Bucs' Blade October 2015

the

blade

Into the deep end

First annual belly flop competition makes splash in homecoming week

p. 15

OCtober 9, 2015 Volume 71 Issue 1

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Grand Haven High School’s student publication of community significance since 1927

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www.bucsblade.com

What’s Inside

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Best of the Bucs: visual

Sprawled on the floor, senior Jess Albright lays surrounded by scraps of canvas fabric, varying paint brushes and discarded sketches.

It’s her own organized, artistic, chaos.

“In elementary school it was the one thing that I wasn’t bored doing,” Albright said. “So I carried on. There’s no right or wrong answer, and that kind of stuck with me.”

Even though she keeps most of her work at school, there is no lack of dedication. She has taken over six art classes throughout high school, including three ceramics classes, jewelry, painting, drawing, and art and design.

“The fact that we all get to express ourselves through our work,” Albright said Read the rest on page 16

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2 INDEX

Volume 71, Issue 1

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Chromebooks level playing field for students Staring at a white screen and watching your dinosaur hop over cacti with every press of the space bar was a common occurrence the first few days of school, when the new Dell Chromebooks had problems with internet access.

In technology-dependent classrooms, these connectivity problems caused delays in work progress.

Read the rest on page 6

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE DOUBLE CROSSER: Senior Kane Wilkinson is so dedicated to both of his sports that when it came to making a decision, he just couldn’t. Between his soccer and football coach, an agreement was made to allow him to play both.

20 Two sports

one season

Page 15 Photo by: Jonas Quirin

October 2015

Blinding stadium lights glint off of blue helmets. A shimmering expanse of plastic green marked with white numbers seen clearly from above. The view from the stands.

This is not the view senior Kane Wilkinson is used to. Until junior year he had only seen the game through the mask of his football helmet. But Wilkinson turned in his helmet for shin guards and the field for the pitch, ending his 13-year football career when he made the soccer team as a junior.

“I didn’t want to quit football,” Wilkinson said. “But I told myself that if I made the soccer team, I would play soccer and I did.”

But after just one season of sitting in the bleachers on Friday nights, Wilkinson decided it wasn’t for him.

“I didn’t like being in the stands and just watching football,” Wilkinson said. “I wanted to play.”

Wilkinson played both soccer and football since he was young and struggled choosing between them once at the high school level.

But in the spring of his junior year, football special teams coach, Jeremy Holmes, approached Wilkinson with a compromise. He could kick for the football team and still remain on the soccer team.

So he strapped on his helmet and shin guards for senior year.

“It a good opportunity for an athlete to be exposed to both sports,” Holmes said. “It’s a unique situation, Kane comes on his own time after soccer practice to make sure he is kicking and staying up on his skills.”

An athlete playing two sports in one season is rare. Athletic Director Scott Robertson was open to the idea as long as proper plans were established.

Read the rest on page 20-21

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The game of college

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Partners in grime

It’s 3:30p.m. when junior Allison Matz comes home, tired from the seven hour day of school and aware that she still has two to four hours worth of AP homework left in her backpack. And that’s on a day where she isn’t scheduled at her after-school job or volunteering with the InterAct club.

But it doesn’t bother her. She knows it’s her choice to take the harder classes and stay busy. She expects the rigorous additional work. Matz is determined that it will all pay off throughout the next couple of years. She envisions attending med school and needs all the shortcuts she can take since she knows her process will be a long one.

Read the rest on page 12-13

One day in June the summer before his sophomore year, Nick Akselberg decided that he wanted a source of income. Unlike most kids his age, he didn’t go around and apply for jobs. He created his own.

Akselberg, a senior, started to detail cars by himself in the summer of 2013. He bought supplies with his own money, then advertised by flyers and word of mouth.

Read the rest and more on teenage business owners on page 10-11 www.bucsblade.com, October 9

THE BUCS’ BLADE PUBLICATION POLICY

The Bucs’ Blade is a student-produced news publication that publishes information relevant to the times as well as material that is essential to the overall well-being of its readers. It is The Bucs’ Blade’s responsibility to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect the concerns of the campus, its students or its readers.

The Bucs’ Blade operates as a designated public forum for student expression. The Editorial Board consisting of student editors is the sole decision-making and policy setting body of The Bucs’ Blade and has final say over all content decisions..The adviser and administration have a non-review role and may offer advice on sensitive issues and will offer criticisms as warranted after publication but the Editorial Board reserves all rights to determine what material shall be published. Editorials represent the collective opinion of The Bucs’ Blade staff.

LETTERS AND SUBMISSIONS

Opinions expressed by individuals and in letters to the editor represent those of the author. Letters to the editor should be typed, double spaced and must include the author’s name, signature and class or position.

Names of individuals may be withheld upon request, pending a vote of the Editorial Board. Letters may be submitted in hard copy to room 0205 at Grand Haven High School or via email at bucsblade@gmail.com.

All letters are subject to review by the Editorial Board.

Letters will not be edited except to fix space limitations.

Should the Editorial Board deem a letter to be potentially libelous or containing content inappropriate for publication it will return the letter to the author with an opportunity for corrections. The Editorial Board is solely responsible for these decisions. Letters need to be received one week prior to print publication dates to be included in print.

Grace Glessner THE BUCS’ BLADE PARTY TIME: Homecoming weekend is not only known for dressing up, taking pictures and dancing with friends, but also for the parties that follow long after the DJ has packed up. Look out for yourself and for each other. Be careful and don’t make stupid decisions. You don’t need the consequences following you in the future.

Don’t get too crazy Homecoming is here, as fun as the night will be tomorrow, make sure you and your friends stay safe

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is the season for football games, homecoming and Saturday influence and the slightly smaller 10 percent that drove after drinking. night parties. With the excitement and stress that accompany Yes, the good times can be fun, but the feelings and consequences you the next few months, don’t let a minor in possession (MIP) or face the next morning aren’t. Plus, let’s not forget how embarrassing it can memories that make you shudder follow along. be when you’re sloppy and smelling of puke, relying on your friends to Party stories go around after dances or even just a Friday night, the clean you up. ones that can be remembered that is. While underage drinking is seen These may be your teenage glory days, but remember college is right as a culture of high school, the dangers may be grossly around the corner, there will be lots of time for crazy overlooked. There are plenty of PSAs and parental warnings nights. This is your high school homecoming, make it floating around but none of those will stop someone from count, make it memorable and actually remember it.

Even if you’re set in your ways, we just hope that you sneaking that bottle of vodka or getting behind the wheel of keep this in mind. Take precaution. Help out your friend a car with “just a buzz”. covered in their own vomit. Don’t let someone drive home Some careless fun can also have some serious when you know they shouldn’t be. Look out for each other. consequences. Drinking parties often involve binge drinking, Nowhere does it say you have to drink or smoke to have which has been associated with violence, sexual assault, rape, STAFF fun and if you don’t want to do it, don’t. No one will judge and alcohol poisoning. Repercussions like these last long after EDITORIAL: you. the party’s over. While this in no way means that every party Editorial Board We know you’ve probably heard it all before from involves drinking or escalates to such extremes, it is a reality Support 9-0 parents, protective siblings and teachers, but they’re right. in our community and “it won’t happen to us” or “we’re just There’s a lot at stake. One night can change your life and having some fun” has been said too many times. affect your future without you even really remembering it. It may be seen According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 35 as part of the teenage culture, especially on homecoming night, but be percent of surveyed high school students drank some kind of alcohol in the last 30 days. In addition, 22 percent rode with someone under the aware of what you’re doing and the consequences that may come with it. www.bucsblade.com, October 9

THE BUCS’ BLADE GHHS ROOM 0205 17001 Ferris Grand Haven, MI 49417

Editorial Board Elizabeth Tibbe Landon Hudson Sarah Jane Chrysler Aliyah Austin Emily Bruch Brianna Moynihan Vlasia Niotis Jonas Quirin Maisy Hoffman

Editor in Chief Editor in Chief Arts Editor Life Editor News Editor Sports Editor Web Editor

Photo Editor Public Relations

Writing Staff Kaysi Abbatoy (Reporter), Isabel Andrini (Reporter), Jessica Ashburn (Reporter), Scott Bays (Senior Staff Writer), Luke Blauvelt (Senior Staff Writer), Maddie Brockmeyre (Reporter), Micala Carpenter (Reporter), Emma Dale (Senior Staff Writer), Jordan DeKlyen (Senior Staff Writer), Taylor Fase (Senior Staff Writer), Mason Harloff (Reporter), Zach Holman (Reporter), Lily Ives (Reporter), Megan Kostner (Reporter), Marisa McElrath (Reporter), Abby Reyenga (Reporter), Emma Sachteleben (Senior Staff Writer), Caitlin Shampine (Reporter), Eric Stolarski (Reporter), Kevin Swain (Senior Staff Writer), Karianne Turner (Reporter), Drew Van Andel (Reporter), Tyler VandenBrand (Senior Staff Writer), Alexis VanSingel (Reporter), Savannah Vickers (Reporter), Connor Weber (Senior Staff Writer), Jacob Wencel (Senior Staff Writer)

Photojournalists Grace Glessner, James Harding, Drew Hewitt, Owen Sanborn

EDITORIAL 3

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

You unlock this door with the key of to come back to school within a week or two. imagination. Beyond it is another dimenIn the outside world, punching someone sion: a dimension of sound, a dimension of like a coworker could result in legal charges sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving and the termination of your job. Many of into a land of both shadow and substance, us take our second chances for granted in of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over high school, thinking that we will have them into...The high school zone. forever.

