North Star April 2016

April 29, 2016 Volume XLI Issue VI

Summer provides opportunities to travel both outside of Michigan and within the Great Lakes state.

This image was taken in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. See pages 8-9 for more.

This issue was created by LCN’s seventh hour Journalism class.

Photo by Gina Hofbauer ‘19

Summer: Fun in the sun!

Who is your celebrity crush?

5

Reviewer recommends Flatbush zombies.

6

Pistons make the nba playoffs.

10

Ride along with the Detroit Fire Department.

16

L’ANSE CREUSE HIGH SCHOOL - NORTH I I 23700 21 MILE ROAD I I MACOMB, MI 48042

The North Star

2 | April 29, 2016

news

Students to take AP exams in May Photo by Gina Hofbauer ‘19

Rachel Kircus ‘17 Reviews editor

During the second semester and final quarter of the school year, students are given the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) tests in the subjects they are studying, if they have decided to take an AP class. Day one of the AP testing starts on May 2, and the last testing day is on May 13. The cost of each AP test is rounded to about $92.

The test scores range from one to five with five being the highest score, and one being the lowest. AP tests can be very beneficial to students who plan to attend college; if a student receives a three or above on the test, it can count for college credit, depending on the university.

AP classes are not like regular classes here. They are usually more challenging and require a lot of work. Students who take an AP class get a grade point bump, adding a boost to their GPA. “Outlining your AP book for subjects like Psych and Government and taking

practice exams are very helpful for these subjects. For Psych, Barron’s is a great review book. Princeton Review and REA Crash Course are excellent for studying Government,” said Barry Yung ’16.

Reviewing notes and worksheets are not the only tasks to help students get prepared.

“Usually I watch movies entirely in Spanish and see if I can understand,” said Carter Oselett ’17.

Teachers are also helpful and aware when it comes to the tests.

“In class, we write three different essays and practiced each. Also, we practiced reading skills like critical reading,” said John Alwardt, AP Language and Composition teacher.

AP U.S. History teacher Mark Mignot also suggested reading documents and writing sample essays to prepare.

Math, Science, and Technology (MST) students are also given the opportunity to take the tests at the Pankow Center. Mya Oleksiak ‘17 takes

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AP Physics students prepare for the upcoming exam in May. A score of three or higher may allow for college credits, depending on the school.

two of her core classes at the Pankow Center.

“I am unsure if we do the same things as the other AP kids to get ready for our tests, but in AP Physics we have been given awesome review packets and are studying a lot on our own,” she said.

AP tests are taken nationwide

throughout many high schools.

If you are considering taking an AP class next year, it is highly recommended to take the test at the end of the year, as it can be very beneficial for the future.

The North Star

news

April 29, 2016 | 3

The 2016 Boat Regatta challenges Physics students Tyler Lieb ‘16 Reporter

The Cardboard Boat Regatta: Every year there are new faces, ideas, styles, and even more excitement!

The regatta is a project set forth by the Physics teachers of LCN, challenging groups of students to build a boat big enough for two people, and then race it across the school pool. The contest gives groups of students a chance to create a boat that would fit their own unique style, as well as an opportunity to dress up to match it.

The students are judged on many different aspects. Most of the points come from simply just building the boat, followed by points for if it floats, and if it crosses the pool and back. However, that alone will not get the groups the A. Participation is a major factor. This includes dressing up for the regatta in costumes, being at the designated house to build the boat, as well as taking pictures periodically to create a photo story of the boat’s progress.

The boat regatta is one of the biggest projects they do in the Physics classes.

However, some students seem to be hesitant on the actual building of the boat, or even participating in the race at all. Physics teacher Carrie Zaitz tried to allay their fears.

“The boat regatta, for one, is a blast!

It takes a bit of effort in making the

actual boat, but in the end, it is not that hard. As well, it gives the students a sense of accomplishment and teamwork as they work together to build the boat,” she said.

The Boat Regatta allows the students to get together and have a fun time all around, whether that is racing in the regatta itself or actually building the boat.

The 2016 groups seem to have come up with some pretty creative ideas. For instance, junior Michaela Kerr shared her group’s idea: “Whatever floats your boat,” a very catchy and cute name.

Then there’s “Sailor Moon” from junior Jenna Nusilio’s group.

From the students who cared to share what they thought about the regatta, all planned on making the full course in the race, ignoring the few extra credit points they may receive by “Sinking with Style.” A majority of the groups have decided to try to compete for the “Most Creative” extra credit opportunity. While others are choosing to go for the “Most Spirited” extra credit.

This year’s junior class has been most energetic for the boat regatta.

Last night’s Boat Regatta was full of excitement with crowds cheering for their friends and family. The $2 entry fee was definitely worth it to see the creative ideas the junior class brought to the pool.

News Briefs Brendan Raich ‘16 Reporter

Winter Drumline competes in World Championship The Winter Drumline made a trip to the WGI World Championships On April 14. It was LCN’s first trip to the special event. Not only was it their first time at the WGI World Championship, but also it was the drumline’s first competition against drumlines from outside of Michigan.

Altogether there were 70 groups in LCN’s classification. These 70 teams were divided into four rounds of about

15 groups each, according to David Mety, band parapro. LCN got a turn in the fourth round and performed well.

At the end, the team finished with a score of 77.250. This score was good enough for fourteenth place in the round.

“It was great to be able to compete on a national level and give them this kind of exposure,” said Mety.

Physics students compete in the 2015 Boat Regatta.

Photo by Carrie Zaitz

2015 Physics students show off their Breast Cancer Awareness boat.

Photo by Carrie Zaitz

LCN vs. Anchor Bay LAX The LCN and Anchor Bay Varsity Lacrosse teams squared off on March 31 for the first time in history.

Much hype surrounded the game, as Anchor Bay is LCN’s biggest rival in most sports. Anchor Bay headed into the game as a massive underdog, but that did not stop the Tars from hanging in tough for the first half. At halftime, the scoreboard read 2-2.

However, the game played out much differently in the second half. Although Anchor Bay struck first out of the gate, third quarter goals from Brendan Raich ‘16, Khanan Bodley ‘16, and Antonio Mendez ‘16 gave the Crusaders a twogoal lead headed into the fourth.

Then it got ugly. The Crusaders tal-

lied five fourth quarter goals, as LCN coasted to a 10-3 victory over their arch-rivals.

“Although they played us very tough in the first half, I am proud of the way the boys responded in the second half,” said Crusaders Head Coach Steve Hunter when asked about his team’s performance.

The Crusaders’ weak performance against their rival is not indicative of the amount of talent on the lacrosse team. The team hopes to be able to turn their season around as they head towards conference play, so that they can win a second consecutive MAC White championship.

The North Star

4 | April 29, 2016

Twitter or Instagram?

Emmanuel Moses ‘16 Reporter

Everyone has an opinion about something, whether it is paper or plastic, Republican or Democrat. But at LCN, students have their own debate: Twitter or Instagram?

Both apps have similar features and they obviously have their differences that make that particular app special in its own way. Twitter is mainly focused on sending tweets, or statuses, while Instagram is about posting pictures and viewing other photos. What do students think about these two apps?

