North Pointe Vol. 49, Issue 1 - Sept. 28, 2016

ON CAMPUS PAGE 4 Left: The varsity football team took home a win against South on Friday, Sept. 23.

DAJAI CHATMAN

NORTH

DAJAI CHATMAN

GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

POINTE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28, 2016

SI NC E 1968

School Board chooses new lunch provider, replacing Sodexo

By Michal Ruprecht & Montana Paton ASSISTANT EDITORS

If you haven’t been to the lunchroom, take note. Things aren’t the same.

Last May and June, the School Board hosted a bid for a new lunch provider. Christian Fenton, Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations, said the district was unsatisfied by Sodexo’s services and quality of food.

The Board received three bids and chose Chartwells School Dining Services to serve as the new district food service provider. Both parties agreed to a three-year contract with a yearly renewal for the remaining two years.

Although Chartwells costs the most on a per-meal basis and had the lowest bid, its service is more attractive because of its initiative to increase the number of students that purchase lunch at school and modernize the kitchen equipment in district schools.

“They definitely improved (the school lunch), and that’s made me want to buy lunch more,” junior Abby Kanakary said. “It’s nice to know that when you go to school, you’re not getting a bad meal and that you’re still getting a quality meal.”

Fenton believes that Chartwells brings better food, a larger variety of choices and overall better service.

“I think they’re trying to look at our program—our program is a challenge—but they’re trying to offer options that kids will like,” he said. “They want to have more kids eating and selecting their options, and they’re offering different ideas that kids can look at.”

Along with the new provider came price changes. Fenton said that new developments in the variety and quality of foods resulted in a price increase ranging from $.25 to $.35. The district decided to set the breakfast at $1.75 and lunch at $3.

Despite the price adjustments, Kanakary thinks quality is more important than cost. She believes this change will symbiotically increase participation and further enhance

the service.

“I don’t really think (the price changes will) affect me wanting to (buy lunch). I don’t think it’s that big of a change because I think that the better the quality of the food, the I’m more willing to pay for it,” Kanakary said. “I think more people are going to want to buy school lunch.”

Senior Olivia Allen buys lunch from the cafeteria regularly, and though she notices shortages of food and long lines (which she thinks could be solved by reopening the cave), she sees improvements in the taste and food quality.

“I like the quality of the food better. I think it tastes better, but ... there’s not that much food there.” Allen said. “A lot of the food gets taken quickly, so if you get in there five minutes late, you’re not gonna get anything other than pizza basically, so that sucks.”

Chartwells plans on remedying the situation by reopening the cave with the help of new executive chef Travis Widak and a health nutritionist. In addition, the company is working on refining the kitchens, improving menu items and getting student feedback.

“The key to improving lunch is listening to our students, using fresh ingredients and scratch cooking,” Widak said via email. “We are currently developing a menu for (the cave) and hope to have it open soon.”

Kanakary thinks the addition of the cave will reduce traffic in the cafeteria and provide an alternative for students that prefer snacks.

“I think it would be really nice because it one, keeps the cafeteria less crowded and keeps the actual lunchroom and the lines a lot smaller,” Kanakary said. “And two, it’s a nice option for people who don’t want to just go and buy a full meal.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ALL PHOTOS BY HANNAH SPINDLER

Faculty creates new school culture for positive environment

By Anna Post & Katie Thomas EDITOR & INTERN

THIS IS WHAT WE DO HERE

When teachers passed out the mysterious green and gold chart on the first day of classes, students wondered exactly what was going on. This was no ordinary ice-breaker.

This tiered set of boxes is the learning matrix, created to encourage a new environment around the school. This new culture includes seven sections that cover class regulations, behavior and expectations for both inside and outside the classroom.

Over the summer, the faculty met to discuss what they wanted to see from both themselves as educators and their students as learners. From this, they narrowed their ideas to four points that would become the matrix.

Through their four main ideas, which are to engage, challenge, connect and inspire, the matrix seek to create an encouraging environment for students.

English teacher Kristen Alles is one of the staff members who helped define this set of values.

“Research is there that if you have a positive culture, and you have a positive relationship with your students, they will also achieve,” Alles said. “You can really focus on the academics, but if you also don’t have a culture, a positive culture, then it just doesn’t follow through.”

The matrix was not created by teachers as a way to reprimand students, instead they intend it as a way to spread positivity.

“We want to make sure that students know that this was not created to punish kids whatsoever,” Alles said. “It was

IDEAS - PAGE 9

really (created) to define and recognize our values as a school and really the things that make our school great, and just make that explicit to the students and to really focus on positivity.”

Junior Jenna Miller believes the matrix will help everyone and reinforce expectations.

“I think the new sets of rules are beneficial because the first week of school, we read through them all and a r e still being reminded of the universal expect a t i o n s ,” Miller said.

“The sheets will improve behavior because it is di-

rect a n d well organized.

M a n y t e a ch e r s had us keep them in binders to be a consta nt reminder.”

After recent years of focus on building educational culture, the academic needs of students were met with the likes of standardized testing and stressing punctuality. This is all important for the learning environment.

Math teacher Eric Vanston believes the matrix is more of a uniting factor than a new set of expectations.

“My thought is that it’s not really a new set of rules. There’s not groundbreaking new ideas, but it’s a more consistent set,”

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

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PAGE 8 REVIEWS

“Ease back into the year and know your limits.”

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Calendar... 2 News.......... 3

Vanston said. “In the past, I believe that we’ve had rules, but … some were different than the first floor and the second floor and maybe from one teacher to the next teacher.”

However, the staff found that a healthy social culture is just as critical as an educational one. By creating the matrix, teachers emphasized the need not only to educate, but also to build relationships.

“We know that when we have that positive culture and culture of achievement, then students will achieve,” Alles said.

“We felt like we just wanted to balance that out since we’ve really been honing in on the academics.”

For social studies teacher Dan Gilleran, accountability and understanding between students and staff is the key to success for creating the new culture.

“I think the idea that every student knows what is expected is so important because you can’t hold people accountable if they don’t know what the expectations are,” Gilleran said. “We spent a lot of time working with the staff and the administration to come up with very specific behaviors that I think are important.”

However, this new set of rules goes beyond the sheet ofpaper students received on the first day of classes. In the future, the staff plans to implement their ideas in a way that will affect students more. They plan to encourage students to remember these new values through classroom activities and reward systems.

“I think we’re kind of working on some systematic ways to implement positive behavior rewards,” Alles said. “Again, it needs to be systematic, so that requires a lot of work, so I don’t know when that would happen, but I think that that’s something that we might see down the line.”

As with most new plans, it will take time to see full results. However, the faculty is confident in the large effect the new culture will haveon the school.

“It’s the same thing with anything you teach. There’s gonna be a learning curve, and it’s going to take time,” Alles said. “ But that’s sort of the fun thing about it, I think, is that you can watch people grow, and you can see change actually happening in front of you.”

On Campus... 4 Life.................... 5-6

iOS 10 dropped Sept. 13. To decied if it is download worthy head to page 8.

On Pointe... 7 Reviews.... 8

NEWS - PAGE 2

“Stackpoole sees this as an

opportunity for students and teachers to gain an upper hand.”

Editorial... 9 In-Depth....10

Sports...11-12

2 – Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – North Pointe

NEWS

New lunch provider CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

While Chartwells is planning on creating a new menu for the cave, they also altered the lunch menu. From mac-and-cheese to fresh salads, the company thinks adding a variety of foods that operate on a four-week cycle will increase participation in the program.

Chartwells offers a free menu app called Nutrislice and a website for more information.

Students can access the website at www.goo.gl/SFCosg. Both the website and the app allow customers to view the nutrition facts of each menu item.

Within that new menu, the company aims to maximize scratch cooking in order to utilize the staff’s skills and provide students with a quality product.

Chartwells staff wants to create surveys to get additional feedback from students about the problems they may still notice. Widak hopes his experience and expertise will aid in the improvement of the program so students can continue to learn and grow.

“We focus our menus on items that are not only great tasting, but great for students as they continue to grow and learn,” Widak said. “Chartwells hopes to benefit North by using our vast amount of resources and knowledge of this industry to help grow the school’s program and provide students with great tasting foods.”

HANNAH SPINDLER

HANNAH SPINDLER

HANNAH SPINDLER

CTE grants help students prepare for future career paths EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EDITOR & INTERN

Since enrolling in TV Production her freshman year, junior Victoria Alvarez has rethought her career goals.

“I’ve actually thought about being a news broadcaster.

That’s one thing,” Alvarez said. “But I’ve also thought of being a marine biologist.”

Now, with the help of state grants from the Association for Career and Technical Education, Alvarez has the opportunity to learn skills that will help her prepare for a future in either career path as a part of her curriculum.

TV Production as well as Culinary Arts, Business and Computer Graphics are all currently CTE certified. Most were certified between last year and the beginning of this year, with TV Production being the most recent to earn its certification.

The application process to become CTE certified is not short. TV Production teacher Brian Stackpoole was one of the teachers who spearheaded the effort to bring CTE to North several years ago.

“I personally went to several different conferences to learn more about CTE and how to start a program,” Stackpoole said via email. “We also created a PLC (professional learning committee) during late-start Mondays to further our knowledge of CTE a couple of years ago.”

While the CTE curriculum differs among classes, it has a similar objective: to provide relevant and cutting-edge education for students who want to enter high-skill, high-wage and high-demand careers, according to Stackpoole.

To do this, CTE teachers are tasked with providing their students with real-world situations that emulate ones they will find on the job. This requires them to take the learning out of the classroom and into realistic work-based scenarios.

For Life Skills teacher Stacy Kryzminski, this meant helping her students get the training they need to be able to accept jobs in the food industry right out of high school.

“The fourth hour Commercial Foods class came out with Servsafe—their food handling certificates,” Kryzminski

said. “They are set to go into an industry with it already, and it’s good for two years.”

