North Pointe Volume 52 Issue 5

POINTE

NORTH

GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

SINCE 1968

NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Mamba Mentality Unified Basketball unites this house ALL P

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

News 2-3 Editorial 4 OnCampus 5

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InDepth 6-7 On Pointe 8 Life 9

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Reviews 10 Sports 11 VOLUME 52 | ISSUE 5

2 — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

NEWS

Parent sues over GPPSS district ban MANAGING EDITOR & PAGE EDITOR On Jan. 7, parent Steve Saigh filed a complaint against the Grosse Pointe Public School District to lift a ban placed on him this past fall.

The ban, which is still in effect, requires Saigh to ask Superintendent Gary Niehaus for his written permission to be on any district campus (except for Parcells Middle School), open meetings of the Grosse Pointe Board of Education or other district-related public bodies.

Niehaus outlined the reasons for the ban in a letter to Saigh from October 2019. In the letter, he claimed that Saigh had engaged in a “bitter campaign of harassment and intimidation” of Principal Kate Murray and Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Michelle Davis.

The campaign of harassment and intimidation, that Niehaus claims occurred, took the form of 693 emails covering multiple topics sent between Saigh and school district administrators over a 15 month period, according to Niehaus.

“Basically (every topic from) A to Z. There are situations of hiring or firing coaches. There are things of winning and losing athletic events,” Niehaus said. “There are things such as equipment, potential failure or doing an investigation on a piece of equipment. There (were) FOIAs, or information requests on applications and job descriptions. There were questions about job performance.”

Saigh’s attorney, Michael Schwartz, said that there was nothing wrong with his client’s email communications with the district administrators, and that they were just a form of his freedom of speech.

“There is nothing in the emails, to what I understand, that threatens anybody or causes anybody to be intimidated, etc.,” Schwartz said. “(Niehaus) is trying to claim, somehow or other, at least from what my

2017

Saigh allegedly brings a pistol to a North athletic event.

understanding is, that writing a lot of emails now becomes a basis for banning him from public property. I don't know on what basis he makes that determination.”

Furthermore, in the same letter to Saigh from October 2019, Niehaus claims that Saigh carried a concealed pistol to an athletic event held on North's campus and had demonstrated he had a “explosive temper and a very short fuse.”

Schwartz strongly disputes the claim that Saigh ever carried a gun on a school's premises and thinks that the districts recollection of events is inconsistent.

“

He wants to get this thing resolved.

To him, being with his son is more important than all of this litigation.

Michael Schwartz ATTORNEY

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By Hannah Zalewski & Michael Hartt

“There is nothing there to show that this (situation) ever occurred,” Schwartz said. “(The witness) is someone who said something along the way who can’t even be identified.”

Senior Emily Widgren thinks that the ban is a safety precaution to protect students and staff. To her, sending multiple emails doesn't warrant a ban, however, bringing

Timeline

a weapon into a school event, even if it wasn't on North grounds, is unacceptable and warrants a ban on anyone.

Although Niehaus claims Saigh’s emails were part of a campaign of harassment and intimidation, he said the district complied with many of Saigh’s complaints.

According to Niehaus, some complaints were deemed reasonable, including giving Saigh the list of candidates that applied for the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, along with the investigation report done on athletic helmets and answering his emails.

In the letter, Niehaus also states that any future emails from Saigh would be blocked. To circumvent this communication block, Saigh sat down with the Superintendent in November to try and resolve the issue regarding the ban, without the use of legal action.

However, Schwartz said that attempts were unsuccessful.

According to Schwartz, Saigh’s primary motivation to get the ban removed is to actively participate in his son’s education, specifically, to attend a freshman open house with his son held on Jan. 15 at North. Saigh did attend the event.

“He doesn't want to have to go through all of this.

He wants to get this thing resolved,” Schwartz said.

“He wanted to be with his son (at the North open house). To him, being with his son is more important than all of this litigation.”

Widgren said she believes the reason for this whole situation is due to a lack of communication between both parties. Although she agrees with the ban, Widgren does not believe the district should make a habit of issuing bans in the future.

“It doesn't solve any of the issues. It actually just puts more fuel (to) the fire,” Widgren said. “I think that we want to promote an inclusive district with a bunch of different voices being heard and it's really hard to do that if you're just going to ban people who want to make their voices heard.”

November 5, 2019

January 15, 2020

Saigh attends his son's Saigh and Niehaus meet freshmen open house at North. to discuss the ban.

of events

September 2018

Saigh begins sending emails to district administrators.

October 16, 2019

Niehaus sends email banning Saigh from district campuses.

January 7, 2020

Saigh files claim against the district.

