INSIDE: JUNIORS PREPARE FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS see 4
INSIDE: BRING YOUR OWN DOG see 17
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: SPRING PLAY PHOTOSTORY
May 2018
Bloomfield Hills High School
School News Board of Education candidate meeting provided by BHSD
Superintendent Dr. Robert Glass and Board President Cynthia von Oeyen will hold an informational meeting on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, at 7 p.m. at Booth Center (7273 Wing Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills) for those who are considering running for the four board seats up for election in November 2018. Information shared at the meeting will include what it means to be a Board member, meeting schedules, and more.
Michigan Design Prize winners provided by BHSD
Congratulations to Blake Prebay (Finalist, Park Pal) and Noah Kellman (Honorable Mention, Trail Vendor) for their participation and selection in the Michigan Design Prize Contest. Award recipients will be honored on June 19, 2018, at the University of Michigan Museum of Art where several hundred people gather to celebrate design thinking and the advancement of the industrial design profession. BHHS teacher, Mr. David Zulkiewski, introduced this competition to the students in Engineering Design, Architectural Design, and Comp Science and they worked on the competition this winter. For more information visit www.michigandesigncouncil. org
4th graders visit BHHS provided by BHSD
Recently 4th grade Conant Elementary students Jace, Jackson, and Nykolas stopped by BHHS to obtain signatures from high school students making a committment not to text and drive. The 4th grade students decided to study texting and driving for their PYP Exhibition project. “Texting and driving is very dangerous, and we wanted to help raise awareness and get people to stop texting and driving,” expressed Jackson.
student voice Fleece & Thank You brings community together Student reflects upon schoolwide community service project
For these stories and more, go to our website
BhhsToday.org
Volume V-Issue VI
HACKED District reacts in the face of recent database hacking by LARA JANOSZ 18-19 Managing Editor
O
ver the years, technology has been integrated into the Bloomfield Hills School District, from iPads being used in the district’s elementary and middle schools, to TVs being used instead of whiteboards at Bloomfield Hills High School. However, the district faces a problem with the relationship between technology and its students, as a few students in the district have taken advantage of the technology opportunities provided to them by hacking into the website used by the district to track grades, lunch money, and other important information about students. “Though we encourage our students to take responsible action, sometimes they make choices that do not reflect our guiding principles,” said a notice by BHSD on their website. “Unfortunately, a couple of our students made some poor choices lately, deciding to hack into our student information system, which houses all of our student and family data, and manipulate their personal grades, attendance, and lunch balance information.” In the wake of these events, the question has been raised about how the district will handle these incidents in the future, as the age of technology has often brought about these problems not just in schools but in homes, offices, and even governments. As for the current situation at hand, the district is working to protect what, according to the statement released, is the most important aspect of the district: the students. “Our highest priority is our students - their safety, their needs, and their overall educa-
tion,” said BHSD. “That said, we also have a responsibility to... the parents and guardians of our students. We take seriously our responsibility to gather and store your information.” For more information about the hacking incident, visit bloomfield.org.
CELEBRATION
Graduation is a time to celebrate new beginnings and taking the next steps after high school. A commencement ceremony is just the right way to honor this step at Bloomfield Hills High School. After Andover and Lahser merged, the graduation ceremony was moved to DTE Energy, according to Associate Principal Sharida Lewis. Now, the ceremony has been moved back to the original location, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, giving this year’s seniors a different experience from past Bloomfield Hills graduates. “We were originally scheduled for DTE Energy but a major concert actually bumped us,” said Lewis. “And so the next best thing was Meadow Brook”. An addendum of BHHS’ arrangement is that if a major contract, like a performer, comes up, then the school gets bumped. Paul Simon is the concert that took precedent over the graduation ceremony. According to Lewis, the location change won’t affect the ceremony or
1. Visit Parent Portal at: www.bloomfield.org/parentportal 2. Click ‘Forgot Password’ 3. Type in the email address associated with your account For more instructions, visit www.bloomfield.org
Recognition
Commencement changes location by ALI RANDEL 18-19 Copy Editor
MISTAR PASSWORD RESET
time and date. However, the number of family members per student allowed has decreased from the unlimited amount allowed at DTE energy. Lewis said, “It made us be able to accommodate 5 tickets per student. I will say at Meadow Brook, there is unlimited seating, for unlimited lawn seating. So technically, 5 tickets per student in the pavilion area, but on the lawn there can be as many people as necessary”. Junior Mara Sabin has a brother graduating this June. Sabin said, “As a member of a pretty big family, this will definitely be hard. Our nuclear family has six people, including my brother who is graduating, so other family and friends such as my grandparents can’t come. DTE Energy is already booked for next year’s ceremony, but unfortunately, this same situation could occur and the school could get bumped. The graduation ceremony procedures will be taking place on Sunday, June 10 at 1 p.m. at the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre.
Robotics team wins Chairman’s Award by ANDRES QUIROGA-ELIZONDO 18-19 Staff Writer The 2018 World Championship For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics, held at Ford Field, came to an end as the BHHS Bionic Black Hawk Robotics Team took home the Chairman’s Award. “The Chairman’s Award is the most prestigious award at FIRST,” said Bionic Black Hawks Coach Andrew Raine. “It honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.” Sophomore Bionic Black Hawk Hilary Lam shared how much it means to the team to have won the Chairman’s Award. “This was the first time that the team won the award at the global level,” said Lam. “It is an extremely difficult challenge because there are so many qualified teams that have done so much to exemplify the spirit of FIRST.”
Junior Bionic Black Hawk Evelyn Sorgenfrei explained what led the team to winning the award. “We have worked for many years to establish a community within the district and provide support for young students and minorities interested in STEM,” said Sorgenfrei. “Throughout the year, the team runs competitions, summer camps, as well as many other outreach and community service events.” Coach Raine gave further insight on how proud he is of the team for their achievements at the championship. “I am most proud of the team’s commitment to promote STEM. There is a saying we have which is ‘It’s more than just robots,’” explained Raine. “Our students, parents, and mentors have devot-
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MAY NEWS
2
Wednesday advisory schedule to stay
The Hawkeye Highlights
“Students should be getting a better sense of community, to build the climate and culture of the building.”
Music Awards become platform for activism
Local and World News
by Sammi Trepeck 18-19 Staff Writer
Since the beginning of this school year, students have attended advisory every Wednesday, an additional class that shortens other classes and gives students time to study and meet with teachers. However, given recent changes to the class, students question the status of advisory next year. “Advisory is structured this year where it is every Wednesday and the first Wednesday of every month is for community building and lessons. The lessons are supposed to be structured around building relationships, circle discussions, mental health, and focusing on relationship building to better the climate and culture of the building,” said Associate Principal Jessica
Top Story: 2018 Billboard
Tweets: “I’m deeply humbled and grateful for this award. I believe that for all of our challenges, we live in a great moment in history.”
Local Reactions: Students and Social Media
-Janet Jackson
“
This year, the Billboard Music Awards proved to be both a source of entertainment and a platform for activism, as several celebrites used the award show to represent a cause or issue such as the Me Too or Time’s Up movement. Singer Janet Jackson also became the first African American woman to win the BBMA icon award.
For more information about the Billboard Awards, visit BHHSToday.org.
I believe that it is important for influential people, in this case celebrities, to take advantage of their positions and be a positive influence on their audience. Using award shows as a platform to bring up and talk about current events and issues is a great way to reach a lot of people, but a young audience should be able to form their own opinions on what’s going on in the world without bias from their favorite pop singer.
“
Advisory to continue next year
- Regan Lee, Sophomore
Jessica Lupone Associate Principal Lupone. “As far as I know, it will probably run the same way that it is this year. I don’t know of any changes that haven’t been talked about.” Lupone stated that the current advisory schedule promotes a school-wide sense of community. “Students should be getting a better sense of community, to build the climate and culture of the building as well as that academic support,” said Lupone. In addition to this, students use the class for a number of different purposes. “I best utilize my time in advisory by meeting with teachers for classes that I am struggling in. For example, if I have a test the next day or if I’m behind in a class, I can go meet with the teacher to catch up,” said junior Avery Geller. With any questions regarding advisory, students and parents are encouraged to speak with administration.
10 dead after Santa Fe school shooting
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry
Kilauea Volcano explodes, evacuating thousands
A deadly school shooting at the Santa Fe High School has left Texas and the rest of the country in shock and mourning. The shooting left 10 people dead, including eight students and two teachers. The suspected murderer and gunman, a student at the school, used a revolver and shotgun, which are believed to be owned legally by his father. The gunman surrendered to the police. Since then, memorial services and protests have been conducted, and a new conversation about gun control has begun.
Prince Harry of the United Kingdom is now married to Meghan Markle, now officially named the Duchess of Sussex. The wedding took place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England. This wedding is a step for the royal family as the bride is an American, biracial divorcee. Elements of African American culture were present at the wedding with Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Ben E. King’s contributions to the wedding. This event has been since confirmed to be the biggest T.V. event of the year in the United Kingdom.
One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Hawaii’s Kilauea, erupted just days ago. Volcanic activity and lava flow had been occurring for days, when the summit of the volcano exploded, releasing ash up to 30,000 feet into the sky. The toxic sulfur dioxide associated with volcanic eruptions forced thousands to flee their homes in which over 40 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the volcano. The volcanic explosion reached the Pacific Ocean which brings a multitude of new problems for Hawaiians.
https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/salt-n-pepa-and-en-vogue-perform-at-billboard-music-awards-2018/ https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/This-Is-the-Official-Menu-for-the-Royal-Wedding-Reception-Shutterstock9685436fi-1024x726.jpg https://media.nbc4i.com/nxs-wcmhtv-media-us-east-1/photo/2018/05/18/houston_1526657119924_42940144_ver1.0_640_360. jpg https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/78/590x/hawaii-volcano-eruption-961806.jpg
Robotics (from 1)
For more stories, visit
devoted themselves to this mission and made such a positive difference for so many people both inside and outside our school district. It’s a very rewarding feeling for all of us in the program.” Lam shared Raine’s thoughts on the team’s commitment and expressed her hopes for the team in the future. “As we go forward, I hope we will continue to seek to inspire more of the community and continue to be representative of what a world class chairman’s team is.”
BhhsToday.org
Kenzo Lord, Shaveena Sivapalan and a competitor work during a competiton. Photo courtesy of BHHS Robotics
Bloomfield Hills Robotics Team wins the Chairman’s Award at this year’s World Competition in April. Photo courtesy of FIRST Robotics
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MAY NEWS
Model UN: a year in review Model United Nations team caps off the year at Wayne State by KUSHAL SANJEEV 18-19 Managing Editor
The Forensics team poses with their trophies at Oakland Community College. Photo by Leilei Chen
Forensics team wins big at States Forensics team takes home the state title by DARBY KRUGEL 18-19 Copy Editor The Bloomfield Hills High School forensics team traveled to the Auburn Hills campus of Oakland Community College to compete in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association State Championship. This tournament featured Bloomfield Hills High School students, along with 28 other Michigan high schools, including West Bloomfield and Seaholm High Schools. After a long day full of speaking, Bloomfield Hills High School won the entire tournament in overall sweepstakes points. Coach Danielle Tier emphasized that this was an important accomplishment for the forensics team. “The kids last year, they took sec-
ond place to Groves,” said Tier. “It was the first time that we had taken second place to Groves. Normally it’s been Portage Northern or someone like that, so I think that the kids were pretty fired up to have such a near neighbor be our newest rival, so they really kicked it into gear this year.” Individual state champions included Habib Bello, Niklas Salah, and Leah Louis-Ferdinand in their respective categories. The overall winner is decided based upon sweepstakes points, which are calculated by the team’s placement in semifinal and
final rounds. Junior Mara Sabin was delighted to share in this moment. “We did not win last year, but we won the year before, so it was a really triumphant moment for the team,” said Sabin. “Winning Class A is a really big deal so everyone was super excited about that.” The whole team had to take many steps this year to get this far. “Of course we had the first five invitational tournaments and we had been given so many critiques from
“It was a really triumphant moment for the team.”
Mara Sabin State Team Member
those [tournaments],” said sophomore Lexie Finkelstein. “I spent hours working with my critiques and just practicing my speeches over and over again, and of course meeting with coaches, practicing with my team members, and doing everything I could to make sure I was prepared.” The forensics team is ecstatic about where this year has taken them, and are looking forward to next season. “We have a lot of our incredible seniors graduating, so it’ll be really hard to say goodbye,” Finkelstein said. “But we also have brought in some amazing freshmen, so I’m confident that with our captains and coaches next year we’ll be able to have another amazing season and we’ll all take a break over the summer and keep working hard come next year.”
Sophomores advance in National History Day competition Seven sophomores move on to the National level of National History Day in Maryland by JAKE FOGEL 18-19 Section Editor After months of work, three sophomore projects from American Literature 1600 classes have advanced to Nationals for the annual National History Day (NHD) competition. “It feels like a great accomplishment as we put a lot of hard work and dedication into it, and it paid off in the sense that we made it to Nationals and now we can go to D.C.,” said sophomore Jacqui Foreman, a finalist for NHD in a group exhibit. “I was not expecting to move on, it’s definitely going to be a step up from states. We’re really excited, and especially after we get our critiques, we will hopefully be able to make our project as best as it can be.” Every year, sophomore students partake in the National History Day competition taking place at the University of Maryland in College Park,
Maryland. The students moving onto Nationals are among 3,000 other students from across the nation who all moved on from both a district and statewide competition. Agreeing with Foreman, sophomore Brody Mayoras, a finalist in a group documentary, said, “I don’t know what to expect, but I expect that [the other competitors will] all be pretty good and much more sophisticated than the ones we were up against at states.” While students are currently reacting to their advancement, teachers shared their excitement for the groups advancing to nationals. “The group of students that are moving on this year I can confidently say that this is one of the stronger groups that we’ve seen. I feel good about them.” said United States History Teacher, Erin Cervi. “[Our] finalists reflect the comprehensive and dedicated education that our school provides to the students,”
said sophomore Alan Zhang, a member of Mayoras’ group. Through all of this preparation, Mayoras said, “I’m happy we moved on because we put a lot of hard work
into recreating our documentary after we were able to advance to regionals, so it felt really good to move on.”
“We’re really excited and we will hopefully be able to make our project as best as it can be.”
