Senior Issue, the Black & Gold, Volume 92

the Black and Gold

s

presents...

N A P S H O

T S

Photos: K. Stanton, E. Cover, S. Hutchinson, A. Hilden, K. Raymond, G. Kosch

Traverse City Central High School Senior Issue, Volume 92, May 21, 2013

May 21, 2013

2

Index

Central Snapshots Index

Student Submissions 3 4 5 8 9 11 12 13 18 20 24 25 28 29 6 7 Future Plans Staff Retirees 10 Sports 14 15 Prom 16 17 Rendezvous 19 Advertisements 21 22 23 Awards and 26 27 Commendations Thank 30 31 Yous Student 32 Quotes

and

Prologue

From the editors:

Photo: A. Hilden

After a year of hearing complaints, concerns and suggestions about what we should and should not publish, we have eased the process.

With a writing implement, check off the appropriate boxes, cut along the dotted line, add a phone number and mail it in.

Dear • Not-so-wise editors: • Immature children: • Insensitive Louts: Just when I think the Black & Gold can’t • make a worse mistake • misquote me yet again you go and prove me wrong by publish ing a ridiculous • news story.

• editorial.

• picture.

• Leek story.

I am • deeply appalled • highly offended • not at all surprised that you would sink to this new depth in • tabloid journalism.

• childish immaturity.

• viciousness.

If you read your own newspaper, you would understand the needs of • the taxpayers.

• parents.

• the youth.

• TCAPS. Since you obviously don’t, it proves you are irresponsible tools of • TCAPS • the Chamber of Commerce.

• the godless communists.

• the liberals.

I’m going to • cancel my subscription.

• slap your face.

• other unpleasant act of violence: _______________.

Thank you for publishing my letter. Have a nice day.

May 21, 2013

3

Submissions

Istanbul, Turkey: where old meets new As I sat staring at the ferry’s oil-stained deck floor, and at the frothy waves rolling in our wake, I considered the “East meets West” metaphor so often used to describe Istanbul. At that moment in time, the summer of 2010, I was literally crossing from the East to the West, ferried through the silken waters of the Bosphorus Strait that separates the Asian side of Istanbul from its European side.

I fell in love with Istanbul on that trip, and it was a large factor in my decision to take a gap year and study as a Rotary Exchange student in Turkey. While I’m ecstatic to leave high school and go to college, it dawned on me that I’m in no rush to begin the next chapter in my educational career. In a way, it’s very fitting that I’m going to Turkey: I am in one of the biggest transitions of my life, and

I’m going to a place whose entire identity is intertwined with the idea of transition.

Turkey lies between Eastern and Western, between old and new, a place whose very identity is in transition. This is a place so rich that the relics of at least fifty identifiable religious and ethnic subgroups converge across its landscape. This is where Constantinople spread Christianity, and where Islam arrived in the eleventh century. This city has bones of the fallen Ottoman Empire, it’s remnants steeped in nostalgia of that glorious civilization.

During my earlier six weeks living in Istanbul, I was reminded daily that this was no pristine European city: by the hot, tented bazaars bursting with colorful wares hawked by shiny-faced men; the orange domes and rooftops cascading down to the cerulean Bosphorus shore;

the noxious smell of fish in the narrow market streets, bursting with earth-toned spices; the streets lined with abandoned mansions, the wood aging to a chalky brown, ghost-like pallor; the haunting call to prayer that washed through the windy streets five times a day, drawing Muslims to their knees in prayer.

All of these sights, sounds and smells were at once enthralling and confusing.

Nothing in Istanbul that I experienced was quite as expected. On my first trip, I only got a taste of Turkey; I didn’t have a grasp of the language and I was frequently confused by its cultural norms. Now, I will have the chance to better understand how Turkey’s past informs its future, and at the same time, contemplate the direction of my life path. I want to have roots that extend beyond America, pulling me

from what is familiar, to that that which is foreign.

In Turkey, East meets West, old meets new, entire worlds, entire civilizations colCo-Editor-in-Chief lide. I heard the call to Katie Stanton return to Turkey, and it will bring me closer to whatever I am called to do.

Let’s play ball; let’s play life

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Miranda Winoweicki It always came naturally; the game was in my blood.

Ever since I can remember, I spent long summer days at the ballpark either watching in wide wonder, playing in the dirt behind the backstop or, as I came to age, feeling the hot sun searing number 21 into my back.

Softball isn’t just a game to me. For the last 13 years, it’s been a state of mind and a lifestyle.

I will continue to play softball throughout my college career, and I suspect it will always be either

a part of my life, or not too far away.

When I was little my big brother Jason, always played catch with me and helped me with my skills. He never shooed lil’ sis away, in fact, he fostered my interest. He was my idol on the field.

I made sure everyone who hung around the diamond knew he was my brother. When most little girls were playing dress-up, I was the little tom-boy sister who wanted to play ball with the boys, but only when Jason’s friends were not around -- little sisters are never “cool.”

I was his biggest fan, so when I watched his journey into college baseball, I knew I wanted to be in his shoes, wearing his cap. He was my mentor, my idol, and I wanted this shared experience with my big brother. It seemed like the natural progression of our sport; our next level of play.

Over the last four years I pursued something very special, you have to make

sacrifices for it--the 5 a.m. alarms for workouts, the every-weekend trips to Grand Rapids for club ball practice, the pressure to perform with the allknowing eyes of college coaches and scouts--none of this was easy.

And though Jason ignited my love for our sport, my dad was the inimitable force who kept me focused when things got really, really hard. No one wants to cross him; he wears a hard shell, but few know the depths of his care. He is the tough love kind of parent, strict, but with infinite love. It was never “will you?” but “you will.” This he saves always for when it really matters. Most times he coupled his “you wills” with an “I love you.”

This was how my siblings and I were raised.

One of the best things dad always does for us is that he is real, never sugarcoated. Life is a fun, but a serious game to him.

“Punkin,” he said to me when we discussed my aspiration to up my game

for college, “it’s all about these sacrifices with no guarantees.”

He’d say this a lot when it got tough on the field or in life. Sacrifice can be a heartbreaking risk, and he taught me that that is why it is so special if it works.

As I experience more of the “real-world” I am holding dad’s advice closer and closer to my heart.

Jason and Dad are my biggest critics, biggest cheerleaders and my big wide shoulders to cry on.

They are the constants in my life, my rocks.

Jason, you have been there for me from the beginning. I am so proud of the man you are becoming and I couldn’t be blessed with a better brother. I love you, Bud. Daddy, you have taught me so much more than I thought I could know about mental toughness, being on my game, and the big game of life. (PS: Let momma drive you home after you drop me off at Aquinas. You know why.) I love you.

Title: “Shapes n’ What Not”

Inspiration:

“We looked at various abstract artist in class and I was attracted to the different shapes.

I liked how her work makes everything, like the shadows, look abstract.”

Favorite Aspect:

“I really like how the colors turned out. I messed around with multiple color schemes before I found the one I really liked.”

Guest Artist

Calvin Marois

May 21, 2013

4

Submissions

Premature senioritis

open mind, and improve myself.

Throughout my time at Central, my character has changed almost as much as my hair color. I’ve befriended amazing people who have eroded my walls. I got rid of the horrendous bangs that once plagued my face, and um...well, my verbal filter is still equally atrocious. Side-effects of the treatment for premature senioritis, AKA growing up, may include...

Guest Writer

...finding friends in

unlikely places. I have

found incredible friend Around eighth grade, I came

ships with Callie Chap down with a pretty severe case of

pell, Inmate #38649, premature senioritis. I entered high and people everywhere school with my walls built up. My

in between. bangs appeared to be styled by a . ..learning that knowl weed-whacker and my vocabulary

edge, intelligence, and was that of a sailor. Unfortunately, maturity are completely premature senioritis is a degenera- separate entities. The tive disorder, so I knew the symp- academics learned in toms would worsen if I didn’t act. high school may make In case you’d like to self-diagnose

you a knowledgeable this potentially debilitating condi Jeopardy opponent, tion, the symptoms may include...

but if you’re immature

and inexperienced at life,

...mentally comparing

you’re still going to be

school to a jail and/or

eating Ramen noodles in

a terrible episode of

mom’s basement when

Punk’d.

you’re 35.

...cringing at the highly

...taking time to glean

concentrated odor of

insight from your

teenage pheromones

surroundings and from

being secreted by

yourself and let that

couples rounding 2nd

insight make you a

base between classes.

better person.

...consuming enough

caffeine to paralyze an I am definitely no expert and my

adult horse, yet still learning has just begun, but I am

managing to slumber confident that being afflicted by

like a newborn through premature senioritis isn’t a death

studying. sentence. As I prepare to walk

...wondering why across the stage at Kresge Audito so many people change rium (most likely wearing a black

personalities quicker trash bag in place of my nonex than Bob Saget perform istent cap and gown), I will remi ing comedy after a long nisce about my years at Central;

day in character as the although they were not something

beloved Danny Tanner. that one would consider ACT or

...giggling at the thought MME approved, they were educa of a relaxing vacation tional nonetheless.

in RTC being considered

“punishment.”

Hanna Casperson

While there is no cure for premature senioritis, the prognosis is promising. I found the effects could be alleviated as long as I was willing to learn, keep an

Entry on jazzy context Reflecting upon the first eighteen years of my life, the scope of time has broadened.

Six years now is no longer what it used to be to me, going back to the edges of my memory.

Things are becoming exponentially faster. Throughout the growing years my experiences in every aspect have been a piece of the puzzle making me up to who I am at this very moment.

I have observed age wearing upon body and mind, the reality of life happening before my eyes. I am optimistic, pessimistic and unsure. It’s like dancin’ to me in a way; movin’ and shakin’, tryin’ to keep your partners ankle’s from breakin’.

All of us submit to this dance simply by having the courage to get up and move around out there. What are we doing? I really could never fully explain, only convey what can always be critiqued.

It’s the sound of a metallic string plucking at a rhythm, somehow corresponding with its musical environment. Let your five senses show what it really means to be living in the present, inevitably it will guide you through what will become the rest of your life.

Happily (and sadly I suppose) I can say nothing as to what I, or anyone else will do. It is based on the circumstances of any given moment in time in which one finds themselves making a decision that makes this true awareness a reality.

I am going to where my life leads, this being something I am constantly discovering. It doesn’t STOP until I do and from then on all is controversial--this infinite above and below duality.

Everyone who writes attempts to explain what they may call their subject. And I suppose they are all right in their

Atomic Apprehension Behold the view, encompassed and engulfing Really can you not see?

I sense that I do, and if you do too Than indubitably it must be So how may it be epitomized, Without eternally striving to convey?

That our notion of being is different, And yet still means the same Until the end, you will see it your way With a Sovereign pair of eyes, Just as any other, Beneath the Surreal skies If someone put their finger on, What we venture to fathom and portray, Then what we are doing and will do, Would be as clear as to say: That the purpose of the moment, Though it appears to have a point, Is really what you make it as, We all have a choice.

Connor Brady

Staff Reporter

Connor Brady own way. I don’t claim to know any better. React however you like to the read. I want you to. . . be honest, I’m trying myself.

To me, the good things in life are the people, the music, the love, the words and the connections--the physicality, the mentality. This I believe: as long as WE are passionate (in either few or many I cannot say) things will turn out alright at the end of the day.

The Cave I have spent countless hours in the dirty, stuffy choir room, trapped inside the windowless cave. I know the colors of the filthy practice rooms by heart, separated by the coffee stained Guest Writer hall. The walls are lined with broken Kelli Nemetz framed pictures of choir’s past.

I love every inch of this mess. I love the crazy kids who never shut up who live here with me.

I’ve felt every single emotion on the spectrum in this room: nervousness about singing in front of everyone; relief after I finally did; frustration with rough rehearsals; pride when we pulled it together last minute; happiness when we became a family; sadness when I realized this was my last year.

I’ve climbed the ladder of choirs, doubling up a few years—anything to keep the chaos in my life. I’ve learned confidence. I’ve learned to have a passion for something. I’ve learned what family means.

May 21, 2013

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Submissions

June 2, 2009

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger You will face challenges in your life, some harder than others.

You can run from them, or fight right through them. Since we are all so young, few Guest Writer of us have faced a life Katie Wheeler changing experience. But I have. It all started on June 2, 2009.

What follows next is seared into my brain. My dad and a friend of mine were heading southbound on I-75. About an hour in I slipped the top part of my seat belt behind my back, laid my head up against the window and fell asleep.

Roughly a half hour later, I awoke to loud crashing, like the sound of a metal trash can banging. I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, I was dangling inverted from my seatbelt, like a rag doll, in a rolled over, crashed car. Blood was streaming down my face and my head was throbbing. Everything felt so surreal.

