Issue 9

the

TOWER

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016

Volume 89

Issue 9

@thetowerpulse & thetowerpulse.net

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

“Get to Know your Muslim Neighbor” event at Ewald Library EMMA RUSSELL ‘17 | Staff Writer do presentations, teach dances and overall give a look into the Muslim A completely free and informative event called “Get to know world. So, this is a good event for the club members to go to mostly your Muslim neighbor” is being held at the Ewald library to give the because there hasn’t been any events based on the Muslim culture to attend,” Abouljoud said. opportunity to look into the Muslim Culture.

“I was kind of excited. Being a muslim...is just like being a Christian, “I thought that by having this event it would give people who aren’t it’s just a religious practice. It doesn’t affect my personality, it doesn’t familiar with the culture and traditions a chance to learn and the do anything to me. So, it’s really nice that we get to share all of libraries a good place to do it,” youth librarian, Kathleen Gallagher, that.

So, I think that’s pretty exciting, ” Abouljoud said. said.

Along with Abouljoud is Library Monitor, The event is being held on Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ewald Harper Wildern, who Branch Library in Grosse Pointe Park. Everything also plans to attend will take place in their program room. the event. It is an “It includes a poster session; they will have posters on different topics like calligraphy, Muslims Being a muslim... is i m p o r t a n t function throughout history in America, starting from the just like being a Chrisfor the Revolution and the Civil War, who is Allah, women tian, it’s just a religious community in Islam, and many other things,” Gallagher said. practice. It doesn’t af- to come and “They’ll have activity booths for kids and families.

So, there’s crafts, calligraphy, henna, and then at fect my personality, it exp erience, the top of every hour there will be a speaker on a doesn’t do anything to Wildern said.

“I think a different topic. Oh, and there will be food.” me. lot of people Gallagher said she decided to host this event don’t actually when she was contacted by Detroit Chapter Council AMELIA ABOULJOUD ’18 know about of the Muslim American Society (MAS), Saamih what being Bashir. MAS takes care of the majority of tasks. All a Muslim actually even means, that had to be done was putting together a flyer and getting the word out about the event through a newsletter and press release, Gallagher whether it’s a race, or a culture, or a religion, and I think said.

“We haven’t hosted anything like that here before and the fact sometimes it’s difficult to find that he reached out encouraged me (to take this offer). I also got the right person or place to ask the recommendations from other librarians that I knew and had a that question,” Wildern said.

“So, I think it’s going to be really successful event,” Gallagher said.

President of the Arabic Culture Club, Amelia Abouljoud ’18, is eager enlightening for a lot of to attend the event, she said. “Get to know your Muslim neighbor”, people and might even takes on some of the same strategies as the Arabic Culture Club as they introduce people into

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a new world that they hadn’t explored before.”

Gallagher said she is hopeful they will have a good turnout and is eager to welcome the many familiar and new faces on Saturday. It will be a fun event for everyone as they are tending to every age, Gallagher said.

“For me, personally, it’s a chance to learn about the culture and meet some new people,” Gallagher said. “I hope to get some new people and not just to study and read and check out books, but to use our many programs we have here. I think this is a good learning opportunity for our community.”

Adopt A Grandparent links senior citizens to teenage volunteers SYLVIA HODGES ‘19 | Copy Editor dopt A Grandparent is a student-organized function aimed at linking senior citizens

A New club offers a balanced Pro-Choice outlet at South

GRACE REYES ‘19 | Staff Writer expand the pro-choice mindset.

Since 2008, Grosse Pointe South has offered the “We just want to represent the other side and Students for Life Club, an organization which op- show that there is an option if you aren’t pro-life,” poses abortion. Students with the opposing view- club vice president Kate Gavagan ‘18 said. point now can voice their opinion by joining the Nicholas Provenzano, club adviser, said offering pro-choice club. a pro-choice club is a great way to offer the oppos“Pro-choice club is a club that agrees that women ing standpoint. should be able to choose whether “I believe that the students or not they want to have an aborshould absolutely have a form tion,” club secretary, Charlotte to express those beliefs, regardFarrell ‘18 said. “It’s their bodyPro-choice club is a less of what other people might -they deserve to do what they think,” Provenzano said. “I think club that agrees that we have to give all students the want with it.” women should be able equal opportunity to express According to Farrell, the club to choose whether or that.” will involve a wide variety of activities for students to take part According to Farrell, the club not they want to have in, such as discussing the pro will soon be hanging up posters an abortion. choice topic, donating to orgafor awareness. nizations, and doing volunteer “This club is to get other stuwork. dents involved with pro-choice. If CHARLOTTE FARRELL ’18 “We are going to be doing a lot they are and if they want to learn Pro-Choice Club Secretary of work, like volunteering with more about it, they can come to associations like, Turning Point our club,” Gavagan said. and HAVEN; things that like to The first meeting will be held help people,” club president Sebastian Simon ‘18 on Friday, Nov. 4 in club adviser, Nicholas Provenzasaid. no’s room at 7:15 a.m. From then on, meetings will According to Simon, the club will have an impact be held every other Friday. over time but as of now, it is just an opportunity to

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and South students.

“It’s an atIt’s an attempt to try tempt to try and connect and connect some of some of our our students and local students and senior (citizens) so they local senior can learn from each (citizens) other, so they can learn from KEVIN COX Adopt A Grandparent Adviser each other,” Kevin Cox, English teacher and adviser of the organization, said. “South students can provide some support, friendship, and companionship.”

Adopt A Grandparent’s activities will be held at American House, a residence hall for senior citizens in Grosse Pointe Farms.

“It’s just a great way (for students) to interact with and learn from senior citizens in our community,” Cox said.

Cox said that studies indicate that interaction emotionally, psychologically, and even physically is valuable.

“I know they’ll (the senior citizens) appreciate it and I think our students will appreciate it too,” Cox said.

Kathleen Vern ‘17 came up with the idea for South to have it’s own Adopt A Grandparent organization after visiting Northwestern University last winter and hearing about their version of the program.

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The deadline to submit senior mock elections is today.

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nov.

WHERE: Mr Cox’s room 297 WHEN: FRIDAY, NOV.4 AT 7:30 A.M. WHAT: Connecting students and senior citizens WHO: Open to all South students WHY: Good way to get involved with community outside of school GRAPHICS BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

THIS WEEK AT SOUTH... nov.

“I got curious, so I Googled it and I contacted the school (South),” Vern said.

Vern said the process of ensuring Adopt A Grandparent happened was a lot of work. It involved a lot of coordination with contacting American House and meeting with the person in charge of the activities for the senior citizens.

Vern also believes talking with the seniors at American House will be beneficial for students.

“People should participate because it’s a really good way to get involved with the community beyond what we do in school,” Vern said. “It’s really interesting talking with a lot of the people in the residence hall because they have so many stories.”

The first activities at American House are tentatively scheduled for late November or early December, where Vern says the goal is to have students make holiday decorations with the senior citizens.

“If you think that you want to join, but don’t know if you have enough time, just do it anyways,” Vern said. “It’s going to be super low stress and it’ll be pretty fun.”

The next meeting for Adopt A Grandparent will be held in Mr. Cox’s room 297 on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 a.m.

Band and Orchestra “Pops and Pastries” takes place at 7:00 p.m.

08

nov.

Election day will take place across the country. No classes for all students.

OPINION

2

11.2.16

Successful lockdown raises questions about student speculation When the three-tone jingle comes over the PA, usually South has an announcement in the following 15-20 seconds. To the school’s surprise, a lockdown would hold the students in their seventh hour for the next 25 minutes.

