Issue 4

the

TOWER Wednesday, Sept. 28 2016

Volume 89

Issue 4

A weekly tradition since 1928 Grosse Pointe South 11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236

@thetowerpulse

Band, orchestra to perform at Carnegie Hall JACK HOLME ‘17 | Associate Editor The Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Jay-Z and Elton John are just a few on the long list of acclaimed musicians that have performed at Carnegie Hall.

The Grosse Pointe South band and orchestra will join the list of accredited musicians when they travel to New York City this April.

“The first thing that we’re doing is performing at Carnegie Hall, and I’m genuinely excited for that part,” Christopher Takis, band teacher, said. “If you ask somebody who’s around the country, or not even from the States, to name an auditorium in America, Carnegie Hall is the first one that pops up.”

South’s will not be the only band performing at Carnegie Hall. Of the four spots to fill, two will be taken up by the band and orchestra of another high school.

Besides performing at Carnegie Hall, students will have some time to explore New York.

“We’ll have a little bit of time to wander around the city and see some museums, probably visit the 9/11 museum and the Museum of Modern Art; hopefully get a chance to a Yankees game or a Mets Game or something like that,” Takis said. “There’s a great deal of things that are on the slate.”

Takis isn’t the only one excited to go to New York.

As of right now there are 50 students signed up.

“We are hopeful that we will get between 60-70 students plus chaperones,” Takis said. The deadline has been extended to offer as many kids the opportunity to attend.

One of those 50 students is Simon Chen ‘18, who

is excited for the experiences he’ll gain.

“Performing at Carnegie Hall is pretty big and I’ll never be able to do that again,” Chen said.

Along with Chen, Sarah Ashkar ‘18, said she hopes that NYC will be just as fun as the last band trip.

“I went to Austria-Germany two years ago and that was really fun, and New York is going to be just as fun,” Ashkar said.

WIth the band planning on doing all of these interesting things it does come with a price of $2,600.

“Obviously this is a school trip and we want to make it as affordable to our students as possible,” Takis said. “The biggest thing for us was getting a chance to perform at Carnegie Hall -- and that’s not a cheap expense.”

Takis debated taking a bus, but decided to fly to preserve the energy of the students. They also considered staying in New Jersey, but decided against it because of NYC’s reputation of atrocious .

In order for students to help pay for this trip, the Band and Orchestra offers many fundraising opportunities.

“They can sell ad spots in our programs to local businesses or family members that want to do well wishes,” Takis said. “Along with selling ads they also sell fruit and pizza kits. The kids have opportunities to sell things and we are always looking for more ways for students to make some money.”

The Band and Orchestra will be in New York City from April 18-22.

PHOTO BY LAUREN THOM ‘18

HERE COMES TREBLE | Ethan Schenk and Sam Hermon (both ‘19) practice their instruments before heading to New York City, NY. The band and orchestra will be leaving on April 18 and will come back on April 22.

Board of Education addresses treatment of LGBTQ+ students in new state guidelines PIPER ESCHENBURG ‘18 | Staff Writer things like allowing students to use the restroom On Sept. 14, the State Board of Education re- based on their gender identity. South has a GSA, vised and approved voluntary guidelines to protect which meets every week and helps to build a strong the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and ques- school community. tioning (LGBTQ) students It is recognized that the that attend Michigan’s public guidelines aren’t enough schools which was first introsince schools do not have to duced in March. follow them.

I’m not going to say it (the The Michigan Depart“I’m not going to say it guidleines) aren’t helpful ment of Education (MDE) (the guidelines) aren’t helpful because it is a step forward, because it is a step forward, said that 11.7 percent of LGBTQ students missed but I think it should be law,” but I think it should be law. school because they felt unShannon Horan ‘17, GSA safe, compared to less than president said.

SHANNON HORAN ‘17 half of that for their heteroCurrently South does not GSA President sexual peers. follow the guidelines but it The guidelines urge does offer assistance by inschools to form gay straight cluding transsexual and gay alliance clubs (GSA), allow transgender students to people in bullying and harassment policies. use whatever bathrooms they feel they identify with The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) most, and lastly, protect LQBTQ students. says 11.7 percent of LGBTQ students missed school Approved by the Board, by a vote of 6 to 2, the because they felt unsafe, compared to less than half new guidelines have no basis in law, but do offer of that for their hererosexual peers. To help with alhope for students of the LQBTQ community, with leviate the situation, South currently allows trans-

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gender and transsexual students to use the faculty bathrooms in the library, if the student wishes to.

“Students who identify as transgender need to feel comfortable at school, but we also do have the obligation to protect everyone else and have them feel comfortable, too. It’s balancing the need of the individual with the need of the group,” Principal Moussa Hamka said.

During the State Board Meeting, Republican board member Eileen Weiser, was one of two votes against the guidelines showing that there isn’t a united front.

“I think if they look like they don’t belong in a bathroom they shouldn’t be there, honestly. I guess it depends,” Rowan Thom ‘17 said.

Although South is considering the guidelines, schools really are not forced to follow them or follow every point of the guidelines, as they are just suggestions of how schools should take action to protect its students.

“I hope [the guidelines] will break the stigma, but really I think we need more education. Little kids never hear about gay people in sex-ed and that should change,” Horan said.

GRAPHIC BY ERYKAH BENSON ‘17

Currently, state law does not require schools to teach sexuality in the abstinence-only sex education course. So addressing this issue won’t happen in the classroom, but only through groups like the GSA. “Right now we are just making sure everyone feels welcome and everyone feels safe,” Hamka said.

Choir to hold annual garage sale in hopes to generate funds for costumes, set, props

Donations taken Sept.

28 from 3-8, 29th from 12-8 and 30th from 12-7 GRAPHIC BY GRIFF

IN JONES ‘18

LIZ BIGHAM ‘18 | Supervising Editor Children’s toys, fine dining war and everything in between. The Grosse Pointe South Choir garage sale returns this weekend.

Held in the multi-purpose room from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday Oct.1, this annual event has had a successful past, said Lisa Thams, organizer of the event.

“The community has come to expect it this time of year,” Thams said. “We’ve been pleased with how it’s gone in the past, enough so that we think it’s worth our while to be doing it again this year.”

Shoppers have a wide selection of items to choose from. According to Thams, the sale will include baked goods, glassware, kitchen items, electronics, books, toys, sporting goods, tools and art.

“We are trying to do a high end clothing boutique with more brand names and gently used items,” Thams said.

Although choir students and their families participate, Thams hopes that others in the community, like friends, relatives, and neighbors, will donate.

SALE IS OCT. 1

“We ask choir students’ families to go into their closets and storage to donate items, but we also send something out to the whole school,” Thams said. “There’s an email blast that goes out.”

Lauren Wilson, mother of choir student Morgan Wilson ’19, is also helping set up the garage sale and has been active in the donation process. They haven’t purchased anything at estate sales, but some estate sales have donated some of their unsold items for this event, Wilson said.

“Abby Peck from Empty Your Nest Estate Sales has been especially generous,” Wilson said. “She is a Grosse Pointe South mom and familiar with our talented choir. Among many other things, Mrs. Peck has donated art, antiques, and designer clothing.”

Wilson encourages the community to participate towards supporting the South choir.

Choir president Zaria Aikens ’17 said all the proceeds goes to the choir’s funds, being dispersed amongst costumes, props, music, travel fees and rental space.

“Money benefits our program in so many ways,” Aikens said. “With greater sets, music and costumes we can better compete for national titles and recognition across the region and nation.”

Aikens said that she hopes people come out to buy items and baked goods to support South’s choir.

“Your trash may be someone else’s treasure,” Aikens said.

THIS WEEK AT SOUTH... oct.

01

South Choir Boosters will be hosting their annual garage sale from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

oct.

03

Junior spirit day will kick off homecoming week festivities on Monday

PAGE DESIGN BY CLAIRE HUBBELL ‘17

oct.

04

Sophomore will show off their surfer homecoming theme this Tuesday

OPINION

2

9.28.16

College application preparation should start sooner Two weeks ago, counselors held an all-senior meeting outlining essential steps to the collegial process. The meeting entailed miscellaneous but essential information for applying for college, such as how to request transcripts and letters of recommendation. Many seniors left feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks still to be done to apply for college.

This sudden bombardment of information, and the anxiety that it can result in, calls for necessity for the college application process to be communicated earlier in the high school career.

Because college is such a common part of the Grosse Pointe South student’s future, it only makes sense we would start preparing our students as soon as they become part of our student body.

Our View // Editorial

Freshmen, sophomores and juniors, to an extent, need to understand the complicated process that is using Naviance and looking at colleges so they can understand the requirements that need to be met for the colleges they are interested in. Naviance alone is an effective and essential tool in the college application process-- but only if you know how to use it. If you don’t, then good luck.

The website becomes less of a tool for college applications and more like King Minos’ labyrinth, full of twists and turns and tabs. It can be daunting for students who have been less acquainted with Naviance and how it works.

