January 2009 pdf

VOLUME 86, ISSUE 5

Side Note Student Council

Adviser: Mike Martz Upcoming events:

Winter Ball (Sadie Hawkins) is Saturday, Jan 24 from 7 p.m. to 11pm.

On Friday, Jan. 23 dance teacher Cindy Smith will be teaching ballroom dancing in the commons at 1:30.

On Friday, Jan. 24 there will be class meetings through out the day.

Aca Deca Adviser: Mary Bird Upcoming events:

Regional competition on Jan. 31 in Bonners Ferry.

Invitationals are Feb. 21 in Preiest River and State will take place March 13 and 14 in Boise.

Mime and Masque Adviser: Jeanie Hunter Meetings: Every Thursday after school Upcoming Events:

On Jan. 22, the Drama Department will be hosting an Open Mic Night from 7 to 9 p.m. in the SHS auditorium.

“The Saga of the Prospectors Daughter or She Was a Miner’s Minor” showing in the SHS Auditorium Feb. 5-7.

Admission is $5.

Mime and Masque’s annual Pretty Kitty tryouts will be held on Feb. 9.

Mime and Masque meets every Thursday after school, - anyone can join!

Math Club Adviser: Nachele Search Upcoming events:

On Feb. 7 the annual Winter Games will be held in Pullman, Washington.

It is open for anyone interested and is for all grade levels.

On Feb. 10, in the SHS auditorium, the American Math Competition will be held.

MOOSE MADNESS

Bonners Ferry HS hosts first annual competition, takes home the rack EMILY THOMPSON Staff reporter

On Feb. 17, Sandpoint High School and Bonners Ferry High School gathered together for the first annual Moose Madness. Each school brought their dance team, cheerleaders, pep bands and loudest crowd in hopes of gaining the most points and winning the trophy, a pair of moose antlers, to take home to their school in victory.

“We really just wanted to get the school into the [basketball] games again,” junior student council member Mike Richardson said, “plus it looked pretty fun.”

Inspiration for Moose Madness first began with a video from Mr. and Mrs. Semones.

“Mr. Semones brought us a video of one of their games from when he was in Hawaii,” Richardson said. “It consisted of an elaborate dance routine, all synchronized, we thought it would be cool to try it here.”

It was soon discovered that Hawaii wasn’t the only place that hosted spirit games between schools.

“We kind of took the Moose Madness idea from other schools in this area,” Student Council member Caitlyn Reeves said. “Coeur d’ Alene has what they call “Fight for the Fish” and Timberlake plays for “Battle of the Buck.”

Winning Moose Madness went to the school with the highest final points. In total, there was a possible 140 points, and to gain those points

STEFFEN SPRAGGINS

■ GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME: Junior Steffan Burrato flies through the air making a basket at the Moose Madness spirit competition

the student body had to participate in various activities.

“Sportsmanship was a big part of it,” Reeves said. “The schools could gain points based on their behavior and attitude in the stands; the better the sportsmanship, the more points we’re awarded.”

Despite the fact that Moose Madness was centered on the two basketball games, the outcome of the games did not award any points.

Of the two games, the SHS varsity girls lost, but the boys came back with a victory over the Badgers.

Along with the sportsmanship, points were also awarded for the SHS Stomp Routine and the Bonners Lip Synch, Pep Band, moose-calling contest, posters, Dance Team and cheerleader’s performance, and blindfolded moose-drawing contest.

Madness continued page 2

JENNIFER PRANDATO Assistant editor

Dangerous weather and road conditions have caused snow days for Lake Pend Oreille School District four times already in this developing winter season.

Snow days are decided by Superindendent Dick Cvitanich and his staff, relying on multiple sources

including road condition experts as well as weather forecasts.

The abundance of days off from school has caused some to worry about whether the time will need to be caught up during the summer months.

“I really like having snow days, but I don’t want to make up time during my summer,” freshman Buddy Chambers said.

Idaho’s law states students must spend a certain amount of time learning per year, depending on the grade level. High school students need 990 instructional hours of school, which is higher than any other grade level. The district is allowed 11 hours, which is approximately two days worth of instruction, to close for weather or building related closures. Familiar

to the harsh weather conditions of the Northwest, the district schedules the school year to run beyond the required 990 hours. However, if too many snow days are approved

by Cvitanich, there is a chance of going beyond the allotted hours.

The amount of instructional time is important, but is not accounted for when snow days occur.

School closer continued page 2

Excessive snowfall enjoyed by students, tourists alike KEEGAN DUNN News editor

Adviser: Kathy Holme Upcoming events:

STEFFEN SPRAGGINS

■ LET IT SNOW: Schweitzer Mountain Resort employees had to spend more hours clearing out the 150-inch accumulation snow.

feature

page 5

92 days

STEFFEN SPRAGGINS

■ STOMP: SHS students perform stomp routine

Inclement weather conditions bring SHS snow days

H.O.S.A.

On Saturday, Feb. 14 Health Occupation Students of America will be hosting a dance at the community hall.

JANUARY 2009

December was Spokane’s snowiest month ever, and Sandpoint got plenty too.

“It’s been great. What more could you ask for?” junior Lucas Roberts said.

