G r a n d H a v e n H i g h S c h o o l ’ s s t u d e n t p u b l i c a t i o n o f c o m m u n i t y s i g n i f i c a n c e s i n c e 1 9 2 7

BLADE BU

CS'

Friday, January 13, 2012

See page 21

Freestyleski teamcontinues to grow

See page23Exchange student Takuya Kobayashi hopes to rearrange record boardsLife in the laneFAST

2 Inside THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, November 18, 2011

THE BUCS’ BLADEGrand Haven High School, 17001 Ferris, Grand Haven, MI 49417

A student newspaper of community significance since 1927

Volume 67, Issue 4 January 13, 2012

PUBLICATION POLICYThe Bucs’ Blade is a newspaper that publishes information relevant to the times as well as

material that is essential to the overall well being of its readers. It is The Bucs’ Blade’s responsibility to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect the concerns of its readers. During the school day, the Blade staff may be reached at 616.850.6263 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:20 p.m.

The Bucs’ Blade strives for the highest standards of accuracy, completeness and careful re-search in its presentation of material. If an error merits correction, as determined by the Editorial Board or the Adviser, it will be promptly published in the news brief column or on the edito-rial page. Correction notification forms are available in the main office or in Room 0205 and should be returned directly to Room 0205 upon completion. All correction requests are subject to review.

LETTERS AND SUBMISSIONSThe paper will operate on the basis of an open or public forum. Essays and

other nonfiction literary works are welcomed. All letters to the editor must include the writer’s name, signature, and class or position, and must be free of obscene and potentially libelous material. Typed, double-spaced letters are preferred, but legible, handwritten letters are acceptable. Names of individuals will not be edited, except in rare cases to prevent legal liability, to edit material that is in poor taste or to fit space requirements. Letters previously published, addressed to third parties or pho-tocopied will not be published. The Bucs’ Blade can only print as many letters to the editor as space will allow. Letters should be addressed to the editor, and emailed to bucsblade@gmail.com

THE BUCS’ BLADE GHHS ROOM 0205

17001 FerrisGrand Haven, MI 49417

Copies of The Bucs’ Blade are offered on the news stands located in the main office, Room 0205, the media center, the Loutit Library and The Bookman.

StaffMcKenna Brinks, Dustin Chrysler, Me-ridith Frein, Katelyn Hansen, Kaia Hayes, Kayla Hoffman, Loren Johnson, Kennedy Kaufman, Lauren Kruggel, Kyra Lansky, Molly McGinnis, Riley Missel, Brittney Olds, Andrew Prince, Turner Sale, Alexa Shampine Sam Schurkamp, Olivia Seaver, Erin Staal, John Strainer, Katherine Wampler, Madison Wilder Harrison Zost

Editorial BoardJohn Cherette Editor-in-Chief

Mike Ginocchio Editor-in-Chief

Emma Baty Managing Editor

Lucas Wilder News Editor

Mollie LaBeff Feature Editor

Bailey Coval Culture Editor

Chloe Dault Editor-at-large

Lauren Lund Vibe Editor

Riley Missel Vibe Editor

Scott Staal Sports Editor

Samantha VanHoef Web Editor

Laura Burton Photo Editor

Maggie Ginocchio Graphics Specialist

C.E. Sikkenga Advisor

NEWSBand travels to DisneyMarching Band performs in Disney’s Electrical Parade

8

4 Renaissance cards should allow students into eventsPolicy changes create less incentive for students to succeed

EDITORIAL/OPINION

FEATURE16 Senior recovers from accident

Bikash Mishra works through serious injury to leg

BACKBest apps to download nowFrom games to music to calendars, there’s an app for that24

SPORTS20 Competitive Cheerleading sets high goals

Under new coach, team hopes to be atop OK-Red in five years

VIBE18-19

If you like this, try thisSuggestions of books, movies, video games and artists

14 Where to ski this winterThere are many different ski spots to choose from. Which is for you?

CULTURE

Anti-Bullying message moves to elementary schools

See page5STANDING TALL: Student Sen-ate and Anti-Bullying Committee members present to elementary students. The presentations were part of an ongoing effort to stop bullying at all levels. photo by Emma Baty

Friday January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Opinion 3

Bucs Above Bullying is not a joke

6changesstudents think would help

2.

Find a different slogan to use instead of “Don’t be a zebra”1.Do a better job of raising student body awareness

More team-building activities (similar to Outdoor Ed class)3.Do a better job of en-forcing consequences for people that bully4.

Don’t treat students like elementary kids6.

Train teachers to help stop bullying 5.

Criticism of new anti-bullying policy cannot undermine program’s true message

Hey guys, how are you doing?

Don’t walk away just yet, there’s something we need to talk about.

So it’s been almost half of a school year right now and there’s been a lot of talk about the new attitude and the new atmosphere we’re trying to make.

It’s clear that it’s definitely noticeable, wouldn’t you say?

Yeah, we know, it seems like everywhere you go, there’s someone talking about it. Or advocating it. Or speaking out about why it’s bad not to follow this new policy.

There are banners about it.

There are announcements.

There’s a slogan that accompanies it too.

Notice how we haven’t even mentioned it by name?

That’s because you know what we’re talking about. You know what new attitude Grand Haven High School is trying to create in the student body.

Yeah, we know that sometimes school administrations (and this is universal throughout the

country, not just limited to us) try to tell us all that it’s not okay to be mean this, it’s okay to be yourself that.

The thing is, they’re right.

Just sometimes a little bit cheesy.

We know that though, because teenagers always think that adults are boring or corny when they try to get a really important message across.

So we wouldn’t blame you if you were getting just a little bit tired of how often we hear about the school’s new anti-bullying policy.

But…why decide that it’s okay to make fun of it?

Rebelling against something is pretty much standard procedure for high school kids, but what is accomplished by making

fun of something like this?

It makes it seem like the message of the program is to not take it seriously. When something that was designed to help instead becomes fuel for

jokes (and not good-natured ones), doesn’t that mean that maybe this is something you shouldn’t make fun of, or that someone’s missing the point?

We get it; it’s a little obnoxious hearing the teaching staff and administration constantly reminding us not to be mean to each other in a way we think is “stupid.” But read

that last sentence again. They’re just telling us not

to be mean to each other, by using a catchy little hook so that the original message doesn’t get forgotten by everyone.

Ultimately, the program’s not trying to talk down to the school or make us intentioally feel like little kids; it’s trying to help us. Okay, so maybe the execution is cheesy, but we’re all young adults.

We can think for ourselves.

Why not take the key message from the entire

program and apply it to our everyday lives? If you’re making fun of the program, you might miss the single most important part of the program. Why are we doing this?

Here’s why.Last year, we lost one of

our classmates.Bullying played a role.The program isn’t doing

this to be, as one student called it, “obnoxious.”

It’s because nothing like that should ever happen again.

That’s nothing to laugh about.

STAFF EDITORIAL

StudentsOne third of 200 students surveyed feel the anti-bullying program doesn’t work. Here are some suggestions they shared to aid its effectiveness

respond

SENIOR SPEAKS: Senior Hugo Lawton speaks to a group of students during a Bucs Above Bullying presentation at Mary A. White Elementary School. A Bucs’ Blade survey showed that students are tiring of the Anti-bullying campaign, how-ever, the Bucs’ Blade feels its message is still valid. photo by Emma Baty

Renaissance cards no longer give free game pass for students

In recent years, students in the Renaissance program who held a blue or gold card status were able to get into sporting events either free or at a reduced rate. This year, that is no longer the case. The new benefits relating to sporting events and ticket sales allow

students with the blue or gold cards to get in at reduced rates to select sporting events and games, but not free.

The primary reasons changes to the renaissance program were made are change in leadership and budget cuts. Mid-fall last year a new set of parents took over the program and with those new people came new rewards.

Athletics has taken a substantial hit recently and to make up for it, things like transportation and ticket sales had to change.

“To play a sport, along with insurance and possible uniform costs, students have a pay to play fee,” Athletic Director, Jack Provencal, said.

The price of the pay to play fee depends on how much money the school has budgeted towards the sport. That money comes primarily from sports boosters and ticket

sales. When kids get in free, the school loses money and students playing the sport’s fees ultimately will rise.

“How can we let kids in free if kids are paying to play,” Principal, Tracy Wilson said.

Although cutting the use of renaissance cards to get into sporting events free has been a money saver for the school, these changes are not beneficial to the students. Kids who used to walk right into the games using gold cards now have to wait in line and pay for a ticket. The students still put the same time and effort into their schoolwork and are now earning less for it. The program was raised to acknowledge academic excellence and reward students for their work. Taking that away and replacing it with less isn’t acknowledging any excellence. In fact, it creates less incentive to succeed.

A series of

unfortunate events

John CherettePrimaries aren’t about policy

With primary season in full swing, the time has come for negative political ads to assault the airwaves. Considering most Americans won’t do research about the policies of individuals, I thought it would be fun to evaluate the Republican presidential candidates based solely on rumors, dirty laundry and negative ad campaigns…you know, the way it happens in the real world.

Herman Cain: I realize Cain is effectively out of the race for the nomination, but I still can’t understand how it took so long for that to happen. What, you guys were cool with the settlements over sexual harassment, but his poll numbers don’t drop until we hear about his 13-year affair? C’mon man! Not to mention he ran a pizza chain. Any laws he passed would’ve probably been 15 minutes late and burned on the bottom anyway.

Ron Paul: Let’s be honest, do we really think the Republican Party is going to nominate a man who supports gay marriage and legalizing drugs? I know he’s gained a lot of support with younger voters, but the higher ups in the party will make sure he doesn’t lock down the nomination. God forbid someone who doesn’t shudder when he sees two men holding hands wins the nomination. Look for Paul to make a strong run as an Independent come November.

Rick Santorum: He seems more like a boring dad who wears a sweater vest every day than a president to me. He probably doesn’t have much of a shot at the nomination. His campaign doesn’t have the money.

Mitt Romney: Romney has been called a flip-flopper, but at the moment he appears to be the candidate who has a viable shot at defeating Obama in November. Wait a minute, he’s WHAT? Mormon? Isn’t that a cult where everybody marries each other? Well then, I guess I can’t vote for him. Although there is something about his smile and perfectly peppered sideburns that is enticing.

Rick Perry: While Perry doesn’t have any huge scandals in his background, there is one small problem that may keep him from the nomination: half of what he says is incoherent. He appears to be the least intelligent Governor to come out of Texas in the last 15 years…and that’s saying something. As Stephen Colbert pointed out: most of the candidates have an Achilles heel. Perry has an Achilles head.

