January 2008Issue 4Volume 2

newsmagazine

MONA SHORES MIDDLE SCHOOL I 1700 WOODSIDE I MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 49441

Sailors On the Scene

co-editors-in-chief:katie carlsonsam kuipers

photo editor:cole myhre

section editors:meghan bosmajustin mickelsoncourtney susterich

adviser:mike phillips

editorial board:michelle browerbeth prenticeamy stielstratammy sylvestertracie zimmer

lydia birchcourtney eatonbrianna gorylpaige gravesmiranda hersheypaul juarezkristine kieftnick kurburskistephanie langloiskatie romaniellodeshawn sargent jr.jennifer stegerashley veihlsam vidabreanna wilson

kailey bakerchantal balktrevor carlsoncody hammerlezach haughrae heslingbrianna hinesmckenzie hineskacey jacksonrobert langloislauren starkekadiey stressmantina triceconnor wernstromtony west

staff writers:

sai lors on the scene ~ staff

Page Two2

On

The

Coverphoto by: cole myhre

Cradles by eighth graders Emily Amrhein and Kendall Meyers. Mona Shores received a first place finish on December 13th, their first home meet in the six years the Sailors have had a team

In the Lead 3

by: rae hesling I staff writer

Mona Shores student gets an amazing opportunity

Eighth grade student Yihang Chu has an amazing musical talent and great drive.

Chu was born in Beijing, China and moved to America when he was two years old.

“We moved to America for a better education and my dad’s job,” Chu said.

Chu began playing the piano at five years old and continues to do so now at the age of twelve years old.

“I was inspired by a friend I admired ex-tremely well,” Chu said. “He was great at playing the piano and I wanted to see if I could play like him.”

He has piano lessons on Mondays after school and usually practices one hour a day during the week and two hours each day on the weekends.

“My piano teacher is Susan Tindall,” Chu said, “We mostly

work on pieces during lessons.”He has gone to the Awards Recital in Muskegon twice and

brought home a first place finish both times winning prize money.

“People come from all areas of Muskegon to play piano and get judged against each other. The recital is usually held in a church,” Chu said, “There are three judges and three prizes given. The first two prizes are cash prizes and the third one is honorable mention.”

Chu has had the chance to open for powerhouse pianist Angela Jia Kim when she came to visit the Frauenthal.

“They were looking for a stu-dent to open the show and my teacher, Mrs. Tindall, recom-mended me,” Chu said.

Our Voice

Now that the first semester has past, students get the opportunity to start out fresh. With some seventh and eighth graders switching classes, many students are happy about new teachers and new classmates. It also gives students an opportunity to start out with a new grade and be on the same pace as their classmates. When you start your new electives and don’t like them you have the option to change, but you might

not always get what you want. Teachers pre-fer that you stay in the class that you chose, if you do decide you want to change please talk to the guidance office as soon as possi-ble. After the first week of the new semester you they will not make anymore changes. Teachers begin teaching right away; if you change too late you will be behind in your new class and expected to make up the work. Now with the new semester there are

new things to look forward to and a chance to restart, let’s make it a great semester!

New semester, new opportunities

Our Voice is the opinion message selected by the five editors of the Sailors On the Scene newsmagazine.

courtesy photos

Mona Shores Middle School eighth grader Yihang Chu poses with powerhouse pianist Angela Jia Kim.

Chu performs to a full house at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Muskegon.

by: sam kuipers I co-editor and chief

Seventh grade science teacher puts his life on the line for student learning

Features4

Newton’s three laws have seventh grade students at awe, but not just for the learning experience.

Seventh grade science teacher Kevin Sylvester took a risk by lying on a bed of nails while having a brick smashed on his chest with only a thin board between him and the brick.

“When I was cleaning my classroom I found a tape about a scientist laying on a bed of nails and thought, if he could do it, I could do it too,” Mr. Sylvester said.

Using a sledge hammer, Mr. Levandoski struck Mr. Sylvester breaking the brick and leaving him unharmed and students wonder-ing why.

The reason for this is Newton’s three laws; the law of inertia, Force = mass x ac-celeration, and with every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.

“The brick is to show them all three laws and apply them back to the brick,” Mr. Sylvester said. “It makes it easy for the students to understand.”

It’s these types of learning experiences that get students excited to be in the class-room and learn new things.

“Its great when teachers make learn-ing this fun,” Mr. Levandoski said. “Who isn’t motivated to learn when they see their teacher hit with a sledge hammer on a bed of nails?”

