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Junior goes to bat for yellow ball inclusion By Lindsey Ramsdell & Alex Harring SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITORS After three years of fighting for a waiver that would allow him to continue playing the sport that he loves, junior Ryan Huizdos has set a precedent that will help kids nationwide with vision impairments play Little League baseball. Huizdos has albinism, a recessive genetic condition which causes serious visual impairments in the people that it affects, rendering him legally blind. Because of this, participating in sports was difficult growing up. He uses an ROLB1Y baseball, a traditional baseball colored yellow, to make it easier for him to spot the moving object against its surroundings. For his first few years of Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League, his father, John Huizdos, said the coaches, players and umpires all allowed him to use this ball when at bat. This changed when he was picked to be on the tournament team in 2015, and was told the ball was not up to national regulations and would not be allowed to use it in a tournament. “It’s the same size and the same weight and everything, it’s just a different color,” Ryan said. “Being legally blind there’s a lot of challenges that I have to face that a lot of average people don’t face, and one of those is playing sports. It’s hard to play a lot of sports. I’ve always loved baseball my whole life and I’ve always wanted to play it like anybody else, but it’s challenging This tournament set off what would become a long process of legal action against the national Little League association to get a permanent waiver for Huizdos to use his ball. John said that while he and his wife were supportive of Ryan, it was ultimately Ryan’s decision to pursue fighting the rules at the national level. They took the case to the U.S. District Attorney’s office in Detroit, and the case was picked up by the first assistant district attorney Saima Mohsin. “Ryan’s mom and I talked to him and asked, ‘what do you want to do? Because this is about you, you’re going to be in the spotlight and you’re gonna spearhead it,’ and it was totally his initiative, what he wanted to do. Ryan had said it’s not just for him because at that time he only had a couple years left to play,” John said. “He was more
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As the quiz bowl team prepares for nationals, senior Elijah Manson is looking forward to the competition, despite the higher caliber. Manson was one of the few chosen to attend the National Academic Quiz Tournament (NAQT) high school championship in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend. “I'm optimistic. It can be difficult going from region-level tournaments, to state-level, to national-level. It's like going from being the best, to just being one of the best,” Manson said. “So the national tournament will definitely be a challenge. But, we are excited to go above all, and I think that energy will drive us forward.” The competition, like any other quiz bowl competition, consists of two teams competing to answer questions on history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, popular culture, sports and more. The team is given two packets to prepare from — one on general knowledge and the other is the championship packet. The championship packet is filled with harder and more specific questions than the general packet, according to junior Alex Nichols.
“We don’t have much homework, we do have some,” Nichols said. “But it's just to study up on things that we wouldn't really know otherwise.” To qualify for the national tournament, the team had to do well at the regional tournaments at Stevenson High School in Sterling Heights. They ended the tournament in first place and immediately qualified for nationals, according to quiz bowl staff advisor, Jonathan Byrne. The preparation necessary for the national competition routinely includes multiple years of experience on quiz bowl teams and a long history for curiosity. According to Manson, most of the team members fit this description. Preparation includes practices twice a week as well as studying topics that are typically could cause confusion. “A lot of the team involved has been doing quiz bowl for most of high school, and our strongest players played in middle school as well,” Manson said. “We have been practicing a long time, and though I myself have only played for two years, I can definitely see a growth in our breadth of knowledge and in our collaboration as a team.”
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AS ANY." THEM
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Now, any kid who needs it can obtain this waiver, opening the door to participation in Little League for many kids with significant visual disabilities. Looking back at the long journey to securing this waiver, Ryan’s parents are proud of his perseverance and dedication to the cause. “I was very proud that he wanted to do it, that he stuck with it, that he never gave up, he just pushed forward. Ryan’s very humble so he didn’t like the attention because he felt like he was just doing something that he should do that was right,” John said. “Any time we told him, ‘if you don’t want to fight this, if you don’t want to do anything that’s fine,’ but he kept wanting to do it, so I gotta give him credit.”
concerned about the kid down the road who may get to use it or may not get to use it. He seemed to be more interested in the person going forward in the future, so he said I’m not just fighting for myself I’m making it for other kids to be able to use it as well.” The attorney wasn’t the only one that thought Ryan’s case was worthwhile, when the issue first began in 2015, his story was picked up by Fox News Detroit who interviewed Ryan and his teammate, sophomore Brett Abke. “When it first happened, Fox Detroit contacted me and I realized that, ‘wow this is an issue that people care about,’ and it’s more important than one singular thing,” Ryan said. “So then I was kinda inspired to change it not just for me but for everybody, nationally.” After working with the attorney, Ryan was granted a one-year waiver to use his ball. After the original one-year waiver expired, Mohsin worked with Ryan once again to get him another. This time, however, the waiver was granted for two years, and allows for the ball to be used while he is playing in the field in addition to batting. This waiver expires in 2018. But these waivers weren’t recognized by the officials at every tournament he went to. Sometimes they would work, and other times the waiver would be revoked. Abke recalls several tournaments when Ryan was unable to use his yellow ball. Although he remembers that Ryan was upset by it, he said he did his best under the conditions. “It was unfair that they were doing that to him,” Abke said. “There’s no reason he or anyone else shouldn’t be able to play, he’s just like the rest of us and the ball just helps him play equally. It didn’t give him an advantage over anyone else.” This constant uncertainty over whether or not Ryan could use the equipment he needed went on until this March, when Ryan was granted a permanent waiver for the yellow ball. But, what Ryan is most proud of is that this waiver is not only applicable to him.
Quiz bowl qualifies COMPLAINTS for nationals WITH IT. " PAGE 3
Friday, May 4, 2018
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Editorial On Campus
COURTESY OF RYAN HUIZDOS
Girls rocketry takes the road to nationals
By Arzoo Chhaya PAGE EDITOR
Junior Shannon Flores spent her first year of Rocketry Club working on developing rockets, testing out different launch methods and fixing errors along with the rest of the club and adviser Steven Kosmas. On March 31, the girls’ efforts were rewarded with the news that they had advanced to Nationals in Washington D.C.. The team had to place in the top 100 out of 800 teams to be able to qualify. “I just want to put an emphasis on how there are not many females really into rocketry or rocket science,” Flores said. “There’s been a lot of programs that have been trying to support females going towards rocketry, so I just thought it would be really cool if more females were empowered by that.” Women in “STEM” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has been a discussion topic for many both in schools and the workplace. The National Girls Collaborative Project is an organization that informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM. Kosmas said all students should pursue STEM activities and competitions The journey to Nationals required a lot of dedication and commitment from the team, according to sophomore Kamaria Chambers, who is a member of the team. “We all have equal roles, which is to brainstorm ideas on how to make a sufficient rocket and of course to build the rocket and put those ideas to test,” Chambers said via email. Building the rockets requires a lot of precision and accuracy, and rocketry 3 4
Life Reviews
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students must follow Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) rules to participate. The method of trial and error is crucial to building a winning rocket. “(We) practice launch and see what we need to fix, such as if the rocket is going too high that means the mass is too low,” Chambers said. The fine details that go into the launches can seriously impact result, but many can be controlled with small changes.
COURTESY OF SHANNON FLORES
“We had rockets that would fly too short or would break when they fell,” Flores said. “It’s always this little stuff that you need to fix. It’s a lot of persistence and patience that you need to have.” However, some parameters like wind, snow, rain and temperature cannot be controlled. The team tries to pick the best conditions to launch under. The final decision is made on-site, but analysis and research must be done before hand. “The problem is that there is significant wind 90 percent of the time, which makes the event more challenging.” Kosmas said via email. “The weather in Michigan makes launching rockets a lot of fun, it is hard to control the outcome.” The team will travel to Washington D.C. on May 10 and will attend the Reception on the Hill.
