HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL Senior Erik Finger, an in-bound exchange student from Germany, tells a joke between performing songs at the coffeehouse.
In the Spotlight Students fight off jitters, take the stage during first Charity Week Story and photos by junior Reegan Saunders
EDITOR’S NOTE High School Confidential is produced by journalism students at Northville High School under the direction of English teacher Amy Baditoi.
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n Monday, March 5, students enjoyed coffee and refreshments, but the real treat was watching their peers perform at the Northville Charity Week Coffeehouse. The event was part of a weeklong fundraiser sponsored by the Northville Student Congress (NSC). Charity Week supported NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Along with the coffeehouse, the NSC organized a volleyball tournament, a charity dance and Mr. Mustang, a senior boy’s beauty pageant. Junior Megha Kunju, a member of Student Congress, explained what it was like to help put together these events. “Charity Week means the world to me,” Kunju said. “I got to organize
24 The ‘Ville
all of these cool events with people I love for an organization that benefits so many people.” Along with supporting NAMI, the coffeehouse provided a venue for students to express themselves in multiple ways, including song, poetry and dance. “It was incredible,” sophomore Addison Fites said. “Some of my friends performed who are fairly introverted, so it was a fantastic surprise to see them get on stage. Everyone did really well.” Fites also had the chance to take the stage, but not without some preperformance jitters. “Performing was a rush,” Fites said. “Everyone says I looked really confident, but I was actually having a nervous breakdown beforehand. As soon as I was on stage, I still felt
Freshman Tristan Presley plays guitar alongside his band “Tink and the Lost Boys”.
really anxious, but I had a great time in the end and hope to do it again soon.” As for Addison’s brother, senior Nicklaus Fites, the coffeehouse was an opportunity to try out some original material. “The song I performed was called Enthalpy,” Nicklaus said. “It kind of makes me nervous to play my own song, but I’m not close-minded to criticism or hate over it. If you like it, awesome. If you don’t, that’s all good, too.” Nicklaus is also the drummer for a new band called Tink and the Lost Boys. Other members include freshman Tristan Presley, sophomore Jack Fulton and senior Erik Finger. The coffeehouse served as the band’s first time playing in front of an audience. “Since I’ve been on stage before, it wasn’t really a difference,” Finger said. “Of course, we acted a bit more, but other than that, it was like band rehearsal. These three kids are my best friends, so it’s amazing.” Junior Kaitlyn Fox also played
(top) Sophomore Addison Fites sings her brother’s original song, “Enthalpy.” (above) Junior Megha Kunju is all smiles as she walks off stage after performing “No One Knows Me Like the Piano.”
an original song at the coffeehouse, but first, she had to finish writing it. The morning of the event, she decided on which song to sing but didn’t end up piecing together the accompaniment until after school. “When I got on stage, the piano was definitely what worried me the most,” Fox said, “But once I started singing, I was just caught up in the music. After, I just felt really proud of myself for being able to get up there and sing an original song.” Overall, the experience was unforgettable for Fox and many of the other performers. “I would definitely do it again. It was a lot of fun. Making music for people and entertaining brings me so much joy, and I would love to keep sharing it with people," Fox said.