Ink to impact
Discovering the power of poetry to inspire and teach
SIRINA BERY ‘28
Lifestyles Staff
English Department Chair Monica Lewis has been weaving words together for as long as she can remember.
“I have a memory of being really little and sitting on my floor in my bedroom with the door closed, sitting by the vent writing in my notebook,” said Lewis.
Writing has remained something personal for Lewis. It is a way for her to process the world around her, to observe and to find the story. But it wasn’t until middle school that she realized her words have the power to connect people.
“There was a class where I turned a poem in as a response to an assignment, and the teacher copied it and put it on everybody’s desk,” said Lewis. “I came into the room, and I was published.”
That moment has stuck with her. It wasn’t just a recognition of her talent but a shift in her perspective. Writing was still personal, but it had become something that could reach other people. Writing was something that mattered beyond the pages of her notebook. Lewis’s love for poetry hasn’t faded.
“I’ve been writing poetry forever, the one piece that I’ve published out in the world is a poem,” said Lewis. “There have been years of my life when I’ve written more, and years of my life when I’ve written less.”
Even as the number of poems or short stories Lewis wrote fluctuated, she always came back to the process. The words on the pages all had a connection, they were written by Lewis.
“I’ve always had it in mind that it would be nice to collect some of the poetry into a collection. It’s been a work in progress for my whole life,” said Lewis.
This poetry collection is a way to capture Lewis’s journey in writing and throughout life. Her journey is explored in her ongoing project: a poetry collection.
“Many of the poems are about staying checked into life when it’s hard to,” said Lewis. “I want people to feel like they’re not alone and that the world is a beautiful place. It’s terrible and beautiful.”
The poetry collection is not only about finding beauty in the world, but also about discovery.
“Writing for me is about discovery. It’s not about trying
to create something perfect, it’s about exploring and revisiting thoughts and emotions,” said Lewis.
To Lewis, the process of writing is complex and has many meanings and importances.
“It’s not about getting it right the first time but allow
ing yourself the space to grow,” said Lewis. “I handwrite first in a journal, mess with it on the page there a few times, and then I type it, and then I will redo them and redo them.” Discovery, beauty and growing all tie in to the overarching theme of her collection. The title reflects this, “Verdant.” Verdant means green and growing. The collection is a reflection of the way Lewis sees her work as an ongoing journey, where each poem contributes to a larger story of self-exploration. Writing is therapeutic for Lewis, it’s not something she forces.
Smith and Ross Gay, who have the same ethos that I do”
Motivation for writing comes to Lewis because she wants the best for her students. Her journey as a writer has greatly impacted her journey as a teacher.
“It’s not about getting it right the first time,” said Lewis. “It’s about the process of thinking, revising, and discovering what you really want to say.”
“Sometimes it starts with the place that I am curious about what has happened in that place,” said Lewis. “It’s storytelling that starts with inspiration, imagination and a place or an experience.”
Inspiration for Lewis’s poems also comes from other people,their stories ,emotion and their experiences.
“Some of the poems are really inspired by my family,” said Lewis. “I am also inspired by poets Clint
“I’m a writing teacher,” said Lewis. “So I want to be practicing what I preach. I want to be involved in writing if I’m going to teach it. So if I was a pottery teacher , ‘Verdant’ would be my pot.”
Lewis’s belief in the power of words to explore, connect and grow is prominent, and it impacts her students.
“The one thing that I really appreciated out of the class is that we had a space to be creative,” said Hannah Behringer ‘25. “We were given the chance to realize that we are all connected to each other.”
Rebekah Warren ‘25 was another student of Lewis’. In the classroom she said not only did she learn about poetry ,but also how to express themselves.
“Ms. Lewis’ poetry course has changed my interpretation of creative, poetic expression and allowed myself and others to effectively use our voice in creative writing freely,” said Warren. The idea that words have the power to bridge experiences, to foster understanding and to remind us of our shared humanity is at the center of Lewis’s work.
“It feels very cool to think that I’m gonna give it to whoever I want to. Then maybe it will pass from one person’s hands to another, and that feels like a revolution.”
New courses, revised names announced for 2025-2026
EVA BERNSTEIN Editor in Chief
AP Art Portfolio
Department: Fine and Performing Arts
Grades offered: 10-12 with teacher recommendation
“There are a lot of really talented artists at Greenhills, and they deserve to have a higher level class where they can get into creating a portfolio of work that can serve them in getting into art school if they so desire, but in the very least, it’ll give them an opportunity to really do a sustained investigation in a particular area of interest,” Fine and Performing Arts Department Chair Liz Wilson-Hill said. “It’s a year-long course, and we’ve only ever had semester courses for the visual arts. After an initial quarter of teacher-led exploration, students can pick their specialty and develop an inquiry question around it. They can do research and just go deeper than they’ve ever been able to before, simply because of the course length and that the teachers are able to guide them through that and a more focused way. This is a dedicated space and time for students who really want to take their art to that next level. It is strictly visual arts, but within that, they can do graphic design, ceramics, painting, drawing, and photography.”
Astrophysics and Cosmology (last ran during the 2019-2020 school year)
Department: Science
Grades offered: 11-12 with Earth, Solar System, and Universe prerequisite or teacher recommendation
“We will go beyond the solar system as we look at some of the big questions, like, ‘Can we do interplanetary space travel?’,” Science Teacher Deano Smith said. “There are some really cool ideas about that, like maybe our solar system was visited by something from another civilization, so we’ll talk about that a good bit. Then we will go out and look at bigger structures, like, what is the Milky Way Galaxy? How do we even know what it looks like since we’re inside of it? What are galaxies like? What are black holes and where do they form and how do they form? There are black holes at the center of almost every galaxy, so we’ll talk about black holes and if you can time travel through them. [We will also discuss] the ultimate fate of the universe. What’s happening? The universe is expanding, expanding, expanding. Is it going to collapse back on itself?”
Civic Engagement
Department: History and Social Sciences
Grades offered: 9-12
“Students will be investigating what it means to be engaged in your community,” History and Social Sciences Department Chair Karin Scott said. “I would argue that when you look at the mission of Greenhills, this is a central question that we are trying to impose on students during their time here. It will be an opportunity for students to look at the history of social activism and combine it with their own social justice interests, ultimately finding a civic action project that they can craft and work on throughout the semester, while also engaging with the different organizations that we already have relationships with from our Service Learning Program.”
Solar and Planetary Astronomy (last ran during the 2019-2020 school year)
Department: Science
Grades offered: 11-12 with Earth, Solar System, and Universe prerequisite or teacher recommendation
“It’s a super fun course if you’re interested in astronomy,” Deano Smith said. “It focuses on both solar and planetary, meaning that we look at planets in the solar system. [This class is great for you] if you’re wondering how we explore different planets, how we design and send a spacecraft out, and all the cool stuff that we’ve learned about planets.”
BY ELEANA ZHUANG
Producing a Show
Department: Fine and Performing Arts
Grades offered: 9-12
“I’m excited for Gary to bring this class to students because it gives students who haven’t seen themselves as an actor or performing an opportunity to still get involved in theater,” Liz Wilson-Hill said. “Students will either choose an already existing play or develop one of their own to produce and present. They’ll do research into lighting, sound, costume, budget, and venues, so it’s project-based learning. They don’t have to act in it if they don’t want to, so they can find actors for it and they can direct it. So it’s meant to appeal to a wider range of students who maybe are not interested in acting, but still interested in the experience of being a producer of something and seeing it go from an idea on paper to coming to life. It’s an exciting new way to think about theater and I hope that it appeals to a bunch of kids who wouldn’t have otherwise taken a theater course.”
MORE THAN JUST WORDS Lewis challenges students to engage deeply with their writing.
