POINTE
NORTH
GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
SINCE 1968
NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020
Parent facebook group Protests reconfiguration DIFFERENT LEARNERS
STOP THE TRAIN
DESERVE
BETTER
MY CHILD IS NOT AN
A FTE RTH O U G HT
MAKE
SYEDA RIZVI & PHOENIX ARCHER
INCLUSION
MAT T ER S @thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org
News 2-3 Editorial 4 OnCampus 5
InDepth 6-7 On Pointe 8 Life 9
Reviews 10 Sports 11 VOLUME 52 | ISSUE 6
2 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
NEWS
"Save Our Schools" group advocates for preserving district structure
FARRAH FASSE
FARRAH FASSE
COMMUNITY CONCERN| Lauren Nowicki, a concerned parent and the founder of the "Save Our Schools" initiative, YOUTH ADVOCACY| Several students attended the rally; junior Cordy Wettstein felt strongly about expressed her concern at a rally, photographed above, outside the Board of Education meeting at Brownell Middle School. the lack of communication given to parents about the topic. "Relatively little information has been "My biggest concern is just that there's no benefit to doing this, this whole reconfiguration," Nowicki said. given to parents of whom this will affect, which is problematic," Wettstein said.
On Feb. 10, Grosse Pointe Public Schools held one of its biweekly board meetings at Brownell Middle School. Outside the entrance, a group called “Save Our Schools” protested the impact district reconfiguration will have on special education programming. Founder Lauren Nowicki said "Save Our Schools" formed several months ago, before the board vote occurred. Since then, the group has expressed concern over reconfiguration regarding the impact on special education, the financial benefit and the movement of fifth grade to middle school. “All of us, at one time or another, have written letters and/or met with both board members and administration,” Nowicki said. “Those have gotten us not very far, so we proceeded to start protesting at the board meetings because even after contacting them through various facets they still are not responding to us or not even open to listening to our ideas or answering our questions.” One major grievance expressed by "Save Our Schools" is that most of the special education programs will be housed in schools on the North end of the district. However, the group believes that programs should be spread evenly among schools. Nowicki is also worried about the effects that moving schools will have on students with intellectual disabilities. “The closest (program) to us will be housed either at Richard or Kirby, so that's quite a ways away, and for those kids this transition is already going to be hard. To then take them to a whole new school with none (some) of their peers is going to be extremely traumatic for them,” Nowicki said. “(It will be) far more traumatic than (for) any of our (regular education students) that are moving from one school to another, but they are moving at least with their friends.” Grosse Pointe Public Schools Director of Student Services,
Stefanie Hayes, is overseeing many of the changes made to special education programs during the reconfiguration process. Hayes said that there will not be reductions in the types of programs offered, such as Cognitive Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder classrooms. Rather, the locations of the
“
For these kids to transition is already going to be hard. To then take them to a whole new school with none of their peers is going to be extremely traumatic. Lauren Nowicki FOUNDER OF "SAVE OUR SCHOOLS"
intellectually disabled children from their home schools, as Hayes claims there is no guarantee that those students will attend the school located closest to their home. This is due to the district’s special education programs funding through Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agencies. Hayes argues this funding is the basis for students not being promised attendance to their closest school, as several elements— aside from their residence—factor into students’ school placement. “(Special education) isn't a Grosse Pointe program to start with. We do try to have kids that are Grosse Pointe residents considered for their own school or the closest school possible, but it isn't necessarily a guarantee as we always have students that are also referred from Grosse Pointe, Harper Woods and Hamtramck,” Hayes said. “...We do have to look at the numbers (and) the locations. And also, there are many variables to consider ... what grade kids are, what grade levels, what functioning levels, where their transportation will occur and how long of a ride.” As "Save Our Schools" concerns about reconfiguration stretch farther than just special education, they are continuing to protest outside before the start of board meetings. Their next protest is on March 9 regarding school closure savings. Asserting that reconfiguration should not be happening in the first place, Nowicki is concerned that the changes being made are regressive for the district. She believes that reconfiguration should be looked at as an opportunity to improve the district, not save money. “I think (in terms of reconfiguration) we should stop the current plan, and take a step back and look at what is needed in the district, and not only what is needed. But (we should also look at) what we could do to make our districts better,” Nowicki said. “This current plan is not improving us at all. What it is (doing) is just shrinking us, and allowing us no room for growth. With a plan that is perhaps more innovative and more cutting edge, offering some programs to kids (that are) more 21st century rather than old school.”
