The Borah
Senator
Volume 51 Issue VI May 17, 2011 6001 Cassia St. Boise, ID 83709 borahsenator.com
Find out why students gave up cell phones for a month Page 9
See what went into the making of the yearbook Page 12
The Idaho outdoors beckon, check out recreation ideas Page 16
“Grades. Girls. Sleep: Pick Two” Page 14
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Letters to the Editor
The Borah Senator
Newsweek award Editor’s note gives false pride Dear Readers,
Dear Editor:
"Is Borah High School Really in the Top 5% of American High Schools?" Many people may recall in the past years an announcement that declared Borah High School in the top 5% of High Schools, and it was commended that the academic standards we set here made it so. Is that really the case? Directly, no it is not. In fact, that statistic is based solely on how many AP tests are registered to be taken at that school. It does
not take into consideration the grades of those AP tests, or even if the student walked in the classroom to take the exam. It just counts the number of AP exams students have signed up for. That is fact. So, is Borah High really as great and commendable academically as Newsweek makes us seem? That's up to the students, not a subjective statistic.
-- Zack Buker, senior Letter received May 10, 2011
Senator Staff
Editor in Chief: Megan Mizuta Associate Editor: Kristin Bracewell Tech Support: Jessica Powell Print Photo Editor: Katie Helm Assistant: Ali Clapier Staff Photographers: Kristin Bracewell, Ali Clapier, Korey Combs, Katie Helm, Jamie Jones, Megan Mizuta, Ashley Rice Text Editors: Megan Harrigfeld, Megan Mizuta, Samantha Nelson Advertising Manager: Kristin Bracewell Assistant: Brittni Hanrahan Page Editors Front Cover: Megan Mizuta Letters to the Editor: Ali Clapier Artist Bio: Ali Clapier News: Megan Mizuta, Matt Bray Opinion: Samantha Nelson Life: Jamie Jones, Ari Anchustegui Spread: Megan Harrigfeld A&E: Justin Kirkham, Haylie Pelton Q&A: Kristin Bracewell People: Samantha Whittaker Sports: Brandie Cichy, Sage Unsworth JV Sports: Savannah Harrelson Photo Essay: Megan Mizuta Fun & Games: Adam Thompson Illustrators: Lisa Garrard, Chris Lawson Staff Writers: Matthew Bergman, Matt Bray, Mechelle Conner, Lisa Garrard, Brittni Hanrahan, Logan Nye Web Editor: Grace Gibney Web Photo Editor: Ashley Rice Videographers: Nic Schweitzer, Zack Thomas Intern Writers: Mitch Bergman, Jacob Horton, Roxanne Lewers, Nikki Martin, Ryan Personette Adviser: Michelle Harmon
As the year draws to a close, most of my fellow seniors await graduation with eagerness, if not impatience. We cite 12 year’s worth of early mornings, countless hours of homework, and hundreds of tests as reason to celebrate our departure. But no matter how glad we may be to leave high school behind us, we will inevitably carry Borah with us wherever we go. The Borah community has played an integral role in shaping us, whether by the friendships we forged here, the things we learned, or the people who taught us. It is hard to imagine that Borah will go on without us, given all the time we have spent here. I have difficulty imagining leaving
National Scholastic Press Association
May 17, 2011
the Senator, which has been a significant part of my time at Borah. I know well the time and effort poured into this publication by the Senator staff, and our adviser, Michelle Harmon, and I can only hope that you have enjoyed reading the Senator as much as we have enjoyed creating it for you. However, I leave the Senator in good hands. I have every confidence that upcoming senior Kristin Bracewell, your 2012 Editor in Chief, will prove an apt guide for the newspaper print and web editions as they continue to grow and improve. And so, my fellow Borah Lions, I wish you the best, wherever your endeavours may take you. Sincerely, Megan Mizuta Editor in Chief
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Artist Bio
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Surrealist dives into the abstract world By Savannah Harrelson
With pencil and coffee mug in hand, Katharine Breithaupt dives deep into her mind to create works of art that not even she understands. “I usually don’t know what my pieces are until after I’m finished with them,” she said. “I let my art do the talking.” Breithaupt has been creating art ever since she was young. She said that her parents would give her pads of paper and crayons to keep her busy. As the years went on, however, her medium became mostly pencil and paint, as she grew to despise colored pencils and crayons, and refuses to use them. Currently, Breithaupt is in AP 2D Design, taught by Jennifer Compton, and has two class periods blocked out for art. She has also received a $10,000 scholarship to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, which she said she is excited to attend and added that it will be nice to be surrounded by students like her who enjoy art. Her purpose in doing art is to say
Photo by Ashley Rice
Senior Katherine Breithaupt concentrates on penciling in her newest creation.
things, but not necessarily to make a statement. “I’m not doing art to evoke something,” she said. “I’m doing it because something evokes me.” Her longest creation, titled “Alice and Wonderland,” took nearly a year
to perfect.“I started it in June of last year, and finished it in April.” She added that a friend recommended the title, because “it looked like Alice falling into the hole.” Compton said, “She’s a prolific
artist. She is totally motivated to produce art.” Compton added that her attention to detail and the storytelling process is amazing. Breithaupt’s time spent between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. is in the basement of her house working on her pieces rather than sleeping. “Sometimes I become obsessed with something I’m working on, and forget to eat, forget to sleep.” Breithaupt also plays the violin in the Borah Symphonic orchestra, but says that she has lost desire in the violin, and is beginning to focus mostly on art. Breithaupt says that she is her next project, adding that she is trying to work on her confidence, “I don’t know who I am yet.” She said that hopefully going to college will help her branch out and become better at her verbal skills. She said that her grandpa, who also was a painter and violinist, gave her wisdom and inspiration: “He told me never to be satisfied with my art, or else I will never be able to grow.”
More of Katherine Breithaupt’s work
Check out one of Katherine Breithaupt’s short stories at borahsenator.com under Categories in the Creative Fiction section.
borahsenator.com for extra coverage, games, and more.
News
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The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Education association petitions new laws
If 47,000 signatures collected by June 4, referendum will be on November ballot By Megan Harrigfeld
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dversaries of the three education reform bills passed this legislation session will be pushing until June 4 to put these bills on a referendum, a move toward reversing the freshly passed laws. “Teachers and parents are really frustrated that this came out of nowhere,” said Boise Education Association President Andrew Rath. “The community never had a chance to vote on it, and this gives people a chance to say what they think.” Under Idaho law, any bill passed in the last 90 days may be petitioned and put on the ballot in the next election. At the Idaho Education Association’s (IEA) annual meeting April 15, state delegates met and agreed the recent passage of education reform bills mandated action. Members backed the idea and are gathering signatures on petitions to put a referendum on the 2012 ballot. The IEA is attempting to collect 60,000 signatures by June, which is 13,000 more than is required to put the referendum on the ballot. However, Rath
said the IEA feels they need these extra signatures for assurance. On each petition that a person collects, there are 20 spaces for signatures. Although, said Rath, only about 13 of those will be valid—due to address errors, or non-registered voters signing the petitions. Sixty thousand signatures is not an easy feat, especially when it appears that many teachers are not fully participating in the petition drive. At a lunch meeting at Borah about the petitions May 2, 16 faculty members attended. “If every teacher in Boise got 10 signatures, we would be done,” government teacher Ron Freeman stated. “There will only be 10 teachers at Borah that even try to get signatures to me that is kind of sad.” Rath reported that the energy is much higher at junior highs and elementary schools. With not even half the expected signatures gathered at this time, the IEA has it’s work cut out for it. “I really believe that if we don’t get the signatures, it will be worse than if we never tried,” said Freeman. “Luna will just use that as a platform for the next round of nonsense.” Rath agreed, saying that if the signatures are not collected, it cements the government’s mind-
set that the IEA doesn’t even understand their own members. According to both Rath and Freeman, the petitions are not only a democratic action, but also a scare tactic. Freeman said, “I want him to know that there is going to be a fight if he runs for election in Idaho again.” In the effort to collect signatures, some are doing anything they can to collect even a few. Attending open-houses at junior highs and high schools, the Saturday Market, track meets and more, where people are eager to sign the petitions. “Overwhelmingly, the people that are going out are having excellent experiences,” said BEA member and transition counselor Josh Ritchie. “People are flocking to us.” Ritchie said he is also experiencing support from people who are not in favor of the bills, asserting that the referendum isn’t to repeal the bills per se, but rather to give voice to Supt. Tom Luna’s “silent majority.” “If the people vote that they want these bills, we as educators will respect that,” said Ritchie. “But in our heart of hearts, we’re trying to do what is right for kids, and we don’t believe these laws are right.”
