North Pointe Vol. 48, Issue 10- March 2, 2016

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NEWS PAGE 2 Look inside to read about the four leading Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2016 presidential election. WWW.THELIBERTARIANREPUBLIC.COM

NORTH

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GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

POINTE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

SINCE 1968

Students volunteer at polls, campaign offices W

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Social media certainly plays a huge role in the election process today.

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With social media’s unabating presence and accessibility, teenagers have an unpara lleled opp or t u n it y to be involved in this year’s presidential election. In years past, most candidates appealed to the older voting population which often excluded teenagers from getting involved in the political process. However, with many candidates on Twitter and many various Twitter accounts livetweeting debates or following the different candidates, information about the election is more accessible than it has ever been. For senior Andrew Nurmi, the coverage of this election on Twitter has helped him keep track of candidates more closely than past elections. Nurmi has been following politics for most of his life, but feels that Twitter has provided a new platform to get involved. Nurmi supports Bernie Sanders, a candidate who has garnered national attention for his appeal to America’s youth. His followers have a reputation for being very active on social media in promoting his campaign against fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton. “Social media certainly plays a huge role in the election process today. The sharing of political ideas over sites like Twitter has really opened up the conversation and I think it’s so great that we are already seeing record numbers of youths coming out to vote in primary elections and we will certainly see high numbers in November when we finally decide who will be president,” Nurmi said via email.

happens between the older members of the community and the students is valuable. “The other thing that I t h i n k helps educate high s c h o o l-a g e workers is the nice mix,” Hathaway said. “The people who work in the polling places, for the most part, are retired or they work parttime, or they are stay-at-home folks, or they own their own businesses or real estate folks, who have really flexible times. You get this fantastic combination of different ages together and they talk. It’s just a whole day with the ability to talk.” Nurmi feels that it is important for students to be involved in the election process and have a voice for themselves. In order to help the students at North with this process, Hathaway is trying to organize a voter registration day at North for those students who are eligible. “One of the things (Michigan’s Board of Municipal court’s legislative committee) is working on, as well as the Secretary of State is too, is encouraging the legislature to pass legislation permitting folks who apply for their driver’s license to be registered to vote. So, when they’re 18 they can just, boom, vote, they don’t have to backtrack,” Hathaway said. “(Me and deputy director Steve Hathaway) are planning on going to Grosse Pointe North, we want to organize a voter registration day before (the outgoing seniors) graduate.” W

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“I think another big factor of the popularity dents are also able to help out as an election of this election is just the candidates them- intern on election day. After applying for selves. Senator Sanders’ messages are really the position and being selected, students are required to attend a training session on resonating with the youth of America.” According to The Huffington Post, total March 3 so they are prepared for the March political advertisement spending for this 8 election. The students work the polls for election is estimated to be around $11.4 bil- eight hours and are able to see the process lion, and half of that is for social media ads. of voting. “It opens them up to the (election proEach candidate in the running has their own Twitter account and often uses it as a platform cess) first of all. It makes them realize how to talk about their ideas or interact with their important registering to vote is,” city clerk supporters, since many of them are many of Lisa Hathaway said. “From there, learning them 25 and younger. Research from Ipsos that they have to do their own background Mori states that 34 percent of those on social on the candidates and on the proposals to media said that reading something on social understand them, to be able to go to the media could change their vote. As a result, polls in the first place to mark that ballot candidates are pouring resources into their and not just take a guess. You want them to social media campaigns. go as informed as possible.” While social media has almost 40 percent Junior Josie Riley is applying for the of those 25 and under involved in some kind position and feels it is as close as she can of political activget to voting since she is under 18. ity (according to the Riley is applying Huffington Post), for the position as there are many opit is a good source portunities at the of money and is local level to be inhelping her learn volved in the politimore about the cal process. Nurmi political process. follows the election Andrew Nurmi This is one of the on social media and SENIOR first elections Riley watches the news, has closely followed. but he also volun“I’m not sure if the job itself will get me teers at the Bernie Sanders campaign office a couple times a week. Many campaign offices more interested, I’d have to see what I’d have teenage volunteers help with the cam- be doing in the job, but the environment would probably help me gain some more paign’s social media and phone lines. “We do phone-banking,which is calling vot- experience and learn more about the proers and talking to them about Senator Sanders, cess,” Riley said. and we also do canvassing, which is doing the Hathaway tries to place at least one insame thing but door to door,” Nurmi said. “The tern at each of the six precincts in the Grosse hope is to get the word out about Bernie Sand- Pointe Woods area. Over the years, Hathaers’ policies and hopefully get as many people way has seen many interns come back and to get out and vote in March as possible.” learn from the others who are working the Besides volunteering for a candidate, stu- poll. She feels that the conversation that

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By Anu Subramanium

YENA B ERHAN E

IDEAS - PAGE 7

POPPING THE BUBBLE PAGE 12

“In the daily Pledge of Allegiance, we give our loyalty and compliance to the law in return for our liberties and rights.” MIKE FOX

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

VOLUME 48 | ISSUE 10

Calendar | 2 News | 3

On Campus | 4 Life | 5-6

Learn more about the fitness gurus in and out of Grosse Pointe.

Reviews | 7 On Pointe| 8

LIFE - PAGE 5

“I will be more independent and less scared, and I will always know wherever I will go, I will settle down, make new friendships and start a new life.” Editorial | 9 Sports | 10-11

PTB | 12


2 – Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – North Pointe

Meet the candidates

NEWS Your guide to the leading Democrat and Republican contenders in the 2016 presidential election

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Background: Hillary Clinton made her first political appearance as First Lady of former President Bill Clinton. She then served as a New York Senator from 20012009, and finally as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 20092013. View on terrorism: Clinton’s goal is to defeat ISIS. To achieve this, she believes in tracking down the organization across the Middle East and increasing airstrikes. She also advises we collaborate with other nations to share information and intercept ISIS in the cyber world. View on Immigration: Both Clinton and Sanders see the need for keeping immigrant families together by ending WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM family detention and providing them with access to health care. Clinton only wants to use deportation in extreme circumstances and, like Sanders, believes in creating a pathway to citizenship that is easier to follow. View on workforce: Raise incomes for working families by increasing the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour and supporting organized efforts to raise state minimums to $15 per hour. Prioritize and improve job training programs and also invest in infrastructure improvements to create jobs. View on education: End student loans for public universities by allowing students to contribute through working paychecks and setting realistic fees for family support. Then instead of financial aid for tuition, the federal government will issue grants to provide for living expenses. Cut interest rates on student loans by allowing students to repay them at current rates and through incomebased programs. For K-12 level education, she wants to find “balance” in testing amounts. View on taxation: Aims to provide tax relief for small businesses and working families, close loopholes for large corporates, ensure the wealthy pay a fair share in taxes and crack down on Wall Street reforms. Current Status: Clinton is polling first in the Democratic Party.

Background: Bernie Sanders was elected to the House of Representatives and served from 1990-2007. He was then elected to represent Vermont in the Senate, a position he still holds. View on terrorism: Sanders believes military action should be used as a last resort when dealing with extremist groups like ISIS. He wants to put more attention on working with international allies. By reining in budget funding of the military, he wants to focus more on logistical support and humanitarian relief in the Middle East as well as trying to root out terrorist funders and cyber attacks. View on immigration: Use

By Anu Subramaniam & Lindsey Ramsdell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ASSISTANT EDITOR

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executive action to develop an easier and faster way for the millions of undocumented immigrants in America to become citizens, including putting an end to unfair deportation programs. Make the border more for protection rather than seclusion, and provide affordable healthcare to immigrants. View on the workforce: Create jobs through infrastructure improvement, invest in youth jobs programs, end trade agreements with China that compete with jobs in America, increase minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020 and stop gender wage inequality. View on education: Make tuition at public universities free, reduce student loan interest rates and expand work study programs. Funded by taxing Wall Street speculators. View on taxation: Decrease the widening gap between the rich and poor by raising taxes on those earning higher salaries, especially focusing on big Wall Street businesses and banks. Get rid of the cap on taxable income. Current status: Sanders is polling in second place in the Democratic Party.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE: JUNIOR AIYANA BADIH

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE: SENIOR ANDREW N URMI

Q: What made you interested in your favorite candidate? A: I took interest in Clinton because her husband is former President Bill Clinton. When he was in office, the economy was great, there was low unemployment and there was noticeable growth in education. Hillary Clinton is an intelligent and successful woman, and there’s no doubt that if she got in office, she would have no problem reaching her husband’s success or even surpassing it. Q: What ideas do you think make your candidate unique? A: What makes Clinton unique is that she represents the growth we want in the country. While growth in other departments is important, a lot of focus has been on social issues, especially since it concerns the people. Q: How do you show support for your favorite candidate? A: To show support for Clinton, I receive her emails, which keep me updated with what’s going on in her campaign.

Q: How are you following the presidential election? A: I’m following it probably more than anyone else here at North, and I say that with pride and complete honesty. I’ve watched every single debate for both parties, I watch MSNBC and CNN constantly, especially when I’m working out at the gym. Q: Did you follow politics much before this presidential election? If not, why did you get started, if so, how did you get started? A: My mom’s side of the family is very politically active, so from a very early age, I’ve always been very conscientious of politics, but this is definitely the first election where I have delved extremely deep into it for myself. Q: How to you show support for your favorite canidate? A: I actually volunteer at the Bernie Sanders campaign office, which is in downtown Detroit at 7500 Oakland Street, and it’s open every day from 9 a.m.- 9 p.m and 7 a.m.-11p.m. on Saturdays. Anyone is welcome to come help out if they are feeling the Bern.

