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CEDAR P Sandpoint High School
Volume 95
SHREK: THE MUSICAL
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FINDING PASSION IN ART
SHS TEACHERS GET FIT
YARNO, ROOS RESIGN
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TRUMPIVERSARY
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Afirst YEAR IN REVIEW SHS reflects on Trump’s year in office and its implications
FBI
Trump proposes tax plan which claims it will cut tax rates and nearly double deductions
Trump takes a trip to Asia, and meets with China’s President, Xi Jinping.
Basically Speaking
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE TRUMP’S FIRST YEAR IN A WORD?
Nov 6
Trump states that Transgender people will not be allowed in the military as it is too much of a disruption and cost.
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FBI director James Comey is fired. He was investigating if there was a connection with Trump and Russia
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An executive order is signed to protect the nation from terrorists by creating a travel ban on six foreign countries.
March 6
Donald Trump is inaugurated and immediately signs an executive order to scale back the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare).
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The US fires missiles into Syrian government air base after chemical weapons were used against citizens of Syria.
Trump withdraws the US from the Paris Climate Accord, which works on the threat of climate change in the world.
Trump proposes a new plan for the war in Afghanistan. He vows to “win” and send more troops abroad.
Trump speaks on the opioid crisis in the US stating that “we will overcome addiction in America.”
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President Trump gives his first address to congress speaking on his future plans for the country.
The government recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel.
SAMUEL BLISTINE “Unintelligent because he’s not fit to be President.”
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See the rest of the Trumpiversary package at shscedarpost.com
WHAT’S ON SHSCEDARPOST.COM? BATTLE 4 PADDLE RECAP
KIRSCHER GOES BIG
Learn about how senior Grace Kirscher was nominated for a McDonald’s All-American Award. Kirscher will play at Eastern Washington next year.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The Cedar Post compiled five underrated Netflix Original shows for your next binge. Pictured above is “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”.
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WILLIAM BRACKETT “Different because he has done things that other Presidents haven’t.”
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LILY HARTMAN “Detrimental. He has repealed many important and necessary environmental protections.”
DATES TO REMEMBER
14 Relive Sandpoint’s win at the 2018 Battle for the Paddle that took place on Jan. 20. We’ve got shots from basketball, wrestling, and the spirit competition.
JERSEY TINDER “Steady because he’s just moving forward and he’s doing okay.”
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substance were more common.” Smith didn’t necessarily accredit the hostility to the political environment of the Presidential election, and stated it could have been a product of the particular class. “This year’s students definitely have some major disagreements, but their treatment of each other has returned to normal,” he said. Smith added that polarity in politics wasn’t anything new to the past few years. He said that he has seen it over the last decade at least. To combat a growing ideological divide, citizens and SHS students are initiating conversations across the political aisle. “If you are not willing to listen to what people have to say, it’s probably not healthy, but I think [debate] is a good thing in class,” Thompson said. Smith fosters constructive political debate in his AP Government classes. “It is really about learning how to attack an issue and not a person,” he said. “When you attack someone directly, it has the opposite effect.” In the face of divisive barriers between groups, students are afforded a unique opportunity to establish flexible communication skills. “We spend our whole lives working with people we disagree with. Sometimes the issues are small and sometimes they are quite large, but disagreement is natural,” Smith said. “We need to learn how to have those conversations in a productive manner, even if the end result is that we agree to disagree.”
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Jan. 20 marked the completion of President Donald Trump’s first year in office. Opinions on President Trump are mixed among Sandpoint High students, and American citizens at large. Senior Morgan Hogue considers Trump’s first year as President to be successful. “I feel like he’s gotten a lot of what he said he’d get done, [done],” Hogue said. “He’s gotten bills passed super quickly and has been really productive.” Freshman Connor Bird feels the opposite. “He hasn’t really expanded on any of the promises he made during his campaign. I think he should be on his phone less and focus on real issues,” Bird said. President Trump has passionate support and thorough disapproval across the spectrum at SHS. Debate aside, current political discourse can influence day-to-day life of U.S. citizens in a variety of ways, some going unnoticed by many citizens. Junior Laneka Thompson has noticed no direct effects of Trump’s presidency on her life. “There’s nothing that’s changed so that my family has to change something in our lives, but it hasn’t like impacted us yet. Maybe in the future it will [affect me], but as of right now it hasn’t done anything,” Thompson said. Sophomore April Radford said that she noticed some social changes beyond classroom debate resulting from Trump’s
presidency. “I’ve noticed a greater sense of nationalism in my community,” Radford said. “I didn’t consider myself a feminist or a humanitarian, I didn’t think racism or sexism were an issue before Trump’s presidency because that’s when people started to become really vocal about it and that’s when that started to apply to me.” Radford said that anti-Semitic jokes directed towards her — swastika signs, Aryan group hand signals and ‘heil Hitler’ comments — have persisted through the past year and today. “It existed [before Trump] but I feel like people weren’t as vocal about it and they weren’t as… confident in their beliefs,” she said. “... People don’t even feel bad about it, they’re not even quiet about it anymore.” The majority of students interviewed agreed upon one thing: conversations of politics have become more polar than past years at SHS at the rise of Trump. “People feel very strongly towards Trump either for or against him, so that’s definitely caused some arguments with my friends and stuff,” Bird said. “I care about [politics], but not enough to ruin friendships over it.” Government teacher Brian Smith hasn’t noticed increased polarization in his classroom this year. However, he noticed changes in student interactions last year. “There was an unwillingness to listen coupled with a heightened sense of anger that made last year unique,” Smith said. “Debate was quite personal and attacks on character, rather than on
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Infographic by Sarah Donnelly, Lifestyles Editor
FEBRUARY VALENTINE’S DAY
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BAND AND CHOIR JAZZ CONCERT
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SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Growing Dreams Productions begins annual spring musical of largest-ever cast, budget Sofia Kriz News Editor
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t’s taking fairy tales and mashing them with ogres,” Jeannette Hunter, the drama teacher at Sandpoint High School, said of the department’s upcoming spring musical. Shrek: The Musical is a play about Shrek’s journey to reclaim his swamp from the clutches of Lord Farquad and the various other creatures in the forest. The cast list for Shrek: The Musical, was recently posted and rehearsals are already underway. Burton Anderson is set to play the lead Shrek, alongside Fiona, played by Jasmine Mearns. This play is in collaboration with Growing Dreams Productions, an education-based youth performing arts production company dedicated to cultivating the dreams of young people. Growing Dreams Productions has worked with Sandpoint High School over the past five years to produce annual spring musicals, including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Alice in Wonderland and last year’s production of Once Upon a Mattress. Shrek: The Musical has significantly more musical numbers in relation to the cartoon film. When asked about the main element of the play, Jasmine Mearns described it as a show filled with jokes and innuendos that add entertainment to
the plot. Additionally, it gives rise to the characters, as each fairy tale creature becomes their own individual, unique character. “It has a very inclusive cast,” Mearns said, “Each character has a name and a solo/line, there are no parts that are useless to the show.” Shrek will be the largest production put on thus far in regards to the number of people involved and the budget set for the play. The cast is comprised of roughly 65 people, with a budget of $19,000, $6,000 more than the average budget in previous years. A large portion of this budget is going towards the intricate prosthetics used on the ogres and various other characters in the play. According to Hunter, the prosthetics alone will cost approximately $1,000. Hunter explained that the prosthetics and various other materials are identical to those used in a real Broadway production. “I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for my students and my professional staff to work together to do some changes and some adaptations as they would be on Broadway,” Hunter said. Students practice five days a week for two hours, with the exception of four hour practices on Thursdays. These practices are broken up into blocks dedi-
cated to acting, singing, and choreography. Due to the sizable cast, several issues have arisen in accordance
with attempts to balance students’ schedules. However, these issues are negated by the enjoyable atmosphere brought to the stage. “Just being with these wonderful actors, these wonderful tech people, is by far the greatest thing for me,” Hunter said. The play will open on April 13, and will be performed in the SHS auditorium.