Photo by Sirina Bery ‘28
Graphics by Megan Peng ‘25
Graphic by Violet Weizer ‘25
One + two + three + four Four students excel in the American Mathematics Competitions
ELEANA ZHUANG ‘25
Lifestyles Staff
Many students enjoy missing class, but what about missing class to take a math test? Jason Shen ‘25, Sunny Rong ‘26, Alison Choi ‘27, and Nathan Mei ‘29 competed in the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) in early November. Out of eight participants, these four students exemplified an outstanding performance.
“The AMC is a bunch of math problems that involve problems that are a bit harder than what you would normally see in a math class,” said Math teacher Ben Russell. “It’s fun for kids who want to explore a little bit more math without needing deeper material they haven’t seen yet.”
The AMC is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination. There are two different tests, AMC 10, focused on math up to the tenth-grade level, and AMC 12, focused on up to the twelfth-grade level. Students who do well on the AMC qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), another challenging exam. In previous years, only one person has qualified. This year, four students qualified.
“Four is a lot for when I have been here,” said Russell. In the past, only Jason has qualified for the AIME.”
The AMC is an opportunity for students to think beyond the classroom, something that Rong looks forward to every year.
“I’ve been taking the AMC every year from freshman year to now,” said Rong. “I like that it isn’t the typical math you would do at school. It’s very creative and requires flexible thinking.” Out of the four students who qualified, one is only in eighth grade. Because there isn’t an age qualification for the AMC 10, Mei was able to take advantage of this rule and take the exam this year. Although he is younger than all of the participants, there is no doubt that he is familiar with the AMC. He has taken the AMC 8, the exam designated for middle schoolers, every year since fourth grade.
“In seventh grade, I missed the cutoff by a little,” said Mei. “So this year I really wanted to make the cutoff. I thought it was going to be pretty hard, but it was easier than last year. Maybe it’s because I improved.”
All four students did some sort of preparation before going into the exam, but all in different ways. Shen has found math to be an extracurricular activity.
“I’ve been taking lessons from an outside teacher since fourth grade,” said Shen. “I just do a lot of math for an average person I’d say. For example, I do one problem set which is about
30 to 40 problems every week. This has prepared me the most for the AMC.”
On the other hand, Mei has a more individual approach, utilizing online resources.
“I think I ran through every AMC 10 before this one,
Main Street is a staple at Greenhills. It connects the various classrooms through a central hallway, leading all the way down from the Borders Center for the Athletics to the Campbell Center for the Performing Arts. It serves as not only the main route through the building but also as a tool to navigate our winding hallways. However, that is the only help we receive in being guided throughout the school, since room numbers have become increasingly irrelevant and are confusing in general. Our solution: create more manageable room numbers and straightforward hallway names.
The primary issue with the school’s current layout is that it lacks any organization be- yond Main Street. Despite the smaller size of the school, it can still be incredibly confus- ing at times. The numbering of rooms doesn’t follow a predictable pattern and room numbers are ignored altogether. Instead, an infor- mal naming system has been created by the student body, with room names based on the room’s teacher. This system works great for older students who have had these teachers before in their time at Greenhills, but it can still be a challenge for new students, such as incoming 6th and 9th graders, and guests to the building. This is something that could create problems for prospec- tive families touring the school and visitors coming in for events. During Gryphon Ambassador events, vis- iting families are confused by the room numbers, with student ambassadors attempting to use maps and give confusing directions.
Our first solution is to create more hallway names. Naming additional hallways can help give students a clearer picture of how the school fits together. It would help grow school spirit, with students grouped into memorable areas instead of meaningless spaces, and would also help with communication and navigation. Another idea would be to format room numbers in clusters,
just like the locker number system. For example, classrooms near the 6th-grade forum could be labeled 6-1, 6-2, and so on, while those around the 7th-grade forum could follow the same pattern, going 7-1, 7-2, etc. This could help people navigate the hallways, as even if they don’t know the actual room, they would know the direction and area where it is located.
Recently, we have taken steps in the right direction by adding more signs throughout the school, which would mainly help visi- tors. However, these signs are not the solution, but the start of something bigger. More signs could go hand- in-hand with new hall - way names. These chang - es would benefit everyone, but on a day-to-day basis would make students’ lives much easier. Students would have an easier time finding classrooms, especially middle schoolers who have to travel all over the building for some electives, venturing into some areas that they have never actually seen before.
Naming the hallways can be fun as well. We could hold a vote for some names or allow them to be named after influential members of the Greenhills community who we want to embed into the school culture. Another option would be to auction the hallways off to raise money for the school. If people would be willing to pay, it could help fund future endeavors and increase school spirit in one fell swoop.
While all of these changes sound great in theory, do we actually need them? For some, it might make the school even more confusing and provide little improvement in navigating the hallways. The real value of this change in our system is building our community. These changes would make it stronger and bring us clos- er together. Greenhills prides itself on being different from the pack. Creating shared memories and a collective culture will bolster our tight-knit community in ways that are different from the normal school. Our community is what makes our school truly “one of a kind”, so let’s find ways to grow
so about 50 practice tests,” said Mei. “I’ve been preparing for six months.”
But, in recent years, there has been an issue. People have leaked problems ahead of time on online platforms. Because there are students who take the AMC in different time zones, some will memorize the questions and post them online for other people to see before they take it. This heavily impacted Mei last year.
“The leaked problems was a pretty horrible situation,” said Mei. “Last year during the AMC 8, the cutoff was 93.5. That year I got 101.5.
I thought I was home free. Turns out, after the problems got leaked, the cutoff went up ten, to 103.5.”
Despite these challenges, students continue to take the AMC every year for their own enjoyment.
“When I was solving the problems I was very immersed and liked finding if I could find a solution,” said Choi. “It took me a long time, but when I finally got some of the harder questions, I felt rewarded.”
Shen previously took the exam to strengthen his college applications. Doing well on the AIME gives a chance to qualify for the USA Mathematical Olympiad, another competition. Qualifying for the AIME for the last three years, Shen has fallen short each year. But as a senior, he has decided to take a different approach to this test than in previous years.
“I’ve already reaped what I’ve sown,” said Shen. “My goal is just to have fun. I don’t need to take the test anymore, I’m just doing it for the love of the game.”
Russell serves as the proctor for the AMC at Greenhills. He also took the AMC in high school but didn’t enjoy the style of math it gave. Regardless, now, he finds joy in seeing his students thrive in a competitive environment.
“It’s really fun to see the kids who do take it get excited about how they do,” said Russell. “Once the competition is done they start talking about the problems and I have to urge them to leave and go home. They all go to the whiteboards explaining what they did and usually I get stuck at the board thinking about it too.”
Choi participated in this exam as a way to challenge herself. Like most, she felt anxious during the test, and the outcome took her by surprise. She recommends other students take the exam too.
“I think it challenges beyond the concepts you learn at Greenhills and applies them to word problems where you have to really think,” said Choi. “It’s a really good way to challenge yourself.”
our shared spirit and make new memories. As the school continues to grow and expand, these changes are more crucial than ever. We need to find ways of updating our system and how we do things, instead of just sticking with whatever confusing systems we currently have in place. We want the school to be a welcoming place for everyone, not a place that confuses those who enter for the first time, and we hope that these changes will guide every visitor, student, and faculty member as they make their way down Main Street.
Photo courtesy of Jason Shen ‘25
Workout warriors
Middle school physical education teacher encourages faculty to attend wellness class
JANAAN REHMAN ‘26
Sports Staff
Chaotic and loud are two words that are often used to describe middle school gym classes. And yet, when presented with the opportunity, several faculty members lept at the chance to join a gym class to workout alongside their students. Middle school gym teacher Steven “Steve O”
Oestreich recently invited teachers to attend his middle school gym classes to improve connections between them and their students.
