INSIDE PAGE 2
Seniors get creative with promposals in preparation for prom on Saturday, May 18.
CHRIS MORAD
EVELYN ZACHARIAS
NORTH
GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
UPCOMING
EVENTS
SENIOR HONORS NIGHT Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. in the P.A.C. CHOIR SPRING CONCERT Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the P.A.C. PROM Saturday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at Royal Oak Music Theatre NO SCHOOL Monday, May 27 for all students SENIOR EXAMS Tuesday, May 28 through Friday, May 31
INSIDE "THERE IS
NO SHAME IN BEING
GOOD
SINCE 1968
POINTE
GRACE HAYNES
NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG
Socioeconomic status creates divide in standardized test prep resources By Abi Murray & Colin Duffy STAFF REPORTERS
The ACT/SAT tests are important factors when it comes to college decisions, and for many, preparation is not easy and can be outside of student control. Many students decide to study by hiring a tutor who provides practice tests and strategies to sharpen test taking skill, however, based on a study performed by Saul Geiser at the University of California, Berkeley, socioeconomic factors can largely impact how well a student can perform on these standardized tests. According to the study, “factors outside of students’ control, including family income, parental education, and race/ethnicity, account for 33 percent of the variance in scores between test takers, where any given student’s score stands compared to their peers can be largely accounted for by socioeconomic barriers, factors that need to be remedied for during the admissions process.” English teacher Kristen Alles, who tutors for standardized tests, believes that although paying for extra help can improve preparedness, what matters most is a student’s individualized preparation and their motivation to work hard to improve. “At North, all teachers are incredibly skilled in teaching close reading skills and testprep tips, and in class, I, along with all teachers, do teach those skills so it’s a routine
in class, but not overkill,” Alles said. “Learning to be a good reader and thinker in all classes and capacities will help on any standardized test.” Junior Razeen Hasan has chosen to hire a tutor to study for the SAT and improve his chances of getting competitive scores. “Khan Academy is the way to go,” Hasan said. “It literally gives you questions based on your (PSAT) score.” But for many others, Khan Academy simply doesn’t cut it, which results in students purchasing preparation guides that are often expensive, and not necessarily affordable to all students. With both ACT and College Board ACT/SAT prep books costing upwards of $20 per book, and tutors having hourly rates of anywhere from $45 to $100 according to tutors.com, updated study resources are not options for some students. Many choose to address the issue of cost with online resources such as Khan Academy, one of the most popular online SAT/ACT preparation courses. Because it is free, it is often used by students who cannot afford paid preparation in addition to those with a hired tutor. However, there are still students that require pencilto-paper preparation. Junior Brenna Marsin, who prepared for the ACT/SAT with a tutor as well as individually, used a test-prep book. Marsin would typically meet with her tutor once a week,
practicing her timing skills and familiarizing herself with the science section of the ACT. For those who cannot afford extra help, Marsin recommends finding practice tests online or asking teachers for help on more difficult sections. “I didn’t use Khan Academy as much because I couldn't figure out how to use it. It's harder for me because I get distracted on my phone,” Marsin said. “(The book) puts me in that perspective of sitting there with a pencil and actually having to read it.” Although Marsin was able to improve her test-taking by studying with a tutor, other students don’t have this privilege. While Khan Academy worked for Hasan, other students who struggle with the same issues as Marsin, or without reliable computer access, can be left in the dark with very few advantages prior to testing. Despite this, junior Zoe Graves encourages students to take advantage of any resources available to them, and doesn’t believe it's fair to judge students who can afford the extra help because there are so many other free materials any student can find. “If that's something that you want to do, because you think it'll help you, I say go for it,” Graves said. “It can be an unfair advantage if people can't afford it, but at the same time, if people do have these resources, I think that it's perfectly fine for them to use them.”
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019
Closing schools continue to be disputed, school staff awaits decision By Julia Magnan STAFF REPORTER
As the school year progresses, so do fears about the Board of Education’s impending decision on school closings, ffecting teachers, students and parents alike. Though Roy Bishop has only been the principal of Mason Elementary for a few years, he said he feels the same effect as other principals around the district. “Closing schools is a conversation you never want to discuss as a principal,” Bishop said via email. “It is very hard on everyone involved and it is very tough to even thinking about your school closing. At the same time, I understand that declining enrollment is the reason these decisions have to be made.” Mason is one of the largest schools in the district, but due to declining enrollment, it has been put on the list of potential school closings by the Board. Joining Mason on the list are: Maire, Poupard, Barnes Kirby and Trombly. 74 percent of Blue Ribbon Committee members recommend that Mason closes, and nearly 26 percent advised for Poupard’s closing, according to The Detroit News. The Board is in the process of hosting Town Hall meetings during the month of May, with upcoming meetings on May 9 at Maire, May 14 at Trombly, May 15 at Poupard, May 16 at Defer, May 21 at Pierce and May 22 at Barnes. These Town Hall meetings will be held in order to come up with a solution to questions floating around the district, as well as allowing for residents to voice their opinions. Freshman Kate Ramsey is one such resident. Ramsey attended Mason, and believes that it would not be a wise decision to close it, given the importance it has for students who come to Grosse Pointe schools from Harper Woods and other communities. "I really love Mason," Ramsey said. "My little brother is going there right now, and I get to see what a good environment it is for kids. It also has a lot of kids who are from lower-class families and a lot of kids who are people of color. I think that it’s kind of unfair to close the schools that house a lot of those students, even if they’d still be going to a school within the district." The Town Hall meetings are not directly going to affect the district as a whole, but the Board's final decisions will affect the personal lives of any person involved with the schools that will ultimately close. Regardless of the decision made about school closures, Trombly Elementary fifth grade teacher Michelle Orhan said that she will be affected if the district decides to move fifth grade to middle school beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, because fifth graders will be moved to a different building. “Currently, I teach fifth grade at Trombly Elementary. I taught for many years at Mason Elementary, and Maire is a few blocks from my house,” Orhan said via email. “I am personally impacted by all the proposals currently under consideration... and am nervous as change is never easy. In my opinion, the primary concern regarding the closure of schools is the emotional impact. As with any school, Trombly is special because of the students, parents, staff and what we all bring to the school. When a school closes, you risk losing the special relationships between all the stakeholders and what makes each of the schools unique in Grosse Pointe. The challenge is to not lose that feeling and to build new relationships as we adjust to the reconfigurations.”