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Background: Donald Trump has found his way to fame as an outspoken multibillionaire. He became successful as president of The Trump Organization and founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts but has no political experience. View on terrorism: Trump wants to increase the size of the U.S. military and put ground troops in the Middle East to cut off terrorists’ oil income sources. He also believes in targeting their funds in the banking system. View on immigration: Trump’s focus is on securing U.S. borders to stop immigrants from illegally entering the country. He sees this as the source of great amounts of crime. To do this, he wants to WWW.DONALDJTRUMP.COM build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border and increase deportation of illegal immigrants. He wants to amp up the citizenship requirements by being more careful about birthright citizenship for immigrants and giving preferential treatment to illegal immigrants with college educations. View on the workforce: Does not support raising the minimum wage, but instead wants to create more jobs so people will not have to rely on a minimum wage. Believes keeping minimum wage and business taxes low will encourage companies to stop outsourcing to foreign nations and create jobs. View on education: Trump’s education priority is on the K-12 level. He is focused on ending Common Core, a federal program that determines school curriculum. Instead, he wants curriculum to be determined locally. He also wants to decrease funding for the U.S. Department of Education. View on taxation: Simplify the tax code by dividing Americans’ earning year into four tax brackets: 0 percent, 10 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent. Reduce taxes for middle class families and households below a $50,000 annual income do not have to pay income tax. Establish a cap for business tax at 15 percent to eliminate loopholes for big corporations. Current status: Trump is currently polling first in the Republican Party.

Background: Marco Rubio has been a U.S. senator for Florida since 2011. He is part of a group of inf luential senators focused on immigration reform. View on terrorism: The U.S. should take the lead in fighting terrorist groups in the Middle East, like ISIS. Put large numbers of American troops on the ground to work with their militaries and encourage other international allies to do so. Expose war crimes and cruelty committed by extremists and publicize American victories. View on immigration: Secure the border by completing the defenses, hiring more guards and cutting COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG federal funding for sanctuary cities. Enforce immigration laws and implement visa tracking system. Do not accept Syrian refugees. View on the workforce: Create an economy friendly to both small and big businesses by limiting federal regulations on companies to allow them to grow and offer more job opportunities. Modernize job training programs to cater to 21st century skills. View on education: Establish income-based repayment as the universal method on student loans. Make information on postsecondary education more available to families online and establish “Student Investment Plans” that help Americans finance their education without taking on loans. View on taxation: Cut all business taxes to 25 percent to encourage business growth and cut income taxes to relieve middle-class families. Simplify tax code into three brackets based on annual income: 15 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent. Get rid of taxes on savings and investment income. Current status: Rubio is tied for second place in the Republican Party.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE: JUNIOR DEMETRI STATHIS

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE: SOPHOMORE ELLIE FRAME

Q: What made you interested in your favorite candidate? A: What truly got me interested in Donald J. Trump is that he symbolizes a certain aspect of the American Dream that every American can admire. It is not just one of our given rights in America to dream, but it’s also a right to have the freedom to make one’s dreams come true. Q: How do you show support for your favorite candidate? A: In my support for Donald Trump, I’m very vocal and won’t back down from any of my political viewpoints. Whether it’s wearing my Trump apparel, reading Trump’s books, discussing policy with students and faculty or debating with other students over disagreements on views, I refuse to allow the ignorant opinions of others to dissuade me from speaking my mind.

Q: What ideas do you think make your candidate unique? A: I think his ideas on guns and immigration are unique. I like how he understands that the guns are not committing the crime, the people are. Also, (I like) his idea that we can’t deport people, but we also can’t hand out citizenship cards. Q: How do you show support for your favorite candidate? A: I show my support by staying informed on his current ideas and views so I can discuss them with others. Q: Do you think this election has garnered more attention from teens than past elections because of the social media aspect? A: Yes, I think social media has had a huge impact, especially with Snapchat’s new news feature, which gives an easy and fast way to keep updated on debates.


NEWS Scholastic Art Awards return

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ABOVE: Junior Hannah Spindler’s photo of junior Shannon Gabriel that won an Honorable mention in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

offers online SAT prep

Ever y year, art students highlight their artistic talent by putting together a portfolio of their best work to submit for a Scholastic Art and Writing Award. Participating in a variety of categories, students have the opportunity to w in awards and scholarship money that can help them later on when applying to colleges. Honorable Mention w inner junior Hannah Spindler believes that the Scholastic Art Awards have made her a better artist and recommends that others submit their work next year. “I’d describe it as an amazing event, just a chance to show who you are and what your art represents,” Spindler said. Students can enter categories such as ceramics, mixed media, draw ing and painting, photography and fashion. Each portfolio consists of a number of pieces that usually follow a theme or big idea and costs $20 to submit. “The works are adjudicated and selected for Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention Awards, American Vision Nominations and Best of Show

Portfolios. The ex hibit and ceremony are held annually at the College for Creative Studies,” art teacher Susan Forrest said. “Gold Key work is automatically submitted for national adjudication. 53 National Gold and Silver Medals were awarded to students in this region in 2015.” Students can submit their work every year from grades 7-12. However, seniors are the only ones that can submit two portfolios in any category they want as long as they don’t reuse any. All artwork is judged blindly by local artists who picks a portfolio from one of the categories on the website with no knowledge on who created it. All work submitted must be original, meaning that any recognizable images would be disqualified. The Scholastic Art Awards is a regional contest and the Gold Key w inners get scholarship money and their work is also automatically submitted to nationals. “I always think it a good idea to submit work to contests. It helps students gain self-esteem or grow thicker skin,” Forrest said. “It might make some students work harder than ever and it helps w ith art school admissions.”

Thursday, March 3-Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 6 at 3 p.m. in the PAC

SAT TESTING

Saturday, March 5 at 8 a.m

PARENT CLUB MEETING

Wednesday, March 9 from 7-9 p.m. in the Union

SAT PREP CLASS

Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday March 16 from 5-8 p.m.

SPORTS EVENTS BOYS SWIMMING

Diving Regionals Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Groves High School

GIRLS HOCKEY NATE LONCZYNSKI

because it’s not just something that’s going to be hand fed to you,” Nyquist said. “As long as you kind of be consistent about doing it and have good work habit, I think those kinds of students w ill the ones that benefit the most from it.” By Michal Ruprecht

W hether it’s getting lost in the hallways or hav ing a difficult time adjusting to the heav y work load, the transition from middle school to high school can be challenging for many freshmen. Freshman Nina Kozik found her first day of freshman year to be difficult. “The hardest thing for me as an incoming freshman was getting my way around the school,” Kozik said. Link Crew is holding a freshman seminar today to help relieve the stress of entering a new env ironment, teach students how to build skills to help them in high school. Selected Link Crew members inv ite freshmen participate in games that teach students correct skills to benefit them throughout high school. A ll freshmen are inv ited and can join whenever they want. Link Crew’s goal is to teach ninth graders to strive for

With the concern of the Flint water crisis, parents, politicians and celebrities have all raised awareness and shown support to the city. Water bottles and monetary donations have come in from all parts of the nation, but now students will have the opportunity to help during charity week. Students Against Violations of the Environment (S.A.V.E) initiated a personal care product drive to help the students and staff of Flint Northwestern High School. As the project grew, Student Association, Interact and Students Against Destructive Decisions were invited to participate. On March 8, students can either bring in $3 or three hygienic products

SPRING MUSICAL

CONFERENCES

Link Crew hosts freshman seminar

S.A.V.E., SA, Interact, SADD raise funds for Flint

CALENDAR

Monday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 15 from 3:30 -6 p.m. in room B-312

By Katelynn Mulder

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Worr ying about paying for SAT prep is maybe a thing of the past. The College Board teamed up w ith online educator Khan Academy to offer free preparator y resources. Junior Gina Peruzzi is one of many who can sign up on Khan Academy’s website SAT portal. Since the rev ised test w ill be administered starting this March, students w ill be able to prepare for the new version by completing practice tests and answering subject specific questions. “I think that it’s a really good idea because the kids are able to know what to expect w ith the free tutoring, and they’re gonna learn how to approach different ty pes of problems,” Peruzzi said. “A ll in all, they’ll feel more comfortable going into the test, and they’ll know more about it, so I think it’s a good idea.” English teacher and ACT tutor Kristen A lles believes the the program is popular because kids use the Internet frequently. She also thinks the resources are a great opportunity because they are free. “I think that students w ill get more opportunities through this ty pe of prep,” she said v ia email. “It should help put all students on a more even playing field, and it should help students feel more supported and confident that ever yone is receiv ing the same prep.” Over ten million kids use Khan Academy. Sophomore Evan Nyquist plans on using the portal prior to taking the SAT. He thinks the resources present an affordable and convenient way to achieve a higher score. “I think I’ll probably use it to try and clarify something because I probably wouldn’t want to go out and spend $20 on a book when I could just sit at home and watch videos on the Internet,” Nyquist said. A lles finds from tutoring that online materials are equally beneficial, as long as students are hardworking. Nyquist agrees w ith A lles. He believes that the program w ill only be beneficial for diligent and enthusiastic students. “I think for the students that are kind of aimed and poised to tr y and take that kind of stuff on, that want to do it on their ow n time

LINK CREW

North Pointe – Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – 3

excellence in school and to know how to communicate w ith teachers. “It’s the first time we w ill be doing it,” science teacher Andrew Pola said. “But if it is successful we hope to use it more as a tool to help freshmen transfer into high school.” A lthough freshman Maria Zaki doesn’t plan on attending the freshman seminar, she sees the benefits of the session. “I don’t plan on going to freshman seminar because of other after school activities,” Zaki said. “(But) a freshman seminar would be helpful to ask upperclassmen about classes and teachers they’ve had too.” Kozik also sees the positive impact freshman seminar could have on other students. “I think that freshman seminar helps freshman get more accustomed to the school,” Kozik said. “Although I’m not in freshman assist I believe that it is very beneficial for students who need extra help.” By Anna Post

to trade for a sticker that would allow the donor to wear a hat for the day. “The high school actually said that they have water coming out of their ears, so they don’t need anymore water, but they need hygienic products,” Student Association president Nicoletta Valenzano said. With tens of thousands of water bottles being donated over the past few months, Flint has enough water supply to sustain residents, but Flint Northwestern High School hopes to provide students with basic hygienic products. Students may bring in three items from a list created by S.A.V.E and Student Association that includes toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer and baby wipes. “[The purpose is to] help the students of Flint Northwestern High School get back to the business of learning by donating products that can help return a sense of normalcy to the school setting,” science teacher and S.A.V.E advisor Christopher Skowronski said via email. By Yena Berhane

Saturday, March 5 at 5 p.m. at Grosse Pointe Community Ice

FIGURE SKATING

State meet, Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 in Novi

BOYS BASKETBALL

Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at East Detroit High School

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING State routine meet Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at South

GYMNASTICS

State finals, Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at Rockford High School

BOYS SWIMMING

State finals, Friday, March 11 and Saturday March 12 at 12 p.m. at Saginaw Valley State


ON CAMPUS

4 – North Pointe – Wednesday, March 2, 2016

What lies below

Basement tour uncovers the world beneath the school By Trevor Mieckowski & Sydney Benson

FACES IN THE CROWD

STAFF REPORTER & PHOTO EDITOR

Jack Flynn

Not often will a sophomore in high school say their biggest achievement in life is to be living in America, but for sophomore Jack Flynn it is. Flynn was adopted from South Korea’s capital city, Seoul. Flynn came to the U.S. by a 14-hour plane ride when he was 6 months old. Flynn was born Kim Do Kyun, which means ‘even way’ in Korean. Although Flynn is interested in visiting his native country, he wants to continue living in America for many reasons. “I like being in the U.S. because I am able to have freedom of speech and religion, a great education, be eligible to go to a good college, (have) a democratic government, (I don’t have) to be in an orphanage, and (I have) a real family.”

