Staff Spotlight - Simon Dinkin

Hey everyone, I'm Simon Dinkin and I'm returning to North Star for my seventh summer. I'm from from San Diego, CA, I'm finishing up my sophomore year at Torey Pines High School.  I recently went to La Paz, Mexico for Spring Break! We went to the beaches,snorkeled, and went fishing.  It was a blast!! I also started coaching a 2nd and 3rd grade Rec Basketball team.  This is my first year coaching and its been really exciting and fun teaching them new skills and working with the kids. 

As always I've been playing lots of soccer as well as focusing on school. I am counting down the days until camp and can not wait too be a CIT! Around camp you'll find me instructing althetics and dsic golf.

More about Simon

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?: 

- A friend, Water ,and a pillow

Favorite special program at camp

- UN Day

Your favorite TV or movie character

- Josh Peck, from Drake and Josh 

Your best memory of camp

- Cheering at camp after completing our 10 day trip to Canada.

Favorite Sports Teams

- Redskins,Wizards,Baltimore Orioles,Capitals

What would you choose for your last meal?

- Steak and Fries

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- Bald Eagle

 
Your two favorite books

- Lightning Thief,The Giver

A secret hobby or skill that you have?

- I play in Scrabble Tournaments.

How has camp impacted you? 

- Camp has had an extremely positive impact on me.I have made friends and experiences that will last a lifetime, and i look forward to making many more.

Staff Spotlight - Lucas Kasle

The youngest of three siblings, Lucas Kasle will join his middle brother (his favorite brother, mentor and role model) on staff. A graduating senior, Lucas is currently at Nicolet H.S. in Glendale, WI. There he showed off his considerable athletic prowess as a member of the swimming and tennis teams. He's also a big reading aficionado, preferring historical autobiographies 18th and 19th century political leaders. Lucas will head out east in the fall, attending Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. He's excited to be a  Muhlenberg Mule!

This will be his 9th summer at North Star. At camp you'll find him instructing climbing, and swimming!

More about Lucas

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?

-My brother Nick, a stuffed toy panda, and a toothbrush (I'm a big believer in good oral hygiene)

Favorite special program at camp

- The eco hunt

The Kasle Brothers

Your favorite TV or movie character

- The princess from Frozen

Your best memory of camp.

- Anything involving my brother, Nick

What would you choose for your last meal?

-  A buffet of ice cream

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- A seal

Your favorite book

- Campingly Yours by Thomas C. Adler

A secret hobby or skill that you have?

- I've recently taken up Mahjong

Staff Spotlight - Ben Rubin

Hi, my name is Ben Rubin and I am currently a Junior at Highland Park High School. With ACTs, college visits, and other standardized tests, this has been a pretty busy year for me. At school, I am involved in Congressional Debate, DECA, and my school's robotics team. [Side note addition: I placed first Internationally in DECA and first in Illinois in robotics. I don't know if that should be thrown in there or not.]

This will be my seventh summer at camp and my first one on staff.  As a camper, I spent the majority of my time windsurfing and sailing, which I hope to teach at camp. Additionally, I will be working on the camper musical. I am very excited to be a CIT this summer!


More about Ben

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?
- I'd like to think that I would be practical and bring a boat, water, and a machete so I could survive, but in reality I would probably bring trivial items like a phone, a sleeping bag, and a change of clothes.

Favorite special program at camp
- Espionage

Your favorite TV or movie character
- Batman (Christian Bale, not any of the ones from the 80s or Ben Affleck)

Your best memory of camp.
- College Days last year. Go Slippery Rocks!

What would you choose for your last meal?
- Once again, I would like to think that I would choose something classy like steak, but it would

probably be pizza or bacon.

If you could be any animal, what would you be?
- The Mantis Shrimp. Hands down the coolest animal. Ever.

Your two favorite books
- Looking for Alaska by John Green and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

A secret hobby or skill that you have?
- I am very good at Indian Leg Wrestling.

How has camp impacted you?
- Camp made me a much more independent and responsible person. I feel that I have learned how to handle difficult and challenging situations and I have made several lifelong friends.

Staff Spotlight - Ronald Smith

Hey, I am Ronald Smith, from St Louis, MO. I'm finishing my sophomore year at John Burroughs High School. I love sports and the outdoors more  than anything. My favorite sport is football and at school I'm on the football and basketball team.

 I am a CIT this year and was a camper for three years before this. At camp you'll find me instructing athletics and archery.

