The North Star March 2013

The

North tar S

MAC Red champs

Photos by James Coller ‘13

Although the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team did not make it to Breslin this year, they defeated many of their team rivals and won the District trophy. To see more photos, see page 20.

March 28, 2013

L’Anse Creuse High School - North 23700 21 Mile Road Macomb, MI 48042

Photo by Lonny Beasley ‘13

What happened to the school store offering McDonald’s and other fast food products to students during lunch? To find out, see page 2.

Photo by Kristen Alberti ‘13

The Video class is known for creating the schoolwide show The Crusader Connection. To read more, see page 15.

Volume XXXVIII Issue V

Photo by Menka Jovanoska ‘13

Is taking MST classes at Pankow really worth the work? To read the opinions of MST attendees and MST drop-outs, see page 16.

2 news

March 28, 2013

The North Star

School lunch vs. school store

Chris Waechter ‘13 Sports Editor

The Crusader Corner, the school store, has been through the ringer ever since this past summer when new renovations to the school were completed. First, the store was moved from its original location in the commons. Then, the health department said they could not sell cookies because there was not a sink in the store.

Now, it has encountered another issue. Still, the obstacles just keep coming.

Come fourth hour, students at LCN have the choice of buying school lunches. Some students purchase a school lunch every single day, but others do not get a school-made lunch because they simply do not like the food the cafeteria serves.

Joseph Naniewicz is the teacher of the Marketing-Business Operations class, also known as the school store class.

Naniewicz, as well as students in the school store class, manage and operate all aspects of the

Crusader Corner tries to import food to boost sales store.

Naniewicz and the school store students have been trying everything to get store business booming again, with the majority of the profits coming from cookies.

After the production of cookies came to a halt this year, the students in the school store started compiling ideas and decided to order McDonald’s cookies.

there would be no conflict with the food service staff in the cafeteria.

McDonald’s food sales were the spark to what would become a massive controversy between Naniewicz and food service staff.

As soon as they noticed that the cookies and wraps were being sold inside the commons, the cafeteria staff members became infuriated.

conflict grew larger as more food kept coming in from outside of LCN. After the cookies and Snack Wraps came in, the school store started getting Grinderz, Pizza as well.

Naniewicz and the kitchen employees had many heated confrontations after the sales began.

“We’re not trying to make trouble at all,” Naniewicz said. “If we could come to a compromise, I’m fine with that.”

“I don’t think it’s a big deal because the store isn’t trying to compete with the cafeteria; they’re just doing business,” Marketing Business Operations student Anthony Caucci ’13 said.

The school store was thriving last year and the sales are down substan-

Edited by Anthony Benacquisto ‘13

“The store personnel started buying McDonald’s cookies...”

“If we’re running the school store, we need to stay in business by selling products that the students want,” Naniewicz said.

Soon after, the store personnel started buying McDonald’s cookies; they started ordering Snack Wraps as well.

Since food cannot be sold or cooked in the school store by order of the health department, the cookies and wraps were sold and advertised in the commons area, so

Sue Longo, the cafeteria manager, knows that some students dislike the food in the cafeteria.

“We are only compliant with the government health regulations,” Longo said.

Even though the school lunches the cafeteria serves may not be as appetizing to some students, the cafeteria staff just has to make what the government directs them to make because of the nutritional value of the food.

As weeks went on, the

tially this year, according to Naniewicz.

As a result of this conflict, the selling of McDonald’s and Grinderz stopped because of the possibility of a cafeteria employee losing one of their jobs.

“When less people buy food, it puts our jobs in jeopardy,” cafeteria

employee Cindy Hebben said.

As a result of this whole scenario, Naniewicz just wants to teach his students valuable educational lessons about running a business.

“My main job as a business teacher is to introduce students to theories and practices needed for successful buying, promoting, storing, displaying and selling,” Naniewicz said.

With all of the obstacles the store has faced, the students/workers have taken what has been thrown at them and worked through it.

Nobody knows what is on the horizon for the Crusader Corner, but one thing is the school store classes will not give up.

“Every time we get shut down, we adapt and overcome. That’s one of the greatest skills I can teach my students,” Naniewicz said.

March 28, 2013

news 3

The North Star

Health Occupation students “skill” to Regionals Brittiny Shepherd ‘13 Ad Manager

In October 2012, students that attend Pankow started to practice for a competition that they are involved in.

This competition that students prepare for is called HOSA, which stands for Health Occupation Students of America.

“It’s a competition like Science Olympiad, but with medical skills and medical information,” Rachel Binge ’13 said.

According to the HOSA website, there are currently six different categories to compete in. They are health science events, emergency preparedness events, leadership events, teamwork events, and recognition events.

Also according to the website, HOSA is still

continuing to grow, reaching 120,000 students through 46 affiliated state associations and involved with four unaffiliated states, with over 3,000 chapters.

This year, HOSA regionals for Pankow students was held at Pankow on February 9, 2013. Out of the students who competed, four of them from LCN placed to move to states.

Binge came in first place for physical therapy; Megan Graham ‘13 came in second place for sports medicine; Colin Watts ‘14 came in first place for veterinary technician; and Mike White ‘13 came in fifth place for sports medicine.

The way HOSA works is everyone is separated by category and then the students demonstrate

their skills and then they take a test and everyone switches to keep the contest moving. Then scores are combined from both parts to determine the winners. No matter what the score is on the test at regionals, the competitors will move to their skills competition.

“My expectations were not really high, because last year I did not really know what to expect with it being my first year,” Binge said.

“This year, my expectations were higher because I knew what to expect. I definitely did not expect to take first place, so that was a surprise but, other than that, it met my expectations.”

“Generally, it is the same as regionals but you have to score high enough on the test to

Four will go to states in April

move to skills,” White said, referring to the state competition.

States will be held on April 11, 12, and 13 in Traverse City. The competitors will be staying at the Grand Traverse Hotel.

After states comes the national competition, which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, from June 26- June 29, 2013.

“It feels awesome to be a state-qualifier; I was so shocked, I did not know that I would have placed.

Honestly, I did not even think I did that good,” Graham said. “I worked days and nights with the skills, and the classes I am in helped me out a lot. It is an amazing feeling that I tried something new and I succeed-

LCN schedules 11th grade English Shane Healy ‘13 Copy Editor

This year, the Class of 2014 students could take a variety of different English courses including Individual & Society, Great Books, Mystery, Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Advanced Composition, Rhetoric, and Individualized Literature.

Standards are being implemented next school year. English 11 will be required for all eleventh graders.

According to English teacher Wayne Cook, English 11 will be based on four units. Each unit will include an anchor text, supplemented with other non-fiction pieces.

There will be two units per semester.

Cook said, “With the new English 11 curriculum, not only good students will take good classes, but all students

Juniors to take English 11 course will take a good class.”

Counselor Annette Rozwadowski has a similar take on English 11. She said, “It’s good to have a standard because junior/senior classes can be awkward during ACT preparation, since juniors are the ones who need it.”

Sophomore Tarek Paul doesn’t really care about the requirement of taking English 11. Paul said, “I don’t really mind what we have to take. We’re going to have to take something, and I like that I won’t have to choose.”

Sophomore Jenna Haddad, on the other hand, would like to pick her classes. She said, “I would like to have a choice at what English class I can take. It’s not a good idea to make everyone take the same

class because people like different things.”

Previously, English classes consisted of reading a specific genre of books, grammar, essay-writing and/or reading award-winning novels. If students, for example, know they have poor grammatical skills, they could take a more reading-oriented class to stick with something they know. They could be cheating themselves when they do not take an English class that strengthens their weaknesses.

With English 11, students will touch on all of these areas. The result will be more well-rounded English students.

With three required English during freshman, sophomore, and junior years, students

can choose an English elective senior year.

Students can also double up on English credits if they would like.

For example, a student can take both English 11 and Journalism during junior year. In senior year, they will be able to apply for a position on the Publications or Writing for Publications staff (Journalism is a prerequisite for yearbook or newspaper classes.)

English teacher leader Kathleen Reifert helped design the class to comply with a national standard from the Common Core Curriculum. She said, “English 11 gives the best opportunity for our junior students to prepare for college.”

So, even if students find certain aspects of the class difficult, it will prepare them for their academic future.

ed to states and hopefully nationals. I am proud of our team and our hard work, and can-

not wait to take on more challenges.”

Students cannot drop AP courses in 2013-14 Jessica DiBattista ‘14 Reporter

Year after year, students sign up for Advanced Placement classes only to find themselves marching down to the Counseling Office asking for a schedule change; however, that is about to change, because starting in the 2013-2014 school year, students will not be able to drop AP classes.

AP gives students the opportunity to take college courses within their high school career; many students use this opportunity to earn college credit while saving money.

“I think AP classes are a really good opportunity and have a lot of benefits,” Amanda Falkenhagen ’14 said.

Since these classes can count as a college credit if the student passes the exam they are at the same level as a regular college course; this makes the classes more challenging than regular high school courses.

Since some students do not realize the difficulty of the class or some students get behind with the quicker pace, many drop out within the first month. However, in the fall, students will not be allowed to drop.

“I don’t think that’s a good rule because some

students do not realize the level when they sign up, and some get behind and can’t help it,” Abby LaPorte ’14 said.

Since most kids might have conflict with this new rule, there is a reason for it.

“Students and teachers are capable of the class.

They made a commitment and should stick with it,” counselor Frances Bontumasi said.

Even though students are not supposed to drop AP classes, there are a few exceptions to dropping the class, such as family issues occurring in the beginning of the year, and having a conflict with the teacher.

“I think students should be able to drop classes if they have a problem because not everyone can handle it without knowing,” Haley Tomich ’14 said.

Even though some students could find this difficult, others think that keeping students in AP classes is good.

“I think it takes awhile to get used to an AP class, and once you get in the swing of things, it gets a lot better,” Carson Janssen ’14 said.

Even though this rule starts next year, some students may want to think about whether or not an AP class is right for them.

4 news

March 28, 2013

The North Star

School board debates gym air conditioning

James Coller ‘13 Editor-in-chief

The gym. It is often the focus of Crusader Nation’s pride, yet every summer our athletes can’t stand being caught inside it. The reason is simple: the stifling heat.

The Jackson Gymnasium, as well as its identical counterpart at L’Anse Creuse High School, does not contain any type of cooling system other than fans placed in front of the proppedopen doors in the hot summer months.

