North Pointe - Issue 1 - Sept. 20, 2017

ON CAMPUS PAGE 4 Teachers and parents meet and greet on Back to School Night on Thursday, Sept. 14.

NORTH

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20, 2017

COMMON GROUND

Opposing groups address School Board over residency re-verification requirements

Sept. 21 in the cafeteria from 3-4 p.m.

LINK CREW TAILGATE

Sept. 21 in Cooper's Square at 3:15 p.m.

NORTH-SOUTH TAILGATE

Sept. 22 at South High School at 5 p.m.

NORTH-SOUTH FOOTBALL GAME

Sept. 22 at South High School at 7 p.m.

SAT/ACT PREP CLASSES Sept. 25-27 in B-312 from 3:05-6 p.m.

"12 ANGRY JURORS"

Sept. 28-30 in the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.

INSIDE "My career is

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By Amber Braker & Elizabeth Ballinger PAGE EDITORS

Monday-Thursday and 8 a..m to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Though appointments can be made for later times, Rogers and others said this is At the School Board meeting on Monday, not well publicized.

Sept. 11, several community members Not everyone has such strong views stood up to voice their complaints about the on this issue, however. Sherri Liagre, residency verification process. Among them a mother of three children who have was Anne Marie Rogers. attended Grosse Pointe Public Schools Every year, 10 percent of families with over a span of 12 years, said that she has children in Grosse Pointe public schools had to re-verify about six times. She does have to verify their residency within the not see a problem with the current system.

“I don’t think it's too lenient. I think it's just district. Since the 2013-14 school year, every fine.

I think that if you’re a resident and you’re student going into sixth and ninth grade has paying your taxes, which you need to be to had to re-verify. have students participating in the district, for Rogers currently has three children me, that’s easy enrolled in Grosse to understand Pointe Public why we Schools and said would have some parts of the a residency residency verification ver i f icat ion process is excessive. like this. I don’t Rogers and other have anything advocates of an to hide so it's easier verification not really a procedure have problem for offered suggestions me,” Liagre on improvements said.

“I that could be made appreciate the to streamline the fact that the process and make Anne Marie Rogers district is trying it more accessible to do something to make sure that each for residents. student participating in the district is actually “I would like to have, after the initial a resident.

I really don’t have strong feelings verification, people be able to submit their one way or another.

I see how it's necessary, documents electronically as an option,” Rogers said. “There are many stories about and so I’m happy to participate.”

There are also some who feel that the people who had to undo amounts of problems current residency verification requirements due to not having proper documentation.” aren’t enough.

Residents for Residency is Rogers said that the residency process a local group dedicated to making sure is especially hard on renters. They have that the residency guidelines are followed to re-verify every time they renew their and do not become too lenient.

Diane lease, for some this means going through Karabetsos, a member of Residents for the process annually.

Residency whose children graduated from Another concern of the group is the hardship on working parents. The residency the district, said that lenient requirements office is open to walk-ins from 8 a.m. to 4 pm allow people to commit fraud.

“

People should have the strength of character to make a complaint and state who they are.

“

INTERACT CLUB MEETING

POINTE

NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG

GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

UPCOMING EVENTS

ALL PHOTOS BY MARINA GABRIEL

“The residency policy requirements investigations in the past three years.

However, the number of both reports became more detailed with a newer version of the existing policy in 2006,” Karabetsos said of and investigations into fraud have via email. “It was the result of the community decreased. Rogers wants callers to be realizing the high amount of residency fraud documented to ensure that no one family and students attending Grosse Pointe Schools or group is being targeted. with fraudulent paperwork.”

“People should have the strength She suggested a simple fix for checking of character to make a complaint residency by having the cities cross check and state who they are. I believe a student’s address with the existing school that having (the tip line) anonymous system's data in a computer program. opens the floodgates for people who Karabetsos said that while the district has would like to harass people they a good written policy, it isn’t always enforced. don’t like or people to target certain She also said that residency is an important people,” Rogers said. “I don’t think issue because since it is the residents of Grosse any individuals in the community Pointe and Harper Woods paying taxes to the need to be conducting their own schools, they should be the ones receiving an investigations, and I believe that that’s something that the board education from those schools.

“Grosse Pointe Public Schools have a needs to send a stern signal (about) good policy on residency but it has not always to anyone who thinks they can take it upon themselves been completely to investigate enforced .... if you students in live here, you go to the district for school here,” she residency.” said. “Residency is U l t i m a t e l y, an important issue The district has spent $75,000 over the last five years Rogers said her for the integrity investigating residency fraud and the other of the whole parents advocating community. It is the integrity of the Ten percent of district families alongside her want re-verify residency each year a process that tax system. Grosse is fair, as does Pointe pays more Residency fraud reports can Karabetsos, but taxes for sinking be made to the district through wants the district funds and bond an anonomous tip line to keep the idea issues to educate of inclusivity at their students.

Those tax dollars Students entering grades six and the forefront of all nine must re-verify residency decisions. come directly from “I would like Grosse Pointe and Grosse Pointe to be a more inclusive Harper Woods taxpayers.”

The unnamed group of parents opposing place, and when people are coming in Residents for Residency is also concerned and having difficulty registering their about the anonymous tip line that is available kid for school, they're not sending to report possible residency fraud, Rogers the message of inclusiveness.” said. According Superintendent Gary Niehaus, the district has spent $74,528 on

RESIDENCY fast facts

undervalued

Family Center partners up for mental health training

when I feel like it is the

MOST IMPORTANT

By Anna Post & Zoe Graves EDITOR-AT-LARGE & PAGE EDITOR

job in the world."

PAGE 7

"My Longtime business teacher joins administration STUDENTS Michelle Davis steps are the

reason I

teach."

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"I didn't want to

spend MY TIME

working in the lab."

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up to the plate as new athletic director

By Sonny Mulpuri & Billy Steigeman WEBSITE EDITORS From business teacher to DECA adviser to department chair to business co-op coordinator, Michelle Davis has had a variety of experiences working with students over her 23 years teaching and coaching.

This year, she is done warming up— it’s game time. At the Board of Education meeting on Aug. 28, Davis was approved by the School Board as the new assistant principal/athletic director.

Davis found the opportunity after hearing of assistant principal and athletic director Brian Shelson’s announcement that he was leaving Aug. 12 for Stoney Creek High School. Shortly thereafter, the interview process started for his new replacement.

“There was an interview panel of 14, so it was teachers, parents, students, coaches, administrators of the secondary directive

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

VOLUME 50 | ISSUE 1

curriculum,” Davis said. “So that was the next step, and that was about a 45-minute interview there, and then once you made it past that, I went on to have an interview with the superintendent, assistant superintendent and Mrs. Murray.”

While the decision was made public at the board meeting, Davis found out the weekend before. With her familiarity of the atmosphere, she hopes to hit the ground running and make the first few weeks smooth.

Davis said her goal is to stay involved in the the business department even though she isn’t the department chair anymore, and she plans to continue being the DECA adviser.

“She’s very straightforward, she’s always on top of things, she takes care of everything,” Davis's son, senior Nate Davis, said. “She makes sure everything is in line, and if it isn’t, she makes sure it gets put back in line.”

That same principle applies to the business department. Business teacher Brian Levinson said he hopes to expand on the headway they’ve made together as the new business department chair.

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“So far the change has kept me busy— many late nights already this year. I expect to continue the growth of the business department and carry on with the mission Mrs. Davis and I developed,” Levinson said. “Filling the void is not an easy task.

She is passionate about helping students and teaching students about business. She is someone that gets things done.”

However, for the foreseeable future, Michelle is focused on improving the school and the athletic department in any ways she sees fit. She said she will give special attention to making sure all student-athletes are meeting the grade requirements and are paying the team fee for each sport.

“I want to help (the staff) grow as educators as best they can and support them in their roles as educators in the building and as instructional leaders in the building,” Michelle said. “Every student should be a student before an athlete. If they ever want to talk about anything or have any ideas about anything, they should come to me because my door is always open.”

Today, one in five teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 struggle with a mental health condition according to the National Alliance for Mental Health. Yet few actually seek help. In an attempt to change that, the Family Center is partnering with the Grosse Pointe News and Grosse Pointe Memorial Church for two mental health first aid classes for adults who regularly work with youth.

Instead of teaching people how to treat a student struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, the classes will be giving participants tools to guide them through it. The two eight-hour sessions are free and are geared towards anyone who regularly works with young adults ages 14-25 such as teachers, nurses and coaches.

“It is not our specific goal to train teachers,” Communications and Program Support Coordinator Paige Domzalski said. “We offer programs supporting families across a vast array of issues—and again, we would happily host teachers as desired, but not a specific goal or mission. We hope to have teachers in attendance, but it is open to the community at large.”

The mental health training class is not just limited to the topics of depression and suicide.

