2016-17 december issue by Cedar Post

HONOR CODE QUIZ

TRADITION EXCHANGE

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SUMMER OF THREES PAGE 6

CEDAR POST VOLUME 94, ISSUE 4

2016 IN REVIEW LOCAL

GLOBAL

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Mackenzie Packer, Assistant Photo Editor

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FAMILY LEAVE

BARACK OBAMA VISITS CUBA

COACH PUAILOA ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE

SAN FRANCISCO MANDATES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

HARAMBE SHOT AND KILLED

2016 OLYMPICS HELD IN RIO NASA’S SPACECRAFT ENTERS JUPITER’S ORBIT

Pierre de Coubertin via Wikimedia Commons

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SCHWEITZER’S NEW SUMMIT LODGE OPENS

DONALD TRUMP WINS THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

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FIRST MALE FACE OF COVERGIRL

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SCHOOL LEVY DENIED

MEMORIAL REBUILD BEGINS

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POKEMON GO BECOMES A TREND

CLASS OF 2016 SENIOR PRANK

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WIFI ON SCHOOL BUSSES

UK VOTES TO LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION

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ZIKA VIRUS OUTBREAK

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL PLANS ANNOUNCED

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES A LONG RANGE ROCKET VIOLATING UN TREATIES

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SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AWARDED GRANT

SAHAR PAZ VISITS SHS

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JANUARY

WHAT’S ON SHSCEDARPOST.COM? GIRLS BASKETBALL VS. TIMBERLAKE

NEW FEMINISM CLUB AT SHS

DATES TO REMEMBER

HOW TO BE ECOCONSERVATIVE

9 WAYS TO BE MORE

ECO-CONSERVATIVE

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DECEMBER

BACK FROM BREAK - “B” DAY MLK DAY - NO SCHOOL BATTLE FOR THE PADDLE

NEWS

HONORING THE CODE Chivalry is dead... is honor next? Test your knowledge of the SHS honor code Mackenzie Packer Assistant Photo Editor

very year students attending SHS sign a form agreeing to the honor code, however many students may not know what they are agreeing to by signing the document. The honor code includes things from general information about the school to attendance and behavior policies. Try out this quiz given to Journalism classes by William Love to see how much you know about SHS policies.

According to Board Policy 3255, what happens on the third offense when a student fails to pursue studies? a. Parent/teacher intervention b. Parent/teacher/ counselor intervention, Wednesday school c. Academic Recovery Program (ARP) d. Loss of extracurricular activities

The administration/chaperones at a school dance have the right to turn on lights and play old/slow music for at least one song if they observe excessive crowd-wide inappropriate dancing. a. True b. False

How many full credit classes must a senior be enrolled in each semester to participate in the commencement ceremony (graduation)? a. Four b. Five c. Six d. Seven

The student handbook is only updated at the beginning of each school year?. a. True b. False

3 The LPOSD does not have a “cut” policy when it comes to athletics. a. True b. False

Are students allowed to use phones capable of taking photos or videos in a school bathroom? a. Yes b. No

5 How many days of lunch detention can freshman or sophomores be assigned if they are found off campus at lunch? a. Two days b. Three days c. Five days d. Four days

What determines a snow day? Koehler said. As far as visibility and road conditions are concerned, roads must be safe and drivable. If it is too difficult to see or roads are too icy, school could be canceled by the superintendent. Temperature is another important variable in the decison to cancel school. Some students must wait for buses, so if the air temperature is dangerously low school will be canceled with or without snow on the ground. According to Koehler district officials also look at the wind chill around the time students will be picked up, and that is a factor that goes in to the decision. “Any kind of stormy conditions that we wouldn’t want to put kids out in...we consider that,” Coler said. Many different conditions determine whether school is cancelled or not, so as snow and cold temperatures persist students can check the status of school via the school cancelation hotline (208 2632312) or sign up for alerts by texting “Join” to 56360.

