TOWER

In loving memory of Michael Drew

June 2, 1994 - Sept. 11, 2015

the

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015

Volume 88
Issue 2
thetowerpulse.net

A WEEKLY TRADITION SINCE 1928

@thetowerpulse

Gross e Pointe S outh, 11 Gross e Pointe B oule vard, Gross e Pointe Far ms, Michigan 48236

Hamka shifts funding

With the ultimate goal of getting groups to be
self-sustaining, principal rearranges budget numbers

said. We try to make an adjustment

EMILY FLEMING 16 // Associate
to make sure that all departments
Editor
Many areas of surplus in the budget and extracurricular activities have the
will be reallocated to places that lacked resources they need to be successful.
Hamkas long term goal is for
sufficient funds last year based on prior
extracurriculars
to become selfspending and need for the upcoming year,
sustaining
and
independent
of their
according to Principal Moussa Hamka.
departments,
he
said.
The school runs on a holistic,
The ability to allocate money to
interconnected budget, and the total
extracurriculars
is heavily based on needs
amount of money available never
within
their
department,
he said.
changes, Hamka said.
I
distribute
and
I
give
to departments.
Each year, money is often reallocated
For
example,
The
Tower
is part of the
to departments and extracurriculars
English
department
and
is
part of that
within departments based on financial
departments
overall
budget,

Hamka
said.
need in a particular year.
This
year
we
had
If the school gave
certain
departments
money to an activity
Its not academics
that needed a little
and it was not used in
versus
extracurriculars.
more money to buy
its entirety, the extra
Everyone
has
to
be
more
classroom supplies
money can be taken
fiscally
responsible.
and
computer
away from the activitys
software
for
their
annual allocated budget
MEAGAN
DUNHAM
classes.

and given to another area

ENGLISH TEACHER,
Extracurriculars
that has lacked sufficient
POINTE PLAYERS ADVISER
such
as Pointe
funding in previous years,
Players,
the drama
Hamka said.
club,
are
working
towards
becoming
selfMany departments experience a
sustaining
so
they
dont
have
to
share
change in the amount of money they
receive from the school based on their a budget with academic departments,
adviser Meagan Dunham said.
spending in previous years, Hamka said.
We cant have the same budget,
We analyze if there are surpluses in
Dunham
said. If science or technology
certain areas and money is not spent, then
cant
buy
materials, but we have statewe have other areas where we had some
of-the-art
costumes and state-of-the-art
needs that we couldnt meet, Hamka

instruments and elaborate sets, where

do you draw the line? Its not academics
versus extracurriculars. Everyone has to
be more fiscally responsible.
The Pointe Players have faced budget
setbacks in the past, and often adjust
goals for the year based on the funds
they have available, Dunham said. Their
budget from the school has decreased by
over $14,000 in the past 20 years.
We had more money to spend on
scripts and royalties and sets, etcetera.
But back then, everyone else had more
money too, Dunham said.
In order to maintain the quality of the
group, Pointe Players is going to increase
fundraising and try to increase ticket
sales, all with hopes of becoming fully
self-sustaining.
While it stinks that our budget got
changed, its not monumental. Well do
little things here and there to make up for
the lost money, Pointe Players President
Alex Niforos 16 said.
The main goal of budget reallocation is
to support groups that need it, and many
groups will see an increase in funding this
year, Hamka said.
For example, last year, we were able
to support The Tower and they bought a
drone. So we just capped it (their budget)
back this year, Hamka said. Now we can
support another group so they can have
something special, something extra.

Remembering
Kyleigh Webb 15
see page 5 for full story

JENNIFER MAIORANA 16 // Editor-in-Chief

Kyleigh Webb 15 passed away at age 20 on Sept. 14. Webb was an
active member of the South community and was planning to continue
her education as a fifth-year senior.
Everyone from the South family has been so supportive, mother
Lori Webb said via e-mail. There are no words to express our gratitude.
Honor her memory by passing on a smile to everyone you come in contact with each day because she always had a smile for everyone she met.

