Issue 2 - 10.5.12

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

SINCE 1968

POINTE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

AP Calculus changes “flip” classic classroom structure

Photo essay

Check out the nutrition facts for some of the most popular fast food choices in off-campus lunches.

By Patricia Bajis Staff reporter

Page 8

School store opens opportunity

Kaylee Dall

By Emma Ockerman editor

Sports

Varsity football competed against Fraser High School to support breast cancer research last Friday.

Page 3

North/south tailgate Tonight, 5 p.m. @ North

tailgate and taste fest

Tonight, 5 p.m. @ North back parking lot

football

Tonight, 7 p.m. North vs. South High School football game @ North

Lunch now means more than dreary plastic trays and students hunching over their brown bag lunches, conversing over chemistry homework or last night’s episode of Awkward.

Attested to by the undeniable pulse of Britney Spears streaming down the breezeway from the school store, lunch now means students among the likes of business-savvy students and peers who simply enjoy popcorn, treats and being in the company of green and gold spirit wear.

“It’s a great place to unwind during lunch.

It’s different than the normal cafeteria or classroom,” business teacher Brian Levinson said.

The student store is conducted in the oncerumored-about Wi-Fi room, which never materialized.

“It had some construction issues and was leaking, so the date kept being pushed back.

It just never opened,” Michelle Davis, business teacher, said.

With a business-minded blueprint, Levinson and Davis immediately began planning to claim the useless space that was then the Wi-Fi room.

“We started (last) October with all our proposals and getting grant money, going through June, hoping to set the store up in the summer,” Davis said.

The store was in limbo throughout summer, until mid-August, when it received official approval.

“We had a hectic couple of weeks getting

what we needed to get in here, from going to stores to get the fixtures, to getting the slat walls put in. This was an empty room and we spent many hours ordering clothes and designing,” Levinson said.

“We needed to address the contract we have with the food-service people, Sodexo – what we could and couldn’t sell because a lot of it is proximity to the cafeteria.”

The student store also provides a hands-on classroom experience for Business Management students looking to flex their entrepreneurial muscles while raising money for the student body.

“We don’t get graded on how well we can study, it’s how we can perform in an environment,” senior Sarah Richardson, school store employee, said.

Students work whichever lunch isn’t theirs and complete their assignments at home, providing an environment for motivated students.

“It’s fun; it’s a lot different than what I thought. It’s not a typical class,” Richardson said.

Beyond providing a well-rounded business experience for students, the student store provides luxuries like coffee, an air hockey table and cushy couches for students looking to escape at lunch. It has received eager approval from both staff and students.

“I love it. I love to see a store that’s run as part of a business class,” Interim Principal Tom Tobe said. “And I happen to like the coffee.”

The school store will be open to the public at the North vs. South High School football game, tonight.

Greg Johnson’s AP Calculus AB and BC courses have instituted a new teaching methodology this year. Johnson has “flipped” his classroom, switching the roles of lecturing in the class and homework after school.

Flipping involves putting teachers’ lectures online for students to watch at home. The homework for these notes is done in class the next day, and the whole hour is devoted to the teacher helping the students with the assignment.

“I prepared videos for students to watch outside of class. Within those videos were explanations and sample problems,” Johnson said.

Johnson has used video-based lessons before but decided to flip his classroom structure completely this year.

“Before, I would publish the PowerPoint online for the kids to watch, but there would be no dialogue, no explanation. That has always been available to my students. But the component that has been missing is the explanation. Before, they had to click through (it) on their own. In math, it’s a little too cumbersome to put everything I want in text. It would just take up too much space. But the explanation of things, in my own words, was what was missing,” Johnson said.

With the change, Johnson says he has experienced a less stressful classroom setting.

“We have more time to talk and more time to go over questions as opposed to taking 15 minutes of questions and answers on the previous night’s homework and then spending 30 minutes on a new lesson and then 10 minutes on closure of class,” Johnson said. “Often there’s going to be a number of questions, and some of those questions’ responses and answers can be very detailed because of the nature of the course.”

Students shared their view of the program through a class survey conducted by Johnson at the end of this class’s first chapter.

“Ninety percent said either they were comfortable, liked it or really liked it. About 85 percent want to continue in this format in some fashion as we go forward, whether it’s an everyday thing or a hybrid system.”

Along with flexibility in the classroom for teachers comes flexibility for the students to regulate the pace at which they learn. continued on PAGE 2

College night

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 6 p.m. @ South High School

Ideas

North hosts community luncheon

By Rachel Cullen

“

Staff Reporter

sO NOW i not only have to selfexamine, but be a hero, too.

Being batman sounds hard.

“

page 7

© 2012 North Pointe Volume 45, Issue 2

“I was a little nervous ... no, I was extremely nervous.”

Freshman Martel Morgan reflected on the luncheon he helped set up and participated in on Tuesday Sept. 25.

North hosted the annual Fall Community Luncheon in the library. Created and run by the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce, the luncheon is held once a year to promote networking and community togetherness.

“It was pretty neat because I got to meet some really interesting people, and I got to hear about where they work and what they do,” Morgan said.

The event kicked off with music performed by the string quartet. Grosse Pointe officials such as Interim Principal Tom Tobe and Superintendent Thomas Harwood provided introductions to the group about the community, the school and their own roles in both.

After a lunch provided by Mar-

chiori Catering, State Representative Hansen Clark and former Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Klein each had their turn to speak. Klein elaborated on the Edible Garden, a new project in which she is heavily involved. The garden, located on a plot of land in Warren, benefits special education students by helping them learn how to cultivate and share their own vegetables.

North’s role as host was palpable. The crowd enjoyed green and gold cupcakes, provided by pastries classes. A performance by the Pointe Chorale, led by choir teacher Ben Henri, concluded the library portion of the day. The visitors then had the option to take tours led

by Freshman Assist students and mentors.

Freshman Assist students, like Morgan, were just some of the many at North who contributed their time to make the day a success. The members of the Freshman Assist program – which is run by teachers Geoffrey Young, Jonathan Byrne, Devin Cox and Bridget Cooley – were particularly involved. The freshmen who are in the program attended the event, helping to set up tables and arrange flowers – and eat the food.

The Freshman Assist mentor program was significantly expanded this year, with about 20 juniors and seniors participating in an independent study. In each class, there are five mentors to help guide

Kaylee Dall

Choir director Ben Henri leads the choir for luncheon guests to enjoy. Juniors Alana Page and Marty Brown both had solos in the choir’s performance. and teach the students.

“It’s good for the freshmen because they get a chance to interact with students who have been at North for a while and who know the routine. It’s hard enough coming in as a freshman as it is, because you may or may not know people,” junior mentor Rhys Williams said.

