Issue 19

the

TOWER

Wednesday, March 15 , 2017

Volume 89

@thetowerpulse

Issue 19

Grosse Pointe South 11 GP Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236

College Night to take place later this month

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CHASE CLARK ’18 | Page Editor ver 115 different colleges and universities will be represented in the main gym at South on March 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. for college night.

According to South counselor Eric Burson, college night is an opportunity for parents and students to visit different colleges’ informational booths and speak with a representative about any questions they may have.

“As of now, we’re going to get more and more (colleges) as the date gets closer, but there’s about 115 right now,” college resource center coordinator Elizabeth Naporano said.

Although college night will be held at South, the event is open to everyone in the district, including North, Liggett and students from Saint Clair Shores as well, according to Naporano.

College night is at South this year, but it alternates with North every year. According to Burson, around the same amount of colleges and universi-

ties come every year, including the four branches of the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard.

The representatives’ presentations will be open to all kinds of questions and concerns, whether they’re about admissions, or simply what college life is like, Burson said.

“They (students) can ask questions of the representatives, you know, ‘I’m interested in Pre-Med, what percentage of your Pre-Med students make it into Med school?’, that kind of a thing. Anything that interests you-- if you want to have a car on campus as a freshman-- those kind of questions,” Burson said.

Most colleges and universities will be confined to and displayed in the main gym, but a few universities will be having “breakout sessions,” where students can go to a classroom and listen to a presentation, Burson said.

“We’ll have a representative that will speak for about 45 minutes, so that’s a different venue,” Burson said. “They’ll tell you what it’s like to be a college

student there, what the benefits to attending their university would be, the type of student that they’re looking for.”

South student Kal Nardone ’18 said college night will be an opportunity to get some information on different colleges and start to think about where he would like to attend.

“I’m a Junior in high school, and in the next two years, I have to go to college and I need to start getting ready to apply to these schools, so I need to figure out where I might want to go and get some information,” Nardone said.

College night is a way for all students from every grade to get a feel for a variety of different colleges, and start to narrow down their lists of possible colleges to apply to, Burson said.

“Really, I look at it as a way for students and parents to gather information on colleges to find out, ‘Is this a possible fit for me?’ It’s a great way to start,” Burson said. “Ninth, 10th and 11th graders, it would be really good for them to attend.”

NEW COLLEGES ATTENDING • Columbus College of Art & Design • Indiana University • Lafayette College • Northwood University • United States Air Force (ROTC) • United States Marines • United States Navy • University of Findlay • University of Michigan (ROTC) INFO COURTESY OF GROSSE POINTE SOUTH

Role reversal: Girls ask the guys to the Sadie Hawkins Dance this Saturday

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ARIANA CHENGGES ’17 | Pulse Editor in Chief he Sadie Hawkins Dance this year will take place on Saturday, March 18, junior class president Harry Susalla ’18 said.

The money raised from ticket sales supports each class, Susalla said. The more money each class has, the more they can donate to other organizations or contribute it to their prom.

According to Susalla, with only 300 people attending the dance, each class made close to 800 dollars.

“This year, we are aiming for about 500 to 600 students to attend,” Susalla said. “We are expecting more people than last year, considering this will be the second year in a row it will be happening. Hopefully it will be something occurring every year from now on, so eventually it will be the normal thing.”

Susalla said advertising for the dance this year seems to be going smoothly.

“We made locker signs on all the lockers, posted on our classes’ Twitter and Instagram accounts and made a video for the

GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN JONES ’18

New frozen yogurt store to open across from South KATHLEEN CARROLL ’19 | Web Editor Later this spring, a Menchie’s self-serve frozen yogurt will open in the new building on Fisher Road across from South. Niko Ahee, the store’s owner, said that the opening is anticipated to be late March or early April.

Ahee said that design-wise, the store is almost finished. The last part of preparation is hiring and training employees, according to Menchie’s corporate standards. Once the store is finished, there will be a grand opening event.

“Either (an) early Saturday in April or the last Saturday of March, we’re actually going to put up a tent out in the parking lot and have a face painter, a balloon artist... giveaways, giveaway free yogurt for a couple of hours,” Ahee said.

Menchie’s is the country’s largest self-serve ice cream chain; this location will be the newest of 540 around the nation.

“I’m really excited, because who doesn’t want ice cream across from your school?” Lenise Freeman ’19 said.

Ahee said that at any given time, Menchie’s will have 10 individual flavors. Every week or so, one flavor will be replaced with a different flavor, and they’ll be on a rotation, so that customers have the option of 20 to 30 different flavors every month, with a featured flavor for every month.

“There is a different variety of stuff that we’ll do,” Ahee said. “We usually do a featured flavor every month or two, like we’ve done it with real cookies. I think that comes up in June-- they will do two flavors just the cookie and just the cream. And then you swirl them together to make the Oreo cookie, just kind of fun stuff like that.”

The yogurt will cost 53 cents per ounce, which Ahee said is a competitive price for the

area.

“I think that’s a pretty fair price,” Kristina Rogers ’19 said. “I’m pretty sure that’s cheaper than TCBY and it’s closer, so I would do that before driving all the way to the Village.”

Combined with the Subway opening in the same building this week, Ahee anticipates that business will be good. Michigan is a great market, especially in the frozen dessert category.

SWEET SPOT | New frozen yogurt store to open on Fisher. It is set to open late March or early April.

PHOTO BY CHASE CLARK ’18

Rogers said that having the location across from South will help Menchie’s because it’s a unique business, and provides a product that none of the other Fisher Road shops can offer.

“They’re going to do really well with their business because it’s ice cream, and a lot of kids are going to want to go get some ice cream and walk home with it after school,” Freeman said.

Choir to take trip to Spain and French Riviera in 2018 HARPER McCLELLAN ’18 | Staff Writer The Board of Education recently approved the Grosse Pointe South Choir’s mid-winter break trip to Barcelona and the French Riviera.

The bi-annual trip was approved with a unanimous 7 to 0 vote on Feb. 13 at the Board of Education meeting at Brownell Middle School.

“In the 2014 trip, we had 65 (students) and in the 2016 trip, we had 55 (students). We anticipate somewhere around that same participation again,” choir teacher Christopher Pratt said at the Board of Education meeting.

At the meeting, the dates when the group will be traveling were decided on.

“We go the full week of mid-winter break of next year, 2018,” Poli Dulworth ’19 said.

According to Pratt, at the board meeting, the choir will start in Spain and travel to the French Riviera.

“We are definitely going to do the classic tourist things and are going to try to squeeze in all we can into that one week. We will see the main part of Barcelona,” Hailey In the 2014 trip, we had 65 Martin ’18 (students) and in the 2016 said.

Accord- trip, we had 55 (students). ing to Mar- CHRISTOPHER PRATT tin, along Choir Teacher with seeing the European sights, the students will also perform.

“Students will do multiple performances, both chamber and concert oriented, as well as show choir oriented with local groups and schools doing exchange concerts,” Pratt said.

“Our students will see their performance and what they are doing at their school, and then

THIS WEEK AT SOUTH...

