ON CAMPUS PAGE 9 iDesign students give presentations about how to improve the lunch program to the head of Chartwells. CHLOE RIBCO
NORTH
GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
UPCOMING EVENTS SPRING CHOIR CONCERT
May 17 at Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.
FAMILY CENTERTEENS AND SCREENS
POINTE WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017
SINCE 1968
MAKING THE CUT
School Board drafts plan to close $3 million budget deficit after district enrollment and state funding drop
May 17 at Christ Church at 7 p.m.
MEMORIAL DAY School closed on May 29.
ONE ACT PLAYS
NORTH-SOUTH OUTDOOR CONCERT June 2 at Grosse Pointe South High School at 7 p.m.
SAT TESTING
June 3 at Grosse Pointe North High School at 8 a.m.
IN THE PAPER "I hate to be blunt here, but when you’re you don’t get to
dead,
control
what happens after." PAGE 5
"No one
wants to lose teachers, administrators or field time.
No one
pay more to
wants to
participate in school sports" PAGE 8
By Lindsey Ramsdell, Sofia Ketels & Zoe Graves EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ASSISTANT EDITORS As students get ready to finish the school year, the Grosse Pointe Public School Board is getting ready for the next. The School Board has had to take a thorough look at the budget for the 2017-18 school year, and could potentially be making some big changes to close to a nearly $3 million budget deficit. In recent years, GPPSS has watched enrollment decline by approximately 100 students a year. This, paired with decreased funding from the state education department, has led the School Board to make some important decisions to make about how they are going to face the tight budget in the coming school year. The declining enrollment is an issue that the state has been struggling with for the past 15 years. Families have begun to have children later in life as well as having fewer children. Along with longer average lifespans and limited real estate, Grosse Pointe finds itself with an aging population and little prospects for growth. According to School Board treasurer Judy Gafa, there are only around 125 houses for sale this year, which isn’t enough to balance out the estimated 100 students that GPPSS will lose each year. Deputy Superintendent of Schools Jon Dean worked on the committee to draft the budget proposal. Earlier
this year, he explained, a research enrollment, selling the administrative organization was hired to analyze building, reduce ice hockey time. data about the declining enrollment Cutting staff pay was also suggested by and make future projections. one board member. Those are just a few “Some districts are kind of immune suggestions.” to (decreasing student population), if All student athletes can expect to they use schools of choice or if they see a raise in the pay-to-play fees. But, have an immigrant hockey players could population,” Dean have the most at stake. said. “But Grosse Since the state made Pointe doesn’t have severe cuts in 2009, a large immigrant the per pupil funding population, so those has not completely are the reasons for our recovered. In addition declining enrollment.” to that, inflation has According to continued to rise Superintendent Gary which has further Niehaus, the declining deepened the funding enrollment, number gap, making cuts such of retiring teachers as these increasingly and reduction of staff necessary. members has kept the Hockey is currently school system from one of the most expensive making cuts, but final sports, meaning hockey reductions are still in players could lose progress and must be the most at stake. in place by July 1 of According to the this year. School Board Budget “The Board C onsiderations Jon Dean of Education and found on the GPPSS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT administration are website, the Board looking at every is looking at ways to option, this includes not hiring restructure how high school hockey staff to replace those who have teams pay for ice time. The School retired, increasing rental fees in System currently fully subsidizes all all buildings, privatizing custodial ice time for the girls and boys hockey services, eliminating classes that teams at both North and South, and is are small (under 20 students in considering options to reduce the cost Middle school and high school),” Gafa of ice time, such as combining teams said via email. “Adjusting middle or increasing the participation fee to school office staffing due to decreased reduce the total cost.
“
$100 more per pupil is not actually enough to cover the natural and inflationary costs.
“
June 1 at Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.
LINDSEY RAMSDELL
Junior Natalie Barstys plays for the girls team which practices for an hour five days a week, with home games on the weekends. Although losing practice time isn’t ideal, she understands the need for cuts. “It wouldn't be the worst thing (practice cuts) because just because it’s like right in the height of the school year, so a little more time to do homework would be nice. But at the same time we really need the practice.” While cutting practice time may not be prefered among Board of Education members and student athletes, it may be necessary in order to meet the $3 million dollar goal required to meet the budget standard. “We are completely reliant on the state of Michigan to give us per pupil funding. So for next year they’re going to give us $100 more per pupil, which is a great thing, but $100 more per pupil isn’t actually enough to cover the natural and inflationary costs,” Dean said. “The electricity costs more to turn the lights on, or the water bill is more or health insurance is more, or retirement rates are more, or we want to pay out people more, which are all things that we want to do. So they have not been giving us nearly enough.”
Arts and electives departments debut Collective Art Showcase By Giusseppe Parison & Taylor Mitchell STAFF REPORTER & INTERN Several different elective classes are coming together this year in hosting the first ever Collective Art Showcase from May 15-17 in the Performing Arts Center lobby. It will give a wider range of students the opportunity to display their work, whether it’s a 3D printed model or a newspaper ballgown designed by Fashion and Fabrics students. For senior Nicole Fazekas, this will be the first time she can have her artwork presented in the showcase. “I’m just excited to actually submit my artwork for the first time into something,” she said. “That’s an achievement.” In years past, there has been
@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org
a yearly art show consolidated to the traditional arts classes. But because of less interest and attendance, it 's being reimagined as a collective showcase. From the Innovation Lab to foods classes, the event displays work from multiple different elective classes coming together to show the best of what the students’ efforts have to offer, art teacher Lisa Warren reported. “The students can really take pride in that it's really all about them and everything they've done to make this show happen,” Warren said. “Instead of it being more strictly formal, it's more of just a celebration so you can really kind of enjoy yourself while you're at the show and not just those who are young adults but also little kids as well.” Every piece of art, even the
VOLUME 50 | ISSUE 14
News In-Depth
2-3 4-5
event logo, is student-created. Each participating elective will have its own display, and the event will also be catered for by the foods classes. Even the marketing classes have found a spot in the action. “The marketing kids that I'm working with are going to be doing personal selling, so they're going to be meeting with potential art buyers, finding out what they're interested in and trying to drive them toward the right pieces that will satisfy their desire,” business teacher Brian Levinson said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Reviews On Pointe
6 7
GIUSEPPE PARISON
ART SHOW | A look inside the Collective Arts Showcase, that is on display from May 15-17. "The attendance at the art show has been declining," sai d Fashion and Fabrics teacher Stacy Krzyminski. "We wanted to get more people involved and more people in the community into North." Editorial On Campus
8 9
Life Sports
10 11-12
NEWS
2 – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – North Pointe
Three teams compete in nationwide competition: Team America Rocketry Challenge By Allison Lackner BUSINESS MANAGER
Sophomore Sam Plieth joined Chemistry Club because science is one of his passions Three North teams competed in the Team and something he would love to go into. Even America Rocketry Challenge this year. Two of though Chemistry Club got a late start on the teams participated through Chemistry Club, the process of building the rockets, Plieth and the other team worked outside of the club but found the time with this team relaxing. has been competing in the challenge for years. “It was actually kind of revealing because it North’s Chemistry Club created two teams this was something really fun and new to do, just to year to work on the build a rocket,” Plieth said. rockets and travel to “It’s really hands-on and the competition. The something I have never really idea to start this project experienced in a club so far.” was brought up by a parent Sophomore Mollie to Chemistry Club adviser Szczepanski wants to be a Steven Kosmas. Kosmas doctor and loves Chemistry, helped guide the students making her a good fit for through the building and captain of the girls team. She launching process. enjoyed spending time with The Chemistry Club her team building their rocket. had a boys team “It was a lot of fun. I really and a girls team. enjoyed it. We met up at each Mollie Szczepanski Another group of others’ houses and we were SOPHOMORE students entered sawing and sanding things the contest without being in Chemistry Club, for hours on end,” Szczepanski said. “Then we and were working towards qualifying for the were spray painting in the dark (when it was) 3o national competition for a third time. This degrees outside and we didn’t have shoes on and team, composed of juniors Austin Albrecht, it was really cool, but I really enjoyed it.” Keenan Bakowski, Danny Morrison and Thomas Plieth’s favorite part of the whole process was Supal, qualified and left for D.C. on Thursday, launching their finished projects. May 11. They are one in 100 teams that will “Once we got on the field it was a completely be competing in TARC at the national level. different experience that I have ever had it Supal is familiar with rocketry. His older school,” Plieth said. brother and his father, Mark, used to compete Even though all the teams aren’t and they introduced it to him as well. going to Washington D.C., they have Mark offered to help the Chemistry Club all started to draft plans for next year. because this was their first year doing “This year on the team, it was interesting. We the challenge. He provided material tried to make this brake mechanism thing where like tubing, insulation and rocket noses. its f lag came out on the rocket,” Thomas said. The girls team included sophomores Polly “ But, it didn’t really work that well so we are Fitzgerald, Vivian Liagre, Jill Peters, Claire going to try to do that next year.” Williams and captain Mollie Szczepanski. The Although the weather conditions worked boys team was sophomores Christian Eckerman, against the girls team, Szczepanski learned Ryan Huizdos, juniors Michal Ruprecht and a lot of values and is prepared for next year. Isaiah Mahone, senior Ben Sosnowski and “I learned a lot of things about responsibility captain Sam Plieth. The girls team qualified and getting things done and (that) making a as an alternate for nationals, coming in at mistake is okay but just try not to make it again.” tenth place, while the boys didn’t qualify.
“
It’s really handson and something really fun I have never experienced in a club so far.
TEAM AMERICA ROCKETRY
CHALLENGE| Team America Rocketry Challenge is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and was founded in 2002. It aims at inspiring more students to consider a career in STEM. National qualifiers travel to Washington D.C. for the championship round.