After being chosen as Ski magazine’s Best Place to Ditch the Crowds last October, Schweitzer Mountain Resort has already received 150 inches of snow in its first month of operation this season, half of the 300 inches it

What’s inside?

News............................................................Page 2 Opinion.......................................................Page 3 Arts&Culture.............................................Page 4,5 Sports.........................................................Page 6,7

receives on average every season.

“They [Schweitzer] are really enjoying it,” senior and Schweitzer employee Dalton Hawkins said.

“We’re really psyched that we finally got NASTAR up and running. It’s good to have something to work with.”

Naturally, skiers and snowboarders appreciate the abundant snowfall.

“I only missed three days all Christmas break,” Roberts said. “I’ve got new skis and I’m gonna get a new board, so I’m ready to go.”

Snowfall continued page 2

“

Schweitzer contributed to where I am now. It got me hooked at a young age.

“

As A

SANDPOINT HIGH SCHOOL

-Pat Holland

read more from Holland on page 6

Page 2

Battle of the Bands in January eddie ogle

Journalism contributor The annual Battle of the Bands is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Panida Theater.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and bands can register for $25. SHS choir teacher John Brownell expects 10-12 bands to compete this year, and all proceeds from the event will benefit SHS choir.

Any band can enter Battle of the Bands regardless of what style of music or how many people are in the band.

Doors open at 5:30, with the event starting at 6:30. Tickets can be purchased at the Panida entrance the night of the event.

Sophomore Cameron Brownell’s band was awarded second place at last year’s Battle of the Bands, after the band Deuteronomy and plans to compete this year and earn the first place award. He is the lead vocalist for his group.

“We don’t have a name for our band yet, but we are trying hard to come up with something epic,” Brownell said.

He said that last year he was very nervous to compete, but once he got on stage he had a great time singing in front of the crowd. His favorite part about being involved with Battle of the Bands was watching the band Synthetic Nightmare, describing them as very enthusiastic and entertaining to watch.

January 2009

2009 supplemental school levy approved Jan. 8, Otter proposed a 5.3 percent cutback comes off the books.”

An issue that was brought up several times in school funding, which, if implemented, Copy editor at the school board meeting where the levy was would amount to a decrease of $1.1 million rustees voted unanimously at the approved was the upcoming cutbacks schools of funding for the Lake Pend Oreille School school board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 13 could possibly be facing.

District. LPOSD is also predicting enrollment to approve the 2009 Replacement decreases in the near future, which will Instructional Supplemental Levy. reduce funding further.

Taxpayers will vote on the levy on The $10.95 million levy would cover Tuesday, Feb. 24. “our instructional staff- the number n sports disappear or pay to play “We have to run these every two years,” of teachers, extracurricular teachers, school board chairwoman Vickie Pfeifer computers, curriculum, that sort of thing,” n 1 in 5 teachers disappear said. “It’s basically a supplemental levy Pfeifer said. Extracurriculars include all to keep our maintenance and operations n no accelerated reading program school sports, clubs, and drama. running.”

The levy accounts for 21 percent of n science consumables gone Members of the school board stressed staff funding, about one of every five that the cost to taxpayers for schools teachers. “This isn’t extravagant at all,” will actually decrease over the next two Pfeifer said. “I would trust that the board years, even if the levy passes.

“You all probably heard the words ‘Governor realized these are tough economic times for “The first year will keep the tax rates Otter’,” superintendent Dick Cvitanich told everybody... We’re trying to be responsible to constant,” Pfeifer said. “And the second year those attending the meeting. the taxpayer. We’ve tried to be good stewards will actually be a decrease; the facilities levy In Gov. Butch Otter’s State of the State address of the money.”

Kat Vardell

T

Madness: continued from page 1 There was also a cheering contest between the two schools held four times throughout the night. The school with the highest measured decibel level won the contest.

Despite the fact that Sandpoint students had to drive to Bonners to see the game, the stands were filled near to their maximum capacity. Many SHS students who drove up

If the levy fails...

to Bonners enjoyed the game and hope to see it again next year.

“It was incredibly fun,” junior Hope Woodruff said, “the school spirit was insane.”

Woodruff expressed that she would like to see it happen again next year, and looks forward to the idea of hosting it in Sandpoint.

“It really brought our school together; all the activities, the game, it was really awesome,” Woodruff said.

While Moose Madness was structured around the basketball games, it was really the activities the student body participated in that determined the winning school. While SHS didn’t win the spirit game this year, plans are already circulating about next year’s game.

“We hope to make it even bigger next year,” Richardson said, “I think it was a success and we achieved the school spirit we were looking for.”

Students enjoy Winter Carnival tala Wood Staff reporter

Photo Courtesy Bill Connolly

n INFERNO: The Idaho Club lodge caught fire at around 4 am Thursday, Dec. 18. The building was a total loss, but no one was injured

Idaho Club lodge burns down tala Wood Staff reporter

Idaho Club officials plan to rebuild the 30,000 square foot clubhouse that burned down in mid December.

The clubhouse had been remodeled a few years previously, but was destroyed by the fire.

Chuck Reeves, owner of the Idaho Club golf resort, was saddened at the loss of a building Snowfall: continued from page 1 The Lake Pend Oreille school district has had four emergency school closures so far this winter, and many students took the opportunity to remove snow from residential rooftops to make some money.