In-Depth Sports
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NEWS
2 – Friday, May. 4, 2018 – North Pointe
IN BRIEF Seniors show spirit on first annual College Decision day College Decision Day was Tuesday, May 1. It was the annual deadline for high school seniors to commit to a college as well as an opportunity for them to announce their decision to their classmates. This year, the event was organized in a new way. Counselors decided to get the students more involved in making the map of where they will be attending college. Seniors were given pins of their school picture and got to pin them up on a map where their college is located. There was also a photo booth for seniors to take a photo with their school pennant and a brand-new College Decision Day banner was in the staircase. Counselor Melissa Pierce said that although some students were doubtful, she saw increased excitement. “It started out that some kids were kind of skeptical, but soon mobs of people were trying to see where everyone's going.” Pierce said. “It’s fun for the seniors and is something to look forward to for the ninth, tenth and eleventhgrade students as well.”
District, community organizes events for Autism Awareness Month April was Autism Awareness Month. Each year, Grosse Pointe gathers as a community for many different activities such as fundraising events for causes like the Autism Society of Michigan and Autism Speaks. The school district got students and staff involved by posting facts about autism throughout the schools and having an art gallery with work displayed by students with autism. Though Autism Awareness Month is over, students can become more involved within the school by participating in KNOTS and contacting an ASD teacher for more information about autism. North parent Meaghan Post has been helping out with events for Autism Awareness Month for over five years and encourages more people to participate. “The goal is to continue to spread awareness within the community regarding the disability,” Post said, “as well as educating peers and to appropriately provide peer-to-peer support within our schools.”
Teachers spend half-day in staff training At the beginning of the year, teachers chose a research project to work on during PLC hour before school on late start Mondays, throughout the year such as a new resource for learning such as Schoology or different ways to keep kids interested during class. At the end of the year, the teachers share what they learned and how it benefits the intended audience. Teachers work on this in small groups and present the findings together. This project is intended to help the teachers find new ways to teach their students in upcoming years. Science teacher Erika Reed looks forward to implementing her group’s work in her classes and sharing her presentation with faculty. “We all come up with these ideas of things that we would like to work on,” Reed said. “My group came together to focus on arguing from evidence, so that's why in my class, we are doing inquiry based labs.” By Maggie Carron
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Quizbowl
“I would say that we’re really united. All of us have our special thing and when we’re in our group, it's like we can take over the world,” Nichols said. “We’re all really good friends and we know how to joke and we go together well.” Overall, Manson may be apprehensive about the competition, but he also acknowledged how hard the team has been working by reviewing the packets, both in and out of school. “Most of our studying is usually on our own time,” Manson said. “We are encouraged to look up things we write down during practice, to browse resources on the NAQT
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website, or to simply explore articles about topics we like.” Byrne believes that there is nothing to worry about due to the team’s hard work and previous commitment to excellence. “The quiz bowl team this year has done an amazing job, so I am confident that we will do very well at the competition this year,” Byrne said. Nichols agrees with Byrne, saying that the team hopes to make it to the top eight, but even if they don’t, he hopes that it will be a fun and memorable experience for the entire team. “Our hopes are to get into the playoffs at nationals, which I believe is the top eight. I’m not really sure about the placing, we hope to do well, but honestly we’re really just there to have fun,” Nichols said.
Gov. Snyder proposes new school safety plan By Rory Angott PAGE EDITOR
Governor Rick Snyder announced a plan on Monday, April 16 to update the Michigan All Hazards Emergency Operations Planning Guidance for Schools, a statewide program to promote school safety procedures. Superintendent Gary Niehaus said that he looks forward to see the implementation of this plan, beginning in 2019 according to the governor’s timeline, along with the increased inspection through the district’s Compliance One safety evaluation program. Principal Kate Murray said while she is excited to see the effect of this plan, it’s too soon to judge it's effectiveness. “I am happy that our governor has put together this proposal and that it's organized around the cut the areas of preparation, intervention, response and recovery,” Murray said. “He's embedded several grant opportunities to help support school districts that might not have the financial resources to accomplish some of what he's laid out here.” The largest of the grant programs is a $20 million fund to augment local tools, and will support up to 400 schools with basic access restrictions, door upgrades and radio communication needs. The money will be divided at $50,000 per school. The governor intends on making $2 million of those funds available immediately. Though Niehaus thinks that this is a step in the right direction, when compared to other states,
he believes that $20 million isn’t enough. “It's baby steps in comparison to what they did (in Florida). The governor of Florida, (Rick Scott), spent $500 million and we're spending $20 million,” Niehaus said. “We're at a point where I'm not sure he's got enough money on the table to really take things where we need to go.” Along with grants for physical security improvements, the governor plans to set aside $2 million so that schools have the resources to better their behavioral assessment capabilities. Sophomore Jack Day is glad that some action is being taken, but he is unsure of the direction of the plan. “I hope the plan succeeds, but I’m not sure if it’s going to end up making things better like it’s supposed to,” Day said. “It just seems like they always try things like this, but (school violence) keeps happening.” Niehaus, who commended the GPPSS counseling staff, said that the governor’s planned additional funding will serve a huge help to many schools across the state. “I think our counselor counts across the state are probably about 700 to one. (In Grosse Pointe) we’ve got five counselors to 1600 kids, so we're at 300 students to a counselor,” Niehaus said. “So would I like to, with the governor's funding, bring that down to 270 per counselor? Yes. That would be immensely helpful. But, in comparison, we’re at a good spot.” The plan also specifies for an increase
in OK2Say funding, a confidential helpline which students can use to report inappropriate school behavior. OK2Say operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be accessed via text message, phone call, email or online submission. This data then goes to the State Police, which first assesses the situation and then refers the information to the appropriate officials. The governor also plans to create a Safe Schools Commission to ensure the effectiveness of these programs throughout the years to come, something that Murray appreciates. “I'm looking forward to seeing how his proposal plays out,” Murray said. “I'm hopeful that as we move forward the state of Michigan that our government will make good decisions that will continue to increase the safety and security of our students.”
