North Pointe May 10 2013 by North Pointe

NORTH GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

SINCE 1968

POINTE FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013

Contract yields new tutorial expectations and guidelines LIFE

maria

Take a look into guys’ fashion and the price they pay for their beloved labels. Page 8

New teacher contract lays down tutorial guidelines: weekly checkups on students’ grades are required By Andrea Scapini assistant editor

BOYS LACROSSE

Tonight, 7 p.m. vs Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at North.

PROM

Saturday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at The Roostertail

SOFTBALL

Monday, May 13 at 4:30 p.m. vs Dakota at North.

GIRLS SOCCER

Monday, May 13 at 4 p.m. vs Stevenson at North.

GIRLS LACROSSE

Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. vs. Liggett at Liggett.

SPRING CHOIR CONCERT

Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. in the PAC.

ART SHOW

Begins Monday, May 20, ends Friday, in the lobby.

SENIOR CITIZEN PROM

Thursday, May 23 at 5 p.m. in the cafeteria.

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IDEAS

I knew I would never miss high school. But I never knew that, Regardless, I’d be leaving something, if not everything, behind.

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Page 7

The concept of an independent-study tutorial is taking on a new, less independent meaning. The newly-ratified district contract between the Grosse Pointe Education Association (GPEA) and the School Board provides a section specifically regarding high school tutorial. Along with creating and maintaining “an environment that is academically focused for all students,” the contract states that tutorial teachers are also expected to “consult weekly with each student regarding his/her general academic progress, including grades in classes.” In preparation for next year’s mandatory abidance to this rule, many teachers are beginning to follow it fourth quarter as a pilot. “Next year we’re all going to have to do this, so right now we want to find out what works well or what are some things we can do to fix other parts rather than start fresh next year and say, ‘Oh well let’s try this,’” interim Assistant Principal Michael Spears said. “Now we

will have tried it, and those teachers will give the rest of the staff feedback and ideas to make it better.” Classes are taking different approaches. Junior Eleni Doherty’s tutorial has a system of documenting weekly tutorial goals. More independently-minded students such as Doherty view this as too much of an inconvenience to be beneficial. “It takes up time from tutorial. I feel like I’m in fifth grade writing down goals for the week. I don’t need a teacher telling me whether my grades are good or not,” Doherty said. “I have Pinnacle email me when my grades are bad. I don’t need my teacher to tell me. Other teachers only know my grade for their class, so it’s just weird to have (my tutorial teacher) know all of my grades.” Other students agree and think that the new rules will not change current study habits. “I don’t think it’s effective. If a student is going to do their work, then they’re going to do it. A worksheet won’t change that,” sophomore Katie Roy said. “It seems like something that should be used more for kids that never stay on task and need to be more disciplined instead of a whole classroom that’s pretty much always focused.” On the other hand, some students find value in the enforcement of unplugging the headphones and staying off Twitter to focus on school work. “It’s a good way to make sure kids are kept

Can a smart phone be too smart? By Chris Elliott & Erica Lizza Staff reporter & intern

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up with their grades. It can be very beneficial to someone who doesn’t have the best grades. The tutorial teacher can help you out to see if there needs to be any help in any subject,” sophomore David Gerlach said. Social studies teacher Sean McCarroll is one who is taking part in the change this quarter. “It is a little inconvenient because I get 30 grade reports to review and sign and all that, but I can see it’s important,” McCarroll said. “I have a seventh-hour tutorial so a lot of times people just sit here on their phones and they’re not doing much, so it’s almost kind of a waste of time for them. I could see why it’s important especially because then we sit down and they’re held accountable for actually getting their stuff done.” The new enforcement of the tutorial rules may alter the way students decide to schedule next year, but it is still unclear what effect this will have. “We don’t know how this will affect student’s scheduling in the future. Will it increase tutorial? Will it decrease it? We don’t know. If I had to speculate, I would guess that there would be a slight decrease in tutorials when they know that there’s that expectation,” Spears said. “At the same time, I think some students may take tutorials knowing that they will be more guaranteed in the environment that they can work well.” see editorial paGE 7

Links program builds upperclassman leadership, freshmen receive guidance By Dayle Maas & Marie Bourke Editor & assistant editor

In a world where technology advances exponentially on a daily basis, users have been long pondering who is utilizing the information they choose to release. But users now risk the possibility of jeopardizing their privacy without knowing it by simply posting a picture. NBC Action News recently reported that smartphones attach a geotag to each photo posted when the device’s Location Services are turned on, giving the exact location of where the photo was taken. With this in mind, senior Christian Carlsen has decided to take extra precautions to ensure that his location is private. “I don’t have my photo map on for that reason because I don’t want people to know where I take pictures. I feel like any time you turn on Location Services, you’re exposing yourself to the Internet, and anyone can find out stuff about you that you don’t want them to. My Instagram is on private. I feel that keeps you safer from random people following you and using your information to harm you,” Carlsen said. Once the device’s camera Location Services are turned off, photos taken with that device no longer have a geotag, NBC Action News reported. Interim Assistant Principal Michael Spears is aware of scenarios in which giving out general location information could be dangerous. “You have apps like Foursquare, for example. Foursquare can be very dangerous because people link things like Twitter and Facebook accounts to it. So let’s say I check in at North on Foursquare. Somebody can go on Foursquare and see who is at Grosse Pointe North High School. They can click on my profile – and perhaps I have linked my Facebook to it – so there’s a link where you could see it, Adjust your privacy settings and choose which apps have access to your location by changing settings if that profile is public. You could find out a in your iPhone (top) or Android (bottom). lot of things about me. You could find out that Freshman Andrew Nurmi is wary of such I’m not home,” Spears said. “So, to me, the Location Services are more real-time dangers. data collection because of his uncertainty beIt’s the personal users. It’s the potential for cyber- hind why the data is retrieved in the first place. “I think it’s kind of creepy,” Nurmi said. stalking or personal safety being compromised.” Another growing fear among users is that “The way I see it, where I go should be my software companies – such as Apple, Android business. I don’t think that they would keep and HTC – constantly collect location data, track of my location with malicious intent, regardless of whether Location Services are but I feel that it is still weird and unnecessary turned on. Following their investigation, the for them to know where I am. Honestly, I don’t see Wall Street Journal reported that as an iPhone the point of them doing it, and I think it is wrong.” was moved from place to place, the device “concontinued on page 2 tinued to collect location data from new places” even after Location Services were turned off.

