NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
SINCE 1968
POINTE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012
LIFE
Junior Alana Page describes her life-long meatless diet.
Page 5
maria liddane
Administration enforces dancing, drinking policy By Jordan Radke editor
ON CAMPUS
Check out the float building process as each class’s superhero takes form. Page 3
COLLEGE VISITS Oct. 23 University of Michigan-Dearborn St. Joseph University Oct. 25 Oakland University Army National Guard
For Jennifer Hammond, Grand Blanc High School principal, it was about enforcing appropriate dancing rules for 1,500 dance-goers at the school’s Sept. 29 homecoming, even if the student reaction was an exodus of about 700 from the dance. For Assistant Principal Kate Murray, it’s about shifting a culture here at North because “teenagers by nature are always trying to push the envelope.” For junior Krystian Quint, it’s all a waste of time. “We pay good money to enjoy the dance. There is no harm done by people grinding. It’s just dancing,” Quint said. But high schools still try. At Nathan Hale High School, in Seattle, Washington, students have been asked to sign contracts aimed to eliminate lewd behavior at dances. Administration at Geneva High School in Geneva, Illinois, has
asked their disc jockey to remove songs that promote sexual dancing from his repertoire. North’s policies (including “face to face with a little space”) and then, are just a microcosm of a struggle between administration and students to define a culture that, in Assistant Principal Tom Beach’s words, has “changed a lot since (he) was in school.” “I feel that it’s our job as staff members at Grosse Pointe North to educate students on what is appropriate and what is inappropriate,” Murray said. “It’s our job to help teenagers understand how to present themselves in an appropriate manner.” In Grand Blanc, appropriateness has been defined as “face to face” for a few years, but it was only at this year’s homecoming that it was enforced. About 30 students were asked to leave, and 700 chose to in reaction to the firmer enforcement – though Hammond posits many had to as their rides were leaving. “The change to enforce the rules
Oct. 29 University of Toledo
was based on our discomfort with the students’ behavior at our past two dances as well as complaints from students, staff and parents,” he said. “We posted the rules on the backs of the tickets, we made an announcement in school before the dance, and we also announced our expectations as they entered the dance. Then, about 9 p.m. when the doors closed, we went in to the gym to enforce the rules.” Administration at North is preparing for the Oct. 20 homecoming as well. Murray said they aim to increase the number of chaperones on the dance floor and let students know that, after one warning, there will be consequences. “We always give a warning first.” Beach said. “We’ll usually talk to someone and say, ‘If I had your parents standing here, and they saw this behavior, would they be pleased with you?’” Student reaction can be fervent. “It’s just going to make homecoming boring. North is becoming communist,” freshman Tommy
Heinemann said. “Why can’t they let the kids have fun?” Administration seeks to police not only student behavior during the dance, but beforehand as well. Murray indicates one may be a function of the other. “The breathalyzing even changed the type of dancing out on the dance floor; it shifted the entire culture,” Murray said of the use of Q-tip breathalyzer tests at dances last year. One out of ten students will be randomly tested at this year’s homecoming. Senior Maggie Kelly objects to the random testing. “It’s a waste of time to breathalyze anyone. The teachers should just pull aside anyone noticeably drunk and act accordingly. It just creates a weird atmosphere,” Kelly said. Quint offers an alternative. “Don’t be stupid; don’t get drunk and go to a school event. Easy as that.” Contributing: Emma Ockerman
Nov. 8 Western Michigan University
Students link with special-needs peers to aid independence
Cornell College
By Colleen Reveley & Libby Sumnik
See Mrs. Figurski for a pass the day before the visit.
North Links is an upcoming peer-to-peer support program in which general education students pair up with students with disabilities to support socialization and independence of those with special needs. Their helpful peers would dedicate some of their time in and out of school to become not only mentors, but friends. “Links are ninth through twelfth grade students who use their tutorial or lunch period to spend time with students with various special needs. Really and truly, it’s for the autism department and cognitively impaired. This is typically the primary target because these kids are very low socially. A lot of times, what you’ll see happen is these kids will build relationships and start going to football games or movies together,” ALP teacher Lisa Lucas, said. “So let’s say it’s your tutorial. You might go to the government class and almost act as an assistant, kind of like the Freshman Assist, except you’re with a student with special needs and only with that student. Typically, the goal is to pair a girl with a girl and a boy with a boy.” School psychologist Christine Kuhl, who is helping organize the
Oct. 30 Olivet College Nov. 1 Wesleyan University
Staff reporters
Courtesy of Susan Vens
Seniors Ali Scoggin, Paige Micks, Jenna Paglino and juniors Jordyn Parent and Madison Vens won their golf regional, advancing the team to states.
IDEAS
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time and time again that 140 characters is
more than enough to show the worst side of a decent person
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© 2012 North Pointe Volume 45, Issue 3
Girls golf advances to states By Patricia Bajis Staff reporter
The girls varsity golf team placed third in the regional tournament, advancing themselves to the state finals for the first time since 2005. The five girls with the best averages during the season journeyed to Pontiac Country Club to represent North. Seniors Jenna Paglino, Paige Micks, Ali Scoggin and juniors Madison Vens and Jordyn Parent battled pouring rain, stinging winds, hail and 40-degree weather on Oct. 10. “We didn’t really start off well. We had a certain number in mind
that we wanted to shoot beforehand, and we weren’t able to do that because the weather conditions kind of changed everything,” coach Brian Stackpoole said. “It had stopped raining about 20 minutes before we teed off, and we thought that was a really good sign that the day had turned nice, but unfortunately, once the rain stopped, it became extremely cold and windy.” “We expected a lot from ourselves, and we went in with the attitude that we couldn’t control what other teams could do and hopefully play our best rounds of golf that day, and if we knew that we played our best, then everything would take care of itself,” assistant coach Brian Degnore said. Scoggin was the top player, shooting 90. Vens shot 92, Micks shot 93 and Paglino and Parent both shot 101. continued on page 2
program, said there are similar programs to Links. She started one at which elementary school in Ypsilanti where she previously worked. “There are many different peer-to-peer programs in the state of Michigan alone. A lot of school districts have them, like Clarkston and Grand Ledge. I used to work in a district called Lincoln Consolidated Schools. I had a program there called Pals,” Kuhl said. The special needs students mimic the behavior that their Links display in the general education classrooms which promotes self-sufficiency. “We hope that the students at North realize the power they possess to be a positive influence in others’ lives. We also hope students choose to use this influence to help those with special needs achieve independence and social skill development through modeling,” Kuhl said. “Some kids have been here for four years and have never gone to a dance or never have gone to a football game because they have no one to go with. And sometimes, it opens up doors for extra curricular social opportunities.” continued on page 2
news
2 – Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – North Pointe
FIVE MINUTES WITH
Peer support group: North Links
Counseling intern Kris Kuchta
Continued from Page 1
By Jacob Barry
Not only is the program helpful to the special education students, it is beneficial to the general education students as well. “The general ed. student gets to feel like they are giving back. Usually, they have a lot of fun getting to know the students. It’s kind of one of those ‘be the change’ opportunities for you to do positive in your community. The students live in your community, so it’s a nice way to give back. In my experience, it has been a positive experience for everyone,” Kuhl said. Emily Armbruster, who is one of four seniors that assists the special needs students in Kay Torigian’s foods class, says that she sees no drawbacks to the program. “I (currently) work with students in sixth hour. The idea is very good, and I believe that the students who are being
STAFF REPORTER
For counseling intern Kris Kuchta, a stint at North is the last step to becoming a full-fledged high school guidance counselor. “It was kind of overwhelming because the first day (guidance counselor) Ms. Skelly was like, ‘OK, well jump on this computer, we’ll start scheduling,’” Kuchta said. “I was like, ‘What? I’ve never seen this software before,’ and she threw me right in, but looking back it was one of the better experiences I’ve had.” Kuchta is interning to pick up everything he can about counseling. What drew him in was a combination of the enjoyment he got out of working with kids and an interest in psychology. “I always liked working with kids. I knew that from a young age,” Kuchta said. “I coached soccer for five, six years. Although I loved soccer I knew I wanted to do something more with kids, and I had interest in psychology. So I put the two together.” Kuchta started coaching and going to two schools at once right after high school. “While I was coaching, I was going to U of M (University of Michigan) studying psychology, Oakland University (for) my counseling program.” But while coaching in college, Kuchta was still undecided about his future and career. “I didn’t know if I wanted to go into criminal justice, but the more I reflected on soccer and kind of exploring the different programs I was kind of like, ‘Yeah, counseling is the right thing.’ I shadowed a couple (guidance counselors) in Wayne County and I thought this is really cool and I really wanna do this.” Kuchta will be here helping students until December.
