Issue 3

the

T WER Wednesday, Sept. 21 2016

Volume 89

Issue 3

A weekly tradition since 1928

@thetowerpulse

“I Love Lucy” ALYSSA CZECH‘19 |Copy Editor she would raise her arms, especially he phone rings. It rings when she played volleyball, it would again. Katie Loch, a nurse at really hurt under her arm area, she the Detroit Medical Center said. Lucy found a lump there and also just living through another busy day of had swollen lymph nodes. work, answers the call.

According to Loch, her mom at first As she listens to her husband’s words, she falls to her knees, “I remember (Lucy) calling us at night flabbergasted. Her because she was at the hospital with my two good friends mom. And I knew she was obviously scared, sitting beside her turned, ended their but Lucy alwyas put on a strrong face.” own phone calls Claire Loch ’20 immediately and helped Loch drive to St. John Hospital to see her then 13 year old daughter, Lucy thought she had a cold and was getting Loch ’17. it out of her system. When Loch visitKatie had just been alerted that her ed a pediatrician, she was told that she daughter had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. had localized lymphedema that would “It’s really sort of surreal...you’re clear up when given a strong antibiotic. busy, you’re active, everything’s norAfter less than a week on the antibimal, all the day to day ups and downs otics, Loch was miserable and went to of a normal family and all the sudden, her regular pediatrician, Dr. Michelle boom, the rug’s pulled out from un- Pierron, at Lakeview Pediatrics. As derneath you,” Katie said. soon as Pierron saw Loch she knew A little over a month before Lucy something was seriously wrong. Loch was diagnosed with cancer, her parents was sent to the hospital to get lab work and family friends began to notice that and x-rays done. she was losing a lot of weight, Katie Loch had lost almost 12 pounds said. since her appointment four months “I thought maybe she’s just losing earlier. weight from playing volleyball, be“(Pierron) kind of alerted my husing active and growing older, and it band that she thought this could be bothered me, but not enough. I really one of two things,” Katie said. “She couldn’t put my finger on it,” David said, ‘I think this could be Leukemia or Loch, Lucy’s father, said. it could be Lymphoma.”

Lucy also began to notice that when Loch was immediately admitted

T

Grosse Pointe South 11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 In 2013, Lucy Loch ‘17 was diagnosed with Stage three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

After many rounds of chemotherapy, she is now clear of cancer for three years this September. In light of Childhood Cancer Awarness Month, Lucy shares her story.

to the Pediatric Unit at St. John when her lab results and x-rays showed a large softball-sized mass in her chest.

The two oncologists at the Meade Pediatric Hematology Oncology unit at the Van Elslander center were contacted by Pierron.

“Initially, she was very, very scared.

When you hear the word ‘cancer’ for most people...you think of older people dying,” David said. “These things were going on, and there was talk of surgery and chemotherapy. And she was quite upset, quite scared.”

That night, a CT scan was taken and surgery for the biopsy of one of her lymph nodes, a bone marrow biopsy and the insertion of a mediport.

“The mediport sits under the skin

and was threaded from her chest. The tip sat in her superior aorta,” Katie said.

On Feb. 4, 2013, the biopsies revealed that Lucy had Stage Three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“I remember (Lucy) calling us at night because she was at the hospital with my mom. And I knew she was obviously scared, but Lucy always put on a strong face. Especially for my older brother Peter and I because Peter was in 6th grade at the time,” Clare Loch ’20, Lucy’s younger sister, said. “I think she didn’t want us to be frightened even if she was scared herself.”

To get the full story, turn to PAGE SIX

LUCY’S FUN | Lucy Loch attending a tigers game with her two nurses, Kelly Goclick and Jeannie Shelton. Loch was well enough to go to camp Make-A-Dream--a children’s oncology PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LOCH FAMILY camp--in Montana in July.

South Club offers unique views on the supernatural world with the Ufology Paranormal club sponsored by Washburne

WASHBURNE’S WORLD| Adviser Mr. Washburne posing in front of his many historical items in his room.

This is the 17th year of Ufology and Paranormal Club.

PHOTO BY BLAIR CULLEN ’18

SB YR

“What we do is take a look at issues that have to do with either aliens or all of the stuff that is related to that or paranormal activity,” Crosby Washburne Advisor of Ufology and Paranorma-l club

THIS WEEK AT SOUTH...

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Colby College and Adrian College visits will take place in the library.

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RILEY LYNCH ‘18 | Supervising Editor The Feminists United organization at South is being revamped after electing a new president, Oliver Lardner ’17.

“So basically, I heard that the person who was running Feminists United originally had graduated,” Lardner said. “In my mind, I knew it was a little bit risky to take over the club because sometimes colleges will judge you for being politically involved, but it’s always good to take risks like this because it’s things like these that help people to achieve what they want in life.”

This year, Lardner is hoping for more participation and a greater understanding of feminism, which is defined as equality for all genders. She also wants to focus on other sections of feminism, such as intersectional feminism, which supports equal rights particularly for women of color.

“Women of color get even less rights than white women,” Lardner said. “In Feminists United I would like to highlight this.

We don't see this mentioned often because, believe it or not, we are still living in a world that is more centered around white people.

It is my hope in Feminists United that people recognize there is more to feminism than gender roles and stereotypes. It’s also about getting rid of racism.”

English teacher and adviser for Feminists United, Kevin Cox, agrees with Lardner’s goals and hopes to let students decide what the club is all about. According to Cox, the club has served as a great platform to discuss different ideas.

“Students didn't always agree on every issue, but the club was a safe place to share their ideas and perspectives,” Cox said.

“I'm definitely C HI AP looking forward GR to the revival of the club.”

Charlotte Farrell ’18 is also looking forward to the club’s resurrection, and wants to discuss more than just women’s rights in the club.

“I would consider joining the club because I believe in what they stand for,” Farrell said. “I think they should handle sexual harassment issues. They happen all the time and people need to pay attention to it. Interracial feminism is also a big deal and is especially relevant--feminism is three dimensional, made up of a lot of different things.”

Lardner wants to make people understand that feminism concerns the rights of all people, not just women.

“Feminism supports transwomen, nonbinary people, genderfluid people and more genders as well,” Lardner said. “Know that feminism shouldn't have any negative impact on males--in fact, it might even help them. It is men equaling women. So, things like "men don't cry," and "pink is for girls,' stereotypes can be eliminated with feminism. If a girl can cry, why can't a guy? If a girl can wear pink, why can't a guy?”