Alyse DeVos ’13, a member of the Crusader Varsity Volleyball Team, believes the gym is far too hot in the summer months to not contain any air conditioning.

“It is extremely uncomfortable to be in and makes practicing as well as school activities in the gym unbearable,” said DeVos about the heat.

At the February 25 regular meeting of the L’Anse Creuse Board of Education, Pamela Hornberger, a school board member, raised the question of why LCPS wasn’t fixing this problem.

“It is a safety issue,” said Hornberger.

“During summer practices and camps, our gyms can easily reach 100 degrees.

No athletes should be practicing or playing in those conditions.”

“We have the only non-air-conditioned high school gyms in the county,” said Mary Hilton, another school board member who supports Hornberger.

Hilton also supported Hornberger to table a motion that would spend roughly $800,000 to repave the transportation parking lot in hopes of appropriating the money to use on the high school gyms instead. They believe that the parking lot in question is perfectly fine as is.

“I have seen the lot, walked on it actually,” said Hilton. “There are no potholes. Many school districts have gravel parking lots. There is no benefit to our students or their success by repaving this parking lot.”

Hornberger agreed.

“I am not a construction expert, but

from a lay person’s stand point there do not appear to be any issues with the transportation parking lot structurally deteriorating,” Hornberger said.

Hilton and Hornberger met resistance from Board President Ken Hoover and Vice President Linda McLatcher.

“When planning began for the current bond (2005), air conditioning in the gyms was considered; however, due to different standards and the additional utility costs that would be incurred, the board chose not to proceed,” McLatcher said.

Board members also said that the money would also improve transportation lot security, calling into question the safety of bus drivers; however, Hilton quickly refuted this point.

“There is significant lighting from the gas docks to over 100 feet from the building. The lot is surrounded by a tall fence. It is secure,” Hilton said.

McLatcher believes that the money needs to be spent at the transportation lot now, but that the gyms could be looked at in the future.

“The district has a responsibility to maintain the infrastructure of our facilities,” McLatcher said. “The back lot of the transportation department is subject to the wear and tear of over a hundred busses, trucks, and other driver vehicles.”

McLatcher also reported that the estimated cost to air condition both high school gyms would approach $1.3 million, or $500,000 more than the bus parking lot.

According to various school board members, the money for the transportation parking lot development was appropriated in the 2005 bond. There is a process to re-appropriate it, however.

“I personally think the board needs to review all currently planned bond projects, prioritizing them, and placing projects that have a direct positive impact on our students and staff first,” said Hornberger.

DeVos thinks that the gym issue needs to be brought to the forefront.

With LCN having a reputation of being a leader in sports, the heat does not allow teams to live up to their potential.

“The high temperature makes it hard to breathe and the overall experience is not at all fun. It is counterproductive,” DeVos said.

“L’Anse Creuse does a decent job making sure our funds are spent wisely,” said Hornberger. “L’Anse Creuse is a large district with a large budget… it is my responsibility as a board member to question spending.”

Photo by James Coller ‘13

The Varsity Girls’ Volleyball Team plays in the nonair-conditioned Jackson Gymnasium, an issue some school board members seeks to improve.

NCA approves LCN

Jacob Puma ‘13 Online editor

“In my 10 years of doing NCA testing, I have never been around a more positive learning environment for a high school,” said Sue Stevens, head of the NCA testing group.

AdvancED, more commonly known as the NCA (North Central Accreditation), is a group of educators from around the state who come into schools every four-five years to check if they are meeting Michigan state standards in different categories. For each category, a school is ranked on a four-point scale, four being the highest.

LCN just completed its five years of accreditation. The new cycle started when an AdvancEd group visited on February 4 and 5.

The NCA questions three groups of people that are part of a school: the staff, the students, and community mem-

bers, such as parents.

During the interview process for the four students, they asked a wide selection of questions, anywhere from the different clubs provided here, to how willing the teachers are to stay after and help students.

Kasie Lashley ‘13 was one of the four students who was interviewed.

“When I first sat down for the interview, I was very nervous because I felt the fate of our school was in my hands. But after talking to them, I found out they were nice and got comfortable answering the questions,” said Lashley.

Along with the interviews, the team went into classrooms and sat through class periods to check on different teaching skills and class activities that a class had to offer. The categories that AdvancEd look for includes: purpose and direction, governance and leadership, teaching and assessing for learning, resources and support systems and using results for continuous improvement. Weeks before the NCA had come to LCN, the teachers got together and talked about those different areas.

“The staff broke up into groups during our

restructured Wednesday time and talked about various standards that North Central uses to award accreditation to schools. We collected evidence to support all the good things our school has to offer students, and ranked ourselves accordingly to the four-point scale. For the most part, we gave ourselves threes,” said Silvana Audia, math teacher/leader.

According to advanceed.org, it is very important for a school to be accredited by the NCA. All four-year colleges will not accept a transcript from an unaccredited school.

Every school in the Macomb area has been accredited. If a school is not accredited, the state puts it on probation and the principal is fired immediately.

“The NCA said our 3-2-1 goals are something that every school should develop around the state.

They were very impressed that we want students to not only have fun, but plan for their future,” said principal Greg Dixon.

Overall, LCN scored threes and three and a half’s in all categories.

LCN school received the best total scores out of all the schools in the area.

According to Stevens, we are “nearly perfect.”

March 28, 2013

news 5

The North Star

Is minimum wage on the rise?

Emily Tanzy ‘13 Reporter

In the recent State of Union address, President Barack Obama announced his proposal to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 per hour.

His ultimate goal would be to raise families in the United States from below the poverty line. Obama hopes to put this plan into action by the year 2015.

This increase in minimum wage could potentially affect many families and hardworking students with part-time jobs as well.

In the United States economy, according to a recent article in the Huffington Post, a $7.25 an hour minimum wage job translates to a $15,000 yearly salary. This salary is far below the average living wage in many places in the United States. The average living wage for a family of two is about $12,800 a year, according to The New York Times. In the President’s State of the Union address, he stated the issue as a matter of economic fairness and sound economic policy.

“Even with the tax relief we’ve put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong,” Obama said in his address. “Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full time

should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families.”

Samantha Beccari ’13 works hard after school hours at McDonald’s. Beccari feels that this increase in minimum wage would help her drastically, in paying for college and gas for her car.

Beccari plans to attend the University of Indiana, and it would help her and other students planning on going to college out of state, due to the additional cash that students have to dole out while going far from home.

“I work hard for my money, and have to deal with all kinds of people,” said Beccari. “By raising the minimum wage, I feel I’d be getting a more deserved paycheck.”

Kristin Mazzola ’14 faces another problem with the current minimum wage. Mazzola works at Mac N’ Ray’s, a seasonal restaurant, where she has a hard time picking up hours. She has to start worrying about where she’ll be attending college when she graduates, so she’s trying to save up as much money as possible. Mazzola also has the responsibility of paying for her phone bill, and the gas in her car.

Though many are excited about the possibility of an increase in the federal minimum wage, some officials oppose

Michigan’s increase in minimum wage earnings

Year

Reporter

The sound of band instruments fill the air of the auditorium.

The lights shine on the students standing on the stage with a sense of nerves running through their bodies, anxious to perform their best; this is what it feels to perform in front of three judges at MSBOA. MSBOA stands for Michigan School Bands and Orchestra Association. MSBOA is where school bands and orchestras from all over Michigan come to one school and perform pieces of music for ratings from judges. The most recent

competition was on March 16.

“MSBOA is really the biggest part of band and is something that we prepare for all year,” Nicholas Porzondek `13 said. “In sports, everyone has one game or meet that is the most important, and this is what it is for band.”

In January, the band and orchestra started practicing their three pieces that they would perform at MSBOA. “We have to perform three pieces of music in front of judges,” Connor Bonnell `13 said. “It’s basically like our ACT of band; we get graded for what we perform.”

To prepare for MSBOA, band students practice all year to get to know their music well. They also work on instrumental exercises like breathing, and scales.

“MSBOA is kind of like a final exam for the band and orchestra students.

It is a festival for the whole state to come and perform for a rating.

Some other states even come to be rated,”Kristin Pagels, band parapro, said. “It’s overall a really good experience for everyone.”

For band students, MSBOA is not as easy as it sounds. Each student has to perform something they call sight-playing,

$5.15 $6.95 $7.15 $7.40

2000-2006 2007 2008 2009-present

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

the idea. According to a recent article in The Huffington Post, House of Representatives Republicans voted unanimously against a proposal to raise the minimum wage, made by Democratic Representative of California, George Miller. Many Republicans feel strongly against the notion.

Time will only tell whether or not Obama makes a reality out of his proposal to raise minimum wage, but it gives Americans hope. Obama is taking action to get the economy out of a recession, and create strength. Whether it be students with part-time jobs, or

Battle of the Bands Nicole Voight ‘13

Earnings

families, living may become slightly easier for people with the 24 percent increase on minimum wage.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Obama summed up what he’s trying to accomplish, and his beacon of hope may be a step toward escaping the hard times America has faced recently.

“It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead,” said Obama. “For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets.”

LCN’s bands put forth their best efforts as they competed at MSBOA

where a band student receives a piece of music that they never have seen before and they have to play that piece of music.

At MSBOA, they have to perform the piece of music to the best of their abilities in front of the judges to get a higher ranking. The judges rank the students’ performance by one being the highest or best and five being the lowest or worst.

Since there is more than just one band class at school, there is more than just one date throughout the year for MSBOA. “There are a few MSBOAs for each band that our school has,” Darby

Barbe `13 said. “It’s every year, but you don’t just automatically go and you don’t have to qualify to go.”

MSBOA is something that band has prepared

for all year, every year, and try their hardest to achieve the best ranking that they can get to have their school recognized by the judges.

Photo by James Coller ‘13

The Marching Crusaders play their melodies at the homecoming parade. In order to do their best, the band prepares all year for MSBOA in March.

6 reviews

March 28, 2013

The North Star

Michigan concert venues rock! the artist to be creative with their stage set up.

This freedom allowed Taylor Swift to ascend 100 feet off the ground to sing “Love Story” at Ford Field, and Lady Gaga to have the “Fame Monster” brought to life. It really takes it from just another concert to a full-fledged performance.

The energy that is created with 40,000 plus fans is eccentric. It’s amazing to hear so many people connect with the same songs that everyone loves.