“So, having the opportunity to have people who know, who ‘were you,’ it’s like having an older friend to help you.”

Senior mentor Lauren McLeod attests to the value of networking for the freshmen.

“It was helpful because they got to interact with older people in higher positions in a nice, elegant setting ... somewhere to teach them how to interact in these situations,” McLeod said.

Freshman Assist teacher Jonathan Byrne agrees.

“This type of experience is invaluable for students of all ages because they get to see how the adult world works. Being a part of a meeting where business and community leaders get together to discuss and network is a great opportunity to meet important people and practice things like talking to adults and carrying yourself in a mature manner.”

Byrne saw the event as a way to showcase the talent and compassion of North’s student body – students and mentors alike.

“North is a unique place. It houses some of the most talented students in the country. But those same students aren’t afraid to step up and help some of our students who have struggled with school in the past,” Byrne said. continued on PAGE 2

news

2 – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – North Pointe

FIVE MINUTES WITH

English teacher Kristen Grimshaw

By Libby Sumnik & Colleen Reveley STAFF REPORTERs

After teaching at a Catholic school in Chicago for three years, Kristen Grimshaw left her city life behind to return to her hometown.

“I’m from Grosse Pointe, so I wanted to work in the area. I taught mostly math (in Chicago).

My goal was to get back to English, which is like my first love.

I really like to read, and I think that really fosters a love for writing and everything that revolves around English,” Grimshaw said.

“I feel so strongly about English.

I feel like I can do a better job of teaching it if I like it more.”

In high school, Grimshaw could be found running cross country at Grosse Pointe South.

She began running at a young age and has love it ever since.

“I coached track in Chicago.

Even though I never ran track because of my cross country background, they let me (coach).

I love running. I wish I could do it more. It’s like a stress reliever,” Grimshaw said.

As a freshman in search of a spring sport, Grimshaw decided to try her hand at lacrosse.

“I had never played soccer, so that was out. I played softball a little bit, but not enough to go and play on South’s team. I didn’t even know what lacrosse was.

The program was gaining a lot of momentum. It was like 2000, that was the year that it started to get really big. We were actually the state champions that year,” Grimshaw said.

Although Grimshaw was once a Blue Devil, she now bleeds green and gold.

“I’m converted,” Grimshaw said. “(North) is nice, productive and positive. Everybody seems to be having a good time while getting things accomplished.”

sean o’melia

English teacher Kristen Grimshaw returns to her hometown, Grosse Pointe. She attended Grosse Pointe South and now teaches at their rival school.

What are your hobbies?

I like to cook and bake. I can bake a pretty good chocolate chip cookie. It can be an expensive hobby, but it’s fun. I also think it can calm you down. My family likes it because then I bring stuff over for them.

What were some of your favorite school subjects?

I loved chemistry. That was my major tutoring subject in high school. I never went above and beyond with it, but when I was in chemistry, I really enjoyed it. I think it was just the math-y thing about it.

What are some of your favorite books?

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

Are you married?

No, I’m at the stage where all my friends are getting married. It’s a progression, like one person then another. It’s like a snowball.

Where do you like living more; Chicago or Grosse Pointe?

Chicago is a great city, but now I’d rather be close to family and live in a smaller city. Grosse Pointe has a lot to offer, and it’s been great being back.

Freshman assist help with Chamber of Commerce luncheon Continued from Page 1

“It is really a testament to the type of people they are – hard-working, committed, and, most importantly, empathetic.

The community got to see that on Tuesday.”

Some of the Freshman Assist students looked forward to the opportunity of talking to the guests. Freshman Kayla Taylor was excited to be seated at the same table as a police officer because she’s interested in the field and is considering being a correction officer in the future.

Mentors helped prepare their mentees for the luncheon days in advance. They practiced basic etiquette such as the proper method to cutting food, as well as not eating while someone else is talking or giving a speech.

McLeod thinks that the efforts paid off.

Her favorite part of the day was observing the students during clean up and how well they were working and cooperating with each other.

The mentors themselves enjoyed getting the chance to meet and interact with the movers-and-shakers of the Grosse Pointe educational system.

“I gained knowledge about the people behind the scenes who help the community grow and work hard. I didn’t know any of the people, and they’re just there ... working for us and the community,” senior mentor Marcel Taylor said.

This event will be held at Pierce next year, coinciding with that school’s 75th anniversary.

Contributing: Sydney Thompson & Taylor

You can follow us on Twitter on your phone without setting up an account.

text “follow mygpn” to 40404

New teaching methods for AP Calc Continued from Page 1

“It’s a new take on the general system. If (students) want to work ahead, they can.

They have the opportunity. It’s not so restrictive,” junior Conner Blaine said.

Though a majority of students have reported being in favor of the program, some are still a bit hesitant of the change.

“I don’t necessarily mind it, but I don’t necessarily like it. It’s just different from other classes, and it’s hard to transition to doing something different in a class when every other class is the same way,” senior Alison Alexsy said. “I usually go home and do my homework and go to work, so it’s weird to not do (homework) at home. It’s not bad. It’s just different.”

Other classes such as Nicole Sturgeon’s Algebra I class have implemented similar tactics of video-based learning. Sturgeon said that she likes the style and will continue to use it in her class.

Administration has also taken notice of the change and are in favor of the style.

“They are in control of the information. They get to manipulate at what speed they receive the information, and they get to rewind, and they can go back to it as a resource,” Assistant Principal Kate Murray said. “The other part that I really like about it is that it allows the teacher more time working with students in the class, addressing individual needs.”

Asistant Principal Tom Beach said, “Having the kids look at it online, having exposed to the material and then having the teacher there in the classroom working for the entire hour can be very advantageous because a lot of times there’s just not enough time to give the students oneon-one attention in the classroom once the lesson is completed.”

This method is the product of teachers Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, who developed it while discussing teaching strategies together a few years ago.

“Mr. Sams and I, we were having a conversation with our assistant superintendent, and she was talking about these videos her daughter in college watches.

This teacher was recording these videos in class, and so she stopped going. And then that’s when we looked at each other and said, ‘Wait a second, what if we changed what happened in class and made it valuable so the kids would really want to attend

class, make a really active, engaging, interesting class?’ So that was the day where we said ‘Oh!’ So that was kind of the aha,” Bergmann said.

Bergmann and Sams, who have both won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching, co-authored a book called “Flipping the Classroom,” in which they share their methodology and results.

“Our tests scores went up, so that was like ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool!’ We gave the same tests we’ve always given, and they went up significantly. Then we saw the kids taking more ownership of their learning. What was really powerful for us was to see that they were actually learning,” Bergmann said.