Top: Seventh grade science teacher Mr, Sylvester reads a book while he gets hit by a sledge hammer by seventh grade science teacher Ms . Brink.Above: Mr. Sylvester strikes Mr. Bronsema while he lays on a bed of nails to teach students about Newtons law.

Civics class finds a way to help the communityby: deshawn sargent I staff writer

`Social Studies classes are doing a com-munity service project to make the city of Norton Shores a better place.

Each student has to do five hours of com-munity service.

“The project is good to help people that are needy. It’s just karma, what goes around comes around,” eighth grade social studies

teacher Kyle Kurant said. The students do need a signature for it to

count. If there is no signature, then it is not a grade. The name has to be legit, no faking.

There are many places that the students can do this. Some things that can be done to help are working at the Red Cross, volunteer time at a nursing home, latchkey

programs, or tutoring. The students can do this with other stu-

dents. But they each will need to do the five hours of community service.

“They can partner up, but have to do own presentation and project,” Mr. Kurant said.

photos by: cole myhre

Features 5

A group of nine Mona Shores students will be going on an eight night, nine-day trip to Costa Rica in June.

“We are going on this trip because it is educational and there will be tour guides explaining what we are seeing and the kids can learn more about Spanish,” Spanish teacher Kimberly Hagen said.

The cost is $1,850 per person including flight, all meals and hotel room.

“The trip is worth the money because we are going for nine days,” eighth grader Jes-sica Taylor said.

The students could make money for the trip by participating in the fund raisers that Mrs. Hagen is offering.

“The students sold subs, cookie dough, Subway coupons, and candy bars,” Mrs. Hagen said.

Mrs. Hagen is going to chaperone the trip, but if there are more than nine students going, her husband will go along.

“If nine students go, I will have another chaperone,” Mrs. Hagen said. “All the students that are going are good students, so I’m not worried.”

Although this is the first time she has chaperoned a class trip like this, she visited Costa Rica two and a half years ago.

“I’m very excited about this trip,” Mrs. Hagen said. “I went a few years ago and loved it.”

During the trip, they will see an active volcano, a rain forest, and a biological park with exotic animals.

“I am most excited to zip line through the jungle,” Jessica Taylor said.

Spanish trip provides education and relaxationby: chantal balk I staff writer

by: courtney eaton I staff writer

Two middle school students make and outstanding achievement in art class

Abby Wilson and Serena Gale–Butto got some of their artwork in the Frauenthal Theater in downtown Muskegon.

To get their artwork into the Frauenthal Theater they had to just send it in.

“Mrs. Helsen just picked up the artwork and took it to the Frauenthal.” Seventh grader Serena Gale–Butto said

Through the month of January the art-work will be at the Frauenthal Theater.

“Their artwork will be there through January,” art teacher Mrs. Helsen said.

The artwork that they have there are a couple different kinds; they are an oil pastel landscape of a waterfall and a graph draw-ing of bunny’s in coffee cups.

“I have an oil pastel landscape waterfall picture,” seventh grader Abby Wilson said.

Luckily with having their artwork in the Frauenthal Theater they didn’t have to give

up any activities because of doing their work in art class here at school.

“It took me about a week to finish,” sev-enth grader Serena Gale-Butto said.

Abby Wilson and Serena Gale-Butto got their artwork in the Frauenthal Theater.

courtsey photo

Giving Something Back To The Community

Opinions6

Eighth grade students are now doing a community service project in their social studies class to help out people in the local community.

Most students dread having to put five hours in doing a service for their commu-nity, but it might not be that bad after all. There can actually be a lot of positives that can come out of it.

Doing something for the community shouldn’t have to be a hassle. People should want to do it, not only because it makes oth-ers feel good, but because it makes you feel

good too. Say for instance you’re helping an elderly woman by shoveling her snow. This may not seem like much to you, but it will mean a lot to her.

There are so many things you can do that will benefit your community. Some exam-ples include: volunteering time at nursing homes, latchkey programs, helping out at local hospitals, tutoring someone, habitat for humanity or shoveling snow. It truly means a lot when you help someone else out. You might not always remember it, but they will, because it meant a lot to them.

Volunteering time in your community shows that you care about your society.

Many adults doubt how mature and re-sponsible teens are. By impacting your com-munity, you will help support it in a positive manner as well as being a good role model to others.

