North Pointe Dec. 20, 2013

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

POINTE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013

SINCE 1968

Future framework for Detroit’s economic growth, land use, city systems, neighborhoods and civic engagement entail brighter plans for a revival of the city

etroit’s determination

By Dayle Maas & Brigitte Smith MANAGING EDITOR & PHOTO EDITOR

He lived. He learned. He left.

English teacher Geoffrey Young was born and raised on the Northwest side of Detroit.

“There were pockets of people with all this diversity in the area, which kind of made for a nice community. You’d run outside and Mrs. Boik would give me stuff from her pear trees, that kind of thing,” Young said. “Over time, as the economy shifted … as people began moving out of the city and into the suburbs, like Dearborn Heights, then the nature of the community changed.”

This change occurred all over the city.

Motown is not the same center of music, cars and city life it used to be. This is seen in abandoned buildings like the Packard Plant and Michigan Central Station, the deserted and boarded up houses, the bankruptcy the city just declared, and as Young says, the migration of residents to surrounding suburban areas.

Yet, there is a coterie of people working to reassemble the shattered pieces of Detroit’s past.

Mayor Dave Bing said in his 2013 State of the City Address, “Despite our much-publicized financial issues, there is progress to report in the City of Detroit.

The picture is not all doom and gloom. Everyday there are more signs of hope and possibilities.”

“Hope and possibilities” are recognized in organizations, business owners, residents and visitors alike.

Detroit resident Toby Barlow owns two businesses in the city, Nora and Signal Return. He encourages living, working and playing in the city, and he wants to see this city thrive.

“I really want more people seeing Detroit for what it is: the center of the region,” Barlow said via email. “To me, it would be great if more people were comfortable coming downtown and to midtown to shop and look around, too.”

Barlow is used to the “city life,” as he moved to Detroit from New York seven years ago.

“It would be great to have an increase in high density neighborhoods, a real walking and bicycling culture,” Barlow said. “It’s changed so much just in (the) time I’ve been here. I’m really curious to see what the next few years bring.”

These next few years could bring the change he is hoping for.

The Detroit Works Project (DWP), an organization “introduced in 2010 as a process to create a shared, achievable vision for Detroit’s future” created a framework called Detroit Future City (DFC) to “improve quality of life and fiscal sustainability for Detroit and its residents,” according to the DWP’s website.

In 2010, community meetings were held to discuss the future of Detroit.

“The community made it clear that they wanted action now,” Detroit Future City Media & PR Consultant James Canning said. “The whole goal of those meetings was to create a strategy for the entire city to try to transform it, make it better, improve the quality of life.”

That strategy turned into the Detroit Strategic Framework, a part of the Implementation Office of DFC. This Framework is “a city-wide plan that reflects three years of intensive community-driven research, collaboration, analysis and development of shared vision for the City of Detroit,” the DWP website states.

The Framework is separated into five elements: economic growth, land use, city systems, neighborhood, land and building assets and a civic engagement chapter.

Dan Pitera, the Executive Director of the civic engagement team for the DWP joined this program to “connect the work directly to Detroiters and to connect the plan in a real way.”

“We, as Detroiters, are the ones implementing,” Pitera said.

He sees this as a challenge for Detroit. Pitera believes Detroiters think their work is independent, but he wants to show them “something greater can come if they work together.”

“What Detroit Future City attempts to do is become that guidebook for everyone in our community to figure out how to make decisions about neighbor-

hoods, jobs, economic developments, how to fix our city lighting systems or other city systems, what do with vacant properties like Packard Plant, like the Train Station, things like that,” Canning said.

Social Studies teacher Terri Steimer is a supporter of the city and its redevelopment but has her concerns.

“I’d just hate to see it turn into a wasteland where we just knock all these buildings down and do nothing about it,” Steimer said.

She also says pride is a major component in getting Detroit back on its feet.

“I think that the more people work and take pride in what they do for some sense of ownership, that that increases the value,” Steimer said. “If we lived in a community where half of it’s torn down, it looks like somebody’s got bad teeth, there’s missing teeth. It’s like ‘Yeah, why should I take care of my teeth? They look like crap anyway.’ And that whole idea is, again, if you don’t have pride in where you live.”

This pride may seep into the entire metropolitan area, as DFC and its goals are pushing to make Detroit a desirable city.

“It’s really important to see that the surrounding communities benefit from there being a strong Detroit, a strong urban core,” Canning said. “And so the more we can do to improve the quality of life in Detroit and for its residents and for its businesses,

it’ll not only respect the folks that live here, it’ll make a positive impact on them, but also those that visit and having that structure of Detroit will definitely trickle out into the surrounding communities, and it’ll improve what’s in their community.”

Detroit Works Project is not the only redevelopment movement; the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, COBO Center, Hudson-Webber Foundation and organizations alike have already made substantial strides.

“My sense is that we are approaching some positive tipping points. There’s a great moment when you’re building a campfire, when you’re blowing on the coals and suddenly it just goes ‘Woof!’ and it all catches and beautifully glows,” Barlow said. “I think all the work that has been done by the foundation community, the large downtown business leaders like Dan Gilbert and GM, and the small business owners like Phil Cooley who owns Slows, Liz Blondy who owns Canine to Five and Paul Howard who owns Cliff Bell’s, will create a momentum that one day soon just goes ‘Woof!’ And then it will feel like a very different place.”

For more information go to www.detroitworksproject.com.

Brigitte Smith

WINTER BREAK

Begins Friday, Dec. 20 at 3:05 p.m.

School resumes Monday, Jan. 6 at 8 a.m.

NWEA WINTER TESTING BEGINS

Monday, Jan. 6 at 8 a.m.

8TH GRADE ORIENTATION

Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC

ASSISTANT EDITOR & INTERN

tu rg ill

It’s fifth hour, and senior Sarah Rustmann is dreading it. She knows she’ll have to face the wrath of technology again.

“With the slowness of the computers, it’s hard to finish projects and look up research faster, which means I have more work to do when I get home,” Rustmann said.

Because of the many issues that students and staff have experienced while using the system’s computers, the Grosse Pointe School Board voted at their Nov. 25 meeting to put a $50 million technology bond on the Feb. 25 ballot. The tech bond would supply the school with newer computers and more updated software.