Two things evidently became true about this seemingly average Tuesday afternoon: this was no drill, and students took to social media to discuss their circumstance, even though protocol says no phones are allowed.

Not to say that we, as a news outlet, did not show interest in just about every rumor that went around, but we’re journalists and that’s our job.

Shock took over the many classrooms. As a sign of urgency, some students contacted their parents, which lead to mass confusion by others in the community as rumors were spread across the halls.

We believe students should act in a way that is a best defense and safeguard for not only themselves, but teachers and staff around them as well. A lockdown before last Tuesday was something only known as a drill in the minds of the freshman and sophomore classes at south.

Two years ago, South conducted a lockdown during the first lunch. This caused panic and confusion for half of the students who were either in one of the lunch rooms, or commuting from across Fisher to South.

The 2014-15 lockdown then was conducted with no threatening incidents inside the school, but rather it was called due to a bank robbery near the campus.

Principal Moussa Hamka spoke with one of our editors and responded to how he thought the student reaction was during the lockdown.

OUR VIEW | Editorial

“I think the way they (the students) responded today was how we would want them to respond. Take it seriously. The only thing I would encourage students is to refrain from using social media to propagate and propel rumors that aren’t true,” Hamka said.

Some of the rumors that went around had to do with a stabbing at Fresh Farms Market. These were quickly debunked to the students, but apparently not to some of the local medias. Fox 2 News put out a brief on their website saying the stabbing took place to prompt the lockdown at South.

To bottleneck this rumor effect, we would like to propose that if a student doesn’t see the ‘ground zero’ of the lockdown, then they shouldn’t speculate or believe anything they hear or see on their phone.

The stance the administration has taken post-lockdown is in correspondence with our view on how students should respond to a real-life situation.

Hamka also spoke on how he plans to move forward with the lockdown process, not to repeal or change it, but to re-emphasize what students should do.

“There’s a certain etiquette and decorum to different scenarios in life. And I’m obviously going to re-emphasize that to teachers. We’ve got to be mindful of it. It’s not a joke. A life is not a joke. And you send out these tweets and you send out these snapchats and you think it’s funny, and God forbid someone is getting hurt,” Hamka said.

Something That’s...

Crazy

United Arab Emirates man spends nine million dollars in an auction in order to get the license plate number “5”.

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ‘18

Now, the question that is posed: how can South move on from this and better our already adequate lockdown system? Here at Tower, we say students should be aware that even a safe community like Grosse Pointe cannot think of a lockdown as something to joke about.

Throughout the day if one were to listen close, many things students exchange in what they think is private could be taken as criteria for a Blue Devil Lockdown.

As for the student who claimed to have a firearm in class, we see this as no avenue to arraign this individual via social medias or in person. It is now up to the processes set in place to further handle this circumstance.

Positivity can be taken from this otherwise alarming situation. All schools in our community should address what happened last Tuesday, and start the conversation for practicing and conducting lockdowns in a safe way.

FBI director James Comey reopened the investigation into presidential candidate Hilary Clinton.

Controversial

6.6 magnitude earthquake strikes the center of Italy.

This is the strongest tremor Italy has delt with in over three decades.

Devastating

INFO COURTESY OF CNN

American Football Album Review: first release since 1999 MY VIEW

NEWSPAPER

the

TOWER

STAFF

With the emergence of the new American Football IAN DEWEY ’18 album having STAFF WRITER been released on Monday, Oct. 21, a step back ought to be taken before exploring the new track-list the album will have to offer.

Many people from South do not know about the band American Football; this is expected. In the simplest of terms, American Football is an emo band. But not just any emo band. They are the exception; the best the genre has to offer.

The album’s aesthetic is painted rather well; the aesthetic being the average life of a rural-suburbanite. From the album art to the tune-up in the first track, “Never Meant”, there is only one way to describe the impression this album makes: comfy.

Before moving on, it is important to point out a crucial fact: this album isn’t merely the best of its genre, it’s also unlike any other emo music. Those who are weary of the emo stereotype of uber-dramatic screaming, howling and black-dyed hair ought to be aware of this fact.

The album starts with a small chat between the band members, a short tune-up and a count-off before jumping into the music. This creates a sort of illusion in which the band members feel a lot closer to the listener, as if they were right near you. As the song continues, guitar riffs in the back appropriately match the tone of the album.

In the second track, “The Summer Ends”, a lone trumpet solemnly cries out from the beat set up from the acoustic guitar and the lonely drum beat.

The song continues to complement the general tone of the album.

After the slightly slowed tempo of the second track, “Honestly” speeds up the album and it brings a more upbeat tune to it. Unfortunately, the lyrics

are quite cliché for the genre in this track, but considering the fact that this was near the beginning of the genre it can be excused.

It is really near the ending of the track, where it has a purely instrumental phase, when it really does shine. A rich guitar tone is repeated while small, but very noticeable additions and changes to the tune slowly morph it until the end of the song.

The fourth track, “For Sure”, brings the listener back to the main aesthetic of the album. It opens very similarly to the second track, again utilizing the trumpet and some background noise before it drifts into the meat of the song.

The rest of the album continues with a few more tracks: “You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon,” and “I’ll See You When We’re Both Not So Emotional.”

The themes of this section are quite obvious just by their titles and each track here continues to bring its unique style of the same general tone.

In the final portion of the album, there are two main tracks: “Stay Home” and “The One With the Wurlitzer.”

These tracks are instrumental for the most part but “Stay Home” includes a small vocal part which breaks up the pure instrumentals near the end of the track.

Unlike the intensity that comes up in some of the middle tracks, the last two tracks are very calm and conclude the album nicely. Again, it follows the general tone and aesthetic of comfort, nostalgia and simplicity.

Pitchfork rated this album an 8.6/10, hitting the mark. However, Pitchfork can sometimes dish out some pretty mediocre ratings for stellar albums, and vice versa. But they usually don’t hit it too far from the mark.

On a scale from one to ten, ten being exceptional and a one being pure trash, American Football earns a solid nine.

However, this album is not for everyone and recommending it isn’t an easy task. If a listener likes

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

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

emo music, they will certainly enjoy this album; although it is a separate entity from the genre, it still holds that general air of emo music.

American Football’s music can be bought on iTunes and Google Play for about $10. However, a listener has to be aware that the Google Play download appears to have a playlist that is out of order.

The original American Football album proved to be a classic, at least in the emo genre. As for the new release that came out on Oct. 26, it is good, but it still leaves something to be desired.

That “something to be desired” is that the album lacks the flavor and depth of the first album.

Chords are repeated a lot more than in the 1999 album and there is a lack of distinction between the tracks that is present in the first album.

In summary, it’s a lot more bland.

Another thing lacking here are “tight jams”. In the first album, some more fast-paced tracks broke up the more slow, “woe is me” portions; this made the album a lot more fun to listen to.

The album also needs longer instrumental portions; it feels as if they are trying to cover up the relatively bland instrumentation the whole time with lyrics.

However, this review paints the album as a lot worse than it actually is. It is extremely hard to describe this album without comparing it to its predecessor.

As a standalone album, though, this album is quite strong. Many of the tracks are on the more bland side, but that mostly describes the first half of the album.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOISEY.VICE.COM

Although the album never gets the fast-paced tracks, it needs to break up the slower-paced sections, it does pick up the pace in the later half of it.

For instance, the track “Desire Gets in the Way” is rather good and this track plus others in the latter half of the album help to cancel out the slog in the beginning of the album.

In general, the 2016 American Football has a lot more of a positive tone to it than the last album.

While many people who were fans of the previous album may be more disgruntled by this fact, it’s a good thing they’re at least attempting something a bit different with this album.

