V22 I3 - March 15, 2022

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Masks slow to disappear from campus with “mask optional” policy

DYLAN CARVETTE ‘23

Associate Editor, Print

Starting on March 13, 2020, Greenhills students and faculty went almost two years without seeing each other’s unmasked faces in person. But after 717 days of first being remote, then hybrid, then in person with masks. Some Greenhills community members went unmasked in the building for the first time on Feb. 28.

Greenhills announced Feb. 25 that the school would follow in other schools’ footsteps and switch over to a mask optional policy. But students’ reactions to the change were mixed.

Some students reacted positively to the change, welcoming the option to take masks off.

“I think that if the health commission says it’s alright and if cases stay low, it’s a good idea for [masking] to be an optional thing,” said Graeme Jagger ‘23, who chose to go maskless when the mask-optional rule went into effect.

Others, however, disagreed based on the fact that the pandemic is not over.

“I think retracting the masking requirement at school is an irresponsible decision by our administration as it is not in the best interest of the students and faculty,” said Nate Burke ‘23. Burke said he has a family member who is immunocompromised. “Students like me, who have at-risk family members, are espe-

cially at risk, and this decision feels like we are not being thought about by the school.”

It’s not just families with immunocompromised members. Some households have elderly living with them or small children who are unable to receive the vaccine. 11th grade dean Janelle Sterling falls into this category as she has a 22-month old at home.

“Just a little nervous. I don’t know, the whole time we’ve been following the science behind it. I would trust it but be a little nervous,” Sterling said. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t take it off, I would just be a little cautious.”

For the past two years, Greenhills has been following the county restrictions and making sure the school remains safe. Now they can safely switch their protocol in order to make learning more comfortable for some.

what’s right for us at Greenhills.”

“States that have, from what I understand, removed the mask mandates often leave it up to schools or different counties to make decisions based on metrics,” said Head of Upper School, Quincy McLaughlin. “Usually what happens with Greenhills is that anytime the county has made a change or the state has made a change, we usually take a few days to have a conversation. Mr. Fayroian and I talk with the medical advisors and we have a conversation about

The divide between whether masks should stay on or come off isn’t black and white entirely. Some members of the community, like Leo Applegate ‘23, took a more neutral position.

“Currently, I’d say no to taking them off since my swim season is almost over, but yes after the season or after spring break,” said Applegate.

Students weren’t the only ones with mixed opinions. Some teachers have expressed similarly uncertain opinions.

“I was feeling very mixed,” said social studies teacher, Mackenzie Hess. “I feel like we are still in a place where masking makes sense in some ways, but on the other hand, there are places I go, like the gym, where I don’t wear a mask. I was feeling very torn on Sunday night, but decided to stick with the status quo on what we have been doing.”

But some students still can’t bring themselves to take their masks off, citing the ongoing danger of COVID-19.

“Masks coming off,” said Michael Nakashima ‘25, “is just kind of asking for COVID-19 to spread.”

After COVID-19 hiatus Chocolate Lounge returns

MUSTAFA ZIRAPURY ‘23

Editor In Chief

ANNA ZELL ‘22

Managing Editor

Like other COVID-19 school casualties, the Chocolate Lounge event will spring back to life on March 15. As per tradition, the junior class has taken charge in organizing the event to raise funds for the Savageau Memorial Endowment Fund. Gryphons will be invited into the Campbell Center of the Performing Arts tonight to participate in the evening of jazz, comedy improv, and the sweet treat responsible for coining the name of the event, chocolate.

Theater Director Gary Lehman and Band Teacher Neil Donato have organized the student comedy improv troupe and the jazz band, respectively, to play in the Lounge.

(the Pasta Dinner) and the 11th grade (the Chocolate Lounge) have served as a rite of passage and a Greenhills tradition for decades but the pandemic put a halt on these activities in March 2020.

“Covid forced us to cancel some things but also to evolve and try some new things. This will be the first big thing that we haven’t been able to do and now we are able to do,” said Dean of Students Tom Ward.

“It will still be a little different, but everyone’s excited to be back.”

There will be some COVID-19 adaptations to the event. Though the lounge will be mask-optional, the Lounge will take place in the theater, rather than the dining room, and food will be pre-packaged.

While the Chocolate Lounge has long been a Greenhills community favorite, not everyone is aware of its history. Each year, the event alternates between supporting two different endowment funds: the Savageau Family Memorial Fund established in 2000 and the Krystal Heitman Memorial Fund in 2006. The Lounge will be fundraising for the Savageau fund this year; which was started after the death of Patrick Savageau ‘98 after a rock climbing accident resulting in his death in 2000.

“We always felt that [Greenhills] was very nurturing academically and socially, for both Patrick and Elisa” said Savageau’s Mother, Ann.“We had already established the Patrick Savageau Memorial Fund when [the school] volunteered to have the fundraiser to continue to raise money for it.”

The Savageau family started the fund in Patrick’s name to raise money for Greenhills students in need of financial support for things like class trips and prom tickets.

“I always enjoy seeing students display their talents in other places outside the classroom,” said Math Teacher Eric Gajar.

Things at Greenhills continue to slowly return back to normal with the comeback of such activities this year.

“Greenhills is thirsty for community events,” said Director of Alumni Relations Teresa Casey. “Anything would be nice, but the fact that the Chocolate Lounge is coming back is great, it’s part of what feels normalizing about our lives back at school now.”

The grade-run events in the 10th grade

“The idea of moving from the chocolate fountains to separating people more and preparing the food to-go is part of the silver lining of Covid,” said Casey. “It helps us prevent the spread of other viruses and illnesses.”

The junior class has been working for the past several weeks to organize the event; a group of students and faculty make up the Chocolate Lounge organizing group. However, one thing that the school has moved away from this year, is the tradition of the junior class selling tickets for the event.

“The school has reconsidered selling tickets to school events with the thought that if we don’t sell tickets, the events are all widely open to anyone who wants to come,” said Casey.

“I was given those kinds of opportunities when I was younger. My family didn’t have a lot of money and I got support, scholarships and so forth very early,” said Patrick Savageau’s father, Mike. “Those early opportunities that you give people are really helpful.”

The fund works to make school events affordable for everyone.

“We both are very supportive of the efforts of Greenhills to diversify its student body in terms of socio-economic and racial demographics so it’s very important to us,” said Patrick’s mother.

The Chocolate Lounge is just one of the Greenhills normalities that is making its return, along with classes and graduation without masks, prom at the Henry Ford Museum, blood drives, school dances, and grade trips. As the pandemic slows, Greenhills is making its return back to the pre COVID-19 traditions.

