North Pointe-Volume 51-Issue 5-Nov. 28, 2018

INSIDE

PAGE 6

Boy's cross country coach, Diane Montgomery, earns title of regional coach of the year.

COURTESY OF DIANE MONTGOMERY

POINTE

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

SINCE 1968

NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28, 2018

UPCOMING

Passing of Proposal One generates concern for student safety

SAT TESTING Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 a.m. in the gym

By Hannah Zalewski & Julia Magnan

ACT TESTING Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. in the gym BAND-ORAMA Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in the gym

INSIDE

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On November 6, thousands of Michigan residents voted to pass Proposal 1, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.

This proposal, to be placed as an amendment in Michigan’s constitution, will regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol. The minimum age for usage will be 21, public smoking will remain illegal and licenses will be required for public distribution.

Junior Alexis Poulos, who has previously done a school project on the effects of marijuana, said she believes the passing of the proposal is good for the state as a whole.

“They do use medical marijuana for a lot of research for possible cures,” Poulos said. “I know it does have some effect of working in some cases, so I think it's a bit helpful for the people that absolutely need it.”

Social studies teacher Sean McCarroll said the regulation is for the better, but thinks it will come at the consequence of student safety.

“I have mixed feelings about Proposal 1 passing. I think it'll be good that we're no longer prosecuting and putting people in prison for small amounts of marijuana,” McCarroll said.

“But it will make it a lot easier for people who shouldn't have it to have access to it.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, licensed citizens will be allowed to grow up to 12 plants in their homes as long as they are not displayed publicly and cannot be seen without the use of optic aid, such as binoculars. Moreover, there will be a ten-ounce legal limit osf what can be kept in homes and landlords or leaseholders will be able to prohibit the acquisition of pot on their land.

McCarroll is a landlord and said he has already banned the use of marijuana on his property, but is interested to see how tenants deal with this once marijuana is legal within the state.

“

If a parent is irresponsible, it might be easy, if they consume cannabis, for that parent’s kid to have access to it.

But, that is not a failing of the law, that is a failing of the parents.

Travis Copenhaver CORPRATE LAWYER

“

I worry about students everyday.

Marijuana, up until recently, was illegal. Yet, students were still getting involved in it.

Barry Mulso SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER

“

HALF DAY On Dec. 5, for all students

PAGE EDITOR & INTERN

“

EVENTS

The amendment will allow municipalities to opt out of legalizing marijuana, according to The Detroit Free Press. This brings into question whether the Grosse Pointe communities will do so to prevent students and children from having easier access.

Corporate lawyer Travis Copenhaver works for Cannabis Legal Group and helps businesses gain marijuana distribution licenses. With the passing of Proposal 1, Copenhaver said he wants to see a decline in the number young people that are using the substance.

“It is my hope that as we regulate the product, it will be less likely to have people in high school and middle school having access to it,” Copenhaver said. “If a parent is irresponsible, it might be easy, if they consume cannabis, for that parent’s kid to have access to it. But, that is not a failing of the law, that is a failing of the parents.”

Social studies teacher Barry Mulso is also concerned about students’ accessibility and use of the drug.

“I worry about students every day,” Mulso said. “Marijuana, up until recently, was illegal.

Yet, students were still getting involved in it.”

Although Mulso is concerned about the safety of students, he said he is not concerned about accidents surrounding marijuana. Mulso thinks that with the same regulations as alcohol, the same unsafe situations are bound to happen.

While teachers worry of easy access for students, Poulos does not think that the amendment will change much about how students will illegally get access to marijuana.

“I don't think it will affect (students) more than it already does,” Polous said. “I just think it'll be a lot easier for people in general to get access to the weed versus how it is today.”

GIACOBI BUSH

Recent study links habitual gratitude, happiness

By Syeda Rizvi & Emily Widgren EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PAGE EDITOR

perspective this makes sense — it is our brains trying to keep us safe.”

Visit https://www.happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/ for more information and detail on statistics.

In addition, Weisbrodt believes For junior Katelyn Oliver, gratitude is linked to a variety gratitude is something she does of emotions, which makes it an not think about a lot. Overloaded important factor in everyone’s life. with time-consuming The limbic system is activated when activities, Oliver believes that people experience gratitude, which being thankful turns into an is linked to the stimulation of all afterthought for most students. the “feel good” neurotransmitters, However, a recent study shows a for instance, serotonin, dopamine, strong link between expressing cortisol and oxytocin. gratitude and an increase in Despite believing gratitude has happiness — something to evolved into an afterthought, Oliver keep in mind during this year's thinks it does not play as big of a holiday season. role in teenagers lives as it should Gratitude reduces feelings of jealously, makes our memories The theme of gratefulness is a because of different commitments seem happier, and helps us recurring one, especially in the such as school and sports. bounce back from stressful last two months of the year. Despite “It's important to be thankful situations.

A five minute daily gratitude being so common, according for what you have because a lot of journal increases long-term wellto a 2018 article published by things aren't easy to get, like being being by around 10 percent, www.happierhuman.com, it is supplied with a house and meals having the same impact as undervalued. The article states and very simple things that are doubling your income. that being grateful year-round is taken for granted," Oliver said. "We crucial and directly correlated just get so caught up and getting to one’s level of happiness — things done in school that we just Gratitude has been shown to make so much so that a five-minute forget to acknowledge everything people seem kinder and more gratitude journal increases longthat's behind it.” friendly, causing grateful people term happiness by more than 10 Similar to Oliver, junior Annie have more social capital. percent, having the same impact Fleming believes that gratitude as doubling one’s income. should play a larger role than it According to the article, currently does in teenagers. Both hedonic adaptation is when also believe that the theme of people adapt to the good feeling thankfulness should be considered associated with a surplus of more throughout the year, instead Thankfulness increases sleep money. After a constant exposure of only around the holiday season. quality, and reduces the time Gratitude and energy levels have a to an unchanging, emotion“I do I think the holidays needed to fall sleep while strong correlation. Being grateful increasing sleep duration. evoking stimulus, people tend to have a very big stigma for means you are more likely to experience less of the emotion happiness, gratitude and, you exhibit physical and mental vigor. overtime. In contrast, feelings know, joyfulness. I think it's just SYEDA RIZVI & VENGAGE of gratitude trigger the same because everyone is happy and it's emotional feedback loop, and would feel. While majority of the recipients always been that way. Everyone the more people can condition themselves to expressed feeling a 4 or 5, participants guessed an remembers the holiday time as happiness,” be grateful, the more frequent and intense their average of 3, believing the letters would induce Fleming said. “I think it'd be really cool if people levels of happiness will be. feelings of awkwardness and discomfort. were more grateful for things and recognize Many people tend to underestimate the positive Psychology teacher Jennifer Weisbrodt said that what they have, a lot of people don't, and impacts gratitude can have, as stated in a study this behavior can be explained by the natural how fortunate we are to live, being provided published in Psychological Science. Participants tendency for people to be pessimistic. all of these amazing resources at all times.” of the study were asked to write letters of gratitude “We seem to be wired up to remember the and guess on a scale of 1-5 how happy the recipient negative,” she said. “And from an evolutionary

