NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
LIFE
New legislation updates guidelines for student athletes regarding concussions
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013
Making everyone more knowledgeable about concussions is exactly what The law requires that all adults take this new law may achieve. a concussion awareness course online Not only do the coaches obtain a written statement that confirms have to take online conthat the athletes and their parents have been cussion courses, but educated about the health risks students must also do any athletes who may have a concussion some reading and have are removed from competition i and not a written affidavit on allowed to return until they have written file that confirms they permission from a health professional on file. have read and kept the material. In addition to reading about concussions, athletes in these sports must take an “impact test.” “The impact test was something we were doing previously. Before the legislation changed, not every school did it,” Bandfield By Audrey Kam said. “We provide what’s assistant editor called ‘impact tests’ for freshmen and juniors The Center for Disease Conto get their baseline ... trol (CDC) defines a concussion so if they were to get a as “a type of traumatic brain CC image courtesy of _DJ_ on flickr concussion, we could injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain nor- go back and see what their score was at the previous test.” At the time Kusch was playing, no impact tests were administered. mally works.” For sophomore Justin Kusch, the definition doesn’t quite “Playing hockey, you know, you get your bell rung a lot. And I rememdescribe the experience. “Dizzy, painful, uh, hard to concentrate. I mean I never really passed ber quite a few times, I never ... I never got a concussion, I don’t think,” out, and I had like a lot of headaches and migraines that kinda came Kusch said. “But I remember, you know, being really dizzy, not really afterwards,” Kusch said. “I never really got those a whole lot before my knowing what to do. I mean, I get hit and then just kind of go back to the concussions. So like, the months after my three concussions in hockey, I bench to sit down and just like kind of not go back on because, you know, I’m in a lot of pain.” would get migraines, like, three or four times a week.” Not only does the impact test give healthcare professionals and On June 30, Michigan became the 39th state to “enact a law that regulates sports concussions and return to athletic activity” (MDCH, www. coaches a comparison point to determine whether or not a student has michigan.gov). Even though concussions have always been a problem in a concussion, but now they are used to determine when it is safe for a high-contact and projectile sports, the new state legislation has everyone student to return to play. If a student returns to competition too soon, the brain may still be healing, and they are put at a greater risk of getting talking about them again, including athletic director Ben Bandfield. Bandfield says that much of the standards and procedures remain the a second concussion. same for North. To access acknowledgement forms visit: “It was basically ... each school handled it the same way. The athletic www.mhsaa.com/schools/healthsafetyresources.aspx trainer for each school kind of worked with concussions,” Bandfield said. “If you had one, there’s a certain time you would sit out, but it wasn’t anything that was all-encompassing and saying, ‘This is exactly how we’re Contributing: Josie Riley, Alex Batts & Luke Sturgill going put things into place to make people more knowledgeable.’” kaled
Students prepare spirit week showcases and stairwells for their classes Friday, Sept. 27.
SINCE 1968
POINTE
Graphic
by kristen
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HOMECOMING PARADE & FOOTBALL GAME
Today at 5:30 p.m. Parade begins at Monteith parking lot, ends at North. Game starts at 7 p.m.
SAT TESTING
Saturday, Oct. 5 at 8 a.m. at North
HOMECOMING DANCE
Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in North gym
PSAT offers scholarship opportunities
NORTH/SOUTH FOOTBALL GAME
Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. at South
FRESHMAN SOCIAL STUDIES MEAP
By Anu Subramaniam & Erica Lizza web manager & staff reporter
Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 16 and 17 at North
“
IDEAS
In reality, there is
no such thing as
normal.
So is there
really
such a thing as a
hipster?
“
Page 3
maria
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
liddane
Wednesday Oct. 16 in the cafeteria
Social media site LinkedIn makes efforts to allow students 14 and higher to join the site and build their personal digital footprints. Students and teachers debate whether or not this is appropriate.
What kind of 14-year-old would be partaking in such tasks is a mystery to Michigan State University student and North alumna Danielle Haggerty. “When you’re young, and you have a Twitter like me, I was obsessed with Justin Bieber. That’s the reason I got a Twitter, like so I could somehow get in contact with him. But if you do stuff – stupid By Melina Glusac stuff – you’re young. You don’t really realize what you’re doing,” Haggerty said. “I don’t know what ideas editor kind of employers are going to look at a 14-yearAll it took was a few clicks. old’s LinkedIn and be like ‘Yes, I want to hire this “When I started using Facebook, it was instan- 14-year-old.’” taneous, the difference between how I was before Haggerty, in fact, has built up quite a Web presand how I was after,” said senior Lizzie Marck of her ence herself. With over 700 followers on Twitter, and participation in social media. an array of noteworthy ones like MSU’s publication In this day and age, it’s impossiThe Black Sheep, she is a firm beble not to be surrounded by glistenliever in creating a solid footprint. ing iPhones, Twitter and Facebook. “It can be beneficial because It might not be apparent at the moyou can put a bunch of stuff on ment, but every post on a site is conLinkedIn, and that will lead you to tributing to a “digital footprint,” an future employers,” Haggerty said. accumulation of one’s activity on Similarly, social studies the World Wide Web. teacher Sean McCarroll is a LinkedIn, a social media site Danielle Haggerty proponent of technology and specializing in professional net2012 North Alumna encourages his students to get working, is trying its best to keep their foot in the door – careup with the ever-changing pace of social media. fully. Their latest effort was a controversial one: Chang“A strong digital presence and a responsible digiing their minimum age of enrollment to 14. tal presence (is important) because people need to A little background on LinkedIn – the dwindling realize that every time you click hit, send or publish site launched in 2003 and has since been used by – anything like that – it’s permanent and anybody those in the workforce to post jobs, review resumes, can see it,” McCarroll said. “That’s going to be rehelp potential employees hunt for jobs and connect ally important; especially things like LinkedIn are those looking for business opportunities. going to be more relevant in our society, and people By targeting a younger demographic, LinkedIn need to know what is and is not acceptable and use hopes to aid students in getting into college and ap- it properly. plying for jobs, subsequently contributing to hefty digital footprints for all. continued on page 2
@myGPN
“
I don’t know what kind of employers are going to look at a 14-year-old’s LinkedIn and be like, ‘Yes, I want to hire this 14-year-old.’