We suggest that providing younger students with the goals for test scores, grades and extracurriculars that certain universities look for will help them set priorities for the rest of high school. Many students still find it difficult to even navigate Naviance, let alone request transcripts and letters of recommendation. This knowledge should be instructed earlier on, such as in sophomore year.

Currently in sophomore year, students use their time to take quizzes on choosing careers and majors in the future. We in Tower believe that time with counselors should be used instead to introduce underclassmen to the navigation of Naviance. We suggest the career quizzes be replaced with a career day, one where parents and keynote speakers come to talk about jobs and potential interest in college majors.

We in Tower acknowledge that counselors already do a lot. They do a ton. Their responsibilities span far beyond just getting seniors ready for

college. We can not begin to understand the magnitude of their jobs as guides in our school. Preparing students earlier on in their high school career will allow students to be better prepared for working Naviance, applying on the Common App and getting the necessary credits to graduate, making it easier for everyone.

We are insurmountably privileged here at Grosse Pointe South. High academic achievement. High graduation rates. Excellent teachers, counselors and administrators. College is a given for many of us. At the same time, it is a primary source of stress. By beginning preparation in freshmen and sophomore year and turning our focus towards plans of college on the horizon earlier on, it lessens the stress of scrambling towards the end.

For seniors, it feels as though we’re running out of time. The final grains of sand are trickling out of the hourglass, and while it seems as though our days are high school students are almost over, we still have so much more to do. To all freshmen and sophomores who are reading this right now: high school goes by in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, you’ll be like us, struggling to meet deadlines, figuring out how to pay for college and choosing a school that very may well change your life.

Yes, the college application process can be complicated. Most students will figure out what is required of them by the time applications are due. Let’s prepare ourselves earlier.

While it is important for underclassmen to enjoy a less strenuous academic schedule, getting education about how to apply for college is something that can definitely be done from the very beginning. After all, some sort of high institution or occupation, whether it be an intern-

T

his tilt trade back in favor of the U.S. worker. This plan elecis to bring China to the negotiating table by declartion ing them a currency manipulator, forcing China to cycle has been uphold intellectual property laws, putting an end littered with to China’s illegal export subsidies and lax labor and CHARLIE DENISON’17 combative lan- environmental standards, cutting corporate tax STAFF WRITER guage but little rates and bolstering U.S. military presence. substance.

All of these proposals would be excellent for the The focus has been on the candidates’ personal- U.S. economy if the Chinese government just sat ities instead of their proposed policies. Therefore, back and accepted them. The only problem is that’s it is vital that South students are educated on the not really how international trade works. Aggrescandidates’ proposals and whether or not they will sive actions like the ones Trump is proposing will be effective. almost certainly result in a trade war with China, Perhaps the flagship issue of the Donald Trump according to the trade think tank, The Peterson campaign is immigration.

Institute. China exports more goods to the U.S. Trump is proposing a wall on the southern than any other country. American businesses and border of Mexico. The Trump campaign claims consumers bought 481.9 billion dollars in Chinese that the border wall will be paid for by the Mexican goods in 2015, according to the Washington Post. government if the U.S. holds heavy economic sanc- This increase in conflict between major countries tions over Mexico’s head. Sanctions include but are could roll back years of progress. not limited to impounding remittance payments Hillary Clinton’s proposals are rather similar to from illegal wages, increased fees or cancellation the goals of the Obama administration. Clinton is of temporary visas to in favor of amnesty for Mexican CEOs and illegal immigrants, gun diplomats, increased fees The question people should be asking is regulation, protecting on border crossing costs, whether or not the Obama administration the environment, raising and possible tariffs and taxes on the wealthiest was a success and should we continue foreign aid cuts imposed Americans, Wall Street down this path? Economically, the regulation, health care, on Mexico. answer is probably yes.

There’s one question the works.

CHARLIE DENISON ‘17 that needs to be anSo the American swered. Would a border people can expect at wall be effective in deleast four more years of terring illegal immigrants? The short answer: No. Obama policy speaking if Clinton is elected.

First off, the border wall would do a better job The question people should be asking is whethof keeping illegal immigrants in the United States er or not the Obama administration was a success than keeping them out. Ever since the housing and should we continue down this path? Econombubble burst in 2007, the amount of illegal imically, the answer is probably yes. At the height migrants from Mexico residing in the U.S. has of the recession, in 2010 the unemployment rate decreased from 6.9 million to 5.6 million by 2014, was 10 percent according to the Bureau of Labor according to the Pew Research Center.

Statistics. However, the past year has seen a steady Trump supporters argue that as the economy unemployment rate of about 5 percent. The real in the U.S. rebounds the illegal immigrants will unemployment rate has dropped close to 7 percent flow in at a faster rate. Though this may be true in since the recession according to CNBC, and theory, the data states otherwise. average take home pay adjusted for inflation has According to the New York Times, the amount climbed at a steady rate. Not to mention the GDP of 15 to 24 year olds in Mexico is expected to drop is growth rate was 2.39 percent in 2014, according from 22 percent in 1990 to 16 percent in 2025. to the World Bank. The idea that the country is in This statistic is crucial due to the fact that 15 to need of Economic overhaul and on the brink of 24-year-olds are the demographic that is most collapse is a false narrative based on the statistics. likely to immigrate to the U.S. So even though the This doesn’t mean that America isn’t facing any movement of illegal immigrants may come back issues. There is climate change, a crumbling infrato the U.S., it’s unlikely it will return with the same structure and rising student loan debt. However, veracity. Essentially, Trump is solving a problem claiming that the U.S. is crumbling economically that doesn’t exist. and a revitalization of manufacturing will bring Trade is an issue that Trump has made one of America back to its former glory sounds nice, it the centerpieces of his campaign. Mainly trade just isn’t true. with China which Trump argues is seriously hindering manufacturing in the U.S. Through his campaign, Trump has outlined a four step plan to

STAFF NEWSPAPER

TOWER the

Editor-in-Chief Erykah Benson* ’17 Associate Editor Jack Holme* ’17 Supervising Editors at Large John Francis* ’18 Liz Bigham* ’18 Supervising Editors Anton Mikolowski * ’17 Rachel Harris*, Riley Lynch*, Ray Hasanaj*, all ’18 Page Editors Claire Hubbell* ’17 Cam Smolen*, Chase Clark*, Elena Rauch*, JD Standish*, Katherine Bird*, Liam Walsh*, all ’18 Claire Koeppen* ’19

Copy Editors Madeleine Glasser*, Lily Kubek*, both ’17 Alyssa Czech*, Sylvia Hodges*, Bianca Pugliesi*, 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* ’18

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ‘18 ship or trade school or university, is the ultimate and final goal for most students here at Grosse Pointe South. It is important to keep in mind that the counselors and administration at South do everything they possibly can to ensure that students are prepared for the next chapter of their lives, but better preparation for seniors can be done to ensure a smooth college application process.

Something That’s

Trump and Clinton policy differences MY VIEW

A L T O E O T

Positive

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in Washington D.C. on Sept. 24.

Political

The first presidential debate took place on Monday at Hofstra. rollingstone.com

npr.org

Somber

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez dies in a boating accident in Miami on Sept. 25.

CNN.com

“War Dogs” stays out of the dog house “This isn’t about being pro-war. This is about being pro-money.”

KATHLEEN War Dogs CARROLL ’17 WEB EDITOR is an excellent take on the true story of two wheeling and dealing, pot-smoking, cocaine-snorting twenty-somethings who land a 300 million dollar deal selling weapons to the biggest customer in the world: the United States government.

Efraim Diveroli (played by Jonah Hill) and David Packouz (played by Miles Teller) are “war dogs”, a derogatory term for the middlemen who buy guns from their manufacturers and sell them back to the government.

Lowballing the competing offers for a Pentagon arms contract by 55 million dollars, they land the now infamous “Afghan Deal”. The contract asks for 100 million rounds of AK-47 ammunition and the boys’ ability to deliver is doubtful, until they meet Henry Girard (played by Bradley Cooper).

Henry, a legendary arms dealer, tells them that he can fill the entire order and Efraim and David accept. It seems like a miracle, but miracles don’t exist in the real world, especially not in the world of the borderline illegal business that Efraim and David are in.

The character development alone makes the movie worth seeing. Hill and Teller worked very well together, their characters balanced each other out effortlessly.

Teller did an excellent job showing viewers how torn David was about going into business with Efraim. On one hand, the job paid millions more than he would have made in a lifetime in his

MY VIEW

Staff Writers

former position. On the other, David, despite staying in business with Efraim for some time, never approved of the way his partner did business.

Unlike David, Efraim was completely content with the business’ underhanded practices. Efraim was disingenuous with an incredibly short fuse.

Hill added a bit of crassly-worded humor to the role that enhanced Efraim’s off-color personality and masterfully displayed his character’s duplicity.

His performance was funny, sarcastic and very entertaining.

