FORCED INCREASES | Although inflation rates began to rise prior to the 2022-2023 school year, Activities Director Peggy Bonbrisco attempted to keep the Union prices stable for as long as possible. “I try to get the cheapest product easily and I noticed prices starting to raise even last year, but I wanted to keep the prices as low as we could,” Bonbrisco said. “But when the prices [of goods] went up a lot at the beginning of September we had no choice but to raise prices.”
Over the past year, we have watched the cost of food, housing, utilities, gasoline and other goods skyrocket. According to TIME Magazine, as of August, the consumer price index has increased 8.3%, a 40-year high. When the COVID-19 pandemic slowed supply chains and deliveries, it left lasting effects on the economy. Many items are in short supply and the cost of shipping is continuing to increase, forcing the prices of many goods to increase.
While the cost of goods has increased, salaries have not, causing the increased prices of many necessary items to feel out of reach for many individuals and families. Economics teacher Brian Degnore notes that the upturn of inflation is something that many should be wary of, as it has the potential to negatively affect daily lifestyles.
“It impacts people mostly with groceries and gas,” Degnore said. “It hurts people, because people's paychecks are remaining the same but to get the same amount of goods it’s costing them more and more.”
The price increases can be traced down to the school. Students saw the costs of goods in the Union change at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. While the price of many items, including chips and beverages were upped, senior Lia White feels that the most shocking change was the cost of the union cookies.
“The only real increase I noticed was in the cookies, since they went up from 50 cents to 75 [cents],” White said. “It’s not a big jump but it felt kind of surreal because they were 50 cents the last three years I’ve been at North.”
Although the price jump may seem significant to some students, Student Activities Director Peggy
at the end of the year so I want to give the biggest check I can each year to your classes,” Bonbrisco said. “I am worried about that if we aren’t going to sell as much.”
While inflation is a trend that concerns the public, it is a natural cycle within the economy, and there are a variety of protocols used to reverse prices. Degnore speaks on the use of interest rates during periods of inflation, as the Federal Reserve is utilizing their power to control the increasing cost of goods.
PEGGY BONBRISCO Student Activities Director““The Federal Reserve in particular is trying to bring down those prices, by raising interest rates,” Degnore said. “Generally there are two things you can do with money, save it or spend it. When the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, that gives people an incentive to save money. They're trying to raise it so people will take the money out of the economy and stop spending, so inflation will come down.”
Bonbrisco notes that the increased cost of the goods and resources is reflected in the Union prices. She is afraid that the increase will hinder sales, therefore decreasing the amount of money that is given to each class at the end of every year.
“We divide up all our proceeds between the four classes and Student Association every year
Student interest and sales will always be Bonbrisco’s top priorities when setting the price of products in the Union. She promises to keep costs as low as possible, as she feels she is working for the good of the students.
“I’m going to try to keep [the prices] as low as I can,” Bonbrisco said. “If we start paying lower amounts for goods then those prices will drop back down.”
“I’m going to try to keep [the prices] as low as I can. If we start paying lower amounts for goods then those prices will drop back down.
PHONE MANIA | Principal Kate Murray is hopeful that the new phone rules will prevent students from getting distracted in the classroom. “We are hoping that this year with the new cell phone policy that we will see an increase in student learning and a decrease in student discipline," Murray said.
Along with fresh schedules and lockers, the new school year has brought a number of new rules. One of the biggest changes is the phone policy. Expanding on the off and out of sight rule from past years, students are not allowed to access their phones at all during classes, including in tutorials. Additionally, the consequences of violating this rule have increased in severity. When a student reaches their fourth warning to put their phone away in class, they will be sent to the ARK where a personalized behavior plan will be created. Aside from the new phone rules, teachers are now closely monitoring the number of students leaving the room during class time.
Administration believes changes to the school’s phone policy are crucial in order to minimize distractions in the classroom. By creating a quiet environment, Murray hopes that students will be able to construct a more tranquil and focused atmosphere.
“We understand the research and we understand from our experience what extensive cell phone use does to our student’s brains and educational experiences,” Murray said. “There is more and more research that identifies its lasting impact on a student’s ability to concentrate for long periods of time.”
While Murray claims that learning has been obstructed as a consequence of phone usage during classes, senior Jake Sachs has a differing opinion regarding phone use in schools. He believes that the new phone policy is not in the best interest of students, as it takes him longer to complete school work.
