The North Star February issue

February 26, 2016 Volume XLI Issue IV

2016 is the year of you!

Learn to appreciate your unique gifts. Read about it on pages 10-11.

Photo by stockphotos.com

2016: THE YEAR OF YOU MEN’S FASHION TAKES LCN BY STORM

5

IS ONE DIRECTION OVER?

6

MARIANAS TRENCH S^4 DISCUSSES CONCERT IS REVIEWED VEGANISM

9

17

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

2 | February 26, 2016

The North Star

news

FAFSA tips: Seniors submit financial aid forms Samantha Buffa ‘16

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Seniors and their parents are currently working on FAFSA forms for the 2016-17 school year.

The results of FAFSA are used to decide student grants, work study, and loan amounts for college students. The Federal Aid deadline is June 30, 2016.

It determines the amount of money a family is expected to contribute to the student’s tuition. According to Time Magazine, some schools and states (like Kentucky and North Carolina) award money on a first come-first serve basis.

Jason Hubbard, teacher for the SAT

Copy Editor

preparation class, said, “Get on it early, the sooner the better.”

Qualifying for a federally-sponsored loan requires filling out the FAFSA first.

Mistakes on the FAFSA can delay the processing of the application, and push it to the back of the line when it comes time to hand out awards. The applicant should not leave any blanks on fields that do not apply to them. It is important to always be sure to write an “o” instead. Luckily, the online version will alert the applicant if a field is left open.

Mariah Moorer ‘16 stated, “The FAFSA is a blessing. It takes some of the load off of my parents, and I’m glad I have access to it.”

Forbes Magazine says families can

use a student’s savings to help calculate the expected contribution formula, so the money will not continue to limit aid awards in the following years. For families with younger children, the easiest solution to avoiding higher college loan rates is to consistently save for college in parental accounts, instead of setting up an individual savings account for the child.

The FAFSA asks more than 100 questions, but if there are certain facts the applicant feels the financial aid officers should know, like high medical bills or a recent job loss, sending in a letter explaining the situation might result in more aid.

Wayne Cook, another teacher for

the SAT preparation class, said, “Do whatever you can to maximize opportunities. Don’t leave any money on the table.”

After the financial aid package is determined, there is still an opportunity to negotiate a better aid award with the college or university. Most financial aid packages include a mix of grants, lowinterest loans, and work study opportunities. Student Aid Application Services points out to be aware of how much is a gift and how much the recipient must pay back.

Filling out the FAFSA will pay off for college students and their families in the end.

ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, SCIENTISTS, AND REBELS.

Lawrence Technological University isn’t for just anyone. We want the future designers, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who will create the innovations of tomorrow.

Possible is everything.

The earning potential of Lawrence Tech grads is among the highest in America.

If you believe that everything is possible, and that possible is everything, we want you at LTU.

Shyanne Symons News Editor

Watch LTU students share their college experiences at ltu.edu/StudentStories.

Ready to apply now?

Visit ltu.edu/applyfree.

Southfield, Michigan 800.225.5588 admissions@ltu.edu www.ltu.edu Architecture and Design | Arts and Sciences Engineering | Management

news

The North Star

SAT 2016: What to expect Shyanne Symons ‘17

for 58 questions. The website approximates that in order to For the past year, the refulfill the time requirements vamped SAT has been one of with a successful completion, the most talked-about trends the test-taker is able to spend and the source of stress for 70 seconds on each question, a many high school students. valuable 21 seconds more than Due to the lack of familiarity the ACT estimates. many have with the SAT, stuLuckily for the worried students are storming into panic dents, there are many oppormode about how to go about tunities to practice the test and taking this standardized test. get to know the style.

After intense research and Rachel Rhoney ’17 is a prime comparisons, a compilation example of a student who of SAT expectations is here takes advantage of the help to help. offered. “I’m taking the SAT Photo of book cover According to College Board, prep class and I do tons of The English Department has the creator and writer of the practice through Khan Acadbeen using this SAT test SAT as well as the AP stanemy,” Rhoney said. preparation book to help the dardized tests, the SAT is a Natalie Tanzy ’17 is hoping juniors understand the new measurement of what one that going out of her way to test which they will take in learns in high school, and an work on her skills is enough April. evaluation of the test taker’s to get the top score. “I’ve went college-readiness. to SAT workshops that aren’t Jamie Gumbrecht, a CNN corresponoffered at the school, and I have been taking dent, went in-depth with the College Board practice tests and reading much more,” Tanzy president to understand why the change was said necessary. Gumbrecht claimed it was to help Nevertheless, there are still worries and students learn how to justify their answers, questions the students have concerning the rather than aim to eliminate the ones that are test. there for tricky purposes. It pretty much goes “I don’t understand how the scoring works against how students are taught to take tests. just yet, so it’s hard to have expectations about But no worries, the test is not as scary as it is what type of score is good and what’s not,” made out to be. It is composed of three tests: Rhoney said. a writing and language portion, reading, and Tanzy said, “My biggest concern is the a math section that is split between two parts, English portion, because it has never been my one permitting a calculator and the other strongest subject.” without. The SAT also offers the choice of parSandra Formanczyk, the math section SAT taking in an optional essay portion. The main prep teacher, has noticed the difference becomposite score is now out of 1600, rather tween prepping for the SAT and the ACT. “We than the 2400-point system used in past have noticed that geometry is less of a focus years. The points are determined through the for the SAT than it was for students taking math section and the reading and language the ACT,” Formanczyk said. “My biggest concombined. Now, students will no longer be cern for students taking the SAT is the lengthy penalized for answering incorrectly: The ques- reading involved in solving parts of the math tions a student gets wrong will simply not be portion of the exam.” totaled into their final composite score.

Kaplan Test Prep, a popular College Board Most high school students are more familiar partner, suggests that 2017 graduates take adwith the ACT test. For this reason, College vantage of the PSAT/NMSQT. Luckily for the Board provides a comparison between the two Crusaders, this assessment is very accessible tests so the taker is able to get a better underto them. They also offer tons of practice tests standing of the test’s nature. The tests have online, which is super convenient for busy a significant difference in size and time. The teens who are trying to squeeze in practice ACT contains a science portion which tacks on before the April 12 test. another 40 questions and 35 minutes, bringLike anything new, there are still many ing the total to 215 questions in two hours and things to fix and tweak. Keep in mind through 55 minutes (three hours and 45 minutes if the it all that the test can be retaken, and all of the essay is included). national test dates are listed on the College The SAT consists of 154 questions, which Board’s website. allows for a little bit of easy breathing when it More information about specific test dates comes to time management. The reading test and times will be forthcoming from staff and provides 65 minutes for 52 questions, the writ- administration soon. ing and language’s 44 questions are answered in 35 minutes, and the math takes 80 minutes Sports Editor

February 26, 2016 | 3

News Briefs Madison Wehby ‘16 Photographer

Tech Tank L’Anse Creuse High School- North is hosting a contest called Tech Tank. In order to win, a team must invent something using math, science, technology or engineering. Next, the project is submitted at a link called lcntechtank.blogspot. com by March 4, 2016. If the invention moves on to the second round, students will present the idea to a panel of judges in April. The winner will receive a three-day paid trip in May to Silicon Valley, California, to visit the directors of Google, Apple, Facebook and Twitter.

LCN & LC Dance Both L’Anse Creuse high schools are hosting a dance together in LCN’s gymnasium. The theme of this dance is “red carpet.” The dance will be taking place February 27, 2016, 7-10 p.m. In order to get in, students have to purchase a ticket; each ticket costs $15. There is no entry after 9 p.m. The dance is considered formal, so dress similarly to homecoming style.

Mr. Crusader Logan Palm ’16 was chosen to be L’Anse Creuse North’s Mr. Crusader on January 15. Palm said, “I was shocked when I won Mr. Crusader. Walking into high school as a freshman, I never thought I would eventually become Mr. Crusader.

It has been a great experience.” Eight others entered the contest; even though they did not win Mr. Crusader, they won other outstanding awards. These awards included most talented, best swim wear, most spirited, runner up and fan favorite.

Varsity Hockey The Varsity Hockey Team is having a phenomenal season, which is shown in their record of 18-1. The boys have learned to work together as a team, which clearly shows in their record. Assistant Captain Kyle Andrzejewski ’16 said, “This year we are playing more as a team. Our team isn’t worried about who scores or how many assists a player might have. We are just focused on winning and playing together as whole.”

Their next game will be tonight at 7 p.m. versus Warren Mott at the Mt. Clemens Ice Arena.