The soundtrack was perfect. I’ve never seen a movie whose background music was so wellmatched with the scenes it accompanied. Most notably for me, was “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival playing as Efraim and David’s plane was landing in Albania. Each song’s theme flawlessly matched the theme of the scene it appeared in.

The sets and the camera angle worked together harmoniously. The camera angles emphasized different aspects of the movie. When David is hauled into an abandoned lot in Albania by hitmen, an aerial shot sets the scene -- desolate and cold. It’s a sobering introduction to an extremely grim scene.

The close-up on Teller’s face shortly afterward aids the movie in its emotional value; fear, pain and bewilderment are written across his face. The camera angles continue to add a lot of emotion to the movie. The close-ups are timed perfectly, and only occur for a short time when a character is upset or angry.

“War Dogs” was extraordinarily well done, and definitely proves that reality is far too fascinating to be invented by the imagination.

irresponsible or obscene material.

“The Tower” is the weekly publication of the Errors Adam Cervone, Charlie Denison, Conner Advanced Journalism classes at Grosse Pointe Factual errors will be corrected on the McQueen, Emma Russell, Gillian Eliot, Jack South High School. It has always been a or in news briefs written upon Froelich, Jack Roma, Mac Welsher, Mary designated public form of student expression. opinion page request and verification.

Grace O’Shea, Michael French, Sydney Stann, The Tower is located in room 142 in Thomas Sine and William Muawad, Grosse Pointe South High School. Please Letters all ’17 contact us at 313-432-3649.

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be screened for libel, irresponsibility Arianna Pagenette, Alex Acker, Blair Cullen, and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit Opinion Pieces Evan Skaff, Evan Theros, Griffin Jones, Ian or shorten letters as long as the meaning is Editorials represent the majority opinion of Dewey, John Schulte, Harper McClellan, unchanged. All letters must be signed and Kaitlin Nemeh, Maren Roeske, Margot Baer, the Editorial Board and are left unsigned. a telephone number for confirmation.

Mollie DeBrunner and Piper Eschenburg, Columns represent the opinions of individual include Request to withhold the writer’s name all ’18 staff members and outside contributors. from publication for good reason will be considered. Letters can be sent to the above Allison MacLeod, Amelia Turco, Audrey Editorial Board email address, or dropped off in “The Tower” Whitaker, Caroline Baratta, Donald Room.

An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors.

McGlone, Grace Reyes, Sarah Bellovich, Sarah Stevenson, and Olivia Mlynarekn, all Advertising Professional Associations ’19 Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Display adverising is sold at a rate of $7 per Association, National Scholastic Press column inch, with discounts for large or Association, Quill and Scroll, the Society frequent advertisers. Advertising may not Adviser for Newspaper Design and the Michigan advocate illegal activities or contain libelous, Kaitlin Edgerton Interscholastic Press Association.

NEWS

9.28.16

3 PAGE DESIGN BY CHASE CLARK ‘18

GRAPHIC BY ERYKAH BENSON ‘17

ANTON MIKOLOWSKI ’17 & JOHN FRANCIS ‘18|Supervising Editors In the week leading up to the first of three debates, Donald Trump, the Republican Nominee, has a glimpse at actually winning this race for the White House.

Tightening polls are a main contributor to this theory that even some of his key critics are saying may become true.

With Clinton coming off the campaign trail to prepare for the debate, many wonder if Trump is ready to do a few things at Hofstra University; one being keeping his composure and not going off message and saying the things that are notorious for getting him behind in the polls.

With the recent attacks in New York, New Jersey and Minnesota, Trump is likely to gain poll numbers due to fighting terrorism in the US being one of his key running points.

If Trump can gain momentum from the debate, and not loose it by saying outlandish things, Secretary Clinton will have her work cut out for her in beating the billionaire.

Another point that leads to Trump tightening up the polls was the endorsement of the Tea Party, giving him even more talking points to shout off at his rallies.

After a 9/11 dedicated memorial service, HilOn the down side for Donald Trump is his lary Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia folnumbers with the black community, which only lowing a fainting episode on the campaign trail, makes up three percent of his voter-base. Clinaccording to the New York Times. ton prides herself on taking gains with blacks Clinton’s campaign has been reticent on the and especially women, a place where Trump candidate’s illness.

Concern was shown with her really lacks. appearance on The two the first nationmain candiWEEKLY ally televised dates share one MICHIGAN presidential demain trait: unPOLLS bate on Sep. 26. favorability. If A relatively Trump plans on Via realclearpolitics.com quick recovery taking the win is being made this November, by the former Secretary of State, despite many crithe needs to either bring down his unfavorability ics saying that her rising health concerns should numbers or increase Hillary’s by driving in the keep her from the race, according to Quartz, an Benghazi situation and her voting for the war in outlet also says that many of these soaring cenIraq during the Bush Administration. sures stem from Victorian-minded politicians like Newt Gingrich saying that women become disadvantaged by disease for an extended duration after contraction.

Quartz points out that Gingrich once said that “Females have biological problems staying in a ditch for thirty days because they get infections.”

The Clinton campaign was apt to point out

TRUMP

39.3

HILLARY

44.5

THE AFTERMATH: RILEY LYNCH ‘18 | Graphics Manager Twenty-nine people have been injured due to an explosion from a homemade bomb in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood last Saturday.

In addition, a backpack with five bombs was found this past Sunday in a wastebasket, according to CNN. While the suspect, identified as Ahmad Rahami, has been captured by police after a shoot-out, some residents of New York are still shaken, such as Emily Fleming ’16, who graduated from South this past year and is currently attending New York University (NYU).

“It was shocking,” Fleming said. “These events always seem so far away, and it's a lot scarier when they happen only a few blocks over in a neighborhood I frequently visit. My first reaction was to text all of my friends and make sure they were home safely, which thankfully they were.”

Margaret Sohn ’16 is studying at NYU along with Fleming. When her mother, Cynthia Sohn, got word of the bombings, she made sure

When things like this happen we have to carry on with our lives and not let it interrupt it.

EMILY FLEMING ‘16 Margaret was safe, but was still upset with the bombings.

“When I heard about the bombing and knew Margaret was safe, my reaction was anger,” Cynthia said. “Anger that once again some fanatical lunatic was threatening New York and stirring up fear that was going to be plastered all over the news for days and once again stir up backlash against our Muslim population.”

Cynthia said New York security has been handling the attacks very well, and that the city is actually extremely safe, despite scattered incidents.

“New York is actually one of the safest cities in the world,” Cynthia said. “I think they are 8th on the list of safest cities -- above Cincinnati

that she was also not the first candidate to sicken on the Trail, for former presidential hopeful and political rival Bernie Sanders had hernia surgery earlier this year-- apparently raising little media attention.

According to charts from CBS, Clinton and Trump have been coming closer to the tie-line in many battleground states where Clinton formerly led, such as those in blue collar states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In order to jumpstart this, experts from varying media analysis sites claim that Clinton would have to launch a stalwart performance on the coming debate, and hold her ground against a tenacious foe.

In Green Party news, candidate Jill Stein (as well as Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson) have been denied a platform on the debate stage due to low national polling.

Until then, stayed tuned for that heated debate.

Former South students attending New York University share their experiences with the bombings

and Detroit. The police, the FBI and the other governmental organizations charged with keeping our country safe are doing a good job.”

Margaret agrees with her mother, and says that, in addition, security has been heightened due to the attacks.

“The police are handling the situation well,” Margaret said. “I’ve noticed heightened security around where I live. NYU’s president has also sent out a number of emails addressing the situation and soothing the aftermath.”

Margaret said she hasn’t let the attacks hinder her hopes of studying in the city, however.

“It hasn’t impacted my decision to study in New York at all,” Margaret said. “When things like this happen we have to carry on with our lives and not let it interrupt it like the people behind the bombings want it to.”

Fleming agrees, and while she recognizes that the Manhattan area can be dangerous, she thinks the city should not be forced to live in fear.

“New York City, like any city, experiences crime on a daily basis,” Fleming said. “It's all about doing everything in your power to stay safe. Not walking alone, always staying on well-lit streets, things like that. That being said, Chelsea is a very popular area (especially at night), and there's really no way the people injured could have been safer or known that there was a bomb in a trash can on the side of the road. There are trash cans all over every street in Manhattan, absolutely nothing suspicious was happening. Sometimes you can't avoid the dangerous things that happen, and it's really important to not live life in fear that they will.”

VIEWS | The view from Margaret Sohn’s ‘16 dorm at New York University. Sohn graduated from South this past year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARGARET SOHN ‘16

New changes to homecoming affects spirit day arrival times, poster policies and pep assembly activites ALEX ACKER ‘18 | Staff Writer Student Association (SA) held a meeting last June that changed school spirit week policies to improve class traditions and make the days leading up to Homecoming more enjoyable for South students.

“Student Association had an end-of-the-year debrief meeting where they took input from a variety of groups and people like the Mothers Club, because they help supply the float houses and materials, and then they make decisions based on the votes of the majority of the Student Association,” Maria Mitzel, the Student Activities Coordinator, said.