“Some people, like the Californians, really freak out about all the snow we’ve gotten, but I haven’t really had a problem; I made over 400 dollars on the days we got off,” Roberts

that contained many memories.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, although there is some speculation that it could have been arson.

Others believe a piece of electric equipment was left on, or a broken pipe caused a leak that led to an electrical spark.

The club insists that the fully insured clubhouse will be rebuilt quickly, and be even

better than it was before.

Before the fire, the clubhouse held a bar and lounge, a restaurant, and a deck that looked over the Pack River.

Skip Pucci, the owner of the construction company that built the clubhouse, was in awe of it.

As for the rebuilding, “I hope they do it with me,” he said.

said.

Heavy snow on the roads can make driving hazardous.

“It’s very interesting, because out where I live it’s turned into a one-way road, and normally it’s two. I haven’t had too much trouble, although I got in a ditch once,” Hawkins said.

“You have to look out.”

Students remain optimistic, however, despite the driving difficulties.

“Wish for more!” Roberts said.

School Closure: continued from page 1 “It’s completely based on the conditions,” Cvitanich said. “Safety is the number one factor and that’s what makes those such difficult judgment calls.”

Snow days this year have been called for unsafe driving conditions and inclement weather. While the first few were due to temperatures far below zero, the most recent snow day was called because the unusually

Since 1974, Sandpoint has held a Winter Carnival annually, and this year was no exception.

“The Winter Carnival is a time for everyone to experience everything Sandpoint has to offer,” junior Rachael Doty said.

This year’s theme was ‘For the Love of Snow’, and featured the first ever RailJam at the Jeff Jones Town Square at Main and Third.

Participating skiers and snowboarders were graded on style, amplitude, difficulty, and variety.

“There was a big ramp that led down to the rails. There were some cool spins and tricks and jumps, and one kid racked himself pretty bad,” senior Ben Murray said. “It was lit really, really well, and it was in a really central location.”

This 35-year-old tradition also included some familiar events such as the bonfire at the town square and the Schweitzer torchlight parade, which included fireworks and live music.

“The bonfire wasn’t big enough,” junior Ethan Kopiecki said.

Bio-Luminesce, a performance dance troupe, presented a Fire Dance combining dance, theater, acrobatics, live and recorded music, yoga, and martial arts along with fire at the Pend Oreille Winery.

Other events included the Polar Plunge and a K9 Keg Pull in which dogs raced a 50 yard course harnessed to empty kegs supplied by a local pub. high temperatures were causing flooding and unsafe driving conditions in some areas from the melting snow.

Shoveling off roofs has become a near necessity this winter season for many buildings that could eventually include Sandpoint High School. The weight of the snow has already been measured and compared to last year’s snowfall. The snow weighed of 25-30 lbs per cubic feet last year, whereas it has only been up to 18 lbs this year.

Cedar Post

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Yes, we know Christmas is over, but that’s not what we’re talking about. It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for; we’re talking about (cue the drum-roll)…FINALS! No complaining. Nobody in their right mind would enjoy a two-hour test of knowledge, skill or creative thinking, but students don’t even have to do the grading. Think about it. Instead, let’s talk about our favorite issue: scheduling! We all know that our final schedule is as fickle as Paris Hilton from year to year, so let’s see how we like this year’s little ball of joy.

First, you’ll have a review day which will encompass all of your classes. That’s right, boys

Finals schedule continuously changes

and girls; in between shuffling from class to class, you will try to cram as much information into that fluff-filled space between your ears as you can possibly manage. Since the review periods are only 42 minutes long, the pure value of the information you receive is probably equivalent to that of one Dancing with the Stars episode.

Following your brain-grinding review session, you will be subjected to three finals a day. The good news? Those who have early release get no finals on the last day of the quarter. The bad news? You’re stuck for three hours in English.

There are two words to characterize this plan: bulimic education.

As high schoolers, you should all be familiar

with this phrase. Or, you should be able to visualize it; you take the info, cram it down your throat and vomit it back up on the test.

The only problem is, for those of you who do have finals on the last day of the quarter, it’s been three days since your review. That means that all of the info-vomit is stale and halfdissolved. You won’t be able to make sense of it.

Two years ago, there was a wonderful finals schedule (which, of course, was never used again). There were two classes a day. Each class was split into a review period and a final period.

This meant that the info-vomit was fresh and the finals didn’t last long enough to induce a coma.

Why get rid of a good thing?

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.

”

O V

Page 3

January 2009

• Debt effed my mom up pretty bad.

• That’s why you don’t marry anyone iiiyou don’t know.

• What, me or the door?

• Okay, let’s bet my virginity on it.

• I got dropped on my head like a iiipeniguin.

• Sometimes, I wake up sweating in the iimiddle of the night and think I peed iimy pants.

• You dance like a robot horse.

JADE DONIGAN

Is it just me, or is the military everywhere?

They fund our college scholarship lectures, they set up booths in our school’s lobby and hand out free gifts, which never seem to go away. It seems like every other person in the hall has something with some branch of the military’s insignia. Pens, pencils, clothing, hats, book covers, stickers, key chains… It just never ends.

I’m going to be controversial here, and say: “The military has no place in our public schools.”

Yes, the military can give scholarship money to students for college. It can give some people direction in their lives, and in some cases, yes, the military helps people.