Federal funding cuts affect availability New AVID class next year will focus on of college scholarship for graduates students’ leadership strengths, qualities By Matt Bray
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his year, many students will mourn the death of the Robert C. Byrd scholarship. When asked why the scholarship’s federal funding was terminated, Career Counselor Kathi Lecertua said, “I don’t know, but it’s probably just another budget-cut casualty.” Lecertua said that many Borah students took advantage of the opportunity in past years to apply for the scholarship, which granted $1,500 a year for four years. Lecertua also stated that the estimated 60 students who applied for
this scholarship will no longer receive any financial aid from it. According to TRiO adviser Jim Wright, the Robert C. Byrd scholarship was the main scholarship that granted money to students who chose to attend school out of state. Wright mentioned that the Promise B scholarship was also in danger of being eliminated. The Promise B scholarship guarantees $400 a year for two years to students who have a 3.0 GPA or higher, and who plan on attending an Idaho college. According to Wright, the money for the Promise B scholarship was recently approved, and it will continue to exist for the time being.
By Adam Thompson
Fifteen juniors have started the new Boise State University concurrent Leadership 101 class, according to AVID instructor Amy Everson. This class, which counts for BSU credit, functions much as the current AVID classes do. In this dual enrollment environment, students learn what it means to be a leader. Students participate in community, school, and local service projects. Katie Snider, junior, described the class as “teaching how to apply skills to everyday situations.” Leadership 101 utilizes numerous media to teach students valuable skills.
From reflections, group discussions, movie analysis, research, and a textbook, students learn stratergies they need to become effective leaders and role models in the real world. Snider also said that activities would be used to train students to identify their leadership strengths. Erika Vaudrin, junior, said the class helps students “understand how to be leaders, and how to better understand ourselves and others.” The AVID program covers a lot of the same content, but the Leadership 101 class takes students more in depth. The Leadership 101 class will work along with the AVID program. All juniors in this year’s AVID class are in the ‘Leadership 101’ class next year.
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
News
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Levy proposed to soften budget cuts By Megan Mizuta
The Boise School District (BSD) says it’s facing a budget shortfall, and it’s asking voters to raise their property taxes to come up with the money. On May 5 the BSD and the Friends of Boise Schools held an informational meeting regarding a supplemental levy that would shore up funding. The $15 to $17 million from the levy would come from an increase in property tax. The tax would be $9.41 a month for every $100,000 worth of property, according to information distributed at the meeting. The levy will be up for referendum Aug. 30. Held in the Borah Auditorium, the meeting drew a small audience, with some 60 people in attendance. Ron Freeman, government teacher, estimated that 90 percent of the people in attendance were BSD employees. Mike Lanza, co-chair of Friends of Boise School District, said he “honestly expected and hoped for more,” but added that many questions may have already been answered by previously distributed information. Word will get around,” he said, given that there are parent organizations and individuals setting up their “own networks.” The meeting began with Sue Lovelace, co-chair of Friends of Boise School District, who set the stage for the levy by naming the losses to the BSD budget this year: less property tax revenue, state funding cuts from the legislature, and the cost of recently passed education reforms. Lovelace’s message was followed by a presentation by Superintendent of Schools for the BSD Don
Coberly and Trustee Janet Orndorff. The pair highlighted programs like AVID, Professional Technical classes, AP offerings, and ELL programs that would be negatively impacted by the failure of the levy. The two also discussed the progress of the BSD in terms of graduation rates, college entrance rates, and college retention rates, relative to state and national averages. Chief among the reasons named for passing the levy include maintaining class sizes at their current level, which both Coberly and Orndorff emphasized, saying that an increase in class sizes would have negative effects across the board. The average number of students per class at Borah is currently 25.3, which will increase to 29.4 should the levy fail, according to data presented. The audience was also shown numerous graphs regarding enrollment in the BSD, as well as revenue.
Revenue for the BSD peaked in 2008, at $201 million; the predicted revenue for the 2012-2013 year is $165 million, or $181 million should the levy pass. The levy is not intended to raise revenue “back to the high point of the budget,” said Coberly. According to information distributed by the BSD, the budget has not been “as low as $165 million since 2000-2001.” When asked about common misconceptions regarding the levy, Lanza named the question of why the BSD can’t operate with a budget at 2001 levels if it has a comparable level of enrollment, and noted differing levels of inflation as explanation. The meeting also included a message from cochair of Friends of Boise School District, Maria Greeley, who spoke of administrator’s and teachers’ efforts to “shield our children from budget cuts.” The meeting then opened for a Q&A session, in which the audience could submit questions on note cards, or use open microphones. But the information won’t stop with the May 5 meeting, Another is planned for May 12, and there is an online effort to inform as well. A student facebook group providing information about the levy is also in the works, according to Joe Lovelace, a sophomore at Boise High School. The page will be primarily for the levy, he said, but “after that, it will be a free for all” forum. Lovelace, whose mother is Sue Lovelace, described the group as a “kids page” counterpart to the general information available. Friends of Boise School District also plans to launch the website yesforboiseschools.org, which Lanza expects to publish live next week.
Academy students by English 102 classes has also been working with Jill Ragan’s reading class there. English 10, junior history classes, and staff are reading Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate to expand global understanding and gain an idea of what a refugee student might experience. Borah wants to make the Boise Language Academy move a smooth transition and a learning experience for students and staff, according to English Language Learner instructor and sophomore English teacher Stefan deVries. Twenty teachers prepared for the Academy next year by attending a conference about refugees. “The Boise Language Academy students come to America for a chance at the good life, but they
must understand how it works socially and politically,” said deVries. “I think to keep the Boise Language Academy in a separate location was a barrier for the students.” “To make room for incoming students next year, the book room will be used as a classroom, and some classrooms will be utilized during teacher planning periods,” said Principal Bonita Hammer. The goal is to use all of the space Borah has to fit the new population. One thing that students can do to the transition better for the Boise Language Academy is smiling, being welcoming and friendly to the new faces that will be joining us at Borah next year, according to deVries.
Photo by Megan Mizuta
BSD Superintendent Don Coberly and trustee Janet Orndorff present information regarding the Aug. 30 levy.
