Issue 2 by The Tower Newspaper

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TOWER

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 Volume 90 Issue 2

A weekly tradition since 1928

@thetowerpulse thetowerpulse.net

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

ROCK VS EVERYBODY

ROCKY START The Rock on Fisher became a battleground for political ideologies. Left and right both took shots painting the Rock.

Spirit rock vandalized with political messages IAN DEWEY ’18 Copy Editor

ack and forth, back and forth. Over the course of the preceding summer vacation, the rock in front of South became the home of unapproved Pro-Trump messages, along with those of gay pride--a minor political battle taking place in the form of anonymous attempts of painting over the other’s message. The rock, according to student activities director Maria Mitzel, was initially painted with messages of unity and gay pride during the turn of the 2016-2017 school year before being painted with red “Trump” text against a black background. This painting was done without Mitzel’s authorization, which is generally required for groups or individuals wishing to paint the rock. “I don’t work during the summer,” Mitzel said. “Anything that was painted over the summer did not get my authorization.” According to Principal Moussa Hamka, the anonymous painters didn’t get permission from the main office, either. “To my knowledge, the main office did not receive any requests,” Hamka said. “With respect to what took place with the rock, we don’t know if they were students, we don’t know if they were adults; historically, we have not had issues with students painting the rock.” Although individuals can file a request to paint the rock, it is usually groups such as clubs and sports teams that do so, according to Mitzel. Additionally, there are certain procedures that must be followed before the rock can be painted. “Usually, a group will come to me and ask if they can paint the rock,” Mitzel said. “I have them fill out a building use form, and say that they’re requesting to paint the rock.

And then I put it on our master calendar. And I keep it on the calendar so our custodians, when they see someone painting it, know it’s okay to paint.” As for items that are allowed on the rock, a positive message which is unlikely to offend people is preferred, Mitzel said. Subjects which tend to be more sensitive in nature, such as politics and religion, are never approved, according to Mitzel.

Whatever that expression is, within bounds and reasons, we just ask that they follow the rules. MOUSSA HAMKA Principal

“I don’t think political messages should be painted, I would say no,” Mitzel said. “I think that we should keep the message positive so that we don’t offend anyone. And with politics, you’re always going to have one person on one side, and one person on another.” Richard Morisette ’19, President of the Young Americans for Freedom club at South (and a Donald Trump supporter himself), disagrees with the methods practiced in relation to the rock. “I think that it’s wrong the messages were put on

the rock in the way they were,” Morisette said. “If it was red, white and blue, giving respect to our presidents, and the office was okay with it, and the school okayed it, that would be fine.” Although Morisette condones the methods of the anonymous artists, he also believes that the initial gaypride messages were of a political nature. “They wanted to put their word out just like the LGBT put theirs out,” Morisette said. Pro-Trump messages, however, were not the only paintings that happened over the summer. In response to the Trump messages, more gay-pride messages were painted in turn. And according to Maren Roeske ’18, who participated in the initial gay pride painting of the rock during the school year, those who did paint subsequent pride messages had consent from the office. “The people who painted the rock the next couple of times were the people who originally had the last building use form filled to paint the rock,” Roeske said. “So they were the last people given permission to paint it. The people who did the Trump…did not have permission. ” With the start of the new school year, both the Trump and the gay pride messages have moved aside from the rock, which is now being used by other groups. With that in mind, Hamka hopes that renewed focus is being put into the upcoming school year, and that those wishing to paint the rock follow the rules. “We do have a process for approving the painting of the rock, but we do live in a free country, and people do have a right to express themselves,” Hamka said. “Whatever that expression is, within bounds and reasons, we just ask that they follow the rules.”

Privatization leads to new policies throughout the school, hallways ELIZABETH FLOWER’20 Copy Editor To increase the safety of South and keep students from roaming the halls, a new school-wide hall pass policy was implemented for the school year by Assistant Principal Cindy Parravano along with South’s administration. “It (the policy) is to keep more order and to keep people more safe,” Parravano said. According to Parravano, a main reason the policy was put into effect is because of the

new hall monitors and assistant principals. “I’m not aware of any other building that is going through the current situation that we are,” Parravano said. “The policy is just helping them get settled into what their responsibility is as well.” Parravano said the hall pass teachers give out to students need to have the date, the time the student leaves class, where they are going, what room they are from and the teacher’s signature. However, the number of passes a student can have is up to the teacher.

IMPORTANT DATES sept.

The varsity volleyball team will play Chippewa Valley at South at 6:30 p.m.

sept.

“This is what we need to have done for safety and security and I think that we can work that out with teachers,” Parravano said. Additionally, South history and government teacher Elizabeth Triden is hopeful about the policy. “I think we should give the policy time to see if it will work,” Triden said. “If students are roaming the halls less, then that’s probably a good trade-off.”

The varsity football team will play Grosse Pointe North at South at 7 p.m.

Scan the code to continue reading the full story online on The Tower Pulse

sept.

South Tri- M recital is from 7 to 9 P.M.

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

2 | OPINION

Hurricane season: an opportunity for compassion, relief and education Here in Grosse Pointe, most people don’t categorize natural disasters in their list of top worries. Besides tornados, we are not prone to these types of disasters. “We are not near any plate boundaries, so we are good with earthquakes and we are not near a warm ocean, so we don’t have to worry about hurricanes,” Earth science teacher Lisa Bouda said. This is not true for the rest of the world. Earlier this month, Hurricane Harvey dumped an estimated 27 trillion gallons of water throughout Texas and Louisiana, leaving 82 dead, according to the Washington Post. In the past few weeks, Hurricane Irma spread across southern Florida and Carribean islands, destroying homes of millions and killing 68, according the Weather Channel. According to the New York Times, these hurricanes together caused $200 billion in damage. Although we are not directly affected by this catastrophe, the Tower insists that everyone should do their part to provide relief for the ones affected. Some of our school’s alumni, families and friends are located in Florida and Texas, as well as Florida being a popular travel destination for the community. No matter the personal connection, help should be given to the ones affected by the tragedy, even if it is towards a stranger. The main way to display support is through donations. There are a

case, something can be done to pay respect and relief for the victims of the recent hurricanes. “It is also important to remain educated about the natural disasters because not everyone will always live in Michigan,” Bouda said. “You can get a really cheap cruise right now but there is a reason for that,” she said. Bouda believes that social media has helped make people, who do not live in hurricane prone areas, more in touch with viewing how

serious the storms are. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and instagram allow victims to upload pictures of hurricane damage and explain their experiences during the hurricane. This technology generates more sympathy, ergo more donations. However, we will never truly know what life is like for hurricane victims. “You never really experience tragedy before you go through it yourself,” Bouda said.

