Life

10 — Wednesday, April 6, 2022 — North Pointe LIFE

Student Union and School Store welcome changes for lunchtime

By Gabby Miller & Mia Stephanoff STAFF REPORTERS

GABBY MILLER

BAKED WITH SCHOOL SPIRIT |

Along with the other snacks and beverages the Student Union offers, Student Activities Director Peggy Bonbrisco welcomes students to enjoy the beloved Union cookies at lunchtime. “We will always be serving warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday and Thursday,” Bonbrisco said.

The beloved North Store and Student Union are making changes to bring back their pre-covid state. With the mask mandate being lifted, more opportunities have opened up, including different options for spaces to eat lunch at.

Student Activities Director Peggy Bonbrisco has been running the Student Union for six years and is excited to once again welcome students to eat their lunches in the Union. She looks forward to upholding previous procedures, including sit-down dining options to accommodate everyone.

“We were doing as close to a drive through as we could make it, but still enjoy being together, selling things and that type of camaraderie in the Union,” Bonbrisco said. “When the mask mandate was removed and things eased up a little bit in the cafeteria area, it eased up in here too so we could eat together again.”

Bonbrisco is pleased to see more people sitting down in the Union, and the continuous success of people stopping by, purchasing and eating somewhere else. Sales and the popularity of the Union cookie stays the same, and she is happy that students are provided with more options to retrieve their favorite snacks.

“Our sales really haven’t changed,” Bonbrisco said. “A lot of kids still walk through and eat in different areas of the school, and the sitting down is starting to get stronger.”

The Union is not the only lunch area that is welcoming back students, as the North Store is open to eat as well. North Store manager and senior Mitchell Mills has a lot of responsibilities he has to attend to, but he looks forward to this change and the benefits that come along with it.

“I am very happy with the change,” Mills said. “I feel it will increase our sales on our products, and I also feel we set up a great atmosphere for students to enjoy their break from school. We [are] excited to welcome students back to eating in the store.”

A regular to both the Union and North store, sophomore Emma Dudek is familiar with both places and also expresses why she loves to go to the Union.

“I really like the atmosphere,” Dudek said. “I like the music and having a student-run store. Mrs. Bonbrisco is also super nice and welcoming to everyone who comes in.”

Bonbrisco wants the Union to be a welcoming and comfortable place for everyone. She invites everyone to Union, as well as clean their own space and throw away their trash to keep the Union tidy and a comfortable place for everyone.

“Everyone is invited in the Union,” Bonbrisco said. “Think of it as our kitchen table, anyone can come and eat and come and go.”

Bringing home the gold: Byrne awarded Adviser of the Year

By Sophia Dragich SECTION EDITOR

On Feb. 26, English teacher and Student Association adviser Jonathan Byrne received the Michigan Student Leadership Adviser of the Year Award during the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies State Leadership conference in Grand Rapids.

When receiving the award, Byrne was called up to the stage and greeted by his son, wife and mother. He was surprised and proud to learn that he had won the award, knowing that there were many other recognizable advisers who applied.

“I felt honored of course [and] humbled,” Byrne said. “There are so many great advisers in the state that I got work with from other schools, so to be recognized as one who is doing a particularly good job [felt] really great.”

In order to receive this award, Byrne worked to embody the many qualities of a good leader. According to Byrne, he tries to prioritize the students’ growth in Student Association and works to help promote their ideas.

“I take the idea of ‘adviser’ really seriously, that I am there to give advice,” Byrne said. “I am there to help [the students] come up with ideas, and then once they come up with ideas, I help figure out how they’re going to execute them.”

Because of his attention to student growth, Byrne was selected from a large pool of applicants which were reviewed by the organization's advisery board. The board generally narrows their choices down to three or four finalists and then chooses the winner, according to Matt Alley, the Director of Student Services for MASC/MAHS.

When making this decision, Alley says members of the advisery board look for certain qualities in the applicants such as their continuous service or their length of experience as an adviser.

“The most specific qualities of merit revolve around [the adviser’s] ability to remain student centered and provide opportunities for their students to learn and grow,” Alley said. “It's a combination of longevity, dedication to their profession and accomplishments for the academic year.”

One part of Byrne’s application process involved SA Treasurer Tom Sheffield, who wrote an essay advocating for Byrne to win the award. Sheffield says Byrne deserves the recognition, as he fully displays the qualities of a successful adviser.

“Advisers who have won this award in the past have characteristics of leadership, wisdom, and generosity,” Sheffield said. “Mr. Byrne embodies these qualities everyday. He is a natural leader, and his impact on everyone he meets is beyond powerful. I don’t know anyone who could’ve been more qualified to be the Adviser of the Year.”

RECOGNIZING GREATNESS | English teacher and SA Adviser of the Year Jonathan Byrne received the Michigan Student leadership adviser award on Feb. 26. According to SA treasurer Tom Sheffield, Byrne is deserving of the award because he embodies the qualities of a good leader and helpful adviser. “Mr. Byrne has always been someone who I have looked up to,” Sheffield said. “I am so proud of [him] for his endless commitment and effort into making this school and this community a better place every day.”