Courtney Matz ’13 saw Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift at Ford Field and loved it.

“The best part is that you can have seats anywhere and can still see the stage,” Matz said.

The major downfall of giant arenas is the price.

Kaylee McPharlin ‘13 Opinions Editor

Walking into the huge arena, crowds gather around merchandise stands and block the pathways leading towards the seats. The opening act’s tunes play in the background as the anticipation of the headlining performer rumbles through the crowd waiting to hear their favorite band.

Concerts are an exciting experience; who doesn’t love seeing their favorite band in person? In metro Detroit, there are many different arenas, theaters, and halls that host headlining bands.

Arenas like Ford Field in Detroit and the Palace of Auburn Hills are made to hold 40,000 plus people. I’ve seen concerts at both, and it really allows

Ratings Guide

Regarding acts like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, I’ve paid easily over $100 for mediocre seats. It puts a real punch in the pocket, and for most acts, it isn’t worth it to me to have to look at the big screen to even see what they’re wearing.

The next step down is venues such as the Fillmore Theater and the Fox Theater, both located in downtown Detroit.

These venues house 3,000-5,000 people, and include general admission seating along with seats. Acts such as Paramore, Ed Sheeran, Gotye, and others have played at these venues.

The Fillmore is ancient; it’s almost 100 years old and has a beautiful, oldfashioned feel. The Fox Theater is also almost 100 years old as well, and

has beautiful architecture and sound capabilities that make it an excellent place for live music.

The proximity between the fans and the band at the Fillmore make it easier to connect with the band, and really see them up close. The Fillmore is my favorite venue for that reason. Instead of feeling like they are playing to you, it feels like you are playing with them. There is no such thing as a bad seat in these venues.

The prices are also very affordable, even for the floor general admission seats. Definitely take advantage of the opportunity if your favorite band comes to either of these venues.

On a smaller scale, there are concerts held at places such as St.

Andrew’s Hall in Detroit and the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac. These venues will be hosting acts like Passion Pit, Marina and the Diamonds, and Sammy Adams.

Jacob Northup ’13 likes the smaller venues as opposed to large arenas.

“I would much rather go to a small venue because you are closer to the performance and you feel more involved,” Northup said.

Both of these venues are bars, so some events may be restricted to 21 years old or older.

However, there are some events where all ages are welcome. The small bar feel gives a chance to really be close to the band, and be close with all of the other fans.

You meet so many new people, and it can come

to feel very personal. I love small concert venues for concerts for that exact reason: fans get to hear how they really sound on a personal level.

The tickets for these venues are cheap and all general admission, giving the chance to be front row or as close as desired. These venues are so much fun, and I would highly recommend seeing a show or two at them.

Concerts are a great way to get out and have fun, meet new people, and see talented people perform their work.

There are dozens of awesome places to see concerts in our area; take advantage of them!

Answers to Teacher Throwback

Bad Okay Decent Great

Brian Manninen Lalla Jones

James Ekdahl

Susan Balogh

Rosa Hough

Danielle Alexander

Linda Lovins

Valerie Woonton

Cathy Verheye

Awesome

Congratulations to the contest winner, Ashley Kling ‘13! Kling won a $25 iTunes Gift Card for correctly guessing the identities all 10 staff members.

Annette Rozwadowski

March 28, 2013

reviews 7

The North Star

Penn Station serves East Coast grinders in Clinton Twp.

Trevor Frye ‘13 Reviews Editor

As I walk into Penn Station, the smell of fresh bread in the oven and hand cut fries fills the air. The illustrations of gourmet subs fuel my appetite even more than before I stepped foot in the sub shop on Gratiot and Hall road. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one of these sandwiches.

In the first step of my visit to Penn Station, I had to choose what kind of sub I wanted to buy.

The menu included many choices that would suit just about anyone. From Italian to vegetarian, the choices were endless.

There is also an option to create your own sub.

After scanning the

menu countless times, I chose a 12-inch club sandwich costing $9.45.

They had a variety of lengths to choose from, six-inch, nine-inch, and 12-inch. After a long day of school, I couldn’t help but choose the largest helping possible. I could also add fries to my meal, but I thought that the sandwich alone would satisfy my hunger. In order to save money, I also refrained from buying a drink since they cost almost $2.

Once I took my seat after ordering, I was approached by an employee carrying around a tray with fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. To my

surprise, she offered me a free cookie. Without hesitation, I accepted it and devoured it in one bite.

The meal took about 10 minutes to make since everything is freshly cooked and prepared. I was delivered my sandwich to my seat by one of the employees. The contents of the sub were almost too much to close the sandwich. I was very happy with the amount of food I received for my money.

Finally, I dug into my sub. The first thing I noticed was the soft, warm bread. I could taste the freshness in every bite.

The turkey and bacon

Penn Station is located on Gratiot near Hall Road.

complimented each other and the mayonnaise and honey mustard topped it off well. The amount of lettuce and tomatoes was perfect for my taste.

About 20 minutes after receiving my sub, I was

finished. Leaving the shop full and pleased, it was one of the best meals I had in a long time. I would recommend Penn Station for its great quality subs and awesome customer service.

Hoodie Allen is on the rise Jacob Pallach ‘13 Photo Editor

“Crew Cuts”, a brand new mixtape, has helped relatively unknown rapper Hoodie Allen gain much-desired popularity.

Steven Markowitz, known by the stage name Hoodie Allen, is a musician whose popularity is growing rapidly due to the that fact he is producing music with stars such as Chiddy Bang and G-Easy. A few weeks ago, Allen released a brand new, free album called “Crew Cuts” to listeners.

According to recent online interviews, Allen started out writing lyrics as a child, and performing raps for his friends at house parties. Allen is not signed to a record label, but has been touring and keeping his fans happy by continuing to release new music. In mid 2011, Allen cracked the top ten Billboard Uncharted territory list and in 2012, his EP, “All American,” quickly became number one on iTunes charts shortly after being released.

Allen’s fourth mixtape, “Crew

Cuts,” has 11 songs on it, all of which have influences of rap, hip-hop, and pop music.

Most other rappers don’t have the unique style of music and song writing the Allen has. The east-coast rap style that Allen has is shown in other rappers such as Sammy Adams, Mac Miller, and G-Easy (who is featured on the mixtape). In this pre-album, Allen has did a wonderful job continuing to make music of his own flavor that keeps the listener interested just like his other mixtapes and EPs. I recently discovered Allen’s music, and this mixtape hasn’t failed the hype which Allen brought through tweeting to his fans. Allen first released two songs as well as videos from the mixtape as singles “Cake Boy”, and “Fame” respectively. Even though “Cake Boy,” was the first song released off of “Crew Cuts,” it was the least enjoyable song to listen to on the mixtape. “Cake Boy” wasn’t nearly as relaxed and cheerful as other songs on

“Crew Cuts.”

The biggest surprise on the mixtape was the feature that rapper Chiddy Bang added to Allen’s song “Fame.”

With a big-name rapper like Chiddy Bang, this helped Allen gain publicity and helped get his name out to those who were not already familiar with his music.

“Long Night,” featuring Chance the Rapper, topped it off as “Crew Cuts’” best song. This song really showed Allen’s musical talent and his ability to make enjoyable upbeat music that is to everyone’s liking.

“Crew Cuts” has already become one the best mixtapes released so far in 2013, and will continue to be a favor- Hoodie ite throughout the rest of the year. You can download this entire mixtape on Allen’s website Hoodieallen.com, or

Allen’s new mixtape is “Crew Cuts”.

you can buy the singles on iTunes. This mixtape is definitely worth the time to listen

Photo by Trevor Frye ‘13

The only setback was the cost, but you get what you pay for. I rate Penn Station 5 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a delicious, gourmet sub, then Penn Station is the place to go!

Album Cover from artist website

to and download. I rate this effort 5 out of 5 stars.

8 sports

March 28, 2013

The North Star

Student athletes reach dreams

Mackenzie Garrett ‘13 Feature Editor

As senior year wraps up, some students have to make decisions about where they are going to college in the fall. Other students, though, have not only already made this tough decision, but also have decided to dedicate their time at college playing sports. Nine seniors have already signed with a college where they will play a sport.

“I am super excited and I can’t wait to get there,” Marisa Oleksiak ’13 said about signing with Michigan State University to play soccer.

Oleksiak has been playing soccer since pre-school. She participated in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for soccer, and this is where she first met the MSU coach. Although she had other options for schools to play at, Oleksiak liked MSU the best.

“I picked MSU because it made me feel at home and gave me the family feeling,” Oleksiak said.

She has already met some of her fellow teammates for next year, and has visited the school multiple times.

Another senior signing is Tyler Conklin ’13. He will play basketball next year at Northwood University.

“I met my coach at one of my travel basketball tournaments,” Conklin said.

Conklin had met other coaches and had

Marisa Oleksiak ‘13 signed with Michigan State University just a few weeks ago.

Photo by Mary Rush McGee

other offers, but Northwood was the package deal for him.

“Northwood is giving me money, and I can start on the basketball team next year. Also, I liked their campus and they have good academics,” he said.

Boys’ varsity basketball coach Jay Seletsky said, “Part of being a coach is helping my players in their recruiting process.”

Seletsky helped Conklin when college coaches reached out to him for basket-

ball. High school coaches play a huge role in the student athlete’s journey to college athletics.

“I helped Tyler look at the whole package, not just athletics,” Seletsky said. He made sure Conklin picked a good school for education, location and, of course, athletics.

Although high school coaches do a lot of assisting when it comes to the recruiting process, the majority of student athletes attract college coaches

through their travel or club teams.

Chris Nowak ’13 played soccer for the school, but he also played for his travel soccer team, BASC Storm.

“I was signed up on a recruiting website and found out about the University of Findley,” Nowak said. He then emailed the coach, visited the school, and attended a soccer camp.

“I picked it over other schools because I didn’t want to go to a big school and they had the majors I’m interested in,” Nowak said.

Along with these athletes, six more seniors signed to play college sports next year. Matt Gross ’13 will play soccer at Rochester, Vince Parratto ’13 will play football at William Penn University, LaMonte Baker ’13 will play football at Wayne State, David Bercel-Dicker ’13 will play football at St. Francis University, Devin LaPorte will play lacrosse at Notre Dame de Namur University and Victoria Maniaci ’13 will play soccer next year at Miami University in Ohio.