OUR VIEW || EDITORIAL copious amount of ways to do so. Donate to Habitat for Humanity or any hurricane specific campaign that works on the rebuilding process. Donate to other nonprofit relief organizations like The Red Cross, UNICEF, Save the Children. Donate to companies that are matching all donations like Apple, Amazon and Walmart did with Hurricane Harvey. Donate to victim’s GoFundMe pages (be careful of scams). If donations cannot be made, organize a local fundraiser yourself, like local kids did through their lemonade stand at the corner of Beaupre and Lothrop (check out page 4 for the story). No matter the

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

New hall pass policy fails to improve since last year MY VIEW

LIAM WALSH ’18 Supervising Editor

ell, they got us guys. No more are we going to be able to roam the halls mischievously for an entire class period. No longer are we going to be able to weasel our way out of work or other taxing chores. How did they know that a slip of paper was our kryptonite? It’s impossible to forge, for all the complex Microsoft Word-ing that went into the design is something way over the head of high schoolers, and the signature of the teacher is just not something that can be remade, no matter how hard one tries to scribble in the same chicken-scratch initials as the teacher. All kidding aside, these hall passes seem to be a very defin-

itive step back. It is a false notion that they allow for better tracking of students then some of the previous hall passes, like the life size cutout of Queen Elizabeth. Sure they have the much improved ability of having the “time back” on them, but I have yet to see a teacher look at a single hall pass after the student has returned. They interrupt class and take the teacher’s attention away from what they are supposed to do: teach. As soon as the student returns from their adventure, most of the time the hall passes are sent immediately to the trash can. In my personal experience, the security guards have not been vigilant in checking the hall passes either. The one time I was asked where I was heading, all I did was flash the slip of paper from about 30 feet away and I was allowed to continue peacefully. The hall pass was not checked, not looked at,

and it could’ve been any random piece of paper as I didn’t even unfold the hall pass. So these hall passes are failing in the core essence of what they were brought about to accomplish. Apparently, the old hall passes didn’t allow for delineation between teachers and that caused for confusion among the staff. I only see these new hall passes compounding upon that issue. Now instead of every teacher having some individualized and fun item, everybody has a slip of paper. I loved seeing Mr. Cooper’s lunchbox around the S building, or any of the other random assortment of items. It was fun, it was quirky, it added a pop of color to what can otherwise be a very mundane day. These new hall passes really don’t seem that productive; instead they seem to be adding another level of bureaucracy and paper pushing that no one, including teachers, have seemed too excited about.

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Destination: Name: Time out: Time back: Teacher:

NEWSPAPER

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TOWER

STAFF

GRAPHIC BY LIAM WALSH ’18 Editor-in-Chief

Liz Bigham* ’18 John Francis* ’18 Associate Editor

Alyssa Czech* ’19 Supervising Editors at Large

Ray Hasanaj* ’18 Liam Walsh* ’18

Supervising Editors

Katherine Bird*, Rachel Harris*, Riley Lynch*, Elena Rauch*, all ’18 Biana Pugliesi* ’19 Page Editors

Chase Clark*, Kaitlin Nemeh* Cam Smolen*, JD Standish*, all ’18 Adrian Doan* ’19 Anne Muawad*, Lauren Nemeh*, Maura Shine*, Aidan Walsh*, Elizabeth

Wolfe*, all ’20 Copy Editors

Ian Dewey*, Piper Eschenburg*, Phoebe Miriani*, all ’18 Sylvia Hodges* ’19, Elizabeth Flower*, Victoria Gardey*, Claire Sheeren*, Imran Siddiqui*, all ’20 Online Editor-in-Chief

Henry Aryault* ’19

Business Managers

Evan Skaff* ’18

Section Editors

Arianna Pagenette* ’18, Kaitlyn Perkins* ’18, Kathleen Carroll*, Katherine Costello*, Claire Koeppen*, Jaqui Mercier*, Audrey Whitaker*, all ’19 Dominic Dulac* ’20 w Multimedia/Social Media Editors

Abigail Due* ’18, Erica Fossee* ’19

FUNCTION OF TIME or FUNCTION OF INTENTION Apple just announced GRIFFIN JONES ’18 it’s next Staff Writer technological innovation that will shake up the whole first world: The iPhone X (“The iPhone Ten”, not the letter “X”; ya’know, like roman numerals). With intense new features like the fact that it will map your face with over 30 thousand individual dots so you can unlock your phone with a glance, it’s surely something worth talking about. However, it doesn’t have to be praised. There’s been a running speculation for a few years as Apple has released new versions of their signature piece of tech that older versions of their iPhone begin behaving oddly, like slowing down and “suddenly” performing worse. And all of this happens conveniently along with Apple’s annual announcement of their latest smartphone installment. The whole idea behind this is that Apple is selling products that are either designed to begin melting down within your own palm within a yearly life-cycle or that they are transmitting a virus-like system to eventually ruin the device. Now why would the innocent and perfect multi-billion dollar practically monopolistic technology company be trying to ruin their own devices? Well, let’s say people don’t pay attention to Apple’s yearly line of products ranging from phones to tablets to watches-- hypothetically, people should genuinely be happy with their product for a few years. So where’s the logic in buying a completely new phone when your current one does all that you need and want? Well, this is where Apple has society by the leash. Apple is what they are because they make such a huge amount of money on a yearly basis. So if they instead had a third of that yearly profit because people didn’t buy their products, how could Apple be, well, Apple? They purposely destroy their products in order to make people buy their latest invention,