SAM PLIETH
BLAST OFF| Rocket tournament participents pose with their prototype. “It was one of the coolest things I have had in a club here. It would go up 700 feet. It was one of the craziest things,” Plieth said. “I’m definetly going to continue it here, all my years. It’s really cool.”
“
Collective Art Showcase CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“They’re meeting with the artists themselves to kind of find out their thought process behind their pieces of work, so they can understand the product and then fill in and greet customers as they come in. (The students) talk to them and see kind of what they’re looking for and guide them in the right direction. Some of what they’re doing down in the school store but with art instead of clothing,” Levinson said. Foods teacher Julie Cutler’s classes will not only be presenting dishes, but catering the showcase as well. She said she would like to see even more classes participate in the event in future years. “The Commercial Foods class which has been primarily a catering and restaurants management type class is going to be catering the event,” Cutler said. “Students will be making finger foods. We’ll have them on
trays and students are going to walk around and allow the guests who are touring the art to take some of our bite-size appetizers.” While the electives are still preparing for their opening day, Lifeskills teacher Stacy Krzyminski is already looking toward the future. “We want to keep growing,” Krzyminski said. “We want to include eventually more of my classes (in the showcase) ... we have talked about including the elementary schools and the middle schools so it’s all one GP in one area.” All the electives can agree that the Collective Art Showcase has required lots of work and collaboration across the departments. Warren is excited to see the show finally come together. “I think it’s really cool that the students are so much a part of every facet of planning, production and what’s actually on display,” she said. “It’s all student done.”
GIUSEPPE PARISON
FINISHING TOUCH |Students place the final touches on art that will be displayed on the Collective Arts Showcase.
Professional Learning Committee hosts Lunch and Learn Lunch and Learn, a program sponsored by English teacher Diane Montgomery’s Professional Learning Committee, gives students the chance to meet and talk to people from various career fields, especially those that are out of the ordinary. The PLC consists of Montgomery, the counselors and Nicole Sturgeon. They organize for speakers to come visit a group of interested students during their lunch period. The speaker usually begins by talking to the students about their background and education, then discusses how they found their way to their current job. They include positives and negatives of their job and daily lives, and they finish by answering questions that students may have regarding their profession. “For the past few years, my PLC groups have always revolved around ways to provide more career exploration for students. This is one of the ideas we came up with,” Montgomery said. “We had a stunt man, a friend of Mrs. Sturgeon’s, and a former
GPN student, Bridget Reno, who works in said. “I took away that most people go into a Karmanos cancer lab, and last week we college knowing what they want to go into, had Phil Pierce, Mrs. Pierce’s son, and a but once they go into the world looking for a job and they can’t get one co-worker of his. and they keep trying, then They both work they start to rethink their for the Red Wings career but then sooner or organization. Phil later they end up finding is in community a job.” outreach programs Although the program and his friend is just in its starting is in charge of social media for phase, the PLC is working the Wings.” to get more students in Although it may attendance and a more be difficult for diverse group of careers to some students to showcase to students. sacrifice their Counselor Jennifer Sherman lunch to learn and believes that Lunch and Bea Castro explore ideas in Learn is an opportunity for JUNIOR relation to their not only students who are future, junior Bea Castro attended many of undecided about what career they would the Lunch and Learn opportunities offered. like to go into, but also those who have a “I went to Lunch and Learn because I strong idea about their future and interests. wanted to learn about other jobs that one The last speaker for this school year will wouldn’t normally think about. It really be visiting on Thursday, May 18. Next year, taught me about jobs I didn’t know about students can listen to the announcements and how to look beyond a single job,” Castro for more Lunch and Learn opportunities to
“
It really taught me about jobs I didn’t know and how to look beyond a single job.
“
By Bella Lawson STAFF REPORTER
come. “Often students have ideas about what career might be a good match. As students go to college, it is not uncommon for students to change their minds about career options and then need to change their major in college. Lunch and Learn gives students a chance to hear more about careers that might interest them. Hearing from our speakers might give them a second thought about what they were thinking or give them more confidence in their choice,” Sherman said. “It is so important that you get as much knowledge about yourself and what your interests are in high school so that you have some direction as you graduate. Although many students go into college undecided, and that’s ok, if attending a speaker inspired you to a certain career path, it would be very valuable information. I would urge all students to participate in these lunches next year—it’s a great way to get to know more about a career.”
NEWS
TO THE POINTE: Girls soccer
For the second year in a row, the girls soccer team won the Traverse City Tournament which took place over the weekend of April 29. The team won each of the three games they played. They beat Traverse City West 3-1, Auburn Hills Avondale 4-1 and Traverse City Central 5-2. Goalie Katie Link said the win was exciting, especially since it was a repeat. “We won both our first games and then our third game the team that we played, Traverse City Central, was going to be a tough team to beat, but we won and we won all three games, so we are back-to-back champions in the Traverse City Tournament,” Link said. “It’s just fun to be somewhere where you aren’t really able to go and play teams that you aren’t able to play down here because it’s a really far drive.” Although she had a knee injury, freshman Meg Pangborn traveled to the tournament to cheer on her team. She said the success was a team effort. “I think that everyone had really good games and everyone put in a good effort,” Pangborn said. “I don’t think there was one person that was really standing out and showing their skill because everyone just played really well.”
YOU NEED TO BE HERE.
strength training, physical education teacher Joe Drouin took his students to Grit Obstacle Training on Wednesday, April 26. “It’s obstacle training,” Drouin said. “We went for about two hours, we spent 45 minutes going through a cross training workout and then we spent another 45 minutes where they had an obstacle course set up, kind of like ninja warrior style, and then we spent another 45 minutes where they got to just play around on the obstacle courses.” This was the first year the weight training class went on a field trip to learn about alternative strength training, and also Drouin’s first year teaching the class. Drouin would like to teach this class next year, depending on his schedule and his next group of students. This year, many of the students were into calisthenics and the obstacle course helped them learn more about calisthenics training. Next year, Drouin would like to come up with a different field tip depending on the student interest.
Dress up day
May 31
Bike day, Norseman day
June 1
The Drama Club will present a series of six one-act plays June 1 at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center. The plays are student led and are directed by seniors, but auditions were open to all students. For upcoming information, follow the Drama Club’s Twitter @gpndramaclub or go online www.gpndrama.com. The six acts are titled “Banned from Student Activities,” “Dear Pen Pal,” “Devil May Care,” “Disorder Disorder,” “Long Distance” and “Lost and Found.” Junior Caitlin Mayernik, part of the cast of “Lost and Found,” has been a part of the one-acts since she was a freshman. “I love theater. It’s kind of like my life. I’m going to go into theater as a profession,” she said. “The one-acts are fun and really different because it’s all student done. It’s really laid back, and I have a lot of fun with the cast.”
Seniors bike to school and wear their favorite Norsewear.
Senior breakfast, cap and gown day Breakfast in the Commons beginning at 7 a.m. Seniors wear caps and gowns throughout the day.
June 2 June 2 - 7
Senior final exams
June 7
Graduation rehearsal
June 15
by the American Educational Research Association cites that missing class in the 30-day window leading up to tests, such as finals, has a significant negative impact on testing performance. If grades slip too much, or if there is a record of misconduct, schools can and sometimes do decline a senior’s acceptance. It’s important to finish strong. Nobody wants a rescindment hanging over their heads as they begin their college academic journey. So, seniors, even those with golden tickets to the best of schools, should keep working hard, honor their commitments and see the year through. Below are some dates to look out for before graduation. June is almost here.
Graduation caps and gowns distributed at 3:05 in the Commons.
College shirt day
By Trevor Mieczkowski
One-Acts
There is something to be said about finishing strong. With AP testing and prom in the rearview mirror, it is easy to lose control of the wheel speeding toward the end of senior year. The fact of the matter is, the colleges and universities that wrote those glowing acceptance letters to students are still very interested in how seniors are wrapping up their high school careers. And surprisingly, they hold the right to withdraw promised scholarship monies if they don’t like what they see. A new study conducted by the Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest showed that the rate of students absenteeism is one of the biggest predictors of a student’s GPA. Another study published
May 30
By Lyndsay Kluge
Weight training trip To show his weight training class an alternative way of
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – 3
Represent your future school by wearing their gear.
Begins at 9:45 a.m. in the gym.
Graduation ceremony, Senior All-Night Party Ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. with the location to be anounced. Senior All-Night Party begins at 9:30 p.m.
By Syeda Rizvi
Baseball tournament On Friday, May 6, the varsity baseball team traveled four hours to Alpena with the coaches and some parents to compete in a tournament. “We went up for the same tournament we do every year,” senior Augie Sonaglia said. “Other than playing some great baseball, it's great for team bonding.” According to Sonaglia, the boys played well, winning all three games. However, this tournament is not unfamiliar to the boys. “It's tradition,” Sonaglia said. “From what I know, since long before I was born.” By Trevor Mieczkowski EMMA SMITH
NORTH POINTE
is looking for EXPERIENCED PHOTOGRAPHERS and GRAPHIC DESIGNERS. See Mrs. Adwers in B-302 to learn about joining our team.
JEN KUSCH
ROLLING WITH THE HOMIES| Class of 2016 alumni Emma Smith, Mitchell Zacharias and Kaylin Micks arrive at school after senior bike day. CONGRADULATIONS| Class of 2016 alumna Jen Kusch walks across the stage at graduation.
Learn to Drive - New Segment I and II Classes Form Monthly - Teens 14.8 to 18 years of age Pick Up and Drop Off available for Driving - Six hours of ‘on-the-road’ driving
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IN-DEPTH
4 - Wednesday, May 17, 2017 - North Pointe
13 BEYOND SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN MICHIGAN FOR PEOPLE AGES 15 TO 34.
ONE IN 65,000 CHILDREN AGES 10 TO 14 COMMIT SUICIDE EACH YEAR.