Changing the subject, Suicide awareness month seeks to

new schedule policy
save lives through awareness, education
OLIVIA FREDERICKSON 16 & ELENA RAUCH 18 //
Staff Writers
After strictly enforcing policies regarding schedule
changes, many South students are being denied requests
to switch classes.
Rather than being able to change courses like in
previous years, students are now faced with the challenge
of staying in the classes printed on the schedules they
received at registration.
Its one of those things that weve been telling kids
for years and years and years, that these are the reasons
that you can change your schedule, Walsh-Sahutske
said.
The class change policy is written in detail in the
handbook. Despite
having a letter sent
Weve
been
telling
out to students and
kids for years and years
parents in spring
and years, that these are
regarding how to
the reasons that you can
change
classes,
change your schedule.
Wa l s h - S a h u t s k e
BETH WALSH-SAHUTSKE
claims no one took it
COUNSELOR
seriously.
Students request
classes in February
of the previous school year, and the school bases its
budget on who theyre going to hire and for how many
classes, according to Walsh-Sahutske. This all has to be
done in the previous year to line students schedules up
accurately.
Cameron Zak 18 said the newly-enforced policy is a
little disappointing.
Im trying to switch out of Honors Spanish IV
because its a harder class, and Ive already taken Spanish
for three years. Zak said. Id rather take something
easier since all my other classes are harder, and Im
already going to be stressed because of those.
SEE CHANGING THE SUBJECT ON PAGE 3.

IN THIS ISSUE
Cross-town rivalry
Check out page 7 for
all of the stats on the
rivalry history

RILEY LYNCH 18 // Pulse Feature Editor

September is a month dedicated to the prevention of something
deadlier than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects and chronic
lung disease combined--suicide.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-24,
according to the Jason Foundation, an organization that aims to cut
down teen suicide rates.
In 2003, Suicide Prevention Week was established as a National
Mental Health Observance. Its central goals are to show that suicide is
preventable and to destroy the stigma surrounding it.
Although Suicide Prevention Week was officially held from Sept.
6-12, the entire month of September is used to advocate for the voices
lost to depression and those affected by the loss of a loved one to
suicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
(AFSP).
One of our fears is that, yeah, kids are great. Kids are good friends,
but theyre not professionals that have been trained to walk kids
through this. The best thing they can do is guide them to their school
counselor or social worker, counselor Troy Glasser said.
Prior to their death, many depressed individuals show the warning
signs of suicide, and yet, each day, there are approximately 5,400
attempts worldwide. According to James E. Sabin of the Psychiatric
Times, the key to preventing suicide is to recognize the warning signs,
informing people about them and seeking help immediately.

The best way to prevent suicide is to treat mental illnesses as the

serious illnesses that they are, Jared Schenk 17 said. Its frightening
to me that so many people are not given the support they need to
deal with mental illnesses, so much so that their only escape is to kill
themselves. If we want to prevent suicide, we have to talk about it
before it happens, not after.
The AFSP says the warning signs for suicide include giving away
prized possessions, discussions of dying, isolation, an unhealthy
sleeping schedule, loss of appetite, reckless behavior and depressive
tendencies.
I happen to know a lot of people who deal with suicidal thoughts
and tendencies, and its very stressful and a very heavy weight to be
under, because I share some of those thoughts, too, a student who
asked that his name not be used said. But I love and care about those
people enough that Im willing to help them no matter what. I think
the biggest step is to just not treat suicide like its a joke and to not
glorify it. People dont really like to talk about it. But its not hard to
be kind to people and help with the struggle. If we all did our part
and talked to each other, it would be easier as a society to carry those
weights.
The United States suicide prevention hotline can be reached at
1(800)-273-8255 (1-800-SUICIDE). The hotline is open 24/7 and all
calls are confidential.

Know the signs

1
mood
swings

anxiety/ withdrawal feeling

depression
worthless

5
giving away
possessions

CALL 911 OR THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE AT

1-800-273-8255 IF YOU IDENTIFY WITH ANY OF THESE SIGNS OR KNOW
SOMEONE WHO EXHIBITS THEM.

A tale of two cities

Look at page 6 to
get to know the new
exchange students

Intercepted
Page 8 has the latest
information regarding the recent football suspensions.

feature // 5

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015

cant stop loving you

1.

