CENTRAL Senior Jed Forster earns academic honors Page 13 March 20, 2015 Vol. 21, Issue 5 centralstampede.com @CentralStampede StampedePortage Central H.S. l 8135 S. Westnedge Ave. l Portage, MI 49002 Oct. 4, 2013 What’s Inside... Bake sales may return Legislation at state level would allow old fundraising methods BY MADISON JAQUA Editor-in-Chief Students may Fundraising in a high school setting Skype with ‘World always seemed fairly simple: food. Stu- dents can never seem to eat enough, War Z’ author especially the sweet stuff. Forensics sold suckers and clubs like Moose Project hosted bake sales. But this year, with the passing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, these fun- draising events became obsolete, leaving page many clubs without fundraising options. 3 However, there are two new bills, one in the state Senate and another in the state House of Representatives, that would al- low at maximum three fundraising events a week to sell food or drinks that do not have to meet the nutritional standards. Many see this as a promising option to strigent federal guidelines. According to Activities Director Kent White, under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, every item in a bake sale has to be pre-approved by the district. As well, the district has to have, on file, the nutri- tional values of all the items available for Brian drops bars purchase. “It would have been so cumbersome in the Brianstorm and so impossible that we basically just made bake sales not an option [as a fund- raiser],” White said. Many clubs took a huge hit because of the no-bake sale rule. White said that bake sales were the number one way of page fundraising for a lot of the groups. Groups 6 have had to find new ways of funding, but Claire Abdo/STAMPEDE they just aren’t as effective. SELLING OUT: Last week, senior Carly Pratt sells popcorn to senior Taylor Hunter. Popcorn is sold in the lobby, where bake “A lot of groups have tried, what I sales were held. This space is so effective for fundraising because many students pass through this area during the day. How well do you thought were really smart ways of fund- know your raising, but they just don’t have the same Alpaca, according to senior Savannah government and the Michigan Depart- suckers being able to fundraise,” Mills said. result,” White said. Lamphier. Every teacher will have a jar in ment of Education had overstepped their White remains hopeful that at least For example, the forensics team this teachers? his or her room and students put money boundaries. one of the new bills will pass. 1 year is selling Butter Braids which is a 2 into the jars of the teachers that they “While we understand that obesity “The bill has quite a few co-sponsors 3 4 type of bread. They are taking orders for want to kiss an alpaca. is our nation’s number one epidemic, it in both houses, and so it looks like it actu- the bread, instead of actually selling the 5 6 “It’s going to be really interesting,” is important that we teach moderation ally has a pretty good chance of passing,” 7 8 product. Although the Butter Braids are 9 Lamphier said. “That’s what we have when eating, “ O’Brien said. “Banning the White said. 10 helping to raise money, nothing can com- coming up.” sale of sweets or other delicious treats O’Brien stresses that the banning of 11 pare to the suckers, according to forensics 12 Although Lamphier admits that bake as part of fundraisers on school property bake sales wasn’t effective toward accom- 13 14 leader Theresa Mills. 15 16 sales were easier, she says that if they does not really benefit anyone.” plishing the goal of healthy children. She “The suckers pretty much sold them- were allowed to do them again, they This new law would mean that not points out that while bake sales and cake 17 selves,” Mills said. “And it was easy, every- would probably still include the Kiss the only would clubs be allowed to use bake walks are popular ways to fundraise, com- 18 one has a dollar to fork out for something 19 Alpaca fundraiser because “it would be sales as a way of funding again, but the fo- munity walks and runs have also become sweet.” fun to see a teacher kiss an alpaca.” rensics team could again sell suckers. Not more prevalent. 20 Other clubs, such as Moose Project, The idea for this new bill came from R- only would this increase the funding, but “We should look at health more glob- have had to get creative with their fun- Canton, Sen. Patrick Colbeck, a colleague it would also be easier. ally and embrace active lifestyles, “ O’Brien page draising. This year, instead of bake sales, of R-Kalamazoo Sen. Margaret O’Brien “It would be nice to think that we said. “The more active one’s lifestyle, the 11 they’re running an event called Kiss the who said that Colbeck felt the federal could have 70 kids running around with healthier one tends to eat.” 2 news March 20, 2015 MEAP test retired after 44 years in brief Instead, juniors will take the new online M-Step test in April Global Youth Volunteer BY NICO SCHUEN Focus Editor Day approaching soon Volunteer Kalamazoo’s Youth Service Council Instead of taking the Michigan Educational As- and organizations around are celebrating Global sessment Program (MEAP) test this year, juniors Youth Service Day on April 18th. Many project sites across the state will be taking the new Michigan Stu- will be set up around Kalamazoo County. Youth can dent Test of Educational Progress (M-Step) tests in sign-up as an individual, or with a group. Each site April. The MEAP tests have been retired by the state, will accept a designated number of volunteers so with the M-Step tests taking their place in the Michi- don’t wait too long to register, or your site may fill gan Merit Exams (MME). up. Some sites may be held at Portage Central. For After serving 44 years as an assessment program more details and/or to register for a GYSD volunteer across the state for third, fourth, seventh, eighth and opportunity, please visit Volunteer Kalamazoo’s web- ninth grade, the state has finally decided an overhaul site at www. Go.volunteerkalamazoo.org and click of the MEAP test was necessary. Late in 2014, the on the Global Youth Service Day banner. The banner Michigan Department of Education (MDE) created and registration page will be live around April 1st. a team to develop a new test due to the retirement of the previous program. With that, the M-Step was created. Spring break starts in The M-Step still has the four main subjects: Eng- lish, Math, Science and Social Studies. It will test stu- two weeks on April 2 dents on how well they are learning Michigan’s cur- Spring break begins on Thursday April 2 which riculum taught by Michigan teachers. However, one will be a half-day for students. Students will have the new feature the M-Step will bring is that the test can next week off school until Sunday, April 12. School either be done through paper and pencil, similar to resumes Monday, April 13. the old MEAP test, or online through the computer. Juniors here will be taking the test online through a Claire Abdo /STAMPEDE combination of desktops and chromebooks. GOING ONLINE: Juniors will take the MEAP replacement test, the M-Step, online because it can be more Gardening day springs According to test coordinator Trish King, one of efficent and waste less materials. All students will still attend school, after the juniors complete the test. the biggest problems could potentially be technical into action on April 18 issues. dents and teachers will not have to deal with several Since this is the M-Step’s first year of testing, there The Portage Central Botanical Society (Garden- “Every junior in Michigan is taking these tests so different sheets to take the M-Step. Instead, all of it are only estimates on how long the M-Step will take. ing Club) is holding Gardening Day on Saturday, you have to think about thousands of kids and hun- will be done through the computer, creating a more The English portion along with the Math portion are April 18th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This four hour long dreds of high schools trying to log on and jump on efficient way of test taking. estimated to take two hours each, while the Science event will start off the new gardening season. Ser- a website,” King said. “That’s why the MDE gives you According to Principal Eric Alburtus, the juniors and Social Studies portions will take 50 minutes. The vice hours will be given to volunteers who help out several weeks to give the test, but we’re just hoping should solely focus on doing their best on the M-Step. testing will be spaced out over several days. at the event. An additional service hour will be given there’s not a lot of technical problems.” “Together, teachers and our juniors have done Juniors will continue to have school after the test- to those who bring a store-bought snack to share However, the introduction of online testing may their best over the years so that they would have the ing but the times and the process of the testing have and an additional two service hours will be given also improve the efficiency of test taking.