November 2019 by The Bloomfield Hawkeye

The

November 2019

Bloomfield Hills High School

Volume VII - Issue I

Clearing the Smoke Community organizations partner to hold vaping seminar KAITLYN KEELE Section Editor

he Birmingham Bloomfield Coalition and Bloomfield Youth Assistance teamed up to host a vaping seminar in late October to educate and inform parents and students of the dangers of vaping in light of the recent health epidemic. Vaping has been popular in the United States since 2017 with the introduction of the company JUUL to the market. At first, ecigarettes were intended to act as a stepping stone for adults to start quitting cigarettes, but these

devices have become a trend among teens. Vaping has become a health epidemic, as sudden deaths have increased since the first vape-related death in late August. As of October 18, 2019, 1,604 lung illness cases have been filed to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and are tied to vaping or e-cigarettes. Currently, 34 deaths have been confirmed in 24 states. “The long term effects haven’t really been documented yet. It is scary that we are seeing people who vape die at such young ages. There are many

documented cases of teens in the hospital due to vaping and lung disease,”said health teacher Amy Scott. E-cigarettes and vaping products can harm the body through the brain, lungs, heart, and immune system, according to WebMD. In the brain, the nicotine in these products create an excess of feel-good chemicals, which creates an addiction. The lungs are also affected as the vaping chemicals can cause rapid breathing and a higher risk for lung cancer. “Scientists think the chemicals often found in e-juice can cause

School News

other serious lung problems. A chemical called acrolein, for example, is mainly used to kill weeds. It can cause sudden lung injury and trigger serious respiratory illnesses like COPD and lung cancer,” according to WebMD. Our district is aware of the current vaping issue, and is looking for ways to take further action. “Unfortunately, school is a form of the environment for learning and education,but we see a lot of kids and students not partaking in that and leaving class to vape in our bath-

rooms or in the locker rooms,” said school liaison officer Dave VanKerckhove. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able to eradicate it. That’s kind of why young people think it’s so popular. It’s so easy to kind of get away with it. It’s hard to enforce.” The increase of student vaping has led the Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham school districts to create a vaping seminar, in order to inform and answer questions about vaping. It consists of a panel with Carol Mastroianni, the director of the

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Photo licensed for reuse by Creative Commons

The true dangers of Vaping revealed

District News

Sheikh crowned Miss Michigan Teen USA

School board elects student interns and council

Senior Aneesa Sheikh becomes first in Bloomfield Hills to win Miss Michigan Teen competition

Lexie Finkelstein and Kiersten McCollum elected as first student voices on school board

NOA GOLDSTEIN Guest Writer

MARI LYNN Staff Writer

It was a historic day for the Bloomfield Hills community on September 22, as senior Aneesa Sheikh, was crowned Miss Michigan Teen 2020. Sheikh is the first teen from Bloomfield Hills to win this prestigious award since the competition began in 1983. Aneesa and the 34 other contestants took part in modeling activewear, swimwear, and formal wear. After modeling, they were asked questions about teens’ over-indulgence in technology and social media. “I’ve always done public speaking,” said Sheikh. “I was in Forensics last year so the questions on technology dangers were pretty simple for me.” Prior to this competition, Sheikh had never done pageanting, but had participated in many competitions like forensics, and was used to being in the spotlight. “I never even had the desire to do pageants up until about a month before the pageant. I love being on stage, I love

just being in front of an audience and being dressed up. So pageanting wasn’t really out of my comfort zone at all,” said Sheikh. According to Sheikh, there were many challenges to be faced before the competition began. Because of this, the win was that much more important to her. “I had to prepare everything myself. I’m used to it, but it still was hard getting everything prepared myself. The hotels, the whole schedule, the outfits, what I’m going to say, what my platform is. Also finding a dress was hard and very last minute, but worth the wait,” said Sheikh. Sheikh explained that this experience truly impacted her life, but she is also the same person she was before. “This experience has not changed who I am and my values,” said Sheikh. “Being crowned Miss Michigan

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Editorial Policy

bhhstoday.org

The Bloomfield Hills High School Hawkeye newspaper is a student publication whose content is chosen by students. Members of The Hawkeye staff such as the Editors-in-chief, managing editors, photography managers, and section editors oversee the work created for every publication, both in print and online. The adviser and the editors-in-chief make the final decisions on all content. Opinions expressed in any publication of The Hawkeye do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the BHHS staff, faculty, or administration.

Seniors Lexie Finkelstein and Kiersten McCollum have been selected as the first ever student interns on the district’s Board of Education. This new pilot program will allow increased representation of the student body by gathering student feedback and voicing student concerns. On behalf of the school board, an email was sent calling all juniors and seniors interested in applying for the new role of the student intern. From there, applicable students with a 3.0 GPA or higher sent an email or letter to the school board that included a resume and parent or guardian permission to commit to this time-consuming position. To ensure the top applicants were considered and selected, the school board reviewed the applications as a collective group and consulted high school administration. The school board sought the following criteria in their candidates: confident public speaking skills, active involvement within the school community, and willing to train for the duties and responsibilities to support the district. The selected applicants were interviewed by Paul Kolin, the district board president, and a member of the central office adminis-

Submit Letters to the Editor Write a 200-300 word letter to the editor and send it to us: hawkeye@bloomfield.org

trative team. As many students applied for the student intern position, it was ultimately decided to split the job between two students and form a council to assist them. “Since the job is more comprehensive than we anticipated and we want students to focus first and foremost on their class work, having co-interns and a council seemed like a reasonable fix,” said Kolin. “We have a diverse student body and each candidate had a unique connection to a different part of our student population that we thought was important.” Out of the seven finalists, Lexie Finkelstein and Kiersten McCollum were selected as the co-interns. They will work together and receive help from the advisory board made up of seniors Eeshika Dadheech and Bryce Gutowsky, and juniors Maggie Eisenberg, Cassie English, and Paul Silaghi. Together, they will incorporate student perspective in district policy, student planning, and decision-making. McCollum originally applied for the internship to step up and take action on school issues that she feels passionate about. “All the decisions made district-wide are by adults. But adults aren’t the ones who are supposed to be benefiting from the system;

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November News

Vaping (from 1) The Hawkeye Highlights Local and World News

Top Story: 2019 Elections: Democrats win in Virginia & Kentucky

Photo by wvxu

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Yesterday, KYians made their voices heard...[we] can’t wait to get started building a government that works for everyone.

- @AndyBeshearKY

Local Reactions: Students and Social Media

Following the 2019 Elections this November, the democratic party saw wins in both Virginia and Kentucky in an unlikely turn of events. In Virginia, Democrats gained control of both houses in the legislature, also voting Gov. Ralph S. Northam into office. In Kentucky, Gov. Mat Bevins will be replaced by Attorney General Andy Beshear, who was ahead by 5,100 votes.

For more information about the 2019 Elections, visit BHHSToday.org.

“

I think that this is a big deal as it’s the first time democrats have won complete control of the Virginia government for the first time in a generation. I think this really paves the way for having a conversation around tightening access to guns and raising minimum wage.

“

Tweets:

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Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition; Officer Dave VanKerckhove; John Ciecko, Bloomfield Hills athletic trainer; and Denise Ullem as the moderator. “The primary goal is awareness. We need to make appearances more specifically. I’m sure students already aware of what vaping is. I think a lot of parents don’t know or they’re just starting to know about it,” said VanKerckhove. The seminar began with Carol Mastroianni speaking about the research of vaping in the United States. She included which chemicals are inside vaping products, what influences teenagers to begin vaping, and how the million-dollar company, JUUL, is using this increase in youth participation to their advantage. “This is a big business preying on the young and vulnerable,” said Mastroianni during the presentation. “And they’re doing a pretty good job.” The panelists were not the only ones who have seen the national health epidemic as something to be concerned about, as audience members audibly gasped with widened eyes at the presentation before them. “This is a real epidemic and the schools and the families in our communities must work hand-in-hand to tackle it together. The statistics about the rise in vape use are alarming,” said Dana Marcus, a community and audience member. “As a result of this, it is critical for parents to understand that their child may already be addicted to the nicotine in vapes and may not be able to quit on their own. They will need help and support from others to wean off of their addiction.” For more information to help you or your student, please visit the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition at bbcoalition.org or Bloomfield Youth Assistance at bloomfield.org.

- Eeshika Dadheech, senior

Teen USA (from 1) Teen USA 2020 does not validate my confidence, talents, beauty, and core principles, but this title makes it easier to get my foot in the door to opportunities for my future, bettering the community around me, and sharing pertinent information with others to better our society.”

School board (from 1) it’s all about the kids. My hopes with this role is mainly to produce opportunity not just for me, but for the years to come. Since this is the first year this position is in action, I feel a personal responsibility for both Lexie and me to pave the way for the future.”

Seniors Lexie Finkelstein and Kiersten McCollum. Photo by BHSD

U.S. Military kills ISIS leader in raid

Warner Bros. Studios evacuated due to fires

Vitamin E acetate potential cause of vaping-related illness

After a year of searching for key ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the terrorist was killed when confronted by the US military in a raid. Working with Syrian Diplomatic Forces, the US military was able to corner Baghdadi in northwest Syria. As the raid unfolded, President Trump and the national security team worked from the situation room. One of the most wanted terrorists in the world, Baghdadi’s death has been marked as a severe blow against ISIS itself. Photo by NBC News

Fires still continue to ravage California with another breaking out near the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. Over 230 firefighters were needed onsite to contain at least 15% of the fire on November 10. The fire had scorched most of the hillside behind the studio before the firefighters were able to gain control. According to the L.A. Times, five water-dropping helicopters were also needed to assist the firefighters. Photo by Drake Film Score

In the wake of several deaths and sicknesses as a result of using THC vape products, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced a major discovery on the specific product/ingredient causing the illnesses: Vitamin E acetate. Often found in supplements and skincare products, the chemical is toxic when inhaled as it sticks to the lungs and interferes with their function. However, the CDC has announced that their investigation is still ongoing. Photo by UPI

ACT board announces new rule Standardized test now allows students to re-take individual sections

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NOAH ROSLIN Guest Writer Students taking the ACT can now retake individual sections of the test, rather than retaking the test in its entirety. The ACT Board announced the results of their vote on Tuesday, October 8, and the change will go into effect beginning in September 2020. This ruling will affect the 1.93 million students that take the ACT annually, many of whom take the test multiple times. The ACT consists of four sections: Math, Science, Reading Comprehension, and English, along with an optional essay. Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36. The average of the four sections is the score on the total test. Many colleges require an ACT score be submitted by their applicants, but students can take it up to twelve times to achieve a score that they choose to submit. With the new testing system, colleges can view scores on each individual section, as well as the overall score, to compare to other applicants. Students can submit only their best score to some colleges, whereas others require the entire ACT testing history. Many colleges super score, meaning that they take a student’s highest score from each individual section, and score them together as if it was all on the same test. The decision to let students retake one portion will only affect the 68% of colleges in America that super score the ACT, according to the Princeton Review. However, this rule will not have consequences on any of the 32% of colleges that do not super score. As of now, if a student

would like to improve their super score, they would need to take an entirely new test. The new changes help students by allowing them to only take one extra section of a specific subject, instead of taking a full test. Local ACT tutor Charlie Schuster believes that the rule will have less of an effect than some may believe. “I don’t think that it will affect the college’s standards. I think that colleges are finding other ways to evaluate students other than tests, and standardized testing is becoming less relevant than it was,” said Schuster.

The common standardized test is allowing retakes starting in the fall of 2020. Photo by ACT

Other students are in favor of the rule, such as junior Noah Behrendt. “This rule will relieve a lot of the stress that goes with having to retake the whole ACT,” said Behrendt. “I think that I will be able to get a better score because I only have to focus on what needs to be improved.” By relieving pressure from standardized tests while also creating a lower-priced test, the new ACT rule looks to bring new light to standardized tests over the existing and expensive three-hour exam.

November News

Honored for research Katie Heath wins award for presentation on summer research IZZI HARBER Copy Editor

New group in Lead Nine organization posing after completing group their first meeting. Photo by Abby Weitzman

The new faces of freshman leadership Lead Nine offers new pathway to Student Leadership for ninth-graders IZZY O’BRIEN Guest Wrier Lead Nine is a new course offered for freshmen as an opportunity to be part of Student Leadership in ninth grade. Previously, eighth-grade students from each middle school campaigned to be elected onto Student Leadership for the following year. Now, any student who wants to represent their class can sign up. Due to this change, the upperclassmen and sophomores are separated from the freshmen, but their intended collaborative abilities are not halted. Both Lead Nine and the main Student Leadership classes are held at the same time during seventh hour, so they are able to collaborate between the classes. “[The student leaders are] very open to letting us interact with Student Leadership, and we always go and do activities with them,” says Natalie Raab, a ninthgrader in Lead Nine. The course was created over the past year by assistant principal Jessica Lupone and teachers Krista Laliberte and David Propst

and is being led by chemistry teacher and ninth-grade class sponsor Mr. Propst. “I was a grade level sponsor before and would just go and help put on bigger events like homecoming. It (student leadership) was something I really enjoyed, so I really wanted to pursue it as a separate class,” Propst said. Any incoming ninth grader who wants to be involved has the opportunity to enroll in the class. Unlike applying for student leadership, becoming involved in Lead Nine does not require an application or peer votes. This increases the number of freshmen that are able to be involved in leadership. “In the past, every year, we’ve taken four or five incoming ninth-graders from each middle school at the most. This limited the number of kids that were able to participate as ninth graders. So by creating Lead Nine, I now have a full class of 32 students,” said Propst. The main goal of Lead Nine is to help freshmen understand

how Student Leadership operates, learn how to host schoolwide events or fundraisers, and see what being a member entails. In this class, they can learn about the leadership techniques they need to be successful if they choose to pursue leadership for the rest of their high school careers. “I wish I did this my freshman year because student council is a pretty confusing concept in eighth grade, because you aren’t at the high school yet, so it would have been more clear if I had been in Lead Nine,” said tenth-grader Akita Kotian, who is now a Student Leadership representative. Along with learning communication and business skills, Lead Nine students also help Student Leadership facilitate school-wide activities. Their first project was to help decorate the halls during Homecoming week. Currently, Lead Nine is in the process of working on their own Make a Difference Day project. “We are collecting canned

food for a food drive. We are partnering with Gleaners Community Food Bank to tackle hunger in Metro Detroit,” said Raab. “Students of all ages and their families will come together at their Detroit location, and we will give them the food we collect. It’s a day that makes our community closer, and is an amazing experience.” Although this is the first year the school is offering Lead Nine, Propst expresses his enjoyment for the class and hopes to continue the course for incoming ninth graders. “I think that Lead Nine is a great opportunity for incoming ninth-graders, and I would encourage them to talk to their counselors about the class. It really is a community that helps shape their experiences as high schoolers,” said Propst. “I always tell the kids, you only get four years of high school, so take advantage of those four years and take advantage of the opportunities that are given to you.”

Seniors earn National Merit Scholarsip Two students recognized for academic achievements JAKE FOGEL Managing Editor Out of the 3.5 million students taking the PSAT, seniors Alan Yang and Alan Zhang were chosen by achieving the highest possible test scores to be recognized as National Merit Scholarship Finalists. “The National Merit Scholarship Corporation uses a highly selective applicant pool utilizing the PSAT as an instrument for their selection process every year,” said counselor Tony Midea. “[The score requirement] changes because it’s contextual in the group of students that take that test in that given year, and there’s a semifinalist cutoff and there’s a finalist cutoff.” Both recipients, Yang and Zhang, expressed their reaction to receiving this honor, crediting the school for success in the test. “I am excited to receive this honor, and I think that the resources and opportunities offered by this school and its teachers have been a big part of this academic success,” Yang said. After being notified that they will advance as semifinalists, recipients then have to complete a number of tasks to be considered to become finalists. “There’s an essay and extensive requirements [for semifinalists] to fill out: recommendations, grades, and classes taken by applicants. Students go through further competition to be named finalists” said Midea. However, both finalists Alan Yang and Alan

Zhang explained that the additional documents are near indistinguishable from other requirements. “The actual National Merit application is very similar to college applications; it’s like a shortened version of a college application or the Common Application,” Zhang said. “So, there’s a lot of overlap. A lot of essays

written for the National Merit are in a lot of ways analogous to the ones you do for college applications. You will also be doing them around the same time, during ‘senior fall.’” “I’m excited to move on in the competition,” said Zhang. “I hope I can make our school proud.”