Meetings for Feminists United will take place every Wednesday after school in room 297.

ILE Y LYNCH ‘18

years, said.

The UFOlogy and Paranormal Club meets every other Wednesday in room 174 after school, starting today.

GRAPHIC BY CARTER TERANES ’17

BLAIR CULLEN‘18 |Staff Writer Aliens, paranormal activity and the Bermuda Triangle are just three adventurous topics that any student can explore in South’s UFOlogy and Paranormal Club.

“What we do is take a look at issues that have to do with either aliens or all of the stuff that is related to that or paranormal activity,” Crosby Washburne, social studies teacher and club adviser, said.

Each meeting takes on a new topic, so attendance can vary from as many as 40 people and as few as 10.

The club is student run, and those students pick from five or six topics to start discussing at the next meeting. Washburne is the advisor of the club and keeps students interested by bringing in ghost hunters and taking students to supposed haunted rooms of South.

“One of my favorites things about the club is meeting people with the same bizarre interests as me and discussing them with the club,” Anton Mikolowski ’17, club president, said.

“I want to see the club grow again and see it grow to (as big as it was) my freshmen year.”

The club is open to students busy schedule-- some kids leave early, some kids come late. To be in the club does not require full attendance of every meeting, if a student is not interested in a certain topic, they are more than welcome to come to the next meeting or not in correspondence.

“We cover really everything-last year we had three meetings on dreams, we talked about animals, spooky places, Atlantis, conspiracies-- nothing but good stuff,” Daniel Vanhove, member of the club of two

New leadership in Feminist United Club

Grosse Pointe North vs South game football game at North from 7:00 to 11:00

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Page Design by JD STANDISIH ’18

Run the Pointe will take place at 9:00 am at South’s atheltic track.

OPINION

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9.21.16 PAGE DESIGN BY RAY HASANAJ ’18

Constitution Week casts light on First Amendment In light of Constitution week this past Friday, there is never a better time to discuss the sovereign rights our preceding antecedents intended for generations of Americans to come, particularly that of a profound freedom of speech and press-which was found so sparingly in their time and has expanded so vastly in ours.

The punishment for autonomous expression is looked at as long past and conjures up images of burning astronomers and headless heretics. Many are apt to forget that Americans weren’t permitted to speak their unfettered peace until the 60s, during the uprisal of the Free Speech Movement, which had roots in a group of wry West Coast students.

Students who, by the way,

Tower becomes less of a newspaper and more of an eight page weekly puff piece pamphlet.

Journalists like those you may find at the Tower, will not bend under civilian conformity, and we will always guarantee the student bodies of Grosse Pointe South authentic coverage from a reputable source--this is because of our conviction of free speech and of free press.

There are some who would question our freedom and the freedom of students across the nation, they need only refer to the 1968 landmark case, Tinker v.

Des Moines--which gave students the express right to freedom of expression in their schools, a liberty those at the Tower staff tend to take full mileage of.

With that said, we will continue to rally behind outlets of the

OUR VIEW// EDITORIAL weren’t much older than many of us-- students who understood the most fundamental right set forth by that aging artifact of a bygone time that sits, ever vigilant, under glass in the National Archives in the heart of our nation.

We, in Tower, try to represent the best of unbridled expression and individualism through journalism, and we are constantly under a torrential inferno by outside forces.

There is a growing misconception by such agencies that journalism, especially at the high school level, breeds unethical news, purely based on the notion that our Tower reporters are inclined to cover negative events--events that some community heavyweights deem unacceptable to be covered by seemingly squeaky clean teens.

Good news reporting isn’t always happy news reporting.

Without the uninhibited truth,

first amendment in all bonafide forms.

When we see the protests that athletes such as Colin Kaepernick are engaged in in order to prove a point and express a valid piece of criticism, we stand behind their acts in free speech.

We stand behind them not because we spit on the flag, but because we believe that they are not “un-American”, but characteristically American in its truest visage, because they exercise their freedom of speech on a national scale-- a right that was for so long uniquely American.

So, we at Tower urge the common student and the common citizen to speak their mind in order to liberate our nation of a growing movement of blind obedience. We long for a world where society can hear the voice of the people freely and without fear of repercussion-- a world where the individual soars above all.

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

Sophomore expresses dynamic view on world languages Walking up to buy a sandwich was honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done- I slowly waited for my turn, feeling my insides twist as I MIA TURCO ’19 moved closer and closer toSTAFF WRITER wards the cashier.

I spoke only one word of French, which I later found out was spelled “oui” and not “wee”. I felt a gut wrenching pain knowing I had to depend on somebody to understand me when I was the one walking on his soil. Speaking to him in English, I watched his shoulders tighten a notch.

Unfortunately, the majority of Americans don’t see the point of learning languages.

A study by News Site Gallup revealed that only 19 percent of Americans believe that it is essential to speak a second language.

It’s no surprise that multilingualism isn’t a priority in the United States. Americans can breeze through surrounding countries and states, granted they speak English.

We’ve gained a continental dominance that allows us to travel comfortably. Even in foreign countries, employees of airports and taxi services are often expected to learn English, even if it’s not their first language. In 2010, the University of Amsterdam reported all their students must learn English for the convenience of business communication and tourism.

English is one of the most popular languages in the world, with more than fifty countries and numerous continents speaking it, according to the online language tutor site, 5MinuteEnglish. This common language is also known as the top internet language as most websites and videos are originally written in.

According to US News, cuts have been made in the national funding for language programs in schools all over the United States, which shows the nation doesn’t see an urgency either. According to a recent study by The Atlantic, less than one percent of Americans are proficient in a language learned in a US classroom, and still can have a successful career.

Grosse Pointe South requires only two years of a language and the opportunity to complete those few courses in middle school.

NEWSPAPER

the

TOWER

STAFF

MY VIEW

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

Some of the languages at South do not offer an AP course, Latin included.

And don’t even get me started… Languages are hard.

I’ll stay up all night with my Spanish homework going over the same tenses, over.

And over.

And over.

Sometimes, I just never get them. Taking tests on things I don’t understand and constantly referring to, “Hmm that sounds right...” Some words and phrases don’t directly translate and I’m stuck staring at the same blank page and Spanish dictionary, utterly lost. I, for one, believe the process nearly impossible.