“I wanted the students to workout with teachers so that they could inspire each other,” said Oestreich. “They see their teachers as a math teacher but they don’t see them working out, and the teachers see them as students but they don’t see them working out.
“I walked in and joined in on some badminton for a while then they got to their workout portion.”
Benke plans on making a routine of attending their gym classes when possible. While he was there, he participated in various bodyweight exercises alongside his students.
“It was a good workout and I’m always in search of something good and different,” said Benke.
I wanted them to be able to come together and do that and inspire one another.”
Oestreich began the project two weeks ago as a part of the three-year faculty program with the theme of “Inspire.” Ten teachers and faculty have already joined a gym class at least once, including Scott Benke, Madeline Patramanis, Owen Barton, Ruthann Thorne, Sarah Longcore, Andy Lammers, Natalie Caramagno, Evan Jackson, Brandon Groff, and Jarrett Bussell.
“I think it’s a really positive way to keep the students and the teachers involved,” said middle school gym teacher Bussell.
“It’s important for the students to see adults in the building staying active and living a healthy lifestyle.”
Teachers received an email from Oestreich explaining the idea and students were then able to invite various teachers to attend their gym class for the workout portion. The students specified it would be when they had class at the end of the day.
“They said they usually do the workout at the beginning so I just showed up then,” said middle school math teacher Benke.
“I think our wellness and athletics departments do a good job of guiding kids through good workouts and teaching the sports that they do to set them up for a future of working out.”
Students were excited about the opportunity to workout alongside their teachers.
“I definitely enjoyed it more than a regular gym class when the teachers came,” said Roya Haerian ‘31. “We still did the same workouts and then they ended up leaving after the workout, but just the fact that they were there and they came made it more fun.”
Oftentimes students have a one-sided view of their teachers and getting the chance to connect with them in a different environment made an impact.
more motivated to put more effort into their workouts when the teachers were there.
“Some of the teachers are like ‘I don’t believe they did all those pushups that fast’, and other teachers are like ‘I’m exhausted from this workout the kids do,’” said Oestriech. “The students are more amazed like ‘Oh, this is my French teacher here. Why are they working out?’ or ‘Oh, they’re my math teacher. Why are they playing badminton?’ And so they’re really stunned by that. I think it forces the kids to up their game a little bit too.”
Seeing teachers in different settings outside of the classroom offers a new perspective to students.
“I think it’s one thing to see a teacher teaching their class in a more authority role,” said Bussell. “But when they then get invited to a gym class to do the workout with them, it’s like they’re peers in a sense. They’re not just teaching the kid at that time and I think it can help build those connections between teachers and students.”
“I really enjoyed how they were able to do the same workouts as us even though they’re older,” said Sylvia Beamish ‘31. “It was nice being able to see them outside of the classroom and be able to just talk to them.”
Oestreich said that the teachers had mixed reactions but enjoyed it just as much as the students did overall. Students felt
The project is meant to facilitate deeper connections between the teachers and students.
“Any time they can see you in a different light it’s good,” said Benke. “I know when we take students to Washington, D.C., on retreats, or as a coach, students get an opportunity to see a different side of their teacher. I think it’s always good for them to know that you’re human rather than someone who sleeps in their classroom.”
Oestreich plans to continue this program throughout the year. He teaches B, D, E, and F periods and encourages anyone to join in if they have time.
“If any student wants to drop in at the start and do a workout it would be more than welcome,” said Oestreich. “You’re an inspiration to the young ones, that’s for sure.”
Behind the screens: Inside the communications office
MIRA JAYARAMAN‘26
Contributing Editor
Every Thursday at 5 p.m., as students finish their last classes and faculty wrap up their days, a familiar notification lights up hundreds of screens across the Greenhills community: the weekly eForum has arrived, bringing snapshots of science experiments, sports victories, and artistic achievements to the community’s fingertips.
These frequent images and updates come from an office consisting of Advancement, Communications, and Marketing Assistant Director Rachel Bielicki and Director of Communications and Marketing Michael Shaw.
“We make sure students and parents in the greater Greenhills community know what’s going on here and have all the information they need,” said Shaw. “We’re reminding current parents why it was a great decision to have their kids here while showing prospective families the kind of learning and experiences students have when they come here.”
For Bielicki, the school’s primary photographer and communications specialist, capturing those experiences meant learning on the job – literally. She joined Greenhills in March 2020 with minimal photography experience, having previously worked in digital marketing at Detroit PBS.
“Everything I’ve done has just been through learning and evolving my skills as I’ve been here,” said Bielicki. “I started shooting mostly on auto, and then I started to pick up on different settings. Now I know which events I need to use certain settings for. It’s really just from practice and getting out there.”
science experiments and other remote learning moments.”
As Bielicki takes photos of several projects and events, it’s the high-energy moments that keep her on her toes.
“I love photographing spirit weeks, assemblies - there’s so much buzz everywhere,” said Bielicki. “Things are constantly
communication strategy as well. If something involves words or graphics, we’re involved.”
Bielicki’s day might include writing alumni emails, posting more on the school’s Instagram, or wandering campus with her camera. She learns about photo opportunities in three main ways: an internal events request system, impromptu hallway conversations with teachers, and her explorations around campus.
That practice was put to the test during her first year, as COVID-19 forced most learning online. Instead of roaming hallways with her camera, Bieicki found herself helping classrooms in a different way.
“During COVID, I really had to rely on teachers to let me know when they were doing cool things,” said Bielicki. “There wasn’t much I could do with a physical camera on Zoom, so instead, I taught the teachers how to take Zoom screenshots of virtual
moving and changing. It can be challenging to capture all those moments and really show people what that event was all about.”
For Shaw and Bieicki, no two days look alike. While Bieicki manages social media, photography, and digital communications like the eForum, Shaw handles graphic design, writing, and communication strategy.
“If you see any signage around the building, we’re usually doing that,” said Shaw. “We take care of any advertising, and
FAST FACTS
YEARS AT GREENHILLS: I started in 2024. WHERE YOU CAN FIND HER: All over the school.
POSITION: Facilities team member
“Sometimes a teacher might pass me in the hallway and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be doing this cool chemistry lab if you want to swing by,’” said Bielicki. “Other times, I know we need content for social media or the eForum, and I just walk around and try to find those things.”
For students like Camille Clem ‘27, the department’s efforts create a vital connection to school life.
“The eForum has been so consistent every week that I honestly don’t remember ever not reading it,” said Clem. “It’s fun to see what my other classmates are doing throughout the day. I don’t normally know what people in other grades do in their classes, so that’s interesting to see in the Instagram posts and eForum.”
Looking ahead, the communications team isn’t standing still. They’re currently undertaking their biggest project yet: a complete overhaul of the school’s website, set to launch next summer.
“For prospective families, that’s their first foray into Greenhills,” said Shaw. “We want to make that a great storytelling experience and help them understand what it’s like here. We’re rethinking the whole navigation, with new photography and pictures. It’ll be a brand new site.”
The project exemplifies the team’s broader mission: creating meaningful connections within the Greenhills community while showcasing the school’s unique environment.
As Shaw and Bieicki continue their behind-the-scenes work, their impact resonates through every Thursday afternoon eForum notification, every Instagram post, and every captured moment of student life - keeping the Greenhills community connected, one image at a time.
Linda
Photo by Mira Jayaraman ‘26
Photos by Janaan Rehman
From Greenhills to the Grammys
EB: “You said that you were interested in classical music, which, at least in my experience, most kids are more interested in pop and rock, and forming bands in those genres. Do you think that you found that passion for classical music because of your experience in orchestra?
What drew you to classical music?