Seniors Alan Zhang and Alan Yang pose as they are recognized for their academic achievements. Photo by BHSD

Senior Katie Heath won the Best Poster Award at the Great Lakes International Imaging and Flow Cytometry Association (GLIIFCA) conference on September 27, presenting her research using cytometry for prostate cancer cells. Cytometry is the measurement of the characteristics of cells, such as size and structure. More specifically, flow cytometry involves using fluorescent labels, molecules that “light up,” to detect specific cells. In the case of Heath’s research, she and her team were researching to find a way of detecting the highest number of indicators of prostate cancer as possible. “In the lab that I was working in, we developed an antibody to target TRA-1-60, an antigen that is on the protein called podocalyxin, a marker of the cancer cells that come back. Our goal was to develop an immunofluorescent imaging for something that can target the TRA-1-60 on the cell and make it light up,” said Heath. Heath conducted research for a month and a half over the summer at Karmanos Cancer Institute, where she has been volunteering for the past six years. She presented her research using text, pictures, and diagrams on a poster. In addition to the visual aspect, Heath had to work on a verbal presentation. All of these things contributed to her receiving the Best Poster Award. “We had to submit the poster in the beginning of September, but I started it in the middle of August, and I just worked on it and gave drafts as I worked on different sections of the poster to the graduate student in my lab and then also my mentor [Nerissa Viola], who has a Ph.D. They would comment and then I would revise until we got to the final poster,” Heath said. The GLIIFCA conference was a threeday event that brought together scientists, researchers, and young students like Heath who are involved in cytometry. Jessica Back, Ph.D., the Deputy Director of Microscopy, Imaging, and Cytometry Resources Core at Karmanos, trained Heath on how to use the flow cytometry technology in the lab, and was also a part of the GLIIFCA Steering Committee (Board of Directors). “The Steering Committee develops the program, invites speakers, runs sessions, and generally runs the meeting,” said Back. “I am also the Poster Session Coordinator and Continuing Education Coordinator for this society. As the local host for this year’s conference, I also encouraged many of our researchers to attend and present posters.” Another person involved in the project was Dr. Nerissa Viola, an assistant professor and co-leader of the Molecular Imaging Program at Karmanos Cancer Institute; she was Heath’s mentor. Although Heath’s methods were lab-based, she explained that there are still real-life implications. “Identifying the problem, formulating a path to solutions and achieving a result are all necessary skill sets that we, particularly the future generation, should acquire and utilize every day,” said Dr. Viola. With the recognition of Best Poster Award at the GLIIFCA conference, Heath feels grateful and is looking forward to research she will do in the future. Furthermore, Dr. Viola encourages likeminded high schoolers to get involved. “I would always encourage students to ask family, friends, teachers and school counselors if they know of available opportunities. There’s also nothing wrong to send out ‘cold emails’ to scientists or engineers that they want to work with and ask if they can shadow for a certain period of time,” said Dr. Viola. “It is an invaluable experience for a high school student to be involved in research.”

Senior Katie Heath poses with her poster on researching prostate cancer cells through the usage of cytometry. Photo by Nerissa Viola

NOVEMBER NEWS

The future awaits

Bloomfield Hills educates teens on upcoming college opportunities KALYN MULLENS Guest Writer The annual college night hosted a variety of college representatives who came to the school to inform students on their college’s programs and opportunities. Most presentations from the representatives focused on educating students and families about the requirements for their school and easing teen stressors. Schools in attendance ranged from small liberal arts colleges to large research universities. “I thought College Night was great. It was great for the students because they got an opportunity to talk to the colleges they want to go to, and see other options as well,” said junior Daniel Schapira. “I myself saw colleges that I am interested in, and this event helped me narrow down my list.” Over 100 schools attended the event. Students were able to get their questions answered and see where they fall on the academic spectrum of each school. Many colleges and universities provided information that listed all of the fields that their school offers, and the variety of majors you can enter. Junior Samantha Gorzynski expressed similar views as Schapira. “College Night was beneficial. I came in looking for what SAT scores I needed to get

“Without that knowledge and having that one-on-one contact with the advisors or college representatives, most students do not receive full information on different colleges” Tamala Valentine

Special Education Teacher into my desired colleges, learn more about the acceptance requirements, and see how realistic and far away I am from my goals. Heading home that night, [I was] excited for the future and [knew the] areas where… I need to work on, ” said Gorsynski. Special Education teacher Tamala Valentine explained the impact of College Night for students. “College Night is beneficial for our students; they need to be informed of their options, as far as post-secondary programs,” said Valentine. College Night was open to all grade levels, and it was open to students from other high schools in the area as well. Many students have even attended multiple years to continue to gain exposure to different universities. Senior Morgan Mathis explained the changes she saw coming back consecutively for two years and ways she hopes the program can improve. “I liked how [the event] made the University of Michigan meeting twice as big. It gave us more space and more teens were able to join the presentation. Next year, I think they should bring more than one representative from the bigger schools, so the line won’t be as long of a wait,” said Mathis. This year’s College Night had a large turnout, similar to previous years. Due to the positive feedback from students, College Night is likely to continue for years to come.

Seniors Stacey Hirsch and Hanna Winter greet guests on College Night Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

Student Ambassador Kariana Yang. and shadow student Lilly Rivard Photo by Erin Schwartz

Students promote the district Family Ambassador Program expands to include students HANNA WINTER Guest Writer The Bloomfield Hills Student Ambassador program is expanding this year by including more students in the program and increasing the jobs the students are taking on. This program, which was first introduced last year, allows students to be official representatives for the district by hosting student shadows, representing Bloomfield Hills at district events, and writing articles on the district website. Students in grades 10-12 joined the program by submitting an application. The application process required students to list any past leadership experiences they have had, and why they want to join the program. One of three Family Ambassadors for the district, Leah Abel, helps run the Student Ambassador program. Family Ambassadors help new families in the district ease into the transition and answer any questions they have about the district. “There are four different roles and students can do all of [them] or just one or two of them depending on what their interests

are. The first main role they another Family Ambassador of have is to provide shadow days the district and in charge of the for students who are visiting Student Ambassador program. the school. The second role is Emma Salle, a sophomore and representing the school at disStudent Ambassador from last trict events, the year, exthird is propresses her viding school role in the “I host shadows when program. tours, and the fourth is cap“As a stuthey come to visit the dent turing news amacross the school, answering all b a s s a d o r , school,” Abel write arof their questions and Iticles said. for the This year as showing them around” school showthe program is ing a positaking on more tive student responsibilities, view. I also Emma Salle one of their host shadmain focuses is ows when having the Stuthey come dent Ambasto visit the sadors perfect school, angiving new students tours of swering all of their questions, the school. and showing them around.” “I am looking forward to havStudents in the program are ing a set group of students and expected to express school being able for them to really spirit and provide families and understand how to be a host students with the perspective of a shadow. There are a lot of of a student in our district. opportunities for our students “We expect them to be repreto really make the new students sentatives of the school. Some feel comfortable and connect things we are looking for in an them with what makes BHHS Ambassador is a commitment special,” said Beth Kalusniak, to their academics, a commit-

Student Ambassador

ment to the school community, and a commitment and a love for Bloomfield Hills schools and wanting to share that others,” Kalusniak said. New students are welcomed to join the program and are offered many opportunities to be involved within the school community. “I applied to become a Student Ambassador because I felt like it was really important to be involved with a different part of school than what I am already involved in. I thought it would be great to meet new people and help others feel welcomed like I did when I came here,” said sophomore Samantha Milch.“I think it will help me because I can improve relationships with different people and be better at introducing myself and knowing people better.” Student Ambassadors will be prominent throughout the school and district this year. With more training and meetings, the ambassadors will have a more defined role and will have a stronger presence in the building.

New alternative to suspension program Students are offered an opportunity to learn about the health risks of vaping ELIZABETH NWAGU Guest Writer school year to change the vaping suspension policy to an alternative program that aims to address the dangers of addiction to vaping. This program is recommended for students who have an addiction to vaping and need assistance to overcome it. “The program was developed in conjunction with BHHS Administration, Bloomfield Youth Assistance, Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition, Officer David Vankerckhove, and athletic trainer John Cieko. Students that are involved in this program are required to meet with each of these individuals during their time completing the requirements,” said associate principal, Jessica Lupone. The Alternative to Suspension program provides assistance to aid students in the right direction of recovery. It aims to teach students about the effects of vaping and how that can influence your life. “Last year and [in] previous years, if someone was caught vaping on school property, they would automatically be suspended. If they play a sport or club, they would probably have part of their season or their participation in that club affected as well,” said Vankerckhove. Now, in the event of a student caught vaping, the student can be suspended or pursue the alternative program. “The Alternative to Suspension program is designed to support and educate students caught vaping or in possession of vaping materials on any school or district property and/ or who is facing school consequences for being caught vaping or being in possession of vaping materials,” said Lupone. Juul was first presented as a safer alter-

native to regular cigarettes. However, JUUL pods can contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. “ I think a lot of them are really addicted to nicotine and we want to be more of a solution to the addiction problem,” said Vankerckhove. “This gives students the opportunity to take this alternative program, which includes an online program called Vape Ed. Then they meet with our associate principals. They meet with Carol Mastrioni and also meet with a caseworker at BYA.”

“We understand that it’s an addiction, but some of it is just kids probably just trying to get away with it.” David Vankerckhove

Police Oﬃcer

The program was created to further assist students in their health education and to help them develop an awareness of what their actions could lead to. “Some students probably would rather take the suspension, but we’re really trying to get the problem of addiction taken care of. We are trying to educate the students on how this is affecting them as young people and how it’s affecting the development of their brains. How it is affecting their heart and their lungs and their body. I’m not naive to think that it’s going to stop everything, but maybe we can

get some students to say, you know, the pride is not worth it,” said Vankerckove. In addition to being a potential alternative to disciplinary action, students are also encouraged to take the initiative to pursue the program on their own accord for the sake of their health. “It went into effect just this year. It’s already in the double digits of students being caught vaping and choosing the program over suspension,” said Vankerckove Students are prompted to get the necessary help they need and, as said by Vankerckove, the pride truly isn’t worth it. “We hope that through the successful completion of this program, students will learn healthy habits, [will] be educated on the harmful effects of substance use, will be able to continue participating in school sports/ activities, and will not be suspended from school classes so that they can keep up with their school work,” said Lupone. “We hope that students who complete this program will be willing to help other students get the help they need to stop vaping.”

November NEWs

NHS adds new rules National Honors Society changes structure for future years VANSH BHARDWAJ Staff Writer

Protesters lined up in Troy fighting the inaction taken towards climate change. Photo by Niranjan Anatharaman

Students protest climate inaction BH students took the streets in Troy and Auburn Hills taking part in Global Climate Strike JAKE FOGEL Managing Editor On September 20, thousands of students across the world gathered to call for greater action to be taken to combat climate change as a part of the Global Climate Strike. In the local community, Bloomfield Hills students organized a strike of about 180 participants in Auburn Hills. The purpose of the rally was to bring awareness about the negative impacts of a changing climate. “I think we as students are so focused on what college we’ll go to, what we want to study, and what kind of job we’ll have, but we forget that all of those things are contingent on our existence as humans,” said junior Savitri Anantharaman, an organizer of the event. “The climate crisis is affecting us all and the rate at which it is happening is unprecedented.” Anantharaman structured the strike particularly for students by creating arts and crafts stations

and presenting student speakers. “During the first half of the event, we had student speakers and during the second part, we had art projects for people to do. We had stations where people could make tshirts, posters and buttons,” said Anantharaman. “We thought the art piece would be a great way to encourage people to talk and form the human connections that are so crucial

to this movement.” In addition to the rally in Auburn Hills, another protest occurred the same day outside of Somerset Mall in Troy. “It was very cool to see what was going on [at the mall],” said senior Eli Rubin, who participated in the Somerset protest. “The climate strike was very important and spread messages that were thought provoking and true. It was very

“What good is a high school diploma on an uninhabitable planet?”

Savitri Anantharaman Protest Organizer

cool and fun to watch all of the posters.” Anantharaman and Rubin believe that the struggle for action is far from over, and they are advocating for continued student activity. “One thing that I hope people understand about this issue is that climate change will affect us all sooner or later, but we have the power to turn that around. It starts with showing the people in power that this is an issue that we care about,” said Anantharaman. “It is so important that we are holding our representatives at the local, state, and federal levels accountable because we are going to be the ones most affected by this climate crisis.” To get involved in the future, multiple global student strikes are being planned for late November and/or early December.

Organization makes their mark BHEA expands their pantry to further help the Bloomfield and Birmingham communities GRACE ROBERTS Guest Writer The Bloomfield Hills Education Association (BHEA) operates a pantry for families in need, who are part of the Bloomfield District, to receive food and other needed items in order to support themselves. “BHEA is an association made up of all the teachers, counselors, and social workers in the district, which is about four hundred and twenty people,” said BHEA vice president and social studies teacher Philip Laliberte. As an organization, the BHEA decided to start a food pantry to assist those in need throughout the district. “Former BHEA President, Grat Dalton, started the pantry back in 2012. He started it because he saw a need and knew that the educators in this district are always looking for ways to support this school community,” said Mary Blair, president of the BHEA. Families can go to the pantry and fill boxes with whatever they need, or social workers can fill the boxes and deliver it to families, depending on what they prefer. In order to stock the pantry, a few events are held each year where staff members are encouraged to bring donations. However, anyone is welcome to donate at any time. For instance, Munchkin Mash, held on October 24 at BHHS, was a Student Leadership sponsored event for staff members’ kids to participate in Halloween activities. There was no cost for those that attended, but members of Student Leadership did ask that families brought a donation to the food pantry. While the pantry supplies food, it also supplies basic necessities to fit the needs of the families. “We give food and various toiletries including toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine

hygiene products, deodorant, shampoo, all kinds of things like that,” said Laliberte. As a team, the BHEA has many goals and are planning on making the pantry an even bigger focus. “We’ve helped a couple dozen families so far, and we’ve even expanded. We now offer it to people in need who live in Birmingham, because we have a close connection with their teacher association. The latest decision that we are looking into moving the pantry to the SOMEA office, which is the Southern Oakland County Michigan Education Association office,” said Laliberte. As the pantry expands, the BHEA hopes to continue to make an impact on the community. “We are fortunate enough that the man who started this pantry, Grat Dalton, is now in a position with the MEA that directly assists

Inside look at the BHEA Pantry. Photo by Rachel Matz

and impacts Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, and Royal Oak. The union presidents from those two school districts love our pantry and also wanted to replicate the idea. We realized that one large pantry housed in our Lathrup Village MEA office would serve the communities much better than three separate smaller pantries. This way, we are serving three communities instead of one and our impact is so much greater,” said Blair. The association’s ultimate goal is to make it the best program for every family in need. “Our goal is to make this pantry as farreaching as possible. No family should go hungry in our community,” said Blair. “No family should have to make tough choices between food, medicine, and hygiene products. We have too many generous and loving people who want to help and consistently will step up to the plate and lend a hand.”

