The Sailors' Log (March 2021)

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EAGLE has landed

Senior April Bowlin became the first Muskegon County girl to gain Eagle Scout status in January 2021. At least one other Sailor has attained the Boy Scout’s highest rank and two others are nearing completion. – page 11

re o h nS o t or •N

2 March 18, 2021

editorial

Two families, one story

Cooper family: Mallory Cooper, Mark Cooper, Sara Cooper, Stella Cooper, and Maya Cooper.

Sewick Family: (front) Scott Sewick and Kristen Sewick. (back) Maya Cooper, Alison Sewick, Samantha Sewick, Madison Sewick, Mallory Cooper.

Benefits of divorce take time to appear

D

ivorce sucks. There, I said it. However, as I’ve grown older, I’ve discovered that I have gained valuable people in my life because of it.

I have become a part of a blended family, gaining more loved ones and a more eventful homelife.

My parents divorced Column when I was in third by Maya grade, and I thought it Cooper, was the end of the world.

The change from seeing staff writer both parents everyday to going days without seeing either my mom or my dad had a big impact on my life.

Now that I am older, I can reflect on all of the positives that have happened to my life because of it. My family has grown, and I have more people who love and care about me. Both my dad’s and mom’s houses have become blended families, and I have gained caring step parents and siblings.

My mom’s family is now a blended family of my mom, my sister, and me with my step-dad and his three girls Editor-in-Chief Bailey Graham Managing Editor Emily Kuznar Staff Holli Brus Delaney Buckner Maya Cooper Mia Dickson

In the beginning, it was weird having three new girls in the house and it not being just my sister and me anymore.

But we have all grown close, and it is fun having siblings in the house close to my age whom I can relate to.

All three of my step-siblings (Ali Sewick, sophomore; Samantha Sewick, junior; and Maddie Sewick, 2018 graduate) attend or attended Shores.

Ali is in the same grade as me, which can sometimes create conflict between us. From being in the same classes and having some of the same friends, we see each other all the time. This was a difficult adjustment to make, but I ended up gaining a great friend from it.

The term “blended family” has a different meaning at my dad’s because my step-mom didn’t have any kids of her own when they got married. We were a four person family, which didn’t change my life that much since it was still only me and my sister.

A year ago, my dad and step-mom told us they were going to be having a baby. When we first found out my stepmom was pregnant, we were shocked because there was going to be a major Mike Meekhof Olivia Nunnery Grace Opsommer Maddox Schaner-Follett Ali Sewick Samantha Sewick Brady Whalen Adviser Warren Kent III

age difference between all of us.

Our four person family was now coming to an end. The semi-normality of it just being me and my sister would change forever, and this took awhile to adjust too.

After she was born though, none of that mattered. We saw she had features just like us, and it set in that we had a new actual sister. Seeing and hearing the comparisons of her now and me as a baby makes it all feel more real.

My family could not imagine our lives without her. I can’t even remember a time when it was just us four, and it has only been three months.

I’m grateful to be able to remember these young years of Stella’s life.

My life with these blended families has become my new normal. Within all the negatives of bringing my stuff from my mom’s house to my dad’s house constantly or missing the family I’m not with at the time, I couldn’t imagine my life without any of these people.

I learned there are a lot of benefits that come with this tough situation.

You know, maybe divorce doesn’t suck as much as I thought.

The Sailors’ Log

our voice

One year later, we are still figuring things out A‌ ‌little‌ ‌more than ‌a‌ ‌year‌ ‌ago‌, ‌the Shores community was‌‌shocked‌‌to‌‌find‌‌out‌‌we‌‌would‌not ‌be‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌school‌ ‌for‌ ‌four‌ ‌weeks‌ ‌due‌ ‌to‌ ‌COVID.‌ ‌ Everyday‌ ‌expectations‌ ‌of‌ ‌being‌ ‌a‌ ‌student,‌ ‌teacher,‌ ‌and‌ ‌even‌ ‌citizen‌ ‌were‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌air.‌ Everything we had ever known was changed in an instance.

Confusion‌ ‌and‌ ‌astonishment‌ ‌are‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ ‌ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌it.‌ ‌ ‌ Little‌ ‌did‌ ‌we‌ ‌know‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌time‌ ‌it‌ ‌wouldn’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌just‌ ‌a‌ ‌short‌ ‌four-week‌ ‌break,; ‌this‌ ‌“break”‌ ‌lasted‌ ‌ the‌ ‌rest‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌school‌ ‌year‌ ‌and‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌next.‌ ‌Online‌ ‌schooling‌ ‌is‌ ‌no‌ ‌longer‌ ‌unfamiliar‌ ‌to‌ ‌any‌ ‌ student‌ ‌or‌ ‌teacher.‌ ‌ We‌ ‌have‌ ‌all‌ ‌spent‌ ‌our‌ ‌time‌ ‌in‌ ‌isolation.‌ ‌A mask‌‌has‌‌become‌‌a‌‌part‌‌of‌‌an‌‌outfit; ‌and‌‌life,‌‌in‌ ‌general,‌‌is‌‌different.‌‌‌ COVID-19‌ ‌has‌ ‌brought‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌life‌ ‌changes,‌ ‌and‌ ‌we‌ ‌are‌ ‌sure‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌more‌ ‌to‌ ‌come.‌ ‌ It seems that everytime one thing gets better, another thing goes wrong.

There‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌negatives‌ ‌like‌ ‌stay-athome‌ ‌orders‌ ‌and‌ ‌distance‌ ‌from‌ ‌loved‌ ‌ones,‌ ‌and‌ ‌ the‌ ‌obvious‌ ‌concern‌ ‌of‌ ‌health‌, ‌but‌ ‌maybe‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌all‌‌find‌‌the‌‌best‌‌of‌‌these‌‌situations.‌‌‌ Many‌ ‌Sailors‌ ‌have‌ ‌found‌ ‌ways‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌their‌ ‌extra‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌good‌ ‌use‌ ‌like‌ senior ‌Grant‌ ‌Gergen‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌dedication‌ ‌to‌ ‌his‌ ‌many‌ ‌Lego‌ ‌sets‌ ‌and‌ ‌Spanish teacher Nate‌ ‌Johnston‌ ‌who‌ ‌has‌ ‌found‌ ‌more‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌fast-growing‌ ‌son,‌ ‌never‌ ‌missing‌ ‌a‌ ‌beat.‌ With so much changing around us, we should all take a moment to look inward and appreciate ourselves for getting through everything this past year has thrown at us. We have all battled through isolation, devastation, and dissatisfaction.

Now, we are going into the final trimester of the first full COVID school year Sailors have gone through, and now, we will all be back together four days a week, starting Monday.

It is as important as ever to be on our A-game and continue to grind to be better than we were.

We have all gone through a lot, but it’s what we learn from our struggles that will make us better people when all is said and done.

The Sailors’ Log is a public forum for student expression distributed freely to students and faculty of Mona Shores High School.

Our Voice is the opinion message selected by the editorial staff of The Sailors’ Log. Your Voice is the letters to the editor section. All letters to the editor must be signed.

How to communicate with the staff: • Email: kentw@monashores.net • Website: www.thesailorslog.com • Facebook: Mona Shores Publications This edition of The Sailors’ Log was printed by the Argus-Press 201 E. Exchange St. Owosso, MI 48867

The Sailors’ Log

From T he Six of Crows is the first book in this duology, meaning the series consists of two books. The story takes place in Ketterdam aka, The Barrel: a hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price – and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. Think Ocean’s 11 but with magical powers. This is truly my favorite duology I’ve ever read; the way Leigh Bardugo writes gives the reader a full grasp of each individual character and insight on their differing personalities is extremely interesting. It was exciting to see that two of the main characters are strong, level-headed women who can fight and take care of themselves. It was just enough womenempowerment without that being the main theme in the book. The constant up and downs in this book made it so much more intriguing. It’s a book that just does not get put down. Every chapter was important, and none of them gave the feeling of a “filler chapter.” While the beginning seemed to start slowly, this was an entertaining and fast-paced read that will definitely get someone out of a reading slump. Rating: 4/5

review

March 18, 2021

Top Shelf

One of Us is Lying follows five high school students who all happen to land a detention the same day. The only problem?

One of them doesn’t make it out alive. As a huge fan of The Breakfast Club, I loved the concept of five characters with different personalities meeting in detention.

One of my favorite things about this book was the fact that each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective. However, some of the characters were boring and didn’t bring much to the table. I’m thrilled to watch this book become a soon-to-be released series coming at some point in 2021 on Peacock TV. For those who love thriller and mystery books, I would definitely recommend this book. Rating: 3/5

Books do not only tell beautiful stories told from multiple perspectives, but they also take readers to places they would’ve never discovered. The writing industry is a predominantly male industry, but each of these books are written by women, who are New York Timesbestselling authors. From a female’s perspective, seeing women who are not only successful in general, but are successful in a male-dominated field, is inspiring and can be seen by young women as encouragement to do what they dream of doing.

Reviews by Ali Sewick, staff writer

Red, White and Royal Blue tells the story of Alex ClaremontDiaz, the First Son and whose mother is the President of the United States, and Henry, who is a Prince of England.

When the english tabloids get their hands on a photo of an Alex/Henry altercation, the two must stage a truce after their long-standing rivalry for not only their reputations, but also their countries. Let it be known that I HATE typical romance books. I find myself predicting the ending from the very first chapter. With that being said, this YA book was absolutely adorable and full of realistic characters that were navigating

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The story Between Shades of Grey takes places in 1941 and is narrated by a young girl named Lina. One night when Soviet officers barge into her home, they take her, her brother and her mother to a labor camp in Siberia to fight for their freedom and their lives. I’m definitely partial to Sepetys’ writing as well as all her books, but this specific book is by far my favorite.

While this book is beautifully written, it is a much more harrowing read than Sepetys’ other books. The story itself is a more unknown side to WWII most people probably haven’t paid attention to before. Not only does Lina tell her story through her art, but she also has many beautiful quotes in this book that made me have all the feels, as well as made her a grreat narrator. There are a few romantic relationships included that, in my opinion, don’t seem to add a whole lot to the story or the plot. That being said, however, I did love the ending of this book, even though it felt a bit rushed. Most people should gain something from reading this story that has seemingly gone untold over the course of history. Rating: 5/5

similar situations to most teenagers. This book was filled with witty banter between characters that felt effortless and laugh-out-loud funny. The fact that the main relationship the book focused on was also a LBGTQ+ relationship added to the reason this was such an extraordinary read. I lived for the diversity of the characters and genuinely adored each individual character, whether they were main or secondary, purely because each character introduced was so well-written and in-depth that it made them all seem equally important.

Rating: 4.5/5

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news

March 18, 2021

Musical to showcase multiple voices

The Mona Shores High School Allegros present

By Grace Opsommer Staff Writer

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY Jason Robert Brown ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY THE WPA THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY, 1995 Kyle Renick, Artistic Director ORIGINAL ORCHESTRATION BY Brian Besterman Songs for a New World is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

March 25th & 26th at 7 p.m.