I saw flames near the engine and started to panic. Within seconds a man showed up, put out the fire, crashed the windshield with an ax and rescued us.

By the time the ambulance arrived to take us to the West Branch Regional Medical Center, my adrenaline waned and the pain became unbearable. My abdomen felt like it was on fire, an incessant sharp pain needled my back, and my head was pounding. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was diagnosed with internal bleeding in my large intestine, a fractured L2 vertebrae, facial fractures, a closed head injury and a collapsed lung. The last thing I remember was being airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw where my long road to recovery began.

That night I had a chest tube put in, surgery to remove part of my colon, and a temporary colostomy was put in

place. A week later I had surgery on my lumbar spine to fuse two vertebrae together. While in the hospital I didn’t eat for seven days, lost twenty pounds and became very weak. At one point the furthest I could walk was across a ten by ten room. I had to relearn the simplest tasks, like getting dressed, going to the bathroom and bathing.

I felt discouraged, hopeless. One day I was laying in my bed crying, asking, “Why me?” A nurse looked over at me, concerned, and sympathetically said something I will never forget and will always stand by: “What doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger.” I realized that if I wanted to have a healthy recovery, I needed work on my attitude with my life.

I kept reminding myself that everything would be okay; so did my family, and so did my soccer friends. If this was the worst thing that happened to me in my entire lifetime, then I’d be okay with that.

I am blessed to have not had it any worse.

I am blessed with an amazing life.

Although these were some of the hardest, darkest days of my life, I gained so much from the experience. The accident taught me how precious life is, how quickly it could be taken from you, how quickly your life can change forever. Before I took the littlest things for granted.

Now I appreciate life’s simple gifts: the ability to play sports, to be independent, to go outside whenever I want. The biggest thing the accident has taught me is the gift of persistence. My father was diagnosed with a closed head injury, but his was much more severe than mine.

Just like me, he never gave up on trying to get back to himself. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; he is the apple of of my eye. His positive influence on our recovery remains infinite.

The accident has also influenced the course of my life. I am so thankful for all of the doctors and staff who treated me that they have inspired me to do the same for others. One day I plan to be a physician’s assistant or a trauma surgeon.

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.

On this date Katie Wheeler and Madi Bankey were traveling downstate when they got in a car accident.

Here, they share their experience. Both girls endured months of surgeries and rehab. Although neither have discussed their essays, they share similar themes.

Cherish I was paralyzed with fear. I tried to move my legs or even an ankle but there was no response. This was the first time thoughts of death ever Guest Writer entered my Madi Bankey mind. It all seemed unreal, like a nightmare that I could not wake from. I lay sprawled on the cement, confused and scared with no idea as to what had just happened. I begged and prayed for my mom; for her to be there, holding my hand, hugging me and telling me, like all good mothers do, “It will be okay, sweetie.”

It was June 2, 2009, the day my life changed forever.

This accident resulted in the fracturing of my skull, due to my head striking the pavement. The initial impact blew out my L3 vertebrae and damaged above and below it as well. I was strapped to a board in the West Branch Hospital in unbearable pain, awaiting the arrival of my parents. I remember the doctors saying that I fractured my spine, and making comments as to whether I would ever be able to walk again. My heart instantly dropped, and I began to cry out once again, begging the doctors to fix me so I could continue playing basketball. My head was reeling. I was full of fear, questions and uncertainty.

I was elated to see my parents, however, my reunion with them was short lived, as I had to be flown out to Devos Children’s Hospital minutes after they arrived. There, I had two surgeries: one on my eye, and another on my spine. My back required two rods and six screws to stabilize my L2-L4 vertebrae, which can never be removed. Recovery required me to wear a back brace, a permanent piece of hardware on my body for the next several months. It surrounded my torso,

collarbone to hips. I remember spending hours attempting to sit after my surgery, then more hours attempting to stand, and then learning to walk again--gifts often taken for granted.

Being a highly competitive athlete, my body now felt foreign to me. As I was taking my first steps, the pain, weakness and uncertainty were indescribable. I spent the next five months mostly laying down. My parents had to help me with every. little. move.

While my immobility was maddening, it gave me time to think about one’s purpose in life. I asked numerous questions and pondered why something so awful could happen to me.

With my freshman year of basketball approaching, I threw all of my time and energy into recovery. My doctors said I would not be returning to basketball my freshman year. There’s something about hearing you aren’t going to be able to do something you love that emboldens the spirit.

I did it, I defied the odds. Better, I made Varsity Basketball as a freshman.

However, after years of basketball and having to turn down collegiate sports, my thoughts returned to June 2009. . . it wasn’t until now that I realized what I could do with this “tragedy.” Through the pain and suffering I have endured, it has become apparent to me that I have humbly become an inspiration to many young athletes in our community and to many coaches as well.

This life changing experience taught me much more than simply playing a sport ever could have. It made me a determined young lady by forcing me to confront emotions most adults will never face. In a strange way, I am now able to look at this tragic accident and say it has been a gift, shaping me into a grateful and resilient young woman.

So as we begin a new chapter in our lives, here is what I am hoping for all you: that you cherish every moment of your life. Never give up on your dreams.

Never give up on yourself. And always have hope and faith, knowing that everything happens for a reason and everything will turn out just the way it should.

May 21, 2013

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Future Plans

Whether strolling on the shaded lawns of NMC, braving the heat in Arizona or marveling at the Hagia Sophia; Seniors can leave Central knowing that the rest of the students and staff alike will miss their thunderous presence Albion College Julian Vandenberg

Carleton College Lauren Pflughoeft

Harvard University Kalvis Hornburg

Louisiana State University Fisher Sutherland

Alma College Samantha Mosley Rachel Young

Central Michigan University Abbey Kaufman Victoria Krajenka Frank Leahy Matthew Smith

Hope College Lauren Marchany Kailey Mattarella Justyn Root

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nicole Tubacki

Alpena Community College Jacob Bragenzer American University Connor Becker Aquinas College Kaitlin Hogan Nicholas Tarsa Miranda Winowiecki Baker College of Muskegon Aleeah Bebermeyer Cameron Marshall Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Emily Bancroft

“It has a beautiful campus, great events and I get to be independent.”

-Karson Chilcott Bowdoin College Paige Pfannenstiel Boston College Victoria Fisher Broward Community College Dana Dyer Tiffany Taylor Butler University Braden Girard Calvin College Karson Chilcott Helen Groothuis

Dearborn Glass Academy Austin Kellogg DePawu University Kimberly DeBusschere Alec Reznich Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Josephine Lomasney Dublin Metropolitan University Kathryn Trumbull-Reilly

“I was looking between Iowa and Iowa State then I toured the campuses and I decided that Iowa was nicer.

-Sean Soupiset

Evergreen State College Emily Cain

Indiana Institute of Technology Courtney Dye

Ferris State University Wyatt Bartels Meghan Ferris

Iowa State University Sean Soupiset

Grand Valley State University Lily Bussineau Carolyn Francis Paige Harrigan Sydney Johnson Jayme Madison Makenzie Mattis Peter Pappas Jonathan Patterson Katherine Raymond Chelsea Reyher Molly Sawyer Ford Sheldon Skylar Thompson Nicholas Weatherholt Claire Young Great Lakes Maritime Academy David Chauvette

Kalamazoo College Riley Boyd Kendall College Amanda Burns

Michigan State University Joseph Banish Madison Bankey Taylor Cook Joseph Corcoran Emily Donohue Jacqueline Hardy Austin Harrison Garrett Kosch Colin Lesoski Cooper Macdonell Austin Mackey Connor McGraw Kelly Milliken Eva Nienhouse Thomas Pezzetti Holly Ryan Jansen Shea Preston Zoellner Michigan Technological University Andrew Bruning Ian Cummings Madison Duensing Tyler Gildersleeve Alex Gill Madelyn Morley

Kendall College of Art and Design Joshua Rose Kirtland Community College Tyler Rawlings Lake Superior State University Caitlin Spink Lansing Community College Aaron Michalski Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Tereis Benton

“The school is more family oriented and actually cares. When you walk the street you actually know people, you aren’t lost in the crowd.”

-Madelyn Morley

May 21, 2013

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Future Plans Military Tyler Beaune Brenden Everts Brody Gates Jesse Kaminski Jennifer Long Drew Mayo Matthew Sullivan Michael Wittersheim

“I look forward to experiencing new things, doing things I couldn’t do here.”

-Brody Gates National Guard Dakotah Hendges Northern Michigan University Taylor Favour Northpoint Bible College Hayes, Zachary Northwestern Michigan College Hailey Ardelean Austin Ayers Taylor Ayres Kimberly Berreth Nicholas Bonaccini Connor Brady Nikki Campeau Hanna Casperson Hart Cauchy Brianna Childers Samatha Christianson Kelsea Cole Howard Countryman Weston deTar Dugan Diment Abigail Emerick Paige Emmott Zachary Endres Jack Gourlay Alison Green

Olivia Greilick Dylan Hayden Kayla Heuton Autumn Hilden Marcus Hoffman Micaela Jankowski Kayla Johnston Jordan Kelley Tyler Knowles Christopher Kuchmuk Makayla Larke Jeanne Lebel Hunter Lihou Jeannie Longton Lauren Lozowski Kyle Ludwig Bryton Lutes Calvin Marois Jeffrey McAndrews Robert McClure Caroline McManus Kenneth Merica Alicia Minore Chelsea Moore Charles Needham Holly Olson Stephanie Petrosky Hannah Pickett Ethan Pilarski Leah Potter Savannah Rancour Hannah Randall Drew Reamer Erica Rigan Susan Roskelley Alyssa Roush McKenzie Sanders Sarah Sargent Andrew Schopieray Olivia Seeley Alexander Sheridan Katarina Six Cassidy Stanley Trevor Stevens Alexis Traylor-Golder Hailey Underwood Carley VanPelt William Vermetten Vincent Zakrajsek Northwood University Lucas Corona Thomas Schepperly

Oakland Community College Samantha Winkelmann Olivet College Hannah Brown Logan Krieger Allyson Schultz Rollins College Erin Cover Saginaw Valley State University Samantha Donohue Saint Mary’s College Katelyn Gallagher

University of Arizona Madeleine Battle Lauren Ward University of Cambridge Julian McCuien University of Michigan Meghan Brown McKenna Cartwright Callie Chappell Daniel Fedor Cameron Gibson Brandon Henton Sophie Lutz Kaitlyn McLintock Lauren Murray Michael Payne Kiersten Reinhold Nonie Tompkins University of Utah Cassidy Klein Shannon Weaver

“I was really excited to get in because they gave me a really large scholarship.

Plus it’s an all girls school which is really cool.”

-Katelyn Gallagher Siena Heights University Nathan Pupel Sports Nico Saco Mitchell Ward Spring Arbor University Rachel Hayes Travel Sophie Hutchison (Haiti) Nicholas Mulvaine (Germany and Ethiopia) Katherine Stanton (Turkey) Undecided John Ackley

Wagner College Thomas Schwannecke Western Michigan University Veronica Faller Leah Jurik Christina Karakos Jordan Lutze Katherine Wheeler Work Breckin Kool Samuel Lederer Arianna Wasserman Brooke Wessell Young Americans Katherine Wacker

“It’s a really great school academically.”

-Kaitlyn McLintock

May 21, 2013

8

Submissions

Taking the Narrow Path to God’s Love From as early as seventh grade, I have felt God’s call. By ninth grade I felt the infinite love of His presence, and I knew that I would spend my life in His service. Since my decision, I have felt full of joy, and a sense of unbounded freedom.

Late this summer when everyone else is headed off to college, or boldly going forth in life, I will be entering the convent, a place of solitude and contemplation. There, I will become

a teacher, marry Jesus, and spend all my life growing ever closer to God. When I share the path of my life, people think it is really neat, but they are also, to varying degree, politely curious. Why such a unique, and frankly, hard choice?

For love.

I will be giving myself completely to God in the service of all His people.

The vows a Sister takes, of poverty, chastity, and obedience, may seem too

From the first time I saw and talked with Sisters, I have been awed by them.

Their whole lifestyle, being married to Jesus, wearing the habit, and being so open with their faith, seemed so amazing to me.

My desire to become a Sister was planted when I went on a retreat in the seventh grade. One of the Sisters asked me if I had ever considered religious life. I told her that I hadn’t, but since then, I never stopped considering it.

The order I have chosen is the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. This is a teaching order. Through teaching, the Sisters serve as spiritual mothers to their students, and to everyone that they meet. By becoming a Dominican Sister, I will be able to unite my passion for teaching and learning, with my love of my faith and Jesus. This beautiful community is the order that God has led me to. I will listen and and I

Guest Writer

Josephine Lomasney

will follow.