Only enterable once every lifetime, the In the high school zone, it’s acceptable high school zone is a melting pot of seemto act like a kid (within reasonable boundaringly different, yet intriguingly similar young ies. Your teacher probably doesn’t want to people. The high school zone, change your dirty diaper). Why? divided by pods and hallways Well, because you are one. that somehow mesh together Coming of age isn’t meant to under one roof, can only take place overnight, and until be judged from the inside. you’re 18 and out the door, It’s full of different types you can be a kid. The real of kids; ones with differing world zone, however, may not backgrounds and personal include as many people who agendas, or some with no will be amused by your childagenda at all. It’s a place ish behavior. where it’s okay to have fun, Four years may seem like a while still making a mistake long time, however, statistiOpinion or two along the way. Most cally, it will probably only be KEVIN SWAIN importantly, it’s a place where about five percent of your time is short. So why not life. Five percent of your make it sweet? life to grow, learn, enjoy the end of your Many who enter don’t realize how lucky childhood, and prepare you for whatever is they are to be there. Take an underclassman next. So why not make your way to the next student, for example, doing his math homefootball game to cheer for the Bucs? You work at his family’s dining room table. The don’t have many chances left, anyway. Why student glances down at his math book and not ask that cute girl that makes you nervous sees endless lines of numbers and symbols, to the next dance? You won’t go to the same none of which he understands. His vision school forever. And why not calm down over goes blurry, and his head feels like it got hit that bad grade you got on your math test? by a train. He groans as he thinks to himself It’s just one grade, and it doesn’t define your ‘This is ruining my f***ing life.’ But is it reacademic career. ally? Once out of the HSZ, you’re likely to “High school is closer to the core of face more prominent challenges, like finding the American experience than anything I a career or buying a house. If you put your can think of,” wrote writer Kurt Vonnegut. school-related stresses in perspective, they Whether you’re dreading graduation or can’t are miniscule compared to problems that wait for it, your short time in the high school people face in the real world. zone is almost over. Never again will you In the high school zone, they usually give be this young and this free. You’ve already you a second chance. In other words, if you entered into this strange, special dimension. face-punch that ugly bully who won’t leave Now it’s up to you to live out your numbered you alone in english class, you might still get days inside of it as best as you can.

I was 9, I sat in the technician room of me as she went through the routine she had the Oncology center, and smiled. become so accustomed to, standing tall and For just under a year my mom had been making jokes. With her hospital gown on and battling stage 3c breast cancer. It had spread head bare, we headed back to the treatment to lymph nodes but not to organs; the 5 year room. We parted ways as I went into the survival rate, 50%. technician room and she crawled into the I had watched her hold my dad’s hand mouth of the seemingly monstrous machine. until her knuckles were white while she told The two technicians talked to me as anyone my sister and I the news. I had watched her would to a 9 year old, as if none of this was open card after card from people I had never happening. The girl was sweet, with her long heard of. I had watched my dad hesitate brown ponytail and soft eyes, worn from before taking a razor to her seeing so much pain but with hair to finish the job chemo a glint from seeing so much had started. And through all healing. Her name was Sarah. of this, I had watched her She asked me if I wanted to smile. run the machine.

She was almost done. It I said yes with nothing was finally her last day of but a shocked, and slightly radiation treatment. Every terrified nod. morning for weeks she would She took me by the hand give me a kiss and tell me to gently and I trailed a step have a good day at school, behind her into the radiation Opinion she would hand me my lunch room. There laid my mom, elizabeth tibbe and promise to pick me up. calm as could be, still with Then my grandma would a smile on her face. Sarah come to get me on the bus as she pulled showed me what buttons to press and the away, smiling at me, every single day. Except machine roared to life, the table moved, that morning. After weeks of watching taking my mom with it into the beast. Sarah her leave, that day she held my hand as we smiled at me and I knew it was finally the walked out the door. There was no lunch, end. So I smiled back. there was no school, and there was no The treatment ended and I met mom grandma. I pulled away with her. in the waiting room where we started. She It was a long drive and to be honest, I came back like she promised me every time. don’t remember most of it. The usual pop The treatment was done, her battle wasn’t radio station played and my hands were quite over yet but this stage was behind sweaty as I gripped the edge of the tan us. She smiled the whole way through. She leather seat that I didn’t even fill up. Nothing could have surrendered and let the numbers mattered but the destination, she was almost consume her, let the statistics dictate her done, she was going to be okay. attitude. But she was my mom, she was a When we got there, I was utterly fighter, she was a smiler. And the smilers overwhelmed. There were people who survive. looked like they were on their deathbed, With this being Breast Cancer Awareness with hunched shoulders and empty eyes.

Month, and so many people being touched They dragged their feet and forced small talk by cancer in some way, it’s important to with the nurses trying so hard to lighten the realize that staying strong and supporting mood. Then there was my mom. Smiling at those in you life that need it, is crucial.

High school zone The smilers survive

4 OPINION

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Author’s Alliance helps writers express feelings Writing club meets every Tuesday to give inspiration to student authors

Creative writing classes are great ways for students to express their feelings on paper. But it may be difficult to write everything when you know that a teacher is going to read it.

Meetings are every Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. in room 3107 and anyone can join. Even if you do not want to share your writing, you will not be excluded from club activities.

“There are a lot of shy members who are reluctant to share,” club administrator Jodi Heard said.

Some days, members write from a prompt and other days they bring writing from home which is peer edited.

“The Author’s Alliance does not censor anything,” Heard said. “It is authentic writing.”

--Emma Sachteleben

Fall musical chosen to perform at Thespian Festival in December The cast of the musical this year, “Jekyl and Hyde,” was chosen to perform at the Michigan Thespian Festival in Saginaw this December.

The festival is an event for people involved in drama to go and do things like acting solos or musical theater.

“People will go and sing a song or perform a scene,” senior Sophia Barron said.

Every year, one production is put on at the festival, and this year’s musical was chosen.

“I’m so excited for the show,” Barron said. “It’s a very high honor for people in drama and we’ve gotten off to a great start to make our show the best it can be.”

--Emily Bruch

Book Club helps students discover new novels Members to discuss story by M.T. Anderson in Media Center at their next meeting Students who love to read and discover unique books should visit the Book Club on Oct. 12 in the Media Center from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Advised

by Gloria Klinger, the club invites anyone who is interested in reading, no matter what level of reading they are.

“You don’t have to be an advanced reader to join the club,” Klinger said.

The club is currently reading a historical science fiction called The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1 - The Pox Party

by M.T. Anderson. Unknown and wild books are not the only type they read, however. According to Klinger, the club often reads books that ties into movies, like The Martian, then they go to the theater together to see the movie.

“Our goal is to put good book into students’ hands,” Klinger said. “We read all kinds of books and they are all picked by the students, not me.”

--Maddie Brockmyre www.bucsblade.com, October 9

GALÁPAGOS GIANTS: One of the sights students will see on the trip is the giant tortoises that reside on the Galápagos Islands. The group will stay in South America for nine to 11 days, depending on the company they choose to travel through.

Science teachers plan Galápagos field trip

A

ny students that want to visit the Galápagos Islands will have the opportunity to join science teachers Steffanie Portenga and Dennis Striegle when they travel to the province of Ecuador in June 2017.

They will fly into Quito, Ecua-

dor, and then take a plane and two boats to get to two of the main islands of the Galápagos.

“It’s more of a science trip,” Portenga said.

The group will be visiting the Darwin Research Station, looking at lava tunnels, snorkeling, and seeing the giant tortoises native to

the islands.

According to Portenga, the price for the trip will be anywhere between $3,300 and $3,700.

“You need a lot of time to give people enough time to save up enough money and do their own fund raising if need be,” Portenga said.

--Emily Bruch

Michigan mystery author to visit The Bookman

baldwin

If you love to read a good thriller, Michigan mystery author Richard Baldwin wants to talk to your class the afternoon of Oct. 16.

“I plan to talk about how I write a mystery novel in 10 easy steps or three hard ones, from imagination to computer, all you need are fast moving fingers, or how to write a novel without writing a novel,” Baldwin said.

This Grand Haven native has written 15 Michigan based murder mysteries including his latest book

called Made a Killing in Copper: Murder on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Also, Baldwin will greet readers and sign books during Mystery Night at The Bookman on Washington Avenue, along with four other local mystery authors from 6 to 8 p.m.

