October 2013

Section B Lifestyle B1-B6

Section C Entertainment C1-C24

In Section A

District takes steps to rebound after subpar acdemic year Ryan Moonka Co-Editor-In-Chief

The Michigan Department of Education’s campaign to minimize achievement gaps in public schools has found its way into the Bloomfield Hills school district.

“The consolidation of the two schools really gives us a fresh start,” states Bloomfield Hills High School Principal Charlie Hollerith. “But knowing what we know from the last two years, with both Andover and Lahser receiving Focus School designations at some point, we really have to ask ‘what can we do to reduce this achievement gap between our highest performing and lowest performing students?’”

According to Hollerith, Focus Schools are schools that have been identified by the state as having significantly large achievement gaps between the highest and lowest performing students.

For the 2012-13 school year, Lahser High School was included in the recently released list of Focus Schools, the designation last year.

Bloomfield Hills School District Assistant Superintendent Laurie McCarty points out that Focus Schools must implement important changes, and that they must be made on their own, such as focus on after-school tutoring.

A3

A6 The Backpage

Editorial Policy The Bloomfield Hills Hawkeye is a student publication distributed free of charge to 1600 students, faculty, local community members, and businesses. We strive to inform, to entertain, and to continue a tradition of journalistic excellence. We take our integrity seriously and strive to report the news as accurately as possible.

CONNECT with us

Anshu Chen Co-Editor-In-Chief

“If

you choose to, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.” Rachel Ockner glances around. Some of her classmates are already on their feet. Others are hesitant. She is among them.

“I think maybe a little bit more than half are respectful during it,” shares Ockner. “We have a couple of kids who are embarrassed. They don’t know if their friends are going to do it, and they don’t want to look weird. I think a lot of kids feel like they’re little kids again, like when we did it in elementary school, so we feel weird doing it.”

Michigan House Bill 4934 went into effect at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, madating an opportunity for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school every day.

“I’ve made it clear to my class that I don’t consider you any less of an American if you don’t say the Pledge of Allegiance. But if you feel that that is something you want to do, we have the time there to do it,” states AP government teacher Jeffrey Lockwood.

“Additionally, the district needs to make sure that no student is compelled against his or her will and that no student is subject to bullying for not saying the pledge,” explains principal Charlie Hollerith. “If a student chooses not to stand up, there are no punishments by the teacher. Or, for that matter, by a student.”

Lockwood addresses the controversial religious aspect of the Pledge, commenting that the Pledge does not violate constitutional rights because the recitation is optional. “The fact that it says ‘under God’: right now, they’re combating that in Massachusetts. There’s an atheist family that’s saying ‘you can’t force my child to say ‘under God’ ‘.

It was a smart move for the Michigan legislature to make it optional-nobody’s forcing you to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and the ‘under God’ part. It was well-written by a lawyer somewhere who knew that if they didn’t give that out, it would most likely be challenged in court.” “[The ‘optional’ clause is] just something to shield [lawmakers] from negative reactions,” agrees Phil Laliberte, another AP government teacher. “Long ago, it’s been determined that [the ‘under God’ portion of the Pledge] become something else--part of the Americana, or what have you, but some people will still become uncomfortable with that.”

Senior Farah Fadel disagrees with Lockwood and Laliberte, saying that the Pledge breaches the separation of church and state. “’God’ is associated with Christianity. These things are done to try to bring patriotism to the country, but I don’t think religion should be forced down other people’s throats. You’re forcing religion, and you’re giving preference to one group.”

Understanding that some students, like Fadel, are uncomfortable with the Pledge, Lockwood observes a tolerant student environment. “I’ve had students stand up and do it, others work quietly at their desk. I’ve yet to see a single person look at another person and say, ‘Why aren’t you saying it?’”

School district turns to project based learning Zoe Lis Guest Writer

A3 The Community A5 The Word

Michigan Mandates Pledge of Allegiance in Public Schools

Less breadth more depth

A2 The World A4 The Campus

Taking the Pledge

Superintendent Rob Glass is changing the way that Bloomfield Hills Schools are structured.

“As a teacher, sometimes there are 150 different things that the state curriculum would say you’re supposed to teach,” explains Glass.

“Sometimes when you’re trying to cover all that you’re assigned, it’s because you know it’s going to be on some kind of test. What I was trying to say to the school district is we’re going to dwell on the fifty most important things in project format.”

The concept of “less breadth, more depth” being introduced to the curriculum means that instead of covering thirty topics a year, fifteen topics will be covered in greater detail. These topics will also be covered using more projects as opposed to using tests.

“It’s a different approach to teaching,” explains Learning Services Director Heidi Kattula. “It’s similar [to what we did before] but now it’s more application based depth on and more authentic.”

A4

Teachers integrate social media into teaching

"D

thehawkeyenews.com

Social network site offers communication channel outside of traditional setting Jake Freed

f facebook.com/ bhshawkeye

t

@hawkeyenews

Page Editor

The key to a student’s success is only a tweet away.

“Bloomfield Hills High School students have a variety of classes, and they’re also involved in a variety of activities, which can sometimes beNational Merit Semi-finalists •Anshu Chen •Martha Durrett •Kerry Hu •Kristen Law •Ryan Moonka •Shivam Patel •Rohan Sinha

National Achievement Semi-finalists

come overwhelming,” explains English teacher Mary Blair. “I think using Twitter is a nice way for teachers to support students who are busy, and may not check Moodle very often.”

Like Blair, other BHHS teachers are turning to Twitter, in order to connect to their students.

“Although I put the same information on Twitter as I do on Moodle, it reaches a different audience on Twitter. Moodle is more active; you have to log

Students like Junior Josh Bender, agree with Matz, saying “Twitter is a much better way for me to connect to my teachers than using Moodle. When I see one of my teachers tweet something, I always use it as a resource to stay up to date on my schoolwork, and it’s much more timely than Moodle. Students are checking it many times a day, as opposed to checking Moodle twitter on maybe once a day.”

A4

Seven BHHS seniors recognized as national merit scholars Yusra Niazi Associate Editor

Sinha. “But when I realized that I did, it was an awesome feeling. It does a lot for me.”

On September 25th, Sinha along with six other students were announced as National Merit Semifinalists by taking the Preliminary SAT, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. In addition, two students were announced as National Achievement Semifi-

nalists. These students represent the one-third of the 50,000 highest scores in the state.

“They represent a valuable national resource,” says National Merit Scholarship Program representative.

“Recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our

B2 Learn more about the first Bloomfield Hills High School Homecoming assembly on the photo essay in Section B

t

Tweet your d Teachers

554,750,000 People with twitters

J9,100

Average tweets per second

@msmatz

Rachel Matz

@RobertHurdle Robert Hurdle

@dlearmont1

Donna Learmont

@chollerith

Charlie Hollerith

facts

Statistics from Huffington Post

Bloomfield Hills High School Students receive national honor

Sitting at his desk during the morning announce•Danielle Okezie ments, his jaw drops in shock.

•Amira Weeks “I thought I may not have made the cut with my PSAT FACTS score,” describes senior Rohan

the

in, and need to be looking for something, whereas on Twitter, people are already on it anyways, so there’s a better chance that the information will just pop up and students will see it,” says English teacher Rachel Matz, who uses social media to communicate with her classes.

“It’s basically just another way of distributing information. I don’t think students see it that differently than their teachers just emailing them.”

PLEDGE on A2

the

Bloomfield Hills High School

Volume I

Issue I

October 2013

HAWKEYE the Section A News/Opinon A1-A6

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

Table of Contents

BHS identified as focus schools

nation. This achievement will help a lot with the student’s college applications as well.”

“This achievement is really an honor,” says Sinha. “It feels great knowing that my hard work and grit through high school has paid off receiving a distinction like this and will help me in my future.”

“I have worked very hard throughout my high school

career, and I’m thrilled to achieve this,” explains senior Amira Weeks, who is one of the two National Achievement Semifinalists. “It feels great to be acknowledged for my efforts, but I also know that there is always more to do.

Hopefully, this achievement will be one of many successes that I will accomplish in my senior year and in my future.”

the

FACTS

A6

B1

C6

the

WORLD News

A2 October

Bloomfield Model UN hosts regional event

WHAT IN THE

WORLD

Students prepare for Southeast Michigan Model UN tournament Steve Yoo Guest Writer

Discover news from all around the world and how it affects the community

china

China: 58 Chinese fishermen are still missing after Typhoon Wutip struck south-east Asia last week.

kenya

kenya: Nairobi’s Westgate mall was besieged on September 21st. Al Shabab, a Somali islamist group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

AMERICA

america: Government shutdown amid political gridlock, the U.S. Federal Government lacked budgeting to operate.

800,000 workers have been asked to stay home during the shutdown. syria: The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has begun removing chemical weapons from Syria last week. They are part of a deal between Russia and the United States to disarm Syria.

kenya

SYRIA

Sources: CNN, Fox News, USA Today, The New York Times

WHAT

How has your view of the American political system changed after the government shutdown?

Sophomore

been easier for the government to try and work it out.

to know this

week

“ It makes me feel a little bit unsafe about how my life is going to pan out.

“You can do it on Monday; you don’t have to do it on Tuesday,” comments senior Daniel Baum. “You should want to do it. If you don’t want to do it, you should not have to--and you don’t have to.

People ought to know that.”

According to Fadel, the law’s provisions against bullying have not entirely eliminated peer pressure. “When you see everyone else standing up, you don’t want to be the only one sitting down and not participating because you’re going to get dirty looks from everybody,” says Fadel, who does not stand for the pledge. “If you’re not stand-

Senior

Lauren Lacks Senior

“ I’m not sure what

“ They’re childish

caused the shutdown so it doesn’t change my opinion.

because rather than compromising, they’re negotiating.