I know in my soul that becoming a nun is my narrow path to God.

The bond of the Sacred Spider

Title: Al Inspiration: “I was drawing

people in my life and I see him everyday. He influences my life a lot.”

Favorite Aspect: “I like the

whole over exposure of the drawing like how he’s disappearing off the page. You can still what’s not there.”

hard to most, but really, they make sense. These vows are promises Sisters make to love God and others completely. Poverty, so we will not value material possessions over anything else; chastity, so we will not value one person over anyone else; obedience, so we will not value ourselves over anyone else.

The Sisters strive to love everyone as God loves: equally, completely. And this is what God has called me to do as well.

Guest Artist

Micaela Jankowski

All my life I will call on many great memories, many great times shared with family and friends at our cottage. The cottage was a large, old brown affair perched atop a hill on Spider Lake. Early years were spent with of all thirteen of us cousins regrouping twice a year to share precious memories on the holy water of Spider Lake. From tubing in the summer, to ice skating in the winter, the cottage is a sacred place in all of our hearts.

The smell of the smoky bonfire paired with sweet corn on the cob is as powerful of a memory as if it happened minutes ago. Nothing will be as memorable as our long lazy days spent knee-deep in muck catching frogs, and watching them pile up by the dozens in the old sailboat, which never was, and never will be used.

But through the years, the cottage became more difficult for my cousins to come up to, and it became less and less used. Less used and a little more abused, I am ashamed to say. As I grew into my teens, I had the temptation of the cottage being a prime party spot. Over that summer going into my junior year, the cottage became a weekend staple of unrestricted social gatherings. Although it killed me to lie to my parents and trash the sacred place, I did it anyways.

One time, I thought it would a great idea to throw a “Chopped” party, which is a multiple round cooking competition with random ingredients.

Predictably, the chopper did not end well. I knew I’d violated some kind of cottage covenant when I’d marked some twenty-plus cars, and the scent of sauteed bananas hit my palate.

Who is cooking bananas? I thought, only to later notice an untouched burnt banana burrito flung on the counter. It felt like practically the whole class of 2013 was at my cottage, most whom I did not have much of a relationship with. But I threw caution to the winds blowing off the lake and joined the fun.

Events that transpired next can not be published in

a school newspaper.

Waking up the next morning, I stumbled upon a sight of broken picture frames, torn up carpet, unfamiliar stains of unfamiliar substances, and a monsoon of rancid dishes in the kitchen from the cooking competition. After laboring hard to cover up the fun of the crime Staff Reporter scene, I went home only to discover that my par- Garrett Kosch ents were already quite aware of my felony. Parents always find out.

Through the numbness of my guilt, lurked my awareness that I had desecrated the cottage’s purity.

That was the end of the party phase at the cottage.

Truth be told, it was a relief that the not-so-secret parties were no longer an option.

After months of abandonment, spring of ‘12 the cottage was put on the market. We were growing up: three graduated college, two were in high school, one was getting married. Our beautiful, rustic place sold and we had one last summer to say goodbye.

Just like the days of old, that summer, our whole family got together for one last hoorah at the cottage. We stayed true to tradition and soaked up that last ray of sun out on the sacred Spider. It somehow seemed right that our cottage memories closed with sunbeams bouncing off the lake we all so loved.

As I move through life, the cottage will forever be a symbol of my childhood, shared with those closest to me. Water will never be warmer, ice will never be smoother, and the sounds and smells will never be more alive than they were at our cottage.

The Sacred Spider is our bond.

May 21, 2013

9

Submissions Growing up with my father has been an experience.

I cannot remember one dinner, holiday, or ski trip where I was bored. He has been strict at times, “Yes, Dad, that was Guest Writer my friend’s on the Shannon Weaver mom phone,” but he is the hardest working man I know. The nuances of Dad’s personality, his many quirks, and his outlandishness always make me smile; truthfully, he makes the whole world laugh. Here is a highlight reel of living with Ken. -At a bonfire with friends, he decided this was an excellent time to burn our Christmas tree. He chucked it into the fire, almost knocking someone out of their chair; instantly white smoke engulfed us. Who needs to see to converse?

-When a relative gave him a raincoat for Christmas, he insisted upon testing its permeability. He paraded everyone outside and had me hose him down.

-Ken’s argument against the Mexico senior trip was that he had hitchhiked there once and got mugged. He didn’t believe my explanation that an all-inclusive resort is a bit different than a last minute “vamos a la border”

Heart of Gold

Photo Editor

Katie Raymond At three in the morning, mom stood over me with heavy, red eyes, abruptly awakening me.

Tears spewed

Growing up with Ken trip. Once we were in Mexico, he announced to everyone at dinner that “Connie’s kinda pissed,” because he hadn’t told mom that we were leaving the country until the week before. Walking around in the hotel amenity slippers all week, he finally bought a pair of water shoes for the flight back home. After getting stuck in customs for trying to bring mango salsa to mom, we almost missed our flight. He ran in his socks, water shoes in hand, yelling at me that I had to sacrifice myself and sprint ahead to stop the plane.

-Downhill skiing State Championships was a day filled with immense pressure on athletes--and dads. Feeling a bit stressed, Ken decided to take several other dads to get a beer at 9:30 a.m.

-Ken’s passion for my skiing career began long before States. When I was barely ten, he noticed that my starts were my weakness so he built a starting ramp in our driveway. To compensate for the lack of snow, he ordered a snow-making machine off of eBay. -Over the years Ken has had numerous encounters with security officials. Silver season pass from Boyne in hand, Ken had an overwhelming desire to ski on one of the few black out dates; halfway through the day a lift operator eyed his pass. Ken was incredulous when questioned: “What, are you going to cavity search me?” The lift operator called security, who chased him into the parking lot, where Ken drove out in reverse, his back hitch open.

down my rosy, raw cheeks, colliding onto my, now damp, pillowcase.

Brother concealed his misery, channeling his remorse into consoling me.

His comforting arms wrapped around me, bearing a long embrace.

Mom mindlessly stowed our essentials into the trunk of our getaway.

We each sank into the leather seats, diverting to our own personal efforts to escape reality. Silence absorbed the remaining two and a half hour voyage.

Bright colored clothing, bohemian jewelry,

-After joining equestrian, Ken insisted that I buy my own horse. He also told me that I should ride my horse in my downhill skiing speed suit.

-Ken is an avid spectator at my tennis matches. But only the ones where walking tacos are served. His support reached a new level when he told the mother of my doubles partner that with our first tournament coming up, we should take the next three days off of school to practice.

-He hired several guys on the football team to haul furniture into his new office. Apparently, he arrived at the new office without the trailer, explaining that it “fell off somewhere back on four mile.”

-After finishing the “Mud, Sweat, and Beers” bike race, Ken showed up to take “photos” for Prom. The beers supposedly were the highlight of the race. Video camera in hand, Ken played the one-man paparazzi in Garrett’s driveway, videoing every couple, and trying to make them talk into the camera. I have yet to see this footage and question if the video camera was really ever turned on.

-Every time I get asked to a school dance, he insists that I let my date know that he will “beat them with a four iron.” I don’t even think we have any golf clubs in our household.

-He refers to any resemblance to snow, slush, or sleet as “really great powder.”

-A great surprise when I was preparing for college was finding out that he filled out my

artwork lining the walls, sticker collections, humming birds, happiness, red lipstick, forehead kisses, a heart of gold.

A day didn’t go by without her gleaming smile.

She was everything a younger me thrived on.

Darkness, silence, a white nightgown, a hospital bed, and a lifeless body. Inside I was screaming.

I s h a t t e r e d at the sight and grasped the arms of those around me, experiencing a similar ache. I sought for her love, but her arms were immobile and frail at the bones.

I had to escape.

The lifeless hospital room was

roommate request form for me. He hid this particular detail, so upon browsing through the girls I was matched with, I noticed that many of them seemed rather...academically focused. I finally figured out that he had responded that I am “not comfortable having any visitors in my room,” or “being around alcoholic substances.”

Ken probably won’t even read this. He’ll be too busy looking for his glasses or trying to make our cat play the electric guitar. My Dad has not only made my life interesting, he has worked very hard to ensure that whatever my dreams, he made them happen. Best, he was always there. Next year even when I live half -way across the country, I’m sure he will show up. He has the entire month of January blocked off to ski Utah, where, conveniently, I will be attending college.

Photo: coutesy of the Weaver family

everything she wasn’t.

In December of 2008, Grandma Jean left her body, evolving into a spirit- guiding me through life.

Through the characteristics of her lively lifestyle I was taught to do what I love and to love what I do.

I was shown to not just exist but to live my life, living to my full potential. Her voice echoes in the decisions that I face.

I can see her smiling.

Title: Sweet Sweet Heart Killer Inspiration: “My dad is my greatest

inspiration in the photography realm. He is a landscape photographer but never fails to give me pointers and appreciate my portraiture photography.”

Favorite Aspects: “I like the pop

of color in the orange because it quickly grabs the viewers attention and is a great contrast with black and white.”

Photo: courtesy of the Raymond family

May 21, 2013

10

Retirees

Carol Roehrich

Donald Freed

Kathy van Houwelingen

Teaching: 39 years, At Central: 5 years Position: Debate, English & Theater

Teaching: 34 years, At Central: 14 years Position: Counselor

Teaching: 42 years, At Central: 10 years Position: Teacher

V.P. Bryan Burns: “Carol teaches in a magical way, intertwining valuable lessons. Regardless of the student, Carol treats everyone with the same care, concern, and expectation.

I respect that she truly loves her profession, her students, and our school. Carol adheres to this credo: Photo: courtesy of Timeless Image ‘Teachers open minds, touch hearts, and shape the future.’ This is why she works so well with kids, why her debate team rules, and why we will miss her.”

Teacher Missi Yeomans: “It is cliche to say an educator ‘loves kids’ but with Roeh, this takes a realm unto itself. Within five short years she had dusted off Debate from obscurity and took us to State Championship. What did this take? When summer camp was hard for students, she created one here. Now, you gotta be off-the-hook good to train the competition. She found the best talent in the state and scrounged up money to pay coaches. To keep costs down, she hosted these strangers in her home. On weekends all fall and early winter she is all over the country with our students, competing, cajoling, counseling. Both her home and her weekends are for her students. How many teachers love kids like that? Because she gives students her heart, her all, always, she is, Empress Roeh. Kids know this. Staff knows this. We love our inimitable Roeh.”

Callie Chappell: “It’s her behind-the-scenes work, her reliable support, her pep-talks that have opened opportunities for many. Dedication drives success, and Roeh exemplifies both. We’re lucky to have had her.”

Abbey Kaufman: “Roeh is independent in her own way. She breaks the rules in a rebellious manner that makes me really enjoy her class. ” TJ Schwannecke: “Mrs. Roehrich always cared about her students, and she really got the best out of them by connecting with her students in a way that other teachers couldn’t. I’m gonna miss sucking up to her.”

Carol Roehrich: What I want staff to know: “I’ve worked with some of the smartest, funniest, nicest, hard-working, talented people I know! They’ve kept me young.”

To the students: “You are why I teach and what I’ll miss most. I love watching kids support and encourage each other and realize we’re in this craziness together.”

Career Highlight: “I’m glad that I went out with a bang, not a whimper.”

Principal Dr. Rick Vandermolen: “Don’s humor is legend at school. He also brought a tremendous amount of knowledge about the college setting, and he’s extremely helpful to our students.”

Teacher Tom Czarny: “The good Dr. Freed is the consummate Photo: courtesy of Timeless Image professional, possessed in equal parts warmth, compassion, and dedication, most often delivered with humor. As counselor he exemplifies the finest attributes: advisor, advocate, friend, and, when necessary, doler of cold reality. I have been beneath the lash of his quick wit for my misperception of a topic, and I could always count on him for a forthright assessment of a situation.

This ‘blurb’ has been something of a bittersweet task, for while grand to extol Don’s qualities to the community, it is done with the certain knowledge that he will not be a part of Central’s community come autumn, and that is an unhappy circumstance to contemplate. While no one is irreplaceable, Don’s unique blend of warmth, dedication, intelligence and acuminous wit will be a tough act to follow. I will miss him greatly.”

Alex Everhart: “He brightens the place up and makes everybody happier. I’ve never had to worry about what I’m saying to him because he’s so easy to connect with.”

Alex Gill: “He was always a big help in scheduling classes and he always shows commitment. He is a fun guy to joke around with.”