Top, Mrs. Hunter works with Burton Anderson (Shrek) and Devin Fredericks (Donkey). Bottom, Shrek cast goes over their script together. | Photos by Sofia Kriz, News Editor and graphic by Cienna Roget, Managing Editor
IN SHORT Compiled by Sofia Kriz, News Editor •
Chamber Choir gears up to launch Valentine Grams One of Sandpoint High School Chamber Choir’s fundraisers is their annual singing telegrams on Valentine’s Day. They will be going around town delivering heartfelt messages and singing Valentines to those who order one. Singing telegrams will take place on February 13 and 14. • Interact Club Candy grams Interact Club will be selling candy grams during both lunches of the first two weeks of February in accordance with Valentine’s Day. This is one of many fundraisers for the Interact Club’s trip to Nicaragua this coming summer. • Sandpoint Winter Carnival Sandpoint’s annual Winter Carnival will take place from February 16 to February 25. The carnival will be introduced by the Parade of Lights on February 16, and will include activities and other community events over the course of the week.
MEET CYBERPATRIOT CLUB CyberPatriot Club practices in preparation for their next cyber competition. | Photo by Ciena Christensen, Web Editor
CyberPatriot Club shows promise for national competition Ciena Christensen Web Editor CyberPatriot, part of the National Youth Cyber Education Program, focuses on cyber security with students taking part in simulations as newly hired information technology (IT) professionals. Members then look for security vulnerabilities in different computer and networking operating systems and take steps to secure the computer from cyber threats. “CyberPatriot Club offers a place for students interested in cyber security to get a feel for what it’s like to secure a machine from malicious people and programs,” former captain and varsity member Jacob Uzabel said. “Members of the club participate in competitions, using the new skills they’ve learned.” The club has grown from one to three teams over the last three years and holds regular meetings where they practice their cyber defense skills in preparation for competitions.
Competitions consist of six hour work periods where the teams find and solve security flaws from downloaded system images, a kind of virtual computer, earning points for each security vulnerability fixed. The club is hoping to repeat their first place title at state last year and qualify for nationals, which takes place in Baltimore, Maryland. “I believe that the varsity team, at least, has a good shot at making it to the national competition this year,” Uzabel said. Students gain skills and experience that are applicable in future careers, especially with the predicted increase in the cyber security job field. Team members often specialize in specific operating systems such as Linux and Windows, giving them advantageous knowledge that can be applied after high school. “Students are exposed to a real career with real-world scenarios,” club advisor Alex Gray said. “An in-depth understanding of the Linux OS is also a
valuable skill many employers are looking for. The field of cyber security is expected to grow 26 percent in the next eight years, much faster than other careers.” The club has allowed students to explore their interests in all aspects of computers and opened their eyes to the endless opportunities available with the skill set gained in the program. “Because of this club, I have decided to work in computer information systems,” sophomore Joel Hill said. “I hope to be able to work for a high-end company securing computer systems, and one day I hope to work for the NSA, spying on America’s enemies and citizens.” Even if students don’t move in this career direction, members believe the skills are still valuable in today’s world. “I have gained a good amount of knowledge about making computers more secure, which is good knowledge to have for personal use even if I never use it in a job environment,” sophomore Nicholas Esteph said.
EARLY RELEASE SET INTO MOTION Early release expands to every Wednesday to accommodate teacher collaboration Addi House Social Media Editor Students will be dismissed every Wednesday at 1:50 PM, and teachers will participate in PLC meetings, with no access on Wednesdays. Many students leaving middle school and entering high school were unhappy with the transition from early release every week to once per month. However, beginning second semester, Sandpoint High School will switch to an early release Wednesday schedule, similar to every other school in the district. While having early release every Wednesday may appear to only benefit students, teachers and administrators gain several advantages from this schedule change. For many years, early release every
four weeks allowed teachers to conduct PLC (Professional Learning Communities) meetings with other departments to craft new curriculum and assessments one time each month. Now, PLC meetings every Wednesday emphasize the use of data to improve instruction and to focus on student learning, not just teaching. Principal Tom Albertson explained that the teachers’ courses would now focus specifically around four questions: what do we want students to learn, how to know when students have learned it, what do we do when students haven’t learned it, and what do we do when students have learned it? “What we want is more learning for all students and so really that is the time needed that is built in so that we have that,” Albertson said.