“It's definitely a lot harder to focus [without phones] because I use headphones to drown out sound,” Sachs said. “If I’m not playing music or playing some sort of instrumental to drown out sounds I get distracted a lot more frequently when I can't use my phone.”
North social worker Lauren Klein understands the issues surrounding phone usage. She explains that although many students may not be fond of the rule changes, they were put in place to aid learning.
“The policies are absolutely adjustments to how things were last year and any change can be difficult,” Klein said. “[This is true] coming from the summer where students typically have a lot more ownership for how they manage their day. I have found in just about every conversation I have with students, they understand why the policies are in place and know that even though changing habits is difficult, it's all with the goal of maximizing their ability to learn and grow.”
In addition to the new phone policy, North will be regulating the time that students spend in the halls during class time through bathroom passes. Students must sign out when they leave, and back in when they return, and must wear lanyard passes that are colorspecific to each floor. Murray explains that this new policy will help students remain present and attentive in class.
“The motivation is to keep students in classrooms where the learning is happening,” Murray said. “Last year we saw an increase in hallway traffic and tardiness and we want to refocus our students on the learning happening in the room.”
Alongside Murray, ARK behavior specialist Rebecca Murawski stresses the importance of the new hallway policy. She believes it can improve safety measures within the school.
“Being present and engaged in what the class is doing is one of the most helpful things a student can do,” Murawski said. “By changing bathroom policies, not only are we able to help keep students safe but we are encouraging students to be in class more.”
Overall, the improvements that have been visible thus far have been a positive sign for both Klein and Murray, and Murray appreciates the response that the rule changes have received.
“I’m really proud of our students in the manner which they’re responding to the expectations,” Murray said. “We’ve shared the expectations with students, we’ve encouraged them to meet them and they’re doing just that.”
The library is currently closed for construction. Students who want to check out a book or work on homework can go to the temporary library on the second floor. However, the majority of North’s collection is currently in storage, according to library assistant Renee Borowicz.
“A moving company came in and put them in storage, and we don’t know where they are,” Borowicz said.
Construction will be done sometime around January. The library will have a new ceiling, a new floor and all of the back rooms that were once used for video storage will be demolished. In their place, small study rooms and quiet rooms will be available for students. There will also be a room with a green screen where students can make videos. Borowicz is very excited for the completed renovations and believes they will be beneficial to student learning and comfortability.
“I think it’s a great idea to update the library, make it look better and fresher,” Borowicz said.
The construction has affected many parts of the school, including the number of open and accessible bathrooms. All of the bathrooms on the third floor are currently closed. As a result, students on the third floor have to go down a floor to find one. English teacher Kristen Alles says that of all of the rule changes, students seem to be more annoyed by the lack of third floor bathrooms than anything else.
“I have heard some frustrations,” Alles said. “They will tell me that it might take a minute longer.”
Despite the continued work to complete the updates, there is no set date on when students will be able to use the bathrooms on the third floor again.
“I believe it’s going to be done sometime this year, but we are still unsure,” Alles said.
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WEB EDITOR
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When we experienced the extent of the new phone regulations on the first day of school, we felt a bit surprised. Not having phones at all seemed a bit extreme compared to the “off and out of sight” policy that we were all familiar with. As the day went on, more and more complaints filled the hallways and classrooms from students in disbelief that their phones had to stay in their backpacks during class time.
In past years, teachers regulated the use of phones in their classroom. We could use our phones for educational games, research and any other application that the teacher saw fit. But now, even for educational purposes, phones are not allowed to come out of our backpacks. The rule is not a complete ban, as we are still allowed to use phones during lunch and passing time.
It’s no doubt that phone usage has been a prevalent issue during our years at school. Phones can be distracting in the classroom and cause students to lose focus, resulting in poor test grades. On a greater scale, the student may not learn the content they are taught. It is good to see this problem finally being addressed in a legitimate manner, but administration could have done it in a better way. We went from practically no phone rules to a very strict regulation, one extreme to the other.
during tutorial, a free period where students get to decide what to work on. There is no instruction that we should be focusing on, so students should be able to choose to go on their phones. If we complete our assignments and homework, is it really harmful to be on our phones?
