Issue 11

the

TOWER

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017 Volume 90 Issue 11 @thetowerpulse thetowerpulse.net

A weekly tradition since 1928

Grosse Pointe South High School 11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236

Page 2: Our view on the gun Bill Page 6: Gun Bill’s effect on South Page 7: School reaction to Bill

Pistols in public

New bill passed by Michigan senate allows guns to be carried in gun free zones

cealed weapon into public areas such as schools and churches, but not into a public governing body in the state of Michigan.

Michigan Senate passed a pro-gun bill on “The safety and security of our students and Nov. 8 that would allow any individual who has faculty is our utmost concern,” Niehaus said. a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry conAccording to Rennell, the hopes are a CCW cealed weapons in what are currently considered licensed individual will be able to stop a mass “gun-free” zones, such as Grosse Pointe South. shooting in case of an emergency but the reality The Detroit Free Press reported the bill of the situation is questionable. passed on a 25-12 vote through the Senate and “It’s going to cost school districts money moves to a the House where it’s expected to pass. even if you have a CCW permit and they come However, Governor Rick into the school and someone Snyder vetoed a similar bill sees that gun the school will in 2012 after the Sandy Hook It’s absolutely ridiculous have to go into lockdown.,” shooting.

Rennell said. “It’s going to “Anybody who has a to think guns belong in take away from learning, it’s CCW permit that undergoes schools or any of these going to cost money because an additional eight-hour places.

I don’t know the police departments are course and then shoots anall going to get called in.” how many people have other 94 rounds of ammuAccording to the letter, to die before people nition, will now be allowed the MDE Emergency Plan to carry concealed in what realize that’s the case.

Tool Kit specifies proceare now considered gun-free dures-- such as a lockdown-BRIAN SUMMERFIELD zones,” teacher Michael Renshould still take place if there Board of Education nell said. is a weapon on campus, the President The Grosse Pointe Public same way it would in the case School System held a board of an emergency. of education meeting on Nov. However, there are students in favor of the 27, where the board discussed the issue of carrypending bill. Will Frame ’18 thinks a shooter is ing a concealed weapon on school grounds. more likely going to enter gun-free zone because The Board of Education president, Brian there is less of a potential threat of someone Summerfield said the board is sending a letter fighting back. to the governor asking to oppose this piece of “I’d feel safer because the people who are allegislation. lowed to carry inside these gun free zones have According to the letter, as a result of nuto go through additional training that would merous school shootings across the nation, the require them to be able to do this,” Frame said. presence of guns on school grounds or during During the board’s meeting, the letter sent to a school-sponsored activity has become an inSnyder opposing the pending gun bill was unancreasing concern of public schools all across the imously passed. state.

“I hope they come to their senses out there “I wholeheartedly support this (letter) and and come to the whole idea of having guns in appreciate the board taking stance on it,” Superschools,” Summerfield said. “It’s absolutely riintendent Gary Niehaus said via email. “Hopediculous to think guns belong in schools or any fully we can get some action out of the goverof these places. I don’t know how many more nor.” people have to die before people realize that’s According to Niehaus, it’s ironic that the the case.” properly licensed individual can carry a conGRACE REYES ’19 Pulse Editor in Chief

IMPORTANT DATES dec.

07

Sounds of the Season holiday choir concert will include many Christmas classics.

PHOTOS BY JOHN FRANCIS ’18

Aiding our neighbors through annual service ALYSSA CZECH ’19 Associate Editor Every year before winter break, South’s Student Association (SA) organizes Adopt a Family, in which each third hour is invited to help take care of local families in need during the holiday season.

According to Hannah Voytowich ’18, co-chair of Adopt a Family, there are four options for classes who want to participate in Adopt a Family this year.

The first option is for the class to “adopt” one family who they raise money for and go buy and wrap gifts, food, etc. for them. A second option is for two classes to pair up and take care of the children in that family together, by pooling their money and gifts.

“This year, something we really wanted to do was make sure everybody at South who wanted to participate was able to participate,” Maren Roeske, the overseer of Adopt a Family as part of the SA’s E-Board, said.

Roeske said last year, there were many classes who wanted to help but had too small of a class or not enough time to take on such a large responsibility. Because of this, a third option is to make Christmas 24 families cards or Christreceived food mas cookies for and supplies a family, help from South classes

wrap gifts for another class that may not have time to still be involved in giving back.

According to Voytowich, classes that are extra busy and don’t have time to pick out gifts and organize caring for the family can raise money to go to other classes’ families.

Last year, SA took care of 24 families and 83 kids, and this year the school will be helping 21 families and 66 kids, according to co-chair of Adopt a Family for SA, Julia Hudson ’20.

North’s SA originally started Adopt a Family and the tradition later expanded to South, according to Voytowich.

Roeske said South takes care of families who attend North, and North takes care of South families. She said she loves how the program gives back to families within the community and at Grosse Pointe schools.

“I think a lot of people forget that Grosse Pointe has families in need,” English teacher Katie

This year there are 21 families and 66 kids

86 kids were in these families

42 classes are directly paired with families to bring in clothes 10 classes donated monetary donations

Parent said. “That’s my favorite thing about it is that it provides not only something to families who need it, but families in our community that need it.”

Roeske said her favorite part of the event is when she gets to deliver the gifts to families and talk with them. She said when she delivered last year, they filled the entire back seat and trunk of a car with gifts for a family of six. Roeske took several trips carrying boxes into the house of a grandmother with several young kids. “(The grandmother) was just amazed that we still had stuff to bring and the kids were just running around so excited, snooping through the bags,” Roeske said. “It was a really great moment of people coming together, and the fact that students at South made that happen was really great to me.”

Hudson said it is extremely rewarding to watch all of the hard work and stress that was put into the event come together when people get excited about getting gifts.

“To me, Adopt a Family is this really great event; probably the best one that Student Association does all year,” Roeske said. “It’s a way for us to have a community here, and provide holidays for families in need who are all around us.”

Plan to raise at least

$8185 INFOGRAPHIC BY RAY HASANAJ ’18

dec.

08

The South band and orchestra’s Yule Be Boppin’ concert will be at 7 p.m.

dec.

09

Holiday shopping in the Village will be occurring on Saturday throughout the day.

2 | OPINION

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

Clearing the smoke: addressing a national debate and how a proposed bill will impact the district the week.

According to Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, the goal of the bill is to protect people in churches and schools, since individuals would be able to carry a concealed weapon to defend themselves if an attack were to occur, which would hopefully deter an attacker. The bill has been passed in the Senate, and next it will move on to the House and Governor Snyder.

However, if the bill is passed, each school district still has the right to decide if guns will be allowed within their district, and schools will have to change their policies. Changes within the school district will need to be made in order to ensure the safety of students, faculty members and others who spend time within the school buildings.

At the school board meeting on Nov. 27, the board discussed the proposed bill. Board of Education president Brian Summerfield stated the board will send a letter to governor Rick Snyder asking for his opposition on the bill as a result of the number of school shootings throughout the country, as well as the increased worry of the possibility of guns being present on school grounds.

