December Edition 2017

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CEDAR P Sandpoint High School

BEHIND THE SCENES OF B4P PAGE 2

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Volume 95

Issue 5

AP CHEMISTRY GETS HEATED

GOING FOR THE GOAL

SIDELINING LEG INJURIES

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2017 IN REVIEW 2017

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END HERE

2018

JAN DEC 5

FEB

Russia is banned from next Winter Olympics in South Korea over state-sponsored doping

DEC 4 JAN 20 Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America

President Trump scales back Utah National Parks

FEB 5

NOV 27

Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots defeat Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in over time

Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce their engagement

DEC

FEB 12 59th Grammy Awards: Adele wins Best Song “Hello” and Best Album “25”, breaks award to share with Beyonce

JAN 21 More than 2 million people protest worldwide in the ‘Women’s March’ against Donald Trump

APR APR 5 Pepsi ad featuring Kendall Jenner pulled after criticized for trivializing demonstrations

JUN

MAR MAR 6

SEP 24

NOV 5

President Trump signs his second executive order banning travelers from 6 mostly-Muslim countries

Houston Astros win their first baseball World Series defeating the LA Dodgers 5-1 in game 7

NOV

MAY MAY 1

OCT 30

BNSF train derails south of Cocolalla Lake

US federal judge blocks President Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military

NFL players kneel, lock arms or stay in their dressing room during the anthem in protests against comments made by President Donald Trump

SEP 17 Spokane man stabs cab driver at Arnie’s Gas Station in Kootenai

OCT AUG 21 Total solar eclipse visible from North America

MAY 25 JUN 2 US President Donald Trump announces the US is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement

SEP 5 Hurricane Irma becomes most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane with 185 mph winds

“Wonder Woman” directed by Patty Jenkins premieres in Los Angeles as the first superhero film directed by a woman

JUL AUG 12 “Unite the Right” march in Charlottesville, Virginia turns violent when car rams protesters killing 1, injuring 19

JUN 4

“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi ft.

Daddy Yankee becomes the most streamed song ever, played 4.6 billion times

Long Bridge Swim cancelled due to safety concerns

WHAT’S ON SHSCEDARPOST.COM? DICKINSON’S SPAIN TRIP

After a trip to Spain with Washington School’s Design for Change team, Vice Principal Derek Dickinson shares his experience with the team.

CPTV EPISODE II

Check out CPTV Episode II for a recap of recent events including the Mentors’ Kindness Week, French Conversation Day and girls basketball transfers.

North Idaho has worst air quality in nation

AUG 10

JUL 19

Ariana Grande headlines benefit concert for victims of her Manchester concert bombing

SEP 4

BASKETBALL VS. BONNERS

Both girls and boys basketball faced the Bonners Ferry Badgers on Saturday, Dec. 9. The girls lost 65-52 and the boys won 7566. See all the action online.

SEP

AUG

JANUARY

DATES TO REMEMBER

08 END OF WINTER BREAK 10

“SHREK” OPENING NIGHT

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BATTLE FOR THE PADDLE

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END OF SEMESTER — NO SCHOOL

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NEWS

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B4P: BEHIND THE SCENES Learn about the planning behind Battle for the Paddle

Mason White Web Staff

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he annual Battle for the Paddle (B4P) spirit competition between Sandpoint and Lakeland is coming up in January 19.

For those who aren’t sure of what B4P is, here’s the rundown: it’s a spirit competition against Lakeland High School and both student bodies come dressed in their school colors. Each school is scored on different categories, varying from sportsmanship to the winners of events like lip sync, the paddle boat race and the basketball games.

At the end of the night, whichever school has the most points wins the Paddle and gets ultimate bragging rights until the next year.

Student Council starts working months ahead to plan and organize the whole event, and most of the student body may be unaware of what exactly that entails.

Student Council is responsible for practically every detail that goes into B4P, from ticket designs to deciding whether dance team and band get free t-shirts or not. The fine details are what make the whole event go smoothly.

When planning for Battle for the Paddle, Student Council is split up into nine committees: Fundraising, Crowd Involvement, Posters and Decorations, Liaison, Assembly, Swag and Sales, Paddle Babble, Paddle Boat Race, and Lip Sync.

A new addition to the event this year is

“spirit packs”. The packs will contain favors that tie into the theme of the night, Boxing Bulldogs. To afford the spirit packs, Student Council will sell advertisements in the cheer booklet that goes out to all the Sandpoint students at B4P. The Swag and Sales Committee accordingly manages the spirit pack budget.

The Crowd Involvement Committee teams up with the cheerleading team to manage one of the most important components of the night: excitement and spirit in the student body. They create signs marked with all the cheers and will lead the crowd in chants.

The Crowd Involvement Committee is also responsible for creating an approximate schedule for how long each person will lead all the students in cheers and how long their breaks will be.

“Battle for the Paddle is by far my favorite event that Student Council puts on. I love being a part of what goes on behind the scenes and the excitement and preparation leading up to the event.

Knowing we organized a great event for the student body makes Battle for the Paddle all the more enjoyable,” ASB Secretary Alyssa Webster said. “I think organizing it gets me even more excited than it would if I wasn’t involved in Student Council.”

Weeks of planning and coordination will come to fruition for the entire school at the event.

“There is so much work that goes into Battle for the Paddle that the student body doesn’t realize,” Webster said.