MY VIEW

Tower Radio

Alex Acker* ’18 Zachary Heimbuch* ’19 Staff Writers

Margot Baer, Solana Bryson, Blair Cullen, Griffin Jones, Harper McClellan, Caitlin Miller, John Schulte, Lauren Thom, Brennan Zihlman, all ’18 John Bellamy, Sarah Bellovich, Isabella Craparotta, Oliver MacDonald, Allison MacLeod, Olivia Mlynarek, Sarah Stevenson, Arif Ulku, all ’19 Madeleine Allen, Julia Ambrozy, Daniel Klepp, Evelyn Kuhnlein, Charlie Matthews, Kari Ronning, all ’20 Eva McCord ’21 Adviser

Kaitlin Edgerton

of course. So, the iPhone X is coming out soon. They’ve “improved” its capabilities with new features--did I mention it scans your face? (You already know the U.S. government is drooling over that kind of software)--as well as software with iOS 11. And pretty soon, people’s iWhatevers will start throwing a fit. I promise. I bought an iPhone 7 last month and I’m glad I did. I previously owned an iPhone 5S. That was basically three iPhones behind the state-of-theart 7, that is if you include the whole 5C debacle. So, why did I decide to finally get a new iPhone? Well, my phone’s screen was literally hanging out of it’s shell. It wasn’t dead or anything, but that contraption was definitely in it’s deathbed. Now, like I was saying, a new version comes out, the previous one starts acting up. Imagine having a version behind by three, like me. I’m not saying any names, but yeah, Apple killed my phone, the screen and everything. But that’s the theory: Apple murders it’s inventions so thousands more will be sold to a blind public that can’t see the relevance of this backstabbing and heartbreaking façade.

@thetowerpulse Does Apple purposely make their technology malfunction when their new model comes out?

19%

81%

YES

“The Tower” is the weekly publication of the Advanced Journalism classes at Grosse Pointe South High School. It has always been a designated public form of student expression. The Tower is located in room 142 in Grosse Pointe South High School. Please contact us at 313-432-3649.

Errors

Factual errors will be corrected on the opinion page or in news briefs written upon request and verification. Letters

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be screened for libel, irresponsibility and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit Opinion Pieces or shorten letters as long as the meaning is Editorials represent the majority opinion of unchanged. All letters must be signed and the Editorial Board and are left unsigned. Columns represent the opinions of individual include a telephone number for confirmation. Request to withhold the writer’s name staff members and outside contributors. from publication for good reason will be considered. Letters can be sent to the above Editorial Board email address, or dropped off in “The Tower” An asterisk * denotes Editorial Board editors. Room. Advertising

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THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

3 | NEWS

This year rings in new changes to the clock tower RILEY LYNCH ’18 Supervising Editor The first day of school rung with more than just sevenminute bells and one-minute warnings this year after the renovation of South’s historic clock tower, which now chimes every hour and half-hour. Prior to the recent renovation, the clock’s time, bells and backlighting weren’t functioning. However, after a push from the Mothers’ Club, the tower has been restored to its former state. It is nice to have a “The main functioning clock that driving force behind we can look up and see the restoration of the time. the clock tower was the Mothers’ Club Preservation PRINICIPAL MOUSSA C o m m i t t e e ,” HAMKA Principal Moussa Hamka said. “A major driving force initially launching it and raising the money was the late Katie Ecclestone. She spearheaded it and was instrumental in getting the horologist.” According to Hamka, there is a plaque above the clock protection with a framed photo of Ecclestone, commemorating her for her contributions and passion for preserving South. Sue Martin, the Vice President of the Preservation Committee, said the horologist, Phil Wright, was contacted in 2015 after the Mothers’ Club identified the need for a restoration in the tower, mainly due to it displaying the wrong time a n d not chiming. “D u e to the location of the clock mechanism in our tower, it is exposed to natural elements like dust, wind and potentially rain, if the right conditions exist. (Phil) proposed to build a ‘clock house’ that would enclose the clock mechanism in the tower,”

Dissections could be laceraeted from South happen in the spring.” The dissections are not an important part of the class, according to Nate Ferry ’19. Ferry, who has already taken biology, believes the issecting, a core component of Grosse dissections do not teach anything that couldn’t Pointe South’s biology classes, is at risk be achieved through videos and class lectures; of being scrapped due to budget cuts, according however, other students who have participated to biology teachers James Adams and Shelly in the dissections disagree. Rothenbuhler. “Dissections are important The addition of new classes because it is real life handsto the science department on experience that is not has stretched the budget thin; Dissections are replaceable by computers or unless the department can important because textbook learning,” Logan obtain outside funding, the it is real life handsBauer ’19 said. dissections are too expensive According to Bauer, on experience that to perform this year. the dissections helped him “The budget for our is not replaceable by understand the complexity of department is pretty tight computers or textbook the inner workings of life, a because with the new learning thought that closely resembles classes, we have some pretty Adams’ reasoning behind the expensive things, so when the LOGAN BAUER ’19 importance of continuing department put all their orders dissections. together we were a little bit “The experience to see over our budget,” Adams said. an entire organism’s systems “The dissection specimens are all together at the same time is one of those pretty expensive, so we had to cut them out.” experiences that if you don’t do it in class, Despite the science department’s lack of room many kids will never have an opportunity like in the budget, there is still hope the materials for this,” Adams said. “It is a time for them to really dissections can be obtained. The department is understand how a living organism works and to now looking for outside funding through grants appreciate the complexity of life.” and Adams is currently submitting an application Although Adams and Rothenbuhler do not for a grant from the Mothers’ Club. believe dissections are something that should “We are hoping we be cut out of the curriculum, Rothenbuhler still can get funding sees a silver lining to the budget cuts. through Mothers’ “On a positive note, we’re adding new classes Club grants,” that allow new unique opportunities, such as Rothenbuhler said. forensics, the new bots and coding class and “We are hoping to organic chemistry,” Rothenbuhler said. “It’s the get funding in the addition of all these nice electives that we have, fall so we can plan that we want to support, but they take a toll on for the dissections the finances.” as they typically ADRIAN DOAN ’19 Page Editor

