North Pointe Volume 52 issue 2

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

SINCE 1968

INSIDE: PAGE 8

Freshmen rock band, "The Boys of Summer," perform on Oct. 18, during North vs. South tailgate

POINTE

NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Full ahead: Girls robotics team

wins competition, emphasizing STEAM field involvement

Gabbi Bielak

Gabbi Bielak

@thenorthpointe www.northpointenow.org

Courtsey of Naiomi Ozormoor

News 2-3 Editorial 4 OnCampus 5

InDepth 6-7 Life 8 OnPointe 9

Reviews 10 Sports 11 VOLUME 52 | ISSUE 2

2 — Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — North Pointe

NEWS

Girls robotics win off-season competition

MIMI OZORMOOR

ROBOTICS SHOWDOWN| Freshman Chloe Harb was one of the operators of the robot above. The robot was used by the combined North and South robotics team, the Gearheads, for their competition at Bloomfield Hills High School on Oct. 12. Although this is her first year, Harb thinks that the team has been helpful. “I was almost just thrown in, in the best way, so it (has been an) extremely supportive (environment)," Harb said.

On Oct. 12, North and South’s combined robotics team, the Gearheads, participated in the Bloomfield Hills High School all girls competition.The team won the primary division, leading them into victory.

During the competition, only females, or those who identify as female, were allowed to touch, drive and fix the robot.

This competition is intended to increase the participation of females in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Careers in STEAM fields, also known as STEM without the arts, are primarily male dominated.

However, more of an emphasis is now being placed on women and minorities in STEAM. Senator Debbie Stabenow believes females in STEAM are vital for the growth of the field.

“I think (a) very important issue is getting more women and people of color into science, technology, engineering, math; all the STEM areas,” Stabenow said. “This is regardless (of) if you're in a technical

job or if you're in a skilled trade… or whether you're on a different track or engineering track, or some other track; these are very important areas to the future for Michigan, for our economy, and they're real opportunities for everyone. And so we need to make sure that the door is open wide.”

One of Stabenow’s campaign points for reelection was increasing the availability of STEAM careers and activities to women, starting at a young age.

Following this path is the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics group, which allows for young creators of all backgrounds to be introduced to future STEAM careers related to engineering work, medical training and business practice.

Freshman Chloe Harb, who operated the robot during the competition, started participating in STEAM extra-curricular

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activities in middle school with the FIRST Tech Challenge team.

Sophomore RJ Richards was at the all girls competition as a spectator, and was able to witness the success of the women on the team.

“To prepare for the girls competition, we use our already made practice field, that we built for the regular season,” Richards said. “So when girls (competition) hits, the girls separately train to operate and drive the robot. (We have) a great driver, and Chloe Harb is a great operator, and those two combined basically won the competition.”

STEAM involvement has been a focus of Gearheads for more than just this year.

For instance, to push the involvement of women in these fields, the girls robotics members attended the Women in STEM Symposium on May 23. This program featured guest speakers, all of whom had careers in STEAM areas, such as doctors, engineers and forensic scientists. While the function was held to emphasize the involvement of women in

We have moved to measuring schools solely based on how many students go to college, as opposed to how many students get advanced learning degrees and get good jobs.

Debbie Stabenow UNITED STATES SENATOR

“I’d say the environment is extremely supportive. As a freshman, I wasn't really thinking I would (be so hands on),” Harb said. “I was almost just thrown in, in the best way, so it is extremely supportive. If you make a mistake (the team members) help you and their main goal is to really teach you. You can really see that in how they help students.”

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By Syeda Rizvi & Jessica Meyers EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & INTERN

MIMI OZORMOOR

COMPETITION HIGH| Above, the Gearhead's competitiors prepare to face each other during the competition.

Sophomore RJ Richards said the sidelines play an important role in the performance of the team because they collect data while watching the competition. "(We) sit in the stands and watch the match and then they punch (team analytics) into a computer which is a program we made to analyse data," Richards said.

these fields, something which Stabenow believes is vital, she wants to make sure students are enabled to ultimately choose whichever career they want to pursue, whether they be STEAM areas or skilled trades. To her, it’s all about promoting alternatives.

“We need to make all the choices available for students. For a lot of years now, we've really presented (university) as the only choice. For years, we have moved to measuring schools solely based on how many students go to college, as opposed to how many students get advanced learning degrees and get good jobs,” Stabenow said. “We have all kinds of new jobs and skilled trades, and we have fewer and fewer people to fill those jobs which is affecting Michigan as a high tech(nological) manufacturing state. And so I'd like to see us broaden that out because we're seeing all kinds of new opportunities.”

Contributing: Julia Magnan

North Pointe — Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — 3

NEWS Keepin g it Brief NACAC code of ethics under review

By Hayley Zalewski INTERN

Voting registration opens to students Students who are eligible to vote in the upcoming election can now register. Social studies teacher Dan Gilleran says there are many ways to promote the participation of young voters in the election, especially for those students that will be able to vote beginning Nov. 5.

Students that have a birthday that falls during the 30 day period of when they can register to vote, are now eligible to participate in the next election.

“It really can make a difference to know that young people can make a difference in the outcome,” Gilleran said. “It's important what you say, because you cannot sit on the sidelines and complain if you’re not participating.”

Fall musical, Sound of Music This year, the drama department is putting on the production of "The Sound of Music" from Thursday, Nov. 21 through Saturday, Nov. 23.