I spoke only one word of French, which I later found out was spelled “oui” and not “wee.” I felt a gut wrenching pain knowing I had to depend on somebody to understand me when I was the one walking on this soil.

MIA TURCO ’19 And it never will be easy. Slang changes every year and it’s difficult to keep up with your own language, let alone a second.

I make mistakes in English regularly, myself, and I’m 15 years old; with the “I before E” rule and unusual spellings. So imagine the frustration of learning English from the very beginning, as a nonnative language, without the opportunities the United States has to offer.

With language learning resources of Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and pocket dictionaries, language learning has never been easi-

Copy Editors Madeleine Glasser*, Lily Kubek*, both ’17 Alyssa Czech*, Sylvia Hodges*, Bianca Pugliesi*, Claire Koeppen* all ’19 Business Managers Cameron Francis* ’17 Asst. Olivia Sheffer* ’17 Photo Editors Lauren Thom* ’18 Phoebe Miriani* ’18

Staff Writers

er. Even Google Translate is at the touch of fingertips. However, all these programs are designed for native English learners, who generally study languages the least globally.

Fluent in Three Months tutoring program announced English is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Yet in 2003, Quora reported a quarter of the world’s population speaks English, only 6 percent being native speakers. Americans depend on others learning their language when in reality, we are fortunate enough to have the best educational system and resources for becoming bilingual.

Ninety-three percent of US schools offer courses in popular languages, Spanish and French being front runners. Despite Mandarin being exceedingly the most spoken worldwide, and considered the top business language, most US schools do not offer the class.

We are losing communication internationally.

Globally, Mandarin is slowly dominating English because of their bustling population of native speakers. Some countries are even beginning to switch to Chinese as a required course, The University of Amsterdam included, the college who previously required English.

In 99 percent of EU schools, students study two languages.

In a survey conducted by the European Commission in 2006, 56 percent of respondents reported being able to speak in a language other than their native one. This second language is usually learned from family members of a different nationality or through a course, English is usually included. With the abundant tourism of Americans to Europe, and the few dialects we speak, we often depend on locals speaking English for our benefit.

As recorded by informational website Info Please, there are over six thousand languages in the entire world, English making up 0.0002 percent of the international dialects. Us Americans choose to not fit in with the world, but instead to wrap it around our finger, and rely upon conformity to our customs. With new languages dominating the world attention, we’re letting international communication slip through our fingers. Perhaps the biggest regret of one’s life is not losing communication, but never accepting the opportunity of it.

“The Tower” is the weekly publication of the Advanced Journalism classes at Grosse Pointe Adam Cervone, Charlie Denison, Conner South High School. It has always been a McQueen, Emma Russell, Gillian Eliot, Jack designated public form of student expression.

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

Online Editor-in-Chief Ariana Chengges* ’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

Web Editors Erica Fossee*, Henry Ayrault*, Kathleen Carroll*, all ’19

Allison MacLeod, Amelia Turco, Audrey Whitaker, Donald McGlone, Grace Reyes, Sarah Bellovich, Sarah Stevenson, and Olivia Mlynarekn, all ’19

Multimedia/Social Media Editors Emma Andreasen* ’17 Abigail Due* ’18

Adviser Kaitlin Edgerton

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

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

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

An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors.

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

NEWS

9.21.16

3 PAGE DESIGNED BY CLAIRE HUBBELL ’17

ANTON MIKOLOWSKI ’17 & JOHN SCHULTE ‘18|Supervising Editor & Staff Writer GRAPHIC BY ERYKAH BENSON ‘17

Recently, republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appeared on the “Dr. Oz Show” to discuss his health after it became public that fellow nominee Hillary Clinton had contracted pneumonia.

Trump’s campaign released a note from Trump’s doctor, which showed the results of standard tests from as far back as three years ago. The release of the doctor’s note was accompanied Thursday with an episode of the “Dr. Oz Show”.

According to CNN, Trump presented show host Mehmet Oz with a summary of a medical exam conducted by Dr. Harold N. Borstein to prove that he was healthy after being criticized recently for not releasing medical records upon request.

The doctors note revealed that Trump is in good health, and that he has received annual checkups every spring. The note listed Trump as 6 foot 3, and weighing 236 pounds.

The doctors note also revealed that Trump’s parents, Mary and Fred Trump, lived into their early 90’s.

The release of the doctor’s note is the first record released in relation to Trump’s health

since a letter from Dr. Bornstein was released After a 9/11 dedicated memorial service, in December, claiming that Trump would be Hillary Clinton was diagnosed with pneumothe healthiest person to ever serve in office. nia following a fainting episode on the camAccording to The New York Times, the paign trail, according to the New York Times. interview between Trump and Oz revealed Clinton’s campaign has been reticent on that Trump believes there needs to be comthe candidate’s illness. Concern was shown plete transparwith her ency with the appearance WEEKLY nominees and on the first MICHIGAN their medical nationally POLLS records. televised Few compresidential Via realclearpolitics.com ments were debate on made in reSep. 26. gards to Clinton’s current health situation; A relatively quick recovery is being made the main focus of the interview was mainly by the former Secretary of State, despite many on Trump. Trump’s only comment on Clincritics saying that her rising health concerns ton’s health was that he hopes she recovers should keep her from the race, according to quickly.

Quartz, an outlet also says that many of these Trump has boasted about his endurance soaring censures stem from Victorian-mindand strength on the campaign trail in the ed politicians like Newt Gingrich saying that past, and, for now, the records support the women become disadvantaged by disease for claims made by Trump. 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

TRUMP

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HILLARY

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infections.”

The Clinton campaign was apt to point out 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.

New forensics class simulates criminal investigation CONNER MCQUEEN ‘17 | Staff Writer

W

ith the inclusion of a new course on forensic science, South’s already rigorous and high enriching curriculum has just become all the more widened.

Biology teacher Jacqueline Treharne played a pivotal role in getting the course passed by the science board. Treharne says she saw a need for the class so she decided to propose the idea for a Forensics class to the Board of Education.

“I put together a class proposal and got it approved by the board,” Treharne said. After the board approved it, she proceeded to create the class.

The students participating in Forensics are in for a very activity based course. The activities include mock crime scenes and, according to Howie Crane ‘17, taking a look at live human blood.