Our View Editorial Las Vegas music festival shooting.

Texas church shooting.

Northern California elementary school shooting.

Detroit Noel Night shooting.

Just two months after the Las Vegas mass shooting and a few weeks after the shooting in Texas, the Michigan Senate committee approved bills to allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons in areas previously declared gun-free zones, such as schools, churches, bars, dorms or stadiums.

The Tower recognizes the community and the population of the world will likely never come to a general consensus regarding the ideal way guns should be regulated, but we believe students and others in the school building should be educated about this new bill. If the bill is approved, we are the ones who will be in what used to be “gun-free zones” seven hours a day for five days of

Snyder vetoed a bill in 2012 that would have allowed concealed weapons in school.

“There are several bills as part of that package, and again, I haven’t had a chance to read the specific bills, but I did veto a bill that was similar to it several years ago,” Snyder said regarding if he would veto the proposed gun bill.

“If it was that same bill, I would have the same set of issues in that form,” Snyder said.

Social studies department chair Mike Rennell encourages students to stay informed about the proposed bill and their rights.

“I think it’s really important so that they (students) know about their own self safety,” Rennell said. “Students have to be aware of their rights and know what they aren’t allowed to have, because they aren’t allowed to have a gun, but other people do.”

Students should remain informed about the new bill and how this may affect their school life. The Tower published the gun control packages in this issue in order for students, staff and community members to be educated regarding what the future might look like if the bill is passed.

For more information about the proposed gun bill, please see page 1.

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY EVA MCCORD ’21

This is getting out of hand...

MY VIEW LIAM WALSH ’18 Supervising Editor

We have currently reached a point in the psyche of American society where mass shootings are just another piece of information on the morning news. If this is not the time for gun control, then when will be?

It wasn’t the brutal murdering of innocent kindergarteners in Connecticut. It definitely wasn’t when a white supremacist shot up a black church in hopes of starting a “race war,” because that was an act of mental illness and not a deadly assault with the mission to bring the U.S. to its knees.

Or how about the shooting in Orlando, Florida at the nightclub which then became the deadliest shooting in United States history, only to be replaced about two months ago by the indiscriminate shootings in Las Vegas?

Why can’t we as Americans recognize the fact that we are in the dire straits? We’re expecting these tragedies which are occurring with a higher frequency to suddenly stop if we sincerely give condolences and condemn the attacks. That ideology is just ignorant and dangerous.

I am not saying the Second Amendment should be repealed. I am saying that there is

no reason the United States has 88.8 guns per 100 people when Israel, a country who is always in a state of threat, has a gun ownership of 7.3 guns per 100 people, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

It’s gotten to the point where guns are not for the defense of oneself, it has just become excessive. Our northern neighbors in Canada took action by passing gun reform after a student killed fourteen others at a Montreal engineering school.

They have 0.38 gun homicides per 100,000 people compared to 3.54 per 100,000 in the United States, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The United States has five percent of the world’s population, yet 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian owned guns, according to Small Arms Survey, based in Switzerland.

We should follow in Canada’s footsteps and divide firearms into three classes. The first being non-restricted with ordinary rifles, shotguns, and other hunting weapons. The second being restricted with handguns and semiautomatic rifles and shotguns. The third being prohibited and including automatic weapons.

This allows for those who hunt to continue hunting, as long as they have had some sort of background check, without

Challenging the ethics, validity behind Bill 4565

truly impeding their will. It also means handguns, a stereotype of gang violence, will be harder to acquire and will slowly phase out.

Who really needs-- not wants-an automatic weapon?

Some will argue this is about defending oneself in the case the government becomes tyrannical and tries to take over.

I can respect that and understand the sentiment as the basis of the Second Amendment, but the Second Amendment wasn’t written in the times of AR-15s, it was written in a time of muskets and bayonets.

We also need to have a more informed society about guns. If we say that we will be responsible with guns, then how come in my 13 years of education in this district there has never been any firearm safety talks. As a society in our current state, we are just not informed and educated enough to be trusted with firearms. And if you are an educated gun user, that doesn’t mean everybody else is.

It has been too much lately to not acknowledge the writing on the wall; we have a gun problem as a society. We can either ignore the issue and let it continue to run rampant, or we can try to smarten up and deal with a major issue facing our country; a country which is seen as archaic around the world.

MY VIEW

AUDREY WHITAKER ’19 Section Editor

Guns and schools are two things that just don’t go together.

Sadly, we’re seeing them paired together more and more as mass shootings occur in “gun-free zones” in the United States.

On Nov. 8, the Michigan Senate voted to allow those with a permit to carry concealed weapons in schools, daycares, churches, bars and other previously-dubbed “gun-free” zones. A permit to carry in these areas will require eight additional hours of training, and it allows concealed carry, not open, only.

Even with these precautions in place, I still question the logic behind the legislation. Senators argue that allowing people to carry weapons creates a safer space; the ability to defend “sitting ducks.”

Allowing weapons in places like schools, daycares and churches begs one big question: why? Why would you need a gun in these places?

But does bringing a gun into a school really make anyone feel safer? As a student, knowing of or seeing a stranger carrying weapons in school, or any place shootings commonly occur, would make me very uncomfortable, despite their extra training.

While the idea is to defend these spaces, allowing concealed

weapons to be carried makes it easier for someone who intends to do harm to come in and do it. Why would there ever be a good reason to bring a gun into a school or daycare, other than in an emergency? In the case of an emergency, I trust trained police officers to do the job.

Allowing guns in these spaces only opens the door to more accidents. Guns aren’t allowed around children and intoxicated people in bars and arenas for this very reason. While many concealed weapon carriers are responsible, allowing guns in places where individuals without training are not thinking clearly can lead to situations out of control.

In a time when many call for more gun control, allowing guns in the places where they are most feared and most unnecessary is ignorant and irresponsible.

We can minimize risk by thinking logically and educating ourselves about guns and gun laws. In order to function with this law in place, those making use of it need to understand the perspectives of people around them. They need to consider the effect on children or the risk of taking a gun into any public space. Being informed, on all sides, makes people more responsible and less afraid.