MSMS and MSHS Should Start School LaterWith everything go-

ing on in a teenager’s life, getting more sleep would be really benefi-cial and would lead to greater success.

MSMS and MSHS should have the same start time as the elemen-tary schools. With the homework we get, the

tests we have to study for, sports, and after school activities, we are getting into bed too late. When we finally do get to sleep, it seems like it’s only for five minutes and we’re reaching to shut off the alarm, then it’s off to school.

If we started school later, after school activities and school sports would start later

too. That means the students’ parents would be able to see their child participate in the activity or sport after they get out of work. Right now, many parents are missing their children’s games because they are still at work. Parents would like to support their children, but it’s hard when they can’t be there to see them perform.

It is a proven fact that older students, ages 12-18, need more sleep than younger chil-dren. 7:45 in the morning is too early, and even worse, the high school starts ten min-utes earlier. We should be getting nine and a half hours of sleep, and most students don’t even get seven. Going to bed way earlier isn’t the solution either, that can result in not studying as much as you should and try-ing to breeze through your homework and not actually understanding it.

If MSMS and MSHS had the same start time as the elementary schools, we wouldn’t be falling asleep in class, and we would actually be getting the amount of sleep that our bodies really need.

KristineKieft

BriannaHines

courtesy photos

Left: Eighth grader Rae Hesling helps to serve pancakes to classmates Stefanie LeMieux and Rilee Essenberg.Top: Hesling also helped bycleaning up afterwards.

www.harrisinteractive.com

Opinions 7

Eating meat Is animal abuse

Lunchroom rules starting to upset students

Dog fighting is against the law, yet someone can kill a cow and eat it. Some people say they disagree with animal abuse, but then they go home and eat a steak. Many don’t understand what the life of an ani-mal is before it hits your plate.

At many farms, chickens are only kept alive for eggs. People don’t realize that chickens live their lives in a cage to lay eggs. After a chicken is out of eggs, they are sent to a factory to be turned into your dinner. Some don’t even get to see daylight before their death.

When a hunter defends hunting, they might say that if hunting weren’t legal, deer

would cause many car accidents which could lead to human deaths. This is some-what true, but hunting animals is not fair. Some hunters don’t even hunt for food, they hunt for the pleasure of sport. In Nepal, a person can kill a leopard if they have tags and it is in season. But if a leopard kills a person, the leopard gets sentenced to death even if it was for self-defense.

Animal products are used in almost every type of food. Jell-O is one of the worst foods around. Two of it’s main ingredients are horse hooves and pig snouts. These are melted down to make gelatin, which is what gives Jell-O its jiggle. And does anyone really know what is in a hotdog? They are a processed meat that mainly includes pork, beef, chicken and turkey or a combination of all of them. Meats used in hot dogs come from the muscle of the animal or “variety

meats”, which include things like the liver, kidneys, or heart.

People don’t always understand that animals are not treated fairly. After all, an animal is alive and should still have the rights of life and pursuit of happiness. Animal abuse and killing animals for food should not be allowed, even if animals do “taste good”.

Mona Shores Middle School students have been complaining that they can’t be let outside during lunch when it’s warmer than in the morning; students are forced to stay outside in the freezing cold weather.

The temperature can get very low in the morning and rise about ten degrees in the afternoon. Around lunchtime, stu-dents should be able to handle the cold. If students can handle standing outside in the

morning, then they should be able to have fun outside during lunch.

Going outside during lunch would be the student’s choice. They may stay inside if they choose. Also, if students really wanted to go outside during lunch, they could bring their jackets with them to the cafeteria. Then, after they are done eating, they can go outside, the same routines as in fall and spring.

One reason why Mr. Levandoski doesn’t want students outside during lunch is be-cause there is ice on the ground, causing some students to get hurt. Also, most kids love to have snowball fights, but they can be very dangerous if you aren’t careful enough. Finally, Mr. Levandoski doesn’t want us outside because it’s just freezing cold. Low temperatures could risk hypothermia, or frostbite.

Most students would love to go outside during the winter. Everyone enjoys fun winter activities. That’s why students want to go outside during lunch. The majority of students state that they would rather go outside after lunch than stay inside or go to the gym.

