North Pointe - Oct. 31, 2014

LIFE PAGE 5 Lef t: Michal Ruprecht rides an elephant in South Africa.

Right: Ruprecht gives a doll to Norma, a Peruvian girl, at Lares Valley Trek.

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

END OF FIRST QUARTER

Today at 3:05 p.m.

POPS & PASTRIES CONCERT

POINTE PHOTOS BY LECH RUPRECHT

FRIDAY, OCT. 31, 2014

SINCE 1968

Phones linked to poor health

SPEAK NO

SEE NO HEAR NO

Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the gym (see page 2 for details)

NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, Nov. 4 due to elections and staff development

SAT TESTING

Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8 a.m. at North

MICHIGAN COLLEGE APPLICATION WEEK

Begins the week of Nov. 3, ends Nov. 7 Contents 1-2 3 4

News Ideas On Campus

5 6 7 8

Life Reviews Sports In-Depth ART BY LUKE STURGILL

IDEAS

“IMPACT HER

ON MY LIFE HAS EXTENDED

“FURTHER THAN

ASSURING ME OF A CAREER PATH,

SHE ALSO

TAUGHT

ME HOW TO

STAND FOR

“ “

UP

MYSELF. page 3 page 3

By Anu Subramaniam & Jennifer Kusch CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & IDEAS SECTION EDITOR

It’s in your hand when you walk into school, in your pocket at dinner and on your side table while you sleep. Modern dependency on phones is apparent, but the negative health effects are not. Sophomore Luke Muschong is among many cell phone users who are unaware of the possible consequences.

“I am not aware of any health issues my phone causes, except for occasional headaches,” Muschong said.

Like most kids, Muschong has had a cell phone for many years.

“I got my first cell phone at age 10, and my current phone I have had for five months.”

Cell Phones and cell metabolism Although Muschong is not concerned about his cell phone use, controversy over the topic has grown as more people become aware of the potential consequences associated with usage.

According to the National Cancer Institute, cell phones emit radio frequency energy, a type of non-ionizing radiation that can be absorbed by the body’s tissue.

Radio frequency emitted energy by phones a form of electromagnetic radiation, has no known biological consequences. However, that has not stopped researchers and parents from worrying about the consequences of cell phone use, including Muschong’s mother Heather Muschong, who is also a nurse.

“I encourage them not to leave it in their pockets as much as they can or next to their bodies at home and not to have it next to their bed while they are sleeping,” Muschong said.

Heather has felt first hand the negative health effects resulting from using her phone.

“If I talk on the cell phone, I get a headache and tingling and burning on the side of my head the phone was on,” Heather said. “I think your generation texts more than you talk on the phone, so I don’t think they feel it’s an issue— but I don’t think we know enough of how much effect it has on the body.

@myGPN

While most studies that link phones’ electromagnetic radiation to tumors are inconclusive, there have been some cases where cell phone use correlates with tumor development.

“It’s been demonstrated by some studies that a few types of cancer, especially tumors related to the brain, increase in percentage,” Dr. Zyad Kafri, a specialist in hematology and medical oncology said. “That’s not yet, however, concrete. The only one that found to really increase in a statistically significant way is a ... nerve tumor called Schwannoma.

That’s the only one linked to phone usage.

The other is suspected increased risk but not well proven. It is the electromagnetic waves, actually, when we put the phone close to our ear, stimulating, probably, metabolism in that area and leading to negative effects on cell metabolism, and that would, in time leading to stimulation and uncontrolled cell growth.”

W hile it’s classified as a benign tumor, Schwannoma can penetrate the skull and enter the ear causing severe damage by pushing the nerve aside.

Sleepless in Seattle, especially if you are on Amazon Phone users are more likely to suffer sleep defects and other less severe effects from the electromagnetic waves.

“The biggest (issue) that we see with our teenagers is just the risk that it puts them at in terms of causing issues of sleep. We see lots of kids that come in with sleep problems because they are on their phone late at night ... they come in with headaches, and it’s because of poor sleep hygiene,” St. John Hospital general pediatrician Dr. Natalie Kontos said. “It’s just the kids coming in with headaches and poor school function ... so then their grades start slipping and they do poorly in school, and that can then affect their attitude with their parents and their classmates and their teachers. So then they start having more and more problems in school just because they are lacking sleep.”

www.myGPN.org

VOLUME 47, ISSUE 4

After sophomore Katie Lesha’s mother read about possible health consequences, she encouraged Lesha to keep the phone away from her when she sleeps.

“I can’t sleep with my phone near me or anything. I usually just charge my phone in a different room than where I sleep. I just put it in a different spot in my room so it’s not near my head,” Lesha said.

Lesha not only sees the possibility of a phone disrupting sleep, but also sees the psychological effect it can have on people when they use their phones.

“I think that kids that spend a lot of time on Twitter and Instagram ... don’t really socialize as much with their friends when they are out in public sometimes when they are at dinner and they are on their phones,” Lesha said.

Kontos believes that the best solution to prevent affected sleep patterns is to limit a teenager’s phone usage.

“Your parents probably say, ‘I want you in bed by nine,’ but if you take your cell phone with you, and you are on your phone texting your friends late at night, you are up on your phone till 10, 11, maybe even midnight. And if you have to get up in the morning at 6 a.m. to get to school, you are going from nine hours of sleep down to six hours of sleep. I think that parents need to take phones away at 9 o’clock. Kontos said.

Cutting down time spent talking on the phone can help reduce symptoms like headaches and exposure to electromagnetic waves that stimulate cancer cell growth. The increase in risk for a Schwannoma tumor can be reduced by limiting on exposure. Other simple preventative steps, like turning a phone’s Do Not Disturb button on at night or charging the phone away from the bed can eliminate the f lashes of light that interrupt sleep patterns and the constant exposure to electromagnetic waves.

“The phones need to be removed from their bedrooms so that we can ensure kids are getting a good amount of sleep throughout the night,” Kontos said.