John Huskin

ABOVE: Assistant principal Tom Beach exmaines the boiler.“The various factors, like the humidity and the temperature of the outside, all come into play and they have to time it just right,” Beach said. “That is why sometimes during the day it might get too hot, when that happens they have to back off to cool it down.” ABOVE LEFT: Engineer Rick Robb uses these water testing kits to maintain healthy water standars in the school.“We test to make sure we are within the limits the state and chemical companies want us to be at, so we don’t rot out the pipes,” Robb said. “These pumps are from when the school originally opened in 1966.” BELOW LEFT: These pipes help regulate school temperature. “What they do is chill the water as cold as they can get it and then they shoot it through the pipes,” Beach said. “Then all these pipes go into the room and the fans blow against the individual pipes, which cools down the air and that sends either cold or hot air to the rooms, depending if it is heat or air conditioning.” BELOW: Props for past school productions reside in the basement as well.“Remember, the Performing Arts Center is a shared facility. So although it’s located at North, it’s actually a district facility, so we share it with all the other districts,” Beach said. “It’s better now that we have recently built the performance art area over at Brownell, which helped take all the pressure and time constraints. We have sets — just about everything down here.”

A lifelong passion for cars has led sophomore John Huskin to consider a career as an engineer. “If you work on a car you learn new skills. You get to make something your own. With cars, you can generally enjoy it by driving it. You can even enjoy it by working on it,” he said. “I just like doing stuff. I like taking apart things and making them better. You’re creating things. I just love the automotive industry.” Huskin feels that he already thinks like an engineer and enjoys using physics and math skills. “It’s similar to like being a mechanic,” Huskin said. “The way I think is just kind of the way an engineer thinks, like math and science and physics.” Huskin says he’s worked on lots of cars, and his ‘86 red and gray Mustang pulled the sophomore float in the 2015 homecoming parade.

Natalie Barstys Ty pical sophomores are about 15 or 16 years old. Sophomore Natalie Barstys, however, technically just turned 4. Barstys was born on February 29, or Leap Day, which is the extra day at the end of February that happens every four years. “The most annoying thing about being born on leap year is when people figure out that I’ll technically be in my 20s when I die or insist that I don’t have a birthday on non-leap years,” Barstys said. However, there are still positives to being a Leap Day baby. “One benefit would be that my birthday is that much more exciting when it’s actually a leap year,” Barstys said. “I would not change my birthday if I could.”

By Darcy Graham

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Library media technician Amanda Pata By Trevor Mieckowski STAFF REPORTER

ABOVE: Library media technician Amanda Pata enjoys the hidden treasures within geocaching. ”Sometimes the people who make the geocache leave something nice, which is called the first to find,” Pata said. “They might leave something like a lottery ticket or an interesting coin.”

Trying to find a hidden object using only its GPS coordinates may seem challenging. However, for librarian Amanda Pata, it is a hobby. Pata and her family frequently go geocaching and log the different objects they are able to find. Pata started geocaching when she and her husband, physics teacher Don Pata, started dating. “I had heard about it, and it seemed interesting because I really like to travel and being outdoors, and when geocaching first started, most of the geocaches were out in the woods or along hiking trails,” Amanda said. “That really kind of called to me because I like camping and hiking, and this is something that you can do while doing that.” An object’s difficulty is ranked from easy to hard on the Geocaching App. The app also gives geocachers an approximate location and a clue to help them locate what they are looking for. “You might find an Altoids box that has a magnet in it underneath a bench or you might find a water bottle that has been painted brown, hanging from a branch in a tree, if it is an outdoor one,

or you might find an ammo box buried in sticks or in a tree trunk that’s dead,” Amanda said. Each object is accompanied by a logbook and sometimes a little trinket to trade out with a different one. For example, a geocache could contain an old coin, but in order to take that old coin, the finder must replace it with another little item, such as toy. But for her, it is about more than the trinkets. “I think that for us, it is more about where the geocache is and less about what is in them,” Amanda said. “Now that we are taking our kids geocaching, they like to find things like tops or little stickers people leave behind.” Amanda and Don Pata spent a whole year finding one geocache a night. In addition to geocaching in Michigan, the Patas have also found some in different states and different countries. “So we have been trying to keep track of the milestone geocaches, like number 900 we did at the old Tiger stadium with the kids, number 1,000 we did in Hawaii, I think number 800 I found in Germany while visiting my sister,” Pata said. “We have found geocaches in 12 states, we’ve found almost 1,000 in Michigan.”

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS

Curious, helpful and motherly

WEAKNESSES

Reality TV and realistic fiction

INSPIRATION

My mom. She is hardworking. She raised us to really value hard work and to see the results in what we do.

DREAM VACATION

I love Alaska. Mr. Pata and I went there for our honeymoon on a cruise, so I would love to go to Alaska, but not on a boat, and do some geocaching.

FAVORITE FOOD

Anything Mr. Pata will make for us, I guess. I am kind of a nacho fan, kind of an Italian food fan. Anything that is not asparagus, also known as “asparagross.”


LIFE

Take a seat

North Pointe - Wednesday, March 2 2016– 5

Studies show the impact school seating has on a student’s posture and academic performance By Rey Kam & Trevor Mieczkowski EDITOR -AT-LARGE & STAFF REPORTER

In a world where there is more weight than ever placed on a student’s academic performance, there is only one thing that can save your GPA. Or, according to a Buzzfeed list, there are 11 things. The fact is, while there are innumerable “Top 10” lists and “For students, by students” resources out there, learning is so highly individualized that no single silver bullet tip can guarantee anyone a better grade. But things can be done to make your brain work more efficiently, which could in turn lead to better information retention and recall. Ironically, it’s connected to some of the most eye-roll-worthy parental advice ever to be ignored

ABBEY CADIEUX

A stunning forest green, these chairs clearly set themselves apart from other chair/desk combinations— quite literally, in fact, as the chairs aren’t attached to the desks. Unlike other free-roaming chairs, these sturdy seats are neither absurdly static-y nor are they as unstable or uncomfortable as their science-wing counterparts, the fourlegged lab stool. Apart from their relative hardness, there are virtually no comfort-based disadvantages to this style of classroom seating, as it allows for variable layouts and for students to choose their own orientation in relation to the desk. Additionally, the uprightness of the seat back and relatively small size of the seat promote alert posture without forcing it. Occasionally, one of these chairs will develop a slight wobble, and they are admittedly less quiet than habitually tardy students may desire, but overall, the science wing chairs are a stellar example of classroom seating.

by teenagers. Classroom posture, or the way one sits in his or her desk, could actually contribute to how well he or she perform in any given class, according to the research staff at University of Manitoba Kinesiology and Recreation department. “The comfort of your chair can affect not only your physical body, but your psychological well being,” psychology teacher Jennifer Weisbrodt said. “It makes sense that if you are uncomfortable in your chair, it will affect your mood. We know that mood can certainly affect learning and how well you do in school.”

While very iconic and useful for keeping students from absconding with chairs, the overall experience of a student sitting in one of these institutional contraptions will invariably be characterized by at least moderate discomfort. The attachment of the desk surface to the chair does not allow for very many sitting positions, as it creates obstacles for feet, legs and knees. In addition, attempts to make these chairs more comfortable for taller students created desks with absurdly reclined seat-backs, leaving the issue of knees hitting the gum-covered underside of the desk unsolved, while removing back support for those who don’t lounge in the classroom. Molded plastic seats afford your rump absolutely no friction, meaning that the possibility of sliding slowly into poor, slumped posture becomes more likely. Wooden models are 1) old and creaky and 2) falling apart at the edges. (Hello splinters?) Possibly the worst chair/desk combo imaginable exists in the desks that incorporate both plastic- coated desk surfaces and plastic chairs, which only maximizes unintended static electricity generation. ANNA POST

Old world meets new

ABBEY CADIEUX

Like the science wing chairs, these chairs are among the forest green color family. According to www.lifehacker.com, the ideal angle for that backrest part of the chair is about 135 degrees. However, these chairs feel like they are a perfect 90 degrees, which causes the spine to arch and can cause future health problems. Aside from them not being the proper 135 degrees, these chairs are still relatively comfortable, but it is easy to slouch in them. One major positive feature to these chairs are that they’re unattached to the desk. Being unattached from the desk allows the student to scoot as close or as far away from the desk as they want, allowing comfort.