“I hope people will enjoy meeting five authors who find great joy in storytelling and also find a book they’ll love at the Bookman, a great place to discover a wealth of reading enjoyment,” Baldwin said.

--Alexis Walker-Vansingel

NEWS 5

CyberSchool is

CyberCool Online schooling serves as alternative option for students who prefer a flexible school day

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

CYBER SUCCESS: Senior Christian Miller is part of a growing number of students who choose to do online schooling because it is more flexible than the traditional school day, allowing kids to work around appointments or family trips. The Grand Haven CyberSchool program has 70 students enrolled now after four years, and it is available to students grades 7 through 12 who can work on their own time.

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connor weber Senior Staff Writer

chool is now in full swing and for many students that means slipping back into the same monotonous schedule. Early mornings, long classes, little sleep. Although a growing number of students are coming to find, it doesn’t have to be that way. Senior Christian Miller recalls his classes beginning at noon, from the comfort of his house, without all the distractions of a normal school day.

A scene made possible through Grand Haven CyberSchool. A growing program which brings the curriculum online, and enables students to learn at their own pace.

“There’s less time wasted in CyberSchool than there is in (public) school,” Miller said.

“There’s no waiting around for anybody, if you have the initiative to get it done, you can get it done when you wanna get it done and that’s that.”

Miller was involved in the program his freshman through junior year before

transferring this fall to Grand Haven High School.

The program is in its fourth year and now hosts 70 students grades 7 through 12.

Boasting the same array of core classes available through traditional schooling with the flexibility to complete classes in whichever order students want.

CyberSchool director Kevin Berko notes that students can choose to work on completing one class at a time, or choose a schedule that breaks courses into a more traditional five subjects per day.

“The key advantage is that it does give students the flexibility to customize their schedule to their needs,” Berko said.

“Whether it’s around a work schedule, doctors appointments, family travels, and things like that.”

Although some students fall into the trap of assuming the program doesn’t require as much effort as typical classes. According to program mentor John Williams, students are still recommended to invest between five and seven hours of coursework each day.

“It’s not easy, I give kids a lot of credit who want to do it,” Williams said. “Obviously there’s some kids who take it because they feel like they can sit home and play video games all day, but to be successful you’re going to have to put in some serious time.”

More efficient time management can enable students to pursue other interests outside of school. In the case of Miller, once he had completed his coursework for the day he often had additional time to bike. In some cases more time than those in traditional schooling may have had. However it takes a particularly driven individual to manage their time correctly.

“If you have that ability to just kinda set a goal for yourself and just do it, then I think CyberSchool is perfect,” Miller said. “It’s way better than public schools for those who can do that.”

One apparent drawback to completely online schooling is the lack of social interaction between students. Miller notes that it seemed hard for some to maintain a balanced social life outside the curriculum without that face-

to-face connection. Program coordinators have helped minimize this by creating study groups. In which students can work with each other and an instructor if they choose.

Cyber student success depends on their level of willingness to take control of their learning, and the opportunities presented.

“The biggest thing is ask yourself, when you have long term projects that you’re not working on in class and you’re really on your own to get it done outside of the building, how successful are you at getting those done without waiting till the last hour before it’s due?” Berko said.

The program is only open to full time students, and cannot be used to make up single or missing credits from within a traditional school setting. Those interested in enrolling or learning more about the program should consult Berko.

“I think it’s definitely something of the future,” Miller said. “The more they update and kind of work with it and learn about it, and the more they develop it the better it’s going to be.”

“Obviously there’s some kids who take it because they feel like they can sit home and play video games all day, but to be successful you’re going to have to put in some serious time.” -program mentor John Williams 6 NEWS

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Chr mebooks level playing field

Classrooms are able to connect and interact online in and out of school with the one-to-one devices students received from the tech bond roll-out this past August emily bruch News Editor

Staring at a white screen and watching your dinosaur hop over cacti with every press of the space bar was a common occurrence the first few days of school, when the new Dell Chromebooks had problems with internet access.

In technology-dependent classrooms, these connectivity problems caused delays in work progress.

It was very frustrating for science teacher Jeremey Wilder, who assigns all work through online links.

“There are resources I have planned to use with my students in specific lessons and many of the times they’re supposed to be reading something or viewing something and it cannot be accessed,” Wilder said.

Senior Hannah Kenny believes that Chromebooks improve communication between students and staff, and when they experience problems together everyone becomes closer.

“I think they’re really helpful and I really like how positive our teachers are about them, like if there’s a day that they’re not working very well or if something doesn’t go right, they’re always like ‘It’s okay, we’ll figure it out together,’” Kenny said. “So they’re using it to help build us up and work with us instead of being upset if it’s not working.”

While most people believed the Internet had crashed, the problem was actually the WatchGuard System Manager. This system protects the district from being hacked, and www.bucsblade.com, October 9

believed it was being attacked and therefore would not allow computer users in the building to access websites while connected to the school wifi system.

Director of Technology, Brian Wheeler, spent days trying to locate the problem and figuring out how to fix it. He sent out an email on Tuesday, Sept. 22 to inform staff members that he found the problem within the WatchGuard System Manager and students should no longer have trouble accessing the internet.

The improvement is good news for teachers that were annoyed with not being able to use Chromebooks.

“As frustrating as it is for teachers to spend time planning and then not have the technology work, I’m still very excited for the opportunity to provide video clips, colored resources, up to date materials, and interactive experiences, where students can share with one another and their teacher in a more collaborative way,” Wilder said.

The Chromebooks were a part of the 10-year bond issue that was passed in May 2014. Wheeler believes that although there were problems early on, the Chromebooks are still reliable.

“We spent two years preparing for this, talking about one-to-one, putting infrastructure in, and planning and doing training, and having a pilot program,” Wheeler said.

“Certainly we think we put a lot of effort in trying to have a smooth roll out.”

Help desk technician Mandy Miller has played a part in the roll

out of Chromebooks. Last year she was a media assistant in the library, but she landed the new position because she had experience helping the technology department for the last two summers.

“I’ve learned a lot over the summer, just how all the technology in the district works, installing new things, I enrolled Chromebooks this summer, and I got iPads ready for the elementary schools,” Miller said. “So I was kind of hands-on learning.”

Miller is a representative for the technology department, and she is stationed in the Buc Stop before school, during all lunches, and after school. She sets new students up with Chromebooks when they arrive at the school. Miller can also help students who have issues with their Chromebooks, such as damaged screens or other problems that aren’t internet related.

If a student has insurance on their Chromebook, any accidental damage will be covered by the insurance up to two times. Without insurance, students will be billed for the cost of repairs.

Miller is happy with the rollout.

“Personally, in my home we have two daughters here at the high school,” Miller said. “Both girls have their Chromebooks. They can be at rehearsal and if they have a little break, they can pull out their Chromebook and they can work on their homework. Where before, if they needed a computer they’d have to come out to the cafeteria or they’d have to wait until they got home, and that would require very late nights.”

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE WEB WORK: Seniors Hannah Batka (left), Hannah Weigel (center), and Malea Teerman (right) use their Chromebooks in the library. Unlike last year, they don’t have to wait for desktop computers to be available to get their classwork done.

This is one of the many advantages of one-to-one technology for students.

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE HISTORY ON A SCREEN: Diego Guillen uses his Chromebook in Aaron Blain’s World History class. Many teachers link assignments to Google Classroom now, where students can find assignments and turn in their work right from the web.

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE CHROME CLASSROOM: Students can now access online videos, readings, pictures, and other learning resources on their Chromebooks. Although internet issues held students back at the beginning of the year, they are able to use them now to access more information, and hopefully level the playing field for all.

NEWS 7

Roll report

Do you think TP-ing could be used as a form of bullying?

35.8% said yes 64.2% said no Student participation in TP week last year 23.6 % participated 34.9% didn’t participate

Emily Bruch Data taken from survey given to 106 students

41.5 % are juniors

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

ROCK AND ROLL: Senior Christian Miller practices throwing a roll of toilet paper. Although there can be repercussions for TP-ing, many students ignore them during homecoming week to have fun.

Not just for wiping An adopted tradition leads juniors and seniors alike into a week long skirmish during homecoming week, and is cause for many late nights and hours of toilet paper cleanup kevin swain Senior Staff Writer

For years upperclassmen have clashed in a ruthless weeklong war. The battles, which take place in the middle of the night, typically include parties of students and guerillastyle warfare. Their weapon of choice? Toilet paper.

TP-ing, as it’s called, is the act of covering an object (such as a tree) with toilet paper.

Most commonly, acts of toilet papering during TP week are juniors versus seniors, or vice versa. Though some claim it to be ‘just decorating’, many partake in TP-ing as a prank or a form of revenge, and aren’t aware of its possible consequences.

Decades of shenanigans

Todd Anthes, a 1988 graduate of Grand Haven High School, says high schoolers here have been TP-ing for decades.