The primary focus of Forensics will be crime scene analysis. Students work with one another in using microscopes, conducting experiments and recording data-- skills acquired from basic science classes like Biology.

One of the reasons Treharne views Forensics as such a valuable class is the low number of requirements prior to taking the class, as well as how well the class can convey what is taught in school to realistic situations, such as live crime scenes and identifying fingerprints, for those aspiring to go into professions including CSI.

“I think it’s an application of science and of math to the real world, because of how much they enjoyed Honors Biology and AP Biology. and I think sometimes students miss that part and that makes it really Recently, the students in the class conducted a live crime scene interesting,” Treharne said. sketch, where they had to draw the scene of a mock murder complete Treharne saw a possibility that students might take the class be- with chairs, tables, a dead body outline and a pool of blood. cause of the popularity of Forensic Science occupations on TV shows “It (the live crime scene sketch) was a little more difficult than I like “Criminal Minds” and “How to Get Away with Murder”. anticipated,” Agley said. “At first I thought it was going to be all about As a result, interest in the forensic science measuring and calculating, but then when I field, known as the “CSI effect” caused a jump actually sat down, it was really difficult. It gave in labor increase in the field. In the stretch beme some perspective on the actual crime scene tween 2014-2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics I do think the CSI effect influ- investigators’ jobs and how accurate they have (BLS) predicts a 27 percent increase in open enced the opening of jobs in the to be with their measurements.” jobs for Forensic Science technicians.

Though Agley found the experience to be forensic field.

The CSI effect is argued to be a contributing difficult and challenging, she still sees the class factor to the popularity of the forensics course DREW AGLEY ’17 as a worthy addition to any student's schedule. itself, according to Drew Agley ‘17.

“I really enjoy the class so far,” Agley said.

“I do think the CSI effect influenced the “I’ve learned so much about forensic analysis opening of jobs in the forensic field. I have friends who were excited and the different jobs it takes just to solve one case. It’s giving me an about the class saying oh ‘I watch Bones’ and ‘I watch House’ and I interesting perspective on shows like Bones. I would recommend it want to experience it first hand so I want to take the class,” Agley said. to other people even if they’re not considering going into science, beA common theme among students who enrolled in Forensics is the cause it changes your viewpoint on shows that we watch day to day interest in the bioscience aspect of the class. and things that go on in life every day.”

Multiple students, including Maria Dessinger ‘17, took the class

Global Issues class offers new view on contemporary studies MARY GRACE O’SHEA ‘17 | Staff Writer

CH ‘18

ILEY LYN

BY R GRAPHIC

Following the presentation of an innovative idea from 15 years ago, the recently approved Exploring Global Issues class has been permitted to be incorporated into this school year.

As a class allowing students a service learning experience, Crosby Washburne, a social studies teacher, said that this has been a class he has wanted to be a part of the school for years, ever since he realized the potential yield of this course to students.

“With any new class, you have to go through steps--bring it to the board--and things like this, and ten to fifteen years ago, the class did not really fit into the district’s goals,” Washburne said. “As time went on, I kind of shelved the idea for a while because it was not where they wanted to go or what they wanted to do at the time.”

Ab o u t a year ago, The board was really thrilled Wa s h b u r n e with the idea and they really spoke with his colleague at Grosse Pointe backed it up.

North High School, Dan CROSBY WASHBURNE Gilleran, social studies teach- Exploring Global Issues teacher er, who mentioned a class he was considering passing by the board which was similar to Washburne’s. The two men decided to merge ideas and find ways to connect the classes between both schools.

“We decided to combine our ideas and to work with each other to make the class,” Washburne said. “The board was really thrilled with the idea and they really backed it up. Since it is a pilot program, they said they would give us a year or two to see if it goes well. They were happy with the fact that there was a service learning component to the class and that there were really no other schools in the U.S. doing the class.”

As a newly-developed program, the class is a semester course and is

only being taught by Mr. Washburne during 7th hour. The class has been capped at 20 students per semester in order to prevent chaos during the service periods of the class.

The Global Issues class is also running at North this year, with the help and input of the district staff, parents and administration, Gilleran said. With 15 students involved in the class there, Gilleran wants to discover what they can do with this program, and how to make it successful.

“Of course, we want to see ‘Exploring Global Issues’ flourish at both schools,” Gilleran said. “All of us involved in the launching of the course believe it can truly change lives. Our goal is for students to be active, thoughtful and responsible citizens of the world.”

Service learning allows the students participating in the class to experience something different than simply volunteering, Washburne said. It allows them to become much more involved with a single organization, and visualize the difference they are making.

“With service learning, you learn about something academically, and then you tailor your academic course work to a service organization,” Washburne said. “What we are going to do is we are going to look at global hunger in the class, but we realize that all problems are solved on a local basis. I am not going to solve all of the hunger of the world, I am going to start here, and then it is going to expand out. So, we are interested in students volunteering, but also them understanding how that organization works.”

The student incentive to sign up for this class is to be able to learn about the world’s issues, but then apply yourself to those problems and go out and work for the organizations you want to be involved in, Carla Voigt ’18 said.

“I signed up for this class because I wanted to learn new ways of how to fix social problems like racism and sexism, and I am also very passionate about animal abuse and helping the Humane Society,” Voigt said.

While volunteering, it is not always possible to see the change you are making within just a day or two of putting your time in, Voigt said. It takes time and that is exactly what the class is there to offer.

FEATURE

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9.21.16

Student reflects on overcoming skin condition A MY VIEW

fter being diagnosed in 2012 with Scleroderma, an incurable autoimmune disease that deteriorates the tissue below the skin, I have nevSARAH er really been the same person. With weekSTEVENSON’19 days used for daily medicine, weekends STAFF WRITER known for receiving shots, and months spent on IV treatment, you could say my middle school years were not my best.

In the summer of 2012, I was a normal 11-year-old busy with summer activities and hanging out with friends. But soon, my family and I began to notice a discolored spot on the left side of my chin. At first, we didn’t think anything of it considering that it was the summer and my skin was dry from the sun. I ignored the spot the rest of the summer until it came to August and the spot didn’t seem to disappear.

Of course, my mom being a mom, was concerned about it and decided to contact my doctor. After seeing the doctor, I was recommended to get a biopsy done at St. John. A few weeks later, it was confirmed that I had Scleroderma.

