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March 19, 2010 17001 Ferris, Grand Haven, MI 49417A 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

Entertainment Editor Marisa Enos reviews Tim Burton’s

Alice in Wonderland

Page 18

BLADE BU

CS’

he DEA classifies stimulants like Adderall as a Substance II drug, the same legal category as cocaine and heroin. Check out pages 12 and 13T

2 Inside THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2009

15VICTORY:

Boys varsity basketball coach

Steve Hewitt takes his turn cutting the net at conference

championships.

BUCS’ BLADE STAFFVolume 65, Issue 6

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Megan Birkett

MANAGING EDITORS:Matt Deater Marisa EnosMadison Testy

EDITORS:Haley BirkettAlida BoonTeal Champagne Cam HewittZak KonarskaNate NiemerowiczAmy PotterGrace SterenbergTyler AppelJohn Cherette

STAFF: Ethan Beswick, Dez Burley, Devin Chan, Chloe Dault, Scott Deater, Emily Francart, Mike Ginocchio, Camille John-son, Mollie LaBeff, Riley Missel, Kali Rea, Erin Ribbink, Greg Rokisky, Ali Steggles,Noah Thelen, Sam VanHoef, Lucas Wilder ADVISER: C.E. Sikkenga

PUBLICATION POLICY: The 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.

The Bucs’ Blade operates as an open or public forum. Essays and other non-fiction literary works are welcomed. All letters to the editor must include the writers’ name, signature and class or position and must be free of obscene or potentially libelous material. Typed, double-spaced letters are preferred. Letters will not be edited except to prevent legal liability, edit material that is in poor taste or to fit space require-ments. The Bucs’ Blade can only print as many letters as space will allow. Letters should be placed in adviser C.E. Sikkenga’s mailbox or addressed to the editor and mailed to:

The Bucs’ Blade17001 FerrisGrand Haven, MI 49417 The Bucs’ Blade strives for the highest standards

of accuracy, completeness and careful research 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 editorial page. All correction requests are subject to review.

During the school day The Bucs’ Blade can be reached at 616-850-6263 or by email at bucsblade@gmail.com. The Blade staff meets from 11:30 to 1:20 p.m.

From the EDITOR

Exciting news everyone! The Bucs’ Blade is officially available in its full text online. Visit www.issue.com/groups/studentnews to check it out along with other school’s student publications as well.

Naturally, I hope everyone had a chance to read through

our February edition of the Blade! Some cool things I didn’t know before this issue are…1989 GHHS graduate Gretchen White is a Field Producer and News Planning Editor for CBS living in San Francisco and we have a student and teacher spending time in Taiwan next year (page

4). More people in the world speak Chinese as a first or second language than English (page 9). We have a student that suffers from Fibromyalgia, a disease that causes physical chronic pain to all parts of the body (page 11).

Any comments, questions, concerns and ideas are extremely

encouraged and should be addressed as a letter to the editor (more information above). Thanks to everyone for reading and enjoy!

Sincerely,Megan Birkett

15Catalina Cuties:Check out pictures from the 2010 Catalina show, Dippin’ Through the Decades

6Getting Ready: Science Olympiad team prepares for Regionals at their Blue and Gold Scrimmage

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE News 3

People know about them, of course. They know they are different. They know they are stubborn. They know they are lost. They know when to roll their eyes and when to avoid them completely. Yes, everyone knows about them. But mostly they know that Atheists are wrong.

This is the losing battle the Freethinkers Group at Grand Haven High School faces every day. Though the group is trying to pick up speed, an Atheist in Grand Haven is treated like a Speedo at the state beach—frowned upon and not looked at too closely.

It was that outlook toward Atheism that inspired senior Avery Howe to start a club—for Atheists. The goal of the club is to get together and talk about religion and experiences they’ve had. They critique and inspect first amendment injustices regarding the separation of church and state.

“It’s like a support group for people who aren’t religious,” Howe said. “West Michigan is so very religious and so it’s getting people organized and saying that we are here and we exist. Atheism is a fairly large group and we have very low representation and that’s because people don’t get organized. I thought we could do some good in Grand Haven.”

However, there are still a few bugs to work out. At the top of the list is that they still aren’t an official club. That means they

aren’t allowed to put up signs around the school, making it difficult to gain members. It’s hard to ask people to join, as there is no way to know how they will react to a

group of Atheists. Howe’s friend, senior Joel Saukas, a member of the Christian Reformed Church, isn’t comfortable with the idea.

“I suppose it’s his choice to make that club, but it just kind of bugged me,” Saukas said. “He was at the lunch table [discussing the Nativity scene on Dewey Hill] and he was like, ‘look at all this Christian blablabajaba, we’re going to take down this stuff’.”

Others disagree. First Priority, a Christian group, meets regularly and causes no stir. Why should Freethinkers Group be treated any differently?

“I think it’s a good idea because people are able to believe what they want,” sophomore Rebecca Shay said. “You don’t have to [be an Atheist] to agree with what the club’s doing.”

The group hopes to gain popularity over the next few years, and is open to people of any religion.

“New people are always welcome,” Howe said. “You don’t have to be an agnostic or atheist or even a skeptic to come in and just check it out.”

They are in the process of becoming an affiliate of the Center for Inquiry, a larger version the Freethinker’s Group. So far, they’re just trying to spread the word.

“It’s about letting people know that they’re not the only ones, which is what a lot of people think,” Howe said. “There’s an option if you think religion isn’t right for you; it’s another way to go. People don’t realize that you don’t have to believe in God.”

If you are interested in Freethinkers, they meet Wednesdays after school.

FREE THINKERS: Some members of the Freethinkers Group Avery Howe, Emily Brower, Mike Masucci, Matt Siemen, Lindsey Dufford, and Terry Greene gather weekly to discuss religion. “It’s like a support group for people who aren’t religious.” senior Avery Howe said. photo by Erin Ribbink

ERIN RIBBINKReporter

Discussion group tackles religion

Convicted school board trustee Hall appeals caseGRACE STERENBERG

News Editor

Board of Education trustee Brandon Hall, 20, has recently been convicted of larceny by conversion of $200-$1000. Hall was censured by the school board and has decided to appeal his case to the 20th Circuit Court.

“Censured means that you have a limited amount of actions and activities with different groups and situations,” Board of Education President Caralee Nietering said. “For example Brandon often came into different buildings and did different activities and he is not allowed to do that at this point.”

Hall is still allowed to attend public events as a citizen however, just not as a board member.

“We made this decision because we feel that [Hall visiting schools] will have an adverse effect on the students and teachers in the buildings,” Nietering said.

Though upset about not being able to make visits, Hall also voted for the censure agreeing that it’s best for the schools

“I love our schools immensely, and still have a lot of

support I’m extremely grateful for throughout the district,” Hall said. “However, I am a controversial figure, and seek not to distract from the educational process in the way direct visits can bring.”

Hall’s most recent decision has been to appeal his case. If unsuccessful he says he will resign from his position as

trustee and will not continue to run for the State House Representative in the 89th District.

“I believe significant issues exist that could result in a new trial, otherwise I would not waste the court’s time with an appeal,” Hall said. “If I am not successful in the appeals process, I will resign.”

The Board of Education cannot legally remove Hall as his conviction was a misdemeanor, not a felony. Some members however feel that he has a counterproductive

effect on the board.“I think he should resign so that we can have a full

school board and get back to the business of educating and not try to judicate,” Nietering said.

Nevertheless Hall regrets the incident and hopes it has not had a permanently affected his reputation.

“I’m extremely sorry for the mistakes I’ve made,” Hall said. “But I know what I did and did not do.”

Brandon Hall

J U S T T H E F A C T S :

-Accused of larceny by conversion, charg-es were made formal Nov. 18-Money came from American Cancer Society Purple Shirt Fundraiser held on Sept. 11-Trial took place Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the jury deliberated for three hours-Was found guilty of larceny by conversion of over $200 but under $1000-Sentencing will take place on March 22-Hall was censured by Grand Haven School Board on March 1-Hall will appeal case to 20th Circuit Court, if unsuccessful, will resign from school board

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Bucs’ Blade now onlineWish you could read old issues

of the Bucs’ Blade, but lost your copies? All of this years issues are now available for viewing online. To see your favorite school pub-lication, go to http://issuu.com/groups/studentnews.

The second annual 5k to cap off the “Around the World in 80 Days Walking Program” will be April 17.

“We’ll have music, all kinds of refreshments and healthy snacks,”

Assistant Principal Steve Avram said. “We’re also encouraging people to bring friends and family to the walk.”

Participants can show up any-where from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The walk will be held at the GHHS bike and nature path.

The Student Senate changed the class bells as a way to communicate their commitment to change in this school. Student Senate is looking for feedback on this and many other Senate tasks such as brute-

ball, the spring pep assembly, and elections.

“The value of feedback is very important,” full Senate advi-sor, Tom Puleo said. “It helps us determine what to do and where to go as a Senate. Plus, I think it is something that the Senate has been lacking lately.”

Model United Nations stu-dents were successful at this year’s competition with 5 groups awarded medals. These groups include New

Zealand, Russia, Lebanon, Nigeria, Bosnia, Gabon, and the United States.

Model UN is a conference setup where participants discuss global issues such as environmental degradation, the global economic crisis, and human rights.

“They judge you on how well you make your argument and your public speaking skills,” sophomore Leah Matchett said.

This year’s team did an out-standing job of thinking on the spot and improvising. Everyone worked hard and did well.