North Pointe — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — 3

NEWS

Political climate influences Close Up expectations BRANDON MILLER

STAFF REPORTER & INTERNS Close Up is an in-depth educational trip to Washington D.C., where students interact with other students from schools across the country. With Washington currently in a state of division regarding the impeachment of President Trump, social studies teacher and trip advisor, Brian Degnore, is uncertain on how this historic event will impact the trip.

“I think it’ll be interesting, with the trip to see if we see the impeachment proceedings. They’re supposed to start next week sometime,” Degnore said.“When we’re there, we could actually see the impeachment proceedings, which would be pretty exciting as far as historically being able to see something that’s only happened a few times in history.”

Despite the partisan divide in Washington, Degnore says that an important part of Close Up is being exposed to individuals who have differing views. He said he hopes students will actively engage in discussions about particular topics that are controversial to stir up debate.

Junior Fiona Flynn is looking forward to attending the trip for the

first time, and has a positive outlook on how turmoil in Washington may affect the trip as a whole. Instead of worrying about what may happen, Flynn said she is most excited to expand her knowledge.

"The shifting political landscape will make the trip very interesting and an opportunity to learn many more things about the government," she said. "I'm looking forward to learning more about our government, but also listening to different students’ opinions from other states."

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I loved the trip. I think it was worth every single penny.

Claire Yee

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By Victoria Wittenberg, Brandon Miller & Jamison Townsend

SENIOR

Senior Claire Yee, who attended the trip last year, agrees and thinks that the trip is a really great opportunity for anyone who is considering going, despite the cost.

“I loved the trip. If I could go again, I’d go again,” Yee said. “I think it was

worth every single penny, and it was the best trip I’ve ever been on.”

According to Yee, the trip offers lots of opportunities for students to make connections in politics. In addition to visiting the White House, students in past years have gone to the Senate and House of Representatives galleries, visited the Smithsonian museums, as well as various landmarks such as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Yee said the trip also allows students to become companions and interact with students who are from all over the country. Last year, there were students from Miami, Florida, Texas, Arkansas, California, New York and Puerto Rico in attendance.

However, for Degnore, the value in this trip lies in students experiencing various circumstances that the classroom does not often provide.

“I’m looking forward to just the experience, there are simple things — we’re gonna teach kids how to get on the subway, how to load a subway card with money and how to get on the right subway system,” Degnore said.“Some basic real-life things. (Students will) just see the things that we talk about or read about in books — actually see it in person and actually be there — in a real-life context.”

Board President resigns; sparks dialogue about online harrassment

By Michael Hartt, Abi Murray & Areion Swain PAGE EDITORS & INTERN On January 2, the Grosse Pointe Public School’s school board president, Brian Summerfield, resigned due to stress on his family, according to a post on his Facebook account. Part of the stress stemmed from social media attacks on his wife and children after he voted in favor of closing two elementary schools and reconfiguring grades in June of this year.

Senior Sofia Ketels thinks that it is unfortunate that Summerfield and his family were subjected to these attacks, but recognizes that as president of the school board, it is not surprising that people were critical of his decisions.

“I think that must be hard to be the face of closing two elementary schools because no matter how you shake it, that's what happened.

And it must be very difficult to be the face of that in this community,” Ketels said. “(The) community is watching you and your decisions as a board, especially when they weren't the most popular decisions, and as the president he was the face of all of that.”

In the wake of the district’s decision to close Poupard and Trombly, community members flooded town hall meetings and social media platforms, predominantly Facebook, to voice their concerns.

Although Facebook allows more people to participate in local politics with up-to-date posts and live streams of the town hall meetings from the school board for those who can’t be there, it also allows space for unregulated discussion boards and the spread of misinformation.

Since Summerfield’s resignation, school board vice president Kathy Abke, tries to keep Summerfield’s favorite saying, “social media is a horrible place to get your news,” in mind.

“People hear things and instead of going to the source to get information, they throw a post up on social media,” Abke said. “And oftentimes it's not really the truth. They don't have good information and that's made it very difficult to give people information because sometimes, you know, at that point you give them information and they don't believe you.”

Margaret Weertz, who has taken over the position of school board president now that Summerfield has resigned, has also witnessed the unproductive uses of social media, believing the platforms target the emotions of readers and lead them to trust information too-readily and post their reactions impulsively. She stresses without attending town meetings, residents miss the opportunity to witness the thoughtful presentations delivered that largely impact the decisions of the board.

Going forward, Weertz urges the community to take information from social media with a grain of salt.

“Realize social media is a coffee house, it's not, where the information comes from, its not accurate,” Weertz said.

“If you go to the coffee house and talk about world politics, it's just you sounding off, it's not really true information.”