KadieyStressman-Brandt

Stephanie Langlois

photo by: stephanie langloisMona Shores Middle School students yearn to be let outside during their lunch hour.

by: brianna goryl, nick kurburski, justin mickelson, ashley veihl

Center Section8

“ I LIKE SNOWbOARDING bECAUSE It’S COOL, fUN, AND ADRENALINE RUSHING.” - ADAM LINDStROM, GRADE 8

“ My fAVORItE WINtER ACtIVIty IS SLED-DING bECAUSE If yOU fALL ON yOUR fACE yOU WON’t GEt HURt.” - ALExIS LEAR, GRADE 7

“ I LOVE tO SKI EVERy WINtER bECAUSE It’S fUN AND yOU CAN ONLy DO It IN tHE WINtER.” - ERIKA VANDERLAAN, GRADE 6

?W

int

er

ACtI

VItI

ES

“My fAVORItE WINtER ACtIVIty IS pLAyING IN tHE SNOW AND HAVING SNOWbALL fIGHtS WItH ALL My fRIENDS.”

CHANtAL bALK

“SKIING IS My fAVORItE WINtER ACtIVIty bECAUSE It’S fUN AND EASy.”

CARLIN ROLLENHAGEN

“My fAVORItE WINtER AC-tIVIty IS SLEDDDING At tHE SUGAR bOWL.”

SELENA pERALES6tH GRADE

8tH GRADE

8tH GRADE

What

is Your

Favorite

Winter

activitY?

Center Section 9

asas

Do you think it is possible to fall in love at this age or not?

a necklace is one of many perfect gifts for valen-tines Day

WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HUG BECAUSE OF PDA, BUT SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO ON VALENTINES DAY?

SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO SHOW

PDA ON VALENTINES DAY? FOR

ExAMPLE, HOLDING HANDS.

Melted Chocolate is one of the worst gifts to get for valentines day.

What would be the per-fect gift for valentines day to get from your girlfriend?“A hug and chocolates”

-Trevor Carlson

Do you think it is possible to be in love at this age?“No, because we don’t know what love is.”

Should we be able to show PDA on valen-tines day?“Yes, because valentines day is a day to show PDA.”

What would be the perfect gift to get from your boy-friend for valentines day? “the perfect gift for valen-tines would have to be a necklace.”

Stephanie Langlois

Leeann Ronning

Jake Carlson

IS VALENtINES DAy IMpOR-tANt OR JUSt A pOINtLESS HOLIDAy?

ValentinesDay

Sailor Days10

What is the Best and Worst Valentines Day gift?

voices

Ryann Stone6th GRADE

“the best Valentines Day present would have to be chocolate. the worst gift would be a teddy bear.”

“Receiving chocolate and a teddy bear would be sweet. I would hate to receive nothing.”

Brianna Panici7th GRADE

“A good Valentines gift would be roses and a heart shaped letter. Receiving nothing would

be bad.”

“I would love it if someone made me a home-made gift. forgetting to get someone a

present would be bad.”

hallsfrom the

Angel Brooks8th GRADE

Cindy SoyarsLIFE MANAGEMENT TEACHER

Bryan Hendryx6th GRADE

“for Valentines Day i would like to receive chocolate. I wouldn’t like to receive a teddy bear.”

“for Valentines Day I would like to get roses. I would hate getting bad tasting chocolates from the dollar store.”

Joel Maire7th GRADE

“

“I like to receive the gift of love on Valentines Day and wouldn’t like being

dumped by someone.”

Ricky Matthews8th GRADE

Nick Bronsema7th AND 8th GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER

Students

of the month

Student-Athletesof the month

Lauren JohnsonCompetitive Cheer

How long have you been playing?1 year

Most memorable part of the season?“When we won our 1st place.”

Alex AamodtBasketball

How long have you been playing?4 years

Most memorable part of the season?“Going on a winning streak.”

Madi Deur8th Grade

Favorite Class:Science

Favorite TeacherMr. Buboltz & Mr. Kurant

Liam Huth8th Grade

Favorite Class:Science

Favorite TeacherMr. Buboltz

Sailor Days 11

Eric Zokoe

Charlie Brown

Other Cast Members

Maddie Fox

Lucy

Shea Wilcox

Sally

Carlin Rollenhagen

Schroeder

Donovan Wilcox

Linus

Kiron O’Brien

Snoopy

Main Characters

The show is best described as an average day in the life of Charlie Brown. It is a day made up of little moments picked from all the days of Charlie Brown, from Valentine’s Day to the baseball season, from

wild optimism to utter despair, all mixed in with the lives of his friends (both human and non-human) and strung together on the string of a single day, from bright uncertain morning to hopeful starlit evening.