Top, Stuco meets with Lakeland to discuss B4P. Bottom, Stuco decorates posters to get students excited for the upcoming event. | Photos by Mason White, Web Staff

IN SHORT Compiled by Sofia Kriz, News Editor • Polar Bear Plunge On January 1, the Boy Scout Troop 111 takes part in an annual event called the Polar Bear Plunge in which they cut a hole in the ice at city beach and jump into the freezing water. They will be providing changing tents and hot chocolate for those who participate.

New roundabout regulates traffic flow in Ponderay. | Photo by Sofia Kriz, News Editor

SCHWEITZER ROUNDABOUT Long-awaited Ponderay roundabout reaches completion Ahna Groat Assistant Web Editor As of November 22, the highly anticipated Schweitzer cutoff and Boyer roundabout is finally open for public use.

The roundabout was initially set to open on November 10, but was pushed back for a couple weeks.

After six months of having to go around on two different detours people are now able to access to the bridge and roundabout.

There used to be one stop sign on Boyer and a through street on Sch-

weitzer Cutoff. Now there is a roundabout similar to the one on the intersection of Larch and Boyer by Super One. This one is a lot larger and has a slight incline causing worry among community members as to when it may freeze over during the winter.

A student shared his thoughts and excitements on the opening of the new roundabout.

“I think it will be greatly beneficial,” Senior Devin Fredericks said. “I think roundabouts are more effective for moving traffic.”

Along with the roundabout, the bridge

INSIDE TOYS FOR TOTS Students volunteer to help with the annual toy buy. | Photo by Ciena Christensen, Web Editor

Students contribute to local holiday charity Ciena Christensen Web Editor Students have significantly contributed to the local Toys for Tots program throughout the numerous years of Sandpoint High School’s involvement.

In 2005, National Honor Society (NHS)

introduced the Toys for Tots program to the school due to its association with the Lions Club, Sandpoint’s organizer and sponsor of Toys for Tots. This first year the club raised over $200. After Wendy Auld became the NHS adviser in 2008, the school was fundraising around $2,670, and once the fundraiser was in-

was also rebuilt due to a low sufficiency rating that was accompanied with federal funding.

Both Ponderay and Sandpoint worked on this project, and it was ultimately funded through the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council.

There are plans for an art piece to be installed in the middle of the roundabout June 2019. Artists have a deadline of December 31 to submit their ideas. The chosen artist will be announced on May 1. Artists nationwide are able to submit their ideas, although there is a push to get artists in the region to participate.

corporated as part of Moose Madness in 2013, the amount increased to about $7,669. As the fundraiser continued, the school contributed about $8,167 in 2015 and about $6,936 in 2016, not including toys or checks that were made out to Toys for Tots.

The president of the Lions Club, Judy Dabrowski, has seen the significant impact of the school and students throughout her nine year involvement.

“You guys [students] have been a marvelous partner with us. The money you’ve come up with has been amazing and I’m always impressed with what you do,” Dabrowski said.

Each Christmas the Lions Club provides toys and food boxes for members of the community whose children otherwise wouldn’t be able to receive toys or enjoy a full Christmas meal. Many students have taken the opportunity to volunteer in addition to raising money through the high school’s December fundraiser.

Junior River Feuling was introduced to the Toys for Tots program through her participation in Student Council and NHS. She volunteered at the toy buy last year and felt lucky to have this opportunity to aid in the community and help children enjoy the holidays.

“The school’s and students’ involvement has made an impact on the pro-

• Winter Trails Day On January 7th, there will be free access to Schweitzer’s nordic trails.

At the event there will be equipment rentals, as well as cross country and skate ski lessons for all who wish to take part in the event..

• MLK Weekend at Schweitzer On January 13-15th, Schweitzer is having their annual Martin Luther King weekend celebration in which there will be fireworks and a torchlight parade amongst other festivities.

• Banff Mountain Film Festival On January 18-20th, the Panida will be projecting Mountain films. The proceeds for the event will go towards the Satipo Kids Project and the North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund (NIMSEF).

gram, not only for the kids who receive the gifts or the adults who put it on, but also on the students who volunteer. It opens students’ eyes to all the children who aren’t as lucky as they are, and it gives them a chance to make a kid smile and that is a really good feeling,” Feuling said.

Additionally, senior Grace Johnson assisted with the Toys for Tots program last year by handing out toys and hopes to volunteer again this year.

“I enjoyed the gratitude that people expressed when you helped them shop and checkout. It was really neat to see what a nice impact it had on these individuals,” Johnson said.

Johnson has enjoyed being able to give back to the community during the holidays and witness the rewarding experience of connecting with those in the community.

Since this program brings community members together during the holidays and makes a difference in children’s lives, Dabrowski hopes the Lions Club can move forward with the fundraiser and their partnership with the high school.

“I’m always amazed at how generous our community is and how much money they give to all the charities in the area.

We would like to be able to successfully continue with this program for as long as we can,” Dabrowski said.

OPINION

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cedar post staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF McCalee Cain MANAGING EDITOR Cienna Roget NEWS EDITOR Sofia Kriz

The Our View represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Staff on a particular issue. | Cartoon by Emerson Kanning, Opinion Editor

MATERIALISM MINDSET Gift shopping detracts from meaning of holiday season

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s the month of December progresses and we delve deeper into the holiday season, people begin the arduous task of seasonal shopping. While the “giving season” may have started with noble intent, the lines between buying things to show gratitude for another person, and buying something because of the amazing holiday sale, have become blurred.

Each year, the holiday season, accredited with bringing people together, seems to only further separate people.