“
By Farrah Fasse & Abi Murray PAGE EDITORS
programs will be shifted to other schools, but they will retain the same number of classrooms throughout the district during the 201920 and 2020-21 school years. Although junior Corrydon Wettstein understands the concerns that special education may be disrupted by the transition, he sees it as a necessary one, believing that the children will experience a learning curve and adjust accordingly. “I think that it may not be distributed evenly, but I’m grateful there are still the same amount of classes,” Wettstein said. “The longer drive by 10 minutes is surely worth the same quality of education.” "Save Our Schools" largely protests the displacement of
NEWS
North Pointe — Wednesday, March. 4, 2020 — 3
starts petition to English curriculum evaluates Student create homework club minority inclusion By Michael Hartt & Colin Duffy PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER English department co-chairs, Kristen Alles and Jonathan Byrne, are currently leading the department through an intensive curriculum review, in which they hope to replace current text options with more diverse characters and authors. “One of our main goals for this particular curriculum review (is) to include diverse voices,” Alles said, “Whether that’s through a diverse author or a diverse narrator.”
Alles said the routine curriculum normally takes a few years to complete. The process starts with the committee members — the English department chairs from both North and South, an administrator liaison from each high school and Maureen Burr, the district curriculum director — meeting to discuss where holes might be in the curriculum that they want to change. They then meet again to figure out the process for achieving their goals. Once they decide to amend something, the committee has to present the change to the Educational Programs Leadership Council, which is a group of teachers, community members
Benefits of text change moder text n
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and parents who serve as informed advocats of educational excellence. If the Council approves, then the curriculum change has to be taken to the school board, where it must be passed in order for it to go into effect. One of the administrative liaisons, Assistant Principal Geoffrey Young, says that the review is moving efficiently, but is taking more time than usual because of the scope of changing the texts. “This review is taking a little bit longer because we have a lot of work to do with selection of text which is not very easy to do. It demands the English teachers to, in many cases, read other texts while they are still teaching and doing full time work,” Young said. Junior Annalise Thomas has long thought that the English curriculum has lacked diverse narratives even though she thinks English is one of the best classes to discuss diverse topics. “We don’t discuss anything on racial diversity (and) sexual diversity,” Thomas said. “They could incorporate that, and I think it would be smart to weave those things in there, because that’s really one of the only classes they can do that with.” However, Thomas said she is optimistic that this review will add more diversity to the curriculum and make it less eurocentric. Young agrees and thinks that teaching students with a more diverse curriculum will benefit them tremendously long after high school ends. “All kinds of differences are going to be part of what (students) experience in the world and so to be competent with those people, you have to know how to understand them, or how they use language, or how they communicate stories and their experiences,” Young said. “So we do want there to be enough experiences in our curriculum to allow for students to have that kind of competency.”
By Michael Hartt & Cassady Pierzinski PAGE EDITOR & INTERN
Sophomore Anaya Winesberry is proposing a club to offer a space for students who cannot leave immediately after school because they do not have a ride home. Winesberry thinks a club like this could offer a multifaceted solution to both students and the administration. “I started to make this club for students who get kicked out of the school right after the bell rings because their parents have 9 to 5 jobs. They end up stuck (outside),” Winesberry said. “There are just so many ways to make (students) more productive after school than just sitting (and) waiting outside. They could (be) in an active learning space, (and) actually be productive until their parents come get them.” Although this club is still in its planning stage, Winesberry has had serious conversations with administrators and she says that they are enthusiastic about the idea. According to the current plan, the club would be set up as a focused learning space in a large room that could hold the number of students who usually have to wait for a ride after school. Students would be encouraged, and possibly even required to do homework. Other activities, such as playing on their phones and talking to others would be tolerated as long as they are mindful of others. Winesberry thinks that in order for the administration to approve the club and in order to maintain a calm atmosphere, there would have to be rules about the type of behavior that is tolerated. “Just to make sure that students don’t take advantage of it, there would have to be policies in place like no loud disruptions, if you’re here and you’re doing your work (then that is okay), but (the atmosphere would) not (be) like a jail,” Winesberry said. Social studies teacher Brent Maynard, who will most likely be the advisor of the club, is enthusiastic about its ability to help students, but is concerned about the logistics. “I think that with either the ability to find staffing through volunteers or through the staff here at North, that will be our biggest logistical challenge. Having the library or some other spaces big enough where that many kids could utilize it (would be a challenge too),” Maynard said. Even though he sees organizing the club as a challenge, Maynard still thinks that it would be possible with hard work. Junior Daniela Maros, who says that she would have been able to utilize a club like this as an underclassmen, says that it would be a great disservice to students if this club idea did not turn into reality. “The Homework Club could be a game changer for so many students who normally can’t be productive because they have to sit around and wait for a ride for hours,” Maros said. “I think the school would be so much better off with a resource like this one.”