Newt Gingrich: Gingrich has abandonment issues. And by abandonment issues, I mean he has a problem with abandoning things…like, say…wives, for example. How do we know he won’t leave us for a different country? And then leave that country for a younger country?

So what have we learned here today? Well, two of the options have covered up affairs. One of them can’t seem to think hard enough to even understand the words that are coming out of his mouth. One of them thinks boys should be allowed to kiss boys. What does that leave us with? Mitt Romney. So Republicans, please do us all a favor and nominate him like we all know you’re going to. Who doesn’t like wearing flip-flops once in a while anyway?

Opinion

MADISON WILDERReporter

Paid entrance only4 Opinion THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

The young students file in and sit down in rows on the gymnasium floor. Some sit still cross-legged and others continu-ally fidget. They all look to the front with wide-eyes. The high

school presenters command the stage, captivating the attention of the younger students sitting on the ground.

This sight was a recurring theme at the district elementary schools on Jan. 9 through Jan. 10, when Grand Haven High School students and faculty came together to present an anti-bullying awareness assembly. Teacher Brian Williams played a key role in organizing this group.

“It’s a collective effort of Student Senate, Mr. Portenga’s Anti-Bullying Committee, and choir students come together to create a presentation for the elementary students,” Williams said. “We had incredible feed-

back when we presented to the middle schools and we expect to seem equal if not even better re-sults at the elementary schools.”

Separate presentations will be put on for upper elementary (K-2nd grade) and lower elemen-tary (3rd-5th grade). Along with all the other student presenters, junior Alex Kolenda organized the presentations so they would appeal to younger students.

“The first thing we decided we needed to do was to get the el-ementary kids to pay attention,” Kolenda said. “So we decided that we would create a motto for them to learn and do a bunch of skits. That seemed like the best way to get them excited.”

Along with having fun, Ko-lenda understands that reaching out to students at a young age is extremely important.

“I know that when I was in elementary school, all I wanted was to be like the [high school students],” Kolenda said. “If we can get through to these kids at this young of an age then by the time they get to high school hopefully they’ll have a different attitude about bullying.”

Ferry Elementary school principal Steve Avram feels the presentations were above and beyond any expectations.

“The presentations were exceptional,” Avram said. “They got the attention of the kids right

away and the students really did a great job adjusting to their level.”

Williams believes that the presentations are doing an ex-tremely well job at achieving the goals the students have set.

“Our overall goal is to have high school mentors that the elementary students look up to teach them at a young age that bullying is not okay, and we’re doing a really good job at spreading that message so far,” Williams said. “We’re going to continue our campaign by reach-ing out to high school levels and I’m really excited to see what we accomplish in the coming future.”

5 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Anti-bullying campaign reaches elementariesStudent Senate, Anti-Bullying Committee givespresentation to area elementary schools

MAGGIE GINOCCHIOGraphics Specialist

IT’S ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR: Committee members visit Mary A. White Elementary for the first time. These students have presented at elementary schools all over the GHAPS district. photo by Emma Baty

6 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

BUC B r i e f s

ICE CREAM BARThe G.R.E.E.N Club will be raising

money to complete the water bottle filler project by hosting an ice cream bar in the cafeteria. The club is selling ice cream for one dollar a scoop plus toppings on Friday, Jan. 20. Tables will be set up during all three lunches to sell the Sweet Temptations ice cream.

“Sweet Temptations gives us a good deal and it’s really good ice cream, ” G.R.E.E.N Club leader and teacher Aaron Portenga said.

The money will go towards purchas-ing an additional water bottle filler, which will be placed between pods five and six. This project began last year, but more funding is necessary to update the final drinking fountain here at GHHS.

“All extra money will help go to-wards our middle school and elemen-tary school projects,” Portenga said. “Please help us out!”

-Kyra Lansky

GIRLS TRACK CONDITIONINGGirls track winter practices begin

Mondays, Wednesdays and Thurs-days this month for those interested in spring track and field. Head track coach John Tarr highly recommends that all girls come in on winter practice days and help to improve their pre-season athleticism.

“It’s vitally important to get [the girls] into the weight room and get stronger before we begin to run hard,” Tarr said.

For those who are planning to run every Monday, Wednesday and Thurs-day, look to Feb. 18 as a day to show of new abilities at a Grand Valley State University indoor track meet.

-Turner Sale

After drifting cheerfully in and out of classrooms all day, GHHS principal Tracy Wilson returns to her office to add to her already gigantic stack of teacher evalu-ations. It’s all part of a new Michigan law to hold teachers and school admin-istrators more accountable for student growth. The law requires all K-12 teachers be evaluated every year, including proof of students’ improvement and a new teacher rating system.

According to Wilson, the difference is that they will see assistant principals Mike Roberson and Pam VanderKamp and herself in classrooms more often.

Before this law, teachers were rated ei-ther satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Now, a teacher is rated highly effective, effective, minimally effective, or highly ineffec-tive. In the future the rating will depend more on their ability to show that their students are improving through data.

“In a sense the state is saying that a student’s ability to be successful is solely dependent on the teacher,” Wilson said. “Which I have a problem with, because every student walks into our classrooms with a different set of baggage.”

Beginning this year, the new state requirements are manditory, but the state won’t make a decision on what the evaluations will look like until April. This presents challenges for administrators.

“It’s like throwing a dart at a moving target,” Wilson said. “We don’t know what the expectation is at the other end. I’m not sure if the people making these requirements know what it means to truly be in education.”

A committee was formed during the summer to lay out the district’s new evaluation plan. They decided to continue doing full evaluations of class long obser-vations and written reports, every three years. The years in between, teachers will

make student growth goals to improve upon throughout the year.

“I really like that it seems to encourage teacher growth,” Rory Callendar, a 12-year history teacher, said. “Rather than it being a system of punishing things that go wrong, it focuses on what you’re doing and then what you can do to get better.”

The teachers generally have no objec-tion to writing improvement goals but some are unhappy about having student data attached to their evaluation file.

“What are they going to do with the data?” Scott Stanley, a 18-year science teacher, said. “Are they going to put it in a box on a shelf somewhere? Or are they actually going to do something with it? I think it’s a little silly.”

Teachers are also struggling to find ways to show improvement in electives where progress isn’t easily quantified.

“It might be easy for the math, science and social studies teachers because they can do numerical data, but for physical education, art, drama and music it won’t work,” Gail Krug, a 34-year art teacher, said. “Can a kid play Beethoven’s concerto better at the end of the year than they could at the beginning of the year? Yeah, well how are you going to prove that?”

Along with elective classes, educators are finding there are some actions that just can’t be shown in numbers.

“There are a lot of things teachers do that are way beyond test scores,” first year english teacher, Brett Hershey said. “Whether that’s talking to someone who’s having a bad day or setting the example of how to responsibly handle things and how to be a role model.”

Despite the unknown, Wilson isn’t worried.

“My guess is that what we’re doing will exceed the state’s expectations because that’s just the way we do things here in Grand Haven,” Wilson said. “We don’t do the bare minimum, we always take the rule and go beyond.”

KATHERINE WAMPLERReporter

“In a sense the state is saying that a student’s ability to be success-ful is solely dependent on the teacher. Which I

have a problem with, because every student that walks into our classrooms comes with a different set of baggage.”

-TRACY WILSON

“It might be easy for the math teachers, the science teachers and the social stud-ies teachers because they can

do numerical data. But for things like physical education, art, drama and music it won’t work.”

-GAIL KRUG

“There are a lot of things teachers do that are way beyond test scores. Whether that’s talking to

someone who’s having a bad day or setting the example of how to respon-sibly handle things and how to be a role model.”

-BRETT HERSHEY

Testing teachersState requiring educators to be evaluated yearly based on student improvement

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE News 7

BUC B r i e f s

POLAR PLUNGEThe Tri-Cites Area Habitat for

Humanity is holding a polar plunge at Chinook Pier on Jan 29.

“This is our first year doing some-thing like this,” Habitat for Humanity Resource Cordinator Jill Nicholson said. “We wanted to do something a little different that people didn’t see all the time.”

Anyone in high school or older can take the plunge. Par-ticipants collect pledges before-hand to raise money for Habi-tat for Humanity to build new houses. Registration is $20. The plunge begins at 1:30 p.m.

“We’re not making people go all the way in,” Nicholson said. “If you want to chicken out and just stick your toe in, that’s okay. I might chicken out if it’s really cold.” -Katie Wampler

BASEBALL PRESEASON TRAININGPreseason training for the Grand

Haven baseball team has begun. Hit-ting practices start Wednesdys in January from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday from 12-4 p.m. at the Lakeshore Middle School gym. Throwing practices be-gin in February at Extra Innings, dates and times to be determined.

“This is very important for ath-letes who aren’t in a winter sport.... we need to start getting ready for the season now,” assistant coach Tom Puleo said.

-Sam Schurkamp

Get your cardboard sleds ready and start training your dogs! That’s right folks, it’s time once again for

Grand Haven’s annual Winterfest celebra-tion. The events take place Jan. 26-29 in various locations throughout downtown Grand Haven, advertising unique events such as a Cardboard sled race, a Human Sled race, a Hamster and Mouse race and the Family Dog Pull. Other festivities also include a Photography and Poster contest at the Tri-Cities Historical Museum’s Akely Building, a Snow Angel Contest in Central Park and a Ski/Snowboard com-petition at Mulligan’s Hollow.

THE HISTORYGrand Haven’s Winterfest celebration

originated about 35 years ago and has been growing ever since.

“Winterfest was started in 1976 and became an official organization in 1979,” Winterfest President Kevin Galbavi said. “The current version of Winterfest has been going on for about 8 years now.”

Galbavi has been a part of the organi-zation for 11 years and president for eight.

THE PURPOSEWinterfest’s motto is “Winter Fun for

Everyone.” To achieve this goal, event planners try to keep every type of person in mind.

“We try to think of all age groups and different tastes and interests try to come up with different things that will appeal to different people within the community,” Galbavi said. “We try to think of ideas that are fun and to get a little something for everybody.”

WHERE THE ACTION ISThe Winterfest celebration features

many teen-oriented events, especially the Intergalactic Human Sled Races, accord-ing to Galbavi.