The

MASK OFF “Whenever change occurs, few people need to take a leadership role and then others will follow,” said English teacher Mark Randolph. “I have made the personal decision to become one of those leaders so students do not feel uncomfortable to take their masks off.”

Photo by Dylan Carvette ‘23

Photo by Dylan Carvette ‘23

MASKED UP “I miss seeing students’ faces,” math teacher John Holler said. “It feels weird when I see students for the first time without their masks on, having masks on takes away from a personal feel when teaching the students.”

Graphic by Caleb Lee ‘23

Graphic by Amy Huo ‘23

EDITORIAL

We are all in this together A reminder to be respectful

As we move forward into unprecedented times, it is important to remember that we are moving forward together as a community. The past two years have been challenging for everyone. All aspects of our lives have been affected and

continue to be affected as we move into a mask-optional setting. While many students have differing opinions on the new policy, it is important to continue to show respect toward all members of our community.

Administration has continued to recognize the importance of respecting all decisions regarding mask usage. This is incredibly important as all students, faculty, and staff have different situations at home. The use of a mask is a personal choice that should not be questioned or judged. The pandemic alone has increased anxiety rates across the globe, and the addition of

When Future said “Mask off,” he didn’t mean now

Herded into the theater for an unexpected assembly, students, unbeknownst to them, were about to hear information that would change their daily lives. Just weeks before the two year anniversary of the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown and pandemic, the school has made the decision to enact a Mask Optional policy, reversing the previous mandate.

As the annoucement was made, the theater shockingly lacked chatter. Typically, after an announcement as important as this one, every student would immediately turn to their neighbor in excitement or skepticism. Were students expecting this? Scared of it? Or in disbelief. Whatever the sentiment, the news had come as somewhat of a surprise. There had been consideration of a Mask optional mandate as the county made the shift, however, there were very few people who expected the school to follow those orders. As an independent instution, the school has the ability to transition however they deem necessary. In this case, they followed the county.

Returning back to “normal” has been anticipated and a frequent topic of discussion, and it is understood that at some point, a turn to a maskless life was inevitable. What surprised many students was the time at which it came.

Two weeks ago, Washtenaw County Health officials most two years of grueling dispute and exhausting discussions, it seems as though people have just given up. Lifting mask mandates is an easier choice, giving into the anti-mask rhetoric that has been the thorn in the side of every health official. But a debate. They save lives.

We’re not wearing masks just because the CDC says so. We wear masks to protect our families and the families of our classmates. The guide lines of the CDC often change and the most recent adaptation was even de nounced by The American Medical Association. Those that work in medi cine, including many of our parents, can’t afford to have guidelines relaxed without fear of another wave. Hospitals have been overwhelmed and un able to take new patients because of lack of beds and space in morgues multiple times and there’s no doubt it’ll happen again if we continue to ignore simple precautions such as a painless piece of cloth on our faces. Our actions directly impact not just those who will unfortunately catch COVID-19 and not bounce back to normal, but also the thousands of doctors and nurses who have to watch hundreds of their patients die from COVID-19, a preventable virus.

“If anoth er variant were to come about, rein stating a mask mandate once it arrives doesn’t do anything”

As we all saw with Delta and Omicron, a quick-spreading-variant can and will come out of nowhere quickly. If another variant were to come about, reinstating a mask mandate once it arrives doesn’t do anything. Case reporting lags from the initial point of transmission, it may very well be too late. We wait for this to unfold now as HongKong battles a major outbreak of the “Stealth Variant” of the Omicron strain along with 74 other countries according to the World Health Organization; studies also show that this new variant is 30 percent more transmissible than the original Omicron strain.

At this point, it’s possible you’re thinking “Well I had COVID-19, and I’m fine.” And that’s great for you, but that’s unfortunately one who gets it. It is our duty as citizens to create a more virtuous society to protect those who won’t be fine—those who are immunocompromised, lung conditions, those who live with their grandparents, and a thousand other rea sons prove that simply wearing a mask to protect the people act that outweighs any annoyances you may have with the cloth on your face. And, even if you are vaccinated, you could still end up in the hospital; it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Students seem to be on a similar page. An estimated 80 percent of students on Monday, the first day of the lifted mandates, wearing masks. Whether it was more for safety reasons, or the fear of scrutiny, the mask-optional school on Monday, February 28th looked fairly similar to the mask-required one on Friday, February 25th.

masks has proven to have different psychological effects on students. The implementation of masks increased overall social anxiety as many students found themselves worrying about their appearance or ability to read others facial expressions and emotions. Now, as the world begins to shift to mask-optional policies, many of these fears are resurfacing.

It is important to remember that although we have all had different experiences navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a major event that has impacted us all. It is important to always respect others’ decisions moving forward as everyone has different factors regarding their decision to mask.

As Future says, “Mask off”

March 2020 was the last time Greenhills students were able to see each other's faces without the impediment of a mask. It’s poetic that almost exactly 2 years later, in March of 2022, that all Greenhills community members now have the option to do away with the mask. When I walked into school on the first day that masks were optional, I myself didn’t know what I was going to do. I wanted to take my mask off but I was afraid of what my peers might think of me and of what it would feel like to walk around in the school building with my face uncovered. I kept my mask on for the first 30 minutes of the day but after that decided I was going to do what I felt like I wanted to and took it off. A face mask may seem like a small thing but taking it off in the school building and seeing some of my peers’ faces again was truly quite joyful, and maybe even a little jarring.

Masks obviously aren’t ideal. However, over 950,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. As the country approaches the grim 1 million marker, mandates seem to be relaxing, including the optional mask policy at school. Now is not the time. At this point, no one truly knows the answer. There is no road map telling us what to do. With that, the only thing we do know how to do is show compassion and selflessness.

We remain Greenhills students, committed to bettering our communities; we need to continue to wear masks not just for ourselves but for the people around us.

Like many things in our country the masks have become a large topic of debate, with those advocating for them and those advocating against. I’m not saying either decision is right and oftentimes everyone's situation is different and therefore it’s hard to say that one choice is the clear one. I know many of my peers are upset that the school has made masks optional and thus the majority of students I’ve seen in the building are still mostly wearing their masks. I have no issue with this and I even sometimes still put my mask back on if a lot of those around me are wearing theirs or if I just decide I want to.