From hosting the SEMMUNA conference at the beginning of the school year to the end of the year conference at Wayne State, the Model United Nations team has had a year of recognition. Under the leadership of teacher and coach Matthew MacLeod, the team has won both the Oakland University and the Michigan State Model UN conferences for the past 4 years, placing 2nd at the Michigan State conference this year. Much of the Model UN team is part of the travel team which competes at the conferences at Michigan State, Wayne State and Oakland University. This particular year marks an end to much of the team due to more than half of them graduating as seniors. “This was a really great group of seniors because I got to see them from freshman to senior year, and I was even more happy because I got to see them through to the end,” said MacLeod. MacLeod said he was really appreciative of the Oakland University win because of the way the conference is structured. “It was a contest that really values the overall team. At OU, it’s not the most awards but the average of everyone you send,” said Macleod. “I really liked winning OU because it means we had the best overall team.” The team’s second major conference included an opportunity to stay the night at Michigan State and participate in the conference there. “I really like Michigan State because I got to experience the chemistry of debate and our team in action,” said sophomore Model UN member, Ishan Goel. “It’s really cool to see how amazing our team is and what we are truly capable of.” Macleod mentioned how this team is “out to take on the world” as he looks forward to what’s in store for next year.
MODEL UN SEASON RECAP Hosted SEMMUNA 1st place at Oakland University conference 2nd place at Michigan State University conference 15 award winners at Michigan State conference
Jacqui Foreman NHD Finalist
Five of the sophomores who are traveling to Maryland for Natioal History Day finals this June. Photo by Jake Fogel
1st place at Wayne State University conference
PATH TO COLLEGE
12TH
Two seniors accepted to Ivy League schools Seniors detail their efforts that won them a spot in some of the nation’s leading schools by MADDIE WEIN
18-19 Design Editor
S
eniors Rama Varanasi and Arin Champati, among others, will attend prestigious Ivy League schools in the fall. Rama Varanasi, senior class president, will be attending Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. “There was something about Yale that drew me in,” said Varanasi. “For an Ivy League school, it was really relaxed and I didn’t feel that overwhelming sense of competition.” Senior Arin Champati will be attending Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. “I was admitted to Princeton University, University of Michigan, and Michigan State. I choose Princeton because it’s a liberal arts school so I can focus on more than one discipline,” said Champati, who is interested in both engineering and musical theater. Both students found themselves facing limitations in their pursuit to be accepted by Ivy League schools. Having taken thirteen AP classes and joined a plethora of clubs, Varanasi found himself “stretched too thin.” “I always took on a million things that I had to do,” said Varanasi. “I used to sign up for every club and activity to push myself and work towards my dream school. It was difficult finding time for everything...I now realize that it’s quality over quantity, finding your passion and pursuing it.” For Champati, the struggle was with monetary limitations.
“Ever since sophomore year, I have dealt with the challenges of financial instability,” said Champati. “I love musical theater but I can’t pay for voice lessons or dance lessons. I had to pay for Model UN conferences out of my own pocket. At the International Thespian Society Conference in Michigan last year, I was able to go for free. I watch all these people have all the opportunities to do things that I can’t.” Champati found himself presented with the tool of teachers to help him succeed in school. “You have wonderful teachers that will go out of their way, extra hours, just to help you out,” said Champati. “There are so many ways our school will help you out, it’s important to take advantage of all these opportunities.” Despite this focus upon academics and extracurriculars, Varanasi stresses the importance of maintaining an active social life. “I know I spent a lot of time studying throughout high school but socially, I still balanced a normal life and remained involved,” said Varanasi. “It’s important to do what you care about and do it well, but make sure you still balance time with the things you like to do outside of school.” However, both Varanasi and Champati stress the importance of finding a specific passion and pursuing it.
ESSAY BRAINSTORMING, EDITING, REVIEW
COLLEGE/MAJOR RESEARCH AND FINAL COLLEGE LIST
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
ALUMNI INTERVIEW PREPARATION AND PRACTICE
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
DEFERRAL/WAITLIST APPEAL SUPPORT
Juniors prepare for college applications As summer approaches, it is almost time for juniors to begin the college application process. by Kaitlyn Luckoff
18-19 Section Editor
P
alms sweating, he anxiously clicked submit; just like that, he had finally applied. For many juniors, it is hard to believe that their days of nervously roaming the halls as underclassmen are long gone; college is nearing as senior year is approaching. The end of summer before school starts is an exciting stress-free time for most. However, for juniors, when a new school year rolls around, it mean that it is time for applying to college. “Juniors should be prepared to apply to college during the summer between junior and senior year,” said Bloomfield Hills High School counselor Shayna Klein. “They should spend their junior year researching colleges and exploring options and then make some decisions about a final application list at the end of junior year or over the summer.” While many students are worried about the physical application, junior Emma Gray is apprehensive about hearing back from the schools that she will apply to over the summer. “I’m not really nervous about the application process itself, but I’m more nervous about hearing from schools after applying,” said Gray. “I definitely will be applying to some out of state schools like Wisconsin and Indiana, but I know for sure that I’m also going to apply to Michigan State University because I really like the sound of their art
programs.” Although it seems nearly impossible to sum up everything that students have worked for and achieved during their academic years, Bloomfield Hills High School students are lucky to have the support of multiple administrators and counselors. Whether it is meeting deadlines, organization, or the selection process, every student has a trustworthy adult willing to help them and offer advice. “My advice to juniors would be: stay organized, pay close attention to deadlines, complete applications early in the school year of their senior year, ask questions and seek help when needed, don’t procrastinate,” said Klein. After a stressful school year filled with the Personal Project, a new interdisciplinary class, and an introduction to AP classes, it is almost time for sophomores to begin the college application process. However, these students are lucky to have their counselors and peers to provide advice. “It is important for them [sophomores] to do well academically and stay focused. Junior year is very important and demonstrating a trend of improvement or maintaining their current level of progress is critical,” said Klein. “It is also important to begin thinking about taking the SAT/ACT during junior year. The timing of this is an individual decision for each student.”
Seniors’ take on college applications
“Be proud of who you are and embrace your personality - there is no need to fabricate. The most important aspect to display is your true self.” Arin Champati (12)
FINAL COLLEGE DECISIONS
“The most important thing is to focus, write your essays well and make sure your application shows what you’re passionate about.” Rama Varanasi (12)
COLLEGE
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MAY NEWS
Expansion on district sinking fund Oakland County votes for expansion on the sinking fund by SARAH KENKEL 18-19 Staff Writer Voters in Michigan recently elected to expand the current sinking fund by just under a million dollars, generating $2.5 million per year and opening up gateways for new school safety methods. “This expanded use now covers some expenses related to safety, security, and technology,” according to bloomfield. org. “Sinking fund dollars cannot be used for any operating expenses such as salaries, benefits, or routine maintenance.” This expansion is set to replace the current sinking fund, which is set to expire in December 2018. According to bloomfield.org, “A sinking fund is a savings account into which a local school district can deposit voterapproved local millage revenue in order to pay cash for the most urgent building projects or repairs as they arise.” The sinking fund dollars can be used in various ways, including renovation and repair within a building.
“Schools are getting old and things are falling apart. There is a need for the sinking fund expansion of the bill in our district.”
Jean Buford History Teacher History teacher Jean Buford states that because “schools are getting old and things are falling apart. There is a need for the sinking fund expansion of the bill in our district.” “I am a teacher so I will always be an advocate for having enough money for the schools. I don’t think schools will ask for money and waste it,” said Buford. “I think our school district is very good about making sure that the funds are being spent on what they need to have it spent on.” With the expansion of the sinking fund, the district is predicting to see an increase in security systems such as the Blue Point Emergency Alert along with cameras on busses and bullet proof glass in classrooms. “Security cameras serve as a valuable resource for responding officers if they are able to tap into a live feed of the building to see inside,” according to bloomfield.org. “With the sinking fund dollars, we may be able to install security cameras that would give police a window into the ongoing activity, shortening the time between response and results.” The increase of safety, security, and technology among the schools has led to students like junior Michelle Lee to “feel safer knowing that the sinking fund provides us with security measures such as cameras and the bluepoint system.” This recent expansion has helped to solidify this feeling of “safety and comfort.” “I believe that by providing more funding towards the sinking fund, we will be taking a step in the right direction,” said Lee. The expansion on the sinking fund will provide more safety for all schools in the district, with a focus on elementary schools. “Up to this point, it has been very easy for people to walk in to the elementary schools,” said Buford. “They have no means of people checking other people as they walk in the building and don’t have doors locked and the security is not very good.” Although Buford believes that “you can never really feel safe” at school, she still shares her support for the expansion on the sinking fund. “I don’t think that you can ever really feel safe, just because there are too many outside things going on,” said Buford. “However, I think the sinking fund does make us feel safer and more secure.”
Sinking fund expansion covers safety, security, and technology expenses. Photo by BHSD
Construction continues on Andover Road. Photo by Erin Schwartz
115 new parking spots to be added to campus What students can expect for gaining a parking space next year by LARA JANOSZ 18-19 Managing Editor Throughout the day, students at Bloomfield Hills High School can hear the beeping of construction equipment across the street from their classrooms, as the district is looking to add a new lot of parking spaces for students. “The new lot should be finished before school starts or should be finished by the middle of the summer,” said Associate Principal Sharida Lewis. “Of course, we can’t accommodate everybody but we will be gaining more spots for stu-
dents.” However, many students wonder how the new lot will affect the annual parking pass lottery, in which sophomores and juniors have begun to enter this year. “I think it gives a lot more people the opportunity to get a parking pass,” said sophomore Shannon Carraway, who entered the lottery to try and get a parking pass next year. “A big part of the lottery is that it’s a lottery that only certain people can get a pass, and to me that’s kind of luck. I understand they’re making new parking spaces, and
that’s great because they’ll allow more people to get a parking pass, but it is still a worry for a lot of people.” According to Lewis, the new lot will add about 115 new spaces for students to park in next year. But, with how the lottery has run in previous years, it is dependent upon the number of juniors who purchase parking passes for their senior year. “Students will or they have the opportunity right now to go online and submit their name for the lottery and upon the completion of the senior parking passes, we
will then be able to decide how many junior parking passes we can issue...once we do that we take all the names, put them in a hat and their names are randomly chosen based on the number that we can pull.” For now, the lottery remains a random choice of students that will receive a parking pass, however, the new lot will most likely increase the probability of more students receiving a pass for the 20182019 school year.
Annual Biffstock concludes Fundraiser for school radio station features multiple student activities by CAELAN JANSEN 18-19 Staff Writer Biffstock, the annual fundraiser for the Biff Radio Station, raised money for the Bloomfield Hills High School radio station. At Biffstock, Biff staff hosted multiple activities including trivia rush, jeopardy, and lawn games in the courtyard. “This is our main fundraising event of the year, so we’re trying to raise as much money as possible to keep our radio station going strong,” said Biff member and junior Josh Salhaney. “This year’s goal is to reach three thousand dollars and every donation or sale helps.” Not only was Biffstock a way to earn more money for the school radio station, it was also an opportunity for students to meet members of the Biff and learn more about what it is. “Students walk past the radio station every day but might not really know what we do,” said Biff advisor Danielle Tier. “This was a great chance for students to interact with the Biff staff and learn more about what we are. Many people enjoy playing a game or getting on the radio and hearing themselves on the air, it’s so cool. Knowing that they’re doing all of this fun stuff and
helping out the school community makes it that much better.” “Biffstock is a fun way for us to reach out with the students and connect with the community while earning money,” junior and Biff member Emma Ramsey said. “I think it’s important for listeners to meet us and know we’re passionate about what we do.” Biffstock is not a new concept; it has been going on for decades, starting at Andover High School. “Biffstock has been taking place since spring of 1977,” Biff manager of operations Ron Wittebols said. “It started at Andover as a spring celebration, originally raising money for the march of dimes, and through the years, we decided to take the money and use it for our radio station enhancement expenses.” Biffstock brings more than just fundraising to the school radio. It is also a way for students to connect with the community and learn more about their passions. “I want to go into broadcasting and radio so this event is very important to me,” said Ramsey. “Getting experience with what it takes to make a successful radio station will be very beneficial for my future and give me a lot of great experience.”
Students prepare for Biffstock. Photos by Kaylie Brooks
MAY OP/ED
7
Maintaining
STAFF Advisers Christina Hammitt Michelle Hucal
Values
Print Editors-in-Chief Brynn Elder Anish Tamhaney Web Editors-in-Chief Maximillian Helfman Jessica Kim Copy Editor Riya Doshi Print Managing Editors Habib Bello Vivian Harber Jake Weitzman Web Managing Editor Evan Stern Section Editors Caitlin Finerty Lara Janosz Sadie Kirshner Brendan Lynn Jenny She Maddie Wein Justin Yaker
Staff Writers Maya Alhusein Carly Armstrong Adrian Ashtari Jake Fogel Hannah Halstead Sophie Jackson Caelan Jansen Steven Krivitsky Darby Krugel Vikram Lakshmanan Kaitlyn Luckoff Debra Moraitis Ben Mutz Elena Ofiara Andres Quiroga Sarah Qureshi Ali Randal Connor Renusch Alexis Rillema Erin Schwartz Ava Singer Sophie Sherbin Sydney Stearns Jonah Stone
Dear editor, In the 2017 December Issue, “Vaping- Learn About This Damaging Trend”, Sarah Qureshi highlights risks and health effects of adolescent vaping. While this spread may have only been two pages in length, I found the information included on these pages very informative and impactful for the Hawkeyes intended audience. Because vaping is an extremely harmful, yet sadly common issue, I thought this story was exceptionally relevant for every single black hawk, whether you vape or not, to fully read and comprehend the severe impacts of high school (and middle school) vape culture. I understand the risk to publish this piece, and I give the Hawkeye immense recognition to take this opportunity to educate the BHHS student body with something significant and applicable to our lives. Sincerely, Meredith Parr (11)
Illustrators Anna Hemsworth Emily Wang Photographers Kaylie Brooks Skylar Raitt Georgia Zimmerman
Letters to the Editor
Dear editor,
What we think
With the recent data breach, we remind students to remember what Bloomfield Hills Schools stand for Recently, our school’s student information system (known as “MISTAR”) was subject to hacking by Bloomfield Hills High School students. The Bloomfield Hills community has responded to this with disappointment and dismay following a rapid circulation of news and reports. As Bloomfield Hills Schools reported in several communications to the community, the hackers altered grades, attendance records, and lunch balances by “exploiting a vulnerability” in the computer system that is used on a daily basis. Although much is still unknown, our school district has attempted to offer answers to reassure community members that officials are exercising comprehensive control over the situation. As members of The Hawkeye, we agree with the outrage stemming from this dilemma. We view this shocking, unauthorized activity with concern. However, we desire for this activity to be met,
not with unease that this is what our school stands for, but with the community’s knowledge that this is in no way, shape, or form representative of our school’s values. Throughout this situation, students from our school have been scrutinized and reported on by local media. Despite these negative reports, we must remember the values that our school stands for: ideas that form students to become principled members of society. Bounded by the cornerstones embedded in our school emblem — relationships, authentic learning, innovation, responsibility, and ownership — our fabric is in no way connected to these recent reports. Thus, as this school year rapidly nears its conclusion, seniors prepare for graduation, and students gear up for summer break, we, The Hawkeye, ask all to remember what our school represents.