One of the major changes to the policy of spirit week is about class posters. The class poster space was cut down to about 240 feet of posters compared to last year’s 280 feet.

“As opposed to last year, the differences are where classes hung their posters in symmetrical sections along the halls: we are now hanging the posters in four quadrants around the first floor main hall,” Logan

Cholody ‘17, SA President said. “Each class will still have their own wall in the cross halls.”

We are now hanging the posters in four quadrants around the first floor main hall.

LOGAN CHOLODY ‘17 The new policy has helped students who attend float parties by cutting down on the amount of posters each class has to make.

“So far we have been just painting posters, but the new rule change

makes it so we don't have to make as many posters as last year and we can focus more of our time on the float for the parade,” Emma Willard ‘18 said. “The float should be a lot better.”

Class arrival time has also been moved back to 6:55 a.m. on Monday and 6:15 a.m. for the remainder of spirit week.

“This gives the students extra time, an hour and 45 minutes to be exact, to prepare and celebrate the morning of their designated spirit day,” Mitzel said.

Every year, the pep assembly improves, however SA wants the changes to be kept a secret for the enjoyment of the students.

“The Pep Assembly is being reassessed in order to be more inclusive. I cannot say the changes, so you will have to see on that Friday,” Cholody said.

FEATURE

4

9.28.16

Newest released technology fails to ‘wow’ public You’ve probably heard the news.

Recently, the information IAN DEWEY ’18 on the new iPSTAFF WRITER hone 7 was announced to the public in the usual manner. Apple releases all their new products for the year: a panel in a convention in which the current CEO of Apple (in this case, Tim Cook) goes up and talks about all the new features of the product being released.

Most of the time, upgrades in Apple’s hardware are usually major tweaks of the previous model. Especially in the outer case of the iPhone.

However, there was something rather disturbing about the new iPhone 7. It wasn’t a new feature that was added, but rather the lack of one.

Of course, I am referring to the standard headphone jack.

Many people who are loyal to Apple won’t be too disturbed by this fact. Apple has compensated for this change by adding an adapter that allows the user to plug in headphones through the charging port in a rather clumsy manner.

This ought to remove most doubts that Apple is cornering the consumer into buying their $149 wireless earbuds, the infamous AirPods.

But on closer analysis, it becomes quite obvious that this move is just another one by Apple, and the tech industry in general-- to lower the quality of goods and create more loose parts in order to catalyze planned obsolescence.

What is planned obsolescence? It isn’t a common term, but it should be due to the fact that it is so prevalent in our everyday lives.

According to The Economist, planned obsolescence is “a business strategy in which the obsolescence (the process of becoming obsolete—that is, unfashionable or no longer usable) of a product is planned and built into it from its conception.”

Upon this reflection, it becomes quite evident that the removal of the headphone jack is a planned move by Apple to increase the obsolescence of the product, in a sort of underhanded manner-- if one manages to lose their head-

MY VIEW

Another way in which the tech indusphone adapter, they’ll probably have to drop $20-30 to get a new one. With a phone that still try is causing obsolescence in their products is has a headphone jack, you would have to lose by releasing new devices that have little to no the phone itself or break it in order to have those upgrades in them.

In the 1990’s and the early 2000’s, many capabilities obstructed from you.

The more loose parts the product has, the technological upgrades came with vast improvements: new features, increased RAM, more higher the chances of losing a part, and thereprocessing powfore more money is er, etc. However, spent to replace those nowadays the parts.

Chances are, you or someone you know has or had a scene is much Not that I have always been averse to cracked phone screen. Whether the phone was made different.

by Apple, Samsung, or whatever, it’s actually quite Most tech Apple products. In surprising upgrades in fact, I have an iPod phones and Touch from 2010, other mobile deand am planning on vices merely make the device thinner, purchasing a used iPod Classic (due to the fact that Apple has unfortunately canceled the have a minor adjustment in battery health, and production of the product). But there is a huge come with a slightly better quality camera.

By having these meaningless upgrades in difference between the quality of these older the hardware, and advertising these changes as products and the ones produced today.

Not in the number of features. But in the “ground-breaking” or whatever, tech companies incite people to spend money every year on general quality of the hardware as a whole.

Chances are, you or someone you know has their “new” devices.

Certainly these differences and upgrades or had a cracked phone screen. Whether the phone was made by Apple, Samsung, or whatev- stack up year after year, and eventually there will er, it’s actually quite surprising considering the actually be a need to buy the latest phone: there fact that this problem hasn’t occurred too much are enough differences in features to actually fafor touch-screen devices in the past, and much cilitate a purchase.

But rarely do people actually wait for these less for devices that don’t have a touch-screen.

For example, I have dropped my iPod sever- added features to stack up after a few year’s time. al times, both with and without a case. Once, There’s a certain social drive to buy the latest deI dropped it face down on the concrete. Fear- vice each and every year.

This is yet another form of planned obsoing the worst, I picked it up only to notice that the only damage the device suffered were a few lescence by technology companies: by making consumers feel they need the latest device by scratches only visible in direct sunlight.

My sister also dropped her Samsung Galaxy means of their marketing, they are more able to S3 on the pavement, which was released two push “new” phones each and every year that are years after my iPod. There were several large actually rather low in the amount of new features and processing power. cracks running through the screen.

It’s not only Apple that does this; after all, And everywhere one looks, phone screens are all in splinters. This is an ever-growing prob- I feel I have ragged on Apple a bit too much. lem, and one that would have never occurred if Samsung is another company that practices this touch screens hadn’t been used in phones in the method, by releasing a new Galaxy phone each year. first place.

But there is hope. By resisting foul marketThink about the advantages of having a touch screen. Are there really any? After all, all com- ing practices and purchasing from companies puters work rather well without touch screens, that don’t employ these tactics, the consumer and the ones that do have touch screens have can “vote with their wallet” and get rid of these plights on the tech industry. been denounced as gimmicks.

It might be too late to resist touch screens and thinner devices, but these complaints pale in comparison to the fact that companies release meaningless upgrades every year.

In fact, evidence shows consumers are starting to “wisen-up” to the tricks of the tech industry.

Recently, Apple just made an announcement that they would no longer release iPhone pre-order numbers.

Of course, this doesn’t guarantee a drop in the number of iPhone pre-orders, but it does imply it. Perhaps consumers are starting to grow weary of the constant tweaking in devices from year to year.

So, the next time a tech company announces a case of planned obsolescence in a new product, punish them for it. Don’t give them money for shoddy products.

Perhaps we shall hope for a better future in the quality of technology.

GRAPHIC BY CAM SMOLEN ‘18

JUST GIVE IT A SHOT: importance of influenza vaccines MY VIEW SARAH BELLOVICH ’19 STAFF WRITER

A

boy just barely two years of age gazes out a car window at a red brick building. He points a small finger at it and whines “get Tatey, get Tatey”, because that’s where they always used to pick her up. He didn’t understand they would never pick her up from school again. The tears came.

‘His perfectly healthy sister was just shy of 4 when she suddenly passed away from the flu in March of 2000. It was the first year the family neglected to receive their annual vaccinations.’

SARAH BELLOVICH‘19 |

He missed the countless dance parties, and when she would blow the tune of “Trashin’ the Camp” from Tarzan on the trumpet. Now his mom would walk around the house crying, and he would trail her with a box of tissues in hand. The tears came.

The tears continued to come, and the worst part was she wasn’t there to stop them. Whenever he used to cry she would sing to him “You’ll Be in My Heart,” and all his tears would wash away with her voice.

His perfectly healthy sister was just shy of 4 when she suddenly passed away from the flu in March of 2000. It was the first year the family neglected to receive their annual vaccinations. It was also the last. Her name was Katie Bellovich, and she was not only that boy’s older sister but also mine.

Sometimes, my mind wanders to my older sister, and I think about the impact she could have had on my life. She was my sister, she is my sister, yet our lives never overlapped. One vaccination could have changed all of this.

When my brother, younger sister, and I were little, we loathed the concept of flu shots, which were administered by my dad (a doctor) in our kitchen. Once he pulled them from the fridge in the threatening orange and black packaging, we would scatter. All three of us would flee to our favorite hiding spots, and hunker down until we built up the courage to venture out and finally come face to face

with the needle. The tears came.

As I grew up, things changed, and I understood why my parents stressed the importance of vaccinations, and now when my eyes come to rest upon that needle, I acknowledge it as more of a friend than foe.

Thirty-six thousand people die due to the flu each year and 200,000 more are hospitalized, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We live in a community where annual flu vaccinations are safe and easy to receive.

Even if your immune system is strong enough to battle off the flu, others are not so lucky.

Many will say the flu vaccine is far from perfect, and that’s true. But how can it hurt? Contrary to the myth, it is impossible for the vaccine to give you the flu. According to Harvard Health, the flu shot is not made with a live virus and those who become sick after receiving the shot would have contracted the virus regardless.