© 2014 North Pointe

NEWS

2 – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 – North Pointe

Chaos dominates parking lot

“If you’ve got three or four people w ith you in the car, it’s a ver y distracting env ironment,” Assistant Principal Dav id Reed-Nordwall said. “If you saw me out on Friday (Oct. 24), I was tr ying to stop the honking, and people were

By Mora Downs & Billy Moin like, ‘Come on, it’s Friday!’ I know, but honking is a distraction. The things ASSISTANT EDITORS that (are) distractions are the things It was bound to happen. we need to minimize and, again, we The confusion in need the students unthe school parking derstanding that the lot caught up with semost dangerous time in nior Michael Marchitheir life is when they ori and his freshman are driv ing a car.” brother Nick MarchiA long w ith these disori as they were leavtractions, w w w.teendriing. versource.org says 21% “After school I was of serious teen driver leav ing the parking crashes in 2008 were lot, driv ing w ith my due to speeding. In past Nick Marchiori brother, and I was years, teen speeding FRESHMAN rear-ended. The first has continued to be a thing I was worried about was mak- problem, especially in the parking lot. ing sure ever ybody was okay,” Mi“(The speed limit) is 5 mph, but the chael said. “I checked to make sure people that come in are usually going pretmy brother sitting next to me was fine, ty fast,” Reed-Nordwall said. pulled over, got out of my car and ran These combined problems can put back to them to make sure they were people’s safety in jeopardy. okay, helped them out of their car and “I’ve had one young lady pulling in in kind of dealt w ith what to do next.” the morning, and she’s doing the right The crash took place in the drop-off thing. She (didn’t)have her permit up lanes after school on Monday, Oct. 20. on her dash because when you’re driv“A ll you heard and felt was a huge ing around, it slides across your dash,” impact on the back of the car, and it security guard Richard Heyer said. “So was really shocking,” Nick said. she’s grabbing it and (showing) it to me, Speeding and distracted driving have and at the same time, almost hits me.” become a common parking lot problem.

Even though Heyer wasn’t hurt, othAccording to distraction.gov, 10% of driv- ers haven’t been so lucky. According to ers under 20 involved in fatal crashes were nsc.org, around 8 U.S. teens die each distracted at the time of the accident. day from car crashes.

“

All you heard and felt was a huge impact on the back of the car, and it was really shocking.

“

Pops & Pastries concert returns The North band and orchestra will be performing in the annual Pops & Pastries concert on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The theme is “Myths, Legends and Heroes,” and features music from movies such as Batman, Phantom of the Opera and Spider-Man. Band director David Cleveland is excited about the unique elements of the concert and anticipates a large turnout.

“There’s a lot of percussion equipment in this concert, so there’s a lot of sound effects, and it’s usually a very well-attended event,” Cleveland said. “It’s the freshmen’s first concert, so they usually bring a lot of family out for it.”

Senior Isabella Cubillejo will be performing a violin solo as part of a piece from Schindler’s List.

“I’ve listened to recordings of it to try and really nail how it’s supposed to feel,” Cubillejo said. “It’s not really that hard. It should be really emotional.”

The concert will take place in the gym, which is decorated for the occasion, and pastries will be sold during the concert. Cleveland appreciates the pastry donations and effort the band and orchestra parent committees put into the concert each year.

“I couldn’t do it without them. There’s no way I could do this concert anymore by myself. It’s gotten so huge,” Cleveland said. “It’s a major, major event on Saturday night. It’s a huge undertaking.”

ABOVE: The back of senior Michael Marchiori’s car after the accident. “My car wasn’t damaged that badly. It is going to cost a lot for repairs, but the major damages on my car were to the tow rig and the bumper and trunk, whereas her car experienced a lot more damage. Her entire hood and front bumper was taken out, and I’m not sure if there were damages to the engine, but it looked like it,” Marchiori said.

“The most dangerous time is when high school students are driving,” Reed-Nordwall said. “And it’s chaos. As you go through what it takes to learn to drive, you have to be able to look, to steer, to handle the pedals and also there’s a social pressure.”

After seeing the possible danger, Mi-

chael has become more cautious.

“Although it wasn’t necessarily my fault, I’m still definitely driving a lot safer than I was before. Just making sure I’m giving myself enough time to slow down, and I’m just not driving recklessly,” Michael said.

Penny war raises money for chil- SA, Interact Club hold can drive Cans of food are predicted to pile up in third hour classdrens’ center rooms as the Student Association and Interact Club sponStudents’ spare change may have been just a drop in the bucket, but it was a major contribution for early childhood education programs. During the week of Sept. 29- Oct. 3, Student Association held an interclass penny war. Proceeds were donated to the Children’s Center of Detroit which prov ides early childhood and family ser v ices.

Class of 2015 Student Association’s Senator at Large Michael Sacchetti believes that this year’s penny wars were not as active as last year’s penny wars.

“There wasn’t as much hy pe as last year,” Sacchetti said. “But other than that, it was still successful.”

Pennies counted as positive points towards a class’s total while other coins and any bills count as negative points.

“So if I give you of 50 pennies, and that’s 50 positive points. If I gave you two quarters, that’s 50 negative points, so that’s how it really works,” student activ ities director Pat Gast said.

The penny wars raised $544.72 for the partnering charity. “(It) w ill all go to buying things for the children’s center,” Gast said.

The senior class led the way by raising the most money, w ith the sophomore class in second place.

sored Mountain of Food Can Drive takes place Monday, Nov. 10 to Friday, Nov. 21. Interact Club president Tommy Burke anticipates the food drive will be successful.

“We typically have a good turnout with our food drives every year,” Burke said. “We are hoping to increase the amount of food we get donated this year by adding incentives and possibly turning it into a competition.”

Participating third hour classes will collect nonperishable items during the week of the drive. The class that collects the most food items wins a pizza party on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Burke believes the pizza party will provide a reason for students to participate in the drive.

“The canned food drive that we are doing this year will be a great way to help the less fortunate,” Burke said. “We think that we will have great success with it.”

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IDEAS

North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 –3

A frightening fixation “Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Erica Lizza CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Anu Subramaniam CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Haley Reid CO-MANAGING EDITOR

Olivia Asimakis NEWS EDITOR

Brittney Hernandez LIFE EDITOR

Wendy Ishmaku BUSINESS MANAGER

Dora Juhasz WEB NEWS EDITOR

Jennifer Kusch IDEAS EDITOR

Kaley Makino WEB IDEAS EDITOR

Ritika Sanikommu ASSISTANT EDITOR

Emily Martinbianco WEB LIFE EDITOR

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote.

OUR EDITORIAL

Monday tardy policy sacrifices education A crowd of over 150 students lined the hall outside the main office on Monday, Oct. 20 awaiting their punishment as a result of the new late start Monday tardy policy.

Many students are concerned as to whether this is the most effective method in controlling tardies.

Many students would say it is not.

After examining tardy rates, administration found that most tardies occur first hour on Monday mornings.

As a result, the typical tardy policy has been expanded to include any Monday first hour tardy as an automatic detention, without the possibility of being called out by a parent.

It’s understandable why administration has an issue with the equivalent of half a graduating class walking in 10-15 minutes after the bell, but this policy affects students who are not usually late more than the repeat offenders.

The policy’s goal was to reduce the number of overall tardies, especially for those who are frequently late, but it has also caught first-timers in its web. These one-time victims are mixed in with the those that the policy is intended to correct and all are given the same punishment.

First hour tardies, especially on Mondays, when students’ usual schedules are thrown off balance, are more understandable than midday ones, as there is a slew of variables—construction, traffic, car problems—that is unpredictable. These factors have a greater effect on underclassmen who cannot not drive themselves. Car-pooling, rushing parents and siblings at other schools must be taken into consideration.

Since we live in a school district without busing, it is solely up to the student to find a way to school, which is not always easy on late-start Mondays. These are things should be considered before cracking down with policies.

