November 2016

Hawkeye The Bloomfield

Bloomfield Hills High School

November 2016

Volume IV-Issue II

Enrollment Skyrockets Increase in students at Eastover elementary prompts district to consider moving some elementary school students to the East Hills Middle School building Giancarlo Tucci Staff Writer

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ue to a higher enrollment than in previous years, Eastover has reached maximum capacity and has began to look at alternatives to house its fourth graders.

“Nothing has been formally decided yet,” said school board president Ingrid Day. “This is a discussion that started over a year ago, and has had several different iterations over time. We experienced a little bit of extra growth at Eastover again this year. Our enrollment did go up much more than anyone would have thought. Since we don’t get to pick where people end up buying their homes and going to school we ended up with a couple extra needs for classrooms over at Eastover.

we closed those buildings we ended up with a few That is why the conversation has started again.”

According to Day, many Eastover third grader’s different grade configurations to make the remaining parents are concerned buildings operate more that this move will “We’ve made a commitment that if efficiently. Lone Pine beaffect their child’s ela K-3 school and this move were to go forward, that we come the fourth and fifth gradementary school experience. However, would work with the Eastover staff ers were placed in West this isn’t the first time Hills in their own wing and the Eastover community” in the back,” said Day. BH schools have made this kind of move.

Junior Jamie Silber was Ingrid Day School Board President part of the first class to “Several years ago, in an effort to operate efbe moved to West Hills. ficiently we actually closed some buildings, and it had “I was nervous because I was coming out of an impact mostly on our elementary schools. When third grade and going into a middle school,” said

Silber. “But, in the end, it wasn’t that big of a change. We had our own hallway for just fourth and fifth graders and ate lunch separately from the middle schoolers. We still had one teacher and one class, it was just a new building. It really still felt like we were in elementary school.”

For the current Eastover third graders, the school board is prepared to make all the necessary adjustments for their potential move to East Hills.

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Feature Junior experiences synesthesia

FEATURE Paying it forward

Ally Heath Guest Writer

Senior Razeen Farooq strives to brighten every student’s day Skylar Raitt Guest Writer

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tanding straight and tall, Senior Razeen Farooq is determined to greet each and every student with a smile.

“During the school day I go to say ‘hello’ to students,” said Razeen who was diagnosed with Autism when he was just three and a half. “ Some students don’t notice me and then I say ‘have a good day’ and ‘go to class.’”

According to Razeen’s mother, Niya Farooq, Razeen is one of the eleven individuals diagnosed with Autism at Bloomfield Hills High School.

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Photo credits: cedarpoint.com

Annual Cedar Point physics trip cancelled Panayiotis Stavropolous Guest Writer

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fter thirty years, the annual Cedar Point physics field trip has been cancelled for the 2016-2017 school year.

“From a teaching point of view, the amusement park is essentially a physicist’s playground,” said physics teacher Andrew Mikolajczak. “It involves all kind of mechanical systems and a lot of it we are able to do the things we do in problems where we can reduce the friction, air resistance, and we can put things on a big scale, and record the data and

SOPHOMORES PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

see news page 9

analyze the data. That’s what the trip was for. It was to give the students fieldwork and to prove that all these formulas and concepts we’ve studied are real.”

In their September meeting the BHHS administration and science department were told that the trip was canceled.

In reflection of reasons why the trip might have been canceled, Mikolajczak said that “there has never been any negative events that occurred which I think would’ve impacted [the decision]. We did have two students that

were dehydrated last year, but no behavior issues. The dehydration issue was just a matter of having the kids sit down, take a break, drink some water, and get some food in their stomach.

However, since I’ve been running the trip for the past two and even before I haven’t heard of any behavioral issues.”

SOPHOMORE DEALS WITH PARALYSIS see news page 10

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Walking into school she hears the different colors on the walls and sees written text as colors. This is how she lives her life.

“I see certain letters, numbers, and days of the week as different colors and they also have different personalities to them too,” said junior Alana Saarinen.

“I mix the senses of hearing, vision, and written language.”

Alana is one of the 2000 individuals in the United States who after reading about this condition realized that she has Synesthesia, a rare condition that causes one to have a mix of senses such as hearing or smelling colors.

“In the US, the condition is more associated with being female and left-handed and tends to occur in families, suggesting that it’s an inherited trait. Synesthesia is considered somewhat rare,” said Dr. Felicity Harper, a psychologist at The Karmanos Cancer Institute.

see more page 9

Q&A WITH NEW BHHS ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR SCOTT WOLF see news page 10

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NovembER News

The clown epidemic reaches Michigan

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Usa

Party Breakdown

The clowns have been sighted in and around local communities

How does the newly elected Senate breakdown

51 Republican

49 Democrat

Gender

Ben Cooper Guest Writer

According to officer Roger Wechter, what first started on social media has come close to home.

“I think over near Green Bay, Wisconsin, they had these random sightings of this person in a tattered clown outfit at night,” said Wechter of the various clown sightings throughout the Detroit area and the country.

“And that just spread on Facebook, and then it just took off from there.”

In the Detroit area, Wechter said that there have been at least two incidents in which clowns harmed, or attempted to harm, individuals.

“Down in Livonia, I know there were two or three armed robberies involving a person wearing a clown mask,” he said, “and then over on the east side there was an incident where an individual was cut, so assaulted, with some type of sharp object by another person wearing a clown mask.”

Specifically in Bloomfield, Wechter said he received a call about someone wearing a clown mask and was able to investigate the situation first-hand.

“We were able to track down who it was and actually speak to them and just see what their motives were and ask what they’re doing? Are they just trying to scare people? Are they just walking around with a clown mask and not doing anything wrong? There’s nothing wrong with doing that. But when you start creating fear in the public, then it becomes a safety concern.”

Some BHHS students have personally encountered clowns over the past few weeks.

“I was at Target with a few friends and we were walking back to our car and there was a clown in full costume sitting there, looking at us in the car a few feet away from ours,” said junior Hannah Altman. “It was one of the scariest things that has happened to me.”

Sophomore Isaac Leader had a different experience.

“I saw two clowns together just walking down the road when I was on my way home from a friend’s house. We stopped the car to try to get a closer look at them, but they ran away through the woods.”

According to Wechter, anyone who sees a suspicious clown, the best thing to do would be to call law enforcement.

“Like I said, if they’re doing something that’s going to jeopardize the safety of the public, then we would want to put a stop to that. If they’re just ‘clowning around’ and just trying to be funny, that’s another thing. We may try to discourage it, we may try to explain the whole epidemic that has taken place and why people are so scared, and that there have actually been some violent incidents involving clowns, and may even try to encourage them to spend their time doing something else.”

80 Men

20 Women

Military History

13 Veterans

He has the experience.

If he was director of the CIA, he should have experience handling global issues.

It’s definitely fair to have him in the conversation

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- Kushal Sanjeev Freshman

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He’s definitely qualified for the job.

There was a scandal with him, a couple years ago though. He was director of the CIA, so I think it’s fair for him to at least be considered.

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87 Civilians

- Samir Hasan Junior

Cuba

Q

Korea

Should David Patraeus be considered for Secretary of State?

Former Cuban President dies

Korean President undergoes impeachment

Fidel Castro, the Cuban president from 1959 - 2008, died on November 25th.

Florida Senator noted on Twitter that Castro will be known as an “evil, murderous dictator”. While Canadian Prime Minister, called him a “leader who served his people for almost half a century”.

The President of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, has been asked to step down over accusations of corruption.

According to the New York Times, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Seoul in support of the impeachment process that has begun.

USA

Syria

Trump begins to form cabinet

Syria regains control Syrian forces were able to take back full control of the Northeast Aleppo on November 21st. According to the Washington Post, this is a huge step in retaking the former commercial capital of the country.

On the 15th, Syrians made a final push to take back the region with support of Russian warplanes and

Presidentelect Trump has nominated Nikki Haley for UN Ambassador.

Nikki Haley is currently the governor of South Carolina. She is the child of Indian immigrants In his statement, Trump called her a proven deal maker who has a history of bringing people together.

What’s happening next?

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Presidential campaign recount is approved in Wisconsin

Trump is elected President for 2016-2020

Nov. 8th

Nov. 25th

UN Ambassador is appointed

Oct. 7th

He seems like a smart guy. I remember that he was caught having an affair a couple years ago.

If everything has been cleared up and he didn’t break any laws, he should be considered.

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- Michael Lynch Senior

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Well there was an issue of handling classified documents. If Trump was so against Hillary being in the White House because of her emails, he shouldn’t change his mind for Patraeus.

Transportation Secretary is appointed

Nov. 29th

-Tom Guims Junior

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Trump will be inaugurated as President

Jan. 20th

Water bottle flipping launches within the community New national trend enjoyable for some, antagonizing for others Anish Tamhaney Guest Writer

Water bottle is flipped onto window sill

Standing in the hallway, he tosses a plastic water bottle, sending it spinning through the air. As bottle descends and firmly sticks the landing, he and his friends erupt into whooping and cheering.

“You continuously flip a water bottle and try to get it to land perfectly so it stands on its base without falling over. It’s an art form,” Junior Ben Schuster said of his water bottle flipping strategies.

“I remember seeing my friends starting to do it in the summer. [Bottle flipping] seemed like a really stupid thing to do until I started doing it. When school started, I saw pretty much everybody flipping bottles and by that time, I was already an expert at it.”

According to Ben Cohen’s article“Schools Dampen Enthusiasm for Water-Bottle Flipping Craze” in the the Wall Street Journal, this nationwide trend began when Michael Senatore, a senior at Ardrey Kell High School in North Carolina, flipped a water bottle at his high school’s talent show and the audience cheered in pandemonium, Director of the Foundation for Economic Education Jeffrey Tucker said that since the start of the 2016-17 school year, the trend has caught on in middle schools and high schools, even causing some administrators to ban it completely on school campuses.

“Water bottle flipping was very common right at the beginning of the year,” said West Hills Middle School Associate Principal Andy Gignac. “It became disruptive rather quickly so we have communicated with our students that it was no longer allowed.

One big [concern] was safety, as students could accidentally hit someone with a bottle. The other was cleanliness. We did have bottles that would

break open. Of course, with water, it just causes a slipping hazard. With red Gatorade, it could damage carpeting and furniture.”

At the high school, math teacher Steven Thomas noticed changes in his classroom environment.

“I first started seeing bottle flipping when I got a 9th grade advisory class. I try to tell [students] there are better things to do with their time, and they just keep flipping those water bottles,” said Thomas. “Water bottle flipping is distracting because the students who are trying to learn hear that constant popping in the background. I know that because I’m trying to concentrate and I hear it too.”

BHHS science teacher Lindsey DeLuca provided an explanation for the “constant popping” sound caused by water bottle flipping, “The annoying rattling noise happens because there is a hollow, drum-like resonance that is created when the water bottle lands. Standing waves happen when sound waves bounce back and forth inside a fixed area. So, larger water bottles would make a ‘lower note’ kind of sound when they land than a smaller water bottle.”

While some have seen this fad’s disadvantages, Bloomfield Hills Middle School Principal Randy English said that the science teachers have “turned water bottle flipping from a mindless activity to a way for students to learn. Students used flipping water bottles as a science experiment and calculated the probability of it landing squarely with various water levels inside the container. ” Like the middle school teachers, DeLuca said that she was inspired to turn the annoying

pastime into an educational game. “In physics, that would be a great challenge, where whoever flips it gets to stay in, and then they have to go from a different distance or something. That would be good because that has to do with balance and rotation and all that good stuff,” she said.

Junior Nivey Nithiyananthan believes that “water bottle flipping is really stupid. I’m entertained by it when I see it in class, but at the same time I’ll lose focus on the teacher and what we’re learning. The noise it makes is so annoying.”

“I don’t do it all the time,” said Schuster. “I usually flip water bottles during lunch or passing time, but it’s pretty obvious if I do it in class, so I know I might get in trouble. A lot of times, I see other kids getting in trouble for being so distracted by it during class, so I try not to. I enjoy how simple it is. It’s such an entertaining pastime and you can do it anywhere: in class, at lunch, anytime you’re bored. And all you need is a water bottle.”

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NOVEMBER NEWS

Yoz Yogurt Opens New West Bloomfield Location

District News:

Local frozen yogurt parlor opens new store Caitlin Finerty Guest Writer

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loomfield Hills and West Bloomfield’s oldest Frozen Yogurt bar has opened a new location in West Bloomfield.

According to Rob Gautsche, the owner of the local business since September of 2013, he decided to open a new location because the three West Bloomfield locations have been providing frozen yogurt for over 20 years.

“It was my idea [to open this location]. I think it’s a great location mainly because I

“I can’t eat ice cream or as much chocolate milk as I want. It’s not like a handicap, it doesn’t impact my life severely, but it just makes things mediocre. That’s why I like Yoz and was excited when they opened up a new one” Michael Powers Sophomore thought that the complex would offer a lot to be desired for. We cater to the customers unlike our competition that wants to weigh the product and a lot of our customers don’t like that because it is too expensive.”

Lactose intolerant sophomore Michael Powers, along with Gautsche understands the importance of providing frozen yogurt to everyone. One focus that Yoz Yogurt has more than anything is their lactose-free yogurt.

According to Powers, “I can’t eat ice cream or as much chocolate milk as I want. It’s not like a handicap, it doesn’t impact my life severely, but it just makes things mediocre.That’s why I like Yoz and was excited when they opened up a new one”

check out Yoz Yogurt at any of their three locations: -33360 West 14 Mile Road -Farmington Rd, 4301 Orchard Lake Road -7310 Orchard Lake Road.

Property Management Hickory Grove Property sold Former elementary school and ninth grade campus sold to housing developer, set to be demolished.

Evan Stern Section Editor Hickory Grove Elementary School has a new owner.

“After going through K-8 consolidation and reconfiguration several years ago, and then with the consolidation of the two high schools, it was time to address school district properties that were not currently in use,” BHS Board President Ingrid Day said of the BHS Board of Education’s vote several months ago to sell the property to housing-developer Robertson Brothers, as part of the district’s Master Property Planning process. “The very first steps were to meet with the community to determine some guiding principles for this action and to hire a professional firm to guide us through the process.”

According to BHS Superintendent Rob Glass, the property was sold to for approximately $5.45 million, with the proposed development of thirty-four detached condominiums, currently undergoing an approval process with Bloomfield Township.

“We’ve been going through a Master Property Planning process for almost two years. That examines the uses for all our surplus properties. Hickory Grove was one of them,” Glass said of the building which was an elementary school as well as housed Model High

School and the BHHS 9th Grade dents. These are precious dollars Campus. “ When we asked people that we would prefer be used to supto submit offers, one of the best ofport students in the schools that are fers was housing, because housing open,” she said. helps several Glass explained things. It helps that the sale of provide more the property inplaces for famicludes a number lies to live and of desirable elemore students ments for the coming to the district. district. It helps “It benefits the the tax base of school district the community, because the propand the purchase erty brings in price [Robertson revenue from the Brothers] offered sale, which the was the highest.” district can put Day stressed in the bank and the constraints use for the future, that forced the if it needs to purDr. Rob Glass district to forfeit chase additional ownership of the property or make Bloomfield Hills Schools property. other capital inSuperintendent “The main vestments, like premise for this investing in the property planschools we have. ning process was It saves us money to be sure to reduce operating costs in addition right now because we for the district but uphold the necesare paying to heat, cool, and insure sary programs and essential elements a school that does not have any to support the education of the stustudents in it. It saves us money in

It saves us money in addition right now because we are paying to heat, cool, and insure a school that does not have any students in it.

operating costs, which is important, because the state is not giving us as much money as they used to, they are reducing it. It is important for us to be lean and efficient, not paying for buildings that just sit there. It benefits us by lowering our property costs, and providing liquid assets which can be put in the bank, especially important because we used almost all of our capital funds to build the high school,” he said.

Glass noted that he is aware of the discontent of the neighbors of losing the former elementary school because the township doesn’t really have a comprehensive parks plan and the families used the schoolyard as a park.

Day agreed with Glass saying that “every neighborhood in our district loves their school buildings because these sites provide park-like spaces for our community. This is especially important because the township itself does not have parks. So, when the sale of Hickory Grove was contemplated, it was very difficult for the surrounding neighbors and we can certainly understand why.”