LCN’s hockey team lines up during the National Anthem at a game.

Photo by Lexie Felsner ‘16

The North Star

4 | February 26, 2016

features

Dual Enrollment vs Early College Dennis Keena ‘16 Cover Editor

Sixty-six percent of students who graduate from high school go right to college, according to The New York Times, However, LCN offers students the ability to go to college while still attending high school. These programs are offered through Macomb Community College at both Center and South campus locations.

Students have the choice of taking Early College or Dual Enrollment.

Dual Enrollment is when a high school student takes one to three college classes that LCPS pays for. Many students

choose to take this because it is less stressful than Early College and it allows them to take classes in subjects that they are interested in and not what has to be completed for a major.

“I’m taking English Composition and a biology course,” said Lexys Sullins, a junior who is a part of the dual enrollment program.

Dual Enrollment is open to any sophomore, junior or senior, but is more popular among seniors.

One benefit of the Dual Enrollment program is students get to leave school earlier than normal.

“I get to “Early entrance… leave after fourth hour, eleventh grade stuso I will be dents enter a colout by 11:30 every day,” lege program while said Sullins. they are still in high Students are given a school; Early exit… shortened students may comhigh school schedule to plete the program make room with an Associate’s for the time they spend Degree in three in college. If, years.” for example, a student takes one ment, the high school college class, he will have and Macomb Community one hour of his schedCollege offer the Early ule dropped during that College program. One semester. can only apply for this Along with Dual Enroll- program prior to elev-

Rocky. Whether it is the change from baggy to skinny jeans, or short coats to long, it’s definitely apparent that the school as a whole is more fashion conscious.

Student Blake Seder ’16 said, “I definitely prefer to wear skinny jeans because they are way more stylish. The only drawback is finding a perfect fitting pair.”

A trendy alternative to skinny jeans are joggers.

These are skinny pants

with an elastic waist and cuffs at the bottom of the pant legs.

Joggers are extremely hot right now and just about any store features a wide variety. Seder believes that joggers are the trendiest clothing piece at L’Anse Creuse North.

Seder stated, “Joggers for sure. Just about anywhere you look, you see a kid wearing them in the hallways.”

Whether you rock with them or not, joggers have

enth grade. According to Macomb’s Early College website (www.ecmacomb.org), the ECM provides the students with a start on their future by providing “Early entrance. . .eleventh grade students enter a college program while they are still in high school; Early exit. . .students may complete the program with an Associate’s Degree in three years; and Early success. . .students completing the program are poised to move ahead of a traditional schedule toward degrees.”

Senior Lindsey Klos is in the Early College program.

“I enjoy being in the

ECM because I only have two high school classes,” Klos said, “The rest of them are all college classes.”

Both Dual Enrollment and Early College tuition fees are covered by LCPS and are normally little to no cost to the student. LCN offers its dual enrollment and early college at Macomb Community College. For more information, visit www. ecmacomb.org or www. macomb.edu and search for “dual enrollment” or schedule a visit with a counselor to get a jump start on a college education.

Nathan Mansour ’16 stated, “I definitely prefer Adidas. They make cooler shoes and have better collaborations with other brands. They are also more original and comfortable.”

Men’s fashion at LCN, just like the world, is constantly under a state of change. New trends

that were once thought strange or weird have now infiltrated the mainstream. With the spring months coming soon, it should be interesting to see what new trends will be created and how long they last.

Men’s fashion makes a statement Antonio Mendez ‘16 Reporter

Men’s fashion has tremendously evolved throughout the years.

While walking through the hallways at L’Anse Creuse North, you may have noticed how men’s fashion has changed since the first time you have stepped into the school. Many of these new trends are inspired by famous rappers like Kanye West and A$AP Photo by Madison Wehby ‘16

Photo by Madison Wehby ‘16

solidified their place in men’s fashion.

For many years, Nike has been known to be the “top dog” when it comes to foot wear and sportswear, with Adidas being in second place. With the new releases of the Yeezy Boost series and Ultra Boost series, many people at L’Anse Creuse North have been buying into the hype.

Photo by Madison Wehby ‘16

Photo from www.prodirectruning.com

Adidas Ultra Boost shoes

Erik Rausch ‘16 rocks skinny jeans with Nike shoes.

Brad Koziara ‘16 poses with his North Face jacket on.

Jeff Sherman ‘16 wears his grey joggers.

Photo from www.adidas.com

The recently released Yeezy Boost

The North Star

features Bullies are able to hide behind a device in order to torment others.

February 26, 2016 | 5

“Annie” featured two casts

Photo by Denver Paver ‘16

Teens deal with cyber bullies Luke Zito ‘16 Reporter

A recent Twitter poll revealed almost half of students have been cyber bullied. This is a huge problem now-a-days. The internet gives people so many opportunities to hurt others. People can hide behind a computer screen to harass others. Why must people feel the need to bring others down? Anonymous students at L’Anse Creuse High School-North told their stories.

One student said, “Kids took screen shots of my text messages and put them on social media, and it made me feel like I was stupid and made me insecure.”

Another student said, “These kids called me ugly and fat; this made me depressed.” When asked how she made them stop, she said, “I told my sister, and she ended up being friends with them and got them to stop.”

Another student said, “My friends were all making fun of me on Twitter, and this made me sad and angry that my own friends would do this to me.”

Chris Stanley, associate principal, said, “We take cyber bullying very seriously. Although it is tough to monitor, everything we hear we report it.”

Some advice Stanley has for kids who have been cyber-bullied is: “know that there are people in our school for you to talk to, and no one should have to go through this alone.” Stanley continued, “This is an emotional issue and a big concern to know that kids go out of their way to make people miserable.”

Eileen Clark, one of the counselors here, said, “We have people on social media trying to monitor cyber bullying.”

Clark said the hardest part about dealing with cyber bullying is that, “we cannot control it, and it is hard to get through to kids.” Some advice she gives students is to schedule counseling sessions to talk about it.

Clark added, “Cyber bullying is the most common type of bullying I deal with. It is easiest for kids to hurt people online, and especially how easy it is to access social media.”

No one should have to worry about people bullying them online. The internet has made bullying a lot easier for kids to do. If you are cyber bullied, do not be afraid to ask for help.

Photo by Tom Nahas

LCN Drama Club’s musical, “Annie,” involved a double cast. One set of leads performed two shows and the other set performed two shows over the weekend of February 18-20.

Marisa Smith ‘16 Reporter

It’s

a hard-knock life for us!

The musical, “Annie”, written by Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan, is about a young orphan girl who lives in a depressing orphanage run by the despicable Miss Hannigan. Annie’s luck changes as she is able to spend a week with the wealthy Oliver Warbucks. Annie begins to change the hearts of many including Warbucks himself! The search is on as Warbucks decides to offer a reward for the identification of Annie’s real parents, but will Miss Hannigan’s despicable plans ruin the search?

This fun-filled musical was performed at L’Anse Creuse JAPAC, February 18-20 at 7 p.m. (A matinee was performed at 1 p.m. on February 20.) The musical was directed by Mitch Osadchuk, choir director, and Michael Kaufman, Pankow broadcast teacher, who decided to put a twist on this year’s musical with a double cast. A double cast meant that two different actors/actresses were assigned to the lead roles, and a different cast appeared on each of the show nights.

This is the first double cast used in several years for the LCN Drama Club, and raises the question of what it is like to be a part of a double cast.

Zach Craig ’17 played the very luxurious Mr. Warbucks. Craig thought that the double casting was a great idea because it provided another opportunity to showcase the school’s awesome talent. The double cast created new group of friends that are extremely supportive of each other’s roles. Logan Palm ‘16 played Warbucks on the opposite nights.

“Double casting allows us to have partners from our roles,” said Craig, “We are able to use this partnership and bounce off each other’s ideas.”

The double casting roles had a rewarding feeling for Craig, but they also came with hardships. “We have less rehearsal time between the two casts, but it’s not

too bad,” said Craig.

He enjoyed the great experience with the double cast, and felt like he has made some life-long friends and memories.

Another cast member, Libby Hunter ’16, was unsure of how well the double casting would go at first, but she believed it worked out wonderfully. Hunter played Grace Farrell, Mr. Warbucks’ secretary, in the musical.

“There is honestly no competition between the casts,” said Hunter. “We got together at the beginning to talk about it and we all intentionally avoid it.”

The lack of competition has really helped the cast become united as one. Hunter shared this role with Lauren Lewallen ’16. The actresses played the character as a very loving mother, but had some minor differences.