Along with the current variables, the possibility of another polar vortex will pose even more of an issue for the timely arrival of the student body.

In addition, a major factor in students’ frustration is the exclusion of parental involvement. Even students with the most viable excuses will receive detentions based on this policy. Parents can no longer call their children out on Monday mornings.

Though selective punishment is no alternative to this policy, there can be other ways of determining who receives a detention slip.

The Monday tardy situation is unacceptable, but if we are correct about the intended targets of this policy, then Monday is not the only day of the week that should be regulated. Administration needs to implement a policy of tardy control on every morning of the week.

An alternate policy could include issuing a detention to any student who receives two first-hour tardies in one week rather than just one Monday tardy. This would be more agreeable to students and also prevent the ridiculous line on Monday mornings. Through this policy, administration would be directly targeting the constantly late instead of the unlucky student who got stuck in snowy traffic or whose parents were slow waking up. The effect of this policy would also last throughout the week, regulating all morning tardies instead of just those on Mondays.

Without at least some reform to this new policy, administration should be wary of students going to extremes. Students are strongly considering—and in some cases threatening—to skip first hour (and possibly more of the school day) to avoid getting a detention to be eligible to be called out by a parent. This would cause an even greater disruption to the learning environment and prove further problems for the school system than an excess of morning tardies.

The question that we pose to the administration is this: What’s more important: A few minutes of class time or time administering a punishment? Keeping kids in a line to hand out detention slips is counterproductive. The new late start Monday policy should be reformed before its short-term effectiveness wears off.

CLARIFICATION In our Oct. 17 issue “District proposes millage renewal,” we stated that with passing the millage the district would be allowed to, “continue to levy up to 18 mills.” However. it should be clarified that the levy of 18 mills is only on non-homestead property such as businesses and rental property, while homeowners will still pay a levy of 8.0784 mills.

My first taste of a climactic horror movie scene triggered a long-lasting addiction. It will stick with me forever. Picture this: the classic 1984 version of Nightmare on Elm Street is playing in a dark room. The gorgeous teenage Johnny Depp is lying peacefully in bed, drifting into sleep. As the siren- MY TURN like music is cued, DORA JUHASZ Freddy Krueger’s gnarled hands pull Depp into the bed, dissolving him mercilessly, and a fountain of blood spews out in place of his body.

Yeah, I freaked out.

I’ll be the first to admit, my attraction to scary movies sparked at far too young an age.

Before I knew it, I was sneaking into the scariest, most gruesome movies at the theaters with no shame. There was something about that pure rush of watching a horror movie that I couldn’t get enough of.

The more petrifying the movie, the higher my level of intrigue. When Regan spewed vulgar language at the quivering priest and did a spine-tingling 360-degree head turn in The Exorcist, I pulled my blanket up tight.

Demons and possessed little girls terrify me.

Yet I keet watching. What is wrong with me?

The psychological scarring of The Shining only fed my scary addiction. The merciless presence of cannibalistic Hannibal Lector in The Silence of the Lambs soothed my craving for chills. Even my extreme fear of clowns couldn’t force me to squeeze my eyes shut during Stephen King’s It. (And trust me, Pennywise the clown infinitely imprinted his eerie white face and jagged teeth into my brain.)

My newest fave flick is The Conjuring, one of the few modern scary movies that twists the cliché elements of horror (mysterious noises,

“Not knowing who else will be on the roads ... If there’s someone else on the road who’s been drinking or something, you don’t know .”

Kiley Weitzmann FRESHMAN

creaking doors, pulling of bed sheets) into a refreshing combination of menace and dread.

I still can’t get that sinister sound of two quick claps out of my head.

I’ll watch anything from the old, classic horror flicks to the newest creepy releases. I’ll even waste time watching those really awful, lowbudget “scary” movies on Netflix that no one has ever heard of. As long as the movie attempts to give me goosebumps, I’m all for it. But why do I enjoy it so much?

As humans, we are psychologically wired to avoid things that scare us, so why are we so adamant about knowing what goes bump in the night? Why do we put ourselves through physiological rollercoasters, peek at the screen between our fingers and turn off the lights to increase the scare factor?

The short answer: we do it for the thrill.

Maybe we get so fixated on our monotonous daily routines that we forget what it feels like to have adrenaline rushing through our veins.

Maybe we like the sense of living vicariously through that mindless girl who just has to open the door. That false sense of danger forces us horror-flick bingers out of our comfort zones.

We become addicted to it.

So is it human nature to search for a thrill once in a while? Maybe. But whether you love scary movies or you’d prefer to stick to less hairrising cinema, go out on a limb this Halloween.

Be a little daring, just a little bit offbeat.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing that scares you every day.” It’s pushing your limits that will help you grow. For some of you, the iconic hockey mask of Jason Voorhees or the ominous silence of Michael Myers may not be your cup of tea. And that’s okay. But this weekend, take a step (or a leap) out of your comfort zone. An occasional adrenaline rush is good for everyone.

(But just in case you’re up for a formidable flick, Ouija came out last weekend. Happy Halloween.)

”The possibility of hurting or killing someone else. I’ve seen drunk drivers on the road, but I’ve never been affected by them.”

William Fishwick SOPHOMORE

“Texting. When you’re texting, you’re distracted as you drive.”

Curtis Slade JUNIOR

YOUR TURN: What is the most dangerous part of driving?

By Yena Berhane & Sydney Benson

“Drivers that aren’t paying attention. Other drivers who may be texting or on the phone or have kids in the back, and they’re trying to keep them under control.”

Gyanei Johnson SENIOR

“One person being drunk, not paying attention, falling asleep, being an idiot can affect everyone else. As you’re driving, you’ve got to be aware of everything.”

Greg Wolff SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Erica Lizza, Anu Subramaniam MANAGING EDITORS: Haley Reid, Andrea Scapini SECTION EDITORS: Olivia Asimakis, Katelyn Carney, Brittney Hernandez, Jennifer Kusch WEB MANAGING EDITOR: Emma Puglia WEB SECTION EDITORS: Yena Berhane, Dora Juhasz, Kaley Makino, Emily Martinbianco BUSINESS MANAGER: Wendy Ishmaku PHOTO EDITOR: Alanna Sparks ASSISTANT EDITORS: Josie Bennett, Emma Brock, Mora Downs, Audrey Kam, Billy Moin, Thomas Remenar, Ritika Sanikommu, Gowri Yerramalli STAFF REPORTERS: Radiance Cooper, Luke Sturgill, Addison Toutant INTERNS: Sydney Benson, Caitlin Bush, Allison Lackner, Lauren Sexton, Conner Bott

“Distracted drivers ... You don’t know how people are going to drive, and you have to be able to react to that.”

Eric Vanston MATH TEACHER

The North Pointe is edited and produced

by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review.

Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions.

The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System.