Eastover fourth graders may relocate to East Hills MS (Continued from 1) Move being considered to send elementary schoolers to East Hills Middle School Giancarlo Tucci Staff Writer “One of the things that gets discussed quite often is how you make that transition and how you do the right kinds of things for the current third graders so that they would be prepared and have some of the experiences that they might if they were in fourth grade at Eastover,” said Day. “We understand all of those things are important and we’ve made a commitment that if this move were to go forward, that we would work with the Eastover staff and the Eastover community to make sure all of those things got taken care of. They would

coexist with the fifth grade and we would make all the necessary amendments to the classroom to

That they have the right kind of restrooms and what-have-you. So that the fourth and fifth graders

“Don’t be nervous. It’s scary at first, being in a school with older kids, but I mean, there’s nothing to be scared about. You’re still in school with all your friends and you don’t have harder classes or anything.

Jamie Silber Junior make sure that they have the right kind of counter space or drinking fountains or whatever it might be.

together could be like an upper elementary school in their own part of the East Hills building.”

No matter what the outcome is, Silber reassures the third graders that they have nothing to worry about.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s scary at first, being in a school with older kids, but I mean, there’s nothing to be scared about. You’re still in school with all your friends and you don’t have harder classes or anything. You’re learning the same way as you were before you’re just in a new environment. You should be excited because it prepares you for high school with more kids in the school and different grades and, of course, you get lockers.”

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NOVEMBER NEWS

OPINION

OPINION

Why teens need to be involved with local politics

America Must Respect Democratic Election Process

Local elected officials will directly affect us, so we need to pay attention

Now that Trump is the President-Elect, we need to give him a chance to succeed

John Ballouz Section Editor

Evan Stern Section Editor

Jason Moonka Business Manager

On Election Day, millions across our nation collectively delivered a verdict on the fate of our nation, encompassing the sheer magnitude of everything we have stood for since 1776.

From naming a new Washington faction to preserve the words, “We the People,” to drafting plans to navigate -- in the eyes of a number -- a precarious and unbalanced future, November 8th represented a monumental command on behalf of all American citizens.

And a number of decisive conclusions were made on the historic day, handily arousing millions of Americans into a number of emotional states, from utter joy to absolute terror.

Most notably, Donald J. Trump completed the largest comeback in political history, according to predictions, by ousting his chief rival, Hillary Clinton, in a fiery presidential race.

Despite the leaks aimed at derailing the Republican standard-bearer, as well as the numerous polls and projections predicting his defeat, Trump carried the night with the demands and hopes of all Americans, now poised to assume the position as 45th president of the United States.

But despite his victory on behalf of so many hopeful Americans, Trump now enters a bitterly divided America, suffering from an extreme schism, one that directly neglects the democratic election process established centuries ago in America, one that typically respects

As former house of representatives speaker Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local.” And as much as Trump’s wall along the southern border of the United States may not directly impact us here in Bloomfield, O’Neill certainly has a point; local politics are just as important as national politics.

While most of the population has been focusing on the polarizing candidates on a national level, most of us had been neglecting the local elections in our schools, towns, and counties.

The thing is, while these nationwide elections may have captured all of the fun ranging from “Build that wall!” to “just chilling in Cedar Rapids,” we have ignored the elections happening in our own neighborhoods.

Even a month after the elections, most may not know what happened. For example, did you know that the Metro Detroit regional transit proposal was defeated by only 0.18 percent in Oakland County? According to the Detroit Free Press, this proposal which aimed to revamp the transportation system across Detroit and much of its suburbs would have raised taxes of the average middle class worker by roughly $95. While this may not impact students themselves it does hit home for their parents. And while this may not seem like much, only about 1,000 votes separated this

“So while there are those thrilled about the results of the presidential election, and others are packing for their move to Canada, let us leave you with one thing; local elections do matter.” ballot initiative from either helping revitalize Detroit or losing our families an estimated 4.6 billion dollars.

It’s sad that it seems people know nothing about the elections closer to home. Can you honestly tell me who the candidates were for Michigan’s 9th Congressional District -- a district mostly contained by Oakland County?

People know so little about our candidates that I can make up absurd statements about them and people actually believe them. The other day I told someone that candidate Sanders Levin supported a bill for the euthanization of puppies and they actually believed me. Fortunately for you (and puppies), the candidates were both mainstream politicians; Levin ended up beating out Chris Morse by a few thousand votes, though most people know nothing about them or their voting records but they are aware that the puppies are safe and sound.

And there are more examples of local elections lost on those who are impacted the most.

Probably the most important which personally affects all of us was the BHSD school board election. One of the vital differences between the candidates was whether to sell what was once Hickory Grove Elementary School and other parcels of district land, a decision that will ultimately have a long term impact on the school district through affecting land prices and class sizes. While this topic wasn’t blowing up on CNN or Fox, it will impact us as students more so than the national candidates views on building a wall or Wall Street.

So while there are those thrilled about the results of the presidential election, and others are packing for their move to Canada, let us leave you with one thing; local elections do matter and they need to matter to those who may lose the most.

Q&A

with Lisa Brown Oakland County Clerk Max Wittenberg Section Editor

What do you do in this position?

I am the keeper of the records, so I am in charge or maintaining court records, for our circuit court, vital records, birth marriage and death records, so most people’s birth certificate are here, records regarding property in Oakland county, and I am also in charge of the election for the county. I am not getting into everything but that’s broadly it.

Is your position broken down into terms?

It is a four year term, and yes it is up at the same time as the presidential election.

This was my first time being reelected so I have not been here quite four years yet.

What made you want to run for a position? Can you describe what you mean by wanting to provide a better service?

There were some things happening in this office that I thought could be handled better and I wanted to provide a better service to the people of Oakland County then what they were getting. Well, I think that taxpayer dollars were being wasted, and being spent inappropriately out of the office. I have had a program created that is the first of its kind in the country to help homeowners be aware of what’s going on on their property. I really wanted to bring integrity and acceptability and accountability to this office.

How does this new position affect your life in and outside of work?

Well one of the things that I can do, as county clerk, is I have the ability to officiate marriages, and I played a big part in marriage equality. I fought for that and I testified during the trials, and I was one of four out of 83 county clerks who opened my office on a Saturday and made a window of time for same sex couples to get married, before the supreme court decision; and of course, I continue to marry same sex couples. It is cool when I am out and someone will come up and say ‘hey remember you married us’ or ‘you married my friend, thank you for that.’ you know, that kind of thing. It is really neat.

Our country was indeed founded upon democratic principles. And no matter the circumstances, no matter how many Americans dislike the Presidentelect, it is imperative that -- in this case -- he be supported and rallied behind by all. and rallies behind the President-Elect.

Our country was indeed founded upon democratic principles. And no matter the circumstances, no matter how many Americans dislike the President-elect, it is imperative that -- in this case -- he be supported and rallied behind by all.

To all those protesting this wholly fair election process -- determined by a system embraced for centuries -- it is crucial that it be respected at all costs.

The power in this country resides in the people. And according to a majority of Americans -- in terms of the Electoral College, accepted as the standard for calling elections -- Trump is the best choice as President Barack Obama’s successor.

And due to this, his presidency must not be neglected, for the will of the people stood with him.

Clinton successfully built a strong voter base, attracting the support of millions. She even won the popular vote, prevailing over Trump in that respect by a modest margin, slightly over two million votes.

However, in the end, the American people did not fulfill her presidential aims, choosing to propel Trump to the office of the leader of the free world.

And in the end, that should be more than enough evidence to entirely accept him and offer full support.

In fact, it should be the ultimate goal, for the well-being of our nation, to root for a successful presidency, echoed by a number previously and passionately in opposition to him.

“We now are going to want to do everything we can to help [Trump] succeed, because if [he succeeds], then the country succeeds,” President Obama said to this after a historic meeting with the President-elect, encompassing the unity required in this moment.

As America enters a time of peril and hardship and begins to weather an unprecedented storm -- from the perspective of many -- it has never been more critical to respect the democratic election process and our new Presidentelect, regardless of one’s stances or favored candidate prior to November 8th.

Because with support of a democratic election process and a peaceful transition of power, we -- proponents of a truly free society -- have distinguished ourselves in a polarizing light.

And most of all, we have deemed ourselves true, all-embracing Americans.

5

NOVEMBER NEWS

DHH Performer Peter Cook Visits BHHS Students Prominent interprater travels from Chicago to perform Hanna Halstead Guest Writer The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Department (DHH) welcomed deaf performer and poet Peter Cook to Bloomfield Hills High School for a performance in the auditorium on Friday, October 28th.

“It’s nice to be able to see to something change from my culture,” said sophomore Noah Rangel, a DHH student who attended the evening’s performance. “Usually, when I see a show, it’s done from the perspective of hearing culture. It’s nice to finally see a show from deaf culture, and something I can relate to.”

According to Rangel, he believes that the over 200 people who filled the BHHS auditorium were treated to a memorable 1 hour performance.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisor Diana Campbell said that Cook has experiences travelling the world with his drama and performances, especially with children.

“He gives workshops for children and he teaches them drama,” Campbell said.

“His performances normally consist of

“Usually, when I see a show, it’s done from the perspective of hearing culture. It’s nice to finally see a show from deaf culture, and something I can relate to.”

Noah Rangel DHH Student ASL poetry, hand shapes, and telling stories. After the performance, the students become involved and learn in the workshop.”

In addition to his performances, Cook is employed at Columbia College Chicago in Illinois, where he teaches people who want to become interpreters.

Campbell said due to her previous experiences with Cook she wanted to bring him in.

“He came a long time ago, about 15 years ago,” said Campbell. “Everybody loved him, they were fascinated with his drama, the kids were thrilled. We thought it would be a great idea to capture him again, and ask him to come for the deaf children, to inspire them.”

Cook says that traveling and performing allows him to spread awareness of deaf culture.

“I enjoy sharing stories with people.

I enjoy helping people understand deaf culture,” he said. “It gives me a lot of pleasure. So through this workshop, I was helping them have an opportunity to play with their own language.”

For more information, search “Peter Cook” on the Columbia College Chicago website:

www. colum.edu

ancelled Annual physics class field trip to Cedar Point cancelled (continued from 1)

Panayiotis Stravrapolous Guest Writer “We all wanted to go again. We in fact had booked the day last May when we had gotten back from the 2016 Cedar Point trip. We had talked with the administration here at the high school and they were more than happy to let us go again,” Mikolajczak said. “ As for why it got canceled, we were told by central administration that it was an insurance issue and when we attempted to solve it, we were told not to. The insurance issue had to do with out of state travel, and when we proposed to go to Michigan Adventures, that idea was also rejected by Central Office.”

BHHS Principal Charlie Hollerith explained that final decision was made a district level and not a building level.

Continuing on he said that the district made this decision for not only the high school but even for middle and elementary schools.

“Cedar Point is an out of state field trip, so there is a policy for getting out of state field trips approved then looking at the cost benefit analysis of that trip and are there ways that we can provide enriching experiences in our state and maybe regionally and locally. I think that was the impetus behind the district’s policy, to not allow trips to Cedar Point. Going forward we’re going to see if those opportunities are out there. So we look forward to seeing what we can create this May for our physics students. Talking with our Central Office Administration, we realized we were out of compliance with the policy, and therefore moving forward we will not be going to Cedar Point.”

Upon telling his students, Mikolajczak said that his “students were devastated. With a course as difficult with physics, for the students to be able to at the end of the year culminate this very difficult and excruciating experience with phenomenal real world application, I think it hurt their moral.”

Echoing Mikolajczak’s feeling, sophomore Ketan Revankar said that “initially everyone was saddened. Last year when I was in Honors Algebra 2 we had a chance to go with the physics classes, and apparently it was a lot of fun. I personally didn’t go, so I was looking forward to going this year, so I was pretty disappointed when it was cancelled.

Everyone in the class was pretty disappointed, not just in the fact that the trip was cancelled, but also because the facts of why the trip was cancelled didn’t add up.”

Understanding the students’ reactions, McCarty said that “as educators we value the opportunity for students to experience authentic application about what they are learning in class. While Cedar Point is one place for this to occur examples of the laws of physics are widespread. We are confident that alternative opportunities can be found.”

Agreeing with McCarty, Hollerith added that “it’s never fun to deliver bad news.

One part of me feels sad that you have to say, ‘hey we can’t do this any longer,’ but the other side of me says ‘OK, then what other culminating or authentic experiences can we create for them, whether its the middle or end of a semester. What is it that we would be able to create. That I’m looking forward to, and

some of it might be in our backyard, or maybe in Lansing or other parts of the state.’ So, I’m looking forward to forging ahead.”

Hollerith added that the building administration has already begun looking for other options that can properly provide the same experience.

“Certainly Cedar Point provided a lot of opportunities for authentic learning, but we know that’s not the only location. For instance we can look at the accelerator project in East Lansing at MSU. That would be a great opportunity for our students to see physics in action. You know, I’ve even contemplated having our own physics day here at the high school, and planning some various events and guest speakers. So that’s another opportunity that we can explore.

Cedar Point has been for many districts a long standing tradition, and now it’s really coming up with new traditions and authentic learning opportunities.

I’ve encouraged our physics teachers to start looking at what other opportunities there might be.”

While the BHHS administration is looking at alternative options, Mikolajczak still believes that “the trip should continue. We will not find a field trip where we can do physics at the level we’ve done at Cedar Point. As I’ve said

“Cedar Point has been a good model that we can hopefully transpose into future activities and other locations. Transition is never easy, as we knew last year opening a new building.”

Charlie Hollerith BHHS Principal

before, Cedar Point is a physicist’s playground. Everything relates to energy, to kinematics, to circular motion, even in some of the rides use magnetism, energy conservation laws, and momentum impacts. Authentic learning is a cornerstone of our school, and there’s nothing more authentic in physics than going out and recording the data and putting the equations to use.”

Understanding the science teachers’ and students’ point of view, Hollerith explained that while the annual trip has “always been something that our students look forward to” he believes that because the district had some concerns with the trip “we’ll move forward with trying to see what other authentic opportunities lie. To be honest, change is difficult. It’s an opportunity to develop new traditions and opportunities, and we’ll see what the physics teachers come up with. From the building level we’re looking forward to supporting in anyway we can what those opportunities might be. Cedar Point has been a good model that we can hopefully transpose into future activities and other locations.

Transition is never easy, as we knew last year opening a new building, transition from a long standing tradition can be rough so I want to support our physics students and teachers through this transition and look forward to creating new opportunities, and being able to support it at the building level, whatever that might be.”

BIFF Radio Station Celebrates 40th Anniversary Staff discusses the past and future of the school’s radio program Evan Stern Section Editor For forty years, the BIFF Radio Network has broadcasted on the air to the Bloomfield Hills community.

“WBFH [The BIFF] allows those who pass through its studio doors the opportunity to connect with his or her community, to lead by example and to discuss topics that are worth visiting,” Assistant BIFF Station Manager Ronald Wittlebols said. “We and our staff of volunteers have redoubled our efforts to cement WBFH into the very fabric of Bloomfield Hills High School. We’re producing more visible events. WBFH has been around for 40 years and we’re doing our best to make sure it’s just as vibrant 40 years from now.”

According to BIFF Station Manager Pete Bowers the station which first began broadcasting in 1976 celebrated their anniversary on October 1st.

“One of the best things about this station is the students that have come through here,” he said. “Some of them have gotten the ‘broadcasting bug’ here, studying broadcasting and communications in college. We have a list of about ninety of my former students who have gone into media, and almost all of them started off right here.”

Bowers explained that BHHS’s Radio Station has survived amid a number of financial constraints in the past forty years, among other circumstances.

“There were a lot more high school radio stations in Michigan and a lot of them have gone dark, mostly because of funding. School districts, pinched for money, have to cut programs sometimes. I’ve seen several radio stations get cut due to budget problems,” he said. “I’m

happy that the Bloomfield schools have supported the station. There have been times when a lot of programs would have been cut, but they passed a millage and we have survived [for forty years].”

Echoing Bowers, Wittebols explained that “WBFH is still around and still on the air. Decades ago, there were many, many more high school radio stations in the Metro Detroit area. Some of the school boards decided that broadcasting did not fit into their general curriculum. They shut down their stations and turned the licenses back to the federal government.

WBFH remains, along with a handful of others.”

Wittlebols said that this anniversary is so special because of the leadership of Pete Bowers who has been with the station since its first days.

