Andover Shield October 2009

Model High School moves to a new location > A3

Competitive winterguard starts at Lahser > A5

October 2009

clubs

shield

Volume XLVII

4200 Andover Rd, Bloomfield Hills MI 48302

New club to collaborate with student leadership Leaders Helping Leaders club will promote school spirit

Chelsea Jolly

T

distribution manager

here is a new member to add to the student leadership family.

“Leaders Helping Leaders (LHL) is a club created as an extension to Student Leadership in order to have other students at Andover become a part of a group that will help change Andover’s future,” says co-sponsor Krista Laliberte.

“The club will work collaboratively with Student Leadership to help promote school spirit, increase attendance at sporting events, and any other event or fundraiser that Andover partakes in.”

Coming up with the idea during her sophomore year, senior Pamela Pensler worked the next year trying to solidify sponsorship.

“When Pamela came to us with her proposal, I thought it was an awesome idea because it will get more students to be a part of the bigger picture of what Andover is and should be,” says Laliberte. “I thought it was great because it is student led and student driven. It’ll be in an open environment and a safe place for kids to be able to talk about their concerns and ways to better our school community.”

According to Pensler, LHL is more than just an additional Student Leadership.

“It’s a club where members will help with student leadership events like helping us plan their senior Prom, charity week, Homecoming, the blood drive, and Make a Difference Day, she says. “We have once or twice a month meetings in Mrs. Laiberte’s room, room 228, and everyone is welcome.”

The club’s first meeting October 8th it attracted around 30 members, but both Lalibetre and Pensler hope attendance increases.

“It’s a great way to get involved,” says junior Chrissy Cox. “I think everyone else should do it because it’s a lot of fun, it’s a great way to meet n e w peop l e , a n d m a k e our school better.”

As student leadership representative junior Allison Capilli shares that those in the student leadership class also attend club meeting. “We can help, give more ideas, and thoughts,” she explains. “Everyone should join because everyone has different ideas and views to make school and sponsored events even better.”

Pensler concludes that being in the student leadership family for less than a month, she believes the club is making great strides and that it is important for everyone to have a place where everyone’s voice matters.

For more information about LHL contact Pamela Pensler or co-sponsors Mrs. Laliberte or Mrs. Blair.

creating a new

It’s a club where members will help with student leadership events.

Art teacher Margaret Pasternak reminisces the tragic day

picture

Jake Gordon

co-editor in chief

Buried deep in the foot of her bed is a box.

“I had this cheap little Polaroid camera, and I took a some pictures just to document it,” says Margaret ‘Peg’ Pasternak, as she remembers September 11, 2001, the day she climbed on top of her apartment building which overlooked what was left of the World Trade Center. “I almost never look at those photos, and I don’t know why.”

She stores the pictures in that box.

Eight years after experiencing this event which resulted in one of the largest number of casualties on American soil, Pasternak reflects on her life-altering experience.

“I was going to work and was a little late, as usual. I got off the subway and, as soon as I went up the stairs, I saw people on the street,” says Pasternak, who on the morning of September 11, woke

Pamela Pensler senior

up expecting a normal day of work at Paine Webber Stock Broker Agency where she was an administrators assistant. “I was right down in the Wall Street area. Literally, businessmen with suitcases were running toward me, and then I saw stuff flying in the sky and thought it was a ticker tape parade, but it wasn’t.

“After we heard the first plane hit, just a few minutes later, I was looking up at the trade center, about a block away, and I saw the second plane hit,” she says. “It’s the kind of thing that you just can’t describe, there is just no real way, it’s just surreal.

“I wasn’t even terrified. It was just so bizarre to see something like this happen. I used to watch a lot of movies and I thought, ‘oh my god two planes have now, somehow, come to Manhattan and hit the World Trade Center,’ and I immediately thought, if two planes can come across whatever security we have then more planes are coming.’”

As the day ended, Pasternak walked five blocks down to the East River to view Manhattan from her apartment in Greenpoint, at the northern most point of Brooklyn.

see 9/11

A5

Giving blood for scholarships

After hard work on Blood Drive, senior Travis Sinclair earns $500 scholarship fund Andrew Pan staff writer

Make a Difference Day October 24, 2009

John Glancy, Oakland County resident, has leukemia and is currently at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. Without the efforts of people like Andover senior Travis Sinclair, he would not have had the strength to survive his bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy. But Glancy is only one of the many people that Sinclair has helped through

Musical not double-casted Single-casted lead roles will simplify rehearsals and reduce costs

Lauren Hendrickson

senior advisor/web page editor

Rather than double-casting, or assigning two students to each lead role, the directors of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Roberta Campion and Bruce Snyder, have decided to single-cast.

“The bottom line is that I don’t think the male roles in this show could have been double-casted and, as far as the female roles, there were some close calls, but as far as I am concerned, no actual ties,” says Campion is in her 34th year of directing Andover musicals and plays.

“If we had two people doubled up, we would have to do double the rehearsals. We single-casted for the simplic-

ity of it all,” says Campion.

Another consideration is that, “costs increase when you have to spend on two costumes.”

Campion also had to consider the available talent in comparison to the number of male and female lead roles.

“Because this show has four female leads, I don’t think we could have double-casted all of them. There’s an educational reason to double-cast, as there are more opportunities for students to have a lead. But you have to have some kind of parameters. The parameters, in this case, are the auditions.” Campion further explains that “just like in an orchestra, you can only have one first-chair unless it’s an out- see CASTING in-out, dead-heat tie, and in this case there weren’t any.”

> A5

holding a Red Cross blood drive in Bloomfield Hills.

The Blood Drive was held on June 30 in the Andover High School Fieldhouse.

Sinclair collected an impressive 41 pints of blood and earned $500 worth of scholarship funds from the Red Cross, which will be paid directly to the college of his choice.

“I think that it’s an excellent program because it encourages kids to help their community by getting people to come give blood,” says Sinclair. “It’s just a great way to give back to your community, and it also shows a lot of leadership

potential.”

Sinclair’s driving force was nothing less than touching. “I did it because my godmother [had] developed Stage IV breast cancer and needed a lot of blood. She [ underwent] a couple of blood transfusions. That was one of my main motivating factors for running this blood drive, to give blood in honor of my see BLOOD godmother’s name,” explains Sinclair.

> A5

-New posters in the math hallway A3 -Importance of curfews for teens A4 -Rehearsing for Modern Millie A6 -Mr. Reed grows his hair for a cure B6 -Michalski practices Chio Kwang Do C2

news

A2

Our turn

Battling the breaking Michigan promise Students may no longer recieve scholarship grants of $4,000

The Michigan Promise has been broken. Due to an enormous budget deficit of $2.8 billion within the state government, lawmakers decided on September 23 to cut the Michigan Promise Scholarship in order to save $140 million, according to the Detroit News.

Enacted in 2006, Promise Scholarship grants of $4,000 were given to Michigan high school graduates who completed two years of postsecondary education and received qualifying scores on the Michigan Merit Exam. According to the Michigan Promise website, 96,000 students currently rely on the money to help pay tuition, but now they, as well as future college students, are out of luck.

Cutting the Michigan Promise is completely unacceptable. For many underprivileged students throughout Michigan, $4,000 can make the difference between going to college and staying home. Four thousand dollars is as much as 21 percent of Michigan State’s annual tuition, and 17 percent of Michigan’s.

Student loans are an option, but then students graduate with thousands of dollars of accumulated debt that cannot be forgiven, even in bankruptcy. About two-thirds of undergraduates graduate with debt, and the average student leaves college with between $20,000 and $25,000 in debt. Every little bit helps in paying for college, and even a grant as small as $4,000 can help prevent students from drowning in unpaid loans.

Not many things can lift Michigan out of its current crisis.

However, increased spending on education can help by preparing more people for white-collar jobs. President Obama said in his speech at a community college on September 21 that education is key to economic success. According to Obama, jobs that require at least an associate’s degree will grow twice as fast as those that do not require one, and

people with a college degree are likely to earn 90 percent more than those without one. It would be smart for the Michigan government to encourage students to continue their schooling, but they have chosen to do the exact opposite. In addition, by giving money only to students who attend college in Michigan, more people are persuaded to stay in state, stimulating the local economy even more.

Without this enticement, many students and potential workers will leave in search of cheaper alternatives in a state that actually balanced its budget.

Governor Jennifer Granholm said in a press release on October 1 that she will veto any bill that does not include the Michigan Promise, but with enough votes, the House and Senate can override her. At the moment, there is a possibility that the Michigan Promise will be reinstated, but it is not very likely.

There are many options that the government can choose in order to keep the Promise Scholarships. According to the Detroit Free Press, there is over $400 million left from the federal stimulus that could cover the cost, but officials want to save it for next year. If the scholarships were simply cut in half to $2,000, only $70 million could be taken from the savings. The government could also raise money to pay for the program by placing taxes on sports tickets, pop, tobacco and bottled water. They could also implement a graduated income tax, or cut the filming incentives. New taxes are unpopular across the board, but sacrifices must be made in order to keep the Promise. Without the allure of the scholarship money, the MME becomes a pointless test forced upon students.

No matter how much debt the state is in, a promise is a promise, and breaking one is simply shameful.

Increased spending on education can help to prepare people for white collar jobs.

Psych!

staff Editors-in-Chief: Jake Gordon Bridget Sanders Managing Editor: Jessica Ranke Senior Advisors: Saloni Godbole Lauren Hendrickson Andrew Weiner Junior Advisor: Rachel Rohr Web Editors: Lauren Hendrickson Kyle Kavanagh Graphics: Kyle Kavanagh Copy Editor: Alex Chudler Photographers: Madeline McIlhon David Yu Business Manager: Gabe Menchaca Distribution Manager: Chelsea Jolly News Page Editors: Talia Goldman Pamela Pensler Alana Tabak Sports Page Editors: Emily Langnas Lauren Lewis Matt Luckoff

cartoon by Josh Loney

Your turn:

What is your opinion on the elimination of the Michigan Promise Scholarship?

Life Page Editors: Melanie Greenspan Marley Kalt Emma Reidsma Sara Smoler Staff Illustrator: Josh Loney Staff Writers:

Why are they taking the money?

People with high scores deserve the scholarships.

-Tierra Kelly, junior

That’s unbelievable. I’m going to talk to my cousin (Carl Levin) about it. We are the future of this country and we need help.

-Ben White Levin, sophomore

Then what’s the point of taking the test? It seems like a fake push to get us to study for it.

Jarred Bratley Sam Gordon Ashley DuBois Nicole Kiester Emma Enache Kaya Koscielny James Feuereisen Summer Krinsky Audrey Fotouhi Andrew Pan Joudeh Freij Derek Wolfe Michael Georgizas Anna Zambelli Elizabeth Glenn

Advisor: Christina Hammitt

Check out The Andover Shield online at -Taylor Henkin & Matanya Kidron, www.andovershield.com seniors

news

A3

Imboden teaches historical math Famous mathematicians are incorporated into this year’s curriculum

At the end of each month, the class with the most research done earns bonus points. In addition, the class with the most contests won by the end of the semester will be rewarded with what Imboden refers to as a ‘delicious review session’ filled with learning, fun, and food.

“When we won we were all extremely happy because we got extra credit points and bragging rights, which made my friends really angry,” says Kenum, a student from the first month’s winning class. “The posters give us a clear example of what we need to learn for each section and then help us narrow down what we need to study and it’s a good teaching technique.”