“I like Instagram better because I go on there to look at the latest trends,” said Robert Johnson ’16. He uses Instagram more

than Twitter and has reasons why he prefers this app, whereas another student at LCN differs.

“I like Twitter because it’s poppin’ on there. I don’t like Instagram because it’s just pictures, and nobody wants to just look at pictures,” said Kassidi Nawrocki ‘16.

Twitter clearly has its advantages, but is it really better than Instagram?

“To me, Instagram and Twitter are the same practically. One app is not better than the other.

Yes, they have their differences, but in my perspective, they are the same,” said an LCN junior.

“I like Twitter because my homie Kassidi is on there. We be fooling on Twitter. Shout out to my homie Kassidi!” said Taylor Delisle ’16.

Students seem to like Insta-

Humans of LCN

“My summer plans are to play softball for LCN Thunder. Oh, and sleep in! My family and I are going to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in July, which I am super excited for. I also plan to hang out with my cousins from out of state and my boyfriend.

Basically, just relax and enjoy every minute.”

“The SAT was pretty good; it seemed like any other standardized test you would take. The hardest part of the SAT was studying for it.

Being the first class to take it, I really wasn’t sure what to study, but it ended up pretty good. You just have to try your best and don’t stress over it.”

–Riley Meade ‘19

–Eli Vennard ‘17

entertainment

Users seem to prefer photo app

gram a lot more than Twitter.

This may be because of the fact that users can see and post pictures.

“Instagram is better because Instagram is poppin’ and Twitter isn’t,” said Amber Kilgore ’16. She prefers Instagram over Twitter because of the abundance of pictures.

“I like Instagram because you can see other people’s pictures,” said Mia Zarka ’19.

It seems like when it comes to picking which app to use for social media, Instagram is the one to choose, according to LCN students. But this does not prove which app is better; this only shows the ratio of people using Instagram over Twitter.

VS.

Be sure to follow this reporter on Instagram: @mvnny.x.

Katherine Mullins ‘17 Sports editor

Photos by Gina Hofbauer ‘19 & Morgan Sputa ‘19

“This summer, I plan on completing my summer bucket list. I also plan on riding front row on the Dragster, getting a tan, and going on vacations and up north. I will be going to many swim practices, band practices, and band camp. To say the least, I plan on staying busy.”

“The SAT was pretty scary going into it, but I feel pretty confident with how I did. It really was not as bad as I thought it would be, even though the math portion sucked.

The article we read for the essay portion was pretty cool and interesting.”

–Victoria Skoney ‘18

—Meliah Tinsley ‘17

entertainment

The North Star

April 29, 2016 | 5

Rewind and remix: remakes take over box office Morgan Sputa ‘19 Photographer

For years, classic movies have been remade to fit modern society with a fresh, younger, and more relevant cast.

Movies like “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Great Gatsby” have both been recently remade. Movie remakes have skyrocketed at the box office. According to Box Office Mojo, “The Great Gatsby” raked in $19.4 million the night it premiered.

Other popular movies such as “Annie,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “Grease” have also been remade with a new cast and have been a big hit. Coming out this month is “The Jungle Book,” which will feature a nonanimated style for Mowgli and Baloo’s adventure. There are high expectations for this movie to bring the heart and soul of the beloved film to life.

The key to a successful movie remake is the cast and the overall appeal of the original movie. A producer needs

some fun with it and to know that spice it up; make the his audience movie seem like the is going to be original, put in effort as excited for to make it as good, the new vermaybe even better. sion and love The reason most it just as much remakes do not do so as they did Photo by Disney Studios/MCT well would be the fact the first time.

“The Jungle Book” is a recent movie that most people have Using Leonardo re-make. The original animated feaseen the original, and DiCaprio as Jay ture debuted in 1967. the remake does not Gatsby was a live up to expectations. “Endless Love,” smart move since everybody loves a the traditional story of a boy and a girl movie with Leo in it; he’s talented, good-looking and, well, the world really who lead completely different lives and fall in love, was originally produced wanted him to win that Oscar. in 1981 with an outstanding cast. The Other important things that a promodern-day version, produced in 2014, ducer should consider while remaking a movie would be to avoid overdoing it. had some unknown actors. This was an example of a remake where the Also, if the movie is still considered a classic, and many people still talk about producer obviously overestimated how well this would appeal to its original the old film, do not make another one. fan base.

A few more things a producer should A remake that did live up to the exconsider would be that if the movie is pectations of the original movie would outdated and not well known to have

Who is your celebrity crush?

be “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

The star-studded cast lived up to the 1971 classic. There was no one that could have played Willy Wonka in the 2005 version better than Johnny Depp.

The role of Willy Wonka was first filled

by Gene Wilder, who did an astonishing job with the character. So many people were skeptical of Depp’s personality clashing with Wilder’s before realizing that he brought new life to the silly character.

“I’ve seen both the original and remake when they first came out and I thought the 2005 remake was just as good as the original that came out when I was a little boy,” said Michael Sputa, LCN parent.

Overall, remaking a movie is hit or miss; producers either get it spot on and people love it, or they don’t live up to expectations and it doesn’t do well at the box office. Where some remakes are unnecessary, some just so happen to turn out better than the original.

Morgan Sputa ‘19 Photographer

Photo by Chuck Myers/MCT

Photo by Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Photo by Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Photo by Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/TNS

“My celebrity crush would be Alex Morgan, a soccer player. I found out about her through social media and ESPN. I really like how athletic she is,” Nick Puzzonia ‘17 said.

“My celebrity crush is Justin Bieber. I found out about him when I was watching ‘Good Morning America’ in the third grade. He’s my celebrity crush because I really like his music and his looks,” Madison Oltersdorf ‘19 said.

“Kit Harrington from ‘Game of Thrones’ would have to be my celebrity crush. I found out about him through the show, and he’s my crush because he’s my favorite character,” Alissa Arden, math teacher, said.

“My celebrity crush is Donald Trump. I found out about him during this crazy election that’s happening. He’s my crush because I’m in love with his hair,” Olivia Micciche ‘19 said.

The North Star

6 | April 29, 2016

reviews

Hip-hop group releases debut album Brendan Raich ‘16 Reporter

That’s one way to start a music career!

Flatbush Zombies is the name of a hip-hop group formed in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, in 2012.

The group consists of members Zombie Juice, Meechy Darko, and Erick the Architect.

In late 2012, they released their first mixtape, titled “D.R.U.G.S.” In 2013, the group released “Better Off Dead,” the trio’s second mixtape. The group went quiet for a while, choosing to spend their time bonding with fellow New York hip-hop groups Pro Era and The Underachievers. The three groups created an East Coast hip-hop movement known as “Beast Coast.”

In 2015, the trio finally announced plans to release their debut album. On March 14, 2016, Flatbush Zombies released their first record, “3001: A Laced Odyssey.” It did not disappoint.

“3001” starts off fast with “The Odyssey.” The song is a tribute to their past works, as they are featured in this song.

The next song “Bounce” features chest-

is a track about how hard the group thumping beats and the catchy rhymes worked to create their debut album, of Zombie Juice. Interestingly, the but it also gives listeners a glimpse usually unconventional trio goes trainto the wild party life the group lives ditional on the next tune, “R.I.P.C.D.” The song sounds like it could have been on a nightly basis. “Good Grief” starts off fast and does not slow down. The produced in the heart of the ‘90s hipsong features Diamonte, who sings hop movement, with its inspirational the chorus and puts an R&B swing on lyrics and rhythmic beat.