When we all eventually go off to college and enter the real world, we won’t have rules like this. We will have the ability to choose what is best for us. Yes, some people will make a choice that affects them in a negative way. High school is the best time to make mistakes and learn from them. If a student makes the decision to go on their phone during class, they may do poorly on the test, and fall behind in that class, but they will learn that their actions have consequences. If we are being forced to keep our phones away, we will never learn the consequences. When we go off to college where these rules don’t exist, students won’t know this important lesson.
There are times that we should be allowed to be on our phones in school. One of these times is
Even though phone regulation is scientifically proven to help students learn better, it is not the regulation that is the problem. It is the 180 degree turn from almost no regulation to full enforcement that has hit students harder than expected. Administration has forced this upon us abruptly after years of no enforcement, causing both a culture shock and a surprise to the entire student body.
While trick-or-treating is usually enjoyed by children under the age of 13, it can also be a celebration for us young adults that equally love Halloween. As a teenager who looks forward to dressing up every year, there is no better way to enjoy this holiday than to walk door to door in a festive costume and collect candy.
Halloween is a time to change yourself and be a different person. For some, this youthful holiday is their only chance to break out of their shell and do something creative. As long as an individual dresses up in a costume and genuinely tries to participate, they should be able to get candy and have fun. Buying fabric, tools and materials to create something of their own imagination is part of the joy of Halloween. Dressing up and being silly are great ways to express creativity. Add being able to get candy, and it’s a great night. Taking that away because they aged is simply wrong.
Tradition does not need to die once you become a certain age, so an age should not control a holiday. Once a child grows up they should be able to continue celebrating and having a fun night, despite what social norms suggest. Traditions bring people together and are a great way to socialize with friends and family. Trick-or-treating is a staple holiday activity in many people's lives. Dressing up for Halloween is fun, creative and a great way to meet different members of the community. All in all, trick-or-treating is a fun tradition that should be celebrated by all ages.
While trick-or-treating is a celebration and a memorable experience for younger children, young adults should not trick-or-treat. They should do this out of respect for the children who want to experience the event without interference from adults.
When children create costumes, they are expressing themselves. While older people do take part in intricate costume making, taking the candy that is there for the children to enjoy is something different. This is a very irresponsible move, as people should think about the younger children who want to trick-or-treat with friends, create memorable experiences and collect some candy. Imagine being the child who wants lots of candy and then you get to a house and they're out. Young adults have other means of getting candy for themselves, while younger children only have a few chances each year to collect some.
Although trick-or-treating is a very fun tradition for all, it isn’t the most socially acceptable thing to take part in. Trick-or-treating over the age of 16 should be frowned upon because, at that point, taking time to trick-or-treat is childish. Teenagers are not always the greatest role models for younger kids. Possible cursing, reckless driving, candy stealing, yelling and fighting are all behaviors that are unacceptable on a night meant for children. For these reasons, trick-or-treating is an activity made for children and therefore young adults should not participate.
“I would go to Germany because my cousin studied abroad there a few years ago and she really loved it.”
“I would go to Finland because they only have five hours of school in a day.”
“I would choose France because it is a very beautiful country and it has a great education system.”
TEACHER ERICA THACKER: “I think I would go to France because I know a little bit of French or I would go to the Maldives because it’s absolutely gorgeous.”
With a father as a golf coach, junior Morgan McIntyre has been playing the sport since she was little. Since, she has learned to love the sport, joining the golf team her freshman year.
“I decided to play because I’m not a huge fan of all the contact sports,” McIntyre said. “It’s just very peaceful and very strategic playing golf and I like that kind of stuff in whatever I want to do in my freetime.”
According to McIntyre, her coach and teammates are what to create a great environment. She says that they are all very encouraging and are able to have a good time with one another.
“My teams great this year because everybody is just really nice and we have a lot of laughs at practice,” McIntyre said. “When it gets down to it we can all be serious.”
Watching tennis throughout his childhood is what inspired sophomore varsity tennis player Gruhith Yerramalli to play. Yerramalli has been playing for around seven years and plays three doubles on the varsity tennis team. According to Yerramalli, the high he feels after a match is his favorite part about the sport.
“Well when you win, it’s fun. When you lose, sometimes you get down on yourself,” Yerramalli said. “But when you lose a close match, you don’t feel that bad because you’ve tried your best.”
While he plays soccer in the winter, Yerramalli spends most of his free time playing tennis outside of practices. He is confident that this season will be better than the last, and he hopes that this year the team will make it to states.
