Bowlers Ask for Knight Support Page 11 Relationships Page 19 at Loy Norrix Life Volume 53 Issue 3 Loy Norrix High School 606 E. Kilgore Rd Kalamazoo, MI 49001 February 2013 Varsity Basketball Captain Puts the Team First Ben Dunham you can tell that he is right. At Knight Life News every game, the players give it If you’ve been to a Loy everything they’ve got. Norrix Men’s basketball One of the team’s biggest game in the last 4 years, you successes was the big win probably know who Bishop against cross-town rivals Rocco-Robinson is. But do Kalamazoo Central on January you really know him? Despite 26th. Prior to this year, Loy his big plays and impressive Norrix had not won a game skills, he is a very different against Kalamazoo Central in person than you might think. seven years. Bishop has played varsity “That was just another basketball since his sophomore game on the schedule. We year. He is the team’s leading knew what we had to do, and scorer and broke one thousand we came in and got it done.” career points this year. Known said Bishop about the game. for his ability to both play He repeated over and over down low under the net and again that the team’s hard shoot from outside, he is truly work and professional attitude a powerful weapon on the very is what pulled them through. successful Loy Norrix Men’s He also gives credit to the team. fans off the court. “This team is a family, “[The crowd] makes us you know? We play together who we are. We feed off of all year long and everybody their fire and they feed off of hangs out with everybody,” ours. Games just don’t feel said Bishop, as he waved and right if [the students] aren’t said goodbye to one of his there. We have to kind of get teammates. the fire from ourselves, and It’s easy to tell that the players that’s not easy,” said Robinson. have a close bond. They The crowd he is referring all walked out of the locker to is this year’s new student room in groups of 3 or more, section. They all wear laughing and joking with one matching black shirts and have Anthony Foti / Knight Life News another. There is no question a huge array of chants and Robinson crashes the boards to get a rebound against the Battle Creek Central Bearcats on February 8th, 2013. that they spend much more cheers that keep the team fired Despite being ill, Bishop put his best effort into the game. The Knights fell short to BCC with a score of 43 to 57. time together off of the court up. than they do on it. Bishop said that the secret to “People work at their the team’s success could not be best when you know the guy placed in just one source. He next to you is working at the thinks that the team is winning same thing. On this team, we because of a combination of definitely have that,” Robinson hard work by the players, the said. coaches, and the support of If you’ve been to a game, their fans. Loy Norrix Men’s Basketball Upcoming Events Date School Previous 2/15 Marshall (A) 1/11: 58-56 (W) 2/19 Battle Creek Central (A) 2/22 Richland Gull Lake (A) 1/18: 67-59 (W) 2/28 Lansing Sexton (A) Overall 10 wins MHSAA Districs vs. Portage Northern Anthony Foti / Knight Life News Anthony Foti / Knight Life News 3 losses March 4th, 2013 Senior guard Darrion Mullen obeserves The Loy Norrix Mens basketball team gathers to hear the Robinson at the line for a free throw. Robinson pre game national anthem. The Knights come together as a scored a total of 11 points. family both on and off the court. Index News..........2-3 A&E..........4-8 Feature........9-15 Opinion..........16-17 Sports..........19-20 KNIGHTLIFENEWS.COM 2 News Loy Norrix Annual Blood Drive is Back in Business after Being Cancelled in 2012 Right-To-Work Law Affects Loy Norrix High School Teachers Rachel Reed Knight Life News The first Right-to-Work laws were passed in the 1940s and 1950s, mostly in the southern states. The Right-to- Work refers to a law that prohibits requiring workers to pay union dues. Union members pay these dues that go towards the cost of bargaining and paying officers. Unions help to unite workers of a similar job in order to have a stronger voice and to provide employment protection. In a union, your employer must also bargain with Lauren McGlinn/Knight Life News you over wages, hours and working Jess Moshoginis holds Brenden Groggle’s hand while getting his blood drawn. This photo was taken durring the 2011 Blood Drive. conditions. Currently, 24 states have approved Right-to-Work legislation that limits Cherell Langford There will be a lot more people unions, Michigan being one of those 24 Allie Creamer/Knight Life News Knight Life News who want to donate this year because as of December 2013. Sue Mills, an opponent of the Right-To-Work The American Red Cross is one of of that fact that the blood drive was Proponents of the Right-To-Work laws, greets her students at the door. She cancelled last year. always makes sure her students’ ID badges the biggest blood donating agencies in believe that this legislation will are on and hats are off. America. It’s a nationwide network of “I never thought about donating increase wages, that it is morally more than 650 chapters and 36 blood blood, but I saw how many people right because it doesn’t make people Mills, who has been teaching at service regions dedicated to saving were affected from not being able to have to pay to support a cause that Loy Norrix High school for 14 years lives. last year, so this year I will be signing they don’t believe in, and creates jobs and has been a teacher for 16 years According to the Red Cross, one up to save a life,” said senior Nate by attracting businesses. It attracts total is also opposed to the Right-To- pint of blood can save up to three lives, Coleman. businesses because it often lowers Work law. She had a hard time forming so it is very important that people Social Studies teacher and National wages and benefits, by decreasing an opinion on the Right-To-Work donate their blood due to less than 38 Honors Society advisor Matt Porco, the likelihood that employers will based on how the law was passed. The percent of the population not being oversaw the blood drive. He still be required to negotiate with their law was signed against tremendous able to donate blood. views the blood drive as the biggest employees. Opponents believe that opposition and Mills feels disgusted Many are not able to give blood event for the NHS. There are different the Right-to-Work law will decrease with the way it was passed. due to religious background, disease, committees when it comes to everyone wages, lower all employees’ wages While the law was being debated unclean piercings, pregnancy, recent in NHS being a part of the blood drive. since there are few strong union shops upon by state lawmakers, thousands childbirth, and age limit. Some are The publicity committee spreads to compete with. of union member rallied outside of the happy about not being able to donate the word about the blood drive and This law will effect many, including Michigan’s state capital opposing the their blood, but some get disappointed. encourages people to donate. The Kalamazoo Public School teachers. Right-To-Work law. “When I found out that I couldn’t entertainment committee performs Many teachers were against this law “I feel like it was shoved down our give blood I felt useless, but even different skits during the blood drive because it may reduce their hourly throats. It was very unethical,” said though I was not able to give blood, assembly in order to inform students wage and it affected teacher tenure, Mills. I still thought about the lives that about the blood drive. which refers to a worker’s seniority She feels as if not enough studies could’ve been saved by others,” said At the assembly, students sign up in their job and their right to not have were done first on whether or not it senior Trevor Greer. to donate blood and the scheduling their job terminated without justible will help our economy. “Proof will be Last year the Loy Norrix blood committee organizes the times. The cause. in the pudding,” said Mills. drive was cancelled due to Red canteen committee provides food for Art teacher Cindy VanLieu and Although many tend to see the Cross workers going on strike. There donators to eat after they give blood. computer teacher Sue Mills are two negative side to the Right-to-Work were a lot of students and people in With a lot of help from the Red of many Loy Norrix teachers who are law, there may be some benefits to it as the community who wanted to give Cross, the Loy Norrix National Honor upset about the new law. well. blood last year here at Loy Norrix but Society (NHS) has hosted the blood VanLieu, who has been teaching at Ron Fuller, a retiring Kalamazoo couldn’t.