4 — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

EDITORIAL

BRANDON MILLER & AMELIA NOWICKI

T he ef fe ct of p ol it ic a l d iv i s ion on socia l issues

It’s no secret that the United States is becoming increasingly politically polarized. The Pew Research Center has been surveying Americans regarding their political polarity since 1994, and the data collected shows that Republicans and Democrats alike are considered to be consistently conservative or consistently liberal of mixed political affiliation.

This data is not especially troubling itself, but when the political polarity gets so extreme that it leads to hate crimes against minority groups, it’s time to draw the line.

The recent rise of white supremacy and anti-immigration sentiment in

the mainstream Republican Party has, unsurprisingly, caused an increase in hate crimes against immigrant groups.

The number of victims in antiLatino or Hispanic hate crimes increased by over 21 percent in 2018, according to the most recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Other incidents, like the mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, were found to have been caused by people who held anti-immigrant beliefs and used it as an excuse for extremism.

The violence against these groups can be traced back to not only the horrific bigotry sweeping the nation, but also to human’s

primordial desire to act upon everything that they feel strongly about. While it is okay to have reservations about excessive immigration due to a concern for job competition or reservations about gay marriage due to deeply rooted religious beliefs, it is certainly not acceptable to act upon these strong feelings by intimidating others. This desire is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

This intimidation does absolutely nothing for anyone. It is extremely cruel to those being intimidated and causes them nothing but pain. Furthermore, it doesn’t accomplish the intimidators goal of getting their point across.

Everyone should only act upon their beliefs if the outcome will be positive for everyone in the situation, regardless of their affiliations. Instead of disgustingly expressingstrong feelings about abortion by intimidating women outside of Planned Parenthood clinics, that person should, instead, communicate their beliefs respectfully with othersif needed.

With these methods, no one gets hurt directly by the action being taken, and people can still feel free to express their beliefs.

Electric cars: a small step towards the future MY TURN

By Robert Maddox INTERN

When you think of the future of cars, you might imagine self-driving vehicles.

Most of the advancements for self-driving cars are seen on electric models. Currently, the electric car business is growing, led by brands like Tesla and Nissan, and people are slowly converting from combustion engines to electric.

The biggest reason people switch to an electric model is because many believe they are less harmful to the environment.

Even though the energy used is 69% more efficient than gas, according to cleantechnica.com, others will argue that electric cars aren’t as environmentally beneficial because the power from charging stations is formed in power plants that still pollute the air. However, the electric power plants are much more efficient and use less energy.

Electric cars can be expensive, with an initial cost of $50,000, as well as the cost of battery pack replacements.

However, compared to a combustion engine cars, electric cars need less maintenance. According to University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, a gasoline-powered vehicle costs $1,117 to operate annually, while it costs $485 per year to operate an electric car. Further, combustion cars will often have parts that break or need replacing, but with electric cars there is just the battery pack that lasts and fluid replacement such as washer fluid.

One of the biggest costs of having a gas car is paying for the gas. With electric cars the cost at a charging station is around half the cost it would be to fill up a gas car. Although finding charging stations for electric cars can be very difficult, owners can buy solar panels to put on their house and use the energy from the sun as free energy to power their car. Over time this will save thousands of dollars and reduce emissions put into the air.

The future is coming. People need to make the switch to electric cars to benefit our planet and our future.

YOUR TURN: What additions do you think should be made to the health curriculum?

By Marvin Robles INTERN

TEACHER KATHY JENSEN: “Because of the

recent developments of the flu and this new virus from China, I think students need to be aware of how they can lower their risk of acquiring (the flu) because this can spread globally. The spread of the virus would be an important topic.”

SOPHOMORE ANTHONY TOPCIU: “(They

should teach that) in order to have a fit body, you need to stay active, whether it is (by) a team sport or exercise.”

STAFF MEMBER DEBBY FIGURSKI: “It is

important to let students know to drink a lot of water, not to drink a lot of sugary soft drinks and the importance of eating fatty fish... it is high in omega nutrients and studies show people who eat fatty fish have a lower risk of conditions such as heart disease and dementia.”

SENIOR DAYNA JACKSON: “I think what should be added in health class is vaping because it’s a real big issue. It affects your lungs and your body.”

North Pointe — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — 5

ON CAMPUS

LET'S PLAY BALL HIT OR MISS: DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT On Jan. 25, the Class of 2020 Senior All Night Party Committee hosted a dodgeball tournament in the gymnasium for students to raise money for the event.

Students participated in teams of eight.

SYEDA RIZVI

By Syeda Rizvi & Justin Vaughan EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & INTERN

SYEDA RIZVI

STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE| Senior William Aufdemberge loved that he was able to enjoy the tournament by hanging out and joking with friends, while contributing to the class of 2020’s Senior All Night Party fund. “Playing the games was great; once your adrenaline started pumping, time slowed down and you felt like your reaction sped up,” Aufdemberge said.