Though advocates of the program find many advantages with this method, they admit to a few downsides.

“It takes a lot of prep outside of class to make a video that is appropriate and useful. With the videos, it is more of a lecture format and less of a dialogue that I could have with students, so that component is missing. There’s a gap there. Sometimes lessons do require a dialogue in the classroom,” Johnson said.

“When teachers make choices that are new and different, it requires a cultural shift in our building, (with) students and with our parents. When things are new, it increases anxiety, so it’s our job to support students and parents in this shift,” Murray said. “A traditional math class would involve the teacher in the room going over homework, then providing new notes, and then working with students, and you just lifted the whole portion where the teacher provides notes and lectures and put that in the homework category. So that’s a cultural shift.”

Johnson said that he will continue his flipped classroom for the rest of the year, eventually mixing it into a crossbreed platform.

“As we progress throughout the year, I’ll probably do a hybrid of traditional classroom discussions and videos outside of class. Sometimes math can be done in a lecture format, and other times you need to have discussions in the classroom to respond to students’ questions on the fly and also to have them respond to prompts. Videos don’t always lend themselves to that.”

on campus Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at North

Girls cross country fundraises for American Cancer Society Tomorrow morning, the girls cross country team will be hosting a cancer run/walk to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

The event will take place on the track from 9 a.m. to noon.

Carmen Kennedy, former athletic director at North and current principal at South Lake High School, will be speaking at the event.

Kennedy was diagnosed with breast cancer and will talk about her battle with it and the struggles she has endured along the way.

Girls cross country coach Scott Cooper said, “I had a runner, Jessica Solomon, who died of cancer the summer she graduated from North. I am doing this to honor the strength of Carmen Kennedy and other people who fight cancer, including some of my own family members.”

All are welcome to attend to run, walk or purchase baked good and drinks. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.

“I am doing this because I want young adults, the girls on my team, to be exposed to good activities like this to show that when people come together, they can make a difference,” Cooper said.

North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – 3

Faces in the crowd

By Kaylee Dall, Taylor White & Sydney Thompson

Olivia Hoover

staff reporters

Staff and SERVE club members collaborated with the Chamber of Commerce to plan the annual fall luncheon for community members and leaders on Sept. 25.

Freshman assist students and their mentors prepared the library by setting tables and arranging flowers. Choir and band students provided entertainment during the luncheon.

Annual College Night at South The 33rd annual College Night will be at South High School on Oct. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m.

One hundred and fifty colleges in and out of state will attend and showcase what they schools have to offer.

The sessions will provide a unique experience to talk with representatives from schools, no matter where a student is in the application process.

“If they applied to a school, they can ask questions to their admission counselor – different things about scholarships or maybe about their application,” College Night coordinator Teresa Bennett said.

A few colleges on the list include College for Creative Studies, Eastern Michigan University, Harvard University and University of Michigan. Each with designated information session times. The first session is from 6:10 until 6:40 p.m., the second session is from 6:50 to 7:20 p.m. and the final session is from 7:30 to 8 p.m.

Olivia Asimakis

ABOVE: Luncheon guests listen as Assistant Principal Kate Murray speaks about the excellence North strives for.

LEFT: Senior violinists Leah Fishwick and Sarah McGovern play music while mentees and mentors socialized with guests. McGovern said, “We weren’t really nervous. We sort of played in the background as well, making it far less nerve-wracking.”

Freshmen class has high expectations for the year

BELOW: Community members and staff mingle with each other and students alike during the luncheon.

ABOVE: Mr. Tobe Talks

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Freshman Olivia Asimakis began her swimming career on a whim, using lessons at the Lochmoor Club to pass time during the summer, and to join her friends on the team. As the days went by and her skills improved, a passion for the sport inspired her to continue her newfound love.

"My coach told my mom he saw a lot of potential in me, and he asked me to keep pursuing swimming throughout the year in the winter and in the fall. It just kind of stuck," Asimakis said.

One of Asimakis' greatest accomplishments was when her relay team made their mark on the coveted record board for the girls medley. Asimakis was the lead-off, swimming butterfly.

“No one had broken a record in a while, and it was just fun to do it with my teammates," Asimakis said.

Although Asimakis loves swimming, she thinks her love for the competition will stop after college.

"I would like to swim in college if I could be good enough, but after (college) it will become more of a hobby," Asimakis said.

BOTTOM LEFT: The luncheon was catered, but dessert was provided by pastries classes.

Coconut cupcakes with green and gold decor Natalie Schaefer were baked for the For junior Natalie Schaeguests. fer, running cross country

The current freshman class has had an unusually high amount of interest in student council. The interim council started out with 44 students. They met five times over the summer and have met twice weekly since school began to work on their homecoming decorations and plans.

“We are in a really good spot. We have everything planned out. It is now about putting it all together,” freshman class adviser Marylyn Withers said.

“This is one strong and imaginative group of kids. It will be interesting to see who will step up and get the rest of the freshman student body to participate and follow their lead to help build our float. The class will radiate to that leadership and in the next few weeks we will all see who will step up.”

“I enjoy getting involved in school activities and sharing my opinion and point of view of things,” freshman council member Nicoletta Valenzano said. “Every class has a kind of overall personality, and if I had to guess ours, it would probably be quieter than other classes and very friendly.”

Freshman class elections will be held right after homecoming, with campaign week beginning Oct. 22 and elections on Nov. 1.

It will be a busy year. Plans include helping with Adopt-A-Family, Gleaners and Summer in the City.

“The goal is to unite classes in projects as a working community,” Withers said.

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For the past four years, freshman Olivia Hoover’s life has revolved around drama and music. She has been in three different plays and a variety of choirs.

“Last year, I was the musical lead in the play at Parcells, Thirteen. It was on broadway in 2009. Middle school opened up a lot of opportunities for me. In eighth grade, I competed in Battle for the Mic with another girl, and we won.”

In sixth grade, Hoover was in the musical chorus for the play Jitterbug Juliet, which initially sparked her interest in music. In seventh grade, she became the understudy for the lead role in the musical 45 Minutes from Broadway, performing in three of the seven productions.

She performed in a one-act play in eighth grade and directed one herself.

“In eighth grade, something happened to me. I just turned out to be a little star, I guess.”

This year, she is one of only two freshmen girls in the North’s choir group Counter Pointe.

is more than just staying in shape or a boost for her college application.

“I really love running with so many great people because everyone is so nice and funny,” Schaefer said.

“The coaches are really great and make it so much fun.”

Schaefer joined the team as a freshman after participating in the running club at Parcells Middle School. The running club coach at Parcells and girls cross country coach at North, Scott Cooper, was Schaefer’s biggest influence in joining the team. Since then, she’s discovered the team to be a rewarding experience.