Human Rights Club members gather for their weekly meeting. Photo by Hannah Fingel, News Editor

GOING CLUBBING Human Rights Club: fight for your rights

Hannah Fingel News Editor Dec. 10 was national human rights day, and Human Rights Club celebrated with a movie night. A video to bring awareness was not ready in time for the holiday. The Human Rights Club is organized by a group of students who want to inspire a change and bring awareness to issues that are being faced today. The club holds events such as movie nights as well as becoming involved in community events such as

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Which of the following is not a school-wide expectation? a. Be at school and on time every day. b. Arrive at class with your Chromebook. c. Show good sportsmanship at school activities and events. d. Excel Academically

HOW WELL DID YOU SCORE?

S(NO)W SCHOOL Since the first snow has fallen many students have been hoping for a snow day and Friday they got their wish. While to many might expect calling a snow day to be quite simple, the process is long and includes many variables and people. First, district officials drive around to check conditions in different areas and report back to District Superintendent Shawn Woodward. Ultimately, it is Woodward who makes the decision regarding school cancellation. District officials look at visibility, temperature, and road conditions. James Koehler, LPOSD Transportation Director, said that they look for any conditions that would affect the wellbeing of students. This involves many factors, which makes the process quite lengthy. “Normally on any given day that we predict a lot of snow in the morning, I go out around four AM,”

Intentionally excluding a student from a group by another student(s) is considered psychological abuse and is a prohibited behavior. a. True b. False

Answers: 1. c | 2. d | 3. b | 4. a | 5. b | 6. b | 7. b | 8. a | 9. b

Hannah Fingel News Editor

the Add the Words film which depicts the advocacy to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act according to addthewordsmovie.com. Currently, the club works alone, but senior Gabriel Burns, the club president, states that there is motivation to connect with other human rights clubs in the region and become involved

in more organizations. “We would also like to have another “Kisses for Quarters” event where we sell Hershey’s Kisses for a quarter and give the proceeds to Life Straws,” Burns said. Despite this act of volunteering, the Human Rights Club is more than just a service club. “A big part of Human Rights Club is educating ourselves about issues through each other and fostering mutual understanding,” Burns said. Like many other clubs, Human Rights Club provides snacks at meetings. Pizza will be ordered at the upcoming movie night, and members bond over treats and diverse perspectives. “I love getting to know everyone who comes to the club meetings and seeing their perspective. We are all passionate about pursuing equality and kindness so connecting over this cause is wonderful,” Burns said. Those who are interested can stop by the meetings that occur every Friday after school in room S7.

“We are all passionate about pursuing equality and kindness.”

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OPINION

OUR

VIEW

cedar post staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amanda Wikoff NEWS EDITOR Hannah Fingel OPINION EDITOR Liz Marshall

The Our View represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Staff on a particular issue.

LEARNING LANGUAGES The benefits of being bilingual

In order to graduate from an Idaho public high school a student must have at least two humanities credits. The humanities department at SHS includes fine arts and foreign language courses, meaning that as long as a student takes two semesters of fine arts they can graduate without taking a single semester of a foreign language. Various studies conducted by Harvard University show that learning foreign languages increases critical thinking skills, creativity and flexibility in the minds of young children. The same study also showed that students who learn a foreign language outscore their peers who

don’t study a foreign language in verbal and reading standardised tests. Almost all of the skills that learning a foreign language requires are likely to

language, the faster they will learn it. Taking a foreign language can be scary, but every other student is scared too, so there’s no

“Various studies show that learning foreign languages increases critical thinking skills, creativity and flexibility in the minds of young build a student’s problem solving ability. Many students, especially those who would most benefit from learning foreign languages, may steer away from them, so it’s sensible to make taking a foreign language class a requirement. The more obligated students are to learn a foreign

need to worry about having to speak in front of your peers or be nervous about learning a language. Some students will pick up the language faster, but that’s the same with every subject. Students should start learning languages at a younger age, like in the upper grades of elementary

POINT & COUNTERPOINT Are students more stressed than teachers?

