Issue 21

the

TOWER

Wednesday, Mar. 28, 2018 Volume 90 Issue 21 @thetowerpulse thetowerpulse.net

A weekly tradition since 1928

Grosse Pointe South High School 11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236

STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK

MDOT grant improves safety

IAN DEWEY ’18 Copy Editor

O

MADELINE ALLEN & LAUREN NEMEH ’20 Staff Writer & Page Editor Student Association (SA) will be honoring South employees for all of their hard work throughout this school year with Staff Appreciation Week from April 9 to April 13.

According to SA adviser Laura Distelrath, students have been showing their gratitude towards the staff for the past few years.

“For as long as I have been at South we’ve done some sort of staff appreciation event, whether it’s been a luncheon, a gift or a week of gratitude,” Distelrath said.

When it comes to planning a large event, communication is essential for it to be successful, according Distelrath added.

“Anytime we are ordering something it takes communication with whoever we are ordering it from, whether its food or an item,” Distelrath said.

Committee chair of Staff Appreciation Week, Shreya Rana ’19, organized the event in hopes of giving teachers the recognition she believes they deserve.

“As a student who is heavily involved within the South community, I interact with the staff a lot,” Rana

said. “I feel like sometimes it can be hard to tell them how important they are in the students lives.”

According to Simon Chen ’18, who is overseeing Staff Appreciation Week, giving back to South’s community is an ambition of SA. “Our goal is to have a fun week for the staff to show them we appreciate what they do and we’re grateful (for them),” Chen said. “People should know during Staff Appreciation (Week) you should let your staff members know you’re thankful for what they do, but also be thankful for them 100 percent of the time.”

Starting on April 9 is a week’s worth of student-organized activities where staff can come together to bond over their efforts.

“We have a staff gift we’re giving out, and our big event is the luncheon on Friday, where all of the staff can come together and enjoy a meal during lunch,” Rana said.

In the past, staff appreciation week has proven to be successful in making South faculty feel proud of their work, according to Chen.

“I remember some of the staff were surprised with the gifts we give them, and it made them happy,” Chen said. ”That’s really why I think it’s important-- giving

back to the people who help South run smoothly.”

From the custodians to administration, Staff Appreciation Week brings staff together in and out of the classroom.

“Not everyone is always recognized for what they do,” Chen said. “It’s nice to have a week where everyone on the staff is appreciated, (not just teachers), but everyone else too.”

SA recognizes that credit is due to all the South employees that are involved with bettering students every single day.

“We do this in SA because without the staff, none of our events would be possible,” Rana said. “Our goal as an organization is to appreciate the staff and hope they realize how much we love and appreciate them.”

As Staff Appreciation Week approaches, students are given a time to reflect and recognize all the hard working faculty around them.

“I want everyone to know you don’t need Staff Appreciation Week to appreciate the staff and tell them how much you appreciate everything they do for us,” Rana said. “Please take some time this week to feed into the cause and tell a staff member how much you love them.”

Class of 2020 plans spring carnival at South for Grosse Pointe elementary schoolers, community ELIZABETH FLOWER ’20 Copy Editor

B

ouncy houses. Face painting.

Balloon animals. These activities and more will be available for entertainment at South’s upcoming spring carnival put on by the class of 2020.

The carnival will take place at South on Friday, April 13 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m and will be held in three separate areas: the main gym, the girls’ gym and the commons.

According to Olivia Stricker ’20, class treasurer, this event is aimed to-

“It’s a great way to bring the community together and to get the kids who are going to be coming to South eventually to see what it’s like,” OLIVIA STRICKER ’20

ward elementary schoolers. Stricker said it will cost each student 5 dollars to get in, however parents and children under elementary school age are free.

“It’s a great way to bring the community together and to get the kids who are going to be coming to South eventually to see what it’s like,” Stricker said.

All the money raised will be going to the class of 2020, and most of it will go to their prom fund, according to Stricker.

“We’re hoping to make some profit

and cover the costs,” Stricker said.

Stricker said the class has been planning the carnival since January and there will be 17 different activities available at the carnival, including food, which has to be paid for separately.

“There’s a bunch of different games for the kids...like basketball, a sack race, stuff like that,” Stricker said.

“There’s going to be two bounce houses, and we’re going to get some pizza, some cotton candy and some other fun food for the kids.”

Michael Rennell, a government teacher at South, is the class of 2020’s adviser. He said something like this has been done before at North, but not yet at South.

“I did it at North when I was the SA adviser, and it went over really well there, so we’re hoping it’s going to go over really well here,” Rennell said.

Rennell said the class is mainly advertising the carnival through flyers.

“We’ve already sent an electronic flyer to all of the elementary schools so they can attach it to their newsletter that’s going home, and we also have fliers we’re delivering to all the schools this week,” Rennell said.

Andrew Fleming ’20, class vice president, said the class of 2020 decided to aim this fundraising event toward elementary schoolers because it would be easier to plan and they weren’t sure about the success of doing a high school carnival.

“We realized it would be either too hit or miss with (high schoolers) coming or not,” Fleming said. “And then our adviser brought up the idea of doing an elementary school carnival. It

IMPORTANT DATES mar.

30

Spring Break begins for the district. Return to school is April 9.

apr.

Spring Carnival

Hosted by Class of 2020 Student Council

Face Painting, Obstacle Course, Cotton Candy, Games, and MORE!

For all K-5 students

Friday, April 13 4:30-7:30 Grosse Pointe South Gym INFOGRAPHIC BY IMRAN SIDDIQUI ’20 Admission: $5 for students. FREE for adults and children under 4

still gets us involved in the community, but it’s not to an extent where it would be too hard to plan.”

Fleming said the council had many goals in putting on the carnival.

“We wanted something we could really plan out thoroughly and work toward so we could all have something big we could show for ourselves,” Fleming said. “We wanted to really have an impact on a certain part of the community while also finding a way to raise money for ourselves.”

Stricker said her role as treasurer and being part of the executive board (e-board) involves a lot of organizing.

“We all have a certain section of the carnival to oversee, but overall as an e-board together, we’re setting up the advertising, we’re assigning people to different stations... and we’re sending people out to set posters up at all the elementary schools and get posters up at local businesses,” Stricker said.

Stricker said there is also a lot of

09

work involved in the planning process.

According to her and Rennell, there are about 30 student council members, each in charge of an activity.

“It’s really great because we have a lot of people willing to help out and they’re really taking a lot of their own stations on themselves,” Stricker said.

Rennell said his role as adviser is to guide the students throughout the planning process.

“I make the kids do all the planning: they’ve picked the events, they’ve contacted all the vendors we’ll be using, they’re making the purchases we need to make,” Rennell said.

Fleming said there is an opportunity for NHS students to volunteer, and any other contributions are welcome as well.

“It’s a really fun event and that if anyone would like to get involved, then we’d happily welcome your contribution,” Fleming said. “We’re looking forward to having a really fun event.”

Staff appreciation Week begins and continues all week.

apr.

ne of the biggest concerns of any parent is their child’s safety, and with the approval of a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maire parents are hoping to ensure just that through better traffic signals and other safety measures on Cadieux.

According to Maire Principal, Sonja Franchett, the grant proposal has been in the works for two years, under “a collaborative team of Maire parents, Maire teachers, Grosse Pointe City Police, Grosse Pointe Park Police and City Managers.”

“A lot of the signs on walking streets, and painting on the roads are very faint,” Franchett said. “So we want to make im-

We want to make improvements so that when children are walking or riding their bikes it’s very clear that this is a school or community area.

SONJA FRANCHETT Maire Principal provements so that when children are walking or riding their bikes it’s very clear that this is a school/community area.”

Although there hasn’t been any accidents as of yet, many local parents are concerned about unsafe driving habits in the area, including Lauren Carlson, a Maire parent and one of the organizers in writing the grant proposal.