LINDSEY RAMSDELL
Students, Murray honored at MIPA conference in Lansing By Katelynn Mulder SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR
Each year, student journalists across the state are nominated for the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) allstate student journalist staff. Each school may only nominate two students to compete for the honor, and this year 15 were selected to be on staff. Seniors Lindsey Ramsdell and Alex Harring were among them. Ramsdell was nominated because of her portfolio in news design. “It was really nice when I was going through and putting the portfolio together to kind of look back over everything that I have done and see how I have personally developed as a journalist, and just have a place where I can go and see all of my work,” Ramsdell said. “It was nice to be recognized for the work that I have done on a higher level than just our school. I’m very honored.” Being awarded SOFIA KETELS a place on the MIPA student journalist staff is a way to recognize a student’s high school achievements in one of six categories, including news writing or news design. With 12 members on the regular MIPA student journalist staff, one student from each of the six are categories are also chosen to make the all-state staff and receive a scholarship. Harring was also given the All-MIPA award, declaring him as the all-around winner. Then, from the all-state applicants, a Journalist of the Year is also chosen to compete in the Journalism
Education Association’s national contest. Harring was selected for that honor, too. “I think it's an opportunity to represent our robust school and statewide programs. So I know to even be able to be the Journalist of the Year for the state, you have to have a wide established state interscholastic media program, which we do, and I know I have been able to attend a lot of events to better myself and go to workshops through them,” Harring said. “And also represent our school and our student media and publications, because without those I, wouldn't have even had the opportunity to learn about journalism to begin with. I think for me, winning this award is an opportunity to represent the organizations that allowed me to have the foundations to win an award like this.” In order to be able to receive this recognition, students had to submit a portfolio showcasing all of their work from their high school journalism careers. Each application included an online portfolio, a short essay, letters of recommendation and a resume. “For the all-state staff, I think they were looking for people who went above and beyond in their primary area of interest,” Harring said. “So I think they were looking for people who were leaders within their school publications and were also kind of leaders within the state in terms of the quality and the breadth of their work. And I know for Journalist of the Year, in my letter they sent me in the mail, they said that they were looking for very wellrounded students and students who had a strong showing in every category and having like a wide depth and breadth of work. So, they were looking for students that took on challenges that weren’t really in their comfort zone to expand their work and make them better journalists.” Principal Kate Murray also received the award for Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s 2018 Administrator of the Year, marking the first time an administrator at North has received this award. This award recognizes administrators who are supportive of the journalism programs in their school. “I am very honored and humbled to receive this award. North's student journalist leaders are incredibly talented students who work tirelessly at their craft," Murray said. “I simply accept this award on their behalf and hope it propels them even further."
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North Pointe – Friday, May 4, 2018 – 3
Scandals, Scanett letters and social media
ZOE GRAVES
Pregnant Khloe Kardashian was looking forward to a lifetime of love with her basketball player boy“Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers friend Tristan MY TURN are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom ERIN KALED Thompson and of expression and freedom of the press for all students, newborn daughregardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered ter. After sufunpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.” fering from BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY fertility issues in her last marriage, Kardashian was overjoyed for the arrival of her daughter. Two Syeda Rizvi Sofia Ketels Zoe Graves EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR days before giving birth to her baby girl, footage was released of Thompson cheating Arzoo Chhaya Amelia Nowicki Mariah Loper on Kardashian. Although the footage was PAGE EDITOR PAGE EDITOR WEB EDITOR taken in October, reports have been saying how heartbroken the Kardashians are over Michael Hartt Rory Angott Hannah Zalewski PAGE EDITOR PAGE EDITOR the ordeal, and rightfully so. PAGE EDITOR Especially in celebrity relationships, this just proves that cheating is more of an isAlex Harring Sarah Shanley Lindsey Ramsdell SENIOR ASSISTANT SENIOR ASSISTANT sue in our society than once thought. It STAFF REPORTER EDITOR EDITOR comes to no surprise since Thompson left his pregnant girlfriend to be with Khloe Abbey Cadieux Charles Bernas SENIOR ASSISTANT STAFF REPORTER Kardashian that he cheated on her, too. EDITOR Even after the woman gave birth to a son, Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Thompson ignored the child. Usually there’s Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Mem- doubt in “once a cheater, always a cheater,” however this case proves it to be true. bers who have a conflict of interest with an editorial Over the years, scandals in Hollywood topic do not partake in that meeting or vote. haven’t been few and far between. Like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, or Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, even Cardi B and Offset. Cardi B even released the song “Be Careful” about Offset’s infidelity. Celebrities have no sense of privacy when going through these things either, which makes it even worse. They’re usually pressed to release a statement, which Kardashian has yet to do. Although it's wrong, infidelity isn’t surprising these days. Jokes on Twitter about “side chicks” and cheating fill my Twitter feed. Some jokes are funny, but the underlying message isn’t. Cheating is never okay. Not in any situation. But when people make
jokes about it, they normalize it. The situation becomes 10 times worse when there are witnesses to the affair that don’t acknowledge it. Gabrielle Union spoke out about “not being involved” in the scandal even though she was there. If you’re a witness and don’t speak up, you’re involved. Even through all the pain of the Kardashian and Thompson scandal, it opened a door for more conversations about the outcomes of cheating. Not only does cheating break your significant other's heart, but it damages your reputation and career. Thompson has been booed and benched ever since the footage was released, with comments on his Instagram saying that he doesn’t deserve to be happy since he took somebody else's happiness away. Even celebrities are coming to the Kardashian’s defense. It’s not the first time a celebrity has been dragged by followers after a cheating scandal, but in some ways, it’s fair. With the prominence of social media these days, it’s not only harder to cheat, but more likely to get out somehow. Not that anybody should do it in the first place, but the risk factor is even higher now than ever before. Before somebody cheats, they need to think about the emotional damage they’re about to do to their partner. The potential counseling, distrust and hatred from friends and family are also the price of a few hours of “escape.” Truth is, if somebody isn’t happy, a breakup hurts, but it would hurt a lot less than being cheated on. Not knowing if somebody did something wrong or why they weren’t enough could tear them apart. So before you ruin somebody's life, think of the outcome of the situation. Is it worth destroying a relationship over? A person’s self worth? Chances are, it’s probably not. And you’ll be the one feeling the guilt in the aftermath of it when it’s all over.
The cost of safet y On April 16, as a result of increased school violence across the United States, Gov. Rick Snyder released an updated version of Michigan’s All Hazards Emergency Operations Planning Guidance for Schools. This plan, which is separated into the categories of preparation, intervention, response, recovery and additional actions, seeks to tackle the issue of school safety in a variety of ways including increasing funding for necessary security upgrades in many schools. The first step of the initiative — preparation — aims to help better secure and prepare schools in the case of an active-shooter situation. Snyder outlined a budget proposal of $20 million to be split between the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years, with $2 million going to schools during fiscal year 2018 for “basic security upgrades,” with the remaining $18 million being made available in fiscal year 2019. However, although $20 million seems like a lot of money, the proposal states that it will only cover 400 schools, fewer than 10 percent of the 3,500 schools within the 891 public school districts in Michigan. That means school districts which may be in dire need of the $50,000 that will be given to each of those 400 schools could be left out of the equation depending on how the state decides to allocate the money. In the aftermath of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida’s governor, Rick Scott, outlined a $500 million plan to improve school safety and security. Scott’s plan involves having one armed officer for each 1,000 students at every public school, having employees from the Department of Children and Families at each of their sheriff's departments to assist law enforcement on a case-by-case basis, additional security measures such as metal detectors, bulletproof glass, steel doors, upgraded locks and more focus on a statewide “see something-say something” hotline, website and app. Florida’s plan costs $500 million. Ours is $20 million. Yes, Florida has more eyes watching them to do something drastic after what happened in February, but a school shooting shouldn’t be prompting change. There should be change because people took a look at schools and realized that they were lacking common sense security measures like locking doors. This plan is a step in the right direction for the state of Michigan, but it isn’t enough. According to Gov. Scott, the state of Florida is operating on a surplus. This is unfortunately not the case for Michigan, which is where we run into the problem. The plan needs more money to operate, but that money needs to come from somewhere. The state could try raising taxes once again, an unlikely option, as Michigan already has high taxes, and legislators would be reluctant to pass a bill to increase them even more since it would put their positions on the line when it came time for elections. If a piece of legislation even made it far enough, there’s always the chance of the initiative failing on the ballot. They could attempt to bring in more business, which would in theory lead to increased jobs and more people paying taxes to the state. In reality, the state would need to make deals to attract businesses — most of which would include lowering taxes for a period of time. Michigan is also one of 28 states in the country with right-to-work, which prohibits union security agreements between companies and workers unions and makes it easier for companies to save money on workers and keep wages lower, therefore lowering costs and meaning the businesses pay lower taxes. It’s an endless cycle. There’s no doubt that for this plan to have any impact, it needs more than $20 million. While 400 schools is a start, what about the other 3,100 public schools throughout the state? There are undoubtedly going to be schools deserving of the money who will be left out, leaving them with potentially fatal security risks. If the Michigan legislators want to make any sort of change, they need to figure out a way to distribute funds so our schools are a priority.