”
www.myGPN.org
VOLUME 46, ISSUE 2
Unlike most high school juniors, North Class of 2013 alumna Kamala Kanneganti took the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) with a clear goal in mind: qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Kanneganti took the test as practice her freshman and sophomore years. “I think my biggest accomplishment to date was winning this award,” Kanneganti said. “It helped give me an edge for college, and many colleges sent me letters for full rides.” The PSAT is similar in format to the SAT. Both standardized tests measure proficiency in three areas: critical reading, math and writing skills. The tests are also similarly scored: the SAT is scored out of 2400, 800 for each category, and the PSAT is scored out of 240, 80 for each category. Students must score within the top 3% of PSAT test takers in their state to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. “Here at North, we usually have two to six National Merit Scholar finalists every year, depending on where the cutoff is,” counselor Milissa Pierce said. The cutoff score changes each year depending on how many students take the test and how they score. “If they qualify for the test, they then have to fill out an application with their academic achievements, and the school will send their transcripts. Some people will be recognized for qualifying, but will not end up being finalists,” Pierce said. “The PSAT is not mandatory for juniors, but it is recommended that they do take the test for practice for the SAT and ACT. It is even recommended that they take it sophomore year,” Pierce said.
Continued on Page 2
© 2013 North Pointe
news
2 – Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – North Pointe
Digital footprint Continued from page 1
Like Haggerty, McCarroll is hesitant about the number 14. However, he has no reservations about high schoolers or college-goers joining the network. “I think it helped more once I was in college, having the digital footprint,” McCarroll said. “Now I’m trying to help incorporate that more in my classes, so it can help kids make those transitions into college or into the workplace.” Despite this zeal, there are people resisting the temptation of technology. Senior Lizzie Marck was raised to believe in real-life footprints. “Mostly, we just wanted to try to delay it as much as possible so that we have more FaceTime. They have more thinking time and downtime and face time – experiencing life as it’s happening and being a part of it instead of always looking at a phone,” Lizzie’s mother, Jennifer Marck, said.
Now for Lizzie, living without a web presence is her chosen norm. “At first, it was because my mom didn’t like the idea of cellphones and texting. But now, it’s more of like, it’s my choice,” Lizzie said. “My mom offered to get me a cell phone, but I feel like it would just be a waste of time. And I’ve noticed that when I use technology, I write less, and I do a lot less thinking, and I get distracted easily. So I just thought it would be for the best.” Lizzie sees a slight disadvantage in living with only one type of footprint, though. “I know I miss out on a lot of stuff because I am not that connected. So I guess it’s just a trade-off.”
Contributing: Olivia Asimakis & Yena Berhane
emma puglia
Average PSAT score of popular Michigan colleges
PSAT scholarships Continued from page 1
Kanneganti, who started preparing for the test the summer before her freshman year, said that the practice definitely helped her achieve a 207 on the test. “The hardest part for me was usually the vocab-orientated questions. I was not too good at retaining vocabulary, but in the end, there were only a few problems that studying didn’t help with,” Kanneganti said. As a reward for her score, Kanneganti was offered a full ride to Wayne State University which included room and board and money to buy a laptop. She didn’t even have to apply for admission. In addition to providing students with National Merit Scholarship opportunities, the PSAT also lets students choose to be recruited by colleges if they check a box on the test form. By checking the box, student’s PSAT scores will be submitted to colleges who will contact them if interested.
Because PSAT results do not appear on college applications, they cannot negatively affect one’s application. “Although a good test score is not the end all be all, it is a good indication of academic success,” Pierce said. Sophomore Nicole Stein had prior knowledge of the benefits of taking the PSAT as practice and decided to register for the test this year. “I decided to take the PSAT so I can start preparing for the ACT and SAT. I want to have experience taking the test before it actually counts,” Stein said. Stein plans on also taking it during her junior year in hopes of qualifying for the National Merit Scholar award. “Being a National Merit Semifinalist or Commended student will get you noticed,” Pierce said. “It is not necessarily an entrance into the college of your choice. You must also have a strong cumulative GPA and a strong overall application.”
District requests tech bond approval from voters The technology bond proposition was an effort started in the 2012-2013 school year by the school district to persuade voters to approve the sale of bonds which raise money to buy technology for the school system. The plan is still developing, and no formal proposals have been approved for the November 2013 ballot yet. “I do (think it will help) because I see firsthand exactly how frustrating it is for students to accomplish some things that they need to accomplish with the use of technology,” Librarian Karen Villegas said. “Kids mostly say they get frustrated and say, ‘Ah, I’ll just do it at home’ when there are issues.” The proposed requests include updating all kinds of technology – from computers to air conditioners to security sys-
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tems. In order to make sure they’re not wasting money, they must perform a lifetime analysis of the new technology and make long-term predictions for the technology that will be needed in the future. “It’s a hard thing to do because you’re projecting what something’s gonna look like before it’s ever invented, just like when we work with students on their skills, we’re trying to train you for jobs that don’t exist yet, so it’s complex,” Villegas said. Villegas prefers neither technological nor traditional learning, as long as the students learn. “To me it’s not about the stuff. To me, it’s about the thinking,” Villegas said. “To me, the technology enhances what it is we’re trying to do, which is really: teach kids to be good critical thinkers and good citizens, and, you know, have a process that they can use to reason through the problems...that they’ll have in the future.” By Mallika Kanneganti
text You can follow us on Twitter “follow mygpn” on our phone to without setting up an account. 40404
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IDEAS
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – 3
Editor’s desk Kristen Kaled
“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.”