Brian BoltonSkyla DavisConnor Deur

Madi Deur (Peppermint Patty)Franny Kromminga

Jonathan Lawton (Shermy)

Kellie McMahonAbbey MedemaAlex Pearson

Sean RushDevon Sargent (Pigpen)

Emily SchillaciMeredith Smith

Jasmyn WalkerKelley Wheeler (Frieda)

Regan WilcoxAbby Wilson

Claire Wilson (Marci)Hunter Zhao

YOUR A GOOD MAN

CHARLIE BROWN

by: paige graves I staff writer

Swim team dives into a new season

Sports12

Every Tuesday and Thursday the Mus-kegon swim team competes against other schools hoping that they will finish first.

The team is made up of boys and girls from both seventh and eighth grades, from Mona Shores, Bunker, Steele, and Reeths-Puffer.

“The advantages of having kids from different school is allowing them to make new friends and be able to swim if they don’t have a pool in their school,” coach Joe Panici said. “Not having the same time schedule for all the schools and transporta-tion are some of the biggest disadvantages.”

The following Shores students are on the swim team: Emily Brown, Rachel Hughes, Sam Jensen, Emily Johnson, Sam Kuipers, Katie Lynn, Keith Otto, Tyler Otto, Liz Paul, Paige Qualls, Jaclyn Shetterly, Erinn Taylor, Eleanor Tural, Kyle Wilson.

“Its fun swimming with different kids from different schools because you get to meet new people and make new friends,” eighth grader Sam Kuipers said.

Every Monday and Wednesday they prac-tice going over their strokes, such as free style, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke.

“Its kind of hard working on the differ-ent strokes at practice, but at the meets its way easier because your more pumped and ready,” seventh grader Kyle Wilson said.

At the meets they compete in two differ-

ent types of relays; one including the back-stroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle and the other is a freestyle only.

“I get pumped when I go to the meets because I’m trying to set a record which makes me want to work harder,” Kuipers said.

Having a swim team here at Mona Shores Middle School and competing with other schools is a great opportunity for students.

Many students these days play sports, are involved in other extra curricular activities, plus they have to manage school and homework. This makes it harder to concentrate on everything, not leaving enough time for your school work.

Many practices go until at least five o’clock, which doesn’t give students much time to study and do homework.

Sometimes after a road game, students may not get home until after eight o’clock or later waiting for a ride.

“It is pretty late when we get home and I’m usually tired,” seventh grader Jessie Anderson said.

According to www.web.utk.edu it has been studied and proven that the GPA’s of students that play sports are naturally lower than those who don’t.

Students who are involved in more that one sport after school, like volleyball and soccer for example, usually stay out of trouble and don’t have any discipline problems, according to www.web.utk.edu.

“You don’t get involved in bad activities because it keeps you active,” eighth grader David Garzelloni said.

So when student athletes participate in sports after school they tend to not

have the best grades but don’t have bad

discipline problems.

Student-Athletes don’t have enough time on the clockby: tony west I staff writer

Eighth grader Sam Kuipers approaches the edge of the starting blocks before the start of the 200 medley relay.

photos by: katie carlson

Eighth grader Trevor Bartkowiak is one of many students at MSMS that has to balance sports and schoolwork.

photo by: tony west

Seventh grader Ella Turrell gets a good push at the start of a back dive.

Sports 13

Mona Shores Competitive Cheer team competed in an exciting competition on December 13, at the middle school.

“The girls did excellent and I was very proud of them, I always am,” coach Shelly Dykstra said.

To begin round one, schools must per-form a ten point precision drill that consists of all of the girls moving in harmony.

“It gets confusing and everyone’s copying each other,” eighth grader Katie Romaniello said.

During round one, Shores completed a team back handspring, one of the four skills they have to do in round one.

“I feel nervous before, but I trust myself to stick it,” eighth grader Allie Mocere said.

During round one Kailey Baker pulled a muscle during her splits, but was back out on the floor in time for round two to do her back tuck.

“It hurt really bad especially because I had to finish the rest of round one,” eighth grader Kailey Baker said. “I still had to perform the rest of the skills and keep my facials so we wouldn’t get marked down.”

In round two, all of the four flyers per-formed a perfect scorpion stunt.

“It was kind of hard to learn it, but once you got your technique it is pretty easy,” seventh grader Lauren Johnson said. “I felt special doing it in front of everyone.”

