Letters to the Editor page 2 & 3
Devann Maurer remembrance page 5
Nuclear Waterheater page 13
2 Op/Ed
THE BENGAL’S PURR Point-counterpoint: Hunting for sport
dakotaeverett manager distributionmanager
Is hunting for recreation okay? Yes. First let’s define hunting. Hunting is the practice of pursuing, killing, or trapping any living organism, usually wildlife or feral animals, by humans for food, recreation, or trade. Animals may also hunt other animal species, but that falls under predation according to Webster Dictionary. Now, let’s define poaching; the kill-
mckennaanderson editorinchief
Idaho is an epicenter for outdoor sports such as hunting, and I know that many people do it. I moved here from Boise in third grade and had never even thought about the activity until my best friend’s
ing, trapping or capturing of a hunted species contrary to acceptable law. Please note that, before this article goes any further, poaching and hunting differ. Whether hunting for recreation or survival you make an impact on species population, and an impact on our economy. When hunting for recreation, you are making an impact on species population. Impacting a population does not always destroy an area, contrary to popular belief. While hunting, you are stopping overpopulation. Regulations get made for a reason and hunting seasons would not continue if the population of an animal was too low.
Without hunting, there’s an unregulated amount of grouse, rabbits, elk, deer and so on. Predation comes in here. Animals feed on what is hunted, but if they feed on them without interference, then there would be an overpopulation of that animal. A large chain reaction of overpopulating would happen if hunting completely stopped. This would result in a blow to the economy. On average, 12.5 million (according to Hunting Business Marketing in 2012) people over the age of 16 in the U.S hunt annually (according to Hunting Business Marketing in 2012). Within the 12.5 million people it’s estimated that $22.9 million gets spent
on hunting expenditures annually. That money goes into circulation, improving our economy. Within the hunting community, over 100 jobs have been created. Some examples of this are sporting warehouses (Cabela’s) and park rangers. Hunting keeps populations stable and improves our economy. Are you developing a home in the woods? You’re still killing animals. The only difference is that one is with a gun and the other is a slow death due to their land being taken away and food supply being depleted. Hunting for recreation is the least of your worries for the death of animals. Sorry, not sorry. Go hunt.
dad brought it up. I remember asking my mom in the kitchen if I could go with her on a trip and my mom strictly told me no. Today, I’m glad she did. Hunting is NOT all bad. People hunt to survive and that’s the circle of life. The part I have a problem with is kids today going out and shooting the first thing they see just so they can put it on their wall as a trophy. The last thing I want to see on my
Facebook newsfeed is you and your armada of decapitated deer heads. I personally know those people who go out just for the heck of it and waste the meat. It’s sick. Those beings are part of an ecosystem that is now being disrupted for your personal gain instead of the actual need for that resource. Also, another problem, and I think teachers will agree with me here; kids keep skipping school for this kind of
thing! Go on the weekends or something don’t put your education at risk to go out and POSSIBLY shoot down a new art piece for your living room. I am not exactly a part of the “True Idahoan” group and I don’t snapchat pictures with “#Idahome” on them by any means but I hope you understand where I’m coming from. Hunting for sport bothers me in a way you cannot imagine.
Students respond to athletics controversy
Dear editor of The Bengal’s Purr, You couldn’t have said that better, McKenna Anderson. This last month all the band students had to memorize four songs, which is not a walk in the park. We then took a bus up to the Kibbie dome, in Moscow and played at the U of I homecoming game. Not a soul knew of this wild adventure and it was very big for our marching band. Also, we spent many class periods practicing for our own homecoming show and senior night postgame show. People think it’s easy and say they can do better. I challenge those to pick up and [...] dedicate hours to memorizing, march through hot sweaty parades, and give up all your weekends. People don’t come to see us, they come to see our losing football team over and over. And drama kids who put on a production that brought tears to people’s eyes -- think of how much work they put into that. How many people took time out of their day to go see that? In P.E. classes if you are gone for an athletic event you are excused but if you are sick you have to make it up. I play sports as well and I am aware of the unfairness between clubs and academics. When will academics be on top? That’s what gets you into college, isn’t it? [...] --Jessica Vogel To The Bengal’s Purr editor: In the article “When it comes to privilege, braun trumps brains,” I completely agree with you. Scholastics, Drama and other such programs do not get the leisure that sports teams do. I feel like teachers need to create the same environment for all clubs, from DECA to volleyball. If you do miss a class period for a SCHOOL-related event (and it can’t be a made up event; it has to be a legit thing), then it should be an excused absence. Hav-
ing only six unexcused absences a semester can be extremely stressful for the kids who have extreme allergies or get sick all the time. I also could disagree with your article; the sports teams work extremely hard for the things they accomplish. I’m not saying the other clubs don’t work hard too, but normally the clubs work hard just mentally. The sports teams work just as hard mentally to keep up their grades, but also they work extremely hard physically to stay in shape and to win. I once again feel like the teachers need to be less biased with the athletes but treat all of the students the same. --Alexis Hayes Dear Miss Anderson, I am responding back to your article regarding how braun trumps brains. I can see where you are coming from, but being an athlete, I disagree with your opinion. It says in the athletic handbook that if student-athletes don’t have passing grades they can’t play. Also, in the article you talk about how we have a full-time athletic director. If Mr. Driskill or Mr. Arlint is gone, Mr. Williams takes their place, so he is also an administrator. You talk about how DECA, drama, and the band don’t get enough credit for their activities, yet DECA has a big showcase on the way to the library, and over 100 students participate in it. Drama students get entire school days off for their winter production, and the band members get out early for the pep assemblies and also get out of school for Jazz Fest. Almost every high school in the country is sports-oriented, so I do not think it is time for a change. Our school’s athletics will most likely always be popular, as well as all of the
different clubs at LHS. Everyone deserves acknowledgement for what they do and love and I think for the most part they are getting it. --Jordan Dickeson
Dear Editor, As a student in GoldVoices and Grace Notes, I completely agree that LHS is greatly sports oriented.To more than half of the students here at the high school, any type of performance doesn’t really matter.To them, it’s“just choir,”or it’s“only band,”and drama is a joke, a waste of time.Yes, sports can be fun to watch, or play, but it shouldn’t be the only fun thing being recognized, and more importantly, it shouldn’t be the only thing being funded.Why is it that the sports teams’traveling expenses, like the bus, their uniform, and their equipment are practically no cost, but choir dresses, robes, festivals, transportation, drama equipment, costumes, band field trips, and other LHS club activities require their own fundraising to actually earn what we want or need to do? Not very often is it that you see or hear about anything other than sports at this school, and it’s actually quite frustrating, when you and your friends are not involved in sports, but are very active in other clubs and performance groups that hardly ever get credit. Academically, Idaho ranks 37 out of the 50 states for students’ chance at success. Fewer than 50 percent of the people enrolled in high school [here] actually continue on to college and I think that not only LHS, but all other schools, state wide and nationwide, should step up to their game to increase that percentage. I agree that it’s time for a change for the students at this high school, along with the high school itself. Too many students and groups
or clubs go unnoticed and unrecognized when they have achieved something great. “Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.” -–Steve Jobs The future should include no one person, group, or club, at any given school, should go any day going unnoticed. --EmilyThomason
Dear McKenna Anderson, I read your article about how some of the school’s policies are unfair to people who are involved in extracurricular activities that don’t include sports. I find your argument agreeable, although I do agree that sports are one of the things we are most known for. Other activities have only recently arisen in their importance and significance, and people just need to be more aware of the achievements that they’ve earned [...]. Like you said, people might think you’re just whining to get attention, but those people need to recognize the other groups for what they’ve accomplished. Personally, I think there would be plenty of other people who would agree with your statement about the other clubs’ needs to be recognized. It would not only reveal what they’ve accomplished, but also further promote their club’s activities and what is involved in that club. It would lengthen the list of LHS’s victories and accomplishments and make our school look that much better. However this can done, and these other activities can be promoted, I support it. --Cullen Aherin More letters at www.thebengalspurr.com.