“We make our own character choices and end up with unique characters, while maintaining the integrity of who the character is,” said Hunter. She was excited to play her Friday show because she loves acting in the evening shows the most, she said.

The main character of the musical, “Annie”, was performed by Sarina Trombley ’18 and Ruth Sytsma ‘18. Trombley and Sytsma both agreed that double casting allowed them to help build the character of Annie.

“I am able to see how Ruth acts out the character, and get good ideas on what I can do to make the character Annie better,” said Trombley.

The girls agreed that the double cast has helped them create new friendships.

“I have met the kindest people,” said Sytsma, “I couldn’t have asked for better people to be around for three months.”

The girls were extremely excited to play their lead role of Annie for all their friends and family coming to the musical.

6 | February 26, 2016

The North Star

Powerball lottery jackpot

entertainment

What would you do with $1.6 billion?

Floyd Wickman ‘16 Reporter

Yes, it is a fact that your odds are greater to be struck by lightning than they are of winning the $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot. On January 13, the biggest lottery giveaway in the history of the United States was distributed among three lucky winners.

With taxes included, the $1.6 billion prize would come down to around $980 million split three ways, resulting in each winner receiving around $300 million in cash.

As everyone who was over the age of 18 scrambled to buy as many Powerball tickets as they could, gas stations and liquor stores were overwhelmed with customers. An estimated one billion tickets were sold for the big jackpot.

The very frequent question many asked one another was, “What would you do if you won the jackpot?”

Some say they would spend wisely and invest in stocks or buy property, but most said they would treat themselves to a nice car, many houses, and world travel.

When asked what he would do with the money, Jalen Jones ’16 said, “I would travel to Europe and go to as many soccer games as possible.”

Some would also use the money to spend on others.

Tyrone Miller ’16 said, “I would pay off all my friends’

college expenses and buy them all nice houses.”

Regardless of what people would do with the money, the power the winners possess after they receive $300 million from pure luck is unimaginable. From someone working a 9-5 job, making close to $50,000 a year, to accumulating $300 million because they chose six lucky numbers is unbelievable.

• The Powerball Jackpot had not seen a winner since November 4, 2015.

• The winning tickets were sold in Chino Hills, California; Munford, Tennessee; and in Melbourne Beach, Florida.

• The winning numbers were 08, 27, 34, 04 and 19, and the Powerball was 10.

• To win the grand prize, the ticket must match all five numbers (in any order) and the red Powerball number.

Photo by David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/MCT

An example of a Powerball lottery ticket is shown above.

• The odds of winning the record jackpot were one in 292 million.

Source: CNN.COM

Is One Direction going in different directions?

Kevin Rhoney ‘16 Reporter

Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne are all that is left of the famous British boy band One Direction. The band has already dealt with one of the members, Zayn Malik, leaving to pursue his solo career. It has been rumored in the entertainment industry that One Direction could possibly be over.

Some individuals from the band already have an idea of what they plan on doing if the band is permanently finished. Styles is going to pursue a career in acting, while Horan would still like to continue song writing and continue with his music career. The news has not been confirmed yet, so all there is left to do is light a candle and hope the source is full of lies.

Many people believe the rumor is false, and that the four best friends will remain together to produce more catchy radio hits.

Mike Torres ’18 said, “One Direction is never over; they are one of the best boy bands of the generation.”

Of course, many fans would like the group to stay together because of the music they produce, but oth-

ers would like to see each of them go solo to see which one has the most success.

Lauren Rhoney ’19 said, “I’m against it, and they make great music and should stay together.”

Many believe the band is over because of what Malik did. He abandoned the band to pursue his solo career, and some fans are saying One Direction needs him and does not sound the same.

Megan Alwardt ’16 said, “In fact, One Direction is stronger than ever. Their latest album was released a couple of months ago, and they’re doing great without him.”

Horan tweeted on August 24, 2015 (@NiallOfficial), “Ok, so lots of rumors going around. We are not splitting up, but we will be taking a well-earned break at some point next year.”

That year is here and fans are hoping that these rumors about the break up are possibly just the long break they have planned. But, fans should be seeing a break this year, so the group can gather their thoughts, and hopefully return to produce more amazing music.

Photo from Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/TNS

The One Direction boys perform in August at Soldier Field, Chicago, without fifth member Zayn Malik.

The North Star

entertainment

February 26, 2016 | 7

Humans of LCN Riley Janssen ‘16 Reporter

Photos by Riley Janssen ‘16

Rosa Hough, social studies teacher

Bailey Hanson ‘16

Qua’Nisha Clemons ‘18

Eric Shekoski ‘16

“I am passionate about my job. I love what I do. I am passionate about my friends and family. I always want to make sure everyone is happy. I love my friends and family. And I’m just passionate about making sure I am living my life to the fullest.”

“I love making people happy. I feel like when other people are happy, I am happy. It’s nice seeing other people smile. It goes with the gratitude thing.

People say if you show other people you’re thankful for them, it makes you happy. You find inner happiness when other people are happy.”

“I am really passionate about graduating and my school work. I really want to become a lawyer. I really want to attend Oakland and plan on going to law school after that.”

“Depending on the subject, I am very passionate in books, reading, my views, my family and friends. I would do anything for the people I love. I will always be there to help people. If I am doing something, and I think that your situation is more important or you need immediate help, I will definitely put my stuff aside to help you. You can ask all my friends, I get very passionate about things I like. I can kind of be a little strong-headed that way, but I’m very strict in what I believe in: my TV shows, books, music. I’m usually that person to go to my friends and say ‘oh my goodness, you need to know about this.’ I could go on and on for hours.

It probably gets annoying, and I need people to tell me to calm down. I’m just very passionate about the things I love.”

Thank you, David Bowie The legacy of a pop-rock icon Denver Paver ‘16 Reporter

Ground control to Major Tom: The stars look very different without you, David Bowie. Earlier this January, just two days after the release of his newest album “Black Star”, the iconic poprock star David Bowie passed from an 18-month battle with cancer that he seemingly hid from the world. He was 69 years old. The impact he left on the music industry, however, will be eternalized for generations to follow.

It is no doubt Bowie, born David Robert Jones, was one of the most iconic musical artists the world has seen with his ever changing music style, iconic wardrobe, and inspiring uniqueness. Some of his most famous

works include: “Space Oddity,” “Under Pressure,” and “Changes.” Bowie dared to be different, and he was not afraid to venture into new realms of music. Time Magazine called Bowie “one of the most celebrated musicians of modern time and for many years a figure head of pop’s avant-garde.” Bowie inspired and will continue to inspire with his songs.

Bowie’s music has had a touching impact on an untold number of musicians and artists, including hip-hop artists Kanye West and Miguel. On a more local scale, Bowie’s work has inspired the people of LCN. Bassist and LCN senior Jesse Herman was profoundly touched

by Bowie and his masterpieces.

Herman said, “David Bowie’s music

was meaningful because he showed that it’s okay to change your style constantly.

It’s okay to reinvent yourself; his loss to the music industry is tragic.”

Kitty Reifert, AP Literature teacher, was also touched by the works of David Bowie.

“David Bowie brought an innovative style to the rock community and wasn’t afraid to take chances. He reinvented himself through his pure genius,” she said.

As David Bowie ascends the final steps to eternity, the reverberations he created while alive have created ripples that will not only be heard, but felt, for years to come. Thank you, David Bowie.

Photo from Flickr

David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane” album cover

There’s a class for that?

Photo from Shutterstock.com

Miya Leykauf ‘16 Reviews Editor

The Culture Through Film class is new to LCN this year, and I was lucky enough to be a part of the first semester ever. Last year, when I first found out about the class, I was excited to just watch movies all of the time, but I soon found out it involves much more than that.

Movies obviously play a huge role; however, Caroline Nagle, language teacher, takes time to focus in on certain cultural aspects within the movies. Not only did we talk about historical events like World War II, but also we discussed current events like the European migrant crisis.

This allowed me to stay informed on topics that I normally would not pay attention to. Whenever we watched a movie, it seemed as if something

that related to that topic was currently happening. I’m not sure if this was just luck, or if Nagle could see the future.

All of the movies we watched were foreign films, so English subtitles were necessary; therefore, in order to really understand the movie, I had to be constantly focused on what was happening.

It was clear after watching the first movie that foreign films are nothing like “Hollywood movies.”

We are so used to watching movies that contain the same type of content (filming styles, music, plots, etc.), but foreign

Rating Scale

films are so different.

These films lack the typical “Hollywood” film characteristics, such as background music, plots, and a happy ending.