The vast majority of the time, however, this is NOT the case.

The military exists to kill and be killed. That is the basis of its function. Are there sections of the military in which you will never use a weapon? Yes, but only if you are lucky- and yes, I’m using the term LUCKY- enough to get there.

The military is not obligated under the same rules as you and I. They have their own rules and their own court system. They could care less that you didn’t end up where you wanted to be.

Although, conversely, it is not an institution that forgives and forgets.

Just look at their policies regarding LGBTs. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is precisely what it sounds like, and if you break it, you get dishonorably discharged. As for women?

They reported higher incidences of rape, sexual abuse and harassment than civilians, and 50,000 military spouses were victims of domestic violence, five times the civilian rate.

If you were to join the military right now, you would most likely get sent to Iraq. Even- in fact, especially- if you are in the National Guard.

And just because you are a woman doesn’t mean you won’t end up in a combat situation.

Let’s make a stand In the 1960s and ‘70s,0 the youth of America made a stand- a stand against the government and society and the road they were being led down. Maybe not every teen in the United States was involved, but there were enough to get everybody’s attention.

There were enough to make the history books. Why then, as our world supposedly progresses, do the youth of today retrogress?

Why don’t we voice our opinions? Why don’t some of us have any at all? No doubt there is enough going on in the world, good and

They have Lionesses- female military personnel, who do not directly fight, but are in the thick of battle. Over 155,000 women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002.

Are you considering joining in order to help people, as one of my friends wants to?

That’s a fine reason, but you don’t have to pick up a gun to do it. Join the Peace Corps.

Are you thinking that the military will help you pay for college? Not so much. If you survive the eight years of service they require, then you will have to fight to get your benefits. 57 percent of the people who apply for benefits do not receive them, and 23 percent receive only half of their benefits.

When I took the ASVAB, I was told ahead of time that there would be a section of the test in which I could ask for my name to be withheld from military recruiters. When I actually took the test, however, I could find no such portion. When I asked the monitor, she looked confused, and then said that I could write “No” next to my name. A few months after I got my results, a military recruiter from the National Guard called my house. To make an uncomfortable, fury-inducing conversation short, they had received my name and personal information from my ASVAB results.

I don’t want to offend anyone - persuade, inform, and warn, perhaps- but I must speak my mind. The military has no place in a public school. If you want to join, that’s your business, if you want to go kill and be killed, and maybe get your benefits, or maybe not, that’s just fine. Enjoy your career choice. But I do not support deceit, and that is what the military is presenting. So the next time a recruiter starts to sweet talk you about a free ride to college and a shortened service, get his words in writing, because they don’t have to follow oral promises.

And if they want you to sign something- not a good idea, 18 or not- read all the fine print, or better yet, don’t sign it at all. Find out exactly what you are getting into. It’s not just some big fraternity/sorority that teaches you how to be strong. It’s an organization that focuses on violence. Remember that the next time you pick up one of their book covers or pens. bad, that we should feel something about it.

We are even fighting in a war, something the kids of the ‘60s and ‘70s were familiar with.

Sure, there isn’t a draft, isn’t agent orange or prevalent drug addiction, but war is war and death is death no matter what decade you spent your youth in. We should have an opinion on this; we should voice it. I’ll bet fighting for your country and its future is pretty discouraging when those who plan on living in that future have nothing to say to you.

In order to know where you’re going you need to know where you came from, and more importantly you need to know where you are if you’re going to get anywhere at all. I’m not saying we need to read every word of the New York Times, I just think we could do well to pick up our heads every once and a while to see what’s going on.

• Do you know how many people have iiiputitheir hands on that?

• Hey, are you forkin’ it or are you ii spoonin’ itibecause I’m forkin’ it.

WITH CASEY DUNN

Warning: this might just be worth reading I’ll make this simple. We need to seriously, definitely, absolutely, unconditionally, unambiguously, do-it-like-you’re-three-yearsold-and-your-mommy-told-you-to pass the upcoming supplemental school levy. Why? Because life is really going to be rough for the district’s students if we don’t.

I’m not going to sugar-coat it. Those levy dollars will be missed. I’ll start by listing some of the biggies that will no longer exist if the levy doesn’t pass.

First, sports. We won’t have any. Actually, let me take that back. We will have all of those sports whose coaches are unpaid, whose players don’t wear uniforms, whose teams don’t travel anywhere to compete and whose playing facilities are located outside school property (because, of course, all of those little unnecessary extras are funded by this levy).

We also might lose a few teachers. Actually, a lot more than a few. One in five, to be exact, as over 20 percent of teacher’s salaries are funded by this levy. I wonder which grade will be the first to go...

Curriculum budgets will be severely slashed.

Coaching for our teachers will be eliminated.

Consumables will quickly run out, which means no more crayons, glue or markers or colored pencils or construction paper.

Whatever. First grade has nothing to do with craft projects anyway. Science consumables would also be eliminated. But no big deal. I always thought mixing chemicals and doing labs and dissections and conducting experiments was a waste of time when I could learn it all out of a textbook anyway (which, by the way, wouldn’t be getting replaced anytime soon).

The district would no longer be able to pay licensing fees for its software. That means a possible goodbye to the Schoolmaster grading system and the Accelerated Reading program, among others. But of course, we all know learning to read and checking your grades were never important in the first place.