What students think
I truly enjoyed the piece entitled “Student Organizes Trip to Protest in Washington D.C.”, written by Ava Singer and published on March 15th 2018. In my opinion, it was overall a very informative and necessary article, as it discussed a current movement which involves numerous students nationwide. Not only does it reference the nationwide actions by students, but it also includes an emphasis on the work that is being done at our own school and how my peers are participating in an important issue, in which is quite pertinent to students. Through this article, I was able to learn more about the actions of my peers in regards to the ‘March For Our Lives” movement, informing me of what is being done in the world around me in relation to these nationwide issues. Sincerely, Thanasi Michalakis (11)
We want to hear what you think.
“I think it’s important to remember that the students responsible for the hacking do not reflect the student body as a whole.” Patrick Henkel (11)
“I think it pretty blatantly goes against all of the cornerstones that our school has set up, and that they’ve disrespected values that we as a community hold dear” Emily Williams (11)
Write a 100-200 word letter to the editor and sent it to us: bloomfieldhawkeye@gmail.com
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Summer:
MAY OP/ED
work time or playtime?
Summer is a time to work
Throughout the school year, it’s hard to catch a break and use your time for what you want to do. Many students have their schedules filled with extracurriculars, tutoring, work, community service, schoolwork, and more, leaving lots of stress and little time for themselves. Personally, I think that one of the best ways to avoid extra stress during the school year is to knock out what you can over the summer. Everyone wants their college resume to stand out. Many of the things that someone can do to beef up their resume can be completed over the summer. Many students rack up their community service hours during the summer by volun-
teering at summer camps, participating in Summer in the City, etc. The school requires a certain amount of community service hours to graduate, and in my opinion, it’s more fun to complete these hours in the sun with friends than to scramble for hours during the school year when you’re already swamped with other work or activities. Speaking of being swamped during the school year, students are able to take courses over the summer. I believe that taking a required class over the summer will make it easier to balance out a difficult schedule. Plus, if someone takes a class over the summer, they will only have one class to focus on and can take the course at their own pace.
The additional work that I’ll be doing because of economics was a personal choice, but many classes require students to do work over the summer. Though students hate it, giving students summer homework is beneficial to both the teacher and the student. Summer homework allows for all students to be on the same page when the class begins. This is helpful because it will bring less stress to a student since they can learn the required material at their own pace. Additionally, having students complete summer homework is nice for the teacher because they won’t have to spend much time on whatever was learned over the summer. This gives the teachers more time to focus on
other material so they won’t have to cram later in the year for the final or the AP/IB exam. At the end of the day, you know what you can handle so don’t fill your summer schedule with what you can’t manage. The most crucial skill that I’ve learned from being in high school is how to balance my schedule, which is key to avoid stress. One of the most effective ways to do this is to use summer break to your advantage. Sit back and sip some lemonade by the pool while you complete your summer homework. It’s called summer “break” for a reason - you’re working hard in the summer to give yourself a break when you’ll really need one.
vacation is a delicacy most Summer Summer students wait the entire school year When they finally get that taste of is a time for. sweet summer, shouldn’t they be rewith experiences they could to relax warded never encounter inside a classroom?
I’m not saying to turn down a last minute babysitting job for the awesome kids next door or completely slack off all summer. I am saying that by working at a desk during the summer, students miss out on opportunities they crave during the school year. These past several summers, I have gone on life changing hiking trips from Colorado to Alaska and even my own backyard. I have spent my summers learning to paint, cooking new recipes, and learning who I am as a person outside of my education. During the summer, students’ minds are free from all the stress of school. From the summer that I learned how to bike, to the summer I learned that I was scared of murky water, I have always found summer to be magical
for self discovery. The only thing a student should worry about during the summer is if their nose is going to get sunburnt or what they are doing on Tuesday night. Summer creates a perfect environment for students to discover the things that make them happy and the traits that make their character unique. If a student does not work during the summer, they are then free to create new bonds and relationships that they would never have the chance to create in school. Summer is the time to meet new people by going out and doing new things, not a time to stay at a desk. I would have never met some of my closest friends if it wasn’t for the opportunities that summer vacation presented me with.
Summer vacation is the chance to build our personal resumes of life by filling them with unique experiences. This past summer I cooked dinner for my grandma twice a week. The memory of my Bubby watching me while I cooked us a big dinner is a memory that has shaped who I am. I now know I want to pursue a career in cooking and restaurant management. Without my free summer schedule, I would have never had the time to create that realization. Summer vacation is a delicacy most students wait the entire school year for. When they finally reach the summer sun, it should be nothing but fun.
by ELENA OFIARA 18-19 Staff Writer
Summer break is the time to give by SOPHIE SHERBIN students’ minds a break from their 18-19 Staff Writer repetitive schedules and seek new adventures. Students should be trying out new hobbies or chilling by a pool, not sitting behind a desk and memorizing numbers. Break can be a time for students to enroll in classes that interest them such as an extra art class or a writing class. Summer vacation is also an opportunity for upperclassmen to study for ACT and SAT -- exams that could determine their future.
EDITOR COLUMNS
Decisions, decisions Editor reflects upon the nature of indecisiveness
by RIYA DOSHI 18-19 Editor-in-Chief
Summer: the season of self improvement As summer nears, students should consider the potential the weeks ahead hold
by EVAN STERN 18-19 Editor-in-Chief
I’ve never been good at making decisions. Whether it be the forty minute conversations with my mom of her naming things to eat for dinner and me shooting down every single one of them, or even just figuring out what I wanted to write about for this column, indecisiveness has always been a common theme in my life. It’s come to the point where I would rather just sit in limbo than have to make a clear cut decision. I assume part of this complex stems from a fear of missing out, of closing one opportunity off from yourself to fully invest in the other. What if the option I didn’t choose was the right one? What if my life would be infinitely better if I had joined that club, made that friend, taken that class? Rationally, many of these changes would probably be insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but the more opportunities we find ourselves presented with, the larger some of them are. With every new choice I have to make, a pattern of constantly overthinking my options has emerged. I find myself scrutinizing every last detail to the point where neither option is desirable. Often times, it’s not the decision itself, but rather everything that comes after the decision that holds me back. As my physics teacher so elegantly theorized,
every choice creates a new alternative universe, each containing a different reality depending upon a series of actions you take. I find myself wishing I could peer into each of them before making any choice, when all alternatives are lost forever. It is the fear that one wrong move can leave your entire life in shambles that restricts me from making even the most mundane of decisions. Funnily enough, some of the best decisions I have ever made are ones I made on a whim. This year, I randomly joined a nonprofit, a choice that proves itself every day to be a fantastic one. Even the little things, like impromptu ice cream runs and calling a friend completely out of the blue have created memories that would never have been made if I had tried to schedule those events. Of course, thinking can’t just be thrown out the window. The decision to even apply for the position of Editor in Chief was one that I had been mulling over ever since I joined the Hawkeye. But thinking should enhance our decision making, not hinder it. We can’t halt our lives on a “What if?”. Living in possibility isn’t really living, at some point we have to accept our decisions for what they are: a step towards coming into ourselves.
As we rapidly near the conclusion of this school year — and, for that matter, the end of every other school year — many students are left scratching their heads as to what to do on warm, long summer days. Some improve their skills in sports or other activities, some take vacations, some simply relax, and some do “nothing,” choosing to enjoy the day leisurely. Given the unstructured nature of summer, each student will likely spend this approaching one differently, with some spending it quite productively and others choosing to simply rest. But regardless of what one chooses to do, viewing the summer as a period for self-improvement can prove to be enriching and powerful. As students, we work tirelessly for months throughout the course of the school year — completing homework assignments, studying for tests, and partaking in extracurriculars. However, we often forget during this plethora of activity about ourselves, and what we
must improve in our own bodies and minds. And this approaching summer is the perfect time to step back and focus on something that improves each of us as a person. With each day of the summer comes an opportunity to end those twenty-four hours as a better person than at the start. Regardless of what this entails, the approaching period is no doubt the principal time in which we all should convince ourselves to mark the break from school work and the typical daily routine we have followed for hundreds of days with self-improvement. In September, we will all begin a new year of school with the knowledge that we are bettered individuals, something that only we can do for ourselves. Therefore, completing the final several assignments and preparing for finals, we stand before an unparalleled opportunity to transform ourselves into better students in school and people in life, something we have been unable to accomplish or even consider for months.
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MAY OP/ED
New Starbucks prompts questions
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Advice to the Class of 2022 A brief introduction to the high school experience
Writer reflects upon the need to support local businesses by DEBRA MORAITIS 18-19 Staff Writer Why, hello there, freshmen
by JAKE FOGEL 18-19 Section Editor Orchard Lake Road, the heart of West Bloomfield, is home to hundreds of businesses. One business that dominates Orchard Lake Road is Starbucks, as Orchard Lake Road currently houses three Starbucks shops, with another one soon to open. If any of you are like me, this opening is extremely bothersome. While I enjoy my occasional Starbucks, I have mixed feelings on this new opening. Four Starbucks locations in such a close vicinity is unnecessary and outrageous. Who needs that much Starbucks? On Orchard Lake, there are also an abundance of competitor coffee chains including Dunkin Donuts, Tim Hortons, and Panera Bread. With these, it seems that there is a declining presence of local establishments on both
“You become a greater part of your community when you repeatedly help out local establishments.”
Jake Fogel Orchard Lake Road and in our entire metropolitan area. This is one of our community’s most pressing issues. For example, there is no reason we cannot branch out to local cafés such as Great Lakes Brewing Company, Jen’s Gifts of Love, or Cafe Rendezvous. We live in a society of such intense consumerism and a narrow demand for specific brands that we forget about these small-scale, local businesses. Trying out local businesses as opposed to national chains has multiple upsides. For starters, you become a greater part of your community when you repeatedly help out local establishments by purchasing their products. People often avoid local businesses because of the generalization that they are more expensive than national chains. In many cases, this assumption is simply not true. In addition, with my experience with local cafés, their products are often better than a highly commercialized Tim Hortons or Starbucks. To be fair, we live in Bloomfield Hills. The reality is that the demand for Starbucks is high. People want coffee, it’s convenient, and it’s fast. In many ways, several Starbucks locations on one road or in one area can have benefits, such as shorter lines. This is only the opening of one Starbucks, but it means a lot. I encourage everyone to support your local coffee shop or a new restaurant, or at least open yourself up more to localized, independent franchises. We, as consumers, have the power to decide what we eat and purchase.
and generally interested public. As most of us know, high school can be a complicated, stressful experience, and that is why I’m here to break it down for you with my most genuine advice. In one sentence, to get the most out of these four years, you need to positively embrace every opportunity, obstacle, and possible experience. I’m a person who’s very involved in our school and general community, and while I may get overwhelmed with work sometimes, I can guarantee you that it’s worth it. I encourage you all to get involved in something. Wholeheartedly embrace your passions! If you don’t know what you like, freshman year is the perfect time to figure it out. Whether it be within sports, politics, music, art or technology, joining or creating your own clubs and teams will create countless opportunities for you to grow, meet people, find your interests, and prepare yourself for college and future careers. To find out about these student circles, you can check out the bloomfield.org website or ask an upperclassman, teacher or Student Leadership representative. Don’t act “too cool” to go to the school events like dances, sports games, musicals and/or plays and fundraisers, and be open-minded to new experiences. You never know what you’re going to learn, what
memories you might make, or what opportunities may fall into your lap. You only get to be in high school once! Take a break from the work and allow yourself to dive head first into the cliche traditions and have some moments of pure teenagery. Be silly and cheer for our teams in the student section. Go hardcore for spirit week! It’d be a loss to look back on these four years and realize you didn’t do anything except study. That being said, this next part is for all you kids already worrying ahead to junior year. Just relax! If you work hard and are involved for your underclassmen years, you are going to be just fine.
“Take the high school experience for what it is: an experience.”
Debra Moraitis I advise you to start thinking about standardized testing close to the end of sophomore year. Any earlier is usually redundant, and any later might cause you serious stress. With your academics, don’t miss class unless you really have to because it is ridiculously easy to fall behind, especially with fastpaced, upper-level courses. When you start thinking about application essays and resumes, this is where those “teenage experiences” and student involvement I encourage come into play. You will thank yourself later for trying out all of those clubs and teams and figuring out what you like, because that will propel your growth as an individual and help your focus your long term goals.
While you should definitely challenge yourself to be the best you can be, be honest and recognize your limits and weaknesses. Don’t sign up for classes that will negatively overwhelm you. That extra AP, IB, or Honors course grade should never surpass your physical and mental wellbeing. It’s just not worth it. Your life outside of school is equally, if not more, important than your life inside of school. So, find that balance between work and play and make sure you are participating in things because of your general interest, not just for your college applications. Trust me, you’ll be happier in the long run because your time will have been well spent. Moreover, remember that you are not a number. No test score or GPA can ever define your worth as a human being. If you are willing to create opportunities for yourself wherever you go, it doesn’t matter where you end up going to college. You can always transfer! You are not limited in any decision. There will always be a “next step” if you take the initiative and work for it. In all, take in the high school experience for what it is: an experience. Don’t hate it, even if you’re tempted to. Be thankful that you’re going to a school with so many opportunities. Embrace the ups and downs with maturity, inspiration, and optimism and try your best not to crack under the pressure but to thrive under it. You are truly capable of anything, regardless of any disadvantages in your midst. Just work hard and be nice to people, see good in all things, and realize that these four years will fly by faster than you could ever imagine.
The future of keeping students safe Despite recent efforts, the future of school safety remains unclear
by LARA JANOSZ 18-19 Managing Editor The months of February and March were tragic ones for the nation and its educational community in the aftermath of several school shootings, some of which were quite deadly. The events that occured in Parkland and even right next door in Birmingham, where students at Derby Middle School faced a potential firearm threat, sent the world spiraling into debate about what should happen next in terms of school safety, a debate that has reached the Bloomfield Hills School District community. Passionate protests have occurred amongst students; Bloomfield Hills High School and the
City of Royal Oak hosted walkouts for students and others in the community in order to take the next steps towards gun safety. Yet the question still remains of what the next step should be to make sure students are kept safe within their schools. Obviously, being a student myself, I have found myself thinking about this multiple times. Yes, the district has sent out letters to reassure families and yes, multiple safety measures have been installed in the building to help keep students and faculty safe, but when it comes down to a shooter roaming the Bloomfield Hills High School halls, is this enough? It would be helpful if the school actually decided what they would do in a situation such as a school shooting. A district-wide reassurance letter is not enough. Students and parents need more than just their own plan to feel safe. It is a communication problem that absolutely needs to be fixed at this point. The passive-aggressive approach to these situations by BHHS has been disappointing, in terms of all the resources we
have at our disposal. Why not use them to educate the staff and students on how to actually protect themselves instead of the whole “run, hide, fight” notion? Not helpful. The plan the high school has now is just not enough, so it is up to the students to take their own safety into their own hands. It is unfortunate that it has come to this. The district needs to put forth more efforts into educating their staff and students on what to do in a tragic situation. Holding school-wide assemblies, creating specific escape routes armed by police officers, or even putting together a mandatory list of emergency numbers that students would carry in their backpacks to make contacting the right people a little easier. It is hard to predict what the next steps for my fellow students and teachers’ safety are when the high school has not put much effort into protecting us. For now though, keep pushing for change in regards to school safety. Bloomfield Hills High School does not need to be the next school making headlines.