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The Coffee House will take place this Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the second floor Cafeteria.

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announcements,” junior class treasurer Dani Dulworth ’18 said.

This week, there will be a geofilter up on Snapchat advertising for the dance, Susalla said.

“We also made a showcase and made big posters that have different Sadie’s proposals on them that we have hung up around the school,” Susalla said.

Word of mouth seems to also be causing more students to attend, Dulworth said.

Susalla and Dulworth both said that they believe the Sadies dance will have more attendees this year than in previous years.

“Everyone should come to Sadies because the money supports your class,” Susalla said. “We make a lot of money from this event.”

Tickets go on sale this week starting Monday through Wednesday during lunch for 10 dollars, Sophomore class president Amy Ellis ’19 said. Tickets will be 15 dollars on Thursday and Friday during both lunches and tickets will not be sold at the door.

they will see what we do as well.”

According to Dulworth, the choir’s last overseas trip was to Ireland in the spring of 2016.

“We always go to Europe, so that was on our top priority,” Martin said. “We circled through a few of the trips, and we haven’t gone to Spain in a long time.”

According to Pratt, this is a long tradition of international travel that began after 2000 with the past four trips.

“It’s gone over extremely well with our students and many of our students have friends they keep in touch with,” Pratt said.

Many students have expressed their excitement towards the upcoming trip.

“I am most looking forward to experiencing that culture,” Martin said. “I have always been really intrigued by it and international trips are just always a fun time because all the choir people go and we are all best friends, so it’s just really fun.”

GRAPHIC BY CHASE CLARK ’18

The Sadie Hawkins Dance will occur Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m.

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The Flint Water Drive begins Monday. Donations will be accepted in the main hall at lunch.

OPINION

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The school district can’t do this alone. Students need to get involved.

OLIVIA MLYNAREK ’19 | Staff Writer This year, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has left the world laughing with their on-the-spot witty and hilarious impressions of celebrities and other significant people.

SNL is supposed to make people laugh and be a break from the real world. Recently, some of the content and topics of some of the sketches on SNL are just uncalled for or unnecessary.

I get that this year there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, especially those that have to do with politics, but sometimes SNL just doesn’t know when to stop, is too harsh or is too weird.

For example, a few episodes ago, there was a skit that had someone acting as Kellyanne Conway. This skit got to the point where I skipped it because I just didn’t know what was happening in it anymore. I felt bad because there was no point for this skit. They were just making fun of her to make fun of her.

The actress who played Conway in the skit did some strange things to make Conway seem insane or not really human. The thing that was not okay about the skit was that

Has

CARTOON BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

The Grosse Pointe Public School System is starting to get the ball rolling on addressing issues of diversity in the schools, and it is not going unnoticed. We would like to recognize the fact that diversity initiatives are being put in place, but also note that there is room for improvement, and the district can’t do that all by itself.

Heightened by the two racial incidents last year, which left a bad taste with many, the district talked about the behind-the-scenes work in which these topics were being addressed. Many of us at the Tower had fears that the issue would not be addressed until the summer, and then forgotten about the next year. While there were student-run diversity forums and discussions in Cleminson after the second racial incident, to an extent it was forgotten in the new school year, with no school wide assemblies, speakers, or real signs of change. And then, finally, the district got to work.

“Last year, 42 stakeholders (Board of Education members, community members, parents, students, faculty and administration) participated in the development of our strategic plan,” Maureen Bur, Director of Secondary Instruction, said. “OneGP is not about each building being the same; it is about being undivided within the community as we work to provide challenging instructional experiences that meet the needs of all learners within our school communities.”

SYLVIA HODGES ’19 | Copy Editor With recent political news, marches, talk shows and the like, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has certainly had a lot of new material to work with. Recent appearances on the late night comedy show by Melissa McCarthy as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump, have been wildly popular, yet have also faced serious criticism. Some, including President Trump, have said that the show takes it too far.

But isn’t that the point?

SNL is a satirical bomb. The show thrives on the eccentric actions of public figures and the injustice going on in the world to make a point through their unconventional sketches.

The point of the show is to take an event or stereotype and exaggerate it to show the standard is ridiculous or the event was laughable. After the sketches with McCarthy as Sean Spicer, the Press Secretary said he thought the skits had drifted over to “mean” instead of funny.

However, the goal of the skits featuring Spicer as an irritated gum-chewer was to point out the Trump administration’s strong stance against certain news outlets, and his recent stance against “fake news.”

The hyperbolic nature of the vast majority of SNL sketches is merely meant to make people laugh while making them think, “Hey, maybe what we’re doing in those situations isn’t okay.”

NEWSPAPER

TOWER

STAFF

OneGP is an organization that has paried up with the school district and is just one part of a change that could have a noticeably positive effect. There are also groups of seven to eight high schoolers from North and South that are partnering with the district and the University of Michigan to help gauge the attitudes of students in the district according to Bur. “The goal is to then enhance our ability to respond to everyday prejudice and stereotypes in a way that ensures all students feel safe and secure in our schools,” Bur said. “When students feel safe they can focus on learning that allows them to succeed.”

These are steps in the necessary direction, as we should not accept any form of discrimination or bigotry in a place where malleable brains come to learn, not to hate.

There are still things that need to be accomplished, and much of that is on the shoulders of students in the district. These initiatives will be worthless if students in the district are not willing to open their minds, listen and participate. That is why we encourage every student to attend the forums, the school board meetings, different clubs, meet new people and expand their horizons.

“It is essential that we involve our students in this important work,” Bur said. “Specifically, we want our students to strengthen their commitment to social justice, increase intergroup dialogue and enhance our educational excellence by nurturing a welcoming learning environment for all.”

This work is not being marketed towards students. There are no posters in the hallways or announcements showing times and dates of these forums and meetings. Some of these meetings seem geared more towards parents than towards students, but students make up the schools. Students are the ones who are influenced by these decisions, who learn from these decisions, who are the focus of these initiatives.

Why is this not advertised more in schools?

Student involvement needs to increase, and while part of that can result from lackadaisical students, we don’t know when and where these meetings take place. While the renewed effort by the district is appreciated, a bit more marketing could go a long way.

There is the student group working with the University of Michigan, but that is a miniscule amount compared to the total student body.

These changes are going in the right direction and we would like to be involved.

The light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine and it’s promising to know that the days of bigotry and prejudice are slowly shrinking in our rearview mirror. While student involvement should be increased, providing a more inclusive learning environment is the right step.

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

UPS & EXCITING The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket came out Sunday and the tournament started March 14.

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it left the viewers with the impression that Conway could act like this and almost makes people scared of her.

I get that it’s funny when SNL makes fun of people, but sometimes it just gets old and there really is not point to the skit anymore. I get that it’s important to focus on current issues, but SNL should not be making fun of one political figure after another. I get that there is a lot in the news to make skits about, but sometimes it is just better to leave it be instead of making fun of that person.

Another topic SNL went too far on a few weeks ago was race. There was a SNL commercial that was centered around Black History Month that was not funny and was actually racist. The skit was centered around people giving chocolates to their significant other to celebrate the holiday. When they opened the box of chocolates, they found something unexpected. On the chocolates, which were black, there were faces of historical figures.