FIREARMS AND SUFFOCATION ARE THE MOST COMMON. METHODS
FEMALES ATTEMP T SUICIDE THREE TIMES AS OFTEN AS MALES, BUT MORE MALES DIE FROM SUCCESFUL SUICIDE ATTEMP TS.
ONE IN 25 SUICIDE ATTEMP TS ARE SUCCESSFUL.
FIREARMS ARE USED IN 51 PERCENT OF MALE SUICIDES.
SOURCES: WWW.DOSOMETHING.ORG, AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
IN 2014, 1,668 U.S. TEENAGERS TOOK THEIR OWN LIVES LAST YEAR, 63 PERCENT WERE WHITE MALES.
ON AVERAGE, ONE PERSON COMMITS SUICIDE EVERY 16.2 MINUTES.
THERE ARE TWO TIMES AS MANY DEATHS FROM SUICIDE THAN DEATHS FROM HIV AND AIDS.
EACH YEAR ABOUT 157,000 PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 24 RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE FOR SELF-INFLICTED INJURIES.
ABOUT TWOTHIRDS OF PEOPLE WHO COMPLETE SUICIDE ARE DEPRESSED AT THE TIME OF THIER DEATHS.
34.8 PERCENT OF FEMALE SUICIDES INVOLVE DRUGS, MEDICINE OR POISON.
EVERY SUICIDE AFFECTS AT LEAST SIX OTHER PEOPLE .
SUICIDE COSTS THE UNITED STATES $51 BILLION ANNUALLY.
SUICIDE IS THE 10TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S.
DEPRESSION LEFT UNTREATED OR UNDIAGNOSED IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF SUICIDE .
IN THE U.S., SUICIDE RATES ARE HIGHEST DURING THE SPRING.
EACH YEAR 44,193 AMERICANS DIE BECAUSE OF A SUICIDE ATTEMP T.
REASONS By Lindsey Ramsdell, Katelynn Mulder, Katie Thomas, Amber Braker & Chloe Ribco EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EDITORS & STAFF REPORTER
IN-DEPTH
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – 5
The controversy
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. They are taking their own lives, and society still avoids the topic. Aiming to raise awareness for the sensitive subject, one of Netflix’s newest original series has brought it to the forefront and sparked a controversy over how conversations about suicide should be handled. “13 Reasons Why” is about a group of teenagers whose classmate, Hannah Baker, commits suicide and leaves behind tapes accusing each of them of playing a role in her decision to end her own life. The show’s creators said they wanted to foster a dialogue about a problem that is personally important to them. Some viewers agree it does exactly that. However, critics claim that the show grossly mishandled its subject matter. In fact, its creators allegedly ignored warnings from psychologist and executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education Dan Reidenberg about its contents. Netflix originally reached out to Reidenberg for advice and he recommended that they not release the show. “I actually read the book several years ago, and I watched it because of all the talk,” counselor Jennifer Sherman said. “I wanted to be informed about what students are seeing just so I understood. I have to tell you there (were) really disturbing parts for me. As an adult, I had a hard time watching it and hearing some of the stuff, and so I worry about that with different age groups that are watching it.” While the controversy centers around the graphic depiction of Baker’s suicide in the last episode, experts for the National Association of School Psychologists and other mental health organizations have stated that many aspects of the show can be triggers for those struggling with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety.
They have stated that the show simplifies the struggles that lead people to suicidal thoughts to present bullying as the only factor. They also feel that it not only presents suicide as a viable option, but even romanticizes it. “I mean the whole idea of sending out these tapes to kind of get revenge. It’s not ok. It’s also not realistic,” Sherman said. “And I hate to be blunt here, but when you’re dead, you don’t get to control what happens after. I also think that you have this girl and there’s this cute boy, and he fights for her after she dies. And that, to me, is a glamorization.” Mental health experts also warn that the media’s portrayal of teenage suicide, if not handled correctly, can be harmful and even bring about “suicide contagion.” This phenomenon occurs when there is an increase in thoughts of suicide among a group of people. It can be the result of someone close to them committing suicide or sensationalized media coverage of one. Netflix has stated that they will add additional advisories to the series, but some say this is not enough. In fact, Diversity Club adviser Daniel Gilleran feels that this may even encourage kids to watch it. Gilleran said that he thinks having a healthy discussion about suicide and suicide prevention is important, but that people also don’t want to plant the idea in kids who are vulnerable to those kinds of thoughts. “To be honest, I’m not sure that all the students want to have this conversation,” Gilleran said. “ I could see some students being turned off by it. That’s why the mandatory thing might be a little difficult. But there are also students who would be reluctant to talk about it unless prompted, which I think is important. And there are other students that really want to talk about it.” Gilleran said that if students confide in a faculty or staff member about having suicidal thoughts, that adult is legally
obligated to seek out a counselor or trained professional to get them help. He notes that even if a threat to self harm doesn’t seem legitimate, it should still be taken seriously. “You don’t want to just dismiss it and say, ‘oh, they’re fine,’ and they’re not. Because then that’s horrible,” he said. Sherman said counselors have an obligation to say something when someone’s life is on the line. Counselors try to connect parents and students to help them get the necessary support and resources. “I would say this to the student who was struggling with those thoughts, and I would say this to the student’s friends who know they are struggling with those thoughts: you can’t keep it a secret,” Sherman said. “Even if you feel like it’s not a big deal or doesn’t feel like it would go in that direction, you can’t say nothing because you never know what would happen, and you don’t want to regret anything happening to your friend.” She said it’s crucial to reach out to a trusted adult—a parent, counselor, social worker, school psychologist or teacher—and was dismayed by the show’s portrayal of counselors. “The counselor in that show was represented poorly,” she said. “That cannot be the image of a counselor that I want people to have.” Netflix has also stated that “13 Reasons Why” will return for a second season in 2018. Cliffhangers from the last episode promise more drama and possibly even more violence. Freshman Hannah Zalewski watched the first season and is looking forward to the second. However, she also understands why there is controversy surrounding the series. “I think that this show could definitely be a trigger for certain people because it does discuss serious topics and situations,” Zalewski said. “But at the same time, I think that it does need to be seen, and people need to know about it.”
KATIE THOMAS & MICHAL RUPRECHT
MICHAL RUPRECHT
YOUR TURN: Do you think ‘13 Reasons Why’ did a good job of portraying depression and suicide?
“I think that they did a good job, but they did a little too much by showing how she did it to herself and the pain she was in … (and) how the people in there impacted her life.” Sarah Seagram FRESHMAN
“I think they really showed the point that it does happen and people just don’t really realize it.”
Maddie Mills SOPHOMORE
A little sensitivity goes a long way MY TAKE LINDSEY RAMS “How could a teenager living in Grosse Pointe feel the need to end their life?” On April 18, I was out running errands when I heard an adult cynically pose this question, just hours after news had spread that a senior at South High School had taken his life. The insensitivity and ignorance of this person struck me, especially coming from someone who is usually expected to have a mature response to something of this nature.
“I don’t think they gave a good impression on the show because it tells kids that even if they commit suicide, that they can still get back at the people who are bullying them.”
“I think that they showed an accurate situation with it, but at the same time they didn’t because there was a lot of people that knew that didn’t really do anything.”
“I think they did a decent job, but I don’t like how they romanticized it and included Clay and how he could have saved her, because I don’t really think he could have.”
Julian Martin-Turner
Shpetim Fama
Danielle Bennett
SOPHOMORE
JUNIOR
SENIOR
Yes, I know that teenagers in Grosse Pointe have it pretty good. This is one of the safest, richest and well-developed suburbs in the nation. The school system is exceptional, and any kid born in Grosse Pointe has a step-up in life just by being raised here. But, with that being said, no one has the right to discredit another person’s pain, no matter their social or financial status. We will never be able to know what’s going on in someone else’s mind—what pain they have suffered in their life, what issues they have at home, what mental illnesses they could be struggling with. I can only imagine the kind of tortured state of mind one must be in to feel that suicide is the only way out, but I can’t actually feel it. For those of us that have never felt that severity, it’s easy to assume that someone who is suicidal could be over-exaggerating or only thinking of themselves. But in reality, all pain is pain. While money and upbringing certainly can factor into why one may feel the need to end their life, they
also can have nothing to do with it. We don’t get to choose what we care about or what makes us sad in life, so no other person has the authority to decide what is worthy of another’s pain and sadness. Any emotional pain is valid. As a society, we have a long way to go with understanding suicide and how to prevent it. But, perhaps the first step is simply recognizing that we are allowed to have moments of pain and working on trying to understand the way others feel. We have all had, or will face, experiences during which it feels like our world is crumbling down around us or that we will never get over the sadness we feel in that moment. So why is it so hard for us to sympathize with people who are suicidal or who have committed suicide? In the past decade, suicide has earned a lot more attention in media, schools and communities. But, there are still people who don’t understand it and, because of this, are insensitive to it. When the topic of suicide
“They make Hannah out to be a so much more popular after death … and I fear that it would make kids that are suicidal think that if they did kill themselves, then all of a sudden everyone would talk about them.” Diane Montgomery ENGLISH TEACHER
is brought up, our first response should be concern, not disdain and judgement. Suicide is not the right solution to emotional pain. I know that with time, most pain will subside. But, I do know that pain is real, and it hurts. I know that adults feel it, kids feel it, boys feel it, girls feel it, teenagers feel it—heck, even teenagers from Grosse Pointe feel it. No one is susceptible to it, and therefore no one else can judge another person for it. I hope that one day we will live in a world where this kind of hypocrisy doesn’t exist. Maybe then we will be better at putting ourselves in others’ shoes. This could help us understand what others are feeling and know how to help them. If you can’t relate to a person’s sadness, that is ok, too. But you can always be empathetic. It may just save someone’s life. We all have a role to play in preventing suicide, and it starts with validating and accepting others, even if their experiences are different than our own.