What are we?
Board of Education Policy
Maria Liddane Editor-in-Chief Izzy Ellery life editor
Andrea Scapini Gabby Burchett NEws editor Managing EDITOR
A drive down Lakeshore
Melina Glusac ideas editor
Colleen Reveley Lauren Semack Sydney Thompson sports editor web content manager business manager
Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above and staff members Erica Lizza and Jennifer Kusch.
OUR EDITORIAl
The digital “eraser” is an effort aimed a generation too late It is inevitable that those born toward the end of the past millenium and on are going to have a digital footprint following them through college and their careers. A digital footprint is anything on the Internet connected to the denotation and connotation of one’s name. It doesn’t matter if an individual is tagged or has been the one posting: all posts – pictures, words, videos – are immediately tattooed in the cyber world, a part of the individual’s footprint forever. But is forever really forever anymore? A new law in California, which is planned to be enacted in 2015, will allow anyone under 18 years old to remove embarrassing or inappropriate posts on websites. The purpose of this “digital eraser”: to clean up crippling footprints and subsequently protect reputations in the technological world. However, as the awareness of digital footprints grows, so do the measures taken to prevent a negative image on the Internet from accumulating. This law is meant to help the age group that existed during the social network zenith of 2007, when colleges and employers weren’t expected to inspect. For instance, those individuals that joined Facebook during that time probably weren’t aware that what they posted would affect them later in life. This generation has already been through the college application process, and the law will not be enacted until after they have started looking for work. Since the law would not be put into action until 2015, the group this law would affect is so small and already older, the law would be inefficient in its purpose. Scientific research has shown that the frontal lobe in the brain – which is responsible for reasoning, judgement and impulse control – is not fully developed until the early to mid-twenties. It could be argued that this law is fair because the minor’s immature frontal lobe made them create a not-so-PG-13 digital footprint for themselves instead of making it school and work-appropriate. However, the decisions made to post personal things to the internet are not impulse judgements; time and thought are put into social networking. With all of the programs to promote safe posting online and inform minors of the repercussions that come along with posting inappropriate content, those under the age of 18 have no excuse to need this law to pass. By the time the law is put into the works, awareness of how delicate one’s image is on the Internet will be so prevalent in the world that young adults should automatically keep in mind the consequences it will have on their futures (a.k.a. posting that “super cool” picture of them drinking in a jacuzzi). It has been drilled into the brains of present-day teenagers who can and will be looking at their online profiles, so those who choose to post things that are blackmail-worthy are well aware of the effects it could have on their futures. These people do not necessarily deserve the protection this law will provide and will ultimately make upcoming generations even more careless since, in essence, a life-eraser would have been provided.
It was a typical day. I jumped in my car. As always, I was in a rush – absorbed by the mundane routine. I put the key in the igni- My TURN tion. I adjusted Brigitte Smith the mirrors. I shifted the car in reverse. Finally, I was on my way as if nothing worthwhile surrounded me. I stopped at the stop signs. My turn signals flickered at the appropriate distance before my turns. Everything was just so. But the problem was just that. I recently returned from a family trip to the East Coast of New England. Our 22,000 mile journey by car stretched from the cliffs of Acadia, Maine to the historic brick streets of Boston to the hills of Rhode Island which housed the extravagant mansions of Newport. This vacation reignited my desire to venture to New England once I graduate from high school. I want to surround myself with land that has always been known for its beauty. As I sat in my car, I closed my eyes. It was a blink longer than normal. And when I opened them again, I was back on the East Coast. I could hear the waves roll onto shore. I could hear the sound of the
sailboats creaking as the boat swayed back and forth. I could see myself surrounded by the beautiful old trees and feel the warmth of the sun that reflected off the ocean. Just then I found myself at peace. And just then I blinked again. When my eyelids flickered open my discovery was breathtaking. I was home but somehow it was indecipherable from the image of my flashback. The beauty remained. To my right, the luscious trees were in mid-summer bloom, surrounded by emerald green grass that glistened below the sun from the final resident of the morning dew. The boxwoods were perfectly trimmed, bordering the radiant golden potentillas which brightened the lawn. Adding a pleasant contrast the lilacs and hydrangeas were the hosts of bustling bees. As an outcome the roses of all colors, now in full bloom, filled the air that blew my hair in all directions with a potent aroma of bliss, a smell so pure that no perfume could surpass it. Why hadn’t I noticed this before? Why hadn’t I taken the time to rest and truly notice the elegance of nature that thrives in my Grosse Pointe neighborhood? All this time, this has been right in front of me. Not sixteen hours away, but merely right outside my window. If I couldn’t have seen the beauty of an old willow tree, what else must I be missing?
“It’s nice, but it is kind of confusing because it is so different.”
“If I had to say, it’s better than the last one. If you look at the screen when it turns on, it comes up in slow motion.”
“I like it, but it kills my battery. The colors are much brighter now.”
Carmen Castronero
Aaron Joseph
Charlie Delaney
Freshman
Junior
sophmore
YOUR TURN: Do you like the iPhone’s new update iOS7? By Dana O’Donnell, Andrea Scapini & Brigitte Smith
“I hate it. It’s kind of Android-looking.”
“I like it. Change is good. The only thing constant in life is change.”