Many believe that the vaccine ingredients are linked to autism.

According to the CDC, a specific ingredient, thimerosal, which is a mercury-based preservative, has been studied and proven to not cause

31.2% of 18-49

year olds recieved a Influenza Vaccination in the past 12 months

3,697

deaths due to influenza this year The CDC reccomends that everybody 6-months or older to get a shot every year It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection.

Sometimes, my mind wanders to my older sister, and I think about the impact she could have had on my life. She was my sister, she is my sister, yet our lives never overlapped.

SARAH BELLOVICH ‘19 | GRAPHIC BY CAM SMOLEN ‘18

‘Contrary to the myth, it is impossible for the vaccine to give you the flu.’

HARVARD HEALTH

ASD (autism spectrum disorder).

By receiving an annual flu shot, you are not only protecting yourself, but also those around you. According to the CDC, when more people get vaccinated in a city, it decreases the chance of flu spreading amongst the community, including people who could suffer greatly from the flu if they have a pre-existing condition.

Tears came. Tears will come. With so much pain in this world sometimes it can be all we focus on. Although the deepest wounds in our lives do not heal completely, we learn to live with them and to love with them.

For one little boy who could be soothed by the calm words of a song, there were tears. There was pain. There was sorrow. There was loneliness. But all this in exchange for the price of a flu shot, with an additional fee of only a few tears, is not a large price to pay. Even then, there might be someone to sing to you the words of Phil Collins. “Come stop your crying, it will be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight…”

FEATURE

9.28.16

5

Staying Close to Home PAGE DESIGN BY ELENA RAUCH ’18

AJ Martinelli’s transition from homeschooling to public education KATHERINE BIRD & HARPER MCCLELLAN ‘18 | Page Editor and Staff Writer

T

here are an estimated 2.3 million children home-educated across the United States, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. AJ Martinelli ’18 is one of

them.

Martinelli has been homeschooled ever since he was in Kindergarten, but this year it was decided that he and his brother, Kip Martinelli ’20, would attend South for half a day.

“Homeschooling created a strong family bond,” Elizabeth Martinelli said. “We spent more time together and were able to scrutinize their curriculum. They have the option to go at their own pace and dive deep into what they’re interested in.”

According to Elizabeth, homeschooling allowed the Martinellis to travel places when it was best suited for them. The flexibility and stressfree aspects of homeschooling impacted their whole family structure.

Elizabeth Martinelli said that homeschooling allowed for her to know where her children were mentally and spiritually, and presented a parent-to-child unbeatable bond.

According to AJ, it became more difficult as time went on for his mom to teach him and his brother as they got older.

“I thought it would be kind of cool to come to South,” AJ said.

Elizabeth said she and her husband fully supported their son’s wish to experience public school.

“They were curious, interested and ready to branch out,” Elizabeth said.

According to usnews.com public or private schooling may be the

normal education now, but that hasn’t always been the case. Homeschooling one’s children was common throughout the 19th century until states started passing laws requiring children to learn outside the home. Homeschooling didn’t emerge again until the 1980’ s when it became a public movement. During that decade, more than 20 states legalized homeschooling.

AJ’s first day at South was a little different than his first day of homeschooling, he said..

“It was very interesting (the first day),” Martinelli said. “I walked

Homeschooling created a strong family bond. We spent more time together and were able to scrutinize their curriculum.

ELIZABETH MARTINELLI AJ Martinelli’s mom

into the classroom and I saw a bunch of people I knew and I was QUICK SNAP| AJ poses with his sister at Zakopane, like ‘Hey guys’ and I didn’t get any responses. I figured it’s schoolPoland on a family vacation.

-no one wants to be here, nobody is happy to be here.”

Martinelli said he walked to the back of the room and found Martinelli said. “Being at school I see a lot of kids that aren’t confident that no seats were open, so he had to go back up to the front row in themselves. I’m not sure why. I see kids staring at the ground in the and sit there. hallways not really wanting to say hello, when normally whenever I’m “Everyone was kind of staring at me like, ‘That kid is a weirdo,’” in the halls I’ll just be happy and normal.”

Martinelli said.

Lisa Khoury, South’s school psychologist, said making the switch Martinelli said a fear that he had entering South was the un- from homeschooling to public school would be a big change in all arknown. eas.

The whole environment of public school “Socially it’d be a lot more was foreign to him. people,” Khoury said. “Even the According to Martinelli, he describes himphysical layout of the building is self as a “faithful guy,” One of the more difdifferent. Keeping a time schedficult parts of being at South is he feels like ule would be different than what compared to homeschooling he can’t pray a homeschool student might whenever he wants. be used to. Often times homes“AJ doesn’t separate himself from his faith,” chooled students have a pacing Elizabeth said. “It’s who he is. He doesn’t prethat’s unique to their own curtend to be something he’s not.” riculum. Here at Grosse Pointe AJ MARTINELLI ‘18 Aside from being a dedicated student, AJ is South we have set schedules for also an outstanding athlete. Along with playevery student.” ing Triple A hockey for Compuware Majors, Martinelli said a benefit of he is also planning on playing lacrosse for homeschooling is the flexibility South in the spring Martinelli said. it brings and being able to go at According to ESPN, many states are conhis own pace. In his eyes, the downside to homeschooling was not sidering passing “Tim Tebow laws” that would allow homeschoolers seeing classmates every day and not really knowing what traditionthe access to public school sports. In fact, famous Denver Broncos al schooling was like. South provides AJ a more structured education quarterback was a home-schooled athlete. and helps him work on his time management.

Elizabeth described her son as a super genuine and kind person.

As a student, she said he’s successful and driven to do well.

“I think it (homeschooling) has helped my confidence a ton,”

Being at school I see a lot of kids that aren’t confident in themselves. I’m not sure why.

FAMILY TIME | AJ Martinelli ’18 and his two sisters. AJ and his brother (not pictured) transfered to South this year, previously being homeschooled.

Annual run helps high school athletes raise money for uniforms, equipment and more BLAIR CULLEN‘18 | Staff Writer ‘Run the Pointe’ is an annual run that has been a tradition in Grosse Pointe for the past 14 years.

100 percent of this event’s proceeds go toward the student athletes of Grosse Pointe South for funding uniforms, equipment, improvements in facilities, training and scholarships.

Run the Pointe is planned by the Grosse Pointe South Athletic Booster Club.

Runners have the choice between a two mile fun run, a 5k and 10k.

The 10k and 5k runners are individually chip-timed so when they begin the race, their time starts, and when they cross the finish line their time ends.

The top overall finishers and age group medals are awarded at the end of the event.

Several sports teams from South participate in the run to be supported by the community, Calyx Turco said.

“Our varsity soccer team is out here and we’re supporting Run the Pointe with the two mile walk,” Morgan Clevenger ’17 said. “I have been participating in it for the past three years, and it really helps bring out the sense of community

and it’s really nice seeing everyone out here supporting it.”

The cross country team has supported Run the Pointe every year since the event has taken place. The team replaces a regular Saturday invitational for the run, meaning the girls use it as a time.

“Run The Pointe is a tremendous program put on by the South Booster Club. It benefits a team with full participation going, which we have with the girl’s cross country, and it replaces one of our Saturday invitationals meets,” Coach Stephen Zaranek said. “It is to help the booster club which in turn helps us and every sports team at South.

Run The Pointe was successful this year, as it has always been in the past, with over 100 girls just from the Cross Country team, Zaranek said.

“Run The Pointe was a great way for me to connect with my teammates while raising money for the Booster club, so it is just a all around great fundraiser for the community,” Savannah Srebernak (runner of the 5k) ‘18 said.

RUNNING FOR THE COMMUNITY | Participants of Run the Pointe hope to raise money for various teams at Grosse Pointe South (pictured top right, bottom right) PHOTO BY BLAIR CULLEN ‘18

PHOTO BY BLAIR CULLEN ‘18

PHOTO BY BLAIR CULLEN ‘18

FEATURE SPORTS

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9.6.16 9.28.16

A RUNNER’S ROAD TO RECOVERY: What happens when you’re kept from doing the sport you love? Marie High ‘17 shares her experience SYLVIA HODGES ‘19 | Copy Editor One year ago, Marie High ‘17 was awaiting the gunshot to send the runners off. It had been months since she had last ran, but she didn’t feel nervous. High was filled with excitement, and the brace on her left arm reminded her of how far she’d come to be able to participate in Run the Pointe last year.

Nearly two months before, High had dislocated her left elbow.

She’d broken three bones below her elbow after a mishap on a cross country team bike ride. A little over a year later, she has fully recovered after extensive work.

“It was hard,” High said of her recovery. “It was a few months in an arm brace, and then physical therapy two or three times a week for a month or two.” High hurt herself in August 2015, just a couple weeks before school started.

“The edging between the sidewalk and the grass was too big, and

Being able to come back and run felt awesome.