Due to the weekly early releases, teachers will be able to see the results of student testing and use this information to create better assessments for all students. This time given to teachers will allow them to reflect on methods that did, or did not, work well in classrooms and adjust accordingly, benefiting all classrooms within the halls of SHS. Freshman English teacher Mrs. Leedle said that more early release days provide advantages because it would allow her to further prepare students for sophomore year through her collaborations with other English teachers. “It will give me extra time built in each week to get together with my colleagues to discuss what we’re doing in common, what practices worked well with my class, what I can learn from other teach-
ers and implement that in my own class,” Leedle said. Several students of Sandpoint High School are aware of the change of the Wednesday schedule at semester, but do not fully understand the purpose behind it. Sophomore Shelby Mohler expressed her hopes that an increase in early release days will allow for better understanding within the classroom for both students and teachers. “We would be able to get a better grasp on each concept we are taught,” Mohler said. Potential alterations to the Wednesday schedule could be the result of an excessive amount of snow days. While SHS will have an early release Wednesday every week, this will not alter the Connections schedule.
OPINION
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cedar post staff
OUR VIEW
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF McCalee Cain MANAGING EDITOR Cienna Roget NEWS EDITOR Sofia Kriz
The Our View represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Staff. | Cartoon by Emerson Kanning, Opinion Editor and graphic by Cienna
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s a child most of us are taught the golden rule: treat others the way you would want to be
treated. In reality, it can be hard (or sometimes impossible) to please everyone in a room, and 2018 is no exception. With every remote backstep or forward movement we make, there is undoubtedly a party in affront. This begs the question: Do people in today’s society too often take offense? One prime example of our “delicate” society can be seen in the creation of safe spaces. The idea of creating an environment where people are safe from abuse and allowed to voice their opinions started with noble intent. However, the expectation that safe spaces create is too demanding
to uphold. A safe space can be counterproductive: Safe spaces eliminate challenging viewpoints, and rather preserves the idea that it’s necessary to be “emotionally shielded” at all times. Being an integral part of society means learning to deal with disagreement. If people are never exposed to confrontation because they’re afraid they may be offended by someone else’s differing viewpoints, then society would never advance. A more recent example of controversy was sparked just a few weeks ago when H&M launched one of its new clothing lines for children. One of its models, Liam Mango, a young black boy was photographed wearing a shirt that said “coolest monkey in the jungle.”
Many took offense to this, as the word “monkey” was traditionally used as a racial slur. South African customers began boycotting the company’s products and some even went as far as ransacking H&M stores. Though many felt that their actions were justified, the model’s mother Terry Mango spoke out to defend the company. “I know racism exists, but does the shirt to me speak racism? No, it doesn’t.” Mango said to BBC. Now facing backlash, the family was forced to move out of their current home due to security reasons. By no means should discriminatory actions be taken lightly, and people have every right to feel offended by H&M’s insensitivity. Yet, is expressing offense via destroying property and issuing threats the only viable option? If we turn to this method of blatant destruction, then we’re no better than the party that evokes offense. Today’s society has become susceptible to being baited by anything considered remotely offensive. While not every reaction is unwarranted, the idea that any confrontation should result in mass offense and criticism is unjust. If we set limits on what can be said out of fear that it may elicit a negative response, then we’re restricting our fundamental rights. By no means should we begin to revert to a state of unbridled crass, but we also shouldn’t be forced into a state dictated by the fear of how others may react.
LIFESTYLES EDITORS Sarah Donnelly Erin Meek SPORTS EDITORS Sam Hendricks Jezza Hutto COPY EDITOR Josh Wells PHOTO EDITOR Saydee Brass ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Freddy Libby SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Addi House WEB EDITOR Ciena Christensen MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Sam Diercks Claire Keener WEB STAFF Riley Walkington Grace Hicks Bruin Jones Evelyn Webster Mya Darling Sarah Brown Aaron Cole Shelby Dorman Maren Andrick
ADDRESSING CONSENT Allegations against comedian Aziz Ansari reflect broader cultural norms
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.
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I love Aziz Ansari. I’m an avid fan of his Netflix sitcom “Master of None”, and his role as the lovable Tom Haverford on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”. His New York Times Bestseller “Modern Romance” can be found affectionately dogeared in my headboard among my most treasured titles. I was ecstatic when he became the first Asian-American to win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV show this year. When allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him a few weeks ago, I was infuriated and confused. Mostly, I was deeply saddened. On Jan. 13, the website Babe published an article titled “I went on a date with Aziz Ansari. It turned into the worst night of my life”. The piece exploded immediately. The 3,000-word article meticulously recounted an anonymous woman’s unpleasant evening with Ansari, a date marked with aggressive and persistent sexual behavior that left her crying on her Uber ride home in Sept. 2017. The woman, going by the name Grace, described her feelings of violation and objectification as she affirmed her discomfort through “verbal and nonverbal cues” throughout the sexual encounter. The comedian issued a statement through his publicist in response to the allegations shortly after the article was released. He acknowledged his date with Grace, and held that the evening was “by all indications...completely consensual.”
legal definitions nor social perceptions of sexual assault, but it wasn’t a consensual encounter either. It exists in the space inbetween. And that space is, for the most part, uncharted territory. I applaud Hollywood’s effort to finally expose and expel its heinous and habitual abusers, but it’s only the beginning. It’s easy to eradicate the tumors and hope everything is solved. What’s more difficult is examining the root cause behind the illness. Grace’s allegations against Ansari are reflective of a broader culture defined by traditional relationship dynamics and conceptions of sex. Her story recalls similar experiences of grey-area sexual encounters for amasses of its readers. The familiarity of the story is the problem. We need to emphasize the importance and the necessity of enthusiastic consent in all sexual interactions. Tackling deeply-ingrained and widelyaccepted fallacies of relationships and sex is a lot more difficult than reckoning with a handful of standout offenders. As for Ansari — needless to say, he’s no longer my idol. But his sexual behavior isn’t shocking to me. Everyone is susceptible to the influence of decades of traditional sexual dynamics that undervalue the feelings of the female participants. No one is immune to society’s widespread disregard of affirmed consent. I suppose he’s gotten what he asked for when he branded himself as a feminist and ally to women tired of creepy dudes: a place in the discussion.