Editor’s Note: The original intent was to have a counterpoint written by a teacher. When asked, seven SHS teachers declined to write the column. All seven cited stress andgrading as their reason for declining.

YES

“While [jobs] come with a host of work and balancing, I think adults often forget the balancing act that students have to go through.”

“A teacher’s job is at the school and while it comes with a host of work and balancing, as all jobs do, I think adults often forget the

Kelly Curtis, Web Director While stress varies from person to person, students have a fair amount to worry about. Students in high school usually have eight classes each with homework ranging from half an hour to several hours each night. While upperclassmen might have late arrival or early release, that is a small reduction to their stress levels as they have scholarships, SAT’s, and college applications to attend to in addition to their normal amount of school work. Often students have afterschool jobs and in some students cases a job is non negotiable as they are needing to support themselves or help their families. A teacher’s job is at the school and while it comes with a host of work and balancing, as all jobs do, I think adults often forget the balancing act that

school and middle school. At a young age, children have time to play and learn through games. Language lessons should be more informal in elementary school. Elementary and middle school students don’t yet have all the responsibilities that high school students do and would have more time to study a language. The benefits of being bilingual reach far beyond the classroom. Children who learn about languages and culture often develop empathy and a strong curiosity about different cultures and ideas. The fact is that there are no real downsides to learning a foreign language, so everyone should try.

students often have to go through. In addition to jobs or school, teenagers need to spend time with their friends and family, as this helps them grow and develop as a human being, and have extracurricular activities as this helps them figure out what they potentially want to do after high school. Add necessary volunteering as a build up for your college resume, church, or sport activities that often take up a large chunk of the students time. Children who have more responsibilities feel pressured or that they have more they “must do” than they have time to. I greatly respect the amount of time and effort that all teachers put into their jobs. Not everyone is cut out to teach, but students’ stress levels are much higher than is healthy for us.

Liz Marshall, Opinion Editor Most students, especially upperclassmen, feel a lot of stress regarding their grades, SATs, and college applications. However, there are few jobs as important as an educator’s. Without education society doesn’t advance or grow. That fact in itself puts an immense amount of pressure on teachers, and especially those teaching core classes. In contrast to students, who are only responsible for themselves, teachers shoulder the responsibility of hundreds of students’ eduations. Teachers do a lot of extra work in and outside of school grading homework assignments and tests and they are also tasked with creating lesson plans that cater to all students. Students do feel an immense amount of pressure, but at the end of the day it’s the teachers and adults paying the bills. Some stu-

dents have to contribute to their family incomes, but it is extremely rare for a high school student to be the sole provider in a household. Teachers have lives and activities they participate outside of school as well. Still many teachers are willing to put in extra time helping students after access and sometimes advising a club. Even teachers with prep periods who can grade papers in school don’t leave the job solely at work; they take it home with them in the sense that their job is paying for their bills and their lifestyles. Multi-tasking doesn’t go away as an adult and it is important that high schoolers learn to negotiate and manage stress. No teacher is perfect and at times they can seem way too demanding of high schoolers. But the fact is, that if you accept the challenge you will thrive.

LIFESTYLES EDITORS McCalee Cain Lydia Welp SPORTS EDITORS Sam Aguirre Sam Diercks DESIGN EDITOR Cienna Roget COPY EDITOR Erin Meek PHOTO EDITOR Lauren Sfeir ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Mackenzie Packer SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Liz Parsley BUSINESS MANAGER Jacob Aanes MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Patrick Rockwell Taran McLaughlin MULTIMEDIA STAFF Aubrey Stevens Chloe Edwards Preston Bunty WEB DIRECTOR Kelly Curtis ASST. WEB DIRECTOR Sarah Donnelly WEB STAFF Max Edmundson Bryanna Ells Sam Hendricks Brooke Holten Emerson Kanning Claire Keener Jade Neitzke Finnegan Treadaway Jacqueline Owens

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Cedar Post is governed by the same legal rights as the professional press. Under the First Amendment, we reserve the right to free expression and freedom of the press. The student newspaper of Sandpoint High School is an open public forum for the students of Sandpoint High School and the community of Sandpoint, Idaho, with its editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents; it is not subject to prior review by administration, faculty, or community members. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor must be signed, although the staff may withhold the writer’s name upon request. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to law-governing obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process, as are all contents for the paper. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should an opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.