Frazzled and doe-eyed, freshmen are left to wander the halls on their first day of high school without knowledge of where to go or what to do. The upperclassmen seem to have this “high school” thing down, flitting around the hallways with speed and an air of superiority. Enter: Link Crew. Link Crew is an international program that assigns a leader to a group of freshmen to help them acclimate to the culture of high school. “It breaks down the walls – breaks down the comforts – but it’s really quick. The goal is to get them to realize ‘Hey, this is what I do in my life, and if I make school a better place, it’s gonna be a more enjoyable experience,’” English teacher Joe Drouin said. Chemistry teacher Kristen Lee said the only command freshmen are given on their first day is “Go, you’re in high school now,” and they don’t receive much other explanation. She wants freshmen to have something more than a planner and a list of rules to guide them through high school. “I think being an upperclassman, you can think of things like ‘Oh, I wish I had known that’ or ‘Oh, I wish someone had helped me with that,’” Lee said. “As freshmen, I think they’re kind of afraid to talk to teachers sometimes, so they have someone else to talk to.” Drouin, who just attended a training conference for the program, said Link Crew is much more than helping freshmen. “The misconception is that it’s geared towards freshmen,” Drouin said. “As the whole process goes, it puts a lot of onus on the juniors and seniors, or the Link leaders, and they get to really create the culture of the school, and it gives them some ownership in the school. It gives them a vested interest in where the school’s going.” Teachers heard about the program through the PLC Monday meetings. “I can’t say for anyone else, but I was looking for something to get involved in with students outside of the classroom. I teach some freshmen, not a lot, but I wanted to be able to help them,” Lee said. The program will start with next fall’s freshman class of about 350. Current sophomores and juniors have submitted applications to be chosen as one of the 70 student leaders. Two student leaders will be assigned to 10 freshmen. “We’re kinda tackling two ends of the scale here. We’re trying to help all the freshmen, but we’re also building leadership skills, which is why I think it’s such a great program,” social studies teacher Sean McCarroll said. continued on page 2

2 – Friday, May 10, 2013 – North Pointe

FIVE MINUTES WITH

news

Athletic secretary Laura Huff By Wendy Ishmaku staff reporter

Her mind is on marathons. It doesn’t matter if athletic secretary Laura Huff is buried in documents, accounting information and physical forms every day. She wants to be active. In addition to playing softball and golf and occasionally hiking, Huff has spent the past 15 years doing what she loves: traveling around the country to bike and run in different marathons. Huff has been staying active throughout her life and says her family has influenced that greatly. “We used to do a lot of camping, and so in turn, we’d hike. I never was a runner in high school or anything like that. I played on a travel team for softball in school.” She always wanted her kids to stay fit so Huff had to be a good role model and keep up her athleticism. “I’m actually doing a half marathon ... It’s in Indianapolis, and it’s called the ‘Mini in Indi,’” Huff said. In the past, Huff has traveled as far as Richmond, Virginia and will travel to New Mexico to compete with her husband this fall. “We’re both gonna do the Zoo-De-Mack bike race coming up in May as well, so we’re gonna do a 50-mile bike ride. It’s a lot shorter than you think because you’re gonna be going anywhere from 15 mph to 17 mph depending on the roads and how many people you’re running with, and we stop for lunch in between. The ride itself would probably take about 3 or 4 hours,” Huff said. She says the best way to keep herself motivated and participating in athletic events is by always signing up for new races. “That’s what keeps (my husband and I) going at it harder because I know that the last few weeks I’ve been out running 5-8 miles every other day trying to get ready for this 13-mile this weekend,” Huff said. “So having that carrot out there really helps motivate me to keep trying.”

Link Crew Continued from page 1

“We’re kinda tackling two ends of the scale here. We’re trying to help all the freshmen, but we’re also building leadership skills, which is why I think it’s such a great program,” social studies teacher Sean McCarroll said. Activities throughout the school year will be organized for freshmen and student leaders. “When they come in that first day, they’re going to have a half-day with their Link leaders, getting to know each other and pumping everyone up. I think as long as we get invested in their first day, that they’ll want to come (to more), or that’s our hope,” Lee said. Current freshman Marissa Segovia said if the program had begun this year, she doesn’t think a lot of freshmen would have followed it, including herself. “It depends on the activities. It depends on the view of the person I’m assigned to. It depends on how they go about doing it, in a way like ‘You need to do this,’ or ‘You need to do that,’” Segovia said. “As with any new program, there is bound to be some resistance by the students. One of the mottos of Link Crew is

Jeffrey Valentic

Athletic secretary Laura Huff thought she wanted to be a special education teacher but switched to athletics. Would you travel to a different country for sports? I would love to. We took my son’s rugby team to Ireland. We went for a whole week and played three international matches and had three training sessions with coaches and stuff, so it was cool. If there’s one place you would really want to go, where would it be? New Zealand. That’s one place that I think would be beautiful, and they have rugby there, and we’re a rugby family.

Do you have any other hobbies? My husband and I have a band, and I sing in our band.We play at Fishbones in St. Clair Shores, and we do festivals. We’re gonna be at cafes and the Motor City Casino and stuff like that, too.

Tracking services

vate information in general. The more a company knows about you, the more they will target advertising to you. We have a continued from page 2 capitalist country, and people are taking advantage. They don’t think there’s anyAccording to the oft-ignored Apple iOS thing wrong with it,” Spears said. 6.0 user agreement, when Location Ser“The danger is with individual use. I vices are turned on, “the location data and don’t think that the majority of companies queries collected by Apple are collected in that collect data from Location Services a form that does not personally identify are doing us any harm. I think if anything, you.” Apple states in this agreement that it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. “You may withdraw this consent at any They earn money, you get services that are time by going to the Location Services set- more targeted to your needs, likes, wants. ting on your iOS Device and either turn- It’s the individual users who find out ing off the global Locawhere you are or follow you.” “I feel like they tion Services setting or Carlsen, however, still sees turning off the individual this as an invasion of privacy. shouldn’t have the location settings of each “I feel like they shouldn’t right to go through have the right to go through location-aware item on your iOS Device.” our posts and use our our posts and use our perCritics of location sonal information to mapersonal information nipulate us into buying their tracking note the practice is contrary to the iOS to manipulate us into products. I know they are leSoftware agreement, so it gally allowed to do it because is difficult for users to de- buying their products.” not everything is set on pricide whether or not Apple vate, but it’s just ethically not is actually collecting inChristian Carlsen right,” Carlsen said. formation without conSenior Whether users find these sent. marketing behaviors invaIn his own research, Spears noticed the sive is a matter of perception; but ultiparanoia in software company location mately, the choice is in their hands, Spears tracking. explained: “It’s a hard topic to talk about. What’s “This is a philosophical thing for a lot out there is a bunch of people’s opinions. of people, their idea of what privacy is. A It was hard for me to sift out what was fact lot of people don’t want people to know and what was not,” Spears said. where they are or anything. They turn While Spears recognizes the risks of lo- off all that stuff. But a lot of people want cation tracking, he sees a greater privacy it out there. I have friends who use all of controversy in each individual’s digital those things. To me, it’s a personal choice. footprint (the total data each person re- It’s more about being aware of what could leases to the Internet) and how advertis- happen, and that in certain circumstancing companies use this to their advantage. es, there is danger.” “It’s not just Location Services, it’s pri-

When you were younger, did you know that you wanted to be around sports? I started going to school to be a special ed teacher. I was a counselor for CBT (Camp Begin Together)... so I did that for a few summers, and that’s what I wanted to do.

‘Challenge by Choice,’” Drouin said. “Some incoming freshmen may choose to be uninvolved, but if they choose to not be part of a positive experience, it is their choice to not challenge themselves to become better students and, eventually, better members of the community.” Junior Sydney Rozycki, a potential student leader, said she would have appreciated a program like this as a freshman and wants incoming freshmen to be comfortable in high school. “I hope to help the freshmen accomplish confidence and that they can do anything they put their minds to. No opt out,” she said. “Specifically, I want them to know that every single grade counts towards their entrance to college, so they should work hard no matter what type of friend influences are around them.” Though only those leaders selected from the pool of applicants and incoming freshmen will be involved next year, Link Crew’s goal is to have school-wide involvement in future years. “Link Crew is a huge endeavor,” Drouin said. “The first year it will affect about onethird of the student population; after three years, 100% of the student population at GPN will be affected by the program.”