“Because Cadieux is an exit off the highway, it is a main artery for traffic to come into the Village; because of the hospital further down Cadieux, there is a pretty serious amount of traffic that comes through,” Carlson said.

And according to Carlson, this flow of traffic leads to potentially dangerous driving.

“There are a variety of interactions that drivers have with the pedestrians,” Carlson said. “On Friday afternoon, an older gentleman was taking his time to drive through the light, and he was being cautious of kids who were crossing on Waterloo, and he was going very slow; the driver behind him was laying on the horn, and there was kids all over the place. And the driver tried to go over the lane, into oncoming traffic to get around this slow motorist. This is absurd behavior, especially in a school zone.”

To alleviate the problem, the grant includes things such as radar speed signs to make it clear to drivers that the area around Maire is a school area. Additionally, “planted buffers” between the sidewalk and the street will be added to ensure further student safety, according to Heidi Hannans, a Maire parent who has also been working on the proposal.

“In front of Maire school, the sidewalk goes all the way to the street, and generally, there’s a planted area which demarcates the sidewalk, so some of the grant money will be used to put in a small buffer there,” Hannans said.

According to Hannans, the committee working on the grant proposal has been working closely with the Michigan Fitness Foundation, a sub-set of MDOT dedicated to community projects which encourage walking to school.

“They (The Michigan Fitness Foundation) have given us their input as to what they feel is reasonable and what they feel the deficiencies are, so I don’t anticipate any situation where we don’t get the grant,” Hannans said. “And if there was I think we would quickly re-submit.”

10

SAT/PSAT for Grades 9-11 will take place in the morning. No school for seniors.

2 | OPINION

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

Thank you staff for your dedication Teachers to custodians. Hall monitors to office workers. Counselors to administrators. We at The Tower are so thankful for all of our staff members. With staff appreciation week rapidly approaching, it is important to take time to remember how essential their role is at our school.

Here at South, we are blessed with a teaching staff that truly cares about the student body. We are blessed with a janitorial staff that works to keep the campus in prime condition. We are blessed with an administration that tries to keep the students’ best interest in mind.

According to niche.com, our teaching staff has been graded an A+, based on ratings and reviews. While we, as students, know more than anybody that the quality of a person cannot be expressed with a single letter grade, it is necessary to recognize how lucky we are to have the teachers that we do.

Our teachers spend countless hours at this school, donating their time to guide us in the formative years of our life. By coming to school early or leaving late as an adviser for a club, or hosting extra review sessions and giving up their lunch, the educators at South are fully committed to their students.

In addition to the teachers at South, we are blessed with a massive auxiliary staff that puts us first. At The Tower, we firmly believe it is important to show our thanks to each

Our View Editorial

JOHN FRANCIS ’18 Editor in Chief

the the

TOWER

N N EE W W SS PP A A PP EE RR SS TT A A FF FF

“Watch out b—!”

I heard this as one of my traveling companions bumped into a true New York local, marching away in high heels, wearing headphones and designer sunglasses on her head, as our small group of eight attempted to manage the crowded sidewalk.

We were on our way to the subway station, and the culture shock we had right there is what I’m talking about in this column.

As harsh and uncalled for it was, hearing those foul words now, when you have a group of friends to laugh it off with opposed to years down the road, as an adult who may get easily offended by that sort of thing, is a learning moment in itself.

The girl who got shoved could have taken that and let it ruin her morning. Instead, our group laughed it off and kept on going. And hopefully the next time something along those lines happens again, she will shake it off just the same.

I have been on a total of four overnight, long-distance school trips with The Tower. Either traveling to New York for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s annual convention, or to the National Scholastic Press Association’s annual convention, which was held in Dallas, Texas this past fall.

All of these excursions had two components I could identify as ‘educational,’ the first being what you’d expect from taking student journalists to a convention hundreds of miles away.

We attended classes that run for about 45 minutes, that have a variety of subjects to learn about.

As my co-editor Liz Bigham ’18 will note in her column this week, some of the classes are as intriguing and worthwhile as listening to the students and advisers from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s various journalism outlets go in detail about how to cover a tragedy like the one that took over their school no more than a month ago. Since she does such a wonderful job of describing that experience, I’ll stick to the other

side of the educational value.

I found that on all of these trips there are practical travel and social skills that come from exploring diverse cities while still in high school. Like the one I noted at the beginning of this story, there are some life lessons that my counterparts and I learned along the way, and without them, we may not be as quick on our feet in an unusual environment.

Navigating the subway system to get to Columbia University for the past three years has helped me become more comfortable when using public transportation. This is something I’ll be able to take anywhere for the rest of my life, which I can’t say about some of the content I learn in some core curriculum classes.

I could go on with countless examples of why these kinds of trips are important for student development, but there is another side of this argument to be addressed.

These school trips do take up time during the week, making students miss their classes and having to make it up either before or after being gone. I can understand why some teachers don’t like to hear that The Tower, choir, band, orchestra or any other club at South is taking a trip resulting in students missing a lecture or test. But what I can’t seem to level with is the fact that they don’t see how enriching these trips are for the students who go on them, to the point of urging them not to go.

On top of the educational value, I have developed friendships on these trips that I value deeply, and hope to have as time goes on.

And in light of staff appreciation week coming up, I’ll also thank all of the devotion the Tower’s advisers have shown to the publication by planning, chaperoning, and guiding the staffers who come on the experiences.

So if you’re reading this and are in between getting a permission slip signed for a field trip or maybe something longer like what I have done with the paper, I say get it signed, turn in the money and make memories that will be much more exciting than another one of 180 days at Grosse Pointe South.

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Liz Bigham* ’18 John Francis* ’18 Online OnlineEditor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Henry Ayrault* Ayrault* ’19 ’19 Henry Grace Reyes* ’19 Associate Editor

Associate Editor Alyssa Czech* ’19 Alyssa Czech* ’19 Supervising Editors at Large

Supervising Editors’18 at Large Ray Hasanaj* Ray ’18 LiamHasanaj* Walsh* ’18 Supervising Editors Supervising Editors Katherine Bird*, Bird*, Katherine Rachel Harris*, Harris*, Riley Riley Lynch*, Lynch*, Rachel Elena Rauch*, Elena Rauch*, all ’18 all ’18 ’19 Biana Pugliesi* Biana Pugliesi* ’19 Page Editors Page Kaitlin Editors Nemeh*, Chase Clark*, Chase Clark*, Kaitlinall Nemeh*, JD Standish*, JD Standish*, all ’18 ’18

GRAPHIC BY EVA MCCORD ’21

A new view towards tragedy

Value of long distance Tower field trips MY VIEW

person at our school who keeps the building and level of education at its prime. Say “thank you” to the next custodian you see emptying the garbage. Smile at your counselor when you pass them in the hallway. Wish a security guard a good weekend as you rush out of school on Friday.

South is a finely-tuned machine. Each gear, each cog keeps the school working in tip-top shape. Sure, some functions can be improved, but The Tower feels it is important to recognize how lucky we are to have the staff that we do; each person has a vital role.

Student Association is hosting staff appreciation week from April 9 to April 13. We believe this is a phenomenal opportunity for students to take an extra step to show their gratitude.

However, we also believe this week should simply serve as a reminder for what students should be doing year-round. Our staff deserves more than just to be appreciated for one week. While the staff luncheon is great, our teachers, office workers, custodial staff and everyone else who contributes to the iconic environment of South are worth more.

They are worth going the extra step and truly being appreciated for what they do, each and every day.

OVERWHELMING HONOR The Eagle Eye staff awarded with their Gold Key Award at the end of the panel.

MSD STRONG An editor of the publication holds back tears as she explains the stuggles of writing a profile on one of the student victims.