Jacob Barry
Counseling intern Kris Kuchta interns until December. What kind of music do you like? Mostly alternative. The Black Keys, as of recently.
Favorite band when you were in high school? Maybe Linkin Park. Still kind of alternative, but I don’t listen to them as much anymore.
What kind of movies are you interested in? I like science fiction. The last one was District 9; Fifth Element, that’s an oldie, naw, not that old. 90s I guess. A lot of sci-fi, zombies too. I love horror movies, anything to do with zombies. I love the Walking Dead series.
helped out would love that,” Armbruster said. Although Links is not up and running yet, the organizers are hoping to get it started in the next month. Since there are around 50 students in the Special Education Department, Kuhl and Lucas are looking for a large group of students to be Links. “We are in the planning phase right now. We are going to try to have the program begin in November. When I say begin, I mean making announcements, and we are going to have a table at lunch so students can come and get additional information if needed. Then we will have an after school meeting to provide permission slips to all the students interested,” Kuhl said. “This is an amazing opportunity for all involved, and we are very excited to be starting such a powerful program at North.”
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Do you have a favorite sci-fi director? No, I’m the type of person where I see what I like, and I don’t really attribute it too much to a director. I mean it probably is, but I don’t pay that much attention to it.
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Girls golf heads to states Continued from Page 1
As the girls slowly came in one-by-one from their rounds, they waited anxiously to see the final score tally. “We knew it was going to be really close, and in the end, we were all watching the scoreboard freaking out,” Scoggin said. “When they finally put all the scores up, we saw that we had gotten third by a good margin, and we were pretty close to second. We were not expecting to be up by so much.” Accomplishing their goal of going undefeated during the season with a record of 9-0, the girls decided to take on the bigger task of advancing to states. “All the hours of practice and all the hard work finally paid off in the end, and it is a huge honor. Especially since we haven’t had a girls golf team make it to states in a very long time,” Paglino said. With a season end of Sep. 26, they had about a week for preparation at the Lochmoor Club and were able to practice once at the regional in order to get a better feeling for the Pontiac course. “They went out there to play the course two or three times before because they had never played before. Coach Stackpoole and I went out there Sunday and played it with them,” Degnore said. The victory has its ups and downs, as the team will be missing the pep assembly, prehomecoming photos and a portion of the dance to attend the state competition. “I’m missing pictures and dinner and about 20 minutes of the dance,” Vens said.
Courtesy of susan vens
Junior Madison Vens practices her putting game before the regional match on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
“It’s bittersweet because I have a date this year, but at the same time, our team hasn’t made it to states in a long time.” Though only five qualified to participate at regionals, the whole team is invited to play at states in Grand Rapids. The girls will leave Thursday after school and begin play on Friday. “I’m excited to play the course. I have heard it’s beautiful and difficult. Also, spending the weekend with the team will be fun,” Micks said.
Grosse Pointe Driving School SPRING SCHEDULE 2012 SEGMENT 1: 6-8 p.m.
SEGMENT 2: 4-6 p.m.
May 7 - May 24 May 21 - June 7
April 30 - May 3 May 14 - May 17 June 4 - June 7 (6-8 p.m.)
Classes held at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial 32 Lake Shore Dr., Grosse Pointe Farms, 313-881-7511
on campus Freshmen prepare for campaign week The Class of 2016 isn’t wasting any time as they continue to increase their momentum for the year, going from spirit week to their elections for their freshmen student council representatives. With the Class of 2012 graduated, LRC teacher Marylyn Withers has taken the newest class under her wing. Before the freshmen can progress, however, elections must be held for class representatives--which means the ever-amusing campaign week. Withers believes the campaign week will be successful, as she has had experience with the Class of 2012 campaign week which will assist her in preparing herself. Final applications for office are due Oct. 23, and campaign week will run Oct. 23-30. Candidates will hang posters and pass out candy to fellow classmates to secure votes and determine the future leaders of the Class of 2016. Withers said she has high hopes and expectations for this election and for the future of the class. “Well, the interim council has set the class on course, and this council will continue to take that course from November to April. This will set the the tone for the next four years, so we need solid leadership,” Withers said. Freshmen may run for the following positions: president, vice president, secretary, treasure or senator (there are eight senator positions available). All of these positions will be determined during the election on Nov. 1, and primary elections before that date if needed. If there are primary elections, there will be a meet and greet of candidates on Oct. 26 in the cafeteria. This will be an opportunity for freshmen to ask questions and get an introduction to their future leaders. “I have high hopes for this election. I’m looking forward to the freshman class electing the best possible leaders and not the most popular kids in school,” Withers said.
Freshmen Assist students visit Sunrise Assisted Living Freshmen Assist students, along with six student mentors and three of the program’s teachers, visited Sunrise Assisted Living Center located on Mack Avenue. This field trip was planned as a volunteer opportunity for students, but also to help older citizens at the same time. The freshmen and elderly interacted and participated in crafts and games, like checkers, to keep the day entertaining. “We spent most of our time working on a few crafts with some of the lady residents and it went so much more smoothly than I had anticipated,” senior mentor Cameron Day. said. “(Freshmen) introduced themselves and the residents engaged and loved talking to them, so I think that put the kids at ease a little bit. “Personally, I had a great time and loved all the conversations I had, both with the freshmen and the residents. It was a great day and I’m looking forward to the other trips the program will be putting together.”