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Great Frame Up showcases art students On April 24, art students from North and South participated in the Great Frame Up Creative Self Expression Show. Heather Burgess, owner of The Great Frame Up on Mack Avenue, sponsors the art show each April. “In her store, she collects 20 artworks to be framed from North and 20 from South. Then she frames them for the students for free, and then she puts them up in her store,” art teacher Robert Thies said. Students whose artwork was chosen have a chance to win $50. A chosen winner’s artwork will go to the national Great Frame Up show. There, the winner could win $5,000 and a trip to New York to work with an artist. “It is a juried show, so the work is judged going into the show because we are only allowed five drawings, five paintings, so only five in each category,” Thies said. This year’s winners were: Grace Tallerek (Painting Best in Show), Jordan Jackson (Drawing Best in Show), Kaylee Dall (Sculpture/3D Best in Show), Breanna Cochran (Photography Best in Show) and Tess Kolp (Graphic Design Best in Show).

on campus

North Pointe – Friday, May 10, 2013 – 3

Frappe Friday chills down students as the weather heats up

DECA international finalist qualifies Seven DECA members traveled to Anaheim, Calif. last week to participate in DECA’s International Career Development Conference. Juniors Grant Strobl, Brigitte Smith and John Kusch along with seniors Joe Dueweke, Kim Cusmano, Matt Giacona and Jackie Berndtson were accompanied by their DECA adviser Michelle Davis and her sister, Joanne Truza. All seven members participated in various skill-building events over the trip, such as taking written tests and role playing business situations. Giacona walked away as an international finalist. For fun, the group went to Disneyland and also traveled into Hollywood for a day, where they saw a taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and got the chance to meet Tom Cruise on the set. “Walking around Disneyland and hearing kids shout ‘DECA!’ is a very unique experience,” Berndston said, adding that meeting Cruise was the highlight of the trip. “It was very bittersweet to finish my DECA career after four years. DECA is something I’d recommend to every student – it prepares us for the business world, and it’s just a lot of fun.”

Seniors go Motown for last concert The choir will showcase their seniors at the Motown-themed concert May 17 and 18. Each of the 36 seniors in choir will be given an opportunity to sing a solo. “I hope all of them (perform). Not all of the seniors always choose to sing a solo, which I’m totally fine with. They can if they want. If not, it’s not a requirement,” choir director Ben Henri said. Senior Catherine Gattari is a four-year member of the choir. She is singing “Laurie’s Song” by Aaron Copland. “It has to do with graduation, so it fit, and I listen to rap music, so I didn’t really think going on stage with “Make it Nasty” was a good idea,” Gattari said. She believes that her four years and hard work has earned her a solo. “I think that you need to work for it, and it shouldn’t just be handed to you, but it’s a good opportunity that if you want a solo your senior year, you get an opportunity,” she said.

Class of 2014 hosts garage sale The Class of 2014 will be holding a garage sale and bake sale on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in North’s main parking lot. “Our parents and class members initiated the idea,” 2014 class adviser Frank Tymrak said. “We decided on a garage sale because it’s something different, and it appeals to a lot of people,” junior class president Michelle Austin said. The low expense of holding a garage sale also drew the class to this fundraiser. “A lot of people have a bunch of stuff that they don’t need and can get rid of. So instead of buying something new, and having that as an expense, we’re getting all free stuff that people are getting rid of, so it’s at like no expense for us,” Austin said. The main goal of this event is to offset the costs of senior year. “We don’t have a specific goal … Hopefully enough to make up for what we didn’t make at MORP,” Austin said.

Faces in the crowd

By Anu Subramaniam staff reporter

The school day caffeine demand has now been met with lunchtime frappuccinos. The Italian Club and Class of 2016 are providing a midday pick-meup to get students through the rest of the day. TOP LEFT: Sophomore Michael Marchiori pours the coffee mix into a bowl with ice. “Mainly Mrs. (Pat) Gast came up with the idea, but we helped develop it into something that can help fundraise for both causes,” Marchiori said. BOTTOM LEFT: “it’s a creative and new way to raise money for the freshman class,“ freshman Vickie Blaine said. Blaine and fellow freshman Nicole Valenzano pour frappuccino mix into cups to be sent to customers. BELOW: “I love frappuccinos, and I really think it’s going to catch on,” junior Marty Brown said. Brown puts sugar and other toppings onto his frappuccino. BOTTOM: “it’s a really good idea, something different, that a lot of people would like,” freshman Stephanie Godoshian said. Godoshian and freshman Sydney Eger hand cups to customers after adding desired toppings.

Zach Werenski

Although hockey started as something to simply occupy his time, sophomore Zach Werenski now has the chance to achieve the dream of many hockey players as he joins the U.S. Men’s National Hockey Team. Werenski said his ambition helped him push forward and that he is always looking to improve. “My dad put me in hockey from an ad in the paper he saw,” Werenski said. Werenski has been offered a verbal contract to play with the University of Michigan’s Men’s Hockey Team after he completes his high school career. However, he is left with another opportunity to play with the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after high school as well. Werenski was drafted earlier by the Knights. He was 24th overall as a second-round pick. “It’s an even race right now,” Werenski said. Werenski said he still has two years to determine where to go and which opportunity will be best for him in the end. Hoping to go far in his hockey career, Werenski wants to reach The National Hockey League (NHL). Werenski said he is departing from his Norseman life and transferring to Ann Arbor Pioneer High School next year to be closer to the National Team, which resides in Ann Arbor.

Laurel Kreuter

Freshman Laurel Kreuter always finds time to write in her room about her life’s experiences in pleasant solitude, despite the fact that she said she would otherwise be with friends. But, the time shared with friends is what influences her to write. Kreuter said she has a range of writing topics, from ideas about her obsessions – fashion and music – to the stray thoughts she wants to capture while spending time with her friends. “When it’s warm outside, we all go out on the trampoline at night, lay on the trampoline, and we literally talk about the most random things ever,” Kreuter said. Despite spending afternoons making memories with her friends, Kreuter still finds time to document her endeavors through writing. “Whatever comes into my head, I just need to write it down on paper, or else I forget it and get really mad at myself.”