Scleroderma is also known as systemic or localized sclerosis which can discolor the skin and in some cases, affect the internal organs. Luckily, I had localized sclerosis which did not affect my organs.

In November of 2012, I began traveling to Michigan Children’s Hospital to see Dr. Meredith Riebschleger. I was told that I would receive weekly shots, take medicine to prevent the injection from destroying my liver, and that I would visit St. John Hospital three times a month to receive IV treatment.

In addition to all of that, I would also have to keep attending

Michigan Children’s Hospital every 3-6 months per year.

Obviously, the first couple of months were very difficult. I think the first time I had to get the injection, I hid from my mom for about two hours. The doctor also gave me numbing cream for my arm but I waited too long so that didn’t even work. As if the shots couldn’t get any worse, they also made me nauseous the following day which usually prevented me from doing anything.

The pills didn’t really bother me all that much, but on occasion, I would forget to take them and throughout the entire day I would think, Am I going to die today? Me being an 11-year-old, I didn’t realize that missing one day of my medicine wasn’t going to kill me.

Since I had to take medicine and get a shot from my mom every week, the IV treatments weren’t that bad. I got to miss three days out of the school week due to the IVs, which was great. Each treatment would last about two or three hours and I usually got bagels and hot chocolate. The hospital also had games and a TV which made the whole experience less dreadful.

Overall, the treatment that I went through probably isn’t the worst thing I will go through in my life. It truly changed me as a person and changed how people acted around me too. People started asking me different questions instead of just the usual “How’s school going?” and “What sports are you playing?” Many frequently asked about how I was doing with my treatment and if I was progressing.

My whole treatment lasted two years and my family and I began to see changes in how the skin on my chin looked. It began to look like nothing was wrong and more like the rest of the skin on my face. I was still going to the doctor in Ann Arbor regularly, but she began to slowly wean me off of my medications.

I stopped the IV treatments and the dosage of the shots was lowered. I eventually was able to stop the

CLASS OF 2018

CLASS OF 2017

FLOAT PHOTOS

CLASS OF 2019

CLASS OF 2020

FLOAT PARTY FUN | South students prep their floats and posters for Homecoming week. Homecoming week is Oct. 3 through Oct. 7.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN THOM ’18

shots and just take pills instead. She was happy to see my improvement and I was just happy that I would be soon be done with the treatment.

A little over two years after I began seeing Dr. Riebschleger, the time had come for my final visit with her. I was totally taken off of all of the medications and also dismissed from seeing her. That meant that I no longer had to receive treatment anymore.

Although the treatment killed the disease and made my skin look normal again, my chin is a little uneven and both of my parents have offered me plastic surgery. I have told them that I didn’t want to do that. It doesn’t really bother me but also, it’s a sign of what I’ve gone through and is one of the things that shaped me into the person I am today.

BY GRAPHIC

GRIFFIN

JONES ’1

8

Make the most of your pumpkin MY VIEW

E

MADELINE GLASSER ’17 COPY EDITOR

very year, the leaves change and the air crispens. You can smell the frost on the grass in the morning, the geese fly south for the winter and Trader Joe’s starts stocking their shelves with all that good pumpkin-ish. It’s one of the best parts of fall.

It is important to keep in mind that a pumpkin is actually a squash. It is a part of the Cucurbita family, which includes cucumbers as well.

Pumpkins are great.

It’s a fact.

It’s also a fact that before the use of modern medicine, raw pumpkin seeds were boiled with water and consumed to kill the Trichinella Spiralis parasite, commonly found in raw pork meat. The pumpkin seed drink usually killed the worm within 24 hours. It’s a good thing we had pumpkins, because if the parasite spread, it could cause trichinellosis. Symptoms of this disease include and are not limited to; nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, fever and abdominal discomfort, according to

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GLASSER ’17

Centers for Disease Control.

Back in the olden days, before people knew stuff, pumpkin seeds were also used as a cure for freckles.

This did not work.

Those are just a few examples, but you get the point. Also, one of the biggest pumpkins in history weighed around 1,500 pounds, according to pumpkinnook. com.

Crazy.

When you are carving a pumpkin, to make a Jack-o-lantern, it is important to be careful with the knife-- because knives are sharp.

There are other things you can do with a pumpkin too. You can paint your pumpkin if using knives to carve them makes you nervous.

And pumpkins make great food too.

Some common pumpkin treats are pumpkin bread, scones, muffins, cookies, cake, pie, cupcakes, cheesecake, brownies, truffles, pudding, bark, doughnuts, cobbler, pancakes, seeds and waffles.

You can often find these wonderful snacks at Trader Joe’s. Some of my favorites include the Pumpkin Joe Joe’s and the Pumpkin Dog Treats. To be clear, I did not eat the dog treats. My dog Oscar did. He enjoyed them and that made me happy.

Pumpkins are great. Have a happy fall.

PAGE BY LIAM WALSH ’18 BEAT NORTH

FEATURE

9.21.16

5

DETROIT LANTERN FEST

PAGE DESIGN BY CHASE CLARK ‘18

Thousands of enchanting lanterns were released in Clio, Michigan this past weekend at this annual event.

PHOTOS BY MIA TURCO ‘19

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9.6.16 9.21.16 PAGE DESIGN BY CAMERON SMOLEN ’18

Senior shares her arduous journey battling lymphoma - her struggle, her victory and her future “I Love Lucy” cont. PAGE 1

According to Lucy, her diagnosis scared her parents and upset her friends and family tremendously. Stephanie Roy ‘17, Lucy’s good friend since preschool, said Lucy’s treatment was hard to handle and she couldn’t accept it right away.

“It was really surprising. She was super healthy, really happy, she was athletic and it really just didn’t seem right that this 14 year old girl could get cancer,” Roy said.

To treat her cancer, Lucy originally had four rounds of chemotherapy (chemo). She received the treatments over five days and they took place every 21 days.

According to Katie, chemotherapy is essentially like a poison that works to get rid of cancer. It is repeated every 21 days in order to build upon each preceding dose and not “give the cancer a chance to rest,” Katie said. The chemo gets stronger with every dose.

Lucy’s first chemo treatment was about a week after her mediport was inserted. Blood work was done constantly, before and after her treatment.

