Volume 90 Issue 1 The Tower by The Tower Newspaper

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TOWER

Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 Volume 90 Issue 1 @thetowerpulse thetowerpulse.net

A weekly tradition since 1928

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

Welcoming Joe Spryszak & Cindy Parravano JOHN FRANCIS ’18 Editor in Chief

RACHEL HARRIS ’18 Supervising Editor

oming from 30 years of education experience, South is welcoming Joe Spryszak as the newest member of the administration team. Growing up in the Metro Detroit area and attending Wayne State University, he got a degree in journalism. From there, while still taking English courses at Wayne, Spryszak became a beat reporter for the Dearborn Times Herald. There was no lack of effort when working for a small paper, Spryszak said. “Working 70 to 80 hours a week, making less than minimum wage, you do everything from your beats to covering sports teams,” Spryszak said, giving a chuckle when revealing his wage at the time. Being a journalist helped Spryszak prepare for education in more ways than he thought, by seeing the connection to education through journalism, according to him. “One of the first things I covered was the school board beat and the police beat, so a lot of times there were connections, covering bond issues and teachers on strike,” Spryszak said. “Seeing the coin on both sides, and how the school districts operate was interesting.” Spryszak went on to recall his fondest memory of being a professional journalist, when the City of Dearborn proposed an ordinance making the public parks only open to Dearborn residents. “There was a civil rights lawsuit filed by the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), and it was rewarding to follow from start to finish and see that the judges struck down the ordinance,” Spryszak said. “(The judges were) saying you had to have a lot of things in place, like gates and fences with someone checking who’s coming in for the parks to be open to residents only.” Looking forward to the school year, Spryszak said he has already been impressed by the student body at South. “When I was at the (first home) football game, I felt there was really good school spirit, and that’s important,” Spryszak said. “But going and seeing the student cheering section even though we lost, there wasn’t any negativity, that was cool.” PHOTO BY JOHN FRANCIS ’18

fter a summer full of coaching baseball for her nephew, new Assistant Principal Cindy Parravano is ready for a fresh school year, she said. During the 2 1/2 months between the shift from interim to fulltime assistant principal, the team Parravano coached, consisting of one of her two nephews, was the AA co-champ team. Pointing to the trophy displayed on one of her shelves in her brightly-lit office, Parravano explains that although she coached T-ball and varsity and middle school sports, this was the first time she was fully engaged in coaching baseball. “I love coaching,” Parravano said. Even before her coaching adventures and beginnings at Grosse Pointe South, Parravano was an assistant principal at a high school in San Tan Valley, Arizona. In coming to South, Parravano’s path was a bit different than everybody else’s, she said with a chuckle. To be hired on after she was the interim principal, there had to be another process, Parravano said. What began with approximately 180 candidates was narrowed down to about three or four people for the final round of interviews. “It was a pretty lengthy process,” Parravano said. In reflecting on her time so far at South, Parravano hopes to continue to grow the relationship between herself and students. “I think this year what I am most looking forward to is more connection with the students,” Parravano said. “Last year, I was brought in, and there were some tasks that I had to get done, and there wasn’t a whole lot of interaction between myself and students.” The students at South are what Parravano loves the most about South, and is what she is most excited about for this upcoming year. She is in awe of how well the kids behave and the respect between teachers and students thus far. “Kids are just friendly and welcoming. I didn’t have any issues with any students not accepting me last year,” Parravano said. “I think just being part of the culture is probably what I like the most.”

A new era of Farms: local owners exceed expansion goal RAY HASANAJ ’18 Supervising Editor fter twenty years of owning Fresh Farms Market, business owners Steve and Larry Najjar have accomplished their goal of expanding the grocery store into something larger. “In 1997, we purchased the business here, and that was our plan all along, to some day buy the property and expand the store and build a new store here,” Steve said. “So that was our long term goal to have a sizeable market here in downtown Grosse Pointe.” The Najjars bought the new property in 2012 and said that’s when they initiated their plans for an expansion. They have an estimate for when it will be up and running. “Right now, we’re at the end of August,” Steve said “They’ll start doing the foundation in about a month or two, and then we’ll be done next summer.” Fresh Farms employee Stuart Sturton said the employees at Fresh Farms are constantly asked about the new store, but as a worker, he’s not told much. “We have a vague notion of what everything is going to be like,” Sturton said. “So, it gets a little awkward when

A UNDER CONSTRUCTION The new store will take up the back lot and come out another ten feet off the side of Fresh Farms. PHOTO BY RAY HASANAJ ’ 18

people keep asking us.” Sturton said he thinks the expansion will help the business, but that it won’t affect him or his job, besides making parking a little more difficult. “As of right now, it makes parking a bit of a bugger and other than that, it’s going to help the store out quite a bit,” Sturton said. “It’s going to expand things.” Alex Strehlke ’18 said he frequents the grocery store for lunch almost every day. He also does not think the move will affect him very much or his lunch plans. “They’ll still have the same food, maybe more, and I think other than having a place to eat, I don’t see it affecting me that much,” Strehlke said. The business move is what the Najjars had intended for twenty years. Steve said it represents that Fresh Farms is doing well financially, thanks to the support from the Grosse Pointe community. “It something we’ve been planning,” Steve said. “In business, you need a goal, and that has been our goal since the beginning.”

Changes come to dress code district-wide JACQUELINE MERCIER ’19 Section Editor Changes have been made to the dress code for the 2017-18 school year and the new decisions apply to all grades. Principal Moussa Hamka said a committee of teachers and administrators formed last year to explore and revisit the dress code. “I think it’s important to have a dress code so everyone clearly understands what’s expected of them,” Hamka said. Important new rules include students being asked to leave popular items such as off the shoulder tops or dresses, midriff-baring cropped tops and chiffon (see through) clothing at home this year. “Off the shoulder tops are made with suspension in the fabric specifically in areas around the shoulders so they don’t fall off,” Kendall Volpe ’19 said. “Shirts like these provide alternate necklines and more of a variety for outfit options.”