4 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

Tea in TaiwanJunior Leah Matchett and English teacher Janna Serniak have

always wanted to improve their Mandarin. This August they will get their chance.

Both Serniak and Matchett are making their way across the globe to live in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. They plan to meet up every so often and share their stories.

“We’re going to meet up and go out for tea,” Matchett said. “We’re also both working on our Mandarin so we’ll be able to discuss that.”

Matchett, who will be traveling via the Rotary Youth Exchange, will depart this August and return next July. She hopes that this experience will help broaden her perspective.

“I’m really hoping it gives me a more global, world view,” Matchett said. “I want this to help me become more independent as a person as well.”

Serniak couldn’t agree more with what this opportunity will bring.“This is a great opportunity for both me and my son Andrew,”

Serniak said. “I grew up here, I was born in Spring Lake and went to Hope College. I’ll finally get to travel and see more of the world.”

Although this will be their first time visiting Tawain, this will not however be either Serniak’s or Matchett’s first time out of the country.

“I went with Blue Lake International and toured Europe for six weeks,” Matchett said. “We visited France, Austria, Luxembourg and Germany. My family and I also used to live in Shanghai when I was a kid. We’ve always had that connection with Asia. That’s why I chose Taiwan.”

Matchett suggested that these experiences were the initiation for her starting to see the world as a whole and wanting to travel abroad.

While Matchett is traveling through the Rotary Exchange program, Serniak will be teaching at a college preparatory school for Taiwanese students who want to attend a university here in the US. She will be gone for a period of two years and will leave this July.

“I’ve always wanted to teach internationally,” Serniak said. “This couldn’t come at a better time, with me finishing my PhD.”

Matchett also agrees that this is a perfect time for her to study abroad. This is her dream and she is actually going to live it.

“It was one of the best opportunities ever,” Matchett said. “I mean getting told that you’re going to spend a year abroad in a foreign country is a dream come true. It’s an adventure that I’m really looking forward to.”

This is the type of opportunity that Serniak feels everyone should take advantage of.

“Most people don’t spend a lot of time away from home,” Serniak said. “We as Americans don’t do much extended travel. Opportunities like these are a good way to see the world from a different perspective.”

GREG ROKISKYReporter

BUC B r i e f s

Senate wants feedback Group holds annual 5k

Model UN recap

ALUMNUS OF THE MONTH

Our very own Ron Burgundy1989 GHHS graduate and former Bucs’ Blade editor-in-chief Gretchen White has lived in San Francisco for the past 16 years. She is Field Producer and News Planning Editor for CBS and won an Emmy in 2000 for a series on nursing home abuse.

GRACE STERENBERGNews Editor

What were your favorite classes in high school, which ones have proven to be the most helpful?

Journalism of course, and speech. Government and History, in particular, have been very useful in my line of work. I also enjoyed the creative outlet art classes gave me.

What did you do immediately following high school?

I attended Hillsdale College, where I received a B.A. in English & Communications in May 1993.

How did you get your current job, and why is it the right job for you?

I grew up loving to watch the news and always wanted to know what was happening in the world.As for the job I have, it was one of those cases of, as they say, “being in the right place at the right time”. I had just moved to San Francisco and was spending the weekend with friends at their place in the wine country. One of their neighbors was a producer for the CBS-owned television station and he happened to stop by that weekend for a drink. We got to talking about what I wanted to do and when he heard I was intent on a career in TV news he said he would be happy to give me a tour of the station. He called two days later and asked me to come for a visit that afternoon. I went down that

day and a few months later an opportunity opened up.

What are some exciting things you’ve been able to do with your career?

I was a field producer for the first O.J. Simpson trial, the Reagan funeral, the 2004 Democratic Convention, President George W. Bush’s second inaugural in 2005, the U.S. visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the U.S. leg of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay and the Grammy Awards. I have had the opportunity to cover many interesting, exciting and touching stories, too numerous to list. The 9/11 attacks were incredibly difficult to cover. The start of the Iraq War in 2003 introduced me to a number of incredible people with vast knowledge that I never would have met otherwise. And the trips I had to plan for our crews who traveled to the Middle East were challenging, in the best of ways.

What advice do you have to offer to current high school students?

Do whatever you can to get the most out of your education. Do not take it for granted. Look for opportunities to learn as many different skills as you can because the career you start out in may not be your career for life.

GRETCHEN ON THE JOB: GHHS grad Gretchen White and associate pose while working on a story. Courtesy photo

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE News 5

Local veterans group hosts Band of Brothers

The images of war created in the minds of the general public are not pretty. Many fear that they are also not very accurate.

In an effort to change this and inform people, local veterans from the Fallen Heroes Monument Committee are sharing their war experiences and showing the ten-part mini-series Band of Brothers at the Community Center. This will be taking

place every Tuesday in March and then staring up again in October and November.

“When you see a guy [in] flesh and blood it makes it more real,” City Manager Pat McGinnis said.

The committee brings in different people every week to share their stories after the episode has been played, starting with veterans from World War II and progressing to the present.

“It delivers a very powerful message,” McGinnis said. “Put both [veteran stories and Band of Brothers] together and it is a very authentic experience.”

But informing citizens is not the only force behind the veterans’ Tuesday night showings. They are also working to raise funds for a particular cause.

“It is $5 to get in and the money goes toward a local memorial monument that would honor our local men and women in the service,” Community Affairs Manager Sandy Katt said.

This 18 foot monument, which is designed to be a three-sided pillar with an eagle on the top, is set to be erected on the southwest corner of Central Park. The committee hopes that the monument will be in place by Veterans Day of this year.

Fundraising chairmanKen Kelly, a World War II veteran, thinks that this memorial statue

will be beneficial. “I served in World War II, I

didn’t see combat but I saw a lot of my associates buried,” Kelly said. “I think that it is excellent for a community to be reminded of all of the people who worked for their freedoms.”

However, there is still a long way to go before the veterans will see their monument put into place.

“We need to raise $100,000,” Kelly said. “It costs $130,000 and so far we have raised $10,000 and received a challenge grant for $20,000.”

To show support, simply attend the Band of Brothers showing at the Community Center next Tuesday.

“Attendance isn’t very good [so far],” McGinnis said. “These veterans come out here all dressed up in their outfits and it would be nice if more of the public came out to see them.”

ALIDA BOONAssociate News Editor

LARGER THAN LIFE: The model for the World War II veterans memorial resides in the American Legion building. The eagle on the acutal monument will have a six foot wing span. photo by Grace Sterenberg

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6 News THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

BUILDING BRIDGES: Senior and Science Olympiad member Jared Sutherland test out his bridge at the Blue and Gold meet last Saturday. This meet is the last run through of all the events before the Regional competition March 27. photo by Grace Sterenberg

RILEY MISSELReporter

Everyone knows that stress of the week before a big event. The last dress rehearsal. The last practice before conference. The last run-through of your speech in front of the mirror.

For the Science Olympiad Team, the dress rehearsal is the Blue and Gold Scrimmage. The big event is Regionals. On March 13, team members meet and do a trial run of all the events they’ve been practicing and studying for before the regional competition on March 27. But it’s not only a trial run, it’s a tryout. The top 15 students will be chosen to compete at Regionals.

Science Olympiad head coach Mike Reed gets a smile on his face just thinking of how well the students are doing so far. He expects the Blue and Gold Scrimmage to put the finishing touches on their preparation and skill level.

“It prepares kids for the regional tournament and it allows us as coaches to identify students who are doing best in events to compete in regional competitions,” Reed said. “They just love coming in at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning too.”

With such a solid team, Reed greatly anticipates his team’s performance at the upcoming regional

tournament. “To say our team is strong is an understatement-

they are exceptional,” Reed said. “If we were able to get medals in every event this year I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Like in any sport, the Science Olympiad coaches set the bar high.

“My expectations are appropriately high,” Reed said. “I expect them to do their best and I expect good results.”

Not only do the coaches have great expectations, but the competitors as well.

“It should go pretty well and be a lot of fun,” junior Erik Johnson said. “Hopefully we get first or second like we have in the past.”

Johnson, who hopes to compete in the physics lab event, has a pretty simple expectation.

“We expect to get first,” Johnson said. “So [in order to do that] we have to keep preparing.”

The Science Olympians put in up to 12 hours a week practicing their events to perfection, but most team members will agree that there’s no work without a little play.

“We’re just a bunch of nerds,” Johnson said. “We all bring the same thing. Together everybody makes it fun to learn about science.”

Team members feel that this year’s squad has what it takes to be Regional champs once again.

“I think that I and everyone else on the team bring a ton off commitment and dedication,” sophomore Sophie Scholtz said. “Whether a person competes or not, they are still always supporting the team.”

Science Olympiad team gears up for Regionals at Blue and Gold Scrimmage

One last TEST RUN

Cool Beans

Alida Boon

I have a love hate relationship with the bus. I love that it picks me up from out of the cold and that my bus driver is super nice and waits for me as I run up my driveway but that’s about it.

The hate part is more extensive. I hate that the bus smells like body odor and that I have to sit

with random strangers. I hate that half the time I am so squished into the side of the bus that I melt the ice on the window. I really hate being examined by 12-year-olds like I’m some sort of bacteria as I try to find a seat.

Body odor is not appealing. Even if only one person is sweating and forgot to put on deodorant, it isn’t pleasant. But that is not what it’s like on the bus. There is literally an army of sweating monsters, more commonly referred to as middle school students who don’t even know what the word deodorant means. And that is really, really evident when you step onto the bus, especially if it is afternoon when they have had a whole day to marinate.