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College Night offers students insight for future aspirations
MICHAEL HARTT
By Michael Hartt PAGE EDITOR With seniors having chosen their college and beginning to prepare for orientation, juniors are now narrowing down application options for their top colleges and universities. College Night, which was held at South on April 30, gave students an opportunity to explore universities that they may not necessarily know much about, according to Bowling Green State University admissions officer Shannon Wolverton. “The benefit of coming to College Night for students is definitely getting a lot of information,” Wolverton said. “I think there is a really good variety of schools, both in state and out of state, so they can come and talk to someone who has either been to that school or currently works in the admission office.” College Night consisted of more than 40 colleges with informational tables set up in two of South’s gyms, as well as a smaller selection of colleges that invited students to listen to longer informational sessions in separate classrooms. A range of schools were present at college night, including Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Hope College and the University of Michigan. In addition, each branch of the armed forces also hosted a table. With colleges receiving more applications than ever, some prospective students are looking for any leg up in the college admissions process that they can get. The University of Michigan, a popular place for students to apply to from both North and South, had over 65,000 applicants in 2018, but only 15,000 applicants were accepted, leaving them with around a 23 percent
@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org
VOLUME 51 | ISSUE 14
acceptance rate for that year. Junior Mariah Loper said that College Night helped her figure out what colleges she wants to apply to next year and discover more about those schools. “I went because I’ve been two other years and I’m a junior now, so it's time to buckle down,” Loper said. “And, I feel like college night is really important to open your eyes to different colleges out there that you may not have heard of.” Wolverton said that college fairs are just one of many opportunities for students to explore colleges they may not know much about, and that motivated students should also go on college tours to see what the specific college and its surrounding town are really like. In addition, Wolverton stressed the importance of finding a college that fits with the students vibe — the students ideal educational environment that will help them to best learn in a collegiate setting. Junior Sana Hashmi said that, like Loper, she went to College Night to learn more about schools that she had not heard much about before, and that they provided a lot of useful information for her as a potential applicant. “They were really asking me for questions that I had," Hashmi said, "and when I told them that I didn't know much about their college, they just provided me general information about their college like campus size and what the atmosphere is like.” Above all other factors, Wolverton said that she wanted to come to Grosse Pointe’s college night because of the high quality of students that she knows attend Grosse Pointe Public Schools. “(I came to) just broaden my horizons in general. To figure out more things about what I want to do and more opportunities that have to do with that,” Wolverton said.
News Life
1 Editorial 3 Reviews 5 2 Indepth 4 Sports 6
By Hannah Zalewski & Kylie Duke
LIFE
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – 2
Teacher-alumni reflect on their Norsemen prom experience
EMMA HUELLMANTEL
CHRISTIE VENTIMIGLIA
FLASH TO THE PAST | From left to right, English teacher Emma Huellmantel and special educations teacher Christie Ventimiglia posing for their senior prom pictures. Both attended this school as students before coming back to teach, and highlight prom as one of their more special memories. ”The food was really great. The view was amazing. The weather was perfect. And the DJ was great,” Ventimiglia said. “It was probably the most fun in my life I’d had up until that point, so it was a blast.” By Emily Widgren & Abi Murray PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER
Prom has been a staple of this school for the past 50 years — but the event has changed in many ways since then. Girl’s basketball coach and alumnus Gary Bennett did not go to his senior prom (much to the disapproval of his girlfriend at the time). When he attended this school, there was one prom for juniors and a seperate one
for seniors. Bennett attended his junior year dance, and recalls many differences from when his daughters attended their proms. “There were live bands even when we had dances at Parcells or something like that, they always had a live band,” Bennett said. “I remember I had a friend that was on was on Student Government, and part of his responsibility was to get bands. We would go to different places and audition bands for playing at these dances, so I’m sure it was (the) same way for the proms when I was in high school.” Aside from live music, a difference between Bennett’s prom and the
ones today is the location. Bennett recalls prom being held in the gym for a very long time. Similar to Homecoming, prom was not dinner and dance, but just a dance. By 2008, all proms were held off site. Special education teacher and alumnus of 2008, Christie Ventimiglia, recalls her prom being held at the Roostertail, a banquet hall on the Detroit River. “Yeah, it was really cool, The food was really great. The view was amazing. The weather was perfect. And the DJ was great,” Ventimiglia said. “It was probably the most fun in my life I’d had up until that point, so it was a blast.” English teacher and 2012 alumnus Emma Huellmantel also remembers her prom to be very similar to the rest of today’s, but with a little twist to make the night about more than just dancing. Her class hired a magician to travel from table to table, performing tricks for students, which Huellmantel found amusing. She also recalls her group of friends bringing a deck of cards to play with while resting in between dances. “Some of my friends and I played a lot of games at prom too, like card games and stuff, which sounds like, “Gosh Ms. Huellmantel, you’re such a loser,” but it was really fun,” Huellmantel said. “We were playing Euchre and Charades and stuff like that. You can’t dance the whole night, that’s a lot of dancing, but I don’t think that was the thing of the decade.” Like Huellmantel, Ventimiglia also went against the grain at her prom. Instead of playing games, however, she made a unique fashion choice for the time. “I feel like the really typical prom dress for girls was long and just bright colors,” Ventimiglia said, “(But) for me, I actually kind of like defied the odds and I wore a short dress, which was very unheard of back then.” Both Huellmantel and Ventimiglia have observed a shift in dress styles since their own proms. Huellmantel attributes this shift to Internet advancements that have allowed girls to find more unique dresses than what she could find at the time, with dresses only being available in-store at a few specific locations. While prom can become a point of stress for some (or an excuse to be distracted for others), Huellmantel wants to emphasize that most of the fanfair surrounded by prom and getting a date are over-dramatizations. She urges students not to be distracted from appreciating the moment. For Ventimiglia, seeing her students off to prom is somewhat of a point of pride. Because her mother teaches at Ferry Elementary, she has been acquainted with many of her students since they were young. “I’ve seen them grow up, so it’s really cool (to watch them go to prom). It’s not sad or scary or anything. I’m just really proud of them,” Ventimiglia said. “It’s really cool to see them be able to experience that super huge social event that I feel like they’re gonna have a lot of fun with.”
