The Vantage Point A Hudsonville HS Publication FEBRUARY 2021 5037 32nd Avenue Hudsonville, MI 49426 ISSUE 4 Seminars compete to help community to do a fundraiser through the most initiative, and brought in lowing them to feel the difference Ashley Strick school. They have enlisted help over 250 food items was of Miss they will have made for those in Staff Editor from Figurski. need. other She not Kids’ Food Basket itself students only got has been working since 2002 Ellie Norder as well help from to provide food for children and Staff Editor to put her Seminar their families who are not able to up post- students, afford it. The organization started A group of seniors ers and but made in Grand Rapids, and now has ad- put on a competition between other gather- ditional locations in Muskegon and Seminar classes during the month forms of ing food a Holland. These additions have al- of February. The goal was to bring advertis- competition lowed them to give food to many in more food than any other class, ing, as of her own families in need and grant the ultimately to donate to Kids’ Food well as between her opportunity for more communities Basket. collect photo by Ashley Strick third and to contribute to their cause. Seniors Skylar Hill, Ava food Food for charity Vice principal Joe Szymanski and senior fifth hour Overall, students donat- Hawks, Ellen Derrer, Jada Doerr, that was Skylar Hill show off the food that was raised during the food AP Calculus ed around 326 items throughout Jack Chycinski and Kaelyn Foltz donated. drive for Kids Food Basket. classes. the competition, which is seen as took the lead on this project and “In Competitive a large help for Kids’ Food Basket, were able to share their pas- past years, we have been able to by nature, Figurski wanted to not and also the community of West sion for helping others through volunteer at the actual organiza- only win the prize of coupons to Michigan as a whole. The students it. A few have been members of tion, but this year despite COVID 317 Coffee, but also make a large in charge of the project feel as if SLIC for multiple years, and have we still wanted to be able to help, impact on the community. She the idea of service was highlight- grown to love the club. The oth- and that led to a food drive,” said was able to fire her students up ed, and that students were able ers are on the Youth Action Board Hill. behind the cause, not only winning to make an impact for others in for Kids’ Food Basket and decided The class that took the the coffee coupons but also al- their community in need. Students created pest control company ficult. All the legal documents and humane way and relocated to a smoke to keep the bees tranquil, Caden Lemmen regulations were a lot to handle, wildlife refuge. In some situations said Lemmen. Staff Reporter especially with the pandemic go- though, the animal has to be dis- The company is very ing on. But through support from patched on the spot if it is found excited for what the year 2021will the community and dedication, we to be too ravage or has disease. bring and is excited to be working Advanced Guard Pest Control were able to get a vast amount A new addition to the business with some local companies and is a new company created by of clients relatively quickly. We is bee nest removal. Bee nest homeowners. sophomore Caden Lemmen and started working with rental home removal can be extremely danger- “We love our job protecting senior Jake Deleeuw. The com- com- ous and people’s homes and businesses pany was created last October panies. has to be and making sure all animals are and will begin servicing homes in We then dealt with humanely removed safely,” said May. Numerous times, they have moved to by profes- DeLeeuw. “Everyone should have been used to help big companies residential sionals. access to a pest-free home, and around Grand Rapids with serious homes, “I’ve that’s where Advanced Guard Pest animal infestations. “We had first and now been a Control comes in.” started off fur harvesting. We we work beekeeper Coming soon Advanced would trap animals in the woods commer- for over 4 Guard Pest Control will be signing and sell the fur for profit. We cially.” years and a Huge contract with Sandy Pines then thought: What if we did this, Some feel very a local campground. They will be but in people’s attics and under people ques- Courtesy of www safe and spraying all the moblie homes and people’s homes who have pests? tion the fact Pesky pests comfort- facilitys on the camground. They This then led from one thing to The founders of Advanced Guard seek that they to bring new and positive changes to the pest control able hope to bring new and positive another and now