Culinary Arts teacher Julie Cutler is taking a broader approach to fulfill her CTE requirements.

“We’re planning on looking at different career aspects,” Cutler said. “It could be anything from catering to running a small restaurant. Even like the accounti n g

“

Students need to have an oppurtunity to have a work-based learning activity that is Outside the classroom.

BRIAN STACKPOOLE TV PRODUCTION TEACHER

“

By Lindsey Ramsdell, Alex Harring & Syeda Rizvi

side of it— aging side of the manit. So, they’re getting glimpses of different avenues they could take in the culinary industry.”

In return for providing students with this career-based education, CTE-certified classes receive state grants per student enrolled in the class. The state funding goes towards buying new equipment for the programs and their overall improvement.

But, to be eligible for the grants, the classes must fulfill certain requirements.

“You must set up an advisory board of professionals in the field that help guide the instructor on different areas like work-based learning, equipment purchases and skills that employers are looking for,” Stackpoole said. “Also, there is additional funding for the programs that must focus on program improvement.”

Each CTE class must be a multi-level program that students will complete throughout their high school careers.

For example, students in TV Production must first take TV I and can take up to TV VI. After completing the program, students will take an assessment to evaluate their progress. After graduation, they might also be surveyed to see how effective the CTE classes have been in preparing them for their careers.

Stackpoole sees this as an opportunity for students and teachers to gain an upper hand in their chosen vocational careers without disrupting the day-to-day class activities.

“The classes will continue as normal, but some things will change,” Stackpoole said. “Some students have to be assessed when they complete the program. Students need to have an opportunity to have a work-based learning activity that is outside of the classroom ... so far the adjustments have been incredibly beneficial to the students.”

Although she still has the year ahead of her before graduation, Alvarez has already acquired skills that will be of value to her in the future, regardless of which career path she takes. “(I’ve learned) people skills because you have to interact with a lot of people,” Alvarez said. “Also, just being in front of a camera, it makes you less afraid. Like you do it one time, and you’re really nervous, and then you do it again, and you’re not as scared. It gives you confidence.”

Stage renovation alters play schedule, Parcells students involved

By Wilson Moin EDITOR

In the past, by this point in the year, senior Grace Guthrie and her castmates had already wrapped up the fall play. But this year, they are only a couple weeks into their preparation for their production of Peter Pan. “We couldn’t have the fall play rehearse over the summer like we normally do, so we pushed it back into the fall,” Guthrie said. “That caused it to overlap with the Parcells musical, and the Parcells musical could no longer be done. So Parcells no longer has a musical, and our fall play is really late thanks to the stage renovations.”

Over the summer, the district hired a contractor to replace the stage floor in the Performing Arts Center. According to district technical director Art Pasha, the floor had not been replaced since it was originally laid down during the stage’s construction in 1967. After almost 50 years of use, Pasha said the floor and its support beams had started to rot, prompting the renovation.

Because the stage’s renovation forced North’s production of Peter Pan back to November, Parcells had to cancel its own school musical. This led to play director Sean Kifer allowing Parcells students to come audition for Peter Pan. “They were perfect for roles like the lost boys and mermaids because they were younger,” Guthrie said. “I think it will provide a good opportunity for them to get to go on the

North stage before they come here, but it also takes away their opportunity to be a lead in a musical because they have to compete against much older students for roles.”

Despite facing more competition than usual, plenty of Parcells kids showed up for auditions at the beginning of the year. In a cast of just over 50, there are 17 middle schoolers.

“I’ve found that the students really work well together. The North students really take the Parcells students under their wing and mentor them in a lot of ways,” Kifer said via email.

“The middle school students bring the childlike energy and excitement that this show needs. So they are a good team.”

However, the delay and addition of Parcells students to the cast aren’t the only changes to accompany the play this year.

Past shows’ low turnout rates, like for Pinocchio, Shakespeare and Almost Maine, allowed audiences to watch from risers placed on the stage. Guthrie said this proximity brought a more personal feel to these shows and allowed actors to interact with their audience members. But for Peter Pan, spectators will be back in more traditional seating.

“This is a massive show in terms of technical elements and cast. We have over 50 students in the cast, so we really need the entire stage to fit all the elements,” Kifer said. “The shows in the past have been a little more intimate, so we will lose a little of that this year, but we will be replacing it with spectacle, which is very exciting.”

In addition to using the whole stage for the first time in several years, Kifer hired two professional theater companies

to aid students and keep them safe. One of the companies, Vertigo, was hired to help students fly across the stage. The other company, Ring of Steel, is in charge of choreographing the production’s battle scenes. The stage action troupe operates out of the University of Michigan and recently worked on Captain America: Civil War. Although Kifer has hired professionals to work with students before, they specialized in other areas of theater. He did note, though, that some of the students have worked with Ring of Steel during the drama club’s annual trip to the Michigan Thespian Festival.

But perhaps the change with the most effect on students was the play’s postponement. As opposed to having a whole summer to rehearse, the actors will have had only six weeks.

“We have the shortest amount of time to put on a production that we have ever had, and it’s the biggest production that we have ever had that’s a play,” Guthrie said. “I’m not saying that the new stage is bad, it’s great, but it did cut into both North and South productions.”

Despite the shorter schedule, sophomore Katie LoPorto is confident about how the play will turn out.

“I feel like we have a good group of actors,” LoPorto said.

“We’ll be able to do it.”

NEWS

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – 3

Homecoming dress code strictly enforced this year With homecoming right around the corner, guys and girls alike are scrambling to find the perfect outfit. This year, however, an old set of dress code rules is being newly presented. While there have been no changes or revisions to the code, it will be more strictly enforced this year.

“I think they’re being more strict about it because the girls, they have been making a lot more inappropriate decisions on what they’re wearing,” senior Shannon Smith said.

For girls, the rules include no plunging necklines, no bare backs or sides that expose below the waist, no midriffs showing and skirts should be no more than four inches above the knee.

Boys must wear either a sport or suit coat and a tie. According to activities director Peggy Bonbrisco, there will be some extra ties at the door for boys that need them. But, in previous years supplies have run out, so boys should come prepared.

Students’ reactions to the newly reinforced dress code vary. Some believe the dress code criteria puts a limit on how a student can express his or her personality. Smith believes that the dress code could benefit from a little more leniency, especially for the girls.

However, others see the dress code as necessary for keeping a classy atmosphere and not too demanding.

“Well, it’s not unreasonable,” junior McKenzie Obermok said. “If you’re wearing a two-piece dress, and your whole midriff is showing ... I don’t want to see that.”

Those who don’t come with outfits complying with the dress code will either be asked to wear a scarf or a Grosse Pointe North t-shirt over their clothing.

Bonbrisco does not feel the reinforcement of the dress code is too drastic a change since it coincides with the school’s daily dress one.

“I think for most students, your typical student at North, that these are easy rules to abide by because they’re always dressing like this anyway,” Bonbrisco said.

SCREENAGERS Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 7-8 p.m. in the Family Center

HOMECOMING PARADE Friday, Sept. 30 at Monteith at 5:30 p.m.

HOMECOMING GAME Friday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. on the turf

SAT TESTING WWW.PUBLICDOMAINFILES.COM & CAITLIN BUSH

By Sophia Ketels

School Board elections to take place in November This November brings not only presidential elections, but School Board ones as well. On Nov. 8, four of the seven trustee seats will be up for reelection. The remaining three seats will be up for reelection in 2018.

Current School Board president Judy Gafa is running for a third term.

Her favorite part of being on the board is seeing what the students in the district have accomplished.

“Being at the graduations is really a lot of fun,” Gafa said. “Whether it’s solar car or the robotics club or last year, we had a little kid who could play the ukulele. It was super cute,” Gafa said. “Any time any kids or students come in front of the board with their accomplishments and their clubs, I really love that part of it.”

Those who run for election are all volunteers who live in the Grosse Pointe school district. Each seat on the School Board has a four-year term. The four seats up for election this year have nine candidates running for them.

Gafa’s son, Shane, is a junior at North and has had the privilege of being able to observe up-close the work of his mother and the other school board members.

“They do a lot to help out the schools,” Shane said. “They only want to help out the students and teachers and help us get a quality education so we can go forward with our dreams and aspirations.”

Both Judy Gafa and trustee Margaret Weertz, who is in her second year of a four-year term, believe that students who are 18 should make the effort to vote for the School Board elections. This election gives them the opportunity to have a say in community decisions that will directly influence their lives.

“Perhaps the most important issue on the Nov. 8 ballot is the election of school board trustees. This is what affects the vision of our district and where we’re going, how well we improve and how competitive we are as a district,” Weertz said. “The School Board’s vision affects the resources students have in their classrooms and the resources the staff has to teach them. Ultimately, it affects the quality of our community.”

By Katelynn Mulder

IMPORTANT DATES for SENIORS November 2

Senior portrait due to Mrs. Adwers for yearbook and Class of 2017 composite IMPORTANT DATES for SENIORS November 2

Senior portrait due to Mrs. Adwers for yearbook and Class of 2017 composite Need advice or studio information?

See Mrs. Adwers in B-302 or email gpnyearbook@gmail.com

October 21

Earlybird deadline for Diapers to Diplomas senior ads (Get yours in by this date to save money.)

November 21

Regular deadline for Diapers to Diplomas senior ads

November 30

Last day to order a book before prices go up Extended payment and deposit option available ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE: goo.gl/4mGv9e

Need advice or studio information?

See Mrs. Adwers in B-302 or email gpnyearbook@gmail.com

October 21

Earlybird deadline for Diapers to Diplomas senior ads (Get yours in by this date to save money.)

November 21

Regular deadline for Diapers to Diplomas senior ads

November 30

Last day to order a book before prices go up Extended payment and deposit option available ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE: goo.gl/4mGv9e

CALENDAR

Junior forms Peace Club Conflict in any form is commonplace in human history.