Imboden hopes that this new program will encourage students to continue to do research in mathematics in additional math classes in future years.

“As these students go on to higher mathematics and they are for example, looking at a De Moivre’s theorem in Pre Calc, I think my students will be more motivated to say, “Well who is this guy, who is De Moivre?” says Imboden. “They will be a little more interested in mathematics as a field of study rather than just how do I solve the next problem.”

Andover math teacher Eric Klein agrees. “I think [the posters] are great because they make kids more curious about math. It reminds us that math came from somewhere and that all of these things that we are studying at one point popped into somebody’s head so using the posters you get to see who it was and research what they discovered. And they look sweet!”

Emily Langnas

sports page editor Researching Euclid, Descartes and Pythagoras in Mr. Imboden’s math class, sophomore Harrison Kenum will be learning more than formulas by focusing on the history behind them.

After receiving a mini $250 grant from the Detroit Area Counsel of Teachers of Mathematics (DACTM), Andover math teacher Derek Imboden purchased eight posters of mathematicians, which he will now tie into his Algebra 2 curriculum.

“I wanted it to be visual because I found myself always referring to Descartes but with nothing to point to,” he says. “I put up posters all over my room of mathematics and Bryce Henney (11), Alexa Ellis (12), Chad Cutler (11) , Lauren Carden (12) and Jessica Gutman (12) take advantage of the Model commons area. I thought it would be nice to have posters of some of the guys behind it.”

In order to incorporate the posters into the curriculum, students are asked to do research on a specific mathematician each month.

“With eight posters, we are using four first semester and four second semester. They are in order by era.

So we start with the ancients, then one in the medieval time period, our stuff, Hickory Grove wasn’t ready would not be sure of what they were then the Renaissance, then in for us. Everybody was trying to tiptoe supposed to be doing.” the1800’s,” says Imboden. “Each around everybody else.”

The new building provides more month the students do research Even considering the challenges of the opportunities than just space and on that mathematician and put up move, members of the Model staff are storage. sentences of research on the back able to see the advantages of being at “One of the nice things is the windows. wall. The contest is to see which Hickory Grove.

We can look outside,” says Hutchinson. class can do the most research on the mathematician of the month.”

“At Hickory Grove, we are more “We have a nice nature view.”

Model High School changes buildings

Model thrives in its new environment at former Hickory Grove Elementary School Marley Kalt

life page editor Over the noise of opposing sides of the elementary school debates, it was easy to forget one important point: what is happening to Model High School?

The school, available part-time for both Andover and Lahser students, moved from West Hills Middle School to Hickory Grove, a former elementary school.

“Model moved schools because of the district wide building reconfiguration.

There was no longer room for us at West Hills,” says Model Principal Bill Boyle.

“At first I was resisting [moving], but I did not want to be that person who hated change,” says Model secretary Linda Hutchinson. “I tried to embrace it. I thought that I wouldn’t like it, but I actually do.”

Staff members say that moving did not come without its difficulties.

“Moving itself is a challenge,” Boyle says. “Another challenge has been to get the teachers in the right rooms to best utilize the space, and we want to integrate the commons area to use it for learning and support.”

“The difficulty was that the move was a few days before it was supposed to be, but it was well organized. We had been packing for weeks,” says Model teacher Bruce Kezlarian. “We were excited to move into a bigger area. We had been here and knew what it was like.”

“The date kept moving up on us,” says Hutchinson. “The kids hadn’t been completely gone in June, teachers hadn’t gotten their grades in, and when the movers started moving some of

centralized, which cuts down on bus costs,” says Boyle. “There is also more room.”

“We have a lot more space and a lot more storage,” says Hutchinson. “We have more storage than I know what to do with. Before, our storage space was about the size of a one-person bathroom. Now, we have storage closets everywhere.”

One of the main differences between West Hills and Hickory Grove is the commons area, now located in the Hickory Grove media center.

“The media center is about three times the size of our West Hills space. It’s a little more broken up; we weren’t sure we were going to like it. But it’s working okay,” says Hutchinson.

“At West Hills there was a pit area for gathering and a long hallway with the classrooms. Here, it is a huge advantage that the rooms are around the commons,” says Boyle. “For example, Bruce [Kezlarian] can have a class working inside his room and also be able to monitor students working independently in the commons area.

Before, Linda or I would be watching students [in the pit at West Hills] and

“I saw a coyote [outside of my classroom window],” says Kezlarian.

“Some of the students called me over to look at it. The next hour, it came back and was chasing geese around the field.”

Some students feel the move is bittersweet.

“I like the commons area better [at Hickory Grove]. There is more room,” says senior Bethany Friedman. “But there is no parking.”

“There are more places to sit in the commons area,” agrees senior Laura Wartel.

“But I preferred the location at West Hills. The traffic is really bad in the morning so it’s hard to get to school on time. Also, there is only one bathroom.”

Hutchinson also feels a little nostalgic for the West Hills building.

“The move was very emotional,” says Hutchinson. “People own their space; it becomes theirs. None of this is mine yet. My desk was the media center librarian’s. We just use it.”

The move to Hickory Grove is being looked at positively by the staff.

“For us, it’s a simple thing,” says Boyle. “We like it here.”

At Hickory

Grove, we are more centralized, which cuts down on bus costs. There is also more room.

Bill Boyle Model principal

Biff celebrates rd 33 birthday

The Biff gets a facelift and holds a benefit concert in honor of its birthday Gabe Menchaca business manager

88.1 WBFH, “The BIFF,” Andover’s award-winning student radio station celebrated its 33rd birthday on October 1 with a facelift and a benefit concert to support the Biff Educational Enhancement Fund.

S t a t i o n m a n a g e r Pete Bowers explains that the changes provide more functionality and a better layout for the students.

“We went out and bought a new soundboard for Studio A, along with a few new components and new software in the On Air

studio. Mr. Carr should really get the credit for the changes, he organized the studio and put new carpeting down in the studios. We also managed to get a new piece of commercial on air software.”

The concert was held on Thursday, October 1 in the Lahser Theater, with a live performance by the Beatles tribute band, The Beat Club.

According to Station Operations Manager Ryan Bloom, the attendance wasn’t as they had hoped, but funds were added to the station’s makeover budget.

“One of the coolest things we got was the ability to have a producer fielding our calls into the station, and being able to converse real time with the callers on air.” says Bloom. “This will get us up to the next level.”

The BIFF is now working on providing yet another year of nationally recognized programing with the help of the new equipment.

For more information about the BIFF, tune in to 88.1 f.m.

The changes provide more functionality and a better layout for the students.

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news

Multiple Magic

Photos by Andrew Weiner Above: Jacob Ruby (10) begins his audition for this year’s multiple under close watch by the multiple directors. Below: Michael Linden (11) prepares for his audition outside the classroom by memorizing lines..

Senior directors present Next to Normal and Blood Brothers Pamela Pensler news page editor

A change of direction began on October 14 and 15 as the 2009-2010 forensics team’s two multiples Blood Brothers and Next to Normal held their annual auditions. Instead of encountering the traditional lighthearted cuts and animated song selections, students were introduced to a more serious tone. Head coach Danielle Harsh explains that the seven student directors chose more serious pieces because selections with significant messages or themes tend to be more successful in competitions versus those of pure entertainment.

“In my career overall, more serious pieces are chosen over comedic ones,” tells Steve Marsh, the executive director of Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association. “There is no type of piece that automatically does better; the real issue is if the piece is done well.”

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, one of the longest-running works of musical theatre in his-

tory, caught the attention of senior co-director Charlie Frank while vacationing this past summer. “[Because of all the publicity it was getting] I saw [Blood Brothers] in London,” says Frank. “The general feel of the piece, the characters and how it is presented on stage makes it a good piece to make a multiple because it is pretty easy to cut down into 15 minutes and have 8 characters play the roles.”

“It is an unusual story and has music you want to hear,” adds assistant forensics coach Jan Frank. “I just think it has the elements of a successful multiple because of more attention to the audience.”

Senior co-director Kendall Day believes that now that final casts have been posted, things are beginning to fall into place.

“All of the cast members portray the characters as they should be. It will be a little more of a challenge [having] similar pieces but I think it will help us. While Anastasia (the 2009 state finalist) was a little goofier, I think our cast members will get more in character then those set in a goofy piece. It is easy to stay in character and have that [serious] mindset for 15 minutes.”

For senior co-director Marlee Rich, choosing her directorial piece was like falling in love at first sight.

“I came across Next to Normal from one of my friends. When I bought the music, I fell in love.

When I saw it in New York this past summer, I was certain that this would be the best piece to do, but

we were convinced we were not going to be able to do it because we could not find the script,” she explains. “Now that we found the script, I am just as passionate, if not more passionate, about our multiple.”

According to senior co-director Hannah Cardin, when she first heard of Rich’s idea of Next to Normal, she supported the idea fully.

“I was so happy when we got the script,” says Cardin. “But it made me a little bit stressed out, because it’s such a big Broadway production.

We have a lot to live up to. Now that the multiple is cast and cut, everyone is very anxious to get the season started.”

According to Rich, this 2009 Broadway musical, which was nominated for a total of eleven Tony awards including Best Musical, is more than rock music. It is a serious play whose message centers on how families need to work together to overcome issues and look towards the future.

“Everyone has a lot of work cut out for them,” says Rich. “Each team member is going to do a lot of exploration on each character because each

character is so unique. We are ready for the challenge, and hopefully we will end up with a fantastic multiple.”

Frank sums up both multiples’ goals.

“We both want to regain the state championship, which will be a big challenge. I want to try to get the forensics team and multiples more pumped up and in higher spirits for competitions. I cannot wait for the experience.”

news

Flagging with the Pros

Audrey Fotouhi staff writer

A new type of competition is coming to Bloomfield Hills this year. Lahser has had an intramural winter guard for years, but now a competitive joint team will combine Andover and Lahser for the first time. Winter guard performs using dance, acrobatics, and props. They toss, spin, and dance with their equipment throughout the show.

Color guard has been part of both Andover and Lahser for as long as marching band has existed. Color guard is a part of the marching band, but winter guard is a whole separate concept. Andover has always had a color guard, but since they could not find a coach for a winter guard, they are joining with Lahser.

“The color guard performs with the marching band, but winter guard is solely a guard event. The entire focus is on the flags,” says Lahser color guard coach, Brenda Scarpati. “I’m hooked.”

Scarpati was on guard in high school in 1976 and was the captain her senior year.

When her daughter’s school, Hopewell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, started a winter guard, she stepped up and took the assistant coaching position, helping the team place third in their division in their first year

competing. The team also won the ‘Sport of the Art’ award for embracing the meaning of winter guard and demonstrating great sportsmanship, according to Winter Guard International.

This year, there will be two parts to the Lahser winter guard program, which will now include Andover (Andover and Lahser will perform on the same team). The first part is the ‘club’ aspect; anyone interested in learning to flag can join. They will meet once a week to prepare a performance for the Lahser Holiday and Spring Concerts.

The second part of the winter guard will be a competitive team, the first one that Bloomfield Hills School District has ever had. It will be a joint team consisting of students from Lahser, Andover, and possibly International Academy. They will be part of the Michigan Color Guard Circuit (MCGC), which is governed by Winter Guard International (WGI), and will participate in Open Level competitions starting in January.