3 Op/Ed
THE BENGAL’S PURR
D e f i n e o n e’s s e l f w i t h p a s s i o n fo r l i fe, n o t g ra d e s
For nine months of the year, over half of the average student brain is focused on these devilish things called grades. That’s approximately 277 days, 6,648 hours and 398,880 minutes of stress on a student which is not exactly “healthy” stimulation. Grades determine your college future and after. Basically, your decisions as a 15-18 year old impact your entire life, yet we still have to ask permission to go to the bathroom? Grades can also define your social status: i.e. straight-A people who care dominantly about Ivy League schools tend to study together while students who plan to work at McDonald’s after high school tend to spend their days on a couch. This is not everyone though, I promise, this is simply my observations and opinion. As a senior at LHS I’ve had my fair share of lunch detentions, in all honesty. I used to believe everyone received the same punishment for the same crime but apparently not. I overheard students the other day talking about how they simply pointed out their 4.0 GPA and were released from the disciplinary office with
a simple warning. Again, this is hear-say, but why would it be said if it didn’t happen? Why do I, with my 3.2 GPA, get 3 lunch detentions for being 20 minutes late due to an accidental alarm clock altercation? Along with that example, has anyone ever noticed a teacher giving those excellent students just a little bit more attention than those of us who actually need it? I mean… not that it’s any of my business. But also, understand this please, I AM NOT SAYING SMART STUDENTS ARE THE PROBLEM. You guys keep the school running! School is not tailored to every student’s learning technique and it would be almost impossible to achieve that. School is an organized, funded and highly thought of place where students are taught to read a textbook and regurgitate that information on paper. Simply put, we’re not learning but only remembering something for the unit and then wiping our slates clean to be ready for the next exam. Some of us are good at that particular way of school and can easily deal with the workload and still have a social life, and some definitely cannot (me). Here’s a personal tidbit: junior year I failed the first semester of Algebra 2 and it was the first class I’d ever received an F for. But the next semester I had a different teacher
and passed with a clean and easy B. This is not the only time this has happened to me and I believe that some teachers need to understand that grades define our home life, social life and future life and need to reevaluate their teaching style so that students can actually understand the criteria. I’ve stated in this column that grades define a lot of things. They do and it’s a simple fact of life; I’m sorry. One thing I haven’t said grades define is YOU. They do not define your intellect, personality or self-worth and please don’t let them do that. You can be an intelligent person who is a C student, and a complete dimwit who gets a 4.0. Live your life and stop stressing about these letters that people are using to score you. Yes, school is important, but schools today need to realize the amount of stress they put on us and how devastating it is. School is hard, homework is hard, and tests are hard. Life.
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Is. Hard. Don’t let that one letter define you, don’t let that one bad score make you hate yourself, don’t let that teacher who doesn’t give you the time of day make you think you are obsolete. You are not. Many people fail to realize that this is the first chapter of our lives and it feels like you’ve already lived an entire lifetime. Doing well in school is important and we all have to bite the bullet because one column is not going to change the status quo overnight. Relax, go out to eat, this life is the only one you get so don’t spend your every waking minute stressing about a letter in the alphabet. Breathe, please. Don’t for-
Op/Ed 4
Tuesday, November 25
Featured letter to the editor: an athlete’s point of view chaseurquhart seniorathlete
For a majority of students at LHS, an apathetic browse of the Bengal’s Purr is the norm. Few take the time to actually read what is written, and many are guilty of simply looking at the pictures and diagrams, including myself. While scanning through last month’s edition, one article caught my eye more than any article had in the past. The article not only grabbed my attention, but it also grabbed attention from more LHS students than ever before. The article was McKenna Anderson’s, as I’m sure most of you are well aware of by now. In this article, it states that athletes receive en-
hanced attention and special treatment in comparison to other groups such as drama and DECA. As an athlete myself, it rubbed me the wrong way at first, as well as most the other athletes at LHS. It felt as though athletes were being victimized for occurrences that are out of our control, such as excused absences related to sporting events. After re-reading the article, I realized that I was only blinding myself to the purpose of the whole article. The purpose wasn’t to make athletes feel victimized or to single anyone out; it was merely stating an opinion. It’s about time someone took a chance and put their unpopular opinion out there. I think it’s incredible that this article got so much attention, and got so many people talking. I would be more compelled to read the Purr
Death: A reflection on the equalizer tilsenmulalley senioreditor
Death is a strange thing. It wields an immense power over man, a power that seems even stronger than that of life. With one clean cut it can silence you, even if you are not the one that it takes. In fact, it is more powerful to the people who go on living, because they must endure the loneliness and heartache that death leaves as its parting gift. It seems that this valley has experienced a lot of lonely heartache lately. All I can see as I type this today, November 13, are the tear-streaked faces of the mourning and the vacant eyes of the shocked. Death leaves man an empty shell, regardless of whether or not it has taken him. Many will argue my points. I am told often that death is a natural part of life, beautiful in its simultaneous end and beginning, its immortality. I am told that it should be embraced and celebrated as a release of the unconquerable human spirit from our physical shackles into the paradise that lies beyond our plane of existence. This is true, very true. Natural death is a thing of beauty. But unnatural death, death that comes before a person’s time, is an ugly, wretched thing. Death that takes away what life has so preciously given to man to keep safe for decades, the aura of being, before the time allotted has been spent is the very definition of heartbreak, the textbook meaning of a reason to shed a tear. We have all met this horrid creature at one point or another, have all felt the cold emptiness the beast leaves in us as it steals away someone who was not ready to go, someone who had no reason to go, even if they believed they did. This beast of a thing takes many shapes, and it is not always easy to see it. In many forms it cannot be prevented from fulfilling its task, but there is always a way to try. Sometimes, there is even a way to succeed. If someone is crying for help, on the inside or out, please, for the love of God, lend a hand. Pull them to their feet and ask them to stay. Get them help. Because after it’s all said and done, even if they could not stay, even if they had to go, you won’t regret that you tried to help. And that’s a relieving notion amidst the sorrow when it comes to unnatural death. Yes, Death is a strange thing. Idaho Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
if more controversial topics like these are written. It not only brings more attention to the Purr and gets people to actually read it, but it also gets people out of their comfort zone and encourages them to express their opinion. I’m not saying we should personally attack anyone and try to bring them down, but rather talk to them about the topic in a sophisticated manor. You can’t be taken seriously if you are ignorant and arrogant, and I feel as though McKenna did a great job of stating her opinion in a respectable way. I didn’t write this article to discredit anyone’s opinion. My intentions for this article were to simply express my gratitude for McKenna Anderson taking a risk. She got people talking, she wasn’t arrogant or protruding, and
most importantly she did her job. I’m sure she was placed under scrutiny after writing this, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. The Bengal’s Purr will receive a lot more attention from now on simply because we are high schoolers and we love to create drama every chance we get. With all the drama that her article brought to the school last time, LHS students will be sharks smelling blood in the water when the rest of the editions come out, praying for a chance to stir up some conversation. So to you McKenna Anderson, I say congrats on a job well done.