On Pitchfork, this album was reviewed with a score 7.7/10. In this review’s scale, the album gets a six. It is a good album, but it’s not anything exceptional. Unless the listener is an avid emo or American Football fan, it would be best not to buy this album.

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.

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.

Errors

NEWS

11.2.16

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JOHN FRANCIS ’18 & ANTON MIKOLOWSKI ’17 | Supervising Editors GRAPHICS BY ERYKAH BENSON ‘17

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ess than one week remains in the 2016 election cycle. Donald Trump has cut the Real Clear Politics fter sitting for many hours on trail over the infamous email scandal, presidential candidate and Secaverage deficit from eight points to only a three point deficit as of Monday. retary Hillary Clinton will be back in the court spotlight after the FBI reopened investigation with Trump’s success over this past week has had a lot to do with the reopening of the investigation on Hilreports of a fresh cache of unread emails from a private server. lary Clinton’s email server. James Comey, the director of the FBI, back in July said there was no need to The new cache was found in the personal computer of Huma Abedin, a Clinton aide. Reportedly, charge Secretary Clinton on her server. Obviously this lead to backlash from Republicans and approval many of the emails may have dealt with minor occurrences, such as the quality of restaurants and hotels from Democrats. Now the story is flipped. (as well as bills) along the campaign trail.

WEEKLY This all started when an FBI probe that was looking into Democrat Though, in a press conference last Friday, James Comey, FBI DiMICHIGAN Anthony Weiner , a former New York congressmen. Weiner is disrector, said he was unsure if any of the emails were of any significance. graced due to a major sexting scandal between him and a 15-year-old “There is a significant risk of being misunderstood,” Comey said.

POLLS girl. The probe saw that he had sent and received emails from Clinton. “(Though some) appear to be be pertinent to our investigation.

The investigation is looking for any classified information that was Republican rep. Joe Walsh, who vowed to “grab his musket” should Via realclearpolitics.com sent or received on her personal email server. If this were to be found Clinton win, in an interview with ABC, disapproved of the reopening true, there would be grounds for indictment on Secretary Clinton. of the investigation.

Obviously this would make her electability chances very low.

“I want Trump to win, but what Comey did to Clinton is wrong and unfair to her,” Walsh said. “HilDemocrats now are arguing that a bombshell like this with little proven facts has given the GOP an uplary is corrupt as hell, but (Comey) has no right to mess with this election.” per hand with only 11 days to the election when the investigation was reopened. Donald Trump has taken Clinton continued to stay in the headlines this week across the nation in contrast to her usual media the safer route, by addressing the matter at rallies, but taking no victories. presence. She steadily rose in the polls, including in multiple battleground states such as Ohio, and talked For Trump, he has come back from the Access Hollywood tapes. For once in this election, if people faith in a Catholic church. In other notoriety, her campaign has also been accused of voter fraud. were to look on all mainstream media sites (ABC, FOX, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, CNN) they wouldn’t be Many conservative media outlets accused Clinton of rigging polls and enlisting the dead to continue covering Trump. All negative connotations are around the democratic nominee only days before this monstraight-ticket voting record. According to CNN analysis, while some deceased individuals stay in the umental election. cycle for an election, it is not nearly enough to sway the results of an entire election. There is also no On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Trump Campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, gave a comment on the definitive proof for voter fraud, called speculation at this point-- but according to Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s latest update on the email investigation, “I would just say that I think all along, we’ve been asking the queschief advisor, he believes more will be revealed in the coming weeks. He also said that if Clinton pulls tions about the wrong candidate. The Democrats own Hillary Clinton.” through the election, he will not accept the victory.

Clinton’s response has been aimed at the FBI and how they aren’t releasing their findings as the invesAcross the nation, Clinton has continued her famous listening archetype, attending public gatherings tigation moves forward. Her hope is to reassure her supporters and independents that there was nothing and answering questions. This harkens a unique perspective from both her 2000 senatorial race and 2008 wrong with her personal server. presidential race, when Clinton said “Let’s talk. Let’s chat. Let’s start a dialogue about your ideas and “It’s pretty strange to put something like that out with such little information right before an election,” mine. Let the conversation begin.”

Clinton said while addressing supporters in Daytona Beach, FL. Xenia Wickett, head of the Americas Program at Chatham House, told CNBC on Monday that ClinHer crowd, in a similar attitude a Trump crowd would respond, booed Comey upon Clinton mentionton is keeping a solid lead which will soon intensify. ing the matter.

“Clinton voters are often not so enthusiastic about her, so if people see the polls are cloning closer “In fact, it’s not just strange, it’s unprecedented and it’s deeply troubling because voters deserve to get together the level of complacency that many hold will be removed and lots of people will therefore come full and complete facts.” Clinton said. The way democrats have been responding to this whole situation is out for Clinton that otherwise might not,” Wickett said. a completely different attitude from when Comey advised not to charge Clinton.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Trump seems to be continuously falling. His reputation with One thing to consider when Clinton claims that the manner in which the FBI investigation is being women and minorities across the nation falter, where several organizations have formed not to support conducted is that nothing about this election cycle was precedented. When the country is picking between Clinton exclusively, but to oppose Trump in complete absolution, such as For Our Future PAC, whose a billionaire businessmen and a textbook politician and former first lady, there’s going to be new ground president, Amanda Brown, is intent on seeing Clinton win the election through Ddemocratic means. broken.

“A simple conversation about what Hillary would do on the economy or education can turn a Trump If the Trump campaign can keep their cool, both with their own scandals and Clintons, the race is supporter,” Brown said in an interview with Politico.

50/50.

TRUMP

37.0

HILLARY

48.0

Young Democrats of America club joins South New club offers a chance for political opinions to be heard

ARIANA CHENGGES ‘17 | Pulse Editor-in-Chief member’s views on the standpoints of being a Democrat.

As a member of the club, Daniel Kuhnlein ‘17 stated As a way for students to express and converse with he’s interested in listening to all points of view on politothers involving their political views, Grosse Pointe South ical issues and working with other students to make the has finally kicked off its first year to have a club called the school and the country a better place.

Young Democrats of America (YDA), Co-President of “I think I align with the Democratic party with my YDA, Harper McClellan ‘18 said. political views personally in that “Discussing curwith working with other sturent issues with the dents to make the school and the election and stuDiscussing current issues with the country a better place who have dents standpoint the same political views as I do,” on specific topics is election and student’s standpoint on Kuhnlein said. “I hope to be conwhat our goal is as specific topics is what our goal is as club tributed to discussions and ideas club here at South,” here at South to make South a better place and Co-President of have everyone be informed.”

YDA, Margot Baer MARGOT BAER ’18 Kuhnlein said the community ‘18 said.

Co-President of Young is rooted with traditions that typSince South has Democrats of America ically side with the Republican had a republican party. version of the club “I think that is why it took us this long to get a club,” for a few years now, students believed it was time to bring Kuhnlein said. “I think that having a club that represents in a democratic version, McClellan stated. McClellan said both sides of political issues is a good idea because it crethey had been planning on creating the club for about a ates a environment where every student has a place. month.

The first meeting was held on Monday, Oct. 24 with “It took us time to converse with students and come about 15 students.

Meetings will be held every Monday in together to make this happen,” McClellan said. room 154 right after school.

According to McClellan, meetings will include discussions of current issues within the election, as well as each

GRAPHIC BY ELENA RAUCH ’18

VOICING OPINIONS | Young Democrats of America meetings take place in room

154 on Mondays after school. Regardless of political views, anyone with an open mind is welcome.