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

5 Reasons

Why you should be more appreciative

VOLUME 51 | ISSUE 5

News Life

1 Editorial 3 Reviews 5 2 Indepth 4 Sports 6

By Hannah Zalewski & Kylie Duke

LIFE

North Pointe – Wednesday, Nov. 28 2018 – 2

Study finds retention increases drop-out rate

By Jordan Craighead & Amelia Nowicki BUSINESS MANAGER & STAFF REPORTER

Researchers at Brown University and University of California have found that on average, students who get held back in middle school are more likely to drop out in high school. The study claims that while students would be expected to do better the following year, they actually end up doing worse or leaving school all together.

According to www.sciencedirect.com in August , researchers used administrative data from a number of state agencies in Louisiana and a regression discontinuity design to analyze Louisiana’s statewide test-based promotion policy administered to students in fourth and eighth grade.

Principal of Parcells Middle School, Dan Hartley, full-heartedly believes in the results of this research. “(Retention) has been shown, study after study, to have a negative impact on the child’s education,” Hartley said. “Typically speaking, students who are held back will even do worse the next year whereas logically, we kind of think if they have another year, they would do better. What research has shown on retention is that it has the opposite effect. Students who come back typically, on a whole, do worse.”

Because the research highlights negative results, Hartley believes

it should be a last resort when coming to students catching up with their classmates.

Senior, Ja’Miah Washington agrees with Hartley. She wants schools to help students early on, before even considering the option of retention.

“They should try to provide more help then just deciding, ‘okay, we’re going to hold them back,” Washington said, “because holding someone back is just making them do all the things they’ve done before all over again.”

However, Brownell Middle School counselor Angie Niforos believes that, although rare, retaining a student in the GPPSS district is usually for the student’s benefit.

“Instead of a reactive position, in the end, I think we are very proactive in this district,” Niforos said, “and I think we identify our students early on.”

Both Niforos and Hartley feel that GPPSS has a wide variety of resources for student-use, preventing retention and its potential side effects.

“We see what we’ve tried that’s been successful and how we might want to help support that student, may that be a schedule change into one of our academic assistance classes or provide something different within the classroom environment for that student,” Hartley said. “We could (also) bring the parents in to try and help with a homeschool plan.”

Hartley believes there are many solutions a school could pursue before turning to retention. He and Niforos believe that some schools could eliminate this issue all together if they worked harder make sure kids were

AMELIA NOWIIKI

getting the support they need in kindergarten or elementary school.

“Retention does have more positive effects early on,” Hartley said. “What research has shown us is that early intervention was more successful with a student early on. Students that have had a second year of kindergarten, for example, have shown more success. But then, retention really declines after that, especially when they get to middle school.”

Washington thinks another option to avoid holding students back is to have schools provide alternatives besides retention.

“An alternative would be testing students before they enter each grade to see what they need help with,” Washington said. “If they’re not at grade level, they could get help at the beginning of the year rather than waiting.”

Hartley also believes that parent and teacher involvement is very important to help provide students with all the tools they need to be successful.

“We’re going to do whatever it takes to support every student in every way we can, whether or not they’ve been retained or not. Those would look the same,” Hartley said. “We have a pretty detailed process where once a month, we have a team of teachers and staff members that get together and review student grades and student test data. We have teacher meetings once a month, specifically around what students are struggling with and why they’re struggling.”

In terms of making the decision to retain a student, Niforos strongly believes that every reason needs to be taken into account and every other option needs to be looked into.

Both Hartley and Niforos are aware of the social and mental strain that retention can put on a student, and that if it were the case, they believe it’s for the greater good.

“It has to be a process,” Niforos said. “It’s not just, “We think this would be in this kid’s best interest,” you have to make an informed decision, and all parties involved have to be a part of that.”

Junior Naudia Skye breaks boundries RAY JASON

By Brooklyn McWhorter WEBMASTER

Naudia Skye is a creator. A creator of music, screenplays and scripts. Not bound to societal norms, she sees herself as a maverick in the making.

Skye’s brother, Chance Hargress, was the one to introduce her to music.

“The person who shaped me into who I am today is my brother,” Skye said. (He taught me that) it’s okay to not follow norms, it’s okay to break rules.”

Since she was 13, Skye knew she wanted to direct media. It all started at her older brother’s music video shoot, where she saw the director and admired the way he took charge. Since then, she has been working hard at making her dream come true, despite the fact she might not fit into what her family expects. Skye’s parents want her to go into academic-based careers, like accounting and medicine. But she thinks otherwise.

“You can be successful and creative instead of confining yourself just to fit what everyone else expects from you,” Skye said.

Despite her ironclad grip on her dreams, Skye said she has had some hiccups starting out, such as her struggle

with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Skye’s greatest hardship was finishing her first show.

“I had writer’s block. I have ADHD, so I’m very discombobulated. So, when I’m thinking of something, I have a tendency to move on from that and start different projects, and it took me a while to get in motion.”

Her longtime aspiration in the entertainment industry is to win a Grammy or Golden Globe, but she hopes to reach a more intimate audience with smaller Indie films.

“I want to be able to write a huge movie,” Skye said, “but I wanted to also touch people.”

Skye believes that a common misconception made about her is that she is rude, but she thinks that her confidence and honesty will lead to success.

“I feel like I’m a great person because I want everyone to be successful,” Skye said. “And if I could lift everyone up, and take everyone with me, on my journey and my trip to success, I would. But, I feel like everyone’s not ready for that, so it’s better to be a good person than a mean person.”

Like her ideologies, Skye’s dreams are held together by her purpose. Before she was born, her mother, a churchgoer, was

confronted by her priest who said he had a dream about a future daughter of hers, one that would be prosperous.

“We had a powerful pastor, and he told her that he had a dream she would have a daughter. That one of her daughters would be very successful. And that they would repay her for everything she has had to sacrifice in her life for us. So, my mom, not telling anyone that she was pregnant when he told her, because she had just found she was pregnant two days before he said that, is why I feel like I’m here, to be successful for her.”