Enslaved by the senior project angelyncox managingeditor
We are cattle. We are livestock. We are being shoved through the gates of the education system by having to do the Senior Project. Our own lives with our own jobs and free time for ourselves is shortened by the requirement to do the Senior Project. In fact, it was mandated two years ago by the state. Two years ago I was a sophomore. Since then, I’ve witnessed the struggle of all who are enslaved to this project. According to www.sde.idaho.gov, “The Idaho State Board of Education worked extensively to create the new requirements to ensure all Idaho students are prepared to live, work and succeed in the 21st century. The Board held a series of public meetings and gathered input from all educational stakeholders across the state, including parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, and business and county leaders…” We are individuals. We can’t think at the same time, or achieve tasks in the same time constraints as each other. Some students ‘operate’ faster than others, some take a little longer. This is the same with maturity. It differs. 50+ students did not turn in their senior papers on the first draft’s official due date due to having busy jobs, busy lives, or just plain laziness that, as humans, tend to do. The Senior Project has its benefits (being able to write a 6 page essay, getting to experience different fields by doing community work and learning to present a project in front of people.) But it has its negative attributes. It takes time away from teaching lectures needed for students by the teachers. The teachers have to take home numerous papers to edit and read through along with grading other papers of their own classes. It seems as though teachers aren›t getting the respect that they deserve from Idaho’s government. It’s a problem if even the teachers are complaining about the Senior Project. What about the students who plan on not going to college? They’ll learn things but they may not use the Senior Project lessons for work after high school. They may not use what they learned what-so-ever in anything, ever again. It just depends on the student... In the end, all I have to say is, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
News 5
Tuesday, November 25
New teachers bring new life to LHS sarahhughes entertainmentasst.
Lewiston High School hired eight new teachers this year and welcomed back a few others. The group of new teachers includes Linde Heckler in special education. Originally going to college to become a nurse, she worked with a young boy who was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. She then decided to become a teacher at age 20. Before coming to LHS, Heckler worked with children aged 5 through 18 and practiced behavioral therapy with students. After realizing that she liked working with older kids she applied for a job at LHS. Adam Uptmor came here wanting to teach at a larger school than the high school in Kooskia, Idaho. He teaches math and coaches the junior varsity boys basketball team. In Kooskia he taught history along with math. Similar to Heckler, Uptmor started out in college with a different career in mind than
his current one. Studying to be an engineer, he found he did not enjoy the work. Uptmor’s switch into the education program was “probably the best decision I ever made,” he said. Kristin Delp came to Lewiston after she heard about the open biology job. She graduated from high school in Ione, Washington, but now lives in Pomeroy where she worked part-time as a substitute teacher. She aspired to become a teacher since the end of high school. Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Brendan Burns came to the Northwest to attend the University of Idaho. He felt drawn to the “old atmosphere of campus” and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. After graduating in May, Burns wanted to stay in the area and became the band director at LHS. He first wanted to be a teacher his junior year of P. Schumacher high school when a new teacher arrived Jennifer Stubbers assists students in her BPA class, Nov. 19, 2014. who “completely turned the program around.” Burns wants to make the band See www.thebengalspurr.com for another feature on new teachers Guzman, competitive within the next few years. Stubbers, Lockhart and Jacobs.
Remembering Devann Maurer
Seniors break record for truancies abbikinnick
asst.featureeditor
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tilsenmulalley senioreditor
Lewiston High School Senior Devann Maurer passed away the night of Wednesday Nov. 12 at home in Lewiston. Following the announcement Thursday, approximately 100 students did not attend school the next day according to attendance secretary Lori Oldfield. A candlelight vigil held Friday, Nov. 14 yielded a large turnout of family, community members, and former classmates to honor Maurer. Maurer participated in varsity soccer and was a member of Up-
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ward Bound, a program that helps students prepare to enter college. She recently traveled to Anchorage, Alaska to receive the Friends of NAEOP Scholastic Achievers Scholarship. Maurer also participated in the 2014 Distinguished Young Women competition, winning the Distinguished Young Women Spirit Award. Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union opened a memorial account to aid the Maurer family in this time. Maurer lives on through her parents, Daniel and Amber Maurer, her older brother D.J. Maurer, her younger sister DayVee Maurer, and many friends and relatives.
Approximately 115 to 120 senior class members at Lewiston High School chose not to attend an assembly in the high school auditorium, Oct. 15, making it one of the largest senior skip days in school history according to LHS attendance. While juniors and sophomores at LHS took the PSAT, administration scheduled the senior class to attend an informational meeting regarding expectations, attendance and grades with school counselors. Seniors then went to their government classes to hear about their senior projects. Those who attended spent the remaining time getting help and working on senior projects in their English classes as scheduled. The mass truancy came as a “disappointment” to the faculty, according to Kevin Driskill, principal of LHS. “It’s misfortunate. ...It is not something we will repeat in the near future,”he said. Driskill added that he plans to prevent a recurrence by stressing the importance of the information presented and by taking attendance. Mary Ann Funk, LHS librarian and English department chair, said that the faculty members who prepared
the presentation were the most shocked. “It was a missed opportunity for the students,” Funk said. Lance Hansen, assistant superintendent, explained that LHS held authority over the situation, but believed a lack of communication between faculty and students caused the skip. Senior class president Thomas Pearson stated that teachers told students that teachers would not take attendance, implying that seniors didn’t need to come to school. Teachers could have been clearer about the purpose of the meetings, Pearson suggested, but they shouldn’t be at fault. He said he thought that the administration should make sure that the students need to be there and put in place a pro-active punishment to help mass truency from happening again. Many of the senior class members apologized and decided to clean the Jackson Baldwin Memorial Fountain and Ninth Avenue in Lewiston on Saturday, Oct. 25, as a self-decided repercussion, according to Pearson and Driskill. “(It put) a bad image on the senior class,” Pearson said unhappily. He explained that some senior students caused noise and disruption in the community when they skipped school Oct. 15. He added that the mass truancy also provided a bad example for the underclassmen.
6 News
THE BENGAL’S PURR
City adopts anti-discrimination ordinance mckennaanderson editorinchief
A law banning discrimination against familial status, sexual orientation and gender identity passed Mond a y, O c t . 2 7 b y L e w i s t o n c i t y c o u n c i l m e n B o b B l a k e y, J e s s e Maldonado and Ged Randall.