“I was nervous for it. Chemo‘I was nervous for it. Chemotherapy reacts therapy reacts differently with evdifferently with everyone. I knew I wasn’t goeryone. I knew I wasn’t going to ing to feel 100 percent at the end of it, but feel 100 percent at the end of it, but some people get it worse than others’ some people get it worse than others,” Lucy said.

Lucy Loch ’17 Near the end of her first four treatments Loch would “bounce back from the chemotherapy really fast” instead of taking days to recover, she said. According to Loch, chemo’s impact on patients depends on how fast they can metabolize it. Her mom was surprised by how fast Loch was able to recover and Loch was excited to be able to be able to go to school more quickly toward the end of her treatments.

The first set of Loch’s treatment, she was hospitalized for three to four days to get five different chemo drugs. The first two days, all five drugs were infused, and the last two or three days only three drugs were, according to Katie.

Katie said the next three treatments were done at the Made Pediatric Unit in Van Elslander in outpatient. Each treatment was four days long. The first two treatments took the entire day, while the second two were about half a day. Loch received neupogen injections--a drug that helps raise her white blood cell count in order to fend off white blood cell infections--on the rest of the 21 days.

Every two treatments, Loch would get a PET scan to make sure everything was shrinking.

“After every two rounds I would go there and then they’d say, ‘It’s smaller, but we have to keep going,’” Loch said.

Loch’s original tumor was between her heart and lung and was about 10-12 centimeters--around the size of a softball. While the chemo had shrunk the tumor, there was still a speck left that the doctors could not identify exactly what it was, so Loch was given two more rounds inpatient chemo treatments that had to be continuously infused over five days at St. John Hospital pediatric unit, according to Lucy and Katie.

“24/7 I had to have this chemo drug, and it was a lot more intense than the other ones,” Loch said. “It definitely took a toll.”

Loch was diagnosed in February and finished with her chemotherapy treatment by the end of

Lucy’s Strength| Lucy poses for a photo after two Chemo treatments before her Volleyball benefit. This photo was taken in April of 2013.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LOCH FAMILY

“She made it all seem like it was easy,” Katie said. “She is my hero. She made everything look like it was a piece of cake.”

Roy felt that Lucy’s perseverance and positivity allowed her to stay the same person throughout her entire treatment instead of turning bitter.

“I was actually expecting her to be really depressed and really upset, but then I went to see her a few days after she was diagnosed and she was the same person. Just as happy as she’s ever been,” Roy said. “It was really incredible to see and I’m sure it was the hardest thing she’s ever had to deal with but she handled it so well.”

Lucy’s family watched her mature and strengthen as she lived through her treatments. Her mom said she had these qualities in her before, but her encounter with cancer allowed them to be seen.

“I saw a very scared young 13 year old girl quickly become an assertive young lady,” Katie said.

Lucy feels that cancer has acted as a major turning point in her life.

“I think if I did not have cancer, I would totally be a different person,” Loch said. “You see commercials, like the St. Jude commercials and you think, ‘Oh yeah, that little boy has cancer.’ But it was sort of my bubble was popped. I never pictured me having cancer.”

Lucy does not immediately let people know that she had cancer, Katie said. She doesn’t let the cancer define her, which shows a lot of maturity.

The Loch family was extremely grateful for the support they received from the community.

According to Katie, David, Lucy and Clare Loch their family and friends helped them tremenKatie Loch dously by providing them with meals every Monday-Thursday for almost two and a half to three months and by always offering to help.

“I think all the support that we got from not only family and friends but also from the community in general, and Lucy’s bright spirit made it easier,” Clare said. “Knowing that we had people who cared about us and people who are willing to help us gave me a sense of security.”

“For us, it was an awful lot more positive than it was negative,” Katie said. “I had a surgeon who we worked with tell me, ‘Maybe cancer isn’t so bad after all; maybe it’s a way to get your act together before you leave the planet.’”

According to Lucy and her family, cancer has allowed them to appreciate their health more and has strengthened their relationships with one another.

“We really spent a lot of time with her, whether you were at doctors visits, chemotherapy visits, or radiation visits,” David said. “So we spent a lot of time talking and just being with each other, which you don’t really get to do in everyday life as everyone’s running from school to sports to work and to other events. But this forced you to just sit with each other, even quietly or if nothing was even said, just spending time with her.”

The Loch’s created a fund called the “I Love Lucy” fund that helps kids at the St. John hospital and main pediatric center with their medical expenses, according to David and Lucy Loch.

“Lucy’s travel volleyball team decided they wanted to hold a fundraiser for us because of the incredible cost that can occur with medical bills. But we sat down as a family and talked about it and we decided, you know what, there’s probably something better we can do,” David said. “So we held this fundraiser, and we donated all the money in Lucy’s name to the hospital, the cancer center for children.”

The fundraiser was held it at Brownell, and in one night and raised over $24,000, David said

‘God? Just give it to me, I’ll take it. Don’t put it on my children’

Lucy’s Happiness| Lucy enjoys time at her cottage with her family. Her cottage is in Harbor Springs.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LOCH FAMILY

June. After that, Loch was well enough to go to camp Make-A-Dream--a children’s oncology camp-in Montana in July.

When she returned, the speck was still on her chest, so Loch was put through a month of radiation. It took place from mid August to the beginning of September, Loch went to the hospital every day for around 15 minutes over 21 days. After radiation, scans revealed that the speck was gone.

“It’ll be three years September 23 that she was basically declared that she was okay,” Katie said.

The Lochs were very pleased with their choice to stay at Van Elslander Cancer Center in St. John Providence, according to Lucy and Katie Loch.

According to Katie, one of the reasons they chose to be treated at St. John was because the hospital was very involved with the children’s oncology network,which tracks kids with cancer across the world and finds what treatments work.

Lucy loved the service she received from the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

“My doctors and nurses are amazing...If something doesn’t work, they’ll try something else and they’ll go out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable and you get the care that you need,” Loch said.

Katie said she was also amazed by how the doctors would treat Lucy like an adult and showed her how they valued her opinion instead of just talking to Katie and David.

“And here she is, a 13 year old girl, and these renowned surgeons and oncologists are saying to her, ‘What do you think about this? How do you feel about this?’” Katie said. “As a healthcare professional myself, I was very impressed from the get go.”

Lucy’s treatment changed not only her life, but all those around her, according to her family and her friend Stephanie Roy ‘17.