Above all of her projects and goals unattained, Skye considers her happiness to be the most important.

“What makes me happiest is when I’m free, and free to be able to do whatever I want to do. When you’re really with yourself, you’re alone and you can be you. And there’s no barriers for anybody telling you what you need to be or how you should be acting. You don’t even have to conform with your friends, “ Skye said.

“Moments like that when I’m alone, able to listen to music, the music that no one else listens to, is when I really feel happy.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAUDIA SKYE

GOING AGAINST THE NORM| Junior Naudia Skye creates music and she says she doesn’t worry about societal norms.

“You can be successful and creative instead of confining yourself just to fit what everyone else expects from you,” Skye said.

Math teacher Kelly Maisel

By Ray Jason INTERN

RAY JASON

SARAH CLINET

FOSTERING A NEW METHOD OF TEACHING | Math teacher Kelly Maisel was recenetly hired to fill the position of a math teacher. Maisel said that she wanted to teach math because it was never taught to her properly and she wanted to change that. “I decided to pick math because, I figured, I had some math teachers that weren’t the best when I was in high school, and I wanted to be the opposite of that,” Maisel said. “I wanted my students to actually understand and get math because I had to teach it to myself when I was in high school for a lot of the year, so it was kind of tough.”

Math teacher Kelly Maisel has only ever wanted to make her family proud. Graduating in the top tenth percentile of her high school class, Maisel became the first in her family to go to college. To her, attending college was what would make her family the proudest.

“I wanted to make sure I was able to do that for (my mom),” Maisel said.

“She probably doesn’t remember that, but that was so long ago.”

Maisel decided to apply for a job at this school after noticing an opening, and is more than happy with her decision.

“I live pretty close by, and I actually had a few friends that went here when they were in high school. A few of my coworkers were actually friends of mine when I was in college,” Maisel said. “They always talked about how great it was here and after I interviewed, I was like, “oh my goodness, I can’t believe I would want to pick anywhere else that wasn’t here.”

I just felt very welcomed and felt good coming here.”

Maisel’s dad never got the chance to go to college. When he was a senior in high school, he was drafted into the Vietnam war. When he came back, he did what most people did for a living at the time.

He became a factory worker. Maisel knew that being a factory worker was not what she wanted to do with her life, and knew that she wanted to pursue a career in teaching.

“I’ve always wanted to teach.

I’m going to tell you I didn’t know what I wanted to teach until I got to college,” Maisel said. “When I got to college, I actually talked to my high school math teacher and she was like “I think you should consider doing something different” so I was like “what?” I decided to pick math because, I figured, I had some math teachers that weren’t the best when I was in high school, and I wanted to be the opposite of that. I wanted my students to actually understand and get math because I had to teach it myself when I was in high school for a lot of the year, so it was kind of tough.”

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Why? Honestly, I really want to go to Japan, now because I want to go see the Olympics in 2020. I think that would be hands down the coolest thing, and I just think that the culture is the coolest thing.

What is your favorite Vine?

My favorite Vine is a combination of a few, but the one that keeps sticking out in my mind is the one where the girl is sleeping and the glass of water is poured on her and she’s like hello.

If you could be any animal, what would you be? Why? I would be a giraffe because I’m super short and I can’t reach anything. And, I feel like if I had a long neck, it would make my life easier.

What is your favorite TV show?

My favorite TV show of all time is probably ‘The Office.’ My favorite cartoon of all time is ‘Spongebob,’ hands down. I got Squidward on my varsity jacket.

EDITORIAL

NORTH

POINTE

“Grosse Pointe Public School administrators and teachers are responsible for encouraging and ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of the press for all students, regardless of whether the ideas expressed may be considered unpopular, critical, controversial, tasteless or offensive.”

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Syeda Rizvi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Michael Hartt PAGE EDITOR

Emily Widgren PAGE EDITOR

Sofia Ketels MANAGING EDITOR

Abi Murray STAFF REPORTER

Hannah Zalewski PAGE EDITOR

Maggie Carron PAGE EDITOR

Adam Schwartz PAGE EDITOR

Amelia Nowicki STAFF REPORTER

Arzoo Chhaya PAGE EDITOR Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above. Members who have a conflict of interest with an editorial topic do not partake in that meeting or vote.

AMELIA NOWICKI

EDITOR'S DESK ADAM SCHWARTZ

North Pointe – Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 – 3

The true value behind our grading system:

The limitation letter grades can have on students W hen st ud ent s t h i n k of g r a d e s, t hey t h i n k of t he let t e r s or t he p e r c ent age s a sso c iat e d w it h t hem , but wh at do t hey a mou nt t o b e sid e s a m a rk i ng i n t he g r a d eb o ok?

Be caus e h ig h scho ol is a c r it ica l t i me for st ud ent s, w it h c ol lege on t he hor i z on a nd t r a n sc r ipt s t h at a r e t o b e s ent out , le a r n i ng isn’t a lways put f i r st . Bei ng p e r sist ent i n a ch iev i ng a l l A’s i n Scho olog y is wh at st ud ent s a i m for, r at he r t h a n g r ow t h a nd fo cusi ng on wh at ne e d s t o b e i mp r ove d up on.

G r a d e s shou ld b e a n op p or t u n it y for st ud ent s to see t hei r i mp r ovement ove r t he s eme st e r or t h r oug hout t he ye a r. We judge ou r s elve s ba s e d on t he let t e r we s e e when a t e st , p r oje ct , or a ssig n ment is g iven ba ck . T h at , howeve r, do e sn’t d ef i ne a ny of us, a nd ou r d evelopment sh i ne s t h r oug h t he end le ss hou r s of h a rd work we put i n a nd a sk i ng que st ion s a b out pa r t icu la r c onc ept s t h at we m ay not f u l ly u nd e r st a nd .

Wit hout t he st r e ss of a g r a d eb o ok , st ud ent s wou ld h ave a b et t e r t i me u nd e r st a nd i ng a nd le a r n i ng t hei r m at e r ia l. Wit h

t he cu r r ent scho ol env i r on ment , “c omplet ion” me a n s st ud ent s do t hei r work just t o get it done, a nd most of t he i n for m at ion is forgot t en a f t e r e a ch new ch apt e r.

Howeve r, f u l ly u nd e r st a nd i ng c onc ept s w i l l a l low st ud ent s t o c on ne ct it t o f ut u r e le sson s a nd p r epa r e t hem for t a sk s t h at w i l l c om e t hei r way lat e r i n l i fe when t he r e’s no “ b ox t o che ck".