NP: “I don’t really know. I’d grown up playing it as a kid because that’s what you study when you’re studying the violin, and my parents played it a lot. My dad in particular played a lot of classical music around the house. He
practice your craft, and there are all sorts of things that go alongside that, but the most important thing at the end of the day, especially to have a sustainable career in the arts, is being an expert at your craft, whatever that craft is. If you’re a writer, you’ve got to keep writing every day, if you’re a musician, you have to practice every day. That’s always really the thing that has to come first, because without it, you don’t really have much of a foundation, and that can be a really anxiety-inducing existence.”
ARYA PRABHAKAR ‘26 School Staff
needed a tenor who could sing really high notes and I had those naturally, which I didn’t realize was a special thing. I got cast in the spring musical and then that ignited a passion for theater in me. I sang in choir and played in orchestra after that at Greenhills, and I started playing in youth orchestras and do summer programs, like MPulse, which used to be at Interlochen when I was a teenager. I found out about all of these programs through the orchestra and choir programs at Greenhills because they would put their posters on the wall. The theater teacher, the orchestra conductor, and the choir conductor were all really, really supportive of my passion for music and theater. I did a couple of summers as a musical theater major at Interlochen in high school, and during those summers is when I decided that I would be a singer rather than a player, because it was really obvious to me that singing was the path forward, but I loved classical music, so I pursued that instead of musical theater. I did all the musicals when I was there [at Greenhills], I would do the fall plays, I played in the orchestra, and I sang in choir. I also did the Metropolitan Youth Symphony out in Birmingham, played in the University of Michigan Youth Symphony, and sang in the University of Michigan Youth Choir. All of these programs were things that I found out about through my teachers at Greenhills.”
my job is an act of service. The arts have the power to bring communities together and to bring comfort and to bridge divides. I view all of my art making as an act of service, and that’s something that I really think comes from my time at Greenhills and those values that were instilled in me when I was there.”
EB: “Now, to shift to what you’ve been up to recently with your Grammy nominations and your big win, did you have any highlights from that experience and a favorite performance from the night?”
NP: “I’ve got to say, I thought that Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars were great singing ‘California Dreaming.’ Because our category was announced at the end of the premier ceremony, which was before the telecast, I ended up backstage for the first hour, so I missed a big portion of the ceremony, doing press interviews and getting official portraits taken, which was cool. This year was my
was a huge classical music fan. There was a jazz band back then, but it just didn’t involve the instrument that I played. I didn’t play the guitar, I didn’t play piano, I didn’t play the sax. I was a string player, so I think that’s part of it. I love pop music, but it [classical music] just felt like the thing that was for me.”
EB: “In addition to being a former student at Greenhills, you’re also an educator now. What advice do you have for current students who are interested in pursuing a career in the arts after school?
EB: “Are there any things or lessons that you took away from those times in orchestra or in the musicals that you still carry with you today?”
EB: “Do you have any music recommendations, or what have you been listening to?”
NP: “One thing I would recommend everybody have a listen to is the John Elliot Gardiner recording of Bach’s ‘Mass in B minor,’ just for some classical music. Also, Peter Yarrow died a few weeks ago, so I’ve actually been listening to Peter, Paul and Mary a fair amount. Also some John Baez. I think the political climate has me listening to protest music, and in that spirit, would recommend everybody listen to my album that was nominated. It’s called ‘A Change Is Gonna Come,’ and it’s all about protest music, and con-
NP: “When pursuing any career in the arts, you’ve got to
“The Matrix” (1999) Williams: “I think the film holds up, because it was the originator of so many different visual effects that are the norm now. And thinking in terms of transgender identity, because the creators are transgender women who weren’t
phones yet. You just had like email and chat rooms, so people were starting to get connected, but linked and maybe ‘The Matrix’ predicted that because it is literally about AI and technology.”
NP: “I think the biggest thing that I took away from Greenhills was bringing an intellectual curiosity to every single thing that I do. I always want to sort of unpack the layers of why we’re doing the things that we’re doing, like ‘why are we singing whatever songs we’re singing?’ The other thing that I’ve taken away from it is from the community service requirement. Part of the thing that I really took away from that time was that to whom much is given, much is required. As a performing musician, I really feel strongly that
sidering the times in which we live, feel like it’s worth a
Williams’
and Ward’s Winners
“I also thought that the actors, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, were great and they’re dynamic together even when they’re on their own and Zendaya’s not in the picture. Just any combination of three of them put together is amazing.”
International film: “Parasite” (2019) Ward: “Parasite is almost a very modern ‘Hitchcock’, I would say there’s a very thoughtful direction to the film. There’s literally ‘Hitchcock’ easter eggs that the director Bong Joon-ho puts into the film to keep the audience on their toes.”
Ladybird” (2017)
Williams: “Greta Gerwig is an incredibly thoughtful and interesting director. In film class, I like to refer to her as our best friend Greta, and I think stylistically she can do something really small, focused and beautiful about daily relationships between people.”
“When we teach the film [‘Ladybird’], very few people like it, and yet as teachers and people watching the film later in our lives, we can see that this is a young person that is just going through some stuff and trying to figure it out, so it’s easier for us to find empathy.”
Williams: “The film also draws from the idea that everything in our life today is a heavy examination of class and social structure, and how that affects the cinematography is stunning, like the way that light is used in the film, it has to be my favorite thing.”
Released before 1990: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
Ward: “It’s the perfect movie, not an amazing work of art, but a perfect movie. It’s doing exactly what it is trying to do at an insanely high level, and I think that’s very special.
“Challengers” (2024)
Williams: “‘Challengers’ is just so fun, it’s like putting three, combustible things together and letting them go. Zendaya is so cun ning in the film, and she just toys with these two boys so easily, it’s
Williams: “It’s also really deep with the whole side story about mental health. I didn’t quite get it when I saw it when I was 10, but now I can sort of read between the lines. I just love it, love it, love it.”
PAGE 6
Rookie rises to the rim
Freshman makes an impact on basketball team
JANAAN REHMAN ‘26
School Staff
Stepping onto the court as a freshman, Quinn Maldonado ‘28 has quickly made a name for herself as a powerful player. Maldonado is a new member of the Varsity Girls Basketball team and has already begun to receive recognition for the talent she brings to the court by her teammates and others.
“Quinn really brings hard work and a lot of passion for basketball,” said Varsity Girls Basketball captain Hannah Behringer ‘25. “She really cares about the game and I think that we should be inspired by her love for basketball.”
With a 6-7 season, the team has already surpassed the number of wins achieved from last season. Additionally, they won two conference games. In the past two years, they hadn’t won any.
something new about myself and about her as the season goes on,” said Parker. “Something about Quinn is that she hates to lose more than she loves to win which is something that I felt as a player.”
This competitive spirit is something that Maldonado has felt since she was young, whether she was playing soccer, basketball, or any other sport.
“What got me into basketball was my love to win,” Maldonado said. “I always say it might not have been basketball in another life, but I’ve always loved to win.”
a free throw after being fouled at the home basketball
Community School. “When I take my free throws I don’t think,” said Maldonado. “I just follow my routine and make sure I dribble twice before making my shot.”
“I knew that we had a lot of good kids coming into the program before the season started,” said Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach Taylor Parker. “I knew automatically that we were going to improve this year and have more talent on the team, and so far, that’s been proven true.”
Maldonado’s dedication to the sport and her team has made her a key player. She sets the tone with her work ethic and pushes herself, as well as her teammates, to work hard.
“Quinn wants herself and the people around her to improve,” said Parker. “She wants the team to be able to eventually have a winning record and play in the postseason.”
The determination Maldonado has as a player is a characteristic that her coach recognizes as a key trait in skilled athletes.
“While coaching Quinn, I learn
Ironwoman
Maldonado has been playing basketball for over seven years. Currently, she is part of the Amateur Athletic Union or AAU Basketball team, in addition to the Varsity Girls Basketball team.