Fitting in: Borah clears space for Lang. Academy By Brittni Hanrahan
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orah High School will be welcoming the Boise Language Academy next year, and Samantha Mora’s English 102 class has been working with the Academy students to help them transition. “English 102 students shadowed students and their classes at the Academy for a day, and, in return, Academy students followed the English 102 students’ classes at Borah to help them become familiar with what is like at Borah for a whole day,” commented Spanish and English 102 teacher Samantha Mora. A mentoring program with the Boise Language
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Opinion
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
News of bin Laden assassination spread via Facebook status updates Staff Editorial
When word broke about the assassination of Osama bin Laden, newscasters predicted the event would become another “where were you…” moment. They thought bin Laden’s death would be the type of event that would make people recall where they were, what they were doing, and who they were with when they heard that the United States finally killed Public Enemy No. 1. We first saw the news in a Facebook post. Ten years ago, we as six-, seven-, and eight-year-olds encountered our first real “where were you moment” with 9/11. We watched footage of burning buildings on television, and shared our reactions in person. Given our ages at the time, it is doubtful that we realized—or even guessed at—the implications of those attacks. And now, as we read Facebook posts like “I want to go to the White House and cheer that Bin Ladden [sic] is dead!” and “So proud of the USA! We got bin laden!!!!!!! [sic],” it seems we have still not grasped the full importance of our second “where were you moment.” Yes, bin Laden was Public Enemy No. 1 and the U.S. pursued him for
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Osama bin Laden is apprehended and killed by US troops.
Senator Staff Opinion
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Prince William marries Kate Middleton.
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Violent storms kill hundreds in the Southern US.
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Lady Gaga takes a nasty fall onstage.
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10 years, which constitutes more than half our life spans. Yes, bin Laden helped orchestrate horrific acts of terrorism, and was “a perpetrator of mass murder,” as the President of the United States put it. And, yes, a group of Navy SEALs risked their lives to carry out their mission to kill bin Laden. Celebratory responses to bin Laden’s killing have been called cathartic; his death has been interpreted as a chance to restore patriotism, an opportunity to rally a discontented America around. Perhaps his death provides a measure of closure for those directly affected by Al Qaeda’s terrorism. Perhaps the U.S. has dismantled an important symbol of terrorism, or perhaps bin Laden’s death is nothing more than a symbolic victory. But wherever you stand on the assassination, hailing bin Laden’s death with the fervor displayed on Facebook seems a gross oversimplification of the complex events that formulated his end. And while we don’t presume to dictate what your response to Osama bin Laden’s death should be, we hope the next time our generation experiences a “where were you moment,” your response will exercise the maturity of thought we presume you are capable of.
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Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are revealed as new Batman cast members.
The Borah Senator
Opinion
May 17, 2011
Technology use in the classroom has limits By Justin Kirkham
In a society where technology reigns supreme, it is common for high school teachers to modernize the classroom with new programs and websites. Unfortunately, some instructors heap technology onto their students to a point where learning is obstructed instead of enriched. PowerPoint and Turnitin are only helpful to a degree, and more often than not, teachers are shoving technology past this point. With this rush for technology, administrators in the Boise School District have introduced SchoolFusion, a website for assignments and information. Some instructors have completely replaced handouts in class with electronic files on their teacher web pages. This causes a dilemma for students. “I can’t take the information with me, and I don’t always have access to the Internet,” explained junior Andrea Batten. While the website is useful for some students who lose their papers or want to find extra information, it simply poses a roadblock for those seeking rubrics or classwork that is not handed out in class. These students would much rather receive their materials in class instead of having to go to the website to print them off. In addition to SchoolFusion, more and more teachers are making use of Turnitin.com for electronic essay submission and grading. “Turnitin encourages students to procrastinate,” explained junior Patty Bowen, who also stated that she occasionally puts off English papers until just a few hours before deadline. “It freaks me out,” exclaimed Batten. “If I have a family thing, I can’t get things in on time. It’s horribly inconvenient.” Teachers have also devoted some of their instruction time to days in the computer lab, where students are encouraged to study
terms and information from various websites. “It just makes learning more complicated,” said Bowen. “Keep it simple – more handouts.” “In the lab, there are more distractions,” explained Batten. “I pay more attention in the classroom.” With the Internet technology available for classroom purposes, PowerPoint and Prezi are being used more often for notes and projects. For teacher lectures, slide shows are useful springboards for discussion. For student projects, however, many students use filler material to get a good grade simply by shoveling as much information as possible into a Powerpoint without ingesting the information. With technology-based projects, junior Chance Murray gravitates to “cramming information instead of learning.” Samantha Mora, a Spanish and English teacher at Borah, also sees some of the effects of poor technology use, especially when students copy facts from various websites directly into their PowerPoint presentations. “Our jobs as teachers is to show students how to go beyond this,” said Mora. “Technology is just like any other teaching strategy--it is only as good as the teacher behind it.” Ultimately, technology should be used to assist or enrich learning, whether it be a supplement to in-class discussions or an embellishment for handouts or other teaching tools. It should not, however, be used to replace teaching or obstruct learning in any way, as it has been doing with the advances of multiple presentation programs and annoying websites. If this is what’s happening with technology-based learning within the traditional brick and mortar classrooms, what is to become of future online classes required in the virtual ones?
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Photo by Ali Clapier
Seniors Kristina Jasper, right, and Sami Call work on laptops in English teacher Samantha Mora’s classroom.
High school: not the best years of your life By Sam Nelson
Parents are extremely biased. When they sit their offspring on the couch and lecture at them about high school and its forever being ”the best days of their lives,” they are basing their statements on their own, probably faded, high school experience, rather than the modern one. “High school is supposed to be fun, but it’s not,” said junior Ashley Corbett. “We’re swamped with homework, and all the free time we have we just want to sleep.” Sure, high school may be the peak of life for a select few, but these few are also the ones who prioritize social life and brush aside schoolwork. Homework takes up the majority of the responsible student’s high school career, and it’s a trying time attempting to finish it all. Every class can feel like a separate school day in itself, with homework loading up to your armpits as you wave goodbye to any chance of a social life. Drama and English teacher Gerald Hensley thinks otherwise.
“What’s wrong with being a kid?” he asked. “I loved it. I was having fun, doing plays. It was before I had to work.” This may have been true for him in his Borah days, but times have changed, and circumstances are much worse. “Teachers need to realize that their class isn’t the only class you have,” said Corbett. The work, combined sometimes with the responsibility of a job, can keep students from getting enough sleep or relaxing at all, a desire that, although sometimes seeming like the result of laziness, is important to teens and their health. The world has so much to offer, and high school is only three years of a person’s life. The attitude that high school is the greatest experience of your life only supports the idea that those three years are a time for constant fun. Very few students put school as a priority. “Senior year is really bad,” senior Travis Leach admits. “High school isn’t your whole life. It’s just three years with no time to do what you want.”