These students already know exactly what they’re doing and where they are going next year.

“I am very excited about finally signing; it relieves a lot of stress,” Nowak said.

Varsity Lacrosse: Meet the team for 2013 Vinnie Scarpaci ‘13 Reporter

Lace up your cleats, strap up your gloves, and put on your helmet. You take to the field in a single file line as the music from the warm-up CD getting what seems to be everybody on the team ready to tear the other team apart. This is just an average scene as the Varsity Lacrosse Team steps onto the field.

Lacrosse is a very aggressive sport often compared to hockey. There are 10 players on each team: three attack, three mid-fielders, three defenders and a goalie. Each player carries a lacrosse stick. A “short crosse” or “short stick” is typically used by attackers or midfielders. A maximum of four players per team may carry a “long crosse,” sometimes called “long pole,” “long stick” or “d-pole,” typically used by defenders or mid-fielders.

LCN’s Varsity Lacrosse Team has been one of the more successful sports

programs in LCN’s sports history. Head coach Rob Melling and assistant coach Joe Polotowicz have trained the team to have superb speed and agility, due to the lack of overall size on the team,

especially the defensive end. Typically in lacrosse, the defensemen are bigger than the attackmen or mid-fielders.

“What we lack in size and strength, we make up for in speed and accuracy,”

The Varsity Lacrosse Team gets prepared for the game.

Photo By Steve Scarpaci

said Devin LaPorte ‘13.

Coach P is the offensive coach for the lacrosse team, and his biggest pet peeve is when players don’t shoot correctly by using a ‘side-arm’ shot. He takes much time to teach all the players on the team that accuracy always wins over power in the game of lacrosse.

The lacrosse season spans form mid-march to late May. This gives the fans many opportunities to go see their favorite lacrosse team, or just to watch an awesome sport. Lacrosse is a less popular sport compared to football or hockey but it is growing extremely rapidly. Teams have sprouted up all over the east and west coasts, and is spreading throughout the country and even in Europe.

The varsity team is looking forward to a positive season full of victories, good spirit, and for the seniors, a year to remember for the rest of their lives.

March 28, 2013

The North Star

sports 9

High School athletes show pride through sports

Pu m

a’s ext ra p

oin t

Jacob Puma ‘13

Every team has a name on their jersey. It could be the name of the city or school they represent, or their nick name, such as their mascot. But out of the three levels of sports, high school, college and the pros, who has the most pride in their team?

Most people would say the pros because sometimes they represent not only a city, but also whole state. I do not agree with that. I think high school athletes represent the name on their jersey the best.

The amount of pride a high school has in its teams does not nearly compare to the pros. College is similar, but not to high school.

Pro athletes often complain about the contract that they have. By demanding more money, that right there proves they play the game for the money, and not for anything else. I’m not saying all pro athletes are like that, but there is

Yoga: the body’s relief Emily Ronnisch ‘13 Copy Editor

Yoga: meditation and breathing combined to attain a deeper sense of consciousness. Most people believe yoga consists of twisting up into a pretzel-like shape or inversions. While this is true of advanced people who yoga practitioners, this is not the entire focus of the activity.

The misconceptions of yoga are plentiful.

“I’ve never done it, but I feel like it wouldn’t be something I’d get into.

Sometimes I can be a little stubborn but I guess maybe one day I’ll give it a try,” said Tyler Crescenti ‘13. A person’s own inhibitions can stop him or her from trying something that isn’t always socially accepted, especially among the male community.

There are many different types of yoga. Ash-tanga is centered on eight different poses and practiced swiftly, while Slow-Flow classes consist of long, drawn-out poses that focus on relaxation and realignment or meditation.

Yoga includes not only a physical practice but also several types of breathing and mind sets.

Abby Girard ’13 practices hot Vinyasa yoga at least once a week.

“I really enjoy going to yoga, especial-

ly to my hour-long hot Vinyasa class on Monday nights. It clears my mind and helps me focus for the rest of the week,” said Girard.

She has been practicing yoga for the past two years with a close friend. She has said that this was a life-changing experience for her.

Gayle Novack, a future yoga instructor at Santosha yoga studio, loves to inspire people to incorporate yoga in their daily lives.

“One of the greatest gifts of teaching yoga is being able to inspire people to go on their own spiritual journey towards enlightenment,” said Novack.

Yoga originated from Hindu monks.

The practice was brought from India to the West in the nineteenth century.

Many of the poses have different titles than the typical English names they were given. These titles are in Sanskrit, which is a language used in India. The poses consist of tests of balancing, strength, and endurance.

The practice of yoga is an age-old form of exercise and lifestyle. Yoga is an activity that will continue to increase in popularity as time and stress levels rise.

a large portion of them who are selfcentered people who don’t care about the team, just themselves.

Now look at college sports. People often argue that college is more entertaining than any pro game, I agree.

College has something that pro sports don’t have: crazy student fans. Take Michigan for example. Students and alumni pack The Big House during every football game with maize and blue fans. These kids stand and cheer the whole game, which gets the players on the field fired up. Most college athletes do not have a future in that sport after graduation. These athletes are playing the game as a team, to win for their school.

So why is high school different than college, other than the fact that it is way smaller? I believe high schools have the most all-around spirit. A lot of high school athletes are friends with athletes

from rival schools. That makes the athletes want their team to win all the more. For when a school plays a cross town rival, the whole school comes together to root the team on. The bleachers are filled with students cheering their team on, and on the court or field, the players are giving it their all. Nothing beats a Friday night football game, or a packed gym for a basketball game.

People will always have different opinions on which teams have the most pride for their city or school, but I strongly believe a high school has the most. All different groups of people come together to root for their school, with one common goal: win the game for one another.

March 28, 2013

The North Star

10 sports

Baseball is back in full swing

Baseball team aims to blast past their opponents Kyle Deriemacker ‘14 Reporter

As spring rolls around, winter sports come to a close and the baseball team begins to prepare for the season. Team workouts begin and try-outs are right around the corner. Over the past couple of years, the Varsity Baseball Team has been a very successful team at LCN. This season, expectations are high amongst the team as compared to last season.

The Varsity Baseball Team is coached by Jeff Dropps, a graduate of Adrian College. Dropps is also a teacher at L’Anse Creuse Middle SchoolEast. He has been the coach here at North for a while now, but the past couple of years have possibly been his most successful.

“I’m excited to see how well our returning varsity players have progressed

from last year. Also, I’m excited to see how we will do in league play since we have moved up to the MAC Red,” said Dropps.

This year, the baseball team moved up in the Macomb Area Conference from the MAC White to the MAC Red, the highest and toughest division.

Members of the baseball team plan to have a successful season, although they have lost a couple of key players.

“We moved up to the MAC Red this year from the MAC White, so it should be a good challenge for us. It will be tough knowing we lost our two best pitchers from last year (Ryan Cykon and Dan Clouse),” said Danny Kerr ’14.

In order for the baseball team to be successful, they have to train hard, often along with having the right mind-

The Varsity Baseball Crusaders celebrate their victory over Grosse Pointe South at the Grosse Pointe South Photo by Karen Cykon Invitational.

set to be able to win.

The team practices after school for two hours once the season starts.

If everyone can make it

Mike Michalski ‘13 rips a swing against a pitch by one of Dakota High School’s Photo by Chris Healy pitchers in the first round of the playoffs.

to every practice, then the team should be successful because they can ace every aspect of their game.

Pitching is a big part of the baseball team’s game.

This year’s pitchers will have to step up after losing Ryan Cykon ‘12 and Dan Clouse ‘12, their aces from last year. “[Nick] Ivone, [Mike] Michalski, and [Shane] Healy will be our aces this year,” said Kerr.

According to players, the team plans on keeping 13-15 players just in case of injuries and for extra pitching. More players will be a key part to being successful this year because with more players, they will be more well-rounded at certain positions, and if injuries occur, they have players to back them up.

Fielding in general has been a weaker spot for the team, which means they will have to rely on

pitching and batting to win games. Ivone and Kerr are going to have to come up big at the plate this year. According to a few players, Ivone and Kerr are two of the best hitters on the team.

Without run support, winning will be tough. If both hitting and pitching are in place, the team should be very successful.

The team plans on going far into playoffs if they can perform like they should during the season. Key matchups for the team include: Dakota, Grosse Pointe South, and Stevenson.

“I think we should make it past districts, but like last year, you never know,” said Kerr.

Last season, the baseball team lost in the district final because of a poor start from the pitcher.

The baseball team looks forward to hav-

ing a successful season this year, but it will take work to achieve that goal.

From fielding to hitting to pitching, it will take a whole team effort to top last year’s success. From coaching to players, their expectations are high and signs of a good season are rising. Hopefully the baseball team goes hot into April.

Brett Winters ‘12 follows through on a swing at districts in 2012.

Photo by Chris Healy

March 28, 2013

The North Star

sports 11

High school rivalries

Are high school disputes getting out of hand?

Kyle Deriemacker ‘14 Reporter

As the referee tosses the ball into the air, varsity basketball center Frank DeVos ’14 jumps up and tips the ball back to his teammate. The LCN student section is rowdy, and almost everyone is on their feet cheering their hearts out.

Trash talk between Anchor Bay and LCN was all over Twitter before the two faced off. At the end of the game, the score read LCN 76, Anchor Bay 39. Rivalry games at LCN are a huge part of the atmosphere amongst students and staff.

Rivals of LCN include the Lancers of L’Anse Creuse High School, the Tars of Anchor Bay High School, and the Cougars of Dakota High School.

According to many students, Anchor Bay may now be North’s biggest rival.

“I enjoy playing Anchor Bay the most because the stands are always packed, and I believe

Anchor Bay is our biggest rival now due to all of the trash-talking that goes on,” said varsity hockey player Gage Mazzetti ’13.

Although it makes sense for L’Anse Creuse to be LCN’s biggest rival, trash-talking and hype is seen more often before any of North’s sports teams face off against Anchor Bay. School rivalries are supposed to be good for schools, but more often than not, some students may go over the edge when it comes to the hype of the game.

“I think it shows the worst in people because you should just care about your own school, not what a different school does. You may want to beat them really bad, but some people take it too far,” said varsity tennis player Katelynn McMachen ’13.

When LCN played Anchor Bay in hockey back in December, there was a ton of trash talk, not just between players, but

LCN details,” said Brian Didur ’14, a lacrosse player.