Junior Ruth McCuen is raising awareness for another method of solving fights.

This year, McCuen began Peace Club with the goal of creating a peaceful atmosphere and cease any physical violence at school.

“I wanted to help create an environment at North where I could help people get over their problems and (where) people won’t get hurt as much through fights,” McCuen said. “People can talk through their feelings instead of just ignoring a person or not being friends with them anymore.”

She came up with the idea in the beginning of August.

After talking with her family, McCuen researched nonviolent conflict resolution, where people hash out their problems without fighting.

As she researched ways to implement a peace club, her sister, Megan McCuen came across www.buildingpeace.org, a website that provides workshops and in-class activities for schools, teachers and clubs to implement. The aim of these workshops is to make sure students have peace-building tools and can properly apply them.

“Whoever will join the club will learn these skills, and hopefully they will pass them on to people they know,” Ruth McCuen said.

The process of creating a club starts with speaking to Assistant Principal Tom Beach and completing the necessary forms regarding details, such as who the adviser will be.

Beach then forwards the forms to the director of secondary curriculum, Maureen Burr, who approves the club.

Counselor Brian White agreed to enlist as the club’s faculty adviser. The role of a club adviser can range anywhere from being extremely involved to generally assisting members.

“I am looking forward to the morning meetings and a few minutes of meditation in the morning, kinda start my day on a nice note. It appealed to me immediately,” White said. “As a matter of fact, I forwarded it to all the counselors, and they thought it was pretty awesome.”

Ruth plans to hold the first meeting this week. Students will be able to discuss and learn how to solve problems peacefully in an effort to create a more harmonious community.

By Tarun Sanikommu & Ritika Sanikommu Art by Alex Harring

Saturday, Oct. 1, at 8 a.m. at North

HOMECOMING DANCE Saturday, Oct. 1, from 7-10 p.m. in the gym

SYCAMORE LEARNING/ ACT PREP

Monday, Oct. 3, Tuesday Oct. 4 and Thursday Oct. 6 from 3:156:30 p.m. in B-312

BAND & ORCHESTRA BOOSTERS

Monday, Oct. 4 from 7-8 p.m.

A MINDFUL APPROACH TO PARENTING

Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 7-8 p.m

CURRICULUM FORUM

Monday, Oct. 10 from 4-5:30 p.m.

NAVIGATING GRACE

Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 6-9 p.m at the Family Center

FAFSA WORKSHOP

Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 7-9 p.m. in B-116

PARENT CLUB MEETING Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 7-11 p.m. in the Student Union

ON CAMPUS

4 – North Pointe –Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

Annual North vs. South game ends with Norseman win

By Mora Downs & Dajai Chatman

FACES IN THE CROWD Darby Pickford For freshman Darby Pickford, the adjustment from middle to high school wasn’t the only challenge she was forced to overcome. Because of her father’s Detroit-based career, Pickford and her family had to leave their home in Chatham, Ontario to be closer to the city.

“My dad’s been driving back and forth to Detroit for 13 years,” Pickford said. “So we finally just got our green cards after like seven years.”

Homesickness won’t be an issue for a while, as Pickford and her family still return to Chatham on weekends as they attempt to sell their old home.

Arriving the day before school began, Pickford had to adapt to the new environment quickly. Fortunately, she believes that Chatham and Grosse Pointe have many similarities, and the latter has already begun to feel like home.

“I’m feeling really welcomed,” Pickford said. “and it feels like I’ve known these people for really long. It's really good.”

Top: Students support their varsity team by cheering and wearing camo print attire.

Lolly Duus This summer, senior Lolly Duus and her family traveled overseas for the first time to visit the country that they hail from and reconnect with their roots. Duus flew into Norway, where she was able to unearth new experiences as a foreigner.

“We have a lot of family there. My grandma is from Norway, and my dad grew up going there,” Duus said. “We got to meet all of my aunts and uncles and cousins, which was really cool, and I had cousins there who were actually teenagers my age, so I got to hang out with them and see how I have similarities to my relatives who live in a totally different country.”

Duus and her family went to many of the major cities in Norway, such as Oslo, Bergen, and her grandma’s hometown of Hauge i Dalane. She was also able to meet some of her family from Norway.

“It was life changing. I had never been out of the country until then,” Duus said. “It was definitely a different experience for me.”

Emma Galeota Above right: Katie Snow runs across the field with pride holding the North flag.

Above left: Senior running back Jared Jordan carries the ball down the field. “(Winning was) probably the best moment of my life. It’s all we wanted. It was one of our goals during the season. Honestly, I wanted it for the rest of the seniors as bad as I wanted it (for myself). I’m just happy we came away with the win,” Jordan said.

Bottom right: Trent Lacroix kneels down out of respect for an injured player on the field. “We just had to win. We haven’t beat south before” Senior Trent Lacroix said. “It felt really good, like I said it was my first time beating them so it was a good feeling.”

By Katie Thomas, Lyndsay Kludge & Jacqueline Squillace

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Activities director Peggy Bonbrisco

By Amber Braker & Tarun Sanikommu INTERNS

PEGGY BONBRISCO

Peggy Bonbrisco has been really close to her family, and especially her mom, since the begining. “I think my hero would be my mom.

My mom raised us to be really caring, selfless people that looked after other people,” Bonbrisco said. “My mom was always going above and beyond to make sure people were fed and people had a place to live. I know she took in a few of our relatives at different times when they needed help... so, I think my mom’s motto was love one another and that’s kind of mine also.”

Many people dream about spending their free time out in the fresh air on Lake St. Clair. For sophomore Emma Galeota, that dream is a reality.

Galeota has been sailing with her family for six years, and it has become more central to her life as she’s gotten older.

“My family has always been really into boats and nautical things like that,” Galeota said.

Some of Galeota’s most cherished moments stem from sailing.

“One of my favorite memories was probably sailing to the freighter channel with my friends,” Galeota said.

Although sailing has been a big part of Galeota’s life, she doesn’t see herself continuing with it in the future. However, she does plan to carry on the hobby for generations to come.

“I think this is my last year sailing, but if I start a family, I’m definitely going to want to get my kids into sailing.”

From taking frequent trips to Pine Island, Florida to take care of her grandchildren, activities director Peggy Bonbrisco loves spending time with her family.

She is especially close to her three daughters and their families.

“Sometimes we get mad at each other but we always make up really fast,” Bonbrisco said.

Her favorite thing to do is have her entire family over for a big meal.

“Sometimes we’ll divide up the meal and everybody will bring something,” Bonbrisco said. “It usually involves having fun and eating.”

Bonbrisco also enjoys traveling to Pine Island with her family. Usually, they spend two to three weeks there with their daughters’ families.

When she retires, she plans to spend half

of the year in Florida, and the other half in Grosse Pointe, where she grew up.

“We have a little cottage down there and we seem to gather there at Christmas, February break and Easter.” Bonbrisco said.

Her family has lived here for generations and her grandchildren will be the fourth generation to attend North. Bonbrisco’s appreciation for a close family relationship began with the time spent with her mother. She hopes to continue this with her own daughters and their children.

Another thing Bonbrisco learned from her mother is to help others, which she hopes to bring to her new job as activities director. Her goal is to help as many students as she can and one way she plans to do this is through managing the Student Union.

“I want to have the Union be a fun, safe place where students can come and know when they get here that they’re gonna be OK here,” Bonbrisco said. “I just want the Union to be a place where all Norsemen can gather.”

What is your motto?

Keep it simple. Keep things simple.

Don’t get into all the drama. Try to find simple ways to do things that makes it better for everyone.

What is your favorite movie?

I think one of my favorite movies is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I think that’s the name of it. We actually watched that the other day and it’s just a fun movie about high schoolers, so I enjoyed it.

What is a talent that you would most like to have?

I’d like to do more sewing. My mom was a seamstress and I know my way around a sewing machine, but I would like to actually get into making, actually making clothes again. Or crafting.

I love to craft.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite dinner, if I were gonna go out and have an awesome dinner, whatever I wanted, I’d have lobster tail.

LIFE

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 28 – 5

North welcomes German exchange students

By Erin Kaled EDITOR

Straying away from their families, home and comfort zone, juniors Isabelle Klawitter, Jamal Langbrock and sophomore Alina Einfedlt decided to embark on study abroad trips. Coming from different cities in the northern Germany, the students arrived three weeks ago and will stay in the United States for 10 months.

“It was hard for me to understand the American spirit in Hollywood movies,” Klawitter said. “There was a lot of patriotism, so I decided to go to the U.S.” Einfeldt traveled from Hamburg, Germany and admires the free spirit and openness of the American people. She also appreciates how passionate the American people are about new opportunities.

In order to adapt to the different lifestyle, Einfeldt spends most of her time outside of school exploring Michigan with her host family, Valerie and Alexis Lambert, or participating in sports.

“I have cross country, and I do a lot with my host family,” Einfeldt said. “I visit Detroit or go to festivals.”

With all the positives contributing to their trip, Klawitter and Einfeldt both agree on one drawback: American food. Klawitter questions the need for such big portions, saying she could eat twice from just a snack. She also misses traditional German food.

Einfeldt finds fault in the lack of healthy foods.

“You eat it and feel bad,” Einfeldt said. “It’s just different.”

Langbrock’s outlook on school has also changed. He prefers the American way of switching classes every hour instead of staying in the same class for the whole day. He likes

the time to meet new people and change environments.

Langbrock, also from Hamburg, Germany is fascinated by the different personalities and lifestyles of Americans.

“It’s so creative and so different,” Langbrock said. “Everyone is accepted. In Germany, everybody wants to be kind of normal.

Here it’frs normal to not be normal.

“I wanted to get close to Detroit,” Langbrock said. “It has such exciting history, and Grosse Pointe is so amazing and has a nice school.”

All three apreciate the city and culture. Einfedlt often visits downtown and attends festivals. Klawitter traveled to Chicago and spends time with her host family, the Sickmillers.