It also deals with how to help when a student is dealing with substance abuse, anxiety, panic attacks and traumatic events.

The two courses are similar to CPR training in the sense that adults who take them will receive a three-year first responder certification.

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Editorial On Campus

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Life Sports

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NEWS

2 – North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017

IN BRIEF Link Crew hosts tailgate for freshman football On Sept. 21 in Cooper’s Square, all freshmen were invited to hang out with Link Crew members before the North vs. South game.

“The Link Crew Tailgate is a really fun event, where before the football game freshmen can have fun,” senior Alex Dean said.

Ninth graders can enjoy food and drinks right after school with their friends outside. This event was designed to get them excited for the big gameand is an opportunity for freshmen to meet with their Link Crew leaders to check in with them.

“It is a good time to meet new people and enjoy the start of high school,” freshman Andrew Peabody said.

This was only one of the activities Link Crew has planned for the year in order to make freshmen feel comfortable and welcome in their new home. “(The Tailgate) sets up a really good foundation for relationships and stuff throughout the year,” Dean said.

Email domain changes During the summer of 2017, Grosse Pointe Public Schools decided to change the district’s email addresses to “.org” versus the previous “.com.”

When asked about the change, English teacher Allison Dunn doesn’t view the switch as a complication.

“I like the change a lot. I use Google for everything anyways, so it would be an easy switch,” Dunn said.

Even though some teachers like it, the email change is debatable between students. It caused some confusion for students who tried to access their school emails over the summer, according to senior Raigan Towns. “(The email change) kinda switched everything up for everyone who was already here when everything was ‘.com,’ but we’re smart people, we can figure it out,” Towns said.

Along with the the email change, a new two-step verification is also required. Students will log into the normal Google screen and then a second screen will appear with the GPPSS logo and a second login that asks for students’ ID numbers and school passwords.

“My friend Cooper didn’t know how to login for like the first week so he didn’t get any of the Google Classrooms or anything like that because he didn’t know how to log in, but someone finally told him that it changed,” Towns said.

So with a short learning curve, the new email system is up and running.

By Jordan Craighead

Privatized security staff arrives for first day Contrary to popular belief, there hasn’t been an increase in school security since the new district-wide budget was implemented. According to Assistant Principal Tom Beach, two hall monitors have been outsourced to Ricco Security, a company North has worked with for years.

“It was really sad to see them go, and I personally miss the people,” English teacher Kristen Alles said.

“But, I’m sure the new people are wonderful.”

Both Alles and senior Reagan Bastien added that the quality of security hasn’t changed even though the outsourcing decreases costs.

“If anything, these people are more strict, and I think that potentially could be beneficial,” Bastien said.

By Sophie Kehrig

S.A. expands homecoming parade Amidst the spirited f loats and faces making their way down Cook Road on Oct. 6, one may notice some new additions to the homecoming parade this year.

In an effort to get more of the community involved in the festivities, Student Association will be including more student groups in this year’s parade.

Usually, the parade consists of each grade’s f loat, the homecoming court cars and students.

“We’re going to involve the Public Safety Department, where there will be a fire truck and some police cars,” Student Association adviser Jonathan Byrne said. “We’re also inviting scout troops from the elementary schools, and then the student groups from Grosse Pointe North.”

For more details on the parade and f loat building, contact science teacher Kristen Lee or Sarah Hunter, the speech pathologist in the counseling office (freshmen), English teachers Alyssa Sandoval or Alison Dunn (sophomores), science teacher Elizabeth Michaels or records clerk Paula Stapperfenne ( juniors) and social studies teacher Sean McCarroll (seniors).

By Cairington Stahl

Family Center CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I think this is a great opportunity for people who work with youth, and I'm so glad that the Family Center is offering this to the public. I do not know the group that is doing the training but really think this is an incredible opportunity for people in our community,” counselor Jenny Sherman said via email. “I believe that training helps people feel more confident in how to work with and address these serious topics for students. I also hope kids see these types of training programs and truly feel the concern adults have in wanting to help and keep them safe.”

According to The National Institute of Mental Health, 12.5 percent of adolescents under the age of 12 have suffered with at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Multiple cases involving younger patients go undetected

because younger students tend to feel ashamed or misunderstood. In attempts to provide support and spread awareness, middle schools across the district plan to launch a Mindfulness Initiative which includes trained professionals who teach lessons on mindfulness and self-acceptance to seventh and eighth graders.

Angie Niforos, a Brownell Middle School counselor and member of the district crisis team, stresses the significance in being a prominent advocate for students struggling with mental health issues.

Niforos does her best to stay involved in the community, working with organizations such as the Grosse Pointe Community Health Alliance. She also took a class on anxiety and stress over the summer to learn new skills to be better able to assist her students.

“As a school counselor, I am always looking for opportunities to learn about resources and strategies that bring awareness to mental health,” Niforos said. “ I hope students and teachers learn that there are ways to help yourself if you are

struggling with a mental health diagnosis. Selfcare is very important and often put aside due to fear of being labeled. If you have a mental health diagnosis it is important to educate yourself about your diagnosis, seek treatment options and learn where to go for support.”

Sophomore Rhea Janka hopes that these courses will encourage more teachers to get basic mental health training to help them understand the impact mental illnesses have on others.

“It’s always been a big issue, like throughout history people were like, ‘Oh yeah, van Gogh was so great,’ but he had serious mental health issues, and people romanticized that a little too much,” Janka said. “I was trolling the internet the other day, and I came across this study, and apparently we’re— our generation—is one of the most anxiety-driven in the history of ever, so (mental health issues are) definitely more (common).”

North teachers ranked first among Michigan public schools

By Rory Angott STAFF REPORTER

North teachers were ranked first out of 687 public high schools in Michigan by Niche, a resource for ranking schools within the United States.

“I’ve seen North grow and change, and I think that North is stronger now than it ever has been,” Principal Kate Murray said. “(It is) students, parents and teachers that have changed throughout the years and that we have a very unified commitment to making sure that all of our students are learning.”

Niche sets standards that North teachers surpass given all the time they put into North, which is proven by statistics from Niche.

And although this specific award is for the teachers and their work, North students should also rejoice.

“Our students are phenomenal,” Murray said.

“They love being Norsemen.

They have high expectations for themselves. They come from a community that supports, honors and celebrates North, and that helps everyone, especially our students, learn more.”

According to U.S. News & World Report, 52 percent of North students were enrolled in Advanced Placement classes in 2015. Of those students, 71 percent passed their AP exams, higher than the state average.

Not only do North students

excel in AP classes. They generally test more proficiently in core subjects than the average student in Michigan. Seventy percent of North students score proficiently in English, while the Michigan average is 40 percent.

For math, 45 percent of students scored proficiently with the state average at 20 percent.

Setting aside test scores and hard statistics, North

teachers have the pleasure of being at a school where administration constantly reminds the people who teach and attend it that North is a place of welcomeness.

“As a young teacher, I think that the administration has been tremendously helpful,” math teacher Eric Vanston said. “North

has really pushed on me the sense of community, family, culture and team. That has helped our staff grow closer together which has, in turn, helped our students grow closer, too.”

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Not only have North students made the school such a welcoming place, North teachers make sure their students feel comfortable throughout their day.

According to The Guardian, 80.5 percent of incoming teachers said that their main reason for pursuing their profession was SO

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that they enjoy spending time with their students.

“My students are the reason I teach,” German teacher Susan Sipos said. “Everyone needs a place to feel good.

I can provide that and happiness for them. That’s what makes me whole as a person. My students here at North are also some of the most supportive I’ve had.”

North teachers say that one of the biggest benefits of North is that it’s unique in its sense of communication, giving everyone a voice in their educational endeavours.

“I have taught at eight different schools in New York state and in Michigan, and I know that this is the place,” French teacher Pamela Foster said. “In my other schools, I never really got the sense that everyone was almost like an equal, and I just love that family feeling that we experience here.”

Finding a balance between time in the classroom and the things they do in their free time can be difficult.

According to North teachers, that’s not such a difficult feat to overcome.

North teachers are encouraged by the administration to be the best versions of themselves and, because of that encouragement, Niche was able to come to the conclusion that North teachers earned the number one spot of Michigan.