A not he r va lue t h at wou ld b e b enef ic ia l t o st ud ent s is h av i ng a not he r ch a nc e, or b ei ng a ble t o r e a ss e ss on a t e st or qu i z i n wh ich t hey d id n’t ex h ibit a st r ong k nowle dge of t he subje ct . A si ng le g r a d e do e sn’t g ive a mor a l s en s e of how wel l t hey h ave m a st e r e d c onc ept . I f a st ud ent is g iven mor e t h a n one ch a nc e, t hey ca n ga i n mu lt iple a dva nt age s, for exa mple, t he i mp r ovement of t hei r g r a d e on a t e st or a n a ssig n ment or r e a l ly b ei ng a ble t o fo cus on t he c ont ent t hey do not u nd e r st a nd . But mor e i mp or t a nt ly, t hey do not h ave t o wor r y a b out a one -a nd- done sit u at ion t h at c ou ld m a ke or br e a k t hei r ove r a l l g r a d e. I n eve r yd ay l i fe, st ud ent s shou ld get a s e c ond ch a nc e t o d emon st r at e t hem s elve s

i n a g r e at e r m a n ne r a f t e r g iven mor e op p or t u n it ie s. T h is shou ld b e ap pl ie d t o g r a d e s a s wel l, b e caus e it isn’t a b out how fa st you le a r n , but how wel l you ca n c omp r ehend t he m at e r ia l at h a nd .

Col le ct ively, we’ve b e en at fau lt for b e c om i ng ove rly- obs e ss e d w it h get t i ng st r a ig ht A’s, but do we, a s st ud ent s a nd you ng a du lt s, a ct u a l ly u nd e r st a nd eve r y t h i ng t h at went i nt o t he g r a d e? Somet i me s we ne e d t o st ep ba ck a nd a sk ou r s elve s, “do I a ct u a l ly u nd e r st a nd t he m at e r ia l t h at’s b e en p r e s ent e d t o me? ” We ne e d t o m a ke t he ch a nge f r om “ it’s a l l a b out t he g r a d e,” t o “ I ne e d t o k now wh at t h is me a n s b efor e I ca n move a h e a d".

T he on ly va lue i n a let t e r g r a d e is b ei ng a ble t o s e e t h at let t e r.

W h at ne e d s t o b e show n r at he r t h a n a v iv id r e d “A” is ev id enc e t h at a u n it wa sn’t just c omplet e d , but t h at it wa s u nd e r st o o d . I f we wa l k away f r om e a ch qu a r t e r w it h on ly t he k nowle dge of ou r r ep or t ca rd , t hen wh at d id we r e a l ly ga i n?

OUR EDITORIAL

Keeping an open mind to legalized marijuana The heated debate over the legality of ma r ijuana has finally met its end after being legalized as both a medical and recreational product in the state of Michigan this election yea r.

Although com ing to a clea r stance on the morality of ma r ijuana is often the focus, it is clea r that this proposal is designed to give back to Michigan’s economy and com munities, as well as keeping users safe. Proposal One is not meant to inf luence the usage of the dr ug, rather it is designed by the gover nment to protect citizens to the fullest extent and to give them clea r, consistent outlines of what is deemed legal in the eyes of the law.

Th rough this piece of legislation, Michigan’s gover nment is given the power to dictate how ma r ijuana is treated and ensure that safety standa rds can be met for anyone using weed. W hile ma r ijuana is still ver y much a dr ug and should be treated as such, legalizing it and putting it in the hands of the gover nment can gua rantee at least some control over its effects on our com munities.

The money from this ten percent excise tax will go straight to Michigan’s economy. From funding infrastr ucture repair in our pothole-r iddled state to raising much needed money for K-12 programs, Proposal 1 shows that it wants to help more than the stereotypical “pothead” that comes to m ind.

The cur rent general fea r that legalizing weed will result in a massive cultural shift that’s pro smok ing may seem legitimate in the initial yea rs after the proposal has come into effect. This reaction is an inevitable response to new reality. As time passes and most of-age Michiganders interested in ma r ijuana have explored it, the excitement over its accessibility will dissipate along with the sh roud of myster y sur rounding the notor iously taboo substance.

Although the legalization of marijuana may be a positive for those of legal consuming age, with more thoroughly developed brains, the threat of increased accessibility to teens is real and must be kept in consideration.

By introducing ma r ijuana-fr iendly legislation, weed may become significantly more accessible for some teens, along with their pa rents or of-age siblings who will soon have free access to cannabis, despite effor ts in the proposal that will subject m inors found under the inf luence to a fine and four hours of dr ug education or counseling. In addition to increased accessibility, legalization will likely introduce a new menager ie of products that could come in higher potencies and become even more dangerous to the developmental brain.

For as long as anyone can remember, teenagers a re associated with their poor decision ma k ing sk ills. We often act out and do things that we don’t mean, and forever remain attracted to decisions that may not ma ke sense, even when we k now it, ma k ing us no strangers to teen substance use.

The inevitable “Blaze it!” joke when the clock hits 4:20 aside, smok ing ma r ijuana is detr imental to teen health and can ta ke yea rs to cor rect. A va r iety of studies conclude that ma r ijuana use under the age of 18 results in impair ment of cognitive capabilities such as memor y recall, ability to focus and speed at which one can process new infor mation. According to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, even after abstinence for six weeks, shor t-ter m memor y problems persisted, demonstrating that even if a student decides to quit, there is no quick way to fix the health problems they have created for themselves.

W hether you remain rooted in the belief that legalization of this once illicit dr ug is not appropr iate, or a re excited for the new legislation to activate in 2020, remember ing that it is backed with the intent to protect Michiganders is cr itical in order to move forwa rd.

YOUR

MY TURN LEO PECK

TURN:

What are your

Love and polyamory

thoughts on the legalization of “Some people might agree or some people might disagree, but in the end only people that want to use marijuana will use it and the people that don't agree just won’t use it.”

marijuana?

By: Kylie Duke IINTERN

Leah Kozlow

Dominic Vitale

FRESHMAN

“I love it. I mean like they should have the age limit like a lot lower.”

Kila Linson SOPHOMORE

"It's a good thing because our economy is gonna go up and we are gonna make more money in the U.S., but it's a bad thing because there is probably gonna be a lot of crime."

SOPHOMORE

“When you legalize things that are potentially dangerous to society, if you can maintain proper governance on it, sometimes it can be better than being iillegal, where people try to get it illegally."