MY VIEW LIZ BIGHAM ’18 Editor in Chief

I typically wouldn’t write about my experience at a field trip. People would get bored at the undeveloped angle and I would be bored writing it.

But trust me, there is depth to this story.

Two weeks ago, five other Tower students and I traveled to New York City for the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Conference. We took several 45-minute journalism-related classes throughout the campus at Columbia University. Usually these classes are related to writing headlines, First Amendment rights, designing infographics, etc.

However, on Friday March 16, I sat in a seminar with slight settling tears in my eyes for a full hour. Ten students and two advisers from the publication and yearbook of Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, Fla. spoke to an auditorium full of student journalists about covering the tragedy that occurred at their own school.

Most people know the story of the shooting, so I won’t explain that. The MSD students did the same. They handled themselves as journalists-- stating their grade and position on their staff and explaining the basics of their school and the setup of their maga-

Adrian Doan* Doan* ’19 ’19 Adrian Anne Muawad*, Muawad*, Lauren Lauren Nemeh*, Nemeh*, Anne Maura Shine*, Shine*, Aidan Aidan Walsh*, Walsh*, Elizabeth Elizabeth Maura Wolfe*, all all ’20 ’20 Wolfe*, Copy Copy Editors Editors Ian Dewey*, Dewey*, Piper Piper Eschenburg*, Eschenburg*, Phoebe Phoebe Ian Miriani*, all all ’18 ’18 Miriani*, Sylvia Hodges* Hodges* ’19, ’19, Sylvia Elizabeth Flower*, Flower*, Victoria Victoria Gardey*, Gardey*, Claire Claire Elizabeth Sheeren*, Imran Imran Siddiqui*, Siddiqui*, all all ’20 ’20 Sheeren*, Business Managers Business Managers Evan Skaff* ’18 Evan Skaff* ’18 Web Editors Web Editors Arianna Pagenette* ’18, Kaitlyn Perkins* ’18, Arianna Pagenette* ’18, Kaitlyn Perkins* ’18, Katherine Costello*, Claire Koeppen*, Kathleen Carroll*, Katherine Costello*, Jaqui Mercier*, Sarah Stevenson, Audrey Claire Koeppen*, Jaqui all Mercier*, Audrey Whitaker*, ’19 Whitaker*, all ’19 Dominic Dulac* ’20 Dominic Dulac* ’20 Multimedia/Social Media Editors Multimedia/Social Media Abigail Due* ’18, Editors Abigail Due* ’18, Erica Fossee* ’19 Erica Fossee* ’19

zine, website and yearbook.

What I immediately took away from this was the similarity between The Tower to their publication, GPS to MSD and the girls to me.

“It could happen to anyone,” began to ring in my head.

They didn’t go down the line explaining what they were doing the shooting or anything about the actual shooting itself.

Instead, they focused on how their publication will be covering the tragedy. They plan to publish a whole issue dedicated to the 17 people who died. My tears built up even more as the students discussed the emotional hardships they have been facing when writing the profiles.

“It’s hard to hear parents talk about how amazing their child’s future was going to be.”

“I had to ask what was her favorite movie instead of what is her favorite movie.”

“I wish I was able to know them better.”

A lot of the girls broke down as they said these statements. Through lots of hand holding, hugs and comforting smiles, the girls did their best to hold back their tears and continue sharing their stories.

I was completely and utterly moved by the poise and maturity of every single person on the stage. Their statements were raw. Heartbreaking. Powerful. They make me prideful of all the strong voices of my generation. For-

Tower Radio Tower Radio Alex Acker* ’18 Zachary Heimbuch* ’19 Staff Staff Writers Writers Margot Baer, Baer, Solana Solana Bryson, Bryson, Blair Blair Cullen, Cullen, Margot Griffin Jones, Jones, Harper Harper McClellan, McClellan, Caitlin Caitlin Griffin Miller, John John Schulte, Schulte, Cameron Cameron Smolen, Smolen, Miller, Lauren Thom, Thom, Brennan Brennan Zihlman, Zihlman, all all ’18 ’18 Lauren John Craparotta, Oliver JohnBellamy, Bellamy,Isabella Sarah Bellovich, Isabella MacDonald, Allison MacLeod, Allison Olivia Craparotta, Oliver MacDonald, Arif Ulku, all ’19 MacLeod,Mlynarek, Olivia Mlynarek, Sarah Stevenson, Arif Ulku, all ’19 Madeleine Allen, Julia Ambrozy, Daniel Klepp, Evelyn Kuhnlein, Charlie Matthews, MadeleineKari Allen, Julia Ambrozy, Ronning, all ’20 Daniel Klepp, Evelyn Kuhnlein, Charlie Matthews, Kari EvaRonning, McCordall ’21’20 Eva Adviser McCord ’21 Kaitlin Edgerton Adviser

PHOTOS BY JOHN FRANCIS ’18

Kaitlin Edgerton

DISPELLING RUMORS A staffer describes the stigma surrounding the students after the shooting.

tunately, I was able to tell the students, in a way, how the seminar affected me.

A few hours after the seminar, my staffers and I found ourselves congregated in a section of the subway with the ten students and two advisers. We told them our gratitude for speaking and then just interacted like ordinary teenagers making small talk and having some laughs. Each girl was so kind and bubbly, just like people throughout South. Except they weren’t like any South student. Those girls are not ordinary. After the subway ride with them, they were off to do an interview with NPR. Some of the girls have 75,000 followers on Twitter. All of them have experienced one of the worst tragedies a teenager could experience.

I usually hear of tragedies through screens and paper, but when I actually talked to the victims of a such tragedy, it opened up a whole new perspective I never knew existed.

If this article comes across as choppy, it’s because I have a hard time explaining how the day affected me. The whole experience was surreal. I will never forget the feeling and I thank 10 strong, beautiful young girls for it.

One of the girls said, “Trying to balance being a survivor and being a journalist is difficult. We are all working through it.”

And yes, they are.

“The Tower” Tower” is is the the weekly weekly publication publication of of the the Errors “The Advanced Journalism Journalism classes classes at at Grosse Grosse Pointe Pointe Factual errors will be corrected on the Errors Advanced South High High School.

School. It It has has always always been been aa opinion page or inwill news briefs written upon Factual errors be corrected on the South designated public form of student expression. opinion page request verification. or inand news briefs written upon designated public form of student expression.

The Tower is located in room 142 in request and verification.

The Tower located in room 142Please in Grosse PointeisSouth High School.

Letters Grossecontact Pointe South High School.

Please us at 313-432-3649.

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and Letters contact us at 313-432-3649. will be screened for libel, irresponsibility Letters to the Editor are encouraged and Opinion Pieces and Thefor Editorial Board may edit willobscenity. be screened libel, irresponsibility Editorials represent thePieces majority opinion of or shorten letters long as the meaning is and obscenity.

TheasEditorial Board may edit Opinion the Editorial Boardthe andmajority are left unsigned. unchanged.

All letters must be signed and or shorten letters as long as the meaning is Editorials represent opinion of Columns represent theand opinions individual include a telephone number unchanged.

All letters mustfor beconfirmation. signed and the Editorial Board are leftofunsigned. staff members and outside contributors.

Request to withhold the writer’s name a telephone number for confirmation.

Columns represent the opinions of individual include from publication for good reason name will be Request to withhold the writer’s staff members and outside contributors.

Editorial Board considered.

Lettersfor cangood be sent to the from publication reason willabove be An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors. email address,Letters or dropped in to “The considered. can beoff sent theTower” above Editorial Board Room. off in “The Tower” email address, or dropped Advertising An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors.

Room.

Display advertising is sold at a rate of $7 Professional Associations per column inch,Advertising with discounts for large or MemberProfessional of the Columbia Scholastic Press Associations frequentadverising advertisers.