CEDAR POST 410 S. Division Street Sandpoint, ID 83864 shscedarpost.com

A R T S & C U LT U R E

TOP 10 PREDICTIONS

FOR 2017 What will happen this year? Cedar Post makes their predictions. Compiled by Hannah Fingel, News Editor The top ten list is a recurring element compiled by a member of the Cedar Post staff each month. Concert band plays at their Christmas performance | Photo by Mackenzie Packer, Assistant Photo Editor

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“Taylor Swift drops a new album and rules the world,” Erin Meek Copy Editor “Potatoes will be the new kale,” Cienna Roget Design Editor

“Mrs. Barton will become a bald back up dancer for Britney Spears,” Amanda Wikoff Editor-in-Chief “Wendy Auld will announce her 2020 presidential campaign,” Hannah Fingel News Editor “Marijuana will be legalized everywhere except Idaho,” Liz Parsley Social Media Editor

HOLIDAY HYMNS

The band and choirs spirit boost their holiday spirit Jacob Aanes Business Manager

ith winter break just around the corner, departments like band and choir are wrapping up their last holiday activities. To display their holiday spirit, students from the high school choirs and bands are performing activities ranging from caroling to playing their instruments in the cold weather. For students in choir, top groups like Performing Choir and Men’s Choir are parading their spirit by participating in their annual Christmas caroling. In the choirs, they will perform a variety of songs that are well known in the holiday

“They usually do some common Christmas songs like ‘Silver Bells’ or a medley of popular Christmas songs.”

SOFIA KRIZ SOPHOMORE, CONCERT CHOIR season. “For songs, the top choirs usually do some common Christmas tunes like ‘Silver Bells’ or a medley of popular Christmas music, but most of the songs will be from the Winter Concert on the 21st of December,” said senior Sofia Kriz. Not only are the choirs caroling, but all of the choirs are also creating and selling themed baskets to help fundraise their events like choir competitions, class trips, and concerts. Choir students participat-

DELIGHTFUL DRINKS

Learn how to make holiday drinks that everyone will enjoy!

“Area 51 will be confirmed,” Kelly Curtis Web Editor

ing in these baskets are initially given the task of splitting into groups and making a baskets ranging from video game to even dog themes. Additionally, the baskets are auctioned between the groups performing at the Winter Concert and all proceeds gained by the baskets are given to the choir. Similarly to the choirs, band also has their own activities to sport their holiday cheer. Starting December 10, brass instrument players from the high

school and the community are coming together on one magical night to play Christmas carols with only heavy bass instruments like Tubas. The goal for what students like Liam Parnell call “Tuba Christmas” is to add an interesting and deeper spin to the upbeat music that we are so used to hearing this time of year. “The only qualifications you need to take part in Tuba Christmas is to know how to play the B flat scale and any wind instrument in general. Other than that, bring a good attitude and a Christmas spirit,” said junior Liam Parnell. The next big choir event will be a concert at which they will perform their caroling songs on Dec. 21

meek’s

EATS

“Meghan Trainor will release another annoying song,” Liz Marshall Opinion Editor

“Mr. Martz and Mr. Dickinson will quit education to direct the next Star Wars movie.” William Love Advisor “Everybody will become vegan,” Jacob Aanes Business Manager