MARIE HIGH ‘17

I got my tire stuck in it and went over my handlebars,” High said. “I caught myself with my hand and dislocated my elbow.”

High said that everyone knew pretty quickly something was really bad.

“You could see the elbow out of place,” High said. A few of her teammates biked back five blocks down Lakeshore to Coach Stephen Zaranek’s car, who had been following the team’s 13-mile bike ride that evening.

“We could tell something was wrong and serious,” Zaranek said via email. “Soon we all found out Marie had broken her arm.”

High said that she was able to call her aunt, who took her to the hospital. Her arm was wrapped in bandage with a support in it to keep her arm stable. She also had to wear a sling for three weeks.

“After that I wore an arm brace,” High said. She had to wear the brace for a few months.

High was unable to participate in practices or meets for the majority of the 2015 cross country season. However, she still made sure she contributed to the team that means so much to her.

“I did a lot of recording for (Zaranek), typing in people to add to his email list, proofreading spellings of names, setting up things like that and answering questions,” High said. “Just the paperwork side of it (the team).”

Kamryn Leonard ‘17, High’s fellow captain of this year’s cross country team remembered High’s devotion to the team during her injury.

“Marie was always there while she was recovering to help out the team in whatever way she could,” Leonard said via email.

Finally, nearly two months later, Marie was allowed to run again. Her first meet was the Run the Pointe, an annual run through Grosse Pointe Farms.

“It felt awesome being able to run again like everyone else,” High said.

High was only able to run in five meets last season, but still earned her varsity letter. To get a varsity letter in cross country, a runner must clock in below 23 minutes in a meet twice. Runners go three miles in a meet, and High’s current time is 21:21.

She is currently the fifth fastest on this year’s team out of 115 girls.

Despite her clear talent and love for the sport, High had never been a runner until her freshman year.

“I hadn’t run before that, but my sister made me do it anyways,” High said. “I quickly started to enjoy it because of the team and just wanting to get better.”

This season, High is a captain of the team, along with Leonard, Reanna Raymond and Mira Zaranek, all ‘17.

“We planned most of the spirit wear and the locker signs and the captain’s practices in the summer, so finally being able to show it off and see the team’s reaction to it is awesome,” High said.

Zaranek said that High is part of a very special senior class.

“It has been so much fun watching Marie and our seniors grow so much these past four years,” Zaranek said. “Marie is a great leader. She is firm HIGH HOPES| Marie High ‘17 running at a track meet. Her injuries and fair and knows how to enjoy everyday with a smile. She is highly respected by her teammates and were no match for her love for cross country. coaches.”

Zaranek said that High is a great leader, and she understands the Right now, High doesn’t need to wear a brace or a sling but still concept that relationships will last, not the trophies. suffers from arthritis when the weather changes.

High will be doing track in the spring, and said she is looking for“Other people get allergies and I get arthritis, but that’s okay,” High ward to graduation. said with a laugh.

“Being able to come back and run just felt awesome,” High said.

High also said her elbow cracks weirdly sometimes, but it’s nothing too terrible.

SURROGATE EVASIVENESS:

how politicians bend over backwards to avoid the truth

MEET THE CAST OF...

LOST IN YONKERS SARAH BELLOVICH ‘19 | Staff Writer

MY VIEW

allergies and then dehydration and then heat faDuring the tigue. Even with a simple matter like getting sick, 2016 Olympics, they feel the need to dodge questions and avoid the world wit- straight answer.

MAREN ROEnessed great Trump’s campaign doesn’t have the same trouSKE ‘18 feats of flexibilble with evasiveness as Clinton’s, but rather with STAFF WRITER ity, athleticism, sticking to their beliefs. It is admirable that Trump’s and strength of character as gymnasts from around surrogates are willing to go along with anything the world competed for gold. But for anyone who he says, which isn’t an easy job by any standard. has been watching the 2016 election coverage, it is One has to wonder where their morals went? How clear that the ones who truly deserve medals for many backbends ago did his surrogates lose their their mid air flips and aerials are the campaign sur- backbones? rogates for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

A clear example of this is watching staunch After each appearance and every last remark Republicans support Russian Federation Presithe candidates dent Putin. make, their camNot only did paign spokespeople the Trump appear on the news su r ro g ate s to explain away support Puthe actions of the tin, but they nominees as news also have to media postulates argue that on what it means.

Putin is a And after each apbetter leader pearance and every than Obama last remark, the after Trump public is left with claimed more questions “he’s runthan ever as Clinning his ton surrogates flip country and flop on what is true at least he’s MAREN ROESKE ‘18 and Trump surroa leader, ungates do gold medal like what we worthy backbends to support whatever unhinged have in this country,” during the recent Commandstatement he most recently made. er in Chief forum after a question about claims of The Clinton campaign particularly shines in the Putin ordering the killings of journalists who opevasiveness event. “Pneumonia? What pneumo- posed him. nia? Oh, that pneumonia…” may not have been “I think it’s inarguable that Vladimir Putin has exactly what the campaign said after Clinton fell been a stronger leader in his country than Barack ill at a 9/11 memorial service at Ground Zero. But Obama has been in this country,” Gov. Mike Pence claiming thatshe felt overheated in a press briefing said while addressing a crowd in the Ronald Reathen hours later, after Clinton’s physician Dr. Lisa gan Library. Giving compliments to a Russian leadBardack released a letter diagnosing Clinton with er while at the same time degrading the American “mild” pneumonia, the campaign revealed the real President would have been unthinkable for Reareason Clinton left the ceremony. gan, or any other Republican, including Pence and Now, Clinton is at no fault for getting sick and other Trump stand-ins, in a pre-Trump era. But continuing to “power through it” as her campaign here we are. spokespeople have claimed. Plenty of politicians While it’s amazing to see Simone Biles completand advisors have, since the incident, revealed that ing a floor routine, it’s more disheartening to see they fell sick at some point in a campaign and con- surrogates for the future president of the United tinued to work. The problem is that the Clinton States attempt complex gymnastics routine to get campaign could have simply said that yes, Hillary out of giving straight answers. was sick with pneumonia and been done with it.

But instead her surrogates covered it up, claiming

While it’s amazing to see Simone Biles completing a floor routine, it’s more disheartening to see surrogates for the future president of president of the United States attempt complex gymnastics routine to get out of giving straight answers.

ZARIA AIKENS ’17

TOMMY THAMS ’19

I play Grandma Kurnitz.

I’m playing Jay.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT PLAYING THIS ROLE? With this role it allows me to portray a strict, gray, woman of steel, which is a type cast that I am not familiar with. I am most looking forward to developing more experience in the different style of character.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING?

DOES YOUR ROLE FIT YOU? WHY OR WHY NOT?

We are both the same age and we both have the same life experience. Jay has a really strict grandmother who was raised in Nazi Germany and I have a firm Italian grandmother who is very strict and follows cultural traditions very closely.

JULIA RAPAI ’18

SEAN GATES ’19

Bella. I’m excited to be playing this role.

My name is Eddie, don’t know the last name yet.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING?

COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT REHEARSALS?

I think we rehearse three times a week for about three or four hours each. During rehearsals we will be blocking and practicing our lines and getting everything down so when we do the show it looks good.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING?

DO YOU RELATE TO YOUR CHARACTER? HOW SO?

Well, he is forty years old, has a dead wife and has two kids, so not entirely. He is trying to the best for his family though so I think that is really important. I always try and do the best for my friends, so I guess in that sense [I can relate to him.]

ANDREW FLEMING ’19

PETER LIANOS ’18

I play Arty who is the thirteen and half year old, brother of Jay, son of Eddie.

His name is Louie.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING?

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I’m looking forward to potentially going to thes festival and performing the play there, but we don’t know if we can for sure yet but fingers crossed.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING? DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ANY CHALLENGES IN PLAYING LOUIE? I do. You know, it was a Pulitzer Prize winning play and won a Tony award for with its original cast, so it’s definitely going to be hard to live up to that.

However, I think with a lot of hard work I can get there.

FEATURE

9.28.16

7 PAGE DEISNGBY KATHERINE BIRD ’18

p a o S l a i r e Not-So Bact

The truth behind anti-bacterial soap

RACHEL HARRIS ‘18 | Supervising Copy Editor susceptible to chemicals in antibacterial soaps, Adams said. However, hand sanitizer does not do The lunch bell rings, and Charlotte Farrell ‘18 this. whips out her hand sanitizer from her backpack “The bacteria do become resistant to that before diving into her brown bag lunch. (chemicals) over time,” Adams said. “So that just Farrell uses her tiny bottle of hand sanitizer makes more superbugs that are resistant to certain before lunch daily before she eats anything in order chemicals, so they have to try a different chemical to protect her immune system from being infected, to kill them. The whole trend right now is trying she said. to eliminate antibacterial soaps because you know “There are so many germs around the school,” all we did was drive the evolution of bacteria to Farrell said. “Hand sanitizer is convenient because become more resistant to all the chemicals.” it kills the germs, but you don’t have to go to the Using hand sanitizer can also take off the normal bathroom and wash your hands; you can just squirt bacteria on the skin, Guevara said. However, there it on and it is easier.” are still ongoing Farrell is one of studies about many who choose to whether or not hand use hand sanitizer sanitizer is beneficial or other antiseptic There’s some people that think that those chemicals or harmful because products in a pinch. the full consequences can interact and affect hormone levels and other However, the FDA are still not known. things.