“I think that the tech bond is absolutely crucial. It is imperative that we pass the bond in order to move forward with 21st century teaching and learning in Grosse Pointe,” Principal Kate Murray said.

The tech bond was approved with a majority 5-1 vote. Trustee Cindy Pangborn was the only member opposed. By moving the issue from the voting period in November to the current voting period, the board is spending additional money on the election.

“I object to spending $60,000.00 on an election when, if done on schedule, has no cost,” Pangborn said in an email. “I object to a February election when this community historically has been vocal against these special elections. Most of all, I think it is wrong to hold hostage our voters with an all-or-nothing proposal.”

es

Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the gym

By Katelyn Carney & Addison Toutant

k Lu

BAND & ORCHESTRA CONCERT

Technology bond to be voted on in February

Continued on page 2

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news

2 – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – North Pointe

Deals with Iran may lower gas prices, affecting U.S. drivers

By Lawrence Lezuch Intern

The whines from newly licensed teenagers over gas prices have steadily increased over the past several years. But this pattern may come to a halt. There could be a new deal between Iran, the U.S. and other allies that will be discussed at the Geneva II Conference Jan. 22 that could lower gas prices.

Junior Courtney Lamparski sees the benefits this possible deal could have on her.

“It would really help because I would probably have to pay for my own gas with my own money so the lower the price, the better it is for me,” Lamparski said.

The Iranian and U.S. relationship has been stressed for years, but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for this issue.

President Barack Obama and Iranian President/Sheikh Hassan Rouhani are now talking diplomacy and possibly relieving sanctions placed on Iran in 1994. These sanctions have damaged the economy of Iran, so President Rouhani wants to work out a diplomatic solution with President Obama to lift these sanctions, while keeping the country’s nuclear program intact.

“They were never one of the acknowledged nuclear powers

Tech bond Continued from page 1

Grosse Pointe resident Gloria Gomah is opposed to the tech bond and says that taxpayers shouldn’t be burdened with the large sums of money the proposal is asking for.

“Infrastructure is very important in order to make things work in a technological age. I’m not opposed to that,” Gomah said. “I’m against any bonds that high. You have to be sensitive to the fact that it can’t be everything all at once, and I think that’s what they’re trying to do.”

The $60,000 additional costs would have been avoided if the tech bond had been voted on during the November election period. Roeske believes that nothing has substantially changed in dollar amounts because the issue was supposed to be voted on by residents earlier.

“I hate to use the phrase ‘the 11th hour,’ but at the last minute, one Board member threw a wrench into that, and another Board member jumped on board. It’s not so much why aren’t we waiting until next November, but why couldn’t we have voted on it this November,” School Board vice president Roeske said.

According to an article in the Grosse Pointe News, 85% of the district’s technology, including desktop computers and laptops, is seven or more years old and therefore no longer capable of running on the latest software updates.

“I think that some of the essential components are the infrastructure,” Murray said. “Many of our computers are outdated and either take an extremely long time to process or can’t actually even host the software that we need now.”

The bond will not exceed $50,280,00 if it is approved. The first three years after the bond has gone into effect, it will help to upgrade the schools’ technology and improve the security systems.

of the world but we know that they have been very close to and probably have nuclear capabilities,” history teacher Bridget Cooley said.

Before 1994, Iran shipped 2.5 million barrels of oil a day (2% of the world’s oil supply.) After these sanctions, they were given a maximum quota of 715,000 barrels a day. This was detrimental to their economy, but the US-Iranian relation was under too much stress at the time for a deal to be worked out.

The new deal proposes that Iran is allowed to ship 1 million barrels of oil a day, if Iran agrees to degrade half of their uranium to from 20% to 5% and oxidize the other half.

“Oxidizing uranium is when you’re reacting it with oxygen” Chemistry teacher Kristen Lee said. “They will make it into a dioxide, but very easily they could switch it back.”

If everything goes as planned, then the U.S. should see a drop in gas prices.

“Nothing is for sure. We don’t know until we try, but it would benefit the U.S. and Iranian economy,” Marketing teacher Michelle Davis said.

Senior Stephen Cleland believes Iran’s history makes them untrustworthy and the U.S. needs to be self sufficient.

“In the past Iran has had nuclear weapons,” Cleland said.

“And we need to get more of our own oil and anything to make gas prices cheaper.”

So far this deal and its outcomes are just mere speculations there will be no guarantees about this deal until Jan. 22 when The Geneva II Conference is called in to place to discuss and settle all recent conflicts in the Middle East including the Syrian Civil War. It would also pay for daily instruction for each of the schools to expand their knowledge of their new equipment. While the first phase focuses on new technology and learning how to use it, the second phase of this bond will allow students to have their own devices to learn in and out of the classroom.

“I would love to see more student-driven applications so that in classrooms, you would see students using tablets or iPads, and there wouldn’t be a disparity anymore between those who have devices already and those that need devices,” Murray said.

If the bond is approved in February, the board will begin to immediately institute it.

“There are some things we have to get done within two years because of changes in laws around about what you have to be doing in a school. If the bond is passed in February, we will begin immediately,” Roeske said.

Funding for the technology bond would come from Grosse Pointe residents’ taxes. If approved, there would be an additional 2.28 millages imposed onto citizens’ taxes. If the taxable value of a home is $150,000, then there would be a $350 tax increase. This would be equivalent to an approximate 4.01% tax increase issued to taxpayers for the next 10 years.

“I feel that it is a necessity. The district has had decreased funding from the state over the last five years, and so we have had to make tough choices, and we have put the money toward keeping our class sizes small and our programs intact. So I think that it’s something we need,” School Board treasurer Judy Gafa said.

“I proposed splitting the bond into separate proposals in order to lower the risk of failure. We need about nine million dollars for infrastructure so that we have the range necessary to guarantee complete Internet service to all of our existing equipment and future purchases. This is a vital need and I believe the community would support it if this was presented separately,” Pangborn said.

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Red Cross Blood Drive saves lives Everyone is capable of saving three lives in 15 minutes. All that is needed is a willing participant and a prominent vein.

