NOCTILUCA September 2016

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin September 2016 Volume XXII

Issue I Page 3

Noctiluca Editorial multitude of new faces who have similar interests as them- selves.

involved in extracurriculars. Doing so allows for the con- sideration of alternative ideas and the investigation into dif- ferent fields of work. DECA and HOSA are fabulous out- lets to discover if a business or health career, or both if one is so inclined, would be the most fulfilling and enjoyable. Other organizations, such as Fashion Club or HOPE Club, provide similar opportunities for occupational exploration by fostering passions for top- ics not typically discussed on an in-depth level in academ- ics. Often times, students de- velop a sense of community when they get involved in specific organizations. NHS and Peer/KEY Club are prime examples of contributing to the local community by vol- unteering at nursing homes or bell ringing for the Salvation Army. Simultaneously, these clubs also provide students with the opportunity to give back to the school as well. Peer tutor- ing and informative activities regarding substance abuse al- low for these individuals to gain greater awareness about prevalent issues among peers and to offer solutions to diffi- culties in return. Universally, individuals enjoy partaking in school-facilitated activi- ties because they can meet a

Over the course of the sum- mer, perhaps while you were downtown with your friends catching Pokémon in Houdini Plaza, did you ever stop and just take a minute to look around? If so, you would have seen a city in its most vibrant peak of the year. Art on the Town, the Mile of Music, farmers mar- kets, and summer sales all con- tributed to giving the Appleton community a breath of fresh air and a good time. Now, can you imagine what the summer would have been like without these little gems? Or to probe you further, what would the rest of the year be like? What wouldAppleton be like without the support of local businesses? For one, you could say good- bye to festivals, art walks, and especially farmers markets. A majority of these events are subsidized by local businesses like the Stone Cellar or Blue Moon Emporium. In the case of farmers markets, small busi- ness owners completely run events for the benefit of other small businesses. But this dis- When the school year rolls around, most parents and peer mentors encourage involve- ment in a variety of differ- ent extracurricular activities. Many believe that you do not participate in extracurricu- lars, you may miss out on an activity that you find enjoy- able. No one wants to inten- tionally bypass a potentially career-stimulating or hobby- inducing extracurricular. But is involvement detrimental to scholarly work, or does an active student body reap ben- efits from time-consuming extracurriculars? Many people will agree that participation in school-relat- ed activities offers extensive benefits. Not only can an in- dividual explore new avenues of interest in an act of self- discovery, she can also gain a significant sense of com- munity inside and outside of the school environment, ob- tain greater time management skills, develop an understand- ing of true commitment, and form connections with others to construct well-developed social circles. There are few other periods in an individual’s life where interest and career exploration can occur to the extent that is offered within high school. Therefore, all students should take advantage of the oppor- tunities North provides to be By Maddy Schilling

Developing a more diverse social circle provides stu- dents with the opportunity to explore alternative ideas pro- posed by those whom they have never previously en- countered. Being presented with a new perspective to a topic of unanimous interest can expand a student’s com- prehension of political, eco- nomic, academic, or societal tensions. Bringing awareness also fosters empathy for issues that are often misunderstood. One cannot forget the aca- demic tremendous benefits that are associated with in- volvement. Educational and academic-focused clubs ex- pand a student’s insight in spe- cific subject matter, improving their comprehension of topics discussed in scholarly classes. Game-oriented activities im- prove upon students’ creativ- ity and logic in problem solv- ing. And of course, physical activity through sports im- proves upon mental health as well as physical health. Because extracurriculars do require students to sacrifice homeroom periods and after- school hours, students must develop effective methods of time management to accom- plish the requests of clubs and the homework loads of class-

The Performance Team practices often in the North commons. Involve- ment in extracurric- ulars is imperative for interest explora- tion. Photo by Olivia Molter.

es. Investing time into activi- ties outside of academics also encourages students to remain committed to work they agree to complete. Of course, indi- viduals must also remember that trying to partake in every club is unnecessary and can be unhealthy mentally and aca- demically. The ultimate goal of experimentation is to enjoy oneself. Ultimately, involvement in extracurriculars is imperative

some locally sourced hummus. Maybe now you’re picturing some sort of post-apocalyptic world fueled by suited fat cats and their mega corporations, stepping on the little guy all because you bought your toi- let paper at one of their chain stores. Stop that. Big business is still good for the economy, pro- viding a huge portion of the na- tion’s jobs and the summer jobs of many Appleton North stu- dents. They often even provide local business with the oppor- tunity to outsource their goods to a wider margin of consum- ers, so they certainly should not be completely neglected. How- ever, neither should Mary Sue’s granary down the street. It’s all about finding balance. The next time you go out for a Saturday morning grocery run, think about getting your olive oil at the Olive Cellar, your produce at the farmers’ market and a quick danish from the Amish bakery. Then, maybe stop by Target for chips and dip and napkins. It’ll surely do you, and your fellow members of the community, some good. to the well being of all stu- dents by assisting in interest exploration and mental devel- opment, but everyone should be conscientious of their time commitments and potential health repercussions of over- involvement. Without these opportunities, though, many individuals would not be able to effectively expand their comprehension of alternative ideas and potential occupa- tions.

Supporting local business matters for the community

Local businesses advertise and show support for public festivals such as the Mile of Music. Photo by Olivia Molter.

appearance of local festivals would never happen, right? Not in A-town. Except it could. Of course, local business could never dis- appear entirely, but places just like the city of Appleton have experienced something close, leaving shuttered up holes in the wall beside stores in de- cline. In fact, the Small Busi- ness Administration, a gov- ernment-supported advocacy group, found that only about half of small businesses survive

for more than five years. So what’s the big deal, right? Why not just shop at Costco or Walmart or Target for every- thing? It’s incredibly cheaper that way. Well, you certainly could, and many people do, as a lot of the time, it is cheaper giving into big businesses. Un- fortunately, that is also what makes your general stores, your Free Market’s, and your Green Gecko’s crumble, along with the vitality of the local econ- omy. According to the SBA,

63% of new private sector jobs are provided by small busi- nesses, so local employment would go down the drain. Then down tumbles the character of your local community and the diversity of goods and services that these places provide, along with their individualized cus- tomer service. Go ahead, try buying delicious homemade sandwiches and salads from Walmart and then asking a staff member if they could get you