“It changed everything for us. Very quickly after Lucy was diagnosed,all the attention had to focus on Lucy. It impacted all of the other kids and what they were doing,” David “24/7 I had to have this chemo drug, said. “Suddenly our calendar got wiped and the only thing on it was really and it was a lot more intense than the clean Lucy, and dealing with her cancer. So it other ones, It definitely took a toll.” impacted all of us significantly... we dealt with a whole lot of emotions.”

Lucy Loch ‘17 This effect Lucy’s school work as well.

Because her treatments caused Loch to miss so much school, keeping up with it was a big cause of stress for her because she did not want to have to repeat eighth grade, Loch said.

To combat this, the Grosse Pointe Public School district assigned a homebound teacher to Loch who would come every other day and help her with math and the rest of her work.

Lucy and her family faced many challenges throughout her treatment. Constantly having to stay positive, keeping up with everyone else’s schedules and work when so much attention must be devoted to Lucy and having to watch the 13 year old girl go through so much suffering were among these difficulties, according to David and Katie Loch.

“She did break down a couple of times. Seeing that was kind of hard. And, I think that’s the idea of, when you’re a parent and you have a sick child, you sort of bargain with God. You think to yourself, ‘Why them, God? Just give it to me, I’ll take it. Don’t put it on my children,’” Katie said. “I think our faith really helped us a lot.”

It was difficult for Lucy to be in a hospital through her eighth grade year, while other kids were having fun and enjoying it.

“I think I missed out on some things that regular 8th graders partake in and I missed my friends a lot,” Lucy said. “I had to be by myself a lot because there’s the risk of infection.”

Lucy’s mom, dad, sister and friend all noted how positive and strong Lucy was through her entire treatment.

Lucy’s Spirit| Lucy Loch sits in front of the flagpole on South’s front lawn.

There’s a plaque at St. John Hospital in Detroit in honor of Lucy.

PHOTO BY LAUREN THOM ’18

The fund still exists today, and there is a plaque at the hospital to commemorate Lucy.

Right after Lucy had been diagnosed, one of the oncologists told Katie and David Loch something that they will always remember, according to Katie.

“He (the doctor) walked right up to me, and said, ‘Mother, you’re going to see your daughter become an old woman someday’,” Katie said. “And I looked at him and started to cry. I said, ‘Oh my gosh. You can tell me this?’ and he said, ‘I know this. And you will hold her children in your arms.’

He said, ‘She is going to be beautiful.’”

Lucy will be graduating at the end of June 2017 and is currently applying for college.

Her dreams schools are Case Western Reserve and University of Michigan, where she plans to major in biology and later pursue medical school.

SPORTS

9.25.16

7

CLASH OF THE

POINTES

5-7 VS NORTH IN LAST 12 YRS 5-7 VS NORTH IN LAST 12 YRS

4-0 THIS SEASON

3-1 THIS SEASON RANKED 193RD IN THE STATE 99 POINTS AGAINST

A LOOK INTO THE RIVALRY

HUDDLE UP | Football players gather up on the field at the Utica game this past week.

ARIANNA PAGENETTE ‘18 | Staff Writer “It’s exciting because there’s a big turnout at the North- South game, Cross town rivals Grosse Pointe South Grosse Pointe North will and I enjoy seeing the school spirit,” Kline said. take part in their 13th annual football game.

The North-South game has always been a big rivalry, but in the past The game will be this Friday at Grosse Pointe North with the it was more about going to socialize and who ever won was the best game at 7 p.m. and a tailgate prior to. school,” Kline said.

The Grosse Pointe North v. Grosse Pointe South game has been “Now we’re focused on the actual football game and people seem going on for 13 years. more invested,” Kline said.

Patrick Nauert ‘17 said, they take each game one at a time, “we The rivalry has overall become more positive, there will always be have been preparing for this game by spite because of thee rivalry, but has watching films and working on game changed in the past few years, Kline preparation.” said.

It’s exciting because there’s a big “We need to be focused and focused “Both North and South adminturnout at the North - South game, and istrative teams and student councils on our fundamentals,” Nauert said.

After last week’s game against Utica have been involved to create commuI enjoy seeing the school spirit.

Ford, South winning 48-14, will send nity and unity,” Kline said.

LISA KLINE the Blue Devils into the game with a Grosse Pointe North junior Olivia Former Cheer Coach 4-0 winning streak.

Martin ‘18 said that the rivalry plays “Going into the game 4-0 is a confiinto the game and it makes the team dence boost but every team is going to play hard,” Nauert said. try harder to win.

Before the game, Coach Tim Brandon tries to get the boys in the “Every year I want to win more and I want my school to go harder right mindset and not get ahead of themselves. every year,” Martin said.

“The kids are going to be more ramped up so part of our job is to Every year the home school hosts the tailgate. At half time there is keep them grounded,” Brandon said. a tug-of-war and the cheerleading teams have competitions against Nauert said although it’s a big game they still need to go to the each other as well. basics and be ready to fight because every team is going to make Martin said, she is always excited for the North- South game bethem fight for the win. cause it is her cross town rival, and there’s nothing like it.

“We need to go in there, play hard, and be ready to fight,” Nauert “I will be most excited for it next year, my senior year, because I am said. never going to have that high school rivalry game again,” Martin said.

Lisa Kline has coached cheerleading at Grosse Pointe South for The rivalry has grown more positive with help from both North and 8 years, coached cheerleading for a year at North for a year, as well South, although there will always be a little bit of a grudge because it is as being a graduate from North. a cross town rivalry, Kline said.

SPORTS

9.21.16

8 PAGE DESIGN BY ELENA RAUCH ’18

Standing For Something

South football players and coaches react to Colin Kaepernick’s natinonal anthem protest HENRY AYRAULT ‘19 | Sports Web Manager From the National Football League (NFL) to Friday night South I see it both ways. I High School football, the national anthem announces the start of ev- can’t say if it’s right or ery game . wrong.”

Recently, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to exercise However, Varsity his right of free speech to not stand for the pre-game ceremony of football player Miles honoring the country’s flag and anthem. In what could be construed Dearing ‘19, disagrees. an act of defiance and protest, he would not participate in the pregame “I don’t think what tradition. he did was disre“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that spectful to the flag. oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said.