March 27th at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Mona Shores High School Performing Arts Center 1121 Seminole Road | Norton Shores, MI *masks required

TO PURCHASE TICKETS:

A limited number of socially-distanced seats will be available for purchase at the MSHS Performing Arts Center ticket booth on: Sunday, March 21st Tuesday, March 23rd Wednesday, March 24th

The Sailors’ Log

2-5 p.m.

5-8 p.m.

5-8 p.m.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR A “LIVE STREAM” PERFORMANCE:

To view our “Live Stream” from your home you may purchase a code at: www.showtix4u.com Search for Songs for a New World For more information, go to choir.monashores.net or call 231.332.8318

This year’s musical cast continues to make adjustments to accommodate social distancing so that the choir can put on its new show, Songs for a New World.

The Shores theater is currently prepared to house 20 percent capacity for the show which is set to premiere on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. with additional shows Friday at 7 p.m. as well as Saturday at

3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other changes that choir director Shawn Lawton made to the show are fewer cast members (down from 50 to 37), bringing in more choreographers (his daughter Megan Lawton and Natalie Liegeois, both graduates of Shores) to help social distancing and having rehearsals spread out around the fine arts wing (theater, dance room, front lobby).

The show itself was built in a unique way that in itself pertains to

social distancing.

“People aren’t delivering lines like in a usual show; it is all sung,” said Lawton, who described the show as similar to an opera with a pop and musical theater twist to it.

“There also isn’t really a story to it.

The entire show is about hope and the challenges people go through.”

Songs for a New World was written for a cast with no lead This is the first musical in Shores’ performing arts history that has not had a lead, Lawton said.

Virtual BPA competition brings success

By Grace Opsommer Staff Writer Despite not being able to have BPA competitions face-to-face, senior Nicole Hernandez led the Shores club by winning 10 awards at the regional competition, which was held virtually on Jan. 10-13.

Hernandez won two first places to go along with eight other Top Ten placements.

“I figured I would place in a couple events because of my prior experience, but I never anticipated that I’d place in all of them. It was completely unexpected,” Hernandez said.

Seniors Taylor Quick and Brady Whalen also had multiple Top Ten places. Whalen, who had two first places, garnered eight awards while Quick had one first place out of her seven Top Ten awards.

“While I did miss the in person experience and day trip to Davenport, I’m happy that we all still had a chance to compete,” Said Hernandez who, along with the other BPA members, had a chance to compete in many different events thanks to the online setting.

Another 18 BPA members won awards, including senior Keegan DeKuiper, senior Lyndi Filius, senior Hunter Peterson, and junior Alexcis Vanderlinde who each brought home first-place awards.

Senior Nicole Hernandez led the Shores BPA by winning 10 awards at the regional competition, which was held virtually on Jan. 10-13.

Showcase Nominees It is that time of year again where every day there seems to be a new contest being promoted on the daily announcements. The yearly Showcase Contest is, of course, no exception.

However, this contest in particular holds many different categories to pertain to a range of students’ interests. At this stage in the competition students have submitted and been judged on their work. Through this judging process, one student or group (per category) is selected to be our school’s representative for further competition.

These are this year’s nominees: Literary Arts Sidney Gould, senior, for her short story, “Can You See Me?” Visual Arts Jessica Martin, senior, for her Mixed Media piece entitled “Refugee” Digital Media Arts Cameron Seiferlein, senior Academics Nicole Hernandez, senior Athletics Keegan DeKuiper and Riley Rosenthal, seniors Solo Performing Act Matthew Yacoub, senior Group Performing Act The Quarter Notes – seniors Jessica Lawton, Mia Newman, Laura Schluentz, and junior Rebecca Powell

“Lots of people get to sing individual solos, rather than one person getting to sing most solos with a few secondary leads; there is no star of this show,” Lawton said.

“It’s very uncommon to not have a lead. It’s not typical musical theater, but it just happens to work perfectly with the situation we’re in.”

In regards to ticket information, go to showtix4u.com, and a person can either choose to buy a live ticket or a ticket to the livestream to attend the show.

Nominate Someone for Educator of the Year After going above and beyond for the students at Shores, teachers and staff members deserve to be recognized for their excellence.

For the seventh year, The Sailors’ Log, is giving an opportunity for students to show their gratitude and appreciation for staff members with the student-selected “Educator of the Year” award.

Last year, social studies teacher Kyle Mireles was the winner based on a letter by then-senior Sarah Anton.

Any student of Shores may nominate any staff member (teacher, counselor, custodian, etc.) through a letter to the editor.

Letters will be judged on content, not on the number of nominations per staff, by the editors of The Sailors’ Log. Requirements for the nomination letters are as follows: 1. Letters must be positive in nature and outline the qualities that make the staff member an excelent educator.

2. Letters must be signed.

3. A Google form will be emailed where students can submit a letter and nominate a staff member.

4. The last day letters will be accepted is Friday, April 30, and the winner will be announced in the final paper.

Previous Winners 2020 – Social studies teacher Kyle Mireles, nominated by then-senior Sarah Anton 2019 – Physical education teacher Roberta Edwards, nominated by current senior Megan Quigg.

2018 – Former math teacher Kristia Whitaker, nominated by then-senior Isabella Baker.

2017 – Science teacher Chad Martin, nominated by then-senior Clark Meston.

2016 – English teacher, Roxanne Schaner, nominated by then-senior Julia Kwapiszewski.

2015 – Social Studies teacher Steve Morell, nominated by then-senior Katey Fritz.