“They could give all of the students guns just in case somebody tries to try something, then we will all be good because we will have self defense.”
Larry Augustus FRESHMAN
“Tighten security.”
“I believe they should be able to teach selfdefense classes to teachers so they can be able to protect students.”
Carlos Lemons
Cicille Charles JUNIOR
SOPHOMORE
YOUR TURN: What do you think the state Government By Audrey Boles could do to make schools safer?
“I think the state government could make schools safer by placing police officers at schools.”
Taylor Purnell SENIOR
NORTH
“More cameras, more locking doors — not just the exterior, but possibly the interior doors that lock better, different entrance doors on classrooms."
“I think everybody — staff members, administration, security — should all be more trained to take care of the situation at hand.”
Terri Steimer
Holly Kerr
SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER
SECURITY GUARD
POINTE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Syeda Rizvi WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sofia Ketels MANAGING EDITOR: Zoe Graves WEB EDITORS: Brooklyn McWhorter, Amelia Nowicki SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITORS: Amber Braker Caitlin Bush, Abbey Cadieux, Alex Harring, Erin Kaled, Allison Lackner, Katelynn Mulder, Sonny Mulpuri, Anna Post, Lindsey Ramsdell, Michal Ruprecht, Billy Steigelman, Katie Thomas PAGE EDITORS: Rory Angott, Nick Asimakis, Maggie Carron, Arzoo Chhaya, Michael Hartt, Mariah Loper, Abi Murray Adam Schwartz, Emily Widgren, Hannah Zalewski BUSINESS MANAGER: Jordan Craighead DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Elizabeth Ballinger STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Marina Gabriel, Jillian LaPere, Rachel Malinowski, Alyssa McLarty, Ashley Sexton, Nya Tatum, Kennedy Williams STAFF REPORTERS: Sophie Kehrig, Taylor Mitchell, Sarah Shanley, Cairington Stahl, Benjamin Uram INTERNS: Amelia Abraham, JoAnna Alexander, Charlie Bernas, Aundrianna Boles, Savannah Burguron, Nadia Fama, Colin Haroutunian,
Donald Hightower, Raven Jason, Cheryl Knorp, Emily McCloskey, Preston Rossignol, Katlyn Rood-Ballard, Amelia Schock, Sydney Semack, Jonathan Smith, Cordy Wettstein The North Pointe is edited and produced by 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. Readers are encouraged to write letters to the editor. Letters are edited only for length and are screened for libel and obscenity. 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. The North Pointe is printed on 100 percent recycled paper. CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Email: gpnnorthpointe@gmail.com Phone: 313.432.3248 Twitter: @TheNorthPointe Website: northpointenow.org FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE
EDITOR'S DESK SYEDA RIZVI
Getting to know Shari’a I’m not saying I know how to solve the Middle Eastern crisis. But I can assure you, the first step to take is realizing the people there are worth saving. According to the New York Times, the death toll of civilians has reached a staggering half a million of just Syrians alone, with terrorism to blame. According to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, ISIS kills more Muslims than any other group. They destroy cultures and cities, and it is no secret they are accustomed to murder, while clinging to this false notion that this is their religious obligation. They forget that, during wartime, Shari’a forbids killing women, children or those who surrender. Muslims are, by religion, responsible for the protection of Christians. According to Shari’a, you must follow the law of the land you live on. So when I say I believe in its teachings, I shouldn’t have to worry about backlash. The only way we can help the 10,000 children dying in Syria (according to www.IamSyria.com) is if we realize the immigrants that want to come to America are coming for a very justifiable reason. They aren’t coming to set off raids. They’re coming to see what it feels like to be woken by sunlight instead of missiles. So why is it so hard for us to give them a warm welcome to America, the supposed “land of immigrants?” Domestic Islamophobia is beginning to be seen not just in America, but all over the world. For instance, take “Punish a Muslim Day,” where you get 25 points for pulling a headscarf off a Muslim woman and 50 if you throw acid in their face. Communities in Britain were sent letters outlining a system of points one could gain on April 3 by following the guidelines. For example, torturing Muslims using electrocution is 250 points. Burning a mosque is 1,000. Bombing Mecca is 2,500. In America, many families stayed home that day. According to WXYZ News, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Policy Director Abed Ayoub released an official statement asking Americans to have open lines of communication with local police. Ayoub, along with many others, believes that the U.S needs to constantly keep an eye out for attacks because they’re heading right home. We as a community, as a country, have much to work on. We tend to impose our definitions of oppression on others. Before moving to America, I wore a hijab. Does that change your opinion of me? After moving, my family wasn’t comfortable, to say the least, with me keeping it on. But let me tell you something: Muslim women wear the hijab because they want to. They do not think it is oppression. So don’t call the entire religion oppressive if we have no complaints with it. I’m fine with it, so it doesn’t make it oppression, does it? Living in post 9/11, I’d be surprised if the first thing that comes to your mind after hearing the word bombing isn’t “Muslim.” But my family shouldn’t panic every time they hear about an attack and hope the person responsible isn’t named Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz because if it is, then hey, brace yourself for Punish a Muslim Day 2.0. I’m willing to bet if Nicholas Cruz was Muslim, he’d be deemed a terrorist. But because he’s your “average American,” he’s just mentally ill, isn’t he? The point I’m trying to make is Muslims are like anyone else. In fact, Syrian immigrants — which have been the topic for debate recently — have been blamed for exactly zero terrorist attacks in the United States, according to BaltimoreSun, which also states that Americans are 250 percent more likely to be killed by a fellow American. So don't worry — if the 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide were followers of an extremist religion, then I can assure you, worrying about whether or not immigrants are terrorists would be the least of your worries.
ON CAMPUS
4 – Friday, May 4, 2018 - North Pointe
Dress relief
By Jordan Craighead & Hannah Zalewski BUSINESS MANAGER AND PAGE EDITOR
FACES IN THE CROWD Josh Scott
While some high schoolers report to bosses when they go to work, junior Josh Scott runs his own business over the summer. Scott Boys Lawn Care began its grasscutting season this week. After helping his dad mow lawns around the community in middle school, Scott and his brother decided to turn the chore into a business two years ago. With some help from their dad, the two were able to start with a few clients. “We passed out flyers around town, up and down side streets and talked to our neighbors,” Scott said. Since its first year, Scott Boys Lawn Care has seen lots of growth. They have gone from odd jobs every other month to regular work every week. Scott appreciates the freedom of being his own boss and hopes he can continue the business in the future. “I would like to make us more money for college and save up for that and see how much more we can get,” Scott said.
ALL PHOTOS BY JORDAN CRAIGHEAD
WALKING THE RUNWAY | Seniors ElleAnna Casterline and Emma Tompkins pose together at the fashion show on April 26. Models such as freshmen Lindsey Brewer enjoy the fashion show because of they are with their friends and enjoy the process. " It’s been really fun so far, it was really cool going to Village Palm and them having picked out clothes for you already and mine didn’t work out, but they still picked out another thing and getting your hair done," Brewer said. experience, i am making new friends and reconnecting with my old friends."