Senior Melissa Haubert, who will play one of the lead characters, Maria, says that the production schedule this year is very different from previous years, but the end result makes all of the work worth it.

“There’s way more practice than what I’m used to. You have a lot of responsibility on your hands,” Haubert said. “I just have a lot more lines to memorize and a lot more rehearsals to go to, but its really really fun, especially when you love the part that you’re playing.”

Flavored vape ban goes into effect On Wednesday Oct. 2, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s ban on the distribution and use of flavored e-cigarettes came into effect. Weeks later, assistant principal Geoffrey Young still questions the effectiveness of the ban.

“Ultimately, students will make positive change if they perceive a reason to stop doing something, and I doubt a ban on the sale of these items is enough to do that,” Young said.

Young doesn't believe that the Grosse Pointe Public Schools Board of Education should alter their vaping policy.

“I don't think those policies need changing,” Young said. “However, I see the district and our school continuing to amplify the education we do around vaping so that we help students want to make good choices.”

How the college admissions process might change as a result

By Syeda Rizvi, Michael Hartt & Emma Sanderson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PAGE EDITOR & INTERN Counselor Jennifer Sherman is concerned that students and parents may be more stressed throughout the college admissions process if the National Association for College Admission Counseling agrees to withdraw regulations from their code of ethics.

“I know the relief I hear from students and parents on May 1 when (the college admissions process is) all done,” Sherman said. “To keep that up in the air, when there could be benefits to it financially, it could also give it the feeling of being unfinished, and that causes stress.”

Sherman is, more specifically, referring to one of the four main alterations being proposed by the Justice Department, after an investigation found that the NACAC may be violating antitrust laws.

The antitrust investigation was prompted by concerns that the rules the NACAC created to control the college admissions process was limiting student’s options.

The first clause that the Justice Department is attempting to remove explains that colleges cannot ask to obtain transfer applications from the past year’s applicant pool. The only exception to this is if students have initiated an inquiry or if the college has confirmed before reaching out to students that they are either enrolled at an institution that allows transfer student recruitment from other schools or are not currently enrolled at any college. Therefore, if the rule was changed, colleges could contact students to transfer even after they begin attending college.

Senior Audrey Rakozy disagrees with this rule because of its unethical nature.

“I think if you are already attending another university then it would still be the students decision (to transfer), but I don't think it should be allowed (for universities) to poach students from other schools,” Rakozy said.

The next removal from the code of ethics involves a rule that states colleges cannot offer incentives exclusively to students that have applied or have been admitted under an early decision plan. For instance, if a student is admitted under early decision, they cannot be guaranteed special scholarships, dorming or financial aid packages.

Sherman said that she would support incentives for applying under an early admissions plan if it could offer students more money for college, but the rule change might give students a false sense of hope.

SYEDA RIZVI

“I just don't know how many students something like this will really impact,” Sherman said. “I am afraid that kids are going to think that they are going to get all of these (financial incentives) and I am not really sure that is going to happen.”

The last rule states that colleges must respect the final decision a student makes and therefore should not purposely recruit or offer alternative enrollment incentives to students who have already officially declared their decision by May 1. The only exceptions to this are students who are deferred to a waiting list, those who start inquiries themselves or institutions that have transfer programs. If the changes go through, colleges could continuously contact people who have applied to their school, but have chosen to attend another school.

The Justice Department also hopes to add a rule that states college choices must be free from coercion, and that students will have a

fair amount of time to decide which institute they want to attend. Once students do decide, colleges would not be allowed to contact the students again.

Social studies teacher Sean McCarroll thinks that if the university is public then it has some responsibility to follow government regulations such as these.

“If it is a publicly funded university, then there is an expectation, or should be an expectation that there is some regulation over it,” McCarroll said. “People are taking public funds and people should be held accountable.”

Sherman agrees, but doesn’t think that the governments harsh depiction of the NACAC is fully accurate.

“I have worked with NACAC a long time, being a high school counselor," Sherman said. "They have always put students first throughout the college admissions."

4 — Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — North Pointe

EDITORIAL

Our Editorial: “Truth Hurts”

AMELIA NOWICKI

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, around two thirds of kids will have consumed alcohol by their senior year. Around half will try marijuana, 4 in 10 will try smoking cigarettes and almost 2 in 10 will abuse prescription medicine without being prescribed between ninth and twelfth grade. These are high numbers. And although substance abuse in teens is at its all time low for the past 20 years, these are still frightening statistics considering overdoses among teenagers are the highest they’ve ever been, increasing by 16 percent per year from 2014-2017.

So despite the infinite resources offered to many kids at school, the internet and anti-substance campaigns like Truth, why do kids still fall victim to these harmful behaviors? The most obvious answer is that we don’t know what we’re doing. Caught in a difficult transition period full of hormones, insecurities and confusion, we often make the mistake of looking outside of ourselves to experience the comfort of validation.

We crave stability and self-confidence. Constantly searching for the easiest way to cope with the decisions and responsibilities we are suddenly held accountable for while also chasing the approval of others, drinking and drugs may appear to be a solution to both. Disguising fears and stress with the distraction of a high becomes a narrative all high schoolers are too familiar with, watching peers or even themselves fall down the slippery slope.

But no matter where you look, we are sold the message that drinking, smoking and getting high are necessary to have fun.

Adults warn us against their dangers, yet as soon as we turn to our screens we are bombarded by movies and posts depicting our favorite performer indulging in a cigarette or drowning their troubles away with the help of far too many drinks.