My stance on the subject isn’t whether or not people should be wearing masks, that’s a decision for each individual to make for themselves. My stance is that I support Greenhills’ demake masks optional. I know many people may say that the pandemic isn’t over and that the administration should not be making decisions that will largely affect only the student body. I personally however see the reasoning, care and thought, as well as science behind Greenhills’ decision on the sub-

99% of the Greenhills community is fully vaccinated. If what we already know about the vaccine's effectiveness isn’t enough, here are a few statistics that may help display it. The Virginia Department of Health’s data collection shows that only 26 out of every 1000 vaccinated individuals get Covid-19. The Washington State Department of Health released a study where for a sample size of 4 million people, only about 1 in 5,000 vaccinated individuals got covid and only 0.3% of those who were vaccinated and got Covid-19 were hospitalized.

“I see the reasoning, care and thought, as well as science behind Greenhills’ decision”

If the data and science isn’t enough for all however, there’s also the logical aspect to it. Many of those in the Greenhills community put themselves in situations where they are far more likely to get Covid-19 compared to getting it from Greenhills.

Whether it be a gathering with friends, a sporting event, or even going to a store without a mask, many of those things are just as risky, if not more risky, as at least the Greenhills population is fully vaccinated. I’m not saying to not do these things, not at all. I personally believe we are at a point where these things are safe. All I’m saying is that if we are at a point where the science shows those things are safe, we’re also at a point where masks

and

unfair to give Greenhills heat for their decision.

I’m sure Greenhills did it’s research, but beyond that, the school also seeked advice from medical professionals like infectious disease doctors at the University of Michigan as well as worked with the Washtenaw Community Department of Health before making their

Graphic by Amy Huo ‘23

MARCH 15, 2022

To trip or not to trip

8th grade heads to D.C., other excursions on hiatus

ARJUN PRABHAKAR‘23

Associate Editor, Online

With constantly changing COVID guidelines and uncertainties around the world, some of the Greenhills trips are returning after pandemic hiatuses.

With more and more Americans getting vaccinated across the nation travel guidelines have easened up, the administration on par with Spanish teacher Kevin Olson and history teacher and grade leader Kate Vane have decided that it is safe enough for the middle school Washington D.C. trip to happen.

However, with constantly changing conditions in foreign countries, and travel bans and guidelines being changed on a daily basis, the administration has decided that it is currently unsafe for the students to go out of the country for a school trip.

During the summer, upper school students are given the opportunity to travel to foreign countries with their language teachers and family members. Students taking Spanish usually go to Cuba or Spain, French students to France, Mandarin students to China, and Latin students to Greece.

“The language trips allow students to grow as a language learner and get a real sense of why they are learning the language,” said Olson. “You’re not learning it because some adult wants you to learn it. You’re not learning it because it’s going to get you into college. You’re not learning it for your GPA. You’re learning it because you are going to be able to communicate with somebody, a real person, and that feels really good.”

The language trips allow the students to go to different countries and try out their language skills trying to speak with the local people. It gives the students a real world experience and an experience of a lifetime.

“The experience is a huge boost towards your self esteem that makes you feel like you have a purpose in these classes. It has a real world purpose,” said Olson.

As well as learning the purpose of learning their language, students also experience many moments that they will re-

member for the rest of their lives.

“One of my favorite memories from past language trips was when we took dancing classes one night,” said Olson. “There were Costa Rican dancers guiding us and everyone was letting loose and stepping out of their comfort zone. I think a huge part of traveling is that you need to take some risks and do things you wouldn’t normally do. You end up really enjoying these moments and it becomes a very memorable part of a trip.”

Unfortunately, students have not been able to experience special moments such as this in almost 3 years.

“With the everchanging COVID-19 cases and new variants, there are just too many risks and possible problems to plan a foreign trip in these uncertain times,” said Latin teacher Jeffrey Allen. With no language trips in the past three years, many students have been unable to apply their language skills in a real world scenario and experience the culture they learn about first hand. As many students have graduated from Greenhills in the past three years they have been stripped from this experience, and may never be able to take a trip out of the country with their peers.

“It’s unfortunate that many students have and may not be able to experience speaking Spanish in a foreign country,” said Olson. “For some students, as well as myself, the language trips have been life changing. I often warn people traveling to Spanish speaking countries because, if you are like me, you’ll come back and end up wanting to become a Spanish teacher. It’s just that much fun.”

Although the language trips will not happen this year, the Washington, D.C. trip will happen for 8th graders.

“As of right now the trip is a go. As we know from this pandemic anything could happen, but we are feeling confident that this one will go forward” said Vane.

Similarly to the language trips, students have many experiences that they remember forever and ones that might even influence their careers.

“Some of the best moments I have had over the years was

when we met multiple senators,” said Vane. “The students loved it and many found the meeting to be very inspirational. It is a new experience for students to run into politicians doing their work in real time, and to meet people that they may have seen on TV or read about, like Ted Cruz.”

The reason the Washington, D.C. trips will happen while the language trips are canceled is due to the safety of the students.

“For the D.C. trips, students will board a bus and ride down to D.C. We have to follow the orders from the tour company, Brightspark. Currently, they are requiring us to wear masks on the buses and any indoor spaces, except for when students are in their hotel rooms. We will ensure all students are wearing masks at all times and have been tested prior to going on the trips. Students will share hotel rooms for a week and enjoy the capital,” said Vane.

Since the trip will be made in a bus, and is in the United States, the faculty felt that there was no major risk for the students to go. There is no chance for them to get locked out of Michigan, even if something were to occur they would be able to make it back home safely.

“For the foreign language trips, there are too many risks such as being stranded in a foreign country and students must board an airplane to travel to the country, exposing them to many more people,” said Allen.

When asked about the return of high school trips, Dean of Students Tom Ward seemed optimistic about them.

“We are hopeful that we can return to our normal upper school class trips in the fall. Freshmen take a trip up to Torch Lake where students stay in cabins and participate in a variety of team building activities, sophomores go on an overnight camping trip, juniors go on a service trip to Detroit, and seniors go on a two day trip to Chicago.

By making masks optional, and bringing back old school traditions and school trips, the school seems to be returning back to normal, and hopefully in the near future we will also be able to bring back our international language trips.

“A thousand little cuts” Affinity group leaders acknowledge progress, say more work needed on microaggressions

CALEB LEE‘23 School Staff

Over the past decade, Greenhills has pushed anti-racist efforts and programs. However, according to students, help and reform is only issued after microaggressions have occurred. For many students, the concept of microaggressions was first introduced in the Fresh program in ninth grade.

“A microaggression is an everyday occurrence of a small, racist, homophobic, or marginalizing act,” said Hispanic and Latinx Organization (HALO) Leader Sofia Csaszar ‘22. All students that attended the Fresh program were familiarized with the concept, but students of color are much conscious of the issue.