REVIEWS
6 – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – North Pointe
Menchies serves up success By Erin Kaled & Emma Brock STAFF REPORTER & SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR
Walking into the small but cute building known as Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, one would never know the difference between it and the now extinct Yogohut. Since being founded in 2007, Menchie’s has gained popularity around the Grosse Pointe area. Menchie’s offers multiple f lavors of yogurt delight and plenty of toppings to choose from, much like every other popular yogurt chain. Combined with a Subway located next door, customers get a plain view of the parking lot and the smell of sub sandwiches wafting through the open concept building. Customers have the option to pick up a sandwich from Subway then visit Menchie’s for dessert because they are conveniently located within the same building. With the overwhelming f lavor choices, sample cups are always available for test tasting. Some f lavors include pineapple sorbet, black cherry, cake batter, oreo and more. Customers get a pint size cup to put their frozen yogurt and toppings in. Fruit toppings of all kinds are spread across the wall with numerous choices of candies and sprinkles. They offer a variety of sweet and sour toppings making the selection a delight to chose from. Even with the big container full of sweet goodness and calories, the price isn’t outrageous. The price depends on the weight of your cup and costs 49 cents per ounce. The store itself wasn’t busy. Only a couple people were inside including the two store workers who did not have to do much other then answer questions and ring customers up. The workers really didn’t acknowledge anybody and stayed busy using the sample cups and talking amongst themselves. They were friendly and helpful when people wanted to know more about the store. Menchie’s is located across from South High School, which isn’t the best location for people trying to get their sweets fast, especially during school lunch hours. The interior was incredibly cute with vibrant colors and nutrition facts are listed on the yogurt and toppings.The employee uniforms went along with the color scheme and made the place more enjoyable to enter. Even their catchphrase, “have a smiley day”
gives the store a good vibe. The overall atmosphere of the place was bright and positive and the building itself felt new and clean The employees said the store swaps out the f lavors at least once a week so customers get a different variety each visit. Although Menchie’s is not as popular as The Country’s Best Yogurt (TCBY) or Cold Stone Creamery, it has the potential to be. During their busier hours, the store can feel crammed. The area where customers fill their cups, place their toppings and then check out can feel small and make the self-serving experience less enjoyable. People around GP have been patiently waiting for Mechnie’s grand opening since the closest one used to be located in Warren. Other than the wide selection of toppings and f lavors, the one thing holding them back is the limited cup sizes. Although it’s used for adding as many toppings as one likes, the 4 f l. Oz. can be too big. Menchie’s offers a good location, variety of f lavors and toppings and is a great place to stop when wanting a personalized yogurt treat without spending too much money.
Menchies. 341 Fisher Rd. 313-881-9700
DISNEY
SHOW
APP
BOOK
APP
BILL NYE SAVES THE WORLD
RVLVR.
THE GIRL WITH SEVEN NAMES
NINJA ARASHI
Bill Nye is back but far from the Science Guy we watched in middle school. His new show, “Bill Nye Saves the World,” is aimed at adults, but can be watched NETFLIX by everyone This show is a mixture of “Real Talk with Bill Maher” and “60 Minutes.” Correspondents report on each episode’s topic and a panel discusses the issue. Nye’s panelists offer a variety of viewpoints, like on Maher’s show, but they tend to yell at each other less Topics are a bit more politically charged as well. The first episode discusses climate change, and Nye and his guests continuously assert the importance of voting for people who believe in global warming and trust science. Nye makes his opinions, not just those of his panelists, known on the subjects he discusses. Unlike his old show, Nye’s current series discusses contemporary topics. Rather than discussing the sun or chromosomes, he talks about genetically modified organisms, alternative medicine and vaccinations. “Bill Nye Saves the World’s” modern focus allows it to be educational like his previous show. However, instead of teaching random scientific facts, these are real issues that affect us all and things we should be educated about in order to make informed decisions as voters and consumers The new show also features celebrities. Supermodel Karlie Kloss is one of the correspondents and DJ Steve Aoki helped Nye with an experiment about acids. The use of celebrities on the show is a good tactic to attract teenage viewers. It shows them that people relevant to them care about these topics and they should too “Bill Nye Saves the World” is also unique to Netflix since it’s in front of a live audience, another similarity to “Real Talk.” However the live audience is distracting and detracts from the show This show is unlike most Netflix series. “Bill Nye Saves the World” is not bingeworthy. It is not a show that one sits down and watches for hours, it is a show meant for the education of its viewers.
Sometimes, simple is the way to go. And when it comes to Rvlvr., the latest creation of Frosty Pop Corps Inc., that is certainly the case. Rvlvr. is a ITUNES minimalistic puzzle game. It contains over 15,000 levels, each of which contains maps made of dots laid upon interconnected circles. To solve each puzzle, the player must rearrange the dots by rotating the circles they sit upon. To do so, select a circle by tapping it, then rotate it clockwise or counterclockwise by tapping the red buttons in the corners of the screen. As far as gameplay goes, that’s it. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. If it sounds boring, that’s because it is, at least at first. At first, levels cross the line from simple to mind-numbing. With just a few circles and dots, they are so easy that they are a pain to get through. However, as the player advances, the game adds more circles and dot colors, providing an actual challenge and making the game playable. These changes start having a real effect around the level 50 mark. One interesting aspect about Rvlvr. is that there is no way to lose. The player can use as many moves and take as much time as needed to solve a puzzle, giving the game an easygoing feel. At first, this only worsens the game’s bland beginning, but as levels become more intricate, the lack of pressure prevents the game from becoming overly difficult. The game’s only other feature is its soundtrack. The 45-second staccato loop is nice and catchy, though sometimes the repetition can become a nuisance. For the most part though, the music seems to fit perfectly and is a marvelous addition to the game. As with any other free app, Rvlvr. generates revenue from advertising. Ads pop up after just about every level, but they can be skipped after a few seconds. Eventually, levels take long enough that pop-ups are hardly noticeable. With such a relaxed dynamic and no way to lose, Rvlvr. is more of a time killer than a game. However, its challenging levels and alluring soundtrack make it worth a shot.
A u t h o r Hyeonseo Lee has made sacrifices that readers hope to never endure. In “The Girl with Seven Names,” Lee recounts her life delving into the YOUTUBE.COM hardships of the North Korean regime and her escape. “The Girl with Seven Names” is, as far as biographies go, formulaic. It begins with her ref lecting on her overall experiences, then f lashes back to her escape from North Korea, her transition to life first in China, then in South Korea. While the format isn’t a hindrance, it might not be enjoyable for people who aren’t a fan of that particular style or biographies in general. For readers that do delve into its pages, they will find Lee’s writing highly engaging, often leaving readers hanging on every word. Lee has a way of showing rather than telling with her writing which, for an autobiography, is an attractive quality. Readers also can feel the emotion throughout the book as if it were happening to them. Also intriguing are the descriptions of North Korea prior to Lee’s escape. Of course, this is expected from a book about someone's escape from Korea. Learning about North Korea and the in’s and out’s of daily life is interesting, but despairing at the same time. Lee’s story is riveting. Not only was she on the run, but she was also accompanied by her mother and brother. Her story is unique and heart wrenching as she describes the events that occurred during this dangerous time for her and her family. She recounts her growth as a person throughout the story and how she made herself in China and South Korea. It shows how the struggle doesn’t just end after the escape. “The Girl with Seven Names” is great for readers who want to delve into her Lee’s experiences, especially in today’s political landscape. It’s a quick read and suitable for anyone looking to read something that can potentially have more of an impact.
Ninja Arashi is an incredibly hard yet equally fun and rewarding platformer app with, as the title suggests, some Japanese elements. Players control a GOOGLE PLAY.COM ninja called Arashi as he navigates through a series of levels in order to find Orochi, who kidnapped Arashi’s family. As is expected, the main method of attack is through shuriken, or ninja star attacks, with a special sword dash ability. The music also has eastern influences, with a pumped-up beat and traditional instruments one would expect of Oriental music. The music fits the game perfectly as the music suggests high-risk action, which is the game in a nutshell. Ninja Arashi contains puzzle elements, as players try to find a way through the levels while dying the least amount of times possible. At the start of the game, Arashi starts with three lives per level, but that is possible to extend with upgrades using in game currency. That is the best part of the game. There are absolutely no in-app purchases, and the game is equally free. Gold is only able to be acquired through completing the level, specifically breaking pots and killing enemies. As the levels progress new puzzle elements are introduced and players have to find the easiest and least dangerous way through them, almost guaranteed to die a few times before finally figuring it out. Players especially have to watch out for traps, which can spring out at unexpected spots. Any time players get hit by something, a point is deducted so they have to be especially careful. There is also a goal other than finishing the level, and that is to collect three scrolls hidden throughout the level. They may be at the end of a particularly difficult section, or they might be hidden in secret areas which can only be revealed by hitting them with shuriken. The game currently consists of three maps and 45 levels, with a casual playtime it may be multiple weeks before players complete the game so far, but it is extremely gratifying and will only get more so as the game gets updated.
“Bill Nye Saves the World”; 2017-; TV-14: streaming on Netflix.
Rvlvr.; The Frosty Pop Corps Inc.; 2017; Available for Apple; Free
"The Girl with the Seven Names";2015; Available for $10.59
Ninja Arashi, Black Panther, March 7, 2017, Android, Free
By Mora Downs
By Billy Moin
By Josie Bennett
By Tarun Sanikommu
IDEAS
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 17 2017 – 7
ON POINTE Top 10 things we're talking about this week By Caitlin Bush MANAGING EDITOR
1 Event
CHANCE THE RAPPER Chance the Rapper will be at the Palace Of Auburn Hills Thursday, May 18 at 8 p.m. performing popular songs from his album “Coloring Book” like “All Night” and “No Problem.” For tickets, go to www.chanceraps.com.
