NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
POINTE FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014
THIS IS WHAT WE DO HERE
2 – Friday, May 30, 2014 – North Pointe
Freshmen
Top 10 tips and tricks for freshmen By Stephanie Roy, Alex Batts & Wendy Ishmaku Staff Reporters and Business Manager
1. Freshman year is the best time to start getting involved. Joining sports and clubs helps you feel connected to your school and your classmates. It’s a great way to meet new people. Sticking to a close group of friends may seem like the easiest and most comfortable thing to do, but meeting and mingling with new people can make high school much more interesting and enjoyable. 2. If you’re in a relationship, keep the PDA to a classy minimum. 3. Even during freshman year, challenge yourself with class choices. Taking tougher classes will not only make a college application look better, but will also help prepare you for the years to come. 4. Unlike middle school, most teachers won’t tell students if they’ve missed homework. It’s common for students to go in before class for a few minutes to see what needs to be completed or to just shoot the teacher an email regarding missing work. 5. You have the ability to opt out of “required” electives such as gym, fine arts, computers and health by taking extra years of a language course or earning more academic credits than necessary. Find out more information by talking to your counselor about creating a personal curriculum, which would exempt you from taking those classes. 6. Thoroughly completing homework every night is the key to getting good grades on tests and in classes. It alleviates the stress the night before an exam if you’ve learned the material. Preparation shouldn’t be taking place a few hours before the test. If it’s gradual, both your sleep schedule and grades will thank you. Eat a good breakfast, too. A light protein breakfast in the morning makes for a successful and focused day. 7. Organization is key. Use your planner to write down homework. Physically writing out which classes you need to study for that night can help you get work done early, prepare for exams and set your mind at ease. Planning your day ahead is also recommended so you know what you need to get done based on your schedule and after-school activities. 8. Make it a habit to check your grades regularly on Pinnacle. Double-check that your teachers put grades in correctly, because they’re only human and make mistakes too. 9. Bring the correct materials to your classes. Many teachers don’t allow students to go to their lockers during class if they forgot an assignment. Take care of business before it’s time to get down to business. 10. Don’t worry. High school isn’t as bad as it seems.
Middle schoolers’ fears debunked I’ve watched Mean Girls, High School Musical and almost every high school-related show or movie. Almost every single one had a cookie-cutter view on high school: it’s a jungle, and it’s hard to survive. BY JOSIE BENNETT Before I was a freshASSIsTANT EDITOR man here, I believed that depiction to be true. Now I know that those high school views were stereotypes on steroids. Contrary to Hollywood’s portrayal, my first day was not spent in a locker, nor eating lunch in a bathroom stall. But that doesn’t mean the first day wasn’t extremely nerve-wracking. My first thought when I walked in was, “everything’s so huge.” Since I’m on the small side, everything was even larger. It made it even harder to adjust to high school. I got lost trying to find my science class. It ended up being moved to a new room, not the one on my schedule. I probably should’ve asked someone for directions rather than just wandering around the hallways aimlessly, but I was too afraid to ask. What if people just laughed or pointed me in the wrong direction on purpose? What if I still couldn’t find it and had to ask again? By the third day, things started to pull together. My classes didn’t seem miles apart from one another. Upperclassmen weren’t as scary as they were made out to be. In fact, they didn’t bother me at all. Not even on Freshman Friday (which is a lie, by the way). If I had known about that, I wouldn’t have been dreading the first Friday before I even registered. When it came and went without incident, I felt ridiculous for believing the myth. As time went by, I realized high school wasn’t what it’s made out to be. There are, of course, moments when school does get strenuous, and there are moments when school feels rewarding. But don’t worr y about getting shoved into a locker. Don’t be afraid to bother a teacher tw ice for directions. They won’t mind. The things that happen on the silver screen won’t happen at North.
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transitioning
The migration from middle school By Andrea Scapini & Luke Sturgill Managing editor & staff reporter
High School 1. North offers the privilege of an open lunch for all students. Most of the time, this option is used by the upperclassmen who have cars, but others can still take advantage of open lunch each Tuesday for Tuesday Means Pizza (TMP). TMP is a weekly event located at the First English Lutheran Church across the street from North. They offer a $5 lunch special, which includes unlimited pizza, breadsticks and one beverage.
