Battle of the Bands page 6
VOLUME 87, ISSUE 5
Top Ten
SANDPOINT HIGH SCHOOL
On the Job Education Page 5
FEBRUARY 2010
Get Down? Get Out.
people to be stuck in an elevator with Students were asked to select the people they’d like to be stuck in an elevator with, here are their answers:
Johnny Depp To look at, obviously.
Kevin from “UP” Being the bird with all the colorful feathers, he’s probably pretty soft. Plus, he likes chocolate.
Tiger Woods Ask him why he did it ... nine times.
Time in an elevator could be well spent gossiping, planning your latest outfit and rating all the guys in the elevator from HOT to NOT.
The Pope
He’s interesting.
No One I am terrified of closed spaces.
Mr. Barton
There was no explanation.
The Lucky Charm Leprechan He couldn’t get away.
Energizer Bunny If the elevator was broken, he could fix it right up with all his energy.
Napolean Dynamite
He could dance to all the elevator music.
Inappropriate moves at Winter Ball may cause repercussions for future dances AMANDA HAYES
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Staff reporter
lease, student population, take it easy next dance,” pleaded Senior ASB Rep. John Briggs in response to an outburst following this year’s Winterball. Ensuing what chaperones deemed inappropriate behavior on the dance floor at the annual event, Sandpoint High School has recognized a need to reform its tolerance of indecent public displays. The dancing in question, popularly labeled as “grinding” reportedly was contributing to an atmosphere atypical of a high school dance. “Most kids were dancing nicely, but there was a core group that was dancing up front near the DJ that was really inappropriate, kind of sexual in nature,” said Mary Bird, a Sandpoint High School teacher who helped to chaperone the dance. “It made a lot of the chaperones uncomfortable, and I think it made some of the girls uncomfortable who might have been otherwise having a good time.” “There have been multiple complaints, from parents, from faculty, and from students themselves that dancing at school dances has gotten too inappropriate,” Briggs said. Briggs described a few plausible, but still unofficial reformations for future dances that includes arming chaperones with flashlights. “It’s a two-strike policy; you’ll get flashlighted and marked, and if it happens again, you’ll get kicked out,” Briggs said. Briggs warned that a crowd-wide failure to comply with new regulations could result in turning on lights and switching music, mentioning that Burt Bacharach and Mozart could make an appearance. “If you allow people to dance like they are dancing now, then you are allowing people to be sexually harassed on the dance floor,” said Wendy Auld, a Sandpoint High School teacher who also chaperoned the Winterball. Because of a more limited degree of activities in high school than college, Auld feels that it is essential to make school events accessible by all. “As a college student you can choose to be one of the kids who goes to the dance clubs,” Auld said. “Or you can choose to be the one that stays at home and does her homework, but there’s not that many high school dances, so high school students don’t have as much of a choice.” Those involved claim that the newfound interest in decency is rooted in a recent escalation of wanton dancing. “There’s always been a little bit, but at the last two, Homecoming
“It’s a two-strike policy; you’ll get flashlighted and marked, if it happens again, you’ll get kicked out.” -John Briggs, ASB Represenative
spring break countdown
35 days
and Winterball, it has been widespread,” ASB faculty adviser Mike Martz said. “It’s not just a couple kids; it’s the whole crowd.” Bird stated that the upsurge is due to a different kind of music, while Martz elaborated upon the same idea recognizing the effects of sex in the media. “It’s like everything that kids get blasted with is sexualized in some way, and that affects everything; (sexualized) dancing is just one of the results,” Martz said. Concerning the definite implementation of rules, nothing has been made official. Largely, this interval is due to a hope to receive useful student feedback on the issue. Although Martz hopes student will keep an open mind to the new rules. “The alternative to adding rules is that no chaperones will chaperone and the administrators won’t allow the dance;” Martz said. “It’s either rules to curb the grinding, or cancelled dances.” Students disgruntled by new rules, as administrators expected they would be, would detriment school events by ceasing to attend dances. “We are doing are best to keep them as fun as possible while meeting the wishes and demands of the higher-ups,” Briggs said. “We would appreciate attendance and cooperation because the dances only go to fund the classes themselves.” The freshmen and sophomore classes face a potential lack of funding for future activities if new rules dissuade attendance to their dance this spring. “It’s a school,” Auld said. “Students should feel safe at school dances, and right now it’s not a safe place to be a girl on the dance floor in a short skirt.” In comparing Sandpoint’s indecency to other high schools, Martz said: “I think we’re actually behind the decline by a little bit,” He explained that in some unfortunate circumstances, inappropriate dancing has led as far as sexual assault. “We’re not anywhere near as bad as some schools, but we don’t want to let it get that far.”
What’s inside?
News.....................................................................Page 2 Opinion................................................................Page 3,4 Arts & Culture.....................................................Page 5,6,7 Sports...................................................................Page 8,9
Trash Talk. “
with Blaine Shultz and Eddie Ogle
Page 9.
“
Best Friend
The band is hoping to have an impact on the Sandpoint music scene.
-Ken Larson, musician
Read about Not Quite Punk on page 7
Page 2
Cedar Post
February 2010
Charity makes its debut
Program provides underpriviledged kids food
SOPHIE MEULENBERG Staff reporter
Students at Northside Elementary School will soon participate in an innovative nutritional program. The Backpack Program, an organization associated with Feeding America, supplies food for the weekend to the elementary students who are otherwise not receiving adequate nutrition. The program is operated in more than 3,600 locations nationwide. Student eligibility is determined by which students receive free or reduced fee lunches; 63 percent of the children at Northside Elementary qualify. According to Amanda Hayes, a junior at SHS and coorganizer of the Sandpoint branch of the program with her mother, Suzanne Hayes, the Backpack Program has been very successful, providing food to over 190,000 kids. Volunteers pack the backpacks with food that is kid-friendly, easy to prepare, and healthy. The backpacks are sent home on Friday with
the student, and are returned on Monday for reuse the next week. The volunteers who pack the backpacks will be from the Sandpoint community and SHS National Honor Society. The Bonner County Food Bank will be providing some of the necessary food. The program is slated to begin in the next few weeks. “We’re currently collecting donations, but because it is a program that must be sustained, we need to raise a certain amount before we can begin,” said Hayes. An estimated $12,000 and 100 backpacks are necessary before the Backpack Program can begin. The Salvation Army has already supplied 18-20 backpacks, according to Alice Wallace, the program coordinator at the Bonner County Food Bank. The rest of the money for food and backpacks is going to be raised through grants and donations. If interested in volunteering or donating, call Alice at the Bonner County Food Bank, (208) 263-3663, or Amanda Hayes.