When it comes to school rivalries, many may see it as a positive aspect to schools, but others think that stu-

among other students.

Students threatened to beat others up and some planned fights for after the game. After a tough loss for LCN, hundreds of students from each school piled out of Mt. Clemens Ice Arena and into the parking lot, and that is when chaos broke out. People threw punches and no one was there to stop the madness. Coaches from both teams, along with administrators, had to go

outside to break up the riot. That night, many students went over the edge and made both schools look bad.

Others say that getting involved in school rivalries brings schools together. Painting the rock, for example, is something a lot of students get mad about.

“The whole school freaks out when someone paints the rock, but most of the time someone is always quick to restore its

dents sometimes go too far with it. Rivalries at LCN are not taken lightly because a large portion of the student body supports the athletic teams.

After some Anchor Bay students tagged LCN’s rock, LCN students get revenge by painting Anchor Bay’s Photo by Chris Waechter ‘13 Anchor.

Kicking the competition

LCN Girls’ Soccer Team will try to net success Alexis Carlson ‘14 Opinions Editor

After coming off of a disappointing end to a great season last year, the Varsity Girls’ Soccer Team plans to pick things up right where they left off, but go even further in 2013.

The girls had an extraordinary season ending their run with a 4-12-5 record. They had their ups as downs, but

in the end, every game, win or loss, brought them closer together as a team.

Making it all the way to district finals last year and losing to Anchor Bay not only gave the girls an insight to what victory feels like, but also a feel of losing; which in the end gave them the drive to be better this year.

“We’re going to work really hard this year and get back to where we

were the end of last year, but move forward and be better,” forward Carson Janssen ‘14 said.

With a clean slate and a brand new season this year, the team has the chance to prove themselves.

“With this being my first year playing on varsity, I don’t really know what to expect. I think we will come together well as a team and go re-

ally far. We all play really well together,” defensive player Hayley Tomich ’14 said.

The team knows what is ahead of them this coming season, and they’re ready to take on the challenge and go just as far as they did last year. Will their drive take them to the end?

“I think that if we work together more this year that we will improve as

a team a lot. With better leadership from the new captains this year, the underclassmen will step up to the plate and be the best that they can,” forward Sam Micciche ’13 said.

“We have a much improved team this year, with a lot of upcoming freshmen on top of an already good team. With the team being reworked, I think we are ready to

bring home the MAC White championship again, and make it back to district finals and bring home the victory,” Varsity Coach Scott Boice said.

The Varsity Girls’ soccer team has a big responsibility to uphold this year. With the right thoughts and actions by both the team and the coaches, the girls will be on their way to victory in no time.

March 28, 2013 The North Star The Palace of Auburn Hills

12 entertainment

Concerts Gigi Guarino ‘13

Entertainment Editor

There are many different genres of music, too many to count. LCN is a widely diverse group of kids, each with their own personal taste in music. Luckily for them, there are many concerts of different genres coming up to pique each person’s interest. Different concert venues include the Palace of Auburn Hills, Joe Louis Arena, Fox Theatre, and The Fillmore. With this many venues, there is bound to be one that appeals to each person.

The Fillmore Theater The Fillmore isn’t as big as the Palace of Joe Louis Arena, but it’s not a tiny theater either. This theater is a decent size for the concerts held here.

Menka Jovanoska ‘13 is a student who has seen many concerts at the Fillmore.

She has seen Brand New, The Gaslight Anthem, and Panic! At The Disco.

“It’s a really beautiful venue with really good sound. It’s nice because it’s bigger but still small enough to guarantee a pretty good view,” she said, “One thing I don’t think is that it’s not all main floor general admission.”

A few upcoming concerts that are showing here are All Time Low and Pierce the Veil on May 1, Paramore on May 10, Vampire Weekend on May 17, and Fall Out Boy on May 22.

Fall Out Boy returns Brittiny Shepherd ‘13 Business Manager

In 2001, four boys came together and created a band in Wilmette, Illinois. These guys were bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist/vocalist Patrick Stump, guitarist Joe Trohman, guitarist/backing vocalist T.J. Kunasch and drummer Mike Pareskuwitz. They formed the band Fall Out Boy. After two years, Pareskuwitz and Kunasch left the band and Pareskuwitz was replaced

by Andy Hurley.

Before forming Fall Out Boy, the band played as a hard-core underground band. In 2003, the band released their debut “Take This To The Grave.” Then, in 2005 they released “From Under the Cork Tree” as the follow-up album.

When “From Under the Cork Tree” was released through their major label, Fall Out Boy broke out and became mainstream.

Fall Out Boy means

many things as a band to a lot of people.

“Fall Out Boy is discovering music to me,” Drew Bender ‘14 said. “Without them, I do not think I would be playing guitar for a band.”

The band also released new albums in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, Fall Out Boy announced they were going on a hiatus.

“Everyone, when I said Fall Out Boy was on a hiatus, I didn’t mean hiatus. I meant break which is what I understood hiatus to mean... according to dictionary. com 1. A break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, action, etc.. 2. A missing part; gap...,” Hurley’s Twitter post stated.

Fans had different reactions to this announcement, but almost all were sad or upset.

“I was sad, it was kind of depressing,” Nick D’Agostino ’14 said.

“They are my favorite band.”

Now, four years later on February 4, Fall Out Boy announced that their

hiatus was over. There were tweets about a new single and they announced a tour.

“I was stoked and I bought my tickets for Detroit right away,” John Janes ‘14 said.

Tickets for the Detroit date, which will be on May 22, 2013 at the Fillmore in Detroit, sold out in less than an hour.

“It felt like every one of my dreams and wishes came true,” Bender said. Referring to his show ticket, Bender said he is treating it like gold.

“When we were kids, the only thing that got us through most days was music. It’s why we started Fall Out Boy in the first place. This isn’t a reunion because we never broke up. We needed to plug back in and make some music that matters to us.

The future of Fall Out Boy starts now. Save rock and roll...” Pete, Patrick, Andy, and Joe said on FallOutBoyRock.com

When people think of the Palace of Auburn Hills, it’s almost always thought of as the place where the Pistons host their basketball games.

It’s much more than that, though.

Each month there are many big concerts that showcase some of the most popular artists of today’s pop culture. One of the most recent concerts was Big Sean’s show.

Christian Jordan ’14 is one LCN student who attended this concert.

“I honestly think it was the best experience of my life,” he said, “The music was of course amazing, and the Palace was packed.”

Some upcoming concerts that are showing here are New Kids on the Block on June 8, Bruno Mars and Ellie Goulding on July 11, One Direction on July 12, and Beyoncé on July 20.

Another big concert of a different type that is held at the Palace is the Vans’ Warped Tour. This is a festival of many different types of artists.

A few of the concerts are held, at once, throughout the day, all in the Palace’s parking lot.

Jordan Frame ’13 is a big fan of the type of music showcased at Warped Tour, “You get to see a bunch of your favorite bands, and it brings a lot of different music genres together,” he said, “You get the chance to meet a lot of different people and sometimes even your favorite bands.”

The Fox Theater Although the Fox Theatre is more known for its plays and musicals, concerts are still hosted here as well. Like the Fillmore, this theater is a bit smaller than most.

Nicki Minaj held a concert here recently. Morgan Modaffare ’13 was one of few LCN students who attended this concert.

“It was cool because confetti came out and since the theatre is small, it went on everyone,” she said. “I liked it being there because pretty much every single seat was a good seat, and the Fox Theatre is a really nice place even though everything is kind of expensive.”

The only concert that is coming up soon is Victoria Justice, the girl from Nickelodeon, who also now has a singing career, on July 7.

If someone enjoys older music there is The Original Funkfest on April 27, and Soul 70’s Super Jam on May 4.

The Joe Louis Arena Just like the Palace of Auburn Hills, Joe Louis Arena is mostly known for the sports games hosted here: the hockey games. It features concerts as well.

Some upcoming shows include Alicia Keys and Miguel on April 17, and Justin Bieber on July 28.

Melanie Miscovich ’12, a big fan of Justin Bieber’s, said, “I would honestly do or pay anything to get tickets.”

Photos by Gigi Guarino ‘13 from Google Earth

March 28, 2013

The North Star

entertainment 13

Shaking it for the “Harlem Shake” Emily Tanzy ‘13 Reporter

“Con los terroristas” seem to be the leading lyrics into every recently uploaded YouTube video in the nation. These song lyrics are translated in English as “do the Harlem Shake.”

Baauer, a Brooklyn music producer, has what seems like everyone doing the Harlem Shake these days.

His song, “Harlem Shake”, has hit number one on the charts in the U.S., and number three in the U.K. This recent breakthrough artist has received loads of attention, as millions of viewers are tuning into fanmade YouTube videos including this song, and even making videos themselves. To say that there is a craze for the “Harlem Shake” is an understatement, and this craze only continues to grow.

This fad was started in February of 2013, after the first video was posted by YouTube user, “DizastaMusic,” on January 30, according to Vox Magazine. The video consisted of four people in latex suits dancing to the “trap” music. On February 2, 2013, many parodies of the video were posted, which went viral

by February 5, earning millions of viewers. Three weeks later, anyone searching “Harlem Shake” on any search engine will encounter multiple pages of these parody videos.

It seems like almost everyone is creating these videos these days. From LCN students at lunch, to prestigious university sports teams, to even celebrities and company advertisers, the “Harlem Shake” has created a common enthusiasm among all.

Haley Wilson ’14 and friend Elizabeth Paul ’13 participated in the “Harlem Shake” put together by students in LCN’s C lunch hour. Student Derrick Angelo ’13 led the dance during the first 10 seconds, and the entire lunchroom erupted into dance and laughter for the remaining 21 seconds of the video. Wilson and Paul raved about how much fun they had goofing around and letting loose. The video can be found on YouTube by searching, “LCN Harlem Shake” in the search bar.

“I thought it was cool because it brought the whole school lunch room together, and I had a lot of fun,” said Wilson.

Although it may be very popular right now, many

Before

Students in LCN’s C lunch period made a “Harlem Shake” video during school.

Derrick Angelo ‘13 starts off the dancing.

Photos from YouTube

Before

After

Reporter

If you like music, fun, and an entertaining play, you might want to come out and watch “Music Man” at JAPAC on April 19 and 20 at 7 p.m.