This was not funny, mostly because of the reaction that the people had when they opened the box, so it was a little offensive and weird. Who would put faces of African-American people on chocolates? That sends the wrong idea that SNL is making fun of those historical figures a bit in the skit.

I like SNL, but recently it has not been as humorous as in the past because some of the skits have gone too far.

gone too far?

Although in recent months many SNL sketches have focused on the political goings-on in our country, the writers and cast members have also tried to shed light on women’s issues, stereotypes, race and various pop culture topics. Some of my personal favorites that fall under these categories are “Live Report,” “The Princess and the Curse,” “La La Land Interrogation” and “Beard Hunk.” If you can think of an event, SNL has probably done a hilarious sketch on it.

Some sketches feature appalling dialogue or tough topics, such as the “Black Jeopardy” sketches or even some in the “Family Feud” sketch series. The point of including that is to shock people and force them to ponder if that’s how the situation really is. If a racist comment is made in a sketch, the show’s goal in including that comment would be to have people recognize that those words are not okay to say. Of course, it may be offensive, however, the hope is that people will take into consideration the deeper meaning of what is being said.

Bringing attention to international and national issues through satirical sketches is what SNL has done since the show first premiered in 1975. Although some people may find aspects of the show to be offensive, the main goal is to bring awareness to the events, both bad and good, happening in our world today.

So next Saturday night, I encourage you to sit down and watch SNL. Put your political views aside and enjoy the comedy presented to you by the talented writers and cast.

Try to dig below the surface and find what is really being said. I can guarantee you’ll find the humor somewhere.

DOWNS

OUR VIEW// EDITORIAL

the

3.15.17

PROMISING

WORRYING

Chance the Rapper donated one million dollars to Chicago.

Public Schools.

Many different forms of technology are susceptible to CIA surveillance. Some items include TVs, smartphones and more.

NYTIMES.COM

WASHINGTONPOST.COM

CORRECTIONS (From Issue 18) Trustee of the Board of Education Ahmed Ismail’s name was spelled incorrectly last week.

Date of a school board meeting was incorrectly dated in a cutline as Feb. 14 when it actually took place on Feb. 13.

Copy Editors Madeleine Glasser*, Lily Kubek*, both ’17 Alyssa Czech*, Audrey Whitaker, 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

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, Alyssa Cole, Donald McGlone, Grace Reyes, Jacqueline Mercier, Katherine Costello, Sarah Bellovich, Sarah Stevenson, and Olivia Mlynarek, all ’19 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.

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 Opinion Pieces and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit Editorials represent the majority opinion of or shorten letters as long as the meaning is the Editorial Board and are left unsigned. unchanged. All letters must be signed and Columns represent the opinions of individual include a telephone number for confirmation. staff members and outside contributors.

Request to withhold the writer’s name from publication for good reason will be Editorial Board considered. Letters can be sent to the above An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors. email address, or dropped off in “The Tower” Room.

Advertising Display adverising is sold at a rate of $7 per Professional Associations column inch, with discounts for large or Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press frequent advertisers. Advertising may not Association, National Scholastic Press advocate illegal activities or contain libelous, Association, Quill and Scroll, the Society irresponsible or obscene material. for Newspaper Design and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

NEWS

3.15.17

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Generation of Promise awards students opportunity to discuss, solve issues in Detroit JACK HOLME ’17 | Associate Editor knew what Islam was from school, but I didn’t really get to go to a Generation of Promise is more than just a student exchange pro- mosque ever, and it was really cool to go in to see.” gram between metro-Detroit schools. It involves the next generation According to Fahle, people have to be aware of what’s happening to explore different cultures, experiences and challenges, hoping they right now in the world, especially if they want to be a part of Generawill make a promising future. tion of Promise.

Generation of Promise is run by Focus Hope in Detroit. Focus

“I was thinking about all the issues our country is still facing Hope gathers about 25 schools from the entire metro-Detroit area and how relevant it has especially become in this time, so I wanted and they recruit students who are right for the program, according to to get myself involved to see what else the world has to offer when it Maria Mitzel, Student Activities director. comes to justice and when it comes to inequality and tryThey discuss all kinds of topics that impact ing to solve that,” Fahle said.

“We went to a mosque to learn the metro-Detroit area.

Besides learning about others and how they live, Mit“They (Grosse Pointe South students) about the religion and then we zel wants her Generation of Promise students to bring a talk about things like homelessness; they came back and shared every- message back to South, something the whole school can actually go to outreach centers to talk thing with everyone.” learn from. about how they got there and the challeng“‘How can we bring the message we learn back to ALEX FAHLE ’18 es they face,” Mitzel said.

Grosse Pointe South?’” Mitzel said. “‘How can these five “When I first took over this job, we students impact their peers at South?’, and we’re working were only allowed three students. I’ve raised that up to five, thankfully, on doing that, whether it’s through doing showcases (or) little presenbecause I kept asking for more,” Mitzel said. tations.”

The students in Generation of Promise develop connections with According to Fahle, bringing back a message is just what his group their “families” at the other 25 metro-Detroit schools participating, did. according to Mitzel.

“We went to a mosque to learn about the religion and then we “It’s all about learning about the Detroit-metro area, the challenges came back and shared everything with everyone,” Fahle said. that people within the Detroit-metro area face. It’s exposing our stuLast week, a Generation of Promise student from South Lake came dents to different cultures,” Mitzel said. “We do a students exchange to visit South. where we bring students within their family here. And they (the South “My impression of South was…mixed. There were things I loved, student) go to their school.” but things I thought I could also do without. The school itself is beauAccording to Mitzel, the biggest attribute about Generation of tiful, and I was especially taken by Cleminson Hall,” Isabelle Crane ’18 Promise is the sharing of ideas. said. “The teachers I met were all very welcoming as well and seemed “Generation of Promise is almost like going to the State Conference to all be really good at their jobs. But I will say that if my guide, Maren, for Student Councils. You get to explore ideas, see how other schools didn’t introduce me to some of her friends, South would have felt very do things and sometimes the ideas you learn there are helpful here. lonely and boring.”

And I think everything in student leadership, that’s the impact it can Mitzel emphasized that the whole premise of have here,” Mitzel said.

Generation of Promise is to help people notice One of the South Generation of Promise students, Alex Fahle, trav- their differences and find ways to work on them. eled to Fordson High School a day after the Presidential election.

“The whole idea is to teach students about “It was the day after the election and it was a terrible time to go,” our similarities and our differences and to Fahle said. “We went to Fordson and we talked to some students there, embrace those and to see how we can work and everyone was freaking out there and it was really bad.” together as a community,” Mitzel said.

Fahle said he learned a lot about the Islamic culture during his time Crane illustrates multiple distinct in Dearborn. and sharp differences between “I learned more about Islam and Arabic culture,” Fahle said. “I South Lake and South.

“South Lake is a much smaller school. It was clear to me that Grosse Pointe South also has more money and resources than South Lake, and I’m not sure if the students are aware of how good they have it,” Crane said. “The biggest difference would have to be the sheer lack of diversity. Coming from a school that is extremely diverse, it was so strange to see so many white people, and so few people of color.”