On Thanksgiving, a number of Americans exited the festivities early to wait in long lines and fervently shop the sales.

As the weekend continues, an estimated 174 million American consumers shop the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. As the time encroaching Christmas progresses, even more deals are advertised in an attempt to capture the attention of last minute holiday shoppers.

On Super Saturday, the last full Saturday of shopping before Christmas Eve, approximately 155.7 million people shop for last minute Christmas items.

If the holiday season is supposedly a time for togetherness, then why are consumers willing to spend so much time shopping rather than engaging in family interaction?

Moreover, holiday materialism builds a complex around the idea that we must buy for and receive material objects from each other in order to achieve maximum happiness. There’s no denying the satisfaction that comes from opening a long awaited gift, or watching the look on someone else’s face when they

OPINION EDITORS Corinne Capodagli Emerson Kanning LIFESTYLES EDITORS Sarah Donnelly Erin Meek SPORTS EDITORS Sam Hendricks Jezza Hutto

receive an item they really wanted.

However, when the newness of these presents wear off, all anyone is left with are meaningless items that only beg the question of whether or not to ask for something similar next year.

The holiday season is marketed as being a time for giving, but that original intent has strayed so far from it’s origin, that now the word “buying” is all anyone associates with giving.

None of this means that anyone needs to swear off all holiday shopping and resort to handmade macaroni necklaces, but there are alternatives to fueling the trend of holiday materialism.

In 2015, the average American spent roughly 882 dollars on Christmas gifts for family and loved ones. Revenue drawn in from Super Saturday alone approximates nearly 42 billion dollars.

Rather than spending this obscene amount of money on items that can be haphazardly carted to the side as soon as they go out of style, what if people set a lower budget for holiday gifts and saved this excess money for a “rainy day” or even family outings. If we continue on this meaningless trend of buying things to make each other happy, then it takes the value out of the true spirit of the holidays.

Though it may seem a bit cliche, isn’t this time of year an occasion to celebrate each other’s presence rather than gifting each other with material objects?

There’s a fundamental flaw in human nature if the only way we can possibly express our gratitude and appreciation for one another is by purchasing lavish and expensive gifts.

COPY EDITOR Josh Wells PHOTO EDITOR Saydee Brass ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Freddy Libby SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Addi House WEB EDITOR Ciena Christensen ASST. WEB EDITOR Ahna Grout MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Sam Diercks Claire Keener ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Chloe Edwards BUSINESS MANAGER Lily Waldrup WEB STAFF Riley Walkington Grace Hicks Bruin Jones Evelyn Webster Mya Darling Sarah Brown Aaron Cole Shelby Dorman Mason White Morgan Wohllaib Gage Sigman Maren Andrick

APPEARANCE EXPECTATIONS The social pressure men and women face on a daily basis

EDITORIAL POLICY

Aaron Cole Web Staff

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Most people assume that boys, in comparison to girls, don’t have any appearance expectations. This assumption however is false, even though boys often times aren’t judged in the same way girls are, they still have lots of other appearance expectations put on them by society.

As is the case with girls, boys appearances are unrealistically portrayed in popular culture, the difference comes in that expectations for boy’s appearances are mostly physical.

All throughout life, boys are shown role-models that are extremely athletic and physically fit.

For every anatomically incorrect barbie there is also an equally unrealistic male superhero. Between movie stars and star athletes, most of adolescent life is spent looking up to other men that are in peak physical condition. Lots of guys experience insecurities about their appearance as a result. Men are also expected to maintain a degree

of not trying to stand out, because strong individuality can a lot of times be perceived as feminine.

There is a perception of ‘not caring’ which is common and expected from most guys, especially in high school. If a guy does care a lot about how he dresses, he can get more ridicule than someone that doesn’t try at all.

The way boys react to these social expectations are much different. Girls have strict standards that are easy to identify, which over the last few years has sparked movements in an effort to eliminate these rigid expectations.

Due to misbehavior by men in earlier generations, guys are in a social era that discourages them from speaking out about their issues. Boys are expected to keep up an image of not caring, while at the same time maintain rigid guidelines.

It is important to recognize that men too struggle from unrealistic portrayals of the male appearance. They aren’t scrutinized or bound by dress codes the way girls are, but they are still expected to fit a curtain image.

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Despite bloggers who use social media as a platform to try and help boost self confidence in girls, there still seems to be a deficit in overall self confidence. Many girls feel incapable of coming to school without looking nice.

Some even wake up hours before school to put on their “face”.

Both genders shame girls on what they decide to wear.

If a girl decides to dress simply and wear sweats and a sweatshirt, they are labeled as homeless or lazy. If a girl decides to dress up in heels and a skirt, she is labeled as promiscuous. If a girl decides to dress modestly in a turtleneck and jeans, she is labeled as a prude.

Why should there be labels to what someone chooses to wear?

Even the school dress codes is biased against girls.

For example, girls aren’t allowed to show their shoulders because it might distract someone from learning.

However, guys are allowed

to run around in bro tanks showing off their masculinity and people remain silent.

Would we rather have our young girls be wearing an off the shoulder shirt or missing a day of school because their outfit was inappropriate?

Additionally, girls periodically struggle with unattainable and unrealistic body expectations.

When a girl is bigger she is rejected. If a girl is skinny people think she has an eating disorder. The complex that this builds sets females up for failure.

How can anyone feel confident in their own image when being constantly ridiculed for not conforming to this perfect idea of the female body? Girls are simply unable to catch a break.