Emily Surzyn

Playing the role of a chorus townsperson, Emily Surzyn’s performed her first musical in Brigadoon. Despite being her first play, Brigadoon should just the start to Surzyn’s theater career. She plans to audition for the Grosse Pointe Theater’s summer play Gypsy. Along with that, she wants to do the school play at North next year. Brigadoon taught work ethic that Surzyn said she was not previously acquainted with. “We had rehearsal every day after school for three hours, for three months,” Surzyn said. But Surzyn said making new friends ultimately warranted all of her hard work. “I really liked bonding with everyone because when you spend that much time with everyone, everyday, you become close to everyone. It was just nice to have such good companionship with everyone.” She describes the feeling of seeing that last curtain closing, “bittersweet.” “You’re really happy that it’s over with so you don’t have that much stress anymore, but at the same time you’re kind of sad because it’ll be the last time you ever perform that.” By Caelin Micks, Katelyn Carney, Emma Puglia & Luke Sturgill

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4 – Friday, May 10, 2013 – North Pointe

QUICK HITS senior’s track season cut short Senior Danny Ciaravino’s high school running career has come to an unfortunate halt. After suffering an ankle injury, Ciaravino was forced to put his running shoes back on the shelf. “I tore a ligament in my right ankle to such an Sean O’melia extent that the bone on one end of the ligament was fractured off, being pulled by the ligament,” Ciaravino said. “I was skateboarding, did a varial kickflip (several times successfully) and on the last time, landed on the side of my ankle with all my weight.” Currently going through physical therapy, Ciaravino has had to come to terms with the possibility of an end to his final track season at North. “It was certainly difficult to deal with initially. The fact that I will most likely not finish my senior track season was not an easy truth to accept,” Ciaravino said. “However, I realized that I had an important choice to make: either continue to be upset, bitter and destructive or stay positive, look forward, and realize I’m still running in college, and do everything I can to make the best of this unfortunate occurrence. I chose the latter.” Though challenging, Ciaravino stays positive about his situation and looks forward to his future running career at either Aquinas College or Wayne State University. “My desire is to race at least one more time before my high school career is through,” Ciaravino said. “Even if the rest of this doesn’t work out the way I’d like it to, I’m still running in college, so through this all, I still have something to look forward to.”

Junior stays focused despite eye condition By Izzy Ellery & Mallika Kanneganti assistant editor & staff reporter

When junior Tom Vismara visited Taco Bell with his mom in eighth grade, he didn’t know that his athletic career would soon be affected. There, he read a sign incorrectly, drawing attention to his impaired vision. After a trip to an eye doctor, Vismara was diagnosed with keratoconus, a condition that causes the cornea of his eye to form a conelike bulge, worsening his vision. His father has the same condition in one eye, but Tom has it in both. Vismara plans to have a procedure in July called collagen cross linking, which should stabilize his corneas so the condition doesn’t worsen. If the procedure is unsuccessful, he will eventually receive a cornea transplant in his adulthood. Vismara currently copes using eye drops and hard contacts. He uses the drops at least five times a day to moisturize his eyes. The hard contacts help improve his distorted vision, as soft contacts and glasses are useless against keratoconus. His condition made baseball difficult for him, prompting him to quit. After quitting, he decided to pursue tennis and golf, sports that weren’t impacted as much by his condition. “When someone hit a ball, I couldn’t see it, so that kinda makes it difficult. I mean, in some sports like baseball and stuff ... I probably wouldn’t have (been able to reach my full potential as an athlete), but for golf, it definitely makes it harder, but I can still be pretty good at it,” Vismara said. This golf season, though, he was in for a change, finding that his vision had worsened since last season. The MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) approved of Tom having a spotter – usually a parent – follow him and give visual information, such

Sean O’Melia

Junior Tom Vismara was diagnosed with an eye condition affecting the cornea called keratoconus. “It hasn’t really like been all negative, like most of the time it doesn’t even bother me … I definitely try to (ignore it) as much as possible, to not let it bother me. I mean sometimes it still gets frustrating but like it doesn’t usually bother me,” Vismara said. as the location of the ball and the flagstick. Vismara’s spotter and his coaches have made dealing with keratoconus easier. “My coaches have been really supportive through it, really, and if I mess up because of my eyes, they never hold it against me or anything, and they try to help me as much as they can,” Vismara said. Varsity golf coach Brian Stackpoole takes pride in his player. “He took a huge step last year, and he’s been playing really well this year as far as his ball striking,” Stackpoole said. “I think it’s definitely an adjustment for him. Earlier in the season, it was something that he really had to get used to playing with. I think he’s

really come through in that way.” Stackpoole also sees the positive impact it has left on Vismara and the team. “It just makes me so proud to see someone who wants to work so hard and is willing to overcome adversity because he just loves playing golf,” Stackpoole said. It may seem like the condition would only worsen his athletic ability, but Vismara has been able to acknowledge the positive effects. “It’s helped me, like, persevere through things and make me work harder, and I found different things that I liked that won’t change with my eyes. I can do them no matter how bad they get,” Vismara said.

Senior girls sign this week to play college sports

By Sean O’Melia Staff Reporter

traverse city soccer tournament The girls varsity soccer team played in the Traverse City Soccer Invitational Allison Fly

sean o”melia

Kit Maher, Albion College, lacrosse

Courtesy of the quain family

“We all get along really well and have pasta parties before our big games,” junior Phoebe Dodge said. “It was our first time there. We won all three games.” Tournament May 4 and went undefeated, beating Traverse City West 4-1, Traverse City Central 7-1, and Holland High 2-1. Regina also went undefeated, but the tournament did not have a championship round as the games will count as part of the regular season in preparation for playoffs. The team left school at noon on May 3 in order to be at practice at 6 p.m. and prepare for the games the next day. “We’re just playing a three-game tournament to improve on our skills and get better. Also, I think our coach wants us to build team bonding,” junior Andi Held said beforehand. “We’ve had a slow start, but we’ve been working harder and getting stronger as a team and really improving. We’re hoping this tournament will help showcase our skills.” Three players from every team were chosen by the coaches for the Tournament Team to honor the players that had the most impact on their games. The three girls chosen from North were seniors Chrisa Kouskoulas, Kim Cusmano and Emily Armbruster. “Christa Kouskoulas scored 10 goals and, in my opinion, was the best player of the whole tournament on any team,” coach Skip Mukhtar said. “Kim Cusmano scored one goal and had 2 assists. Emily Armbruster also had a really good tournament overall.”

By Amanda Berry & Sarah Schade

North Pointe: How long have you been playing lacrosse? Kit Maher: I’ve been playing since freshmen year. NP: Why did you start playing lacrosse? Maher: I heard about lacrosse on North’s announcements freshman year and thought I’d go to conditioning to see if I liked it. I was scared because I had no idea how to play, but I went anyway and ended up loving it. NP: What position do you play? Maher: I play either defensive or offensive middie. It switches. NP: Who has been your biggest influence to play? Maher: I’m most inspired by my sister, Laine. She’s a D1 varsity rower for Wisconsin and has this amazing competitive spirit. She’s driven by her will to succeed and never gives up. Whenever I’m in a tough practice or game I think of what Laine would do, and it makes me play that much harder. NP: Why do you love lacrosse so much? Maher: I like lacrosse because it’s fast paced. I’ve been playing for four years now, and there’s never been a moment when I’ve been bored. It always keeps me interested. I’m so grateful I get to continue playing the sport I love in college. NP: What was your first reaction to Albion? Maher: Albion wasn’t really on my radar when applying to colleges. I would have never guessed I’d be going there, but when I visited I fell in love with the school and made strong connections with the players and coaches. Sometimes the things you least expect in your life turn out to be just what you’re looking for, and that’s what I found at Albion. NP: What is the hardest aspect of lacrosse? Maher: For middies, you have to run back and forth a lot to play defense and offense, so running back and forth is the hardest part for me, the endurance throughout the game, and to keep pushing even when you’re really really tired.