And, of course, let’s not forget operational costs. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from our supplemental levy helps pay for extravagant, unnecessary luxuries such as heat, electricity, sewer service, garbage disposal, snow plowing, cleaning and general maintenance, but no matter. I always find it more exciting to try and write when my arm is shivering uncontrollably.

That’s it. That’s all we’ll have to sacrifice if the levy doesn’t pass.

The bottom line is that this levy is not optional. It is not in any way a backup. It is not really even “supplemental” at all. This levy has to pass. Period. The futures of our students (not to mention home football games) depend on it.

• I just got gnared up in the face by my iiilocker.

• If guys don’t want to date us, they iiimust be serial killers.

” CHELSEA KARDOKUS Editor-in-Chief

JENNIFER PRANDATO Assistant Editor

ISAAC DUNNE

Arts & Culture Editor

KEEGAN DUNN News Editor

PAULINA GRALOW Sports Editor

CARLY RICKARD Photo Editor

JESSE COBB

Graphics Editor

CRISTINA WILSON

Advertising Manager Office Manager

MIKE GEARLDS 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.

The CP strongly encourages you to voice your opinion through the student paper.

E-mail your letter or bring it by E8.

Sandpoint High School 410 South Division Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 263-3034 ext 244 shscedarpost@hotmail.com

Printed by the Daily Bee

BIG idea

January, 2009

Cedar Post

Page 4

the

Here are a few ideas the Cedar Post staff thinks are just great u Play Rockband 2- Most teenagers are neither

musically talented nor dedicated enough to form an actual rock band, but with Rockband 2, two guitars, a drumkit, a microphone and a decent music selection you and your friends can live out your dreams of rocking the suburbs.

Minus the groupies. Sorry.

-Isaac D.

happy birthday jack

n sadie hawkins: Al Capp’s comic strip which featured the first appearance of Sadie Hawkins’s Day

Who is Sadie Hawkins?

u Take a hike- Hiking can provide for exciting memo-

rable experiences during the winter. There are trails all over that provide wonderful winter views. However, trails can be icy this time of year, so be careful. Bring a camera to document the journey and the views.

-Paulina G.

Kat Vardell Copy editor

Sadie Hawkins was the daughter of Hekzebiah Hawkins, one of the earliest settlers of the fictional hillbilly town Dogpatch in Kentucky.

Sadie was known as the “homliest gal in all them hills,” by the hillbillies of Dogpatch, and thus, could not get anyone to marry her.

In desperation, on Nov. 15, 1937, her father called together all the bachelors of Dogpatch and declared “Sadie Hawkins Day”, where a footrace took place with Sadie Hawkins in pursuit of the men. The first one she caught and dragged back to the starting line had to marry her.

This took place in L’il Abner, a satirical comic strip written by Al Capp strip about a group of hillbillies in the fictional town Dogpatch.

n On The run: Another panel of Lil’ Abner about Sadie Hawkins’s day

Although Capp had not intended to make Sadie Hawkins Day a ritual, its enormous popularity prompted him to include the event in his strip every November for four decades.

According to Capp, Sadie Hawkins Day is not held on any one day.

Supposedly, the first Sadie Hawkins dance was was held at Morris Harvey college in 1938, other colleges soon followed suit and in 1939 LIFE magazine wrote a double-page spread about the new phenomenon.

Today Sadie Hawkins dances, also called WPA (Women Pay All), or Girl’s Preference are held frequently in the United States and Canada at middle schools, high schools and colleges.

Often Sadie Hawkins dances involve traditions of the couples dressing up like hillbillies and girls asking guys in creative ways.

u Snap some Polaroids- Polaroid has ceased

production of their iconic integral films but you can still find a few packs if you are willing to look hard enough. You probably have an old Polaroid camera lying around somewhere in your house, and if not thrift stores are usually a good bet. There is nothing quite like the joys of Polaroid’s signature film format. Shoot some while you still have the chance.

-Isaac D.

u Go Bowling- Bowling is a beloved past time. Even

though the actual bowling part can be pretty lame, bowling is about the classic bowling alley experience. It’s a time to laugh and hang out with friends and get horrible shoes from toothless employees. There are also some added bonuses to bowling. Lifting that bowling ball up and chucking it down the lane can really workout your biceps. Plus, in Sandpoint you can catch some rays after you bowl and leave a little tanner than you came.

-Chelsea K.

u Shop at a thrift store- With college around the

corner for some, the search for cheap fashions can be difficult. Good thing the eighties are still coming back... again.

Checkout the Goodwill or even the new Seconds Anyone? thrift store located on the corner of Pine and Boyer. Thrift stores often have treasures that can satisfy even the most glamorous trendsetters.

-Molly H.

u

Watch trashy VH1 reality shows- Watching TV can be really relaxing for some, so we recommend flipping on the tele to VH1. Shows like Rock of Love provide the viewer with more than the occasional laugh. Although the breasts of the competitors are rather large, the viewer must not hold that against the intelligence of these blonde haired bombshells.

-Molly H.

u Interpretive dancing- While listening to your fa-

vorite jam, act out the lyrics with some innovative dance moves in the car. For example, “hit me baby one more time” can be acted out by; pretending to slap your face, cradle a child, number one symbol, and the checking of the watch.Have a competition to see how many pedestrians you can get to join along with your mad moves.