PHOTO BY HARPER MCCLELLAN ’18

WE’RE WITH HER| Young Democrats of America Co-President Harper McClellan

’18 directs the second YDA meeting of the year. Margot Baer ’18 is the other Co-President.

PHOTO BY LIAM WALSH ’18

FEATURE

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11.2.16

Staff member’s family hosts children from foreign countries with birth defects for nine months while receiving medical treatment Keydi said goodbye to her family before even knowing what goodbye MIA TURCO ’19 meant. She then STAFF WRITER boarded a plane, flew to a foreign country, and surrounded herself with strangers for the next nine months. Being less than a year old, she didn’t have the ability to understand what was happening or why.

Healing The Children is a program that provides critical medical care to children internationally. In third world countries, citizens often do not have access to the advanced medical capabilities that Americans possess. In order to receive care for their life threatening birth defects, the children are sent to live with an American family during their procedures until they are healed to be returned to their family. The medical care usually entails nine months of hospital visits and therapy until the child is healthy enough to head home.

Most do not realize the other impacts that come along with the procedure. These children are often toddlers and babies, who are just developing their language skills, and switching from languages suddenly confuses the children. It is a frustrating process to experience, in addition to their mental and physical health changing.

Suddenly, everything they thought they knew is flipped. Drinking water tastes different, and it’s cleaner. Clean clothes are provided and meals are served hot. One receives their own bed, AC in the summer and heating in the winter. They receive an education, improve their knowledge of a different language and find family away from home.

However, once the nine months has passed, they are back home and everything is flipped once more.

The water that once tasted pure and safe is back to diseases they’ve lost resistance to. The same hand-me-down shirt is worn daily and meals are scarce, let alone warm. They share a frameless bed with multiple people, if they are fortunate enough to even own one. The summers are burning and the winters are biting. They lose their education, their English proficiency and had forgotten all their Spanish. Someone they got used to calling “mom” is again a stranger and the “siblings” are not actually yours, but are hundreds of miles away.

Keydi was eight months old when she first ar-

MY VIEW

rived. I remember her being unable to talk, so she would just stare. She had never seen anyone like my family before. Her short-statured, Honduran-toned family contrasted from our light hair, eyes, and complexion. We wore glasses, braces and suits; something she’d never seen before. We brushed our hair and teeth-- we ate on chairs not on the floor, the parents went to work while the kids went to school. These were all (literally) foreign to Keydi’s young mind.

So she stared. I would have too.

I remember her spending her first birthday with us. We dolled her up in hair clips and a frilly dress. I even remember my sisters swatching a little blush on her already rosy cheeks. We treated her like a queen and looking back I wish her family could have been with us. We took photos, of course, though there is nothing more regretful than the absence of an experience, and a first birthday at that. With us she had her first word (which was mom), first laugh and first steps; all shared with non family members in a country that wasn’t home.

Oscar arrived two years after Keydi and stayed for nine months. Similarly, his young milestones occurred away from family and home. He’d arrived as a toddler, already having his first (Spanish) word, laugh and steps. Though he’d never had a first day of school, haircut, or lost a tooth; all of which were completed among his time in the United States.

When he first came he was scared. He would cry all day and never wanted to spend time with us. He wasn’t old enough to realize why it was necessary, but just old enough to realize the reality of his parents sending him away. Overtime he naturally loosened up, as he began to speak English he became funnier. He grew a personality, made friends and created a whole new life and a name for himself.

When it came his time to leave he still didn’t understand. All he remembered was an open building with flying automobiles and a place where family becomes memories. Again, he didn’t understand why, and since he was too young to understand we didn’t bother to explain and confuse him. Things were just the way they had to be. He, just like Keydi, had came for one mission: to cure themselves of their issue.

Both were saved and became successful cases, passing their remission tests with flying colors.

I wished to go with them, at least for the plane ride. I felt like I’d lost a member of my family. I knew they had a biological family they’d known longer and with their medical success I knew it selfish to

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME| One year old Keydi is pictured outside of a store in Traverse City. She was with the Turco family for nine months in 2009.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIA TURCO ‘18

keep them away. With every job complete, there is a sense of bitter-sweet, I’d have a moment when I knew the task was done. I wished for them to stay, though I knew they had to be with their family, even if the conditions were more unideal.

Keydi has no phone. She lives in a dented house of tin. Her father works in a plantation while her mother stays home with her other siblings. Without an education or means of transportation, stable jobs are reluctant to hiring them. The children do not attend school and cannot work in a real job until eleven years old, where the jobs are generally underpaying, physically labor in plantations. They have no security of their home and live in one the most unsafe environments in the world, with gangs roaming the streets and diseases transmitted easily.

Since Keydi’s return, her original birth defect remains cured but she continues to become afflicted with other diseases. Recently, she had walking pneumonia and was in hospital care for months.

She was close to returning to the states because the medical conditions there had little treatment to offer. Luckily, she was saved, though her chances of acquiring diseases once more in her environment

and physical condition are high.

Oscar’s family is more fortunate. The family lives in a safer environment and possesses a laptop with the ability to skype. We hear from them frequently and see photos from birthday parties and milestones. He attends school and his parents have stable jobs to support the family. In his safer conditions, with clean tap water and access to vaccinations, Oscar has stays healthy and happy, although he will never again have a haircut, purchase new clothes, speak in English or live in the life he’d once grown accustomed to.

In addition to medical care, the foster kids receive a whole new life. They suddenly have access to another language, education, and an “American Dream” way of life. They gain new “parents”, “siblings” and friends away from home. Their medical conditions and birth defects resolve and their life begins to turn upward, only to return to the unsafe conditions they’d though they left behind them.

Not only would their physical condition improved, but their way of life would flip to experiences one would never forget, if only they were old enough to remember.

Class of 2018 prom to be held at the Fillmore PIPER ESCHENBURG ‘18 | Staff Writer What does American Idol, Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus and Grosse Pointe South all have in common? They have all had been headliners at The Fillmore Detroit.

The heart of Detroit’s entertainment district, The Fillmore, has been full of a wide array performers since it opened in 1925.

For years, prom for South students has usually been hosted at the Rooster Tail, a restaurant that overlooks the Detroit River. Although, the class of 2018 will hold its prom at the Fillmore.

2018 class president Harry Susalla ‘18 didn’t specify how much more the venue will cost, but he did indicate it would be more expensive. He also reassured the class of 2018 that there is no need to worry as ticket prices will cost no more than previous year’s price of $50 due to fundraising.

“Throughout this year and next year we are going to be doing fundraisers,” Susalla said. “We have new ideas this year Throughout this year and next and we are really excited about those and will tell year we are going to be doing (the school) when the time fundraisers. comes,” Susalla said.

Susalla said getting inHARRY SUSALLA ‘18 volved in the much needed fundraising involves just showing up to 2018 class events, which make a big difference in the amount of money raised.

Class treasurer Dani Dulworth ‘18 also added to that saying that ticket sales for the event cover a large portion of the money needed.

Although, a previous class was interested in holding senior prom there, the class decided not to because of the elevated prices.

Vice President for class of 2018 Carla Voigt ‘18 said that she isn’t even concerned about the price calling it “doable” and worth the extra money.

To help pay for prom, last year the class held an event called Coffee House, a place where South students get the chance to showcase their talents through acting, singing, or performing poetry and viewers can choose to purchase a warm drink.

“I love the Coffee House. It makes a lot of money and it’s such a fun event with all the love music and poetry and the way everyone gets to socialize and eat food together,” Dulworth said.

This year the class will be holding its annual pop can drive as well in Grosse Pointe Farms . If South students are interested, cans must be set out by November 12 for collection. The cans will be turned in and the money from it will be collected by the class and saved for prom.