STOP AND POSE | Junior Garrett Schreck looks out at the crowd while posing at the end of the runway. Schreck wore Moosejaw for one of his outfits. "It's always fun getting them to show you the outfits and stuff and you get everything picked out for you-size, style, everything," Schreck said. "I was born to perform. This is my element."
STRUT YOUR STYLE | Senior Catie Archambeau walks down the runway before striking a pose. All of the models were students, one of which was Charlotte Duus. "It has been great. I love the outfits that I’m wearing," Duus said. "I feel a bit anxious a little because we had to be here so early and our show doesn’t start until 8, but it's been a good time."
Meredith Kraus
Years of hard work with national volleyball team Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno have finally paid off for senior Meredith Kraus. Volleyball has been a part of Kraus’s life since she began playing in the fifth grade. For the past four years, Kraus has been traveling around the country with Michigan Elite developing a deep bond throughout their journey. “They were like family,” Kraus said. “I've been playing with them for three or four years. I'm serious. We spent like every weekend together.” Kraus also enjoys the versatility of the game when she’s on the court and the constant opportunities to improve. Thanks to her success with Michigan Elite, Kraus got a scholarship from Aquinas College, where she will play collegiate volleyball. Throughout it all, Kraus’s dad has been her biggest supporter. He cried when Kraus’s scholarship arrived in the mail. “He was proud,” Kraus said. “That was his favorite school of all the ones I was looking at.”
Clare Loch
DECISIONS, DECESIONS | Junior Sara Schaden laughs with the other students before the show. The fashion show was organized by Schaden with help from the North Parent's Club. "It’s a great fundraiser for the parents club and they do scholarships. 100% of it is going towards scholarships for the seniors this year. they give 10 scholarships away," parent helper Carolyn Dall said.
MAKING A STATEMENT | Senior Evan Nyquist walks the runway in a life jacket and swimsuit. This year, stores such as Lilly Pullitzer, Moosejaw and more. MC senior Maddy Martinbianco helped prepare before the show . " I'll announce all the dresses and we got to pick out outfits first and stuff so It's pretty exciting!" Martinbianco said.
FIVE MINUTES WITH
Long term substitute Andrew Ayrault By Emily Widgren and Ben Uram PAGE EDITOR AND STAFF REPORTER
ANDREW AYRAULT
FAMILY TIES| Long term bussiness substitiute Andrew Ayrault with his two older kids, juniors Joey and Julia Ayrault. Both Joey and Julia as well as Andrew play basketball. Andrew also has coached for various teams. " Coaching is a very fun and exciting thing and most kids are around the same age, like trying to be successful at it, so you have a captive audience of kids so it's a fun thing for me," Ayrault said.
Before becoming the long-term business substitute, Andrew Ayrault graduated with an advertising degree, but soon transitioned into a business advertising role. He organized different advertisements and accounts for companies such as Ford Motor Company and J. Walter Thompson, which led him to the substitute position for the business classes at North. Through his business career as an illustrator, Ayrault has handled print material for businesses such as White Castle and Domino’s Pizza, in addition to doing computer generated imaging (CGI) work for Ford Trucks. “The computer changed everything, so I started working in the digital department, but still in more of the production and service side,” Ayrault said. “That was handling all the photography and CGI work that was done for Ford trucks.” The introduction of computers and digital editing software into business has also changed how Ayrault designs and thinks about opportunities in his career.
When Ayrault isn't teaching, he can be found coaching a local youth basketball team. Ayrault has been coaching youth basketball for over 20 years and he enjoys helping kids grow and reach their full potential as basketball players. “My kids play basketball, so I do a lot of basketball coaching both here and at Our Lady Star of the Sea and on the AU circuit,” Ayrault said. “Coaching is a very fun and exciting thing, and most kids are around the same age trying to be successful at it, so you have a captive audience of kids. It's a fun thing for me.” Ayrault also enjoys playing his guitar as much as possible. He started playing 20 years ago when a college friend, who was also a musician, offered him free lessons to teach him the basics after Ayrault expressed interest in the instrument. It has since become a hobby of his. “It's something that you can do (for your entire life). With basketball, there's a certain time when you can’t do it anymore. Sports are like that, you reach a certain age where you can’t do it anymore and you have a tougher time remaining competitive,” Ayrault said. “With an instrument, is something you can do your whole life. Just learning new things and new music.”
To sophomore Clare Loch, singing has always been a form of show and tell. Since she was in elementary school at Monteith, Loch has used singing as a way to express her feelings through music. “It’s a beautiful way to express yourself,” Loch said. “Singing makes you more creative. It makes you think differently.” Loch said she plans on majoring in musical theatre in college and finding time to audition for musicals professionally and make a career out of it. In her summers, Loch incorporates her love of singing and and camping at her childhood camp, Camp Daggett, in northern Michigan. There, she counsels the younger students by planning activities like canoeing, swimming and an array of art activities all summer long. “I just love working with kids.” Loch said. “I think it's important to work with kids. It's given me a little glimpse into maybe an education career.” By Abi Murray and Taylor Mitchell
DREAM SUPERPOWER I’d like to be invisible because being tall and being in front of everybody, if you could be invisible and hear what people say about you or be a fly on the wall and nobody would know you were there, you could learn a lot more about anybody than you could learn just talking to them face to face.
SPECIAL TALENTS
I'm very good at home construction. I just finished redoing our kitchen at home. I can do drywall, I can do flooring, I can do all kinds of stuff, so home construction is my special talent.
CELEBRITY TO SWITCH LIVES WITH Elvis Presley. I think that in the early ages of rock and roll that was a very exciting time that he was travelling around and playing music. There wa no internet there was no marketing he just went out and performed his music and that how he became famous.
BEST ADVICE “Goals are only achieved through hard work,” I believe my dad told me that.
LIFE
North Pointe – Friday May 4, 2018 – 5
Branching out with big dreams Sophomores Jaden Bland and Andrew Judnic recently created a ready-to-wear clothing line that has thrived at North and will soon be expanding to neighboring schools and communities. The brand specializes in hoodies and t-shirts that all bare the name of their brand ‘Nine.’ Bland and Judnic do all the work themselves — from designing the pieces to producing them. All of the production is done by hand with either presses or sewing machines. The design, however, is done digitally on programs like Photoshop. So far, the designs all revolve around the endless variations of font, size and color of the word
use, friends of Bland and Judnic soon wanted to purchase the inexpensive pieces. “We weren’t aiming at anything. We just made stuff that we wanted to wear because we got sick of spending money of clothes,” Judnic said. “So we started making our own.” They also wanted to create unique clothes that few others outside of the North community would be seen wearing. “I just wanted to wear different things,” Bland said. “Everyone is shopping in the same stores and wearing the same clothes.” The goal of the line is to offer students cheap but fashionable clothing options. Today, Judnic and Bland sell the shirts for $25 and sweatshirts for $30 instead of what
Pangborn said. “They were wearing them and talking about it, and I became interested.” Judnic loves Nine but doesn’t see it as a lifetime venture. He only wants to continue it through high school. He is using the brand as a learning experience and to strengthen his portfolio for college.
nine. The designs are always evolving, and as Judnic explains, people always have favorites. “Because most of it right now is experimenting and trying new things, (our designs are) random,” Judnic said. “Some people won’t like some stuff and other people will really like it if we think of something that we don’t usually do.” They started creating their own clothes after realizing that trendy attire can be quite overpriced. Initially only meant for personal
could be $50 or $60 in a designer store elsewhere. “I think I didn’t want to make them too expensive because the people who are buying these are teenagers, and no one wants to pay more than $35 for a hoodie,” Bland said. Students such as sophomore Meg Pangborn love wearing Nine’s clothing. Her boyfriend got her a hoodie after she saw Bland and Judnic wearing one. “I had Andrew in a class, and I had Jaden in a couple of classes,”
and I have so much more time to change things and do other things,” Judnic said. At the moment, Judnic and Bland are working on putting together a website to sell their line. Besides this, the only other way they’ve advertised their clothing is through word of mouth or social media. The clothing line can currently be found on Snapchat @nineclothing and on instagram at@nin3.brand.