“The Intergalactic Human Sled Race is one of our newer events, this is only our fourth year for [this event].” Galbavi said. “It’s a ton of fun, people are starting to get really into it. Quite frankly, when we made it, high school students were one of the groups we had in mind. There’s not

a lot going on in the evenings sometimes for teenagers and young adults. We’ve had quite a few good high school teams for the event over the years.”

Winterfest also includes a photography contest at the Tri-Cities Historical Mu-seum. For teens, photography categories include nature, buildings/landmarks, people/portraits, animals, sports, Grand Haven’s pier and an “other” for any pic-tures that don’t fall into the listed catego-ries. Each entry costs $2 for youth (18 and under) and $5 for adult (19 and up).

Mulligan’s Hollow is also getting in on the Winterfest action with the Hollow’s Glow Bowl. Five dollars buys a pass for Winterfest’s kick-off event. Bowl Staff will be distributing glow sticks and necklaces for participants to put on with their snow gear and turning off the lights at the ski bowl.

“We work very hard to keep these things low in cost so that anybody can just show up and have a good time,” Galbavi said. “So show up and have a good time!”

All information regarding rules, regis-tration and other aspects of each event is availiable at www.winterfestonline.org

Winterfest celebration returnsMOLLY MCGINNIS

Reporter

Grimes makes smooth transtion to ESCFormer principal Scott Grimes adapts to Superintendant of Human Services position

Once the position of As-sistant Superintendent of Human Services for Grand Haven Area Public Schools became open, the job listing was available for both in-state and out-of-state candidates.

A committee of parents, teachers and administrators had to screen, review applica-tions and interview possible candidates. The district didn’t look far from home when selecting Grand Haven High School’s very own principal

Scott Grimes. “I really felt that this was

the perfect opportunity for me” Grimes said. “Change can be a really good thing.”

Since the beginning of the school year, Grimes’ responsi-bilities at the Education Ser-vice Center have included all issues that arise with student, staff and parent concerns.

“What I did at GHHS was great preparation for this posi-tion; it was just at a smaller level,” Grimes said. “Now its all inclusive. Instead of grades 9-12, its K-12.”

Even though Grimes

didn’t hesitate to embrace his new responsibilities, he still remembered the building he worked in for 23 years.

“Before the move I had thought about what I leaving and what I would be miss-ing. But I knew going in that I should take a chance and try something here.”

This choice has not only paid off for Grimes, accord-ing but for Superintendent Keith Konarska, the rest of the district will also benefit.

“He really has a wealth of knowledge for the position. He has served as a teacher, coach,

assistant principal and princi-pal in the district…that gives him a base of experience that can only come from develop-ing internally.”

On top of all of those prior positions, Grimes can now add the position of district ‘troubleshooter’ to his resume.

“Watching Mr. Grimes function in the position the first half of the school year has really reinforced my feeling that he was by far the best choice for the position,” Konarska said. “He’s doing an outstanding job already. He is a very effective leader.”

SAMANTHA VANHOEFWeb Editor

Disney’s Magic Kingdom looms majestically in the dis-tance, glowing white against the black night sky. The crowded sidewalks of main street are illuminated by hundreds of strands of colored Christmas lights, lining the buildings on either side. As the sharp sound of snare drums pierces the air, the first strains of the Buccaneer fight song begin to form. Slowly the rows of blue, gold and white uniforms advance down the street.

Over winter break, the marching band braved two daunting 26 hour bus rides to take part in a week-long experi-ence at Disney World. The trip, a tradition since 2002, gives band students an opportunity to travel to Florida for numerous activi-

ties, including a workshop with professional Disney musicians and playing as the only march-ing band in Disney’s Electrical Parade.

Senior Rebecca Shay, a second-time Disney tripper, found the band’s performance for the 60,000 parade spectators a remarkable experience.

“It’s thrilling!”, Shay said. “It’s the biggest crowd we ever get to perform in front of. People who have never heard of Grand Haven, Michigan still cheer for us and everyone is just so excited to see a band; the response is amazing.”

Band director Iain Novoselich was proud of the band for repre-senting not only the program but the school, city and state as well.

“They produced a very spir-ited performance,” Novoselich said. “Nothing could be cooler than hearing your school’s fight

song echo throughout the route with dozens of Michiganders shouting out and showing their support for the group.”

Along with learning and im-proving musically, the band ben-efited from the trip in another aspect- they had the chance to

further get to know each other.“Any time a large group takes

a trip together, it gives students a lot more face-time with each other to bond and spend time with each other,” Novoselich said. “Existing friendships are further solidified, and many new

friendships were made.”Sophomore Madeline San-

chez agrees.“The trip gave everyone a

huge opportunity to get to know other people from different grades and sections,” Sanchez said. “Everyone got a lot closer.”

8 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Band plays for 60,000Marching Band performs as only band in Orlando Disney’s Electrical Parade

MAGICAL MARCH: The band performs in Disney’s Electrical Parade. They rode 23 hours to get there. photo courtesy Bob Spelde

KAIA HAYESReporter

InterAct Club mentors elementary school students

“Hey, what do you say,” Interact leader and teacher Sam Arens says. A little boy pokes his head out from behind Senior Maddy Knutson’s leg. “I didn’t do it,” he says, smiling while making his whoopee cushion squeak. With a quick high five from Arens he happily runs away.

Knutson and fellow Interact members go to Robinson elementary every Fri-day to tutor students in Resource Room teacher Courtney Arens classroom.

“We come on Fridays and play with them,” Knutson said. “When it was still

warm out we played Kickball outside and played on the playground and we [would] come in and play hot seat.”

This new program evolved from a pen pal relationship that started last year. Spouses Courtney and Sam wanted to do something for each-others classrooms.

“Originally, last year we started with pen pals from my language arts class to an elementary special [education] class and those pen pals would write… once a week,” Sam said. “Since this year I don’t have a language arts class to do that with the kids were like ‘Where’s my pen pal?’ so we decided to offer it up to Interact to see if they wanted to do tutoring.”

Interact members were intrigued by the opportunity to get to know these kids.

“It was something that sounded cool… it’s just good to get to know them person-ally and they’re always really excited to see us,” Knutson said.

That personal relationship helps the students grow every day and gives high school students a chance to give back.

“The need is the social reinforcement,” Sam said. “I think it’s really cool for high school students to be able to give back, because they can remember what it’s like to be an elementary kid. You look up to a high school student and you think that they are the best thing that’s ever hap-

pened and that they’re your hero.”Students are enjoying their time with

the mentors and improvements are being made in the classroom.

“The students in my classroom have a diverse group of needs, all of which ben-efit from positive social interaction with older peers,” Courtney said.

Back in the classroom the students line up for the bus, the tutors walking next to them. After saying goodbye, they get on the bus and wave through the windows.

“I think it’s really cool to see the reac-tion on the kids’ faces when a high school student comes in and says ‘Hey I care about you,’” Sam said.

KYRA LANSKYReporter

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE News 9

2011: Year in reviewCurrent Affairs teacher Ed Thomas breaks down the most influential international events of the past year

Arab Spring: Last spring there were revolution-ary protests and uprisings all throughout the Middle East, some leading to shifts in power, some leading to harsh crackdowns. In Egypt and Libya longtime leaders Hosni Mubarak and Muammar el-Qaddafi were ousted, Mubarak through protest and el-Qaddafi through violent civil war.

“The Arab Spring was similar to the Cold War,” Thomas said. “It raises more questions than we had to start. Are we any safer now? Will the countries become more radical? Will democracy prevail?”

Death of Bid Laden: On May 1, 2011 President Obama announced to the American public that Al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden had been killed. People all across the country rejoiced.

“[Bin Laden’s death] is a benchmark of where we’re at in the war on terror,” Thomas said. “Benchmarks are espe-cially important to gauge success in a war based on ideology.”

LUCAS WILDERNews Editor

Economic crisis: The economic crisis of the past

few years began to look up, but no miraculous recovery occured. The Occupy Wall Street movement began and spread throughout the country like wildfire.

“I think people are finally starting to wake up and get more involved,” Thomas said.

End of the Iraq War: On Dec.15, the Ameri-can role in the long and arduous Iraq War finally came to a close.

“The end of this war was very reminiscent of the end of Vietnam,” Thomas said. “We lost a lot of lives there and it’s not very clear why.”

Predictions for 2012

London Olympics: The 2012 Summer Olym-pic Games will be hosted in London, England. London will become the first city in history to ever host the games three times.

“Everyone watches and with London it’s going to be a huge event,” Thomas said.

Economy: The state of the economy will continue to be a prevalent world issue in 2012. The stability of the EU is seriously in question.

“Will the European Union drag us down?” Thomas said. “Or will they emerge from [their current struggles] more unified, lifting the global economy? A handful of small countries such as Greece are on the brink of bankruptcy and they have to rely on the huge economies of countries like Germany to bail them out. The United States does $3.5 billion of trade with the EU every single day. If they collapse, the world could see a doube-dip recession.

Presidential elections: 2012 is an election year and incumbent President Barack Obama will face the winner of the Republican primary. Main contenders are Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum.

“The Republican race is very close,” Thomas said. “It is shaping up to be an interesting election.

Iraq: With United States troops officially gone from Iraq, the stability of the government in place is question-able. In the past few years Iran has become the topic of much international debate because of their extreme ideas. Iraq is still in a weakened state from the removal of Saddam Hussein almost a decade ago and will be very susceptible to outside influence.

“What role will Iran have in Iraqi politics?” Thomas said. “And to what degree will they influence them? Will Iraq be able to stand up and resist? Will democracy hold? Only time will tell.”

Thomas speculates on the year to come

The new trimester has brought more than cold, snowy weather. The Bucs’ Lounge, located in room 5208 at the back of pod five is a place for kids to go after school. It’s open daily from the last bell until 4 p.m.

Social Studies teacher Aaron Portenga and the Anti-Bullying Committee came up with the idea to help kids have somewhere to go where they can feel safe.

“They have all said that one of the things that has helped them, a lot of them are former victims of bul-lying, is when they were in middle school one of things that really helped them was having a place to go after school where a group of friends could meet, where they felt safe and they can meet some new people,” Portenga said.

The average number of kids who go ranges from two to four, but nine have been seen enjoying themselves in the new lounge.

“It’s kind of been a slow start and we’re just trying to get more kids to come to the room,” ESL teacher Ben Lawrence said. “We’ve done everything from board games to playing music, playing our own music with instru-ments but also playing things form iTunes or YouTube. We do some ‘get to know you’ activities so the kids can learn about each other, if they don’t know each other and to make new relation-

ships. But mostly, it’s just a place to hang out and chit-chat and maybe make some connections, either student to teacher connections or student to student connec-tions; everyone can feel like they belong.”