4 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
EDITORIAL
D i s t r ict ch a n ge s s hou ld not exclud e co m mu n ity i nvolvement
In the fall of 2020, Trombly Elementary and Poupard Elementary will close as fifth grade becomes a part of middle school, according to the district reconfiguration proposal passed by the school board last June. Although the district made these decisions last summer, they have yet to release a fully explained plan for the upcoming school year. Groups of angry parents have emerged, such as “Save Our School,” asking, “where is the plan?” That’s a great question. While they have announced that Poupard students will attend either Mason Elementary or Monteith Elementary and Trombly students will relocate to Defer Elementary, there are plenty of valid concerns that have yet to be addressed: to which schools are special needs
students relocating? Are fifth graders expected to interact with eighth graders? Are some former Poupard students expected to walk 2.5 miles to Montieth every single morning? Will there be busing systems implemented? Or before school latchkey programs? The fact that these questions have yet to be addressed publically, this far in the reconfiguration process, brings into question if they even have answers for them. A district that pursues this reconfiguration SYEDA RIZVI without a plan promotes improvisation, restricts potential and ignores community input. That is distant from the innovation promoting, potential maximizing and community embracing district GPPSS has been in the past and should strive to be. Instead of continuing with a reconfiguration process based on proposals that didn’t account for all complex factors impacted, the district should step back. The best course of action needs reevaluation and maybe that means the initially desired action isn’t the best option anymore. There needs to be a plan that produces benefits outside the financial realm and emphasizes the importance of the student. If that means pushing off reconfiguration for a whole school year, then so be it.
The art of having outlandish opinions MY TURN
By Amelia Nowicki
PAGE EDITOR Textbook conversation starters suck. They are awkward, lame and only meant to spark lighthearted, albeit boring, conversation. But think about this: Why talk about the weather like everybody else when you can defy (pop) cultural norms and be unique? Having opinions that seem odd or contradict what the masses say are always interesting. Ever notice the reactions after someone says they don’t like The Rolling Stones or “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?” When someone makes a statement denouncing a pop culture staple, backlash from their large followings create a frenzy of feigned aggression and defensive arguments. For example, I have an ongoing list on my phone titled, “Things I Hate.” Its contents range from Tom Cruise to Fage commercials, from low rise jeans to the “Peanut Butter Baby.” Despite how different these things may seem, they share one major similarity: They really don’t have a significant lasting impact on anything important. These opinions have no effect on how the world works. They do not impact how a person views the morality of the world today. They do not perpetuate our current political situation, nor do they pose a genuine threat to any person. What they do is spark unnecessary joke arguments at the lunch table and promote unique ways of perceiving pop culture and getting to know each other. In fact, party games such as “Don’t Get Me Started” even centralize around this very concept. While there is minor stigma around being that “one guy” who holds strange beliefs to be “quirky,” the underlying innocence at the heart of these pop culture wars is needed to keep things interesting. They are the creators of inside jokes. If a substanceless argument keeps friendships invigorating, then so be it.
YOUR TURN: How do you think closing Trombly and Poupard will impact special needs students? By Phoenix Archer INTERN
JUNIOR CARYS REESE: “I think that by closing
the schools, those kids will have different opportunities and will be involved with different kids. The curriculum could be slightly different for them.”
JUNIOR APOLLO JASON: “The closing of these
schools is going to negatively impact the students with special needs because maybe these schools are the closest ones to their homes and it’s going to make it harder for them to go to school..”
