Issue 12

the

TOWER Thursday, Dec. 8 , 2016

Volume 89

Issue 12

@thetowerpulse

Grosse Pointe South 11 GP Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL RAPAI

Pointe Players: Lost in Saginaw

RACHEL HARRIS ‘18 | Supervising Editor pproximately seventeen hundred pairs of eyes stare at a stage dimly lit from a spotlight. Zaria Aikens ’18 hobbles across the stage using a cane, belting out lines to other cast members of South’s production of Lost in Yonkers.

Along with Aikens, South Pointe Players had the opportunity to set the stage one last time for their production of Lost in Yonkers last Friday and Saturday at Saginaw Valley University during this year’s Michigan Thespian Festival.

According to Meaghan Dunham, Lost in Yonkers director, the festival is a statewide gathering involving high school thespians who are involved in theater across the state.

“It is a two day conference where the kids have a chance to perform main stage shows and to see

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other schools do the same,” Dunham said. “Fifty different teachers come from all over the country and teach things on script analysis, playwriting, vocal techniques, set design, everything.”

According to Dunham, students had the opportunity to perform in individual events, where colleges, professional performers or set designers from throughout the state gave them feedback.

“A lot of colleges come and they get a chance to either audition or just check out different theater programs, so each of these is an amazing opportunity for these kids who are interested in theater either as a profession or just as a way to make themselves more interesting individuals,” Dunham said.

Aikens said she is looking at colleges, and isn’t sure yet if she wants to go into the performing arts field or explore some else.

“I am really hoping that by going to Thespian Festival, I can get some in-

Varsity Club exceeds goal

LAUREN THOM ‘18 | Photo Editor Over 621 coats were donated over the course of seven days. The Varsity Club coat drive concluded on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and adviser Ryan Wheaton is pleased to have exceeded his goal of 600 coats, he said.

Varsity club adviser Ryan Wheaton is pleased to have exceeded his goal of 600 coats, he said.

This is South’s second year holding a school-wide coat drive, after the Fishback family passed on the tradition in 2014.

“The Fishbacks used to hold it, (they) were a family that had two kids here, both graduated, and they used to do this out of GRAPHIC BY LIAM WALSH ’18 their house for years,” Wheaton said. others, which is an important part of Wheaton said the Fishbacks had asked our community. for volunteers from Varsity club, so once Rose Williamson ‘19 donated nine both of their children graduated they coats and said she donated because it asked him if he would be willing to take was for a good cause and she had extra over the coat drive and have it be a school- coats at her house. wide event.

“I think the people that the coats go All the coats go to Cass Community So- to will be appreciative because they’ll cial Services of Detroit, which is the orga- be warm this winter,” Williamson said. nization that the Fishbacks had originally The coat drive was extended bechosen. cause of the comparative lack of coats “From what I in relation to last year. understand from I think the people that the Wheaton believes an the Fishbacks, issue with this was high they do a Thanks- coats go to will be appreciative expectations from a giving meal every because they’ll be warm this successful year. year and when winter.

“I think a lot of peothe local needy ROSE WILLIAMSON ’19 ple went home to clean families come for out their closets, but we Thanksgiving, still have three quarters they have these coats set up so that families of the same population from last year, can pick up the donated coats to help them so a lot of those kids that were gung-ho get through winter and the cold times,” about helping out, they got rid of a lot Wheaton said. of their coats last year,” Wheaton said.

Varsity club vice president Alex Hughes Wheaton said he wants continue to ’17 donated 12 coats and she said she hold the coat drive at South, but also helped collect the coats in Cleminson Hall invite more of the surrounding area. for a week and a half during both lunches.

“Perhaps go to the middle schools “It’s the Christmas holiday, a cold time, and see if the Junior NHS can help out, and a lot of people are in need of [coats], or go to the elementary schools or find not even just homeless people, just fami- a way to involve more of the communilies in need who can’t afford coats,” Hughes ty than just South so that we can consaid. tinue to make this a success,” Wheaton Hughes said the people in Grosse said.

Pointe can always donate things to help

THIS WEEK AT SOUTH...

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Sounds of the Seasons holiday concert at 8:00 p.m. at Grosse Pointe North.

Martin said. “I am looking forward to performing the play. It is a really cool opportunity that South got to do it and it will bring a lot of publicity back to South.”

Dunham said she hoped thespians expanded the horizons of their capabilities within the performing arts and grow as young actors, whether they are under the spotlight or shifting set pieces backstage, by figuring out where their interests and talents lie.

“They might figure out that they’re really good at dialects, they might see two shows that they’ve never heard of, and come back and start reading more plays,” Dunham said. “I hope they experience both the trepidation and the amazing rush that it is to perform for that many kids who are so invested in theater.”

The power of live theater exposes thespians’ potential to grow due to how it is not just a single teacher or a single experience teaching them, but a concentrated experience in so many different areas, Dunham said.

“They are students who live this stuff. They just soak it up like sponges,” Dunham said. “Our students are exposed to more kids who feel the same way they do and come back so geeked. It does that for the teacher too; it does that for me because I have a chance to network with peers as they network with their peers and there’s no downside. It’s a win-win, pretty much for everyone.”

At the festival, Dunham received the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Michigan Educational Theatre Association. Students Calyx Turco, Cinderella Ksebati, Luke Bove, Jerome Manning and Mary Reinman, all ’16 received superiors in their individual events, and Grayson Kennedy ’19 got an excellent for his monologue.

Students show sharing is caring

ALYSSA CZECH ‘19 | Copy Editor Food waste is the leading cause of waste produced by schools, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

In the U.S., about 40 percent of food is wasted, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

About 1.3 billion tons of food in the world is lost or wasted every year, FAO said.

In order to combat the immense food waste people produce, Emily Van Der Hoeven ‘18 has recently started the club Spare to Share, which gives students the opportunity to give away the packaged food from their lunches that they don’t want and would otherwise throw away, so other students who forgot their lunch or are hungry have something to eat.

“There will be a table in the cafeteria (on the second floor)...on the far side of the wall away from the cafeteria line,” Van Der Hoeven said. “The food that no one picks up... will be reused for the next day if it is packaged.”

Assistant principal Terry Flint supported the idea that Spare to Share promotes of saving food and wants to see it grow into a habit.

“What we hope and support of the club is that it just becomes a practice,” Flint said. “Instead of us putting stuff in the garbage I think it’s a great idea to just collect it and make it available.”

According to Spare to Share adviser, Crosby Washburne,

Van Der Hoeven approached him because he teaches Exploring Global Issues, which looks at community service, worldwide problems and how to solve them.

“It was a handful. I had to talk to Mr. Washburne and Mr. Washburne referred me to Mr. Flint,” Van Der Hoeven said.

“Mr. Flint’s role was to help set up the program in a way, as in talking to the administration and coordinating asking National Art Honors Society for their help, getting us a table to go to-- all of the logistics of it he helped with.”

However, the biggest problems Van Der Hoeven and Washburne foresee for Spare to Share is getting people involved with and aware of the club.

Van Der Hoeven said they are trying to put Spare to Share on the announcements and even get a signup going through Varsity Club and NHS for certain days.

“The challenges I think will always be letting people know what it is and getting people to sign up to sit there,” Van Der Hoeven said. “We can’t just leave the food unattended because there is only a certain type of food you can put down.”

All students are encouraged by Van Der Hoeven, Washburne and Flint to participate in Spare to Share in some way.

“I am looking forward to making an environmental impact, that is something I am kind of proud of more or less,” VanDerHoeven said. “But to also give an opportunity for students to utilize the free food, utilizing the food that would be thrown away instead of wasting it.”

THE GOLDEN RULE | Grace Scott ’17 presents her offering to the new Spare to Share program.

People looking to donate can find the table located in the cafeteria at both lunches.