Prom season: inspiration for your promposal By Maggie Carron & Giacobi Bush PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER
When asking alumnus Tommy Kohler to prom, senior Evelyn Zacharias said she tried to come up with a creative way to incorporate one of her boyfriend’s favorite bands into her promposal. Zacharias made Kohler, who graduated in 2018, a colorful poster with the lyrics to one of his favorite Florida Georgia Line songs,“Simple.” The poster said “It’s s-i-mp-l-e, simple as can be, if you go to prom with me.” Zacharias said she also threw in some sweet treats — which included a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, along with some of his favorite candies. She said she is very excited to be attending prom with Kohler and anticipates the joy of to making memories with her friends. “I’m really excited,” said Zacharias, “and I am looking forward to spending time with my friends and my date.” REGAN SLIWINSKI
EVELYN ZACHARIAS
Senior Sean Bly surprised his girlfriend, junior Grace Haynes, with a poster and flowers at her home. Bly knew he wanted to incorporate Grace’s name into his promposal while including her love for softball at the same time. The end result was a poster that said “Will you “Grace” me with your presence,” and a softball that said “To prom?” with a bouquet of flowers. “I thought it was really sweet that he used my name to make a pun,” Haynes said. “He also incorporated a softball, which is the sport I’m in season for right now, so it was very cute.” GRACE HAYNES
While junior Mackenzie Driscoll was at dance practice one night, her boyfriend, junior Chris Mourad, found his ideal moment to set up for the promposal he had planned. With the help of Driscoll’s sister and mom, Mourad’s plan was set into motion. After decorating her basement with an abundance of Christmas lights on her wall that spelled out “prom?” Mourad surprised her with a poster that said “Mac, will you light up my night @ prom?” He also surprised her with a bouquet of flowers and a mix of candy — including Sour Patch Kids, Sour Patch Watermelon and Sweetarts. Mourad said he was very happy that everything went smoothly, and that he successfully surprised his girlfriend. “When she came home from dance,” said Mourad, “she walked down and she was really surprised.”
Senior Regan Sliwinski spent a long time before prom season thinking about the perfect way to ask her boyfriend of two years, Henry Zalewski. Last year, the promposal included a sign reading “I’ve never asked anyone to prom before, so I’m just going to wing it... prom?” This year, the minute the idea of a scavenger hunt promposal occurred to her, she knew exactly what she wanted to do for her senior prom. “I was thinking of what to do for a while and it kind of just came to me, so I knew I wanted to do a scavenger hunt.” said Sliwinski. With the help of her friends, Sliwinski was able to make her vision come to life. The day before Easter, she sent Zalewski on an Easter egg scavenger hunt. The hunt Sliwinski planned led Zalewski to a couple of the different places they like to go to as a couple. Once he got all the clues, Zalewski ended up at the final destination — his house — where Sliwinski was waiting with a punny poster and balloons that spelled out “Prom?”
CHRIS MOURAD
A special thank you to the Hartt family, for helping to sponsor the North Pointe. DISCLAIMER: THIS AD WAS PURCHASED AND IS IN NO WAY A REPRESENTATION OF NORTH POINTES VIEWS
EDITORIAL
NORTH
POINTE
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – 3
EDITOR'S DESK
The true definition of a genius — why SOFIA KETELS We aren't all going to being "smart" is overrated
MY TURN “Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and SYEDA RIZVI teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring Contra r y to popula r belief, having a 4.3 freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all GPA does not ma ke you “sma r t,” and there students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may is nothing in the world that can convince be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless me other wise. or offensive.” It is hard to separate ourselves from the idea BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY that academics may not necessarily be closely related to intelligence. Once you realize they Syeda Rizvi Michael Hartt Emily Widgren have a weaker connection than commonly beEDITOR-IN-CHIEF PAGE EDITOR PAGE EDITOR lieved, it is easier to reset your lens to focus on Sofia Ketels Abi Murray Hannah Zalewski things that truly matter. I’m not discrediting the MANAGING EDITOR PAGE EDITOR STAFF REPORTER work of students at all. I know school is not easy, and having good grades is an accomplishment. Maggie Carron Amelia Nowicki Adam Schwartz PAGE EDITOR STAFF REPORTER You can certainly be intelligent while having PAGE EDITOR Brooklyn McWhorter good grades, but at the very least, there are genArzoo Chhaya PAGE EDITOR WEBMASTER eral categories of intelligence; school-related Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe academics is at the very bottom of the list. Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members Intelligence at its very basic foundation is who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do two things: to acquire knowledge and apply not partake in that meeting or vote. skills. I know that still sounds like it fits into the academic environment we are used to, but to qualify skills in school as pure intelligence is unjust to the word itself because knowing how to plug numbers into an algorithm is barely deserving of that label. In school for the majority of time, we learn that there is only one right answer. Standardized tests with multiple choice responses constantly reinforce that idea within us. But there are many different forms intelligence can take, and at the heart of each one, true genius can be found by mastering the ability to connect patterns and carrying out every action by accommodating to unique situations. That sounds like a lot to wrap your mind SOFIA KETELS around, so I’ll break it down. Mastering the ability to connect patterns extends far beyond our school lives. It is applicable to every scenario of our daily routine. Patterns are used
OUR EDITORIAL
in school too, however, they are not versatile enough; there is only one specific way you can plug a number into formula. What I am referring to here is being extremely conscious of the cause-and-effect every action plays out in your life. By paying attention to the results of your actions, you can form patterns and apply the same skill you did before to obtain the same result. The more you can experiment with this idea in mind, the easier it is to master intrapersonal connections, which is definitely harder to understand than algorithms. Why? Because each encounter may not be predictable or similar at all. In the 1980s, psychologist Howard Gardener classified intelligence into nine categories: naturalist, spatial, intrapersonal, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, existential and logical-mathematical. This logical intelligence is simplified in school, and so keeping schoollevel difficulty in mind, this one out of all of these categories is the most simple. It is the easiest, at our age, to master out of any other option. The other eight categories require significantly more work and natural talent to obtain. In your personal life, however, these other eight are the most important categories you need. We need to work towards destroying this idea that only by getting good grades can you be intelligent. It is possible to be a straight A student while being miserable at mastering any other form of intelligence. Everybody is inclined towards a different category, and so it is perfectly okay to gravitate towards that area. Forcing everybody to conform under one umbrella is not a just way to truly see everyone’s personal ability.