The National Honors Society (NHS) is an organization that focuses on the recognition of academic achievement in many schools across the country. This club, which has an active chapter at our school, requires many qualifications before applying. “To be in NHS, you need to have two community service experiences completed and have a GPA of 3.5,” said chapter President Rikki Goldman. Along with academic achievements, volunteering and community participation are a part of the NHS bylaws. Student supervisor and special education teacher Vicki Crenshaw said “NHS encourages scholarship and participation in community service to help students to become well rounded and support their community and livelihood bigger than the school system.” Members should expect some upcoming changes that will pertain to volunteer hours and tutoring. The current hour requirement per semester is three sponsored hours and seven non-sponsored hours. “We will be tracking hours by quarter. We aren’t requiring more hours, we are trying to solve the issue in the past in which students weren’t actually completing their hours,” said Goldman. By requiring hours to be turned in by quarter, the members will be required to space them out. Additionally, the new tutoring system will provide unique volunteering experiences from everyone in the school chapter. “The students have been working really hard to roll out a new tutoring system. We just shared and communicated that information to the public,” said Crenshaw. By allowing students to sign up for tutoring

“We think by splitting it up in smaller increments of time, it’ll help them complete their hours more easily” Rikki Goldman NHS President opportunities, it will allow them to gain hours with the help of the school chapter. Goldman said, “It’s a great way for members to get their NHS sponsored hours completed so we really encourage people to utilize our tutoring services.” Along with tutoring, NHS members implement community service in their yearly chapter project. By doing so, the members can benefit the greater good of society. “The chapter project will be a Relay for Life event that will take place in June at West Bloomfield High School,” said Crenshaw. “What they’ve done is they’ve assigned each small group a fundraising event to contribute to the funds raised for the Relay for Life chapter, and they’re still working on the details for what that will look like on the day of the actual relay event.” The new changes to NHS this year highlight the goals of the organization and hopes to make the requirements and expectations simpler, easier, and more meaningful for all students.

Bloomfield Hills High School National Honors Society chapter meeting. Photo by Paul Kolin

Sleepless in Bloomfield Examining the struggles students face with sleep deprivation by LAINE LORD Managing Editor Among the many worries we high schoolers have to face, getting enough sleep shouldn’t be one of them. Sleep deprivation is an obstacle faced by more students than one would think, including myself. I’m sure my everyday schedule sounds familiar to many students - slamming snooze at least five times and eventually rolling out of bed at around six a.m., learning for a seven-hour school day, participating in my several extracurriculars and sports, going home to get ready for work, working for several hours, then getting home, only to do homework and study. Getting to bed earlier than one a.m. is a gift, and after following this same routine day in and day out, I haven’t felt

well-rested once in the past four years. My first-hand experience with sleep deprivation is abundant, and the effects that a lack of sleep has on myself and my peers every day is wildly apparent. From drowsiness to crabbiness, the effects of sleep deprivation are plentiful. One of the results of a lack of sleep that bothers me the most is forgetfulness. Sticky notes with mini to-do lists flood my laptop and dresser, reminding me of every assignment that I have to do. Even with that hectic, yet pretty effective system, I still tend to forget things. It’s primarily the little things that get me, like forgetting to plug in my graphing calculator that’s been dead for weeks, or leaving my jacket in various classrooms, that bug

me the most. These tediously minor accidents tend to add up and give me even more anxiety than I already have, leading me down a slippery slope of distress. The fight to get more sleep is one that concerns me every day, and my peers face it too. I see my friends come to school with bags under their eyes from sleeping for maybe three hours, struggling to make it through the school day, only to stay up for hours again that night. Most of all, I see them failing to take care of themselves resulting in many of them falling ill. Sleep deprivation is so much more than just the small hurdle in a high schooler’s life, it’s a start to a battle that can’t be seen from an x-ray: mental health. People take sleep

for granted and try to use that level of stress and anxiety to push themselves on their path to succeed but in reality, it does nothing but hurt themselves. Often when brushing my teeth before going to bed, I have a lapse of judgment and find myself confused about whether I’m getting ready for bed or getting ready for school the next morning, due to the fact that I feel just as tired when I wake up as when I go to bed. This sounds horrible, and frankly, it is, but my story is just one of the many that exemplify the damaging effects of sleep deprivation plaguing the students at BHHS and beyond.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION BY BEN SILBERMAN

VECTEEZY.COM

Sleep Deep The prevention of sleep deprivation by MARLEE SACKSNER Section Editor “I have a test tomorrow.” “I have so much work due.” “I’m not tired.” All of these statements have one common factor: they are all excuses. These excuses cause students to lose crucial sleeping hours and can even put them at risk of declining physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation is an issue students face nightly. With so many distractions at our fingertips, it is easy to lose sight of what may not seem important: sleep. “Generally, I go to bed between 12:00 and 2:00 [a.m.], which makes me less aware and more ‘out of it’ during the school day,” said junior Irie Green. “In order for me to get more sleep in the future, my plan is to take my phone away. This is because my phone is my biggest distraction and if I try to set a time limit for apps or place it in a different room, that could help me focus on my sleep rather

than doing something on my phone.” Eight hours of sleep is considered sufficient and allows a person to function throughout their day, while six hours or fewer is insufficient for a person’s body to function at its best. However, on average, students only get six to seven hours of sleep per night which can have large consequences on concentration, memory, and the immune system. Junior Steven Elias explained some of his strategies for achieving daily relaxation and sleep. “Science proves that sleep is very clearly related to almost every health issue and it’s important for focusing. [In order to be prepared and ahead,] I do my homework right after school or whenever I get home,” said Elias. “I do this so I can have time to relax, which is also important. Sleep and relaxation go hand and hand. I always try

to get my homework done within two hours after school and I plan my week every Sunday. So, relaxation is really important and should be prioritized.” Social studies teacher Karen Twomey has developed her own personal system for achieving sufficient hours of sleep that she hopes students can emulate within their own lives, known as “early to bed Wednesdays.” “Sometimes I think it is the only thing that gets me through the week. So, it is just a commitment I make that on Wednesdays by 9:00 p.m., [no] matter what’s going on, I go to bed. That’s the priority,” said Twomey. “If sleep is a priority, then you [should] schedule that because it’s just as important as your extracurriculars and your homework.” When people deprive themselves of receiving at least eight hours of sleep, they tend to have issues with

focusing, memory, alertness, and are generally less productive throughout the day. State-certified school psychologist Laura Stewart Ladwidge explained the purpose of “good sleep hygiene” in correlation to getting the suggested hours of sleep. “Research is showing more and more [that people need to] keep the bed for sleeping. A lot of teenagers will do homework, hang out, [or] text friends while in their bed, which is considered bad sleep hygiene. [The loss of sleep can also result in] increased risk of injury, traffic accidents for young drivers, and inability to self regulate,” said Ladwidge. Sleep deprivation is an issue faced by countless students across the world and having strategies to manage sleep is becoming increasingly necessary.

November Feature

Photos by Georgia Zimmerman

ITS Haunted Theatre held Annual theatre department event spooks hundreds CASSIE ENGLISH Guest Writer Over 100 students contributed to the third annual International Thespian Society’s (ITS) Haunted Theatre Fundraiser, which occurred on Friday, October 18. This event takes up the entire performing arts wing with Halloween-themed decor, actors in scary makeup, and haunted scenes all working to scare anyone who purchases a ticket. The Haunted Theatre was

a student-run event, which allowed for collaboration and increased student involvement through the leadership positions students were able to take on. Positions included acting, scene building, sound and lighting, decorating, costuming, publicizing, and ticket collecting. “It was interesting having a position of power in front of all my peers, and it felt like I actually knew what I was doing,” said junior Megan DeFrancesco, the president of finance and fundraising

for ITS. “I was worried that I wouldn’t know what I was doing as a student.” This year’s Haunted Theatre involved more tour guides and actors throughout the route, which created more roles for anyone who was interested in participating. Riley Crimmins, one of 15 student tour guides, commented on the achievements of the participants. “I was really proud of our cast and crew and [what] we were able to accomplish in such a short period of time,”

said Crimmins. The event relied heavily on the cast of the school musical and other members of ITS. The cast alone featured nearly 70 students, and around 500 people attended the event. “I think whenever we do something, it always tends to get bigger in this theatre department instead of smaller,” said the theatre program director Mary Bogrette. The large number of people both involved and in attendance created some un-

foreseen challenges for the tour guides. It was not possible to rehearse how the tours would go once the attendees were present, so the tour guides did not have much intel on how fast the tours should move or how much could be said at each stop. In spite of this, the cast was pleased with how the event has grown and the successes they had this year, both financially and based on the attendee response. This year marked the third year ITS has taken over the

music wing and transformed it into scenes of horror, attempting to scare anyone from children to grandparents. In 2018, the event raised around $3,000 for the theatre department, but this year it accumulated an unprecedented $5,342. “It was successful [this year] - people had a great time, and I think the cast and crew were able to get a lot out of it,” said Bogrette.

Fiddler on the Roof cast rehearses scene. Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

Fiddler on the Roof breaks tradition Fall musical has the largest cast yet LENNA PETERSON Guest Writer This year’s Fall musical, Fiddler on the Roof, will include an even bigger cast than last year’s show, expanding participation for student actors. Fiddler on the Roof will have a cast numbering 83, compared to the 75-person cast of the 2018 musical. In addition, 42 students will be on the tech crew led by Scot Cleaveland, the tech theatre director, while 60 will be performing in the pit led by orchestra teacher Scott Wolf.

In total, the entire production will have approximately 180 students involved, an unprecedented amount for a high school theatre production. “We definitely wanted to include a lot of people since [in] Cinderella, I had a large cast and people seemed to really enjoy that. We’re trying to grow the program, so we wanted to do something that we could include a lot of people in,” said the theater program director, Mary Bogrette. “The thing that’s exciting to me is to work with

students and see them apply those skills that we’re working on in class to their performance on stage. [Also,] it’s really fun for me to see the growth in students from being at the middle school to being here.’’ Bogrette’s method of creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all was highly praised throughout the production of both Cinderella and was maintained throughout auditions for Fiddler on the Roof. The production team did not cut any students, allowing for

many to be featured within the show. Freshman Henry Jackson, who plays The Fiddler, explained his excitement to see what high school theatre is like and have the opportunity to collaborate with many other cast members. “I think when you have a lot of different people working on a production, you get to see lots of different opinions. We get to have a lot of people doing a lot of different things. It probably limits how many people are showcased, but I think that it’s

kind of offset by the benefits of including so many different people and getting so many people involved in theatre,” said Jackson. Reese Renton, a sophomore and featured Russian dancer in Fiddler on the Roof, offered her opinion on the large cast size. “I think it’s really cool that there’s a lot of people in this production because it gives a lot of diversity and just a lot of different talents within the musical itself,’’ said Renton. Furthermore, with a big cast and production crew,

collaboration has been a key component, according to Bogrette. “We have such a great collaborative team this year. Everybody is communicating through production meetings, and it’s really exciting to see it all come together from our different departments,’’ Bogrette said. Fiddler on the Roof will be performed by the Bloomfield Hills Performing Arts Department on November 21, 22, and 23, 2019. Tickets are available for purchase at bhhs.ludus.com.

November Feature

Festival draws crowd

Bowers Farm hosts annual Fall Festival for community SANJU SWAMY Business Manager The Bowers Farm Fall Festival took place at the Charles L. Bowers School Farm in early October and consisted of volunteer and stafforganized activities for attendees to experience. Program Coordinator Jacolyn Doran explained how this year’s festival had an increased success rate compared to the previous year. “We had a 10% increase in visitors since 2018. This year, 3,600 community members and volunteers enjoyed the Fall Festival and Festival after Five,” Doran said. Festival After Five was specifically geared toward adults, and everyone who wanted to attend this was required to be at least 21 years old. The Bowers Farm partnered with a local brewery and arranged for a live music performance for their adult attendees. “We wanted to provide a fun experience in the evening for the adults. [So,] we partnered with Griffin Claw Brewery and hired a fun 80’s band called The Square Pegz along with a mechanical bull, wagon rides, and inflatables,” said Doran. The Fall Festival required a lot of volunteers to ensure that activities ran smoothly, concessions were sold, and attendees were enjoying their time at the farm. This year there was a total of 150 volunteers participating in every aspect of the festival. Social studies teacher Jordan Stark was a first-time volunteer and explained his experience as a shuttle bus coordinator.

The E.L. Johnson Nature Center on Franklin Rd. advertises seasonal offerings. Photo by Erin Schwartz

Local landmark honored The E.L. Johnson Nature Center celebrates 50th anniversary LEXI GUERRIERI Guest Writer The E.L. Johnson Nature Center’s 40-acre site is located in the heart of Bloomfield Hills. It is home to an assortment of fish, trees, and wildflowers left behind from prehistoric melting glaciers. The school board originally bought the acreage with the intention of building an elementary school at the location. Dan Badgley, the manager of the Nature Center since 1989, explained how one of the relatively new features of the Nature Center, the outdoor classroom, came to be. “As things turned out, there wasn’t a need to build another elementary school, and they realized they had a very special piece of property on the hill with beautiful trees and plants, and a stream across the property. So, they thought this would be a great environmental center,” said Badgley. The Bloomfield Hills School District, in an effort to provide its students with an innovative educational experience, decided that

this land was the perfect spot for an environmental center. That was 50 years ago, and the purpose remains the same today. The Center is used as an outdoor laborat o r y , extending the classr o o m a n d allowing the students to come out and experience the environm e n t around t h e m rather than just reading about it in books. “[Mr. Badgley] doesn’t just keep that knowledge at the Nature Center; he tries to expand it and relate it to classrooms and the world,” said special education teacher Vicky Croskey.

Starting in elementary school, students often take field trips to the Nature Center and learn skills that help to guide them throughout their educational career. “[I will n e v e r forget] the inspiring message that Mr. Badgley always g a v e us. [He would explain] why what we were learning at the Center was so important for our future and the Earth in general,” said sophomore Estee Rosett. The Visitor Center and classrooms launched in 2006, which feature interactive educational exhibits and informative dis-

“We’re lucky to have such a good facility in our area that we have full access to.” Vicky Croskey Special Education Teacher

plays that provide a surplus of information. “We used to operate out of portable buildings,” Badgley said. “They were falling apart. We were able to get a couple different grants that paid for two-thirds of the cost of this building. This was about 12 years ago and this building opened in 2006, 13 years ago. It’s a nice addition to it, but I still like to think that the best things are on the property.” The Nature Center celebrated its 50th anniversary this past month, holding a reunion with contributors that have had roles within the Nature Center over the years. This past December, the school district closed a deal that brought them an additional 4 ½ acres. As a part of the reunion, there was a trail dedication ceremony. The E.L. Johnson Nature Center is a landmark in Bloomfield Hills, hoping to be not only a place where students can learn about the environment, but also a community gathering space.

Classrooms embrace new approaches Social-Emotional learning programs bring more opportunites for students JANE ROSETT Staff Writer The new social and emotional learning curriculum that has been implemented in the district is based on recent research that focuses on providing the tools necessary for children to achieve academic and life success. This curriculum teaches resiliency, time management, and effective decision-making skills. “I like when teachers incorporate social and emotional learning because it allows me to open up with classmates and learn more about them as well. It’s also helpful to know what others are going through because they might be in similar situations when it comes to stress and school,” said junior Sperry Basil. The purpose of this program is to introduce kindness and togetherness in the classroom starting from a young age. By analyzing emotions, teachers are able to plan interactive activities that students can benefit from. One of the most common activities is getting together into a circle as a class. These activities are designed to enhance cooperation and acceptance throughout the school community. “I enjoy circle as part of the social-emotional learning curriculum because everyone can share their opinion and talk about their life. I really like how I have the power to say whatever I feel in the moment and that everyone is listening and supporting me as I talk,” said junior Mckenzie Narens. Teachers have similar feelings toward social and emotional learning. French teacher Holly Hammerle, who has incorporated SEL into her classroom, expressed her perspective on the system and how teachers can maximize the use of SEL. “I think all teachers use many elements of SEL in the classroom. Some examples in-

clude encouraging a growth mindset, helping students set and achieve goals, finding ways to manage stress, understanding others’ perspectives (especially those from diverse backgrounds and cultures), and addressing conflict in a restorative manner. In order to maximize the benefits of SEL, there needs to be a system in place that supports students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making,” said Hammerle. Several teachers have begun integrating a social and emotional learning curriculum in the classroom. Some ways you would notice this educational program in action are beginning the class period with a check-in, a circle, group projects, or assignments. Hammerle explained some of the ways she has implemented SEL into her classroom.