As a freshman, Schaefer won the “rookie of the year” award, given to the top freshman runner on the team. Both freshman and sophomore year she qualified for the MHSAA state finals with the top seven runners from the team.

While she hasn’t broken any records, Schaefer hopes to run one of the best times ever, not only for her, but in school history. She would like her name remembered among other top runners.

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SPORTS

4 – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – North Pointe

QUICK HITS

Lacing up, a colorful running tradition

By Melissa Healy staff reporter

F

brielle ahee & jessica gabel

Senior Paige Micks scrutinizes her putt. “I enjoyed playing all four years with my close friends and really improving from freshmen year to now,” Micks said.

girls golf The girls varsity golf team has gone undefeated in the MAC White Division for eight matches. They also went undefeated in the division tournament this past Wednesday at the Fore Lakes Country Club.

“Ali Scoggin shot a 79 and was MVP of the tournament with the lowest score,” senior captain Paige Micks said.

While the girls have found success in the regular season, they seek to emerge from their regional final.

“We have regionals left and the top three teams make it to the state finals,” coach Brian Stackpoole said. “We were placed in a really good regional so it will be difficult to make (it) out.”

Coach Stackpoole was voted White Division Coach of the Year. Seniors Jenna Paglino, Paige Micks and Ali Scoggin were voted all-conference MAC White players.

As the girls look to continue their success, Micks anticipates ending the year on a good note.

reshman Katelyn Carney’s rainbowcolored laces are more than a fashion statement.

Every year, two rookies on the girls crosscountry team are awarded a pair of rainbow shoelaces, and this year, Carney holds a pair.

“They are awarded by the two sophomores that earned them when they were freshmen,” coach Scott Cooper said. “The awarding of the shoelaces is kind of a private award. It is not announced to the team but kept a little bit more personal.”

The tradition started with Julie Morehouse, a senior at the time, and Cooper has honored it throughout the years.

“Julie Morehouse was a runner for me.

For some reason she went out and bought a pair of rainbow shoelaces in 1995 and gave them to a freshman who had worked really hard that summer,” Cooper said. “Next year she got another pair and gave them to another runner. I liked the idea and kept the tradition going after she graduated.”

From 1995 on, the laces have been passed from runner to runner. This year’s holder is Carney, and before her was sophomore Katie Russo.

“She showed up and was willing to work hard and she ended up running with the top group,” Russo said. “Plus she was really nice and a great addition to the team.”

Russo had given Carney the laces just after her first race of the season.

“I have lucky shoelaces, they are rainbow

melissa healy

Freshman Katelyn Carney shows off her rainbow-colored shoelaces, which has been a tradition since 1995. and sparkly,” Carney said. “I just got them this year, but I ran my best time with them on, so I’ve never taken them out.”

She ran her best race with her rainbow shoelaces with a time of 20:00.4 at a course in Romeo, Westview Orchard.

“I was surprised, it was a very hilly course, ” Carney said. “It feels really good, but it’s almost nerve-racking. If somebody’s right on you, you don’t want to lose.”

It could be the luck of the laces or just a good effort, but coach Cooper believes Car-

ney will finish her season strong.

“Her season has been tremendous,” Cooper said. “Carney has already broken into the top 10 list of freshmen ever at North.”

After Carney finishes her season, she is expected to carry on the the tradition.

“I don’t have to give up my laces. I buy a new pair to pass down to ‘my freshman,’” Carney said. “I’m happy that I don’t have to give mine up. I’m not looking for just a good runner, but somebody with good character too.”

Norsemen fight Fraser and breast cancer The Norsemen competed against the Fraser Ravens in a battle not only for football, but for raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.

After a ceremonial beginning, a very “pink” halftime show and a dedicated effort from both teams, the Norsemen came out on top with a 46-9 win.

By Sean O’Melia & Melissa Healy Staff Reporters

“I hope for everyone to shoot as well as they can, and if we make it to states that’s just a bonus,” Micks said.

new gpn sports website The decision was made by Athletic Director Ben Bandfield to pitch the old ways of the North athletics website and create a new one. The site will provide a more efficient way to communicate, with a link to Facebook and Twitter.

“This type of social media is obviously one that we, as an athletic department, needed to be involved with if we actually wanted to improve communication,” Bandfield said. “It is so widely used by our student body and community.”

Bandfield said the new website will help communicating and publicizing our athletic abilities.

“Last year I believe we were not as efficient as possible in this area, and having a website that functions really well, and one that our stakeholders enjoy visiting, would be a way to improve communication,” Bandfield said.

meet the coach JV boys soccer coach Chris Kelly Q: Did you play soccer in high school or college?

A: I played high school soccer at De La Salle, but not in college.

Q: Are there any stand-out players on the team?

A: They’re all just solid, all around hard working players.

Q: When did you become interested in soccer?

TOP LEFT: Senior quaterback Sean McHale runs the ball through the pink-clad competition. “The way we came out in the second quarter really speaks for our character,” McHale said. “We corrected our mistakes and had three unanswered touchdowns, giving us the momentum going into the second half.”

ABOVE: Senior Steven Mitchell looks out on to the field as his fellow Norsemen prepare for Fraser’s offense. “Defense locked them down with only letting nine points, while the offense rushed over the competition by putting up 46 points,” Mitchell said.

A: I’ve been around soccer my whole life. I started at a really young age and my dad actually coached in high school.

My family owns a few local soccer arenas, so I’ve been around it for awhile.

TOP: Coach Frank Sumbera and senior Tawian Wiggins high five breast cancer survivors and their families on their way to the field.

Q: Any predictions for the upcoming season?

LEFT: Senior Meldon Lewis and juniors Jamal Hawkins, Martice Dunlap and JaRon Nelson lined up for the national anthem. “If we fight and give it our all to win, we can show that they can fight their battle against cancer, and win,” Hawkins said.

A: I’m really hoping for a good season. It’d be great if we could win the rest of our games.

The boys have two games left . Their last home game is against Fraser on the turf, on Oct. 10, 5 p.m.

By Melissa Healy, Danae DiCicco & Hayley Reid

Life

North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – 5

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder:

junior girls set off to learn outside the classroom LEFT: Junior Katherine Vallejo starts the hair-care process by combing through fellow junior Eva Cobau’s hair. Both girls have been attending Warren Woods Tower cosmetology school since the beginning of the year.

RIGHT: Junior Mackenzie Snitgen practices the art of pinning hair, the girls use faux heads of hair for practical work, but on Fridays get to try it on another student. “I originally wanted to be a makeup artist, pretty much since I was little. But then after I learned more about the program I got more into the hair aspect,” Snitgen said.