Kanye tweetstorm sparks debate Writer discusses moral obligation to stop supporting controversial artists
by MADDY MOSKUS 18-19 Senior Column Writer At first, it was rather fun to see what Kanye was brewing in his Twitter storm that struck in the beginning of May, but as his statements became increasingly political, the age-old debate stirred up once more: can we separate art from artist? By controversial tweets, I don’t mean just random words that Kanye has tweeted. What I mean is the support of current President Donald Trump by Kanye by his wearing of a “Make America Great Again” hat and remarks about being a “free thinker” by sporting Trump’s beliefs. In an interview with TMZ that went viral, Kanye even stated that “slavery was a choice.” These examples of Kanye’s political remarks have been viewed as racist against blacks, seeing as Trump’s administration has sparked a white supremacy movement and slavery was obviously not a choice to the some 11 million blacks that were enslaved.
“We’ve seen artist after artist go down for allegations against them.”
Maddy Moskus Certainly, this is not the first time a beloved artist has been problematic. We’ve seen artist after artist go down for allegations against them in the cases of #MeToo, and with each artist that is accused, we feel a need to abandon appreciating their art, and with that comes massive disappointment. Almost everyone I know has come across a point where they have to say something along the lines of “I really love this artist, but it’s hard to watch them perform because of what they’ve done.” This has been the source of canceling major TV shows, record labels dropping bands, and a mass loss in popularity for many artists, therefore, artist and art cannot be fully separated. The simple truth is that even talking about their wrongdoings still promotes their name and has them gain popularity, so it’s almost as if supporting their success is inevitable. Though we cannot monetarily separate art from artist, that does not mean we have to agree with what they do. In the end, you have to ask if depriving yourself of an artist’s work is more pain than that of the artist’s victims.
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Awards Year in
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Designed by: Jenny She
1: Blake Prebay recieves 2018 Harvard Book Prize 2: Mikaela Schultz awarded Detroit Female Golfer of the Year 3: Skating team wins States competition 4: Hawkeye Newspaper recieves 46 individual awards at MIPA conference 5: Ally Heath receives Youth Volunteer of the Year Award & advances to International Science/ Engineering Fair 6: 15 BHHS students advance to HOSA States 7: 8 BHHS students are National Merit Semifinalists 8: Robotics team recieve World Chairman’s Award 9: 2 BHHS students qualify for DECA State finals 10: 5 BHHS students are Presidential Scholar candidates 11: Forensics team wins 2018 MIFA States competition 12: Boys Tennis Team wins 2018 States Division 1 tournament 13: Model UN team recieves 2nd at MSU conference 14: Brynn Elder receives 2018 Detroit News Outstanding Graduate for Journalism Distinction 15: The 4 Traub Award Recipients 16: 3 BHHS TV News students win Innovation in Digital Media Award
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Section B Honoring Alumni
SCHOOL news Free Press names Mikaela Schulz Female Golfer of the Year provided by BHSD
Congratulations to BHHS junior Mikaela Schulz for being awarded "Female Golfer of the Year" by The Detroit Free Press Sports Awards. The inaugural event was held Friday, May 18, 2018, at The Fillmore in Detroit. Mikaela averaged an astonishing 72.1 for 18 holes this past season, and won every event played in addition to finishing 4th in the State Finals. Mikaela has been named First Team AllState every season, and finished as the Runner-Up for Michigan Player of the Year sophomore and junior years. Mikaela maintains a 4.0 GPA and has verbally committed to play golf in college at the University of Michigan. Congratulations, Mikaela.
Girls lacrosse advances to regional semifinals provided by BHSD
In an outstanding team effort, the Black Hawk girls lacrosse team soundly defeated Troy High School on Wednesday, May 23, 3018, by a score of 12-8. The team advances to the MHSAA Regional Semifinals on Tuesday, May 29, at 7 p.m. at West Bloomfield High School facing Grosse Pointe South. Congratulations to the girls lacrosse team on their quest for States.
Community Middle and high school girls soccer practice together provided by BHSD
On Thursday, May 10, 2018, the girls soccer players from BHMS, EHMS, and WHMS, joined the BHHS girls soccer program for a fun practice. It was a beautiful day and everyone had a great time and improved their soccer skills.
Alum selected as AP SEC Player of the Year provided by BHSD
Congratulations to Bloomfield Hills High School Alum, Yante Maten, for being selected as the Associated Press' Southeastern Conference men's basketball player of the year. Read the full story on the Detroit News' website.
online News Poms: a year in review For this story and more, go to our website
bhhstoday.org
Photo by Susan Adams
Yante Maten's jersey retired by JAKE WEITZMAN 18-19 Managing Editor On the night of April 24th, 2014 graduate Yante Maten’s high school basketball jersey was retired at the annual Bloomfield Youth Assistance Awards Night. It was the final presentation at the event which took place at the BHHS Performing Arts Center. “I am really honored to get my jersey retired. It’s always been a dream of mine to one
day look up and see my jersey in the rafters,” said Maten upon hearing the news. “I pray that I left a legacy that made my family and my school proud.” Maten currently plays for the University of Georgia as a power forward. Athletic Coordinator RJ Guizzetti said the jersey retirement was “something new.” “We don't get many athletes that are successful at
the level at which Yante has been,” said Guizzetti. “However, we retired his jersey, not his number, meaning that unlike when a ‘number’ is retired, other players can wear Yante's number, 11, in future seasons.” The process of choosing students for awards presented at the BYA Awards Night requires faculty noticing the achievements of students. “Staff members nominate students for awards, and
there is a committee that then makes the final decisions,” said Guizzetti. “Nominating staff members are then asked to be in attendance to be the ones to actually present the awards.” Today, Maten prepares for the NBA draft as he hopes to join one of 30 NBA teams for next season. The 2018 draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 21 at 7:00 pm.
Senior Evan Harwood wins Evans Scholarship by STEVE KRIVITSKY 18-19 Staff Writer Everyone has a passion. For some, it’s playing a sport. For others, it’s acting in the school play. For senior Evan Harwood, it’s caddying. Harwood’s passion for caddying has earned him the Evans Scholarship - a scholarship given by the Evans Scholars Foundation to deserving caddies. “I was in disbelief when I got it. I remember being scared to open the envelope and see if I got it. After I did, I was very happy and grateful to everyone who helped me,” said Harwood. Around 300 seniors in high school and freshmen in college receive Evans Scholarships each year. The scholarship provides recipients free tuition and housing for four years at eligible
schools in their state. Harwood chose to attend Michigan State University, one of the two options for Evans Scholarship winners in Michigan. The only expectation for Evans Scholars is to continue caddying, which he plans to do during the summers while he attends Michigan State University. “I chose to attend MSU because it has great academics that I am interested in especially in science which is what I want to get into,” said Harwood. Harwood started caddying at Orchard Lake Country Club after his parents encouraged him to get a job. “I would say my parents definitely got me into it,” said Harwood. “They wanted me to work, so caddying was a great opportunity because I like to move around and walk, and you
have to be physically fit for the job, and I was.” Evan’s mother, Ann Harwood, also provided help and motivation for him once he became a caddy. “I encouraged Evan to wake up very early in the summer around 6:30 a.m. to make sure that he could get to work every day whether we had to drive him or when he could drive himself,” said Ann. While his parents originally pushed him to become a caddy, Evan has grown to enjoy caddying. “It really doesn’t feel like a job. I love to do it: meeting new golfers, people and friends,” said Evan. “I’ve made so many good friends caddying. It doesn’t feel like a job; it just feels like a meeting place where I talk to people, and I’m not even really thinking about what I’m doing since it comes naturally to me.”
Girls soccer team remains undefeated by BEN MUTZ 18-19 Staff Writer Coming off of a recent win against Stoney Creek, the Bloomfield Hills High School Girls’ soccer team continued to 10-0-2 in the season, where they are yet to lose a game. Recent contributions from top scorers Christina Hickson and Sloane Marwil keep the Hawks “confident” heading into the last segment of their season, facing West Bloomfield and Rochester before heading into districts where the team has earned a first round bye, according to fifth year head
coach Alan Zakaria. “This year for playoffs, we have a really tough bracket for districts, but we should be able to go far if all goes well,” said junior and outside midfielder Sydney Houston. “Our confidence is through the roof right now, we expect to win.” According to Zakaria, the girls “have a connection that can’t be broken.” “The girls have a great connection with each other,” said Zakaria. “They push each other to greatness and there is a high standard that is set by the girls where they hold each other accountable to perform at their
best. They all get along very well and are a joy to coach.” In addition, Zakaria acknowledges that the growth of the team is a joy to watch. “It’s been a joy to watch the team grow from preseason to now. The girls have become so much stronger collectively in our style of play, their fitness, and their mental toughness,” said Zakaria. “This is one of the many joys of coaching, watching a passionate group of individuals come together for a common goal and improve together on a daily basis.”
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MAY SPORTS
Unconventional sports by KUSHAL SANJEEV 18-19 Managing Editor
Rowing Rowing is a sport in which players row using oars in water and try to beat other teams to the finish line in a boat. The two main types of rowing are sculling and sweeping; sculling uses two oars and sweeping uses one. With a “very intense schedule of rowing twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening,” senior Nick Caravias “loves the sport.” Due to rowing being an uncommon sport in Michigan, most students row at private clubs. Aiming for the championship regatta, Caravias works “nonstop.” But the sport’s “high intensity” also has some benefits. “Rowing has had a very positive impact on me by teaching how to overcome mental challenges and competition,” said Caravias. “It’s also given me the chance to make a lot of friends through racing and being on a team together.”
Bubble Soccer
Photo Credit: Nick Caravias
Bubble Soccer is considered an unconventional sport played across America due to its spinoff nature from soccer. It features players in the middle of a bubble suit playing soccer with the ability to bump opponents to the ground without a risk of injury. This year, the girls soccer team decided to participate in a team bonding game of Bubble Soccer. “It’s a chance to have fun with everyone without getting hurt,” said sophomore Melissa Briggs. “It proves to be beneficial to soccer as it’s a hard sport to play especially when trying to connect passes.”
Mountain Biking Club
Photo Credit: Annie Hoag
Sophomores Evan Saroken and Conner Klemer decided to take an unexpected turn in spring sports season with the creation of the Mountain Biking Club. Saroken describes mountain biking club as “a club where you can race on bikes through and on obstacles.” Klemer added that “It’s a way to stay active in nature and appreciate what nature has to offer. I like getting lost in my own thoughts when riding. It’s very peaceful to just be out there in nature.” The two look forward to expanding the club and race other clubs in the 2018-2019 school year. Photo Credit: Kushal Sanjeev
Golf coach resigns
Bloomfield Hills High School JV team experiences an unanticipated coaching change by JUSTIN YAKER 18-19 Section Editor The BHHS JV golf team was sent into a sudden stage of panic when former coach Joseph Gibson was forced to resign due to being diagnosed with cancer. “Giving up my coaching position was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I felt like I was letting Coach Hayes down but, even worse, I was letting the team down,” said Gibson. “Also, I truly enjoy working with everyone, and especially this year as we had a course with an actual practice facility.” Because Coach Gibson was forced to resign in the middle of the season, the BHHS athletic department went about finding a replacement differently than normal. “When we have a coaching position open up, we typically post it on the district website. We go to coaches’ associations and put the word out that way, and we try to get as many candidates as we possibly can. In a situation like this, where a coach resigned in the middle of the season, we didn’t have time to post it and wait a week or two for interviews,” said Athletic Coordinator R.J. Guzzetti. “We started reaching out to different people that we thought might be interested. I went to Coach Harrington, who is our girls head coach, and I asked him if there was any chance that his JV coach, Coach Lorenz, would be interested. I know that coach Lorenz filled in for the girls’ JV season when their coach left midseason because she got a new full-time job. He texted me about a half hour later and said ‘he is in.’” Bloomfield Hills’ new JV golf coach Coach Lorenz believes the transition into the job “went smoothly.” “Coach Harrington, the Girls Varsity coach, reached out to me to let me know that Coach Gibson needed to resign and to gauge my interest in finishing the season as the Boys JV coach. I immediately said yes, I was interested in helping out,” said Lorenz. “From there, a meeting was set up with Mr. Guizzetti and Coach Hayes and I started the next day. I guess what truly prompted
me to take the job was how much I enjoy working with kids, helping them out and watching them improve. I think the transition went well, at least from my perspective. I hope it was a smooth transition for everyone on the team, parents included as well. Stepping in mid-season isn’t the easiest or most ideal thing to do. Having gone through this fairly recently for the Girls JV team definitely helped.” Junior and JV golf captain Blake Prebay reflected on the difficulties of the situation and the adaptations the players needed to make. “Having a coaching change is difficult on all players. We needed to get to know him, in order to feel comfortable doing everything we had been doing beforehand,” said Prebay. “At first, playing matches and getting to practice was very difficult, because we were unsure of and how and when we were going to do it. The biggest challenge was getting comfortable in the situation and keeping our mind off of the situation with our old coach and moving forward from there.” Guzzetti explained that the golf program was “extremely fortunate” to have received Lorenz as the replacement JV coach. “Most quality golf coaches are probably booked at the end of April,” said Guzzetti. “The coaches that are available are the ones that have retired, and aren’t interested in coaching anymore or just aren’t available. We got very fortunate. We were really really fortunate that Coach Lorenz was able and willing to do this, and certainly able to do this full time. It was great for us.” Prebay agreed with Guzzetti that Lorenz will be a “perfect fit” in the BHHS boys golf program. “I think he will fit into the BHHS boy’s golf program perfectly,” said Prebay. “He’s an awesome coach, with knowledge in the game. He’s a super nice guy, really chill, and really happy to be out there golfing. He wants his players to learn and get better, which they are able to do in a fun and enjoyable manner through his coaching. He likes to make sure the players are having fun while they are playing, and I think he will be a good addition to the program.”