North teacher selected as Emerging Leader Daniel J. Quinn, who teaches economics and social studies to high school students at Grosse Pointe North in Grosse Pointe Pointe Woods, Mich. has been recognized as an Emerging Leader by PDK International, a global association of education professionals. The PDK Emerging Leader program recognizes top educators under age 40 from around the world for their leadership. A committee made up of PDK’s past Emerging Leaders selected the 22 honorees from a competitive field of applicants, based on their outsanding professional accomplishments. Press release from gpschools.org
Float construction builds up to spirit week Students of all different grades assembled at class members respective houses, using long wooden boards, chicken wire, and massive amounts of poms to create their homecoming
floats to be shown off in the annual homecoming parade. Floats were made to commemorate some of the greatest comic book heroes of all time.
For her whole life, senior Marie Karam has been doing what most high schoolers just started a few years ago: learning more than one language. Since both her parents are 100% Lebanese, she has been exposed to the Arabic language since she was born. “At home, we speak both English and Arabic. Both of my parents also speak Arabic, and that’s how I was able to catch on,” Karam said. “Growing up, they tried to speak it more when they were around my brother and I so we would learn it while we were young.” Although learning Arabic has been a lifelong process for Karam, she also started Spanish classes in middle school, and she’s currently in Spanish V. Karam hopes her command of three languages will be a boost for college applications and allow her to place out of a language course in college. But she sees her ability as something more than academic gain. She connects to her heritage and family on a deeper level. “It’s definitely something that I am proud of,” she said.
Larissa Heinz ABOVE: The freshmen class attaches poms to their first float. “I’m most excited about seeing these kids amazement at what this actually is like. I don’t think they have a clue as to the excitement they’re gonna feel when they get into that gymnasium for the pep rally and when they get into that parade,” freshmen class adviser Marylyn Withers said.
RIGHT: Senior Chris Walsh glues a pom onto a Batman logo. “I can’t think of anything else I would’ve done differently in the designing aspect,” Walsh said.
RIGHT: Sophomore Katelyn Carroll adds white poms to the sophomore spiderweb. ”I love that we all get together and even though we’re not from the same group of friends, we all get along really well and have fun while we’re doing work,” she said.
Sophomore Larissa Heinz, a foreign exchange student from a suburb of Frankfurt, Germany hopes the many complications are worthwhile as she travels over 4,200 miles to complete her studies at North this year. “All the paperwork and profiles leading up to the trip were much more complicated,” Heinz said. “The Morris family, Kallin especially, made the transitions so much easier. Meeting my host family was my biggest apprehension, but they have made me feel like I am part of their family.” Heinz is bilingual speaking both German and English fluently and finds the shorter classes here a little less tedious. “Classes ran ninety minutes apiece back home.” Heinz said. “(It is) a little harder to stay focused here.” Heinz played tennis and track in Germany, so joining cross country with a member of her host family was a natural fit. And while she still doesn’t understand some of the other American sports such as football, that doesn’t stop her from enjoying a good time at the games.
Josh Lupo
RIGHT: Junior Robert Nesom wraps chicken wire around the superman dummy’s arm. “I like (float) because it is very rewarding when it goes through the parade and everyone can see how hard you have worked. I don’t think it would be the same if I just walked through the parade not having helped,” he said.
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Carrying on the family tradition of music and theater is an important responsibility for freshman Josh Lupo. Lupo comes from a family of known North performers, and it’s influenced him to get into the spotlight. “It’s a family tradition that I’ve just taken and grown accustomed to and become a big part of,” he said. But Lupo isn’t a newcomer to the district’s performing arts programs. He took to the stage for three years in musicals at Parcells Middle School, including Thirteen, where he starred as the lead, Evan Goldman. As for North’s productions, Lupo is anxiously awaiting his audition for the next musical. “If I get a big role, good. If I get a small role, or even nothing, it’s still fine. I’m just happy that I’m trying out,” Lupo said. Lupo is also an active member of the Junior Thespian Society, He recently received an honorary thespian badge for the hours that he’s spent on stage. By Haley Reid, Katelyn Carney & Sarah Schade
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4 – Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – North Pointe
SPORTS
Family legacy comes to a close By Melissa Healy
“I’ve been watching him play for a long staff reporter time now,” John said. “It’s been very rewarding coaching this year, and I have fter sitting on the sidelines watch- been very impressed with the person Brying his brothers since he was little, an has become, both on and off the court.” senior Bryan Butts finally gets his Although Dean isn’t involved with the chance to pick up the racket and make his team, he wishes he could be there with own claim to fame on the tennis court. them. “I love that both my “It is very weird to brothers have been on the watch Bryan play for team. Ever since my oldNorth, because he was est brother John was on the a freshman on the team team, high school tennis when I was a senior. He’s has been an important part playing at a very high level of my life,” Bryan said. and we are all very proud “It was really cool growof him. Don’t tell him I ing up watching John and said that,” Dean said. “I’m actually jealous of John Dean play and knowing right now because he was that in a couple years’ time, able to step into the assisI would be competing for tant coaching role for Brythe same team. I rememan’s last season, the Butts’ ber going to all of their John Butts last season. I was able to matches and desperately varisty tennis assistant coach go to some practices this wanting to be out on the fall and the team is lookcourt with them. In a way, it ing very good.” feels like I have been a part Now that Bryan and John are both inof the team for nine years.” volved on the team, each Butts has had John Butts, Class of 2007, was the first completed a season together. As seniors, Butts to be on the team; Dean Butts folDean and John were doubles partners, lowed him two years later. Since then, John and they still play as a duo today, usually has returned to North tennis as an assisagainst Bryan and their dad. tant coach.
A
“I have been very impressed with the person Bryan has become, both on and off the court.”
“Band of brothers” unifies the team
“Whenever we are all together we always find time to get out on the court and have a hit. Ever since we were little we would play doubles with our dad and the teams would always be me and my dad versus John and Dean,” Bryan said. “Even though the skill levels have changed, whenever we play doubles together the teams are always the same. We always strive to beat each other, but we don’t let that get in the way off the court.” Although every Butts has been on the team together, at some point, their skills are seldom compared. “I don’t think we are ever really compared to each other talent wise. We are all good enough to play at a certain level and that’s all that matters,” Bryan said. “If I was to be compared to one of my brothers it would probably be Dean because he is closer in age and we overlapped a year on North’s team. Because we are all a couple years apart we have peaked at different times, so it can be hard to compare.” Even though John, Dean and Bryan have taken different paths with their tennis careers, they always find time to play together. “Almost all of our vacations are focused around tennis,” Dean said. “We caroline shulte just can’t get enough of it.”
“Having brothers on the cross country team has deepened our strong team unity enhancing our ‘band of brothers.’ This team unity has played an important role in our successes this year,” Joe Ciaravino, boys cross country coach, said.
Meet the Reickerts, Ciaravinos, Limbacks and Sickmillers. Each family contributes a pair of brothers to the boys cross country team. Siblings can be a pain, but these brothers put their differences aside to help each other out in their running careers.