All three faced similar struggles with the English spoken in the U.S. Between not understanding teachers or certain classes, the students have overcome the language barrier and still have 10 months to further adapt.

“There are a lot of complicated words. At the beginning, it was more hard to understand the teachers because they were talking fast,” Langbrock said.

Klawitter notes she struggled with math but eventually got the concepts, especially when her teacher wrote them down.

Both Langbrock and Einfedlt participate in school sports.

With Einfedlt running cross country and Langbrock playing for the boys soccer team, they both have time to meet new people.“In Germany, everybody plays soccer. It’s our main sport,” Langbrock said. “I’ve been playing for four or five years.”

Klawitter, however, suffers from bad knees, so she prefers to hang out with friends or explore the city instead At the end of the school year, the students look for-

ward to seeing their families and friends again. They’ll only stay for one year with their host families before returning home. Before then, however, they look forward to experiencing more American culture. Klawitter would even consider attending a university in the U.S. “I wanted to go to another country and go for school,” Klawitter said. “Germany is still my home, but maybe (I’ll be back) in a few years for university.”

Langbrock and a fellow student take a selfie in the German congress building in Berlin during a trip there.

JAMAL LANGBROCK

Langbrock and his friends back in Germany posing infront of a city view.

JAMAL LANGBROCK

ALINA EINFEDLT

Einfeldt prepares for a ride with her friends.

ISABELLE KLAWITTER

Klawitter plays competitive rugby back in Germany with her friends.

Einfeldt and a friend back in Germany taking a selfie.

ALINA EINFEDLT

Thinking globally, learning locally

By Caitlin Bush & Alex Harring EDITORS

Junior Tania Anderson is busy fulfilling her foreign language credits for graduation— but not at North.

The GPPSS foreign language department offers multi-level language programs for students taking French, German, Italian, Spanish and Latin. But for Anderson and others who want to pursue a different language than those offered, they enroll in classes at college campuses and educational centers in Metro Detroit.

Anderson is currently taking Beginning Korean at University of Detroit Mercy.

“I decided to (dual) enroll because, personally, I was looking for something else to do with my schedule,” Anderson said. “(It’s) fun and a great way to interact with new people and learn different cultures. It can help me out in the future.”

Anderson has a free period every first hour because of the credit she is getting from UDM. Her college class runs from 4-6:30 p.m. every Tuesday She likes UDM because of its size and facilities, which give her a preview of college life.

“I like being in an environment with a lot more people learning the language so I can interact with them more if I need help,” Anderson said. “There is so much stuff that you have access to. You have the libraries, the gyms, the cafes, the tutors in the library ... it is a nice campus. It is small, and everything is really close.”

Sunmi Yoon, Anderson’s teacher, enjoys the participation and energy high schoolers bring to her class. She sees no difference in work ethic and abilities between her younger students and those at the collegiate level.

“The high school students are performing at just as good a level of Korean as the other students. As this is a beginning class, the students come in with little to no knowledge of Korean, and everybody is learning together,” Yoon said via email. “I would hope that the students develop a passion for learning Korean and that they will continue their studies of the Korean language and culture.”

ALYSSA MCLARTY

While dual enrollment can allow students to study languages and take other courses not available in Grosse Pointe, counselor Jill Davenport does see some drawbacks. According to Davenport, some colleges prefer applicants that pursue more rigorous classes offered at their home school—such as AP or honors courses—rather than participating in a class through dual enrollment.

Despite that possible downside, Davenport believes dual enrollment is a good option for mature students. She also noted that UDM has a program created for high school students. The program boasts smaller class sizes and offers a lower tuition than that of fulland part-time undergraduate students.

“It has a special language program, and they really gear it toward the high school kids that are making that transition,” she said. “(The professors) have a very personal relationship with the kids, so it’s a very different program there than it is at some of the other schools.”

Anderson also believes the small class size is beneficial.

“You could say that (the class is) intimate because we are all together, and we’re close, and there are six of us, there was supposed to be 10 but there’s six, and it’s almost like a little family even though we aren’t that close yet.”

She believes that learning languages will help her during study abroad programs in college.

She plans on continuing her Korean language education through UDM next year and is also thinking about learning other languages.

“I want to start Arabic, definitely Russian. I know for sure I wanted German and Russian, I wanted a couple Middle Eastern languages and then some from Asia,” she said. “I really like learning languages.”

ALYSSA MCLARTY

6 – Friday, September 28, 2016 – North Pointe

IN-DEPTH

Classroom takes on a new environment

ALL PHOTOS BY LAUREN SEXTON

The model classroom has different work spaces for students and teachers to use. “We also repurposed a lot of the things that were from North, so the interior design class helped us to reupholster some chairs that are used there. They were just broken chairs from labs,” Math teacher Catherine Vernier said. “We had some traditional desks that are still there, we have some tables and chairs that were already in the space, so it is kind of a mix of new and old, repurposed furniture.”

By Trevor Mieczkowski ASSISTANT EDITOR

White walls, uncomfortable metal chairs lined up in perfect rows and the occasional pop of color with educational posters are all commonalities of traditional classroom setting.

But teachers in the Learning Spaces Professional Learning Community wanted to spice things up. Their new model classroom sits on the first f loor and is open to teachers looking for a more f lexible approach to learning.

Media specialist Amanda Pata is part of the PLC and worked to make the model classroom a reality.

“We worked last year on studying learning spaces, as far as what makes the best learning space for high school students, and we learned a lot about student choice,” Pata said.

“We did some field trips around the state, looking at some high schools and middle schools, and we went to Steelcase (Furniture), to look at their furniture options.”

Just a quick look around the new room makes it obvious that it is unlike any other at North. With its blue and orange walls and funky furniture, it instills a sense of comfort.

Math teacher Catherine Vernier said that most of the inspiration came from the PLC’s field trips.

“We’d go and look at these schools and see all these awesome things, but they literally just built the building.

So it’s like, this is our building ... we can’t just turn these

walls into windows,” Vernier said. “Whereas a lot of new buildings, they have a lot of glass, and people write on the glass instead of whiteboards, and so you are walking in these halls and you see all this work, like math, for example, you can see written on the windows.”

Pata is trying to redesign the library to incorporate what she found at other schools into North. One of her changes was turning the windows into makeshift whiteboards by allowing students to write on them.

Many of the teachers are trying to create spaces like the model classroom in their own rooms by adding different kinds of furniture, such as couches or coffee tables.

“It’s not like this is the only space that is unique. You can go into every teacher’s room, and they have unique and f lexible spaces,” Pata said. “We wanted to have a space that anyone could try things out (in) because you don’t always have the furniture to try things out in your own classroom. But if you wanted to try things out in this model classroom—see if it is something that you or your students will like—then, maybe you’d move in that direction.”

Contributing: Billy Moin & Lauren Sexton

ABOVE AND BELOW: The picture frames, cacti and pillows are just a few examples of the subtle touches to the classroom that make it more comfortable for students.

The model classroom’s variety of usuable space. “Some of the things that you see in the room are meant to be flexible so students have ownership in how the room is set up,” Media specialist Amanda Pata said. “Teachers have flexibility in grouping and being able to do different things in the space.”

1

IDEAS Event

PEP ASSEMBLY

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – 7

ON POINTE Top 10 things we're talking about this week

By Lauren Sexton

2

PHOTOGRAPHER

Album

SIT STILL, LOOK PRETTY

VALHALLA

The homecoming pep assembly will be in the gym after second hour on Friday, Sept. 30. Performances will include the North Pep Band, dance team and choir, along with the battle of the classes in the pep assembly games. Students should show off their spirit by wearing their class shirts.

3

The latest Saturday Night Live alumi movie, Masterminds, joins the never-ending list of blockbusters. Stuck in the moMovie notony of driving an armored truck day in MASTERMINDS and day out, David (Zach Galifianakis) manages to steal a lump sum of $17 million. Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) and Owen Wilson (Marley and Me) complete the star-studded cast.

To follow up on her summer hits, Daya is releasing her newest album Sit Still, Look Pretty on Friday, Oct. 7. Aside from her already famous singles “Sit Still, Look Pretty” and “Hide Away,” additions to the album will be “Dare” and “Legendary.” The album will be available in store or on iTunes and Google Play.

ITUNES.APPLE.COM

4

Event

HOMECOMING PARADE North will hold the annual homecoming parade. Each class will create its own float and walk in the parade, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at Monteith Elementary. Students who want to join should report to the parking lot between 5 and 5:15 p.m. The winner of the spirit jug will be announced during the homecoming football game later that night.

CATIE ARCHAMBEAU

INSTAGRAM @MASTERMINDSMOVIE

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5

TWITTER @COUSINO_LAX

Event

Streaming

HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME

LUKE CAGE The latest Marvel series to stream on Netflix will follow the life of Luke Cage in his own spin-off from Jessica Jones. The upcoming series is about how a sabotage experiment turns Cage into a practically unbreakable fugitive trying to live life in Harlem. Season one will contain 13 episodes and will be available Sept. 30.

Following the annual homecoming parade, the football team will take on Cousino on the turf at 7 p.m.

The homecoming queen and king, float winners and spirit jug winners will be announced during halftime.

7

IMDB.COM

8

Movie

D E E P WAT E R HORIZON

Based on true events that occurred on April 10, 2010, director Peter Berg’s (Lone Survivor) latest thriller is Deepwater Horizon. The film stars Mark Wahlberg (Lone Survivor) in the story of one of the worst man-made disasters in recorded history. It hits theaters Friday, Sept. 30.

9

Event

Television

KANYE WEST CONCERT

KANYEWEST.COM

MY TURN GOWRI YERRAMALLI

There is something admirable about the freshman class.

Even though they are the newbies and have had less experience than most, they possess qualities that we upperclassmen lack: attentiveness and being aware of our surroundings.