Madi Bankey: “He’s my favorite staff member at the school and he’s always very helpful and honest. I enjoy going into visit with him and just talk because he’s so relatable.”

Dr. Don Freed What I want staff to know: “When I was hired, an administrator told me that our superintendent ‘would be surprised if I remained in my position at Central for more than a year.’ Also, I was present when a school board member said to our school’s principal: ‘Freed has a reputation as a loose cannon. Do you think you can handle him?’ I reflect on this and smile, as I have had an incredible experience during my tenure here.”

To the students: “I’m proud of the relationships I’ve formed and hope that, in some small way, I’ve benefited my kids, our school, and our community.”

Career Highlight: “TCAPS’ Bay Area Adventure School was evaluated as a “model program” for other schools across the state and, as program director, I was asked to develop state training standards.”

V.P. Jay Larner: “The best thing about Kathy is that when Michigan State – Michigan week arrives, she is the first person to stand up to the Gle’s. She is a joy to work with, always having students at the heart.”

Teacher Sarah McNamara: “Kathy Photo: courtesy of Timeless Image always took the time to work with students that needed help. She kept her expectations high for them.”

Teacher Ben Ludka: “Kathy’s one of the hardest working people I have worked with in my years of teaching.

Working with her absolutely made my job easier.”

Teacher Courtney Biggar: “Kathy offers great ideas and suggestions to her students. She is a true team player who will be greatly missed in the freshman academy.”

Kathy van Houwelingen is a staff member of the freshman academy Mary Corning ’16: “She’s really into her students and is a really good teacher. She respects all the students and treats them all equally. She is really generous, also. She shares her life stories with us. She’s really open and she listens to us about anything.”

Joyce Chupp ‘16: “I’m going to miss Mrs. van Houwelingen dearly. She has taught me to move ahead in life and make it through the ups and downs in my life. She was by far my favorite teacher. I’m going to miss her craziness, how awesome she is, and how willing she is to stay after and help people when they need it. I appreciate everything she did for me. She always helped me when I needed her, for that I love her very much.”

Mitchell Wessel ‘16: “She was really easy to get along with. She helped me understand my work better.”

Kathy van Houwelingen What I want staff to know: “I have had a variety of jobs in many different places: Grand Rapids, American Community School in London, Menasha, Wisconsin, Berrien County ISD, Southwestern Michigan College and Traverse City. But I am most privileged to have worked with my professional colleagues here at Central the last ten years.”

To the students: “To the fantastic students here, the effort you put into your four years of high school will make a significant difference the rest of your life.”

Career Highlight: “My most rewarding moments in teaching have been when the light bulb goes off in a student’s head.”

May 21, 2013

11

Submissions

Guide for upperclassmen

Guest Writer

Skylar Thompson If nothing else, senior year taught me that I am, in fact, capable of taking a test on three hours of sleep, not that I recommend it. Truthfully, “fun” is not a word that comes to mind when I think of senior year. Something more along the lines of “stressful” is much closer. Here are some tips for those of you who either believe you have more than 24 hours in a day, unlike the rest of us mere mortals, or have deceived yourself into thinking you really can do it all.

Juniors, I know that warning you not to procrastinate likely won’t sink in, but I will say that the importance of resisting that treacherous senioritis cannot be overstated here. You face a daunting schedule next year, so my best advice to you would

be to set two alarm clocks-one to chuck across your room, and the other to hit “snooze” but once. Just once. I would also recommend getting to know the staff at Garden Grounds; trust me, you will become a regular.

Here are strategic guidelines for juniors and seniors: AP Lit- Despite your reduction being a mere one page, I would not advise the “it’s-10:00 p.m.I-should-probably-startthis-now, method.” While it has been pulled off, it takes twice as long to finish when you keep falling asleep between your plot summary and character descriptions. As far as poetry goes, if you have nothing else to say about a sonnet, just remember that the mention of water is mirrored by the uneven line lengths, which resembles the ebbing of waves. Water is also baptism and rebirth.

Basically, if there is water anywhere near your sonnet, you are all set.

BC Calc- Those take home tests aren’t going to do themselves. Try it over the weekend – give up – get help on Monday. You’ll thank that 20/20 later when you have a chem and calc test to study for on the same night, which always seems to happen,

Title: Dedication to Comet Inspiration: “Comet arrived

Guest Artist

Carly Francis

somehow.

AP Chem- You delude yourself: How badly can a three minute quiz go?

Really, it’s only three minutes. Wrong. The answer is, badly. So practice that equation writing, because it will be your only chance to scrape up some extra credit that just might save you from the acid-base unit.

National Honors Society- Please, I beg of you, turn in your hours on time. Yes, getting to school before 8:03 for a meeting is brutal, even with your double espresso in hand, but just think how much more impressive your college apps will look.

Despite its challenges, senior year has been one of the greatest years of my life. It wasn’t all work and no play. Participating in drumline, debate, and track allowed me to discover many different perspectives and personalities. Find your niche and spend time doing what you love, but most importantly, utilize your time wisely.

Yes, you can get a decent grade on that test with three hours of sleep, but imagine how well you could do with seven. So upperclassmen–have fun but work hard. Strategize.

Time waits for no man. Or woman.

at our house when I was four years old. And he loved me more than the world. He passed away the first day of school this year, so I wanted something to really remember him by.”

Favorite Aspect: “His eyes.

He always rocked the puppy dog eyes to his favor, and because of them, he received every scrap of food he wanted.

I think I portrayed them well in this piece.”

Journey to passion If there was ever a way for me to truly express how I feel, it’s through the power of the written word. I guess I’m not brave enough to say or be all the things that go on in my head, so these manifest in my writing. Until I was in my teens, it never really occurred to me that I could channel my passion for writing into a career; nevertheless, I‘ve been concocting stories since I was about nine.

Once upon a time during elementary school, the first setting for my stories was the various dollhouses in my basement. Be it Barbies or the Fisher Price Little People, these were the characters who told my stories of siblings separated at birth, or recounted adventures in the forest—the Harry Potter and Narnia books were favorites, and aspects of their plotlines often crept into my dollhouse sagas. As my plot lines and characters grew increasingly complex for my 9-year-old brain to remember, I began writing them in notebooks.

By middle school I kissed the toys good-bye and began writing in earnest through a class. I‘m rather ashamed to admit that a lot of what I wrote was fanfiction, mostly involving the American Girl characters and the Narnia universe (I know, I know. I’m such a nerd). Although my 70-page Narnia fanfic wasn‘t really original, it gave me confidence to write an extended, cohesive story. This was also where I developed a stylistic staple: the strong, assertive female protagonist.

My captivation with the smart, feisty, independent female is partially attributable to Sharon Creech; her novel Chasing Redbird remains one of my favorites. I distinctly remember wanting to be just like the protagonist. Creech’s Zinny animated my writing; through

Title: Marilyn is Beans Inspiration: “To raise money for art and food classes so that the talented kids in our school can have the materials to show their abilities.”

Favorite Aspect: “That just by using only four colors and two kinds of beans, I could create a picture that is easily recognized as Marilyn Monroe.”

my pen, I possessed her gifts.

My writing grew less imitative, more imaginative; with a kick-butt female like Zinny Guest Writer rumbling about, my Helen creativGroothuis ity flourished. I still write characters who are everything I wish I could be. This is the fun and power of fiction.

It wasn‘t until last fall, when I shared a rom-com set in London with my writers group, that somebody actually told me that my lead character, Alexandra, reminded them of me. What? I thought about this quite a while, until I realised what my friend meant: Alex and I have both had trusts broken, consequently, we need a bit of coaxing to open up.

Alex made me discover something about myself, and that is probably the best gift my passion has ever given me.

Next fall, I‘m going to head off to a far-off enchanted land of Grand Rapids to pursue my dream of being a writer.

I expect my characters will continue to inspire and they will likely inform my writing in ways I can’t foresee. But what won‘t change is the fact that I have found a way to express my true feelings, and that, my friends, it something worth writing about.

May 21, 2013

12

Submissions My success is their success As I trudged through my junior year, I had no idea where I wanted to go in life. By senior year I faced the hardest choice we all make as our time here gets short. I applied to eight different colleges and was accepted to most. Some tempted with nice offers, making “the big decision” even harder.

Softball is a huge part of my life, so when a coach from Kalamazoo College was interested in my future with softball at “K,” I couldn’t wait to tell everyone the great news, including my current coaches. Shawna Esther is Central’s head varsity softball coach, but we call her “Coachy.”

We also have “Uncle Steffen,” or Steffen Howard, our assistant coach.

Both have been my inspiration for the sport we love, and for life in general. I knew both of them would be so proud to see me play college level ball.

I narrowed eighth choices down to two: Michigan Tech and Kalamazoo College. Tech felt right; it had everything I looked for, except a softball team. My parents have always backed me up. I could tell that they pushed for Tech, but how could I give up playing the game I love? I wanted to please everyone but sometimes you just need to listen to your own inner-voice.

I walked up to my coach and said,

Guest Artist

Josh Rose Title: Rushing Water Inspiration: “My

original inspiration in this technique was from my favorite double exposure photographer, Christoffer Relander. Throughout my concentration for the year in AP Studio Art, I took his technique and made it my own. In this original composition, the composition has become very abstracted.”

Favorite Aspect: “My

favorite aspect of the piece is the color and how it compliments the mood of the overall piece.”

Icarus

Guest Writer

Callie Chappell

I’ve always hated romance novels. As a child, I wanted to be the heroine, not the star-crossed lover, and it took me ten years to prove it.

I was volunteering in a Special Needs Classroom leading “domestic learning.” Too ironic for me, the feminist, most days mainly devolved into what I knew best—storytelling. I told them the story of how I almost fainted in a German cathedral, how I acquired a wolf, and how I was adopted. And in return, I listened. I listened about finding a long-lost brother. A first job. A first girlfriend. I listened to everyone. Everyone, except Lincoln. He signed.

Lincoln could hear, but he was primarily non-verbal. I’d talk and all he’d say was, “how ‘bout you?” I had never learned sign language, but regardless, Lincoln was always there. He’d be the first one to pull out a chair for me to sit beside him, and every day I’d talk or he’d sign.

He would put his rough hands up to mine, comparing the size, and beg me to take off my glasses so he could peer through, fascinated by the oblique world of an incorrect prescription.

Through his delighted grin, bent and buckled

teeth peered, but his smile was always genuine.

At first, there was a rift. Sometimes, when I’d talk, Lincoln would respond with, “Birthday in March too.” Because there was so much missing, our birthdays bound us together—even if they were years, continents, apart. In that silence, words were something I thought a lot about. Words had always been something I could turn to, but now they were isolating. Sitting there with Lincoln, language became static.

The words, the label of the “disabled child,” that critical divide hid his, our authenticity.

But we are not how we are defined, so I let go of the ego of words. For Lincoln, this boy named after the most famous orator in American history, had taught me something no book, no teacher, no long-dead philosopher could convey. Lincoln taught me that it wasn’t about the words. It was about the experience. I was trapped in the literal translation, the paralyzing definitions of “smart” and “dumb,” “gifted” versus “slow.” But reality is fleeting and the sound of a voice, a laugh, a grin, these things cannot be re-experienced, only re-interpreted.

And to reinterpret is to translate.

*

Guest Writer

Madison Duensing “I have made my decision for college.”

“And?!?”

“I’m going to Michigan Tech to pursue a degree in Biomedical Engineering.”

Coachy couldn’t have looked more proud.

Your “big decision” awaits. You have so many who love you, so many who want the best for you. But keep in mind that this momentous decision belongs to you. This is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. It has to be yours. You may not be able to please everyone, but your success is the success of those you love.

*

*

I came to class one day before summer break and Lincoln was gone.

“Graduated,” they said.

“What!? You told me Natasha graduated—not Lincoln!”

“Sorry honey.” They said.

I was never able to say goodbye.

They gave me his address.

So, like most, the letter had a beginning, middle, and an end.

I told him what he meant to me. What a friend he was. And what he had taught me, how he had changed me.

And then I realized, what he was saying to me every day, it wasn’t “how ‘bout you?”

It wasn’t “March birthday too.”

What he said was, “I love you.”

May 21, 2013

Submissions Swimming with sharks

An open letter from Senate’s executive board Guest Writers

Eye

Inspiration: “Various,

ominous murder cases where death is lurking around the corner.”

Favorite Aspect: “I love Guest Artist

Dugan Diment

the detail I have put in the eye. I have 5 or 6 different shades of blue that gives it more depth.”

n rso Ko

Name of Piece: Fearful

A.

Our Dearest Central, Your electrifying charisma, energy and undeniable charm have consumed us, winning our hearts. Whether transformational teachers, astounding administration or spirited students, you have given us a platform for all we could imagine: friends, fun and the ability to grow and give back.