The ordinance passed w i t h a 5 - 2 m a j o r i t y, w i t h councilmen Ryan Johnson and Clinton Daniel voting against the ordinance. In t h e LC S C l i b r a r y, c i t y r e s idents gathered when to discuss their opinions on the controversy for about a n h o u r a n d a h a l f, s e a l i n g
t h e d e a l w i t h a 2 - 1 r a t i o, in favor of the ordinance. According to Johnson, his views on discrimination did not directly correlate with his decision to vote against Lewiston hiring and housing discrimination. While Johnson stands firm with his vote against
the ordinance, he said still believes in equality for all s e x e s a n d g e n d e r i d e n t i t y. As accounted by the Boise We e k l y n e w s p a p e r, L e w i s t o n ; the ninth city to rectify the ordinance, accompanying S a n d p o i n t , B o i s e , M o s c o w, C o e u r d ’A l e n e , K e t c h u m , V i c t o r, Po c a t e l l o a n d I d a h o Fa l l s .
Republican party takes state positions haileysorenson sportsassistant
Tuesday Nov. 4, Idaho voters elected Sherri Ybarra as State Superintendent of public instruction and Butch Otter as Governor. Overall, Lewiston High School teachers don’t think the elections will change anything within the school district. “I don’t think it will affect much now,” said LHS U.S. Government and U.S. History teacher Brian Larson. “The State Superintendent will have a lot of learning to do, so not much will happen.” Scott Funk, Advanced Placement U.S. History and AP European History teacher, also expressed doubt. “I have great skepticism that anything will change,” Funk said. “Given that in the past the governor promoted how great our education system was to get elected in 2010, and then promoted the Luna Laws that would fundamentally change our educational system.” U.S. Government and World History teacher Keith Stuffle preferred not to speculate. “I think it is to be determined,” Stuffle said.“It is the nature of the office. I wouldn’t predict things in any way, shape or form. Ybarra campaign focused on increasing educational standards in Idaho and putting the current educational funding towards the beneficial factors within the system. “Education is my focus and passion, proven through my dedication and experience in the profession,” Ybarra said in her web site, ybarraforidaho.com. Throughout her life, Ybarra worked as
Governer, Butch Otter, (left) elected Nov. 4, 2014 along with new State Superintendent, Sherri Ybarra (right). Both current pictures used for their websites www.ybarraforidaho.com and www.otter4idaho.com)
an assistant principal, principal, federal programs director, and curriculum director. She holds a Bachelor’s in elementary education, a Master’s in educational leadership, and this summer she will complete a further advanced degree in educational leadership, with an emphasis in superintendency at the University of Idaho. However, according to the Lewiston Tribune, Ybarra misled voters about her credentials. Tribune editor Marty Trillhaase wrote that Ybarra would finish her doctorate at the University of Idaho in August, but when the UI was called, Ybarra only has an educational specialist degree. While “that’s still a
rung above a master’s degree,”Trillhaase wrote, a doctorate would need much more schooling and time dedicated. Ybarra’s campaign slogan proclaimed, “Address the whole child.” She thinks abandoning the “one-size fits all approach and focusing on clearness and openness” will allow students to learn and achieve more according to Ybarra’s website. “Testing should not be attached to ‘cut scores,’ or be used as a ‘weapon to shame’ school districts.” Ybarra’s site claimed. To change this way of thinking, Ybarra hopes to change learning standards to require stronger speaking and writing skills,
while incorporating up-to-date technology to prepare students for the future. According to her website, she plans to develop a schedule of two tests per year, one in the beginning and one at the end, to track a student’s progress of learning. Regarding funding for education, Ybarra, aware of economic realities, believes “we must live within our means and utilize the tools we have.” Ybarra’s website said she wishes to cooperate with parents, educators, students, legislators, and taxpayers alike to determine what works and what doesn’t within the system in order to find what impacts the students in the classroom and put money toward enhancing them. Much like Ybarra, Otter hopes to further develop education in Idaho. Otter enters his third term as governor for Idaho this year. When first elected to Congress, Otter held his fourth term as Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor. He served longer than anyone in Idaho history, according to a biography on Otter at idaho.gov. He previously represented Canyon County in the Idaho House of Representatives from 1973 to 1976. According to his website, otter4idaho. com, Otter feels that “education is the key to economic and social well-being and Idaho’s future prosperity,” and a “fundamental and proper role of state government” to watch over. Otter hopes to raise the achievement standards in classrooms and to “open new doors and expand horizons for students all over Idaho.” He also wants to make the opportunities in rural Idaho equal with the rest of the world by creating more scholarships to al-
For more news briefs go to www.thebengalspurr.com
Flashback 7
Tuesday, November 25
The Bengal’s Purr falls back to Novembers past
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FIRST BUILDING -- Originally called the Wester Building, a bond in 1904 raised $35,000 to construct the 12-room school. The building stood where Booth Hall currently sits and stood on land purchased from Idaho’s First Brewery. (Photo courtesy of Steve Branting.) Nov. 23, 2004. Volume 79, Number 3. The Bengal’s Purr staff featured a flashback double truck for Lewiston High School’s centennial.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR -- Purr photographer John Timme won a first place in special effects in a recent state journalism competition with this photo of junior Darei Daehing practicing on the beam. The effect was created by placing a mat over the negative. Article by Chris Pakkala. Nov. 11 1984, Volume 56, Number 3.
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SHAKE IT -- Senior Ed Bell (left), Brett Depow, Bill Harris and Nathan Alford look on as senior John Harrelson “boogies.” The five were all contestants in Mr. LHS held last night. Nov. 17 1989, Volume 62, Number 5.
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THE ROCKETTES? -- Hopeful candidates for the New York Rockettes, seniors Scott Mahurin (left), Bill Stutzman, Chris Pendell, Brett Woodland and Matt Sueuga practice their kickline routine for the Mr. LHS competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Cory Chun.) Nov. 18, 1994, Volume 67, Number 4. Article by Salina Peterson.
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SADDLE UP! -- Members of the Rodeo Team gather to celebrate their recent victories. Clockwise from top left: Ty Smith, Josh Pisani, Adam Cadez-Schmidt, Aaron Smith, Katherine Troutman and Chad Smith. (Photo by Donita Piraino.) Nov. 23, 1999 Volume 72, Number 3. Article by Willie Deibel.,
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L H S C l u b s s oa r t h r o u g h Friends of Rachel brings light to LHS kinseyricharson featureeditor
April 20, 1999, bullets flew throughout Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two teen gunmen killed one teacher, 12 students and wounded more than 20 others. Rachel Scott, 18, received the first gunshot, ending her life. Scott lived a life in which she showed love and compassion to any person who needed it. People remember Scott helping bullied students in the hallways of Columbine and inviting new students to sit with her and her friends at lunch. In an essay for her fifth period English class Scott wrote, “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.” She continued living her life by that according to the Rachel’s Challenge. Scott once said, “Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer,” and that message remains powerful for the newly formed club, Friends of Rachel (FOR) at Lewiston High School. Scott’s family formed FOR to spread kindness and compassion. After the message given out by the Rachel’s Challenge assembly Oct. 20, a group of students chosen by teachers and administrators, went through training to be leaders of FOR. According to www.rachelschallenge.org, the main goal of FOR clubs is to make a permanent change in schools. “The group’s goal is to make is
to spread Rachel Scott’s message. She wanted a world where people showed basic kindness and respect for one another, where one kind act could snowball into hundreds of kind acts,” said Shyann Hale, junior. The students participating in FOR plan to put posters up throughout LHS displaying positive messages. The group is also focused on giving at least one Kindness Award out to a student caught doing kind things for others. The group also volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club to make grilled cheese sandwiches for children, according to LHS counselor, Christina Cahill. Tragedies happen every day. Columbine started a domino effect of over 20 school shootings since 1999. From darkness comes light. Great things can come from terrible happenings.