GRAPHIC BY LIAM WALSH ’18

Martin said. “This ‘clock house’ will keep moisture, dust, and birds from getting on the mechanism and protect it for years to come.” MaryJo Harris, President of the Mothers’ Club, said the renovation will reflect well on the community and add to the reputation of South’s historic beauty. “Grosse Pointe South is one of the most beautiful schools in the state and the 114 foot-tall clock tower is what makes the outside of our building so distinctive,” Harris said. “We work with the school district PHOTOS BY RILEY LYNCH ’18 to keep South looking like a historic building, but DING DONG (Above) South’s clock tower has functioning like a modern recently gone under renovations. The community one.” can now hear the bell chimes on the hour. In addition, the Preservation Committee also took on the renovation of the Cleminson Hall windows on the front of the building near the end of the summer. Martin said the Preservation Committee is dedicated to improving the school, and that the renovations of the clock house and windows are the largest projects the school has participated in since the remodeling of the auditorium in the early 2000s. The new renovations have had a larger impact not only on current students, but alumni as well. According to Hamka, the chiming of the bell has been heard throughout the community and adds a nostalgic touch that may be experienced by previous students. “There’s something special about seeing the chiming of that bell. We have many residents tell me that it’s so nice to hear the bells working again,” Hamka said. “We have former graduates that live in the area walking, and there’s a little nostalgia. That’s a special part of the Grosse Pointe community; you don’t get that everywhere.

Margaret Pierce joins the social studies department SYLVIA HODGES ’19 Cody Editor

Theo Niforos ’18 is also a student in Pierce’s ith a new year comes new faces, and anthropology class and said she is a fun person. a new face has arrived in Room 174 “She really understands the minds of the in the S building. Meg Pierce has taken former students, ” Niforos said. teacher, Crosby Washburne’s place in South’s According to Niforos, the class has started out social studies department. a little slow, but he can tell it will be a good class. “I am excited to become a Blue Devil and be Cameron Zak ’18 is another student in Pierce’s able to become a part of the culture here,” Pierce anthropology class. said. “It is a wonderful place to be with rich “Mrs. Pierce is really nice and seems like a history and amazing students.” good and helpful teacher,” Zak said. Pierce, who teaches anthropology, world Pierce said her goal is to make her lessons history and exploring global issues, formerly meaningful for her classes. taught at Rochester High School for eight years “(I want to) help them see that what we learn in and at University Liggett for a couple years in the classroom is and can be relevant in life outside both the English and social studies departments the school walls, ” Pierce said. after earning her BA from Michigan State As their teacher, Pierce wants to help her University. She also has an MA in counseling students become better people. from Oakland University. “My goals are always to help students become Bridget Sanford ’18, a student in Pierce’s engaged and informed citizens of the world,” Anthropology class, said her new teacher is Pierce said. “(I also want) to nurture learning and really nice. to support students as they navigate high school “I haven’t been in the class long enough to and their plans beyond. ” know her teaching style yet, but I can tell she wants to make the class as fun as possible,” Sanford said. Pierce said she does not know why Washburne left his job at South. “All I know is that there was an opening available and I jumped at the opportunity to teach and work in the community that I have lived in for ten years and where my own kids go to NEW BEGININGS Mrs. Pierce teaches her seventh hour class, Explorschool,” Pierce said. ing Global Issues, on Monday, Sept.18. PHOTO BY JOHN FRANCIS ’18

Join us at Christ Church every Thursday for pizza lunch during both lunches.

$5 for 4 slices and a drink Located at 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd

4 | FEATURE

Key(fatalities): Last Island 1856 Category 4

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

<1000

Deadliest hurricanes in the U.S. from 1881-2010 2500-4999 >4999

1000-2499

GA/SC 1881 Category 2

INFORMATION COURTESY OF NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

Sea Islands 1893 Category 3

Cheniere 1893 Category 4

Galveston 1900 Category 4

Miami Hurricane 1926 Category 4

Okeechobee 1928 Category 4

HURRICANE SEASON

Teacher manages business in Hurricane Harvey aftermath ABI DUE ’18 Social Media Editor

Among the thousands of people hit by Hurricane Harvey, Lisa Bornoty, a math teacher at South, had both of her Big Salad locations in Texas take a blow, too. Although the damage was minimal at the locations, she was more worried about the well-being of her franchisees. Lisa Bornoty and her husband opened up their first Big Salad in Grosse Pointe nine years ago and since then the whole family has been extremely attached to it, she said. After opening up their first location in Sugarland, Texas, they’ll soon be opening up their second in Katy, Texas. Their son, John Bornoty, Grosse Pointe South alumni and sophomore at Michigan State University, now works there too as the corporate project manager for Big Salad. “My job entails me working with our franchisees and with all of our venders who we order from to get our supplies to open up each store,” he said. After the Bornotys heard about the incoming weather, they were in constant contact with their franchisees and construction team for their new location, but their biggest concern was their employees. “It’s one thing to watch something on the news, you see something happening you feel badly for the people it’s affecting- I feel that way about anything I see that’s not positive on the news. But to watch something that’s happening on your franchisees front porch and to see what’s happening inside their homes was bone chilling, it was unbelievable,” Lisa Bornoty said. Being it was the first day of school, Bornoty had no choice but to let her husband go down and help by himself. “I kept in touch with him remotely all day long but it really makes you appreciate what you have,” Lisa Bornoty explained. Her husband will be in Texas for the rest of the month helping out the stores. Bornoty will fly to Texas each weekend for the rest of September, helping with store organization and training for inventory and ordering. In response to the hurricane, Bornoty’s husband had the idea of opening the store and any customer could come in and eat for free. As soon as the Bornotys heard their Sugarland location was going to be open they contacted their food representatives and ordered a very large truck, Lisa Bornoty said. “We would not charge them, donations were not required but we were expecting donations and 100% of those donations would go directly to the American Red Cross and supporting the rebuilding of all of the affected areas in Texas,” John Bornoty said. Ryleigh Carrier ‘18 is one among many students at South who has relatives in Texas, and although she hadn’t heard anything about what The Big Salad did, she believes it was a wonderful gesture. To spread the word, the Bornotys created a Facebook post asking people to spread the word of what Big Salad was trying to do. “Even if they are unable to come in or they don’t want to donate, we want them to know what we stand for and overall do whatever we can to help Texas in their time of need,”John Bornoty said. It was definitely a good thing for the Big Salad to get the word out for the people in that area and show them what the company itself stands for and how we can help, John Bornoty said.

