Bromances are the true friendships

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by Feature • Tags: ,

Annemarie David’ 13
Staff

It is true. It is honest. It is real. It is close. It is love. There is no fakeness. There is no bad talk behind each others back. It is a bromance.

A true bromance between two guys is something special. It’s not something that can be found everywhere. It’s something that has to be searched for.

Best friends forever: Jason Vietti ’13 and Cody Anes ’13 can laugh together about everything. They met each other six years ago.

Best friends forever: Jason Vietti ’13 and Cody Anes ’13 can laugh together about everything. They met each other six years ago.

Jason Vietti ‘13 and Cody Anes ‘13 both say that they have a bromance. Not only do they describe their friendship as one, their classmates do too: Vietti and Anes won the senior mock elections for Bromance.

They have known each other since 6th grade. Since then, they have become almost inseparable.

It was a bus ride home that their friendship started. Vietti realized that Anes rode the same bus as he did so he started talking to him. A simple bus ride changed both of their lives. It gave both of them a best friend.

“He knows everything about me, and I know everything about him”, says Anes.

“We are best friends forever; we hang out almost every day,” tells Vietti.

They do everything together: talk all night long, work out, play video games. They never get bored of each other, and they know that they can count on each other in every situation.

“I would go into fire for Jason, and I know he would do the same for me,” tells Anes.

Arguments? They don’t even know how to argue with each other.

“We never really argue. The only thing we “argue” about is video games and who is better: XBox or PS3. That’s all we argue about,” explains Vietti.

Both are sure that they won’t lose contact with each other after they go their separate ways to college. They’ve gone through thick and thin, and a true friendship overcomes everything, even long distance.

“We are friends forever,” states Anes.

Vietti and Anes aren’t the only bromance at CSHS. Dereck Sissell ‘13 and Steven Kern ‘13 are also best friends.

They met in first grade, but their friendship started nine years later during their freshmen year. It took nine years to find each other. But now, they can’t even imagine being without each other.

It is a love for acting that connects them; both are very involved in theatre. They have been doing theatre all through high school.

“We are always together and love each other, and we can have fun together,” states Sissell.

“Sweezy [Sissell] is an easy person to get along with,” explains Kern. “We mostly just scream a lot of nonsense at each other, but for some reason we understand what all the nonsense means.”

Sissell and Kern are both sure that they will be always there for each other in every situation.

“Dereck is going into the Army. I’ll write him letters. It will become a major motion picture sequel to “Dear John”, but titled “Dear Sweezy”, tells Kern.

None of them could live without their other half.

A bromance gives each of them a brother and a best friend. It gives them a foundation when they don’t know what to do; it gives them a person they can call in the middle in the night, knowing he will listen to them; it gives them a friend for life.

Fundraiser for Cedar Springs Varsity Softball

by In Brief • Tags: ,

Kendra Coons ’14
Staff

The Cedar Springs varsity softball team is in desperate need of new dugouts. In order to try and reach this goal, the team has started selling subs from Story’s Fresh Meats and Deli. Turkey and ham will be the choices offered at $4. If anyone would like to purchase a sub, contact any of the JV or varsity softball players. The fundraiser ends on Monday, Mar. 25. The subs will be delivered Saturday, Apr. 13 at the CSHS varsity softball field during the Red Hawk Invite. Please help out the softball program!

Sleep Deprivation: It’s an avoidable trap

by School • Tags: , ,

Kenzie Weiler ’15
School Editor

I am going to describe the process of waking up on a typical school morning for the average teenager. It goes something like this…..the alarm sounds and buzzes at a high pitched squeak to your unprepared ears. Groggily, you slam your hand in the direction of your alarm clock, attempting to hit the snooze without wasting the energy it takes to lift up your head or open your eyes. What seems like a brief time later, it blares again at an even higher intensity, and you slam your hand with even greater aggravation. Why are mornings like a World War between you and your alarm clock? It’s simple: you just want to sleep.

Sleep deprivation is an alarming trend that barges through the teenage culture. This lack of sleep can be attributed to the lengthy list of commitments on the plate of a high school student. Among this list are occupations, homework, sports, clubs, household duties, and social time.

“I feel as though I have to get everything done in order to sleep without feeling stressed out,” voices Courtney Alvesteffer ’14.

Balance can be problematic, especially for students who participate in a variety of activities. Many students express that between an AP homework load, a sports practice, and an after school club, sleep is not a priority. It may not appear valuable at the moment, but many students are unaware and uneducated about the benefits of sleep.