Nicole Sturgeon MATH TEACHER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Syeda Rizvi MANAGING EDITOR: Sofia Ketels BUSINESS MANAGER: Jordan Craighead WEBMASTER: Brooklyn McWhorter PAGE EDITORS: Maggie Carron, Arzoo Chhaya, Michael Hartt, Adam Schwartz, Emily Widgren, Hannah Zalewski STAFF REPORTERS: Abi Murray, Amelia Nowicki INTERNS: Giacobi Bush, Niklas David, Colin Duffy, Kylie Duke, Farrah Fasse, Ray Hamilton, Ray Jason, Julia Magnan, Leo Peck, Victoria Wittenberg 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.

"It's stupid and it's going to cause a lot of accidents."

Akhil Mankad SOPHOMORE

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.

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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

Humans are different from the other species roaming Earth. Unlike some, who wander aimlessly in search of food and water, humans have complex emotions. We are abstract — we have feelings of joy, despair, anger and love. This part of us cannot be measured through conventional means. We contradict ourselves, we have unpredictable behavior, we are erratic at best, but this is what separates us as a species.

Love is controversial in today’s world. People want to put a label on love, staple a pattern to the meaning behind it and make it more convenient to them.

They want love to be selective, even limited. They say it can't be shared equally, if at all. Love has to be monogamous and between man and woman. Love should also be something that can withstand hardship.

The controversy begins when a man loves another man, or when a woman loves another woman. There have been periods of time that love has prevailed despite these standards, and I believe that is wonderful. There are also some who oppose polygamy, and believe the boundaries of love are set at two.

This traditional mindset follows us, but I personally believe in the freedom of choice. The view I hold of this matter is “we will all die anyway, so what does it matter if you love someone different?” In fact, I feel like it’s nobody else’s business who I love, because they shouldn’t care, and it doesn’t concern them anyways.

I support both the LGBT+ community and polygamy. People nowadays have a much too rigid structure of how they define love. How did you decide that you liked women? Or men? Did you decide the outcome for yourself, of your own will? If you did, I applaud you for having a mind of your own.

In order to break free of these norms, people must make their own decisions. In this golden age, we musn't rely only on the words of others to lazily decide for us. We are all human together, and with this mentality, we all relate to one another.

We are all essentially the same.

IN-DEPTH

North Pointe – Wednesday Nov. 28, 2018 – 4

Keeping students posted on the bond a ll notes d y k c g sti e bon Seein l? Since th hers teac choo over s roposed, the p ls in g o o h c was s puttin ltiple at mu have been items t n distric Post-Its o nd he bo e orang ols that t place. re ho in sc mprove or i would

The bond passed on

After the passing of the bond on November 6, the Grosse Pointe Public School district has started to create plans and timelines for all of the expected updates in school.

By Michael Hartt and Arzoo Chhaya PAGE EDITORS

t he l t o cho o r s e nd g ng i u d l n r all fa l e epi y, co s t Ac , K n dr d eme r ies: , n ” bo prov ego sa fe ted. c “ ne i m r cat s on u t fo den nd c st u r m a wa

election day, Tuesday November 6, with 57 percent of voters voting yes and 43 percent voting no.

t y, s a fe by se rea made de c n i s lu To e m e nt l l i n c t e d wi r ov p d a nd i mp b ond s u a a h t t he s suc t em s t ha s s m r y s it e d o o id e.

A m . ns P roo t he i s s cl a f r o m lo ck

Proj schoo ects to i m l fa cilitie prove inclu de s w up il HVA C s dating t l he ystem focus s a in nd conse g on rvatio energ y n. e f th o rds ion port o towa y g A og will technol g d ll in bon ving insta ing. o r y p b l im s hool and cab c s n g i n wiri new

English teacher Katie Maki had already noticed the infrastructure improvements that needed to be made long before she first saw the orange sticky notes, denoting needed repairs, appear around the school. Now that the GPPSS bond has passed, she said she is excited to begin seeing the new changes, but is curious as to when they will commence.

According to Lisa Abbey, the business manager for GPPSS, now that the bond has passed, the district has to send out requests for architecture firms so they can begin looking for other professionals, like technology designers and construction managers. As soon as the firm is hired, the architects will begin drawing designs that will be implemented in the summers of 2019 and 2020.

GPPSS is hoping to do some shorter projects, like security and possible roofing this summer as well. Drawings have already been done for South and several elementary schools, although Abbey said they are still not sure which schools they will start with or which schools will be done this summer.

According to Abbey, the district hopes to finish the construction sooner, but some projects take longer to plan, and their construction will need more than just a few months.

“If we were doing all of the mechanical work at one of the high schools, that would take a significant amount of lead time. We would not be able to get that drawn and bids for the summer coming up,” Abbey said.

“That’s one of the things with November elections, is that you can’t get all of that work done in the first summer.”

The next step is for the district to sell the $111 million worth of bonds in two series.

Abbey said this will most likely occur in January or February of 2019 and the money will have to be spent in a moderate time period following the sale.

“When you sell the first series, that particular set of funds needs to be spent or substantially spent within 3 years,” Abbey said. “And so when we sell the second set of bonds, those funds will have to be substantially spent, which is about 85% (of the money), in 3 years.

The bonds will be sold to not only large buyers, but also sold retail, to community members with any amount of resources.

Head counselor, Jennifer Sherman, said

When will bond covered projects start?

she is most eager about the new updates that will come to the academic atmosphere within Grosse Pointe schools.

“To me, it’s (all about) the learning environment for students’ safety of everyone in the building,” Sherman said. “And then, just that the building is kept up so it continues to function for years to come.”

This upcoming summer is going focus on improving security in schools, since that is a project easier to take on and can be checked off immediately. Sketches and drawings for some schools are already in progress.

“I think we could do small improvements on locks on the doors, but I know that they already have some of those in place,” Maki said. “Just a quick update with those security codes may be helpful and beneficial to students.”

A widely discussed update is surrounding technology in classrooms. It is more difficult to deal with that area, as eventually everything becomes outdated.

“We have had our current Smartboards for well over 10 years, so those need to be updated. Eventually, they are not supported by the original software or manufacturer, (so they) just like anything else need to be updated,” Abbey said. “We are doing instructional technology, so the teachers’ walls for instruction will be updated, whether that is a Smartboard or an up-todate television. For those types of things, committees and the tech planning group will work on it, but that is what will be replaced.

The technology is changing so quickly that we need to make sure we are getting the most up-to-date equipment as we move forward.”

According to the bond, another huge focus is on keeping the schools “safe, warm and dry” as well as “connected.” This means adding more cameras throughout buildings, improving the efficiency of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and replacing roofs.

“The bond isn’t designed to change the structure of a classroom,” Abbey said. “As you know, there is no furniture included in this bond, and it is really infrastructure oriented.”