Life
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The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Old, young bikes are fun for everyone
By Sage Unsworth
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hile driving in a car, it’s common to pass someone peddling their bike along the side of the road. It’s also common to have that same person pass you at the next red light. A bicycle is a fast, cheap, environmentally savvy, healthy and, most importantly, a fun way to travel. Most cities have special paths and lanes to provide bicyclists with safe traffic free routes. In places like Boise
that are still relatively small, using these bicycle paths is usually a faster alternative to get somewhere than taking a car. “I like being able to avoid traffic signals,” said senior Quinn Moore. “There’s no idle, down time on a bike.” With the economies current recession, people are looking to save money. The steadily rising gas prices may raise concern to families struggling to make ends meet. However this problem can be helped with the developed habit of bicycling. Saving money may be bike ridings biggest up-side for some people. “Not only does it save money on gas,” stated junior Gabby Baker, “It’s a natural stress reliever. When you get off you feel more satisfied with yourself and more accomplished.” If a person can’t afford a bicycle, there is an organization that will provide one for them. “The Boise Bicycle Project encourages people to
come down and get a bike if they can’t afford one,” said senior Anne Selvage. “I love getting to enjoy the fresh air,” said Moore, “and becoming one with nature.” Being on a bike puts one closer to the natural world, even if the path being peddled is a road. It’s easy to quietly stumble upon unexpecting wildlife; it also Photo by Jamie Jones gives the opportunity to take in a deep breath. As the warm weather arrives, Borah’s bicycle rack grows clustered with rides. “I encourage people to get out and ride a bike this forms of transportation with With the help of an atspring,” said Baker. as many up-sides. Riding a tachable light, night rides Cycling can burn as many bike will prove to be countless during the summer can procalories as jogging, and cre- hours of enjoyment. vide fun without the heat ates less impact on a person’s of the sun. “Bike rides with joints. “I love when my legs large groups of people get all toned from riding on summer nights my bike,” said avid are best!” said bicyclist junior Baker. Claire Richardson. There aren’t many
Festival celebrates other transportation
Since its founding in 2003, Boise Bike Week (BBW) has been organizing an engaging week focused solely on pedaled transportation. This year, BBW runs from May 15-21 and, with gas prices on the rise, it might prove a popular event. Organized by the Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance, BBW highlights the benefits of cycling and offers a variety of events. Maintenance and safe riding classes inform riders how to utilize Boise’s bike friendly community. Boise Bicycle Project, Boise Weekly, and the City of Boise are a few of the local event sponsors. The week draws large crowds of bike riders. A signed waiver is required to participate in events. The BBW philosophy is, “Get on your bikes and ride.”
Infographic by Jamie Jones
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Life
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Teacher found guilty: exemplary tactics By Ari Anchustegui
It would seem a villain has been lurking about the hallways of Borah. The most logical suspect? English teacher Stefan deVries. Not only is this Borah teacher guilty of filling the minds of sophomores with literature and prestigious vocabulary, but sources have revealed that he has stooped to persuading innocent students into donating their electronic devices in order to limit the use of cell phones in the lives of his students. “It’s become a real serious addiction,” pleaded the corporate. “My first year of teaching, we had a month without television. During that we had parents sign up and participate actively with it,” said deVries. “However, nowadays going without TV wouldn’t make a difference because we have everything mobile,” he added. Even so, nobody seems to know for certain how he managed such an astonishing task of trickery. “It was without a whole lot of guidelines, besides the basic month without cell phone use prior to a write up,” says deVries “I did this because students are so creative that sometimes without
too much specific direction they produce a better, or more unique product.” Six students voluntarily said goodbye to their phones for a month’s period. After the separation, they were required to write an essay about how their lack of cellular use affected their lives. If they went through with it, they would obtain 100 extra credit points, no less. When being interrogated about his assignment, deVries’s reasoning was, “My objective is to see if I can get students to self realize how intricately linked their lives have become to a piece of technology; and how they’ve convinced their brains that they cannot live without it,” he said. “I had a student literally in tears when her device was taken. She didn’t think she could get through her next class, or life without it.” Sophomore Lexi Graybill, a victim who survived without cellular communication for an entire month, said, “I realized I wasted less time texting,
“I had a student literally in tears when her device was taken.” -- Stefan deVries, English teacher
Latin class buddies up with Pierce Park first graders
By Megan Harrigfeld
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native language that Julius Caesar and Dante spoke is connecting two school age populations to this day. In the Latin 2 classes, video conferencing between Borah’s high school class and a first grade class at Pierce Park Elementary School is facilitated via Flip video cameras. “Latin has provided a contact
and (devoted) much more time on my chores and homework.“ Another participant said she had her first genuine conversation with her mom that wasn’t via text messaging. Investigators discovered a manila envelope full of cell phones, locked in his desk; where he kept the devices. Although this may not be a crime suited for trial amidst a jury, it’s clear that deVries has done an unimaginable task in the ways of modern society. Despite the virtual crime of stealing technology from students, he has been proven not guilty in the eyes of his victims; he will not be asked to serve any punishment for his curricular crime. In fact, this task has been praised, and looked upon as a moral teaching point for these very young students and their high school counterparts, and helped pique the interest of both sets of students in the language itself,” said Balen. Latin Teacher Alison Balen said she feels this is a good way to keep things fresh. Other than visual communication, they have also cultivated pen-pal relationships. Contact between the pen and video pals occurs every couple of weeks.
Photos by Jamie Jones
Left: Evidence of cellular devices confiscated as an extra credit assignment. Right: English teacher Stefan deVries, suspected of teaching life-changing habits.
deed, done for the welfare of his students. With such success, deVries added, “It’s something I’ve decided to do formally next year. It will be a longer project with weekly journals.” Last year’s Latin class also had buddies, where the first grade Latinees hosted a toga party for their high school buddies at Pierce Park, at which the juniors and seniors helped their buddies make “Roman” coin jewelry and military armbands. Until the end of the year, these Latin buddies will continue their language relationship, and are planning to have their younger counterparts plan the toga party for the Latin 2 class.
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Volume 48 Issue I NOVEMBER 12,
10 The Borah Senator
Time To Leave T Commentary
T-minus senioritis
Upper classmen struggle to finish the year strong
By Logan Nye
Photo by Katie Helm
Senior English teacher Pam Atkins retains focus despite only three days left of her senior classes of the school year.
Teachers push for end of year By Jamie Jones
The time has arrived once again. With spring weather flourishing, AP testing wrapping up and senioritis at its peak, the end of the school year has affected more than just the students. As the school year winds down, teachers generally feel the pressure to prevent seniortitis from taking the best of classrooms and to motivate themselves, along with the students, to take that final leap into summer. “I don’t really get teacheritis that bad because I teach summer school,” said Economics and Debate teacher Kylie Christensen. “But I do realize that the students, and sometimes myself, need a little bit more stimulation.” This is Christensen’s first year teaching in her own classroom. She explains that at the end of the fourth quarter, her lesson plans change; she changes them in an attempt to keep students’ momentum going. “Let’s face it, the end of the year is boring,” she said. “My lessons are all about not making it monotonous for the end of the year.” Christensen explained that she tries to fill her school days with interactive activities to keep students motivated and having fun. “Overall, this year (teaching) has been a great one. I’m excited to end the year and I’m excited to end the year on a positive note,” Christensen added.
Along with Christensen, senior English teacher Chuck McHenry explained that the end of the year is exciting for him, and he tries to make every assignment new, interesting and fun. “I love the end of the year! I get really pumped up!” McHenry expressed. “I do think that the end of the year tends to just drag on though.” But for McHenry, he said he feels as if his kids are in a candy store full of “brilliant, new assignment ideas.” “I just think to myself, ‘My kids can do this, my kids can do that, and they can do this and that and this,’” he excitingly added. “There’s too many assignments to choose from!” Although, on a different side of the spectrum, sits calculus teacher Vic Hofstetter. He explained that one cannot exactly change a math lesson plan. “I’m excited for the end of the year,” he said, “but it takes more energy to motivate the students and AP classes. I want them to do well and I know they’re looking forward to summer, but it is difficult to get them to study just as hard.” As the summer months begin to be in sight of most students and AP testing ends, both Hofstetter and McHenry agreed that it’s difficult to reel the students back into focus; they tend to forget about school and direct their focus more towards the upcoming summer.