SOPHOMORE ROSE NADA HOUSEY JOHNSON:
“(It) might impact them emotionally. They might not be able to come to the closest elementary school which could impact their grades and how they function... I feel like the children are going to be impacted very negatively from the school closing.”
JUNIOR TIANA TOMPSON “I think that the closing will affect their ability to travel to school safely, since they already have a mental deficiency. It’ll be a situation that’ll need to be mitigated.”
ON CAMPUS
North Pointe — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — 5
Hearts tied in KNOTS At a Valentine's luncheon, the KNOTS club enjoyed a party in the library with food, drink and lots of activities including dancing, card making and a selfie station. By Brandon Miller & Joleigh Jackson STAFF REPORTER & INTERN
GABBI BIELAK
DANCE PARTY| Sophomore Mikayla Schiller taught students different dances at the dance station, and said it gave students the chance to move around. “It think it was super fun seeing all the kids smiling and dancing,” Schiller said. “They’re just having fun.”
GABBI BIELAK
HAVING FUN| Some members of KNOTS get together for a picture to capture the moment. Sandy Wilhelm thinks that the party is a fun opportunity to have fun and socialize “The best part about the party for most of the kids is the food and all that, but everyone did enjoy doing the arts and crafts with valentines,” Wilhelm said.
GABBI BIELAK
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA| Speech-language pathologist Kimberly King enjoyed spending time with the kids, and being able to watch them interact. “The best part about today is that these kids have had the opportunity to socialize with other kids and make friendships so it’s been really great.”
GABBI BIELAK
COMING TOGETHER|Junior Akhil Mankad has been a KNOTS member for two and a half years, and enjoyed spending time with everyone, including eating lunch. “The best part was looking at how everyone just comes together as a big family, (you) know?” Mankad said.
JOLEIGH JACKSON
SAY CHEESE | Student Matthew Cheek enjoyed spending time with fellow peers at the luncheon, including posing for a picture. “It was pretty great,” Cheek said. “The food and the cards, they’re pretty great.”
6 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
IN-DEPTH
“Breathe a better life”
SY E
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Tackling youth nicotine addiction in the school and in the social sphere By Hannah Zalewski, Farrah Fasse, Grace Cueter & Emma Sanderson MANAGING EDITOR, PAGE EDITOR & INTERNS One in four high school students have been reported as recently using a vape, according to www.npr.org. Statistically, that means 313 members of our student body could be at risk of developing a vaping-related illness. Principal Kate Murray believes that the education students are receiving about the dangers of vaping is not enough to stop it from happening. “The scientific community and the educational community are both still learning daily more about the dangerous effects of vaping,” Murray said.
“We are still in the learning process, and even if we had all of that information, I’m not sure that would be enough to stop students from trying.” Along with this, she still feels that ongoing education about the dangers of vaping is necessary during health class, parent meetings, class meetings and whenever else the information can be spread. According to www.medlineplus.com, within 2-3 hours of quitting smoking or vaping completely, withdrawal symptoms would begin to appear such as: anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, nightmares, feeling tense, headaches and difficulty concentrating. Counseling Department Chair Jennifer Sherman said that while vaping is a dangerous and unhealthy habit, students should not feel like they need to address it alone.
“Addiction is one of those issues that is too big for you to help your friend on your own,” Sherman said. “Your friend needs professional help from an expert. I would encourage you to help your friend reach out to an adult who can help.” Murray said that she hopes any student struggling with nicotine addiction knows that they can reach out to school counselors, teachers or administration for guidance. She asserts that those seeking help without being caught with e-cigarette paraphernalia would not be suspended or have police notified. However, because vaping is illegal for students, administration is required to notify the student’s parents.