The Sailors’ Log

COVID timeline

March 18, 2021

A SERIES OF (UN)FORTUNATE EVENTS March 13, 2020 Last in-person day; start of a three-week pause

April 2, 2020 Schools close through the rest of the school year; all spring sports canceled July 27, 2020 Senior Gala takes the place of the typical Prom July 30, 2020 Senior graduation takes place on the Sailor September 3, 2020 football field Fall sports start seasons, September 8/9, 2020 slightly delayed School starts for the year in-person with two cohorts, assigned lunch spots, and no November 15, 2020 dances Schools take a three-week break from in-person January 8, 2021 learning and shift to online In-person learning resumes with two cohorts and February 3, 2021 separate lunches still Winter sports begin, full contact, after postponing March 13, 2021: their season Students still in two cohorts, two days a week, spring sports are starting, winter sports are finishing up

Since school shut down on March 13, 2020, students faced multiple difficulties and continued to persevere. Over the past year, students continued to power through the above events.

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W E D D I N G

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“When school closed on March 13, I was two weeks away from my wedding. Mrs. Mireles and I had been planning a March 28 wedding with a honeymoon in Arizona. Our planning and joy quickly soured as in the following days, the situation only became more dire, and more and more restrictions were placed on in-person gatherings. When I say we went through every emotion possible, I genuinely mean that. We worked to alter our plans, reduce our guestlist and implement mitigation strategies to continue to hold our wedding on our original date, but each day only brought new challenges and larger obstacles to face. After our initial frustration and sadness had passed, we had to decide where to go from there. We could wait and have the wedding at a future date, but then the question became when would that be? Or we could have a smaller wedding than we planned, but still, be able to get married closer to when we planned.

We decided we didn’t want to wait. However, we also decided to wait until we could have more of our family there since some of them would be coming from out of state. We finally had our official ceremony on August 8. What was planned to be a 250 person party with guests coming from 15 different states became an intimate 39-person event of our immediate family and bridal party in the backyard of our home. For all the worry, pain, and tears, I can say without hesitation the effort spent brought Mrs. Mireles and me closer together and made our eventual wedding that much more meaningful.” – Kyle Mireles, social studies teacher (right)

W O E S

A SERIES OF (UN)FORTUNATE STORIES Over quarantine, some took advantage of the time off in a positive way; others faced challenges they never would have imagined.

From marriage to family bonding, here are some of their stories.

Information compiled by Bailey Graham, Editor-in-Chief, and Emily Kuznar, Managing Editor

S M E L L I N G

“I got COVID at a very important wedding I was invited to. I was told that I didn’t have to wear a mask because everyone that was going to be there had already been around me.

Sadly, I was informed two days after the party that someone at the wedding had been exposed to COVID and didn’t tell anyone at the wedding. I am the only one out of the six people in my main family who got it. COVID made me feel alone more than anything I think. Given that this is a very serious pandemic, I don’t understand how people can treat other people poorly now, especially since illnesses were not uncommon before this. When I had the virus, I only lost my taste and my smell. I thought it was allergies because the weather was changing. I lost my smell and taste at the beginning of October around the 1st; today, I still cannot smell anything at all, and nor can I taste.

During COVID, I have gone through so many other things in my personal life. I lost my grandpa in an unexpected accident, and I lost my boyfriend also in an unexpected freak accident.

While these things really impacted me negatively, I’ve come out of it as a better person.” – Kaedance Jones, sophomore

S T R U G G L E

H O U S E H O L D

“I have 12 people in my family, and each of us got COVID at some point. We were all quarantined, but since there were so many of us, we were quarantined for a very long time.

My parents and my older siblings got really sick; they lost their smell and taste while on the other hand, my younger siblings and I didn’t get as sick. Most of us were only sick for a couple of days, but it still wasn’t fun. In my opinion, COVID was different in our house than anyone else’s because there were so many of us stuck in one house together touching all the same things; it just kept spreading, no matter how many times we cleaned things. We stayed busy by watching a lot of movies together as a family. Having that many people home that long wasn’t as bad as most people would think.

There was always someone to hang out with, but then again, it would get pretty loud and crazy sometimes.” – Jasmine Fritz, junior (sitting, far left)

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The Sailors’ Log

The Sailors’ Log

H A S S L E

F A T H E R L Y

“In November, my wife tested positive for COVID. Due to this, we all had to quarantine, including my son. Luckily, the district moved to fully online learning two days after I left. It ended up being lucky timing for me. My wife self-isolated in our basement, and my son and I meticulously didn’t get sick.

Thankfully, my wife didn’t need to go to the hospital, and she has fully recovered. COVID has given me a complete change in my life by teaching virtually and giving me more time to stay at home and be with my one-year-old son.

One thing I am truly grateful for that has come from COVID is that it has allowed me to be with my son more. He is changing every day, and I am beyond grateful for being able to be present and build a stronger relationship with him.”