we spray yards kill some industry. working changes that are child and pet for insects as well,” said Deleeuw. animals, however they make sure with bees. I am in a full body bee friendly to sandy pines. “Getting it off the ground was dif- that all animals are caught in a suit to protect myself and I use This page layout design & editing by Baron Davis and Owen Adeboyejo 2•FEBRUARY 2021 VIEWS PeacocksThe Vantage Point searchFROM OUR for a new home The Vantage Point is considered an Ashleyopen forum—a Strick publication of news,Staff student Editor opinion and entertainment, and a journalistic VANTAGE POINT teaching instrucment. All articles In our country, already so politically divided, recent events have heightened the are written by students enrolled polarization between Americans. The past few years have brought unmatched and relentless in the newspaper journalism tension among citizens, all genders, races, and classes. Many would say that the United States class. The views and opinions ex- is not “as one” as it once was, and almost all would agree that this is frustrating, disheartening, pressed in The Vantage Point are and in need of change. However, making this necessary change isn’t easy; it will take time to shift those of the writer and do not the spirit and mindset of America. This transformation will take compromise and collaboration, necessarily reflect the views of considering that everyone has a different idea of how it is to be best achieved. And maybe there is the staff, adviser, faculty, school no “right” answer or “best” path to take, but one thing is for certain: this transition, adjustment, administration or school district. revolution, whatever you want to call it, cannot be achieved through violence, spoken or acted The Vantage Point welcomes upon, and those that incite this type of radical behavior need to be held accountable, even if in a and encourages letters to the position of power or authority. editors, but reserves the right to On January 6th this year, the security of those who govern us was threatened when edit submissions for length, hundreds of armed protesters stormed the US capital with the intention of kidnapping senators clarity, libel and obscenity. and holding them hostage in a show of power and violence. This radical act shook the country and Letters may be emailed to put our safety into question. However, many were more shocked, first of all, to hear the president [email protected] provoking this situation through instructions to his supporters to “fight’’ and show “strength” to stop the “steal” of the election, and second of all, to not hear the president condemn this situation, EDITORS but rather address the rioters with “We love you. You’re very special.” Ashley Strick, Jada Doerr, Trump’s verbalizations and actions led many to conclude that he was unfit for office, Ellie Norder, Ellen Derrer, leading to a vote for his second impeachment. On January 13th, he was impeached by the House Alexis Coulter & Luna Pietrzak of Representatives. Although mainly influenced by the Democratic majority of the house, 10 Republicans, including Fred Upton and Peter Meijer from Michigan, voted with the Democrats to STAFF REPORTERS impeach. This vote by the House meant that they found Trump guilty enough of misconduct to Zac Baker, Olivia Gonzalez, send to the Senate for a trial. After two weeks of readying their defense, the Senate took up the Ethan Atkins, Bryce Morningstar, impeachment trial, ultimately voting to acquit Trump. Many Republicans came to this decision to Kadence Weston, Kelsie Sparks, acquit him with the excuse that the impeachment was unconstitutional given that Trump was no longer in office; however, this argument is very disputable. Sarah Cook, Alexa Beltz, Mia From this failure to impeach Trump, many are left wondering whether our criminal justice Halm, Drakke Cecchini, Sydney system is really just. It was not able to convict someone so clearly guilty of their crime, inciting an Kline, Baron Davis, Lily Taylor, insurrection against the government, solely because of their prestige, power, and authority. We, Owen Adeboyejo, Colton Hyma, The Vantage Point, believe that power should not exempt someone from guilt. Caden Lemmen, Sean Monroe & Written By Ellen Derrer Vienna Putman THROUGH THE EYES OF AN EAGLE QUESTION: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE AMERICA UNITED AGAIN? JONAH DENHARTIGH, HOPE TERHAAR, LAILAH HITCHCOCK, CADEN SIEGGREEN, FRESHMAN SOPHOMORE JUNIOR SENIOR “I think people need to “We have to set aside our “Allowing people to put “People need to accept that stop arguing over the little differences and embrace all trust into political lead- people can disagree with things.