Coach Bob Lorenz. Photo Credit: Erin Schwartz
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MAY SPORTS
SPRING SPORTS UPDATE Boys Baseball
By: Ali Randel
Coming off of a 2017 season as league champions, this year’s boys’ baseball season is well under way. Varsity baseball player and senior Ben Jerris said,“I feel like we have had a good season but have a lot more potential to be better. We are well coached and have a lot of talent. Hopefully, we can put it all together for the playoffs.” The team is 3-1 as of their most recent game on May 16th against Avondale High School.
Boys Golf
By: Justin Yaker
The Bloomfield Hills boys’ golf season is approaching an end. The season is highlighted by a fourth place finish out of 25 teams at the Hudson Mills Invitational. The team is looking to qualify for the state tournament. To do so, they must get through regionals, which take place on June 1st. “We have had a great season so far. Our team has come together real nicely, leading to quality results in matches in tournaments,” said junior and second year varsity player Ankith Varchasvi. “We have had a lot of fun this season as a team, but everyone is still highly focused on our end goal, being the state tournament.”
Boys Lacrosse
By: Sydney Stearns
The Bloomfield Hills boys’ lacrosse team has had an almost unbeatable season, winning 11 out of their 13 games they’ve played so far. Lacrosse team member Isaac Leader is “very excited” for the remainder of his season. “My main goal for the lacrosse season is to help get the team to the regional championship and win it,” said Leader. While the team has been “thriving”, Leader went on to express what he felt he and his teammates could have done to improve “We could have done better at taking the season more seriously,” said Leader. “We had a lot of confidence at the beginning of the season because of how good we were going and that made us go into games with the wrong mindset.”
Girls Lacrosse
By: Brendan Lynn
Coming off of a 16-6 season, the girls’ lacrosse team had high expectations coming into this year. According to Laxpower.com, the Blackhawks are ranked seventh in the state for division one girls’ lacrosse teams. With new coach Emma Mucci, the Blackhawks have had key wins against top teams including Troy (12-11 win) and Clarkston (19-6 win). Varsity girls’ lacrosse player Samhita Surapaneni said that their “chemistry” is what helps the team succeed. “Lacrosse is super fun because, apart from being together during practice and our games, our team goes out a lot. Over the season we have become friends off of the field, which is what it is all about.”
Girls Soccer
By: Sarah Kenkel
The Bloomfield Hills girls’ varsity soccer season is winding down; the team plays their last game this week. Junior and second year varsity player Lilly Formanek said, “I think our season is going really well. We’ve won the majority of our games and it’s always so nice to be a part of a team where everyone is so fun to be around.” With the new team this year, the underclassmen have “pulled their weight” and “improved throughout the season”. “We have become much better at working together as a team and playing with speed which ultimately aids in our success,” said Formanek.
Girls Tennis
By: Sadie Kircshner
As the girls’ tennis season comes to an end for the JV team, coached by Lynn Kartz, and Varsity B team, coached by Sue Bartelt and Lora Kazanjian, the Varsity A team still has a long way to go. On May 17th, the Varsity A team made history and won with a sweep, which has now qualified them to move to States. Coached by Chris Dobson and Nicole Ashare, captain Caroline Allen works incredibly hard to make sure that the team does their best and always has a good time doing it. Three singles player, junior Madison Narens says, “This season has been really great so far. As a team, we have won many, many matches and we are currently getting prepared to go to states.”
Girls Softball
By: Kaitlyn Luckoff
This season, the girls’ softball team has been undefeated, with the exception of 2 losses against West Bloomfield. This team has been coached by Coaches Propst and Whitmire, two teachers from the building. According to sophomore Lexie Finkelstein, this year was “successful” and “provided an adequate learning experience for many new varsity players”. “This was my first year on Varsity, so I spent a lot of time adjusting to how the team works,” said Finkelstein. ‘It has been an incredible year, but I am excited for next season to learn more and have a lot more experience from being on varsity.” The girls Varsity softball team will be heading to districts on June 2, which will be their final game of the season.
Track and Field
The NFL Draft recently concluded. The Cleveland Browns selected quarterback Baker Mayfield first overall. Saquon Barkley, running back from Penn State, was selected second overall by the New York Giants. The New York Jets selected Sam Darnold, quarterback out of USC, with the third overall pick. Five quarterbacks were picked in the first round for the first time ever. The lions had six picks, taking Frank Ragnow, the center from Arkansas, with their first round pick. The best story of the draft was that the Seattle Seahawks selected Shaquem Griffin from UCF, making him the first one handed professional football player. Griffin will play alongside his brother Shaquille in Seattle. As the NBA playoffs are winding down, everyone’s focus is shifting back towards the Kia Rookie of the Year Award race. Experts cannot decide between Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. There has been controversy surrounding Ben Simmons eligibility for the Rookie of the Year award because he was drafted in 2016, but missed the 2016-17 season due to injury. That gave him a year to recover, and practice at an NBA level, a factor that some believe make him not a rookie. The NHL lottery draft recently took place. The Buffalo Sabres went into the draft lottery being the favorites, and they came out as the number one pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The consensus number one draft pick is Rasmus Dahlin, the 18 year old Swedish phenom, who has already drawn comparisons to all stars such as Connor McDavid and Nick Lidstrom. The Carolina Hurricanes were the biggest surprise of the night, who were projected to be the ninth overall pick, and jumped to number two. They will most likely take winger Andrei Svechnikov, from the Barrie Colts of the OHL. The Detroit Red Wings will select sixth overall and will hopefully begin to rebuild their organization after a few hard years.
For more sports coverage, go to our website
By: Jake Fogel
The Track and Field team concluded their season after the regional meet, which included several athletes in track and field. Captain Shelby Jenkins, a sophomore who competed at regionals said, “The season has been really fun, and really successful too. We’ve had a lot of success in all areas, sprints, distance, and field events. We’ve had a lot of new school records.” The team carried second place in their league after winning the leagues meet as well as winning in all of their dual meets. Team members are “optimistic” about next season and are satisfied with the closing of the current season.
Photos: Paul P. Kolin
World in Sports
BhhsToday.org
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MAY FEATURE
Brazle takes a year off Math teacher David Brazle is taking a year off to travel by KUSHAL SANJEEV 18-19 Managing Editor Math teacher David Brazle is planning on taking a year off to travel Europe with his family. “This trip came from the idea to teach abroad,” said Brazle. “But through serious research and consideration, we came to the idea to take a year off and travel. This was also because, as teachers, it is very difficult to take time off during the year. This also became a reasonable trip through a lot of thinking. By saving half of what we make, we were able to put enough towards the trip and not have to worry too much about it.”
“[Belgium is] where I grew up. It’s where my brother is now, I just can’t wait to go back home.”
David Brazle Math Teacher Starting their journey in Ireland, Brazle looks to return back home to Belgium to visit family. “[Belgium is] where I grew up. It’s where my brother is now,” said Brazle. “I just can’t wait to go back home.” After experiencing a European tour through Paris, the UK, Spain, and Italy, he hopes to visit the other half of the world as well, such as China, Singapore, and Australia. “I really can’t wait to go to Thailand,” said Brazle. “Mainly because of how different it is, not only from America, but Belgium as well. I am also looking forward to visiting Spain. Both of these places have a cultural difference that I have never experienced before.” Looking forward to leaving in July of 2018 and returning May of 2019, Brazle discussed one of the main things he will miss: his students. “I am going to miss the consistency and the energy of teaching students. I’m going to miss having one single home,” said Brazle. “But I can’t wait to spend this much time with the people I care most about.” You can follow Mr. Brazle and his family on their journey at http://www. chasingourunicorns.com/
Tina Greenlee taking directing her final play. Photo by Georgia Zimmerman
The curtain closes for Tina Greenlee Acting teacher and theater director Tina Greenlee retires after 42 years of teaching by CAITLIN FINERTY 18-19 Web Content Manager After 42 years of teaching at Lahser and BHHS, acting teacher and theater director Tina Greenlee has given students the chance to see themselves grow in theater. “In seventh grade, I saw this poster on the wall and it said ‘auditions for theater’ and I thought ‘oh my god, I’d love to do that’ but I was terrified because I was so self-conscious,” said acting teacher and theater director Tina Greenlee during the Performing Arts Honors Night. “Somehow, someway, I got myself to the theater and I got cast. I think from that moment on, theater became my world. It changed me, it gave me self-confidence and it made me feel like I belonged somewhere, it made me feel creative, and from that point forward, I knew what I wanted to do with my life; theater became the vehicle that pushed me forward with everything that I did.” Senior Leah Louis-Ferdinand is one of these students who has been helped by Greenlee. “Mrs. Greenlee has helped me so much to come out of my shell
and to be the person that I am because she is a teacher who listens and who allows you to be who you want to be,” said Louis-Ferdinand. “In the theater are the times that I have felt most comfortable at this school because it is where I have felt that I can be who I am the most, and I can be expressive and creative.” Greenlee also recognizes that there are many students that have gone through the same mindset that she did while looking back on her final season. “There have been a lot of students who have gone through the theater program and a lot of them have sort of echoed the same types of feelings I did. I am so proud of all of the students this year,” she said at Honors Night. “We have had an extremely successful season, starting with ‘A Chorus Line,’ we went to the ITS confer-
ence, then we had the benefit for Camp Casey. Last but not least, we just closed our final show for the season and that was ‘The Musical Comedy Mysteries of 1940.’ I couldn’t be more proud of all of [them] in front of the curtain, behind the curtain, stage managing, you have been incredible.” Technical director, Scott Cleaveland, has worked with Greenlee for 15 productions and hopes her successor “has half of the dedication and passion that Mrs. Greenlee has.” He also discussed her “dedication to her students.” “Tina Greenlee is a great director, she is one of the kindest and gentle people I have ever met,” said Cleveland. “She isn’t necessarily about the show, but it’s about the student as an actor. You get more out of working with her than you do out of most direc-
“She is a teacher who listens and who allows you to be who you want to be.”
Leah Louis-Ferdinand Theater Program Member
tors.” Junior, and three year participant in the performing arts at BHHS, Mollie Menuck attributes her success in the theater to Mrs. Greenlee’s knowledge of the theater business. “As the years have gone on, Mrs. Greenlee and I have gotten a lot closer and it is really good to have an adult in the building that you can trust with your problems and anything else related that you may want to talk out,” said Menuck. “It is also good to have someone who has been in the industry that is teaching you. It helps a lot when you are trying to learn about acting and singing and being on stage.” Greenlee is going to be applying this experience to her life during retirement and wants to travel when her time at BHHS comes to an end this school year. “I plan to continue working in the arts in some capacity,” said Greenlee. “I recently have been asked to be a film adjudicator for the Naples International Film Festival. I will spend time with family and friends and my grandson Emmett and I will be traveling to Greece.”
2018 Traub Scholarship winners announced David Brazle getting ready to begin his travels. Photo by Georgia Zimmerman
The C.J. Traub Memorial Scholarship is sending Anna Hemsworth and Laurel Baker to Europe to enhance their understanding of art and music by DEBRA MORATIS 18-19 Staff Writer
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The annual C.J. Traub Scholarship has been a Bloomfield Hills tradition for over 50 years and more than 100 students have received the scholarship since its inception in 1956. This year’s recipients were students Anna Hemsworth and Laurel Baker. “I was so surprised and unbelievably happy,” said this year’s art winner, Anna Hemsworth. “The Traub Scholarship is going to be amazing in helping me grow as an artist and in my future career as one.” The annual tradition began with a generous gift from Elizabeth Taylor Traub as a way to honor her husband, Robert C. J. Traub, and his great love of art and music. “The C.J. Traub Memorial Scholarship is an award which funds a trip to Europe for two students each year who show specific interest in and commitment to music or art,” said 2018 music winner, Laurel Baker. “Applicants will either audition for music, or set up a one-person show for art. The winners receive an award between $1,000 and $2,000 in order to culturally enrich themselves anywhere in Europe.”
The purpose of the scholarship is “to enable students of good character who show special proficiency or promise of achievement in art or music. Both winners each demonstrate a special proficiency and promise of achievement in their respective areas of interest,” states the Traub Scholarship brochure. For Hemsworth, receiving the Traub Scholarship has not only boosted her confidence, but opened new doors for her future career as an artist. “I’ve been drawing ever since I could use a pencil,” said Hemsworth. “My family is very supportive of what I want to do, so I was able to really develop my interest in art growing up. Winning Traub has been a dream come true.” Hemsworth is planning to study animation and digital arts at the University of Southern California. “Because of Traub, l get to explore and learn about art created by world renowned European artists, which is important knowledge to have when creating films inspired by different cultures.” she said. For senior Laurel Baker, a member of all three music ensembles who will be attend-
ing the University of Michigan’s School of Music Theater and Dance and the Honors College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts, the Traub Scholarship has evoked a similar inspiration. “I was thrilled when I won because I knew that Traub would give me ample opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of Western classical music,” said Baker. “Most of all, winning Traub was a gratifying experience because it is a confirmation of your hard work by mentors and professionals.”
Photo of Traub Winners. Photo by Paul Kolin
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MAY FEATURE
Alumni creates economics publication Alumni Adam Kobeissi finds success with the Kobeissi Letter by KAITLYN LUCKOFF 18-19 Section Editor
AP versus IB: choosing the right path for you How students incorporate higher level classes in their schedules by ELENA OFIARA 18-19 Staff Writer Throughout high school, it had been made clear that colleges like to see rigor in an individual’s schedule. Many students across the nation base their classes around Advanced Placement (AP) classes and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes to demonstrate this rigor. Bloomfield Hills High School has classes that fit these standards. Shayna Klein, a counselor at BHHS, said that “the benefits of taking IB and/or AP classes is that they can help prepare you for rigorous college level coursework and challenge a student academically. They can also help them to grow as students and further develop their critical thinking skills. Colleges do not favor or prefer IB or AP as they are viewed with equal prestige and rigor.” It is up to the students to decide whether they want to focus on taking classes either strictly AP or IB, a mixture of the two, or none of these
classes at all. For students who prefer IB classes over AP classes, students can choose to opt into the two-year IB diploma program during their junior and senior year to earn the internationallyrecognized IB diploma. Their schedules contain six IB core classes with room for one elective. “All throughout this school year, I have gone back to thinking that being in the IB program was the best decision for me,” said junior Taylor Wiewiora, who is a part of the IB diploma program. “I know that each person has different learning styles, and I also know that IB isn’t for everybody. However, I think that we will all get a unique high school experience that
will eventually pay off.” Though both types of classes are beneficial in regards to preparation for college, they differ in what material is taught and how it is taught. “IB focuses on going in depth in what they deem to be the most important topics, while AP wants you to cover the surface of a bunch of topics. I took APUSH last year, and we took tests about every five to eight classes which was about every two or three weeks,” said Wiewiora. “I’m in IB European History this year, and we only took two essay exams and one short answer. In my IB European History class we often look at the different opinions of historians in order to create our own view-
“I think that we will all get a unique high school experience that will eventually pay off.”