“Pete has been here from the very beginning. He started the whole program with a mandate from the 1976 school board members. In many ways, this 40th anniversary is a celebration of Pete Bowers and his unselfishness, dedication and vision to build a great institution at 4200 Andover Road,” he said. “Think of all the students who have been taught by such a great person, and then ask, ‘How many of them went on to rewarding careers in the media?’ Many of his former students are working in media, right here in Metro Detroit. It means a great deal.”

According to Bowers, the network, throughout its tenure, sports a number of awards acknowledging their legacy as a station.

“We’ve done well in high school radio competi-

tions, on the state level and national level. On the state level, our students have won hundreds of awards, he said. “We have been named the High School Radio Station of the Year ten times, more than any high school station in Michigan. We just got our tenth one in May -- that comes from the students’ awards. On the national level, and in one of them, we’ve one the Best Station in the Nation six times. In March, we won twenty-one national awards from a different organization.”

Senior and BIFF Operations Manager Dylan Wittenberg elaborated on the evident successes of the network in its anniversary.

“I think it says a lot about the program, how successful its been. We’ve won a lot of awards. It shows how Pete Bowers has been able to take all of these students who have come into the program and strung them together to be successful for 40 years. He has been the best at it,” he said. “I give all the credit to our head manager, Pete Bowers, for putting this all together and running this station. We’ve moved schools, had operations manager changes, and we’re still winning. It’s great to know he’s made it 40 years.”

Bowers explained that “the people that have [worked on the station] have been my greatest and fondest memories. A lot of them just thought it was one of the best things they did in all of high school.

I think that all the people who have come through here, they all write about what a great experience it was for them to be on the station, one of the best things they did in all of high school.”

all about EpiPEN PRICES INCREASE significantly

Those with allergies feel taken advantage of by EpiPen producer Mylan Riya Doshi Staff Writer

S

tanding in the pharmacy with the need to purchase an EpiPen, sophomore Thanasi Michalakis found himself in a position he had never been in before.

“I was shocked because, well, [EpiPens now cost] a lot of money. EpiPens had been relatively cheap but now the price is overly inflated,” said Michalakis, who is required to keep an epinephrine device with him at all times for his severe food allergies. “What upsets me most is that [the price increase] is not regulated and there is no competition for Mylan, so they can raise the prices as high as they please.”

Students like Michalakis have seen an increase in the drug price ever since Mylan, the company that produces EpiPens, drastically increased the price of the EpiPen by over 500%, causing the price point of the life-saving medical device to reach up to $1,000.

One reason for the increase is that, ever since the auto injectable epinephrine company AuviQ. experienced a voluntary recall in 2015, EpiPen has been the only device on the market along with a generic brand. This has caused an even larger market for EpiPens, despite the cheaper generic option.

“It’s such a popular brand name device that people don’t refer to it as an auto-injectable epinephrine device, they automatically go to the fall back device, which is the most popular and the most well-known, probably because of marketing and market share. People know it as the EpiPen and that’s what people prescribe...most people don’t realize that there is a generic equivalent,” said Dr. Devang Doshi, Chief of Pediatric Allergy at Beaumont Hospital, in reference to the need of the less popular generic option, Adrenaclick.

Despite the high price, the purchase of epinephrine devices is not optional for people with severe allergies.

“EpiPen, or an auto injectable epinephrine device...is a life-saving medicine for individuals that have a known food allergy or an insect

sting allergy,” said Dr. Doshi. “If this medicine is available and used immediately when someone is experiencing [a] severe reaction, it is life saving and can reverse the reaction until they can seek immediate medical attention…

It’s the equivalent of having car insurance. We don’t like to have car insurance because it’s an expense, but we know we have to have car insurance to be able to drive in case we get into an accident.”

Laurie Mezey, a school secretary who is in charge of storing the school EpiPen supply, says that one positive note regarding the raised prices is that the cost increase will not affect the school’s supply of EpiPens for emergency situations because the cost is funded through another program.

The cost burden for those students who need their own private EpiPen is up to the parents.

“From a mother’s point of view, the hardship that we face dealing with food allergies with a child is so much already,” said Tamar Kadian, the mother of a child with severe food allergies.

“We have to question everything they eat, everything they come into contact with that could potentially get them into a bad situation. With dealing with all that, we don’t need added stress to worry about how a family could afford to pay for an EpiPen.” Despite the anger at the EpiPen company for the steep increase of prices, Dr. Doshi describes himself as “appalled and disgusted” about the current situation.

“This is a big deal for the food allergy community since many people, with many different economic situations, have allergies,” said Michalakis. “With prices this high, it becomes a struggle for most [people] to afford [EpiPens].

If [the price increase] continues at this rate, pretty much every person with allergies most likely will not be able to afford an EpiPen, which can greatly affect their health and safety.”

“What upsets me most is that [the price increase] is not regulated and there is no competition for Mylan, so they can raise the prices as high as they please.”

Thanasi Michalakis Sophomore

ALLER

RGIES

Food allergies pose a growing danger to students Students and allergist discuss the growing severity of food allergies Julia Eisenshtadt Web Editor

S

he felt her throat begin to close.

“I couldn’t breathe. I was wheezing,” said senior Rachel Hirsch, who discovered her peanut allergy during a reaction that came out of the blue just last year.

Allergic reactions, like the one experienced by Hirsch, are becoming more and more common, according to allergist Dr. Devang Doshi.

“Right now, statistically, under the age of 18, there are approximately two to three kids that have a food allergy in every class across the U.S,” he said.

Although, according to Doshi, most people with allergies are diagnosed when they are little kids, Hirsch’s peanut allergy just last year and her doctors don’t know why.

“They think that I was allergic my whole life and it just severely got worse.

That one day when I had the reaction, it was just put over the edge.

Doctors and researchers still don’t have answers to what causes allergies and why the number of kids with allergies keeps growing, according to Doshi.

“No one actually knows why people develop food allergies. There are definitely risk factors such as family history and environmental allergies. People who have had skin issues or asthma could be at high risk for it,” he said.

“The scary thing is over the last 15 years or so, the numbers have been skyrocketing. The incidents of food allergies continue to rise and nobody really knows why.”

Severe allergies can be to many foods besides peanuts. According to Doshi, the top eight food allergens are milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Senior Haley Wise, who is allergic to many of these foods, says the allergies make it challenging to find food she can eat.

“I have a lot of allergies that can make if difficult to find food I can safely eat. My most severe allergies are peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, eggs, dairy, and garbanzo beans,” she said.

According to Doshi, severe allergic reactions can be fatal and include a wide range of symptoms.

“Reactions can happen very quickly. The symptoms can range from hives, swelling of the lips and tongue, problems speaking, swallowing, and breathing, vomiting. Severe allergic reactions usually involve a multiple array of symptoms and unfortunately a lot of those can be so severe that they are life threatening.”

Doshi adds that if not handled properly and quickly, reactions can have detrimental consequences.

“When someone is beginning to experience a severe allergic reaction, we suggest immediately injecting them with epinephrine without wasting any time. Then call 911 or go straight to the emergency room.”

In order to prevent allergies, both Hirsch and Wise agree that they have to be extremely careful when eating, especially at restaurants.

“I have to be more careful now.

When I go to a restaurant I always tell the waiter about my nut allergy,” said Hirsch.

Wise adds that cross contamination is something she is especially careful about when ordering food.

“When I go out to eat at a restaurant I always tell the waiter about all of my allergies.

I need to make sure that there is no cross contamination on any of the utensils the chefs use to make my food,” she said.

“That basically means that nothing I am allergic too was touching anything that will be touching the food I ordered. So if there was butter on a pan, the chefs can’t use that pan for my meal since I’m allergic” According to Doshi, it’s incredibly important to be aware of other’s allergies in order to keep friends and classmates safe, as well as for those with allergies to always carry their EpiPen. “It’s really important that if friends are coming over for dinner or to study to make sure that we understand their food allergies and make it very certain that we are not exposing them to those foods,” he said. “We never know when someone will accidentally get exposed to something, so we always have to be prepared.”

“We never know when someone will accidentally get exposed to something, so we always have to be prepared.”

Dr. Devang Doshi Allergist

Works Cited: https://www.foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats

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NOVEMBER FEATURE

Paying It Forward (continuted from 1) Senior Razeen Farooq strives to brighten every student’s day Skylar Raitt Guest Writer “Most autistic persons are not as social as Razeen. However, sometimes an interaction does not go well as some people prefer not to engage, which is difficult for him to process. Teachers and parents in his program have been working to provide him with tools to deal with such situations,” she said.

The family, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, moved to the district after going to U of M to see Dr. Catherine Lord, a specialist in the field of developing tools to detect Autism early in children.

“We moved due to [the district’s] renowned services,” Farooq said.

“Razeen was able to get specific aid with respect to his autism, while also given a schedule to help blend in with the other students. Razeen is in special education program, where his educational program is designed around his learning abilities. This set up in a regular school has been vastly more successful for recipient students when compared with the educational system of the past, where persons with special needs were isolated from others in special institutions, or pushing these students in a classroom with typical kids.”

For the past four years Meghan Gornick, Razeen’s ARP teacher has worked with Razeen.

“Greeting people who come into the building has always been something Razeen enjoys,” she said. “He likes to learn people’s names so that he can greet them by name when he sees them again. He has an incredible memory for people’s names and will recall them years later. It makes him happy when people say ‘hi’ and he can put a smile on their face.”

Continuing on, Gornick said that Razeen “ is making an effort to make people feel important just by saying “hi” and asking their name. He likes talking to others and appreciates when people say hi to him. I know many students are definitely disappointed when they don’t hear his contagious laugh during the day,” she said. “Razeen seems to have learned an appropriate response when he sees a sad expression on a face or if someone is hurt. He tries to engage persons in such situations, usually with appropriate words, fake laughs or silliness until he sees a smile.”

Razeen echoed the sentiments of Gornick saying that he hopes “to make people feel better by giggling and saying ‘I hope you have a better day.’”

1

out of 68 children are diagnosed with Autism

1

out of 272 girls are diagnosed with Autism

Understanding The Puzzle

Kaitlin Bronstein Guest Writer

W

hen she was five, she remembers something was different about him. He couldn’t handle his emotions, and he couldn’t speak correctly with other people. Her family didn’t know what was wrong, so they took her to the doctor. They ran tests, and spoke to him. Then the mystery was solved.

“Ever since Cole was younger he always tended to have a difficult time with speech and was in speech therapy for several years,” said Timmi Neff, a Bloomfield Hills High School Senior whose brother has autism. “Another issue he struggles with is his social interactions. Cole doesn’t always understand what is right and what is wrong, and tends to sometimes say certain things that people would find odd or even say things that people may take offense to, but he never means any harm. Cole also struggles with his emotions. He doesn’t necessarily always know how to react to situations or show people what he is feeling.”

Cole’s story sheds light on the more than 3.5 million Americans who live with Autism spectrum disorder.

According to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, this disorder impacts 1 in 68 boys which is 4 times more likely to occur than in girls.

According to BHHS Social worker Wendy Olah, individuals diagnosed with Autism have strengths and weaknesses just like any other person. One way she tries to explain Autism is by comparing it to someone who wears glasses. Just as some individuals need eyewear to help them with sight, an individual with Autism needs some assistance with their social interactions.

“You have people with reading disabilities, and they study by reading so you give them interventions,” she said. “With autism, they struggle with communication, which is so global. It affects every aspect of their life. It is known to cause deficits in communication, social interaction, restricted behaviors and interests, understanding language, and sensory issues.”

The National Institute of Mental Health defines Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a group of developmental disorders which includes a wide range, or known as “a spectrum,” of varying skills, symptoms, and levels.

“It is known as a spectrum because it’s ability to impact people varies from one person to the next,” said ARP teacher Meghan Gornick. “The spectrum includes failure to initiate or respond to social interactions - poor communication - abnormal eye contact or body language and lack of understanding gestures. Insistence on routine, ritual behaviors, rigid thinking (need to take the same route or eat the same food everyday), and fixated interests that are not normal in intensity or focus.”

Continuing on, Gornick says that individuals with autism struggle to do things that others do every day. The most difficult area for individuals with Autism is communicating their thoughts and feelings.

“It can also be isolating because sometimes people with autism

are very uncomfortable in social situations,” Olah said. “Depending on the severity, you can have self-harming behaviors, and be very sensitive to light, sound and touch.”

In the beginning of Cole’s diagnosis he displayed these characteristics. Timmi said that the severity of Cole’s Autism isn’t as bad as it use to be because “he is still in therapy and works on his communication skills daily. His progress has honestly come a long way and, as of recently, [he] has been able to be in regular classrooms for most of his classes.”

According to Gornick, “Most often [autism] is recognized by the family medical doctor that there are delays or differences in the child’s early in life. If the diagnosis affects the child in school, a team of specialists in the school, including but not limited to: the school psychologist, school social worker, speech-language pathologist, general education teacher, and special education teacher, will complete an evaluation to better assist the child in their functioning at school.”

“Researchers don’t really know how people get it,” Olah said. “They think there are both hereditary and genetic factors involved. At this point, there is still a lot of research especially because it is still increasing in numbers Gornick added that researchers and doctors “are finding that early intervention has been helpful. There are a number of opportunities for those who support and live with people with Autism to change the way they interact with the individual with Autism. And there are a number of ways for the individual with Autism to increase their independence and social skills so that they can function as best they can in their daily lives.”

Not only does ASD impact the individual’s life but the members of the family lives too.

“Honestly, his autism always caused me to have to play a more motherly role to Cole especially when we were younger.

Due to us being closer in age it was always my responsibility to watch out for Cole at school and make sure that he was being understood and his needs were met,” Neff said. “Cole having autism it caused me to have to grow up a lot quicker and caused me to be more aware of the mental disease, and how it works.”

Looking at the journey she’s taking with her brother, Timmi says, “I can help them by being aware of what it is and being open minded towards them. Not to judge them but to accept them as they are and treat them as if they are anyone else.”

There are a number of opportunities for those who support and live with people with Autism to change the way they interact with the individual with Autism.

Meghan Gornick ARP Teacher

Pictured: Razeen Farooq reading a magazine

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and a half million people in America are diagnosed with Autism

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NOVEMBER FEATURE

Synesthesia from 1 Ally Heath Staff Writer “People with the condition tend to have excellent memories and are more likely to have higher than normal intelligence.

The condition may also be linked to greater creativity and artistic abilities.”

Due to the rarity of this condition, Alana did not even know she had synesthesia but knew that she always associated letters and numbers with a color for as long as she remembered. “ I just assumed that everybody did it because normally you wouldn’t bring up with someone what color you see a number as.

Eventually, I stumbled upon it when I was just looking up random things on the internet. I found a post about it. And someone was saying how interesting it was that people have it. That is when I realized I had it too,” said Alana, who shares that she’s had symptoms since she was three or four.

“I love the idea that Alana has this unique ability and it sets her apart from others,” said Sharon Saarinen, Alana’s mom.

“When she first told me about Synesthesia, I was pretty surprised because I had never heard of it before. The more she told me about it, the more interested I became.”

During her research, Alana found that those with synesthesia can differ in how they see colors and numbers. She said that they also can experience a variety of combinations of senses and different interpretations of patterns, colors, and/or personalities.

“For me, the number 1 is always yellow.

And he has the personality of a little boy who likes to play baseball,” said Alana.

“And then, the number four is a lilac color and she is really motherly and likes to take care of her daughter, which is number two.”

Alana said that her condition isn’t restricted to only numbers. There are

“I see certain letters, numbers, and days of the week as different colors and they also have different personalities to them too.”

Alana Saarinen other senses that mix together to see patterns with songs and tastes with places.

“I can hear songs as different colors or just different patterns. Also, some foods can taste like places. For me, Sprite always tastes like a doctor’s office,” she said.

“And, lime candy tastes like the arcade.

So different stuff like that which doesn’t even make sense. It’s totally random.”

Over time, Alana has found that the internet can be a way for people with synesthesia to connect with one another.

“Although I have not met anyone in person, there are different internet forums or whatever for people who have synesthesia. And, some of them actually agree with some of the things I say and they think that 4 is purple too. But, some of them have completely contrasting opinions which also gives me a bad feeling like that is not how it should be,” said Alana.

In addition, Alana discovered that because people with synesthesia each have their own specific condition, they can all have different opinions about what certain colors or patterns correlate too.