Photo by Bethany Mollenkoff/Los Angeles Times/MCT an otherwise The next two tracks, “A entirely rap Spike Lee Joint” and “Fly album.

Away,” are admittedly The next two of the weaker songs tune “New on the album; however, Phone, Who they both contain a catchy Dis,” which is chorus. “A Spike Lee my personal Joint” is a salute to the favorite, is group’s label of “Unsigned strictly about and Independent.” Each member of the trio has a FBZ’s old life of dealing verse on each song until drugs and the sixth song, titled “Asstruggling cension,” which is Darko’s in the most solo and features dark, dangerous parts of New York. The song troubling lyrics with a slow but catchy explains their route out of the ghetto, beat. even calling themselves nerds in the The first half of the album was very lyrics. impressive on its own. However, it The second to last track on the album pales in comparison to the stunning is “This Is It.” The song features a second half of the album. “Trade Off”

‘The Boss:’ comedy is a tragedy Abigail Isei ‘18 News editor

“The Boss” was supposed to be another on the list of great comedies, but due to pitiful writing and many plot holes, it was just tragic.

“The Boss,” staring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Bell, is the story of business tycoon Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) who, due to some shady business ventures, is thrown into prison.

Upon her release, Darnell must accept her new status as a social pariah as the people whom she had stepped on during her climb to the top turn on her. The one person who stands by her side, unwillingly I may note, is her assistant, Claire (Bell). After a longer than socially acceptable mourning period for her

past life, Darnell has one of the most brilliant of ideas: Start a brownie empire and reclaim her rightful role at the top.

Going into this movie, I had intended for it to be an easy pick, a slap-stick comedy like many of McCarthy’s previous films such as “Bridesmaids” or “The Heat.” It was the knowledge of these previous movies that made me desperately want to like this movie; unfortunately, this movie fell very flat. Throughout the entire movie, I was waiting for something - anything - exciting to happen. The best way to describe this movie would be as a flat line.

No climax or build up was notable in this movie at all. While there were many comedic moments in this film (can anyone say Girl Scout brawl?),

thumping beat and some extremely well-coordinated lines. Although the album has been out for a short time, “This Is It” has already received national praise from FBZ fans and rap fans alike.

Last but not least is “Your Favorite Rap Song.” The song is a whopping 12 minutes in length and is unlike any song I have ever listened to. It features sound bites from various FBZ fans from all around the United States. Some of the fans praise the trio for their music, but interestingly, the group was not afraid to include disrespectful messages from people that clearly are not fans of the group.

Overall, “3001: A Laced Odyssey” is a very solid debut album. The album received a 4.2/5,0 on hiphopdx.com, and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Top 100. The album came out at the perfect time, as rap fans have been clamoring for new music. I give the album a 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys rap music.

Ratings Scale Hated it

Photo by Hopper Stone/Universal Pictures/TNS

Disliked it

Kristen Bell, Melissa McCarthy, Aleandra Newcomb and Eva Peterson star in “The Boss.”

the writing for this movie just wasn’t there.

As for the acting, I can’t fault the actors as their characters were played to the best of their ability.

They all believably portrayed their characters and through no fault of their own, their characters were just very one dimensional.

Overall, I would say if you want to see this

movie, my advice would be go in the morning when tickets are cheaper.

This movie isn’t worth much more than pocket change. I give “The Boss” a generous two out of five stars.

It was okay

Liked it

Loved it

reviews

The North Star

April 29, 2016 | 7

Poppin’ pizza places please taste buds

Ellie LaPorte ‘18

Entertainment Editor

Delaney Nichols ‘18 Photographer

Benito’s is known for its tasty, homemade pizza with toppings that are consistently fresh. The employees have a great attitude and are always helpful. Benito’s is also known for its “Big Benito” pizza. It feeds about 8-10 people with each slice measuring about 12 inches. If anyone is looking for a decent and filling pizza for a party, the “Big Benito” would be the best choice.

Benito’s thin crust is not as good as the normal crust but still pops in flavor.

Although the small pizza costs about $6.90, it’s still a quality pizza that is worth the money.

RATED: 4 STARS

Happy’s Pizza is known for its mediocre-tasting pizza. It tends to be the last resort when ordering a pizza. The prices (with toppings) are a little out of control for the taste of the pizza. People all over Macomb County have agreed that the sauce has no flavor and the cheese’s grease is at an all-time high.

Yet, some people have no problem with this pizza. The main issue people have with this pizza is the high price. A cheese only, small pizza costs $7. Every topping added is $1. Happy’s Pizza is normally the last option brought up when ordering a pizza for a night of just settling down and watching a movie.

RATED: 3 STARS

Little Caesars is the kind of pizza for when one gets hungry and needs a scrumptious pizza ASAP. The Hot’N’Ready is a mix of melted cheese and burning tomato sauce. They never disappoint, and their locations are very convenient. There are many expensive and higher-quality pizzas, but for the price and the convenience of locations, Little Caesars is a good choice. The price of $5 for a Hot-N-Ready is tough to beat.

RATED: 4 STARS

Not only are the wings here tasty, but so are the amazing pizzas. The sauce does not have much of a flavor, but the seasoned and cheesy crust selections make up for it. They have many different flavors of crusts to choose from, so the pizza will always be perfect for the customer! We would definitely recommend Hungry Howie’s because it always meet expectations. The coupons are also spectacular and help save a lot of money. Yet, the pizza delivery prices are a tad high. Hungry Howie’s is a quality pizza that is adored by many.

RATED: 5 STARS

Top 10 Tropical Smoothie Cafe flavors Tori Conklin ‘18 Reporter

Hailey Sirut ‘18 Photographer

With hot summer days right around the corner, it’s a perfect time to hit up Tropical Smoothie Café on Hall and Romeo Plank to enjoy a cold, refreshing smoothie.

1. Jetty Punch - Strawberries & bananas: this is a smoothie for people who like keeping it simple. Who doesn’t like a strawberry/banana smoothie?

2. Paradise Point - Strawberries, bananas & pineapples: Mmmmm, SO good. It’s a Jetty Punch with a sour twist.

3. Rockin’ Raspberry - Raspberries, strawberries & bananas: A slight sour twist. Not our favorite

because of the seeds.

4. Sunny Day - Mangos, bananas, orange juice & kiwi: It captures exactly how a sunny day would taste.

5. Sunrise Sunset - Strawberries, pineapples, mangos & orange juice: A tangy, delicious drink anyone would love.

6. Island Green - Spinach, kale, mangos, pineapples & bananas: If you’re trying to watch calories, this is the perfect drink for you.

7. Acai Berry Boost - Acai, pomegranates, bananas, blueberries & strawberries: Very berry good with a shot of energy.

8. Bahama Mama - Strawberries, pineapples, white chocolate & coconut: A smooth, sweet mix perfect for anyone. The coconut taste isn’t strong, so don’t let it throw you off.

9. Beach Bum - Strawberries, bananas & chocolate: If you love chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, then you will love this drink.