Adjusting our values O n Ap r i l 15, du r i ng r enovat ion s, t he worldb elove d Not r e Da me C at he d r a l went up i n f la me s. St ud ent s a nd t e a che r s a l i ke st op p e d cla ss a nd wat che d t he hor r i f ic i nc id ent t a ke pla c e a s eve r y me d ia out let wa s st r e a m i ng t he event . As the m inutes went by, less and less of the cathedral was left standing and more people were in tea rs over the loss of a world-wonder. Nea rly 90 0 yea rs of tradition bur nt to ashes that day. Rem a i n i ng at t he c ent e r of so c ia l d iscussion ove r I n st ag r a m a nd Tw it t e r, m a ny p e ople donat e d money f r om t hei r wa l let i n hop e s of r e st or i ng t he ic on ic st r uct u r e; a c c ord i ng t he t he New York Ti me s ne a rly 1 bi l l ion dol la r s we r e r a is e d i n just t wo d ays. T he t r age dy r em a i ne d at t he heig ht of world news a s me d ia out let s such a s C BS News a nd C N N c ont i nue d c ove r age for d ays a f t e r it o c cu r e d . A s it shou ld b e, r ig ht? Howeve r, le ss t h a n a we ek lat e r a nd 9,0 0 0 k i lomet e r s away i n Sr i L a n k a , su ic id e b omb e r s t o ok t he l ive s of 29 0 p e ople. Ac c ord i ng t o C N N, t he ISIS ple dge d b omb e r s t a rget e d chu r che s on E a st e r Su nd ay — a d ay of c elebr at ion i n C h r ist ia n chu r che s. Six bombs destroyed the lives of innocent people. Not only was this the most deadly attack completed by the ter ror ist group, according to the New York Times, but the vast major ity of fatalities were children. W hy t hen , d id ou r st ud ent s a nd t e a che r s not st r e a m t he news fol low i ng t h is hor r i f ic t r age dy? How c ome p e ople on so c ia l me d ia a r e not d iscussi ng t he hor r or s t h at su r r ou nd such a cat a st r oph ic event? W he r e is t he $1 bi l l ion i n donat ion s t o i mp r ove s e cu r it y a nd t o p r event t he c ont i nu at ion of such t r age d ie s i n t he f ut u r e? How is t he bu r n i ng of a bu i ld i ng mor e i mp or t a nt t h at t he l ive s of i n no c ent p e ople? We a r e l iv i ng i n a so c iet y f u l l of sm a r t phone s a nd t elev ision s wh ich m a ke s obt a i n i ng news a l l t he mor e e a sie r. T he r e is no r e a son t h at a hor r i f ic event , such a s wh at h ap p ene d i n Sr i L a n k a , shou ld go u nd e r ou r r a d a r. Ye s, t he bu r n i ng of a n ic on ic bu i ld i ng is t e r r ibly sa d , but t he loss of 29 0 l ive s is i r r epla c e a ble. A s a so c iet y, we h ave a dut y t o d et e r m i ne wh at is i mp or t a nt a nd wh at d e s e r ve s at t ent ion. It is d i r e t h at we m a ke it ou r goa l t o b e c ome mor e i n-t u ne w it h wh at is i mp or t a nt , such a s t he l ive s of i nd iv idu a ls ve r sus t he loss of a st r uct u r e. We s e e i n st a nc e s so of t en i n ou r so c iet y of m a ss sho ot i ngs or t e r r or ist at t a ck s t h at we t end t o ove rlo ok t hem . I n st e a d , we pay mor e at t ent ion t o t hos e event s t h at o c cu r le ss, such a s t he Not r e Da me C at he d r a l. Just because an event, such as a ter ror ist attack, occurs more frequently, it should not inf luence how individuals judge the cultural effect of it. Lives should be valued in the same manner, even though such ter r ible events seem to happen more often than a str ucture being damaged. It ne e d s t o b e r e c og n i z e d t h at even t houg h some event s o c cu r mor e, t hey st i l l shou ld b e a na lyz e d w it h t he i nt en sit y t hey d e s e r ve. A hu m a n l i fe must b e va lue d mor e t h a n a st r uct u r e. Howeve r, we h ave b e c ome a c cust ome d t o s e ei ng t he s e event s on t he news so we ig nor e t hem . We’ve b e c ome d e s en sit i z e d t o wh at is i mp or t a nt . A l l event s shou ld b e v iewe d p r op or t iona l ly, whet he r it’s t he d e st r uct ion of a bu i ld i ng or a n end i ng of a n i n no c ent l i fe.