“For example, because I see the number one is yellow, if I see the number 1 as red it gives me this terrible feeling, like nails on a chalkboard,” said Alana. “The same thing happens when I watch music videos and they have different color lights that don’t go along with the sound, you know. It would be kinda like seeing a red stop sign that you are used to seeing and it is blue or something. That is how I can best explain it. You just know that the color is not right. It is also really frustrating and difficult for me to eat two foods that are the same color. For example, I wouldn’t want to drink orange gatorade while eating orange mac and cheese. That is really terrible for me. It drives me crazy.”

Despite some of the difficulties that can come from this condition, Alana’s overall opinion about the condition[ famous people have synesthesia as well, like Marilyn Monroe and Pharrell Williams, which can be inspiring for those with the condition.

“It makes listening to music more interesting, especially listening to an album for the first time. For example, learning what songs, what color the songs are, listening to music, or just hearing different patterns in my head,” said Alana. “I see it as a cool ability that I have this. So I like having it.”

National History Day Students Prepare for Annual National History Day Competition Sophomores in advanced curriculum classes are poised to compete in National History Day for the second straight year Habib Bello Guest Writer

F

or the second year in a row, the American Literature and Advanced Placement American History classes are collaborating together to participate in National History Day (NHD), a nationwide scholastic competition middle and high school students can compete in.

“I think the reason why we wanted to adapt NHD into American Literature is that if the students have to learn how to research, organize sources, and formally present, then we want them to be able to do it through an opportunity that they care about,” stated American Literature teacher Krista Laliberte, one of the teachers preparing her students to participate. “Allowing students to pick a topic of their choice and connect to something they care about in history; it motivates them to be more focused and committed to their work.”

Erin Cervi, an AP U.S. History teacher who collaborates with Krista Laliberte, was very satisfied with the projects last year, and says it is evident that NHD judges were also.

Cervi said that during the first year that Bloomfield Hills High School participated in NHD, the majority of students were sent on to the state competition from regionals, and then one group was selected to further compete at the national competition in Washington D.C.

Also, modifications in the way the kids want to accomplish more than teachers plan the project are evident students did in the past.” and hint at even more success to By utilizing NHD in the curricucome due to some changes to how lum, teachers can correlate history the project was unveiled. and literature together to make a “At the conclusion of NHD last cohesive project that teaches the December, we sat down and reflectaudience about the overall theme of ed on what needs to change–the that year. process, the guidance we provide, “This year the topic is ‘Taking a and so forth–and so we made a ton of little notes and we changed Stand in History’, how we introduce to the project this which I am really year,” said Cervi. excited about,” “Although we said Rachel Matz, “When we [the teachers] see an American were very proud of the hard work them in their element, doing literature teacher and outcomes of things that they love and care at Bloomfield Hills the NHD com- about, it’s a different vibe in High School. “It is petition, we took terms of the way it feels and such an important topic and the feedback looks.” from the judges also has so many and decided opportunities to to make some research underPhil Laliberte changes in order represented figures Social Studies teacher to make students in both U.S. and more prepared world history who for the competition.” really made a difference and took a stand.”

Laliberte added that even through the hard work and dedication, they Although there are only five categories, the popular interest in those are ready to do it again.

“Last year, I think we were going categories has shifted throughout into it with the idea that we did not the tenure of NHD in the adknow what to expect, and seeing vanced curriculum. that students far exceeded what we “It’s so crazy because last year, we only had two performances, and expected from them gave us great hope and opportunities for what this year we have way more perforcan happen this year,” she said. “We mances. [On the other hand,] webare using student examples, hoping sites were popular last year; they that showing the best will make the aren’t very popular this year,” said

Cervi, “It’s really interesting, I don’t know if it’s the topic or the theme that made it such a difference, but it’s literally almost the opposite of what we had last year.”

Throughout the entire process, both classes’ staff of teachers are beginning to see a different side of their students when they work on projects that they are emotionally invested in.

“It is one thing to see students in the classroom perform because they are doing it for a grade, but it is another thing to see students at the competitions because they are doing it for themselves”, said Laliberte. “When we [the teachers] see them in their element, doing things that they love and care about, it’s a different vibe in terms of the way it feels and looks.”

Despite the limited array of categories, NHD allows for a wide range of ideas and interpretation that ultimately spark unique creations from its participants.

“My group is researching Dr. Seuss as our influential person,” said Samhita Surapaneni, a sophomore participating in NHD. “We are looking throughout his history and how his books, even though they were written for kids, were actually on topics such as politics.”

Personal Narrative

Juniors Win National History Day State Competition Brynn Elder Staff Writer Ally Heath Staff Writer Holding our breath we waited. Then, the judges were ready to announce.

“Pandemic: How the Spanish Flu Changed America.”

Loud cheers surrounded us. We sat there in disbelief. Stunned by what we had just heard.

We had just won First Place in Michigan’s National History Day (NHD) State Competition.

This project wasn’t supposed to go this far.

It started out as an attempt to win some extra credit for our English class. We just wanted to get to the regional competition, winning the state wide one wasn’t even an afterthought.

We combed through historic event sites and stumbled on the 1918 Spanish Flu. With a little more digging we learned the magnitude of this epidemic. We had found the perfect topic.

As partners, we spent hours on FaceTime brainstorming ideas for a project that would stand out. We forced ourselves to think outside the box. Eventually, haunted by the enormous number of fatalities this deadly flu caused, we thought inside the box - a life-size coffin became our first choice.

Yes, you read right. A coffin. Six feet tall and one foot deep. And we’re both short – so this was going to be a challenge, but it definitely qualified as an “outside the box” idea.

We placed our research on the outside of the coffin. Inside, we placed Henry Taylor (for-

merly known as a CPR dummy from a local hospital) to represent one of the flu’s victims.

We knew our visual was extreme, but our desire to compete at Regionals made us take the risk.

The risk paid off. Our coffin made it to Regionals, which was a scary step forward because some competitors were repeat contenders with more experience. Despite the intimidation factor, we trudged on, gave our presentation and counted ourselves out.

Surprise, we won and qualified for States.

Making it to the next round turned us into fierce competitors. Now we were in it to win it.

Walking into States, we realized this was a whole new level of competition. Bay City, Michigan became a history buff convention for a weekend. Although we were confident, we stepped our project up a notch before the State competition. Assuming that the quality of projects from Regionals to States would increase immensely, as would the difficulty of moving on, we added an interview with the head of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Influenza Department and an interactive talking option.

With these additions, we felt confident… until we walked into the presentation room at Bay City Central High School. It was filled with amazing projects and history

nerds. Hours later, we took our seats in the auditorium for the awards ceremony, convinced we had no chance of moving on. Our category was last to be awarded.

The wait was long, uncomfortable and we were resigned to being passed over. We were wrong, again.

Hearing our project title called out, we were now headed to the national competition in Washington D.C., definitely not what we imagined at the beginning of this project.

Now 12 months later we are sitting watching a whole new set of sophomores go through the same process.

Pictured: Ally Heath (left) and Brynn Elder (right)

10

NOVEMBER NEWS

Q&A Scott Wolf, Orchestra Director A viola player and former instructor at the International Academy, Wolf has joined the BHHS staff this year as the Orchestra Director and IB Music teacher.

Brynn Elder Staff Writer

Q: Where did you go to school?

A:

I have a degree from Central Michigan University and Oakland University, and I attended Michigan State University, Alma College, Spring Arbor University, Youngstown State University, Ohio State University, and Florida State University.

Q: Why do you teach?

A: I love performing music and helping students take on the joy of

performing. I have achieved that many times, and every year is a new journey. My goals are to create music who want to perform music for the rest of their lives. Specifically this year I aim to maintain what has already been achieved and to build our program.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A:

Outside of the orchestra room I enjoy golfing, cooking, running, and hiking. I also love traveling because you get to be in multiple cultures and be immersed with people that you don’t alway get to meet, and be put in situations where you are outside of your comfort zone. One of my favorite places to travel is Galway, Ireland which is where I spend my summers.

Q: What have been the easy and difficult parts of teaching at a new school?

A:

I have been friends with Mr.Reed for 23 years and I knew the teachers here which made the transition comfortable but still challenging. One of the hardest parts about teaching at a new school is not knowing the names of each student. I like to know who everyone is, and be able to say hello to everyone. I haven’t been able to do that yet because I am still getting to know everyone.

sophomore overcomes

para l ys is Shaney Rump is diagnosed with acute Transverse Myelitis Hira Ali Staff Writer

A

s her family worried if she would ever walk again, she had something different on her mind.

“I was wondering where my horse was and if he got back to the barn safely. I was really hoping that I would be able to ride again,” said sophomore Shaney Rump who during a horse show lost feeling in her legs. “It was really scary because I ride horses and that is just what I like to do. I knew that I was not going to be able to ride for a long time, if ever again. I was really afraid mostly about not being able to ride again. It was just a scared feeling.”

The day after the show Shaney said she couldn’t walk at all and therefore she was rushed to the ER at Beaumont Hospital where she stayed for about a week and was informed of her condition, acute transverse myelitis which is the inflammation in or around the spinal cord. This disease affects approximately 1,400 Americans each year and of those 1,400 people, 25% are children.

“At the hospital, I was sad and scared and I was just wondering what news they were going to find,” said Shaney’s mother Regina Slowey. “ I was trying to make her feel better and trying to make it so she wasn’t scared. I was trying to make sure that if there was medicine that could make her feel better and reduce the pain, then she got it. The hospital staff was great but all the time I was sitting next to her and if I thought she needed something, I made sure she got it.”

Hearing the diagnosis, Shaney’s father, Donald Rump said his heart was broken.

“It’s my little girl and I was glad that she was still alive and at that point I was just telling myself that I am happy with anything that comes next. ‘Some people have it worse,’ I’ve always taught my children and myself that.”

When school started, junior Hannah Goby explained the impact of Shaney’s absence.

“I used to hangout with her a lot in school and we used to eat lunch together everyday last year. She’s not at lunch anymore because she only comes for half day.

I don’t see her around school as much now,” said Goby who has also been a member of the equestrian team with Shaney. “Whenever something bad would happen my coach would just say ‘Think about Shaney, just help her get you guys through everything that’s wrong.’ It’s helped everyone on the team.”

Looking toward the future Shaney says that her doctors are positive.

“They are hoping I could walk without assistance in late spring but there’s no real timeline. Now, since I know that it’s going to be a 100% recovery and I can ride again, I feel relieved. Currently, it’s just annoying to not be able to do things on my own and to get tired so quickly when I do just the things that I could do before with ease.”

“I am really proud of her,” Regina said. “ This is a lot to go through as a teenager and she is doing it really well. She’s not overly sad. She is just trying to make everything work.”

CONNECT WITH THE HAWKEYE @TheHawkeyeNews The Bloomfield Hawkeye

11

NOVEMBER OPINION

A day in the life of a teen vegan Junior enjoys the many benefits of her new vegan lifestyle

The Tofu-r-ger

Jillian Abbo Staff Writer

L

ooking down at her plate of vegetables, she knew she made the right choice.

“When I first became vegan, it was a struggle to resist foods I was so used to eating,” said junior Erika Greiffenstein of her vegan diet which she began three months ago. “But I was raised not knowing what was going into my food and later, knowing where it [food] came from, made me appreciate my new vegan lifestyle.”

Before joining the one million individuals in the US who have modified their dietary habits to become vegan, Greiffenstein said she had to decide whether to just eliminate meat and be a vegetarian or eliminate all animal products as well as dairy such as milk and butter.

“I went vegan because I wanted to benefit my body and also the environment,” she said. “Meat and dairy industries use a lot of resources like water and grains that would be going to third world countries.”

Junior Noor Abou-Rass already sees a change in her friend. “After being vegan, Erika is definitely happier.

I felt bad for her before because she was obligated to eating meat,” she said. “She is so happy that she has the choice now to eat what she wants.”

Although she sees the positive changes now, Greiffenstein said that she experienced trouble with her transition to veganism.

“When my body was getting used to being vegan, it was hard at first because I was used to eating small meals to avoid high calorie intakes. When I became vegan, I did not realize that vegan food is way less dense in calories. Not knowing that, I continued to eat small meals. But also realizing that, I was happy to know that I could eat as much as I want and feel good about what I ate,” she said.

Another area of transition for Greiffenstein has been her choices when she eats at restaurants.

“Going out can be difficult because I always have to make sure the food I am eating is vegan. Some veggie burgers still have eggs, so I have to ask if food has eggs or milk in it,” she said. “But if I go to Leo’s, I am good because I know I can just have a salad and fries, and I actually like it.”

Not only does Greiffenstein have to pay close attention to her choices but so do her friends. “When I go out with Erika there are usually not many things on the menu for her to have,” Abou-Rass said. “Sometimes I suggest something for her to get, but I forget that it has cheese or something.”

Planning ahead has become key to Greiffenstein’s success.

“For Thanksgiving and since there is a lot of meat during the holidays, I am going to have tofurky, which is tofu turkey. There is also something called kelp caviar, which is caviar made out of kelp. Since I am Russian, my mom eats a lot of caviar, so I am also going to have kelp caviar, she said.”

As long as her diet doesn’t have anything that comes from an animal or is made from an animal, Greiffenstein said that the adjustment hasn’t been that bad. Already, one of her staples has become cereal and lots of breads as long as they don’t contain eggs, milk, or meat.

While making good choices is important, BHHS Health Teacher Kathy Abbott emphasized that those choosing the vegan lifestyle need to pay attention to not only their nutrients, and carbohydrate intake but mostly the amount of protein they are providing their body.

“It is really important that if you’re cutting out your protein from animals that you are getting it from plants,” Abbott said. “That is going to be your beans, nuts, seeds, and vegetables with whole grains, you can get it from that way.”

With all of the changes and challenges she has faced in her new lifestyle, Greiffenstein says the positive benefits of being vegan are worth it. She believes she is not only helping the environment but also being a positive influence to others and to herself.

“I always feel so alive and awake. I am never groggy and I always have lots of energy. My health is really good. My blood pressure is the best that it has been from my whole life, because I used to be overweight when I was younger. Then I became vegetarian and vegan and I lost like 50 pounds. It feels really exciting,” she said.

“I went vegan because I wanted to benefit my body and also the environment,”

Tofu is soybean protein and is gluten free and has no chloesterol

Tomatoes are composed 20% Vitamin A and 40% Vitamin C

Lettuce provides great dietary fiber

55% of U.S. shoppers have begun to use multi-grain bread over white bread

Onions are very low in fat and have a high energy value

Multi-grain bun

Erika Greiffenstein Junior

Onions Tofu

Tomatoes

Lettuce

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/278340.php http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/56-of-US-shoppers-say-they-are-cutting-back-on-white-bread-says-Packaged-Facts http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/tomatoes.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion

Battle of the diets Omnivores vs. Vegans

No reason to give up meat

Vegan diet takes the (vegan) cake

I

I

personally just don’t understand the need to go vegan. Animals were created for us to eat, not for us to mind their feelings. For goodness sakes, they’re animals.

Don’t get me wrong, I love animals.

They’re cute, but there comes a time when you can’t just eat plants.

I’m sorry, but when I’m having breakfast before school, the last thing I want to eat is a hearty bowl of lettuce.

Now, I know that meat isn’t always the healthiest option. After all, heart disease is the number one killer in our country and eating a lot of meat can lead to heart disease. However in moderation, meat can be good for you. And it’s here. We should eat it rather than shove it aside.

The most important reason to not go vegan is the cost. It’s so expensive! Medical Daily says a ‘healthy’ diet could cost $1.50 more per day compared to many other diets. I’m not going to waste thousands of dollars in my life so I can go vegan.

According to veganbodybuilding.com, the average vegan spends $70 per week on food.

That may not seem like that much, but when you add it up over time, it’s pretty substantial.

I’m much happier buying food off the dollar menu at McDonald’s instead of spending over $300 at Plum Market.

There is good food at Kroger for a regular price.

I don’t need to waste money at a vegan grocery store.

Alexis Rillema Guest Writer

What would I do without cheeses, and dairy, and protein? What would I eat? Lettuce? Sorry, but I’m not eating leaves for the rest of my life.

I like to enjoy my meals. I don’t want to eat only green foods.

I want to eat something with taste.

Some argue that there are just as many vegan options as there are for omnivores. But when you look through various vegan food, it’s pretty much the same ten plants repurposed in a bunch of different recipes. It’s cauliflower salad, and then cauliflower pizza crust. Sorry, but it’s just too much cauliflower for me.

Don’t you want some options? Don’t you want to be able to go to a restaurant and not have to dissect the menu to figure out which dishes don’t have any animal products?