They don’t know what the overall long-lasting has recently called “It almost kills too effect is, so they’re trying to minimize some of the into question these much of the normal chemicals that are in some of the sanitizers. products and their bacteria on your overall effectiveness. skin,” Guevara said.

DR. TRISTAN GUEVARA In June, the FDA “It also can cause requested scientific some irritation of data to ensure that the skin. It removes using these products some of the natural are safe and effective oils in your skin, at removing bacteria, causes cracking, and saying they do not cause bacterial resistance or irritation as well.” hormonal effects.

Guevara said the best way to steer clear of germs After information was gathered, the FDA and illnesses is to clean your hands. released a second statement on Sept. 2 banning “If you have access to soap and water, use that as antiseptic wash products containing either one or often as possible,” Guevara said. “If you do not have more of 19 ingredients -- most commonly being that, and it’s the only thing you have available, then triclosan and triclocarban. However, the rule does use it (sanitizer). And I would recommend only not apply to hand sanitizer or wipes. using a small amount of it; just enough to get it all Dr. Tristan Guevara said that these chemicals over the hands. You know it’s too much when it’s were banned because the prolonging effects are still dripping off your hands.” unknown.

According to the Centers for Disease Control “There’s some people that think that those and Prevention, the most important step people can chemicals can interact and affect hormone levels take to avoid disease is washing hands with plain and other things,” Guevara said. “They don’t know soap and water. However, if this is not available, what the overall long-lasting effect is, so they’re using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least trying to minimize some of the chemicals that are 60 percent alcohol is the next best step to preventing in some of the sanitizers.” the spread of infections.

South biology teacher James Adams says that Any bacteria from outside the body has the hand sanitizer and antibacterial soaps are slightly potential to be harmful, Adams said. Eliminating different. the germs and bacteria that spreads from one person According to Adams, hand sanitizer is based to another is possible through hand sanitizer and on straight alcohol content, which kills germs, so washing hands. the alcohol will either destroy the membrane of the “They are everywhere -- you are never going to germ or disrupt its function. Anti-bacterial soaps eliminate all of them at any time, so the idea is the are based on chemicals that destroy germs, which hands are basically what bring everything to the are not instant. area that can be infected, like your face area, so you “Hand sanitizer has nothing to do with any weird try to limit the number of potentially bad ones,” chemical,” Adams said. “It’s just straight alcohol.

Adams said.

That is why hand sanitizer is always effective since Farrell believes that she feels a lot better and does the alcohol is going to work no matter what.” not get as sick when she uses hand sanitizer and Antibacterial soaps can drive germs to not be washes her hands often.

“I think it helps me, especially during flu season, which happens a lot of time during the winter, and even just the first week of school and getting back in with all of those germs,” Farrell said.

“It does help me, especially during cross country season because you don’t want to get sick.”

The best part about hand sanitizer is that is had made people realize the importance of keeping their hands clean, Guevara said.

“It allows people to have it in the front of their minds that they need to clean their hands,” Guevara said. “Because of the emergence of this hand sanitizer, people have it in their car, at work or their workplace, so they know they should be cleaning their hands more.”

Guevara said that in his office, next to their work stations in every room, is hand sanitizer.

Looking in hospitals at all of the displays of hand sanitizer has raised the awareness of how people don’t wash their hands, and should take more precautionary measures to keep clean.

“Now, when you go in a hospital, you can not go around a corner without seeing a hand sanitizer in the wall. Every room has one because they want to make sure they are minimizing any potential infections from coming into the hospital.”

However, Guevara still goes back to always washing hands at every possible opportunity. If washing hands isn’t an option, then hand sanitizer is the second best way at eliminating the chances of contracting an illness.

“For the average kid right now that starts school in September, and it’s flu season, the chance of decreasing their risk of passing on strep or mono or anything else is probably going to be diminished moreso by hand sanitizer than not washing your hands,” Guevara said.

Adams said the best way to ensure harmful bacteria does not enter the body is to wash hands.

However, germ prevention is beneficial, but exposing immune systems to germs will cause people to be healthier in the future.

“Just wash your hands and get (bacteria) off your

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hands, instead of G trying to kill them on your hands,” Adams said.

“Truthfully, most of the bugs you are going to get won’t kill you and your immune system; it responds to these things over time and you get actually resistant to them all. All your illnesses right now in high school that you get will actually make you healthier later on because you won’t get them again.”

Farrell believes that staying clean and not getting sick is a top priority, and washing her hands and using hand sanitizer will help her achieve this, she said.

“With all of our classes, you can’t miss school and if washing my hands will keep me healthy and make it possible for me to keep going to school, then I’ll do it.”

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Ambitious eighth grader travels to South to take honors journalism

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OLIVIA MYLNAREK ‘19 | Staff Writer very morning, Eva McCord ’21 arrives promptly at 7:35 “From an academic standpoint, I’d really like to understand how a.m. at Grosse Pointe South. She sits quietly in room things are graded,” McCord said.

144, better known as the Tower room. When the bell McCord knows that this year she will probably have to work harder rings at 8:00 a.m., she’s ready to learn about journalism. with everything she does. She knows she has been placed in an ad“Considering my background, I would consider my- vanced class with kids that are older, but that doesn’t seem to intimiself to be like an artist,” McCord said. “With writing, it’s not a form of date her or make her work less. expression, but more of a way of making it known to other people.”

“I don’t really find an issue, it’s more of just that you have to get used McCord is an eighth grader from Pierce Middle School. She first to the other kids and the main focus isn’t the kids, it’s the teacher,” Mcdecided to enroll in Honors Journalism last year when her counselor, Cord said. “When you’re doing a group presentation you’re not talking Andrea Bolton of Pierce Middle School, told her that a spot in the class to the kids, you’re talking to the teacher. You just talk as if you’re doing was open. She was originally going to take Latin, but her counselor it one on one,” McCord said. told her that she had certain credits and qualities from middle school Making sure that the teacher knows a student’s work ethic and work that allowed her to be enrolled into the class. schedule is important when taking an advanced class. Being an eighth “South offering these grader like McCord who only atcourses is a nice fit for many tends South for one hour of the Considering my background, I would consider middle schoolers. It allows day, it is hard to sometimes to them to work at an advanced clarify a question or a problem myself to be like an artist. With writing, it’s pace,” Bolton said. with the teacher. not a form of expression, but more of a way of With most of the classes “The biggest challenge, I perMcCord registered to take sonally feel, would be that our making it known to other people. at Pierce, she thought that students are only at South for taking Honors Journalism one hour, so if they have to see would be a nice fit. the teacher or are confused, they EVA McCORD ‘21 | Pierce Middle School “I take a lot of writing do not have that structured abiliclasses, and if this class goes well for me this year, I would maybe like ty to make appointments or see the teacher in passing as much as a full to participate in the Tower,” McCord said. time student would,” Bolton said.

McCord wants to be as involved in high school as she can, so she As for McCord’s fellow classmates at Pierce Middle School, they can get into a good college and have a promising future. find it a bit out of the ordinary that she’s taking an extra English class “I would like to just have a lot of extracurriculars in high school at an advanced high school level. and have that on my transcript and go to a good college,” McCord said.

“It’s really funny because a lot of kids I know take Honors Geometry McCord does not have her heart set on a career or even any set or something like French; it’s one of those things where they are almost future in journalism, but she definitely sees herself writing something. confused by it,” McCord said. “Everyone’s really supportive,” McCord “I’m interested in crime and criminal justice,” McCord said. said.

Her goal is to to gain experience from the class and become adjustAs for McCord she is excited and ready to take on the rest of this ed to the high school class style. year and gain experience and knowledge about journalism.

“I’m personally proud of myself but it’s only the first week so it’s just

EVA McCORD| Eighth grader Eva McCord challenges herself and takes Honors Journalism. She is debating taking Tower.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA MLYNAREK ‘19

SPORTS

9.28.16

8 PAGE DESIGN BY JD STANDISH ‘18

South alumni tackles Multiple Sclerosis through stem-cell treatments ERICA FOSSEE ‘19 | Web Manager drugs and pills. Bevier found this method did not help and pro- friends for a presentation about Bevier and an opportunity to aid From the football field to the surgery room. From expert coor- gressively got worse, and felt better the month he didn’t take the him in his path to good health.

The fundraisers are not only for raising money, but also a way dination to walking with a cane. Mike Bevier’s ’80 journey from pills, Bevier said.

Accordign to Bevier, the shots every other day for ten years to show support.