Breann Reveley, Oakland University, volleyball

North Pointe: How long have you been playing volleyball? Breann Reveley: I have been playing volleyball since I was in third grade. I started out playing for the Neighborhood Club and then when I was in fourth grade I was on the fifth and sixth grade CYO team for Star of the Sea. NP: Why did you start playing volleyball? Reveley: It looked like a fun sport and when I was little I liked to try every sport. Plus a lot of my friends were playing. NP: What do you most like about playing volleyball? Reveley: That’s a hard question. I just really love the sport and the doors it has opened for me and all the people I have met and formed friendships with. Volleyball is my happy place. I love to be in the gym either playing or coaching. It’s just such a fun sport. NP: What position do you play? Reveley: I am a rightside hitter and an outside hitter. NP: Who has been your biggest influence to play? Reveley: My parents have been my biggest influence to play. They really encouraged me to try out and play and I ended up loving it. They continue to influence me to play. Also, my sister, she always pushes me to get better and always expects the best out of me. NP: What was your first reaction to Oakland? Reveley: I really liked Oakland. Its a great school with a beautiful campus and very strong academics and sports. I kept learning more about Oakland and I kept falling in love with the school and all it had to offer. NP: What made you chose Oakland? Reveley: I chose Oakland because I absolutely love my coaches and teammates and the school. It was just the right fit for me. NP: What is the hardest aspect of volleyball? Reveley: One of the hardest parts is probably having to learn how to read the other side when they hit. You have to learn to watch their arms, elbows, body movement and their arm swings so you can be in the right place to dig the ball.

Cancellations cool down the spring season By Jennifer Kusch Staff Reporter

Girls tennis Varsity: 2 matches & 1 tournament JV: 4 matches, 10 practices Girls soccer Varsity: 1 game JV: 1 game Freshmen: 2 games, 5 practices

Due to some un-spring-like weather this season, most sports have had to cancel multiple practices, games and matches. Girls lacrosse Varsity: 3 games JV: 3 games Track 2 meets Invitational

“It has been difficult to say the least. It’s hard to simulate and practice field events and hurdles in the snow, sleet and rain... you don’t want an athlete to get hurt when doing so. We’ve had more than usual indoor practices and pool workouts than in years past.”

“We’ve only had four or five practices outside on the courts, and so they aren’t able to develop as much. We really just need that time to work on skills and improve, but there’s nothing you can do about the weather.”

Track coach Bruce Bentley

JV tennis coach Anne Foster

Cr e ati ve p r o m “ask s ” o f 2013

Life

North Pointe – Friday, May 10, 2013 – 5

For girls, it’s the pressure to find the right dress, makeup and hairstyle. For guys, it’s all in the asking. They have to be cinematic. They have to stand out. Take a look at a few creative invitations from this prom season.

Just for kicks: friends go to prom Senior Jack Stapleton found something senior Christa Kouskoulas lives for – soccer – and then did something out of the ordinary. “I didn’t do the normal ‘ask the friend out.’ I just went and did it because I am a rebel,” Stapleton said. Gluing gems to an item that represented her passion Stapleton devised this to be the perfect idea. “He gave me a soccer ball that was pink and purple – very cute – and it had “Prom?” bedazzled on it,” Kouskoulas said. “I love Jack. He is such a good human being.”

By Caelin Micks & Katelyn Carney Interns

Jumbo prom After two years of dating, senior Patrick Lane and junior Jessica Gabel are finally going to prom together. Lane asked her on the Jumbotron at the Joe Louis Arena during a Red Wings hockey game. “I kinda thought he was planning something, but I wasn’t like positive, so it was still a surprise,” Gabel said. Since he knew Jessica would say yes, Patrick had little anxiety at the game leading up to the moment when the slide came on screen. Lane’s prom proposal was not an original, but to Gabel, it was a cute and creative way to be asked. “Konner Chartier asked (Brielle Ahee) to prom the same way, like two slides before me, so we were, like, already looking at it. So he, like, pointed out, and then mine came on,” Gabel said.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Chrisa Kouskoulas

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Jessica GAbel

To go, or not to go?

Senior Logan Hart found common ground between himself and senior Catherine Gattari: Shakespeare. “He just walked in, and I thought he was just in there because he has first hour with Mr. Young, and then once he started reading, I realized,” Gattari said. Utilizing his flair for dramatics and playing on the inevitably romantic feel of Shakespeare, Hart recited a sonnet to Gattari in front of their entire class. “When he was reading, I wasn’t listening. I was just like, ‘I can’t believe this (is) really happening.’ I was just so shocked,” Gattari said.

Spray on to ask out

When senior Jack Guest thought up his idea to ask longtime girlfriend junior Barbara Allor to prom he was apprehensive. “I didn’t like it at first, but then I thought it was pretty cool because no one has ever done it,” Guest said. Guest decided to use Allor’s job at Total Tan as a starting point when he popped the question by spray tanning “Prom?” across his stomach. Allor was quite surprised at how he asked her to prom, but she knew it was bound to happen eventually. “She didn’t really know, I mean we talked about it a little bit, but it was a pretty good surprise,” Guest said.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Barbara allor

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Catherine Gattari

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6– Friday, May 10, 2013 – North Pointe

Upbringing inspires student’s musical path

By Natalie Skorupski & Dora Juhasz Staff reporter & intern

A life without music was never an option for junior Krystian Quint. Growing up in a family of musicians, he’s always been surrounded by different forms of rock, including metal and punk. “I was young when Krystian was born ,and as he grew, it was a great way for us to bond,” his father, David Quint, said. “I never intentionally pushed him towards music. I think I just listen to it a lot, and there was always a guitar around. He just gravitated towards music.” Krystian transitioned from guitar to drums, but has been hooked on both ever since. “He just had a natural instinct to play. Much more than I ever had. I took him to his first show around 6 or 7 years old, and

we still go to shows today,” David said. “The drums came a little later. I think at about 10 he asked, ‘Dad, I want to try drums,’ so I got him a set. Now he can jam on all three: guitar, bass, and drums.” Messing around in some bands for fun and playing at the School of Rock, a club where people of all ages get together to play and learn from each other, Krystian’s focus and commitment continued to grow. “After that closed, I just started playing on my own, and I used to record a lot of stuff by myself. I would just record it on my computer and I have a couple mics,” Krystian said. Last year, Krystian got into what he calls his first “real” band called Blaire Alise and the Bombshells. The group is made up of four people; the lead female singer, Blaire, from Cranbrook, and an older guitarist

and bassist who Krystian had previously played with in other bands. Krystian plays lead drums and occasionally sings backup vocals. “I’ve gone to almost all of his shows,” Krystian’s girlfriend, senior Paige Pringle, said. “I love their music and I’m not just saying that because he’s my boyfriend or anything; their songs are really catchy. Blaire has an amazing voice and writes her own lyrics that are incredible.” With help from the lead singer’s manager and publicist, these four have gotten several of their tracks on iTunes. While they do get 80% of the profits, most of it is put towards recording a full record. In May, the band is holding a release party at a records store, where they will be introducing their first vinyl. “I always encourage him in the things

he dreams for. I am proud of everything he has done, he never ceases to amaze me,” David said. Although his current band is doing very well, Krystian is always looking for new opportunities, allowing himself to experience everything across the music spectrum. “Music is my number one thing,” Krystian said. “I’m going to stay with my other band, but I have always just kind of wanted to write my own stuff.” No matter what road he takes, Krystian plans on continuing music in his future. “Playing in this band has just really opened me up to a lot of new people in the industry,” he said. “So as long as I keep good relationships with them, I think I can keep playing for as long as I can.” Courtesy of Krystian Quint