Fantasy Club attracts magical new members tilsenmulalley senioreditor
A magical world exists behind the door of Room 212. It overflows with creatures, the likes of which have never been seen before, put there by the gods and goddesses of Lewiston High School’s newest sensation: Fantasy Club. The club came to fruition this year, an idea from the minds of Seniors Brandi Warner and Tanner McGill. “We wanted a place for nerds to hangout,” Warner said. The club covers all areas of fantasy, including science fiction, and educates people on the different aspects of the genre through weekly PowerPoint presentations. To help implement their new-found knowledge, the club created two major projects; one for the fall and one for the spring. The fall project involves members creating their own country in groups and putting all of them together into a world map. Each country requires a dragon, populations of different mythical species and whatever else the groups wish. The spring project promises to be an even bigger undertaking. A science fiction based assignment, it will task the club members with building something even larger and more complicated than an entire nation. “I’m going to let people devel-
op their own planetary bodies,” Warner said, “We’re going to make our own solar system.” The members will be tasked with integrating multiple forms of technology into their societies and explaining how each came about. Separate from the main projects, members may also take on individual endeavors and gain points to “level-up” in the club. These assignments can consist of anything from short stories to art, and the more of these the members turn in, the more points they gain. After gaining the correct amount of points, a member reaches the next level. Unfortunately, Fantasy Club’s members have reported several instances of bullying due to the nature of the club. “Within the first few weeks of the club’s existence, one of our members reported being bullied,” Warner said, “It was the whole ‘you’re a nerd, why are you being part of [Fantasy Club].” Fantasy Club members have decided to take a stand against the bullies. “We’ve had people stand up to [the bullies],” Warner said, “and after that the [bullies] stopped. I haven’t heard anything since.” Fantasy Club meets on Mondays after school and remains open to new members.
Rachel Scott. Photo courtesy o f w w w. ra c h e l s c h a l l e n g e. o r g
Check out additional club articl www.thebengalspurr.com
mber 25
g h h a l l s a n d va l l e y
9
Indian Education Program helps Native students kinseyricharson featureeditor
Although many Native Americans live and go to school on reservations, many Native Americans from several different tribes also attend LHS. The Indian Education program at LHS includes 45 student members. Many Native American students participated in “Rock Your Native Bling” an event made to bring light to Native American History Month on Nov. 14. MaryBeth Tyger Spencer Heald, student mentor for the Indian Education program and alumni of LHS, understood the struggles of having Native heritage at a non-Native school. Heald’s heritage includes Lakota Sioux, Creek and Nez Perce. She has worked district wide to mentor and tutor Native American students for over two years. According to Heald, Native Americans have long considered education sacred, as it helps people understand the world around them. Although she graduated as recently as 2000, she recalled the misinterpretations and ignorance of her classmates. “They just don’t know the history, the story,” said Heald. She went through high school living what she called a double life. “I was close to my Lakota roots, but my friends didn’t know.” Heald participates in traditions that Crazy Horse and Chief Sitting Bull participated in and refered to those traditions as very sacred,. “It’s our way of connecting to our an-
cestors. They help us remember who we are, where we came from and to be proud that we’re still here,” she said. Josey Jagelski, a senior and student representative for the Indian Education program joined the organization to become more connected with her Native American heritage. Coming from Oneida and Ojibwa tribes, Jagelski feels the importance of her heritage. As a child, she participated in Native American pow wows, wearing a traditional jingle dress. “I’m super proud of my heritage,” Jagelski said, “I get a lot of help from the tribe for college. It’s just super cool to be a part of it.” Jagelski’s mom, Frida Jagelski, often travels to different reservations to observe the different cultures. “Each tribe is a little bit different,” remarked Frida, who works as a classroom assistant at LHS.
club articles on spurr.com
MaryBeth Tyger Spencer Heald, Indian Education mentor, talks to a student. Photo by K.Richardson
Clubs dance in, then out of LHS games, parades, and competitions angelyncox managingeditor
As time curls and students graduate, LHS clubs fade and retire to the school records or become hallway rumors. From school spirit clubs to sports clubs, students influence each after-school activity. L-Cube started in 1988 and continued for several years after. The club consisted of a sorority-type system with sisterhoods involved. Known as L-Cube to the public but the “Lewiston Loyalty League” to the club itself, wanted to “promote a spirit of leadership, scholarship, and sportsmanship and to further school spirit,” according to the existing constitution of 1988. Bengalette Drill team danced and pranced about in local parades. Considered as a club, yearbooks and The Bengal’s Purr featured the team numerous times. The drill team no longer exists due to the time and devotion needed from students in order to operate smoothly, with practice times at 6 a.m. every day before school. The team participated at half-time
throughout the state according to former adviser, LeeAnn Hancock.. Senior Guys Club existed 16 years ago. The club revolved around Seniors who set their ultimate goal as, “having fun and creating memories,” according to the club constitution. They aimed to keep the spirit alive at school events. Along with the Senior Guys Club, students created other clubs that showed support of school spirit as best as possible, each duplicating the presence of the other with the same purpose in the endddd. Most of these clubs soon faded into existence as their founders graduated. Student-ran clubs do not last if students do not properly pass them down through generations.
10 Sports
THE BENGAL’S PURR
Local colleges resurrect football team chloekirk copyeditor
For over 60 years, Lewis-Clark State College neglected to pursue a football team for the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. But as of May 2013, LCSC football coaching staff started recruiting players for the Loggers. In the early 1950s, the school shut down operations according to Jeff Schumacher, Loggers coach, therefore also shutting down the football team. Upon reopening the school, they did not bring back the football team, he said. Bob Thorson, football team director, brought the idea of starting the football team back up to the administration several times but remained unsuccessful, according to Schumacher. So Thorson took action and started an independent program that allows students from LCSC and Walla Walla Community College in Clarkston to play on the team. Eligibility for the team requires enrollment in one of those two institutions.