Random strangers are not charming. Ever since I could comprehend what they were saying my parents told me that I was not to talk to strangers. The people on the bus are no exception to the rule. Maybe if they were nice and started a friendly conversation with me, it would be a different story but friendly conversation is not what they specialize in. Screaming…is. Why you would lean over and yell in someone’s face that is a whole two inches from your own, I do not know. But it happens. A lot. Then they wonder why I ignore them and always have my iPod on. It’s rocket science.

Bus seats are not large. Three people are packed into a bus seat. There is little room to breathe, let alone move. Bus seats are also not comfortable and the windows are not heated. So when you are slammed into a window by someone with the brute force of an elephant, it’s not that fun. It’s a simple fact, the first two people in a seat will have adequate butt space, the last one will be lucky to fit on both cheeks. There’s no use trying pack the other people in farther. They’re already as jam packed as it gets.

The bus is not science class. We aren’t looking through microscopes. I am certain that I am not a bacteria sample. Why look at me like I am one? Things would be different if the kids who stared at me would smile a bit or even look moderately happy but, no. Most look like I have just killed their last friend and they want to murder me. The others simply examine me like they think that if they look close enough I will turn into a cave person or a unicorn. I won’t. I promise. No magic here.

Some may peg me as a cynical brat after I have shouted out my hate for something that literally gives me the opportunity to receive an education. Let them. I never said I wasn’t thankful. I just stated the truth. Life is all about maintaining balance. You love some things and hate others. As for my relationship with the bus, the scales just lean a bit more to one side of the spectrum. I’m not quite ready for anymore love than that.

I mostly hate the bus...

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8 Editorial THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

STAFF EDITORIAL

FIVE problems we addressed for you the reader and the responses to those prob-lems from FIVE of your peers, teachers and administrators

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I’m not one to get involved in other people’s business, so I’m afraid I have to say no comment.

I think it would be nice if we did, but in this current econo-my it’d be difficult because we’d have to hire new staff.

Colleges still require the ACT, and though the Promise Scholarship is probably gone, there are talks of other pos-sible incentives.

I think that it is important, which is why we have classes that teach world religions.

It doesnt’t make me question my religion, but it is interest-ing to compare beliefs.

I’m not aware of the charges against Brandon Hall.

I think it’d be really cool if we did. It’d be cool to expand students’ horizons.

I definitely didn’t like taking it as much because it’s no longer helping me for college.

I definitely think that that is an important thing to respect.

No, not really. It’s just them ex-pressing their beliefs, and I just happen to believe different.

Every person is responsible for his or her actions and need to face the consequences. But stealing from a cancer fundraiser? Really?

I think that offering more lan-guages at our school would help students who wish to broaden their horizons and study abroad.

I think that students still need the mindset that they need to score well on the MME even without the Promise Scholarship.

I think that it is important to look at their perspectives because many issues could be avoided and people could get along better.

No. I stay strong in my own belief, but I still respect what the other person says.

I think he should step back a little. We don’t need any more crooked politicians.

I think that with today’s empha-sis on global languages, it would open many more doors.

I think that it’s a good experi-ence for students, regardless.

I think that it is very important. If you just open your eyes, you see what a lack of understanding has done to this world!

It doesn’t make me question my own religion, because it only matters if they live a good life.

QUESTIONS

What are your thoughts on the MME, minus the Promise Schol-arship?

When other religous people tell you their opinion, does it make you question your own religion?

What do you think that Brandon Hall should do?

Should our school offer more languages?

Do you think it is important to respect the viewpoints of other religions?

Brandon Hall should drop his appeal and rebuild his standing in the community. See editorial above.

The school should reconsider what languages it offers and try to look globally.

Not cool. Probably good testing experience but still not cool.

It is important to look at what oth-ers believe and cross and compare them to your own.

It makes us re-evaluate our reli-gion, but in a way that just makes belief stronger.

The Grand Haven School board has been substantially quieter in the past couple months after an incident at a charity football game at Gene Rothi field. The victorious Buccaneers strode off the field in purple uniforms, which would later be raffled off for the fundraiser. The fans wore purple shirts in support of both the fundraiser and the team. Of the money raised from those t-shirts up to 750 dollars went missing.

Twenty-year-old school board member Brandon Hall was convicted of stealing some of those cancer funds raised and lost that night. He has now been censured by the board in a group decision that included his own vote. This means that as an elected seat he can still vote, but he is limited in where he can go and what he can do as a school board member. It is also worth noting that Hall is appealing his case and if unsuccessful

he will resign and will end his running for State House Representative.

As a staff devoted to journalism and to our school system we feel the need to address this situation and the people involved. However, Hall being a former Blade editor and a once familiar face around our staff room we will tread carefully and advise with the honesty of a friend.

To start and to be expected the Bucs Blade staff does not condone or support Hall’s actions. Whether it was an accidental loss or a legitimate theft, doesn’t matter. The simple fact is Hall laid out his false story immediately and stuck with it to the bitter end. Your constituents, from the students you represent to the voters who elected you expect more.

Disappointment aside what should he do now? For someone who was planning to be a career

politician this conviction certainly won’t help to open any doors in that line of work.Prior to this incident, he wanted to move from school board to Michigan legislature--a tough challenge, but hardly impossible. Looking south Aaron Schock

a 28-year-old U.S. congressman went from a 19-year-old board member to a 23-year-old Illinois state representative. His appeal seems to be a move to keep that door open. However, we feel he should take other other things into consideration.

The majority of the editorial staff believes that Hall should drop his appeal and slow down. Find a college that meets his needs and find a career path. If after that time he decides that politics is infact his true passion then he can come back and run for an open seat. In order to do this Hall must over come a few challenges that if anything will instill a renewed standing in the community.

Hall needs to work hard and put himself through college, a feat achieved by many but none the less challenging or impressive. He must also work to gain back the trust of the community which will help him whether he chooses to delve into government or not.

Take this advice for what it is worth, but if you continue to sit on our school board do it well, do it honestly, and don’t ever forget the people who put you there.

Legal advice from an honest friend

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Opinion 9

For liberty and justice for all. Land of the free. Home of the brave.

These are the morals on which America should stand for. Success in America should be measured on the abilities of the person. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Instead, the standards are most often based on the color of your skin, gender, or some other superficial quality.

So many of us are trying our best to prevent discrimination in schools and the workplace and yet what often happens is that we make things even worse. We teenagers are no exception to this crime.

“People say they’re not racist and have black friends,” Junior Shacoreya Kimble said. “But they still make the racist comments around them.”

While we have progressed in history and come a long way in civil rights, there are still many acts we partake in that lend to the worsening of this crime. One specific

system our society blindly adopted was that of affirmative-action. When it comes to the intentions of affirmative-action: to make up for the wrongs of the white man and guarantee women and other minorities equal opportunity, I understand what would seem to be of pure heart. But do any of us think about the true message we’re sending? Affirmative-action, to me, is a white man’s charity. The “charity” in this case serves as a complete misnomer. It’s implying that, without affirmative-action, minorities wouldn’t be able to go as far without the help of the white man thus adding to the list of charges against the stereotypical racist white male.

Disagree? Well, I believe there are other actions we can take

that aren’t as subliminally driven. For instance, we could eliminate the select race and sex boxes on applications.

Would this put an end entirely to our battle on racism and sexist ways? Most definitely not. We will always have those who are too simple-minded enough to believe that race and ethnicity define a person, rather than what’s beneath the surface. But it definitely is a start.

Another flaw we are unwilling to admit we’re guilty of is the fact we all possess some amount of racism. Everyone has automatically placed someone in a certain group the instant they see them, either consciously or sub-consciously.

We as students have the power to work towards breaking down the racial and gender-based barriers that our society has so foolishly set down in stone. One day we can hear the name Jamal, and not automatically picture a black rapper. One day we won’t hurtfully joke about a Jose working at a blueberry farm. One day we will realize just how politically incorrect and sexist the term “man-whore” really is.

I believe that if we make the effort to abolish letting our initial perceptions dictate how we treat others and either accept or deny them based solely on character, then we can learn to ignore those snap judgments lodged in the back of our minds. That if we eventually push those misconstrued conceptions far enough back we will learn to judge people based on integrity and rid us from the confines of the heinous white man’s charity. A crime we are all guilty of.

Opinion

GREG ROKISKYReporter

Language opportunities limited. Néih hóu. (NEY-HO).

Or better yet, ‘Hello’ in Chinese.As a speaker of Chinese, or more

specifically Cantonese, I am proud of my cultural heritage, and my ability to speak another language. My curiosity into my own lineage often makes me wonder why we don’t have a Chinese language course offered here at the school. The school offers French, German and Spanish, languages that are supposedly important. In essence, they are: French has around two hundred million secondary language speakers; big-name car engineers look to German; and Spanish speakers are prevalent everywhere we look. Just drive a couple miles south of Grand Haven and you will see a large Hispanic community. So what have we got to lose in adding another language? China is growing exponentially. The China Market Research Group, estimates “that GDP has been growing at 10% to 14% a year over the last decade, rather than the 8% to 10% most economists put forward.” The country is becoming increasingly influential throughout the world. Influence is power. With over 1.1 billion native and secondary language speakers, an underestimated presence in advancements and an opening-up country, schools need to offer insight into a superpower. China isn’t just copying anymore, it’s

innovating new technology; the “$9 billion spent a month on clean energy research and wind power technology being used on the 36,000-acre wind farm in Texas,” as reported by Forbes.com’s Shaun Rein, can speak for itself. It’s just one of the many examples as to how widespread an impact China has; Chinese would be helpful to a lot of people, because just like Spanish, it’s becoming more and more common, whether it is taught at the school or not. I’m not saying that we should only add Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) as a class here, I’m just saying that there is more to the world than just French, German, and Spanish. I mean Chinese, Russian, and Arabic are all official languages of the United Nations for a reason, am I right? As interactions between nations increase, the demand for multilingual speakers also increases. High schools need to offer these opportunities as we become more immersed in Chinese, Middle Eastern and Russian affairs, because in order to understand the culture and open up opportunities, one has to understand the language. You can’t trade for crude oil and natural gas with Saudi Arabia and Russia, if you can’t speak to the people you want to trade to.