By Michael Hartt, Hannah Zalewski, Halle Pepper & Cordy Wettstein PAGE EDITORS, STAFF REPORTER & INTERN
Sophomores create niche fashion line, expand to nearby communities
“I see it just as a high school thing because I am only 16 right now,
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DESIGN THE NINE | Judnic recently created this design and is planning to place it on various articles of clothing. The design includes Nine’s distinction, the unique font and color of the word ‘nine.’ “I usually use Photoshop to make the design and then I order blank sweatshirts or shirts,” Judnic said. “I have like a press and a sewing machine. So I use my designs and I make them just on blank hoodies.”
PATRIOTISM & SCHOOL PRIDE | Taylor Mitchell recieves the Detroit City Council Green Task Force’s Youth Award. She recieved the award for interning for the Sierra Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental conservation. Mitchell thinks that the biggest issue facing the initiative is a lack of education. “Not a lot of people know about environmental issues and not a lot of people are part of the environmental issues or working with it,” Mitchell said.
Senior wins environmental accolade
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAYLOR MITCHELL
Her voice is even, her demeanor calm. At rest, her face is cool with placidity disrupted only by intermittent grins, sincere and buoyant. Judging solely by the immense humility with which she carries herself, no one would guess senior Taylor Mitchell was as accomplished or as opinionated as she is. Since September, Mitchell has been hard at work interning for the Sierra Club, an environmental nonprofit organization. Every day at noon, she drives to the offices down at Cass Tech High School to record feedback from club meetings and conduct research. She’s been working all school year to help establish rain gardens that manage stormwater to prevent sewage overflows into the Detroit River. Confidante and fellow senior Olivia Martin has been a close friend of Mitchell’s since sixth grade. Without Mitchell’s influence, Martin believes she wouldn’t be the same person she is today. Martin said this internship has been the perfect fit for her. “It was lowkey like her destiny or something. It was like fate. It was made for her,” Martin said. “When I first met her, she was just so different from everybody else I have met.” On April 21, the Detroit City Council Green Task Force granted Mitchell the Youth Award for her efforts at their annual Earth Day breakfast. Program co-chair Khalil Ligon, who originally introduced
Mitchell to the program, was thrilled when she found out. Ligon sad it was the first year the award had been presented, and the candidates were nominated. “So that means Taylor made quite the impression on the environmental leaders and practitioners involved with the task force,” she said. As one of the few young people so invested in environmental efforts in the area, Mitchell’s quiet tenacity has
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It made me feel very sad because I did not want to see our water being destroyed
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By Sophie Kehrig STAFF REPORTER
Taylor Mitchell SENIOR
made a mark. Although she started the program more observant and reserved, she soon became comfortable enough to voice her opinions. “Over time, Taylor vocalized her perceptions, reactions and opinions on the topics and emerging issues we discussed and became a go-to source for feedback on potential impact of policy from a young person’s point of view,” Ligon said. Mitchell has had a while to develop such a mature vantage point. She was initially
inspired to protect the environment when she was 9 after seeing the ocean for the first time. “It just seemed like another world. We have our world on land, and they have their world in the sea, and I felt so connected, and I guess I took it in a more of a spiritual way,” Mitchell said. “When I heard about like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and all the plastic that’s just been flooding our waters, it hurt me, and it made me very sad because I didn’t want to see our water be destroyed.” English teacher Kristen Alles had Mitchell freshman year, and they’ve stayed close since then. Alles describes her with admiration as a uniquely hard worker. “She’s so cognizant of her abilities and her strength,” Alles said. “[If she] has a setback, she asks what she can do to better and then continues to get better all the time.” Mitchell plans to cultivate a career in environmental preservation. She wants to educate the community, especially young people, to be good stewards of our resources. “The environmental world necessarily doesn’t make a lot of money, but I’m passionate about it,” Mitchell said. “So when you’re when you’re doing something that you love, you’re always going to be fulfilled.”
REVIEWS
6 – Friday, May 4, 2018 – North Pointe
Infinity War breaks box office Bsy Zoe Graves MANAGING EDITOR
One of the most anticipated movies to come out of Marvel Studios, “Avengers: Infinity War,” is a rollercoaster of emotions. The last film in phase two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the two-hour, 40-minute movie kept viewers on the edges of their seats the entire time. “Infinity War” raked in over $630 million dollars worldwide its opening weekend, even though it hasn’t been released in China, which currently boasts the second-highest movie market. The opening shattered the box office record for highest global opening weekend of all time, passing 2017’s “Fate of the Furious,” which held the record with $541.9 million. The underlying plot is simple — the cast of superheroes have to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from getting all six infinity stones and destroying half of the universe’s population. That, of course, turns out easier to be said than done, as everyone is spread out across the universe. “Infinity War” is the first team-up of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, along with appearances from Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the Black Panther entourage. Most of the Avengers remain on Earth — specifically in Wakanda — defending against Thanos’s army, while the Guardians, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Dr. Strange confront Thanos directly in space. Continuing from the end of 2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” the film starts off in space. Here, Thanos is introduced, and the tone for the rest of the movie is set, as in the first five minutes of the movie it’s made painfully clear to viewers that no character is safe. As seen in trailers, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself with the Guardians, where Thanos’s plan is first figured out. There, an unlikely partnership between Thor and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) forms, as the two, along with Groot (Vin Diesel), separate from the rest of the group. The pair is one of the highlights of the otherwise emotionally draining movie.
Hemsworth’s character retains the comedic attributes that were revealed in “Ragnarok,” which when paired with the snarky humor of Rocket, brought a lot of the comedic relief “Infinity War” desperately needed. Banter among the characters is an essential piece of a Marvel movie and has been a staple in the otherwise action-packed films since 2008’s “Iron Man.” The larger-than-normal cast in “Infinity War” manages to create hilarious dynamics between characters — such as Rocket and Thor — that audiences wouldn’t have seen coming. The standout characters in the film were not expected, with many of the original Avengers pushed to the back burner while performances by Dr. Strange, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Peter Quill/Starlord (Chris Pratt) were especially memorable, as the three were essential to Thanos getting certain infinity stones and increasing his power. Holland also gave a stellar performance as Spiderman, with a larger role than initially expected as he teamed up with Iron Man and Dr. Strange. The trio provided their fair share of comedic relief, with constant banter between Stark and Strange and pop culture references from Parker. Although the movie was good, it wasn’t much more than that. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t fantastic — it was just good. Maybe that’s because it was hyped up so much by fans and producers alike, but the film itself was a bit of a let down. It featured a lot of surprising twists and turns and moments that left fans shocked in their seats, but nothing overwhelming happened that was able to make up for the emotional distress it caused fans. w2wwThanos and the rest of the Avengers will return to the big screen in the fourth Avengers film, which is currently untitled. All of the stars from “Infinity War,” along with a few new faces, are confirmed to be in the second part of the film, set for a May 2019 release.