Taylor Wiewiora IB Diploma Candidate
point, which is really unique to AP which tends to be strict memorization.” Once an individual finishes an AP or IB course, they are given the option of taking the AP or IB exam for the class. Depending on how highly the student scores, they may be given college credit. Most IB classes are two years so a student can test for credit after these two years, while most AP classes are only one year so a student can test for credit at the end of the year they took the class. Dominic Yee, a junior who is currently taking four AP classes, said, “I decided to take more AP than IB classes because the classes are much more fast paced and interesting in my opinion. Also, I like that I can test for lots of college credit at the end of each school year because these credits pay off in the long run.” At the end of the day it is the student’s decision as to which classes they would like to take, whether these classes are AP, IB, a mixture, or neither.
Upon graduation, many students depart high school high on ambition, dreaming of future career paths with little regard for the hard-work necessary in achieving such feats. Unsurprisingly, very few find the success they once fantasized; even fewer do so in a short amount of time. However, Adam Kobeissi, a recent graduate of Bloomfield Hills High School, is part of this small and extremely impressive minority of early achievers. Just two years after roaming the halls of BHHS, Kobeissi has over 34,000 followers on his self -created online publication. “I launched The Kobeissi Letter in 2015 and I had the goal of providing my financial analysis to as many people as possible with no expectation of financial compensation,” said founder Adam Kobeissi. “After the first few months we had a couple hundred readers and that was more than I had ever expected. I knew that my analysis was solid and I thought that if I stuck with it and worked hard, it would eventually grow.” The dedication that Adam has denoted to his publication is extremely apparent through his success and the quality of his publication. His subscribers admire his commentary for being concise, while extremely thorough. “The Kobeissi Letter is a weekly commentary on the global capital markets. The Letter addresses economic and technical trends from both long-term and short-term perspectives to provide investors with insight for current and future investments. We cover stocks, commodities, treasuries and currencies every week where we form six trade recommendations,” said Kobeissi. “We also have a Chart of the Week service where we publish a weekly chart that is composed of technical analysis and that includes a trade that we anticipate to be lucrative. I write the publication in rhetoric that investors ranging from beginners to advanced firms can find useful, all while keeping it at two pages long.” Unlike the typical elementary school student, Kobeissi was harboring a passion for economics and finance at a young age. Adam’s mother, Mariam Kobeissi, explains how Adam developed his interest in economics. “Adam’s passion for economics began in 5th grade when there was a currency produced and used within his class,” said Mrs. Kobeissi. “He began trading items to grow his initial sum of money and immediately realized that he had a passion for investing.” While his enthusiasm began to expand in those early years, it wasn’t until high school that Kobeissi decided to create his economic publication. As younger brother, Yousef Kobeissi, describes, his love for economics evolved tremendously during his four years at Bloomfield Hills High School. “Adam became interested in economics, specifically the stock market, during his junior year. He had Mr. Thomas for pre-calc, and they spent a lot of time talking about the stock market before and after class,” said Yousef Kobeissi. “Adam found the inspiration to start [The Kobeissi Letter] when he saw a similar service online called The Gartman Letter, which charges $500 a month. He liked the idea of providing analysis to other people and saw it as a way for him to grow as an investor.” Like most younger siblings would, Yousef Kobeissi has admired Adam’s early success, which comes to no surprise to those who know him best. “Adam has seen a lot of success in TKL,” said Yousef. “Over the past few years it has grown tremendously. I didn’t expect to see it come this far, but I’m also not surprised at all. Adam’s a hard worker who accomplishes anything he puts his mind to.” While many would already deem him a success at this stage, Kobeissi understands the importance of his future. Among many long-term growth initiatives, Kobeissi is also focused on educating and helping others; he hopes to be able to educate others and benefit charity organizations. “Going forward, I hope The Kobeissi Letter continues to grow and perform even better than we have before,” said Adam Kobeissi. “I would love to see The Kobeissi Letter as a financial commentary that is the foundation of stock market analysis, and educate and help as many people as possible. I am also looking to utilize our growing audience to benefit a good cause such as a charity or organization in need.”
Congratulations
Graduates!
“My International Baccalaureate classes encouraged me to think independently and have a global perspective. What I learned in Bloomfield Hills Schools was fundamental for my success; I will have an advantage in college.” -COOPER BELLINSON
“The new Bloomfield Hills High School is more than a state-of-the-art building. We have a rekindled spirit. I am proud to be a Black Hawk!” -STONE ZHANG
“I could describe BHHS as a college campus, with the variety of classes available and all of the different places to eat and learn. I really like the Learning Communities; they make it easier to work with others on group projects.” -MYCAH BUTLER
248.341.6390 www.bloomfield.org
A limited number of tuition spots are available K-12! Enrollment acceptance is based upon applicants meeting current tuition guidelines and space availability.
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Photos: Georgia Zimmerman 1: Two dogs get acquainted. 2: Two girls pose for a photo with their dog. 3: Sophomore Chloe Gouda poses with her and her friends’ dogs. 4: A dog basks in the grass. 5: Junior Emma Gray and her dog. 6: BHHS Student Leadership at the welcome desk. 7:Two dogs sniff through the enclosure fence. 8: (Left to right) Senior Noah Streng, Sophomore Simon Abohisra, alumni Jake Ruben, and Sophomore Noah Brook. 9: Lily the dog.
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MAY ENTERTAINMENT
From the Nest
Crossword Challenge yourself to the May Hawkeye Crossword Puzzle!
Every issue, the Hawkeye finds five standout faces at Bloomfield Hills High School. Here are their stories right before summer break. Michael Goldman-Brown Jr.
“I’m only here so I don’t get fined.”
by ANISH TAMHANEY Editor-in-Chief
1.
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4. 5. 6. 7.
For more crosswords, go to our website
bhhstoday.org
Adrian Wilen
5.
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View the answers to the March Edition Crossword here:
6.
“Sarah Kenkel’s finsta.”
ACROSS 1. Last ruler of the Roman Republic 4. Former name of Tokyo 5. Not dense, as a tree trunk 6. Original inhabitant of 4-Down 7. Prying into others’ business
7.
Shahrazad Louis
DOWN 1. President Trump’s attorney Michael 2. Annoyed, in modern slang 3. One who propels an canoe 4. Garden in the Book of Genesis
P A B N L E A S T H A W A C E K E N D R I C K A R A N D Y L A MA R N
“I drank rubbing alcohol on accident.”
3. 2.
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Henriette Lembke
Hawkeye Comics
“I dropped my work name tag in the toilet after peeing, so I put my MacBook charger in the pee pool and almost electrocuted myself.”
Rachel Lyback “I slammed my head on a wall because I was jamming so hard to ‘Fuego’ by the Cheetah Girls.”
by EMILY WANG Illustrator
MAY ENTERTAINMENT
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the hawkeye
Reviews This Month in Summer Movie Season Begins May kicks off summer film season with Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2 and more
by CONNOR RENUSCH 18-19 Staff Writer It’s officially that time of the year that the average filmgoer looks forward to for eight months of the year: summer movie season. Not only does the beginning of this wildly broad and entertaining season hail towards the end of the school year, but it provides for some of the biggest blockbusters of the year as they continue to grow in budget and box office numbers. And while many may be under the impression that this season doesn’t actually begin until June, those people would be mistaken. May has always provided the beginning to the realm of franchise films and standalone pictures that rake in some of the most attention and money that Hollywood will see all year. And in 2018’s kick-off month, we’ve seen nothing short of that.
It seems as though Marvel has gotten used to kicking off the summer in a way that can’t be topped. The monstrosity culmination of 10 years worth of superhero film, Avengers: Infinity War, dropped towards the end of April and reigned over the box office over the first two weeks of May. Audiences flooded to see their favorite superheroes fight alongside each other in its opening weekend and found themselves returning to the theater a second and even third time. Shattering opening weekend records and climbing itself up the ladder of highest grossing films of all time, Infinity War has already become an event within film itself and continues to stay at the top of the list when you check your nearest box office list. Sticking to the theme of superhero films, the only picture that was capable of knocking Infinity War off of it’s first place spot was Fox’s sequel to it’s hit experimental original, Deadpool 2. Returning Ryan Reynolds as the snarky yet wittily lovable titular character, the unbelievably original action comedy film made a huge bang as it made its way into theaters, instantly becoming the second highest R-rated opening of all time, only topped by its predecessor, Deadpool. It’s garnered in star class reviews as audiences and critics alike have called it better than the first in each and every way. While it might not exactly be a film for the whole family, it’s become a strong recommendation among the current film world as it truly represents originality in big budget Hollywood. Keeping Disney owned franchises at the top of at-
tention, the second of Disney’s planned Star Wars spin-offs released on May 25th, bringing to life the backstory of one of the franchise’s most memorable characters, Han Solo. Solo: A Star Wars Story presented a lot of production problems originally, losing it’s two directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller over creative differences before bringing in filmmaking legend Ron Howard to finish what had been started. Despite this becoming widespread news, the presales alone for the film managed to double February’s Black Panther and become one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Starring up and comer Alden Ehrenreich as Harrison Ford’s original character, fans and regular audience members alike wanted nothing more than to see this story come to fruition and have finally been granted with yet another Star Wars film to add to the collection. Even though it holds three of the year’s biggest films, May really is just the beginning to the rest of your summer movie season. June, July and August still hold dozens of films that everyone seems to be looking forward to, whether it be the sixth Mission Impossible film, the sequel to the 2004 classic The Incredibles, or the live-action version of Christopher Robin, there’s still lots more to look forward to and plenty of films from May to catch up on.
“Roseanne” was better off ending after season nine “Roseanne” has been brought back with disappointments by SADIE KIRSCHNER 18-19 Promotional Manager
SR3MM’s uniqueness makes it an immediate classic The rap duo releases a 27 track triple disc album that is quickly climbing the charts by JONAH STONE 18-19 Staff Writer
On May 5th, 2018, Rae Sremmurd released their third studio album, SR3MM, along with a solo album from both Swae Lee (Swaecation) and Slim Jxmmi (Jxmtro). The triple disc album is 27 songs long, and boasts features from The Weeknd, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and more. The main disc, the Rae Sremmurd album, is nine songs long. It includes three singles previously released, T’d Up, Close, and Perplexing Pegasus. A song that has been hailed as the top song of the album is Bedtime Stories, which features The Weeknd. This production of this song is near perfect, with a ghostly piano loop playing throughout the song, which perfectly fits for The Weeknd’s style of voice. It’s already began to stand out as one of top tracks of the album. The second disc is Swae Lee’s solo album, Swaecation. Swae Lee has had the bigger solo career of the two, appearing on songs such as Unforgettable by French Montana, which stayed at the top of the charts for weeks. Swaecation showcased the incredible talent of Swae Lee. He can quickly go from singing at any pitch to rapping over a beat flawlessly. For the most part, this disc is mostly singing. My personal favorite is Red Wine, due to the slow beat and seductive tone of Swae Lee. The third disc is Slim Jxmmi’s solo album, which surprised many people due to the quality of it. Jxmmi shows that his solo ability is on par with Swae Lee, and that his range is just as big. He goes from rapping on a very tough beat in Brxnks Truck, to singing on Changed Up and Keep God First. This album shows that Slim Jxmmi can hang with the best of them, and that he is indeed a top tier rapper. SR3MM did not disappoint. The duo showed that although their solo careers are blossoming, they will never forget that being together is the most fun (and most profitable) way to live their lives and music careers.
There’s an old saying that states, “If you love something, set it free.” Matt Williams, the creator of the television situation comedy show Roseanne obviously did not get that memo. Originally created in 1988, the series brought humor and life to its viewers, however, after nine seasons (in 1997), the show ended for good. Or so we thought… In 2017, one of the previous characters of the show, Sara Gilbert, who plays Darlene Conner, had an epiphany and decided to contact everyone she knew at ABC and many of her previous co-stars on the show. A majority of them were on board and a reboot was now in the mak-
ing. Come March 2018, and the remake was streaming on ABC. The show centers around mother Roseanne Conner, played by actress and comedian Roseanne Barr, and her crazy, dysfunctional, loving family. Her husband Dan is played by famous actor John Goodman who is known for being the voice of Sully in Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Their three kids are played by the same actors, as are most of the cast. But there are some new faces, such as the the two children of Darlene Conner: Mark, played by Ames McNamara, and Harris, played by Emma Kenney, who also stars as Deb-
bie Gallagher in the hit Showtime TV show Shameless. Though the show is interesting and enjoyable to watch, I find it difficult to indulge and connect with the characters if you didn’t watch the first nine seasons in the 1980’s-90’s. It was a clever idea to bring back and all of the characters are hilarious but it’s no different than any of the other comedy shows currently airing. I would give it 2 stars out of 5 because I really did not find any interest in the show. However I think that if a person had been watching it since the beginning, then they would probably like it a lot.
From all of us at the Hawkeye...
Congratulations to the class of 2018! Check out our Hawkeye seniors in the Senior Issue insert as well as at BHHSToday.org
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH Mental health is a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of mental illness. It is the "psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioural adjustment".
Depression
Panic Disorder
Agoraphobia
ADD
Alzeheimer’s
Bipolar
Self Harm
Eating Disorders
OCD
Substance Abuse
Suicidal
GAD
Anxiety
ADHD
DID
Any of these people could have a mental illness.
Panic Disorder a psychiatric disorder in which debilitating anxiety and fear arise frequently and without reasonable cause.
Depression feelings of severe despondency and dejection.
Self Harm
Substance Abuse
the practice of cutting or otherwise wounding oneself, usually considered as indicating psychological disturbance
overindulgence in or dependence on an addictive substance, especially alcohol or drugs.
Suicidal deeply unhappy or depressed and likely to commit suicide.
Agoraphobia
A.D.D.
Eating Disorders
ANxiety
extreme or irrational fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public places.
ADD is a common condition that affects adults. A person may either be diagnosed with ADD depending on whether they are hyperactive or not.
any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits (such as anorexia nervosa).
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a fast heart rate and shakiness.
characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of GAD tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school.
Bipolar
O.C.D.
A.D.H.D.
D.I.D.
a mental disorder marked by alternating periods of elation and depression.
an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, images, and sensations (obsessions) and engage in behaviors or mental acts in r esponse to these thoughts or obsessions.
ADHD is a chronic condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and sometimes impulsivity. ADHD begins in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. As many as 2 out of every 3 children with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults.
A disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states.
Alzeheimer’s progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility.
Source: https://namica.org/resources/mental-illness/types-mental-illness/
G.A.D.