“On my club team, my focus is to improve,” said Maldonado. “I’m always chasing the top girls in my club. I’m chasing them in sprints, literally, and I’m trying to be as good as them in drills. I watch their games and I just try to copy them. I always notice how hard they work outside of practice and I try to internalize that.”
The emphasis on fun while playing for the Greenhills team was a surprise to Maldonado. She quickly adapted to the differences between the dynamics of her AAU club team and the Greenhills team.
“Going into the season, I had expected that everyone on the team was gonna be super serious, super focused on basketball and we would take things super seriously,” said Maldonado. “But as the season went on, I’ve noticed that we do a lot better when we have fun with each other.”
team also tries to balance fun on the court.
“I think that we are a better team with her,” said Behringer. “And I think that we can grow with her just like she can grow with us.”
Even the best athletes often still have more to learn, whether it’s from their coach or even their teammates.
“I used to be super strict about my pre-game rituals,” said Maldonado. “I didn’t have any fun, I didn’t listen to music, and I didn’t hang out with anyone before games. I was super stoic. But if I hang out with my teammates before and we’re laughing, or just joking and watching reels on the bus, then I definitely feel calmer and I can do better in the game.”
Success is never overnight. One must dedicate time and effort into any activity if they wish to improve, which is something Maldonado does consistently with her basketball training.
“I spend an hour on my own every day playing basketball and then we have two hours of practice after school,” said Maldonado. “And then I go home and lift on my own for an hour, stretch for 30 minutes every day, and then I wake up and do it again.”
Maldonado was named one of the Top Ann Arbor-area girls basketball players to watch for 2024-25 season as well as MLive Athlete of the Week the week of Jan. 20. She plans to continue to improve as a player and teammate.
“My goal for every season is to add to the placard on the wall in the gym,” said Maldonado. “This year I would like to be even with our wins and losses and focus on having fun.”
Juniors run new track club
CHARLIE RICH ‘26
Sports Staff
Students who enjoy running and staying fit have a new, community-oriented option thanks to Zohabe Uzzaman ‘26 and Lucas Aalderink ‘26’s new Red Valley Track Club.
The club trains on weekends at Lincoln Athletic Building (LAB) located at Lincoln High School. The facility includes an 80-yard turf field, a 300-meter track, and an indoor fitness center. The club first started meeting in early December with five participants. Besides weekends at LAB, the club meets after school to get some practice in. Members of the Track and Field team know that participation isn’t mandatory, but it still has participation because of the buy-in of current Greenhills Boys Track Team members.
“We go there, it’s unaffiliated with Greenhills and student-run; we’re like an athletic nationals team,” said Henry Beck ‘26. “It’s just a group who happens to attend Greenhills and likes to train together, and then sometimes we race together on Saturdays at the Lincoln LAB, and we’ll do relays and stuff and we’ll hang out there all day, and race. It’s pretty fun.”
While the running club is not officially associated with Greenhills, students use it as a training opportunity for the upcoming track season.
“It’s called Red Valley Track,” said Beck. “It’s the opposite of Greenhills, we just race a couple weekends and then it’s just to get prepped up for track.”
The Red Valley Track Club allows for a winter opportunity to train for the upcoming spring track and field season.
“It’s a great feeling to train with my track and field friends that have the same goals as me,” said Royal Seale ‘26. “We not only practice our sport, we improve our bond.”
Seale has also found that the club helps with maintaining motivation in the off season.
“My teammates keep me accountable,” said Seale.
The Greenhills Boys Track Team’s 2024 season moved to a new region introducing fresh competition. The team came in second place at last year’s Catholic High School League (CHSL) championship coming in second place. A relay made up of four people qualified for states during the 2024 season. The year before, the team won the CHSL championship.
“We wanted all the students at Greenhills to have a place to improve and get faster for the season,” said Uzzaman. “We also do it for the seniors, last year we lost a devastating CHSL championship and we as a team feel we owe it to the seniors to get them their CHSL championship.”
Behringer agrees that although they do work hard at games and practice, the
Wellness teacher recalls time as competitive athlete
CATE ALUMKAL ‘27
Sports Staff
“Eat. Breathe. Sleep. Train. Repeat.”
That is how committed Katie Sims ‘11 described her preparation for her first full Ironman in 2017. At the time she was in college at Ohio Northern University and had to find ways to balance the demanding training, proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, and attending classes for her bachelor of science in exercise physiology.
“I was very fortu - nate being in an exercise physiology program where I had training facilities open to me,” said Sims. “So I had a pool, I had a gym and where I went to school in Ohio it was very flat so I could go running for hours.”
To prepare the human body both physically and mentally for an Ironman where competitors are moving for on average fifteen hours straight, requires many months of hardwork and dedication, oftentimes more than once a day.
“I would always train for eight to nine months,” said Sims. “I would spend in my peak days, six to seven hours training. It’s five hours on the bike, and then you’re going out and running up to a half marathon.”
Training with a friend or a group of friends is something Sims did often to make the lengthy distances more enjoyable.
experience, and more importantly a three year break from Ironmans.
“I had foot pain, I couldn’t keep down nutrition, I kept getting really sick,” said Sims.
Throughout her career she has been fortunate her only injury suffered has been a stress fracture in an unforgiving sport where some people are one and done.
“I have been really, really thankful that, outside of some discomfort here and there, there’s been no significant injury,” said Sims.
Mental roadblocks can be even harder to overcome than physical challenges in training because they require self awareness and resilience to push through.
“Even if I’m not having the best training day, at least I know I’m going to feel better afterward,” said Sims. “I try to remind myself that I’m not a professional triathlete, I’m going out there to have fun and beat myself.”
the distractions around you float away,” said Sims. “It’s not everyone’s favorite, so for me to say that it’s my favorite I feel like I have a little bit of confidence and power in that”
At Greenhills, Sims participated in four sports: cross country, soccer, softball, and basketball and she has always been an active and competitive person.
“I am someone who will try anything at least once,” said Sims.
One of her fellow teachers and Junior Varsity Girls Basketball coach at Greenhills is Caitlyn O’Neal. Both started teaching at Greenhills in 2022 and Sims has helped O’Neal with preparing for her half marathon and other fitness-related topics.
“I asked her for advice on what kind of road bikes to buy because that’s part of the Ironman,” said O’Neal. “I just have so much respect for her, she’s an incredible athlete.”
Sims’s dream is to qualify for the Ironman World championships in Kona, Hawaii, but it can be difficult for her age range, 30-40 which is very competitive.
“I might not qualify until I’m like 50,” said Sims. “I will do it (Ironmans) as long as my body will carry me, one way or another we’ll hopefully get there (Kona).”
Libby Schuster ‘27 has been on the Varsity Cross Country team and Varsity Girls Basketball team with Sims for two years and also competed in a sprint triathlon this summer with Sims’s assistance.
“She offered me a couple of tips on training and fueling,” said Schuster. “She also offered me some of her triathlon gear.”
Uzzaman and Aalderink have put a lot of work into growing it with the first meeting only having a handful of participants. They worked with their contact at Lincoln Consolidated School District to secure somewhere for the club to train indoors during the off-season. They reached out to current Greenhills Track and Field teammates to see who would be interested in joining them on the weekends and after school.
“It was hard to recruit people to join the club,” said Uzzaman. “Me and my co-captain Lucas really wanted this team to form so it was down to when we were going to form this club, not if.”