Going vegan is just too much of a commitment. This isn’t just a diet, it’s a lifestyle.

don’t get it. How can someone bite into a greasy hamburger and feel no remorse for the animal that has been slaughtered to make it. Personally, I believe that eating meat is not only gross, but also irresponsible.

Imagine a chicken, waking up, letting out a cluck, and spending its day walking around the farm. Suddenly, that chicken is forced to lay its eggs, and is then murdered. This continues, day after day, week after week. Now someone is going to eat it.

Disturbing.

In the world that we live in today, with constant threats of global warming and animal extinction, I find meat less and less attractive. I have become increasingly intrigued by the vegan diet, and the truth is, the vegans have had it right the whole time.

For centuries companies like Tyson and ConAgra have been slaughtering our poor animals in order produce chicken and meat. On average, Tyson kills six million chickens and 48,000 pigs each day.

Every time I see someone reach for the bacon, a little part of me internally cries for the little piggie that was killed.

However, for every slice of bacon there is, there is also a vegetable, where no animal was killed for the making of it. Contrary to popular belief, there are endless options for vegans. Instead of gnawing into a dripping hamburger, I enjoy eating a hearty veggie burger.

Many people are unaware of the thousand types of vegetables and fruits that there are. I have tried and enjoyed literally hundreds of different fruits and veggies all of which have been delicious.

Also, the consumption of meat is directly linked to causing cancer, heart disease, and high cholesterol. They are also high in trans and saturated fats which cause weight gain. Meat eaters are at a 50% higher risk of getting heart disease while vegans

Jillian Abbo Staff Writer have 0.89% chance of getting heart disease Vegetables supply protein, vitamin D, vitamin C, and fiber, all of which are necessary and healthy supplements. The protein found in meat can be easily replaced with a handful of spinach or a few pieces of tofu. Dark leafy greens are the best source of calcium A 3oz serving of beans, like kidney beans, white beans, and edamame has 31 grams of protein while 3oz of chicken only has 25 grams of protein. But most importantly, veggies are 100% Michelle Obama approved.

I for one, am positive I don’t want any health related disease later in life, and I am sure most people don’t either. When it comes down to preventing disease, meat only stands in the way of achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Lastly, Veganism doesn’t come with an extra price tag and nor does it ever have to. Veganism isn’t just about eating veggies; vegans can eat cheap anywhere. Fries at Leo’s, coffee from Starbucks, or even a juicy red apple are all cheap and highly available options that are suitable for vegans.

It is in our hands to shape the future. Hopefully the future will include animals, that is if they are not eaten by then. Contributing to the vegan effect will only improve life as it can saves animals and our own lives.

Crunch on a cucumber not a cheeseburger.

a look back at

SOCKTOBER

Socktober at BHHS @LucyAndVivRockUrSocks

Q&A

MAKING A DIFFERENCE (ONE SOCK AT A TIME) The idea of Socktober was created by Kid President, a popular Youtuber, in order to generate donations to help the homeless

Lucy Appel, Junior

Q: What is Socktober?

A: “When you wear fun socks every day of October. My friend Vivian Harber and I take pictures of our socks every day during Socktober and tweet about them or post them on instagram.”

Q: What is the purpose of Socktober?

A: “It is just fun and a way to make the month go by faster because I actually look forward to wearing fun socks to school everyday. It also helps to make school more interesting and fun when it gets stressful.”

Q: How long have you been doing Socktober?

A: “We have been doing it since freshman year, so this was our third year doing it.” We also are planning on doing it senior year, so all of high school.”

Local Sock Destinations

Works Cited:

Target

Urban Outfitters

Forever 21

http://s3.amazonaws.com/site.soulpancake/socktober/sock. png, https://ih0.redbubble.net/image.195405702.2008/ sticker,375x360.u1.png, http://diylogodesigns.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2016/05/instagram-Logo-PNG-TransparentBackground-download.png, https://lh3.googleusercontent. com/dL5wUTeOrTETTKAw1XiJcO6i3TvFJn3zOSKMBcGkzt42 Kxt8jFHPHbtbqCvzZiFVcw=w300, http://www.appsgalery.com/ pictures/000/001/-rban--utfitters-1849.png, http://arborlakes. net/cms-files/size-800x480/forever-21.png

Section B

it’s official

National Signing Day at Bloomfield Hills High School

On November 9th, athletes across the country committed to play college athletics

Six seniors sign letters of intent to play college athletics

1 2 3 4 5 6

3

Amanda Sape

Kent State University

Basketball

Josh Mukherjee

Michigan State University

Tennis

CJ Drogosch

Wayne State University

Baseball

Dominique Vasile

Quinnipiac University

Tennis

Olivia D’Angelo

Jacksonville University

Lacrosse

Abbey Pierce

Grand Valley State University

Golf

News

JV Hockey team cut due to low numbers Team eliminated as a result of small turnout at tryouts Jake Weitzman Guest Writer

D

uring their tryouts they realized they had a problem.

“In the fall preseason skates, we had 25 players and 3 goalies come out and skate with us. At tryouts for the actual team, we had about 25 players and 4 goalies,” said team manager MaryAnne Wilson. “The average varsity team usually take anywhere from 19-22 players, and that includes goalies. That being said, we would be left with a JV team that has 6 player team with goalies. That makes it nearly impossible to win any game we would have.”

Looking at the decline of these numbers varsity hockey coach Bruce McAlister announced that the BHHS hockey program will not be able to build a boy’s junior varsity team this season.

“Last year we had 11 or 12 players on the JV squad. We can not afford to do that again. And, that’s not a lot of fun when you are playing teams with 15-16 kids,” said McAlister. “It’s not just our school. Cranbrook has had declining numbers over the last three years. This year Clarkston cancelled it’s JV team for the season, along with Walled Lake Central and Anchor Bay.

2 1

Sports Opinion Lifestyle

see more page 15

NEWS Female kicker earns time on field Junior Olivia Brack serves as football team’s kicker for extra points Brendan Lynn Guest Writer

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Find us @ @TheHawkeyeNews

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h Send us an E-Mail at bloomfieldhawkeye@gmail.com for pricing options

” ily am f nd a ds n e i

Editorial Policy The Bloomfield Hills Hawkeye is a student publication distributed free of charge to over 1800 students, faculty, community members, and businesses. We strive to inform, entertain, and continue a tradition of journalistic excellence. We take our integrity seriously and strive to report the news as accurately as possible.

S

eeing her blond hair peek through her helmet, the Dragons did what no other team has done.

“Typically teams don’t try to injure the kicker because it is a penalty against the other team. But, against Lake Orion I got hit and I injured my leg. There are bruises on my leg. I was alright, though,” said Blackhawk kicker Olivia Brack who has been the only girl on the varsity football team for the past two years.

see more page 15

Submit Letters to the Editor We want to hear your voice! Send us a 250-300 word letter.

E-Mail us at bloomfieldhawkeye@gmail.com

14

NOVEMBER SPORTS

ph

i t s: cred oto

dams Photograp Susan A hy

Boys Basketball The varsity boys basketball team is looking to go farther then they went last year, after losing to Groves High School in the district finals last season. The team has over half its players returning from last year, and they all have high expectations for this upcoming season. Senior and second year varsity basketball player, Kiewuan Graham expects his team will thrive this upcoming year. “My goal is to win the OAA red title outright, win the district title, become a better leader, and improve my outside shooting as well as making my teammates better in the process.” Basketball tryouts took place on November 14th, 15th and 16th after school from 3:00-5:00pm.

WINTER

SPORTS

Previews

Girls Basketball The varsity girls basketball team has high expectations coming off a loss in a district playoff game against Marion High School. The team has kept multiple players including senior Amanda Sape, who has committed to play college basketball at Kent State university, and has a lot of underclassmen looking to play along her side this upcoming year. Sophomore, Grace Getz, believes there teams hard work will pay off. “We are going to have a great season. Everyone has been working extremely hard and been putting in time to improve and become better as an individual and as a team.” Basketball tryouts took place on November 14th, 15th and 16th after school from 3:00-5:00pm.

Boys Hockey With hockey season just weeks away, the boy’s hockey team is in the final stages of tryouts. “I had my final tryout today,” said junior Daniel Sternberg. “I think they went well.

I’m really looking forward to this season.”This year, the boy’s team is looking to work on their player’s skills and take as many wins as possible. “This season we have a lot of young players who we want to improve, so I think this season is really about growing our players and having a good time,” said Sternberg. Overall, the outlook is optimistic.

“It’s gonna be a great year,” said Sternberg.

“We’re hoping to do well, but that really depends on us so we are going to put the work in and hope for the best.”

A look at the BHHS varsity teams

Boys Swimming and Diving Bowling The 2016-2017 Bowling season starts this November. Coming off a year in which the team had hoped to do better, the team looks to bounce back with expecting over 30 kids to tryout according to, Junior Siena Fontanesi, who was on the team last year.

Tryouts begin November 14th, at 300 Bowl in Waterford from 3:30 to 5:30pm.

Fontanesi said, “I’ve been on Bowling since Freshman year and it’s incredible. While on the team, I ended up learning a lot and bonding with a lot of people. I have very high expectations this year because we have a lot of returning players with a lot more experience.” Please contact Nicole Lowry for any questions.

With the Boys Swimming season just beginning, everybody is anticipating an exciting season. Tryouts will start on Monday, November 21st, and practices will follow everyday from 3:00 to 5:30 in the afternoon. The team will be enjoying the new facilities for a second year at the high school. Zack VanPopering, a sophomore on the team, said, “I’m excited to meet new people,” in regards to joining the swim team this year.

Girls Hockey The varsity girls hockey team is kicking off the season with early tryouts during the last week of October. After graduating six seniors, the team is looking to bring up younger players to varsity.

“Everyone will have to step up this year. We have to work hard, skate hard, and shoot hard. If we do that and keep a competitive mindset, we are sure to learn a lot and go far this year,” said junior and third year varsity player Brittany Koch. Last year the team made it into division one for the first time in their history, even though they lost in the first round of playoffs. Their first game against PCS is on December 2nd at Arctic Edge Ice Arena at 8:30 pm.

Wrestling The Bloomfield Hills High School wrestling is coached by Anthony Scigliano. There are 25 members on the team. The season, which takes place in the winter, lasts from November until March. The meet for the Oakland County Championships is on December 16-17. The team looks to build upon last year’s success; they barely missed making it to regionals. Brig Berry says, “We have been practicing the last two weeks. The starting positions will be chosen in early December.” He also adds, “Captains haven’t been decided yet. If I had to guess I would say me, Sam Borman, Howard Shoda, and Nick Fly are the four best leaders on the team.”

Figure Skating Coming into the 2016 season, the Bloomfield Hills figure skating team is coming in with high expectations according to sophomore skater Emma Waggoner. Last season both the A and B teams did very well, winning nationals and coming in second place as well. This season there are 22 skaters and over half are returners to the squad. Waggoner believes they will have another successful season.

“Our team will do just as well as last year because all our returning girls and the chemistry our team has. Everyone gets along really well, and works extremely hard regardless of the time or the difficulty.”

Competitive Cheer Tryouts for the high school’s varsity competitive cheer team were held in the auxiliary gym on Tuesday, November 1st to Wednesday, November 2nd at 5-7:30 pm , as well as Friday November 4th 5-8 pm.

The coaches are Coach Myah and Coach Ryan. The cheerleaders bring a positive attitude with all their cheers and routines for the winter sports games. The team also competes in events outside of the school, such as the Tower Invite. They embody what Black Hawk pride truly is. Their best finish was on February 7, 2015 when they became OAA Blue League Champions.

15

NOVEMBER SPORTS

Unforgetable The impact of José Fernández’s death on athletes C.J. Drogosch Section Editor I can’t believe he’s gone.

Imagine going for a boat ride with friends one day, thinking you have the world at your fingertips. The next day you are scheduled to be the starting pitcher in another Major League Baseball game, your fourth season on the Miami Marlins. Everyone anticipated every start you made and loved your enthusiasm on the mound. On the boat, you had dreams of the future. Unfortunately, the world had different plans for you that day. You lose control of the boat and crash into a series of rocks. Picture it: that was your last day on Earth.

On September 25, 2016, José Fernández was found dead near the coast of South Beach. Unfortunately, it was discovered that Fernández had cocaine and alcohol in his system after an autopsy report was released. Fernández was a superstar in the MLB and a hero to the Cuban community. He was a phenomenal player on the field, but furthermore he was an even better person and a charismatic spirit that the game will never forgot.

He was someone who touched my life even though we never met.

Playing the game of baseball since the age of 6, I have never in all my years been more impacted and saddened by the loss of someone I didn’t personally know than by this story.

Maybe it’s because I try to play the game with the same enthusiasm and passion that Fernández possessed. He went out there every game he started and smiled on the mound like he was in his backyard of where he grew up in Santa Clara, Cuba. The Cubans live and breathe baseball. Losing Fernández was something that will be extraordinarily difficult to move on from.

Fernández, who had a kid on the way, was just a kid having fun, enjoying the game he loved.

He was only 24 years old. Think about that for a moment. José Fernández exemplified what every young player wanted to be. Not only was he successful on the field, winning Rookie of the Year for the National League his first season in 2013, but he was also admired around the league. He was making a strong case for Cy Young this season with a 16-8 record, 2.86 Earned Run Average, and 253 strikeouts. All hitters feared him. Those same hitters would tell you, though, that they couldn’t wait to spend time with him off the field. Fernández was the Miami Marlins’ prized catch, and they might not have even realized it until he was gone.

But I realize it.

José might have been more beloved off the field. He truly made it a mission to give back to his Cuban community and to the city of Miami, too. He often visited the poorest neighborhoods, signing autographs, taking pictures, spending time with the kids. He always took the time to brighten up others’ days. He took the risk to come from Cuba to the United States to pursue his dreams. He just wanted to give back to everyone who helped him along the way.

He was more than a ball player to me and to those who knew him personally.

This is seen by the reaction which poured in the morning that José Fernández’s death was announced. Nobody could believe or comprehend the news. Players expressed their thoughts via Twitter and Instagram.

“I dont have the words to describe the pain feel,” said Boston Red Sox superstar designated hitter David Ortiz and fellow Latin baseball player like Fernández. “for the loss of my friend José. Goodbye, my friend.”

“No words can fully express a loss like this,” New York Mets ace starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard said. “Baseball and the world lost a true warrior today. Rest in peace brother.”

“I’m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare. I lost my brother today and can’t quite comprehend it. The shock is overwhelming,” outfielder for the Miami Marlins Giancarlo Stanton said. “What he meant to me, our team, the city of Miami, Cuba & everyone else in the world that his enthusiasm/heart has touched can never be replaced. I can’t fathom what his family is going through because We, as his extended Family are a wreck.”

These players echoed my thoughts. Their sentiments were mine.

José Fernández’s spirit will live on forever. In the first game the Marlins played after the incident, leadoff hitter Dee Gordon stepped to the plate for his first at bat, the number 16 on his back to commemorate Fernández. Gordon is a left-handed hitter, but he took the first pitch from the right side of the plate to honor his late friend and teammate. The very next pitch Gordon went deep and hit the farthest homerun of his career.

The 6’3’’, 240 pound phenom Fernández left this Earth too soon.

“Sadly,” owner of the Miami Marlins said Jeffrey Loria said in an interview with the U.S. News, “the brightest lights are often the ones that extinguish the fastest.”

But for me, his light will never fade.

Brack kicks an extra point after a Black Hawk touchdown

Photo Credits: Susan Adams Photography

Through the Uprights Junior Olivia Brack, only girl on varsity football team, earns time on the field (Continued from 13) Brendan Lynn Guest Writer “Most of the time, the other team doesn’t really say much and they are pretty much respectful to me. But, the game against Lake Orion I was getting called some names. It didn’t happen in any other games.”

The Black Hawks aren’t the only team with a girl on their roster. According to an article in ESPN written by the the National Federation of State High School Association “1,561 girls played football last season. That constitutes a 17.5 percent increase from just four years ago, when 1,328 girls participated. This includes Monique Howard, a 6-foot, 190-pound starting right tackle for Pershing (Detroit).

According to Special Teams Coordinator Matthew MacLeod, Olivia is more than just a statistic.

“She struggled at first at the beginning of the season. This was like a bunch of our kickers that start for the first time. But, she has really

been on a roll for the last five games. She has hit 20 for 20. We are in a much better situation now that she is kicking well,” he said.