Helping Haiti
StuCo donates $500 to ‘Kids Against Hunger’ GARRETT DUNN News editor
A major earthquake hit the country of Haiti, wreaking havoc on homes and citizens, and ruining much of its capital city, Portau-Prince. The earthquake, which was a 7.0 magnitude quake, rocked Haiti and its 9 million citizens, collapsing around 250,000 houses and more than 30,000 commercial buildings. Buildings, however, weren’t the only things destroyed. With an estimated 230,000 dead, and another 300,000 wounded by the effects of the quake, lives have been ruined, leaving many of the people of Haiti in desperate need of help. Teams from the Red Cross, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), and many other similar associations have come to help the more than 3 million people in need of aid. They aren’t the only organizations helping out. Local businesses
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and members of Sandpoint High School are also doing their part to help the people of Haiti. The SHS student council is donating to the organization “Kids Against Hunger.” “Because of the recent earthquake in Haiti and devastation, right now student council specifically is donating $500 to fight hunger for children, which is roughly 2,000 meals,” ASB R e pre s e nt at ive John Briggs said. Other members of the community are also helping the cause. Many businesses around town are -John Briggs participating in the “Change for ASB Representative Change” program, hoping to collect the extra change of their customers and donate it to the cause. With millions of dollars already donated and used to help, more money is still needed to restore Haiti to what it once was. “At least Sandpoint is doing their part, which I think is pretty cool,” Briggs said.
At least Sandpoint is doing their part, which I think is pretty cool.
SHS athletes have chance to earn $1000 Editor-in-chief
It’s right around this time of year that seniors begin to stress out about how to pay for college. Luckily, there are plenty of scholarship funds available. In fact, despite the harsh economic times, new scholarships are being established for Sandpoint High School students. “We have a new scholarship that is meant to reward student atheletes,” said Rebecca Hawkins, owner of Litehouse dressing, the company sponsoring the scholarship. “Students who commit to three sports their senior year of high school will have the opportunity to earn $500.” Students will also have the chance to earn $250 more if they partcipate in three sports their junior year as well. “Also, students who keep their grade point average at a 3.5 or higher have the chance to earn $250,” Hawkins said. Another scholarship available to seniors is sponsored by the Community Assistance League of Sandpoint. Member Mary Dauber-
One of three options for budget cuts may require school to close JESSIE WEBSTER Assistant editor
Closing Northside Elementary is being discussed as one of three options for filling space at the newly renovated Kootenai Elementary. “The first option was to move students from Farmin Stidwell Elementary, which has over 625 students. We truly want that school to be reduced in numbers, but this has costs added to it,” LPOSD superintendent Dick Cvitanich said. The second option is to move the kindergarten classes from Washington, Farmin and Northside Elementary to Kootenai to fill space. “This will allow for teacher collaboration, balanced class size, parent choice and reduced staffing costs,” Cvitanich said. However, this would mean an increase in transportation costs. Closing a school had not been discussed until after the state announced an education budget cut of about $2.2 million. “With over 80 percent of our budget dedicated to staffing, you can understand our nervousness,” Cvitanich said. The district began to look for all possible ways to save money, and closing a school
became the predominant option. “We then looked at school enrollments, available space, bus routes, etc. The only available space to accommodate an entire student body and staff is at the newly remodeled Kootenai. The closest small school is Northside,” said Cvitanich. Not only students would be transferred. Teachers, as well as classified staff (custodians, secretaries, food service, etc.), would also make the move; however, classified staff would not be guaranteed a position. If Northside’s population is assimilated into Kootenai’s, it will have a student count of 325 to 340 students. Students who ride the bus will still use that form of transportation, but some will have their ride time increased. “I remember living up on Rapid Lightning [road] and having to go down the street, and it took a while but the teachers there [Northside] are all really nice and it was great to not have to take a bus all the way to another school and have the ride be even longer.” While still only a possibility, many feel that the option of closing Northside will not be worth the savings because of the undetermined nature of exactly how much money would be saved. “We are in the process of determining potential savings. We anticipate it being close to the $100-150 thousand per year range,” Cvitanich said.
Decoding the State of the Union
How will President Obama’s speech affect you?
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New scholarship opportunities JENNIFER PRANDATO
Northside School Closing?
smith had a few words of warning to give to seniors applying for the scholarship due April 12. “Students must fill out the application exactly as asked,” she said. “We give out our money and we want the person receiving it to put time and effort into their work.”
JUST A REMINDER ■ Fill out the application completely and as directed ■ Pay attention to due dates ■ Need help filling out forms? Go to the counseling office ■ Take advantage of as many scholarships as possible
Come by and see John and Michelle for your after school treats! Deirdre Hill Liz Evans 710 Pine Street Sandpoint 208-263-9012
Bailout
President Obama: “If there’s one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans, and everybody in between, it’s that we all hated the bank bailout. I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal. But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn’t just do what was popular - I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today.” Student interpretation: While no one really wanted to bail out the big banks, the government felt it was necessary to protect normal citizens who had invested in these large corporations.
Education
President Obama: “Instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform -reform that raises student acheivement; inspires students to excel in math and science; and turn around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to the inner city. In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education. And in this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.