We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center. We subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com.

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EDITOR’S DESK ANU SUBRAMANIAM

In Yang I Trust During the 1880s, Susan B. Anthony would have been a great role model. She embodied the woman everybody aspired to be—her actions helped change the Constitution for crying out loud. But despite that, I don’t feel a connection to her. I appreciate her work—I benefit from it—but I don’t face the same struggle. The only equality I have to fight for is among my sister, my dog and me, and since I lose, there really isn’t much of a fight to put up. But all I feel is this distance of 150 years between Anthony and me, and our similarities are limited to our two X chromosomes.

I need more than two chromosomes to connect with a role model, so in my lazy search through the channels, I stumbled upon Dr. Cristina Yang. The moment I saw her dance-party-it-out in season one of Grey’s Anatomy, I knew her best friend Meredith Grey needed to step aside and find someone else to call “her person.”

I don’t just admire Yang and her perfectly curly hair or the fact that she always looked good in her scrubs even after 12-hour surgeries.

She represented the person I wanted to become.

I was a shy, awkward preteen looking for something to do with my life, and she gave me a little push—thankfully not in a stretcher. Her loud, opinionated and always correct manner made me want to break out of my brace-face, forehead-bang shell.

Yang’s success isn’t what cemented the idea of becoming a doctor in my mind, but it was her passion for medicine that did. Watching her skilled hand cut with such precision and her face hold such focus, I knew. Her impact on my life has extended further than assuring me of a career path. she also taught me how to stand up for myself. Yang never backed down from a challenge, even if it was against one of her many love interests or superiors.

I know we’re both women, but I think our similarities are more at the heart—and not just because she is a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Cristina Yang showed me that even if people say you are cold and mean, there is nothing wrong about striving to be your best because, at the end of the day, all that matters is what you bring to the table, whether it is the patient Yang is saving on hers or the test I’m taking on mine.

Whether you aspire to be like Hermione Granger, Blair Waldorf or the latest Disney princess, there is nothing wrong with attributing your character to a character. Sure they’re not real, but they overcome the same challenges we do, and that is something to admire.

I may sound delusional for giving so much credit to a figment of producer Shonda Rhimes’s imagination, but I do. This overly competitive, always-exhausted doctor’s schedule mirrors my own.

Her struggle to decide whether to sleep, shower, sleep in the shower or eat reminds me of my day-to-day high school life, minus the crazy patients.

So I’m going to continue my dance parties and shower naps and hope one day I’m sitting up in the stars right next to my fictional idol.

ON CAMPUS

4 – North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014

Drama Club hosts Halloween Party After weeks of preparation, Drama Club hosted its annual Halloween costume party on Friday, Oct. 24. This year, proceeds benefitted Trick-or-Treat So Kids Can Eat

By Emma Puglia

WEB MANAGING EDITOR

FACES IN THE CROWD Hala Ali

The current conflicts in her homeland of Syria forced sophomore Hala Ali to move to the United States.

“I came here with my mother, but my dad still lives in Syria,” Ali said. “I’ll never see it as a bad place. It’s really beautiful.”

Ali had difficulty moving, as there are differences between life in Syria and life here.

According to Ali, people in Syria were more critical than they are here.

“People would talk about other people and judge them on sight. It’s not good to be talking about people you hardly know or to talk about them behind their backs,” Ali said.

While Ali says she plans to return to her birth country to visit, she doesn’t see herself residing there again.

“I’d never move back there because my future is here. College is a whole lot harder in Syria. It’s harder to apply and take classes,” Ali said.

Bjorn Bjornsson

ABOVE: During one of the songs, Drama Club members formed an impromptu kickline. Freshman Kitty Clark enjoyed dancing to the song “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show in particular. “It was fun. The musical was great, and everyone let loose,” Clark said.

LEFT: Senior Emily Surzyn and junior Josh Lupo dressed as Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and won the best costume award. Still in character, the two discussed their relationship.

“It’s a little tough. He’s always out in the city fighting crime and stuff, and I’m always in the lab, saving lives,” Surzyn said. “Hey, I save lives too,” Lupo said.

RIGHT: Junior Matt Carlsen sips on a Starbucks drink in his “common white girl” costume with senior Katelyn Caroll and junior Jarell Cunningham. “I was hanging out with my friends, and I decided that I was going to make fun of them because that’s how they usually dressed,” Carlsen said. “I bought a wig and went in my sister’s closet, so it took about six minutes (to make).”

FAR RIGHT: As Drama club’s social chair, junior Olivia Hoover set up the decor around the multi-purpose room. “ I wrote down all the decorations we’d need, all the food we’d need and a whole list of every single song that I felt would appeal to the audience,” she said. “We all had so much fun dancing together, and my favorite part was probably just hanging out with all the baes.”

A northern land of waterfalls, volcanoes and lush green landscape is the place of origin for Iceland native freshman Bjorn Bjornsson. He lived in Iceland until he was 6, when his family made their move to the United States.

According to Bjornsson, Iceland isn’t much different from the United States.

“Iceland is kinda like here except it’s colder. It’s the same environment,” Bjornsson said. “But it’s more free there.

There are kids walking everywhere, and everyone is friendly. It’s also kinda weird.

We all eat a lot of fish, and there are sheep everywhere.”

Bjornsson has since returned to visit.

“I was born in Iceland,” Bjornsson said.

“I usually go (to Iceland) every summer. I try to. My whole family is there.”

Tom Fitzgerald

The closest most Grosse Pointers get to the “land down under” is Outback Steakhouse, but sophomore Tom Fitzgerald lived in Australia for eight years.

Fitzgerald spent most of his childhood in Melbourne. He moved to the U.S. when he was 8 because his dad got a job in Portland, Oregon.

His family moved to Grosse Pointe earlier this year.

When Fitzgerald moved to the U.S., he left his extended family on the other side of the world.

“My whole family is there ... I don’t really get to see them very much anymore ‘cause I live in America,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald sees some similarities between the U.S. and Australia.

“It was a lot different over here than over there ... I moved to Portland, so the weather was a lot colder,” Fitzgerald said. “But the culture wasn’t really too different.”

By Addison Toutant, Emily Martinbianco, Jennifer Kusch & Gowri Yerramalli

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Counselor Nick Bernbeck

By Emma Brock & Josie Bennett ASSISTANT EDITORS

Culture shock is nothing new for counselor Nick Bernbeck. The Asian culture drew him to Nepal, a place vastly different from his norm. Bernbeck counseled students in preschool through 10th grade from October 2012 to September 2013.

“I’d never traveled to Asia before, so I wanted to learn about Southeast Asia and kind of get a feel for different cultures and different religions,” Bernbeck said.

The trip wasn’t a leisurely vacation.

Bernbeck’s mission was to counsel kids in need of a mentor. Bernbeck created his own position, as there was no counselor at the school when he arrived. He implemented a paperwork system for the school counseling department.