The show is about a man named Harold Hill who is a con man. He is intending to cheat the town with his standard scam of offering to help out the boys’ marching band. He usually leaves and takes the money with him, because he has no skills with music, but his time when he stops in River City, he ends up falling in love with the librarian and piano teacher named Marian Paroo. Marian begins to fall in love with Harold, because she sees through his hard persona. Harold, in turn falls for Marian, and risks being caught to win her over

After

Students Jenna Alred ‘13, Devin LaPorte ‘13, Richie Brown ‘13, Kyle Welch ‘13 and Mitchell Zink ‘13 made their own “Harlem Shake” video.

Photos from YouTube

‘Music Man’ preview Jenna Alred ‘13

believe the popularity will soon fizzle out. Brian Manninen, video production teacher and Crusader Connection producer, feels that this fad will soon fade.

He feels that, just like the “Gangnam Style” videos, they’re cool at first because they’re viral and interactive, but eventually the next best thing comes along.

Manninen laughed saying that once people over 30 are making the videos, that they’re no longer cool.

“At some point, some creativity needs to be enlisted rather than just recreating the same video over and over,” said Manninen.

Whether this “Harlem Shake” craze goes viral for two more days, or two more years, the important thing is that it has brought the world together in some way. Those videos created are now memories, as well as entertainment for the world to share. In a generation of the “next best thing,” the question is always what the next best thing will be. Whatever it is, people will always remember the joy that it brought to them watching the videos explode across the internet, and every time they hear the catchy beat by Baauer, they won’t be able to stop themselves from doing the fad of early 2013: the “Harlem Shake.”

“We have been working really hard on this play and I think the crowd will really enjoy it,” said Michael Kaufman, the producer of the musical. The director is Evey Simon, a choir teacher.

The lead of the musical is being played by Noah Mattocks ’14.

“We’re expecting the play to have a great reaction,” said Mattocks. “People will laugh really hard, it’s pretty funny.”

Mattocks has acted in several plays before, has a lot of experience in show business. The other main part, “Marian,” is played by Harper Hodgson ‘16 Joshua Bryzelak ’13 said, “I think the play is going to be fun and funny to watch because it’s a classic and it’s really entertaining.”

“People should come see it because it’s really funny and very witty! The best is a surprise; I wouldn’t want to ruin it, so come out and watch!” Mattocks added.

n i 1 2

14 feature

The North Star

00 0

paintball in Germany.

“I like the fast food, but have to watch Yannik Maiwald experiout,” Maiwald ences America. said, being concerned Photo by Cordero MacNear ‘14 about his health.

Maiwald claims America has the best burgers Cordero MacNear ‘14 he has ever tasted, speNews editor cifically naming Buffalo Wild Wings.

About 2,000 students The food was not hard and staff fill the halls of to adapt to, according to LCN five days a week, but there is one who has Maiwald, but it is very different than the food in a unique background to Germany as most restauadd to the diversity of rants’ foods in Germany LCN. Yannik Maiwald are prepared fresh prior is an exchange student to serving. from a northern city in Although, Maiwald’s Germany called Braunschweig, about two hours most challenging adaptafrom the capital, Berlin. tion is not having a maid!

“He has a maid at home Maiwald came to LCN in November and he is here and I think it’s hard for him to get used to my to stay through the end family’s rules, such as of the school year.

“For being an exchange chores and cleaning up behind himself,” Previdi student, he knows a lot said. “You get to learn of English,” Breanna Previdi ’14 said, a mem- a lot about their culture – learn a different ber of Maiwald’s host family. “[He] interacts a lifestyle.”

Previdi also hosted a lot, he’s outgoing, funny female German exchange and thoughtful.” student before Maiwald, Maiwald takes advantage of his time in Amer- but she was very homesick and returned to ica; he enjoys going to hockey games and play- Germany last fall.

“When there’s a boy, I ing travel soccer is his passion. Maiwald is also can do different things than what I would nortrying new things, such mally do with my [girl] as joining the lacrosse team and playing paint- friends,” Previdi said, comparing having a male ball, as 18 years of age exchange student to a is the minimum to play

March 28, 2013

female.

German teachers Caroline Nagle and James Ekdahl are always grateful when German exchange students visit.

“It keeps me on my toes,” Nagle said. “I have to make sure my German grammar is good. And it is cool to have someone who is familiar with the culture.”

Maiwald does not show off his German skills too much because he rarely has anyone to speak with in German.

Maiwald may not have many others to speak with in German, but as an exchange student he could share valuable information in certain classes, such as U.S. History.

Members of the Movie and Book Club work on an activity related to Water for Kimberly Martin, Elephants, one of the many books the club has read together. Photo by Alex Murray ‘14 Economics and History teacher, serves as Maiwald’s U.S. History teacher this semester.

Martin believes it is great having exchange students and they can bring a lot of interest in class flower. discussions from a GerGPA or academic abil“We usually just put it man’s perspective of the ity a student has, movie to a vote on which book United States. and book club is a safe Jessica DiBattista ‘14 we should read next,” “I really like the school environment for anyone.

Reporter Kirt said. spirit. We don’t have that Members welcome all Books, movies, and These books are some in Deutschland [Germawith open arms. more, are all strong of the most popular ny],” Maiwald said.

Movie and Book Club contributors to LCN’s among teenagers, and One thing Maiwald differs from other clubs Movie and Book Club; these movies have struck dislikes about LCN is because it doesn’t revolve however, this club is so the box office ticket sales that he is not able to stay around one specific activmuch more.

It provides a immensely. with the same class all ity. Aside from reading reading adventure and a There are many benday, another difference books, movies are the marvelous moviewatchefits to joining this club, between LCN and his core of this club. ing experience. as well.

Club members school in Germany. Mai“I like watching the “Movie and Book Club have debates about the wald also finds school movies in the club,” is a club where students books and movies, showhere easier and more fun.

Liz Zaccagnini ’14 said. have the opportunity to ing many different sides Typical school sched“Most of them are really read modern literature of the story. ules in Germany vary good and are very fun to that corresponds with “I like how we can have day by day and students watch.” movies,” club leader different opinions about could take up to three This club is also a nice Edmund Kirt ’14 said.

the stories and books,” different language classes place where friends can Students from all Jett said. at a time. get together and enjoy “Also, reading different “The whole life is differ- grades have the chance movies from all different to join Movie and Book books that aren’t in a regent here, family, rules, genres.

Club; the club meets ular course’s curriculum laws,” Maiwald said.

“We read book in the every Tuesday in Becky can be beneficial to some Maiwald misses his course of a couple weeks, Prohaska’s room, the students,” Kirt said. family at times, but is not it mostly determines how club is ready to discuss Although there are too homesick, overall, he long the book is,” Kirt and watch movies. many different types of said. Hopefully Maisaid.

“Movie and Book Club clubs at LCN, Movie and wald’s host family here Some of the books is a good place to relax, Book club is yet another makes him feel at home and movies the club and read books without one that provides a readvery well, as the Previdi have watched and read worrying about tests,” ing adventure and a family plans to Frankeninclude: Hunger Games, Kirsten Jett ’14 said. marvelous movie watchmuth and Cedar Point in Water for Elephants, and No matter of what ing experience.

Ohio while he is here.

Perks of Being a Wall-

Movie-book club LCN’s newest club is a hit

March 28, 2013

feature 15

The North Star

Video class: ‘Crusader Connection’ uncovered Kristen Alberti ‘13 Cover editor

The lights are on, the sound is up, and the cameras are rolling.

Blake Lombardo ’13 and Joe Lint ’13 prepare to anchor for the next episode of the “Crusader Connection.” Whether they are anchors, actors, or editors, they are always busy trying to create bigger and better episodes for their classmates to enjoy. They are just a small part of the big show that is known as the “Crusader Connection.”

The “Crusader Connection” is a school-wide television show created by the Video Production class. It airs every Wednesday for students and staff to see. Brian Manninen is the teacher of the class, and got the idea to create the show four years ago from for-

mer principal Dave Jackson, after L’Anse Creuse High School added a morning announcement show.

Although it may seem easy, the show is not created in a day. Each episode goes through an involved process until it is completely finished.

First, Manninen has all students fill out an idea sheet to get their creative juices flowing.

“They brainstorm things that are relevant to what’s happening in school at that time. We plan six to seven segments per show at about a minute and a half each,” said Manninen.

He explained that they try to have a different premise for each segment such as a school-wide one, an in-depth piece, and then they try to make the show fun with skits and commercials, which always seem to keep the students laughing.

Joe Lint ‘13 is editing a scene for the Crusader Connection, a weekly show.

Manninen also said that although there were technical difficulties in the past, they have been taken care of and the current semester is the best semester he has had yet.

To him, the show just keeps getting better.

Students in the class think creating the show has been a fun experience.

Lint said, “The Video Class is an interesting academic choice, and

“Being in Video for the past four semesters has helped me improve my editing skills and has also led me to meet some really cool people as we create the show,” said Paige Wilson ’13.

Video class is for both those who like to be in the spotlight as actors and anchors, and also for those who like to do work behind the camera, such as editing. In order to be in Video, students must

definitely something I’m glad to be a part of.”

Anthony Randall ’13 agreed. “Video is a great class because it’s exciting and it gives you freedom to create something for everyone to enjoy!” he said.

Along with being able to make people laugh, learning how to use editing software such as Movie Maker and Adobe Premiere is a part of Video as well.

Level up with Gamers’ Club Emily Tanzy ‘13 Reporter

LCN is known for having great sports teams and leadership clubs, but the thing that they lack is an aspect of fantasy and imagination. Ever feel like escaping the stress of school and just venturing into a new world? This escape is usually practiced at home by playing video games. LCN students Austin Hancock ‘14, Seth Liegghio ‘15, and Josh Centa ‘14 developed a club under the guidance of Dawn Wissman, science teacher, to help give students a chance to escape into this portal of imagination, while surrounded by others who share the com-

mon passion for gaming.

This club is called the Gamers’ Club.

Wissman gladly took on the role of club advisor when she realized the demand placed on the club due to students.

She feels that it’s a great opportunity for kids to interact with each other face to face, rather than just hearing a voice over a headset while playing games at home. She also believes that the club creates a great environment for communication, and gives students a way to share their knowledge of video games to help others, she said.

“Gamers can become isolated, and this club encourages face to face

Photos by Kristen Alberti ‘13

Students work on new skits for the Crusader Connection.

communication, friendly competition, and good sportsmanship,” said Wissman.