Freshman Patrick Carlson thinks the Bucs’ Lounge is fun place to hang out after school.

“The Bucs’ Lounge is fun because you can hang out with friends, play on the iPad or go on the computer,” Carlson said.

Portenga would like to be-gin a more scheduled system. With the help from a grant, more things could be pur-chased for the Bucs’ Lounge making this achieveable.

“We were looking at Tues-days, where you could almost have a game day,” Portenga said. “A a ton of games have been donated and there are also computers that you can play games on, even an iPad that people can play on that’s Mr. Lawrence’s.”

They are also considering showing a movie on Wednes-days and Thursdays and are looking for suggestions.

“I want more kids to feel like they are welcome there, to round up a group of friends,” Lawrence said. “If they don’t have a ride until 3:30 or 4:00 they can round up a bunch of their friends and come to the room and know that it’s an open place. There’s no expectations really, a lot of the rules and the strictness of school get dropped in there and we have open conversations. “

Bucs’ Lounge now open

ALEXA SHAMPINEReporter

Lounge provides place to hang out after school, play games, listen to music

As a result of a new law mandating that kindergartners attend school for a full day, el-ementary schools in the district will face an overcrowding issue next year.

To deal with this problem, fifth graders will be moved out of the elementary schools, joining sixth graders at White Pines Middle School. Seventh and eighth graders will attend Lakeshore Middle School.

Currently, the district receives the same amount of money for a kindergarten student as they do for all other students, even though they only attend for half a day. As of Au-gust, the state senate says they will only give Grand Haven half the funding if it remains a half-day program, resulting in a loss of approximately $1.8 million dollars for the district. The Re-configuration Committee found a way to redistribute the grades so there was enough room for all-day kindergarten and finally

came up with the idea to make a 5-6 building and a 7-8 building.

Scott Grimes, assistant super-intendent of human services, is confident in teachers’ ability.

“It is always difficult for some [teachers] to make such a change, but in the end they will continue doing what’s best for students and will do a fantastic job,” Grimes said.

Mark Salik, a Lakeshore Middle School eighth grade math teacher, is skeptical.

“Middle school is a time of many transitions and adding even more isn’t good for the stu-dents,” Salik said. “Eventually, this new system will be normal and everything will be fine.”

According to a statement at ghaps.org, a major benefit of the new building configuration is the chance for students to be with the same group of kids, after fifth-grade, until they graduate high school. Salik disagrees.

“When students move place to place too often, they don’t make the same relationships they would otherwise.”

However, Claire Holman, a

seventh grader at White Pines Middle School, believes it’s a good idea to have the entire class together starting in fifth grade, instead of ninth grade.

“I’d rather finish up my [middle school] years at White Pines, but I’m excited to be with the group of kids I’ll graduate high school with.”

The Reconfiguration Commit-tee realizes it could be tough for some families with moving from school to school, so they’ve done what they could to help make the transition less stressful.

“We plan to offer them orientation activities and time to visit their new school,” Grimes explained. “We know from other school districts who have implemented this change that students will embrace [the change] and do very well.”

Although some of the altera-tions will be tough and stressful to those in the beginning, most feel it will be best for the district.

“The size and opportunities of both the schools will be balanced out,” Salik said. “Everyone will be benefited in some way.”

WORKING HARD: Kindergartners at Peach Plains Elementary color cheerfully together. After the switch next year, all kinder-gartners will attend the full day, filling the vacant classrooms where the fifth graders used to be. photo by Molly McGinnis

School flip- flop

Due to threats to cut funding, fifth graders and sixth graders moving to White Pines, seventh and eighth to Lakeshore

LAUREN KRUGGELReporter

10 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Culture 23

Shred Michigan The addition of a new high-speed chairlift “Loki Quad”, 45 runs, and night skiing

every night of the week earned SKI magazine’ “Number One Resort in the Midwest” for their 2010/2011 season. Crystal boasts the fastest lifts in Michigan, however, the runs all blend together and can create somewhat of a bland day if you plan to ski bell to bell. With that said, the three different terrain parks and a super cross course allow for diversity.

Snow, cold, ice and all in between can happen in a Michigan winter. To stay active and have fun, Culture editor Bailey Coval created a guide to skiing and riding in the mitten. From beginner to ad-vance, there’s a place for you. Grab your friends, board(s) and get ready to hit the michigan slopes.

Schuss Mountain is the perfect in-between ski resort in Michigan. It is north enough to offer more vertical but is still close enough to go their for a day trip from Grand Ha-ven. The different colored chair allow for easy identification of different areas. Be sure to check out the back side of the hill, serviced by the red chair. Just be sure to read the trail signs going back there. I was not attentive and found my self on the cross country ski trails. They made for the least enjoyed, three mile hike in ski boots ever. On the plus side, Schuss Mountain’s “10 ‘till 10pm” deal allows for an extended time on the slopes under the lights. They were voted “Best Downhill Terrain in the Midwest” by OnTheS-now.com’s visitors and being able to night ski here is a true treat. If you want to rest your boards, check out their awesome five lane tubing area. though I doubt you will ever want to leave the 53 runs, four terrian parks, 300-foot half pipe that make up this winter wonderland.

Schuss Mountain

Weekend ticket price: $48 9 a.m. to close, $42 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Rentals: $38 a dayDistance from Grand Haven to Bellaire: 182 milesEstimated drive time: three hours, 15 minutes

The best place to ski in the Lower Peninsula. Hands down. There is enough ter-rain diversity to keep you busy for a entire day, even two. The color-coded lifts allow for easy places to meet up as a group and are a whole lot easier to remember than the names assigned at other resorts in Michigan. For those making their first turns on the snow, the bunny hill, accessed by the purple lift, is ideal. It is big enough you can find enough room to feel comfortable learning how to ski or ride rather than the over-crowded starter hills at other places. For those of us who have been skiing for years, the yellow and green lifts offer more advanced runs. The moguls that often form under the yellow lift are a blast. If you are like me and don’t particularly enjoy the crowds that often form on the front of these ski hills there is an alternative to them. Take a venture down “Duck Soup” run. Be sure to straight line it because it flattens out for what seems like an eternity. You will find here the often untouched runs on Pintail Peak served by the black chair. If you find youself ther, be sure to say hi to the liftie, Billy. It will be his 10th season this winter.

Nub’s Nob

Weekend ticket price: $51 all day, $46 half dayRentals: $40 a dayDistance from Grand Haven to Harbor Springs: 221 milesEstimated drive time: four hours

BAILEY COVALCulture Editor

Crystal Mountain

Weekend ticket price: $55 9a.m. to 9 p.m., $50 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.mRentals: $38 a dayDistance from Grand Haven to Thompsonville: 130 milesEstimated drive time: two hours, 15 mintues

Boyne Mountain I would not recommend Boyne Mountain for those just starting skiing or snow-

boarding. Over 70 percent of their runs are either intermediate or advanced. With that said, if you are experienced, this place can be a ton of fun. When racers don’t occupy the Superbowl, it offers some of the best runs the Lower Peninsula. The bowl is wide enough for some big, fast turns and overall shredding of the gnar. And if you are feeling especially gutsy, take a run down “Nose Dive.” Caution, it is not for the faint of heart.

Weekend ticket price: $58 full day, $51 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Rentals: $40 a dayDistance from Grand Haven to Boyne Falls: 195 milesEstimated drive time: Three and a half hours

Weekend ticket price: $37 full day, $32 4-hourRentals: $29 a dayDistance from Grand Haven to Cadallic: 123 miles Estimated drive time: two hours, 10 minutes

Caberfae PeaksLearning how to ski? Just beginning your new hobby of skiing or riding? Caberfae

Peaks is the place for you. Their south peak offers a variety of beginner “green” runs and is just a few steps from the lodge at the base of the hill. The north peak serves intermediate “blue” run and advance “black “runs when you are ready to move in dif-ficulty. Caberfae offers multiple deals on their rentals and passes, so check out their website Caberfaepeaks.com before you head north.

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12 Vibe THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012 Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Vibe 13

BUCS’ BLADE’S GUIDE TO THE ACADEMY AWARDS

Editor-at-Large Chloe Dault and reporter Kennedy Kaufman disclose who they think deserve an Oscar

Thursday, December 1, 2011Official Screen Credits forms due

Tuesday, December 27, 2011Nominations ballots mailed

Friday, January 13, 2012Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT

Tuesday, January 24, 2012Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PTSamuel Goldwyn Theater

Wednesday, February 1, 2012Final ballots mailed

Monday, February 6, 2012Nominees Luncheon

Saturday, February 11, 2012Scientific and Technical Awards pre-sentation

Tuesday, February 21, 2012Final polls close 5 p.m. PT

Sunday, February 26, 201284th Academy Awards pre-sentation

The 2012 Academy Awards timeline

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We take a more in-depth look into the step-by-step process: from nominations to taking home the man in gold

The second and final round of voting de-termines the winner of each section. The vot-ers for each category come together to vote in every category, regardless of the section they are assigned to in the first round of voting. If a film is found to be ineligible from the time of nomination to the final vote, the category will be left with one less nominee. Once the win-ner is chosen, the information will be held se-cret until the night of the awards. This makes the award cerimony very exciting, since the nominees find out the results at the same time as the entire audience.

3. The final vote comes in and the winner is chosen

Although chick flicks are not the usual subjects of the films I see, Melissa McCarthy made Bridesmaids extremely enjoyable. Her character, Megan, was played in such a way that I found myself clutching my sides with laughter the whole movie. On the contrary, when her friend was down about temporarily being uninvited to the wedding and dumping her boyfriend, Megan took a more serious role in consoling her with tough love. An actor that can jump between such different roles truly deserves an Oscar. (kk)

Best Supporting Actress

“I nominate Megan [Melissa McCarthy] from Bridesmaids because she fit the role very well. She is actually the funni-est person ever.”

-senior Megan Newhouse

“Brad Pitt in Moneyball [deserves best actor], because it was a slow paced [movie] but the acting was so good that I enjoyed it.”