Senior foreign exchange student leaves home country to experience American culture

By Mora Downs & Ritika Sanikommu EDITORS

For Italian foreign exchange student Beatrice Di Cintio, pursuing the American Dream meant leaving her homeland behind. After learning English for more than 10 years and vacationing multiple times in the United States, Di Cintio was ready to take the leap to experience an intimate look at the country. “I always wanted to do an exchange program or something like that,” Di Cintio said. “I come to this country without knowing no one, in new school, also the language and all that. I mean, it’s an experience of life, basically. You learn something that’s really important ... you can count only on yourself, and I think that this is one of the most important things. You have to start new relationships with new people that you never even imagined to meet in your life.” Although this is her first time in Michigan, Di Cintio is no stranger to the New World. She has travelled to major cities such as New York, Miami and Philadelphia. Di Cintio started school at the beginning of the second semester. Before officially starting school, she shadowed senior Piper Perkins and grew accustomed to the environment. “I took her to all my classes and explained little tricks and tips that I have for her and took her to all her teachers and classes,” Perkins said. Her peers have taken an interest in her because she is from a foreign country, but she understands their fascination, as the same situation would arise for an American in Italy. One of hardest adjustments Di Cintio made was learning how to use a locker. Di Cintio never had a locker in Italy and struggled with remembering her combination at first. Another major difference Di Cintio has noticed is the amiable relationships between teachers and students. “I mean, they are really, really, really helpful. They are like friends. In Italy it’s different because we can’t do that. It’s like our teacher is someone bigger than us, and we have to respect them every single time we have to talk to them in the third person.” Di Cintio does not see the differences as a hinderance. An aspect of North that Di Cintio enjoys is tutorial. “It’s a huge invention,” she said. “In Italy, we don’t have that. We only do six hours of lessons, 50 minutes each one. This tutorial hour is great because you can do your homework, so in the afternoon you are free.”

In her time here, Di Cintio has formed a close relationship with not only Perkins, but her house mother Tracy Sanders as well. “I found that she is a very mature young lady,” Sanders said. “I think our relationship is very good. She’s fun. She’s very knowledgeable. She (knows) about everything from art to different cities. She’s very interesting, and we have a very close relationship,” Sanders said. Although she has connected with her house family and classmates, Di Cintio still finds life in America a bit difficult. Speaking a different language all the time has been challenging, and Michigan’s everchanging weather has been confusing for Di Cintio. “In Italy, and in my city, we are used to (having) snow couple of (times) of year, so I know how to manage that,” Di Cintio said. “But sometimes here, it’s really crazy. One day you have the sun, and you can wear your light coat, the day after you’ll have to wear five (or) six pairs of scarves, three, four, five pairs of socks. It’s strange.” Despite the struggles, Di Cintio would not trade her experience in America. She sees herself returning to complete a higher education. As much as she loves life here, Italy will always be her home. “I don’t think that I will settle down (in America) forever I will always be traveling between Detroit and Italy because I mean, Italy (will) always (be my) country,” Di Cintio said. “If you go to another country, you will always have your place and that’s why I also like to hear from my friends from Italy when it’s possible because they are a piece of (me) that will always belong to you.” Diving headfirst into the foreign exchange program has allowed Di Cintio to hone her interpersonal speaking skills while she visits tourist attractions and expands her perspective of the country. She sees multiple ways the foreign exchange program will shape her personality for the better. “I will be more independent and less scared, and I will always know wherever I will go, I will settle down, make new friendships and start a new life,” Di Cintio said. “And for me, this is one of the most important things in life—that you are sure of yourself.”

PIPER PERKINS

ABOVE: Di Cintio (left) with senior Piper Perkins at Five Guys Burgers & Fries. “She’s like, ‘Uh what is that thing that’s called?’ and she asked me how to say hamburger when she was ordering,” Perkins said. “She was like ‘How do you pronounce it again?’ and I’m like ‘Hamburger’. It’s cute.” BELOW: Di Cintio poses in front of Lake St. Clair. “I love Grosse Pointe, especially going around Lakeshore,” Di Cintio said. “It’s a really beautiful road.”

BEATRICE DI CINTIO


LIFE

6– Wednesday, March 2, 2016– North Pointe

North, South unite for GP Charity Dodgeball Tournament By Billy Moin & Katelynn Mulder EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER

In order to wrap up their charity spirit week, the Class of 2016 student council has paired up with South High School’s Student Association to host the inaugural GP Charity Dodgeball Tournament next Saturday, March 12. The competition will consist solely of North and South students, and will start at 5 p.m. in North’s gym. “I’m looking forward to it because I think a lot of people are going to have a good time. There’ll a lot of, the whole community is coming together, we’re hoping to get different schools involved, little kids just to come and watch even,” senior class vice president Vickie Blaine said. “And so I think it’ll be really fun, and there will be concessions there, and people can watch, and it will be a good community event.” North’s senior class council was already coming up with ways to end the week when South’s Student Association treasurer John Bornoty came to them with the idea. “The senior class council here already planned to do a charity week that would lead to a dodgeball tournament,” Class of 2016 adviser Marylyn Withers said. “But when South’s Student Association approached us about doing a joint dodgeball tournament we were thrilled.” Despite the rivalry, the two groups have been able to work together with minimal problems. “The biggest challenges organizing was where the tournament will take place, but based off various factors we decided North was the best venue,” senior secretary Sydney Eger said. “We made compromises with both North and South to make the tournament good for both the schools.” The tournament will hold up to 40 teams filled with six to eight players each. And while students from different grades will be able to team up, teams can only be composed of students from one of the schools. “There’s going to be a twogame elimination, so that if you get out in the first round, let’s say, there’s still a losers’ bracket where you can work your way b a c k u p ,”

Bornoty said. “I can say the way it’s worked out, the final game w ill be North versus South.” To get involved, teams must pick up sign-up sheets and waivers at the bookstore. Each member has to sign a waiver and pay a $10 entrance fee to be able to compete. All forms are available in the bookstore and teams must turn in everything by Friday, March 4. However, sign-ups may end before then as spots are being filled on a first come, first serve basis. “The game before (the championship) is going to be a teacher game, and it’s going to be North teachers versus South teachers,” Blaine said. “It’s going to be really exciting.” Tickets will be sold for the rest of the week as well as at the door for $5 and proceeds from the tournament will go be split and go to the charities of each school’s choice. North has chosen to give its half of the proceeds to the the Jacob Michael Davis foundation. Named for the late son of business teacher, Michelle Davis, the foundation aims to aid families hurt by cancer. On the other hand, South will be giving their half to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in memory of a former student who passed away from the disease in 1992. In addition to helping charity, the tournament is also meant to help unite the schools and community. “We’re really trying to bring both schools together, promote the whole #OneGP, and like I said bring the schools together, promote something,” Bornoty said. “A lot of times, you don’t see many things between North and South that aren’t directly related to sports, so we’re really trying to bring the schools together in as many ways as possible.” Likewise, Blaine hopes the tournament will teach the schools something. “Even though there’s a competition going on, bringing the two student councils together and ... representing both of our schools, by coming together we hope that that shows our entire, both our schools that we can come together without arguing,” Blaine said.

LAUREN SEXTON

Starting March 7, the Class of 2016 is holding a charity week to benefit the Jacob Michael Davis Foundation. Each day will have a different theme and fundraiser with the goal of raising over $1,000 by week’s end. “I would describe charity week as a fun spirit week revolved around raising money. It unites the school and allows students to help with something much bigger than

Students are encouraged to wear sweats to school, and during both lunches, the Class of 2016 w ill hold a bake sale offering ever y thing from brow nies to pie.

For $3 or three hygienic goods, students will receive stickers that grant permission to wear a hat for the day. With help from Student Association, Students Against the Violation of the Environment is hosting the fundraiser and donating the proceeds to Flint Northwestern High School. Student Association will also be hosting a fundraiser at TCBY after school.

them,” Class of 2016 senator Emily McPharlin said. “Of course, I think (the fundraiser) will be successful because the whole community is involved.” The Class of 2016 planned the charity week and involved freshman class representatives in hopes that this will become an annual event each class carries out. “It’s really just because we funded so much through-

Students are encouraged to wear Grosse Pointe’s signature colors of pink and green. After school, student council will host another fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings. A portion of all sales that evening will go to the Jacob Michael Davis Foundation.

On U.S.A. day, students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue. There w ill also be a fundraiser where students can donate money to have their teachers dress up in a costume. The w inning teacher w ill then wear a leprechaun costume on Friday.

out our entire high school career as a senior class, but we really want to give back for all that everybody’s given to us,” Class of 2016 secretary Sydney Eger said. “We’re doing it for the Jacob Michael Davis Foundation because we want it to have a link to North so North gets associated with the charity, therefore wanting to give more and give back more.”

Students should sport green and gold for North Day. Dodgeball teams are encouraged to come up w ith a theme for their team and coordinate outfits.

The Class of 2016 and South’s Student Association will be hosting the inaugural GP Charity Dodgeball tournament to cap off charity week. Read more below.


North Pointe – Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – 7

IDEAS

ON POINTE

1

Top 10 things we are talking about this week By Caitlin Bush & Allison Lackner ASSISTANT EDITORS

2

Clothing

#AIR JORDAN 2 “WING IT”

Nike’s latest will be released March 5 for $140. The blackwhite-grey textured leather shoe will have the words “wing it” on the tabs.

Streaming

ETONLINE.COM

FULLER HOUSE

Head to Netflix to check out the first 13 episodes of the new original series based on Full House. It includes most of the original cast members to simulate the reality of growing up. Flip to next page to read review.

3

WP.COM

SNEAKERBARDETROIT.COM

4

App

NY DA ILY NE WS

.CO M

KENDALL AND KYLIE If you enjoyed the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood app, then take time to download and play Kendall and Kylie. Both games have the same goal—become number one and have the most followers. The app also includes an Instagram feed for the avatar.

5

RED WINGS GAME The Detroit Red Wings will be playing their “Original Six” rival, the Chicago BlackHawks, on March 2 at 8 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena.

Movie

ZOOTOPIA

Walt Disney Picture’s newest movie takes place in the city of Zootopia, where Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) becomes the first rabbit to join the police force and is determined to prove herself. Catch it March 4.

6

Event

MOVIESHARKDEBLORE.COM

DOLIMG.COM

7

Streaming

HOUSE OF CARDS SEASON 4

Book

THE TROUBLE WITH FAMILY

8

MONSTERSMOVIEMAYHEM.WORDPRESS.COM

WIKIMEDIA.ORG

D.GR-ASSETS.COM

Netflix’s original series will be release its fourth season March 4. The show follows Congressman Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) as they plot revenge on the people who betrayed him.

TV show

9

SAY YES TO THE DRESS SEASON 14

On March 4, season 14 of one of TLC’s most popular shows will premiere at 9 p.m. It’s run more than 200 episodes, each crazier MOMMYINSPORTS.COM and more expensive than the last.