More about Ronald

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?

-  I would take a book, sleeping bag, and a basketball court w/ basketball.

Favorite special program at camp

- The Green-White marathon.

Your favorite TV or movie character

-  Steve Urkel from Family Matters.

Favorite Sports Teams

- My favorite sports team is the Miami Heat.

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- My spirit animal is a lion.

Your two favorite books

- My favorite books were To Kill A Mockingbird and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

How has camp impacted you?

- Camp has opened my eyes to many opportunities to explore nature.

Staff Spotlight - Philip Rasansky

Howdy! My name is Philip Rasansky, and I’m from Dallas, TX. This will be my 10th summer at camp (IT’S THE BIG TEN!!), and I am really excited to get back to the Northwoods! just graduated from Greenhill School a couple days ago, and I’ll be heading up to Dartmouth College next fall. I spend most of my time spending time with friends/family, doing school work, and playing sports (I’m on the varsity basketball and baseball teams). I am (or was, now that I’m an alum) also active in my school’s business club and peer mentoring program.

At camp I'll be instructing basketball, waterskiing and other athletics. 

More about Philip

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?
- Umbrella, Lawn chair, and a full Harry Potter book set

Favorite special program at camp
- United Nations Day, Friday Night Services

Your favorite TV or movie character
- Tickle from the Discovery show “Moonshiners"

Your best memory of camp.
- Most memorable: Getting lost on the Canadian trip because the tripper let a friend of mine lead us with the map. Best memory: Beating my twin brother in the Green-White marathon when we were both captains

Favorite Sports Teams
- Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Cowboys, and anything UT Longhorns

What would you choose for your last meal?
- Tie between steak and pizza

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- A white bengal tiger

Your two favorite books
- A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah & Any of the Harry Potter books

A secret hobby or skill that you have?
- I can write in cursive backwards.

How has camp impacted you?
- This is a tough questions because I don’t think I can fit it all into a couple sentences. Overall, I think I am a more relaxed, confident person with a stronger sense of my values and morals because of all my years at North Star

Staff Spotlight - Jacob Byck

Jacob Byck returns to the North Star Staff. Hailing from Deerfield, IL, he's a junior at Deerfield High School. A big baseball fan and player, he's played travel baseball as well as on the DHS team. He's also active coaching and he started this year as an assistant baseball coach.

Jacob returns for his sixth summer at camp. He can be found on the athletic fields instructing our sporting activities.

 More about Jacob

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?

- North Star’s Cinnamon Rolls, North Star’s Bug Juice, and a sleeping bag.

Favorite special program at camp

- Espionage

Your favorite TV or movie character

- Two and a Half Men, Charlie Sheen

Your best memory of camp.

- Making great friends.

Favorite Sports Teams

- White Sox, Bulls, Bears, Michigan Wolverines

What would you choose for your last meal?

- Chicken Kiev

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- A Jaguar

Your two favorite books

- Honus & Me, Boy in the Striped Pajamas

A secret hobby or skill that you have?

- I can burp excessively.

How has camp impacted you?

I learned how to be responsible for myself, and made friends I’ll never forget.

Staff Spotlight - Ike Nierman

Camp is a family thing Ike Nierman. One of is brothers is on the NSC staff and another is a camper. He's also a 2nd generation NSC camper and staff. His dad Peter was also a camper and staff. Ike comes to camp from Wilmette, IL where he's finishing up his sophomore year at New Trier H.S.

At New Trier Ike does pole vault for the track team and in his free time he plays the bass guitar and hang out with friends. At camp he'll be instructing athletics and pathfinders.

More about Ike

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are three things you'd bring?

-  My iPod for music, a journal and a camera

Favorite special program at camp

-  College Days

Your favorite TV or movie character

- Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Your best memory of camp.

- Too many to count, but on of the best was winning boil-water-boil during the Green-White marathon

Favorite Sports Teams

- Chicago Bulls, LA Clippers, Chicago White-Sox, And DAAA Bears

What would you choose for your last meal?

- Anything as long as it was followed by a Norske Nook Pie

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

- A Dolphin, they’re super smart, but really different from humans, plus everyone loves dolphins

Your two favorite books

- Things Fall Apart, The Catcher In The Rye

A secret hobby or skill that you have?

- I can throw a Frisbee with extreme accuracy

How has camp impacted you?

- It made me learn how to treat others with a lot of respect and never to judge anyone without getting to know them first. Also made me learn that life can be tough but it will always get better, especially with