SYEDA RIZVI

WORK THROUGH THE PRESSURE|Junior Mikey Zontini felt pressure while on the court during the tournament, but it soon faded after his first knock-out. Zontini and his basketball teammates were not ill-prepared for the game, coming up with strategies prior. “We had no actual practice or preparation for the tournament, but since I played with my basketball teammates, we definitely discussed game plans and strategies,” Zontini said.

SYEDA RIZVI

STAYING UNFAZED | Senior Michael Burns didn’t feel much pressure before getting involved in the intense competition. “(I was) very excited (before the game),” Burns said. “I didn’t get super nervous because I knew I wouldn’t be injured or anything.”

SYEDA RIZVI

SYEDA RIZVI

JUMPING THROUGH SENIOR YEAR| Senior Nick Deeb enjoyed the gameplay, but his favorite part was being with his friends. “I want to spend as much time as I can with them in these last few months of school,” Deeb said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOEY LUCIDO

THE FLOOR IS LAVA| Senior Ethan Pinkney had fun, but wishes the dodgeballs would’ve been made SECURED THE DUB | Senior Ronnie Latiff said that he had a lot of fun during the dodgeball tournament. out of different materials for the benefit of his team. “Yes, it was a great event,” Pickney said. “I just “(On the court) we were feeling confident and having fun. It was a good time," Latiff said. "(We were) wish we had some different balls, if we had bigger and heavier balls it would’ve been over or if we definitely not nervous, just out there to win and have a great time.” had rubber balls…. no excuse.”

6 — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

By Amelia Nowicki & Colin Duffy PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER In the eyes of many students, sexual education means awkward conversations and excessive sweating while surrounded by peers in a suffocating classroom setting.

Given this, many dread the courses the district has integrated into the curriculum since the fourth grade, leading many to substitute out the mandatory health class needed to graduate.

According to health teacher Jane Kithier, the health program consists of a few major units: substance abuse, mental health, nutrition, exercise and human sexuality.

With these sections, she hopes that students learn and understand everything that impacts their personal health and wellbeing.

“My goal as a health teacher is to inspire healthy choices in my students and to reevaluate healthy habits throughout their life,” Kithier said.

Starting in elementary school, students are allowed to either participate or, with permission from their legal guardian, opt out of beginner’s health classes.

Primarily teaching similar topics to that of the higher level, students are given insight as to how their mental and physical health may be changing as they enter a high school setting.

While Kithier believes that the health program is sufficient, many students believe the reproductive portion of the program lacks the proper information. Based in

IN-DEPTH

abstinence — the avoidance of sexual acts altogether to counter pertinent health issues — many students think this allows for ambiguity and many topics are thus disregarded.

Senior Brooklyn McWhorter believes that by changing the presentation of the curriculum, the district can properly educate students.

“I think (sexual education) needs to be blunt, clear and concise,” McWhorter said. “Sometimes there are these convoluted explanations of things and somebody raises their hand and says, “Isn’t that just?” and the teacher kind of goes, “Yeah.” I think it should just be laid out point blank.”

According to a 2017 study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, programs preaching abstinence-only preventative strategies have no real impact on whether or not students are initiating certain acts. In addition, the study found that the number of students formally learning about birth control and other contraceptives have fallen over the years along with the percentages of those who remain abstinent until marriage.

Upholding this ideal, as part of the curriculum, GPPSS’ abstinence plus programs work to teach students that abstinence is the only sure way of preventing problems such as pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, however, they do aim to provide information regarding other forms of prevention such as oral contraceptives.

Despite this effort, McWhorter does not believe that this is enough regarding the safety of many students. She thinks that while programs briefly address alternative p r eve nt io n methods, it does not address key pieces of information, thus stigmatizing certain ways students can say safe.

For example, McWhorter believes that the courses should not only cover a variety of preventative methods, but should also provide students with ways to resolve sexual health issues once they arise.

“If there’s something wrong going on with your sexual reproductive system, you go to an urgent care or a clinic, but there’s also a huge stigma around that, and I think that’s preventing kids from getting tested,” McWhorter said. “You should know that you’re legally able to get an abortion on your own at sixteen without having your parents being notified and (for) a lot of girls, it’s hard to talk about. But a lot of girls need to know these things, and having access to safe, and legal abortions is important.”

Education IN-DEPTH

North Pointe — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — 7

How changing health programs in the district apply to students today While many may believe that the sexual education curriculum is ready for a change, the process for the aforementioned is lengthy.

After the curriculum is selected and put into place, it cannot be altered or changed until the next review meeting.

Director of Secondary Instruction and acting member in the building of the Foundation of the Sexual Education Curriculum Maureen Bur believes the course for grades 4-8 could be up for review within the next year or two.

Although Bur believes the programs are sufficient, she also admits that it is a little old fashioned.