There’s no question that there are significant differences between the way the freshman and upperclassmen carry themselves. Generally, we tend to associate the term “freshman” with immature and childlike behavior, and the term “upperclassmen” with sophisticated stature. But my four years in high school have proven this long-held stereotype to be wrong. For example, when I pass by a freshman in the hall, their heads are lifted from the ground and their faces ready with a genuine smile, eager to greet whomever they

Event

HOMECOMING DANCE

SUPERHERO LINEUP

Kanye West’s Saint Pablo tour will be coming to Detroit on Sept.

28 and Oct. 6. West will be performing hit like “Famous” and “Fade” at Joe Louis Arena Sept.

28 and The Palace of Auburn Hills Oct. 6.

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Passing the baton

IMDB.COM

IMDB.COM

The CW’s superhero lineup will be returning this fall with its latest addition, Supergirl, which premieres Monday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. The Flash will return to its usual time slot at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays on Oct. 4, following Arrow on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

meet. But whenever I pass by an upperclassmen, their faces are either zombie-like from sleep-deprivation or plastered to a glowing phone screen. There is no natural friendliness to be found anywhere in the way they carry themselves. Is this what we call “sophisticated and mature” behavior?

As we all journey through our four years of high school, we lose a lot of the zealous behavior and energy we once had as freshman. Our friendly, energetic mannerisms are replaced by lethargic behavior over the years. This may be due to our class involvement, homework overload, college applications and the many other things that come with the stress of high school, but mainly because of the precedent that our senior class sets for us.

As freshman, we entered high school with high standards and an eagerness to make the most of our raw start. We raised standards for ourselves and hoped to succeed like our role models, the seniors. But as we watched our role models start to slack off and develop “senioritis”, so did we. We started to believe that maybe we could also find “the easy way” out of our work in high school. Our drive to succeed slowly diminished with each year, as we watched our seniors get increasingly sloppy with their effort and work ethic.

But this year as a senior, I hope that our senior class

JACKIE BROPHY

The last event of homecoming week will be the dance held in the gym on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 7-10 p.m. Formal attire is required, and doors close at 7:30 p.m., so be there early.

can reverse this long-held “tradition” for our freshmen. We have to realize that even though this may be our last year in high school, our actions are still being closely monitored and emulated by our juniors. We are their mentors and we can inf luence their futures and their legacies as seniors.

So let us be the role models that we are supposed to be for our underclassmen. Instead of just letting go of responsibilities, let us tap back into our freshman personalities and strive to obtain the goals we have been working so hard to reach since our first year in high school. Let us find the hunger and momentum we used to have to be successful, and the friendliness and eagerness we had to expand our prospects and communication networks.

If you are currently a senior, take note of the way a freshman is presenting himself next time you pass them in the hall. Learn from their energetic and friendly nature, and set a precedent that will guide them towards a focused and driven future. Be the senior example that you always wanted to see. So tap into your freshman personalities, because even though you may consider them “immature and childish”, they can surely teach us a lot about ourselves.

REVIEWS

8 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – North Pointe

Being the weagukin

By Josie Bennett EDITOR

Psy’s “Gangnam Style” ignited a K-pop explosion in America, and the Korean craze has continued to grow.

Yet for all its increasing popularity, the small country of South Korea is still a mystery to most Westerners.

Author Frank Ahrens sheds some light on the enigmatic country from within its very borders in his book Seoul Man. It is his personal account of a major transitional phase in his life.

Seoul Man revolves around Ahrens’ move to South Korea when his wife, a foreign diplomat, is assigned there. He recounts his transition from an 18-year Washington Post veteran to a top-ranking non-Korean in public relations at Hyundai, one of the world’s largest car companies.

His topic is fairly unexplored and is highly interesting, especially for those who live near the motor city, which is dominated by companies like Ford and General Motors.

Ahrens’ accounts rely on his his vast experience as a member of the PR department and his immense knowledge relating to Hyundai’s growth to global prestige.

However, Ahrens doesn’t purely focus on just his experience with Hyundai. Readers also get a taste of what it is to be the odd-one-out or weagukin (foreigner) in a homogenous society like Korea. A situation that, for a white male, does not occur often.

Ahrens describes the other ways in which he feels out of place because of the simple day-to-day struggles that contradict that of American lifestyles. Readers can be surprised at how subtle—yet monumental—some of these culture differences can be.

What really sets this book apart from other autobiographies involving Korea is most books in the genre are typically about a North Korean’s conversion from life under the regime to the more democratic way of the South.

For Ahrens to be an American writing about navigating his transition to an unfamiliar culture in a foreign land is a captivating twist for readers acquainted with this particular genre. He’s also sure to capture new readers with his relatable style.

He has a strong, clear voice that can really resonate with his audience, and his reporting background is evident in his mastery of balancing fact telling and humor that readers can find appealing.

The book’s only real f law could be a reader’s lack of interest in this kind of topic, making it less enjoyable and more of a drudging read. So if business, internal struggle, or Korean culture aren’t topics you’re compelled by, the quality of the read may be lost.

This book is really for those who are more comfortable in a realm other than that of fiction.

Despite this minor hindrances, Seoul Man is a very interesting read for those looking for something a little different. It is a though- provoking book that leaves readers with a sense of worldly awareness they didn’t—couldn’t—have had before.

P HAR

ER C

OLL

INS

UPDATE

FOOD

MUSIC

IOS 10

SCHOOL LUNCH

COUNTDOWN

Apple’s latest software update, iOS 10, improves the user experience by upgrading old features and giving the iOS devices a simplistic look. Released Sept. 13, it’s compatible with the WWW.YOUTUBE.COM iPhone 5 and all newer models, iPad Mini 2 through iPad Pro and the iPod Touch sixth generation.

Some old features were replaced. For instance, the “slide to unlock” function was replaced by clicking the home button. This saves time but is a hard adjustment. Also, phones now turn on when lifted because of the rise to wake feature.

Classic sound effects have been modernized. One can hear the new sounds while using the Clock app, typing or locking the phone. The sounds are definitely different and take some getting used to but are an improvement overall.

The software favors recent devices, like the iPhone 6s and 7 because many new 3D touch capabilities were added in this update that are only available on those models. Almost every app now incorporates 3D touch, creating a more interactive experience.

Apps like iMessage, Clock, Maps and Music got much-needed upgrades. Clock now sports an inverted color scheme and has a new feature called bedtime for those who need to work on their sleeping habits. While using Maps, one can zoom in on a city and can see the temperature and air quality.

In the Music app, everything is bigger and easier to navigate. The control center also includes another tab dedicated to music.

Digital Touch was introduced through iMessage, allowing one to draw photos or write messages in neon ink or turn the phone landscape orientation to write out longer messages. One can also share gifs, photos and music. Emojis now appear larger and more defined, and keyboard words can be replaced with suggested emojis. iMessage needed an upgrade, and iOS 10 did not disappoint.

System apps can now be deleted and, if needed, redownloaded in the App Store. This frees up coveted space on a device and was a smart move by Apple. iOS 10 is one of Apple’s best and will hopefully continue to improve as new updates are released. It is definitely worth downloading if for a more simplistic display and fun new features.

School lunch. It’s one of those things that can turn smiles into frowns and stomachs upside down. But this year, school lunch is pretty acceptable.

From basic nachos CHARTWELLSSCHOOLS.COM and cheese to veggie pizza, fruit parfaits and fajitas, having lunch at school is now something to look forward to with the new lunch provider, Chartwells.

In the lunchroom, the lines are longer (due to the high demand of good food), and there are a lot more variety to choose from.

Last year, there was no point in expecting great-tasting food. Now, there are different pizza choices that include veggie pizza, pepperoni pizza, cheese, and meat lovers on select days.

At times, the lunches didn’t even seem worth the wait or the cash. There weren’t many options, and whenever food ran out, students were just out of luck.

When the Cave was actually open, it provided some tiny alternatives—but not enough to satisfy a student’s appetite.

Lunch is $3, which includes an entrée, choice of fruit and milk. This year, there are some other healthy alternatives besides bananas and apples.

The latest student favorite is the fruit parfaits.

These are also $3 and count as a separate lunch.

Some consist of granola and blueberries, while others include bananas or strawberries.

On select days, buffets are set up so students can make their own parfaits and choose whatever fruit, yogurt or granola they want.

While it’s nice that there are now beverage choices besides water and milk, the $1.25 price tag for a sparkly lemonade is a bit too high.

Popular among the new drinks are Bai Antioxidant Superteas, which come in Ipanema Pomegranate and Malawi Mango.

School lunch has improved a lot over last year. There’s better food, better options and better, friendlier service.

Students who usually bring their own lunches should try stopping by the lunch line. It’s provided a welcome opportunity to skip the traffic in the parking lot and headaches of going out to lunch.

Joey Alexander has been nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo, and he’s ITUNES.APPLE.COM only 13. The jazz prodigy released his second album Sept.

9, titled Countdown.

Alexander’s dad introduced him to jazz music when he was little. He started to teach himself to play the piano at age 6 by listening to renowned jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk.

All the songs on Alexander’s album are heavily inf luenced by jazz. The music requires a mature taste, one that many high school students seem to lack. The music would be a good pair for studying, or you might hear it as background music in a restaurant or at a party.

Countdown is mostly jazz music and piano solos. But, it has varying tempos and tones that will suit many different tastes. Some of the music is slower, but then there are some faster, more powerful parts. Some are played in a minor key, while other songs are major keys.

The coolest thing about this album is that the listener can hear most of instruments apart from one other. Each song blends both peaceful and powerful sections. The absence of vocals in every song will allow the listener to enjoy each instrumental part, also making it relaxing to listen to. But, the powerful parts inspire productivity as well.

Out of the 11 songs on the album, each is individual and has a unique sound. Even the lengths of the songs vary from 5-12 minutes. Also, while not all the songs sound the same, most have the general theme of mystery.