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sight from some professors, even my peers; just some sort of direction,” Aikens said.

Aikens said she was ecstatic to be able to perform Lost in Yonkers at the festival, as well as socialize with others who share a similar passion for performing arts. In the midst of it all, Aikens said the crew, actors and actresses had to diligently prepare for the honor of being able to perform for a crowd invested in the arts.

“We do costuming, we are running lines, we’re putting together sets and we’re improving and we are doing a lot of things to prepare for the show,” Aikens said. “We perform, and then after we spend the rest of the time reflecting and taking down the set and talking to people about our performance.”

Muriel Steinke ’18, vice president of Pointe Players, said there will be workshops for those that are behind the scenes and are members of the crew.

“You learn how to be a better actor,” Steinke said about the experience presented to young thespians during their time in Saginaw. “You learn how to project your voice and make interesting decisions on stage and how to captivate an audience.”

Hailey Martin ’18, a member of the Lost in Yonkers crew, said she was looking forward to the experience of being able to be surrounded by a vast number of people who share similar interests as her.

“I’m hoping to learn how to be a better actor,”

Choir caroling across Grosse Pointe for the holiday season begins.

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PHOTO BY ALYSSA CZECH ’19

South Band-O-Rama takes place in the main gym at 7 p.m.

OPINION

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12.8.16

Together we stand: We cannot hope to achieve greatness divided as a school

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e cannot let ourselves slip up and make national headlines again with some irresponsible acts committed by students. This goes for both sides, as students we should lose with grace and win with dignity. Don’t kick someone while they’re down, instead extend a hand to help them up and recognize them as equals.

We should not ignore our victories just because they were accomplished by someone with whom we disagree. We should celebrate in the forwarding of all of our tenants, even if it was achieved by “the opposition”.

There is no reason to even use the word “opposition” because we all want the same for South. We all want to push forward together in academics, athletics and extracurriculars. We would not be the eighth best high school in the state of Michigan if we push people aside based on their beliefs.

We can continue to improve, as there are seven schools in front of us that we could exceed, and we cannot do that divided. The only way to see ourselves succeed in our goals is to unify, and during this time of the year where strange traditions like coming together in celebration of eating a 20 pound turkey and exchanging small tchotchkes which are placed under a tree kept in our house covered in little glass globes all while coming together with friends and family, we feel it is appropriate to talk about unity.

Unity at South is an enigma. It is an enigma fed by the fact that we have a Unity day, but also the necessity for our principal to come over the PA to refresh our sense of unification. It is the yin and the yang. We are able to come together with our hatred of North, but when socially-charged issues come up, we are a house of cards, blown away by the wind of politics.

We should not accept that divisiveness.

OUR VIEW | Editorial

We would continue to forward ourselves as students if we reject the ideals of party lines defining people.

Just because someone is any particular political alignment, it does not define their worth as a human being.

We are not saying ‘surrender your ideals to the idea of unity’, but instead be willing to respect other’s opinions just as you would have them accept your’s. Do not let a roadblock in your mind hinder your ability to see someone’s true value.

There were 867 hate crimes in the 10 days following the election, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. At South, we are no strangers to the wrath of such heinous acts at our school.

We are well versed in controversy and inspection. We are under a microscope at South which forces us to hold our own expectations even higher than other schools. This is a bittersweet duty that we cannot be vitriolic about-- it pushes us to behave to the best of our abilities and separates us from the pack. The exceptional at oth-

er schools is the normal at South, leading us to hit even higher levels of achievement.

Put our differences aside.

Chants of “build a wall” were spoken at Royal Oak Middle School. A man in Chicago was beaten while someone watching said “You voted for Trump!”. Neither side is exempt, neither side is innocent.

President-Elect Trump said “stop it” to 60 Minutes when speaking about the GRAPHIC COURTESY OF GRIFFIN JONES ‘18 crimes. We are one country and one school, we should act like it. Political arguments should not be disrupting the days of students or be putting other students down. If another student has a differing opinion, it does not make them a bad person, instead it ingrains them in the fabric of American diversity, something we take for granted.

A person’s political beliefs is not a testament of their life. It does not rehash all that they have been through, what dreams they have had, where their mountains and valleys are. Political beliefs are just one of the presents under the Christmas tree.

What we are trying to inspire is the allowance of a sense of value even in contrastive sentiments. Have that open mind that cliches always talk about. Fight against the fires of generalization. Come together with your fellow students over the common enemy of abstraction (or North).

We need to extend our hands down to those who need help picking themselves up. The famous military creed of “No man left behind” should come into our psyche. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.

Rotary experience brings role models “The Story of Tonight”: The mythic MY VIEW

NEWSPAPER

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W i t h my alarm screeching and vibrating ALYSSA like it’s about CZECH ’19 COPY EDITOR to blow up, I groggily roll over and force my eyes open. The clock reads 6:05 am. I have to leave my house in 15 minutes.

My heart racing, I frantically debate about what to wear, pull a brush through my hair (so much for straightening it), grab an apple from the fridge and swing my backpack over my shoulder, praying I have packed enough for a day that is sure to be full of surprises.

This was the beginning of two days I won’t forget.

It didn’t look good so far.

Everyone told me that going to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) would change me, that I would make friends with people in those two days that would last forever. Erykah Benson ‘17 even told me people were almost in tears at the end of the program when she attended, exchanging phone numbers and social media accounts and making plans for when to meet up again.

While I loved the idea of this, I just didn’t see how it could happen, especially after a start like this. I didn’t know what to bring, I didn’t know anyone who was going and I had no idea what the day would entail.

I was wrong.

I left RYLA feeling empowered, inspired, optimistic and with much more confidence and self esteem than I came with. I learned about myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I learned how to meet and introduce myself to new people, how to problem solve and how to deal with and interact with others. I learned about having ethics, good character and integrity.

I am not exaggerating when I say that I left RYLA feeling like I could conquer the world in my own way.

RYLA is “a leadership development program run

by Rotary,” according to www.rotary.org.Throughout the days, the participants of RYLA competed in active events/games, listened to various speakers and took part in other collaborative activities.

One of my favorite parts about the program was how open everyone was with each other and how close we all grew within a matter of hours. Within the first hour of being at RYLA, I met someone from Livonia who I stayed close with throughout the program and even now, more than two weeks later, I still talk to her constantly. I left RYLA with several groups of new friends and plans to meet up with them again soon.

What moved me most was when Michael Ak-

pata-- who has been part of the Windsor Police Service since 1995, served in the Canadian Forces and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and is a LaSalle Town Council member-- spoke to us. It was the fact that his presence was demanding, that he paced up and down the aisle, that his voice fluctuated and that he knew he had something important to say that made him such a captivating speaker. I wanted to take notes on every word that came out his mouth because it resonated so much within me.

“You need to say, ‘We sink or sail as a team, failure is not an option and you’re going to lead. Why? Because I want you to surpass me,’” Akpata said.

He taught us to build personal relationships with those we are leading, to let our ethics guide us and to trust ourselves, to personally be there for those we are leading, to SHOW people how much we care instead of just telling them, to never make promises we cannot keep, to take and run with the opportunities we are given and so much more. I could go on forever.

Akpata said we always need to be asking, “How can I contribute to the success?” and then go do it.

Not only was I inspired by the speakers and instructors that led RYLA, but by the participants as well. In one of the first activities we did, people were given the opportunity to stand up and share short stories about themselves that they feel make them who they are, and I witnessed students who I had known for less than two hours grab the microphone and spill some of their most personal, chilling and heartwarming stories.

Another huge lesson I learned at RYLA that needs to be implemented at South is that we have to be willing to step outside of our comfort zones, try something new and talk to other people.