Not only is this idea reinforced by media, but it is also promoted by the companies that supply us. In the past year, vaping companies like Juul have come under fire for marketing towards teens with their fun and disarming flavors like mango and blue raspberry. Yet, a quick glance across the wall of your local liquor store will reveal popsicle flavored vodka and lemonade and liquor mixed drinks.

Everywhere we look, we are being sold the fantasy that alcohol, drugs and smoking are free of consequences, but according to the 70,237 teen drug overdose deaths in 2017, this is not the case.

In order to best keep high schoolers safe, our health programs need to include a curriculum that addresses substance abuse using a modern approach, not a 20-year-old video about Steven Tyler sobering up after a lifetime of rock-and-roll partying.

Teenagers don’t always start drinking because of peer pressure at the stereotypical party we see in the movies, and it’s time to stop acting like it is.

Teens need to understand the dangers of buying bootleg products that are produced completely unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration. They need to understand that addiction is often genetic and mixing alcohol and drugs with various personality disorders or medications is a toxic combination that could cost them their life. They should also provide emergency plan preparations to help kids escape dangerous situations such as ways to make it home, when to ask for parent intervention, estimates on the safest ways and amounts to drink, what to do in a situation you become suspicious that you’ve been drugged and more. We need more effort to be put forth to protect youths and it is time to start addressing this uncomfortable topic in order to protect an entire generation from avoidable deaths and addictions.

Don’t cry over spilled blood MY TURN

By Brandon Miller

INTERN Audiences often claim that the integration of violence in movies will inevitably bleed brutality into the real world. However, it is only with the release of this year’s “Joker” that we could clearly see the impact media plays in society. In the United States, movie theaters looked more like TSA lines at the airport instead of people trying to go watch a movie, as patrons walked through metal detectors and armed guards.

Hysteria surrounding the influence of violence has stigmatized much of modern pop culture, including other forms of media such as video games, music and books. Some of this stigma can be seen in cases dating back to the 1950’s with the Comics Code Authority, a regulation of comic content used by advertising companies, which was only abandoned as recently as 2011.

Evidently, this has always been a problem, but now police have gotten involved on multiple occasions, thus opening the floodgates for anyone to complain about violence in movies and get their way.

There’s nothing wrong with people voicing their opinion. But fear-mongering to stop people from going to enjoy entertainment is unacceptable. The controversy around “Joker” revolves around the violence portrayed and the detailed perspective of a serial killer. However, after seeing the movie, viewers don’t have a basis to call the main character a protagonist. He is not the hero of the story. His actions are still portrayed as being wrong, and there is no glorification of violence. If people were to view the content they complain about before advocating for a ban, it would lessen the controversy and more accurately portray the content and message.

Violent media has always been under scrutiny by the masses, but there has never been any dispute this intense over a movie’s security. In the future, I hope this trend of good films getting dragged through the mud doesn’t continue, because not only does it shelter viewers from real-world issues, but it creates an over-sensitive environment that strips them of their worth.

YOUR TURN: Do you think the ARK policy is effective or beneficial to our school?

By Zshaquira Boyd INTERN

FRESHMAN RAYNA HOLLEY: “I don’t think so, because I’ve heard from a lot of people when they go down (to the ARK) that it’s actually really nice and fun down there.”

TEACHER JENNIFER SPEARS: “I feel like I’ve noticed its effectiveness when I send students down, and honestly I haven’t even had to send them a lot. Sometimes students just knowing that The ARK exists and that they better not go, like that’s enough of a deterrent.”

JUNIOR WILL ECKERMAN: “No, I don’t think the policy is efficient. I don’t think people get scared of it, and honestly, I don’t really know anyone that’s been down to the ARK. I don’t think it’s really doing anything to stop people.”

TEACHER BENJAMIN GODWIN: I have not experienced anything quite like that program where I’ve been, but I have had to send very few kids down and no one a second time. I think that great things are happening because of the program and the hard work that’s being done.

Correction: The earlier version of the Saucy’s review misidentified the take out restaurant as being the sports bar, Te Roma. AP Computer Science Principles was previously identified as part of the Science department. It is part of the Science and Technology department.

ON CAMPUS

By Hannah Zalewski MANAGING EDITOR

North Pointe — Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — 5

MONSTER MASH

On Wednesday, Oct. 30 Varsity baseball and softball programs put on a Halloween Monster Mash event. Varsity athletes, dressed in spooky attire, competed against one another to boost community. Accompanied by a skills contest, a halloween costume contest and trunk or treat students young and old had the opportunity to be involved.

HANNAH ZALEWSKI

HANNAH ZALEWSKI

HANNAH ZALEWSKI

TUTU TROT| Sophomore Maraina Smith races to first base. “I've been playing softball for like my whole life,s and it's a big part of my life,” Smith said. “I just thought it'd be fun to come out and support the guys.”

READY TO SWING | Senior Jenna Janson steps up to the plate. Janson decided to be involved because she said the festivities unite the softball and baseball programs. “It is something that we all love to do. And stuff we all love to do, all year round, so it's fun to do it together.” Janson said.

HANNAH ZALEWSKI

GET TO HOME | Junior Chris Marshall sprints towards home. Marshall said he is glad he got involved because he enjoyed playing with his teammates. “I thought it'd be good for the community, get the baseball team and the softball team out and just have a good time.”