“I haven’t updated mine yet. You should wait four to sixth months so they can get all the bugs and problems out.”
Jimmy Passalacqua
Lauren Nixon
Tom Beach
Senior
Math teacher
assistant principal
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 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Maria Liddane public forum without prior review. ComMANAGING EDITOR: Gabby Burchett ments should be directed to the student PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dayle Maas editors, who make all final content decisions. SECTION EDITORS: Andrea Scapini, Melina The views expressed are solely those of the Glusac, Izzy Ellery, Colleen Reveley, WEB CONTENT EDITORS: Marie Bourke, Lauren authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Semack WEB MANAGERS: Emma Puglia, Anu Subrama- School System. niam We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic BUSINESS MANAGER: Sydney Thompson Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press STAFF DEVELOPMENT EDITOR: Patricia Bajis Association, National Scholastic Press AsDESIGN EDITOR: Kristen Kaled sociation and Student Press Law Center. We ASSISTANT EDITORS: Haley Reid, Wendy Ishmaku, Jennifer Kusch, Audrey Kam, Katelyn subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com. Carney STAFF REPORTERS: Jenna Belote, Radiance One copy is available free to all community Cooper, Dora Juhaz, Erica Lizza, Emily members. Additional copies may be purMartinbianco, Brittney Hernandez, Malika chased. Our editorial policy and advertising Kanneganti, Caelin Micks, Diajah Williams, rates are available online at myGPN.org. The Brigitte Smith INTERNS: Dana O’Donnell, Thomas Remenar, North Pointe is printed on 100% recycled paper. Emma Brock, Mora Downs, Kristina Kowalski, Haley Makino, Isabella Meteer, Billy Moin, Ritika CONTACT US Sanikommu, Addison Toutant, Calix Waldrop, 707 Vernier Road Olivia Asimakis, Alex Batts, Josie Bennett, Yena Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Berhane, Dajai Chatman, Claire Dalian, Lia DeCoste, Erin Haggerty, Lawrence Lezuch, Kayla Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Luteran, Lillian Rancourt, Josie Riley, Stephanie Twitter: @myGPN Roy, Maya Sewell, Gowri Yerramalli FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, CJE
For every decade we have a preconception: the speakeasies of the 20s, poodle skirts and greasers of the 50s, disco and dance in the 70s, leather jackets and big hair in the 80s (can’t forget that photo you’ve seen of dad with longer hair than your mom). What about this decade? What great legacy are we going to leave behind? Maybe it’s those gauchos every girl wore in 2007. Or sagging pants so low that waddling became the new walking… well, maybe not. Maybe it will be our obsession with brand names. Because of our connections with technology, we know what everyone else is wearing and doing. We basically have the “how to fit in” guide in the palms of our greedy hands. I guess you could call us the decade of the robots! Let’s be honest: we want to be different. What do we get when being different clashes with our obsession of trendiness? A hipster, of course. We all just want to be hipsters. Right!? I’ve watched us all transform and cling to each new trend. Guys have embraced the saggy pants, boxers out, ‘I’m too cool for this’ look. If not that, they pull their Vineyard Vine belt tight over their pastel shorts and button up their Polos. And let’s not forget the notorious ‘lax flow’ hair length. Ladies, we usually suffer more from obsessing about how to look good and fit in with trends. Somehow, though just as ugly as Crocs, Ugg boots have been one of our longest running trends, and now we’ve added the cousin Hunter rain boots. It’s all about the brand name craze. We can’t ignore the fact that not a week can go by without posting one of our daily Starbucks runs on Instagram, but I mean, have you tasted that pumpkin spice latte!? (I actually haven’t, but I heard it’s to die for.) On top of all this, we have our beanies, Van shoes and big glasses to finish off the statement that we are, in fact, hipsters. May I also call into play the popularity of crosses now? Shirts, leggings, tattoos, earrings; crosses everywhere. The cross itself has turned into a fashion icon. We ignore the fact that the cross is actually where the greatest love story of all time began. But no, it just looks cool. So is this really what we want now? Maybe if we got our noses out of everyone else’s lives, we would take a look at our own. I, for one, think I might toss my phone into the nearest latte machine if I see another Lana Del Rey “woman crush Wednesday” in my newsfeed. I mean really, do we all love the exact same things, people, drinks, clothes and styles? I don’t think so. I think we are all different as can be. We just suppress it a little more in public. In reality, there is no such thing as normal. So is there really such a thing as a hipster? I guess not. As for our generation? I’m not sure what our kids will think of when they look back on this part of the century – nor does it matter. But I do know sometime between now and then we will find ourselves and what makes us happy. That’s the coolest thing of all.
On Campus
North Pointe – Friday, Oct.4, 2013 – 4
Upperclassmen prepare for Spirit Week On Sept. 27, while most students rushed to the parking lot, excited to begin their weekend, members from student council recruited classmates to stay after hours to set up the stairwell and showcase for Spirit Week. By Brigitte Smith & Ritika Sanikommu photographer & intern
LEFT: Seniors Mariah Herfi and Meagan Curran hang a poster in the staircase. Herfi and fellow student council members have perfected the Spirit Week process through trial and error. “We’ve learned simple but effective; don’t try to over-complicate everything, it’s going to make everything harder to get done,” Herfi said. BOTTOM LEFT: Junior Nikki Haggerty paints Bruce from Finding Nemo. Haggerty thinks her artistic technique has improved over three years. “In freshman year you’re kind of clueless and you don’t know where to start and where to end, and everything in between. We kind of figured out a method,” she said.