All of us now know that we will forever be Black and Gold, and for that, we thank you.

As Senate’s executive board, we have enthusiastically facilitated much merriment. Serving has given us the privilege of giving back to our community through endless piles of coats and cans, donated blood, and many long lists. We also dressed up in an assortment of crayon-colored costumes in support of our athletic teams. Creating events with names even we couldn’t pronounce was also a fun aside.

We always aim to push the envelope, while holding true to the principles of community and generosity. The catalysts of our premier event this year, Spring Splatter 5K, were two freshmen to whom we give props. What sounded like a risky endeavor birthed an extravaganza of fun and charity that took Senate to the next level. Beyond the thrill of having paint hurled into your face at every kilometer and enjoying the much-needed hot chocolate at the end of the race, we raised over $2,500 for The Children’s Advocacy Center. Little did we know that a race on a brisk April morning could impact so many. This Senate event marks a new gold standard that will be sustained.

ic:

Photo: A. Hilden

Cooper Macdonell Kailey Mattarella Midi Battle Taylor Cook

h ap Gr

One hundred feet below the surface forty bull sharks appeared.

After five anxious minutes of waiting on the ocean floor, they came forth from the abyss and a feeding frenzy unfolded right before my eyes. I had imagined swimming with sharks for five years.

Guest Writer From a distance, an eleven foot long bull Erin Cover shark does not look menacing, but at a mere three feet from my mask, I felt its mass and power. My heart pounded and my stomach tightened, not from fear but from excitement. All I wanted was for the sharks to swim closer, so I could run my hands across their sandpaper-like skin. I was in Fiji on a BroadReach program for Marine Biology. Each day we did two shark dives in the morning; in the evening we had lectures and homework. The shark dives were by far the best part for me as they brought these mysterious, ancient creatures close to me. Their sheer beauty, the fragile circumstance of their existence, and the opportunity to learn more about them was life-changing.

My twenty-four day foray with the sharks was an adventure that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Yes, there were adults around, but my family was on the other side of the International Date Line, and dives a depth with carnivorous creatures isn’t child’s play. I was in the South Pacific and it isn’t Kansas; I had responsibilities with gear, and responsibilities to other divers, all of whom were strangers to me. Just like a big dive into the unknown, all this forced independence and maturity upon me. What was familiar, comfortable was nearly 7284 miles away.

From that first moment on the ocean’s floor when I saw that first shark, I knew that everything I did to prepare, everything I had left behind was absolutely worth this experience I had dreamt of for so long.

But there was a moment even more spectacular than meeting the sharks for the first time. On one of my dives, a shark swam past me and we made eye contact. It sent chills up my spine, in a thrilling, not a scary, way. He knew what I was, and I knew what he was. It was as if we formed some sort of unspoken bond: we both knew we were not a threat to the other. I never expected to make a connection with such a creature, this ancient, magnificent fish.

I want to become a marine biologist so I can spend my life studying sea creatures like him--that great black-eyed phenomenal shark who swims amongst the shadows of the deep blue sea.

13

Senators share a desire to improve our school, and all students’ experience here. Behind the scenes is an equally driven team of teachers and administrators. Senate Advisor Ben Berger has truly been a gift. Watching him run from station-to-station with the biggest smile on his face encapsulated the passion he has for our school and for Senate. He is incredibly generous with his time, and strives always to ensure events are carried out as planned. Berger has worked tirelessly so that Senate is efficient, creative and unified. We also must thank Vice Principal Jay Larner and Principal Dr. Rick Vandermolen. Both always looked for ways to help our ideas come to fruition. Even when these three fine gentlemen were buried neck-deep in other work, they always found time to support and consult with us.

They always looked for ways to say sure, even when some of our ideas were a bit progressive.

The legacy Senate leaves is important, so we hope those who return sustain our etched-in-stone traditions. The gavel will soon be passed and this year’s events will give way to the ages, but Senate is bedrock.

It isn’t any one individual or any one entity that makes the magic of Central; rather, the source of our magic is our unifying sense of community.

Thank you to our Central community for making our school the amazing place it is, Governor Cooper Macdonell, Lieutenant Governor Kailey Mattarella, Secretary Midi Battle, and Treasurer Taylor Cook

May 21, 2013

14

Sports

Trojan athletes continue excellence in college

Central students speak to their future plans as college athletes and how they decided on their school

Tyler Gildersleeve Michigan Football

Technological Univeristy

Kailey Mattarella Cross Country & Track

Football

Holly Ryan Gymnastics

Siena Heights University “It was the most comfortable school for me while I was there. I found myself being successful there.

The coaches were really supportive of me and made me feel like I was really important there.”

Michigan State University

“I got an offer from University of Michigan, but I visited State and felt at home and fell in love with the team and coaches. I visited Michigan and didn’t like the campus, it just wasn’t right for me.”

Logan Krieger

Lacross

Allyson Schultz Golf

TJ Schepperly

Football

Olivet College

“I like the small school feel. Bigger schools are just overwhelming. I wanted to play golf at a division three school and have it not be so serious as division two and one.”

Northwood Univeristy

“The coaches were the best fit for me. They fit my personality best. They’re energetic and young. They’re also a team open to the same style of defense we run. I will have more opprotunity to play.”

Olivet College

“I know other players that are already there and they like it. I also know that those players and others that are going there like me are solid players, so it should be a good future.”

“I was following my sister’s footsteps. She’s told me about the awesome times she has had, especially with her sport.

I also really like competing—the team atmosphere—and keeping a healthy lifestyle.”

“They are the best engineering school that I was being looked at for college football. I really liked the campus and the coaching staff has been there long enough to know what they’re doing.”

Nate Pupel

Hope College

Courtney Dye

Golf

Indiana Tech University “I emailed the coach before golf season and they already really wanted me on their team.

I’m interested in mechanical engineering and that’s what Indiana Tech is known for, and they also have a really great golf program.”

Nicholas Tarsa

Cross Country & Track

Aquinas College

“I can run and the coach was really cool when I talked to him.

When I visited I really liked the campus. It felt like Central and Woodland combined. It also had a Business and Music major combined and that is what I wanted.”

May 21, 2013

15

Sports

Then and now, athletes through the years

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Seniors at Central share their stories about how they got hooked on their favorite sports, and their plans to continue them through years to come, at college and beyond Lila Dreves Tiffany Taylor Nico Saco Running-9 years

Hockey-15 years

Softball-13 years

Q A

Q A

Q A

What has been a highlight in your career?

Q

How has your view changed since you first started playing?

What has been a highlight in your career?

“Having the opportunity to be captain in track and cross country. I didn’t really consider myself a leader.

So becoming captain, it made me step out of my box.”

Q A

Photo: courtesy of Lila Dreves

“My senior year I thought was my best because I contributed a lot.

We went 20 and 0 in the BNC. Also I scored the last goal in the West game.”

Q

How has your view changed since you first started playing?

“I don’t get so nervous and stressed out. I used to never be able to relax. I Photo: courtesy of Lila Dreves still get nervous, but I’ve learned to stay calm, and I’m Top: Lila Dreves more used to competing.”

A

Q A

Q A

celebrates with her Traverse Bay Christian relay team.

Bottom: In her sopho“I found something I more year, Dreves runs was good at. I love see- in her first Honor Roll ing how I can improve Meet.

What most interests you about this sport?

and trying to pass my goals.”

What has been a highlight in your career?

Photo: courtesy of Nico Saco

How has your view changed since you first started playing?

“Looking back to when I began hockey, I like it a lot more, and now have realistic goals. My goal is to play in juniors and hopefully get scouted by a college team.”

What most interests you about this sport?

“I like how fast-paced it is. Everybody is going fast, you have to think fast, play fast and move fast.”

“Last year during the season my goal was to get a home run and I ended the season with two home runs--that was one of my goals.”

A Photo: courtesy of Nico Saco

Top: Nico Saco poses for season starter “I-amhockey-man” photo.

Bottom: Skating down the Howe Arena rink, Saco controls the puck and scores during his last Central vs. West game during overtime.

“It was just a sport to keep me active but once I got into highschool, it turned into my life. Sophomore year I realized that I wanted to play in college.”

Q A

What most interests you about this sport?

“It’s a challenge for both your mind and your body and I like a challenge. ”

Photo: courtesy of Tiffany Taylor

In the game against Mancelona, catcher Tiffany Taylor hovers over the plate, at the ready.

She is happy, yet sad that this is her last year playing for the Trojans.

“It’s the intensity of the game and being there all the time and the challenge, which is my favorite part about softball.”

Injuries leave seniors with difficulty in their season

Central’s senior athletes share how their sports career was changed from major injuries Drew Reamer

Mitchell Brien

Kenneth Merica

During the first round of playoffs in the game against Bay City Western, Reamer takes three steps straight downfield, and then plants his right Nike into the ground. Next, he abruptly cuts left. Within feet of the goal line, he jumps to grab the football. He’s hit in mid air. Slamming into the turf, he hears his knee pop. Reamer tore his left ACL, and Trojan career came to a painful end.

Sitting in the Doctor’s office, Brien is contemplating his future. He could have completely destroyed his entire senior year of sports just by working too hard during the off season. The doctor walks in and the moment of truth arrives. Brien is told he may have a torn labrum in his shoulder. Good bye senior year of pitching, but fortunately Brien captured some of the season.

it first happened I was like, there’s something “ When wrong here. I’m never going to play football again,

knew this type of injury could completely destroy my couldn’t affect the way I looked at the football “ Iseason. “ “It I lost a lot of mental trust in my arm as well. season, it was such a good season. As emotional as it

something I love. That hurt. I couldn’t get a job for a while or play basketball or stuff with my friends.

The doctor said I had two options: operate in the summer or play through it. I went with the latter.

”

”

The whistle broke through the cold air in the second quarter of the Trojan football team’s semi final district game against Midland. Within seconds, Merica is ripped violently onto the ground. Merica jumped right back into the huddle. The next block sent excruciating pain through his shoulder. He raised his good arm to test it. . . and was taken out with a broken clavicle.

was, it was definitely different watching the game from the sidelines. I never fully mentally recovered though.

”

May 21, 2013

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Prom

Prom-

Students hit the red carpet for a nigh Ben Berger was on the scene to inter students indulged in a chocolate fou and Sophie Hutchison were declared

“It was good to see everyone dressed up and good looking, opposed to the usual baggy clothes.

I’m glad that I went as a senior.

It’s something everybody should do,” Eric Remy said.

May 21, 2013

Prom

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-stars

ht of dancing and Oscars. rview apsiring stars, untain, and Taylor Cook d Prom King and Queen

“He was just being really funny—he was just being Mr. Berger,” Justin Duchene-Thornewell said.

“You can feel the connection between you and your partner,” Alexander O’Brien said.

Photos: G. Kosch, C. Rasmussen, I. Schuler, M. Loveland, E. Simon

May 21, 2013

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Submissions

Guest Artist

Guest Artist

Jayme Madison

Tori Fisher

Title: Madame Matisse Inspiration: “The original painting was my inspiration. The

portrait is interesting because everyone knows who her husband Matisse is, but very few know who she was.”

Favorite Aspect: “I liked the research aspect that went with it, it was very interesting to find out the art history that went with it.”

Guest Artist

Title: Untitled Inspiration: “This piece is part of

my concentration from AP Studio Art. I was inspired by the idea of deconstructing human anatomy to represent the negative affects stress can have on our bodies in an abstract way.”

Favorite Aspect: “I was pleased with the way my use of created.”

Empty thoughts and hollow hearts

Jazmin Bickel

Title: Alice Inspiration: “She was actually an assignment for my advanced drawing class. I had just finished reading Alice In Wonderland, and it’s such a funny and quirky tale that I wanted to draw my own version of Alice.”

Favorite: “Her expression. It’s just kind of

like a surprised, ‘what’s going on’ kind of look, which is pretty much how the entire book was.”

Guest Writer

Lauren Marchany

color turned out and the dramatic shadows I

I stare with hopeless eyes through tinted glass, Stuck in a vial of my own making, Watching the world spin on its skewed axis, Wanting you to see me and free me, Scared of the demons lurking around every corner, Slithering out of my dreams, Scarred from the attempts to crawl out of my flesh, Wanting to be seen, wanting to feel Hating myself for being weak Hating myself for not being enough needing you while watching you not need me Feeling my soul devoured by the empty skeletons camouflaged under shadows And then something changes.

Flipped like a switch.

I am no longer consumed by the Darkness that surrounds me, Brought out by a light as bright as the hottest sun, Feeling whole Being enough Having the strength.