NEWSPAPER

the

TOWER

STAFF

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

Editors-in-Chief

Liz Bigham* ’18 John Francis* ’18 Online Editors-in-Chief

Henry Ayrault* ’19 Grace Reyes* ’19

Print Associate Editor

Alyssa Czech* ’19

Supervising Editors at Large

Ray Hasanaj* ’18 Liam Walsh* ’18

Supervising Editors

Katherine Bird*, Rachel Harris*, Riley Lynch*, Elena Rauch*, all ’18 Bianca Pugliesi* ’19

Page Editors

Chase Clark*, Kaitlin Nemeh* Cam Smolen*, JD Standish*, all ’18 Adrian Doan* ’19 Anne Muawad*, Lauren Nemeh*, Maura Shine*, Aidan Walsh*, Elizabeth Wolfe*, all ’20 Copy Editors

Ian Dewey*, Piper Eschenburg*, Phoebe Miriani*, all ’18 Sylvia Hodges* ’19, Elizabeth Flower*, Victoria Gardey*, Claire Sheeren*, Imran Siddiqui*, all ’20 Business Manager

Evan Skaff* ’18

Web/Section Editors

Arianna Pagenette* ’18, Kaitlyn Perkins* ’18, Katherine Costello*, Claire Koeppen*, Jaqui Mercier*, Audrey Whitaker*, all ’19 Dominic Dulac* ’20

Multimedia/Social Media Editors

Abigail Due* ’18, Erica Fossee* ’19 Tower Radio

Alex Acker* ’18 Zachary Heimbuch* ’19 Staff Writers

Margot Baer, Solana Bryson, Blair Cullen, Griffin Jones, Harper McClellan, Caitlin Miller, John Schulte, Lauren Thom, Brennan Zihlman, all ’18 John Bellamy, Isabella Craparotta, Allison MacLeod, Olivia Mlynarek, Sarah Stevenson, Arif Ulku, all ’19 Madeleine Allen, Julia Ambrozy, Daniel Klepp, Evelyn Kuhnlein, Charlie Matthews, Kari Ronning, all ’20 Eva McCord ’21 Adviser

Kaitlin Edgerton

“The Tower” is the weekly publication of the Advanced Journalism classes at Grosse Pointe South High School.

It has always been a designated public form of student expression.

The Tower is located in room 142 in Grosse Pointe South High School. Please contact us at 313-432-3649.

irresponsible or obscene material.

Errors

Factual errors will be corrected on the opinion page or in news briefs written upon request and verification.

Letters

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be screened for libel, irresponsibility and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit Opinion Pieces or shorten letters as long as the meaning is Editorials represent the majority opinion of unchanged. All letters must be signed and the Editorial Board and are left unsigned. a telephone number for confirmation.

Columns represent the opinions of individual include Request to withhold the writer’s name staff members and outside contributors. from publication for good reason will be considered. Letters can be sent to the above Editorial Board email address, or dropped off in “The Tower” Room.

An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors.

Advertising

Display advertising is sold at a rate of $7 per column inch, with discounts for large or frequent advertisers. Advertising may not advocate illegal activities or contain libelous,

Professional Associations

Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll, the Society for Newspaper Design and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

s all to a e t i v n nn ir i

ua

So

So

e Seaso h t f n pe o s d rfo n u r

JULIA ANBROZY ’20 Staff Writer

SEASON’S SOUNDS Tiffany Furicchia ’18, Andrew Fleming ’20, Hailey Martin ’18 and Gino Calisi ’18 come together to prep for the performance.

CENTER STAGE Grayson Kennedy ’19 stands centered up ready to sing his voice out for Sounds of the Season.

MIND-BLOWING MUSIC Eion Meldrum ’18 is

. in awe at how good Sounds of the Season is going to sound.

Grosse Pointe South’s choir is inviting the community to come out to watch their annual Sounds of the Season performance and get in the holiday spirit this year.

The choir has been preparing for this performance and getting in the Christmas mood since around Halloween time, according to choir teacher Christopher Pratt.

“We began work on this show right after the Fall Follies in October,” Pratt said.

Getting the singers into the holiday mood so early on in the year has been a hard part of preparing for this show, “Honestly, it would be starting holiday music around Halloween,” Pratt said. “It makes for a long toll to get to our holiday shows.”

Choir singers are excited for people to get into the holiday spirit by coming to see their show, according to Lauren Leach ’20.

“I’m most excited for people to get in the Christmas spirit and just have fun seeing what we all love to do,” Leach said.

The performance will give people coming to see the show an understanding of what the holidays are about, according to Pratt.

Winter running club conditions runners during off-season to prepare for the spring IMRAN SIDDIQUI ’20 Copy Editor The winter running club is on their mark and set to help athletes stay in shape during the off season this winter. Students of all levels of experience are encouraged to join this club to stay at peak physical condition and make new friends in the process.

The club meets each day after school, at 3:30 p.m., in front of the Boll Center or in the track plaza area. They offer workouts for many different skill sets.

“We meet every day after school, and we have three different groups,” co-president of the club, Kristina Dalian ’18 said. “There is a distance running group, a sprints running group and a lifting group.

Anyone can choose what they

want to specialize in each day. You can lift one day, run long distance one day and you can sprint the next day. It’s totally up to you.”

Girls cross country and track coach for the past 38 years, Steve Zaranek is one of the teacher advisers and adult sponsors of the group. He said the club offers athletes a chance to compete in winter track tournaments as well as stay fit.

“Winter running club is an organized group of student athletes who are interested in conditioning during the winter months with the option of participating in a series of indoor track meets,” Zaranek said.

“The indoor track meets are held in January and February. They are always completely optional, and they’re housed by various colleges and universities

around the state.”

One of the best parts about the club is the camaraderie, according to Allison Vern ’20. She said she enjoys the variety of drills the club has to offer.

“I like being with other people,

“I think the motivation brought out by being with a group makes the work out a lot easier,” STEVE ZARANEK Club Advisor and running with other people rather than running alone,” Vern said. “It makes running and working out more fun than it would otherwise be. Plus, it gives me an incentive to do the workout.”

According to Zaranek, the drills are planned by the club’s student officers. Their goal is to make a fun, enjoyable workout that is also worthwhile for the athletes.

“My goal was to

keep people trained and fit during the off-season, so then we can get better come track season,” Dalian said. “It gives runners the opportunity to work out with other people so they don’t feel like they have to train by themselves. We give them workouts and they come and complete them.”

A winter running club has been attempted in prior years, however, according to Dalian, this is the first time it is under management with student officers.

This decision has created a level of teamwork that has propelled the club forward and has made it a success.

“I think the motivation brought out by being with a group makes the work out a lot easier,” Zaranek said. “It makes the workouts more meaningful. Your friends are doing things that you’re interested in doing, and it pushes you as an athlete. There’s lots of flexibility and a lot of camaraderie. The bottom line is you’re keeping yourself in very good shape and getting even better.”

run daily until the beginning of the track season.

Interact Service Club raked leaves in November through Services for Older Citizens (SOC), a nonprofit organization to help senior citizens in Grosse Pointe.

Club advisor Kevin Cox said he contacts SOC to receive a list of seniors in Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods who need their lawns raked.

“As interact volunteers, this is one of our most valuable organizations,” club president Julianna Josephs ’18 said. “The senior citizens of our community are a proud group of people, and keeping a tidy home and yard is important to them, so we try to make our community feel appreciated.”

The group has been raking for seven years and their goal is to prepare the yards for the colder months, Cox added.

“Some of the homes have pretty small yards that are easy to take care of, and sometimes we get really large lots,” Cox said. “Either way we will try to get that yard ready for winter, so it’s not a

All kinds of awesome.

THAT’S OUR WAY OF LIFE AT RED CROWN. Visit us in Grosse Pointe Park for our hard-to-beat happy hour specials, fully-stocked bar of craft beer and specialty cocktails, expansive patio, inviting fire pit, and a brunch menu that will keep you coming back every Sunday.