What the national anSince then, other athletes and pop culture icons have followed his them stands for is the lead, including, including USA soccer midfielder Megan Rapinoe, fight for freedom and NFL running back Arian Foster and even R&B singer Chris Brown at rights,” Dearing said. a charity basketball game.

“I agree that not evWhile Kaepernick has influenced others to follow in his footsteps, eryone in America is his actions have ignited a country-wide discussion. That is, wheth- free. So I think he felt er standing and paying attention to the national anthem should be that way and decided a requirement and recognized tradition for athletes participating in that it’s kind of a joke sporting events, or if the practice is an infringement on the freedoms to support freedom democracy has afforded people. when not everyone is “I think it’s ridiculous. There are some problems with certain as- free.” pects of the American system, but to kneel during the national anthem While more and is unpatriotic and disrespectful. The anthem is a show of support for more kneel during one’s country and unity with those in it,” Varsity Football player Pat- the country’s national rick Nauert ‘17 said. “Kaepernick not partaking in it will only further anthem every week, divide us.” other players have raised their hands to the flag and linked arms as a While to some, Kaepernick’s actions have been regarded as impo- sign of unity and respect for what the flag and the anthem represent lite to the American flag and military, other players in varying sports to them. Kaepernick’s actions have also kindled sudden signs of pahave followed his example. Last triotism. week, four Miami Dolphins “I think anything done by players followed Kaepernick’s pro athletes inspires someactions on 9/11, a day where the thing. So yes, I think his acflag and anthem are generally tions have inspired patriotism held in high regard. in other players,” Dearing According to those particisaid. pants, kneeling during the naNew York Giants wide retional anthem wasn’t done as a ceiver Victor Cruz told USA sign of disrespect to America, Today that Kaepernick’s dePATRICK NAUERT ‘17 | Varsity Football Player but the timing of their doings cision to exercise his freedom did come into question. of expression is not something he could get behind.

“9/11 is supposed to be a national day of patriotism and remem“I think, personally, the flag is the flag. Regardless of how you feel brance,” Nauert said. about the things that are going on in America today and the things Some veterans also have mixed opinions about the effects of that are going on across the world with gun violence and things like Kaepernick’s actions. that. You’ve got to respect the flag and stand up with your teammates.

“I see veterans out there that say ‘It bothers me,’ and others that are It’s bigger than you in my opinion,” Cruz said. like ‘It doesn’t bother me,’” AP Government teacher and Junior Varsity Standing for the national anthem is not a requirement in the NFL football Offensive Coordinator, Dennis Pascoe said. “I mean, I think or any professional or amatuer sports league. There is no rule on the that he’s following the rights that we have as American citizens, and on Michigan High School Athletic Association website that speaks of the one hand, it’s one of the most American things you can do, and on the practice. It is an assumed tradition that has been part of sports since other hand, it’s one of the most disrespectful things you can do. I guess the middle of the last century. However, feelings about it are suddenly

There are some problems with certain aspects of the American system, but to kneel during the national anthem is unpatriotic and disrespectful.

PHOTO OBTAINED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

a focal point in sports.

“I think maybe it’s making some people rethink their own patriotism and maybe for some people it forces them to be like, ‘Alright I want to show how much patriotism I have,’” Pascoe said. “Then, on the other hand there are people who are kneeling just like him. So I think it does make people look at what is patriotic, and what is not patriotic, and how do you respect your country, if you have issues with it.”

Kaepernick’s choice to demonstrate his opinion through active protest rather than through a formal discussion has also come into criticism.

“Kaepernick should have had press conferences and a strong media presence to begin with, where he could voice his opinion in a respectful way, instead of what he has done so far,” Nauert said.

Dearing agreed and explained that social media is always a way to get your voice heard.

“I feel [Kaepernick] could have shown his beliefs in a less distracting and controversial way,” Dearing said.

While across the country, the national anthem has become synonymous with the start of our sporting events, Colin Kaepernick’s recent act of untraditional behavior has at the very least inspired talk about the true meaning of the anthem and patriotism in general.

“It’s his right to do it,” Pascoe said. “It has brought about interesting conversation in the country. I don’t know if that’s necessarily what I would’ve done, but at the same time, what makes our country great is that he has the freedom to do that and I think that’s the cool part about it.”

High school student kindles new passion for sports

ON THE WATER | Audrey Whitaker ‘19 sails for the South sailing team. Joining sailing helped Whitaker finder her niche at South and meet people with similar interests.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AUDREY WHITAKER

AUDREY WHITAKER ‘19 | Staff Writer Playing a sport in high school is to be expected.

Lots of people I know have been dedicated to a sport in, and out, of school for most of their lives. A handful of my friends don’t even want to play their sport anymore, but continue because it’s what their parents want them to do.

I just thought it wasn’t my thing, but I really had no idea if it was or not.

Before last year, I hated anything athletic.

Running gave me cramps, biking hurt my legs and I thought that the culture surrounding sports was something I could never identify with. My family has never rallied behind a certain team, and the only time sports are on our TV is during the Olympics. I was proud, in a weird way, that I wasn’t doing hockey or cross country like any of my friends. It set me apart.

Since joining South’s sailing team last spring, I’ve grown not only as a sailor, but as a person. Academically, a sport adds extra pressure on you to maintain good grades and to stay organized. I found I was way more fo-

cused on getting homework done after practice than regular days.

The most important thing I realized after making the team was how much I had been missing out on. A sport isn’t all about running and scoring and Gatorade and crazy parents yelling at you from the stands. Ultimately, it’s about doing something you love with other people who love it too.

It’s about carpooling and post-game team ice cream trips.

It’s about coming home from practice tired, knowing it made you a better athlete.

It’s about the friendships you make during your three hour practices and weekends given up for regattas.

I think trying out for South sailing was the most important decision I’ve made so far. I finally found my niche and I met some of my best friends -- I only wish I could have figured it out sooner. So if you’re anything like pre-freshman year me, my number one piece of advice is to try a sport.

Maybe it still won’t be your thing, but you can’t say it isn’t till you give it a try.

UPCOMING GAMES 4:00 Boys varsity tennis vs St. Clair Sept. 21

6:00 Boys JV soccer vs Grosse Pointe North Sept. 21

7:30 Boys Varsity soccer vs Grosse Pointe North Sept. 21

4:30 Boys Freshman football vs Grosse Pointe North Sept. 22

Girls varsity gold vs Port Huron Northern Sept. 22