10. Peanut Butter Cup - Peanut butter, bananas & chocolate: If you’re looking for a sweet treat and love Reese’s, this is the one for you.

8 | April 29, 2016 Photo by Hailey Sirut ‘18

Photo by Delaney Nichols ‘18

Foc

The North Star

Photo by Gina Hofbauer ‘19

Fun in t Samantha Mannino ‘18

Skylar Karaszewski ‘18

McKenna Mason ‘19

2016 summer clothing trends ‘70s style The decades always seem to make their way back. This summer, expect to see a lot of ‘70s-inspired outfits. From bohemian patchwork maxi dresses and lace up peasant blouses to haute, hippy, flared trousers and heavenly suede skirts, there are infinite ways to rock this trend. The best thing about it is that it can be as bold, or as subtle, as you’d like. Anyone can wear it!

‘90s style As stated before, history tends to repeat itself, even in fashion and beauty.

For example, deep berry lips were a ‘90s beauty staple and is a trend currently being sported today.

Another look that lives on is the choker necklace. Although the tattoo-style choker is still occasionally seen, there are also other styles as well.

Iridescent makeup is making a comeback. Trendsetter Kate Moss wears a shimmery lip paired with a dewy, glowing skin, whereas Jennifer Lopez wears a dose of silvery, shimmery eyeshadow.

Off-the-shoulder tops are another trend that will be gracing us with their presence this summer.

Skylar Karaszewski ’18 said, “I think off-the-shoulder tops that were seen a lot in the ‘90s are coming back because of their pretty floral patterns and loose fit influenced by popular events like Coachella.”

Muted colors Beige, dusty pinks, pale yellows, and powder blues are great colors to look for when shopping for this upcoming summer season. All these feminine hues will go great with a fresh tan.

T-Shirt dress With those hot, unbearable summer days approaching fast, a loose and cute T-shirt dress is a staple piece for the season. T-shirt dresses are very comfortable, yet very easy to turn into something a little dressier. T shirt dresses can either be paired with a pair of sneakers for a more casual look or easily styled with a necklace for something a little fancier.

Lauryn Brunsman ’17 said, “I love T-shirt dresses because they’re comfy, cozy, and cute.”

Celebrities sport these trends Teen Vogue said, anytime Kendall Jenner and GiGi Hadid attend an event, it’s easy to assume that they’re going to show up on the best dressed list. Recently, Jenner was spotted with Hadid sporting a 1990s-inspired look, while also incorporating the muted colors trend. She wore a plain white crew neck T with a light pink silk slip layering over top of it. She paired this combination with thigh-high suede boots and a long, drapey coat. Hadid paired a white distressed jacket with tan, cage-style over the knee boots, and a python-print choker necklace. Both Jenner and Hadid did a take on the matte and nude trends incorporating the layering, that will be seen a lot this summer.

Gabby Cuenca ’18 said, “I’m personally a really big fan of the ‘70s trend and muted color trend. I think that those, along with button up shirts and peasant tops, will be huge trends seen everywhere this summer. I know that that’s what I’ll be wearing.”

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Compiled by Chloe Acker ‘17

Reporter

Places to see in Michigan

Riley Garrett ‘18

Copper Harbor

Sleeping B Sand Dun

Silver Lake Sand Dunes

Grand Ha

What’s on your sum Brendan Thayer ‘19- Go to Florida.

Why? Disney World and nice weather.

Andrew Oehmke ‘18- Start my life in the woods. Why? To become one with nature.

Grace Sloan ‘18Cliff diving. Why? Seems very fun and adventurous.

Lizzie Czieszperger ’19 - Go to California.

Why? It’s warm and has an ocean.

Jimmy Tocco ’16- Work and save money for college.

Why? So I am not broke and I don’t have to eat café food.

Blake Daniels ’18- Learn how to swim. Why? I want to make this summer memorable.

Kayla Chattinger ’17- Go to Hawaii.

Why? I want to paraglide over the ocean.

Jon Petrucci ‘17Go to a concert. Why? They’re fun and I love

live music.

cus

The North Star

the Sun

5 places near home to visit this summer Shannon Sugameli ‘16 Reporter

Stony Creek- This place has it all, a beach with a 500-acre lake to swim in, kayaking, barbeques, camp sites, and nature trails for hiking. Located at 4300 Main Park Road in Shelby Township.

CJ Barrymore’s-Here you will find bumper boats, batting cages, go cart

racing, rock climbing, miniature golf, and a brand new rollercoaster. Located at 21750 Hall Road in Clinton Township.

Detroit Zoo- You can see the reptiles, butterflies, penguins, and other animals here! The penguin house has been completely redesigned. Located at 8450 W. 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak. The Adventure Park-If you are

Sault Ste Marie

Gina Hofbauer ‘19 Photographer

Castle Rock

Mackinac Island

Tunnel of trees

Bear nes

aven

feeling daring, go here to zip line, tackle difficult obstacles, walk on a tight rope, and climb high up. Located at 6600 West Maple Road in West Bloomfield.

New Baltimore Beach- Relax on a small beach, play on the playground, or go have lunch at the picnic tables.

Located at 36300 Front Street in New Baltimore.

Hot shows for warm months!

Tahquemenon Falls Pictured Rocks

April 19, 2016 | 9

Petoskey Torch Lake Traverse City Tawas City Port Austin

Lexington

Frankenmuth

Grand Rapids Detroit

Belle Isle

Summer is around the corner, and that means a whole list of fun activities.

An important one is summer concerts.

To be close enough to touch your favorite band or artist while their live music surrounds you is unbelievable.

As the weather gets nicer, the concerts get better. Outdoor shows start making an appearance, along with certain concert festivals, the most popular being Vans Warped Tour. Popular venues nearby include: The Palace of Auburn Hills, The Fillmore, St. Andrew’s Hall, DTE Energy Theater and that’s only a handful. Being close to Detroit means anything is possible for summer concerts.

No matter if you’re going to a normal show or something like the Warped tour, you should always be prepared.

Think beforehand what you want to wear, make room on your phone for photos/videos, set aside some money,

and if you don’t drive, figure out how you will get there.

If you are going to an outdoor concert, try to avoid wearing dark colors, and bring sunscreen if you burn easily.

If it’s an all-day event, bring a string bag of things you may need.

One key thing with attending concerts is try to bring as much water if you can.

Food, drinks, and merch are very expensive at the venues. A drink can cost as much as $15. It’s really important to set a decent amount aside just for foodremember, it’s better to be hydrated then to have a t-shirt that won’t fit in a few years.

If you are a claustrophobic person, try to avoid getting center stage. Up there you will be pushed, maybe hit a few times accidentally, or you could be caught in a mosh pit. If you are a person that is okay with those things, then splurge and treat yourself to some front row tickets. (It’s worth it.) And who knows? You may even get an encore.

Which concerts are most popular this summer?

1. Justin Bieber – April 25, Palace of Auburn Hills 2. Twenty One Pilots – June 3, DTE Energy Music Theater 3. Selena Gomez – June 24, Palace of Auburn Hills 4. Vans Warped Tour – July 22, Palace of Auburn Hills 5. Ellie Goulding – May 9, Eastern Michigan University Based on a poll of 50 HSN students.

Monroe Rock Quarry

mmer bucket list?