The cheerleaders took home a first place medal at the first home competition in the

six years Shores has had a team.“I loved having a home competition

and it was great for the girls as well as the school,” coach Dykstra said. “It’s even bet-ter that we got first.”

Our Competitive Cheer Team is off to a great start after their first win at Holland Christian on December eighth.

“I went into the meet very excited but also very nervous,” coach Shelly Dykstra said.

Going into the meet with confidence helped the team get a successful win, giving them a brighter outlook on the season.

“I didn’t know how well we would do up until that day,” coach Dykstra said. “There were so many new girls and I wasn’t sure how well they would do.”

At the competition there were sixteen other schools competing, with only Reeths Puffer and Holland Christian as their big-

gest threats.“ The smaller schools such as Lowell, Al-

lendale and Coopersville were our smallest threats,” coach Dykstra said.

This year there were fifteen new girls that made the team, with them added to the team there is now thirty- one girls total on the squad.

“Competitive Cheer is much different than any other sport I’ve played,” new eighth grade teammate Erin Schaner said. “There is much more team work involved and I like that.”

Winning the first meet really gave our cheer team confidence, and have gone on to win their first six meets of the season.

Mona Shores Competitive Cheerleading takes home another first place

After first win, Competitive Cheer team headed for a great seasonby: mckenzie hines I staff writer

by: courtney susterich I section editor

photos by: cole myhreMSMS cheer team is doing their final counts of the precision drill. Eighth grader Emily Amherin shows off

her scorpion stunt.

Eighth grader Kailey Baker practices her

aerial after pulling her

muscle in round one.

Eighth grader Erin Schaner shows school pride with other teammates Allison Mocere, Lauren Carpenter, Heather Hoover, Taylor Smith and Julia Walsh

How to lose a guy in 10 daysEntertainment14

The 2003, hit romance movie, “How to lose a guy in 10 days,” shows how true love can be found even if your not trying.

Benjamin Barry, played by Matthew McConaughey, is an advertising executive ladies’ man, and Andie Anderson, played by Kate Hudson, known as the “How to girl” for the hit magazine “Composure.” He puts out a bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days, while she gets assigned to write an article on “How to: lose a guy in 10 days.”

Shortly after the bet is made and the article is assigned the couple meet at a lo-cal restaurant. By their first impression, he thinks she’s the perfect woman, while on the other hand she thinks he’s the perfect article topic, but neither of them know what the real meaning behind it really is.

After a week of dating, Ben and Andie realize that their feelings for each other are no longer a joke. When Benjamin takes Andie as his date to promote his advertising for a jewelry line, the real truth behind it all comes out. Andie decides to rewrite the ar-ticle on how her feelings have changed over the whole experience. When Ben reads the

article, he sees in her opinion the relationship is over, but with the heart he has, he stops her before her interview in Washington DC. They realize now there not in it just for the games.

The movie is based on the book “How to lose a guy in 10 days: The universal do’s and don’ts of dating” by Jeanie Long and Michele Alexander. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, takes the safer route, working overtime to send everyone home happy and smiling and bursting with goodwill,” said Salon Reviews.

How to lose a guy in 10 days is the per-fect romantic-comedy that is sure to keep you smiling.

Get on your sled and rideSnowmobiles are

and have been a fun and interesting activity, sport, and transportation since 1916.

Riding snowmobiles are a way to forget about all the drama in your life and just have fun with your friends.

At some places a tour guide take you and your friends along a trail for a day of having fun on snowmobiles. There are even trails close to us, with miles of trail starting in Hart and Hesperia. The trail also goes through Sullivan, Updyke, Ravenna, and Twin Lake.

Some of the top brands of snowmobiles consist of Skidoo, Artic Cat, Polaris, Alpina, and Yamaha. A new 2007 Polaris FSTIQ Specification is at the price of $9,399 while

a new Yamaha Genesis 150FI reaches upwards of $10,799. Although prices may seem high, snowmobiles can last a long time so the money is worth it. They are an important part of the economy to, with citizens from the US and Canada spending over 28 billion dollars each year, and small rural areas make money off of snowmobile tourism.

The three main ways to ride a snow-mobile are snow cross/racing, trail riding, and mountain climbing. Snowmobiles are designed to operate on snow, sleet, or ice and are able to go off jumps and absorb the impact by having shocks that take most of the bounce away.