New AVID class helps freshmen develop note-taking skills, effective study habits

By Mariah Loper & Emily Widgren STAFF REPORTER & INTERN

North has been especially good at setting up support,” Taylor said. “What we have Over the summer, staff found is a gap and it's members Kevin Minor, Anthat student who, like drew Taylor, Alyssa SandoI said, is a decent stuval, Eric Vanston and Andent, does pretty well, drew Pola traveled to Denver, maybe isn't getting as Colorado to learn about a new much support as they program to accommodate for could in some of their the gap found in academic classes, but that's the support groups. elective they'll take. It The convention focused definitely works.” on training teachers to impleBecause it is a new ment AVID, Advancement program, there are only Via Individual Determina50 freshmen currently tion, into schools. The proenrolled in AVID this EMILY WIDGREN gram helps students prepare PUTTING IN THE WORK | Freshman Victoria Wittenberg works on homework during the two year. In upcoming for their high school and col- hours of AVID. Students develop note taking and study skills in the class. years, the plan is to exlege careers. pand AVID to sophomores “It's a bigger and better version of in Grosse Pointe at Parcells Middle “It’s a good class and I’m glad and upperclassmen depending on the tutorial that is already in place at School, and teachers reported that we can come all together and its success this year. Because of the school,” Sandoval said. growth in participating students. talk about ways to get better at amount of support groups already AVID takes the place of two “They think that it's really ben- school,” Roberts said. “I’m better at offered, a big expansion of AVID elective hours and is a year-long efiting their students,” Sandoval said. asking questions (than I was before).” may not be necessary. However, class. Students learn organizational “(The teachers) were saying that Even though AVID is new to teachers and students alike are optitips and small lessons to help they saw immense growth in their North, this program has been avail- mistic about the course. them throughout life, as well as students in terms of their reading able for a long time. It is the second “It’s not a remedial program, developing school-oriented skills skills, their writing skills, and just school with a program in Grosse I feel the need to make that clear. such as note-taking their confidence.”

Pointe, but over 2,000 schools across It's not for kids who aren't doing In 2014 study, students enrolled Freshman Sierra Roberts is cur- the country have programs. well in their classes. It's moreso in AVID classes had a higher col- rently enrolled in the course. She “Grosse Pointe's actually behind for kids who could be doing betlege acceptance rate than students said she’s become a better note-tak- the game on it. Sometimes Grosse ter if they had a little extra push,” who were not by 3 percent. The pro- er and question-asker from being in Pointe’s really good at setting up Sandoval said. “Honestly, this is a gram has already been implemented the class. honors programs and Grosse Pointe class that could benefit everybody.”

EDITORIAL Acknowledging our mistakes

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – 3

NORTH

POINTE

“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.”

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Abbey Cadieux EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Lindsey Ramsdell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caitlin Bush MANAGING EDITOR

Alex Harring MANAGING EDITOR

Anna Post EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Michal Ruprecht EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Allison Lackner Sonny Mulpuri BUSINESS MANAGER WEB MANAGING EDITOR

Sofia Ketels PAGE EDITOR

Zoe Graves Syeda Rizvi PAGE EDITOR PAGE 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.

Fantastic student sections and where to find them

As the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacy groups gathered in protest of the removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, 2017 felt as if it had taken 97 steps backward into the 1920s.

In a time where many claim that MY TURN KATIE THOMAS racism “no longer exists,” the prejudicial beast reared its ugly head on Saturday, Aug. 12, showing that racism and hatred still continue to haunt society. On this same day, counter protests rivaled the extremists and the result was the death of a peaceful protester.

Furthering the shock, President Donald Trump issued a (delayed) statement that didn’t fully condemn the violent extremists or the act of terrorism that cost a life, and even placed equal blame on the peaceful counter-protesters, serving no justice.

To understand where this conflict is going, it's important to understand where and why it started. Let's rewind and look at exactly what started these two protests in the first place and what's deepening the chasm in an already divided nation.

Across the southern portion of the country, statues, university halls and buildings that represent the Confederacy are being defaced and taken down. For some, these removals feel long overdue and rewarding, while for others it feels like a direct attack on their ancestory and beliefs.

The bottom line is that statues are meant to be a representation of the values that are held close to the country’s heart, ideals we believe in and encourage. Confederate statues do not align with this principle.

During the Civil War, those who supported the Confederacy believed in many things, from states rights to political liberty for white people. However, among those beliefs was the continuation of slavery.

When statues are placed to honor those who fought for the ideals of the Confederacy, they are also including slavery in the mix—an institution that

stains our country’s history.

These statues represent centuries of racism and oppression, and for many just the sight of them opens up a wound that still hasn’t healed. While many people in the South claim them as ties to their ancestry, they don’t seem to want to acknowledge how they tie to Black history and the pain they caused.

Using Confederate soldiers and representatives as statues and titles of halls or buildings commemorates them with a sense of respect and pride that they simply do not deserve.

Those who were in the Confederacy may represent the South and its unity during secession, however they also have inseparable ties to slavery and oppression, an ideal our country no longer stands for.

In the United States, statues are meant to be symbols of pride, an embodiment of this country’s ideals and beliefs. Allowing those statues to stand shows Americans that this country still supports and allows these toxic ideals.

This doesn’t mean that demolishing these statues is necessary. Just as this country has with any other mistake, it’s important that these people must still be remembered and taught so that history cannot be repeated. In Germany, concentration camps such as Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Dachau remain standing despite the atrocious events that occurred in their premises. Throughout the years, the very existence of these establishments was probably enough to want to burn them down, however keeping them around as a painful history lesson makes them all the more meaningful.

As for the confederate statues, they don’t need to be destroyed, but should rather inhabit museums as pieces of history that can be reflected on and remembered, rather than praised.

In our already separated country, these statutes only provide a much needed reason for people to want to create hostility and division between each other. At a time like this, unity and compromise must be preserved in the United States as we go forward into a better, healthier future.

LINDSEY RAMSDELL

At the first football game on Friday, Sept. 8, students of all grades came out to cheer on the team decked in their neon colors. However, a key element of the high school sports experience was missing: a student section.

Students were forced to occupy the narrow walkway between the bleachers and the fence, making it hard to move through the stadium and even harder to lead organized cheers.

Even the visiting team had their own spot on the bleachers, projecting a unified image to the community and team.

Eventually, we moved into one of the smaller stands near the end of the field, forcing community members out. But, not all students were able to find a spot.

Luckily, at the game last Friday, Sept. 15, the end zone was reserved as the student section as it has been in the past.

As an Editorial Board, we feel that having a student section is a vital element in showing school spirit and pride, and we hope administration will continue to recognize this for future games.

But, we understand that the privilege is earned through the actions of the students, so we urge all to act with the proper respect and behavior at sporting events.

As Principal Kate Murray has said in the past, events like these act as the “front porch” for our school. This is how the community views us, this is what they base their assumptions on, and we can’t forget about all the support we receive from them.

What we do before, during and after the game all contribute to the image that constitutes our “front porch.”

It’s vital that we treat one another and the visiting school with respect. We want to show others that North students know how to carry themselves even at exciting events like football games. It’s our duty to uphold North’s reputation. Being energetic and loud at games contributes to the overall hype, but we have to be careful that we don’t get carried away. In the past, this hype has quickly turned into disagreements, fights and dangerous situations.

That said, having a spirited student section can make the games more enjoyable for all. If the students have their own section, it makes the school look organized and professional about the event. Also, parents and community members will not have to navigate through all the students to watch the game. We can show everyone “this is what we do here” and how unified we are.

For the student section to grow and for students to behave themselves, the upperclassmen must lead by example. This will ensure that the legacy of positive North spirit continues for future classes.

If the student section starts to thrive, it can lead to more students going to other sporting events instead of just football. North students can start up the student section during the football season, and if that turns out well, it can continue throughout all seasons.

North has strong athletics, so the student body should reciprocate by forming a solid, well-behaved student section. We have the opportunity to show our school spirit in a unified, respectful way, which in return will motivate the players.

So, Norsemen, let’s be present at sporting events and have a powerful student section. In order to successfully support our teams, we need to open our front porch doors to our house and welcome all students to join.

“You should have to live in Grosse Pointe or in the area that’s already set to go to the school.”

"You should have to live in Grosse Pointe to go to a Grosse Pointe school."

"If you live close enough you should be able to come.

You shouldn’t have to live in Grosse Pointe."

Karen Sturgeon

Cordy Wettstein

Alli Stevens SOPHOMORE

FRESHMAN

FRESHMAN

YOUR TURN: What is your opinion on the residency controversy?

By Abbey Cadieux & Katelyn Ballard

"People that live in other districts should be able to go to our schools because there are people who move or they don't have good schools so they would wanna come here.”

Tarun Sanikommu JUNIOR

NORTH

"As long as you can get transportation to North or you live in the Grosse Pointe school district and you're able to keep up your grades you should be able to go to school here.”