Evan Rinaldi ‘16Skydiving with friends.

Why? It is going to be our last summer together before we all go off to school.

Bob Johnston, gym teacher - Sit on a pontoon boat in the middle of Houghton Lake. Why? It is relaxing and a break from the students.

Compiled by Hailey Sirut ‘18 and Tori Conklin ‘18

Cathleen Verheye, social studies teacher - Swim every day in nice weather. Why? To exercise and the sun makes me happy.

Darrel Johnson, Spanish teacher - Fly to Switzerland and stalk Tina Turner.

Why? Because Tina just moved there

The North Star

10 | April 29, 2016

Addition of Harris, resurgence of effort provide fuel for playoffs Connor McCormick ‘16 Copy editor

They’ve done it.

With improved play, elevated effort, and a dash of luck, the Detroit Pistons have found themselves in the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The goal of obtaining their first playoff berth since 2009 was achieved in a 112-99 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The Pistons amped up their performance as the season drew to a close, including snagging wins against the Hornets and the aforementioned Wizards. These teams have been a struggle for the Pistons all season, and the Pistons took advantage of a long stretch of home games to get these crucial wins. However, prior to this home stretch, the Pistons’ effort had been called into question, especially by head coach Stan Van Gundy.

The increase in effort has not been the only factor in the recent success of the Pistons. After dealing with some rather unlucky breaks early in the season, including wacky scheduling and two last-second game winners from the Memphis Grizzlies, the Pistons got a lucky break in a muchneeded victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The game featured both a last second tip-in by Andre Drummond, as well as an uncalled travel on Tobias Harris, which would have effectively lost the Pistons the game.

Despite the potentially game-losing error, Harris

has been an essential part of the Pistons’ playoff push. He has put up stats reminiscent of his solid play in Orlando last year, averaging 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

However, the stats don’t show the full impact Harris has had on the Pistons. His versatile offensive game has provided steady and efficient scoring (with an impressive true shooting percentage of 57.1 percent), a necessity when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson cannot be relied upon to consistently put up points.

Although Harris is not noted for his defensive prowess, his combination of size, strength, and athleticism provide yet another versatile defender for the Pistons.

This is essential in the modern NBA, where the increasing importance of the three-point shot demands that defenders switch on screens while still being able to guard the player they have switched onto, necessitating the ability to guard multiple positions.

The fear that many had with the swap of Ersan Ilyasova for Harris at the trade deadline was whether he would be able to space the floor effectively enough for Drummond to do work down low. Harris has shown a noticeable increase in three point percentage from 31.1 percent with the Magic earlier this season to 36.2 percent with the Pistons, going from well below average to slightly above average in his three-point shoot-

sports

Sitting down with Coach Mignot Cleveland forward LeBron James blocks a shot by Detroit forward Tobias Harris during the third quarter on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mackenzie Parrott ‘19 Reporter

Photo by Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal/TNS

ing and ensuring that spacing will not be an issue when he and Drummond share the floor.

The Pistons look like a team on the right track with an elite coach, a front office that has done nothing but impress, and a young nucleus of players with tremendous potential. The roster has been almost completely turned over since Van Gundy and his staff took over, with only CaldwellPope and Drummond re-

maining from before Van Gundy’s tenure. However, it is through this wheeling and dealing the Pistons’ roster has gone from a perennial lottery team to an eight seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Their opening series against the Cleveland Cavaliers is the first step on a long road towards returning this legendary franchise to its rightful place atop the NBA.

Mark Mignot is the Varsity Softball coach at LCN and has been coaching for 20 years. Mignot gave information about softball and his plans for this season.

Mignot started coaching because his dad coached, and he would watch his sister play ball when he was young. When he first came to the school, he coached boys’ track and freshmen football.

Varsity softball can be different from JV and freshmen. He explained, “Things are more intense, and our competition is at a higher level and we play more games.”

The players are student athletes and school always comes first. “. . .all of us softball coaches are willing to let you go to tutoring during practice, because your school work is more important,” he said.

When asked about his expectations, Mignot said, “It will take us a bit of time to get into our groove and I hope they improve. I hope that, by the end of the season, we are going for the MAC White title.

They need talent and skill, work ethics, and mental toughness.”

All athletes are expected to put in time and effort towards the sport they are playing, and this year’s softball teams definitely do. All three teams consist of strong players; even the freshmen are adjusting to the new environment. High school ball is very different than rec ball or travel because the coaches expect more.

“Our main goal is to improve and to win this season,” Mignot said about his varsity team.

sports

The North Star

April 29, 2016 | 11

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The North Star

12 | April 29, 2016

sports

Photo by John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS

Kickin’ it with varsity soccer coach, players

The Kansas City Royals’ Omar Infante (14) is forced out by Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler in the seventh inning on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Tigers won, 3-2. Infante is a former Tiger.

Ellie LaPorte ‘18

Entertainment editor

The soccer season is under way. Below is a Q & A with Coach Elmir Sabanovic and a handful of players on the varsity team.

New season, same problems?

Katherine Mullins ‘17

Sports editor

Will this be the Detroit Tigers’ comeback year? Or will it be a let-down like last season?

The season is just under way, but has fans hoping they will come out with that American League Central Division spot. The Tigers sure did disappoint a lot of fans last year. Many are hoping this season is not as painful and rough as the last.

The Tigers have some skilled players; it is just a matter of putting it all together and playing as a team. This off-season, the Tigers acquired some outstanding players. Some of these players include Mike Aviles, Justin Upton, and Jordan Zimmermann.

“This season I am, of course, excited to watch Miggy [Miguel Cabrera], but I am also excited to see this new Justin Upton. I have heard some great things about him,” said sophomore Sarah Hubbard.

Many are hoping this is Cabrera’s comeback year after a disappointing, injury-lingering season.

“I am excited to see Ian Kinsler play because he is a really good second baseman and has a solid bat,” junior Gabrielle Girard said, “He has a lot of range and is a great lead-off hitter.”

The long-awaited Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers was April 8. Former MVP and Triple Crown Winner Cabrera hit his first home run to help the team with a 4-0 victory over the New York Yankees. Zimmermann, the Tigers’ new pitcher, allowed only two hits in seven innings of work. Fans were not let down, to say the least.

Will the Tigers make it to the post-season? “I think they will do okay this season, but I don‘t think they will win the division,” Hubbard said.

The competition in the Central Division has surely increased in the past few years. The Kansas City Royals have been making drastic and necessary changes to better their team.

The Royals won the Central Division last year and hope to keep the title this year. They have produced a pretty stacked-up team. The Tigers

have created a well-stacked team, too, and can compete with the Royals.

“I have a lot of faith in the Tigers. They are a good team with some good players. I would say they are one of the better teams in the league. Of course the Royals are great, but I think the Tigers are equally as talented,” Girard said with a positive attitude.

There has been a reoccurring problem that many were hoping they would fix: the bullpen. The bullpen has been the primary issue, because the Tigers never seem to have good, reliable relief pitchers.

“Yes, last year I do think the bullpen lost us a handful of games,” Hubbard said.

Unfortunately, last year, closer Joe Nathan was injured and did not perform as expected.