“Miley Cyrus dies.” Preston Bunty, Multimedia Staff

CRANBERRY APPLE CIDER INGREDIENTS 4 cups cranberry juice blend 4 cups apple cider or apple juice Peel of 1 orange, cut in large strips 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks 4 whole allspice berries 4 whole cloves

GRAPEFRUIT HONEY GINGER SODA INGREDIENTS Zest of 1 large pink or red grapefruit 1 cup freshly-squeezed pink or red grapefruit juice from 1 large grapefruit; top off with water to make 1 cup 3/4 cup mild-flavored honey 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger Carbonated water

PEPPERMINT HOT COCOA INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 quart milk 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (3 ounces) 7 peppermint sticks; 3 crushed (1/4 cup), 4 left whole pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS • Bring all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer. • Partially cover the pot with tinfoil for 30 minutes. • You’re done, enjoy!!

DIRECTIONS • Combine zest, grapefruit juice, honey and ginger into saucepan over medium heat. Boil for two minutes. • Stir in honey till dissolved. • Remove from heat to cool. Strain into a serving bowl. • To serve put two tablespoons of syrup, top with carbonated water

DIRECTIONS • Place cocoa in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk together milk until cocoa has dissolved. • Slowly stir in chocolate chips and peppermint pieces, simmer over low heat, stir until chocolate and peppermint have dissolved. • Bring to boil and remove from heat. Add salt. Serve and enjoy!!

Erin Meek Copy Editor

STUDENT LIFE

TRADITION EXCHANGE Foreign exchange students share gifts and cultures this holiday season

Hannah Fingel, News Editor Emerson Kanning, Web Staff

he holidays may bring universal feelings of joy, bu they are celebrated differently around the world. Both foreign exchange students sent from Sandpoint High School and foreign exchange students currently attending SHS are experiencing new traditions regarding the holiday season. SHS students Tanner Kohal and Aaron Cole are both experiencing the holidays in entirely new ways. Kohal is in Sweden having a unique holiday experience and Cole is being exposed to the traditions of Germany.

giving], they set up Weihnachtsmarkts (translates to “Christmas Market”) in most larger cities which is a huge fair with Christmas foods right downtown,” Cole said. Cole also mentioned that a major difference between Sandpoint and Germany was the lack of snow. “We don’t get very much snow in the area because the North Sea warms the clouds in this part of the country,” he said. It is not just SHS students that are facing the holiday season in different ways; foreign exchange students visiting SHS are also being introduced to a new culture. For foreign exchange student Greta Caratozzolo,

“Instead [of Thanksgiving], they set up Weihnachtsmarkts...right in the downtown of the city,”

AARON COLE JUNIOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT

According to Kohal, Sweden is beginning to adopt American traditions. “Things like Halloween and Black Friday […] haven’t been a thing until the last two to three years, but this year both were pretty publicized,” Kohal said. Kohal also found that Sweden had a lot of Christmas traditions that began earlier due to the fact that they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Cole says that public decorations and shopping traditions are very elaborate. “Instead [of Thanks-

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the holidays are different in America than they are in Italy. In Italy, they do not celebrate Thanksgiving, and she states that Halloween is not as popular. However, the celebration of Christmas is still something Italy and the US have in common, and Caratozzolo’s favorite holiday tradition involves her family. “On the 24th we have a huge family dinner, and we are all together, and we open our gifts,” Caratozzolo said. It seems that no matter the country, family is a large

Exchange student Greta Caratozzolo and host brother Logan Buckhout pose by a Christmas tree. | Courtesy Photo

part of the joy and magic of the holiday season. For Moritz Berke, the presents and the market are the most significant difference between Christmas in the States and in Germany. “The biggest difference is that you get your presents on the 25th, and we get our

Compliled by McCalee Cain, Lifestyles Editor

7B STYLE STYLIN’ THE SLOPES 5.

Photo by Max Edmundson, Web Staff

With winter and ski season in full effect, many SHS students will take to the slopes to enjoy their activity of choice. For those venturing to their local ski hill for the first time, choosing gear and clothing can be confusing. Take these tips into consideration next time you head up to the mountain.