Even in the present day when we are trying to break away from stereotypes, people are still labeled in a rigid categorical system.

We can’t expect anyone to be confident in their appearance when both societal pressures and people around them are conforming them into a box of insecurities.

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Ahna Grout Asst. Web Editor

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“Girls periodically struggle with unattainable and unrealistic body expectations.”

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.

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“It’s important to recognize that men too struggle from unrealistic portrayals of the male appearance.”

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

A R T S & C U LT U R E

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Ratu Arweys and Burton Anderson take an alternate apprach to holidays and don’t celebrate Cristams for reasons such as religion. | Photo by Saydee Brass, Photo Editor

TAKING A HOLIDAY HIATUS

Some students take a different approach to the upcoming winter break holidays Sofia Kriz News Editor

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inter break is a time for many to get in the holiday spirit and for some to celebrate Christmas. Some students who do not celebrate the holiday shared their experiences Junior Burton Anderson has a unique reason for not participating in the widely promoted holiday, being that he is a Jehovah’s witness.

Jehovah’s witnesses are a Christianbased religious group that believe in the bible and God as the “almighty creator.”

They do not participate in most festivities, including birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, or Easter among others due to the fact that they believe these celebrations are correlated with imprecise religious beliefs.

Anderson shared his thoughts on the celebration of Christmas by describing it as a pointless event.

“I feel like if you wanted to celebrate one day you could celebrate every day,” Anderson said.

Being part of a Jehovah’s witness family all his life, Anderson has become used to the separation that is caused from not celebrating Christmas.

There are, of course, certain aspects that Anderson may sometimes feel he’s missing out on. The most prevalent of these aspects includes Christmas caroling with the Sandpoint High School chamber choir.

“It’s kind of weird in choir not singing with them when they’re singing the Christmas songs, Anderson said. “I want to sing them but I can’t.”

Although Anderson cannot celebrate winter break in the traditional sense, this doesn’t stop him from having an enjoyable few weeks away from school. Anderson spends his winter break relaxing, de-stressing, and spending time with his close friends as often as possible.

Senior Sam Jackson takes an alternative approach to celebrating the holiday

HOW HARDCORE INTO CHRISTMAS ARE YOU? Take this quiz to see how much holiday spirit you have

season. Jackson’s family, instead, participates in the celebration of Hanukkah.

Jackson’s family, though they are Christian, rejected Christmas early in Jackson’s childhood.

They viewed the holiday as an inadequate reflection of their religion, in that it wasn’t biblical, and alternatively favored Hanukkah as the more appropriate religious celebration to complement their beliefs.

As a child, Jackson believed there was much to miss out on, explaining that he initially felt that not having a traditional Christmas morning and Christmas decorations meant that they’re holiday was less enjoyable than others.

“But as I grew older I realized that the holidays are about much more than that,” Jackson said. “Once I understood that what we did brought our family together, I didn’t think it was that different.”

Junior Ratu Arweys is a foreign exchange student this year from Indonesia, and will be celebrating Christmas for the first time with her host family in Sand-

point.

Back in Indonesia, Arweys’s family does not celebrate Christmas, although they do participate in the Christmas shopping sales at the end of the year.

Arweys described Christmas in Indonesia as more religious-based, where they focus primarily on church activities as opposed to American traditions of putting up a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts.

Arweys doesn’t have a winter break in Indonesia she would typically be starting to prepare for her final exams this time of year. Indonesia additionally doesn’t have any snow due to its close proximity to the equator.

Arweys shared her thoughts on the upcoming winter break, with this being the first year she has a chance to have time off and celebrate Christmas. “ I haven’t set my expectations yet but I feel like it’d be a great time to reflect my experiences and maybe immerse myself in Idahoan culture,” Arweys said. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

TEACHERS WITH TATTOOS

Staff members share stories behind their ink

Check how many items apply to you and add them up. Depending on how many you get, see how dedicated to Christmas you are and what this means about you during the holiday season. Are you the Grinch or a Christmas guru?

You consider Christmas to be a season You love advent calendars and have one every year You bake Christmas cookies every year Your house is decorated inside and out Decorating the tree is an exciting family event You own one or more ugly christmas sweater There are Christmas movies you watch every year You listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving You have gone Christmas caroling by choice Every gift you give has to be perfect 0 - 3: Christmas definitely is not your favorite holiday. to you, the holiday is materialistic and overratted.

4 - 7: You get in the Christmas spirit but you have limits to how much. Christmas is just a good time of year to you.

8 - 10: You are very into Christmas. It is your favorite time of year and you look forward to it all year.

George Yarno shows one of his tatoos. | Photo by Freddy Libby, Asst. Photo Editor Lily Waldrup Business Manager Many teachers have tattoos that their students don’t know about. Some try to cover them up at school, while some just don’t make theirs known. Five teachers at the school shared what their tattoos are and the meaning behind them.

Heather Dinkins: She has two tattoos, located on her wrist and ankle. Dinkins described her ankle tattoo as “a typical white girl tattoo.” “I got it when I was 18 and it meant that I was flying away from home.” Contrasting her acceptance of leaving home, her other tattoo is the word ‘Cherish’ on her wrist. “It means cherish every moment” Dinkins said.

George Yarno: He has his name tattooed on his back. “All of my siblings have that tattooed somewhere on their bodies so it’s kind of a sibling thing,” Yarno said.

He plans to follow up with a family tree below, covering his entire back. Yarno also has the symbol for namaste on his left bicep. “Just to remind me to be at peace with things,” he said. “The one on my back, I was 17 so it’s been 17 years.