North Pointe — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — 7
IN-DEPTH
Fight4Wellness
Nonprofit created by junior Daniel Ament to teach the dangers of vaping. AMELIA NOWICKI
“If a student came to us preemptively, and said ‘I A study from the New England Journal of Medicine need help,’ we would connect them with the resources tested 51 patients with vaping injuries, and a chemical that they need…their counselor, and with the cessation compound called Vitamin E acetate found in THC program,” Murray said. vapes was located in the lungs of 94 percent of patients Cessation programs are among the many resources with injuries, while no one in the control group had available to students struggling with a nicotine the chemical in their lungs. addiction. To assure that the process is successful Vitamin E is safe to use topically, however, long term, they are run by mental health experts that according to the Center for Disease Control, the specialize in addiction. chemical is often added to vaping cartridges to The specific cessation program that the school thicken them, and its texture can cause it to stick promotes and connects students to is called “My Life, in the lungs. The substance has been attributed as My Quit.” This program the cause for most of the connects anyone trying to vaping injuries, but it doesn’t quit with a professional imply that e-cigarettes with addiction coach that will nicotine, such as Juuls are listen and be a guide safe. They are still known through the process of to contain toxic substances nicotine withdrawal. such as formaldehyde, heavy Junior Daniel Ament metals and diacetyl, which was the first recipient of a is linked to a disease called double lung transplant due “popcorn lung.” to an e-cigarette or vaping Ament urges any product use-associated lung student who is vaping or injury. While recovering contemplating whether to in the hospital, Ament was vape in the future to consider urged by many to use his the consequences. traumatic experience to “Think about any sports educate students on the Daniel Ament you’re doing, think about any harmful effects of vaping and JUNIOR aspirations you have in the substance abuse, inspiring future. I wanted to go into him to start his nonprofit the military... but obviously, “Fight 4 Wellness.” I can’t go into the military with a transplant,” Ament “Well, I was just in the hospital and I was said. “I had to completely change all my direction encouraged a lot by the doctors, and people that were in life for really no reason. It’s not worth that visiting and…made sure I could spread awareness,” temporary buzz or high you’re getting from THC Ament said. “Then I kind of just came up with the and nicotine that’s literally poisoning your body.” idea because I’ve always wanted to start a business.”
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I wanted to go into the military... but obviously, I can’t go into the military with a transplant. I had to completely change all my direction in life for no reason.
Truth - #FinishIT
Media campaign meant to educate and give stastics regarding teenage substance abuse.
My Life, My Quit
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Organization helping users quit vaping through one-on-one coaching online.
8 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
What’s buzzing this month?
3 EVENT
From March 14-16, the 2020 Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference will be held at the Renaissance Centre. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com. FACEBOOK.COM
AMAZON.COM
5BOOK
OnMarch17,JamesRallison,betterknown by his Youtuber name TheOdd1sOut, will be releasing his second book “The First Sequel.” Only 1000 signed copies will be sold on www.theodd1sout.com.
8 BOL.UOL.COM.BR
On March 20, Alicia Keys will be releasing her new album “A.L.I.C.I.A.” This album is Key’s seventh studio album. It will be in the genre of R&B and soul.
Album
1Album EXCLAIM.CA
On March 6, Mandy Moore is releasing her new album “Silver Landings.” This will be her first studio album in 11 years. To promote the album, Moore’s North American tour will begin on March 20.
On March 20th, the series, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, is being released on Netflix. The series follows Walker’s rise to success
4
TV SHOW
Syeda Rizvi & Arei Swain EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & INTERN
2
CONCERT
On Pointe
IDEAS
BLACKENTERPRISE.COM
On March 13, WWE Smackdown will be held at Little Caesar’s Arena. The event showcases the finest of professional wrestling. Tickets can be purchased on stubhub.com.
6EVENT
DETROITEVENTSARENA.COM
On March 13, the highly anticipated movie, “My Spy,” will be released in theatres. Dave Bautista stars and is accompanied by Ken Jeong in it as well. Tickets can be purchased at stubhub.com.
9MOviE YOUTUBE.COM
SLATE.COM
On March 23, Billie Eilish will be performing at Little Caesars’s Arena. The tour follows the release of Eilish’s second album, “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” To purchase tickets visit www.stubhub.com. On March 27, Disney’s live action “Mulan” will be hitting theatres as a remake of the original 1998 story of Chinese legend Hua Mulan. Buy tickets as soon as they are available by signing up www. fandango.com.
7
MOviE
TWITTER.COM
The Detroit Pistons take on the Los Angeles Lakers on March 22 at Little Caesars Arena. League favorite, Lebron James, plays for the Lakers so the game will garner a lot of attention. Tickets can be purchased on ticketmaster.com.