Discover news from around the world and how it affects the Bloomfield Hills community

Apple surpasses Coca-Cola as most valuable brand

PLEDGE from A1:

Joe Baczkowski

President Obama supports House bill to provide pay for furloughed government workers

First bionic leg to allow the mind to control movement.

ing up, that’s a problem.” of loyalty to the United States, “You can’t compel people I’m certain that it’s a result to do it,” says Hollerith. “It of the 9/11 attacks [and] the wasn’t like in the old War on Terror,” days when it was a he states. “You patriotic [act]. We’re could go back to You should the Cold War as a much more diverse want to do it. the last time we society. …I think while there were a lot If you don’t saw that; making of lawmakers who felt want to do it, sure everybody it was important to knows that we you should are Americans.” honor our flag, they not have todidn’t want to compel However, Lalpeople or punish them -and you do iberte adds that if they chose not to.” not you don’t the reaction is Phillip Laliberte, anless intense than have to. in the Cold War other AP Government DANIEL BAUM era. “They’re cogteacher, recalls his own Senior high school years. “We nizant of making didn’t do it in high school. This sure that there [are] provipush to have public displays of sions to prevent bullying or patriotism and reaffirmation discrimination. I don’t think

“

Avatar-themed attraction set to open at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in 2017

you would have seen that a few decades ago. Is it due to a change in culture or due to lawsuits? It’s hard to tell.”

“I can count the number of times I ever said [the Pledge] in high school on one hand, and it was for commencement and sporting events,” shares 2013 Bloomfield Hills alumna Caitlyn Bramble. “It was more ceremonial, whereas now it’s more routine. I think that takes away from what makes the Pledge of Allegiance such a special thing.”

“I think the Pledge of Allegiance is just a moment to reflect upon being an American citizen and what our country stands for,” concludes Laliberte.

Three U.S. scientists awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine.

>>

PLEDGE

the

5 things

Junior

1.

Fact or Fiction

The pledge was initially written with the words “Under God” Fact Fiction

Supreme Court ruled that citi2. The zens couldn’t be forced to say the Pledge.

Fact Fiction

3. The Pledge was recognized by the United States Government in 1942 Fact Fiction

4. The name “Pledge of Allegiance”

didn’t become the Pledge’s official title until 1954.

Fact Fiction Answers: 1. Fiction 2. Fact 3. Fact 4. Fiction

“

“ I feel like it would’ve

Andi Freedland

“

Spencer Nabors

“

THINK

“

DO YOU

“

On November 9th, the BHHS facility will be hosting the Southeast Michigan Model United Nations Association(SEMMUNA) for the second year in a row.

“I’m excited because it gives us a good opportunity to do a lot of work. It lets us get more involved with the entire Model UN process,” says senior Shivam Patel, captain of the Model UN club. “It gives our delegates more op- MATTHEW p o r t u n i t y MACLEOD Model UN b e c a u s e Advisor we’re the host school, so we control more things about the competition.”

According to Model UN club advisor, Matthew MacLeod, the competition serves as an introduction to the world of Model UN. Unlike most high school events, MacLeod says SEMMUNA is run and organized entirely by students. With over 700 students expected to participate this year, SEMMUNA is one of the largest high school competitions in Michigan.

“Model UN is, at its core, a role-playing club,” he explains.

“Students get to take on the part of characters and nations from around the world. You may be playing the part of France on the nuclear disarmament committee, working with kids from twenty different schools.”

As stated by Patel, the members of the BHHS MUN club will be in charge of setting up the rooms, preparing food for the participants, and organizing the committees. In addition, students from the Michigan State University MUN collegiate team will be volunteering to act out as different characters of the issues in committees.

“I think it’ll be a lot more interesting and fun for all the students,” says Patel. “We’ll make improvements based on the things we struggled with last year.”

States that with MacLeod, hosting SEMMUNA two years in a row is unique in itself because Royal Oak, the main host, likes to change the location of the event each year. However, the school that had originally planned to host this year had difficulties arranging the facility for the day of the event. Because BHHS has an experienced club, the school gained the privilege of hosting the event once again.

“In order to be hosting this huge competition, you have to have a reputation within the Model UN community of being a strong program,” expresses MacLeod. “We were quite privileged, and I felt quite honored that they gave us the opportunity to host it the second year in a row.”

The captains of Model UN have conveyed their excitement and determination for this year’s event.

“I’m ecstatic about SEMMUNA. I know that we’ve really stepped it up a notch with our level of planning and intensity compared to last year’s event,” concludes senior Rohan Sinha, MUN captain.

the

COMMUNITY News

A3 October

West Hills Middle School revamps building for better learning environment Bloomfield Park sold to local company

RIDE

2.8x

more likely

Talking or Listening

1.3x

more likely

Reaching for device

1.4x

more likely

How can you stop?

At&t It Can Wait. Pledge

Take the pledge with millions of other drivers to never text and drive at itcanwait.com.

The texting and driving epidemic hits Bloomfield Hills Hannah Bradley Page Editor

Driving down the road, she knows not to touch her phone.

“For me, it’s just common sense not to text and drive,” explains senior Madelyn Celovsky. “It just doesn’t make sense to do those two things at once because I know how dangerous it is to text while I’m driving.”

On September 19th, guest speakers from AT&T held a presentation for the senior class about the dangers of texting and driving.

“The purpose of the presentation was to bring awareness to the dangers of texting and driving,” shares AT&T sales planning manager Cassandra Berry, one of the guest speakers who shared personal stories of loss that resulted

from texting while driving.

“Hopefully the students really take to heart the seriousness and consequences of using a cell phone while driving.

They should understand that this is a very serious matter.”

“Even though there are laws against texting and driving, there are so many people who still do it anyway,” shares President of Apple Driving School Jim Maiorana. “A lot of people don’t realize how dangerous it is to text and drive. You take your eyes off the road to text and you need to have your eyes on the road. The odds that someone driving in the opposite direction is texting too are actually pretty good.”

He continues, “You are four times more likely to be involved in a car crash if you are talking on the phone and driving, so the numbers for texting and driving are absolutely off the charts. You have no ability to drive a car and text. You’re not watching where you are going.”

•Energy efficient windows •New flooring and effective air conditioning systems •New spaces for students to collaborate

New

Paul Pal

Source: AT&T

Students and driving experts reflect on the dangers of texting and driving

•Drinking fountains capableof accomodating water bottles

Senior explains experience getting hit by texting driver

Dialing

An app designed to help you curb the urge to text or talk on your mobile phone while driving.

•iPad bars in media center for electronic collaboration

R DIE

Know the Facts

AT&T DriveMode App

•Elevators for disabled students

What’s

“

Ahamad Zalt expresses that school life without the library has been boring however; there are limited supplies available in classrooms.

Despite the lack of access to the media center, reactions to the changes are positive among parents and students.

Ms. Mix, parent of a West Hills student, says, “I am impressed. It’s more cozy and homey. I think the drinking fountains are more sanitary as they allow filling water bottles.

That’s very cool. It’s just seems more updated and eye pleasing.

Annaka Torrey, sixth grader at West Hills, reacts, “I can’t wait until [the TVs] are plugged in. Some of them are touchscreen, and so you can use them as a board.” “[The staff is] excited. Overall, I think it’s been a very positive experience. Something a person who’s been here all the time may think, ‘Wow it’s such an improvement,’” concludes Durecka.

“I do text and drive sometimes,” admits senior Heather Moriarty. “I guess I don’t think about it when I’m driving or I just figure I’m a good enough driver to handle it.”

“If you’re traveling at 55 miles per hour while texting, this equals to driving the length of a football field without looking at the road,” describes vice president of the Texting and Driving Safety Organization Lynn Edgin.

“It’s very dangerous.

You need to be one hundred percent focused on what you are doing, which is driving a car.”

“The truth of the matter is that a cell phone has no place in a vehicle,” shares Maiorana. “Multitasking is just not possible. You lose forty percent of your brainpower when one other person talks to you while you’re driving.

When you’re texting someone, you’re having a conversation with them which requires thinking and takes away your

brainpower.

You need to have all the brain capacity to be able to make good decisions while you’re driving.”

According to Edgin, there are ways that texting and driving can be eliminated.

“The risks of texting and driving is going to be something that people have to be educated on. It’s up to the individual. There are all kinds of text blockers and things like that, but it has to be an individual knowing how dangerous it is and deciding not to do it.”

“Texting and driving can be prevented if people police themselves,” concludes Bloomfield Hills Police Department Sergeant Craig Shackleford. “They need to realize that when they’re driving, that’s their job. Find a parking spot before you answer your phone. If you have a passenger in the car, let them address the communications. You have to drive as if your life depends on it, because it really does.”

Guest Writer

Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down.

I was bike riding with a friend. We got to a cross walk, and I saw a lady stopped at the red light. I thought I was good to go so I just kept going.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to do because next thing I knew I was in the process of becoming roadkill.

According to the police report the woman “didn’t see me” as I was crossing (probably because she was on her phone, that makes it pretty hard to see the road) and drove right into me. She kept on going on her merry way for another 45 feet, with my body being dragged along, before she realized that it wasn’t the road that was causing such a bumpy ride.

My initial thoughts? Holy sh★t. I’m going to die. It felt inevitable. I didn’t even feel fear. My emotions were all gone. All I knew is that when I opened my eyes, I would be just another tragedy on the 6 o’clock news.