One suggestion Crane gave to fix some problems she observed was to break down social barriers in friend groups.

“One thing I really enjoy about South Lake is how close the students are with each other and with their teachers,” Crane said. “I think it’s really important to build strong relationships with your peers, especially those who are different from you.”

Crane also had an uncomfortable feeling about the lack of warmth between students.

“One thing I thought I picked up on while observing was how South lacked the warm and inviting feeling from their students,” Crane said.

“I think South Lake does a really great job of making everyone feel important and cared about in some way. High school at South felt to be plain, cold and a little scary. As soon as I walked through the doors, I felt like I was an outsider; like I had walked into a clique I wasn’t supposed to be a part of.”

While Crane had issues with feeling like she didn’t fit in at South, she thought all the teachers and staff were extremely warm.

“I just would like to add that overall, I really enjoyed my time at South,” Crane said. “I’d like to especially thank Maren Roeske for being the best guide and everyone I met while touring. The teachers and staff I met were really spectacular, and Maren’s friends were really welcoming and nice. Thank you for letting me see what it’s like on the inside.”

The biggest thing South can learn from Generation of Promise is that all the schools aren’t that different. They’re all striving for the same goals, according to Mitzel.

“Our similarities and our differences, even though we may do things a little different or we have a different makeup of students, we are very much the same and we want the same things,” Mitzel said.

GRAPHIC BY CAM SMOLEN ’18

THE END OF AN ERA: Red Wings’ final season at the Joe

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MICHAEL FRENCH ’17 | Staff Writer After 38 seasons, four Stanley Cup trophies and 836 players, the Joe Louis Arena is counting down the days until the Red Wings switch over to their new arena, the Little Caesars Pizza Arena.

“The Joe Louis Arena is a very special place; it has been involved in a large part of my childhood, driving down to the games with many of my close friends and family,” Garrett Bollenbacher ’18 said.

The Joe Louis started as more of a multi-purpose event site, hosting events such as college basketball games, concerts and many other big-name events.

The Red Wings played their first game at the Joe Louis on Dec. 27, 1979, and have used the Joe ever since. The rink quickly found love from fans, as it is now labeled as Hockeytown, USA. The first Stanley Cup season at the Joe was the 1996-1997 season, as player L L Darren McCarty scored arguably S E E W AS RE the biggest goal of his whole O A F career. Though the Wings have won four Stanley Cups, two of them have had 1979 2017 the privilege of being held on home ice.

“The thing I will miss the most about the Joe Louis arena is being able to walk down the Detroit river into never-ending stairs up into

a place where all the fans are so kind and take so much pride in a team,” Andrew Vyletel ’19 said.

The term “Hockeytown” was brought to life for many of the South students in the years 2008-2010, when many students were younger. The Wings were really hitting stride, having all-star players including captain Nick Lidstrom, and alternate captains Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings did end up winning the Stanley Cup in 2008, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“In 2008, I was only six years old, but I can remember going down for one playoff game and seeing how electric the whole city of Detroit was. It was a different type of energy,” Connor Paull ’20 said.

With all the success the team has had in the building, this current season has been more than tough for the Red Wings, who are now sitting in last place in the Atlantic division. The Wings have had something at stake almost every year at the Joe: their playoff streak. The Red Wings have made the playoffs every season for the past 25 straight years. This year, it’s looking like that may come to an end.

“It’s really frustrating to watch them play, but at the same time I’m trying to cherish what may be the last time I ever set foot in the arena,” Oliver Livingston ’17 said.

The Red Wings are set to share the Little Caesars Pizza Arena with the NBA team, the Detroit Pistons, for the 2017-2018 season. The Red Wings Owner Mike Ilitch just recently passed away; the arena itself is named after Little Caesars, the pizza franchise Ilitch started. The team will remain in the Ilitch family, main owner will be son Chris. The arena is on Sibley street in downtown Detroit.

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

Mock Trial team places fourth at Macomb County competition of mostly first year members, according to Palen.

ALLY MACLEOD ’19 | Staff Writer On March 4, South’s Mock Trial team competed at the “They prepared by working with attorney coaches. There Macomb County courthouse and won an honorable mention are a few attorneys in the community that basically work with for getting fourth place out of 14 teams. the kids to prepare the plaintiff and defense side of the trial,” Peter Palen, a first-year teacher at South, has been coach- Palen said. “They read the case packet, and they highlighted ing South’s mock trial team for six years. Palen coaches the it, and they brainstormed and they wrote their opening and team with Coach Tony Krall, who is a practicing attorney. closing arguments.”

“Mr. Palen has been with the team since the beginning. He The roles on the team included being an attorney or a witdispenses valuness. able wisdom and “I was an attorney on deals with much the team. I have been of the administrasince I had to fill in at the tion of the team,” last minute last year,” SteJames Stevenson venson said. “I delivered ’19, a second-year most of the arguments member of and ask the witnesses the team, said. questions along with the “Coach Tony two other attorneys.” helps with underPalen said he would JAMES STEVENSON ’19 standing the trial really like to see the Mock and the law. Occasionally, we would have several guest attor- Trial team expand and become more popular at South. neys drop in.”

“The team has almost doubled in size since I was on the The team has an A team and a B team and has been pre- team,” Elizabeth Langenburg ’15 said. “I was on the team all paring for this competition since the fall. Only the A team four years at South and it was a great experience, and I am competed at the tournament because the B team is comprised glad more people are becoming a part of it.”

“I was an attorney on the team.

I have been since I had to fill in at the last minute last year.”

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FEATURE

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3.15.17

Link Larkin

Tracy Turnblad

Peter Lianos ’18 Tommy Thams ’19

Mary Reinman ’17 Cinderella Ksebati ’17

What is your favorite part about playing this role?

How is the switch from having your own role in the play to sharing a role in the musical with the two casts?

Mary: It’s a very fast-paced, optimistic musical, so it’s really fun to get to play someone that has so much energy and so much spunk.

Cinderella: The lively music-- it’s like ’60s pop-- and it’s nice to experience a different style of music from a different era.

Peter: Obviously, we’re saying the same lines in the show, but our mannerisms-- our backgrounds-- are different to form a different character.

Tommy: My only regret is that I don’t get to act on the same stage as Peter.

Penny Pingleton Claire Yonkus ’17

Seaweed Stubbs Jerome Manning ’17

Audrey Leo ’19

Meet the Cast of

How is this character similar to you?

Claire: I think she’s supportive as a best friend, and I think I can see that in myself.

Audrey: I feel like Penny is really clumsy and and has stupid moments. I’m someone who is super clumsy and who will just shout out something off the top of my mind that might not make 100 percent sense.

MIA TURCO ’19 | Staff Writer

Velma Von Tussle Calyx Turco ’17

Hairspray

Eion Meldrum ’18 Noah Bellovich ’17

Zaria Aikens ’17

As the antagonist of the show, what else does the character portray aside from evil?

Playing this role, how do you think it’ll change your career?