Faces in the crowd Camille Burke
Freshman Camille Burke knows her way around the fashion world. Whether it be rocking out a tribal skirt or creating her own nail designs, Burke channels her passion in many forms. “I draw out clothing designs and go online and match outfits. Plus, I can’t draw all the time, so I like drawing on my nails, it’s self expression,” Burke said. But this all had to start somewhere. “One day I just picked up a Seventeen magazine and started breezing through it, stopping to look at clothes and makeup,” Burke said. Burke is inspired by the world around her. “I don’t really have a specific inspiration, I look around everywhere and if I like what I see, then there’s my inspiration.”
Sarah Wietecha
Freshman Sarah Wietecha is a self-proclaimed shopaholic. “I like to shop at Forever 21 and Delia’s, mainly. I like to shop there because they change up their styles and trends every season. I also shop at Aeropostale and Charlotte Russe.” Wietecha’s favorite styles are sweaters and crew necks. “I will wear them constantly until I’m dying,” Wietecha said. “I’ll even wear sweaters in the spring.” Lace and pastel colors, especially teal green, are Wietecha’s favorite features of clothing. Her love for shopping doesn’t limit her to buying clothes, as she also indulges in accessories. “I like to accessorize because it adds more elements to your clothing,” Wietecha said. When looking for clothes, Wietecha usually looks for things that fit and look good on her. “I love shopping,” Wietecha said. “It’s a chance for you to get things that can show off your personality.”
Gabby Wren
ABOVE RIGHT: Junior Michael Sacchetti works on posters for the staircase, something he’s been planning for many weeks in advance. “A lot of time went into preparing, so many hours of work, especially trying to match, for example, the fish tank to a tee.” BELOW: A senior sign waits to be hung up by volunteers. “I’ve been putting the monkeys on the brick post, and I’ve helped with the showcase with putting the pictures in,” senior Izzy Kirck said. “It’s really hard because we want everything to be so precise.”
Sophomore Gabby Wren wants to go to Syracuse University to practice law. She feels that North will properly prepare her for admission. “It actually wouldn’t be that hard, like if I take advantage of what I’m given here, I don’t think it would be that hard because we have some really great teachers, teachers who really care, and we’re actually learning,” Wren said. Wren has had her eyes set on becoming a lawyer since sixth grade. Wren believes that her persuasive talent will be the biggest factor in advancing her future career in law. “I’ll be a great lawyer because I’m well prepared,” Wren said. “I’m able to bring up points to make people think; it’s all about appeal and how you cover things.” Wren thinks she would make a good lawyer because of her ability to relate to people. “I like speaking for people who have no voice, and I feel like I can sympathize with people,” Wren said. Wren is potentially going to try out to be a speaker for GPNspire. Not only would it give her a chance to practice public speaking, but it would also be an opportunity to articulate her thoughts, skills essential to becoming a lawyer.
By Claire Dalian, Gowri Yerramalli & Lawrence Lezuch Photos by susan tomasi and max kolinski
FIVE MINUTES WITH Student teacher Brandon Davenport By Dora Juhasz & Emily Martinbianco Staff reporters
Brigitte Smith
Davenport looked up to Clay as a student and now gets to observe her tactics through a teacher’s perspective. “Being in Ms. Clay’s class in high school, she was always super connective with her students, so that was really important. I really liked how Ms. Clay taught.”
Math student teacher Brandon Davenport is nothing short of a dedicated Grosse Pointer. Born and raised here, Davenport is a proud North alumnus and a graduate of the University of Detroit. “I’ve definitely been in the Metro Detroit area my whole life, so it’s really all I know and what I’m comfortable with,” Davenport said. Davenport’s love for mathematics was cultivated during his North days. He was influenced by his former teachers Brad Armbruster, Marti Steiner and his current mentor, Katy Clay. Clay and Davenport remained close after graduation and continued their friendship by keeping in touch during Davenport’s college years. “Me and Ms. Clay have always been close, and I’ve observed her for the last four years, so I just found my place pret-
ty well,” Davenport said. Not only did Davenport discover his love for math at North, but also his interest in playing lacrosse. The University of Detroit offered him a scholarship for lacrosse, which Davenport used to continue his athletic passion. He represented his home state by playing four years in a Division I league. “Playing a sport in college helped with my time management skills and realizing when it’s appropriate to work and when it’s time to have ‘me time,’” Davenport said. He has stopped playing competitively as of this year, and instead coaches at Grosse Pointe Select and Club 313. Davenport’s love for lacrosse and his current teaching position keeps him stationed in his home town. Although he’s interested in exploring new places, Davenport does not see that in the near future.
How did you like North as a high schooler? Would you want to teach here in the future? “I like the dynamic of North, and if there is an opening, I definitely would love to apply here.” When did you start playing lacrosse? “I started playing for the neighborhood club in the fourth or fifth grade, and I grew up playing hockey and moved my way into lacrosse.” What got you working with math or sparked your interest? “I always liked math in high school growing up, and then when I got to college...I got a degree in math.” Do you like to travel? “I do. With lacrosse, I got to see a lot of different cities and states around the U.S., so that was kind of a cool way to travel.” Why did you quit competitively playing lacrosse? “It’s just really time consuming, so for me, I’ve been taking a little break from lacrosse. I still love the sport, but my body needs to recoup a little bit, so I’ll probably start playing in a couple months.