10

Event

MATILDA THE MUSICAL

Gaming

LEGEND OF ZELDA TWILIGHT PRINCESS

UPLOAD.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Matilda The Musical launches its first national tour based on the beloved Roald Dahl novel Matilda. The musical will be at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit March 9-20. Tickets retail $69-$368 depending on date and seating preference. You can purchase tickets at broadwayindetroit.com.

Installment number 13 in The Legend of Zelda series, Twilight Princess, will be rereleased March 4 for the Wii U video game console. This newest version of the action-adventure game includes new features, items, locations and better graphics.

WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Police brutality sees no color MY TURN JENNIFER KUSCH

When Beyoncé stood on the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show, she made a statement. Her new song “Formation” sent a message about police brutality against African Americans, an undeniable issue in the United States. We have seen its victims splashed across the headlines, names like Tamir Rice and Michael Brown dominating our TV screens, earning our concern and sympathies with their unjustified loss of life. But police brutality is an issue that sees no color. The scope of the misuse of powers by police in this country does not pick and choose its victims, and all unjustified deaths at the hands of police should be mourned. We face a behemoth in need of reform, and #BlackLivesMatter is a powerful and just movement. But if we want reform of police, it cannot be a white vs. black fight, which many have turned it into. It is a fight that needs all civilians’ support because we all could be on the receiving end of an aggressive officer in blue. This color-blind vulnerability is well-known, if not as equally well-publicized. Whether it be the blatant police misconduct against Steven Avery (as documented on Making a Murderer) or the obvious mishandlings of

Based on an award-winning short story, Heather Hobbs book The Trouble with Family will be published March 3. It is about a girl named Molly Anderson who is trying to make the most out of her hectic summer.

ROBYNCOSTUMIER.COM

hundreds of sexual assaults at the University of Montana (as reported on by Jon Krakauer in Missoula), the policing machine has clearly been exposed as a overreaching, broken machine that blurs all racial lines. Racially motivated violence is abhorrent. It deserves attention and highlights a continued racial divide in our country. However, its coverage also garners ratings for television stations, radios, and newspapers. While its coverage is deserved and education on prejudice is necessary, you cannot ignore other races who are victimized by police. But in ignoring deaths of other races at the hands of police, you disvalue other lives lost at the hands of the flawed, powerful police machine in our country. When this coverage does not happen, when the outrage is not fostered on both sides of the racial divide, we are weaker. For other races, the issue of police brutality is seen as one that is “theirs,” not collectively ours. But it’s not. An 18-year-old student at Southern Alabama University was shot and killed by an African-American police officer. Gil Collar, a white freshman at the university, was unarmed, naked and under the influence of drugs when he was killed. There was no attempt to use a taser against him or restrain him in any way. Video recordings of the incident showed him with “his arms outstretched and palms open,” clearly posing no deadly threat to the officer. However, the student was killed less than 30 seconds after the officer approached Collar, and no physical altercation occurred between the two. The officer was acquitted of any charges. Where was the outrage at the police brutality?

In a case that so closely parallels deaths of other young black males killed by police officers, the only large disparity is the complete lack of coverage that this murder garnered. No singers made tributes to Gil Collar at the Super Bowl, no cities burned, no riots started. The news wasn’t broadcasted at a national level. Racially motivated murders in this country should not be tolerated, and neither should any murder of an unarmed individual at the hands of police. All Americans are equal, and all unarmed, defenseless lives lost at the hands of police should be mourned equally. According to The Washington Times, police kill more whites than blacks. According to Peter Hoskos, a researcher at New York University, “If one adjusts for the racial disparity in the homicide rate or the rate at which police are feloniously killed, whites are actually more likely to be killed by police than blacks.” While the shooting of blacks occurs in a greater ratio per person, this statistic serves as a reminder that any of us can end up staring down the wrong end of a policeissued Glock. In picking and choosing who is missed, who is worthy of outrage, we are once again divided. Recognizing that police brutality is an American issue and a not strictly a race issue is the first step we must take to overcome the flawed system of policing that kills too many innocent, unarmed people every year. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere.” We need to come together as one force, one America, and demand change to any injustice at the hands of police, because we are all vulnerable.


REVIEWS

8 – Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – North Pointe

AMERICA’S FAVORITE FAMILY JUST GOT By Lauren Sexton

COMMONS.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Whatever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy and Full House on TV? Families don’t have to wait any longer. From staying up until the late hours of the night to watch the original on Nickelodeon to tearing up about mini cast reunions, Full House was the linchpin holding together our generation’s collective childhood. The show generations have grown up watching can finally get closure and have mercy in Netflix’s revival of the series, Fuller House. America’s favorite family on and off screen reprises their roles in Fuller House, with the exception of the youngest Tanner. A twist on Jeff Franklin’s original, DJ Tanner Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure) is all grown up with three boys of her own. After the tragic loss of her husband, DJ begins to believe that she is alone due to the fact that her family is in the process of moving out of their original family home. Her loneliness doesn’t last for long, when her little sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and crazy, 90s-obsessed Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) move into the San Francisco home to help her start over. The Netflix original will not be just a great binge-watch, but can give closure for every Full House fan, young or old. Franklin gives audiences the understanding of what had happened over the past several decades without dwelling on the past and the original for most of the time. Occasionally, throughout the course of the series they use flashbacks and talk about the previous show, which brings back nostalgic feelings to the Full House generation but totally leaves newcomers in the dark. The Tanners are not afraid to throw shade and sass. This edge is directed towards Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, known for playing Michelle Tanner in the original. It can be funny at times to see the cast joke around about the fashion mo-

guls, especially in the beginning of the episodes. Though, as the show progresses on it starts to diminish the show’s story quality as they keep breaking the fourth wall and burning Michelle and the Olsen twins. For the past several months, Fuller House has been kind of misleading the public. What was assumed to be a show based on the girls with the family isn’t what audiences originally thought was going to happen. The entire Tanner family isn’t really in the show, other than the first episode and the occasional cameo once in awhile. It is sad not to see Danny’s OCD, Joey’s impressions, and Uncle Jesse’s flawless hair but in a way it is good for the writing of the show because it doesn’t force the Tanner family values down viewers throats. Fuller House is different if audiences and fans really think about it. Franklin did stick to the original of three adults of the same gender with three children of the same gender, but he made it more human and more realistic for modern audiences. Of course it is going to be corny, what episode of Full House wasn’t? Franklin gives the classic ABC hit the modern-day twist. Making it more human and more relatable to viewers was necessary in this modern day and age. The show gives a lot more heart, if that was even possible. Netflix and Full House lovers can view Fuller House season one streaming on Netflix.

FULLER HOUSE 2016 TV-14 STREAMING ON NETFLIX EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

ALBUM

BOOK

APP

BOOK

NEED YOUR LIGHT

IN ORDER TO LIVE

THE PIT

KILLER INSTINCT

Celebrating 10 years together, the band Ra Ra Riot has released their invigorating fourth studio album, Need Your Light. After the twists and turns in their sound STATIC.SPIN.COM throughout their decade together, Need Your Light showcases a new era of fun indie rock tunes that aren’t too cool to dance to. Ra Ra Riot teamed up with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij to produce the first track and single, “Water.” The punchy, rhythmic power ballad captures a moment of freedom and emotional vulnerability for singer Wes Miles. Miles’ expressive and somewhat piercing vocals drive the song, making it easy to belt along with at the chorus. But “Water” sets a high expectation that the rest of the tracks seem to drown in. The first to get watered down is “Absolutely.” Although it’s catchy, the song is soggy and incomparable to the album opener. The two songs clash head-on, going from insightful to vapidly upbeat. “Absolutely” is identical to the billions of other nameless, cheesy indie songs that play in the backgrounds of Subaru and Kashi granola bar commercials. For listeners who wholeheartedly jam along to those cookie-cutter commercial tunes, “Absolutely” will be their next favorite song. Fluctuating between their iconic stringheavy sound and one more synth-heavy over their career, Ra Ra Riot nods to both aspects in Need Your Light. In the reckless dance track “Bad Times,” spacey synth gives the song a playful edge that later collides with a flitting string orchestra tune. The plucky bassline from bassist Mathieu Santos gives the song the extra push it needs to make it truly danceable. The track shows what Ra Ra Riot does well: eclectic indie rock. The album’s bouncy rhythms and rollicking lyrics are what make it enjoyable for those looking for some key dance tunes, but the bounce should be taken in moderation. Listening to Need Your Light in its entirety provides an overdose of pep, and not in a good way. Most of the tracks are all quite similar and punchy, which may lull listeners into a pastel-colored déjà vu.

Those who have experienced trauma don’t often want to relive the horror by sharing it with others. Yet North Korean defector and humanities activist Yeonmi Park has IMAGES.CONTENTRESERVE.COM done just that in recounting her escape from the Kim dictatorships in her book In Order To Live. Park’s story engages even the most fiction fanatics. Grabbing readers with powerful narration that makes them feel invested in Park’s story. Park starts at her beginning: living in the North Korean regime. Here, she shares her past of poverty and strife in the brainwashed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. She also includes her eventual escape, life in China and finally her settlement in South Korea. That said, the book does recount situations that may be too graphic for some to read, including the normality of seeing dead bodies in streets and Park’s life in China’s human trafficking rings. These parts aren’t terrible, but they are worth mentioning for readers who aren’t comfortable with those subjects. Along with her description of her reality prior to her escape to South Korea, Park also talks about how she still faced hardships even when she found ‘freedom.’ Discrimination, prejudice and assimilation into modern society were a few prime obstacles in her struggles within the industrialized Korean peninsula. She goes on to explain how she overcame these things and learned to accept her past and move forward to her future. This portion of the book brings added grit to the story, showing how some things don’t just become easy after reaching a goal. Adding to the immersion are the photos included within the book’s pages. These pictures show Park’s sister and parents in North Korea, giving a face to the people she writes about and making the story resonate with the reader even more. Park is relatable, and it’s easy to get attached to her. Even fiction lovers who don’t make autobiographies their genre of choice will be intrigued and find it a worthwhile read. Her story is just too unbelievable not to be true.