Maybe it might be a bit of a longer-term goal, but the school board should at the very least think on it. If we look hard enough, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a qualified teacher. Just drive a couple hours to the east and you can find that University of Michigan offers all of these language courses to students.

But who knows, maybe one day you, or someone you know might be greeting you with ‘as-salāmu ‘alaykum’.

By that way, that means ‘Hello’ in Arabic.

Opinion

Devin ChanReporter

Speakers by total amount world wide:Total Chinese: 1,146,755,000 First Language Speakers, 1,343,755,000 including Second Language SpeakersTotal English: 341,000,000 FLS, 508,000,000 including SLSTotal Spanish: 322 200 000 FLS to 358,000,000 to 417,000,000 including SLSTotal Arabic: 280,000,000 FLSTotal French: 77,000,000 FLS, 128,000,00 including SLSTotal Russian: 167,000,000 FLS, 277,000,000 including SLSTotal German: 121,000,000 FLS, 128,000,000 including SLS

nationsonline.org

Chinese: 14.37%

English: 5.61%

Spanish: 5.59%

Russian: 2.75%

German 1.64%French: 1.27%

Fast Facts

Other: 68.7%

Students only have access to foreign language programs that lack foreign flavor

Racism? We’re all guilty

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Health 10

MADISON TESTYManaging Editor

PERMANENT PAIN

“MY LIFE ISN’T HARDER— JUST DIFFERENT. IT JUST COMES DOWN TO EVERY-ONE HAS THEIR STUFF.” --Bridget McCarthy

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Health 11

Bridget McCarthy wakes up every morning like

every other teenage girl—wondering if she studied hard enough for her chemistry test, wondering if she will get the role in the school play she wants so badly. Wondering who will take her to her junior prom. Wondering if she will have the strength to make it through another day with the agonizing pain.

“Think about having shards of glass in your muscles,” junior Bridget McCarthy said. “And everywhere else, in your skin and even in your fingernails.”

That is life suffering from fibromyalgia.

The cause of this disease is unknown

According to mayoclinic.com, Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points —(muscle and

joint pain) on the back of the neck, shoulders, breast bone, lower back, hips, shins, elbows, knees. These are places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia occurs in about 2 percent of the population in the United States. Women are much more likely to develop the disorder than men and the risk increases with age. Symptoms often begin after a physical or emotional trauma, but in many cases there appears to be no triggering event.

McCarthy is forced to tackle her symptoms one step at a time.

“I usually get up and get ready every day,” McCarthy said. “Then I wait to see how my body is working. Some days it is really hard to wake up but I don’t know if it’s the disease or the fact that I’m not a morning person— I have no idea.”

McCarthy has to deal with body aches, chronic facial muscle pain or aching, fatigue, multiple tender areas, numbness and tingling, reduced exercise tolerance, sleep disturbances, and tension or migraine headaches along with the everyday ups and downs of being a teenager.

“The back of my neck and lower back are the most sensitive,” McCarthy said. “Just a touch sends me over the moon. We have trigger points used to diagnose the condition. They [doctors] think they are deposits of chemical build up, which cause my really sensitive days.”

McCarthy is certainly not the only person that suffers from Fibromyalgia but is one of the younger cases.

“It is more common in older people, McCarthy said. “I am the youngest [patient] my doctor sees by 20 years.”

According to mayoclinic.com, because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your symptoms to make a diagnosis. Unfortunately, symptoms may vary widely from one person to the next. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia require widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months. “Widespread” is defined as pain on both sides of your body, as well as above and below your waist. In addition, the ACR guidelines direct doctors to test 18 points on your body for tenderness. ACR criteria state that pain at 11 of the points may indicate fibromyalgia.

“There are no physical symptoms, which make it hard to diagnose,” McCarthy said. “For now they just

diagnose sight cases. They used to think that people were making it up for attention or feeling pain for no reason. People were treated like they were insane.”

According to Google Health, in 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved Pregabalin (Lyrica) as the first drug for the treatment of fibromyalgia. In June 2008, a second drug, Cymbalta, which was previously approved for treating depression, was FDA approved for treating fibromyalgia as well. In 2009 the FDA approved milnacipran (Savella) for the treatment of

fibromyalgia.“Doctors treat my pain with

muscle relaxers,” McCarthy said. “They don’t really relieve my pain, they just make you not care about the pain as much. I take a muscle relaxer at night because I can’t sleep. I take Vicodin, which makes me pay less attention to the pain. I’m not high all the time, I only use it on the really bad days.”

McCarthy relies on her family and faith to keep her grounded.

“We all deal with things differently,” McCarthy said. “Prayer gets me through. I have

an amazing family who supports me. I had to drop out of school my sophomore year and my mom quit her job to stay home and take care of me. My sister sacrifices so much. My dad works hard so my mom doesn’t have to work. It has been incredible.”

McCarthy also feels like the disease is helping her in her faith walk.

“It is a huge spiritual thing for me,” McCarthy said. “I am learning how to take care of myself and others at the same time.

McCarthy feels her symptoms at their worst about two days of the week, causing her to miss multiple lessons and class periods.

“As of now I just have to take it one day at a time,” McCarthy said. “I have missed half the school days since freshman year. It is a miracle that I even got through it. I have to do summer stuff to catch up. My teachers have been wonderful. As it stands now I will graduate on time.”

McCarthy still manages to be involved in many extra curricular activities. She is involved in theatre, model UN, National Honors Society, tennis, volunteering at multiple locations and church.

“My life isn’t harder— just different,” McCarthy said. “It just comes down to everyone has their stuff.”

“WE ALL DEAL WITH THINGS DIFFERENT-LY. PRAYER GETS ME THROUGH. I HAVE AN AMAZING FAMILY WHO SUPPORTS ME. I HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR AND MY MOM QUIT HER JOB TO STAY HOME AND TAKE CARE OF ME. MY SISTER SACRIFICES SO MUCH. MY DAD WORKS HARD SO MY MOM DOESN’T HAVE TO. IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.” --Bridget McCarthy

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FIBROMYALGIA1. Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by widespread muscle pain and tenderness.

2. Fibromyalgia can occur as a primary or secondary condition.

3. Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood and symptoms are often unrecognized, causing the syndrome to remain undiagnosed for months or years.

4. 90 percent of fibromyalgia patients suffer with severe fatigue or a sleep disorder.

5. Fibromyalgia is associated with additional symptoms which seem distinct themselves but are actually included in fibromyalgia syndrome.

6. There are psychological as well as physical aspects associated with fibromyalgia.

7. Since there is so much variability in fibromyalgia, the syndrome does not manifest itself identically in all patients.

8. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia focuses on tender points but there is no definitive diagnostic test for fibromyalgia such as a blood test or X-ray.

9. Medication and non-medication treatments are used to manage fibromyalgia.

10. Fibromyalgia affects more women than men. The prevalence of fibromyalgia is between 2 and 4 percent of the population.

For more information go to http://arthritis.about.com/od/fibromyalgia/a/fibro_facts.htm

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Tender points at specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them.

• Trouble sleeping

• Morning stiffness

• Headaches

• Painful menstrual periods

• Tingling or numbness in hands and feet

• Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called “fibro fog”)

For more info go to...

-WebMD.com

-Mayoclinic.com

-Health.Google.com

-Fibromyalgia.com

I didn’t receive a severe punishment] but it could have been worse. I would never sell again.”

The Wrong WayEven if one person decides not to sell stimulants, they are still easily

accessible to students. *Bobby knows how easy prescription drugs are to acquire.

“They are easy to get and if I can’t get prescribed I’ll just fi nd someone that is,” Bobby said. “I’ll maybe buy at least once a week but it will be a large quantity.”

Gerencer also sees the easy accessibility of these types of drugs as a main part of the problem.

“A lot of kids are prescribed to it,” Gerencer said. “That’s why it’s so common.”

The fact that stimulants are also inexpensive adds to the problem. Bobby says he usually pays $1 for every 10 milligrams of Adderall, while pain or depression meds can cost $5 to $10 a pill.

Getting HookedCombine easy access with the addictiveness of the drugs and you can

see why prescription meds are among the most common street drugs in America. A study by the Center for Health and Health Care in one school in southeast Michigan found that high school students have little trouble trading, selling or giving away prescription medications. For Bobby this makes stimulants an attractive choice. So do the drugs’ effects.

“I buy [stimulants] to get a high like no other,” Bobby said. “When you take prescription drugs it’s more than just being high. It’s like being drunk and high. You pretty much just get more messed up.”

However, this high comes with a price. Prescription stimulants can be extremely addictive to users who do not suffer from ADHD. According to multiple sources, users without ADHD can become physically addicted within the fi rst few times they use stimulants.

In addition to addiction, other risks exist. Gerencer has also seen problems with students being unaware of exactly what they’re taking, or the dangers of combining different drugs.