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Middle School 1. There is much less freedom in middle school than there is in high school, especially regarding lunch. There are no assigned seats in high school, and administrators don’t traditionally make announcements at the end of every lunch. Many students eat in the cafeteria, but there are additional places to eat such as the student union or the school store. Both alternatives offer an atmosphere that differs from the busy cafeteria. 2. Red tape lines don’t run down our hallways, we don’t have designated up and down stairwells, and we aren’t constantly reminded that “right is right, right?” However, there is still an unwritten expectation of how to navigate the halls. Whether a student is walking down a hallway or on the staircase, staying on the right side is the safest and most efficient way to go. 3. We don’t have advisories or homerooms at North. The Norsemen News, our school broadcast class, shows video announcements every day at the beginning of third hour. It’s important to pay attention to the announcements because they share important information about events going on around the school that students may want to get involved in. 4. The teachers in middle school mostly pay attention to keeping students moving throughout passing time. While that still happens on occasion at North, the responsibility is placed more on the students to stay on task during the seven-minute passing time. There is always the inevitable group of slow walkers or crowds that take up three-quarters of the hallway, but it’s important to just maneuver around them to make it to class on time. 5. Middle schoolers on average don’t typically stray out of their social group/grade level. However, it’s much different at North because there are so many more opportunities to get to know a wide range of personalities in each grade level. Many elective classes, as well as certain core classes, integrate several grade levels, which provides a different atmosphere compared to middle school. 6. Middle school pep rallies are not the most exciting experiences. Sure, they’re a pleasant time, but for the most part, they aren’t what students are looking forward to each year. At North, the school is bigger, and the students are older, louder and more spirited.
2. Common during the beginning of the school year, hall sweeps are a regular occurrence. Most of the time, an administrator will announce that there will be a hall sweep during passing time, meaning that anyone who is tardy to class that hour will receive a detention. There’s nothing to stress about though because each passing time is seven minutes long, allowing ample time to make it to and from class. 3. The seven-minute passing time is longer than it is in middle school simply because North is larger than the middle schools. There’s not much time to fool around, but there’s also no need to rush. Students find that the two-minute warning bell acts as a helpful reminder to make their way to class in a diligent manner. 4. Each student has the opportunity to include a tutorial as part of their schedule, which is basically a study period during an hour of one’s day. Some students take a tutorial every year, while others learn that having one is unnecessary for their class load. The rules for tutorials vary per teacher – some teachers enforce a quiet study hour, and others allow a more social atmosphere. 5. It’s much more common in high school to interact with students outside one’s own grade. Compared to other local high schools, North isn’t really cliquey. It’s very common to be close friends with students outside of the clique one identified with in middle school. 6. Our pep rallies are few and far in between, but when we have them, they are filled with energy and excitement from the students and staff. The homecoming pep rally is the main rally of the year, and students are expected to be loud and spirited.
Harbinger- It is Grosse Pointe North’s literary journal. It’s published as a collection of original literary and artistic work created by students. Those involved on staff of Harbinger take responsibility for the format, content selection, design layout, presentation, publicity and distribution of the journal. Meets weekly and publishes at the end of the school year. Advised by English teacher Geoffrey Young.
Foreign language clubs- These clubs allow students to to increase their knowledge of the language and culture of the countries. Languages and corresponding teachers are as follows: ChineseSean McCarroll, French- Andrea Ciocovenaru, German- Madeline Salonen, Italian- Albina Trumza, Japanese- Sean McCarroll and Spanish- Tamara Shepard.
English & foreign languages
Radio Astronomy Team (R.A.T.Z.)- It’s open to all students at North and South. RATZ operates a student-built radio telescope on the roof of the B Building, but also studies optical astronomy during telescope observing nights and planetarium sessions. Some club members also work on science or engineering research projects. Advised by astronomy teacher Ardis Herrold.
Science Olympiad- This club is for students interested in sciences such as: physical, earth, biology, chemistry and physics. Advised by science teacher Steve Kosmas.
Gearheads Robotics- The Gearheads consist of students from both Grosse Pointe North and Grosse Pointe South. They meet at North in the machine shop every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and every Saturday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. during robot building season. Advised by physics teacher Don Pata.
Health Careers Investigation Club (H.C.I.C.)- It’s open to grades 9-12 interested in a medicine. Meetings occur monthly and students work on projects to better themselves. Advised by science teacher Susan Spiers.