Calyx: In this time period, it’s very rare for a woman to be in the situation she is (as a boss), so you kind of have to play her powerful, but yet objectified by men.

Kaiya She gets really upset and she loves her daughter. She’s trying her best, even if it’s in ways I don’t necessarily condone.

Jerome: I have to do the show really well, so that every time someone comes to see the show, they see a really good performance of Seaweed.”

Corney Collins

Motormouth Maybell

Kaiya Sutton ’18

How is it being one of the only members of the show that is not double casted?

Zaria: Maybell is like the mother to everyone, even to Tracy. I would just hope that coming down the line in future roles, and even in my personality, I can be a well-rounded person who everyone feels comfortable enough to come to.

What characteristics do you and your character both posses?

Eion: He’s very outgoing and fun and loves to be on stage, and I think I portray that well.

Noah: Definitely really energetic and happy.

PHOTOS BY MIA TURCO ’19

Around the world and back again Rufus McGaugh, a local substitute teacher, has visited every state in the United States and every country in the world, except one.

PIPER ESCHENBURG ’18 & GRACE REYES ’19 | Staff Writers

YOU THINK TRAVELING PLACE HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT Q: DO Q: WHAT’S THE FAVORITE TRIP YOU’VE EVER TAKEN? Q: WHICH HAS INFLUENCED YOUR ON YOU? you’ve been to 50 states, seven conPOLITICAL OPINIONS? A: “In terms of the biggest impact, then I would A: When tinents, and 250 continents around the have to say my travels through Asia. That’s I’m more humane A:orI think world, there are just so many interesting and because Asia is the seat of all the great relisympathetic to refubeautiful, wonderful places. I’d have to keep you here past midnight telling you about all the beautiful places I’ve been.

Q: TELL US SOME MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOK.

don’t know if this is a happy story or a sad A: Istory to be honest, but I’ve got the book

gions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, so I’m fascinated by religions.

Q: WHY DO YOU THINK TRAVEL IS IMPORTANT? I would say for everybody that it’s importA: ant because it really makes you aware of the

written, it’s all been edited and I’m learning a real rough lesson. The publishing part, where a book company actually comes in and publishes it, is turning into ‘Mission Impossible.’ I’m calling the book a travel/ humor book because I write about a lot of the things in a humorous way. I’m hoping it will be out in the next year and that it will go somewhere.

Q: IS LIBYA THE ONLY COUNTRY YOU HAVE LEFT TO SEE? There was a point when I thought there A: “Yes. might be 30 or 40 countries that I thought I

world; it opens your mind. No matter your politics or religion, I think it’s very important to see firsthand as opposed to the news, especially in a day when we are talking about ‘alternative facts’ and stuff. You can get to see for yourself. You can think of the worst countries in the world, but people all really have the same goals as we do. Kids want to get through school, be happy, find a good job, people my age want to take care of their families and take care of their kids, follow their religion.

gees. I’ve been in these horrible third world countries where it’s so sad to see the kids starving to death, living like you and I have never had to live. I think, no I know, that those people aren’t terrorists. I can’t speak for every human being, but these are people just trying to live.

KING SIR RUFUS | McGaugh sits alongside the King of Djemas in Niger on one of his many trips. He’s visited almost every country.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUFUS MCGAUGH

could just never get into. I don’t think there was anyone more surprised than me when a couple years ago I got it down to one.

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FEATURE

3.15.17

s ure s e r P

GRAPHIC BY KATHERINE BIRD ’18

Taking a glance at the triggers and causes of anxiety in teenagers and its link to depression

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HENRY AYRAULT ‘19 | Web Editor ollege entrance exams. Parental demands. Social pressure. Loaded schedules. There are plenty of issues that may affect a teenager’s state of mind and mental health. With so much on students’ plates these days, feelings of anxiety can come over them in a moments notice. So, how does one overcome those feelings and deal with all the pressure before that anxiety turns into depression, and that depression manifests into something much worse?

There are several factors that can cause depression.

“People are sometimes predisposed to depression and anxiety,” South psychology teacher DeEtte Nardone said. “But then, sometimes, life events can trigger depressive moods: stress in the environment, a lot of high school kids go through a lot of stress, social problems with making friends, family difficulties, loss of someone that you love, or some sort of economic problem in your family, divorce of parents. All these things can be traumatic to kids and can trigger depression.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 25 percent of all teenagers struggle with anxiety disorders. Those numbers would indicate that at every high school, a significant number of students are in need of good coping mechanisms that can help ease the tension brought on by their daily pressures, especially stressful assessments like tests and exams.

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“When you’re feeling like you’re anxious, there are good and bad coping mechanisms,” South Counselor Eric Burson said. “The good coping mechanisms would be exercise, (such as) getting some kind of daily exercise. It could be working out at a gym, it could be going for a walk. It [could be] talking to someone that they know and trust.”

A little self-assurance can go a long way in keeping anxiety at bay, according to Brandon Flaherty ’19.

“I make sure that I prepare enough [for school],” Flaherty said. “I remind myself that there are more important things in life outside of school that I should be focusing on.”

Flaherty also said that he feels anxious when he has a big assignment or something else that might greatly affect his grade.

One solution to alleviating pressures

your diet-- can also help with mild cases of depression.”

Studies indicate that higher intake of caffeine and the ingredients of energy drinks may have an effect on anxiety in younger people.

“People often see coffee, tea and soft drinks simply as beverages rather than vehicles for a psychoactive drug. But caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and panic disorders,” according to a study by Roland Griffiths, PhD, a professor in psychiatry and neuroscience at The John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Taking a break from excessive caffeine and/or energy drinks may help students overcome anxiety. Adding activity to your lifestyle could be another way to keep feelings of anxiety away.

“When you do exercise, your neurons in your brain seem to fire off a little bit better and they seem to calm an anxious person or make someone who’s depressed less depressed,” Burson said.

Identifying the signs of anxiety or depression is the first step to finding coping mechanisms. “(Signs include) a persistent negative mood for more than six months for most days, or something that could change in your habits,” Nardone said.

“Or sometimes people sleep excessively or have difficulty with sleep, which seems kind of weird that it’s the opposite. Or, they eat too much or they don’t eat enough. So those are some of the signs of depression.”

“I remind myself that there are more important things in life outside of school that I should be focusing on.”

BRIAN FLAHERTY ’19

brought on by schoolwork is finding an outlet or making a lifestyle change.

“There’s a lot of research out there about the efficacy of yoga to treat mild depression and to help with mild anxiety,” Nardone said. “There are some people who believe that making dietary changes-- changes to

Poi s nte TAKING A LOOK AT DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY Many mood and anxiety disorders in adults begin as high levels of anxiety in children 25 percent of teenagers struggle with an anxiety disorder Life events can depressive moods

trigger

INFO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INSITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DeETTE NARDONE

“I’m not a drug dealer” Uncovering the hidden truths that drive students to sell ADHD medication to nonprescribed students

KATHERINE BIRD ‘18 | Page Editor *Some names have been changed to protect the identity of the people in this story. or John Doe*, taking Adderall is part of his daily routine. It’s a necessity to control his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). What some may not know is that selling is also part of that consistent routine.