According to the current regulations, students are expected to remove headwear such as hoods, caps and hats-- with the exception of religious or health-related headwear-- when at school. Students are expected to cover their chest, back and midsection adequately. Clothing cannot be transparent and must cover undergarments (with the exception of bra straps). Shorts, skirts, dresses and rompers must all cover undergarments and are expected to adI think it’s important equately cover a portion to have a dress code of the thigh at so everyone clearly all times. All understands what’s tops have to have some sort expected of them. of sleeve or strap that fits MOUSSA HAMKA so sleeves do Principal not fall off the shoulders.

IMPORTANT DATES sept.

First day of school for all Grosse Pointe Public Schools.

sept.

“There’s been great conversation on not only the local level, but also the national level about dress code,” Hamka said. “When we put certain rules in place, why are we putting those rules in place? That’s a big topic and is certainly something that is on our radar.” Hamka also emphasized the importance of keeping the school environment focused on learning. “I think the dress code is pretty fair,” Tara Cole ’21 said. The updated dress code also emphasizes that students’ clothing does not depict any hateful messages to race groups, ethnicities, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation or any other marginalized group. “We want to ensure that our school is inclusive and welcoming to all persons,” Hamka said. GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

South Back to School Night at 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

sept.

Senior Parent College Night starts at 7:00 p.m. and goes until 9:00 p.m.

2 | OPINION

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.5.17

Tower aims to maintain cooperation with shifting administration As the 2017-18 school year unfolds, a new wave of students will enter South with high hopes. Mimicking them will be the school administrators, who have recently undergone changes. After nearly six years of being at South, former Assistant Principal Terry Flint retired from his position, being replaced by interim assistant principal, Cindy Parravano. Following him was Steven Wolf, who formally resigned from his position at the end of last school year, after one year of working as Assistant Principal. Wolf was hired to be Oxford High School’s principal. The past has brought many different faces into the administrators’ office, and each instance of coming and going has stirred the South community. From 2001 until 2011, Allan Diver was South’s principal, easing the high rates of rotation in the principal’s office. However, he and Brandon Slone, an assistant principal, were fired in 2011, and another assistant principal, Joan Murphy, became the interim principal. This left South with a great need for a stronger administration. The 2011-12 school year brought in Flint, as well as Dr. Matt Outlaw, who served as principal until 2014, leading to Moussa Hamka’s hiring. There seems to be a constant shift in the makeup of our adminstration, and we want to extend our welcome to them, but also want the Tower to be independent, as it always has been. In terms of relations with our new administrators, the Tower hopes to continue having open and understanding communication when it comes to interviews and articles. The Tower values the input of administrators, but we ask that we are allowed to continue carrying out the stories we deem necessary, with no interference. We are never trying to publish slanderous material, and we aim to back up any claims with strong sources, which may include teachers, administrators and other staff members. We publish with the intention of spreading information rather than rumors, and input from others will add to the reputation of The Tower, that has always upheld high journalistic standards. We don’t know how long the administrators will be at South, nor do they. Only the future can tell. However, we still believe maintaining a steady relationship with every administrator, past or present, is the best way to go about our journalistic duties. “My hope for the Tower is you continue to provide the students and staff with an incredible paper and that what is written is done with fidelity, integrity and honesty, and is representative of all students at Grosse

OUR VIEW || EDITORIAL

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18

Pointe South,” Parravano said. Our students deserve nothing but the unadulterated truth, and in an age of social media and wildfire rumors, they need a reputable source to acquire information. The Tower aims to be this source, but without administrators’ cooperation, this goal is unachievable. We ask the administration team to understand that we aren’t aiming to put them under fire-- we simply need their input and insider knowledge to better credit our articles, which would allow for a more informed student body, staff and community.

National Honor Society students give back to community in Southwest Detroit

Searching for a new summer experience MY VIEW

JACK BELLAMY’19 Staff Writer

FRESH PRODUCE Mercado carries a large supply of fresh food for those in need. PHOTOS BY ZACH HEIMBUCH ’19

MY VIEW

ZACH HEIMBUCH ’19 Asst. to Tower Radio

Over this past summer, I’ve had a blast playing sports, hanging out with friends and sleeping in. However, I also served as a volunteer at The Mercado Food Hub with three of my friends: Sullivan Costa ’19, David Langenburg ’19 and Griffin Clevenger ’19. My friends and I worked at The Mercado to gain service hours to hopefully join the National Honors Society (NHS). We chose to volunteer at The Mercado because of its unique location and even more unique people. I worked alongside low income families, shopping with them

WELCOME Volunteers enter the Mercado Food Hub which is located in Mexicantown.

in The Mercado’s food pantry. Every person that I talked to had a story to tell; every encounter was different. Sometimes, I’d find myself being yelled at in Spanish by elderly Mexican women. Other times, I’d be given handshakes and hugs of gratitude. The Mercado Food Hub’s location provided my friends and I with a whole new world, compared to Grosse Pointe. With tight, busy streets and tiny Mexican restaurants at every corner of every block, break time with my friends was always exhilarating. We developed a tradition of going out to a new restaurant every time we finished work at The Mercado. This tradition opened up a gateway of knowledge of the Southwest Detroit community and terrain. Every new building I entered meant another place for old stories to be heard and new

ones to be made. Furthermore, I can now proudly say that I can navigate those tight streets of Mexicantown without checking a map every 30 seconds, definitely a win in my book. I’d say patience is the biggest skill that I gained while shopping with the families. Some of them spoke little to no English, others came to the pantry with a trail of children, all holding hands like a line of ducklings. At times, all I could think about was going home to lie down and fall asleep, but where’s the excitement in that? I encourage aspiring NHS members to devote their time to The Mercado Food Hub. Volunteering there isn’t easy in the slightest, but seeing happiness in people’s eyes as they pick food from the pantry will make your time worthwhile.

SOMETHING THAT’S...