Max Edmundson Web Staff Point-of-view cameras provided by companies like Gopro can be fun to use, but if you are a beginner skier or boarder they are often unnecessary.

While the “gaper”* gap between your goggles and helmet may seem trivial, it is a valid indicator of how good a skier you are. Keep the distance between the brim of your helmet and goggles under 0.5 inches.

“Retro” or brightly colored clothing, often found at your local thrift store, will make you easy to spot as a “gaper”. Stick to more discreet colors.

People celebrate the holidays in different ways from country to country, city to city, town to town, and even just family to family. Yet no matter your traditions, everyone has the opportunity to experience different traditions and begin new ones.

2016 TWITTER REVIEW

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presents on the 24th in the evening after dinner, and we also have big Christmas Markets,” said Berke. “You can buy presents for your family and they have lots of good food.” In Germany, these Christmas markets are a major part of the holiday season.

Carrying your skis in the manner shown above, is a sure sign of your lack of experience. To maintain proper form, carry both skis with their bases touching and have the front end of the binding resting on your shoulder, front end of the binding resting on your shoulder, facing up at a diagonal.

Yes, you’re a tough North Idahoan, but wearing jeans while skiing equals cold, wet misery. Invest in some insulated ski pants to keep you warm and happy.

*gaper: n, person who is inexperienced or lacking in skill

SPORTS

THOUSANDS OF THREES Spencer Thompson shot 25,000 three-point shots this summer Sam Diercks Sports Editor

ummertime- a word most people associate with relaxing and having no responsibilities- is a word that Spencer Thompson associates with hard work. During the summer, many sports programs had practices and workouts to keep from regressing their skills and athleticisim. One of these sports programs was the basketball team led by Coach K e n t Leiss. One o f

the players that was in the gym the most was senior Spencer Thompson. Over the summer, Thompson spent three to four hours a day for six days a week, in the gym with Coach Leiss and other teammates working on his craft. “I think as a program we got up like 130,000 [shots],” Thompson said. Thompson worked on a variety of different skills such as ball-handling and shooting, and played oneon-one games with other teammates, “We worked on our rip moves and shot fakes and then we’d do like stationary ball hand l i n g ,”

Thompson said. Thompson spent most of his time shooting, working on shot mechanics and accuracy. Behind the three-point arc, Thompson put up around 25,000 shots, which led the team. “I really worked on getting my left hand off of the ball when I shoot,” Thompson said, “last year I had this thing where my thumb of my left hand would push the ball and give it a weird spin.” Thompson has shot so many that he says nothing goes through his mind when he is shooting anymore, “I have nothing in my head, it’s just muscle memory.” However, Thompson was not the only one in the gym. “Taran [McLaughlin], Ryan Roos, and Damian Dalthorp were in there shooting a lot too,” Thompson said. “Spencer has shown dramatic imrpovement in the past off seson,” Coach Leiss said, “Spencer has shown he is probably our most dedicated player at this point. He has an outstanding work ethic, and practices hard everyday.” With his teammates in the gym with him, Thompson’s confidence in the team has skyrocketed, and he is able to trust his teammates when they have the ball in their hands. “[Having my team in there] made me feel really

good. “This year we should be able to shoot a lot better, we won’t have one guy taking all of the shots,” Thompson said. Thompson is nicknamed ‘Jimmer’ by many of his friends in reference to Thompson’s love for professional basketball player Jimmer Fredette. Thompson admires Fredette’s threepoint shooting ability and the kind of guy Fredette is off of the court. “ He can shoot threes and he’s just a good guy,” Thompson said. With the basketball season beginning, the team has already played games against Timberlake, Kellogg, St. Maries, and Priest River. When Thompson made his first three-pointer of the season, he said he was just happy he didn’t miss. “It would’ve been dumb to shoot thirty-thousand threes in the summer and miss in the games,” Thompson said. Thompson is confident his practice in the summer will translate onto the court helping the basketball team to a great year. “I can always trust Spencer to work hard and always do the right thing,” Coach Leiss said, “He is a great person and excellent student. As a result of his work ethic, Spencer will be a very successful person in his days after Sandpoint High School.”