Labor Day 1935 Category 5

Audrey 1957 Category 4

Katrina 2005 Category 3 GRAPHIC BY ADRIAN DOAN ’19

Hurricanes wreak havoc across the country GRIFFIN JONES ’18 Graphics Manager As tropical storms begin to churn out like toys in Santa’s workshop, America begins to see the destruction left behind from their power. It’s all too familiar to some as in past years similar storms have left their marks all the same. Back in late August, the twelfth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina passed. The 400-mile wide storm scarred America’s southern states with more than they prepared for with the storm’s 175 mph winds. More than 1,800 people were killed between Louisiana and Mississippi, with over 700 still reported missing to this day, according to DoSomething. org. The region is still recovering. And just as people began recalling the unfortunate event, Hurricane Harvey made it’s debut as it hit seaside Texas hard. The storm immediately won a place under the most powerful storms in U.S. history, as its Category 4 wind speeds, intense rainfall and flooding caused chaos. In fact, according to CNN, Harvey brought almost 50 inches of rain within its main five day period, compared to Katrina’s 17 inches. “I’ve never seen more coverage for a hurricane than with Harvey and Irma,” earth-science teacher, Lisa Bouda, said. “Katrina was a surprise because after it hit, it was bad, but then the levees started breaking so the worst was actually after the storm. New Orleans was built below sea-level so the water just sat their for two weeks whereas with Harvey, it was mainly a rain storm because

it was stuck there.” All this, and the U.S. still has more that it’s been facing. Hurricane Irma struck Florida over the weekend with Category 4 forces, having turned a notch down from its Category 5 climax over the Caribbean leaving a total path of destruction. And Hurricane José still holds possibilities of causing damage on the U.S. in the near future as it’s path is still unclear. “It’s left me in a state of worry,” Adam Fox ‘18 said. “Considering I have grandparents and cousins who live down in southern Florida and are waiting it out. My grandparents were lucky and nothing was damaged and my cousins only had a couple branches come down on their property.” Just south of the U.S., Mexico had just begun feeling the rains of Hurricane Katia splash their east coast as a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck just off their southern coast, holding a death toll of 63 between the two natural disasters, according to the LA Times. Relief efforts are in full force as much of the southern U.S. has experienced harsh impacts from this extreme hurricane season. Possible places to donate money as well as supplies include local shelters, churches and food banks, as well as national aid groups like All Hands and Global Giving. “People on social media are all like, ‘it’s the end of the world,’” Ms. Bouda said. “It’s hurricane season. This is what happens.” GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN JONES ’18

Lemonade stand lightens the load after Hurricane Harvey EVA MCCORD ’21 Staff Writer After Hurricane Harvey’s path of destruction ravaged several of the Southern states, as well as numerous Central American countries, a group of Grosse Pointe Farms citizens have decided to take part in the relief efforts by selling lemonade. “We were watching a lot of the news stories together and felt that it was important to do something to help the community,” supervisor Christine Trempus said. Taking action, Trempus and her younger sister, Anna, with the help from a small group of friends, set up a small stand on the corner of their block, albeit expecting few donations. However, as their sales for Harvey came to a close, the group came to discover that they had managed to raise almost four thousand dollars in donations. “It was great seeing so many people come up and donate; not even everyone got lemonade, but everyone dropped off some money here and there to help,” Christine Trempus said. “It was fun to see the community come together.” According to Anna Trempus, the group chose to sell lemonade as it was the fastest and easiest way to reach out to the community, and were inspired by a similar fundraiser run by her older sister; Christine Trempus had organized a lemonade stand years prior to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. “After Katrina, my brother and I felt as though it was necessary to donate,” Christine Trempus said. “People really needed our help.” The stand has now become a source of pride amongst the community, with many returning to the stand to check on

how sales are faring, according to Christine Trempus. “We feel really connected to our community now,” fellow group member Abi Pongratz said. “Everyone came together and helped out.” The team is currently collaborating with WeWork Detroit, a coworking office building that will transfer the collected funds to the Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF), the organization is dedicated to expanding the charitable impact of their donors through means such as land, business, monetary, and property donation, according to ghcf.org. “We just really wanted to help peo-

ple,” Anna Trempus said. “It’s as simple as that.” While the group has finished collecting donations specifically for Hurricane Harvey, they are now currently planning a new stand to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Irma, a catastrophic hurricane that formed shortly after Harvey. “We felt bad for the people that it happened to,” Anna Trempus said. “If it happened to us, we would have wanted for people to help us in return.” The lemonade stand is located on the corner of Lothrop Road and Beaupre Avenue in Grosse Pointe Farms.