“In order to fully realize the benefits of SEL, it needs to be embedded into the curriculum and instruction, school-wide policies, and have support from families and the community. Some of the ways I implement SEL are by co-constructing classroom norms and essential agreements, using restorative language and restorative circles, giving students agency in their learning, and [using] proficiency-based grading that gives students many opportunities to show their mastery of the course objectives,” said Hammerle. Social and emotional learning has started to play a large role in the Bloomfield Hills curriculum. This style of learning has impacted many students, with its focus on student mental health, and will continue to do so for future generations of students to come.

BHHS classrooms utilizing learning communities and interactive building layout. Photo by BHSD

“Alan Jaros, the Farm Director, along with all of our staff work on large events as a team. We collaborate on ideas and work together to make them happen” Jacolyn Doran Program Coordinator “My job was to make sure that families who were parking in the International Academy (IA) lot were parked safely, knew what activities were present at the festival, and shuttled them over via bus to the main grounds at Bowers,” said Stark. Numerous activities for children included the wagon ride, pumpkin patch, animal exhibit, straw maze, and inflatables. Stark said, “Some families I remember dropping off at 12 and not seeing them until the festival closed at 5.” Other than the Fall Festival, there are a variety of community programs hosted by the farm year-round. “[During the winter the farm hosts the] Winter Park with sledding and ice skating during designated weekends in January and February 2020. [While in the spring, the farm hosts the] Spring Fling and the Pancake breakfast in May 2020,” said Doran. Doran explained that these events whether private, corporate-related, or seasonally timed are only possible because of the Bowers Farm staff. “Bowers Farm is truly a gem with passionate staff to help it run successfully,” said Doran.

Advertisement for the Bowers Fall Festival. Photo by BHSD

November Feature

The fight against bullying Bloomfield Hills High School promotes Unity and Inclusion Day FALLAN SHERMAN Staff Writer In mid-October, Bloomfield Hills High school encouraged students and staff to come to school dressed in orange, in support of National Anti-Bullying Day. With the growing use of social media, bullying has been an ongoing concern among children and teens, both inside and outside of school. However, Bloomfield has and continues to spread awareness on the issue and offers outlets for students to speak up, including its recent participation in Unity and Inclusion Day. Guidance counselor Melanie Brooks explained why she is in favor of this bullying prevention day in our school. “All of the work our district has committed to as far as equity and inclusion definitely has a place in [relationships]. Everyone, I would hope, would have a sense of connection to someone or something within our school population, and I think Unity Day helps us support that. Unity Day definitely has a place in our school.” Alongside current efforts to resolve bullying, Brooks feels that there must be additional support to continue our journey to full awareness. Outside of Unity Day, actions must remain as far as educating students and providing more inclusive programs for bullying awareness . “I do think that there has to be more education about what bullying is because I think some teenagers don’t recognize that what they are doing is just that,” said Brooks. “I think there is a great benefit in having a program like that here at our school.” The issues of bullying seem to be wellknown among teens, even within our school doors. Although junior Carly Cohen is aware

“One of [the] four cornerstones of our school is relationships, and I think we are trying to have a more inclusive environment in which everyone has a sense of belonging”

Bloomfield Hills Marching Band performing their show at their final football game of the season. Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

Marching band finishes season Band earned high scores at Festival competition SETH KRUGER Guest Writer The lights shone brightly on the football field on October 7 as the marching band took the field for their biggest performance of the 2019 marching season. This was the night of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Marching Band Festival, where marching bands from numerous schools travel to a host school and perform their halftime shows. This year’s annual Festival was hosted at Bloomfield Hills High School, with many schools coming in from around the area to showcase their halftime performances, including the Groves marching band, the Southfield A&T marching band, the North Farmington marching band, and many more. Throughout the night, bands received feedback after performing their shows, as well as an overall performance grade. The grading scale is a simple 1-5, a 1 being the best score a band can earn. “It was very difficult to march out in the sun, rain, and snow for

five days straight, as well as [in] Wednesday night rehearsals in preparation for Festival,” said sophomore clarinetist Anjalica Singelyn. The BHHS marching band was the last band of the festival to take the field that night as the director Alan Posner announced the Wild West show that the band has been preparing since late July. This year celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Wild West show, which began with the Andover High School Marching Band. The band performed five songs from a variety of selections. “We had really difficult music this year, probably the most difficult music we have selected in my five years here. [So], that was very challenging. But, the kids really stepped up,” said Posner. Posner further explained how members of the band stepped up their work ethics, effort, and commitment so that they could present their best work. “The freshmen didn’t know how to march and two-thirds

of the band is ninth and tenth graders, so they’ve really come a long way in understanding how to march and play music at the same time. Band camp started with not being able to move and play at the same time [and now we are] achieving really high scores at Festival, [which is a remarkable improvement]” said Posner. Since the majority of the band this year was a combination of freshmen and sophomores, members of the leadership were crucial in the learning process of the show, which is the marching band program’s most difficult show in its six years so far. At camp, beginning in late July, hours are spent learning each position and move on the field, as well as memorizing the music for each song. This year also featured a choreographed dance during the song “Hoedown,” including hops and spins. “[The dance] was an excellent way to break away from the typical mold of marching,

and it allowed the band to better express the western theme in a fun way that everyone can appreciate,” said sophomore trumpet player Sam Harmon. The band practiced every Wednesday night and also practiced every other school day during band class. “I think we prepared really well for festival. [Everyone in the band] worked hard every Wednesday rehearsal and during every class,” said sophomore mellophone player Maggie Binkowski. The band earned straight 1s at the end of the night, even though their show was the most difficult performance in the band’s history. Posner noted that the difficulty of this year’s show was necessary for the band to further develop their skills for the future. “This all builds to what we are looking to next; trying to make the next concert even better and the next performance even better,” said Posner.

Melanie Brooks Guidance Counselor that bullying still persists within the Bloomfield Hills community, she feels that Unity Day is a step in tackling the issue as long as there are continued action. “I think that starting to wear a color together as a school is symbolic of our own unity, and standing together as one to tackle the issue and to show that our school is one,” said Cohen. “But I do think that students need to be more aware of the topic and actually make a change rather than just wearing a color for one day of a whole year.” As far as continued promotion of unity and inclusion, Brooks felt that more programs and discipline around the subject matter can be beneficial in the future and will give students the support they need. “I hope that [Unity Day] gives [students] the strength to speak up and let others know if they are being mistreated or bullied,” said Brooks. “People think they are all alone when things happen to them negatively, and programs like this give people the strength to speak up as they see so many people who are in support against that behavior.”

FALL QUIZ BOWL BRACKE s WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11 Matches in D200 Mon-Fri, 2:45-3:20 PM Come in each day until eliminated or crowned champions Sign up individually, in pairs, or in teams of 3-5 Food provided! Text @bhhsqb to 81010 for updates Sign up at bit.ly/bhhsquizbowl See Mr. MacLeod with any questions

Freshman Drew Davis dressing up wearing oragne for Unity Day. Photo by Sara Cabral

November Feature

Worldwide exchange at BHHS Bloomfield Hills students participate in exchange program OLIVIA WHITE Guest Writer

New guitar club members at their first meeting. Photo by Ryanne Leonard

Expanded club offerings Additional extracurriculars add more layers to the BHHS community RYANNE LEONARD Guest Wrtier The school year has kicked off with a variety of new clubs available for students, including the Literary Magazine Club, Guitar Club, Dabke Club, and more. These clubs join the high number of extra-curricular offerings for students to expand access to high-interest activities. The Literary Magazine Club showcases the writing and perspectives of students through a new, school-sponsored publication. English teacher and founder Terri Thav explained the reasoning behind starting the club. “I feel like we have a lot of opportunities for students interested in [STEM] to pursue those passions, but there seems to be limited opportunities for creative writers,” said Thav. Some students have already seized this moment to prepare for a future career in creative writing. “I’ve gotten into writing over the past few years and I hope that in the future, I could be an author. I thought maybe this could help me get a head start,” said junior Frida Embarcadero. The club also allows student writers to receive feedback on

their writing, which was a draw for freshman member Solvei Salah. “I’ve always wanted to get feedback from people my age and in real-time,” said Salah. The club is searching for potential members who have an interest in creative writing, expanding their writing skills, and possibly publishing their work. “I would love to see some of the students who enjoy the arts [to] give the club a try, take some risks, learn to write in a different way, and maybe they will find a passion for it,” said Thav. The Guitar Club, formed by senior Oakley Kim, is a new club for guitarists to play and learn with other musicians. Kim has been playing guitar for about a year and was disappointed when he discovered that BHHS had no guitar club. Thus, he established the club. “I wanted someplace to hang out with other guitarists or improve myself by surrounding myself [with other guitarists],” Kim said. “You could become a better musician by playing with others. I wanted that but didn’t have that chance.”

The club meets every Monday after school in room G224 and holds practice and jam sessions while learning new songs as a group. They also have other plans in the works. “On Fridays, we could play for the school - kind of like a busking (playing music in public),” said Kim. The Guitar Club is eager to find new members to expand the community they are building. The group is welcoming all types of guitarists regardless of experience. “If [anyone is] interested, you should come by and just see how it is; maybe you’ll like it,” Kim said. Another recently developed club is the Dabke Club. It was founded by junior Ghofran Alhayek and senior Haneen Alsabhat, and its purpose is to teach the Arabic dance called Dabke. The club meets every other Tuesday in B101. Both Alhayek and Alsabhat learned Dabke when they were kids. As the years went by, they grew more experienced and now they want to share this practice with others. “We love dancing and loved it as kids, and we want to teach

others how to do it,” said Alhayek. Dabke is a traditional dance form that is normally performed during Arabic weddings, parties, and other events. It is a group dance that relies heavily on the legs. At typical meetings, members will learn a new method of performing the dance. “There are different ways to do the dance, so every meeting we teach [our members] several times,” said Alhayek. The club hopes to lead a large Dabke event for Multicultural Night at BHHS to further share the tradition. The club welcomes all members eager to learn more about the traditional dance. “Anybody can enter, and if you like to dance, then you should enter the club. It’s easy to learn,” said Alsabhat. Other new club opportunities include Rotary, Debate, Coding, Badminton, Calligraphy, and Mindfulness, and they are all looking to recruit new members as well. BHHS has been offered over 45 different club possibilities for students to collaborate in diverse activities.

New faces at BHHS Six teaching staff members added to Bloomfield Hills High School LINDSEY ZOUSMER Guest Writer With each new year, new faces can be found in the halls and commons of our school. It is time to meet the new staff who have joined BHHS: English teacher Kathryn Locano, chemistry teacher Alicia Pinderhughes, math teachers Melissa Noon and Mallory Russell, social studies teacher Jordan Stark, and associate principal Cathy McDonald. Locano teaches Learning Strategies for grades 9-12, and reading and writing for ninth graders. She also supports ninth-grade English teachers. Ms. Locano has one daughter, and her favorite thing about working here is the connections that she has made with students and teachers. “I like to understand where people are and help them move to the next level,” said Locano. Noon teaches mostly math classes, along with Directed Studies. Noon explained what her favorite thing about teaching is. “It does not matter where you work [because] the best part about teaching is always the kids. I love high school-aged kids and working with them; they give me attitude and I give it right back,” said Noon. “I struggled with math and that is why I want to help kids - because I was there.” Out of school, you can find Pinderhughes spending time with her kids, Xavier and Matthew. While in the building, she teaches chemistry, mostly to sophomores. “My mom still tells stories about how during summer vacation, I would play school on the porch with my friends, and I was always the teacher,” said Pinderhughes. Also, Pinderhughes wants to see her students put themselves out there. “If you are so fearful of being wrong that

you do not share your ideas, it will be hard to grow as a student,” Pinderhughes said. Stark is a social studies teacher who teaches U.S. History and History of Sports and Society. This is Stark’s first full-time career, and he is most looking forward to hopefully starting a fencing club. “I never was a huge athlete, but [fencing] is a whole different kind of sport,” said Stark. He hopes to bring students who have never played a sport an opportunity to be an athlete, just as fencing did for him. This is Russell’s second year teaching, although her first at Bloomfield Hills High School. Russell is going to spend it teaching math classes: Geometry, Algebra 2, Honors Algebra 2, and Interdisciplinary. She loves to read and has a dog named Cucu. Russell is

Ms. Locano Photo by Erin Schwartz

most looking forward to getting involved in the school, and her advice to students is to find people that they work well with. “In college, I found people who I could help and who could help me, which was very helpful,” Russell said. McDonald, the new Associate Principal, is most looking forward to Fiddler on the Roof coming up this fall. McDonald loved being a teacher, and she wanted to reach more kids and help teachers, which is what led her to become an administrator. “My favorite thing about Bloomfield is that it does not take any convincing for staff to put students first,” she explained. “Ms. Lupone, Mr. Reed-Nordwall, Mr. Hollerith, and I make a really good team.”

Ms. Noon Photo by Erin Schwartz

This school year, students from different countries such as Germany and Taiwan have come to Bloomfield Hills, some for the semester and others just for a short visit, as part of a student exchange program. Fabio Sfarzetta Delgado is an exchange student from Germany. He wanted to be a part of the exchange program because of its location here in the U.S. “I wanted to come to the U.S., because I have never been there. Then, I had the opportunity to live here, so I took it,” Sfarzetta Delgado said. Delgado has found differences between BHHS and his old school, most noticeably school spirit. “We don’t have the high school spirit in my home country, so I think that’s the [biggest difference.] People cheering for their own school, instead of hating on it,” said Sfarzetta Delgado. Sfarzetta Delgado mentioned that he felt very welcomed and found many friends right away. “There’s nothing I don’t like about the school. Everyone is nice to me and I found a lot of friends quickly. So, there have been no problems so far,” said Sfarzetta Delgado. Sfarzetta Delgado saw differences between the curriculum here versus his at his own school. “After I come out of class, I feel really educated for some reason. We work way more in American high school than Germany,” said Sfarzetta Delgado. In addition to students who move here for a semester or a year, special programs allow students to visit with a delegation for a shorter period of time. In October, 18 students and two teachers from Taiwan were able to visit Michigan and experience a small taste of life in a US high school. These students came to BHHS and stayed with host families. Their experience included visiting classes and a field trip to the Bowers Farm. Sophomore Jack Boike was the host of two exchange students from Taiwan. For him, hosting students was something completely new. “At first I was nervous, but then as I started to get to know them better, I realized that they are just like me, even though they live on the other side of the world. By the time they left, we had gotten pretty close,” said Boike. Boike became involved in the exchange program through his Chinese class. Once he became aware of the opportunity, he took it. “I take Chinese as my language, and my teacher sent an email asking for host families. My family was totally on board and signed me up,” said Boike. “Even though I got informed about the program by my Chinese teacher, you don’t need to be in Chinese class to be a host.” When Boike’s exchange students, Eric and Gino, first got to the school, they asked Jack if BHHS was a private school, due to the size and quality difference between their schools back home. Outside of school, Jack took Eric and Gino to do many typical Michigan activities, such as pumpkin carving and going to a Lions football game. Junior Jane Appel is another student from BHHS who hosted an exchange student, Angel, from Taiwan for a few days. She described the experience as a big culture shock. “It was crazy to learn about all the things she didn’t know about America, but also a little overwhelming,” said Appel. “I felt like we had to be doing something fun at all times, or else I would be ruining her American experience. But in reality, she just wanted to experience what my day to day life was like.” The exchange program that BHHS participates in is an opportunity for students from around the world to experience in American education and customs and come together to be a part of the community.

Taiwaneese exchange students on their trip to Bloomfield Hills. Photo by Mrs. Lee

HoW IS A PRESIDENT

Recently, Democrats in the House of Representatives reached a breaking point with President Trump and launched a formal impeachment inquiry against him. What does that mean? What are the implications for President Trump? We've broken down the impeachment process into three phases: inquiry, incrimination, and removal. What is impeachment? A Constitutionally-protected process for accusing a president of legal wrongdoings. Impeachment does not inherently remove a sitting president from office.