Advertising may Association, Scholastic Press Display is sold at a rate of $7not per Member of theNational Columbia Scholastic Press advocate or contain libelous, Association, and Scroll, the Society Association,Quill National Scholastic Press columnillegal inch, activities with discounts for large or irresponsible or obscene material. for Newspaper Design and thethe Michigan Association, Quill and Scroll, Society frequent advertisers.

Advertising may not Interscholastic Pressand Association. for Newspaper Design the Michigan advocate illegal activities or contain libelous, Interscholastic Press Association. irresponsible or obscene material.

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 03.28.18

3 | NEWS

All-State all-stars perfect the notes

Passionate orchestra students selected for Michigan All-State Orchestra KARI RONNING’20 Staff Writer

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Anna Jarboe ’19 plays her violin in practice.

REHERSAL TIME Billy Beardslee ’19 practices on his viola during class.

PHOTOS BY VICTORIA GARDEY’20

Coding Club: Raspberry Pi contest ANNA CORNELL ’20 Staff writer

I

n prior years, former English teacher Nicholas Provenzano held Raspberry Pi competitions.

However, this year Coding Club co-presidents Lizzie High ’20, Atticus Henry ’21 and Daniel Schenk ’20 decided to change it up.

Although the name may be misleading, a Raspberry Pi is not an actual pie but rather an inexpensive and basic mini computer that can be used in many applications, according to Coding Club advisor James Adams.

The contest allows small groups of students, up to four per group, to design and create anything they want as long as the Raspberry Pi is the center of the project and the budget of $50 is not surpassed, according to Henry.

“We want (creations) that are cool, things that work and things that show the ingenious of the student body,” Henry said.

According to High, the distribution of the Raspberry Pis to the teams is occurring this week, which begins the official start of the competition.

“They (the teams) have around a month to get their project together, and if they need extra time we might extend the deadline,” Henry said.

All three co-presidents will be judging the contest with the assistance of the rubric, but none will be competing themselves, according to Henry.

“Obviously we

GRAPHIC BY KAITLIN NEMEH ’18

are people, and people can have biases, so we are trying to eliminate that to the best of our ability,” Henry said.

According to High, the judges will also be joining teams to act as mentors. Help will be provided on Saturdays in the CIC. “We’re not actually taking part in the competition,” High said.

“We aren’t making a project to compete because we’re going to have our hands full with helping everyone else and stuff like that.”

The Raspberry Pi contest is open to all South students, and the Coding Club presidents highly encourage people who have no prior knowledge of anything coding-related to sign up, according to Henry.

“I did the contest (last year), and it was really eye-opening because I had never worked with computers and the actual hardware before, but it was a really great learning experience and I got more interested in that stuff,” Henry said.

According to High, there is a total of five teams, all ranging in number of group members, that are signed up for the competition.

“We (the Grosse Pointe Coding Club) don’t have a set membership yet; we have a few people that come to a lot of the meetings,” Henry said.

When all contestants finish their projects, a showcase will be held in the CIC on a Saturday to display everyone’s creations, according to High.

“The date is tentative because we don’t want to rush anyone; we want everyone’s projects to be the best they can be, and to not have people feel like they’re turning in something they aren’t happy with,” High said.

According to Henry, next year, the contest will have more rigid guidelines and procedures since the club will have a year of practice and more events held under their belt.

“A community event would be interesting later,” Henry said.

“But right now we are working on targeting the South student body.”

Billy Beardslee, violist, and Anna Jarboe, violinist, both ’19, performed in the All-State orchestra this January with other students from all across Michigan.

The Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association performed another All-State Orchestra concert this January with some of the few selected, Billy Beardslee ‘19, violist, and Anna Jarboe ‘19, violinist, for the All-State Orchestra concert with schools from all around Michigan.

According to orchestra director James Gross, Jarboe and Beardslee both were self-motivated to make it to All-State this year as they practiced with their private music teachers, as well as Gross, in the hopes of perfecting their music auditions.

“Approximately 25,000 students audition, and only 100 get selected for the All-State orchestra,” Gross said. “It takes a lot of individual motivation and self- direction.

In addition to that, I hear them before school on Monday and Tuesday all of September to play for me and I try to help them as best as I can.”

While Gross prepares his students for the auditions, Jarboe

studies her music, trying to add passion to her performance as well as taking private music lessons each week.

“As soon as I got the music, I practiced it everyday for however long it took me to get it down. I tried learning it as fast as I could so I could work on the musical aspects instead

It’s like the NCAA of high school band and orchestra.

It’s quite something, like talent on steroids. It’s an all star group.

JAMES GROSS Orchestra Director of just the notes,” Jarboe said. “Then I’d take it to my private lesson teacher and work on it with her. My lessons are an hour and a half once a week.”

Beardslee similarly prepared for his auditions this October. According to Beardslee, he takes private lessons just like Jarboe, and puts a lot of time into his instrument.

“We practiced an hour and a half to two hours a day on the material, sometimes more or less… a lot more when the audition came closer,” Beardslee said. “Usually, I have four scales, and then I have to sight read

and then prepare a few excerpts.”

According to Gross, it is a real accomplishment to be selected for the concert. Gross believes the AllState concert is something else, where talented people join together.

“It’s like the NCAA of high school band and orchestra,” Gross said.

“It’s quite something, like talent on steroids. It’s an all star group.”

Beardslee was very proud to be selected for All-State as second chair violist. According to Beardslee, he was happy to represent South, and enjoyed the orchestra conductor this year.

“He was one of the professors at The University of Southern California. He was very eccentric and played the piano and serenaded us before we had a break and improvised too,” Beardslee said.

According to Jarboe, her favorite part of All-State is the experience of meeting other talented musicians who all have something in common.

“I just love doing these things when you go not knowing any of the music except a couple of pieces and then trying to perfect it with an entire group in a short amount of time,” Jarboe said. “Being in that type of environment was really fun.”

Faster Wifi? South to join fiber optic network give us an opportunity to get away from Comcast,” Niehaus said. “Potentially, it would allow us to save about $270,000 A fiber optics ring in the planning a year in internet costs from Comcast.”

Instead of Comcast, Rocket Fiber could make South’s internet problems a would become the schools’ internet thing of the past.

The Grosse Pointe communities and provider once the optic cables are laid.

Harper Woods are working with De- According to Niehaus, the agreement troit-based Rocket Fiber to create a 14- gives the municipalities and school sysmile ring of fiber optic cable. Along with tem 15 years of internet services and a 20 year maintenance the six communities, agreement. For Niethe Grosse Pointe haus, this is a longPublic School Systerm investment in Potentially, it would tem (GPPSS) is also advancing education a part of the project. allow us to save about and technology.

All these entities will $270,000 a year in “If you have ever be connected by the internet costs from been in the library at fiber optic network.

Comcast.

South with 100 other “We have been students attempting working with the GARY NIEHAUS to go online, you can six communities: GPPSS Superintendent clearly see the probthat would be Harplem, and its all about er Woods, Grosse the bandwidth,” NiePointe Woods, Grosse Pointe City, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe haus said. “By building up to this bigger Park and Grosse Pointe,” GPPSS Super- bandwidth, in the long term we could intendent Gary Niehaus said. “Togeth- go to a bring your own device environer, we’re going to build a 14-mile ring ment.”

Niehaus is preparing for a time when that would connect all of us; therefore, it is going to have an intergovernmental kids can potentially all bring their own laptops and tablets into the classroom, drive.”

The intergovernmental agreement and for this dream the district needs effectively spreads what is expected to better bandwidth. However, some be a 3 million dollar investment across teachers, such as English teacher Sandra multiple sources. For the school district, McCue, are content with the current this means a massive upgrade in the in- status of South’s internet.