“I’ve definitely experienced people making comments that make me uncomfortable that were about my race or cultural stuff,” said South Asian Affinity Network (SAAN) Leader Avni Mangrulkar ‘22.

Microaggressions may be generally categorized by students as marginalizing acts that are done unintentionally, unconsciously or subtly. The seeming subtlety of microaggressions allows for them to infiltrate daily life and become normalized. Csaszar faced many unmistakeable microaggressions since she first started attending Greenhills.

“Hearing the everyday ‘go back to your country’… When Trump was president I would hear ‘build the wall’ a lot,” said Csaszar.

Csaszar was also told by a student ev eryday that they should be deported, among other things. The student no longer attends Greenhills of their own

choice, however this was after around 3 years of repeated harassment.

“Affinity groups are already a helpful safe space and the bias response forms will hopefully help people coming forward, after these happen,” said Arab American Affinity Group Teacher Lead Natalie Caramagno.

Caramagno placed an emphasis on current Greenhills resources only being implemented after the fact. Even then it may only be utilized as a second option.

“I would probably tell one of my friends that has the same identity as me or my sister,” said Arab American Affinity Group Leader Olivia Emerson ‘22, in regards how she would react if she were to experience a microaggression.

On the other hand, teachers say they would most likely use Greenhills sources.

“I would tell Ms. Hall or Dr. Williams or any other teacher that would handle that sort of thing,” Caramagno said. Fresh was a resource that aimed to educate students and to provide help before microaggressions could even take place, but students have also thought of their own ways to help.

“Greenhills should definitely hold seminars for each grade talking about these and especially get people from certain groups … HALO could give a seminar … to talk about their experiences,” said Csaszar.

Students wish for greater empathy in the community, and faculty are still looking for ways to help.

“Students should feel comfortable sharing their cultures and identities within the community.

This would help to prevent microaggressions and raise awareness to the importance of understanding people’s cultures and identities,” said East Asian Pacific American Coalition (EAPAC) Leader Emma Zhang ‘23.

“The goal for students out for a longer period of time, or for any injured student, is to get better, and we as a school don’t want to slow that process down,” said Smith.

MONUMENTAL Greenhills has not had a Washington, D.C. trip in three years. “The D.C. trip has been one of my favorite memories while at Greenhills. It created inseparable bonds between me and my classmates that would last throughout high school,” said Leo Applegate ‘23.

Photo courtesy of Brightspark

Graphic by Caleb Lee ‘23

March 15, 2022

March 15, 2022

And the Grammy goes to...

RISHI

Animals with hits like Heat Waves and The Other Side of Paradise are certainly a top contender as well as The Kid LAROI, who has released multiple albums as well as averages 47,025,385 Spotify listeners alone each month. However, one artist stands above the rest. Olivia Rodrigo is my pick to win Best New Artist. With an incredible first year, sporting two No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Drivers License” and “Good 4 U”) and a No. 1 debut album (“Sour”), as well as Drivers License being the most streamed song for 11 straight months, from Jan. 1 to Nov. 27 in 2021, it is hard to pick against Rodrigo.

Though the Covid-19 pandemic has hampered many individuals from doing their work in a normal fashion, music artists remain unhampered and have been able to continuously release hit song after hit song. This year’s nominees for best song written include the following songs: “Bad Habits,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Drivers License,” “Fight For You,” “Happier Than Ever,” “Kiss Me More,” “Leave The Door Open,” “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Peaches” and “Right On Time.”

These songs already set themselves apart from the count-

less other hits released in the last year, but within this group, two stand out. Again, Olivia Rodrigo with her hit song Driver’s License rises above the rest. At just 18, her song Drivers License has been streamed over 1.1 billion times and was the most listened to song in 2021.

However, one other song also stands out. Billie Eilish Happier Than Ever shows growth and maturity from an already well renowned artist in her genre as well as a quality hit that many listeners would play on repeat. For me however, it is again hard to pick against Rodrigo and I see her winning the award for best new song with her hit Drivers License.

In comparison to Song of the Year, the

recipient of Record of the Year goes “to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist” according to the Recording Academy. The nominees for record of the year include the following songs: I Still Have Faith In You,” “Freedom,” “I Get A Kick Out Of You,” “Peaches,” “Right On Time,” “Kiss Me More,” “Happier Than Ever,” “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Drivers License” and “Leave The Door Open.” I personally believe that Happier Than Eve deserves to win as it contains many elements of different types of music, including surprisingly, stylistic Rock elements. Though I believe Billie Eilish with Happier Than Ever deserves to win, I see Olivia Rodrigo with Driver’s License ultimately coming away with it as the hype around her is just too much to overcome. The Album of the Year nominees this year feature an amazing crop of works including another by last year’s winner Taylor Swift. The nominees for album of the year include the following albums: “Evermore,” “We Are,” “Love For Sale,” “Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” “Planet Her (Deluxe),” “Happier Than Ever,” “Back Of My Mind,” “Montero,” “Sour” and “Donda.” In my mind, Donda should be the winner. The album was unique and featured the return of a Kanye West album similar to the one many West fans have been missing for the last few years. However, given West’s behavior and actions as of late I don’t see him coming away with the award. I believe it will go to Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour as again the hype surrounding her is too much and the album features both of her biggest hits.

Sophomore laments impact of COVID-19 on films

LAUREN MINAI-AZERY‘24

In 2020, the movie watching landscape was completely changed by the pandemic. Time spent at the theaters buying popcorn and watching new movies with friends quickly shifted to staying at home and watching movies from streaming platforms.

This shift also greatly impacted viewing trends surrounding award shows like the Oscars. Before the pandemic, the Oscars would have anywhere from 25 to 50 million viewers each year. However, the 2021 Oscars only reached 9.23 million viewers, a 51 percent drop from the previous year. During its opening weekend, Nomadland, which debuted in select theaters and on the streaming platform Hulu, had only grossed about 3 million dollars, which made it the lowest-grossing film to win the best picture award.

Similarly, the American movie theater industry has also suffered an extreme loss in revenue compared to its pre pandemic years. Even though theaters began to reopen during the summer of 2020, the movie theater industry has yet to make a full comeback. Between the continued risk of catching COVID-19, the added cost of movie theater tickets along with concession purchases, and the general inconvenience of going to a movie theater, many people still prefer to watch movies at home.