How does impeachment happen? The House launches an impeachment inquiry against a sitting president, usually with a formal vote. This inquiry serves to determine whether a president committed a crime. It is not an official accusation of wrongdoing. Once sufficient evidence has been gathered, the House votes on whether they believe the president has been incriminated. This vote does not remove the president from office. If a simple majority votes to accuse, the case moves to the Senate. The Senate may conduct additional research and will then vote to remove the president from office. If 2/3 of the Senate votes to remove, the president will be replaced by the vice president and indicted. If the vice president is also implicated, the speaker of the House is next in line.

Impeaching a sitting president is a difficult process. Democrats likely have the votes to impeach in the House, but with a Republican majority in the Senate, removal would be almost impossible as 20 Republican senators would need to vote across party lines to remove President Trump.

SOURCES: AJC, THE WASHINGTON POST, CNN, SENATE.GOV

BY BEN SILBERMAN

Student Life Staff Voice Protests on the rise

Student voices are the most powerful weapon in battling the Global Climate crisis

Sports Opinion entertainment

Signing off

Senior Devin Kenneth Holmes reflects on his football career and discusses future

SONYA BARLOW Section Editor For years, the notion of global warming has been on the rise. Recently, the world’s youth, especially students, have been actively involved in protests all around the world. On Friday, September 20, the largest student-led strike in recorded history took place in 161 countries. The four million students demanded lawmakers and politicians to reduce carbon emissions, which is believed to be the main cause of climate change. Some of the older and more conservative generations seem to think that global warming is not real. I beg to differ, and so do most young people. Global warming poses a real threat to our planet, especially for future generations. There has been an overwhelming increase in birth rates, therefore causing more people to use carbon emissions that warm up the planet. The decrease in the world’s population is nowhere in sight. Thus, we must act now. Now, the global warming crisis is gaining a lot of attention, specifically due to the leader who is spearheading this movement: Greta Thunberg. She is a Swedish 16-year-old who has been protesting for a few years. In November of 2018, when she was a ninth-grader, Greta staged a strike for two weeks outside the Swedish parliament, demanding that the government cut emissions by 15% per year. She sat with a huge sign that says “School Strike for Climate” in Swedish. She now strikes every single Friday. In addition, she is so invested in this protest that she has given up flying and recently sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to join students across America in protest. Another way she is doing her part in reducing her carbon footprint is that she is not buying new

MARLEE SACKSNER Section Editor

magine: you are on the football field, your coach is screaming calls, the crowd is cheering you on, but you cannot hear any of it. Devin Holmes, also known as “DK,” was a captain a n d d e fensive starter on the Black Hawk varsity football team this past season. However, what made DK different from everyone else was that he played without being able to hear anything; he is completely deaf. Football has

continued page 17

School News Volley for a Cure

Volleyball team supports breast cancer research by raising money at game

played a key role in DK’s life for years, but it was not until he joined a team at the age of 12 that his passion for football took off. The 201920 season was DK’s third year playing for the varsity team, and he explained how being deaf became something that pushed him further and only made him more determined to succeed. Football was a sport DK fell into with the help of his sister, and that was just the start. “I wanted to play as much as I can and I wanted to improve, to get better, and maybe one day play in college,” signed DK. “I just try to do the best for the team and focus on what t h e goal is.” Having a deaf athlete like Holmes was a challenge the team was able to overcome through various strategies such as a tap on the back, hips, or side and even the use of accessories to help him with knowing what to do when. DK also used his interpreter, Al Kettinger, during practices

LAINE RUBIN Staff Writer

continued page 15

Photos provided by Georgia Zimmerman and Susn Adams Photography

In late October the varsity volleyball team competed in the annual Volley for a Cure game against Detroit Country Day High School. “Volley for a Cure is a volleyball match between Bloomfield Hills High School and Detroit Country Day that supports a specific charity or fund for breast cancer research and awareness,” said senior Varsity player Alexa Rousseau. “The event had gone on for many years when Lahser and Andover existed and ended when the schools merged; however, we decided to pick it back up last year with Detroit Country Day,” This year, the team chose to support the Pink Fund, which is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting patients with breast cancer. The organization provides a 90-day, non-medical, cost of living expenses to patients with breast cancer undergoing treatment, in order to focus on the healing process, raising their families, and returning to their daily lives. In order to raise money for the Pink Fund, the team sold t-shirts and baked goods before and during the game, allowing the community an opportunity to get more involved with the high school volleyball program, while also supporting the organization. “We raised a total of $4,200 for the Pink Fund organization. The money was from the shirts sold as well as the concessions from the game,” said Rousseau. During the tournament, each player was able to dedicate their playing to a specific survivor of breast cancer or someone who is currently fighting. “It allows the team to be more of a community, as well as connect with a special cause and support

and games. However, during games he had to rely heavily on his teammates as Kettinger could not be on the field with him. “DK doesn’t have the interpretation on the field but many of our students have experience with ASL. Also, on the field, defensive teammates might give him a tap or we might even make a wristband to help communicate with him,” said Varsity football coach Daniel Loria. Junior Marc Bland, a fellow teammate, explained some of the contributions DK has made to both the team and each of the individual players. “Devin motivates me to keep coming back to the field. He also brings out the competition in me,” said Bland. “Devin has brought motivation, gratitude, happiness, and bonding to the team. He also reminds me that there is so much to be happy about. I can walk every day, hear every day, talk every day, and I am proud he made me realize that.” According to Coach Loria, choosing DK as one of the varsity team captains was easy due to the overwhelming, positive response he receives from his teammates. “Because of the way the kids rally around him and his work ethic, he gets so much respect from the other kids. He doesn’t let his disability hold him back whatsoever. He is a kid that does everything right as much as he possibly can and people are going to follow that, and that is who I want them to emulate,” said Loria. DK has bright future plans for college and his career. He also hopes to spread awareness about the deaf community. “I plan to go to Gallaudet University and play football there. I am going to major in Physical Education and I would like to become a coach a n d maybe be a part-time teacher,” signed DK. “I am trying to take it to another level and spread awareness to other people that I am deaf and that deaf [people] can try to do what they want to do, it might be a challenge for them, but they can do it.”

Boys Tennis season concludes at state finals

Joker is in a league of its own

Antihero saves the day

see sports page 15

see entertainment page 22

see entertainment page 23

november Sports

FOOTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

Varsity football players during the Homecoming game. The team ended a successful year with the record 3-7, beating Southfield, Rochester, and Troy high school by the conclusion of the season.

Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

Varsity runner Jakar Dhillion making his way to top 10 in the first meet in November.

POMS

Photo by Dave Richardson

Varsity poms team performs for the Homecoming halftime show. With the football season ending, the poms team prepares for the winter season for varsity basketball games. Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

GIRLS DIVING

Black Hawk Sports Update Catch up with the Black Hawks as they close out the fall sports season

GIRLS SWIMMING

CHEER

Sophomore varsity swimmer Akita Kotian races butterfly at a meet. The girls swimming team ended the season with a record of 4-2. In the next few weeks, the team will meet Lake Orion, Oxford, Troy, and West Bloomfield among others.

Varsity cheer team performs on the sideline of the Homecoming football game. The cheer team continues to focus on upcoming competitions in the winter season.

Freshman varsity diver Ella Kane dives at a meet. The girls diving meet ended the season with a record of 4-2, with Senior Margot Wester advancing to regionals.

Photo by Georgia Zimmerman

World of Sports As the leaves start to change colors and we hit the months of October and November, a new series of action-packed games sweeps across America. On October 30, the Washington Nationals brought a Commissioners’ Trophy back to the District of Champions, defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series. For the first time in Major League Baseball history, the World Series champion won all four games on the road, with the Nationals taking games one, two, six, and seven at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Former 2009 first overall pick Stephen Strausberg took home the World Series MVP, starting and winning games two and six on the bump for Washington. This past off-season, the entire landscape of the NBA was turned upside down. 2019 NBA finals MVP Kawhi Leonard left Toronto behind and joined fellow superstar Paul George in Hollywood by signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony Davis also migrated west, teaming up with Lebron James on the LA Lakers. On November 5, college basketball season kicked off with the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This tournament brought fans a two-game slate

featuring the four best teams in college basketball. The first game of the night pitted the #4 Duke Blue Devils against the #3 Kansas Jayhawks. The Blue Devils edged the Jayhawks 68-66 and returned to Durham with a 1-0 record. In the late game, the #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans faced the #2 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Fans were blessed with another unreal game, as the Wildcats took this one 69-62. Sunday, October 27 signaled the equinox of professional sports: all four major professional sports in America commenced on the same day. On the diamond, the Houston Astros defeated the Washington Nationals 7-1 in Game 5 of the World Series to take a 3-2 lead. In the NFL, October 27 meant week eight action; 26 of the 32 teams played, including the Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots, defeating the Cleveland Browns. On the hardwood, the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised over Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 120-92, handing the Warriors their second straight loss of the season. Finally, there were seven NHL games taking place. Mathew Barzal and the New York Islanders extended their winning streak to seven games, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3.

Fall Sports As 2019 comes to close, the fall sports season is beginning to wrap up until next year. Containing boys soccer, volleyball, girls swimming and diving, football, cross country, field hockey, boys tennis, and both poms and cheerleading, all sports are just about ready to conclude their seasons. Girl’s volleyball just ended a successful year with a record of 38-10-1, ending their postseason with a loss to Troy High School in the district finals. Field Hockey capped off their very first year, led by senior captain Courtney Emde. The field hockey team, starting as a Division 3 team came home with wins from West Bloomfield High School among other schools. This year, the team focused on learning the sport and improving skills and techniques. Varsity boys soccer ended their season with a record of 9-6-3 lead by captains Ian Kirner, Dominic Curti, and Lincoln Judge. The team advanced to the district finals but lost to Clarkston High

School with a close score of 0-1. Despite this, the team had a strong ranking of 10th place in the state of Michigan’s Division 1 teams. Girls swimming and diving are currently wrapping

up their seasons after winning the OAA White Division League Championship. The boys tennis team also concluded their fall season after advancing to the

MHSAA state championships, where they placed in seventh. The team returned after last year’s record-breaking season and graduating 11 seniors to cap off this year with a record of 9-5. To continue, the cross country team had a successful season with the girl’s team ending as regional and OAA champions as well as state qualifiers. Captains Shelby Jenkins, Brenden Murray, Barry Sabin, Jakar Dhillon, Susan Baenan, and Erin DiMarzo lead the team this fall season. In other news, the cheer and poms teams both ended successful seasons and are looking forward to the winter seasons. Captains Emma Dwoskin and Brooke Lewis lead varsity poms in performances during homecoming week and school events. To conclude this year’s fall sports, the varsity football team ended their fall season with an overall record of 3-7 with notable victories against Troy and Rochester High Schools.

Upcoming Events 11/23/2019

11/27/2019

12/3/2019

Boys Hockey @ 8:10pm

Boys Basketball @ 5:00pm

Girls Basketball @ 7:00pm

November Sports

Volley (from 13)

something they believe in as important,” said Rousseau. Not only is the volleyball team supporting breast cancer research and patient support, they are also hoping to encourage the continued growth of their program. “Volley for a Cure allows younger students who may be interested in the volleyball program for their years at the high school to become more aware of what we do and how we do it. It also helps show some of the values we have as a player of the team by giving back to the community,” said JV player and junior Tatum Kalt. The volleyball team is looking forward to more success surrounding Volley For a Cure in the future years involving Bloomfield Hills High School. “There has been lots of positive feedback surrounding the event involving the organization participated, our parents, friends, coaches, and other schools about the amount of money we raised,” said Rousseau. “It was incredible that we were able to put so much effort into a cause we all supported and were able to stand behind.”

Black Hawks to the finals

Boys varsity soccer team closes off season in close District Finals

Brooke Thompson getting ready to push off the block at a swim meet. Photo by Carol Thompson

Swimming to success

GABRIEL CALI Guest Writer

Freshman Brooke Thompson competes at World Deaf Swimming Championship ISA HALSBAND Staff Writer After eight years of training, International Academy freshman Brooke Thompson’s work paid off as she traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to attend the 2019 World Deaf Swimming Championship in Brazil. Taking place from August 25-31, the competition included some of the most talented young swimmers. To qualify for the championship, participants required both fast times and a well-conducted interview. Thompson had to train six to seven days per week, two and a half hours per day, in order to hit the times she needed. “I did my normal practice, but when my team went on break, I had to practice all by myself to stay in shape. My coach pushed me harder than anyone else,” said Thompson. The BHHS girls swim team head coach, David Zulkiewski,

better known as Z, explained that Brooke is a dedicated, selfmotivated swimmer. “When it comes to training, she’s probably the hardest trainer I’ve ever seen,” said Z. “We have intervals where you have to swim so far in a certain amount of time. She’s always willing to go on the faster interval. She’s always willing to do more yards. I gave her a chance to have the morning off. I said, ‘Look, if you want Monday morning off, you can take it.’ She said, ‘Nope. I’ll be there.’” Thompson was also assisted by her teammates, who supported her throughout the entire process. “Brooke Thompson is an inspiration to other swimmers on the Bloomfield Hills High School swim team,” said junior teammate Julia Jankowski. “Plus she has the hearing impairment, [but] she doesn’t let that hold her back. If anything,

she uses it to push her even more.” Senior captain Erin Marshall has swum with Thompson for just a few months on the team but has witnessed her work ethic firsthand. “Brooke is an amazing swimmer, and every day at practice when we watch her, she just blows us all away,” said Marshall. “She’s so amazing, so hard-working, and we’re so proud of her for making it to World Championships at such a young age.” Thompson’s time in Brazil was a success, spending six out of the eight days she was there swimming. The results of the championship were in both Thompson and her team’s favor. “Our team did pretty well. I’m a starter for all the rounds, so they put me in events where they needed me,” said Thompson. “First, second and third

get medals. I didn’t [get a] medal, but I did really well considering my age and since it was my first time, and I made it to finals.” Thompson’s passion for swimming as a sport continues to drive her toward goals like these and push her to achieve them. “She already broke two school records and all as a freshman,” said Z. “She’s a heck of an athlete, and she’s very talented, but the best part is that she loves training and she loves working.” “I enjoy swimming because I get to see all of my friends and my personal guides. It [also] keeps me active and from being stressed,” said Thompson. “I would tell young swimmers to keep training harder and trust the process because you don’t know where you will be in two years.”

Boys tennis season ends at state finals Players give inside perspective on seventh place finish JORDAN HAMILTON Guest Writer The varsity boys tennis team recently rounded out another season that, according to many team members, was filled with lots of adversity and obstacles along the way. They finished with a 9-5 regular season record on the way to capturing their regional championship, and they finished in seventh place at the 2019 MHSAA Boys Tennis Playoffs. “The season [was] a whirlwind, to say the least. Losing some of our key players to injury along with the players that we had already lost from last year [due to a large senior class graduating] made this season extremely challenging,” said junior Michael Lee. Despite losing junior captain Max Nosanchuck to injuries and an increased number of young players, the team was able to bond and rally together to finish the season. “During practices, our coach [had] us work on what he believes is most beneficial to us. He also [gave] us advice on how to treat the mental aspect of tennis as well,” said Nosanchuck. The boys team was able to turn their practice into a regional championship on October 10, beating out teams like Clarkston, Lake Orion, and Oxford on their way to first place. All four doubles pairs won their individual flights and sophomore Noah Roslin, juniors Andrew Chen and Lucas Solomon, and freshman Tony Vasile were runner-ups in their flights for singles matches. At the state playoffs, the team as a whole finished in seventh place out of the 24 qualifying teams. Roslin and Vasile made it to the quarterfinals of their respective singles flights while Solomon put together a semifinal finish. Doubles pair Micheal Lee and Zach Kam made a semifinal finish in the No. 1 doubles flight.

The team finished with 13 points at the State Tournament with the No. 3 doubles flight, Kushal Sanjeev and Ishan Goel, and the No. 4 doubles flight, Drew Davis and Josh Balan, making it past their first and second round matches respectively. “Winning the regional championship is always a huge accomplishment, and the fact that our team was able to win it again after losing so many players is mindblowing. However, as we start to build toward next season, I hope our team does not become complacent with their previous successes,” said Lee. “I feel like there is always something to work on, and if we strive to get better every day, we will get where we want to be. I will go into next year with the highest of expectations for our team, and I am sure Max and Gus will

as well.” The future is extremely bright for the team in terms of returning key players and bringing in lots of fresh and new talent, according to Lee. “We have 11 of our players coming back next year, including our entire singles lineup and most of our doubles. Also, we have key players returning from injury, like Max Nosanchuk and Luca Ghilezan,” said Lee. “That, along with the fact that we bring in strong players every year and that many other teams are losing most of their lineups, gives us a large chance to contend for states next year. I am extremely excited to start the build for next season, and I hope the team is as well.”