reviews
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – 5
iOS7 underwhelms Apple users Do issues outweigh innovations? By Haley Reid
B+
Along with chilly temperatures, fall always comes with a new lineup of shows, Among them this year is Fox’s cop comedy Brooklynclubdancemixes.com Nine-Nine. It stars Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg, who still manages to deliver laughs as the childish but intelligent Detective Jake Peralta. Peralta, the goofball, is contrasted with new officer Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) the straight-laced Captain who doesn’t put up with Peralta’s smart aleck persona. The dialogue between the two is awkwardly funny and helps to downplay the overly silly Peralta, whose antics tend to get annoying and overbearing after some time. The show is split into office scenes at the police department and crime scenes, which provides a good variety for viewers. The office scenes seem reminiscent of NBC comedy The Office, showcasing the squad’s other quirky characters, like klutzy Detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio). The show is your typical action-comedy, but the unique characters and hilarious punch lines separate this show from the rest of the pack. Comedies about crime aren’t easy to pull off (it’s a pretty serious business), but BrooklynNine-Nine pulls it off with flying colors. As many new shows get canceled and drop from the primetime lineup, don’t doubt that Brooklyn-Nine-Nine will stick around.
venience goes into a survivalof-the-fittest experience for your songs and apps, as small amounts of available storage add up. Luckily, iOS 7 will give back some storage space once the download is complete – but is it worth the trouble? The power-hungry update’s biggest drawback is battery life. When carrying a device that has iOS 7, make sure a charger is handy. Airplane mode becomes a life saver, as the new update drains battery even when the device isn’t being used. The 3D feel to the screen is the issue. It’s easier to avoid draining the battery life by simply shutting the feature off (see graphic). The new update challenges Pandora and Spotify users to decide where to stream their music from. Competitors to the new iTunes Radio run the risk of losing customers as Apple’s program makes it easier to purchase songs while streaming them. While it may be too soon to declare iTunes Radio superior to its competition, the new feature still has a six-song skip limit and occasional ads. Apple has its advantages as the largest music retailer in existence, with access to a nearly unlimited song selection. While the software may have its glitches and hassles, Apple users still stick with the company and rely on their products to constantly please.
By Izzy Ellery
Grade: C+
Wunderlist
B-
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I love lists. And for others who praise lifesaving iPhone calendar alerts and religiously write in their schoolprovided, spiralbound agendas, Wunderlist has
plenty to offer. There’s not too much to figure out: download the free application, make an account (add a profile selfie if you wish), label folders and input to-do’s. Each to-do can have its own reminder to sufficiently notify you of an impending due date. Collaboration is possible by inviting others to your list. For projects, my partners can see what needs to be done and add their own to-do’s to the shared list. With the paid upgrade, tasks can be assigned to others. A project leader could delegate different components to members. But five dollars a month or $50 yearly is steep. I would like to assign to-do’s and attach files, but those capabilities with some extra backgrounds won’t get that money out of me. The app isn’t terribly helpful for short-term items, like homework; writing is simply faster. But for long-term goals, like filling out college applications, Wunderlist is useful. But above all, the single greatest feature is the ability to check a task’s box – sweet completion! It even leaves those tasks in the list, checked and crossed off, for your “wunder”-ful sense of accomplishment.
By Maria Liddane
ARIA M BY
QUICK FIXES
sent to an entire contact list, or specific people. While useful, and faster than sending it in a text message, take caution when sending files through AirDrop. It’s easy to mistakenly send personal information to everyone included in a contact list, making for an embarrassing mishap. Despite the features that simplify navigation on an Apple device, the company
Brooklyn nine-nine
GRAPHIC
The unveiling of iOS 7, Apple’s latest software update, has seemed to cause more of a stir than any previous update the company has offered. Since the company began using iOS software, there has never been such a drastic overhaul in operating systems. Since the release of iOS 5, Apple’s first software update that received any real recognition, consumers have been on the edge of their seats awaiting the company’s next big innovation. Apple’s “redesign” is under scrutiny for resembling Android, their top competitor. Most users would admit that the similar features are a nuisance. Is the seemingly new 3D screen display something smartphone users have never seen before? Probably not, but even though the full lock screen display is a breath of fresh air to iPhone users, this “redesign” is practically a clone of the translucency and futuristic design that Android presented long before Sept. 18. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen gives access to a command center that mimics Android’s. However, the convenience of the command center seems to outweigh the fact that it resembles its competitor’s. The command center relieves the timely hassle of having to refer back to “settings” every time simple features, like brightness or WiFi, need to be adjusted. The day where iPhone users can mass-delete apps at once has not come. However, the new multitasking feature has proven itself to be quite efficient. A double click of the home button allows the user to view and delete any open apps in a larger view than the past “drawer” design. One of the most innovative features, AirDrop, is available on iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone C, iPad mini, iPad fourth generation and iTouch fifth generation. AirDrop allows Apple products in close vicinity to share photos, videos, web pages and map directions with another device. By opening the control center and an app that is compatible with AirDrop, content can be
LIDDANE
never fails to find complaints from its customers, who were holding high standards for the new iOS. The outstanding problem hasn’t been the software itself, but the update process. Downloading iOS 7 without connection to WiFi is a hairpulling experience. And forget about waiting for the iOS download if the device doesn’t have 3GB of storage available. A ridiculous amount of time and incon-
Assistant Editor
Snapguide
A-
Ever wonder how you could rip apart an entire phonebook? How to create a bacon candle or protein peanut butter-filled cupcakes? Periphone.appstorm.net haps not, but these are a few of the featured tasks you could learn to do on Snapguide. Snapguide is an app that breaks down some normal, and some extraordinary projects into simple steps that anyone could follow. You can scroll through the featured feed, popular feed or recentlyadded feed of projects and guides. You can also browse by topic categories ranging from automotive and technology, to beauty and photography. If there’s a specific how-to that you’re looking for, like how to make the perfect French braid for Homecoming or quick, ab-toning workouts, you can search them. Every how-to is created by users of the app and open to anyone with an account. Most guides consist of five to twenty steps; they contain pictures, short explanations and even short videos. More complex tasks such as how to make piñata cookies may take closer to 40 steps. My only complaint about the app is the need for a greater database of popular page projects to look through. This free app makes creativity convenient. Its setup is easy to maneuver and guides are easy to find and create. Snapguide does a good job providing categories that appeal to both genders and all ages.