Kirstin Bessette SENIOR

POINTE

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Abbey Cadieux, Lindsey Ramsdell MANAGING EDITORS: Caitlin Bush, Alex Harring EDITORS-AT-LARGE: Anna Post, Michal Ruprecht BUSINESS MANAGER: Allison Lackner WEBSITE MANAGING EDITOR: Sonny Mulpuri WEBSITE SECTION EDITORS: Erin Kaled, Billy Steigelman PAGE EDITORS: Elizabeth Ballinger, Amber Braker, Zoe Graves, Sofia Ketels, Katelynn Mulder, Syeda Rizvi, Katie Thomas STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Marina Gabriel, Katie Link, Rachel Malinowski, Alyssa McLarty, Lauren Sexton STAFF REPORTERS: Rory Angott, Mariah Loper, Adam Schwartz INTERNS: Savannah Burguron, Maggie Carron, Arzoo Chhaya, Ralpheal Coty, Jordan Craighead, Morgan Cribbs, Nadia Fama, Colin Haroutunian, Donald Hightower, Sophie Kehrig, Brooklyn McWhorter, Taylor Mitchell, Abi Murray, Katlyn Rood-Ballard, Sydney Semack, Cairington Stahl, Emily Widgren, Hannah Zalewski

“Teachers make their lessons according to kids that live in the areas near the school. But if you can get transportation and you want a good education I don't think a student should be deprived of good education.”

Alyssa Sandoval ENGLISH TEACHER

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.

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CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Email: gpnnorthpointe@gmail.com Phone: 313.432.3248 Twitter: @TheNorthPointe Website: northpointenow.org FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, MJE

EDITOR'S DESK ERIN KALED

Always have been, always will be “Yo mama” jokes fill the Axe-sprayed halls. Anticipation and wonder are sketched across students’ faces. And loud, oblivious conversations are swept through the crowds. As a sixth grader steps into their new middle school, their world changes.

Their naive mindsets are stained by the upperclassmen who’ve walked the hectic halls for years and believe they’re superior for being one year away from entering high school. They attempt to make an image for themselves and figure out who they are, and just when they think they’ve figured it out, high school begins.

As soon as a freshman walks into these halls and begins down the path of high school, everything they believed about themselves and their image is gone. In the four years, their whole universe will feel as if it's gone in a million different directions.

They question what they’ve been taught, what they thought was cool, the way they dress and the way they act. They’ll lose best friends in the blink of an eye but gain new ones they’d never thought they’d have.

They can go into a world history class thinking that one day they’d be the one teaching it only to graduate four years later hoping to study business and accounting.

Some days, they may even stay home because it’s too hard to get out of bed and function.

According to a study conducted in the New York Times, the number of children under age 17 prescribed medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increased to 3.5 million in 2013 from 500,000 during 1990. Now, drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are being overprescribed and overused.

Why is this? Because school is hard. The pressure is crushing.

And the thought of having to plan out a future that not only supports you but also your potential family is intimidating. One’s college experience depends on whether or not the correct answer is bubbled in on a packet, resulting in a score that can either make or break an academic career.

There is so much pressure and expectations on teenagers these days that they go to school trying to memorize things for a test rather than absorbing the learning. There is peer pressure and judgement all around. The things you thought you knew about somebody could be completely wrong.

You break up with your significant other when you thought you would be together forever.

You finally have that cliché fight with your parents when you scream how much you hate them and run up the stairs afterwards.

(However, right after, you’ll probably just want to cry like a baby to them.)

High school is a glimpse into how ugly the world can really be, yet nobody really says that when you start. The good news is that everybody feels the same way.

Nobody knows what they’re doing.

They all just act like it. Even adults are just bluffing most of the time.

The best advice anybody's given me throughout my years?

Fake it til’ you make it. The moral of it all is that high school is scary.

I’m still scared. I’m scared for what comes next and what comes after that. I’m scared for 20 years down the road. There’s no shame in telling people you’re terrified.

There’s no rush to figure out what you choose to do with your life. We just figure it out as we go along.

You’re told to always look forward, but it’s ok to just be in the present. Dance to that dumb song, don’t study for that test because your best friend asked to go to the movies instead, and sing at the top of your lungs while driving with your windows down. Nobody really knows what comes next anyways.

ON CAMPUS

4 – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – North Pointe

Parental Guidance

Teachers meet parents at North's Back to School Night on Sept. 14

By Zoe Graves EDITOR

FACES IN THE CROWD Aleks Powers

Rather than staying around Michigan throughout the summer, sophomore Aleks Powers aided the Lakota Native American reservation in South Dakota, alongside the rest of his Lutheran youth group.

The one-week trip in July focused on building and painting the homes of Native Americans.

Powers added that the experience cultivated a plethora of abilities for him. “(It helped with) building friendships, socializing with new people that I don’t like doing normally, so that was cool,” Powers said.

“But, most of all, life skills.”

Aside from the labor and responsibilities, Powers was able to experience time in nature, even spending a day rope swinging at a lake.

He said that his overall experience changed his perspective on society.

“I feel like it changed the way I think about others in that I should help other people more.”

Clyde Nelson ALL PHOTOS BY MARINA GABRIEL

ROLE REVERSAL | Parents become students as science teacher Steven Kosmas demonstrates an activity students will be doing in class. Parents had brief sessions with each teacher their student has. “Basically we’re just walking around, walking up to parents, asking them if they need help finding anything and we’re directing them towards their classes,” senior member Jala Daniels said. “We got here at 6 p.m. which was basically 30 minutes earlier than we needed to and just checked into the main office and they told us where to go, and we basically just stand on the corners of each floor and just help parents.”

Pictures come alive one by one like magic in front of the viewer’s eyes, capturing all that watch. The drawings dancing across the screen seem effortless. But sophomore Clyde Nelson sees how intricate they actually are.

Whenever he would have a bad day at school or get frustrated with himself and others, Nelson would use animating as a type of therapy.

“I used (art) to express my emotions and myself,” he said. “It helped me understand how I felt.”

Nelson saw his first cartoon when he was 5 years old and has been wanting to write and animate original cartoons ever since. To improve his animating skills, he has been taking computer graphics classes and has familiarized himself with editing platforms such as Photoshop.

In the future, Nelson plans to receive a higher education and continue his venture in animation. “( I p l a n t o) g o t o c o l l e g e o r g e t my s h ow o n C a r t o o n Ne t w o r k .”

Lorenzzo Gusso UNDERSTANDING THE CLASSROOM | English teacher Kristen Alles explains Google Classroom to her students’ parents st Back to School Night. She said she appreciated the student volunteers. “(NHS students being here) helps (parents) a lot,” NHS volunteer senior Sophia Liolli said. “Today I had a someone on the second floor asking to go all the way in A building, which i think is ten minutes away, so yeah it helps them a lot.”

THE BASICS | Science teacher Steven Kosmas gives parents a basic overview of what his call will entail this year. He said the event is important to parents and students alike. “Back to School Night is of paramount importance.Without back to school night, I wouldn’t have the most critical partnership that I forge, which is with parents” English teacher Charles Crimando said. “Without parental support, life as a teacher becomes much more difficult. Back to school night is the event that makes sure that I can connect with those people and make those partnerships.”

TECH SAVVY | English teacher Shari Adwers demonstrates how to use software that students will use to parents at Back to School Night. English teacher Charles Crimando said he hoped parents learned about their children's classes from attending. “My hope is that (Back to School Night is) extremely helpful. I think they get to know who their child is spending five hours a week with, and i think that’s immeasurably valuable,” Crimando said. “I think they get to see the program of studies their child is engaging in, and I think they kind of get a feel for the culture of the school, which is exceptional.”

FIVE MINUTES WITH

Counselor Margie McKoy

By Taylor Mitchell INTERN

COURTESY OF WENDY SPREDERI MARGIE MCKOY

WORDS OF INSPIRATION | "I feel like this is the place that I’m supposed to be. This is what I’m supposed to do,” McKoy said. “I'm kind of speechless about how far I have come in regards to what I didn't have, you know, and it just speaks how if you just work and you try it doesn't really matter where (you) come from or what you do."

Even as a child, counselor Margie McKoy knew she wanted to work with children as an adult. Because many of her family members were teachers, including McKoy’s mother, she has been surrounded by educators all her life.

However, she didn't graduate with a degree in education. Although teaching interested her, she said counseling allowed her to impact students by helping them fulfill their dreams rather than through classroom instruction.

Then, after shadowing a school guidance counselor, she realized counseling was for her. So, she went back to school.

“I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do,” McKoy said. “I substitute taught, and then I also shadowed a counselor at my mom’s school and I like what she did.

It was a middle school, though, and I really enjoyed seeing her work with the students.”

McKoy said her students inspire her to best the best she can be. Because the students are so good, she said, she wants to be equally as good for them.

“There (are) so many counselors that wait years and years before they have an opportunity to have students like (the ones at North),” McKoy said. “I really want to make sure that I get myself together and help you guys because (the students) deserve the best, because I think you guys are the best students in Michigan.”

This past summer, McKoy transferred from Pierce Middle School, where she was a counselor for eight years. She said she enjoys the change because she can relate better to older students.

Although the transition was smooth overall, she said it was difficult to learn the school-specific procedures and direct kids.

McKoy said one of her goals is for each graduating senior to have a postsecondary opportunity. She also said getting to know underclassmen is one of her priorities.