And the one inside my left bicep, I got the summer of 2014.”

Wendy Auld: She has a smudge on her toe. “It’s really embarrassing, I was going to have a Celtic knot toe ring that

looked like the block letters for the college I went to,” Auld said. The tattooing was so painful that she never completed her session. “I was in the Long Bridge Swim the next day... and I got it wet and it smudged,” she said. She affirmed that she has minimal regrets about the tattoo. “I mean, not enough to go pay $10,000 to get it removed or something.”

Trina Kennedy: She has two tattoos, one on her back of the Japanese symbol for trust and two horse heads in the yin and yang. “Those are the two things I struggle with most in my life: trusting myself and creating balance,” Kennedy said. “[I got] my first tattoo, the one on my ankle at 35, and the next one, I was 37.” She said that she considered the tattoos at length before getting them because of their permanence.

Tish Mullen: She had a tattoo covered up and it is now a big koi fish. “The original tattoo was a little tree frog because I was into frogs and I got it done when I was 18,” Mullen said. However, she offered some sage advice for any student inspired to get some tattoos of their own. “Getting a tattoo just because you’re old enough to get a tattoo is not a good plan. You need to find a good artist, figure out what you really want, make sure it’s in a good spot, especially if you’re going to try to be professional, it’s in a place you can put away,” she said.

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STUDENT LIFE

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AP CHEMISTRY HEATS UP

Chemistry students are making stronger bonds than those of electrons

Seniors Kyle Almeida and Dutton Rogers help put on lab coats before executing an experiment testing the catalyst reactions of chemicals in solutions. | Photos by Erin Meek, Lifestyles Editor

Erin Meek Lifestyles Editor

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he debates get pretty intense, there’s yelling across the room,” senior Katherine Kaul noted when asked about one of her favorite aspects about her AP Chemistry class.

As a new class to Sandpoint High, AP Chemistry is gaining attention as one of the most unique science classes, as it’s rigorous curriculum deals with the foundation of the universe, while dealing with the explosive tendency of chemicals.

“It’s nice to be around a group of students that all have the same goal, we want to be here to learn more,” senior Kyle Almeida said.

The class, consisting of 14 dedicated students, deals with the complex subject of chemistry, focusing on the atomic level of the universe.

The curriculum deals with six major topics, ranging from the Structure of Matter to Thermodynamics. Since it’s the first time in years that this class is being run, it creates an environment that is open to new ideas and ways to cover the material, in a sense, it has a flexible cur-

riculum than those of other AP classes. together or be demolished,” senior GarAs a result, the class, along with Mamie rett Pierce said.

The great dynamic of the class shows, Brubaker, is constantly developing the as the majority stays in class through way the class works.

“Since it’s the first year it’s run, there’s their lunch so they can solve the last isnot a sense that we need to do this or sue or get more help on their homework. that before the test. [The class] is less Collaboration is a prevalent element in directed at the test, which is really re- the class, and aids in keeping all the students close, freshing,” seboth in the nior Catherine classroom Brenner said.

It’s a good group to learn with and out.

As many and we all help each other out, “It’s a people know, bunch of the class dywhich is really nice.” people who namic is imperwant to ative to a good CATHERINE BRENNER, SENIOR work hard school year and underwith peers, and stand the the AP Chemismaterial. It’s a good group to learn with try class in no exception.

Due to the small class, the students in and we all help each other out, which is there are very close, engage in colorful really nice,” Brenner said.

As a result of the positive dynamic class discussions and create an environment where learning is cultivated and of the class, it creates an environment where questions are student produced appreciated.

“We are definitely much closer, not and student answered, which creates an just because of the fact that we all want element for success. In addition, all the learn, but the difficulty of the class students help each other out, whether it makes it so that we either have to stand be in study groups or through text mes-

saging.

“Just being able to talk with people who are smarter than I am, I think that’s a really good aspect that I can ask what is going on and they’d be happy to help,” Pierce said.

In addition to weekly study groups or access help, all students spend a substantial amount of time outside of the classroom to prepare for the AP exam this upcoming spring.

In fact, students agreed that they spend more time outside of the classroom studying for AP Chemistry than all their other classes combined.

But in the end, through all the studying and hard quizzes that turn into class debates, most students are content with where the class is heading and how it is helping them prepare for college, with the rigourous curriculum and the amount of independent responsibility it puts on students.

“I would say this would be a good class to take for someone who isn’t even interested in pursuing a STEM degree just because this is as close to a college course as you’re going to get at the high school,” Pierce concluded.

HOLIDAY BLUES Student workers express the stress of Christmas shopping season Riley Walkington Web Staff

Being welcomed into a new school can be intimidated and daunting to incoming students. | Illustration by: Emerson Kanning, Opinion Editor

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A NEW STUDENT A look inside the varied experiences new students have at SHS Mason White Web Staff Almost everyone knows what it feels like to be new in some kind of environment and that’s not always easy. Sandpoint High School has gotten around 10 new students so far this year, give or take a few. Many are coming from the charter school, other towns, and home schooling. Principal Tom Albertson stated that a new students experience at SHS largely depends on what kind of environment the student came from.

Some new students come to the high school just for certain electives, such as Kami Bremer, who’s only in student council or Clint Miller who just takes the Model United Nations class (MUN) while they do the rest of their schooling online.

Sophomore Maysen Markley,

switched from the Forrest Bird Charter School this year, as he wasn’t quite connecting with the teachers and the school.