Bernbeck noted differences between the school in Nepal and those in America.

“The biggest difference that I noCOURTESY OF NICK BERNBECK ticed is teaching style as far as memoCounselor Nick Bernbeck faces the Himalayan Mountains. “Honestly, rization versus the teaching of conthe big draw for me was the mountains and like a different culture cepts is kind of a big difference,” he as well,” Bernbeck said. “I’ve always kind of been ‘out-doorsy’ to a degree, so just being able to trek in the Himalayan Mountains was a said. big thing for me.”

Not only was the teaching style different, but the language barriers proved an obstacle. The students spoke English, but it was their third or fourth language.

“A lot of times, they’d speak their tribal language, and then Nepali, and then they’d speak Hindi, and then English is another thing they learned,” Bernbeck said.

Bernbeck had to adjust to the way time is valued in Southeast Asia. In Nepal, the present is more important than the future.

“You’ll be walking to a meeting, and someone will invite you into their house for tea, and, at first, I would say, ‘No, I have to be somewhere,’ and so that person thought I was really rude because I was telling them I couldn’t stop for tea,” Bernbeck said. “And then I’d show up to my meeting, and everybody else would be an hour late.”

Bernbeck hopes to revisit one day when he gets the chance.

“I’ll never forget it, and you know, all the experiences I had, all the people that I met, the relationships that I created, I wouldn’t turn it in for the world.”

How did you find out about the job?

I literally did a Google search, “Nepal and school counseling,” and this job came up, and so I applied for it, and immediately sent them a resume, and they told me I could have the job the very next day.

Where did you live?

I lived right next to the school, and there were certain students who lived there all year round.

What type of food did you eat?

What we ate every single day for lunch and dinner was called a Dal bhat. So you get a plate of rice, and Dal is like lentil soup, and so you take your lentil soup, and you pour it over the rice, and you kind of just mix it together ...

You usually have a side of curry vegetables.

What was your favorite part about Nepal?

My favorite part about going was working with the students and getting to know some of the staff members there.

What else did you do there besides counsel?

I coached their soccer team as well. I started a soccer team of 9th and 10th grade boys, and we had to play another school, and we practiced before school in the mornings.

LIFE

North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 – 5

Freshman capitalizes on traveling lifestyle

By Olivia Asimakis NEWS SECTION EDITOR

A green card turned into a lifetime adventure for freshman Michal Ruprecht and his family. After Ruprecht’s parents, Beata and Lech Ruprecht, immigrated to the United States in 1996, they made it a family tradition to vacation in different world capitals.

“The U.S. is the best country in the world.

People are honest, and the landscape is beautiful. You can get everything you want,” Lech said. “You have to find the best place for yourself. All places are different if you have good eyes. Only look around.”

Michal began traveling at the age of 2. His first trip was to the United Kingdom. Since then, he has visited 16 countries including England, France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Israel, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Peru, South Africa and Vatican City.

“It’s really interesting and fun because you get to learn about other people’s culture,” Michal said. “The last trip, we went to Africa. We brought some toys for the kids—the orphans.

So we try to help.”

Lech organizes these trips to instill character traits he thinks will help his children for the rest of their lives.

“This was my personal project, to visit major world capitals with my kids. We need to teach them by our example and experience to give hearts to people who need the heart and love,” Lech said.

Out of Michal’s many trips, his favorite was to South Africa. Ruprecht feels the unique culture and diverse ecosystems helped enhanced his perspective of various communities.

“South Africa was my favorite trip because it was really different than all the other ones.

Seeing all the—seeing Africa—it was real amazing,” Michal said. “It’s less developed, but still interesting with exotic animals like giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles and penguins.”

One of the most unusual experiences Michal said was discovering South Africa had penguins. He treasures moments, like these, that he shares with his family the most.

“I rode an elephant in South Africa. My favorite part was riding the elephant because we got to learn more about the elephants and how they function, like they will remember you forever,” Michal said.

While South Africa was the most extraordinary, Michal has visited other countries that

have had similar impacts on him. His trip to Israel showed him the effect that money can have on different regions.

“Seeing the Palestine region and how they thought about Israel and how Israel thought about Palestine, both areas have mixed emotions about each other,” Michal said. “When we went to the Palestine region, we saw the effect Israel had on Palestine, like the Palestinians are really poor, but the Israelis are rich.”

Michal’s dad encourages him and his sister, 2014 alumna Victoria Ruprecht, to focus on the present and carry what they learned on with them.

“We enjoy our pictures, remember stories of our trips. We know what we need in the futures to keep happy lives,” Lech said.

Visiting many Spanish speaking countries, Michal has expanded his education.

He’s fluent in English and Polish, but he’s also working on his Spanish. These trips expose Michal to real-world Spanish and help him improve his skills.

“It’s a big part of my life because I get to interact with other people,” Michal said. “It’s educational. That’s why my dad organizes these trips. We go to countries when we think it will be interesting and it’s a good place.”

Traveling to different countries has taught Michal to be open to the good and bad aspects that cultures have to offer.

“Many people think many countries are very dangerous, but there’s a good side and a bad side. In South Africa, you have to have common sense. Don’t go to the dangerous parts and still be safe and have a good time,” Michal said.

The trips the Ruprechts take have not only brought them to a new understanding of the world, but also closer to each other. They have donated toys to South African and Peruvian orphans, and seeing the poverty in the world has shown Michal the hardships people face.

Lech wanted him not only to see those harsh conditions, but appreciate what he has.

“He wanted me and my sister to be adventurous and not spend money on regular things, like phones. We try to go on a trip every year, so we learn more about that country and help other people,” Michal said. “I really like it, spending time with my family and having those moments I will remember forever.

Happy and exciting ones that you would never think of, like the penguins in South Africa.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEATA RUPRECHT

Freshman Michal Ruprecht spends time at a South African orphanage and passes out toys to the children.

Classroom environments prove to affect student learning

By Haley Reid & Andrea Scapini

Temperature LUKE STURGILL

Focus is rarely achieved in a classroom when the air resembles the arctic or a sweltering jungle. Math teacher Marti Steiner sees a loss of attentiveness and decreased performance when classroom temperatures are extreme.

“I definitely think that temperature plays a role,” Steiner said. “My room can be either freezing cold or super sweating hot, so you’ll see students have to come dressed for all environments in here.”

University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) studies concluded that proper control of temperature in classrooms and workplaces is vital. Studies show that temperatures above 74 degrees disrupt reading and mathematic skills. UCLA found that an ideal learning environment should be between 68 and 74 degrees.

“If students are sitting here, and they’re taking a test and they’re freezing cold, that’s not gonna help their test score. They’re gonna be thinking about how cold that air is,” Steiner said. “I’ve had students ask to move to the other side of the room, which is perfectly fine, but again, if every desk is taken, then you’ve got to find another room to put them in to get them away from this cold environment.”

Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs demonstrates that it is essential for a person to fulfill their innate human needs before being able to focus on other tasks, like learning.

Psychology teacher Jennifer Weisbrodt teaches Maslow’s theory and finds that it directly relates to the classroom.

“As Maslow would point out with his pyramid of needs, if needs such as comfort and security are achieved, one can progress to more advanced levels in the pyramid,” Weisbrodt said.

“Those higher levels are where learning takes place.”

MANAGING EDITORS

Three rows of fluorescent lights and a Smart Board projector screen strain math teacher Marti Steiner’s eyes for seven hours every day. Chronic migraines have held her back from being able to to feel upbeat throughout an entire school day.

“Obviously, if I have a migraine, I’m not going to be in the best mood ... and I think that the lighting could be bothering the students which is a bigger problem for me,” Steiner said.

“If the light is bothering me, it’s gotta be bothering other students as well, and that’s why I always have this first row off because the Smart Board’s on, and when the Smart Board’s on, the

Lighting lighting is kind of coming from the board for the first row.”

Junior Rebecca Flynn also says she suffers from headaches due to the lights in classrooms.

“The super bright light bugs me in the morning because it’s really bright, and I’m not ready for that yet,” Flynn said.

One solution is to replace the fluorescent light bulbs with a softer type of bulb, although they tend to be more expensive.

Additionally, natural lighting in classrooms is proven to help students achieve their optimum performance according to edudemic.com. Unnatural lighting levels are proven to be a hindrance to students and

teachers alike.

“I’m really hoping they try a softer lighting for my room to see if that works. As a teacher ...

I want you to demonstrate what you know. If you’re in some environment where it’s too cold or too hot or the lighting is really bothering you and giving you a headache, I would want to know that because I would want you to show me what you know during your test,” Steiner said.

“That’s extremely relevant because you want to optimize students’ learning, and you want to optimize what they can show you when they’re taking an assessment.”

FC06.DEVIANTART.NET

Seating Science teacher Jaime Hainer found a seating layout that gets even her most shy students involved.

“There’s one student that I can think of right away, that said she would never talk in my class, and today alone, I called her out and was like, ‘You talked twice today.’ She’s like, ‘I did,’” Hainer said. “I think it’s not as threatening of an environment to talk in.”

This particular arrangement involves putting each desk in the middle of the classroom, and then fitting all the chairs into one large circle around them.

“I watched one of my colleagues do it, Mr. Pata, and I really liked the idea,” Hainer said.

“I liked how everyone talked so well and how the conversation went back and forth and how it wasn’t always coming back to the teacher.”

The concept of students learning by leading

the discussions rather than the teacher lecturing is the aspect of this seating arrangement that Hainer finds most valuable.

“It puts us all on an equal playing field, so it’s not like the teacher is in the front. I’m sitting just as they are, and so we are all equals, and we all have the same voice,” Hainer said. “It also allows us to face each other instead of all facing the front.”

When they aren’t having class discussions, Hainer likes to switch up the seating arrangements and encourage class communication in hopes that the students will absorb information better.

“For my chemistry class right now, we are trying sitting with partners and for Physics, we do normally have rows of seats, and I always have them go talk to a partner or someone next to them.”

SYDNEY BENSON

6 – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 – North Pointe

REVIEWS

Do you want to play a Game?

By Dora Juhasz WEB SECTION EDITOR

Out of all the classic horror movie mistakes, playing around with Ouija boards proves to be at the top of the list. Whether you believe in spirits or not, everyone knows you shouldn’t mess with the dreaded wooden board that has the ominous “Goodbye” at the bottom.

They’re just plain creepy (thanks to The Exorcist for teaching me that). But for some people, particularly the terribly curious teens in the movie Ouija, the taboo of messing with spirit boards doesn’t keep them away.

The moment I saw the trailer for this movie, I was hooked. Lately, demonic possessions and relentless spirits have been my go-to’s for horror movie binges.

So of course, my anticipation for this movie was high.

Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver that lingering uneasy feeling that should stick with you after you leave the theater.

The film opens with a f lashback of two typical bigeyed, innocent young girls circled around a Ouija board. Debbie, the blonde who was just was too determined to play, reassured her best friend Laine that it was all “just a game.” But years later, it is discovered that Debbie’s presumed suicide actually stemmed from that childhood game.

After the girls’ first Ouija experience, the movie shifts to Debbie and Laine’s teenage years. Debbie decides to stay in instead of going to a party one night,

but she refuses to tell Laine why or even let Laine in her house. Though Laine is concerned, she brushes it off and bids farewell to Debbie.

Debbie burns an old Ouija board in her fireplace and then begins to experience the clichés of predictable scary movies: doors randomly closing, strange noises, gas stoves turning on by themselves. We’ve seen it all before.

While the jump-scares are no novelty, Debbie’s apparent suicide induced goosebumps and sent chills through the viewers’ skin. After the burned spirit board mysteriously makes its way back to Debbie’s bed, unharmed, Debbie’s eyes chillingly glaze over. She (or whatever entity possessed her) does something seriously spine-tingling with a shining string of lights. I’ll avoid the spoilers and leave that for you to see yourself.

Debbie’s shocking death devastates Laine, begins her breakdown. Laine can’t bring herself to believe that her happy best friend would just kill herself, and she just can’t let it go.

Predictably enough, Laine finds the Ouija board in Debbie’s room. She convinces her other friends to play with her, believing that she can contact Debbie’s spirit to say goodbye once and for all.

But after the teens open a channel, it’s not Debbie they reach. These unknown spirits latch onto the friends with the goal of killing them, just like they killed Debbie. It is now up to Laine to figure out the story behind the spirits and seal the channel shut be-

fore everyone else suffers Debbie’s fate.

Although the whole Ouija board concept is a cool one for a horror movie, it just wasn’t executed well enough in Ouija. Most of the parts that made the audience jump are fake scares (the dark shadow that pops out of the corner is actually Debbie’s boyfriend, Pete).

The movie doesn’t create any emotional connections between the audience and any of the characters, and the smaller side anecdotes told throughout don’t fit with the larger plot.

The startling plot twist towards the end of the film was needed to keep the audience interested, but it didn’t succeed in making the movie memorable. If you’re looking for a deep, plot-driven horror movie that will leave a menacing imprint on you, Ouija is not the go-to film. But if you find yourself sitting at home, bored on Halloween, it’s a fun, last-minute f lick that will provide a few unexpected scares and definitely teach you to stay far away from the alphabet-covered board.

Ouija (2014) Directed by John R. Leonetti PG-13 1 hour, 9 min.

CORNWALL BAKERY

BASTILLE CONCERT

HYSPHERICAL

SWEET TALKER

The smell of fresh baguettes greets customers as they walk in the door of Grosse Pointe Park’s newest eating area, Cornwall Bakery.