“Although we definitely need good ternet infrastructure.

“The intergovernmental agreement access to the internet for learning these would allow us to each have 12 strands days, this whole last year I haven’t exof high speed fiber,” Niehaus said. “We perienced any real problems with conwould then have laterals to each one of necting to the internet or getting stuour schools, which would then give us dents online in the classroom,” McCue the ability to get as much bandwidth as said.

According to McCue, the internet possible.”

Apart from providing the school has already greatly improved over the with a superior internet connection, the last couple years. She recalled that in the plan would also switch them from rely- previous two school years there was a huge problem with students taking up ing on Comcast.

“Now we could get internet through the school’s bandwidth for browsing sothe high speed fiber rings and it would cial media.

ADRIAN DOAN ’19 Page Editor

“We did have some problems where no one could access the internet because kids were too busy using it for programs like Snapchat, but the school seemingly handled that by implementing all these blocks on the wifi,” McCue said.

Westin Bate ’19 agreed with McCue because, while he does find the restricted internet access annoying, he has seen a huge increase in the trustworthiness of the network. Although, he doesn’t believe that the project is a waste.

“If you wait too long to upgrade and modernize you’ll find yourself struggling when the newest technology becomes available,” Bate said. “By planning ahead, the school district can make sure they’re ready for the next big thing.”

Bate doesn’t see a huge payoff from the project currently, but said you can never be too sure in predicting the future of technology. The potential advantages of the fiber optic network are not limited to the school system, as the surrounding communities may substantially benefit, according to Niehaus.

“In addition to the fiber laid for the government and school system, rocket fiber would come in and lay their fiber on top of ours,” Niehaus said. “I think from a safety viewpoint you’ll see things like cameras on stop lights and faster 911 services across the Pointes.”

Along with the better network for the municipalities across Grosse Pointe, residents may have access to high speed fiber optic internet from Rocket Fiber because of the project. This can offer opportunities for small business and cause economic growth across the community.

“This is an opportunity not just to elevate our learning to another level, but to give the community a lot more economic development for small business that want to come into Grosse Pointe or even those working out of their homes,” Niehaus said. “I hope we get it.”

4 | FEATURE

Celebrities who should work out more Get fit, don’t quit How to lose 10 pounds in 10 days!

The best bikini for your body shape How she got skinny fast!

My weight loss journey Best diet for that summer body Exercises for a toned tummy Celebrity looks horrible in bikini at the beach The Tower set out to find those who strive for a ‘perfect spring break body’, and those who don’t

“If you’re trying to lose too much weight too fast, you could definitely not eat enough to be healthy. There’s certain things (that a *A source in this issue was used anonymously to protect their good diet includes),” Dawson said. “A good identity diet is just balanced and nutritional. Some pring break is right around the corner, and today, people for diets are trying to cut things students can feel the pressure to lose weight and out of their diet that aren’t good to cut get that ‘perfect spring break body’ by the time out. Some people try and cut out carbs, school lets out on March 29. which is something you need, or cut However, not all students believe the spring break out proteins, which is something body is the best option. Martha Dawson ’20 believes the you need. They pressure to be slimmer than normal isn’t try and cut out necessary to go on spring break, or even for necessary things other times of the year. and that can have like There’s a lot of “It’s a lot like the summer body, where a bad effect on their there’s a lot of expectations where you expectations where body and their health.” just have to be like a lot skinnier than you just have to be a lot In a poll of South you would normally be or you’d have to skinnier than you would students, 53 percent be more toned,” Dawson said. “It’s kind normally be or you’d have say that they work of weird to me to think that you need to to be more toned, out specifically for change your body during the seasons.” spring break. Natalija MARTHA DAWSON ’20 Dawson believes a factor that Bogoevich ’18 said contributes to this pressure can come that spring break has from society, specifically social media. motivated her workout routine.

“All the images we see in the media and you see online “I like to do cardio, abs and legs. I try (make you want a skinnier body),” Dawson said. “Instagram to workout everyday,” Bogoevich said. models (also make you) want that body because that’s the “A workout plan can become unhealthy ideal of pretty and beautiful. It’s how the fashion industry when a person doesn’t eat and oversays, ‘If you want to wear these clothes, you have to look exercises.” a certain way.’”

According to the Alliance for Eating Jane Hill ’19* felt these pressures from society and from Disorders, over-exercising is used as a a sport she played, and, as a result, she began to develop an way to purge calories. Signs of compulsive eating disorder. over-exercise include working out with “I never felt the pressure to have a perfect body, I just an injury or if the individual is sick, felt the pressure to be a lot skinnier than I already was,” feeling tremendously guilty or seriously Hill said. “There is for sure pressure to have a desired depressed if they cannot exercise, finding body type. Why do you think people get plastic surgery? time-- no matter the expense-- to exercise, Everyone wants the perfect hourglass (figure), boobs, butt, not giving himself/herself any “rest days” tiny, flat stomach; a perfect-everything body. It’s what or “recovery days” between workouts and everyone wants.” working out for hours at a time, beyond Hill said she thinks the spring break body isn’t ideal what can be considered safe or healthy. for teenagers because it promotes an unhealthy lifestyle.

Bogoevich said that to keep a routine “I think the spring break body is ridiculous because healthy, it is important to eat enough you have a body, it’s your body, and everyone’s body is a protein and drink enough water to keep spring break body if (you’re on vacation),” Hill said. “You yourself strong. have a spring break body, then.”

For those looking to keep a healthy Dr. Brittany Thayer, director of the Henry Ford Center body, the best thing a student can do is for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, said to meet with a registered nutritionist, being cautious about the information according to Thayer. you use is important if you want to “(A nutritionist) can maintain a spring break body. evaluate you as an individual and “There is so much information out help you build a healthy diet that works I like to do cardio, there about food and nutrition, but not all within your lifestyle,” Thayer said. “However, abs, and legs. I try to of it is good information,” Thayer said. “A lot of you can obtain some very good information what you might read, or hear about, are personal workout every day. and ideas from respected organizations’ testimonials. Someone you know, and respect, may A workout plan can websites such as myplate.gov, eatright.org and have started following a particular diet, or eaten become unhealthy henryfordlivewell.com.” a certain food, and felt better. That does not mean Dawson recommends eating more organic when a person doesn’t they are fully able to understand why they are feeling foods that the body can process much easier. She eat and overexercises. better nor that that particular plan or food is right believes that is the best way to keep a healthy diet for you.”

NATALIJA BOGOEVICH ’18 plan.

Hill said part of the reason she developed her “Beyond that, I don’t think there are too many eating disorder was because of diets and workouts things that are necessarily healthy unless it is staying her coach followed as a teenager, as well as comments within the range of what is healthy and what your body needs,” Dawson that her coach made to her. said.

“When I played my sport, my coach used to tell me that I should According to Hill, keeping a positive environment is essential to be skinnier, because she was skinnier when she was my height and remaining confident in your body and keeping a healthy lifestyle. my age. I tried to work more, but it still didn’t work,” Hill said. “So “Eliminate the people in your life who make you feel like you need to I stopped eating on occasion, and I made myself throw up a lot do something differently than what you already are,” Hill said. “If you are because I thought it would help. I did that a lot.” confident in your body already, stay confident in your body and don’t let Dawson said one of the issues with the spring break body is anyone else’s opinion or view shape what you think of yourself.” students may cut out parts of their diet that aren’t necessarily good.

If you believe you are suffering from an eating disorder, you can seek According to Dawson, this can affect not only their body, but can help from the National Eating Disorders Association by calling (800) 931also affect their health as well.

2237 or by visiting their website at nationaleatingdisorders.org.

BIANCA PUGLIESI & CLAIRE KOEPPEN, BOTH ’19 Supervising Copy Editor & Section Editor

S

Get skinny 53 percent of students said they worked out specifically to lose weight for spring break.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWER INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE TOWER PULSE TWITTER

Sexy abs fast

See results fast!