“Some of those videos are very outdated,” Bur said. “You may have watched some of those videos and thought, “Wow, when where those made?”

The idea of having more up-todate and applicable information is important to both Bur and McWhorter. This is a change Bur thinks should be done in the next review, to ensure the curriculum is sufficient.

Aside from changing the videos to ensure they are relevant and informative, the review board has made sexual identity a vital component within the curriculum.

Gender identity has become a controversial issue in recent years, and the school system is working to make it a priority. The courses also have made pushes and advancements in educating

students on their identity and the importance of pronouns.

“In middle school, we are looking to have it more gender neutral with pronouns,” Bur said.

“They do role plays or scenarios, and we really try (not) to make it gender specific.”

On the topic of gender neutrality and pronoun identification, there has been a similar stigma surrounding, as McWhorter described, the awkward communication in health class.

According to Bur, the review board has been working diligently to resolve this and ensure the students feel comfortable.

The district and review boards have said they are trying to better represent and educate students on sexual education and will continue to focus on reproductive health and health as a whole. “(We are trying to) really make sure that any changes we make are meaningful,” Bur said, “and will help support the development of our students.”

WICKI AMELIA NO

8 — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

On Pointe

IDEAS

What’s buzzing this month?

Zshaquira Boyd & Joleigh Jackson INTERNS

The Lumineers will perform at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found at ticketmaster. com and range from $30 to $600.

EVENT

“The Photograph” will release in theaters on Feb. 14. It follows a woman who finds a picture that leads into the early part of her mother's life. When a man decides to make a documentary about her mother, she works to uncover the truth about her mother’s past.

1 MOVIE

GREATLAKESCOMICEXPO.COM

The Great Lakes Comic Convention starts on Feb. 21 and is being held at MacombCommunityCollege.Tickets can be purchased online at www. greatlakescomicconvention.com.

Tickets are $15 per person, but children under age 10 get free admission.

DEADLINE.COM

34 BOOK

DEADLINE.COM

ABCONCERTS.BE

CONCERT

On Feb. 21, the beloved K-pop group BTS is releasing their new album “Map of Soul: 7.”

This album will be released just nine months after their last album, “Map of Soul: Persona.”

9

EVENT

PARKBENCH.COM

Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed’s new book titled“Yes No Maybe So,” released Feb. 4. The story follows Jamie Goldberg, a volunteer for his local state candidate, as he goes door to door asking for votes.

Along the way he meets Maya, who quickly becomes his newest infatuation.

6 7 EVENT

Album The President’s Day Run will take place Feb. 10 through March 7. It is a virtual run, which means it can be completed from any location. Registration costs $22 and can be completed on www.eventbrite.com.

AMAZON.COM

KOREABOO.COM

5

RADIOTIMES.COM

8Movie

2

“I Am Not Okay With This,” is coming to Netflix Feb. 26. The show follows Syd, a high school student, as she tries to handle her family drama and awkwardness at school while also struggling with her crush on her best-friend.

TV SHOW

“P.S. I Still Love You” will be released on Netflix Feb. 12. This follows Lara (Lana Condor) as her relationship grows with Peter (Noah Centineo) and she meets another one of the recipients of her love letters.

DIGITALSPY.COM

HAMTRAMCKMUSICFEST.COM

The Hamtramck Music Festival will beginFeb. 27. Wristbands are $15 per person and can be found at www.hamtramckmusicfest.com. If wristbands are purchased before 6 pm on Feb. 9, they will be mailed to your house by Feb. 10.

Tame Impala’s new album, “The Slow Rush,” is coming out Feb. 14. The album can be pre-ordered at www.tameimpala.com with “Lost In Yesterday” and “It Might Be Time” as featured songs.

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ALBUM STEREOGUM.COM

9 — Monday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

LIFE

Junior Brittni Braswell writes her way to victory in Optimist International competition PAGE EDITOR & INTERN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA SANDOVAL

FROM A MOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE| Stacey Coleman was able to witness her daughter’s win at the Optimist International Essay Writing competition. “I was overwhelmed with joy when I heard her name called as the winner... Brittni’s effort and dedication to writing are the true testaments to her success,” Coleman said.

Junior Brittni Braswell has recently won a competition for her writing.

Braswell was able to use her words to earn first place in an essay writing competition through Optimist International.

“As long as I can remember I've been writing creatively and obviously my essay skills honed through that,” Braswell said.

English teacher Jonathan Byrne recommended her to enter the Optimist International Essay Competition because he thinks entering work in a competition can be beneficial in many ways. “(Entering in competitions) focuses your writing, because you know you’re writing for a real audience," Byrne said. "(It also) provides a scholarship opportunity, is recognition for hardwork and even puts a little shine on North as well."