“We are financially on track with (prom at the Filmore) though, we are doing it,” Voigt said.

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FEATURE

11.2.16

The iconic relationship between grafitti and the city of Detroit PHOEBE MIRIANI ‘18 | Photo Editor their own interpretations.

In many places, graffiti can be seen as an illegal and disrespectful “Yes, I do think that people use graffiti to tell a story or get a point act. But for Detroit, it can be seen as an iconic piece of the city. across, but when it is just done with no rhyme or reason, it creates a There are many places in Detroit, like Eastern Market, where artists poor reflection on the city,” Sancya said. are paid to graffiti. Graffiti can be used in a positive or negative way.

Fel agrees, but thinks that sometimes an artist needs to be radical Some people use it to reference random spray paint on buildings and and stand up for what they believe in, he said. abandoned homes. Other people may use “I don’t go out and tell people not to it to describe a beautiful, powerful mural. spray paint anything illegally because Fel3000ft, a professional street artist, sometimes you need to stand up for has made a career out of graffiti. 34 years what you believe in, despite the rules. ago, he decided to turn his life around I think that is one of the things that is and use painting as a way to pass time. beautiful about graffiti. It is a pure voice Right away, he was hooked. on the street and it can be a useful tool “I was introduced to graffiti by to raise awareness, question authority these kids that had just moved into my and to get people to think about how neighborhood from New York. They they view certain things,” Fel said, “We showed me pictures of it from the Bronx all have a desire for interaction that and I was amazed, so started out doing starts in us at the very beginning of our graffiti in 1982 and gradually got into lives. It is ingrained in our existence. other forms of painting later on,” Fel Sometimes you have to go out and said. “When street art became a thing, break some rules to get noticed. At the I ended up trying it with some spray end of the day, that’s what most of us FEL3000FT Professional Graffiti Artist paint. When I started to realize a lot of want.” these graffiti artists were doing full-scale Graffiti can be a good thing for the murals, I began to do more street art. I city in relation to how people react to still love graffiti but I don’t go out and it and portray it, but it can also be used paint illegally anymore, so I don’t call myself a graffiti artist anymore, for bad purposes. it is disrespectful to the sub-culture.”

“I think some graffiti can be good and be considered art if it is Later on, he started using social media for his art and people began sanctioned or commissioned by the owner of a building but it can to appreciate the messages that showed in his work. also be a bad reflection on the city when it’s just someone tagging a “I was writing a lot of stuff about being positive in Detroit. I thought sidewalk or the side of a building,” Sancya said. things needed to be said to create pride about our city and the things In Detroit, it is common to see hateful words and bad messages inside of it and about the things I believe tagged on the side of a building, in,” Fel said. “A lot of people started to abandoned and running. Some artists take notice of my artwork in a positive choose to use their art to say something way and they began to hire me.” positive to the city or promote a cause.

One of Fel’s most famous street art “Street art sends all types of pieces is across from Eastern Market of an messages, that is the beauty of it. It’s angel sewing a heart. On the bottom right, supposed to make you think and feel. it reads, “We have been considered many You know art is doing its job when things: A city in decay, a city in distress someone either hates it or loves it,” and without hope. However, we have Fel said. “The minute you look at it, never given up and we never say die. We it is supposed to spark some kind of are born fighters, we rise from the ashes. emotion. Whether it makes you angry, FEL3000FT We are the community that believes in our cry, or makes you smile, you know Professional Graffiti Artist future despite whatever anyone throws you’ve done your job. It definitely has against us. We are Detroit!” a voice and makes statement and it Fel has made this his pride and joy for is saying, I am here, I am alive, I am the past 34 years. He is respectful with the someone.” work he does and how he does it. He doesn’t go out hitting churches, Eastern Market is an area full of murals and street art, including personal homes, and small businesses. He was taught a code to follow. one of Fel’s most popular pieces of work. John, an employee at Motor “Taking pride in the neighborhood is something that I was taught. City Bike Shop which is located outside of Eastern Market, said street Those are the kinds of things that we are supposed to uphold but a lot art is a great thing for the city. of people aren’t doing that anymore,” said Fel. “Instead of having brick buildings that are boring, you have all Many people can argue that graffiti is a way to express oneself or to these different art pieces that sneak up on you,” John said. “Each year make a point. Many artists use it to have a voice and to be heard. there is more and more art for Murals in the Market and sometimes Lauren Sancya ‘18, an art student at South, said she draws art to they just sneak up on you because there are so many I haven’t seen. It inspire people and evoke their feelings while allowing it be open to is a great thing to drive to work into when I see all the art.”

The minute you look at it, (graffiti) is supposed to spark some kind of emotion.

Whether it makes you angry, cry, or makes you smile, you know you’ve done your job.

It definitely has a voice and makes a statement and it is saying, I am here, I am alive, I am someone.

GRAFITTI ARTISTS: Sydney G. James, Jonny Alexander, Ghostbeard X Patch Whiskey, Hebru Brantley, Michele Tanguay, Naturel x Rick Williams

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FEATURE SPORTS

COPY COPY CAT CAT 46

9.6.16 11.2.16

The problems that arise with not taking your work seriously

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ALEX ACKER AND EVAN SKAFF ‘18 | Staff Writers the things that are most important, in terms of assessing whether or ome people do not understand the big consequences of not they know what’s going on in the course, are the actual tests and cheating. There is no positive to copying homework or quizzes. By copying homework, they might get the points for that day’s cheating on a test. You might be able to get a quick “A”, but homework, but it will shine true in the long-run when they don’t unas the old wives’ tale says, “cheaters never prosper.” derstand how to do something on a test or a quiz.”

At Grosse Pointe South, cheating of all types--on If a student does cheat, they are severely punished. According to homework, tests, quizzes, and projects-- can happen. Cheating on a the administration, they do not go easy on students when it comes to homework assignment is much easier to get away with, Emily Barbour cheating or copying, Assistant Principal Steven Wolf said.

‘18 said.

“In the last two years, we try to remain consistent on whether the There are many ways to student gets a punishment or cheat, such as using the interthe student gets a zero,” Wolf net, sending pictures of the said. “Both are really bad if you It’s (copying) an absolute waste of time. In the homework, and physically think about it. Imagine getting long-run, the things that are most important, coping before or after school. a zero on a test, that may ruin “As in depth I go in homeyou for the rest of the semester, in terms of assessing whether or not they know work and the question that I so when it does come to the what’s going on in the course, are the actual ask when I see that something front office, it’s big.” isn’t right, it becomes apparent However, the students do tests and quizzes whether or not that someone not receive both punishments understands what they’re doon their first strike, or else the RYAN WHEATON | Math Teacher ing or whether or not they coppunishment would be too exied another student’s homework,” math teacher Ryan Wheaton said. treme, Wolf said.

Some students think it’s okay to strictly copy homework, although Some students, like Joey Naporano ‘18, think the punishments for there are major repercussions to any sort of copying,” Barbour said. copying are too severe.

From a survey of 24,000 students, 95 percent of students said they “A zero is never a fair punishment,” Naporano said. “Just because cheated in some way in high school, according to Plagerism.org. someone copies maybe one answer or two, that’s really not fair.”

“Copying and cheating turn from students getting a good grade on Naporano has alternative ideas, which require more work from the normal homework assignments to failing quizzes, tests and other as- teachers. sessments due to lack of practice,” Wheaton said.

“The punishment that those people (who cheat) should be given “It’s an absolute waste of time,” Wheaton said. “In the long run, is that maybe they should be forced to redo it (the homework) or the

student gets those answers that they copied wrong,” Naporano said.