DANGEROUS

POLITICAL

NEWSPAPER

the

TOWER

STAFF

The death toll in the Houston flooding has reached 30 people as the storm makes second fall. Editor-in-Chief

Liz Bigham* ’18 John Francis* ’18 Online Editor-in-Chief

Henry Aryault* ’19 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 Bianca Pugliesi* ’19 Page Editors

Chase Clark*, Kaitlin Nemeh* Cam Smolen*, JD Standish*, all ’18

Trump lays down groundwork for new tax plan to help middle class and the economy. 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 Business Managers

Evan Skaff* ’18 Web Editors

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

Abigail Due* ’18, Erica Fossee* ’19

A year ago, I decided to try something new. I wanted to try to find something different than your normal summer excursion-- a once in a lifetime experience where I would learn invaluable amounts of knowledge. I wanted to go somewhere I had never been, do something I had never done and learn something I had never learned. In search of this opportunity, I reached out to my uncle who lived in Santa Barbara to see if he knew of anything worthwhile out west. He questioned me on my interest, and he said I could stay at his house with his wife and four kids if we could find anything. After a few months of searching, my uncle said his law firm in downtown Santa Barbara could use some help in their OSS (office support staff). I gladly accepted. The law firm, Cappello & Noel LLP, was one of Southern California’s finest, specializing in civil cases related to lender liability, complex business litigation and class actions, among others. On June 20, I boarded my first of two flights from Detroit to Santa Barbara. I gazed in awe as we landed in Santa Barbara flying past the beautiful mountains riding up the shoreline. One week later-- I jumped in. On the first day, my uncle did some small introductions to the seven attorneys and three secretaries along with the firm’s paralegal before walking me back to the OSS office.

At the time, there were four people on the OSS. They were all in the twenties, either fresh out of college and anxious for the next chapter of their life or struggling to pay off college debts and waiting to be able to fund their next chapter. I was nervous at first; I felt as if they wouldn’t accept me into their staff being nearly ten years younger than all of them. However, they slowly began to warm up to me. We bonded over TV shows such as Game of Thrones and our shared passion for coffee. After a few weeks, we talked as if we had known each other for years and the age gap didn’t exist, making my time at the firm much more enjoyable. The majority of my time was spent doing general intern tasks, such as filing, organizing and file closing. I performed court runs, picked up mail and files from the historic Santa Barbara courthouse and made binders for attorneys. One of the coolest things I did while working was witnessed the closing arguments of a trial about property disputes. No matter what I was doing though, it was something I will never forget. Although work took up a lot of my time, I also got to see some of California. I went to Disney for a weekend with my uncle’s family and visited my brother in Los Angeles. I also spent time hiking in the Santa Barbara Mountains, on the beach and with family. Overall, my anxiety walking into the office was pointless. It was a once in a lifetime experience, making my summer the adventure that I had sought.

SPORTY The U.S. Open began in New York on Monday, Aug. 28. INFORMATION COURTESY OF NYTIMES.COM 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

VIEWS Bellamy looks over Lizard’s Mouth Trail in Santa Barbara, CA. PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK BELLAMY ’19 “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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Member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll, the Society for Newspaper Design and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.5.17

3 | NEWS

Mothers Club helps preserve beauty of Cleminson Hall

OUT WITH THE OLD | Rennovations are taking place on the windows of Cleminson Hall. Cleminson Hall served as a library at South until 1964.

PHOTO BY KAITLIN NEMEH ’18

LIZ BIGHAM ’18 Editor in Chief Throughout the summer, large wooden enclosures covered the outside of Cleminson Hall along with construction workers surrounding the area. This construction is for the Mothers’ Club window wall restoration project. The project took off the Monday after school ended and construction has been taking place ever since, Mothers’ Club Preservation Vice President, Sue Martin said. The Mothers’ Club consists of three different areas: scholarship, enrichment and preservation. This project falls under the responsibility of the preservation committee, Martin said. “The school is responsible for paying for updates to infrastructure but the preservation committee contributes above the set price about to ensure they install historically accurate products,” Martin said. “When the windows were replaced in earlier years, they got rid of the original historic ones and now preservation decided to make that one of our products.” The district hired a general

contractor to oversee the construction aspect and the Mothers’ Club hired a contractor named Carl Nielbock, Martin said. He has been in business for 30 years in Detroit and has worked on the other restoration projects such as at the Fisher Theatre, the Fox Theatre and the Spirit of Detroit.

“With any kind of historical restoration, you’re going to run into problems that you can’t anticipate. It takes time because this is such intricate work.” SUE MARTIN Mother’s Club Preservation Vice President

Nielbock and his team have “extensive experience with architectural ornamental metal,” the CAN Art Handworks President said. “The restoration of the metals at the Fox Theatre was probably my most significant work and it is quite similar to the restoration I am doing at South,” Nielbock said.

Nielbock stated he is thankful for being able to work on the project and is excited to see the outcome. “This school has such spectacular metal work and I am grateful to have been chosen to restore it to the original condition,” Nielbock said. The project is expected to be finished in mid-September as they need to finish the installation, Martin said. “With any kind of historical restoration, you’re going to run into problems that you can’t anticipate,” Martin said. “It takes time because this is such intricate work.” The window frames are made from iron and steel and it’s not as easy as “popping in a new window,” Martin said. “Windows and doors that were here were removed and taken to Carl’s workshop in Detroit. They strip all the paint and all the individual glass plains which have rails and screws that keep them in place,” Martin said. “Each plain needs the medal stripped and then the window frame can be put in.” Also, the project is working to replace the doors and open up the entrance of Cleminson to

the outside. This will benefit certain events that take place in the room because it allows people to walk outside right from the room and take pictures on South’s front porch, Martin said. Shreya Rana ’19 said she has used Cleminson for homecoming events, various club events and even a “The Great Gatsby” themed party for her Honors American Literature class and is excited to see the renovations. “Cleminson is so special and there is so much history surrounding it,” Rana said. “It (the renovations) will just add a special touch every time someone looks around the room and it will change people’s personal perspectives on how nice South really is.” The Mothers’ Club believes that although this is an expensive project, it is worthwhile, Martin said. “I thought the students should be able to see the amount of detail and it gives everyone a greater appreciation for the age of the school and the caricature value that it has on all of us,” Martin said.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION | The middle section of the window wall after the door and sections of the windows were removed.