“I didn’t really like the teachers,” Markley said, “I don’t feel like I was being taught as well as I could have been.”

So far, Markley’s experience has been positive, saying that teachers and students have been very friendly, and have gone out of their way to say ‘hello’ in the halls and introduce themselves.

He appreciates how the classes are personalized to the student, differing from the charter school where the curriculum was based around group projects and presentations.

Other students who came from smaller schools or home schooling, had to adjust to the amount of students that there were. Junior Marian Soderberg, who was previously home schooled,

found the hardest part about coming to a new school was that everyone already had their “clique” or friend group.

It took some time to make friends but over time she was able to meet new people. Natalie Petit, a transfer from Priest River High School felt the same way.

“It wasn’t really overwhelming, it was just hard making friends,” Petit said, “it’s been a little awkward because I don’t know what to do or say sometimes.”

For the most part, new students have felt that students and teachers alike are friendly, but don’t always reach out to make an effort and actually hang out with them.

Nonetheless, they still consider students nice. For some students, it was very different coming to a school where the teachers are much more hands on and personal, which sometimes results in great teacher-student relationships.

Christmas is one of the busiest, most cheerful time of the year, however, working during the holidays can often be the polar opposite. The craziness of the holidays can put a damper on the mood of employees, especially students who are spending their break working, rather than spending time with their family and friends during their time off.

Junior Ally Corbridge works at Shoga, and explains the drawbacks and pros of working during the most wonderful time of the year, as it brings in more customers, but it does not give her a ton of time to relax and hang out with her family.

“It’s busier than normal, but sometimes it’s fun because you get paid more,” Corbridge said, “normally during the holidays there are larger parties of people and it gets more crazy.”

Senior Hannah Hurst works at Carousel Emporium and has a different outlook on the Christmas season, as she loves the joy and experiences Christmas brings into the shopping community. In addition, Hurst likes to share her Christmas joy with the rest of community and help find the perfect gifts for family or friends. the routine gives her the perfect balance of working and hanging with her family.

“Working the holidays is fun. I get to decorate the store and bring out holiday merchandise, and working during this time gives me a little bit of a routine which is nice. I am always happy about Christmas, therefore working around the holidays does not really make a difference,” Hurst said.

Although working during Christmas break rids students of their time away from school, and it can also help them get out into the community and share the Christmas spirit with people they meet.

6

WALK IN THEIR SHOES

SPORTS

6

STICK IT TO ‘EM

Sophomore Blake Christensen plays competitive hockey, shoots to play professionally

Student athletes share the stories behind their shoes Compiled by Jezza Hutto, Sports Editor

Lilly Anderson Volleyball

Sophomore Blake Christensen (blue uniform on the left) drives at the opponents goal during a hockey game. | Courtesy Photo

“Everyone on the volleyball team tries to wear the same shoes because we think it shows unity and professionalism.”

Tucker Hall Wrestling

“I keep all my wrestling shoes from my previous years and hang them on my wall when I’m done with them.”

Kaylee Solis Soccer

Grace Hicks Web Staff For sophomore Blake Christensen, hockey is a lifestyle.

He has grown up with the influence of hockey as his dad used to play and has passed down the passion to Christensen, who enjoys small pickup games and cheering on his favorite teams, the Los Angeles Kings.

Hockey is mentally taxing, physical draining and requires an intense amount of stamina from players. He added that hockey is a very physical game, and can get intense very quickly and it is almost a guarantee that you will walk away with a couple of bruises.

“It is an intense sport that demands all aspects of your body. You always have to be aware of what is happening on the ice at all times or you could be pummeled by an opposing player,” Christensen said.

Christensen competes with a Coeur d’ Alene team with teammates from the Post Falls, Coeur d ‘Alene area. They travel all over the Northwest region and

Ryan Roos Basketball

“My basketball shoes are red, white and blue because that represents America and America is dope.”

Kaly Scheel Cross Country

“A lot of members of the cross country team wear beads that represent personal records on their shoes. They’re kind of for confidence and bragging rights.”

“I would be at a loss of words if I learned that I was being paid to play hockey,” Christensen said.

Another factor to why Christensen wants to play professionally is his idol, Rob Blake, a player from the Los Angeles Kings, which happens to be from his favorite team.

“He can destroy other players with his hip check,” he said. Christensen was named after Blake which shows his family’s love of the game.

Christensen wants to spread his love and passion of the game to the city of Sandpoint. He believes that having a rink in our town will allow the community to engage in different ice sports, like curling and figure skating.

“It would be great to have another activity in the community,” Christensen said, as he hopes to see a hockey team competing at the high school level.

Christensen encourages other high school students or hockey enthusiasts to get out on the ice and participate in the sport that he has fell in love with and hopefully more people in the community will share his same passion.

FINDING THE DRIVE TO PLAY Student athletes commute in pursuit of more competition in their club sports career Jezza Hutto Sports Editor

“I have a ‘You Are Loved’ bracelet on my soccer cleats for Madi Wyman because playing soccer with her was always fun.”

also in parts of Canada.

He enjoys being on a team that competes at such a high level, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t ever have fun.

Christensen explained one of their game day rituals. “My whole team put all of our hockey sticks into the middle of our locker room and we danced around them while one player drummed on an empty garbage can,” he said.

However he expressed that this game day superstition doesn’t work every time but it gets the team ready to compete in the game.

With hockey being very dependant on weather conditions, the off season for Christensen consists of street hockey and shooting with his little brother.