Since the team is more intense than the club, they will rehearse twice a week for two hour sessions and will have Saturday competitions.

Lahser color guard member, Katy Gwizdala says that she is “interested in the team because of the experience of competing. I have not done sports in high school and I would like the thrill of being judged.”

For anyone interested, the winter guard club meets every Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Lahser band room. Auditions for the competitive winter guard team will be held at 4:30 on October 26 at Lahser. For more information, contact Brenda Scarpati (Coach B) at scarpati84@gmail.com.

The color guard performs with the marching band, but winter guard is solely a guard event. The entire focus is on the flags.

After practicing her routine, captain Sara Laffin finally got it down to perfection.

Ashley Fry practices a toss after school at Winter guard.

Bringing a smile 9/11: Pasternak Before beginning their fashion show or even getting their club started, Luke and Chen had to get a sponsor.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea for Talia Goldman a great cause,” says math teacher news page editor Megan Samhat.

“I think [Operation Smile] is a great way for the kids Ally Luke and Jessica Chen to come together to do something are making children smile. good. I’m excited about doing it and I “We were watching NYC Prep,” wanted to be a sponsor for this club.” explains Luke. “This one girl does Working to raise money for cleft palette a whole huge fashion show in New surgeries is not new for Andover’s clubs.

York City for Operation Smile, and According to Candace Toma, Spanish we were like, ‘oh, it would be cool Club and Care and Share have raised to have a club like that at Andover.’” money for the Smile Train in the past.

With this inspiration, Luke and Chen “[The tradition] was started years decided to start Operation Smile, in ago by Senora Kulhavi. I carried on the affiliation with the worldwide chartradition. It’s been a goal to do at least ity that helps children in third-world one surgery per year, one from Spancountries get surgery for their cleft ish Club and one from Care and Share,” lip or palette. Founded in 1982, OperaToma says. “It’d be nice to join forces tion Smile has gone to 51 [with Operation Smile].” countries and has over Even though the By the time Spanish 500 student associations.

Club has giv“We wanted to do we graduate, I en operations to kids something that gives hope people want through Smile Train, back,” explains Chen.

Chen has different plans “And that would be to continue this. for Operation Smile. fun, like fundraisers.”

“The Smile Train is a Since seeing the show, different organization,” the two co-presidents Chen says. “We wanted have been developing to branch out and have club ideas, such as workour own [club] that focusing with other Operation es on just raising money.”

Smile Clubs in the area. “[We] think it will ben“We’ve emailed a few efit not just us and the kids, but the people,” Luke says. “We found this school and the community. We hope one group around us who does a that by the time we graduate people big fashion show and we were hopwill want to continue on,” Luke says. ing to colaborate with them. BasiLook for the first meeting soon. cally, when we get our club together, For more information on Operation we’ll take ideas from everybody.”

Smile, visit www.operationsmile.org.

Ally Luke sophomore

And contrary to what one might believe, organizing the blood drive was not an incredibly difficult task. It just took a bit of time, effort, and interpersonal skills.

“I spent a month, at least, calling and emailing people to try to get enough appointments to make this successful. [But] it’s not that hard. You just have to be willing to call people; you have to be willing to talk to people you don’t know. That was a big thing—I had to call a lot of people I had never met in my life, but they’re all very nice.

You just have to explain everything and find times that work with them,” says Sinclair.

“A lot of really great people came,” he adds.

“I made a conscious effort to go over to the cookie table every once in a while and talk to them, thanking them for taking time out of their day to come help.”

Giving blood may be more relevant to our lives than we think.

“Childhood leukemia is on the rise.

Obviously, people need blood, the family cannot provide it every time. A lot of people get knocked out of donating blood for doing everyday things. I never would have thought that if we were on a cruise boat and got off in Cozumel, Mexico, we couldn’t donate blood,” says certified nurse Missy Farnen, whose brother-in-law, John Glancy, has needed donated blood.

“I can guarantee that almost every kid who goes home and asks their parents [will find that] their parents would know somebody in their family that at one point needed [blood], that someone they love needed it.

“High school students need to realize that their blood is used for the children’s hospitals. Because of their age, they’ve been exposed to fewer viruses, so it makes it a little bit safer for infants and children, so it makes them extra-special donors,” says Carol Furlong, local director of the Red Cross in Southeastern Michigan. “Ninetyfive percent of people will need a blood product in their lifetime. If we don’t start getting people to donate now, it could end up becoming a problem when [the current generation of kids] are older and need blood products.”

Looking back at a what he considers to be a successful blood drive, Sinclair says, “It was definitely worth all the work. I encourage other people to do this. You just have to think about the difference you’re making.

Your pint of blood can save three people’s lives. Who knows, some day that could be you lying in the hospital, and if there wasn’t enough blood, something could happen to you. It’s just a great way to give back to your community.”

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from A1

New club aims to help children with a cleft lip

from A1

BLOOD: Sinclair

Sara Laffin, Maddi Kramer, and Ashley Fry warm up their wrists with tosses and drop spins during their first Winter Guard informational meeting at Lahser High School.

Andover and Lahser join together to compete in Winter guard

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Eight years later, she still recalls the inconceivable blanket of silence which had fallen over the city, one she had never expected. The only auditory distraction available was the sound of the sirens going to and from Ground Zero. Everything was quiet, everything was gone.

“The idea of art, the material object, the quality of it, something was gone for me. There was so much human tragedy that day, that for a couple of years after, I could not paint. I couldn’t make art anymore. It didn’t seem important to me, not as important as people,” says Pasternak.

However, after years of difficulty, including waking up in the middle of the night screaming, Pasternak finally realized a way to combine her passion for art and her newfound desire to help those around her, which finally brought her to Bloomfield Hills.

“Up until 9/11, [Pasternak’s] intent was to be an artist in New York,” says her father Dr. Andrew Pasternak. “After 9/11, she started thinking more about young people and passing her talents onto them.”

Pasternak, now living in Royal Oak, received her Teacher’s certificate from University of Michigan- Flint, and now works in the Bloomfield Hills School District. Recently, she has been teaching Art Explorations and Graphic Design at Andover after teaching three years at Lahser High School.

“[Experiencing 9/11] was the absolute worst and absolute best thing that could have happened to me in my life,” Pasternak says.

“Sometimes you need something like that to happen, because it snaps you into reality and makes you realize what’s important to you. It made me realize that I wanted to come home and be with my family.”

Although Lahser Senior Anne Jannott recognizes the difficulties that Pasternak has gone through, she also has realizes how lucky she is to have Pasternak as a teacher, “She has made me feel more comfortable expressing myself. She has a lot in common with me and she is different than the other teachers because of the commonalities. She takes interest in me and encourages me to express myself in different ways,” says Jannott.

After seeing how much her artwork has helped her to cope with this traumatic experience, Pasternak hopes to help her students to do the same. “Kids have mental blocks and get very hung up because somewhere along the line, they were taught that they were not good at art.

I want them to see past that, because we are all creative people.

I just want people to be in touch with their creativity, and to feel comfortable [with themselves].

That’s my goal.”

CASTING: Thoroughly Modern Millie

Snyder shares a historical perspective on double-casting.

He says, “We never created double-casting as a permanent institution. It depends on the demands of the roles of each particular show. We only felt compelled to double-cast when there was a lot of talent for a limited number of roles.”

He adds, “In general, no one likes [double-casting]. It is more work for everybody and is an extreme measure to take.”

Senior Marlee Rich, who plays the role of Millie, sees positive and negative aspects to single-casting.

“It’s going to be really fun to do six shows, but I also think that it’s going to be a lot of pressure. If I get sick or injured and I can’t perform, then the show would suffer.

Without double-casting, people have fewer opportunities.”

A similar view is expressed by senior Courtney Catcho, who plays another female lead named Muzzy.

“A positive aspect of single-casting would be that the person gets six shows and all the actors get used to working with the same person,” says Catcho. “It also reduces stress over costuming two different people for the same part. However, there’s always a risk involved. I’ve never been involved in a performance where someone was so sick that they could not go on stage, but I’m sure, if that were the case, they would probably just have to go with it, get on stage, and perform.”

There is a large risk with single-casting.

As Snyder observes, “We have no understudies. We have no backup plan. We just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best.”

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news

odern

illie

Mid-November marks the debut of Millie’s adventures in the fall musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, whose production is chronicled by the Shield.

adness

Far right: As Tessa Cannel (12) plays the piano, Courtney Catcho (12) and Chip Miller (11) practice the song Life is a Holiday for the debut of the musical on November 13.

Right: The technical crew works on Millie’s 20 separate set pieces, a huge undertaking.

Above: The female chorus, including Marisa Cicurel (9), rehearses the dance for “Forget about the Boy,” a song in Act II. Far left: Dance captain Danielle Beaujon (11) models a pose for Bethany Friedman (12).

Left: Bruce Synder, codirector of Thoroughly Modern Millie, directs the pit orchestra. This will be his and Roberta Campion’s 32nd Andover musical.

Left: Vocal coach Rita Jury works with the female chorus for the show. They rehearse the number “Forget About the Boy.” The girls play office workers and stenographers.

Left: Rachel Pad, 11, tries on a wig for size. Over 40 wigs will be used in the production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Photos by Andrew Weiner Text by Saloni Godbole and Andrew Weiner

BC Meditation makes Model

life

Andrew Pan staff writer

Sophomore expertly solves Rubik’s cube

A Hurricane Katrina victim remains optimistic

After 33 seconds, he defeated the infamous six-faced beast.

“It started last year because I had a twelve-hour bus trip to a hockey tournament in Calumet [in the Upper Peninsula] and needed something to do,” sophomore Michael Calvas says. “[The Rubik’s Cube] came with a little booklet that helped, and I ended up going to YouTube because there were faster ways

Andrew Weiner senior life advisor

-Opened October 1 -Offers dine in and carry out -Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner -On Hamilton Row in downtown Birmingham -Popular dishes include: Glass Noodles, Shrimp Tempura, and Honey Chicken Salad -Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. SundayThursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

to solve it, but I also learned some of it intuitively. It just took a lot of practice.”

Calvas was one of three students in Giorgia Anderson’s three Honors Geometry classes who were able to solve this 80’s icon. He even topped Will Smith’s 55-second cube record in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness.

“It’s an awesome talent,” says Theodora Calvas, Michael’s mother. “It shows he has a detailed mind and he’s able to solve complicated issues and matters. He can even solve 5x5 Rubik’s cubes.”

“It deals with a visual-spatial part of your brain and is such

a good way for kids to learn and visualize things,” Anderson says. “With the Rubik’s cube, you are observing patterns and making generalizations. When he took on this Rubik’s cube, [we saw] a whole new side of the quiet, shy Michael. He was so involved and passionate about it that he motivated a lot of other kids to start thinking [about it.]”

“It’s just sort of fun to show off, to be able to go, ‘I can solve a Rubik’s cube and you can’t,’” says Michael. “In the end, it’s something to pass the time; it’s something fun to do.” sophomore Michael Calvas

PROFILE

Motivation through music

Johnston inspires her students through guitar Jessica Ranke managing editor

H

is fingers slowly pluck across the strings, struggling to match the tune for the Beatles song “Blackbird”. His class sits engrossed in their seats, listening to every note junior Andrew Dershem strums out of the borrowed guitar. His teacher stands next to him, guiding him through the music, encouraging him at every mistake throughout the performance.