Starting up this past year, Schumacher said,” The director of the football team is Bob Thorson. He had dreams of a football team at LCSC when he was a professor there.” “There are people that believe that the football team would never work,” Schumacher said. “There were also people that were die-hard baseball fans that did not want a college football program.” Loggers play at Bengal Field in 1950. Picture courtesy of Lewis-Clark Valley FootDespite the negativity, the Loggers remained sucsin (Tri-Cities) and Kitsap Peninsula. Walton and Connor Imal, who graducessful in the Northwest Junior College Key standout players, according to ated in 2012, each attained a position Football League conference, fin- Schumacher, all graduated from Lew- as a key offensive player. Brandon ishing at the beginning of Novem- iston High School. Rob Roth, quarter- Berlick, LHS class of 2014, proved ber with a record of 4-1-3. They back and 2014 LHS alum, played excep- to be their best player on defense. played Washington teams from tionally well and was a leader for their “I don’t think a lot of people exEverett, Bellevue, Columbia Ba- defense, he said. Lucky Gaskill, Joey pected us to go this far. I knew we would,” said linebacker Berlick. Many of the teams the Loggers played against had been established for 10 years or more, Berlick said. As part of a first-year team, Berlick felt pleased to pull out that many wins. Going to LCSC and playing for the Loggers increased his passion for football, Berlick said. “Being thrown into a new team with guys you’ve never met before was a challenge,” said Berlick, “but making something out of nothing gave the team chemistry and eventually giving them the opportunity to become best friends. Becoming close gave them the strength as a team to be able to compete and get the job done on the field.” “It’s definitely influenced me to try harder in life,”Berlick said.“I wasn’t able to concentrate on school. ... But when I play football I’m just able to concentrate better and in the classroom.”
Loggers play again in their return game in September. Picture courtesy of Lewis-Clark Valley College Football.
Tuesday, November 25
Sports 11
Deschamps gains downhill speed chloekirk copyeditor
Racing at high speeds on a bike and conquering terrain such as jumps, turns and ruts might seem difficult for the average American. But for junior Joe Deschamps, taking on downhill-slopes with accuracy, athleticism and mental toughness comes easily with a record of all podiums. Downhill mountain biking involves riding on steep, rough terrain that often includes jumps, rock gardens and other obstacles. Skillfully racing down a hill at these obstacles takes about a minimum of three hours of training a day during the season, which lasts from April to October. Deschamps’ training consists of three parts: mobility, warmup and energy systems development (ESD) workouts. Mobility gives the body more range
of motion and flexibility. For warmups, Deschamps performs body weight exercises and more stretching which prepares his body for training. ESD consists of cardio on a bike and skill drills. Riding bikes since age four, this is Deschamps first year racing. Even though Deschamps idoes not currently participate on a team and doesn’t obtain any sponsors, he said he received many small sponsorships and team offers. Over the past year Deschamps enjoyed success at the Silver Mountain Race Series, earning two second place titles and four third place titles. Deschamps plans to continue until he cannot ride anymore, he said. “It’s changed me a lot,” he said of the sport. “It’s made me a more hard working person, more dedicated. It has given me more value in life and just has made me a better person.
Girls take on “guy sports” dakotaeverett newsassistant
Hunting, football and wrestling are all considered guy’s sports. So what happens when girls try out? Do they get shunned? Do they get accepted? What really happens? The Bengal’s Purr asked three junior girls these questions: Former football player Halie Decius, former wrestler Serena O’Connor and hunter Madison Roberts. Decius played football in seventh grade at Sacajawea Jr. High School. Decius said her friends thought it to be cool, even though they worried for her safety. But her parents worried because she signed up without them knowing. “I used to play in the backyard with my dad, and I grew to love it,” she remembered of football. But her experience on the field proved less positive. “Nobody talked to me. … A lot of them were angry about it,” Decius said of her teammates. After a few months she learned that exercise-induced asthma kept her from
playing and she retired as wide receiver. O’Connor wrestled in fifth grade. “It would catch my dad’s attention, and my younger brother and older sister did it,” she said of wrestling. O’Connor did not wrestle beyond that year because she felt she was bad at it and finding someone to wrestle with proved difficult. “It was really difficult to be the only girl. I got a lot of boys that would think I had cooties or something,” she said. “Nobody wanted to wrestle a girl, because they didn’t think I was a real opponent.” O’Connor said she would never wrestle again. Roberts hunts currently for the big game -- elk and deer -- and the small game such as squirrel and pheasant. Roberts started hunting at age 12, disproving stereotypes with the mule deer she tagged in Washington. She plans to continue on as a hunter. ”It’s rewarding, being able to harvest an animal, and provide food for your family,” she said.
Deschamps rides in one of his competitions. Picture courtesy of J. Deschamps.
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12 Sports
THE BENGAL’S PURR
Senior project gets boys moving haileysorenson featureassistant
day Oct. 28 for her senior project. For her project’s research paper, Cornelia wrote about keeping teens acSenior Whitney Cornelia, hosted tive. She used the volleyball game as an all-boys “powderpuff ” volleyball an example of what could happen to game at Lewiston High School Friaccomplish this. “I think setting up a boys’ volleyball team let them be active,” she said. “I think it coexists with the paper.” The idea for creating the volleyball game came from Cornelia’s knowledge of the annual powderpuff S.Hughes football game (Left to right) Jake Munoz, Max Schaefer, Brandon Roberts, Cameron Sager rally at the powderpuff volleyball for girls at LHS, as well as from game Oct. 28.
other schools’ male volleyball games. Overall, 12 teams participated in the tournament, each team consisting of at least three players. The Goats team took first place in the competition, during which Ryan Rhodes of the Young Kings broke his two front teeth. When recounting the event, senior Tyler Eberhardt said he saw a “miraculous” save. Rhodes dove for the ground and Gabe Reyes went to help at the same time. While helping, Reyes’ knee went into Rhodes’ head and pushed it towards the ground. The impact broke Rhodes’ two front teeth when his head hit the ground. “(It was) probably the greatest save of his life,” Eberhardt said of Rhodes. Despite the injury, Cornelia said the event turned out better than expected. She hopes the volleyball game will become an LHS tradition. “I know the juniors and seniors
S.Hughes
Whitney Cornelia keeps score at the powderpuff volleyball game. want to do it again,” Cornelia said. “They had fun so I hope it was a success.”
Fall teams wrap up, Basketball revs up
XC r u n s h a r d a t state, regionals leytonwallace reporter
Bengals Cross Country team took a loss at state, in Boise Nov. 1, as Coeur d’Alene girls and Mountain View boys claimed victory. In Boise, the girls placed last, and the boys placed tenth out of 11. The team consisted of 14 total varsity runners with seven girls and seven boys. Austin Bryer and Emily Wren had high performances, being the first Bengals to place in every meet. The Bengals prepared hard for the 3.125 mile run according to sophomore runner Katie Schlangen. “Five days before we went, practices were intense, then they kind of tampered down,” said Schlangen. “Saturday and Monday were intense, then they got easier by Thursday to keep our legs fresh.” The Bengals ran in nine meets for the season, winning only at the Asotin meet. But they took second place in regionals, giving them a spot in state. At regionals the girls totaled 55 points overall. Senior Wren placed fifth and junior Miranda Cranston took 10th place
at the event. Katie Schlangen, sophomore, took 12th; sophomore Madelyn Parkey placed 13th; and junior Katie Havens took 15th place. Sophomore Jackie Uhling took 22nd and senior Lakia Leonard placed 23rd at regionals. For the boys in regionals, the team totaled 49 points overall. Sophomore Austin Bryer placed fourth; freshman Joey Perez took eighth; senior Seth Sabo placed 11th; and freshman Sakti Woodbury took 12th place. Meanwhile, sophomore Layton Ahlers placed 14th; freshman Connor Turpin took 23rd; and senior Julian Robinson placed 24th.