RYLA is an experience that can truly benefit everyone. When I first heard the speech about the seminar, I dismissed it without a second thought: I would have to miss school and go to Livonia, I didn’t know anyone else who was going and I didn’t even completely understand what it was. If it wasn’t for Benson telling me about what an amazing experience she had at RYLA, I would have been sitting through my classes, barely awake, on Friday, Nov. 11 and doing homework and watching Netflix Saturday morning instead of experiencing one of the most enjoyable weekends of my year.

Take this as your wake up call. Take a leap. Take a chance. Sign up for RYLA next year. Even if you don’t know people who are going; that’s a perfect opportunity to meet people. Even if you don’t know exactly what to expect; you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Even if you think everything I’ve said is cheesy and exaggerated and that RYLA is a waste of time; go and see how wrong that assumption is.

Editor-in-Chief Erykah Benson* ’17 Associate Editor Jack Holme* ’17 Supervising Editors at Large John Francis* ’18 Liz Bigham* ’18 Supervising Editors Ray Hasanaj* ’18, Anton Mikolowski * ’17 Rachel Harris*, Riley Lynch*, all ’18 Page Editors Claire Hubbell* ’17 Cam Smolen*, Chase Clark*, Elena Rauch*, JD Standish*, Katherine Bird*, Liam Walsh*, all ’18

Copy Editors Madeleine Glasser*, Lily Kubek*, both ’17 Alyssa Czech*, Sylvia Hodges*, Bianca Pugliesi*, Claire Koeppen* all ’19 Business Managers Cameron Francis* ’17 Asst. Olivia Sheffer* ’17 Photo Editors Lauren Thom* ’18 Phoebe Miriani* ’18 Online Editor-in-Chief Ariana Chengges* ’17 Web Editors Erica Fossee*, Henry Ayrault*, Kathleen Carroll*, all ’19 Multimedia/Social Media Editors Emma Andreasen* ’17 Abigail Due*, Brennan Zilhman* both ’18

experience of seeing Broadway’s top sold show MY VIEW MIA TURCO ’19

STAFF WRITER

In the room where it happens. Hamilton’s Chicago matinée on Nov. 13 blew the audience away and left

them cheering for more.

The venue, the Privatebank Theatre, was easy to find with the line wrapping around the block. Having bought my ticket a week before the show, my seat was in the top balcony. Though high up, the seats were well spaced from each other and the entire stage was in perfect view.

At this time, the famous Hamilton playbills were distributed, the plastic books contained history of the show, characters and the list of actors. It entertained the audience as they anxiously awaited the first act.

The play began with a main character, Aaron Burr (Joshua Henry), walking out on stage alone.

Before he appeared himself, his shadow cast across the stage and grew and he moved closer. The audience was on the edge of their seats by the time he began to sing.

The opening number soon erupted with whole cast belting and dancing in perfectly synchronized, urban choreography. At the end of the scene, the stage was still and Hamilton, portrayed by Miguel Cervantes, stood center, singly lit. The show had begun.

My favorite part of the show was the urban, American twist on it. Though it was historically inaccurate, it was entertaining to watch the diverse groups perform. There were girls in the show, fighting in the battle scenes and seen in bars with the men, even though it was only men in the true history.

Many minorities were present as well, portraying characters from leads to chorus, though in real, American history only white men played these characters. It was an interesting take on the story and portrayed a beautiful sense of unity and progression in America.

The costumes were lively and historical. Main characters dressed in colonial, ruffled coats, which made the leads easily visible, even from the back row. Chorus members wore simple, tan outfits and tall black boots, which contributed to the urban spin of the history.

At intermission, the lobbies flooded with people looking for souvenirs. Thankfully, each floor had a different lobby, so lines were brisk, with more than enough time to get back to one’s seat. The theatre sold t-shirts as well as signed posters. It was a great way to contribute to show funding, and represent one’s presence at the musical.

Staff Writers Adam Cervone, Charlie Denison, Conner McQueen, Emma Russell, Gillian Eliot, Jack Froelich, Jack Roma, Kelly Gleason, Mac Welsher, Mary Grace O’Shea, Michael French, Sydney Stann, Thomas Sine and William Muawad, all ’17 Arianna Pagenette, Alex Acker, Blair Cullen, Evan Skaff, Evan Theros, Griffin Jones, Ian Dewey, John Schulte, Harper McClellan, Kaitlin Nemeh, Maren Roeske, Margot Baer, Mollie DeBrunner and Piper Eschenburg, all ’18 Allison MacLeod, Amelia Turco, Audrey Whitaker, Alyssa Cole, Donald McGlone, Grace Reyes, Jacqueline Mercier, Katherine Costello, Sarah Bellovich, Sarah Stevenson, and Olivia Mlynarek, all ’19 Adviser Kaitlin Edgerton

The set of the show was intriguing and intelligently designed, consisting of wooden balconies wrapping around the top, with ropes and ladders coming off the sides for characters to incorporate choreography. The entire presentation of the stage was creatively colonial and the cast used the space to the best of their abilities.

I especially appreciated the absence of a curtain during the show. I’d never seen a musical that didn’t have one.

Generally, the curtain opens primarily in the beginning of the first act, so the set remained a surprise. Though, the lack of a curtain allowed the set to be visible at all times, so that the audience could take pictures with the set before and after the show as well as during intermission. It allowed more time for the audience to admire the set and, in my opinion, made one anticipate the show more. Seeing the set first assisted the audience to get excited by awaiting how the show would take advantage of the space and photograph the setting.

Once the musical came to its end, the audience was cheering, crying and out of their seats. Though despite the extravagance of the rest of the show, the bows were unchoreographed and simple. All the characters stood in a line together and took a group bow, which further portrayed the unity that the show exemplified throughout.

When the audience simmered down, a cast member stepped forward.

He informed the audience about their cause to raise funds and contribute to AIDS research. The cast members encouraged the patrons to contribute their George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Hamilton to the foundation.

After the show, cast members and theatre workers stood in the lobby with buckets for contributions. The audience had the ability to meet the cast members, receive signatures, take pictures, as well as donate to the charity.

Post-performance, to the left of the theatre there was an opportunity to meet the cast. The appearances ranged from chorus to tech to Alexander Hamilton himself. Everyone I met was extremely nice and willing to take pictures and sign the playbills. Not only are the actors extremely talented, but appreciative and accepted compliments wholeheartedly.

Hamilton, originally in New York, may be moving cities and switching out the cast, but the story remains true to the hard hitting history. Through it’s exemplified diversity and unity, the musical portrays issues far deeper than the simple, educational history of the first United States’ treasurer.

In that sense, any place in which the complex issues are performed with such simplicity becomes the greatest city in the world.

“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.

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NEWS

12.7.16

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Choir prepares for annual Christmas carol LAUREN THOM & KAITLIN NEMEH ’18 | Photo Editor & Staff Writer With Christmas approaching, South’s choirs are preparing for their annual Christmas caroling.

From Friday Dec. 9 from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Saturday Dec 10, also from 5 p.m. to 10p.m., the choirs will travel around Grosse Pointe and sing Christmas carols.

“They’ll go out to local restaurants and carol,” Choir Director Chris Pratt said. “They’ll also do private events at people’s homes or parties, that kind of thing.”

For people’s parties, it’s kind of a relaxed and fun event that people get to do in the community, Pratt said.

Singing for a smaller group makes the audience more engaged, and the singers can have fun and talk to them, South Singer Morgan Wilson ’19 said.

“I hope to go to more private parties and houses,” Wilson said. “It’s always nicer to sing for a small audience, partially because they invited us there so we know that they definitely want us to be singing.”

The caroling groups are divided by voice parts. There is a mixed group of boys and girls, that is made up of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (SATB). A group of all women including, a soprano one, a soprano two, and an alto (SSA).

There will be 14 different caroling groups this year.

“Each group has a leader, and those are the seniors who are the leaders of each group,” Pratt said.

The seniors will be in charge of their groups, and making sure that everything stays “merry” while caroling.