“She kept trying to reassure me I was doing well even though I knew she was better than I was,” Dershem says of

the experience. “I mean it was just cool because the reinforcement she was giving [to me while i played the guitar]—it’s kind of like what she’s doing in the classroom— it’s like she knows you can do better so she’s just going to keep pushing you and pushing you to do better.”

Government teacher Vivian Johnston, who began playing the guitar about seven months ago, has recently brought her guitar into the classroom to motivate her students.

She hopes that after seeing her struggle to learn new material, her students will begin to feel more comfortable participating during class and will make more of an effort to turn in their assignments. “[By bringing in my guitar and playing in front of the class] I was trying to motivate some of my students,” Johnston says. “I was telling them that I knew learning this material was a challenge for them. They had some bad test scores, or some of the kids did, and I said that I knew how that can be -- I’m sure it is very demoralizing and frustrating.”

Because Johnston has personally struggled with her effort in learning how to play the guitar, she thought that modeling her preservance with the instrument would show the students that giving up is never an option.

“I don’t want [them] to give up because things are struggles in life and you have to find that the struggle is worth it.”

Bringing in her Ibanez Acoustic Electric guitar, Johnston explains her goal to show the class that, “I do not play that well. But if I am asking [them] to raise [their] hand and take a risk of asking a question and maybe feeling stupid because [they] don’t know that answer, then I will also take the risk of playing the guitar in front of [them] poorly.

“I guess I wanted them to see that I really do understand them. I’m in their shoes. I get the butterflies. I get choked up like they do see JOHNSTON when they are taking one of my tests or I ask them a question,” she says.

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Vivan Johnston plays guitar for her seventh hour government class. she is currently working on mastering “Blackbird” by the Beatles.

Quick Facts

-Johnston teaches Government and Economics -She plays an Ibanez Acoustic Electric guitar -Johnston began playing guitar seven months ago -Playing guitar has been her lifelong dream

JAKE GORDON/shield

New Birmingham restaurant rolls out sushi Birmingham Sushi Cafe delights diners Alana Tabak

news page editor

I consider myself a sushi connoisseur. I have sampled a plethora of different sushi restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and even São Paulo, Brazil. Even with great restaurants all over the world, one of the best I have tried is at Birmingham Sushi Cafe.

On October 1, Birmingham Sushi Cafe opened its doors for the first time in downtown Birmingham on Hamilton Row. After passing by the front of the restaurant before its opening, I was excited to try it.

When I first walked in, I was taken back by the restaurant’s decor. I was not expecting it to be so chic. The little cafe had a rustic ambiance with modern hanging lamps illuminating the tables. There were dark mahogany wood columns separating the booths and modern art pieces on the walls.

Usually in sushi restaurants I am overwhelmed by the grandiose oriental decor and music. Birmingham Sushi cafe had small Asian accents like the oriental banner over the sushi bar and soy sauce pots on the tables, but the feel is modern overall.

Looking at the menu I was overwhelmed by the various choices in sushi and other entrees the restaurant offered. Some of the entrees included bibimbap which is assorted vegetables, beef, eggs and rice in a hot stone bowl with sweet spicy sauce ($13.95), chicken teriyaki ($12.50), salmon teriyaki ($15.95), shrimp and scallop teriyaki ($19.50), filet mingon terkiyaki ($21.95) and lobster ravioli, which is lobster mousse over a lobster creme sauce with a lobster claw ($25.95).

I ended up ordering a crunch California roll ($6.50), shrimp tempura roll ($7.50), a crazy roll ($6.50) and some edamame ($3.50). Although these prices are slightly higher than Tokyo Sushi’s (also in downtown Birmingham), the rolls are much bigger and are made with higher quality ingredients.

First the edamame (salted baby soybeans) came. It was at the perfect temperature; not cold but not too hot and it was perfectly salt-

ed. They were delicious.

Soon after finishing the edamame, my waiter set down a large white platter of sushi. Each order was covered in eel sauce, a sweet brown sauce, which is normally an extra charge at other restaurants.

Hands down, this was some of the best sushi I have ever had. All of the fish and other ingredients tasted extremely fresh. The rolls were much bigger than I am used to, so I was full when the meal was over.

My favorite roll was the California crunch roll (crab and avocado inside, tempura crunch and eel sauce outside). The tempura crunch on the outside was perfectly crisp but not too greasy. The perfect blend of crab and avocado also added to the roll’s great taste.

The service was just as incredible as the sushi. My waiter, Kevin, was very helpful in determining which rolls to order and was always there to fill my glass as soon as it was getting low.

Overall, with a great atmosphere, delicious food and prompt service, I’d roll on over to Birmingham Sushi any time.

EMILY LANGNAS/shield

Quick Bites

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Calvas conquers cube

Human spirit overcomes

Katrina forced her out of her house. Her elderly mother and granddaughter relocated to Tennessee, unable to return without a house to go back to. The contractor she hired stole $80,000.

Undeterred, she pulled together what was left of her savings and invested her hopes in another contractor. This time, not only did the contractor take $40,000, he significantly sunk the home’s foundation and stole several large appliances. She spent nearly $120,000 and ended up with her house in worse condition than when she began and no place to live.

This is where I met Patrcia Armant, or as she asked us to call her, Ms. Pat. As part of the two weeks I spent in New Orleans this summer I worked construction on her house.

The home was finally n e a r i n g Seeing someone c o m p l e t i o n when I with such a positive a r r i v e d , outlook on life after thanks to volunteers having such horrible a n d luck for several professionals Pat had years is incredible Ms. once again and humbling. put her faith in. My group had the pleasure and privilege of surprising her with the news that her home would be ready in less than a month.

Jaded from her previous experiences, she hadn’t seen the house in over a year and didn’t want any updates.

We had heard so much about her, finally meeting her in person was incredible. At our meeting with Ms. Pat, I was inspired by how vivacious and happy she was, you never would have guessed the hardship she had been through.

She called us all “my babies” and even sang us a thank-you song. Seeing someone with such a positive outlook on life after having such horrible luck for several years is incredible and humbling. She happily told her story, getting emotional occasionally, but with a smile a majority of the time.

Watching Ms. Pat break down and cry tears of joy at the news that she could give her landlord notice that she would be returning home is indisputably one of my most unforgettable memories. After she had put her trust in so many people, her optimism and faith paid off.

In addition to the joy, I have the understanding that this is only a tiny piece of the problem, one house of 890,000 destroyed, and that more work needs to be done. But Ms. Pat’s house stands.

curriculum

Sushi chef John Kim makes a rainbow sushi roll at Birmingham Sushi Cafe

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life

Meditation at Model Health

Model incorporates a different style of learning Saloni Godbole

senior news advisor

According to AP Psychology teacher Vivian Johnston, Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic and…meditating?

“Research suggests that meditation over time reduces “Meditation is part of the class Health Psycholstress, which may reduce heart problems and immune ogy, where we look at techniques that connect the disorders. There are definitely mental benefits which mind and body to take care of both at the same carry over into physical benefits.” time,” Andrea McCoy, Health Psychology teacher Since incorporating this new form of instruction, Mcat Model High School, explains as the reason why Coy and Kezlarian have noticed a change in their stustudents meditate in her class. dents.

“At Harvard Medical School and other mind-body “It’s really nice to see my students meditate in class,” institutes, they teach the ‘relaxation response,’ says McCoy. “I’m leading them, so I’m watching them, which is a type of meditative technique that kicks so I look at their breath and see who’s really down and in the opposite of the fight or flight response. [Rerelaxed and who’s falling asleep and who’s not relaxed. laxation response] is basically what the hospitals A lot of my students are integrating medicall meditation so that people aren’t intimitation into their lives on a daily basis, and dated by the word, and is a different type they feel a lot calmer, they feel more foof treatment.” cused.”

This practice is also used in Model’s Phi- Research suggests “For Adventure English, we have an losophy class, taught by Bruce Kezlarian, that meditation over who thinks it is especially important for time reduces stress, overnight at a mountain,” says Kezlarian.

“We meditate there by lying down on the young adults of today. which may reudce forest carpet and doing some breathing “I think there are far too many deexercises, and we listen to the sounds mands that are placed on students. heart probelms and and try to focus on what’s happening. InI don’t think there’s enough time for immune disorders. evitably, the students are very alert and young adults to be by themselves. receptive. I do stay in contact with my From a very early age, there’s this push VIVIAN JOHNSTON former students, and I find that meditato be involved in sports or music lessons or AP Pyschology teacher tion has opened them up to a new way whatever. Not that that’s a bad thing, but of life - one that is more centered on the they are made out to be more important present.” than they are, and there should be no Johnston says that there is a rational related stress.” explanation behind these benefits.

Senior Hunter Cooper believes that “ In terms of brain waves, EEG readings have shown meditation is strongly connected to his that during meditation, alpha and theta brain waves psychology class. are dominant. These brain waves are associated with “When you actually experience a state of deep relaxation or even light sleep. In terms something, instead of just reading of general physiology, heart rate, the intake of oxygen about it, it can connect you to the and the release of carbon dioxide all slow down.” cultures behind the idea in a deeper “In fact, there was a study conducted in 2001 on Tisense. I think kids actually take it very betan monks whose lives were spent meditating,” conseriously.” tinues Johnston. “When their brains were analyzed, For both McCoy and Kezlarian, the objectives are there was more activity seen in the prefrontal cortex, similar. which is associated with attention. Also, there was an “This is an important concept because it can help abnormally low amount of activity in the parietal lobe, students not get held up on minor setbacks and which controls awareness of the body’s position in stay focused on their larger goals, all while mainspace. It makes sense that the study’s findings support taining a positive and healthy state of mind. The big that meditation allows for intense focusing and being thing is to make an attempt to empty your mind, able to be less focused on your surroundings and more and that’s what we focus on in class, and it’s kind focused on internal thought processes.” of a hard thing to do. It’s the idea of ‘dying every Cooper comments on how learning to meditate has second’, that we need to leave things where they’re affected his life. at and move forward,” says “I enjoy meditating on my own time after learning Kezlarian. how to in Philosophy class. It’s a very different experience that has taught me how to focus and stay relaxed.”

Freshman, Eve Sherbin, practices unique yoga positions, including the tree pose (top), the standing bow pulling pose (left), the triangle pose (middle), and the half moon (right). Students can learn these moves and othersin Model’s Philosophy class and Health Phsycology class.

“It is what it is”

Hendrickson muses on overused cliché

Lauren Hendrickson

senior sports advisor and web editor

“It is what it is.”

Wait – what is “it?”

Typically used to express acceptance of the seemingly inevitable, we have all heard this meaningless cliché hundreds of times. This phrase is extremely dismissive and little more than an excuse to avoid answering a question or taking responsibility, and that is exactly why I dislike it.

“I made a mistake, so it is what it is, I guess,” said Britney Spears after being caught in 2007 driving with her 16-weekold son on her lap, rather than in a car seat.

If her son had been seriously injured in a car accident while positioned in Spears’ lap, would this pop star have used the same excuse? I can only imagine the public reaction if Spears were to say, “Well…my son is extremely injured. It is what it is, I guess.”