“I’m looking forward to regionals and states, since we didn’t make it last year,” Yerramalli said. “If we make it this year, it will be my first time going to states.”
By Sophia Dragich & Wren Cueter
SECTION EDITOR & INTERN
PHOTO | Sophia Dragich
Last year, Norsemen Tide played a key role in promoting athletic events and getting students to participate. This year, the student section is headed by two new leaders, Seniors Cam Schafer and Nicole Troszak. The two are ready to support the athletic teams and bring even more excitement and energy to the games.
Having two leaders requires teamwork, according to Troszak, especially when it comes to communicating with fans and organizing themes for the games. Troszak says the two have been collaborating well.
“We pretty much do everything together,” Troszak said. “We both do social media, both do posts and both pick themes.”
Of these leadership tasks, Schafer’s favorite part about Norsemen Tide is connecting with fans and communicating with new people.
“There's a lot of people I just haven't really talked to before,” Schafer said. “I love supporting our school and I just love creating a good environment to help our student athletes.”
One of the main ways Troszak and Schafer reach out to teams and promote games is through social media. They contact members of each team when planning themes and communicate with fans by making posts to promote the games.
“We post on Instagram mainly,” Troszak said. “We’re [also] going to start posting on TikTok more.”
In addition to posting on social media, Troszak and Schafer are also working to involve more underclassmen in the student section, urging them to attend games and participate in the themes so the program can grow.
“A lot of freshmen have been participating, which has been a help,” Schafer said. “My sister is a freshman so I also talk to her [and] say ‘Hey get your friends to the game, because once you guys are seniors you're gonna know how to handle the ropes’.”
Troszak and Schafer are also making sure the student section is staying respectful, according to Junior Iliana Nezeritis, who believes Norsemen Tide is continuing to promote the same energy as last year, while also following the rules.
“We're being a lot more respectful of what our school wants us to do but we're also having a lot more fun at the same time,” Nezeritis said.
Not only are they connecting with each other, the athletic teams and other students, Troszak and Schafer are also working with Athletic Director
SHOWING SPIRIT | Through their collaboration with school staff, the athletic teams and underclassmen, Trozsak and Schafer are working to promote games and are excited to show their latest developments. “We have a lot of ideas coming up [for Norsemen Tide],” Schafer said. “Hopefully it will turn into a great atmosphere.”
Michelle Davis to lead the student section and gain support for the athletes. Davis says they have been meeting regularly to discuss plans for the games.
“We have had more meetings this year than in years past and I hope to keep the lines of communication open,” Davis said. “We have also been working together to provide spirit products for future games and I am always open to new ideas to bring together the student body and showcase our Norsemen spirit.”
Through their collaboration with Davis, Troszak and Schafer plan to use their new ideas at the North-South football game, where they hope to create a memorable event.
“We’re really planning a lot for [the] North vs. South [game], so that’ll be a thing to come [to],” Troszak said.
1.
SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER | Even though it is only her first year on the cheer team, freshman Gwen Peterson expresses her passion for the sport. She has enjoyed meeting new girls, specifically developing relationships with the upperclassmen. “Either Amaya or Zoe has inspired me most,” Peterson said. “Amaya is just a great role model in general and Zoe is one of the best people I know. She's a really good flyer.”
2. COMING TOGETHER | As the 2022 season has just begun, the team is working to create a strong bond that allows them to trust each other during games. Captain Amaya Johnson displays her excitement for the Homecoming game. “It's going to be super fun and I am excited to get to show my school spirit to everyone,” Johnson said.
3. TAKING RISKS | Cheerleading is more than just pom poms and dances, as high level performance requires junior Zoe Newsome and her teammates to trust themselves and one another. Balance, communication and teamwork all come into play to ensure safety. “I like the riskiness,” Newsome said. “I get to go in the air and feel an experience I never felt before.”
4. THERE’S NO I IN TEAM | With a new team comes new challenges. Junior varsity coach Lindsey Davis says the girls have all come together to improve as a team. “[My favorite part is] being with the girls, seeing them love the sport of cheerleading, watching them stunt, and smile and fire up the crowd,” Davis said.
“I’m from Namur, it’s a little town but it’s very cute,”Tedajio-Tsape said. “It’s an hour from [Belgium’s capital]. InBelgium, there are two sides, Dutch and French, I am on theFrench side so we speak French there. ”
By Grace Cueter, Grace Rossman & Lauren Kaled EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, MANAGING EDITOR & INTERN
“I definitely have met so many cool people,” Mueller said.