-junior Mike Penland

Best Supporting ActorBest ActressBest Actor Best Picture After devouring a bowl of popcorn and

reflecting on the movie I just saw, I realized I constantly overlook supporting actors. Not much of a surprise, they are supporting for a reason, often over shadowed by their lead-ing counterparts. But Jonah Hill changed my whole thought process after seeing Mon-eyball. Being known for big comedy roles in movies such as Superbad and Knocked Up, Hill was still able to fit his more serious role, while still incorporating comic relief, as Peter Brand, an assistant that helped reinvent win-ning baseball games. It would be a shame to see his Oscar chances reduced due to the poor review of his latest movie, The Sitter. (kk)

To win an Oscar for Best Picture is like winning the Super bowl. The triumphant movie has to have an edge that launches it above the others. Hugo is that film. Direc-tor Martin Scorsese utilizes 3-D to bring out the true magic in his film. Scorsese managed to make a 3-D movie that didn’t have people complaining “the 3-D is unnecessary!” Like puzzle pieces, every actor and actress fit and worked perfect to displaying their characters. In the words of the Detroit News critic Tom Long, “Hugo is pure movie magic.” (kk)

A good actress is one who can take a role and make it come to life. A great actress is one who can take a role that goes up against many other strong roles in the film and shines brighter than the rest. Viola Davis, under that definition, is a great actress. She brings real-ity and compassion to her role in The Help, as Aibileen Clark, a maid in Mississippi who takes a brave step to show the inequality her and other maids face daily. To say that Da-vis deserves an Oscar for this role may quite possible be the biggest understatement of the New Year. (cd)

George Clooney takes on the role of Dad, widower and comedic relief in the movie The Descendants. Clooney has the ability to make the audience laugh while dealing with a very difficult situation of losing a wife and learning that his wife has been cheating on him. Melo-dramas have never seen such humor, reality and good looking dads. This honest depic-tion of fatherhood and tragedy should surely award Clooney with an Oscar nomination, at the least. (cd)

1. The film must qualify under The Academy Award rules

To pick the nominated and winning films, two rounds of voting occur. The Academy members are split up into different sections and are restricted to only vote in one category for the first round. For example, some mem-bers are put into the Best Actor and must only vote for nominees in that category. Each sec-tion votes for their top five picks. The excep-tion is Best Picture, which can have no more than ten or fewer than five nominations. After all votes are tallied, the nominees will be noti-fied.

2. Nominations are selected for each category

For a movie to become eligible for nomina-tion, it must pass a few guidelines. First, the motion picture must be more than 40 minutes long, unless it’s a short film. Next, It must be released between January 1, 2011, and mid-night of December 31, 2011. The rules also state that it must be advertised and played for a paid admission in a theater located in Los Angeles County. Also, the film would have had to run in theaters for seven consecutive days.

“Emma Watson. I’ve seen her really de-velop over the years into a great actress.”

-sophmore Nick Scarpino

“Bridesmaids because it was really funny and [it’s] like the girl version of the Hangover.”

-freshman Olivia Saber

“I really liked The Help because I’m a big fan of Emma Stone.”

-senior Leah Matchett

Here are your picks for potential Oscar winners

Sources: http://www.oscars.org/awards/

academyawards/index.htmlhttp://www.oscars.org/

awards/academyawards/rules/index.htmlhttp://www.oscars.org/awards/academy-

awards/rules/84aa_rules.pdf

about driving safely this winter

3. Keep warm clothes in the carIt can be easy to forget to bring a coat when you’re in a warm car headed to a heated building. Deputy Derek Gerencer says you should always have warm clothes with you. “Have the proper winter apparel in case you have to walk,” Gerencer said. “Then if you’re in a crash you won’t get hypothermia.” You never know when you’ll hit a patch of ice and spin out. If you’re dressed in a tee shirt and jeans you may be stuck waiting for help. Don’t let winter catch you unprepared.

4.PracticePeople always say practice makes perfect. This holds true if you are driving in the winter. If you’ve never driven in the snow before, figuring it out by trial and error on a busy road is probably not the best strategy. And if weather permits and we have a snowday, do not take your first time driving in the snow on this day. Snow days are called for a reason and it is very difficult to drive safely on these days. Drivers’ training instructor James Albright suggests going to a public parking lot with your parents. “It lets you get used to the snowy conditions and get expe-rience on how to handle and steer your car,” Albright said. “When your parents feel comfortable with your driving you can move on to the main roads.” Also, you can never be too cautious while diving in the snow. And you can never be too good for driving in the snow. If you are a sea-soned driver, there are still dangers that you can’t always practice.

1.Clear your car of snow

2. Slow down Some people think they can continue driving five m.p.h. above the speed limit even with a layer of ice on the road. Those people are usually the ones that end up stuck in a ditch. If you’d like to stay on the road, slow down. “It’s what I call common sense driving,” Albright said. “All speed limits are posted for ideal conditions. You should leave more space between the car in front of you and slow down sooner.” You should try to leave six seconds between cars in a light snow and nine seconds in heavier snow.

Consider this

14 Culture THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Kayla Hoffman

KATIE WAMPLERReporter

Illustration by Sarah Snider

Hardly anyone is happy about waking up early so they can go outside in the cold to clean the snow off their car. Whether or not your happy about it, it’s a smart thing to do. “You can get tickets for that and you could get in an accident,” Gerencer said. “You have to be able to see all around the car so the snow doesn’t cause blind spots.” It’s important to be able to see what’s around your car while you’re diving but it’s even more important in the winter. You need to be able to see what’s ahead and behind so you’re not slamming on the breaks and skidding on ice.

Slipping and sliding on icy roads is a reality for even the best drivers. A fresh snow looks pretty but don’t let it fool you, it can be treacherous. Snow reduces the friction between your car’s tires and the road up to 75 percent, meaning it’s much easier for your car to skid. You have to be aware of how dangerous winter driving is and how to handle your car in nasty con-ditions. Here are some quick tips to remember before venturing out in the winter wonderland.

you oughta know4things

I live for those little moments. Sure, on the roller coaster of life, those plummeting, long awaited

drops that you know are coming but scare you none the less. There are curves that are great and scream worthy. But I savor the moment before, right when the cart is still creeping up to the peak and you wonder whether or not it was a smart decision to trust the machine—the world. It’s the insecurity that dries your mouth out that makes the refreshing action of the plunge so quenching. That handful of hammering heartbeats as you meet your fear, look it in the eye and decide whether or not to laugh at it.

I live for that space in time between a heartbeat and a second.When you’re suddenly so utterly, absurdly happy that your heart

aches in contentment, it’s then that you begin to realize how much life is worth—or rather, how priceless it is. It can happen whether you’re with a big group of friends, or that special someone. It can hit you when you’re off alone in your home or on the trails.

The feeling’s like a little black hole that implodes within your chest, sucking away all the negativity and making it so that all you can see for miles and miles is possibility.

I live for the satisfaction of knowing I won’t be asking my sixty-two year old self “What if?”

I don’t want to be distracted by digging for fools’ gold when the real treasure is before my greedy eyes: nestled in my mind, in the re-lationships I make. It’s the sweaty victories. Its those stupid mistakes that I make when I learn the most.

The larger, more dazzling things that make up our existence are important, but shouldn’t be the only things we appreciate at the end of the day. That would be like stacking bricks on top of one another and then expecting them to be sturdy without putting any cement between them to make them stick.

Your life is full of small, unexpected excitements— each day is a page-turner, where the punctuation marks are just as important as the content held within them. While the little things may not look important at the time, retrospect will lend you its glasses and let you see their value, although a bit too late.

It’s not that difficult to live for the little moments.Just don’t forget the smaller medleys that help compose the

soundtrack of your life. The crescendo of late night laughter and slowed tempo of early morning, sober regrets will guide the steps you take as you dance to the end of your days.

You can either choose to ignore them. Or you can choose to accept those moments and their occasional, beautiful faults. It just depends on your choice.

What do you live for?

Is bigger always better?

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Culture 15

KAIA HAYESReporter

Warbler club gives students incentive to excel on wildlife biology bird testBird knowledge

Amidst the plastering of flyers, ads and posters found on every wall in the school, one black and white photo catches the eye. Crowded around Mr. Glass, the members of the Warbler’s Club flash their sign: a W shape made with both hands. Combined with witty slogans, like ‘Skip the weed, get some seed’, the Warbler’s Club has sparked the interest of many students.

Five years ago, wildlife biology teacher Roger Glass started the Warbler’s Club to motivate students to try harder on their bird tests, which require students to correctly identify 50 bird species found in Michigan.

“We’d get maybe four, five people, who would get a 100 percent on their bird identification test, and then we came up with this,” Glass said. “It’s weird how it worked. I get about 97 percent of the kids to learn all their birds.

In order to join, students must get a 100 percent on the test. They are then allowed to become a member, given a sharpie tattoo and taught the club’s signs, among them the famous Warbler’s ‘W’.

As the Warbler’s club grows, so does the personality that it has as a club. Mem-bers suggest ideas for new things that the club does. These include new signs and the tatttoo they are given. These have helped it evolve further into something more.

“We’ve just developed it more and more as it worked,” Glass said. “Kids come up with gang signs and weird bird jokes.”

Sophomore Olivia Simaz, a new War-bler’s member, found that the benefits of being part of the club don’t end after the trimester is over.

“I’ve met a lot of new people that were members,” Simaz said.

Glass believes that the Warbler’s Club has encouraged students to use their knowledge outside of school.

“It’s funny, I will get members who come in and say ‘hey, I spotted a cedar waxwing in my back yard’,” Glass said. “It just helps make some kind of connection to it all.”

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In the hustle and bustle of the buzzing school hallways, senior Bikash Mishra has the difficulty of navigating not only himself but also

his new companion, his wheelchair.To bystanders the common

assumption most likely goes along the lines of “oh, poor kid probably broke a bone falling or tripping on something.” But the truth is far from it and much worse due to both severity and oddity of the accident he suffered on November 24.

“When people hear that I got in a fight with a lawn mower, they are shocked but some do not even want to hear more about it where as some want to go in depth,” Mishra said.

It’s hard to believe but it all happened during Thanksgiving break when Mishra decided to get working on fall’s most tedious task, taking care of leaves.

He said in his backyard was a small water pipe. Mishra decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to mow over it. During the process of lifting up the mower, the blade decided to strike its vengeance, slicing through 85 percent of the bone in his leg nearly severing the limb from the rest of his body. Before he knew what had happened, he was on the ground bleeding and unable to get up.

Mishra was rushed to the hospital in excruciating pain. Within 3 hours from the time of the accident the doctors began surgery. They cut out the nearly severed bone, followed by 7 stitches to seal the wound and then put Mishra’s leg in a cast. He stayed in the hospital for three nights.

In hindsight he reflects on how grateful he was for the care he has now rather than what he would have had in Nepal where he lived not too long ago.