A violent plague has stricken the halls of Borah that is more contagious and detrimental than any bubonic plague imaginable. So debilitating in fact, this writer is hardly capable of conveying a story. Senioritis is a serious condition that affects millions of students worldwide every spring. As seniors approach their final week of high school, the Lucky Dog assembly, year book signing, and spring state tournaments effectively distract them from imminent final exams. Victim of senioritis, Kristina Jasper, said the characteristic manifestations have affected her. “I have no motivation to do anything, at all, ever.” Symptoms of senioritis include a lack of direction, disregard for anything academic, and the inability to come to school a majority of the time. Senior Kevin Shepard said, “Time is altered by senioritis; I check the clock and it seems like an hour went by but it’s only been seven minutes.” Senior Danielle Byrd jokingly disagreed with Shepard saying, “I check the clock and it feels like two hours, but it’s only been three minutes.” Clinical studies have made progress for a cure, however no definite remedy has emerged. The most seemingly effective medicine for this condition is the graduation countdown. Shepard exclaimed the number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds -- well, okay, the number of days -- with no hesitation. Although the senior class is urging to leave, Byrd admits to feeling slight nostalgia already. “At this moment we are counting down minute to minute, but at the same time when I look back at myself as a sophomore, time flew by. I’ll always miss the memories I had here at Borah High.” Warm spring sunshine, laziness, and promises of fresh starts beyond high school have all been linked as causes of the epidemic, but, ultimately, the class of 2011 has endured 13 years of formal education. Despite the body counts and negative antsy effects of senioritis, senior Brett McCutchen points out how, “It can be bittersweet. It drags out classes, but helps us to embrace time with friends.”
The Lion’s Den
Volume 51 Issue VI May 17, 2011 11
Grad programs last display of senior art By Megan Harrigfeld
The senior class of every year tries to live on in glory for years to come in the form of senior gifts, and ports championships. However, there is another way for artists to live on in Borah memories. Every year, art students compete to have their work displayed on the graduation program. “It’s cool because people keep them forever,” said Kat Davis, this year’s winner. Davis displayed her lion talent with a scratch place piece, which overwhelmingly was the favorite during the vote. About 10 submissions were entered this year, which was less than previous year’s since the drawing class assignment was extra credit. “[The contest] was more ‘have fun with it’,” said Davis. “She didn’t want to overwhelm people.” Counselor Josh Ritchie, Vice Principal Kelly Fossesco, Social Worker Becca Woodland, Principal Bonita Hammer and Special Education teacher Maggie Loughead were this year’s judges. It was important, said art teacher Jen Compton, to have a judge with an “art background,” Ritchie fulfilling that position. Past winners include Alena Cenis, class of 2010 and Taylor Ross, class of 2009. This year’s program will be the first to feature a scratch art piece.
Photo by Kristin Bracewell
Senior Kat Davis took less than a week to create her piece.
This scratch place art, created by senior Kat Davis, is very different than program art from years past.
Photo by Katie Helm
Displayed here are some of the past graduation programs, going all the way back to the class of 1996. Student art has only been featured for the past few years.
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A&E
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Yearbook fate in hands of 10 students By Megan Mizuta
As May 19 approaches, 10 students prepare to distribute a year’s worth of work. They are the 2011 yearbook staff, who craft the 224 page yearbook. The book has actually been finished since early March, when the staff sent in the final set of pages, but will not reach the hands of students until distribution day. Work on the yearbook started last year; some students—including Senior Editor and Photo Editor Taylor Grindell and Junior Editor and Layout Editor Cayla Butler—joined the yearbook staff in the second semester so as to begin work on this year’s book. According to Grindell, the staff starts by choosing an overall theme and font styles. By starting on the yearbook last year, the staff concentrated on “pictures, captions, and copy,” said Butler. When the year begins, so does the work of gathering information, interviewing, writing, and taking pictures. Grindell said, “We have to be at nearly every event.” Photographers attend events “whenever they
can,” photographer Dmitriy Yaroshchuk, senior, likewise said. The photos and copy are placed into layouts, to which staffers are assigned. Most of the layouts are modified templates provided by Balfour-Taylor Yearbooks, the yearbook printer. “We very rarely create a template from scratch,” said Grindell. The yearbook is sent in about 50-page sections to Balfour-Taylor, who sends back “blown up pages” and digital copies of the pages, according to Butler. From there, the staff “double and triple check everything,” said Butler. While the yearbook staff sends sets of pages eight times over the course of the year, Grindell said there are “so many deadlines, it’s hard to count.” Of the numerous deadlines, Yaroshchuk said “towards the end, it gets very stressful.” Negative feedback regarding the 2010 yearbook has played into the production of this year’s book. Borah needs a “classy yearbook,” said Grindell, one that “shows the effort that goes into it.” Grindell said there would be some uncaught mistakes, and Butler likewise said, “Yes, there will probably be mistakes, but hopefully not as many as last year.”
Photo by Ali Clapier
New to the yearbook staff this year, KateLynne Matthews, sophomore, works on laying out pages.
Hundreds of students perform in 93rd annual Boise Music Week By Samantha Whittaker
T
he first week of May marked the 2011 Boise Music Week in which Borah students actively participated. Boise Music Week is an annual occurrence featuring many musical events throughout the city, such as Music in the Park, a district-wide performance of “Bye Bye Birdie” and a school night concert. Borah students took part in two events: the school night gala concert including numerous choirs and bands from the Boise School District and a performance of “Bye, Bye Birdie.” The gala concert was held May 6 at Capital and included students from six musical programs. Each program was asked to perform two pieces, unless one was 10 minutes in length, as well as a tribute to the Armed Forces. All groups sang as a whole. In the past, the gala oncert has been held at the
Taco Bell Arena and, according to choir teacher Heather Prinzing, was held at the beginning of the week as a “kick off.” This year, however, was held as a “closing event.” Prinzing stated her goal was to “have fun and show the public that music is still a strong, viable part of a child’s education and everyone’s life.” All Borah choirs rehearsed in class before the two official rehearsals with all of the high school choirs involved in the performance at Capital. Six Borah students and one Borah teacher participated in the performance of “Bye, Bye Birdie.” “I was kind of excited because there weren’t that many guys,” said senior Mikah Chapman, who has the part of a teen chorus member in the production. Another senior, Cristina Warner, said she was involved because of her experience last year. Warner has the part of Heather, a chorus member. Both Chapman and Warner were expected to learn a song and monologue for auditions.
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
A&E Writer’s Corner:
Lively creepers detonate in Notch’s Minecraft beta
Bradley Burgess By Justin Kirkham
creepers. These mobs are hostile, and relentlessly attack the player with punches, arrows, and, in the creeper’s case, aggravating explosions. When killed, the monsters drop feathers, bones, string, gunpowder, or arrows. The only way to avoid these monsters is to hide in a well-lit house or sleep in a bed. Sometimes, beds do not work properly, and a zombie spawns on the player’s resting body. This does not promote a healthy sleeping lifestyle, so players must risk a random spawning if they are to escape the night. Using torches to illuminate a dark area can also be confusing, as the gamer is never really sure if his home is completely lit. It may be that a spider spawns on his darkened ceiling, ready to attack him when he is most vulnerable. In all, Minecraft has so many options and tangents that it is ultimately enjoyable. With so much to do, it appeals to almost every group of gamers with its creation-based gameplay.
With two novels complete and filled with “dead-pan humor,” junior Bradley Burgess is eager to continue his sciencefiction series. He encountered the storyline for his books in a Photo by Ali Clapier dream. Like other Junior Bradley Burgess is great ideas, Burgess in the midst of composhad to “get it out and ing the third book in his share it with the world.” science-fiction series. His books outline the plight of an “ordinary office drone” who is abducted by aliens. Eventually, she befriends her captors. “I ran with it and created a fantasy,” explained Burgess, who hopes to eventually get his writing out and into the world where it could become a movie. “I was going to write a script, but it is much cooler to write a first person novel.” Burgess’ fondness for first person can be attributed to his favorite writer, Gena Showalter. Junior Rhonda Long said, “He includes little things that make you think. Stuff you wouldn’t normally think about.” Burgess especially enjoys creating characters that are “ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.” The narrator of his story employs sharp wit and is “very realistic and talks how a person would actually talk.” Read the first chapter of Burgess’ first novel, Stellar, on the Creative Fiction page at borahsenator.com.