ENOUGH PRESSURE

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

5 | FEATURE

TROUBLE IN PARADISE? Traveling to Mexico holds concerns about safety GRACE REYES ’19 Pulse Editor in Chief As the winter months seemingly never end, many Grosse Pointers take a retreat down south on either their winter or spring breaks.

Due to the recent growth in crime across the country, many people’s decisions in traveling to Mexico have been affected as reported in News.com.au.

Instead of heading to Mexico in the spring for their senior trip, Monette and his friends headed to Cancun for midwinter break.

“Right now, Cancun is in a really bad drug war,” Collin Monette ’18 said. “The resort really shielded us away from that; in reality, if you step outside, it’s a whole other world.”

According Monette, they stayed in an all-inclusive resort and there wasn’t any need to leave the property.

“We only went out twice,” Monette said. “Once to go fishing in Playa Carmen, about ten miles away. It was pretty nice once we got there, but the drive there was not good at all.”

According to drama teacher Megan Dunham, who has traveled to Mexico three times, she believes no matter where you go there are areas where people should and should not go, and it’s very important to make good choices.

“I think (the resort staff) bend over backwards to make you feel

safe,” Dunham said. “I’m always reading news feeds, and this was But as a frequent visitor to trouble for some, but when you Mexico, Dunham isn’t swayed by look into it a little more it’s a cau- some of the reports she’s seen. tionary tale of a bad choice you “I’m not going to go some know not to make.” place where I’m not comfortable According to a report by with, but if you were not acting as CNN, the murder rate in Mexico responsibly, you could get yourhas jumped 26 percent since 2016 self in trouble,” Dunham said. “I and most of don’t think we western Mexshould stop ico is caught traveling there between comout of fear but As Americans you peting drug I think you might be more of a cartels. have to be target than your typical careful what “I’m not local on the street. allowed to excursion you go to Mexico are taking.”

MEGAN DUNHAM because my AccordDrama Teacher parents don’t ing to Kenthink it’s safe ny Gross ’18, to go down who will be there,” Bridgett Blondell ’18 said. going to Cabo, there’s no need for “None of my siblings have been him to leave the resort, so he isn’t able to go to Mexico for that rea- worried about traveling there. son, so I didn’t really ask or push “I’m going to Mexico because them.” that’s where my friends are goCaroline Mancus ’19 and ing,” Gross said. “We are going as Blondell will still be enjoying a huge group.” their fun in the sun in Saint Pete’s, According to Everything PlaFlorida. According to Mancus, ya Del Carmen, the price of the there’s also a group of sopho- trip plays a significant factor in mores and seniors heading there whether people decide to travtoo. People are also traveling to el to Mexico or not. In general, Siesta Key, not too far from where flights to Cancun are more exthey are staying. pensive than to Miami, but there “I feel like the only difference are some resorts in Mexico that is that Mexico is all inclusive include the flight fee. and everything is all there, but “Honestly, I would have rather in Florida everything is more gone to Florida,” Monette said. “I spread out and there aren’t any could have done the same things resorts like that,” Mancus said. in Florida I did in Mexico”.

According to the State Department, the country’s threat level is a level two. That means tourists should “be aware of heightened risks to safety and security.” Although, there are five states in Mexico that have a level four rating-- Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Mazatlán and Tamaulipas-- these states have the same ranking as war zones like Afghanistan or Iraq. The State Department recommends Americans should not travel to those locations due to “widespread violent crime”.

“We don’t feel any more threatened in our country than you do in any big city anywhere,” Dunham said as she was explaining what her tour guide told her.

“He said as Americans you might be more of a target than your typical local on the street but not if you’re where you should be.”

According to CNBC, Zachary Rabinor, the President and CEO of Journey Mexico, a travel company with three offices in Mexico, avoid wearing flashy jewelry that would make an individual stand out in a crowd.

“So many Midwesterners do travel to Mexico because we get crazy with the cold weather,” Dunham said. “I’m not going to go where I don’t feel safe so that just is your awareness of the world and where it’s safe and where it’s not safe.”

Mexican Crime Ranks

How Mexico’s crime rates compare to other countries’ - TOTAL CRIME LEVELS: 28TH - DRUGS (CANNABIS USE): 1ST - DRUGS (OPIATES USE): 9TH - MURDERS WITH FIREARMS: 12TH - RAPE RATE: 18TH - ROBBERIES: 4TH - ASSAULTS: 20TH - AUTO THEFT: 22ND - MURDERS COMMITTED BY YOUTHS: 8TH - ADULTS PROSECUTED: 27TH

INFORMATION COMPILED FROM WWW.NATIONMASTER.COM

ERICA FOSSEE ’19 Multimedia Editor

(586) 463-8144 31988 N River Rd Harrison Charter Township MI, 48045

SPRING SPORTS THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

6 | SPORTS

Boys & Girls Rowing

Baseball

CLAIRE SHEREEN ’20 Copy Editor South’s combined boys and girls rowing team has high hopes and goals going into the spring season, according to girls team head coach Mike Gentile.

Gentile said the team is finishing up their winter training program and preparing for upcoming competitions.

“We’re just finishing up our winter training now, which started way back in November,” Gentile said. “The team works really hard in the offseason to train on the rowing machines.”

The team will be traveling to Oakbridge, Tennessee over spring break for training, according to team member Natalie Liening ’19. Liening said she is excited to see how the team measures up against their competition this season.

“We have four regattas this season and we’ve put in a lot of this winter with our training, so I’m looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the other teams,” Liening said.

According to Gentile, the team hopes to qualify for the national championships in California in June.

“Our goals are to compete well at the midwestern championships and then cruise on to national championships,” Gentile said.

Liening agreed with Gentile and feels the team is motivated to qualify for nationals.

“We’d love to make it to nationals in California,” Liening said. “I think everyone on the team is looking to make it to nationals.”

The rowing team’s first regatta is on April 14 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Boys Track & Field

7 | SPORTS

CHARLIE MATTHEWS ’20 Staff Writer

PHOTO BY CLAIRE SHEEREN ’20

The South varsity baseball team tryouts have concluded, marking the beginning of the 2018 season for the team, and another push at a state championship, which the program last attained in 2001.

The team’s first goal is to win the MAC division and go far in the state tournament, according to head coach Dan Griesbaum.

“If all goes well, we could certainly be in the mix,” Griesbaum said.

“We have to get by a tough district with North and Liggett, who will have good teams again this year.”

With some on the field adjustments, Griesbaum is confident the team can reach their goals in the 2018 campaign.

“We need to hit more for power, play very good defense, and throw strikes... cut down on walks. The pitchers need to hit their spots. Our younger kids need to make major contributions if we are going to be successful, and we are confident they can do that,” Griesbaum said.

According to starting pitcher Cameron Shook ’18, while there is no denying there is talent to be seen in the MAC, South refuses to let other teams’ abilities hinder their confidence. Shook said they plan to make improvements to an already-skilled team.

“Overall, we are looking to bring energy to the field, play the best we possibly can, and seize opportunities that could change the outcome of the game,” Shook said.

Along with on the field performance, team chemistry is also vital to success for South baseball, according to starting pitcher Nate Budziak ’18.

“So far, the team has already been clicking with each other, and good team chemistry is very important, especially in baseball where the seasons are so long,” Budziak stated.

Overall, the varsity squad is looking forward to a successful season.

“We plan to compete and win whether we’re playing the best team on our schedule or the worst team,” Shook said. “We plan to dominate.”

As springtime rolls around for 2018, so do the schedules for spring sports, including boys track & field. With new coaching staff and new teammates for each event, both coaches and players are hopeful for this season.