The full force of my emotions didn’t hit until later. I was lying on my back hooked up to three IVs. My mom was crying over me. In a drug induced haze my emotions took over. And I cried.

Amidst the sobs, I didn’t even notice my friends around me.

All I could do was imagine all the difPAUL PAL ferent ways it could have ended. My legs getting run over.

My head smashed by the muffler. Not being able to ever walk again. Instead of helping me apply to college, my mom might have been planning my funeral.

Each scenario was worse than the last.

I honestly felt hopeless. As the seconds, minutes, and hours dragged on, I just got more and more depressed.

Even today, I still have nightmares about different outcomes. If I’m not doing anything, my mind becomes Even today, filled with some I still have very graphic images. It sucks. I nightmares cringe and shut about different my eyes. It’s like outcomes. fighting myself.

I don’t know why my brain is tormenting me like this. It seems like surviving physically was the easy part because mentally I don’t feel the same.

But that’s just the problem of one guy.

Some random high schooler who most of you don’t even care about. Just another teenager with mental problems. You know why I’m telling you all this? I certainly don’t like to go around telling people that I’ve cried. I’m almost crying as I write this.

A license to drive may just become a license to kill. It’s that everyone seems to be on a phone at the wrong time.

When is it the right time? Well when you’re in control of a 8,000 pound death machine it sure as hell isn’t. I don’t want to throw our boring statistics because no one cares. Just look at it this way; what’s more important, a life, or the newest tweet from Kanye.

“

“

Walking among hundreds of students, squeezing through the doors of her new school she knew life at middle school would be different.

“The changes are so extreme,” sixth grader Anna Saliz says of the renovations made at West Hills Middle School. “It’s kind of unbelievable that they could do it over one summer.

And the whole school from the inside looks more modern.”

According to West Hills Principal Robert Durecka, construction on the 40-yearold building which started the last week of the previous school year wasn’t what he initially expected.

“My first reaction was wow.

It was a major change and it really showed what the high school was going to look like,” he says of the project which is

ing to replace what used to Denise Moll explains how be sunken pits and adding the thought process worked. lifts to be compatible with “The architects and the staff did the American Disabilities Act. a lot of thinking ahead. There “I really think the heart of are televisions surrounding the the school is the new ‘gateways media center and ‘iPad bars’. spaces.’ These are areas for Technology will be emphasized kids to work collaboratively,” in the classroom much more.”

According to Gignac, the adds Durecka. “I iPad bars allow more think that the new access to technology. design in the meThe changes The school will be able dia center, [as well as] incorporating really support to have an Apple TV Whatspace that weren’t us and what connection. used before will re- we do here ever the teacher is doing on their iPad will ally bring it togethROBERT be displayed on the er for the group.”

DURECKA screen to their stu“Teachers always WHMS Principal dent. It will also help have kids together working in the hallways and in with collaboration as students the middle of the tile hallway can present and share with and you are thinking, is this one another on the screen.

“I think it is going to chalreally the best space to collaborate like that?” expresses lenge some teachers. We defiGignac. “The teachers really nitely have a staff of risk takwanted to have those spaces so ers and it’ll really help with kids can meet and collaborate. collaboration.” Gignac says.

Since the media center is still Now I think we have it. I think it is really neat to see that.” under construction, books are Media Center Specialist not available. Eighth grader

Vacant property bought by Farmington Based comapny Merrick Weingarten Guest Writer

A Farmington Hills retail developing company has a purchase agreement for the rights to the vacant Bloomfield Park.

The property on Square Lake and Telegraph is currently under review. Dustin Blitchok of the Oakland Press writes that the park currently sits half-finished since a project was stopped in 2008.

“Grand/Sakwa is undertaking its due diligence review at this time,” says Elise Wilkinson, Grand/Sakwa’s communication manager. “We are thrilled [that] a developer with the experience and resources of Grand/ Sakwa is involved in the project.”

According to Deputy Oakland County Executive Matthew Gibb Wells Fargo is attempting to sell its interest in the property, allowing a third party to seek foreclosure of the bank note.

“

Nisa Khan

Guest Writer

anticipated to be completed in October. “The changes really support us and what we do here. It was really exciting and the first day of school was the time to see just how many changes had occurred— it really good feeling when you walk into the building.”

Durecka says the feedback he has received from students, staff and the community has been positive, especially since the school has not had a major renovation project in over 14 years.

The purpose for the renovations were to mirror the future Bloomfield Hills High School’s building with more space and technology.

WHMS Associate Principal Andrew Gignac agrees with Durecka, and explains that the five million dollars from the BHS sinking was used for the changes was divided between energy efficient windows to new flooring to effective air conditioning. Other renovations include leveling floor-

“

Students and staff at Bloomfield Middle School examine recent renovations

“If a transacIt will have tion can an immediate be completed, impact on the benevaluations fits to the throughout City of the area.

Pontiac and the Matthew Gibb County County Executive will be very positive. This opportunity represents new jobs and renewed investment. We remain hopeful that the parties involved can find a way to close on this deal, and begin the cleanup and rebirth of this site. It will have an immediate impact on valuations throughout the area.” Leo Savoie, a Bloomfield Park supervisor, believes buying the park is a good investment. Grand/Sakwa can make and generate money either through the sale or lease of this property.”

“We hope to see a strong retail component along Telegraph,” says Savoie who states no official plans of the area have been released, “I think the back portion of the property would be ideally set up for medical research and/or cooperate headquarters for automotive related industries.”

For more information about this possible acquisition, contact the Oakland County Office.

“

FOCUS from A1: “The state provides little aid,” she explains. “We would have to gather more data ourselves and have to investigate into who these lower performing students are. Remember, this is all based off of a few days of testing, so it’s not completely accurate, but there’s not any other way to gather the data in an easier way. Is that indicative of the way students are performing in their classrooms? Are students performing differently on other tests? Or was it just a bad day? So we have to gather a lot of data. We have to look at the individual students.”

“How do we provide these lower performing students with the resources they need?” BHHS teacher and former Education Association president, Frank Laurinec asks, “The district is utilizing a number of different programs to support these students, but the reality is we need additional resources from the state. The state needs to take seriously the need to put resources across the state to that lower 30% of students that exists in every district.”

Agreeing with Laurinec, Hollerith states, “we have to address this gap. Through programs such as after-school tutoring, we need to make sure we are giving students as much support as possible, and hopefully it’ll make an impact with the upcoming school year.”

“Programs like after-school tutoring really allow students the time and help needed to boost their grades,” explains a National Honor Society after-school tutor senior William Tener. “I think that these programs really do make a difference.”

the

CAMPUS A4 October

COST//In order to construct the drop off/pick up zone, the Bloomfield Hills

DEPTH from A1:

“What’s important is that you’re going to be a really good thinker; you say ‘why is this important to me and what can I do with it?’… schools of the past didn’t do as good of a job [with that.]”

Senior Hannah Rosenfeld expresses optimism. “I think that the new changes will be a good way for students to branch out in a different, more creative way.”

“Ten years from now it won’t matter what was on that test,” clarifies Glass. “It will matter what kind of thinker you became, what kind of person it led you to be.”

According to Kattula, the changes being implemented are moving the school district towards a type of learning more consistent with the modern world.

“The new technology makes testing a better measure for all students,” says Kattula. “It’s a different kind of assessment model. We’re moving to a more constructive approach where you have to share your thinking. You have to show your steps in the problem and construct [the answer] on the computer instead of selecting which choice is correct.”

Math teacher Steven Thomas says, “I think that’s spectacular. I think students benefit more from...being an expert in one or two things than not being an expert at all.”

News

School District spent more than $200,000.

WHEN//

The construction of the drop off/pick up zone started this past summer and ended two days before school started.

WHO//The Barten Malow Company and Nagel Paving Company designed, paved, and finished the construction of the drop off/pick up zone.

carmageddon Parking problems semi-solved //////

“Over 150 students signed up Juniors and their parfor the lottery,” says Hollerith. ents reflect on the se“However, since the school only niors only parking lot has about 360 parking spots for

Julia Lee & Yusra Niazi

students, we couldn’t give one to every junior. Each student was numbered, and we selected them at random from a box.”

According to Hollerith, it seems that parents are more concerned about the traffic and parking situation than academics.

“I had gotten more questions about parking than any other school-related questions like AP and IB classes,” he explains. “This is one of the reasons the administration decided to create a lottery.”

Rama’s mom, Basema Karkoukli, explains how her

Associate Editors

Watching the other juniors park in neighborhoods, she feels relieved to receieve a parking pass.

“It’s more convenient,” says junior Rama Karkoukli. “I understand why seniors get first priority to park. However, it was a relief to know that I was one of the juniors who won the lottery to receive a parking pass.”

On September 23rd, Karkoukli along with 39 other juniors were granted parking spots in the former senior-only Main Campus parking lot.

TWITTER from A1: Blair agrees, and finds that the instant connection from Twitter makes it easier to connect with students. According to Blair, “The spread of Twitter throughout teachers is related to the evolution of the technology in classrooms. A few years ago students could not use cell phones or computers at all during school. Now teachers encourage students to bring their devices and to look at social media for reminders, so we are now trying to exploit the positives of technology and social media.”

“Although Twitter represents student’s personal stuff, education comes first,” explains Bender. “Even though some students may find it weird that their teachers can see what we are tweeting, anything that can help us academically is a good thing.”

Both Matz and Blair recommend Twitter to any teachers who do not already have one.

“The only setback I can see from Twitter is students growing to rely on it too much,” says Blair. “Aside from that, it’s a great tool for great students.”