Boyd said that the previous librarian started the tradition and believes the annual celebration has been going on for almost 10 years. Students who show a deep appreciation for manga attended the event, which includes most members of Japanese Club, as well as a few others, senior Markaila Wayne said. Junior Indea Bennett said that her favorite part of the event was “seeing everybody there.” For the event, senior Jessica Powell made cupcakes. She arranged them so that they appeared as the symbol for manga in kanji. There was also anime playing in the background,
explained Wayne. On a related note, Wayne mentioned that Anime Oasis will take place in downtown Boise at the Grove May 26-29. This is a “huge convention” where manga, anime and comic book lovers gather and can “feel accepted” and meet people with the same interests. Bennett said that she is “pretty excited” for this year’s convention. Wayne also mentioned that those who attended the manga appreciation lunch will most likely be attending this four-day event at the end of the month as well.
By Justin Kirkham
Fabricated from lengthy strands of codes and programming dating back to May 10, 2009, Minecraft is one of the most popular sandbox games in the making. Its creator, Markus Persson, commonly referred to as Notch, has been periodically updating Minecraft in its beta version. As stated on the Minecraft homepage, Notch created the program to introduce a game that was simple in its structure and dynamic in its potential. In this popular adventure, players must gather blocks of various properties and build almost anything from them. Gamers can use axes to gather wood blocks from trees and rip saplings from leaves, while mining through stone with pickaxes and uncovering mineral deposits for ore. Multiple creatures also spawn in the Minecraft world and produce sought-after materials. Sheep of multiple colors, for example, appear on grass, where players can hit them to remove blocks of wool. But glitches sometimes occur. Animals may meander halfway in the ground or appear as elusive “ghost cows” that flicker in and out of the game. With these blocks and items, players create vast structures or complex creations. By simply placing blocks or items in their surroundings, users build tall cobblestone walls or extensive wooden fences. In addition to creating actual structures, players combine sticks, pieces of ore, wheat, sugar, and other items to create tools for gathering blocks or food. At night, a mob of monsters emerges, including spiders, zombies, skeletons, and the infamous
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Screenshot by Justin Kirkham
Two unlucky travelers in Minecraft come across a dungeon filled to the brim with aggravated zombies.
Manga fanatics celebrate Japanese literature By Haylie Pelton
Borah’s library hosts many events throughout
the year. Manga fanatics and multiple Japanese Club members came together to attend the annual manga appreciation during a recent lunch and celebrated with cake, anime, and the release of new manga to the Borah library. Manga, not to be confused with anime, are Japanese books read from right to left while anime deals with actual animation, librarian Jennifer Boyd stressed.
~ Ethan Geer
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
What advice would you give to underclassmen about high school?
“Grades. Girls. Sleep: Pick Two.” “Just be yourself.” ~ Kristina Jasper ~ Gavin Cluff
“Don’t let simple moments slip by.” ~ Emily Russell Smith
~ Alec Briggs
“Graduate.”
More answers at borahsenator.com.
“Cherish your time here.”
Q&A
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“Keep looking forward and always remember who you are no matter what.” “Support your school sports teams no matter what. They need it more than you realize.” ~ Hayden Hill ~ Trevor Hopkins
“ENJOY IT! Don’t let yourself get caught up in the petty drama. Reach out and make friends with everyone you can. Be involved, participate in all the opportunities Borah gives you. Do your work. Ask too many questions. Be too nice. Laugh too much.”
“Don’t spend all your time studying. There is more to high school than just academics.”
“It’s not all cookies and cream, though it does have its perks. But with all seriousness, there are times to be a hard worker, and times when you don’t. If you can determine those times on your own, your three years will be smooth sailing.” ~ Josh Morrison
“Don’t let yourself get caught up in the stress and drama that high school brings. Focus on your future and work hard on the things that will take you to the next chapter in your life. Strive to succeed and concentrate on getting yourself to the next level.” ~ Tyler Ashton
~ Ben O’Harra
“Congrats, you’ve made it this far. I bet times were rough in some grades but you kept going. Maybe you thought it was easy... But let me tell you something: If you are one of those people that just skate through the years, you’re happy with D’s... You say ‘Hey, I’ve made it this far without working, I can do this ’til I graduate.’ Take it from me, it doesn’t work like that. I was fine with minimal work, pushing 12 absences a semester... I thought ‘hey, it’ll work out.’ I have just been informed that I have been kicked out of night school government and ~ Jeannie Bixby that I will not be graduating. I don’t know why I am so surprised. I was so fine “People aren’t always with D’s that last semest in English...I passed by the skin of who they seem, so you my teeth and now if I can’t talk my way back into class I will have must keep an open mind; to break the news to my mom, my siblings, my friends, friends may become my recruiter-everybody is going to know that I am a failure. enemies and enemies may I said it, I failed. But take it from someone who knows that you get out of school what you put into it and if you put nothing become friends; just don’t into it you get kicked out of it. So take this advice, ever get caught up in it. just work in school, stop falling asleep, go to bed earlier, Remember what’s get off the Xbox and sleep. At least try in class and you will pass. important to you.” It’s that simple. Give some effort and you will graduate. ~ Joe Hayes Don’t do what I did.” ~ Tony Mobberley “Don’t sweat the
“Work hard, and have fun.” ~ Tim Rohr
small stuff.”
~ Sonny Hobdey
“Don’t weigh yourself down so much with school and work. High school will be the best years of your life, enjoy the time you have as a kid in high school before you leave and become an adult. Thank your parents because right now, they’re the people on earth willing to put down hundreds of dollars for you to enjoy your high school career. A majority of you who are reading this have your parents paying for your phone, your car, your insurance, everything that any high schooler needs to enjoy high school. Always make everyday of high school an unforgettable day. Hang out with your friends as much as you can before you graduate because when you do graduate, eveyone is going their own direction in life. So have fun and get good grades.” ~ Harry Nguyen
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
People
Mayor’s Award recognizes students By Grace Gibney
At the 18th annual Mayor’s Awards, seniors Jeremy Jones and Jessie Nelson were recognized for their strive for accomplishments, both in academics and their community. “To me, this award means that I’m going somewhere,” said Jones. “I must be doing something
right.”Recipients took center stage April 31 in Boise’s City Hall Chambers. Along with receiving a plaque in their honor, the senior honorees shook hands with the mayors of Boise, Meridian, Garden City, Kuna, and Star. “The Mayor’s Awards were exciting,” said Jones. “It is a great experience and you get to meet a lot of new people.”
Photos by Katie Helm
Seniors Jeremy Jones and Jessie Nelson were two of 76 high school and junior high students honored April 31.
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Starting at 7 p.m. and lasting over two hours, 76 recipients from junior and senior high schools were recognized for their achievements. When selecting a nominee, school officials said they look for students who show strength of character by overcoming hardships and obstacles, demonstrating compassion and serving their communities. “It means a lot to me to win this award,” said Nelson. “I’m grateful that my counselors and teachers have recognized me and my time here at Borah.” Jones is a two-time recipient of the Mayor’s Award. He also received the award for the first time in 2008 when he was a freshman attending West Jr. High. “As far as I know, I am the only person who’s received it [Mayor’s Award] twice,” said Jones. “I knew the teachers at West liked me a lot, but I never thought that I would win the award a second time. I was definitely surprised when I found out that I had won again.” Nelson said her first reaction when she found out was how many “other noteworthy candidates” at Borah could have been chosen. Although no scholarship funds are given, recipients of the award are proud to be recognized. “When I found out that I had won the Mayor’s Award, I did not know much about it,” said Nelson. “I had never really heard of it, but I was excited and honored to win it. It meant a lot to me.”