"Avengers Infinity War" 2018
MARVEL INSTGRAM
GAME
GAME
ALBUM
MOVIE
NANO GOLF
BMX 2
MY DEAR MELANCHOLY
CANDY JAR
Performing as a quick, compact version of golf, mini-golf parks have maintained their status as attractions for decades. Revamping the YOUTUBE casual design, the game “Nano Golf” transforms the concept into an assortment of puzzling levels, featuring innovative hazards to evade along the way. At its core, the simple objective of the game is akin to mini-golf: strike the ball to reach the hole. Each time the ball is struck, the number of strokes increases, dwindling one’s score. More or less, the concept is unchanged. Unlike its traditional counterparts, the levels of the game are designed similarly to that of a labyrinth, as to lead the ball to the hole via linearly connecting corridors and a multitude of close corners. There are hazards beyond the typical golf elements, such as conveyor belts to push the ball away or golf carts which, when touched, destroy the ball and force the player to restart. Due to its grand adjustments to the basic formula of mini-golf, the aging concept is adapted for mobile systems. There is greater emphasis on fast-paced action through the ability to repeat levels multiple times over, especially with the dangerous obstacles overall. In future levels, the option to bounce off of walls is hindered, as to force the player to rethink previous plans, for the walls begin to have spikes peppered around, forcing a restart if impacted. For controls, the power and direction of a swing is manufactured via pulling a joystick around on the screen. Since the control is radial, the player has greater effects upon the destination of the ball. Oddly enough, the only possible downfall of “Nano Golf” is its limit on the number of strokes per level. While it necessitates the strategization of levels by emphasizing where the ball is to bounce, it harms player freedom. As an alternative, it would be better to allow players to have unlimited strokes at the risk of worse rankings per level. “Nano Golf; 2017; Free on Google Play By Colin Haroutunion
“BMX 2” is designed to get users to steady their movements and react to the rapid pace of the game. Players use a bike and have to steer GOOGLE PLAY past bumps and jump over barriers to the finish line of the course to complete the game. Once completed, they start to gain access to different arenas as they advance. As a user comprehends the components of the game, they start to improve their technique. Players are also able to view their strategy after they play. Replay mode is a very beneficial aspect of this game since it lets players view their mistakes. They can either view the replay from the driver's seat or have a long outer-range angle, which allows the gamer to view the place that they could improve their skill pattern. Another perk of this game is that there are specific tasks to complete. For example, a certain number of f lips need to happen or a higher score needs to be achieved before the user can move on. It is dictating a list that has to be checked off to help the user build on their gaming skills. However, while players can gain access to different arenas, only one is given to them when they start the game. This takes away a sense of variety from users who play. They don’t get to test out other options before deciding whether or not this would be a game that they could excel in or not. Offering a bit more variety before making the users work for it would enhance their understanding and make them feel more driven for the entire experience. This app offers a challenge that tests quickness, but also tests how users react to mistakes. With “BMX 2,” it isn’t about your gaming skills, but how you can build upon previous challenges you’ve had throughout the game. If you want an app that gives you a little bit of everything, then BMX 2 is the app for you.
"BMX 2" 2017; Free on Google Play By Adam Schwartz
“My Dear Melancholy,” the newest extended play (EP) from The Weeknd, tells the story of a painful heartbreak in the duration of 21 minutes, while ITUNES.COM expressing the vulnerability that we’re exposed to through love. The first track, “Call Out My Name,” makes listeners feel the sting of the ultimate devastation — unrequited love — setting the mood for the rest of the tracks. In this piece, along with five other songs, The Weeknd uses passionate rhythms and verses to elicit emotional responses drenched in pity from listeners. After an emotionally charged performance of “Call Out My Name” at Coachella, listeners were hit with how much the song really meant to The Weeknd, and the performance cemented the idea the song was about his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez. Here, and throughout the EP, The Weeknd’s transparent lyrics portray heartbreak and sorrow due to a lost romance. However, some songs such as “Try Me,” although heartbreaking in content, have more aggressive undertones while still maintaining that same feeling of emptiness. The EP itself has a variety of intricate sounds. Whether they be slow and mournful or steady and meaningful, each song sheds light on a different angle of a breakup with the help of purposeful lyrics and passionate vocals. Although each song sounds different, they seem to fit together like puzzle pieces, allowing the audience to create the image of a broken man and what he’s going through. The story that’s being told is also relatable because of the different viewpoints exhibited in each of the songs. In the fifth track, “Hurt You,” the focus is centralized around the purpose of a rebound, while the sixth, “Privilege,” is about being able to move on and say goodbye Overall, “My Dear Melancholy,” is an emotional rollercoaster both for listeners and the artist. It’s solemn lyrics accompanied by engaging beats tell an overwhelming, yet relatable story that much of the audience has experienced for themselves."
"My Dear Melancholy," 2018; Available to download for $5.99 By Amelia Nowicki
“When two seniors are experts in arguing all the time, opposites can really attract, and in the movie “Candy Jar” that is depicted quite clearly. With winning IMDB.COM constantly on their minds, two enemies from the start have been on the debate team, competing against each other since middle school. But here comes Lona (Sami Gayle) and Bennett’s (Jacob Latimore) senior year of high school — where they have to debate on the same team. The two not only hate getting along but have two very different backgrounds. One comes from a rich family and the other from a working-class family, adding in more to be defensive about. With weeks on end, the two try to figure out how to debate together as arch enemies. Their cycle revolves around studying, staying up all night and fighting, while romance sneaks in to debate too. Spending so much time together brings them closer and closer until they realize they actually have a shot at winning state championships. Besides learning how to work with people you disagree with the most, there was another moral to the story — that even a lot of hard work can result in an important lesson, not always being what you hope for. Both Lona and Bennett portrayed hard working students in high school, trying get into their dream college — which for them was Harvard and Yale respectively. With all of their hard work, they realized that they missed out on normal high school events such as football games, parties and regular human connections. This movie is perfect for any high school student or hard worker in general. It conveys that sometimes missing out on the fun things in life or the opportunity to be able to love someone is not worth all the hard work, and that working too hard or focusing too much on winning can result in failure or an outcome you weren’t hoping for. The movie combines elements of romance with hard truths, unexpected plotlines and good laughs, making it undebatable that “Candy Jar” is a must-watch.
“Candy Jar;" 201/8; Netflix By Mariah Loper
IN-DEPTH
North Pointe – Friday, May 4, 2018 – 7
SKIN DEEP Racial profiling across the country and in the Detroit area By Sofia Ketels, Brooklyn McWhorter, Amber Braker & Savannah Burguron WED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, WEB EDITOR, SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR & INTERN
GPW PSD To help prevent racial profiling by local law enforcement, the Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety department holds an annual Cultural Diversity Training for members of the police force, according to Grosse Pointe Woods Director of Public Safety John Kosanke. “It’s looking at different cultures, understanding different cultures, knowing the intricacies,” Kosanke said. “Sometimes when things happen, it might be a cultural thing that officer doesn’t understand.” In addition to the training, Kosanke said that there are also repercussions enforced by the Department of Public Safety, ranging from a counseling letter or verbal reprimand, to more extreme discipline such as suspension. Kosanke believes that profiling can be more complex than just a matter of race, saying that in instances of profiling, people could potentially be targeted for their religion, gender or sexual orientation. However, he said the policies in pace have the goal of keeping any sort of profiling from happening in the Woods. “My officers go out every day with the intent of protecting the public,” Kosanke said. “That’s what we’re there for. We’re here to make sure that you live in a safe environment, you go to school in a safe environment.”