BEHIND THE SCENES | General Contractor Carl Nielbock observes the area where lthe ower windows were removed.

IN WITH THE NEW | Bronze ornamental pieces were restored and will hang on the lower windows inside of Cleminson Hall. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUE MARTIN

Ready; set; sail Sailors compete in Mackinac

School board sets guidelines for potential structural changes in district IAN DEWEY ’18 Copy Editor

ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME South sailors race in the annual Mackinac Island Race. The race was Bayview Yacht Club 92nd annual race. PHOTO COURTSEY OF BLAKE STACKPOOLE ’18 AUDREY WHITAKER ’19 Section Editor The morning of July 22, 206 sailboats awaited starting signals for Bayview Yacht Club’s 92nd annual Port Huron to Mackinac Island race. According to a statement from Tricia Smotherland, the 2017 race chair, all boats had finished by mid-Monday morning. 83 boats finished Sunday night between 6 p.m. and midnight, according to Eva Rossell ’18, who was part of a group of volunteers working at the finish line. Rossell said the number of boats that finished Monday was a new record for the race. “There were about six people recording finishing times, and I was in charge of entering that info online,” Rossell said. “Last year, my mom worked the same shift, and only crossed something like five boats.” Blake Stackpoole ’18, who began racing the Mackinac last year, said conditions were a little different from years prior-- strong wind from the north, rain and no sun. “At the turn west at Cove Island, the wind picked up significantly and gave us that early finish,” Stackpoole said. Rossell said the best part of working at the finish line was how excited people were as they watched their friends and family cross the finish line, or radio in from their boat. “When boats radio in to us, everyone is so excited that they finish, especially if they’re in a good place, and you can hear the crews clapping and cheering in the background,” Rossell said. Stackpoole said sailing is a tradition that, for him, started because of his dad, who has sailed his whole life. “My dad has been racing this race every year for 24 years,” Stackpoole said. “Growing up, I always wanted to do it too. I got it from him, and sailing has always been a big part of my life.”

Discussion of the implementation of data collected from the Plante Moran CRESA consulting service ensued at the Aug. 28 school board meeting. The chief concern of the Monday meeting was to set parameters for the Blue Ribbon Committee, which was formed to discuss structural changes that could be made to the district in light of the Plante Moran information. Many school board members were in agreement that very little parameters should be set for the committee, in order to foster dialogue and encourage creative solutions to low occupancy rates in certain buildings and concerning the district’s budget. Board Member Christopher Profeta was one of those members who expressed an interest in setting relatively few parameters for the committee. “I don’t want the committee members going into this process thinking that we have a desired outcome at the end of it,” Propheta said at the meeting. “I agree with (Board Member) Mr. Ismail, we (the school board) want options. I want to see a lot of different options.” Discussions over committee parameters have additionally been nestled in with budget decisions and planning. School Board President Brian Summerfield expressed interests in seeing recommendations from the committee based on the economic state of the district. “What we know right now is that we can’t sustain what we’re doing,” Summerfield said at the meeting. “We had the budget discussion last spring, and we cannot continue to ignore some of the issues that we’re facing, particularly declining enrollment, and we do need to look at these things over the next few years.” Tied into these discussions are the implications of modifying

class sizes in order to achieve an ideal building occupancy. Some members, such as Profeta, wish to set parameters for the committee pertaining to class sizes. “If we’re looking for parameters or limitations, then I would propose that we not increase elementary class size,” Propheta said at the meeting. “I would say that whatever recommendation they (the committee) come to us with should not increase the caps that we have set on class size.” However, Board Member Cynthia Pangborn stands opposed to this notion. “I personally cannot agree with that as a parameter, because parents may not have a choice between larger class sizes in one’s neighborhood, or smaller class sizes, not in one’s neighborhood,” Pangborn said at the meeting. “And that’s a significant question.” Amidst this discussion, Summerfield reminds the board that recommendations from the committee do not essentially reflect a final decision; board members will have the final say on what type of policy is enacted. “Having the committee making a decision, is different than us saying right now ‘committee, we don’t even want you to do that, we don’t even want you thinking about that,’” Summerfield said at the meeting. “That’s the distinction we’re trying to draw tonight, because if right now we say ‘okay, committee, go to work, we want you to reach 85 percent (ideal occupancy rate, according to Plante Moran); but don’t touch class sizes, they’re going to stay where they are.’ Well, now the committee has only so many options.” As of yet, no official parameters have been set for the Blue Ribbon Committee. The entire meeting can be viewed on the district’s website, along with past meetings. The next regular school board meeting will take place on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS SEPTEMBER 11 SEPTEMBER 25 OCTOBER 9 OCTOBER 23

4 | FEATURE

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.5.17

Summer, service, seniors: EVA MCCORD ’21 Staff Writer Many altruistic students use their newfound free time during the summer enriching the lives of others; some choose to volunteer locally, while others travel outside of the country on group service trips. Volunteering can be very beneficial to one’s health, allowing individuals to connect with others, advance their careers, and bring fulfillment to one’s life, according to Help- We live in a very privledged Guide.org. However, in light of community and where we recent events, many are hesitant to live is relatively beautiful, travel abroad. Nevertheless, South students continue to demonstrate but others do not have that. their generosity across the globe. GWENYTH RENNELL ’18 “I recently went to Thailand on a leadership trip,” Sophia Rzankowski ’18 said. “I was there for a month, but my group stayed for five days in a village on the outskirts of one of the major cities with a family; we got to observe their culture, and we even cooked with them. For the service aspect, we helped build a water tank for one of the communities.” In light of her experience, Rzankowski believes the Thai citizens helped her much more than she helped them. Using what she learned, she wants to make a similar impact on those in her own community. “A common misconception is that when people go on these mission trips, they can pat themselves on the back because they went and helped people that are less fortunate than them,” Rzankowski said. “But what we get from them and their culture is so much more valuable.” Closer to home, Julia Rapai ’18 preferred to spend her summer working in both Chicago and Detroit, with DOOR Chicago and Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) respectively. “I worked in a lot of urban gardens, as well as worked on murals in the city. Additional groups worked in food pantries for those with HIV and AIDS, while others worked in homes for those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Rapai said. According to Rapai, she was able to separate how the media portrayed the two cities from her interactions in these environments. She claims this realization changed her perspective on both herself and others.