HANNAH ZALEWSKI

SAFE | Senior Drew Henderson lands on first base seconds before the opposing team can force him out. Although this year encountered difficulty with the weather and scheduling conflicts, Henderson said he thinks next year people will continue to get involved. “It's our first year doing it and obviously we're trying to get as much publicity as possible towards this event and I think it has a lot of potential in the coming years.” Henderson said.

HANNAH ZALEWSKI HANNAH ZALEWSKI

BATTER UP | Senior captain Danny Duquet warms up to bat. Duquet, who dressed up as a go-go dancer, said he thinks the game was successful experience for everyone. “It was all just for fun. We had a good time and it brought the kids out and that's really what mattered was to give them a good time,” Duquet said.

OUT | Varsity baseball coach David Martin catches a fly ball. Martin hopes the programs give back to the community. “We just wanted to find a nice opportunity to give back to the younger kids, the next generation Norsemen coming through the ranks and we always thought this was real fun.”

6 — Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019 — North Pointe

IN-DEPTH

ARK addition attempts to By: Farrah Fasse & Michael Hartt PAGE EDITORS

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MICHAEL HARTT

If a student is using their phone during class when it’s not approved by the teacher, most times they will get a warning to put their phone away. If the behavior continues, the teacher can choose to send the student down to the ARK for incongruity with the Off and Out of Sight policy with a light green pass specific to being sent to the ARK.

MICHAEL HARTT

After being sent down, students check in on a computer near the door, according to Murawski “They’ll come in, they sign in on the computer that helps us keep track,” Murawski said. “We want to know what hour of the day students are coming, (the) reason that they’re coming down for, because we’re gathering data just so that we can learn more about … the work that ... we’re doing here.”

This year, students were introduced to a new disciplinary action before being sent to the main office: the ARK. The ARK, which stands for accountability, restoration-minded, kid-friendly and kindness, is run by behavioral specialist Rebecca Murawski. Murawski was one of the leading founders of the ARK, which began as a result of the statewide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports framework — an initiative designed to prevent problematic behavior, develop pro-social skills and use data-based problem solving for addressing existing behavior concerns, according to the Michigan Department of Education website. However the PBIS framework and the ARK differ from most behavioral intervention strategies as they both provide a positive focus for encouraging desirable student behaviors.

Murawski explains that the ARK is not intended to be viewed as a punishment, but instead, an opportunity for students to get the assistance needed to change their behavior before any further consequences are given.

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“(The ARK is) restorative,” Murawski said. “So, we want to try and restore the student’s relationship with their teacher, and restore the student’s relationship with their education.”

This positive restorative action was implemented in the state’s PBIS system after several studies found it improved students’ attitudes towards school.

One of these studies, conducted by Catherine Bradshaw at the John Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, found that schools trained in schoolwide PBIS implemented the model with high constancy. They also had significantly less student suspensions and office discipline referrals than schools who continued to respond to disorderly students as they had before the study.

Murawski also explains that the ARK allows for teachers to effectively discipline students without having to disrupt other students’ learning.

“When a teacher, sometimes in that moment (doesn’t) have time to have a five or ten minute conversation with the student, (the ARK) is a place where they can come, and I or Lauren Klein, who also works in the ARK, can have that conversation and hopefully help that student get back to class ready to learn,” Murawski said.

MICHAEL HARTT

Murawski said that the next step is communication. She talks with the student to understand why they were sent down to the ARK, and then she speaks with the student’s guardian.

“Once we kind of figure out what’s going on, whatever the reason that they are here for… we call home to partner with families,” Murawski said. “I let the parents know, (the students are) not in trouble when they come here.”

North Pointe — Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019 — 7

IN-DEPTH

reform behavior in school Junior James Liagre has been sent to the ARK a total of two times this year for phone-related transgressions. He agrees with Murawski on how the ARK is designed for rehabilitation purposes, rather than just a place to get chastised. After being sent down, Liagre had a conversation with Murawski regarding ways he can prevent any further issues, and was appreciative of the fact that, during their conversation, he was not treated in a condescending manner. Liagre said that the implementation of the ARK as a new resource for students is overall beneficial, and even believes that, after his two visits to the ARK, his behavior with phones in class has improved. “(It was) just talking about how you could avoid the situation,” Liagre said. “...they’re really respectful about it.” Many of the behaviors that warrant being sent down to the ARK are ones that are less detrimental to the safety and integrity of those at school.

Murawski believes that these behaviors can be solved with a less severe approach, like initiating a conversation about the wrongdoing, rather than a student being sent to the office for a consequence. According to Murawski, these include, but are not limited to, defiance of the Off and Out of Sight policy for phones, dress code violations and noncomformatory behavior in the classroom. Previously, the severity of reprimandation or consequences for some of these behaviors were left up to the discretion of teachers, and the addition of the ARK allows for consistent solutions for deviant behavior.

Although Murawski admits that even though students’ behavior in school may not be completely ameliorated after one visit to the ARK, she says that the conversations with students are a step in the right direction. Parents are contacted when their child is sent to the ARK, which allows them to be more informed about their child’s conduct on a less serious level before a student is given a higher consequence, such as a detention or an office referral.

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We want to try and restore the student’s relationship with their teacher, and restore the student’s relationship with their education.

“...Every single parent communication that I’ve had has been positive,” Murawski said. “They’re so happy that we have this program, that there’s someone else there to help their student talk through things (and) figure out what they can do better next time.”