“That’s my favorite part of the experience along with how the European countries are so easy to travel to. The public transportation is so good that you can access cities that are super far away just by getting on a train.”
“I’ve been thinking about doing this experience since I was in middle school,” Piccinelli said. “But last year, I had a year that was a little bit difficult. I was like, ‘I need a change,’ and so here I am.”
On August 22, North senior Marc Mueller arrived in Germany for his year abroad. Mueller has always been interested in the German language and culture, dedicating years to learning the dialect. When he got the opportunity to apply for a scholarship that would allow him to study abroad, he knew it was an opportunity he had to take advantage of.
Since arriving in Germany, Mueller has noted many differences between European living and American living. The culture is one that prioritizes recycling, and Mueller and his host family have five of their own recycling bins. There are many architectural differences, including windows, which open in three different directions. His school schedule is much less uniform, as each school day is a different length and he only attends each class one time per week. Additionally, comfortability is stressed and the schools are treated as more of a home.
“On the first day of school, I walked into the room, and people just had their [shoes off],” Mueller said. “I was like, ‘What is happening?’ The kid next to me said that it’s so clean that you can take your shoes off and teachers ask you to do it. If you don’t, that’s weird.”
In his time spent in Germany, Mueller has been able to travel to many other parts of the country and continent by train. He and his friends are able to easily and safely travel alone through towns. Paris, Spain and Italy are only a few of the places that Mueller hopes to visit before his experience ends.
When the time comes to return home, he says he is most excited to see his friends and family and to eat a Little Caesars Pizza. However, he is immensely grateful for the experience and is excited to be able to visit in his future.
“[The experience] definitely sparked my interest for travel and experiencing new cultures,” Mueller said. “Studying abroad again in Europe would be something I want to do, and I also want to frequently visit Germany after my exchange.”
In early September, Junior Alessia Piccinelli waved goodbye to her family and friends from Rome as she boarded her flight to begin her exchange student experience in America.
Although the American school system is much different than the one back home, Piccinelli has taken a liking to the new lifestyle. Rather than staying put in the classroom with a new teacher coming in for each class, she gets to move around the school and go to seven different classrooms. She gets to run for the cross country team, while back home, her school does not offer any sports or clubs. However, her experience with the American teachers stands out more than any of these other changes, especially in her English class.
“The relationships with the teachers here are more friendly and helpful,” Piccinelli said. “In Italy it is more like ‘we explain you things, you have to study alone, and you have to be prepared for the test.’ [During my English test] I was feeling so stressed because I was thinking, ‘Oh, they’re doing a lot of stuff and writing fast, and I’m still reading it.’ And [my teacher] said, ‘Oh, no, you wrote a lot and you can finish it at home on the weekend.’”
So far, Piccinelli’s trip has been full of excitement and good memories. She has bonded with her host mother, who is like a best friend to her now. However, it is still difficult for her to be thousands of miles away from home and the people she knows so well.
“I think, I have some moments in which I’m very happy and doing this experience is so wonderful,” Piccinelli said. “But in other parts, I feel alone and sad. Sometimes I go on Instagram and see pictures of my [hometown] friends that are together hanging out, and so that’s a difficult part.”
Even in the moments when she misses her family and friends, she still tries to cherish this once-in-alifetime experience. She loves being in America, but when she gets home in June she can’t wait to hop back into Italian culture.
“The first thing I’ll do [when I get home] is eat a
At the end of August, Junior Camille TedajioTsape arrived in America from Belgium to learn about our culture and meet new
The education system in America was the biggest change that Tedajio-Tsape had to adapt to, but nevertheless, she is happy to say that she enjoys North
“I prefer school here than in Belgium because it’s less strict and with grades it’s very different because [in Belgium] we have a lot of exams so every December and every June there’s big exams all about the classes we
have,” Tedajio-Tsape said.
She was pleasantly surprised when she witnessed how people greeted each other in America. In Belgium, she was accustomed to people only saying “Hello” to the people that they know.
“Here, the people are very kind because they are like ‘Hi, how are you,’ and they always say something kind. In Belgium, we are not bad, but it is less friendly,” TedajioTsape said. “[In America] people care more about the people they don’t know, and they are more outgoing.”