Boys tennis team warming up at Clarkston High School for their individual regional matches. Photo by Theresa Solomon

After what many players called a nervewracking final, the varsity soccer team ended their largely successful season against Clarkston on October 17 in the district finals, falling 0-1 but still leaving with good feelings. “[The] boys had a fantastic season playing a very tough schedule including [a tie against] Athens (state champions 2019), who are ranked first, and Ann Arbor Skyline, who are ranked fourth, all while losing only two games in the regular season,” said varsity head coach Dougie MacAulay. The players, along with the coaching staff, believed they played well, according to sophomore Joseph Kirner. “Even though the season is over, I feel like we had a great team and did some great things. We just didn’t win the big game,” said Kirner. “We were so successful because we all knew each other very well and we all played travel soccer. So we had experience in highlevel soccer.” The boys soccer team had many senior players that contributed to the winning record, allowing for them to be sent off with a positive record for their final season on the team. “I feel that we had a really successful season overall. We made it to the district final game only to lose 1-0 to a very good opponent. Because it was a struggle for the team last year, we were able to work very well as a team this year because no returning player wanted the same turnout as last year,” said senior Zachary Bennett. The team saw many hardships throughout the season and most of the players and management verbally expressed their regrets for parts of their playing style throughout the season. “Scoring goals, we were very strong defensively,” said MacAulay. “We could have won leagues and districts as both were in our hands, but we struggled to come up with goals on the big occasions.” Teammates also highlighted the importance of team relationships and bonding. “We are all friends and the whole bonding experience helped us perform well. The entire team had great chemistry and we are all family,” said senior Nicklas Guizzetti. Despite losing in the district finals, the team ended up placing 10th in the Division 1 state rankings. The team was also able to cap off the season with a winning record of 9-3-6.

Seniors Andrew Cao and Zef Bakersman running in to score. Photo by Susan Adams Photography

November Sports

Field hockey wraps up first season

New BHHS team reflects on past season CAROLINE GRIFFIN Guest Writer

The ball rolls across the field as heavy footsteps race down the sidelines. 15 yards, a pass to the right. 10 yards, a pass to the left. The stick sweeps across the turf, striking the ball, passing every pair of cleats. The crowd’s cheer echoes in the stands. The first-ever field hockey team goal. The first fall season for the girls field hockey team has officially come to an end. The JV team ended with three wins and Varsity ended with one. As the season started in late August, head coach Johanna Wiggins was in charge of leading the team. As team captain, senior Courtney Emde took on the huge role of starting the team this year. “Coming from a school with a field hockey team, I realized the importance of having a team and I wanted girls at Bloomfield Hills to have this opportunity as well,” said Emde. “I did notice a change in the girls as a result of the improvement over the course of the season. In the beginning, everyone was kind of hesitant about the sport itself and with each other, but by the end, I could see that the girls were really enjoying the sport and bonding with one another. As a result of this, girls were really eager to learn more and would pass in their free time. ” Junior Kiki Pape enjoyed her experience playing field hockey on the team, particularly because of her teammates. “My favorite part about the season was making so many new friends and getting super close with all the girls,” said Pape. “All the girls were able to play both Varsity and JV, which really allowed everyone to have more playing time. We grew together after our first win against West Bloomfield, which really boosted our confidence for the rest of the

“The season started out a little rocky with a brand new coach, program, and players, but everything really came together at the end.” Courtney Emde Team Captain

season. It made us want to work even harder at practice so we were always on track and giving it our best efforts. All the girls worked super hard and the games were a lot of fun. ” The team, starting out with only a few members, grew into a bigger team towards the end of the season. Most of the girls started out playing multiple games at a time to fill spots on the field, which led to players having a better chance at playing time. “I am so proud of all these girls and everything they have accomplished,” said Wiggins. The players feel that this team has made history in BHHS sports, but most importantly that it taught the players lessons they will never forget. “This team really helped me to stay on track and work hard. I also decided to play midfield and a defender because I like the competition it brings and how competitive it is because it makes me work harder. It’s not easy being a student-athlete,” said sophomore team member Addy Bilkie. “But one thing I learned is that hard work pays off if we all work together, and I think it benefitted me and all the girls in such a positive way. I can’t wait to play again next year with these great teammates.”

Girls field hockey team celebrating after their first win. Photo by Kiersten Pape

Girls golf team posing as they cap off their season at the state tournament. Photo by Eryn Stern

Girls golf team concludes 2019 season Black Hawks place ninth at State Tournament BRANDON YAKER Guest Writer Under the leadership of Coach Brendan Harrington, the Varsity girls golf team wrapped up their 2019 season at the state tournament in Lansing on October 1819, where they placed in the top 10. The team started their season back in September. Losing four seniors in the previous year, the team was uncertain of what the 2019 season would hold. “Being such a young team this season, it was important the girls understood they were going to make some mistakes and golf is not a game of perfection,” said Harrington. “They needed to limit the mistakes and work on course management and short game. They won’t be hitting every green in regulation, so their precision around the greens was key to their success.” While utilizing this advice, the

golfers were able to focus on the little things in order to improve. Over the course of the season, the team grew as individuals and as a whole. “Everyone on the team seemed to get along well, which made us stronger,” said sophomore golfer Esha Varchasvi. This led to some top finishes right off the bat for the squad. According to Harrington, the team was in high spirits to start the season. “The girls started out strong this season, placing second, first, and third in their first three events. But then reality kicked in and there were some tough days out there. I feel they learned a lot about what they need to work on and putting trust in the process to get better. It does not happen overnight,” said Harrington. Although they had their ups and downs, the Black Hawks tied for first place in their

league. The girls followed this with a third place finish in regionals. Finally, they ended the season in Lansing, where they finished ninth in the state tournament. Golfers Sanju Swamy Esha Varchesvi earned all state honorable mention. Senior Paige Pierce, along with Esha and Sanju received first team all-league honors. As a team, the Blackhawks were academic all-state. The team hopes to continue and improve upon the success they had this season next year, according to Varchasvi. “I am most excited about our team growing since we have a lot of younger players and hopefully make top 10 again at states,” Varchasvi said. The Black Hawks are already looking for ways to become better golfers for the 2020 season. “If they work on the little things like chipping, putting,

course management, and compete in tournaments next spring and summer, the sky’s the limit for [the team],” said Harrington. “They definitely have the potential to be a top five team in the state next fall if they put in the work needed to get there. They cannot be complacent with where they ended this season, and I don’t think they are.” The team has a lot of work to do, but according to Harrington, the future is very bright. “This is a young team, with three of the top five players being 9th and 10th graders. Then Sanju Swamy being a strong junior as well at the #2 spot,” Coach Harrington said. “It is exciting to see what they do between now and August and how that translates to the 2020 season.”

November OP/ed

Protest (from 13)

things unless absolutely necessary. The youth have several demands for lawmakers and politicians to seriously take to heart. One mandate they ask is a “Green New Deal” that accomplishes “100% clean, renewable energy by 2030.” Another request includes plans that acknowledge “communities on the frontlines of poverty and pollution” and welcome refugees displaced by the effects of climate change. Also, they insist on the protection and restoration of worldwide lands, oceans, and forests. Lastly, they demand a shift of investment priorities towards “farmers and regenerative agriculture” and away from industrial or corporate agriculture. What each and every single advocate and protestor is doing for this planet is important to raise awareness for the horrifying dangers that will cause harm to humanity in the near future. This issue has been at large for a long enough time, thus it is crucial for it to be addressed immediately. To all those people who don’t believe in it: it is now the time to open your eyes and view the crumbling Earth around you.

Starting early & finishing late

Photo by The Paw Print

Bursting your bubble

How to think more creatively and lose yourself in your work

What you don’t know about bubble tea SKYLAR STEARNS Guest Writer For those of you bubble tea drinkers, I’m about to burst your bubble. Bubble tea is an increasingly trendy customizable drink with chewy tapioca balls that is appearing in more and more stores every day. However, this trend is one that should not be followed. Bubble tea is one of the worst drinks you can put inside your body. The chewy texture of tapioca causes digestive issues and illness. Seventeen Magazine reports, a 14-year-old girl in China was rushed to the hospital after having stomach pains, constipation, and other digestive problems. After the doctors performed multiple tests on her, they discovered an abdominal blockage caused by undigested tapioca balls. If this girl had not gone to the hospital, the blockage

could have lead to fatal results. Bubble tea is very dangerous and should not be consumed by humans. The tapioca balls, therefore, are what make bubble tea so dangerous; swallowing them is equivalent to swallowing plastic. Bubble tea has already damaged the lives of teens, so bubble tea consumption needs to stop before it affects a larger population. We should be taking action on this problem. Bubble tea shops should be shut down or there should be a safer method for making this beverage. Although many bubble tea shops warn their customers not to swallow the tapioca balls before chewing them, accidents can happen. Besides the fact that their tapioca balls can be deadly, bubble tea drinks contain a tremendous amount of sugar. Physi-

cian Dr. Tan Wee Yong said in an interview, “a cup of bubble tea contains 20 teaspoons of sugar. For a normal healthy adult, it is recommended to take no more than eight teaspoons of sugar a day.” One serving of bubble tea contains almost three times the amount of sugar that an adult should consume on a daily basis. High amounts of sugar could lead to more serious health disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Many people believe that the tea is healthy for you, but dietitian Kong Woan Fei disagrees as she says, “There is no nutritional value from drinking these highsugar beverages. I don’t encourage consuming milk from bubble tea either, because milk with sugar is not the same as pure milk.” Tea has nutritional values when it is mixed with

Fiddleron the Roof November 21 & 22 @ 7pm November 23 @ 2pm Bloomfield Hills High School

water, but not with sugar and milk. This high sugar drink should be avoided at all costs. Every once in a while when you want to feed your sweet tooth, I would recommend a milkshake or smoothie that doesn’t include inedible tapioca balls at the bottom of it. There are multiple shops that sell bubble tea in our area such as the Detroit Bubble Tea Company, Eli Tea Bar, and Kung Fu Tea. Although the tea is very tasty, avoidance of the tapioca balls is a must. Every time I went to downtown Birmingham, I would make sure to stop at my favorite bubble tea spot. This became a habit of mine, but I soon realized the serious future health issues that could result from consuming these products.

NOAH BROOK Guest Writer As someone who likes to think of themselves as creative, I have frequently struggled to understand how my artistic ventures fit into a larger process; however, I have observed that my most creative ideas come from the festering and brewing of ideas in my head, all while trying to not actually think about them. It’s the guiding principle behind the first tip that I have for readers of The Hawkeye. The process of holding myself away from my work is the only part that I understand. The length of time that you take away from your work is largely up to you. Mine usually lasts a full night, but any distance and reflection gives me the freeness to be sucked into my work. The feeling that I get when all my mind can do is focus on the present task in front of me is what I’m trying to achieve every time I work. My mind’s sharp movements while following a train of thought, without being intent on a destination, is how my most original ideas are formulated. The connections start to become more clear when I stop interrupting my train of thought with constant judgment. Being in this free state of mind leads to the high-production creativity necessary for originality. Having a lot of ideas in a short amount of time requires you to acknowledge that having bad ideas is just part of the process of stumbling onto something truly original. Be more worried that you’re failing to try your hardest than having a bad idea. Put best in his Ted Talk: “Know that being quick to start but slow to finish can boost your creativity, that you can motivate yourself by doubting your ideas and embracing the fear of failing to try, and that you need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones. Look, being original is not easy, but I have no doubt about this: it’s the best way to improve the world around us,” Grant said. A common expectation is that our ideas will improve the world around us but, I am constantly looking for new ways to define the way that I work, and it wasn’t until I realized that creativity is a skill that can be cultivated just like all others that I knew it wasn’t a blind ambition to pursue it professionally. As I advance my understanding of the formula that helps me create good ideas, my journey to self forget as I work comes with increasing ease. That being said, if you wish to work creatively you should Start Early and Finish Late, or as everyone would much rather I called it “Start early, finish on time.” Take your time, move slowly, and think about what you’re doing. Meaningful reflection is the only way to know the quality of your work. Be willing to explore; get lost and find what is the cause of reflection in your individual condition. This principle was adopted from Adam Grant’s Ted Talk entitled: “The surprising habits of original thinkers”

November Op/ed

Question everything

The problem with

Vaping

Editor discusses the value of being curious LARA JANOSZ Editor-in-Chief Questions shape our world. Or what we know of it, at least. The asking and answering of questions have allowed us to develop artificial intelligence, invent the lightbulb, and race our way to the moon. And while these questions ultimately needed to be answered, it is human curiosity that illuminates the path to discovery. Without it, our world would not be the same. Unfortunately, as we get older, our cu riosity tends to diminish compared to when we were children. That need to discover and explore is replaced by the stresses of everyday life. In other words, there is a shift in focus that causes us to forget what it means to uncover new things and inquire about concepts that we are passionate about. We start to believe everything that seems to come from any authoritative source because we don’t have the time to explore for ourselves. In a world that is constantly changing and a political climate that is becoming increasingly more corrupt and cutthroat, this blind acceptance of information is incredibly dangerous. We are letting other people tell us what we know, even if that information is a lie. It wasn’t until this year that I really started to understand how important

Our thoughts on the vaping epidemic Over the past few years, vaping has become a widespread epidemic among high school students. As more and more facts about this lifethreatening habit and its ensuing consequences are discovered, many students, teachers, and parents are understanding the implications and dangers of vaping devices in our school and in our community. As was revealed by the Center for Disease Control, there have been 37 deaths in 24 states due to an increase in vaping. High schoolers have seen the rise of vapes and their increasing popularity in and out of school. However, many students are unaware of the harmful chemicals inside the fruity and appealing pods. Our generation has had significantly lower use of tobacco products than previous generations. However, a product designed to help smokers quit smoking has instead introduced a new generation to nicotine. We believe that pressure from both friends and the media has caused an increase in vaping. Others try vape products once because they are curious about what vaping feels like, but they soon become addicted. The appealing colors and flavors of vaping devices are extremely misleading for teenag-

“Human curiosity illuminates the path to discovery.” curiosity is. Even as a student, I find myself limiting my curiosity to the specific things my teachers are allowing me to be curious about in research projects, essays, presentations, etcetera. I realized that there is so much more to learning and discovery than what we are told to be curious about. If we can learn to question everything, we will ultimately become more knowledgeable people. We can have more productive conversations, which can lead to solving more issues, which can lead to bringing the divided back together. “Question everything.” It is a quote we’ve all heard before and maybe even disregarded at times, but it couldn’t be truer. The power that we hold when we let ourselves discover and explore is unmatched. Curiosity alone has led to some of the greatest discoveries known to humankind and has even brought peace to our world in times of crisis. If we let other people tell us what we know, we are doing a disservice to ourselves and the society we live in. We are telling others that we don’t care; that we will blindly accept whatever bogus policy or false statement that comes our way. With so much out there left to uncover, this is no way to live. I remember watching my youngest sister grow up. Her eyes always bright, constantly taking in her surroundings, touching, seeing, hearing, and feeling the world around her. This is the curiosity that we must try to reignite in ourselves, though, at this stage, it will be a little more complex. We cannot be afraid to explore our passions and question certain authority, even if it makes us uncomfortable. It is an exciting feeling to learn something new, especially if that something has meaning. Questions shape our world. What would happen if we stopped asking them?

What students think

“Vaping has now begun reaching the young, developing bodies of high schoolers and is causing long term issues for a generation” Jordan Banks - 12th

“I think it’s really important that we continue to have professionals come in and educate high schoolers on the danger of this issue” Eric Becker - 12th

“People take up vaping because they want to try it or they’re doing it because their friends are doing it...a lot of people get addicted even if they don’t mean to.” Natalie Raab - 9th

“I think that the school has a job to inform the students about the dangers of vaping...it’s up to the students to make the adult choice and not do it.”