AMBER BRAKER
Jaylin Ford By the time senior Jaylin Ford was a fifth grader at Monteith, he was well aware of the stereotypes that had grown to surround him based purely on the color of his skin. What he wasn’t prepared for, however, was receiving a hateful drawing from a student his own age. “There was this kid that drew a picture basically saying he was going to kill me and stuff like that,” Ford said. “He went to the principal and basically turned it around on me.” Ford ended up no longer attending Monteith after this incident, and while he thinks it could have been handled better by the school officials
Student spotlight
there, he grew to become friends with the same student who drew the picture. As a whole, Ford believes that racial profiling is defined by accusing another person based solely on their skin tone, and that the biggest wrongful stereotype he sees in his own life is people assuming that African American kids are “ghetto.” “I feel like like African American people are just as smart and important as any race, so to speak,” Ford said. “We just talk a certain way or act different in different environments but that doesn’t make us ghetto.”
Isis Washington
Sophomore Isis Washington believes that she was almost blissfully unaware of the racial profiling happening both around the country and even at home in Grosse Pointe, until her mother experienced it first hand. Around two weeks ago, Washington’s mother had just dropped her off at her lacrosse game at South when she was pulled over on Kercheval. Two white women had called the police on Washington’s mother, falsely accusing her of driving erratically. Washington found out about the incident when she was later picked up from the game,
and said that while her immediate reaction was anger, she also took something away from the experience her mother had. “It kind of opened my eyes to things. We see stories like this in the news all the time, but for that to happen to my mom, in Grosse Pointe, like a place that I would call home,” Washington said. “It made me look at my community differently, and the people who live in my community differently and made me kind of realize that we have not progressed as much as I would have hoped.”
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SPORTS
8 – Friday, May 4, 2018 – North Pointe
SARAH SHANLEY
Tips to keep it safe in the gym STAFF REPORTER
There are many health benefits to exercising or playing sports, but working out recklessly can turn dangerous. Injuries can occur in an instant and can worsen over time. Sophomore Nate Jenny was in his first week of wrestling when his teammate accidentally dislocated his kneecap due to incorrect form. “My teammate grabbed my kneecap instead of (the area) above the knee and literally ripped it right out,” Jenny said. “I wasn’t able to practice after that, and I had to have surgery at the very beginning of December last year.” According to weight and strength training teacher Joe Drouin, injuries resulting
from incorrect form aren’t uncommon. Drouin said common mistakes while exercising are not warming up properly and exercising with improper technique. He suggests to talk to trainers beforehand so they can give advice and a time frame for healing post-workout. According to the Detroit Free Press, Lauren Rao, an athletic trainer that works with the Henry Ford Health System, said using correct form not only keeps one safe but it insures positive results. Rao found that many injuries come from overtraining, jumping into activities without resting or repeating the same the workout numerous times. Sophomore David Leone realized repetitive workouts weren’t the way to go when he dislocated his elbow while pole
vaulting over the summer. It repetitive workouts. Before the took eight months to heal and incident, he was pole vaulting ever yd ay. three months Now, Leone of physical wants to take therapy before he t wo -to -t h re e made a complete days between recovery and practices could return to focus on to his athletic routines. technique and group work. “When I According went up to plant to the study at the pole in the Henry Ford, box, instead repetitive of bending workouts like forward, it bent Leone’s can to the left and it lead to burnout threw me over and injury. the bar,” Leone They suggest to said. “I tried David Leone include a variety to stop myself SOPHOMORE of workouts and it popped that focus on out of place.” He said his dislocated elbow the cardiovascular system as was a result of over-training and well, as they will have positive
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W hen I went up to plant the pole in the box , instead of bending for ward, it bent to the lef t and it threw me over the bar.
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By Sarah Shanley
QUICK HITS JV girls lacrosse with Anna Thompson
For the JV girls lacrosse team, this season’s start hasn’t been ideal, with four games played and no wins thus far. Nonetheless, freshman Anna Thompson isn’t worried about the remainder of the season. She feels the season is going great and that the improvement made during practice is apparent. Because of recent game results, Thompson is concerned about how it affects the morale of the team. “The struggle for me and my team has just been us going
into games in bad spirits,” Thompson said. “It makes us lose because if you think you are going to lose, you will.” Despite Thompson’s feeling that there is a lack of high spirits on the team, she is confident in their skill set. “We definitely have a good team this year,” Thompson said. “It’s a mixture of new players and more experienced players. Everyone is always there to help others do better.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
Updates on three sports with three players
Girls JV tennis Home match against South High School on Wednesday, May 2 at 4:00 p.m.
STAFF REPORTER
competition. Because it’s still early in the season, there is a lot training needed to properly prepare the underclassmen. In spite of all this, Ozormoor is hopeful that both experienced and inexperienced team members will challenge themselves. “I’m hoping that some of the upperclassmen ca n beat thei r personal bests, a nd for the new r unners, to ma ke some records on thei r own,” he sa id.
Varsity track Saline Golden Triangle Meet on Friday, May 4 at 1:00 p.m. at Saline High School
believe that they don’t deserve their injury, and are entitled to begin regular workouts without skipping a beat after injury. Holiday found that that is an unrealistic expectation and one won’t go back to where they were before the injury if they continue to workout through it. According to Holiday, ego makes one feel the need to be better than everyone else. This leads people to further exacerbate their injuries in the want to grow stronger and superior to others. To be the best people believe they need to train harder, but Rao Suggests that taking a break — especially after injury — is important to stay safe in the gym. Refer to the infographic above to see Ford’s method to stay safe while working out.
By Cairington Stahl
Boys track with Zach Ozormoor
While this year’s track and field team will have familiar faces, it is also gaining a substantial number of newcomers. Junior Zach Ozormoor, captain of the varsity hurdlers, is aware of adjustments needed in regards to helping new members find their stride and figure out how to work with the rest of the team. Since there are a lot of senior runners on the team, he is trying to help train mainly the freshman runners so that they are ready for
benefits later in life. Those benefits include bettering your flexibility and being able to retain an active lifestyle later in life. Along with warming up before training, athletes should know when they need to relax. According to Drouin, it is important to know when to take a break to avoid overworking your muscles and burning out. “One of the problems with weight and strength training (is that) it becomes an ego thing,” Drouin said. “People rush back too quickly from where they were before the injury and they need to give it time to heal.” Ryan Holiday’s novel, “Ego is the Enemy,” suggests that ego causes self-entitlement and, in the case of weight training, the yearning for instant results. According to his book, people
JV baseball with Andy Miller
Even though spring sports started in the beginning of March, the JV boys baseball team has only just started competing. There have been two scrimmages and one game so far, putting the team’s standing at 0-1. Sophomore Andy Miller said the season hasn’t been going well so far. “We just haven’t been winning our games,” Miller said. “We keep letting runs in towards the end of the games, and it brings us down because we know we can win these games.”
Girls JV lacrosse Away game on Monday, May 7 at 6:00 p.m. at Regina High School
Miller attributes part of the problem to base running, which he believes was the cause of losing the game against South. Like the rest of the team, he has been practicing every day since the team met in March in hopes of improving and bettering themselves for upcoming games. “We all have that energy of a great team. Everyone is always wanting to play better,” Miller said. “We always ask each other what happened and what we could do to fix it if we make a mistake on the field.”
Boys varsity golf Match against Henry Ford II High School at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9 at Lochmoor Club