– Nate Johnston, world language teacher (left with son and wife)

March 18, 2021

S E V E R E F U N

T A S T I N G

“My mother, father, and brother all got COVID. My mom showed symptoms first, so at that point, we figured that my dad had it too. We took them in to get tested, and they both had it. While I was worried about them, I figured it would be a simple recovery like most people had experienced. Instead, things took a turn for the worse. While my mom was symptomatic, she was nowhere near as sick as my dad. My dad was very lethargic and out of it; he stayed in bed most of the day. Our family as a whole was great about following the precautions: wearing a mask, avoiding public areas, and cleaning everything. We never thought this would get to us. Eventually, my dad was taken to the ER one day after my brother was admitted. From there, my dad was put on a ventilator for 33 days. In total, he was in the hospital for 58 days. Having him in that state was very difficult for everyone. We couldn’t go see him, and when we did try to talk to him, he had trouble holding a conversation. Above all odds, he came out of it and survived, which was apparently very unexpected. He truly is a miracle. I want to continue to push for everyone to do their part. This really hit home when my family was sick, and it can easily happen to anyone.” – Joe Shaffer, assistant principal (far left with father in middle and brother on right)

“In November, my family and I got COVID, and it really wasn’t all that bad for me and most of my family. Since it affects everyone differently, I wasn’t surprised. While the rest of my family was fine, my mom happened to have the worst with it; she didn’t get out of bed for two days. While I was sick, I had an elevated temperature and headaches here and there, but the worst part was losing my smell and taste. I got so annoyed to bite into my favorite snacks and food and be disappointed to not taste anything at all. It was so bad for both me and my mom that we both started eating tuna fish right out of the can. The worst part about losing your smell and taste is that it doesn’t go away even after you are sick. I didn’t get my taste or smell back fully until two weeks after being noncontagious.” – Samuel Frye, sophomore

T R O U B L E

S C A R E S

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COVID statistics

The Sailors’ Log

A SERIES OF

(UN)FORTUNATE STATISTICS

30%-40% Increase in pet adoptions

107 Students and staff

53.0% Predicted increase of mask sales from 2020 to 2027

32 Million Americans are fully vaccinated

52 Staff and students

confirmed positive cases in the Shores district since September 8, 2020

confirmed positive case in the high school since September 8, 2020

117 Million

2.6 Million

Total COVID-19 cases worldwide since December 2019

2.6 Million

Doses of COVID-19 vaccines given in Michigan

56%

Of young adults reported new anxiety and depression Source: KFF

All information accurate as of March 13, 2021.

Total COVID-19 deaths across the world

93.7 Million

Total amount of vaccines given in the United States

The Sailors’ Log

features

For Shores junior Nadia Bishop, drawing is more than just a hobby; it is a passion which has grown into a potential career.

After several years of practice, Bishop has trained herself to create masterful and professional works of art, which she intends to mold into a much larger project. That project: a series of graphic novels.

“I’m using my art skills, and of course, I have hard copies of many character designs,” Bishop said. “(And) I have lots of drafts.”

The process behind much of Bishop’s work is complex, she said, and takes time to master. Bishop said she begins by reading how-to books and envisioning the scenes in her mind before she draws them.

When the first draft is complete, Bishop said she hopes to gain some attention and publish her final product. In the coming months, it is likely that Shores students may begin to see editions of Bishop’s comics on shelves.

When the day does come in which Bishop’s stories are told, the name interested buyers should look for is The Third Eye. Bishop’s overarching message to readers of her work is, “On the outside, everyone’s different; but on the inside, everyone’s the same.”

Nadia Bishop holds up a sample of her character art for her first series of graphic novels. She plans to publish the series with the name The Third Eye.

As p i r i n g Ar t i s t s Several promising artists have opened up about their personal projects and why they have committed to these fantastic feats.

All stories by Maddox Schaner-Follett, staff writer

Inaugural book being crafted by teen author

For the past couple of years, senior Sidney Gould has been building a world of fantasies, imaginative fairy tales, and harrowing adventure.

Gould said she seeks to tell a great story through her writing and her words, crafting an experience for readers of many ages.

Originally inspired by numerous fairy tales and stories from medieval eras, as well as the modern classic film Avatar, Gould has outlined a fantastic adventure which will surely one day entertain audiences of all sorts.

Gould “I’m big into fairy tales and magic, so I kind of based it around that,” Gould said. “It’s like this medieval time frame with dragons and stuff like that.”

Gould has always believed herself to be a writer and from a young age would exercise her imagination through

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Graphic novelist begins first novel

Hopeful singer arises from Shores’ hallways Sophomore Ella Cole decided that the COVID shutdown was the perfect time to explore her passion – music. Now, she is compiling songs that she wrote into an album.

As soon as she struck the magic music nerve, she fell in love with the hobby. Cole said she had allowed her emotions to solidify into tangible words and rhythms which would make up her first songs “I thought I would be able to relate to other people,” said Cole, who describes her songs as being about overcoming depression and anxiety. “I thought other kids would understand, and I’d be able to help them get through what they’re going through.”

Cole said she fell in love with creating music because she valued it as a method of self expression.

“Music always helped me through the difficult time when I was a kid,” Cole said.

Cole “When I was being bullied, it helped me through all of that sadness and anxiety.”

What was once a hobby has now turned into a mission for Cole. Her objective: helping people through their anxiety.

“I want to help other kids who are going through similar problems that I had,” Cole said.

Cole said music has played a significant role in her life, and she knows firsthand that it can help people get through hard times.

One song Cole said had an impact on her was “You Say,

by Lauren Daigle” which made a bad day brighter. And because of that song, Cole wrote “A Moment of Time.”

“I want my song to be one of those songs for someone who is going through something bad to just think about it, and it helps them get through because they can’t do it on their own,” Cole said. “My goal is to just help someone in a moment of trouble.”

Cole, who has experienced a number of trials and tribulations in her life, said she wants to convey the message that not all is bad.

“No matter what anyone tells you, no matter how you feel, you are loved and you are worthy of everything the world has to offer,” Cole said. “Don’t let anyone tell you differently. I’ve learned throughout the years that I’m more than what other people tell me I am.”

March 18, 2021

words.

As Gould finally puts pen to paper, she said she imagines that what is today’s novel will become tomorrow’s next book series.

“It’s always been my dream to publish a book, but not just one book, to publish many,” Gould said. “This is definitely going to be something in the future for me. I really want to make a series.”