“It happened quite a bit, along with numerous other malicious types of stuff,” Anthes said. “It corresponded with school events. Definitely around homecoming, or if somebody wanted to make a point or do something to draw attention to somebody

8 NEWS

then they would do it.”

Anthes believes that TP-ing was all in good fun in the 80’s.

“It has usually been in a good-natured manner,” Anthes said. “Obviously there were times when people got TP-ed when they were trying to prove a point because they didn’t like somebody, but it’s mostly been (in a good manner).”

Branches aren’t just for leaves

When senior Claire Vanwieren woke up on Monday of last year’s homecoming week, she didn’t expect there to be a white wonderland around her home, or at least that early in TP week.

“I was kinda just shocked because I got TP-ed so badly,” Vanwieren said. “I kind of expected it. A lot of the seniors at the time told me they were going to do it...I just didn’t plan ahead for it” Vanwieren, who says her friends are the ones who did it, insists that it wasn’t done to be mean, and that she doesn’t take offense to it.

“My mom was kind of pissed, but my dad thought it was really funny,” Vanwieren said.

“He texted me at school and told me to tell

my friends they did a really artistic job. My mom was annoyed because she had to help clean it up, but she wasn’t too mad.”

The culprits also saran-wrapped Vanwieren’s family’s cars, adding to the clean up process which lasted a few weeks.

Toilet paper and trouble

Though TP-ing itself isn’t illegal, Ottawa County Sheriff ’s Deputy Ryan Devries says that it’s trespassing which can get students in trouble.

“It would all fall under who you’re TPing,” Devries said. “If they want to push it to a prosecutor, they can press charges.”

Devries simply doesn’t understand the logic in TP week.

“I don’t get it,” Devries said. “I think it’s pretty unfair to those people...All you’re doing is taking away someone’s time. Maybe think about what the next steps are for the homeowner (who gets TP-ed). It’s a maturity issue.”

Dreaming of a white homecoming Still, many students ignore the repercussions that could come of TP-ing.

John*, a senior, said he went out every

single night of TP week his junior year, usually not getting home until 3 or 4 in the morning.

“We TP-ed anybody and everybody,” John said. “I hit the kids that I didn’t like harder than the kids I did like. We meet up at a place, and then take a maximum of three cars. The less cars the better. When we roll up, we turn our lights off about 100 yards before (the house), and we’ll make a plan of action, basically. Then we execute and destroy. Then we sneak away, and see where to go next.”

During TP week, John’s trunk was filled to the brim with toilet paper, while his backseat was littered with TP wrappers. John says he spent at least $75, maybe $100 on TP week, and didn’t just buy toilet paper. “(We also) forked one house, put instant mashed potatoes on kids’ lawns, and saranwrapped cars,” John said.

John does it for fun.

“It’s something to talk about at school, it’s like ‘Oh we’re going TP-ing tonight? Who’re we gonna get?’” John said. “It’s a tradition.

Every class does it, you have to keep the tradition going.” * John’s name has been changed to protect his identity.

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Isabel Andrini THE BUCS’ BLADE WORK OUT: Members of Fit Body Boot Camp (FBBC) follow instructions from their trainers. The facility was opened by 2004 graduate Matt Wilber. “There’s a real community feeling about it,” English teacher Tom Foley said. “The support of other people, the support of the trainers, the energy that comes from the trainers and the energy that comes from the people that go there certainly keeps me coming back.”

Fit body Bucs Students and teachers participate in 2004 graduate’s Boot Camp, program has been gaining popularity By Taylor Fase

T

hree...two….one…GO! For the next 30 minutes, people of all ages and physical conditions shed drops of sweat in an effort to lose the extra pounds or maintain the image they’ve been working toward.

Three...two...one… SWITCH! Onto the next station while surrounded by peers taking large drawn out breaths in attempt to slow their heart rate before the next exercise begins.

Three...two...one… DONE! A rush of relief has overcome everybody in the room knowing they’re 30 minutes closer to reaching their goal.

Fit Body Boot Camp (FBBC) is a workout facility in the area opened by Personal Trainer and alumni Matt Wilber.

FBBC has a variety of community members, including students, teachers and parents.

Senior Lexy King joined FBBC only three months ago and has since then lost 20 pounds and roughly 50 inches.

“I feel like it’s so much more effective than getting a gym membership,” King said. “You don’t have any motivation www.bucsblade.com, October 9

and when you go to Fit Body Boot Camp, you just immediately see what everybody is talking about. You know that you’re getting the best workout you possibly can.”

Although FBBC has become popular among students, it’s also a hit for teachers. English teacher Tom Foley attends FBBC to maintain his fitness and believes it’s a great way to exercise.

“I’ve done all kinds of workouts, it’s a part of my lifestyle,” Foley said. “I’ve done the traditional weight room, lifting heavy weights and I run. But this is the first kind of class fitness that I’ve ever done. I’ve been to a lot of gyms but this one, you have three or four trainers at every session talking to you and encouraging you.”

With long days and families to attend to, most teachers don’t believe they have time to get a good workout in. However, FBBC offers many different session times ranging from 5 a.m. until 6 p.m. depending on the given day.

Foley manages to attend four to six times a week.

“A lot of people make the excuse that they don’t have time in their day to get a really good workout in,” Foley said.

“With a busy schedule, the half hour time period certainly works well. It’s a complete workout. There’s strength, there’s core, there is cardio, there is flexibility, all into one.”

King believes the most unique aspect of FBBC is the sense of support and community.

“I love the way they make you think there,” King said.

“It’s just so different and it’s such positive energy, it’s awesome. At a normal gym, you don’t get this positive energy that everybody vibes off of. Everybody is there cheering you on.”

Foley agrees.

“There’s a real community feeling about it,” Foley said.

“The support of other people, the support of the trainers, the energy that comes from the trainers and the energy that comes from the people that go there certainly keeps me coming back.”

Foley recalls a quote one of his trainers said that has stuck with him.

“He said ‘You can’t spell challenge without change,’” Foley said. “‘Changing a life-style is a challenge.’”

LIFE 9

Partners in grime Senior friends detail cars for extra spending money

By Kevin Swain

O

ne day in June, the summer before his sophomore year, Nick Akselberg decided that he wanted a source of income. Unlike most kids his age, he didn’t go around and apply for jobs. He created his own.

Akselberg, a senior, started to detail cars by himself in the summer of 2013. He bought supplies with his own money, then advertised by flyers and word of mouth. After receiving private training from a car detailing expert, a connection he made through his sister, Akselberg was ready to start, though his original customer base was small.

“I was just going to do it for neighbors at first, but then it kind of grew, and I was like ‘Why don’t I just make this a full-on thing?’” Akselberg said.

Car detailing is the process of thoroughly cleaning, restoring, and finishing an automobile. It can involve intensive cleaning of everything inside or outside the car, or both. Akselberg says the average car takes about four hours, though it once took him six hours to detail a minivan.

“We literally use toothbrushes to get sand out of little grooves and stuff,” Akselberg said with a chuckle.

Since the summer of 2013, Akselberg’s business has increased. This past summer, Akselberg hired his friend senior Simon Herndl to help increase business and efficiency. “(Hiring Simon) helped because then I had someone else to help get cars done faster,” Akselberg said. “If I couldn’t do it one day, then Simon could.”

Like all business, Akselberg and Herndl have experienced a growing pain or two.

“One time we got a solution cleaner, which you’re supposed to put in a gallon of water and soak it and then use it on carpet,” Herndl said. “When we were doing it, Nick started spraying the (car’s) carpet with the bottle, and the amount we used was enough to clean an entire home’s carpet. They weren’t happy with it, obviously.”

The couple fixed their mistake.

“We redid it,” Herndl said with a smile.

The majority of the pair’s business comes during the summertime. Their detailing ranges from interior-only of a sedan ($35) to interior/exterior of an SUV ($100), and everything in between. Most of their customers are from nearby neighborhoods, or are through friends of Akselberg’s mother. Many, he says, are older.

“Most people who want their cars cleaned are elderly, because they can’t do it themselves,” Akselberg said. “They care more about having a nice clean car.”

Akselberg is looking forward to next summer and hopefully growing his business even more.

“It’s fun,” Akselberg said. ”I don’t just do it for money. When I’m doing the car, it’s a whole project, and I can just forget about everything and focus on this one car. And when I’m done, it feels so good. It’s like this masterpiece. Simon agrees with me too, so it’s good that I hired him, because now it’s our business, and we can both take care of it. We both love the finished product of a car.”

James Harding THE BUCS’ BLADE

10 LIFE

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Finding treasure

Senior siblings Logan and Garrett Johnson resell oddities for profit By Aliyah Austin

Senior Logan Johnson was in middle school when he discovered the value of strange. With dark brown hair and deep brown eyes, Johnson wandered the halls pondering what it takes to become rich. All he knew was that he couldn’t do it by working for someone else.

He had to be the boss.

Johnson started to find oddities worth money, like Magic: The Gathering Cards, old video games, easels, camcorders and even the entertainment center out of a Ford Explorer.