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CHANCE THE RAPPER
2
Movie
Album
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING
HARRY STYLES
Romance movie “Everything, Everything” comes to theaters Friday, May 19. The movie is based on the novel written by Nicola Yoon. It features Maddy (Amandla Stenberg) who is forbidden to leave her home because she’s ill. But her neighbor, Olly (Nick Robinson), won’t let her illness stop them from being together.
Harry Styles’ self-titled album and first solo venture debuted Friday, May 12. The album features 10 songs including his lead single, “Sign Of The Time.” Buy it on iTunes for $9.99. EVERYTHING EVERYTHING FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
WWW.INDIA.COM
4
Album
NEVA LEFT
SNOOP DOGG
Snoop Dogg’s 15th album, “Neva Left” will be released Friday, May 19. The rap album will include 15 tracks featuring artists like Redman, Method Man and B-Real.
WWW.PIRATES.DISNEY.COM
5
6
Movie
Event
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
The fifth movie from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” features Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) who runs into trouble with a deadly ghost crew led by Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem). His only hope for survival lies with the legendary trident of Poseidon. But Sparrow will have to form and break alliances to reach him. In theaters Friday, May 26.
CDN.SHAK ESNACK.C OM
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Game
TIGERS WWW.DETROIT.TIGERS.MLB.COM
The Detroit Tigers (14-13) will take on the Baltimore Orioles (17-10) at Comerica Park Thursday, May 18 at 1:10 p.m.
Album
LUST FOR LIFE
THE WEEKND WWW.THEWEEKND.COM
The Weeknd will be at The Palace of Auburn Hills on his World Tour, “Starboy Legend of the Fall,” to perform songs from his most recent album, “Starboy.” Popular song include, “Starboy” and “I Feel it Coming.” The show is Wednesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, go to www.theweeknd.com.
Lana Del Rey is releasing her fifth alternative album, “Lust For Life,” Friday, May 26. It will include 10 songs and features artists such as The Weeknd.
WWW.FLIKR.COM
9
Event
MAMMA MIA
The musical production of “Mamma Mia” comes to Heritage Theater at Dow Event Center in Saginaw. The comedy tale written by Catherine Johnson is about a daughter's journey for discovering who her dad is. The show is on Wednesday, May 17 and begins at 7 p.m. For tickets go to www. mammamiaontour.com.
Breaking Barriers MY TURN ANNA POST Hey Grosse Pointe, ask anyone from outside of our town about what they know about our community I have lived in Grosse Pointe for about nine years, and have always been embarrassed to explain where I come from simply because of all of the associations that come with it. “Grosse Pointe? That’s where all of the rich people live.” Then, ask them about the cities that are within a one mile radius of you. Ask them about the Detroit and Harper Woods area— you’ll receive contrary responses (as expected).
Mystery-suspense movie “Drone” is about Neil (Sean Bean) who has spent his life conducting deadly pilot missions overseas from his home. When a Pakistani businessman (Patrick Sabongui) comes to his house for revenge, Neil must pay for his actions. Comes to theaters Friday, May 26. WWW.MAMMAMIAONTOUR.COM
What people don’t know, is that in our community lies a 6.5 percent poverty rate. Now, take a step back and try to picture the day in the life of an average Detroit Public Schools student and compare it to the education you are receiving right now. It’s difficult to, right? Personally, I couldn’t imagine completing assignments without computers and suitable learning conditions. What we don’t know, is that in a school system five minutes down the road lies a struggling community that consists of a 49.2 percent poverty rate. I present to you, the largest poverty divide in the nation. Impoverishment surrounds us everywhere we go, whether it be on the streets or in the classroom, it’s evident that there lies a huge economic and social barrier. I wasn’t born in Grosse Pointe. I didn’t attend Grosse Pointe Public Schools until elementary school. I lived across the bridge. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of where I live now and am thankful for all of the opportunities my community and school has given me. But every time I hear someone spurt false perceptions of where
10 Movie
DRONE
SCREENMEDIAFILMS.NET
I live now and where I came from, I get heated. Harper Woods was my home. It’s where I spent my youth running up and down the block and hanging around the neighborhood kids. Although my younger self wasn’t as exposed to the neighborhood stereotypes and economic divides at the time, I remember one summer afternoon in particular that inspired me to write this column in the first place. My dad and I would go on walks. We’d walk to Beacon Elementary school’s vacant parking lot, just a couple streets down from where our house was. I would plop myself down and create colorful chalky illustrations that even I couldn’t depict. My dad would create cities on the crumbling concrete and would draw lines that were used as barriers for different towns and neighborhoods. I remember cautiously lifting up one foot—excited to see what would happen if I stepped over into the city filled with luxury homes and pretty flower beds. I was intrigued by the idea of an affluent lifestyle. As I matured and became “too cool” for the chalk and afternoon walks with my father, my family moved to Grosse Pointe. My parents heard about the
positive reputation the GPPSS had and wanted me to be a part of it. The older I got and the more aware I became, the uneven lines and lopsided luxury homes that I had once admired on the fragmented pavement became meaningless to me. The idea that people who grow up in an affluent neighborhood definitely comes with many upsides. Yet just because individuals are provided with more resources and opportunities doesn’t necessarily guarantee success down the line. Sure, many Grosse Pointe families are wealthy and live in the Lake Shore homes that everyone eyeballs when driving down Lake St. Clair. However, Grosse Pointe isn’t only a town for the richest—it’s in my opinion, one of the most divided communities in the Warren area. Forget about the numerous “One GP” flags that hang on light posts or the abundance #OneGP on twitter, the problem isn’t one that is fixed through advertising. The solution starts with us. Instead on promoting unity within our small city, why not broaden and collaborate with our neighboring communities to ensure a promising bond throughout the Metro Detroit area.
EDITORIAL
NORTH
POINTE
“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 Abbey Cadieux EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Lindsey Ramsdell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Caitlin Bush MANAGING EDITOR
Alex Harring MANAGING EDITOR
Anna Post EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Michal Ruprecht EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Allison Lackner BUSINESS MANAGER
Katelynn Mulder LIFE EDITOR
Katie Thomas IDEAS EDITOR
Sonny Mulpuri Amber Braker SPORTS EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote.
OUR EDITORIAL
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – 8
Finding my thing First impressions are everything—even in kindergarten. I was born with nonsyndromic aplasia cutis congenita. In layman's terms, I have scars on my head from birth, and hair MY TURN couldn't always ALEX HARRING grow over them. Because of this, up until fourth grade, when new medical technology was released that would allow me to grow hair, it was definitely—and I mean definitely—noticeable. What I remember vividly about kindergarten is kids looking at my head with a puzzled look on their face. I stuck out. People remembered me by it. Just as I began to learn about my classmates’ through their their lunchbox covers or backpack designs (I was sporting a Ninja Turtles double-strap myself), I was seen as the “bald kid.” It had a nice ring to it, but I wasn’t really a fan. But that was what I thought the first impression of me was because it was my most distinct feature at the time, and first impressions stick. In elementary school, it was still my defining quality—what separated me from a sea of collared t-shirts and cargo shorts. And as I began first grade, I started getting questions about it. In retrospect, the questions were harmless, but during that time, they made me feel different. I didn’t want to be the “bald kid.” Even if no one actually saw me as that and I just imagined they all did, which most likely happened, the thought of my peers glaring at my empty scalp was a nightmare I couldn’t shake. So I applied myself in hopes of distracting everyone from my head by showing them my
heart. No matter what it was, I always tried to stick out so I wouldn’t be seen as the boy with the scar anymore. Whether it was singing in choir or kickball in gym, I tried my best in hopes of associating myself with a more redeeming quality. That summer, I went to a day camp with kids of all ages. Whenever a counselor reminded me to put a hat on during recess, my friends’ interests would be piqued, and they’d ask. Once again, I felt isolated. So just like in school, I tried to be good at something. Soccer, cards, four square—you name it, I did it. From this I learned that being exceptional takes a lot of work. I always had to be on my a-game, and in reality, I was really just being a tryhard. I was so self-conscious and worried that the scar on my head would define who I was that I just jumped into different things. I constantly tried to smash the illogical expectation that my scar was my defining characteristic Some of those activities actually stuck with me. I started choir in elementary school and soccer at camp in hopes of them becoming my “thing,” and they kind of did. The scar was big, and it was definitely noticeable. There’s no doubt in my mind that it was the first thing my peers saw in kindergarten. But it also pushed me to find the things I like and continuously work at them, even if it wasn’t for the right reasons at first. The funny thing is, it’s still partially there. I like to think that I now have model-grade hair, but not all of what was implanted was supposed to remain. If I don’t comb my hair the right way in the morning, it’s noticeable, but it no longer shakes my confidence because I’ve found what I enjoy doing, and when people see me, I know that they see something other than the boy with the scar.