“A lot of students that pop these random pills don’t know what they can be taken with,” Gerencer said. “Like taking Adderall and smoking marijuana, it’s an upper and a downer and it really messes you up. It’s not a good idea, those are the cases I’ve had with students overdosing.”

Under the Table, Over the DosageWithout a proper prescription, it’s easy to take the wrong dosage.“So many kids aren’t smart enough to know how many milligrams

they’re taking. Let’s say these drugs were stolen from somewhere else and they were told they’re all 20 mg. when really some are 20 some are 80 and some are 100, they take two thinking it’s 40 milligrams and it ends up being 200.” Zyniewicz said. “That’s when their friends fi nd them in their rooms in a coma and bring them to us.”

One GHHS student named *Marcie was shocked when taking stimulants without a prescription affected her health.

Marcie took 180 milligrams of Adderall when she overdosed. To put

that into perspective, adolescents with mild ADHD are generally prescribed 20-30 milligrams daily, meaning Marcie took anywhere from six to nine times the average amount.

“That many milligrams could have been lethal to her,” Zyniewicz said. “It could have caused her to go into cardiac arrest or have a seizure.”

“It’s really hard to remember,” Marcie said. “I remember being really confused and my legs were a purplish color and I couldn’t feel them. This lasted about fi ve hours. I was up all night.”

Luckily for Marcie, her overdose didn’t have to include a trip to the hospital and a stomach pumping, which could very well have been the case.

“I just puked a lot and drank a lot of water,” Marcie said.

Only when I needed it to study, well at least that’s how it started

Marcie’s use of stimulants illegally started out as a way to help her with schoolwork, but over time lead to abuse.

“I used to take [Adderall] because it motivated me to do my schoolwork,” Marcie said. “I would take [stimulants] on

exam days so I wouldn’t be tired and so I could focus.”

*Richard seems to be in the same boat.

“I only buy it when I have a lot of studying to do or tests to

take,” Richard said. “For me that’s

usually when it’s time for exams.”

The Underlying IssueRichard is a perfect example of why the prescription

drug market continues to thrive. Students attempt to rationalize what they’re doing. They think since they only take it during exams, or when they really need to stay up, that makes it not as bad. Some even seem to think it’s acceptable. Whether it’s for exams or not, it’s still illegal and that means it is not okay. Sadly, it seems many students fail to realize the dangers.

“I know it’s considered a felony,” Richard said. “But come on, it’s only Adderall, it’s not like I’m going to get caught.”

Zyniewicz sees it differently.“It’s not cool and it’s not safe.” Zyniewicz

said. “And if you’re lucky enough not to end up sick or even dead, if you get caught with narcotics

in your pocket, in your car or in your house, without a legal prescription, you’re going to jail. It’s not worth it and people who think this is okay are nuts.”

*For the protection of the privacy of those interviewed, all student names have been changed. Information and facts from www.justice.gov/dea/ and www.adderallxr.com/

It’s 8 p.m. on a Tuesday. You just got out of practice and you still have to shower before sitting down to study for all three tests you have tomorrow, not to mention you’re running on four hours of sleep as it is. Do you pick one test to study for and blow off the other two? Drink a cup of coffee and pray that caffeine

kick keeps you from falling asleep on your books? Or do you call

up one of your friends with a

prescription for Adderall, Concerta, or any other kind of stimulant drug, to see if you can buy one or two…that would help you focus and keep you awake, right?

For many students at GHHS this scenario is all too familiar. A survey of 300 students indicated that 45 percent admitted to taking prescription drugs that weren’t theirs, while 25 percent of students said they have taken some kind of stimulant drug (and that’s not including the 20 percent of students with a prescription.)

Emergency room doctor Tom Zyniewicz frequently treats issues related to prescription drug misuse.

“We see patients who have overdosed on narcotics all the time,” Zyniewicz said.

“Prescription drug abuse is rapidly becoming as much of a problem as illegal drug abuse.”

Worth The Risk?However, not everyone is aware

of the serious risks that come with taking such stimulants without a legal

prescription. This is true from both physical and legal standpoints.

When bought illegally, you can never be sure of exactly what you’re getting.

“What happens is kids steal drugs from their parents, grandparents, friends or any random medicine cabinet.”

Zyniewicz said. “Maybe they steal [three separate kinds of drugs] and throw them all in one bottle. When they go to sell them,

which half of the time they themselves don’t know what they’re selling, they

say they’re all the same kind of drug.” Common side effects include decreased appetite, stomach-

aches, headaches, weight loss, trouble sleeping, mood swings and dry mouth. More serious possibilities are high body temperature, irregular heart rate, cardiovascular system failure and fatal seizures.

Stimulants are classifi ed by the Drug Enforcement Agency as Substance II drugs, the same legal category as cocaine and heroin. If a fi rst-time offender illegally possesses between 5 and 49 grams, the minimum sentence is fi ve years in federal

prison. If death or serious injury occurs, minimum sentencing

is 20 years for the person who provided the victim with the drugs.

Apparently GHHS students don’t get that.

“We have had our fair share of Adderall cases,” GHHS School Resource

Deputy of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department

Derek Gerencer said. “Once I catch them selling it, I bring them in and interview them. If they lie, I have to launch a formal investigation. From there it’s fi led as an offi cial police report and sent to the prosecutor’s offi ce where a warrant for their arrest is issued.”

Although alleged offenders often claim innocence, Gerencer typically doesn’t confront them without evidence.

“I don’t bust them on the spot,” Gerencer said. “I stand back and watch for a while, let them think they’re all sneaky and getting away with it. Then when I do bring them in I know what’s the truth and a lot of times I have it on video from the surveillance cameras.”

Getting Caught*Lisa, a GHHS student learned the consequences fi rst hand

when she was caught selling stimulants. “Apparently some teacher was walking behind a friend

and I and over heard me saying that I had just my prescription fi lled and that some people had contacted me about wanting to buy them,” Lisa said. “I never told anyone that I actually sold Adderall. So the teacher misinterpreted what I had said and brought it to the principals. They wanted to charge me with selling narcotics, but they had no proof of me doing it.”

Even though Lisa didn’t face legal consequences, she still learned enough to advise against trying to slip pills to a friend, even if it’s only every now and again.

“It’s not worth risking your life and your future over,” Lisa said. “Sure you don’t think you’ll get caught, you think you’re on top of the world. That’s how my friend felt with shoplifting before he got caught. That’s how I felt. I told myself well know one would ever expect me too so it’s fi ne, I’ll just keep it on the down low. But look what happened to me. I got lucky [because

MEGAN BIRKETT EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJOHN CHERETTE COPY EDITOR

With the black market for prescription drugs including stimulants such as Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, etc. an issue nationwide, Bucs’ Blade editors bring it close to home with the confessions of four GHHS students. With the heavy legal penalties and severe

health risks involved, they share how illegally taking, buying and selling stimulants has affected their lives.

please?Blade editors bring it close to home with the confessions of four GHHS students. With the heavy legal penalties and severe

“They are

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Regarding

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Can I have your attention pills?pills?

and 49 grams carries a minimum 5

year federal sentence

“So many kids aren’t smart enough to know how many milligrams they’re taking. Let’s say these drugs were stolen from somewhere else and they were told they’re all 20 mg. when really some are 20 some are 80 and some are 100, they take two thinking it’s 40 milligrams and it ends up being 200. That’s when their friends fi nd them in their rooms in a coma and bring them to us.”

--Dr. Tom Zyniewicz

12 Pills THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010 Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Pills 13

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14 Feature THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

AMY POTTERMusic Editor

Love AT FIRST

LISTENMOLLIE LABEFF

Reporter

One look at this 17-year-old’s Facebook status and its obvious where his commitment is.

Although his actual physique is not in fact obese, his passion for choral music outweighs a Beluga.

Enough passion, even, to leave the Spring Lake school district at the beginning of his senior year. Mitchell Rennie left for the sole reason of his music—having heard about Grand Haven High School choirs, Rennie was eager to join and quickly formed a love for the program.

Turns out, the choir program loved him back. Shortly following his decision to change schools, Rennie was placed in both Chamber Choir and Choral Ensemble—the top two choirs at Grand Haven.

But he didn’t stop there. Choir Di-rector, Shirley Lemon had taught her Ensemble students about the astonish-ing, world-renounced choirs at St. Olaf College in Minnesota—and for Rennie, it was love at first listen.

“We listened to the CD and I thought they were spectacular,” Ren-nie said in his deep second bass tone. “I had to apply there.”

He did exactly that. On February 23, when he excitedly tore open the official envelope and read the much-anticipated “Congratulations” written at the top, he “couldn’t stop smiling for three days,” Rennie said.

Since then, he’s had to attend week-end campus visits and vocal auditions, trying hard and aspiring to become a member of the world famous St. Olaf choir.

Although very proud of his achievements, Rennie’s parents are con-cerned about the distance between the college campus and home. Still he’s decided to follow through with his choice, because “to be a part [of the St. Olaf Choir] is worth it,” Rennie said.

So Rennie is taking the risk. Taking on new responsibilities. And taking

a heaping bite of his “food of love.”

Transfer student Mitchell Rennie tells his story about his passion for choir, and the exciting road ahead of him.

About st. olAf college

Phoenix Vaster Birthday: December 10, 1991

Hobbies: “I listen to music a lot, hang out with friends and I enjoy my family. I am with them all the time.”

Where did you get the name Phoenix: “My mom fell down stairs and they couldn’t find my heartbeat for 45 seconds, so theynamed me Phoenix because a Phoenix rises from it’s ashes.”