“I started selling two years ago,” Doe said.

Doe said he gets Adderall through prescriptions prescribed by a doctor; two different prescriptions to be exact. One is a 36 milligram pill that is “extended release” and the other a 20 milligram pill described as “immediate release”.

For Alex Smith*, she gets her Adderall from a relative.

“I started selling it (Adderall) freshmen year,” Smith said. “My mom won’t get me a prescription because she doesn’t want me to depend on it. My cousin has a prescription and she just gives me it.”

If it were up to Doe, he’d stop selling Adderall all together.

“I feel like if I stopped these people would rat on me,” Doe said.

Doe didn’t necessarily start selling Adderall out of choice. He’s still quite unsure as to how people found out he was prescribed Adderall.

“I brought some of them to school on accident and somebody saw I had them, then it kind of rolled on to what it turned into,” Doe said.

Motives for buying Adderall vary among students. Some may want a higher ACT score, while others may see it as a loophole to losing weight.

“I buy it because I feel like I need it and I rarely get any work done outside of school or the library, so I needed it for midterms when I had to get a lot of work done on my own time,” Emily Jones* said.

Adderall Buying Adderall is popular around times of testing, according to Smith.

“I don’t really do it anymore,” Smith said. “It’s normally only around times of finals or the ACT.” Both Smith and Doe are contacted by text, Snapchat or word of mouth when someone requests Adderall. The two vary their prices depending on the person. More often than not, the prices are cheaper for their friends.

For Jones, it’s three dollars per pill depending on who she buys it from. She

F

buys both 10 milligram and 30 milligram pills. Smith sells 30 and 45 milligram pills for five dollars usually.

Jones experienced a loss of appetite when she took Adderall.

“There was a series of three-ish days when all I had eaten was a banana and maybe one EMILY JONES* full meal,” Jones said.

Side effects of Adderall include-- but aren’t limited to-- insomnia, anxiety, loss of appetite, weight loss, nervousness and irritability, according to the Internet Drug Index.

A common dose of Adderall can range from 2.5-60 milligrams.

Adderall is habit forming and could lead to dependence.

“First of all it’s illegal,” Lisa Khoury, school psychologist, said. “You could get in huge legal trouble. Second, Adderall is a prescription medication and it is really important for people who are taking Adderall to have a clearance from their physician in order to take it because there might be counter effects or allergies, or it might go against something they’re taking already. Medically, it’s a risk to take something you’re not prescribed or a doctor hasn’t cleared you for in general.”

Loss of appetite isn’t the only side effect Jones experiences.

“Adderall makes me focus and shake like caffeine would if I take too much or snort it,” Jones said.

25 mg The main motive for selling Adderall for Smith and Doe is to make money. Doe considers himself a business, using the money made in profits for food.

For Doe, he is sometimes bothered by the fact that he sells Adderall. He felt as though he was peer pressured into selling it the first time. Smith feels the opposite way.

“I’m not a drug dealer,” Smith said. “I sell Adderall to people to help them focus; I don’t think that characterizes me as a drug dealer.”

Adderall makes me focus and shake like caffeine would if I take too much or snort it

GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN JONES ‘18

SPORTS

TRACK SOFTBALL GIRLS TENNIS

S P R I N G

GIRLS LACROSSE

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ALLY MACLEOD ’19| Staff Writer Coming back this season without a majority of their players, the girls varsity lacrosse team still has high hopes for their season, co-captain Elise Whitney ’18 said.

“We lost a lot of good senior players last year, so that could affect our team a lot, but that just means there is more room for new developing players,” Whitney said.

This year, the team has had to adapt to some new coaching changes as well. They have a new assistant coach, Christine Nabor.

“I think she is going to be a great coach and also a very fun one,” Whitney said. “The coaching staff is great.”

According to Whitney, the squad has also been doing a lot to prepare for their season with workouts at Fusion Integrated Training twice a week for a few months and having training sessions focused on stick skills on Sundays. The team also

ALLY MACLEOD ’19| Staff Writer Jogging into spring, South’s track and field team is back and excited to compete.

“This season is going to be like every other season: challenging, exciting and fun,” co-captain Reanna Raymond ’17 said.

All six of the coaches are returning this year: head coach Steve Zaranek, Shawn McNamara, Leo Lamberti, Mike Novak, Caitlin Rivera and Hadley Diamond. Each coach focuses on a different aspect of the team.

“The coaching on our team is absolutely phenomenal-- I have never had coaches who could build up confidence in the way that they do. They focus on working hard, and being there for one another as teammates and friends,” co-captain Gen Boyle ’17 said.

The distance runners will be running for more mileage than last year and the sprinters and the people who compete in field events will be more centered around strength,

The girls tennis team is looking to serve up a finish in the top four this season at states.

“I would like to finish in the top four (in the state),” Coach Mark Sobieralski said. “We are ranked fourth in the Preseason Poll. We took third last year in the state.”

According to Sobieralski, there will be a lot of experience because of the amount of returning players.

“We have a lot of returning players. Captain Maddie Paolucci ’17, Laurel Sullivan and Gigi Bonnell (both ’19) are back for the singles lineup, and we have captain Audrey Doherty ’17, Rachel Harris, Lauren Sommerville, Jade Shephard and Kate Gavagan (all ’18) for doubles,” Sobieralski said.

Sobieralski said he is looking forward to the camaraderie of the girls.

played in a few major tournaments in the fall to prepare.

“This year, we will and are doing a lot more conditioning to help us stay more competitive with some of the stronger teams,” co-captain Margret Reilly ’17 said.

The team’s weaknesses will mainly show in just the first couple of weeks and games as they are still trying to get back in shape and improve their stick skills, according to Reilly.

“Together, we are a really strong team, so we will be able to pick it back up pretty quickly,” Reilly said.

The girls lacrosse team went 11-6-1 last season in Division 1.

“Last year we all played really well together, but I am hoping we can improve our record for this season,” returning varsity player Annie Rinke ’18 said. “I see a lot of potential in the new players.”

according to Raymond.

“I believe our team is going to have the most effective training to reach some high goals this season,” Raymond said.

As of now, the team is trying to get back into shape while it is still preseason and to gradually get back into the groove to avoid injuries, according to Boyle.

“The team is really excited to see what new talent the freshman class and the newcomers are about to reveal this year,” Raymond said.

The track and field team coaches also focus a lot on team bonding and creating meaningful relationships among teammates.

“It is a slightly different family each year, but I am overjoyed to be making more new friends this year while getting in shape simultaneously,” returning runner Sarah Rabaut ’19 said. “I am likewise excited to see how our team does since we have a lot of potential.”

ALLY MACLEOD ’19| Staff Writer The varsity softball team is returning to their season with momentum from last year since they made it to the state regional finals, but they are hoping to go even farther in the tournament this year, co-captain Grace Foster ’18 said.

“We will do well this year since everyone knows what’s expected of them, and we will hopefully win regionals and go farther than we did last year,” Foster said.

The team is also going to be even stronger this year having all returning players except for one senior who graduated, Foster said.