HELPING HANDS A group of friends sells lemonade to help Hurricane Harvey victims in Grosse Pointe Farms. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTINE TREMPUS

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

Coffee Craze: new Starbucks drive-thru on Mack

ISABELLA CRAPAROTTA ’19 Staff Writer As the day approaches, coffee lov- ahead of time and pick it up when it’s ers across Grosse Pointe are drooling ready.” over the new Starbucks The Stardrive-thru on Mack Avbucks app alenue. Samantha McLeod lows people to I think that once the spend less time ’19 makes weekly Starsteam of it dies down in line. Accordbucks visits and is joining the excited crowd of then it will be easier to ing to McLeod, students to witness the use the new drive-thru. the drive-thru grand opening. will now grant Samantha McLeod During the summer customers to Student and school year, McLeod drive in and out said she goes to Starbucks of Starbucks just four to five times a week. as easy as the These weekly visits add up in time as app. well as money. According to McLeod, The location of the new Starbucks is she spends 15 to 20 dollars a week. on the corner of Mack and Radnor in “I think that Starbucks is most con- Detroit. McLeod said, this location has venient when you use the Starbucks plenty of room to facilitate a drive-thru, app,” McLeod said. “You can order making it a great new addition to Mack

5 | FEATURE

Avenue. “The first couple months of the new drive-thru Starbucks will probably be difficult to go to because I feel that a lot of people will want to try it out,” McLeod said. “I think that once the steam of it dies down then it will be easier to use the new drive-thru.” The hectic opening could cause a backup in traffic, according to McLeod, but it’s worth a try and a taste. This new drive-thru could help students grab a coffee and baked good with plenty of time to spare and could give teens the convenience they need on the go, according to McLeod. McLeod said she will use the new Starbucks to purchase her favorite beverage--an iced caramel macchiato--and make quick stops when she is on the go.

STARBUCKS The first Starbucks Drivethru opened in 1994

How hall monitor Chris Vaughan protects the hallways EVAN SKAFF ’18 Business Manager HOW DID YOU COME TO OBTAIN THIS JOB AT GROSSE POINTE SOUTH? I was reading the St. Clair Shores Newspaper and I came across an ad for the security company that has been contracted by South. I have plenty of previous security experience, so I applied with them and was placed here. WHAT ARE YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES? My previous experience includes malls, storage units and private securities for concerts, like kid rock and eminem. WHAT SECURITY COMPANY DO YOU WORK FOR? I work for Ricco Security. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT WORKING HERE COMPARED TO YOUR OTHER JOBS? So far here it’s been pretty relaxed, mostly you guys (students) are well behaved. It’s been a pretty easy job. HAVE YOU COME ACROSS ANY OBSTACLES DURING THIS JOB? I have not come across any obstacles here yet; faculty seems to be behind us 100%. HOW DID YOU START IN THIS PROFESSION? I had a friend who did private security for concerts and he was looking for help, and I signed on with him. DO YOU NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE FOR THIS JOB? No you do not need a degree to do it, but obviously you need experience and training, but you do not need a degree to pursue this job. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY BETTER HERE? I talk to the faculty and the students here when I can. Just when I can find the time. HOW DO YOU ENFORCE THE HALL PASS POLICY? I ask for a hall pass and if you do not have one, I send you back where you came from and I make sure you get there.

ERICA FOSSE ’18 Staff Writer

INE ’20

KEEPING SOUTH SAFE

MAURA SH

The closest Starbucks Drivethru to South is at 12 Mile and Gratiot

LATTE STATE OF MIND The new Starbucks Drive-Thru will be located on Mack and Radnor in Detroit. The drive-thru will be much more efficient for those in a rush.

PHOTO BY

Texas has the most Starbucks in the U.S.

There are 84 drive thru Starbucks in Michigan

Kode with 6 | FEATURE

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

Coding camp offers two South students an opportunity to pursue their interests

Klossy

< 4 facts (about women in the S.T.E.M. field) > 1} IN THE MID-1980S, 37% OF COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS WERE WOMEN; IN 2012, 18% 2} GOOGLE’S WORKFORCE IS ONLY 30% FEMALE

VICTORIA GARDEY ’20 Copy Editor

Karlie Kloss came to Detroit this summer to help start a revolution of women in the field of S.T.E.M. Lizzie High and Abigail Wilson, both ’20, were a part of it. Kloss came to run her camp, Kode with Klossy, a summer program for young women to learn and improve upon their coding skills. It is offered all over the country in two week segments, according to High. High has been an avid coder since she was younger. “I was always curious about how computers worked and video games,” High said. “I hacked my Lego Star Wars game when I was little. That was my first experience, and I was like ‘this is something I’ve got to do’.” When High’s sister, Marie High ’16, told her about Kloss’s coding camps, Lizzie knew it was meant to be. Lizzie told her friend, Wilson, about the camp and they both decided to apply. For Wilson, the camp gave her her first chance to take the coding classes she couldn’t fit into her busy schedule during the school year. “This opportunity was like a godsend,” Wilson said. Lizzie and Wilson would travel back and forth from the camp together and would help each other on projects, according to Wilson.

“It was just like hanging out in summer with your friends, but also having a job to do,” Wilson said. “It was really rewarding because at the end of the day you could see that you made something.” Both girls agree that coding is an important skill that will help them in their future. “Coding is what builds everything these days, from apps on our phone to email, so I’ve always been one who wanted to learn and just to have this universal skill that can be used for anything,” Wilson said. “I thought ‘I just need to do that’.” Lizzie’s friend, Roo Wiley ’20, expressed her happiness for High. “It’s a pretty rare opportunity and I’m really proud of her,” Wiley said. The pair both say they would recommend the camp to other girls. “If you are a girl, and if you have ever thought about computer science you’ve got to apply,” High said. “This is the way to learn.”

3} 20% OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS ARE WOMEN 4} IN 2012, MORE WOMEN THAN MEN ENROLLED IN INTRO COMPUTER SCIENCE AT BERKELEY INFORMATION COURTESY OF TECHREPUBLIC.COM

CODING CRAZE Abigail Wilson ’20 learns new skills at Karlie Kloss’ coding camp this summer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIZZIE HIGH ’20

Summer Recap: Experiences JACQUI MERCIER ’19 Section Editor

We asked a few students about their summer activities Where did you go? I went to Ghana. The place that I stayed at is called Krobo. It was a two week trip.

Why did you take this job? I used to be a camper there, and it’s really special to me. When I was offered the opportunity to work there, I was very excited, so I just decided to go for it.

What was your favorite part of your job? My favorite part was the fact that I could drive a lot of cool cars around the dealership parking lot. What were your responsibilities at work? I washed, cleaned and gassed up cars that were ready to be sold. I learned more about how the car business and sales work. How do you think this experience will benefit you in years to come? Learning more about the sales and what goes on behind the scenes kind of gave me some insight on what I might want to do for my future employment.