Clubs: “Ambassadors, NHS, First Priorityand PA226.”

If you could trade places with anyone for a day: “Michelle Obama,I would like to see what her dailylife is like.”

Favorite Quote: Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch.

Something not a lot of peopleknow about you: “I am one of 6kids. I live by myself with my dad.The rest live with my mom in Grand Rapids.”

Fears: “I am scared of clowns.. like reallyscared... it’s pathetic. And Feet, they gross me out.”

Biggest pet peeve: “When people spit, like on the side walk or something, It’s disgusting.”

Plans for college: “I plan to study radiology at Grand Valley.”

Hobbies: “I listen to music a lot, hangout with friends and I enjoy my family.I am with them all the time.”

Best life lesson you’ve learned: That patience and tolerance will get you further than anything else.

senior

·Founded 1874, St. Olaf is a nationally ranked liberal arts college of the Evan-gelical Lutheran Church in America located in North-field, Minnesota.·St. Olaf has eight choirs, two orchestras, and two bands.·The three ensembles, St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Orchestra, and St. Olaf Band, annually tour the United States and frequently travel abroad.The St. Olaf Christmas Festival, featur-ing more than 500 student musicians. More info: www.stolaf.edu

2011 seniors

craigwatsonphotography.com 41 Washington Ave. Suite 141Grand Haven

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16 Feature THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

CATALINA CUTIES2010

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHOW: Sophomore Julia Stock puts lip-stick on her friend sophomore Lauren Lund to prepare for the first catalina show of the night. photo by Megan Birkett

FRENCH BRAIDE TRADIDTION: Senior Haley Vallier braides sophomore Catherine Keegin’s hair along with many other catalina cuties as they have also done in previous years for the show. photo by Megan Birkett

CATALINA OFFICERS: Officers Currin Hall, Katie Martin, Renae Deters and Megan Birkett open the catalina show by performing a dance routine to the hit 80’s song Ladies Night by Kool And The Gang. photo by Haley Birkett

DANCING CONTINUES: Members follow Junior Rhiannon McHenry out of the pool and finish their dance routine by kicking their feet to the song Wake me up by Evanescence. photo by Haley Birkett

Dippin’ through the decades show makes a big splash

MAKING A SPLASH: Girls from the freshmen class get the crowd excited as they plunge from the deck into the pool to perform their water routine to the popular 50’s song, Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard. photo by Haley Birkett

ENTERTAINING BETWEEN ACTS: Junior Erik Johnson gets the audience laughing as he and his fellow swim friends perform skits between routines. photo by Haley Birkett

MOVIES:

MUSIC:

VIDEO GAMES:

STAFF PICKSTELEVISION:

BOOKS:

“‘My Sisters Keeper’ by Jodi Picoult. Although this is an old book I just brought myself to read it, and I was very glad I did. Picoult’s writing combined with the emotional plot will leave you, just like it did me, crying for an hour after you finish reading it.”

Reporter Chloe Dault

“‘Chick Flicks’ have consistently bored guys around the world. With Fox Searchlight’s “(500) Days of Summer”, the guys are no longer falling asleep while the movie plays, but thoroughly enjoying themselves while watching this movie. This movie has the same basic elements that make, it a chick flick, with a big twist that make it guy friendly.”

Graphic Specialist Tyler Appel

“Kid Cudi’s hit, “Soundtrack to My Life” is one every person should hear. The song talks about his struggles that have occurred in his life. If you haven’t heard it, buy it on iTunes and listen to it for yourself.”

Reporter Ethan Beswick

“One television event I am really looking forward to is “The Pacific”, a 10 part miniseries about the Allied fight in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Produced by the same men that did Band of Brothers (Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks), it looks to be a tremendously good series.”

Reporter Mike Ginocchio

“I’ll be honest, I recently had the opportunity to play Call of Duty and I can’t say I understand all the hype. What is a game where all you do is shoot people the whole time doing for society? Plus I’m awful at it so it’s really no fun.”

News Editor Grace Sterenberg

The first time I heard Rebirth, I had to look at my friend’s Zune and make sure the song hadn’t changed because I was 90 percent sure I was listening to an 80’s rock song. No way was I expecting it to be from Lil Wayne’s new album. As it turned out, I was in fact hearing the rapper give rock his own twist. I’m not a huge rap fan, I would much rather listen to Boys Like Girls or John Mayer, but I can tell you this: rappers do not play the guitar.

Lil Wayne took one of the biggest musical risks, but it was worth it. Rolling Stones and the Chicago Tribune compared him to a bullfrog, finding no positives to the new album. However, I think they are closed-minded and want artists to stick to

what they know. What fun would that be?

“American Star,” the first song on the track, is roughly 40 percent Lil Wayne and 60 percent something entirely new. His lyrics don’t stray too far from what we’re used to, but this song talks about how he feels living in the United States, some of which isn’t a far cry from many Americans. I think he’s grown up a bit in this album and

the rhythmic guitar allows for fans of all genres to enjoy.

The second time I listened to “Paradice” I was having a horrible day and I was shocked that I could actually relate to this song. It is his slowest song and the drums give it a nice beat. Towards the end of the song he says, “It’s like I have it all, but what’s it all worth?” Even Lil Wayne is human; it surprised me that he would go deep enough to ask that question.

Some of his songs, like “Prom Queen” and “Da Da Da,” are still derogatory like many of his past songs, but the rock in this album makes it worth listening to.

I love songs that make me want to jump up and down and go crazy. “Knockout” featuring Nicki Minaj is the perfect song and it should be a summer hit. If it’s not, I’m still rocking out to it.

DEZ BURLEYReporter

Lil Wayne’s ‘Rebirth’ reinvents rap

There are six things that Alice (Mia Wasikowska) deems impossible during her fated battle with the Jabberwocky. Muttering to herself as she faces the Queen of Hearts’ champion, Alice begins, “One. There is a drink that makes you shrink.” Swinging the sword, she continues, “Two. There are cakes that make you grow.” As the battle grows more intense, she goes on with the list, “Three. Cats can disappear. Four. Animals can talk. Five. There is a place called Wonderland.” Looking up at the Jabberwocky, she exclaims, “Six. I can slay the Jabberwocky!”

Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is a spin off of the classic story by Lewis Carroll, which seems to serve more as a sequel rather than another attempt at recreating Carroll’s classic. This is a tale of a young woman who finds unhappiness in the world she currently resides. She ends up seeking a life of excitement in the bizarre and abstract Wonderland. Alice finds out just how different life can be where cats appear out of thin air, hatters go a little mad, Queens behead people for looking at you the wrong way, and the daunting Jabberwocky who looks for a worthy challenger.

Burton’s Wonderland is comprised of several intricate beings—all flawlessly generated. Whether it’s the vegetation of Wonderland, the friends that help Alice along the way or the Jabberwocky out to destroy Wonderland, each computer-generated component fits in with the others. Nothing seems out of place, which enables the film to flow smoothly.

Even though the film is heavily based on computer-generated features, the cast does a phenomenal job making Wonderland and its inhabitants believable. Each of the main characters have a fair few interactions with computer-generated character and each actor plays their

part with conviction and believability, adding to the overall quality of the film. For example, Alice’s encounter with the Bandersnatch is incredibly well played—I felt the fear through Alice as the Bandersnatch bounded at her, I could see it in her face, hear it in her voice—even though in actuality she was acting in front of a green screen.

Although Burton did an excellent job with computer-generation and storyline expansion, he might have spent a little too much time on looks and not enough on substance. It seems like Burton thought the plot would be golden, but he makes so many changes and additions to Carroll’s story. I found myself a little lost in the thicket of Wonderland. You don’t really understand if this really is all a dream or if Alice is truly running through the wacky confines of Wonderland. Burton relies too much on Carroll’s storyline that he felt he was able to focus more on the visual aspect of the film. This resulted in confusion by the plot in some points of film.

Despite both positive and negative details, Burton’s rendition of “Alice in Wonderland” is both imaginative and creative. The film will keep you laughing, gasping, and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

MARISA ENOSManaging Editor

Alice (not quite) in Wonderland18 Vibe THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

1

Seniors Austin Campos and Chaz Bratton shock fans by turning what started out as just a joke into a successful hobby

Promptly at 9:10 pm, the recording process begins. With a beverage in hand, Chaz Bratton and Austin Campos start the construction of a new piece of music to add to their collection.

Bratton and Campos started Nimbus, a local rap/ hip-hop group, about two years ago. They began dab-bling in internet-news broadcasting but found their real talent when Campos surprisingly began rapping.

“We hate rap music,” Bratton said. “We decided that since we hated it so much we would make it bet-ter, by including ourselves.”

Turning down a different road than expected, the two became successful when they were signed by Elephant Red Music.

“Well it was really funny because when we got signed Chaz and I looked at each other with astonish-ment on our faces that somebody would actually put us on a label,” Campos said. “The original fan base of people who first heard Nimbus knew what a joke we were, at first just mocking rap, and then when they heard we got signed to a label…”

“They laughed harder,” Bratton added. Nimbus puts a song together in one night and be-

gins by finding a beat. Once Bratton and Campos find one they are comfortable with, they throw around ideas for a song. Next, they come up with a hook, write their verses and individually record. The system must be working because fans love the end product.

“Its really original,” Nimbus fan Alexa Buckland said. “It’s something you’ve never heard before and they write their own lyrics, so I think it’s pretty cool.”

Nimbus quickly became popular as people dis-covered their talent. The distribution of the band’s

business card- cleverly called “Nimbus-ness cards” assisted in spreading the word.