“I think the idea of instantaneous information on Twitter is really intriguing and I don’t see it going away anytime soon.

As long as students are glued to their Twitters, and I know many students are, teachers are always going to be trying to find better ways to communicate to students,” Matz concludes.

daughter receiving a parking pass has eased life as well.

“It is so much easier for Rama to drive herself to school rather than me picking and dropping her off everyday. If she’s old enough to get her license, I think she should be able to drive to school by herself as well.”

For other juniors, however, they will have to wait until the next school year. Parking will continued to be limited to seniors and the selected juniors.

“I don’t think I can say anything to make the unhappy happy at this point,” states Hollerith. “The problem is that we simply don’t have room.

I wish I could give everyone a parking space, but I just can’t.”

q &A

WITH THE PRINCIPAL

`

CHARLIE

hollerith

to the first week of school, approximately how long does Q. Compared it take for the traffic to calm down once school gets out at 2:30? on the first day of school, it took about 40 minutes for the busA. Well, es, the parents, and the student drivers to leave the parking lot and Lahser Road. Now that everyone knows how the system works, the traffic clears out about 15 minutes after school ends.

Q. How many parking spots are available in the lot?

There are 360 parking spots for student drivers. Out of those 360, A. 40 of them are juniors and 320 are seniors. There are 75 spots reserved for staff, along with 5 for handicap.

Q. not enough parking spots for everyone. Was it okay that students During sporting events, like the Homecoming Game, there were parked in the neighborhoods near campus?

there were enough parking spots for everyone, but there isn’t A. Isowish I’d hope that students parking in neighborhoods would respect, the private property, the speed limit and drive in a safe manner.

Michigan school districts adjust to new public school dissolution laws of school consolidation

Briefly Speaking

National Honor Society members initiate free after school tutoring sessions for Math and English subjects. Sessions run everyday from 2:30 to 4:30 in room 404. All students are welcome. Contact advisors Mrs. Ossenmacher and Mr. Klein for more information.

trict, which has over 2,400 students population, has been questioned by a state emergency panel for not being able to pay its teachers’ eleven million dollar health insurance premiums for two years.

She writes that some legislators consider this fiscal disability to be proof that a cap on size is unfair to larger districts, districts that can be in even poorer financial standing than their sub 2,400 population counterparts.

According to Glass, “If there are better solutions that can keep the district intact and can keep [students] in their regular school, I think that is a better solution.”

For some more on Bill 4813, visit the Michigan Legislative Website at http:// w w w. l e g i s l a t u r e . m i . g o v /

The Muslim Student Association and Student Leadership are holding a blood drive hosted by American Red Cross on November 4th.

Sessions run from 8 am to 8 pm at the BHHS main campus. Contact Jessica Lupone or Krista Laliberte to register and for more information about the blood drive.

UUUUUUUUU A school district cannot be consolidated if it contains over

2400 STUDENTS UUUUUUUUU The bill passed in the House

20-18

$

G

Buena Vista’s deficit has grown to a projected $3.7 million and a decline of 16 percent in student enrollment for fall.

facts

the

“

disruption and a lack of focus.”

Unlike Glass and Hughes, English teacher Mary Blair takes a more moderate stance.

“Teachers become teachers because we want to educate young children or students.

So we want to be able to welcome students into our school district; we don’t want these students to be displaced and not have anywhere to go.”

However, Blair’s opposition was very definite if certain conditions were not met. “If the number of students increase and not the number of teachers,” she says, “then [teachers and students] feel the same way.”

Legislators, too, have held revisionary talks over the bill.

According to Diane Dillaber Murray of the Oakland Press, the Pontiac school dis-

local news:

Our school district, like other school districts in Michigan, is concerned.

“I think it’s a big disruption,” Bloomfield Hills Superintendent Robert Glass says of House Bill 4813, which regulates the criterion for school district dissolution. “[The students] no longer have a district and are pressed into a situation [where] they’re put into a new school district; I think that has got to be traumatic.”

According to the bill’s text (as published by the Michigan Legislative Website), the law

campus news:

Guest Writer

campus news:

Aidan Menchaca

financial help and management, amends the 1979 Public Act along with other measures to 451 and specifies a 2,400 stuget them healthy again rather dent population cap for dissothan just dissolving them.” lution. The school districts of Glass is not the only person Inkster and Buena Vista have, in opposition. Senior Cassince the bill’s passing, been sidy Hughes describes her marked for dissoludisapproval of the bill as well. tion this school year.

“The districts that “Personally, I don’t I don’t think are faced with the think school districts school districts inheritance of these should be dissolved at all,” says Glass, who finds should be kids would have to the new legislation to be dissolved at all adapt to all of these ill-advised and unsub- ROBERT GLASS new students, hiring new teachers stantiated. “I think it’s Superintendent and expanding the a poor solution; it puts schools. That could prove [to a burden on other districts be] costly. I think that other around. From what I understudents wouldn’t take it so stand … it forces the school diswell. I think that they see that tricts to scramble… I think the smaller class sizes are better bebest way to deal with school discause the teachers can focus on tricts that are failing is to interstudents individually, whereas vene early and help them avoid in a large class, you are prone to failing. Get them emergency

“

House Bill 4813 to potentially shut down smaller school districts

Do you want to scare yourself into getting some community service hours? Why not help out with the Bowers Farm Haunted Corn Maze. The maze is currently in session and could use your help to make this a success. Stop by the community service office for more details.

the

WORD

Opinion

Expressing frustration on comments

Why do YOU think Americans should be concerned about the intervention in Syria?

To those who feel the need to comment on everything

“

“ Whatever happens to

Syria, it is possible that it can impact America.

See what

Courtney Zhu

Tess Garcia

Junior

“ Ethically speaking, we

should intervene to end the dangers in Syria.

the

HAWKEYEstaff thinks.

Narmeen Rehman

Junior

“

“ We should care because no innocent civilian should die for freedom.

Max Efros

“

“ People are dying. It

is not okay that their government is doing nothing to help.

“ We should care because the world is so small, it can easily affect us.

Junior

“ We should care. It’s

unfortunate to see the destruction of such a rich culture.

HAWKEYE

the

See what

Garrett Wolf

Senior

Michael Kemeny

Sophomore

“

Never mind the fact that the United States has vested geoeconomic interests throughout the region, or that even the United Nations, an inherently conservative body, has concluded that chemical nerve agents have indeed been used.

More civilians have been killed in the Syrian Civil War in the past thirty months than there are people in Lansing, or Berkeley, or Cambridge, Massachusetts. Principally for the humanitarian arguments, we firmly believe that the United States should openly support a more democratic Syria.

Or if the country can’t be swayed by political arguments, Americans should at least sympathize for the 22 million Syrian civilians whose lives literally hang in the balance.

This isn’t to say, of course, that the non-humanitarian concerns are negligible; bluntly stated, Syria is a geographic crossroads situated in the most politically volatile region on the planet. Unrest in Syria has already spread to Lebanon, and protests have the potential to destabilize Turkey, Iraq and Egypt as well.

In addition to political concerns, the Middle East is economically important as well. Though Syria itself is oilstarved, the rest of the peninsula collectively sits upon the largest conventional reserves on the planet. The United States and especially Europe are currently and will remain hostages of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for years to come. Should the situation in Syria continue to deteriorate and thereby jeopardize Western access to Arabian petroleum, we may face an energy crisis larger than those of the 1970’s embargoes.

However, the former arguments have had little influence over the American public. Poll after poll, such as a CNN survey conducted on September 9 (after President Obama’s address), finds that the United States favors complete military inaction, often by margins as wide as 3:1.

In other words, we care so little for the Syrian situation that we’d rather stand and watch Bashar al-Assad massacres his own people than provide support the rebel cause.

To be fair, the question of American military intervention is complicated. But it is exceptionally difficult to make the case that the deaths of 115,000 Syrians and multiple confirmed uses of atrocious sarin gas holds no relevance for us.

The United States has always viewed itself as a champion for the oppressed, and to abandon the Syrians would completely go against our moral values.

Maddy Pazner

student body thinks

Junior

“ As Americans, it’s very

important that we help out in any way we can.

Laverna Thomas

“

We believe students should be concerned about the Syrian Civil War.

“

Our take

Cartoon drawn by Maggie Smith

“

d hawkeye editorial

Senior

“ It affects our relations

with other countries, so we should intervene.

“

Senior conveys thoughts on failing democracy in Detroit Implementation of Michigan’s Emergency Manager threatens the democracy of Detroit Ryan Moonka Co-Editor-in-Chief

If you answered yes to any of these questions, write a letter to the editor, sharing your opinion on a story from this issue.

Letters to the editor may be dropped off in Miss Hammitt’s room 107 during 6th hour, or emailed to bloomfieldhawkeye@gmail.com.

They may be edited for content and/or space.

HAWKEYE

2013-2014

S TA F F Editor-in-Chief Anshu Chen Ryan Moonka Lizzie Nagel

Democracy can fail. You don’t have to be a historian to know that. Look as recently as US efforts in Iraq and self-imposed efforts in Egypt, or look as far back as preHitler Germany and you’ll see the same thing. But that could never happen in America, right? After all, America is “the home of the free and the land of the brave.”

Wrong. With the consent of Governor Rick Snyder, Detroit’s Mayor Dave Bing handed over the reins of the city to Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, and the city of Detroit essentially lost all rights to democracy.