This past off-season, the Tigers acquired some pitchers who they hope will do well and perform outstanding from the bullpen. Some of the new faces in the bullpen are Justin Wilson, Mark Lowe, Alex Wilson, and Kyle Ryan.

“We have good starters and relief pitchers but not really good closers. That has been the problem for the last couple years. I mean, how many games have there been when the starter had a clean game going, but then the closer came in and up a ton of runs?” Girard said.

The Tigers always have some good, solid power in their batting line-up. Al Avila, the general manager, is hoping that Cabrera and Victor Martinez will perform better than last season and provide power to get the ball out of the field.

“I mean, Miggy won the Triple Crown. I think he is the best hitter in baseball today.

We are very lucky to have him on our team.

I think we will have him for the rest of his career. This is his team,” Hubbard said.

Although there is a long season ahead, fans are hoping for at least a strong, solid season defensively and offensively for all the players.

It is truly unfortunate when some of the best players can’t seem to stay healthy. Hopefully, all will go in the Tigers’ favor this year, and they will be able to show how great of a team they are and how wonderful the city of Detroit is.

How does the team look this year?

“We have a competitive squad that is proving and improving each day. We have created a sense of a family environment where we work hard for one another. The combination of our team chemistry, hard work, and skills set is showing great growth each day that will help us be very competitive,” Sabanovic said.

How was the first game of the season, considering the team only had two practices?

“Our first couple of games showed a positive transition from training to games. We’re starting to show our technical ability and tactical understanding of our system. Most importantly, we’re working very hard for each other so it’s very pleasing to see immediate growth of the team,” Sabanovic said.

The team last year won the MAC title. What do you think the team has to do this year to defend the title?

“We have to take things one day at a time and not get ahead of ourselves because of what we did last year, never underestimate, and always respect our opponent. We have to create a game-like competitive practice environment so we can transition smoothly from practice to games,” Sabanovic said.

What is the daily routine of a member of the LCN soccer team?

“When we get to practice, we try to get started quickly to make the most of our time. Every day, we do something a little different so that it will benefit us for our upcoming game,” Mya Oleksiak ’17 said.

What will you miss most about high school soccer?

“I will miss my team the most. It’s like a family,” Natasha Webb ’16 said.

“I will miss the environment and the family feeling that I had with the team,” Tara Roodbeen ’16 said.

“I will miss the friendships that I formed,” Kayla Roodbeen ’16 said.

How is the relationship between the team members?

“It’s pretty good. We all tend to get along very well. Although we have a lot of new girls on the team, we all act like a family,” Olivia Hoggard ’17 said.

How does it feel to be one of the sophomores on varsity?

Do you enjoy the team?

Jenna Kohn ’18 said, “I like being one of the sophomores on varsity because it gives me the opportunity to look up to my teammates. All the seniors and juniors are very helpful on the Varsity Soccer Team, and are always there when I need support because they have previous experience. We have a lot of leadership on our team both on and off the soccer field, so I am always guided in the right direction. Being one of the youngest on the team is also exciting because I get to improve my soccer skills by playing with older and more aggressive girls.”

sports

The North Star

April 29, 2016 | 13

Heading for the Promised Land: states Chris Breckenridge ‘16 Reporter

Note: This is a first-person account of senior Chris Breckenridge’s high school track experience.

My freshmen year of track went really well. I won Rookie of the Year, got my varsity letter, and won second place in the 800-meter dash in the MAC Blue Division meet.

We had a really good team that 2013 season. Our two-mile relay ended up being ranked third in the regional conference. Anchor Bay and Troy were the top two seeds ahead of us. Our relay team consisted of two seniors, Darryle Johnson and Trevor Kerr, sophomore Ryan Philbeck, and me. I had to prove to myself week after week that I could compete with the older guys, not only on our team, but against everyone else, too. Deep down, I knew I could.

We always scored within the top three in the invitational meets. But we had a bigger shot in mind to try and reach: the state meet. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we showed why we were one of the best and fastest in our region.

Running into problems Leading up to the big meet, Regionals, Coach Pat Sarver ended up finding out about us skipping practice, and said we were slacking in our workouts, and he decided not to run our relay at Regionals because he felt like we truly didn’t even deserve a shot to compete for the state meet.

Coach Sharon Hicks begged him to let us run the meet. She believed we worked really hard all season to be ranked the third seed. Sarver agreed, and we ran the two-mile relay, and put up an incredible fight.

We were tied for third with Dakota and behind Troy with about two seconds. We knew we just had to keep the race close and make our key moves slowly and quickly. Kerr was the fastest anchor in the race, and we knew once we got him the baton and into the race, we would be on our way.

The race started off in our favor, and we took an early first place lead during the first lap. Johnson raced out of his mind and didn’t let us down. It really pumped us up. The second leg wasn’t so good. Anchor Bay and Troy jumped into first and second place and passed us up, putting Philbeck at fourth place.

I was anxious to get into the race and try and move us up. I took off flying around the first lap to try and catch as many bodies as possible. I went out way too fast just to catch us up. By the time I was done and handed off the baton to Kerr, we already had lost the opportunity to get to states. It hurt a lot, but at the same time I realized that if we hadn’t skipped workouts, we would’ve been in great shape and at our best to make it.

Sophomore slump Fast forward to sophomore year, my “M.V.P” year, I believed. I would carry the team to victory. Our relay would make states this time, and I would accomplish so much more than my freshman year.

I put in the work, and stayed dedicated. But everything took a huge turn around. I failed classes, got injured, and things with my family went downhill,

The Varsity Track Team is shown at practice on April 19.

Photo by Hailey Sirut ‘18

which ended up causing me to sit out the season. I let a lot of people down, including myself. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve felt in a long time, especially not being able to participate in something I love. But deep down, I knew it was for a reason. I just needed to focus on finishing up sophomore year.

When things seemed to clear up, my aunt asked if I wanted to rejoin the track team. It was hard to say “no,” but I knew I wasn’t prepared or in the best shape to compete and my mind wasn’t focused on the season any more.

“You didn’t let anyone down. You’re not doing this for nobody but yourself. Is it going to be difficult?

Sure, but anything in life worth having is going to be difficult. You can do this, Chris. I have all the faith in the world in you. You just got to dig deep and get it done. . .all done. I know not running this year hurts, but school is far more important,” my aunt, Carlenda Goslin, said.

Coach Hicks said, “I don’t care about some stupid track season. I mean, I care, but you know what I mean. Graduating is far more important. I’m not going to lie. You did let the team down, especially not communicating with me. But it’s okay. I care about you first as a student before an athlete. Just focus on school, and come back better. I know I’ve got you coming back next year. Keep your head up, Chris.”

Bigger, faster, stronger Running, lifting weights, doing everything I could to get in shape and return stronger: I wanted to make an impact and dominate like I once did as I entered my junior year. My junior season was a little rough.

I wasn’t as good as I was freshman year, and I wasn’t hitting the times I had hoped. Not running sophomore year really made a difference. Everyone got bigger, faster, and stronger, and it was hard competing at times.

From being dropped out of the relay, dropped out of running some events, I lost confidence. There were times I wanted to quit and walk away from practice, because I felt like I wasn’t good enough and I struggled, as well. But I didn’t quit. I slowly got better and better as time passed.

