OUR COMMUNITY
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COURTESY OF AMANDA SCHLUSSEL
manda Schlussel active service and four grew up in West years in the reserves. Bloomfield, early on watching three ‘A TOUGH COOKIE’ older brothers and two “As Amanda’s mom, I cousins shooting baskets could not be more proud and playing catch. Her that she has figured out home, on occasion, what she wants to do,” seemed a bit of a sports Michelle Baskin said. center for the five, and “If she were going off she soon joined in. to college, I would be Schlussel enjoyed nervous, but this ups watching her stepbrother that feeling a little. I was play hockey at the Jewish surprised at first, but Community Center, and she’s always been a tough at 7 years old, she started cookie.” playing roller hockey Schlussel’s pre-military at the JCC. Two years schedule has included later, she moved into ice a trip to Florida with hockey and continued her mom and outdoor with afterschool play experiences, hiking while attending Doherty and water rafting, in Elementary School and Colorado and Montana Orchard Lake Middle with her dad, Steve School. Schlussel. She will be a “I always did my work waterskiing specialist at SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER for classes at Frankel Camp Tamarack for one Jewish Academy, but session. I was most happy when I was playing Shana Kantor, Frankel director of Travel has been a special interest for hockey and doing workouts to be in advancement, said that Schlussel has made Schlussel, who decided against a large condition for hockey,” she said. a choice that’s unique for the school’s bat mitzvah at Temple Israel in favor of Schlussel, a graduating senior, had graduating students although some have a home celebration so that party money planned for college, where she could keep gone into the Israeli military. could be used instead for visits to new up with her favorite sport, but COVID“We’re proud of different choices made places. 19 interfered. The pandemic shut down by our students,” Kantor said. “We try to “I’m focused on working out and practice and games, and Schlussel decided help them take the next right step for each getting physically and mentally ready she just would not be ready for college of them.” for the Marines,” Schlussel said. “I run competition. A grandfather is the only family member more than two miles at a time and do Instead, she made up her mind that the that Schlussel understands had any pushups and sit-ups. I’m excited to have best way to stick with intensive physical military background, but he was part of an something completely new to do in a new activity was to join the U.S. Armed Forces. educational program that had to do with community.” Starting Aug. 2, Schlussel begins basic academics rather than grueling mission While Schlussel advances the workouts training to become a Marine. preparation. introduced by her brothers, she will think “My friend is currently serving, and Although Schlussel gave a year’s thought of them choosing more book work. One she brought up the idea to me,” Schlussel to enlisting, she did not tell her family until is employed by a mortgage firm after explained. “I picked the Marines because her decision became firm. completing Michigan State University. it’s the hardest branch. I just find a lot “My parents were shocked because Another attends the same school, more pride in being able to say I’m a they know of no kids who have gone into undecided about a career, and yet another Marine. the military except for that one friend,” is enrolled at Wayne State University, also “I’m super open about how it’s going Schlussel said. “They knew I had planned undecided. to be. If I like the Marines, I’m going to on going to college, but they ultimately “I’ll miss my close friends and family, continue and make a career out of it. If I became supportive because they know how but I’m sure this is right for me now,” don’t like it, I’ll get out and do something happy I am with my choice.” Schlussel said. “It’s also nice to be doing else.” Schlussel has signed up for four years in something for my country.”
The Few, the Proud Frankel grad chooses unusual career path.
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JUNE 24 • 2021