“Sleep consolidates memory and turns [your] short term memories into long term ones,” adds Alvesteffer.

Many students are under the false impression that staying up late to cram information for a test will aid your memory, but they are wrong. In fact, that is the worst thing you can do. Sleep is vital in order to retain everything that you have stored. Sleep not only affects the educational aspect of your day, but also your emotional awareness and overall mood.

“[When I am tired,] I am less compassionate and grumpier,” says Julie Schut ’15.

The effects of a solid night’s sleep have far-reaching benefits that improve physical and emotional heath alike.

Some students at CSHS have the luxury of dual enrollment for the first hour of the day. This means that these individuals are not required to be at school until 8:51, for the beginning of 2nd hour classes. Jason Vietti ’13 falls into this catergory.

“It is nice not having a first hour class. [I can sleep in until] about 8:00,” states Vietti.

Vietti knows that this extra sleep aids his school life and work, making him appreciate it more.

Sleep deprivation is a common diagnosis, but it can be prevented. Late nights make the morning battle of getting up an even tougher fight. So next time you are texting your significant other into the late hours, or cramming for that AP Lit test, remember to sleep and gain the benefits it loyally provides. Who knows, maybe you and your alarm clock could become friends after all.

Students putting their words into actions: CSHS begins to diet

by Opinion • Tags:

Shannon Leal ’14
Staff

Winter happens to be the perfect excuse to hide out in big comfy sweaters all season. It is the season where you don’t have to worry about your shape because your sweats and pull-over sweater don’t show anything.

Spring is now creeping around the corner, and sweats and sweaters are starting to be shed. Spring comes right before Summer and you know what that means: late nights, shorts, and the ever-dreaded swimsuit. All of this seems to have created another season between the two: Diet Season.

The idea of being on a diet is floating around in your head, but sitting on the couch watching your favorite television show is not helping. Whether it be Weight Watchers, calorie counting, or just cutting down on certain foods, they are all putting your goal into action.

First off, you have to find motivation. Think of that one thing you want most and strive for it. There are different things that motivate different people.

“The end results are what motivate me,” shares Morgan Bennett ‘14.

Keeping that picture of your finished look is a good thing to keep in your mind.

“I would like to be more confident,” states Amanda Wakeland ‘13.

Once you find that one thing pushing you to become healthier, everything starts to change. In order to get the results you want, you have to maintain your diet. It is not a week-long thing where you then go back to old bad habits.

“The hardest thing about a diet is making the commitment,” states Sean Murphy ‘15.

Actually sticking to a diet is the hardest part. It is easy to give up and go back to eating unhealthy foods, but you have to commit to remain healthy.
“You have to be willing to work hard,” explains Wakeland.

Doing exercise is also involved in losing weight. You have to push yourself to run, or lift weights everyday.

“When calorie counting, you literally have to account for every piece of food you eat, even if it’s a piece of cheese,” explains Bennett.

The total amount: Morgan Bennett ’14 is putting her total number of calories in her calorie counting app on her phone. She used the app, Lose it, and lost 15 pounds.

The total amount: Morgan Bennett ’14 is putting her total number of calories in her calorie counting app on her phone. She used the app, Lose it, and lost 15 pounds.

Dieting is definitely a hard task, but not impossible. Wakeland made herself strict, yet effective rules for her diet.

“No pop, no candy, healthy foods only, daily exercise, and not eat[ing] when I get bored,” shares Wakeland.

Dieting can be a healthy choice, but it can also be an unhealthy choice. Current society puts a lot of pressure on teens to look a certain way, convincing teens that if they are not as thin as a pole, then they are overweight. This is false. Society is putting the wrong idea of “beautiful” in teen’s brains.

“Skinny is not what defines beauty. Confidence is key. Don’t diet because you’re pressured by society to look a certain way. You’re already beautiful. Diet because you want to be healthier,” advises Bennett.

Dieting should not be used as a self-harm to get the so-called “picture perfect” look, it should be used to become healthier.

Murphy shares a similar thought, “Dieting looks like a chore, but really it’s just a habit you develop. It’s not about how you look to others, it’s about being happy about yourself.”