The two brothers practice almost every day and when it gets cold enough they will practice on ice around town, even on the lake. He also participates in power training camps.

With Christensen’s drive and passion has compelled his desire to play collegiate hockey and maybe as a professional one day.

When high school sports season is over, many athletes struggle to find an adequate club team to play with. Sandpoint offers high school age athletes very few adequate club programs, if any at all.

For the many students who would like to play collegiately, club season is a key part of the process. Along with the importance of playing year-round, athletes use club sports as a way to gain exposure and meet new coaches in order to help them in their recruitment.

The large lack of club sports leaves athletes from many sports unable to get the playing time and exposure necessary for recruitment. Because of this, there are multiple students who commute to play club sports.

“I decided to leave Sandpoint for club baseball because I wanted to play in college, and I needed to get more exposure to other talent and to get in front of college coaches,” senior Trey Flint said. Flint has played in the Premier Club Baseball League in Spokane.

In Sandpoint, there are only club teams for volleyball, soccer, wrestling, and a baseball program available only in the summer. However for many, these local club teams are also insufficient.

“I needed more of a challenge and the Sandpoint club team didn’t play in many competitive tournaments or leagues,” senior Christian Dressel said. “There was also not enough commitment from a lot of players for me.”

Dressel played for Sandpoint Strikers FC and now commutes to Post Falls to play for a soccer club called Inferno.

Generally, ambitious student athletes have a similar view on Sandpoint club sports: not competitive enough, not taken seriously, and not providing proper exposure. These problems are a root cause of many athletes leaving Sandpoint during club season.

Those who want to play in college seek an intense, competitive environment, where coaches and players are working towards a common goal: to continue the athletes’ careers in college.

“I play volleyball in Spokane because I wanted to go to larger and more competitive tournaments where I can get more college looks,” freshman Gabby Hicks said. “And I was tired of some players not taking it seriously.”

Club sports teams located in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, and Spokane seem to provide better opportunities for players better than Sandpoint teams can. Because these areas have larger populations, they tend to have a larger player selection, creating more talented teams. In result, clubs from these areas participate in bigger, more competitive tournaments.

70%

of NCAA athletes

participte in both . high school and

club sports

Although the teams are helpful in gaining college exposure and providing a more seriously competitive environment, they can come with some obstacles as well.

“The hardest parts are the long drive and connecting with a new team,” Hicks said.

SHS has close to twenty student athletes that travel to compete in club sports, most of which aspire to play collegiately. Of these athletes, ten of them are soccer players.

This number may be surprising to many because of Sandpoint’s largest club program, Strikers FC, in which soccer players from ages six to eighteen can compete.

A few SHS athletes who want to play

college soccer have moved on from Strikers to clubs in surrounding areas that they believe will be more beneficial.

“I [changed clubs] because Sandpoint Strikers was left with people who only played for fun, or for something to consume time,” junior Kayla Inman said.

“And the club wasn’t giving me what I needed to succeed anymore.”

Many athletes would rather play on local club teams so the next step for these programs may be making necessary changes to keep these ambitious athletes.

Some athletes and parents believe local clubs should take measures to help athletes who want to continue playing after high school.

“Sandpoint club teams should try to combine with teams from close by cities or towns to get more competitive players,” Dressel said.

“Because there are only a few athletes in Sandpoint that are constantly trying to get better at their sport and others are just half interested.

The implementation of some club sports for the high school age group would also draw in competitive athletes.

“If there was a club baseball team in Sandpoint that travelled and played a high level of competition, I would play on that team,” Flint said.

A main cause may be a lack of serious athletes. Another weighing factor is the seclusion of a small town, causing teams to be restricted in their exposure opportunities.

With few serious athletes and a incompetent club sports environment, Sandpoint also does not appeal to many high level coaches. Many local club coaches are players’ parents or were previously players themselves.

Despite the causes, one thing is clear: Competitive student athletes in Sandpoint are not happy about it and are making moves to surrounding clubs in order to lengthen their sports careers.

With uncommitted players, low end tournaments, a lack of proactive coaches, and often times a lack of teams at all, Sandpoint club programs are not providing many competitive athletes the opportunities that are needed to play collegiately.

7

SPORTS

SIDELINED

SHS athletics sees increase in leg injuries this year

7

CP HOT TAKE: Should clean Russian athletes still be able to represent their nation in the Olympics?

Sam Diercks Multimedia Editor

Three girls basketball players sit at the end of the bench, unable to play due to injuries | Photo by Saydee Brass, Photo Editor pecially focuses on physical therapy.

“With ACL tears there is a lot of focus on strengthening the surrounding musculature including the quads and s winter sports are in fullhamstrings accompanied with range of swing and athletes are busy motion (ROM) exercises,” Faber practicing and playsaid. “Modalities such as STIM or ing in games, others find themUltrasound are used to help with selves sitting on the sideline or “Many factors can lead to injuhealing and pain. Plus, with any inthe end of the bench, unable jury it is always stressed to apply to join in due to leg injuries. ries such as an ACL tear” compression and ice to the area.”

This year, many notable SHS After the athlete has recovered, athletes have found themselves they still face an uphill battle, dealing with a variety of leg inTRAINER as they must regain strength in juries. Though students may their legs, sometimes with a limlook for an answer as to why ited time before their respective all of these injuries are occurAccording to Faber, ligament injuries sport begins again. Additionally, they ring, it is not that simple. According to trainer Bailey Faber, it is difficult to are the most common type of leg injuries, now have an increased chance of injurpinpoint a common cause for leg inju- with the most prominent being the ACL ing their leg again, something that can ries, as there is not one distinct reason. tear. When athletes injure their ACL, they lead to athletes shortening their careers “Many factors can lead to injuries face a long recovery period that usually to preserve the health of their body.