" No allergies, no nothing, love the grass, love the flowers, love the pollen." Kelly Maisel MATH TEACHER
"(Just) by sneezing and coughing."
"I get stuffy and coughy."
Kristen Smith
Lili Ditrapani SOPHOMORE
JUNIOR
YOUR TURN: To what extent do allergies in this By Ray Jason season affect you?
"It doesn't affect me too bad I'll be bad for like a week or there will be a year where it's just really bad but for the most part, Claritin works pretty good." Jillian Peters SENIOR
"They don't affect me."
Robert Maddox FRESHMAN
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Syeda Rizvi MANAGING EDITOR: Sofia Ketels BUSINESS MANAGER: Victoria Wittenberg WEBMASTER: Brooklyn McWhorter PAGE EDITORS: Maggie Carron, Arzoo Chhaya, Michael Hartt, Adam Schwartz, Emily Widgren, Hannah Zalewski STAFF REPORTERS: Colin Duffy, Kylie Duke, Farrah Fasse, Ray Jason, Julia Magnan, Abi Murray, Amelia Nowicki INTERNS: Giacobi Bush, Niklas David, Ray Hamilton The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review.
"Every once and a while I’ll be affected negatively and that will affect my teaching for the day sometimes but overall i am not as affected by allergies." Noah Zogas BAND TEACHER
Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System. We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center. We subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com. One copy is available free to all community members. Additional copies may be purchased. Our editorial policy and advertising rates are available online at northpointenow.org. The North Pointe is printed on 100% recycled paper. CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Email: gpnnorthpointe@gmail.com Phone: 313.432.3248 Twitter: @TheNorthPointe Website: northpointenow.org FACULTY ADVISER: Allison Dunn
be geniuses — and that's perfectly okay
To be a genius is to be absolutely and undeniably brilliant. Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein are usually the first two names people will associate with this superhuman level of intelligence. This is for good reason. They are both exceptional, groundbreaking, historical figures who have used their thoughts and ideas to shape the scientific development of the world. The definition of the word genius is a little vague, and it allows for a lot of flexibility in what it is applied to. STEM subjects may be the first that come to mind, but we apply this word to so many other areas. Food? Gordon Ramsay's got it down. Art? Leonardo da Vinci was certainly one of the greats, and the same can be said about Beethoven or Mozart as composers. While the word genius can be applied to many things, only a select few can ever fit that definition: the best of the best. People who are exceptional to the nth degree, who have reached near perfection and surpassed it and who have used their talents to change norms and lives worldwide. We all grow up dreaming of reaching this level of excellence. To pioneer research on radioactivity while paving a road for women the way that Marie Curie did, that’s the goal. Or maybe it’s to graduate at 14 and go on to earn a collegiate degree before most graduate from high school, like the child geniuses we see on TV. Perhaps it’s to compose and conduct a symphony before one learns to drive a car. These are all wonderful aspirations, but it is important to remember that these are phenomenons, and that not everybody is destined to be this extraordinary, hard work aside. Earlier this year, a teacher shared one of their insights on intelligence and education with me, and not only has it stuck with me almost word-for-word, to this day, it has changed the way I measure my achievements. They told me that for the majority of people, hard work will only get students so far, up to an A level, maybe. But that last level up, the A plus? There is something else there that students who consistently get them possess. Naturally, they just have that level of intelligence or intuition that pushes their work and their test scores to the near perfection that leads a teacher to give out that 100 percent. The same idea can be applied to the concept of being a genius. There is something so incredible about those who claim that title that sets them apart from people who are just smarter or more talented than the average person. It’s an unnamed quality that everyone who has ever wanted to be great could only hope to possess, and that so few really do. It’s why they are so special, why we as a society will always remember their names and a fair amount of their contributions. It is why they were able to affect so much, because nobody like them had come before, and nobody would or will be coming after. This clearly is not going to apply to everybody, and that is more than okay. There is no shame in being good but not great, in being exceptional but not extraordinary or in being skilled but not senational. To compare ourselves to the top one percent of people in the world is so unrealistic, and it does nothing except make us put ourselves down for knowing that we will never get there. Instead, it’s best to lea r n a nd love what we’re doing, a nd to become as good as we ca n possibly be, a nd be okay with wherever that may be, k nowing that we’ve tr ied our best.