Order your senior shirts!

by In Brief • Tags: ,

Hannah Wight ’13
Staff

Third trimester has started, and that means only 10 weeks of school left for the seniors.  For those who would like to own a ’13 class shirt, the deadline for purchases is this Friday, March 8.  The deadline was extended to allow for more seniors to get their orders in.  The clothing will be black with red and white writing, along with the typical ’13 on the back, containing the signatures of your classmates.  T-shirts are $10, crew necks are $15, hoodies are $20, and any XXL size costs $2 extra per item.  Place money and the order form in an envelope.  This can be dropped off to red box outside of Mrs. Holmes’s room or in the office.  Seniors, don’t miss out on the chance to wear your class shirt!

Varsity boy’s basketball senior night a let-down for class of 2013

by Sports • Tags: ,

Emma Kauffman ’13
Feature Editor
A cheering crowd, a tunnel of cheerleaders, crying parents and a reminiscent coach. Robert Klein ’13 and Kyle Longcore ’13 remember clearly how exciting past senior nights have been for the CSHS varsity basketball team. Unfortunately, their own senior night will never be included in those memories.

Senior night, Friday, Feb. 26, went differently than past years. During the varsity boys half-time, Coach Scott Taylor gave each of the girls a rose and brought them to center court. Once he announced their future plans and listed their many talents, the four girls took the microphone and thanked the crowd, their parents and coaches.

And then it was the boys’ turn.

“It wasn’t really the same as it’s been in the past with stuff that he’s done, but with a different coach I guess you can expect that” said Klein.

The boys wandered out of the locker room and to center court, and while the crowd chatted away, the class of 2013 senior night commenced.

“I could barely hear him [Coach Jeff Patin] standing right next to him, and everyone was talking” explained Klein.

The boys were disappointed with the way the evening went. Coach Jeff Patin began coaching this year, and did not have the history and memories with the boys that past coaches have had.

“He basically said the same thing about both of us, that we both worked really hard, and came to practice every day,” commented Klein, “Knowing that there were only two seniors on the team that we’d have to step up and be team leaders.

In past years, the whole student section would come down on the court and make a tunnel for the senior team members to walk though. The coach would talk about each of them for at least three minutes before the game.  All of the seniors got to start.

“I wish Kyle would have gotten to start, because he’s worked hard, and we were all expecting him to, and I saw that he wasn’t, and I felt bad for him.” said Klein.

Senior athletes are highly recognized in Cedar Springs. Many of them have been contributing to their various programs for many years, and are a large presence in the community. Although Longcore wasn’t able to start, he was more upset about the negative connotations of this year’s senior night.

“There were only two of us; Robert and I, so it felt like we were overlooked, or nobody cared about us.”

The lights shimmer on a young star

by Arts & Entertainment • Tags: , ,

Alex Vega ’13
Staff

Each year when students, parents, and staff attend the high school’s theatre productions, they expect to see familiar faces in the leading roles when they sit in their seats to watch the performance. But this year’s musical, Annie, may be a bit of a shocker for everyone outside of the cast. When auditions were held, they were opened to grades seven to twelve. This year’s lead, Annie, was casted to a seventh grader, Kaley Louck ‘18, something that has never happened before.
When Louck heard that auditions were open to middle school students, she decided that she had to audition. When the cast list was released, Louck assumed something completely different.
“I was really excited for my audition, but I was in shock when the list came out. I didn’t think a seventh grader would get a lead,” says Louck.
The day rehearsals started, Louck had a few nerves, like anyone would, but now she enjoys participating each day. She is also anticipating her first performance.
“I was shy for the first rehearsal, because I didn’t know anyone, [but] rehearsals are fun now. All of the high schoolers are really nice,” says Louck. “I think I’m going to be a little nervous because of the audience, but I can’t wait,” she adds.

So far, Louck loves the whole process of the theatre. She has strong feelings about being in a high school production but ultimately loves what she gets to do.

Louck’s shares “I feel special being in a high school musical, I love singing and acting. I just love being on stage.”

Maroon 5 reigns at the Palace

by Arts & Entertainment • Tags: , ,

 Kaitlyn Caron ’13
Staff

Love flourished at the Auburn Hills Palace on Valentine’s Day—love for Maroon 5, that is. The band took over their M-shaped stage on February 14th and wooed many of their audience members with some of their classic love songs, such as “She Will Be Loved” and “Won’t Go Home Without You.” Their set list was excellently balanced between new songs and older (but still recognizable) tunes.