REVIEWS ReIncarnated

Bee Leader

Thr!!!Er

A-

Iron Man 3 soundtrack: Heroes Fall

Snoop Lion, the artist-form e r l y-k n o w nas Snoop Dogg croons, “This gangsta life ain’t no longer in me” in his new song “Tired of RunMyplaydirect.com ning,” the latest off his surprisingly off-kilter album Reincarnated. After being “born again” during a trip in Jamaica, the rapper traded in his gin and juice for the reggae sounds of the Rastafari movement. Even calling himself the reincarnation of musical legend Bob Marley could not help justify the Rasta-tone on this confused album. The majority of the songs are messy and repetitive. “Ashtrays and Heartbreaks,” featuring Miley Cyrus, is undoubtedly the oddest collaboration of the many on Reincarnated. “Rebel Way” is the most valiant attempt of the album to achieve the true Rasta vibe, but Snoop’s faux islander accent mars the effort. Songs like “Harder Times” and “The Good Good” are Jamaican-esque, but they are too edited and digitally enhanced to possess the crucially raw feel of reggae. My advice to Mr. Lion: either listen to some Marley and take notes, or drop it like it’s hot.

When downloading the app “Bee Leader,” it’s not uncommon to become greatly excited at the game’s vividly colorful cartoon graphics and the 42movie.warnerbros.com pretty, little yellow square that now graces your smartphone’s home screen. But unfortunately, that’s all this game is useful for. The game starts by explaining the premise: you’re a bee collecting floating pollen in the sky and must avoid very obstacles. The app then launches you into its lagging controls and ultimately pointless game. The bee is maneuvered by a touch of the finger to collect pollen throughout daylight. Unfortunately, the controls are slightly useless. If your phone lags, your finger is rendered an ineffective control. Your bee flies sporadically around, being hit by hawks and barrels and whatever other demonic object it feels like, losing points as it goes. For people who enjoy games that become possessed and play themselves, this may be a plus. However, I was slightly frustrated. If there was any hype that existed for “Bee Leader,” it certainly didn’t live up to it. This game is a waste of space on anyone’s smartphone.

A genre called “d a n c e - p u n k ” sounds like a contradiction in itself. As far as I know, the closest punk ever came to dance was a few lost teeth chkchkchk.net in a mosh pit, but apparently through modern magic, dance-punk emerged. The way the band !!! pulls it off is a melodic alternative to the crisp processed jerks of genres like house music, while still falling under the category of dance music. With each new album, the sound of !!!, like any experimenting artist, grows stronger, but on Thr!!!er it comes with a price. Their sound is more solidified as a whole, but that could be a product of the band stepping towards pop music and away from what makes them unique. While the song “One Girl/One Boy” may be good, easy to listen to and enjoyable with its 70s disco beat and chorus vocals, the band loses its individuality in its sound. It didn’t take many songs for me to go from “!!!” to “!!!!!” when the songs released on the singles came rolling through in the middle. I wasn’t especially impressed by the ending, but that’s not to say the songs were bad.

All of the music that is identified as “inspired by the motion picture Iron Man 3” seems to have a few things in common: steady itunes.apple. com beats, dark lyrics, and an indie/alternative rock style. Each of the songs are good in their own way, but one stands out – Imagine Dragons’ “Ready Aim Fire.” With its haunting lyrics chanted over clanging metal and crowd noises, the song provokes an emotional response unlike any other on the album. Other songs on the album keep the same tone throughout the piece, but “Ready Aim Fire” seems to shift, sounding less like the last words of a trapped man and more like a call to change your fate. Artists featured in this soundtrack are also breaking from their patterns. Atypically dark lyrics and industrial sounds grace the tracks by bands that normally produce happier and poppier music. For instance, fans of Imagine Dragons may recognize the vocal style of their favorite band in “Ready Aim Fire,” but the lyrics and instrumental track sound more ominous yet more inspiring as well. And those who know Passion Pit for their hit song “Take a Walk,” may have a tough time believing that they produced the song “American Blood.”

By Melina Glusac

By Emma Ockerman

By Jacob Barry

By Audrey Kam

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IDEAS Saying farewell to a weekend oasis “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

Maria Liddane Editor-in-Chief

Dayle Maas NEws editor

Jordan Radke Editor

Emma Ockerman Managing EDITOR

Our editorial represents the opinion of the North Pointe Editorial Board consisting of the editors above and staff members Melina Glusac, Audrey Kam and Jacob Barry.

OUR EDITORIAl

New tutorials provide mostly reasonable changes for students Next year, tutorials will be tightening down; teachers will be expected to be the proctors of more academically minded 49-minute blocks for students. The news may make your iPhone-familiar hands stop in their tracks mid-text, and that’s exactly the point: As hesitant as we may be to put down the phones and settle into an “academically focused” tutorial (as phrased by the district’s new teacher contract), it really is the best environment – one that will hold us accountable for our academic progress. Most sensibly, the new contract mandates that teachers “actively manage the tutorial period in order to create an environment that is academically focused for all students.” This is the basis of what an ideal tutorial hour should look like, anyway, for the 65% of North students who take one. The district’s 21st Century High School Review Team conducted a survey earlier this year, in which the most common reason students cited for taking a tutorial was to complete homework. Yet, this ideal doesn’t even seem to be the representative tutorial experience at North. At least, it doesn’t measure up in any quantifiable way. The 21st Century High School Review Team also found there are no correlations between tutorial participation and GPA or tutorial participation and AP course selection. What’s more, students are almost twice as likely to be absent from a tutorial than from an academic class. For most students who have been in a tutorial here, none of this is particularly revelatory, but rather just some data points attached to a situation we encounter every day. Given this, it’s no wonder the new teachers’ contract sanctions change: In addition to the “academically focused environment,” teachers will consult weekly with students about academic progress and be available for tutoring for students inside and outside of their own tutorial hour. As a student, it may be tempting to argue these changes in terms of individual liberty, but to do so misses the point. It’s not a question of whether our time is being infringed upon to devote to purely academic pursuits; “our time” is really the school’s time, anyway. Rather, we should examine whether these are fair, reasonable expectations for tutorial teachers and students, considering (what should be) our joint goal of academic progress. For the most part, it is. Having someone to talk to regularly about the strengths and weaknesses of our Pinnacle grade sheets keeps us accountable, and sanctioning that teachers provide tutoring is equally sensible. For a student, these reforms could be the inception of a meaningful mentor relationship – something hard to argue against. Still, that means going about the changes with a good spirit; it’s easy to imagine the process of a teacher signing 30 pinnacle grade sheets as perfunctory, not to mention a nuisance to teachers. If the more human, less mechanical mood of these changes could be captured, though (for example, making grade consultations bi-weekly, which would allow reasonable time to make grade improvements), the tutorial experience could advance greatly, and the procedure made less procedural. In general, the new tutorial guidelines, if they’re carried out with the right energy, don’t seem unreasonable or restricting, but rather conducive to the goals of tutorial, and school in general: learning. If Socrates would have us believe the unexamined life isn’t worth living, then maybe the unexamined tutorial needs a revamp, too. Honest discussions about academic progress and consistent support from teachers are a reasonable way to do it.