taking time out this summer to serve at home and abroad

“(My service group) usually goes somewhere very different from Detroit, but Chicago was extremely similar, with a lot of similar issues, so I was motivated to come back to do more work in Detroit,” Rapai said. “It’s so different from what we’re seeing on TV all time.” Summer In The City’s co-director for community services Natalie Sochacki shared a similar response, reiterating the idea that community work truly connects one to their neighbors in a way that volunteering abroad lacks. “I think that if the community around you needs help, why pay thousands of dollars to go volunteer in a different country,” Sochacki said. “There is so much that needs to be done in our own cities.” Gwenyth Rennell ’18 decided to work this past summer with the Summer In The City team. The goal of the volunteers is to beautify and improve some of the more challenging landscapes oftentimes inherent to urban settings. “I’m on the system’s paint crew, meaning I paint every single day,” Rennell said. “We put up murals, typically in areas that are more run down, and we work with those from the community to ensure that we’re not altering the area or changing its spirit; they work with us, and at the end of the day we put something up that emulates the spirit of the people that live there.” While their experiences differed in various aspects, each of the students had a similar takeaway: by helping others, there is an impact left on everyone involved, and the girls believe they were the recipients of something greater than what they might have achieved. “We live in a very privileged community, and where we live is relatively beautiful, but others do not have that luxury,” Rennell said. “It’s nice to give something beautiful to a community of truly beautiful people. It’s a very lively and lovely thing that all of these people share with one another.”

@thetowerpulse Did you do community service this summer?

61% YES

39% NO

Around the world and back South students share stories from their summer adventures LIAM WALSH ’18 Supervising Editor

STEPHANIE SCHERVISH ’18 THAILAND

EVAN SMOLEN ’21 ALASKA “It was my favorite trip I’ve ever taken. It was completely different than anything I’ve ever done. My favorite parts were whale watching, a plane ride over misty fjords and a dog sled ride.”

GRAPHIC BY RILEY LYNCH ’18 & ADRIAN DOAN ’19

“The trip was an amazing experience. Since Thailand is a third world country, it showed me how fortunate I am to live in Grosse Pointe, with all the nice things that I have. I think everyone should try to help out in a less fortunate area, even if it’s just in the United States.”

PAISLEY MACKAY ’20 GERMANY & AUSTRIA

“It was a really cool experience. It was weird being around people who didn’t speak the language. It was a really pretty place, and overall, a cool experience.”

LUCY BURGOYNE ’19 CANADA & NATIONAL PARKS

“I had a really nice time on the trip, it was fantastic to see so many places. The National Parks are gorgeous and we got to see three of them. Glacier was the coolest because I liked being able to see the glaciers while you still could.”

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.5.17

5 | FEATURE

RILEY LYNCH ’18 Supervising Editor

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The Class of 2017 gradu-

LGBT+ Pride marches sweep the nation Trump’s military chief delays decision on transgender recruit policy Sean Spicer steps down as Trump Administration’s Press Secretary Anthony Scaramucci replaces Spicer as Press Secretary

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Detroit Riverfront hosts annual Mopop Music Festival Scaramucci steps down from Press Secretary position Sarah Huckabee Sanders replaces Scaramucci White supremacists and neo-Nazis storm Charlottesville, Virginia, killing Heather Heyers, a counter-protester, and two others

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Terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, kills 15 and injures more than 130 Solar eclipse plunges sky into darkness Student registration begins Hurricane Harvey hits Texas School begins

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

MY VIEW

ELENA RAUCH ’18 Supervising Editor

urled up as far back in my seat as I could sit, I watched the movie in front of me. Too upset to watch but too enthralled to look away, my eyes darted back and forth between the screen and the seats in front of me. “Detroit” did not contain the typical “scary movie” horror. The real horror came from the truth behind the film. Some events in the movie were drama-

tized, but many of them were based on fact. Imagining that the injustices and violence committed in this movie to have been a reality for so many people is appalling, and was one of the reasons why “Detroit” was so challenging to watch. However unnerving, it was a masterpiece. From the disturbing content to uncontrolled camera angles, every aspect of the movie came together to form a realistic but still emotional movie. Watching the scenes unfold through shaky camera work demonstrated how chaotic the riots really were in a way act-

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ing and dialogue couldn’t. In addition to appreciating the film for its quality, I have a personal connection to it. While the movie was being filmed, my great aunt sent in her father’s footage of the actual 1967 Detroit riots, and some of it ended up being used in the movie. My great aunt received a credit in the movie as well as a list of all the scenes my great-grandfather’s footage was used in. I kept this in mind while watching the movie. Every time there were clips of the actual riots, I couldn’t help but wonder if my great-grandfather had tak-

en that video. This helps me appreciate the purpose of the movie on a deeper level. Not only was it for entertainment, but to show generations that didn’t live through the riots the mayhem and injustice they brought to our city. An important aspect of the movie was the balance between the heroes and criminals. The fragile topics of police brutality and racism were confronted and dealt with carefully, and in my opinion, very well. Not all cops were good, and not all rioters were bad. Taking on such a controversial topic in our current political climate

could’ve become a disaster, but instead, the movie was a success. If you haven’t seen the movie “Detroit” yet, count down the days until you can watch it in the comfort of your own home. Don’t worry about being bored or underwhelmed, every second of the movie will keep you captivated.