Although she will have been without her family for a year and is excited for the time when she gets to see them again, Tedajio-Tsape will miss America when she goes back home to Belgium.
“I speak already a lot with my family,” Tedajio-Tsape said. “I would bring them here because I think that it’s a good experience, so I need to do that for them.”
PHOTO COURTESY | Amazon
The recently released film, “The Woman King”, is a fantastic story that portrays an underrepresented historical group of female African warriors, the Agojie. The film takes place in the 1820s and follows General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of female warriors to fight against a foreign enemy. Throughout the film, the warriors are tested both physically and emotionally through battles, the loss of their sisters and the threat of slavery. The film is categorized as a historical epic. It exceeded expectations by combining different genre elements, including action, romance and drama. Though thrilling and action-packed, the movie is also extremely emotional and raw. There wasn’t a dry eye in the theater. As soon as we started watching, the movie had us on the edge of our seats. The beginning of the movie drops you into a brutal battle of the different tribes and ends with the Agojie victoriously marching back to their village. As the film progresses, we learn more about the rules of the tribe and are introduced to the new recruits.
Apart from being a brilliant period piece, the movie provides powerful female historical figures for upcoming generations to look up to. Strong female leads
are exciting to see on such a big stage, and it is even more important that we learn about our society’s history in all aspects. This film does a fantastic job at depicting a historical event with the respect and attention it deserves, embracing the women and making them role models for all that watch the movie.
The story itself was good, but it was the star studded cast that set this film apart from other historical pieces. With big names like Viola Davis leading the tribe as General Nanisca and John Boyega as King Ghezo, the movie was bound to be good. The actor that stood out was Thuso Mbedu, who played the main recruit. Mbedu’s passion and conviction on screen made it impossible to look away and made you feel like you were on the journey with her. All of the actors put on a show stopping performance throughout the whole movie. We felt their raw emotions through the screen, making the film feel real.
The attention to detail and commitment to the realistic portrayal of the story throughout the entire film made the movie more enjoyable to watch because you could feel the passion and dedication. The movie focuses on the Agojie and their tribe, who speak English
throughout the entire movie, allowing the audience to better understand. This seems normal to viewers, but as the plot continues, language becomes a bigger part of the story. As foreign slave traders are introduced, it becomes apparent that the audience, like the tribe, are not meant to understand the traders easily, or at all, in their native tongue when subtitles are used in their scenes. Along with the clever dialogue, the set also improved the film's historical value. “The Woman King” was shot in Cape Town, Africa, making the set authentic to the story being told. The setting and vibrant clothing helped create a more realistic depiction of the culture and life of the Agojie.
We give the movie five stars for the amazing details and the raw emotion the cast portrayed. The film brings new narratives to the cinematic world that deserve to be told, allowing people to learn and grow based on accurate portrayals of all elements of the story’s history. In addition to the historical significance, the film's direction and production gave us chills, specifically during the end’s plot twist when all of the puzzle pieces came together. However, we’re not going to spoil the movie, so you have to go experience it yourself.
The new video game “Disney Dreamlight Valley” takes a new perspective on what a Disney game can be. In previous years we saw “Disney Infinity” and assorted LEGO games featuring Disney characters. Now, they have made a brand new video game for players of all ages to enjoy. It takes inspiration from other top hits such as “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” and implements a story and theme that fits the Disney image.
The focus of the game is to bring the magic back to the village that has been taken over by Night Thorns which took over after the last ruler of the village disappeared. The feel of the game is extremely calm and there is no rush to progressing forward, as there are many activities to indulge in and explore. There are also many hidden details behind the game, such as collecting memories, snapshots of experiences by the characters, and scriptures of the previous ruler’s notes.
Early in the game you are introduced to a basic tool set consisting of a pickaxe, shovel, watering can, and a fishing rod. These are the tools you need to progress in the game and collect different items to complete tasks given to you by the various Disney characters. These characters, when upgraded, give boosts in different areas of the game. Upgrade a character with a fishing boost,
and you will get bigger fish, and occasionally they will grant you an extra fish as a result.
This game can be played in many different ways to get the full experience, however you need to have a gaming system such as an Xbox, Nintendo or at least a computer that can handle Windows programs. It will not work on any kind of Google or Chromebook device. Once you have a gaming system, it’s time to play.