Eventually, with his dad’s permission, Johnson sold a few old video games.

That’s when it hit him- he could become rich by selling these strange items. So at the end of sophomore year, Johnson began a business.

“I started the business because I simply didn’t want to only earn money off a minimum wage job,” Johnson said.

“While I still work at said job, it was a nice way to have enough money to comfortably do what I wanted to.”

He started his online resale business in June 2014, where he gives something unwanted a home. Johnson usually purchases his items from garage sales at the cheapest prices

possible and resells them on eBay at the market price.

“I call it Trove Online Retail since delving into my inventory is like finding a modern treasure trove,” Johnson said. “There’s a little bit of everything available on my online storefront.”

His brother, Garrett, recently began to work with him.

Over the course of the summer, they earned $2000 in profit from garage sales alone.

“I hope to learn from this business, to figure out how to open up larger enterprises later in life,” Johnson said. “If I can understand the basics now, then I consider myself fortunate. Profits are good, but the knowledge is probably worth more to me.”

He plans on registering his business in Ottawa County when he turns 18. His dream is to start a small engineering firm that produces specialized equipment for energy corporations. But if it weren’t for the weird and unusual things in life, Johnson’s dreams would seem out of reach.

“My advice to other students would be simple: be bold,” Johnson said. “If I didn’t sell that first item, none of this would have ever happened.”

James Harding THE BUCS’ BLADE STARTING SMALL: After senior Logan Johnson (right) began selling random items with hidden value, he started his own business at the end of his sophomore year. He stayed away from the typical minimum wage job and instead became his own boss. This past summer, his brother Garrett (left) started working alongside him.

Not just a joke

Junior Sean Lynam printed a shirt just for laughs, but after public approval he decided to start his own business designing shirts that he now sells to classmates By Aliyah Austin Junior Sean Lynam couldn’t contain his mischievous grin as he strutted into first hour wearing a T-shirt with his baby picture plastered on the front.

“It was just for jokes,” Lynam said. “But then I realized that I like clothes, so why not make my own design and sell clothes. I got that first one with my baby picture on it and then after I got that one, I made my new designs and people really liked those.”

Lynam’s joke inspired him to create a business called Baby Sean Apparel.

“My hope is to kinda like bring out a new style, like a new design that people haven't seen before,” Lynam said. “I just really want to start up a new trend.”

Lynam travelled the world in 2013 for speed skating.

The name for his business came to him while he was in Germany. www.bucsblade.com, October 9

“There was a guy that was travelling named Sean O'brien,” Lynam said. “He’s like 6’5”, big dude. I'm somewhat below, I don't know 5’8” to 5’10 and so the people we were traveling with kept saying Sean and we would both answer. Well, we decided, let's have a nickname and obviously they kept Sean for him and they just called me Baby Sean and so it’s been my nickname for a few years.

I just kinda liked it and I thought, well you know what, why not kick up a business with my nick name as it? And people like it.”

Lynam sells long sleeves and hopes to advance to T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and beanies.

“I would like to make it somewhat big maybe be able to sell it in retailers like Pac Sun or Zumiez or somewhere where I like to shop,” Lynam said. “It's not for the money. I just really like the idea of making my own clothes.”

Grace Glessner THE BUCS’ BLADE BUSINESS ON HIS SLEEVE: Junior Sean Lynam wears one of the shirts he created. Lynam originally printed a shirt with his baby picture on it just for fun, but decided to turn it into a business when classmates liked his work. For now, Lynam designs only long sleeves but hopes to sell t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and beanies.

LIFE 11

Start here: freshman year

I

t’s 3:30 p.m. when junior Allison Matz comes home, tired from the seven hour day of school and aware that she still has two to four hours worth of AP homework left in her backpack. And that’s on a day where she isn’t scheduled at her after-school job or volunteering with the InterAct club.

But it doesn’t bother her. She knows it’s her choice to take the harder classes and stay busy. She expects the rigorous additional work. Matz is determined that it will all pay off throughout the next couple of years. She envisions attending med school and needs all the shortcuts she can take since she knows her process will be a long one.

“The career I want requires lots of schooling, so I can get some classes out of the way and then get into the actual classes I need,” Matz said. “I’m looking into colleges now that it’s my junior year and I’m maintaining well-roundedness and good grades.”

But Matz’ plan isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay.

The next step

The idea of college might be foreign territory to some, but to others it may seem like the natural next step.

Kim McLaughlin, Director of the Tri-Cities College Access Network (TCAN) recommends that some post-secondary education is better than none.

According to TCAN, 65 percent of jobs by 2025 will require

12 IN DEPTH

Get Organized Start to file away important documents

Start strong Get involved in clubs and keep your grades up

Enjoy your last summer before you need a job

P tes

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Wise up Try to take honors or even AP classes

For more information on options after high school, visit bucsblade.com

Get going start applying and planning your year early on

Even if you aren’t graduating this year, prepare yourself for the road ahead By Landon Hudson

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For more information on getting prepared for college visit Graphics by Elizabeth Tibbe

additional schooling. However there are many different paths students can choose to take.

“In today’s global economy, education after high school is critical,” McLaughlin said. “But that can look many ways – that could mean attending a trade school, doing an apprenticeship, earning a 2 or 4-year degree, or pursuing the military.”

Hands-on

One option students have is to take career-focused classes through the Careerline Tech Center (CTC) in Holland. There they can earn college credit, apply for scholarships and gain realworld experience.

“Tech Center works with our students to help them find what they are passionate about and add real-world relevance to that learning,” Director of CTC Dave Searles said.

Students also have the opportunity to receive certification in most of the offered career paths. They can be certified in Phlebotomy (blood draws), Medical Assisting, EMT-Basic (Health), CompTIA and CIW (IT), State of Michigan Mechanics (Auto Mech/Diesel) and many more.

CTC is a half-day program, giving students the ability

to continue participating in their school’s sports, clubs and classes. In addition, they can receive credit for math and english courses.

During school, students can participate in job shadows, coop, unpaid work experiences, and internships with CTC’s business and industry partners. Many of those work based learning opportunities become part or full time jobs after high school, while students pursue college.

Searles emphasizes how important it is to continue learning after graduation.

“To put it bluntly, the more you learn, the more you earn,” Searles said.

“Education after high school is required for many jobs these days, and CTC can help get you on the right track to qualify for those jobs while still in high school.”

In 2013, the National Center for Education Statistics found average earnings for those with a bachelor’s degree were $48,500 and those who received an associate’s degree earned about $37,500 while workers with a high school diploma made an average of $30,000 a year.

“Set the bar higher for yourself and you achieve more, if you set the bar lower for yourself, you’re not going to go past it.”

-junior Allison Matz

Head start

There’s a lot to consider when thinking about the future, but senior Sydney Fritz recommends the Early College program for junior and senior students to get a feel for higher level education. They are able to take college classes at Muskegon Community College while in high school.

“I wanted to do early college because it was a great opportunity for me to get a head start,” Fritz said. “It’s a great program because it allows me to slowly work my way into college by taking only a few classes with my high school classes.”

Fritz, as well as the other Early College students, will come out of the program with an associate’s degree and up to 63 free credits.

“I also like the freedom to choose classes that appeal to me rather than being told what I should take,” Fritz said.

Military

Another option students can consider after graduation is to join the armed forces.

2015 GHHS alumni Drew Danskine joined the Marine Corps after graduation.

“I’ve always wanted to join since I was little because the military runs in my family,” Danskine said.

He met with a recruiter to set up a meeting in Lansing where he was medically examined, enlisted and sworn in on the same

day.

The military is a financially conscious option as Danskine’s schooling is paid for as are his health and dental coverage. But there are moral rewards for him as well.

“It betters you as a person all around to become something greater than yourself,” Danskine said. “The benefits from joining are so amazing you can’t pass it up.”

Money isn’t everything

Although the financial aspect of attending post-secondary school has proven to be a barrier for some students, personal finance and math teacher Chad Williams assures that there are scholarships and additional help available.

“You can seek scholarships or you can go to community college and then jump to a four-year college,” Williams said. “You have to look at your interests too, if college isn’t your thing, there are trade schools where you can get certified in certain things. You want to way in cost versus reward. In general you’ve also got to fill out those forms to see what it will really cost you.”

McLaughlin recommends that every post-secondary seeking student should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. A variety of factors other than income are considered, including the size of your family to the age of your older parent. Eligibility is determined by a mathematical formula, not necessarily your parent’s financial income. In addi-

tion, filling out a FAFSA automatically applies you for potential funding from the school and state. Some schools require a FAFSA when considering you for other scholarship opportunities including academic ones.

“Don’t make assumptions about what you’ll get, fill out the application and find out,” McLaughlin said.

TCAN is designed to help students prepare for college early on and create a college-bound community. Their college advisor, Jana Reenders, is in student services on Tuesdays to answer any questions involving post-graduation plans.