She added that working hard to become a counselor taught her many life lessons and hopes to pass those lessons on to students.

“I feel like this is the place that I’m supposed to be. In this is what I’m supposed to do,” she said. “Sometimes I look back and I'm kind of speechless about how far I have come.”

Sophomore Lorenzzo Gusso is a fresh face not only in the school, but in the entire country.

He moved to the United States as a foreign exchange student from Brazil one week before the start of school. ”I just wanted a new experience,” Gusso said. “I decided to come here because everything is so different from Brazil.”

Although he is in a new country, he isn't homesick. He said he likes living in America better than Brazil because of factors such as the quality of education and safety.

Gusso said one of his favorite activities in America is playing frisbee with friends. He also wants to get involved in a few clubs.

He said that in Brazil, after-school activities aren't common for an average student. Gusso said he is acclimating well, and hopes to return to the United States later in life because he enjoys the lifestyle of the average American.

“You do more than just study and go to university,” he said. “You're doing something extra for your life.”

By Colin Haroutin, Brooklyn McWhorter and Morgan Cribbs

FAVORITE VACATION I like anywhere, I love cruises – I would love to go to Japan, Italy, Australia – those are places I wanna go. I wanna go to Alaska on an alaskan cruise.

FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IN FREE TIME I like going downtown, I like shopping, I like visiting art museums, I'm learning how to rollerblade. Pretty much just to spend time with my son because he’s really young.

FAVORITE TV SHOW I like stuff like (“The Big Bang Theory”,) I don't know why. I use to like “Fraiser” like I’m just a nerd, and he’s a psychologist but he was sarcastic it was kind of funny.

So, I like that kind of TV. I don't get (reality TV) at all. It's entertaining, but after a while it gets on my nerves.

FAVORITE MOVIE I’m simple, I hate horror shows and film. I’m just super simple. My favorite movie I would say would be “The Notebook.”

LIFE

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – 5

To Denmark and back

Freshman and her family take part in international exchange program

By Michal Ruprecht EDITOR-AT-LARGE

When students vacation in foreign countries, many stay in hotels, away from the culture and daily life.

However, freshman Karina Hartley chose to spend two and a half weeks getting an authentic taste of culture when she lived with a Danish family this past summer.

Hartley participated in Interchange, which is part of Children’s International Summer Villages, and this was not her first experience with the program. She went to Milan, Italy during the summer of 2015.

The program’s goal is for young adults to experience different cultures and foster peace through friendships. To accomplish this, 12 students from two countries are paired up and spend two and a half weeks in each other’s hometown.

Hartley stayed in Horbelev on Falster Island, her exchange partner Noa Liv Dyhr’s hometown, while Dyhr vacationed in Grosse Pointe.

After Hartley’s previous trip with CISV, she said she was acclimated to

Denmark quickly.

“I wasn’t surprised by any differences there, and I was ready to adjust to the differences, and I think that I’ve definitely become more worldly through traveling,” Harley said. “The landscape was pretty familiar, and I knew what was going to happen, so I didn’t have to worry about anything.”

Since her first experience was positive, Hartley said she wanted to learn about more cultures. Because her parents worked for the Detroit Free Press and traveled frequently, Hartley started vacationing at a young age. Although she is used to foreign countries, she said the Danish way of life was different.

“The main thing I noticed different culturally was table manners. And so they had a special way of … thanking the parents,” Hartley said. “They have a word in Danish that doesn’t translate to English, which is ‘hygge.’ And it means like the feeling you get of spending time with other people, so I think they really value family time and spending time with their friends.”

During Hartley’s time in Denmark, she spent time with

Dyhr’s family and the other exchange groups, explored Falster Island, participated in a medieval festival and went to Helsingborg, Sweden via ferry for a weekend. While in Michigan, Dyhr roamed through Somerset Mall and Detroit, and she also spent time in Chicago.

Overall, Dyhr said that she enjoyed her time in America and would like to return. She added that leaving her family was difficult since this was her first time participating in CISV. “It was kind of hard sometimes, but it was a really good experience and it also made me stronger as person,” Dyhr said via email. “You learn more about life and how you wanna live it, and what we should be better to do and not do. You also get to know so much more about this planet and world we are living in.”

Hartley’s mom, Margaret Trimer-Hartley, agrees with Dyhr. She said trips abroad help Hartley understand the world and important issues.

“She knows that no country is perfect, but traveling as she has gives her a much better understanding of what is true and what is

TRAVELING TO NEW PLACES | Noa Liv Dyhr and freshman Karina Hartley pose for a picture with other exchange students in Denmark. “It was my first time in America, and I love it over there,” Dyhr said. “We were also in the Village in Grosse Pointe Parks/Farms and it was like a cute little city. It totally looked like something from a movie.”

political posturing in some of the national debates here at home,” Trimer-Hartley said via email. “The more we travel, the more we learn, grow and understand one another. The more we learn, grow and understand one another, the more hope we have for a peaceful, prosperous world.”

Although Interchange is for students 14 and under, Hartley and Dyhr said they’d like to participate in a similar program next summer.

Because of Dyhr and Hartley’s positive experiences, Trimer-Hartley added that international travel opened their minds to diversity.

“We are curious about our world, adventuresome, and we care deeply about social and environmental issues.

Traveling is one of the best ways to satisfy our need to understand the world,” she said. “I do not believe we can tell students they have to compete globally if they have never set foot outside their neighborhoods.”

In the future, Dyhr and Hartley said they hope to travel independently to continue learning about other cultures. Hartley added that

she considered studying in Denmark because of the welcoming environment and their free, high-quality education system.

“It’s good for everybody, especially at a young age to become more culturally aware so they can understand things that they see on the news and what’s happening around

the world, and maybe they can feel more sympathetic or empathetic to other countries,” Hartley said. “I just like to get to experience places around the world and see how other people live, and I think it really helps me learn and grow.”

SAYING GOODBYE | Noa Liv Dyhr and Karina Hartley hug one another in the Detroit airport before Liv leaves for Denmark.

ALL PHOTOS FROM KARINA HARTLEY

MAKING FRIENDS | Freshman Karina Hartley and the other exhachange students pose for a picture on a beach in Denmark.

“I think it’s a lot safer (in Denmark) and not only that but I’ve considered studying there because the college is free and it’s welcoming to all people,” Hartley said. “In Denmark you can walk in the middle of the street at midnight and be perfectly fine but in America it really isn’t that way.”

TEACHING ABROAD: teachers live, teach on new continents

By Syeda Rizvi PAGE EDITOR

Fingerprints, blood spatters and criminal investigation are not all science teacher Erica Reed has specialized in. Born and raised in California, Reed pursued her passion of traveling and teaching before moving to Michigan last year. Among a list of many ventures she pursued in Denmark, Mexico and Hawaii, Reed, alongside with many other members of staff, has travelled abroad to East Asia, where she taught English as a foreign language.

Ten years ago, Reed visited Seoul, South Korea where she intended to stay for one year to teach English to kindergarteners and middle schoolers.

“I was excited when I was first going there,” Reed said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be an adventure.”

Reed’s adventure to South Korea had a lifechanging impact on her future career choices.

Originally interested in forensic science, she thought she would want to work in a laboratory, but the hours and lifestyle weren’t as compatible with her personal life as she’d hoped.

“Once I got to South Korea, I realized I didn’t want to spend my time working in the lab,” Reed said. “I wanted to be teaching,” Her experience of living in Seoul for a year was more than just educating others. Reed learned a lot more herself.

“It was an absolutely amazing and eyeopening experience for me,” she said. “I mean, going to the grocery store, you really learn quickly how big of a cultural difference there is.”

According to Reed, food, family dynamics and student life greatly vary from the average American lifestyle. Although Reed was passionate about her stay, she felt lonely living by herself in a foreign country, but was quickly able to adapt and make acquaintances

with the other English teachers at her school.

Reed isn’t the only teacher who has traveled abroad to teach English. Math teacher Eric Vanston went to Seoul, South Korea, too.

Though he planned to live there only for one year, the South Korean jobs and lifestyle quickly grew on him, and he ended up staying an additional two years.

“I had the time of my life,” Vanston said. “When you teach math, a lot of times it’s from topic to topic. Sometimes you see confidence growing. But when I taught English, there was a distinct difference. (Students) would have better conversations with me. It was amazing to see that growth quicker.”

Both Reed and Vanston agree that student life in South Korea and America is vastly different. According to Vanston, students took their academic life incredibly seriously. They would go to school from 8 a.m to 3 p.m., then they would go to Hagwon, a study institution from 4 to 10 p.m.

“It’s too much. I think it’s way too much.

They created a law when I was there that these Hagwons could not stay open past 10. So there had to be a law,” Vanston said. “And there was Hagwon police that would go around and make sure they were closed, but these places … kids would stay past 10, and they would just turn off the lights so they wouldn’t get caught. It is too intense. I don’t think there is enough of a social aspect to it.”