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He issued his support for “the movement that is happening in our culture.” After studying sexual assault as a cultural norm, I have every reason to believe Grace’s story. Still, I can’t help but look for any reason to preserve my positive perception of someone I once considered a role model. An especially stinging element of the allegations mounted against Ansari is their striking contradiction to the comedian’s brand. Aziz built his career on the image of the “woke”, sensitive alternative to the average douchey-bro. He explored themes of sexual assault, misogyny and racism in “Master of None” and examined sexual and relationship dynamics in “Modern Romance”. Feminism has been a consistent theme in both his television roles and his stand-up comedy — in fact, in a stand-up special at Madison Square Garden, he performed a set focused on the prevalence of “creepy dudes” in society and their inappropriate conduct. When Ansari sported a Times Up pin at the Golden Globes, Grace was apparently motivated to come forward with her story. Aside Weinstein’s and Spacey’s decades of alleged abuse, Ansari’s misconduct seems petty. It seems normal. It seems like Grace was but a mere scorned woman disappointed seeking revenge for her disappointing date with a celebrity she admired. Many have slammed Grace’s decision to come forward to Babe, insisting that Grace was overly sensitive and deluded to equivocate her experience with that of other sexual abuse victims. I agree completely that Grace’s alleged experience shouldn’t be compared with the systemic, grotesque abuses of power exposed in Hollywood. But I don’t understand why we need to compare them. Sexual violence exists not in black and white, but in infinite shades of grey. Violation is violation. Grace’s story doesn’t comply with
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OPINION EDITORS Corinne Capodagli Emerson Kanning
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Students from many art classes display their pieces for the Human Rights Exhibit. The pieces will also be entered in the University of Idaho empathy exhibit. | Photo by Saydee Brass, Photo Editor
FINDING THEIR PASSION IN ART
Art classes afford students with creative outlet, platform for personal expression Mason White Web Staff Junior Timothy Peters explained that his art teacher Heather Guthrie understands the students and their situation in life, no matter what it is. “For both Art I and Art II, [art] helped my anger because normally I would be destroying something because I was always aggravated,” Peters said. Peters is not the only student who feels like his art classes have affected him through high school. Many students call art one of their favorite classes and something they look forward to in their day because not only do they learn new forms of art, but It’s a creative outlet and a part of their day that they can relax and feel welcome in a common environment. With all the responsibilities students have, they can often get overwhelmed with school and spend a lot of their time outside of school doing homework or
studying, not to mention if they have a job or are involved in extracurriculars. Art class pushes students to create their own ideas using personal creativity and develops them as a person, with hands on activities. “It’s a good stress relief and is a good way to put your thoughts and feelings down in a physical form,” said Niah Brass, a Pre-AP Art student. Senior and AP Art student Hannah Davidson says that she gets a creative outlet from all the math and science classes and that it adds another dimension to school and helps her to see the world differently. “It’s been a really important class in my high school career,” Davidson said. Guthrie has had several students who started in Art I thinking the class was going to be easy, not expecting the time and effort that was going to be required from them to create good art. By the time they got into Art III, Pre-AP or AP Art, they had developed into really talented
and focused artists. “If you really want to have a piece that’s meaningful to you, you’re going to spend a lot more time on it then just throwing some stuff together,” said AP Art student Zion Reichold. Guthrie added that art is different from normal classes because there’s no right or wrong answer. “The effort, the personal responsibility and the ability to work independently is present in those kids who are the most successful,” Guthrie said. “Kids who are in the AP class are pretty smart, pretty gifted.” Guthrie brought attention to some students who have gone into college planning on studying something like engineering but ended up switching their major to art because it meant so much to them. Although many of the pieces that students produce are assignments from Guthrie, there are certain projects that come directly from what the students personally care about.
The Human Rights Assignment is a prime example. The students revolve their pieces around the topic of empathy and choose something based on a subject that’s important to them that correlates with at least one of the basic human rights laws being infringed upon. Many students feel that this project is one of the most important assignments they do because they’re able to express a message about what’s wrong with society through their art, which can be extremely powerful. The concentration portion of the AP student’s portfolio is made up of ten pieces of art that are based around a theme, of their choosing. It has to be something extremely original and something the students are passionate about and they only have between January and April to start and finish all of them. “It has to be about something they’re passionate about, because if it’s not, it’s just another assignment for me,” Guthrie said.
SHE’S ON A ROLL LIVING IN STYLE Josie Fry takes on job as a sushi chef
Allura Livingston shares where she gets inspiration for her unique sense of style
Josie Fry shows off a sushi roll that she made. | Photo by Claire Keener, Multimedia Editor
Claire Keener Multimedia Editor From busser to sushi chef, sophomore Josie Fry has been working at Shoga Sushi Bar for over a year now. When an opening for a sushi chef was announced, Fry jumped at the opportunity to begin rolling sushi. “Before starting work I had to learn how sushi got to the United States and how it became so popular,” Fry said. Being able to learn and memorize the various different terms related to sushi and the extensive menu was one of the more difficult undertakings Fry was required to master before making rolls on her own. Stepping into such a position as sushi chef was not only exciting for Fry, but also held meaning greater than just a way to move up in ranks at Shoga. “What inspired me to start rolling sushi was my ethnic background. I’m a little bit Japanese, but I am half Asian,” Fry said. Having a welcoming and approachable team of coworkers made the transition much easier for Fry to feel accepted into her new role. “The chefs have really taken me in and it’s a very friendly environment,” explained Fry. Prepped with the right knowledge and skill set, Fry began rolling sushi on her own during week nights at Shoga. The ability to form simple ingredients into a work of art is one thing Fry
Livingston poses in a 90’s inspired denim outfit. | Photos by Sarah Donnelly, Lifestyles Editor
likes about her new job rolling sushi. “I would say the Tarantula roll is the hardest to make because there’s a whole crab in [the roll] and you’re trying not to crush it at all,” Fry said. When sharing her thoughts on the craft of rolling sushi, Fry described that paying attention to the minor details becomes very significant. “You can add little decorations and how you pour the sauce...sushi is all about the looks, it’s definitely flavor too but a lot of it is the looks because you want it to look good and presentation is key,” Fry said. Looking past the precision and intricacy of what goes into making sushi is an easy thing to do. Much more than quality of taste goes into the art of rolling sushi which makes for a better appreciation of the food itself. As for the future, Fry shared that she won’t be pursuing sushi rolling as a career. However, she finds that her experience working at Forty One South and Shoga, now as a sushi chef, is a skill she wants to keep throughout college. “I don’t think becoming a chef is my long term career goal but I would love to do it through college,” Fry said. While most sushi chefs start their career in later walks of their life, Josie has started at the young age of 16. What makes this story so unique is that Fry is one of the youngest sushi chefs Shoga has ever hired, making the job she holds one-of-a-kind in Sandpoint.