This year, the annual American Red Cross Blood Drive was held Monday, Dec. 9 in the PAC. “(The Student Association is) in charge of advertising for it and registering students ahead of time, but The Red Cross actually runs the blood drive.” Student Association adviser Jonathan Byrne said. “Last year we collected 39 usable pints, and this year our goal was to collect 44 usable pints.”

Even though there was a large turnout, not every pint collected can be used because of disease.

“Once we collect the blood here it goes downtown to the main lab, and then they break the blood down into three components, red blood cells, platelets, and plasmas,” American Red Cross nurse Natalie Washington said. “Hospitals place orders through us, and then we ship it out as whatever blood type they need.”

Hospitals use this donated blood to aid cancer patients, burn victims, premature babies and patients who receive organ or bone marrow transplants.

Link Crew hosts tailgate Freshmen, along with their upperclassmen Link Crew leaders, gathered in the cafeteria Friday before the North v. South freshman basketball game for a freshmen tailgate.

“I think it’s an awesome idea that they did this for freshman.

It was really cool,” freshman Nate Campbell said.

The tailgate was put together by Link Crew’s social committee. Although it was not the first event Link Crew has put together (the first being the No-Shave November fundraiser), it was the first event directed toward freshman.

“Not a lot of people tend to go to freshman games. I feel like this is unifying them. You’re a part of North; you’re a part of our culture here,” science teacher Kristen Lee said.

Hockey team plays at Comerica Not everyone gets the opportunity to play hockey at Comerica Park, but the boys hockey team will play against their rival Warren De La Salle. The face-off will take place Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m.

“We are preparing for it like any other game. It’s the same thing as always, just a little more hype. We will try and do our best to not let the excitement over boil,” senior Will Zinn said.

Only twenty-four high school hockey teams get to be a part of this event.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the fact that it is at Comerica is pretty cool,” sophomore Andrew Tomasi said.

While the rules of the game remain the same, this unique opportunity invites an entirely different atmosphere.

“It’s different from any other game because it’s at Comerica, and it’s outside,” sophomore JP Navetta said.

The team is trying to keep their emotions under control and use their excitement to motivate them against Warren De La Salle.

“We are all very excited, and it should be an amazing experience,” Zinn said.

The whole team is going to take this change from their usual game style being inside in a rink to playing outside at Comerica park.

By Kaley Makino, Brittney Hernandez and Caelin Micks

Grosse Pointe Driving School WINTER/SPRING SCHEDULE 2013

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IDEAS Gumpy: It’s a lifestyle “Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for 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 Izzy Ellery life editor

Andrea Scapini Gabby Burchett NEws editor Managing EDITOR

Melina Glusac ideas editor

Colleen Reveley Lauren Semack Sydney Thompson sports editor web content manager business manager

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above and staff members Erica Lizza and Jennifer Kusch.

OUR EDITORIAl

Tech bond worth the price The depressing hums of computers older than dinosaurs fill the buildings of the Grosse Pointe Public School System; aggravated kicks to monitors and frustrated sighs are commonplace.

This cycle of frustration and impatience has victimized students and faculty members at North, but the technology bond has the potential to end this cycle. The tech bond is a proposal in the Grosse Pointe School Board slated to be voted on in February that would update and add technology for every school.

Although this proposal is a godsend to a district whose electronics have been limping on their last leg for far too long, it doesn’t come without a price— over $50 million. Grosse Pointers have long recognized the need for improved technology, but the sticker shock has been difficult to move past.

Although the cost can be justified, the funds for the improvements are not materializing out of nowhere.

They are coming out of the pockets of families across the Pointes. Some may say that this is unfair to those who are not benefiting from the improvements but still have to pay for them.

Contrary to the claims of those opposed to the tech bond, everyone in Grosse Pointe, whether or not they have contact with the iPads being implemented in the elementary schools or the new computers in North’s labs, will benefit from the bond and its efforts to maintain facilities and update technology. Grosse Pointe is renowned for its exemplary public schools. They are what keep property values high. Without passage of the tech bond, the computers in the district will likely experience problems with the state’s mandatory testing program next year. Without those tests, it will be impossible for the state to evaluate Grosse Pointe schools’ performances. As a result, the district will automatically receive a failing grade, and the district’s stellar record will be tarnished. This could drag down property values across the Grosse Pointes, whether or not homeowners have children attending Grosse Pointe Schools. This is an economic loss that could take years to recover from.

According to Board member Judy Gafa, the additional tax to fund the bond would be approximately $3,500 over 10 years for a house with a market value of $300,000. This far outweighs the cost of depleted home values that could result from the tech bond not passing. A permanently tarnished record could drive away future home buyers from an area whose major appeal is its quality public education. Why would anyone vote to make the local real estate and economy suffer over a few thousand dollars?

Not that those opposed to the bond do not have a sound argument. The $50 million being spent on the improvements is a large sum. The myriad of improvements the bond will pay for are extensive, and the concurrence of security and technology updates may seem pricey and unnecessary. But the steep cost of this technology bond is less harmful than the prospect of facing several years without adequate technology in our schools.

The Grosse Pointe Public School System has a history of excellence. Its taxpayers have usually agreed to tax increases to benefit the schools and the community as a whole. In February, the Board will once again ask the taxpayers to put their faith in them, so that they can continue our history of excellence. So with all this said, we appear to be at a crossroads because this tech bond is all or nothing. This February’s vote could pass the bond in time for next year’s mandatory testing, but if it is rejected in hopes of drafting an amended and less costly proposal in the future, our schools will suffer in the interim.

One path, while more costly, leads to a future where our school district meets and even exceeds expectations. The other road, while less costly, throws not only the education and potential of students into the crosshairs, but the property values of Grosse Pointe homes.

We hope that voters can see past the lofty numbers and recognize that the future and well being of our schools depends on their support of the tech bond.

Click. Thump. Click. Thump.

The recognizable sound of a pair of pounding crutches announced my arrival at my classes, a calling card of sorts. Pitying stares and chuckles would soon follow, as this was not an unexpected situation for me.