The characters are from old Disney classics and latest hit movies, ranging from Goofy to Elsa. This allows fans from older and younger generations to be able to play the game and connect with all their favorite characters.
Your avatar is first spawned in one part of the valley, and is able to unlock more regions of it when you complete the tasks you are given. This leaves the player to continue helping the village to unlock these new levels, keeping them hooked for hours of fun and mystique.
Some of the tasks can be as simple as cleaning and getting rid of trash, while others can take longer. It gives the sense of a progressive challenge for the player as they work their way through Dreamlight Valley. Despite this, the accessibility and the similarity to other games makes the game deserving of a four out of five star rating.
It had a good amount of pumpkin flavor and was not overpowering. However, there was not enough coffee flavor. The creaminess of the whipped cream mixed perfectly with the frozen pumpkin spice base. By the time we got to the end of the drink, it had gotten watery and some of the pumpkin flavoring was not mixed in well enough, leaving a bad taste in our mouths. Overall, we would rate this drink a four out of five stars.
The owl cake pop was very good. It was vanilla on the inside with a white chocolate coating, dyed a vibrant purple. The texture was perfect and not too dry. The cake pop itself was a great item to accompany our drinks. It was the perfect balance of flavors and was super cute. We give it a five star rating.
The second we took a sip of the macchiato, the flavors exploded on our tongues. There was a mix of spices, crisp apple flavoring and creamy oat milk combined together to make the exquisite drink. Although we were reluctant to try it as a blackcoffee consumers, it pleasantly surprised us. We give the drink four out of five stars, as we wish there was more of a coffee flavor and less oat milk.
Scones are either a hit or miss, this one was a miss. The scone was very dry and had a pungent nutmeg smell and taste. The baked good was too spicy, similar to an overcooked gingerbread man. The frosting on top was the only tasty part. It was smooth and had a subtle vanilla flavoring. We give the scone two out of five stars.
AND SCENE | In the drama class, senior and drama club director Naima Wright notes that they play many games to practice what they have learned, such as Tablo. “One person does one movement and makes one sound, and then other people have to build off of that so you’re making a machine and working as a whole which I think is really incredible,” Wright said.
Here at North, the drama program has been given the addition of a brand new drama class. Through this course students have found new ways to express themselves and get creative.
English and drama teacher Anna Fleury, expresses her excitement about teaching and being a part of this new class.
“It forces me to be creative in a different way and it allows me to explore a passion of mine which is theater,” Fleury said. “I love theater [and] I love acting so I'm excited to get back to it.”
North’s new theater director, Michael Gravame, says that he and Fleury work as a team to try and amp up engagement in the theater program. He expresses that it’s still a work in progress as the class hasn’t been offered at North in several years.
“The two of us are joining forces so that we can work together to excite people more about the theater program,” Gravame said. “[However], the kids have such a thirst for knowledge in theater so their excitement and
enthusiasm really excites me about this position.
Although the new class hasn’t yet garnered the attention of all students, senior and drama club director, Naima Wright, knew for certain that it was the right fit for her. Wright has been a part of the theater program since her freshman year and speaks highly of what the drama class has to offer.
“It's such a cool thing to get out of your comfort zone and portray another person, object, or character,” Wright said. “To just have the ability to do that I think it's a great experience and a great time.”
For students like Wright interested in the course, Fleury wants them to find that their imaginations can help them go far in not only the class, but in their futures.
“I hope [the class] expands their creativity and their form of expression,” Fleury said. “I also hope it gives them stage presence, confidence of being in front of people, and [gives] them another outlet for creative expression.”
Gravame also knows that theater is capable of teaching students more than just one lesson, and it is one of the reasons he encourages students to take the class.
“Even if they aren’t going into theater [for a career] it’s a great way to get out of your shell,” Gravame said. “Theater teaches so many life skills that people don’t even think about like memorization working as a team, [or] working with a partner and building trust.”
The drama program offers more than one may expect and Wright speaks on how being a part of it has shaped her into the person she is today. She notes that it’s not just the experience and knowledge she’s gained in being a part of it, but also the connections she’s made.
“Through the past couple of years I’ve been surrounded by great people through programs like choir and drama,” Wright said. “I’ve made some of the best friends of my life — whether you’re onstage [performing] or offstage doing makeup, it's just a good time no matter what.”