Spencer Thompson worked hard during the summer. Photo By: Lauren Sfeir, Photo Editor

ATHLETE PROFILES Lacrosse

Cheer

WRESTLING WITH CHANGE

The SHS Wrestling Team endures change in culture McCalee Cain Lifestyles Editor

Photo by Lauren Sfeir, Photo Editor

Parker Mayo

Kendall Mitton

Junior

Freshman

How long have you been playing lacrosse?

How long have you been cheering?

I have been playing since the beginning of this season.

I had a friend who taught me some stuff when I was in 5th grade, but I’ve only been on the team for about a year.

Who is your favorite lacrosse coach? Mr. Hutchens is my favorite coach.

Do you have a teammate that has impacted your lacrosse career? David Webster, we are both new so we are playing with each other pushing and making ourselves better.

What has lacrosse taught you? It has taught me how to be good with my hands.

What is your favorite cheer memory?

Any athletic program can experience a dramatic shift in team culture in times of changing leadership. Such is not the case for Sandpoint wrestling: the program continues to focus on its vigorous work ethic and dedication to the pursuit of excellence. “This year, it’s pretty much...All serious, all the time,” said senior Zackary Alamillo. The leadership in the wrestling program recently shifted as previous head coach Mike Randles accepted a job as Vice Principal at Coeur d’Alene High School. With him left his son Casey Randles, two-time reigning state wrestling champion. “Sandpoint’s smaller size allowed so that everyone on the team had at least known each other since middle school, so I’d say the team was a little closer together there,” Casey Randles said

about the Sandpoint wrestling team. The loss of these key figures of the program invited a change of culture among the wrestlers and coaches, yet the team remains adhered to the values that have held it together for years: dedication, work ethic, and honesty. “Even though we have had a head coaching change, because all the wrestlers have been around Coach Stark for the last few years, there hasn’t really been a change in culture,” said assistant coach Steve Miller. The team culture of wrestling as a sport is open to interpretation. While some argue that it is a very team-oriented sport, others, including senior wrestler Zackary Alamillo, argue that it is a more self-motivated sport. “Many people think that it’s a team sport, but it’s really not. There’s no one else on the mat that they could call a time out and switch to, so I feel like it’s a very individual sport,” Alamillo said.

My favorite cheer memory was when we went as a team to a UCA cheer camp in Tacoma, WA.

Which teammate who has impacted your cheer career? I think Savannah Morgan, she is one of my best friends, but she really helps me out a lot.

What has cheer taught you? Cheer has taught me to always keep trying. We do a lot of hard tricks, and they definitely take practice.

Wrestling team looks on during home meet. Photo by Lauren Sfeir, Photo Editor

SPORTS

11 THINGS TO KNOW

ABOUT BATTLE FOR THE PADDLE

Battle for the paddle will be against Lakeland on Jan. 20 at 4 p.m.

Mackenzie Packer, Asst. Photo Editor

Two spirit busses will be available to take students to Lakeland.

The location of Battle for the Paddle will switch each year.

Sandpoint’s theme will be red and white, so sport your school colors!

Competitions include basketball games, wrestling, and a row race.

Wrestling competition takes place between girls and boys basketball.

Both student bodies voted for the name Battle for the Paddle.

Use #shsbattlepaddle2017 to get photos on Cedar Post social media.

A “lip sync battle” will replace stomp and include more students.

Tickets will cost $8 and include a t-shirt for students with an ASB.

Fu n d r a i s i n g is part of the competition and concludes on Thursday.