When we renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reforms to all 50 states.” Student interpretation: Even though we live in a rural area, where education may suffer from a lack of funding, the government will try to improve education throughout the country and hopefully we will be positively affected by the policies they enact.
Foreign Affairs
President Obama: “Now, these diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of nuclear weapons. That’s why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger sanctions - sanctions that are being vigorously enforced. That’s why the international community is more united, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated. And as Iran’s leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing consequences. That is a promise.” Student Interpretation: If Iran and North Korea continue to ignore international agreements against nuclear weapons, the U.S. will act in either a military or diplomatic effort against them.
February 2010
Cedar Post
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s the daughter of a teacher, I have been subjected to much of the inside information and many of the pitfalls of the public schooling system that adolescents face today. Over the years, I have traversed the roads of controversy that range across the organization that we allow to prepare us for the world. I have been through the ups and downs of standardized testing, the ins and outs of large classrooms and teacher wages, and have beat the question of whether there really is such a thing as “No Child Left Behind” absolutely senseless. After regarding these issues, my conclusion is that the school system America utilizes is flawed. The system, however, is necessary.
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know this particular topic has been done over and over again, but there have been some new developments recently. I am referring to this little thing called censorship. In particular, I mean the restriction of information within schools. We have all experienced this in our beloved SHS: the Internet filter. We all know that networking sites are blocked — MySpace and Facebook, for example — but we are also prohibited from accessing a lot of information that is necessary for our education, such as a recipe for bread (which is blocked because it is classified as “shopping”).
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aiti Nation-Building - A very touchy subject that needs to be seriously discussed before action is taken.
Nation-building is a term a lot of people don’t understand. It does not mean taking over a country, nor does it mean just sending money
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There are those of you out there that claim to abstain from compliance with the system for a few reasons. One, the whole scheme is imperfect. Two, teachers don’t teach, and even if they do, you won’t ever use the information anyway. Three, homework and busywork are the same thing, and both should be abolished. This is my advice to you: Get over it. If the entire society of America suddenly refrained from getting involved in anything that wasn’t perfect, we would have millions of people who would never have relationships, never have families, never have jobs, and who would avoid politics like the plague. If you’re delusional enough to think that anything in this world is perfect, congratulations. You’ve just been accepted into the University of the Culturally Unaware. TIME magazine says that Linfen, China, is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The city lies in the heart of China’s coal belt, and residue from the mines blankets everything, literally. China’s State Environmental Protection Agency claims that Linfen contains the worst air in the country. However, do the residents of Linfen stop breathing the air simply because it
is polluted? Of course not. With the coal dust comes oxygen, energy and life. The coal dust is a necessary evil. It must be stomached for survival. On a lower level, the American education system is much the same. It may be blemished, but it stands as nothing but a short roadway to better things. After school, we are free to decide where we want to go, what we want to do, and how we want to do it. The only trouble is, doing those things is much easier if we — dare I say it — comply with the system. Things like the National Honor Society, mastering the SAT, and regular school attendance may repulse all of you non-conformists out there, but those are the things that launch you forward into a realm where action is possible. If you hate the school system so much, then excel in it; know your enemy. Then, when you’ve finally succeeded in showing it who’s boss, turn around and change it. But seriously, stop whining. There’s nothing more infuriating than someone who complains, then does nothing to change what they don’t agree with.
A school in California recently took censorship above and beyond something so elementary as a web filter. They banned a dictionary. That’s right. They decided that since the book contained entries for shocking terms like “oral sex,” the book should be banned from the school shelves. And so, all the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionaries were removed from the Menifee, Calif. school district. What’s worse than the fact that they banned a reference book is that many of the parents in the district are actually pleased. The district is currently beginning to form a committee that will decide if dictionaries that have entries for sexual words should be permanently banned within the school. Now, I know that this is all to protect our little virgin eyes and minds, but I really don’t think that banning a neutral source of information is a good idea. We all figure out what those terms mean as we get older, so this
is just prolonging the inevitable. Isn’t it better to find out information through something as trustworthy and explanatory as a dictionary? Prohibiting books, Web sites and other forms of reference does not stem the flow of information. Nor is it helpful. When we don’t talk about subjects, they come back to bite us. Look at child abuse. For the longest time, the government did not interfere with cases of abuse. Children were tortured and starved, and sometimes they died. It took really horrific cases to make the nation realize it needed to put restrictions on what parents could do to their dependents. Sex is exactly the same way. If we don’t discuss it in schools, children learn about it from untrustworthy sources, and end up pregnant too early, with an STD, or even with AIDS. Uncomfortable as they may be to talk about in this culture, some subjects need to be discussed. They will not go away if we don’t think about them. We have to know. We have a right to know.
to the relief effort. Nation-building is neither good nor bad, but is simply necessary in some situations. The United States is currently engaged in nation-building in two countries: Iraq and Afghanistan. You may have heard about this a few times. What you might not have heard about is the possibility of nation-building in Haiti. With the recent earthquake, the already failing state of Haiti has collapsed. With the fall of the president’s palace and several other government buildings, the country acknowledges its need for foreign aid. The U.S. would likely lead this aid movement; nevertheless, it is undecided on whether or not the U.S. is able to give aid to yet
another country while in its current economic recession. Engaging in nation-building in Haiti would include financing work programs, restorations of buildings, maintenance of a stable government, as well as sending troops to decrease any remaining chaos. That is a very large commitment. On the other hand, historically, failed states are breeding grounds for possible terrorism. Terrorists cannot gain support unless a country lacks order (money). If the U.S. were to let Haiti fail, we could potentially have a new branch of terrorism 713 miles away from the U.S. What is the right thing to do? I have no clue. I just hope that it is thought about thoroughly before any action is taken.