PHOTO BY EMMA PUGLIA Cornwall Bakery opened in August, and is named for owner Freeman Gunnel’s English heritage. As a family business, it features European pastries, custom-made cakes and a food-central location. Cornwall Bakery is one of several restaurant newcomers in the area including Atwater in the Park, Red Crown and Jersey Mike’s.

Because the shop is still developing, the setting is simple: an open space filled with neutral tan colors and small tables decorated with vases of flowers. There is no menu yet, just a piece of paper on the wall and labels on the desserts. Cornwall’s atmosphere is welcoming yet unfinished and therefore makes the customer hesitant to enjoy their sweets.

However, the cuisine offered makes a visit worthwhile. Cornwall’s bread is top notch.

The sound of the crust can determine a bread’s quality. If a baguette or sourdough loaf crackles when breaking apart, and the center is soft and doughy, it signals good bread. Flaky and addictive.

Although the chocolate mousse is bitter and the chocolate chip cookies unremarkable, the pecan bars have a shortbread base that starts out sugary and concludes nutt.

The cinnamon roll buns are sticky and perfectly sweet throughout.

Extravagant cakes and cupcakes are what really make Cornwall Bakery shine. The buttery cakes complement the light and airy frosting. Unlike some processed frostings, there’s no graininess or odd aftertaste. Just pure deliciousness.

Cornwall Bakery is a shop that has plenty of tasty treat choices now and loads of potential for the future.

As people shuffled into their places and the lights dimmed across the beautiful artwork at the Masonic Temple, the crowd’s PHOTO BY BRITTNEY HERNANDEZ cheers spiraled into one surging uproar. Bastille walked out on stage, the first notes of their song “Things We Lost In The Fire” already ringing out. The scene was already set for the amazing night to come.

The band smashed out tune after tune in front of their iconic white triangular backdrop and amongst the flashing lights. Despite the band’s energy-revving abilities and incredible talent, the audience seemed reluctant to dance or move at all through the first half of the concert.

They cheered and screamed the lyrics, but they remained relatively stationary.

This remained true until the “final” song of the set list began, “Flaws”, and lead singer, Dan Smith, flicked up his hood and bounded out into the crowd. Still flawlessly performing, he sang his way through the lunging crowd. He grabbed fans’ hands, singing directly to them as he made his way through the pit and back to the stage in one piece, never missing a beat.

After this, the vibe transformed into one that the band truly deserved. The energy remained high and the crowd jostled around each other for a better view as the band rushed out for their encore. With the audience screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs with their arms fully extended into the air, these final few songs really turned out to be “the rhythm of the night”.

Finally, Bastille’s chart-topping song “Pompeii” blasted out to end the night in high gear. After the wild whirlwind of the concert, the only thing left to say was the same thing Dan gushed repeatedly to the crowd: “Thank you so, so much.”

Crashing two dots is a problem. It’s not a carcrash-level problem, but in this game, it causes tremendous stress and anxiety. The new free A3.MZSTATIC.COM app is Hyspherical, and it’s fun for about a week.

This new mind-boggling game tests the limits of how the mind works. The objective of it is to complete multiple levels and keep moving forward within a certain amount of lives.

Each level has a few circles. the player is suppoused to touch the original circle for a mini solid circle to show up. It will rotate on the outside of the original circle.

The catch is that the original circles are rotating at different speeds, and the mini white circles cannot touch. This makes the game difficult and initially fun to play.

After the first level, the screen is hard to leave. It’s time consuming. The challenging tasks will take over. Trying to get that second mini circle without it touching is addicting and enjoyable.

However, Hyspherical does have its drawbacks. After so many failed attempts, the gamer loses a life. Ideally, this game should give the user unlimited lives because no one wants to keep up with a game if success is impossible. There’s an in-app purchase that allows for more lives, but that’s unreasonable. The app advertises that it’s free. Users shouldn’t have to pay for lives.

While it’s a different game that will take up your free time, it’s not necessary for everyday life and takes up phone space. It’s one of those items that trends, then get boring.

But of course, since it is free, it’s worth trying. One level, and you might be hooked.

S w e e t Talker isn’t so sweet.

The third album from British pop, R&B and soul singer Jessie J was released ITUNES.APPLE.COM Oct. 14.

Sweet Talker may consist of many catchy songs such as “Burnin’ Up,” “Bang Bang” and “Sweet Talker,” but unlike the name of the track “Ain’t Been Done,” this album has been done before.

Though her lyrics and label of the album may have different wording, the sound of her voice and the tempo of the music are all the same.

The lesson she is trying to teach never changes, it’s about love. She sings about how bad love is, how madly in love someone can get, and how badly love is wanted. It is a constant repetition of love, love, love.

Jessie J’s monotone vocal abilities are set in stone. It is like she can’t change up her midrange sound. When the melody is supposed to be soft and the meaning is supposed to be sad, it seems as if she wants to burst out into a flash mob, happy and giddy like the rest of her songs.

This isn’t all Jessie J’s fault, our generation of music is guilty as well. Each genre seems to be a cookie-cutter sample of the other.

Jessie J may have catchy songs and great featured singers on the album, but it isn’t anything new. This onetrick pony gets boring really quickly.

The album needs a variety of different arrangements. This is something that should be changed in the music industry in general, and especially in this album. This R&B, soul, and pop album is widely popular to those into that, but it has just been done before.

15215 Kercheval Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, (313) 264-1938, find Cornwall Bakery on Facebook

Bastille. Bad Blood Tour, Oct. 23, 2014, The Masonic Temple, Detroit, Michigan

By Emma Puglia

By Emily Martinbianco & Brittney Hernandez

Hyspherical, Monkeybin AS, Sept. 20, 2014, Requires iOS7 7.0 or later, Apple devices, free/in-app purchases

Jessie J, Sweet Talker, Rob Stevenson, 2014

By Allison Lackner

By Lauren Sexton

SPORTS

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North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 – 7

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SICKMILLER FAMILY

By Wendy Ishmaku BUSINESS MANAGER

Destined to be a runner, freshman Lauren Sickmiller feels the pressure from her three siblings to continue the legacy they have built.

“I had a lot of pressure to run,” Sickmiller said. “My older sister ran here a long time ago, and she was on the record board, so Mr. (Scott) Cooper would always be like, ‘You’re gonna run cross country’ ever since I was 7 years old.”

North alumna and oldest sister Kailey Sickmiller was the first of four siblings to set the bar high. Kailey holds the number three record on the cross country alltime board with a time of 18:42. North alumnus and older brother Tyler Sickmiller achieved a personal record of 17:15 his senior year.

Lauren and her brother, junior Connor Sickmiller, have been fulfilling their brother’s and sister’s legacies ever since they started high school.

“Connor started in elementary school, running for St. Paul,” their father Craig Sickmiller said. “At that time, Kailey was a freshman at North doing pretty well, so we thought it would be good for Connor to get into it.”