North Pointe – Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – 4
IN-DEPTH
Genetic testing sparks privacy concern for consumer information ByHannah Zalewski, Brooklyn McWhorter & Julia Magnan PAGE EDITOR, WEB MASTER & STAFF REPORTER DNA, in my eyes,” Bodnariuk said. “I’m just one spit sample out of a huge pool of other spit samples.” According to their website, 23andMe offers 2 basic tests: health and ancestry. Both tests can provide insight on the origin of traits, wellness, health predispositions, and carrier status of each individual. This allows customers to gain information about their ancestry or heritage that they may not have known before. Science teacher Andrew Pola believes that this form of technology is good for the future of genetics and that it could open the door for advancements in medicine. “I don’t have a problem with companies sharing the genetic information of customers with their Andrew Pola consent.” Pola said “Since SCIENCE TEACHER commercial DNA kits are elective, people who are concerned about keeping their genome private shouldn’t choose to send in their DNA.” The validity of 23andMe’s genetic testing accuracy has also been at the height of public scrutiny. According to the New York Times, 90 percent of people who carry the BRCA mutation — a marker for breast cancer — would not be found by the genome screening, even though the company claims to test for this mutation. For consumers, this can be alarming, because according to the terms of service “...processing that meets our high standards, a small, unknown fraction of the data generated during the laboratory process may be un-interpretable or incorrect (referred to as ‘Errors’).” Further, if these individuals do experience errors in their screening, they are not offered any refunds. Although math teacher Nicole Sturgeon has not personally participated in using the 23andMe service, she has had genetic testing, and thinks that the information collected about one’s DNA should be used to further genetic research. “Because of my cancer history, I do participate in (genetic screening), and my genome is in fact available for any researcher studying cancer, in the hopes that my genes can help find a solution for other people.” In the future, Pola discourages those who are apprehensive about the validity of the company from participating in 23andMe testing. “I’m indifferent “If I had serious concerns about a genetic disease or predisposition, about it, because I would discuss the issue with a medical doctor and seek a there’s no risk geneticist,” said Pola, “rather than using a commercial DNA kit.” in the company keeping my
Genetic testing, though once perceived as a futuristic phenomenon only performed by mad scientists in sci-fi films, has been placed into the hands of ordinary people through the use of at home DNA kits. These kits, which are offered by genetic testing and analysis company 23andMe, can be purchased from retailers such as Walmart or Walgreens or online via Amazon. The at-home aspect of these kits make them very consumer friendly, as purchasers simply provide a sample of their spit in a test tube, and ship it off to a lab to be screened. However, 23andMe has undergone recent scrutiny for several issues regarding privacy and accuracy. Customers of the services have expressed concern for a clause in the company’s privacy policy mandating that 23andMe can use the DNA and the information of patrons at any time in the future without notifying them. Junior Naudia Skye believes that one’s personal information should remain private and secure. Therefore, she said, testing companies such as 23andMe should not be able to keep a record of customers’ genomes. “I’m a very overly private person, and I just don’t like my information out there,” Skye said. “As for my DNA...I am not comfortable with it.” Despite being aware of the privacy concerns, some consumers believe the benefits outweigh the risks. According to the New York Times, 1 in 25 Americans have participated in the genetic testing services. Junior Michelle Bodnariuk is one of those consumers.
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I don’t have a problem with companies sharing the genetic information of customers with their consent.
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REVIEWS
5– Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – North Pointe
Avengers Endgame: A Marvelous Farewell
By Farrah Fasse STAFF REPORTER “Avengers: Endgame” was easily the most anticipated film of 2019, and it exceeded the extremely high expectations that avid fans such as myself held, containing everything you could ever want from a Marvel movie. It somewhat channeled Thanos in its predecessor, “Avengers: Infinity War,” when it snapped away nearly every box office record imaginable, deservedly. The three-hour feature, directed by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, was both criticized and praised for its runtime. When the movie first came out, websites like Vulture released “pee guides” so fans could pick the most strategic time to use the bathroom. However, there is no reason to agonize over the length of the film; it is neither boring nor overstuffed, and it feels nowhere near its run time. Despite being initially referred to as “Avengers: Infinity War Part 2,” “Avengers: Endgame” has a completely different vibe than “Avengers: Infinity War.” Its predecessor is much more serious and had a greater sense of finality of hopelessness; Endgame is incredibly depressing at times, sure, but it’s a whole lot more fun. The Avengers finally seem to be able to do what’s in their name: avenge. You see your favorite heroes at the highest of highs and at the lowest of lows.
The movie is different from the often repetitive Marvel formula. It is unique, free and f lowing with emotion. I found my heart rate constantly rising and lowering as my feelings rapidly changed from amusement, despondency to anger and glee— an unfathomable amount of times in just three hours. Similar to how he was in “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor is the biggest comic relief in this film. The hammerwielding Asgardian provides many laugh out loud moments, and makes it extremely difficult to not smile. Even if viewers may not be partial to Thor’s goofiness, there was plenty of room for other comical moments, often provided by Tony Stark with his well-known clever nicknaming and dry humor. Following along with other Marvel movies, the soundtrack for “Avengers: Endgame,” done by Alan Silvestri, was sublime. It perfectly ref lected each moment of the movie, mirroring the emotions of each scene. It even sampled tracks from past Marvel movies, something I thought was quintessential as a send-off for the last Avengers movie. “Avengers: Endgame” is the satisfying swan song of 11 years of movies; it's not the end to the Marvel Cinematic Universe completely, but it is the farewell to some of the Marvel superheroes we grew up
idolizing. Fanservice was prominent in the film, but not unwelcome. It was a wonderful harmony of everything great about Marvel movies: the humor, friendships, emotion and a sense of pride as if you were an Avenger yourself. Where “Avengers: Infinity War” felt overcrowded with several different plots, having different events happening at the same time was one of the film’s greatest strengths. It gave us an opportunity to see previously unexplored territory in the MCU, and see the moral fiber that our favorite characters are made of. We saw heroes shine like they did in their previous movies, albeit some we bade a bittersweet farewell to. “Avengers: Endgame” will be one of the films we show our kids to give them a glimpse of what pop culture was like when we were growing up, similar to how some of our parents showed us “Jaws” or “Jurassic Park.” We should all consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to be able to experience this movie when it was released, and be able to understand the cultural impact a movie as epic as “Avengers: Endgame” will inevitably have.