Assistant principal Catherine Vernier acknowledges that one visit to the ARK will not completely rehabilitate students’ behavior. However, Vernier sees the ARK as a method that is less about teaching students what not to do, and is moreso about enabling students with the skills to make the right decisions in school.

“I think that (the ARK is) about making better choices, and that’s the goal, but sometimes it happens right away and sometimes it doesn’t,” Vernier said. “I really believe learning sometimes takes time and it takes multiple conversations and it takes really understanding each others perspectives.”

Contributing: Joleigh Jackson & Autumn Peck

REBECCA MURAWSKI BEHAVIORAL SPECIALIST

MICHAEL HARTT

If a student is sent to the ARK for a phone-related transgression, they’ll be required to send a picture of a sheet detailing the phone policies to their guardian. Murawski said that this is an additional step of communication that allows guardians to speak to their children specifically about phone related transgressions.

Additionally, she said it assures that the student knows what the

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MICHAEL HARTT

For their first offense, students will have to hand over their phone for the remainder of the school day. For the second offense, students will have to hand over their phones for the day, and then check their phones in at the ARK for a second day as well. Finally, for the third offense, students have to check their phones in and have a guardian come into the ARK with them to pick the phone up.

Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — North Pointe — 8

LIFE The Boys of Summer

New school year, new clubs Hannah Zalewski & Hayley Zalewski MANAGING EDITOR & INTERN

MATT ESZES

ROCKIN' OUT| Although the band mainly performs at local restaurants, they have participated in competitions as well, including battle of the bands according to band manager Matt Eszes. "They played downtown at Kid Rock’s restaurant, in the battle of the band," Eszes said."They were in a couple battle of the bands in Sterling Heights too."

By Gabrielle Bielak & Michael Burns INTERNS Grosse Pointe is home to its very own youth rock band: The Boys of Summer.

This team of freshmen artists all grew up surrounded by music, and decided to officially come together in sixth grade. They specialize in classic rock tunes, from the 50s up until today, including several original pieces. The Boys of Summer began by jamming out in their basement, but soon they were at venues all across Detroit.

“There was a talent show at my school and I got a couple guys together, and we jammed for the show,” freshman Charlie Bomgaars said. “We thought it was gonna be a one time thing.”

After a mutual passion for ukulele developed into a passion for guitar, Bomgaars and freshman Nolan Eszes joined forces with musicians Sebastian Moncivias, Marco Cilano and Cooper Evans to form The Boys of Summer. Since they formed, they have played at Atwater, Cadieux Cafe, Watermark and even at the recent Detroit Marathon. Even if they still get nervous jitters, the boys continue to rock their venues and frequently get rebooked.

“I’m nervous all day. I’ve got a show tonight.

We didn’t practice as much as we should have, you know, but once we start playing, everything is beautiful,” Bomgaars said about performing with the band.

Sophomore Dulcinea Licavoli is excited for the band’s future after seeing them play at the North versus South tailgate. Licavoli was shocked by the quality of their performance, and was impressed with their musicality. She believes they have the potential to go far in the music industry.

“I mean, their music is really cool,” Licavoli said. “And I think that if they put a lot of hard work and effort into their band, they could go really far because they really do have a good sound.”

Eszes’ father, Matt Eszes, is the band’s manager and has been with them since the beginning. He has had a huge impact on the music they play by suggesting crowd favorites, and some of his own. Eszes can be recognized for doing all the behind the scenes work, including anything from organizing practices to booking gigs.

“The very first gig I booked was just me saying “Trust me, they're really good,” Eszes said. “But I kinda just contact the local restaurants and stuff, and convince them to let the boys play.”

The boys are excited to get their name out and share their love of performing. All of them speak highly of their accomplishments, and can’t wait to see what the future holds. One thing is for sure, The Boys Of Summer are serious about what they do, and will continue to show their love of music.

“We’ve got a big passion for our music. It’s one of our favorite things to do,” Noah Eszes said.

“It is just fun up there you know, we enjoy it.”

Senior Annie Fleming spent the summer preparing to introduce the student body to Turning Point USA— an economically conservative club that serves to educate and empower youth to fight for free market capitalism in America.

As Vice President, Fleming said she hopes the club will start serious conversations about youth involvement in economic and political policy.

“We just want kids and young adults to understand that the government doesn't have to control them,” Fleming said.

“They can have freedom to make their own financial choices if they’re educated properly.”

Fleming said that Turning Point USA will meet Tuesdays or Thursdays in room B221 after school. She encourages students from all political backgrounds who are interested in politics to come to a meeting.

“You can come to one meeting and if you like it you can stay and if you don't, you can leave,” Fleming said. “We understand that lots of people have different political views.

If you don’t believe what we say, we just ask that you try to keep it serious and not joke around if we’re having a serious discussion. But, we’re open to anybody coming.”

Senior and fishing club member Aidan Galeota says Social Studies teacher Brent Maynard decided to start a fishing club for himself and his group of friends who enjoy fishing.

“Mr. Maynard is a big time fisherman and, (I) fish now and then,” Galeota said. “He said he would help us out with some strategies and stuff… he’s a great guy. Who wouldn’t want to fish with him?”

According to Galeota the club meets every Thursday, but the location and time changes from week to week depending on the weather.

Although there are only seven members, Galeota says he enjoys being in a group and encourages anyone who likes to fish to consider becoming a member.

“If you just like having a good time, hanging out and fishing, come on,” Galeota said. “We need more people, so just join.”