“I think we are going to have a really good season this year because we only lost one senior, so we are sticking with our strong, core group of girls,” co-captain Lauren Sancya ’18 said. “Our strength is going to be our familiarity and knowing each other’s abilities, along with our chemistry.”

The majority of the softball team this year will consist of sophomores, according

`BIANCA PUGLIESI ’19| Copy Editor

3.15.17

to returning player, Kendall Volpe ’19.

“Our only weakness is that we are still a very young team composed of mostly sophomores, but they all work extremely hard and are doing a fantastic job,” Sancya said.

The team also had preseason training where they had batting practice every week.

In addition to this, they also worked out with a trainer.

“This year we will be doing a lot more conditioning during our season along with more focus on different batting drills,” Sancya said.

The whole team adores the coaches and gets along with them well, according to Foster.

“We have really great coaches who really care about the players and have been coaching at South for a long time,” Foster said. “They like to focus on getting better everyday.”

“Part of the thing of having a team is that everyone can get along and have fun too, along with winning and doing well. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” Sobieralski said.

According to Sobieralski, practices officially start on March 13, but the girls have been hitting all year round.

“Everybody has been working hard in the groups and working on their doubles and getting to better their game. Our girls have really improved a lot from last year,” Sobieralski said.

Paolucci is excited for this upcoming season.

“I am really looking forward to my last senior season and having a fun time with the girls on the team,” Paolucci said. “I think we are going to have a really strong team this year, and a lot of the girls are really close, so we always have a lot of fun with each other.”

3.15.17 feature // 6

SPORTS

sisted of workouts Monday through Thursday, and season training in the winter.

“We are very senior-heavy, so it would be disappointing if we don’t go far,” Rob Burton ’17 said. “It’s a disappointment if we don’t end the season with rings on our finger.”

Captains hope that with a team stacked with seniors, they can start off with a win against Catholic Central.

“We lost eight seniors last year, and many of them were a huge part of our team,” Lesha said. “But, with a lot of returning juniors and skilled underclassmen, they will be able to fill some of last year’s seniors’ roles, so we will have a good team and successful year.”

a good shot of going far this year,” captain Teddy Schooff ’17 said.

The team has been through a lot from last season and this current offseason with having to deal with the leaving of their old coach and the hiring of a new one.

“It was tough last year going through states without our coach, but we made the most of it,” Jeffrey Buhl ’17 said.

Falling short last year to Catholic Central in the state tournament, the team is hoping to make a solid run again this year.

BOYS GOLF

JACK ROMA ’17 | Staff Writer As the weather turns from snowy days to sunny spring, that means it’s time to kick off the golf season. The boys are looking to overcome their loss last year in states to Catholic Central and finally go the distance.

The team has been working all off-season to prepare themselves for the start of the season, according to Howie Crane ’17.

“A lot of the guys have been going out to the range at Jawors and hitting up Indoor Golf in Fraser,” Crane said. “They have simulators and a net range so we can practice hitting our shots.”

The team is looking for improvement from last year, as one player recently committed to a Division 1 school for golf and some incoming freshmen are looking to add depth to the team.

“We are looking really good for this year due to Patrick Sullivan’s ’18 recent commitment to Michigan for golf, and now with his the addition of his brother Tommy Sullivan ’20, we have a really strong top five. I think we have

“I’m looking forward to showing our ability to compete with MAC Red teams,” Mico said.

Griesbaum said the MAC Red is one of the toughest conferences in the state for baseball and is on par with the Catholic League.

“This year will be a better season, due to their experience from playing last year as well as a year of maturing under their belts,” Griesbaum said.

The team has been participating preseason workouts, from going to the weight room as well as having skills practice before school, Mico said.

“We’ve been putting in a lot of work,” Mico said. “I hope it pays off.”

BASEBALL

ARIANNA PAGENETTE ’18| Staff Writer The Grosse Pointe South baseball team is going to the Division One Final Four tournament. That is the seventh time in history, which is more than any other Division One team in Michigan. Their goal this year is to do the same, as well as win MAC Red, head coach Dan Griesbaum said.

“This year’s a bounce back year,” Logan Mico ’17 said.

With better senior leadership and talent from the upcoming junior talent, the team hopes to showcase their potential, Mico said.

and regionals would also be awesome, Zak said.

“Hopefully we’ll have a fun season with a lot of team bonding experiences,” Foy said.

Kelly said he has high expectations for the girls and he’s confident they’ll be putting a lot of effort and hard work in.

SOCCER

ABI DUE ’18| Social Media Coordinator This year’s varsity soccer captains, Emma Foy ’17, Cam Zak and Katherine Bird both ’18, plan on a successful season.

“We’re looking forward to hopefully a better season and winning more games, but we’re in a tough league, so we’re going to have to work as hard as possible”, Zak said.

Last year, the team didn’t have the best season, Zak said, but they’ve been doing offseason training and are expecting improvement.

Chris Kelly, varsity soccer coach, said they’ve been doing a lot a lot of preseason work.

“We’ve done two weeks of conditioning. The girls have been practicing once a week at Total Soccer and training once a week at Fusion,” Kelly said.

In comparison to last season, the team should be a lot more fit and prepared, Zak said.

“Last year we didn’t do as much preseason conditioning, which could’ve set us behind,” Zak said.

Although they’ve done a good amount of preparation, there definitely will be obstacles along the way, Kelly said.

“This season I think our biggest challenge will be teaching the girls how to play as a team not as individuals”, Kelly said.

Both Zak and Kelly said they would like to see their team beat North and win districts. Making it into playoffs

BOYS LACROSSE

BLAIR CULLEN ’18| Staff Writer Varsity boys lacrosse kicks off their season with their first game against Detroit Catholic Central at home on March 22. Captains for this season’s team include Michael Lesha ’17 and Jay Ulbrich ’17.

The team hopes to build off last years successful season, making it to the third round in playoffs and taking it all the way this year, Lesha said.

“Our team did pretty well. Last year, it took us some time to get going at the beginning of the year due to how many seniors we lost, but we ended up coming together really well towards the end of the season,” Lesha said. “This year I want to start the season out a lot stronger and have better chemistry between players so we can play more as a team rather than just relying on individual players.”

The team’s tryouts began on March 13. They have been heavily practicing in the off-season, according to co-captain Jay Ulbrich ’17. Off-season has con-

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 20157

S P O R T S PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACK ROMA ’17, ALLY MACLEOD ’19, RACHEL HARRIS, BLAIR CULLEN & ABI DUE, ALL ’18 GRAPHICS BY GRIFFIN JONES, JD STANDISH & RAY HASANAJ, ALL ’18

sw 3.15.17

FEATURE

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MINIMALISM A realistic look at life on a dime ELLA DIEPEN ’18 | Staff Writer Minimalists live in a cottage in the woods without electricity, don’t own anything and hate money. This common misconception about the word minimalism that a minimalistic lifestyle is about living without luxury, when really it is a critical questioning of consumption and materialism, spending money deliberately and not taking advantage of all that is available in a globalized modern world. Minimalism is all about valuing the self over material things.

