Fashion Trends Girls Tennis Humans of P-CEP See page B3 See page B1 See page B2 Serving the students and staff of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Thursday,ThePerspective May 23, 2019 Volume 131 Issue 6 Canton, MI the-perspective.org Fighting for a Healthy Mind: Yoga at the Park by Cora Wallen “In addition to trying to erase the Studenka explained their hopes for the event, “I’m hop- Editor-in-Chief stigma and raise awareness for ing this event gets people to start talking about it more, so it mental health, we are trying to make spreads the word more instead of people not really talking a direct impact here at our school,” about mental health or just talking to their closer friends. said Maddie Mustaine, Canton junior and one of the found- They’ll talk to more people and reach out and be more out- ers of a new organization at the Park, Warriors for a Healthy going about the subject in general.” Mind (WHM). WHM said they aim for this event to become an annual She was referring to the goals of the event that the group event with the goal of raising awareness, erasing stigma and has planned, Yoga in the Park, with all proceeds going to overall trying to make an impact on the school and the com- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and funding of munity. They started planning it as a personal project for zen rooms. The event took place May 18 at the Canton Varsity Congress and had the idea last year, but it became a goal and field from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. reality after they put it into action this year. The founders of WHM include Mustaine, Mo McDou- “There’s a lot of things, like Relay for Life for cancer and gall, Canton junior, and Katie Studenka, Plymouth junior, other things, but there wasn’t a lot for mental health, and all members of Congress, NHS, and are all passionate about that’s been a big thing recently in our opinions, and we’re all mental health. super passionate about it and believe that there should be At the event, there were therapy dogs, art activities, yoga more awareness for it. We just thought it would be a great way and guest speakers. Some of the guest speakers include Eric to incorporate something new, like the yoga, into another new Hipple, former NFL quarterback whose son committed cause, being mental health,” said McDougall. Warriors for Healthy Mind founders (Studenka, Wallen, suicide, Kacee Must, founder of Citizen Yoga, and Encore Time will show how and if this event continues to grow in Mustaine, McDougall) Smoothies. the coming years. Photo by Anna Gill ‘Crossing the Limits:’Julia Bhuiyan by Emma Bali In Arteffects fourth annual Cape Town water crisis; by posting these works on Project competition, the LMC, social media, I have been able to spread awareness of News Editor also known as the Lowell world issues. Creating artwork that reflects my beliefs Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, has granted five has given my art a purpose and also has helped me students from around the country with cash prizes understand myself better.” totaling $15,500. The five students artwork acclaimed In addition, to give a deeper sense of what actions individuals, including Rosli Naf, who have made a creating art has led Bhuiyan to personally, she said dramatic impact in history. “Creating art has driven me to take action to address Julia Bhuiyan, Plymouth sophomore, came in significant problems and has helped me to gain a second place and was awarded the Senior Divison’s deeper understanding of the world around us.” $2,500 prize. In her piece for the competition, “Cross- Clearly shown in her artwork, Bhuiyan is able to ing the Limits,” Bhuiyan created a portrait of Rosli stimulate various emotions in the viewer and is able Naf using newspaper clippings and watercolor and to convey certain messages using her unique style of acrylic paint. Due to the fact that Naf was a Red Cross trying to gain a better understanding of the world nurse who saved several Jewish children during the herself and interpreting the world not only culturally, Holocaust, Bhuiyan decided to use newspaper articles but historically with her astonishing creativity. about the Holocaust, Red Cross and children affected Back to the Arteffect Project, it is an opportunity by World War II. for students around the globe to share their unique “Although she was a true hero, Naf was not rec- and creative interpretations of acclaimed heroic indi- ognized for her efforts, and I therefore created this viduals throughout history and it obliges students to artwork to share her story.” said Bhuiyan. take a minute and think critically about telling a story Regarding Bhuiyan’s artwork outside of the compe- and the meaning behind it. In addition, the project tition, Bhuiyan said her main reason behind creating aspires to make a positive impact in communities as artwork is to demonstrate her views of the world. students are encouraged to share their work. Relating to this reason, Bhuiyan said “In the past months, I have made artwork regarding radical femi- “Crossing the Limits” nism, endangered elephants, climate change, and the Photo credit: Julia Bhuiyan Red for Ed: Teachers Speak Out by Isabelle Fessler Recently, health insurance costs Kathy Meyers and Jennifer Bennett. Laing shared her financial Opinion Editor have increased dramatically for all struggle regarding her chemotherapy costs and the fact that she employees across the Plymouth- has to work an extra six hours a week to afford to pay her bills. Canton school district. According to Dawn Schaller, Employee Meyers, who has been a teacher for 33 years, said, “Our Benefits Coordinator, this is because the State of Michigan set plates are full. We work tremendous hours, and we do not get a hard cap on what school districts are allowed to contribute to paid.” their employees health insurance costs. Each year, the hard cap Bennett provided facts and figures regarding how the cost increases, but for the 2019-2020 school year it only increased by of living has increased while teacher salaries have not and she 1.9% and the cost of insurance for all plans went up by 12.9%. If begged the board to lobby on behalf of the district to allow the district chooses to pay more than the limit, it would lose its the district to pay for their health insurance. “Taking inflation state funding. into account, in order for a starting teacher today to be able to There are six choices in plans ranging in cost from $360.75 afford what I could afford in ‘05, their salary would need to be a year for a single person to $12,384.97 for a family. The more $51,540.66. That’s a difference of almost eleven grand.” She con- expensive plans offer more coverage. The less expensive plans tinued on to say, “While we fully understand there are statutory require more out of pocket payments if there is a need to use it. rules from the Snyder era regarding the cap that districts can If someone gets the first plan but doesn’t end up needing to use contribute to our health care, we ask our district to lobby the it all, they’re out $12,000. If someone gets the second but ends legislature for changes.” up having a medical emergency, they could end up spending The teachers all wore red in support of education, commonly more money than the first plan would have cost anyway. called “Red for Ed” and concluded their statements with “Sup- On May 14, many teachers spoke at the Board of Education ported teachers equal successful students” in a show of unity meeting to ask for pay raises in order to offset the increased and willingness to stand up for what they believe in. Bennett delivering her statement at the May 14 Board cost of living and insurance. Multiple teachers spoke out, shar- meeting ing their stories. Among those who spoke were Sharon Laing, Shared with permission from Jennifer Bennett Index News.....A1-A3 Opinion.....A4-A5 Sports.....B1 Features.....B2-B3 Entertainment.....B4-B5 The Perspective - May 23, 2019 the-perspective.org A2 News P-CEP Robotics Wins States, Sixth at Worlds by Logan Swarthout This month build season we met every day except Sun- spread the world about the program, by because when you put effort into it you Staff Writer the P-CEP robot- day because we had to work really hard to the end of summer and the start of the end up with a phenomenal end result and ics team ended complete the robot in time. By the end of next year we start the process again.” can say that you were a part of the result another season, bringing home their first build season we have a functioning robot, If you are looking to join a club or activ- that got us this far.” state title. It is the 3rd season in a row that which leads us into competition season. ity next year, Esselink has said, “we are an “Even if you don’t know what you’re they’ve made it to world championships. We usually have two qualifiers but this all inclusive team, and anyone can join. doing, give it a try,” Plymouth Senior Ian Xander Esselink explains how Robotics year we had three, if we do well enough we There are lots of different roles on the team Huff said, “at first I didn’t know what I functions, “we have four seasons of work..