Prudom Daniel Salazar Alexander Toonen Josiah Vandenberg Mai Chong Xiong

Wingate Liam Johnson

UW-Eau Claire Alexis Tierney Grace Schilling Jocelyn Byrom Kathryn Johnson

UW-Madison Soha Ahmad Fatima Ali Samantha Barr Jayden Behrendt Connor Dahlke Sofia Druckrey Annaliese Duerr Emma Fogarty Calum Fraser Matthew Froze Luke Garrity Joshua Gasick Emma Hammond Andrew Ida Marcel Jean Pierre Valentino Juergens Emma Knutson Ashley Kuehnl Grace Kunesh Gabrielle Lacayo Zachary Marquardt Michael Milani Colin Mowbray Mitchell Paprocki Madeleine Platten Cameron Polce Rose Shefka Temour Sheikh Nicholas Smidt Aaron Strauch Ethan Tetting Halle Tyczkowski BrookeWeyenberg UW-Stout Alec Selle Caroline Allaback Ellie Stringham Matthew Tubbs Samantha Zwirschitz Wartburg College Abree Wojta Haiping Yan Sophie Plzak Rachel Sina

UW-Milwaukee Mai Ger Lee Loudon Barnes Jacob Bellin Karch Cvancara Noah Dedrick Ramsey Demario Emma Hager Kiana Heimann Olivia Peterson Michael Pope Darius Sargent Danaca Schilling Willa Singer

UW-Fox Valley Breanna Deruyter Alejandra Cruz Rodriguez Sydney Harvath Devon Lehman NathanAnderson AndreaCalzada Paul Collingwood Gabriella Cutie Abbey Desrochers Claire Ebben Breanna Endter Tiller Carly Flunker Jacob Gass Abigail Gollata Kristin Lato Cheyanne Nyman Nicholas Offenstein Morgan Pagel Zulan Pino Gomez Celeste Schaap Enosh Thao Adam Thor Maci Timm Morgan Vanderwielen

John Sweigart Dimitri Taoko Zachary Van Mai Lee Vang Mai Nou Vang

UCLA Mitchell Mologne

Caleb Winch Emily Writt Paul Xiong Jenna Miller Taylor University Caroline Massey Texas A&M Corpus Christi Sophie Pingtella The Salon Professional Acadmey Madalyn Lehr The University of Akron Jessica Kerin Toccoa Falls College Skyler Schuenke

Syracuse Erik Bakken

Year Off Kyra Carstensen Brooke Densmore William Droese Shandon Hamilton Gracie Klein Brianna Vervoort

Carleton Maddy Schilling Iowa State Caitlin Lostocco Kamryn Veith

Raven Wilson Haneen Zaidan Brandon Zonick UW-Green Bay Cassandra Bennett Javier Gongora Richard Jandourek Austin Sharron UW-La Crosse Emily Borkowski Connor Govin Isabella Krajnik Avery Kuphal Kyra Litwin Leah Schwartz Liza Stringham UW-Platteville Cheng Lor Jackson Resch

Armed Services Jacob Olsen Tyler Anderson David Dombek Savannah Novotny Michael Colon Anthony Crane Eric Born Joshua Engel Colton Campbell Andrew Zajkowski Calista Pagel Sethan Cate

Please note that colleges reported

here were taken from surveys filled out by seniors earlier in the year and recently updated by the Guidance Office. College changes since then or ommissions may not be accurately reflected.

New Haven Collin Squier

UW-River Falls Gina Dagostino

North Dakota Harrison Aubrey

Western Michigan Travis Leonardi

FEATURES Appleton, Wisconsin June 2017 Volume XXII Issue VIII Page 8

Dougherty on her time at North

Murals created by local artists, like the one pictured left, lined the streets of downtown Kaukauna during Bazaar After Dark. Photo by Lee Snodgrass

By Fatima Ali Throughout her five years at Appleton North, school nurse Mrs. Dougherty has had many great memories, many which deal with the ability to work with students, to ensure that they can maintain a normal life at school, even when deal- ing with a health problem. “There were some silly things as well, such as get- ting lost with a wheelchair on the second floor, and not knowing what I’m doing, since I don’t go up there very often.” During her retirement, Mrs. Dougherty is planning to travel in the fall, help out at her husband’s restaurant, called Mark’s East Side, and potentially find a part-time nursing job around the com- munity. When asked if she has any advice or parting words Ptacek, Lasting legacy, from page 1 was to do it for the school so the people would know who the Hmong are and what their story is, and to feature art drawn by Hmong students and photographs of some of the families from when they lived in Laos. So that’s something I did as an architect that I’m very proud of.” In her 23 years as School Board president, Fenlon sup- ported significant changes with- in the Appleton Area School District. She was responsible for hiring each superintendent within her time on the board and oversaw the growth of the charter schools, incorporating them into the district. Fenlon created committees within the School Board, which are the programs and services, business, and personnel com- mittees. Going even further, Fenlon made it a point to attend each committee meeting while also being on the Education Foundation Board. Appleton Area School District Superin- tendent Mr. Lee Allinger said of Fenlon, “In the decision making processes, she always brought it back to ‘what does this mean for the students and the staff in the school district?’ And so as a superintendent, you couldn’t ask for any more, having that type of person to work with. Always listening, focused on the kids, and always supportive of what’s happening in our schools.” There were difficulties in the role, however. “It’s challenging to try and communicate with