“For me personally, being a minimalist means just having what I need, spending as little amount of money on clothing, prioritizing what I need and the idea of quality over quantity,” Kristina Dalian ’18 said.

Voluntary simplicity and reducing unnecessary possessions can lead to self-sufficiency, satisfaction, less stress, less dependency on money and more time for the essential things of life. At the same time, a minimalistic lifestyle causes less economical damage, is more sustainable and boycotts exploiting companies.

In the consumerist society people live in, many are cluttered by things that don’t benefit them. Our drawers don’t close, our rooms are messy and closets are filled from the bottom to the top.

“Consumerist society convinces us that we find happiness through buying things. None of the research supports that,” social studies teacher DeEtte Nardone said.

A minimalist doesn’t have the weight and burden of derangement on his shoulders.

“I’m not cluttered and crowded by things. Minimalism keeps me humble,” Dalian said.

Minimalism starts with cleaning out one’s property by looking through everything a person owns and asking oneself if this item is necessary, useful, valuable or precious to them, otherwise give it away.

“Before I buy something, I thoughtfully think about it and ask myself ‘How will this benefit me? Do I really need this?’” Dalian said.

Letting go of things you no longer need but were holding onto will give people freedom. Less property can make people feel relieved, less overwhelmed and less distracted. Clarity in the environment can create clarity in the mind.

“Living minimalistic keeps me in the present. When you have a lot of objects from the past and you constantly go to them, you will constantly be going to the past. Since I don’t keep those things, I am always here living in the now,” Dalian said.

The advantages of minimalism are not only an internal process, there is also a health aspect about it. All the energy that is used for managing and organizing clutter will be available for other activities.

“Having lots of possessions can be very stressful for some people. Stress affects your health and can contribute to a heart disease, sometimes to psychological problems, like possessions and anxiety,” Nardone said.

According to a report by The Daily Mail, people are loosing 198,743 items and spend 153 days searching for misplaced items in a lifetime. Cleaning up and distraction is added. This time could be used for more essential activities.

“Since I’m not wasting my time and money on material objects, I have more opportunities to go out and see things in the world.

Instead of going shopping, I go for a nice nature walk. And instead of buying the coolest and newest TV, I save up money and go to a trip, concert or festival, which is much more fulfilling,” Dalian said.

Aside from the personal enrichment, there is also an ethical aspect about simple living. Thinking about the value and profit of something before buying it reduces consumption, which can be boycotting companies and cause less economical damage because a lot of the items the items people buy are transported from all over the world.

Minimalists save a lot of money by buying less that they can spend differently or just save up. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Americans spend $1.2 trillion annually on nonessential goods. You also make yourself more independent from money by living minimalistic.

There is no ultimate definition of a minimalistic lifestyle that tells people how much to own as a minimalist. It is a subjective decision of what has value to the individual. Regarding this, a minimalist can spend a night in a 5000 dollar per night hotel. Minimalism is no set of rules, but a state of mind.

“I think if more people would live minimalistic, more people would be humble. They would recognize the beauty of nature, and generally be more happier because they would be experiencing things rather than buying stuff. Experiences are much more memorable than an object,” Dalian said.

This is approved from a scientific perspective as well.

“I think the spread of minimalism would have a wonderful effect. Many people feel tied down because of their possessions. They feel like they have to work a certain job that they may not enjoy or love because they have to pay for a big house or fancy car,” Nardone said. “We’ve convinced ourselves that buying things is what makes us happy when almost all the research shows that more people are happy when they have experiences like traveling or time with loved ones.”

If a minimalistic lifestyle would be an enrichment for people, then they should give it a try depending on their personality and priorities.

“You have to really assess the kind of person that you are and what lifestyle you have to find out if you personally would profit from minimalism. If you have an emotional attachment to things, then that’s who you are. Some people feel the opposite and don’t like a lot of clutter,” Nardone said.

The great thing about minimalism is that it is a choice. People decide whether you want to live this lifestyle and how far they want to go

Breaking the hold of modern technology AUDREY WHITAKER ’19 | Copy Editor Personal electronics have become something of a requirement for students these days, according to Emma Turner ’19.

Nicholas Provenzano, an English teacher at South who has incorporated technology into his everyday class, says that today’s technology has changed expectations for students.

“With their phone or computer, the internet allows them (students) access to everything all the time, which could be a bad thing,” Provenzano said.

Provenzano also said that expectations have changed because students are able to contact teachers with problems and questions sooner than in the past.

“In the past, if something happened, you had to wait until you saw a teacher at school,” Provenzano said. “Now with email, you can easily contact teachers or administrators about things that need to be addressed in a far quicker fashion than previously.”

According to Provenzano, the trouble with technology is when students turn to the internet for answers instead of seeking to understand and interpret material on their own.

“I’m of the belief that if you ask a student a question that is ‘Googleable,’ it’s the wrong question,” Provenzano said. “I believe that in the classroom, you want kids to not just answer what you give them, but then to ask questions. If the internet can just provide the answer to your question, so what?”

Provenzano said that it’s important for students to explore more than just their own opinion, especially when it comes to research.

“I think in English, science and social studies, how you interpret data and facts is huge, and I think you need to have opposing viewpoints,” Provenzano said. “There’s nothing worse than having an opinion and only finding research that supports your opinion. That’s not good research. You need to find a broad view and then make an opinion based on all the information available.”

Provenzano and Emily Bingham, a reporter for MLive’s “Michigan Life & Culture” team online, both noted that technology has opened up the lines for quick information and communication, from online news to social media.

Bingham said that technology has increased pressure on reporters in the digital world to provide coverage as soon as possible.

“People have this technology in their pocket all the time, and they want up-to-the-minute news and information as soon as we can provide it to them,” Bingham said. “It has definitely increased demand for speedy, but still accurate, journalism.”

Bingham also agrees that technology has also opened up a fast and direct line of communication between people and information.

“Now, readers can just log in and just with a couple of clicks, they can comment directly on your story or they can share your story on social media

channels or they can email you directly right away,” straight up from social media, such as their FaceBingham said. “That opens up more of a direct line book page,” Bingham said. “Depending on who of communication with our readers, for better or for you are friends with and who you follow, along with worse. Maybe a little bit of both.”

Facebook’s algorithms, that will determine the news Bingham agrees that credibility is an important you are seeing.” factor when looking at information online. She said Turner said she notices this in the search tab on it’s important for online sources to uphold the same Instagram where users can scroll through recomjournalistic values as any print reporter, like sourc- mended photos, when “suggestions for you” of acing information from trustworthy places, making counts to follow in her feed. sure information is accurate and developing relationships with sources and people that can provide To read the full story, go to www.thetowerpulse.net accurate and trustworthy information.

Twitter launced “Twitter Moments” in October of 2015, a feature that collected tweets from many different users and points of view all in one into one “moment” for different current events, according to their website.

Sites like Instagram, Facebook and even Spotify use an algorithm suggest content based on who people follow and what they like.

Provenzano said he views the way people interact on social media as a “symptom” of a bigger problem.

“People are increasingly getting their views GRAPHIC BY CLAIRE HUBBELL ‘17