By most measures, I am a successful athlete, yet the grace EDITOR’S DESK expected of an ac- jennifer kusch complished jock seems to have avoided me. Objects seem to be pulled into my path, as if by an unseen magnetic force.

This fall, a field hockey ball conked me on the head, leaving me with a bulge on my forehead (a great homecoming look, let me tell you), and I recently suffered another injury: a slapshot to my foot. So I guess you could say I have had it from head to toe. While field hockey gear leaves most of the body exposed, hockey equipment and skates are generally enough protection from flying pucks, wayward sticks, and girls with anger issues. So what was I wearing, slippers? Let me be frank: NO. That little plastic puck was launched towards the net, but my heavily protected foot pulled into its path, once again. That darn magnetic force.

And so, a week later, I was sporting winter’s biggest footwear trend: a peep-toe, powder blue, plaster cast.

As I made my school debut, people could barely keep their jaws from hitting the floor.

The hockey season wasn’t even officially underway, yet I was already sidelined. Everyone asked me the same question. “Like, ohmygodjen, did you, like, hurt your foot?” Now, I am a pretty happy, un-sarcastic person, but there’s a cast on my leg. My responses were delivered with a side of dripping sarcasm. “Whoa, what

is on my foot?” and “Nah, I just thought that the blue brought out my eyes” soon became my standbys.

My rockin’ new look branded me “gimpy,” a “gump,” “clutz,” or an otherwise unfortunately uncoordinated, injury-prone human being. And the worst part: it’s true. I’ve suffered numerous strains, sprains and “irritated disks.” I even skated into a hockey net backward while demonstrating something for my team (yes, skated into it) and gave myself a concussion. I can’t even blame that pesky magnetic force for all of my injuries, I’m not even safe when left to my own devices. My track record is so bad, it’s hard to believe that Morgan Freeman isn’t secretly doing a voiceover of my made-for-TV life, Ouch! The Diaries of a Gimp.

Not that this tendency for injury cramps my hoppin’ lifestyle. It’s pretty fun to be a wheelchair-bound battering ram on Black Friday, and having elevator privileges isn’t too shabby either. The elevators may smell like old socks and make some pretty shady moans and shudders, but they beat climbing three floors of stairs; even athletes make “passing time” sound more like “panting time” by the time they complete a three story uphill trek .

At my gumpy, record-breaking rate, by the time I graduate, the school’s athletic trainers will be in attendance at my graduation party, and if they’re smart, they’ll bring some ice because (big shocker here): bounce houses and I don’t mix well. Athletic trainers and I are usually pretty tight. I spend hours on their carts throughout my varied sports seasons; icing, wrapping and diagnosing my injuries are an unavoidable pre-game ritual. My physical therapist shouldn’t be left out either because we see way too much of each other.

The cast has since come off, and I am going through physical therapy with the hopes of lacing up my skates once more. Even though I’m officially healed, there’s one thing I’m sure of: the force is definitely not with me.

“Go to Tiger’s games.”

“Mainly just for sporting events, that’s it. I like the Lions.”

“Go get a hotel room and hang out with friends and go to the Riverwalk.”

Olivia Randazzo

Emilio Castronero

Elijah Lagarde

freshman

North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – 3

junior

Sophomore

YOUR TURN: What do you like to do in Detroit?

By Sydney Thompson and Mora Downs

“Usually try a lot of different places to eat down there.

The Hudson Cafe; it’s like a breakfast place.”

“Tigers games, Lions games.”

“I like to walk around. My husband and I would go to the Grand Prix. When we dated, we used to hang out at the (Renaissance) Center all the time.”

Meagan Curran

Jack Silverman

Sue Spears

senior

security gaurd

science Teacher

The North Pointe is edited and produced

by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Maria Liddane every two weeks. It is in practice a designated MANAGING EDITORS: Gabby Burchett, Dayle public forum without prior review.

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My turn radiance cooper

Ren-Cen gem The Tigers Stadium, Joe Louis Arena and maybe even Motown come to mind whenever somebody brings up Detroit. But for me, only one, immensely tall, black and blue skyscraper comes to mind—The General Motors building. This building, standing high, is exactly why Detroit has the nickname the Motor City.

Growing up, I can’t tell you how many Saturdays were spent running around the building alongside my older brother and my other younger siblings, but I can tell you how much fun we had. Thrill, excitement and happiness would rampage through my little body as I climbed inside different cars (Yes, we could do that) and decided that ‘This shall be my car.’

We smiled, giggled and pictured each other driving those things around Detroit.

I always felt like I was on cloud nine when I was walking in out of the building. It was nothing short of an enormous castle, full of treasure and riches.

As a little girl, I loved making the journey to downtown Detroit. As I sat smushed in between my brothers, I loved seeing how the distant skyscrapers—Renaissance building, Greektown, MGM and, my favorite, the GM Building—got larger as we got closer. Going from the mere black outlines in the sky to these vivid, huge castlelike buildings, I could feel my anticipation and heart racing as we would drive past the first glimpse of cars, sitting on display inside of the GM Building’s opening doors.

If you’ve ever been inside the GM building you’ll know that you have to walk for a few minutes to get to the space filled with the actual cars. But the trek to the cars’ rooms would only ignite my excitement.

One of the hardest things was leaving that building as we headed out the back doors with the long stretch of the Detroit Riverwalk and the outskirts of Windsor, Canada gleaming through the glass. But before taking a picture with the captivating view, we we had to run through the sprinklers that stood out in front of it. Running through sprinklers as a little kid, fully clothed on a hot, sunny day with your siblings is a lot of more fun than it probably sounds, and there wasn’t a second of it I did not absolutely enjoy. As I leaned up against the steel railing, snapshots of my childhood were recorded for my future memories.

My time spent at the GM Building definitely lent to some of the happiest moments in my childhood, and, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself wanting to recapture that same innocent happiness I experienced there. But, a lot has changed since those times. Those fun trips to the GM Building are just memories, but when I think about them now, I’m grateful to have them.

To quote the late and great doctor Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Corrections In the Dec. 6 issue, “Michigan may cut the cord on landlines in 2017,” was co-authored by photo editor Brigitte Smith. Also, photo cutlines on page 7 misidentified two students. Senior Breanna Cochran was misidentified as Brittany Moore, and Tiziana Skinner is a junior, not a senior.