Holiday event coming up? Call us to learn more about our full-menu catering options for in-house or off-property events.

|

313-822-3700

|

www.redcrowngp.com

for the

troke to e vector

www.gpaudiology.com Try our hearing aids – with no obligation, through the Holiday Season (Thanksgiving through New Years)

Call us for offer details!

“I think the best part of the show is that it celebrates the sacred and secular sides of the holiday seasons,” Pratt said. “Sounds of the Season is about the fun of the holidays and the importance of reflection on the important parts of our lives-- family and friends. The music celebrates that tradition.”

According to Pratt, he is excited for people to tap into their Christmas spirit and celebrate loved ones with their performance.

“I enjoy the fun around the holidays, celebrating friends and family but also being able to find our childhood with the characters of Frosty and Santa and that kind of thing,” Pratt said.

Coming out to see the show and supporting the choir singers is highly recommended, according to Elaina Calisi ’20 “I definitely recommend people to come see the show and I want them to come see the show,” Calisi said. “It’s really cool seeing people in different grades come together. It’s just a good time.”

LAUREN THOM ’18 Staff Writer

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX AN ANTIQUE GAS STATION WITH UPSCALE SOUTHERN BARBECUE?

stroke path)

m

Interact club rakes up service with SOC

. RUNNING COLD Dominac Dulac and Liam Liburdi, both ’20, enjoy a jog around South’s track for their daily practices. The team will

15301 KERCHEVAL AVE., GROSSE POINTE PARK

3 | NEWS

ce an

o h c s ’

l

ut h

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

20239 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Woods

313.343.5555

headache for the seniors.”

Treasurer Evan Nguyen ’18 said seeing the look on the senior citizen’s faces when they see the students raking their lawns makes the effort worth it.

“We’re a club about service and helping others, and so for the elderly they can’t really rake their own lawns so we just try to help them out by doing that,” Nguyen said. “They really seem like they need help sometimes so when you offer that help its gratifying.”

Cox said it is rewarding for the students to be able to see how appreciative the senior citizens are, and he enjoys this activity because it’s a nice outdoor project.

“One thing that is nice about this project is usually the students can choose which day and time frame works best for their group to take care of that yard,” Cox said. “So they can head out on a nice day and get some exercise now that they are helping a local senior.”

4 | FEATURE

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

A Sip of Detroit Four coffee places you need to try in Detroit OUR VIEW

HARPER MCCLELLAN & BLAIR CULLEN BOTH ’18 Staff Writers

SARAH STEVENSON ’19 Section Editor

ASHE Supply Co., a small trendy coffee shop selling a variety of Detroit-made food and coffee located on Broadway St. is amongst the best coffee I have had in Detroit. The aesthetic and atmosphere alone could get people to line up and spend hours there. The barista made sure the drink was just to your liking and helped assist in my choice with all the varieties of drinks. The matcha latte was frothy and unsweetened, topped with a whipped foam-floral design. Even with a number of customers ahead of me, my matcha latte was served very efficiently with a perfect temperature, which allowed me to start enjoying my drink quickly. The cozy atmosphere allows for a great place to study or even the perfect spot to hangout with friends and people watch.

New Order

The Red Hook

Located in Detroit’s West Village, The Red Hook is a cozy cafe that offers coffee and pastries. The sleek white walls and booth style seating make this coffee shop very inviting. The mural on the ceiling gave The Red Hook a unique and cool style. Their pastries are freshly handmade every day. I ordered the sea salt chocolate chip cookie and double chocolate brownie, neither of which disappointed. While ordering, I noticed that for non-coffee drinkers or for people who have more of a sweet tooth, Red Hook has little to offer. A speciality Red Hook has is Golden Milk, which is warm milk and different spices

CUP O’ JOE This cup of coffee is from New Order. New Order is located downtown on Woodward Ave.

Here are The Tower’s top picks for Christmas music that will help to get in the holiday spirit.

MY VIEW

ASHE Coffee

New Order Coffee was one of the most unique coffee shops I have visited against the status quo. Unlike other cafes, New Order is bright, open and energizing. With a patio sun room for the warmer weather and tons of space to sit, it is a great place to sit and work. The shop has a very minimalist and modern style with white walls and tables. While the coffee was great, my only complaint came with time. While I was the only one who recently had ordered, my chai tea latte took longer than I would like, but the taste made up for it.

The chai tea latte had a strong flavor and was served with a spoon for stirring the spicy taste. The barista gave the latte a heart design, a perfect top to the latte. Located on Woodward Ave., this shop is an fun stop on your way to downtown, and is close to other shops and places to eat.

Holiday Tunes

which m a k e for a tasty treat.

When I got my latte, it didn’t disappoint, and had a very rich taste without being to overpowering. The Red Hook is a must when it comes to coffee spots in Detroit.

Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company

Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company is the perfect spot to grab a coffee and a quick bite to eat. Located just past Campus Martius on Woodward Ave., this coffee shop is one of the best. Great Lakes offers ample seating, which could make this the perfect study spot for students. I ordered a mocha, which was super delicious and topped with a heart out of the foam on top. They have an abundant number of options of coffee and non-coffee drinks. One of their specialities is a lavender latte. What makes Great Lakes stand apart from the other coffee shops is their food menu. Not only do they have pastries, they have breakfast options, sandwiches and more. Grab a friend or study buddy to study or just get a coffee at Great Lakes.

BEHIND THE SCENES An old style coffee machine is on display inside of ASHE. ASHE recently celebrated their one year anniversary.

White Christmas by Bing Crosby Christmas Time Is Here by Vince Guaraldi Trio Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Frank Sinatra Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms Carol of the Bells by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych So This Is Christmas (War Is Over) by Greg Doolan Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

by Brenda Lee Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra Mistletoe by Justin Bieber Last Christmas by Wham!

Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) by Nat King Cole It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams

Check out The Tower’s Spotify account with other playlists: @thetowerpulse

PHOTOS BY BLAIR CULLEN & HARPER MCCELLAN BOTH ’18

MY VIEW

ARIANNA PAGENETTE ’18 Section Editor

The fresh smell of a new live tree can all be recreated with the scent of a candle. Growing up, my family was never one to bundle me up and go shopping.

A real Christmas tree never fell under the list of our Christmas traditions.

However, one thing did become a Christmas tradition: the ability of my mom to put up eight or more Christmas trees-which is downsizing this year from 10.

The idea of shopping for a tree, a real tree, always reminded me of what you see on TV-- the Christmas lights, ice skating, hot cocoa and family.

Although it all sounds warm and inviting, I prefer my fake tree over a real one. Not only does the idea of a mess and fire not appetite me, I’d rather not freeze my toes off and then have to lug it home.

Besides the going out of the way and buying a tree, another benefit of buying a fake tree once versus a new tree each year.

With a fake tree you are able to buy it once and then save up the next year to put towards a gift for someone or yourself.

Fake trees have always been nice to me. There’s a perfection once they’re decorated that can’t be recreated.

Fake trees allow my mom to pace herself throughout the holiday season leading up to Christmas. From her work schedule, to everything she is involved with at the school and my cheer schedule she does a tree or two a night.