Two FCCLA students qualify for July nationals in Anaheim By Brandie Cichy
“At first I thought they had it wrong,” exclaimed senior Marie Gerard when she heard her name announced at the state FCCLA competition. “They had to direct me onto the stage. I was dizzy and shocked and then I started crying.” Two Family Career and Community Leaders of America members won state competitions and qualified for nationals in Anaheim, Calif. July 8-15, which will cost an estimated $1,200. Senior Aldijana Karadza and Gerard both placed at the top of their contest categories at the state tournament. Gerard competed in the job interview category while Karadza competed in the early childhood one.
In the job interview category, each participant is required to complete a portfolio with a resume in it and special skills such as typing speed or use of office technology like copiers. Then they go in front of a panel of judges for an interview. For the early childhood category, each participant in a given amount of time creates his/her own portfolio as well as a lesson plan for children. “Each contestant has a cold prompt given to them and must make a 30-minute lesson plan with only the resources in a box provided,” said FCCLA adviser Shanon Holt. “Aldijana was the only one who got gold in her category.” “Before I went into the competition I was doubtful,” Karadza stated. “I was surprised when they called my name and was glad I won.”
Photo by Ashley Rice
Seniors Marie Gerard and Aldijana Karadza bask in the light of their recent success at the state FCCLA competition, where both qualified for national ranking.
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Sports
The Borah Senator
Get outdoors this summer Right: Borah students load their rafts and prepare to continue their trip down the Lower Salmon River.
Photos courtesy of Art Teacher Pat Rose
B
oise is at the top of the list for people who love outdoor activities. The wilderness is literally a stroll or short bike ride away. “We have an awesome state; people really take it for granted,” said art teacher and avid outdoorsman Pat Rose. “Everything is right out our back door.” The weather is getting nicer and the grass greener, and more summer activities are becoming available. Whether it’s a relaxing walk through one of Boise’s 20-plus parks, an exhilarating peddle along the Boise River on the Green Belt, or even more ambitious activities like rafting the Boise
Cheerleaders rally for new positions By Savannah Harrelson
Below: Whitewater rafts are tied to the shore near a campsite along the Lower Salmon River.
By Sage Unsworth
May 17, 2011
river, or rock climbing along the Rock Island Trail, there is always something to do outside for very little money or free. These are just things that can be done in the city of Boise. The State of Idaho offers as many or more outdoor activities as any state in the nation; it has more protected wilderness land than all states but Alaska. The Frank Church Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in the nation and lies solely in the state’s borders; it is full within backpacking and hiking trails. The Salmon River system, the longest river system in a single state consists of some of the top whitewater rafting in the world. People from all corners of the globe come to vacation there. Traveling to the Frank Church isn’t necessary to find world-class whitewater rafting. A 30-minute drive north on Idaho’s Highway 55 leads to the Payette River where rafters can be seen every sunny day and most rainy ones from June to September. Owning a boat, or hiring expensive guides isn’t the only way to get on the water. There are programs and organizations such as Wild Science
Explorers and Western White Water Association, as well as local shops that help locals and tourists experience the river for next to nothing. Although known around the world for its whitewater, Idaho’s rivers are also world renowned for another outdoor sport, fly fishing. The main section of the Boise River that runs through the heart of the city is a great trout fishery. The north and south fork of the Boise are both a short drive away, and much less crowded than the usually occupied main. Rivers aren’t the only place to fish near Boise; there are numerous ponds, reservoirs and lakes stocked by the Idaho Fish and Game. If water sports aren’t your thing, the foothills wilderness are full of trails and paths where the only equipment needed to enjoy the fresh air and get a glimpse of Idaho’s wildlife is a decent pair of shoes. Maps for these trails are sold at most government buildings and all the proceeds go back into maintaining the state trails. The outdoors are at peoples’ disposal, and one may be doing an injustice to him or herself by not taking advantage of Idaho’s backyard.
The Borah cheer squad rallied on May 6 to determine who will hold next year’s positions on the varsity and junior varsity teams. Mandatory clinics were held May 3-5, where the judges observed the cheerleaders’ teamwork. Open gym practices were available every Tuesday and Thursday since April 12. The official tryouts were May 6. A panel of three judges, all certified cheer instructors with no affiliation to Borah, decided the new members on the squad. The contestants are evaluated on a two-part scale. First is an academic assessment based on the contestants’ grades and teacher recommendations. The second part is a skills assessment that includes tumbling, a dance, cheers, and stunting. Danielle Schallhorn, senior, is one of the clinic instructors that attends practices and helps candidates refine their talents. “It is very fulfilling to help all the sweet and innocent cheerleaders who don’t know what they are getting themselves into,” she said. Sophomore Jordan Drexler, tried out for the team for her second year. She said, “There is a lot of young talent. The girls in junior high are really good.” Sophomore Chloe Ball said, “The freshman trying out are very very good, and there are a lot of them.” Ball was a flier on last year’s competition team, and tried out again for this year’s team. She noted the larger number of girls trying out this year, “There’s 30 new girls who did not do competition or sideline cheer last year.” “I’m not as scared this year,” Drexler added. “I kind of feel like I know what I’m doing.” Last year’s competition cheer squad won the Idaho state competition in the 5A co-ed division.
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Sports
Wrestler creates a name for himself By Samantha Whittaker
W
restling runs in the family for senior Taylor West who began wrestling because of his dad at age five. Now West aspires to win the national tournament in college and later become an Ultimate Fighting Champion. His freshman year, West won third place in the state tournament, continuing on for second place in state his sophomore year and finishing with first place his junior and senior year. This year West’s record stands at 46-0, improving his overall record of 163-19 which has earned him a partial scholarship to attend Boise State University. The scholarship which covers 48 percent of Taylor’s education, includes money for books and fees. In addition, West was ranked as the tenth wres-
tler nationally by Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestler Insiders Newsmagazine (WIN-magazine. com). West’s practice schedule last summer consisted of twice daily practice sessions six days a week, To “break out of ritual,” West’s workouts included activities such as running swimming and playing soccer. Before receiving his scholarship, West spoke with coaches at Boise State and made a verbal agreement to wrestle for them at the district tournament followed by a signing April 13. When he received his scholarship, West said it was “one of the best feelings I have ever had.” West went on to say that he has always wanted to attend Boise State. In addition, West’s brotherin-law attended Boise State. West has not decided what he will major in. “I don’t know what I want to do yet and I don’t want to make a decision I will regret,” he said.
“I have always wanted to move from being my dad’s son to having my own name.” -- Taylor West, senior
Team ties for third at tourney By Kristin Bracewell
V
arsity tennis players participated in the Capital Classic April 29-30. Sophmore Julia Umberger placed second in the #1 girls single category. Senior Nate McMurdie and his tennis partner, senior, Trent Hellmann, finished second in the #2 boys double category. And, sophomore Carlie Hellmann finished second in the #3 girls single category. As an overall team, Borah tied for third. “I actually beat somebody I’ve never beat before and it was really good for my confidence,” said Umberger.