Senior and Dirt Dwellers club president Lyndsay Kluge aspires to focus on trying to find and promote green methods of growing plants this year for her new club.

“Dirt Dwellers is a gardening and compost club that we started this year,” Kluge said. “Basically we’re going to use the greenhouse and we’re going to grow plants and it’s going to be fun. We want to do research on the different types of composting and other things.”

One of the main focuses for this new gardening club is to beautify the school, and they also plan to get connected

with the Michigan State University Master Gardeners.

According to Kluge, they have multiple projects lined up, including cleaning and planting in the greenhouse. She also said that it's very easy to join, and there will be multiple subgroups, so members will have a lot of freedom to make their own decisions.

“It’s going to be fun,” Kluge said. “I recommend joining. The more people we have, the more opportunities we’ll be able to have. If you’re thinking about joining, definitely come.”

IDEAS

On Pointe

What’s buzzing this month?

Grace Cueter & Marvin Robles INTERNS

TV Show

“World of Dance Live!” Tour is coming to The Fillmore Detroit on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. It will feature performances by some of the top dancers from the NBC “World of Dance” television show.

Tickets can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.com.

3Event

On Saturday, Oct. 25, Rex Orange County released a new album called “Pony.”

The album consists of ten songs, and is led by a single titled “10/10.” This accompanies a world tour for the album that begins on Nov. 12, in the United Kingdom.

North Pointe — Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019 — 9 grinchmusical.com

“The Morning Show” aired Friday, Nov. 1, on Apple TV+. It is a comedy-drama web TV show, and stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. The show will give an inside look of lives of daily television hosts IMDb.com and news anchors.

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“How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical,” is coming to the Fox Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 20, and will run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased on www. grinchmusical.com.

The Grosse Pointe Public Central library is having a used book sale. The sale will take place from Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. through Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m.

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The sequel to the popular movie “Frozen” premiers in theatres Friday Nov. 22. “Frozen 2” will star the voices of Kristen Bell (Anna), Indina Menzel (Elsa), Josh Gad (Kristoff) and Jonothan Groff (Olaf). In this movie Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf will venture out on an adventure far away from their kingdom of Arendelle.

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9TV Show tvseriesfinale.com

Season four of The Good Place premiered on Sept.

26, 2019. This will be the final season of the series, and will star Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, Jameela Jamil and more. In this final season, they will carry out their own experiment to see if humans really can get better after death (Rating 10+).

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The 53rd annual Country Music Association Awards will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 8 to 11 p.m. on ABC. This year’s hosts are Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton and Carrie Underwood.

10 Event

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Celine Dion is coming to Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. on her Courage World Tour. The concert will be her first Detroit appearance in 11 years. Tickets can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.com.

Detroit's annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot will take place on Thursday, Nov. 28.

There are three races to choose from: 5k, 10k and 1 mile. The 10k and mile begin at 7:30 a.m, and the 5k begins at 8:30 a.m. You can register at www.theparade. org/turkeytrot for $29-49.

10 — Wednesdsay, Nov. 6 2019 — North Pointe

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Saucy’s Pizza recently opened on 21215 Mack Ave, a perfect location for a pickup.

As you walk into Saucy’s, there’s not much to see, but that is far from the point. Saucy’s philosophy is to get you in and out with your pizza in minutes, and they do a darn good job of it.

While you may only be in Saucy’s for a few minutes, the atmosphere is not one you’ll forget. Smells of pepperoni and fresh dough make their way up as you walk to the counter, overcoming your senses, and the workers never

A slightly pleasant surprise

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By Victoria Wittenburg STAFF REPORTER Te Roma is definitely not where you want to go for a romantic evening or even a birthday celebration. However, it’s the perfect place for a casual and inexpensive outing. Although it isn’t a very visually pleasing establishment, inside or out, it

does have its perks.

The waitress that served me was extremely friendly and made pleasant conversation with everyone in my party. She was helpful and able to give my family and I insightful recommendations. She was also knowledgeable about many menu items and told us what was popular, as well as what they could do to tailor our meals to our liking.

The menu at Te Roma does not offer a large variety because it seems to specialize in two things: burgers and pizza. I ordered the Mexican pizza, which according to multiple staff members, is a crowd-pleaser. I also got an order of fries and popcorn shrimp.

It wasn't long before the Mexican pizza arrived, though I was informed that pizza typically takes longer than other items because it is baked fresh for each customer.

The pizza was a crispy four-corner deepdish covered in peppers, tomatoes and taco meat, along with a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It did not actually have sauce but it did come with spicy salsa and sour cream. The first bite was hot, delicious and certainly made an amazing meal to share.

As for our sides, the fries were less than impressive, tasting almost frozen, even though they were crunchy. The shrimp, on the other hand, was perfectly battered and fried. It was clearly never frozen.

The ambiance of Te Roma was less than impressive, wires bordered the ceiling and the carpet stained. The music was a little overwhelming and didn't really accommodate its crowd. With multiple games playing, athletic decor on the walls and even chairs that resemble courtside seating, the place is blatantly a sports bar.

Overall, despite not looking the nicest, Te Roma is unabridged with good food and friendly staff. I would recommend Te Roma and I can definitely see myself going there again.

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the leftovers from the bacon you had for your breakfast, and it wasn’t dry, like your mouth after an entire pack of saltines with no water. It was a perfect balance that only a good pizza could have, and enables some of us pizza lovers to scarf down an entire box.