Although it is a popular teaching destination, South Korea isn’t the only country that seeks foreign educators to teach English. Many other countries are interested in this style of education as well. Spanish teacher Jennifer Spears traveled to Peru for approximately two years after graduating from college in 1993, to teach English to a large variety of people.

Spears taught students ranging from kindergarten to high school as well as teaching businessmen and other adults. However, the

ERICA REED

TEACHING OTHERS| Science teacher Erica R eed sits with two of her students from South Korea. “The weather is really different and the school is very different than the school I taught at. I was teaching at an inner city school where most of my kids were refugees from other countries and had limited English language and or limited public school,” Reed said. one thing that stood out most to Spears was the curiosity Peruvians had for America.

“It was fun. They were so interested, not just in English, but American culture,” she said. “You had this audience of people that were really interested in what you had to say, and it really meant a lot to them. It was very rewarding.”

Reed also shared the same insight as Spears.

According to Reed, traveling to South Korea

helped her gain new, worthwhile experiences that she could apply to her daily life.

“I loved meeting new people and doing new things that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do here,” she said.“Teaching others was so rewarding ... I loved Korea. The experience of going was definitely worth it.”

REVIEWS

6 – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – North Pointe

'Sleep Well Beast' lulls listeners to sleep

By Abbey Caiduex

"Sleep Well Beast" (2017) iTunes, $9.99

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For those who can appreciate beauty in pain, The National’s latest album “Sleep Well Beast” is mesmerizing. But for those who can’t stand listening to grown men croon about leaving their girlfriends in Ohio, it is not.

Coming out of a four-year hiatus, The National released “Sleep Well Beast” almost as if to let fans know that absolutely nothing has changed. While consistency in effort and sound is admirable, they skate a thin line between consistent and monotonous in this—for lack of a better word—boring album.

The few elements that have always made The National stand out are still prevalent in “Sleep Well Beast.” The marks of a National song include resounding percussion that stands out dramatically from frontman Matt Berninger’s drab voice, heartrending lyrics and an occasional rollicking jam tucked into an otherwise depressing album.

Many great bands in the music world have succeeded without possessing a voice that is pleasing to the ear.

Some argue that this is because there is more to music than a good voice. That is absolutely true, just not in this case. Not everybody has to be a vocal virtuoso to make awesome music. Unfortunately, this tone-deaf sort of benefit of the doubt has flooded alternative rock with hoards of Morrissey wannabes.

This applies to The National in that Berninger isn’t necessarily a bad singer, but the band definitely gets away with an extreme, monotone aloofness that can strike listeners as just plain boring after a few tracks.

Anecdotally, “Sleep Well Beast” is basically one and the same with its preceding albums. Musically, it contains a bit more heft. The traditional band has honed in on digital elements, including electronic swishes and swooshes that dance underneath countless tracks. This is one little quirk that may remind listeners of another recently awoken alternative act, LCD Soundsystem. One can hear The National’s tampering with these electronic elements on “Guilty Party” and noteworthy track “I’ll Still Destroy You.” The National have kept up their image as introspective minds who possess impeccable lyric-writing skills. “Sleep Well Beast” irons out the uncertainty of past albums and replaces oddly personal lyrics with all-encompassing tunes that a wider audience can relate to. There is no lack of the human element to any of their songs, making the album an intensely intimate listening experience.

“Dark Side of the Gym" is the perfect example of a wholesome ballad that is not as uncomfortably somber as the other slow songs The National has put out.

Turning people’s deepest insecurities and relationship issues into entrancing experiences, there is not one listener who can deny the emotion in Berninger’s buzzing voice.

The chorus may lull listeners to sleep, almost like a lullaby for grown-ups. This lullaby, however, is obviously not as lighthearted as the ones anyone could recall from childhood.

“Dark Side of the Gym” is equal parts tear-jerking and heartwarming.

While their sound has stayed stubbornly dull throughout their entire career, The National seem to have a knack for perfecting both stubborn and dull. If one had every song ever released by the band in their music library and hit shuffle, one would not be able to differentiate between a song made 10 years ago versus one from this album.

“Sleep Well Beast” sounds like it could be the last frontier for the National. There is nothing else to be discovered.

No more songs about being a bad boyfriend, no more longing to go back to Ohio and no more retrospective existentialism. The National has done alternative rock a favor by draining the last vein of popular, moody-man music out—and, to quote Young the Giant, “It’s about time.”

STEREOGUM.COM

BOOK

APP

SHOW

ALBUM

GENUINE FRAUD

MY NBA 2K18

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT

AMERICAN DREAM

Because of its unique storytelling and complex characters, “Genuine Fraud” by E. Lockhart stands out from other psychological thrillers.

With a plot that drags the reader along on a BARNES & NOBLE tale of delusion and intrigue, any fan of mystery and suspense will enjoy this story.

The book is centered around two girls, Imogen and Jule. Imogen is an adopted college dropout and runaway who disappears one day, leaving a suicide note as the only clue. Jule, who claims to be Imogen's closest friend, is left behind as she pretends to be Imogen.

Starting at the end, the story’s chapters count down from seventeen to one, as the story does itself. By abruptly thrusting the reader into Jule’s world without any background knowledge, the first few chapters are confusing and hard to understand.

However, the way the author slowly pieces together the story creates a distinctive way of writing that slowly builds suspense most readers will have never seen before.

While intriguing, this writing style makes it harder for the reader to become invested in the book initially. However, once the reader begins to understand what is happening, they will find themselves wrapped up in the mystery.

While the story is hard to follow at times, many of the characters are still relatable. There is an almost constant discussion of self-discovery.

This, paired with examples of realistic relationships and everyday life, makes the characters seem possible instead of far-fetched.

And while the ending of the story is satisfactory, it does leaves a lot about Jule and Imogen left unknown. For example, besides a couple of vague sentences, Jule’s background is never explained or expanded on to make her actions understandable. This left a lot of unanswered questions and loose ends in the plot by the end of the novel.

Ultimately, “Genuine Fraud” is an entertaining book that stands out from the stereotypical psychological thriller through its interesting characters and writing style. With suspense, drama and mystery, readers will find themselves unable to put the book down until they can piece together who Jule is and what really happened to Imogen.

It’s countdown time for NBA 2K18. The highly anticipated video game made for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation ITUNES 3 and Microsoft Windows will be available Sept. 19 for the public or Sept. 15 for those who pre-ordered.

Prior to the anticipated release date, the franchise created a free app to keep the NBA 2k fans at rest for the time being called “My NBA 2K18."

NBA 2K18 will include unbelievably realistic features including different levels and modes, more soundtrack choices and more players to choose from. The cover of the game is 15-time NBA All-Star and 4-time NBA Champion Shaquille O'Neal. The doors to every Game Stop store will be filled with NBA fans eager to buy this $50 addiction that evokes a sense of competition.

The new app is very similar to the video game. The game is compatible with both tablets and smartphones, so it can be taken on the go as well as enjoyed in the comfort of home. Of course, there are some differences in the app that make the video game more preferable, however, it’s still a satisfying alternative until the game’s release.

Players are able to compete against one another live. One of the differences between the game on a console and the app is that gamers are not playing with actual animated NBA characters. Instead, the app allows them to play with cards that feature NBA players and their game statistics such as the number of rebounds and shots.

While using the app, players can earn energy cards from the quick games that can be used to refill the character’s energy during the playoff tournaments. Just like the console game, the app allows gamers to choose their own team and favorite players. There’s also an option for app users to draft players and quick train them to be up to one’s liking.

While the NBA 2K18 app differs from the actual video game, it gives an exciting preview to gamers for what’s to come. Even though it’s an alternative to the actual game, fans can use the app as a little snack before lunchtime.

By Morgan Cribbs.

“Genuine Fraud”; 2017; Available for $15.38

By Katelynn Mulder

My NBA 2K18; 2017; Available to download for free.

By Morgan Cribbs

“American Horror Story: Cult”premiered on Tuesday, Sept.

6 at 10 p.m. on FX. The seventh season highlights the anxiety after the 2016 Election.

It begins with video clips from the FXNETWORKS.COM election. Viewers are introduced to two divergent main characters: Trump supporter Kai (Evan Peters) and Clinton advocate Ally (Sarah Paulson).

The announcement that Trump could be the next president triggers fear in Ally. Her horror in the presidential election spills out into her everyday life, as she begins to hallucinate her worst fears. In one of Ally’s many chilling fantasies, viewers are reunited with Twisty, the clown who stirred up havoc in the previous “Freak Show” season.

Throughout the episode, many parts of the election were featured, which makes the show very realistic. For example, in one scene, Kai becomes violent against a group of Mexican people. In other scenes, Winter (Billie Lourd) stresses about what Trump can do now that he is president.