Quiz Bowl- It gives students the opportunity to participate in the Macomb Area Quiz Bowl League of 15 high schools from October through May. The team also participates in regional tournaments on weekends and the state championship competition. Advised by English teacher Jonathan Byrne.
Chemistry Club (C.O.P.S.)- It develops chemistry skills and takes place outside of North. Advised by science teacher Steve Kosmas.
Science & competition
Diversity Club- Students try to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and accepted at North. Plans Diversity Day, Mix it Up Day and other forums to bring awareness regarding diverse cultural and social issues. Advised by social studies teacher Dan Gilleran.
Gay/Straight Alliance (G.S.A.)- A dedicated group of students at North meet every week to try to end discrimination, harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Advised by social studies teacher Dan Gilleran.
Women In Leadership Leading Our World (W.I.L.L.O.W.) - WILLOW is a girls support program open to all girls at North. It has monthly meetings and has had multiple events such as women’s self defense, healthy eating and exercise, etiquette and while bringing in professional women to speak about their careers. Advised by math teacher Jessica Roman and student activities director Pat Gast.
Peer To Peer (Norsement Knots)- It’s a club to increase interaction between general education and special education students. Each member is linked with a student and relationships are built. Advised by Christine Kuhl, Julie Brewster and Nancy Ringler.
Link Crew- It’s a welcoming and comforting group for the incoming freshmen. Ten freshmen are linked with two upperclassman and throughout the year a bond is built between the students. You must apply and be accepted to participate. Advised by English teacher Joe Drouin.
Brotherhood- It consists of a group of young men who mentor and do community service. Advised by English teacher Jonathon Byrne.
Interact Club- Meetings are monthly and students participate in a community service project each month. All students are welcome to join for any activity if they come to that corresponding meeting. The majority of community service projects are done in school, but out of school projects are being planned for the 2014-2015 year. Advised by counselor Barbara Skelly.
Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.)- It informs North students about the cost of drunk driving. Educational programs provide awareness for “ Youth at Risk.” Open to all students. Advised by Paula Staperfenne.
Students Against Violations Against the Environment (S.A.V.E.)- It is a club to help make students, staff and the community more aware of the environmental issues that impact society. Advised by science teacher Chris Skowronski.
Leadership & community service
4 – North Pointe – Friday, May 30, 2014
Journalism
Are you interested in talking to strangers, writing, taking photos or learning design?
Are you interested in acting, singing or dancing?
Do you have a 3.5 GPA and an interest in joining a meritbased club?
Do you have an interest in politics, business or student government?
Valhalla yearbook- It prints in late May and captures the year at North and covers student life, sports, clubs and people through photos and writing. Students are given the opportunity to explore photography, design, reporting and writing in a real-world situation for a nationally recognized publication. Advised by Shari Adwers.
North Pointe newspaper- What you’re reading right now. One of the top student publications in the country, it publishes bi-weekly on the latest in news, sports, life and ideas. Staffers write for the print edition and the website, www.mygpn.org. To be on staff, students must take Honors Journalism. Advised by Shari Adwers.
Are you interested in using your foreign language and writing skills outside of class?
Do you enjoy knowledge and trivia-based clubs that involve competing?
Are you interested in community service activities?
Managing editors & staff reporters
By Andrea Scapini, Haley Reid, Dajai Chatman & Diajah Williams
With 35 clubs offered at North, and the opportunity to create your own, there are plenty of ways for students spend their after school hours
Welcome to the club
CLUBS
Movie Club- Students meet once every other week on Thursday nights to watch a movie. They analyze the movie to discuss some of the techniques that were used to portray the storyline and the greater meaning. No membership is needed—just a signed permission slip is required. Advised by history teacher Sean McCarroll.
Video Club- It’s for students interested in video production and the making of the Video Yearbook. Advised by choir teacher Ben Henri.
Solo Ensemble- Students participate in this festival by performing a solo or ensemble for a professional adjudicator. Students receiving a first division rating have the opportunity to advance to the state level in March. Students must be enrolled in band or orchestra class to participate. Advised by band teacher Dave Cleveland.
Drama Club- It is a social club which promotes involvement in school musicals, fall plays and the spring One Acts. Advised by Sean Kifer.
Step Team- The team performs at the pep assembly only. Step team is open to anyone. Advised by student activities director Pat Gast.