While Gould is still climbing her first hill, she said she knows that there will be more to climb in the future and will always be prepared to charge forward in the future.

To young writers who are thinking of beginning a project of their own, Gould offers this advice: “You start off with your passion young. Explore. You have so much time to explore. Why not take the chance? Life is short so you can’t linger on just not doing anything. If you find something you like, then chase that.”

Rap/Metal singer set to release initial album

Few dare to dream of traveling the world as a stage-walking, crowd-surfing singer and composer, but freshman Noah Sutton is doing more than dream about this long-term investment.

He is acting on it.

For the past couple months, Sutton has been meticulously crafting his musical masterpieces, allowing his words to simmer on the stovetop of creation.

In his mind, he is the raw material for what one day could be molded into a great rap/metal singer and composer.

On his potential future career, Sutton said, “This could be a full-time job, going on tours and everything.”

Sutton said he was first starstruck with the idea of becoming a singer when he saw seasoned bigshots up on stage for the first time about a year ago. “(I enjoyed) seeing people having fun up on stage singing because they didn’t know what they were doing, and since I don’t know what I’m about Sutton to be doing, (it made me realize that I don’t need to be perfect), and I’m about to have a whole life ahead of me where I’m about to be free and not to worry about some stuff like roadblocks,” Sutton said.

Sutton said his end goal is to be a real star with lights, stages, crowds, and, especially, world travel.

“I’m going worldwide,” Sutton said. “I’m hoping to go on to Europe someday, just going all around Europe. Then maybe even going down to South America, Asia, all of those places.”

Sutton does not shy away from the spotlight. In his most vivid dreams, he travels the world from north to south and east to west in the hopes of sharing his sound.

“Don’t be afraid to be seen out there even if you are hesitant or people don’t like your music. Just let it shine,” Sutton said.

10 March 18, 2021

features

The Sailors’ Log

Fear factor

Chickens terrify freshman

By Olivia Nunnery Staff Writer

For freshmen Jackson Stegall, his fear of chickens stemmed from a traumatic experience on Mackinac Island.

“When I was 10, I went into a horror house in Mackinac Island. I was fine until I heard a chicken noise, and I was strangely terrified of the noise,” Stegall said. “I remember running out of the building, and the people working there had to calm me down.”

Forgetful of his first interaction with the noise of a chicken, Stegall later went to a farm and had another terrifying experience.

“I went into a pen full of chickens, and they decided to chase me,” Stegall said. “I then remembered why I

Highway horror A fear of highways is something freshmen Abigail Silvis has had since she was young.

“The thing that scares me about highways is the fast pace and the distance from the cars,” Silvis said. “Anything could happen that close and that fast.”

One of the ways that Silvis copes is by singing some of the songs by her favorite artists to help her relax.

“I sing my favorite songs (by artists) like Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, and a lot of the time, the ABC’s,” Silvis said. “But other times, I cover my head with a blanket or my coat.”

Silvis Over the years, Silvis has even gotten used to the feelings she has when driving on the highway, but she still struggles.

“When I feel this fear, it usually takes my breath away. I’ve gotten used to the sudden feeling of loss of breath,” Silvis said. “But I’ve found that I do have struggles with driving because of this.”

Amusement angst

Riding roller coasters are normally a fun summer activity, but for junior Jasmine Fritz, they are something she would be better without.

“I first discovered this fear when I was little at Disney,” Fritz said.

“My dad tried to take me on a big roller coaster, and I’ve been afraid of them since.”

To some, the speed of the roller coasters is their favorite part, but to Fritz, that’s the worst part.

“The part that actually scares me is the feeling of how fast I am going,” Fritz said. “The thought of it breaking underneath me during the ride has always frightened me.”

Fritz Fritz encourages others to partake in a roller coaster ride but would rather watch from a distance.

“I cope with this fear by not going on them anymore,” Fritz said. “I am fine walking by them or past them; I just can’t go on one.”

was so afraid of them.”

Stegall is concerned by the fact that he has never had a positive interaction with chickens, making him stay away from them as a whole.

“What scares me the most is the fact that every time I come close to a chicken, something happens to me that would make me terrified,” Stegall said.

When Stegall does have an interaction with chickens, he said he has the same reactions to his fear as many other people with different fears.

“I feel how I usually feel when I get scared: goosebumps, heavy breathing, and my least favorite is getting memories at random times about the encounters I’ve had with the chickens,” Stegall said.

How Stegall copes with these negative reactions are also pretty common stress relief techniques.

“I try to get out of the situation with the chicken. I try to relax and not think about what just happened,” Stegall said.

Fear: something that at times can leave one’s heart racing, palms sweating, and body trembling.

Everyone has their own fears unique to them, but some common fears are heights, insects, or even death or a traumatic experience.

Fear factor Mannequin mayhem Other fears for Shores students Buoys “Whenever I’m on the lake, I stay away from buoys because I don’t know what’s under them.”

– Ava Dunn, sophomore Dolls “I can’t watch movies like ‘Annabelle’ without screaming at least 10 times.”

– Lauren Morea, sophomore Spiders “One time a spider was crawling behind my bed, and I screamed.”

– Caleb Tyson, freshman Open-riser staircases “There could be anything under the stairs, and I could easily fall through.”

– Nadia Bishop, junior

Mannequins are a tool commonly used in most retail stores, but for junior Caleb Leonard, they are something he’s always feared.

“I’ve been afraid of mannequins ever since I was a toddler,” Leonard said. “Something about them has never sat right with me.”

The human-like qualities of mannequins seem almost too realistic, he said, leaving Leonard on edge whenever around one.