Out of desperation to see a return on their investments, studios started releasing movies directly to streaming platforms in order to maximize profit. In the early stages of the pandemic when theaters were completely shut down, studios needed to find new distribution methods for movies scheduled to be released. While studios now made it possible for movie fanatics to enjoy newly released films during a time when theater attendance was prohibited,

And the Oscar goes to...

this decision also further pushed the lasting pandemic mentality of having an increased amount of services available at home. The decline of movie theaters has also affected the viewership of Oscar nominated films as well as the award show itself. I myself haven’t seen any of the nominated films for this year’s awards due to their general inaccessibility during the pandemic. For me, the excitement of watching the Oscars comes from seeing if my favorite movie or actor/actress is worthy of an award. In past years, I would look forward to watching the Oscars as I would usually watch a lot of the nominated films, although this year I have

less interest in the award show given that the films nominated are unfamiliar. Similarly I also have less attachment to the actors and actresses who may be up for an award in these same movies.

Despite this, recent trends indicate that there is still hope for the movie theater industry. As COVID-19 cases steadily decrease and people begin to return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles, there is a renewed interest in the traditional movie theater experience. Studios are starting to release their movies exclusively in theaters again now that they know there is a reliable consumer base. For example, in December 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was only available in theaters, brought in 260 million dollars during its opening weekend and has now earned over 1.7 billion dollars worldwide. Even though it may take some time, we will certainly see people leave their couches to return to the theater and eventually root on their favorite movie or actor in future Oscar award shows.

MUSTAFA ZIRAPURY ‘23

ANNA ZELL ‘22

After a brutal two years due to the pandemic, the film industry is making a comeback. With theaters closing, creators had to come up with creative solutions for viewers to be able to watch their new movies. Many movies were released on streaming platforms allowing customers to watch new movies from the comfort and safety of their own home. With all of these new movies released there is no clear winner for this year’s Oscar for best picture. The nominees for this category are The Power of the Dog, Belfast, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, Dune, CODA, King Richard, Don’t Look Up, Drive My Car, and Nightmare Alley. The movies that seem to be the front runners are: The Power of the Dog, Belfast, and King Richard. In our opinion, The Power of the Dog will take home the Oscar for best picture. The film has all the ingredients needed for success with a beautiful story backdropped by amazing landscapes. With a stellar performance from Benedict Cumberbatch, the film is nominated for 13 Oscar categories; The Power of the Dog is an excellent front runner to take home the award for best picture. The nominees for this year’s best actor are Will Smith (King Richard), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), Andrew Garfield (Tick... Tick... Boom), Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth), and Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos). The front runners for this award are Will Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Andrew Garfield. Over the past 80 years, the majority of actors who

Lights, camera, familiar faces

took home the Golden Globe for best actor award also took home the Oscar for best actor; this year, Smith took the Golden Globe award for his performance in King Richard, which makes him the likely candidate to win the Oscar. Smith played the role of Richard Williams, both coach and father of Serena and Venus Williams. He played a difficult role and was able to portray both his roles as a coach and a father. Cumberbatch also makes a strong case for himself with his performance in The Power of the Dog. However, with Smith already winning the Golden Globe best actor award, it seems that he has the best chance for winning this Oscar. The nominees for this year’s best actress award are Ni cole Kidman (Being the Ricardos), Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Jessi ca Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter), and Penelope Cruz (Parallel Mothers). This award is wide open, and almost all of the nominees have a strong chance to take home the trophy. The three front runners for the award are Ni cole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, and Jessica Chastain. Kidman seems to have the strongest chance of win ning this award, as she also took home the Golden Globe award this year. However, within the past few weeks the support behind Chastain has grown immensely, and in re cent polls the odds of her winning the best actress award have only grown more and more. With a cat egory that is already close, our bets are on Chastian to win the Oscar, as the momentum and support she has going directly into the Oscars is much greater than those compet ing against her. Best supporting actor this year is a nice mix of relative un knowns, veterans, and common

Lund live from the White House Bellamy plays baneful prep student McBride mystifies in crime drama

RUKMINI NALLAMOTHU ‘22

Opinion Editor Government & Politics and Journalism teacher and Alcove sponsor John Lund started his career on TV straight out of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism as an on-air reporter, producer, and writer for an NBC affiliate. He worked in East Lansing covering everything from egg shortages, the governor’s press conferences, to bed bugs at Michigan State. He accredited his ability to jump into what he called being a “one man band” to his experience

at Medill. “The style of teaching was quite hands-on,” Lund said. “You’re tossed out of your comfort zone on day one.”

Having done it all, he notes that the biggest challenge in journalism is adapting.

When covering a small town war hero’s funeral procession, a gust of wind blew all of his equipment over, and shattered his camera. He found himself unable to tell the story as he planned.

“In news, you can’t prepare for all situations and you have to be able to think on your feet,”

Lund said. For the funeral procession, he immediately took out his phone and started taking pictures. If he wasn’t going to have the interviews on camera, the least he could do was document the event using his cell phone camera.

For anyone, cell phones can be a powerful tool in reporting. Anyone can start taking pictures, documenting things, and writing online. Your story, essentially, can be told with what you already have.

VIOLET WEIZER ‘22

Lifestyles Staff

Former actor and current forensics coach Ben Bellamy has played two roles in his acting career. When Bellamy was 6 years old, he acted as an extra on Mr. Bean, a British sitcom that first aired in 1990. In 2015, he played Caleb Zechman, a rugby player in the film Prep School.

“When I was really, really little I was an extra in an episode of Mr. Bean,” said Bellamy. “I was like 6 or something, and they needed kids. I was going to a drama class at the time and they chose us to play extras on the show.”

Rowan Atkinson plays Mr.

Bean, a man that never speaks and gets into strange situations because of his ‘lack of knowledge about social rules’.

“The episodes were really short as I recall,” said Bellamy. “But I barely remember the Mr. Bean thing because I was so young, and being an extra is very weird. You’re basically told where to go and there’s a lot of sitting around and waiting, but it was cool to see a TV show made when I was 6, not that I understood most of it.”

Aside from Mr. Bean, Bellamy was also part of an independent film called Prep School. lived in the U.K. at the time when he auditioned, but was in the U.S. for a wedding.

“My brother told me about this audition that he was going to, and said ‘hey you should do this too’ because at the time I was trying to be a working actor,” said Bellamy. “When I auditioned, I actually couldn’t go to the audition because of the wedding, but I sent in a video audition, and the director really liked it.”

Acting advice that Bellamy gives to students is that acting on film isn’t as ‘glamorous’ as people might think, but ‘you’ve got to have a mix of talent, hard work and perseverance to act well.