My suffering has been extinguished, Finally I am free, Free to be me, Free to live my life as I see fit.

My soul breathes a soft sigh; Relishing its new found solace.

May 21, 2013

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Rendezvous

Central students take center stage as they performed in the 16th Annual showing of Rendezvous at the Jazz Club. From twentieth century classics, to today’s greatest hits, the choir program showed off individual performer’s talents, as well as full groups consisting of the Choral-Aires, Bel Cantos, Chorale, Men of Note, Vocal Majority and Concert Choir.

Photos: A. Hilden and K. Raymond

May 21, 2013

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Submissions

When we were infinite Do you remember me driving white knuckled to get us home?

Against the infinite space of storming snowflakes When it got cold

Do you remember gliding down the Sleeping Bear Dunes?

We carved our idyllic path into the sand Faster we went Do you remember the dinner you made us?

A salad and pasta made from scraps

White Wine

Inspiration: “I was

Do you remember that feeling we shared upon the fireplace?

That glow of embers you kindled warmed our hearts We bundled up Do you remember sharing the chocolate scones we hid?

Our perfected recipe a culmination of secrets and smiles My weakness

Title:

A&E and Business Editor

Bryton Lutes A table set for two Do you remember waking up that first morning?

The moon was in full bloom, dancing with the stars in space Five past midnight

inspired by my concentration idea that I developed in AP Guest Artist studio art: Taylor Favour exploring different types of people and the aspects of different stereotypes. I wanted the characters to be classy people which is the stereotype I’m trying to communicate.”

Favorite Aspect: “Part of

the ink at the top by the “wine” was accidentally spilled by another student and I found a way to work with the spilled ink.”

For in these moments, we were infinite

From Switzerland to America: my experience abroad As a Swiss citizen, I had no clue where I’d end up when I applied for an U.S. exchange. From the dry desert of Texas, over the infinite cornfields of Illinois, to the untenanted wilderness of Alaska, anyplace was possible. When I got a letter from my organization, I already pictured myself counting endless grains of wheat or searching for the Guest Writer next water fountain, as I to escape the relentless Marc Weber tried scorching sun of the south.

But instead of confirming my worst nightmares, the letter said I’d be staying at a place called Traverse City in a state called Michigan.

This was a place I’d never heard of, let alone could have located on a map. I remember being very glad to see the word “City,” which implied civilization, as in a lot of people living there.

Relieved that I would not end up in some abandoned outback with a population smaller than the number of fingers on my left hand, I did not know that everything in the U.S. can be called “city,” regardless of how infinitesimally small its population. Saint Mary’s City, Maryland and Archer City, Texas, both boast a population of two.

Traverse City, with its 15,000 inhabitants met my under-

standing of a city. After consulting my smartphone and half an hour of Googling, I discovered more intelligence.

First, Michigan is in the north; second, there are a whole lot of lakes, ponds and rivers in Michigan, which kind of reminded me of our swiss cheese, just in blue and green; third: aside from being the cherry capital of the U.S., travel material proclaimed, Traverse City is also one of the most beautiful places in the whole nation.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I finally arrived at the small Cherry Capitol Airport last August and experienced the beauty of Traverse City and its surrounding region with my own eyes.

If you come from a small country like Switzerland, a place which most have no clue as to its locale, the near infinite scale of the U.S. is barely comprehensible. So it felt pretty strange to “go and visit relatives in Missouri over the weekend” and drive 11 hours to get there. By comparison, that’s like taking the longest distance you’ll find in Switzerland and driving it back and forth or starting in Belgium, in the north of Europe, you’d be driving thru 5 different countries, including Luxemburg, France and Switzerland, and end up somewhere near Firenze in the north of Italy.

Not even shopping is easy in the U.S. You can’t just go and buy a pack of Oreos. Even such a small task gets overwhelming for foreigners, because instead of normal Oreos, you face an entire aisle devoted just to Oreos.

“Double Stuffed,” “Cool Mint,” “Golden Chocolate,” “Berry Burst Ice Cream,” “Golden Triple Stuffed,” even “Nascar”! How should one, who lived his whole life

thinking that there’s just one Oreo, decide which one to choose from this array of cookies? You don’t really have a choice other than to buy them all, because otherwise you’ll just keep asking yourself if there isn’t a different flavor you’d like even more. And it doesn’t just stop with the Oreo’s. No. Same with M&M’s, Pop Tarts, soda, even the bland and uninspiring American toast fills a whole aisle at Walmart, with countless different types of always the same-tasting squashy bread we Europeans don’t care much for. I mean, come on, do you really need to make life harder than it already is? Can’t there just be one or two choices? And this doesn’t even touch all the choices in size. Not even all the countries of the entire EU would need such an assortment. Although this large variety seems immoderate to foreigners, I have to admit that I do miss my “frosted strawberry Pop Tarts,” my “triple double Oreos” and my “coconut M&M’s.” Nobody does processed food like the Americans.

I also want to set some facts straight about Europe.

No, Switzerland is not just a brand, neither a city in Germany, nor the capital of Europe. Sweden is the big Scandinavian country in the north, where people talk Swedish and things like IKEA, ABBA and Vikings come from. Switzerland is the small country right in the center of Europe, where Swiss cheese, chocolate and watches are from and where people – sorry to make it even more complicated for you- don’t talk Swissish, but German, French or Italian. Yes, we do have cars and electricity over here, as well as chewing-gum and Coca Cola. Just not all those choices and everything is smaller.

May 21, 2013

Ads

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May 21, 2013

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Ads

May 21, 2013

Ads

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May 21, 2013

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Submissions

One person at a time

Guest Writer

Hailey Ardelean

Packaging Editor

Sophie Hutchison It is a cliché, even arrogant, to say, “I went to a Third World country on a mission trip and it changed my life… I am fulfilled now…”

However, I felt quite the opposite after my trip to Haiti. I found it dispiriting.

There are so many people who need so much help and love, yet there I was, helping them, loving them, and I wondered if it would make any difference at all. A volunteer who had worked in multiple orphanages in Haiti counseled: Think of it as helping one person at a time. If you look at the big picture, it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. Which is exactly what I was feeling. The conditions in Haiti are daunting. I felt a little unsettled somehow- Haiti is in the backyard of the most powerful nation on earth. Is this really the best we can do?

Prior to arriving, I knew conditions in Haiti were horrendous, but I didn’t anticipate such despair. I suppose it’s like warfare, you cannot describe extreme poverty until you are in it.

The devastation we saw on our trek from the airport to the clinic was inconceivable. I couldn’t even imagine the emotional damage this was causing Haitians. The buildings were in ruins, debris and trash crowded

Title: Limitless Photo: courtesy of S. Hutchison

the streets. I pushed open our van window and was deafened by the shouting crowds; a rancid odor seeped in. Among the filth, tent cities sprawled and mobs of parentless children flitted about like schools of fish. Haiti has no stable government—it is Chaos incarnate.

The next day we were to start work in the dental clinic providing care for children scheduled to come in from an orphanage. Fully expecting more dejection, I was delighted that the children were all smiles. It is impossible to feel overwhelmed when a bunch of kids are thrilled to see you.

I couldn’t wrap my head around how they were so happy. They had no family, no education, no food.

As I spent time with them drawing pictures, practicing French, and singing songs, I started to recognize their joy. Their solace was in the prospect of what each day held—meeting new people, singing, dancing, hugging, smiling, going to the dentist, and going to school.

Senior year has been so busy. I went through the laborious process of applying to 17 colleges; yet, as the acceptance letters arrived, choosing where to go proved almost as difficult

as the application process.

The more acceptance letters I received, the more the idea of going to college right now eluded me. I visited multiple college campuses but nothing felt quite right. As much as I hate to admit it—going to college now just doesn’t feel right. My Haitian experience is very close to my heart. I had crammed it to a corner of my mind, but it kept coming back. I have more work to do there.

I know and value the importance of education and I will graduate from college in the near future. But I want to start this new chapter in my life pursuing something that really matters to me and will really matter to others. Before I return to Haiti, I will be taking a three-week intensive course in Haitian Creole, and then I will work in two different orphanages. There, I will start a music program in an orphanage school and I will also be teaching English and French. There, the children will educate me. They will claim a bigger piece of my heart. My hope is that one day they will become educated, and be able to share their beautiful outlook on life with the world. One person at a time.

Inspiration: “I’ve grown up here and have been passed that section of East Bay forever. Our bays are where Traverse City begins. In the summer that stretch of highway is packed with people snapping photos, taking the bay’s beauty.”

Favorite Aspect: “It’s a highway. Speed means nothing to me or anyone else who drives on it. The view is priceless, the speed is limitless.”

Title: Refreshed Inspiration: “I love animals, especially my dogs. When I get a photo of animals it’s luck, because it’s difficult to capture a subject in motion.”

Favorite Aspect: “The linear shape of the dock’s planks keeps the viewer on Emmie. I also like her splashing because she loves playing in the water. It’s like she’s saying: ‘Yes! Refreshed!’”

May 21, 2013

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Submissions

From meathead to nerd The first 16 years of my life revolved around athletics: if it was a camp in Kansas for football or private lessons in Jamaica for tennis, I was there. If I wasn’t playing or practicing, I was preparing. Weight lifting and protein drinks were rituals to bulk me up. Daily, I consumed the equivalent of my body weight in grams of protein, while ingesting creatine.

Daily, I benched more than my body weight, and

Graphics Editor

Nick Mulvaine

squatted more than 300 lbs, just as a freshmen. My speed exploded from a 6 second 40-yard dash, down to 5.1. I was getting better, faster, stronger, smarter. I was becoming the athlete I needed to be. Things were going great.

But hit after hit, weight after weight took their toll. My body began to ache even when I was just sitting still. Something was wrong. With every hit, sharp pain traveled up my spine. With every sneeze, my slightly tilted rib cage popped. The same thing happened even when I laughed. When I lay down, it felt as if my spine was re-aligning itself.

Denial. I can conquer this.

I willed my pain to recede.

If coaches notice you are in pain, you’re pulled from play. So deception became another part of my “play.”

The hardest to cover was offense, when I arched my back and put my head up to block, I had to bite down

so hard on my mouthguard to endure the pain that I nearly chewed through two of them.

When Coach Big Gle saw my taped back he concluded: “You must really like this game.”

Talks with the trainer, talks with my doctor, back to the trainer, back to the doctor, an x-ray later showed an irregular curvature in my spine, in two places. Still, it was nothing.

I could handle it. I played through it, toughened it out. In addition to my back wrap during play, I played with electrodes on my back out of play.

Till one fateful game when I felt a slight pop in my leg.

Again, I told myself it was nothing. A week went by, then another. I am a teenager, invincible. I shoved my incessant pain aside.

But it pushed back. Then just like the great Achilles, my tendon did me in.

Now what? Sports is what I do, what I know. I am

an athlete. When sports is what you do, your body is what you know, you don’t need to consume your time with other things. The I am an athlete first theology.

I knew what it felt like to be good at something and to aspire to be even better at it. I needed a new purpose, more, a new identity.

I needed that thing, the new me, a new life style.

I chucked my gym bag for my compute. Not a smooth transition. Immersed in the arts, in tech, in nerdism, by senior year, my friends were even different. PhotoShop, FinalCut, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere, consumed my interest. I was now thinking like an artist, seeing the rule of thirds everywhere, noticing layouts, textures, and thinking, now, how can I replicate that?

Maybe, make it even better?

My injury changed me from – smash head football player, to design everything visualist.

Title: Untitled Favorite Aspect: “I like how the lines move the viewer’s eyes through the piece.”

Inspiration: “I was inspired by an original, smaller art work that was required for AP studio Art.” Guest Artist

Hannah Randall

Guest Artist

Samantha Rettelle Artist: Nick Mulvaine Title: Pureness Inspiration: “The body and shape of the car captivated me and I wanted to capture that.”

Favorite: “I feel like it captures the iconic shape and sleekness of the car.”

Title: Linked Inspiration: “I saw it and knew that Sandy would like it.”

Favorite: “The perspective of it.”

May 21, 2013

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Awards

and

Commendations

Seniors, given your superb sports victories and musical triumphs, no wonder parents have had to whip out their cameras to document all your successes

“Words cannot describe the awe and pride I feel about the level of excellence our students have attained this year. They have demonstrated pre-eminence that distinguishes them in the community, state and even nationally. Every day I remember how proud I am to serve as a principal to such an illustrious group of students.”