Now of course, democracy still lives on in Detroit. Citizens can still vote for City

Advisor Christina Hammitt

Managing Editors Section A: Narmeen Rehman Section B: Annie Reed Section C: Sarah Kovan Web: Matthew Webster

Council members and the Mayor during erything the Founding Fathers fought for.

Remember Popular Sovereignty, election season. The only differthe belief that a representative form ence is that these positions are of government is created by the now irrelevant. The Emergency people, and only exists because of Manager, a man who holds all the the people? What about Abe Linpower in Detroit, wasn’t elected. coln’s quote, “…government of the That is room for concern. I’ve After all, people, by the people, for the peoheard the same complaints that you have all heard-that the people American is ple, shall not perish from the earth?” who run Detroit are too greedy, too “the home of Government for the people may not have perished from the Earth, but corrupt to run the city. But a force the free and it sure has perished from Detroit. much higher than any state law the land of the The future of Detroit matters bethat legalizes an emergency manager governs this land- the United brave.” Wrong. cause it is the heart of southeastern Michigan. As the city begins to reStates of America’s Constitution.

The Founding Fathers, some of the vitalize, it will become a hotspot for jobs and greatest men to walk this Earth, wrote the even internships. Thousands of young adults Constitution to protect the rights they have moved into Detroit in recent years. fought so hard to gain. The very defini- Eventually, the city’s proximity to Bloomfield tion of an Emergency Manager refutes ev- Hills will be a blessing rather than a curse.

“

Want to share your voice? Do you have an opinion? Do you want to tell others what you think?

“

Associate Editors Section A: Julia Lee Yusra Niazi

Section C: Brendan Eathorne Maddy Pazner

Section B: Maitreyi Anantharaman Courtney Zhu

Web: Noah Cicurel Jonah Newman

Page Editors Brittany Andrews Hannah Bradley Jake Freed Shelbi Jouni Jasmine Sharma

Cartoonists Maggie Smith Jordan Wooten

Guest Writer

To the nice guy who held the door open for me this morning, thank you. To the kid in the hall who picked up my textbook before I even noticed I’d dropped it, thank you.

To the super-cute baseball boy who once knelt down and retied my Converse sneaker, thank you, thank you, thank you. Chivalrous boys like you give me hope.

But is chivalry dying out?

It’s hard to say. Whether we like it or not, the idea of oldfashioned courteousness is certainly changing. You can’t do the jitterbug in an age of bumping and grinding.

Let’s go back to the 1950’s for a moment; a time when boys would politely introduce themselves to girls’ parents, pay for their dates’ Chivalry has gone chocolate milkmissing. shakes, and always ask before they acted. Maybe, if they were lucky, they’d steal a kiss before the end of the night.

It’s now 2013. We’ve gone from sending telegrams to tweets and texts, from Sandy and Danny to Kanye and Kim, from The Beatles to Britney Spears. Women have become less reliant on their male counterparts, which is fantastic. However, with the progression of our culture has come the loss of something wonderful.

Chivalry has gone missing. I don’t know about you, but I want it back.

In this day and age, chivalry is practically an urbanlegend; witnessed by few, but longed for by many.

I want my knight in shining armor, but I fear he’s lost in a sea of hormonal boys wearing saggy pants.

Sometimes, it’s hard not to long for the days when a boy would ask a girl’s permission to hold her hand, to give her a peck on the cheek. Your date develop his share of tacky, lovey-dovey feelings before becoming physically involved. Sometimes, it’s hard not to long for the 50’s.

This isn’t some kind of crazy demand. As girls and women, we have the right to hold our love interests to certain standards. We deserve chivalry and kindness from our boyfriends, our girlfriends, our imaginary “special friends,” our horizontalmambo-partners; whatever you want to call your significant other (or lack thereof ).

If you’re a boy, I want you to open the door for the next girl you see. I don’t care what door it is--it can be the bathroom door, whatever--because no matter how strange it may feel, you will, without a doubt, make some girl’s day. It definitely made mine. When you’re done, give your back a celebratory pat, and tell yourself, “Hey Johnny, you did your good deed for the day.

Now go spend the rest of it doing stupid boy things.”

“

Sophomore

“

Merrick Weingarten

Lizzie Nagel

“

Analyzing chivalry in society Questioning if chivalry still exists today

Co-Editor-in-Chief

I’m in class.

I am respectfully trying to listen to the teacher’s lecture.

And here you are.

Barging into the conversation with your completely unnecessary comments.

“Well, personally, and this is just my opinion…”

No one cares about your opinion. No one asked you. Stop commenting on everything.

Surprisingly enough, the world does not revolve around you.

Who do you think you are?

A student is trying to make a thoughtful point based on the material that we are learning in class and for some reason you think it’s perfectly acceptable to interrupt them to tell the class about the time you swam with dolphins.

Congratulations. Special award for you. Gold star. Now shut up.

I know, listening to anyone besides yourself can be hard sometimes but it’s something everyone has to deal with.

“Remember class, the test is next Friday.”

“Ugh, Friday? But I already have a test on Friday.

This is just like that other time when I had two tests on the same day. It’s the worst.”

Just…just no. Stop right now.

Stop talking. Just stop it all.

The worst part is that these people exist in all walks of life, not just the classroom.

Ordering coffee? The person behind you in line just has to tell you all about their daughter’s first dance recital coming up.

Eating at a restauNo one cares rant? The about your poor waitress has to opinion. No listen to one asked their dumb you. customer’s life story.

Moviegoers? In every theater there seems to be at least one person whispering to themselves throughout the entirety of the film.

“Oh my god! Why is he chasing after the girl? I remember the last time I chased after a girl and let me tell you… it did not go as planned.”

So next time you’re about to bore someone with your completely unnecessary commentary, just think about if you would want someone else to do the same to you.

A5 October

“

Writers Minhal Asim Aidan Menchaca Tess Garcia Paul Pal Liza Hsu Michelle Phillips Josh Inwald Sadhna Ramanathan Ally Jaksen Steve Yoo Nisa Khan Merrick Weingarten Zoe Lis Daniel Bordener Mayssa Masri

Lifestyle

B1 October

LIFESTYLE table of contents [section B]

B2: the memories B3: the culture B4: the game B5: the hawkstars B6: the scoop

out of context “The atmosphere got really awkward, but I kept it on because I was still curious”

B3

Bloomfield Hills Schools tackles student-led prayer debate Junior Chris Saker prepares for a Black Hawks football game; photo courtesy of Susan Adams Photography

PLAYERS BEFORE PRAYERS

“We were so excited. It was one of the best moments ever” B4

Annie Reed

“We wanted to create a happy place for the whole family.

People just keep coming back”B3

the

FACTS

47¢

per ounce of froyo @ Just Peachy

5.9%

acceptance rate @ Harvard University (2012)

3/1000 American children are born deaf each year

Managing Editor

Fast Fact Yahoo sports article featuring Bloomfield Football was shared 1555 times on Facebook.

He couldn’t believe that only a few months ago, the national media came knocking down the doors on ole Dauch Field.

“The attention was definitely weird, but the team did their best to not respond.

We just kept doing what we needed to do,” says junior linebacker Kyle Pryzbylski.

After a complaint from a Bloomfield Hills family, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan came forth with concerns that Lahser football coach Dan Loria was allegedly leading his players in post-game prayer, creating quite a buzz this summer.

A letter issued by the ACLU claimed that faculty-led prayer was a violation of the Es-

tablishment Clause and the Religious Freedom Clause of the First Amendment.

“The issue is the school and how they respond to a serious situation such as this one. Our concern in writing to them was to make sure that these coach-led prayers would stop,” Dan Korobkin, a staff attorney with the ACLU, told the Oakland Press.

After investigation by the district, it was found that Loria was not leading prayer, but was present while students directed prayer. This was reportedly a tradition eleven years in the making.

“I felt as if we grew closer as a team when we prayed. We all got together, did the same thing and said the same thing. It was a bonding experience, at least for me,” explains senior Char-

lie Dauch, who led the team in prayer on multiple occasions.

Dauch further recalls that none of the players announced discomfort with the tradition. Jewish member of the team Ryan Silverman concurs with Dauch.

“I never once felt uncomfortable or forced into post-game prayer with my teammates. I personally saw the prayer as a way that brought the team together after a hard fought game,” Silverman shares. “I’m Jewish, but myself and others of different beliefs still kneeled with our teammates and coaches and put religion aside to strengthen the unity of our team.”

Despite this, Superintendent Robert Glass released a statement saying in part that “Student-led prayer is not to be part of the post game proceedings.”

This story soon attracted at-

tention in the community.

Subsequently, local headlines were picked up nationally by large news organizations such as Yahoo Sports.

The article was then shared on Facebook over 1,500 times.

Headlines stating that the school “banned” student-led prayer and a recent phenomenon known as “Tebowing” evoked passionate responses from people around the globe, including angry calls from Australia according to Shira Good, the Bloomfield Hills Schools Director of Communications and Community Relations.

“Communication is difficult and when the media report something, most residents take it as fact and react strongly to it – especially involving hot topics like religion,” explains Good.

“It was almost like the game

of telephone little kids play, where one child whispers something in the ear of another… and so on,” adds Good. “By the time the ‘secret’ gets around the circle, it’s totally morphed into something different.”

Bloomfield Hills High School’s revised policy has not, by any means, forbidden prayer. However, prayer must not take place at school sanctioned events in which attendance is mandatory.

If players wish to pray, it must wait until after their team meeting is over- on their own time.

With this change in policy, there will be no more collective bowing of heads in prayer this season.