Since this class is a hybrid, meaning it is half online and half in class, there were times when we were required to watch a movie for homework. These movies were available on Netflix, and since everyone in the class had an account, there was no point in watching them all together. After watching the movies at home, we would come back to class and discuss certain parts of the movie.

Copy Editor

Disliked it

It was okay

Liked it

Loved it

This allowed us to hear everyone else’s opinion on the movie. It’s almost like a book club, but for movies. Then again, there is also an actual school aspect to the class.

Small quizzes are given, but nothing that requires hours of studying. At the end of the course, the final involves making your own film using the information learned in class.

In the end, we watched seven incredible movies, varying from German to Spanish. While the films were all very different, they all had one thing in common: Each gave an insight into the country’s culture through film.

Not only did this class provide me with a better understanding of culture around the world, but also the importance of being educated about current events. I would definitely recommend taking this class!

Individual film reviews “Amelie” “Das Wunder von Bern” “Goodbye Lenin” “Instructions Not Included” “Life Is Beautiful” “Spirited Away” “The Class”

Minimalistic production impresses fans Lauren Bergeski ‘16

Hated it

reviews

The North Star

8 | February 26, 2016

The Hilberry Theatre’s spotlight shone on one man, holding his now dead wife. His screams echoed through the dark, and the sound of a gun cocking filled the air. As his heavy footsteps left the stage, whispers arose.

This was the moment I realized that Wayne State University’s drama department knew what they were doing.

A minimalistic production of “The Great Gatsby,” staged on January 8, sounded like my own personal hell. A book that focused on extravagance, being stripped down into a minimalistic play, sounded like a train wreck waiting to happen.

So, like any other person,

I had to stay to watch the tions, and gaudy maroon accident happen. Becarpet, they gained in grudgingly, I’ll admit, I phenomenal casting, and soon ate those words. eerily convincing heartThe play is based on broken screams. In fact, the literary classic The I now believe that if they Great Gatsby. Based in had used extravagant the 1920’s, it follows Nick sets, I would have hated Carraway, a writer who it. The minimalistic look moved across the country is what gave the play a to chase his dreams. Nick unique feeling, one that befriends the notorious focused more on the actmillionaire Jay Gatsby, ing itself, rather than on and is soon the shiny things.

Photo from Wikipedia.org thrown into The casting a world of directors deserve parties, love, their own award, and heartbecause there break. was not a fiber Wayne of my being that State’s prodidn’t hate Daisy duction of by the end. In “The Great fact, it took me a Gatsby” was good minute to an alarmrealize that the ing success. actress probably What they isn’t that disgusting in lacked in gold decorareal life.

The minor roles are what really sold me, though. The actor who played Wilson was amazing; his intensity made it feel like I had killed his wife myself. Meanwhile, I had a hard time believing that the actors who played the McKees weren’t actually plastered on stage.

The small theatre group surprised me, and changed my previouslyheld view that minimalist plays were as entertaining as my statistics homework.

The North Star

reviews

February 26, 2016 | 9

Double Treble: Music Reviews Marianas Trench concert

show. With what seemed like a million lights and The Canadian pop-rock amazing visual effects behind them, it was easy group Marianas Trench rocked-out The Fillmore to become completely in downtown Detroit on engrossed with what February 12, 2015. Even was happening on stage.

From the moment of the with Detroit being the first strum of the guitar, second-to-last stop on they had the audience in their “Hey You Guys” the palm of their hands. tour, the band’s energy Marianas Trench was high as they peropened the concert with formed to their fullest. their seven-minute long This was my fifth time seeing Marianas Trench album opener “Astoria.”

The concept for Trench’s perform live, and they new album “Astoria” never fail to amaze me.

With the release of their was to create the feel of a movie. “Astoria” gets new album “Astoria,” its name from the town they took the stage in 46 cities with a new and in which the movie “The refreshed confidence. Goonies” takes place. The album artwork is very “Astoria” has been met with an astonishing similar to the original “The Goonies” posters, reaction from Trench’s and because the movie loyal fans; they have spread the album around took place in the ‘80s, the like wildfire. The rapidly whole tour is also ‘80sgrowing fan base has Photo from: Genius.com allowed Trench to play larger venues and put on more elaborate shows.

Even though The Fillmore is a small, intimate venue, Marianas Trench put on a stadium-quality Savannah Baurhenn ‘16

Photo by Savannah Baurhenn ‘16

Photographer

themed.

Along with creating a feel of going on an epic journey, Trench also dressed in ‘80s attire for the full duration of the tour. They also asked that fans dressed in ‘80s attire, which really added to the feel of the concert.

Trench played mostly the new singles from “Astoria,” like “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” “This

RiRi’s “Anti” CD for nothing to get it. In “Needed Me,” the pop artist sings about girl Rihanna is back! After empowerment. Fans almost four years since are raging about the the release of her last song because it is so album, “Unapologetic,” relatable to so many Rihanna just released people. her eighth The alstudio album, bum really “Anti,” and it shows off is a hit. how unique Two days Rihanna before the actually release of the is. It demalbum, she Photo from iTunes.com onstrates put out her her many single “Work,” talents, and shows that featuring Drake, as a surprise. The song quick- she is not afraid to try something she has ly rose to the top of the never done before. The charts. The full album album varies, from very was released January upbeat songs, to the 29, and its popularity very calm and slower skyrocketed.

This new album is very songs, such as “Higher” and “Desperado.” different from her other If you love Rihanna, albums. Past albums then you will love this have employed more album. The new style of a club/dance feel, is so different and but she took a risk and intriguing. The album made it an R&B album. was definitely worth Two of the most popular the wait. songs on the album are “Work” and “Needed Me.” The single “Work” is an upbeat song about her working to get her paycheck and stopping

Means War,” “One Love” and “Wildfire.” However, they also played some of their older fan favorites, such as “Cross My Heart,” “Fallout,” and “Stutter.” To finish the concert, they closed with “End of an Era,” which is the eight-minute long album closer.

Both “Astoria” and “End of an Era” are compilations of bits and pieces of the album all meshed into one song. It was a perfect way to end the epic ‘80s journey.

Overall, I enjoyed the concert. If you are ever looking to go to a concert that is larger than life, but is also close and intimate, I suggest seeing Marianas Trench. Trench provides a concert experience like no other.

Marissa Ficorelli ‘16 Features Editor

“13 Hours”: The striking true story Shelby Stanton ‘16 Sports Editor

The action-packed film “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” is one you do not want to miss out on.

It is based on a true story, directed and produced by Michael Bay. It stars John Krasinski as Jack, James Badge Dale as Rone, and Max Martini as Oz. This is a story set in Benghazi, Libya, which is one of the most violent, dangerous places in the world. On Septem-

Photo from Movies.yahoo.com

ber 11, 2012, there was an Islamic attack on the U.S. Consulate. Prior to the attack, there was warning of the violence that could erupt upon the embassies, but the U.S. ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens, decided to stay.

He ended up being killed that day.

Jack, Rone, and Oz, of the Annex Security Team, are called to action to save the lives of the Americans in danger.

While help may be on the way, the six soldiers

are left to defend the embassy and the Americans.

It is derived from the book 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi written by Mitchell Zuckoff in 2014.

The acting in the movie made it feel as if it was the real deal. Since this was a true story, the actors had huge shoes to

fill, and had to be able to represent the true emotions of each of the men. The actors did an impeccable job. The constant action held the attention of the audience throughout the movie using special effects, fitting background sound, and music.

Overall, the movie was amazing, and very informative. It demonstrated what is actually hap-

pening in this world. It makes the viewer appreciate those who risk their lives for our country and the brutal things they endure in doing so.

10 | February 26, 2016

The North Star

Don’t worry, be happy Toni Lahoud ‘16 Reporter

1. Someone loves you.

2. You have laughed until it hurt.

3. The world needs more happy people.

4. You should be happy because of puppies.

5. You are alive.

6. You are unique. There is no one on the planet quite like you.

7. You can choose to make a difference in someone else’s life, and brighten their day.

8. Someone smiled at you today.

9. You have goals and dreams.

10. Yesterday is gone, so you might as well be happy today.

11. You made a bad decision and lived.

12. Today could be the best day of

Sara Wills ‘16 Entertainment Editor

your life.