“This past year we had a four year varsity kicker graduate and when he graduated there was an opening audition for kicking. Olivia came in and she was on Junior Varsity last year. We had competition with some kids and she won it.”

Beginning her freshman year, Olivia says that she got the idea to kick from a friend who wanted her to participate on the team with her. The decision to play on an all boy’s team wasn’t new as Olivia “played soccer growing up on the boy’s team. It’s what helped me prepare for the skill set of being a kicker in football,” she said.

Varsity Football Coach Daniel Loria added that Olivia is an extremely accurate kicker and one of the best he has seen both in his

tenures as a coach at Lahser and at Bloomfield Hills. “Choosing a kicker comes down to being automatic when it comes to the point after a touchdown. And she is there.”

Looking at her stats, MacLeod said that Olivia has succeeded at her position by nailing twenty straight extra points in a five game span against Ferndale, Avondale, Royal Oak, Notre Dame Preparatory and Berkley. What separates Olivia from other kickers is that “she has been kicking since 6th grade; she was kicking in middle school at East Hills and she was working with our kicking coach Ali Haji-Sheikh.”

Just like Special Teams Coordinator Matthew MacLeod, Elizabeth Brack, Olivia’s mom, knows her daughter is thriving with her current situation on the football team and inspires other girls.

“It’s very exciting, it provides a good role-model for young girls to try something outside the normal female sports. It still makes me quite nervous some of the nights I watch on the field.

I still see her as my daughter on the field. But, she still is a wonderful addition to the team,” she said. “It’s great to see her this year because she has been playing wonderful. She had been on a roll with her 20 for 20 streak this year. Olivia is extremely accurate for every extra point attempt.”

As the Black Hawks were undefeated in the regular season, Olivia said she not only enjoys being apart of the school’s winning season but to “it is a lot more fun to be winning more games and we are getting a lot more touchdowns,” she said. “This gives me more kicking opportunities and it’s a great experience.”

JV hockey team (continued from 13) Jake Weitzman Guest Writer Farmington did it the year before.

Unfortunately, McAlister said that this cut to the program has been largely due to the cost.

Some of it has to do with the cost of playing hockey. Hockey is the most expensive sport in the high school to play at $2000,” he said. “The other thing I think is that in the economy, college is more expensive and parents have to make the decision to either save for college or play high school hockey.”

McAlister also believes that the possibility of concussions have contributed to the drop in numbers.

“In the 2011-2012 NHL season, Sidney Crosby suffered a concussion after a hard hit,” he said.

“Sidney Crosby is the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and happens to be one of the biggest stars in the NHL ever. “When his concussion was announced to the public, it brought a lot of attention to the issue.”

Head Case Company, a dad-driven, grassroots organization that does what they can to help athletes with concussion issues said for every 100,000 athletic exposures in hockey, there are 54 concussions which is the second highest rate in all high school sports.

“In terms of hockey and concussions, you can almost say that Crosby’s hit was a turning point. At this time, people were just learning about concus-

sions,” said McAlister. “For hockey players, parents, and fans, I think this event changed how they looked at the game. It made them scared about playing a game that was a part of their life

“For hockey players, parents, and fans, I think this event changed how they looked at the game. It made them scared about playing a game that was a part of their life that could very quickly take a turn for the worst.

It continues to scare people today as you can see with our numbers.”

Bruce McAlister Varsity Hockey Coach that could very quickly take a turn for the worst.

It continues to scare people today as you can see with our numbers.”

In an attempt to bring interest to the program, Wilson said that the hockey board has taken

measures to attract new members.

“We’ve done tons of things to try to attract more players. We have been targeted not only high schoolers, but middle schoolers as well,” said Wilson. “We had Middle School Night where the middle schoolers were invited to come watch a game or two. We sent some of our players to the middle schools to promote the team. We conduct spring skates, summer boot camps, and even a fall preseason. Mr. Guzzetti is in contact with middle school gym teachers. We even have players and parents talk to kids who can play.” In the end, we don’t stop spreading the word.”

Even though there have attempts to attract players, returning players still have concerns about the how not having a junior varsity team will impact the future of the hockey program.

“It won’t be good for our team because we could have less players next year. It also makes it tough for the development of players. When we lose a year, that’s a year of development lost as well,” said second year varsity player Daniel Sternberg. “This is a big issue for the future success of the program. Not for just the next two years, but for several teams to come.”

16

NOVEMBER SPORTS

Varsity soccer falls in first round of district playoffs Team reflects on the season and looks towards next season Carly Hittler Guest Writer After losing 0-3 to the Groves High School Falcons during the first round of the district playoffs, the Bloomfield Black Hawks lost their opportunity for a fourth straight district championship.

“My freshman year, sophomore year, and junior year we won. I was kind of hoping to go all four years, because that would be a big thing and I hadn’t seen anyone do that before,” said BHHS boy’s varsity soccer team senior captain and defender Christian Ryan. “If we won, we would have ended the season on a really high note. I would have loved to leave that great legacy to leave behind. The underclassmen look up to our record, and they would have had something to strive for- continuing our winning streak.”

Head Coach Dougie Macaulay expressed that injuries played a factor in the team’s loss.

“It’s tough going to the playoffs like we did. You’re hoping that everyone is going

“If we won, we would have ended the season on a really high note. I would have loved to leave that great legacy to leave behind. The underclassmen look up to our record, and they would have had something to strive for- continuing our winning streak.”

Christian Ryan Senior

Photo credit: Larry McKee/MIPrepZone

2 1

st

Sophomore Andrew Zhang reflects his experience at the Tennis State Championship tournament Sadie Kirschner Staff Writer

A

s he stood on the court of his drew has received was an invitation to second state championship, represent the Midwest at Intersectionhe remembered coming in als,” said Li. “Only four boys and four second place the previous year girls were selected from each of the and knew he had something to 17 regions that make up the United prove.

States and he was invited to attend.”

“Last year, I came a little short and Senior and teammate Josh Mukherwon second place to Alex Wen from jee believes that it was Andrew’s Novi, Michigan. This year I think I improvement over the past twelve wanted it a little more so I focused up months that led him to his recent and thankfully got the job done successvictory. fully,” said Sophomore Andrew Zhang “Since freshman year, he has while comparing his performance from gradually improved. His strokes have his freshmen year to this year. immensely gotten stronger and he “Because it was a really close match, has become more confident in his I don’t think that I could have done playing,” he said. “We both feed off of anything more. This year, I was more each other’s success.” determined and it showed in my playing.

Having been playing tennis since he After I won, it felt amazing was six years old, and I was incredibly proud Andrew credits his “Last year, I came a little accomplishments to of my accomplishments.” short and won second the strenuous work Held at the Midland Tennis Community Center in place to Alex Wen from that he has put into Midland, Michigan during Novi, Michigan.

This yearthe sport to become the weekend of October as strong of a player 15th, the Black Hawks beat I think I wanted it a little as he is. out over twenty other teams more so I focused up and “Being one of thankfully got the job only three freshmen to earn second place.

After playing three matchto make varsity last done successfully.” es over the two day chamyear, I was very honpionship, Andrew faced ored. Since then, evAndrew Zhang Luke Baylis from Clarkston, erybody on the team Sophomore Michigan and with a score has been treating me of 1-0 in his final match, he great and it’s such a earned his first state title. fantastic experience,” “We are incredibly proud he said. of everything Andrew accomplished,” Burks acknowledges that in his said Andrew’s father, Li Zhang. “His eleven years as coach “Andrew is probcontinued success at tennis, both for ably one of the most mentally tough BHHS and on the junior USTA level, kids that I have ever seen on a tennis is a testament to his dedication to the court. That is his biggest strength,” he sport.” said. “He can hit with pretty much Commenting on Andrew’s performance anybody, he has a solid game and throughout the season, Varsity Boys Tenthere’s pretty much nobody in his class nis Coach, Greg Burks said, “He only that could mentally out play him.” lost one match {throughout the season}.

That was actually to the kid I think he beat three or so other times. So, he was 23 in 1 by the end of season.”

Ranked as number one in Michigan, Li said that along with his state win another “ one of the greatest honors An-

Photo Credits: Jason E. Schmidt/MiPrepZone

to be healthy, but having three players injured, one of them a central defender senior captain Christian Ryan, is really tough.

And we had a couple other players sick.”

Macaulay added that experience of the missing players also impacted the game’s result.

“We were four seniors down, two of whom were captains, and we played with a very young team, next year’s team. They had to fill in positions they weren’t used to playing. We went in the way you never want to go into a playoff. You want everybody there, but it just didn’t happen this year.”

Ryan also commented how the experience of older players influence the team. “It’s like the seniors on the team from my freshman year, they had so much heart for the game.

They wouldn’t lose at any cost- all they wanted to do was win. That mentality was passed down to my grade, and despite this year’s disappointment I really hope I pass it down myself by showing it as best I could, even though I was out sick for the playoffs.”

While he wishes the team had gone farther in their season, junior captain Matt Matic is looking toward the future believing there is a lot to benefit from the experience.

“It’s disappointing, because we only had four wins this year. We wanted to do better, there are things we could have all done better individually, but we still had fun,” Matic said. “I’m still really happy and excited for next year. There is a lot of positive we can take out of this season, for example a lot of players got to experience the game, which is definitely going to be good for next year. We aren’t too harsh on ourselves.”

From

nd to

BHHS athletes try out cupping technique Alexis Rillema Staff Writer

Two year Varsity swimmer sophomore something I always wanted to try too.

Taylor Wiewiora said she’s used this After cupping, your body feels like a technique and believes that process isn’t weird type of numbness and sore but as painful as she first anticipated. it definitely looks way worse than it “During the process of cupping, pain feels at first,” she said. is not usually felt, and afterwards the Mondoux had stated that cupping is muscles don’t hurt. The skin may feel a not guaranteed to work 100% of the bit sore as there are time for everybody bruises from the inthat tries it.

“During the process of creased blood flow,” cupping, pain is not usually “The changes can she said. be drastic. You can felt, and afterwards the Due to the publicfeel a lot of pain muscles don’t hurt. The skin relief due to a lot of ity it received this may feel a bit sore as there are things that can hapsummer, cupping is associated with pen a lot of issues bruises from the swimming; howthat are going on increased blood flow.” ever, Cross Councan be solved usually try Team Runner temporarily or more Taylor Wiewiora sophomore Makena like a pain relief,” Sophomore Torrey has tried it Mondoux said. “It during her season. is a great tool, one “Personally I used cupping because I of many. A lot of people get the idea have back problems and heard that that cupping is like a cure all for any cupping helps healing. I go to the muscular injury and it’s not but when trainers for cross country after school used properly it is awesome.” a lot because of other injuries and it’s

A cross country runner after receiving a cupping treatment

17

NOVEMBER OPINION

Remembering what my family gave me Editor discusses his heritage and its effect on his life Shibi Sanjeev Co-Editor-in-Chief

T

he funniest thing about stereotypes is how incredibly wrong they can be. People assumed that my darker skin tone, immigrant parents, and odd name meant that I’m a typical Indian only worried about my grades. They assume that my community revolves around AP classes and ACT prep work. That couldn’t be more wrong.

There wasn’t a moment in my life where my parents yelled at me because of my grades. I was never told that an A- wasn’t good enough. I was never yelled at for not be-

“Success didn’t mean success in the result, it meant success in the process.

It meant that I shouldn’t be defined by where I end up in life. I should be defined by the hard work that got me there.”

ing smart enough. No, I was lectured on something else entirely: my work ethic.

My family raised me with one idea, be successful and nothing less. But success didn’t mean success in the result, it meant success in the process.

It meant that I shouldn’t be defined by where I end up in life. I should be defined by the hard work that got me there.

Coming from a family of immigrants who had to work for everything, I was always told by my parents and grandparents that anyone without a goal was as good as dead meat.

What they meant was that everyone should pick a goal and spend their life trying to reach it. This idea was ingrained in me as I grew up. It’s become something I live and breathe by.

I was raised in a place where hard work was given the highest value. A place that taught me that goals and dreams were secondary to the work that I had to put in to reach them. It was a place that taught me the value of a strong work ethic.

It taught me that giving my all was an absolute necessity of life. That’s the community I grew up in and one where I will continue to develop.

Pro: The later the better A later school start time improves teens’ grades; and benefits their health.

Maddie Wein Guest Writer

S

leepy, tired zombies running over our campus during passing time, infecting and devouring the halls with brains of mush. Brains of mush that have potential to be the brightest and best. Bloomfield will soon be Brain-deadfield.

A 7:25 start time is what fuels the scenario above. On behalf of my fellow zombies, we need a later school start time for many reasons.

Scientists are on our side as they state that our bodies are in what’s called a sleep phase. This phase takes place between ages eleven through eighteen. Basically this means that our bodies are designed to go to sleep later and wake up later.

No wonder at 7 AM, all I want to be doing is curling up in my cozy bed, counting sheep.

Not in a classroom, learning, when my brain isn’t awake yet.

Not only are scientists on our side but the National Sleep Foundation states that, “teens need about eight to ten hours of sleep each night to function best.”

So it is in fact other high schools in the state of Michigan are listening to the experts.

According to Schools Start Later database, Sturgis High School, located in Sturgis Michigan, experienced great results when switching start times from 7:30am to 8:15am.

“We have seen a drastic drop in tardies for first hour and grades have improved greatly as well.”

Looking at this information why wouldn’t BHHS, a lighthouse

“We have seen a drastic drop in tardies for first hour and grades have improved greatly as well.” district leading the way for others districts want to have smarter students? All I know is that with a longer sleep, I would always be at school right when it starts. I’d give a big kiss goodbye to those green tardy slips! You’d even see me in my class, ready on time, maybe even before the bell rings.

In addition, more time means more

Pro/Con:

money for the school. According to Sturgis High School’s Director of Facilities and Operations Scott Snyder, changing the start time will save their district approximately $500,000. This is seen by reducing the total number of buses and drivers on the road and, ultimately, the amount of fuel and maintenance. $500,000. Yep, You read that correctly. Our school can save literally half a million dollars by starting school just a little bit later.

That money then could be used towards other BlackHawks expenses. Finally, we’ll have funding for tissues in our classrooms.

Not convinced yet?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that, “Insufficient sleep is common among high school students and is associated with several health risks including being overweight, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using drugs, as well as poor academic performance.”

The facts are clear. Starting school at a later time is a win-win situation for everyone. Even the zombies agree.

Should SCHOOL START LATER?

Illustration by Ember Stuart

Con: The early bird gets the worm The later, the less time to do extracurricular activities Nicole Grace Guest Writer

I

t’s a Friday night. There is no team celebration, no Black Hawk win, and no award winning band marching in unison on the field.

I cannot imagine my high school experience without these memories.

And if we didn’t get up early for school then there wouldn’t be time for anyone to fit these into their busy lives.

Yes, it sucks getting up before the sun, but because school starts so early, we are dismissed earlier and we have time for clubs and other extracurricular opportunities.

Now, there is a ton of research explaining why we should start later.

But if there is all this data about how starting later is better, then why haven’t any schools in Oakland County switched yet? The U.S. News & World Report ranked four schools in Oakland County in the top ten schools in Michigan.

What do these schools have in common?

They all start school early.

Besides providing more time in the day, starting school early has other benefits.

Along with providing more time for activities outside the classroom, starting later impacts the scheduling of sports,

other activities and busses.

During a conversation I had with the president of our district’s school board, Ingrid Day, she echoed this point. “In a district like ours, where we still provide busing for everyone, we can utilize buses, and there’s an efficiency that comes with utilizing your buses and bus drivers better,” she said.

Still not convinced?

High school pre-

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” pares us for our future.

Getting up early is a rite of passage on the way to adulthood.

Whether it’s waking up early for school, college, or a job, everyone does it. We just need to accept it.

Not going straight to the workforce after you turn your tassel? Think about this, regardless if we are going to MSU, U of M, Western, or Wayne State we need to learn how to work with one another.

According to Dartmouth College, “Collaborative learning exercises

are important components of our classrooms because they encourage active learning, giving students the opportunity to become more deeply engaged with their writing, and with one another.”

So, where can we collaborate outside the classroom? At the library.

But if schools get out so late in the day, there will be no time left to start the study sessions before it closes. These publicly funded facilities are there to help students and other members of the community succeed. How are we expected to utilize them if once we get there we must leave because they are closing?