Plan ahead

Even if thinking about the next step is in the back of your mind right now, Matz suggests from personal experience to stay focused on school and getting involved in extracurriculars.

“Work harder than you are already do, you can do a lot more than you think you can do,” Matz said. “You’re always smarter than you think you are, so if you work harder, you can do it.”

McLaughlin agrees and says that colleges look to see that you have worked hard and have shown improvement throughout school.

“I would say that students need to be working hard no matter what year of high school they are in,” McLaughlin said.

“They need to be exploring their career interests and learning what they like and dislike and talking with their counselors to make sure they are on-track.”

IN DEPTH 13

Hot plates for HOCO Homecoming comes with a lot of planning, from outfits to photos and boutonnieres to after-parties. The last thing you want to think about is dinner, when to go, how much to spend, where to eat. By Maddie Brockmeyre

Best of both worlds If you’re searching for the best of both worlds, The Grand Seafood & Oyster Bar is the restaurant for you. It is well-known for its wide variety of seafood, including fresh sushi that you can see being made right at the bar. Located downtown on Washington Avenue, The Grand is close to other possible homecoming destinations like the pier for photographs and The Pump House for dessert.

Junior Mary McGinnis highly recommends considering dinner here before the dance.

“It has really good vibes and the food is amazing,” McGinnis said. “It’s so cool that you can watch them make the sushi at the bar.”

While The Grand is on the pricier side, students agree that the food is well worth it.

“It’s definitely one of my favorite places to eat downtown,” freshmen Bella Schincariol said.

If seafood doesn’t interest you, head next door to it’s partner, Dee-Lite Bar & Grill for a burger and a malt. Both Dee-lite and The Grand are open until 11p.m. Reservations are highly recommended for parties over four people.

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

Night at the dog house

Road less travelled Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE

Students looking for the road less travelled, take a hike to Two Tony’s Taverna Grill.

Although it is a little out of the way, Two Tony’s takes you out of bustling downtown into quiet Spring Lake. The outer deck is lined with lights, creating a romantic atmosphere for you and your date. With pasta, pizza, and manicotti, it holds a special place in senior Sophia Barron’s heart.

“I’ve been there several times and it’s so good,” Barron said. “It’s definitely worth the price. Their best dish is the manicotti, boy do I love some manicotti.”

Two Tony’s closes a little earlier than The Grand, shutting its doors at 10pm. Reservations for groups of 5 or more are required, as the restaurant is smaller in capacity.

Not feeling a fancy dinner? Head over to Old Boys Brewhouse. It has a laid-back atmosphere, walls covered in photos of dogs, and the band Living Soul and the Pearl Divers performing live at 7p.m. Old Boys offers a variety of foods including burgers, specialty pizzas, and the “critically acclaimed” buffalo chicken wrap.

“The buffalo chicken wrap is the best dish there,” junior Alyssa Bessinger said. “Everyone in the world should try it at least once.”

Bessinger is planning on going there before homecoming and confirms reservations are required. Since there will be a band that same night, it is expected to be packed. Reservations are taken for 12 or less at a table and after that each person is charged $1 for a seating fee.

14 LIFE

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

The first flop Students compete in the first anual homecoming belly flop competition DIVE IN: Junior Clay Landsman launches himself off of the one meter board, taking a leap of faith into the deep end. Landsman had a picture perfect form, arms spread to create maxium splash. The bigger the splash, the more the crowd cheers. Participants compete to win spirit points for their class.

Photos by Jonas Quirin

GETTING HYPE (above): Senior Lukas Steffel cheers on the belly flop frenzy. He chants along with the rest of the senior student section, ro oting for his fellow classmates. While the seniors were the only grade in atttendance, they still cheered as if the competition depended on it, hoping that their representatives would have the biggest splash.

SWIMMING AWAY (left): After hitting the water, sophomore Griffin Seckler quickly paddles out of the slpash zone clearing the way for the next flopper. Seckler was one of the few sophomores to compete in the competition.

FLYING HIGH: Senior Connor Jettner spreads his arms, baring his chest, ready to embrace the sting of a solid flop. The crowd responded with an uproar of applause and cheering as he crashed into the chlorine, hoping to make the biggest splash.

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

To see video of all flops, go to bucsblade.com LIFE 15

Elizabeth Tibbe THE BUCS’ BLADE

ARTSY: Senior Jess Albright works on a piece of art. Recently, she has been working on a series of white pencil drawings on black paper of famous rockers such as Steven Tyler and Gene Simmons.

Best of the Bucs

Senior Jess Albright has fallen in love with art over the years with help from school classes By Sarah Jane Chrysler Sprawled on the floor, senior Jess Since she became involved in art Albright lays surrounded by scraps of canvas programs she has decided to follow a career fabric, varying paint brushes and discarded in graphic design. She is trying to get into sketches. It’s her own organized, artistic, Grand Valley’s art school, but is confident chaos. that will just be the beginning of her graphic “In elementary school it was the one arts education. thing that I wasn’t bored doing,” Albright High school can be hard, stressful and said. “So I carried on. There’s no right or boring. But it can also be fun. By taking the wrong answer, and that kind classes that interest her, of stuck with me.”

Albright has shaped her Even though she keeps experience into something most of her work at school, she will look back on Favorite color: black there is no lack of dedication. fondly.

She has taken over six art “I think it has made high Favorite food: pizza classes throughout high school more enjoyable,” school, including three Albright said. “Just because Favorite band: Green Day ceramics classes, jewelry, it is something I can fall Favorite medium: paint painting, drawing, and art and back on, if I have a hard design. day or whatever then there’s Favorite animal: shark “The fact that we all get to always something there for express ourselves through our me.” work,” Albright said “you get The arts are an really close to everybody. You important part of get to know them really well.” any school. For many students, the art The art program has had an impact on department is their favorite place, a second more than just her schedule. Being involved home. For those who are considering taking in these classes has changed her friend an art class and are unsure, Albright would group, her view of teachers, and her end encourage you to take one. product has become exponentially better.

“Artwork is just something that you can “She has made her art more personal,” not judge,” Albright said. “I guess I just want said Morgan Gundy, one of her oldest other people to realize that it is the one time friends. “She used to just do things that we people can express themselves, and not feel wanted her to do, but then she started to do like they are doing something wrong, or what she wanted to.” don’t fit in.”

The Jess files

16 ARTS

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For ad rates and info, email us at bucsblade@gmail.com or call us at 616.850.6263. www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Good, evil, and the actors Sets being built, costumes being made and the cast of “Jekyll and Hyde” is on their way to a unique production By Marisa McElrath Junior David Slocum: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE

Junior Kathryn Jaeger: Lucy Q: What was going through your head while waiting for the cast list to be released?

A: I literally did not think I got it. I was a wreck. Literally the week before, I was stress-eating, I cried a lot. Also when I had my audition, I went a little cuckoo. I was not planning on doing an accent, like, at all. And all of a sudden I was reading the lines and in my head it was kind of like an accent, and when I started talking I started having this really terrible accent. I was like, “oh my God, what am I doing?”

Q: What process do you go through to get into character?

A: I’m just trying to find ways through her lines and stuff, things that maybe I can relate to, or emotions she has that I understand. A lot of her character is that she’s looking for acceptance and someone to love her, at least that’s kind of the way I see it. So for an overly-dramatic teenage girl, it’s kind of easy to relate to things like that.

Q: If you could describe your character in one word, what would it be and why?

A: The first word that popped into my head was “fierce,” and I feel like that’s like a whole new level of her. She’s so determined. www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE

Q: What do you think will be the biggest challenge in playing your character?

A: The biggest challenge would probably be remembering who I am during what scene, especially during the song where I’m switching back and forth constantly between Jekyll and Hyde.

Q: How do you relate to your character?

A: I’d have to say that there’s always, in everybody, a constant struggle between good and evil. Just like, Hyde is always struggling to take hold of Jekyll, who’s pushing him back. It’s a constant struggle between the two.

Q: If you could describe your character in one word, what would it be and why?

A: Determined, and that kind of fits both characters at the same time, because Jekyll is determined to find the answer to separating good and evil and Hyde is determined to seek, almost, vengeance for everything that’s been done wrong to him.

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE

Senior Megan Ireland: Emma Q: What was going through your head after the audition? Were you confident?

A: I felt semi-confident. I thought it went okay. But of course there’s that level of nervousness for it to be posted, however well you do. I was pretty sure I would be involved in the musical in some way, just because I had been practicing all summer for the role.

Q: If you had to play a different role, which would you want?

A: I would want to play Jekyll. Because, I just think it’s so cool to play one character, yet two at the same time. Having two sides to a character is super interesting. And I know Jekyll is not a girl, but I would still want to be Jekyll.

Q: If you could describe your character in one word, what would it be and why?

A: If I could describe Emma in one word, I would call it “optimistic,” because she goes through a lot in her life and her relationship with Jekyll. Nothing ever works for them, because he’s always involved in his work, and yet she’s strong and she’s always believing that it’s going to work out, and even if she doesn’t think it will, she still gives that outward appearance and moves on, and I think that’s really admirable.

