HURON EMERY

THE
@THEHURONEMERY HURON HIGH SCHOOL, 2727 FULLER RD., ANN ARBOR MI 48105 VOL. 6 ISSUE 6

Opinion PAGE 3
Why critical thinking is
more important now
than ever

Feature PAGES 4+5

The Huron Emery's se-
niors say goodbye

On May 22 Ann Arbor held its first organized pro-Palestinian protest for about three and a half hours. VISH GONDESI

Ann Arbor pro-Palestinians protest for peace

army-green Ford truck. Middle College (WTMC), and Jamil Kasham, moved
VISH GONDESI
With signs Adam Kasham, joined the from Palestine to the U.S.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Review PAGE 6
referring to the conflict as protests with his mother in 1962.

T
heir voices an “apartheid,” “genocide” Naela, his cousins and “They came Caffeine Corner with
Lydia
reverberated all and a “holocaust,” the three younger siblings — because they wanted an
across downtown protestors demanded Isra, Malic and Tarik. opportunity, and they took
Ann Arbor for about three change — change for the “I went to the advantage of it,” Adam said.
and a half hours in the approximately 250 people protests because I think “When they came, they
afternoon, and anyone who passed away due to it's a very important issue,” didn't really have much,
in the vicinity could hear the fighting over the course Adam said. “There's many and they had to provide
them clearly. of 11 days in the Gaza people out there with really for people that were back
“Free, free strip between Israel and wrong interpretations in Palestine. Now it’s like Sports PAGE 7
Palestine.” the Hamas (a Palestinian of what's going on. It's everything that they came Athletes react to masks
On May 22, militant group). important that I, as a to do is being thrown out coming off
hundreds of protestors On May 21 both Palestinian, get my point the window. I feel that it's
chanted those words groups reached a ceasefire across because I'm also important for justice to be
repeatedly. They agreement. a second generation served and for the land to SCAN HERE
carried, waved and This is the latest American. Both my be restored.”
cloaked themselves in event in the decades long grandparents who are here Adam often turns
the Palestinian flag, and tragic history between today lived in Palestine. to his grandparents for
marching in unison as Israel and Palestine. They know exactly what's a better understanding of
organizers spearheaded Former Huron student going on firsthand.” Palestine.
the path, talking through and current junior at Adam’s SEE PALESTINE PROTEST To find more content on
a loudspeaker on a large, Washtenaw Technical grandparents, Fatheih PAGE 2 our website

Dr. Schwamb
briefs
NEWS

Virginia He is grateful
for all who voted for
retires after 31 her. "It's nice to know
that many people
years in education Sophomore Virginia resonated with what I
was doing, and actu-
RIDHIMA KODALI He elected to vice chair for Michi- ally cared," He said.
MANAGING EDITOR gan High School Democrats ALLISON MI