Designed by Vikram Lakshmanan, 18-19 Staff Writer
HAWKEYE
the
Maya Alhusein • Carly Armstrong • Adrian Ashtari • Habib Bello • Kaylie Brooks • Brynn Elder • Vivian Harber • Max-
imillian Helfman • Sophie Jackson • Jessica Kim • Sarah Qureshi • Skylar Raitt • Lilly Swanson • Anish Tamhaney
r o i es isnsue
nt en ts co ior Sen
6-7
4-5
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Meet the Editors
Editor Columns
Seniors: By The Numbers
8-11 College On 12 The Clock Senior Columns
Hawkeye senior meet the
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editors-in-chief
Brynn Elder
Anish Tamhaney
Mode: print College: University of Michigan Dream Job: editor for the American Journal of Medicine 10 Years from now: still in school Most visited website: bloomfield.org Go-to snack: chips & salsa Books or Movies: books
Mode: print College: University of Michigan Dream Job: writer in rome 10 Years from now: securities trader on wall street Most visited website: font squirrel Go-to snack: skinny pop Books or Movies: movies
Maximillian Helfman
Jessica Kim
Mode: web College: Emerson COllege Dream Job: Film Director/Writer 10 Years from now: Working on a film Most visited website: youtube Go-to snack: goldfish pretzels Books or Movies: movies
Mode: web College: Indiana University Dream Job: Author 10 Years from now: editor for a publishing firm Most visited website: google drive Go-to snack: blueberries Books or Movies: books
Memories
a week in the life late night chipotle runs cutting stories setting unachievable deadlines finding new fonts getting snowed in
a letter from the editors at the end of our junior year, the four of us became co-editors-in-chief of the hawkeye. through the combination of our vastly different personalities and a whole lot of hard work, we’ve had a tremendously enjoyable and successful time on the hawkeye. we are incredibly grateful to our entire staff, and we wish them the best of luck in their years on the hawkeye. for everyone reading this, thank you. you are the reason we are able we are able to do what we love.
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Hawkeye senior
Editor Columns
When things go right Final year proves rewarding for editor
by ANISH TAMHANEY Editor-in-Chief
Doing what you love Editor discusses recent passions
by BRYNN ELDER Editor-in-Chief
There is something indescribably satisfying about completion—the snapping, instantaneous relief that you have achieved what you first set out to accomplish. The latter half of high school has been saturated with moments of completion, from the smallest and most meaningless victories to the most empowering waves of finality. After considerable reminiscing, I see what ties all these successes together, or at least most of them. It’s this newspaper. The most memorable of these “completions” was the afternoon of Halloween. Brynn and I hurried excitedly to the front of the main commons to a fresh stack of the October Issue of The Hawkeye, our first arrival of the year as Editors-In-Chief. Never had I held so tactilely a product of my own aptitude and stolid work ethic. I’d rarely experienced such a rush of confidence in my own abilities. I gazed intently at each element: the photos, the font styles, the stories, and shocked elation spread across my face. That confidence pumped me forward, propelled me deftly through what proved to be a year marked by more
of such rewarding instances. For some odd and thankfully resonant reason I often recall the most fulfilling day in my entire high school experience, mid-January of my junior year. I had been assigned a daunting and gargantuan sports story with interviews ranging from New York to Georgia, all scheduled consecutively in the same morning. Since I had barely been on the newspaper staff for a semester I felt considerable pressure. After getting a few initial stumbles and the shaky unease out of my voice, I nailed the trio of phone calls with poise and efficiency that surprised even myself. But that’s not where the day ended. I had promised another writer on staff, Maximillian Phillip Helfman, that I would attend his movie club after school. Little did I know two important revelations at the time. For one, my appreciation for cinema would, over the course of the club’s weekly meetings, expand to grand and unexplored heights. Beyond that, Max would turn into arguably the most impassioned and unique
friends I’ve made as well as a reliable co-editor for The Hawkeye. From that day I saw firsthand the immediacy of reward from risk, that if I worked hard enough in uncomfortable and challenging situations then maybe, just maybe, the omniscient and enigmatic synapses of the universe would fire in precisely the right combination to make the risk worth it. More than worth it. A necessity. There are far too many days like these to recount, when my meticulous efficacy worked in conjunction with cogs larger than myself, producing a senior year punctuated in equal duality by the Machiavellian concepts of virtù and fortuna, skill and good fate. At the end of all of it, my experience of high school, my time at on The Hawkeye, the very essential structure my life has formed for years, I’m glad I shared my voice, my candor, and my elan with individuals I know now as friends. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Newspaper was never something I saw myself being a part of. I wasn’t outgoing, not a huge writer. But somehow, enough scheduling conflicts landed me on the Hawkeye staff. My good luck. I discovered group of people, a home, and an opportunity that will never leave me.I was always shy but would sign up for everything and ended up in a large variety of directions. But I will be the first to tell you that finding something you love and sticking with it is far more important than any resume-building task. Whether you love sports, music, or writing; whether you just finished middle school, are going off to college, or just entering retirement, find something you love. Something you won’t tire of that makes you feel proud and gives you a sense of purpose. Find
something to bring a smile to your face time again. And most importantly, find something something to challenge you to always do better. For me that became newspaper. Towards the end of senior year I, like a lot of my fellow classmates, grew tired of the incessant routine of waking up early to head to school for a day of fun tests and worksheets. But newspaper is something I never grew tired of. Writing articles, designing pages, the late nights at school, never grew old. Producing a newspaper from mere ideas to final print is huge project under constant deadline and the next issue begins the minute the current issue is sent to the printer. The amount of work that goes into a single issue of a newspaper is something that often goes unrealized.
At BHHS, we produce a newspaper that very few students even care to pick up and some teachers question its delivery to classrooms, and even its very existence. But I do newspaper because I love it, along with my fellow staff members. We loved the feeling of waiting at the main entrance for stacks of the new issue to be delivered. We loved walking through the halls, passing out the newspaper, even if we were rejected by some. But most of all, we loved the family that newspaper created. The feeling of all accomplishing something together. So find what you love. Because once the tests are taken and the essays are no longer due, what you love, and what you learned from that love, will always be with you.
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Hawkeye senior
More Editor Columns
Giving thanks
Editor details experience on staff
by MAXIMILLIAN HELFMAN Editor-in-Chief
A year of levity
One film holds symbolism for editor
by JESSICA KIM Editor-in-Chief
To the person holding this newspaper in their hands reading, thank you. Thank you for enabling something we love to do so much. Without a reader, a writer has no purpose. Thank you for giving student work the opportunity to be read, grow, shared, and critiqued. And more than anything, thank you for actually reading the newspaper. Being able to produce a product and be proud of your work is the feeling we got every time we put out an issue, posted a story, wrote about something we loved. Because only creators know the feeling of truly being proud of something you made. Whether you are an author, filmmaker, screenwriter, poet, or artist, being able to say you created something that gives insight into our world is irreplaceable. That’s what newspaper gave us. That’s what it gave me. Newspaper allowed me to spend my time doing something I love, rather
than slave away at math problems that put me no where ahead. I was able to discuss and critique films and hopefully share my love with the rest of the school. I was able to write about topics that truly interested me, and allowed me to share my opinion. Whether that topic be on the color orange, or whether or not you should say f***. Newspaper enabled that love. In a world where we are forced to follow the track given to us by a school board and the state government, Newspaper was the one hint at real life. The one class that felt like we were doing something different. That’s what I will miss about high school. The moments where you get out of your routine and something different happens. Days when we distributed our newspapers. Going to my Movie Club every Friday. Skipping school to go out to eat. Visiting the newspaper’s #1 supporter/ fan David Propst, who teaches the most important
subject at the school, basic Chemistry. It all goes in a blink. Like a second. And when you get to the end, and you can finally breathe, because you know what college you’re going to and you have some sort of plan and stability and idea of where you see your life heading, you look back and realize you missed it all. Like a blink. And then you’re done. You can breathe. No more standardized tests. No more worrying about college apps. Only your future ahead. To the person reading this newspaper, holding it in their hands, enjoy your time. High School is a second in our world, and it goes by without you even noticing it. And maybe that’s good. But try to take a breath, enjoy the moment you are in. You’ll never get those moments back.
Few things in life get me passionate: writing, Catherine de Medici’s colossal screwup in dealing with Huguenot France, and arguing that High School Musical 3: Senior Year directed by Kenny Ortega is the best of the franchise. It’s universally agreed upon that although High School Musical 1 has the most iconic songs, baby Efron’s notable lack of singing and tiny Hudgens were just a good start to the franchise, not the best High School Musical has to offer. The debate, then, lies in whether High School Musical 2—with classic bops like Bet on Me and Gotta Go My Own Way—or the emotion-ridden High School Musical 3: Senior Year holds the title of the best of the legendaries. But it’s my humble opinion based on hundreds of rewatches that HSM3 brings some oomph to its choreography that HSM2, with its setting of expanse golf courses and cramped kitchens, simply can’t offer. Take for instance, the classic song Can I Have This Dance. It has the basic formula for a fantastic HSM song: Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron’s sweet duet, a soft acoustic base,
and gorgeous background scenery. Where the song truly excels is at three points—the bittersweet nature of the lyrics, the glorious callback in the latter half of the movie, and the stunning waltz that accompanies the song. There’s a sense of urgency and depth that HSM2, with its clear lack of actual plot aside from Troy Bolton’s jerk factor, can’t provide. The urgency lies in the masterful setup of HSM3’s plot; it revolves around the whole idea of the senior year, which in my experience can be both melancholy and memorable. Songs like Right Here, Right Now and Now or Never perfectly convey the feeling of wanting to hold on but letting go—the essence of senior year. Of course, I haven’t mentioned what I think is the apex of the HSM3 soundtrack: Scream, written by Jamie Houston, is undoubtedly the most ingenious of the dozens that the franchise has sold. A year of taking AP Literature can allow me to analyze deep into the lyrics—the desperate, scared connotation, extensive basketball metaphors in talking about Troy’s internal conflict, and
even the inconsistent rhyme scheme that reflects the turbulences of senior year. I never fully appreciated the song until senior year hit like a badly timed baseball. College applications hurtling themselves around the corner, parents demanding essays be written in every second of spare time, counselors interrogating me on my future desires. I’m seventeen—does it make sense that I know what I want to do with the rest of my life? It’s no wonder I literally got white hairs. Watching High School Musical 3: Senior Year gave me a sense of solace that panicked friends couldn’t quite provide, notably for a lack of relatable songs. Stressful and terrifying, I couldn’t imagine myself ready to graduate six months ago. Now? I’ve realized that life isn’t always like the movies, but that doesn’t mean it can’t end like one. Six months later, here I am: college applications finished, finals done, getting ready to say goodbye to the best four years of my life. But it’s okay. We’re all in this together.
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Hawkeye senior Five tips for high school success
From the Staff
by VIVIAN HARBER Managing Editor I’d say my high school experience has been pretty good. As a graduating senior, I feel as if I have gained a certain understanding on the whole high school thing; but, that might just be the seniority kicking in. Regardless, I’ve assembled four tidbits of advice to help you survive your years at BHHS. You may have heard them before, but trust me, I’m a senior. The first tidbit is to try to enjoy yourself in high school. Complain less; your teachers aren’t really out to get you. Be friendly; making someone’s day isn’t hard to do. Help a brother out; everyone’s trying to get the A, same as you. Surround yourself with positivity; from yourself and others. Don’t settle for bad friends; surround yourself with people who make you happy and evaluate who you’re giving your precious time to. You can spend your time sulking around the school, but it’s not hard to think of school as a glass half full
kind of deal. Secondly, make the most out of your time. Procrastination is the silent killer, but only if you let it. Our community offers so many activities, clubs, jobs, sports, and more for students to get involved in; I regret not taking advantage of all of them. I got lazy and weary of others’ opinions so I tended to shy away from getting involved in school events, especially freshman and sophomore year when I was only worried about my grades. For one, colleges love students that are involved but it’s also a way to meet new people and try new things. Essentially, your time is precious and shouldn’t be completely wasted watching Netflix (unless you’re watching The Office, then it’s okay). Stress is a familiar trend for all of us, but does it really need to be? Looking back on all the times I’ve been stressed out, I realized that everything seemed to workout just fine in the end. My third piece of advice is to realize and understand that everything is going to work out just fine in the end. Obviously you’re still going to stress about
your math test, but don’t let your stress get the best of you. Throughout high school, you’re going to be required to make big decisions and you’re also going to make big mistakes, but so is everyone else so don’t be too hard on yourself. Speaking of big decisions, college is also on the horizon for all of us. In fact, high school seems to just be the path on our road to college, but I wouldn’t think about it like that. The last, but certainly not least, tip for you is that college may seem as if it’s the end all be all, but it’s not. Of course you should work hard during high school, but don’t become obsessed with the idea of getting into that one school. Regardless of where you get in, the college you go to does not define you or your intellectual ability. Any school is what you make of it so don’t get too caught up in a school’s reputation. Just apply and visit many different schools and don’t be closed minded about what school you want to go to.
Managing Editors The key to enjoying high school by HABIB BELLO Managing Editor Looking back on these four years, I will miss a lot of things. The Friday Night Lights. The Stir Fry Wednesdays. The “out of bounds” Knowledge Market. My days as a Bloomfield High School student are numbered, but I will still remain a Blackhawk. However, most importantly amongst the things I will dearly miss, I believe that I will miss the bonds that I have made with my friends and teachers the most. Those interpersonal connections that I have crafted with other individuals have made me into who I am today. The people who you surround myself with now,
will only be a testament for you future. As the time you have with your high-school peers begin to slowly slip away, the inside jokes and priceless memories you shared with them will forever live on with you. Those amazing and crazy moments that weren’t documented with a phone will become the defining moments of your friendships with people. So if I had any piece of advice to pass on to a younger student, it would be to cherish the people around you. The people who care. The people who matter. The people you love. It is easy for you to take them for granted because those are faces you see everyday… but trust me, the days will come to an end - unless you keep those people close to your heart.
I strongly advise you to keep people around who will make you into a better human, a better individual - a better you. A solid circle of key people in your life is the key to success. Do not try to please everyone just because of popularity or because you want to “fit in”; Be true to yourself because you owe yourself that at least. As a senior, I face new opportunities during my next steps in my life that are exciting and exhilarating, but also scary and unknown. The core that I keep around me helps me navigate through those high and low points in my life. So my final words for an upcoming student would be: “Go have fun and keep your memories close, and the people who help you create them.”