“I believe we have a legitimate shot at making the state meet,” Charlie Cielieska ’18 said. “Last season was a little rough, but with our new, more strict attendance policy, kids who would slack off or skip practice will have to either show up every day or not run for the team.”

The new head coach, Mark Sonnenburg, who also teaches science at Brownell Middle School and coaches the boys cross country team, has set his sights high for his debut season, starting out with a list of new changes to the program.

“When I took over this team, I envisioned a brand new era of discipline and hard work,” Sonnenburg said. “We have brand new uniforms, there’s an attendance policy, we’re not screwing around anymore.”

Last season, the boys’ team did not secure a spot in the state competition. The changes have the members of boys track & field intrigued to see how well the season ahead sprawls out.

“Under the guidance of our new head coach and the amount of raw talent we have going into this year, my hope as a runner is making the state meet,” Cielieska said.

CAITLIN MILLER ’18 Staff Writer The face off has started for the boys lacrosse season with their first home game against Anchor Bay High School on Thursday, March 29.

The team has playoffs on their minds and hope their practice will pay off when the time comes, according to Tommy Bsharah ’19.

“We hope to make a run in the playoffs, and I think if we work

ABI DUE ’18 Social Media Editor

Ranked fourth in the state in the preseason poll, the girls varsity tennis team will be expecting a successful season this spring, hoping to possibly win it all at states, tennis captain Rachel Harris ’18 said.

“We have solid doubles teams and a great group of singles players,” Gigi Bonnell ’19 said.

Bonnell hopes to build on the history of winning in South girls tennis and an exciting journey at States.

Softball EVELYN KUHNLEIN ’20 Staff Writer

There’s no traffic on the extra mile, according to Kendall Volpe ’19, varsity softball player.

The girls varsity softball team works hard on and off the field in preparation for their rigorous game schedule.

“With 32 to 36 games a season, we practice every day, focusing on a mix of hitting and fielding,” Volpe said.

Throughout their two month season, the cohesive unit hopes to qualify for districts. This would lead them on the road to the regional, and eventually state competition, according to Julia O’Halla ’19, a member of the team.

“We are all very competitive, so winning each game is obviously our

hard enough, then we will be able to participate,” Bsharah said.

According to Bsharah, the team has great chemistry and they all work well together. Because of this, they make it fun for each other on and off the field, he said.

Team captain Max Stricker ’18, believes this season will go well.

“During the regular season, I’m hoping we can stay healthy this season as we have the maximum number of games allowed by the

Girls Soccer

PHOTO BY GRIFFIN JONES ’18

ISABELLA CRAPPAROTTA ’20 Staff Writer The boys and girls sailing team started their spring season Monday, March 19, following their consecutive third place fall state title.

Coaches James Cooper, Gary Jacoby and Jerry Partridge currently have an overall team of 27 sailors.

According to captain Johnny Walton ’18, the team traveled to Maryland for the national regatta, team racing nationals in Virginia, Chicago and Traverse City for multiple regattas.

Captain Blake Stackpoole ’18 was introduced to sailing at the age of four and has sailed for multiple teams and clubs in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, four Great Lakes, the US, Canada, Belgium and the British Islands.

“I really like sailing because I’m quite good at it and it has been a part of my whole life,” Stackpoole said.

The team’s first regatta is the weekend of March 23-25 at Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, according to Walton.

“I’m hoping for the team to go to both national events, and I am hopeful we can do pretty well at them,” Walton said.

Walton plans to sail in college but hasn’t committed. He said he enjoys being in the water and likes the competitive racing aspect of it which is not like any other sport.

Stackpoole officially signed on Friday, March 2 to sail at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges, which is currently the second ranked team in the country, beginning this fall.

According to Stackpoole, the team hopes to challenge at the national championships in Houston, Texas and San Diego, California.

PHOTO BY DOMINIC DULAC ’20

ABI WILSON ’20 Staff Writer

The team has a good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen, Harris said.

“We’re really excited because we have three really good freshmen coming in, so we have a mix of experience.”

The girls practice at 6 a.m. and go to groups after school, Harris said, and they conditioned a lot in the off season and have been doing team bonding activities all year.

The girls have had one match so far last Saturday at Grosse Ile, where they played in a quad against Allen Park, Grosse Ile and Marion.

“I'm so excited about states and being able to watch over 20 teams compete all against each other at one big complex,” Bonnell said. “It's such a thrill and an awesome way to end the season.”

There is a new face on the soccer field as the girls varsity soccer team has a new coach, Chris Bolio. Captain Cam Zak ’18 and her sister Jordan Zak ’20 are confident the new coach will bring the team’s most successful season yet.

According to Jordan, the team is trying to get back on track to win more games than last season.

The girls have 17 regular season games scheduled in the MAC Red division. This is the highest division the girls can play in. In the previous season, the girls have not been successful in their games.

“This season, we want to win more games than last year,” Cam said. “Our biggest goals are to beat North and to win districts.”

Jordan thinks bringing Bolio to the team will create a new energy and bring the team the fresh start they need.

“A new coach brings a fresh start and forces people to work hard because he hasn’t seen them play before,” Jordan said.

Overall, the team hopes for a better season as opposed to last. The team has a fresh start with a new momentum and drive within them to beat North and win districts.

“Everyone is extremely excited about the upcoming season with the new coaches and we feel that it will be very beneficial.”

The girls track and field season has started with goals of self-improvement in mind.

Team members and captains alike are looking forward to growing both as a team and student athletes, according to team captain Natalia Szura ’18.

“I hope my team enjoys bonding with each other, learning about how the sport works, and how hard everyone is working,” Szura said.

Szura, who has been on the team since her freshman year, said emphasis will be put on personal goals more than competition this season.

“Our coach seems really excited about what we can do,” Szura said. “I’m really excited too. I think we’re going to

do great.”

This year, the team has shown “a lot of potential” according to Szura. The team has a lot of strong runners.

“My main goal is to improve my personal records this season,” Roo Wiley ’20 said.

Both Wiley and Szura are interested in bettering their track, as well as field event performances.

“I definitely want to try something new in the field events,” Wiley said.

Szura wants to both break her pole vault height record of nine feet and three inches and improve her 4x4 relay race time.

“It can be overwhelming at times, but if you work hard and do your best, it’ll all work out,” Szura said.

PHOTO BY EVELYN KUHNLEIN ’20

big goal,” O’Halla said. “Most of the team is the same age and we have been playing together all of high school, so we definitely have learned how to support one another and encourage the girls to do their best.”

For the team members that play specific positions, putting in more work outside of practice is a necessity, according to Volpe, a catcher. The girls participate in batting practices with core and strength workouts outside of their normal practice schedule in order to enhance the team.

“This year, Grosse Pointe North is in our district,” O’Halla said. “That is a game we really want to win in order to make it to districts. Putting in the extra work will be worth it.”

The girls’ next game is Thursday, March 29 against Woods Tower High School in Warren.

The North vs. South game will be played at North on April 24.

“It’s just a really fun time. We all have crazy personalities and like any group of girls, we don’t get along 100 percent of the time,” Volpe said.

“But we click really well together, which makes for a super fun atmosphere.”

MHSAA,” Stricker said..

They hope for the best on their first home game, Stricker said. According to Stricker, they have a “young squad,” but a few returning starters to help their game.

“My favorite part about being on the team is going to be when we beat North,” Stricker said.

PHOTO BY JOHN SCHULTE ’18

RAY HASANAJ ’18 Supervising Editor The boys golf team will have their first match against Eisenhower on April 11 at Cherry Creek.

Aspiring captain, Evan Theros ’18 believes the team is very good this year with a great deal of potential.

“We have a really strong group of guys, so I think we definitely have a chance to win the state championship.

That would be the overall goal,” Theros said.