“I am very glad to be in America again where I get such good care in the hospital,” Mishra said. “The doctors were able to do surgery right way so, they cut out my bone together, put on stitches and a cast within 3 hours from the time of the injury. All of them were nice and helpful.”

The pain from receiving a wound so severe prevented him from being able to go to both school and work and pretty much doing anything else except sleeping. Mishra referred to this time as the most boring, lagging month of his life.

“I don’t like sitting around and do nothing,” Mishra said. “I like to be outside

especially work in garden, helping others and just do something. So it is hard for me to just sit in one spot.”

English as a Second Language teacher Ben Lawrence has been working with Bikash since the Mishra’s move to America from Nepal in 2009. He understands why this might be more

overwhelming for Mishra than others.“Not only does he deal with that and

his own personal things, but he’s kind of the man of the family,” Lawrence said. “His dad’s there but he doesn’t speak any English at all. So Bikash is working, bringing home a pay check,and managing the household finances that come in through the jobs he does and that his family does.”

Bikash’s life is going to be more of a struggle while he recovers, but Lawrence has faith that he’ll get by.

“Everyone respects him because he works so hard in class,” Lawrence said. “And the accident kind of threw a wrench in that because he’s missed school. He’ll get through it, but it’s only because he has a strong family.”

As an independent person who likes to be self sufficient, asking for help is difficult. However, the circumstances of having both crutches and a wheelchair have forced Mishra to try to get beyond these issues. His family and his life experiences are proving useful.

“The good thing was I was always helpful to others,” Mishra said. “Before we moved I had a good amount of friends who were disabled and I helped them. I know how it feels. When someone offers me help, I’m okay with it. I know how it feels.”

Not only has this life-changing experience with all its annoyances, hardships and pain given him new respect for the disabled, it has also inspired his future. “I’m planning on going to be a doctor,” Mishra said. “My plan is going to nursing school, finishing nursing, then getting a job, then trying to accomplish being a doctor. “

Currently, Mishra still has a while to go before he is fully recovered and should be out of his wheelchair and walking with a cast for another month. Despite such a painful accident, Mishra holds no grudges against the lawn mower. He does however have a new respect for its power.

“ I used to know it cut lawns,” Mishra said. “(But now I know) that it will also cut legs.”

Senior recovering after accident

MOWED DOWN: Senior Bikash Mishra backs his wheelchair into the elevator, a daily ritual since a lawn mower blade sliced through nearly 85 percent of his leg in November. (photo by Molly McGinnis)

McKENNA BRINKSReporter

16 Feature THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Feature 17

Senior Tom Bowers has always had a love for the great outdoors. His interest in survival sparked as a child, growing up on seven acres of land. His passion led to his latest and proudest achievement, becoming

an Eagle Scout. Bowers was so inspired that he plans to spend the rest of his life employing

all that he has learned in the wilderness of Alaska.

OLIVIA SEAVER Reporter

Bucs’ Blade: When did you first become interested in Boy Scouts?Tom Bowers: When I was five. I wanted to camp and do stuff outdoors and to get with other people who enjoy that kind of stuff.

BB: How did you become an Eagle Scout?TB: I had to do a service project and ‘x’ number of com-

munity service hours, it’s in the hundreds. It’s merit badges, learning, and to put bluntly, only one percent of people who

even get in to Boy Scouts make Eagle Scouts.

BB: Who has been your mentor throughout this process?TB: Definitely Ray Buikema, he’s a Scout Master. He leads by example.

BB: What is your best piece of survival advice?TB: Don’t get yourself into a situation where you need any.

BB: Have you ever had to use your survival skills?TB: There was one time I was lost in this swamp and it was spring so there was this thick overgrowth and you couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of you. I had to calm down and use some sun orientation

skills to get out of there. I knew there was a road to the West, but it was high noon so I had to wait until I could find out which direction the sun was moving.

BB: What is your proudest Boy Scout moment?TB: When I did my Eagle Scout project. I cleaned up some invasive spe-cies out of a local swim area.

BB: When are you going to Alaska?TB: As soon as I get the funding to do it. That’s my retirement plan. I want to live amongst the bush.

BB: Why are you going to Alaska?TB: It’s untamed wilderness. I can’t describe the feeling; I’m just at

peace with nature. When you’re in civilization you have to buy, bargain, and beg for everything but that’s not my way. In the wilderness every-thing as far as the eye can see is yours.photo by Laura Burton

tunes

Lund’stop

“Blow My High” by Kendrick LamarThe initial singer’s smooth chocolate-like voice leads perfectly into Lamar’s jazzy mellow rhymes that he raps with an ease. Besides the profanity, it’d soothe you right to sleep.

“Go Bang” by SBTRKT The bass throughout this song has the perfect amount of strings, kettle drums, and sychronized keyboard for a majestic groovy beat.

“Down” by Summer CampElizabeth Sankey’s girl-power vibe makes you wanna get up and dance. Sun-kissed cheeks, driving fast cars and sassitude describle this song to a dime.

“Remember Above” by Wye OakUnlike this folk- rock band’s other music, this song has stripped down piano version and melancholy vocals is just right for reading a book or sitting by the fireplace on a cold winter night.

“Take Me High” by Cubic ZirconiaSimply groovy. From sassy piano to jazz-like vocals, this song takes you to a 1970’s disco enviornment where dance moves such as the sprinker and the shopping cart are accepted.

Vibe editor Lauren Lund picks the top songs you should download today

“Little Black Submarines” by Black KeysProven by their album El Camino, these guys can produce great music. A mellow intro leads for a surprising rockout sesh that is scattered with electric guitars and head-banging drums.

1:13

18 Vibe THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

If you like this... If you like ‘National Treasure’ try ‘Dressed to Kill.’ This well-paced Sherlock Holmes mystery/thriller follows the usual we’re-smart-detectives-racing-against-an-equally-intelligent-theif story line in nostalgic black and white. National Treasure follows the same plot with a spin on history, and Nicholas Cage guides you every step of the way while managing to never move a muscle in his face. And though Basil Rathbone brings our favorite detective to life, the lack of humor can get tedious. Both films are the kind that get your heart racing as you root for the good guys.

‘If you like ‘The Hang-over, try ‘Caddyshack.’ It’s a classic. It’s endlessly quotable dialogue, relat-able moments and plaid overdose keep you glued to the screen. ‘The Hangover’ was definitely on it’s way to becoming a classic until it’s watered-down, recycled sequel. Both movies however, portray the differences in humor from now and then and manage to make you laugh. (Not to mention the “Doug Song” was stuck in my head for a month.) As my mother would say, these are both leave-your-brain-at-the-door films. They’re only enjoyable if you don’t think about it too much and if you do your mind will likely implode.

If you like ‘27 Dresses, try ‘Breakfast at Tif-fany’s.’ The story of two charming, broken young people who unexpectedly find love, Both ‘27 Dresses’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ are love story’s set in the sleek city of New York. The leading actresses from both films light up the screen with their magnetic charisma and light-hearted persona. Audrey Hepburn and Kather-ine Heigl seem to swap their opposing uptight and ‘wild thing’ personalities throughout their transformation and adventures in love.

If you like ‘Harry Potter,’ then try ‘The Magicians.’ Quentin Coldwater is a stand-out high school senior- brilliant, but very much in love with his magic books. His life changes when he ends up at a very secre-tive college in New York and discovers what he has dreamed about his whole life: the magi-cal realm in all his books is real in the dangerous, magical land of Fillory. This book has every-thing a potter fan would love, but reader beware- there are much more adult themes than Rowling’s beloved series.

If you like the ‘Born to Run,’ then try ‘Barefoot Runner.’ Don’t let the names fool you, this story is about much more than running with no shoes. The true story follows the life of Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist Abebe Bikila.To many people in the mid 1900’s, Ethiopians were considered to be naturally-gifted runners, with no need to practice to achieve greatness. The book disproves this, showing a powerful story of success and hope of the first African runner to ever win an Olympic marathon, all while exposing the political and economical corruption of the country. Anyone who likes history or David-and-Goliath stories about the little guy that beat the odds will enjoy ‘Barefoot Runner.’

If you like ‘Twilight,’ then try ‘The Grimm Fairy Tales.’ While many think of these as little children’s tales, make no mistake- many of the short stories in the collection of almost 70 tales have much more adult themes at a second glance. The Grimm brother’s collection of fairy tales has the mystical crea-tures that enthrall younger readers. How-ever, stories like Cinderella subtly reveal plots of lust, greed and desire within the pages of a children’s book. Readers of the ‘Twilight’ series will enjoy the interesting plot twists that only require a little more in-depth reading to fully enjoy. These revised tales capture your imagination with the same power they had when you were young.

Twilight Born to Run The Kite RunnerHarry Potter

MOVIESLOREN JOHNSON

Reporter

National Treasure The Hangover 27 Dresses

BOOKS SAM SCHURKAMPReporter

This autobiogra-phy of Ishmael Beah tells the true story of a young boy in the war-torn coun-try of Sierra Leone. At a very young age Beah is forced into the army during one of the most explosively violent wars in recent history. Af-ter several years, Beah escapes the fighting, only to face many more challenges as he tries to recover from the devastation he has faced. Like Kite Runner, A Long Way Gone is a compelling story. With its messages of survival, hope and forgiveness it shines a light on the horrors not half a world away.

If you like ‘The Kite Runner,’ then try ‘A Way Gone.’

Take the insanity of the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ series, add a complete and total disregard for the laws of physics and you have ‘Just Cause 2.’ There’s absolutely no point describing the paper-thin plot. You’re a secret agent and your only mission is to cause chaos to bring down a corrupt and evil regime. Considering just about everything in this game explodes and you’re armed with an all-purpose grap-pling hook, ‘Just Cause 2’ is every action movie cliché rolled into one. And it is a hell of a ride.

The ‘Sly Cooper’ games were the pin-nacle of thief gaming on the Playstation 2, now re-released as the Sly Collection for the Playstation 3. You played as Sly Cooper himself, whose goal is to plunder villainous creatures of their riches while wise-cracking the entire way. Part Robin Hood and zany cartoon, it is a must for anyone who thinks video games can’t be funny without seeming cheesy. Think you’ve got what it takes to become a master thief?