RUKMINI NALAMOTHU ‘22 Opinion Editor Drama teacher Katie McBride has been acting for over a decade and has built up a repertoire in television. Whether playing a zombie or the wife of a serial killer, she demonstrates her love for acting through her charismatic persona. As a teacher, McBride incorporates what she has learned into the curriculum. Having previous experience gives her something that most people have no idea about. Behind the scenes, TV acting can

be a long and grueling process.

“Most people don’t really know how long the days truly can be,” said McBride. “In TV and film, you might do something over and over again, and so you have to keep it fresh each time.”

Despite the long days, exhausting shoots, and meticulous directors, she has gotten to work with some big names.

In the film No Sudden Move, streaming now on HBO, a Drama film featuring David Harbour, Julia Fox, and Don Cheadle, McBride plays Dawn

Atkinson, the best friend of the protagonist. Working as an actor, she has faced many challenges. Perseverance, to her, is essential. She encourages and implores students to keep an open and optimistic mind when pursuing acting.

“In most fields, and acting is no exception, cultivating that idea of being a lifelong learner is important,” said McBride. “You are never done learning things, so keep loving it and keep learning.”

Trophy Graphics by Amanda Chen ‘24

Graphic by Caleb Lee ‘23

Hands on learning

Chinese classes assign art projects to students for the Chinese New Year

AMY HUO ‘23

Arts Editor

Hoping to make the Chinese classes more interesting, Chinese teacher Hsiu-Chao Chang decided to incorporate more art into the classroom as well as students’ assignments.

Chang tries to connect art projects with topics that the Chinese classes are learning, hoping that it would increase the students’ interests and make the information easier to process. She assigns painting and calligraphy projects regularly, and the students’ artworks get hung up in the hallways for everyone to look at.

The most recent art activity was for the Chinese New Year.

Chang decided to assign different art or calligraphy projects to different levels of classes. She chose to incorporate traditional Chinese watercolor into the students’ art projects. Chinese 1 students’ projects were landscapes. Chinese 2 students worked on fish paintings. Chinese 3 students painted tigers for the Year of Tiger. Chinese 4 and AP Chinese worked on the same project, which combined Chinese calligraphy as well as art: each student chose a Chinese word that represents what they want this year to be like,

and they painted animals using watercolor.

These projects were designed to not only make students’ learning experience more fun but also help them know more about the Chinese culture and language.

“The students really enjoy learning about traditional Chinese arts, and they get to explore the culture by doing these art projects,” said Chang. “There are also a lot of flexibilities on what they want to work on.”

The students in Chinese classes have much positive feedback for their experience doing the art projects. For example, the students who did Chinese calligraphy, like that they are writing Chinese artistically and that they can memorize the words better.

“For my project, I decided to paint a swan, and I chose “Fang” as my word of the year, meaning release and moving on,” said Annie Stone ’23, a Chinese 4 student. “I like working on my art project a lot. It did not only feel like I was doing an assignment, but it also felt like I was creating art.”

It is not just an assignment, it is also art.

When you walk past the hallway next to the Chinese

“

Spelling

Bee” provides needed comedic laughs

RISHI VERMA ‘23

Theater at Greenhills has been in one long intermission for the last two years given the Coronavirus pandemic and though there were still attempts to have theater digitally, nothing compares to the in person experience. This year was the first return of a musical on the stage in our building and the Greenhills theater performed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee this last weekend. The musical is also following Greenhills latest update to it’s mask policy with students actually being able to perform with their faces being fully seen if they so like.

I’m not necessarily a big connoisseur of plays and or musicals but I do enjoy them, so I went to one of the last dress rehearsals of the Greenhills production of Spelling Bee to get close to the process as well as see the whole show.

The show is directed by technology coordinator Gary Lehman and his style of directing is certainly his own. Lehman likes to make jokes and have a good time with the cast and I think his directing plays a big role in the enjoyment of the cast. They all seem to really enjoy it, even when changing things or correcting errors. I think this actually allows them to put on a better show as what I’ve learned is when one enjoys doing something they typically do it better and with their best effort and I don’t see why that would be any different for a theatrical production. Spelling Bee is a lighthearted comedy of a musical and I think Gary’s relaxed, humorous, yet focused directing style fits well with the piece they are performing.

Huo‘23

the competition.

Spelling Bee put on by Greenhills certainly wasn’t a thriller that had audience members hanging by the edge of their seats but I think there’s definitely an important place in theater for more lighthearted easy-going pieces like this one. I found myself to actually really enjoy the piece but it also didn’t leave you pondering for hours after like some theatrical productions often do.

The plot was easy to pick up on and I was able to feel like I really understood all the different characters and even found myself rooting for some to win the bee. There was a lot of silly humor which I also appreciated as not all humor has to be interpreted and I liked how much of the humor were simple jokes or things said

classroom, you can always see students’ artworks exhibited on the wall, and each one is different from the others. These artworks not only decorate the building, but they also represent the students’ learning of their classes.

“I always walk through that hallway in order to get to my office,” said Cora Chester, associate director of college counseling. “It just makes my mood better to see those beautiful artworks created by the Chinese class students. They demonstrate these students’ artistic talents as well as how much they have learned from their classes.”

Art projects are involved in other subjects, not just Chinese classes, with the same purpose–to interest students to learn, bring out their artistic abilities, and deepen their understanding of the classes’ material.

CLASSROOM CALLIGRAPHY “I think if we are to study Chinese culture, the Chinese art is important to study as well because its such an integral part of the culture,” said Emma Zhang ’23. “I really liked being able to learn hands on and being able revert back to arts and crafts in school to learn.”

a musical on the stage in our building and the Greenhills theater performed Spelling Bee this last weekend. The musical is also following Greenhills latest update to it’s mask policy with students actually being able to perform with their faces being fully seen if they so like.

I’m not necessarily a big connoisseur of plays and or musicals but I do enjoy them, so I went to one of the last dress rehearsals of the Greenhills production of Spelling Bee to get close to the process as well as see the whole show.

The show is directed by technology coordinator Gary Lehman and his style of directing is certainly his own. Lehman likes to make jokes and have a good time with the cast and I think his directing plays a big role in the enjoyment of the cast. They all seem to really enjoy it, even when changing things or correcting errors. I think this actually allows them to put on a better show as what I’ve learned is when one enjoys doing something they typically do it better and with their best effort and I don’t see why that would be any different for a theatrical production. Spelling Bee is a lighthearted comedy of a musical and I think Gary’s relaxed, humorous, yet focused directing style fits well with the piece they are performing.