LINDSEY RAMSDELL
The case for out-ofdistrict tuition
Despite a generally good year of awards and acclaim for the school district, the financial future does not look very bright for Grosse Pointe Public Schools. With enrollment down across the state and per-pupil funding from the Michigan Department of Education failing to keep up with inflation, the district is operating at a $2.5 million deficit. To close this gap, the Board of Education has worked to come up with money-saving proposals. Among the considerations are reducing the number of clubs and teams, having both high schools share an athletic director, moving from a seven- to six-hour day, creating lecture-style classes and tutorials with no staff supervision and increasing fees for students Another idea was also proposed—opening up the district to nondistrict residents and charging a tuition for these students to attend GPPSS schools. This is not a new idea. It has been brought up in the past and consistently shot down. And unfortunately, it was shot down once again. However, the Editorial Board would like to bring out-of-district tuition back on the table As seen in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills school districts, letting non-residents in and charging tuition to match the government funding per student, which in our case comes up to approximately $13,000 per year, has been a successful source of revenue. These districts enroll 15-40 and 90 additional students each year, respectively. No one wants to lose teachers, administrators or field time. No one wants to pay more to participate in school sports, but with the current budget plan, at least some of these cuts will have to happen. Charging tuition will help close the deficit, alleviating their severity. Letting non-residents in might not be the ideal situation for some parents and board members, but $2.5 million dollars is an enormous gap, so we may have to step out of our comfort zones a little. This year, North houses over 1,400 students. But just a few years ago, it was home to around 1,900. Space is definitely not an issue. If the three empty seats in the back of a science class and the extra desk in a pre-calculus class were filled with students, there would be basically no impact on the students in those two classes. Those few extra students would detract nothing from the education of the classes as a whole, yet those four seats filled would bring a stunning $52,000 into the district. Even though there is no guarantee of how many students will apply to join GPPSS, it would cost the district basically nothing, and the extra $13,000 per student could go a long way. One of the main concerns raised when the concept was first presented was who would be filling the empty seats. Students accepted to the district on tuition will have to meet certain academic and behavioral standards at their previous schools, so community members should be assured that they will not be problematic. This isn’t School of Choice, and the School Board wouldn’t be letting just anybody in. As president Brian Summerfield said, allowing non-resident students with no connection to district staff to enroll would encourage the families to eventually move within the borders of the school system. Maybe the student’s parents graduated from a Grosse Pointe high school, or maybe they used to live in the area but moved to a neighboring suburb. If these families are willing to pay $13,000 per child per year, they have an obvious and admirable commitment to education. Last year, the idea was unanimously voted down. But last year, the School Board wasn’t attempting to offset a $2.5 million deficit. It is in the best interest of the school system as a whole to allow nonresident students to pay tuition and fill the empty seats in the school system because it is a logical way to alleviate some of the large, yet necessary, cuts the Board of Education will have to make in the coming months. The district could fill every seat and have a waiting list, or maybe only a few families will be interested. Whatever the case, the non-resident kids bring revenue that will partially close the multimillion-dollar deficit and could have an unforeseen positive effect on the people they meet and schools they attend as well.
“Personally I don't really recognize it.”
Grace Haynes FRESHMAN
“I don't think it’s right (tuition for attendance to GPPSS), but if they need to learn they need to learn so why not let them come here.” Ka'Ronn Henderson SOPHOMORE
“They shouldn't do it (let out of district students pay tuition to attend GPPSS).”
Ashley Kowalski JUNIOR
YOUR TURN: How do you feel about the school budget cuts or tuition? By Dajai Chatman
“That’s a good thing but it's not helping us, they didn't really need to do the new tennis courts, the money could have been spent on better thing in the cafeteria.”
“Budget cuts happen to everybody with the economy and the way it is right now.”
“My gut reaction is that I don't feel good about it, (but) what makes me feel a little comforted is that people are offering solutions to work around it.”
Jermaine Taylor
Chris Amore
Allison Dunn
SENIOR
NORTH
SCIENCE TEACHER
POINTE
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Abbey Cadieux, Lindsey Ramsdell MANAGING EDITORS: Caitlin Bush, Alex Harring EDITORS-AT-LARGE: Anna Post, Michal Ruprecht SECTION EDITORS: Katelynn Mulder, Sonny Mulpuri, Katie Thomas BUSINESS MANAGER: Allison Lackner SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITORS: Mora Downs, Billy Moin, Ritika Sanikommu, Trevor Mieczkowski, Tommy Teftsis, Dajai Chatman, Nathan Lonczynski, Gieuseppe Parison, Asia Simmons, Addison Toutant, Josie Bennett, Emma Brock ASSISTANT EDITORS: Elizabeth Ballinger, Amber Braker, Zoe Graves, Sofia Ketels, Syeda Rizvi STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katie Link, Alyssa McLarty, Lauren Sexton, Kennedy Williams STAFF REPORTERS: Rory Angott, Erin Kaled, Lyndsay Kluge, Bella Lawson, Tarun Sanikommu, Billy Steigelman
ENGLISH TEACHER
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 Public 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 northpointenow.org. The North Pointe is printed on 100% recycled paper. CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Twitter: @TheNorthPointe Website: northpointenow.org
INTERNS: Jamie Brewer, Maggie Carron, Maggie FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE Dollar, Nadia Fama, Colin Haroutunian, Mariah Loper, Brooklyn McWhorter, Adam Schwartz
EDITOR'S DESK ABBEY CADIEUX
Vive la differ-France On Sunday, May 7, the world had its eyes on France. More specifically, the world had its eyes on Emmanuel Macron. The young front runner of France’s presidential election won the vote with 66.1 percent against National Front party candidate Marine Le Pen. So why should we care about the victory of a 39-year-old former investment banker who’s never held elected office? Because in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, France’s election carried even higher stakes for foreign relations across the world. In a nutshell, President Donald Trump supporters wanted Macron’s rival, right-wing Le Pen to win. Commentators from across seas were unironically calling Le Pen the female Trump. On the other side, moderates and liberals were rooting for Macron. Being the former economy minister under the previous Socialist president François Hollande, Macron’s victory was hinged on change—because of his separation from the highly disapproved Socialist party and into his own party, En Marche!—but also, it resembled a safer route for France in an increasingly shaky global economy. Liberal political junkies rejoiced at the outcome of the election, seeing that Le Pen was decisively antiimmigration, anti-European Union and anti-system, much like Trump. European politics aside, what was at the heart of the two candidates’ differences was their divergent visions for the future of France in regards to immigration. No two candidates could have had more different stances on the topic than Macron and Le Pen. As the United States, a country that is vehemently torn on its immigration stance, watches France vote in a pro-immigrant president, hopefully some clarity can come from it Le Pen’s immigration ideology was similar to Trump’s. As Congress stays in limbo regarding enacted legislation surrounding immigration issues, hopefully the inclusive nature of the rising French president’s agenda will make a positive impact on theirs r decisions. France’s vote for Macron was a vote for all human beings—a vote for the future. There is no way that any country can live in a bubble. Times when countries are working together and using each other to thrive are the times in which things are going best. Watching France, one of the U.S.’s top 10 trading partners, advocate for immigrant inclusion is especially powerful at this point in America’s political climate. The back and forth from appeals courts regarding President Trump’s “Muslim ban” just goes to show the state of disarray that our country’s immigration policy is in. When courts and groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union are challenging executive orders almost monthly, a change needs to be made. Politicians continue to butt heads in Washington, D.C. over these orders, but no action is really being taken. Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates was promptly fired by President Trump after refusing to defend his executive immigration order. When politicians are getting fired for standing up for what they believe is lawful, there is a fundamental flaw in our system. While a Macron presidency is inspiring to watch unfold from afar, it is crucial to take the progress being made across the world and ensure that it manifests in our country, too. Another country proving the willingness to aid immigrants, especially from areas in need of help such as Syria, is especially noble in terms of current global politics. More open doors will hopefully influence decisions back home in the U.S. and create a better outlook for the future of immigration reform.
ON CAMPUS
Innovating lunch
The iDesign class presented ideas to improve the lunch process to a representative of Chartwell at North.
North Pointe - Wednesday, May 17, 2017 - 9
FACES IN THE CROWD River Kirklin
Waking up at 5 a.m. on the weekends to go fishing doesn’t sound appealing to most, but for junior River Kirklin, it’s his favorite activity. “I usually go fishing in Lake St. Clair, but I have also been to Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron,” Kirklin said. Kirklin got into fishing at 2-years-old. He was introduced to the hobby by his grandfather and dad who also have been fishing their whole lives. “Whenever my family would go on vacation we always bring a boat with us. It’s somewhat of a family tradition,” Kirklin said. However, as he as gotten older he now fishes more with his friends, juniors Anden Armbruster (Detroit Country Day) and Dirk Drieborg. Kirklin hopes to pass down the fishing tradition to his own family, the same way his grandfather and dad did for him.
Mary-Anne Essak By Chloe Ribco STAFF REPORTER MADE FOR USE | Sophomore Michael Puppos presents his ideas about how to redesign the lunch process to iDesign teacher Sean McCarroll and Matt Severson, the representative from Chartwell School Dining Services. "I certainly hope (our plans will be used). Our process is focused on observation and empathy for end users, which means that the ideas our groups came up with were grounded in real problems that we actually saw," McCarroll said via email. "I would certainly hope that the cafeteria incorporates some of those ideas into their layouts for next year."
North is a diverse place in regards to religious affiliation and dedication, however, for sophomore Maryann Essak, faith is an essential part of her life. “Church is a huge part of my life. I go to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Troy. I go every Sunday and if there is a holiday I go during the week,” Essak said. She follows after her parents in her commitment to faith. “My parents have brought me up in my faith along with rest of my family,” Essak said. Her typical weekly church experience consists of bible study every Saturday. On Sundays, she attends a three-hour mass then heads off to Sunday school with the rest of the kids in her church. She has made a majority of her close friends through Sunday school. Essak is grateful for her faith. “It’s a huge part of my life and my faith helps me with my daily life.”
Collin Cantrel JUMPING IN | iDesign teacher Sean McCarroll talks with Chartwells representative Matt Severson as they wait for the presentations to start. "Honestly, we just jumped right in (to the design process)," McCarrol said. "As part of learning process design (how to make a process work more efficiently), we needed a case study and I thought that would an easy one to check out since most people have been through that process.
SIMPLICITY IS KEY | Sophomore Chris Fong presents his idea along with freshman Joe Hamouda. "(Our) strategies were trying to keep it simple and clean with the process by seeing what did and what didn’t work," Fong said. "(We) took the weaknesses of the processes and improved it in newer processes."
CONSIDERING VIEWPOINTS | Sophomore Michael Puppos shares his design ideas with the iDesign class, along with Sean McCarrol and Matt Severson. "I always hope (our designs will be used)," Sophomore Chris Fong said. "I believe the cafeteria people will use some new information from the students’ side and at least take the students’ side or viewpoint into consideration in remodeling the cafeteria process."