This is the ‘Sims’ on a global scale, but in-stead of trying to raise a family from scratch, you’re trying to raise a country from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Pick from one of history’s greatest leaders, then let it rip in this turn-based strategy game that lets you consider numerous pathways to success: will you conquer all who stand in your way? Buy everyone out with a mas-sive supply of gold? Bring about world peace? Discover a new planet to colonize? In ‘Civilization,’ the choice is yours. My liege, your people await your orders…

This is a video game that would make Stephen King proud. You play as Alan Wake, a mystery writer hoping to create a new story within the quiet city of Bright Falls with his wife. However, while at this seemingly idyllic town, his wife suddenly and mysteriously disappears. This sets the tone for a pulse-pounding mystery with terrifying chases and crushing suspense as Alan works to unravel the truth.

...Try this!Grand Theft AutoUncharted Sims L.A. Noire

Intriguing artists, movies, video games, books to enjoy based on current favorites.

GAMES MICHAEL GINOCCHIOEditor-In-Chief

MUSIC LAUREN LUNDVibe Editor

If you like ‘Sims’, try The ‘Civilian Series.’

If you like ‘L.A. Noire,’ try ‘Alan Wake.’

If you like ‘Uncharted’, try ‘The Sly Collection.’

Lykke Li’s soft, sassy tone and smooth indie-pop-jazz vibe is comparable to Adele’s rich reliable pipes, plus some. After the release of her debut album Youth Novels in 2008, she was featured on the New Moon soundtrack with the harmonize-filled song “Possibility”. Her latest album Wounded Rhymes was inspired by a rough relationships and lonely breakups that follow. While listening to her power-ful range and touching lyrics, expect to feel cold tingles run down your spine.

Similar to Tyler's gang, Das Racist's humorous verses are parallel to their rough and tough music videos which can be interpreted as poking fun of society and modern rap. Lead singer of Das Racist, Himanshu Suri adds his own spin to indie rap with a touch of bass, a pinch of techno, and an abundance of raunchy agressive lyrics that are different from any other artists. No matter what you are pumping yourself up for or what kind of swagga’ walk you’re rockin’- these guys will deliver what you need.

Their first album, The Year Of Hi-bernation was re-leased September 27. After receiving an 8.4 rating (out of 10) on critic site Pitchfork.com, the up-and-coming songwriter and multinstrumentalist Trevor Powers wistfully croons dreamy sounds of hope he wrote in his dor. Similar to Bon Iver, Youth Lagoon is simple-and stripped down by using few instruments, voice looping and a slow-tempo keyboard.

In their latest album Hurry Up, We’re Dream-ing, was released October 18, lead artist Anthony Gonzalez takes you on a journey through space and time. M83 has a techy, upbeat atmospheric vibe. The featured voice of Zola Jesus’, inspiring drums and choir is breathtaking in the song “Intro”. As it puddles through the album, you will notice your hips swaying and a grin growing on your face.

Bon IverOFWGKTAAdeleMGMTIf you like Bon Iver, try Youth Lagoon.

If you like OFWGKTA, try Das Racist. If you like MGMT, try M83. If you like Adele, try Lykke Li.

If you like ‘Grand Theft Auto’, try ‘Just Cause 2.’

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Vibe 19

I (don’t) have BCS fever...It’s Monday night, I’m trapped in production trying

to put this paper together and as I write this the BCS National Title Game has happened. LSU vs. Alabama. It’s the rematch of the number one and number two-ranked teams in the country. Alabama won 21-0.

The thought of actually watching never crossed my

mind. Well, it did, but not enough.Look, call me a loser, “not a true fan of sports,” what-

ever. The BCS championship game just doesn’t interest me enough to watch it like other major sporting events. I’m a baseball guy so of course I love the World Series. Super Bowl? Of course, it’s the biggest game in the coun-try. March Madness? Yeah, the passion of the underdogs upsetting the established favorites is thrilling.

For me getting excited for the BCS is like getting ex-cited for Brad Pitt to get the girl or for Bill Gates to find a $100 bill on the ground. That’s boring.

Yes, Alabama was the best team in the country…not that I hadn’t already heard. If I had a dollar for every time I heard an ESPN commentator mention how good the SEC is. I could pay myself through…well, maybe one month of college if I’m lucky. You get the idea. The BCS system is like Wall Street: a blatant disregard for com-mon sense and all it cares about is the money.

Look, the reason a sports fan watches “the big game” (whatever sport that may be) is because of the fact that

this is the end of the year and the drama. You need a compelling storyline. However, it appears that no one told this to the BCS. They seem to think that just because a team is south of the Mason-Dixon line, that automati-cally grants said team eligibility over all else to get into the national title game. Look, who cares if a team like Oklahoma State might’ve been run out of town by Ala-bama? The underdog factor would’ve got people like me to watch. If they lost, oh well. The BCS is right, then.

What’s the BCS’ hook? People make fun of it, whining that it doesn’t work while the powers that be stick their heads in the sand (or whatever product sponsors their bowls) and act like they can’t hear it. If there’s a clearer sign that this system needs to go, I’d like to see it.

College sports are supposed to make us forget about our other worries. If someday we can come up with a le-gitimate playoff system that makes me want to forget I’ve been locked in the school working on a paper and just found out that we’re going to have to cut pages I thought we were gonna run…then I’ll watch.

20 Sports THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Coach Ashley James walks briskly behind the panel of judges as her cheer team runs smiling onto the blue mat. As the squad stands in position waiting

for their cue, James signals last minute instructions with the point of a finger, a slight wave and a thumbs up. The competitive cheer team is ready to start its routine.

Every move of their routine is rehearsed—from yell-ing to facial expressions to synchronized jumps. All this practice takes hours of repetition each week, something that most people don’t even realize happens.

“I think that a lot of times, people don’t realize how serious it is,” James said. “It’s a performance sport, a lot of times people don’t think of it as a sport. These girls are dedicated just as much as any other sport.”

What is competitive cheer?Picture a blend of the strength and skill of gymnastics with the creativity and choreography of dance—with judges scrutinizing every person’s movements. Athletes’ commitment to competi-tive cheer is vital as it relies heavily on team unison.

“It is very competitive between other teams but it also brings you really close with your teammates,” senior Kaisey Collins said. “You become a family because you spend so much time with them.”

Motivation for the new routines can be found in par-ticipating in the sport itself.

“A lot of [the girls] do sideline cheer, and you don’t really get a chance to be evaluated on what you’re do-ing,” James said. “In competitive cheer, there’s a score

and there’s rankings so it just gives extra drive to all the girls that do football cheer that are now scored on what they’re doing.”

Another new aspect of the team this year is the addi-tion of James, who is the varsity head coach. James had previously been an assistant coach for the competitive cheer program the past two seasons and her players’ determination helped her decide to take on the head coaching position.

“I really just saw the passion in the girls,” James said. “We’ve always had a hard time in our conference. There’s a huge desire to excel and I just really wanted to be a part of helping take it to the next level.”

Even in her first year as the head coach, James is making an impression on her team.

“I think her confidence in our team is what makes the

program great,” junior Kassi Nelson said. “She believes in us and it makes us believe in ourselves.”

Believing in her team is only some of what James does.

“[Coach James] makes us push ourselves and pushes us to do what we thought we could never do as a team,” Collins said.”

During the next few years, James hopes to size up the competition, as four teams (East Kentwood, Grandville, Hudsonville, and West Ottawa) in their conference, the OK-Red, are top ten in the state. For the competitive cheer team, this year is only the start.

“Within the next five years, we’re really hoping that we’re a strong competitor in the conference,” James said. “It’s a great position to be in because we can see where we need to get to, to be at that level.

Sky High Expectations

View from the trenches

Mike Ginocchio

IN SYNC: Members of the competitive cheer team jump in unison during a routine at the Mona Shores Invitational held at the LC Walker Arena on Dec. 21. The Bucs took fourth place in Division I. photo by Emma Baty

SCOTT STAALSports Editor

Cheer team hopes to reach new heights

21 Sports THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, January 13, 2012

Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Hockey Wrestling Boys Swimming and Diving

RECORD: 3-3 (1-1 OK-Red)

KEY PLAYER: Senior guard Alex Eidson lead the Bucs with 25 points in a key victory over Muskegon, 55-50.

KEY MOMENT: Senior Jeremy Lattig had 17 points and 7 rebounds for the Bucs in 63-43 win over Spring Lake.

THEY SAID IT: “The season’s going really well. We had a rough start but we’re coming together as a team.” -junior Ty Van Wieren

RECORD: 7-1 (2-1 OK-Red)

KEY PLAYERS: Senior Alex Law hit five 3-pointers in a 74-52 win against rival Muskegon.

KEY MOMENT: A win over Detroit Martin Luther King, 43-39 in the Motor City Roundball Tournament.

THEY SAID IT: “We hit a rough spot agaisnt East Kentwood, but we’ve been heading in the right direction and prac-ticing better.” -senior Kaeding Skelton

RECORD: 9-1 (4-1 OK Red)

KEY PLAYER: Junior Tom Zelenka and senior Austin Way each had a hat trick in an 11-4 win overHudsonville.

KEY MOMENT: The Bucs defeated Mona Shores, 2-1, for the first time in school history.

THEY SAID IT: “We’re still figuring things out, but this should be one of our best season’s yet.”

-junior Asa Pellegrom

RECORD: 2-1 OK-Red

KEY PLAYER: Sophomore Abraham Westerman re-corded pins against Rockford and Hudsonville.

KEY MOMENT: The Bucs took second overall at the Adam Provencal Invitational Tournament.

THEY SAID IT: “I think everyone on the team is contributing more than they did last year and we have become a better team because of that.”

-senior Joshua Juchartz

WinterSports

Updates

Pellegrom Juchartz

It’s a cold winter day at Mulligan’s Hollow. Skiers glide downhill like drops of water down a window pane, junior Jimmy Kloote looks over the vast white expanse of hill ahead of him. Taking a deep breath in preparation, he looks over Five Mile Hill one last time before launch-ing forward for a jump.

For the Freestyle Ski and Snowboard team this hap-pens countless times a day. Started two years ago, the club provides an alternative to the school ski team’s more competitive nature.

Instead of strictly downhill races and training, the freestyle team has a more laid-back environment. A typi-cal practice centers around building technique, perfect-ing tricks and having fun.

“We start by meeting in the [Ski Bowl] lodge and talking about what we’re going to do,” Kloote said. “Then we go up the hill and work on different tricks for awhile. Sometimes we’ll play snow games, too.”

The program is open for anyone looking to become better, whether they are eight or 18.

“[We] wanted to have something for the kids to stay active and share the passion of snow sports,” head coach and operator of the team Lynn Vink said.