“Mannequins cross the uncanny line,” Leonard said.

“I always feel like I’m being watched, and I get anxious whenever near one.”

Leonard said he does everything in his power to Leonard avoid the human-like clothing models, which can be an issue when inside a retail store.

“I try to avoid mannequins at all costs,” Leonard said. “I try to look away from them whenever I’m at a mall or clothing store.”

Elevator alarm

Elevators are a major source of anxiety to senior Lauren Janetzke.

“When I was 8 or 9,” Janetzke said. “I saw an ad for a movie about people being stuck in an elevator, and ever since then, it scared me and has stuck with me.”

Janetzke said her fear started when she was 10.

“What scares me most about elevators is getting trapped in one or it randomly breaking down and it falling rapidly,” Janetzke said. “I actually got stuck in an elevator for a short period of time when I was like 10, so it just made my fear of them even worse.”

When others are in an elevator with Janetzke, her fear gets even worse, she said.

“I feel extremely anxious and on edge when I’m on Janetzke an elevator,” Janetzke said. “If someone even slightly moves or tries jumping up and down, I snap on them, which my family does often because they know how scared I get.”

features

The Sailors’ Log

March 18, 2021

11

Becoming an Eagle Scout is a time-honored tradition that requires Scouts to complete a series of requirements before they reach the age of 18. As of late, two Mona Shores seniors have accomplished the prestigious achievement, while two more are currently in the process of completing the steps needed to reach Eagle Scout status. Their stories and projects are detailed on this page.

Senior becomes first female Eagle Scout in Muskegon

By Brady Whalen Staff Writer Until recently, every Eagle Scout in Muskegon County history had been a male – that is until Shores senior April Bowlin broke barriers to become the first female Eagle Scout in the county’s history.

“I definitely knew I wanted to be in the inaugural class of female scouts,” Bowlin said. “However, I didn’t know I would be first in Muskegon County- that was super exciting to me! I’m very proud of it.”

Although Bowlin was only allowed to join the Boy Scouts in February 2019, she was no stranger to scouting by then since she was a Girl Scout until eighth grade.

“It’s a wonderful program, but it just wasn’t necessarily for me,” Bowlin said In Boy Scouts, she said that she found what Girl Scouts couldn’t provide.

“I really like how scouting is scout-led,” Bowlin said. “Being in leadership positions has helped me develop important skills.”

Eventually, she worked her way to the highest rank of Eagle Scout, advancing through six other classes (Scout, Tenderfoot, First Class, Second Class, Star, and Life) first, each with their own requirements Bowlin said that up until First Class, many of the requirements are learning survival skills. After that, she added, it becomes mostly merit badges and service hours. In order to make Eagle, an individual has to earn 13 “Eagle required” badges, and then eight more elective badges.

For Bowlin, the merit badges were a bit

Another female closing in on highest rank

Senior Bella Mescall (far left with senior April Bowlin) is close to becoming the second female in the area to be an Eagle Scout.

Mescall, who joined Scouts in February of 2019, is currently planning her Eagle project and working through the logistics of it.

“I have a service project in the works; however, I’m not ready to execute it since it’s such a long process,” Mescall said. “I am planning on doing a drive for the local Children’s Protective Services of Muskegon and collecting things that they are in need of, such as cleaning supplies and other necessities.” of a hit or miss.

“I really liked the canoeing merit badge.

I did it with a lot of my friends and it was really fun,” Bowlin said. “On the other hand, the cycling badge started out fun, but quickly took a turn on the longer rides, especially the 50 miler… not my favorite.”

Another requirement to become an Eagle Scout is the Eagle project, a completely Scout-led community service project.

“Once I was a Life Scout, I could start planning my Eagle project,” Bowlin said.

“For my Eagle project, we removed pea gravel behind St. Gregory’s (Episcopal Church) and replaced it with dolomite.”

Bowlin wanted to give back to a

community group that has given a lot to Scouts over the years.

“My grandfather goes to St. Gregory’s, and they’ve always been more than happy to provide a place for the Scouts to meet if we needed it,” Bowlin said. “It felt right to give back to them in some way.”

All the work that goes into completing the Eagle Project makes it a serious time commitment.

“All of the paperwork and planning took about 20 hours,” Bowlin said. “The actual work took 6-7 hours with the help of 12 volunteers throughout the week. Everything was socially distanced while working.”

As impressive as becoming an Eagle

Scout is, Bowlin had circumstances that added to the rigor of her time in Scouts.

Typically, members join Scouts at the age of 11 in order to reach Eagle Scout before they turn 18. Bowlin, however, accomplished the feat in less than two years, as well as six months ahead of schedule, as she does not turn 18 until August.

Additionally, Bowlin faced unprecedented challenges brought about by the pandemic.

“Planning my Eagle project was definitely harder because of the pandemic,” Bowlin said. “All of our meetings are virtual right now, so I had to schedule times to connect with people. Few Scouts had this COVID experience either, so I didn’t have anyone to ask for help with certain things either.”

Although they didn’t have the same experience as Bowlin, she is not the first in her family to reach Eagle Scout status.

Starting with her great-grandfather, who established the Scout troop that Bowlin is in (troop 1053), Bowlin is now the eighth member of her family to reach Eagle Scout.

Although Bowlin recently became an Eagle Scout, it is something that she has wanted to do from the beginning.

“I didn’t want to just partially do this. I wanted to join Scouts BSA and do all of it,” Bowlin said. “Making Eagle was part of it.

I knew I wanted to make that right away.”

In the end, Bowlin was more than happy to finish her project.