However, I was not entirely pleased with the sauce. The flavor of the sauce is great, but you can do a little more—Saucy’s—it's in your name. Add a little more sauce for us and this pizza is golden.

On a better note, the dough was solid. It wasn’t too thick where it takes you 30 minutes to chew, but it also wasn’t so thin to the point where it felt like sad pita bread.

Despite other key components of a pizza, the flop may be the most important part. The flop is the difference between all the sauce and cheese falling onto your shirt or holding a piece of cardboard. While Saucy’s Pizza did have a good amount of it, I was able to walk away unscathed after eating with no signs of stains, thanks to Saucy’s perfect amount of flop.

Lastly, the crust. The crust propelled this pizza into the number one spot of my personal pizza power rankings. After I was full and finished eating, I wanted more crust. The crust is a big reason as to why I will be going back to Saucy’s, and a big reason as to why you should go get Saucy’s for dinner tonight.

Overall, Saucy’s is a 9.1 which is a great score: however this cannot be a 10.0 because it is impossible to create a perfect pizza.

"Tall Girl"

anz.newonnetflix.info

About: Jodi, the tallest girl in her school, falls for the new, dreamy foreign exchange student and soon realizes everything isn’t what it seemed.

Good: Humorous during some parts.

Bad: The film is overall boring and fails to have a plot that captures audiences’ attention.

Rating: 2

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By Colin Duffey STAFF REPORTER

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fail to greet you and ask, “What’s up?” Saucy’s ability to generate a welcoming atmosphere with good vibes makes it a top contender for a pizza place in Grosse Pointe within a month of its opening.

Placing an order is just as simple as ordering from your local Hungry Howies.

They provide two methods for ordering your pie: their official website or, for those who are puzzled by the idea of technology, you can dial their phone number into your rotary phone and order that way. Saucy’s website is simple and easy to figure out, kind of like your little brother’s math homework. When you pull it up, you are showered with their complete menu, forcing you to think about what type of pizza you’re going to bring home for dinner. They offer a variety of pizzas, ranging from the heavy “Meat Life,” which contains five different meats, or if you’re really feeling yourself, the “Aloha,” which oddly has pineapple listed as a topping (something that should absolutely not be in the same conversation as pizza). Aside from the menu, they offer various tabs to make your life as easy as possible while ordering your pie, and they even included a “Call Us” tab if somehow their incredibly simple website confuses you.

Now down to the ‘za. I ordered a simple cheese pizza so I could compare it to the common idea of a perfect one. It contained the right amount of grease, meaning it wasn’t doused with

Mini Reviews

By Jamison Townsend INTERN

“Over It”

rap-up.com

About: Summer Walker gets honest about her relationship struggles through passionate vignettes and chill diary entries.

Good: Modern 90’s vibe and writing that sounds unique and personal but is relatable.

Bad: Sometimes feels repetitive and sounds similar her last project “Last day of Summer.”

Rating: 4.5

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REVIEWS "One bite, everybody knows the rules"

"iPhone 11"

apple.com

About: Latest generation of the iPhone with new camera features and a longer battery life.

Good: Updated ultra wide camera quality and battery life lasts up to 6 hours on a full charge with 4 GB of RAM. Bad: Although the camera quality is stellar, the rear camera is visually unappealing.

Rating 4.5

Wednesdsay, Nov. 6, 2019 — North Pointe — 11

SPORTS QUENCHING thirst, but ROTTING teeth Study shows link between sports drink intake and increased cavity rates "Your tooth anatomy itself can conamong athletes

By Amelia Nowicki, Cassady Pierzinski & Justin Vaughan PAGE EDITOR & INTERNS For junior I-Allah Shabazz, basketball season means training for hours on end. While working out on and off the court, he might consider turning to a variety of sports drinks, but studies have found an underlying threat with these beverages: cavities.

In a 2019 study conducted by the University College London Eastman Dental Institute, the research found that although Olympic and professional athletes reported more effective hygiene habits than the general population, 49.1 percent of those studied had untreated tooth decay. In addition, 87 percent reported regular sports drink intake, thus posing the question: Are the drinks to blame?

According to Dr. Peter Jost, D.D.S., the sugar that can be found in most sports drinks is a primary catalyst for cavities. When a cavity develops, the bacteria in the mouth reacts with food particles to form plaque, and the acidity in the plaque is what dissolves the affected tooth. He said the effects of sports drinks on teeth can be compared to decay-inducing drinks like soda.

The great college athlete debate

By Areion Swain INTERN

“When a kid comes in with a mouthful of decay, it’s usually from what they’re drinking,” Jost said. “Not so much what they’re eating because the f luid just kind of stays on the teeth.”

However, for many athletes, the benefits of these sports drinks can outweigh the risk of tooth decay. Gatorade, for example, is meant to replenish electrolytes during or after exercise in order to revitalize the body and prepare it for more activity.

Despite the appeal to athletes, Shabazz tends to avoid sports drinks due to the cramping and digestive effects of sugar during his high cardio exercises.

“I really just drink water, that’s the healthier drink,” Shabazz said, “I might drink Gatorade here (and) there, but that’s not a regular day-to-day thing.”

According to Jost and science teacher Elizabeth Michaels, there are multiple factors that play into one’s overall oral health, including genetic predispositions, diet or other diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.

The long lasted controversy surrounding whether or not college athletes should be paid still continues today; its severity is not lessened by the fact this topic affects all college athletes in America.