Caroline schulte

By Colleen Reveley staff reporter

Contributing: Libby Sumnik Walking through Warren Woods Tower the scent of freshly–waxed school hallways are masked by clouds of cheap hair spray and nail polish remover.

Rows and rows of mannequin heads line the room.

Bobby pins are scattered all over the floor. The walls are plastered with mirrors. This is a dream for juniors Eva Cobau, Mackenzie Snitgen and Katherine Vallejo.

After fifth hour at North, the girls head to Warren Woods Tower for cosmetology class. This program is a two-year course available to juniors and seniors at no cost. At the end of senior year, the students take a state board exam, and as long as they receive a 70% or above, they can obtain their licenses to practice and work in beauty salons.

The girls’ summer vacation ended sooner than most North students’, as they began cosmetology school on Aug. 1. They use a textbook for theory work and do practical work on mannequins and each other.

“We learn all the chemicals. We learn scientific stuff like the biology of hair,” Cobau said. “We still do what’s pretty and what’s not, but we know how to keep our hair in good shape and other stuff.”

Students come from schools across the Detroit metro area, from Dakota High School, Lakeshore High School, Southlake High School and Grosse Pointe South High School. High Schools being in a different school for more than half their day opened the door to new friends and experiences outside of “The Bubble.”

“I really love just being with the girls there. I’ve built such strong, long-lasting friendships that make it just enjoyable to go every day,” Vallejo said.

Because the girls leave North early, they don’t have the opportunity to take different electives, although they don’t seem to be bothered.

“It’s definitely a lot better than normal school. I love what I do at cosmetology because it’s something I generally enjoy. School is something I don’t really enjoy doing,” Vallejo said.

The girls do feel the pressure, especially because of the time commitment and the important exam at the end of the program.

Caroline schulte

“I am a lot more stressed out, that’s for sure. It was a big sacrifice,” Snitgen said. “You have to plan your day and schedule things a lot more. You don’t have much leisure time.”

“It’s a lot of time. It’s my parent’s time and my time. Sometimes they have to drive me, and it’s not like it’s right around the corner. It’s a good 15-minute drive,” Cobau said.

North counselor Barbara Skelly recommended Snitgen for the program because she knew how beneficial the program can be for students who are interested in cosmetology.

“If girls (or boys) are interested in cosmetology, I do recommend them to the Warren Woods program.

It’s an excellent way to get the training at no cost to the student,” Skelly said. “We’ve had kids who do the cos program and then help pay their way in college by cutting hair. The colleges have no problem with kids taking cosmetology as long as they are still meeting graduation requirements and taking a strong college prep curriculum.”

The girls learned to ignore the superficial stereotypes of beauty school and cherish the lessons they have received.

“Cosmetology is most definitely not what people may describe it as. You’re going to have people who bring you down about it, but really you just have to have confidence in yourself and in your dream knowing that not everyone will support it,” Vallejo said.

As for their futures after this two-year course and the completion of the test, the girls hope to accomplish the goals they have set.

“After I get my Cosmetology license, I would love to just start building my career throughout the industry. My dream is in 10 years to have my own salon,” Vallejo said.

Just like Vallejo, Cobau aspires to one day open her own salon.

“I want to go to business school and then later on, own my own salon,” Cobau said.

But as for Snitgen, she thinks the pressure of an independent business will be too much for her to handle.

“I want to move down to Florida and work at a salon down there or in California. “As far as opening my own salon, I don’t think I ever want that big of a responsibility. I want to do my best and see how far my career takes me,” Snitgen said.

Q&A with cosmetology teacher Carlyce Johnson Q: What got you started in cosmetology?

A: I started cosmetology when I was in high school, just like these students, in Detroit at Cody High School.

I did hair for about 20 years and then I went to school to get my cosmetology instructor license after that. And Caroline schulte then I went back to Ferris State (University) and got my Bachelors degree in Current Technical Education.

Q: Do you have your license in cosmetology?

A: Yes I do. I have two licenses. I have my cosmetology license and my instructor’s license. I have a career and technical-education teaching degree.

Q: Why do you think this program is beneficial to students?

A: I think it is very beneficial to the students because they are able to do hair while they are in college. And if they do want to do something outside of hair then they always have a career they can fall back on. And, well, people are always going to get their hair done.

Q: What is your favorite part about teaching the girls?

A: Teaching haircutting and hair coloring are my favorites because I just love it. Actually, because it’s the most lucrative service that they are going to do, is cutting and coloring. So that’s why I like it.

Chocolate Bar Cafe

full coffee bar, fine chocolates, ice cream, cakes & treats

Show your North I.D. for

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE COFFEE DRINK 20737 Mack Ave. (first block North of Vernier) 881-2888

Fridays: November 5, 2010 – General AQDay November 12, 2010 – Science/Nursing/Math AQDay November 19, 2010 – General AQDay March 18, 2011 – Leadership AQDay March 25, 2011 – Business, Accounting, Technology AQDay April 15, 2011 – General AQDay Saturday: January 22, 2011 – Athletic AQDay

Jerry’s Party Club Store

Join us for AQDays and learn what life is really like at Aquinas College. If these dates don’t work, we also offer individual visits during the academic year. To learn more or register, visit www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/visit or call (800) 678-9593.

383 Kercheval Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 884-7155

1607 Robinson Road, SE | Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 616 632-2900 or 800 678-9593 | www.aquinas.edu

LIFE

6 – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – North Pointe

How Apple fell off the tree with iOS 6

By Lauren Semack

to reinstall certain apps to get better battery conservation.

The biggest home– screen difference was that YouTube went MIA. The new YouTube app is not as reliable nor does it provide accessible options at the bottom such as “favorites,” “search” and “top 25” like the old app. There is no way to watch a video in the upright phone position unless the video information is shown below it. Wasn’t Jobs about the ease of technology?

Also, the operating system enjoys giving the answer, “Error. Tap to reload or try again later.”

Life editor

A seven-year battle against pancreatic cancer was what it took. On Aug. 24, 2011 Steve Jobs announced he would resign from his demanding position as Apple CEO. His resignation was an omen – 42 days later his heart beat for the last time. Jobs died exactly one year ago today, but did his legacy of simplifying life through technology die with him? With the absence of Apple’s most proactive CEO, the company was thrown an immeasurable pair of shoes to fill.

On Sept. 19, 2012, Apple released its sixth operating system, iOS 6. Users of the iPhone generation 3GS, 4 or 4S, the fourth generation iTouch and all iPads can download the new operating system – the iPhone 5 comes with it installed.