Decorating a fake tree is easy and simple. Bring the box up, fluff it up and decorate. With a preface tree, there’s no need to be careful of size when shopping. Come with measurements in hand and you’re good to go.

With decorating a fake tree each year you are able to have placement down to a science. Decorating the same tree allows you to know the number of bulbs need and where each one goes.

These, in a way, are low maintenance. No need to water, a broom next to the tree and no need to have a fire extinguisher handy in case of an emergency.

Along with having eight trees, having the boxes in the basement allows my mom not to stress and start when ever she wants.

Fake trees may not be super traditional, but they are perfect.

FAKE

MY VIEW

SYLVIA HODGES ’19 Copy Editor

REAL OR FAKE?

The debate over real or fake Christmas trees during the holiday season

Ever since I was little, my family has always gone out, usually on a Sunday night, to pick out a Christmas tree. My sister and I would find the tallest and fattest one and “help” my dad get it through our narrow front door. The two of us took great joy in cutting the white plastic net off the tree and laughing as its trapped branches flew out at us. I would impatiently wait as it took my dad a couple days to untangle all of our lights and then I would wait even more impatiently as my mom put the ornaments on the tree. I was only allowed to put the less breakable ornaments on near the bottom of the tree. Finally, either my sister or I would climb on my dad’s shoulders and place the angel at the very top, usually brushing the ceiling with the angel’s head.

When the tree was up, our living room would smell like pine.

Our cat would try to eat the foreign branches. My sister and I would water the tree through a red funnel. I swept up pine needles and, inevitably, fallen tinsel

that littered our floor. And yet, I didn’t mind. With the real tree, and all the work that comes with it, it always felt more like Christmas, even when there was no snow.

With a fake Christmas tree, I wouldn’t have any of these memories to reminisce about.

A tree shouldn’t come in a long brown box where you have to match the orange-marked “A” branches and the blue-marked “B” branches. Fake trees don’t carry the natural scent of the outdoors and often don’t even look real.

According to a 2016 Huffington Post article, real trees are better for the environment. For fake trees to have as much of a positive impact on the environment as a real tree, a family would need to use the fake tree for at least eight or even more than twenty years, rather than replacing it every few years. Fake trees are also usually made with toxic, non-recyclable materials such as polyvinyl chloride or lead.

Overall, real Christmas trees are traditional, healthy (in many regards) and ultimately make the holiday seem more present.

And you never heard a song called “O Fake Christmas Tree,” did you?

REAL

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

5 | FEATURE

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

Uncovering the truth about how rumors spread ELIZABETH WOLFE ’20 Page Editor *A source has been kept anonymous due to harassment regarding the following information.

Twelve percent of the 21 percent of 12 to 18-year-olds who reported being bullied had rumors spread about them in a school environment.

These statistics, provided by the National Center for Educational Statistics, also reported that women and minorities were more likely to be subject to rumors in 2015.

“Sometimes students do report that they are concerned about what others are talking about,” school psychologist Lisa Khoury said. “Or on social media; people circulate things on social media.”

According to Khoury, the growth of social media has increased the spread of rumors, due to the anonymity of it.

“I think one thing is that it’s socially distancing, because you’re not saying something directly to a person,” Khoury said. “You can also do it anonymously, if you have set up fake accounts.”

Social media also connects large groups of students, so more people are exposed to the false information, according to Khoury.

“In the past, before social media, when rumors were spread, or talked about, it was contained among a smaller group of people or students, and they had to be present, so fewer people knew,” Khoury said.

“With social media, it mushroom clouds. It amplifies exponentially the amount of students the fake information about another student touches.”

Sydney Ceyzyk ’20 said she had experiences with people telling lies about her last school year. The information was primarily spread in school and on the Internet.

“They spread from the typical ‘people telling people, who told other people,’ and it wasn’t very fun having someone who you’ve never heard of know about your struggles and private information, especially when it wasn’t the correct information,” Ceyzyk said.

Gerald Moore ’19* came forward with their experiences with rumors.

“A group of younger students thought I told administration that they were drinking,” Moore said.

Moore said that they faced bullying at school after these accusations and rumors were spread.

“These students all told their friends, some of whom told their “Students could become depressed or anxious, questioning themfriends in passing,” Moore said. selves,” Khoury said, “It might impact their school abilities, or their According to a study by the University of Warconcentration, their want to even come to school, wick, rumors spread on Twitter typically take 14 those kinds of things. It can be devastating.” hours to be proven untrue.

According to Moore, he faced harassment in the “Our study shows that rumors that are ultimateOften it’s to make hallways after rumors were spread about them. ly proven true tend to be resolved faster than those “It started as dirty looks (from others), but kids the liar feel better that turn out to be false,” the study said. “Whilst started yelling at me in the hall and then running about themselves. one can readily see users denying rumors once they away,” Moore said. have been debunked, users appear to be less capable According to Khoury, students can do a lot to Sometimes people of distinguishing true from false rumors when their stop rumors being spread at South. just like to be mean. veracity remains in question.”

“The biggest thing that students can do here at Moore reported that it was challenging to shut South is that if you have a friend who is starting a Sometimes it’s to down the lies told about him. rumor, you call them out on it, and you don’t agree get some power.

“After one of the kids finally talked to me face and you don’t like, and you stand up in that social LISA KHOURY to face, I explained that it wasn’t me and I had no media platform for the victim,” Khoury said. “It’s School Psychologist reason to do what they thought I did, but I couldn’t ridiculous that everybody has to go along with the talk to everyone he told,” Moore said. liar.”

According to Khoury, another reason behind Going along with the false information makes the spread of rumors is the social pressure of accepting rumors in or- you a liar as well, according to Khoury. der to maintain social status.

“I think that’s really important for students to recognize and re“You don’t want to be ostracized, so then you might like something member, that if you are endorsing, or liking, or even responding to a that somebody else posts that might be mean or nasty, just so that you liar, a rumor spreader, then you also are in that same boat,” Khoury stay in good with the group that you’re with, even though you might said, “You are no better than that person, so you need to start standing not agree with what they’ve said,” Khoury said. up as students with the truth.”

Khoury also gave insight as to why students start rumors.

Moore said that people move on in school, so people shouldn’t wor“Often it’s to make the liar feel better about themselves,” Khoury ry about the lies sticking around forever. said, “Sometimes people just like to be mean. Sometimes it’s to get “Literally no one will remember it in a month,” Moore said. “High some power. The people who are spreading these mis-truths, or un- school moves fast.” truths, are trying to get into a higher social status. They may feel like Ceyzyk stressed that it’s important to stay out of other people’s perthat is more beneficial than telling the truth.” sonal lives.

According to a study by Ralph L. Rosnow published in his Human “It’s easier to stay in your own drama than try to be involved in Communication Research journal, people with anxiety are more likely others-- why is it your problem anyways?” Ceyzyk said. to start rumors.

