The Snows of Summer
Teenage snowboarder shreds New Zealand international competition
Sliding down a hill on a snowboard is one of Matt Brengman’s favorite things to do — although Brengman, 17, prefers to do a little more than just slide.
“I like spinning upside down,” he says. “I would say my favorite trick is a backside 360. You just drop your shoulder and then reach back behind your foot so you grab your tail, and then you do a 360 and land back down. I’ve done better tricks, but that one’s my favorite.”
Job Hunting 101
College grads: do what you love, see the result
It’s nearly every college graduate’s greatest fear, especially in the current economic situation: What if I can’t find a job before I graduate?
Try taking a look at your interests and passions—what you enjoy doing in your free time, says Kelley Bishop, executive director of career services at Michigan State University. Your future career might already be laying in wait.
Vroom, Vroom
Gaylord woman’s pro motocross career starts off with a bang
A need for speed is nothing new for Gaylord resident Danielle Sawicki, 21, who has been competing in motocross racing since the age of five when her father introduced her to the sport. She turned pro in 2007.
“I just love the adrenaline rush that you get; it’s just an awesome feeling, sitting on the starting line of a pro race and having 30,000 people screaming and everything like that,” she says.
A College Degree: Is It Worth It?
Weighing a four-year degree against lower-cost alternatives
As a student in my third year at a pricey private university—with a cost of $37,070 for this year—I can understand the frequently asked question of, “Is my degree really worth it?”
I was lucky enough to get a scholarship to cover a good portion of those costs; but not everyone is so fortunate. Approximately two-thirds (65.6 percent) of the 2008 graduating class carried an average debt of $23,186, according to a survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education.
Sunny Side Up
Eric Wotila touts the ‘good news’ with Local Edition
Eric Wotila’s cell phone rings as he puts the final touches on a last-minute TV commercial for Swaffer’s Toyota of Cadillac. It’s the painters, come to change the wall color in the new office of his video production company in downtown Cadillac.
It’s an ordinary enough scene, but Wotila, 20, is hardly your typical video producer. He started Freelancer Productions when he was just 16 without any outside assistance. He also made a feature-length movie at 14 and has created his own local newscast, called Local Edition.