HHS Boy's Soccer Mid-Season Report

reporting by Mali'ki Lipscomb, Esella Niño, Yaddrian Almena, and Brandon Davis

Holland, Mich.--The Holland Boy’s Varsity Soccer team has been doing great so far this season. They have beaten the top ranked team in their division, and have a record of 15-2-1. They were ranked #9 in their division at one point. Holland recently lost to Zeeland East by penalty kicks in double overtime.

Asked for comment on the season, Coach Ceithaml said, "I hope we win districts, and win the first state soccer championship in Holland soccer history." He continued, "The reason we are doing so well is because of the player’s determination and their commitment." Coach Ceithaml seemed pleased that his team had made it this far, and said, “I always had faith in my team.”

"It's a team effort," said Jesus Corona, a junior on the team. He said that the team does not have a dominant player. He remarked that the drills that the team does at practice produce team chemistry. So far this season Jesus has scored one goal and has seven assists. He is hoping Holland will beat Holland Christian and will win districts, and he is looking forward to next season as well.

Holland New Tech Students Speak: We Prefer Laptops

Reporting by Devon Viles, Tyler Pettee, Victoria Duque, and Oscar Roman-Rivera

Holland, Mich.-Holland New Tech students were asked this week whether they preferred to use laptops or iPads. Twelve students suggested that they preferred iPads to laptops. Thirty-four students said that they preferred laptops to iPads.

Students went on the record to justify their preferences. Pamela Figueroa said, "I prefer the laptop because it is easier to type with, do research, and do projects. I feel a lot more organized with a laptop, because you can make folders to put things in for different classes." Bronson Clyne, a 10th grade student at Holland New Tech, said, "I like the laptops better because they're less fussy, and better to research with compared to an iPad." Edgar Cardenas responded, "I prefer a laptop because it is easier to use, and you can do more with it."

Some people had different views on the matter. Jose Arroyo said, "I prefer the iPad because it is easier to carry, and because it's easier to do my homework." Christian Castaneda also agreed, saying, "I prefer the iPad because I can do my work faster, and it is smaller and faster."

After gathering data from students, it became clear that the students of Holland New Tech prefer their laptops to the iPads mostly due to the limited capabilities of the iPads compared to the laptops.

MEAP Testing For Michigan Schools This Week

by Eric Smith

Holland, Mich.-The M.E.A.P. stands for Michigan Educational Assessment Project test. It comes every school year. Many students don't care to take it, while others see it as a chance to assess their general knowledge in the subject areas tested. This year's schedule is listed below:

         October 9 is Reading 1 for 8th grade.

         October 10 is Reading 2 for 8th grade.
         October 16 is Math for 8th and 9th grade.
         October 17 is Science for 8th grade, and 9th grade Social Studies.

M.E.A.P. testing will take up most, if not all, of the school day. It is recommended that all students get a good night's rest, and eat healthy in the morning to stimulate their brains for the best results.

If you have any questions about the M.E.A.P., it is suggested that you contact Ms. Collins at Holland High School, or Holland New Tech.

Final Meeting of the Community Energy Advisory Group?

by James H. Woods and Staff

Holland, Mich.-Last Tuesday night (September 25, 2012), the Community Energy Advisory Group (CEAG) of Holland met for what may be the last time, at Holland New Tech High School. The group has supported the Community Energy Plan that was recently adopted by Holland's City Council. The group's biggest achievement, and most important role, has been educating residents of Holland about the energy plan, and not allowing the city or its residents "to ignore it," according to Don Triezenberg, one of the founding members of the CEAG.

The Community Energy Plan was the work of Peter Garforth, of Garforth International, an energy consulting firm. It is a 40 year plan created to turn Holland into a world-class, energy efficient city. The pillars of the plan are energy efficiency, stable energy supply, efficient power generation, and a cleaner environment.

It was an informal meeting attended by various interested individuals from the community. Roughly a dozen people attended. The agenda contained three segments: a discussion of the the committees that the city has created to push the Community Energy Plan forward, an open discussion of current energy issues, and a closing that reflected on the work of the CEAG over the last two years.

As City Council recently approved the Community Energy Plan, it was decided that implementation should be broken out by emphasis areas from the plan itself. Action teams that will oversee implementation of the plan are: Home Energy Retrofit, Citywide District Heating, Industrial Services, Building Energy Labeling, Electrical Generation, and Community Education and Outreach. The CEAG heard brief summaries of the meeting plans for each of these groups. Due to the creation of the action teams, it was deemed perhaps unnecessary for the CEAG to meet in the future, as it is likely that action teams will take over much of the work that the CEAG has done in the past.

James Clift, Policy Director of the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) attended the meeting. He was there to speak about the 25% by 2025 ballot initiative for the November election. The initiative seeks to change Michigan's current law, forcing state utility companies to use 25% renewable power generation by the year 2025. According to Mr. Clift, fossil fuel prices are rising, and renewable energy prices will be declining in the future. The MEC is advocating to pass the ballot initiative for the purpose of creating "more jobs, stable utility rates, and a cleaner environment."

Mr. Clift cited a report by MSU that estimated that about 30,000 jobs would be created in construction if the ballot initiative passes. The report estimated an additional 43,000 jobs would be necessary for ongoing operations of renewable energy generation agencies.

It is estimated that Michigan spends $1.5 Billion dollars per year on coal for electric generation. An additional $1.5 Billion dollars per year is also incurred in health related costs and damages from the impact of coal and natural gas power generation. 

Current poll numbers show Michigan voters in favor of the ballot initiative by a significant margin.

Coley Brown, a member of the CEAG, led an activity at the end of the meeting that sought to recognize and reflect on some of the achievements of the group over the last two years.