The team consisted of nine swimmers, including seniors Halsey, Alex Cromer and Jacob Stormes. The juniors included Mary Everett and Zach Coppess. The sophomores of the group consist of Hayes, Miles Lewis and Andrew Bugbee. Lewis and Bugbee placed at state due to their performance in relays. Bugbee swam in the 200 free and in the individual medley, while Lewis swam in the 200 fly. In relays, four boys swam in the 200 free -- Halsey, Stormes, Bugbee and Coppess. Halsey put forth the best performance by Lewiston, according to Hayes “Aside from team placements and individual placements, I’m proud of my team this year,” said Halsey.
Swim teams take ninth, 1 2 t h a t s t a t e Vo l l e y b a l l g i r l s leytonwallace lose two at state reporter
The Lewiston swim team struggled at state competitions Nov. 8, with the girls placing ninth in team overall and the boys placing 12th. Connor Halsey took fifth in the consolation finals in the 100 fly with a time of 58.6 seconds. Alexis Hayes placed fourth in the 100 free with 54.6 seconds and seventh in the 100 breast with a time of 1:08.
abbikinnick featureassistant
The Lewiston High School varsity volleyball team played at state Oct. 31 at Sky View High School in Idaho Falls. The team failed to place after losing its first two games. LHS athletic director Cory Williams said, “We’ve had a great season this year. …We aren’t going to let it put a damper on the season that we had.”
B a s ke t b a l l s e a s o n sta r t s w i t h C te a m s trevanpixley&jonikaringling reporters
LHS boys and girls basketball began their season with tryouts in mid-November at Booth Hall. Varsity, junior varsity and the addition of “C” team offered a better chance for male and female players who tried out. “It’s good for the program to give players a chance to improve and compete and make great strides,” said G. Davey Steele, head coach of the boys C team, which typically includes beginners and younger players. He went on to say that, in the past, a lot of C-Team members ended up progressing and contributing a lot to the varsity team before leaving high school. After try-outs, the girls varsity basketball team hosteda Bengal Shootout at Booth Hall Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22. Ladies from Lewiston, Moscow, Lapwai, and Centennial school teams participated. Girls varsity coach Dave Cornelia said he believes this season the lady Bengals will make it all the way. “We’re going to take state -- we’re going to be first,” Cornelia said.
Tuesday, November 25
Entertainment 13
Local band releases first album tilsenmulalley senioreditor
All around the country, rock music’s defining characteristic of independent, do-it-yourself moxie continues to remain central to its roots. This sort of attitude pushes artists forward into big things, and the groups of Lewiston’s local music scene are no different. Lewiston’s own Nuclear Waterheater, set to release its debut album Lewd Behavior Nov. 15, sits as a perfect example. The teenage power trio consists of Seth Blankenship on vocals and guitar, Avin Lee on bass, and Labronte Mathews on drums. The group formed in early 2012 after a chance meeting between Lee and Blankenship. Together with mutual friend Marcella Rogers on drums, the group began practicing in Rogers’ basement. The group named themselves after a staple of the basements they’d be practicing in. Soon after the band’s inception, Rogers left the group and was speedily replaced with current drummer Mathews. Moving practice to Blankenship’s basement, the band began doing free shows to generate publicity, playing at venues such as the Blue Lantern Coffeehouse in Lewiston. Early in 2014, the group was approached by the LCMP, a union of local musicians from Lewiston, Clarkston, Asotin, and Pullman to become members. The union helped Nuclear Waterheater gain local prominence and organize shows, citing them as a huge help in getting them where they
Courtesy of The Third Wheel Nuclear Waterheater at The Third Wheel Nov. 15. Left to Right: Seth Blankenship, Lebronte Mathews, Avin Lee.
are today, according to the band. The group’s music, though best described as a mix of punk and blues, doesn’t stick to this blueprint. “When you go to a genre, you can’t be something new [in music],” Blankenship said. Though Blankenship writes the lyrics, each member writes his own pieces of each individual song, Lee coming up with the bass lines and Mathews taking control of the drum progression. In this way, each member remains equal in the creative process. Their
current repertoire consists of 21 original songs, none of which have been written down except for lyrics. Instead, the members remember his respective pieces of music, re-inventing the parts they forget, similar to the acid-rock technique of the 1960s. “We just want to make music for people,” Lee said. “We want to make money, but the music is more important.” For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ Nuclearwaterheater.
Tumblr takes over teen social media mckennaanderson editorinchief
Courtesy of tumblr
A blogging site that started in 2007 has stirred up quite a bit among our generation. Tumblr.com is a microblogging site and social network that allows aspiring artists, bloggers, ranters and writers show their work. It also allows the general population to simply share what they feel, when they feel it, whenever they want. Tumblr is home to fandoms, photographers, writers and any other interest group you can think of. I have been a tumblr user for about three years now, and being an aspiring writer, it has given me so much insight on who I am and what others think of my writing. One of the best things about it is that the
majority of parental units have not discovered this. Freedom of speech is the first amendment, but half the time it doesn’t even feel like it’s in action. But with tumblr it is. The website also has some downsides: many people use it to promote suicide and self-harm and in February n2012 site administrators put a ban on all blogs with said content due to suicide from the bullying on that website. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they won’t use tumblr because you can ask questions anonymously (which can be turned off ) and they believe that it’s all bullying. Well, so is Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Ask.fm. Even Webkinz had some type of bullying on it. I remember those harsh years as a 10 year old and getting criticized for ONLY having 27 Webkinz collected. It was a cold world back then. Tumblr can be hard to use but once you get the hang of it, it’s absolutely addictive. But most people just write it off when they don’t understand how to use it. That’s okay; this website isn’t for everyone and
that’s completely understandable. That just means there are less people to deal with on a regular basis to be honest. Tumblr is the social media website of the decade. It’s new, different and lacks that tone all other websites seem to possess. It’s the cutting edge, groundbreaking side of social media technology.
Courtesy of tumblr
14 Entertainment
THE BENGAL’S PURR
Gutierrez depicts beautiful Hispanic culture sarahhughes entertainmentassistant
Opening with a brief explanation of the Mexican holiday the Day of the Dead, the first five minutes of The Book of Life set the stage for a story that mirrors Mexican culture. The storyline is simple and complex at the same time. On the surface, the film focuses on a love triangle, and which friend marries the girl. But the themes presented--some obvious, some implied--offer an inside look into Mexican culture. María, expected to marry, strives to break out of the fate her gender dictates. Manolo and Joaquín both acknowledge their ancestors’ shadows that hide who the boys’ identities. Manolo’s subplot centers around his lack of a desire to become a bullfighter, like the rest of his family. His story demonstrates the importance of bullfighting in Spanish culture as well as providing an example to young viewers to not feel pressured to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Everyone will relate to Joaquín’s story in some way. His village expects him to be like his father, a hero, and save them from the banditos, but living in his father’s shadow depresses him. In this day and age, few popular films portray a lifestyle other than the American one. Jorge Gutierrez’s The Book of Life differs from other culturally diverse pieces in that people who grew up surrounded by Spanish culture made it. For example, La Muerte, the
Courtesy of bookoflifemovie.com
Manolo Sanchez arrives in the Land of the Remembered in The Book of Life, released this fall. ruler of the Land of the Remembered, drawn in the style of a Catrina doll, represents an icon of the Day of the Dead. The Book of Life uses copious amounts of color, representing the literal and metaphorical colorfulness of Mexican culture. In the film, Manolo travels to the famous Land of the Remembered, a well-known part of Mexican culture. The Land of the Remembered scene uses the most color and beauty of any in the entire movie. The setting’s vibrancy
and upbeat music contrasts with the dull ash color that makes up the Land of the Forgotten. The beauty of death in this film leaves little wonder as to why the Mexicans celebrate their dead. The music proves average, and it’s obvious the filmmakers substituted complex lyrics for familiarity. The characters
perform songs such as “I Will Wait” by Mumford and Sons and “Creep” by Radiohead. Since the film appeals to younger audiences, these lyrics provide simplicity and allow children to understand every detail of the plot. Aside from the flaws, The Book of Life is a great movie to show children to expose them to other cultures or simply for entertainment. Its uniqueness will not be forgotten soon, and for that it earns three and a half out of five stars.