In a recent October 2009 national Marist Poll, “It is what it is” was voted the third most annoying phrase to hear in conversation behind “whatever” and “you know,” as the top two most irritating. The This phrase is ex- survey contremely dismissive cluded that and little more than 11 percent of Americans, an excuse to avoid approximateanswering a question ly 33,446,569 or taking responsibil- p e o p l e , ity, and that is exactly loathe hearing this statewhy I dislike it. ment as the answer to a question or an excuse for a mistake.

After being pestered in 2006 about former Vice President Dick Cheney’s embarrassing hunting accident, White House press secretary, Scott McClellan said, somewhat petulantly, “We went through it thoroughly yesterday. It is what it is, and I think it’s time to move on.”

Last time I checked, that is not an answer. The “it” – the fact that Cheney carelessly shot Texas attorney Harry Whittington while quail hunting – “is what IT is.” What does that even mean? What’s done is done, and cannot be changed?

Where’s the sympathy for Whittington in saying, “It is what it is?” It is almost as though McClellan was suggesting, “so what?”

Those five, trite words merely provided an “easy out” for a busy political aide, who did not have the time or desire to respond to a question he could not answer without embarrassing his boss.

Maybe Mr. McClellan, along with many others, should be reminded to “say what you mean, and mean what you say.”

Of course, that has its problems, too.

Whatever, I guess it is what it is.

Struggling through seizures Facts about epilepsy

Andover junior tells the tale of how she lives with epilepsy

-Epilepsy is also called a seizure disorder

Talia Goldman

-Seizures can last from a few seconds to a few minutes -About 3 million people in the United States have a form of epilepsy -Source: Epilepsy Foundation

news page editor Natasha Amin wanders down the aisle of her neighborhood grocery store. Suddenly, without warning, she falls to her right and begins to shake violently. For this Andover junior, these seizures are a fact of life.

“I don’t have a trigger,” Amin explains.

“I don’t have to worry about lights, or stuff like that. [My seizures are] completely and utterly random. The only time I know it happened is when it’s done, because I’ll wake up somewhere unusual, and my head will be throbbing. I’ll have a migraine, and my body will feel like every muscle has tensed up and weakened. I’m incapable of moving on my own. A lot of times my father or my brother will have to carry me to my bed or paramedics will have to put me on a stretcher.”

Because Amin has grand mal tonic clon-

ic epilepsy, her seizures are sporadic, oc- I tell them. If you meet me one day and curring when a brief surge of electrical you hang out with me, you won’t be able activity affects her brain. to tell.”

“It was pretty devastating, very heartAlthough others may not be able to tell breaking,” her father, Dr. that Amin deals with a seizure Mohammed Amin exdisorder, her parents worry plains.

“In the beginabout her leading them to take ning I thought maybe [her The only time I actions trying to protect her. seizures were something “Freshman year, [my parknow it happened is ents] thought it was necessary that] only happened once. when it’s done, be- to have someone follow me Then it happened a second time. It didn’t go away. It cause I’ll wake up around, watch where I go and just kept coming more and I do in case anything ever somewhere unusu- what more. Finally, we went to happens. It was terrible; I hatal, and my head will ed it. I tried to get away from a specialist and starting working on it and [have her all the time,” tells Amin. be throbbing. been] ever since.”

However, Amin recently had Since her seizures began an experience affecting her NATASHA AMIN when she was nine years perspective. old, Amin has been work“It was about two months ing with doctors and othago the first time I watched ers to overcome the various problems another person in real life actually have accompanying her situation. a seizure themselves, and it was really “In middle school, people called me reflective,” she says. “It kind of made ‘seizure girl,’” Amin says. “That was very me understand why my parents are so troubling for me; I took it very harshly. scared, or why people call an ambulance.

But now, people don’t really know unless It’s an experience. When you watch it, it’s

so different.”

As Amin saw, there are physical risks involved when having a seizure, such as the victim falling on a hard surface and injuring themselves. Because of this, Amin has to take precautions.

“There are many things I can’t do,” explains Amin. “I have to be really careful when I’m in class. I cannot drive, which doesn’t work out so well.”

Dr. Amin describes how his daughter handles the disease.

“It’s obviously pretty depressing for her. Her friends can do a lot of things she cannot. But she very strong-willed and has a strong personality, [and] she has accepted it very strongly. I’m very proud of my daughter. ” According to Dr. Amin, his daughter has had epilepsy symptoms for several years now, but the possibility exists for her not to have the disease as she grows older.

“We are hoping and we are praying that one day she’ll outgrow it,” says Dr. Amin.

“Hopefully there will be a brighter future for her.”

life

Battle of the

Boutiques

Find the cutest fall fashions and accessories cheapest at Forever 21

H&M’s stylish, high-quality clothing makes it the best store for fall shopping

Elizabeth Glenn

Emma Enache

Finally, It’s that time of the year again. Fall. The season of sweet cider, trick or treating, and bare trees with their bright colored leaves carpeting the ground. It’s a time for fun, and a time for fashion. It is now that time to put away the flip flops and say hello to ankle boots and cashmere sweaters. And what’s a better place to go than Forever 21?

Forever 21 is a retail clothing chain offering fashion accessories and clothing for young women and teenagers. It’s a very “fashion forward” store, having tough competition with Wet Seal, Guess, Urban Outfitters, and Charlotte Russe. Not only does Forever 21 carry the perfect ideal fashions, but its distinctive, spunky atmosphere is what keeps the customers coming back for more. It makes you want to explore.

Here is a personal example. It was a chilly day in August when I came to the realization that I needed to go shopping. Rushing into Somerset Mall the following day, I finally approached Forever 21. Running from rack to rack, shelf to shelf, hanger to hanger, I came across some amazing finds: scarves for those chilly days outdoors, ankle boots to wear on a night out with the girls, and even a fall coat to keep me warm.

Not to mention that their jewelry was oh so cute. I managed to get two pairs of earrings for six dollars, and a necklace for five. Not to mention a key hole ribbon top for only $10.50. Talk about a bargain. Besides the great accessories, the service was very good. The workers were there to help you when you needed it, and even went the lines went by fast.

Leaving Forever 21 with my head held high and a satisfied shopper “swagg”, I was very happy. I thought to myself, “Why shouldn’t I come back again?”

Forever 21 is the place to shop when you want the latest styles. You can find Forever 21 at Twelve Oaks and Somerset Mall, with hours ranging from 10:00 am to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday . That is, if “fashionista” is your middle name.

Imagine you’re at Great Lakes Crossing with an hour to spend at any store you want. You’ve finally narrowed your options down to your two favorite stores: Forever 21 and H&M. Which one to pick?

There’s really only one possibility. And that’s H&M. Could you even stand in a Forever 21 for an hour without getting so claustrophobic you had to leave? Probably not. The store is so cluttered with clothes racks that you can barely walk around. You’re surrounded, boxed in.

Thankfully, you can escape to H&M, a store with wide spaces between its optimally located clothes racks. The clothes themselves aren’t on the floor in heaps either, like they are in that other store.

Leaving H&M, you feel satisfied with your purchase. You’ve just bought high-quality fabric that will last you for some time, at prices similar to those at Forever 21. The main deciding factor—simply in the caliber of the clothing—is fabric, and Forever 21, for the most part, supplies synthetic fabrics that look poor after their first wash.

Some of that difference is accounted for in the price of the clothing. H&M is slightly more expensive than Forever 21, which allows it to use better fabrics. But it also allows the company to sell better-designed and better-fitting clothes.

Perhaps the most important thing that shoppers look for in clothing stores like these two is the design of the clothing.

H&M has collaborated with designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, and is planning a new line of handbags and shoes designed by Jimmy Choo (not to mention an entire collection by British designer Matthew Williamson).

The styles of clothes sold there are, for the most part, comparable to those sold in Forever 21, with the exception of the outerwear, which is far superior. Stores sell both women’s and men’s clothing (but, as is usually the case, there’s more selection in women’s than men’s.)

There are six stores in Michigan, the closest being in Great Lakes Crossing (Auburn Hills) and Twelve Oaks Mall (Novi).

With all the advantages that H&M has to offer, you’d have to be crazy to waste your time in Forever 21.

VS

Student-faculty ratio:

14:1 100%

Odds you’ll get noticed:

udmercy.edu/great

Changing schools can make it difficult to find friends

guest writer

Junior Danielle Beaujon models new clothing from Forever 21 (left) and H&M (right)

Visit us.

It’s awkward meeting new people

Xavier Barnes

staff writer

staff writer

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Take our virtual tour any time at www.udmercy.edu/virtualvisit

We want great things for you.

Is he looking? Oh no. Did he see me looking? About two hundred yards down the long, white, empty hallway, is a kid walking slowly in my direction. He is not my friend. My class is down the stairs at the far end of the hall. I have to pass him.

Now I’m committed. I keep walking. I can’t just turn around. What would I say? “It’s just too awkward having to walk in silence like this, so I’m just going to turn around, see ya.” No. I just have to look cool, relaxed.

What’s his name?

Do I say hi?

Should I even acknowledge him?

This kid is in one of my classes. I never really considered talking to him before this very instant. This instant while class is in session, and we are the only two people in sight. I’m not carrying anything to busy myself with.

I check the time once, twice.

He’s getting closer.

I recall several times I had an oppor tunity to talk to him, yet remained silent. Does he hold it against me? All the awkwardness I’ve ever felt from being around people I don’t know seems to have become one big knot in the pit of my stomach.

I look toward the only window in sight. I can’t see through the glass from this angle. I stare down at my pass. Ten seconds have passed. Fifteen seconds.

We’re about fifteen feet away when a sudden conviction seizes me. I look up, nod. I say, “Sup?” Casual.

He’s looking, nods and says, “Not much.” We pass.

The next day, we’re friends; we talk now once or twice a day. Short conversations before class.

Greetings in the hallway.

Two weeks later, he admits to me how awkward he felt the day we were walking down the hall.

This happens to me. All. The. Time.

Because my mom is a colonel in the Army and it’s part of the job, I’ve moved, on average, every two years for my whole life. If anyone knows about awkwardness with strangers, it’s me.

Attending eight schools has also given me a wealth of experience on meeting new people and how to make the most of opportunities to meet people, even if it’s just passing in the hall. So, trust me when I say the best way to make new friends is to take the initiative—break the ice with a friendly hello.

When trying to meet new people, joining a new club or a sport has worked for me. Regardless of how many times I’ve done it, the initial awkwardness is always there, but when the dust settles, it always turns out well.

My mom is a colonel in the Army and I’ve moved, on average, every two years of my life. If anyone knows about awkwardness with strangers, it’s me.

from B1

REED: hair

“Pink Heart Funds has designed a wig especially for children, one that stays on through their busy, active lives.

The human hair wigs are made especially for children.

After we have accumulated 1,000 ponytails, they are sent to a wig maker in Brooklyn, New York. We get back 90 wigs that cost Pink Heart Funds about $200 each,” she explains.

Founder of Pink Heart Funds, JoAn Niceley, adds, “We want the person that has donated to know that their hair will be used for a wig not sold. Nor will the child recipient be charged.”

Reed reveals that it will be at least another year before his ponytail long enough and hopes that by summer 2010 it will meet the requirement.

When asked if he likes his curent length of hair, he responds, “Oh my gosh, I hate it! I don’t think it looks good and I feel for young ladies who have to take care of their hair. I have always worn really short hair because I like to get out of the shower and comb it and that’s it - you don’t have to think about it.”