The administration does not see many students when it comes to cheating, Wolf said.

“I haven’t noticed a big trend here in copying homework or tests,” Wolf said.“I think our teachers do such a great job of taking steps so students don’t cheat, and if they are caught, they do a great job in handling it in the classroom.”

Teachers have a lot of tools to help catch students cheating, Wheaton said, such as turnitin.com.

“We have multiple versions of all the tests, so I’ve caught kids attempting to copy off of a separate version. It’s pretty blatantly obvious when kids are attempting to cheat,” Wheaton said.

Some students may succumb to the pressure of obtaining a good grade and getting all of their work done and think it’s okay to cheat or copy, Barbour said.

“In some cases it’s okay for the student to cheat or copy,” Naporano said. “When teachers give pointless busy work, why should I take my time to get that homework done when I have a test in another class the next day?”

Many students who cheat don’t get caught. An estimated 95 percent of students who cheat are not caught, according to OEDB.org.

“Cheating is never okay,” Barbour said. “The student should be able to complete their homework if they manage their time wisely.”

The pressure of school can build up on a student, causing them to make irrational decisions, but understandable decisions, according to Naporano. He said that schools teach that. “(Take) any means necessary to succeed. Do you think anyone cares if they partially know an assignment, but I get an A so I can get into a better college. Society tells me that I have to get into a college.”

Student view on Detroit schooling experience

I

SARAH BELLOVICH ‘18 | Staff Writer n third grade, Maria Di Cresce’s years at University Prep Academy (UPA), an elementary school in Detroit, would soon be coming to an end as she made the transition to Defer in Grosse Pointe.

“When I made the switch to Grosse Pointe schools, I missed my friends and teachers. It was an overall positive experience at UPA,” Di Cresce ’18 said.

One of her greatest memories from UPA were the electives they had chosen for the young students at the school, she said. They had music class with singing, recorders, flutes, African Drums and many more instruments, photo class, gym class, and health class, according to Di Cresce.

“During photo class, we would leave campus with our teacher and go explore, we would always find the escapee peacocks from the zoo,” Di Cresce said. “We also had a health class where they not only talked about making healthy decisions with what we eat, they would show us how to make it and let us try it.”

According to Di Cresce, her transition to the Grosse Pointe school district was not challenging but it was a different school environment. Although she had no trouble making friends, the dynamic encouraged between students changed when she moved to Defer.

“At UPA we didn’t just know everyone, we were friends with everyone. They did a great job

with making everyone friends, whereas at Defer, Julie Huellmantel taught at Priest Elementary it was expected that you know how to make them school in Detroit for six years before coming to yourself,” Di Cresce said. “Since my brother, Nick, teach at Barnes School in the Woods, she said. She played hockey in Grosse Pointe, I knew a lot of taught high-risk four year olds and currently teachthe fifth graders, but not many fourth graders. I’m es children who are zero to three years old. a very social person though, so I didn’t have any In her classroom, Huellmantel had a mix of stuproblems making friends.” dents of different nationalities, Romanian, Middle Some of the biggest differences she noticed be- Eastern, Hispanic, and much more. tween the two districts was the racial diversity and “I taught in a real ethnic neighborhood, so we at UPA, they taught their students more about Af- had 13 nationalities in our school, with at any given rican culture. She could not recall learning much day, five languages spoken in my classroom,” Huellabout the culture after coming to Defer up until mantel said. now, Di Cresce said.

One of “There was a great mix the biggest at Defer, however, the older challenges I taught in a real ethnic neighborwe got, it seemed the diverat Priest was hood so we had 13 nationalities in sity started to go away,” Di although Cresce said. “At UPA, they the school our school with at any given day five taught us about the Afrihad some languages spoken in my classroom can culture and made sure very active JULIA HUELLMANTEL we were rich in that knowlparents who Barnes Elementary School Teacher edge.” p ar t icip atKathy Sergeant has been ed in their teaching for 25 years and is currently teaching at child’s educational process and would come to Ronald Brown, formerly known as Stellwagon, in conferences, there were some parents teachers she Detroit, she said. never saw, according to Huellmantel. She said kids “My students are darling, curious, normal six would come to school unclean, not wearing propyear olds,” Sergeant said. “One of the biggest chal- er clothing, and lacked a lot of the pre-teaching lenges we face are understaffing and student atten- that might have occurred at home, so they took on dance.” some roles of parenting.

“We would bathe our kids when they got to school in the morning often times,” Huellmantel said. “We also fed them. I got a grant through Kellogg Corporation, and we fed them three meals a day and they were only with me a half day. So we fed them breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner, plus a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.”

According to Huellmantel, she brought most of the materials when she taught in the classroom, either buying it or writing and receiving grants for the resources.

“That’s where I became a proficient grant writer because I got grants for just about everything we needed to do,” Huellmantel said. “If I wanted paint, I got a grant, if I wanted my kids to get fed, I got a grant.”

In the end, she loved the ethnicity of their classroom, she said. She loved the opportunity to work with all those languages. She loved the great growth that she could see in a year’s time with all the kids she taught. And she loved seeing how prepared the kids they had in their program were to take their next steps into the kindergarten classroom, according to Huellmantel.

“Kids are kids and so they wanted attention, they wanted love, they wanted someone to pay attention to them and to care for them,” Huellmantel said. “So bottom line, if they got that, they were good students.”

Pencil Pushing Problems: More studying room needed The privilege of homework spaces and free tutoring at South after school is often overlooked by the student body. With the stress of college applications, tests, quizzes, and deadlines during the school year, students often feel they are in need of help to cope with the pressures of succeeding in their academics. However, many students aren’t aware of the help that CLAIRE KOEPPEN ’19 after school tutoring and study spaces can offer. The benefits of tutoring COPY EDITOR and a quiet space to do homework can help students relieve stress while advancing their academic achievements.

Turning in assignments can be difficult at times since many problems may occur-- at no fault to the student-- when printing out a digital assignment or essay. Technical difficulties at home can result in a late grade and a frustrated student who spent time on the assignment. By allowing students to print out assignments after school, students don’t have to worry about their grade being lowered.

In addition, the help of free tutoring in the library gives students the opportunity to get assistance on homework and to understand class material better. Students can be tutored by NHS until 4 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. By offering this budget-friendly tutoring option, students can get ahead on work and be more successful on upcoming homework, tests, and quizzes. Spanish Honors Society also offers tutoring for students Mondays before school and Wednesdays after school.

However, these helpful spaces and options often aren’t taken advantage of by the student body. Because of sports or extracurricular activities, not every student who may need these opportunities will actually use them to their own benefit. Being a well-rounded student with activities outside of academics is a critical part of the high school experience, but it can result in students not being able to use the tutoring services or study spaces.

Additionally, extracurricular activities, such as meetings or practices, are often inflexible, which forces the students to do their homework or studying at times when these school-provided services aren’t available. Balancing activities is difficult, and the addition of more study spaces could really help a student that is trying to multitask during the school year.

Another factor that may contribute to the overlooking of this help may be that the library isn’t available for students to get tutored past 4 p.m. Since this is a short amount of time, it may not seem worth it for many students. As a result, they pass on the opportunity to get the help they may need and can’t get

MY VIEW

anywhere else, at least not for free.

With the addition of more spaces to complete homework on campus and more flexible time with tutors, students would have more opportunities get their work done. The addition would allow students to get help while being in an educational environment, without many of the distractions found at home.

A quiet environment that students may not get at home would improve their focus and their grades.

Students may not have a silent room to study and complete homework at their house. Therefore, having more time to study at school in an academic setting with teachers and students there to help them with their work would help students focus better and learn material more efficiently at the same time.