As endless-runners go, The Pit is a fairly casual game in the vein of Temple Run, in which the player controls a block shaped creature as it slides and jumps to avoid PREMIUM.APPLICATEKA.COM obstacles on an endless, straight, isometric path. The game is not as unforgiving or challenging as others in its genre. Obstacles are widely placed enough for a novice player to avoid with relative ease and the randomly generated levels mean that there is no progress lost upon death. Rather, the game restarts with a completely new, unending run. The Pit is also considerably slower than other endless-runners, which lends to the rather forgiving nature of the game. This lack of challenge can be a disappointment for some people as the thrill of pulling off incredible moves and lucky survivals doesn’t happen as often as in other games such as Subway Surfer. One thing that should be seen as a good aspect by most people is the beautiful art style of the game. The colors, mainly consisting of pink—save for the various unlockable characters—are very sharp and vibrant. The levels’ simple appearance is necessary in a skill based game like this, however casual the game may be. A spartan aesthetic allows for the screen to be less cluttered with useless design and gives the player better visual feedback as to what’s going on. Additionally, randomly generated levels increase the replay value of the game. Since no two levels have the same sets of obstacles, The Pit allows the user limitless retries. Another incentive to keep people playing is the ability to unlock different little creatures to play as, eight in total. These well-designed and adorable creatures keep users invested in the game and charging through the levels. The Pit is an enjoyable game that is very accessible to the wider audiences but might leave more hardcore players wanting a bit more in terms of a challenge. That said, the great look of the game and the fact that it’s free are more than enough to warrant a recommendation.

Instead of resuming where the first book in the Natural’s series left off, the sequel, Killer Instinct takes a turn and explores a case that unearths the dark secrets of those AMAZON.COM involved in the FBI’s program for the naturally gifted. Deemed the Naturals Program, the FBI finds and trains young teenagers who have a natural affinity for solving cold cases, to help them tie up loose-ends. The book begins with a sense of déjà vu for main character Cassie’s love interest, Dean, when a college-campus murder has the exact same M.O. as one his serial-killer father had committed earlier on. Cassie and the others in the program feel like they need to help solve it to put Dean’s mind at rest. With his father in jail, most believe the killer is just a copycat. However, soon they realize that all possible suspects have an alibi. Breaking the rules by investigating an active case and constantly butting heads with the new supervisor who despises the program, the Naturals are in danger of being shut down. As bodies pile up and stress mounts, author Julia Barnes successfully keeps the reader engrossed in the story. Readers will discover an entirely new type of criminal that most probably will not have read about before in any mystery book. Completely unique to this sequel, Barnes creates an unexpected criminal dynamic that comes as a surprise to the reader but doesn’t completely throw the reader off, either. What makes this situation unique is the high-level of intelligence involved with the murders and the solving of the murders. The idea is original and is a breathe of fresh air from the generic mystery novel. For fans of fast-paced action, this book is not the best. With a slow, suspenseful mystery that only has one short action scene, the book is no thriller, but still manages not to disappoint. In most cases, the sequel is always worse. However, Killer Instinct has brought incredibly unique ideas to the genre and successfully continued developing the series’ characters. For any readers who enjoy a good chilling mystery, this book is certain to go above and beyond expectations.

Need Your Light; Barsuk Records; iTunes; $7.99 2016

In Order to Live; 2015; Yeonmi Park; 288 pgs; $16

The Pit; Ketchapp; 2016; Available for Apple and Android; Free

Killer Instinct; 2014; Jennifer Lynn Barnes; 384 pgs; $7.99

By Abbey Cadieux

By Josie Bennett

By Giussepe Parison

By Katelynn Mulder


IDEAS Parents, please steer with students in mind

“Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – North Pointe – 9

Bless the Fourth Amendment

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Anu Subramaniam EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Olivia Asimakis MANAGING EDITOR

Katelyn Carney SPORTS EDITOR

Billy Moin NEWS EDITOR

Mora Downs LIFE EDITOR

Gowri Yerramalli BUSINESS MANAGER

Emma Puglia WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ritika Sanikommu IDEAS EDITOR Katelynn Mulder STAFF REPORTER

Yena Berhane EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Radiance Cooper ASSISTANT EDITOR

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Anu Subramaniam NBCNEWS.COM

MANAGING EDITOR: Olivia Asimakis MANAGING EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Jennifer Kusch EDITORS-AT-LARGE: Yena Berhane, Rey Kam SECTION EDITORS: Katelyn Carney, Mora Downs, Billy Moin, Ritika Sanikommu WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Emma Puglia WEB ASSISTANT EDITOR: Alex Harring BUSINESS MANAGER: Gowri Yerramalli PHOTO EDITORS: Sydney Benson, Dalaney Bradley, Ava Deloach, Bella DeSandy, Erinne Lubienski, Nicole Fazekas MULTIMEDIA EDITOR: Lauren Sexton ASSISTANT EDITORS: Emma Brock, Caitlin Bush, Abbey Cadieux, Radiance Cooper, Allison Lackner, Lindsey Ramsdell, Anna Post, Sarah Wietecha STAFF REPORTERS: Josie Bennett, Bella Lawson, Nathan Lonczynski, Trevor Mieczkowski, Katelynn Mulder, Sonny Mulpuri, Montana Paton, Olivia Robinson, Michal Ruprecht, Billy Steigelman, Tommy Teftsis, Addison Toutant INTERNS: Darcy Graham, Erin Kaled, Joey Parison, Asia Simmons The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review. Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System. We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center. We subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com. One copy is available free to all community members. Additional copies may be purchased. Our editorial policy and advertising rates are available online at northpointenow.org. The North Pointe is printed on 100% recycled paper. CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Twitter: @thenorthpointe Website: NorthPointeNow.org

EDITOR’S DESK ALEX HARRING

Dear parents, It’s 7:45 a.m. on a typical Tuesday in the middle of February. A student rushed out of her house, jamming her keys into the ignition. The car barely moved one block before a line of cars appeared on Vernier, seemingly frozen in time. She waited minute after minute. Her exasperation grew with every inch she drove as cars cut into the lane, and right before she could turn into the parking lot, an SUV stopped halfway through the turn to drop off a kid. Instead of the usual friendly smile he receives from this student driver, security guard Gill may hear a frustrated shout. Drivers understandably move slower in inclement weather to remain safe. There’s piles of snow on the ground, and the sky is ominously cloudy. While this may contribute to tardiness, the dreaded dropoff lanes hammer the nail in a late student’s coffin. Students’ excuses for tardiness vary, but one commonality they all share is how the backed-up turn lanes add precious minutes to the morning commute. Every second counts in the race to get to class. When veering into North’s property, the two initial lanes diverge into three: two with sidewalks and one in the middle. Most cars cling to the righthand curb, leaving the left lane barely used. That lane is meant for your use, parents. It provides a simple turn-around and quick exit. When parents don’t use the left lane of the school entrance, it creates a backup down Vernier that can reach Marter. Then both students and adults alike are stuck—late for school, late for work. However, by using the left lane, it would balance out the number of cars in the drop-off lanes, easing traffic flow. There’s no need to fret about students’ safety dropping them off in the left lane. A less frequently

used sidewalk lingers to the left, so there is a miniscule chance of your child being hit while crossing traffic in a parent-heavy area. Parents should raise concerns about the number of students who drive recklessly when running late. Drivers become viciously risky when speeding 45 mph down Vernier to reach North in three minutes. Adults and students alike attempt to cut vehicles off in the right lane as a way to skip the backup. With inexperienced drivers at large, this causes a greater chance for accidents just to enter the parking lot. By the time students complete the parking challenge, they must face the stares and broken attention from entering their classrooms late. According to a 2007 study by the National Center for Education Statistics, 31 percent of teachers reported that student tardiness and class cutting interfered with their teaching. In a school that places as much importance in being on time as it does, administrators could help exponentially with this situation. At Monteith Elementary in 2014, after numerous parent, resident and motorist complaints, the school teamed up with the Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Department to enforce parking ordinances against acts such as parking in the “no stopping, standing parking” zones or in the fire route. Instead of charging the $35-$175 fines Monteith resorted to, North could start with a community announcement or a sign held up by one of the security guards. A simple reminder may be all parents need. After all, just five minutes could mean the difference between arriving on time and getting caught in a hall sweep. Sincerely, Student drivers of North

“Yeah, because I could meet new people, learn (and) experience different cultures.”

“Yeah, I think it would be cool. I think that it would be a new experience and it would be interesting to do that.”

“Yes, because it would be interesting to see what the cultures are in other countries and to learn from people that live somewhere else.”

Chad Lorkowski

Marina Gabriel

Veronica Albo

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

Instant Norseman YOUR TURN: Would you ever travel abroad? Instant Norsemen Updates Updates

FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE

By Sydney Benson & Nicole Fazekas PHOTO EDITOR AND STAFF REPORTER

In 1787, the Constitution was created and ratified one year later. But some colonies were apprehensive to ratify it, so 10 amendments were added under the Bill of Rights. Fast forward to Dec. 2, 2015: the day of the shooting in San Bernardino, California. Fourteen people were killed and 22 were injured by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik. In the days following, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reached out to Apple for help locating information, and they complied with all reasonable requests. Apple CEO Tim Cook shared the U.S. government’s newest request in a customer letter released Feb. 16. They asked for something that would threaten a technologydriven world—something that even top Apple executives don’t have. The FBI asked for a backdoor to the iPhone. Government officials claim that this backdoor would only be used on one phone, one time. However, this request threatens our fundamental right of privacy guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. Federal workers are restricted from taking, searching or holding cell phones without a warrant and probable cause, ensuring that evidence is gained fairly. But with this proposed backdoor, they may not even need to leave their desks. The FBI is justifying their request by referencing the All Writs Act of 1789, according to Cook. The act states that all measures can be taken to aid the government’s respective jurisdiction. The problem with this justification? It’s outdated. Maybe when George Washington became the first President, and our country was coming off of a taxing war, this act would be a good idea for the sake of national security. In 1789 when the first American novel was published, this act would be a fine way to keep up with this new form of communication. Not in 2016. Our lives our are dominated by electronics. According to a 2013 study from Pew Research Center, 56 percent of U.S. citizens own a smartphone, and 25 percent of those are sporting an iPhone. This backdoor may seem like the simple resolution, but the idea sets a dangerous precedent. Cook believes this backdoor would allow government offcials to locate and extract the user’s data and could lead to darker requests, such as surveillance software, and I agree. It may help catch the bad guys, but for those who aren’t involved in illegal activity, it is unwarranted, unnecessary and unfair. In t he da ily Pledge of A llegia nce, we give our loya lt y a nd complia nce to t he law in return for our liberties a nd rights. I follow t he Constitution a nd ot her laws, like t he Pledge asks, a nd I respect government of f icia ls a nd cooperate w it h reasonable requests. I hold up my end of t he ba rga in, a nd now t he government needs to keep up t heirs.