SPORTS SCHEDULE January 6-14 Varsity Wrestling @ University Friday 1/6-Saturday 1/7 TBA Boys Varsity Basketball Vs. West Valley Saturday 1/7, 6:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Basketball Home Vs. West Valley Saturday 1/7 4:30 p.m. Varsity Wrestling @ Post Falls Thursday 1/12- Friday 1/13, TBA

The decision between sports and vacation is difficult for many winter athletes. | Photo by Lauren Sfeir, Photo Editor

SPORTING SACRIFICES STUDENT ATHLETES SPENDING WINTER BREAK IN THE GYM McCalee Cain, Lifestyles Editor

thletes are always expected to sacrifice for the sake of their sports, and for winter athletes, that means sacrificing time over holiday vacation. While fall athletes practice throughout the summer and participate in daily doubles, winter athletes often train yearround in addition to dedicating lots of time during winter break. Because so many athletic programs at the high school continue to practice and compete during Christmas break, it can be very difficult or impossible for athletes and their families to take vacations without missing their sport. “You can [take a vacation], but our coach is not very happy about it and it does affect your playing

time,” junior basketball player Danika Tomazich said. “I think it’s kind of asking a lot, but I also believe that it teaches you dedication. It is worth it, I believe, because you work for it, and then you de-

thereafter. “If you want to have a good basketball program, you cannot shut down your basketball program over Christmas or Thanksgiving break,” boy’s basketball coach Kent Leiss said.

“When you enter the real world, you don’t spend half your time on vacation.”

KENT LEISS BASKETBALL COACH

serve it in the end if you work for it as hard as you do. It ends up being worth it when it comes to games, but it kind of takes up a lot of free time,” Tomazich said. Both boy’s and girl’s basketball teams have a hefty schedule lined up over Christmas break. The boys’ team has Christmas Eve as well as Christmas Day off before they compete in a three day tournament immediately

“The football team gives up 4 weeks of their summer to get ready for the season. If you want to be good, you need to practice,” Leiss said. Leiss explained that in his first year of coaching at Sandpoint, 20 of 35 athletes took a holiday vacation. By his second, it was down to 10. This year, only two players of 33 missed a practice during Thanksgiving break. “Do I think it is fair

Girls & Guys— Sandpoint Lacrosse Wants You! Join us for an informational 2017 Lacrosse Season Meeting on Tuesday, January 10th, at 5pm SHS Auditorium Info about separate girls and guys high school teams will be provided Anyone who has played or is interested in playing should attend For additional info, check out the Sandpoint Cutthroat Lacrosse Facebook page

for high school athletes to sacrifice time for their sport? Yes, if they want to be successful. When you enter the real world you don’t spend half your time on vacation,” Leiss said. Club athletes currently in season will also be spending time in the gym or on the field, though their time investments will be less strenuous as athletes competing through the school. “I’m happy that I don’t always have to be in the gym, because then I can actually enjoy my break with my friends and family for the winter,” freshman club volleyball player Darby Robinson said. “I don’t think [winter sport coaches are] asking too much because I think our school is trying to improve our sports and trying to make our athletes be better, and push them to their limits,” Robinson said.

Girls Varsity Basketball Vs. Moscow Saturday 1/14 4:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Basketball Vs. Moscow Saturday 1/14 6:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Basketball @ Lewiston Monday 1/16 3:00 p.m. Boys Varsity Basketball @ Lewiston Monday 1/16 4:30 p.m.

ON TO

DIVISION 1: CORRECTION A mistake was made in the last issue about the recruitment of Grace Kirscher. Kirscher is not currently being recruited by Montana State University but is being recruited by California Polytechnic State University.

POST SCRIPT

Happy Holla Days

Cedar Post gives you the guide to last minute gift giving. By Cienna Roget, Design Editor

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boy or girlfriend?

friend how close are you?

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sibling

mom

girlfriend

boyfriend

dad

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card & picture of you

candy

water bottle

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personal jewelry

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EVER

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scented candle

coffee mug

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