“Im very excited to lead my own group this year,” Calyx Turco ’17 said.

“I think keeping your group focused and happy is important for this event. Since we’re out caroling for a couple hours it starts to get a little tedious, so it’s important to keep everyone positive.”

The carolers will be singing classic Christmas tunes, and songs that come from hymnals, such as, “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.”

“It’s a variety of standard carols and so all of the kind of popular songs that you know around the holidays,” Pratt said. “We throw in some kind of more up-tempo, jazzier versions of a couple things, so that’s kind of the standard repertoire, they just come from a variety of places.”

The Christmas caroling tradition started about 20 years ago, and was mainly used to raise money for the choirs.

“It was initially started as a fundraiser,” Pratt said. “What it’s grown into-- at least since I’ve been here-- is that the money that we generate from (caroling) is set aside in a separate account that we use for scholarships to send students to different camps in the summer.”

The money can also be used if a student has financial difficulties. It helps cover any kind of assistance that they might need, Pratt said.

All of the groups are well prepared, and are expected to have a lot of fun, Pratt said.

“I think they’ll represent South well in the community at different parties and places around town,” Pratt said.

The singers enjoy caroling, and being involved in the community, Turco said.

“I like being able to do something in the community,” Turco said. “We’re usually up on stage and it’s nice to share something we love with people all over Grosse Pointe.”

Wilson agrees, and looks forward to seeing the reactions of the audience when they sing.

“When you can see the people who are really taken in and enjoying your singing is definitely the best part,” Wilson said.

Pratt’s recalls a cherished memory, when students came to his house to carol, about four years ago.

“I think just my favorite memory of (caroling) is when I had a group come to my house and

“OFISHUARY” ‘Struggle’ fish outside Mr. Theisen’s room passes away

when I opened the door, they were pretty shocked that it was my party that they were singing at,” Pratt said. “The now seniors were freshmen, so that was one of my favorite (memories). It was just fun because I could tell they were nervous to come in and sing for the party of guests, but again it was really relaxed and they had a good time and the people at the parties always have a good time.”

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

UPDATE: Check-in with first year teachers

PHOTOS BY RAY HASANAJ & BLAIR CULLEN ’18

RAY HASANAJ ’18 | Supervising Editor

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LIAM WALSH ’18 | Page Editor n aquatic member of South passed this past week, as “Strugglefish” swam on to bluer waters.

Strugglefish inspired many as he “just kept swimming” even through all of his hardships. He lived in the fishtank next to Mr. Theisen’s room, on the second floor of the S-Building.

Many students saw him everyday wiggle around in the water and took that mentality to their next class, wiggling through a test, struggling through a project, swimming through lunch.

He was a friend to us all, allowing students to bask in all the glory that was the 90 degree pink wonder. If you needed a smile, all you had to do was turn to him and he would always be able to lift your spirits. If you needed someone to talk to, he would listen.

He truly was a pillar of South and something will always be missing without him.

He was a constant inspiration to us all. We all at the Tower would like to pay our respects and wish him a happy life wherever he ends up next. May he rest in peace.

There is a memorial on the fish tank next to Mr. Theisen’s room where you can pay your respects with a note, and there was a private funeral for family only a few days prior.

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Mr. Hecker Physics Q: HOW HAS YOUR TRANSITION BEEN TO SOUTH?

A: I say I feel it’s been going well.

There are a lot of things I used to do in my old building that I wasn’t sure if they would work here. I had a flipped classroom in my old building, so I didn’t lecture in my old building. I was hesitant to try that here, and I’ve started experimenting with it a little bit here and I feel students are responding well to it.

Q: WHAT’S ONE THING IN

PARTICULAR YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH HERE AND THE STUDENTS?

A: This isn’t about South specifical-

ly, but I live here in Grosse Pointe, so it’s cool working in the community where I live. It seems the staff has students’ best interests at heart and everyone wants to the students to be successful. To me, that’s the key to having an effective school.

Q: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A

FIRST YEAR TEACHER AT A NEW SCHOOL?

A: I was nervous, weirdly. Every

school has its own atmosphere and its own climate. I was apprehensive, sort of figuring out what that climate was going to be.

Mrs. Overs

Mrs. Triden

Mr. Palen

Q: HOW IS YOUR YEAR GOING

Q: WHAT ARE YOU THOUGHTS

Q: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A

French

SO FAR AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON SOUTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT HERE?

A: I feel the year’s going really

well. I have two classes here in the morning, and both of them are full of really great students. I think that coming from the middle school, I was stuck by the number of activities that are offered here and the number of things that are going on a daily basis--clubs and sports and all of those kinds of things. It made me realize how busy high school students are.

Q: HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE SOUTH TO OTHER SCHOOLS YOU’VE TAUGHT AT SO FAR? A: I don’t have anything nega-

tive to say. The time that I taught high school was for my student teaching, and that was in English, and now I’m teaching French, so I would say a big difference between the high school and the middle school is that I think high schoolers are more focused, and also quicker to take notes or write things down or to realize the importance of the information that’s being presented in class.

History

ON SOUTH?

A: I think that the teachers here

are very warm and welcoming and I’ve enjoyed getting to know teachers. The students are really great; they work really hard and are respectful. I’ve just really enjoyed folding myself into the culture here.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE

FACTORS THAT WHY YOUR YEAR IS GOING THE WAY IT IS?

A:

I think really great student who are respectful and work hard and pay attention and want the best for themselves. I think colleagues that support the material and sharing resources that I can teach effectively. And just overall a well established culture that allows me to really focus on teaching and do my job well.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SOUTH HERE?

A: My favorite thing I think--this

is kind of silly--but no lunch duty.

I’ve never been in a school where I didn’t have lunch duty. To have a few minutes to myself every single day is something I won’t take for granted.

History

FIRST YEAR TEACHER AT A NEW SCHOOL?

A:

There’s logistical stuff that can be challenging. I had to set up a classroom, and believe it or not, that takes up a ton of effort and time and work because you have to move all your stuff and set up. I mean look at this room, it’s pretty awesome.

Q: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING HERE AT A NEW SCHOOL?

A: It’s good. I think the students

are sort of curious about where’s Mrs. Norris. But, I also worked with some of these students since I was a teacher at Pierce, so I have established relationships with some students, which makes it nice because you already have some commonalities and some groundwork to build your foundation.

Q: HOW DOES YOUR FUTURE

HERE AT SOUTH LOOK BASED OFF THE LAST FEW MONTHS?

A: There’s a term that educators

use, and they call it a destination job; this is where I want to land and I want to help grow and build the social studies program at South.

FEATURE

4

12.8.16

A WINTER WONDERLAND

PHOTO BY WILL MUAWAD ’17

Local social hotspot kicks off the holiday season with annual tree lighting ceremony WILL MUAWAD ‘17 | Staff Writer ast Friday night, Nov. 18, a couple of friends and I drove downtown to see the tree lighting ceremony at Campus Martius. Once we got downtown and parked a good mile from Campus Martius, I saw many people just walking around and trying to find a place to eat. As we walked closer to the actual tree, it became hard to walk at times because there were just so many people milling about in excitement.

I had never been to Campus Martius for the tree lighting before, which is why I was so surprised by just how many people were not only near the tree, but also in the surrounding areas. It was really good to see and made the whole experience much more exciting and fun. After a good 15 to 20 minutes of wading through the crowd, we finally reached Campus Martius. The tree was gorgeous,

L

lit up with all different colored lights and topped with a silver star tree topper. Not only was this tree awesome, but so were all the other trees and holiday decorations in and around Campus Martius, wrapped in colored lights from top to bottom.

The tree lighting ceremony also marked the opening of the Campus Martius Ice Rink, which is an iconic part of the winter season downtown. Between the tree lighting and the ice rink opening, the holiday spirit was high and infectious.