-Sophie M.

n Thespians: Mime and Masque members sophomore Adam Leas and senior Liam Mooney rehearse play

Garrett dunn

Mime and Masque does well at state, prepares for next plays Jennifer Prandado Assistant editor

The SHS Mime and Masque club recently competed and placed at the districts and state competitions. Only

the top third of the competitors at the districts competition qualifies for state.

From SHS, 16 students qualified. Out of them, seniors Jade Donigan and Jessica Johnson placed third for costumes and sophomore Maggie Miller placed third

in solo humorous. Drama is currently preparing for their next play, “Tale of a Prospector’s Daughter or She Was Only A Miner’s Minor” as well as their upcoming musical Beauty and the Beast.

u Chat till midnight- With senior year (for some)

coming to a close, remembering your favorite high school memories with your best friends can be a very enjoyable friday night activity. Remembering how you met, all those times your parents still don’t know about and revealing all the secrets you swore you would never tell anyone. Grab some blankets, snatch all the food in sight, sit down and enjoy the company - it may be one your last chances to all be together.

-Chelsea K.

Cedar Post

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Aunan begins class that will allow students to pursue nontraditional learning avenues $25,000 PAFE grant helps in providing advanced technology

January 2009

The Dow is down the Money slips through my weak hands Bernanke! Help me!

CASEY DUNN Staff reporter

Thanks to $25,000 in computer equipment and software from the Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE), Sandpoint High chemistry teacher Woody Aunan will be teaching a new independent-study course starting spring semester.

One large part of what makes the class unique is that no grades will be awarded. Instead, Aunan hopes that students enrolled in the course will take the opportunity to fully explore their true interests and passions without the barriers and ISAAC DUNNE pressures of a traditional classroom.

■TECHNOLOGIC: Senior Dash Paulsen uses some of Aunan’s new technology funded by the PAFE grant “Literally, there is no one way to describe it,” Aunan said. “The big thing is that it’s not any even though they understand it better when through the cracks? No! These are the ones you particular discipline. It’s not chemistry; it’s not they get it, then that student will probably feel want!”

Aunan said that those particular students english; it’s not history. It could be all of them like they really should have gotten it faster and so they shut up, and they shut down.

It’s have so far had the most ideas as to what they depending on what you’re trying to find out. horrible to watch.

I don’t want any of those might pursue in the class.

It’s about every student and what they’re doing.

“That’s what really interests me,” he said.

They could be anywhere; people might be kinds of activities where I’m trying to have one student answer faster than another. ” “Surprisingly, the ones that are traditionally interested in comparative religions, abortion, Aunan had a particular set of students in not very academic but interested in their world immigration policy, string theory, Arabic, or conspiracy theories. All those things came up mind when creating the class. He knows all have no trouble coming up with a list. That’s why I think [the class] is so right. “ from students [who will be taking the course].”

Aunan also looks forward to seeing students The course syllabus, which has been given take the opportunity to pursue topics not “You are here to reconnect to every student taking the class next semester, typically explored in other courses. states that “You are here to reconnect what might what might have been “I hope some people really choose have been obscured from all the years you have obscured from all the years controversial topics,” he said. “I think been forced to wear subjective blinders.” It’s a you have been forced to wear controversy is avoided in most classrooms, and philosophy Aunan is passionate about. it shouldn’t be. It should be embraced.”

“I think everybody is inherently interested subjective blinders.”

Besides providing what Aunan calls an “ideal in their world,” Aunan said. “It seems that -Woody Aunan learning opportunity” for the 10 students in the rekindling some childhood curiosity would be SHS Science Teacher class, the equipment purchased with the PAFE a good thing. It’s an idealism that runs deep in money will also be available for all students’ me. It’s an experiment; I mean, it could fail. I told the people who gave me the money that of the 10 students enrolled in the class on a benefit.

“My chemistry students are going to benefit this could fail. But I really believe that there are personal basis, and hand-picked them, not tremendously from the new equipment, so it’s students out there who could do well in this necessarily for their academic performance, a win-win, ” Aunan said. “It’s not just impacting kind of setting.” but for their inherent curiosity and what he sees The class will stress a more-collaborative as the ability to succeed in a non-traditional those few students. I’ve had this good fortune of getting lots of PAFE grants and every time I get approach to learning, where students are not classroom setting. competitors, but fellow learners.

“At least four of the people…are not anything, the looks on students faces when they The problem with the traditional classroom,” necessarily grade-getters,” Aunan said. “They realize that someone has spent money on their Aunan said, ”…is that if Johnny two-shoes over don’t care if they turn everything in. But when brains and cares about them is unbelievable. here has the answer right away, and somebody you say something that interests them, they That in itself is almost worth the entire grant.”

Aunan has high aspirations for the class and over here who is really thinking about it wants immediately ask questions, that have nothing plans on increasing the number of students in to process it at the deepest level takes longer to do with the test. Should these kids be falling

“

”

It’s Britney, bitch! She Finally stops the crazy She’s boring again!

Corporate fat-cats get Mad cash. Surprise Surprise they Use it on themselves

Black man president Will you heal our wounds? Also: Pick first dog ASAP

Lady from the north Lenscrafters model? Goddess?

Mom. Maverick. Moron.