All the blood, sweat, and tears weren’t for nothing. I eventually became a beast again - not the way I wanted to be, but good enough. I got all my varsity events back, and helped our track team win the MAC

Blue Division meet and become champions. Our relay was ranked third again in the two mile, just like my freshman year. Philbeck came back as a senior this time, and me, my little brother Keith Brown, and Jake Wismont destroyed teams weekly. I already had the experience and motivation to carry this relay back to regionals and to states this time.

On the day of the Regional meet, Coach Sarver told us he personally believed we had a strong shot; we just had to beat Utica for third place. Coach told us (personally me) to be tough and get to states. I had butterflies in my stomach, but I was determined to help get to the State meet. We put up a tough fight against Utica, and it was neck-and-neck the whole time between all four runners, but we fell short once again. We ended up running our best times all season and our best time total as a relay. It was a dog fight, we just got out-run.

It hurt more this time, considering I believed we were better than my team two years previously, also because I worked so hard throughout the year to help our team. When I realized we weren’t going to states, I cried my eyes out, and my brother told me we’ll get it next year. Right there, I made my mind up that senior year, we wouldn’t be beaten.

The Promised Land It is now senior year, my last season. We have another shot at states, and it’s looking pretty open for us. We just have to handle a couple of schools first and prove why we’re one of the best, if not the best.

Coach Sarver said, “We have a really good shot at States this year, ya’ll. Not only that, but we have a chance at the school record. I’m tired of seeing all these old records from decades ago. We have to rewrite history. You guys are the hardest working group I’ve had in years, and it will pay off. You just have to work a little harder and literally out work everyone.”

“If we can break the school record, let’s do it. But if we break the record, we might as well try and win the region instead of taking second because our time will be untouchable,” Brown said.

We have some work to do this season, but I’m very confident in myself and in my coaches and teammates. Let’s see how things turn out these next six weeks. Road to the Promised Land, my third and last shot. I believe we’ll be successful. It won’t be easy; it won’t be a given, but nothing in life is a given.

The North Star

14 | April 29, 2016

opinions

Tanning: risks and rewards Football players, parents Delaney Nichols ‘18 Photographer

CONS Cancer risk Several researchers found that tanning in a tanning bed further increases the risk of getting cancer. This includes squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and also eye cancer. Although, eye cancer is only a risk if one fails to wear eye protection.

Premature aging Early aging and wrinkling may be caused by the UV exposure that tanning beds give off. Also, tanning can cause other eye problems, such as cataracts and photoconjunctivitis. All in all, tanning makes one more susceptible to becoming ill.

Sunburn Most likely, people with fragile and sensitive skin will get slightly or horrendously burned in a tanning bed.

There is also the possibility of getting an allergic reaction from the UV radiation. This may include red and itchy skin. Lastly, people with a darker skin tone can also burn and experience allergic reactions.

Sources: Livestrong.com and Modernmom.com

Graphic from Renee Kwok/South Florida Sun Sentinel/MCT

PROS Even tan on-demand The majority of the people that go tanning go not only for the relaxing tan session, but also for an even tan that one can immediately obtain. With the help of a tanning salon, one can go tanning despite where they live or the type of weather. This means that if one wants a nice looking tan for a party, she can achieve this by going to a tanning salon. Getting an even tan is not always possible when one is tanning outside.

This is due to the different times of the day and a variety of weather.

Treating psoriasis Several people that were diagnosed with psoriasis (a skin issue resulting in raised red plaque covered with white scales) use tanning beds as a last resort when they do not have access to light therapy. This may be due to monetary issues, or they just do not have any way of getting it.

The sunshine vitamin Vitamin D helps maintain the correct amount of calcium and phosphorus in one’s body. Without being exposed to Vitamin D, bones are bound to become brittle and thin. So, exposing a body to sunlight, either from a tanning bed or natural sunlight, increases blood concentrates of Vitamin D.

should be concerned about hits to head Gerald Lathan ‘16

more about this disease, and they did an excellent job. This problem was recognized, taken seriously, and it paid off.

Austin Rowland ‘16 Reporter This issue has grown and is known to be a very serious topic, addressed in the Every sport has the risk of injury recent film “Concussion.” The results or harm to the body. The risks of a of CTE can lead to suicide, along with broken bone or a concussed brain are depression and dementia. Former NFL always up for grabs. Not all sports are player Adrian Robinson, Jr., was diagas dangerous as others, but one could nosed with CTE after he committed suiargue that football is the most extreme cide. The NFL and ex-players reached when it comes a deal though to the problem a lawsuit that of concussions. calls for the Football is NFL to pay one of the few $765 million to sports that is fund medical known to cause exams, concusbrain disorders, sion-related along with compensation, other severe and medical injuries to the research for brain. retired NFL Concussions players and are a big issue their families. when it comes Research says to football. A that coaches are concussion is working hard caused by a to improve hard impact plays so that to the head. players do not People who use their heads suffer from Graphic from Seattle Times 2016/MCT directly, but concussions the fact is that the head is generally recover quickly. However, almost always in harm’s way. The NFL in some cases, symptoms can last for has also taken a stand regarding this a few days or weeks. The most comissue. The league continues to take mon cause of concussions is sports, steps to protect players, including rule including football. In the U.S., roughly changes, advanced sideline technology, 300,000 concussions are suffered by and expanded medical resources. Other athletes every year, according to the reports show that people are trying Sports Concussion Institute. A concusto get school leaders to recognize the sion is diagnosed when athletes experi- problem. They want to take a stand to ence symptoms after a hit to the head. help out young children before it is too In 2002, a rare disease was discovlate. ered in football legend Mike Webster’s We don’t think that parents look brain. This disease is known as CTE or into the risks of playing football before Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. signing their children up to play. Most CTE is found in people with a history children do so voluntarily, without of repetitive brain trauma, including knowing the risks. We do not think that symptomatic concussions, as well as football can be made safe. These are sub-concussive hits to the head that young children; therefore, their parents do not show symptoms. Researchers should review the risks. We would let at Boston University found that this a child play if he wanted to. We would disease is also found in many other just make sure we took all proper players, one being young as 17 years precautions beforehand and know what old. Ninety-six point five percent of we’re getting into. Many parents want deceased NFL players have been tested their child to be active anyway, but is positive for CTE. Boston University has putting your child’s health at risk really dedicated over $4 million to discover worth it?

Reporter

The North Star

opinions

Does Link Crew help freshmen?

Class of 2019 thinks so Kiley Force ‘19 Reporter

Photo by Susie Roggeman

Last summer, freshmen met their Link Leaders during orientation. They do small and large group activities before school begins.

Letter to the editor

Dear North Star Editor, The March issue of the newspaper was fantastic!

Out of all the previous issues, I enjoyed this edition the most. First of all, my favorite article was the one about Michigan colleges. I liked reading this one in particular because I know that I have to pick a college sooner or later. This is a super tough decision, and I have to think long and hard before I make the final call. The article really helped me understand some of the colleges I’m choosing from, and gave me a better perspective on where I want to go when I graduate.

Overall, I believe that The North Star newspaper is very beneficial!

Sincerely, MacKenzie Canada ‘19

Does Link Crew really help the freshman class? I have heard some split opinions about Link Crew from this year’s freshmen.