Ceyzyk also provided advice for students struggling with rumors “The results were consistent with the idea of rumor mongering as at school. a collective, problem-solving interaction that is sustained by a com“These words won’t matter in 10 years,” Ceyzyk said. Your impact bination of anxiety, uncertainty, and credulity,” the study said. These will.” rumors can impact the victims in a multitude of ways, according to Khoury.

Craigslist? Ebay? Mom Swap.

Facebook group provides space for students, community to sell and trade goods ADRIAN DOAN ’19 & CHARLES MATTHEWS ’20 stricted; in response to this, Page Editor & Staff Writer Alison Johns Maybe it’s a dress that hasn’t fit started a Grosse Pointe Mom since elementary school or some Swap 2.0 group of which she is the stuffed animals that have been administrator. sitting in a box for a few years.

“The first Mom Swap reached a For some these would be pieces cap on members,” Johns said. “So I of junk taking up space, but for started the 2.0 to be more open to Kendall Volpe ’19, this seemingly any members and keep expanding random stuff is an opportunity to the group.” make some money through Mom Johns started using Mom Swap Swap. three years ago as an alternative “I use Mom Swap because I to Craigslist and has seen its pophave a lot of old clothes or things ularity spike as people flocked to I don’t need anymore that I know the community organization. She younger girls would want,” Volpe has also seen the group evolve as said. “Then I also can get some it became more popular. money for it.”

“I think Mom Swap started Mom Swap is a community as just a way for some moms in group organized on Facebook that the community to swap and sell allows members to sell and trade things they did not need anyitems. Although it started as just more,” Johns said. “But it has rea small group four years ago, it ally expanded to include others, has since attracted a lot of new like high school students and members, including some South dads.” students.

Johns sees another advantage “I started using Mom Swap in Mom Swap in that local busieight months ago and I actualnesses can take advantage of it; ly had to stop using it for a little something Johns has done herself while because I got addicted to it,” with her local honey business.

Volpe said. “Mom-Swapping is so “Mom Swap is a great way of much fun.” getting your business out there The original Mom Swap group which is what I did with mine,” on Facebook became so popular Johns said. “By putting it out there that it had to become more reI could expand my business but

still keep it within the community.”

After seeing how Mom Swap helped grow her business, Johns decided to start a group that combined Mom Swap with local businesses to help them grow.

“After I saw how it helped my business, I wanted others to be able to promote their businesses locally too,” Johns said. “To stop it from interfering with everyone else on the normal Mom Swaps, I started a business owners group.”

The normal Mom Swap groups

I started using Mom Swap eight months ago and I actually had to stop using it for a little while because I got kind of addicted to it; Mom-Swapping is so much fun.

KENDALL VOLPE ’19 preferred to keep it limited to items like clothing, furniture, toys and other things that you could find at a local garage sale, according to Johns. But she said both the original and her business version

group both help the community.

“Mom Swap is really nice for anyone in the community because you can easily communicate with other people selling stuff locally,” Johns said. “Just like that, I wanted our local businesses to have a place where they can build their business within the community.”

This idea of community is one of the strongest incentives to use Mom Swap, according to both Jones and South students who use it.

“I needed to get rid of some clothes that I did not use anymore and I chose Mom Swap because it’s local it gives this nice sense of community,” Grace Foster ’18 said.

From people with too many old toys to those with local startup companies, the Mom Swap groups have expanded to fit in almost all members of the community in a convenient way, according to Johns.

“The great thing about these swaps is that instead of communicating with strangers like you would on a site such as Craigslist,” Johns said. “You can be swapping with your neighbor or people you go to school with.”

GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN DOAN ’19

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

2016

6 | FEATURE

SCHOOL’S IN, GUNS OUT

Teachers reflect on the potential Michigan gun bill and its effects on South and the community

2012 BACKGROUND CHECKS IN MICHIGAN There were 21,005 handgun background checks completed by the FBI in 2012 compared to 171,588 in 2016, according to MLive.com.

GUN OWNERSHIP IN MICHIGAN 29 percent of Michiganders legally owned guns in 2013, according to MLive.com.

T

the training or carry he Michigan Senate in schools,” Hepner passed three bills on said. “I don’t see it I think in some ways Nov. 8 that, if put being as impactful.” it would be safer, if into effect, would allow licensed gun owners with an enHepner said he something were to ochanced Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry concealed is in favor of the guns in places which normally ban them, such as bars, additional training cur, to have people that churches and schools. required if the bill are trained and armed Specifically, these were Senate Bills 584-586, passed with were to become law, there to protect stua 25-12 vote. They are currently in the process of waiting to yet he believes it is a dents but I think there be passed or vetoed by the House of Representatives. difficult issue. is also a potential for it If these bills become laws, citizens wishing to carry a “My personconcealed weapon would be required eight additional hours al opinion is most to go the other way. of additional training in order to obtain the enhanced CPL. of the time when South social studies teacher Dennis Pascoe believes these gun violence hapbills were passed because of the various mass shootings that pens, it’s not by the CHAD HEPNER have recently occurred across the country. people that are the Social Studies Teacher “The fear of going back to Sandy Hook and Columbine law-abiding citizens, (shootings), you want your children to be protected,” Pascoe able to legally carry said. “I think the hope is that the person who has the gun guns, it’s people that would be well-trained.” are already breaking the law.” Hepner said.

Pascoe said although that is the ideal scenario, it isn’t alHepner has his CPL and said he does believe in the ways going to be that way.

Second Amendment, yet he recognizes the concern many “The imperfect people have when it comes to these bills. scenario is, what “I think it’s a valuable debate,” Hepner said. “It’s importif there’s the per- ant for people to be able to talk about these things and see I don’t like the son that isn’t well- both the benefits to having more protection and the risks Pascoe to having guns in the proximity of a large number of cithought of guns be- trained,” said.

“That’s what vilians.” ing in a place where concerns me.”

Michael Rennell, government teacher at South, said kids are. I have two litAccording to these bills, if made law, would make schools a more dangertle boys in elementary Pascoe, the vote ous place. He thinks they got passed because some people school and I would not went straight down believe having guns makes increases safety.

“To some extent, you can see their logic, but in this situwant them to be in a party lines. The 25 who voted for the ation you have it in bars and churches and schools. It’s just classroom with a perbills were Republi- not a good idea,” Rennell said. son that has a gun. cans, and the 11 of Rennell said schools could not make any rules that disthe 12 senators who obey the law if the bills are put into effect. Schools would DENNIS PASCOE voted against the bill have very little say in it.

Social Studies Teacher were Democrats.

“It says right in the state law that schools can’t make any “Instead of going rule that supercede the law,” Rennell said. “If the law passes down partisan lines, as long as you meet those extra expectations, you’ll be able we all have to sit down and get rid of those ideas and just to carry concealed in school.” go, ‘What’s in the best interest of kids? What’s in the best Rennell, Pascoe and Hepner all believe the bills will most interest of society?’” Pascoe said. likely not get approved by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

Pascoe said these bills make him nervous and uncom- According to Pascoe, Snyder vetoed a bill very similar to fortable as a teacher. He thinks schools are not the place this one back in 2012. for guns.