Hawkeye senior
9
The high school experience by KAYLIE BROOKS Photographer
over the top of the page or maybe that picture of that famous person doing that groundbreaking thing. How did I know that is what you are looking for? Your eyes are drawn to the important stories though the visuals. So next time you flip through a newspaper, remember that wherever you end up reading, someone made you want to read there. I will be attending Grand Valley University in the fall to study journalism and communications. I hope to take what I have learned in my high school experience at the Hawkeye to elaborate my designs, and spread them to more readers . I will make the words on the page stand out through my page designs and photos, while making the writing intriguing.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Being a high school senior by SKYLAR RAITT Photographer Having spent four years of my life in just one blue building, the years tend to face. However, everyday I realize that I am a senior. I know that probably sounds like a weird thing to say, but each day I have this moment when I wake up and say to myself “This is it”. This is my last year. My last year of walking into the doors of Bloomfield Hills High School. My last year of passing friendly faces and teachers in the halls. When I wasn’t a senior, I heard seniors talking about missing home. Places that they will miss. People they will never forget. This is something I have been consciously trying to avoid. I thought it would be easy… I live in Michigan. What is there to even miss here? Yeah, I get missing the food and city live in New York. Or the sounds of Seagulls and the way your feet feels in sand on
Laguna Beach. But Michigan… Really? However, the months are starting to count down. I now realize that it really isn’t easy to stop those nostalgic feelings forming, even this early in the year. Despite my attempts otherwise, I’ve started to notice things that I really will miss, no matter where I am from. They’re usually just little things, like the waitresses at Sunny’s, a local breakfast place in West Bloomfield, greeting me with a smile saying, “Skylar your order will be ready in five minutes”. Or the fact that I see everyone I know at Sushi Samurai at any time of the day. Or just the fact that I always feel safe under a my roof. When I go to college, I’m going to have to live in a dorm. Alone. It’s not just the material things that are becoming apparent, though. It’s people too, like my family. Obviously, I’ll never lose connection with my parents, but after this summer it’s going to be different. It’s something that I look at with a mix of eagerness and fear. I’ve always been excit-
ed to live in my own place, plan my own schedule, and basically be indepent. But it makes me sad to think that this is the last chance I have to spend with my parents and family. Have I taken full advantage of the time I’ve had? Of course it’s incredible to think about being on my own, but it’s not fun thinking I can never go back. And it’s the people at school. With the understanding that by June this school will no longer be home to me, I realize that that people I see everyday I will most likely never see again. I have gone to school with my friends for as long as I can remember. They have become my family. Who will I turn to when I need a quiet night in? Who will eat a pint of ice cream with me? How will I be able to form connections like the ones? Everyday the future becomes more real. The idea of college and life after college becomes less of an intangible fantasy and more of a hard reality.
From the Staff
I am one of the photographers for the Hawkeye. So, writing is not my fortay. Nevertheless, I am writing my first and last piece for the newspaper. Many students join their high school newspaper staff thinking that it will be all about writing and reporting the news. However, there are many other angles of news! Many of the visuals that you see in a newspaper are a completely separate entity from writing. You have page designers, photographers, and even illustrators. And these students, don’t worry about bringing the story to life through words, they bring the words to life through visuals.
While the majority of staff members are writers, many have been recruited for their visual ideas and capabilities for the pages. I love that I was recruited in my Junior year, and it was in my English class. Not only did my teacher see writing talent in me, but also saw that my writing was not where I stopped. I continued to add visuals and creative designs to my projects and presentations throughout the year. I was later recruited to take my photos and designs to the next level, and have them published in our school newspaper. I have loved being on staff because I took a passion of mine, photography, and made it spread to a wider audience. Think about when you flip through a newspaper, what are you looking for? Well for most of us, it is the giant text hovering
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Hawkeye senior
Growing out of a shell by MAYA ALHUSEIN Staff Writer I was racing down the road to high school just flooring the gas and not looking back. As each year went by, I wanted the ride to go by faster. When thinking of High School graduation, it boggles my mind how quickly it caught up to me. I always thought it was a cliche when people said that these 4 years would go by so quickly yet here I am writing this with less than two weeks
left in my high school career. I’ve had senioritis since I was a freshman meaning I would show up to school late, procrastinate, and I just craved hot summer days and sleeping in whilst I sat in class. Ever since I was a 14 year old, I craved leaving High School and I wanted to move on with my life and not worry about my AP classes or ACT score, and applying to college. Then, senior year started and I wanted to slam on the breaks of the car and cruise along enjoying it. Right after my
first semester of High School, I was sitting with my circle of friends the night after our last final just observing everyone. There was poker being played in one corner of the basement and my friends dancing carelessly to the beat of the music in the other, until I realized something: a year from now, it won’t be like this and everyone will be going on seperate roads. I realized it was almost as if everything was falling into place since I found the people who I call family. Whether that be people who have stuck by me since the 4th grade
or others who were just a familiar face in the hallway until this year began. I truly came out of my shell in high school due to the fact that I was forced to because I was always put into classes with a bunch of strangers which forced my 14 year old awkward self to make friends with new people. I remember walking into my Geometry class not knowing a single face and it felt like my stomach dropped. Despite wanting high school to end like an awful road trip initially, I enjoyed realizing who my family was.
The city of Bloomfield Hills and its neighboring towns of Birmingham and Troy have provided me with copious memories and were the places where I formed my long lasting friendships. Bloomfield is the place that represents 17 years of friendships and memories. Your usual routes that you have become so accustomed to feel different as you prepare to say goodbye. It’s hard not to remember the awkward middle school dates at Sushi Cafe and late nights and early morning spent at Leos while driving through downtown Birmingham. Cruising down woodward, I can’t help but think of the Fall Friday nights friends and I spent blaring music, celebrating a victory after a football game. I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t take the little things for granted because
soon, 17 years or so of life as you know it, will all be gone. You’ll be standing in a cap and gown,surrounded by the family,friends and teachers that shaped you into the person you are today, saying goodbye to all the bus rides with my team, dancing at halftime on a fall friday night and dressing up with friends for spirit week. Years go by, friendships, relationships and all the useless knowledge you collect throughout precalc will fade. However, the memories you make these next four years will last a lifetime. So milk every school dance, football game, leos trip, saturday night out for everything its got. While highschool may not be the “best four years of your life”, they certainly are what you make of it, so make this time count.
fight to overcome my challenges. I have recognized that only through hard work and perseverance am I am able to stand might in the face of any challenge. No better was the impact of speech and debate seen than in the case after the shooting at Stoneman Douglass High School. Students were told to stay silent at this time of mourning. However, these high school students, particularly the speech students, did the complete opposite. Using their skill sets, the Speech and Debate students of Stoneman Douglass sparked the movement on gun control debating lawmakers on national television. Ultimately, their
perseverance helped them overcome the difficulties and create domestic change. I realize that the ability to speak should not be undermined. No matter what career path I may choose to go into, communication is a must. Medicine, law, politics, journalism, engineering, and countless other fields all depend on speech. Convincing an audience regarding an issue is a life skill that will be utilized all throughout life. I’ve learned that when faced with conflict my speech skills are what guided me to success.
Leaving what you know by LILLY SWANSON Staff Writer
As graduation is slowly approaching, I have spent the last couple of months reminiscing with friends, trying to find the right words to sum up my highschool experience. There have been ups and downs, hardships and victories, fights and friendships, but as my last couple weeks at Bloomfield Hills High School come to a close, I sit here grappling with photos and videos of moments throughout the last four years, trying to piece together the right combination of words to accurately encapsle my time in the bubble. Its funny how you change the way you look at high school as your time comes to a close. Early morning wake up calls
were the epitome of my hatred for high school, but this year, they’ve been one of my favorite parts of the day. As senior year began, I stopped skipping my grueling morning classes and took the time to appreciate the little things; the way the front of the building canvases the pink and gold morning sunrise, getting to school early and sitting in the car in the parking lot with my friends, walking past the serveries and smelling the freshly baked bagels- you get the idea. When you graduate, you say goodbye to life as a highschooler but as you inch towards College you also come to terms with saying goodbye to life as you know it. I’ve dealt with my fare share of goodbyes with people, but never did I think I would struggle to say goodbye to a placeBloomfield Hills.
The impact of speech by ADRIAN ASHTARI Staff Writer
Throughout the past seven years, I’ve competed in speech and debate. Despite studying Pre-Med, I’ve sacrificed countless hours for this activity. It’s obvious that these two things do not go hand in hand. Has this all been a waste? Surely the amount of time I’ve invested in this could have been used for other aspects of my life. I could have joined more sports, went to the gym more often, or studied more. However, looking back, I realized the skills that speech and debate has taught me.
Approximately 74% of the U.S. population suffers from Glossophobia: the fear of public speaking. Though Speech and Debate fights to decrease that number, the main focus of the activity is focused on the idea of a challenge: the very definition of an opportunity. Motivated by the chance to win, competitors must work tirelessly for months to practice, perform, apply critiques, and improve. The road to creating a finals staging performance is long and demanding. Personally, I have found many failures before my success. The skill sets that I have developed as a result of my failures have taught me to think critically, develop emotionally, and
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Hawkeye senior Tennis as an outlet by SARAH QURESHI Staff Writer My high school self embarked on a journey of self-discovery that can be chronicled through my sense of self and memories of the tennis team. My freshmen year, I tried out for the team not expecting to make it, not believing enough in myself. I ended up making it but when I was on the team, I was a pretty shy freshmen who couldn’t seem to get out of my shell. Over the years on the tennis team I came out of my shell, branched out, tried my best to become friends with everyone and formed
personal, meaningful; connections with the others around me. I went from a freshmen who barely had the nerve to talk with my coaches and teammates to the captain of my tennis team and going out of my way to be someone who that freshmen can talk to easily and comfortably. Although I have had senioritis since I was a freshmen I had never truly felt like senior. I remember looking at the countless seniors in the hallway thinking they were so old and how I couldn’t wait to be in their positions. However, no matter how often I grew up over the years, I never considered myself a senior. The oldest grade in school, the upperclassmen, the kings of the school to me I was still in a way the little freshmen at ninth
grade campus. It wasn’t until my last tennis match of high school where I truly felt like a senior which is crazy because in just two weeks I will no longer be a senior, I will be graduated embarking on my next journey of high school. My last season of tennis was truly an embodiment of how I evolved and changed throughout the years, an embodiment of my last four years of high school. This was my favorite season of tennis because I was the most myself I have ever been in a school setting which is a reflection of my senior year where I let go of everything I built up in high school about how I should act and the way I wanted to be perceived. I have had the best year of high school my senior year where I made friends
I consider family, I was comfortable getting out of my comfort zone, and I just did high school the way I wanted no the way I should. Tennis was an outlet where I could be myself in a school environment but still be able to make friends with others and have fun. I have grown up so much throughout the years but I will never forget the person I was throughout my four years of tennis and how my truest representation of myself was my last year. Although tennis is over I know my road to discovering myself has not changed but it’s always nice to look back on these years as the time I grew up the most.
Expanding your community
by CARLY ARMSTRONG Staff Writer
In January of my junior year I was asked to be a part of the staff of my school newspaper, The Hawkeye. I was honored, eager, and motivated to be an ace reporter in search of the truth. I accepted my first assignment of writing a feature article. It was challenging and daunting because I had to learn how to write the feature article and also because I was told to interview Mayssa Nour Masri. Masri is a Muslim American woman who was leading protests against President Trump’s immigration ban. All my life my political views have been rooted within the values and beliefs of my
family. I am fortunate; I am beginning to understand this because of books and articles I have read and discussions about them. But I really never had the opportunity to challenge my views until my interview with Mayssa. When I met Mayssa, I was intimidated and scared. Prepared with a list of questions, I stumbled at first, but as she began to answer me, I began to find my voice and strength. When I asked her, “Are there any policies of President Trump that you support?” I did not expect her response to have such a powerful impact on me. She vehemently answered, “Not a single one. I can understand that logic when people say ‘Give Trump a chance’ but I think you can
Uncertainty is okay by SOPHIE JACKSON Staff Writer Everyone I talked to about choosing a college, every book I read, and every online forum that I spent hours pouring through, all said the same thing: when you know, you know or that when the right college came along, I would just “feel” it. This seemed strange to me, even then, because I was (and am) logical in every sense of the word. It just didn’t make sense to me that I was going to be making one of the biggest decisions of my life based on “feelings.” Before I knew it, April of senior year came around and the last of the college decisions came pouring in. I narrowed it down to two strong choices: University of Michigan and Grinnell College. Each school was strong academically and could give me a wonderful
experience. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t make a decision. Being decisive is something I take pride in. I can make quick, smart decisions in most situations because I will have done my research, analyzed each possibility, and weighed the implications of each outcome. My decisions are made based on cold, hard, logic; and this method of approach had worked for me, until then. I remember sitting on the couch, the day before May 1st (college decision day), still completely torn, frustrated and confused. I thought that there must be something wrong with me, everyone else seemed to know exactly what they wanted (I later learned this was not the case). I couldn’t “feel” which choice was the right one. Hours continued to pass; the clock drew nearer and nearer to midnight. I started to think about how I had made important de-
only say that if you are privileged enough. White privilege is very real, and we need to recognize that. If this ban is affecting you personally, no way are you going to stand up and give them a chance. If our President so blatantly hates my people, I will not give him a chance.” At the end of the interview she stressed, “We need to utilize our right to protest and stand up for the rights of everyone, because if it’s not affecting you, it could be affecting a classmate, a neighbor, a friend. Americans need to collectively join together in solidarity and support those of religious, cultural, sexual orientation and racial backgrounds who are being silenced.” I was shell shocked by her responses. After I thanked her profusely for her impact-
ful interview, I reflected upon my beliefs as well as the time that has passed since President Trump was elected. Maybe things in life aren’t so black and white. Maybe they are more complex than I thought they were. Maybe I have been sheltered from many of the harsh realities that people experience. Maybe I have been indoctrinated by the people I have been surrounded by my entire life. Since this interview I have read more. I have learned more. I have been exposed to more beyond my own world. In the future, I plan to take my non partisan views with me to college. And lastly, I plan to enrich myself with countless opportunities to shape my beliefs through my own experiences rather than others’.
cisions in the past; and up until that point I had not realized my tendency to make decisions based on facts and logic. I tried to push this realization away at first, thinking that it wouldn’t help me get any closer to what I “felt”. At that moment it became clear to me that my love of logic and analytics was central to my core self, and that choosing something based on what I felt was not a possibility, plain and simple. Through logic, I constructed a mental list of pros and cons, and this helped. However, when choosing a college (with the exceptions of full-rides, sports, etc.) there is not always a correct, logical answer. Logic got me half way, but the rest I realized would have to be something of an educated guess. I wasn’t sure when I made my decision, and if i’m honest, I’m still not sure now.
I chose Grinnell, and in choosing I abandoned the pressure of making decisions based on feelings, and that for now feels like enough. I learned that it’s okay to not know and it’s okay to not be sure. Ironically, accepting my own uncertainty was the key to being sure of my decision. I wanted to write this article for the next generation of high school seniors, especially for those who end up in a situation like mine and finally for the students who deviate from the norm of following their hearts, and follow their minds instead. Writing this article I also came to realize that this applies not only to the college decision process, all consuming as it may be, but to high school in general, and then broadening the scope further still, life.
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