The band found several ways to keep the audience engaged throughout the night. The lights on the stage were in sequence with the lights on the drums and the backdrop. The theatrics were very well-executed and kept the crowd members on their feet. They played a romantic acoustic version of “She Will Be Loved” that was very well-performed. They also put a twist on “Harder to Breathe” by using a Skrillex intro.

Their lead singer, Adam Levine, interacted well with the audience by playing a game of call-and-response in between songs and turning “She Will Be Loved” into a round. Levine teased the audience by slowly unbuttoning his shirt during “One More Night,” only to disappoint his die-hard fans by revealing another shirt underneath it.

One more night: Adam Levine crosses the bridge from the main M-shaped stage to an island platform in the middle of the crowd. The band played an even mix of song from all of their albums on Valentine’s Day. Photo by Katie Nylaan.

One more night: Adam Levine crosses the bridge from the main M-shaped stage to an island platform in the middle of the crowd. The band played an even mix of song from all of their albums on Valentine’s Day. Photo by Katie Nylaan.

The band’s outfits coordinated nicely with the occasion though; they all wore identical red button-up shirts and red skinny jeans to express their love for their fans. The shirts they were selling for the concert were almost as cute as the matching set of boys onstage. However, the shirts were a little pricey. The cheapest t-shirts were $35, and they sold like hot cakes. Many audience members had to lap the building a few times to find a booth that held a specific t-shirt in their desired size.

Besides this, the only short-coming to the night was the fact that Adam Levine’s undershirt remained on him throughout the entire performance. With that, I give Maroon 5’s Overexposed tour a solid A-.

Give Blood!

by School • Tags: , , ,

Alyssa Alger ’15
Staff

This year the blood drive at Cedar Springs is Tuesday, February 26 from 8 am to 1:30 pm in the Media Center. They would love to see as many people as possible donate. If you’re considering donating, use this checklist to make sure you’re ready to go.

Graphic by Sabrina Wheeler '13

Graphic by Sabrina Wheeler ’13

List courtesy of Michigan Blood.

List courtesy of Michigan Blood.

 

Behind the scenes of high school partiers

by Feature • Tags: , ,

Molly Holtrop ’13
Staff

It’s late Saturday. The night is young and full of high expectations. The cool summer breeze flows through the open windows of the car, streaming in with the pounding music. Thoughts are blurred, and adrenaline is pulsing. The winding road seems unending as they slowly reach their destination, a destination where drugs and alcohol are the main attractions; a high school party.

“I started partying when I was a freshman because of senior influences. Everything was so new to me that I just did whatever my friends did, which was party,” states senior, *Regina.

High school generally holds many vulnerabilities for its newcomers. Freshman year is very difficult for some. It pushes comfort zones and conveys new experiences. The act of fitting in becomes a must. This is when partying comes into play.

“The classes ahead of me were really big partiers. I guess that’s why I wanted to try it. They made it look like so much fun,” says senior, *Gretchen.

After partying once, it became something like a habit for these girls. Now partying means nothing more than a good time for these high school students.

“It’s fun to have all of your friends in one place. Everyone’s always having a good time in a drama free and stress free atmosphere,” states Regina.

Most high school students stay far away from the party life because of one word: consequences. However, for these girls, getting in trouble is something they don’t think they have to worry about.

“I’m smart when I party. You just have to trust everyone you’re with and you won’t get caught. There’s really no chance of getting into trouble,” says Gretchen.

On the opposite end of this, senior *Karen, has seen firsthand the troubles that come with partying.

“Getting caught made me realize my priorities and what’s important to me. I have to put things before parties, and now I think about the choices I make before I make them,” states Karen.

Parents also play a major role in why some students’ party and others do not. In some situations the parents even know their child is partying, but have learned to accept it.

“At first they had no idea I was partying. When they found out, I just started to lie about it. I had to. Eventually, they gave up trying to stop me from something that was going to happen. Now I just do it whenever I want,” says Regina.

All in all, Regina and Gretchen have little regrets about partying. They agree that partying has not affected their lives negatively. Yet, these girls have never once experienced getting an MIP or being ineligible for a big game. Nor have they lost a best friend to drunk driving or gone through alcohol poisoning. The negative possibilities while partying are endless.

“If I could go back I wouldn’t change anything. I would party even harder because I’m young and I’m living the life while I can,” states Gretchen.

The choice is different for everyone. However, certain choices lead to certain outcomes. The results can have long lasting effects on students’ lives.

Karen says, “I realize now that some things in life are far more important than a shot or two at a party.”