Nico Aagesen ‘26 also started spending his Saturdays running with the Red Valley Track Club. He’s been on the cross-country team for the past three seasons, and has felt the bonding time in the offseason helps foster the team’s culture when spring rolls around. “We’re building a culture for the track and field team,” said Aagesen. “It feels like we’re a family.” The club has created ways for the team to train despite Michigan’s winters. The club continues to grow each weekend with new members from the Greenhills Track and Field team. Aagesen has been enjoying his time with the club. The group regularly gets anywhere from two to eight runners participating each time.
“This is going to be a super memorable experience as I look back on my time here,” said Aagesen. “I’m hoping to improve my times thanks to the work I’ve been putting in in the off season with the Red Valley Track Club.”
“In college we had a triathlon club so that was nice to have a group to train with,” Sims said. “It’s kind of a lonely sport when you think about it so when you can find a good group that can be helpful.”
In 2017 though, Sims unknowingly trained and raced with a stress-fractured foot, which led to a less than enjoyable race
Ironmans consist of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. Like a true Michigander, the swim is where Sims feels most comfortable, which she attributes to growing up spending hours at the lake.
“The swim is really one of the only times where you can really lock in and let
Sims has done three half Ironmans with her best time being 7:15 and three full Ironmans with her best time being 15:36. She is also willing to offer valuable advice to beginners who are unsure about signing up for their first Ironman.
“You can do more than you believe that you can,” says Sims. “At some point, your body shuts off and your mind just kicks on, and if you’re really passionate or really wanting to do something,
going
do it.”
Photo by Charlie Rich ‘26
MUSCLE MEMORY Maldonado shoots
game against Ypsilanti
Photo by Janaan Rehman ‘26
HUDDLE UP The team does their pre-game huddle to raise spirits, led by Parker. “We always clap it up in a huddle to get excited,” said Behringer. “Then, Taylor goes through the game plan with us and what plays we want to run.”
Photo by Janaan Rehman ‘26
Photo courtesy of Katie Sims ‘11
Winning minds, winning goals
Two student-athletes receive state-wide recognition
DYLAN SHEAR ‘26
Sports Staff
180 schools. More than 18,000 athletes, only 32 winners. That’s the number of people who are awarded the prestigious Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Scholar-Athlete Award. Senior varsity athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics are selected from a competitive pool of applicants across Michigan. Out of the 32 recipients in the state, two call Greenhills home: Hannah Lee ‘25, and Eleana Zhuang ‘25.
Zhuang is a three-sport athlete. She plays volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter, and track and field in the spring.
“Juggling school and athletics is always a challenge. And so the fact that this award also represents how hard I’ve worked in school as well along with my athletic achievements,” said Zhuang.
Zhuang, being a student athlete, balances the demands of her course load along with her commitment to athletics, which she said she has cherished since a young age.
“Time management has been a thing for me since I was very little, just because I was involved in such a highly-committed sport [since then],” said Zhuang. “I kind of just carried that skill onto high school.
I’ve learned how to manage my classes,
I’ve learned how to figure out what schoolwork I need to finish first and what comes first. My schoolwork al-
From
ways comes first before my sports, so I try my hardest to not take breaks from sports. That means I need to finish my schoolwork before anything.”
Zhuang’s commitment has extended past her personal achievements on and off the field. Teammates and coaches praise her as a leader who uplifts everyone’s spirits.
“[Eleana] wants not only to succeed on her own, but others to succeed alongside her,” said varsity track and field coach Dylan Madden.
Zhuang’s leadership qualities have left a lasting impression on the volleyball team making her not just a role model, but also a source of support for her teammates.
“Eleana is a driven and caring athlete who gets along well with her teammates,” said Sabine Zebib ‘25. “Being on a team with her for so long, it’s been great to see her grow as a leader.”
tournaments or helping other kids out actually meant something rather than me just tiring myself out,” said Lee.
Hannah Lee, Greenhills’ other winner of the MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award, said that balancing academics with a sport like golf requires many hours off campus for tournaments and practices. Lee spends at least 20 hours a week mastering her craft. Lee embraces the challenge and said she ensures that her academics continue to stay strong. For Lee, the award represents years of perseverance.
“[This award] shows that all the very exhausting days going to school after golf
tackling to teaching
Thomas Husson’s time as a semi-pro rugby player
CATE ALUMKAL ‘27
Sports Staff
Before Thomas Husson became Monsieur Husson he played for a semipro rugby team in his hometown of Tours, France. In 2008 though Husson decided to pack his bags and leave behind his hometown to attend Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to pursue a master’s degree in French Studies. When he arrived in Ohio he was faced with a decision: to continue playing rugby or leave it in France.
Husson never imagined playing rugby as a young boy growing up in Tours, France, a suburb southwest of Paris whose Michigan comparison is Ann Ar bor to Detroit.
“Seven to eleven years old I was doing dance, just dance,” said Husson. “I played three weeks of soccer when I was 12 years old. I went to three prac tices and that was it.”
Soccer is the most popular sport in France but it didn’t seem to fit Husson, so at the age of 13 years old Husson’s parents decided he needed to toughen up and join Rugby School.
“That was three practices a week and you learn to play rugby,” said Hus son. “ I played blind side flanker which is number 6 on a rugby team.” Flankers are found in the center of the field and are known as the bridge be tween the defense and offense. Specifically, the blind side flanker is tasked with covering the opposite side of the scrum which is where players from both teams lock heads and push against each other to get the ball.
Her teammates have also taken note of her selflessness and dedication on and off the course.
Teammates praised her individual success but also recognized how Lee celebrated her teammates’ success.
“She’s like the mom of the team,” said Saaya Doshi ‘26. “I’d say she cares for everyone. You can tell that she has a really big and whole heart.”
Golf coach Michael Karr said Lee has exceptional drive and motivation to maintain a strong work ethic between golf and academics. “She wants to do well at everything that she wants to do,” said Karr. “She has an exceptional balance between the academics, the extracurricular activities, and the sport of golf. I don’t think anybody’s done that better than [she has].”
physical, but at the same time, being physical is not allowed.”
Rugby is played without pads or helmets so learning techniques to make contact with opponents such as using the arms or shoulders is very important.
“I was so excited and I was running along the sideline and I thought I was super fast, but no, I was not,” said Husson. “In to -
different type of training.
“I was in the military,” said Husson. “So I could not go every time, but I had training in the military, so I was excused from some practices.”
US Tours, Husson’s club played in the fourth division of French Club Rugby.
“I just love that you could get physical,” said Husson. “A lot of sports like basketball, handball or soccer are extremely
of his background because he talks about his history in the military.”
The life of a semi-pro rugby player included a demanding training and game schedule which Husson had to balance with a
Softball steps it up Spring
sport returns for second season
WILLIAM ENGLESBE ‘28
Editor-at-Large
Last year, the girls softball team played two games. Kinsley Romero ’27 was only able to play in one of those games, due to an injury. In her only game of the season, Romero played in front of stands populated only by parents. This year, head softball coach Caitlyn O’Neal hopes to change that, in a complete rebuild of the structure of high school softball.
“We are coming from a year where we were building, and our first ever softball team in about 10 years of just Greenhills students,” said O’Neal. “This year, we’re hopefully going to have a bit more people involved. But It’s hard to tell.”
O’Neal hopes that a combination of more student interest and a revised schedule will result in a more successful season.
“We have eight games scheduled so far, and we’re working on getting about 12 or 13 scheduled,” said O’Neal. “And we’ll be playing in the districts this year. So I’m really excited. It’s going to be a fun spring.” O’Neal aspires to create a better season and environment for members of the softball team; some players were unsatisfied with last year’s experience.
“I’m actually pretty happy about these changes, because last year, it wasn’t really going so well, and our team was falling apart,” said Lea Aghssa ’25.
“But now that there’s more people, We’re a lot happier, and now we can actually grow as a group and a sport.” O’Neal has spent the off-season pushing for this change. She wants to build a new community where everyone can succeed.