Counterpointe- It’s an auditioned women’s ensemble for all grades. Meets once a week for two hours and performs at all choir concerts including the yearly Holiday Tea, community events and MSVMA Festivals. Counterpointe performs advanced music of varying genres including chamber works, world music and collegiate. Advised by choir teacher Ben Henri.
Pit Orchestra- Students must audition. The pit orchestra performs all of the music for the annual high school musical. Rehearsal are several times a week and begin in mid November and finishes with several major productions in early March. Advised by band teacher Dave Cleveland.
Pep Band- Band members play at football games, basketball games, the homecoming game, the pep rally and the Santa Parade. Rehearsals start in August and are held on Monday evenings once the school year begins. Members must be enrolled in band or orchestra class to participate. Advised by band teacher Dave Cleveland.
Jazz Band- Rehearsals are on Thursday 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Instrumentation is made up saxophones, trombones, trumpets, keyboards, drum-sets, guitars and basses. Members have to be enrolled in band or orchestra class to be a part of Jazz Band. Advised by band teacher Dave Cleveland.
Dance Team- It’s open to all girls with dance experience. The team performs at varsity basketball halftime and competitions. Advised by student activities director Pat Gast.
AcaFella- It’s an auditioned mens ensemble for all grades. AcaFella meets once a week for two hours and performs at all choir concerts, the yearly Holiday Tea, community events, and MSVMA Festivals. Advised by choir teacher Ben Henri.
Performing Arts
National Honor Society (N.H.S.)- The Honor Society shows leadership in and out of school in their actions and provide tutoring and support to the student body. Students are invited with a GPA of 3.25 or higher at the beginning of junior or senior year. Advised by counselor Milissa Pierce.
Honors
Distributive Education (D.E.C.A.)- The group undertakes several projects that benefit the school and community. They also run the school store. However, membership is limited. Advised by business teacher Michelle Davis.
Student Association (S.A.)- It’s an organized student body who organizes student activities, encourages communication between the faculty and student body, promotes responsible school citizenship and assists in formulating and expediting school policy. It also helps with fundraisers. Advised by English teacher Jonathan Byrne.
Close Up- They visit Washington D.C. for a week to increase awareness in the political process. Participants learn about the US government first hand. Members must be juniors and seniors who are recommended by social studies teachers. Advised by history teacher Barry Mulso.
Young Americans for Freedom (Y.A.F.)- It’s a conservative, educational organization that brings students together to advocate for the ideas of limited government, individual freedom, free enterprise, traditional values and a strong national defense. YAF holds conferences across the country at the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara as well as in Washington D.C. They hold the annual 9/11 Never Forget Project, Freedom Week, Respect ALL Women month and Black History Month as well as others. Advised by Dr. Renee Strobl.
Politics & business
North Pointe – Friday, May 30, 2014 – 5
map
6 – Friday, May 30, 2014 – North Pointe
How to navigate the squares By Brittney Hernandez, Izzy Ellery & Melina Glusac section editor & senior assistant editors
The Basics
• Classrooms with even room numbers are located within the inside square of each floor • The letter in front of each classroom number represents which building it’s in, and the number in front of each classroom number represent which floor it’s on • The letter in front of locker numbers stand for which hallway it is in – North, South, East or West A building:
B building:
A is for art, athletics and additional classes. There are six bathrooms in the A building. Four are in the locker rooms, and two are in the hallway.
B is for basic. The fist floor is math, second floor is foreign language and social studies, and the third floor is English. There’s a bathroom in the southwest corner of every floor.
library
school store
lu
nc
hr
oo
m
Science building:
C building:
Each floor of the science wing can be accessed from the southeast corners of B building. There are bathrooms on the first and second floors along the outer wall.
C is for choir and concerts. The auditorium, choir room, band room and planitarium are located here. This building can be accessed through the first floor of the science building.
Sports
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Spring Baseball
Boys golf
“Work hard, be dedicated, don’t get discouraged, follow your dreams and don’t let haters stop you from doing your thing.” Adam Schade Boys track “Try your hardest, and make sure you’re prepared and that you’re well up on your skills.” Mikey Carron Boys Lacrosse
Girls tennis
Business Manager
Boys lacrosse
Crew
Girls Lacrosse
Boys track
“When you play each match, don’t think about it, just play. My thing during the whole year was a mental thing. That’s what I struggled through. Just play like it doesn’t matter, I guess.” Christina Rafaill Girls tennis
Boys swimming
“...Try something new. That’s what I did. At first, it was really hard to get used to, but then I started loving it. You get into the game, and you develop really good relationships with everybody and upperclassmen and everything. They’re all really nice to you, and they support you.”