The club meets every Thursday in room 126, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Students bring in their own gaming systems and video games, and challenge each other on the classroom’s big screen.

Everyone is welcome to come play and watch, and grab a slice of pizza as well. Though it may be friendly competition, the gaming also gets very exciting and intense.

“The great factors of the club are the people,” said Hancock, creator of the Gamers’ Club. “They’re all very passionate about the types of games we

play and are very honest and opinionated on the subject of games, and I think it’s great.”

Whether you’re looking for some intense gaming, or just something fun to do on a Thursday, Gamers’ Club is definitely worth checking out. It’s a place for people to come together in a welcoming environment to escape from the real world for two hours a week. Next time you’re sitting at home playing a game of “Call Of Duty”, “Minecraft”, or “Halo”, just think about how much more fun it would be to actually be in a room with the people you’re playing against, and be cheered on by others.

have taken and passed either Mod Tech, Journalism, or Photo.

“My vision for the Crusader Connection is that all students send us videos so we can have more than just the Video class and so that the whole school can participate,” said Manninen. “We’re just the students that work with the media, but everybody can submit stuff to bring the whole school together.”

16 opinions

Is MST worth it?

James Coller ‘13 Editor-in-Chief

Imagine walking out of high school with over $100,000 dollars in scholarship money and a resumé that includes working for the Big Three. This is the reality for some seniors graduating from the MathScience-Technology Program (MST) at the Pankow Center.

Given the chance, nobody should pass up the opportunity of attending MST. Through fast-paced and in-depth instruction, students master math and science while learning an entirely new thorough process that applies to all situations.

MST is not for everyone. The curriculum requires students to think both independently and with their peers. Students cannot expect to be successful without putting forth effort, either.

However, the benefits are well worth the reward, and people can still suc-

March 28, 2013

The North Star

ceed with high grades.

This year, out of the 13 valedictorians and the one salutatorian, half are current MST seniors.

This proves that not only is it possible to keep high grades, but often the ones who have the best grades are in MST. Students in MST are a family. With small class sizes, students are offered more individual instruction time, and they grow together since they remain with the same core group of students all four years. Furthermore, the students in MST keep one another advance. With a group of students focused on learning, more classroom time is spent on learning, and less time is wasted for distractions. Students push one another to continue setting the bar higher for themselves, allowing each other to grow exponentially.

The ACT is a major college readiness benchmarking tool, and is often

a major factor in college admission. According to district statistics, MST’s class of 2013 scored on average 7.5 points higher on the ACT than nonMST students. In terms of college readiness, this is a huge increase.

MST teaches students how to analyze problems, and then solve them quickly and efficiently. It is through this way of thinking that MST students are able to problem-solve better than their non-MST peers. The goal isn’t to simply memorize information to pass tests, but rather to understand how that information came to be, and then be able to derive the information so it doesn’t have to be memorized.

Some have claimed that the only reason MST scores are higher is because the smartest students are in the MST program, so they already have an advantage. This is not the case, how-

ever. In a recent study by L’Anse Creuse administrators, current seniors in MST scored almost four points higher on the ACT than their counterparts who have taken similar courses at LCN or LCHS. These students must have equal potential in order to take similar course loads, but it is not the potential for excellence that makes the difference, but rather the MST environment and curriculum. In comparison, students who were in the MST program, but dropped out, still scored three points higher than non-MST students.

The MST program delivers proven results. AP classes, considered to be the most difficult classes to take in high school, offer the chance to earn college credit that can save students thousands of dollars when they get to college.

MST students taking AP tests consistently score higher and with an

Current student says an emphatic ‘yes’ extremely higher passing percentage than their peers at LCN or LCHS. For example, MST students taking AP Biology have passed 87 percent of the time, compared to just 18 percent at LCN. Last year alone, 72 percent of MST students passed the AP Calculus exam, where only 32 percent of LCN students passed.

Additionally, MST students are offered a world of opportunities to advance themselves.

One such opportunity open to MST students is the Ford High School Science and Technology Program. MST students who participate are eligible to compete for approximately 20 internships each year given to advanced high school students in southeast Michigan to work for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.

This opportunity alone is extremely valuable for any student looking to

Former students make case against MST Kaylee McPharlin ‘13 Opinions Editor

Jacob Pallach ‘13 Photo Editor

While the majority of students are gathering in the gymnasium for a school-wide assembly, the students in the MathScience-Technology program are waiting for the bus in the commons.

This was a recurring theme for the time we wasted in MST. Being in this program took away from our overall high school experience, the potential success that we could have had here at our home school, and the social life that teenagers should experience throughout high school.

There were activities

throughout the school year that we had to miss because of the rigor and expectations that the teachers expected on students. We should not have had to miss out on some of the fun parts of high school for the benefit of an extra hour or two of class time.

Teachers in the program would give notes and assign work even when we had the option to attend in-school activities. This caused us to fall behind just because we were trying to enjoy a full high school experience.

In addition to missing out on fun activities at school, we missed out on having time to interact with the other

students at LCN. The classes at MST involve students from LCHS, so this program prevents friendships being formed with the people the students are actually graduating alongside. We feel the friendships that we’ve made at the home school have far surpassed any friendships formed through MST. School isn’t just about the grades; it’s also about forming relationships.

MST is so fully centered on schoolwork that it prevented us from forming relationships.

The workload that comes with being in MST along with the workload from other classes is just a recipe for disaster in re-

lation to our GPAs. Personally, our GPAs have suffered greatly from only one year in the program. If we would have taken the same classes at the home school, our chances of achieving a higher GPA now would likely be greater.

MST may have a more rigorous curriculum, but universities do not yet recognize the challenge of the MST program.

Therefore, the lower GPA because of these classes is not recognized, according to MST alumni who failed to get into the college of their choice.

This could limit college opportunities for students who deserve to be admitted into certain

schools.

These classes also had a negative effect on our social life. While we were in the program, we spent more time studying and doing homework than should be necessary for a freshman trying to transition from middle school to high school. There are so many new people and opportunities to be involved with, but those can be taken away by the excess work load.

We personally made the majority of our good friends after leaving the MST program and submerging ourselves into the lifestyle at LCN. We will remember fondly the memories that we made with these friends more

enter a science – or math – related field.

While in the program, it is still perfectly possible to have time for other extracurricular activities and sports. Many students are on varsity sports teams, involved in clubs, and even hold jobs and social lives.

MST does not dominate students’ lives, but rather it enhances them.

The advantages of MST are endless. Students who dedicate a little extra time both in and outside of the classroom to take MST classes walk away with a more in-depth understanding of how the world works. They don’t just learn the curriculum, but also they learn how to think. Students leave with more scholarship money, better test scores, and an overall improved learning experience.

Education is the key to success, and MST is an essential part of a better education.

than the in-depth study of the Krebs cycle.

A social life is the key to becoming a well-rounded individual. Students who are so academically-focused miss out on the period of time to be social and learn good people skills. Being at the home school and having more of an opportunity to socialize and be involved in things outside of school helps produce an academically and socially sound student.

Overall, we feel MST is not worth the trouble and stress that comes with it. The same classes offered in that program are also available here at the home school. Enjoy your time here at LCN; after all, it is what will be on the high school diploma.

March 28, 2013

The North Star

EDITORIAL

Student athletes face a battle every time they go to practice or a game.

It is a mental battle to push their bodies to new limits in order to become the best athlete they can be. In order for the bodies of student athletes to overcome the stresses that they push themselves through, it needs to be properly equipped. This includes safety equipment, clothing, hydration, and the playing climate. While many focus on the first three, they overlook the

last piece: the playing climate.

During the February 25 regular school board meeting, school board members Mary Hilton and Pamela Hornberger brought into question why both high schools’ gyms remain without any air conditioning. During the summer months, which can sometimes reach outdoor temperatures of 90 degrees, these gymnasiums are used for various sports camps, and then in August, for high school team prac-

opinions 17

LCN’s Jackson Gymnasium is in dire need of AC

tices. These gyms need to be properly cooled, but they are not.

With temperatures skyrocketing, student athletes continue to push their bodies to the limit.

This causes the body to sweat in order to cool itself. With extreme sweating, athletes can dehydrate quickly, causing heat exhaustion at times.

During the summer of 2012, according to the LCPS Board of Education, one student passed out due to heat exhaus-

tion and had to be taken to the hospital during a summer camp in a gym.

This is one student too many. Students should not be taken to the hospital because there is poor air circulation in the gym.

According to the NCAA, heat and humidity combine for what is referred to as a high “wet-bulb globe temperature” that can quickly raise the heat stress on the body. This heat stress is what causes students to be overcome by heat exhaustion.

According to the Mayo Clinic, heat exhaustion, if not immediately treated, can lead to heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. What is the value of a student’s life? Is it worth less than the cost of an air conditioning system for the gym?

According to the Board of Education, preliminary reports showed that it would cost an initial investment of $1.2 million to equip both high schools with air conditioning for the gyms. In comparison,

$14 million was spent on construction across the North campus. Also, $800,000 is estimated to be spent to repair the parking lot at the transportation center.

The staff of The North Star urges the Board of Education to appropriate the funds in order to add air conditioning to the gyms of both high schools. The improvements, while costly, are much less costly than the lives of students, which should be the priority of the district.

Students’ tattoos may affect career choices Tattoos can make or break opportunities with jobs, can hurt health Brandon Alafriz ‘13 Sports Editor

Young people, mostly high school students, are getting tattoos and not realizing how this can affect their future. After seeing celebrities, such as rapper Wiz Khalifa or drummer Travis Barker, covered head to toe in ink, many teenagers think getting a tattoo is cool. Getting ink’ed up might seem cool at the time, but after many years have passed, some people may regret getting the tattoo that seemed sweet during their teenage years.

Personally ,I would love to get a tattoo. I would think it out for about a year just to make sure that it would be the tattoo I wanted. I would also make sure I put it

in a place where it could easily be covered up.

Matt Vermeersch ’13 would agree when it comes to being smart about getting a tattoo.

Vermeersch knew ahead of time that if he got a tattoo, it would need to be covered up easily.

Vermeersch said, “Any interview I go to will be formal attire. It shouldn’t be a big deal if I have a tattoo. If it can be covered up easily, then I don’t see it being a problem with my job.”

John Chirikas, partowner of Horizon Steel, has many people apply to work for him.