The whole event surpassed my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed kicking off the holiday season downtown with people that enjoy the holidays just as much as I do.

I am sure that if I have the chance next year, I will definitely make an effort to go to the tree lighting ceremony and enjoy the holiday spirit of Detroit.

CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT

HORSIN’ AROUND| Campus Martius park offers rides in horse-drawn carrriages to get into the holiday spirit. Tickets can be purchased onsite, and blankets are provided in each carriage.

[For the full version of the story, go to www.thetowerpulse.net]

PHOTO BY PIPER ESCHENBURG ’18

Arabic club hosts fundraiser for Iraqi people in need GRACE REYES ‘19 | Staff Writer The candy will be sold for a dollar and all contriince last December, a group of South students butions will be given to the organization. Accordorganized a club that is opened to all races ing to Kado, they will be selling in the main hallway and ethnicities to provide awareness for islamopho- during first and second lunch until candy is sold out. bia, the dislike of Muslims.

“The candy sale is a way for us to raise money,” “We decided that it’d be a great way to educate people on Arabic culture and it also overlaps with Peck said. “We figured that students like to buy caneducation on the Muslim culture as well,” Arabic dy at lunch, and it’s been going pretty well. We are sending the money directly to families in the refuculture club member, Jack Hensien ‘18 said.

According to club adviser, Danielle Peck, the gee program and directly to families in Iraq.”

The club’s regular meetings’ main focus is on edclub encourages all ucating people about students of any backArabic culture and ground to come and learn about the ArWe decided that it’d be a great way based on those ideas.

“We have lessons abic culture and the to educate people on Arabic culture, every week, not only Muslim world. and it also overlaps with education on on Arabic culture but “We are teaching also Islam, one of the the Muslim culture as well. people what they most popular reliwant to learn and JACK HENSIEN ’18 gions in the middle what we think should Club Member east,” co-president be taught, involving Amelia Abouljoud Arabic culture. We want to educate anyone willing to attend our meet- ‘18 said. “We try to connect Islam to other religions as well to show it isn’t very different than Judaism or ings,” Co-president, Isaac Kado ‘18 said.

The Arabic club has gotten together since Nov.14 Christianity.”

Arabic club meets every other Thursday at 7 a.m. and have been raising money to Help Iraq, an organization dedicated to supplying necessities and in room 248.

“We welcome everyone, so even if you don’t funding to the people in need in Iraq.

“We are doing a student to student coalition pro- identify as a student that’s Arabic, that fine because gram and are raising money,” Kado said. “Then you we have tons of students that aren’t and we want evgive it to them (HelpIraq.org) and they buy like toys erybody to learn about the culture,” Peck said. and food and like clothes for these kids.

S

CANDY FOR A CAUSE |Club member Jack Hensien ’18 sells candy for the Arabic club fund-

raiser. Candy will be sold in the main hallway during first and second lunch until the candy PHOTO BY GRACE REYES ’19 is sold out.

12.8.16

SUNNY SIDE UP:

FEATURE

5

New breakfast club allows students to get to first hour with a full stomach

GRIFFIN JONES ‘18 | Staff Writer Cracchiolo said.

Wake up to a full stomach with South’s new “Right now, we’ve done pancakes, we’ve done Breakfast Club, a group of people giving the first omelettes and, today, we’ve done eggs and bameal of the day some importance. con,” Cracchiolo said. “Down the road, we might “The purpose of the club is to teach kids how to go into more complex food, and it doesn’t have cook so that when they’re in college, they’re not liv- to be breakfast.” ing off of ramen their entire life,” Anna Clark ‘18, The intention of the club is bringing people co-founder of the club, said. together and preparing them for their future Last Thursday, experiences with the Breakfast Club food, O’Hare said.

“I just think met at 7 a.m. in PaI just think it’s nice that kids can get it’s nice that kids tricia O’Hare’s room together and do something because can get together and made scramand do something bled eggs, bacon and cooking is vital for everyone because cooking sausage. A group of PATRICIA O’HARE is vital for everyaround 10 students Foods Teacher body,” O’Hare showed up to presaid. “When I was pare the meal.

“It’s also an excuse just to make breakfast, younger, families ate together; now it’s not as for people to come together,” Sal Cracchiolo ‘17, important and I think it’s a time where you get co-founder, said. “We’ve had anywhere from three to sit back and enjoy things. Food is an essential people to 20 people, and even if no one comes, we’ll part of all cultures and it’s a way to bring people together.” still be making breakfast.”

Meetings are every Thursday at 7 a.m. in The group hopes to gain momentum in having more people come together and exploring more O’Hare’s room, 145. All students are welcome retypes of food other than simple breakfast foods, gardless of cooking ability.

The benefits of eating breakfast

IAN DEWEY ‘18 | Staff Writer The alarm clock goes off at 7:45 a.m., the product of having used the snooze function five times. Miserable, jaded and sporting dark circles the size of tricycle tires, the student slowly shifts out of bed, nearly unable to move. Five more minutes pass, and he is running late.

Breakfast is the least of his concerns.

He barely makes it to school on time, and he is miserable and starved until lunch. By this time, the diet he was supposed to start today is the least of his concerns. It’s time to feed. Fatty, high carb foods are the type he craves.

Unfortunately, this morning archetype is all too common in the everyday high schooler. Too many adolescents tend to skip the all important morning culinary ritual of breakfast.

An example of one of these people include Nick Diamond ‘17, who doesn’t eat breakfast.

According to Diamond, this lack of eating may have an effect on how he feels in the morning.

“Nah, I don’t eat breakfast before school,” Diamond said. “I feel pretty tired.”

According to Health teacher Nicole Westfall, there are a multitude of benefits gained from having a morning meal.

“It helps you stay awake in school, focus and helps your brain in general,” Westfall said. “In the long run, it helps maintain a healthy weight, (and) it helps with grades.”

However, it isn’t enough to just eat breakfast, according to Westfall. The right diet is also essential, as some dietary choices are better than others. Proteins, carbs from fruit and fewer sugars are what is needed.

“Instead of eating white bread, like bagels, instead have whole wheat bagels, and instead of cream cheese, maybe peanut butter for protein... smoothies are also good,”

Westfall said. “Typically I have smoothies, greek yogurt, cereal and bananas.”

Many students can vouch for the importance of eating breakfast. Adrian Doan ‘19 claims that he eats breakfast nearly every day.

“I do eat breakfast every morning; it’s the most important meal of the day,” Doan said. “I usually have cereal because I don’t have time to make anything, but my favorite is a nice, hot breakfast: gets you going in the morning, gets you energized.”

Doan described the effects of skimping out on breakfast as a hindrance to his morning ritual.

“If I don’t eat breakfast, my first couple classes of the day I’m tired; I’m grouchy,” Doan said.

“I just have less energy for the whole day.”

Not all students are like Doan, though. Maria Troscinski ‘17, for instance, describes her breakfast eating schedule as quite sporadic.

“I sometimes eat breakfast,” Troscinski said.

“I feel better on the days I do. On the days I don’t, I feel like crap.”

Fortunately, on the days that Troscinski does eat breakfast, she hits it right on the head when it comes to diet.

“I normally have an apple or a hard-boiled egg,” Troscinski said.

Little do many high schoolers know of the importance diet has on general mood, personal aesthetic and physique, according to Consumer Reports. The very simple difference between having a morning meal or not can drastically change one person’s day, from being in a generally content mood into making one into the epitome of the most miserable blot of humanity.

CRACKING EGGS | Members of the breakfast club prepare food before their first hour classes in Mrs. O’Hare’s room. Meetings are held every Thursday at 7 a.m.

