Of the School Remembered for Her Passion
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Injury ends Latora’s CENTRAL Follow Us On Twitter! season @CentralStampede page 13 March 18, 2016 Vol. 22, Issue 5 centralstampede.com StampedePortage Central H.S. l 8135 S. Westnedge Ave. l Portage, MI 49002 ‘Conscience’ of the school remembered for her passion BY SOPHIA MADDUX AND NOLAN CARANCI Staff Writers The death of beloved Portage Cen- tral teacher Patricia Johnson, who spent Courtesy of Lizzie Ulmer 43 years of her life teaching and retired MAKING CHANGE: Alumna Lizzie Ulmer (left) poses with Vice President Biden as last June, was a shock to many students part of her job with Everytown, a gun violence prevention organization. and faculty. Johnson passed away on Feb. 25 at the age of 66. She was well-known as a Alumna works to influence history teacher but also played a role in athletics for 23 years, according to Princi- pal Eric Alburtus. gun policy in Washington Alburtus said he started teaching at Portage Central when he was 24 and BY DAYTON JUDAY mer doesn’t have a typical regular day. taught history and German, just like Staff Writer Every morning, she must discuss with Johnson, at the time. Alburtus described her team of reporters the daily agenda her as witty, funny and sharp-tongued, Over the years, Portage Central has and what they need to accomplish for adding that everybody is now realizing graduated thousands of students, but the day. The daily jobs include anything how much of an impact she had on the Lizzie Ulmer is unique to others. Ulmer from writing a press statement to pre- Portage Central community. lives in Washington D.C., where she paring volunteers for media interviews. “Everyone respected her,” Alburtus works as a press secretary for the Every- Not only is Ulmer working this full-day said. “She was our conscience. If you town for Gun Safety organization. job, but she also finds time to squeeze did something that was not smart, she After graduating in 2007, she attend- in school. Right now, she is working on would be the one to tell you not to do Courtesy of Sara Brown ed the University of Wisconsin. When her master’s degree in public policy at it again.” she was there, she was able to take a Georgetown University. After studying IN MEMORY: Above, summer internship in Washington D.C. and checking emails, with her little free Scott Solomon, a 2015 alumnus, Johnson walks out of In this internship, she learned about the time, she also said she likes to watch “The said he was stunned by Johnson's death. the school doors on her various job opportunities in Washington Bachelor. “ One of his fondest memories of John- final day of teaching last D.C., inspiring her to work there. Although Portage Central may seem son, he said, was a squirrel magnet she June as her colleagues Everytown is the largest gun violence like a small piece of her journey, it played had in her room, which a student got celebrate her retirement. prevention organization in the country. a big part in where she is right now, she for her because the room wasn’t “festive Far left, Johnson poses It currently has three million support- said. PC taught her how to handle hard enough.” The squirrel even had different for the school yearbook ers, consisting of mayors, police, moth- work and challenged her to try new outfits for each season. Solomon stated in 1974. Left, Johnson’s ers and everyday Americans. Their three things. Ulmer participated in many dif- that she was one of the smartest teach- squirrel celebrates St. main core branches are Mayors Against ferent activities such as basketball, soc- ers he has ever had and that she genu- Patrick’s Day. inely cared about teaching her students. Archives/STAMPEDE Ben Miller/STAMPEDE Illegal Guns, Moms Demanding Action cer, water polo and yearbook. These “She was one of the teachers who for Gun Sense in America, and the Every- experiences helped her build teamwork truly instilled my love for history and a close relationship built on their time on Johnson’s last day of school when she town Survivor Network. that she uses every day with her team at politics,” Solomon said. “She knew more spent together in Knitting Club and hired a limo driver. “Any time you speak about gun safe- Everytown. about history than anyone I´ve ever met.” Johnson even made an appearance at “Her last day of school here last year, ty or gun violence prevention, people “As a press secretary, my job involves Brian Taggett, another alumnus, his graduation party. she hired a limo driver to come meet her,” often believe you are trying to take peo- thinking on my feet and being creative,” was also shocked by Johnson’s passing. “She was such a sweet lady, and she’s Grand said. “They traveled around Ka- ple’s guns away or restrict the Second Ulmer said. “Those are all skills