On Campus

4 – North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013

Choir students sing at holiday concert Choir students performed Christmas songs at First English Luthern Church Dec. 12 and 13

By Ava DeLoach, Dalaney Bradley & Izzy Ellery photographer & Life Editor

Faces in the crowd Shannon Smith

Freshman Shannon Smith aims to improve her Irish step dancing skills to become more like her inspiration and professional dancer, Claire Greeney.

“She is a three time world champion Irish dancer. Claire is my role model because she inspires me to become a better dancer,” Smith said.

Smith began Irish step dancing as a hobby years ago because her mother pushed her to pursue it. Now, her mother is a major reason of her success in the field.

“Well my mom used to Irish dance as a young girl and she got me interested in it.

I started eight years ago,” Smith said. “My mom always comes to my competitions and makes sure I’m ready. She helps me practice.”

Even though Smith is only a freshman, she is certain that her career path will hold true to her Irish step dancing roots.

“I have a true passion for it. Someday I hope to become a part time teacher or, with a certain amount of years teaching, travel the world and judge competitions,” Smith said.

Chrissy Martin

ABOVE RIGHT: Sophomore Emily Harder sings “Christmas Lullaby.” Pre-performance jitters didn’t get the best of her. “I get really nervous before, but once I get on stage and start singing the nerves kind of faded,” Harder said.

TOP LEFT: Treble choir sings “Up Above my Head.” Freshman Michaela Kirck enjoyed her first holiday concert. “My favorite part of the concert was the ending group numbers because it’s nice to hear what the choir sounds like when everyone’s voices come together,” Kirck said.

“I’m looking forward to the spring concert to see how all of our voices have grown.”

BELOW: Juniors Anthony Jaenisch, Trey Burke, sophomore Christian Preston and senior Dwan Wilcox perform.

Burke’s favorite performance of the night was “Hallelujah.” “It was like a four part melody, and it was amazing because it’s a common song everyone knows, and it’s just like I am one of those people singing those legendary songs,” Burke said.

ABOVE: All choirs perform “Hallelujah from Messiah” for the finale, joined by North alumni. Freshman Will Fishwick liked this performance and was also pleased with his solo. “That went well. I didn’t screw up the lyrics like I did in the audition, so that was good. This was my first one as an actual registered North student, so that was cool.” Preston enjoyed performing “Hallelujah from Messiah” during the finale. “(My favorite was) Hallelujah Chorus because we got to sing with all of the students that have previously graduated,” Preston said. “Overall it was pretty good. It just kind of made my Christmas season better and it filled me with joy.”

As a young girl, sophomore Chrissy Martin would go to speech therapy twice a week. It started when she was first learning to speak, and her words would not come out correctly. Martin attended speech therapy classes from kindergarten through first grade to fix her slight mispronunciation and ended up forming a bond with her therapist. Her experience in speech therapy inspired her to pursue the field herself.

“I wanted to help people the way I received my help,” Martin said.

Every day after school, Martin would go home and practice the techniques that her teacher taught her that day and was fascinated by how fast her speech problems were fixed.

“This was not a serious problem, but I wanted to make sure it was fixed fast so I didn’t get behind in school,” Martin said.

Martin did not use her speech therapy as an excuse to get out of class and was not embarrassed about attending because she knew that it would benefit her in the future.

“Speech therapy is actually interesting; everyone has a different problem, and it is great seeing how people progress over time,” Martin said.

Martin plans on attending Valparaiso University in Indiana to become a successful speech therapist.

“It is a family college. It has been my dream ever since I was younger. It will help with my future career because I’ve wanted it for so long, and I will stay focused there,” Martin said.

By Colleen Reveley & Caelin Micks

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Hall Monitor Paula Dombrowski

By Kristina Kowalski Intern

Emily huguenin

Being a working mom can take its toll on hall monitor Paul Dombrowski, so she likes to use the weekend to unwind.

“Weekends are usually pretty jam-packed with trying to get like shopping and everything done and I try and chill out a little bit, relax,” Dombrowski said.

The challenges of being a working mother don’t stop hall monitor Paula Dombrowski from using her artistic skill.

“I’m very artsy. I like to paint. I like to make jewelry, crochet, things like that. Anything I can do with my hands,” Dombrowski said. “I’m crocheting for my mother because she has no curtains in her back room.

I have to do ten of them. I learned how to do a lace stitch, so it looks like a lace, which is very cool. When I have five minute, or whenever I feel like it, I just sit down and crochet. When the inspiration hits, I’ll make something.”

Recently, Dombrowski volunteered to create a sign for the Grosse Pointe Woods library garden.

“I’m the youth monitor there as my second job … I said ‘Well for the dedication, I’ll make a sign.’

We still haven’t hung it yet ‘cause they’re afraid someone’s gonna steal it,” Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski, unlike the other

artist in her family, is self-taught.

Her brother pursued a fine arts degree,, but they both share a similar interest in the skill.

“I have totally different techniques, and he gives me a hard time about mine because it’s not necessarily something that I was taught,” Dembrowski said. “I just kinda have played with the medium myself a little bit … So it’s kind of like you have to blend, and you get to make things look how you want them to look. It’s very cool. I like it. I like working in chalk best.

That’s my favorite, ‘cause it’s very blendable, and it’s just really cool.”

Dombrowski has not recently created jewelry because of the expense.

“I haven’t made it in a long time, ‘cause it’s really expensive. I just kinda taught myself how to do it ... it was for a baby shower, so I said, ‘For prizes I’ll make earrings.’ I took a class in lapidary, and I made a thumb ring. I learned how to wrap my own stuff, and I just taught myself. I like to figure things out.”

What’s it like here working with your son?

“It’s okay. It doesn’t bother me at all. I think it’s kind of cool. Initially, he was kind of upset about it because he thought people were gonna pick on him … I don’t generally acknowledge him because I don’t wanna embarrass him. But it’s okay. He likes it.”

What’s your favorite food?

“I don’t really have a favorite food … I like Mexican food, I guess. Mexican or Italian would be my favorite. But I don’t really have a specific thing I like about it.”