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andpoint High School students, give yourself a round of applause. I witnessed something on Feb. 4 at the varsity boys’ basketball game versus Lakeland that I have not seen for much too long. I saw the ever so elusive school spirit, and it was a majestic sight. Students were into the game — most of the time more than the administration would like — and it was great to finally see that again. The basketball team played so much better when the crowd got into it. I started to see Lakeland lose their focus because of our rowdy, sometimes belligerent, crowd. Students who come to games and don’t cheer, this is what I have to say to you: I absolutely hate that you will come to a game and not cheer on the athletes. I mean really, put down your cell phone, turn away from your friend, and watch the damn game. It’s why you came to the game after all, isn’t it? Is it so hard to ask for an hour and a half of your time, where you can get crazy and yell and scream as loud as you want? I bet if you did get a little bit crazy, you would find yourself having fun. And in turn, it makes it more fun for the players in the game. Try it out next time we have a sporting event. If you don’t find yourself having fun, then maybe sporting events aren’t for you. Administration, I know you have to try to keep us under control and try to make our school look good, but as you probably can tell, the students could care less if we have a good reputation or not. I don’t know if it is possible, but maybe try not to kill our cheers if they are in bad taste. That is what makes the game fun, getting to yell at our opponents. Also, it messes up the other team when you heckle them at the free throw line. It works for the other schools. “When we are shooting free throws at an away game, and the opposing crowd is screaming your name and trying to distract you, it rattles you,” junior starter Blaine Shultz said. Another thing: Let us have the “Warm Up the Bus” cheer. It is the greatest thing we can do at the end of a game because it shows our team won. So please, at least let us have that.
JENNIFER PRANDATO Editor-in-Chief
JESSIE WEBSTER
Her View: Guest Columnist Sophomore Kati Brent immerses herself within the world of stereotypes
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ave you ever walked down the halls of Sandpoint high school and seen a group of people you would just like to stay away from? Whether you’re a prep, jock or emo, there probably is a certain group of people you feel your people may not get along with and frankly just want to avoid. In personal experience, this had been a particularly prominent issue in my high school years so far, and I decided to take a deeper look into what the big deal about stereotypes is. I’ve gotten called prep more times than I can count in the past year and a half I have been at SHS. But what does that even mean in the eyes of a high schooler? Why do stereotypes have such a massive effect of how you’re viewed in your teens? Well, we all want to fit in, and most of us probably do fit in somewhere in the vast jungle of Sandpoint High School. And let’s face it, the majority of teens here are ANIMALS. So if SHS is a jungle, where are the preps? I think the preps or more like jock/preps here can be compared to lions. Lions are on top of the food chain in most cases, and most importantly, they think they are on top. Lions also eat other animals and spend most of their time in packs with others of their kind. Lions have big fluffy manes (at least the males) and they love to flaunt them. Preps or jocks are on top, this is how the food chain works. They’re highly publicized, whether it’s in the Daily Bee or over the intercom by Dr. Kiebert and Mr. Albertson. So
Assistant Editor
GRAHAM COLE HANNAH MEEK
Arts & Culture Editors
GARRETT DUNN News Editor
EDDIE OGLE really, it’s no wonder they have big heads (or manes in the case of lions). But personally, I think we’re a dying race. I haven’t seen a younger prep or group of preps in a long time. When you walk through the mall in Spokane and see emo’s everywhere, but no little prep’s in training. Nowhere. This really doesn’t surprise me, our society is so widely influenced by the media and other sources that popular culture is sure to win every time. And by the looks of it the next hot thing is the emo scene. But enough about them, let’s talk emo lifestyle. Emos started out as a genre of music that was short for emotional. Popular music rages like wildfire and infects everything it surrounds, and the emo culture developed much like that. Emos are the zebras of the high school jungle. They breed like crazy, look a little bit different than your average animal, and most importantly, they are eaten by lions. What started out as a simple music scene soon turned into a gang of tight-pants wearing, gauged-ear and lip-ring sporting flock of kids that cry in the Commons during lunch. Despite all these things, they are still pack animals, and do have others of their own kind to share their emotional stories with. But don’t worry, I’m not judging. I lived it. Last month on a dare from a fellow classmate, I dressed like an emo. So I went out, bought some black eyeliner, a black shirt, got myself a
lip ring, found my spike belt and black leggings and called it good. Let me tell you now that people’s reactions were priceless. I got more stares than ever before in my life and people tended to move to the other side of the hall when I walked by. This also might be the reaction if you saw a lone zebra galloping through the halls of SHS. So people were scared; my friends, family and teachers were shocked, and the emo kids were confused. So what did I learn? Well I didn’t make any friends: my so-called best friends refused to let me sit with them, black really is quite a depressing color, and things pretty much sucked. Life does go on for some though. Personally, I put away the eyeliner but gained something else: a new view from the eyes of my peers and a whole new outlook on high school. Stereotypes are everything here, how you dress is more important than how you act, and teenagers really do judge. No, really. I learned that maybe real friends and true friends are two different things and also that being who I am means dressing how I want and trying not to care what people say about me. Zebra or lion, we’re all “in this together.” So maybe we should put away our previous assumptions and try and judge a person by their actions, not their latest choice of multi-colored skinny jeans. Today, stereotypes, tomorrow, the world.
Sports Editor
CONNOR GRIESEMER Photo Editor
MERANDA CARTER Graphics Editor
TALA WOOD Copy Editor
BROOKE WILLIAMS Advertising Manager
MIKKA NOSTDAHL Office Manager
WILLIAM LOVE Adviser
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 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.
Sandpoint High School 410 South Division Sandpoint, ID 83864
(208) 263-3034 ext 244
Page 4 February 2010
Cedar Post
Our View Love, Love, Love... and Money
What’s your opinion on the new dance policy?
These are phrases Cedar Post staff members have heard from students of SHS. The views expressed in Word for Word are not necessarily shared by the Cedar Post.
Casey Bottomley FRESHMAN
• If I had to kiss a man, it would definately be John Mayer
“I think it’s dumb. They’re fighting a battle that’s never going to be won in their favor.”