The musical consists of an eclectic group of sixth-graders who arrive at Spelling Bee, each eager to win for very different reasons. Sweet yet shy Olive brings her only friend, a dictionary, with her to the bee; bold and certainly original competitor William Barfee uses his “magic foot” to propel him to greatness. Former champion Chip must learn to compete through personal struggle. Easily distracted, Leaf is convinced that he isn’t smart enough to be a challenger. Never satisfied Marcy is disappointed by her constant success. Lastly, politically aware Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre only wants to impress her parents. Through a diverse repertoire of characters Spelling Bee tells the story of each speller through hilariously personal songs as they make their way through

between the characters. Greenhills also put an original twist on their production of Spelling Bee by including audience members as well as faculty as additional spellers in the bee which I think was entertaining for the audience as well as the actual individuals selected.

All in all I found my expectations to be thoroughly exceeded by the Greenhills production of Spelling Bee and I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself going to more Greenhills productions in the future.

Theater at Greenhills has been in one long intermission for the last two years given the Coronavirus pandemic and though there were still attempts to have theater digitally, nothing compares to the in person experience. This year was the first return of

The musical consists of an eclectic group of sixth-graders who arrive at Spelling Bee, each eager to win for very different reasons. Sweet yet shy Olive brings her only friend, a dictionary, with her to the bee; bold and certainly original competitor William Barfee uses his “magic foot” to propel him to greatness. Former champion Chip must learn to compete through personal struggle. Easily distracted, Leaf is convinced that he isn’t smart enough to be a challenger. Never satisfied Marcy is disappointed by her constant success. Lastly, politically aware Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre only wants to impress her parents. Through a diverse repertoire of characters Spelling Bee tells the story of each speller through hilariously personal songs as they make their way through the competition.

Spelling Bee put on by Greenhills certainly wasn’t a thriller that had audience members hanging by the edge of their seats but I think there’s definitely an important place in theater for more lighthearted easy-going pieces like this one. I found myself to actually really enjoy the piece but it also didn’t leave you pondering for hours after like some theatrical productions often do.

The plot was easy to pick up on and I was able to feel like I really understood all the different characters and even found myself rooting for some to win the bee. There was a lot of silly humor which I also appreciated as not all humor has to be interpreted and I liked how much of the humor were simple jokes or things said between the characters.

Greenhills also put an original twist on their production of Spelling Bee by including audience members as well as faculty as additional spellers in the bee which I think was entertaining for the audience as well as the actual individuals selected.

All in all I found my expectations to be thoroughly exceeded by the Greenhills production of Spelling Bee and I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself going to more Greenhills productions in the future.

Photo Courtesty of Hsiu-Chao Chang

Graphic by Amy

BREAK A LEG Dash Mangrulkar ‘24 sang Andy Zhang ‘24 off the stage after Zhang mispelled a word. “I’ve really enjoyed being back on stage and can’t wait to perform again after a two year hiatus from the stage,” said Zhang.

Photo by Annie Stone ‘23

MARCH 15, 2022

Fin(n)al season

Finn Klein ‘22 brings school it’s first Ann Arbor athlete of the week award

PRANAY SHAH ‘23 Sports Editor

More than 80,000 votes were cast for the Jan.15 Ann Arbor Athlete of the Week. When all was said and done, Finn Klein ‘22 blew the rest of the 12 candidates away and brought home the first Ann Arbor athlete of the week award to the school with 10,000 more votes than the runner-up.

The candidates were nominated by coaches in Washtenaw county and they varied from all winter sports making this award even more impressive. The award is the result of his hard work and passion for the game, said brother and former teammate Owen Klein ‘20.

“Finn has always put in the work on and off the court, outworking his opponents and teammates to be the best, he is one of the most competitive people I have ever met,” said Owen Klein.

Since a young age, Klein has never backed down from his opponents, said former teammate Gabe Seir ‘20. He was always confident in his abilities and did not let his age or size affect his game. “I first met Finn when he was a fourth-grader, even then he was great at basketball, small and shifty, and [he] could even play with us older kids and even [started] trash-talking us,” said Seir.

Klein’s talent proved to be more than enough as he made the varsity basketball team as a freshman. He had to face the adversity of being a smaller player on the team at the time.

“No matter how good you are at a particular sport, it’s a different world competing against 18-yearolds as a 9th grader, so when a 9th grader makes varsity, the physical gap is so huge,” said Coach Tom Ward.

However, Klein handled this challenge with his good work ethic and rose to another challenge later in the season.

“[Klein] did a great job of working hard in practice, waiting for his chance in games, and when the time came he was ready for it,” said Ward. “An injury happened to our starting point guard and then he got to jump in and play a larger role.”

During that freshman year, Klein was also

surounded by a large senior class. He attributes his growth and ability to adapt to the varsity level to them.

“My coaches and teammates welcomed me as soon as I joined the program as a freshman, I fed off their support,” said Klein. “They were a talented group of guys who taught me many lessons which I try to give back to the younger guys today.”

The large graduating class left Klein as one of the few former varsity players for his sophomore season. His classmates, teammates, and coaches expected a lot of him after his debut season.

“Suddenly he’s a second-year varsity guy, but still a sophomore. That year, he learned how to not just be a good player, but to deal with those expectations,” said Ward.

Klein was the star player on a team that struggled to find ways to win. The team only boasted three wins in his sophomore season, compared to the eighteen the year before.

“He was forced to be the go-to guy early in his career, as he was the best player on the team,” said Owen Klein.

This burden as an important player led Klein to put too much pressure on himself.

“He is an amazing player, but he could have relied on the team more,” said Seir. “I should have voiced that to him as a

Willard brings her love of basketball to Greenhills

RISHI VERMA ‘23 Sports Staff

Tiffany Willard, Greenhills wellness teacher, Varsity women’s basketball coach, and Varsity women’s volleyball coach have the same prerequisites as your normal coach. Add division 1 basketball at one of the highest ranked universities in the nation and her uniqueness really begins to stand out. But now, Willard has traveled the six miles from the bright lights of Crisler Center to the West Gym of Greenhills.

Basketball has been a big part of Willards life ever since she was young.

“I started playing in eighth grade,” said Willard. “My dad told me I was getting pretty tall and gave me a basketball.”

Willard never looked back.

“I fell in love with the sport,” said Willard. “I was literally sleeping with a basketball next to me in my bed.”

The longer Willard played, the more the goal of playing basketball at the collegiate level came into sight.