Along with this new appreciation, Reed has noticed a change within his classes.

“The funniest thing was when I came into my symphony orchestra class and the whole first violin section had bandannas on and I thought that was cute. I think [my students] are kind of used to it now, but when they first saw me start to grow my hair I got a few comments.

Andover has a really giving attitude so there are a lot of people who understand [what I’m doing].

“I’ve gotten references to the fact that it is the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Most of the time I think the comments are funny and I enjoy them,” he concludes.

“If it brings some attention to the problem and the need - well that’s good. If someday somebody can actually use some of my hair, than that’s even better.”

B4

life

Cr zyfor

Health

Cocoa Dark chocolate proves to have positive attributes that lead to healthier life

more it is processed, the lighter in color the chocolate is and the less antioxidants there are.

Chocolate can also fight disease.

“The flavanoids help reduce the risk of heart disease. Also, the chocolate can Emma Reidsma relax your blood vessels and may affect life page editor your LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels so it will have a positive effect on your bad It does not have the greatest reputation. cholesterol,” says Fullet.

It rots our teeth, contributes to the fat on Just because chocolate does have benour thighs, and gives us efits does not mean someone one mean jolt and crash. should be on their way to Or does it? the store buying truckloads.

While chocolate is not the Dark chocolate has “You should have a solid dark healthiest treat in the food the best benefits. Any chocolate,” says Fullett. “A pyramid, it does have its food that comes from chocolate with marshmallows health benefits a plant has flavonoids and nuts defeats the purpose.

“Dark chocolate has the But you also need to read the in it and helps our best benefits. Any food that labels. You have to be careful comes from a plant has fla- bodies repair. of the fat of dark chocolate, so vonoids in it and helps our it is not recommended to eat a bodies repair ourselves. The Shelly Hall candy bar a day.” flavonoids prevent the free Personal Chef Besides raw solid chocoradicals from destroying our late, hot chocolate can be a bodies,” says Sherry Hall, healthy, wholesome treat. the owner of A Taste of Life, “The most nutritious chocoa personal chef service. late food would be chocolate milk or hot But what happens when the choco- chocolate made with milk, but not the late is processed? swiss miss because that is just flavoring,” “Milk chocolate is more processed says Barbara Lange, Andover’s Foods than dark,” says Lori Fullet, a regis- and Nutrition teacher. “You will not only tered dietitian. “When they are pro- get the benefits of the milk and calcium, cessed they add alkalis products to but you will also get the added flavor and them. The more alkalis it has, it makes benefits from the chocolate.” the benefits of the chocolate non-benDrinking a cup of hot chocolate before eficial. Processing breaks down the fla- meals, may also diminish your appetite. vanoids and that’s why it’s important to About two ounces of dark chocolate a have pure dark chocolate.” day should result in a sense of well-being These flavonoid anti-oxidants also and keep the doctor away, according to give chocolate its dark color. The livestrong.com.

Albom rediscovers his faith

Derek Wolfe staff writer

“Will you do my eulogy?”

A question that is unexpected and unwanted.

Mitch Albom, a sportswriter for the Detroit Free Press, takes the reader through the journey of being asked this question by his own rabbi.

This, along with the story of a Detroit church’s pastor who has risen from the bottom of society to a man of God make up Albom’s sixth book, Have A Little Faith published in October.

Albom takes the stories of these two men and uses them to rediscover his own faith. He struggles writing the eulogy of Rabbi Albert Lewis and struggles to understand how a church can be a run-down building. This piece of non-fiction successfully develops his struggles while giving me the opportunity to understand the book on my own.

Mitch Albom is a master of emotional stories, which can be seen through his other books like Tuesdays With Morrie. After given a short history of Rabbi Lewis of Temple Beth Sholom and Pastor Henry Covington of I Am My Brother’s Keeper in Detroit, I quickly became connected with both of them.

This connection made me not want to put the book down. I absolutely loved following the growth of Albom and the rabbi’s relationship as Albom tried to get to know him so he could write a great eulogy. The rabbi provides memories and lessons that truly can improve my life.

Equally intriguing is the pastor’s rise from drug dealer to cleric.

Clearly, Albom is not one of the greatest authors of his time, and it can be seen through his lack of flair. His style is very simple and to the point. It is very clear that the story itself is the focal point and not his use of incredible vocabulary and grammar. That is okay, because I’m not a picky reader. I enjoy a good, uplifting story that can be read speedily, which is what

Loney ‘Toons

this book was.

Being Jewish, the religious aspect of the book was something I enjoyed. Albom, also Jewish, and the rabbi had very interesting religious arguments, ranging from heaven to inter-religion relations. The pastor also had great viewpoints.

In essence, the book helped me jumpstart my own religious debates.

One of the biggest downsides of the book is the price of the book. I bought it without a coupon for a whopping $23.99. This would be acceptable if the book was 600 pages long, but its not.

It’s a mere 240 pages. A mere ten percent of this goes to charity, though, I guess some is better than none.

Overall, I would consider this book a must read especially if you are in need of an enriching story. What makes it relevant is Mitch Albom lives in Michigan and half of the story line is about a Detroit church and its pastor which interested me. Although the writing style might not be the best, the messages, morals, and themes that can be taken away should last a lifetime.

cartoon by Josh Loney

Have A Little Faith is a heart-warming tale of a Detroit clergy member

Walking to overcome disability Kaya Koscielny staff writer

Fighting handicap takes intense training and dedication On the day of the Crim one-mile walk on August 29, 2009, I was nervous. Butterflies danced in the pit of my stomach.

I was so excited that I barely got a wink of sleep the night before. My heart raced as I made my way towards the starting line, knowing that although it was just a one-mile walk, it would be a fast one. For most people, walking one mile as fast as they can is a piece of cake.

I, however, was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition caused by my brain not getting any oxygen when I was born. This caused the parts of my brain in charge of muscle control to have a little scarring, so it affects the way I move.

Although this walk would be a challenge, I was definitely up for it.

To train for the walk, I spent hours in physical therapy to strengthen I participated in the my core walk because I not and my leg only wanted to chal- m u s c l e s ; would lenge myself, but I go on the also wanted to spend t r e a d m i l l time with my family. for an hour and a half each day for more e n d u r ance. To speed up muscle recovery and reduce soreness, I ate foods rich in protein and vitamin C. I participated in the walk because I not only wanted to challenge myself, but also wanted to spend time with my family.

Each member of my family participated in an event. My mom ran a mile with my sister; my dad participated in a ten mile run. His desire to run began in January; he has been running ever since. His self discipline inspired me to participate in the walk. Once his run was finished, he walked a mile with me. I had so much fun! My mom bought me a blue mesh running shirt with the words Will Walk for Chocolate. It made me laugh.

As soon as I started walking fast, I felt a burst of energy, which began to drain after half a mile, but my dad kept encouraging me to go forward.

With his encouragement, I continued gaining speed until the finish line was in sight, people cheering me on from the right and left. I came in last, but I felt awesome because I had shown people that even though I had a disability, I could still participate in the walk.

The officials did not keep track of my time, but my dad did. It took 26 minutes and 40 seconds to walk the mile, which for me it is a big success.

I participated in the 2009 Walk for Friendship on September 13. Participators weren’t timed, so this walk was also just for fun. It felt good knowing that the money each participant donated at the run would help other kids with disabilities. In January, I’m planning do another one-mile walk in Hawaii. This will be an excellent opportunity for me to stay fit and have fun with my family.

I hope to walk it with my dad, who will also be participating in his first marathon.

The Crim is a foundation dedicated to battling obesity in both children and adults, with many different fitness programs available. To learn more please, visit http://www.crim. org.

life

B5

life

B6

Toppings, anyone? Pineapple

21%

Pepper

Tomato

10%

ing fathers want to leave Great Britain? Because there was a tax on pizza. In fact, the first copy of the American Flag did not have stars, but pepperoni. Uncle Sam is the brother of Papa John! This past century, America has exclusively gone to war with one breed of people: pizza haters. Yet, in our own high school, we have one of these heathens, these heretics, these haters of the foundation of the United States. Introducing David Rohr, pizza hater and criticizer extraordinaire:

DR

It’s really kind of a traumatic experience. Pizza actually stalked me.

From the time I was four years old, I saw pizza everywhere I went. It would follow me to birthday parties, football games, cafeterias, and it even showed up at family dinners. As you would expect, I got a little spooked. I called the police and tried to get a restraining order against pizza, but it kept managing to sneak into my life.

JR

What do you mean, “sneak into your life?”

DR Pizza has many disguises. As soon as I was prepared for your traditional pizza, it dressed up. It came after me as a pizza bagel, a pizza sub, a pizza roll, a deep dish pizza, a thin crust pizza and even as a calzone. I wasn’t safe anywhere, so I did the most logical thing: I bought a shotgun and a cheese grater and carried them with me everywhere I went, ready for a fight.

SG

When was the last time you had to fight pizza?

DR

11%

Of 2 00 s tude nt as uls surveye timat d, pe e pizz pperon a topp i domi nates ing

The great pizza debate The single unifying American ideal since the Revolutionary War is, of course, pizza. Why did the found-

So why don’t you tell us your story with pizza?

11.5%

46.5%

Bon appétit SG

Mushroom

Pepperoni

Well just the other day, I went out to lunch and passed a very interesting place called Crust. Curious, I walked in, but it was an ambush! Pizza

had found me again and surrounded me.

Before I could get out my grater, I’m pretty sure it double-teamed me. It kept trying to get me to eat it! Needless to say I had to fight dirty and managed to escape with only minimal grease stains.

My therapist will help me sort out the rest.

JR

So aside from the assault, what don’t you like about pizza?

DR

To be honest, I just don’t really like the taste. It smells delicious, but I’m just not a fan of tomato sauce.

SG What about the different types of gourmet pizzas at places like CPK? DR I’m not familiar...

JR

California Pizza Kitchen? They serve a plethora of alternatives to the traditional pizza. From Barbecue Chicken to Bacon Lettuce and Tomato, the possible pizza combinations are endless.

Many don’t even have the typical tomato sauce! You should give it a try sometime.

DR Maybe I will. What do you get there?

JR I like the Hawaiian Pizza.

DR But I also hate pineapple...

SG Well, that’s a topic for another day.

Debated by: Jessica Ranke managing editor Saloni Godbole senior news advisor David Rohr staff writer

CPK and Crust: now serving healthy pizza

California Pizza Kitchen and Crust Pizza are striving for a healthier, better pizza

refuse to eat because it’s so overwhelmingly fatty.

Pizza was pretty healthy when it was first created, and that’s Crust’s whole philosophy. The types of pizzas we make are Neapolitan, which is very simple food, the way pizza was meant to be eaten,” says Chapman.

Saloni Godbole Chapman explains that Neapolitan and senior news advisor American pizzas differ not only in calorie count, but also in their ratio of crust to topping.

Crust Pizza and California Pizza “The difference between American and Neapolitan Kitchen are attempting to be anything pizza is that Neapolitans consider the toppings as an but cheesy. These local restaurants are embellishment to the crust, while Americans think trying to increase business by tossing up of the crust as something that carries the toppings,” a new spin on an American dietary staple. says Chapman. “To the Neapolitan way of thinking, The trend of avoiding traditional pizza crust is supreme, and everything else must be kept is expanded upon by senior Ellie Maher. light. This obviously cuts down on the amount “I usually hate pizza because it’s so heavy,” of cheese and other unhealthy things, making a says Maher. “When I do eat it, which is rare, I combination of thin bread, light sauce, vegetables prefer thin crust pizza that’s different from the and a sprinkling of cheese, a very healthy dinner.” boring old pepperoni and cheese. I enjoy pizzas However, not all Neapolitan pizzas are created equal. that have more vegetables and less grease.” “The healthiest pizza on our menu is the Margarita.