10
EVENT SEATGEEK.COM
9 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
LIFE IMANI IN THE MIX: STUDENT SELLS HOMEMADE SWEETS By Hayley Zalewski, Victoria Wittenberg & Robert Maddox DISTRIBUTION MANAGER. INTERIM BUSINESS MANAGER & STAFF REPORTER
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMANI CRUTCHER
FROM A MOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE| Junior Imani Crutcher often spends early mornings and late nights preparing her cookie dough for orders. Most days, she will have to wake up early before school to prepare her ingredients, and then will hand deliver her finished product to her customers after school. “I want to make everybody feel happy and satisfied,” Crutcher said.
Junior Imani Crutcher has found the perfect way to turn her favorite hobby into cash and create her own cookie business: “Imani in the Mix.” Crutcher kick-started her own cookie business during the summer of 2018 and has been baking and expanding ever since. “(Imani in the Mix) is basically just a cookie business,” Crutcher said. “You know, I bake and one of the things we really want to focus on is (reminding) you of back home. I just bake cookies and that’s pretty much it.” Crutcher learned all her tips and recipes from her family. According to Crutcher’s father, Fred Crutcher, he and his daughter share the same motive of recreating the familiar tastes of home. “My inspiration came from actually my mother and my grandmother who are both deceased,” Crutcher said. “And it came about because I was looking to copy some
of their recipes and some of the things that used to make for us as kids and throughout the years, and I felt that nobody could ever match that.” For Crutcher, her fathers’ own experience has helped her create her online bakery. Her parents’ entrepreneurial background has motivated and assisted Crutcher in making her dream of owning a bakery a reality. However, as both a young entrepreneur and a full-time student, Crutcher says it can sometimes be difficult to find balance. “A lot of times, because I’m so busy, I’m usually up late nights (and) early mornings baking,” Crutcher said. “I usually bake on the weekends, but sometimes it’s hard to find time, especially if I have a lot of orders. It’s hard to find time to actually bake because usually it’s really late and I’m doing it for hours.” Sophomore at Lakeshore High School and customer Kevin Dudek loves the flavors and variety that Crutcher offers on her site. “(The cookies) are pretty good,” Dudek said. “I’d definitely recommend them to...
friends and stuff, but also knowing that they are handmade makes it even better than the sugar cookies you buy at the store.” In the future Crutcher hopes to be able to add many more types of cookies and continue to reach people with her baking. “I have already expanded outside of the state,” Crutcher said. “There was even one lady who ordered some from Canada, who was like my cousin or something. I just want to... keep expanding and to just get better.”
Crutcher's cookies can be ordered through her website, www.imaniinthemix. com, which can be scanned through the QR code above.
10 — Wednesday, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe
REVIEWS
Justin Bieber's going through "Changes"
Mini Reviews
INTERN After a five year hiatus, Justin Bieber is finally making his comeback, turning a new leaf with his album “Changes.” The album was preceded by lackluster singles, a youtube miniseries, and one-sided beef with ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez; “Changes” introduces a new sound for Beiber, unlike any of his music we’ve heard before. Bieber began teasing the album in Oct. 2019, describing his new music as “R&Bieber.” Fans weren’t very surprised by this announcement as Bieber has been experimenting with pop and R&B sounds since the beginning of his career. The whole album is a dedication to his wife, and famous model, Hailey Baldwin. Throughout the album, Bieber documents the highs and lows of their relationship. Tracks like the opening song, “All Around Me,” a chill R&BPop infused song, introduce Bieber’s adoration for his wife as he chants “I need you all around me” in the chorus and details the struggle of trying to settle down and staying faithful. Bieber is a natural storyteller too, as there are many songs where he addresses learning how to be a good lover. “Available,”“Come Around Me” and “Habitual” all show a different, more vulnerable side of Bieber that fans have never seen before. These diary-like entries make Bieber relatable and more personable than ever before.