When it comes to starting school later, I think of the quote from Benjamin Franklin, which says, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Even though there are no health benefits linked directly to starting school early, there is the habit of waking up and making the most of our time. Getting up early is practice for jobs and everything else later in life, which believe it or not is just around the corner.

By starting earlier we have a head start on all that is important and as they say, the early bird gets the worm.

How to deal with high expectations Editor discusses his family’s way of pushing him to improve Shibi Sanjeev Co-Editor-in-Chief

I

remember standing there on the court. I could make out his figure behind the fence. I wanted to know what he was thinking, but that was for later. I looked back at the player in front of me, gripped my racquet, and prepared for the next serve to come.

Walking off the court, I couldn’t see his face. If any of the previous matches were any indication, I would already knew what he was thinking. He wasn’t gleaming with pride, and he wasn’t frowning with disapproval. He came up to me and I was proven right.

There was no “Good job Shibi, you played well;” it was just a quick nod, a pat on the back, and a quiet car ride home.

My dad was always like this. I never understood it. Why was he so unemotional? Well one day, I decided to find out. His answer shook me.

“Are you good at tennis? Yeah probably. Can you be better? Definitely. The reason you never see me smile or tell you good job is

“This is how I was raised. In my family, a good job means you are acceptable, and anything acceptable is nothing more than mediocre.” because I want you to be better.”

I didn’t get what he meant. I mean, I was pretty good; what’s wrong with acknowledging that?

This is how I was raised. In my family, a good job means you are acceptable, and anything acceptable is nothing more than mediocre. And mediocre will always be unacceptable. Some people would imagine this to be something terrible. They would imagine my family to be something where nobody is ever appreciated. For some time, that’s how I felt. I didn’t get what my dad was trying to stress upon me. I thought he was telling me that I would never be appreciated. It didn’t really hit me until years later.

I remember sitting there back at the tennis courts; I wasn’t playing this time. I was sitting there behind the fence watching someone else play.

My dad leaned down to me, “He’s pretty good isn’t he?” I looked at him wide eyed, I thought I heard him wrong. After realizing that my ears didn’t fail me, I just lost it. I mean, I had been trying to get some form of recognition my whole life, but some rando comes along and my dad compliments him within ten minutes. What was I missing?

When I finally got up and asked him about it days later, he said “You are my son, my bar for you is a hundred times higher than it is for everyone else. I don’t tell you good job, not because I want you to do better, it’s because I know you can do better.”

The light bulb just went on. He wasn’t giving me any recognition because I wasn’t good enough. He just expected more from me.

I started recounting what was basically my whole life; I was trying to erase all those feelings of exasperation, anger, and anguish and replace them with ones of determination, resolve, and persistence. I was ready to go now.

He wasn’t telling me that I wasn’t good enough. He was trying to get me to understand that I can always do better. And I always will.

18

NOVEMBER EDITORIAL

the need to get

INVOLV ED eer

volunt o t g n i o G

ice

Cartoon by Betsy Stubbs

Whether you are thrilled or upset with the results of the 2016 election, you can make your voice heard by volunteering

I

t’s not over until we say it’s over. And it’s not over. At least it shouldn’t be.

The 2016 election season was perhaps the most controversial in American history. Some were thrilled, others were devastated. It seemed like there wasn’t much the two sides could agree on this year; 39% of people voted for Democrats because they didn’t like Trump, and 51% of people voted Republican because they didn’t like Clinton, according to New York Times exit polls. But if you’re looking for some common ground, a positive aspect of the 2016 campaign was that it got young people involved in politics, and made them more aware of their government and how it runs. So if you are upset or ecstatic with the results, know that you can make a difference in our political system by being informed and involved.

The Republicans maintained a majority in both chambers of Congress (52 seats in the senate and 241 in the House of Representatives). But there is still an opportunity for teens to make their voices heard. In 2018, congressional elections will be held once again, with 8 Republican and 23 Democratic seats up for grabs. 36 gubernatorial elections will be held in 2018 as well.

Our system if government has the chance for dramatic change, either left or right. That all lays on the shoulders of the volunteers. By volunteering with your preferred party, you can make your voice heard during the next congressional elections. It’s never to early to start campaigning-- and volunteering is a great way to make an impact. The Democratic, Republican, Green, and Libertarian parties all welcome and are searching for

volunteers to help elect candidates in the future. If you aren’t a supporter of one of the two major parties-- you can still make an impact. Any time that you can spend volunteering will help, as all four parties allow volunteers to work as often as and whenever they choose.

If you volunteer, you can make an impact by calling voters, going door-to-door to deliver campaign materials, and helping outreach and just discussing issues with your friends and encouraging them to donate or volunteer can go a long way. 2018 may seem far away, but when it comes, every little bit of campaigning will be crucial to determining the future of the United States congress.

The same goes for the presidency. Whether you supported him or not, it’s apparent that Presidentelect Donald Trump is a pretty polarizing figure who sparks some pretty intense emotions amongst American citizens (some wildly positive, and some wildly negative). If you are happy with his election, then you can volunteer with your party and help to generate support for future elections. If you are unhappy with his election, you can begin to look toward 2020. We don’t just mean hoping Kanye comes to save us. We mean volunteering your time to help the grassroots fundraising efforts of your preferred party. We mean discussing your concerns and passions with your friends and family. This is your country as much as it is anyone else’s. Take ownership of it and stick up for your values. Don’t be ashamed of what you have to say, because your voice is important.

If you’re happy with the results, keep advocating for your beliefs. If you’re upset, don’t let it discourage you-- get back up and defend your beliefs. After all, that it what America is all about.

STAFF

Adviser Christina Hammitt Editor-in-Chief Shibi Sanjeev Jack Silberman Managing Editors Jack Wroldsen (Print) Julia Eisenshtadt (Web)

Business Manager Jason Moonka Section Editors CJ Drogosch Evan Stern John Ballouz Max Wittenberg Max Helfman Cartoonist Betsy Stubbs

Staff Writers Anna Cao Hira Ali Nuha Razuiddin Sadie Kirschner Giancarlo Tucci

Michael-Armen Kadian

Riya Doshi Alexis Rillema Caitlin Finerty Ember Stuart

Vivian Harber Jillian Abbo Justin Yaker Guest Writers Ali Randel Ally Heath Anish Tamhaney Ben Cooper Brendan Lynn

Brynn Elder Camryn Brent Forest Zhang Habib Bello Hanna Halstead Jessica Kim Kaitlin Bronstein Kylie Buckfire Maddie Wein Maddy Moskus Nicole Grace

Pan Stavropoulos Sammi Trepeck Sarah Kenkel Sarah Qureshi Skylar Raitt

19

NOVEMBER OPINION

Reviews the hawkeye

Arrival has the look of an award winner Maximillian Helfman Staff Writer Arrival is NOT a space war film. Arrival is NOT a sci-fi war film with big explosions and alien fights. Arrival is NOT an action film, but it is the best movie of the year, so far.

Arrival can be best described as a sci-fi drama film, not a movie, a FILM. The film is about how the characters and the human race deals with an “alien invasion”, and everyone involved with this film absolutely nails it. Amy Adams stars as a linguist hired to help translate the “alien’s” language. Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker also star in fantastic supporting roles.

Denis Villeneuve, director of Prisoners, Sicario, and Enemy, is shaping up to be a modern day Stanley Kubrick. He’s three for three right now with great films and did it again with Arrival. Villeneuve’s direction is key for this film working, and paired up with Bradford Young’s cinematography, makes the entire film visual candy.

The cinematography was impeccable. Perfectly framed shots and breath-taking long takes of the huge mysterious ship crafted the mood of the film. The combination of the overall mood, shots, and overall bleakness of it created the tone of the entire film.

Amy Adams totally transforms into her character, while it

Dr. Strange leaves much to be desired Maximillian Helfman Staff Writer

Marvel Studios. One of, if not the best, studio in Hollywood. With films like The Avengers, Captain America: Civil War, or Guardians of the Galaxy every single Marvel movie has made $21 billion total gross, and that’s not counting the three more films coming out in 2017. This should mean they’re all great films right? ...right?

Dr. Strange is the newest Marvel film telling the origin story of arrogant surgeon, Dr. Stephen Strange, and his quest to fix his hands after an awful car crash. When traditional medicine fails him he looks for healing in the world of magic.

Dr. Strange stars the wonderful Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Rachel Mcadams (Mean Girls), Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer), and they all do great. Scott Derrickson, who is usually known for his less than stellar horror films, does a good job on his first “big budget” film.

Speaking of “big budget” the visuals in this film were, for lack of a better word, awesome. The scenes of cities bending in on themselves and people fighting in the mess was breathtaking. For the first time I think ever, I wanted to see a movie in 3D. Dr. Strange is the weirdest and most “out there” character Marvel has taken up. Much like Guardians of the Galaxy, we know when they take up a weird title it usually ends up really really good. Not so much with Dr. Strange. To sum this movie up with one word it would be “Mediocre”.

I feel like I’ve seen A LOT of the story elements and plot points in Dr. Strange that were picked and pulled from other films like Harry Potter, Men in Black, and even The Lord of the Rings. It was still pulled off well but the similarities were apparent.

The beginning of the film and story was rushed beyond belief, much like in Batman Begins it’s believable how Batman trains for years to become The Batman, but in Dr. Strange his “training” goes from point A to point F in 10 minutes. How his character progresses is completely unbelievable.

But the biggest problem in the film is the addition of forced comedy.

The comedy and jokes in this film is poorly timed, every time there’s a joke. The scarce times the jokes do hit is when they were timed correctly but the majority of the time they were placed in awkward scenes. For example when something serious happens they add a joke into it to make it more light hearted, but they never had to do that! Comedy is the hardest thing to do in a film, and Dr. Strange proves that.

Overall, yes, this film was fun, it was a Marvel movie. Should you go see this? Yes. But don’t go into it expecting a masterpiece. Dr. Strange opened November 4th nationwide.

The Edge Of Seventeen surpasses expecations Maximillian Helfman Staff Writer

Capturing the full, realistic, feel of high school is tough. Movies try and fail to create that atmosphere but mostly they fall short and seem like they’re trying too hard. The Edge of Seventeen captured the authentic feel of high school perfectly, and did it joyfully.

The Edge of Seventeen follows Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) and her unbearable high school life, which gets worse when her best friend, Krista, starts dating Nadine’s brother.

The Edge of Seventeen is Kelly Fremon Craig’s directorial debut and she comes out swinging, directing as well as writing this film. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld, known for her less than mediocre teen films (Pitch Perfect 2, Ender’s Game), Blake Jenner (Everybody Wants Some), and the usually fantastic Woody Harrelson, and may I say everyone nails it.

Hailee Steinfeld is unbelievably believable as a junior in high school, giving her best performance to date. Blake Jenner gives a good performance playing her brother and Woody Harrelson rocks it as her teacher.

Going into this film I was excited to see a teen movie, but my expectations weren’t anything to boast about. But walking out I can confidently say this film will be in my top 10 favorite movies of the year, maybe even top 5. This movie reminded me of films like The Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. It captured everything about how it is in real life highschool, yeah it was a bit satirical like The Breakfast Club but it was believable, and that’s all that matters.

Some shots were well done, some story elements were original and funny, and the pacing was leveled, but the film wasn’t perfect.

Certain scenes and plot points were very predictable, being able to see what was going on a mile away. While some scenes were smartly written some were taken out of a “Cliche in Film Book 101”. The first act of the film was the most generic of the film because of the unoriginal “setup” but as soon as it got going, it all fixed itself.

The Edge of Seventeen at first glance is an unoriginal plot with themes I’m sure we’ve all seen before, but after going to a screening of this I can confidently say this is one of the most heartfelt films of the year. If you have any chance of seeing this film I would say it’s a must watch. The Edge of Seventeen came out nationwide November, 18th.

wasn’t her best, she was completely believable as a linguist trying to find out an alien language. Jeremy Renner, who is becoming a phenomenal supporting character, is again very human and believable. Actually, all the performances in this film were all extremely human. I think Villeneuve told his actors this on purpose to fit the theme of the film.

Although the story is based off a short story, how Villeneuve portrays it is brilliant. The whole dilemma of how the world is going to react to these alien ships is approached at such a condensed level. Rarely do they ever leave the dynamic of Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams trying to translate the language. It isn’t a global affair, it’s about the people.

Arrival is the best movie of the year not only because of the aesthetics, acting, or direction, it’s because of how it hit me.

The film has a perfect blend of suspense, drama, emotion, and mystery that concocts to create an almost perfect film. An almost perfect film that will probably be nominated for Best Picture, and an almost perfect film that I will be seeing again on Sunday.

Gilmore Girls revamp does not match the quality of original series Riya Doshi Staff Writer

Where you lead, I will follow, anywhere that you tell me to. When it first aired in 2000, the witty, fast-paced dialogue of Gilmore Girls captured our hearts across America. Whether it was the innocent Rory, feisty Lorelei or one of the lively side characters, everyone found someone to connect with. The inevitable conclusion of the series was expected by fans, as the original writers, Amy and Daniel ShermanPalladino, were unable to join the show for a final season. Since then, fans have been anxiously awaiting a revival to tie up the loose ends that could not be tied without the Sherman-Palladinos.

The original Gilmore Girls had a simple enough plot: a mother named Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter (Alexis Bledel) who are more like best friends than mother and daughter. Once planned out, the plot quickly gained new heights, with added love interests for both Lorelai and Rory, along with strange occurrences in their everyday lives. The show ended with fans unsatisfied, wanting to know which of the love interests both Rory and Lorelei ended up with, sparking theories based on miniscule details from the show.

The revival was announced in 2016 as four 90-minute episodes coming to Netflix.

Nearly all the original cast members were coming back, including all three of Rory’s love interests. Edward Herrmann, who played Rory’s loving grandfather, passed away, creating a new storyline for Emily, his wife and the third Gilmore girl. The main storyline of the revival was implied to cover all three Gilmore women feeling lost in their current lives and unsure of what the future held in store.

When I went into this revival, I expected to be bowing down at the feet of Amy Sherman-Palladino for the rest of my life and I was left disappointed. The final six hours of my favorite show weren’t laden with pop culture references, rapid dialogue and a fair share of sentimental moments as I had expected. While the show was easily reminiscent of the original series, it missed that spark that made it one-ofa-kind. The sharp-witted humor that originally drew me into the show was only mildly present.

A large part of this dissatisfaction has to be with the sudden change of pace. The original show contained forty minute episodes, each with an individual storyline as well as a season arc. In true Gilmore fashion, the characters often spoke so quickly that watching the show without subtitles would leave viewers scratching their heads in confusion. The revival is completely different, with only four 90-minute episodes meant to detail a year of the Gilmore’s lives and a blatantly slower pace. Jokes were far and few, rather than crammed into the time limit for each episode.

The actors did stay rather true to character, with Luke still as health conscious as ever and Kirk remaining a constant hindrance to the town. Rory is the only character who seems to act unlike herself, seemingly scattered and disorganized. Rather than the focused girl from the majority of the series, she acts reminiscently of the confused Rory who dropped out of Yale back in Season 6.

While there is an air of disappointment surrounding the revival, it still brings back nostalgia from the original show. With the opening montage of some of the greatest lines from the show, the constant cameos from nearly all the characters from the past seven seasons or simply the sight of Stars Hollow in high definition, the revival cannot help but bring back fond memories of the original series. Despite the fact that Sherman-Palladino may never be able to reach the height of her greatest masterpiece, she still manages to bring a smile to her viewers’ faces by knowing that there is a little more Gilmore in all of our lives.

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NOVEMBER OPINION

Reviews the hawkeye

Steve’s Deli is the best deli in Michigan Justin Yaker Guest Writer What’s black, white and red all over? Sure, the newspaper is, but what about the best deli in Michigan? The award winning, Steve’s Deli, conveniently located at 6646 Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 4830, is sure to impress.

Walking in, it is impossible to miss the massive deli counter wrapping around half of the restaurant. Mouthwatering deli meals, meats and sides are displayed along with tempting sweet treats, including gigantic cakes, cupcakes, macarons, mandel bread and much more.

My mom and I were immediately seated by our hostess at a half booth and from there we took in our surroundings. The New York themed deli is long, narrow strip, composed of a black and white checkered tile floor. Bright red booths and half booths provide seating right on top of one another, where you can easily eavesdrop on your neighbors’ conversations.

Our waitress politely greeted us and took our drink orders. Steve’s offers a wide variety of unusual soda options, such as Dr. Brown’s, and of course, Michigan’s own Faygo.