What was your favorite part? I like all the friends I made; it was a lot of fun with a lot of staff bonding. We all became really close and it was just a good time.

Tori Potter ’19

Carter Gagnier ’18

Where did you work this summer? I worked at Russ Milne Ford over the Summer. It’s a Ford dealership over on Hall Road, and I worked there for a month and a half.

What were some of your responsibilities? We had to do a lot of working in the kitchen. We also worked a lot with horses and teaching lessons, and it was a lot of dealing with younger kids and counseling them to make sure everyone was having a fun time at camp. How do you think this will benefit you in years to come? It helped me learn patience with children and helped me build a good work ethic of making sure you stick with something and finish it.

What was your favorite part about the trip? All of the kids were so cute and everyone was so nice and I just loved the culture there. You would walk down the street and everyone would just say ‘hi’ to you. It’s not like here, where people constantly have a place to go. People aren’t too punctual there because they’re so busy interacting with others. What did you do while there? Every day people would split up, I worked at the nursery while other people went to the school and taught the kids English, because they have their own languages but English is their national language.

Amy Ellis ’19

Where did you work this summer? I worked at Black River Farm and Ranch in Croswell, Michigan for five weeks.

Why did you sign up? It was through a program called G.L.A., which stands for Global Leadership Adventures, and there have been other people I know who have done it in the past and just had a great experience.

How do you think this trip will benefit you in years to come? I traveled alone, and I didn’t know anyone going into it, so it taught me not to be afraid when I’m going into college because I probably will not know anyone and have to make new friends. But if you’re just open to the idea, you’ll find that everyone’s super welcoming and nice.

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17

7 | BIG MOMENTS

THE RIVALRY SET, HIKE Logan Mico ’17 preparing for the next play.

PHOTO BY MARGOT BAER ’18

South takes on rival North High School at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 BLAIR CULLEN ’18 Staff Writer

layers in blue and green will take the field this Friday in one of the biggest rivalries Grosse Pointe has to offer. As the lights beam over the football field, South will face off against North at 7 p.m. on South’s home turf. Co-captain Anthony Dermanulian ’18 said the game against North is like no other. The team prepares harder and is seriously motivated to beat their crosstown rival. “It’s always different the week we play North; we play harder, focus more and play like animals,” Dermanulian ’18 said. North and South went hand and hand in wins against each other in their previous season. South lost in the regular season, but came back and beat North during playoffs. Last year was the first time in history North and South have ever played each other more than once in a football season. Co-captain Jamin Mays ’18 said he agrees with Dermanulian, that the mindset of the team changes during North vs. South week. “Everything is more tense; when it’s North week and since I can’t play, I give myself the rule of getting everyone hype, concentrated and positive,” Mays said.

5 MY VIEW

ELIZABETH WOLFE ’20 Page Editor

Pick Someone to Ask

When choosing who to ask to homecoming, pick your girlfriend or boyfriend if you’re in a relationship. It’s a kind and romantic gesture, and everyone will think you’re ‘couple goals.’ If you’re single, it’s good to go with someone that you’re close friends with. You should know this person well, and feel comfortable spending the evening with them. If you’re nervous about it being just the two of you, go with a group of people, so that way you can have fun with both a date and friends.

Unfortunately for Mays, he recently tore his ACL over the summer at a team football camp. This restricts him from helping on the field, but he hopes to make himself useful off the field, explains co-captain Dermanulian ’18, especially in an important game like this. “We could use Jamin’s help, his positive attitude and energetic character can really get us hype,” Dermanulian said. It’s always different the Varsity defensive coweek we play North; we ordinator and linebacker play harder, focus more coach Chad Hepner said and play like animals. without the opportunity to play North twice, it is ANTHONY DERMANULIAN important that Friday is a STUDENT good game. Mays agrees with his coach and said the team is well prepared for the challenge. “This isn’t new for us; we have looked at film, we know what to expect on offense and defense, we just need to focus on the next play and know how we played 30 seconds ago,” Mays said. While preparing for the big game, the process is the same with

added levels of intensity and focus on getting ready for North, Hepner said. “They are a good football team, and we always know that this football game will bring out the best in both teams,” Hepner said. “Regardless of how their season is going or ours, we always know it’s going to be a good game. We feel good in our chances.”

steps for the perfect hoco proposal 2

Figure Out a Way to Ask Them

Now that you know who you’re asking, come up with a fun and creative way to ask them to the dance. If you know that person well (as suggested), then you should already have a clear idea about their interests. “I figured out what her favorite candy was and I spelled out ‘HOCO’ on a sign with Swedish Fish, and then I showed up at her house with the sign, flowers and two bags of Swedish Fish,” Jimmy Burton ’20 said.

Get Materials and Create

Know When to Ask

Everyone is different. Knowing your potential date’s interests and personality will help make the process go smoothly. They are more likely to say yes if you ask them in a setting they feel most comfortable in. “I wouldn’t want a lot of people around me and making a big deal about it,” Chloe Kline ‘18 said. If your date is into extravagant gestures, the sky’s the limit. If they’re into something more low-key, then try pairing a simple ice cream date to go along with the asking. It shows you care about them as a person, not just the Instagram likes.

Once you know how and when you’re going to ask, get crafting! A homemade sign or gesture that comes from the heart is always more inviting than a quickly thrown together storebought card. You don’t need to spend years on your sign, but make sure it’s apparent you put some time and thought into creating it.

It’s Go Time

When you gain the confidence to step up to the plate and ask them to the dance, it is nerve-racking, but you have to push the fears and nerves to the back of your mind. It’s okay to be nervous, but when the nerves get the best of you, that’s when things start going wrong. Be confident and show them you did this for them. Believe in yourself that you can do this. Have fun with it, and don’t make it a stressful event, but a time to make school fun, especially if it’s with someone that you like, or even just a friend. With these simple steps, you will be prepared to ask your date to homecoming confidently and creatively.