Grosse Pointe South to a stem cell clinic for Multiple Sclerosis didn’t help.

“You have most definitely been through a lot. I applaud your (MS) in Ecuador was not clear cut.

Bevier was pushed over the edge when he was taking eye excourage and fortitude to conquer this beast,” Nancy Rousseau It was not easy, but if anyone was up for the challenge, it was ams because the drugs he was taking could have lost his eyesight.

Lindsay, a friend of Bevier, said. definitely the linebacker at Central Michigan University, with the According to Bevier, he was pushed over the edge when he had Bevier uses his own adult stem cells and believes one does not third most tackles in a single season according to Bevier. to go through multiple eye exams to take a drug because eyesight need to use another animal or person to achieve results but that “I firmly believe you have to go in with a positive mind frame,” loss was a possibility.

After this new insight, Bevier knew drugs frozen fetuses should be utilized. In the end, Bevier thinks that Bevier said. were not the answer to MS and has not taken them since 2002. if a certain method of treatment will really help someone that it According to Bevier, his sophomore year began on the varsity “Why take those chances when you might not even get the should be used. football team at South. Tthe team made their way to states, which “My average pain level is about seven,” Bevier said. was just the first step in his career in football. From early in life, benefits,” Bevier said.

Then, everything changed.

Bevier believes that stem cells have done a lot for him and said Bevier knew football was his way to college.

While meeting with his upper cranial therapist, the idea of he would be in a lot worse shape without stem cell treatments.

“I came from a family whose parents were divorced and fistem cell treatment came up.

Bevier’s therapist was doing trials in Going from football level coordination to MS coordination nancially, we did not have much money. So if I wanted to go to Ecuador and, before he knew, it, Bevier was having a fundraiser can give one a negative and hopeless mood. Luckily, Bevier has college, I would have to take student loans,” Bevier said. to go to Ecuador and get the treatment done. not let that stop him despite being faced with controversy at every Getting a full ride football scholarship to Central Michigan “I was not sure about (stem cells) but did (a lot of) research turn in his treatment and life, always keeping a positive attitude.

University was a blessing, Bevier said. He became the team’s first and found out a lot about All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) as a linebacker, and was them,” Bevier said.

MAC defensive player of the week for a game.

From 2010 to 2013, Bevier Playing football in college posed many challenges, and even had multiple treatments, conwhen he doubted himself, his coaches always believed in him and sisting of liposuction, bone encouraged him, he said. Bevier never knew just how much a marrow and intrathecal, and college sport would prepare him for his battle with MS. found them to be successful “Never give up. If you have beliefs stay true to them even in stopping the effects of MS. when you are being told they are wrong,” Bevier said.

His symptoms have not gotten Jump to his senior year of colleg: 1984. Bevier wakes up for better, but they have not gotten practice with an unexpected surprise. Half of his face was comworse. pletely numb, a symptom of MS. According to Bevier, he just wanted to be able to play at the game, which was his biggest worry at the time.

“Our mission is to produce unique Eight years later, Bevier finally stem cells that will accelerate our had a look at that medical report from 1984 after waking up to numb understanding of specific human fingers. Originally thinking he had a disorders” pinched nerve, he visited a doctor.

Unexpectedly, he was diagnosed Mike Bevier ‘80 with MS. He knew he had to do something about his symptoms and said “God this isn’t going away.” MS According to Bevier, he has is a very unknown and diverse disease. The cause is a mystery. had liposuction, bone marrow This has led to the belief that football could have caused Bevier’s and intrathecal stem cell treatillness. Football at this point could be seen as a savior or a dement.

Bevier had around 20 stroyer of the myelin sheaths, the essential coating around nerve million stem cells injected in cells. places like the dual sac.

According to Bevier, hard work will get you places, and his exEach treatment can cost periences have built up challenges and hope through his struggle around $30,000, Bevier said. with MS and playing football.

This high price makes it He had the third most tackles at Central Michigan University, COLLEGE DAYS| Mike played for The University of Central Michigan in from 1980specially vital to have fundand it took constant perseverance, just like it has to tackle MS, 1984. Mike was also a graduate of South and is a patient of stem-cell research. raisers. Bevier’s past fundraiser according to Bevier. brought together family and The way doctors advised to go about tackling MS was with PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE BEVIER

BRAINS VS BRAWN:

The balance that comes with being a student athlete

EVAN THEROS & JOHN SCHULTE both ‘18 |Staff Writers “First was a senior who thought academic probation was based on cumulative grades, not his current semester,” Wolford said. “A regular etween taking multiple AP and Honors classes, student athletes at South have to be proactive in 3.0 student; he basically stopped doing everything his last semester. The first week he was on probation he balancing academics and athletics. realized it was based on current semester, started doing his work, and was back to a 2.5-3.0 immediately Sports practices and games tend to take up anywhere from one to three hours every day after and off probation.” school. With a busy academic schedule, some students such as John Sullivan Wolford said that he cares about his students grades more than their ath’16 say they have to balance sports and an academically rigorous schedule.

“As a coach, I love smart, hard working letic abilities.

“It’s not that hard to balance your time and to do the work. Honestly, kids.

Kids that take AP/Honors “As a lacrosse coach, I have a unique perspective in several ways,” Wolmost of the AP teachers don’t want you to stress out about their classes so ford said.

“No matter how good our players are, there isn't an NFL, NBA, they don’t give you that much homework,” Sullivan said. classes put in a lot of hard work off the MLB or even NHL payday for lacrosse players who may play college or furSullivan said that it is not challenging to balance homework with tennis field.

They also put in a lot of hard work ther.

They are going to need to have real jobs in their future, even if they play practice, and coaches are aware of students’ heavy work loads. in the MLL (Major League Lacrosse).” on the field.”

“I think (sports) helps my grades because then I have to work harder Wolford said that he thinks that there is a correlation between academics because I know I have a limited amount of time to do my work, so I feel DON WOLFORD and athletics.

In his experience as a coach, the teams with the highest GPAs I work a little harder at it and do my work more efficiently,” Sullivan said.

Boys Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach and most Academic All-Americans have been the teams that go farthest When athletes have trouble balancing academics with athletics, in the playoffs.

The two worst seasons happened to be with the their teachers may be able to help them. AP physics teacher two teams that had the lowest cumulative GPA. Mr. Hecker said that it is his first year teaching an AP “As a coach, I love smart, hard working kids,” Wolford class, so he isn’t quite sure how to go about helping said.

“While GPA is not always the best measurement of student athletes stay on track, but is not worried a student athlete, it is a decent benchmark.

Kids that take about balancing the workload with athletics.

AP/Honors classes put in a lot of hard work off the field.

“Most of the AP students are pretty self-motivatThey also put in a lot of hard work on the field.

I think ed, so when they’re out they’re conscious of it, they’re those kids know how to balance time and workload. ” talking to me about it, ‘what did we do today, what Wolford said that he doesn’t need to assist many playdid I miss,’” Hecker said. ers. In the end, grades are more important than athletHecker said he does not take students’ athletic ics, Wolford said. schedules into account when assigning homework.

“I want to make sure I give them the time they need According to Hecker, AP classes have a lot of courseand give them the right message, that lacrosse is great, work and students involved in extracurricular activibut if they aren't taking care of #1 (school), lacrosse is just ties and AP know that they have extra work. a waste, and sometimes that message is better one on one, “I think that students always need to understand that GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN JONES ‘18 than preaching to a group,” Wolford said. when they are involved in extracurricular stuff that school work has to come first,” Hecker said.

Along with teachers, coaches are other resources that student athletes can look to for help. Boys varsity lacrosse coach, Don Wolford, said via email that he has had only a few issues with players failing to meet athletic standards.

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South’s homecoming quarel against Anchor Bay this year on Oct. 7.

TOMMY SINE‘17 | Staff Writer The day before Homecoming, Grosse Pointe South’s football team will be suiting up against rival, Anchor Bay. “The boys are excited for all of the games but they are currently thinking one at a time,” Chad Hepner, defensive coach, said. “Same with the coaches, it sounds cliche, but we are just going to focus on one game at a time.”

The team is currently 4-0 in their season with wins over Cody, Utica, Fraser and Utica Ford.

“I think that we need to have a ‘can't lose’ mind set, like any other game we’ve played this season,” Aidan Comes ’17 said,

when asked about his thoughts on the homecoming game on Oct. 7.

Despite Anchor Bay’s mindset to win, the Blue Devils have the upper hand, Connor Branagan ’17 said.

The South Blue Devils currently hold a 4-0-0 record, unlike Anchor Bay coming into the game with a record of 1-2-0.

“We have won for the past seven years straight, we are coming into the game 5-0 looking to pull a victory,” Branagan said.

“The coaches are expecting for us to win, they want the defense to be strong and the offense to be hungry.”

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS | Logan Mico ’17 takes his snap at the North-South football game. North won 8-4, which is North’s first win since 2014. Next year’s game will be held at South.

PHOTO BY MARGOT BAER ‘18