California votes Marriage equals dude plus chick Gays are pretty bummed

Twilight is one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read

T

here are certain books that burst like meteors into the literary atmosphere and burn a white-hot scar in the minds of readers everywhere. Despite the insistence of seemingly every female I have ever met, “Twilight” is not one of those books.

For those not in touch with the rabid literary affections of otherwise delightful young women, “Twilight” is one of a series of novels about a young woman and her hunky vampire boyfriend, his hunky vampire family and their hunky werewolf friends.

The events of the novel (sparing no details) are as follows: 1. Bella (our heroine) moves to dreary coastal Washington.

2. Bella meets Edward (mystery man, vampire.)

3. Nothing.

4. Edward saves Bella from certain doom.

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5. Bella suspects Edward’s vampiric tendencies.

6. More nothing.

7. Bella is saved from certain doom. Again.

8. Bella’s suspicions are confirmed.

9. A lot more nothing.

10. Bad vampire shows up.

11. Bella faces certain doom. Is saved.

Somehow, author Stephanie Meyer manages to stretch this inglorious bastard of a novel to more than 498 pages. Yuck. The meaningless mess that is “Twilight” reads like Meyer wrote it with her trusty thesaurus tucked tightly under her arm. The result is a strained, pedestrian prose that just barely manages to limp from start to finish.

And yet, something in this poor excuse for a novel elicits a wild response from intelligent, well-read young women. I suspect that something is the description of Bella. You see, prior to strangely monster-dense Western Washington, Bella was seen as neither beautiful nor particularly charming. But upon her arrival to the microcosm of Forks, Wash., Bella is not only desired by boys; she is desired by the boy: the impossibly Vitruvian vampire no one can keep their eyes off or their hands on. Thus, the ugly duckling transforms into the

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beautiful swan by a simple matter of geography. She finds her courage in a change of scene, the glass slipper fits, the magic was inside her all along, etc. What girl doesn’t want to believe that? What girl doesn’t want to believe there is a secret beauty hidden inside her that is just waiting to be discovered by her prince charming?

I am not a girl, and that certainly has something to do with my distaste for this book. I couldn’t care less about my inner beauty. When I read a book I want it to punch me in the gut or tear my heart to pieces or burrow deep inside my brain. I don’t want it to tuck me in and whisper that all my dreams will come true, and I certainly don’t want it riddled with the kind of careless prose of which Mrs. Meyer seems to be so fond.

January 2008

Page 6

Cedar Post

Boys’

spenCer swerin

Boys’ basketball captain

Varsity BasketBall

CarLy riCkard

This year’s varsity basketball team is comprised of eight seniors and three juniors, returning five lettermen from last year’s team. We have an experienced group of guys and should be really exciting to watch in 2009.

Our main goal this year is to win the

district tournament and go to the state tournament in March. Thus far this season we have been learning to play together as a team. This has resulted in a 3-5 record to start our season. We plan on uniting together to turn our season around and show everyone what we can do. If one comes to watch us, they will see a team play with passion and heart.

ncaptains: Tanner French, Spencer Swerin, Bryce Olin

Christina Johnson

Girls’ basketball Captain Our goals for this season are to improve as a program. Our team loves the game. We have a lot of heart and that’s one of our strengths. We have played in the toughest league in the state this year so far. In that, we have had some tough games, but as a team we’ve learned so much and made a lot of improvements.

Our main weakness is that as a young

girls’ Varsity

team we lack some mental toughness and experience. We’re all excited for the future. Our team is young and four out of five starters will return next year.

More younger girls are turning out, so our program will improve. Our program is being built from the bottom up, starting with the youngsters. Our new coach is great. Coach Bruce has shown so much committment and we all look up to him.

CarLy riCkard

ncaptains: Christina Johnson and Jenny Thompson

Leonard Fister

Varsity Wrestling

Wrestling captain

pauLina GraLow

ncaptains: Sid Winter and Leonard Fister

tabby and tanya Fessenden Cheerleading captains

Sandpoint Varsity Cheer started out being a 12 girl squad. In the beginning of the year, we were a strong team.

However, as the year progressed, we had many complications. About half of our squad quit and we were only left with seven remaining girls. This was a disappointment because we knew we had to have at least eight girls to compete

danCe team

BasketBall

and go to state competition. We had a group meeting about the problems we had and how we could fix them.

Afterwards, two girls decided to rejoin.

This made it possible for us to now go to competition and compete for the state title once again. We will go to our first competition in Post Falls on Feb. 14 and compete against the district one schools.

If we place first or score enough points then we will go to the state competition in Boise.

The SHS wrestling team will be a fun team to watch this year. We have all experiences from being beginners to state placers. Our goal is to do better individually and as a team than the previous year. The guys that have been excelling are Garret Belgarde, who has gone undefeated thus far including a tri-state championship; Sid Winter,

who is a captain and has done very well; Leonard Fister, also a captain, who has only lost one match; and senior Terry Taylor whom we expect good things out of. Our only weakness as a team is that we are missing kids at certain weights which gives other teams a lead at our duals. We are also loving the return of our beloved coach Mike Randles. He is an inspiration and a gift from the gods.