The album as a whole makes you want to get up and dance, but only motivates a number of people. If Countdown doesn’t yet sound that appealing, just go listen to Joey Alexander on YouTube.

Seoul Man Harper Collins, 2016 Available on Amazon

APP

PHOENIX 2

Phoenix 2 is a “bullet hell” shooter in the vein of classics like Galaga and Asteroids with an emphasis on precise and difficult gameplay.

The player conITUNES.APPLE.COM trols one of multiple unlockable spaceships and sets off avoiding lasers shot by enemies, stationary turrets and massive bosses with multiple attack patterns.

Again, the gameplay’s emphasis is on the difficulty.

The bullets are dense and packed together.

Patterns of enemy fire can be unpredictable depending on the enemy type. The trick to advancing is evading the bullets rather than attempting to shoot the enemies. The user’s ship has a constantly firing weapon so all mental ability can be solely focused on this task.

Precision is key. The tight clusters of projectiles mean very little room for error. This is the main source of enjoyment. It takes a considerable amount of skill to best this game’s levels.

The art style is not the most original. The levels are very colorful with high powered laser weapons and glowing orbs bursting forth from conquered enemies. However, the levels themselves are not incredibly imaginative. They serve their purpose but are nothing worth garnering any interest.

For a free game, Phoenix 2 is very liberal with the amount of access it gives to its players who are thin in the wallets. Players have the ability to unlock 40 different ships, each with its own attributes, strengths and weaknesses.

Every one of the ships can also be individually upgraded with different weapons and powerups. These ships can be unlocked either via credits bought with real money or a type of procedural draw system called a “Warp Drive.”

The music is another high point of Phoenix 2. The soundtrack consists of fast-paced, upbeat electronic tracks that exhilarate users to challenge their reflexes and go just a little bit faster though those narrow dodges.

Phoenix 2 is a game geared towards a more hardcore audience that tests a player’s observation skills and reaction time. The attractive price tag, or rather absence thereof, leaves no risk in trying out this addictive title.

iOS 10; 2016, APPLE; Available on Apple devices

Chartwells Schools Dining Services; 2016; Prices vary

Countdown; By Joey Alexander; 2016; $12.53

Phoenix 2; FRI GAMES; 2016; Available for Apple and Android

By Caitlin Bush

By Asia Simmons

By Allison Lackner

By Giuseppe Parison

North Pointe - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 - 9

EDITORIAL

The price is right “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.”

Flying too close to the sun

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Lindsey Ramsdell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mora Downs MANAGING EDITOR

Billy Moin MANAGING EDITOR

Ritika Sannikommu EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Alex Harring ASST. MANAGING EDITOR

Anna Post SPORTS EDITOR

Gowri Yerramalli BUSINESS MANGER

Abbey Cadieux IDEAS EDITOR

Sonny Mulpuri DIGITAL EDITOR

Katelynn Mulder ASSISTANT EDITOR

Caitlin Bush NEWS 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.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Lindsey Ramsdell MANAGING EDITORS: Mora Downs, Billy Moin

JOSIE BENNETT

OUR EDITORIAL

EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Ritika Sanikommu ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR: Alex Harring DESIGN EDITOR: Emma Brock BUSINESS MANAGER: Gowri Yerramalli SECTION EDITORS: Josie Bennett, Caitlin Bush, Abbey Cadieux, Anna Post DIGITAL EDITORS: Erin Kaled, Sonny Mulpuri, Sarah Wietecha ASSISTANT EDITORS: Allison Lackner, Trevor Mieczkowski, Katelynn Mulder, Montana Paton, Michal Ruprecht, Billy Steigelman, Tommy Teftsis PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katie Link, Alyssa McLarty, Lauren Sexton STAFF REPORTERS: Dajai Chatman, Darcy Graham, Bella Lawson, Nathan Lonczynski, Giuseppe Parison, Asia Simmons, Addison Toutant INTERNS: Amber Braker, Nicole Fazekas, Lyndsay Kluge, Tarun Sanikommu, Jacqueline Squillace, Katie Thomas 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.

EDITOR’S DESK ALEX HARRING

Dear students, As we all know, each August our parents begrudgingly sit down in front of their computers and sigh as they devote the next few hours to registering us. They slide their Mastercards and Visas from their wallets, preparing to spend money on things like club fees and Challenge Day. This year, parents of upperclassmen had to pay more than they expected. Previously, parents handed over $50 per spot for their children to park.

But this year, they paid $72.

While the spike in parking pass prices may be irritating, it’s not without merit.

We understand the frustration of a sudden price increase, and informing us of where the money goes will help to calm some nerves. We decided to find out for you.

For over 15 years, the $50 price tag has remained stagnant. In that time, prices for all other goods and services in the world inf lated, one of these services being security.

It’s only natural that the price for parking passes increased as well. The $50 students paid last year just doesn’t have the same purchasing power as $50 in 2001.

While a 50 percent price hike may sting, the extra cash is spent on us. The money made from selling parking passes serves as a source of revenue for the school and finances student activities.

As the North student body is becoming involved in more activities, the district budget is shrinking, causing an increase in the amount of money the school must raise to support students and all we do.

If the school decides to subsidize the cost of a competition for DECA, a conference for student council or a trip for TV Production, the money has to come from somewhere.

By handing over extra cash now, we help our peers in the future.

Like the profits from spirit pack sales going to the prom budget, all of the money made from selling parking passes goes back to the students.

The increased revenue from the parking passes also eliminates expenses that students at other schools are required to pay.

An example is graduation fees.

Many schools expect students to pay a graduation fee in addition to ordering their caps and gowns. This money pays for the stage, chairs and related fees for the ceremony. Commencement at North is yet another example of where the money raised from parking passes is allocated.

This money is especially helpful to students with financial problems, as the school often supports what some families cannot afford. Money should not be what keeps a student from participating in an activity and representing our school in the community.

Students, if you cannot afford a parking pass after the increase in price, do not hesitate to speak with someone in the office. Our school tends to be f lexible with families with financial issues. Another alternative would be to purchase a pass next semester when the price is cut in half.

However, if you have the money to purchase a parking pass and aren’t looking forward to trudging through snow and slush from Morningside in the dead of winter, invest in a parking pass. The lot has the most convenient parking, especially if you sleep through your alarm and pull up to school at 7:58 a.m. Just don’t sneak into the lot without out a pass. It hurts you and your fellow students as well.

CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Twitter: @thenorthpointe Website: NorthPointeNow.org FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE

“I mean, I don’t really know why they did it ‘cause it’s kind of expensive already, so I don’t know why they would have to raise the price.”

“It’s unneeded because people are paying for gas, so they don’t need to spend more money.”

“Park on Morningside.”

FRESHMAN

Dominic Hadley SOPHOMORE

Joey Schneider

Katelyn Oliver

JUNIOR

YOUR TURN: What do you think of the parking pass price increase?

By Alyssa McLarty & Dajai Chatman PHOTOGRAPHERS

“I think it’s unnecessary, and the school makes a lot of money as is already.”

“It’s way too much. I think it was like $25 when I was a kid. It’s just too much, in my opinion.”

Taylor Hicks

Paula Dombrowski

SENIOR

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT

“My only hope would be it’s a reasonable fee that students aren’t being taken advantage of. I don’t know why it would’ve went up.”

Patrick Hicks

HISTORY TEACHER

It can be hard to go back to school. September is a transitional period, and if you’re like me, it’s a rocky transition. But to remind myself to stay calm and collected when student life becomes too much, I think about the story of Icarus.

In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of Daedalus, who created the labyrinth King Minos used to trap and kill his enemies. But Daedalus got himself into trouble when he gave a ball of string to Minos’s daughter to help her find her way through the labyrinth.

She then gave it to Theseus, Minos’s enemy, which allowed his enemy to escape and defeat the Minotaur. As punishment, even though he didn’t really do anything wrong, Daedalus was locked in the labyrinth with his son, Icarus.

But Daedalus wasn’t going to give up his freedom, so he fashioned wings for his son and himself out of wax and feathers (which he got from who knows where) so they could f ly into the sunset and live happily ever after. But that is easier said than done.

With his wings on his back, Daedalus set off and told his son to follow his path. He warned Icarus not to go too high because the sun would melt the wax, and also not to f ly too low because the water would weigh down the feathers, and he’d drown.

Icarus was fine at first, but then he started f lying higher and higher because he was excited. He forgot about his father’s warning.

The wax binding the feathers on his wings started melting, and the feathers fell off one by one until he was f lapping his bare arms.

As you can probably imagine, that didn’t end well.

Icarus drowned in a sea later named in his memory.

When people say you can drown in your emotions, they mean it. For Icarus, he literally drowned because he was so confident in his skills, or lack thereof, that he wasn’t afraid of f lying too high. The result: The Icarian Sea. But it can also happen to students starting a new school year. I am a perfect example.

Emotions can make you reckless and overwhelmed. I had the same mindset about the start of school as Icarus did about f lying—ambitious and assured. Now I am staying up past my bedtime because I thought I would have enough time for homework after an extended nap.

But I didn’t. I thought I would have time to take a refreshing nap and do school work, but now it is 1:30 a.m., and I am finishing up a paper. I f lew too close to the sun. I believed I could do things my way and be fine, but I am and will be paying the price tomorrow morning for sleep loss.

The moral of the story: Don’t be like Icarus. Block out emotions that come with a new school year, whichever they may be, so they don’t overcome you. Don’t drown because you were overwhelmed, and don’t burn because you were overconfident. Ease back into the year and know your limits.

And also don’t be like me because I will probably be caught sleeping in class tomorrow.

IN-DEPTH

10 – Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – North Pointe

CODING CONDUCT Taking a deeper look at the new Extracurricular Code of Conduct

By Lindsey Ramsdell, Ritika Sanikommu & Emma Brock EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & EDITORS

QUICK INFO What: The new Grosse Pointe Public School System Extracurricular Code of Conduct provides a common set of rules and standards for students that participate in athletics and extracurricular activities.