Lauren has already made a name for herself in the racing community, earning a spot on the top ten freshmen board with a time of 18:49 for her 5K run. Last year, Connor ran a 9:57 two-mile, making him the team’s fastest sophomore.

However, a two-month-long virus limited Connor’s training this season.

“It was hard mentally because this was supposed to be my big year, but I’ve just

got next year,” Connor said. “You gotta look on the upside of things.”

Now Connor runs once a day compared to the 12 total miles he would run in two sessions during the summer.

Despite the setbacks, the family members continually push each other for greater improvements.

“We kind of just encourage each other,” Connor said. “We keep track of each other.”

While Connor is more independent in his physical training, Lauren leans on more experienced runners for advice.

“The coaches are really good, and same with Maddy Denison and Katelyn Carney, who I train with,” Lauren said. “They always say that no matter how tired you feel, you can keep pushing on, and it’s all mental, and just keep thinking positive things as you’re running on.”

The inspiration has proved beneficial for Lauren as she beat the all-time freshman record by seven seconds at the division meet at Metro Beach on Friday, Oct. 24.

Lauren ran a time of 18:49, placing her fourth in the region and on the recordboard.

The constant motivation and support coming from all sides is how the family has become so athletically triumphant.

“I think the success of their siblings is what really encourages them. They’ve seen how well their older brothers and sisters have done, and I think that encourages them.” Craig said. “I think that having the boards up in the gym is something to shoot for.”

Boys tennis duo competes in state semifinals

By Ritika Sanikommu ASSISTANT EDITOR

Junior Mitchell Zacharias and senior Nick Cusmano aced their way to the state semifinals as the first pair in seven years.

On Friday, Oct. 17, Zacharias and Cusmano tied for third in the state. During their season, they had 28 wins and 3 losses, and were also regional champions. However, the pair did not win the semifinal tournament at states.

“We were playing pretty good up until that point, but that match we didn’t play particularly well. Some serves weren’t hitting well, and we weren’t playing our Agame,” Cusmano said. “At that stage, you need to play your best if you want to win the semifinals.”

Although they did not advance past semifinals, tennis coach John Van Alst impressed by the boys’ performance.

“I was proud. They held their heads high, they did their job, they played great tennis and had great sportsmanship. They were just outstanding athletes, great representation for Grosse Pointe North,” Van Alst said.

“It’s rare that someone from Grosse Pointe North has made it to the semifinals. I believe (the last time) was seven years ago.”

Zacharias and Cusmano’s effective partner dynamic was what led them to achieve their success throughout the season.

“Me and Mitchell are the same person

when it comes to tennis. We always know where each other is at. Our one strategy is get to the net,” Cusmano said. “We are good at volleying, and we can get everything back. So once we get in, we charge the net, and that’s how we win.”

Zacharias and Cusmano were both persuaded to play tennis by their moms.

“My mom forced me to. She wanted me to play tennis, so I got forced to my freshman year, but after that, it was a lot of fun,” Zacharias said.

Cusmano, however, has been playing tennis since long before of high school.

“When I was younger, I would take lessons at the park, and I played during the summer,” Cusmano said. “My mom plays regularly. It’s pretty much my mom that got me started.”

Tennis is one of many sports that both Zacharias and Cusmano are involved in.

They do not plan on pursuing tennis competitively.

“Tennis is kind of like an extra sport. My main passion is hockey,” Cusmano said.

“This is like something nice to be really good at, and it’s just really fun.”

Their competitive nature has contributed to their achievements over the season. “(They have an) incredible desire to win.

AVA DELOACH They want to win. They learn from their mistakes, and they don’t let one mishap Senior Nick Cusmano and junior Mitchell Zacharias prepare to return serve. “I have a great ruin their day,” Van Alst. “They focus hard relationship with Nick and Mitchell, I’ve coached Nick for four years and Mitchell for three and work hard.” years. They’re great kids, great young adults. They have a fierce competitive nature—I love it,” boys varsity tennis coach John Van-Alst said.

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General Friday, November 7 Science, Nursing & Math Friday, November 14 Leadership Friday, December 5 Athletic Saturday, January 31 To register: aquinas.edu/aqday or 800-678-9593

FEATURE

8 – North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 31, 2014

Halloween has some

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Trick-or-treating actually came from a Christian tradition. In Britain and Ireland, people went door to door “souling” (asking for small breads called “soul cakes” in exchange for a prayer.)

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MILDLY CARRY A SATAN IC STAKE UNDERTON ES

REFLECTIVE TAPE FOR VISIBILITY

October 31 typically brings costume-prepping, ghostly decorations and pumpkinflavored everything. But for sophomore Grace Sexton, it’s just another day of the year.

Sexton did not celebrate Halloween when she was growing up. Putting decorations up and going trick-or-treating was just a one-time experience for her.

“It was just mainly because (of) my mom. She didn’t really feel like it was that holy of a time because everything was based around the dead and kind of spooky things. But I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.” Sexton said. “But, you know, she’s the one who makes the decisions of what we celebrate.”

According to The Culture of Fear by Barry Glassner, there are many people who are concerned about potentially poisoned candy or goodies and even the mythical Bogeyman.

Social studies teacher Dan Gilleran assumes the reason for some not celebrating Halloween is fear.

“I was thinking of when Harry Potter books came out

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and people were like, ‘Oh, it’s witchcraft,’ and, ‘Your kid’s gonna turn into a warlock,’” Gilleran said. “But I think there might be some of the fear (of) strangers and all the dangers out there. But we know that’s not true for the most part.”

Spanish teacher Tamara Shephard feels safe tirck-ortreating with her kids because she remains in a two-block radius and knows her neighbors.

“There’s a lot of stuff, like there’s way too much stuff going on for Halloween. Our city has something where they do a downtown trick-ortreating, an allergy-free thing during the day and then they have a trick-or-treat trail in the park in the evening on Sunday. For real trick or treating, there’s trick- or-treating at my kids’ school. It’s a little loco,” Shepard said. “Halloween is a dream, I like it. It’s one of my favorites.”

As an alternative celebration, Sexton’s family travels to Christmas-themed Frankenmuth for Halloween.

“Usually that weekend we would go to Frankenmuth and basically get in the early Christ-

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mas spirit, and so it wasn’t too bad until maybe third or fourth grade where there would be a lot of Halloween stuff, and then I would feel excluded,” Sexton said.

Sexton does not feel as excluded from Halloween celebrations as much as she did when she was younger. Sexton says that around eighth grade, her mother became more lenient towards allowing her to partake in the festivities.

While the family doesn’t put up decorations, give out candy or go trick-or-treating, Sexton is now allowed to determine whether or not she wishes to participate.

“Now, I’m older. I can choose to go to a party if I want if it’s a Halloween party. For (coach) Cooper, for cross country, he hosts a Halloween run,” Sexton said. “I went trick-or-treating once just to try it out, and it was okay, so I don’t really feel that left out because I’m older.”

Contributing: Kaley Makino