3.

2.

Community remembers spirit, loving nature of Kyleigh Webb

JENNIFER MAIORANA 16 // Editor-in-Chief

he will be remembered as the girl who walked down the
hallways smiling and singing her favorite song, I Cant Stop
Loving You.
Despite the challenges Kyleigh Webb 15 faced, she was
constantly happy and able to spread optimism, Peer-2-Peer
adviser Dori Martinuzzi said.
She went through a lot in her young life, but you never saw her
without a smile, Martinuzzi said. No matter what, she was always
extremely happy,
Webb loved interacting with her peers and learning at South, special education teacher Jill Rotole said.
When she got something right, every once in awhile shed catch
me off guard and short little Kyleigh would reach up, put her arm
around my neck and pull me down into a huge hug, Rotole said.
Some of the skills Webb was working at school included writing
letters, reading sight words, adding numbers and keyboarding, Rotole
said. She was planning to return this school year for the 18-26 program that the special education curriculum offers.
Outside of the classroom, Webb enjoyed selling popcorn at lunch
to raise money for the kids to attend Camp Fowler, a camp providing

enrichment activities for students with special needs.

She went to Camp Fowler every single year and she just loved it,
Martinuzzi said. She did everything there and she even went up high
in the treehouse. She was just the biggest cheerleader to everybody
else. She was such a supportive friend to so many people.
Some of Webbs closest friends
were Tom OHare and Trevor
She went through a lot in
Beck, both 15.
her young life, but you never
He (Beck) made a picture for
saw her without a smile. No
her on Friday, so theres this little
matter what, she was always
blip on there where I could tell he
extremely happy.
was trying to write something,
Rotole said. So I asked him what
DORI MARTINUZZI
it was supposed to say and he
PEER-2-PEER ADVISER
said, Miss you.
Between selling popcorn and
taking classes together, Beck said he and Webb were partners in crime.
We were always laughing, Beck said.
In addition, Webb was also close with many members of Peer-2Peer. Katharine Kuhnlein 16 ate lunch with Webb three days a week.
She was really close with everybody else in Peer-2-Peer wheth-

er you knew it or not, Kuhnlein said. She was especially close with
Trevor and Tom. Tom asked her to Prom, and it was just the cutest
thing because they loved each other so much.
The Peer-2-Peer students actually helped OHare ask Webb to
Prom with a sign that said Kyleigh, I cant stop loving you. Prom? in
honor of her favorite song, Rotole said.
She came in, Tom gave her the poster and she was just beside herself. Finally we had to prompt her and be like Kyleigh say yes, Rotole
said laughing.
Peer-2-Peer members Molly Walsh and Natalia Engel both 16
went to Prom with Webb, OHare and a group of other students.
It was fun, it was really cool to see them enjoy everything about
the high school experience, Walsh said.
In addition, Engel said Webb and OHare enjoyed themselves.
They were so excited to be there, Engel said. It was a little overwhelming for them, but it was so cute.
Becoming close with Webb has taught Engel the importance of appreciating happiness.
Engel said, Even though it was not easy for her, she was so happy.
No matter how hard her day was, or how hard your day was, she could
always make you smile.

7.

Ive made
up my mind

6.

To live in the memory

of lonesome times,
4.

Its useless
to say,

So Ill just live my life in

the dreams of yesterday,

Those happy hours that

we once knew...

I Cant Stop Loving You

by Ray Charles, Kyleighs
favorite song

5.

PREP WORK // 1. Kyleigh Webb 15 at Camp Fowler petting a horse. 2. Webb with Dori Martinuzzi, Tom OHare 15 and Jill Rotole. at Prom llast spring 3. Webb
with Rotole in class. 4. Webb with OHare when he asked her to Prom with a sign saying Kyleigh, I cant stop loving you. Prom? 5. Webb with OHare and
Natalia Engel 16 at Prom. 6. Webb setting up the popcorn that the special education program sells to raise money for Camp Fowler. 7. Webb with OHare and
Trevor Beck, two of her closest friends, at Hydrangea.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JILL ROTOLE, DORI MARTINUZZI & NATALIA ENGEL 16