When: The code was created last year, over a period of four months. It went into effect Monday, August 1, and remains in effect year-round.

BREAKING IT DOWN Three main

changes:

1) The new code is now applicable to all extracurriculars. This includes sports, clubs, and any teams or performing arts groups that students participate in voluntarily and do not receive grades for.

2) The code sets higher academic standards to be eligible to participate in extracurriculars than the previous requirements.

3) Several infractions were added to the list of offenses that the code covers and it also outlines their corresponding consequences.

CHANGE #1: EXPANDED COVERAGE Deputy superintendent Jon Dean headed the committee to revise the previous atheltic code of conduct. According to Dean, the fact that the code now covers all extracurriculars is the most noticeable change.

“This expansion to all extracurricular activities is a significant shift,” Dean said.

“As the deputy superintendent I have had many parents say to me, ‘so the football player, who has a big party on the weekend gets suspended from the football team, but if you’re the star of the play, nothing happens to you?’ Under the current system that is exactly true. Under this new system, all extracurricular activities are covered, including student government.”

Why: Participation in extracurriculars “is a privilege that carries with it responsibilities to the school, to the activity, to the student body, to the community and to the student themselves,” according to the code. By taking part in this privilege, athletes and students in clubs must hold themselves to higher academic and behavioral standards.

Who: A committee composed of teachers, administrators, school board officials, parents and community members were tasked with revising the out-of-date Athletic Code of Conduct. Instead, they found it more effective to create an entirely new one.

CHANGE #2: ACADEMIC INCREASE • Students must be passing four out of six, or five out of seven of their classes.

• At least three of those classes must be passed with a C- or above.

• Administration will conduct grade checks every three weeks to ensure that participants are meeting these standards.

• If a student falls below the grade requirements he/she will be placed on academic probation for three weeks to get their grades back up. After three weeks, if the student is still not meeting the expectations, then they will be considered ineligible to participate in extracurriculars until his/her grades have improved.

CHANGE #3:NEW CONSEQUENCES Possession or use of Illegal Substances: • First offense: suspension from a set number of competitions or activities based on the total number per season (see chart) and loss of captaincy or leadership positions.

• Second offense: removal from all extracurriculars for double the length of the first offense.

• Third offense: permanent removal from all extracurricular activities for the students high school career.

Supporting the use of illegal substances: “(The committee) decided that if you’re in a situation where you see drinking or illegal substances being used, that you need to remove yourself from that situation and not support the social event. Because by being there and being a body for that event to become larger, usually bad things come from that. So we added a smaller infraction for that,” Assistant Principal and athletic director Brian Shelson said in a press conference on May 17.

• First offense: suspension for one half of the period identified for the possession of illegal substances (see chart) and removal from leadership/captaincy positions.

• Following offenses: to be determined by coach, adviser or administrator.

Failure to cooperate with an investigaion: intentionally failing to support administration’s investigation of a potential violatoin of the code.

• First offense: warning and up to removal from the activity, all followeing offenses determined

by Assistant Principal.

SPORTS

By Anna Post SPORTS EDITOR

“ L a d i e s a n d ge n t l e m e n , a t t h i s t i m e we a s k t h a t yo u a l l p l e a s e r i s e a n d d i r e c t yo u r a t t e n t i o n fo r t h e p l ay i n g o f t h e n a t i o n a l a n t h e m .”

Eve r yo n e i n t h e c r ow d go e s s i l e n t . Ev e r yo n e r i s e s t o t h e i r fe e t a n d p l a c e s t h e i r h a n d s ove r t h e i r h e a r t s . T h e r e d , w h i t e a n d b l u e f l a g f l i e s h ig h a b ove t h e i r h e a d s as the “St ar Spangled Banner” booms p r o fo u n d l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e f i e l d .

I t ’ s d u r i n g t i m e s l i k e t h e s e w h e n we a r e r e m i n d e d o f t h e p e o p l e w h o a r e f ig h t i n g fo r o u r c o u n t r y . We a l l c o m e t o ge t h e r, despite our minor disagreements or pol i t i c a l v i ew s a n d s h ow o u r a l l e g i a n c e t o our nation.

On Aug. 26, San Francisco 49ers quar terback Colin Kaeper nick decide d t o go a g a i n s t A m e r i c a ’ s t r a d i t i o n and sit in front of the Gatorade coolers rather than honor ing his country.

A c c o r d i n g t o N F L M e d i a ’ s S t eve W y c h e , K a e p e r n i c k d i d n ’ t t h i n k s t a n d i n g fo r t h e N a t i o n a l A n t h e m wa s t h e r ig h t t h i n g t o d o . H e d i d n ’ t b e l i eve t h a t h e s h o u l d s t a n d fo r a c o u n t r y t h a t “ o p p r e s s e s b l a c k p e o p l e a n d p e o p l e o f c o l o r.”

T h e c o n t r ove r s y r e g a r d i n g K a e p e r n i c k ’ s s t u n t i s e n o u g h t o m a k e yo u r h e a d s p i n . T h e r e ’ s n ow t h i s g r e a t d iv i d e b e t we e n s p o r t s f a n a t i c s a n d p r o fe s s i o n a l leagues like the NFL. Some people bel i eve t h a t K a e p e r n i c k ’ s s t u n t d o e s n ’ t m e a n h e l ove s h i s c o u n t r y a n y l e s s , w h i l e o t h e r s b e l i eve t h a t h i s a c t i o n s m a k e h i m un-Amer ican.

Whether spor ts zealots are in agreement with Kaeper nick or not, the fate of the issue rests in the hands of the NFL. T he ultimate outcome to this situation resulted in Kaeper nick facing no repercussions.

A s a n a t h l e t e m ys e l f , t h e r e ’ s n o t h i n g more impor t ant to me than st anding befo r e a c r ow d w i t h m y t e a m m a t e s a n d l i s t e n i n g t o t h e n a t i o n a l a n t h e m b e fo r e eve r y g a m e . P e r s o n a l l y , I c o u l d n eve r i m a g i n e a g a m e a t w h i c h I wo u l d s i t a n d c h o o s e t o not par ticipate in honor ing my country.

H oweve r, j u s t b e c a u s e K a e p e r n i c k d e cided to sit dur ing the national anthem doesn’t mean he’s any less an athlete or i n d i v i d u a l . We n e e d t o r e m e m b e r t h a t h e didn’t blat antly disregard our country’s a n t h e m b e c a u s e h e wa s fe e l i n g l i k e i t . H e did it for something greater than his actions.

L ook at athletes like Muhammad Ali, fo r i n s t a n c e . F i f t y y e a r s a go , A l i r e f u s e d t o b e d r a f t e d i n t o t h e U. S . A r m y .

H i s M u s l i m b e l i e f s s t r e s s e d n o nv i o l e n c e .

A l i u l t i m a t e l y e n d e d u p ge t t i n g h i s b o x i n g l i c e n s e r e m ove d a n d l o s t h i s wo r l d h e av y we ig h t t i t l e . A l t h o u g h m a ny p e o p l e t h roughout t he nat ion d isag re e d wit h h is a c t i o n s a n d fo u n d i t d i s r e s p e c t f u l , A l i d i d i t t o s t i c k u p fo r w h a t h e b e l i e ve d i n .

T h e r e a s o n i n g b e h i n d K a e p e r n i c k ’s a c t ions is obvious. He wa s t r yi ng to spread aw a r e n e s s o f t h e t r e a t m e n t o f A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n i n d iv i d u a l s . H i s a c t i o n s we r e mea nt to encou rage societa l cha nge a nd d i d s o. B u t t h e y a l s o b r o u g h t a b a c k l a s h f rom a ngered spor ts fa ns a round t he nation.

Spor ts a re instilled in the A mer ica n cult u r e — t h e c o m p e t i t i o n , t h e r iv a l r i e s a n d a t h l e t e s a l l a r e w h a t m a k e s p o r t s e n t e rt a i n i n g. C l a i m i n g s o m e o n e t o b e “ u n A m e r i c a n” b e c a u s e o f t h e i r a c t i o n s i s n’t wo r t h d i s p u t i n g ove r.

D o i n d iv i d u a l s h ave t h e r i g h t t o s t i c k u p fo r w h a t t h e y b e l i e ve i n? Ye s . A r e t h e r e d i f fe r e n t w ay s t o r a i s e aw a r e n e s s?

M o s t d e f i n i t e l y.

Kaeper n ick is a respected athlete in the N F L who made a m ista ke that i nsulted m a ny people.

Ta k i n g a s t a n d , o r n o t t a k i n g a s t a n d i n K a e p e r n i c k ’s c a s e , i s o n e t h i n g , b u t t h e r e c o u l d h ave b e e n a m o r e p r o a c t ive a l t e r n a t ive t h a n t o sit du r i ng ou r n a t ion’s a nt h em .

T h e N F L s h o u l d h ave s t e p p e d u p a n d p u n i s h e d K a e p e r n i c k fo r h i s a c t i o n s . N o t on ly does t h is st u nt ma ke Kaeper n ick l o o k b a d , b u t i t d o e s n’t s e t a g o o d example for young athletes around nation.

I f K a e p e r n i c k w a n t s t o s p r e a d aw a r e ness, he needs to ta l k to schools about Bl a c k L ive s M a t t e r a n d s p e a k p u b l i c l y a n d e x p r e s s h i s o p i n i o n . H e s h o u l d n’t b e t r y i n g t o p r ove a p o i n t b y d i s h o n o r i n g t h e f l a g a n d a l l i t s t a n d s fo r.