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stant Norseman Updates

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“I kind of would, but I don’t know where I would go to study. My teacher, Señor (Andrew) Tucker, was telling me that it would be so good to study in some place like Mexico, and he studied abroad in Spain. He kind of inspired me to do that.”

“Yeah. I went to South, and when I was a senior, we went to Costa Rica for 10 days, and it was so cool. Once you’re immersed in the culture, I think it’s completely different, and I surprised myself with how much I knew.”

“I would love to study abroad. It’s such a wonderful experience. You immerse yourself in the culture and that—you can’t necessarily get the same experience in the classroom.”

Kenny Carter SENIOR

Dana Davenport SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Daniel Gilleran SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER


SPORTS

10 – North Pointe – Wednesday, March 2, 2016

WW W W. IR FA AY . CO M

Solidifying Success

d ize on hr nc sy or tf uc ge ma od da pr ir rm -te ha e ng ry n th s lo to eve use da hat a c nt t an n i t poi ela am he is to t eg ove . Th ch em hi ers estion to r w m ers qu ult im c ffi wimm sw i nce. S is d prese and t to its objec drains proves their ut believe it im its initial use b

overall performan ce. So should its u se be requir ed for a ll s w im mers?

Kn ox is a nu nfl av or ed

Je ll-O

By Radiance Cooper ASSISTANT EDITOR

K nox i s a clea r gelat i n ( l i ke u n f lavored Jel lO ) nor ma l ly u sed i n recipes. It i s a l so u sed by member s of t he s y nch ron i z ed s w i m tea m, w ho apply it to t hei r ha i r before ever y meet. T he gel helps keep t he s w i m mer s’ ha i r i n a per fec t bu n du r i ng a per for ma nce a s wel l a s show of f t he tea m’s appea ra nce w it h t he judges du r i ng compet it ion s. “W hat we have to do i s we t a ke a c up a nd put t he powdered K nox (i n), a nd t hen we put hot w ater i n,” sophomore Z oey L ig htbody sa id. “You u se pa i nt br u shes to sor t of pa i nt it onto ou r ha i r t hat ’s u sua l ly i n a bu n w hen we’re put t i ng it on, a nd it ha rden s onto ou r ha i r.” Bec au se spor t i ng t he gel at compet it ion s i ncrea ses t he cha nce of ma k i ng a good i mpression on t he judges, tea m member s a re requ i red to wea r it. Opt i ng out of wea r i ng t he gel du ri ng t he meet cou ld mea n loss of poi nt s du r i ng a rout i ne. Hav i ng to wea r t he gelat i n for meet s c a n come w it h ot her problem s for t he s w i m mer s. A lt houg h t he gelat i n it sel f doesn’t do a ny da mage to ha i r, pick i ng or scratch i ng at it c a n c au se pieces of ha i r to fa l l of f. “T hat ’s w hy t hey tel l you not to pick it bec au se it ha rden s,” L ig htbody sa id. “It ’s rea l ly ha rd not to touch, a nd i f you pick it too much it c a n g ive you ba ld spot s.” A f ter a meet, get t i ng K nox out of ha i r a l so c a n be t i me con su m i ng. “It depend s on how much you put on, but

mi xtu re

la st yea r we fou nd out apple cider v i nega r helps brea k dow n t he K nox bec au se of t he acid it y,” sophomore K i ley Weit z ma n sa id v ia ema i l. “You have to have t he w ater ex t remely hot, t houg h. So, it ’s pret t y d i f f ic u lt.” K nox c a n a l so clog plu mbi ng , lead i ng some member s to t a ke a lter nat ive met hod s to avoid w a sh i ng it out dow n t he d ra i n s. “My mom ha s to w a sh my ha i r i n t he si n k w it h a bucket so it doesn’t go dow n t he d ra i n,” L ig htbody sa id. “Somet i mes she’l l t a ke me to Great C l ips for a $ 5 sha mpoo.” Coaches Jessie Sut ton a nd L au ren Ma r t i n a re ada ma nt about ever y member of t he tea m wea ri ng it du r i ng compet it ion s. Despite t he cha llenges it poses for tea m member s, it i s more helpf u l t ha n problemat ic. “A not her t h i ng besides t he look of it, keepi ng up t he appea ra nce, i s t hat it ’l l keep t he ha i r out of you r face, too, w h ich i s a huge fac tor,” Sut ton sa id. “You’ve got to keep you r eyes open w ide, you have to be sm i l i ng (a nd) you have to be aw a re of you r su r rou nd i ngs at a l l t i mes. So, you don’t w a nt a ny f ly-aw ay s.” T he u se of gelat i n i n t he world of s y nch ron i z ed s w i m m i ng i s a t rad it ion c a r r ied out at h ig h school a nd a l l t he w ay up to t he Oly mpic level. L i ke t he coaches, ma ny s w i m mer s on t he tea m bel ieve t hat u si ng gel i mproves t hei r perfor ma nce. “Honest ly, I feel l i ke it ’s wor t h it.” Weit z ma n n sa id. “Yes, it may not be t he best t h i ng to do before a meet, but it bond s u s toget her a nd ma kes u s look more professiona l.”

WWW. OECONLINE.ORG


SPORTS

putting the By Erin Kaled & Sonny Mulpuri STAFF REPORTERS

On season a nd of f, at h letes of ten fol low t hei r ow n t ra i n i ng reg i mens to i mprove on aspects of t hei r ga me t hat weren’t as pol ished as ot hers. St udents choose to pay for pr ivate lessons f rom a pr ivate coach i n order to persona l ly g row. Even t houg h t he concept of tea mwork d i m i n ishes usi ng i nd iv idua l lessons, t he players t hemselves a re i mprov i ng so t hei r tea ms ca n become bet ter as wel l. Pr ivate lessons have va r y i ng d r i l ls t hat a re pract iced depend i ng on t he coach a nd how long t he lesson usua l ly is. Ma ny t i mes du r i ng t he of fseason i n baseba l l, tea m mates may get toget her to h it a rou nd, play catch or work on t hei r mecha n ics, especia l ly i f t hey a re a pa r t of a tea m outside of school. Sophomore Jack Fly n n ta kes pr ivate lessons to i mprove h is ga me so when t he baseba l l season comes a rou nd, he is ready to go. “You’re able to work bet ter w it h you r tea m mates a nd get to k now t hem more,” Fly n n sa id. “Lately, I’ve

North Pointe – Wednesday, March 2, 2016 – 11

in TEAM

Students venture outside traditional team practicies to enhance training

been ta k i ng t hem for out f ield a nd h it t i ng. Ever y so of ten, I’l l be worki ng on pitch i ng.” Ever y spor t has d i f ferent t ra i n i ng. In ten n is, t he st udent usua l ly pract ices how to ser ve, foreha nd, a nd back ha nd. At h letes get to choose t he pa r ts of t hei r ga mes t hat t hey wa nt to i mprove, a nd t he coach spends t he a mou nt of t i me ava i lable i n t he lesson to cor rect it. Sophomore Bla ke Da n na has ta ken pr ivate ten n is lessons si nce m idd le school a nd has seen a d i rect cor relat ion bet ween ta k i ng ex t ra lessons a nd per for ma nce. “T he people who ta ke pr ivate lessons w i l l lea r n st rateg y a nd how to play bet ter,” Da n na sa id. “T he people who don’t ta ke pr ivates ( lessons) just cont i nue to play t he sa me.” Many believe lessons’ effects on teamwork depend on the sport at hand. Not all varsity coaches teach lessons, but students are not required to select their normal coach for their private lessons. Since not all teammates have the same coaches for individual lessons, athletes learn different techniques.

“Everybody has the opportunity to take private lessons,” varsity tennis coach John Van Alst said. “It’s however people choose to use their spare time. I don’t necessarily think that if we (both) took private lessons, and you did better than me, that wouldn’t be that you tried harder or you worked harder.” Di f ferent coaches ca n a lso mea n st udents develop at d i f ferent levels, wh ich ca n pose a problem when t he reg u la r season com mences. However, some at h letes bel ieve t hat t he cha nce to play w it h a coach sepa rately ca n act ua l ly i mprove t hei r ga me a nd t hey cou ld sha re t hei r k nowledge w it h t hei r tea m mates. “A s long as ever yone has t he equa l oppor t u n it y to pract ice w it h t hei r coach a lone, I t h i n k spend i ng ex t ra t i me w it h t he coach is fa i r,” ju n ior A sh ley Ca r rol l sa id. Some at h letes may t h i n k t hat i f a va rsit y coach g ives pr ivate lessons, t here w i l l be some bias towa rds t hat at h lete du r i ng t he season. A coach cou ld develop favor it ism towa rds t hat speci f ic player, a nd t hat player m ig ht a lso receive more at tent ion at

pract ices du r i ng t he season. T h is ca n negat ively a f fect tea mwork because one i nd iv idua l is bei ng focused rat her t ha n t he whole tea m toget her. However, sophomore Rut h McCuen doesn’t bel ieve t hat t he va rsit y coach g iv i ng lessons is a n u n fa i r adva ntage or reduces tea mwork. “I t h i n k it’s fa i r because even i f you’re on J V, you ca n st i l l ta ke lessons w it h t he va rsit y coach to get more sk i l l or f ig u re out what you need to i mprove on to get on va rsit y,” McCuen sa id. Pr ivate lessons cou ld be ta ken as a n adva ntage a nd d isadva ntage dependi ng on t he persona l it y a nd possible favor it ism f rom t he coach. Nonet heless, ma ny at h letes bel ieve t hey w i l l do no ha r m a nd w i l l act ua l ly help t he tea m i n ma ny ways. “T hey ’re good because t hey help you w it h t he t h i ngs you need to work on i nd iv idua l ly to get bet ter,” Fly n n sa id. “Ever ybody st i l l needs to work on somet h i ng. Ever ybody ’s not t he best at ever y t h i ng.”