“We weren’t expecting to have as large of a fan base as we do. We started doing it as a joke because neither of us is really into rap. It’s just the fact that we can do it and people are attracted to it,” Bratton said.

The attraction to Nimbus’ music was unex-pected. Choir Director Shirley Lemon called Nimbus “adorable.”

Bratton’s and Campos’s outlook on the future may seem farfetched but some fans disagree.

“I think that their personalities will bring them really really far and their music will help them,” Buckland said.

Bratton and Campos find themselves thankful that they started the rap/hip-hop group two years ago. Although they may not ap-prove of rap still,

“It kept us out of the streets,” Bratton joked.

Playlist

P

otte

r’s

March’s Theme: Spring break road trip. For some, riding in a car for hours on end is the last thing you want to do, but with the right attitude (and playlist), the journey to your destination can be

just as fun as the vacation

Straight to the top

Toes by Zac Brown Band. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy your vacation. Appreciate the simple things, like a day at the beach sitting in the sand with your toes in the water.

Sounds Like Life To Me by Darryl Worley. Run out of gas, or money? Get lost? A Flat tire perhaps? Set backs may seem terrible but getting mad will get you nowhere, so simply accept, maybe even expect, things like this to happen.

Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan. This is the perfect song to play when it’s dark and raining. The drops of water on the hood of the car will add a soothing beat.

America by Simon and Garfunkel. For those of us who grew up in the bubble of

Grand Haven, it’s time to experi-ence American life outside of our

sheltered community.

Born On The Bayou by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Jam with CCR and pretend you’re a local driving through Loui-siana.

I’ve Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash. Although it’s virtually impossible to keep up with Cash when he lists all the cities he’s been to, it’s entertaining to watch everyone attempt it then hit the chorus as if they’ve said every other word spot on.

Lost by Coldplay. Whenever I ask if were lost, my dad replies “No, I know where I’m going… I just don’t know how to get there.” Never give up and eventually you get to where you need to be.

Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. All you need is a singer and some air musicians and you’ve got yourself the makings for a perfect out-of-the-garage band.

HANNAH HUGHESReporter

Vampire Weekend’s new album, CONTRA, lived up to the hype I’d been left with hours before hearing it. CONTRA is the same sound Vampire Weekend is known for, the afro-pop with electro accents and synthesizer beats. This is not your typical boy band and it shows.

CONTRA’s songs are just as weird and amazing as previous records. “Horchata” is the first track, an upbeat song with angry lyrics. The song mentions drinking horcha-ta in December, but the beat still reminds you of summer, therefore my favorite

song. “I Think Ur A Contra” is the title song, with a synthesizer, distant guitar chords and lead singer Ezra Koenig’s poetic breezy voice lingering on every beat all while bashing his ex , “you wanted good schools/ friends with pools/ you’re not a contra” was still interest-ing. “Cousins” is a little more rock, but kept the Vampire Weekend sound. It was played in the hit movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playl-ist and rightfully so.

Overall, Vampire Weekend fans should be impressed with CONTRA, as it sticks to the band’s familiar sound. New listeners are advised to listen to the tracks a few times through, the afro-pop is strange to get used to but likeable. CONTRA earned it’s four stars.

“We hate rap. We decided that since we hated it so much we would make it better by including ourselves.”

Vampire Weekend composes Contra convincing fans

CAMILLE JOHNSONReporter

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Music 19

1

20 Tech THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

Local business owner of Tech Audio Jim Cooper explains where to go and what car stereo to purchase without leaving a hole in your wallet

DEVIN CHANReporter

Car stereos are a perfect example of what can be a good thing or bad thing. It can be a good thing in that a banging stereo system can attract both the guys and girls into wanting your car, or on the other hand, drive other people away, because you look like an idiot blasting horrible noises from broken down speakers.

In order to understand a 12-volt (automobile) electronics, you have to understand the basics in car stereos. The deck controls the songs you play, and the speakers play the music. Amplifiers supply power to the sub woofers, which create bass in sync with the beats of each song.

Combine it all together, and you upgrade that horrible stereo to a home theater in your car. Sophomore Ryan Schoonover bought a system for his Jeep Wrangler.

“I got a car and the system stock wasn’t very cool,” Schoonover said. “Now I own two 10-inch MTX thunder sub woofers, four JL audio speakers, and a 600-watt amplifier. It sounds good and I get a lot of compliments on it.”

Whether it’s to one-up that neighbor of yours, or show off your sick stereo downtown on summer nights or in the school parking lot, stereo systems are just a way to get closer to that high score on the ‘life’ scale.

Purchasing nice subs on a teenage budget is a possibility. Tech Audio, located at 17363 Hayes Street, offers a solution to this problem. For people who know have no idea what to look for in stereos, Tech Audio owner Jim Cooper is there to help. “Part of the selling process here is to find out what the customer is looking for, what kind of budget

they’re on, and offer them some suggestions and ideas on what will work,” Cooper said. “If somebody walks in the door and has never heard of any of it, it’s a fresh ball game, [because] you’re starting from square one, and you’re trying to build on what the customer is looking for by talking to him.”

Only quality subs aren’t as expensive as you think they would be. “Here, you can get a regular good, quality sub woofer for eighty. Typically I don’t put them on sale too much, because they sell well any ways,” Cooper said. “The deals that I offer to people usually come

with a package that we will put together. Right now, and this is true for the last couple of years, the Memphis audio [products] are the best bang for the buck.” Conveniently, for people interested in buying products, Cooper stocks up the most products from late April to mid July. Installation is also offered at the store.

“Installation is typically a set price for any particular item,” Cooper said. “If I’m doing many items, then the price will go up or down, depending on the difficulty of the car. I do have a policy that I will install other people’s equipment, but the price is different.”

Junior Branden Grevel, who bought his stereo from Best Buy, is one of many people who can vouch for Tech Audio’s work.

“A lot of the installation wasn’t too difficult, just really long,” Grevel said. “But if I had problems, I had Tech Audio work on it. They made the installation easier, and I haven’t had problems with it since.” For those tight on budget, it is also possible to make all of this even more affordable. “You can bargain for deals here to a certain extent,” Cooper said.

Just be rational. Don’t go in expecting a world-class car stereo system for ten bucks.

Tech Audio owner Jim Cooper

Best buysBrand- Memphis Car Audio

Model- 15-PR10D4, 10 inch sub woofer, $89.95

Continuous Power Handling-250W

Max Power Handling- 500W

Sensitivity- 87 dB

Brand- Memphis Car Audio

Model- 15-PR572, 5 X 7 inch speakers, $69.95

RMS/Peak- 40/80

Sensitivity- 88.00 dB

Magnet Size- 10 oz

Brand- Pioneer

Model- DEH-3200UB, AM/FM/CD/USB radio, $149.95

Mosfet- 50W x 4

Features- Dual illumination, Direct control for iPod, CD receiver, Autoradio CD

For additional information on pricing and advice contact Tech Audio, 17363 Hayes street, in Grand Haven at (616) 844-1747- Unless if you want outrageous bass, one sub woofer

provides good, quality bass to your music.-A better amp means better bass, since it provides the power to it, so more sub woofers needs a bigger amp

- The more you buy, the more you save- Installation for stereos vary from car to car depending on the difficulty.- You can install it yourself to save some money Research, photos and illustrations by Nate Niemerowicz

Tips to boost your BUMP

It’s easy to pick Jon Lown out as the boys swim team practices. He’s always at or close to the front of the pack, as it goes from wall to wall. His stroke, refined and smooth, makes it look as though it all comes easily to him. Just by observing for a short amount of time, you’ll notice he’s one of the fastest swimmers on the team and one of the best in the state. What’s not so easy to figure out is how he’s completed an entire swim season on one good shoulder.

The pain first began for Lown toward the end of last season. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. But as the year wore on, the pain intensified. He soon realized that it was not just a simple case of sore muscle.

“It feels like there’s a balloon in my shoulder being expanded, and it presses against everything,” Lown said of the pain. “It’s like it’s trying to explode, but can’t.”

Realizing that the pain was something to take seriously, Lown went to doctors to find out what the problem was. Once it was examined, the news wasn’t pretty.

“The doctor said that something was wrong with my labrum, the muscle connecting the shoulder and collarbone joint,” Lown said. “He said that it might be torn, but they wouldn’t know for sure unless they went in and operated on it.”

This posed a problem. If he agreed to have surgery, then he would be out for four weeks. To most people, four weeks is a very short time. But in a highly competitive sport

like swimming, where missing one day of practice can be the difference between dropping significant time and staying relatively the same, four weeks might as well be a lifetime. This being his final season of high school swimming, however, he wasn’t going to let something like this slow him down. So he held off on surgery, and hit the ground running…or in this case, swimming.

His shoulder pains proved most obstructive in Jon’s signature event, the 100 yard breaststroke. Each meet, Jon would touch the wall, only to see that he was off of the state-qualifying time again. But on the final night of the regular season, Jon powered his way to first place in the 100 breaststroke behind the cheers of his entire

team. As he hit the wall, his eyes darted to the scoreboard, and his final time. It read 1:03.84. State-qualifying time.

“That was such a good feeling [to see that],” Lown said. “It meant that I didn’t have to taper twice…which is a good thing because it gave me a better chance at state. It was all just a big sigh of relief.”

The journey to that moment certainly wasn’t easy. As he faced off with an excruciatingly painful injury, Jon was forced to adapt.