Moving from drinks to food, I finally decided upon an order. The gigantic menu is filled with endless appealing options. Nonetheless, I ordered the Steve’s Special (half sandwich, bowl of soup) ($13, but price varies based on

Mex: A modern twist on Mexican food Vivian Harber Guest Writer

Since it’s debut in 2013, Mex has dominated the Bloomfield Hills restaurant business. The restaurant excels in producing an exuberant and authentic experience for its attendees. Mex does so by incorporating innovative ideas into their traditional dishes, unparalleled interior, and meticulous ambiance. After my many exceptional dining experiences at Mex, I undoubtedly crave the savory chips and guacamole and the extraordinary fried ice cream.

With a highlight on ambience, Mex differentiates itself with an ingenious menu, exceptional service, and whimsical interior.

The restaurant integrates scintillating “Alice in Wonderland” style interiors transporting customers into an animated atmosphere.

Corresponding with the ambience, chef Zack Sklar, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, creates bold and unprecedented flavors. With the unique ambiance and menu, Mex designs an unforgettable dining experience for all patrons.

Walking into Mex, I was astonished by the massive size and quirky features of the restaurant. Immediately, I noticed the one of a kind paintings and art features, grand lighting fixtures, eccentric furnishings, and in an instant, appetizing aroma. As many employees hurried around the restaurant, I was seated after a short wait, surprising for a Saturday night.

As Mex presents a vast menu, I found it hard to decide on just one entree. The chips and guacamole ($10.50) were a fundamental appetizer as Mex makes some of the best tortilla chips. Soon after, I ordered two tacos ($12.00), one classic beef and one curried vegetable. The tacos’ rich flavors and unique combinations worked together to create a taco unlike any I had had before. Furthermore, once I saw the delicious fried ice cream ($8) on the menu, I couldn’t resist. Although the prices seem high for the quantity of food given, the quality of food outweighs it all.

In addition to the outstanding tacos, Mex offers many other entree options, some that are derived from Mexican dishes and some that aren’t, including sloppy joes and blackened whitefish.

The restaurant also has several options that appeal to vegetarians and vegans, including the kale salad and fajita bowl.

With it’s extraordinary interior, satisfactory service, and contemporary menu, Mex is a recipe for success. I recommend that everyone go enjoy the all around captivating experience at Mex, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan at 6675 Telegraph Rd

5th Tavern: It is more than just burgers and fries Caitlin Finerty Guest Writer

On Telegraph, on the outskirts of Bloomfield Hills, live so many restaurants, but a family friendly place, with a great, home cooked meal, is hard to find in the area. Between the Shoestring fries and the made-from-scratch tortilla chips, 5th Tavern was a great experience for both my family and I. Pulling into the lot, I saw a large brick building with an outdoor patio and even a fire pit and I was struck with the creative, industrial look of the building. When I walked in, I was impressed with the hardwood, rustic feeling contrasting with the industrial facade. The lights were dimmed and I could smell their famous French Onion Soup.

Sitting down at a 4-top, my family and were all immediately surprised by the extensive choices on the menu. I saw so many choices that I couldn’t decide between the angus steak, salmon, turkey, and black bean and veggie burger. I decided to let my waiter decide. He told me that his best selling burger was the American Kobe Burger for $13, so I elected to give it a try.

My waiter took a bit of a long time to come to our table and take our drink orders and the food took a long time, but he was always apologetic. At the end of our meal, he speedily packed up my mom’s leftover food and brought the bill to the table.

When we got our food, I was impressed with the presentation.

The fries came in a metallic cup, continuing with the industrial but rustic feel of the whole restaurant and they were fresh out of the frier. I ordered my burger to be cooked medium, and when I took my first bite, I could tell that it was cooked perfectly. I was so impressed with the burger and fries because they were so elevated compared to any fast food or diner’s classic burger and fries from a place like Johnny Rockets.

As I sat at the table, stuffed with great food, I knew that this was not the last time I would be visiting the 5th Tavern restaurant at 2262 South Telegraph Rd. Amid the rustic atmosphere and the great food, I have found a hidden gem that is right on Telegraph road.

sandwich).

My chicken noodle soup arrived within two minutes of it being ordered. The soup was hearty and delicious, bold with flavor in every spoonful.

While still working on my soup, my half sandwich stacked a mile high arrived. Now I see why they are called overstuffed sandwiches! I was excited to dive into my turkey sandwich, but I was halted by the enormousness of the sandwich.

Even by taking out half of the meat, I struggled to take a bite!

Similar to my meal, my mom’s Bergdorf salad was massive, and she barely put a dent in it. Even though Steve’s Deli has many tantalizing desserts, our stomachs had no room due to the filling main courses.

For a kid who loves deli, Steve’s blows away all other delis in my opinion. I have eaten at several other delis within Michigan, such as Stage, Bloomfield, and Stacked Deli, but Steve’s is easily my favorite.

In my opinion, the deli receives a 4.5 out of 5 stars, strictly due to the pricing. On paper, the prices may seem a bit over the top. But for the amount of food you are receiving along with the quality of it, it is well worth it. And besides, you can’t put a price on great deli, and especially not the greatest.

Roadside B&G: A perfect location for any time of the day Justin Yaker Guest Writer

Located at 1727 S Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302, Roadside Bar and Grill stands atop my restaurant rankings.

Roadside B&G is sure to provide a convenient and unique dining experience Roadside B&G, is owner William Robert’s third restaurant ranking in “Tripadvisor’s” top four best restaurants in Bloomfield Hills.

My family and I were warmly welcomed into the funky decades-old, urban-styled building. Arriving for lunch, we were initially greeted by the brown leather raised booths, which stood out in the center of the restaurant.

As we entered, we were fascinated by the countless miniature automobiles around. Toy cars and paintings of cars were noticeable near the entrance, along with the few mini ceramic cars working as flower vases in the restaurant.

Excited for what lay before me in this unpredictable adventure, the hostess seated us at a four top table as soon as we got there.

Looking around, I noticed the division of the restaurant. Inside there was a polished wood bar, and more than enough seating for a busy Saturday afternoon lunch crowd.

The interior of the restaurant had an urban feel. The ceiling was exposed to steel frame work accompanied by air ducts and aligned small lights across the ceiling which gve it that urban feel. Looking out the windows, crisply outlined by wood, I became aware of the beautiful patio, which sprawled out around the two sides of the inside of the eatery, perfect in the summer time.

Our waitress soon came and politely asked for our beverages.

After receiving our waters, it was time to order. After browsing the many diverse and appealing options on the moderately sized lunch menu, I decided upon the veggie scramble ($9).

Little did we know we were to be greeted by warm, buttery, flaky biscuits. Soon after receiving this treat, our appetizers arrived. Each of us polished off a juicy, tender prime rib taco (order of three) ($9). We also ventured the calamari ($9), which we were all great fans of.

Moving from appetizers to the main course, my veggie scramble was phenomenal. Alike to the rest of Roadside’s food, it was exceptionally fresh and tasteful.

While the food may seem a tad expensive here, you are without a doubt paying for quality here, and quantity too as the portions are very filling.

Walking out we noticed chalkboards, displaying the specials for the day. All of them, but especially the cinnamon swirl pancakes looked to die for. But that will be for next time. Roadside B&G does not fail to prove to be one of the many great restaurants in Bloomfield Hills. I’d give the restaurant a 5 out of 5 stars, due to its wonderful service, delicious cuisine, and creative design.

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NOVEMBER OPINION

Reviews the hawkeye

Meshuggah exceeds all expectations Anish Tamhaney Guest Writer

T

he progressive death metal band Meshuggah was formed in 1987, and has since pushed forward the boundaries of what extreme metal is. The five-man lineup produces a sound featuring growls, screams, intense drumming, fast guitar, and highly complex musical structures.

Meshuggah’s eighth studio album, The Violent Sleep of Reason, brilliantly combines the raw, untamed aggression of the earliest Meshuggah albums while retaining the complex and creative musicality of the group’s more recent releases.

The ten-track long masterpiece was released by Nuclear Blast Records on October 7th. The Violent Sleep of Reason marks a significant step forward in Meshuggah’s maturation as a band; the album is both a retrospective release and a platform for a new Meshuggah sound to take shape.

When I first heard the opening track, “Clockworks,” I was struck by its aggression in comparison to other Meshuggah albums. What makes the song so appealing is that it still harnesses Meshuggah’s integral angriness while sustaining intricate, perplexing musical structures, a trend that continues throughout the album.

The guitarwork on the album is groovy and laid back, but manages to easily blast through incredibly strange time signatures and ridiculously fast breakdowns on tracks like the title track and “Ivory Tower”. The drumming is nothing short of phenomenal, with just the right amount of intensity and earth-shattering blast beats.

Bastille is back and better than ever

Kylie Buckfire Guest Writer

The moment midnight appeared on my phone on September 9th, I already had Bastille’s new album, “Wild World”, downloading.

Bastille has been one of my favorite bands since I was a freshman, so I was extremely excited to hear some of their new music, like their wildly successful hit, “Good Grief.” I had very high expectations for Bastille’s new album, especially since they are one of the best bands of alternative music today. Their instruments, uncommon introductions, and music videos are easily separable from other artists.

Yet, Bastille has come back better than ever, after three years of not releasing new music. With three years waiting for new music, the quality is amazing and definitely worth the wait. In addition, the quality of “Wild World” is just as good as the first album’s, which is what I tend to be nervous about when artists release more music after their first album is incredible. Without a doubt, the new album did not disappoint at all. “Wild World” has been one of the best album purchases I have ever made, especially since it is only $9.99 on iTunes and comes with 14 songs. Not only are there are a bunch of songs included on the regular album edition, but there are also 19 songs on the complete edition, for only $12.99.

On the other hand, their great and unique sound was similar to their last album’s, which is what I enjoyed the most. In particular, their sound greatly reflects lead singer, Dan Smith’s, wide vocal range was shown off. Both albums have a good mixture of slow and upbeat songs for any mood. I have listened to their new album every day since it was released.

My favorite songs are “Warmth,” “Fake It,” and “Send Them Off!”. These songs specifically are perfect for shouting in the car while waiting in the parking lot after school, as well as late study cram sessions. These songs get me so excited when I hear the first beat drop that I immediately start singing along.

For those who have not listened to Bastille’s new album or old album, you should for sure start. For instance, Bastille is growing popular at such a fast rate, so you should definitely be in the loop, before they start playing on popular music stations. They are perfect for any mood, make you feel empowered with anything you happen to be dealing with, or even if you need motivation.

Guaranteed, you will not regret listening to Bastille and will soon become hooked.

Rent the Runway: affordable & amazing Ali Randel Guest Writer

We’ve all been there. A last minute event requiring clothing that you suddenly can’t find in your closet. This situation would typically result in hitting the mall, paying for a dress you are not in love with that is way over your budget.

The solution to this fashion crisis is here. RentTheRunway.com allows you to rent high-end designer clothing for a very small fraction of the retail price.

When I first signed onto the website, I thought that it was the best idea ever. I would love to wear a dress that a supermodel had already worn during New York fashion week.

The website is very easy to use and I was able to figure it out on my first try. Clothing and accessories are organized by type of event, designer, or style, so that it is easy to find anything you want.

As I went to rent a dress, I discovered that since I was a new customer, I was able to receive 20% off my first order. Combined with the price of the dress I wanted to rent, it was cheaper than buying a dress similar to it.

I wasn’t exactly sure what size I wanted but then I learned that for the same price, the company would send me two sizes to try. This is perfect because when I go to a store, I typically take multiple sizes into the dressing room to see which one fits the best.

As I proceeded to the checkout, I saw options for accessories that other customers rented to pair with the dress. A big selection of jewelery and purses automatically appeared to help me pick the best look possible.

The dress itself, for a 4 day rent, was $30.00. The shipping and insurance added an extra $14.95 to the price and tax added $2.70. The total price came to $41.29 including my 20% off coupon. This is much cheaper than the normal $398 retail price.

Overall, I saved $356.71 on this purchase. I love that with all of the money that I saved, I could buy a dress for my next two Homecomings.

The website guarantees that customers will receive the dress by 8:00 pm on the first day that their rental time starts and must send it back on the last day of their rental.

To save even more money, you can sign up to be an Unlimited Member. Unlimited includes free insurance, free shipping, a free dress for your birthday, and it allows you to keep the garment for as long as you want.

As an unlimited member, you can rent up to 3 pieces at a time and keep them for as long as you want. When you send one item back, you get one new item. But if you send all three items back to the company, you get three new items. You get to rent the same amount of new items as the old items that you returned. The price for unlimited is $139 per month.

The company also has a few store locations in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Washington D.C.. You can make an appointment to work with a stylist or just walk in.

Although the website only has women’s clothing, I think that this company is very helpful for everyone who wants to look stylish for every occasion.

So the next time you are looking for an outfit that will make everyone’s jaws drop, use RentTheRunway.com to rent an affordable and stylish dress. I would rate it 5/5 stars.

I was most impressed by lead singer Jen Kidman’s vocal performance. His growls sounded much more natural and guttural on this album compared to Meshuggah’s previous albums. His vocal style on The Violent Sleep of Reason strongly resembles his sound from the 90’s, a throwback that I appreciated greatly.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this album however, is not the technicality or the aggression: it’s the way the album was recorded. In today’s music industry, most artists separately record several parts of a song and combine them digitally. Not Meshuggah.

The entire album was recorded live in the studio, meaning that each track was recorded in one sitting, with each member of the band playing at the same time. The result could not have been more engaging. In an industry that has become increasingly influenced by autotune and electronic alterations, the group has resisted the common trends and held on to its roots. Despite the ease of creating music digitally, Meshuggah decided to do forget about norms and pursue something genuine.

That’s the kind of attitude that has always defined the band’s sound: unfiltered self expression. It’s an attitude that projects itself assertively throughout this record, from “MonstroCity” all the way to the aptly named song, “Our Rage Won’t Die”. And I believe it: Meshuggah’s rage, intensity, and significance in the realm of extreme metal will indeed, never die.

The album can be bought on iTunes and Amazon Prime Music for $9.99, or streamed on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Great deals with great products Ember Stuart Guest Writer

Have you ever wished there was better quality and more of a variety of Items at the dollar store? Or wished you could have them delivered quickly to your door for cheap?

Miss A at shopmissa.com is my dream site. Selling cosmetics, hair products, accessories, charms and jewelry each for only $1 with flat rate shipping of $3.95 From name brand cosmetics like ELF and Kleancolor, to cute and stylish accessories such as sunglasses and scarves, Miss A has an amazing variety within each of their categories Many more people are now choosing to go cruelty free, all of Miss A’s cosmetics are not tested on animals. They will not sell any brands that participate in this cruel and faulty practice.

Their site is extremely easy to use with clear labeling of each section and their sub-categories. They clearly advertise that everything is $1 and their shipping being flat rate. The pictures are large and most allow you to even read the packaging. For products without packaging they show you all the details so you know clearly what you are buying.

The best part is it’s not a scam. Sites like Ebay, Aliexpress and other wholesale platforms often advertise as discounted name brands, but are actually counterfeits from china. Miss A is based right here in the US in Texas, selling genuine product for wholesale prices.

My personal experience with them was overwhelmingly positive.

I paid just under $7 for lipstick, eyeshadow, and eyeliner and it was delivered to my house in about a little over a week. I received exactly what I ordered, nothing was broken, and it was packaged adorably. The makeup was in a little sealed plastic bag, wrapped with tissue paper and my receipt was nicely placed on top.

Overall, I would rate it 5/5 stars definitely will reorder from them. Try them out for yourself. If you want great products for even better prices. ShopMissA.com is where it’s at.

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November ENTERTAINMENT

Humans of Bloomfield

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Can someone take me to practice” Kaleb Wicklund

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The only thing I have 97% on is my phone battery” Mollie Menuck

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I fully support BYOD” Sam Arslanian

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I can’t feel my face when I’m with food” Emma Ramsey

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Why do football players wear capris?”

Megan O’Gorman

Illustration “Are we safe?

Illustration by Ember Stuart

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NOVEMBER AD Editing, stretching, or re-coloring logo in any way is not permitted by BHS.

® ®

BLACK HAWK SPIRIT SHOP

UPCOMING SALES: November 15 & 16 at Parent Teacher Conferences 9 December 2  December 9  December 16 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM  Main Commons  Cash/checks to BHHS

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