Chirikas said, “If I see someone come in for a job interview and they have any visible tattoos, I won’t hire them, plain and simple. It’s a very unprofessional look.”

Tattoos also have repercussions having to do with health. My father, Marlon Alafriz, works as a nurse anesthetist. Ever since I was young, he has told me stories about problems he has faced while administering anesthesia or epidurals.

“If I had a pregnant woman with a tattoo on her lower back come in before birth and asks for an epidural, I would deny her. If, by chance, the ink I injected mixed with the anesthetic and got to the nerves of the spinal cord, the patient could become paralyzed. My patient would have to deal with the pain,” Alafriz said.

Whether the problem with getting a tattoo has to do with getting a job or potential health risks, I would recommend people think twice

before going to get one.

Once a tattoo is put on your body, it will be there forever.

“Make smart choices, said Alafriz. “It’s your decision to go and get that tattoo and because of that, you will have to live with its consequences.”

Photo by Brandon Alafriz ‘13

Tyler Singer ‘14 shows off his forearm tattoo that he got recently.

Photo by Brandon Alafriz ‘13

Matt Vermeersch ‘13 shows off a tattoo on his ribs.

A tattoo that isn’t as visible may not affect career choices as much as tattoos on other places.

Have a comment you’d like to share? Write a letter to the editor!

E-mail your letter to: northstar.np@gmail.com

18 opinions

Just Saying...

The North Star

Self-confidence, do you have it?

Should teachers be allowed to carry weapons in school?

Lizzie Vanlerberghe ‘13

Pistol and bullets by freedigitalphotos.net

Reporter

Lonny Beasley ‘13

What exactly is ‘beauty’? How could it be defined or measured? There are people who believe that they are exceptionally attractive, which isn’t bad if they aren’t vain about it. Selfconfidence is hard to come by these days and it’s even harder to keep. If you have it, I have to give you props.

Then there are people who will go their entire lives without thinking that they’re pretty. Why is that?

Maybe images of artificially-enhanced celebrities plastered all over media outlets could affect one’s perspective of beauty. That could definitely put a big dent in the average person’s selfconfidence. Obviously not everyone can have perfectly-shaped eyes like Mila Kunis, full lips like Jennifer Lawrence, or Kate Upton’s cover girl body.

If you don’t have anything remotely attractive about your appearance, you’re considered ugly. That’s pretty harsh, but that’s how I feel when I see media trying to interpret what they call beauty.

Even if your self-confidence isn’t shaken by the flawless celebrities on your television, there are still reasons why I feel like there are standards you have to meet in high school. What’s worse is that there are no set guidelines on how to be pretty; it’s mostly a guessing game. You have to dress a certain way, style your hair just right, wear a decent amount of makeup, et cetera. At that point, it’s not even about trying to look pretty. It’s about trying to look like everyone else.

It’s a known fact that no one is perfect. Everyone has little things that they find unappealing about themselves. There are products and procedures available for those who want to change their features. You don’t like your hair color? There are plenty of hair dye products at your local drugstore. Do you wish you were

a little bit tan? Stop by one of the many local tanning salons and stock up on bronzer. There’s nothing wrong with making yourself look a little better. You don’t like your nose? Consult a plastic surgeon and choose a new one. Are you considering losing weight? You could diet and exercise, or you could just not eat. Why not? If it makes you look better, go for it. Millions of other people do it.

Doesn’t that sound horrible? If we don’t like something about ourselves, we want to change it. Most of the time, it’s not even something that we gave a second thought about. Others draw attention to it, mostly negative, or it’s a physical quality you don’t have, like a perfect ski-slope nose or long legs. We are told what is beautiful and what isn’t, and what isn’t beautiful is shamed. When it comes to beauty, the standards are nearly impossible to meet.

We are all different and that’s what makes us beautiful. Not tan skin, not pretty blue eyes, not the physique of a Barbie doll. We shouldn’t look like clones of one another, but rather various types of beauty. Don’t hide what makes you unique. Embrace it. You should stand out, not blend in.

This would also be the perfect time to mention the shallow, distasteful Twitter accounts who had anonymously posted rude and inconsiderate tweets about students here at LCN. It’s already hard enough being a teenager putting up with all this nonsense of ‘today’s beauty’, so why is it necessary to go out of your way to make someone miserable? And to all of those who have been struggling with self-confidence; keep your head up. You’re perfect just the way you are and to recite my favorite quote, “Anyone who tells you you’re no good, they’re no better.”

March 28, 2013

News Editor

Murderers, rapists, child molesters: criminals are out there and when they choose to take abusive behavior, who is going to protect the students and staff from intruders. Is it time for schools like LCN to indulge in affirmative action and start allowing staff to carry concealed weapons? Possibly. So staff could have the freedom to possess selfdefense weapons if they so choose to, if there is a possible threat.

Michigan law currently allows people who have permits to carry weapons into weapons-free zones like schools - but the weapon must be visible.

Some lawmakers are trying to get this reversed. Other states are requiring teachers to carry guns.

My first instinct when hearing about the idea of teachers being able to carry weapons was, if a policy like this did exist here, that it actually wouldn’t be a bad plan and it sounds like it could be a pretty promising idea. Then I questioned myself: could it actually work?

There are so many options that have to be reviewed before even thinking about introducing such a policy, so much that in reality, it may never have a chance at success.

Teachers possessing weapons for protection against harmful threats ultimately allows for more protection for all others. What parent doesn’t want more security for his/her child? It sure would make any intruders think twice before making any bad decisions. Instead of the threat of just a few security guards or a liaison officer, they have to take into account the whole staff in the school might be armed, and that alone can change the behavior of those with negative intentions.

Although it could protect students and staff from intruders, could such a policy be damaging to the students and their education? It would make stu-

dents question the idea of weapons and would lead to many off-topic discussions during classes. It would instill a fear of attending school for some students, and make others feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

Even if the school staff could manage weapons properly and in a safe manner, then they still would have to worry about the message that they’re sending to children. Children can easily misinterpret the reason behind having such dangerous weapons and that can be damaging for students.

If an issue like this was to be addressed by the board of education, another hassle they would have to deal with is having a place for each teacher to keep a weapon. Each teacher would need a place to keep and maintain their weapon if they so choose to have one, unless it’s something that can easily be hidden, such as pepper spray. A secure place will keep these types of things from students and other people in the school.

I’ve heard of many incidents where enraged or depressed teens use violence on themselves and others, such as the Taft Union High School shooting. In California, a teenage student brought a high-caliber weapon to school and fired on another student, leaving him in critical condition. Having weapons could be one more way for a student to lash out.

With an action like this, administrators would have to increase the monitoring systems to make sure classrooms, teachers, and students do not get out of control and to ensure an individual does not abuse his/her authority. It would be a costly addition to add more monitoring systems around the school.

In order to protect the staff members and students, an approach such as this one would pose too much of a threat to those who it was meant to benefit, a risk that is not worth taking.

March 28, 2013

opinions 19

The North Star

fast

The Compiled by Jacob Pallach ‘13

Do you have any pets?

Who is your How did you What is your dream prom celebrate St. favorite song? date?

Patrick’s Day?

If you could be an animal, what would you be?

Photos by Jacob Pallach ‘13

Cody Barlow ‘13

No, I don’t, but Went to McI wish I had a Donald’s to purebred Sibe- buy a Shamrian Husky rock Shake

“Drift Away” by Uncle Kracker

Mila Kunis

Hailey Maas ‘14 A Yorkie Spent time named Pooter with my family

Jacob Stanco ‘15

A black lab named Remington

Designated drove my brothers

Two dogs, Rudy and Dash

I had no plans, maybe a family gathering

No, I wold like to have a bulldog

On my way back from an athletic director conference

Grant Girard ‘16

Brian Anderson, assistant athletic director

“When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars

Zac Efron

Elephant because they can do cool things with their trunks

“Welcome Home” by Metallica

My girlfriend, A dog beLauren Jiles cause they’re so loved ‘15

“Carry On” by Kid Ink

Chanel Coast

A bird so I can fly

Erin Andrews

Dogs, because they eat, sleep, and repeat

“Gold Digger” by Kanye West

Contacting the North Star:

Facebook.com/LCNNewspaper

A lion so I can be like Simba and be the king of Africa

Search: @LCNNewspaper

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

@

Email us at: northstar.np@gmail.com

North tar S 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.........................James Coller Copy Editors...........................Shane Healy Emily Ronnisch Cover Editor pgs1/24...........Kristen Alberti News Editor pgs 2/3.......Cordero MacNear News Editor pgs 4/5............Lonny Beasley Feature Editor pgs 6/7...Mackenzie Garrett Feature Editor pgs 8/9........Darian Hillaker Entertainment Editor pgs 10/11.................... ...............................................Gigi Guarino Focus Editor pgs 12/13...........Gigi Guarino Review Editor pgs 14/15..........Trevor Frye Sports Editor pgs 16/17.....Brandon Alafriz Sports Editor pgs 18/19.......Chris Waechter Opinions Editor pgs 20/21............................ .......................................Kaylee McPharlin Opinions Editor pgs 22/23...Alexis Carlson Photo Editor...........................Jacob Pallach Online Editor............................Jacob Puma Business Manager...........Brittiny Shepherd Reporters..................................Jenna Alred ............................................Vinnie Scarpaci ........................................Kyle Deriemacker ..................................Anthony Benacquisto .....................................Lizzie Vanlerberghe ............................................Brianna Wilson .........................................Jessica DiBattista ...............................................Nicole Voight .................................................Emily Tanzy Adviser..............................Ms. Kim Kozian 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 story 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 snapshot

The North Star

March Madness

David Bercel-Dicker ‘13 and Frank DeVos ‘14 always do a pre-game ritual before they play.

David Bercel-Dicker ‘13 takes a shot against Port Huron.

The starters wait on the bench to be announced for their game against Dakota high school in the district semi-finals.

John Allen ‘13 goes in for a lay-up against Dakota.

March 28, 2013 PhotosPhotos courtesy by of James LCN Coller teachers ‘13

Frank DeVos ‘14 waits as his teammate John Allen ‘13 prepares to shoot a free throw.

The boys always come to a game prepared to win and put in a 212 effort. No matter what, they always try their best.

Tyler Conklin ‘13 challenges against a Cougar.

Sean Koski ‘14 battles Port Huron for the ball.