SOCCER TEAM KICKS OFF FA L L S E ASO N W I T H

ADRENALINE

By Abbey Cadieux & Katelynn Mulder EDITOR & ASSISTANT EDITOR

To raise extra money for their programs, the each other. For a three-hour period one Sunday, boys JV and varsity soccer teams joined the var- we all got together and competed in groups of sity football team in an alternative fundraising four to see who could sell the most,” Vanston said. effort. They sold coupon cards that offered dis“The boys had fun, and we sold a lot of cards.” counts from local merchants.

The prizes offered to the students for selling The fundraiser took place for two weeks before the coupons enticed them to do their best. the school year started to help the teams gear up “The prizes were pretty cool,” senior soccer for the fall season. player Max Murray said. “You had the ability to win “The goal (was) to raise money for the program Beats headphones, and you got Nike Elite socks.” so we can use it to get new Adrenaline Fundraising has also things for the boys and the probeen to North helping the basgram,” varsity soccer coach Eric ketball and football teams. The “It gave our team an company has partnered with the Vanston said via email.

The coupons, offered through football team for the last opportunity to bond boys Adrenaline Fundraising, protwo years. vided discounts that can be “This one seems to be gowith each other. used at local restaurants and ing better each year that stores. They were sold for $25. we do it,” Sumbera said.

Eric Vanston “We had coupons all over for Hoover thinks this form of fundplaces around Detroit,” junior raising may spread to other sports player Billy Hoover said. “All SOCCER COACH and seasons next year. the money goes to the team.”

“They are going to add more Locations accepting the cards include Sam’s Club, teams to it,” Hoover said. “Every season of every Ferlito’s, Dunham’s, Detroit Coney Island, Hun- sport will do something.” gry Howie’s and Culver’s.”

While fundraising is common to youth sports, Football coach Frank Sumbera notes the increase the use of Adrenaline has proven to be more sucin the number of local restaurants participating cessful than other programs, according to Sumhas helped with the fundraiser’s overall success. bera. The funds raised usually go towards new Both Vanston and Hoover believe their sales ex- equipment and other expenses. perience had one unexpected perk: team bonding.

“As long as there’s a pay-to-participate Only the athletes were in charge of sales, which type things, our budgets are down,” Sumhelped create a fun, competitive spirit among bera said. “If we want to keep at the proteammates. Like most fundraisers, there were gram we have, it’s necessary to do a little bit.” prizes for hitting certain sales goals.

“It gave our team an opportunity to bond with

“

“

Taking a “stand”

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 28 - 2016 - 11

WWW..ADRENALINEFUNDRAISING.COM

BENEFITS OF SPORTS FUNDRAISING

By Anna Post EDITOR

SPORTS

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 – 12

NEW SEASON, NEW COACHES Shifts in leadership headline a big change to teams in 2016-2017 season

By Sonny Mulpuri & Katelynn Mulder EDITOR & ASSISTANT EDITOR

RACHEL MALINOWSKI

RACHEL MALINOWSKI

ABOVE: Coach Lynsday Gulledge coaches from the sidelines. “My goal this season is to see drastic improvement,” Gulledge said. “I want the girls to work hard and grow their skills and knowledge of the game so that they are prepared for the next level.”

Lyndsay Gulledge, the new freshman volleyball coach, has been playing since middle school and now has the opportunity to formally coach for the first time.

Gulledge played volleyball for Spring Arbor University and has coached camps throughout her collegiate career.

In working with her very first team, her goal is to help the girls further develop their skills and prepare them for their next level of play.

“I have loved getting to know the girls,” Gulledge said via email. “I’m excited to see where we can go and what we can accomplish when we work hard— work as a team—and play together.”

Freshman Grace Haynes, a right side and outside hitter and passer, sees Gulledge as

a motivating and encouraging influence.

“Even when we make mistakes, she is constantly keeping our spirits up, and she always tells us that she knows we can do better,” Haynes said. “She just always makes sure that we know she is there for us.”

Gulledge is specifically working on passing and defense with her team.

She looks forward to seeing her girls improve throughout the season and move on to play at a higher caliber.

“I do hope to coach next year,” Gulledge said. “I think that I am learning and growing along with my team, and hopefully I can come back next year and be a part of the program again.”

ALYSSA MCLARTY

ABOVE: Coach Giorgio Webster looks upon his team. “I decided to coach at North due to the outstanding tradition that is North Volleyball,” Webster said. “The program competes in the most difficult conference in the state of Michigan and it’s a place I enjoy calling home.”

Giorgio Webster has been in love with volleyball ever since his freshman year of high school.

His passion led him to become the Southport High School varsity coach in Indianapolis, Indiana. But this year, he is coaching North’s JV team.

“I started playing volleyball as a freshman at Lafayette Jefferson High School,” Webster said via email. “I was a part of the state championship team my first year and fell in love with the sport. After I graduated, I went to IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) in Indianapolis, where I co-founded the first mens volleyball team ... and played there for two years.”

This season, Webster gave his new team a set of goals to meet, many of which he believes they have already achieved. Some of the goals he has already checked off include beating Grosse Pointe South twice and winning a tournament.

Sophomore Erin Kane, who has played volleyball since first grade, describes Webster as competitive and supportive.

“I ended up switching over to libero (from a defensive specialist) which is someone who is kinda in all the time, so he really just pushed me hard in practice. And we won a tournament, and he got really excited about that,” Kane said. “He is really competitive. Just his attitude about winning is really good.”

Webster chose to coach at North because of its tradition of volleyball excellence and said he looks forward to coaching many of the girls from the freshman volleyball team next year.

“There is always room for improvement.

To do that, you have to be able to reflect on yourself as a team and be honest with ourselves regarding our strengths and weaknesses,” Webster said. “We will try to exploit our strengths and work on our weaknesses.

If we can do that, I think we will be all right.”

ALYSSA MCLARTY

ABOVE: Coach Emma Huellmantel shares her goals for her team. “Right now, we’ve been playing really well, but my hopes for them is the future more than anything,” Huellmantel said. “I want to see them succeed on Varsity and I want to give them the skills where they can play the varsity level, but for now it’s just developing passion and drive for the sport as well as accepting the things we can’t do at this level of play.”

ABOVE: Coach Steven Plieth coaches one of his players during a game. “I love seeing the growth of the kids from day one till now and now till the end of the season,” Plieth said.

Coming straight out of college, coach Emma Huellmantel has already found home— in the place she graduated from four years ago.

Huellmantel didn’t think that coming back as an alumni to teach here at North was in her plans, much less coaching the JV field hockey team.

“I was always hoping to get into coaching, but I didn’t think it would be this soon,” Huellmantel said. “They needed someone, so I was hesitant to do it at first, since it’s a time commitment, but the girls are really fun, and I enjoy it.”

Since she’s so young, she hasn’t had much coaching experience, but Huellmantel has already seen what needs to be accomplished at the JV level.

“JV field hockey is all about development.

For a lot of these girls, field hockey is either pretty new or brand new as a sport, so it’s so much about attitude and realizing that I’m not going to be perfect right now, but I’m going to be a good player by the end of next year or even senior year,” Huellmantel said. “I want to see them succeed on varsity, and I want to give them the skills where they can play the varsity level, but for now, it’s just developing passion and drive for the sport as well as accepting the things we can’t do at this level of play.”

Huellmantel has also developed a special bond with the girls on her team and likes to be around them.

New surroundings, new classes, new teammates. Starting high school brings freshmen plenty of excitement. However, the members of the Class of 2020 aren’t the only ones to start their high school journey this year.

Head coach Steven Plieth accepted the offer for freshman football after a spot opened up.

Plieth has experience coaching football from his tenure at St. Joan of Arc, where he worked with players ranging from third to sixth grades. But coaching at the high school level is will be a first for him, and he says he looks forward to working with the freshmen.

“I had a desire to move up, coach more competitive football and introduce a group of kids to Grosse Pointe North before school started,” Plieth said.

With freshmen, it’s not about winning games, but improving their skills for the future.

“At the freshmen level, we don’t concern ourselves with the record so much,” Plieth said. “We concern ourselves with the future of the program, getting them ready to play at the JV and varsity level.”

As the season has progressed, defensive tackle Elliott Lyman has become more comfortable at his position, and because of Plieth, he has learned more about football than before he joined.

“I’ve been able to hit a lot better,” Ly-

“I was just in their shoes four to eight years ago, depending on how old they are. I like to play with them on the field and go to all of their games, and we hang out in between varsity and JV, and I’ll watch the varsity games hanging with girls,” Huellmantel said. “It’s not only that I want to bring the team together, but it’s fun for me hanging out with them.”

Sophomore Olivia Kenzie played on JV last year and had a different coach, but attributes some of the success that her team has had this season to the bond they’ve formed with Huellmantel.

“We are doing a lot better than we were last year,” Kenzie said. “I don’t know why, to be honest, but it’s because of Emma (Huellmantel), and we work a lot in practice to improve.”

Huellmantel went through the field hockey program when she was a Norseman herself and has witnessed that the program hasn’t had a steady coach to develop the girls to their full potential. It’s something she wants to improve on for the future so all girls can be ready to play at the varsity level.

“There hasn’t been someone who’s stuck around for awhile, including while I was there.

There haven’t been coaches who stay and develop the program,” Huellmantel said. “So I would say if things work out for me teaching at North, which I really hope that they do, I hope to be involved in field hockey in a longterm sense.”

man said. “He’s taught us to hit better, block better and know what’s happening when it’s happening.”

Every team has a weakness. According to Plieth, the freshmen have struggled to tackle and lack chemistry as a team.

“We can definitely improve on tackling.

We’ve been working every day at practice for the past couple of weeks,” Plieth said. “(We’ve also worked on) coming together as a team, getting better and working together all the time.”

In addition to helping his players to improve their skills, Plieth is looking to better his own.

“You’re always learning, watching other coaches and watching other teams, both at the upper levels and lower levels, and you take the good things from them, and you incorporate it into your system,” Plieth said.

“You also learn from the kids each year, too. They bring new challenges each year, and that helps you as a coach.”