This season of “American Horror Story” is supposed to bring the audience’s biggest fears to life, while mainly focusing on real-life events.

Previous seasons have focused on paranormal hauntings, mental issues, magic and one’s biggest nightmare. This season, however, the show takes a completely different approach by covering controversial topics.

Episode one didn’t start off as strong as expected, and it wasn't as captivating. At the end, there was a preview for the rest of the season, but the plot was confusing. It was filled with anger and anxiety from both Kai and Ally. Kai can be seen yelling at Ally telling her that she should be afraid and that her fears are real. Kai can also be seen telling people that the violence in Michigan is increasing and things need to change. With just the tiny amount shown, one can take away that it’s a dramatic season.

Overall, the opening episode was only OK because of how weakly it started off and in addition, if people aren’t interested in politics, this won't be the show for them.

However, the rest of the season looks really interesting and should be worth the watch.

"American Horror Story: Cult"; 2017; Airs on FX on Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

By Savannah Burguron

Last May on Saturday Night Live, LCD Soundsystem reentered the public eye.

After a six-year hiatus, “American Dream” is the group’s comeback debut. In 2011, they disbanded after a LCDSOUNDSYSTEM.COM decade together and three critically acclaimed albums. The band parted ways after a lively funeral concert in Madison Square Garden. The reunion was catalyzed by a multimillion dollar offer from AEG Live, necessitating a new album.

At first, it’s hard to tell exactly what to make of lead singer James Murphy and the gang. The experimental style can be jarring to an unfamiliar listener, and the vocals are shadowy and ominous, yet infused with a strange, rough vitality. Both retro and modern layers of synthesizer and instrumentals intermingle to create a dynamic sound unmatched by today’s popular artists.

There is nothing straightforward about the lyrics either, which tend to be surreal, relying heavily on metaphor. Despite the energetic music, the tone is generally downcast, like a darker, more cynical Jukebox the Ghost.

The album tackles a diverse range of topics— from the effects of Murphy’s past drug use, to observations on contemporary music culture.

“Tonite” is a refreshingly self- aware dance song that examines an approach to carpe diem common among other artists. It manages to compel an audience to contemplate their mortality while maintaining high spirits with an upbeat tune.

Another song that stands out is “American Dream.” It's nostalgic melody evokes a similar vibe to Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” with a hollow, digital twist that’s easy to get sucked into. In the song, the speaker is confronted by his own age and impermanence following the death of iconic Suicide vocalist Alan Vega last year.

Although generally well written, certain songs are simple and repetitive, sacrificing substance for emphasis. In “how do you sleep?” the repetition fits the premise of an angry friend questioning his companion’s betrayal. However, in “change yr mind” and “other voices,” the device feels redundant, more like a cop-out than a deliberate strategy of communication.

All things considered, “American Dream” is an impressive body of work, a perfect album to lose yourself in after a long first few weeks of school.

"American Dream"; 2017; Available for $10.99

By Sophie Kehrig

IN-DEPTH

North Pointe – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – 7

TROUBLE

By Lindsey Ramsdell & Alex Harring EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & MANAGING EDITOR

“

My career is undervalued when I feel like it’s the most important job in the world.

ALYSSA SANDOVAL

teaching certification programs like TFA are working to combat the decline in teacher availability.

“There definitely is a shortage, there’s no denying that. Things like TFA wouldn’t exist if we had tons of teachers. I think the other thing is that most teachers are applying for the same types of jobs in really great suburban public schools,” she said. “Then, we have the Detroit Public School Systems that unfortunately cannot properly support teachers right now. It’s just not an attractive place to work, and those kids are suffering because of it.”

The problem is clear: more and more college students each year don’t want to become teachers. This, paired with the number of baby boomers retiring from the profession growing each year, has created a personnel deficit. Specifically, there is a shortage of math, science and special education teachers.

Ciaramitaro said her classes are made up of mostly Hispanic students, most of whom come from immigrant parents. At her parent-teacher conferences, there were translators present, and some of her bilingual students actually volunteered as them.

Ciaramitaro also noted that most of her kids receive school meals from the government.

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She said many schools don’t have programs like these to help students succeed, and teachers may not necessarily want to work at those schools.

“My kids all get breakfast and lunch from the school, so we actually eat breakfast in homeroom and most of them are on a free or reduced lunch, so they get lunch from the school itself. It’s those little things like that that I think really make for a successful learning environment,” Ciaramitaro said. “Even though a lot of these kids don’t come from high-income families, they are still getting those kinds of things that will make them more likely to be successful. I think it’s awesome.”

Her sister, senior Eva Ciaramitaro, also plans to become a teacher. Eva said that even though she is aware of the stigma surrounding the education field, she remains undeterred.

She is also looking into TFA for postgraduation work.

“Pay is definitely an issue because it’s hard to make a living while you’re a teacher, but I don’t think that’s what it’s all about,” Eva said.

“For me, personally, it’s about making that

“

It’s extremely difficult work, and I don’t think that the general public really understands that.

FRANCESCA CIARMITARO

“

through Teach For America, a government program that places hopeful teachers in highneed districts. Ciaramitaro said that even though TFA participants go into classrooms with less training than certified teachers, the program is staffing unfilled positions in areas that desperately need the help. Alternative

“

W

hen English teacher Alyssa Sandoval graduated from the University of Michigan School of Education in 2015, she was part of a cohort that was nearly half as big as it had been four years earlier.

The University of Michigan boasts a nationally recognized School of Education, yet has seen a 45 percent drop in education students. But, the University of Michigan isn’t alone. A decreased interest in teaching can be found at nearly every college with a teacher certification program in the state.

For example, Michigan State University’s College of Education, which also has a prominent teacher certification program, had 35 percent fewer graduating students in 2015 than it did in 2011.

The falling number of students becoming educators is contributing to an overall shortage of teachers.

“My career is undervalued when I feel like it’s the most important job in the world,” Sandoval said. “When a lot of people hear ‘U of M,’ they think they’re going to go into engineering or that they’re going to go into medicine (or) things like that. I don’t think that U of M has as large of a calling for education just because education isn’t always thought of as being a higher-level career choice, whether or not that’s true. Obviously, I don’t think that’s true.”

Like Sandoval, North alumna Francesca Ciaramitaro graduated from the University of Michigan School of Education in 2017.

However, looking to service a low-income area in need and for a new place to call home fresh out of college, Ciaramitaro took a job teaching English at a middle school in Washington Heights, New York.

Ciaramitaro said she found there isn’t necessarily a problem with finding teachers for wealthier school districts, such as Grosse Pointe, West Bloomfield or Birmingham. She said the real issue lies with trying to fill positions in areas that aren’t as sought after, such as in impoverished, urban settings, like Detroit.

Filling vacancies in the Detroit Public Schools System has become an insurmountable obstacle.

Ciaramitaro’s roommate is a teaching assistant. She is working toward her certificate

A look at the state-wide teacher shortage and why a career in education doesn’t make the grade for college students

impact on someone’s life.”

In Lansing, the state legislature has been debating closing the pension system for teachers. Also, according to the Metro Times, the average salary for all teachers in Michigan will drop for the fifth year in a row.

Now, student enrollment in teacher certification programs in the state is at its lowest point since the 1950s. Likewise, Teach For America saw its application pool shrink 16 percent in 2016 alone, the third consecutive

year the program has seen a decrease in applications.

In Sandoval’s opinion, Michigan is one of the best states to teach. However, she said the looming pay cuts and tug-o-war over pensions may make current college students choose a different career path that is more appreciated in society and higher-paying.

Yet, these potential losses don’t make her rethink why she became a teacher. She said that because most adults have had some level of classroom education, they may think they know what teaching entails, but don’t actually see the behind-the-scenes work teachers do.

“I can understand why it wouldn’t be an attractive job for students who are currently in college because currently educators don’t make a ton of money,” she said. “Everyone goes through schooling to get to where they want to be, so why underpay teachers for a job that’s so necessary? I think that’s why people don’t go into it—because they don’t see it as being paid for the amount of work, or they don’t see it as the quality work it is.”

Francesca agrees with Sandoval. She said she was warned about the lifestyle of a teacher, but is now experiencing it for herself. Although she is content with her decision and the work she is doing, she said she knows first-hand after only one week that teaching definitely isn’t an easy career.

“The work we do is exhausting. It’s emotional. It’s extremely difficult work, and I don’t think that the general public really understands that, and until teachers get the respect they deserve, we will not have a ton of people entering this field. It’s a thankless profession, and I realized that very quickly,” she said. “People get burnt out really easily, and the perks aren’t enough to keep a lot of people in it ... so, you have to kind of find that fulfillment in other ways, like just finding happiness in the little things, the funny things that they say, being able to be there for them and help them figure out who they are as a people. Those are the true perks.”