By Marie Bourke & Kristen Kaled assistant editors
Aidan & Pearce Reickert
Joe & Danny Ciaravino
North Pointe: What does running do for you? Pearce: For me, running is a way for me to relax and calm myself. It’s comforting to know that, no matter how hard a day I’ve had, I can go to cross country practice after school and just run with the team. Aidan: Running gives me something to do after school and friends to hangout with.
North Pointe: Did your dad have an impact on your running, since he’s one of the coaches? Danny: Yeah, the fact that he did so well in high school really inspired me to try to do as good if not better than him or just to try to get somewhere up there because as good as he was it really inspired me. Joe: Yeah my dad really had an impact on my running because he pushed me to run harder but not so hard that it was overwhelming.
NP: Is it different having your brother on the team; do you like it? Pearce: Definitely interesting. It’s like sometimes having two of me, and then at other times its just someone who clashes with every aspect of my personality. Aidan: I don’t know what the team would be like without a brother. NP: How are you guys in a competitive aspect? Pearce: We try to build each other up, rather than compete with each other. My deepest and most sincere hope is that Aidan will succeed on this team. Aidan: I’m really competitive against him, but he’s not really competitive against me because he’s older and thinks he’s better. NP: Has being on the same team with your brother affected your relationship? Pearce: I think running on the same team every day after school has pulled us closer together. Aidan: Not really, it’s stayed the same but it’s normally good except when we ocassionally fight.
NP: Are you guys friendly towards each other on the team? Danny: A lot more friendly than me and Chris were because Chris would throw me in the bushes and stuff so I’m trying to give him a little better time. Joe: Danny and I are friendly to each other on the team but we are brothers so there is that aspect of “brotherly love.” NP: How would you describe you and your brother’s relationship? Danny: Our relationship is really complex. Some days we’ll be getting along just fine, talking about girls or other brotherly subjects, but some days we’ll be at each others throats about things like how HE is wearing MY shirt. Joe: I would say we have a pretty good relationship and we get along the majority of the time, he’s fun to hang around with.
Nate & Simon Limback
Tyler & Connor Sickmiller
North Pointe: What keeps you going when you want to stop? Nate: The drive to succeed and to keep moving forward. Once you give up you will never stop. I tell myself whenever I run that this will pay off later on in the races. Simon: I want to feel that feeling when I do something amazing, like finishing a race.
North Pointe: What does running do for you? Tyler: Running allows me to stay in shape. Running has also influenced me to join the cross country and track team where I met some of my good friends. Connor: Running is a big stress reliever for me. On stressful days I can just walk out of the house and let my mind stray for awhile. Running also gives me a sense of satisfaction. After a hard race I feel great knowing that I just pushed myself mentally and physically further than I knew I could.
NP: What is it like having your brother on the team? Does it add to or lessen the experience? Nate: I like having him on the team. It’s great to see him race and have fun with his friends like I did my freshmen year, but it can also be a pain cause some of his friends still need to learn seniority and respect to the upper classmen. Simon: It gives me something to drive for and beat his freshmen times. NP: Has this affected your relationship at all? Strengthened or weakened it? Nate: It has somewhat strengthened it because now he comes to me for advice and tips on what a race is going to be like. Simon: Not really for me it has been the same. NP: Why do you like or dislike having him on the team? Nate: I like having him on the team because it gives us some “brotherly bonding” time. Simon: I like and dislike him ‘cause he pushes me (mentally and physically).
NP: What are the benefits or drawbacks of having your brother on the team with you? Tyler: Since my brother is on the team we gained a good runner. Having Connor on the team also made me want to be a better leader so he knows what is expected of seniors when he becomes one. Connor: The benefits of my brother on the team? I get a ride home from practice. NP: Do you guys train together? Tyler: Connor and I haven’t been able to train together because he has been injured all year. Connor: For the first half of the season I was injured (with a pulled hamstring) and not training at all. Once I got back I trained with the middle group as a precaution to not overwork myself. I did this for two weeks gradually increasing the amount of work I put myself through. Then on Saturday I pulled my hamstring again so I’m out of training for another week. I hope to be training with the lead pack (which includes him) as soon as possible.
SPORTS
5– Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – North Pointe
Some pain, all By Emma Ockerman managing editor
“My joints will swell up, it’ll be hard to move, and they’ll be stiff in the morning, almost like you have a broken foot--that kind of pain.” Freshman Charles Stahl was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at one year old, but this doesn’t stop him from skating his black penny cruiser with Rasta-colored wheels eight blocks to school every morning. “I’m slower when I push,” Stahl said. The task of riding a skateboard is physically grueling on his ankles, yet Stahl still finds a way to fuel his passion for skateboarding and has since he was in fourth grade. “(Freshman) Patrick Mason came over (to) my house and said, ‘Let’s skateboard’. So we did,” Stahl said. Stahl said it took him roughly three years to get skateboarding down to a skill and to discover his pain threshold. “Certain tricks are harder for me to do,” Stahl said. “I can’t kickflip, but some tricks are easier –like footplants.” “I don’t have to use my ankles as much. I don’t have to flick as hard.” The aching reminder that Stahl’s passion can leave him in discomfort is never far behind when he steps onto a skateboard. “One time I was bombing a hill, and I hit my knee on my rock. It would have just been a bruise and been swollen for a few days, but since I have the arthritis, it turned into a fullblown flare-up,” Stahl said. “It was swollen for a good three weeks.” But flare-ups aside, Stahl loves skateboarding enough to overcome any attribute of his
the glory
Senior finds motivation in an unusual place By Andrea Scapini assistant editor
a r t h r itis. “It’s not like a normal sport. It’s different,” St a h l
said. “ I can do w h a tever I want with it. There’s no rules. It’s liberating.” Stahl found sk ateboa rding as a coping mechanism for overcoming the activikaylee dall ties arthritis held him back from. “I played baseball for a while. I was never allowed to play contact sports. No football, no lacrosse. I just went to skateboarding. It was almost me trying to go against the curve and do something I wasn’t supposed to,” Stahl said. Stahl’s relationship was pushed further at Wild in the
St reets this year, w h e r e t hou s a nd s of professional and local skateboarders stormed the streets of Detroit. “It was an unthought about unity between skateboarders,” Stahl said. “I loved the fact that you got to meet pros and everyone was joined together.” But even with his enthusiasm growing stronger by the day, Stahl can’t escape the nagging notion of his arthritis. “Sometimes it’s better than others. Sometimes it’s just hard to move around,” Stahl said. Though both of his knees, wrists and ankles tend to be swollen and in pain, Stahl doesn’t let that put a damper on his skating– even when injured. “At most I would take a break from skating,” Stahl said.“I just keep taking my pills, put a brace on it –I just manage.”
Seniors trample juniors in powderpuff game with a 48-6 victory By Sean O’Melia & Kim Cusmano Staff Reporter & Sports editor
ABOVE RIGHT: Senior Julia Guest runs the ball into the end zone for one of the seniors’ two point conversions. “It was a great feeling making it into the end zone and celebrating after with my team,” Guest said. ABOVE: Senior Francesca Ciaramitaro kicks a field goal in pre-game practice, as senior coaches Sean McHale and Luke McGarvah look on. Ciaramitaro attempted three field goals during the game, scoring two of them. RIGHT: Junior La’Shanay Mack runs the ball as junior Angela Scapini blocks the oncoming seniors. “This year was a tough outcome,” Scapini said. “But now we know what we’re doing and will go all out next year to win.”