"Avengers Endgame" (2019) Movie
CNET.COM
APP
TV SHOW
MOVIE
ALBUM
BEYONCE
SOCIAL CUES
PGA TOUR
NO GOOD NICK
In the newly released app PGA Tour, a quick and easy way to improve one’s golf skills is unleashed. This app allows users to play a digital version of APPADVICE.COM golf and captures the real life experience without ever leaving the comfort of their home. PGA Tour really tested my patience. It isn't an app that focuses on being the first one to complete everything, but instead requires individuals to measure the distance very precisely and calculate wind speed, so the ball doesn’t go too far off front the hole. The graphics of this game capture the scene of an actual golf course, and gives gamers a sense of how challenging it is to get the ball into the hole with the least amount of swings possible. It recreates the scene of start-to-end point in a perfect manner. The soundtrack of the game also enhances a real-life experience. Based on the amount of energy gamers give into their swing, it allows them to gain a sense of how far the ball will go after various strokes before it even reaches its location. There are also opportunities to gain enhancements in this app by completing the tutorial. This gives gamers bronze packs, which can be used to upgrade clubs and to help users in matches against live opponents. Once tutorial mode is complete, gamers are then able to play against real-life opponents all over the world, which offers a more competitive atmosphere. The sole difference is that you can’t actually see your opponent face-to-face, unlike in an actual golfing setting. The incentive to keep playing PGA Tour, besides improving golf skills and coordination, is that more interaction is allowed between users at higher levels, such as earning a clubhouse at level three, giving gamers a chance to interact with teammates. If you are looking for a a game that tests dedication, precision and handeye coordination, then PGA Tour is the game for you; PGA Tour is free to download on the Apple app store.
“No Good Nick” is yet another Netflix original sitcom. It explores what happens when an average family takes in a foster kid with a secret. At the very start NETFLIX.COM of the show, Nick Patterson (Siena Agudong) shows up at the door of the Thompson family saying that, because they were her closest family after her parents' death, she hopes the family will take her in. The first episode of “No Good Nick” was almost hard for me to watch. From the beginning, I could tell you how the entire storyline would play out, as well as some twists. It was unexciting and anything but well written or thought out. The characters were somewhat inconsistent with their words and actions. More often than not, they were incohesive. Although the show has dozens of openings and opportunities to address social issues, it instead makes light of them, brushing over them as if they don't actually matter to the show or even at all in real life. In addition to the plot being over-done, the episodes are, to say the least, very repetitive. Each episode, Nick needs to find a way to scam her new lifestyle out of a large sum of money for her incarcerated father. From the beginning, the show is very secretive about how Nick got into this position. Still, hints are often dropped about the Thompsons getting “what they deserve.” It is also implied that they are the reason Nick's own family is so broken. As expected, along the course of the show, she begins to care for the Thompson family too much to keep hurting them. As the pressure of getting the increasing payments to her father increases, she begins to crack. That's when the show begins to gain some depth. However, this is towards the end of what seems to be the first of two installments in a single season. Despite its many faults, the show did have two things that I found impressive. It really does well with its character development and plot twists. Other elements of the show, however, were lacking. Overall the show is interesting and while worth watching, it was definitely one of Netflix's lesser originals.
Worldw ide celebrity Beyoncé Knowles just released her d o c u m e n t a r y, “Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé.” This motion picture NME.COM goes through the ups and downs of her performance at the 2018 Coachella music festival. Throughout the twohour film, it goes back and forth between the event and the rehearsals for the performance, which is great because you get to see how the whole show came together. Beyoncé put so much work into this one show and you can really tell by how many people there were involved in the production and execution of the show. All of the dancers, musicians and singers came straight from Historically Black Colleges and Universities from around the United States. None of the members were professional performers, but in Beyoncé’s eyes, they were. One thing Beyoncé talked a lot about was how she wanted the whole crew to be African American, to showcase all of their backgrounds. Beyoncé truly expressed herself, from the costumes, the music and to the blood, sweat and tears put into the show. She brought her sister Solange, her husband Jay Z, and her former Destiny's Child bandmates to share that grand experience. Even her audience was a major part of the experience. Many people waited a long time for this experience, and it was definitely worth the wait. Videography is a big part of all films. I feel the overall editing and videography of the documentary was amazing. The quality of the sound and videos was wonderful. Throughout the show, you see Beyoncé and her crew’s outfit change from yellow to pink. Which is, of course, TV editing, but it made the performance a little extra because it kept changing at every new camera angle. The documentary overall was exceptional. Beyoncé’s performance at Coachella blew everyone's mind. Even if you don’t listen to her music or just don’t like her at all, this documentary is empowering, enjoyable and amazing. Usually the performances are not that excessive, but this one hit the ball out of the park.
In music, recurring themes are integral to the success of an album or artist, but only with the assistance of varying sounds. Although I’m all for old school CONSEQUENCEOFSOUND.COM music, there are circumstances where certain sounds override others. Released on April 19, Cage the Elephant’s most recent album “Social Cues” offers lyrical variety, but using the same alternative sound they’ve been rocking since 2006. For starters, every single song had the same vibe. If you weren’t really paying attention to the music, you wouldn’t notice when one song switches to the next — even on shuffle. Personally, I find that irritating considering times do change, and the alternative genre the band is filed under isn’t being utilized in terms of versatility. Each track sounds like one of their older songs, and this completely obliterates their opportunity to break free from their alt-rock shell. In every song, the slow verses build up to the heavier, faster chorus that’s always accompanied by more prominent drums and a higher vocal style. For some this may seem enjoyable as background music when you’re doing chores, but this redundancy makes it impossible to sit down and enjoy the whole album in one sitting. For the band, the necessary exploration of new sounds would have offered the album more versatility, but the chance was missed. Despite the repetitive instrumental layout, their lyrics pick up the slack. The recurrent theme of wanting to go back to life before fame is expressed differently in each song. For example, the lyrics of “Black Madonna” read, “Tell me when you’re ready to be real,” which is from the perspective of musical consumers who are dying to know who lies under the fake appearance of the artist. Meanwhile, the title track, “Social Cues” tells the story of an artist who wants nothing more than to hide from the spotlight and go back to their true self. The differing viewpoints offer a more complex narrative, and I believe this has always been a strength of the band. Although the lyrics are interesting, I would only recommend this album to those who prefer lyrical content over sound due to the ultimately monotonous instrumental.