Sarah Brown Web Editor With her rare style and taking bold moves, like wearing denim on denim, Allura Livingston is able to set herself apart from others through the way she dresses. She describes her style as 90’s grunge. Many people like to follow the trends and keep up with the latest styles, but it’s those who think out of the box and create their own original style that really stand out. People like this are hard to find, but Livingston’s unique clothing causes her to stand out. “I wear what I like to wear,” Livingston said. Creating your own style can be difficult, which is why many people turn to fashion inspirations and add their own twist to create an individual look. These inspirations can come from anywhere ranging from a certain celebrity to a specific era of fashion, allowing a person to take those styles and do whatever they want with them. Livingston’s finds inspiration in her grandmas style and even wears some of her clothes. “I love the eras before I was born,” Livingston said. Having a unique style comes with the task of getting clothes from places that not a lot of people shop at and getting clothes that are one of a kind. This can be hard to find in such a small town, however, Allura is able to keep up her
look by turning to resources that most people don’t think about. “My grandma number one, a lot of thrift stores, and then like stuff you can’t find there basically, like Doc Martens, I just order those online. I’m not a huge shopper,” Livingston said. By getting her clothes in these places Livingston is able to find noteworthy pieces that others wouldn’t be able to replicate. Livingston knows all about standing out among the crowd with her creative style and her bold red hair color, and she is all about keeping true to yourself when it comes to clothing. “I feel like I don’t dress like everybody in the hall, I’m not gonna have the same shirt as someone walking through the hall,” Livingston said. Having a distinctive sense of style can really set a person apart but it also comes with many mixed reactions from those observing. When people see something that is a little different their reactions can be positive or negative. Livingston expresses how she feels people react to her clothing choices. “Sometimes, I feel like people look at me funny or like say ‘What are you wearing?’” Livingston said. Even though some of the reactions may be negative,Livingston keeps true to herself and carries herself with confidence. “If I like it, I like it. I’m gonna wear it,” Livingston said.
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ROCKING OUT Sandpoint Rock Gym offers unique fitness forum Mason White Web Staff
Spencer Smith teaches the criminology class about the codes of law enforcement and justice through hands on learning. | Courtesy Photo
LAW AND ORDER
Criminology class explores the fundamentals of law enforcement Sarah Donnelly Lifestyles Editor
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atching police dog attacks, shooting tasers and working on a trial are not typical events one would see in the classroom, but Criminology takes a different approach to education with its hands on learning experience. Criminology teaches students about law enforcement and informs them about their personal rights. The class includes many demonstrations by law enforcement members in Sandpoint, portraying many different types of jobs in the field. Guest speakers include fish and game, canine teams, swat teams, traffic patrol and other various officers. Officer Spencer Smith, the school resource officer, leads this class. He has been the school resource officer for five years. Smith uses Herry Roborski’s Criminology book to guide the class lessons and expands on it to teach students their own rights as American citizens. He also believes that it is a good way to show students that an officer’s job is to help others and not to look for ways to target them. “I’m trying to break the stigma that all cops are just out to harass kids or harass
people in general,” Smith said. This class has guided students into finding a passion for Criminology and even following it for a career path. Several students in the class are now looking into law enforcement as a job after high school. Even if it doesn’t guide them to a career path, Smith finds it important that students come out of the class with a newfound knowledge and respect for the field. Many students enter the class thinking it will be a fun and easy class but leave it with a new appreciation and knowledge about law enforcement. “I have several kids in my class now that are going into law enforcement,” Smith said. Junior Max Sandford is a student in Criminology who is looking to pursue a career in law enforcement. Sanford hopes to become a Sheriff’s Deputy. “It’s definitely helped me focus in on what I want to do,” Sanford said. Sanford enjoys the class because there are many guest speakers that come in and show students what their jobs involve. His favorite demonstration was when an officer brought in a police dog and demonstrated the attacks that the dogs do. The officer wore a bite proof arm and showed how the dog is trained to catch and bite criminals.
He feels that there have been many valuable lessons that the class brought with it such as teaching self defense and solidifying his career choice. “We did a physical hands on day so we got to learn a bunch of takedown moves and self defense moves,” said Sanford. Smith conducts the class as a miniature basic academy that a police officer would have to go through. Before it was an official class, Criminology was a junior academy that students would attend if they were interested in the field. About six years ago it morphed into an elective class at the high school. Smith strives to get as many demonstrations and guest speakers in the class as possible, one a week if he can. “We actually put on a mock trial where everybody participates as the jury and prosecutors of defense,” Smith said. “I’ve written quite a few letters of recommendations for students who were going into [the criminology] field.” This class is unique because of its wide variety of demonstrations. It teaches students life skills that would not be demonstrated in other classes and remedies the negative perspective that many teenagers and young adults have about cops.
For those wanting to find a new activity or better their climbing skills, the Sandpoint Rock Gym is the place to start. Rock climbing is a sport that anyone, young or old, can learn. Freshmen Wil Auld and Sam Becker just started climbing at the rock gym this year and enjoy its central location and ability to adapt to all climbing levels. “If you have no place to hang out after school, you can just go there, pay five bucks and stay there as long as you want,” Auld said. The gym offers open hours throughout the week for those without memberships for the small fee of $5 per person. Open hours are Monday through Friday 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., but hours may change so it is important to check the Sandpoint Rock Gym Facebook for updates before visiting. “It’s just fun to go there and hang out with friends, and get some exercise,” Auld said. The gym only offers bouldering, which is climbing on a shorter wall without using ropes or harnesses. Although the gym is small, it has routes for all levels from beginner to advanced. “They have a lot of different difficulty levels marked with tape, so if you aren’t very good you can go there, or if you’re really good you can still go there,” Becker said. Climbing is a sport that can be enjoyed almost anywhere, as it can be done outside with proper gear. It’s also a new way to meet people and be introduced to a new community. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SANDPOINT ROCK GYM, HEAD TO SHSCEDARPOST.COM.