This launch was monumental for new CEO Tim Cook. The effort Apple made to teach an old phone new tricks was courageous. Jobs’ first priority was not shipping a new product out quickly to make billions, but rather figuring out how technology could improve the lives of people on Earth. This is where Apple has misstepped in the large kicks that Jobs left behind. Sept.

24 marked the sale of over five million iPhone 5’s– just in a weekend – but the new iOS contradicts their ideal of simplicity and is presenting technical difficulties across the globe.

With hitting the download button came a message to users with insufficient storage for the hefty installment, demanding 2.5 gigabytes. With sufficient storage, the phone’s chrysalis stage begins. After incubation, across the screen gleams a beautiful charcoal grey “iOS 6,” and the slide bar yearns for its owner’s attention.

Prevalent problems This new-age technology was supposed to propel Apple products’ uses further into the future, but only a handful of users with the new operating system on older devices have actually been able to use the software update as it was intended – issue free.

The first in this myriad of issues is the requested deletion of 2.5 gigabytes; It’s a lie. The phone still offers over a gigabyte and a half of memory after download. So the deletion of entertainment was unnecessary!

Second, Wi– Fi is slow. Using the Internet seems almost impossible as it works slow when connected to Wi-Fi, as if the average household router cannot handle the new “speed” that iOS 6 wishes to go. Users have had to reset routers in the house, but often to no avail. Over 91 pages have been filled on Apple’s Discussion Forums since Sept.

19 concerning the issue of Wi– Fi with iOS 6. Wi– Fi has disconnected from the home router and not recognized it, for

BY THE NUMBERS

200 91

advertised new features on the iOS 6

pages filled of compaints about Wi– Fi on Apple Discussion Forums

30

new features with Siri

5

million iPhones sold in one weekend

some users, or been unavailable completely, for others.

On top of the Internet moving at tortoise speed, many apps had to be converted to the newest update to work optimally with iOS 6, such as Twitter. But this has been anything but more accessible. The app times out, crashes, or just doesn’t load. In addition, keyboard gripes have been floating around. A bounty of new emojis were added to other faces, except changing between the English and emoji keyboards has caused freezes. The phone just goes to sleep or needs to reboot altogether. There are no emojis of African descent, while other races and ethnicities, such as Tibetan, British and Egyptian, are represented.

In iMessage, photos many times either don’t send or, ultimately, send as a text message – a nuisance that takes five minutes.

Battery life has consistently been a shortfall for Apple, since iOS 5 was released. Even with energy-saving techniques like brightness, Internet use reduction and app closing, users with the newest operating system may have

Do the negatives outweigh the positives?

There still are some pluses to this bothersome “advancement” in technology. There’s a step forward in the photography world for iPhone 4S; the ability to take panoramic shots is enabled. This can be done with the camera app by hitting options and panoramic, which allows users to take a continuous shot.

The pull-down screen is still readily available at the swipe of a finger, but this time offering new toys such as Facebook and Twitter bars, to send a quick status update or tweet. This makes sense, but seeing the Twitter app can be problematic.

Safari now is equipped with iCloud so the same Safari page will be open already on all of a user’s devices. Users can also create a reading list for webpages that can be accessed even when Internet isn’t available.

Apple also has taken Google out the map app, bringing in their own enhanced version of the globe that includes audible turn-by-turn navigation system TomTom – if a turn is missed it will automatically reroute – 3D views of the land, and provides updated traffic reports to help you avoid delays on your way to work, which works well despite other technical issues.

Although Apple ridded itself of YouTube it added a new app called “Passbook,” which virtually allows users to store movie tickets, reward cards, coupons and even boarding passes so that you can check in at the airport over the phone. The app even tells you if you have a coupon that correlates to a nearby store.

Verdict?

The fresh and crisp layout of the newest iOS was anticipated to outshine past operating systems, but clearly was rushed by Apple. And bugs were able to infiltrate the system (which wouldn’t have happened if Steve Jobs had his hands on it.)

The new operating system would be even greater if it worked.

Grade: D+

REVIEWS PITCH PERFECT

Uno

Borderlands 2

Babel

With the slapstick comedy of Bridesmaids and the talent and personality of the TV show Glee, Pitch Perfect is no doubt an amazing pitchperfectmovie.com blend of comedy and music. Pitch Perfect follows Beca (Anna Kendrick) who is a girl who cares more about making music than making friends. Thrown into college by her father, Beca is forced into an unexpected clique of a hardcore a cappella group.

With an array of girls in the group, the distinct comedy value of each should make everyone laugh out loud. The odd rivalry between the singing groups is awkward and hilarious. The character Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) stands out with her raunchy, British humor.

However, the movie tries to play into a romance between Beca and Jesse, a guy on the all– men a cappella team. The movie features relationship in when convenient and kicks it to the side otherwise, making for a botch movie in the romance department.

The writers should have either made it a friendship with ups and downs, or played the romance down at all times.

The plot of the movie seemed choppy because of the out– of–focus relationship and plot.

If you want a perfect romance movie, this isn’t it. However, Pitch Perfect is a fantastic movie to see, guy or girl, if you’re in the mood for an easy comedy or wish to see a memorable musical movie.

If Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong’s “meltdow n” (smashing his $3,000 Gibson at the notion of Green Day’s set being cut short greenday.com by an usher) at the iHeartRadio music festival wasn’t one of the most punk rock attributes to society in the past five years, then their new album UNO definitely is.

Though their last album 21st Century Breakdown was considered a let– down to fans who anticipated something to meet or exceed the success of American Idiot, UNO(the first album of the upcoming trilogy from the band) brings an entirely different element of sound to the vast assortment of personas that Green Day’s adopted over the years.

While Green Day has never seemed that concerned with their musical abilities, guitar is predominantly showcased in UNO. Listening to songs like “Oh Love,” and “Loss of control,” it becomes more plausible to become immersed in the actual sounds of Amstrong’s guitar, Mike Dirnt’s bass and Tre Cool’s drums than in previous albums where Armstrong’s voice ultimately seemed to stand alone.

UNO is definitely more pop – oriented than previous works and takes hints from AC/DC and The Beatles into play from similar riffs to lyrics.

To say the least, the change is more than welcome in what could be considered a 10 –year–long musical dry spell where nothing phenomenal was produced.

In Borderlands 2, you’re a treasure hunter fresh off the bus armed with a deadly skill that, when perfected, can crush millions. That, and borderlands2.com you don’t get along with a certain fellow named Handsome Jack.

That’s all that will be said for now, to save the rich plot surprises from the first game for the actual game experience. As for why you don’t like Handsome Jack, he farmed and stole trillions of dollars from you after you faced certain doom countless times, and then he proceeds to berate you through your intercom headset; for example, he buys a pony made of solid diamond and decides to name it “Butt– Stallion” in your honor.