Purrcussion: They Want My Soul by Spoon tilsenmulalley senioreditor
Psychedelic beats seem to have taken a backseat in the music business since the LSD-fueled rockers of the 1960s and 1970s. However, a group out of Austin, Texas refuses to let the genre die. Spoon’s latest album, They Want My Soul, released Aug. 5, revives the dreamy guitar and far-out lyrics of the psychedelic years in the best way. Catchy riffs and infectious
beats abound in what amounts to a beautiful composition of music. With slow songs like “I Just Don’t Understand,” mixed with more upbeat tracks like “Do You” and “Let Me Be Mine,” They Want My Soul mixes up the list with something for everybody. Each song acts as its own trip into one’s emotions and mind. What makes this album so interesting to listen to pertains to the fact that it combines its psychedelic roots with the modern, polished New York sound of bands like The Strokes and The
Postelles. Each song can remain upbeat with pulsing big-city rhythms and then do a complete turn-around into the fuzzy riffs of acid rock in a way that remains completely natural. Combine this with lead singer Britt Daniel’s rough yet pleasurable voice and the result is a uniquely enjoyable album that makes it hard to keep a foot from tapping. Courtesy of spoontheband.com
Spoon released its eighth album, They Want My Soul, Aug. 5.
News
Tuesday, November 25
15
Programs and clubs exceed LHS expectations Band and choir fundraise with fruit tonymurillo reporter
The LHS band and choir groups will sell California Navel Oranges and Rio Star Grapefruits until Dec. 1, among its other winter activities and events. Fruit is for sale by the 20-lb. box and 10-lb. bag. Boxes cost $27 and bags cost $14. The money raised will go toward the benefit of the LHS music department. Meanwhile, the marching band plans to play in the annual Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 6. According to new band director Brendan Burns,
the parade will feature a great wind ensemble and jazz music. Earlier this fall, LHS musicians participated in several large events. The marching band appeared in the Veteran’s Day Parade Saturday, Nov. 8. At LHS Wednesday, Nov. 12, an all-day event for band and choir students allowed students to perform in a full ensemble with university instruction. The department’s groups also performed at the LHS Fall concert Tuesday, Oct. 28. “I feel like it went pretty well,” Burns said of the fall concert. “There was a great turnout. … We filled the auditorium with a lot of sound.”
HOSA shows students the future
Courtesy of LHS’s Facebook
LHS Band members perform duringa football game Oct. 28, 2014.
LHS sweeps first DECA event sabrinarutherford
halleyaltman
reporter
reporter
Lewiston High School’s Health The LHS branch meetings focus around Occupation Students of Ameri- organizing fundraisers and practicca (HOSA) club recently raffled off ing skills the students have learned Scarywood event tickets to help the in previous Health Occupation classclub raise money for its es, according to Wassmuth, state trip and competition. “It helps me who currently runs the club. HOSA educates and “It’s a nice opportunity to get ready for get to know other students helps students who have an interest in ca- my future.” who are interested in the reers in the medical same career fields as me,” field. The group meets every Tues- said club member Maria Uptmor. “It day in Debbie Wassmuth’s room. helps me get ready for my future.”
More than 15 Lewiston High School students placed first in the initial DECA competition of the school year Oct. 29 at LCSC. First-place winners in the Distributive Education Clubs of America local competition included MacKenzie Blair, Logan Chase, Joda Dechamps, Mary Everett, Shyanne Hale, Maddie Hill, Chloe Kirk, Maureen Mannschreck, Aaliyah Maurer, Devann Maurer, Sasha Mortensen, Kristin Rietz, Lane Scott, Mason Ulrich, Ben Uptmor, Leah Upt-
mor, Chase Urquhart and Dani Wren. Additionally, 22 LHS students placed second and 19 finished third at the event. The DECA students also traveled Nov. 7 to take a tour and view presentations from four different departments at the Northern Quest Casino in Spokane. Upcoming events DECA students hope to participate in include the regional competition Jan. 9 in Coeur d’Alene, the state competition in Boise March 12-14 and nationals in Orlando, Florida, April 25-28.
Frisbee club flies for 10th year Juggling club tosses fun haileyward reporter
Ultimate Frisbee Club (UFC) returned this fall for the 10th year in a row. The main point of this club is for students to play the sport they love and meet people who share the same interests, according to club adviser Shannon VanBuren. Students can join this club by showing up to the meetings after
school every Friday in Trailer 3. At each meeting, members schedule playing time for the upcoming weekend. Students interested in joining can also give their phone number to the club president, Ryan MacMillan. UFC meets up at LCSC to play on the open fields according to the times set at the previous meeting.
sabrinarutherford
reporter
Thursdays after school, students can learn the basics of juggling in ten minutes or less in Room 212. Scott Funk, adviser, designed the juggling club to teach and improve juggling skills for anyone who would like to learn. “You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to be
willing to learn,” said Funk. Juggling club doesn’t participate in any competitions, but performed during halftime of basketball games in the past. At this point now, the club lacks enough members for performances. “The more we can get, the better,” Funk said. Students may join the club by showing up to Funk’s room on a Thursday after school.
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THE BENGAL’S PURR
16 Variety
Students share Instagram photos Mr. LHS rehears
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Fall pr o
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All letters to the editor must be 250 words or under. All letters exceeding this limit are subject to editing. Twitter: @TheBengalsPurr Facebook.com/TheBengalsPurr E-mail: bengalspurr@lewistonschools.net Phone: (208) 748-3126 Website: thebengalspurr.com Mail: Room 103, 1114 9th Ave., Lewiston, Idaho, 83501
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Editor in Chief.....................................McKenna Anderson Senior Editor................................................Tilsen Mulalley Managing Editor................................................Angelyn Cox Feature Editor......................................Kinsey Richardson Sports Assistant......................................Hailey Sorenson Entertainment Assistant..........................Sarah Hughes Feature Assistant............................................Abbi Kinnick Distribution Manager................................Dakota Everett Business Manager...........................................Tandi Murill Advertising Manager......................Mackenzie Jackson Website Editor.....................................Paige Schumacher Copy Editor...............................................................Chloe Kirk Adviser..............................................................Charity Egland