Money constantly surrounds collegiate players, with the whopping costs of tickets, jersey sales and nationally televised games. But where does all this money go? While the coaches are being paid millions of dollars to be on the sidelines, scheming plays and yelling at the players, it is the players who are the true entertainment. The fans pay to come see the players in action, cheering them on and sporting their jerseys.

So, why aren’t the collegiate players getting paid? For a long time, paying college athletes has

tribute to cavities, so some people are just unlucky in the way that their teeth are formed,” Michaels said. “Bacteria in general thrive on low pH and in sugar. Those two things together allow the bacteria to grow and exacerbate problems that might have already been there.”

When it comes to maintaining oral health, Michaels and Jost advise the best way to prevent or decrease the chances of getting a cavity is brushing one’s teeth at least twice daily, as well as flossing and using mouthwash. For Jost, preventative measures are the best bet at keeping teeth intact because there’s a certain point where a tooth can have too much cavity drilling and is unsalvageable.

In addition, Jost stresses dental hygiene as a major indication of what else is happening in the rest of the body, so it’s very important that people pay attention to what’s going on in their mouth and take care of their teeth.

“There’s so much you can do to keep your mouth healthy,” Jost said. “We’re here to do a job, but just like with your own general health — eating well, getting (enough) sleep, exercising — it’s the same thing with your mouth.”

been against the rules which ultimately deems them ineligible to play or to attend the university.

Some players though, struggle everyday financially and could truly benefit from receiving what many feel that they are entitled to. NBA player, and former Michigan State University athlete, Draymond Green tweeted that “Kids are going to sleep hungry, can’t afford ANYTHING yet these Universities are profiting off those same kids.”

This sheds light on how important the question of paying athletes is to not just us viewers and institutions, but to the personal lives of the players as well.

While many of these students get scholarships to pay for their respective school, that money really may not be enough.

Last year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association made nearly $1 billion of revenue off of these athletes while the students got nothing. Even if the contracts the athletes enter do not give them half as much money as they would make in the pros, they are still entitled to something due to these players being the reason why the money is rolling into the university. California recently passed a bill that will allow college athletes to be paid starting in 2023. This may be a step in the right direction, but this is only one state; there are many more that need to take action and give these students what they are entitled to. College athletes simply need to be paid for their contributions.

FIVE MINUTES WITH Math teacher Bradley Smith

By Robert Maddox INTERN Math teacher Bradley Smith has been in love with theater since he performed in his first musical in eighth grade. After that experience, he continued doing theater throughout high school and college. At the same time he discovered his passion for performance arts, he also found his vocation: teaching.

“I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in middle school because I loved helping my friends and doing math,” Smith said. “I think that there's a lot that goes into doing mathematics that I didn't necessarily learn growing up, and that I think kids don't realize what it means to do math.”

This may be Smith’s first year teaching, but he is no stranger to the classroom.

"For four years I got my undergrad in math at Northwestern and then I stayed one extra year to get my masters in education,” Smith said.

“Then I was student teaching in Evanston which is near Northwestern in Chicago.”

Smith is pushing himself to bring math into the real world and the The Knowles Teacher Initiative is helping him do it.

The fellowship is a non-profit program that consists of a group of 37 teachers, including Smith, that meets occasionally over the course of five years. The program awards grants to teachers within the fellowship for expenses associated with purchasing classroom materials, engaging in professional development, and planning over the summer months.

Overall Smith said that he has loved his time at this school.

“I love my colleagues. I love all my students,” Smith said. “It's been a good time.”

QUICK HITS Varsity Football with Brendan Cwiklinski

For senior and varsity football quarterback Brendan Cwiklinski, the football team should be able to pull it together for the last couple of games; to Cwiklinski, the team has not “meshed” together to be successful during games thus far. He believes the team can pull through with some victories if they work harder, engage with each other and lock together as one whole team.

“The season is not going as I planned … we really haven’t won a game,” Cwiklinski said. “But, we are trying hard, so we got that going for us.”

Overall, the season for Cwiklinski has been a challenge, but he still acknowledges that he has had instances of success.

“Personally, I’ve had an up and down season.

I’ve had some good moments, some bad moments, just a lot of that throughout the year.”

Although the team hasn't had any victories, Cwiklinski still has faith that his team members can pull it together and end the season with a victory.

“The team overall, we have the talent. We just haven’t meshed necessarily, but I think it’s there and we can pull it together the last two weeks and possibly pull out some victories.”

By Kourtney Walk INTERN

Varsity Cheerleading with Jada Laster For junior Jada Laster, varsity cheer is about teamwork and perseverance. She thinks teamwork leads to success and can help both individuals and the team as a wholein the overall long run.

“The team is good,” Laster said. “We have our ups and downs, but we still pull through for the games.”

Overall, Laster think she has played well in this sideline season. Even though the team may have their differences, she said she refused to give up on them and herself.

Although Laster asserts that the team always tries their hardest, they make sure they are enjoying themselves while working on perfecting their cheers, drills and feats.

“It’s going well, you know, we have fun on the sideline, we stunt, we tumble and we jump,” Laster said. “It’s really fun and we engage with the student section.”

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 Colin Duffy

Victoria Wittenberg DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Jessica Meyers Hayley Zalewski

INTERNS Phoenix Archer Gabrielle Bielak Zshaquira Boyd Michael Burns Grace Cueter Joleigh Jackson Robert Maddox Brandon Miller Autumn Peck 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 editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe Public School System.

We are a member of the Michigan Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center.

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