FOOTBALL 6 | SPORTS

ARIANA PAGENETTE ’18 Section Editor PH Grosse Pointe South’s O AN TOS DJ B varsity football team OH Y AR N F IAN RA officially started their NC A PAG IS, BO ENET season Aug. 24 against TH T ’18 E Detroit Cody. This year’s captains include Anthony DerManulian, Jacob Hinkle, Jamin Mays, all ’18, and Miles Dearing ’19. “I expect our team as a whole to grow as a group and work together to win games,” DerManulian said. With year-round preparation, the training never stops for the Blue Devils. Through the New Year, the team focuses on strength and conditioning pretty exclusively, head coach Tim Brandon said. “Practices this summer have had strong attendance; we’ve been improving day by day and will only get better from there,” DerManulian said. With many starting players graduating last year, the team has shifted to a younger one with athleticism and potential, Brandon said. “We have good linemen, they are just inexperienced and starting for the first time,” Brandon said. Brandon’s biggest thing is being able to see young athletes take the next step in maturity and evolve into experienced football players. “The best part is being on the field with these kids for the first three weeks and the atmosphere around Friday nights,” Brandon said DerManulian said he has goals to take each week like it is their last and win each game as if it is scheduled. “One of the main priorities is to beat Grosse Pointe North and win the MAC White division to prolong the season into playoffs,” DerManulian said.

BOYS SOCCER

ALLY MACLEOD’19 Staff Writer PH OT The boys soccer team is OS AN BY DA HA ready to kick back into action RPE LLY RM MA CCL CLE and win this season, accordOD ELL AN ’19 ’18 ing to co-captain Peter Buhl ’18. “The team is really strong this year in all aspects,” Buhl said. “I would say the only thing we need to work on more is finishing and shooting the ball.” The majority of the team is made up of returning varsity players, according to co-captain Anthony Frasier ’18. “Since we all know how we play, we work together really well on the field and have a lot of team chemistry,” Frasier said. The head coach, Francesco Cilano, is returning to the team to coach another season for the Blue Devils. “Coach Francesco pushes us really hard every practice to make sure we are strong players and in good shape,” Buhl said. The assistant coaches, Max Canaveri and Chip Stencil, are also coming back to train the squad again this year. According to Frasier, the assistant coaches emphasize different parts of the game while the head coach instructs in all areas. “It’s nice because Max focuses on defense and has a lot of experience and Chip focuses more on offense and is really good with the team,” Frasier said. The team will be competing in MAC White this year. “The thing that separates the new team this year from last year is that everyone is willing to work hard to win,” Frasier said. “That will give us the potential to win our division and hopefully our region.”

BOYS TEN

DOMINIC DULAC ’20 Copy Editor

The boys tennis team is looking forward to another strong season under he coach John Willard. Even though the varsity team lost six senio Teddy Sweeney ’17 expects they will stay co year. “We have some good freshmen,” Sweeney s some kids who have been working their way fr that we lost, and I think a couple kids will step The team has been working hard and ofte they have played every day since. “In practice, usually there’s a lot of kind of cially catered towards our next opponents,” S nents like to hit the ball hard, we’ll work on th on that. So it’s really a specialized kind of prac Willard also said he is confident in his team “I just think we’ve got a nice group of boys the offseason; most of the boys have played t sport, almost all of the boys play year-round, better, and I think they’re ready for the season Willard believes their consistent training team wishes to both qualify for the state tourn “I think we’ve got a good chance of qualify division is going to be very even this year, so hope we can accomplish winning the division

FALL SPORT

HENRY AYRAULT ’19 Pulse Editor in Chief Last year, the boys cross country team placed 14 out of 20 teams in regionals and didn’t make the state meet. This year, head coach Mark Sonnenberg has high expectations for the team. “Our number one goal is to be top three in the region and return to the state meet,” Sonnenberg said. “Our number two goal is to be in at least second place in the MAC Red. I’d love to be in the top two… The big thing, honestly, is to get back to state.” According to the coach, the team will have to improve on some things if they want to maintain their goals. “The Jamborees, regionals, staying healthy, those are all things we need to improve upon,” Sonnenberg said. “We’re in better shape in the start of this season than we ever have been.” Team captain Brad Geist ’18 also has objectives for the team. “My goals for the team this year are to be the fastest South team in years, aim for a trip to states and also for our team to become closer,” Geist said. Geist also said the team’s most important strength is their depth. “We have our varsity but our JV is always competing to get to the top,” Geist said. Sonnenberg is hopeful for the season. He said the team is looking really strong and really dedicated. “I’ve been coaching this team for ten years now,” Sonnenberg PH OT OS said. “We finally have the program I’ve been trying to build: BY HE NR A collection of dedicated, hard-working young men,” YA YR AU Sonnenberg said. LT ’19

BOYS XC

EVIE KUHNLEIN ’20 Staff Writer The girls swim team practices every day in preparation to win as many possible meets during their season, according to head coach Eric Gunderson. The team’s hard work has paid off in the past. “We have lost one dual meet in the fourteen years I have been here,” Gunderson said. “The girls perform very well at dual meets and we have been undefeated for two years. We hope to continue that into this year.” The team’s biggest concern, however, is the MISCA and state championship meets. These are invitational postseason meets that the girls have to qualify for individually, according to Gunderson. “We excel as a team at the MISCA and county meets; the girls tend to drop a lot of time and this helps them qualify for states,” Gunderson said. Renée Liu ’19 has been swimming for eight years and all three of her years at South. She hopes to make states in her events: the 100 meter backstroke and the 100 butterfly. “I hopefully want to achieve getting top three or winning in those events at states this year,” Liu said. “That’s a big goal of mine.” The team has one dual meet each week in September. They hope to do as well as they have in past years or better, according to Liu. “For our higher level swimmers, they are able to get a few MISPH OT OS CA and eventually state cuts out of the way in September BY EV IE K because of the high volume of meets and the fact they UH NL EIN are all swimming four events,” Gunderson said. ’19 The team practices every afternoon in the fall with optional Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning practices.

GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE

ISABELLA CRAPAROTTA ’19 Staff Writer The girls cross country team is starting o co-captain Sam Flower ’18 said. According to Flower, the abnormally large this year, but the amount of talent will result i “Even though our team is smaller, I think sons yet due to the abundance of fast runners The incoming freshmen class has many tal The team began training in August and h McEnroe ’20 said. According to Kado, the girls attend severa sidering the team goal is to support one anoth With team and personal goals in mind, th McEnroe said. The coaching staff includes the returning s assistant coaches Shawn McNamara, Leo Lam ley Diamond. “Our coaches help us stay in shape and h consistency,” McEnroe said. According to Kado, as the team PH OT

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ALLY MACLEOD ’19 Staff Writer PH

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said. “A couple of them made varsity, and rom JV are going to be providing that support p up and lead the team.” en since their practices began on Aug. 9, and

f competitive playing to work on things espeSweeney said. “So if we know our next oppohat, and if they like to lob a lot, then we’ll work ctice towards what’s happening next.” m because of their work during the offseason. s this year,” he said. “They’ve worked hard in the last twelve months. Even though it’s a fall and I think it really shows that they’ve gotten n.” will allow them to achieve their goals. The nament and win the MAC Red division. ying for states,” Willard said. “The MAC Red I think it’s a good goal and a lofty goal, but I n title.”

New head field hockey coach Amanda Amine is bringing out the best PH OT OS BY in players this year, according to returning player ALL YM Lindsay Froelich ’19. AC LEO D ’1 “The attitude towards everything is new for us. Everything is 9 more positive this year and we are always trying to incorporate something fun and some type of team building while we are simultaneously working hard,” co-captain Hannah Voytowich ’18 said. Amine was the assistant coach two years ago under previous head coach, Monica Dennis. “Amanda is a great coach and works really well with everyone on the team by instructing us and helping us improve, while also making it enjoyable,” returning player Isabelle Adams ’19 said. The team has great chemistry with one another, which translates to their play on the field, according to Bridgett Blondell ’18. “Our strength would definitely be our communication. We get along so well together, so it transfers to our games,” Voytowich said. The players all want to win their division and win regionals when they compete in the division 1 state tournament this year, according to Froelich. “I think we have a well-crafted team. Coming out, we have got some little tweaks to correct as any team does, but we have awesome girls with good spirits,” Voytowich said. All the girls work hard in practices and hope their hard work will show in their game results, according to Blondell. The team is currently 0-2.

CHEER

SPORTS | 7

IMRAN SIDDIQUI ’20 Copy Editor PH The sideline cheer season began on OT IMR OS BY Aug. 24, coinciding with the first varsity MA AN RG SID OT DIQ football game of the year. BA UI ER ’19 ’18 “Sideline (cheer) is basically preAN D paring for our winter season, which is competitive,” cheer coach Ashley Gerbi said. “We’re cheering the football players on every Friday or Thursday night, and we’re working on our stunts and our gymnastic skills to get ready for when we go to compete.” Gerbi has been coaching at South for the past four years. According to Gerbi, practicing five days a week allows them to make and reach their goals. “We have a lot of girls on the team this year; that’s awesome,” Gerbi said. “We’re just looking to continue building our teams, and continue to work on our gymnastics skills.” Madison Griffin ’18 has been a part of the team since her freshman year. According to her, the team is always improving their stunts and back handsprings. “What I like about cheer is the atmosphere,” Griffin said. “We are like one big family, and the coaches are really sweet. They push you to be your best.” The sport of sideline cheer is very beneficial to South, according to Gerbi. She said the school, the football players and the cheerleaders gain a lot from the sport. “It keeps a positive atmosphere for the girls and gets them out there cheering for the boys,” Gerbi said. “Everyone has a good time.”

TS PREVIEW

off the season with many talented runners,

e team has reduced its numbers down to 90 in a great season. we’re still going to have one of our best seas,” Flower said. lented runners, runner Isabel Kado ’19 said. hopes to continue training hard, runner Elle

al team pasta parties during the season, conher. he girls can show up and do their very best,

six coaches: head coach Steve Zaranek, and mberti, Mike Novak, Caitlin Rivera and Had-

help build techniques to increase speed and

m works towards their big meets, the runners will train hard and stay focused so that the girls can contribute to a great season.

ELIZABETH WOLFE ’20 Page Editor The volleyball teams began the year with a new coaching staff. This includes new varsity coach Krysta Kreyger joining Kevin Nugent, JV coach Janeil DiVita and the freshmen coach Liz Champney, according to Jane Schmidt. Tryouts were on Aug. 9 and 10 and practices began the following week after tryouts for varsity, according to Chandler Duff ’17. “Goalwise, the girls said they want to win,” Kreyger said. “A lot of them really want to win our league, districts and continue on through. We want to win every game; we’re going take one game at a time.” Lauren Toenjes ’17 said that it being her last year on the varsity team is sad and emotional, and it makes her appreciate everything a lot more. “It’s also exciting,” Duff said. “We’ve been waiting three years to do this, and it’s our team now. We get to show what we can do.” According to Duff, the varsity team’s goal is winning the state tournament, and in order to do that, they need to win districts and their league. Toenjes added that winning the North vs. South game would give them a huge confidence boost. “For the team, I think that we obviously want to win states, but to get there, we have to join together as a team better, communicate more and just grow as a team together,” Toenjes said. The varsity team have their first tournaments on Aug. 30 and Sept. PH OT OS 1. The first game of the season is Sep. 7 against North. BY ELI

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VOLLEYBALL

CAITLIN MILLER ’18 Staff Writer

Girls golf starts the season swinging with their first match on Sept. 7 against Dakota. The team practices Monday through Thursday with voluntary practices on Saturdays. The matches are held at multiple courses, but the home course is the Burning Tree Country Club. There are normally two to three matches each week with a few tournaments, according to DeBrunner. DeBrunner said the team is very close and tries to bond as much as they can off the course. “My favorite part about being on the golf team is that I’ve been able to form some really strong friendships with a lot of the underclassmen,” DeBrunner said. It is more time-consuming than most sports at South, and without their own facility, they have to work with many courses, according to head coach Harrison Stackpole. The matches normally last around three hours, and tournaments take around 6 hours, according to DeBrunner. “On days that we have a 3 p.m. match, we may not get home until 7:30 or 8 p.m.,” Debrunner said. Last year, the team made it through to the state finals. All players that played in states will be returning, according to Stackpole. Stackpole is flexible with the amount the girls practice. The coaches don’t want to overwork the girls, but at the same time, want to let them grow as golfers. PH Stackpole said the team will be hosting MSHA regionals at BurnOT OS MO BY ing Tree this year, and are very excited for the season ahead. LLI J D ED STA EB ND Stackpole is not only a coach to the girls but a friend. RU I SH NN AN ER “It’s nice to see kids work hard and try to imD BO TH ’18 prove,” Stackpole said. “I couldn’t ask for a better set of kids to work with.”