Singing and dancing while driving with night vision goggles is just another normal night on Snapchat for Junior Collin Cantrell. Since midwinter break, Cantrell has used his humor and social media to uplift his Snapchat friends. “I get a lot of responses from other people and it brightens their day,” Cantrell said. “I post them because it’s fun for me.” With an average 300 viewers per snap, Cantrell prefers to make the videos alone switching off between his night vision goggles and sunglasses while wearing his clothes the wrong way. Never really knowing what he plans to do until he does it, Cantrell says he just puts on a song and lets the humor flow. “I get bored. I want to have a little bit of fun,” Cantrell said. Three to four nights a week and especially on weekends, Cantrell uses his Snapchat as a comedy show, taking inspiration from whatever song is on. “I just put a song on and I'm like oh I can do something that’s funny.” By Max Murray, Erin Kaled & Alyssa McLarty
FIVE MINUTES WITH
English teacher Jonathan Byrne By Rory Angott STAFF REPORTER
COURTESY OF WENDY SPREDERI JONATHAN BYRNE
FAMILY FUN | English teacher Jonathan Byrne on the beach with his wife Jackie Byrne and son Joshua Byrne in Siesta Key, Florida. "English was always my favorite subject in school," Byrne said. "I had some really great English teachers in high school and they motivated me to want to be an English teacher. But mostly because I love to read and talk about books."
Although English teacher Jonathan Byrne has now settled in teaching at North, teaching was not always the route he was aiming for. Before Byrne decided his true calling was in education, he tested the waters in an another field of employment. “When I went to Michigan State, I studied hotel and restaurant management for a while,” Byrne said. “But even before that, I kind of always had an itch to teach.” That itch subsided for a while, and he continued his endeavors in restaurant management and moved up to become a manager. “While I was working on my degree, I worked for an Italian restaurant company called Bravo,” Byrne said. “Finally, they hired me to be a full-time manager and to help open a new store in Lansing.” Though Byrne thrived in the fast-paced environment of working at Bravo, the thought of being a teacher kept coming to his mind.
Eventually, he made the decision to leave the restaurant industry to spend more time with his family. “I didn’t like having to work on weekends and holidays, not having a lot of time with my family,” Byrne said. “I wanted a job that was a little bit more fulfilling to my spirit, and that’s what teaching is.” Although working in restaurants wasn’t the right thing for Byrne, today he spends much of his time with his family cooking. “We like to cook everything,” Byrne said. “We like to cook Italian food, Asian food and Mexican food, anything.” Byrne loves cooking, and he tries his best to encourage his students to do what they enjoy as well. “I had some really great English teachers in high school, and they motivated me to want to be an English teacher,” Byrne said. “I love working with my students and getting to know what they’re passionate about and helping them achieve in those passions.”
FAVORITE HOLIDAY My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of the food and I get to spend some quality time with my family. On top of all that it’s right near my birthday.
FAVORITE THING TO DO OVER BREAK Just spending time with my family, with my son and then my parents and siblings and their families. If it’s nice outside I love being outside, doing anything that’s outside really. Riding bikes, playing golf, going to the pool, anything.
FAVORITE BOOK That’s a hard question. People always ask teachers what their favorite book is. My favorite Shakespearean play is "Othello." My favorite book that I teach is "the Great Gatsby" and my favorite book that I would read again is "The Art of Fielding."
FAVORITE HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL I like to cook, I like to watch movies, I like to coach my son’s sports teams, I like going out to new restaurants with my wife and traveling.
LIFE
10 - Wednesday, May 17, 2017 - North Pointe
Playing around the world Juniors accepted into international orchestra exchange program
By Katelynn Mulder EDITOR
Amid a volatile and tense international atmosphere, organizations like Blue Lakes International have stayed dedicated to promoting peace. Juniors Hope Kujawa, Rebecca Lubera and Joe Florence were accepted into Blue Lakes International, an organization dedicated to creating understanding through the arts. Blue Lakes International has sent student musicians across the world to total of 42 different countries. The organization acts as an exchange program where countries who participate both send and receive students. “The way it actually works is that we perform at venues organized by the people who host us at town, but it’s an exchange
program,” Florence said. “For each of those cities we go to, they send a local group over here somewhere here in the United States.” Founded by Gretchen Stansell in 1969, Blue Lakes has had nearly 25,000 European, Asian and American artists exchange performances. The goal of this program is not only to provide students with the opportunity to perform their music around the world but to promote peace and understanding through the arts. Kujawa will be playing the oboe and is traveling to Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. “I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m mostly excited. I mean it’s going to be a little hard because I don’t know if they are going to be able to speak English or not,” Kujawa said. “But hopefully I can communicate with them. I think it will be really fun and a
JOE FLORENCE
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT| Florence stands with the woodwind section from the orchestra that he was in during the Blue Lakes summer program. “With Blue Lake international theres two different sets of things that you can do,” Florence said. “ There’s the band which is northern winds and southern winds and there’s the orchestra, you actually have to audition for the orchestra. So while I was at Blue Lake camp last summer I auditioned for them and they let me know in a month or two that I was in the orchestra and I would be playing the second bassoon part.”
MICHAL RUPRECHT
really cool experience.” To apply to be in the orchestra, candidates have to play three scales that demonstrate the full range of the instrument, a chromatic scale, one movement from a solo and three to four orchestral excerpts. Percussionists have to demonstrate three major scales that show the full range of the instrument. Even after students are accepted into Blue lakes International, they must attend several practices and training in order to master their piece. Lubera said that she will be playing the flute in this program. “At the very end of the school year, which for us is finals week, is really tough to schedule,” Lubera said. “It is an intensive week where we go and just basically work on the music that we are bringing to Europe the entire time.” Florence will be making two stops in southern France and one stop in southern
Germany. Next, he will stop in northern Germany followed by another two performances in France. “I’ve never been to Europe, so it’s a great cultural experience to be exposed to some foreign cultures that I’ve never seen,” he said. Florence will be playing the bassoon in the orchestra. He will perform Czechowski’s Fifth Symphony and his violin concerto. “They only send one group of us each summer, so it’s a pretty big deal. It’s tough music, which is why we have these very rigorous rehearsals,” he said. “We (practiced) a day back in April, and this weekend we have a full weekend of intense rehearsal. And then, before we actually go to Europe, we have a whole week of rehearsal, which is tough.”
OFF TO SUMMER CAMP| A sign stands in front of the Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp . Joe Florence attended this camp during the summer. “I apply every summer and get accepted. I first did it in 6th grade and I’ve been doing it ever since I did the summer program every year until this year I’m doing international,” Kujawa said.
SPORTS
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – 11
Breakdown of the Lions’ draft picks SONNY’S SIDE NOTE SONNY MULPURI
Rowing in the D LIFE IS BUT A DREAM| North’s team rows in the Detroit River. “I joined the team the summer before my freshmen year,” said senior Molly Bunker, “I’ve gotten a lot stronger, not only physically but mentally.” By Tommy Teftsis ASSISTANT EDITOR
One sport that is often overlooked at North could be one of the most mentally and physically taxing jobs out of all. Only a few students here row crew, but the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle brings in athletes from over 80 schools to compete. Rowing is an all-year sport, but when the spring season comes along, the water is finally warm enough to paddle. The team practices throughout the summer as well. The teams get fit and ready at the Detroit Boat Club before their main regattas. The boys team practices twice a day. Once in the morning, starting at 4:45, and once in the evening around 5:30. Regattas are large racing competitions that can take place all over the country, and can span for over a week. In their annual Royal Canadian Henley regatta in Ontario, both boys and girls crew will compete in different events for nine days on end.
Senior competitor Molly regattas are less “team-focused” Bunker, said she enjoys going to and more “boat-focused.” Most regattas, especially in interesting people focus on the performance of a singular boat lineup or group places. “We go to a really lively of lineups as opposed to the team overall. For regatta in example, a Chattanooga, l i g h t we i g h t Te n n e s s e e four (a four with teams person boat coming from of individuals all over the who weigh country.” less than But, some 150 lbs) regattas are from a club more serious could receive than others. individual One of the most medals for anticipated any races they regattas during Max Rakozy have won. the season is JUNIOR the Midwest Team points Junior Championship in Cincinnati, are available at some regattas, and Ohio. If a boat places on the podium, teams that win many races pull they earn an invitation to compete at lots of points in order to win a Youth Nationals during the summer. trophy, but hardware usually isn’t At nationals, college scouts from all the focus of a regatta. Personal over come to recruit. records and boat dynamics According to junior Max distinguish individual racers. Rakozy sees mental and Rakozy, one interesting thing about the boat races is that physical benefits from being a
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Rowers all depend on each other to have a successful boat.
LIFE ON THE WATER |Senior Molly Bunker competes in a regatta along with her teammates. Regattas can last up to 9 days, and crew members could potentially be there for over a week.
By Sonny Mulpuri & Billy Steigelman EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER
SOFTBALL WITH JUNIOR REBECCA ALWAY Junior Rebecca Alway didn’t have breaking the softball home run record in her mind at the start of the season. But after starting off on a roll, she ended up overtaking the spot as leader for most home runs in a single season. “I was just trying to play to get what I get,” Alway said. “I think I only hit one last year and then I just kept hitting them so it was really exciting to keep on rolling.” She not only contributes on the offensive side of the game but also defensively as a pitcher. Alway attacks games with a mindset of getting the job done instead of focusing on personal statistics. “It gives me a lot of confidence knowing I can impact our team positively both offensively and defensively,” Alway said. “Sometimes people can be one or the other, so it’s exciting to know I can be effective both ways.”