The main selling point in the game is the sense of humor and the variety of weapons. These are best depicted in the advertisements for the game announcing the random weapon generator, claiming “87 bazillion guns just got bazillioner.”

Or the gun vending machine that asks you if you’re feeling overburdened by money before it gouges the heck out of all the prices. And if you need healing, there’s always a doctor who will be very forthcoming with his lack of a med school degree. Your enemies will ask you to be their meat bicycle and your only friend, a robot, shows signs of multiple psychotic disorders.

Overall the game had near flawless gameplay and dialogue that keeps you laughing. It’s recommended it to anyone with a gaming console or PC.

Mumford & Sons rides on a newfound burst of popularity with the release of their new album.

Going from being an u n d e r– t h e – r a mumfordandsons.com dar band to the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, Mumford & Sons is accumulating an even bigger fan base with their sophomore album, Babel.

The English folk alternative band bring an uncommon sound to the album, and because of this, some songs aren’t that catchy. These out– of–the–norm tunes might make some listeners apprehensive.

There shouldn’t be any hesitation to listen. They have an unusual sound but channel emotion into each song. Their creations do not follow mainstream paths and are neglected by radio stations.

Now, for the naysayers, this diverse sound may spark diverging opinions, but it doesn’t mean to hit “next” when Mumford & Sons appears on Pandora.

In Babel, the English, folk-alternative band brings forward an uncommon sound, with a wide variety of tempos.

But some songs don’t click as well as they could–they are only good for background music. I appreciate that every song on an album can’t be a number one hit. Still, I can count on a few fingers the number of memorable songs on the album.

Babel doesn’t follow the basic formula for most musical successes today. Songs like, “I Will Wait,” “Holland Road,” “Babel” and “Below My Feet” are a few of the many to add to this differing light. Mumford & Sons may not be for everyone, but could astound thoughts about the music industry today.

By Sydney Thompson

By Emma Ockerman

By Jacob Barry

By Sean O’Melia

B+

A

A+

B-

IDEAS

North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 – 7

Ladies, please!

“Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

Board of Education Policy

Maria Liddane Editor-in-Chief

Dayle Maas NEws editor

Jordan Radke Managing Editor

Emma Ockerman next issue planning editor

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above and staff members Melina Glusac, Audrey Kam and Jacob Barry.

Why you should consider taking dating advice from a not-so alpha male There’s no easy way to say this – in the vernacular I’m a total “derp.”

As an overweight elementary student I used to store change in my belly button, and, like fine wine, I got better with age. A brief categorization of my derpiness ensues.

I was never one to eat paste, but as a little fat kid I did use my My turn man breasts as Jacob barry pillows. I idolize the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile. I have developed a strange obsession with yelling the word “trucks,” which may have built a reputation among my peers as the weirdo who likes trucks for no obvious reason. (Not that it matters, though, now that I’ll be known as the weirdo who admits to storing pocket change in his naval.)

But for some reason that isn’t apparent to me, I’ve never had too much trouble getting a girlfriend.

Perhaps the obvious conclusion is that I must have bribed my conquests with spare change from my belly button, but oddly enough, it never came to that.

My friends are just as confused by this phenomenon. Take this tale for example; I was sitting around with a few friends from South discussing particle physics for fun, and my friend stood up and said, “Some particles move through the Higgs Boson field undetected – so, say the majority of particles are attractive ladies and the undetected particle is me moving through doing one of these.” Then he shook his booty with such elegance the particles in the Higgs field wept at the fruitless mateattracting effort.

These are my brethren.

Just because I wasn’t the one dancing doesn’t mean I’m any better than he is. I have my own embarrassing stories, but I can only do so much self-deprecation in one column. So when I got my first girlfriend in the eighth grade (whom I managed to keep for two and a half years, by the way), my friends were deeply distraught.

And she wasn’t the only one I can admit to having a happy relationship with. I’ve dated a vaster variety of females than some guys who are considered smarter, funnier and better looking than me. I’ve thought long and hard about why this could be.

I’ve come up with one word to summarize my romantic success – compassion.

Dating at this age: It is really that simple.

Luck can’t hurt, romantically, but if you’re genuinely concerned with the struggles of another person, it shouldn’t take much more to woo a lady. Note that this is not to be confused with teenage-boy, hormonal pseudo-compassion; that stuff is transparent and will get you nowhere.

Most of the time, compassion doesn’t even require you to do anything – just give an attentive look and a comforting touch when need be. Though it’s a male instinct to put on the aggressive Mr. Fix It pants, beating someone up won’t alleviate her problems; compassion will.

Now, everybody’s different and there may be exceptions to this rule, but wouldn’t most independant women feel embarrassed by anyone trying to solve their problems for them, instead of offering a shoulder to cry on? Otherwise, it implies they’re not capable of handling it themselves.

I’m just saying, you can’t go wrong with a warm embrace from a well-rounded nerd.

“I have my own embarrassing stories, but I can only do so much self-deprecation in one column.”

illustration by jordan jackson

OUR EDITORIAL

Judge what happens in the classroom Whatever comes from the deliberations of Chicago Public Schools teachers – whose strike has brought national attention to the contentious issue of teachers’ roles in their students’ success – it remains that teacher evaluations should not place undue emphasis on students’ standardized test scores as a measurement of how instructors perform.

A standardized test, for a student, is merely the product of the effort on one day, in one classroom, at one point in his or her entire career as a student. To evaluate teachers on this performance – and to do so based on students’ gains over time – is to place great faith in the accuracy of these tests.

Indeed, Carolyn Abbot, a New York teacher whose eighth graders scored in the 89th percentile on the 2012 New York State math and English Language Arts tests, was ranked in the zeroth percentile among eighthgrade math teachers on her Teacher Data Report.

Because the report judges performance based on predicted success, her students at Anderson – a city-wide school for gifted students – performed poorly given the curriculum they had been tested on, which they’d covered years before.

The same inflexibility that makes standardized tests so attractive as a benchmark for students’ success is also their downfall; they do nothing to contextualize the success (or lack thereof) of students.

Even if it were pragmatic to stress standardized test scores in teachers’ evaluations and therefore in the classroom, it would ignore the human element of the classroom experience. Working with peers facilitates communication and creativity; solitary test preparation breeds boredom. Conversation with and encouragement from a teacher stimulates students; scantrons only generate listlessness.

This is why the Chicago Public Schools teachers’ fight to define how they are evaluated is so vital. It is a struggle to make important the things students actually take away from their education – what one human being relates to another – rather than the bubbles they fill in.