Show Dates and times: Thursday, Nov 19 @ 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov 20 @ 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov 21 @ 7 p.m.

Sunday, Nov 22 @ 2 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale next week online at ghhs.ghaps.org under “seat yourself” ARTS 17

Fall video game preview Grace Glessner THE BUCS’ BLADE GAMER: Senior Logan Boyd, playing Counter Strike Global Offense, Madden 16, Modern Warfare 3, and Mine Craft. He, along with other avid gamers, are eagerly awaiting the flood new games to come.

The annual summer drought of video games has ended and the fall deluge of games has just begun By Scott Bays

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Fallout 4

Developer - Ubisoft Quebec Release Date - October 23, 2015 (PS4 and XONE), November 19, 2015 (PC) Platform(s) - PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One ESRB Rating - M

Developer- Treyarch Release Date - November 6, 2015 Platform(s) - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One ESRB Rating - M

Developer - Bethesda Game Studios Release Date - November 10, 2015 Platform(s) - PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One ESRB Rating - M

After last year’s poorly received, “Assassin’s Creed Unity” the franchise hopes to find its second wind with “Syndicate”. Sporting a new Victorian setting, players will be able to take the struggle between the Assassin Brotherhood and Knights Templar to the sprawling streets of London. The game features two main characters, each with a unique play style, that will work to combat organized crime within the city. With the removal of a multiplayer mode and the acquisition of award-winning composer Austin Wintory, Ubisoft seems committed to creating an impressive single-player experience.

18 ARTS

Call of Duty is back for its 12th main series entry. The series of military shooters saw its best sales with its eighth title “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” and sales have been languishing ever since. Critical opinion since the sixth game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” has ranged from polarizing at best to mediocre at its worst. “Black Ops III” hopes to reinvigorate fans with a new four player co-op mode and the addition of specialist characters that have unique abilities that can spice up the traditional Call of Duty multiplayer formula.

Return to the wasteland in Bethesda’s most ambitious open world yet. The post-apocalyptic city of Boston contains a host of fully voiced characters and hundreds of hours questing.

The slower role-playing game (RPG) shooter action from past games has gotten an overhaul to tighten up the combat experience. The game contains a massive amount of customization for players to experiment with. There are over 700 weapon modifications, 275 player perks, and many options for player bases.

, October 9

BRUTAL BEAUTIES Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE SET IT UP: The girls rugby club sets up the back line, ready to chase the ball in a scrimmage on Sept. 28, against Traverse City. After a difficult startup, they have found themselves ranked no. 2 in the state.

First year girls rugby program excels By Tyler VandenBrand

I

n just two years, the boys rugby team went from a first-year program to making an appearance in the state finals.

Now it’s the girls turn.

A game that requires stamina, motivation, and skill, rugby has taken off in high schools nationwide in recent years. This is especially true for Grand Haven, with the boys program drawing large numbers in only the second year. It was this popularity in the boys program that sparked assistant coach Megan Kamsickas’ idea of starting the girls program. The newly formed girls team has also drawn in a crowd, averaging out at about 20 players. Kamsickas says the aspect that attracts girls in is that rugby is more than just a sport.

“The thing about rugby is, it isn’t just a game,” Kamsickas said. “Rugby is a family; a community. It is about respect, passion, family, and leaving it all out on the field. Due to the positive impact it has had on my life, I wanted to give back through starting up this girls team and joining them on their journey of getting involved in this sport.”

However, the initial startup of the girls rugby program did not come easily.

“At first, our bigger challenge was getting enough girls to do it, but all of a sudden a ton of girls came,” senior Lexy King said.

“During the first couple of weeks, we were struggling, but around week three, we had about 25 girls.”

Kamsickas says that one of the biggest challenges for a coach is that it’s difficult to teach a sport to a group of people who have

FALL SPORTS KEY ATHLETES: www.bucsblade.com, October 9

BOYS SOCCER:

Rugby Terms

Scrum: method of restarting play involving 8 players from either team binding together and fighting for possession of the ball.

Lineout: means to restart play after ball has gone out of bounds where player(s) from each team are lifted up to try and catch the ball thrown into the air.

Try: rugby equivalent to a touchdown. It’s worth five points, the ball must be touched down under control in the try zone.

Graphics by Brianna Moynihan

never played before.

“Normally when you start up a season for a sport, you will have a mixture of new players with old players,” Kamsickas said. “New players can watch the old players so they can see what to do, and old players can help new players understand concepts. With a first year program, everyone is a new player. But, these girls are very quick on picking up the game and learning, which makes things a lot

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE catch me if you can: Senior Miranda Reyes bolts past a Traverse City player with senior Baylee Jennings along to support. The girls had to give up their subs to TC to still hold a game.

easier.”

There were many reasons that girls joined the team. Senior Caylee Feenstra, an outside center, says her motivation to play came from the homecoming tradition of powder puff football.

“I joined rugby because it’s a brand new sport and I wanted to try something new,” Feenstra said.

“I also like to play Powder puff, but we

Senior goalkeeper Garrison Mast is a leader on the team and has had four shutouts in a row.

FOOTBALL:

can’t tackle in powder puff and we can tackle in rugby.”

Some girls were influenced to join after watching the boys success.

“I went to the boys games and it looked really fun,” sophomore Audrey Albright said. “I like tackling too, I get to show how strong I am and how fast I can take someone down.”

After they got the support of more players, the game presented its own challenges for the team. Due to the high athleticism rugby requires, the first few weeks were dedicated to conditioning and learning the game.

“No one knew how to play at first,” sophomore Alicia Heyblom said. “But now we are doing a lot of plays and what to actually do in the game.”

In most cases, there are some differences between boys sports and girls sports. Rugby, however, is played exactly the same for both guys and girls.

“We have the same rules (as boys), we even have their uniforms,” said King. “The only difference is that we’re girls and they’re boys. Everything is the exact same.”

As the team continues to learn new things and improve, recent success has showed just how far they’ve come. After a close loss to Berkley in their first game, they redeemed themselves with a 61-0 win over Traverse City. Their record currently stands at 2-1.

“So far we’ve been really successful,” King said. “We just needed to get into a game to kind of realize what we were doing, and so far we’ve done really well.”

Senior wide receiver Lukas Steffel has contributed four touchdowns this season. Steffel has also proven to be a strong corner back for the team.

SPORTS 19

TWO SPORTS ONE SEASON Senior Kane Wilkinson seeks balance while jugling soccer and football by Brianna Moynihan

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE SUITED UP: Senior Kane Wilkinson stands in a football jersey while wearing his soccer shinguards and cleats. Wilkinson faces the task of playing for two varsity teams, football and soccer this fall season.

VOLLEYBALL: 20 SPORTS

Senior Emily Lachmann is a consistent front row player and is in the running for Miss Volleyall.

BOYS TENNIS:

Sophomore Spencer Sortman is the number one singles player and continues to carry the team.

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

“I have known Kane a long time, he is a kid who is driven by athletics. That is something he enjoys, he likes the competition. He is motivated by that desire to see how good he can be.”

-varsity soccer coach Aaron Dean

Owen Sanborn THE BUCS’ BLADE

CONCENTRATION: Senior Kane Wilkinson attends soccer practice everyday and football practice Mondays and Wednesdays.

B

linding stadium lights glint off of blue helmets. A shimmering expanse of plastic green marked with white numbers seen clearly from above. The view from the stands.

This is not the view senior Kane Wilkinson is used to. Until junior year he had only seen the game through the mask of his football helmet. But Wilkinson turned in his helmet for shinguards and the field for the pitch, ending his 13year football career when he made the soccer team as a junior.

“I didn’t want to quit football,” Wilkinson said. “But I told myself that if I made the soccer team, I would play soccer and I did.”

But after just one season of sitting in the bleachers on Friday nights, Wilkinson decided it wasn’t for him.

“I didn’t like being in the stands and just watching football,” Wilkinson said. “I wanted to play.”

Wilkinson played both soccer and football since he was young and struggled choosing between them once at the high school level.

But in the spring of his junior year, football special teams coach, Jeremy Holmes, approached Wilkinson with a compromise. He could

GIRLS GOLF:

The Kane files

Has been playing football and soccer for 13 years

Plays lacrosse in the Spring

Midfielder for soccer team

Kicker for football team

Played football for the school freshman and sophomore year

Plays both football and soccer senior year

Made varsity soccer junior year kick for the football team and still remain on the soccer team.

So he strapped on his helmet and shin guards for senior year.

“It’s a good opportunity for an athlete to be exposed to both sports,” Holmes said. “It’s a unique situation, Kane comes on his own time after soccer practice to make sure he is kicking and staying up on his skills.”

An athlete playing two sports in one season is rare. Athletic Director Scott Robertson was open to the idea as long as proper plans were established.