JACK FLYNN

ABOVE: Sophomore Jack Flynn steps up to the plate. RIGHT: Sophomore Ruth McCuen tosses the ball up as she prepares to serve.

RUTH MCCUEN

“Staying Strong” gala to raise funds for Aulph scholarship By Olivia Robinson STAFF REPORTER

With orange classroom walls, jazz-singing fish and annual red-velvet Christmas suits, Parcells Spanish teacher and North JV football coach Brian Aulph had a lasting effect on his students. Aulph died in 2013. On Friday, Apr. 29, the Brian M. Aulph Memorial Committee is hosting the “Staying Strong” gala to help preserve his legacy as well as raise funds for the Brian Aulph Attitude and Effort Award. The gala will be from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. at Barrister Gardens in St. Clair Shores. The award is for student athletes that demonstrate the virtues Aulph valued. “An ideal candidate for the award would be an athlete who has displayed outstanding attitude and effort during their participation in Grosse Pointe North Athletics,” Aulph’s wife, Holly Aulph said. “Nominations can be submitted by head coaches, counselors or teammates.” Class of 2015 alumna Nikki Haggerty remembers the impact Brian had as a teacher. “This scholarship compared me to a man that has such a huge impact on so many people and on myself as well,” Haggerty said. “Mr. Aulph had a way of conveying his wisdom to everyone with every word he spoke.” Haggerty was honored with the award and scholarship as a senior in 2015 and said that receiving it inspired her to continue using Brian as an inspiration. Another Class of 2015 Alum Joe Ciaravino said he uses Brian’s words to fuel his inspiration to endure grueling races and other aspects of his life. “Mr. Aulph always emphasized that there were two things you

could control in a situation—your attitude and your effort,” Ciaravino said. “You are the only one that determines what your attitude is going to be like and only you can give your best effort.” Ciaravino remembers the patience Brian showed him while on an ice-fishing trip, assisting him rather than catching his own fish. “He always made sure everyone was having a good time and taken care of,” Ciaravino said. Being a student in Brian’s class meant learning life lessons and Spanish at the same time. “The day he told our class that his son was diagnosed with cancer, he broke down into tears in front of our classroom. The next day he came in with a smile on his face,” Haggerty said. “He continued to be strong throughout his son’s cancer treatment, WWW.GPSCHOOLS.SCHOOLWIRES.NET but through his actions he allowed us all to learn that vulnerability does not always mean weakness, but rather showed it can lead to strength as well.” The gala will include a variety of activities including dinner, dancing, a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. Proceeds from the raffle and auction will go to the Sand Castles Camp Erin-Detroit Area, a local organization dedicated to support children who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The organization is close to the Aulph family. “Our two children, Addy and Nicholas, have attended this camp several times, and it has aided greatly to their healing since Mr. Aulph’s passing,” Holly said. “We are very excited for the gala as we continue to honor Mr. Aulph’s love for his students and his children. Everyone in the community is welcomed to attend.” To attend the event call (586) 792-1500 and reference the gala. More information can be found at www. gpschools.schoolwires. WWW.GPSCHOOLS.SCHOOLWIRES.NET net/aulphgala. ABOVE: The late Brian Aulph poses in his classroom at Parcells Middle School.


IDEAS

12 – Wednesday, March 2, 2016– North Pointe

By Olivia Asimakis MANAGING EDITOR

He never anticipated a fitness career. Senior Andrew Tomasi is a member of the boys hockey With a degree in engineering from Boston Universi- team, but Fox has been training him on and off for a few ty, personal trainer and managing partner of Next Level years. Tomasi noted how the workouts are intense, yet fun Health & Fitness Mike Fox began his profession in health- at the same time. care initially as a side job. When his clientele increased, “I don’t know how to put it, but people have a certain limited time forced Fox to make a career choice. respect for him that they may not have for other trainers,” “I said, ‘Okay, you know what? Engineering I don’t really Tomasi said via email. “He really emphasizes not saying like too much anyways, and I don’t the word ‘can’t’ which is important have that much time. I’m not able to because it helps you get rid of negatrain as much,’” Fox said. “I decided He really emphasizes not tive thoughts.” to make a decision that I wanted to Fox’s expertise has earned him do this full time, or I’m not going to saying the word ‘can’t’ which is a name in Allure Magazine as one do it at all. (I) took a chance, quit evof the top trainers in America three erything and dove right in head first important because it helps you times in the past five years. To be as a trainer. After about seven years considered for this honor, Fox was working for someone else, I decided get rid of negative thoughts. anonymously nominated and then to open up my own place.” secretly evaluated. After he passed Fox earned a master’s degree in these initial two steps, he moved on Andrew Tomasi exercise physiology from Wayne to an interview and Q&A. State University and has been runSENIOR “It was a little more intense than ning Next Level Health & Fitness for what I’m used to. It was almost over nine years. Their 10-year annilike being back in college and deversary will be March 20. Fox notices fending a paper or something,” Fox the vibe of Next Level is unique in that the training staff and said. “It was a lot of fun, and I would say it’s one of the bigmembers are all familiar and keep tabs on each other. gest honors I’ve gotten thus far.” “It’s been a long and hard process, but it’s been very reNext Level’s members range in age from 11 to 91, and warding,” Fox said. “Everyone knows each other. If you Fox appreciates the opportunity to work with such a wide haven’t been in a while, people take notice.” variety of people. He feels his job has allowed him to conAlong with managing the gym, Fox also works at the nect with others and be an influential part of their lives. Mack Athletic Complex (MAC). Starting around 4:50 a.m., “It’s affected me in a great way ... especially when I Fox spends his mornings at Next Level and ends his day at talk to young kids that are going to college. I explain to 9 p.m. at The MAC. On top of that, he currently works with them that it took me four years literally to figure out what South football and girls basketball teams. Last year, he I didn’t really want to do in college. Just because you have a helped train boys hockey at North. degree in something doesn’t mean you have to practice that.”

Mike Fox

MIKE FOX

Popping the bubble

This week we introduce you to some local fitness instructors to uncover the stories you might not know

By Yena Berhane EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Mother, w ife, nutritionist, personal trainer. A belief in fitness and a drive to help people take a step ever y day to improve their health propelled Jackie Byrne into the fitness industr y. “I have always been interested in health and fitness,” Byrne said v ia email. “This career allowed me the freedom to work on my ow n terms and help people at the same time.” As a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with 10 years of experience, Byrne helps clients on their fitness journeys by creating realistic and tangible goals with lifestyle changes. As a traveling trainer, she is able to travel to a client’s location but also trains some clients out of her personal studio for individual or group sessions. “I genuinely enjoy being active, and I see the benefits to it in my life and

the lives of my clients,” Byrne said. Through positive reinforcement, periodic check-ins intended to assess physical and psychological changes and incorporating nutritional counseling, Byrne has gained followers that range from 12-year-old athletes to 70-year-olds looking to stay mobile. Clients learn about her ser v ices through word-of-mouth and contact her through her website w w w.jackiethetrainer.com. W hile she clocks over 30 hours a week training others, that time commitment doesn’t include planning workouts, keeping in touch w ith clients or travel time. For Byrne, fitness has become a full-time career. Being a mom first, she sometimes brings her 4-year-old to training sessions that w ill leave an impact on a client but

By Emma Puglia WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jackie Stevens

also make a positive impression on her son’s understanding of a healthy lifestyle, “My son loves to work out. He starts classes, knows how to get my clients warmed up, and can even help them stretch,” Byrne said. “I tr y to instill the same good habits of fitness and nutrition that I do w ith my clients.” Byrne holds a class for the teachers once a week, allow ing them to a break from teaching and rela x. “Her class is one of my favorite parts of the week,” science teacher Elizabeth Michaels said v ia email. “It is nice to be able to work out and destress while someone else is doing the thinking for me. She is a great motivator, and I always walk away feeling better than I did when I got there.”

In an increasingly fastpaced world, the average adult breathes 12 to 16 times per minute. However, in order to increase energy and cognitive abilities, the authors of Perfect Breathing

discovered that the ideal respiration rate is 10 or less breaths per minute. Living Waters yoga instructor Jacqueline Stevens implements deep breathing as a part of her classes, which includes Yoga Mix and Strength Journey. “We go fast all day long, so it’s really good to slow dow n and be more aware about what your body’s doing and how your body’s feeling and your breath,” Stevens said. “Physically, it just makes me feel ver y strong, holding those tough poses for a long time ... I feel like a lot of us neglect stretching, and the importance of stretching and focus on reps and heav y lifting—that’s important too—but there’s so much importance in stretching and taking care of our muscles in that sense. It’s such a mind-body-spirit experience for yoga, especially at Living Waters.” Sophomore Charlotte Duus became a yoga enthusiast when she was in sixth grade. In exchange for babysitting for the kids yoga class at Liv ing Waters, she received free lessons. JACKIE STEVENS

JACKIE BYRNE

Jackie Byrne

W hen Duus entered high school, she began to use yoga as a way to destress. “I love the worship aspect and the worship music. It rela xes you, and they have scriptures before each class, so that’s really nice,” Duus said. “They have these yoga sprays like lavender, so that rela xes me.” Similar to Duus, Stevens has worked on her stretches since middle school. She spent her summers home from Indiana University participating in yoga w ith a group of students in the basement of her spiritual mentor, Melissa Gray. Once the teachings transformed into a studio, Stevens chose to instruct classes at Liv ing Waters because of her passion for the activ ity and to further connect w ith God. “I’m ver y close w ith all of the women. It’s so amazing when we get together. We get together as a big group a few times a year. We just have so much fun,” Stevens said. “It’s so good and healthy for me to be around adult women who have great marriages, great relationships w ith God.” Stevens is currently working as a social worker at the Children’s Center of Wayne County to help young adults w ith their problems. “I’m so open-minded to where God takes me. I feel like I could have set in stone plans and they could totally f lip upside dow n and change. I’d say long-term, I’d love to continue doing therapy and working w ith kids, maybe in more of a private practice setting one day,” Stevens said. “I’d love to be able to combine therapy, faith and yoga, somehow. It’s a mish-mash, but they all inter-connect.”


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