THE SENIORITIS EPIDEMIC Causes, effects and solutions for fighting the second semester slump Erin Meek, Lifestyles Editor Senioritis, by definition is, “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” Most students are familiar with to the word and its meaning, but is senioritis real, or just hype within the student body? Senior Alison Kinard believes in senioritis, claiming that she has had it since her sophomore year, but now it’s really sinking in, as she is beginning to procrastinate school tasks. For Kinard, senioritis is looking at all the missing assignments on a report card and continuing to take the B. “Senioritis is rejecting the system that we’ve been stuck in for the past twelve years,” Kinard said. Senioritis appears differently for everyone who has it. Some sleep in class, others quit turning in assignments and some stop caring altogether. Most can agree that is caused by the amount of hard work and dedication over the past seven semesters. “I think when you’re not a senior, it’s the desire to not do anything, but when you’re actually a senior you realize you just don’t care anymore,” Senior Dutton Rogers said. Senior Tina Greimes thought that senioritis was something she could avoid, believing it was more of a mental obstacle than anything, but after this semester, she finds herself procrastinating most things, even big projects. “I never thought I would get senioritis, but now I am writing a ten page essay the night before it is due,” Greimes said Overall, seniors are tired, they’ve worked hard for years, and now they are ready to relax and coast through the remainder of their final year. Also, most seniors have a plan after high school, whether they are going to college, trade school, the workforce or taking a gap year they have accepted what the future is holding, and high
school seems trivial now, an obstacle to reaching the end goals. Administrator Lisa Barton thinks that seniors are naturally tired by the end of their senior year, and they just want to be finished with high school. “They [seniors] question whether what they are doing now is going to be worthwhile or whether what they should be doing now it going to be graded for the future,” Barton said. While senioritis may only seem like procrastinating due dates and not caring, most of senioritis deals with looking forward to the future and finding high school homework unnecessary to a student’s future goals. “Usually students [start to] lack focus. They’re looking forward to the future which is good because we want them to look forward to college and going on and being successful in life,” Barton said, “we just need to keep them focused a few months longer here at Sandpoint High School. While senioritis is hitting seniors hard, there may be hope for some, as second semester brings new events, like prom and grad night, that seniors can look forward to in order to possibly forget about their struggle with senioritis. “There’s just a lot of senior activities leading up to graduation that are on their minds, more than just the schoolwork,” Barton said. In addition to the fun and new events that second semester brings, there are also ways that students can solve their senioritis. In order to keep up on deadlines and turn assignments in on time, keep either an agenda or a to-do list, to not only keep dates organized but to keep thoughts organized as well. In addition, contacting a study group or study buddy can help motivate students for difficult classes and subjects. Lastly, share any short or long term academic goals with teachers, as it will help them adjust their curriculum to fit personal needs and make sure that students are reaching their full potential in the final semester.
CAUSES • Exhaustio n • Apathy • College Acceptance • Laziness • Boredom
CURES • Keep tra ck of due dates • Find a st udy buddy • Fake it u ntil you make it • Set small goals
Graphics by Cienna Roget, Managing Editor
SPORTS
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MAGIC TOUCH Athletes share stories behind their sporting superstitions
STAFFLETES
Science teacher Mike Martz mountain bikes above Lake Pend Oreille. | Courtesy Photo
Teachers at SHS participate in wide variety of outdoor sports and activities
league of adults who play for fun and compete annually against other local men’s teams. Baranski is very dedicated to soccer and spends much of his time During the school day, math teacher outside of school playing or coaching Lisa Cessna spends her time teaching soccer. high schoolers various styles of complex “I consider it very much [to be] medequations. However, after school Cessitation because I’m focused on what’s na spends many evenings practicing right in front of me,” Baranski said. equestrian racing with her seven horsCurrently, he plays soccer once or es. She grew up surrounded by horses, twice a week, ironically more often durand as an adult has been horse racing ing the winter then in the spring or fall for three years. season. “It’s definitely a thrill,” Cessna said. Math teacher Elizabeth Stoner also “You have to be in better shape than you enjoys mountain and road biking with think you should be because it takes a the local Pend Oreille Pedalers and Ride lot of control and you really have to be 7B. Mountain biking for years and reable to move with the horse.” cently beginning road biking less For fun, she will continue to than a year ago, Stoner particicompete at small, local horse racing events as well as help “I consider [soccer] very much [to be] pated Chafe 150, a fundraiser for Sandpoint High School, last sumher kids ride more competimeditation because I’m focused on mer. tively. “I was in the top three for evArt teacher Ezra Stafford what’s right in front of me.” erything that I did this summer,” practically grew up in a bike Stoner said, “So I did Rails to Reshop and has been mountain CONOR BARANSKI,TEACHER sort and I did the Chafe and I did biking and enjoying the peace the Coeur d’Fando, that’s 120 miles and quiet of the outdoors since Math teacher Nachele Search began around Lake Coeur d’Alene.” the age of ten. Biking normally about Stoner plans to attend the STOKR three days a week with good weather playing tennis in junior high and conand owning 15 bikes, Stafford has com- tinues to play to this day. As a member out of Libby, Montana and the Woodrat pleted the Chafe 150. He also plays in- of the Peak Health and Wellness Center, Trail in Priest Lake this upcoming sumdoor soccer once or twice a week dur- she is able to play tennis year round. mer. Art teacher and Troutmasters foundSearch recently competed in a doubles ing the winter. Science teacher Michael Martz be- tournament at Whitworth University, er Heather Guthrie enjoys Hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, skiing and fishgan biking in eighth grade, not consis- her first competition in years. “I love playing tennis. To be honest, ing, being particularly invested in fly tently biking until he took a trip to Moab fishing. in college. Now, Martz has traveled to it’s one of my passions,” Search