GIRLS GOLF

’21

8 | FEATURE

The Tower Guide

to surriving freshman year

THETOWERPULSE.NET | 9.5.17

Feeding Ground: The best places to grab a bite to eat at lunch

or a lot of students, making lunch for school in the morning can be hard. This is something that I struggle with every week, which is why I buy food from Farms Fresh Market for lunch. Personally, I think this is the best way to get lunch for school because you have an endless amount of options, it’s affordable and it’s easy. After class, it only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to grab the items you want and pay, which leaves you plenty of time to eat. With only a short walk from South to Farms, you’ll be eating your favorite meals everyday. My favorite spot to eat for lunch is the commons because it isn’t as crowded and loud as the cafeteria and there are tables to eat at. It’s fast and easy, which is the way I like for lunch.

Hydrangea Kitchen

Open: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Facebook rating: 4.3 out of 5 Price rating: $$

Subway ETHAN BRIGGS ’18 My biggest mistake freshman year was not using the resources available to me, especially with the teachers. If I was struggling in a class, I was too timid to ask for help. So, I would recommend that if you’re struggling, ask your teacher for help; they would be more than happy to help you and you’ll do a lot better in their class.

Open: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Facebook rating: 4 out of 5 Price Rating: $

J House

Open: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Facebook rating: 5 out of 5 Price rating: $

Menchies

My biggest mistake from freshmen year was not taking school seriously and not studying like I should’ve. I thought I could get by like I did in middle school by doing my homework or studying the night before, but it backfired. Even though I regret it, it did help me learn how significant grades are and how to do better in the future.

Open: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Facebook rating: 4.6 out of 5 Price rating: $$

Open: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Facebook rating: 4.7 out of 5 Price rating: $$

Advice from Ms. Kline My biggest mistake was probably when I thought I was older and didn’t need my teachers’ help. But it’s still useful to ask for their help. A lot of times when I wouldn’t get the homework but I just thought to myself, ‘I’m in highschool, I shouldn’t be going to my teachers for help,’ so I wouldn’t seek help and then I wouldn’t get the material when it came to the test.

Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, Pin Heads, Recreational Water Sports Club and Varsity Club

Political/ Social: Young Americans for Freedom, Grosse Pointe South Democrats, Students 4 Life, Voice for Choice and Gay Straight Alliance

Service: SERVE, Interact and Key Club

*You can find a full list in your student handbook

Farms Fresh Market

Great Expectations: WALKER FINAZZO ’19

Spanish, Latin, Italian, French and German

Open: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Facebook rating: 3.7 out of 5 Price rating: $

Extreme Pizza MADDY HASS ’20

Language clubs:

Sports:

PHOEBE MIRIANI, KAITLIN NEMEH, LAUREN THOM ’18 Copy Editor, Page Editor & Staff Writer

Freshman Regrets

Clubs To Join:

FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT DO FRESHMEN STRUGGLE WITH MOST IN CLASS?

I think they struggle most with how to manage the expectations of seven different challenging classes while also fitting in new sports and extracurricular commitments. Prioritizing your commitments and what’s important in the long run and in the big picture can be really challenging, especially when college seems so far away, but it’s really important to lay a solid foundation now and create good habits.

HOW LONG DOES IT NORMALLY TAKE FOR FRESHMEN TO ADJUST TO HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW DO YOU TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THIS TRANSITION?

Throughout the year, you will need supplies for daily school work. The main, and most obvious, item that is essential would be a pencil or pen. I recommend carrying more than one in your backpack in case you lose or break your pencil. A couple other essentials would include paper and your planner. When I was a freshman, my planner was my best friend. After every class I would make sure to write down my homework or anything I needed to know so I didn’t forget anything for the next day. As well as school related supplies, I think there is a need for personal essentials in your backpack. Things like gum, hand sanitizer, lotion, and chapstick

How To Get A Library Pass To get a pass, you have to go up to the librarian before the seven minute bell rings and tell her what hour you need it for and who your tutorial teacher is. EVA LORENZANA ’18

A: CAITLIN FINAZZO ’20 My freshman year, I forgot to use library passes during tutorial and when I didn’t use those, I had to do all my projects at home and it was a lot of work.

I think that once we get through homecoming, freshmen seem to have a good grasp of things. They’ve experienced a lot in their classrooms and found a good routine, and have also been able to experience the excitement of homecoming and all that it brings, in terms of school community. I try to help them in the classroom by focusing on organization and study tips that extend beyond my classroom. I also try to get to know them well so that they are comfortable asking for anything they need to help make the transition easier. I’m in room 222, if anyone needs anything.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR FRESHMEN?

Freshman year can be stressful, in fact there is no doubt that it won’t be, but you shouldn’t let that take over your first year of high school. To live your best days as a high schooler, you need to leave that stress behind sometimes and have fun. Freshman year is packed with fun things to do like football games, homecoming and the endless amount of friends you will meet this year. After a long week of school, take a break from all the work and go to a football game with your friends. Clear your mind of all the stress because you have Saturday and Sunday to worry about that. Use your Friday nights to have fun because you only have so much time before you graduate.

I would very strongly encourage students to get involved within the first month of school: find a club, a sport, any extra activity outside of the classroom that interests them. Not only does this give you a different community of students, it gives you something to be excited about outside of the classroom. I’d also encourage freshmen to advocate for themselves: find that teacher, counselor or other staff member who you are comfortable working with and don’t be afraid to ask for help. And lastly, have fun and embrace both change and challenge.

STUDY SESSION Tables are available for students during both lunches. PHOTO BY ELIZABETH WOLFE ’20

I get library passes because I don’t like sitting in my tutorial class, and I go meet my friends at the library and do my homework there. MATTHEW MELICAN ’19