“I would hope he would do the same thing because this “I understand the need to want to protect the schools, one was passed right after the most recent church shooting but there are other ways we can do that without bringing in Texas,” Pascoe said. guns into the school,” Pascoe said. “I don’t like the thought Hepner thinks the bills will be vetoed because the of guns being in a place where kids are. I have two little people who are against it will speak loudboys in elementary school and I would not want them to be er than those who are for it. in a classroom with a person that has a gun.”

“In the end, right or wrong, people Chad Hepner, a U.S. history are going to look at it from teacher at South, said in certain the standpoint of not having situations, it may be okay for guns in schools because of the It says right in the potential for disaster’,” Hepner highly trained individuals to have guns in places like schools. state law that schools said.

“I think in some ways it Pascoe said if this bill is implemented, can’t make any rule that would be safer, if something it would spark a discussion within South supercedes the law. If and the Grosse Pointe community. were to occur, to have people the law passes, as long that are trained and armed “It’s going to lead to a very large disas you meet those extra cussion on who can bring weapons in there to protect students but I think there is also a potenexpectations, you’ll be and who can’t,” Pascoe said. “While tial for it to go the other way,” able to carry concealed there’s nothing changing it, a Hepner said. large discussion would have to in school.

According to Hepner, if happen within the community, these bills did become law, it along with the teachers and the wouldn’t bring that much of a school district.”

MICHAEL RENNEL change to schools.

Social Studies Teacher “I don’t think that most people, as it applies day-today life would choose to get ELIZABETH FLOWER ’20 Copy Editor

GUN DEATHS IN AMERICA 60 percent of murders occurred by a firearm, according to bbc.com.

THE ARMORY Left is an AR-15 tactical assault rifle with a suppressor and holographic scope. Above is a Remington 870 tactical shotgun.

Both are used by Grosse Pointe Farms Police & SWAT Team.

@thetowerpulse

Do you support the bill the Senate passed, which would allow gun owners to carry concealed guns in areas previously declared gun-free zones?

Yes 20% PHOTOS BY JOHN FRANCIS ’18

No 80%

*35 votes total

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

7 | FEATURE

Students enjoy their right to bear arms: A look inside safe, recreational firearm use MADELINE ALLEN ’20 Staff Writer

A

lmost 200 million guns are used partially for hunting animals or shooting targets, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Dylan Mico and Jimmy Rauh, both ’19, are two of those 200 million that use firearms for recreational hobbies.

Guns have had a positive impact in Rauh’s upbringing.

For Rauh, shooting guns has been a common-ground activity between Rauh’s friends and family since he was five years old.

“I grew up seeing my dad going hunting. I usually use shotguns for small game hunting, like birds, pheasants and ducks. We keep the birds, we will eat them for dinner, but we also do it for sport like recreational shooting,” Rauh said. “Guns are good for spending time outdoors in nature, and obviously you make a lot of memories with your family and friends while using them for fun.”

As for Mico, a firearm user since the age of 12, stressed that safety is the most important thing whenever he is in the possession of a gun. “(My friends and I) know the rules of (shooting guns).

We always know when we are holding a gun to point it down, and have the safety on at all times. Always treat an unloaded gun as if it were loaded, no matter what, at all times,” Mico said. “There is a ton of safety involved with shooting a gun. One person shoots at a time, always has glasses on in case if a shot gun shell or bullet casing

COLD PHEASANT The hunters examine the birds they killed, also known as that night’s dinner.

PACKING Chuck Ulbricht ’20 rests his shotgun on his shoulder in the fields. He and his fellow hunters are looking for small game.

BROTHERS IN ARMS John McShane and Chuck Ulbricht, both ’20, walk with their guns on their shoulders.

PHOTOS BY JAMES ULKU ’19

ARMED EDUCATION

ricochets. You have to know how to be safe (with guns).

You have to be safe with them all the time.”

Wayne County Deputy Corporal Becky Beaton, further enforces the idea of safety being the most critical and crucial part of possessing a firearm.

“Sadly, there have been a lot of tragedies with gun use, and that’s because there are no safety precautions being taken in most homes, and also not being educated by the proper personnel,” Beaton said. “I am a very big advocate for gun safety and education. I believe that people should be educated about using guns, especially children or young adults. I am a parent myself, and I have one daughter who has been educated on having a firearm in our home.”

Growing up learning how to properly handle guns, Mico has a comfortable and knowledgeable relationship with guns, and based on his confidence of using guns for safety purposes, Mico looks forward to owning a gun as an adult.

“Guns can provide a feeling of security for some people also it can provide a feeling of fear. In my mind, I’m happy that there are guns around so that I am protected,” Mico said. “I have always been pro-gun. I like to exercise my second amendment right. Almost every member of my family owns a firearm, and as soon as I turn 18, I will buy a gun.”

Students’ views on new gun bill

Staff and students react to new senate bill that will allow firearms in schools more safety.

“I’m not sure the availability of guns will make our schools safer,” Cooper said. “I think our schools ichigan Senate are pretty safe anyway.”

The bill, stating that anyone oldpassed a bill in mid-November al- er than 21 who is “not otherwise lowing for the con- prohibited” from carrying a gun, cealed carry of handguns in public is very broad, and would allow a schools. It allows for visitors above wide spectrum of people to have 21 who are not otherwise banned concealed carry on school propfrom carrying concealed weapons erty. However, according to Jake to carry them, according to legis- Kempa ’20, people in Grosse Pointe are responsible lature.michigan. enough that gov. this shouldn’t While this be an issue. could be a maI’m not sure the “I think in jor raise of conavailability of guns our area, peocern for student will make our school ple are very safety, there may responsible also be benefits safer. I think our with weapons,” of the bill. Acschools are pretty Kempa said. cording to math The senateacher Kristie safe anyway. tors that were Philliben, there pushing the bill could be advanJAMES COOPER believed that tages and disadSocial Studies Teacher the ability to vantages. have concealed “I’m concarry fell uncerned about guns being in schools, I’m con- der Second Amendment rights to cerned about that, but to have a re- bear arms. This is possibly to prosponsible person with one, I could tect students in case of a shooting, see the benefit of that,” Philliben which have become prevalent all over the nation. said.

“You see more and more trageThis potential rise of guns in school and other public areas dies on schools and public buildcould be a very bad thing consid- ings,” Kempa said, “I think if someering all of the shootings that have one were there that had a weapon, happened and continue to hap- a quick stop could be put to these pen in America. The rise of guns, events.” according to US History teacher James Cooper, will not lead to DANIEL KLEPP ’20 Staff Writer

M

There’s already a stigma of school shootings and a feeling of lack of safety and I just wouldn’t feel safe if someone had a gun in the school.

I feel like people would be more on edge, but I don’t think I would care much as long as they have extra training.

I’d have to say even though guns are used for protection, I till feel unsafe with them being carried around and they could be accidentally fired or could fall into the wrong hands.

KHALIB RAHMAAN ’18

JACKSON WUJEK ’18

KARL KRIEGER ’18

School Shooting Fast Facts 68 percent of school shooters acquired their weapons from relatives or from their home. There have been 270 shootings of any kind at schools.