INTERN
MNE.COM
Apex Legends Assimilation captivates players INTERN “Apex Legends” is redefining what it means to be a battle royale game. Players are dropped onto a map where they must annihilate other players and be the last one standing. The game, which hit 50 million players in one month and is widely considered a rival of iconic “Fortnite,” released its fourth season: “Assimilation.” The game implemented new material to make it feel fresh to its 70 million players. The changes include a new legend, weapon, map, rank series and a set of over 100 rewards in its season four battle pass. “Revenant” is Apex’s new playable character, belonging to the group of Legends, with his unique abilities forcing players to rethink their strategy on the battlefield. I found Revenant’s abilities to be versatile when it came to gaining the upper-hand. His abilities allow him to climb and crouch faster, disable other characters’ abilities and summon a totem which puts whoever enters into a “shadow-like” state. The new season follows Revenant’s past and ties to the big environmental corporation Hammond Robotics. Revenant used to be a human, but after Hammond Robotics’ experiments, he transformed into a “synthetic nightmare.” Using his mercenary skills, Revenant promises to hunt anyone who was involved in the experiment, which turned him into a monster. The storyline of season four connects players to the game in a deeper sense allowing players to
understand the true purpose of the game. Alongside the new Legend, there are new map changes which feature The Harvester, a machine created by Hammond Robotics to extract material from the map. The Harvester’s aftermath creates cracks of lava splitting select locations, old and new, with the center of the map containing the Harvester itself. Players are not aware of the exact purpose of The Harvest, nor of what Hammond Robotics is using the extracted materials for. However, this keeps players enticed. It is crucial for game developers to add new material daily or they will start to lose players’ interes, which is why these map changes are a definite need. What is a new season without a new weapon? Arguably one of the most important aspects of the new season is the Sentinel. The Sentinel is a long-range gun that does 68 base damage, with the option to be charged up using a shield battery. This weapon added an extra sense of caution to players. I found the Sentinel to be quite balanced
when compared to other weapons in the game, but not too overpowered when it came to long-range fights. The creators of “Apex Legends” have done a great job keeping players engaged. “Apex” may not be the next “Fortnite,” but it has impressively created a loyal and responsive community. This season of “Apex Legends” deserves 5 stars for its enticing new content and thrilling storyline.
SONG
GOFRESHNOW.COM
“Letter to Nipsey”
About: This song narrates the loss of rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was killed outside of his clothing store. Good: Few can rap about the pain of a loss as powerful as Mill. His verses are striking in plainness and clarity. Bad: There are instances of mature language inappropriate for younger ages. Rating: 5/5
“Draw Climber”
APPS.APPLE.COM
About: Players must draw legs on a character to win a race; drawings propel the character, and when stuck, players can redraw the legs. Good: This game is targeted for ages 12+ and will keep younger children occupied. Bad: The game has a lot of ads and crashes in the middle of games. Rating: 3/5
SHOW
By Justin Vaughan
By Kourtney Walk
APP
By Jamison Townsend
The album was led by the single “Yummy,” which was received with mixed reviews. While Bieber’s vocals are undeniably smooth and attractive, the song’s lyrical content was basic and elementary. Some argued that although Bieber’s single sounded very outdated, he probably needed some time to adjust to the sounds of the time. But Bieber’s single “Intentions,” featuring Quavo, was a failed attempt at a female empowerment anthem, and didn’t seem to promise much. His collaboration with Kehlani, “Get Me,” shows the best of Bieber’s R&B side and moves the album further along, while “Second Emotion,” featuring Travis Scott, feels repetitive and boring. Bieber successfully picked features that match his style well. He included stars from all different genres, and while they all had their moment to shine, Bieber never let them take away from his own. Music wise, the best and most personal tracks come at the end of the album. The title track “Changes” addresses Bieber’s feelings and tackles his fight with depression and anxiety. A moderate comeback for Bieber, the album was nonetheless popular, selling more than 231,000 album equivalent units in the first week of sales. Beiber showed a lot of himself in his most personable album ever, and there is a lot to learn from it. Beiber strived to tell his story and took us along to see him go through changes.