13. Someone secretly admires you and wants to be like you.

14. Being happy is better than being miserable.

15. You are someone’s entire world.

16. Afternoon naps are fun.

17. Someone believed in you when you needed it most.

18. There are like-minded people in the world who understand you.

19. Someone is thinking about you right now.

20. You’ve traveled somewhere and had a memorable experience.

21. You know what it feels like to be excited.

22. Someone is willing to listen to you right now.

23. Someone has looked twice at you before with admiration.

24. Concerts.

25. Being happy is contagious.

26. You can make a new friend today.

27. When you’re happy, you live a healthier life.

28. You have the opportunity to learn at any age.

29. You have the ability to dream.

30. You can travel to a place you have never been before.

31. You have so much left to experience.

32. You can try something new today.

33. You can make a difference.

34. Imperfections make you perfect.

35. Food is yummy.

36. More illnesses have cures today than ever before.

37. You are not alone in the world.

38. You can have almost everything you want if you put your mind to it.

Confidence is key

Confidence is something everyone strives for. It’s also something most high school students struggle with.

The teenage years are trying and stressful due to relationships, planning for the future, and worrying about others’ opinions.

However, confidence is incredibly important when maturing and becoming an adult. By forgetting these social standards set for high school students, confidence is much easier to obtain. But the question still remains “How do I gain confidence?”

“I just love myself a lot. I just enjoy life and make everything a good memory because life is not long enough to be caught up with insecurities. There’s never going to be a time when everyone likes you, so love the ones who do and forget the ones that don’t,” said Lauren Dempsey ’17 “Above all, remember you are capable and worthy — just as much as anyone else, regardless of what you’ve

achieved, regardless of what mistakes you’ve made,” said Lori Deschene, confidence blogger for tinybuddha. com. “Knowing that intellectually is the first step to believing it in your heart. Believing it is the key to living it.

And living it is the key to reaching your potential.”

Sheila Esshaki, English teacher, said, “I really believe people think of you as you think of yourself.

Everyone has something to be confident about. Although confidence could be a front someone puts up, confidence is really important. If we have confidence, other people will treat us with respect.”

Because confidence is the key, giving off the impression of confidence is better than nothing at all. A majority of LCN students would agree that pretending to have confidence is a more effective way to show people you believe in yourself and your abilities.

“Pretend to be a lot more confident than you actually are; eventually, you will get super used to it and people won’t be able to tell,” said Libby

Loving yourself and realizing how important you are is the best way to gain confidence and learn to respect and believe in yourself.

Hunter ’16.

“Fake it till you make it,” said Steven Schaefer ’16.

Having confidence not only allows us to be comfortable in our own skin but also helps us to gain respect or approval from others. Because everyone attempts to achieve confidence, seeing other confident people gives them an example to follow. Although some people feel the need to “fake” being confident, everyone deserves to feel confident just the way they are. Loving yourself and realizing how important you are is the best way to gain confidence and learn to respect and believe in yourself.

Foc

Be a

Fast food re taurants frozen m full of pr tives and sugars.

Cutmea ting sugary c and fatty foods out of your diet will make you feel more energized and u beat. All of that sugar s you down and mak feel sick an

Set a goal to lose five pounds t month, or to run a mile in six m Setting a goal will make you wo and gradually get to where you want to be. is a big becoming hea Working out make more physically fit and puts you in a better mood Go to the gym, go to a class, just move. to d that you ward to w daily stre anxiety. M time for yo will be rel Sources: www.shape.com, www.huffingtonpost.com

All photos by Dennis Keena ‘16

Justin Klebba ‘19

Ayana Fenn ‘19

cus

The North Star

Better You

Clutter in your life causes stress, Teenagers and all of that need about nine esstuff mentally to 11 hours of s and weighs you down. sleep per night to meals are Try to get rid of function properly. reservaunused items The right amount d unnatural and make a of sleep helps with . Homemade Waweight control als makes you place for evter keeps you erything. improves the certain everyhydrated and rinses immune thing is out unwanted toxins in system. fresh. your body. To stay healthy upand refreshed, drink eight slows to 10 glasses of water a kes you day (about 64 ounces). nd weak.

When you have a gym this partner, they will push you and minutes. make you want to do better. A partner ork harder will motivate you to do your best and will make you look forward to Just go Exercise going to the gym.

By: Chloe Acker outside and g part of ‘17 sit for a while. The althier.

Eatfresh air will lighten es you ing SupComyour mood and make you d even breakfast pleing feel better. Plus, the sun d. fuels you up ments up with supplies you with natufor the day to supply you something ral vitamins you need come. Normally, do every day with vitamins to stay healthy. people who eat needed to u look fordon’t eat breakfast stay healthy. will relieve are normally more Supplements ess and restless, tired and give you a more Making irritable natural glow, a ourself healthier look, laxing. and a stronger body.

12 ways to be a happier, healthier you

Kitty Reifert, English teacher

Elaina Stanislawski ‘18

February 26, 2016 | 11

The problem with complaining Shayna Schroeder ‘17 Opinions Editor

It’s in an adolescent’s nature to complain, but whether or not complaining is problematic is arguable.

“I complain about people complaining mostly, which is pretty counter-active, in all honesty,” said Neelee Vitale ’16. “When people complain, it makes them seem ungrateful, while others have it worse.

I need to do less of it because I have a lot to be grateful for.”

Vitale feels that when people complain, especially about materialistic things, it makes them seem petty.

Cristina Noe ’16 agreed with Vitale. She said, “Complaining brings a negative mood to a situation. No one likes that.”

Madelyn Cooper ’17 had a different point of view on complaining.

“Complaining about not getting what you want can be ungrateful, but complaining about being stressed or tired isn’t. Saying it is bad to complain [about a tough

situation] is like telling someone to suppress their emotions.”

Baylee Bowman ’17 feels the same as Cooper.

“I usually complain about being tired or if I have a headache or cramps,” Bowman admitted. “It depends on what people are complaining about... if it’s about being tired or something similar, then no, but if they are complaining about that could be easily fixed or about something [materialistic] then yes, it can be annoying.”

Bowman does not think complaining helps express her emotions, “Complaining just makes me more stressed, like if I’m complaining about school, talking about it will just stress me out more,” she said.

Autumn Devooght ’17 disagreed with Bowman. “If I don’t complain and express my feelings about something, I feel like I’ll implode,” Devooght said. “It’s not good for me to bottle up my feelings, and a way for me to not do that is to complain occasionally.”

Angela Cuffaro ‘16

Tori Conklin ’18 agreed with Devooght. “I feel like complaining is a way for you to say how you’re feeling,” Conklin said, “but too much can get annoying.”

PsychologyToday.com explains what ineffective complaining does to a person’s mental health: Complaining makes people feel helpless, hopeless, victimized, and bad about themselves.

These effects happen slowly over time; frustration builds up, causing a person’s mood to be impacted. Complaining can even affect a person’s self-esteem.

On the other side, complaining effectively can help a teen’s mental health, according to PsychologyToday.com.

When people complain to a loved one and receive positive support, it has an empowering effect.

The trick is to skip the whining, and instead attempt to take a positive action toward change.

It is okay to complain occasionally, just attempt to resolve the situation in a positive way.

Skylar Kerner ‘19

12 | February 26, 2015

The North Star

sports

Super Bowl 50 pleases Broncos fans Jimmy Tocco ‘16 Business manager

A near perfect game from the Denver Broncos defense might have sent quarterback Peyton Manning into retirement as a champion. Super Bowl 50 was held on February 6, 2016.

Led by linebacker Von Miller, the Denver defense was almost impenetrable. The Carolina Panthers were only able to muster up 118 yards rushing, and only 197 passing, their lowest totals of the season in each category. They harassed Panther’s all-pro quarterback Cam Newton all game, giving Manning a Super Bowl victory in his two hundredth game as an NFL starter.

Denver’s dominance seemed to be relatively surprising to many LCN

still be sports a tad fans, esbitter pecially about Jake the PaMitrak triots ‘16. Miloss. trak has Rivemerged ers as one said, of the “Denschool’s ver’s biggest defense Carolina Photo by Google Images is really Panthers good, obviously. I don’t fans, and the game know who thought they shocked him.

“I am really surprised weren’t any good, but that Carolina played that they were clearly wrong! bad, but I am also really They made Tom Brady shocked that the Broncos look like trash. Nobody played that good. I knew makes Tom look bad. their defense was serious, But Carolina didn’t seem as good as they were but I didn’t think that they would hold us under cracked up to be, either.

The Patriots would have 150 rushing yards and done the same thing to only 10 points,” he said. them!”

Rance Rivers ‘16 was On the other hand, also appalled at the routBroncos fans seemed to ing of Carolina. Rivers, be ecstatic. Nick Petrucci a Patriots fan, seemed to

‘16 claims that he was “right about them all along,” and that “Denver has been this good all season.”