Since the passing of his father in his sophomore year, senior Chris Hamilton has used the memory of his dad to drive him in football. But he doesn’t dedicate his playing in a way one would expect. “I devote football to make him bitter, like, ‘I should have been in my son’s life more and now he’s doing productive things with football,’” Hamilton said. “That’s really what I focus on – making him regret not being around at my games. That’s why I go so hard.” While his father never came to games, Hamilton has had a steady group of supporters there for him. “My sister comes to all the games,” he said. “My mom, she goes to work early just to leave early to make it to my games. My coaches are always there for me no matter what. My coaches care about me a lot. I always try to put the effort out for them.” Hamilton said the absence of a paternal influence in his life caused him to act up, until his coaches, especially coach Butch Hill, put him into the right mind set. “Talking to coach Hill helped me gain a level head. You can’t get upset when things don’t go your way. You’ve got to roll with the punches,” Hamilton said. “...If things aren’t going your way, just keep composure and do what you have to do.” Coach Hill has stepped in as somewhat of a father figure to Hamilton by continuously reaching out to him, which changed Hamilton on the field and off of
it. “Chris Hamilton as a senior is an incredibly different young man as Chris Hamilton was as a junior. Chris is focused, he’s intense, he is there at practice every day. He is a leader,” Hill said. “Mentally, Chris was not with us last year and this year he’s all in.” Hamilton gives lots of credit to Hill for his success and for pushing him at practice and in the games. “He cares the most about me. I’ve been wanting to play running back for three years and I’ve never gotten the chance,” Hamilton said. “Coach Hill just stayed with me throughout the years and told me that I’d have my chance and to just keep working.” Coach Hill’s encouragement paired with Hamilton’s own selfdetermination is what makes Hamilton constantly strive to become a better football player. “He has a good work ethic and he sets a goal and he pushes for it and he achieves it,” Chris’ sister, Melissa Hamilton, said. “Everything he does is for football.” Although Hamilton used to walk to the beat of his own drum, his father’s passing gave him a new perspective, resulting in a more focused work ethic. “With me not having a good relationship with my dad, I don’t like authority. I don’t respond well to authority of me. Last year I did things my own way a lot and that kind of hurt me and my chances of playing running back,” he said. His new attitude has been noticed by coaches and teammates alike. “He’s using a positive energy that rubs off on others too, sometimes. He knows when to get into everything with other people and when to interact,” senior teammate Bryon Christmas said. “He’s always working to get better.” Hamilton takes in advice from coach Hill to continue with a positive attitude, in football, but also in life. “He basically tells me, ‘You can’t let things affect you’...As long as you have hard work ethic, you will get your chance,” Hamilton said. “Doesn’t matter when, doesn’t matter where, it will happen.”
LIFE
6 – Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – North Pointe
They’re back : Jonas Brothers reunite Kevin and his Mrs. Jonas
By Caroline Schulte Photo Editor
Nick! Joe! Kevin! You might connect these names with the faces of three boys known as the Jonas Brothers. The same boy-band that made tweens scream and gush about their future lives as Mrs. Jonas. They faded into the background as Kevin found his real “Mrs. Jonas” – Danielle Deleasa – and married her on Dec. 19, 2009. The boys took a two-year break from performing together but are back again. The last time the Jonas Brothers took the stage together was in 2010, and after a long wait, JoBro fans screamed again on Oct. 11, 2012, when the brothers performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York to kick off their latest tour, “Jonas Brothers: 2012.” However, the New York concert was the only performance located in the United States. Because of this predicament, VyRT broadcasted the concert live online for a mere $10, pleasing many teenage girls across the country. The concert included classic Jonas Brothers music from all different times of their careers. The setlist ranged from oldies, like “S.O.S.” and tunes from their Disney days on JONAS and Camp Rock, to –finally– three new songs. The jams introduced at the concert were “Let’s Go,” “First Time” and “Wedding Bells.” Though the new songs sound similar to the pre–married Jonas Brothers era, the lyrical subjects have matured. They’ve gone from singing about first kisses to tying the knot. And although they didn’t sing it at the concert, part of another new song, “Meet You in Paris,” was shown on Kevin’s latest gig, his reality show, Married to Jonas.
Married to Jonas is definitely no Keeping Up with the Kardashians or Jersey Shore. It’s a much classier and higher quality reality show, illustrating what it’s like for Deleasa to be married to someone as famous as Kevin Jonas. While she seems to be a good match for Kevin, (the couple met during the rise of the JoBros fame in 2007 while their families were vacationing separately in the Bahamas) she hasn’t quite adjusted to the fame. In the show, it is evident that she still isn’t comfortable with photo shoots or strutting the red carpet. She doesn’t seem thrilled with the idea of living in hotels and buses to go on tour with Kevin. While Kevin, now 24, has been adjusting to the married life, Joe and Nick have still kept themselves busy by sticking to music and taking the stage in a different way.
Nick shaves the shaggy hair, in exchange for play scripts
The 20-year-old little brother, Nick, decided to start his own band in 2010 called Nick Jonas and the Administration. In 2011, Nick Jonas and the Administration went on their first (and only) tour, performing their only hit single, “Who I Am.” After leaving that band to wither, Nick Jonas announced in 2012 he would part ways with their record label and buy the rights to their music. Nick also did a fair share of acting while the Jonas Brothers were separated. He appeared as Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables, Link Larken in Hairspray and J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. To add to his resumé, Nick guest starred on Mr. Sunshine and Last Man Standing.
Recently though, on Oct. 10, Nick guest mentored on the television singing competition The X-Factor. He was paired with fellow Camp Rock co-star Demi Lovato to help her judge the young adults category. He helped by giving his opinion on the six contestants in the category, so she could eliminate two of them. Nick is involved with many charities and programs involved with diabetes. Since his diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13, he has developed the Change for Children Foundation that is partnered with five different charities. Since 2008, Nick partnered with Bayer Diabetes Care and has taken the role of ambassador to promote diabetes awareness. Also, Nick testified in front of the U.S. Senate to petition for increased funding for diabetes research.
Hey Joe!
In 2010, Joe announced he was planning on releasing a solo album. In early 2011, he released some singles like “See No More”, and “Just in Love”. He also joined Britney Spears on her European tour. After coming back to the U.S., he headlined with Jay Sean on tour with JoJo and finally released his solo album, Fastlife. But in 2012, Joe walked away from his solo career and bought the rights of his music from Hollywood Records. He also guest starred in Hot in Cleveland and made a surprise appearance in Vampire Weekend’s music video for “Giving Up the Gun.” The Jonas Brothers tour continues in other countries until November 2012. They plan on releasing their new album within the next couple of months.