The bond covers the next 20 years, but upcoming projects are expected to be completed in five to six years.

REVIEWS

5– Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 – North Pointe

Bohemian Rhapsody: A Night At The Theater

By Amelia Nowicki STAFF REPORTER

How many more ‘Galileos’ could one possibly want? Filled with hilarious zingers, a timeless soundtrack and the tear-jerking reality of life, “Bohemian Rhapsody” brilliantly tells the story of the iconic rock group, ‘Queen’ and their frontman, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek).

The first teaser trailer kickstarted the hype for “Bohemian Rhapsody” in May of 2018, creating high expectations and leaving many critics wondering if the movie would succeed. Within the first ten minutes of the film, however, any concerns one may have are sure to disappear.

The movie opens with Mercury (Malek) joining the college-aged rock band currently consisting of Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello). Mercury’s f lirtatious humor is immediately put to use and it introduces the audience to his colorful character.

Following a shaky first performance by the group, we learn something crucial about Mercury: nothing is going

to stand in his way. With his unbreakable ‘born to be a star’ attitude, he manages to inspire the people he interacts with throughout the film, and graces us all with small boosts in our own self-esteems with his contagious attitude.

During performance scenes, the cast was able to capture the real energy and emotion of a Queen concert.

The soundtrack consisting of Queen’s live performances and Malek’s incorporation of classic moves create an atmosphere in the theater that left us with goosebumps made it all the more exciting to watch.

However, the movie was much more than a two-hour ‘Queen’ jam session with a few chuckles.

The audience is also exposed to a few of the harsh circumstances Mercury endured, one such case being his AIDS diagnosis.

As many know, Mercury’s diagnosis is one of the early public cases of the disease and his death shocked the world in 1991. As the climax of the film nears, we begin to see allusions to his illness, resulting in a heart-wrenching scene where he learns he’s contracted the

incurable sickness, drawing strong feelings of sympathy for Mercury and leaving us wondering, “what comes next?”

After these events transpired, he leaves his temporary solo career to rejoin Queen and make a decision that went down in history as one of the most important musical performances ever: the Live Aid benefit concert.

Coming off from a brief solo career, we see Mercury and the band struggling to get back into the swing of things with Live Aid only two weeks away, and until the moment that Mercury steps on the stage, we held our breath.

Regardless of knowing the outcome or not, we were all praying that the sun had broken through the clouds and that Queen’s ‘big moments of the film was going to pull through.

And pull through it does. With Malek’s remarkable interpretation of Mercury, he’s able to combine a turning point in music history with himself and his own style, all the while maintaining the energetic nature of the rock star.

Ending the film at the co ncert rather than Mercury’s death symbolizes that there’s no real end to his story, which was a very strong belief of Mercury himself.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” isn’t jthe story of an old rock band, it’s about keeping a legacy alive.

Queen’s impact on the world revolutionized the way we think of music by mixing sounds and genres in a way that had never been heard before.

Their music broke free from the chains of radio regulations, and created an entirely new mindset about music.

As one of the most memorable frontmen of rock, Mercury’s story needed to be told in a way that will allow him to be everything but a memory, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” is an amazing opportunity for that to happen.

"Bohemian Rhapsody " (2018) Movie THRILLIST.COM

TV SHOW

TV SHOW

ABULM

RESTAURANT

ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

DARE DEVIL

GUT FEELING

NORMA G'S

On October 26, Netflix released a new show called “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” a spin-off of Nickelodeon’s “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

DENOFGEEK.COM The original sitcom, released in 1996, is about a girl discovering that her magical powers come from a long line of witches. Although the sitcom was not the first installment of Sabrina’s trilogy, it was one of the most popular, and it pioneered many ideas and elements that are now a huge part of the franchise.

Over the course of seven feel-good seasons, Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) tries to get her human life back in the original show.

However, in the reboot, Spellman fights to have both her powers and a normal life. Because she is only a half witch, Spellman must choose between the path of light and the path of night.

These two paths define the separate parts of her life, split between witches and mortality, as well as symbolize the two different sides of her character.

“The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” originating from Archie comics, takes place in a small town called Greendale. Because of its roots from the comics, the inclusion of the town of Riverdale does come into mention a few times over the course of the show. Although the towns are close together, Greendale presents a much darker theme, as does the rest of the show. The series uses obscure and often frowned upon concepts, including satanism and cannibalism, to create a much darker ambiance for Sabrina’s world.

Greendale also alludes to the Salem witch trials. An extremely important detail in the show's plot is the secret witch trial in Greendale, where 13 witches were hung. Along with its dark themes, the show also touches on societal issues like racism, sexism, gender and the barrier between those with different religions. Each character in the show is going through their own personal battle with these issues, making the show relatable for all members of the audience.

Earning a 90 percent from Rotten Tomatoes, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” has viewers and critics alike on the edges of their seats.

Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has crawled out from the rubble, coming back for more and thrilling viewers around the world in season 3 of “Daredevil.” The MARVEL.COM newest season of the show was recently released, and has taken off.

Murdock was blinded as a child by a radioactive chemical substance that got in his eyes during a car accident. From that, all of his senses increased drastically. The power of his senses nearly drove him insane by not allowing Murdock to shut out noise, and giving him the ability to smell and taste items from up to half a mile away. Murdock’s anger sparked after his father was murdered in cold blood, and he began to start fights as a parentless Catholic schoolboy. As a child, he easily picked up fighting and braille.

Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), and an assistant, Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) are Murdocks best friends. These key characters in the show become best friends and the only thing keeping them apart is the secret identity of Daredevil.

In the show, Murdock didn’t just wake up a superhero, he endured the pain and unwillingly became his alter-ego, Daredevil. Throughout the show, Murdock has many obstacles to overcome.

In season three, in one incident where he has no suit or protection, he ends up facing a bigger challenge, one where all that matters is making it out alive. Daredevils suit is a very recognizable design, all red with horns representing the “devil” of Hell’s Kitchen.

He then meets a man with similar abilities named Stick (Scott Glenn) who teaches him how to control is senses and use them for good and to help others.

Despite the show being littered with flashbacks, fans must see two previous seasons to understand the storyline of this show. Like previous shows from the Marvel Universe, “Daredevil” has a concrete plot and draws you deeper in every episode, and although he is occasionally defeated by the enemy, he always finds a way to bounce back. Also something that surprised me is that the acting is very good, especially because most netflix shows have obvious low budget acting.