“Communication between both head coaches is important and

Graphics by Brianna Moynihan

Kane laid out what his priorities would be and both coaches agreed that it would work,” Robertson said.

Discussion between the football coaches and boys soccer coach Aaron Dean began last spring.

“To be honest, I was against it,” Dean said. “I think it is difficult to do both and it is hard to be committed to both, but Kane really wanted to try it.”

Despite Dean’s doubts about Wilkinson’s ability to juggle both sports schedules, Dean attributes Wilkinson’s ability to perform to his athleticism.

“Kane is a gifted athlete,” Dean

Senior Anna Gagnon contributes consistently low scores to the team including a season low of 40. Gagnon serves at the team’s number one spot.

www.bucsblade.com, October 9

said, “There are not a lot of kids who I think could do both, I don’t know anything about football, but I think Kane being as athletic as he is, I think he could probably do both sports very well. Not many people are gifted like that. And to be talented enough to make the soccer team, I think that is a testament to all the work and effort he has put into it.”

Wilkinson has twice the workload as the regular one sport athlete. An average week for him includes soccer practice for two hours Monday through Friday, football practice after soccer practice on Monday and Wednesdays for about 35 minutes each day, after soccer on Friday Wilkinson rushes to the football game and on Sunday he attends film for football.

This would leave most athletes stressed, but Wilkinson is able to handle it thanks to twice the support that comes with being apart of two teams.

“He’s not just focusing on one sport, but we all try to help him get better,” senior soccer teammate Damon Stielstra said.

Being involved in two sports is a tough task while juggling schoolwork, but Wilkinson’s dad, Matt, says that he has it under control.

GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE:

“He stays up later to finish his homework, but he is working harder at it also,” Matt said. “He doesn’t want to let either team down.”

Matt is ultimately excited that Wilkinson was given the opportunity to follow both of his passions.

“(It is) nerve racking,” Matt said. “I’m hoping he helps the team do well. I’m hoping he doesn’t screw up and cost the team. Best way to put it, it’s a roller coaster of emotions throughout each game. But it is worth it.”

Dean is confident that Wilkinson will play both sports to the best of his ability.

“It’s the importance of finding a balance, we weren’t going to keep a kid that was part-time and then cut someone else, soccer would be his full time,” Dean said. “I have known Kane a long time, he is a kid who is driven by athletics. That is something he enjoys, he likes the competition. He is motivated by that desire to see how good he can be.”

Wilkinson is sure that he made the right choice.

“I think if I wouldn’t have done both, I would regret it, looking back on last year I wish I would’ve done both,” Wilkinson said. “I just love sports.”

Junior Dali Woodard finished first in tight backstroke against Grandville and continues to improve her times.

SPORTS 21

HOMECOMING HOPES

Buccaneer football team prepares for unusual Grandville offense by Luke Blauvelt

Jonas Quirin THE BUCS’ BLADE ON THE CHASE: Senior corner back Lukas Steffel chases down Lowell receiver, Brady Schaefer, in a home game on Sept. 25, where the Bucs fell to the Red Arrows 35-0. Steffel has four touchdowns this season.

T

he Buccaneers are working hard to bring home their first homecoming victory since 2011. They have been preparing to play against Grandville’s new offensive system as well as win their first conference game this season.

“Grandville runs a really interesting offensive system,” coach Jason Duram said. “so that’s forcing us to change some personnel and to run a little bit different scheme than we normally run on defense” The Bulldogs new offense, known as the ‘T’ or the ‘bone’, has been causing many teams to switch up their playing styles in effort to stop them. Grandville’s offense runs about eight plays out of one formation, rather than switching up formations. It’s not something teams in the O-K Red have seen in awhile, which is why coaches have been paying close attention to it.

“I’ve probably spent more time on their offensive system than anybody else’s,” Duram said.

“Their style of football controls the clock, and so we, on the offensive side of the ball, have to make sure that we are taking advantage of the opportunities we get and we’re not giving them good field position and also that we are not allowing the time of possession to get out of control”

BOYS WATERPOLO: 22 SPORTS

Bucs Bullets

TONIGHT: Grand Haven vs. Grandville KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

LAST SEASON: The Bucs lost to the Bulldogs 5318 in 2014.

Overall record: 2-4

O-K Red conference record: 0-2 Drew Hewitt THE BUCS’ BLADE HANDS ON: Junior running back Trey Bledsoe catches a ball at a home football game on Sept. 25.

Not only are the Bucs prepared, they have the home field advantage with the support of the intimidating 12th Buc behind them.

This is leaving the players feeling confident.

“I think it will be a really good atmosphere so we should be able to feed off of it pretty well,” senior quarterback Levi Overway said.

Although homecoming offers social activities and events for students to participate

Senior Cole Kramer is a leader on the team.

Kramer serves as a two -meter defense player.

in, it also brings a week of chaos - making it a double edged sword for the football team.

“Coaches get real nervous about homecoming week,” Duram said. “There’s a lot of distractions, a lot of fun things for the players to do and we want them to participate in those things but football requires a tremendous amount of focus and preparation.”

The past few weeks the Bucs have suffered tough losses. This has left the players

EQUESTRIAN:

IF YOU CAN’T GO: Follow the action on Twitter @bucsbladesports Graphics by Brianna Moynihan

feeling the heightened pressure to end homecoming week with a win.

“I’m excited,” senior wide receiver Lukas Steffel said. “The stakes are a little higher than a normal game and we just need to come out with a lot of energy.”

Junior Lily Atkinson has consistently finished in first or second place thanks to her experience. www.bucsblade.com, October 9

4

steps to...

PERFECTING THE SERVE

Each point, set and match is to be started with the service - when one player serves the ball to the other. Hitting the ball over the net to the other player may not seem like such a difficult task, however, it is more complicated than it sounds.

Players must land it in the opposite box while

avoiding foot faults, hitting the net and keeping the ball in bounds all while trying to keep the opponent from being able to return the ball.

Tennis captains seniors Simon Herndl and Nicholas Akselberg are here to walk through the steps to perfecting the ace. By Luke Blauvelt

1. STEP TO THE BASELINE, GO THROUGH RITUAL: Stepping up to the baseline is easy, players use this moment to mentally prepare themselves. They need to position according to where their opponents are, grip their rackets depending on their serves and make sure not to step over the baseline. Tennis players have their own ritual before a serve. Rituals are important for players to get comfortable and are apart of the mental preparation Simon Herndl: “I Go back to the baseline do my ritual which is I bounce the ball three times for the first serve two times for the second serve and putting back my arm. I then look up and see where I want to serve, and then it all depends on where the other person is standing.”

4. RUSH THE COURT: As soon as the ball

is struck, the server needs to quickly react to how his or her opponent returns the ball and place themselves on the court accordingly.

SH: “Execute the serve and come in towards the net.”

NA: “Rush in and play the point, immediately split step and get ready.”

Nick Akselberg: “Get up to the line and do your little ritual, mine is like smacking the ball back and forth.”

2. THE TOSS: Tossing the ball into the air is

3. BALL CONTACT: Tennis players hit the ball differently depending on if they want to put spin on the ball, put speed on the ball or a combination of both. They will also grip the racket differently to adjust to the type of serve they want to hit.

SH: “I pause and bring my racket back to my shoulder, then I usually like point out my ball.”

SH: “Hit the ball at the paramount of it’s highest point.”

important because it sets up the rest of the serve. There is a small window the ball has to be thrown into and timing is key. Keep your tossing arm elbow straight and don’t serve if the toss is bad.

NA: “Getting the perfect toss for your serve, everyone’s is different. Find what works for you,”

NA: “Going up and follow through, making solid contact to ace the ball.”

Drew Hewitt THE BUCS’ BLADE

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: www.bucsblade.com, October 9

Sophomore Jack Nicholson is the Bucs no.1 runner and is currently the fifth fastest runner in Grand Haven history.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY:

Freshman Gabby Hentemann is a consistent top-five runner overall and top runner for the Bucs. Hentemann also pushes older teammates to do better.

SPORTS 23

Onward to victory The importance of a strong student section is grossly underappreciated, here are the most important points on what and what not to do as the 12th Buc. For more, check out Isabel Andrini’s story on bucsblade.com By Elizabeth Tibbe

DO show up ready Come prepared in full blue and gold, ready to loose your voice for the sake of our team. “When we need something hype, the student section usually gives it to us,” senior Levi Overway said.

DO respect your standings Seniors have waited four years to earn their spot on the fence, and your time will come too. Freshies stay to the top, sophomores get a little closer, and so on. But if you’re not in the class of 2016, stay off the fence.

DON’T give up It doesn’t matter what the score is, the team needs their 12th Buc so don’t give up hope on our boys and keep your spirits up. “Win or lose, we’re all in this stuff together,” Coach Jason Duram said.

DON’T be disrespectful The student section should not boo or rip on the other team in any demeaning way. We need to be good sports no matter the rivalry.

Isabel Andrini THE BUCS’ BLADE

24 SPORTS

www.bucsblade.com, October 9