“I used to swim all of [the strokes],” Lown said. “But now I can’t swim butterfly or backstroke anymore.”

Every day, before he even got in the pool, one

of the coaches covered Jon’s shoulder in a crazy array of bandages. The reason, he says, was that the injury had made everything inside of his shoulder dangerously loose. They were just extra support to keep everything in place. In addition to the bandages, Lown also strapped on a snorkel for practices, which helped reduce stress on his shoulder as well.

Though one would think that the bandages are an uncomfortable nuisance, Jon has had enough positive experiences with it to think otherwise.

“After a meet at Rockford this year, some very good-looking girl came up to me and gave me a little sheet of paper,” Lown said.

“I opened it and it said ‘Hey Bandage Boy, give me a call sometime!’ with her number. That was pretty funny.”

As he dealt with the pain, Jon continued to press through, no matter how hard it was.

“All I do is try to forget,” Lown said. “I go to physical therapy, but in the end none of them have been able to do anything.”

His dogged determination has more than impressed his coach Casey Jensen.

“It’s been tough [to watch him as] he’s worked through a lot of pain over the past two years,” Jensen said. “He’s still competed at a high level in one of the toughest conferences in the state. The word quit is not in his vocabulary.”

Fellow captain Sam Schulze agrees.“I enjoyed seeing Jon succeed towards

the end of the year,” Schulze said. “It’s been tough though, because there are some

weeks where he’ll be really down.”With his season and career over, Jon

is looking to the future. He will attend Michigan State with plans to major in business. But as far as athletics go, he’s not worried about protecting his health for his college team.

“My shoulder’s won,” Lown said. “I’m not playing grueling

sports in college. Maybe Ultimate Frisbee or something, but nothing that relies on my shoulder.”

And though the shoulder injury was a painful experience, Jon has some very candid advice for those who suffer a restricting injury like his.

“I say just shut up and just try [to work through the pain],” Lown said. “It might hurt, but once you start, you can work through.”

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Sports 21

Senior overcomes injury

MIKE GINOCCHIOReporter

1

2 Inside THE BUCS’ BLADE Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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“IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A BALLOON IN MY SHOULDER BEING EXPANDED AND IT PRESSES AGAINST EVERYTHING. IT’S LIKE IT’S TRY-ING TO EXPLODE BUT CAN’T.” -- Jon Lown

2. Signature stroke: 100 yard breaststroke

3. Key swim: 1:03.84 in the 100 breaststroke to qualify for state

The Facts1. He has been a team captain for two years

Swimmer Jon Lown makes two state cuts despite swimming with a serious shoulder injury

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10TOP

Winter Sports Moments

1 2 3 4 5THEY DID IT: The boys and girls basketball teams both won the OK Red conference title defeating Hudsonville before a crazed crowd in the Big House.. The girls defeated the Eagles 54-38 behind Paige Wilds’ 14 points to win their second consecutive OK Red title. The boys won 61-50, locking up their first conference crown in 15 years..

THEY SAID IT: “It is cool because it is the first time the boys won it in 15 years and it was at home. It felt like all the work we put in the summer and season paid off.” Senior Isiah Law

THEY DID IT: Sam Schulze places fourth in the 50 yard Freestyle and fifth in the 100 yard Freestyle with times of 21.56 and 47.77 seconds respectively at the state swim meet at the Holland Aquatic Center. Both times were season-bests for Schulze.

THEY SAID IT: “It’s nice to see all that hard work pay off. It’s kind of like a culmination of my four years of training and I’m very happy how it turned out.” Senior Sam Schulze

THEY DID IT: Freshman Brit-tany Olds gets two Top 20 finishes at the skiing State finals at Boyne Mountain. This followed a season when Olds helped lead her team to victo-ries in six straight conference races.

THEY SAID IT: “It felt good being a freshman and I was re-ally surprised I did that well.” Freshman Brittany Olds

THEY DID IT: Girls and Boys varsity basketball teams both win district titles. The girls beat Reeths Puffer on March 5 66-27 behind 17 points from Alex Law. One week later, the boys defeated the Muskegon Big Reds 56-35 behind 22 points and a thunderous dunk from senior Noah Veach.

THEY SAID IT: : “It felt good because we all played as a team and everyone contributed and it paid off.”-Senior Paige Wilds

THEY DID IT: The varsity Hockey team beat a mixed Muskegon Catholic/ Spring Lake/ North Muskegon team 3-2. Senior Conor Fredricks had two assists and senior Heath Wagenmaker scored the game-winning goal. Junior goalie TJ Roth made 24 saves.

THEY SAID IT:: “It felt great, we haven’t beaten them in three years. They’re our biggest rivals, and it felt great to finally beat them not only for our team but our city.” Sophomore Will VerDuin

FEB. 26 MARCH13

FEB. 22 FEB. 24MARCH5 & 12

22 Sports THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

2

6 7 8 9 10THEY DID IT: Junior Mike Vaandering finished off just his second season diving with a fourth place finish at the state finals at the Holland Aquatic Center. A strong showing at regionals where he placed second paved the way.

THEY SAID IT: “We worked really hard, next year I am hoping to make the top three.” Junior Mike Vaandering

THEY DID IT: After hours of practice, the boys bowling teams season went to its high note when it got first at Region-als and qualified for the state tournament. Although the team didn’t place in top 10, qualify-ing capped off one of the most impressive seasons in team history.

THEY SAID IT: “Getting this accomplishment was awesome, we have come so far this season.” Sophomore Noah Witte

THEY DID IT: Junior Colin Ber-tucci placed 8th at the wrestling state finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Bertucci ended the season with a 35-8 record while battling injuries the whole season.

THEY SAID IT: “I battled through adversity and I’m opti-mistic that I have another year to attain my goals.”Junior Colin Bertucci

THEY DID IT: Junior Connor Davis qualifies for the Skiing state finals in the Giant Slalom and manages a 19th place finish. Davis had been injured for much of the season yet still managed to finish the season on a high note.

THEY SAID IT:“I’m proud, it’s a good accomplishment. Not many people qualify and I still have a year left.”Junior Connor Davis

THEY DID IT: Junior Mariah Olthof finished 14th in the OK Red at the girls bowling confer-ence tournament. Olthof scored 1,027 to attain the place.

THEY SAID IT: “It felt good because out of 60 girls I got 14th. It is just a good accom-plishment and I am looking forward to next year.”Junior Mariah Olthoff

FEB. 26 March 4

FEB. 22 FEB. 20

MARCH13

(Clockwise from Left) CUTTING IT FINE: Girls basketball coach Katie Kowalcyzk-Ful-mer cuts down the net after her team defeated Hudsonville to wrap up a share of the OK Red Title on Feb. 26. photo by Amy Potter MAT MAN: Junior wrestler Colin Ber-tucci finished 8th at the state meet on March 4. photo by Allison Steggles STRIKE: The Buccaneer bowling squad completed its most successful season by advancing to the state meet. WAX JOB: Junior skier Conor Davis waxes his skis in preparation for a run in February. Davis finished 19th at the state meet. Photo by Nate Niemerowicz CELEBRATE: Hockey players Jake Kramer, Will VerDuin and Brandon Grevel cel-ebrate a goal. The team completed one of its most successful seasons with an 18-6-0-1 record, highlighted by a win over a team with Spring Lake players. photo by Emma Baty TWISTING IN THE WIND: Diver Mike Vaandering completes a complicated dive. Vaandering finished 4th at the state meet. courtesy photo

Friday, March 19, 2010 THE BUCS’ BLADE Sports 23

1

2 4 AMP THE BUCS’ BLADE Friday, March 19, 2010

“IT ISN’T FAIR BECAUSE THE OPPERTUNITY FOR A COLLEGE SCHOLAR-SHIP IS TAKEN AWAY. I’VE HEARD THAT IT MIGHT COME BACK, BUT I DOUBT IT” - junior Jordan Hoogerhyde

“WE WORKED HARD IN PREPERATION FOR THE MME. NOW THAT THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY IS GONE, NO-BODY IS TRYING” - junior Aliina Weykamp

“I THINK THE TEST WAS A WASTE OF TIME BECAUSE WE CAN’T EARN MONEY FROM IT. IT MIGHT MEASURE OUR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BUT WE DON’T GET ANY MONEY” -- junior Jake Carter

“I HAVE TWO JOBS TO PAY FOR LUNCHES, CLOTHES, GAS, MY CELL PHONE AND INSURANCE. I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE OUT ANOTHER LOAN NOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE” - senior Ben Perfect

THE TEST STILL COM-PARES OUR SCHOOL TO OTHERS IN THE STATE AND LETS US SEE WHERE WE FALL” - senior Austin Langlois

“AS A TAX PAYER, I UN-DERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT IT HELPED MY KIDS PAY FOR COL-LEGE, AND I HOPE ITS REINSTATED” - Gail Krug

How does the broken promise scholarship affect students?

The Squawk Box is a display of stu-dents and teachers views, told through Grand Haven’s own Bucky the pirate parrot. Students and teachers voice their particular stance on an issue and the amp staff records it. This months topic is the Michigan Promise Scholarship.

As the state economy flounders with a 15% unemployment rate and continuous auto-industry cuts,

public education has been placed on the back burner. One in particular is the Michigan Promise Scholarship. Before it was trimmed from the budget, students could earn up to $4000 for a college or

technical school. The amount of money earned was based on the Michigan Merit Exam, or the MME. The program was at one time a $100 million college-scholarship program. Possible solutions have been introduced such as a tax on bottled water, however no legislation in the house or senate has passed so far.