By Kristen Kaled
To save battery: Turn off Background Refresh, turn off unnecessary push notifications from apps, turn off Bluetooth when it isn’t needed, turn off auto brightness, turn off location services Contact names shortened: Contacts→ Shortened name→ disable the option Deleting music from iCloud: Open iTunes→ right-click item and choose delete→ check the box that says “hide from iCloud” Preventing automatic app updates: Settings→ iTunes and App Store→ under Automatic Downloads is the option to turn off Updates
Picsart
A-
Prepare to see the world of photography in a completely new way with the Picsart app. Picsart provides a community for photographers, photo gacostechnology.blogspot.com editors and other artists to share and discover art works. With its clean look and creative concept, it’s no wonder people are getting hooked. The app allows users to put a spin on photos using hundreds of different effect options such as distortion, oil painting and stencil. Different combinations of pictures can be created with the app’s collage option. Different filters, like Twilight and Vintage, can be used to enhance photos. Picsart allows users to find, explore and share new ideas in unique and interesting ways. A tags section of the app, allows users to find photos by searching for a particular hashtag. Once a hashtag is selected, users can choose photos under the “interesting” or “recent” options. The app creators hold photo contests within the app, where photos can be submitted for a topic using different hashtags. The “artists” section gives access to the top users and their photos. If it weren’t for occasional crashing from time to time, Picsart would have earned an A. It gives users a different kind of experience with photography not easily found anywhere else.
By Radiance Cooper
Life
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – 6
A
tour through history
This past summer, senior Tyra Dubose visited areas of civil rights activism while on the Freedom Tour. She met Martin Luther King’s Jr.’s daughter Bernice King and former congressman Hanson Clark. By Marie Bourke editor
She walked in the footsteps of civil rights activists. She submerged herself in history. This past June, senior Tyra DuBose took a trip with the Michigan Coalition of Human Rights on the Freedom Tour. The experience has driven DuBose to share her journey with others and demonstrate nonviolent principles. “I’m more interested in history now than I was before I took the trip. I would encourage anybody to take that trip because it’s really life-changing,” DuBose said. She was one of about 50 students who were chosen from their applications to go on this all-expense-paid excursion. They traveled to dominant civil rights activist cities like Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta. The students got a chance to see a variety of museums where marches took place and visit Martin Luther King’s former home. The group also met Dr. King’s youngest daughter, Bernice King. “A lot of the marches that we did, we reenacted them, and while we were in Atlanta, we stayed at the King Center, where his grave and stuff is,” DuBose said. “We stayed there for a week and learned the principles of nonviolence.” While visiting Alabama, the group toured the house King lived in later in life.
Everything was exactly the same in the home, most noticeably being the clock displaying the exact time that King received a threatening phone call to stop his civil rights presentations. “It’s like I was there because she was just telling us his exact moments. It was crazy. She had lighting in the house like perfect. You could just feel it,” DuBose said. Kai Johnson-Anderson, DuBose’s mother, encourages her daughter to uphold her beliefs of nonviolence and share her story with others. “I felt that the Freedom Tour would give Tyra additional knowledge about the Civil Rights Movement. As a family, we’ve always toured African American museums and talked about slavery; however this experience for Tyra was more than any textbook or video could explain,” JohnsonAnderson said. Upon their arrival back home, the group was nominated for the Spirit of Detroit award for their initiative to learn about the country’s history. The award was presented on National Grandparents Day at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. “You should have seen the smile on my mother’s face. This was truly a memorable experience,” Dubose said. Recieving this award recognizes outstanding service students have done by immersing in history. DuBose can now share
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Senior Tyra DuBose stands with her Spirit of Detroit Award she won this summer after the trip on the Freedom Tour. “I would say that I am more privileged and blessed than I thought I was, because our ancestors and the people before us didn’t have all these opportunities like we do. You know about the water fountains, and how we couldn’t go to certain movie theaters, and I just never looked at it like that. Like okay yeah, they had to go there instead of here, and I’m like okay big deal.” her story and the valuable knowledge she’s gained with others and help them uphold Dr. King’s principles. One of the most important tips DuBose gained during the experience was “practice what you preach.” This is especially important and relatable to her because she said, “I always tell my grandma that.” Dubose is also trying to instill important principles in others like not being violent and make sure everything you say is “important, necessary and true.”
“You know how people are always telling us, ‘You’re a kid, you can’t do that.’ What people don’t understand is, in those marches, those were majority kids, like 80% children,” DuBose said. “So when they tell you you can’t do something because you’re this age, I would just let that go in one ear and out the other because if it wasn’t for the children then, we wouldn’t be where we are now. So just take everything into consideration because we’re more blessed than we think.”
Sports
North Pointe – Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – 7
QUICK HIT Meet Ben Zacharias
Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, making him one of the shortest players on the boys’ varsity tennis team, freshman Ben Zacharias has managed to prove worthy of a varsity spot. Some opposing players may tower over him, but his team still welcomed him with open arms. “Our team is very nice, and they took me in really good, but I mean, facing other teams is intimidating,” Zacharias said. Playing against older boys may be a daunting task, but luckily, Zacharias is on the team with his two older brothers, sophomore Mitchell Zacharias and senior Jacob Zacharias. In addition to helping him prepare for tryouts, they also helped him condition for the season ahead. “I didn’t know anything about a full tennis match before, but now they’ve taught me,” Zacharias said. “I’ve just really hit with them this summer, and they beat me pretty bad, but it got me a lot better.” Even though his brothers whipped him into shape, Zacharias still noticed the physical differences between him and some of his opponents. “I do feel a lot smaller because like when we played South, we played two seniors, and at Port Huron ( High School) we played two seniors, so it’s not that they’re intimidating, just I feel like I’m really small,” Zacharias said. Although facing more seasoned players, being a member of varsity will benefit Zacharias in the future. “It’s been helping me a lot, just playing with better kids,” Zacharias said. “I mean, I feel like instead of me being on JV and being one of the best, I’d rather be on varsity because I get to practice more and hit with a lot better kids, and it’s just really improved my game.” By Izzy Ellery
First-time field hockey competitor Rachel Mourad grew up watching her cousin Trina Giorgio play, and started playing until this year.