Many students submitted essays, and the English faculty chose Braswell’s to enter into the competition. Byrne thought her essay responded to the prompt in a way that was interesting and unique, but not cliche.

“

“Brittni continues to amaze me and I am inspired by her writing abilities,” Stacey Coleman BRASWELL'S MOTHER

“

By Julia Magnan & Grace Cueter

Braswell’s essay responded to the question, “Is optimism the key to achieving dreams you imagine?” She felt that this was inaccurate, and there are so many hardships that people go

through that prevent them from achieving their dreams. Braswell approached this prompt by first questioning the prompt, but then coming to the conclusion that optimism can actually be the key to achieving aspirations.

Braswell had an amazing experience with the Optimist International Essay Competition and says she would enter again. This is not the only competition Braswell has entered her writing in.

“I have entered the Young Artist Competition a couple times, I’m entering the scholastic this year, and many more,” Braswell said.

Braswell’s mother, Stacey Coleman, was able to witness her daughter's achievement. Coleman is immensely proud of her daughters successs.

“Brittni continues to amaze me and I am inspired by her writing abilities,” Coleman said. “Writing is one of her passions and to see her work recognized definitely makes me proud.”

10 — Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe

REVIEWS

"Little Women" on the screen and on the page

Mini Reviews

STAFF REPORTER

MANAGING EDITOR

found myself laughing along with the silliest parts, and shedding a tear at the saddest moments.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a film that portrays love in its many forms. However, the most moving love portrayed is that of the March sisters. Just as in the book, these girls laugh and scream with each other, supporting each other through everything. Most notably, Jo, the tomboyish writer, stops at nothing to provide for her sisters while their father is fighting in the Civil War. The ending is what lost me. The movie's ending was actually different than that of the book. The final few scenes seemed to be slightly drawn out and, frankly, confusing. Without spoiling it, all that can be said is that I had to Google how it ended to understand completely. Perhaps the one good thing about the end was that it portrayed how Louisa May Alcott originally wanted her novel to end, until her editors changed it to please the audience. The new ending throws some fun digs at her publisher for this reason.

Before watching this movie, I would definitely recommend reading the book. It isn't necessary, but may help with the understanding of the plot. The film jumps between two frames of time until these periods meet, and I can see the shifts being a little difficult to understand without previous knowledge of the story. However, it is really only this slight difference (and the ending) that differ between the book and movie. Both did such an amazing job of showing siblingly, and some romantic, love. I would definitely encourage everyone to read the book and see the movie for a good story.

NoorJahan brings new flavors to Grosse Pointe

By Farrah Fasse

“Rare”

FA

Upon return, it was discovered that they had forgot my order, and instead of waiting at least another hour for food, I was condemned to another night of Jet's Pizza.

About two weeks later, I tried again to make an order that was much more successful than my first attempt. It was significantly easier to get on the phone with the restaurant.

When I entered NoorJahan for my food, I was shocked by the massive menu stationed next to the register that dwarfed the area at the front. This time, they remembered my order and had my food ready upon arrival, with the cost being reasonable for what I had ordered.

For my appetizer, I ordered paneer pakoras and vegetable samosas. The paneer pakoras had a lovely red-orange color, a precursor for the wonderful flavors it had.

The samosas had a fantastic texture, as they were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. However, they were too spicy for me.

RR

AH

FA

E SS

As previously mentioned, I am a bonafide spice wimp, so I ordered my butter chicken entree with mild spice.

The dish was served with basmati rice, and I ordered garlic naan along with it. The rice was perfectly fluffy, which was to be expected, as it is somewhat difficult to mess up. The meat in the butter chicken was very good quality, and had a nice balance of savory and a slight sweetness. Finally, the garlic naan was the star of the show; it was perfectly cooked and had a wonderful garlic flavor that didn’t come off too strong.

I ended my meal with a mango lassi, a sweet beverage made of mango puree and yogurt in addition to any sweeteners and other spices. It has a pleasant sweetness that was neither too strong or faint, a perfect end to a delightful meal.

Overall, I give this eatery 3 out of 5 stars. Naturally, the main strike against the restaurant is their handling of orders.

Otherwise, the employees were amiable and the food was delicious, and I will definitely return for my Indian food fix.

GOFRESHNOW.COM

About: Selena Gomez’s third studio album.

Good: Appeals to a broad audience by exploring themes of heartbreak and resilience.

Bad: All the songs have a similar sound, feels redundant or repetitive to the ear.

Rating: 4/5

“Mine Blast”

PAGE EDITOR

A little over a month ago, NoorJahan Indian Cuisine opened on Mack Avenue, next to the ever popular Jet’s Pizza. The addition of a new cuisine to Grosse Pointe is welcomed by me, as it breaks the monotony of having virtually two takeout cuisines to order from: Italian and Chinese.