Now, many sports have tried to resuch as an ACL tear due to poor quad extends well past their season is over.

“Recovery time really depends on the duce leg injuries through special equipor hamstring strength, poor form with tackling, and the conditions of the play- athlete’s motivation to do their physi- ment, such as braces that can be worn ing field, track, or court,” Faber said. cal therapy and the extent of the inju- in-game, as well as new forms of tackWhen many people envision a leg in- ry,” Faber said. “An ACL injury can take ling that reduce the likeliness of aggrajury, they see a football player’s leg being anywhere from 6 months to a year.” vation. Hopefully, the many leg injuries In order to recover fully from an in- that SHS athletes experience every pinned in an awkward position as he is being tackled or a soccer player taking jury such as an ACL tear, an athlete must year will begin to go down as sports out their opponent’s legs. However, Fa- go through a rigorous process that es- become more innovative and safer.

Sam Hendricks Sports Editor

A

I do not feel that Russian athletes should be able to represent the country, but they should be allowed to represent themselves. It was not one specific athlete but a multitude of Russian athletes, and national team officials knew about it. For this reason, the country should not be allowed to be represented, but individual athletes who have not been doping should be able to showcase their talents and compete under a neutral flag.

ber says that most leg injuries are caused through much less gruesome methods.

“A majority of the time an individual will tear their ACL without any contact,” Faber said.

BAILEY FABER

B4P AT A GLANCE

Addi House Social Media Editor Out of respect for the true athletes, clean Russians should be able to compete within the 2018 Winter Olympics due to the fact that not all of the athletic population has participated in the illegal activity of doping. While doping was seen as a common problem among Russian athletes, proven by the forty-seven medals stripped for doping violations, the International Olympic Committee should not withhold Russian citizens who have resisted doping from competing in the Olympics. It seems harsh that Russia has been banned from the national event. However, cleared athletes deserve to support their country, whether competing under the Russian flag or not.

Several changes highlight this year’s spirit competition

Aaron Cole Web Staff

TICKETS

SHS students willing to pay an extra $4 from the base $8 ticket cost will get a pack with extra boxing-related items they can use to help cheer on the Bulldogs.

THEME

For the first time, Sandpoint will adopt a theme for the spirit competition with the goal of making it more interactive each year. This year’s theme is the Boxing Bulldogs.

CHEERS

Students will understand the cheers better this year, with all Sandpoint fans receiving a cheer booklet, complete with two brand-new cheers, upon entry.

The clean Russian athletes should not be able to compete under the Russian flag in Pyeongchang. If a single athlete was caught cheating, that individual wouldn’t be able to compete. There aren’t exceptions to the rules just because an entire country sponsors it. There needs to be repercussions for the Russian government’s decisions to cheat, otherwise what is the point of having anti-doping rules at all?

Sam Hendricks Sports Editor I believe that banning a country for participating in the Olympics can be an excellent tool for preventing future wrongdoing, but it also unfairly punishes athletes who were not involved in the wrongdoing. These athletes will be forced to compete under the Olympic flag and listen to the Olympic theme if they win gold. After they have worked hard to represent their country, they will not be able to feel that pride of competing under their flag. Athletes who are found or wrongdoing and the country should be punished, but not in a way that hurts innocent athletes.

8

POST SCRIPT

Sweeten up the Holidays

8

The holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without delicious foods. This recipe makes for the perfect seasonal treat for friends, family or yourself. By Addi House, Social Media Editor

Yule Log Ingredients

Cake: 6 eggs 1 box devil’s food cake mix ½ cup water ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon powdered sugar Chocolate Frosting: ½ cup whipping cream 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon corn syrup ¼ teaspoon vanilla Filling: 1 container vanilla frosting

Not to be confused with wood, the yule log is a delicious chocolate dessert that warms your tummy (not your fireplace). Garnish your log with holly leaves or berries for a festive twist.

Frosting Recipe

Cake Recipe

1. In medium bowl, microwave

1. Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan).

whipping cream uncovered for 1

2. Line bottom only of 15x10x1-inch pan with foil or waxed paper

minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or

and spray with baking spray with flour. Place paper baking cups in 8

until it begins to boil.

regular-size muffin cups.

2. Stir in chocolate chips and corn

3. In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high for 5 minutes or

syrup and let stand 3 minutes.

until thick and lemon colored. Add cake mix, water, and oil and beat

3. Beat gently with wire whisk until on low for 30 seconds, and medium for 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. smooth then beat in vanilla.

4. Refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring

4. Pour 3 1/2 cups batter into pan. Divide remaining batter among

every 15 minutes.

muffin cups.

5. Bake 14 to 16 minutes and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake, and turn upside down onto clean kitchen towel sprinkled with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Carefully remove foil.

7. Place kitchen towel of similar size on top of cake.

8. While hot, carefully roll up cake and towel. Cool cake for 1 hour and cupcakes for 10 minutes on cooling rack.

9. Unroll cake carefully, and remove towel.

10. Spread filling evenly over cake and roll up.

11. Place cake roll on cooling rack and frost. Using fork, drag tines through frosting in a wood grain pattern.

check out more holiday recipes at shscedarpost.com

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