PHOTOS BY GRIFFIN JONES ’18

HUMANS OF GP KEN WELCH- Owner and Founder of Pointe Fitness “I started this gym in 1995 because I needed a place to work out; there weren’t other places to work out from 8 mile to Detroit. I was the first place. I had limited space, but with circuit training that I was doing, everyone was in for 30 minutes, got their workout in, and left. We could carry a high membership with limited space. We’re one of the original gyms; we lead the way. Going out on a limb, we are the best with knowing what to do, how to do it and training. We pride ourselves on knowing our members here.”

PHOTO BY BLAIR CULLEN ’18

“I coach people on how to make their own routines, and the psychology behind why they need to lift weights and the everyday use of it. Simple things like carrying everything out of the grocery store, a case of water can weigh close to 40 pounds, and weightlifting can stop you from straining something or being sore.”

GRAPHIC BY CHASE CLARK ’18

Join us at the Crown this Holiday Season!

Now booking parties from two to 200!

FEATURE SPORTS

46

9.6.16 12.8.16

Is Snapchat an effective way of communication?

RACHEL HARRIS ‘18 | Supervising Editor much.”

There it is again. And again. And again.

Hurst believes that this news feature, as well Another Snapchat notification bubble pops up as filters and the appeal of being able to keep in on Lauren Kramer ’18’s smartphone screen. She contact with friends, are the reasons people have sighs, as the Snapchat app is a daily, if not hour- chosen to hop on the Snapchat bandwagon. ly pastime for her since middle school that has According to English teacher and Technolochanged the way she communicates. gy Curriculum Specialist Nicholas Provenzano, “I decided to get Snapchat to keep up with my Snapchat is a means for quick communication friends, as well as my other friends that I don’t go among people to share pictures that others may to school with,” Kramer said. “The good part is find funny. you get to keep up with people you don’t get to “I don’t think it has drastically changed comsee everyday. I feel like now, it’s easier to Snapchat munication like other things have,” Provenzano someone instead of saying it to their face.” said. “It’s the thing that kids are using now, and Similar to Kramer, Abby Hurst ’18 is an avid it will constantly shift from Facebook to Twitter Snapchat user. Hurst said she uses the app very to Instagram to Snapchat; it’s always evolving and regularly, if not every day. the changing. It’s just anothdeciding factor for her to downer way for kids to comload the app was after her friends “I don’t really like using Snap- municate.” urged her to to join the social meHowever, Hurst said chat for personal conversations. that sometimes Snapdia platform, she said.

“Lots of my friends suggested I It disappears after 10 seconds chat can be overbearing get Snapchat because they get a lot and I don’t think that people get in terms of the constant of their news from Snapchat, and the right message sometimes communication and the things go around Snapchat and need to keep Snapchat with Snapchat.” they wants to send me Snapchats,” “streaks,” with others Hurst said. “They told me to get ABBY HURST ’18 creating an urgency to one, so I decided to get one.” constantly share new After loading the app onto her phone and snaps. becoming acquaintanced with Snapchat and its “My least favorite part is how people need to uses, Hurst said she noticed she felt a lot more keep up with their streaks,” Hurst said. “I don’t involved and ‘in the loop’ of things. really care about those very much and people get “I just feel very into everything,” Hurst said. angry at me and people also get mad when I don’t “It has news, I can see what my friends send me, I respond to them right away. I just don’t have the can see their stories and I can see what is going on time. I don’t really have time to keep up with it. in their lives. So, I just like knowing everything.” I enjoy it, but I don’t really have time to keep up According to Hurst, she occasionally utilizes with it.” the Snapchat “News Stories” to get her dose of Kramer said that for her, Snapchat is occasiondaily news without having to flip through the ally bothersome due to the popularity of the app newspaper or news channels on her television in and how often many people use it. the morning before school.

Due to the downsides of the app, Hurst said “I sometimes look at them, but I go through she prefers texting or calling as opposed to Snapthem pretty quickly,” Hurst said. “If I find some- chat to have meaningful conversations. Kramer thing I am really interested in, then I might read agrees, and said she doesn’t use Snapchat for esa couple paragraphs, but I don’t really read it very sential conversations, but rather, texts them or

talks face to face.

“I don’t really like using Snapchat for personal conversations,” Hurst said. “It disappears after 10 seconds and I don’t think that people get the right message sometimes with Snapchat.”

Provenzano believes that text messages can sometimes be misconstrued.

However, Provenzano said that students who use Snapchat often believe that when they delete a Snapchat, it is gone forever.

“That’s just not true. It’s a misconception,” Provenzano said. “I think it gives kids a false sense of privacy and security. But it’s not as wonderfully safe and secure.

Kids really need to read terms and conditions.

“Those are all really important things kids need to think about 60% of Snapchat’s Monthly US Users Are Aged 13-24 before they start taking all of these pictures.”

Snapchat Is Now Worth $20 Billion With all of this in mind, Hurst believes that Snap60% Of All Smartphone Users Are Now On Snapchat chat has actually been a positive in terms of Millennials Account For 7 Out Of 10 Snapchatters communication between

Snapchat Now Has More Users Than Twitter

71% Of Users Head To Snapchat For Chat/Snap 34% Like Snapchat Because Snaps/Stories Disappear

people.

“I actually talk to a lot of people that I don’t think I normally would,” Hurst said.

“I feel like I am able to reach out to people that I normally don’t think I would otherwise.”

Administration faced with task of neutralizng post election tensions between students

JACQUI MERCIER ‘19| Staff Writer dent body of South. However, these attempts followed with some backlash The 2016 election was one of the most controversial in American history. and controversy of their own.

Following the election of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, tensions “Some do not agree with how I chose my words, and some of the meswere high between people with opposing political viewpoints both in and out saging. But what I think it did do is it provided an opportunity for parents of the classroom. to speak to their students, and for the community to have a conversation The staff of Grosse Pointe South was faced with the task of addressing these around civil dialogue and about how we move forward as a community and controversies in the most peaceful manner possible. as a country,” Hamka said.

“This election was very different than any other election that I’ve witnessed In addition to this announcement to the entire student body, many teachin my life. It was very polarizing, which makes it difficult because people take ers also took it upon themselves to create a learning opportunity out of the their political beliefs very personally and speak out without thinking about election for their students by conducting their own in-class discussions. how it affects other people,” AP Government teacher MiRennell organized discussions in his AP Government chael Rennell said. classes following the election. According to Rennell, the According to Principal Moussa Hamka, the staff ’s pri- “I think it’s important for teach- discussions were frank, emphasized the overall alikeness mary goal is to maintain South’s high standards of acaers to emulate what should be of everyone. They also acknowledged differences that demic achievements, and however uncomfortable it is at would benefit the country as a whole. times, it is necessary to intervene at times of conflict in proper behavior and to point out “I think it’s important for teachers to emulate what order to obtain success. With these goals in mind, South behavior that isn’t acceptable should be proper behavior and to point out behavior that was striving to avoid situations similar to those at Royal in our society” isn’t acceptable in our society and to try and teach stuOak Middle School, in which students chanted “Build the MICHAEL RENNELL dents how to be kind to one another, and to be able to AP Government Teacher Wall!”, making national headlines. express their political views without feeling threatened by “What we all know is that students don’t learn if they the other side or intimidated by anyone,” Rennell said. don’t feel safe and if the environment isn’t conducive to learning,” Hamka said.

Unlike some others, Kenny Prather ‘20 believes there are some benefits to “Our top priority is maintaining a learning environment that will promote the discussing politics in class. level of excellence we have come to enjoy at this school.”

“It’s good (when politics are discussed in school) unless teachers have To handle the situations and tensions the election had presented, Hamka biased opinions about it,” Prather said. promptly met with individual students involved in reported incidents, made an Rennell said the response post-election has been positive overall within announcement over the PA system and combined what were planned to be two classroom discussion. He had nothing but positive comments to make when protests both in approval of and against the election, organizing a unity based reflecting on the discussions within his classroom. rally that took place Friday, Nov. 11 following school.