Theros said the team’s top players consist of himself, Coalter Smith ’19, Tommy Sullivan ’20, and co-aspiring captain Patrick Sullivan ’18.

“We have a lot of good, young talent that will probably help us in most of our matches,” Theros said.

Theros said the team’s biggest challenge this year will be opposing team Catholic Central, who ranked one above South in the preseason rankings.

“They’re probably going to be our best competition if they can contend with us, but other than that I think we’re the best team in the state,” Theros said.

Patrick agrees with Theros and said in addition to Catholic Central, another challenge the team will face is getting four solid scores to count.

“We are struggling to find a fifth man because we lost some vital players from last year,” Patrick said.

Both future captains said they have high expectations for the team and are looking forward to their season.

“My favorite thing about the team is we have four players that have already competed in the state finals and can put up really good numbers,” Patrick said.

Boys Golf

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK SULLIVAN ’18

Girls Lacrosse

MAURA SHINE ’20 Page Editor

Sailing

Girls Track & Field

Girls Tennis

Boys Lacrosse GRIFFIN JONES ’18 Graphic Manager

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

CAITLIN MILLER ’18 Staff Writer The girls lacrosse team made a fast break into their season with their first game against Novi on Friday, March 22.

The team is ready for the season and has high hopes for making it to the second round of playoffs, or to states, according to Cailey Paull ’18.

“I believe this season will be interesting,” Paull said. “We have a lot of new players and it could help us make it to states.”

Team captain, Anne Rinke ’18, stated since it’s a smaller team, the coaches will be able to make corrections to each individual and hopefully help each player’s skills. The main goal for the team is to make it to playoffs, according to Paull and Rinke.

“We have a smaller team this year, which allows for our coaches to focus more on one to critique our form, which will benefit us more during games,” Rinke said.

The team is very close, and they can always count on each other to laugh, according to Rinke. With this chemistry on the team, Paull believes that they will work well together during games.

“My favorite part about being on the team is how close my team and I get and laughing constantly with everyone,” Rinke said.

PHOTO BY CAITLIN MILLER ’18

8 | FEATURE

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 3.28.18

thank you staff!

Meet the some of the ones behind the scenes...

MAUREEN CAVERA RAY HASANAJ ’18 Supervising Editor At Large

The attendance clerks at South do much more than track students’ attendance, according to attendance clerk Maureen Cavera.

Cavera has been working as the attendance clerk for four years at South, alongside Peggy Murphy. Cavera said the majority of her work comes from going through attendance calls and monitoring students’ attendance.

“We answer all the attendance calls. All the students that are absent have their parents call in to excuse them, so we just go through all the robo calls in the morning and throughout the day,” Cavera said.

Cavera also has the responsibility of reporting when students are close to reaching their attendance cap from missing too much school.

“We run reports for excessive absences, so we report students who are nearing their cap,” Cavera said.

Cavera said in addition to the day-to-day tasks she

completes, the job description entails much more. Attendance clerks are also accountable for a variety of jobs at South, many of which students are not aware of, according to Cavera. Some of these jobs include reporting communicable diseases to the health department, reporting truancy, taking care of sick students, Count Day procedures and tracking student whereabouts during school.

Cavera also said the job can be overwhelming, especially before school vacations. Excusal calls can exceed 500 in the week leading up to a break, according to Cavera.

Aside from the work Cavera does, she said she enjoys being the attendance clerk very much and the students are her favorite part of her job. Cavera also has three kids at South, which she said is very convenient for her.

“It’s nice being in the same building with them and knowing what’s going on,” Cavera said.

BEHIND THE DESK Attendance clerk Maureen Cavera, does more during the school day than track attendance. Her job entails many responsibilities at South.

PHOTO BY RAY HASANAJ ’18

SCARLETT GREET BLAIR CULLEN ’18 Staff Writer

DEDICATION Custodian Scarlet Greet cleans the white board that details the custodial schedule. She said her favorite part of her job is dealing with the students.

Students may see custodian Scarlett Greet almost every day during her 10-hour shifts six days a week, delivering packages or helping students with their building use form, but there is more to her than meets the eye. When she’s not working, she is spending time with her husband and two adult kids.

“I have worked at South for the past two years, and I enjoy it here; the students are well-rounded and respectful,” Greet said.

Greet previously worked at North, but her responsibilities at South are the same. Her job includes delivering packages to teachers and in and out of the building and keeping up with the schedules of when students need doors open for meetings and fundraisers, according to Greet.

“I would say one of the hardest parts of my job is

keeping up with all of the building use forms, what equipment students need at varying times and all of the paperwork to it,” Greet said.

The custodial staff is constantly busy. After losing three of her co-workers to retirement or other schools, responsibilities around the school have increased, according to Greet.

“There is a lot of change over the years with our custodial staff; we get new people all the time,” Greet said. “Not that they were hired in just subs, but we got big cutbacks. Here at South alone we lost three people.”

Greet said she enjoys working with South students and helping wherever she can.

“If I could tell students anything, I would want them to know that I will break my back for them; I will do whatever they need me to,” Greet said. “I am just here to help.”

BARBARA LUMLEY ALYSSA CZECH ’19 Associate Editor The cafeteria buzzes with chatter and laughter.

The line to buy hot food items, beverages, fruit, chips and more runs down the side of the room.

Barbara Lumley, who has worked in the cafeteria for about 25 years, walks among the rows of long tables, smiling at and talking to students.

“I am what they call a lunch monitor,” Lumley said. “I watch the students and I clean the tables. I’m supposed to be here by 10:30 and I work until 12:30.

I don’t set up anything. I don’t have anything to do with the food.”

Lumley graduated from South in 1945. She said she was a typist for The Tower when she attended South, and would work together with some of the people who wrote stories.

According to Lumley, a lot has changed since she attended South. Students were still allowed to

talk in the lunchroom, but there wasn’t loud noise like there is today. She said South’s atmosphere was different when she attended, partly because it was during World War II and the high schoolers acted more grown up then than they are now. They knew more about loss. According to Lumley, she knew people who had lost family members in the war, and this was common.

Lumley said there have been a lot of changes even within the time she has worked here.

“A lot has changed,” Lumley said. “They used to have a salad bar here which I took care of when I first came here...There used to be five women working here, now there’s only me.”

Lumley said she worked at a marketing company downtown before she was employed at South. Her favorite part of her job is being able to know and work with the students.

“I get a kick out of the students,” Lumley said. “I love South.”

LONGEVITY Barbara Lumley ’45 now works in South’s cafeteria as a lunch monitor.

According to her, much has changed since her days as a student here.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA CZECH ’19

Favorite moments with the staff ERICA FOSSEE ’19, NAVYA CHAMIRAJU AND KARI RONNING BOTH ’20 Multimedia Editor and Staff Writers

I really like Mrs. Wolfe, the photo teacher, and her teaching style because she is very kind to all her students and really cares about how they are learning photography skills in the class.

PAISLEY MACKAY ’20

An enjoyable memory would be in Mrs. Kline’s class since she always results in the class laughing, such as when she will call students out and ask what’s wrong or students will shout something out and she will just start laughing and then we will all start laughing with her.

SARAH STOVAL ’20

Mr. Theisen is really nice because he will really help you try to understand concepts if you find them difficult.

GIANNA RAMON ’19

A staff member that I really appreciate is Mrs. Rothenbuhler because she is really hardworking and nice, and I can tell she really cares about all her students and helping them learn the material.

She is really passionate about her teaching.

RACHEL FLOWER ’20

My favorite moment I have had with a teacher was when we were at a choir competition on Mr. Pratt’s birthday and the entire auditorium, including our competitors, sang happy birthday to him; it was a really cool and special moment.

CHLOE YONKUS ’20

PHOTOS BY NAVYA CHAMIRAJU ’20