Ella Mai’s latest album, “Gut Feeling” is one of the best I've heard so far. The texture of her music is pure, soothing and very relaxing, putting listener in a YOUTUBE.COM the restful mood. I was astonished by her songs that discussed relationships in what felt like relatable terms. For example, her song “Gut Feeling,” reflects on a problem she had with her ex-boyfriend. He tells her nothing is going on, and denies the fact that he comes home late often. She expresses her strong gut-feeling, that he may be seeing another person behind her back. Her album reflects the message of setting your expectations high, which is a nice change of message given out by more recent music thus far.

A song that hits listeners the most is “Good, Bad.” The lyrics explain that not only do the words you use affect others, it is also the way you say things. The message is that people react more to the tone of what you say, and it can become more important than the actual words.

While much of Mai’s music is melancholic, there are also many songs about love and the realities of life in this album. Throughout each piece, she inspires her audience with her reflective lyrics and slower beats, as well as her introduction to the music scene.

Mai got famous by posting Instagram videos of herself making remixes to other artist’s songs, and others looked up to her so much that they began to make their own remixes, many including Mai’s original pieces.

Mai is a British singer and songwriter.

She signed a record deal with DJ Mustard, in which she released her hit single “Boo’d Up” in 2018.

Most people say this is one of the best R&B albums made in a long time. Her words speak to listeners, delivering insight on how to demolish problems one may be experiencing in their own life. The hard work, time and effort she put into this album was outstanding. She changed a lot of peoples’ perspective of being in a relationship, and the meaning of the word itself.

With its delectable food and welcoming atmosphere, Detroit’s hot new Caribbean restaurant “Norma G’s” is a winner in my book.

As soon as I DETROIT.EATER.COM left my car, I could immediately smell freshly cooked food and aromatic spices. Upon entering the establishment, I was drawn in by the lovely decor and kind staff.

The walls were painted with soft hues of pink, blue and yellow, reminding me of classic, colorful Cuban buildings. The dim lighting and the warm waitstaff set the scene for a conversational ambiance.

For my appetizer, I chose a traditional street food served in Trinidad and Tobago, named doubles, which are flat, fried pieces of bread filled with curried chickpeas, topped with a sweet tamarind sauce. It was absolutely scrumptious. The bread was perfectly crisp and the filling was delicious. It was tender and the flavor was exemplary. My taste buds were buzzing in excitement with every bite I took.

The subtle spice of the curry was counteracted by the saccharine tamarind sauce drizzled on the dish.

Next, I ordered the vegan pelau, a mixture of jasmine rice, squash, peppers, pigeon peas and their “house seasoning.” The rice was perfectly cooked and fluffy. All the flavors worked together in perfect harmony. The dish was served with fried plantains and cucumber slices, which could be nibbled on as a palate cleanser to soothe a burning mouth. I ordered their iconic mac and cheese on the side. Traditional elbow noodles were replaced with cavatappi blended with melty gourmet cheeses and topped with panko breadcrumbs.

To finish off my meal, I ordered the Trini Trifecta, which was “Wally’s” frozen custard blended with cinnamon sugar and Trinidad rum. Unfortunately, they had run out of the Trini Trifecta. To ameliorate their mistake, they served me a complimentary generous serving of vanilla frozen custard. Though it was absent of any sort of add-in, it was still a perfect ending to a lovely night.

“Norma G’s” is a breath of fresh air from the constant onslaught of Italian restaurants in Grosse Pointe. One can have an exotic taste of the Caribbean, a mere five miles from Grosse Pointe and spend much less than you would on a vacation to the Atlantic islands.

"Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina"; 2018; Available to watch on Netflix

"Dare Devil"; 2018; Available to watch on Netflix

"Gut Feeling"; 2018; Available to download on ITunes

"Norma G's"; 2018; available at 14628 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48215

By Victoria Wittenberg

By Giacobi Bush

By Raymond Hamilton

By Farrah Fasse

SPORTS Diane Montgomery named regional track and cross country coach of the year

6 – Wednesday, Nov, 28 2018 – North Pointe

UPCOMING GAMES

By Sofia Ketels and Brooklyn McWhorter

BOYS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY Home game against Stoney Creek High School on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 6:15 p.m. at Fraser Hockeyland

GIRLS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY Home game at East Side Hockey Ice Arena against Cranbrook Kingswood Schools on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.

GIRLS VARISTY CHEERLEADING CCCAM Scholarship Invitational at Cousino High School on Friday, Dec. 7

BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL Away game against Pioneer High School on Saturday, Dec. 8. at 7 p.m. at Ann Arbor Huron

BOYS VARSITY SWIMMING Home meet at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10 at the pool against L’anse Creuse North High School

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL Away game against Utica High School on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.

MANAGING EDITOR AND WEBMASTER

Well into her first year as an English teacher in Georgia, dedication to the team shows through both the team’s track and cross country coach Diane Montgomery has helped practices and their meets. Whether it be planning workouts, to rebuild the two teams, kicking off her career as a both a getting split times, or just being supportive, Cosgrove said teacher and coach. After her first year teaching in 2002, she Montgomery is consistent in her devotion to both teams. immediately began coaching, and became the boys and girls head “She’s an awesome coach,” Cosgrove said. “She always coach in 2009 and 2017. At the end of this cross country season, has the team’s best interests in mind and she knows our Montgomery has been named 2018 Regional Coach of the Year. goals. You can always go to her and ask her for advice, “It was pretty special,” Montgomery said. “I was excited. and she definitely knows what she’s talking about.”

It’s nice to feel validated for your hard work.”

To Montgomery however, the honor is a ref lection of the work While Montgomery may have been surprised with the honor, junior that she and all of the track and cross country teams have done to Michael Kehrig said that her dedication, involvement and passion have a successful year, especially since a large part of winning for both the track and cross country teams made the choice obvious. is based on overall performance throughout the season.

Through his three years on the boys cross country team, Kehrig said “It’s nice to feel like the programs that I’ve been working on are he has noticed how much Montgomery looks out for every student on finally reaching their pinnacle of success,” Montgomery said. “For me, each team. it’s like a secondary ref lection on me because I’ve built the program.” “(I think she was named coach of the year because of) her commitment As for next year, Montgomery said she has high hopes for to the team and how much passion and energy she brings to the table,” the next varsity lineup. Five seniors will have graduated by Kehrig said. “That’s seen in the success that the runners have had.” the start of next season, and Montgomery is eager to see where Throughout her years of coaching, Montgomery said she strives to this leaves the rest of the team. With the new inf lux of runners focus on motivating cross country runners to run all year, and to get who have never been on varsity before, she is expecting things as much mileage as they can. Over time, Montgomery said she has within scheduling and overall training to be adjusted and she noticed more runners dedicating themselves to this attitude towards is enthusiastic to see how next season’s teams end up. training while inspiring other student runners to do so along the way.