-Principal Rick Vandermolen Graphic: A. Korson

National Merit Recipients:

U.S. Dept. Of Education Presidential Scholar: Nicole Tubacki National Merit Scholar: Michael Payne National Merit Finalist: Nicole Tubacki National Merit Commended Students: Ian Cummings, Alex Gill and Nonie Tompkins National Merit Corporate Scholarship: Miranda Winowiecki

Students of the Month: Kiwanis:

T. J. Schwannecke and Callie Chappell Connor Becker and Katie Stanton Ian Cummings and Victoria Krajenka Kalvis Hornburg and Nonie Tompkins Allyson Schultz and Andrew Bruning Victoria Fisher and Alex Gill Kailey Mattarella and Cooper MacDonell Carley VanPelt and Brady Girard

Sculpture & Ceramics 2nd: Garrett Kosch Photography 1st: Katie Raymond Photography 2nd: Josh Rose Photography Honorable Mention: Miranda Winowiecki Drawing & printmaking 3rd: Rachel Hayes Drawing & printmaking, Honorable Mention: Olivia Greilick ArtPrize: Popular vote 1st: Stephanie Petrosky Grand Traverse Area Camera Club: Macro: Christina Karakos Macro: Emily Cain Photographers’ Choice: Emily Cain Photojournalism or Action 2nd: Hailey Ardelean Photojournalism or Action, notable: Emily Cain Landscapes 3rd: Christina Karakos

Debate: Photo: courtesy of C. Roehrich

Rotary:

Michael Payne and Nicole Tubacki Connor Becker and Nonie Tompkins Kalvis Hornburg and Lauren Murray

Art:

Elizabeth Lane Oliver Art Center: Award, photo: Hailey Ardelean Award, metal: Austin Ayer NMC Show: Painting 3rd: Autumn Hilden Jewelry 1st: Sarah Petkovsek

Newspaper:

The Black & Gold won a Gold award, the second-highest award given in the state. Twentythree students won individual awards from first place to honorable mention in 24 different categories.

Individual awards: Katie Stanton Miranda Winowiecki Autumn Hilden Bryton Lutes Garrett Kosch Alec Reznich Sophie Hutchinson

Mathematics:

Trojans:

Cooper Macdonell Aleeah Bebermeyer Amanda Burns Connor Becker Miranda Winowiecki Tyler Gildersleeve TJ Schepperly Caitlin Spink Hailey Ardelean McKenna Cartwright

Erin Cover

MIFA Varsity State Champions MIFA Novice State Runners-Up Dr. George W. Ziegelmueller “Ziggy” Award Double Octafinalists at National Qualifying Tournaments: Callie Chappell and Michael Payne

Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition qualifiers: Daniel Fedor Kalvis Hornburg Michael Payne Allyson Schultz Sklyar Thompson

Publications:

Choirs:

Yearbook:

Pines won a Gold award, the second-highest award given in the state. Students won individual awards from first place to honorable mention in several different categories.

Individual awards: Caitlin Spink Hailey Ardelean Jordan Kelley

Music Booster, Outstanding Contributions: Eva Nienhouse and Micaela Jankowski Trojan Hall of Fame, Voice: Alec Reznich Ironman Award: Samantha Rettelle Bel Canto Leadership Award: Carly Francis and Kelli Nemetz Concert Choir Leadership Award: Anthony Miller Chorale Leadership Award: Nicholas Tarsa Michigan Verdi Opera Competition: Kimberly DeBusschere 3rd

May 21, 2013

Awards

and

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Commendations

Band, Orchestra & Jazz:

Michigan School Band and Orch. Association District Festival, Superior Rating: Wind Ensemble Band Department Award: Makenzie Mattis Music Booster Award: Paige Pfannenstiel and Tessie Benton John Philip Sousa Band Award: Susan Roskelley Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Makenzie Mattis Michael P. Dendrinos Memorial Scholarship: Makenzie Mattis Music Booster Award: Paige Pfannenstiel and Tessie Benton All-State Honor Band: Paige Pfannenstiel Superior rating at State Solo and Ensemble Festival: Helen Groothuis TCC String Quartet, Michigan American String Teacher’s Association 2nd: Chamber Music Festival Orchestra Music Booster Awards: Michael Payne, Christina Karakos National Orchestra Awards: Carley VanPelt, Leah Jurik Director’s Awards: Kaitlin Hogan, McKenzie Mattis Michigan School Band and Orch. Association District Festival: Superior Rating

FIRST Robotics

Photo: courtesy of S. Strikwerda

$10,000 grant from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation Traverse City FIRST Robotics District Competition quarter finalist and Engineering Inspiration Award St. Joseph FIRST Robotics District Competition quarter finalist and Imagery Award Dean’s List Award nominees: Ian Cummings and Alex Gill Senior team members: Ian Cummings, Alex Gill, Lauren Marchany, Alex O’Brien, Michael Payne, George Townsend

FALL

Boys Cross Country: Regionals 2nd; BNC 1st; States 10th Coach John Lober was selected as the Regional Coach of the Year in Boys Cross Country Girls Cross Country: Regionals 1st; BNC 1st; States 4th Coach Lisa Taylor was selected as the Regional Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year and was a finalist for Michigan High School Division 1 Coach of the Year Equestrian: Districts 1st; States 7th Sam Donohue won States Football: Regionals 1st; BNC 1st; States: Division 2, 4th TJ Schepperly and Nate Pupel selected to different Football All State teams Head Varsity Football Coach Tom Passinault was honored as the Associated Press MHSAA Division 2 Football Coach of the Year Girls Golf: Regionals 2nd; BNC 1st; States 9th Courtney Dye finished 8th at States and was named 1st team All State Combined team GPA of 3.942, the highest team in the State; Nonie Tompkins lead with a GPA of 4.0 Boys Soccer: Regionals 1st; BNC 2nd Boys Tennis: Regionals 1st; BNC 1st; States 6th Academic All State with a combined team GPA of 3.72.

Daniel Fedor had a GPA of 3.98 Coach Larry Nykerk selected Regional Coach of the Year and is an All State Coach of the year Girls Volleyball: BNC 4th All Region and All Conference: Leah Potter Academic All State with a combined GPA of 3.57

WINTER

Boys Basketball: Regionals; BNC 5th Combined team GPA of 3.50, the 9th best of Class A Boys Basketball Girls Basketball: Regionals; BNC 5th Second year in a row, named top 100 in Sportsmanship Combined GPA of 3.71 Bowling: Finished runner up in the Great Northwest High School Bowling Conference as a team in both boys and girls bowling Hockey:

Sports:

“Trojan Athletic Teams continue to excel on the fields, courts and tracks, as well as in the classroom. Through the winter season, 10 teams were selected as Academic All State. Nearly 800 students participated in athletics, which is 57% of our student body.”

-Athletic Director Cody Inglis

Combined GPA of 3.36, Academic All State Coach Chris Givens was named the MHSHCA Coach of the Year Boys Downhill Skiing: Regionals: 3rd; BNC 4th; States 2nd Combined GPA of 3.6 Girls Downhill Skiing:

Photo: courtesy of J. Madion

Regionals:1st; BNC 1st; States 1st Combined GPA of 3.5 Cross Country Skiing: Regionals:1st; BNC 1st; States 3rd Combined GPA of 3.7 Wrestling: BNC: 6th SPRING Athletic Director Cody Inglis said, “These seniors have been stand outs in their respective spring sports:” Boys Golf: Winton Munch Girls Tennis: Leah Potter, Kelly Milliken Softball: Miranda Winowiecki Boys Track: T. J. Schwannecke Girls Track: Kailey Mattarella Baseball: Ethan Pilarski Girls Soccer: Jacqueline Hardy

Miscellaneous: Eagle Scouts:

Landon Adams, Zach Endres, David Meyers, Kyle Ludwig and Ian Cummings

Michigan Blood Donor for Life Award: Aleah Bebermyer Kelli Nemetz Nicholas Pickard Molly Sawyer Dustin Scheppe Nicholas Schwartzmiller Jesse Trout

Staff:

Photo: courtesy of C. Givens

BNC 1st ,

Outstanding Person in Education: Pam Davis MMEA Teacher of the Year: Wendee Wolf-Schlarf MSVMA Carolyn Leep Scholarship: Tamara Grove Dalian Ambassadors: Bryn Lynch and Paige Paul Central Hall of Fame inductees: John Youker, Matthew Schwartz, Rick Waters and Jon Constant TCAPS Outstanding Educator Award: Dr. Don Freed

May 21, 2013

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The luxury of being a kid again As I considered my future, it seemed reasonable that I would have to sacrifice tomorrow for the needs of today.

But fortunately, this fall I have the privilege of attending Lake Superior State Guest Writer University. There, Caitlin Spink I expect to have some different motivations than my freshmen classmates; having had so much independence, I don’t seek it at LSS. I don’t aspire to escape the watchful eyes of parents. I like the watchful eye of adults who are looking for ways to help me be the adult I will become. It is a luxury to just worry about decorating my dorm room, making new friends, and reading all my prof ’s comments.

When we walk across the stage and toss of our tassels, we will walk smack into the adult world. Most of my fellow seniors are thrilled about their soon to be had independence. Not me.

For reasons personal, I know up front and personal the face of adulthood. It ain’t all pretty and it ain’t all fun. Trust me, I have had a short childhood and a short adulthood so far, and it is way more fun to be a kid.

I became a parent of sorts to my little brother and head of our household. I have already had a taste, a bite, a meal -- a whole darned buffet -of independence. It’s made me who I am today, keeps me organized and adult-like.

Whether in social, academic, or materialistic contexts, I’ve had to make sacrifices; responsibilities come first. Friday nights are the perfect time for football games and parties, but for me, most Fridays entailed taking care of my brother and catching up on housework. I have missed school countless times because of adult commitments like taking my brother to a doctor’s appointment, or tending to my own needs. And with attending to the life of a person I love in my hands, homework seemed to matter less.

When it came to clothes or non-necessities, it seemed there was always something more important to spend money on: repairing the fridge, putting gas in the car, securing enough food for the week.

So next fall I want the kid experience--all of it.

I want to put myself first. I want the luxury of worrying about whether my dorm room is decorated just so. I want to meet my new friends for coffee. I want to go to games for the fun and games of what it means to be young.

Submissions

Things I’ve learned in high school The U.S. Dept. Of Education recognized 141 high school Presidential Scholars. Of the three million high school graduates, more than 3,300 candidates qualified for the 2013 awards, determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams and school nominations. Niki Tubacki is one of the 141, out of 3 million. We salute you, Niki. Ya’ll listen up to what Niki has to say. . .

When I noticed that I had only ten days left in high school, I was flabbergasted.

Where did the four years go?

Guest Writer I keep Niki Tubacki remembering things I’ve done and things that I wish I would have done sooner. But since my time in high school is nearing its end, I am going to try to pass off some of my hard-earned knowledge to you.

Try something new. I can’t tell you how many things I first tried in high school. From being in Senate and council, to trying out debate and programming, just about all of my extracurricu-

lars were opportunities that I heard of from one of my friends and decided to try. Now I can’t wait to get to college to see what discoveries await.

Speaking of discovery, there’s one thing that I discovered in high school that I believe is the most important realization that I’ve ever had. As an underclassman, I got good grades without putting forth too much effort.

This meant that when I was deciding on my junior year schedule, I faced a dilemma – should I take the classes that I wanted, even if that meant a lot of AP and a lot of work, or take the easier classes that I knew wouldn’t jeopardize my GPA and would leave me a lot of free time? I chose the harder way and risked falling short of my goals.

My experience made me realize that the things I usually fail or struggle at aren’t things that I am unable to do; instead, the things I think I can’t do are just fears that I will fall short of my expectations.

When I risk failure and refuse to cave to my fears is when I exceed my expectations most.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to reach for your dreams. Last summer, I was wondering if I should even apply to the colleges that I didn’t think I would get in to. What if I didn’t get in?

Well, I decided that I didn’t care, and I’m extremely happy that I ended up applying. So don’t be afraid just because you think you won’t get in. Apply to U of M or Harvard or whatever school you want. You never know what will happen. Maybe you’ll get in to your dream school that you never in a billion years would have thought you would get in to. Trust me – I speak from experience.

I wish all of you a terrific high school career. You’re going to spend four entire years of your life here, so don’t waste them. It goes by really fast, so try new things, risk failure, and definitely reach for your dreams.

Title: Vibrations of Nature

Inspiration: “I found a

few gourds in Ms. Sandy’s room and asked what they were for. She said ‘anything you want,’ so I made drums.”

Favorite Aspect: “They worked! I was surprised when I heard a tribal sound resonating from the gourd.”

Guest Artist

Austin Kellogg

Guest Artist

Stephanie Petrosky

Title: Jennifer Lawrence Interpretation of Beauty Inspiration: “I was practicing faces and I was intrigued by

her eyes and her lips, so I wanted to try something like that.”