• You know what’s bad? A guy’s gymnastic suit is just a girl’s gymnastic suit with pants over it • If you don’t like someone, pour fish in their bleach • When it’s subtle like this, it’s just me rocking back and forth EVAN METZ
BJ Cable SOPHOMORE “I think it’s pretty appropriate because some people get too intense SOPHOMORE and it gets grody. But some people have fun, so I’m kind of in the middle.”
Dylan Martin JUNIOR
JUNIOR “I think the no
buttox to buttox rule is completely absurd, but the others are reasonable, I guess.”
Valentine’s Day, what a holiday you have become! In the beginning, you had Roman-era men playfully slapping fine young women in the cities with strips of bloody goat hide - our equivalent being a heart-shaped box of chocolates (I’m not joking here: valentines had some pretty awesome origins. Makes you think about the phrase “I like it rough,” though). It was all good fun! Our holiday’s origins had guitar-playing, card-giving and jewelry exchanged, as well as the aforementioned game of “Tag.” It was a frenzied celebration in the name of love and romance, representing the pinnacle of human achievement: LOVE. We reach the 21st century, and still, we have couples lovin’ an’ kissin’ and all that good stuff, spending a generous $14 billion annually on each other. The halls of our quaint high school are no different, what with all them teenager hormones runnin’ wild an’ such, the loving is even more apparent and in your face. Ha, I must walk down the hall and see seven different couples acting like it’s their final hours together, know what I mean? The less choose to make their move this holiday, or just enjoy the candy and their friends’ mushy talk of how awesome their mate is, never minding how many times they brag about ‘em, or how annoying you think
said mate really is. All in good cheer, matey. Just laugh along with it, and have another drink! Nowadays though, we are stuck in the playpen with the mood killers, the ones that bring the cops to the party, the chaperones at the dances! Gah! They make it their day’s agenda to notice how very single they really are, and choose to hate the holiday ‘cause they weren’t invited to the party! Hey, I understand. Sailin’ solo is very traditional on Valentine’s, despite what Hallmark and just about every other outlet of information available to mankind tells you. It’s the truth, though, I promise! So my moral? Hop the pool party’s picket fence, storm the celebration’s gate. Enjoy the party: your invite was just lost in the mail. Make someone’s day and send ‘em candy or a valentine, even if you’re out of your league, or just friends. Show that love to someone, and if it’s to one of the holiday humbugs, extra points! Share the love, but please keep the goat hide strips in the closet. No worries though, I hear the next Romanthemed dance is just around the corner!* *Just a joke, unfortunately. — George Wood, staff reporter
LetterstotheEditor
• I’ve always wanted to blow fire That’s funny, my middle name is Fire • I’m going to the secret underwear to learn tae kwon do • Blisters don’t just bleed blood, they bleed confidence • I’m so glad I never wanted to date you • When you get calculator happy don’t forget the halves • Well, yeah, famous rockstars don’t just commit suicide, come on • There’s poor girls who try to dress preppy and I’m like ‘who are you?’ • The ocean is so seductive • Your belly gave me service! • Wait, why does Jesus have a tail? • You and your little parakeet flip flop hair thing, turn around
This is where your thoughts go. Feel passionately about something? We are your public forum. Drop a letter with your thoughts and name in room E8 or e-mail shscedarpost@gmail.com
• Oh my gosh, the world is spiraling downward in a combustion of sparkly vampires drinking Bambi’s blood • Grinding doesn’t work out for me, my knee just
Shane Kidd SENIOR “I think we should be able to express ourselves in the art of dance in any way we choose and the school saying that we’re simulating sex is an overstatement.”
Mary Imaz TEACHER “I think we need to start doing something so all the kids enjoy the dances, but I am under the opinion that we should videotape the kids that are being improper and send it to their parents.”
I write this in response to Tala Wood’s opinion article that she wrote in the last edition of the Cedar Post. First off, I have to agree with something that you said. People are scared of the change that President Obama is supposedly going to bring into this country. I think that a lot of people are, in fact, but I also think that it is somewhat of a reasonable fear. Usually, no matter what, there will always be someone pronouncing doom and gloom when someone proposes change; this is evident everywhere all throughout history. It is perfectly rational, although I would call this example more a fear of the unknown rather than ‘clinging to their ideas.’ Take Hitler, for example (and I am not in any way saying that President Obama is like Hitler), he was looked upon by almost all German people as the greatest, most upright man ever. Instead, he turned out to be almost the largest desecrator of a single culture of all time. Now, I’m not saying that the President would do that but generally, it is very understandable to be cautious of a person or persons in authority. Second, I must say I disagree with you on your opinion of Sarah Palin. I have studied a little bit about how she turned Alaska around on some major things, a lot of which was first-hand knowledge from an uncle of mine that lives up there, and it has lead me to the conclusion that she is actually a very intelligent woman. Granted, she wasn’t quite up-to-speed as far as public speaking, and reading the TV prompts, as President Obama is so fond of doing, but mostly her mishaps were because of the profuse slamming that the media dealt to her almost everywhere that she went, which caused her to be a great deal flustered. As far as her experience goes, she has been in the Government so long it makes some of the leaders in the U.S. green broke in comparison. Third, Obama has not yet officially been in the clear yet. He has yet to stand trial to see if his birth certificate is actually legitimate. As far as being President even if he wasn’t born in the U.S., that is false. According to Article II, Section I, Clause V of the Constitution, it states that you must be a natural born citizen, you must be 35 years old, and must be a citizen of the U.S. for 14
consecutive years. I’m sorry, but if you are from Mars, you can’t be the President. Try not to cry too much. Fourth and final, I see you don’t too highly of the culture of ‘back then.’ Consider the Constitution of the United States of America, or the Declaration of Independence. Now, I could be wrong, and please correct me if I am, but these documents were written ‘back then’ in the ‘simpler time.’ If you are saying that we are not to strive for the wisdom that the founding fathers that wrote these documents had, I encourage you to write something that is even a fraction of the knowledge that is held in them. It would, in reality, not be moving ‘backwards’ to adapt some of the old ways of past cultures. In essence, everything that was mention about the rights to vote are never going to change, nor would many want to change them. To ‘strive’ for an earlier time would be beneficial in numerous ways. The amount of crime we see today would be reduced, obesity would decline and work ethic would begin to increase toward what it once was. We have discovered medicine to cure ourselves of the various diseases that are inflicted upon us, and we still have technology for our ride to school or work. It would not be as though we suddenly got into a time machine and went completely backwards; we would still be moving on into the future. What has been discovered and perfected has already been accomplished through trial and error. You are right: behind us is behind us for a reason, and that is because we are to learn from the mistakes that were made before us in history. Let us move on in time and space, but let us also remember that ‘back then’ was also when all of the great philosophers were busy creating the concepts that we base everything off of today. Since ‘back then’ wisdom abounded, I say that it would most definitely be something to strive for.