ALLISON MI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
She brief-
ly looked to When sophomore Virginia He joined the Ann Arbor (MIHSD) announced the results, and He was elected as vice
the side and High School Democrats in August, 2020, she soon realized chair.
questioned, there was a disconnect between the state and local level of the As vice chair, He helps the chairperson, acting as a
“ O n e organization. main representative by coordinating chapters and overseeing
word?... In March, He found out through social media that the organization as a whole.
One word, elections for executive board positions for the state-level of “I hope that I can figure out how to make MIHSD
to describe this organization opened. more unified as a state, rather than decentralized, random
my experi- “I was like, ‘Okay, I'm going to run for vice chair, see chapters, and to get better outreach — possibly in more rural
ence being if I can change some of these issues,’” He said. or low income areas with marginalized communities, making
a principal at Huron?” The campaign really pushed He out of her comfort sure that they have a voice in the organization as well,” He
Dr. Janet Schwamb, zone. She ended up reaching out to government officials to said.
who has been Hu- get support for her campaign and received endorsements He also hopes to promote more inclusivity and to
ron’s principal for seven from important figures such as Jeff Irwin, Michigan State ensure that the organization is in a good place to go into the
Legislature Senator, and Robert Sembarski, Chair of the 2022 midterm elections.
SEE DR. SCHWAMB Young Democrats of America National Labor Caucus. “It really is a great organization,” she said. “Hopefully
RETIRES PAGE 2 On June 4, the Michigan High School Democrats we can go up from here.”
 THE HURON EMERY | ISSUE 6: JUNE 2 | NEWS
PALESTINIAN PROTESTS
“My grandpa was
telling me a story about how
his dad used to own land
in Jerusalem,” Adam said.
“His dad was a gatekeeper,
which is pretty cool, but his
land literally got taken away
from him, and his family
had to move. I didn’t really
know how to respond.”
To learn more
about the current situation,
Adam’s direct family
watched several YouTube
videos together.
“There were a lot
of checkpoints with people
with guns, and just out in
the area, people with AK-
47’s,” Adam said. “There’s a
lot of little kids losing their
parents and losing their
own lives too. I saw this one
kid get taken away right in
front of his family and it’s
just really sad to see. I just
feel horrible because I feel
like I got an opportunity
that they don’t have and I
wish they could have it too.”
As of May 17, the
Israeli attacks on Gaza
killed 66 Palestinian
children, according to
the United Nations Office
for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs.
Four years ago, a
United Nations
International
C h i l d r e n ’ s
DR. SCHWAMB RETIRES
years, took a pause.
She then looked straight
into the camera.
“It’s been awesome,”
Schwamb said. “When I first
walked through the halls of
Huron, I felt it. There are
very strong connections
between the staff and the
students, which I have
never felt anywhere else.”
On May 5, 2021,
Schwamb announced that
she would be retiring from
Ann Arbor Public Schools
on July 1, 2021.
Schwamb thought
about retiring for a year
now. Working full time as
a principal of a high school
during a pandemic kept her
busy due to the demanding
schedule.
“There’s a lot of
Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
State of Palestine report
stated that the armed
conflict at that time resulted
in 17 Palestinian children
killed and 1,017 injured.
In short, violence against
Palestinian children is yet
to be stopped, and other
health and environmental
problems brought on by
the pandemic have only
multiplied their daily
stresses.
“It digs deep,” Adam
said, “because I feel like
that could have definitely
been me if my grandparents
didn’t come to the U.S. And
it just makes me so thankful
but also sorry for the kids
who couldn’t get the same
opportunity. I feel like I
would trade anything for
them to be in my position.”
Two years ago
Adam visited Palestine with
his family — albeit when the
situation hadn’t escalated
to its current level.
“I saw how crazy
it was,” Adam said. “It
wasn’t as bad as it is now.
But there were soldiers all
over guarding checkpoints,
and it was an experience
that opened my eyes.
Growing up here, I realize
that I took it so much for
granted. When I went out
there, there were kids on
the streets, people trying
to do anything, hustling for
money.”
Adam’s family was even
cautious of avoiding
dangerous territories,
yet it was clear the
After 11 days of
fighting, a cease-
fire agreement was
reached between Is-
rael and the Hamas.
VISH GONDESI
reasons why a person
decides to retire and a lot of
it is for personal reasons,”
Schwamb said. “I’ve spent
about 48 years of my life —
17 of them as a registered
professional nurse and
nurse administrator,
and 31 years in the area
of education — in the
workforce, so I just felt like
it was time for me to spend
time and really enjoy it
with family and friends, as
well as pursuing some new
things.”
H o w e v e r ,
Schwamb’s journey
didn’t start in Ann Arbor,
Michigan. It began in the
suburbs of New York, just a
train ride from Manhattan.
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THEHURONEMERY.COM
country was still in a state
of unrest. 52,000 Palestinians displaced due
“When we were to Israeli air strikes
first entering and exiting 250 United Nations Aid Agency
Palestine, they separated Palestinians
my grandparents and killed, 66 of Over5,000 people injured
parents from me,” Adam in Gaza and the West Bank
which are chil- OCHA
said. “I didn’t know how to
dren
be in an airport alone but I
had to navigate everything
OCHA
132 buildings in Gaza completely
by myself. An airport destroyed
personnel questioned my OCHA
grandparents and then my
dad for an hour. They got
out, almost right when the
plane was boarding. I was
honestly kind of scared.”
More than 3,000 10 people killed in
rockets fired onto Isra- Israel and hundreds
While Adam’s direct el by the Hamas, 1,150
family entered and exited more wounded, esti-
were intercepted while
the country safely, his mated at 796
450 misfired
family, who are still living
in Palestine, doesn’t have npr.org OCHA
that same luxury.
“They can’t leave,”
Adam said. “There’s no
The OCHA is the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
airports out there and
Humanitarian Affairs. Data is accurate as of May 17, 2021.
you can’t go past the
what the conflict is,” Adam
checkpoints. I feel really
The U.S. is currently said. “So I think the most
bad about that.”
giving Israel $3.3 billion important thing is to find
The protest
in aid, according to the an actual person, not just a
speeches were given
United States Agency for YouTube video or website.
outside of Larcom City Hall
International Development. It’s important to find people
by politician Dr. Abdul El-
Throughout the protest who know more about the
Sayed, local activist and
there were calls to defund subject, because sometimes
organizer Mohammed
Israel. the media can be portrayed
Furrha and University of
“There’s been so in a very wrong way, which a
Michigan Ann Arbor Ross
many, so many indigenous lot of the time it is. My main
School of Business graduate
people in history who have thing is finding people who
Lexi Zeidan. President
been, swept under the rug, truly know the situation
of the New Generation
and have everything taken like my grandparents and
of Palestine (NGP) and
away from them,” Adam parents.”
Palestinian-comedian,
said. “I think people aren’t Adam even
Amer Zahr, also played a
buying into it at first and admitted how he wanted to
huge role in rallying the
then later on, everybody’s actually go to Palestine, and
crowd.
gonna be like, ‘Wow, what despite it being dangerous
“It was cool to
a horrible thing,’ but it’s and illogical, he just wanted
know that the community
too late. So I think it’s to do something to help. In
is taking a stand and that
important to talk about it the end, he decided to walk
we can’t forget about this,”
now.” the downtown streets of his
Adam said. “The speeches
For Adam, gaining home city surrounded by
also taught me a lot because
a first person perspective is Palestinian flags, creative
they were talking about
vital. signs and hundreds of like-
personal experiences and
“Some people don’t minded protestors to chant:
how things are going in
know what Palestine is, “Free, free
Palestine.”
some people don’t know Palestine.”
THE EMERY STAFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF:
Allison Mi 2023miallisonl@aaps.k12.mi.us
Vish Gondesi 2022gondesivishwas@aaps.k12.mi.us
ADVISER:
Sara-Beth Badalamente
Ridhima Kodali Managing Editor
Maya Kogulan Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Clara Bowman Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Mishal Charania Managing Editor Emeritus
Lydia Hargett Uthman Al Andulusi Gabriela Dimova Visruth Rajendiran
Kaitlyn Sabb Ruqayyiah Al- Anita Gaenko Adam Schork
Quinn Newhouse Saady Eric Heng Jamil Wilson
Julie Park Jaden Boster Bridget Jung
Kiana Hemati Zach Brewer Blake Mundy
Shania Ahmed Neeko Cho Rio Ohtake