“I think students are aware of the long term effects of vaping and it’s dangers but they still choose to poison their bodies... and it doesnt make sense”

“Not only does [vaping] cost people money, but it’s terrible for their health and can have serious long term effects that haven’t been studied yet.

Caitlyn New - 10th

Evan Knox - 10th

Andrew Zupancic - 10th

Adviser Rachel Matz Editors-in-Chief Lara Janosz Darby Krugel Kaitlyn Luckoff Kushal Sanjeev

STAFF

ers. Although the products look innocent to teens, they contain many harmful and addictive chemicals. Although some teenagers understand the dangers of vaping, they believe other substances, such as marijuana and tobacco, are more dangerous and vaping is somewhat safer. As high school students who have witnessed friends and classmates succumb to addiction, we believe it is imperative that our community takes action. Once students leave the building, it is difficult for the school to control their decisions. As a community, we are hoping that friends are able to have open and honest conversations about the risk that they could be at, and that parents will know how to help their children. We do believe it is healthy to discuss the topic and the dangers in class. We also think that informative posters and speakers including health risks and life-threatening facts to promote a vape-free school can help reduce the number of students who choose to vape. To ensure that our students remain safe and informed, we hope that teenagers stop the use of harmful vaping devices.

Managing Editors Jake Fogel Laine Lord Jenny She

Design Editor Ben Silberman

Social Media Manager Jillian Sacksner

Copy Editor Izzi Harber

Business Manager Sanju Swamy

Photography Manager Georgia Zimmerman

Staff Writers Vansh Bhardwaj Isa Halsband Mari Lynn Jane Rosett Laine Rubin Jillian Sacksner Erin Schwartz Seema Shah

Section Editors Sonya Barlow Shelby Jenkins Kaitlyn Keele Marlee Sacksner

Seema Shah Fallan Sherman Gabe Singer

Behind mental health Editor examines the corporate side of mental health KUSHAL SANJEEV Editor-in-Chief Mental health is the fastest-growing issue today. The number of people being affected by mental illnesses like anxiety or depression has easily risen to over 43 million people in America and people are speaking out on it too. We have everyone including basketball star Kevin Love, music sensation Lady Gaga, and even everybody’s favorite on Sesame Street, Elmo: everyone is getting involved. Now, this begs the question, why aren’t things getting better? The answer is straightforward: people can’t get help. This legislative conquest began in 2008 with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act after being introduced by Congressman Patrick Kennedy, who also suffered from mental illnesses. Some of the goals for this act were to end higher co-pays, separate deductibles, the lowering of caps on visits, and quantitative limits on mental health. But the biggest goal was the idea of parity: making mental illnesses equivalent to physical illnesses. The reason why this was such a big concern was because of the root cause of this whole issue: insurance providers. Although this act passed with a ground-breaking 89% and bipartisan support, health providers were still skirting around it by taking advantage of a concept called medical necessity. Medical necessity allowed providers to hire their own doctor to reevaluate a patient’s doctor’s opinion. This left millions of families left to pay out of pocket for their own needs. Because contrary to falling off your bike or any other common accident, mental health doesn’t show up on an x-ray which made it easy for insurance companies to escape paying. It went as far as mental health cases no being denied twice as often as physical injury cases. Furthermore, on the off chance that the providers accepted the payment of the psychiatrists they referred patients to, only 26% were actually real doctors. Providers like Blue Cross cheated patients by giving them fake phone numbers and identities and labeling them as “professional help.” Finding a psychiatrist proves to be a difficult task enough for people all across America. With only 40% of the psychiatrists in America accepting insurance, the odds quickly become stacked against low-income households. Adding to that, 51% of the counties in America don’t even contain a single psychiatrist. But this issue can be traced back even further, all the way back to the very people who are supposed to monitor these daily wrongdoings: the government. The Department of Labor contains a branch that samples 5 million of the insurance plans in America. This sounds great up until the fact they only have 500 works. This means that each individual worker is expected to monitor 10,000 unique insurance plans. The people who we as American people chose to protect us cast this issue off to the side and forget about one of the biggest threats we face at home. There is a small glimmer of hope: people are taking a chance and fighting back against these cases. While being denied insurance has become the toughest fact to face, people are fighting back against the injustice inflicted upon them. By calling out the financial incentives inflicting the guideline development process from big corporations like United Health Care, 39% of Americans fighting back have conquered and won the appeals on these mental health cases denied of help. People all across America are fighting back to save our country from this unseen threat, and now, so can you.

Lexi Guerrieri Jordan Hamilton Grace Kobernik Seth Kruger Ryanne Leonard Guest Writers Alec Mayoras Mariah Al-Atraqchi Kalyn Mullens Niranjan Anatharaman Elizabeth Nwagu Noah Brook Lenna Peterson Sara Cabral Grace Roberts Isabella Dannunzio-Obrien Noah Roslin Frank Ducu Grace Shaya Cassie English Skylar Stearns Ashley Fogel Eryn Stern Noa Goldstein

Benji Stern Abbey Weitzman Margot Wester Olivia White Hanna Winter Brandon Yaker Lindsey Zousmer

November OP/ED Abolish amateurism NCAA athletes should be compensated for their efforts GABE SINGER Staff Writer They’ve penalized players at Oklahoma University for eating too much pasta. They’ve given Mississippi State University a violation for having an extra table in their locker room. They’ve enforced technical fouls due to players at North Florida University dunking in pregame warm-ups. In this day and age, it’s indisputable that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has created and enforced countless futile rules over the years. The stranglehold that the NCAA has on college athletics is unnecessary and dictatorial. The student-athletes are limited in the amount of food they can eat, the amount of time they can practice, the wedding and birthday gifts they can accept, the agents they can talk to, and the financial compensation they can receive. While blindly following these outlandish guidelines, student-athletes are obligated to work their craft for 32-42 hours per week, while balancing educational commitments as well as attempting to retain a social life. According to a report done by the National College Players Association (NCPA), 86 percent of college athletes live in poverty, while the NCAA rakes in over $1 billion per year and universities profit up to $180 million in revenue. In this massive industry, the rule that the athletes who are actually making the money cannot receive the money is obsolete. Just because it’s the way it has always been, does not grant immunity to the changes that are glaringly necessary. The NCAA and it’s financial backers (i.e. TV

“It’s about time NCAA athletes get what they have been working for“ networks, advertisers, etc.) will try to preserve this money by claiming that fair compensation is within the tuition scholarships that the student-athletes receive. However, according to a study done in 2017 by the University of Southern California (USC) Race and Equity Center, the graduation rate for black male student-athletes is appalling. Universities such as Louisiana State (LSU) and Georgia have black male student-athlete rates of 34 and 36 percent, respectively. Since education is the current compensation, these players seem to be playing for free due to the fact that many of them are not graduating. Not to mention, the average NCAA scholarship is equivalent to less than $11,000, which is nowhere near a full-ride scholarship and may not even cover the fee for room and board. Another common refute by nay-sayers is the “free agency” system that financial compensation could cause. Players would go wherever they would be paid the most, which is similar to the free agency system in professional sports. That being said, this concern is invalid because this system already exists in collegiate sports, just under a different pseudonym known as the transfer portal. There are currently over 1000 college football players, including six from Michigan State University, who are in the process of transferring schools. Whether it is due to playing time, team success or proximity to home, these student-athletes are finding a plethora of reasons to transfer. Financial compensation would not create a free agency but merely add to this already existing system in collegiate sports. Now, the question arises: where is the middle ground? The NCAA doesn’t want to pay their student-athletes, and the student-athletes want to be paid. Enter SB-206, the senate bill more commonly referred to as the “Fair Pay to Play Act.” This California legislation, created by Governor Gavin Newsome, allows college athletes in California the ability to profit off of their name and likeness, which is something current NCAA bylaws do not allow them to do. Once the bill goes into effect in 2023, athletes at all 58 of California’s NCAA member institutions could hypothetically profit from starring in an ad for a local car dealership and/or see revenue from their jersey sales. According to the Washington State Journal, former quarterback Johnny Manziel made Texas A&M over $40 million in 2013 alone. Manziel didn’t pocket a dime of this money but would have under this new legislation. This law has pressured the NCAA like never before, as they are now developing a “set of principles” regarding the name, image and likeness rights for college athletes. Change is coming. Student-athletes are finally speaking up and are no longer compliant with their skills being exploited by thousands of people. Join the fight, be on the right side of history.

P R O

Pro/Con:

Paying College Athletes

C O N

Keep the student in student-athlete Paying college athletes won’t bring any positive changes to sports SHELBY JENKINS Section Editor Right now, most students that choose to go to school go with the intent of earning a degree and beginning a life-long career. However, with the new changes that the NCAA is threatening to make, students who choose to play a sport in college will be forced to deal with extremely blurred lines between attending college for an education and having a paid athletic career. The current NCAA rules state that any student choosing to participate in a sport at the collegiate level must be at an amateur status. Colleges may offer scholarships to talented athletes to bring them onto their teams, but athletes don’t receive formal salaries or other forms of payment. That’s the smart and logical way that collegiate athletic programs should be run. Any changes that the NCAA board makes will ruin sports for collegiate athletes. Financially, college sports are not cheap expenditures. D1 football programs cost schools millions of dollars, so raising salaries for up to 125 football players, 12 basketball players, and athletes from countless other sports are simply unreasonable. There isn’t a pool of money to pull these additional funds from that would be needed to pay the players. The NCAA would

“There is no reason that an athlete’s college experience should be any more important than a student involved in non-athletic programming. “ be forced to watch huge universities slowly slip into more and more debt that could threaten entire schools, or, student-athletes would miss out on potential opportunities as fewer schools could afford to participate. The only way to finance this change would be to cut other sports or organizations and use any funds from those sports for athlete salaries. This would be an extremely damaging action because it presents the idea that colleges are prioritizing their sports teams over other programming. The concept only gets more ridiculous. Right now, athletes are willing to choose one college over another for more than athletics. Family connections or educational programs might draw an athlete to signing with one school instead of another, but the NCAA’s change would end the power of any emotional or futureoriented attachment to a school an athlete has in their decision-making process. The whole choice would be an economic transaction. Whatever school could pay the highest dollar for a talented athlete would be where he or she might go. A bidding war would soon replace the recruitment process. This doesn’t need to be a part of collegiate sports. Any athlete playing in college should pick the school for the school, not the number of zeros they could offer them. The NCAA would be thoughtless to allow this change to happen. The top dollar paid for any athlete coming out of high school has been $0 for the last century under NCAA rules and that is exactly where that number should stay. There are multiple smaller issues, ones that advocates aren’t even considering, that would cause damage to the whole collegiate sports system if such a change were to happen. Smaller schools that just don’t have the funds to pay salaries to athletes could see their sports programs disappear because of the lack of players coming into them. College athletes’ financial mismanagement could be devastating to their future. Young kids with a steady stream of money coming into their banks is a deadly combination that could compromise an athlete’s future after their college eligibility is up. By allowing these changes to happen, we will be hurting the players more than actually benefiting them. There are too many issues that come with paying college athletes. Many already receive hefty scholarships that cover the majority of their education, privileges unknown to many other students. The last thing they need is further compensation for their participation in a sport. The California Fair Play to Pay Act and other laws legalizing the payment of college athletes has the serious potential to ruin the culture of college athletics.

NOVEMBER OP/ed

Pushing past fear

A favorite word - or is it?

Editor reflects on living with life-threatening allergies

Editor reflects on senior-year changes

KAITLYN LUCKOFF Editor-in-Chief

DARBY KRUGEL Editor-in-Chief

When I was little and would work myself up over nothing, my mom would tell me that I am my own worst enemy. For the majority of my life, I have partnered with an underlying fear and a constant barrier between myself and the world. Fast forward thirteen years and here I am, constantly fighting a battle between my mind and my immune system. I wasn’t diagnosed with a peanut and tree nut allergy until I was ten years old, but I used to pretend I was allergic because I hated the smell so much. It wasn’t until an evening out with my family at the age of ten and had my first severe reaction that my parents realized something was wrong. I was soon tested for a nut allergy and before I knew it, my life was changed. At such a young age, it was difficult for me to understand the impact that my allergies really had on the way that I lived my life. The first few years after my diagnosis I lived with my food allergy as a label. Every birthday party I attended, restaurant I ate at, sleepover I attended, and every meal at camp, I was labeled as the girl with the allergies. Being in elementary school, I was much less capable of managing my own allergies, so I found myself depending on my parents for almost everything. I would always assume that my mom would figure out what is safe for me to eat and protect me from my biggest enemy: a nut the size of a quarter. Right before my thirteenth birthday, I was diagnosed with a soy allergy. My first thought after this diagnosis was pure confusion. I didn’t even know what soy was, or why my immune system decided out of the blue that it seems dangerous. I was easily frustrated by the way that my immune system did not understand the difference between nuts and nut substitutes, because I sometimes would react to sunflower seed butter products. As I grew a little older and began to understand my food allergies, my fear and cautiousness turned into resentment every summer at sleepaway camp. Since I was seven years old, camp has been a place for me to

grow, mature, and have fun with my closest friends. To my friends, being some of the oldest campers at camp meant few rules, careless fun activities, sneaking out of the cabin, and raiding the kitchen in the middle of the night. For me, being one of the oldest campers meant living on the fringe and being extra careful around food and snacks. Ultimately, I was treated differently by everyone due to their fear that something would happen to me. I resented my body for making me an outsider, and this feeling followed me back home after my summers feeling isolated and out of place at camp. Growing older meant that I started going out without my parents, and that I had to constantly carry around two epi-pens and a dosage of Benadryl. In high school, my allergies became much more manageable at home and at school. I thought I finally had them under control with my accommodations at camp bringing my own food, but I was proved wrong. During the first week of camp this past summer, I ended up in the hospital. I accidentally ate soy sauce. The strange thing was, the reaction didn’t hit me for almost two hours. I took two Benadryl as a precaution right after I ate it, but it wasn’t until much later that I went into anaphylactic shock. I don’t remember much of this night besides the horrible and indescribable state that I was in. There are no words to explain the discomfort and sickness that I felt before I used an epi-pen. Being eight hours from home and my parents was one of the most challenging aspects of the situation. However, I am so thankful that my camp family was able to help me, and that I had an epi-pen to save my life. Ultimately, I have learned to embrace my allergies because they make me who I am today. Although I have my flaws and make some mistakes, managing food allergies for the past eight years has taught me so many important life skills. Dealing with food allergies is tough, but so am I; after my lifethreatening experiences, I now understand my strength and ability to deal with tough situations.

I have always loved words. I am an avid reader and devoted writer. I have also always loved ranking things. My dad and I have very strong feelings about which Pixar movies are best, and every time we see a new one, it’s added to the rankings. Therefore, it’s only natural that these two passions come together into me having had a favorite word for as long as I can remember. This word is dabble. It is genuinely fun to say. Those double B’s roll off my tongue, and the satisfying sound just makes me smile. Until recently, I also felt that dabble was a word relevant to my life. I used it to describe the way I involve myself in a plethora of topics and hobbies. However, when contemplating a college essay, I looked up the definition of dabble for the very first time. I learned it means “to take part in an activity in a superficial way.” I was truly shocked, as I realized that I do not relate to this word as much as I once believed. I participate in all kinds of activities, but I would never use superficial as a way to describe my involvement. When interested in something, I am all in. In BBYO, my youth group, I have served on at least ten committees and held countless leadership positions. So much time is spent at my dance studio that I consider it my second home. Discussing books in depth led me to begin a blog to share my thoughts on literature. My lack of superficiality is even evident in my commitment to The Hawkeye. When I joined the staff as a sophomore, I hoped to simply learn more writing skills. Two years later, I am proudly serving as an Editor-in-Chief. Clearly, I don’t dabble. This realization confused me, as I have been telling people about

my love for dabbling for years. However, this is just another senior-year reminder that things change, and that’s okay. I can still consider dabble my favorite word, and I do, because that fun sound just really brings me joy. But I don’t have to stick with the definition that I believed was a part of me for so long. Language is fluid, and changes over time. It is completely valid for a word to change its meaning within the context of my own life as well. I can change, and what I think of the word dabble can change, just like I’m on the verge of a lot of life changes that come with graduating high school. Overall, while this was an unexpected and honestly, unimportant, change in my life, it’s a great reminder that it’s okay for things to adjust- we don’t have to stay the same forever, and neither do our favorite words.