PHOTOS | Christina Shea & Lilly Kline
SLOW AND STEADY | It’s prudent to always work with intense care and concentration when sewing. Even someone well versed in sewing like Aouad must remember to keep a level-head and focus. “I like to rush through things and if I rush through a part and I don’t read all of the instructions, or I don’t take my time with it, I have to seam rip everything and that’s a whole process in and of itself,” Aouad said.
RUNS IN THE FAMILY | Inspiration does not al ways strike, but junior Juliette Aouad knows what to do when it does. With the sewing skills acquired from her family, Aouad set out on her Homecoming dress journey. “I had the thought in my head one day— ‘I think I’m just going to make my own dress’,” Aouad said. “I’ve been sewing for a while and my mom and my grandma were there to help me.”
FANTASTIC FABRICS | Patterns are nothing without the fabrics, and this year, Aouad made sure to choose eye-catching materials. “This year I have an iridescent satin fabric and then I have another one that is a mesh em broidered blue,” Aouad said.
GO WITH THE FLOW | Creating the dress itself came with much trial and error for Sarah McCloskey. Despite this, she has learned to work around them when sewing. “I have learned to change things as I go if I need to,” said McCloskey. “If I follow the pattern that is great, but if I dont then I will figure it out eventually.”
FABRIC FINDS | Finding inspiration on Pinterest and Youtube, McCloskey found a fabric she liked at JoAnn Fab rics and bought the supplies to create her dress. “I needed a pattern, the fab ric, a zipper, the lining fabric, obviously a sewing machine, and thread,” McClo skey said.
SEWING SOLO school, McCloskey learned how to sew through watching Youtube videos and has made it a hobby ever since. “I just really love to sew and it is just something really fun for me for my senior year Homecoming dress,” McCloskey said.
By Jo Jackson & Mia Schultz
WEB EDITOR & INTERN PHOTOS | Mia Schultz
FURRY FRIENDS | Senior Alexis Richardson says that it was nice to see everyone with their dogs and enjoying themselves at the dog run. “I thought it was really fun to see all the dogs because they're all so cute together,” Richardson said. “[We were] all together trying to support the cause.”
DOGGIN' AROUND | Junior Lucie Leonhard is grateful that the dog run not only helped the animal adoption society raise awareness about the unadopted dogs, but also allowed them to gather donations. Leonhard says these donations will help the organization provide essential items to the animals. “We've raised over $800 and that money goes towards the animals so they can get more food [and] any necessities that they need,” Leonhard said. “It also paid for two animal surgeries to be done.”
BEAUTIFUL PAWPUS | Girls cross country captain Eryn Cosgrove says it was nice for the team to do something in return for the animals that have always been there for her. “It's like we’re giving back to the animals so they can get any products like food or leashes that they need,” Cosgrove said. “Being able to bring my dogs and give back to other animals was definitely something that made my heart happy.”
ADDED BONUS | Girls cross country coach Scott Cooper believes that having the team run with their pets and help out the community was a nice added element to their practice. “I thought this would be a good thing to do for the girls to raise money for the dogs in our community and do it along with our workout,” Cooper said.
By Alyssa King & Gianna Roux
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER & INTERN
PHOTOS | Alyssa King
ARE YOU READY? | The class of 2026 may be new to the float building game but freshman Kaden Conner believes his class has the hang of it. “We put a lot of work in, a lot of progress and a lot of time out of our day into our float,” Conner said. “We also put a lot of work into our materials.”
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE | Float building has given sophomore Alexandria Noyd an opportunity to take on some extra responsibility outside of school. “The part I'm most proud of is probably the rock house because I helped put that together and helping build something this huge made me feel so responsible,” Noyd said.
WHATCHA DOIN’? | Continuing to grow as a class and applying what they learn each year has allowed valuable bonding for the class of 2024. Junior Mia Tedesco encourages participation and continuing class traditions. “We get to do something fun while hanging out with each other, and build something that we're all going to cherish when we're older,” Tedesco said.
LET'S DO WHAT WE DO BEST, SCOOB | The seniors know what sets them apart from all the other classes. Senior Zoey Crossley thinks the past year's float building has prepared them for this year's competition. “I think we've been able to build on what we've learned every year,” Crossley said. “Freshman year, I still think we had a pretty good float. Junior year was amazing and this year, we're kind of putting it all together and making a great float.”
NORTH POINTE