Jonasbrothers.com
REVIEWS abby’s uLtimate dance competition
looper
i knew you were trouble
Taken 2
A-
B+
D+
B+
Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition is a new TV series that premiered on Tuesday, Oct. 9 on Lifetime. Auditions were held prior to the mylifetime.com airing, and the top 14 dancers were chosen to compete against each other on the show. The dancers, who are accompanied by their “dance moms” duke it out for $100,000 and a full-ride scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. The judges on the series are Abby Lee Miller from one of Lifetime’s most popular shows Dance Moms; Robin Antin, founder of The Pussycat Dolls; and celebrity choreographer Richy Jackson. The dancers learn a new routine each week in a given period of time. They then perform for the judges who dish out criticism with no restraint. The series is full of commotion and tears, not only from the dancers, but their mothers as well, as two get cut from the competition each week. The series could be called a splintershow of Dance Moms; it follows the same mama-drama portrayed in TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras and holds the same type of rigorous competition as So You Think You Can Dance. This show appeals to any reality-drama -craving viewers.
Looper: an arrogant, well-paid hit man in the year 2044. Joseph Simon (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is a 25-year-old looper working for a loopermovie.com company in Kansas City. Simon is trying to close his loop, after doing so he has exactly 30 years to live. What Simon doesn’t know is that by ‘closing the loop’ he is actually killing his future self (Bruce Willis). Future Simon, traveling back in time 30 years, tries to warn present Simon about the Magic Man, who has took complete control of major cities in the future. Present Simon, however, pays no attention to what he is trying to say, only concerned with his present life, until he discovers who the Magic Man is. At times, this movie can be hard to follow, but no worries, the ending will tie everything together. The only downfall to this movie was the lack of description about the Magic Man. The audience was never really told why he was so special or what he did in the future that was so awful. Other than that, Looper was an engaging movie that will leave you satisfied.
Taylor Swift makes a feeble attempt to diversify her sound with new single “I Knew You Were Trouble.” She has strayed from typical itunes.apple.com Taylor to break into other genres. The singer-songwriter’s lyrics have plummeted in quality. It’s debated whether her original work was even quality, so a further drop can only prove detrimental. She channels Justin Bieber by using repetition liberally. It’s not “Love love love love love,” but “Trouble trouble trouble” and “Me me me me.” Like Katy Perry she has discovered her love for exclamatory interjections – “Oh!” One thing does remain true to old Taylor: she starts the track with “Once upon a time.” How original. The only positive? She manages to produce a catchy chorus, one that gets stuck in the noggin, anyway. (Try to ignore its vacuous meaning, of course.) Let’s just say auto-tuned electronic pop is not for her. Swift has traded her countrified banjo notes for reverberating strums of an electric guitar. The quick, choppy cadence could be the cause for poor lyrical construction as it leaves no room for rhyming or clever word assemblage. Such an abrupt, unpleasant collection of notes makes the song–simply un–listenable.
As its name suggests, Taken 2 is the sequel to Taken, the 2008 action thriller. The main character, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a former IMBD.com C.I.A. operative who now runs a private security firm. In the first film, Neeson’s daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace) was abducted, but this time, Bryan and his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) are kidnapped. Lenore is getting a divorce and seeks Bryan’s emotional support. Bryan, wanting to be reunited with his daughter and ex-wife, invites them to join him in Istanbul after he has finished a security job. While they are there, Kim decides to stay at the hotel while her parents go out for a romantic lunch. Bryan and Lenore are caught by surprise and grabbed by Murad Krasniqi’s (Rade Serbedzija) henchmen. Krasniqi is the father of the man that Bryan killed in the first film, and he is looking for revenge. While they’re chained up awaiting torture, Bryan is somehow able to contact his daughter, and he explains that it is up to Kim to save them. But she has to be careful because the killers are following her every move. If you enjoyed Taken, the sequel will not disappoint.
By Libby Sumnik
By Melissa Healy
By Maria Liddane
By Sara Villani
Grosse Pointe Driving School Fall /Winter Classes
Seg 1
M-Th (3 wks.) 6-8pm Oct.22-Nov. 8 Nov. 12 –Nov. 29 Dec. 3-Dec. 20
Seg 2 M,T, Th 4-6pm Oct. 22-Oct. 25 Nov. 6-Nov.8 Nov.19-Nov. 21 Dec. 3-Dec. 6 Dec. 17-Dec. 20
Classes held at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Call 313-881-7511 to register for classes.
27109 Harper Ave St Clair Shores MI 48081 Call toll free: 888.973.6225 fax: 866.316.7795
greg.semack@localcarguys.com www.localcarguys.com
IDEAS “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 Managing 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.
OUR EDITORIAL
Breathalyzers? Check our rights, please For administration, Glowcoming 2011 was the last straw. There is a one in ten chance you’ll pick the orange stick at Homecoming this year – a one in ten chance you will have to submit to an alcohol test to enter. This resounding repercussion is not justifiable. After a nightmarish Glowcoming last year and a long-standing streak of unreasonably crass dances prior, the effort to crack down on inappropriate behavior is more than understandable. The motivation to revert our dances from raging, club-like scenes back to school functions could not be more vindicated. But the proposal of this method for keeping drunk students at bay doesn’t quite match the “with students in mind” ideals the administration should be considering. Calling upon our Fourth Amendment right, which protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure, sounds almost too cliche and “so journalist.” But the fact that it is so relevant in this situation forces us to do so. Administrators should not be allowed to search us without probable cause or reasonable grounds to make the search. Make no mistake, a breathalyzer is a search. It’s an examination of personal premises to determine illegal activities. It’s a search of your being, your saliva, and a very personal one at that. If they have reason to believe a student is intoxicated, then they should breathalyze that individual. Implementing observational skills and utilizing good judgement can detect those that need to be pulled aside and breathalyzed. There are evident signs of drinking that administrators can see. Some are more subtle than others, perhaps, but smell is an easy give-away (as if the 15-yearold teetering haphazardly around the gym isn’t.) We’re not suggesting various teachers and chaperones lay their honkers on a student and take a big sniff, but engaging in a conversation can allow breath to be an indicator. This interaction can make for an easy evaluation with eye contact and speech, too. An ability to use all appendages deliberately when checking in to the dance is another. (Appendages are flying about once on the dance floor – an unreliable test). If a student seems to be a little “off” in their movements – a lack of control, maybe, then administer the alcohol test. Others should not be subject to tests if there is no probable cause. A police officer does not stop every tenth car to test the driver for alcohol. The cop looks for signs of drinking in the driver’s behavior. It’s unreasonable to believe that every student is drinking, and it’s violative to take action based on that assumption. The unnecessary invasion should be avoided by administration. Just test those who seem suspicious. And there is no reason to feel the need to appease those who play the victim card and complain they were “targeted.” It’s far more logical and fair to proceed that way than to randomly test. Subjecting sober teenagers to a test is wrong. Just because it’s a school event doesn’t mean rules can be boundless. If a system is in clear violation of a person’s constitutional right, then it should not be allowed. Ignoring our constitutional rights cannot be justified by the accomplishment of a hard-to-reach goal. We, too, believe a alcohol-free (and drug-free) environment are the right atmosphere to establish at our school dances, or anywhere for that matter. But it shouldn’t be an “at all cost” endeavor, not if sacrifices our rights.