Apparently, several others in the Grosse Pointe area share my sentiments; when I initially tried to call the restaurant, it was nearly impossible to get them on the phone since the line was busy every time I called.

So, I decided to go to the restaurant and place the order in person.

Upon arriving, I immediately noticed the aroma of spices wafting in from the kitchen. They filled the small room that was painted a warm, somewhat mellow orange in the front. However, the people with bored expressions waiting for their food offset the warm vibe of the room. I was given an hour wait time so I decided to leave and return an hour and a half later.

By Hannah Zalewski

ALBUM

The latest rendition of "Little Women," starring Saoirse Ronan (Jo), Emma Watson (Meg), Florence Pugh (Amy) and Eliza Scanlen (Beth) is yet another successful remake of the classic tale. Staying true to the book, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott tells the story of the four March sisters and their journey through the best and worst of life, as they learn leaning on each other is the most important through it all. Each sister has a specific talent, whether it be writing, acting, painting or musicality, and throughout the movie we see them push each other to progress and grow.

The actors in this movie did an incredible job playing their respective literary characters, as well as portraying the uniqueness of each. Notably, Ronan and Pugh blew me away with their ability to portray the unconditional love yet complete annoyance between Jo and Amy. Even Timothee Chalamet (Laurie) had me smiling as he goofed off, even in rather inappropriate moments. However, all actors and actresses truly breathed life into their roles while staying true to the book characters, which allowed viewers to feel the intensity of love that is shared. I often

APP

NYTIMES.COM

APPS.APPLE.COM

About: 2D side scrolling platform app that follows Kuro from Super Cat Tales blasting through walls in search for gems.

Good: Very in-depth tutorial at the start and controls appear on screen, which make it user friendly.

Bad: Levels get progressively harder, but the levels seem repetitive after a while.

Rating: 3/5

SHOW

By Gabbi Bielak

“The Circle”

NEWS.NEWONNETFLIX.INFO

About: 8 contestants compete to gain social media influence and win $100,000.

Good: Very unique reality show idea with hilarious, over-the-top contestants.

Bad: Contestants are kept separate, there isn’t much action throughout the show.

Rating: 5/5

Wednesdsay, Feb. 5, 2020 — North Pointe — 11

SPORTS

Switching it up

Unified basketball team offers special education inclusion

By Phoenix Archer, Emma Sanderson & Hayley Zalewski INTERNS

Gabbi

Bielak

Through a partnership between Special Olympics Michigan and the Michigan High School Athletic Association, high schools across the state, including North, have started a Unified Sports League in several sports including basketball.

Special Olympics Unified Sports bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities, creating acceptance throughout their school and community. The purpose of establishing these teams is to emphasize that by becoming teammates, students are able to identify and celebrate similarities as opposed to differences.

Senior Aniya Brown, says this team is different than any other she has been on, but in a rewarding and humbling way.

“I always felt that I had to do a lot for my team to succeed,” Brown said. “This team had humbled me. We let the special-ed kids take charge, and we’re there for support. This team is the epitome of ‘there is no I in team.’ There has not been a single time where I have not laughed or smiled during practice. Even in our first game, I couldn’t stop smiling because the kids were loving it.”

Special education teacher Drew Kisskalt, the team’s coach, decided to bring light to this opportunity for special needs students.

“I spoke to Mrs. Davis about the opportunity several months ago and was so excited to join,” Kisskalt said. “I gave her my answer immediately.

I am looking forward to coaching this team for the foreseeable future. I am so honored to be a small part of this great opportunity for our students with special needs.”

To him, Kisskalt feels that there are different qualities about the basketball team that broadens students' perception. He believes this team shows students empathy, as people with a large range of differences are all included in one unified activity.

Being a part of this team, players are encouraged to emphasize the importance of interacting with the team and place less focus on the outcome of the game. Brown especially feels the need to prioritize having a good time above the final result.

"These kids work really hard, and if they are happy and enjoy playing, then I’m happy," Brown said. "I don’t care about winning, I just want to see the kids have fun.”

Among others, this team provides students with an opportunity to see how this can be mentally and physically healthy

on those who spectate and play alongside the students.

According Sophomore Mitchell Mills, a player on the unified basketball team, this team provides a feeling of inclusion with all the students and staff that are involved. To him, he said that it also feels different than other teams he has played for in the past years.

“I have learned to slow down and really teach how I play the game,” Mills said. “I love playing for this team because it brings everyone together, and everyone has a smile on there face when they are playing.”

Along with being different than other teams he has been on, Mills states that joining the team has provided him and the other participants various leadership positions on the court. He also has noticed that this team has encouraged further interactions between him and his teammates.