Some say it is an easy way to get inducted into the school without as much stress; on the other hand, some say that the Link Crew really serves no purpose.

I think the Link Crew is a helpful, mostly stress-free way to get used to being in a new school. It can be nerve-wracking for some people, even terrifying, and part of the reason it can be so scary is because of the upperclassmen.

At first, some freshmen might be afraid or nervous to be around older students, so the fact that Link Crew is operated mostly by seniors and juniors can help to get rid of some of the general fear that freshmen may have of the upperclassmen.

Link Crew also assists in navigating the school. On the first day freshmen meet with their Link Crew leaders, they get a tour of the school, which is very helpful in addition to the map available from the Counseling Office. Link Crew leaders also answer any questions that freshmen may have about where specific classes are located, or who the teacher is.

Another element of high

school that Link Crew helps with is the social part. On the first day meeting with Link Crew leaders, freshmen also meet peers! Not knowing anyone in class can be stressful. Although most people already know other students from their middle school, there are some new students coming from private schools or transferring from other districts.

On the contrary, a few freshmen believe that Link Crew is not a helpful resource. Some freshmen said that their Link Crew leaders never replied to their messages when they needed assistance.

Link Crew can easily change these issues. To be more helpful, they can personally supply maps of the school, rather than freshmen going to the Counseling Office to get the maps themselves.

Link Crew can also offer a point during meetings where the leaders can go through students’ schedules and they can plot out on a map of the school where exactly that room is located.

In conclusion, I believe Link Crew is a very useful resource given to freshmen to help them get used to their new school, meet new people, and overcome the fear and intimidating feelings towards upperclassmen.

Contacting the North Star:

Facebook.com/LCNNewspaper

@

Search: Search: @LCNNewspaper @LCNNewspaper

April 29, 2016 | 15

N RTH STAR L’Anse Creuse H.S. - North 23700 21 Mile Road Macomb, MI 48042 (586)493-5270 The staff of The North Star are members of Quill and Scroll Society, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association.

• • • Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . Laurel Neitling Cover Editor. . . . . . . . . . . Dennis Keena News/Feature Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abigail Isei Entertainment Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellie LaPorte Reviews Editor. . . . . . . . . Rachel Kircus Focus Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . Chloe Acker Sports Editor . . . . . . Katherine Mullins Sports Editor . . . . . . . Shyanne Symons Opinions Editor . . . . Shayna Schroeder Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . Lauren Bergeski Copy Editor. . . . . . .Connor McCormick Photo Editor. . . . . . . . . . . Erin Antosiek Online Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Evan Rinaldi Business Manager . . . . . . Jimmy Tocco Photographers . . . . . . . Gina Hofbauer, Delaney Nichols, Hailey Sirut, Morgan Sputa Reporters. . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Breckenridge, Tori Conklin, Kiley Force, Riley Garrett, Gerald Lathan, Tyler Lieb, Emmanuel Moses, Mackenzie Parrott, Brendan Raich, Austin Rowland Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Kozian

• • •

Search: @LCNNewspaper

Email us at: northstar.np@gmail.com

Find The North Star’s website: www.lcnnewspaper.com

The staff of the North Star accepts letters to the editor with feedback on how we express our opinion in this paper. All letters must be signed. The staff also accepts future ideas in room 213 or Ms. Kozian’s mailbox in the main office. The viewpoints expressed in The North Star are those of the editorial newspaper staff, but do not necessarily reflect those of the administration and faculty of LCN. Visit Ms. Kozian’s web page, www.lc-ps. org/Schools/LCHSNorth, for editorial policies and procedures.

16 |April 29, 2016

snapshot

The North Star

RIDE ALONG: Journalist spends a day with DFD Gina Hofbauer ‘19 Photographer

M

ost people would dread the idea of waking up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning, but that’s exactly what I did on Saturday, March 26. I left my house around 6:15 a.m. and arrived at one of the many Detroit fire houses to participate in a ride along.

The house I went to, Engine 27 and Ladder 8, held a hazardous materials (hazmat) group along with chief 1 of the firefighters, There are 11 chiefs working per day.

When I first arrived, everything was all business.

The new chief makes calls to be sure each truck will at least have four firefighters, including a driver. He also has to collect “run sheets” from every firehouse.

The run sheets tell the chief who is working at the firehouse on a given day. There is more paper work to complete, but it’s slightly boring, so I won’t dwell too much on it.

By the time they finish all the work, it’s usually about 10:30. The first meal usually occurs around noon. Firefighters kill time by cleaning their trucks, cleaning the house or hanging out in their rooms. Most firefighters share a room except for the chief, the captain and whoever is on cot watch.

The person on cot watch has to stay in a certain room and waits to respond to any runs.

When they do have a run, their radio and phone alerts them, followed by the printer printing out the details. The

person on watch presses a button that sends an alarm throughout the house. One ring is for the fire truck, two is for the engine and three is for both.

Firefighters have to be ready for change. They are often detailed to another house to serve in a different job. For instance, they could be a captain but may get detailed to be a chief, which is a rank above captain. They could also go to a house where they know no one and must be ready to give orders at fires.

Bomb threat Firefighters quickly learn that anything is possible, especially in Detroit. As I was preparing to leave the house, a run sheet was printed, Finally! I figured that it was a fire because, well, that’s their job: to stop fires. However, I was in for quite a surprise.

Nearby is a DTE Energy building and reports were made that a suspicious white male, dressed in camouflage, had dropped a suspiciouslooking package into the garbage can right outside of DTE. It was a bomb threat. I was in for quite a shock that, in a minute, the hazmat team and the chief were gone and on their way. It was intense for everyone - the chief had only had a handful of bomb threats during 30 years on the job. A SWAT team was brought in to check it out. Believe it or not, police scanners are not hard to obtain, so they don’t want to talk about a bomb threat on the radio when they don’t know who could be lis-

tening. They have to call each other personally to discuss information.

While many firefighters were dodging reporters and keeping people away from the scene, SWAT team members claimed everything was safe. With a breath of relief, the firefighters returned to their quarters.

restaurant-quality.

The first meal, which is lunch, included chicken salad, chips and guacamole, two large pizzas and an even larger Italian sub. They all have to work together when preparing meals; every person has a job. Firefighters even go by rank when serving food, high-

A 24-hour family Throughout my day, I spent lots of time at Engine 27 and Ladder 8 Company. It doesn’t take long to realize that the boys (and a few girls) working here have a really close bond. They are a 24-hour family, some would say. Meals are a big deal at firehouses; after working so hard, they truly do get hungry.

The kitchens are probably double the size of a regular kitchen and all the appliances are

Photo by Gina Hofbauer ‘19

est to lowest.

Dinner included a roast, cooked vegetables, more salad, potatoes and gravy, and sausage.

It’s easy to say that these boys know how to cook! Maybe that’s a requirement for them, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Everyone there was surprisingly really cool

with me being there, not that I thought they wouldn’t be. No friends or family can visit every day, and they can’t constantly bust out to drive their kids to school or leave if they feel sick.

Nine days a month, all they have is the people in their house.

A journalism student obtained permission for a “ride along” with the Detroit Fire Department’s Engine 27, Ladder 8 Company. They investigated a bomb threat that day. This house fire happened on a different day.

Photo by the Detroit Fire Department