Michigan teens will soon face rigid driving restrictions

Written by: Becca Waters '11

               Many teenagers feel that obtaining their drivers license is a right of passage. You’re granted a new found freedom along with an abundance of new responsibilities and the state of Michigan, along with quite a few other states, have decided to enforce stricter driving restrictions on new teen drivers.

                The restrictions will apply to 16 year old and some 17 year old drivers. The new limitations will include an earlier curfew and a confinement on the number of non-family member passengers allowed to ride in a vehicle operated by a new driver.

                As of now, the curfew for a driver with a graduated level two license, which is usually sixteen year olds, is midnight to five a.m. Under the new restrictions curfew will be 10 o’clock p.m. until 5 o’clock a.m.

As for the number of passengers, there is no limit now unless your parents have placed one for you, but the state of Michigan has not put a limitation on the number of passengers allowed to ride with a driver with a graduated level two license-until now. Under the new law new drivers, with a graduated level two license will only be allowed one, under age 2 or younger, non-family member passenger unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian or adult 21 or older approved by a parent. An exception is made for travel to school or school-sanctioned events.

                Lawmakers and the states former Governor Jennifer Granholm approved the new limitations in the fall. They're part of a nationwide effort to restrict dangerous teen driving. Studies show drivers ages 16 to 20 are the most dangerous on the road, and the risk of crashes increases significantly if they have other teens in their vehicles.

                The new restrictions will be effective around March 30^th.

                Nothing has been said as far as teen drivers who have there level three, operator’s license, which gives teens full driving privileges with no restrictions but you are still considered to be under the state of Michigan’s “probationary stage” so you will be monitored by the state until you turn 18 at which age you are able to exit the graduated license system.

                Sixteen year olds of Michigan are not the only ones who will have a curfew that begins at ten o’clock p.m.  Ten other states participate in setting a curfew of ten o’clock or earlier for teen drivers age sixteen and some states even have curfews at ten o’clock or earlier for seventeen year olds. 39 States, including Michigan when the restrictions take effect, allow only one non-family member passenger at some point through the graduated license system.

                The restrictions are not being placed in effect to peeve any new drivers but to make the roads safer and, in hopes, to make the new drivers of Michigan more independent drivers. Michigan teens have a few more months to take advantage of the midnight curfew and hopefully the summer won’t bring to much controversy to the table with the earlier curfew for new Michigan teen drivers.

Red Shirt Fridays

Written by: Becca Waters '11

Now entering the tenth year of the War on Terrorism, too many of our fellow Americans have given there lives to let civilians rest their heads every night in peace. A great deal of Americans would disagree with the course the war has taken; some of those Americans may also be the ones directly fighting the war.

There are many big organizations that offer support to military personnel and military families but within the last three or four years a day of the week has been designated to show support for our men and women in uniform.

Red Shirt Fridays. Every Friday you would wear a red shirt of some sort to show your support. Don’t get confused though, wearing the red shirt on Fridays is showing support for the men and women in the uniforms, not the War on Terrorism.

Red Shirt Fridays is rumored to have been started by a man traveling for business. The man traveling for business had a Marine Corps Sergeant that had been invited to sit in first class placed next to him. The man noticed the Sergeant was traveling with a folded flag on his lap. The man made small talk with the Sergeant, and to be polite the man asked the sergeant if he was heading home. The Sergeant responded that he was "escorting a comrade home". The Sergeant explained that his fellow Marine was killed in the line of duty in Iraq.

As the plane landed the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow Marine. We will then turn off the seat belt sign." The story continues that without a sound, all had gone as requested and the man traveling for business noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane and realized how truly proud he was to be an American.

The man then decided that to show his pride for his country and his fellow Americans he would dedicate his Fridays to wearing some article of red clothing in recognition of the red blood the has been bled by those who have served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, past or present.

The story has questionable authenticity but the sacrifice that American men and women have made fighting any war America has been involved in has never been questioned.

If wearing a red shirt on Fridays is a way to show thankfulness to those who make the ultimate sacrifice then let us dawn red to show support to those who sacrifice all for the American way.

All gave some. Some gave all.

Cody's Wish

Written by: Janaya Roes '11

          December is the season of giving. Giving toys to children, gifts to love ones, and to those in need. Cody Chapman, an Eaton Rapids alumnus, began the program that soon became known as “Cody’s Wish.” Chapman made a proposal to Interact, detailing his idea about providing Christmas gifts to children in our local community that otherwise would not have any gifts, and to help people out in their time of need during the holidays.
          “I started Cody's Wish when I saw my Mom bring home one of the Salvation Army angels and thought it was a really cool idea,” said Chapman. “I wanted to do something like that for Christmas and thought getting something like that started at the school would work really well.” This once little idea, has worked out so well that the Eaton Rapids High School has continued this program now for four consecutive years.
           The name of the project was exactly what Cody did, he made a wish to help others, but Chapman believes the name should be changed. “If I were to change anything I suppose it would be the name. As much as I love my name, I think it would be better and last longer with a name more related to the project,” said Chapman.          
           Interact decided to keep the name being that Chapman was the one who initiated the idea and the group feels he should receive the credit.
           The impact of Cody’s Wish was huge in the school. As word spread, sports teams, clubs, and individuals took a part in giving back to the community. Some of the groups involved this year are: The Bark, Yearbook, Student Council, and the High School custodians. Members of these groups chose a child from Mrs. Trudgeon our librarian, donated a couple dollars each, and then bought items that the child had asked for. Everybody remains anonymous with their gifts and to who they are going too. In a way, its like Secret Santa.
            As head of Interact, Mrs. Stacy Surato plays a big part in helping, organizing, and colleting the gifts. She compiled lists of all the children in need and created sheets with each child’s age and the gifts they wished for. “It honestly wouldn't have happened without her,” said Chapman. Surato was the right person for Cody to go to with his proposition. She was able to get it started in the right direction.
            Chapman hopes the giving will continue in our school and feels that as long as someone has the notion to pick up the idea and carry it forward, Cody’s Wish will continue on for years to come. Though he is no longer at the high school he is proud of what Interact, the students, and the staff’s efforts continue to do. Many kids in the Charlotte and Eaton Rapids areas have received presents from one honorable students’ wish.