What’s your favorite movie?

“The Quiet Man. It’s old, way old.”

What’s your favorite television show?

“I have so many … It’s a toss up between NCIS and the Big Bang Theory. I like the drama, and I like to laugh. One of those two.”

Where’s your favorite vacation spot?

“I love to go to Mackinac Island and I love Tucson, Arizona.”

What kind of music do you listen to?

“I love alternative stuff. I think my all time favorite band is Pearl Jam.”

life

North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – 5

CONSUMER GUIDE:

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Last-minute local finds

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By Marie Bourke, Kristen Kaled & Maria Liddane

Pure Detroit Flexit Cap in yellow and khaki

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web content editor, design editor & editor-in-chief

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5 $14

review

Elf in life:

just as sweet as the movie

By Mora Downs intern

A gigantic blue curtain covered in snowflakes sparkled and shimmered as the lights of the Detroit Opera House dimmed and the angelic sounds of the beginning overture drifted from the orchestra. When the theater became completely dark, Santa appeared.

Elf, the 2003 film that banked over $225 million is not just a movie anymore. In 2010, Elf the Musical premiered on Broadway. Since then, the show has been stopping in cities nationwide, including Detroit. Elf the Musical was at the Detroit Opera House Dec. 3-15.

The singing in the show was phenomenal, but one voice rose above the others. Tyler Altomari, who played Michael Hobbs, had a beautiful voice and sounded more impressive than the others because of his young age. The musical number “Nobody Cares About Santa,” also included great vocal performances and incredible choreography to match.

The acting was amazing as well, especially that of Gordon Gray, who played Buddy. Gray’s interpretation of Buddy was more perky than Will Ferrell’s and made him seem much more “elf-like.” It worked well for the musical and gave it more life.

The actors playing both Buddy and Walter performed the scene in which Buddy runs away with great emotion that could be felt by the audience.

Viewers roared with laughter at the jokes in the musical which included a jab at Columbus, Ohio.

This particularly amused Michigan natives because of the Big Ten Championship football game rivalry. Many of the jokes in the show were not from the movie, which made them better because they were not recycled.

In fact, many parts of the musical weren’t like the movie, but this wasn’t always an improvement.

In the first scene, while building toys in Santa’s workshop, Buddy overheard a conversation between two elves and discovered that he was really a human, and that his real dad was on Santa’s naughty list. This whole part happened quickly, and unlike the movie, the first scene did not offer any context about Buddy’s life at the North Pole.

When Buddy reached New York in the fourth scene, his experiences were rushed. Many of Buddy’s hilarious adventures from his first day in New

York are not featured.

In the musical, Walter, Buddy’s father, was an extreme workaholic – even more so than in the movie. This character flaw set up opportunities to enrich the relationship between Walter and his family. His wife, Emily, and son, Michael, later wrote letters to Santa. The scene added heart to the story because all they ask for is a day with Walter, whose life revolves around work, rather than family. Later in the show, Walter quit his job, as he did in the movie, but the scene in the musical proved more meaningful as it showed Emily and Michael’s wish to Santa come true.

When Buddy talked to Jovie, a female “elf” in Macy’s, he did the famous “I’m in a store and I’m singing” bit, which did not hold the same humorous effect as in the movie, due to the actor being a professional singer. Nothing is funnier than Will Ferrell’s awkward, cracking voice.

Buddy’s date with Jovie, though, was better in the musical because unlike Zooey Deschanel, who portrays Jovie in the film, Katie Hennies convinced the audience that she was truly falling in love with Buddy.

When “Santa” came to Gimbel’s department store (Macy’s in the musical) and Buddy exposed him as a fake, the expected belly laughs were absent. This scene was less enjoyable in the musical because it again lacked Ferrell’s comedy in his titanic concern that “Santa” was an imposter.

When Santa’s sleigh fell from the sky in Central Park, Buddy and his family went to help Santa, but they realized the only way they could help him was to raise Christmas cheer in New York. This part is identical to the movie, even including “Charlotte Dennin, New York One,” but instead of reading from Santa’s book, Buddy read people’s Christmas wishes from Santa’s iPad. This worthwhile musical was whimsical and warm-hearted. Die-hard Elf fans may disagree with the lack of Will Ferrell’s knee-slapping comedy and the exclusion of several laugh out loud scenes in the film (the shower-singing duet was rejected), but Elf the Musical provides a new perspective on a contemporary holiday classic.

Grade: A-

6 - North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013

reviews

Queen B releases a bombshell We were scrolling through Instagram photos, reading tweets, cramming in forgotten homework or drifting off into slumber when the clock struck midnight on Dec. 13 and singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter dropped a bomb. Thought the soulful songstress wasn’t going to pull an album this year?

Think again.

Beyoncé’s self-titled visual album was kept quiet by the artist and came as a surprise to her fans. Not only was the whole album a shock, but the content was as well. With 14 songs and 17 videos, a new woman emerged from the motherhood hideout.

The new mom showed out in more than a few songs, taking a wholesome and hearty sexual appeal. Beyoncé flaunts her post baby body in nearly every song, particularly in “Drunk in Love” featuring Jay-Z. This is a more explicit representation of the fierce duos past hit, “Crazy in Love.” The maturity in Beyoncé’s music has obviously escalated.

In her single, “Blow,” a more poppy approach was taken.

The beats are fast and the video corresponds well, being taken at a rollerskating rink with a 70s twist. On the other

hand, “Rocket” and “Partition” are much slower and much more adult, along with “Mine” featuring Drake, a mesmerizing track off of the album. But all four songs take on a similar sensual feminine flare that we know as Beyoncé.

Going through the tracklist however, there’s a bolt from the blue (literally) that challenges the strong sexual reputation of the album. The motherly side was represented by “Blue,” featuring Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy. The video was filmed on their family vacation to Brazil making it more relatable than the other seemingly fairy tale videos. Beyoncé sings of her love of motherhood and the feeling she gets when her baby Blue says her name. In fact, at the end of the song shelaughs, saying, “Hold on to me, hold on to me ... Mommy, mommy, mommy.”