Twitter drama: even more pointless than real drama Newton’s third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The third law of Twitter – as suggested by my timeline for the past two weeks – states that every action brings about a completely opposite and entirely disproportionate reaction. Take the night of Oct. 1. Kara Alongi, a girl from Middle-of- My turn Nowhere, New rachel cullen Jersey, used Twitter, namely a fake tweet asking for someone to call the police, to stage her own kidnapping. Three hours, 30,000 retweets of her “plea” and a flurry of fabricated details later, every other tweet on my timeline showed some variation of the same punchline: “Taken 3: Kara Alongi!” or “Who here has felt personally victimized by Kara Alongi?” and a variety of other uninspired quips accounted for just a few of the thousands of tweets that made her name a trending topic. Every other teenager I follow joined the fray, eschewing the homework they had put off until 11 p.m. on a Sunday to type out their best attempt to poke fun at her charade. I contributed to the clamor. I spent an embarrassing ten minutes composing a tweet just to see how many favorites it would garner. (Fifteen, thank you very much.) The girl was “found” in the days following her tweet, unhurt (save her dignity.) Given that, my timeline’s reaction to her “disappearance” amounted to nothing more than a mere 48 hours of trivial banter among friends. They weren’t all particularly kind, but it was all in good humor. In the days that followed, however, the mood soured. The impetus was nothing
In our Oct. 5 issue, we printed the incorrect dates for AQ Days at Aquinas College. Please see Page 2 for the correct dates.
more or less, depending on who you are, than the North-South football game. A boy from South High School threw down the guantlet on Monday, tweeting a controversial comment about the majority of students from North being on food stamps. A wave of North students volleyed back, their comments becoming increasingly irrational, all equally vitrolic. The nastiness grew each day, with students at each school targeting the intelligence, reputation and status of their nemeses. It seemed like the game was less about the sport and more about perpetuating a bitter rivalry that springs up just a few times a year. If I’m being completely honest, I joined in the brawl. What can I say? I like seeing that little blue glow under the @ symbol as much as the next compulsive tweeter. However, if it matters, I deleted my lone tweet less than ten minutes after I sent it. The fact of that matter is that what feels so satisfying in the heat of the moment is often, in retrospect, totally stupid. The South boy who tweeted the foodstamps comment is simply a teenager who didn’t think before he typed, something we’re all guilty of. (And he has since deleted his tweet.) Am I saying he should have said it? Not at all. It was insensitive, rude and blatantly untrue. Like I said, he is a teenager. We’re all pretty smart, but we’re not always that bright. We speak without thinking, we make rash decisions and we have proved time and time again that 140 characters is more than enough to show the worst side of a decent person. In a perfect world, we would all remember the Golden Rule and tweet others the way we would want to be tweeted, but that’s just not the case. So we have to learn how to take things in stride and let the (relatively) little things go.
“No. I don’t really care about spirit week.”
“Yeah I am. I want to paint my afro. It’ll be red and blue.”
“I do like spirit week because I get to dress cool. I’m working on it. I’m going to have a cape. It’s going to be great. “
Puyan Gholizadeh
Alex Greene
Elizabeth Bejin
Freshman
Junior
Sophomore
YOUR TURN: Are you excited for spirit week? By Sean O’Melia & Andrea Scapini
“Yes because everybody’s going to buy a lot of North stuff because it’s spirit week so they’ll wear everything they can.”
Joe Dueweke senior
“It’s the week of the year that the students ... most feel like part of the North community. For spirit week I always try to dress for the colors of whatever class’s day.” Jonathan Byrne 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, , 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 TO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Jordan Radke
Correction
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – 7
MANAGING EDITOR: Emma Ockerman
“I’m always excited for spirit week. I love all of the excitement that the students have during that week. I love seeing what everybody is going to wear and do for spirit days.” Laura Huff athletic secretary
The North Pointe is edited and produced by 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, CJE
guest Writer nicole sturgeon
My pink nightmare Valentine’s weekend is supposed to be filled with fun (and daisies if you are lucky), but mine was more like the beginning of a Halloween thriller, a reality show starring me. That was the weekend that I found the lump in my breast. The house was filled with kid chaos. My husband, Sean, and I were having one of those silent arguments that never ends as quietly as it starts. I escaped to the shower to sort my thoughts and regain my grip on what was important enough to pick a fight about. If my life were a reality show, I’m sure this scene would be the promo. I glanced in the mirror and my breast didn’t look right. It was indented and appeared as if I had been squeezed too tight for too long. I did a self-exam and felt what could only be described as a lump. Reality show directors would have a field day spinning the next few hours into riveting television. I was short tempered with my kids. I had plenty of nasty looks directed at Sean. Every moment I was alone, I cried. Eventually, I cracked, I dragged Sean into the bathroom and said, “This isn’t right.” (Cue the bowchica-wow-wow sound track.) He agreed with me and held me while I cried the first of many tears. I promised to call first thing Monday morning and take the first appointment they had for me on Tuesday. That Tuesday was the first of a myriad of doctor’s appointments. It wasn’t the first time we had been in this office together scared for what the future held, but this time there wasn’t new life coming. It was either relief from our overreaction or confirmation of our worst fears. Cut to commercial. I hoped it would be the end of the episode, but all the doctor said was that it was certainly suspicious and sent me for my first mammogram. The most disconcerting part of the mammogram appointment was the strange kindness that everyone treated me with. At first, I assumed it was my fear and nerves feeding me negative vibes or the fact that I was so much younger than most of the women who were there. The longer I was there and the more medical professionals I met, the weirder the kindness felt. It was as if they were all looking at my insides, knew something was horribly wrong, and just weren’t allowed to tell me what they saw. The radiologist came in and said that she was ordering a biopsy, and that I would need to make an appointment with the surgeon as soon as possible. That was the moment I knew what they had seen all afternoon. I lost it. The doctor held my shoulder and let me cry, never once suggesting that this could just be suspicious. While there were more episodes to be recorded, the end of the season would be the cancer-free celebration we had in August. Or maybe the done-with-radiation celebration in October. The hardest parts of my journey are done.