According to Annette Chapman, manager This is because it is very light on the cheese and of Crust pizza, a healthier form of pizza is has a healthy red sauce on a thin crust. Thin exactly what the restaurant is striving for. crusts eliminate the heavy carbs,” says Chapman.

“Modern pizza has evolved into something that Similarly, customers must be wary of what the original creators of pizza would probably goes into their orders at California Pizza

Kitchen, according to waiter Carlos Gonzales.

“For all those ladies concerned with calories, I suggest asking for our honey-wheat with whole grain crust. It has ten less calories per serving. The Italian Tomato and Basil pizza has Italian tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and our signature sauce but it’s almost half the calories of the other pizzas,” says Gonzales.

CPK’s slogan, “A leader in Californiastyle cuisine,” could be a clue to what may make CPK pizza a healthier alternative.

“When we say that CPK is a leader in authentic California-style cuisine, it means that we use fresh ingredients in innovative recipes. It also has to do with having a diverse menu. The emphasis on quality and choice makes us a far healthier pizza joint. It is something rare in the restaurant biz to say that we never use frozen anything. We also make our own dough every day,” says Gonzales.

Crust is located on the corner of Telegraph and Maple Road in Bloomfield Hills. California Pizza Kitchen has a restaurant in Somerset Mall and at Orchard lake and 14 Mile Road. Both restaurants are open until 10 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Pizza Facts -October is National Pizza month in the US. -One slice of cheese pizza has about 17g of fat and 484 calories -One slice of pepperoni pizza has about 34g of fat and 560 calories -On average, each person in the US eats around 23 pounds of pizza every year

Design by Melanie Greenspan and Kyle Kavanagh

C

Jenni Michalski practices Choi Kwang Do > C2

sports

Tennis team makes noise at states

Cross Country

Boys’ varsity tennis team finishes second in the state tournament Matt Luckoff

sports page editor

photo by Leary Kieft

Senior Jacob Kieft runs his last mile at the Kensington cross country meet. At this meet, Andover competed against West Bloomfield High School’s cross country team.

Impeccable Feet

The boys’ cross country team wins its first meet in nearly four years in last second surge James Feuereisen staff writer

T

here are 10 seconds left in the race. Coach Phil Laliberte is shouting like crazy, encouraging a last-second sprint. The runners are about to pass out from exhaustion. As the finish line approaches, both senior Jason Lelend, and sophomore Harrison Kenum are behind a runner from Berkley, but they pass the runner, just in time to win the race.

“Once I crossed the finish line, I felt like I was about to throw up. But later, I felt great because I realized I actually pulled off the pass. Additionally, it felt really sweet that I ran most of the race with only one shoe,” says co-captain, Jason Lelend. “Only later did I find out the good news.”

This good news happens to be a victory for the boys’ cross country team, the first in nearly four years.

On September 14, the boys’ cross country team defeated Berkley at a trimeet at Catalpa Oaks.

“There was so much excitement on our team after I told them of our victory on the ride home from the meet,” says head coach Phil Laliberte.

“Members of the team were cheering and really just living in the moment.

I felt really happy for the seniors, as they have never tasted victory.”

The runners on the team were even more ecstatic about the victory.

“I had no idea we won until Coach Laliberte announced the news to us on the bus,” continues Lelend. “Going into the race, I was not expecting a win at all.

When the victory was announced, I got really excited. I was literally jumping off the walls, and and high fiving the other runners for an extended period.”

“I am really excited for Coach Laliberte and the cross country team,” says athletic director R.J. Guizetti. “They have been struggling in recent seasons in regards to victories. However, the runners never have given up their work ethic, and that ethic enabled them to achieve victory.

When an athlete has the true feeling that their work paid off, they feel really proud of themselves.”

The victory is even more meaningful because it was the result of a last-second surge at the finish line by Andover runners.

Coach Laliberte explained how, at meets, scoring is based on the places of the top five runners from one school compared to the top five from the other team. Against Berkley, Leland and Harrison passed the fifth place runner from Berkley. This resulted in a tie in scoring. In the case of a tie, the winning team is determined by the places of the sixth place runner from the schools,” explains Laliberte. “Since our sixth place runner was (a tie between Kenum and Leland), we won the meet.”

“Close to the finish line, I really felt that the team needed to win this meet because I knew we could actually pull it off,” says Kenum. “After the race, I was relieved

it was over. On the bus, when Coach Laliberte announced the win, I was excited for myself considering I directly aided to the victory. However, I was more excited for the team as it’s been such a long time since a victory for us.”

According to Laliberte, the victory was, without question, a team effort. Laliberte mentioned how in the final few seconds, other runners from Andover passed people near the finish line. Dillon Dewundara passed a few runners, as did Jacob Keift.

Without these key passes, the team’s score would not have tied with Berkley’s, and Andover would have lost the race.

“In other meets, such as the meet proceeding this one, we have been close to victory, but we have never won,” explains junior Dillon Dewundara. “I was so shocked to win. We cheered really loudly, but we did not really know what to do as we have not won in such a long time.

We congratulated each other and really just had great team bonding.”

Coach Laliberte says that there a few things that allowed the team to finally end its winning drought.

“Initially, our team has a lot more runners this year compared to last, almost double, and this gives the team much more depth,” says Laliberte. Additionally, I have really stressed mental toughness in my runners, and there is no doubt that this mental toughness helped the team win in the last fews seconds. Finally, I think I have worked the team a bit harder in practices,” comments Laliberte, who is coaching cross country for the first time.

Quick Facts - The boy’s cross country team won on September 14 for the first time in nearly four years - The meet took place at Catalpa Oaks, and was a tri-meet against Berkely and Ferndale - The cross country team defeated Berkely and won the meet in a tiebreaker - There are 25 runners on the boys’ cross country team

Beginning with captains’ practices in the summer and concluding with the state tournament, the Barons’ varsity tennis team is officially the second place team in their division.

As the conditions changed from summer heat to the fall season, the team’s mentality did not as they concluded their regular season with a record of 7-2-1 finishing second at leagues by two points, and third place at regionals by three points, advancing them to the state tournament.

“After our performance during the regular season, leagues, and districts, there was no doubt in any of our minds that we couldn’t contend for a state title. We were really confident after playing so well and in result we played very well at states,” says senior Zach Weber.

After the first of two days at the state tournament, Andover held sole possession of place, first leading favorites Detroit Country Day by one point and Cranbrook by two points.

“In a local newspaper, there was a story about how Country Day and Cranbrook were competing for states. Not once in the article did they mention Andover, “ senior co-captain Drake Deitch explains. “This was all the motivation we needed. We were the underdogs, and we felt like we needed to bring glory back to Andover.”

Although the Barons did not win states, they did come in a close second to Detroit Country Day. Two singles, two doubles, three doubles, Although and four doubles we didn’t all competeted for the state title win in their individual states, bracket, with four doubles coming I’d consider the out victorious, as season a the team as a whole fell just short. major “We were leading success. after the first day Steve Herdoiza and ended up falling short by two points 28-30,” says head coach Steve Herdoiza.

“Although we didn’t win states, I’d consider the season a major success, as we proved ourselves to be one of the best teams in the state.”

The state tournament is nothing new for the Barons, as they have finished in the top-five many times in recent years. Varsity tennis alum and brother of captain Drake Deitch, Dorin Deitch knows the position this team was in first hand.

“I remember when I was in states and how important it is to be motivated. Before the teams’ matches I gave them a motivational speech to pump them up and it must have worked,” says Deitch. “I knew coach Herdoiza would get his team ready to contend for a state title even without title expectations.”

The Barons not only showed their determination and willingness by finishing so high, but also they showed how important teamwork is as they grew as a team, according to Herdoiza.

“This team was one of the most exciting teams to coach,” says Herdoiza. “We had eight seniors on the team and it was unique in that you could really see the growth and improvement of the guys both in terms of their play and their maturity. We pretty much had the same team from a year ago, but improved from fifth in state to second. They really worked hard and put theirs hearts and souls into accomplishing our goal and as a result came out as winners with no regrets.”

Fotouhi overcomes asthma

Swimmer describes her journey to overcome obstacle Nikki Kiester staff writer

As the announcer shouts “Swimmers step up, take your marks,” freshman Stephanie Fotouhi steps onto the block. She visualizes her streamline and her flip-turns, pulls on her lucky green goggles and is ready. The buzzer goes off and the medley relay begins.

“At the beginning of a race, I’m always worried that I’ll gain time,” says Fotouhi.

“I feel that I’m constantly trying to catch my breath so it’s always nerve-wracking.”

With her 1:09.23 time in the Rochester

Meet, Foutouhi has become one of the varsity team’s best backstrokers; however, Fotouhi faces more than the pressure of staying on top. At age 12, she was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma.

“The doctor says I shouldn’t swim, but I do anyway,” says Fotouhi. Swimming since age 6, Fotouhi has swam at Bloomfield Hills Middle School and swim clubs like Woodside Athletic Sundevils and freshman Stephanie Birmingham Blue Fotouhi Dolphins. When she had an asthma attack during an event, she had trouble breathing and had to immediately get out of the pool and use her inhaler. Now swimming at the high school level, Fotouhi faces new challenges.

“Swimming for high school is different

from swimming for a middle school team - there are more practices and I’m in a conditioning class for swimming first hour.

At first, when I joined the team, I was nervous; I wondered if the coach was going to be mean and if I’d have any friends, but the team and the coach are really nice.”

Fotouhi is still swimming even though asthma has a tendency to hold back athletes.

“If I didn’t have asthma I’d be a much faster swimmer. On flip turns I always have to take a breath, which adds seconds onto my time.

Also, sometimes I have trouble breathing, and I have to sit down and rest, so I can’t swim my next event,” says Fotouhi. However, she is able to handle these challenges by making sure to use her inhaler and take deep breathes before starting the race.

“Sometimes I worry that she’ll forget to bring her inhaler and, if there’s an emergency, she won’t have it,” says Kathy Fotouhi, Stephanie’s mom. “She is pretty independent though. She hates it

when I remind her [to use the inhaler].”

Although Fotouhi loves many aspects of the sport, there are events that she frets about. “When I’m an anchor for the relays I worry that I might not finish first, and if my goggles fall off, I panic. It happened at my third meet for high school swimming, and I was the anchor. I had to win, otherwise we wouldn’t get points for the race and Andover would lose,” says Fotouhi. If her goggles fall off when swimming, she has trouble with flip turns because she cannot see when she needs to push off the wall and take a breath.

“Sometimes, when the workouts are really hard, I start to wheeze and need to use my inhaler. With backstroke, I often feel my asthma holds me back, because I feel like my lungs are holding me down underwater and I struggle to stay up,” says Fotouhi.

Kathy Fotouhi concludes, “She doesn’t let her asthma hinder her. Stephanie’s determined to be great and she won’t let anything get in the way of her success.”