“Next year I think (it) will be interesting to see who rises to the “We’ve just had more and more kids buy into that philosophy of challenge, and is ready to fill in those spots,” Montgomery said. “That’s dedicating yourself year round. We’ve also tweaked our training going to be exciting.” programs over the years,” Montgomery said. “I feel like this year was finally the best combination of training for the athletes that we had.”

To Montgomery, individualized attention to the runners is what made this year stand out as a great training season. With the varsity team’s small size added to the number of athletes who had been running for three to four years, Montgomery found it easier to provide the attention to each runner and to get the feedback she believed they needed to succeed.

For example, Montgomery said that while two runners may have very similar times, one may be more adept to distance running, while the other may be better suited to running for speed, like in track. This makes it easier to evaluate how individuals are performing in their events. “(It’s about) really knowing the runners as individuals and trying to meet their needs, because you can’t treat them all the same,” Montgomery said. “We kind of tried to doctor it so we’re not overtraining some of the kids, but also that we’re helping them to reach their full potential, so we’re not undertraining.”

This year was senior Michaela Cosgrove’s last season with the cross country team. She agrees with Montgomery, COURTESY OF DIANE MONTGOMERY and said she believes that during her time on the team, VICTORY POSE| Boys cross country team posing after their regional win. “It’s nice to feel like the programs that I’ve been working on finally reaching the Montgomery played a key role in their success. pinnacle of success,” Montgomery said.

Like Kehrig, Cosgrove said that Montgomery’s overall

Va rsity cheer hires a new head coach

By Maggie Carron PAGE EDITOR

varsity coach Kristina Kaiser, Cribbs said she was no longer concerned, and more than happy to welcome Kaiser to the varsity team.

“I always loved coach K, and she’s doing an amazing job at everything. The whole team loves her,” Cribbs said. “We picked up where we left off, and I’m very excited about the season.”

For Kaiser, a 2004 alumna, this is not her first experience with cheer. She has been a long time Norsemen, and began cheerleading when she was in fourth grade for the Grosse Pointe Red Barons, then continued on to cheer all four years in high school.After becoming a senior year captain and a twoA BOND LIKE NO OTHER| “It’s been amazing connecting with these girls and helping to form them into young women that are ready for the time state qualifier in 2003 and 2004, world outside of high school,” Kaiser said.

Kaiser went on to cheer for three years at Northwood University in Midland.

With her former experience and North pride, Kaiser said that Junior Morgan Cribbs has been on the varsity cheer team she is ready to take on her new position and have a fun season for two years. At first, when she discovered the team would be with her new varsity cheerleaders. getting a new coach, Cribbs felt skeptical about the amount of This season, Kaiser hopes the team will master their back success her team would have this upcoming season. handspring and tumbling. She also wants to help guide them “I was (also) very sad because our old coach had been to victory in their division, and move up in the Macomb Area coaching here at North for over 13 years,” Cribbs said. “We had a very close relationship, so I was very heartbroken and Conference as well. In addition, Kaiser is focusing on moving past their “mid-season lull,” and wants the team to stay focused confused when she left.”

Because of her close bond with the former varsity cheer and determined throughout the entire season.

“I am so excited to be able to put my own little spin coach Kia Jordan, Cribbs said she was upset and concerned for on our program,” Kaiser said. “It’s really exciting to be herself and the team that Jordan would be leaving. However, able to take something you love so much and be able when she found out that the new coach was former junior

QUICK HITS Varsity Girls Basketball with Maddie Kohler

Sophomore and varsity basketball guard Maddie Kohler believes this year’s team will be more impressive than last.

“With the team we have, I believe we can be make it to states and possibly even win,” Kohler said.

Kohler believes that she and her fellow teammates collaborate excellently and have great chemistry.They work as sisters on and off the court.

“We love to be with each other, both at games, practice or simply just hanging out

outside of school,” Kohler said.

“There’s never a dull moment whenever we are all together.”

Kohler has played basketball since she was five years old, and has learned to love the sport. Whether she is playing for school or for a travel team, Kohler loves everything about basketball, particularly its intensity.

“You always have to be on your toes and never lose focus,” Kohler said, “because the game is played at such a high speed.”

Three sports, with three players in three columns

Varsity Boys Ice Hockey with Ethan McCormik

Sophomore Ethan McCormick is entering his second season into hockey after playing in his first year as a freshman. McCormick believes the hockey team will have a good season, and needs to make up for the loss of graduated seniors.

“Our chemistry so far has been good but needs improvement due to the seniors from last year who left,” McCormick said. “I think our team will have a good season and maintain a 0.500 or above record.”

McCormick has been playing

hockey for the majority of his life. His favorite part about hockey has always been the pace and intensity.

“I like how fast-paced the sport is,” McCormick said.

“You are always moving in some way, no matter whatever your position is.”

to take full control of it and implement new strategies.”

Junior Lauren Jackson, who has been on the varsity team for three years, is looking forward to the season ahead with Kaiser as the new coach.

“Having a new coach is great this year,” Jackson said. “Our coach has really went out of her way to make sure our team is happy. She has our teams’ best interests at heart, and we have such a close bond with her.”

Having been coaching junior varsity cheer since 2008, Kaiser is looking forward to coaching a more experienced team. She said she is excited about the possibilities that will open up for the season, given that 85 percent of this year’s sideline cheerleaders joined competitive cheer as well. With her new position, Kaiser said she has received many encouragements from her former teachers, classmates and people she has met in the past ten years as junior varsity coach. Kaiser said they have all re-welcomed her with open arms.

“I am so honored to be taking over this program and being able to work with such exceptional student athletes,” Kaiser said. “Being able to share my passion of cheerleading with my girls has really been the best experience.”

BUY ONE ENTREE, GET ONE FREE

By: Colin Duffy INTERN

JV Boys Basketball

As sophomore and pointguard Andrew Dudek enters his second season playing for Coach Kareem Hakim, he is confident the team will prosper. After a 17-3 record, Dudek is confident in their skills.

“We are going undefeated,” Dudek said. ““I love being part of the team and the feeling when we win.”

He has been playing the game for seven years and his favorite aspect of basketball is being part of a team and working together. He believes that aspect of the team could

with Andrew Dudek

use some improvement with the additional members who joined this season.

On the weekends, the team works to improve their collaboration by volunteering and making sandwiches for those in need. One of Dudek’s favorite experiences was working at Gleaners last year to help the poor.

“Our team chemistry is good,” he said, “but could use some (improvement) because of the new people added this year.”