“When I got my first letter from a college the motivation just grew exponentially,” said Willard. “My dad told me it would take a lot of work and dedication, but I knew what I wanted,”

Willards hard work and commitment to the sport ultimately paid off and she played basketball at the University of Michigan from 1994 to 1998.

College is a time of growth for many and being a student athlete took this to the next level for Willard.

“I had never experienced anything like it in my life,” said Willard. “I feel like I finally grew up. It prepared me well for the stresses and challenges of the real world.”

late to them being a good coach. This does not hold true for Willard.

“I’ve loved having her as our coach and just knowing what she’s accomplished in this sport motivates me to try 110% every practice,” said Varsity women’s basketball captain Meezan Hamzavi ‘23.

captain.” Klein has learned from his past seasons, as he leads the team in points and assists during his senior season.

“[He’s] been trying to figure out how he can be a great ballplayer in scoring or not having to lead the team in scoring,” said Ward. “There’s been a lot of games this year where Finn might have only scored four points in the first half but twenty in the second, so he’s kind of figured out the time to turn it on.” He has developed as a role model for the underclassmen.

“He sets an example by working hard every day and has matured a lot as a player since I joined the team,” said Sam Dorfman ‘23.

Klein has had a journey to the current season. The Ann Arbor Athlete of the Week award was a testament to his hard work and growth over the years, said friends and teammates.

“I’ve seen his basketball IQ grow over the years and also his work ethic,” said Owen Klein. “He has put in the work in the weight room to become the player he is today.”

one of the best,” said Varsity women’s basketball captain Georgie Branch ‘22.

11th grade dean and physics teacher Janelle Sterling is the head coach for the Varsity women’s basketball team.

“It’s been great coaching beside her and you can tell she really loves the sport and she has a deep IQ for the game,” said Sterling.

Many who play sports understand that just because someone is a good player it doesn’t always trans-

Hamzavi wasn’t the only player to share those sentiments.

“I play a lot of High School sports and have had many great coaches over the years, but she’s definitely

Other than Willards success in the sport and knowledge for the game, her character also stands out to those around her.

“She has no ego, and almost never talks about her success in the sport of basketball,” said Sterling.

Willards humility and high-class set a great example for the student-athletes on the right way to play their sport.

Willard’s experience with athletics for her entire life have certainly helped her become the coach she is today.

“I’ve had some really great coaches in my time,” said Willard. “I want to give my students what my coaches were able to give to me, to push them, but also support them as athletes and as people.”

There was one thing however from her time in college basketball that really stood out for her.

“Just the intensity of the sport in college,” said Willard “The amount of work, from lifts to the conditioning was something else.”

When watching the women’s Varsity basketball team, they certainly play with a sense of urgency and intensity that you don’t see from all teams.

It was a tough year for the women’s Varsity basketball team with a record of 4-14 but it seems playing basketball for her whole life has left Willard with maturity regarding the meaning of sports and being a coach.

“I’m not worried about our record, or

Photo by Rishi Verma ‘23

ATTACKING THE RIM Finn Klein ‘22 drives to the rim for a bucket. “My ability to attack the rim has developed from my freshman year as I’ve gotten more experience and stronger,” Klein said.

Photo Courtesy of James Schapiro

IN THE MOMENT Tiffany Willard, at left, “is an extraordinary coach and helps us stay relaxed even under pressure,” said Varsity Captain Meezan Hamzavi.

DYLAN CARVETTE ‘23 Associate Editor, Print

I think Wisconsin (24-7) has a shot at winning it all. They’ve shown that they are a top 10 team in both their conference as well as the nation.

Both Johnny Davis and Brad Davison have shown that they can help lead this team to some dominant wins over top 10 teams like the Purdue Boilermakers (27-7). Both times the Badgers played Purdue, they were the lower ranked team and they ended up winning both times. The first time they matched up with the Boilermakers, Davis dropped an impressive 37 points and 14 rebounds while Davison dropped a modest 15 points and zthree rebounds. Next time the two teams matched up, Davis dropped 16 points and eight rebounds and Davison dropped seven points and four rebounds.

The Badgers do have a difficult draw being placed in the section with powerhouses such as Kansas (28-6) and Auburn (27-5), but seeing how they’ve stacked against top 10 teams

during the season, they can pull off some more upsets. Their first big opponent would be Auburn assuming they make it to the Sweet 16. Auburn had a rough game recently, losing to Texas A&M (23-12) in the SEC Tournament semifinals. Kansas would be the next big team Wisconsin could face. Kansas’ senior leader, Ochai Agbaji, has been on a rampage this season, averaging an impressive 19.7 points per game as well as 5.1 rebounds per game. His matchup against Johnny Davis will be a sight to see as both players have had extraordinary seasons.

Wisconsin had a rough stretch in their last two games of the season, losing to Nebraska (10-21) and Michigan State (22-11). I think the Badgers will bounce back and play with even more determination and grit than before. People have been underestimating the Badgers for quite some time now, and I think this is the year that they prove that they are a force to be reckoned with and will prevail in the tournament.

RUKMINI NALLAMOTHU ‘22 Opinion Editor

For this year’s March Madness Tournament, I have the Arizona Wildcats winning it all. Though it seems to be an obvious choice right now, it wasn’t one I expected to be making when the season started in the fall.

This year, however, they have come back with full force, stronger and more hungry than ever. They welcomed Tom Llyod for his first year as head coach, whose beginner’s luck has kicked in. They are 31-3, and just dominated the Pac-12 tournament, coming out victorious in the finals against UCLA on Saturday.

To start off, this Arizona team has height. With Junior Christian Koloko dominating the paint, he creates the rest of the Wildcat’s offense. At 7’0, he averages around 12 points a game, and his presence helps create other opportunities for the team. Overall, the Wildcats are a tall, strong team. Their strength lies in the paint, as well as their agility. From Europe, Pelle

Larson and Azuolas Tubelis are both influential players. They are quick, but tall, and can do alot with the ball. But none of this would be possible without Sophomore Bennedict Mathuren. He can do it all. His vision when looking inside and his passing game are both stellar. Feeding the height his team has with the most incredible assists. Not only that, but he is an excellent shooter and offensive threat as well, often being the teammate that regains momentum and energy to the team. With all of the pieces clicking, I know this team will do well in the tournament. Offensively, they are well connected and work well together, playing to their strengths inside. Their agility all around allows them to play a fast game. They have been a strong and consistent team, who will definitely give teams a hard time in the tournament.

They are a patient team, who has proven that they can come back from big point deficits and frustrations. But everyone knows that in this tournament, anything can happen.

Graphics by Caleb Lee ‘23