Karina Lucchese
First-time field hockey freshman claims spot on varsity By Patricia Bajis & Emma Brock
body that’s never played except when you’re that natural of an athlete and you’re a fast learner. That is every coach’s dream because essentially I can mold her into what she needs to be and start from Freshman Rachel Mourad had never held a field hockey stick until a clean slate.” three weeks before the start of the season. Persuaded by her cousin to At the conclusion of tryouts, Mourad was given a choice of which give the sport a try and accompanied by her friends to tryouts, Mou- team she would like to play on. “I gave her the option to, if she wanted more playing rad made varsity – the only freshman to earn a spot. time, to go on JV, but she wanted the experience to play “I went in there with an open mind because it was a with varsity, so I left it up to her. She knew that, going into brand new sport I’d never played before, and I had no this situation, that her playing time might be limited,” Paintentions of making varsity because I knew who I was quette said. up against,” Mourad said. “I felt that if I went down to JV, I would get in a lot more After five days of tryouts, Coach Britney Paquette playing time, but I didn’t feel that it mattered. If I’m workrevealed the JV and varsity distinctions for the potening with people who are above me, I feel like I need to work tial players. up to their level. That pushes me to do better, but if I’m “We were all standing around when she was reading on the same level or even (with) people below me, I won’t off names of the people who made the team. She went progress,” Mourad said. through the varsity list first, and I was like the four last Rachel Mourad Mourad says her lack of playing time this year does not ones she said, and all my friends and I stopped, and affect her as she takes it as a “learning experience” for next our jaws dropped. We looked at her like she was crazy,” freshman year and works to improve her skills. Mourad said. “You’re never done working on something. You’re always improvMourad traded in her volleyball knee pads and swimsuit for field ing. I want to keep pushing myself to make varsity because nothing’s hockey goggles and stick. Paquette said that Mourad represents the guaranteed,” Mourad said. “new generation” of North’s field hockey team. The team played crosstown rivals, South, when Mourad was pit“She is a natural athlete, she is very coachable, she constantly asks questions, and she was very aware of her body and her positioning. ted against one of her inspirations for starting the sport, her cousin, She knew how to criticize her own forum, and she understood that South junior Trina Giorgio. Though they were never on the field at field hockey can be broken down to a very technical aspect,” Paquette the same time, Mourad said she “rubbed” their one-point victory said. “It’s not often, one, that a freshman makes varsity, two, some- “in her face.”
Editor & intern
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If I’m working with people who are above me, I feel like I need to work up to their level. That pushes me to do better ...
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8– Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 – North Pointe
SPORTS
Just keep swimming
Girls swimming and diving team glides through the season as they aim to improve their 4-2 record in the MAC Red division By Allison Fly & Mallika Kanneganti Photo editor & Staff Reporter
TOP LEFT: Junior Meghan Veltri finishes her stroke as she heads toward the pool wall. “The season is good. My favorite part is how nice and supportive the team is and how we have fun even when practicing hard,” Veltri said. Her goal for the rest of the season is to “just to keep improving my times.” ABOVE: Freshman Isabelle Nguyen prepares to spring off the diving board and dive into the pool. LEFT: Junior Emily Hoshaw counts lengths left in the race for a teammate in the 500 yard freestyle race. “We’ve been doing well. We’ve beaten teams that we lost to last year, so it’s doing very good,” Hoshaw said. ”I think we have a good chance (at States). I mean, as a team, I think we’re doing really well this year. We have a lot of better members, and we’re doing awesome.” Hoshaw aims to improve herself. “My goal is to drop as much time from my events as I can, and do my best,” she said. “A downside is that I’m injured, so I’m not able to give 100% of myself during all the practices.” While she sets goals, Hoshaw also has fun with swim team. “There are a lot of awesome members, and it’s fun just being at practices and swimming with all of them and feeling like I’m part of a team,” she said. Sophomore and two-year team member, Hannah Atherton, reflects on how this season compares to last. “The practices are much better than last year. A lot of times kids were just sitting around the block and not doing anything, but this year we’re forced to work hard. It really prepares us for the meets and it makes us stronger as a team,” Atherton said. MIDDLE LEFT: Veltri pushes off the back wall of the pool.
ABOVE: Freshman Annie Euginio surfaces to breathe while doing the butterfly stroke. “It’s my best stroke and the hardest stroke, and I like to pressure myself,” Euginio said.”We are more of a team than my club team (where) we are all more individuals. I think it’s tougher, not more laid back” Senior Carrie Rokowicz focuses on the goal for the end of the season. “Hopefully we get a couple people going to States - that would be a lot of fun - and I’m looking forward to that and just get through the rest of the season,” Rakowicz said. LEFT: Freshmen Breana Williams and Emily Maul relax by the edge of the pool as they wait for their upcoming events. Freshman Eve Feldman has faith in her team. “We’re gonna practice hard, try our best, try to win some meets,” Feldman said. “We’ve already done that but I feel like it’s gonna go like it’s been going.”