said. Guthrie has wade fished and hiked A large group of Search’s friends all Moab eight times for biking and rock climbing. Every summer Martz com- enjoy tennis, along with her husband many rivers in Idaho and Montana, and John Search. The two originally met be- loves being surrounded by nature and pletes a bucket list ride. wildlife. These have consisted of riding trails cause of tennis in college. “Especially if you’re wade fishing, if Cultural anthropology teacher, hison Schweitzer, Trail 120 and around the east side of Lake Pend Oreille. He has tory teacher and girls varsity soccer you’re hiking all day long, you’re really also completed one Spartan Race and is coach Conor Baranski has enjoyed soc- tired when you get home at the end of cer from a young age, and currently the night and I love that feeling,” Guthattending another this April in Seattle. rie said. “It’s really more about the whole “My kids love ‘American Ninja War- plays for the Green Monarchs. The Green Monarchs consists of a experience than it is about the fish.” rior’ but I thought it was too hard to Addi House Social Media Editor
Alex Stockton adjusts his helmet for good luck. | Photo by Mya Darling, Web Staff
Mya Darling Web Staff He steps into the batting box with his right foot first, spins the bat just once, and adjusts his hat the slightest bit to get the perfect hit. Junior football, baseball and basketball player Alex Stockton, is one of the numerous SHS students with serious sports superstitions. Some may adapt their mental game to play well, some choose to ignore the pressure of the game, and others rely on superstitions. Many SHS student athletes have unique, and sometimes strange ideas, routines or items that they deem important to their athletic success. For basketball, Stockton has a lucky wristband that the officials won’t let him wear on his wrist so he wears it around the heel of his right shoe. “I’ve had these superstitions since I can remember,” Stockton said. “When I first started doing these things I started having really good games so now I can’t get it out of my head.” Whether it be Michael Jordan wearing his University of North Carolina shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform before every game he played or Serena Williams wearing the same socks for an entire tournament, superstitions serve athletes a common purpose: a good luck charm. Sophomore goalkeeper for the girls soccer team Shea Kilpatrick recently created a trick she believes will make or break her performance. Kilpatrick wears a certain color of headband during every game. “I wore purple pre wrap every game besides one, and that was our first loss, against Coeur d’Alene,” Kilpatrick said. “I ran out of the pre wrap and didn’t get to wear any so that’s what started my superstition.” Sophomore cross country runner Seth Graham is one of many that has an athletic superstition. Graham eats a banana before every race that he competes in. “I don’t even like bananas, but I got a really bad foot cramp once and so my mom had me eat a banana before my next meet,” Graham said. “I didn’t getting any cramp and I ran really well too.”
stand in line for a hundred days to try out,” Martz said. “Then my wife surprised me last year with a ticket so that kind of got me started [on Spartan Racing].” Beginning mountain biking in college, Jim Barton has participated in mountain bike racing and then transitioned over to triathlons and has completed three Ironman Triathlons. Now, he ventures on a bike packing trip every summer, biking a large 1000 mile trip last summer. He also bikes to school around three days a week. “I like it because it helps me stay in shape and clear my head, especially in a job like this,” Barton said.
TALES FROM THE TRAILS Junior Kiah Mays takes up snowmobiling in pursuit of adrenaline rush, good views
Left, Mays poses in front of her snowmobile. Right, Mays hits a jump. | Courtesy Photos
Jezza Hutto Sports Editor The cold air, high speeds and feeling of being on top of the world make this sport a favorite among adrenaline junkies. For Junior Kiah Mays, snowmobiling is a way to enjoy the snow covered terrain in and around Sandpoint. Mays started this extreme sport last winter when she was in a serious snowboarding accident that forced her to give up the sport for good. This left her searching for something to do on days that she would have been on the slopes, and snowmobiling was the perfect replacement. “I like it more than snowboarding because I feel like I have more control of myself and the sled, so I feel safer than when I snowboarded,” Mays said. Mays snowmobiles almost every
weekend in winter with family and friends. She will take her second annual snowmobiling trip to McCall, Idaho during spring break. While Mays enjoys the sport, it is also a great way for her to spend time with family. “My whole family rides snowmobiles, so it’s something we can all do together,” Mays said. “I usually go with my mom, my step dad, my brother, and my brother’s girlfriend.” It took Mays about five months to really get comfortable snowmobiling. This year, she is very comfortable and able to navigate harder terrain because she got a new sled that is easier to ride. Sandpoint offers many different snowmobiling locations because of its mountainous surroundings. Some of the places that Mays rides most often are up near Pack River, Caribou Creek, Beehive Lake, and Jeru Ridge. Most of
these places offer a view of Sandpoint, Lake Pend Oreille, or simply clouds and mountain tops. “My favorite part is getting up to a really high spot and seeing the view,” Mays said. “It’s just a reward you can’t really get doing anything else.” In addition to the miraculous views, snowmobiling provides a one-of-a-kind adrenaline rush: The sport calls for high speeds, dangerous terrain, and some crazy conditions. Whether it be sunny with clear skies or heavy snow, the euphoric feeling from the sport is something snowmobilers enjoy the most. “I love it because of the adrenaline rush while I’m riding and then the feeling at the top [of the mountain] is even better,” Mays said. Mays plans to continue snowmobiling after high school, and she hopes to gain more confidence and keep chasing the views.
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SPORTS
7 CEDAR POST HOT TAKE: What sport are you looking most forward too at this month’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang?
Members of the cross country team run on the track this winter as part of their offseason training. | Photo by Saydee Brass, Photo Editor
FREEZING AND FIT Cross Country team braves wintry weather to continue training are numerous ways in which they can protect themselves from injury. According to Brass, having special equipment is critical to runners protecting themselves. “Because the days are shorter this time or year, we recommend headlamps and reflective gear when running at dusk or in the dark,” Brass said. “When the surface conditions are slick, using a pair of Yaktrax or traction cleats can be helpful to prevent falling.”