“I joined the team because I wanted to have a fun time playing basketball with the special-ed kids,’’ Mills said “This team has taught me how to be a leader and also how to interact with everyone. I have learned that basketball is more than just winning it’s about how you feel when you are apart of such an amazing group of people.”

GABBI BIELAK

PHOENIX ARCHER

GABBI BIELAK

PHOENIX ARCHER

HAVING A BALL| Senior Aniya Brown (second row, third from CHANGING FORM | Players from both teams

PREPPING FOR THE COMPETITION| The players warm up by

the left) poses with the team. Brown said she has immensely enjoyed working with the unified program this year. “I love playing for this team,” Brown said. “It is a lot of fun seeing the kid’s playing and laughing and having a good time.”

shooting hoops before the game. Senior Aniya Brown, a general education helper, said that her biggest goal for the game is to make the special education students feel included. “I’m a part of KNOTS, so I know the team and I thought this team would help develop the relationships I have with them,” Brown said.

compete as they move up the court. Mitchell Mills, one of the general education helpers, said that although he has played basketball for a long time, he has to change his form for this team because he is teaching and playing at the same time. “This team is different then most teams I play on,” Mills said. “I have learned to slow down and really teach how I play the game.”

FIVE MINUTES WITH Social Studies Teacher Dennis Pascoe

By Kourtney Walk & Areion Swain INTERNS

Social studies teacher Dennis Pascoe may be new to the school, but he said he is focusing on making sure the students have a good understanding of government and politics.

“I love politics. I just I'm fascinated by government through the whole, just how our government works and how it functions,” Pascoe said. “It's just fascinating to see how all that goes together.”

Pascoe wants to learn about the world more because he feels that different parts of the world bring different perspectives both socially and politically. Pascoe thinks that connecting with students and helping them whenever they need it is also very important.

Aside from his seriousness in the classroom, he enjoys getting to know his students beyond academics. In classes he encounters different personalities and said it has inspired him to be more patient. Getting to know his students helps

him work with them on a more personal level and understand their personal needs.

“Just being able to get to know the kids and just helping them whenever they need it and my players too,” Pascoe said.

“That's just the best part, being able to help them and get to know them.”

The classroom is not the only place that he uses these skills. Pascoe coaches the baseball and football team. He enjoys coaching football and baseball and helping players get better at the sport they play. He also enjoys coaching beside Coach Drouin. Since Pascoe played football in high school, coaching is something he loves to do because he is able to stay around the game.

“Well, I coached at South for about nine years, but Coach Drouin had been my coach when I was in high school at South, and he asked me to come over. I happily did,” Pascoe said.

Outside of teaching and coaching, he also loves spending time with his family, especially his son, since they’re both into sports. Pascoe and his son have set a goal to visit all of the baseball parks in the country.

“We've been trying to go to all the baseball parks in the country,” Pascoe said. “We've been to 11 so far. And so we usually try to do two a year. So it's been a really fun.”

Racing toward an "A"

By Julia Magnan & Gabbi Bielak PAGE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER

NORTH

POINTE

707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 northpointenow.org “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

OUR STAFF

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 Colin Duffy Victoria Wittenberg DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Jessica Meyers Hayley Zalewski

INTERNS Phoenix Archer Zshaquira Boyd Grace Cueter Joleigh Jackson Robert Maddox Brandon Miller Cassady Pierzinski Marvin Robles Emma Sanderson Areion Swain Jamison Townsend Justin Vaughan Kourtney Walk

The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published once a month It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review.

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

Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the student authors of the JULIA MAGNAN JULIA MAGNAN ALMOST THERE | Senior Brenna Marsin (right) and her teammate CROSS THE LINE | Senior Evan Reickert (right) has competed in editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the didn't have as much success in the race, but their attitudes were this race for two years now, and successfully completed the task at Grosse Pointe Public School System. unaffected. She said they tried to stay positive even after their boat hand. He said he felt accomplished after spending hours working on sunk. "I thought we would make it so I was kinda sad," Marsin his team’s boat. “It was fun working with my friends to assemble and said, "But it was still a lot of fun and I was happy with our results." make the boat,” Reickert said. “(And it) was a lot of fun rowing it.”

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT | Senior Nicholas Muccioli (left), an AP Physics student, participated in this project with senior Evan Reickert. Their group represented both AP and honors students, with the honors students being graded on the success of the boat, while the AP students were graded on participation. Many enjoyed the collaborative aspect of this project, including Muccioli. “I was in AP Physics so the project wasn't graded,” Muccioli said, “But for the other physics classes the complete run is an A, halfway is a B and just showing up with the boat is a C.”

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JULIA MAGNAN

CONTACT US Email: gpnnorthpointe@gmail.com Phone: 313.432.3248 Twitter: @TheNorthPointe FACULTY ADVISER: Allison Dunn