I started Taggett was especially fond of Johnson's going to forever be a part of this school,” lamazoo to all the schools she had ever Amendment in some way,” Ulmer said. to hone as a Mustang.” ability to teach from her experiences. Taggett said. gone to and took pictures. She went to “That is 100 percent not true.” Ulmer was a special student to the “It wasn't like she knew about it be- One teacher who was close with her elementary school, middle school, Everytown pushes the emphasis of teachers and staff when she roamed the cause she had watched a documentary Johnson was history teacher Kayleen Kalamazoo Central High School and Ka- gun safety and gun violence preven- halls at Portage Central. or read books on the subject,” Taggett Grand. Grand worked a lot with Johnson lamazoo College.” tion, not gun control. The organization “[She had a] great attitude and great said. “She lived through a lot of experi- to prepare for teaching and said she was Alburtus said Johnson had a much emphasizes that every day, 88 Americans sense of humor, but [she] was really try- ences, and she first-hand had several inspired by Johnson’s persistent hard bigger impact than many colleagues be- are shot and killed by people with guns, ing to take things seriously to improve perspectives on them.” work. She always knew what to do, and cause she interacted with so many differ- and hundreds more injured. herself, to take away as much as she Taggett said he and Johnson had how to do it. Her fondest memory was ent people. Working almost a 24/7 press job, Ul- could,” history teacher Kent Baker said. What’s Inside... Kardashians & Robertsons Some say Fast 50 program Which Hogwarts house are you? page Take our interactive quiz! How they turned their names 1 2 lacks anonymity into an empire page 3 page 9 2 news March 18, 2016 Bond money brings more technology in brief BY SAMHITA SUNKARA Staff Writer Spring Break week Imagine living a life where you never have to coming soon handwrite notes ever again. You never have to walk Spring Break kicks off Thursday, March 31, with a up two floors carrying your algebra, biology, and his- half-day for students, and hours 1-4 meeting. School tory books. A life so wonderful, students would never dismisses at 10:50 a.m., but teachers will remain for have been thought to be possible, but with the pass- records day to end the third quarter. A full Spring ing of the bond proposal, we will be a few steps closer Break week begins on Monday, April 4, and school to this. The new bond proposal is providing the tech- will resume on Monday, April 11, with the fourth nology department with the financial aid for their lat- marking period also beginning that day. Standard- est project- giving one Chromebook laptop to each ized testing for underclassmen is also scheduled for Portage Public Schools student. that week. Daniel Vomastek, the director of information and technology systems, he leads the group of people who decide the technology goals. Vomastek sug- Teacher Talent Show is gested the idea of every student having a laptop dur- ing the bond planning. Many groups at the meeting back again this year agreed with the idea, therefore allowing it to become Nothing compares to seeing your beloved teach- a reality. ers perform in front of an audience of students at the “We want the use of technology in the classroom teacher talent show, and you’ll get the opportunity to be seamless and routine. Having to reserve carts, to watch them on Wednesday night. The teacher travel to computer labs, etc. interferes with that, lead- talent show occurs every two years, and not all, but ing to the use of technology being more of a special most of the teachers and staff participate. There is event than an integrated component,” Vomastek said Sharwari Salvi/STAMPEDE a small cost for admittance, and those raised dollars “This can distract resources away from quality in- NEW TECH: Freshman Reilly Moore and Zach Palan-Lilland enjoy the increase in accesibility to new will be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation of struction. By providing devices directly to students, technology for streamlining school work. Michigan, through Team Taylor of Mattawan. we eliminate this issue.” Vomastek also adds that the laptops will allow outlet to “extend and expand” on their learning skills. tion, most people seem to enjoy the laptops. students to have more modern ways to learn. Addi- “When used properly, the devices increase en- Sophomore Aiyla Arif believes that each student Plans for new facilities tionally, he explains that the world is relying on tech- gagement and collaboration, both of which translate receiving their own laptop will positively affect the nology, so “it’s about time that education follows this to higher performance and better preparation for convenience of learning.