Quick Facts

- Fotouhi has been swimming since she was 6 years old - She was diagnosed with exerciseinduced asthma at age 12 - Fotouhi plans to continue swimming after high school

C2

sports

Exchange students find niche on cross country team

BLACK BELT wonder

Profile

Lauren Lewis sports page editor

Ashley DuBois staff writer

Senior Jenni Michalski shares her experiences mastering Choi Kwang Do

In order to advance from belt to belt, you must train and test.

“It takes three straight years of training from White to Brown Senior belt. Once you reach Brown Senior [brown with a black stripe] you are a candidate to test for your first Don [first degree]. At your test, which is about two to three hours, you must perform all patterns, speed drills, close range drills, and complete two different air shield drills in order to be considered.”

After receiving her black belt, Michalski describes how, “It was one of the most awesome feelings ever. I was exhausted from my strenuous test and drenched in sweat, but when my instructor handed me my belt and shook my hand, it was all worth it. Having a Black Belt means that I worked hard for a good portion of my life to accomplish a goal that I have had since I was young.”

“Earning my Black Belt has helped me become more confident, determined, and focused on achieving anything I set my mind to. I am currently training for my second degree Black Belt, and also my Chief Instructor Certification, which will allow me to open my own school and teach at the school that I currently train at.”

As Michalski continues to advance her Choi Kwang Do skills, her family reflects on her future.

“I believe that Choi Kwang Do will always be a part of Jenni’s life. If she doesn’t actively participate, she will certainly invest in the relationships she has formed as a result of her training.

To me, she started as a miracle, and each and

Photo by Madeline McIlhon

After stating the Choi Kwang Do pledge and bowing to the flags and the instructor as a sign of respect, senior Jenni Michalski’s hour long practice of Choi Kwang Do begins.

“When I walk into class, I’m excited to see my fellow classmates, and once class gets started I begin to think about everything I want to accomplish in class--better technique, more power, and more speed,” says Michalski.

While there are various forms of martial arts offered at the Beverly Hills Club where Michalski trains, she focuses on Choi Kwang Do. Michalski ’s instructor, Yevgeniy Malkin, explains, “Choi Kwang Do is a Korean style martial art. Grandmaster Choi created Choi Kwang Do, which literally translated means ‘The Way of Kwang Choi.’ All the techniques practiced in this style were developed based on science and, therefore, complement the movement of the human body.

In fact, studies show that Choi Kwang Do movements actually improve joint strength and flexibility, which makes this style one of the fastest growing martial arts in the world.”

Lynne Michalski, Jenni’s mother, has watched a few of her classes as they begin and observes the common rituals practiced.

“The ceremony that surrounds participation is awesome,” Lynne says. “First she puts on her uniform and ties her belt. Then, before going into the Do Jang, the students bow at the waist as a sign of respect. They then recite the principles of Choi Kwang Do and begin training.” Lynne continues, “Every belt level has a pattern. All of the instructions are in Korean.

Each member counts in Korean as they repeat their pattern. It’s almost like a fighting ballet.”

Malkin shares the experience of how Michalski got involved in the sport six years ago.

“Ever since Jenni started training six years ago, she has been an inspiring student to train with.

When Jenni started training, I was still only an assistant instructor, and watching her progress was truly impressive,” says Malkin. “She always brings a strong, positive attitude to class and does the best she can in every activity. The result of her determination and effort is a student who is not only a joy to have in class, but increases the energy of the whole class by motivating others.”

After receiving her Black Belt, Michalski began training for her Chief Instructor Certification, so she will be able to teach and open her own school.

Seven foreign exchange students participate on cross country this season Sprinting across the finish line, sophomore Lena Gomer throws her arms up in triumph, listening to the cheers coming from her coach and teammates. Savoring this moment, she smiles, realizing an experience like this would never happen back in her own country.

“We don’t have something like cross country in Germany,” says Gomer, one of seven foreign exchange students on the team. “But I like it a lot. We have a really good team spirit.”

This large group of exchange students decided to join the team after an invite from girls’ cross country coach, Beth Sinclair.

“I wrote a letter to all the host parents at Andover before the season started and suggested that, perhaps, this would be a sport that the students could try,” explains Sinclair.

She continues, “The teams, although larger than last year, are so small that it is less intimidating. There is also no cutting, and it’s not an expensive sport to try.”

Almost all of Andover’s exchange students accepted Sinclair’s invitation.

“I think it is incredibly helpful to the cross country team to have such a high participation rate from the foreign exchange students,” says Phil Laliberte, the boys’ cross country coach. “These athletes not only help add depth to our team, but also seem to form a tight bond with other athletes, which is always beneficial.”

According to sophomore Lise Devits, the foreign exchange students fit right in.

“They’re really in the group. It’s not like the Germans here, everyone else there. They blend really well,” says Devits. “They’re all very nice and want to learn more about Sports are one of the what America common things we actually is. They going on can all share, no mat- love the bus because ter what language we it’s something new for them. speak.

The first time, Beth Sinclair they were all Cross Country Coach so excited and screaming, ‘Yay! We get to go on the bus!’” Devits adds, “The exchange students fit in just like American students. If they didn’t have the accent, you wouldn’t even be able to tell they were foreign.”

There are difficulties for the students, however.

According to sophomore Caroline Lasthaus, a student from Germany, completing school work, mastering the English language, and running cross country is a lot of work.

“I played sports in Germany, but the work is nothing compared to what you do here. It’s difficult, but I like it. It’s important to me to have a balance of academics and athletics,” says Lasthaus.

Laliberte further explains, “I’m aware of the challenges they face as students and athletes. We try, from early on, to make them feel welcome.”

According to Lasthaus, Laliberte’s efforts to make them feel welcome are greatly appreciated.

“When I came to school, I already knew people from cross country, so it made me feel more comfortable. I really was glad because I was nervous about starting a new school in a new country.”

Catalina Rojas, an exchange student from Chile, agrees. She says, “[Cross country] is easier than school because we get to know each other better because we have more time to talk in practice than in a classroom.”

Sinclair points out that the students’ athletic abilities have also greatly improved.

Gomer and Lasthaus have made the varsity team through hard work and lots of effort.

“I started off hardly being able to run two miles. I’d have to keep stopping for breath.

Now, it’s amazing. I can run six miles.”

Sophomore Tori Nunitrikan from Thailand has also enhanced her abilities and recently beat her best time by three and a half minutes. Unfortunately, Rojas isn’t able to run, due to a knee injury, but helps out by being the team manager. The other students include sophomores Ta Ua-arthorn from Thailand, Francis Lin from China, Jay Jeong from Korea, Tobias Kofed from Denmark, and Eriko Tenuya from Japan.

According to Sinclair, running is like math - the same in all languages.

“Running is something people can do anywhere in the world,” says Sinclair. “Sports are one of the common things we can all share, no matter what language we speak.”

sports

Our Turn:

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Your Turn:

The great football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Build dress shirt and tie. Every student is more aware of the game

that night and the fancy attire pumps every for your team a feeling of oneness, of student up, along with the team players. dependence on one another and of strength Many sports teams at Andover choose to to be derived by unity.”

Throughout his life, Lombardi not dress up on game days. For example, continually emphasized the importance track does not because of the large number of of being a team. Here at Andover, the participants and the decision to take a more favorite representation of this is when laid-back approach. sports teams dress up on game days.

However, we encourage all sports teams to When all the members of a sports begin the tradition of dressing up on game days team dress up, it creates a real sense of although it may not be the most convenient unity, that oneness Lombardi thought for players, it brings about comradery and was so necessary to build for a team. It team cohesion. really shows that each player is in this Dressing looks more proffesional. When it’s game day for NFL players, they dress up. together, even sacrificing the comfort When it’s game day for Andover athletes, they of jeans and a sweatshirt for the team. should dress up as well.

Dressing up is important for team Formal attire focuses the players on the task morale. It provides a constant reminder at hand. It helps to get them into a competitive throughout the day of the game ahead mentality. They can then zero in on the game and helps pump up the players.

Because the players don’t wear the clothes they normally and become mentally prepared as the day progesses would, it helps signifiy that game day is something special, Something as simple as dressing up can speak volumes about the mentality, commitment, and “oneness” of a team. something important.

In addition, dressing up improves school spirit. Everyone knows when there’s a game when they see their peers in a

Dressing up just looks better. It is the most professional thing to do.

When it’s game day for NFL players, they dress up

Dressing up not only shows team unity but also pride in the sport and supporting the team.

- Joe Abrash sophomore

Cartoon by Josh Loney

I prefer matching because it’s more identical and unified than dressing up, but both show spirit.

-Tegan Servo freshman

Swim team helps form lifelong bonds Swimmer refects on the impact the swim team has had on her life and high school career

Maddie McIlhon co-chief photographer I could hear the cheers from all around me. Jumping three times and shaking my arms, I tried to calm my nerves. I tried to

block everything out, to concentrate, but then it hit me. Winning this meet would be nothing less than amazing.

There were two races left in the swim meet against Lake Orion, and we were just squeezing by. I think I might have actually gone numb from cheering so hard. A race of adrenaline followed by a burst of screams to my teammates, encouraging them to speed up and beat the swimmer next to them. In the end, it was a meet I will never forget.

Andover ended up winning, amd we were ecstatic. We were undefeated. Inmy four years of swimming for Andover we had never been 5-0, and it wasn’t until the next day, at swim practice when Coach Z wrote down that the last time Andover went 5-0 was 1987, that I realized how special this year truly was.

Senior year isn’t all about applying to college, getting in, and staying in; it’s also about leaving a legacy behind and showing the freshman that they will miss the class of 2010. This year, the swim team has led me to believe that I have accomplished this.

Being a part of the team these past few years has given me some of the closest friends I have – there’s a special bond you get with teammates when you have 6 a.m. and afternoon practices, 5 days a weekand some of the greatest experiences of my high school career.

But all the experiences I have shared with the girls on the team the feeling of sheer joy that I felt when I heard the final score at the Lake Orion meet is the one will stay with me forever.

I think it gives a professional appearance and everyone knows your game is that day and it shows team unity and maturity.

It also helps me focus on the game.

-Ryan Rosen

senior

sports

Volley for a Cure

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Left: Junior middle hitter Paula Demmings blocks a hit from Lahser’s middle hitter, Cynthia Wagner. The middle hitter’s job during the game is to block hits from the other side and be ready to pass in case the block is unsuccessful.

The Andover and Lahser volleyball teams raised over $7,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation

Pushing

Limits

Fall sports teams practice hard in order to compete at a higher level

Above: Senior Jesse Prepolec, sophomore KC Wenson, and junior Paula Demmings circle to congratulate each other on the successful block made against Lahser’s outside hitter.

Prepolec has been on varsity all four years and is now captain.

Left: Anticipating a hit, junior Danielle Rapp and seniors Alexa Ellis and Jesse Prepolec come in to cover the block. The team exceeded last year’s total sales by raising over $7,000 to benefit breast cancer research.

Far Left: Serving the ball over the net, senior Taylor Henkin warms up for the game. Henkin is the right-side hitter, after serving she returns to the back row to prepare for the return of the ball to their side of the court.

Left: Coach Robert Hurdle instructs junior Danielle Rapp on how to anticipate the ball when it comes over the net. It is Rapp’s first year on varsity and she is training to be their main back row passer.

Photos, text and design by David Yu and Madeline McIlhon