“I was advocating for our team,” said O’Neal.
“I know what it’s like to be on a team where everyone is committed and everyone is all in and that’s what I wanted for our team. It was hard for our team last year to be practicing all year and then only have two games. So I hope that this year, you know, they will understand all that hard work this past year has led to this year.”
The team has multiple goals this year. Right now, they are centered around growth and development of the sport.
“We’re really about expansion right now, trying to get more people to do softball and become interested in it,” said Peyton Hudson ’27. “We’re also just working on building a tighter and closer team dynamic.”
O’Neal also has goals for her team. She wants to build a community for the players and help her players improve.
“My goal for our team this year is to build a culture where everyone wants to be there,” said O’Neal. “It would be great if we won one game. But, as long as the players are able to learn more about softball by the time they’re done with the season, that means I’ve done my job. And if they happen to also be better people, that’s the most important thing.”
The team will have an influx of freshmen this year. While they had less than 10 players last year, there are more than 20 players signed up for the softball team’s info season on Feb 7.
“First and second division, everybody can be a pro on the team,” said Husson. “Then in division three and four we were getting $150 if we won a game.”
Husson’s fellow french teacher Madam Novak has known Husson since he came to Greenhills and is familiar with the game and can attest to its popularity in
“My husband played rugby and I have a young friend who plays rugby very, very well in the South of France,” said Novak. “I knew that he [Husson] played rugby level but I didn’t know it was semi-pro.” In 2008, when Husson came to BGSU their rugby team had won twenty six consecutive Mid-American Conference championships.
“One American student studied in Tours at the university and played for the BGSU team,” said Husson. “He told the coach, ‘Hey, one of the French guys is coming to do his master’s and so they offered me a tryout for the team.”
Husson was offered a spot on the Division 1 program but declined to follow his other passions. Since rugby became a professional sport in 1995, the game has evolved to be more competitive and phys-
“People like me, six feet tall, 185 pounds, used to be able to play at the high level,” said Husson. “Now I would be just hurt or injured, I would be murdered on a rugby field.”
“I’m happy about it. I actually really like the sport,” said Aghssa. “I’ve played since freshman year, and when I started, we were paired with FGR (Father Gabriel Richard), but they disbanded my sophomore year. I’m pretty much happy about it, that more people want to play the sport, and it gets acknowledged by our school. And this year, we won’t have to worry about any penalties for having one less player which is always nice.” Romero also thinks that the club fair has been key in the broader interest in the softball team.
“Nobody really showed up to our games except probably parents, but I feel like this year more people will show up,” said Romero. “And I think what definitely helped with that was the club fair. There were a lot more people signing up for softball, and that was really helpful.”
O’Neal is very passionate about softball. She hopes that this year, her coaching will help her players to improve and that she will continue to grow the sport of softball at Greenhills.
“I would love to have anyone that’s interested join us,” said O’Neal. “I think softball is one of the most team-oriented sports. It’s a sport that honestly you could play at any stage of your life. It’s a great way to connect with people and learn how to be a good teammate.”
HITTING HOME Peyton Hudson’26 swings at a ball while softball coach Caityln O’Neal watches from the sideline. “I’m really glad that more freshmen are joining this year because we have a lot more people to rely on,” said Hudson. “And I’ll actually get time to rest. Last season it was full go for the whole game, no breaks.”
TIP-OFF Eleana Zhuang ‘25 takes the opening tip-off against Roeper School. “I love all of my teams. From gymnastics all the way to Greenhills athletics. I can speak highly of every single one of my teams, so I think that’s what brings me back. Even if I’m not necessarily really liking the sport at the moment, I will always go back for the team,” said Zhuang ‘25.
TEE OFF Hannah Lee ‘25 lines up for the tee shot. One person she credits her success to is Dave Kendall, her private golf coach. “He actually decided to, rather than just push me with golf, to teach me how to be a good athlete, a leader, and a good competitor.” said Lee.
Photo courtesy of JD Stock
Photo courtesy of Jungshim Won
Photo courtesy of JD Scott
Making Waves
Club standout joins school’s squad, smashes team records
For most of his swimming career, Christopher Gregg ‘26 had competed individuallycollecting medals, flying all over the country for tournaments, and setting new personal recordsall with his club, Club Wolverine. This year, however, Gregg has decided to dive into something new and join Greenhills’ swim team for his junior season. It wasn’t going to be an easy transition; after all, Gregg would now be racing for team points and school pride, alongside his personal goals and records. Despite the change of scenery, Gregg has immediately made an impact on the program, in the pool as a talented competitor, and from the sidelines, cheering on his teammates. Making the decision to ultimately compete for Greenhills after not competing for the last two years was evidently a tough one, but luckily for Gregg, a familiar face would be coaching him.
“I decided to join the team this year because of the coach, Katie Capelli,” said Gregg. She’s one of my coaches at Club Wolverine as well. She’s awesome. I have full faith and confidence in her to give me the necessary training to compete at the next level.”
Over the years, Capelli has coached hundreds of swimmers, many of them highly talented, but she believes Gregg stands out.
“I think his work ethic and his willingness to be uncomfortable at practice set Chris apart,” said Capelli.”You’re not going to get faster if you aren’t willing to work hard and push yourself to your limits, and I can always count on him to do that. That’s what makes him so good and what helps him continue to improve.”
In club swimming, athletes are rewarded with week-long breaks after meets to recover and replenish their energy. In high school swimming, however, meets occur twice a week, leaving little time for recovery.
“The hardest part about high school swimming is definitely the dual meets every single week,” said Gregg. In club swim, you race maybe once every couple of weeks, but you’re going weeks at a time without having to get up and race. During the high school season, you have dual meets on Tuesdays or Thursdays. It’s been tough to get used to because I am usually fully rested and prepared, so it kind of throws me off a
Among the many highlights of Gregg’s first year on the team, helping Greenhills defeat Cranbrook for the first time ever takes the cake.
“We beat Cranbrook for the first time in school history, winning 94-82. There were a lot of great races at that meet, and it was a big upset and a huge milestone for our program,” said Gregg. “Coach Katie actually jumped in the pool fully clothed after that, so that was pretty awesome.”
After the historic dual meet win over Cranbrook, qualifying swimmers competed at the MISCA (Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Associa - tion) meet, where school records were shattered across the board—including five by Gregg. He also broke the 500-freestyle record by an astounding nine seconds.
“Chris is great to coach because he knows a lot about the sport, and that makes it a lot easier,” said Capelli. “I don’t have to explain a lot of things. He’s also willing to do whatever I say, and he trusts the process, knowing that there is always room to improve. Chris is a distance swimmer, so we work together to ensure he’s doing practices that suit him. He gives me feedback on what he thinks he needs, which is great. He also responds to criticism or any feedback really well and tries to implement any changes I suggest. He’s the kind of athlete every coach wants.”
Even though it’s only his first year on the team, Gregg isn’t letting that stop him from being a strong example and supportive teammate to the younger, less experienced swimmers.
While Dettling and the upperclassmen appreciate Gregg’s incredible speed, underclassmen like Freddie Kibble ‘28 view him as a mentor.
“It’s great to have someone like him [Gregg] to look out for me and help me grow as a swimmer in my first year on the team,” said Kibble. “He always gives me advice and cheers me on when I’m competing, and of course, he’s insanely fast and super fun to watch.”
As for individual goals, Gregg hopes to earn some of the most prestigious awards in junior swimming and finish his best event, the 500m-fr, on a high note.
“We’ll have to see what we can do with individuals at states. At the bare minimum, I want to be top three on the podium for the 500m, but ideally, I want to be first,” said Gregg. “Maybe I or someone else on the team can get All-American, but it’s tricky—it’s based on the top 100 times in the country.”