The old saying says ‘There is no ‘I’ in team”. It can also be said that there’s no “prayer” in team, at least not at team meetings anyway.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / TRASH TALK WITH A CLICK OF BUTTON / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Jake Freed Page Editor

Social media brings a new type of trash The concept is straightforward.

Find a way to get into your opponent’s head by talking trash.

Trash talk enhances any athletic competition. If someone is trying to get in my head, my first instinct is to prove them wrong.

B3

If I’m told I can’t make a threepoint jumpshot, the next time I get the ball I surely will shoot a three-pointer. If I’m told I can’t hit a homerun, the next pitch I’m swinging for the fences. The motivation that comes along with trash talk is magnificent.

It’s a strategy. One that can’t be solved except from experience.

Trash talk has been much a part of sports as sweat and foam fingers.

Now, trash talk has found a new playing field.

When I first started seeing this behavior taking over athletes’ Twitter accounts, I wasn’t too pleased.

Hiding behind a computer or phone just doesn’t seem right. Why wouldn’t athletes just say what they have to say to their faces?

Then I had a realization.

Trash talking through Twitter, or any social media is child-

B2

ish and naive. However, from a fans point of view, it’s awesome. What more can you ask for? Logging onto Twitter to find my favorite athlete bragging to my least favorite athlete is incredible. These are the tweets that sports fans live for.

The hype that can build up from these tweets is astounding.

During a game, when emotion can range from an all-time high, to low in a matter of seconds,

B4

tension could turn into a fight at anytime. It’s for this reason that so many fans encourage this new form of trash talk.

This intensity instantly translates to a higher level of play.

And seeing a “good” game is every sports fans dream.

I find the evolution of trash talk phenomenal.

With fans loving every aspect of “trash tweeting” don’t expect it to go away anytime soon.

Trash Tweet

Knowshon sucks [Lesean McCoy] RT @RealSkipBayless: Knowshon is KILLING the Cowboys.

the

MEMORIES Lifestyle

B2 October

home sweet homecoming Students and staff come together to celebrate the first ever Black Hawk Games on September 27th during Spirit Week. It was announced that the Senior class of 2014 was the winner.

1. Senior Dorian Reid sprints around the track, ready to pass on the baton to the next runner.

2. The Senior class cheers on their classmates as they prepare to take on the underclassman.

3. Members of the Junior class compete in a game of tug-of-war in hopes of becoming the first Black Hawk Games winners.

4. The Colorguard performs at the Homecoming Pep Assembly while the marching band excites the crowd.

5. Seniors Hailey Sambor and Riley Cornacchini celebrate the seniors’ victory in the 2013 Black Hawk Games.

1

2

Photos by Grace Klochko-Bull and Haeji Kim

3

4

5

the

CULTURE Lifestyle

B3 October

Noah Cicurel Associate Editor

Three new frozen yogurt shops have emerged all across the West Bloomfield-Bloomfield Hills area.

“The concept of self-serve [frozen yogurt shops] emerged about five years ago in South Korea.

Red Mango was one of the first self-serve and people have just picked up on it,” explains Tony Nguyen, owner of Yummie Yogurt, which opened April 2012. “Yogurt is the biggest fad right now.”

Nguyen, like many others, now use the popularity of self-serve yogurt to develop business in the community.

“People like to see all of the options. At a selfserve yogurt shop, you need to have more options than a full serve,” says Nguyen. At Swirlberry, located in Plum Market, a full serve shop, there are three machines with a smaller variety of toppings. “[Yummie Yogurt] was the first [frozen yogurt shop] to open on Orchard Lake road, so we thought we had a prime location through all the traffic Orchard Lake road generates. I still feel that I have the best location compared to the others around. In the winter I still generate income from all the shoppers,” claims Nguyen.

According to Nguyen, with Leaf and Berry in Orchard Mall and Just Peachy a couple miles down Orchard Lake road, he has seen a 30-40% decrease in profits.

“People tend think it’s a gold-mine business with little effort. Many think of it as a side job.

Most of these places I feel will go out of business when their lease expires in about three years just because the owner is not typically there,” explains Nguyen. “I always make sure that I am there everyday in at least one of my locations, just to interact with my customers and see what flavors and toppings they like. It’s all about interactions with people.”

One of the more recent additions to the self-serve yogurt market is Yogurt City in Royal Oak, which opened in May of this year.

“The owners opened so everyone could bring their families over. What makes [Yogurt City] different is we have a lot of machines; we have seven machines and 14 different flavors with lot more choices.

Yogurt has really become popular in the east and west coast,” Yogurt City worker Calvin Lee shares.

Another yogurt shop, Leaf and Berry, which opened in May, opened for many similar reasons.

“The owners had an idea that they wanted to open up a frozen yogurt place because they realized that it was getting more popular,” says Stephanie Cohen, the manager of Leaf and Berry. “It was just an idea to include tea. The owners are both Indian, and tea is really big in their culture. They decided to mix yogurt and tea into one business.”

Cohen adds, “They wanted to create their own store so they could have all the freedom they want. It’s just the idea of people getting to create their own customized frozen yogurt is a cool thing that draws people in and everyone loves dessert.”

“We don’t just carry frozen yogurt; we carry all different kinds of teas and healthy smoothies,” explains Cohen. “We have a lot of healthy and organic options where as a lot of other places don’t. We provide entertainment, which also makes us unique. Leaf and Berry is for the community, it’s somewhere to hang out.”

Junior Ethan Wolfe shares, “it seems like everywhere my friends and I go I can get froyo.

I love the variety and the different atmospheres each place brings to the community.”

“The idea of self-serve is that every person can get his or her own stuff,” shares Lee. “We wanted to create a happy place for the whole family. Business has been good. People just keep coming back.”

///// Tess Garcia Guest Writer

No “buts” about it, students declare twerking the newest sensation It’s a typical August evening at the Favier household.

Maggie and her 47 year-old mother, Kelly, are watching the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. Suddenly, Miley Cyrus begins her performance.

“The atmosphere got really awkward, but I kept it on because I was still curious,” says Maggie, who felt a sudden urge to change the channel but didn’t for fear of making things even weirder. “My mom and I ended

froyo

fever

1. non-fat peach yogurt 2. cake batter yogurt 3. sugar-free raspberry yogurt 4. coconut flakes made at Just Peachy

The Froyo Epidemic has spread to Oakland County

whatchu TWERKIN’ with?

up having a really weird con- has certainly had more than versation about twerking. I felt just high schoolers talking. uncomfortable and confused as Teens and parents alike have to why Miley thought she had opinions on the trendy dance to do all that craze, whether for attention.” in full support “It was hardof it, against They’re emulatly original, and its sexual ing these kinds rather stupid. roots, or simof sexual dance Not an attracply laughing moves without tive dance at at its erupting realizing what’s all.

Cheap,” p o p u l a r i t y. involved in it.

Kelly says of Sophomore her opinion Katie Adams Dr. Michelle Miletic on Cyrus’s says twerkTeen Psychoanalyst performance. ing is a sexual “I’d call it dance move Britney Spears involving a girl meets Lindsay Lohan, with a moving her butt up and down. dash of Amanda Bynes. An- USA Today provides a similar other child star going wild definition, saying twerking is under the pressure of image.” a provocative dance move that Over the past year, twerking definitely isn’t for beginners.

“It’s up to the way you look at it,” remarks junior Samantha Schuman, who feels the nature of twerking can be seen differently through many sets of lenses. “I think that if girls have the body, they should rock it. Boys like it, too, so girls want to do it.”

Sophomore Jon Gilpin; however, feels girls are becoming too sexualized in today’s culture.

“People thought twerking was funny and just kept doing it.

Now it’s turned into a more sexual thing. Girls shouldn’t be cool with it,” he explains. “They don’t realize how much it could jeopardize their reputation. Today a girl can go from super sweet to trashy and it just isn’t right.”

Megan Dolan, a seventh grader at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, has seen this type

of behavioral change firsthand.

“An older girl at my school showed me how to wall twerk when the teacher left our classroom,” recalls Dolan. “She brought it up out of nowhere and just started doing it, even though I told her I didn’t want to learn. At bar mitzvahs, there are always girls who grind on the boys and twerk the whole time, even though there are parents around. One time, my friend twerked in front of her mom, and she started laughing. Some parents don’t really care, but some would be really mad if they found out their kids twerked all the time.”

According to freshman Carson Deel, the reasoning behind twerking can either make or break the dance move.

///// “As a guy, I think it’s ok for girls to be their own person,” explains Deel. “They shouldn’t try to get people to like them for what they look like [or what dances they do]. People should like them for who they are.”

Dr. Michelle Miletic, a teen psychoanalyst, feels that the sexualization of females in America is due to more than just one dance move.

“They’re emulating these kinds of sexual dance moves-even ways of dressing--without realizing what’s involved in it, or what the consequences are,” explains Miletic. “They’re trying to emulate certain stars, and they’re doing a bunch of crap without realizing what’s really involved in it. They’re treating it like it’s chewing gum.”

Fun Fact Urban Dictionary defines Twerking (noun): “The rhythmic gyrating of the lower fleshy extremities in a lascivious manner”

the

GAME

Lifestyle

B4 October

BLANK record boards

Junior Varsity Team:

GONE

Ally Jaksen

Michelle Phillips

Guest Writer

They are begging to be filled.

“We are Bloomfield Hills High School. We’re not Andover or Lahser,” explains BHHS athletic director Avis Najor as to why all of the athletic record boards from the two previous high schools are blank and all the trophy cases are empty.

“We want the Bloomfield Hills High School kids to have every opportunity, like anybody before them, to set records.”