Favorite Aspect: “I didn’t even want to enter it, but my mom pushed me into it and I won Art Prize with it.”

May 21, 2013

29

Submissions Title: Self Portrait

Song Of My Soul

Inspiration:

Guest Artist

McKenzie Sanders ferent lines of the hair.”

“I wanted to do a picture that was visually interesting. So, by using ink and pencil I put a lot of emphasis on the dif-

Favorite Aspect: “I really like how

my hair turned out, It was fun drawing each of the curls.”

Photo Editor

Autumn Hilden Title: Alcoholics Anonymous

Inspiration: “Alex Pardee is my

Leek Editor

Alec Reznich I’ll never forget the moment when it hit me. It was frigid inside the ancient cathedral, and the resonant dome was silent as one Estonian teenager stepped onto the stage.

But she was doing something funny—she was facing her peers, visibly nervous, smiling weakly. As the young choir director raised her arms, the chorus entered with a resounding crescendo, and I knew I’d been transported. Seeing that young girl hold the entire world in her hands, sweeping her arms in both grace and fury, was mesmerizing. Her music elicited an emotion within me so raw I didn’t know it could even exist. As soon as she lowered her arms and exhaled, all of my doubts, all of my worries about making music my life’s work, dissipated.

My love for music crystallized during my time spent at Central as a choir nerd. All these years of living in the choir cave seem like one wild, continuous dream. Students come and go, but the stinky, stained carpet and sloppy, unoriginal

Title: Untitled

inspiration. I love his use of vivid colors and line work. It gives it a creepy feel, but also the contrast of the bright colors makes his work so interesting.”

Inspiration:

“The year before I had to do a self portrait and had my friend take a photo downwards from a tree, so I changed the angle and took it from the ground where

Favorite Aspect: “I like my line

I was in the tree.”

work I did. It took a long time and I’m proud I stayed focused on it for so long.”

Favorite Aspect: “I really love Guest Artist

Cassidy Stanley

the mark making. It was my first time making a whole piece out of acrylic paints and I think it turned out really well.”

doodles on the practice room walls, remain. Choir junkies never cease to rail the latest Top 40 hit on an outlandishly out-of-tune piano.

Remnants of Hot-N-Ready pizza glance back up at me from the floor, justifying the eerie amount of ants that scurry there. And man, that place always smells. Everything about that dingy hole in the wall just screams unpleasant, but it’s been the center of my life for years.

Whether it’s during musical season, madrigal dinners, singing valentines, or Rendezvous, most of my friends call this place home. Sometimes, while my mind wanders during one of my weekly voice lessons, I just laugh. I think,

why is it that I take voice lessons from Interlochen’s voice virtuoso in a closet? While I constantly find

myself frustrated by an environment that too often seems to choke me, the choir room is where I fell in love with music.

Who knows if I’ll make it as a professional musician, or become a voice teacher, or whatever. Along the way, I’ve uncovered many interests and academic pursuits that made it difficult for me to decide on just one. But it wasn’t until I traveled halfway around the world that I realized I can’t live my life without pursuing music. Seeing one Estonian teenager so young, so powerful, so vulnerable, translate her innermost emotions and reflect them was all I needed to make my decision. My life as a musician is limitless, because music is the one thing in this world that I’m sure about.

May 21, 2013

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Thank Yous

Big things have small beginnings, even at the B&G

Katie Stanton ‘13

You are my right hand in this pub. I can’t imagine being EIC without you. This year has been my most memorable, and between you and Yeomans, we ran the best paper I’ve been part of. I’m really sad that I won’t be able to visit you in Turkey.

Love you!

-Miranda

Miranda Winowiecki ‘13 Meeranda, I have been so lucky to have you as a partner in crime.

I can’t imagine going through this rollercoaster with anybody else. Your hard work, even amidst captaining a varsity sport, has been admirable.

Thanks girl! It’s been fun.

-Katie

Nick Mulvaine ‘13 NICK! You have really stepped up this year and put up with all our last-minute graphics. You’ve rocked the A&E page and spruced up The Leek countless times.

You took a massive workload this year and for that we thank you.

Alex Korson ‘14 You are so excellent at graphics, even if all of your work looks like Ivy. Your art has been a blessing for this paper, and we’re so excited to see what video game company will luck out with your skills in the future.

Bryton Lutes ‘13

Sophie Hutchison ‘13

You have, once again, run the Business page with style and skill this year, and your A&E column was always bumpin’. The paper will sorely miss your expertise next year. Also, you and Marc best be coming back to ‘Merica, you Europeans, you.

Sophhayy! Thanks for being a great writer, photog and person, and for sticking with the international spread that wouldn’t end. You’ll be missed a lot next year, but it’s so awesome that you’ll be spending your time helping others. “(Heck) yeah!”

Autumn Hilden ‘13

Katie Raymond ‘13

You deserve the Ironman award. Between a torn ACL and enough photos to make your eyes poop, you were such a trooper this year.

We loved your contagious optimism. Your photography, design talents, and dancing skills will be missed by all.

Whoa, is your name Katie too?! Jk. ‘Lil Ray, you are the nicest person and an amazing photographer. Thanks for your continued flexibility with production.We can’t wait to see where your skills will take you (we’re guessing really far). We’ll miss you!!

Garrett Kosch ‘13

Alec Reznich ‘13

Oh EIC/Ratchet Garrett. You have done such a great job leading the paper. Your stories and food page were ballin’ this year, and we can’t wait to see where your cooking skills take you.

Permanent pub chef ?

The way you stepped up on The Leek during the time of the grinding controversy proved your dedication to the B&G. We are only disappointed you joined staff so late in the game.

Take your angelic voice and fly.

Connor Brady ‘13

Scott Hardin ‘14

We loved your good-natured attitude and philosophical musings. We’ll probably see you next onstage as a famous guitar-player. Goodluck, and may the cosmic force of the universe be with you!

You are probably the sassiest but also nicest person in the Pub. The student body and world will continue to benefit from your cheery disposition and hilarious Leek-ery. Go far, young man.

Ivy Baillie ‘14

Lia Williams ‘14

Superstar Ivy, you piloted the Opinion page with such eloquence and grace this year in the face of much controversy. You will accomplish so much both within newspaper and your art career, we are sure. We love you, even if you occasionally crouched on cupboards.

Lia, your tireless work on staffers’ articles this year, not to mention your own kick-butt articles, produced some of the best stories that this paper has ever seen. Your China edition was awesome, and we’re looking forward to more awesome spreads.

Jake Myers ‘14

David Reinke ‘14

Oh Jake, you and Scott have taken The Leek and created a monster. We love it, despite the post-apocolyptic atmosphere it created in the pub. Your witty briefs and Global Perspectives kept us chortling. Keep dancing on the line.

David, you have developed so much as a writer and editor this year, it is jaw-dropping. Your sarcasm and say-it-as-it-is attitude are refreshing. We expect nothing less than the best from you, and your superior music taste.

Tyger Bell ‘14

Fiona Muha ‘14

Your humorous wit and chill demeanor are an excellent addition to The Leek. You work with the diligence of a suave Tyger, at your own discretion. Keep up the good work and stay cool, Tyg-man.

Your craziness finally surfaced this year!

Watching you grow from quiet staffer to takecharge editor has been wonderful. Your dedication to the paper is only matched by your love of sweets. We can’t wait to see what cool focus pages (Fears) you concoct next year.

May 21, 2013

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Thank Yous Jeff Comerford ‘14

Allison Taphouse ‘14

Aaron Smits ‘14

You have been such a champ this year. Your writing and help on focus pages has been invaluable, and you were always willing to call another person and have your editor’s back.

Thanks, and keep rockin’.

Lil’ Tap. Your sass and attitude in the Pub always makes for great entertainment. We’re expecting you to grow even more as a leader next year and are looking forward to seeing what you accomplish.

Schmitty, you are literally the best dressed male in school. You jumped right into the craziness, and have been such a huge help. Your hilarity and hard-ball writing skills will be huge assets next year. Stick to it.

Zach Egbert ‘14

Erin Lipp ‘15

Hunter Kelly ‘15

Zegbert! We’ve missed you in the pub the last two years...Thanks for coming back! You always do what you can to help and give it your all.

We’re looking forward to seeing you back next year.

Besides retaining your legacy of impeccable reporting, you stepped up this year and became a great leader on the Sports page. We can’t wait to see what high-quality material you produce next year.

Sassafrass Hunter, you were frequently hilarious but also buckled down when it mattered. You have grown a lot this year, especially on the Opinion page. Keep up the awesome writing and layout practice.

Hayley Rozema ‘15

Emma Caldwell ‘15

George Madison ‘15

Through all the hard times, you have continued to push on. We are so proud of your involvement with the Sports Spread; it looks amazing.

We look forward to see you grow even more as a reporter and writer.

Aphid. You are such a skilled writer and have the most pleasant disposition. Despite our best efforts, you remain a bit of enigma, and your unexpected comments keep us LOLing. We love you!

Curious George. You are da bomb, literally. But seriously, your Con Foster Museum story was rockin.’ From Ivy: “George is my little monkey. I love him.” Your hard work and writing skills will take you far!

John Minster ‘15

Carl Rasmussen ‘15

Mady Basch ‘16

Where did you come from?! You immediately amazed us with the texting story, and have developed sharp reporting. We know you’ll continue to bring your excellent writing and reserved sass to the paper.

Thanks for joining newspaper! Your profile on Brooke Wessell was well done, even though you had to stalk her. We also loved your willingness to help out with prom photos and other Senior Issue tasks.

Baesch. You were a star on the Sports page this year, and produced some really quality stories. We hope that you stick with newspaper— you’re well on your way to becoming an experienced reporter!

Maddi Miller ‘16

Kory Cole ‘16

Isabel Schuler ‘16

You came in and wowed us with your writing and attention to detail.

You were always so sweet and willing to do another re-interview, and always had great original feature ideas. Keep up the hard work!

Your sharp tongue and quirky humor were endlessly entertaining, even in the midst of some unpleasant situations. Your reporting/writing skills have definitely improved.

We have high hopes for you!

We were so impressed with your flexibility and willingness to help out, especially on the Writer’s Series story. And you definitely have the classiest baby photo (model from Day 1). Hope to see you next year!

Rick Vandermolen You stood by us even when others doubted, and believed in our skills and the importance of student journalism.

Thank you for always being there for us, whether it was for a press conference or a Leek photo appearance.

Missi Yeomans

Staff Parents: Particularly to our savior Beth Baillie (Ivy’s mom), thank you to all parents Somehow, in between the controwho took the time to bring food to us publicaversy, the snow days and the SDrive drama, we managed to get 8 tions kids. We dined like kings. awesome issues out thanks to your Yearbookies: If it’s not enough that you pick hard work. You probably had to up after our mess, your staff and Ms. Patterson miss yoga more often than you’d have been very supportive of the Black & Gold like, but just know that we really staff. You’re the best publication buddies ever. appreciate all you that do for us.

May 21, 2013

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Memories

Senior Salute

Favorite memories

“Making captain of the cheer team senior year. I’ve been on the cheer team since freshman year, so it was nice to be a leader my last year. ” -Katie Gallagher

Qand A

“When we beat West in the playoff basketball game this year and Justyn Root rushed the court and the principals had to pull him off of the dog pile.”-Trey Pezzetti “I had lunch with the special ed kids with Jon Pat-

terson and it was really eye opening. I never really talked to them and I realized that they all have big dreams, and aren’t afraid to go after them because of their disabilities.”-Maddie Morley

“The choir trip to Europe was a great experience. I learned a lot, and the independence gave me a glimpse of what college will be like.”-McKenna Cartwright

“Cross-country camp during the

summer. Being cut off from technology and work, and just being able to focus on the team and running was great.”-Jayme Madison

Advice

“Take an art class, even if you’re not

artistically talented. It’s like therapy.

You’ll thank yourself for it.”

-Meghan Ferris

“Senior-itis kills me. If something is

worth little points, I don’t even look at it. It’s bad. Take hard classes as early as you can, because no matter who you are, you will have no motivation senior year.”

-Brenden Everts

“Don’t focus on growing up. Just be a kid, you will enjoy high school a lot more.” -Samantha Mosley

“Get involved in anything. It doesn’t matter what you have a passion for, just find something that makes you look forward to getting up in the morning. You have to spend four years in high school, so make them count.”

-Nonie Tompkins

“If it’s in the back of the auditorium, don’t drink it.”-Lucas Corona “Underclassmen, if you’re going to sneak out to

lunch make sure Coach James doesn’t catch you.

You don’t want to get on his bad side.”-Lauren Ward