Contributing: Sydney Semack

FOR MORE NORTH UPDATES AND NEWS, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @TheNorthPointe

SPORTS

8 – Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 – North Pointe

Swim team relay qualifies for State Championships

UPCOMING GAMES GIRLS GOLF

Thursday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. at Port Huron Northern VOLLEYBALL

By Sofia Ketels, Amber Braker, and Emily Widgren PAGE EDITORS & INTERN

Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. against Eisenhower at Eisenhower

FOOTBALL Friday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. against South at South

JUST KEEP SWIMMING | Freshman Ava MacGillis, senior Sam Villani, and sophomore Amelia Fly take a break after their swim practice. All three will be partcipating in the relay at states. MacGillis and Villani will each compete in individual events.

FIELD HOCKEY Saturday, Sept.

23 at 10 a.m. at Forest Hills GIRLS SWIMMING Metro Invitational meet at North on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 12 p.m.

EMILY WIDGREN

TIME OUT | Sophomore Mariah Loper, junior Helen Michaelson, and Jaden Payne take a break from practice to talk to coach Jim Singelyn.

CROSS COUNTRY Sunday,Sept.

24 at 9 a.m. at Wolocott Farms SOCCER Away at L’Anse Creuse North on Monday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m.

EMILY WIDGREN

NO “I” IN TEAM | The girls swim team catches their breath after their September 13 practice. In the future, Coach Jim Singelyn says he hopes to see more of the team qualify for states. “There’s enough talent in Grosse Pointe,” Singelyn said. “So there’s no reason it can’t happen, we can do it together as a team.”

After their meet at Wayne State University on Wednesday, Aug. 30, four members of the girls swim team qualified for the state championship, which will take place in November.

Sophomore Amelia Fly said she believes that the qualifying meet was a good start to the season for the whole team.

“We were all really on top of our game and it was really high energy,” Fly said. “It was a lot of fun.”

At their first relay meet of the season, the girls beat the second place team in the event by four seconds, which immediately qualified them for states. The states-bound group, which competes in the 200-meter medley, includes Fly as well as freshman Ava MacGillis, senior Sam Villani and junior Olivia Peruzzi. MacGillis will also compete in the 100-meter breaststroke, and Villani in the 100-meter backstroke.

Being the youngest qualifier on the team, MacGillis is ecstatic to be heading to states.

“I think it’s pretty cool because my coach said not many people are able to do that,” MacGillis said. “That was really exciting.”

Although she is the only freshman going to states so far this year, MacGillis said she wants to do well for the entire team, specifically her upperclassmen teammates.

For girls varsity swim coach Jim Singelyn, his first season coaching at North has been about unifying the team and boosting morale. With a

combination of girls from all grades and skill levels, Singelyn said he has seen teamwork and team spirit from the girls.

“The older (swimmers) help the younger ones, and that’s kind of the nice thing about it being just one varsity team,” Singelyn said. “I don’t have to worry about one freshman team, one JV team—they’re all just one big team, so they have no choice but to help each other out.”

Fly said she enjoys being part of the swim team because of the camaraderie. She said one of the best parts of being on the team is the friendships she’s formed during the season.

“I love our team this year. We’ve gotten so much closer as a family, and we always talk to each other and see each other in the hallways,” Fly said.

“I think we’re gonna do really well at championships this year.”

Singelyn is confident in his team for states. He said he would like to see more girls qualify and wants to make the swim team a major competitor in the state.

His most important goal, however, is not tied to times or trophies. He wants the girls to be confident, no matter their age or skill level.

“I just want them to believe in themselves as a whole team. Once you do that and you’re not just swimming for yourself and for each other, it trickles down through the whole team,” Singelyn said. “It doesn’t matter what level you are.”

District budget defecit causes payto-play rate hike, participation drop

By Sofia Ketels, Arzoo Chhaya & Adam Schwartz PAGE EDITOR & INTERNS

This year, many student athletes have faced a $100 increase in their Pay to Play fees for participation, bringing the price up to $220 per sport. Among those students is sophomore Darby Pickford, who plays three sports throughout the year—cross country, hockey and soccer. She believes the increased fees are unfair to student athletes.

“Some of my teammates won’t be on the team because they might not be able to afford it,” Pickford said.

The budget deficit in the Grosse Pointe Public School System caused lots of funding cuts and price hikes, including the Pay to Play fees. School Board treasurer Judy Gafa said that while nobody wanted the Pay to Play fees to increase, however, the athletic programs would have had to be discontinued without them.

Varsity football coach Frank Sumbera has noticed difficulties for some of his players due to the Pay to Play increases. Sumbera said he believes that the added cost has contributed somewhat to the fact that he is down in players from last year. According to Sumbera,

the team has lost about 10 players.

“I think it’s a combination of maybe that and the thing about concussions. Maybe some of the guys didn’t come out,” Sumbera said. “We have around forty (players) and we normally have fifty some.”

Sumbera said he was never informed of the specific cause for the Pay to Play increase and feels the coaches should have been told, especially regarding the fact that the fee nearly doubled. However, he appreciates that the district is willing to work with students who may not be able to afford it. “(The athletes) have to deal with it, you know and they are all trying.

We got about eleven guys that haven’t dealt with it yet,” Sumbera said. “The school’s fee is set, but they are willing to work with them on a budget, so it’s not always one lump sum. I think it’s something that they have to work with.”

Gafa however, does not believe the increase had a very large impact on sports registration.

She said that registration is down slightly compared to past years.

But like Sumbera, she believes

the fees are not solely to blame, saying the district’s gradually declining enrollment could also play a role. She notes that the financial need of student athletes will be taken into account.

“Both high schools have booster groups, and the district was sensitive to families that might be having financial hardships,” Gafa said via email. “These groups may be able to offer an athletic scholarship.”

While the fee increase may be perceived as drastic by some, student athletes who play multiple sports, such as Pickford, will also see a $880 cap on the amount that a single family can contribute in Pay to Play fees. This is also helpful for families that have multiple kids playing in sports, being that they will not have to pay the fee more than four times.

Still, Pickford believes this is an issue for student athletes and their families.

“I don’t think it’s very fair for all the athletes in the school,” Pickford said. “Sports should be something everyone can do, and not based on affordability.”

QUICK HITS Girls cross country with Lauren Sickmiller

As a captain on the girls cross country team, senior Lauren Sickmiller is no stranger to new runners joining the team.

“I love seeing a lot of the new fresh faces, as well as all the returning athletes,” Sickmiller said.

At press time, the cross country team has a record of 4-3 and attended

two tournaments.

Sickmiller credits the early season triumphs to the team’s comraderie.

“I feel like we have a really good team this year.

We’re kind of like a family.” she said. ”We work really cohesively.”

With invitational meets coming up and big goals for the year, Sickmiller said she hopes that both the new and

returning runners can contribute to the success of the team.

“I am looking forward to hopefully beating South (High School) this year and making it to states as a team.”

KENNEDY WILLIAMS

SCRIMMAGE SHOWDOWN | The varsity football team faces South before the start of a play in one of last year’s games. Coach Frank Sumbera said they are doing their best to help generate revenue with fundraisers.

DARBY PICKFORD

GAME TIME | Sophomore Darby Pickford prepares for one of last year’s girls hockey games with her team. Pickford also plays soccer and runs cross country.

Three sports with three players in three columns each

JV Volleyball with Evelyn Fooks

When freshman Evelyn Fooks made the junior varsity volleyball team this year, she didn’t expect such a rocky start.

“Our very first tournament that we were suppose to be in, our name wasn’t on the list,” Fooks said. “We couldn’t play.”

Despite the miscommunication error and a season opener loss to

South High School, Fooks feels at home on the team.

“At first, it was kind of scary because you’re with a ton of older girls that you don’t really know and you are just starting a sport and you kind of feel out of place,” she said.

“Now, I am pretty good friends with all the girls on my team.”

She said she is

confident the team will only continue to improve over the course of the season.

“We’re a pretty good team this year. We have our flaws, but we just started,” Fooks said.

“We’ll beat South (High School) next time.”

By Hannah Zalewski INTERN

Boys varsity tennis with Charlie Ramsdell Two years ago, sophomore Charlie Ramsdell did not think he would be making the varsity tennis team when he first picked up a racket.

As one of the youngest members on the varsity team, Ramsdell quickly had to adapt to the new atmosphere.

“It’s fun because I’m with a lot of the upperclassmen,” he said. “But, it’s a lot more challenging

than JV was.”

Even as an underclassmen, Ramsdell had no problem fitting in with the team.

“I’m looking most forward to the Midland tournament,” he said.

“It will be a lot of fun to spend the whole day there with my team.”

With four tournaments and two season matches under their belt, the team

is slowly making their mark. Ramsdell said even though playing the varsity level is challenging, it is rewarding nonetheless.

“It’s been more about practice right now and we are just now getting into the regular season,” he said.

“I just like the mental discipline and the athleticism that (playing varsity) takes.”