“I throw myself into the things I love, and while they are many, none are simple or shallow.”

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November Entertainment

Photos by LA Fitness, Planet Fitness, and Lifetime Fitness

Local workout lineup A closer look at what the gyms in Bloomfield Hills have to offer FRANK DUCU Guest Writer In order to achieve optimal health, exercise is crucial. While they aren’t absolutely necessary, gyms are great places to work out due to the wide range of equipment for both weight lifting and cardio, an array of knowledge from personal trainers, and the ability to help people build a healthy routine. However, each gym is different and finding the right one is essential. Luckily, residents of Bloomfield Hills have a variety of gyms to choose from, including LA

Fitness, LifeTime, and Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness is the most budget-friendly option. At only $10 per month, members have access to all the workout areas and free trainers. If members decide to upgrade to the PF Black Card for $22.99 per month, additional amenities are included such as tanning, hydromassages, and the use of all Planet Fitness locations worldwide. “The best part about Planet Fitness is the welcoming environment and non-judgemental attitude,” said junior Faris Odeh. “Instead of be-

ing surrounded by bodybuilders, you just see normal people, which definitely makes it less intimidating for beginners.” For all newcomers, Planet Fitness would be my recommendation, as it offers all the basics for the best price on the market. The next spot is LA Fitness, which is in the medium price range. For a $30 monthly payment, members get a much larger gym that includes everything Planet Fitness has and more. LA Fitness has a basketball court, sauna, and spa, as well as group fitness and swim class-

es. “In my opinion, LA Fitness is a perfect size, since it is spacious but not overcrowded,” said senior Ehab Dahbour. “When you go to the gym, especially in the evening on weekdays, there can be a lot of people - sometimes even too many. But at LA Fitness, I’ve never had a problem with waiting for a machine because there are always enough, and it makes it a lot easier to finish your workout in time.” When looking for a gym that can offer a relaxing environment without the expensive cost, LA Fitness will be

the best bet. However, LifeTime is the best of the best without question. The LifeTime located in Bloomfield Hills is the Diamond tier, which means it is the most extravagant of all. Here, members pay the most, but also get the most out of it. LifeTime offers a massive amount of additional services like weight loss programs, nutritional coaching, a child center, and the LifeCafe. LifeTime also includes all the amenities of the previous gyms with the exception of a basketball court. “What I love so much about LifeTime is the fact that they

have different kinds of classes that you can take, like different levels of yoga classes, dance classes, indoor cycling and more,” said sophomore Anabela Dordic. “After a hard workout, I love to go and grab a protein shake or a meal from the Life Cafe where I know what I’m eating is healthy.” Regardless of the gym, the overall workout will not be affected. With the right mindset, you can start achieving your fitness goals today.

November Entertainment

reviews

MOVIE

Movie

Maleficent is a must-see

Joker is in a league of its own

The Politician gets my vote

ABBEY WEITZMAN Guest Writer

LAINE LORD Managing Editor

ASHLEY FOGEL Guest Writer

An alluring story about a war against good and evil has once again been brought to theaters. Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, directed by Joachim Ronning, was a fun movie, but didn’t have much of a difference from other princess movies. Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil is a story about Queen Ingris (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is trying to kill all the fairies and creatures across the river, including Maleficent (Angelina Jolie). Maleficent has a bold and frightening appearance with her hefty wings and her pointy twisting black horns on her head, which makes her intimidating. Since Maleficent is so protective, she does her best to keep everyone safe, until trouble strikes at a family dinner with Queen Ingris’s son Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson), and Maleficent’s god-daughter Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning). This dinner was a celebration of an engagement between Philip and Aurora. Everyone is ecstatic for the two, except the Queen and Maleficent. This one dinner starts a long war between the Queen and Maleficent that changes the future for both sides. Throughout the war scene, the castle is shown being destroyed as it crumbles into pieces. It may seem like a lot is happening, but it is a very slow process. This whole scene is very original and different from past princess movies because of the surprise attacks, such as locking some of the creatures in the church. The queen is dressed in a glorious armor-like dress decorated with pearls and gems, while Maleficent is wearing a black torn dress that describes her dark and torn personality. The set is glorious, especially in the woods. It is filled to the brim with flowers of unnatural colors, trees, waterfalls, and rivers. While one part of the woods is bright and beautiful, other parts have bulky thorn bushes with a dark, mysterious background. The rest of the set is just stunning and ingenious because of how the colors and costumes coordinated with each other. For example, during the family dinner, the royal family seemed to match the castle with cream, gold, silver, and red colors, while Maleficent, wearing all black, stands out because she didn’t belong there. There was never a moment without incredible colors and sets such as the ravishing field of orange and yellow flowers. This film is acceptable for a family movie night, but not one I would go to the theaters to see again.

Movies like Joker are the reason I love film. The fusion of exceptional filmmaking and beautiful talent resulted in the absolute work of art that is Joker. Being a completely unique addition to the D.C. Universe, Joker provides the nostalgia and references to please comic book lovers, yet simultaneously proves to be a fantastic film on its own. Joker appeared on the big screen once again, played by the undoubtedly brilliant Joaquin Phoenix. This time around, we got to see how a seemingly normal man named Arthur Fleck became the monster we all love to hate today. I was immediately psyched after hearing about the production of Joker. However, after learning Todd Phillips was directing it, I was wary. Todd Phillips, known for his comedies such as The Hangover, did a surprisingly spectacular job of bringing Joker to life. For a man with such a long track record of comedies, I didn’t want Joker to be botched. Despite my uncertainty, Todd Phillips did a much better job with Joker than I was expecting. The ways in which Phillips used specific techniques to portray emotion was utterly amazing, and hearing him talk about the ways in which he did so made me even more confident in Phillips as director. Regardless of my initial trepidation regarding Todd Phillips, I was confident in Joaquin Phoenix from the beginning. The three-time Academy Award nominee absolutely dominated the role, living up to the late Heath Ledger, who previously played the Joker in The Dark Night Trilogy. However, Phoenix’s magnificent acting brought this Taxi Driver-esque Joker to the next level, and I can easily see this performance bringing an Oscar nomination and definitely living up to Ledger performance standard unlike the Jared Leto Suicide Squad flop. Among the many qualities of Joker that I loved, I do have to say that the portrayal of mental health was rather stigmatized. Within the past few years, in both society and Hollywood, I feel as though we have become more open and honest about mental health. Sadly, showing the Joker as a mentally deranged, violent killer who suffers from a long track record of mental illnesses further perpetuates the harmful stereotypes of mental health that our society has worked so hard to overcome. In addition to a rather stigmatized portrayal of mental health, Joker has been subjected to even more controversy. While some critics praised Joker as a cinematic masterpiece, others saw it as empathetic towards white nationalists. Okay, I understand how this can be seen and how in many ways, the Joker could mirror an incel terrorist. However, in this case, I believe it is important to separate the controversy from the art and look at the film subjectively. Yes, I can see the parallels, but there can also be parallels drawn to the fact that the chaos depicted throughout the film is satirical for the immense political and cultural mess that is occurring in our society right now. Regardless of the controversy, I still believe Joker is unparalleled and will be regarded as one of the best films of our generation in the years to come.

The Politician is hectic, at times confusing, but overall, it is exactly what Netflix needs. The Politician is an eight episode series, each episode ranging from 28 to 62 minutes. The show has countless twists and turns, which kept me interested and at the edge of my seat. The Politician takes place in a wealthy community in Santa Barbara, California at a private high school where elite kids fight for the best grades, best style, and best colleges. However, when it comes to the student body presidential elections, these students fight the hardest to win. The show centers around Payton Hobart (Ben Platt), a driven, obsessive student who will stop at nothing to become the president of the United States, which includes winning the election for class president at his high school and securing his spot at Harvard. His running mate, Infinity Jackson (Zoe Deutch), is the final component to pull off the election. The creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan highlight all facets of their characters’ identities in order to represent the stress teens face in the real world. Payton is very determined and fights for what he wants, especially winning the election. His mother, Georgina Hobart (Gwyneth Paltrow), supports him in everything he does. The first episode sets the tone for the series. Quickly, it introduced the viewers to a suicide, exposure to a secret samesex relationship, and a major twist in the election. It was hard to keep up with it at first, but by the end of the episode, I was invested. The acting is very professional and the writing is well done. These components, however, are not what makes this show great. What I liked the most was how realistic the characters were. As I watched the show, I could easily connect people I know to a character or a trait of a character. As the show continued, I saw even more of this as the characters developed. The Politician is a show that is, surprisingly, not all about politics. It is about the world we live in today. This show is something that every teenager should watch. It dives into subjects that many teenagers are dealing with, especially when relating to mental health, sexuality, and expressing who you really are. This show emphasizes what it means to be a teenager and why it is so complicated. That said, you will not regret bingewatching this Netflix series. It is a show you won’t know you need to watch until you watch it.

November Entertainment

Fall Face-Off Franklin Cider Mill

ERYN STERN Guest Writer Serving everything from donuts and cider to caramel apples and baked goods, and offering beautiful scenery, the Franklin Cider Mill is the best cider mill in Oakland County. Starting off with the donuts, the Franklin Cider Mill sells the best in town. Their donuts are always fresh, and contain spices that give off the aroma of the fall season. It is always a good idea to enjoy a sweet donut with a refreshing cup of cider, another fall favorite. As an added bonus, watch the cider being pressed and bottled to enhance your fall-fun experience. The caramel apples, either dipped in caramel or sliced and drizzled, are the perfect fall treat. There are also other scrumptious options for everyone, such

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as sweet baked goods, Ray’s Ice Cream, greasy cider dogs, pies of every flavor imaginable, and berry scones. Franklin Cider Mill truly offers more than enough options for satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth. Even after all of the delicious food, this cider mill still has more to offer. Many visitors enjoy going to the Franklin Cider Mill to relax by the stream and feed the ducks in the water. There is no doubt that the Franklin Cider Mill is a must-visit destination during the fall. Take a family trip or bring your friends to this fun-filled destination while enjoying the beauty that fall has to offer.

Yates Cider Mill

MARIAH AL-ATRAQCHI Guest Writer If you were to ask anyone to identify their favorite part of the fall season, I can assure you cider and donuts would be at the top of their list. What better place to enjoy those two things than Yates Cider Mill? Although Yates is a little bit farther from the Bloomfield area, the fluffy donuts, sweet cider, and crisp apples are worth the drive. Unlike other cider mills, Yates offers cinnamon sugar donuts in addition to their plain donuts, and they even have a gluten-free option available. The donuts are served fresh daily and are soft, warm, and enjoyable. Either flavor can be paired perfectly with their sweet cider, which you can drink hot, cold, or even sparkling. Yates Cider Mill also serves caramel

apples that can satisfy any sweet tooth. The crisp apples are dipped in caramel and can be eaten plain or rolled in peanuts. The menu also consists of a variety of freshly made pastries. Indulge in a warm cookie, apple turnover, or even a mini baked pie. If you come to the cider mill extra hungry, Yates also has some tasty savory food options, such as hotdogs and fresh corn on the cob. Yates is a great place to visit with friends and family during the fall time. Pop into the fudge factory and taste up to 25 different flavors of homemade fudge, or grab a delicious scoop of ice cream. Dress warm and take a stroll down the river trail, while enjoying some fresh donuts with the people you love, during the best time of the year. There’s something for everyone to enjoy at Yates Cider Mill.

Antihero saves the day

The Addams Family is a fun flick

NOA GOLDSTEIN Guest Writer

Grace Kobernik Guest Writer

Over the years I have eaten lots of different foods, but I have never encountered such a restaurant like Antihero in downtown Ferndale. The atmosphere, food, service, and experience was something truly unique that you cannot find anywhere else in Michigan. When I first walked in, I noticed how modern and trendy everything around me was. I noticed a big bar, long tables, and humongous booths that could fit at least ten people. The service was also top-notch. As soon as I sat down, our waiter made sure my table knew exactly what to order and how to conquer their new, amazing menu. I ordered six things to share with two other people, and that was the perfect amount of food. All of the food on the menu is very shareable, making it perfect for large parties of people. My favorite things that I ordered were the Japanese street corn, chicken fried tofu, and the fried chicken bun. The street corn is made with corn pieces, topped with a creamy yuzo kosho spread, cilantro, and togarashi. It was a perfect blend of flavors, as the creamy spread on top really helped the corn stand out. The chicken fried tofu is one of the most popular items on the menu, and definitely for a good reason. Don’t be fooled, this dish does not have any chicken in it. It is fried tofu, topped with a soy maple caramel sauce, furikake seasoning, jalapeno,

cilantro, and mayo. It is truly one of the most unique and best bites I have ever had and one of the highlights of the meal. My favorite thing on the menu, though, would have to be the fried chicken bun. This dish is surprisingly pretty simple, made from fried chicken in a bao bun, cilantro, and cucumber, and topped with a curry-sriracha mayo. The mayo added a nice kick, and the chicken was perfectly fried. Overall, it was the perfect dish, and very shareable as well. The desserts were also great, especially the mochi donuts, which is a dish I had never heard of or even thought of as a real thing. It was so cool because of how different it was from any other restaurant. The food was amazing, and the ambiance added to the incredible experience. Even the bathrooms are unique: when I walked in, I immediately noticed the cool and colorful murals on the wall. The artwork all over the walls in the restaurant was amazing and very creative. If you are looking for something completely new and different, go to Antihero. It is definitely worth a try.

The Addams family is back, and now animated. Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, The Addams Family is fun and fastpaced, and brings the dysfunctional family to life. The movie begins with Morticia (voiced by Charlize Theron) and Gomez (Oscar Issac), the wife and husband of the family, being chased out of their town and finding a new home away from the rest of society. They settle in an abandoned asylum on top of a cliff. When a new town is built across from their home, conflict arises. The Addamses are very different from the average family, which frightens the new residents. Margaux (Allison Janney), the founder of this new town, is very controlling. She doesn’t think she can transform the family to fit her standards, so she wants them as far away as possible. The conflict between Margaux and the Addamses continues to develop and drives the plot of the movie. The same strange, creepy antics and routines of the original The Addams Family movies, made in the 1990s, carry on in this animated spinoff. For example, the family owns a pet lion who wanders around the house. The film had good visuals, such as colorful scenery, but the comedy and charisma of the original movies were not there. With the plot being very similar to the plots of other Addams Family franchise movies

and other animated family movies in general, it was easy to predict what would happen in the next scene. However, I’m sure that the younger target audience of the film would have gotten plenty of excitement to keep them satisfied. The main theme of the movie was that individuality should be encouraged; we don’t all have to be the same. The most enjoyable aspect of the movie were the well-known voices of the actors such as Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, and Chloe Grace Moretz. Furthermore, the physical appearances of the animated characters were very similar to the original 1991 film. Because The Addams Family was fast-paced, it felt very short. This was something I actually liked because it was easier to follow the plot without extra scenes. There was action in almost every scene, which kept me engaged. The animation quality was very detailed and depicted all of the action in the best way possible. The Addams Family is entertaining for kids, but if you are a fan of the ‘90s movies, this 2019 version may not be for you. The humor was directed towards children, so I did not find it entertaining. It deserves a solid three out of five stars but if you were to ask me if I would see it again, I would say no without hesitation.

Homecoming week featured many exciting activities for students to participate in. Throughout the week, students decorated their designated hallways, competed in powderpuff and the Black Hawk games, and cheered on fall sports teams at the pep rally. The Homecoming dance was a perfect end to a spirited and fun week on Saturday night. By Ben Silberman

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Photos by Georgia Zimmerman, Erin Schwartz, and Sara Cabral