73 percent of school shooters have no prior criminal record. 96 percent are male.

81 percent of school shootings had someone with prior information know beforehand. 65 school shooters have referenced Columbine as an influence.

FACTS COURTESY OF ABCNEWS.COM

Asian Nails & Spa

OUR SERVICES > RESTORATIVE > PREVENTATIVE > PERIODONTICS

> IMPLANTS > PROSTHETICS > ORAL SURGERY

> SAME-DAY EMERGENCIES > SEDATION DENTISTRY Dentistry While You Sleep!

$98 & $78 ADULT CLEANING

CHILD CLEANING

* Please mention this ad when scheduling your appointment.

Restrictions may apply.

313-379-5726

19707 Mack Ave. (313) 743-5044

8 | SPORTS

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 12.6.17

Dedicated figure skater gracefully Q & A with John Weidenbach makes her way to nationals ALYSSA COLE ’19 Staff Writer Through blood, sweat, tears, and lots of practice, Emilea Zingas ’20 has received the opportunity to compete at the national competition for figure skating this year.

Having been a skater since five years old, making it to nationals is a dream come true for Zingas.

At nationals, Zingas will be competing against a small group of other skaters to make it to the next level; the international competition.

According to Zingas, the female athletes who qualified for nationals were the top 12 in the country, and if she makes it to one of the top three slots at nationals, she will compete internationally.

“Getting an international circuit would be really important for my skating career going forward. If I got that, I would compete in Croatia in the spring, Japan in the summer, and a few other countries in the fall,” Zingas said.

Zingas said she practices for seven hours every day, with different coaches who are intense and always pushing her to do her best.

“I try to remember that

even when my coaches are tough on me, their advice will be helpful when I go to compete,” Zingas said.

Brooke Castile, a national figure skating champion in 2007, is one of Zingas’ four coaches. She has been coaching Zingas for six years, and said she loves working with Zingas. “(Zingas) is a coach’s dream to work with,” Castile said. “She is like a sponge, she soaks up every bit of information you give her. She’s a hard worker, respectful, and she’s always smiling. I’m grateful to be a part of her team.”

According to Castile, she and Zingas have similar personalities and talents, which helped with mentoring Zingas throughout her competitive skating journey.

Making it to nationals is exactly what Zingas’ coaches expect of her, and exactly what Zingas expects of herself, according to Castile.

Caroline Kubek ’20 has been best friends with Zingas since kindergarten.

According to Kubek, she is proud of everything her friend has accomplished, and believes she will have a bright future in the sport.

“She’s been working for

ISABELLA CRAPAROTTA ’19 Staff Writer

this her whole life and putting lots of time into it,” Kubek said. “I know how badly she’s wanted this and I’m so happy she has come this far.”

While Zingas puts a significant amount of time into practicing her skating, according to Kubek, she still manages to maintain the other aspects of her life that are important to her.

“Skating is a big commitment, but Emilea still gets good grades in school, and is the best friend I could ever ask for,” Kubek said.

According to Zingas, skating has been her passion for a long time, and she plans to keep working hard to achieve all of her goals in the sport.

“I love skating so much, and I love the feeling after I do my routine well and I know I did my best,” Zingas said. “I love the wind in my hair when I’m skating; it’s everything.”

GAME PLAN Coach John Wiedenbach discusses the game plan at practice. This is Wiedenbach’s first year as the girls hockey coach.

Q: When were tryouts?

A: “Tryouts were November 1.”

Q: How many girls came to tryout?

A:“There were 25 to 26 girls that came to tryout, and there are 19 on the team with no cuts.”

Q: When did you start coaching and where?

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILEA ZINGAS ’20

A:“I started coaching in 1998 at Lauser High School.”

Caught in the moment: Athlete expresses hope for upcoming season

Q:How many games in this upcoming season?

A:“We will play 25 games altogether including the one we already played and state playoffs are to follow.”

LAUREN THOM ’18 Staff Writer Q:How has the beginning of the season been with the team?

Savannah Srebernak ’19 Position: Guard

SHOOT & SCORE Savannah Srebernak ’19 shoots a three pointer.

A:“We played our first game and so far so good; we won 9-4.”

“This season, we’re hoping to win more than we did last season and end with a winning record. We’re trying to get better individually so we can work better together on the court.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVANNAH SREBERNAK ’19

Girls swim team ends season with a splash by winning districts

STATE TEAM The girls team qualified a 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 200 I.M. relay, 50 free relay, 100 free relay, 400 free relay for the states meet.

LAUREN NEMEH ’20 Page Editor The girls swim team ended their season by continuing their 17 year district winning streak, while qualifying several swimmers for the state meet.

According to assistant coach John Fodell, the season went as well as expected.

“I think it was a good season; everyone swam fast throughout it,” Fodell said. “It was a fun season.”

Although the team lost many seniors last year, the team’s motivation and enthusiasm made up for the loss, according to captain

Ava Boutrous ’18.

“I describe my team as very determined, hardworking and very driven; our attitude was really upbeat which was great because we are practicing for so long,” Boutrous said.

According to Boutrous, being a captain comes with lots of responsibility.

“The sport can be very time consuming, especially since we have had two and a half hour practices after school. We have to make sure that everybody is still loving the sport and making their time worthwhile and knowing their hard work is gonna pay off,” Boutrous said.

The swim team’s work throughout the season was shown by their victory over the MAC Red division.

“It was really rewarding because we beat Eisenhower, which is our biggest competitor,” Meg Gleason said. “Everyone was super excited because they beat us in our dual meet championship.”

According to Gleason, winning districts required lots of teamwork.

“Everyone was super into it; we were all supportive and we were all cheering behind the lanes while we were swimming,”

South hired a new girls hockey coach for this upcoming season. He describes his plan for the team this year.

Gleason said. “We really pulled together as a team. I think it helped a lot.”

While the swimmers ranged from new freshmen to seniors, Boutrous says she will definitely miss the program and all of the fun memories.

“It means a lot because it kind of hit me that I am not going back to South swimming next year,” Boutrous said. “It was very surreal, especially this weekend when states were happening.”

Q:What’s in store for the girls this season?

A:“Hopefully to learn and grow as a hockey player, to have fun and have a successful season.”

Q:Where does the team practice?

A:“We have most of our practice ice at the ESH (East Side Youth Sports) foundation, off of Mack and we also practice one day a week at Fraser Ice Arena on Tuesdays.”

Q:How do you plan to improve the team?

A:“I plan to help all of them become better skaters which is what everyone needs to become a better hockey player. I would anticipate that I would give them more knowledge of the game which would, in turn, [help them] become better hockey players.”

Q:What are your hopes for the team?

TAKE YOUR MARK Clarice Fisher ‘ 19 steps on the block and prepares for her race with her teammates by her side.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN NEMEH ’20

A:“I hope that the girls have a great time and that they learn a little more than they did coming onto the team.

It seems to be a group that has a lot of returning players, I would imagine for them it’s probably nothing less than the state championship.”