Another twist to Beyoncé is in the bonus video “Grown Woman.” The graphics are stellar, which is no surprise. But the woman accompanying Beyoncé in the video isn’t another artist; it’s her mother. As strange as it sounds, it helps to implement the whole idea of the song.

Every song on this album is strong coming from a matured artist, however it can get repetitive at times. Nevertheless, the balance between fierce, feminine and adoring is executed perfectly. She did it again, and it’s safe to say we can fall dangerously in love with Beyoncé’s Beyoncé.

Frozen

Pentatonix

Yonder

Disney has created many beloved movies. Their newest addition: Frozen.

The story follows sisters Anna and Elsa’s song-filled adventure through a frozen land. The conflict begins when Elsa accidentally reveals her icy powers at her coronation, after years of trying to hide it. When she escapes capture from frozen.com her kingdom, she has unknowingly plunged the land into an eternal winter. So to rekindle their sisterly relationship and save the kingdom, Anna sets out to find her sister, along with Olaf the snowman, Sven the reindeer and Kristoff the iceman.

With its one of a kind storyline, complex characters and hilarious content, Frozen appeals to the young and old. It’s no wonder why viewers freeze to their seats while watching, and the graphics of the film are just as stunning.

The intricacy and depth of detail of the movie’s graphics are breathtaking. Everything seen on the screen seems to come to life, from the snow to the tiny hairs out of place. Nothing is overlooked or forgotten.

But this movie is not for everyone. Since it has many songs throughout the whole picture, viewers who dislike this might find it annoying. Plus, many of the songs are for younger audiences, and viewers might find that too childish for their liking.

Overall Frozen was very well done, and definitely lives up to the Disney standard of excellence. Maybe even higher.

“La-da-dah’s” and Christmas cheer greets the listeners’ ears as they enjoy the festive tunes provided by the up-and-coming band, Pentatonix. Those not familiar, it is an acapella group of five singers accompanied by minimal instrumentation.

PTXmas is their first album and it is sure to go off with a bang. ptxofficial.com Christmas music tends to be either traditional or contemporary, but Pentatonix embodies both. Pentatonix puts a much needed pop twist on a mix of traditional, religious and contemporary favorites while staying true to the holiday spirit.

“Carol of the Bells,” a mostly instrumental song, is only intensified by this group. The unique harmonies are pleasing to the ear. Without any instruments to back up the caroling, beautiful vocals are really put on center stage.

Today’s teenagers are often greeted with catchy lyrics and fast-paced dubstep beats when they open music on any device.

Christmas music should be no exception. However, Pentatonix took a slow approach with this album. Many of the songs sounded alike and it began to feel lethargic. A change of pace would have been a welcome improvement.

Overall, PTXmas is an effective mix of snaps and “doobahs” that goes well with any tree-decorating or ice-skating bash, a must for the holiday season.

All of the things you love to do outside, anything from hiking to camping, can be expressed through the new social media app Yonder.

It’s focus is to share people’s most adventurous experiences especially anything and everything outdoors.

Using Yonder is similar to using Instagram: post a picture or video of vimeo.com an experience, share it, keep up with other people’s exploits and view other users who take part in similar activities.

Yonder is original in the respect that there are few social media apps that revolve around the theme of adventure. However, while it’s creative, it has the potential to get boring. Considering users won’t have a notable experience every single day, you would have to follow a lot of people in order to have the app updated with new content daily.

On the other hand, when your account is getting updated it can be stimulating to gain insight into others’ lives, even if it’s just some stranger off the popular page hiking the Grand Canyon. But when put to further use, the app proves to be slightly irrelevant. Besides its selective theme, it is barely distinguishable from other photo-sharing apps such as Instagram. This further pushes the idea that Yonder isn’t anything too special.

At first glance, Yonder appears to be a fresh approach to sharing life experiences, but on closer inspection it reveals itself to be nothing but white noise. Despite the promising idea of a shared adventure, Yonder isn’t worth the time.

By Josie Bennett

By Kayla Luteran

By Josie Riley

By Diajah Williams Staff Reporter

A-

B

Grade: AC

Sports

North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – 7

For the love of club Students work to balance the hectic schedule of club sports

By Andrea Scapini & Anu Subramaniam News Editor & Web Manager

Katie Roy

Thomas Essak

Maria Nguyen

Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy

Salvo

Extreme Gymnastics

Volleyball

Across the net, junior Katie Roy’s eyes lock with her current rival – her club teammate from Dakota High School.

Seeing her travel volleyball teammates at high school tournaments during the fall season is not so unusual for Roy. “It’s so much fun playing at tournaments for high school and running and hugging someone in another uniform and tackling them, and then your high school team just looks at you funny,” Roy said.

Roy joined her travel volleyball team, Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, during her freshman year, when she wanted to continue playing volleyball yearround.

“The coaches there are really good, so I got a lot better, and I learned a lot more, and I got to meet a lot more new people,” Roy said. “I didn’t go into the season with them, but I came out with a lot of close friends.”

Even though the practices and tournaments are slightly more time consuming than those of the regular high school season, Roy still loves playing for her travel team.

“I’m glad that I did it, and it’s been a really good experience for me, and I’ve learned a lot about volleyball and about people in general.”

Soccer

For a year and a half, sophomore Thomas Essak has been playing club soccer in addition to playing on the JV team during the regular boys soccer season. Essak has played on the team, Salvo, to challenge himself with higher caliber competition.

“In club sports the games are higher place, but the games are a lot more competitive than high school (where) like you get to calm down a little bit and have some fun,” Essak said.

Essak feels that the camaraderie of his club team is stronger than his school team because of the greater amount of time he spends with his fellow club team members.

“You make friends from different schools all-year round and they are basically your brothers through that sport, through something you like for the rest of your life.”

Essak also feels that having two different team practices helps him focus on two different aspects of the game.

“North practices are fitness; club practices are skill and mentality.”

Essak plans on continuing to play on a club team throughout high school and hopes that through hard work he will make varsity next year.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics alone consumed junior Maria Nguyen’s life with four-hour practices four days a week.