Competitive cheer
Sailing
Softball
Figure Skating
Girls Basketball
Lia Decoste Girls Hockey
Gymnastics
Boys hockey
Isabelle Nguyen Gymnastics “A lot of the refs are kind of unfair. I wish I knew that because I got really irritated. Also, they get mad if you scratch someone, so don’t do that. Well, maybe just a little.” Abbey Carney Girls basketball
Synchronized swimming
Fall Boys soccer
Boys tennis
Field hockey
Dance
“Don’t give up, and stay strong. You can’t put yourself down.”
Girls Hockey
photos taken by Photojournalism
Boys cross country
Boys basketball
Girls Soccer
Girls track
Winter
By Wendy Ishmaku
Wrestling
“If you can make it through tryouts, you can make it through the rest of the season. It’s just three days of tedious running, and once you’re done with that, they’ll put you on freshmen or a team higher than that, and then you’re good to go.”
Football
Paul Lucchese Freshman soccer Girls cross country
Girls golf
Girls swimming
Sideline cheer
Volleyball Contributing: Claire Dalian & Josie Riley
8 – Friday, May 30, 2014 – North Pointe
HOMECOMING
The how-to’s of homecoming:
Each fall, students take part in T-shirt making, float building, a school-wide pep rally and a parade leading up to the annual homecoming dance
By Haley Reid & Lillian Rancourt Managing editor & staff reporter
Maria Liddane & Allison Fly
T-shirt do’s and dont’s DO: - Buy a size larger. Seniors re-wear their past homecoming shirts during their last spirit week. Purchasing a larger size will ensure that the shirt will still fit during senior year. - When wearing T-shirts on spirit day, pair it with accessories and other matching spirit wear. Don’t be afraid to go overboard. - Be sure to wear spirit shirts on the class’ assigned spirit day, during the pep assembly and at the homecoming parade.
DON’T: - Avoid cutting shirts too much and make sure to follow dress code regulations. Tank tops are allowed, but no crop tops. - Don’t over decorate. A little glitter goes a long way. - Don’t dispose of spirit shirts after homecoming.
Float building and parade
Pep rally
Each of the grades has a float in the parade, which coordinates with the class’ sub-theme of the school’s homecoming theme. Weeks before the homecoming parade, the students can go to float-building parties, which are located at a student’s home. There, students can help build their class’ float. This is a good opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones. No art skills are needed. Just bring team spirit. “It’s fun because I get to walk around with all of my friends. I used those horn things, I blew them, and it was hype,” freshman Jonathan Hawring said. After school on the Friday before Saturday’s homecoming dance, it’s encouraged that students march with their class in the float parade. Students who wish to participate can meet at Monteith Elementary School before the start. Then the colorful procession marches up Cook Road to Morningside Drive to the North football field before the start of the homecoming game. At the parade, the floats are judged in several categories. The winning float is announced during the homecoming game. “We encourage that they wear their shirts and that they support their class and walk with their class and their float,” freshman class adviser Wendy Spreder said.
On the last school day of spirit week, classes crowd in the gymnasium for the annual homecoming pep rally. Students sit with their grade to cheer, chant and dance, competing against the other classes. “The seniors make notice of themselves by running in with their flag and screaming and yelling. There’s a lot of activity,” Spreder said. Students don’t want to miss the pep assembly’s yearly activities. The boys varsity football team’s choreographed dance and the announcement of the homecoming court winners are yearly traditions. The marching band, the step team and the dance team perfom which contributes to the lively atmosphere in the gym. Also during the pep assembly, there are many competitions, such as the student pie-eating contest and games of tug-of-war, which is divided into two rounds. First, the seniors are paired with the freshmen and compete against the junior and sophomore class. The second round is the winning students against teachers. Students can participate in the pep assembly by signing up to compete in a game, or simply show their Norsemen pride in the stands. “It’s just a great afternoon of games,” Spreder said. “Anyone can be involved.”