V23 I5 - May 26, 2023

Friday, May 26, 2023

Meg Seng announces retirement after 34 years at school

2022 Michigan Athletic Director of the year steps away from position

NICHOLAS ALUMKAL ’23

Sports Staff

Final basketball game. Final spring season. Final postseason run.Final championship. Final home sporting event. These are the milestones that athletic director Meg Seng is encountering, as the ‘athletic director’ title before her name adds a ‘former’ to it after 20 years, and she retires at the end of the school year.

“I talked to a buddy of mine, and he said he got some good advice when he was thinking about retiring,” said Seng. “One of his colleagues told him ‘Jim, when you think you can go one more year: don’t.’ I have been doing it for a long time.

I am good with stepping aside to let Mr. Ward run things the way he wants to run things. It is just time for me to step aside for someone else to fill that space. I have had a great run. I have been here a lot longer than I ever thought I would be, because this a really great place, it’s a comfortable place, and a very supportive place. Doing something for 20 years is a great run, so it is time for someone else to step in.”

sented the option to the head of school, who said if we could formally write it up, then it would be a one year thing on an interim basis. It was destined to work.”

For Seng, the opening proved to be an exciting, and ultimately, long term opportunity for her to grow her role in the athletic department.

“It was an organic shift and felt natural,” said Seng. “I had taught for 13 years and was looking for a new opportunity—maybe some leadership roles that I would be able to fill. We made a natural transition. We literally switched jobs: He took mine [as a teacher], and I took his [as athletic director]. It was an opportunity— we were both ready for something different at the exact same time.”

“That is why I have volunteered to step up and serve on a lot

(Michigan High School Athletic

committees, as well as athletic administrator committees so that the female voice is heard and so that other females can be recognized and that we can be inclusive. Because, if sport is good for you, it’s good for me too, there is just great value in it, regardless of gender.”

Seng’s path to becoming a leader in educational athletics, one must understand the role sports played in Seng’s life dating back to her own education. She was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing volleyball, basketball and softball. During college, Seng was a two-sport athlete at University of Indiana, competing in volleyball and softball for the Hoosiers.

“I’ve always been an athlete, I’ve always just loved to play and I still like to play, ” said Seng. “I would say it has been a daily part of my life.”

In late August of 1990, Seng arrived at Greenhills. The academics or athletics looked different, but the school’s warmness and core principles were intact.

“I came as a teacher, when one of the current teachers left to take a position at one of the big public schools,” said Seng. “It was just a last minute hire and I was happy to step in. I coached a lot of different teams and I taught physical education and health here for 14 or 15 years before becoming athletic director [in 2003]. It was just opportunistic…When I was teaching and coaching at Greenhills, those were some of my favorite years.

“The school was certainly smaller,” said Seng. “The athletic program was a bit smaller as well. But, I would say the participation was as high or not higher. It was a time in the ’90s where a lot of people participated in all aspects of the school— they did not have a lot of activities. We had more commitment, pretty high participation, great team spirit, certainly more spectators, and faculty attendance. It felt like a home. It felt like a community.”

Seng succeeded boys tennis coach Eric Gajar as athletic director in 2003.

The switch occurred due to Gajar having young children at the time and wanting to spend more evenings at home with them rather than attending sporting events.

am going to play it by ear. For the first few months I am going to try to do nothing, and then assess my opportunities. Right now, I am teaching a class at Eastern [Michigan University] in sports management which I have enjoyed. That might be something I continue. Some people are talking about a mentoring program at the state level, and that is something I would be interested in. So, I would like to continue to serve programs, more on a consulting-type basis or an interim basis. But I won’t just be at the beach.”

Just like her life up to this point, sports will continue to be a part of Seng’s daily routine.

“I am a season ticket holder for volleyball, basketball, and softball over at University of Michigan,” said Seng. “I have athletes in my class at Eastern, so I would like to support them, which I think would be important as a faculty member.”

Assistant athletic director Lisa Hogan arrived at Greenhills in 2005, where she joined the athletic department with Seng. In the years since Hogan arrived, Seng has been a constant advocate for her work and growth.

“Meg has been an important piece of my development [here at Greenhills],” said Hogan.

“She has constantly urged professional growth and development through organizations and providing opportunities for me to go to conferences. Working alongside her in the same office, learning from what she does daily, has had a huge impact on the type of athletic administrator I am or I would want to be.”

The colleagues who have worked alongside Seng constantly cited her accomplishments in growing the athletic department and student-athlete experience at Greenhills.

“She is a big proponent of educational athletics and what it provides for all of our student athletes,” said Hogan. “Especially for our Greenhills athletes to take advantage of all of the opportunities that come with playing sports. She always pushed for what was best for our student athletes at Greenhills. Her outlook was always consistent: the honor of the game, doing it for the right reasons and being a great leader always stood out to me.”

This year, the time felt right for Seng to hand the baton and for her to start the next chapter of her life after Greenhills.

During her time as athletic director, Seng’s work has garnered recognition from her colleagues and the state and nation.

“Our big push has been faculty coaching,” said Hogan. “Our big push has been multi-sport athletes. One of the things that she accomplished with the help of the school is the turf field and track update. Those will be some lasting things. Under Meg’s tenure, we have received the MIAAA Exemplary Program Award. She and I recently received the NIAAA Quality Program Award. Those are big achievements within our athletic administration associations that not many schools achieve. That will be a legacy for her: to raise the standard and everything she has put time into.”

Seng has also left a positive impact on a large number of other Greenhills students: those interested in sports broadcasting. The Gryphon Sports Live (GSL) club, which offers broadcasts and coverage of many Greenhills contests and develops original content on social platforms to promote Greenhills athletics. Seng and Hogan played an integral part in the founding and development of GSL, by finding and purchasing the vital broadcasting equipment and allowing the coverage to be broadcasted in both radio and television forms, the latter via the subscription-based NFHS Network.

“I want to create a smooth transition for Mr. Ward,” said Seng. “This is a job that is a ton of information. There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of things to stay on top of and organize. I think the program is in great shape. I know Mr. Ward has great ideas. I know Mr. Fayroian has great ideas. There are a few projects; I would like to leave an outline for a coaching mentoring program. I would like to make sure there are programs for girls in sports before I go.”

“I had young children at the time, and was spending a lot of nights at Greenhills or traveling for away state competitions,” said Gajar. “I was starting to miss a lot of kids’s activities when they were younger. It was something that Meg was interested in, so we got to talking about it. We eventually pre-

Hogan does not remember when she heard the news that Seng, her partner for the last 18 years in the athletic office, was retiring, but understands the decision.

“I knew eventually it would come,” said Hogan. “I do not know exactly when I knew she was retiring, looking back on the last year. Most people retire at some point, so I knew she was not going to stay as long as I was going to be here. I don’t actually remember when I found out, but it was a sad day.”

Entering retirement, Seng does not have a plan, but has some options in mind that will keep her busy and doing things that matters to her.

“I don’t have a plan. I am hoping to do something, because I am still young,” said Seng. “I

Junior golfer, ranked 7th in state, scores “hole-in-one”

LEO APPLEGATE ‘23

Sports Editor

“Meg and Lisa have done everything,” said GSL co-president Austin Andrews. “They are the reason that we got started in the first place. If it wasn’t for their investment in us and getting us the equipment that we needed, right now we would still be doing a broadcast off of a phone. I am happy for the tools that they have provided for the advancement of our team. This has provided a totally different outlet, creating an entirely different team of people, a family really, that have given me and many others an outlet to express ourselves and provide a product not only to our peers, but to other members of our community.”

When reflecting on her 34 years at Greenhills, it is not difficult for Seng to decide on what she is most proud of during her tenure.

“Our athletes and our teams have accomplishments,” Seng said. “I am proud to add some sports: girls golf, girls lacrosse. We have been able to continue to grow the program. We have been able to add junior varsity levels. I also have been highly involved at the state level and even the national level. Doing that gives us more recognition around the state. I think Greenhills is a name people know now. I am most proud of the way the teams comport themselves, I think we do it the right way. I have been proud of the way we compete and the success we have had. 30 state championships is phenomenal for a school of our size.”

“I will miss watching the kids,” said Seng. “Every single year I get to see kids winning and having joy through sport and that is really gratifying to me.”

With Seng vacating the office one final time at the conclusion of the school year, Hogan has one final message for her longtime teammate.

“I would tell her to enjoy what comes next,” said Hogan. “Enjoy retirement. Enjoy doing what you want to do in the evenings, not that you don’t want to watch sports. But it’s hard to imagine a Greenhills athletic department without Meg in it.”

Max Shulman ‘24 sized up the fifteenth hole of the course. As it was a par three, he knew he wouldn’t need much power - it was the accuracy that mattered. As he selected the 50-degree wedge out of his bag, he brushed off the bogey from the last hole and prepared to hit. Shulman swung, striking the ball perfectly. The ball landed just past the hole, a shot that would’ve set him up for an optimal birdie putt. However, he had a trick up his sleeve. Due to the backspin placed on the ball, it began to trickle back toward the hole. As the junior watched the ball fall into the cup, a smile crept across his place as his parents and grandparents exclaimed with delight. This shot is a perfect testament to the way Shulman’s season has been going, as he’s had a successful season thus far, as he’s tied for seventh across all divisions in the state of Michigan for 18-hole rounds.

“I worked really hard this offseason, and it’s paying off,” said Shulman. “I’ve had a few rounds under par, and we’ll see how I do heading into the state tournament, that’s the thing that matters, really.” Shulman would go on to birdie the next hole and come up just one stroke short of winning the tournament.

This tournament’s success is indicative of Shulman’s success this season - success that may very well guarante him good things in the future.

“I’m still really hoping to play D1 golf, and I just want to keep doing what I’m doing and keep improving,” said Shulman.

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

THE VALUE OF SPORT Seng has worked to be an advocate for female athletes and coaches throughout her tenure. She cites the value of sports as a source of joy and reflection of life as a whole.

“In order to have a voice, you need to be at the table,” said Seng.

of MHSAA

Association)

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AMBITION Seng has a simple answer in response to what her goal is as athletic directior: “My job is to create an exemplary experience for our student athletes,” she said.

THE FITNESS FOUR Eric Gajar (left), athletic trainer Steve Oestreich (second from left), former athletic director Marsha Mumm (second from right) and Seng (right) pose for a promotion for the athletic department in 1997. “The school was smaller in terms of the student population [back then],” said Gajar. “There have been sports and facilities added since then. [The time of the picture], we had just

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

The Student Newspaper of Greenhills School

Volume 23, Issue 5

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

TikTok don’t stop

TikTok has become a platform for creative expression and entertainment for millions of people around the world. With its short-form video format, users can showcase their talents, share their experiences, and connect with others in a fun and engaging way.

But TikTok is facing a federal government ban due to concerns about data privacy and security. The app, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been accused of collecting user data and sharing it with the Chinese government. Additionally, there have been concerns about the app’s ability to censor content and limit free speech. These concerns have led to calls for TikTok to be banned in several countries, including the United States. These calls led to congressional leaders from both major political parties grilling the CEO of ByteDance on Capitol Hill. However, it’s important to note that while there have been concerns raised, there is no concrete evidence that TikTok has actually shared user data with the Chinese government or engaged in censorship. Banning TikTok would not only take away a source of entertainment for many people, but also limit their ability to express themselves and connect with others.

Furthermore, TikTok has become a source of income for many creators and influencers. With the platform’s popularity, many individuals have been able to monetize their content and make a living off of their creativity. Banning TikTok would not only take away a source of income for these individuals, but also limit their ability to reach a wider audience and grow their brand.

Additionally, TikTok has become a platform for social activism and awareness. Many users have used the platform to raise awareness about important issues such as social justice, mental health, and climate change. Banning TikTok would not only limit the ability for these individuals to spread awareness and educate others, but also limit the platform’s potential to be a force for positive change.

It’s important to note that concerns have been raised about TikTok’s data privacy and security practices. However, banning the platform altogether may not be the most effective solution. Instead, efforts should be made to hold TikTok accountable for its practices and ensure that user data is protected. This can be done through regulations and oversight, rather than an outright ban.

Furthermore, banning TikTok may set a dangerous precedent for the future of the internet and free speech. It’s important to protect the right to free expression and access to information, even if it means addressing concerns about data privacy and security.

We believe that TikTok should not be banned. The platform has become a source of entertainment, income, and social activism for millions of people around the world. While concerns about data privacy and security should be addressed, an outright ban may not be the most effective solution. Instead, efforts should be made to hold TikTok accountable and ensure that user data is protected, while still allowing individuals to express themselves and connect with others on the platform.

Small school, large personal growth

As I sit at my desk, preparing to write my last column for the alcove, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of being a part of the community that exists within our small private school. Through the highs and lows, it’s the people I’ve met, the connections I’ve made, and the lessons I’ve learned that have truly shaped my experience.

The small class sizes at Greenhills have allowed for a more personalized education experience. With fewer students in each class, teachers have the opportunity to give more attention to each student. They can provide feedback, answer questions, and offer support when needed. It also allows for conversations that you might not have otherwise as well as a more in depth approach to learning and school which has allowed me to discover passions as well as meaningful relationships with teachers. One of those passions has been journalism. When I joined the school’s newspaper as a junior, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. There was a new teacher: Dr. Lund, we were bringing back an actual print newspaper, and

Winning isn’t everything

“What is Greenhills men’s tennis about?”

I still remember when Coach Randolph first asked my team this question during my first year on the varsity tennis team. We were all sitting at the entrance to the courts, drinking water after a rough day of practice. My initial thought was ‘winning’ because to a younger me, that was all that mattered. However, as everyone began to give their answers, I realized mine was definitely not right. So, I changed my answer to ‘perseverance.’ It seemed like a plausible answer, right? But no, I was wrong. Puzzled and waiting for Randolph to give us the answer, I sat there confused.

“The man next to you.” That was Randolph’s answer. I was even more perplexed than before he gave the answer. What did that even mean? The worst part was that Randolph didn’t even expand on what it meant. Every time we asked him, he would just shrug his shoulders and say, “That’s for you to figure out.”

I remember sitting there trying to figure out what Randolph meant. Maybe this was going to be another one of his sayings that I would never understand. However, this was far from the truth. Although it took me three years to figure it out, I think I’ve finally grasped what it means. Greenhills men’s tennis is not all about winning. Sure, we do like to win, but it isn’t everything. It’s about putting the needs of your teammates above your own. It’s about helping the rookies joining the team and making them feel like part of the group. It’s about assisting others in scouting their opponents and planning the matches they will play. It’s about being there

to pick up your teammate’s equipment when they are physically incapable of doing so. It’s about supporting your teammate after a tough loss. It’s about staying up late, coming up with plans and strategies for upcoming matches.

none of us knew anything about journalism. We struggled a lot at first, learning how to take pictures, interview properly, and how could anyone forget the rule of thirds. Now looking back at it 4 semesters later, we grew with Dr. Lund and it feels like a well oiled machine at this point. Our small size meant that we had to be creative with our coverage, but it also meant that our stories had a more significant impact. Over time, we’ve gotten better at finding stories that matter and putting together a nice looking paper. Now, when we report on a school event, it is meaningful to our readers because they know the people involved and over time, the alcove has gained credibility. When we wrote about a controversial issue, it sparked conversations and debates among our community.

Working on the school newspaper has been a highlight of my high school experience. It’s given me the chance to hone my writing skills, work collaboratively with my peers, and learn about the power of the media. It’s also provided me with some unforgettable memories. I’ll never forget staying up late with the team, putting the finishing touches on an issue, scrambling to get a last-minute interview before a deadline, or getting lost in conversation about the Murdaugh trial with Dr. Lund.

Beyond the newspaper, my time at Greenhills has been filled with other meaningful experiences. I’ve participated in sports teams, taken on leadership roles in student organizations, and volunteered in the local community. All of these activities have been made more fulfilling because of the strong relationships I’ve formed with my fellow students and teachers. Of course, attending a small private school isn’t without its challenges. The limited resources available can sometimes feel stifling,

My Greenhills high school experience would have been different if it weren’t team. It was the like I was truly a thing bigger I began to care my wins about the sonal victories, if the team won. The team wins felt like my own wins, and the team losses felt like my own losses, no matter what the outcome of my match was. At times, it was challenging to stay true to putting my teammates’ needs above my own. During the State Tournament my senior year, it meant brushing aside the outcome of my own matches and putting my heart into cheering on my teammates. During the frigid two days of the tournament, I stood in the cold to support the other players on the team throughout their matches, applauding their efforts and trying to give them the energy they needed to pull through.

Our high school tennis season may have ended six months ago, but our connection as teammates remains stronger than ever. We developed a lasting bond on the courts, which has carried over into our daily lives. We continue to spend quality time together, whether it’s playing tennis for fun, going on group outings, or just catching up and sharing our life experiences. As we face new challenges and opportunities, we can always rely on the memories we created as a tennis team and the unwavering support of our tight-knit friendships.

particularly when it comes to extracurricular activities. However, I’ve found that this has only encouraged us to be more creative and resourceful. When we wanted to start a new club, we had to be strategic about how we allocated our time and resources. When we wanted to put on a school event, we had to be scrappy and find ways to make it work. These challenges have taught me valuable lessons about perseverance, ingenuity, and teamwork.

As I prepare to graduate from Greenhills, I know that the experiences and friendships I’ve gained here will stay with me forever. I’m grateful for the tight-knit community, the dedicated faculty, and the unique opportunities that have been available to me. While some may see attending a small private school as limiting, I have come to appreciate the many benefits that come with it.

I encourage my fellow students to cherish the relationships and experiences they have here and to never forget the value of our small school community. And to the faculty and staff at Greenhills, thank you for your unwavering support and guidance. It’s been an honor.

Mustafa Zirapury ‘23

Illustration by En-Lih Wang ‘24

Rishi Verma ‘23

HARD AT WORK “Even after all these years there is still so much to learn,” said Rishi Verma ‘23.

ON TOP Mustafa Zirapury ‘23 hoists the Region Championship trophy after a hard fought win.

Defying STEM: My unconventional path

The only science I’ve ever been interested in is political science. And of course, it’s a subject one would not traditionally classify as a science. STEM has never been my forte, and I live to prove that. Just last week, my fingers slipped while adjusting the voltage of my physics circuit, and I fried and burned the resistor in front of the whole class. While I awkwardly laughed and attempted to waft the smoke away from my unlucky groupmates, I’d realize how embarrassing it is to be in a class full of juniors – and still mess up this badly.

So here I present a guide for all the people who want to save themselves from this kind of embarrassment, students who intend to pursue the humanities and social sciences, and those who are too lazy to take any advanced science courses. Junior year, as all of my classmates were loading their schedules up with courses like Advanced Biology, Advanced Chemistry, and A.P. Computer Science A, I impulsively dropped my Physics Accelerated class in the first marking period. Bold, right? I thought so too.

I’d consider my junior year schedule atypical. Nevertheless, I was able to dedicate time to subjects and classes that I genuinely enjoyed – Economics, Sociology, Constitution, and Journalism. There was no “advanced” label attached to any of these courses, but they prepared me well for what I plan to explore in college. At the end of the day, that’s what matters the most.

By no means am I trying to deter anyone from taking high-level STEM courses. Rather, I want to caution underclassmen against peer pressure – there is no wrong or right path, good or bad schedule. “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” This is a favorite from Murakami. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Only do what feels right to you.

Lin’s take on humanities electives

Microeconomics:

Hard to get into as a Junior, but worth the try. This class is an essential for fu ture Finance bros. It reinforced the idea that the College Board is a monopoly that profits off of our education (nothing new) and taught me that my existence is a negative externality. I loved copying Monte’s graphs down into my notebook and labeling them with random letters.

Macroeconomics:

Applicable to life! We traded candies/ chocolates to learn about world com merce and globalization – I may have forgotten what international capital flows are, but I will always remem ber those glow-in-the-day kitkats. The MVP of this class is Jerome Powell; I feel like I now know more about him than most of my relatives.

Sociology:

Watched more documentaries over the span of three months than the first six teen years of my life. Can’t get over the fact that one spelling bee guy’s parents hired a thousand people in India to pray for him. To this day I’m still trying to figure out why I am so short – is it nurture or nature? Did I just have bad genes or should I have chugged more milk at the age of five?

Journalism:

Sports fosters sense of community, teamwork

Arjun Prabhakar‘23

A wild ride but definitely worth the hype. Brace yourself for current events quizzes (guessed on half of these), Lund’s legendary life stories, and Monday morning editorial board meetings that I show up ten minutes late to. Warning: Dr. Lund also has a lifelong supply of candy in his room, but only take one at a time.

Constitution:

Who better to have deep, philosophical discussions than Mr. Zeller himself? This writing and reading intensive will leave you questioning America. Though I will be forever #TeamAntiFederalists, the biggest takeaway from this class is COMPROMISE. Talk to Zellers about the need to compromise in this polarized society. He will go on and on.

Going to a new school is a challenging experience for many students. They have to adapt to a whole new environment where they may be unfamiliar with the school’s cultures and traditions. This poses many challenges for students as they have to adjust to the new social norms and expectations while knowing very little of them. Oftentimes new students will experience anxiety, excess stress, and loneliness during this adaptation process. However, one of the things that helps students to adapt are extracurriculars. Extracurricular activities help students get involved more with the community and understand the different cultures that exist within it. For me, the extracurricular activities that helped me to adapt to the Greenhills community were the sports teams, specifically golf and tennis.

When I came to Greenhills in 6th grade the shift from my elementary school to a rigorous middle school was difficult for me academically and socially. Almost all of the people I had seen every day for the last six years of my life, were no longer around. I only knew a few people in the grade because I had gone to elementary school with them. One of the aspects of Greenhills that helped me adapt to this new environment were the sports teams. The middle school tennis and track teams offered a place where I could be free of the stress of the academic and social atmosphere and focus on something I loved to do. They also helped me to become closer with some of my peers and become friends with people I am still friends with to this day.

Middle school tennis taught me a lot about the culture of Greenhills, but I didn’t truly understand it all until I made the varsity tennis team during my sophomore year. At the time we were in the middle of the pandemic and everyone was quarantined. During quarantine, it was hard for everyone to remain inside day after day with little to none human interactions with people other than your family. Despite school being solely online, I was able to play on the tennis team and see some of

My way of giving back to school through broadcasting

When I arrived at Greenhills as a freshman I was not only a fish out of water, but a fish trying to ride a bicycle. Fresh off being uprooted with a cross-country move, I was thrust into an environment where I knew no one. On top of that, I had never experienced the stress of grades and had no semblance of how to prepare for an assessment. But the Greenhills community was there to settle my nerves and answer any questions that I had from the outset. During an assignment early in ninth grade, I mentioned my passion for sports broadcasting. What I thought would be an off-handed remark, took off in a way I never expected, but could not be more proud of. I believe the only way to make your way in the world is to walk alongside, to collaborate with, and to empower others. This idea embodies the power of community in any situation, where a collective can come together to accomplish a feat that an individual could not accomplish alone.

The person I needed to get my feet on the ground was Austin Andrews. Not long after my first mention of my interest in broadcasting, he invited me to tag along with him as he provided a Public Address announcing for volleyball. From there, we worked together to put together live broadcasts for the upcoming basketball season. The only prob-

my friends. Having the opportunity to be a part of the tennis team allowed me to escape from quarantine and relieve some of the stress and anxiety from having to stay at home all the time.

During this season, I learned a lot from the coaches and upperclassmen about the importance of leadership, selflessness, and always being there for those close to you. Even after a tough loss I always felt better from the encouragement of my teammates and never felt truly alone. The friendships and bonds created on the tennis team were always unconditional and independent of a player’s success. These values imparted to me by the coaches and upperclassmen helped me to better understand the culture at Greenhills and grow as a person to better the community.

Another benefit to joining a sports team is that it allows you to create friendships and bonds with people whom you would otherwise not. If I had never joined the golf team or the tennis team, I would most likely have never become friends with people in other grades. Being on a sports team allows you to build special connections with others. You spend countless hours with them through the best wins and the worst losses, all while building a relationship where they can trust you to always have their back. This camaraderie creates a special kind of friendship that would not be possible unless you are a part of the team.

The traditions and culture we learn from sports teams is an experience that not only helps us succeed in that sport but also in life. It helps you become a leader so that one day you can pass on the knowledge to someone else and help them understand what the Greenhills community truly is.

lem: we had no idea how. We collaborated to research and execute the necessary steps to broadcast an event, and once again the athletic department was there to back each of our steps. A further sign of the incredibly motivational and receptive nature of the Greenhills

community. Our two-man broadcast began, not without technical bumps, but our mission was clear from the start. As the pandemic wore on, a time when people were especially disconnected, we were able to find an avenue to bring my

community back together courtesy of our commentary. Through this endeavor, we provided a way for parents to tune into their child’s sporting event in real-time given that they were unable to attend in-person. Following one of our broadcasts, an athlete’s father reached out to express his gratitude after experiencing his daughter’s first three-pointer. This was an early indicator of what could be, and what would be—it was the first time I saw the tangible impact of our service, and we could see the potential for further impact.

Seeing the promise of our broadcasting initiative, we incorporated photo, video, media creation, public relations, and journalism elements to the coverage and set out to find students who believed in our mission of celebrating our school’s scholar athletes. Gryphon Sports Live was born—and by autumn 2021 an additional 25 passionate minds joined the Sports Live family. With so many great minds contributing a bounty of ingenious ideas, we were able to integrate coverage of five additional sports teams, and lay the foundation for a more well rounded broadcasting program. For me, this all ties back to how one’s greatest impact can be achieved in tandem with others, and how a group of individuals can create a much larger footprint as a team—whether that’s the team on the court or the one in the broadcasting booth!

Broadcasting has allowed me to share my intellectual curiosity. By creating this community, I have nurtured and refined strong habits of teamwork, communication, relationship building, and a sense of belonging that can be applied to life itself. While athletics originally sparked my interest in broadcasting, I’ve come to realize the value of sharing my knowledge to ethically inform others through this medium. It is yet another avenue by which I can serve my community and make a positive impact.

That’s when it hit me.

While on the surface it may seem like any other hobby one might dive into, broadcasting has meant much, much more than that to me. It has allowed me to build up my community, to further understand the power one yields to positively impact others, it has reinforced the value of working with others, and has heightened my intellectual curiosity. This journey has shed light on how merging one’s passions and skills can be both fulfilling to an individual and positively transform their community. So, as both Austin and I graduate, we hope we have sown the seeds for future generations to continue the Gryphon Sports Live mission with the same ethos and impact that it was founded upon.

Graphics by Megan Peng ‘25

Nicholas Alumkal‘23

Fiona Lin‘23

CALLING AT CRISLER Alumkal calls the Greenhills-Whitmore Lake Women’s basketball game at Whitmore Lake last year at the Crisler Center. Through the growth of Gryphon Sports Live, they have traveled around the state to call sports events. They were invited to commentate the high school state championships for football at Ford Field and basketball at Breslin Center. They have also called games at Michigan Stadium and Jackson Field.

SERVING IT UP Arjun Prabhakar ‘23 has played tennis since he was a young child. He looks up to and hopes to reach the level of Pablo Carreno Busta.

‘23 Less is more

Leo Applegate

Greenhills’ unique size provides a different high school experience from many other schools in the Ann Arbor area. While the Ann Arbor public high schools Huron, Pioneer, and Skyline each have roughly 1,500 students, Greenhills has only 378 enrollees, less than a quarter of its counterparts. This size differential provides exceptional chances for students to have interactions with teachers and faculties and more involved learning experiences. However, an often overlooked aspect of Greenhills is how the school’s size affects its sports teams.

While larger schools have the luxury of depth and size on their teams, Greenhills’ sports teams often do not have this luxury, as almost every team at the school has only a varsity squad, lacking enough participants for a junior varsity or freshmen roster. While this may cause some obvious complications, I believe that having a smaller team provides a chance for other opportunities.

Being on a team of limited size not only encourages but requires players to build a team atmosphere and develop a greater sense of camaraderie in order to succeed. Without such a sense, it’s nearly impossible for a small team to fully work together. Smaller team settings allow athletes to have more frequent and personal interactions with their teammates. From this atmosphere often grows something better - players often find themselves going from strangers to teammates and even to friends with the people they spend so much time on the court, on the field, or in the pool with.

This mirrors my understanding of Greenhills sports. As I’ve been on the varsity swim team since my freshman year, I’ve had the opportunity to witness and be directly involved in this experience. After I was made a captain before my senior season, I had high expectations for both myself and the team entering the year. However, to my initial dismay, I had found that the team had shrunk in size by a wide margin - caused by the women’s team separating from the men’s or just simply from a lack of interest. Even though Greenhills holds a co-op agreement with Father Gabriel Richard and Whitmore Lake to field a swim team, the team isn’t nearly as large as one might imagine. Although disappointed at first, I quickly realized that the team of fewer than twenty swimmers afforded me many possibilities. I was able to get to know many of my teammates on a personal level, something that would never have been possible if I had to get to know twice the amount of people, for example. I went from being complete strangers with people that I never would have otherwise interacted with to developing friendships with them that will last long into the future. Although the team did well in the pool this year, it’s not the times or races that I’ll remember. I’ll remember all of the team dinners, bus rides, laughs, and everything else in between that made my time on the team so special. Even though our state meet was disappointing from a swimming perspective - we missed the final cut by less than three-tenths of a second in one of our relays - all of the happy memories I made outside of the pool with the other members of the state team far outweigh the negative ones.

Even months after the season has ended, I’m still in contact with many of my teammates, our team GroupMe is still active, and I still have the occasional conversation with them in school. My experience was and is truly remarkable, and I believe that it would

From students to colleagues, teachers and students develop unique connections at school

As I reflect on my seven years spent at Greenhills, one word comes to mind: community. As soon as I arrived, the tightknit connection between students and teachers alike was as clear as day; it was one of the main reasons why I decided to enroll and continue to attend throughout high school. While the relationships I have built with my classmates have been extremely impactful on my life, I cannot help but acknowledge the profound effect that my teachers have had on my life as I transition into college life and beyond. The intimate setting of our school–growing to 676 and 132 faculty members–has fostered deep, personal connections that stretch far outside of academics. In the following paragraphs, I invite you to walk with me through the hallways of Greenhills and explore the life-changing relationships I’ve formed with my teachers.

My journey began in 6th grade when I first met Señor Olson, my Spanish teacher and advisor. From day one, his energetic demeanor and contagious laughter brightened our classroom and encouraged an interactive and immersive learning experience. I remember before our first speaking test, everyone was on edge while waiting in the classroom to get called out into the hallway. Señor Olson must have realized my nervous demeanor as I was met with a resounding smile and a truly genuine “¿Qué tal?”. After talking casually for another minute, my fears quickly subsided and my confidence rose, which allowed me to score well on my test and left a big smile on my face. After getting to know Señor Olson through adviso ry and inside the classroom to realize cared to students.

authentic effort er level essential at our ering aged me my true me discover throughout in middle Transition ing into I was an unexpected rience: the age

My passion gineering ther sparked Monte-Sano, Applied class presented opportunities my passion problem-solving, ability, and innovation.

Even taking classes via Zoom, his comedic demeanor and mentorship shined through, especially when he would greet our class with a joke or a roast at 8:30 in the morning. Having us partake in small-group projects facilitated creative brainstorming and brought our ideas to life. When designing a catapult made from popsicle sticks, he encouraged us to think outside the box and trust our instincts, working together as a team

Cracking the code

Sarah Horan ‘23

Throughout my time at Greenhills, I have been encouraged to take a variety of courses to “explore my interests.” I have taken everything from Journalism, Computer Science, Ceramics, Applied Engineering Design, even Perspectives in Humanities. It has given me a platform to explore my interests and solidify what I plan to do with the rest of my life. Through this experience, I discovered my love for coding in my junior year. It all started when I got placed in a Computer Science class with seven people including myself and the teacher. Typically, only one Computer Science class is offered, however that particular year, there was an excess of students who wanted to take the class. This led to a second smaller Computer Science class. As time progressed, the class became extremely close, we got comfortable with each other quickly due to the environment that coding brings in. Pair programming was one of the most fundamental parts that I was able to experience. Pair programming is when a team of coders work together to produce code. Pair programming enables collaborative thinking, faster problem solving and communication, and more efficient work. It taught me how to be a better team member, better communicator and in general learn how to learn from others. Although a six person class wasn’t my first choice, I think it was one of the most beneficial and crucial moments in my high school career. The one on one interactions I was able to build with the students in the class showcased one of my favorite parts of Greenhills, the ability to have a close relationship with students and teachers. I truly discovered having people in your corner that are not only willing to help, but happy to help you learn, it really brought together one of my favorite communities.

Up until this point, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my future career. I had a lightbulb moment during the midterm that year. As I looked up from my paper, I for the first time saw both of the classes in the same room. About 30 males, to about three females (including myself). I had always heard about how the STEM field was “male dominated”, however at our STEM-centered school, I had never experienced anything like this. This moment made me realize that I want to be a part of this male-dominated field, I wanted to break the stigmas around what women can do for the betterment of the field.

to let ideas flow and let the final product be a combination of our diverse ideas. Even though I didn’t have him as a teacher after that year, he graciously volunteered his time to mentor me in building a solar-powered phone charging station for my independent study project this year. His continued personal support to students like myself–even after having them in class–as well as his passion for engineering has pushed me to strive to become an ethically and environmentally conscious engineer who wants to make the world a better place.

As a junior, I was introduced to Ms. Sterling, an advisor, who similar to Mr. Monte-Sano, challenged traditional teacher-student dynamics. By treating us as colleagues rather than students, fostered an environment of mutual respect and understanding. remember our weekly advisory discussions; they felt more like group of friends checking-in and talking about their lives raththan a typical advisory dynamic. Encouraging us to express our opinions on complex social issues and problems with the school, Ms. Sterling valued our input and created a safe space for open dialogue, empowering us to think critically and develop our own perspectives. It was essential at this point in our lives to start to receive this kind of support and guidance; transitioning from childhood to adulthood is an extremely difficult process to navigate alone and Ms. Sterling provided just what we needed.

Dr. Lund, my journalism and AP Government teacher, also has made a significant effort to get to know me as a person rather than a student as well. Walking into the classroom for AP Gov last Spring, I immediately felt welcome and at home. Dr. Lund mixed Mr. Monte-Sano and Ms. Sterling’s approaches and cultivated a classroom culture of humor and collaboration. As I got to know Dr. Lund through our routine conversations, he displayed how much he cared about me as a person. Asking about sports games and how social and academic life is going, I appreciated his authenticism and ability to talk with students as colleagues. Moving into Journalism this year, I continued to experience this culture. While our classes are productive, we are able to lace our time with casual conversations about anything everything. Dr. Lund has continued to push me outside of my comfort zone academically and has supported me throughout issues successes.

At Greenhills, my time l has been marked by the unforgettable bonds I’ve forged with my teachers. Their persistent support, encouragement, and understanding have transformed me into the person I am today and want to be. To my fellow students and the faculty members of Greenhills, I encourage you to develop and cherish these connections, as they will make more of an impact than you will ever realize.

I wanted to meaningfully contribute in coding to helping women and underrepresented groups in general discover the benefits of the Internet and how the Internet can help them in their daily lives. In the second semester, I was able to continue my success in the class and understand what it meant to have a different perspective than most of my peers.

In my senior year, I have continued to love this field and have continued to further my math education at Greenhills. I am grateful for the opportunity to have had such a positive experience. I would like to thank all of my teachers who made this possible the difference couldn’t have Looking forward, a career which includes from many fields including mathematics, statistics, intelligence, computer engineer confident passion and contribute ever-growing technology and a future part in

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

GLORY DAYS Nate Burke ‘23 with one of his influential teachers, Senor Olson, when he was in 6th grade.

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Alcove seniors’ top picks

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? Chicken and Waffles

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? The Chicago trip senior year

Who are your favorite teacher(s)? Mr. Monte-Sano, Dr. Lund

What are your favorite class(es)? Engineering Independent Study, Journalism

What was your favorite spirit week event?

Winning rhyme time junior year

General advice that you would like to share? Enjoy your time here while it lasts

Fiona Lin

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Senior Skip Day

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? Front of the lunch line

What are your favorite class(es)? Journalism, Calculus, US Constitution

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? Chicken & Waffles!

General advice that you would like to share? Coffee runs in the middle of the day are worth it

What was your favorite sports, performance, club sponsored event? Tigers Game

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? Gryphon den

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? Tacos

What was your favorite spirit week event?

Mariokart

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Chicago

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Tennis

General advice that you would like to share? Don’t make Ward mad

Arjun Prabhakar

General advice that you would like to share? Use your free periods wisely

Who are your favorite teacher(s)? John Lund, Mrs. Renaud, John Holler

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Golf states

What was your favorite spirit week event?

Walk Off Junior year

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch?

Pasta Day

Where is / was your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? Lacrosse Field

What is / your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? Chicken drumsticks

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Lacrosse Games General advice that you would like to share? Get good grades

Who is / are your favorite teacher(s)?

Mr.

What is your favorite class(es)? Journalism, U.S. Government and Politics, What is Hip

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? Chicken and Waffles

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? The broadcasting perch at the top of the bleachers in the west gym.

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Starting Gryphon

Sports Live and laying the seeds for the club I founded to continue after I graduate.

Who are your favorite teacher(s)? Dr. Lund, Dr. Beery, Ms. Caramagno, Ms. Lewis

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? Lunchroom Booths

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Tigers Game

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Golf States ‘21

General advice that you would like to share? Everything will work out. Don’t stress too much. Take lots of pictures!!

Pranay Shah

What are your favorite class(es)? Journalism, Space Oddities

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? Fishbowl High Tables

Who are your favorite teacher(s)? Lund, Wicklund, Sterling, Schwartz

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? The 9th grade cabin trip

What was your favorite spirit week event? Rhyme Time

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Boys Soccer

Leo Applegate

What is your favorite spirit week event?

Bringing the trophy home senior year

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Catholic League championships ‘23 for swimming

Who are your favorite teacher(s)? Ms. Renaud and Dr. Lund

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? The Journalism/Gov classroom

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Swimming States ‘23

Adi Kutty

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Eating at nothai after lacrosse

What are your favorite class(es)? Macro/ Micro, Ethics, French

Who is your favorite teacher(s)? Monte Sano

What is your favorite Plum Smart school lunch? General Tso’s Chicken

General advice that you would like to share? Don’t take anything too seriously

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Winning spirit week

What are your favorite class(es)? E2C : English II Honors, British Literature and Psychology: Human Mind and Behavior

What was your favorite sports event, performance, club sponsored event? Chocolate lounge ft. the jazz lab

Where is your favorite “spot” at Greenhills? The nooks in the library

What was your favorite Greenhills out of school experience? Going to Chicago! General advice that you would like to share? Enjoy the moment and don’t

Nick Alumkal

Dylan Carvette

Nate Burke

Sarah Horan

Lucas Wentzloff

Maraki Tamrat

Verma

Small classes lead to lasting connections

Dylan Carvette ‘23

Senior advises caution with popular traditions

Maraki Tamrat ‘23

Looking back at my time at Greenhills, I realized what my favorite thing about the school is. It is not the

classes. Those people quickly became my friends as we ended up spending the most time together. I found myself constantly picking those people to work with in group projects, do homework together, and sit next to in class. Eventually, these study sessions ended up becoming group hangouts which turned into memories that will never be forgotten.

The small classes also led to me interacting with new people, especially in high school where I would have new classes every semester. I got to work with all kinds of people throughout my time here which ended up turning into a valuable lesson of learning how to be super flexible. Working with all kinds of people helped me be able to find ways to connect with people both faster and more successfully.

It is also important to acknowledge the teacher student relationships that are formed at Greenhills. For me personally, there are two teachers that I built close relationships with and both of them taught me whatever their subject was, but also a lot of life lessons: Eric Gajar and John Lund. I was able to become close with both of them and I truly appreciate everything they have done for me.

Mr. Gajar was my advisor, math teacher, and tennis coach and became an amazing mentor throughout high school. As a teacher, he was always available to meet to answer questions and would make sure I truly understood what he was saying. As an advisor, he always made sure I was on top of everything and constantly checked in to make sure I was doing well outside of school. Finally, as a coach, he never failed to keep showing me ways to be a better player. The most important lesson I ever learned from Mr. Gajar wasn’t a precalculus lesson or how to be the best tennis player, but it was to never give up. He showed me that if I worked hard enough and had the dedication, I could reach my goals. Mr. Gajar will always be an influential person in my life and I owe him my gratitude along with so much more.

It’s important to remember that everyone’s college journey and application process is different and there’s no one right way to go about it. The college you attend should not define your worth or your future success. What matters most is what you make of your experience and the opportunities you take advantage of while you’re there.

Of course, there are some benefits to attending a prestigious university. You might have access to more advanced resources, like top-notch professors and cutting-edge research facilities. You might have more opportunities to network with successful alumni and land internships or jobs. And there’s no denying that having a prestigious school on your resume can be impressive to some employers.

But at the end of the day, what matters most is what you do with the opportunities you’re given. If you attend a less prestigious school, you might have to work a little harder to make connections and find opportunities. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to succeed.

Additionally, there are so many factors that go into the college admissions process, and many of them are beyond your control. The admissions committee considers your grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation, but they also consider factors like your race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. They’re looking for a diverse group of students who will bring unique perspectives and experiences to their campus.

PlumSmart lunches, not the forums, and definitely not the assemblies. My favorite thing about the school is the small classes. The combination of small grades and small classes helped me make friends throughout the year and form relationships with teachers that I will always cherish.

Starting back in sixth grade, I was thrown into a school with a lot of new people. While trying to make friends, I quickly noticed that there was always a group of certain people in a majority of my

Dr. Lund, on the other hand, was my advisor, government teacher, and journalism teacher and became another amazing mentor these past two years. Classes and advisory with Lund were always enjoyable and filled with great memories. The one thing I will always appreciate and remember about Dr. Lund is how his door was always open. Some of my favorite memories are of me walking into Dr. Lund’s room and just talking to him about anything. He was always there to listen and give me advice or crack jokes about the Queen of England. There were endless amounts of conversations with him and it was always so easy to talk to him. I would always end up talking to him for long periods of time and each and every time I managed to learn something new. Dr. Lund, thank you so much for the impact you had on me and always being there for me.

If it was not for Greenhills’ small classes, I don’t know if I would have been able to make these connections with these people.

Senior makes connections between movie and life

In my high school career I took over 30 classes. Do I remember everything from every class? No. But I do remember everything from the movie Rio. Movies can be a power- ful tool for learning because they allow us to experience different perspectives and emotions in a way that is not possi - ble in a traditional classroom setting. Through movies, we can learn about his- torical events, cultural customs, and so- cial issues in a way that is both entertaining and informative. Also, movies have the ability to evoke empathy and inspire action. While schools provide a structured and systematic approach to learning, movies offer a more engaging and im -

theater.

some of my favorite movies which

Plus, college is what you make of it. No matter where you go to school, you’ll have the opportunity to learn, grow, and explore. You’ll meet new people, try new things, and discover new passions. And you’ll have the chance to take your education into your own hands and make it what you want it to be.

I am going to be attending The University of Indiana in Bloomington next fall, and plan to major in real estate at the Kelley School of Business. Originally I wanted to attend the University of Michigan just like many other members of my family. But I unfortunately did not get in. While many people may be saddened by the news, I think that people should not be ashamed of where they are going to college and It should be celebrated regardless of family history and where your classmates are going.

At Greenhills many of us feel

Surfs Up: The main character, Cody Maverick, is a young penguin

who dreams of becoming a professional surfer. Throughout the movie, Cody faces numerous challenges and setbacks, including a rival surfer who seems to have it all and a lot of trophies to show for it. Despite these obstacles, Cody never gives up on his dream. He continues to practice and work hard, even when it seems like he will never achieve his goal. Through his perseverance, Cody eventually succeeds and becomes a champion surfer. By watching Cody’s journey, you can learn that success often requires hard work and dedication. This movie truly changed my life as I watched it after getting a 52 percent on my calculus test during junior year. It inspired me to work harder for the next one.

Ratatouille: In Ratatouille, the character Remy receives criticism from Chef Skinner about his cooking, but instead of getting defensive, he takes it as an opportunity for growth. Remy uses Skinner’s feedback

pressured by the community to get into the best col leges and universities but I hope that many se niors realize that just because a school isn’t ranked top five in their field it does not mean that it is a bad school, and millions of stu dents don’t even get into the “bad’ colleges that we get into here at Greenhills.

mately, what matters most is finding a college that’s a good fit for you, both aca demically and personally. The college you are at tending may not have been your first choice, but it could end up being the perfect place for you to thrive and grow. So, don’t be ashamed of where you go to college - be proud of all that you’ve accomplished and excited for all that’s yet to come!

to improve his dish and ultimately impresses the harsh critic, Anton Ego. This teaches us that constructive criticism, though sometimes difficult to hear, can be incredibly helpful in improving our skills and achieving our goals. It’s important to listen to feedback, take it seriously, and use it to make positive changes in our lives.

Rio:

The film follows the story of Blu, a domesticated macaw who is taken to Rio de Janeiro to mate with a female macaw, Jewel. However, Blu and Jewel are captured by smugglers, and must work together to escape and return to their natural habitat. Throughout the movie, Blu learns to accept his situation and adapt to his new environment. He also learns to accept himself for who he is, and to embrace his unique qualities. This message is reinforced through the character of Jewel, who encourages Blu to let go of his fears and live in the moment. Overall, Rio teaches us the importance of accepting the things that we cannot change, and finding joy in the present moment. Like when you get placed in a service day group with people you aren’t that close with, but you use that day to create new friendships.

Good Will Hunting:

The film follows the story of a young janitor named Will Hunting, who is a mathematical genius with a troubled past. Through his relationship with his therapist, Sean Maguire, Will learns to confront his demons and open up emotionally. One of the key lessons from Good Will Hunting is the importance of facing our fears and vulnerabilities in order to grow as individuals. The movie also emphasizes the value of education and intellectual curiosity, as well as the importance of seeking help and support when we need it. It reminds us that true growth and change often require us to confront uncomfortable truths and step out of our comfort zones. Like when I had to confront the truth that I was 5’7’’ and not 5’8’’ like I had claimed when my friends pulled out two yard sticks.

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Pranay Shah ‘23

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

MOVIE MUNCH Pramay Shah ‘23 alwasy has a bag of funions and candy when he watches a movie. “It doesn’t feel the same when if I don’t have my snakcs with me,” said Shah.

Benefits and challenges of playing on a co-op team

Griffin White ‘23

About the journey not the destination

Lucas Wentzloff ‘23

Playing sports is a great way to stay active, make friends, and learn important life skills like teamwork and perseverance. However, for students at small schools, participating in certain sports can be a ited resources able players. teams come with other teams allow pate in sports otherwise benew people new as the unique challenges and opportunities that come with representing two teams instead of one.

By partnering with other schools, co-op teams can offer sports opportunities that might not otherwise be available. For example, a small school such as Greenhills might not have enough players to field a competitive hockey team on its own. However, by joining forces with another school, they can combine their resources to create a team that is capable of competing at a high level. In the past, both Greenhills and Father Gabriel Richard would not have been able to field a competitive team, or even a team at all. This year as a co-op team we were able to break a school record for wins in a season, win the Jilek Cup, win the Metro League, win the Catholic League, win a regional title, and compete for a state title. This not only

benefits the players who get to participate in the sport they love, but it also benefits the schools by allowing them to offer a wider range of extracurricular activities to their students.

Another benefit of co-op teams is the oppor tunity they provide for students to meet people from other schools and form new relationships. When you play on a co-op team, you’re not just representing your own school – you’re also representing the other school that is part of the team. This can be a great way to get to know people who you might not otherwise have the chance to meet. Whether it’s bonding over a shared love of the sport, or just getting to know each other during practices and games, co-op teams offer a unique opportunity to form new friendships and ex pand your social circle. In my experience playing for the FGR-Greenhills co-op team, I have been able to connect with an amazing group of guys and coaching staff that have helped me to become a better hockey player.

While there are many benefits to playing on a co-op team, there are also some unique challenges that come with representing two schools instead of one. One of the biggest challenges is the feeling of discon nection that can sometimes arise between the team and their respective schools. When most of the fan base is from one school, it can be hard to feel like you’re real ly representing your own school when you play. How ever, I’ve found that this feeling of disconnection can be overcome with time and effort. After playing for the team long enough I grew a stronger connection to the team rather than any specific school. This connection transcended any division because every time I stepped on the ice I knew I wasn’t necessarily representing any school or any fanbase, only my team.

By playing on a co-op hockey team throughout the entirety of my high school career I have been very fortunate to experience its many benefits. Without the co-op option, I never would have had the opportu-

nity to play high school hockey or meet some of the best teammates I’ve ever played with.

Show more gratitude for Greenhills

After the end of our last jazz concert, my friends and I celebrated our last ever performance and our last 4-7 years in jazz with dinner at NoThai, a favorite hangout spot for many clubs and activities. We remembered how much we changed and improved with the different songs we played, and wondered how we would be able to play together the same way even after school ended. Eventually the conversation drifted to how we all seemed to wish we could spend more time at Greenhills, as if our high school experience had ended prematurely. We reflected on enjoyable experiences and wished good use of the time you because it will eventually things, allow yourself to from others in your time Four years might feel but it will fly by faster expect. What you might is that as much as complain about school, you come to alize how enjoyable the experiences you had here were. Students often complain about their teachers not teaching or teaching well, but

It’s important to remember that everyone’s college journey and cation process is ent and there’s right way to go The lege you attend not define your or your future cess. What matters most is what you make of your experience and the opportunities you take advantage of while you’re there. Of course, there are some benefits to attending a prestigious university. You might have access to more advanced resources, like top-notch professors and cutting-edge research facilities. You might have more opportunities to network with successful alumni and land internships or jobs. And there’s no denying that having a prestigious school on your resume can be impressive to some employers.

But at the end of the day, what matters most is what you do with the opportunities you’re given. If you attend a less prestigious school, you might have to work a little harder to make connections and find opportunities. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to succeed.

Additionally, there are so many factors that go into the college admissions process, and many of them are beyond your control. The admissions committee considers your grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation, but they also consider factors like your race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. They’re looking for a diverse group of students who will bring unique perspectives and experiences to their campus.

Plus, college is what you make of it. No matter where you go to school, you’ll have the opportunity to learn, grow, and explore. You’ll meet new people, try new

in my four years of greenhills I’ve never had a teacher that didn’t actually care about their students or about the class that they teach. Almost every teacher I’ve ever had has been genuinely passionate about the classes that they’ve taught, and many students don’t realize how great of a privilege that is. Many of the teachers have dedicated their lives to these fields, so respect their experience and their decisions.

The quality of the teaching at greenhills is much better than that of teachers I’ve learnt from in public schools. While you might feel like your teachers are being unfair, and that your classes might seem to be somewhat difficult, your teachers do care about your academic success, and want to see you succeed academically and socially. Make use of the time you have at greenhills to communicate with teachers and to learn from their many experiences. Be grateful for the teachers you have and develop good relationships with them in order to help them I still remember the first plumsmart meal I’d ever had, a chicken parm crusted with bread and covered in marinara sauce. We were all outside for the freshman orientation, eating chicken parm in boxes outside. Everyone was complaining about how soggy the breading was and how the chicken wasn’t cooked right, but for me the difference was immense. Compared to flavorless mush,

things, and discover new passions. And you’ll have the chance to take your education into your own hands and make it what you want it to be.

I am going to be attending The University of Indiana in Bloomington next fall, and plan to major in real estate at the Kelley School of Business. Originally I wanted to attend the University of Michigan just like many other members of my family. But I unfortunately did not get in. While many people may be saddened by the news, I think that people should not be ashamed of where they are going to college and It should be celebrated regardless of family history and where your classmates are going.

At Greenhills many of us feel pressured by the community to get into the best colleges and universities but I hope that many seniors realize that just because a school isn’t ranked top five in their field it does not mean that it is a bad school, and millions of students don’t even get into the “bad’ colleges that we get into here at Greenhills.

Ultimately, what matters most is finding a college that’s a good fit for you, both academically and personally. The college you are attending may not have been your first choice, but it could end up being the perfect place for you to thrive and grow. So, don’t be ashamed of where you go to college - be proud of all that you’ve accomplished and excited for all that’s yet to come!

mediocre chicken sandwiches, and the cardboard crust pizzas of public school, plumsmart was a savior, a glimpse of hope as I entered high school. I wondered if in four years I would be just as ungrateful for the food at plum market.

As I talked about our meals with friends from my middle school who came over to Greenhills, we gushed about the spice of the chicken curry and the sweetness and tanginess of General Tso’s chicken, taking seconds and thirds.

To this day I remain a loyal follower of Plum Market, feasting on their incredible flavors and exciting spices. Look forward to every meal and treasure the food they make. In the vacuum of greenhills, it might be easy to hyperfocus on every little detail, every missed spice. But in comparison to the meals which many kids suffer through, plum market provides an incredible amount and quality of food in an accessible buffet.

While 4 years might feel like a long time, these years will go by faster than you can expect. Instead of complaining about every little thing at Greenhills, it would be much wiser to fully enjoy the experiences you’ve had here and to show gratitude for everything you can, because eventually your time here will come to an end.

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Aditya Kutty‘23

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

SKATING ON ICE White (right) on the ice with FGR teammates Adam Kulick ‘23 (left) and Sean Cesarini ‘23 (middle). “I made a lot of friendhips and had a great time, my highschool experience woud not be the same without the hockey team,” said Griffin White ‘23.

BEAT GOES ON Kutty plays the drums at Arts and Humanities Night. “It’s been great being able to be a part of the Jazz band, I’ve learned so much other the years and grown my musical talents a lot,” said Kutti.

HOOSIER Wentzloff wearing his future school’s merch. “I’m proud of my achievements at Greenhils and can’t wait to show my full potential in Indiana,” said Lucas Wentloff ‘23.

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Photo by Lucas Wentzloff ‘23

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

“Skating on Mars” spins to the shelves

Teacher

Caroline

Huntoon

‘02’s debut novel comes out May 30

received hundreds of rejections.

‘25

EVA

Lifestyles Editor

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, many people took up new hobbies like knitting, baking, and painting. English teacher Caroline Huntoon ‘02 wrote their debut novel, “Skating on Mars”, which is being released on May 30. “Skating on Mars” tells the story of Mars, a non-binary 12-year-old figure skater’s journey to self discovery. Huntoon’s journey to writing began at a young age, through their love for storytelling, and has manifested itself in various ways since then.

“When I was a student at Greenhills, that [storytelling] came out in performing in theater and forensics,” said Huntoon. “I wrote some during and after college, but when I had my child, Winnie, in 2016, I needed a creative outlet that didn’t require that I get a babysitter or regularly be away from my child.”

This led to Huntoon finding their way back to writing.

“I started writing complete novels around when Winnie was born,” said Huntoon, “I was going to the Bread Loaf School of English, which is a Masters program through Middlebury College.”

In this program, Huntoon took a course called “Writing for Children,” where professors challenged them with course load and honest responses to their writing, especially pertaining to writing for children.

“Writing for children is actually very hard because ambiguity doesn’t always play well,” said Huntoon. “You need to be very clear about what you’re doing, what you’re describing, and the purpose of every word.”

“Part of it was that my craft wasn’t where it needed to be yet, but part of it is that publishing is a business decision,” said Huntoon. “People have to decide if they can sell a book and if it’s going to make money.”

Success finally came in December 2020 after Huntoon sent “Skating on Mars” to agents and got several responses that they were interested, and signed by one in January.

“I draw connections between the different spokes on the concept map to see what could stir up something interesting,” said Huntoon. “When you’re writing a book, you don’t just want one good idea, you want a few that could have interesting conversations with each other.”

For “Skating on Mars,” Huntoon connected figure skating, which they have always loved, with gender and grief, two things that they, and many others, were reflecting on during the pandemic.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS Collaborating with artist Violet Tobacco on the cover art for “Skating on Mars” was one of Huntoon’s favorite parts of the process. “My input for the cover was a description of Mars, I wanted a the cover to be clearly legible, and I wanted imagery from David Bowie’s ‘Aladdin Sane’ album cover somewhere on it. A small touch that I don’t think many people will notice is that Mars is wearing white skates in the drawing, but they are black in the reflection on the ice, which is significant to the story.”

From there, Huntoon began writing regularly, completing three unpublished nov - els before “Skating on Mars,” which Huntoon sent to agents, but

“We spent the winter revising and then in the spring we sent it to McMillan, who said that they would publish my book,” said Huntoon. “It takes a long time to make a book, and the speed at which I’ve done it is probably the fastest you can, with the exception of if I were a celebrity with a really hot button issue that I was writing about.”

The idea for “Skating on Mars” came to Huntoon from creating a concept map, an activity that they do every couple months on different topics and moments in pop culture that stick with them, or things that they are interested in learning about.

“Those three things together are what led me to this story,” said Huntoon.

When writing their novel two and a half years ago, Huntoon did not expect it to be released at such a time when trans rights are at the forefront of political debates across the country.

“I did not plan to write a book about a trans athlete in this moment when legislation around trans existence, particularly young people, with who should be allowed to compete are at an all time high,” said Huntoon. “I really hope that this book helps remind people that trans kids are kids.

They’re just kids who want to live their lives and they want to be happy and understood and they’re messy and they get in fights with their friends, but their transness doesn’t take away from their humanity.”

These complex conversations about gender come up for Mars throughout their story.

“Mars is super competitive and talented as a figure skater, but they keep bumping up against this gender thing that creates this struggle in their life, and there’s no good solution for it,” said Huntoon. “The book ends with a moment of activism, but it doesn’t end in solving the problem. Instead it says that this is something we need to be thinking about that affects young people all around.”

Huntoon said they hope that

“Skating on Mars” will create space for young readers to see themselves in an endearing main character who is dealing with many of the same things that they are.

“I hope that this book can also help people develop empathy and realize that the world may be a little bigger than they think.”

Huntoon’s sophomore novel, “Linus and Etta Could Use a Win,” will be released on May 7, 2024.

Sophomores in scouts navigate path to Eagle ranking

ELEANA ZHUANG ‘25

Lifestyles Staff

“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” That is the Scout Oath that Ayaan Ahmed ‘25, Jacob Perkins ‘25, and Lauren Sheffield ‘25 try to live up to every day. Scouts have weekly meetings and monthly campouts, but it is also full of other opportunities that these three sophomores have taken advantage of.

“Scouts is an organization where young kids from across the world come together,” said Ahmed. “It’s about having fun, becoming a better person, and learning new things.”

A big aspect of scouts is the desire for merit badges which is a prominent part of each meeting. Through the process of earning these badges, scouts learn a variety of skills, from cooking to learning about the United States government.

“You have a merit badge counselor for every merit badge and the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) have many pamphlets of requirements you need to complete in order to get the badge,” said Sheffield. “For example, we are learning about photography right now and my dad is the counselor because of the sports photography he does for Greenhills.”

For Perkins, his troop goes with a method called the edge method, a four-step technique that helps scouts not only earn a merit badge, but also retain the skills that they learn.

“Older scouts first teach us how to do the skill, demonstrate it in front of us, guide us through it, and lastly have us do it on our own,” said Perkins.

The time commitment for most scouts is about one to two hours, but Ahmed has taken up a leadership position that requires more time and effort for his troop.

“Scouts is really about leadership in young people which is why the adults are only there to supervise,” said Ahmed. “As a leader, I plan and run meetings, and plan what we’re doing at campouts that happen once every month.” Perkins shares a similar experience with Ahmed where he

Invasive or necessary Students divided over use of Life360

ADITYA KUTTY ‘23 Lifestyles Staff

With the rapid adoption of new parenting apps and technologies, one app has been especially notable in making its way into the phones of parents and teenagers alike: Life 360. Life360 is a location-sharing and family safety app that allows users to create a private network with their family and friends. The app uses GPS location data to track the real-time location of the members in the network, and users can also receive alerts when members arrive at or leave specific locations. While some parents and students recognize the value of being able to check on their friends or loved ones, others worry that it might be a breach of privacy and an overreach of a friend’s or parent’s authority.

Some students believe that, despite some drawbacks, Life360 can be a useful tool. Adrian Bardwell ‘23, who uses Life360 to track a couple of his friends, has used it to help determine how far his friends are from his house and can be valuable especially when they might be in need of some form of support. While Bardwell believes that Life360 is generally beneficial, he did admit that just a few of its features could be somewhat invasive, like those that enable others to notice a user’s driving habits.

“I feel like you can always just have an idea of what friends ing and if in some ble, you know where they are so you can help them out,” said Bardwell.

of their kids without breaching their privacy.

“Life360 can be invasive depending on who you have on it. Since I have my friends I don’t really care if they know where I am on it, unless I’m not somewhere that I’m supposed to be that they would care,” said Batts. “I wouldn’t use Life360 as a parent. I might have their location on Find My iPhone, but I feel like it is too much to have Life 360 with your child. I also don’t like others being able to see my top speed, especially when I’m going fast speeds”

Jibreel Rehman ‘24 uses Life360 to share his location with his family members and with an old group of friends from his swim team. Unlike some who view it as beneficial, Rehman found that Life360 can feel like a breach of privacy when used by his family, and expressed that he didn’t find much value in having it, noting that he hasn’t used it to track his friends from the swim team, many of whom have graduated and moved out to college.

“But I also think that sometimes it could be invasive because of the different paid features it has, like knowing your driving style, like where you are all the time is kind of invasive.”

Orrin Batts ‘23 had stronger opinions about Life360, believing that while when used by trusted friends it might not be as invasive, when used by parents it could be overprotective and a breach of privacy. Batts, who also only uses Life360 to track his friends, found that while it has helped him to have his friends keep him accountable when it came to attendance of important events, he does think that certain features that share information about his driving style might be unnecessary and was not something he enjoyed. For parents, he pointed to other apps like the “Find My iPhone” app as a better means for parents to keep track

“It can be a little bit invasive.” said Rehman.”I kind of don’t like having it and I feel like as soon as I move out of the house I might delete that app. The feeling of having your privacy invaded is what I dislike about it. While I might not maintain Life360 with my parents, I might keep it with my friends from the swim team. I don’t know. I mean most of them are off in college too, I don’t think there’s much of a point in having it to be completely honest,” he said.

Despite viewing Life360 as invasive, he did note that he has found some use in the way that it has helped him know where his parents are, especially when he might need to get picked up.

“Though I think to some extent, it’s necessary because it’s good to have someone know where you are.” said Rehman. “I don’t have access to a car most of the time, so when my mom leaves the house and comes to pick me up at school I get notified when she’s at school while I’m already ready to walk out - I think that’s pretty helpful.”

spends extra hours outside of meetings to plan.

“I lead meetings so when we start, I organize and make sure everything is running smoothly,” said Perkins. “Having a leadership position also means I have separate meetings with other leaders and during that time we plan future meetings and campouts.”

the same rank. Sheffield decided to join after the pandemic, resulting in a late start for her in the scouting community.

“I started at the beginning of ninth grade, but most people go through cub scouts when they’re in seventh grade,” said Sheffield. “I heard about it from one of my close friends who is in a troop that needed new members.”

Sheffield’s troop is very small, with only six people, when most troops have 15-20 people. This has led to some limitations for her and her troop.

“We usually work on merit badges together during meetings and sometimes we plan other trips, but my troop has a hard time going on them because of the size,” said Sheffield. “I would rather have more people but I can’t do much about it. We bond better but it also leads to potential new tensions which are gonna happen with every group.”

Ahmed’s favorite part of scouts is the Mackinaw Scout Service Camp, a limited opportunity that only a select number of scouts get to experience. This requires him to stand in a position called parade rest for two to three hours like a soldier.

“We are a part of the governor’s honor guard which is very official and the governor of Michigan came out to shake hands with some of us,” said Ahmed. “We help out tourists when they come out and ask for directions. There is a long flight of stairs where we help people carry their stuff up. We’re also supposed to know the history of Mackinaw Island before going, so we tell people about it as well.”

Ahmed, Perkins, and Sheffield have had different experiences with scouts, but one goal is the same for all three of them: to achieve the Eagle Scout rank. Once they achieve the Eagle, they hope to continue until the end of high school.

“Once you turn 18 you cannot be a scout anymore,” said Ahmed. “You can come back as an adult leader though, hopefully, I will get Eagle this year, and then I can stay on as a leader and come back as an adult leader.”

In 2019, Boy Scouts of America made their program available to girls. Now, girls can start troops that are subsections of the boy’s troops. Although the program is still referred to as Boy Scouts,

BERNSTEIN

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Photo courtesy of Jacob Perkins‘25

Image aquired from Macmillan Publishers

MAY 26, 2023

From classroom to court

Becky Randolph’s passion for service transforms lives and elevates women’s tennis

RISHI VERMA ‘23

School Staff

Randolph leads by example: Inspires students “How much she does and continues to do for everyone around her is inspiring,” said Parini Rao ‘24.

life,” said Randolph when reflecting on her involvement with HouseN2home. Randolph’s work with HouseN2home has expanded to involve students at Greenhills, who have participated in service day events and weekend volunteering op-

families in Washtenaw County. The organization started with just Becky and her four best friends doing service on their own, and has since grown to include four vans and four full-time employees.

Becky Randolph’s has made an impact on the Greenhills community through service and leadership. Randolph’s commitment to service began long before she arrived at Greenhills. She attributes her passion for service to her upbringing, which instilled in her the value of giving back to the community.

“I’m very grateful for the position I am in life and the resources I have available to me, so giving back to the community has never been a question,” says Randolph.

Randolph has volunteered with several organizations over the years, including HouseN2home and Planned Parenthood. HouseN2home, which she co-founded in 2017, provides furnishings to those transitioning out of homelessness in Washtenaw County.

What I’ve gained is a lot of empathy for people who find themselves without a home. We often see the really hard-luck cases of people on the streets, but what you learn is that the range of homelessness encompasses so many people of such varieties of

portunities. In addition to her work with HouseN2home, Randolph has volunteered at Planned Parenthood for over a decade and helped establish a yearly fundraising event that has raised a total of $200,000 over the past ten years. She also uses her skills as a teacher to develop a culture for Greenhills women’s tennis.

“Back in 2017 when Becky first came to Greenhills, we had a vision for the women’s middle school and upper school teams to be one team,” said varsity women’s tennis coach Mark Randolph, who is also her husband.

Becky’s efforts on the middle school end of the tennis courts lead to an impact on the varsity team, with students noting that they already feel like they know what a team is about before they even join the varsity team.

Becky’s dedication to service and ability to make a difference in the community have left a lasting impact on the Greenhills community and beyond. Her work with HouseN2home has furnished homes of over 700 individuals and

“It’s really amazing and I don’t think anyone expected for it to turn into what it did,” said Becky.

Moreover, Becky’s vision of cultivating interest in making real, tangible change to the community has led to many students volunteering with HouseN2home on their own.

“This experience allowed me to see the kind of impact this type of volunteer work has. You can see the direct influence you’re making on the community,” said Harper Cash ‘26, a Greenhills student who has volunteered with HouseN2home for several years.

Students who have worked with Becky on HouseN2home and other service projects appreciate her leading by example when it comes to service.

“It’s much easier to be inspired by and listen to someone who’s actually spent so much of their life giving back,” said Bennett Formicola ‘24.

Becky’s impact on the Greenhills community is far-reaching, with students and colleagues alike appreciating her dedication to service and leadership.

Her work with HouseN2home has provided basic furnishings to those transitioning out of homelessness, while her involvement with Planned Parenthood has raised thousands of dollars for the organization.

Her efforts to develop a culture for Greenhills women’s tennis have resulted in a cohesive and successful team.

“A true team and lots of talent mean the sky’s the limit for us,” said Mark.

NCAA gains three new Gryphons

PRANAY SHAH ‘23

Editor-at-Large

Friends, family, and faculty gathered in the east gym on May 2 to watch Rishi Verma ‘23, Meezan Hamzavi ‘23, and Chakor Sankaran Rajendra ‘23 sign their national letters of intent and celebrate their achievement of making it to the collegiate level in their respective sports.

Grinnell College’s women’s basketball team added Hamzavi with her signature. The three year varsity player, who has signed to play for the team, was praised by her coach for her passion and dedication to the sport.

“Meezan has a passion and love for the game that is what makes her special,” said varsity basketball coach Tiffany Willard. “She is the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. She has a routine every day before she leaves practice.”

Willard stated that the team is getting an athlete who is hardworking, knowledgeable about the game, smart, and passionate. Despite coming back from an injury, her coach is confident that Hamzavi has a bright future in the sport.

“There is just so much more basketball in her future,” said Willard. “That [injury] tapped into her love for the game, because if you take away playing, she has to look at the game differently and that’s only going to make her better when she comes back.”

Reflecting on her own signing day, Willard noted that she had never experienced such a celebration. Willard played basketball at the University of Michigan from 1997-1998.

“I had a signing day, not like this though. It was just me and my family,” they said. “I think it’s great and shows all your hard work.” Hamzavi is no stranger to the work it requires to make it to the collegiate level. Her brother Naazir Hamzavi committed to play at

Freshman focuses scientific research on leukemia, lung disease, and COVID-19

IZZY BARU ‘25

Lifestyles Editor From memorizing the periodic table to competing in science fairs all around Michigan, Judy Bai ‘26 has continued to foster her love for science. Over the past couple of years Bai has been a consistent competitor going against students two to three years older than her. This past March, Bai received first place in a category competition during the Science and Engineering Fair of Metropolitan Detroit (SEFMD).

Bai’s interest in science and STEM began in elementary school. Bai’s father is a bioinformatics researcher and encouraged her to begin participating in fairs once she entered middle school. Science fairs are competitions where students choose a topic that interests them and conduct research about it. Students then enroll in the fair where they go through a series of judging with the goal of winning awards. Research is worked on over the span of a couple of years. During the fair, booths are set up where students present their information or bring in trial experiments. The

ested in their research projects and have them share their work with other students who accepted.

Bai qualified for Broadcom MASTERS as a finalist. The finalists were selected from a pool of 1,841 entrants. Her research was about,

“Computational Predictions of COVID-19 Risky Genes Associated with Lung Cancer.”

Bai’s research was influenced by her mother’s work with elderly patients with lung diseases. Bai learned that many of her mother’s patients had passed from COVID-19, this sparked an interest in whether there could be a link between the two.

“When I googled if there was an association, nothing came up, so then I knew I had to study if my prediction was true,” said Bai. “It became this big burning question for me.”

Before Bai experienced success with her research she faced a couple of struggles. From not getting the results she wanted to losing two years of work, she had to work through every problem thrown at her.

“Once I realized that I had been using the wrong data set for over a third of my work I was heartbroken, but my own motivation helped me solve the problem and get back on track,” said Bai.

“This trial and error also allowed me time to work on my side projects which was nice because it can be stressful managing so many different projects.”

fairs compete at different levels, ranging from elementary, middle, and high school.

“I’ve always been a STEM nerd but once I started competing in fairs like Broadcom my love for science just escalated,” said Bai.

Bai’s first middle school division science fair was for SEFMD. This led to her being qualified for the 2021 Broadcom MASTERS science fair. Broadcom MASTERS is a program founded and produced by Society for Science. The purpose of the program is to find students inter-

Beloit college’s men’s basketball 4 years ago.

“I remember him signing his national letter of intent and I always looked forward to signing mine,” said Hamzavi. “He is a big reason why I am the player I am today and I would not be able to achieve this without him.”

Meezan, like the other signees, has her coach confident that her passion, dedication, and hard work will make her a valuable asset to Grinnell in Iowa.

Rajendra committed to playing tennis at Johns Hopkins University.

“Chakor won 94 percent of all matches he’s played as a varsity tennis player, with a record of 98-6,” said varsity tennis coach Eric Gajar. “He won four regional titles individually, four state titles individually, and was named All-Academic for all four years.”

Bai’s other project is on childhood leukemia. Bai competed in the SEFMD during her 8th grade year as well with the basics of her leukemia research. During this year Bai made it to the international fair where she got the opportunity to sit in a seminar with 30 other students led by the CEO of Society for Science.

“It was such an interesting experience,” said Bai. “After she finished the seminar she introduced herself to all the applicants and spoke individually to us about our plans with our research.”

As Bai entered high school at Greenhills she was dedicated to continuing to compete in

often wanted to be pushed. He made people better on and off the court and was the captain his senior year.”

Gajar’s description of Rajendra’s leadership qualities and determination to excel high-

Gajar praised Rajendra’s dedication and hard work, citing his note-taking skills and leadership on and off the court.

“He set a high bar for himself and his teammates,” said Gajar. “He led the team in conditioning and pushed them further than they

lights the caliber of student-athlete that Johns Hopkins is acquiring. As Rajendra steps into this new chapter of his academic and athletic journey, he shared his enthusiasm for joining the prestigious university and carrying on its tradition of excellence.

“I am excited to join the Johns Hopkins team and contribute to its legacy of excellence,” said Rajendra. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love at the next

science fairs. Her first competition in the high school division was with the SEFMD. She worked as a team with a freshman from Skyline High School.

“I was pretty nervous at first going into the fair,” said Bai. “However there were a lot of amazing researchers so as the fair continued I felt better and enjoyed the great experience.”

Bai’s research surrounded “Characterization of Racial Disparities in Cancers by Predicting Bio Markers.” Her inspiration for her studies was because of an upward trend of racial disparities in cancer and her interest in a potential career in the medical field. Due to Bai not being old enough to conduct her experiments in a lab she used research tools she had learned from research organizations like The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). These tools allowed her to access resources that had cataloged the genetic mutations responsible for cancer. Bai said help came from Head of Upper School Deano Smith. Smith said he has been attending science fairs for the past couple of years. Smith, already familiar with the paperwork, would check in with Bai and help when needed. “I was excited when I found out Judy was interested in attending the science fair,” said Smith. “It is a very energizing environment because everyone is into what is happening and geeking out about science.”

The competition consisted of two rounds of judging. If students passed both rounds then they were selected as an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalist. Out of the two rounds Bai’s team made it past the first.

While Bai did not win any of the round awards she placed first in a category award. Organizations send judges who will offer awards based on categories students are participating in. Bai competed in computational biology and won an award from the US Agency of International Development (USAID).

Despite not placing as a finalist this year, Bai is interested in attending the SEFMD throughout high school. She will continue her research surrounding leukemia in children.

level and to be a part of such a great academic institution.”

Rajendra is not the only member of the men’s tennis team committing to play at the collegiate level this year.

Rishi Verma signed to play men’s tennis at Swarthmore College.

“Rishi had 4 years as a varsity athlete, 4 individual state, regional and all academic titles all catholic all state,” Gajar said. “Best Winning percentage in school history 114-2. 98 percent he was dependable on the court and off.”

Gajar also spoke about Verma’s leadership skills and how he helped elevate his team. However, Verma was told by many coaches over the years to quiet down at tennis matches.

“He led by example, often finishing his match because he was more worried about supporting his teammates than winning his own. He was the team’s cheerleader vocally, sometimes too vocally,” Gajar stated.

Verma’s dedication to the program and his love for the sport was clear to see. His brother Sonaal Verma is a Greenhills tennis alumni and also helped lead the team to a state championship two times.

“Rishi clearly cares about the program’s legacy as he has been watching the program for as long as I can remember,” Gajar added.

Verma and his fellow tennis star, Rajendra, have been playing tennis beside each other since 6th grade and had a unique relationship.

“Rishi and Chakor often had a lovehate relationship more like a married couple than anything I’d seen,” Gajar said. “Their arguing no doubt drove one another to higher and higher heights. The program moved up to Division 3 all four of their years at the behest of them and those who came before them. They helped put and keep Greenhills tennis on the map not just locally but statewide.”

CHECKING IN “Service Night is always a great time to showcase why giving back is so important and how we can be more proactive,” said Becky Randolph.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Chakor Sankaran Rajendra ‘23 (left), Meezan Hamzavi ‘23 (middle), and Rishi Verma ‘23 (right) sign NCAA letters of intent May 2.

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw

Photo courtesy of Michael Shaw GET A CLOSER LOOK Judy Bai ‘26 focuses on science experiment at Broadcom MASTERS.

Record: Catholic league meets: Girls 2nd place in three meets; Boys 2nd place in two meets and 3rd place in one.

Special shoutout: “Lauren Sheffield ‘25 has been strong in multiple areas this season, she competes in multiple events and is flexible to go where we need her to go,” said head coach Mackenzie Hess.

Memorable moments: “I am looking forward to some of the rekindled old traditions, such as the 9th and 10th grade meet at Fenton High School when the 11th and 12th graders come out to support their teammates. I am also looking forward to the 9th grade meet where we always get ice cream after,” said Vic Cunningham ‘24.

Memorable moments: “The Whitmore Lake invitational tarted raining and tents were blowing away and it wasreally funny. One of my favorite team bonding moments is when we decorate the bus for regionals because everyone writes supportive messages and cute designs on it.”

Coach Quote: “Sam Dorfman ‘23 and Talen Piltz ‘25 had the most hits in Greenhills baseball history in one year. The fact that they were able to accomplish that is pretty remarkable,” said coach Tom Ward.

MVP: “Jeremiah Bowman ‘25 has been really great as our catcher since two of our other catchers were injured. The fact that we’re still doing so well despite all the injuries is a really great sign that everyone is ready and prepared to step up when they need to.”

Favorite memory: My favorite moment was when Talen [Pilz ‘25] hit his first home run against Lutheran Northwest. It was the first home run I’ve seen anybody hit in my two years here, and I thought it was a really awesome moment for him,” said Bowman.

Player Quote:“[Being on the team] is a way to be a part of a larger community, and to make friends, said Bowman.

Season Status: “We doubled our win total from last year which sounds really exciting, except it’s a total of two.” said assistant coach Chris Lemoine, “We’ve had a lot of growth, we’ve really struggled with injuries down the homestretch from concussions to ACL tears, which has really hurt the depth of our team.

Season Highlight: “That first win we had against riverview gabriel richard.” said Lemoine, “We acted like we had just won the superbowl. We stormed the field, dogpiled, it was just like ‘We won!’ I think the team as a whole started to really click.”

MVP: “The two that I give the tip of the hat are our captain Graeme Jagger ‘23, phenomenal leadership as a senior leading this team from last year and building off that, but also Bennett Formicola ‘24 who stepped into goal when we had an injury, and has taken leadership of the defense and owned that and has really grown from where he started,” said Lemoine.

Player quote: “We’re a pretty young team so it felt really good to see all the young guys improve throughout the season.” said Formicola ‘24.

Dual match record: 5-1

MVP: “Max Shulman is the MVP. He’s had multiple rounds under par and certainly the best scoring average on the team. [The hole in one] was very exciting,” said Coach Karr.

Player Quote: “My goal is to keep on playing well. Regionals are coming up soon, so I want to do well there and hopefully win states. Practice is always fun with all the guys,” said Max Shulman ‘24

Favorite memory: “The first event of the year was called the Splitter Splitter. It was a split squad type thing where I got to take eight guys, so it was a big team thing to kick off the season.”

Dual Match Record: 6-2-2

MVP: Danika Rakic-Dennis ‘26

“Danica Rakic-Dennis is doing outstanding this season,” said Coach Mark Randolph. “She is playing 3 singles and is currently undefeated in dual matches. As a freshman, she has taken a leadership role. She is a powerful force and is finding her momentum throughout the season. She plays big points big.”

Player Quote: “The team is so fun and collaborative,” said Rakic-Dennis. “One thing about tennis is that it is such an individual sport that many players don’t know what it’s like to be on a team. Personally, I have made lots of new friends and have been improving my game throughout the season and really getting a lot of experience.

Favorite memory: “Winning Catholic leagues was definitely the highlight of the season,” said Randolph. “Watching the girls celebrate and use the motivation going into States and Regionals is very fun to watch because tennis is all about momentum and they definitely have tons of it right now.”

Record: 2-5-1

Memorable moment: “Playing against Liggett. They have the top player in the state who is going to UNC next year and she is the #12 overall recruit in the country and we held her to 0 goals,” said assistant coach Harry Berkowitz.

MVP: Our 2 senior captains have been leading the team well.

Memorable moment:“When Ava scored the first goal of the season,” said Jessica Wu ‘24

Season Status: “Pretty good, the best have ever been. Our team feels more organized like our positions and shape,” said Berkowitz. “[However,] we had a little setback when we lost Katie who got injured recently.