Shea McCormick Sophomore
ends up being grinded on • I feel like mustard • So I think I left my phone in the fridge this morning • What’s the difference between an orca and a whale? • Like AIDS doesn’t even exist anymore, does it? • Can you get herpes on your body? • How do you say ‘I have a cat in my pants’ in German? • Someone stole my bra, what should I do? • I guess ‘my dealer got arrested’ wasn’t a good response to my mom when she asked me why I was sad
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Cedar Post
Page 5 February 2010
JASPER GIBSON
■ ABOVE: Senior Daniel Anderson packages boxes during his job shadowing session at Keokee Publishing ■ BELOW: Junior Tara Patterson works on billing at Bonner General Hospitalto better her accounting skills
■ WORK-BASED LEARNING: Senior Ashley Anderson looks at an X-ray while senior Lindsey Anderson converses with the patient. The sisters are taking part in Connie Kimble’s WBL program, a class that puts students in the workplace.
SYDNEY MORRIS
On-the-job education
Sandpoint High School students participate in work-based learning SYDNEY MORRIS Photographer
Sandpoint High School students have the opportunity every year to get some on-the-job training through Work-Based Learning, a class that allows students to go out into the community and work during school. There are about 80 students enrolled in the class this year. To take the WBL class, students must have taken Career Pathways prior to enrolling. Students can receive up to two credits for taking JASPER GIBSON
the class. Connie Kimble, the teacher of the courses, hopes students walk away with skills that will help them excel in the future. WBL is intended to give students “practical real life experience in the work place,” Kimble said. “And ideally they are learning not only work place skills, but also exposure to different kinds of careers.” A few of the students have even received internships. Alena Horawitz, for example, has been given an internship at
Coldwater Creek in the department of fashion design. Other students taking advantage of the class includes senior Daniel Anderson, who makes labels and packages boxes at Keokee Publishing; junior Tara Patterson, who works at the billing office at Bonner General Hospital; and senior Crystal Clark, who was placed at the hospital’s rehabilitation center. Seniors Ashley and Lindsey Anderson work at Sandpoint Dental Care, where they assist the hygienists and help them prepare the rooms for the next patient.
Cedar Post
Page 6 February 2010
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February 2010
Cedar Post
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Students turn to medication for bodily pains
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fter observing the hallways these past few weeks after break, I have been more aware of the drug use at Sandpoint High School. I’m not necessarily talking about illegal drugs: I’m talking about a range of medications from Advil to Hydrocodone. It seems as though every time someone has a headache, they pop an Excedrin. When they have a bodily ache, they take an Advil. When they’re feeling a little blue, they pop a Prozac. Whatever happened to naturally healing your symptoms? It sickens me how easily kids are willing to pop any type of pill to mask their symptoms or problems. I understand that many teens are depressed. I know that everyone goes through a time in their life when they are feeling blue, but teens think that when they feel this way, the only solution is to take a pill to make them feel better.
It worries me how willing teens are to take a pill than healing the natural way with exercise, social interactions and healing time. I’m not necessarily against depression medications; I am just against them until you have exhausted all other options. Why would you want to put a foreign substance in your body, potentially harming your health for the illusion of happiness? Another one that bothers me a lot is the use of popular anti-inflammatory medications like Advil, Excedrin, Asprin, etc. When someone has any type of ache, strong or weak, they automatically ask their friends if they have any Advil or any other anti inflammatory medication. I suggest reassessing the situation, because although you might not know it, these pills are destroying your health and liver. Sure, they give you quick relief, but in the long run, you will regret it. Lastly, I want to make this clear to everyone. I am not
necessarily AGAINST all medications: I take them once in a while too. Everyone does! I am just sick of students using pills to mask their imperfections and pains in life. Please, exhaust all other options before you decide to harm your body with another pill. Prevention is the best medication, so take care of yourself!
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February 2010
Cedar Post
MRSA raises scare for wrestling team
SHS sophomore hospitalized after developing infection MOLLY BURGSTAHLER Assistant copy editor
At the beginning of wrestling season in December, sophomore Damen Rodriguez got a small scratch on his elbow. Soon he had a MRSA infection (commonly referred to as a staph infection) that spread to the rest of his body. After wrestling in a tournament a week later, he felt like he had broken his toe. At the hospital, doctors operated to remove a cyst in the joint of his big toe. Two weeks
later, Rodriguez was released from the hospital. He sat out the rest of the wrestling season. Rodriguez, who has been wrestling since sixth grade, said “It was very disappointing because this happened right before districts and state, but I’ll be coming back next season.” As soon as Rodriguez was diagnosed with staph, the wrestling coaches talked to the team about basic precautions, such as showering and staying clean, that can help prevent staph. The first
step taken to prevent the staph infection from spreading was using a stronger disinfectant to clean the wrestling mats. The janitors also went through the entire weight room and used the disinfectant on all the weights, benches and mats in there. The second precaution involves trainer Brittany Meek putting together an informative session with the coaches from all the sports teams to teach coaches what to look for and be aware of about staph infections.