“It’s a lot of work to make Eagle, so finishing everything felt very rewarding,” Bowlin said. “It’s something I can be proud of for the rest of my life.”

Library project awaits review

Band member gains top status by giving back

Senior Carter Mann is a Life Scout, planning on becoming Eagle Scouts before he turns 18.

Mann, who has been involved in scouting since sixth grade, has completed his Eagle project.

“For my Eagle project, I built a little free library outside the USS Silversides,” Mann said.

“With help from a few other people, I was able to finish it up a few weeks ago.”

Currently, Mann is working on compiling six

Senior Grant Gergen reached the status of Eagle Scout on Oct. 21, 2020, by giving back to the Shores Band by building new shelving units for the percussion equipment in the band storage barn.

“We noticed some wooden auditorium risers in the percussion barn, so we decided to repurpose them into shelves for marching percussion equipment,” said Gergen, who credits the band program with teaching him discipline. “Using detailed measurements and photos, I designed the shelves in a computer-aided design program.”

As the project grew closer, Gergen had to do extensive set up to ensure he accomplished his project and followed COVID guidelines at the same time.

reference letters needed for Eagle Scout status.

Mann said he is also preparing to have his work reviewed in order to become an Eagle Scout.

“The last big thing is called your board of review.

All your reference letters and paperwork go to them,” Mann said. “Several troop leaders discuss your project with you and review your paperwork, then decide if you become an Eagle Scout.” – Brady Whalen, staff writer

Senior Carter Mann is awaiting Eagle Scout status while senior Grant Gergen already has the top honor.

“The evening before the project date, my family went to the work site and organized the individual stations,” Gergen said. “On project day, we arrived early to set up the tools and supplies at each individual station.”

Through his Eagle project, Gergen was able to achieve personal growth.

“From start to finish, this Eagle Scout Project helped develop my abilities to design, plan, and lead. I was able to learn how to plan for contingencies, create and stick to a budget, and accept constructive criticism,” Gergen said. “With this experience, I hope to advance and utilize these skills in future projects for school, work, and my community.” – Brady Whalen, staff writer

sports

12 March 18, 2021

The Sailors’ Log

right place, right time

Most high school athletes would be lucky to say they had a game winner in their career.

Senior Keegan DeKuiper has done it not once, not twice, but three times throughout his career, and in three different sports as well. page design and stories by Mike Meekhof, staff writer Let’s dive into each story.

Boys’ Boys’ Soccer In the OK Green soccer conference tournament at Wyoming on Oct. 8, 2020, the Sailors played the Wolves in the semi-finals.

Basketball Most people think of a game winner as a scoring play, but in this In his junior basketball particular case, it was the stopping of a scoring play.

With 20 seconds remaining, Shores led 4-3 after multiple goals by senior Hayden Yaros. A Wyoming winger dribbled toward the Sailor goal on the right side of the field, needing a goal to tie the score.

“Wyoming was relentless and wanted to score very badly, so they kept attacking,” said DeKuiper, Shores’ starting goalie.

With about 7 seconds left, the ball landed at a Wyoming striker’s feet on the right side of the 18-yard box. He drew back his leg and fired the ball with an attempt to curve it along the back post.

DeKuiper stepped with his left foot and made a leaping, two-handed dive to knock the ball out of harm’s way. The ball then rolled out of bounds and the final horn sounded.

However, DeKuiper said he knows he was not the real hero of that game.

“We all sprinted toward Hayden (Yaros) because we all knew he was the real hero although I stopped a potentially game-tying goal,” DeKuiper said. “Apart from winning a district championship that year, that Wyoming game was my favorite game of the season. The whole team played so well and we were super pumped to be heading to conference finals.”

season, DeKuiper and Shores played Grand Rapids Union on senior night at the Sailor Center on Feb. 18, 2020. Shores was winless in OK Black conference play, hoping to finally get its first win.

With nine seconds to go in the game, the score was tied at 54 and seemed destined for overtime. Senior Ahmon Dean rebounded a missed shot by Union, evaded a couple of defenders and passed the ball to junior Drew Southland.

Southland then passed to a wide open DeKuiper, who made a layup with two seconds left for the Sailor victory.

“The bench erupted as they came out to celebrate the last-second win. It was our third win of the season and what a night to do it on,” DeKuiper said. “It felt really good to give the seniors a great last home game on senior night.”

Football The regional final game against East Lansing is one which

DeKuiper calls the “pinnacle” of his football career at Shores.

With the game tied at 21, East Lansing threw a pass that was tipped by junior linebacker Jeff Lenartowicz and intercepted by junior DJ Caviness who ran it back to the Sailors 21-yard line.

After a few offensive plays, the ball was placed at the 6-yard line.

Coach Matt Koziak took a timeout with two seconds remaining and sent DeKuiper out for a 27-yard field goal attempt for the win.

The ball was centered slightly right to the middle of the field.

“I placed my 1-inch kicking tee down. I took my three steps back, two steps to the left, took a deep breath, and got in my ready position,” DeKuiper said. “(Senior holder) Brady (Rose) shouted the cadence, (junior) Mark Konecny snapped a perfect snap, Brady set the ball on the tee, and I kicked the ball.”

The field goal was good as the Sailors rushed the field.

“I was already celebrating before the ball officially went through the goalposts because I knew I made it,” DeKuiper said. “The sideline and Shores’ spectators erupted in celebration. My teammates swarmed around me, slapping my helmet and patting me on the pads.

I can’t really explain how I felt because I don’t think there is an emotion to describe how I felt. It felt so good to help the team move onto state semi-finals, and as I’m thinking about it, it feels even better to know that I helped propel my team to a state championship.”