Jalen Jones ‘16 thinks that Petrucci should be the only Broncos fan able to brag. Jones elaborated on his claim by saying, “Nick Petrucci is the only person that should be able to brag about the Broncos, because he told me they would win it all in like week five or something. I thought that the Panthers were going to win, but I was obviously wrong.”

Super Bowl 50 recorded 112 million viewers this season, according to CBS Sports. This is the second-most viewed sporting event of all time, following Super Bowl XLIX in February 2015.

The final score was 24-10 in favor of Denver.

Super Bowl trivia 1. Which team has played in four Super Bowls but has never led at any point during the game?

2. Which player has won the Super Bowl MVP three times?

3. Which team was the first team to win five Super Bowls?

4. Which team won the first Super Bowl?

5. Which current NFL teams have never played in a Super Bowl?

Answers on bottom of page.

The Broncos’ C.J. Anderson celebrates after the win.

Photo by Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Photo by Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Corey Brown of the Carolina Panthers makes a catch against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter of Super Bowl 50.

Trivia answers: 1. Minnesota Vikings 2. Joe Montana 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 4. Green Bay Packers 5. Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cleveland Browns

sports

The North Star

February 26, 2015 | 13

LCN hockey gives thanks to supporters, fans Photo by Madison Wehby ‘16

The hockey team lines up for a picture at their tournament in Chelsea, Michigan.

Riley Janssen ‘16 Reporter

The seniors on the Varsity Hockey Team are giving it their all, since it is their last season of high school hockey.

Many of the boys have played since the age of 3 or 4. They have each grown immensely since the first day they put on skates. They boys would not be where they are today without the support of and influence from others.

Most athletes looks up to one special person or another. Many of the seniors look up to their family members for support and advice.

“I really look up to my dad. He has played hockey as a goalie since he was in college and I

admire how he pushes me to do my best,” said Goalie Charles Jawor ’16.

Some players look up to parents, while others look up to their coaches. Defenseman Matt Michelini ’16 said, “I’ve played hockey since I was 5, and I’ve always looked up to my coaches.

I really look up to [Coach Jon] Nader because he is a good coach and is very supportive.”

“I was most influenced by my brother who is also my coach. He has great hockey sense and corrects me if I am doing something wrong. He pushes me to work hard and it’s cool that he is on the bench with me every game,” said forward Justin Mazzetti ’16.

Professionals have a

big impact on any competitor. Defenseman Kyle Andrzejewski ’16 said, “I look up to [Former Red Wing] Nicklas Lidstrom.

I think he has really good technique and he is just a nice guy.”

Support is an important part of any hockey player’s career. “My biggest supporter would have to be my mom.

She is always at every game. She has been there since I started playing, and I couldn’t thank her enough for everything she has done,” said forward Jacob Hendee ’16.

Forward Erik Raush ’16 said, “I love the support of the student section. I love when we have a big student section because you can tell everyone’s excited for

the game. They’re always rooting for us from the start until the last second.”

With the season coming to an end, the boys have mixed emotions. Forward Brenden Koziara ‘16 said, “It was a really fun season and I am sad it is coming to an end. It went by really fast and I know I’ll miss playing for the high school.”

Defenseman Brad Koziara ’16 said, “I played high school hockey all four years at North. It was a great season but it’s very bittersweet.”

After this season, the boys aren’t giving up just yet. Most of them are planning on playing college club hockey or in the USA Junior Hockey League. Defenseman

Alex Prusik ’16 has been in contact with a college coach and is thinking about playing for the team. “ If everything works out, I’m excited to further my career,” he said.

All of the seniors agreed they will conPhoto by Madison Wehby ‘16 tinue playing in some way Seniors Brenden Koziara and Kyle or another Andrzejewski warm up in preparathrough pick up tion for their game. leagues. The seniors have had a very successful season.

They would all like to thank everyone who has supported them this far in their careers.

Boys’ basketball continues to succeed Jake Mitchell ‘16 Reporter

The Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team has been on a roll lately, winning their last four league match-ups.

L’Anse Creuse North’s basketball team is in the MAC Red, the highest division in the Macomb Area Conference, and one of the most competitive in state. The league consists of L’Anse Creuse North, Dakota, Eisenhower, Warren Mott, Chippewa Valley, Romeo, and Cousino.

The varsity team’s record in the league improved to 4-1, when they won the last four games against Cousino, Romeo, Eisenhower, and Warren Mott.

The games have all been tight-scoring, but In each game the Crusaders have been able to win by more than five, holding out the game down the stretch.

Daniel Longo ’17 has come up big for Crusaders in a few MAC Red games with 28 points against Macomb Dakota and 24 points against Warren Cousino.

Photo by Denver Paver ‘16

The Varsity Basketball Team breaks it down before their game against Eisenhower.

“My shots have just been falling from everywhere lately, but I do not care about the points. The team getting the victory is what matters, and if I can help contribute in any way, I am happy,” Longo said.

The team’s overall record is 7-4 because of the tough out- of-league games they started the season with. The

team’s mission is to win the MAC Red and make a run in the playoffs. The Crusaders are setting themselves up in a good position if they continue to win league games.

Jay Seletsky and Steve Conger are the head coaches of the Varsity Basketball Team.

Coach Seletsky said, “These boys are so fun to be around and their competitive mindset is what helps us to go out every night and compete. There are no easy games in the league; every game in the MAC Red is a dog fight, and the game really comes down to one or two possessions. I stress to the boys every game that if they play hard, play smart, and play together they will be a hard team to beat.”

The Crusaders will be hosting the district playoffs here at LCN in the beginning of March. The team has a bye the first round and will play the winner of the contest between Port Huron Northern and Dakota.

The North Star

14 | February 26, 2016

Young team brings different skills Kevin Rhoney ‘16 Reporter

Photo by Denver Paver ‘16

Nysha Speed ‘18, Shelby Stanton ‘17, Mya Oleksiak ‘17, and Shyanne Symons ‘17 line up for a free throw against the Utica Chieftains.

With the season coming to an end, the girls’ Varsity Basketball Team has a record of 3-14. Their season is not going as planned as they have a losing record, but they have made tremendous improvements as the season continues.

The varsity team is very young, consisting of more underclassmen. Despite the age, the talent of the team is very strong, and each player brings a different skill set that helps the team to improve.

Varsity Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Bob Johnston said, “Our record is not very good, but there is daily improvement in the players.”

The team is going up against some strong talent in the MAC White Division, which makes winning more difficult.

Johnston said, “The team is making daily improvements despite losing close and hard-fought games in and out of the conference.”

Johnston added, “This team is more cohesive than last year’s. They enjoy working with each other and trying to make a play happen.”

Ski Club hits the slopes Hailee Hunt ‘16 Reporter

The cold rush to your face and the feeling of flying through the snow slopes with no worries about anything but making it to the bottom of the hill without falling: This is the intense rush of skiing.

“Being in the snow is the greatest feeling in the world,” said Melanie Pruitt ’16.

Being able to ski has been one of Pruitt’s favorite past times for the past four years, and she is ready to hit the slopes again for another great year.

Ski Club used to be something outdoor enthusiasts looked forward to, but since the advisor retired several years ago, the Ski Club hasn’t been active. Thanks to English teacher Wayne Cook, the club is meeting again.

Although Pruitt has been skiing for years, the

Floyd Wickman ‘16 Reporter

“Being in the snow is the greatest feeling in the world,” said Melanie Pruitt ’16. newly re-formed Ski Club also offers multi-level lessons for people who have always wanted to try skiing. The lessons come in four levels and skiers can earn different patches, through the lessons, to ride the more difficult hills when ready.

No equipment? No worries! Ski Club also allows skiers to rent the necessary equipment.

“This year will be my first year skiing, but I’m super-excited our school offers this program so I

have the opportunity to learn,” said Lexie Felsner ’16.

Around winter time, everyone gets excited to be able to hit the slopes but since this year hasn’t been the best for skiing considering there’s hardly any snow here in Chesterfield, the Ski Club drives for over an hour just to get to Mt. Holly or Pine Knob ski resorts.

These mountains have ski runs from the beginning level all the way to expert.

This club is a great experience and a great way to make a ton of new friends in all different grades. Ski Club will be meeting most Thursdays after school, weather permitting. Payment is available through PaySchools online.

If you are interested in signing up or have any questions, see Cook in room 220.

sports

Team work is a key to success for any basketball team. From a coaching perspective, saying that as a team they are more cohesive is a great compliment.

One of the three varsity captains, Mya Oleksiak ’17, said, “I think my biggest strength is I am good at assisting my teammates.”