X-Games showcase freestyle skiiers
Skiers bring new tricks to the table on Big Air setup JASPER GIBSON Photographer
The sport of freestyle skiing is one of the most progressive sports around today. In the last 13-15 years, the sport has evolved from doing a backflip in a mogul routine to a switch double misty 1440 (going off the jump backwards, four full rotations) over a 75 foot gap. In the last few years, X Games has been the place to watch the sport progress. The X Games are always pushing the limits of the sport by setting up new jumps, features and events that make the riders have to adapt to the course and try new things. The setup for the X Games big air event this year was an awesome format which led to even further progression of the sport. Instead of the regular format, where riders get three jumps to try and land their best trick, this year it was a jam format where the five riders that made it to the finals get 20 minutes to execute their best tricks. This setup allows riders to watch their opponents and try to oneup them, which makes the rider have to step up their game. The X Games showcased the amazing talent of the best freestyle skiers in the world, and they didn’t disappoint. Pro skier Bobby Brown landed two tricks that had never been landed in a competition: a switch double misty 1260 and a switch double misty 1440. Brown took first in the big air competition. TJ Schiller threw a double cork 1620 (4 1/2 rotation) it was also another first for the sport of freestyle skiing. That never before attempted trick landed him at second on the podium. Third Place went to Elias Ambuhl who landed a flawless switch double cork 1440, grabbed from start to finish that was “more tweaked out than Pee Wee Herman’s Playhouse,” Newschooler’s writer John Vandervalk said.
COURTESY PHOTO
■ JUMPING THE GAP: Elias Ambuhl floats a spin over the massive 75 foot Big Air jump gap at Winter X Games 14 in Aspen, Co
Local funds help SHS budgets
Money comes from public to help allow SHS athletics JENNIFER PRANDATO Editor-in-chief
Sandpoint High School takes an extreme amount of pride in their differentiating Bulldog Athletics, ranging from the hardworking soccer state champions to the critically accomplished swim team. At each home basketball game or wrestling meet, many SHS students are seen cheering on their fellow peers in hopes of seeing a winning score. But, for each athletic event, there comes a cost: from paying referees to transportation to renting out fields every time there is an event. Where does all this money come from? “Basically, the way funding works is through local funds,” Athletic Director Tom Albertson said. “We have local accounts set up within our school and money comes through there from fundraisers.” However, sports groups are not the only ones participating in raising money. Every year, Yoke’s Fresh Market, a regional supermarket, holds a golf tournament that donates money to Sandpoint High Athletics. “We transfer $1,000 from Yoke’s funds to every account of every activity that helped out with the 3-on3 basketball tournament,” Albertson said, referencing to the fundraiser held over the summer. Money can also come in through the entrance fee of sporting events as well as the supplemental levy, which gets voted on every two years. This provides funds for transportation and items that the school will retain ownership of. The levy money is also broken down into individual sports. “A majority of the levy funds goes toward transportation, the bussing and lodging, and just getting kids to activities,” he said, “but then there’s a certain portion of it that’s broken down into all the different groups and supplies they need.” In his first year as Athletic Director, Albertson is focusing on the percentage split up. Cheryl Klein, the previous A.D., has broken it up so that football seems to be the more expensive of the sports, so they have a higher percentage. Albertson cites the amount of players and needed equipment as the reasons for this percentage jump. “[Football] players need certain equipment to participate,” he said. “With soccer, you don’t need the helmets and shoulder pads, so that’s why I think there’s a little bit of disparity there.”
Let’s get physical
Students complain about required PE credits New P.E. standards for the state were recently approved by the Idaho Senate Education Committee for students in Sports editor kindergarten through high school. Many of the standards are Pushing yourself to the limit, personal goals and exercise is already being taught at SHS. “In P.E., physical fitness is No. 1, and a goal for the students what physical education is all about. is to actively become involved with their own fitness,” P.E. Students fill Sandpoint High School’s gymnasium and department head Satini weight room on a daily basis to Puailoa said. fulfill their exercise requirements. He believes students should Although many students like the physical education course, a large care about their health and part of the student body also dislikes physical fitness and realizes In P.E., physical fitness is it. students will like some of the number one, and a goal for the “P.E. is taken too seriously and activities and dislike others. students is to actively become should be more fun,” said a senior The P.E. Department wants taking a Life Sports class who wished to teach student to crossinvolved with their own to remain anonymous. In the Life train through a variety of fitness. Sports, we should be able to play -Satini Puailoa activities so they can choose more fun games.” to be fit. They also want to P.E. Department Chair Another student that didn’t want teach students how to have to be named said that many other an active lifestyle when they P.E. students feel like the course is are older. too intense, and that if they wanted Puailoa believes many of an intense class, they would sign the current health problems in our nation are related to the up for a harder P.E. course. A number of serious athletes are lack of physical fitness. He said the way youth lives today is enrolled in the weight-lifting class, which is expected to be a distracting from truly taking care of their bodies. difficult, demanding class. Others who want to take P.E. for DYLAN VOGEL Although some activities are not favored by students, the the required credits take a life sports or cardiovascular class P.E. staff likes to give multiple opportunities to try different ■ BREAKING A SWEAT: Senior Luke Roberts goes through a tough workout in the weight room during one of Coach Tajan’s P.E. classes which is thought to be less intense. athletic games.
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February 2010
Cedar Post Page 9
The Profile career. I haven’t gotten an injury that has stopped me from playing basketball.” stopped me from playing basketball.”