Standardized test scores should be only a single component in a holistic evaluation of a district’s teachers.

Basing 15% of evaluation on these scores, as Chicago’s contract has, should be an agreeable standard. Any more than that is putting an emphasis on the wrong aspects of education, and telling instructors that teaching to a test is more important than the classroom experience. A teacher’s ability to run an effective classroom, as judged by a school’s principal, should be the main standard because that’s where learning happens (at least on the teacher’s watch).

“Evaluate me! Show me how I can get better. But don’t tell me some ... test you pulled off of a shelf that a child sits down and bubbles in is going to tell you what I’ve done – it does not!” Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis said.

Instead of putting stock into rigid, universal testing to gauge teachers’ performance, districts must put student success in the context of the classroom, the real student-teacher interaction.

“I like the Norsemen gear they have; they have really nice sweatshirts.”

“It’s a good alternative to the lunch room and is a very positive place to be.”

“If you take a business class, you run the store. It’s one of the best to take because you‘ll use it in real life. “

Yena Berhane

Will Lorenz

Brielle Ahee

Freshman

Junior

Sophomore

YOUR TURN: What do you think about North’s new student store? By Marie Bourke

“I like how the school has somewhere for people to relax and get food.”

“I like it a lot, and I was particularly impressed with the foosball table.”

“It’s awesome. I love that it’s student run.”

Caroline Tripp

Geoffrey Young

Sage Phillips

senior

English teacher

SECTION EDITORS: Dayle Maas, Kim Cusmano, Lauren Semack, Gabby Burchett ASSISTANT EDITORS: Kristen Kaled, Andrea Scapini, Amanda Berry, Marie Bourke, Emma Ockerman STAFF REPORTERS: Patricia Bajis, Colleen Reveley, Izzy Ellery, Melissa Healy, Natalie Skorupski, Sara Villani, Libby Sumnik, Rachel Cullen, Jacob Barry, Danae DiCicco PHOTOGRAPHERS: Caroline Schulte (Photo Editor) Emily Huguenin (Assistant Photo Editor) Sean O’Melia, Kaylee Dall INTERNS: Sheldon Chavis, Ashley Brown, Haley Reid, Sarah Schade, Nathan Kane, Audrey Kam, Anna Hopkins, Jenna Belote ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR: Jordan Radke NEXT ISSUE MANAGING EDITOR: Emma Ockerman The North Pointe is edited and produced by

Lrc and reading specialist

Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review. Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe School System.

We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center. We subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com.

One copy is available free to all community members. Additional copies may be purchased. Our editorial policy and advertising rates are available online at myGPN.org. The North Pointe is printed on 100 percent recycled paper.

CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Website: myGPN.org Twitter: myGPN FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers

Editors desk Jordan radke

Ego? Definition: I’ll get back to you So here I am, a senior.

Not that I define myself by it.

Heavens, no.

I was under the impression by now I’d be able to procure soda, sans cost, from the machines in ABuilding with an effortless, calculated blow to the machine’s side.

I look back at four years at North and know I grew somehow, but I struggle how to define it. Either way, here I am.

There are supposed to be perks to being a senior, to all this growth, but I haven’t found much to write home about. In fact, things have gotten a bit worse – collegeapplications worse, stuckin-the-middle worse. But I swore to myself I wasn’t going to talk at all about college.

Really. I won’t do it.

Maybe just a little.

The process is daunting. I can’t even fill in my Social Security number on the Common App without asking myself if I want to define myself by it. I have to start contemplating where I want to live, what I want to study, what I want to do with my life.

My … life? I’m 17 years old. Ask me again when I can grow a beard.

So, I’m cornered into introspection, which is regrettable. Because to pigeonhole myself in any way would be to throw color on my future’s canvas – something I’m not ready to see because, well, I’m still interpreting the faint brushstrokes I’ve already applied.

This breed of self-examination does not come easy for me (nor does the beard).

But they’re both growing in at about the same time; I’ve started filling out the applications (read: my parents have forced me to start filling out the applications).

I must collect and organize everything in the past four years that defines me – and it’s weirdly cathartic.

There’s a point (the first sentence) in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield where the narrator offers, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”

So now I not only have to self-examine, but be a hero, too. Being Batman sounds hard.

The thing that sets Batman apart from me, though (because the differences are few), is he stands for something: the protection and justice that Gotham deserves. He is constantly defining himself by what he does.

So, I’m starting relatively small, depicting my ego loosely on the awkward Etch-a-Sketch knobs of the college application – and I’ll keep on defining. Maybe the real canvas holds the dark knight’s figure, heroic guardian and protector of the weak.

Maybe not.

But I’m figuring it out.

The grappling hook is mine, the soda not so much.

God forbid it all – defining, growing my beard, being Batman – be that easy.

Life

North Pointe - Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 - 8

LUNCH TIME,

CRUNCH TIME

By Emily Huguenin, Kristen Kaled, Dayle Maas & Caroline Schulte

High-calorie standards...

Editors

...low-calorie alternatives

Taco Bell

Crunchwrap Supreme Calories: 540 Fat: 21g Medium Baja Blast Calories: 280 Fat: 0g

Crunchy Taco Calories: 140 Fat: 8g Medium Diet Pepsi Calories: 0 Fat: 0g

Next time you’re at Taco Bell, try their Fresco menu. It offers healthier options to original menu items. You can have two crunchy tacos for fewer calories than one Crunchwrap.

Jimmy John’s

#5 Vito Calories: 600 Fat: 28g

JJ’s Unwich Vito Calories: 350 Fat: 28g Jimmy Chips Calories: 160 Fat: 8g

Enjoy a JJ’s Unwich Vito packed with the same meat and cheese as an original Vito, just with lettuce instead bread. Pair it with a bag of your favorite Jimmy Chips, and it will have fewer calories than the original.

WARNING: Next time you go to grab a cookie at Jimmy John’s, think twice. They carry a whopping 420 calories. That’s like eating four homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Wendy’s

Baconator Calories: 940 Fat: 63g Medium Fries Calories: 420 Fat: 21g Medium Chocolate Frosty Calories: 420 Fat: 21g

Junior Cheeseburger Calories: 350 Fat: 19g Wildberry Tea Calories: 100 Fat: 0g

Instead of chowing down on a Baconator, fries and a frosty at Wendy’s, try a Junior Cheeseburger and a Wildberry Tea for a healthier option.

Where do you go to lunch?

“Jimmy John’s ‘cause they’re freaky fast.”

Vince Bruno Junior

“Nautical Deli because the chicken tenders are good, and it’s not fast food.”

“I don’t go out.

Underclassmen problems.”

Lauren Koeppe

Annie Armbruster

Senior

Sophomore