While South is doing a good job on making NOSE IN THE BOOKS I Students taking advantage of sure students can comresources South’s library has to offer. The library is one plete their work after example of a study area that South has to offer. school already, as well as offering specialized PHOTO COURTESY OF HENRY AYRAULT ’19 tutoring for Spanish students, some improvements can be made to ensure they’re getting all the help they can. With the additional places and times for students to study, their grades will improve and they will in turn understand the material better.

STOP HATE FEATURE

11.2.16

Providing a safe environment for LGBT students at Grosse Pointe South and it’s looked upon differently than the view of middle schoolers,” Khoury said.

Some students, however, believe that South has a strongly positive environment for students who aren’t straight.

GRIFFIN JONES ‘18 “I believe in a safe social environment STAFF WRITER for everyone including LGBT students and I think South does a great job at keeping a Words can hurt. positive environment,” Elizabeth Sullivan “There’s been indirect hate due to ‘17, president of Young Americans for ignorance by people using the words gay Freedom, said. “I think students are or dyke or faggot. Those words are often very accepting and supportive of the used in an inappropriate manner,” Oliver community.”

Lardner ‘17, president of Gay Straight The Human Rights Campaign survey Alliance (GSA), said. stated that three quarters of LGBT youth While Lardner said she has never believe that most of their peers don’t have directly experienced bullying herself, she a problem with them being LGBT. can’t say others haven’t.

“I used to think South provided a safe “It happens,” Lardner said. “I remember community for LGBT, but until this past kids at GSA saying they had things happen year I’ve experienced harassment to LGBT to them. There are definitely acts of students from staff members at South,” homophobia at South.”

Harry Susalla ‘18, a member of GSA, said.

According to the Human Rights “After that, the administration took efforts Campaign, four in ten LGBT youth say to help that issue, but their efforts, in my the community in which they live is not opinion, were nowhere near good enough.” accepting of LGBT people.

According to a 2007 study by the 92 percent of LGBT students say Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education they hear negative Network (GLSEN), messages about an organization to being LGBT from improve schools school, the Internet for LGBT students, and their peers.

86 percent of South offers an LGBT youth report assortment of clubs being harassed at and extracurricular school, compared activities, including to 27 percent of a GSA, for LGBT all students being students and bullied at school, classmates that want as reported by the to support them.

National Center GSA members have for Educational said the club gives Statistics in 2013. kids the opportunity Principal Moussa to get to know Hamka believes themselves and that by working others who could to include various be facing similar types of students, MOUSSA HAMKA social problems. regardless of sexual Principal In addition, orientation, the professionals have school can become said that they have more well-rounded had students come to them in order to get and have fewer students feeling isolated. help with any social problems they might “I believe inclusion is a not a destination be having. that you reach, rather a destination you’re “There have been students who’ve always striving towards,” Hamka said. come to me because they had anxiety or “No matter how accepting or inviting an depression due to them being LGBT,” environment is, there’s always room for South’s psychologist Lisa Khoury said. improvement, there’s always room for new “I was at Parcells Middle School and the opportunities to make connections and school social worker and I started an LGBT help people better understand their fellow group because there were students who human beings.” were identifying to friends or counselors Students should think with reflection, who were feeling isolated, and worried, act with compassion and be leaders in or having difficulty sharing with family or high school and beyond in the community, friends about what they were feeling and Hamka said. He expects this for all Grosse experiencing.”

Pointe South students.

Khoury created the group so that the “We need citizens of strong character. students facing similar experiences could And you cannot be that if you don’t find each other and support one another. embody inclusion, if you’re not tolerant Middle schoolers aren’t as accepting as and accepting of others. My diverse high schoolers when it comes to people background, my upbringing, my name has who are different, Khoury said. given me a glimpse into how challenging “In high school, it’s okay to be unique, life can be at times,” Hamka said. “ I hope

MY VIEW

I hope I have and will continue to promote an environment, not just for acceptance and tolerance, but where we truly see the value others bring.

I have and will continue to promote an things outside of the social realm when environment, not just for acceptance and one is being bullied for being part of the tolerance, but where we truly see the value gay community. others bring. As a human being, I don’t When a student uses language and says, want to just be tolerated and accepted, I “That’s so gay,” or, “You’re so gay”, students want you to value me for the person that from the LGBT community are offended, I am and the unique qualities I bring. Hamka said.

Everyone, in essence, wants to be valued.”

“Does the teacher take that as an The Michigan opportunity to State Board of redirect that language Education (SBE) and clarify with approved new the student, ‘What voluntary guidance exactly are you trying to help schools in to say and please say creating school what you mean?’” environments Hamka said. “Often where LGBT times in our everyday students can feel vernacular use, there more accepted are terms we use in the on Sept. 14. The conversation where new guidelines another word could introduced policies be used to substitute it and practices that would still get the that respect the same message across LISA KHOURY safety and privacy without offending School Psychologist concerns of all anybody else.” students, including A c c o r d i n g those who are to Psychology LGBT. Today, a group “The State Board of Education is made of psychologists, academics, committed to promoting a safe, supportive and psychiatrists, as a result of social and inclusive learning environment for all discrimination, including bullying, there’s students and ensuring that every student an increased risk of depression and LGBT has equal access to educational programs students would be six times more likely to and activities,” the SBE said. “Due to a attempt suicide as a result. variety of factors, the school experience “I don’t blame people for their actions, can be significantly more difficult for I think it’s just ignorance and they’re not some students including those with aware of what’s happening. Or they’re marginalized identities. Students continue acting on something and they don’t realize to face challenges that threaten their it’s offensive,” Susalla said. “It’s South’s health, safety and learning opportunities job to not only teach students lessons in in schools.” math or science, but also to teach students However, school is not the only issue how to treat others correctly. I think it’s for gay students. Through a survey by important to include the staff along with NoBullying.com, 50 percent of LGBT the students in teaching these lessons youth experienced a negative environment because it’s been proven to me that the at home after coming out to their families. staff is part of the problem.”

26 percent of LGBT youth rejected by Hamka believes education could also be their families were forcefully removed a large component of the problem, and the from their homes, causing them to make inclusion of LGBT curriculum to create up 40 percent of homeless youth. a safer social environment and to make “People need to understand that they students feel more welcomed at South. don’t know how others’ lives are at home, “The thing that would be most effective and that if they choose to continue to rely (at South) is our curriculum and the on bullying other students, they’re only conversations we have in the classroom,” adding to the problem,” Lardner said. “In Hamka said. “But what I’ve been told, the hallways of South, there have been when a student makes a comment that flies homophobic acts such as ripping down under the radar, those microaggressions, the GSA posters. I know people have been how does a teacher respond? Do they doing that. People can use ‘gay’ as an ignore it, or do they address it head on?” insult and it’s not like they know who’s gay Lardner believes some adults can be shy or not in their classroom, but a lot of that about these issues, saying they might notice is due to ignorance. I think it also has to do a student saying something insensitive but with peer pressure.” they won’t address it directly.

According to a Human Rights “There are some teachers that do Campaign survey, 26 percent of LGBT address the issues at South and that gives youth say their biggest problems are not me hope for the community,” Lardner feeling accepted by their families, trouble said. “In order to not just stop these issues, at school, and a fear to be out to the public. but prevent it in the long run, we need to On the contrary, 22 percent of non- address it and educate others about the LGBT youth say their biggest problems reality of the situation and its impact on are trouble with class, exams and grades, our LGBT peers.” showing how it can be hard to focus on

There have been students who’ve come to me because they had anxiety or depression due to them being LGBT.