8 | SPORTS

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.20.17 PHOTO BY ZACH HEIMBUCH ’19

Armani Williams: on and off the race track

MY VIEW

ZACH HEIMBUCH ’19 Tower Radio

AUDREY WHITAKER ’19 Section Editor

At age nine, Armani Williams ’18 first started watching NASCAR races on television, and this fueled his dream to get out on the track himself. The energy and hype surrounding the races wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before. Williams spent his summer traveling all over North America to show off his talent in racing. “I started racing when I was about nine years old,” Williams said. “I would watch the sport on TV and see the drivers passing each other on the track at high speeds. They would do anything to win. That competition really caught my eye and lead to me racing.” According to Williams’ father, Del Williams, this past summer included big races and even bigger competition. “Armani really improved on his skills over the summer,” Del said. “He made lots of competitive passes and would finish on the lead left. I’m proud to go to every single one of Armani’s races to support him and his dream.” Armani looks to have a big career ahead of him in the world of racing. He is constantly improving and sharpening his skills on the track, and these past few months are proof of this, according to longtime friend, Max Bryson ’18. “As long as I’ve known Armani, he’s had an interest in racing,” Bryson said. “He has always been so focused on racing. I think Armani has a huge future in the sport. He will represent Grosse Pointe on a national level.” Armani said that he’s happy with the heights that he’s reached within racing, but that he will continue to push his skills until he reaches the top. Racing is his main focus in life, and this shows in his ability to compete with next-level racers. “I am proud of what I’ve accomplished in my career so far,” Armani said. “Hopefully in the near future, I’ll be able to race at one of NASCAR’s elite levels in the United States.”

THUMBS UP Armani Williams poses at the TSN Production Studio in Canada. He began his racing career when he was nine-years-old. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARMANI WILLIAMS ’18

Freshmen 5: Athletes Jacob Harris ‘21

WHAT SPORT/POSITION DO YOU PLAY? Right now, I am playing four singles for varsity tennis. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS FOR THE SEASON? My personal goal is to get a seed at states, and hopefully win a few state matches as well. WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR THE SEASON? Our team goal is to win the MAC Red division and to make it to states. DOES YOUR TEAM HAVE ANY TRADITIONS? One tradition we have is that for our big matches we wear our team jacket to school that day.

Peyton Lancaster ‘21

WHAT SPORT/POSITION DO YOU PLAY? I’m a part of the freshman volleyball team and my position is left back. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS FOR THE SEASON? Personally, I want to improve my serves and become a better passer. WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR THE SEASON? My team’s goal for the season is probably just to play our best in every game we play and to win as many games as we can. HOW HAS YOUR TEAM BEEN WORKING TOGETHER? The team has been working together every practice and every game. Volleyball is a sport that requires lots of teamwork.

Defining a ‘normal summer’

Oscar McWood ‘21

Jacquelyn Wang ’21

WHAT SPORT/POSITION DO YOU PLAY? I swim for South. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS FOR THE SEASON? My personal goals are to make the MISCA cut for the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR THE SEASON? To win the MAC Red meet, place in the top six at the state meet, and have as many swimmers make it onto the state team as possible. WHAT ARE SOME TRADITIONS YOUR TEAM HAS? The swim team’s many traditions include pasta parties before the MAC Red, MISCA, state meets, Devil’s Week and team bonding activities in the summer and throughout the season. INFO COMPILED BY SYLVIA HODGES ’19

WHAT SPORT/POSITION DO YOU PLAY? Football, outside linebacker. WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS COMING INTO THE SEASON? I thought we were going to have a good year, 6-2 probably. HAVE THOSE EXPECTATIONS BEEN MET? We played alright; we are a pretty inexperienced team, but we’ve been improving. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE SEASON? Winning every other game, or every game.

Sarah Bingaman ‘21

WHAT SPORT/POSITION DO YOU PLAY? I do cheer and I am a flyer. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS FOR THE SEASON? My personal goals are to get my back walkover consistent and get an extension consistent. WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR THE SEASON? Our team’s goals are to make all of our splits, and to have very clean, consistent stunts. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING ON THIS TEAM? My favorite part about cheering is all of the new experiences. I also enjoy being able to try and learn new things like getting my splits, back walkovers and challenging stunts.

For the last five or six years, my summers have been pretty predictable. Seven weeks of sailing starts the week after school ends and ends the beginning of August, with one week off in the middle. For many of my friends, that’s been the case since age seven. We love talking about what it would be like to have a “normal summer.” As I face my last year of junior sailing, I’ve been thinking a lot about what defines a “normal summer.” Many people have been participating in summer sports programs since elementary school, and even more begin in high school as summer practices and programs give athletes a leg up when the season rolls around. I know I’m not alone in this. Many sports-let alone school teams--require summer practices or highly recommend them for success. Summer soccer, hockey and swim, just to name a few, all have popular sports camps that students have been participating in since elementary school. Even South’s choir has required summer camps. This isn’t to say a summer commitment is bad: the benefits of working with a team and practicing your skills in the offseason are extremely valuable. There hasn’t been a day where I regretted my choice to sail all summer, but that doesn’t stop me from wondering what else I could be doing. I’ve never been to summer camp, had a summer job, or a real opportunity to volunteer with cool programs like Summer in the City. I miss movie days and bike rides with my friends. My schedule affects my family’s summer plan for vacations and all that classic summer picnic stuff. My last three weeks of summer are so weird without that structure. I feel myself slipping out of practice as I sink further into the couch and sleep later into the day. I also miss my teammates like crazy. It’s jarring to suddenly not see the people you’re used to seeing all day everyday. After spending so much time with them all summer, those people are like a weird little family. Athletes choose to give up their three months of freedom to better themselves, and in turn, their teams. They do it for the love of their sport and for the bond they have with their teammates. The lessons I’ve learned, the friends I’ve made and the countless ways I’ve improved as a person and an athlete make whatever else I’m missing irrelevant. Whether it’s participating in sports, sleeping in or taking a summer job, a “normal summer” is a summer of doing what you love and becoming a better person for it.