McMurdie agreed. “We beat a strong team from Ferris High School.” Hellmann also seemed to have a great performance. “I beat a girl in the semifinals who was from Vallivue and I kind of think she was a better player than me, but I just stayed consistent.” Though they all agreed that the tournament was fun, they ran into some problems. McMurdie said, “You officiate yourself,” so it is easy for a person to cheat the game. Weather also caused complications. “Oh the wind was so bad,” Umberger said. “It snowed in the morning.” Hellmann added, “It was delayed two hours!”
Players said this tournament is so enjoyable because it is such a big tournament and teams from all over are in it, teams Borah had never played. “The Capital Classic is the biggest one in Idaho,” McMurdie said. “It’s not the same people you see every time,” added Umberger. The three agree that they felt fully prepared before their matches. McMurdie said, “At tennis practice, you work together.” He interjected that a dedicated player has to practice more than just with the team. “To get yourself a lot better you have to also practice outside of the team practice.
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Photo by Ali Clapier
Senior Taylor West finishes his high school career 163-19.
West’s father, Bill West, said that his son’s goals are “lofty” but he has no doubt in his ability to reach them. “Everything he has achieved he has certainly worked for,” added his father. If West could have done anything differently, he would have begun working harder at a younger age in an effort to make himself more accomplished. “I have always wanted to move from being my dad’s son to having my own name, ” he said.
Varsity players positive about new volleyball head coach Borah’s new volleyball coach, Buster Pettis, is setting the ball high for next year’s players. Although new to Borah’s coaching staff, he’s well rounded in coaching. Pettis has worked with various junior high schools, clubs, and his favorite: high schools. “I’ve wanted to get back into coaching high school teams for a while now,” said Pettis. “It’s nice to get onto this level--it’s advanced--and I’m really looking forward to it.” Junior, Jade Gray said, “He has high expectations for us. He’s a good choice and you can tell he has a wide volleyball background.”
Pettis is from San Diego where he played volleyball outside in the warm ocean breeze of the beaches, but said he still enjoys Borah’s air-conditioned gym. He has been instructing open gym after-school sessions where players practice skill for tryouts. Junior Hannah Schleis stated, “I think he’s going to teach us alot, and I’m really excited for the season.” Pettis said that from what he’s seen, the team is looking great “There’s a lot of depth, along with different people and underclassmen. It’s been encouraging to see everyone get out there and show their stuff.”
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JV Sports
Amateur athletes not quite up to par By Tyler Albretsen
Former professional golfer Gary Player, who is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf, once said, “You must work very hard to become a natural golfer.” Golf is more than dressing up fashionably to impress others; it’s a sport that requires hours upon hours of practice to be successful. Filled with a panel of inexperienced and new players, the boys JV team has struggled to succeed and, as a result, hasn’t won a single match this year. Head coach and social studies teacher, Ron Freeman said, “JV has gotten beat up this year. They have struggled.” Many JV players are fairly new to the concepts of golf and their inex-
perience has shown on the course. Freeman added, “We have a lot of new players and this is a new experience for many of them.” Freeman explained that the players are shooting a little bit too high in their matches, which he hopes they will cut down as they improve. Higher scores are expected as many of the players are newly embracing the game. The team’s last regular season match was April 28 at Warm Springs Golf Course. The team finished the season with districts May 11. Freeman added, “I expect us to finish in the top half of the teams competing in districts.” Sophomore Jacob McMullen said, “We didn’t play up to our potential in districts but overall it was a good season.”
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011
Photo by Katie Helm
Sophomores Kadeem Torgeson (left) and Davis Bitton run the 4 x 200 relay in the Wes Lowe track meet at Meridian High School April 21.
Season serves strong victories, tough losses By Adam Thompson
Photo by Korey Combs
Freshman Jackson Lauer (above) tied for first place in third singles in the JV district tennis match held May 7. Borah finished third in girls and fifth in boys.
JV tennis recently finished its season with a tournament May 7, in which the girls finished third overall and boys finished in fifth place. The team posted a strong year, and many of the players have a positive outlook on their performance this season. Andrew Stoddard, senior, said that the season was “all right,” but he’d had better. Stoddard said he felt like the team carried each other, but could get competitive at times. He started playing tennis in his freshman year, and expressed his thoughts before the tournament in five short words. “We might do pretty well.” Megan Winston, senior, said, “Only one or two games were rescheduled, and the weather mostly cooperated.”
Her best memory, she said, was the Saturday tournament, and her worst, as she stated, was losing only one game. “The team gets along really well,” Winston said. “We have few disagreements, and there’s a general sense of unity.” The only weakness she spotted was that the team was prone to “goof off ” during practices. Winston proudly stated that she had only one loss this season, against Eagle, out of approximately 10 matches played. Winston was unable to play her junior year, but was on the varsity team sophomore year, in addition to three years in junior high. Winston stated that personally, she did very well at the tournament. She couldn’t say how the team did as a whole, due to the matches being scheduled in a variety of locations.
The Borah Senator
Photo Essay
May 17, 2011
Another type of NHS
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Spanish National Honor Society inducts 11 Spanish National Honor Society held an induction ceremony May 10 during lunch in the library. SNHS inducted 11 new members for next year. Three seniors are graduating, leaving 25 active members slated for next year. The requirements for SNHS include a 3.0 GPA, enrollment in a third year Spanish class, and a good record of attendance. Also required is 20 hours of community service; some of the projects include organizing Christmas gift baskets for families in need and putting together the annual International Dinner. This year marks the second year SNHS has had a club at Borah. Above left: Following the induction ceremony students partook in a fiesta in different culture-related foods. Above right: Vice President Erica Albertson, and Treasurer Travis Peter, juniors, read the necessary materials for the induction ceremony.
Junior Lucas Morse signs his name and contact information onto the SNHS roster after being inducted as a new member. Photos and text by Katie Helm
Current and new members participate in an induction ceremony of new SNHS members. Eight of 11 new members were sworn in during the May 10 ceremony, and recited their oath in Spanish.
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Fun & Games
Bored? By Lisa Garrard
Creative Solutions to Summer Problems
Ahhh... summer time. We as high school students look back on these days fondly remembering all the good times we had: all those hot afternoons watching the entire trilogy of the Lord of the Rings, spraying people with hoses, and generally letting our minds turn to mush. Most everything about summer is enjoyable. For the couple of things that aren’t, I have made up some ingenious solutions.
#1
Corn on the Cob Stuck in your Gob
There’s almost nothing better than corn on the cob (except for maybe lemonade..and watermelon and cotton candy and ice cream), but the problem with corn on the cob is how the corn skin always gets stuck in your teeth. You could floss but that still means that you had to deal with the horrible mental and physical torture of having those small yellow jerks messing around in your teeth gaps. My solution: Butter. Yes, I know that you probably already put butter on your corn but I’m not talking about that wimpy little slice of butter that you rub your food on, I’m talking an entire stick! Everytime you take a bite of corn, take a bite of butter. This will lubricate your teeth well enough to prevent anything from sticking between your teeth and provide you with enough heart cloggingly good calories to not sleep for several days or even to get off the couch and find the remote in times of need, such as when “Teen Mom” stops and “Jersey Shore” starts.
#2
Ice Cream Man Surrender the Goods
Seems to me like every time I hear the ice cream man and I have money, he never actually appears. You can spend hours trying to find the source of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “All Around the Mulberry Bush,” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” just for one of those novelty popsicles in the shape of Spongebob with bubble gum eyes. A majority of the time that elusive ice cream man is never found or he passes when you have no money. My solution: Neighborhood watch. Get the entire neighborhood invovled. Set up phone trees. At the head of every street, place a sentry with a fully charged cell phones. As you see them pass your house, pass on the word. If you are organized enough then that ice cream man should be easier to find than flies before you pick up the fly swatter.
The Borah Senator
May 17, 2011