With 36 years of coaching experience and accolades now visually erased, varsity volleyball coach Robert Hurdle believes the district’s decision was the right one to make.

“We have to create this school’s identity, and so starting from scratch helps us create a brand new identity that isn’t tied to Lahser and isn’t tied to Andover,” Hurdle says. “We combined two good volleyball teams together and made a better volleyball team, and we’re off to a very good start this year against higher competition.”

Not everyone in the community agrees with Najor and Hurdle thoughts.

“I’m not saying don’t start new records for Bloomfield Hills High School. I’m just saying find the right way to honor the past of both Andover and Lahser Athletes,” says Mary Ellen Miller who is a mother of two Lahser alumni. Miller’s two daughters both set sports records during their senior year.

“I do think it would be

Guest Writer

nice to generally have the ‘Best of Bloomfield Board’ posted for all of the relevant records probably along with the Bloomfield Hills High record boards, and have all the history in the kiosks or in cases,” Mary Ellen suggests.

This issue isn’t just affecting the staff, coaches, and parents but also student athletes like senior Mary Pilibosian whose past record is no longer displayed.

“I feel like they’re being erased in our hearts, but the fact that they’re not going to be displayed kind of hurts us. We were so excited. It was one of the best moments ever,” she recalls about her 200-Medly Relay team’s record.

She shares that records is upsetting they present “a really cool opportunity for girls who won’t necessarily get a chance to hold a record, and so they can get one now and say they had one for a little while.”

Cross-country runner sophomore Xavier Mattison sympathizes with athletes like Mary Pilibosian. “I can see how [this issue] would make some of the other players upset, but I think they should see it more as a challenge instead of something to be so bitter about,” he explains.

Although he isn’t on the record board, he doesn’t feel pressure during competitions.

“Personally, [this issue] doesn’t really effect my performance but if it did, I think it would effect it positively,” explains Mattison. “Now I can see it’s a time to put my name on the board where it probably wouldn’t have been possible in the years before.”

Standing on the field at the brink of the new Bloomfield Hills High School football program, the former BHHS JV football coach Daniel Whitmire stood in astonishment at the few number of Junior Varsity players who showed up for tryouts.

“I was disappointed for the kids, but I kind of saw this coming way ahead of time” says Whitmire. “I knew that adjustments and changes were going to need to be made.

The important question was how we were going to do it.”

According to BHHS athletic director, Avis Najor, in the first year of BHHS, the JV football team has been dissolved. With a large turnout for the freshman football team and only few kids trying out for JV, the athletic department leadership made the decision to consolidate the JV football team with the varsity team.

“Our main goal is that we want kids to have a great experience playing sports for the high school,” explains Najor.

“What we really needed to do is to make sure that the JV kids were really prepared to be on Varsity, and they were. We also had some who were concerned that they would never get to play if they moved up to varsity because they are a sophomore, actually one started because we knew that the talent level that we had really was such that they could contribute” “Historically, we’ve had a big

number of freshmen coming in and a small number of JV students staying [on the JV team],” says Najor, whose goal is to create a strong freshman team that can move up to JV the following year. “Hopefully, they’ll have a decent experience and all move up to JV. Then we will [be able to] fill in the varsity team and no longer have a bad experience like we’ve been having.”

Sophomore Jacob Hecker, former JV player and new varsity player is disappointed by the change.

“I was extremely mad because I was going to play almost every [game] on JV and [now I’m on] varsity and I still haven’t played in three games,” explains Hecker. “It’s a challenge just getting noticed by the coaches and that’s a big change for me.”

However, varsity player Junior Andrew Rabah sees advantages to the merge of JV and varsity this year. “[The JV players] work really hard so their efforts push me and [everyone else on the] team to do better on and off the field,” says Rabah. “It gives me a little more break in practice, and they work really hard so it pushes me and my team to do better on the field and off the field as well.”

“When it comes down to it, there was no choice. The numbers were not there and there was only one way to resolve it. In the end, it was the right decision,” Varsity coach Dan Loria concludes.

the Bloomfield Hills High School athletic teams respond to the effects of consolidation.

Cheerleaders perform at the first ever Black Hawk games; photo courtesy of Haeji Kim

PLAYING WITH ONLY FOUR SENSES ///// ///// ////////// ///// ///// / / / Yusra Niazi Associate Editor

Two BHHS football players stand out on the field despite being hard of hearing As he busts through the banner on the field, he can see the crowd cheering and can smell the hot dogs in the concession stand but can’t hear anything.

“I look at my hard of hearing as a challenge for me to overcome,” explains senior Alvonte Bridges, [who is deaf and plays football.] “I don’t look at it as a negative thing.”

Bridges and junior Nolen

Beasley have been battling their hard of hearing their whole lives, but according to Bridges, this doesn’t stop him from following his dream and having fun.

Beasley says, “during the game or practice, my teammates can communicate with me with hand movements. Several of the players on my team know sign language as well, so they communicate that way too. Coach Loria talks to me through interpreters on the field, and that hasn’t been a problem either.”

“We need multiple interpreters at practice,” informs interpreter, Al Kettinger. “So we have Kim Willett, Mia Walker, and myself who do the interpreting for the team at practices and games.”

“Sometimes it’s hard communicating with the whole team, but I have to put my head up high and get through it because there’s nothing I can do about my hard of hearing. You know, not being able to hear everything isn’t the hard part of football for me. Communication is not a problem at all. The hardest part is the running. That’s probably the only thing I hate about football,” jokes Beasley.

Their hard of hearing isn’t a problem for Football Coach, Dan Loria, either.

“I’ve had athletes for over 12 years that were deaf or hearing impaired, so we’ve worked with this before. The interpreters do a great job and interpret exactly

what I say. Bridges and Beasley both help us a lot, make us better, and push us to work harder.

They’re doing a great job.” “[Beasley] and I have been on tv and are well-known around the area. I don’t know why our story is so well known, but I kind of like it. I want to show people that I can play football without being able to hear what’s going on.”

“It doesn’t bother me at all that the community knows the fact that I’m deaf, and I play football,” adds Beasley.

“It sort of makes me feel like I’m famous because a lot of people know who I am when they see me out on the field.

In fact, I’d like to be even more

popular and spread my story outside of the community.”

According to Michigan Deaf Association representative Dallas Barker, nearly three out of every 1,000 American children are born deaf. However, that shouldn’t stop them from living a normal life.

“We encourage deaf children to do what they want to do and live a normal life,” says Barker. “We try to get them to do what they love, and it’s a great way to meet other people.”

“Having Bridges on the team definitely made it easier for me,” explains Bridges. “However,[he] and I are two different people.

We may be going through the same challenge, but we play

from different perspectives.”

“It really helps having Bridges on the team because we can communicate more easily than we do with others,” informs Beasley. “I’m friends with all of my teammates, and they don’t really treat me any different. I feel that when people find out that I can’t hear, they start to go easy on me, but athletes aren’t like that. ” “The coach never treats them differently,” adds Kettinger.

“He hits them as hard as he hits any of the other players.”

“We don’t take steps back just because of Bridges and Beasley.

I discipline them like everyone else. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be,” concludes Loria.

the

HAWKSTARS Lifestyle

B5 October

three black hawks to keep an eye on this school year

eric sherman {11}

nora manz {12}

brad silverman {9}

President, Medical Careers Club “Well, I have an interest in pursuing a career in medicine and I heard about the club and decided it might me an interesting opportunity. We do a lot of different things, we’re talking about having a fundraiser that would support child organizations also medical research for organizations and we also welcome all students that may have an interest in pursuing a medical career.”

Cast, Working “I started musical theater when I was in elementary school. I was in music class like every other elementary school kid and my music teacher asked me to do the musical in third grade and I started there and have been doing them ever since. It doesn’t matter what grade you’re in.

If you have the talent you can get the part you want. My favorite part is getting to know everyone.”

Boys’ Varsity Tennis “Well when I was 5 I started playing at my country club and I kinda just kept playing and I have played a lot of tournaments. Both my mom and dad have always wanted me to keep playing tennis, they sign me up for tournaments and it keeps me playing basically. Right now I’m playing 3 singles, I hope to play all 4 of my years on Varsity, maybe for colleges but I’m still not sure yet.”

On October 18, the Black Hawks varsity football team will battle Rochester Adams. The Black Hawks, led by quarterback Spencer McCourt will be looking to get their second win of the season.

october 18th The Jacksonville Jaguars will begin their four-year tenure as the NFL’s home team in London by hosting the five-time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers at Wembley Stadium on October 27th.

october 27th

The Detroit Lions will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to town on October 27th. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will look to lead Detroit to victory against Tony Romo and the Cowboys at Ford Field.

october 27th

The 23rd marks start of the 2013 MLB World Series. The American League champion will face off against the National League champ in a best-of-seven series. After a phenomenal regular-season, a champion will be crowned.

october 23rd

the

SCOOP

Lifestyle

B6 October

STAND OUT How to impress an admissions officer with a stellar resume passion

leadership

a leader is cooperative, responsible, motivated, compassionate, and much much more. everyone has different leadership qualities. how will you demonstrate yours?

the courses you take and your extracurricular activities reveal a lot about you. high school is a time to pursue the things you love. what is your passion?

commitment

service

having a sense of social responsibility is vital. everyone has a duty to help better the environment around you. in what ways can you give back to your community?

dedicate yourself to the extracurriculars that you love. if you encounter obstacles, challenge yourself to get past it. how do you go about making commitments?

risk-taking

curiosity

high school is a great time to challenge yourself to do new things. go to extra mile by taking an AP class or trying out for a Varsity sports team. how are you a risk taker?

explore career fields that appeal to your interests. being inquisitive can lead you to discover more about yourself. what do you want to know more about?

anatomy of a well-rounded student

infomation provided by www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Q&A

with Ms. English

College Resource Center Coordinator

Q.

what sets a student apart from the rest of the crowd?