Assisting a teammate means an athlete values her team more than her pride. Caring more about the team than herself is a huge strength to have in any sport because if an athlete plays selfishly, the team will not succeed.

Varsity co-captain Michala Manfredo ’16 said, “My biggest weakness is that I tend to panic more than I should; I feel like I automatically get rid of the ball instead of evaluating the situation.”

Basketball can be a nerve-racking sport to play. Being in clutch situations and turning the ball over on the court can make or break a game. The players have to be quick thinkers and make split-second decisions.

Even though the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team is not on the road that they were expecting to go on, do not lose faith in the team. They will continue to improve as the season rolls on.

NO

GREASE, JUST

LIGHTNING! SERIOUS DELIVERY!

TM

46526 GRATIOT AVE. ~ 586.949.2400 ©2014 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sports

The North Star

February 26, 2016 | 15

Now Hiring Looking for a fun place to work?

Then Kroger is looking for you. We offer flexible schedules and a fun work environment.

Apply today at Jobs.Kroger.com

Š2015 The Kroger Co.

The North Star

16 | February 26, 2016

opinions

CANDID CRUSADER

Dear Candid Crusader, Normally, I am the good child. I always get good grades and I’ve never acted out in school. I said normally because recently I was hanging out with my friends and I gave into peer pressure. They were drinking and eventually, I did too. I’ll take full responsibility, I knew what I was doing.

Does that make me a bad person?

Dear Candid Crusader, My girlfriend and I fight constantly about things that aren’t really necessary to fight about. We both get frustrated easily since it happens so often, especially over the phone. We both struggle to come to a conclusion on our fights and we also fail to admit our fault in the arguments. I care about her so much and I don’t want to lose her to meaningless problems like this.

What should I do?

L

et’s start off by saying that you are fine.

Nothing bad happened, in fact, it is something that happens all of the time. That being said, I cannot condone it or say that it is okay. What I can say is that everyone messes up sometimes.

You said that you are normally a good kid, which is partially why this is so hard. Getting in trouble is a foreign concept for you, so the thought of doing some-

thing wrong is driving you up a wall.

Long story short: no, this does not make you a bad person. In fact, what it makes you is human. Messing up and doing the wrong is how you learn what the right things are. Personal experiences are what shape you, so maybe this was a good experience after all!

To all of the parents reading this: I know it is not what you want to hear. You want to hear

that the child is bad and should tell their parents so that they can be punished, but that’s not being realistic.

Just remember to have a stronger back bone and say no. The next time that you see your friends, tell them that you do not want to drink, but that you felt like you had to.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, the others do not care. If your friends still don’t respect your choices, then are they

really worth it?

What happened happened. You cannot go back in time and take back what you did, and it’s not going to kill you.

I bet you will forget all about this in a few months, so just stop stressing. Chill out, because this is one less fall you have to take before planting your feet on the ground.

T

and she takes your text message as you are angry, which immediately puts her on the defense.

Because of this miscommunication, there tends to be much hostility between couples in person after an argument.

Fighting between couples is not necessarily bad because that means the pair is being honest and open about their feelings. It’s better to express your feelings than to keep them bottled up and waiting to explode.

However, the type of fighting that you’re explaining is unhealthy. If your relationship means as much to you as you said, petty fights should not be the thing to break

you two up. You need to work through the unimportant issues if you two really think your relationship is worth it.

Teenagers who are in relationships need to remember that they are still young and are still exploring their options. We are all still in the process of finding ourselves and for anyone to expect their partner to be exactly what they have always dreamed of is absurd. Nobody is perfect, regardless of their age.

If you two care for each other enough to continue to work on the relationship, you need to learn to accept the other, flaws and all.

At this point, it would

be in your best interest to sit down and talk face-toface with your girlfriend.

Nothing can be solved with virtual emotions, especially an argument.

She could be struggling with the same thing, and she could be scared to lose you just as much as you are. If you both are willing to work at these issues at hand, then you should try; if not, then maybe you two would be better off apart. Do not fret, for only time will tell. You need to trust that everything that is meant to be will eventually fall into place.

Sincerely,

he biggest problem with young relationships is that much of the arguing is through text messages and through a phone call. You cannot see true emotion through a screen, which causes many of the words that are exchanged to be misinterpreted. For instance, you can be very sad about something that you said

Sincerely, Candid Crusader

Candid Crusader

Letter to the editor Dear North Star Editor, The December newspaper was, I feel, the best so far because of all the different but interesting articles. For example, I really liked the Humans of LCN because it gave people an inside look on people in LCN we may not know go to school here. One thing I always check when I get my hands on the newspaper is the sports section to hear more about LCN sports and, if I want to get into it, what to do. My favorite sport at LCN is wrestling and I always look for wrestling when I check the newspaper. In the match in December, Connor Barlow ’16 pinned his opponent from Warren Mott picking up the win for that match, which I thought was epic. I really like The North Star newspaper and I can’t wait until the [February] edition.

Sincerely, Deondre Lemmons ‘19

The North Star

opinions

Bashing with Baguzis Misjudging priorities and living life

Ellie Baguzis ‘16 Opinions Editor

We live in a world where so many of us have misguided priorities.

The things that should be of the utmost importance to people now seem to have faded into the background. Being a high school senior, I have filled out countless college applications asking what I hope to achieve by attending their school.

Honestly, the most important thing I want to achieve at any school is happiness. I want to be able to look back at my life and know I lived it.

Shouldn’t a peaceful state of mind be a top priority?

We are so focused on Ivy League universities and high-paying careers that we have lost touch with ourselves. I mean, it makes sense considering we were raised to believe that the ultimate goal is to pursue a career that provides a high level of income. But what is the point of money if you’re miserable while you earn it? Sure, money can buy materialistic things, but in the end are you going to want the latest trends or priceless memories?

Yes, most memories do involve spending money to some extent, but it is not all about where you go; it is more about who you are with. I can promise you that your most memorable moments will be because of the people rather than the place.

Our generation relies on money and name brand items to fulfill life’s meaning that can only be achieved by inner happiness. We care too much about our self-image and the way others view us. We expect people to “like” our photos on social media. We invest so much time into social media and making sure everyone in the world knows what we’re doing at this exact moment.

But that isn’t what life is about.

We get 16 waking hours of the day. Why waste eight of them at a job you dread? Find a career you enjoy. Pursue hobbies you are passionate about.

Surround yourself with people who make your day better. A six-figure salary means little in the

big scope of things. Not a single minute of your day is guaranteed, so why are you already planning for retirement? Maybe your dream job will not provide you with a Hawaiian senior living community, but it will provide you with endless moments of happiness.

We were not put on this Earth to live life day by day accomplishing nothing and never growing as a human, working in a career you dread. Life is all about the experiences you encounter, and making as many memories as possible.

The key is to surround yourself with people who love you. Do what you love. Enjoy the little things. Embrace this moment because this moment is your life.

Den dishes the dirt The social media epidemic

Dennis Keena ‘16 Cover Editor

1.

In this world, you normally find the average teenager staring into his or her brand new rose gold iPhone 6s Plus. Whatever happened to the friendly “hello?” when you were walking down the street? Now, we are at a point where we worry about how many likes our Instagram selfie got, or how many retweets our latest tweet accomplished.

2.

We are more obsessed with talking to people we’ve never

seen before, rather than talking to the person standing next to us in line. We pretend to look occupied by our phones, instead of communicating verbally to the humans around us.

Too many people are concerned about what’s going on in cyber space rather than what’s going on in their own space.

3.

The first thing we do in the morning is check our phones: what’s going on in the Facebook world? What is going on with other people rather than what’s going on with our own world? Waking up without a “good morning mom” but a “yeah”

instead. We focus too much on others’ lives and then become depressed because we wish we had the same things they do.

4.

Rather than learning a simple math equation, we choose to build a virtual empire on our phones. You can’t rely on Google for every assignment; it will not benefit you in the real world.

5.

We don’t talk on the phone; everyone finds it more convenient to text or Snapchat, not to actually use their own voice.

6.

We use our technology to feel

secure, to hide behind someone else rather than to be the person that we truly are. Catfishing is a big problem with this generation. How easy is it to try to be someone we are not, just to feel better about ourselves?

7.

We use technology to intentionally hurt others, to hide behind a screen to avoid conflicts in real life. What was created to help is hurting us and we don’t even realize it. Anywhere from posting a photo of someone calling them a terrible name to texting a friend talking about how bad that selfie was, cyber bullying can affect everyone.

February 26, 2016 | 17

Are you going to the dance?