Fox Cities market ‘Bazaar After Dark’ keeps the community involved By Henry Ptacek

event that she hasn’t shown up for at some point? She’s an ex- tremely good role model in my perspective of what it means to serve your community, in this case serve the kids of the com- munity.” What’s next? As Fenlon enters into retire- ment, she doesn’t plan to stop working. “I’m taking Tichi at the Y, which is very challeng- ing,” added Fenlon. “I read a lot; I’m in a serious book club. We read books and write papers,” she said. Fenlon also plans to continue her atten- dance of various school events. “I go to everything, I go to all the plays and all the concerts, and I’m told that I will get a gold card,” she added with a chuckle, “and I can continue to go to all the events.” tems was able to make such a large event possible, supplying power and lighting and setting up the stage. Adrienne Palm, the event planner, has used EPS on multiple occasions, in- cluding Future 15 of the Fox Valley. Adrienne works for the Fox Cities Chamber as the director of the Pulse Young Professionals Network. Com- munity activist Lee Snodgrass said, “Adrienne has a way of harnessing the most creative people, pulling them together in unique settings that high- light an overlooked portion of the Fox Cities…”

The Fox Cities is a com- munity that harbors creatives of many kinds, from respect- ed artists like Chad Brady to event planners like Adrienne Palm. Bazaar After Dark is similar to a farmers market: it has community vendors that include artists, craftsmen and, of course, food vendors. The latest Bazaar After Dark took place in downtown Kaukauna on April 29th. The event filled the streets of Kaukauna, with many students from the local area in atten- dance. Event Production Sys-

Mrs. Dougherty reminisces in the office where she has spent her last five years with AASD. Photo by Henry Ptacek

for the students at Apple- ton North, Mrs. Dougherty said, “I think the most im- portant thing for everyone is, if you have your health, you have everything and when you don’t have your health, everything else is very difficult.” She suggests taking preventive measures by asking questions, taking care of yourself, and keeping life in balance. “Study hard,

play hard, and give yourself some down time. Kids get pushed to accomplish a lot, so I would say my message would be, take care of your- self and balance your life out. I see students coming in and they’re all stressed out with various activities, and that leads to colds, the flu, or men- tal illnesses. So somehow you have to keep yourself balanced and healthy.”

(From left to right) Huntley, Edison, Horizons and Lincoln elementary schools show their appreciation for Mrs. Fenlon’s service on the Board of Education. Photos courtesy of AASD

the Legislature, the funding that we need and so forth,” said Fenlon, referencing a time when they had to freeze salaries of teachers and superintendent so not to cut funding for pro- grams. “I think we have terrific teachers and terrific administers and they really understood that and appreciated the fact that no one was getting laid off and no department was getting axed, so that’s been wonderful. We had to do that but people understood. The district as a whole I think is remarkable because of the goals and beliefs that everyone shares about the importance of students.” Road to Appleton Before her years on the School Board, Fenlon was a French and English teacher in a suburb in Minnesota. She then decided she wanted to teach overseas and entered a program that allowed her to teach in Izmir, Turkey. Fenlon lived in Turkey for three years and it was in Turkey that she met her husband John. “I grew up in South Dakota and he grew up in Iowa and we met in Turkey,” she said with a laugh. “He had decided while he was in Turkey to go into radiology and so he had gone to Washing- ton University in St. Louis for his undergraduate in medical school and he had decided that they had, and still have, a great

radiology program, so we went to St. Louis.” While she and her husband were in St. Louis, Fenlon got her Masters from Washington University in St. Louis in comparative literature while working as a French teacher and supervising practice teachers for Wash U. “Then we left [St. Louis], then we were in San Francisco for a couple of years, then we came here because my hus- band, growing up in Iowa, had spent all his summers on Fence Lake in Northern Wisconsin,” Fenlon said. “So living in San Francisco, we were too far from Fence Lake, so we’ve been here since the 70s.” Recognition of service As a recognition of her 30 years on AASD’s School Board, Fenlon was recognized by Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna with a proclamation declar- ing April 10, 2017, as “Sharon Fenlon Day.” She also received a Certificate of Commendation from the Wisconsin Associa- tion of School Boards (WASB) along with a legislative citation for her 30 years of service from local legislators State Senator Roger Roth, Wisconsin State Representative Dave Murphy, Representative Ron Tusler, State Representative Mike Rohrkaste and Representative Amanda Stuck. Allinger also recognizes Fenlon’s service to

the community: “to think about being a community servant, to serve a Board of Education and the last twentysome years as president. It’s the 6th largest school district in the state, with 16,000 plus students, so to be the president of that is true volunteerism. Part of my job and part of her job are to be cheerleaders in a way, support- ers. So many things happen at North High School and every other school Sharon has been at. Has there ever been a school

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