A.

What sets a student apart from the rest of the crowd is what they do personally. They can all have a 4.0 and high test scores, but what makes you different is the experiences you've had in your life, the things you're invested in, and the passions you have.

Q.

what piece of advice would you give to seniors applying to college?

A.

Pick a few schools. Don't have your heart set on one and just apply to that one. It's important to have a first, second, and third.

Visit as many as you can.

hawkTalk with the Hawkeye Be your best self. Challenge yourself to do something new everyday. Set high goals and pursue your passions. Be the best YOU that you can be, and you will stand out.

“

words of wisdom

Depth, not breadth. Anyone can join everything but not everyone can excel in something,

BHS alumnus [2013] Cuthbert Sun, Stanford University

“

“

outside of doing your very best in school, it's important to find something that you are passionate about, so that you care about, commit to, and put a lot of genuine energy into it. a solid application should come easily after that, and it's also the best way to get the most out of high school,

BHS alumna [2012] Kyra Weeks, Harvard University

“

the

BACKPAGE News

A6 October

Syria Political upheaval in Syria shakes lives of students with family across the globe Narmeen Rehman Managing Editor

She turned on the news and watched the world she once knew crash down.

“I always think to myself ‘Oh, when I go back to Syria…’ but then I remember the images I’ve seen on the news, what am I going back to? Nothing. Nothing in my country is familiar anymore. Everything I once knew is gone. All my family’s homes have been bombed to the ground,” shares junior Jeanon Jawech, who has family in Syria.

“When I initially heard about [the Syrian Rebellion], I didn’t realize it would escalate this far.

It’s heartbreaking and sickening the way that Syrians are being treated; I never would’ve expected this to happen anywhere, especially Syria. It’s devastating because these innocent civilians are dying fighting for freedom, which is a basic human right.”

According to Dr. Frederic Pearson, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University, the Civil War in Syria has been going on for the past two and a half years

between the Assad regime and the opposition, composed by a number of groups, predominantly Syrians who are upset with the over controlling policies of longstanding authoritarian Assad regime.

“The Assad regime has been in power for a long time. The current president, Bashar-Al Assad took power after the death of his father, Hafez Al-Assad, who the founded the Syrian Ba’ath party, a secular and western-oriented party ruled through the military over 40 years ago. This regime found its power through force—and has used ruthless force, if necessary, to take down any opposition,” explains Pearson.

“At first, [the rebellion] wasn’t taken very seriously. There were some protestors throughout the nation and then government began bombing protests. Today, the government targets any civilian they see and find suspicious—these people can be attacked, bombed, detained, tortured, or killed,” adds sophomore Raya Nashef. “In fact, my cousin was detained twice last year and tortured for making anti-government posts on his Facebook. He was barely recognizable when he got out: they hadn’t been feeding him so he was extremely thin and you could see how traumatized he was for simply trying to use his freedom of speech. It goes to show how much freedom

“

VER

100,000

Americans have to be able to freely “I try and talk to my family any talk about problems we have with chance I get, but the phone lines our government and even act are all dead. When I Skype with upon it. It made me feel terrified family members, we’re very careful because we saw first-hand how about our wording because everytruly cruel the Syrian government thing is censored and the governis and what they were capable of.” ment is monitoring our converAlong with Nashef and Jawech, sations and there’s a chance that senior Mayssa Masri has many fam- they could be taken based off of ily members who have lost family something they say. It’s heartbreakat the hands of the government. ing because I can hear the pain in “I didn’t compretheir voice, but I know hend how intense [the there’s nothing I can Rebellion] was until I to comfort them.”

It’s devastat- say heard stories about my According to Jawech, ing because cousins being killed. the rebellion has comIt was one thing to see these innocent pletely changed the these people dying in dynamic of daily life civilians are the news, but when it dying fighting for Syrian’s around happens to someone in the nation. She defor freeedom, scribes the hardships your own family you which is a realize how truly upher family members setting it is,” Masri exbasic human face as the condition plains. “I always held of Syria deteriorates. right. onto the hope that I’ll “Imagine fireworks JEANON have enough time to go going off everyday…

JAWECH Junior visit my family, but with that’s my family’s realevery day that passes ity. Except it’s actuthere’s another chance that I’ll lose ally the sound of bombs explodanother family member. I’m living ing near their home around the in the safety of my own home, but clock, it’s become apart of their I could have been in my cousins everyday routine so they’re always place who have lost their parents on edge. There’s never electricity which has really taught me not and a simple task like doing groto take my family for granted.” ceries is difficult just because they Masri explains that getting risk their lives walking out the in contact with family mem- door. For me, I can’t cope with bers is also a constant struggle. the idea that my family is in dan-

“

BHHS students fear for lives of family stuck in Syria during rebellion

ger, it’s the scariest feeling in the world to know that [my family] could be attacked any minute, so I can’t even imagine how they deal with that constant fear.”

Nashef adds, “y cousins can’t go to school because in any moment, their school could be bombed, searched, or the students could be detained for any reason. When they used to drive to school, they would drive past explosions and dead bodies on the side of the road and it was normal for them. Here we are complaining about classes.

But, you never truly realize that even school is such a blessing.”

Nashef believes there’s a long way ahead for Syrians to gain freedom, but remains hopeful.

“On the news, they show this whole amazing civilization being destroyed by it’s own government.

When I see videos of people suffering it breaks my heart, but it brings me hope because here is a man being tortured, but through it all he’s still saying ‘I won’t stop until Syria has freedom’. The determination of these Syrians is so inspiring, they fight despite all the danger that surrounds them for the future of their own people.”

“It would be ideal if the United States could bring about meaningful peace talks, but in order for a real peace agreement in

lebanon 752,120

DEAD

3

IN

4

TURKEY 492,683

EGYPT 124,373

Syria, there’s three levels needed to succeed. The first level being the national level, with two opposing sides in Syria who haven’t been willing to talk to each other. Another is the regional level, where neighboring nations could come to the table and make an agreement to not interfere with post-revolution Syria, and also an international level with the United States and Russia,” explains Pearson. “It’s not just black and white, the public needs be informed to see this conflict through a sophisticated view and understand all the complexities of this conflict and how it affects the region.”

“When the Syrians asked for democracy, freedom, and peace they had no idea that over a hundred thousand people would be killed and thousands of people would be tortured, raped, and taken,” concludes Masri. “They would’ve never imagined the intensity of the revolution. The revolution has gotten to a point of no return, these Syrians need what they’ve been fighting for, and they’re not going to back down until they get that. As students, we need to be informed. Each person that is killed has their own story and it deserves to be heard, these people who died for their country are not just a number.”

IRAQ

Syria

192,087

official religion

ISLAM

Number of refugees who have fled Syria into neighboring nations

REFUGEES ARE

women & children

JORDAN 531,908

My home, a world away: Syrian senior describes heartache over family caught in heart of revolution Mayssa Masri Guest Writer

I had yet to understand the intensity of it all. That is, until I turned on the news. My eyes widened as my second home morphed into a warzone, crumbling to the ground.

It was as if the world I know was spinning, I was doing everything in my power to hold on for some kind of control. I felt numb.

Quietly, I wiped the tears

streaming down my face; I cupped my hands together, praying I wouldn’t lose another family member to the violence and cruelty of the Syrian government.

In that moment of absolute helplessness, my mind wandered to the nights I spent on balconies in the city sipping tea with my cousins, staying awake until dawn, playing cards. The roars of their laughter at my attempt to speak Arabic and being surrounded by the aroma of jasmine flowers are what I remember as if it were only yesterday. The days I spent with my family were certainly some of my best and my stom-

ach churn at the realization that I Will I ever feel that sense may never relive those days again. of belonging again? I wonder.

I think back to I ponder the first time I my summers spent trudged up the steep and beneath the Syrian narrow steps to the ancient I was doing home of my aunt. Immedidesert sky, picking apples from the talleverything in ately, I comprehended why est tree branches. my power to her old age and chronic illThe tangy, sweet ness prevented her from hold on for leaving her home for 30 taste of fresh fruit some kind of years. Finally gathering the is what I often look control. I felt money and courage to buy a for. It seems I’ll never be able to find it. new home, I watched as her numb.

Staring at the TV, longtime dream of a better I realized I’m searching for the life for herself quickly vanished same sense of warmth and beauty when her home was unceremoI fell in love with the first time I niously bombed to the ground Leaving this world with brovisited Syria so many years ago.

“

Syrian Civil War told through the eyes of Bloomfield student

“

ken dreams one year later, my aunt’s memory allowed me to understand that I could have easily been in the same position.

I’ve realized now that if my parents hadn’t moved to America, I would have been living through the violence and trauma that my relatives have lived through.

Death and destruction is not how I wish to remember Syria, a country I’d like to think of as my second home.

What would I have done if I were living through the revolution?

Would I be brave enough to fight for the freedom of the Syrian people?

Syria is constantly on my mind.

I often think of what I might say to my relatives if I ever got the chance to see them again.

I hate myself for the unspoken words; moments I should have told my family how much they meant to me and times that I regret not being more thankful.

I continue to replay moments in my head in fear of forgetting them someday.

My feelings for a country that I care so deeply for and the family members that I’ve loved more than words can express make it difficult for me to imagine my beloved Syria in ruins.