My paradise is graffitied, and marches to the symphony of urethane wheels slapping waxed pavement. It’s where I abandoned the person I was trying desperately to be as a freshman – popular, feminine – and reveled in the person that existed in me since birth. Oakland Vert (OV) was a skateboarder’s oasis, this I knew despite never having stepped foot on a skateboard. It was my home. But skateboarders will have to kiss their beloved Sterling Heights ware- editor’s desk house goodbye emma ockerman tomorrow, May 11. I will be at prom when its doors finally close. You couldn’t manufacture anything like this place. Within seconds of experiencing it for the first time my freshman year, a skateboard raced out of my blindspot and collided with my ankle, which immediately swelled. Laughing, a skateboarder promptly apologized and told me to “take it like a man.” I did then, biting my lip as my ankle turned a violent purple, and again for the next three years as I was hit in the ankle, arm, face, whatever was exposed and in the way. I couldn’t sit anywhere without being covered with an ample sheet of dust; I couldn’t escape the smell of sweating skateboarders if I tried. The only food available there was hot pockets and Twix bars, my adopted weekend diet. The girls bathroom was only frequented by me and my friend Paige, probably in the skate park’s entire history. But I fell in love for the first time there, cried tears of joy at tricks that took hours to land and met my best friends. I spent too many Friday nights there this year with my friends, lazily doodling with Sharpies on the ramps and walls with idle joy, like the kind brought about by having the house

to yourself on Sunday morning. Paige would draw daisies; I would draw skulls. We’d inscript whatever we were laughing about at that moment on its dirty floor. We felt we were making ourselves permanent when we covered OV with our Sharpie-thoughts. Now the owners tell me every graffitied piece of my existence that resided within it has to be painted over within the next month. Landlord’s orders. Everything that was divine about being reckless and youthful lived within those warehouse walls. I guess we’re all saying goodbye to something we associated with carefree teenagedom tomorrow, it certainly isn’t just me. For my classmates at prom, it will occur during the last song of their high school dance, while grasping the notion that those they love now may become memories in college. For me, it will be the grimy misfits I called my best friends crying like children as they say goodbye to the place that gave us all a home on the weekends. I never understood those middle-aged people who lived solely in the past, toting letterman jackets and bumper stickers boasting their alma mater. I knew I would never miss high school. But I never knew that, regardless, I’d be leaving something, if not everything, behind. Tomorrow at 12:00 a.m., I will exit senior prom with my other peers playing dress-up, wondering how much of their childhood they have left. Theirs may end at graduation, at their first day of college, or at the desk of their first real job. Mine dies with a dirty skate park off of Mound Road. I am forced to wonder if now I will no longer be defined by the Friday nights I spent at Oakland Vert, but by the Friday nights I’ll spend wishing I was there, just as every high school athlete feels empty without North’s fields. Just as every actor felt as they exited North’s theatre for the last time. I’m not prepared to face that.

“Finding out how to get there. Transportation.”

“Figuring out where you are going before and after and who you are going with and all that stuff.”

“My dress, because it was too big. Then I got it tailored, and it was too tight, but now it fits.”

Tatyana Terry

Robert Cobau

Mira Shenouda

senior

North Pointe – Friday, May 10, 2013 – 7

senior

YOUR TURN: What is your “prom-blem”?

By Colleen Reveley & Libby Sumnik

“Getting everything organized, and getting everyone together.”

“Prom proposals. They are over-hyped in the media today, and it’s hard to compete.”

“Our group is huge, so letting people in and trying to cap it off, finding a bus that fits everyone, and then finding out what we are doing for the after party.”

Jess Ajlouni

Sal Calbone senior

Jennifer Hawring

senior

Williams, Dora Juhasz, Emily Martinbianco, Erin Armbruster, Miranda Barry, Olivia Pullen, Radiance Cooper, Mallika Kanneganti, Matt Stander, Luke Sturgill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Maria Liddane EDITOR: Jordan Radke MANAGING EDITOR: Emma Ockerman SECTION EDITORS: Dayle Maas, Kim Cusmano, Lauren Semack, Gabby Burchett ASSISTANT EDITORS: Kristen Kaled, Andrea Scapini, Libby Sumnik, Amanda Berry, Marie Bourke, Izzy Ellery STAFF REPORTERS: Patricia Bajis, Colleen Reveley, Melissa Healy, Natalie Skorupski, Sara Villani, Rachel Cullen, Jacob Barry, Danae DiCicco, Sydney Thompson, Taylor White, Audrey Kam, Brigitte Smith, Melina Glusac, Jennifer Kusch, Courtney Veneri, Chris Elliott, Haley Reid, Sarah Schade, Jenna Belote, Emma Puglia, Jeffrey Valentic, Wendy Ishmaku, Anu Subramaniam, Caelin Micks, Katelyn Carney, Erica Lizza PHOTOGRAPHERS: Caroline Schulte (Photo Editor), Emily Huguenin (Assistant Photo Editor), Sean O’Melia, Kaylee Dall INTERNS: Anna Hopkins, Brittney Hernandez, Carrie Rakowicz, Cydni Newman, Daijah

The North Pointe is edited and produced by Advanced Journalism students at Grosse Pointe North High School and is published every two weeks. It is in practice a designated public forum without prior review. Comments should be directed to the student editors, who make all final content decisions. The views expressed are solely those of the authors or the student editorial board and do not reflect the opinions of the Grosse Pointe 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. We subscribe to McClatchy-Tribune Information Services and iStockphoto.com. One copy is available free to all community members. Additional copies may be purchased. Our editorial policy and advertising rates are available online at myGPN.org. The North Pointe is printed on 100 percent recycled paper. CONTACT US 707 Vernier Road Grosse Pointe Woods MI, 48236 Phone: 313.432.3248 Email: northpointe@gpschools.org Twitter: @myGPN FACULTY ADVISER: Shari Adwers, CJE

my turn

Seeing too much of the same I expected more out of my fleeting youth. I grew up in the midst of media that advertised the most flashy future in the world of high school: crazy drama usually involving a relationship that eventually gets resolved after the climax. The end. But my life is more like: Wake up. Get dressed. Go to school. Come home. Do homework. Eat food. Sleep. Repeat. It sounds like the instructions on the back of a shampoo bottle: wash, rinse, repeat. I read a quote once that said, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.” So I must be insane for believing some day something positively spectacular will occur out of the blue. The same routine repeats over and over again, leaving me on autopilot. It’s quite easy to become mindless – absorbing all the chatter around me, learning my lessons and always wishing that something intriguing would happen. I suppose I brought this upon myself. I have a tendency to long for adventure: the storybook type with dragons, sword fights and grand gestures. There’s a fantasy world in my mind, filled with “what if”’s and “what could be”’s. Throughout my awkward preteen years, I thought I discovered my destiny through books. I was going to be a wizard, on my way to Hogwarts for my first year. Peter Pan was going to show up at my window and sweep me away to Neverland. At the very least, I was going to discover the culprit of a fantastic mystery. Things didn’t necessarily turn out the way I had planned. At some point in middle school, I developed more realistic ambitions in the land of GPAs, late-night studying and the looming preparations for college. If my life was a novel, not many people would call it a bestseller. But, I admit, I’m a hypocrite. I complain about my monotonous everyday life, yet “live in the moment” is engraved on my iPod. That’s my problem. I look too much at the big picture and not enough at the small details. I forget about the miniscule things that make me smile throughout the day. Deep morning conversations with my dad when it’s too early to have them, skipping down the hallway just to embarrass my friends, chuckling at how my baby sister can giggle at the flick of a scarf – these are all a part of my story. I become two different people when I think about how I live my life: the organized, planning self and the spontaneous self. It’s impossible to choose just one outlook when I know that they’re both necessary for me to function. Sometimes, I just have to stop thinking for a minute. I have to keep reminding myself: I’m not done yet. I can’t keep dwelling on the trips I haven’t taken yet. If I focus on the present, then tomorrow will take care of itself. And perhaps the best way to achieve adventure in the great wide somewhere is to believe that life already is the adventure.