“I hope that they took away the message that different political views are The election was first mentioned to the school as a whole on Wednesday, ok, we are ok, and that our country’s going to survive,” Rennell said.

November 9th by Hamka over the PA system. In his speech, he read an article from the Huffington Post in an attempt to instill unity and peace within the stu-

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FEATURE

12.8.16

7

Finding entertainment: Lost in Yonkers IAN DEWEY ’18 | Staff Writer For those caught unawares about the theatre world of Grosse Pointe South, which is a relatively small but closely knit one, from Nov. 17-19, the local troupe gave a captivating performance of Neil Simon’s play, Lost in Yonkers.

The premise of the play is rather simple: an indebted father Eddie (casted by Sean Gates ‘19), who fears for his and his sons’ (Jay and Arty, casted by Tommy Thams ‘19 and Andrew Fleming ‘20 respectively) lives, sends them both to live with their stern Grandma Kurnitz (Zaria Aikens ‘17) and estranged Aunt Bella (Julia Rapai ‘18).

Other characters include the shady Uncle Louie (Peter Lianos ‘18) and the wheezing Gertrude (Liesel Lagrou ‘17).

In general, the acting was solid through and through.

Never did anyone break or stumble the lines, and the cast animated their respective characters in a passionate and believable manner.

Additionally, some actors were so well suited for their roles (or simply just so highly skilled) that it was hard to imagine that actor as any other person than as the character they portrayed.

Perhaps the best example of this was Aiken’s role as Grandma Kurnitz. From the way she held her voice to her very posture, Aikens completely enveloped the role as the grandmother so much so that I began to wonder if Aikens really needed to use a cane in real life.

Another very good performance was that of Lianos’ character Uncle Louie. Being a rather crooked figure, the character of Louie as portrayed by Lianos was slick as grease the entire performance. Throughout the play, he was so subtly devilish and so comedic in the deliverance of his lines that

it appeared that his performance was on a whole other plane than the play itself.

Though not the most exceptional, the rest of the actors were good. They were able to all collectively hit the exact emotion Louis was attempting to achieve in his writing. And through the climax of the play, in which Aunt Bella confesses her feelings for a dead-beat movie usher, Rapai did well in conveying all the underlying stress her character carried.

Her voice sounded hysterical and impassioned.

With that being said, it stands to reason that not just individual performances are what count in the performance of a play. Nowhere else in the play is this better exemplified in the chemistry between Thams and Fleming. Not only did their portrayals of Jay and Arty blend well, the obvious height difference made for some good comedic effect; especially in the first act.

It was obvious throughout the play that the various actors held a versatility in their delivery and composure of characters. Like many contemporary works, Lost in Yonkers is not exactly a comedy nor a drama: it has elements of both genres of theatre. (The first act was mostly comedic in nature, with the latter act being much more dramatic).

Despite this, the actors were able to deliver slowly shift their characters with the mood of the play. They were goofy and fun during the more gaudy parts, and solemn and bleak in the dark portions. It was only a couple of times that the acting was over the top or cringe-inducing.

Yonkers, as performed by the South troupe was extremely good, and very rarely spine-tingling. Their performance clearly deserves at least an eight, and perhaps a nine from a more optimistic view.

SQUAD GOALS| The cast of “Lost in Yonkers” after performing this past weekend at Saginaw Valley.

dancing for

DIVERSITY ‘Hairspray’ searchers for a fuflilling cast with auditions this winter

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SYLVIA HODGES ‘19 | Copy Editor This year’s all-school musical is Hairspray, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and film about a “pleasantly plump” teenager who tries to integrate a TV dance show in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland.

Hairspray features a cast of many ethnicities, but roles traditionally played by black or white actors may have to be non-traditionally cast. Non-traditional casting is casting a role normally played by a white actor with a black actor, among other situations.

“We could have a few select African American kids playing the leads, but it’s so much more powerful if we were to have an entire group of young people of color playing the young people of color,” director and English teacher Meaghan Dunham said. “Then we can build to having more ethnically diverse casts in whatever we do.”

Dunham said that she is completely willing to cast non-traditionally.

“It can be cast any way; non-traditional casting is very common but, and in a lot of shows, truly, (race) doesn’t matter,” Dunham said.

“Race is not pivotal in any way.”

According to Jerome Manning ‘17, there is a small number of minority students in choir, which makes it hard to find students to fill roles traditionally cast with an actor of a certain race.

“It’s going to be kind of hard to recruit people that are outside of choir but that’s what we’re trying to do,” Manning said.

Both Dunham and Manning encouraged students who are not in choir to still come and audition. Anyone of any background can audition,

Dunham said. They are also encouraging students who may have never participated in a musical before to come and try it out.

“If they are available, we want to incorporate them into the allschool musical and that’s something that a lot of students (think that) it’s just the drama kids and it’s just the choir kids and it’s not,” Dunham said. “You haven’t ever done theater in your life, come on down, give it a shot because we want to get as many kids involved in the production as possible.”

Dunham also said that there are plenty of opportunities to help backstage if students aren’t comfortable onstage.

Choir director and producer of Hairspray Chris Pratt said that he believes this is a appropriate time to do this show.

“It’s something that I think shows our unity of South and brings together both veteran people, who maybe have done the all-school musical, and maybe some new faces to it,” Pratt said.

With two separate racial incidents occurring last year, South has an ambition to bring a sense of unity to the school. Since Hairspray is about uniting people, Manning, Dunham and Pratt all agreed there couldn’t be a more perfect time to do this show.

“It would be really cool to kind of show how to fix those problems without being preachy and a fun kind of entertaining way that also includes the whole school,” Manning said.

Auditions for Hairspray will be held in January after winter break.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL RAPAI

Caroling, concerts and Christmas: performing arts prepare for holidays AUDREY WHITAKER ‘19 | Staff Writer The holiday season is busy enough, but imagine adding weeks of after school rehearsals plus weekend and evening performances to your schedule. It takes a lot of talent to balance all that extra work, but luckily talent is just what band, orchestra and choir students have.

“We’ve been rehearsing both during school and after school for the last month ever since Halloween,” choir director Chris Pratt said.

Choir kicks off on Dec. 8 with the Sounds of the Season concert, which features all of the choirs and begins at 7 p.m. at the performing arts center attached to North High School, according to Pratt.

“For our own concert we’ll have our own after school rehearsals that lead up to that on Monday and Tuesday,” Pratt said.

The next two evenings choir does caroling in the community, where groups of choir students perform at private events like parties and restaurants from 5-10 p.m. on both Friday Dec. 9 and Saturday Dec. 10, according to Pratt.

“Then on Dec.16, 17 and 18 we perform with the DSO for their pops concert called Home for the Holidays and that is six concerts over a three day period, so two concerts a day,” Pratt said.

South choirs will also perform at the Mothers Club tea on Dec. 7 with North’s choir, which is the day that the rest of the high school students have the day off.

South’s orchestra is also working hard to prepare for the holiday season and the new year.

“On Friday, Dec. 9, the orchestra and the band do a middle school tour; we go down and we play at Brownell and Pierce at assembly concerts and for that we’re doing both seasonal and nonseasonal music,” orchestra director James Gross said. “The kids enjoy it, its fun.”

“Playing a lot of holiday music is really fun because it gets you in the spirit. Its really nice to have during school,” said Billy Beardslee ’19.

Two weeks water, Wednesday Dec. 21, the South students will be joining the North High School orchestra for the GPPS District String Extravaganza Concert.

“This is a grade five through 12 concert that features all the students playing a stringed instrument, whether it be elementary school, middle school, or North and South,” Gross said.. “It’s a one hour concert in the gym and it’s a great concert, especially for the beginning fifth graders so that they can see what lies ahead.”

Orchestra is also busy learning music for their MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association) competition in March, according to Gross.