Another unique aspect of the team is that seniors Brooke Spruit, Brad Glasser and Reid Jerovsek, instead of typical older coaches, are the instructors.

“They have the passion for snowboarding and skiing,” Vink said. “It’s a great opportunity to instruct others.”

This year’s team is almost double the size of its first year. The growth is prompting new tactics to give team-mates the most out of their experience.

“It’s much more organized, with a lot more structure,” Spruit said. “We’re adding some competitions this time,

probably around five. Last year was mainly more free ski and snowboarding. It’s not as much of a free-for-all.”

The team practices at the ski bowl after school on Mondays and Wednesdays- days which are normally closed off for other patrons, giving the team a more focused atmosphere.

“I like it, it’s extra days to snowboard,” junior Jimmy Kloote said. “You get a fair amount of freedom, and you get coaching on the tricks you want to learn.”

The future is looking bright for the program; with the new adjustments to the team, it is becoming more widely known and new faces are always welcome.

“I hope we can get some more girls, and people in general because it’s a really cool thing.” Spruit said. “It’s a lot of fun, and with the added competitions they can actually train for something... all their work won’t go to waste.”

Freestyle team not just “free-for-all”SAM SCHURKAMP

Reporter

RECORD: 1-1

KEY PLAYER: Sophomore Josh Nicholson won the 100 breaststroke against West Ottawa.

KEY MOMENT: The year started off strong with a win over Spring Lake.

THEY SAID IT: “Our team needs a lot of improvement. We have a few guys who are good but our depth isn’t too great. We need to work hard in practice.”

-senior Aaron Venema

Van Wieren

Skelton

HANG TIME: Freshman Michael Switzer shreds at practice on Mon-day at Mulligan’s Hollow Ski Bowl. The team started two years ago and has almost doubled in size since. photo by Laura Burton

Club continues to grow, offers alternatives to school ski team

Venema

Competitive CheerRECORD: Finished fourth and eighth at the Mona Shores and Hudsonville invitationals, respectively.

KEY PLAYER: Senior Kaisey Collins brings experience to cheering by participating in sideline and competitive cheer all four years of her high school career.

KEY MOMENT: At the Hudsonville Invitational, the team improved by 94 points since the Mona Shores invita-tional just two weeks earlier.

THEY SAID IT: “The season is going really good. Everyone is trying hard to achieve their goals and push though their challenges.”

-junior Ryann Scott

RECORD: 0-3

KEY PLAYER: Senior captain Sam McKinnon lead the Bucs with games of 142 and 159 in a loss to Rockford.

KEY MOMENT: Senior Sam McKin-non recorded games of 159 and 164 against Jenison.

THEY SAID IT: “It’s difficult because there’s only five of us girls on the team, but it’s really fun and easy going.”

-junior Claudia Melton

Boys BowlingRECORD: 3-0

KEY PLAYER: Junior Jack Clark bowled a 267, contrib-uting to the Bucs 26-4 win at Rockford, a key OK-Red conference vicotry.

KEY MOMENT: Junior Zachary Gargano recorded games of 226 and 211 in a OK-Red victory agianst Roc-ford.

THEY SAID IT: “We have made a lot of progress. We have a really good coach. A lot of people are getting a lot better. As far as the team goes it would be awesome to have an entire season without any losses.”

-junior Derek Heydenburg

RECORD: 0-1

KEY PLAYERS: Kevin Stolarski lead the boys with solid races Tuesday night

KEY MOMENT: Seeing new skiers step up on the varsity team

THEY SAID IT: “It’s hard [to evalu-ate] because we haven’t had a race yet. sOther than that the season’s going really well.”

-junior Hobie Hagen

Girls BowlingGirls SkiingRECORD: 1-0

KEY PLAYERS: Brittney Olds took first in both Slalom and Giant Slalom on Tuesday’s race

KEY MOMENT: four girls placing in the top six places.

THEY SAID IT: I think this season will be really fun. It will be really competi-tive and we will learn a lot. We are go-ing to gradually improve everyday.”

-junior Lindy Vallier

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Sports 22

6things to know... If you want to be a bowling pro

Hagen Melton

Heydenburg

Scott

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Lock in on the lanes

NH: There’s arrows on the bowling lane and it changes which one I look at but I usually look at one of those or one of the boards in between them.

Keep your mind blank

Go through a mental check-list

NH: I have to think about (staying) slow with my feet and watching my mark where I throw the ball and staying low, bending my knee, all sorts of things like that.

SM: I do a lot better when I’m under pressure because I know I have to focus more

and everyone is watching me so I’ve got to do really good.

Bowling—it’s not as easy as it looks. With every roll, bowlers can score crucial points for their team, which are essential late in matches. But what about the pressure? What routines do they go to during these vital moments? What form makes them compete at their optimal level? Reporter Alexa Shampine caught up with senior bowling team members Sam McKin-non, John Morehouse, and Nathan Hix to find out what they do to “become one with the ball.”

JM: You can win by one or two pins. We have won some games by two pins, so every spare makes a dif-ference.

Make every roll count

6.HIGH ROLLERS: Senior captain John Morehouse focuses on the lane during a match against Jenison this past Monday. The Bucs beat the Wildcats, 27-3. photo by Katelyn Hansen

Pressure isn’t always bad

JM: My timing [is impor-tant], because if you go too fast or too slow then you will get a weird spin on the ball.

Timing is of the essence

SM: I always think of everything that I need to do when I go up there (the bowling lane) and then I just blank my brain and go.

Vallier

Boys Skiing

Getting along swimminglyThere is no drama about the

way Takuya Kobayashi swims. Each stroke he takes is smooth, rhythmic and thought out. Spec-tators may not realize how fast he is truly moving, were it not for the swimmers behind him, trying furiously to keep up.

Kobayashi, a Japanese native spending a year at Grand Haven as part of a foreign exchange program, is quickly making a name for himself in the OK-Red. In Grand Haven’s first two meets, Kobayashi qualified for the state meet in three individual events. The kicker: only one of them is an event he usually swims.

Boys Swimming coach Doug Thorne is ecstatic about Ko-bayashi’s performance so far

and excited about the rest of the season.

“In 20 years of coaching, it’s a rarity to get a kid like this, espe-cially an exchange student, with this much talent and this much ability,” Thorne said.

Kobayashi began swimming when he was three years old and continued competitively throughout his childhood, com-peting in national events. When he was nine, he took sixth in all of Japan for his age group. When he was 12, he placed tenth.

While the swimming season in America is only three months long, Kobayashi swims year round in Japan. That, along with the amount of years Kobayashi has been swimming competi-tively, may play a large role in his success.

Although he’s experienced success right off the block,

Kobayashi has been forced to adjust to is the way meets run in America. In Japan, competitions are on weekends and last two days.

“In Japan between races I have a lot of time,” Kobayashi said. “So I can take a break to sleep or eat. So here it is so weird for me. Because it’s ‘swim, five minutes, swim, five minutes, swim.’”

Talent and experience don’t guarantee success, however, and Kobayashi must constantly work hard to improve. Thorne is impressed by his work ethic and believes it affects the rest of the team.

“He’s raising the bar for oth-ers to get better,” Thorne said. “If kids can look every day in practice and see him, see how he does it, they’ll want to emulate what he does.”

Senior Aaron Venema, Kobayashi’s host brother, races with Takuya during practice. Venema and Kobayashi are the team’s top swimmers and both believe they make each other better.

“In sprints I can’t really keep up with him,” Venema said. “But when we’re doing distance it’s nice to have him with me be-cause if I see him half of a foot in front of me I’ll push to go faster and vice-versa.”

Kobayashi has been turning heads since he began swimming at Grand Haven and continues to impress as the season pro-gresses.

“Every day I’m saying ‘wow,’” Thorne said. “Every day no mat-ter what the set is or what the practice is, there’s always some point in time during that prac-tice where I say ‘wow this kid is

really good.’”Thorne described Kobayashi

as a “quiet leader” who works hard and does what he needs to do. The season is early and the possibilities are endless.

“He’s kind of our little secret weapon,” Thorne said. “Not everybody knows about him but they’re sure going to hear about him. They’re going to see it.”

Thorne recognizes that Kobayashi is a special swimmer and is excited to see how much he can accomplish throughout the rest of the season.

“It’s a rarity to see a kid this fast in our conference, as com-petitive as it is,” Thorne said. “[Takuya] is going to be tough to beat. There are not too many kids in our conference or our state that will be able to beat him in any race, for that matter. He’s that good.”

JOHN CHERETTEEditor-In-Chief

Sophomore swimmer Takuya Kobayashi looks forward to rest of season, state meet

ACTIVATE HYPER SPEED-O: Takuya Kobayashi practices his butterfly stroke during after school practice. Swimmers spend much of practice working on stroke technique and endurance. photo by Laura Burton

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Sports 23

Friday, January 13, 2012 THE BUCS’ BLADE Back 24

There’s

AN for that!

2:39

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the mind-blowingly vast pool of applications that can be downloaded to your iPhone or other smartphone. For the many high school students, the Bucs’ Blade answers: Which one’s for you?

For the music lover:

App name: SongifyPrice: FreeAvailable: iPhone, iPad & iPod touch

1.

For you wannabe pop-stars out there (or if you have a strange auto-tune obsession), this app is for you. Just press record, start talking until you’ve said what you want, hit ‘finish’ and songify will turn it into your very own song.

1.For the forgetful one:

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App name: Find My iPhonePrice: FreeAvailable: iPhone and iPad

That mini heart-attack feeling you get when you can’t find your phone never has to happen again. All you have to do is install this app onto a different iOS device, open it, and log onto it with your Apple ID. It will show you a map of where your missing device is, and all your iProblems will be solved.

For the game addict:

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App name: DragonValePrice: FreeAvailable: iPhone, iPad & iPod touch

What’s cooler than Words With Friends and Doodle Jump com-bined? Freaking dragons. Correction: raising, breeding and feeding dragons.

App name: TaskPROPrice: $1.99Available: iPhone and iPad

For the over planner:

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Attention to all OCD organizers: you no longer have to spend your time planning everything anymore be-cause your new best friend TaskPRO will do it for you. To-do lists, over-due lists, and calendar of events are just some of the helpful tools included.

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Other apps you should check out:

• Shazam- Put a name to any song just by holding your phone near speakers (FREE).

• Song Kick- Get updates and upcom-ing concert dates for any of your favorite bands (FREE).

• Brushes- Create a masterpiece with on this portable canvas with the many

intricate art tools ($4.99).