BARRY WILSON Staff reporter
Player
Quick Facts Stefan Burrato Position: Guard Height: 6’3” Weight: 180
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Senior Stefan Burrato is one of the many stars produced by Sandpoint High School. He has many years of experience playing basketball, startng at the age of five, and being named an All-League player as well as being MVP of the team his junior year. This season, he scored 42 points in a single game, breaking a school record. Q. Do you have any plans for basketball after high school? “Yeah I plan on going to college and playing basketball, but I’m not sure where yet.” Q. What’s your favorite part about basketball and why? “I just like being on a team; it’s nice having friends that you know you can trust.” Q. Have you ever injured yourself playing basketball? “No, I have stayed healthy throughout my
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Q. Do you do any off-season camps or practice to stay in shape? “Yeah I go to camps all throughout [and] I do basketball camps at colleges in the summer.” Q. How do you prepare before a game? “Before a game I go and get Spuds and then I just watch the girls or JV game before mine.” Q. Why did you start basketball? “I started basketball mostly because my Dad got me into it. He played basketball in high school and really liked it.” Q. What do you attribute your success in basketball to and why? “I would say just going to open gym with my dad, who is a referee, so I could go to a lot of games and also I have a lot of playing time.”
his year, in college basketball, there have been many ups and downs, especially for the illustrious No. 1 ranked team. Last year’s defending champion, the North Carolina Tar Heels, was expected to have another consistent, dominating season in the tough ACC Conference, as well as the NCAA Tournament. With the bar set high and a very young lineup, the team might not have realized that they had a long season in front of them. UNC has endured a 1413 record at this point in the season, losing seven of their last nine games, as well as being only 3-9 in the conference. The Tar Heels’ season started off well, until a few unexpected losses led to their downward spiral. Such losses have been to Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland and the small school of Charleston. These teams were guaranteed wins in the minds of spectators and North Carolina fans. For as long as most people can remember, Carolina has had a strong lineup, posting serious regular
Boys Basketball Sandpoint 50, Lakeland 49 Senior Skyler Tucker stepped up to score 18 points along with three 3-pointers and the game-sealing free throw. Sophomore Jackson Olin got in a rhythm as well, stickng all three of his long-range bombs in a crucial 4A league victory. Sandpoint 72, Post Falls 79 Senior Stefan Buratto scored 35 points to lead the Bulldogs in a tough 5A matchup with league-leading Post Falls. Sandpoint 54, Priest River 74 Priest River’s 10 three-point daggers turned Sandpoint’s grip on a two-point game into a 20 point loss. Skyler Tucker kept up his hot streak with three 3-pointers. Sandpoint 36, Lewiston 51 Although the Bulldogs were even with Lewiston at the half, their two points in the 4th quarter proved fatal. Junior Blaine Shultz had 13 points in the loss. Sandpoint 71, Lakeland 73 A second 40-point performance by Stefan Buratto this season ended in another overtime defeat, this time to Lakeland in the first game of districts. A disputed buzzer beater at the end of the overtime period sealed the game for Lakeland. Sandpoint 62, Lakeland 64 In the final game of Sandpoint’s season, Stefan Buratto and Skyler Tucker scored 31 and 17 points, respectively. Despite the strenuous efforts of the team, they came up short, ending their state hopes.
season and March Madness success. Also, in many of the past seasons, UNC has gone head-to-head against Duke. This year, Duke took the victory at Chapel Hill, winning by 10. The team has always had a target on their back because it reads “North Carolina” on the front of their jerseys. With the rebuilding stage already beginning for next season, the Tar Heels will have a different experience of being the hunter instead of constantly being hunted. One major reason the Heels are looking forward to next season is Harrison Barnes. The decidedly No. 1 prospect on ESPNU’s Top 100, Barnes is regarded as the “complete prospect.” The 6-foot-8 (7-0 wingspan) Ames, Iowa, native averages 27.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and shoots 64 percent from the field. Some are regarding him as the answer to North Carolina’s problems, but only time will tell once this season has passed, the returners have matured, and Harrison Barnes has arrived.
Wrestling Sophomore Peyton Dillion and junior Garret Belgarde each earned two pins at Moscow’s Bear Den, keeping their state rankings alive. Senior Pat Charland wrestled two weight classes up at 189, also pinning his Lakeland opponent in the double dual Thursday night. Sandpoint confirmed that it will take five state contenders to Pocatello after district matches at Lakeland. Junior Garret Belgarde and senior Leonard Fister each grabbed titles in their respective weight classes, while sophomore Peyton Dillon lost a tough match.
Girls Basketball Lakeland 62, Sandpoint 40 Sophomore Maggie Kirscher led Sandpoint with 12 pts and senior Christina Johnson had 11 pts.
with Softball Coach
Derek Dickinson
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his year has the potential to be a solid year for our squad. A lot depends on if we get the turnout that we are capable of getting. There are some girls that could really help us but are on the fence about whether or not they will play. Their reasons vary, but as the adage goes, “you play with the cards you are dealt.” Certainly after tryouts I will be in a better position to make a prediction for this year. The girls we do have are working hard this off-season to prepare for the 2010 season. There is a core group of girls who love the game and have the dedication any coach would love. At the top of that list are fellow seniors and three year returning lettermen, Molly Givens and Rachel Hammack. As returning captains, we will be leaning on these two heavily to do a lot of the heavy lifting throughout the season. I am also excited about the other returning seniors, who help provide the leadership necessary in a successful program. It’s also exciting that there is a great chance we will be on the field much earlier than in years past. This is due to the fact that Old Man Winter has been visiting the eastern and southern portions of the country this year. It should be a big boost to our spirits to get outside and play the game where it is meant to be played. Finally, we are getting some long overdue field upgrades for Travers Park. Thanks to the efforts of Tom Albertson, we will be getting a portable fence and portable scoreboard for the field. The scoreboard should help make things more fan-friendly. The fence, in addition to increasing the pitching distance from 40 to 43 feet, should mean there will be a few long balls flying out of the park, which everyone seems to enjoy (as long as we are the ones who hit them).
Bulldog Bench Supporting SHS athletics
Good job Bulldogs!
Lakeland 59, Sandpoint 39 Christina Johnson led Sandpoint in scoring with 18 pts and 4 assists. Senior Koko James led Sandpoint in rebounds with 10. “I was very proud of the overall effort of our team,” head coach Lance Bruce said. “The girls played with a lot of pride and showed a lot of character.”
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Cedar Post
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