Compiled by Kevin Rhoney ‘16

Alex Crespo ’17- “No, I am not attending the dance. I do not like how it is combined with LC.”

Bella Lehrer ’17- “Yes, I am going to the dance. I love getting all dressed up.”

Jenna Lester ’17- “Yes, I am going because I am going with a group of 16, so it will be fun.”

Julie Alandt ’19- “I’m considering going to the dance because I have no money, but I would like to go because it looks like fun.”

Jack Hammons ’19- “No, I cannot go to the dance; I have a hockey tournament that weekend. If not, I would definitely go.”

Tori Kuzmanovski ’18- “Yes, it is going to be really cool because it is something that LCN has never done before with LC.” Claire Liegghio ’18- “Yes, I am going to the dance because I love dancing.”

Aaron Klebba ’16- “No, I am not going to the dance because I am not a fan of dances.”

18 | February 26, 2016

Editorial:

The North Star

opinions

The ACT? So last year T

hree letters of the alphabet, one test, and a successful future have a strong correlation. The ACT and SAT are exams that determine college and scholarship eligibility.

While both are reading and writing based, the two tests have quite a few differences.

According to the official ACT website, the ACT scores range from 4-36. The standardized test examines what a student has learned over the years. Test takers are given three hours and 25 minutes to complete the test including the written portion.

The SAT is scored on a

scale of 400-1600. For students with an extensive vocabulary, this is the ideal test. It measures a student’s comprehension and reasoning skills.

Including the writing portion, the total testing time is 3 hours and 50 minutes.

Michigan schools have been administering the ACT as a free college entrance level exam to students since 2007.

Ironically, current high school juniors have been prepared for the ACT since that time as well.

Rather than getting input from the junior class of 2016, Michigan’s Department of Education made the SAT decision on be-

half of all Michigan K-12 grade students.

The ACT is no longer a free test available to the eleventh grade students of Michigan.

Now, students will have to pay $56.50 to take a test they were lead to believe would be the school’s financial burden.

While the SAT will be provided free of cost, it is a test that the majority of Michigan students are unfamiliar with.

After paying for countless ACT preparatory books and tutors, students now have to pay for the test itself, too. It would have been nice of the Michigan Department of Education could

have given high school juniors some forewarning on the test switch so they could have saved some money on pointless preparation.

Taking the SAT instead of the ACT is jeopardizing the scholarship and college eligibility of Michiganders. Ultimately, a student’s entire future could be on the line so Michigan can save a few bucks. The Michigan Department of Education seems to care more about money than the future success of students. Considering one of those students could someday create the financial budget that gets our country out of debt,

it seems a bit illogical to hold their success in such low regard. State legislators might be brushing these complaints off of their shoulders, but they are not the ones digging in their wallets to scrounge up $56.50 per ACT test.

The SAT is neither an inaccurate test nor a waste of money, but it is an injustice to Michigan students. Beginning in primary school, students do practice standardized test questions and are taught critical reading skills to someday ace the ACT. The SAT requires a different type of preparation which Michigan students have not received.

It is illogical for the state’s Department of Education to assume that Michigan students will have competitive SAT scores with students from states who have been preparing for this test since kindergarten. The state is setting Michigan juniors up for failure.

The state’s only logic for switching from the ACT to the SAT is the financial incentive. The test’s difficulty, scoring, and the aspects of it that differ from the ACT have been discussed very briefly. The Michigan Department of Education is putting YOUR future on the line.

SAT cannot focus on individual talent/ability, so should it be required for graduation?

Gavin McHugh ‘17 News Editor

Dreaded by students throughout the world, standardized testing has been around for nearly

a century. Standardized tests are considered an accurate measure of students’ academic capability, but are they really? Can one test with a few basic sections

Should the SAT be a graduation requirement?

Photo by flickr

encompass the range of students’ abilities?

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is one of the most prominent standardized tests. Students who take the SAT receive a composite score out of 1600 points possible.

The SAT is composed of sections that test students’ abilities in math, reading, writing, and critical thinking. At first glance, the SAT does not seem much more significant than a final exam or unit test. The SAT really is only a few subjects compiled into one exam, right? Wrong. The SAT alone can be the difference between getting accepted into your dream

school and not going on to higher education at all.

The fact that the SAT can change the course of your life is scary enough; it is even scarier that facing the SAT is inevitable.

All students are required to take the SAT; therefore, they will all face the same content and be graded on the same scale.

The SAT is supposed to measure students’ ability, but it cannot do so for most students because the scope of the content it includes is so limited.

Eric Ostling ’17 said, “The SAT measures an index of how willing students are to gather a wide range of common knowledge rather than

how willing they are to gather information on topics deemed relevant in their own lives.”

As Ostling said, the SAT really does not and cannot cover all the different subjects that students are interested in, and therefore cannot give a good idea of how talented a student is. So why is the SAT so favored? We live in a society that values academic success over everything else.

Not everyone is against the SAT, however. Oscar Ytem ’17 is all about the SAT. Ytem said, “The score you receive on the SAT is the one colleges look at to determine whether

or not you get in. The SAT is used by colleges to measure your college readiness.”

Yet again, the problem is that the SAT only covers a select handful of academic subjects and that it is aimed at the student population in general, rather than the specific abilities of the individual student. Therefore it cannot measure “college readiness,” at least not very well.

Until the school system can provide students with an examination based on their own specific talents and abilities, the SAT should not be required to graduate from high school.

The North Star

opinions

February 26, 2016| 19

:Veganism

N RTH STAR Save the animals and save yourself!

Sara Wills ‘16

Shelby Stanton ‘17

Shayna Schroeder ‘17

Shyanne Symons ‘17

As hard as it may seem, going veg can be a relatively easy transition if done correctly.

So honey, put down that milk! Throw away that refined sugar! You ‘bout to have the cleansing of a lifetime.

It is easiest to go vegan if you have already been vegetarian long enough to be comfortable with not consuming animal flesh. If you are worried that you won’t be able to eat all the unhealthy junk food you do now, fret not! Oreos, Skittles, Bottle Caps, and Lay’s are all surprisingly vegan.

But if you are looking into becoming vegan because you want to start eating healthy, it is quite easy. When you take animal by-products out of your diet, you feel obligated to eat healthy and organic. Just as

long as you can make it through the first seven days of actual torture, you can make it for a lifetime. Once your body is accustomed to these new dietary habits, you will feel fulfilled with a new energy. The minute your vegan superpowers kick in, working out will feel almost natural, and with all the energy you will have, it is the best way to utilize the extra energy.

It is in your best interest to plan meals in advance if you decide to take the leap into veganism. Knowing what you will eat can help you stick to the new lifestyle and not give up. Researching the best vegan items to swap with animal byproducts is a good way to explore foods you never would have discovered otherwise.

Veganism may be one of the harder choices

Entertainment Editor Opinions Editor

Sports Editor

Sports Editor

L’Anse Creuse H.S. - North 23700 21 Mile Road Macomb, MI 48042 (586)493-5270

you will make; however, it can also be one the most beneficial. We urge everyone to at least try being vegan for a small amount of time. Whether you stick to it or not is your choice, but you may just be surprised with how your opinions evolve if you give it a shot.

The staff of The North Star are members of Quill and Scroll Society, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association.

• • •

While these items may not be healthy, they are vegan!

Photo by Sara Wills ’16

Contacting the North Star:

Facebook.com/LCNNewspaper

@

Search: Search: @LCNNewspaper @LCNNewspaper

Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . Laurel Neitling Cover Editor. . . . . . . . . . . Dennis Keena News Editor . . . . . . . . . . Gavin McHugh Feature Editor . . . . . . .Marissa Ficorelli Entertainment Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sara Wills Reviews Editor. . . . . . . . . Miya Leykauf Focus Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . Chloe Acker Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . Shelby Stanton Sports Editor . . . . . . . Shyanne Symons Opinions Editor . . . . Shayna Schroeder Opinions Editor . . . . . . . . Ellie Baguzis Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . Lauren Bergeski Copy Editor. . . . . . . . . Samantha Buffa Photo Editor. . . . . . . . . . . Erin Antosiek Online Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Evan Rinaldi Business Manager . . . . . . Jimmy Tocco Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . Savannah Baurhenn, Denver Paver, Brooke Piekutowski, Madison Wehby Reporters. . . . . . . . . . . . Riley Janssen, Toni Lahoud, Antonio Mendez, Jake Mitchell, Matthew Moskal, Kevin Rhoney, Marisa Smith, Floyd Wickman, Luke Zito 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.

20 |February 26, 2016

snapshot

The North Star

‘16

‘18

‘16

‘