“About a year ago, I kind of had a meltdown, and I didn’t want to do anything at all, and I hated competing and stuff,” Nguyen said. “I don’t really know what it was. Maybe I was just being pushed too hard.”

She prefers competing for North’s team because it has the intensity that she needs but isn’t overbearing.

“Club coaches are kind of more pressuring, and it’s like you really have to be consistent at club, whereas here, you have to be consistent too, but it’s not as pressuring,” she said. “The most stressful part was probably competition because my coach would always tell me what score I needed.”

Another stress inducer for Nguyen during her club season was the weight of trying to pursue gymnastics through college.

“I was really persistent on going to college (for gymnastics) during club. It was kind of like, ‘I need to do this, and I need to stay on to make it there,’” she said.

Although Nguyen misses her club-gymnastics friends, she doesn’t plan on going back to her yearround team.

“I’m not as into it as I was, so I feel like if I were still in club, I would still be really persistent on going to college, but now that I’m not, it’s kind of like I have other things I want to do, too.”

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in-depth

North Pointe – Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – 8

DESTINATION: DETROIT Follow this day downtown to ensure you make the most of your winter break

By Haley Reid ASSISTANT EDITOR

HUDSON CAFE

EASTERN MARKET

The Hudson Cafe, located on Woodward Ave., is known for modern twists on typical brunch foods. Their vast variety of sweet and savory breakfast food is mixed with their attached cafe full of pastries and made-to-order coffee drinks.

Senior Maddy Vyletel experienced the menu for the first time this fall but is planning on making it a regular spot.

“So far I have only been there once, and have only gotten the french toast, but I am looking forward to going more often and trying everything,” Vyletel said.

Opening in 2012, the Hudson Cafe has been attracting customers through its unique presentation and social media recognition.

“My sister had gone there over the summer and loved it, and I always see it on Instagram. It looked so delicious so I thought I had to try it,” Vyletel said. “I would recommend the Challah french toast. It’s your basic french toast with an eggier bread, nothing special, but they make it so perfectly.”

Four in the morning signals the arrival of trucks containing everything from freshly cut poultry to newly picked produce. Many stalls are set up displaying products, but only one has a metal sign reading “Francis Mulso and Sons” right next to the station.

Since 1891, hundreds of vendors have been setting up shop at the Eastern Market every Saturday. The public market encompases local businesses and shops, and its six-block center contains most of the fresh food sales, including fruits, vegetables, homemade jams, maple syrup and grass-fed meat.

“Back in the day, actually before my time on this planet, my great grandfather used to have a stall, ‘Francis Mulso and Sons,’ down at the market,” social studies teacher Barry Mulso said.

Mulso frequented the market almost every week during his time as a butcher.

“Every time you go down there you see different people, (and) you meet different people,” Mulso said. “It’s the bustle; it’s the hum. That place is just constantly busy. Anywhere between the hours of four o’clock and noonw, it just rocks and rolls, and that energy is amazing.”

By Colleen Reveley

By Patricia Bajis

MAJESTIC THEATRE Built in 1915, the Majestic Theatre was once the largest movie theater in the world, later becoming a concert hall. Combined with Garden Bowl, a 1913 bowling alley (America’s oldest active alley), it became the Majestic Theatre Center in the 80s adding a cafe, billiards, a rooftop bar and pizzeria.

“I’m usually at the Magic Stick, which is the smaller concert venue in the upstairs. They have really great shows there for under $20 usually,” junior Kate Derringer said. “I’ve been to probably over 20 shows there, but some of my favorites have been Wavves and Neon Indian and Fidlar.”

Besides the concerts, Derringer said she enjoys bowling there.

“They have a bowling alley, and you can get a game for a few bucks, and they have a restaurant,” Derringer said. “It’s just something to do, like it’s really affordable, and you’ll probably have a lot of fun because the shows there are always really high energy. And they have good pizza.”

By Lauren Semack

CAMPUS MARTIUS

Hot and fresh out the kitchen, Supino Pizzeria specializes in thincrusted pizza pies. From classic cheese and pepperoni, to what they call “Verdure e Funghi,” that is topped with parsley, basil, mushrooms, smoked gouda and parmigiano, they offer an array of pizzas.

“It’s like a little pizza place. It’s right facing Eastern Market. They make all the pizza, I think it’s wood-fire ovens. It’s just really awesome thincrust Italian style pizza. It’s really delicious,” social studies teacher Bridget Cooley said.

If the pizzas don’t appease to one’s taste buds, Supino’s offers a “Make Your Own” option on the menu. Pizza prices range from $10-17. The holein-a-wall restaurant offers salad and entree options, though they are not as extensive as the pizza options.

The atmosphere has been described as “laid back” in a review by the Metro Times. The restaurant is near the Eastern Market and located on Russell St.

By Sydney Thompson

Thousands of Metro Detroiters bursting with holiday spirit skate on the outdoor ice rink at Campus Martius every winter. Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, in the center of Woodward Ave., the park offers ice skate rentals for $3 and has a general admission price of $6-7.

A 60-foot Christmas tree illuminates the rink, while holiday tunes blast from the speakers above the ice. The aura alone attracts local skaters of all ages and skill levels.

Junior Victoria Potapenko laces up her skates every winter at Campus Martius with her friends.

“I like the fact that it’s something that brings people into downtown Detroit,” Potapenko said. “The giant Christmas tree reminds me of Rockefeller Center.

I just like the overall ambiance in general.”

By Haley Reid

Photos by Brigitte Smith

SUPINO PIZZERIA

LAFAYETTE CONEY ISLAND

For Detroit hot dog lovers, the debate between Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island is a rivalry that's been ongoing for years.

“Is Lafayette better than American? Is that even a question?” senior Tom Vismara said.

Located on West Lafayette Blvd., this grubby, inexpensive joint can be seen overf lowing with customers after Tigers, Wings and Lions games.

“I found out about it through some of my friends when we were getting ready to go to the MAC championship game at Ford Field,” alumnus Cody Parafin said.

Along with its convenient location, Lafayette is known for its quick, in and out service.

“I love how fast they serve you and I like to look at the pictures of all the famous people who’ve been there on the walls around the restaurant,” Parafin said.

By Colleen Reveley