"PGA Tour;" 2019; Available to download on appstore
"No Good Nick;" 2019; Available to watch on Netflix
"Beyonce Homecoming;" 2019; Available to watch on Netflix
"Social Cues;" 2019; Available to buy on iTunes
By Adam Schwartz
By Victoria Wittenberg
By Kylie Duke
By Amelia Nowicki
SPORTS
6 – Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – North Pointe
Batter up
UPCOMING GAMES BOYS VARSITY BASEBALL Home game against Anchor Bay High School on Monday, May 13 at 4 p.m.
By Amelia Nowicki WEB EDITOR
GIRLS VARSITY SOFTBALL Home game against L’Anse Creuse High School on Tuesday, May 14 at 4:30 p.m.
Varsity baseball team ranked 47th in country
BOYS VARSITY GOLF
GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER Pink Game against University Liggett School on Thursday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. on the turf. GIRLS VARSITY TENNIS MHSAA Regionals at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 17 against multiple opponents.
COURTESY OFF BRETT ARSENEAU
By Sofia Ketels
opportunities in the game, scoring first and often minimizing mistakes made during the game. MANAGING EDITOR “We have too many strengths to name, but the top one would probably be, high baseball Senior Brett Arseneau said that with new IQ,” Arseneau said via email. “We make varsity baseball coach Dave Martin, a wave of very few errors. We have no weaknesses.” development has swept through the baseball To Arseneau, team morale plays a large role program, with every player training and practicing in how the group fares during games for the hard since they tried out for the team. season. To him, the captains have done a good To Arseneau, all of the hard work that he and job of ensuring that each player on the team his teammates have been putting in this season has been shown off in their record, which is currently 15-1. However, this hard work may have earned the team a spot on a larger scale, as Perfect Game ranked Grosse Pointe North as the 47 best team in the entire country during the week of April 23. While Arseneau credits his coaches, Martin remains proud of the student athletes on his team. “From day one, they all have been committed to the new direction,” Martin said. “They have responded well and deserve all the credit for their success so far.” To Martin, it is the little things that make a difference in baseball, and he believes that his Dave Martin COACH players have taken that to heart during their training. In addition to emphasizing focus, accountability and attention to game details, Martin firmly believes in the idea of developing feels encouraged and eager to play every game. a high “baseball IQ” in all of the team members, “Our captains and other leaders on the helping them to become “students of the game. team spread positivity and bring a lot of Arseneau, like Martin, believes that intelligence energy to our club, and it’s really fun when in baseball is one of the team’s greatest strengths we get super hype,” Arseneau said. “It has this season, in addition to capitalizing on big definitely contributed to our success.”
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Be really good on and off the field. Our boys get that. The rest will take care of itself.
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Home against Grosse Pointe South High School at Lochmoor Country Club on Wednesday, May 15 at 3 p.m.
In more technical terms, Martin believes that the strengths of the team include pitching and team defense, describing the starting pitching of the team as “lights out.” Still, Martin has plans of suggestions and improvements of the team for the rest of the school year. “(My goal is to) continue to get better each day and grow as a team. (I want to) build a baseball program that the North community will be proud of for years to come,” Martin said. “Be really good on and off the field. Our boys get that. The rest will take care of itself.” This is Arseneau’s first year as a member of the varsity team, and so far, from this ranking, to making States and playing in Comerica Park, to beating South in the rivalry game, he said his year is living up to expectations. For Martin, his ultimate goal as a coach is to not only to bring the team together to create high school memories, but to create memories and plays that will last a lifetime. “(We want to) create memories and lessons in life that will extend well past any players graduation from North,” Martin said. “Champions on the field and in life.”
Contributing: Amelia Nowicki & Ray Hamilton
Feeling the heat Student athletes begin acclimating to warmer weather By Arzoo Chhaya PAGE EDITOR
As student athletes prepare to transition from cold weather to more warmth in the spring, adaptation to the rapid and dramatically changing weather is crucial for many. If there is a lack of acclimation, conditions like heat strokes or faint headedness may occur. Athletes are forced to care for themselves differently in the heat than they would when practicing and playing in the cold. However, many athletes find that overheating in warmer weather is unbelievably easy. Studies have repeatedly proven the decline in athletic performance that comes with increasing temperatures. An article by the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation states that dehydration, which is commonly partnered with warm weather, also causes a significant decline in performance. Freshman Danielle Lubienski feels the general performance of her
team decreases as the weather gets warmer, and vice versa. Lubienski plays soccer and runs cross country, which both take place during seasons where the weather changes dramatically. “I think for cross country, it gets easier as it cools off, it’s a lot easier to breathe and everything. For soccer, it starts off too cold and it’s kind of exhausting, but when it’s hot, you get exhausted way too quickly, and can’t breathe.” Lubienski said. “Especially when it’s super hot, everybody just moves a lot slower and I feel like people tend to get injured more.” As a tennis player, however, junior Grace Bacon finds herself more satisfied with warmer weather than with colder weather, especially with her tennis attire. Bacon said she finds herself feeling more sore and her muscles getting tight faster in the cold. “(The cold weather) is very hard,” Bacon said. “We
have very short uniforms, so it’s freezing.” Hot weather is more draining when it comes to energy, and according to www. intermountainhealthcare. org, an increased core body temperature can lead to decreased blood f low to heart and other muscles in the body. Junior Annabel Schlacter, a soccer player, agrees with Lubienski, adding that she begins to feel light-headed if she is out in the heat for long. In addition to her personal problems in the heat, Schlacter said she also notices a shift in how her team uses substitutes. “I try and make sure to rehydrate from time to time, but I have always felt light headed after practicing in the sun for long,” Schlacter said. “As it gets hotter, we need more breaks during games, and more substitutes, which can sometimes get hard with injuries.” ARZOO CHHAYA