Snowmobiles newer then 2007 can reach a speed of 100 miles per hour in just six sec-onds in a drag race. Those 2007 snowmo-biles can reach a top speed of 120 miles per hour top speed, while racing snowmobiles

can reach a speed of 180 miles per hour.Riding fast and free is one of many exit-

ing features of riding snowmobiles.

TrevorCarlson

MeghanBosma

www.allmoviephoto.com

Kate Hudson staring as Andie Anderson and Matthew McConaughey staring as Benjamin Barry show how true love can be found even if your not trying.

Snowmobilers taking a break on one of many Michigan trails.

www.lakegogebic.com

Entertainment 15

Most teens usually go to the Cinema Carousel and spend lots of money that their parents worked hard for, but there is an alternative, it’s called the Plaza 1 and 2.

The cost for a ticket at the Cinema is nine dollars for anyone over 13 and seven dollars for anyone under 13 while the Plaza is only $2.50 no matter what your age. If your go-ing to bring a friend to the Cinema and your friend cant pay, you would have to cough up about 30 dollars.

The Plaza is located next door to Burger King and TCBY and also KFC so if you want a cheap dinner and a movie, the Plaza is the place for you. The only advantages that the Cinema offers is that it is located near gas stations, but you have to cross a busy road which can be dangerous at night.

At the Cinema teens are roughly paying about $2.50 just for a pack of M&M’s. The Cinema does have a greater variety of food, but the Plaza is less expensive with their selections.

So if you’re bored in the winter just grab a couple of dollars, call up some friends, and head up to the Plaza for some inexpen-sive entertainment.

save some money by going to the plaza 1 & 2

The Plaza 1&2 in an inexpensive and overall great movie theatre to catch a good movie with friends or to spend quality time with family

During this years winter students are find-ing a new fun sport to try called snow skating.

It all began in 1944 when fearless profes-sional snow boarder, Andy Wolf, struck an idea for skateboards on snow. Andy put his love for skateboarding

and snowboarding together and created the visualization for the worlds first ever snow skate. A snow skate is a skateboard on snow.

During this winter season many students have tried snow skating or bought one. Also, if you couldn’t afford paying for a snow skate you can use a skateboard. Take off the trucks and wheels and sand down the bottom and use it as a snow skate. The equipment for snow skating has pretty reasonable prices. Shoes for the snow skates can help your grip and land better tricks for fifty dollars or more. The most popular brands for snow skating shoes are Vans.

For a beginner board, go with any pre-mier board under $50. The Fortus is under $50 and a good board for a beginner into the sport. There are two different kinds of snow skates, double deck and single deck. The double decks are more for carving and rid-ing down slopes and are little more expen-

sive then the single decks. The single snow skates are for flatland tricks and grinding rails for a better price then a double deck snow skate.

You can pretty much buy the snow skates online or at some stores close to town. MC Sports just sells single deck snow skates. Chapter 11 sports sells double deck and single deck snow skates. The double decks that they sell are GNU snow skates. MC Sports sells just Premier snow skates.

Snow skating is a very inexpensive sport and it is very entertaining with your friends.

Many students are hitting the hills with snow skates

During a recent winter storm eighth grader Ethan Kemp rides his snow skate.

photos by: cody hammerle

Many students enjoy the freedom that snow skates offer over a restrictive snow board.

www.cinematour.com

Cody Hammerle

PaulJuarez

16 Photo Story

W.W.N.D?What Would Newton Do?

Mr. Sylvester trusts Newton's Law so much,

he put his life on it.

On the last demonstrtion, Mr. Sylvester gave everyone a surprise and put Mr. bronsema’s life on the line to prove his point. It’s not just his muscles protecting him, but Newton’s Law.

Mr. Bronsema takes a hit for science.

Clockwise from above:

tyler brown and trever Rou-son are mesmerized when they felt the sharp nails.

Jake Carlson, Megan Moran, Lucas Zhoa, and Sam Myarl anxiously wait for Mr. Sylvester to be crushed.

Grant Januska nervously waits to see if Mr. Sylvester will have a free acupuncture or come out unharmed.

Lucas Zhao, and Hunter peer are intriged when Mr. Sylvester takes a nother clean hit and lives.

Jake Lund, Lucas Zhao, and Kyle bos laugh at Mr. Sylvester when he threw a potato right through the sharp nails.

Mr. Sylvester graciously helps Mr. bronsema up after his turn under the hammer.