NEWS.NEWONNETFLIX.INFO
“Locke & Key”
About: After their father is murdered, three children move in with their mother and discover magical keys that unlock powers. Good: The actors leave clues adding to the adventurous ambiance. The story lines in each episode are different and enticing. Bad: There are only 10 episodes in season 1. Rating: 3/5 IGN.COM
SPORTS
Wednesdsay, March 4, 2020 — North Pointe — 11
Women In Leadership Conference Teachers and students attend workshop for women in sports
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH MICHAELS
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH MICHAELS
LEADING THE WAY | The Women in Sports Leadership function took place early Feb., and was TEAM IMPROVEMENTS| Not only were students in attendance, but a handful of female coaches were attended by a multitude of female athletes. Sophomore Elizabeth McMahon was one of the students invited chosen to go as well. Science teacher Elizabeth Michaels was one of the coaches who tagged along. “I attended to attend this conference. “I believe I was chosen to go because I am motivated to help my team improve and sessions that covered topics like nutrition for athletes, addressing the social and emotional needs of studentcreate a better environment for our team,” McMahon said. athletes and creating and maintaining sports programs for women and girls at all ages,” Michaels said. By Julia Magnan & Gabbi Bielak
and included sessions for female PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER student athletes, as well as female coaches and administrators. These This past month, a team of women sessions provided information on the attended the annual Women in Sports different aspects of sports and sports Leadership Conference hosted by training including diet, exercise and the Michigan High School Athletic injury prevention. English teacher Association. This conference took Diane Montgomery was one of three place over the course of two days, female North coaches to attend. She acknowledged how much the conference allowed her to grow as a coach, and spoke on some of the key ideas she was presented. “For me, this conference allows me a chance to think about 17000 Kercheval suite 225 how my coaching
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impacts athletes and parents,” Montgomery said. “It provides ideas for how to better organize my teams and build a solid leadership structure as well as a strong overall culture.” The women who attended the conference this year included students Jordan Solomon, Annalise Thomas, Maddy Kohler, Amelia Shock, Dylan Cardinale, Elizabeth McMahon, Cemiyah Coleman, and Paige Przepiora and coaches Diane Montgomery, Lauren Nixon and Elizabeth Michaels. Sophomore Elizabeth McMahon, who is on the varsity swim team, said she took this opportunity to grow and learn more about positivity between her teammates and coach. "The best part of the conference was
getting to learn from the experience of others," McMahon said. "We saw presentations from other women, coaches and athletes, and their experience helped me open my eyes to what leadership and positivity is in sports." McMann was not the only one excited about attending the conference. Science teacher Elizabeth Michaels also enjoyed the opportunity to attend the conference for the fourth year in a row. "The conference always reminds me of how fortunate we are to be in a district that supports women in sports,” Michaels said. “It is not the same everywhere and the women before us did not have the same opportunities.”
FIVE MINUTES WITH Social Studies Teacher Kevin Shubnell
By Marvin Robles INTERN
Social studies teacher Kevin Shubnell said he began teaching because he always had a huge interest in learning social studies as a student. Throughout his childhood he said social studies was his favorite class, and thus it encouraged him to take it on as his profession. “I always enjoyed my social studies class growing up and I always enjoyed my teachers I had in those classes,” Subnell said. “I was kinda passionate about American History and I also enjoyed that.” His favorite part of teaching is the student interactions he encounters on a daily basis. He likes to see them learn, struggle and try new things. “I like when they don't understand a concept and kinda help them figure it out on their own,”
Shubnell said. “That’s kind of the part I enjoyed the most, that kind of struggle.” Outside of teaching and coaching, Shubnell said he enjoys spending time with his wife and and his three kids. “We like to explore in the backyard.” Shubnell said. “We have a field in our backyard and we like to walk around back there and pretend we're doing animal hunting.” Beyond his family, Shubnell coaches football at St. Joan of Arc and for the school team. Shubnell said he has been coaching football for 20 years. “I love it, I want to get back to the game work with the kids and it’s kinda how I started getting in teaching through coaching” Shubnell said he would love to continue to be a teacher in his future years. For him, working in the school is close to home and he has really liked working with students and faculty within the community. “I love working with the kids,” Shubnell said. “The kids here are great, have different motivations, level of motivation and different abilities. It’s been a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it.”
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Syeda Rizvi MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Zalewski PAGE EDITORS Farrah Fasse Michael Hartt Julia Magnan Abi Murray Amelia Nowicki STAFF REPORTERS Gabrielle Bielak Grace Cueter Colin Duffy Robert Maddox Victoria Wittenberg
DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Jessica Meyers Hayley Zalewski INTERNS Phoenix Archer Zshaquira Boyd Joleigh Jackson Brandon Miller Cassady Pierzinski Marvin Robles Emma Sanderson Areion Swain Jamison Townsend Justin Vaughan Kourtney Walk
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