“MSBOA is the NCAA of high school band and orchestras. In March we play a competition.

We’re starting that music now, so that we’re ready and successful,” Gross said.

South band has their Yule Be Boppin’ jazz band concert on Dec. 9 and Band-O-Rama concert for all GPPSS band students at South on Dec. 19, according to the Grosse Pointe South band and orchestra website.

SPORTS

11.16.16

8

OBSTACLE COURSE

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KATHERINE BIRD ‘18 | Page Editor

OP! That was the sound Logan MacLean ’18 heard as he was tackled by an opposing player during a football game his freshman year.

THE MOMENT “My leg snapped,” MacLean said. “It sounded like a loud cracking. You could hear it all the way across the field.”

MacLean, after playing sports since he was three, remembers walking off the field as if the fall didn’t phase him. And yet, it wasn’t a surprise to MacLean when he found out that he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. Every year, about 250,000 to 300,000 people sustain injuries to the ACL, according to Orthopedic Specialists of North Carolina (OSNC). A fraction of this number is present in high school athletes.

The ACL is the tissue in the middle of the knee that prevents the shin bone from sliding out in front of the thigh bone, according to government sponsored organization, Medline Plus.

“They’re (ACL tears) most commonly caused by sports injuries and they’re significantly more common in females than males,” Dr. Terrence Lock, orthopaedic surgeon at Henry Ford Hospital, said.

“There are a number of different theories as to why that happens.

Some of it we think that females tend to land kind of differently from jumps than what males do.”

To be exact, females sustain ACL injuries at a five times higher rate than their male counterparts, according to OSNC. Lock said that due to female hips being wider, they’re more knock knees. This is a situation in which the body is coming down from a jump and the legs tend to collapse or buckle inward, according to Lock. This is a mechanism to tear the ACL. An ACL tear can be caused by one of two things: a noncontact tear or a contact tear. Noncontact tears are perhaps more common, being present 70 percent of the time as opposed to contact being 30 percent of injuries, according to OSNC. “Most ACL injuries are what we call non-contact,” Derek Chan, a physical therapist at the Center for Athletic Medicine, said. “So you cut and your body wasn’t ready and you just turned the wrong way and your ACL just tears. It could be a lack of not necessarily strength, but of neuromuscular controls, so the body’s ability to fine tune the muscles to keep your joints in a good alignment.”

A contact tear is where the foot is usually planted and the hit from an oncoming person causes knee hyperextension, according to eMedicine Health. Nine times out of 10, this results in a torn ACL. Usually, people that tear their ACLs are active, but people who aren’t active can tear it too, Chan said.

THE INCISION According to MacLean, once he was diagnosed with an ACL tear, he asked Lock what was next. The answer was surgery.

“Studies have suggested that patients that get their ACL repaired sooner have somewhat better outcomes,” Lock said. “In particular for young people that tear their ACL, most people recommend surgery sooner.”

Early surgery wasn’t even an option for MacLean, he said.

His MRI showed that his growth plates were wide open, which would postpone the surgery until they were closed. Surgery would require doctors to drill through his growth plates, and in return, stunting his growth, MacLean said.

It took two years, but the MacLeans finally heard the relieving news that Logan’s growth plates had closed and he could finally have surgery.

“The surgery is done while we look at the inside of the knee on a TV monitor, which is arthroscopic surgery, and again, we have to take other tissue from the knee to make the new ligament,” Lock said.

“The most popular grafts are the patellar tendon. There’s no real consensus as to which one’s superior. I think it tends toward a higher level athlete getting patellar tendon.”

Knee arthroscopy is a surgical procedure allowing doctors to view the knee joint without making a large incision, according to American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The surgeon will insert a small camera, called an arthroscope, into the knee joint through a small opening. The images from the camera guide the surgeon in using small surgical instruments to repair the damage to the knee joint.

The long term effects of this type of surgery result in less pain, less joint stiffness and often shorter recovery times for patients.

Prior to surgery, an MRI is issued to determine the extent of the injury.

MacLean’s MRI also showed a partial tear to his medial meniscus.

The medial meniscus is a half-moon-shaped piece of cartilage that lies between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). The medial meniscus stabilizes the knee during movement.

“Incidence of meniscal tears with ACL tears varies widely from 40 to 80 percent in the literature based on age and activity level,” Mark Bergin, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Clair Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine P.C., said. “MCL and PCL tears are much less common.”

MCL stands for medial collateral ligament, and functions as a stabilizer for the knee joint. PCL stands for posterior cruciate ligament, and along with the MCL, stabilizes the knee.

Chan calls the combination of an ACL, meniscus and MCL “the terrible triad”. A combination of all three of these would require an extensive recovery period.

For Eileen Janes ’18, this was the case.

Due to the tear of these three ligaments, she had an extensive recovery, according to Janes. Post-surgery was the most painful part of the entire process, Janes said.

“When I was laying in bed, I’d get really sharp pains in my knee and wake up in the middle of the night screaming because of the pain,” Janes said.

THE REHABILITATION To MacLean, the most painful part of the entire process wasn’t the surgery, but the recovery.

“Right after the surgery, that was pretty bad,” MacLean said. “The most frustrating part was sleeping. I hated sleeping. I had to have my leg up all the time.”

Typically, after surgery, there will be a six to 12 month recovery time depending on if the tear was complete or not, and if it was accompanied by any other injuries.

“I tell people on day one there’s three priorities: get your swelling down, get your knee straight and get the quad firing,” Chan said. “I also tell them they’re probably going to be in therapy three to six months, depending on what they need to do.”

Janes didn’t mind physical therapy, considering it wasn’t EILEEN JANES nearly as painful as post-surgery was she said.

“With full strength and range of motion, performance should return to previous level after ACL reconstruction,” Bergin said.

Full range of motion is a main goal of rehab and can be defined as the expected mobility of the knee when fully healed.

“The last thing is all about if they have good range and good strength,” Chan said. “It’s how they’re moving. Are they moving with good mechanics? Are they walking with good mechanics? Are they firing the right muscles?”

Chan said that three things are important in fully recovering: perseverance, patience and desire. In order to fully and successfully recover, one has to want it.

THE AVOIDANCE After all was said and done, MacLean wondered, could this have been prevented?

“There’s probably no way to completely prevent it from happening, but there are a number of specific training programs which work on strengthening and give technique to try to teach people how to land better from jumps,” Lock said. “These programs have shown to decrease the incidence of ACL injuries. But again, there’s no way to completely take the risk out of ACL injuries.”

Chan agreed with Lock that to a certain extent, they can be prevented, but not entirely.

Locally, Henry Ford Health System’s Sports Medicine program offers an ACL injury preven-

When I was laying in bed I’d get really sharp pains in my knee and wake up in the middle of the night screaming because of the pain

Taking a look at the causes, surgery and recovery process of tearing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

With full strength and range of motion performance should return to previous level after ACL reconstruction.

DR. MARK BERGIN M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

tion course. This program focuses on improving body position and muscle control to reduce the risk of injury, according to the Henry Ford Health System.

Rarely do ACL surgeries ever fail. They have a 90 percent success rate, according to Bergin. Suffering another injury after being fully recovered is a different story.

“The chance of tearing opposite knee ACL after surgery is actually greater than re-injuring the surgically repaired knee,” Bergin said.

There is a three to six percent chance of re-tearing the reconstructed ACL, while there’s a nine to 12 percent chance of tearing the opposite knee, studies have shown according to OSNC. “It’s not as bad as you think,” MacLean said. “People think that when you tear your ACL, you can’t walk or do anything, but I had a torn ACL for two years. It was frustrating. That’s why I was only allowed to play baseball.”

IN THE E.R.

This is an x-ray taken of Katherine Bird’s knee in the emergency room at Beaumont Hospital.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEAUMONT HOSPITAL