LIFE

North Pointe – Friday, May 10 2013 – 8

LOVE FOR THE LABEL Clothes, snapbacks, and shoes too. Sometimes a sticker price can’t cover the love that brand-names can bring these North boys. By Caroline Schulte & Emily Huguenin Photo Editors

A Supreme soul By Emma Ockerman

My friend Jack showed me a hat, and I really liked it and it started from there,” Heinemann said. “Nobody else really has it, it’s one of a kind at least.” Supreme, a skateboardingoriented brand out of New York City, harvests interest out of its difficulty to obtain it’s clothing items. When clothing “drops” on a set release date online, it often comes with a sticker worth $50 for something as simple as a hat. It then sells out in minutes. “I think it’s worth it.” Heinemann cites uniqueness as a reason for shopping high-end. “I don’t wanna dress like the other kids, nobody else has

Managing editor

He’s addicted to this game, waiting anxiously by his computer for the latest Supreme item to drop, credit card in hand. He’s been doing it for three years, spends nearly $250 a month online shopping for clothing, and hardly bats an eye at lofty price tags. Freshman Tommy Heinemann has no reason to stop now, he has around 40 hats and 25 pairs of shoes, and would like to see his collection expand. Supreme, he says, is his favorite out of all the clothing brands he buys. “I’ve been into Supreme since 7th grade, so three years.

Q&A with senior Will Woods

the clothes, and they wonder where I get it.” Being addicted to apparel means attracting attention, both good and bad. “I get called a hype beast, but I don’t care.” Heinemann’s favorite items include his Supreme Air Force 1’s and his Lebron 10 Miami Dolphins, which totals to over $300 worth of shoes. “You see a shoe, and you have to have it. You can’t get it out of your head.” But Heinemann’s purchases are ongoing. “A hat just dropped yesterday from Supreme, but I got it. It didn’t sell that fast. I got it within an hour of it dropping.”

cause the shoe makes the whole outfit.

By Taylor White

NP: How much do you usually spend in one shopping trip? Woods: It all depends on the season because in the winter things are more expensive, like $100 for a hoodie. I’d say in the summer $300 at least.

Senior Will Woods finds that brands such as Nike and Diamond Supply Co. suit his daily swagger just fine, but the North Pointe wanted to know what makes this brand guru tick.

NP: What are the steps to being stylish/ having swag? Woods: Step one, being comfortable with yourself. Step two, trying out different clothes, and step number three to having swag, wearing what you want to wear and not caring about what other people think.

staff reporter

North Pointe: What are your favorite brands? Woods: Let me see, Nike, Jordan, Diamond Supply, and Crooks and Castles. NP: Do you have any favorite Nike products and why? Woods: Dri-fit. It stops me from sweating. When it’s warm outside it keeps you dry, keeps you cool. NP: What makes your style your own? Woods: I wear the stuff I like instead of what’s on the mannequin, which makes my style different because most people follow what’s on the mannequin. NP: What’s the most important article/ accessory? Woods: Easily the shirt, psyche, naw. I don’t know. I’d have to go with the shoe actually be-

“Just Do It,” a junior’s motto his wallet. “I feel like the most I spent on Nike is about $100, and in total (since 10 years old) about $900,” he said. Many people only associate Nike with their trademark shoes, but for Hawkins the brand’s products account for most of the clothing in his wardrobe. “Almost everything I own is Nike. I own Nike shirts, shorts, pants, shoes, cleats and gloves ... and a Nike snapback,” he said. “My favorite Nike item is my Nike Vapor Football gloves.”

get out and

ride. .

28411 Schoenherr, Warren, MI 48088 • 586.756.5400 • www.macombbike.com

Managing editor

Swag isn’t always obtained by waiting online for releases. Sometimes you have to go out and get your hands dirty - especially if you’re talking Nike Air Jordans - which can only be obtained at a retailer in person. That’s why North Pointe caught up with Brent Cebulski, an employee at Pogo in Birmingham, which specializes in Nike retail.

NP: Do you have any tips for people who are looking to get at them first? Cebulski: Come early, and be prepared to sit. Bring a portable DVD player or some movies (laughs).

NP: What is your definition of swag? Woods: Swag, the definition of swag could be your confidence in yourself.

It’s a rare occasion to see junior Jamal Hawkins walking down the halls wearing something other than Nike. The brand has become an essential part of his wardrobe and life. “I like Nike because it looks the best; the designs are sick,” Hawkins said. Hawkins has been sporting the ‘Just Do It’ logo since he was 10 years old, and the brand has taken over his closet, as well as

By Emma Ockerman

NP: Anything crazy here ever happen at a Jordan release? Cebulski: Well, the cops came yesterday. People were waiting for the Jordan Grapes, and somebody called the cops because kids were cutting in line. Some people had first position, so some of the guys came over and paid them money (for their spot). The kids who sold the spot were supposed to go to the back of the line, but they stayed at the front. I had to explain to the cops what Jordans were for a good two hours.

NP: When did you start caring about name brand clothing? Woods: It started in 7th grade, or maybe even 6th grade. I’d say about 11 or 12.

By Caroline Schulte

Q&A with Pogo Employee Brent Cebulski

North Pointe: What do you think it takes to have swag without looking like you tried? Cebulski: Don’t match everything crazy if you have: hats, socks, shirt, shorts, pants – whatever – if everything matches, you’re trying too hard. Just don’t be a hype beast., people who buy things because everyone else is buying them. Buy whatever you feel you can rock. Other people’s opinions don’t really matter.

NP: Why do you actually get dressed for school? Woods: Because when you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you’ll have a better day.

Photo editor

Emma Ockerman

NP: What do you think makes Air Jordans so successful? Cebulski: A lot of celebrities wear them, and that makes people want them. People are like ‘Oh my God, these shoes are ugly, but Rick Ross is wearing them, and he’s moonwalkin’ in them, so I gotta get ‘em!’ So that has a big influence on them. People also don’t just collect shoes to wear them, they collect them to sell them for more than what they bought them for. NP: What clothing brand do you think has the most swag out of the ones you sell here? Cebulski: I love Staple. A lot of people don’t know about Staple, and I try to push it a lot. Staple is different. It doesn’t have the same consistent patterns. Also, Play Clothes, I like that because we’re exclusive. We carry it, and a lot of other people don’t.

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