One unique aspect of Greenhills swimming is that the team consists of athletes from multiple schools, Greenhills and Whitmore Lake. While this could create discontinuity within a team, Gregg believes it gives the Gryphons an edge.
“Having multiple schools on our team really brings us together,” said Gregg. “That’s something a lot of communities don’t have— they’re just one school. It brings a lot of diversity and perspective to our program.”
READY TO SPRING Christopher Gregg ‘26 getting ready to start a race in a practice this winter. “I always just try to set a good example in practice,” said Gregg. I just want to go out there work my hardest, and make sure everyone knows what’s going on.”
“This was the most records we’ve ever broken in one meet,” said Capelli. “By a mile. It feels like everyone has raised their level in response to Chris being here. They all want to chase him, and that has definitely been a key reason for our success.”
Capelli believes that Gregg’s ability to accept feedback and his desire to improve make
Skating around the world
Syncronized skaters to represent team USA in Budapest
LAUREN YE ‘26
School Editor
Sean Kay. Angela Yang. Alexandr Kirsanov. These people were among those killed in the crash of American Airlines Flight 5342. The story was heard around the world, but what some people are unaware of, is that it affected a smaller community much more. Among the passengers were young ice skaters, coaches, and family members traveling from a national devel opment camp for the best skaters in the country. For Chloe Ramcharan ‘26, this tragedy hits on a personal level. Ramcharan competed against Kay in multiple skating competieryone she knows seems have some connection to the crash.
The skating commu nity is small and tight-knit com pared to other sports. Competitive skaters know and compete against skaters from all over the country on a regular basis. Ramcharan has been immersed in this community since be fore she could remember, and she has been skating with the same teammates for over ten years.
kind of thing, like all the time together. They’re what keeps me staying at synchro because they’re my best friends.”
The team consists of 18 junior skaters aged 1 Being a synchronized skater comes with a demanding schedule. Ramcharan and Hanauer practice three times a week with their team, as well as individual practices with private coaches. This adds up to five to six days a week at the rink for an average of four hours per practice. On weekends, they can be at the rink for up to nine
“It’s just really devastating because of all the pure talent that was on that flight and everyone was just so young,” Ramcharan said. “I think it’s really important that the media is publicizing our community a lot because it’s just so tragic and these skaters were some of the best, youngest talent in the country.”
“It’s definitely hard because we also have to miss a lot of school,” Hanauer said. “But it’s really about communicating with teachers and finding out what works for you in terms of getting work done. Like, maybe you have to do things on the bus rides instead of talking to your friends and it’s taught me how to manage my time really well.”
PURE PERFECTION Shira Hanauer ‘25, pictured here second from the left, performs the short program at the Illinois Synchro competition. Every component of these moves must be perfected to receive the highest amount of points, from straight legs to level arms. “You have to make different shapes and based on how well you make the shapes or intersect through each other or express your body, you get higher points for the better it is,” Hanauer said.
Ramcharan has made lifelong friends from the sport, including Shira Hanauer ‘25. They skate together on the junior team of the Hockettes at the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club.
“My favorite part [of synchro] is my teammates,” Ramcharan said. “It’s genuinely such a strong, like bond we have because we’re to - gether for so long. We’re practicing together, late nights and early mornings and that
However, aside from the skaters, the team’s success is also attributed to the coaches who work with every skater. The Ann Arbor Hockettes Junior Team is coached by Lindsay Clark. Clark has been involved in the synchro world for her entire life and she has coached the Junior Team for the past five years.
“I really like to work with juniors because they’re still developing their skills,” Clark said. “So it’s a challenge, but I also really enjoy the fact that we’re working together and trying to help them to reach their goals and, I think it’s a little bit easier to train a new skill than it is to teach an old one. But I think this sport teaches them as well as myself how to work with everyone.”
The past fall, the Hockettes team competed in the Boston Classic in Boston, Mass., and the Fall Classic in Irvine, Calif. These competitions are some of the big-
“I can offer up more technique tips as I’m older and also help them out in racing situations too,” said Gregg. “I’ve been through a lot more races and a lot more situations than the younger kids have, so it’s good to really pass along and really just mentor them so that they’re ready to take over and do the same thing in a couple of years too.”
Captain Nico Dettling ‘25 has been part of successful teams for the past three years, but he says this season feels more competitive than ever.
“He’s the fastest swimmer I’ve ever seen, and I feel like it motivates all of us,” said Dettling. “We all want to catch him [Gregg] and
gest of the season, and the team must pass a certain score threshold to be considered for Team USA. Then, the International Selection Pool determines which competition the Hockettes of Ann Arbor will represent Team USA in. Since there are so many international competitions, the ISP selects multiple teams that each travel to their assigned competition.
After the Boston Classic and the Fall Classic in the fall of 2024, the Hockettes of Ann Arbor were selected to compete in the Budapest Cup in Budapest, Hungary in March, where they will practice for the better part of a week and compete for the remaining two days of their trip. An obstacle for synchronized skating, though, is funding. Every skater that represents the US is responsible for their own travel and equipment fees. Although the ISP does not cover fees, they organize the schedule and prepare to send each team overseas.
“We have to pay for all the travel fees,” Ramcharan said. “The ISP wants every team to be there for a week and they want us to be able to explore the country and have fun in that place, while still properly representing the US. They’re very strict about representing the US properly, like how you carry yourself, when you’re just like at dinner and how you talk to people and that kind of thing.”
Swimming requires immense commitment and hours of dedication, but Gregg still manages to excel in school and stay on top of his coursework.
“Honestly, just having docs and spreadsheets to plan things out helps,” said Gregg. “Lately, I have been utilizing my calendar a lot, just making sure in advance that I’m organized for everything. I also try to get my work done as soon as possible. I don’t push things off or procrastinate—I stay on it.”
So far, with each race, Gregg continues to set a high bar, not just for himself, but for the entire Greenhills program.
“I’ve had an amazing time this season, and I just want to keep pushing myself and my teammates to be the best we can be,” said Gregg. “We’re making history, and I’m excited to see what happens next.”
as Nationals. In the past few years, the number of teams in their division has dwindled, as teams drop to lower divisions to hopefully obtain a championship in that division. The Ann Arbor Hockettes have remained, and as one of the top teams in the junior division, they are looking to place in the top five in the country.
“I think nationals, this year, I really want the team to just focus on themselves and what they’re capable of, because truly anything could happen at nationals,” Clark said. ‘I think sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves and then that does affect the outcome of the skate. So this year in particular, I really want them to just enjoy it and I want them to go out and skate the skates they know how to do and focus on that.” After the team competes in Budapest, they have a quick turnaround. Tryouts for next season start this March, days after they return from competing internationally. As a high school senior, Hanauer will not return to the team, but Ramcharan is looking forward to the next season.
FANTASTIC FLIPPING Chloe Ramcharan ‘26 performs a solo component as a part of the routine. Ann Arbor Junior Hockettes Coach Lindsay Clark is responsible for including certain components in the routine. “Every single year the rules change,” Clark said. “So I have to go through the rules and understand, how do I choreograph the program to get the highest marks.”
But, before Budapest, the team will first compete in, arguably, a more important competition: the Junior Synchronized Skating Championships, better known in the synchro world
“One thing about Chloe and Shira is, it’s really clear that they both really love what they do,” Clark said. “They perform beautifully, which is really fun to watch. As a spectator watching the team, those are two people that are always gonna stand out to me and pull me into the story and make me feel something. and that doesn’t come from anything but a real true love for the sport.”
TEDDY STAEBLER ‘25
Sports Editor
Photo by Teddy Staebler ‘25
Graphic by Teddy Staebler ‘25
Photo courtesy of Chloe Ramcharan‘26
Photo courtesy of Shira Hanauer ‘25