Life
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 – 8
The Mosas:
A family’s pilgrimage from war to freedom By Izzy Ellery Assistant Editor
Imagine being a child in war-torn Iraq. Turning on the television to see Saddam Hussein’s trial. Waiting outside for school buses that never come. This is how junior Leen Mosa and freshman Nuha Mosa lived their childhood. “Every time something would happen, my sister would wake me up because my bed was next to a window,” Leen Mosa said. “I couldn’t stay there because if something happened, then the windows might shatter and fall down on me ... the aftermath of a bomb.” “I remember most of the trial after Saddam Hussein was captured because they aired it live,” Leen said. “I also remember when the air raid sirens went off. We would all go in the basement and wait there until it was done.” Leen and Nuha’s father Sahir Mosa realized that this atmosphere was not the place to raise Leen and Nuha and their two older sisters, Sara and Dayana. He saw the United States as the right place for their family because “it’s a free country with valuable opportunities.” “It was too dangerous and we tried to go (to school), but the schools were falling apart, teachers weren’t good and buses weren’t coming,” Leen Mosa
said. “I wasn’t getting anything out of it, like no benefits. I wouldn’t learn, so we had to go for better opportunities, better jobs.” They were able to leave the uncertainty of Iraq by moving to Syria while they waited for the United Nations to accept them like they did other Iraqi refugees. “It was a long process. We got rejected like six times but we kept re-submitting our paperwork,” Leen Mosa said. “Sometimes they pick other families that are in more danger or are better off in other places. Because of that, we stayed in Syria for four years.” In their four years in Syria, the Mosas adapted to the culture and people, but still sought a better life. “During the process of coming here I wasn’t excited by many things. I was really nervous and sad at leaving everything behind,” Leen Mosa said. “It was a little bit messy and confusing.” The eldest Mosa sister, Sara, enjoyed her four years in Syria. “In Syria, I liked the intermediate culture, not too traditional and not too open-minded. (It) was the first experience outside of my own country,” Sara said. “The people were very nice and welcoming and had the same values as us, so we didn’t feel foreign.” Once they came to America in 2008, the girls began
school, taking ESL (English Second Language) to catch up. In Syria, the girls were taught basic English, but the curriculum followed British-English grammar rules. They had to jump blindly into a new school with a new language. Nuha’s fifth grade teacher Karen Gallagher coached her through her first year in American schools. “(Nuha) worked with a wonderful ESL teacher who provided additional support,” Gallagher said. “I also worked closely with the ESL teacher to modify lessons and find alternative ways to assist Nuha. She was open and willing to share information about her culture. I wasn’t nervous about teaching her, in fact, I was thrilled to have her in my class because she sparked an interest in my students to learn more about people in other countries.” Even with the assistance, Leen’s transition wasn’t breezy. “School is really important to me, but I was really nervous about it,” she said. “How was I going to understand what they were talking about, what the lesson was? I can’t do my homework, I can’t take tests. It was freaking me out, but the teachers were really nice and they helped me out.” Nuha Mosa shares this belief, and says Americans, in general, are considerate. “The people here are a lot
more understanding and nice about a lot of things,” Nuha said. “The people here are really different so it kind of helped us get used to it here.” After four years here, the Mosa’s are still adjusting and learning the language and culture of the states. To Leen, there are times when it still feels like a dream. “The whole experience was kind of intriguing. I didn’t know what to expect of coming here. When I first came here and everything was in English, and there was a bunch of trees everywhere – it was so dream-like. I couldn’t take in the moment yet,” Leen Mosa said. “It wasn’t until a couple of months later that it finally hit me, like this is where I’m going to be the rest of my life. “It’s not like I’m going to go back or I’ll wake up and be back in Syria.”
Family Photos
ABOVE: In Iraq in 2001, from left to right: Dayana (10 years old), Leen (5 years old), Sara (11 years old) and Nuha (four years old). BELOW: The girls at Parcells Middle School in 2012, for Nuha’s 8th grade promotion ceremony. From left to right: Leen (15 years old), Nuha (14 years old), Sara (21 years old) and Dayana (20 years old).
t h s e ’ e b r e e ef ? h W
300 words: A series
Lunch helper: Al Fox By Dayle Maas & Kim Cusmano editors
“A couple kids didn’t even talk. They ranted and raved a little bit, but they didn’t talk.” Head custodian Al Fox describes the original communication between him and his lunchtime clean up crew – special education students. When Fox worked at South High School, the special education teachers approached him and asked if there was anything their students could help him with. The 17-year Grosse Pointe Public School System veteran was eager to comply. He and the teachers decided that the students could help clean the cafeteria and surrounding areas after lunch. “I learned a lot,” he said. “You have to have patience with everybody. It doesn’t matter if you had a good day or a bad day, seeing those kids do that kind of work and know they are getting something out of it is beneficial in my opinion.” Fox has moved to North and has continued the program here. With the expanded AI Magnet program, eight students take part in the cleanup service. “Now they are actually talking. Not clear, clear … you have to listen. You have to have patience.” The students work Tuesdays and Thursdays to tidy the cafeteria after lunch. Fox has seen progress in the students’ work skills and in their communication. “If they need something, they come get me, they tell me,” Fox said.
Libby sumnik
Janitor Al Fox
Sean O’melia
By Melina Glusac Staff Reporter
This year, one student in the program is further expanding his vocational skills by doing a work study with Fox. During fifth hour every day, he helps Fox with any tasks the custodial staff might be faced with, whether it be taking out the trash or sweeping. Fox understands the patience it takes to work with all students. “I’m a custodian, the day boss, the day foreman – if there’s anything, we’re all teachers. We’re all teaching somebody something.”
Editor’s note: 300 Words presents glimpses of everyday life that often go unnoticed. There are exactly 300 words. You can count them if you want.
When most people go to Taco Bell, they order a meaty taco or maybe a beef burrito. Junior Alana Page opts for a cheese quesadilla instead. Page is the definition of a staunch vegetarian, having never eaten meat in her life. In fact, her whole immediate family is the same; her brothers, aunt and parents are all vegetarians. “When [my mom] got married to my dad and they started a family, they decided that was how they wanted to raise us,” Page said. The inspiration for this lifestyle choice stems from Page’s mother. She read Diet for a New America by John Robbins, a book that explores the methods of meat production, how the animals are raised and the consequences of these choices. The read was a sobering experience for the once-unsure vegetarian. “All of the cruelty that’s associated ... with the raising of poultry was disturbing,” Eve Ann Page said. Page never forced the herbivorian diet on her kids, though. “I was just cooking for the family, and so they ate what I made,” she said. It’s hard eating vegetarian, even at restaurants– at least not to Page. “There’s so many different options without meat, and you can always get stuff made without meat,” Page said. “It’s what I’m used to.”
She is uncomfortable, however, when she has to explain her situation to people. “It’s usually awkward when I’m at someone’s house and they don’t know,” Page said. “Their parents will be like ‘Do you want a turkey sandwich or something?’ and I’ll have to say, ‘Uh, I don’t eat meat.’” Page is what is qualified to be called a lacto-ovo vegetarian; she refuses to eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish or animal flesh of any kind, but will eat eggs and dairy products, and when Page says she doesn’t eat meat, she really means it. “I will eat fish, or I will eat chicken if I have no other option and I need to have some protein,” Eve Ann Page said. “Alana is the only one in our family who will not eat meat ever.” Actually, Page keeps up the strict diet by choice, according to her mother. “I don’t force the kids now. Alana is a vegetarian because she wants to be.” Even if things do get difficult, Page says her veggie-filled regime is worth the hassle, mainly because she feels no desire to try meat due to never having tasted it. The question then becomes one of health: how does Page get her protein? “There’s soy meats, there’s beans, there’s protein bars,” she said. “There’s a lot more things than people think there are. There’s so much...that people don’t know about just because they’re not really open-minded to it.”