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After boasting nine picks in this year’s NFL draft, the Detroit Lions hope to have added some talented depth to their weak positions. As general manager Bob Quinn’s second draft class, he definitely added more athleticism to the roster in the span of three days. Coming into the draft, linebackers were the weakest unit on the team. With DeAndre Levy injured most of the past two seasons and is now released along with fellow linebacker Stephen Tulloch having joined the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2016 season, the Lions found themselves without the depth needed to keep a consistent and coherent linebacking core on the field. The Lions needed to target a linebacker early in the draft and they had some solid options on the board with Alabama’s Reuben Foster or Florida’s Jarrad Davis. The Lions passed up on Foster and selected Davis with the twenty-first pick overall. Foster does seem to have more talent, but his positive drug test for a diluted sample and numerous shoulder problems, the Lions were right in steering away from another DeAndre Levy case. Davis had a torn meniscus in his sophomore season, but when he was healthy at Florida he showed flashes off a hard hitter and a productive players. Davis should be in the starting lineup come the regular season as he has the size, speed and character to be a great linebacker in the NFL as long as he stays healthy. In the next two rounds Detroit chose to replenish the respective positions they drafted at with fresh meat. The Lions have a secondary unit that can get the job done, especially as Darius Slay penciled in as the top cornerback with Nevin Lawson, Quandre Diggs and D.J. Hayden splitting time at the second cornerback position. The Lions felt as if they needed to add to their depth at that spot and took Davis’s former teammate at Florida in Teez Tabor during the second round. Tabor was touted as a first round projection, but a 4.6 40-yarddash time showed teams that he didn’t have the pure speed measuring up to other NFL cornerbacks. However, if Tabor can use this season to make adjustments to become faster and gain some experience, he will fit right into the Lions’ defensive scheme within the next few years. Quinn also made a bold move in the third round by drafting wide receiver Kenny Golladay out of Northern Illinois. Golladay has the size that Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. lack, and will give the Lions an advantage in the redzone. Golladay will essentially be replacing Anquan Boldin, who was signed late last off-season, but proved to be a valuable piece as he scored eight touchdowns. Golladay will most likely be the third wide receiver in an offense led by Matthew Stafford and fits right in with the Lions’ more aggressive red zone approach. After owning two picks in the fourth round, Detroit chose another linebacker and a tight end. Former Tennesse outside linebacker, Jalen-Reeves Maybin was taken with the 124 overall pick while University of Toledo tight end Michael Roberts was taken with 127. Maybin provides more depth behind Davis and Tahir Whitehead, but will most likely find himself on special teams while he refines his skills to fit what they Lions need to pair with Whitehead and Davis. Now to the offensive side, Roberts is also another red zone weapon the Lions can use when they want to try different tight end sets. Roberts is a slow player, but can be a very useful blocker when the Lions go with a double tight end formation. With one pick in the fifth round, the Lions selected speedy San Diego cornerback Jamal Agnew. This pick was foolish because the Lions already took Tabor earlier and still have Diggs, Hayden and Lawson. He does add some f lash at the cornerback position that Tabor lacks, but Agnew will compete for reps with the other cornerbacks. I would’ve liked the Lions to take a running back in this round as Ameer Abdullah was injured for a majority of last season and didn’t have a solid rookie season either. Since Jim Caldwell took over, the team hasn’t finished above 28 in rushing in the NFL. That’s the one issue that Quinn failed to address in this year’s draft-not improving the horrendous running game that has been reciprocated over the previous seasons. After rounding out the draft by taking defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter and quarterback Brad Kaaya in the sixth round and defensive end Pat O’Connor in the seventh round, Quinn is trying to create competition among the lower roster spots to see who will make the final cut. With this year’s draft choices
member, but crew has also had a social impact on him. “My favorite part about rowing is the close-knit nature of the team,” Rakozy said. “Rowers all depend on each other to form a successful boat, everyone on the team grows together, and are typically pretty close.” Rakozy joined the crew team knowing little of the rowing basics, but with time he has improved immensely and he received his varsity letters after his third year on the team. Rakozy has found that the most difficult part of the race is the mental fortitude required to succeed. “Normally, if you train consistently and put in a fair amount of effort, races come down to form, and whether or not you are willing to pull hard enough to win. These factors rely heavily on your ability to stay focused and push yourself harder than the many other entrants you might face.”
TEAMWORK | Junior Max Rakozy rows alongside his crew. “When I first joined, I had no idea what I was doing,” Rakozy said. “but everything comes with time, I suppose.”
QUICK HITS: GIRLS TENNIS WITH SENIOR CHRISTINA RAFAILL Despite a difficult start to the season, with a record of 3-5-1 the girls tennis plans to keep up their playoff streak of 20 straight trips to the state tournament. “It’s been an okay season so far,” senior Christina Rafaill said. “We have a young team which has made it difficult to be as successful as we would like, but we’ve been working hard to improve throughout the season.” Even though it hasn’t been as successful as she would have liked, Rafaill said that she has still enjoyed the season and made good memories. “My favorite memory is just spending time with my teammates during tournaments and matches, having fun and bonding,” Rafaill said. If they are to extend the streak, Rafaill says that the team will have to work hard and play well at their regional tournament. “We plan to qualify for states to practice really hard and play the best we have during regionals.”
BOYS LACROSSE WITH JUNIOR MARCO MCMANN The boys lacrosse team has had a strong season, racking up a record of 9-2. Success has come from a high-scoring offense and a strong core of players. Junior Marco McMann believes that team chemistry is one reason for the team’s success. “We’ve had such a successful season this year because we have a good group of boys who like to rally, get balls in the net and we all know how to work together really well and it ends up in goals,” McMann said. After a successful season last year, the team knew they were capable of having an even better season and formed a common goal of advancing further in the state playoffs. “We came into the season knowing who our talent was and what we had to do to win,” McMann said. “We’ve stuck to that plan and it’s worked out for us and we’ve won a lot.”
SPORTS
12 – Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – North Pointe
UPCOMING GAMES GIRLS LACROSSE
Home against Eisenhower High School on Wednesday, May 17 at 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER Home against L’Anse Creuse North High School Wednesday, May 17 at 4 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Match against University Liggett School on Wednesday, May 17 at 4 p.m. at Liggett
BASEBALL
Home against L’Anse Creuse High School on Thursday, May 18 at 4:30 p.m.
College commit season raises question: should collegiate athletes be paid? By Sonny Mulpuri, Billy Moin & Billy Steiglemann EDITORS & STAFF REPORTER
When Class of 2015 alum Dan Robinson began playing Division I baseball at Central Michigan University, he became more aware of the debate over paying college athletes. He said he sees payment and scholarships on opposite weights of a scale—as one increases, the other should decrease. “If you get paid then you’re probably willing to take less scholarship money because they are paying you as well,” he said. “If you were to get paid you would have to take it more seriously, but I think if I was to get paid I would try to treat it like I wasn’t getting paid and play like I always did ... just have fun and play for the love of the game.” The debate over whether or not colleges should pay their athletes is nothing new. Originally focused solely on football players, the fight has raged on since the early 1900s. Back in 1987, the National Collegiate Athletic Association tried to end the debate once and for all when it suspended Southern Methodist University’s football program for two seasons for paying some of its players. But even with money off the table, some athletes still want more. In 2015, Northwestern University’s football team tried to unionize so that players could, at the very least, get better benefits from the university, including the payment of medical bills. Although the team’s bid to unionize was denied, it once again sparked the conversation about paying college athletes.
Part of the football team’s argument was that they are the equivalent of employees within their respective college or university. In a Forbes article arguing that athletes should be paid, Marc Edelman pointed out that most Division I football players spend 43.3 hours on their sport every week. Robinson understands firsthand the time and commitment required to play at the collegiate level. However, he said playing baseball for the Chippewas doesn’t feel like a job, and would rather keep it that way. “I think it would be more like a job feel to it more than just a college experience, because once you start getting paid to play it gets more of a professional feel,” Robinson said. “I would rather have more of a college feel, where you are playing for the love of the game and you don’t play for money. I think that’s how it should be.” Class of 2016 alumna Emily Truss, who rows at the University of Tulsa, said she sees both sides to the argument. Although she said that payment would act as an incentive for athletes to work harder, she also said they shouldn’t need such an incentive in the first place. “I think that motivation and actually liking the sport is more of an incentive than getting paid in college,” she said. Athletic director Brian Shelson said he would expect similar problems to arise if colleges begin to pay their athletes. Paying athletes could affect more than just their approach to sports. Shelson said paying athletes also has the
potential to cause issues when it comes to paying athletes in different sports. “People think of the big sports like college football and basketball, but I’d say if you start paying a football player who brings in millions of dollars ... you still have to pay the rowing team, and the lacrosse team and the softball team the same,” Shelson said. “That’s a spot that needs to be worked on before they they think about paying athletes.” But Edelman also pointed out that the NCAA is estimated to make than the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association. The NCAA does so despite the fact that the athletes drawing in revenue don’t get paid for their work. At the same time, athletes also end up having to miss classes for games. Edelman said that March Madness forces players to miss over six days of classes. According to an article in the New York Times, at Harvard University, a student-athlete can fall within one deviation of the school’s average test scores and GPA as a high schooler being scouted. Shelson said that paying athletes could pull athletes away froms school work to focus more on their sport, which isn’t a good thing in his opinion. “College athletes are held at a high regard, sometimes unwanted,” he said. “They are held in higher regards and still go to classes like everybody else, but once they start getting paid I see a huge difference as a studentathlete, instead of them being an athlete at a college.”
Recent commits:
GIRLS LACROSSE Home against Country Day High School on Friday, May 19 at 6 p.m. BASEBALL Against South High School Saturday, May 20 at 10 a.m. at South
ERINNE LUBIENSKI
Junior Meredith Kraus verbally commited to play volleyball for Aquainas University May 1.
ERINNE LUBIENSKI
Junior Abby Kanakary committed to playing Division 1 volleyball for Northern Kentucky University April 17.
NICOLE STEIN
Senior Max Stallings verbally comitted to playing Division 3 tennis at Calvin College on May 10.
By Ritika Sanikommu SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR