V25 I2 - December 13, 2024

Friday, December 13, 2024

The Student Newspaper of Greenhills School

Middle school clubs relaunch New system established for grades 6-8

WILLIAM ENGELSBE ‘28 student leaders of it so that the faculty “So she asked if I would be the faculty sponsor Sports Staff member is really just the adult in the room sufor it, and I said yes because I also love to walk.

Joining a club is an essential part of the pervising, but the students are really taking ownSo we all meet and go for a walk every TuesGreenhills experience. Each year new clubs are ership of what they’re going to do every day.” day.” proposed. At the same time, established clubs This year, Diaz and Maldonado reAs both a sixth grade teacher and a help students continue to explore their interests. ceived 73 club proposals. 32 club slots were middle school club leader, Yavor has a unique Until this school year, middle school clubs were available so many clubs had to be placed in the perspective on these new changes. adult sponsored. Clubs were proposed by adults next club session which starts after winter break.

“Now, we have a bigger variety in the and students were invited to join. No commit“It’s about student leadership and stuclubs that are happening on Tuesdays and Friment was required. Students were free to days,” said Yavor. “I like that kids come and go. get to be in two different clubs if “When Ms. Burroughs prethey want to be. And I think it’s pares for her club this year, she’s expectgreat that all students are in clubs ing a certain number of students,” said because I think it encourages them Head of Middle School Mayra Diaz. to hang out with people that may“The way we had it last year, people be they don’t see in class or maybe could drop in and out. Maybe she’d have make new connections, especially four people, maybe she’d have 10 peofor our 6th graders. They’re still ple. It was hard to prepare for that. The finding their people and figuring same thing happened with the Pickleball out where they fit at Greenhills, so Club. I would set up four nets and three it’s another nice way to connect.” people would come one week and then

While middle school the next week 10 people would come. clubs have gone through changes That was hard to prepare for.” in recent years, the high school The changes made this year clubs have remained mostly the aim to counter that problem. Students same throughout that time. will decide where they will spend C&C

“I think developbefore it happens. This means students mentally, upper school students are able to be marked in an attendance are in a place where they can be sheet by the club supervisor. In theory, much more independent,” said this makes preparation easier for teachDiaz. “You also know what you ers. like and you’re more committed “For me, it’s not really affectto those things. And so when you Photo by William Engelsbe ‘28 join a club, you’re doing it with a ed how I organize and prepare,” said art teacher Nicole Burroughs. “I have heard SERVICE STARS Annabelle Brummett ‘30, Saanvika Nichani ‘30 and Audrey Vaidya ‘30 level of commitment that requires from some of my students that it’s a bit participate in R.O.C.K.S (Ripples of Caring and Kindness in School) service club. R.O.C.K.S a little more maturity. In middle hard for them to get into clubs. I don’t is one of many clubs at Greenhills aimed at helping students find their passions and give back school, it varies.” to the community, which can be quite a task. “It was a little crazy organizing 310 kids into 18 know how true that is, but I think because

Maldonado said the clubs and organizing 310 kids into 18 more clubs,” said Maldonado. “But they did a good job.” clubs are done in a rotation, for some key to this new club system is students it might be harder to commit to student leadership. Historically, that and then get their opportunity to go in on dent choice,” said Maldonado. “They know adults have acted as the leader of clubs, organizthe pottery wheel. I think there’s some benefits what’s cool. Way better than I do. They know ing and directing activities. This year’s new club to it, because it does encourage more students what they’ll enjoy way better than I do. It gives system is designed to have students as club leadto participate in clubs across the board because them a way to exercise their voice. It’s about ers. Teacher will shift into the supervisor role. they have to sign up for something.” them telling us what they want and then us doing The aim of this new system is to allow what we can to make that happen.”

“For some clubs, no one was willing for students to propose club ideas more easily.

Walking club was proposed and orgato be the student lead of it,” said Maldonado.

This has created many new clubs as a result. nized through this new student centered club “And I didn’t pick that one because the key to “Now, instead of kids coming up with system. Annabel Masias ’31 is the student leadthe success of the first round of the clubs was if clubs at random times or having clubs that we’ve er of this club along with social science teacher there was a student that was really bought in and always had, we put together a proposal form for Lauren Yavor. wanted to run it.” students to propose any club they were interest“Annabel thought it would be great to ed in having,” said Middle School Dean Bridget use the last 30 minutes of the day to go for a Maldonado. “We then also asked them to be the walk outside and get some fresh air,” said Yavor.

Detroit mayor, student panel discuss political climate

EVA BERNSTEIN ‘25 Editor in Chief

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan visited Greenhills Nov. 20 for a panel engaging in conversation with students as part of the League for Civil Discourse’s 2024 Fall Symposium of Ideas. He spoke about topics ranging from Detroit’s resurgence to political polarization. I spoke with Mayor Duggan, after the panel, about ways that Greenhills students can get involved in Detroit, his time in office, and his plans for the future.

Eva Bernstein: What role do you see young people taking in fostering Detroit’s momentum as a growing city?

Mayor Duggan: “It’s the young people that are providing the energy. They come down on nights and weekends. In the Detroit that I worked in for most of my life, people drove in at 8:30 in the morning, they left at 5:30 at night, and it was dead in between. Now, the vibrancy downtown from young people is what’s driving our recovery.”

EB: What opportunities exist for Greenhills students to engage in Detroit?

MD: “We run summer internship programs out of the mayor’s office. My son’s senior project was in the homicide unit of the Detroit police department. There are plenty of opportunities for senior projects in Detroit.”

EB: What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment as mayor?

MD: “We’ve gotten Detroiters to move away from the ‘us vs. them’ politics.’ That’s how the city has grown so effectively. Now that’s become part of the city’s DNA, that we’re unified.”

Photo courtesy of John Lund

EB: What about being the mayor of Detroit surprised you?

MD: “I’m surprised by how supportive people have been to me for 11 straight years. If you were with me, no matter where I go, whether it be the store or the gas station, they’ll come up to hug me and take a picture. Then they’ll tell me about the dead tree in front of their house that they want fixed, but I’m amazed by how supportive they’ve been.”

Editor’s Note: Duggan announced he will not run for reelection as mayor of Detroit Nov. 13, the office he has held since 2014. On Dec. 4, Duggan announced he plans to seek to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Lansing. While he serves as mayor as a Democrat, he said he will run for governor as an independant candidate in 2026.

Championing change MAIRA NAGPAL ‘28, Sports Staff

Taking flight

HUGH JORDAN ‘26, School Staff

Volume 25, Issue 2

There will be a winter, but no formal

IZZY BARU ‘25 Managing Editor, Print There will be no blue and white balloons, there will be no shining disco ball, and there will be no DJ setup in the middle of the lunchroom. This year there will be no winter formal. The dance has been canceled but student council, or StuCo, hopes to create a new tradition in place of it.

While prom and homecoming are the most well-known high school dances, winter formal has been around the past three winters, to celebrate the end of spirit week with a party on Saturday.

“My understanding was that winter formal was added during COVID-19 for the freshman and sophmores because they did not get to attend prom,” said upper school dean of students Janelle Sterling.

Sterling said the dance was canceled this year due to a scheduling conflict with an Ethics Bowl conference hosted at Greenhills.

This event appears to typically take place before every winter formal; however due to the amount of students attending and previous issues with the bowl impacting StuCo’s ability to set up for the dance, administrators have decided to entirely remove the dance from the calendar.

“Our schedule is just very jam packed during that time so there is no way to move winter formal to another weekend,” said Sterling. “It also wouldn’t completely make sense because the dance was placed specifically to commemorate the ending of spirit week.”

Besides the logistical issue, Sterling has found that according to the data of attendees in comparison to homecoming, winter formal was the least attended of the dances.

“I was disappointed to learn in August that there would be no dance,” said StuCo representative Jonah Kaplan ‘26. “However StuCo had no control over this so I hope students won’t place blame on us for canceling the dance. We hope to find something just as good or better to end off that week.”

StuCo, in charge of all student interest events, has been meeting every Monday during C&C to brainstorm and discuss what could go in place of winter formal. Sterling has challenged them to think of an event that could end off that Friday. There has been various talk of what could go in place of the dance.

“It’s still in the talking stages and we are trying to build suspense,” said StuCo representative Roger Mariani ‘27. “But that day we are ending with two basketball games so we are hoping to add something that incorporates elements of the dance but will also bring students out to support the teams.”

While winter formal is canceled for this year, Sterling and the StuCo representatives are unsure if the dance will make a return in following years.

“I think it might be gone for good,” said Sterling. “I believe that it is too early to say but the only reason I think that is because anytime you take something away it’s hard to bring it back. It will be interesting to see what the student body has to say about it because there has always been a mix of opinions surrounding the dance. I feel like students truly just want a place to gather with something to do and I am more than happy to provide that. ” Some students love the thought of dressing up and dancing, however others aren’t so thrilled by the idea. Students’ emotions regarding the cancellation seem to range from indifferent to devastated.

“I am upset that it was canceled,” said Lauren Ye ‘26. “ I wish the winter formal was still happening because the timing of it was good.

I enjoyed how it was right in between homecoming and prom, it gave me something to look forward to.”

Bravo!

MATILDA WOLFERS ‘26, School Staff

View these stories exlusively online at https://greenhillsalcove.com

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DEC. 13, 2024

Our New Year’s resolution: community engagement

As teenagers, we are often told that we have the power to change the world. While this can be emboldening, it can also feel daunting and patronizing coming from adults. Just last month, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke directly to young Americans in her concession speech following the presidential election.

“Don’t ever give up,” said Harris. “Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power. And don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before. You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world.”

This call to action made headlines, and while on one hand, it is empowering to hear a prominent political figure shout out your age demographic, it is also a bit unsettling to hear our nation’s leaders pin the responsibility for progress on us.

We are constantly told that it is up to us to reverse climate change and end the school shooting epidemic, issues that are not the products of our actions but that we are now responsible for solving, especially given the fact that our generation shoulders the majority of their burdens. Take into consideration the fact that the vast majority of Greenhills students are unable to vote, and we are left with a student body that has been on the receiving end of calls to action and messaging that we are the future, when most of the time, it feels as if there is no way to make a meaningful impact on society.

While it is important to take time to reflect in the wake of the recent election, it is essential that we look into how we, America’s youth, can be catalysts of change. Candidates would not speak to us if they did believe in us; they are in our corner. It is our job, though, to find ways that we can get involved and make a difference, and believe it or not, a vote is not the only meaningful way to use your voice.

Get involved. Join a campaign. Protest an unjust proposition.

This past election cycle, students were involved in various campaigns and found it to be an extremely effective outlet for their energy. While the presidential campaign often soaks up the limelight, don’t forget the importance of our local elections. State representative, state supreme court, and city council member races are often easier to get involved in, and these are all important people who make decisions for us as a local and statewide communi-

ty. Knocking on doors and phone banking can seem trivial, but it is one of the most useful things you can do in these local elections. Having these difficult conversations about strong beliefs is hard, but important to grow intellectually in your ideals. Every house and every person makes a difference in these small elections that can get decided by less than a couple hundred votes. In these ever-changing times, it’s important to make sure that we are represented and cared for by our local government.

Now, you may be thinking, ‘Politics isn’t for me. What are other ways that I can get involved and make a difference?’ Luckily for you, there is no shortage of opportunities when it comes to community engagement, and, even better, Greenhills provides the resources to find causes that appeal to people with diverse interests, such as applying to join SLICE (Student Leaders in Civic Engagement) to create various service opportunities for your peers like the Pathway Adventures where you can sign up to help out at a local organization over the weekend or during your free period. From volunteering at Food Gatherers to doing crafts with kids at King Elementary, you could find a new interest and leave with meaningful memories, all while creating positive change in our community.

Alternatively, if you have conflicts during the time that this programming is offered, you can still complete small acts of kindness each day. Write a nice message on the sidewalk with chalk or hold the door for t h e person behind you as you enter the library. The truth is, you can’t change the world until you change yourself, and these seemingly mundane acts are the perfect way to start. Regardless of magnitude, any action taken to improve society, whether it be on a nationwide campaign or within the walls of our school, is meaningful.

As we approach the new year, many people are in the spirit to break bad habits and start new ones, writing down their resolutions. There are the usual goals: organizing your closet, exercising, and reading more, but this year, we ask that you actively engage in our community. It’s true, New Year’s Day is a great date to start something new, but there’s also no time like the present. Don’t wait until Monday to start journaling, and certainly don’t wait until 2025 to start using your voice for good.

The morning after

What the election results say about the Greenhills community

BILLY ROZELLE ‘27 If you talked to a Greenhills student before Nov. 5, the results of the presidental election seemed like a sure thing.

From discussions about “eating cats and dogs” to agreements and disagreements on political issues such as immigration and women’s rights, the majority opinion was clear: the Greenhills community did not believe in a vision of the next four years offered by former President Donald Trump.

Despite this, it would not come true, Trump becoming President-elect Donald Trump at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, after the Associated Press called Wisconsin in his favor. Trump went on to win all seven swing states en route to a landmark victory, winning the popular vote for the first time in all three of his elections and leading Republicans to flip the Senate and retain control of the House.With such a massive victory by a can-

Graphics by Megan Peng ‘25

didate that many students had placed little belief in, the statement has to be made: The political viewpoints of those at Greenhills can not tell us anything at all on a national scale.

Part of the disconnect comes through the diversity of the Greenhills community. Greenhills has managed to assemble cultures and people from all groups, but a lack of diversity in political opinions appears regularly. Nationally, this sharing of cultures does not appear, but political opinions differ drastically throughout. According to the 2020 census, 61.6 percent of the population identifies as white. Of the voting public, that number swells to a stunning 71 percent. Of that 71 percent, 57 percent voted for former President Trump, who carried the votes of 60 percent of white men, who make up one-third of the voting population, and 53 percent of white women, who make up an even larger 37 percent of voters. Of the 29 percent of non-white voters, 64 percent voted for Harris. Looking further into this demographic, additional stunning figures are seen, such as 91 percent of Black women voting for Harris. With such massive numbers for one candidate, it would seem that those votes would carry them to the White House. However, Black women only make up 7 percent of the voting population, and 7.8 percent of the entire population. In short, there is simply not enough diversity in the American voting population and the general population to flip the scales away from a candidate that the majority of white voters wanted in office.

Another reason that Greenhills viewpoints do not match up with the outcome of the election is the massive push for college education seen throughout all grades in the school. If you walk into the 11th grade forum, you will see a seemingly chaotic mass of information about starting the college application process. Instead of a faculty leader’s office, the offices of the college counselors are instantly available for any student to receive information. In 12th grade, the first semester

consists of a mad dash to perfect your applications, which is then followed with heavy anticipation to find out if you have been admitted into your dream school. However, for most of the country, the exact opposite can be found. 62 percent of Americans lack a college degree, but they do fill out their ballots. In this election, Trump carried 56 percent of voters without a college degree, who made up a stunning 57 percent of voters. Connecting back to the large margins of white voters he carried, 66 percent of white non-college-educated voters filled in a ballot for Trump. This demographic made up almost 40 percent of all voters.

The numbers don’t lie. America has forever been the great melting pot, but at the ballot box, the stirring seems to stop. Greenhills shows viewpoints from all different paths of life, but these paths converge to end at the same political stances.

The main issue in believing that Greenhills politics match up with American politics at all is disregarding the white, male, non-college-educated voter. At the end of the day, this is a demographic that will not be seen at any point in the halls of Greenhills. This demographic will, however, be seen at the polling place, deciding who becomes the next President of the United States.

The next four years are shaping up to be extremely eventful. The Republican Party has been given, as Trump put it, “an unprecedented and powerful mandate” to, as he told RFK Jr., “go wild” on legislation, and they have two years until the 2026 midterm elections to push it through. A lot will change in the country, but the Greenhills demographics will most likely not. This gives community members two years to find ways to reach the demographics not seen here. If they want to truly find the opinions of the majority of the voting public, they will have to leave the halls of Greenhills and reach out to others. This is where they will find the average American, worried about the economy and their working-class job rather than how fit a certain candidate is for the role.

Why we need to be better at not sharing grades TWOEY BULLOCK ‘27 When you walk into the forums here at Greenhills, you hear the lively chatter of students talking to their friends and schoolmates.

After a big quiz or test, you start to hear, “How did you do?” or “What did you get?” After two full years here, I’m starting to get tired of this.

Sometimes, I want to keep my test scores to myself, even when I do really well on a test.

But because it’s second nature to me now, every time my grade has a big test, I share my score.

Think of grade sharing as a game.

Many of us here at Greenhills are competitive and want to win this game, but to avoid being a total jerk, they don’t wish to show off when they win, mostly. So when someone asks you how you did on the test, internally they are trying to compare their score to yours. After you tell them your score, if your score is higher than theirs, they know that they just lost to you but because you yourself want to know if you won as well, you ask them for their score. They tell you your score and you are feeling better from the interaction and they are feeling worse. You tell each other things like “Oh, great job” or “You did so good” and both of you continue your days.

For good test takers who score high on most of their tests, this game is fun because they mostly always win, but for those who struggle with tests, these interactions are dreadful. Some may argue that these people can just say “I prefer not to share” when asked to share their test grade, but because of peer pressure and wanting to fit into Greenhills student societal norms, they usually end up sharing their scores and losing these competitions frequently. What if we ended these competitions and talked about any other topic? I know many of us enjoy sharing our grades, but I think grades should stay personal whether you have straight A’s or you’re barely passing your classes.

After every big test you have, instead of sharing your specific score when someone asks what grade you got, give that person a vague answer such as, “good”, “bad”, “okay”, or “I bombed it”. You can still share your grades in this way, but with a general answer, you’ve answered their question and you’ve kept your specific grade private.

I know it will be difficult to stop sharing specific grades, but if more people become less specific about the grades they got or have in a class, our community as a whole will benefit. So the next time you are tempted to ask for someone’s grade or tell another person your grade, don’t do it, because it could be harmful to either them or you.

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor, Print Managing Editor, Online Art and Design Editor School Editor School Staff School Staff School Staff School Staff Opinion Editor Lifestyles Editor Lifestyles Staff Lifestyles Staff Lifestyles Staff Lifestyles Staff Sports Editor Sports Staff Sports Staff Sports Staff Sports Staff Advisor

Eva Bernstein ‘25 Izzy Baru ‘25 Dhruv Nallamothu ‘25 Megan Peng ‘25 Mira Jayaraman ‘26 Hugh Jordan ‘26 Kieran Lumeng ‘26 Timmy Lee ‘28 Bobby Srinivasan ‘28 Billy Rozelle ‘27 Violet Weizer ‘25 Caroline White ‘26 Matilda Wolfers ‘27 Ashu Bharath ‘28 Grace Momoh ‘28 Teddy Staebler ‘25 Twoey Bullock ‘27 William Englesbe ‘28 Tariq Khalil ‘28 Maira Nagpal ‘28 John Lund

Alcove is a newspaper written by students, for the students of Greenhills School. All opinions, views, and statements reflect those of the students working on Alcove and not necessarily the faculty and staff of Greenhills. Alcove is written to inform, encourage, and expand upon the curiosity of the students that Greenhills strives to cultivate. Providing a forum for students to express their individuality, the Alcove reminds you to always read the pine print.

DEC. 13, 2024

Robotics marks 10 years of technological feats ASHU BHARATH ‘28 team consists of thirty-six students.

Lifestyles Staff Ten years ago, a group of students began “A lot of new ninth-graders are joincreating mechanical robots, driven with curiousity ing the robotics team,” said Monica Kovacs and a passion for innovation. Today, the well-es- ‘28. “There was a lot of interest at the club tablished robotics team celebrates the growth fair. It seems like more people are interested. and acAlong with complishan increase m e n t s in student achieved participation over the there is a lot past deof student dic a d e . versity in the The team as well. team has “Ten [stuhad many d e n t s ] successes self-identify as well as as female,” faced a said Dershimgood deal er.

“We’re of chalseeing an lenges. increase in From the upper school creation of numbers as the team, to MOWING THE LAWN Mentors like Alex Monte-Sano, Charles Dershimer, Jerewell. The oththe present, my Green, and Christina Greenfield have blazed a path for the success of the er cool thing there have team. “It’s nice when the robot does well, but what we want to do is develop is that we’re passion in students to use engineering, to make the world a better place, and I been many developing a think Jeremy and Dr. Dershimer really carried that spirit on,” said Monte-Sano. dedicated recruitment students pipeline now, and mentors who have been a part of this group. and increasing the representation of females Alex Monte-Sano, a former economics teacher is a big goal for our team. And this is our third at Greenhills, took on the role as lead mentor year with a dedicated female staff member.” when he Participants founded on the team the team. have been recognizing “ We [the the change team] as well. started in “ T h e r e ’s the fall a lot more of 2014, girls joining 10 years than there ago,” had been,” s a i d said MoniM o n ca Kovacs. te-Sano.

COVID pre“At the sented many s a m e challenges for t i m e , the team, as it CUTTING DOWN THE COMPETITION Met with large crowds, and high M r s . did for the rest stakes, the team has been to various competitions, competing against other Gleaof the world. teams. “You’re guaranteed to get two district competitions starting in the March, son, who “COVID April timeframe,” said Monte-Sano. “In our [the team’s] third year, we did well was the d i srupted enough to qualify for the state championships, so in that season we did three.” eighth competitions,” grade said alumni science teacher, before Dr. Dershimer, was start- Jeremy Kovacs ‘22. “They canceled all the coming a middle school team and she came to me petitions that year. The next year was a bit different and said, you should start a high school team too. My junior year, they didn’t really have compeat the same time. We started that fall getting titions, so that year there wasn’t much going on.” ready for the competition season in January.”

The team had a decrease in participants In after COVID t h e as well, and t e a m ’s the team has early made great years, progress mentors since then. mainly “We had a deterpretty small mined team, and then t h e after COVID, course we had probaof meetbly five dediings, cated students, a n d and now we’re w h a t up to 30 in that w a s upper school,” d o n e said Jeremy on the Green, the curteam. rent lead robotics coach.

GEARING UP FOR TEAMWORK The team has always worked hard “Mr. R o b o t on, and off-season. “We started doing off-season competitions pretty early on, like in the summer, that started relatively early,” said Monte-Sano.

Monics teams te-Sano are guaranhad noticed that when students stepped into ro- teed two district competitions that start around botics, they had never done robotics before, and March. In its early years, the team would just go so it was up to the adults to act mostly as mentors to the two. Later on as the team progressed they and chaperones to what happened,” said Charles did more on and off season competitions.

Dershim“We did er, the two district robotics competitions, program we voluntarily c o o r did a third disd i n a trict competitor, and tion and then m e n t o r. we did states

and then we

did worlds,” The team said Montesaprogresno. We were sively super busy started to that year.” become In the past, m o r e the school indehas had sevpendent, enth grade, HARDWIRED DEDICATION Last year’s eighth grade team was the first relying eighth grade, middle school team at Greenhills to qualify for the state championships. more on and upper “It was really cool because we put in a lot of work outside of regular pracits memschool teams. tices, and they paid off,” said Sonia Kwon ‘28, a member of the team. bers than Now, there is mentors. a sixth grade As of right now, the upper school team as well.

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“Now we have more students and we have as many students in our sixth grade [team] as we had in the whole program almost five years ago,” said Dershimer.

The upper school robotics team has accomplished a lot. The same is true for middle school.

Last season was the first year one of our middle school teams, specifically the eighth grade team, made it to the state championship.

physics rooms. That was really challenging.”

The mentors found it harder to work in this space as the team progressed. They searched “We moved down to where the shop is right now, and then slowly built that out,” said Monte-Sano. “There was nothing in there at first, and we slowly just added more and more.”

The space has come a long way.

It has many facilities built in and it continues to expand.

“The “We’ve seen space enin the 2023 courages the WIRED FOR SUCCESS Qualifying for the state championship, season, the team to be and even the world championship, the 2019 robotics team was middle school successful rooted in their teamwork, dedication, and innovation.“The team team, for the and [it] supwas really cohesive. The drive team was amazing,” said Green. first time ever ports their in 10 years, success,” qualified for the state championship,” said Der- said Dershimer. “It has now grown into havshimer. “And that was [a] phenomenal thing to ing a dedicated shop, a dedicated build have happened. We were also awarded the con- space and classrooms that are organized.” nect award, For their and that’s 10th Animportant ben i v e r s a r y, cause this is a there is a judged award plan for that’s given to a potenthe team that tial special most connects drive party. with their lo“ We ’ r e cal science wanting to technology do a 10th engineering anniversary community.” drive party T h e and definitely upper school 10th anniverrobotics team sary shirts,” has qualified said Green.

STEMming CONNECTIONS In the beginning, outreach wasn’t a main fofor the state As for the cus for the team. In more recent years, the team has accomplished much in championfuture of the this area, from gaining sponsors, to mentors, and opportunities in STEM for ship multiple team, priorstudents. “My impression is that students now have a lot more focus on outtimes. One of ities are stureach, that they’re really passionate about it, which is cool,” said Monte-Sano. its most signifdent leadericant achieveship, further ments occurred in 2019 when, for the first time, improving the space, potentially hosting a midthe team qualified for the World Championship. dle school robotics competition, and strengthen“Over the last nine years, the lawnmow- ing sponsorship in terms of mentors and finances. ers have been to the state championship four times, “As for the future for the team, we realand the world championship once,” said Der- ly want to continue to have the student leadership shimer. “The be a strong upper school part of it,” team has a resaid Dershimally strong reer. “I would cord. This past like us to year, the team host an event was awarded for the midthe engineerdle school. I ing inspirathink that we tion award could actually for outstandhost a coming success petition here in advancing at Greenhills, respect and and the upappreciation per school of engineering team could within a team support that.” and school C u r r e n t l y, communithe students A MOTIVATIONAL TEAM Hard at work, the team is successties, [which] are workful through student leadership, collaboration, and commitment. shows, again, ing hard “I think [the team] has more student leadership and we can have students really taking ownership [this year],” said Dershimer. that we’re in prepanot just about ration of building a robot, we’re really about becom- the upcoming season. ing engineers in terms of everything we do.”

“The thing that’s been most gratifying One of the largest changes that have for me is that the spirit of the team remains the happened since the start of the team was to the same.The point of the whole exercise is to develrobotics work op students space.

Iniwho have tially, the an interest team used to in solving meet in the problems physics room and can across from work in the physics teams and lab where do complex Monte-Sano and typiused to teach cal things math and under time economics. pressure.

My interac“It’s a small tion with the room,” said team over the Monte-Sano. last couple “We just had of years afPIT STOPS The “Pit” is an area where teams set up their tools and materitools that I ter I’ve been als, to allow them to prepare their robot for matches, and repair them after. owned and we involved is “The pit is the an area where you have tools and stations for repairs to be would bring that the spirmade for the robot,” said Adhrit Bharath ‘28, a current member of the team. them out into it remains.” the hallway and build in the hallway between those two Photos courtesy of Greenhills School

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DEC. 13, 2024

Sophomore’s bookstore recs

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DEC. 13, 2024 IZZY BARU ‘25

I recommend the Argus Farm Stop on Liberty to any students interested in a cozy, chill study environment. The quiet ambiance and natural lighting creates the perfect setting for studying for your big math test or just hanging out with a cup of your favorite coffee. For seating, there are various places to grab a spot both inside and outside. The seating area is attached to a produce room and cafe.

This provides the perfect break for when you need a minute away from your books and a snack. From the cafe, I recommend the energy balls or a lemon scone.

Now, let’s go through some specific pros. First and foremost, there is an abundance of outlets so you don’t need to worry about your laptop dying. Second, the regulars are all extremely friendly and chill, I have never felt un-welcomed or unsafe while there. My one issue with this location is that during the colder months there is limited seating so I recommend trying to get there early to snag a spot!

MATILDA WOLFERS ‘27

Literati is a small, independent bookstore with an eccentrically decorated exterior and a constant stream of guest authors hosting events. The Literati Cultura subscription provides a signed first-edition copy of some of the most noteworthy fiction. At the same time, Love, Literati gives subscribers a monthly romance novel along with other accompanying gifts. Literati shows its support for independent authors by offering Literati Insisto, a monthly book subscription dedicated to promoting small, indie publishers.

To me, Literti’s charm comes from its atmosphere. When I walk into Literati, the staff members are friendly and freely give recommendations, making the store atmosphere comfortable and safe. Literati is the gathering location for booklovers to form community and friendship through events and social functions hosted at the store. Literati’s effort to provide book clubs, subscription boxes, educational events, social gatherings, and introduce small publishers into readers rotations is why Literati is beloved throughout Ann Arbor.

At Traverwood Library, natural lighting shines through the big glass windows, casting onto the most perfect chair to sit in while doing your work. Traverwood’s quiet, peaceful nature makes it ideal for studying for large tests or finals. While a pretty silent space, Traverwood also offers various areas to work quietly with friends or a study group. I recommend reserving the Emerald room. Last year, I studied for my physics midterm there, and I definitely found it helpful.

Barnes & Noble has approximately 600 locations throughout the United States for a reason: it is a solid, reliable bookstore. The Ann Arbor location of Barnes & Noble has a Starbucks inside where customers can purchase pastries and drinks alongside a cafe setting of chairs and tables frequently utilized for studying. Barnes & Noble doesn’t frequently host in-person events, however, there are a myriad of virtual events available to people across the country. Because the store is a chain, it does not generally host local book clubs, local authors, and social or educational events.

Barnes and Noble is a solid bookstore with a large collection of books, music, stationery, and children’s toys. My only issue with Barnes and Noble is the lack of individuality between the store’s locations makes it less of a community hot-spot and the size of the company means that stores don’t work to expand its program or bring in authors.

Despite this, Barnes and Noble has a large selection of books and is convenient and reasonably priced.

On the hunt for a lively place to do your work? Hopefully it serves great coffee? Well, Lab Cafe might just be the place for you. Hidden in between Tomkun and the UPS office, Lab is a vibrant cafe, usually full with students. I would recommend Lab as a good place to grab an iced chai and get some homework done. My few negatives about Lab are just the lack of seating and that it can get a little busy especially on the weekends. However, if you’re hungry after getting some work done you can just head over to Tomukun Noodle Bar for a delicious meal!

Schulers Books (Previously Nichola’s Books) is a local, independent bookstore located in the Westgate Shopping Center. The store was purchased in 1992 by Nicola Rooney but was sold to Schuler’s Books in 2014. The store’s support of new and independent authors makes the store a unique location for discovering new material to read. Local authors frequently visit the store to sign books, do live readings, and promote their upcoming work. Schuler’s Book works to support non-profit organizations by hosting a Book Week. These by-request fundraisers mean that the organization selected will be given 20% of profits made in that week, granted that the customers mention your organization. Another way Schuler’s Books supports the community is their resale policy regarding used books. This exchange means that any book donated will award you 30% of the book’s market value as an in-store credit or 20% of the market value in cash.

Schulers Books is not particularly unique in its book selection and does not have the charm or aesthetically pleasing interior of other small bookstores. However, with the support and events it hosts to boost new and smaller authors, customers can see the store’s appreciation for literature and efforts to expand its store material.

MEGAN PENG ‘25

Freshman ranks best bagels Bruegger’s Bagels is my third favorite bagel place.

Their dough is slightly salty and the bagel itself is puffy and round. I recommend a stronger toast for Bruegger’s due to the thick nature of the bagel.

They do however, have a truly unique selection of menu items.

Maple French Toast Gourmet, Jalapeño Cheddar, and Egg bagels all set Bruegger’s apart from the rest in terms of options.

Bruegger’s also has an exceptional selection of whole wheat bagels if that’s what you prefer.

I highly recommend their classic Egg, Sausage and Cheese on an everything bagel and the Bacon Avocado and, Tomato Egg White. I suggest toasting the Bacon Avocado and Tomato Egg White if possible because the avocado tends to make the bagel soggy without a harder crust. Bruegger’s Bagel is a good bagel shop and is a great option for breakfast, lunch, and diner!

Senior’s lunch picks for those with senior privileges Whole Foods, located on Washtenaw Avenue, offers relatively cheap and healthy snacks compared to other food spots. A classic large latte from the WFM Coffee & Juice Bar sits at around four dollars, which is a great alternative to the more pricey coffees at Starbucks. With only a seven minute drive from the school, students can still grab a quick snack while leaving enough time to finish up any last minute work.

WILLIAM ENGLESBE ‘28 Barry Bagels is the best bagel place in Ann Arbor. They have a wide variety of menu items, from cream cheese flavors to chips. A fresh chocolate chip bagel from Barry is the closest you can get to perfection in a bagel. When you walk into their store, it feels local and warm. Their selection of drinks perfectly complement the fresh doughy attributes of their bagels that set them apart from the rest.

My go-to order is an Eggel and cheese with sausage, a plain bagel toasted with cream cheese, Garden Salsa Sunchips, a Diet Coke, and a plain chocolate chip bagel for dessert. Their bagels are surprisingly filling, so keep that in mind while ordering. Their BLT is also great as a backup option. If you want something with greens, I recommend their veggie sandwiches, especially the veggie and hummus on an everything bagel. The actual bagel itself is dense and rich, with a soft outside, and the dough is slightly sweet and heavy. This does mean, however, that the bagels don’t keep as well as more airy bagels, so remember to enjoy them fresh. I would also recommend lightly toasting them, as the crispy outside goes well with the soft inside. Overall, I think Barry Bagels is the best all around bagel place in Ann Arbor

Senior’s favorite study spots

Established in 1969, Bagel Fragel is an iconic Ann Arbor establishment. I would recommend their chocolate chip bagel, and of course, their famous fragel. A fragel is a cinnamon raisin bagel that is fried and coated with sugar. Their sandwiches are some of the most creative I’ve seen and there isn’t one I wouldn’t recommend. Another bagel I love is their spinach feta. It goes great with any cream cheese, but especially something sweet like their strawberry or brown sugar cream cheeses.

One thing to keep in mind is their hours of operation. They open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 2:30 p.m. every day of the week. This unfortunately means it’s not possible to get them after school. This doesn’t take away from their actual menu, though, as being able to enjoy a fresh fragel in the morning is always a treat. Bagel Fragel stands out because it feels unique and local, something that isn’t matched by many other bagel places I’ve been to. Bagel Fragel is a place everyone must visit at some point because it’s too iconic to miss.

CoCo, located on Plymouth Road, is one of the most popular choices among students. Their menu encompassess a large variety of milk and fruit teas; the Tropical Special, which is a passion fruit tea with pearls and coconut jelly, is a refreshing drink that’s perfect for boosting energy after a long study session. Coco is just the right place if a student is looking for a quick sweet treat; with the option to customize toppings, sugar, and temperature, this boba shop can accommodate any kind of flavor palette. Located just across from No Thai!, students can also grab a quick meal if their time allows.

Sweetwaters, located on Plymouth Road, is another coffee shop that students often visit during their free periods.

The Dragon Eye, one of the shop’s signature coffees, is a blend of their house coffee and condensed milk and is a perfect order for any student who’s looking for the perfect sweet treat. In addition, this Sweetwaters has quite a large sitting area, making it a productive place for students to stay for their free period if they want to finish any work.

Sweetwaters is conveniently located just five minutes away from the school, thus students have an easy drive there and back.

Violet’s guide to starbucks VIOLET WEIZER ‘25

Buzzzzz. A new challenge has dropped for Starbucks Rewards: “Earn 90 bonus stars by ordering an iced latte three times in the next four days.” Enticing, although a bit ridiculous sounding, opportunities like this come up on my Starbucks app around once a week, and every time they appear I am faced with an internal decision: is it worth it?

I am hooked on Starbucks, or rather, their rewards system. Every day, I find myself checking the app for new offers to gain rewards points, which are called stars, or just looking at any new drinks that I will need to try soon.

Earning stars wisely can be challenging for new customers, but the system itself is pretty simple.

Each star is earned after spending $1, so the hack here is to use gift cards, which you can purchase and reload yourself to earn double stars on every purchase. Now, what to do with all those stars you have earned?

I would only redeem 25 stars if you are not a frequent customer, because stars expire six months after earning them. But if you don’t foresee yourself frequenting Starbucks enough within six months to earn 200 plus stars, then I would recommend using the stars right when you earn them.

I tend to normally cash out 200 stars when I earn them. By selecting the choice to get a free handcrafted drink, you are left with countless options to make your drink worth up to $15 or more dollars. I usually make mine around $12 because it is hard to rack up the price if you are purely concerned with money and not taste, unless you are adding countless espresso shots to your drink.

As I mentioned earlier, there are other ways

to earn stars other than purely from purchasing standard drinks. If you are a frequent user of the Starbucks rewards app, they will send challenges to your account. These challenges are catered to an algorithm of what the app thinks you frequently purchase. My most recent challenge that I completed was worth 90 stars. This challenge included purchasing three specific drinks before 11 a.m. Often, I am not able to complete challenges because they included purchasing drinks almost every day for over three days in a row. This would break the bank for me. There have been periods of time where I don’t have access to a Starbucks, such as on vacations, so I purchase Starbucks less. It is only after these droughts that the app stops sending me challenges and offers to earn more stars.

In the past, Starbucks has offered double and triple star days. These special days used to come about once a week but I have not seen one for months. These star days are exactly what they sound like, on every purchase you earn double or triple the amount of stars.

Remember, using a gift card on one of these days can earn you quadruple or sixtuple the amount of stars on your purchase.

There used to be other deal days too such as BOGO (Buy One, Get One) days or BOGO 50 percent off any size drink. I presume that these deals come across less frequently now due to the change in CEO or the dwindling end of boycotts.

Although I am obsessed with earning stars, I do still care about which drinks I order. Here is my complete list of drink recommendations for every season:

Ranked No. 1 is an Iced Shaken Espresso with Peppermint Chocolate Cold Foam. I would rate this a 9.8/10. For me this drink is best enjoyed in the winter because of the holiday vibes that the peppermint brings. Aside from the holiday season, a shaken espresso with any flavor of cold foam is entirely dependent on the texture. You can think of cold foams as sort of a marshmallow fluff whipped cream texture when they are prepared correctly.

The shaken espresso also needs to be properly shaken so the cold foam can sit on top of the espresso froth. When properly prepared, a shaken espresso is my top-rated drink from Starbucks.

Ranked No. 2 is another seasonal special. This is the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, I substitute the oat milk with 2% milk, which I would rate a 9.6/10. Last year in the spring Starbucks introduced their lavender powder and the fans (I) went crazy. The lavender flavor is subtle but the foam is sweet enough to complement Starbucks’ mediocre matcha.

Since this is a seasonal drink, you can’t order it for most of the year. A good alternative for when you can’t order this drink is just to get a matcha latte with vanilla sweet cream cold foam.

The texture is the exact same and the flavor is also very solid.

Ranked No. 3 and 4 are refreshers. On the left is the Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher and on the right is the Cran-merry Orange Lemonade Refresher. I would rate the cranberry refresher a 9/10 and the mango dragonfruit a 9.1/10. The Cran-merry is the first seasonal refresher ever released and I recommend that you give it a try but with no inclusions. Inclusions are the freeze dried fruit pieces that get rehydrated by the drink. The Mango Dragonfruit is my all-time go-to drink, but it especially hits in the summer. I only get this drink with lemonade because just a water base is completely flavorless. A hack that I use for refreshers is purchasing a tall size drink with no ice and then asking for a venti cup of ice and mixing them together. This hack is cost effective and can also work well for Matcha Lemonade. Sometimes I get this drink with no ice and drink it over the course of two days, this is only when I am really pinching pennies.

Ranked No. 5 is Matcha Lemonade. This drink is a hit or a miss depending on how well the barista shakes the drink. This drink also does not keep well because the matcha sediment collects at the bottom of the cup and turns a brownish color. This is a good summer alternative to a regular matcha latte so I would recommend giving it a try if you like lemonade-based drinks. Keep in mind that Starbucks does not use ceremonial grade matcha so do not expect the flavor to be that concentrated.

My order history is not limited to these five drinks, but these are ones I tend to get regularly. For refreshers, I always recommend the lemonade base rather than the water, because the ice already waters down the flavor. For coffees, I tend to lean towards the iced option unless it is a mocha.

During the holiday season, which I personally start in Nov., I stay away from refreshers so I can try the new drinks on the menu. Out of those new drinks I highly recommend the Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai. The combination of the spiced cold foam makes the bland flavor of Starbucks chai very bearable.

I am a very strong supporter of Starbucks drinks, and if I may, I give myself the title of connoisseur. But not everything they make is the best you can find. I do not recommend Starbucks London Fog or Chai. These teas are much better elsewhere. I also do not recommend their raspberry flavored pearls, or you may know them as popping boba. This addition of “boba” to the menu is straying too far away from Starbucks’ cafe origins. If you want to order boba, just go to a boba shop.

I am also not a fan of the “subtle” price inflations on some of my go-to drinks. In other states and bigger cities, prices of these so-called “standard” drinks differ. But alas, this is due to inflation and other unspecified company costs.

This is a pseudo-complete guide as I do not include the bakery and sandwich options in my ratings.

I aim to try those one day, but for now I am sticking to the drinks. It’s a good place to start your Starbucks journey. And lastly, my biggest recommendation is to just get the Starbucks App. Graphics by Megan Peng ‘25, Violet, Weizer, ‘25, and Hugh Jordan ‘26, font aquired from FontSpace

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DEC. 13, 2024

Science couture

Instructor uses clothing as teaching, learning tools

KIERAN LUMENG ‘26 School Staff Geology rocks. fueled by mitochondria ba.na.na. trendsetter. These are all coffee. and Reed is a teacher known for her t-shirts. on words with science-based puns. She collection t-shirt through the halls with one of walking seen be can The shirts are sometimes days. most t-shirts these in class and other teaching is she what to related always related to are they but joke, a just times science.

“It has grown over the last few years,” “I pretty much started collecting when Reed. said Greenhills.” to I came Reed did not intentionally plan to befor her t-shirts, but as her collection famous come her claim to fame. She found her became it grew, it took off from there. and online shirt first “I found a t-shirt on Etsy that was the Fueled by Mitochondria and Coffee t-shirt, which I found just really hilarious,” said Reed. “Then I started to find others that I thought were fun. Then it started to become more of a thing that I became known for. So I’ve just leaned into it.”

The t-shirts aren’t just for fun or fashion. aid in the teaching of science to Gretta’s also They students. school middle

“Beyond classroom teaching, it’s a way head of the upper with school agrees that he enjoys the sight of Reed’s that I’ve connected t-shirts every said students,” single day.

Reed. “Some of love “I them relate diReed’s wide rectly to what I of variety teach. Some of shirts,” said them don’t. It Smith. “She is just kinda brings outstanding. a little extra fun Some people to things.” style. have It is not just Ms. Reed, sethe students who riously [has] enjoy the t-shirts, real style.” the teachers enReed limit joy the sight of doesn’t limit new t-shirts. her fashion “Always fun just to t-shirts. to see Deano She will also giggle Smith pair her shirts in the hallway Photo by Kieran Lumeng ‘26 sciwith when he sees one of them that ON TREND Seventh-graders learn science from science teacher Gret- ence-themed he hasn’t seen ta Reed, who wears a science-themed t-shirt. Reed has quickly be- jewelry or other said come well known for her large science-themed t-shirt collection. “I try to get before,” of styles bring a lot of fun into science, especially in middle school,” said Reed.

Reed. shirts.

Smith,

“I think my favorite one is probably my GEOLOGY ROCKS t-shirt,” said Reed. “Mostly because I also pair it with earrings that are fossils from the game Animal Crossing. So I do try to match my theme a little bit. I also have a button down that has a topographical map. I try to wear that when I do topography with 7th grade.”

Reed’s students also have their favorite t-shirts and they think it makes science class more enjoyable.

“It’s all different. Each individual one is kinda special in its own way,” said Cody Peng ‘30. “I like the banana one with the blue background.”

Reed is not the only teacher who uses their clothing to express what students are learning in class. Smith also uses clothing to teach.

“My style is like having shirts that are connected to what I’m talking about or doing in class,” said Smith. “So right now, I’m wearing a spirit and opportunity [Mars rover] shirt because I teach about Mars rovers. You’ll see me wearing shirts that have connections to the curriculum. So the fact that Ms. Reed has, like, 10 gazillion shirts all about cool things about science, I absolutely love it.”

Old McGryphon had a farm

Community members engage in agricultural pastimes

he and his family still “My father was born on respect the lives of animals. Through his experiences on a farm, he a farm in France and he worked on it, grew up on it, and when has learned some lessons as well. he came to the United States, he wanted to continue that,” Etienne “I think it’s important, whether you have a farm or not, Rouillard ‘25 said, “He, my siblings, and I, we do this for fun basito just really understand and value where your food comes from,” cally.”

Etienne Rouillard said, “and understand the work it took to get Etienne and Manon Rouillard agreed your food on the table.” with Muller that the experience of living or Brandon Groff said his experience butchering his animals working on a farm is a positive experience. is more of a melancholy one and that he doesn’t necessarily enjoy Farms have something for everyone, indoorsy it. He believes that it is a part of life and that he is doing his part to or outdoorsy, there’s things that anyone can enlessen the negative impact that he has on the environment. joy.

“I butcher the chickens myself,” said Groff, “which is not “I personally don’t do work on the farm an easy thing to do because you’re killing something that you have because I’m not much of an outdoorsy person,” a relationship with.”

Muller said, “[The experience] is cool though With having a farm, comes the responsibility of having a and the barn is nice.” farm. People who own a farm need to chip in their efforts and do For those who do more work on the the jobs they need to do in order for it to be successful. farm, the experience is more hands-on and edu“Every night closing the chicken and duck coops, making cational. sure that they have water and food,” said Manon Rouillard, “and “We eat the eggs from chickens and we we have lambs, and sometimes when they are born, the mothers butcher them, like pluck and gut them and evabandon them for whatever reason, so for a couple of years I’ve erything, so it’s fun and it’s a good educational been bottle feeding lambs morning and night to make sure they experience,” said Etienne Rouillard, “I also enstay alive, and there’s plucking and gutting the chickens and turjoy just being outside. I think overall it’s a really keys.” good experience.”

Living on a farm has also opened Rouillard’s eyes to the Having a farm is also a way to bond with family and friends.

Whether it be using the produce to cook for them, spending time with them working on the farm, or simPhoto courtesy of Etienne Rouillard ‘25 ply just walking around.

A GENTLE MOMENT IN NATURE’S BEAUTY Etienne Rouillard ‘25 helps “ I to care for and support the lives of the animals on his farm. “It’s very peacearound walk ful,” said Manon Rouillard ‘25. “It’s a good break from school and I find it very relaxing.” every night after dinner farming is a part of life that some people get to with my dad,” said Manon Rouilexperience firsthand. A couple of students at Greenhills share this Photo courtesy of Etienne Rouillard ‘25 lard ‘25, “to close the chicken and way of life with one another and even though their jobs may be duck coops, get the animals ready similar, their experiences and takeaways are different.

FRESH MEAT The Rouillard family raises animes to be conscious of where their food comes from. “The lambs are pretty for the night, and feed them.”

One thing that each of the students had in common was For the Rouillards and funny animals,” said Etienne Rouillard ‘25. “But we do eventually kill them when they become adults at about one years old.” the fact that their farms connected them to their family’s roots and their neighbors, the farm is their history. Things like plant seeds were passed down and carried over actions that he and other people do in their everyday lives, and primary source of food. Food can bring people together and it is to new locations, like here, in the United States. how, through those actions, they don’t really think too deeply about necessary for life in general.

“The biggest thing in our garden is tomatoes,” said Lydia where their food comes from, and how much work was put into it.

“We have chickens, turkeys, rabbits and sometimes, Muller ‘27, “My family is Italian and we have these Italian tomato “Oftentimes, we’ll just throw away something like our ducks,” said Etienne Rouillard, “we do it for us and we do it for our seeds that my great grandfather brought over when he first moved hamburgers at lunch and not eat everything.” said Rouillard, “We neighbors so we get food.” here.” don’t realize the human work that went into it and the environmenPeople may wonder about the guilt that may come with Farming can be a job, but it also can be a passion. This tal cost. Most of the food we eat comes from the opposite side of killing animals, but as Etienne Rouillard said, it’s a part of life and passion is one of the ways that the traditions of farming pass on the world, so I think understanding where our food comes from is something that people should know about and should value, and through generations.

GRACE MOMOH ‘28 Lifestyles Staff Growing up on a farm is not just a lifestyle, but a life lesson. From educational experiences to learning valuable morals,

Linda Smith FAST FACTS YEARS AT GREENHILLS: I started here this year WHERE YOU CAN FIND HER: I’m not staitionary, I work in the afternoons from 2:45-10:45 FAVORITE FOOD: I love Italian food, I recently took a class at Sur La Table, and I learned how to make ravioli. I’ve been on a mission making all kinds of ravioli.

What is your most What’s your go-to activity to Where’s your favorite place you’ve Do you have a favorite place memorable Greenhills relax? traveled to? in Ann Arbor? moment?

Swimming. I was a compet- I’ve been to Europe and I loved it. I Bandemer Park because Walking on the outside itive swimmer since I was love England. England is one of my I love to hike. Usually my of the building to make five-years-old, and I swam all favorites. I will be taking a cruise boyfriend and I will start in sure that the building is throughout high school. Cur- this July to Alaska, so I’m looking Bandemer Park and we hike secure and almost hav- rently, I am a lifeguard for the forward to that. One of my oth- quite a distance. We will aling a deer hit me. It just Saline Rec Center. On Satur- er memorable vacations was to St. most go beyond Fuller Park. came out of nowhere. day mornings from 5 a.m. to John Island in the U.S. Virgin Is10 a.m., I lifeguard. It’s fun. lands. It is a national park, but you can still go there for vacation.

DEC. 13, 2024

PAGE 7

The Spirit of Detroit sports Professional advice

Freshman interviews Pistons stars MAIRA NAGPAL ‘28 few to get out of that city. on the question for a minute.

Whether working “Just keep working hard,” Pistons starting in the media side or being a said Stewart, when asked point guard, number one player for the team, many what advice he would give pick, and arguably franchise people in the Detroit Pistons’ to high school sports players. player Cade Cunningham had community have advice for Ivey’s family has three main points that kids high schoolers wanting to go a rich history in sports—his should follow if they want to into sports. be successful basketTheir advice, ball players. Cunningwhile being ham grew up around a in different basketball family, and positions, is his manager and trainvery similar. er are also his close Pistons podfamily members. This cast host Ku allowed Cunningham Khahil said to observe and absorb he believes the game, and underthat self mostand what’s needed to tivation is succeed in basketball. key to creat“Just work hard, ing a brand. listen to your coaches, He said he and watch basketball,” thinks that said Cunningham, social media when asked about adneeds to be vice he would give to taken very young players. seriously, and hard work is important.

Photo by Maira Nagpal ‘28 “ T h e MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE While Jaden Ivey may be a profesmain thing, I sional basketball player with a possible long career ahead would say, is of him, he enjoys a different sport a lot as well. “I like to to work hard, skateboard,” said Ivey. you have to be incredibly self motivat- grandfather played for the ed, and like I said, really just Lions, and his mother was utilize social media to your a player for the Detroit best abilities,” said Khahil. Shock and a WNBA athPistons center Isa- lete who is now a college iah Stewart said he believes coach. This legacy has that success comes from hard instilled in Ivey an underwork. According to him, kids standing of the hard work need to keep putting effort required to achieve his into their craft to succeed and goals. When asked what reach their potential. Stewart advice he would give grew up in a neighborhood to young basketball playwith lots of crime, which led ers, Ivey offered a simple him to have an understand- yet meaningful response ing of the importance of hard “Keep working,” work, as he was one of the said Ivey, after pondering

Freshman believes Red Wings need new coach TARIQ KHALIL ‘28 The Detroit Red Wings are the least followed team in Detroit. As a fan of Detroit sports, I am more focused on the winning teams in Detroit than the consistently losing Red Wings. But this team also has young players who are developing into stars in the league: Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Simon Edvinsson are gaining national attention for their performance on the ice.

Since coming in as general manager for the Detroit Red Wings in 2019, Steve Yzerman has tried his best to turn things around for the team. Yzerman’s commitment to the Red Wings runs deep, as he used to play in the NHL for them and led the Red Wings to five firstplace regular season finishes and three Stanley Cup championship wins. As general manager, he has also acquired veterans and other good players such as Alex DeBrincat, Vladimir Tarasenko, Andrew Copp, Jeff Petry, and Patrick Kane who was drafted first in the 2007 draft. Despite this impressive roster, the team has struggled the past few seasons, only making one playoff appearance in the past 10 years.

Though last year, with many players stepping up such as team captain Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings finished fifth in the East Conference, re-

flecting a noteworthy improvement. They barely missed the playoffs with a 41-32-9 record.

Goaltender Cam Talbot has started the season off strong playing in 11 games and having the 6th highest save percentage at 92 percent shots against are saved and also recording a shutout.

While the Tigers, Lions, and Pistons are finally getting hot, the Red Wings are colder than the ice they skate on, struggling to pick up the pace with the rest of the Detroit teams.

Most of the losing has been placed on head coach Derek Lelonde. That is because ever since coming in to lead the team in 2022, he has failed to meet high expectations. Lalonde was a very successful coach before his tenure at the Red Wings, leading the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL to an impressive record.

When Lalonde was brought in to coach the Red Wings, it should have been a quick turnaround for the struggling team. However, in 2022, the team had a losing season with 35 wins, 37 losses and 10 overtime losses. One could argue that a new coach would deserve a year to acclimate to their new home ice, but Lalonde is continuing to underperform as he begins his third season with continued losses at home and away.

Lalonde said in an interview last spring “Don’t look at the negatives,” but the reality is that’s all there is under his leadership. The Red Wings need to make a change in coaching staff now if they hope to have a chance at making the playoffs. So, who should be brought in to replace Lalonde if he is indeed fired? If a change is going to be made, I say why play it safe? We need a drastic change to shake things up. Therefore, in my opinion, the Red Wings should avoid the obvious picks and instead hire Todd Nelson.

Currently coaching the Hershy Bears in the American hockey league, Nelson is known for building terrific team culture and morale. That is exactly what the Red Wings need with their roster of young athletes. Furthermore, Nelson isn’t just a players coach, he also has success on the ice. His current team has won the Calder Cup every year he has coached for them.

Larkin, Raymond, Seider, and Edvinsson are capable of achieving success on the ice. They deserve a coach like Nelson. Detroit deserves a coach like Nelson.

Graphic by Megan Peng ‘25

Senior attributes Lions success to winning culture

Sophomore enthusiastic about Tigers’ future

TEDDY STAEBLER ‘25 For the better part of the last century, the Detroit Lions have lived at rock bottom. On top of their NFL-worst 0 Super Bowl appearances, the Lions have also: went 0-16, missed the playoffs at 9-6 multiple times, had two of the best players of all time on their team, and before last year, had only won one playoff game in the Super Bowl Era. So when did it all go right? When did the Lions become the seemingly-invincible-juggernaut that are second in Super Bowl betting odds? The answer? A complete culture shift.

After a disappointing 4-7 start to the 2020 campaign, newly appointed owner Sheila Ford, took action hiring Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. This change didn’t seem to be anything new, after all the Head Coach and GM spots have been revolving doors for the Lions for the last 25 years. It was bound to be another 3 year partnership, culminating in yet another last place NFC North finish. The difference about Holmes and Campbell is that they had a vision, they believed the Lions could find success under the right management. The rest of the NFL wasn’t watching but something was brewing in Detroit.

The rebuild started with the 2021 NFL Draft. With the 7th overall pick, the Lions faced pressure to draft a quarterback. Justin Fields looked like he could be the quarterback of the future; he had the arm, the athleticism, the experience, the fight, it seemed like a sure thing.

But the new Lions didn’t take the easy way out.

Instead, Holmes and Campbell decided to to take a different route, electing to select highly-touted offensive tackle Penei Sewell from Oregon. Later in the draft, they struck gold

TWOEY BULLOCK ‘27 For almost a decade the Detroit Tigers have been at the bottom of the AL Central division. They have cycled through players like cycles of a dishwasher. For young Tigers fans, they’ve never seen a Tigers playoff berth.

In the latter part of the 2010s, the Tigers were a shell of their former team. I. Fan favorite players such as Nick Castellanos, Justin Verlander, and James McCann were all traded to different teams. These moves by former GM Al Avila were signs that the team was entering their rebuilding era.

At the turn of the decade, the Tigers hired AJ Hinch, the manager of the controversial 2017 World Series-winning Houston Astros. Hinch was fired because of the sign-stealing allegations that came upon the Astros after they won the 2017 World Series. For the first years of Hinch’s tenure as manager of the Tigers, they were mediocre with the team having a combined record of 221-265 in Hinch’s first few years of managerial tenure in Detroit.

Tigers fans started to lose hope in this team because it was losing season after losing season after losing season in Detroit, the cycle would not stop. In the late part of the 2024 season though, something started to change.

On Aug. 10, Fangraphs gave the Detroit Tigers a 0.2 percent chance to make the playoffs. At this time, the Tigers were eight games below .500. People thought that the Tigers would again have another losing season because they were sellers at the trade deadline, trading veteran players such as Jack Flaherty and Carson Kelly. The loss of their highest-paid player, shortstop,

with Amon-Ra St. Brown, at 112th overall.

As expected, the Lions struggled that season, finishing 3-13-1. Yet fans remained hopeful. With a top-five pick and a promising offseason, the team still had a chance. In the 2022 draft, they selected Michigan native Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick and paired him with Alabama speedster Jameson Williams to complement St. Brown.

Despite a rough 1-6 start to the 2022 campaign, the Lions’ faith in Campbell ultimately paid off. The team rallied to win eight of their final ten games, finishing 9-8 and barely missing the playoffs. It was a sixwin improvement, proof that the rebuild was working. Furthermore, Jared Goff was playing at an all pro level and was showing why he was the 1st pick of the 2016 NFL draft.

In 2023, everything clicked. The Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs to fill the running back void and Jack Campbell to lead the defense. The result? A franchise-record-tying 12-5 season, their first NFC North title since 1993, and two playoff victories. For context, the Lions won more playoff games that season than they had in the rest of the Super Bowl era combined. Though their journey ended with a heartbreaking NFC Championship loss to the 49ers, the Lions had cemented themselves as legitimate contenders.

Now in 2024 the Lions are 11-1 on the heels of a 10 game winning streak and are first in the NFC. Holmes and Campbell didn’t take shortcuts, nor did they settle for mediocrity. They instilled belief, fostered resilience, and prioritized long-term success over quick fixes, ultimately resulting in the powerhouse we know today.

Javier Báez also seemed like a blow to this team. But that‘s when the Tigers caught fire.

Tarik Skubal further established his case as a Cy Young award recipient securing the AL pitching triple crown with 18 wins, an ERA of 2.39, and 228 strikeouts. Young emerging stars like Parker Meadows, Riley Greene, Colt Keith, and Kerry Carpenter shined by making highlight plays and getting hits in the clutch. With September call-ups, players such as Justyn-Henry Malloy, Jace Jung, Dillon Dingler, and Jackson Jobe started to make their presence on this team known.

The Tigers finished the season with a trip to the Wildcard round where they would face Hinch’s former team, the Houston Astros.

The Tigers swept the Astros and had a date with the Cleveland Guardians in the wildcard round of the playoffs. In a great series that went the distance, the Tigers ultimately lost. They had a 2-1 lead and they were at home with a chance to clinch a trip to the ALCS. Some fans say they choked, others say that they were never supposed to make it that far in the playoffs, but I think it‘s a combination of both. The Tigers put the Guardians on the ropes and had a chance to win the series at home, but the Guardians are also a well-rounded team who were able to battle, rattle Skubal in Game 5, and take the series.

What the Tigers have shown me this season is that they are back, their young talent will keep developing into solid contributors for the team, with even more prospects on the way in the future. I think that the Tigers will be a playoff contender for years to come.

DEC. 13, 2024

PAGE 8

Picking Pickett

New coach selected to lead boys basketball team

TARIQ KHALIL ‘28 Sports Staff After the boys basketball team’s loss in the district final last season, a decision was made to make a change on the sidelines. Coach Jason Pickett has been hired as the new head coach of the team, bringing with him years of coaching experience.

The hire was made by athletic director Tom Ward. Ward said that Pickett stood out because of his prior basketball coaching experience.

“Once we talked with Coach Pickett, we knew this was the guy we wanted,” said Ward. “I’m so excited about him.”

In replacing longtime head coach Andrew Wright, Pickett will have big shoes to fill in his first year coaching the varsity team.

“There is always a transition,” said Ward.

“When you have a new coach come in, they are going to do things differently.”

Pickett said he is very excited about his new coaching role at Greenhills. He enters the role with a large amount of coaching experience and a love for the game. Prior to helming the Gryphons basketball team, Pickett most recently coached at Ypsilanti High School, the Saline boys basketball program, the Saline girls varsity basketball team, the Farmington Harrison boys varsity basketball team, and the Saline boys junior varsity basketball team.

“It’s my 30th season coaching basketball, [and] I love doing it,” said Pickett. “I’ve played [basketball] since I was a kid. It was the first team sport I ever played.”

As a coach, Pickett has a team-first mentality. He focuses on letting the team bond to work together on and off the court.

“I want the players to steer their ship, whether they play thirty-two minutes or zero minutes,” said Pickett. “I want them to have fun and get the work done, and I’m looking forward to making a community that guys can come and be a part of.”

Pickett does have some expectations for the team and

prefers certain types of players. He says he likes those ready to hustle and put their bodies on the line for the game. “[I look for] people that

New Playbook

are willing and wanting to get better, and have a great attitude,” said Pickett. “The biggest thing is I love a high motor.”

Pickett describes a “high motor” as someone who is always prepared to enter the game and give their all on the court.

“I always feel like the high motor gets the loose balls,” said Pickett. “[The] high motor gets those rebounds that nobody else gets to. Those high motors dive on the floor. They won’t be denied.”

With Pickett’s hire, Sermon Grewal ‘25 has some uncertainty about the season, but is overall positive on how the team plans on moving forward.

“It’s a good fresh start for the team,” said Grewal. “[Pickett] is a good coach with a great vision, [but] he’s coming into a system that is rebuilding after losing nine players. It’s a big culture change.”

The basketball team has a challenging schedule this season, with games against Loyola, Riverview Gabriel Richard, and two games against Lumen Christi.

“I think we are gonna face a lot of adversity this season, but it will help us grow,” said Grewal.

Another player and leader on the team is Noah Korley ‘26. He has been playing basketball with Greenhills since freshman year and is very confident about the new season. Korley believes they will be better this year than they were the last.

“We got a lot of new talent coming in from 90both the coaches and players positions,” said Korley.

“We will be ready to go when the season starts.”

Korley does admit that there will be a culture shift with the new coach, and things will be much different from last year, especially with most of the team being inexperienced.

“We lost a lot of guys from last year, we [only] have four guys coming back,” said Korley.

Korley has a very positive view of the new coach and is ready for the season to begin.

Graphic by Violet Weizer‘25

Middle School Athletics Kick off New Flag Football Program MAIRA NAGPAL ‘28 Sports Staff After many years of being deprived of a football team, students don’t have to wait any longer. The new intramural flag football program was introduced during the last week of October and consists of multiple teams made up of middle school students that practice and play against one another on campus.

“We are doing Tuesday and Thursdays, organized intramurals out on the turf,” said Greenhills’ athletic director, Tom Ward. “We split into teams and they get to play games.”

During November and the beginning of December, players get to participate in drills and games to help improve their flag football skills. Every day of practice, some teams play games against one another, while other teams participate in activities and drills to help improve their flag football skills.

“The program is very organized,” Jayla Johnson ‘25, one of the senior coaches, said.

The flag football program is split into two divisions, the sixth grade division and the seventh and eighth grade division.

“In the sixth grade division, we have three teams every day of practice. Two teams play and one team practices, and it rotates.” said sixth grade flag football player, Deen Narayan ‘31.

“One team is seven kids, with five on and two subs. So there’s 21 kids in the sixth grade division.”

The program is taking place in between the fall and winter sports season, which is different from all other Greenhills’ sports teams.

“We started thinking about it and working on it last spring, and just thinking about what it would be like if we had some kind of offering between fall sports and winter sports,” Ward said.

Since the season takes place in between the fall and winter sports, there are some restrictions as to who can play, because of conflicting schedules. However, if students are not playing the specific sports that overlap the flag football season, they are welcome to join, no matter the gender or experience.

“The only kids that can’t play because of practice times and schedules are if they do middle school girls basketball or swimming because their practice is at the same time,” said Evan Jackson, middle school athletic coordinator and head of program.

“But anybody who wants to sign up, sign up: boys or girls, it doesn’t matter.”

Students have all played flag football in P.E,

however have never had an opportunity to join football as an ex- the middle school flag football program, there is no sign of a high tracurricular activity. This program gives middle schoolers who school program being created in the near future. join more exposure to an otherwise new sport.

“I think we are quite a bit aways from looking

“It’s different to be on a team and have a coach,” to having a high school football program anytime soon,” Jackson Jackson said. “It’s just [more] exposure.”

This program will be coached by high school upperclassmen, which is also different from other sports teams that Greenhills’ offers. “ I joined because it was different and I like teaching little kids,” Johnson said.

This allows middle schoolers and high school upperclassmen to have more chances to work together and bond while trying something new in a competitive atmosphere. Coaches don’t need any prior experience on a football team to coach, allowing more students in Photo by Tariq Khalil ‘28 upper school to have EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: Since teams only consist of seven players, all kids get playing time and get the opportunity to create winning more exposure to a plays for their teams. Players are assigned positions, such as Center or Wide Receiver, and get lots of exposure to those positions new program that they throughout the course of the season. “Everyone gets the ball,” said Deen Narayan ‘31. “One of my memorable moments was I got an weren’t able to join in interception for a touchdown.” middle school.

“Now that I have been helping coaching, I know said. “With the space and the numbers, there are a lot of steps that a lot of the middle school boys,” Johnson said. “I haven’t been on go into adding that to the school and we are quite [far] from that.” a [flag football] team, but I would help my little cousin throw and catch a football.”

While high school students are able to coach

Freshman swimmers make a splash School records broken

TWOEY BULLOCK ‘27 Sports Staff This year’s freshman class for girls swimming hit the ground, or more accurately the water, swimming. Ryen Mahoney ‘28 was one of the breakout freshmen this year by being a part of four new school records set in the 200 medley relay, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 400 freestyle relay. Mahoney is no stranger to competitive swimming because she participates in club swimming as well.

“During the high school season, you get a lot closer to your teammates,” said Mahoney. “Club is way more competitive, which takes some of the fun out of it. I think that being a club swimmer in the past made it an easier transition from going to high school.”

Another freshman swimmer that broke out this year is Sadie Skiles ‘28, Skiles also competes in club swimming as well, but she found high school swimming to be harder than club swimming.

“It’s[high school swimming] definitely been harder than club,” said Skiles, “You have a shorter amount of time to get ready for meets like states and stuff. The practices are really hard, but I’ve

adapted to it, and they’ve helped make me a better swimmer.”

For the freshmen, a key part of adapting to the high school team was being able to feel that they were a part of the team, in the sense that they were able to make strong connections with teammates in the upper grades. The freshmen attribute team chemistry as a major factor in their success this season.

“My teammates for sure have helped me get to where I am now,“ said Mahoney, “They just challenge me every single day of practice. They strive for me to be a better swimmer and a better person at school. Everyone has pushed me really hard, which is really nice.”

Team chemistry and intersquad healthy competition is something that is developed over time. Skiles and Mahoney contribute team chemistry and intrasquad competition into their experience and success in high school swimming. Captain Sophia Hazzi ‘26 has helped create a culture where freshman swimmers enter a swimming program that is filled with fun, competitiveness, and friendship.

“I’ve definitely made closer connections with my team-

mates.” said Mahoney. “I think that going to practice every day and just being on deck at the meets with them is really helpful for me.”

With new incoming swimmers each year, Hazzi noticed that even more people are interested in joining the girl’s swimming program and every person helps the team get as many points as possible.

“The amount of girls that we’ve seen join the team this year was exponential,” said Hazzi, “I credit all the new people this year who joined and made the team almost double in size. All of them matter and all of them are helping us get each point, each meet.”

With the performances from the freshmen this year, Hazzi can’t help but to be optimistic about the future of the program.

“I am so pumped, even when I graduate, I want to come around and see how they’re[the team] doing,” said Hazzi. I know that what we’re doing this year and how fast we’re growing ais more cohesive than ever. I’m excited to see how far we will go into the future when we get even more new people.”