“A big thing is it increases how many steps per minute you take so you don’t slip, because shorter strides mean you slip less, so that works you hip flexors s the snow continues to fall and glutes and quads a little bit more,” and the temperatures linger Dillon said. around freezing, the cross Despite the benefits, there is still only country team prepares to go on anso much running that an athlete should other run, braving the cold weather and do, with the threshold differentiating the slippery roads to stay in top condifrom person to person. tion, even in the offseason. According to “Each athlete has training guidelines coach Matt Brass, this continual training based on how many years they have is crucial to the athletes’ success. been running,” “In order to Brass said. be success“These recomful in Cross “You can’t take nine months off from running and condi- mend that they Country, you run anywhere can’t take tioning and expect to improve and be competitive,” from three to nine months six days per off from week.” running and Though the conditioning conditions may and expect to If the runners prepare for the weath- not be ideal and the work may be hard, improve and be competitive, Brass said. “Potential for injury increases, and over- er right, there are numerous benefits many runners on the team are not dethat can come from running in cold terred, continuing to enjoy the bliss all potential goes down.” While the team does have to train weather, many being on the mental side. that comes with running and staying in “There is a mental gain in train- shape. year-round to be successful, problems “Athletes are built over time and that can arise when running in cold condi- ing through the harsh winter weather,” tions that the runners would not experi- Brass said. “It helps develop grit and means investment throughout the year. commitment, to train even when the We live in a beautiful place that provides ence in any other season. variety in the weather, helping athletes “I don’t like the cold, and ice can in- conditions are uncomfortable.” Additional to the benefit of increased adapt and be stronger physically and jure you faster than anything, just because of sliding out,” runner Cole Dillon mental toughness, there can be some mentally - and embracing it,” coach Anphysical gains that come out of winter gie Brass said. “A great quote from the said. “You can pull something easier.” Although there are hazards to run- running due to the different strides run- famous running coach Bill Bowerman ning that may deter runners like Dillon ners are forced to take on the slippery of U of O: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.” from wanting to run in the winter, there ice. Sam Hendricks Sports Editor
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Cienna Roget Managing Editor Of the numerous sports in the Winter Olympics, figure skating is the most enjoyable to watch. Figure skating requires such an immense amount of balance, technique, and sheer talent that I am always in awe of every performer. Watching the athletes leap and twirl in a choreographed dance and then land on slippery ice is both riveting and suspenseful. Also, for those that may not enjoy sports, it is always an option to admire the skaters’ colorful fashion choices.
MATT BRASS, COACH
Jezza Hutto Sports Editor Bobsledding is for sure the most entertaining and intriguing event in the Winter Olympics. Unlike skiing, snowboarding, or ice skating, bobsledding is foreign to many viewers, making it much more appealing. Bobsledders risk their lives going super fast on the tracks and the adrenaline and speed that the sport entails make it the coolest, most watch-worthy event.
COACHING CHANGES George Yarno and Erin Roos resign from coaching positions Sam Hendricks Sports Editor The absolute craziest sport in the Winter Olympics has to be ski jumping, where skiers fly down a steep track and launch into the air, flying hundreds of feet in the air before having to land without breaking every bone in their body. While the slopestyle and halfpipe events both also see skiers getting big air, they are still nowhere near as close in terms of risk and the length and height of the jump. I would never dare ski jump, but watching others do it is exhilarating.
Coaches George Yarno and Erin Roos, pictured talking with their athletes, stepped down last month. | Photos by McCalee Cain, Editor-in-Chief
Sam Hendricks Sports Editor Both football coach George Yarno and volleyball coach Erin Roos resigned last month. Yarno, who replaced Satini Puailoa as head coach of the football team following the 2015 season, decided to resign due to family and personal reasons. “There are some things in my personal life and with my family that need my attention and I can’t give the proper amount of time or attention to the players and the program, and so I didn’t feel that it was very fair,” Yarno said. Though he needed to address his family and personal life, Yarno admitted that the decision to step down certainly was not an easy one to make. “It’s somewhat bittersweet,” Yarno said. “I can take better care of my family,
really do the things I need to do to make sure that I’m the right person moving forward, but I’m also going to miss these kids and this place and coaching. “I’m a football coach. I always have been. It’s going to be hard for me.” For Roos, the decision was also based upon family reasons, as well as time constraints. “I have three very busy and active boys, and there were moments where I had to decide between spending my time with my team and for my kids, and I just feel like I need to be a mom first,” Roos said. Roos agreed that it was a tough decision, but certainly felt relieved once she made it, also providing context for the timing of her resignation. “I’ve gone back and forth for quite a while, but now that I’ve made a decision I feel relieved that I’ll have more time
and also that there’s plenty of time to find a good replacement,” Roos said. Though they have stepped down from their positions, both coaches enjoyed being a part of Sandpoint High School athletics. “The best part about coaching here is just the commitment of the kids and the community,” Yarno said. “Friday night in Sandpoint is a special place.” For Roos, the joy came specifically through coaching her athletes “I love working with the girls, and teaching them what I know and influencing them, and starting with a group of people, watching them learn to work together and improve individually and as a team,” Roos said. Both Yarno and Roos plan to stay at the high school in their current positions as P.E. teacher and Real Life teacher, respectively.
Erin Meek Lifestyles Editor The biathlon is not only the greatest Olympic sport, it’s the greatest sport of all time. Not only do the athletes know how to ski, but they also must know how to shoot, making them even cooler. Also, cross country skiing is already one of the hardest sports for the body, but then when you add guns and shooting to the picture, it makes it that more intense. The biathlon is definitely one of the most underrated sports in the world.
POST SCRIPT
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A Conversation About
S E X E D U C AT I O N
In Sandpoint, sex education begins in elementary school and is concluded with health classes in eighth grade and freshman year through an abstinencebased curriculum. SHS students and staff provide their opinions about their sex education experiences. Cienna Roget, Managing Editor
“A lot of the sex education I get is accidental because I end up hearing things and guessing what they mean. Don’t Google it! I’ve made that mistake!”
Liz Kempton Senior
“It teaches us what our parents don't. A lot of kids, myself included, feel awkward or uncomfortable talking to their parents about sex, so with a program through the school kids are able to learn the important factors of it that we might not learn otherwise.”
“We typically have at least one presentation from a medical professional, however, some years, we are fortunate to have two presentations from different medical professionals.”
Chase Tigert
Health Teacher
Kami Raver Freshman
“The school should promote a curriculum that acknowledges that teenagers have sex and addresses the needs for safe sex as well as consent and what that looks like. I think it could be improved by following an information based curriculum, with actual citations and research to back up what they are saying, as well as providing a more diverse study into sexuality and gender identity.”
Emma Reed Senior
“It could be improved by not watching some cringey 70’s video about it in fifth and sixth grade.”
Andrew Kaul Sophomore
“Students are expected to [learn] that we shouldn't have sex at all and should be completely "abstinent,” because terrible things could happen such as teen pregnancy or life-threatening STD's. Sex ed should be more openly talked about instead of being a weird topic.”
Sierra McNamee Senior
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