7

SPORTS

11.2.16

8

Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Spreads at South From the locker room to the halls, administrations advises on how to prevent contraction of the disease MADELINE GALSSER ‘17 | Copy Editor team, says his teammates are doing this too.

There were constant whispers in the hall, panicked “The whole team makes sure to take their pads voices questioning how they could protect themselves and other clothing they wear during practice home to from the epidemic of hand-foot-and-mouth disease wash during the practice week,” Hafner said. “During spreading through South. practice, we wear gloves and other gear to ward off the “Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is an in- disease. If anyone suspects they have it, they immedifectious and contagious disease caused by viruses,” Dr. ately see our trainer, Rochelle, to resolve the situation.

Adnan Dajani said, former Chief of Infectious Disease We have taken every precaution necessary to keep the at Children’s Hospital. “The virus spreads by droplets, disease from spreading throughout the team.” coughing and sneezing, and by fecal contamination The administration is also doing everything they usually from unwashed or improperly washed hands.” can with the help of the teachers and custodians to While it is thought that the disease originated from prevent further spread, according to Wolf. the freshman football team, the “ We administration has no real way of h a v e determining how hand-foot-andbeen in “We’re aware that in the last month mouth disease (HFMD) came to touch South, assistant principal Steven with the and a half, HFMD has shown up in Wolf, assistant principal said.

Wa y n e most school districts across Wayne, County “We’re aware that in the last month and a half, HFMD has DepartMacomb and Oakland County.” shown up in most school districts ment of across Wayne, Macomb and OakPublic Steven Wolf Assistant Principal land County,” Wolf said. “We have Health, not researched this season’s cases the State enough to be able to determine Health whether the number of occurrence is higher than av- Dept. and the National Center of Disease Control to erage.” better understand what precautionary measures we The football team had three players contract can put in place to lower the risk of students and staff HFMD over a two week period, according to Tony contracting HFM,” Wolf said. “With the help of our Cimmarrusti, the freshman football coach. So, as a custodians, we have increased the extent of cleaning team that represents around ten percent of the fresh- door handles, desks, bathrooms, locker rooms, tables man class population, it’s a small percentage of the and other objects students frequently touch throughschool. out the building.”

“It could’ve been from another football team, or Teachers could encourage students to avoid close just from some individual,” Cimmarrusti said. “It’s contact with other students, use hand sanitizer after spread just like the flu or cold so it’s pretty contagious.” blowing their noses or touching their faces, keep their Even though it isn’t certain whether the freshman desks clean and avoid sharing materials, according to football team was the first to contract HFMD, it is still Eve Voci ‘17. taking measures to prevent further spread, CimmarStudents with confirmed diagnoses of HFMD rusti said. will require a doctor’s clearance before returning to Football player, Adam Hafner ‘17, is on the varsity school, according to Wolf.

CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT

The fear of catching HFMD was enough to make students come to school with cans of Clorox wipes, hospital soap, bottles of hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray and constant trips to the bathroom to wash hands, according to Voci.

“I’ve used a lot of hand sanitizer and I wash my hands all the time,” Voci said. “I avoid touching my mouth or nose too.”

Hafner also makes an effort to clean his hands more.

“It forces me to wash my hands and take action to avoid getting the disease,” Hafner said. “Everyone should use hand sanitizer and avoid too much physical contact with each other.”

Dajani agreed, washing hands is one of the best ways to prevent getting HFM. “Washing hands is probably the most important thing,” Dajani said. “Avoid crowded areas and contact with people who are sick.”

Students who think they have HFMD should avoid coming to school, Wolf said..

“We ask that students consider staying home if they begin to feel ill—especially if they have a fever or begin to see marks on their hands, feet and/or mouth,” Wolf said.

“Although not all people draw a fever at the onset, this is sometimes an initial identifier.”

Some symptoms of HFMD are a rash (small vesicles) in the mouth, on the hands and feet and other skin areas, fever, sore throat, coughing and aches and pain. Symptoms last a few to several days, according to Dajani.

If students have one or more of these symptoms, they should contact their doctors as soon as possible, according to Dajani.

“If you think you have it [HFMD], don’t come to school and get more people sick,” Voci said. “Just stay home, and get better.”

HOW TO PREVENT HANDFOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging and sharing cups and eating utensils with people who have Hand-Foot-and-Mouth.

There is no vaccine to prevent Hand-Foot-and-Mouth, but these things can lessen the chance of contracting it.

INFO ACCORDING TO CDC.GOV

Girls Field hockey ends season with a loss to Ann Arbor. The score was 0-8.

PHOTOS BY BIANCA PUGLIESI AND CLAIRE KOEPPEN, both ‘18

Girls volleyball takes the win against L’Anse Cruse North on parents night ADAM CEREVONE ‘17| Staff Writer The Grosse Pointe South Varsity volleyball team won three straight games against L’anse Creuse North this last Tuesday.

Before the game started, the parents of all the players came down to the court and were given a flower by their daughter. South’s team had seniors, Lexi Kohut, Kate Satterfield, and Dominique Maes.

According to Kohut, it was an emotional night for everyone.

“It was a bittersweet night for me,” Kohut said, “Playing with these girls for two or three years and being coached by Nugent for four, it’s crazy to think that it’s all over.”

The end of the first ended with a score of 25 to 18, the second match ended 26 to 24 and the third match ended with a score of 25 to 18.

South’s objective for the night was to defeat L’anse Creuse North in three games, and that’s what they did, Kohut said. According to Kohut, the team had to play a strong game in order to have a win over L’anse Creuse North.

“We really took care of serve receive, our defense was strong, and we handled our serves,” Kohut said.

According to Satterfield, the team came together and played hard.

“It meant a lot to the seniors knowing that we left it all on the court,” Satterfield said.

“I’m really proud of everyone that stepped up; it was a big deal for us seniors to win our last game on the home court,” Kohut.

TUESDAY NIGHT SLAMS | Girls Varsity volleyball moves to 6-2. The girls start off districts against Martin Luther King.

PHOTO BY EMMA ANDREASEN ‘17

Football Play Off push for varsity started against Port Huron Northern EMMA ANDREASON ‘18 | Multimedia Editor The boys varsity football team won their first round of playoffs 32-6 against Port Huron Northern at South on Oct. 28. The team will advance to play Grosse Pointe North at South this Friday.

“The game on Friday was all in all a game to prepare for North,” Captain Logan Mico ‘17 said.

Port Huron Northern is not a strong program, so the team knew they wouldn’t have to do anything special to get the win, Mico said. The boys are more focused on the up coming District Championship against North.

“Now we have a chance at redemption; a shot to get the final laugh in the greatest rivalry in Southwest Michigan,” Mico said. “It’s bigger than the rivalry, though.”

Captain Andrew Sharp ‘17 said that this is more than just a game between North and South.

“This is the playoffs, and we aren’t going to let our season end this week,” Sharp said.

The team has been working toward the goal of meeting North in the playoffs since the first game the teams played, which ultimately ended in a loss for the Blue Devils, Sharp said. A big motivation for the team is the fact that the upcoming game will be historic.

“This is the first time these two teams have ever met in the playoffs,” Mico said. “We know what this game means and we are going to lay our hearts out on the field Friday. The fact that it is both a playoff and rivalry game leads to high tensions and a stronger work ethic from the team.”

After the first loss, the team has had this goal in mind, Sharp said.

“We are going to assignment strong and more physical than we have ever been,” Sharp says.

Practices have been worth it due to the shot at redemption as well as a District Championship, Mico said.

“We’re not ready for our season to be over and neither is North.” Mico said. “The first game was a battle. This one will be a war.”