Varsity Cheerleading CarLy riCkard

ncaptains: Tabby and Tanya Fessenden

CarLy riCkard

Dance team captain

MoLLy riCkard

ncaptains: Laticia Lies, Carly Rickard, Kim Meyers

The 2008-2009 SHS Dance Team consists of 16 young ladies.

The Dance Team had a wonderful start to the year by attending the United Spirit Association Camp in Spokane this summer.

At the camp, we received a superior rating and also won the most coveted award at camp- the friendship boot, being the team that was the most friendly and supportive of the other teams.

For competiton this year, we will be competing at Potlatch High School, the Idaho Center for state, Capital High School for the Pacific Northwest Competition; and at El Dorado High School in Placentia, California for the Golden Hawk Championships. We will be competing in the following divisions this year: Dance, Kick, Prop, Small Dance, and the officers and I will compete in a Solo dance division.

The team looks to be a major contender in all their competitions including the state title.

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Cedar Post

January 2009

Sophomore Dakota Blaese Q. Do you do any other sports?

A. “Yeah I play lacrosse.”

PAULINA GRALOW

Q. Whats the hardest part about conditioning?

A. “The running.”

Dakota Blase is a sophomore on the Sandpoint High School varsity wrestling team and has wrestled for three years. Blase took third at districts two weight categories up last year, and has a goal of state this upcoming season. He may be a man of few words but he will be a wrestler to watch on the mats this season.

Q. Do you have any goals for this season?

A. “To do well at districts.”

Sports Editor

Q. Whats the hardest part about wrestling?

A. “The conditioning.”

Q. Is it hard to maintain your weight category?

A. “Sometimes.”

Q. What kind of training do you do during wrestiling season?

A. “We sprint a lot, running, and stair laps.”

Q. How long have you been wrestling for?

A. “Three years.”

Q. What do you like about wrestling?

A. “How it’s an individual sport, and if you mess up it’s your fault.”

Q. Do you ever train and condition in the off-season?

A. “Yeah, just running and stuff like that.”

Q. Are you planning on going to state this year?

A. “It depends on if I do well at districts, I hope to yes.”

CAR-

PAULINA GRALOW

■ ON THE MAT: Dakota Blaese wrestles with a teammate at practice

Patrick Holland vying for 2010 Olympics

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER FOLE

■ GOING FOR GOLD: Patrick Holland, right, is aiming to compete in the 2010 Olympics along with his brother Nate, left. Nate is a two-time X Games gold medalist, and competed in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy

now,” Patrick said. “Schweitzer contributed Sports Editor to where I am now. It got me hooked at a young age.”

Sandpoint native Patrick Holland is Schweitzer also gave Patrick a strong scheduled to compete in the boarder cross start on his career. in the X Games Jan. 24 along with his “It gave me opportunity and with the brother Nate Holland. help of my parents and friends we were “It was a goal of mine to get invited into able to ski and snowboard at a young age the X games,” Patrick said. “2005 was my at Schweitzer,” Patrick said. “From there I first year. I love that event.” just got hooked on snowboarding.”

But Patrick now has a different goal.

While in high school, Patrick had to After watching his brother compete in the ride “weekend warrior” style, only being 2006 Olympics, Patrick decided that he able to ride on weekends, yet at that time wanted to do the same thing. he wanted to be an Alaskan big mountain “I decided there that I want to be part heli-ski guide. of the Olympic snowboard team in 2010,” “When I was snowboarding through Patrick said. high school I just did it for fun and I Although Patrick now lives in Tahoe would do local competitions and ride on City, California, he still considers the weekends,” Patrick said.

Sandpoint his hometown.

But now, after realizing that heli-skiing “Sandpoint contributed to where I am was not his dream, he is preparing for PAULINA GRALOW

his fifth X Games, along with competing against his brother.

“By now it’s like competing against anybody else but we help each other out when we’re training together and talk about line selection,” Patrick said. “But once we’re on course racing it’s pretty much every man for himself.”

Although the X Games are important, they are not necessarily the way to the Olympics. “[At] X Games you get a lot more publicity from sponsors and recognition from more people if you win, but World Cup is the way to the Olympics. You have to do well in World Cup to earn your spot in the Olympics,” Patrick said. “So they’re both very important in their own way.”

But Patrick knows that if he rides to his potential he will do well.

“I’ve gotten to the point where if I ride

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my very best I can podium at X Games and have a chance to win; I just have to put everything together that day on course and ride the best I can,” Patrick said. “That gives me the best opportunity to do well.”

Schweitzer Mountain Resort is having a fundraising party on Saturday January 24 for Pat and Nate Holland, called “On Board with the Holland Brothers.” There will be a big-screen viewing in Taps and the Caribou Room with food and drink specials, and other drawings. The party starts at 11 am, when the X Games start.

Even though Patrick spends most of his time traveling, he still makes time to come back to Sandpoint, the place where his passion for snowboarding was born.

“I try to make it back once a year,” he said. “I love it here in the summertime, my family’s here, and I have a lot of great friends here.”

KEEP

Cedar Post

AROUND!

a

YES!

Students of Cedar Post support the levy!

Page 8

January 2008

Cedar Post

home!

5:00 p.m.

Boys/girls JV wrestling

7:00 Prospector’s Daughter Performance

home!

home!

7:00 p.m.

Girls Varsity Basketball District Tournament

FAFSA DUE!

No School!!

home!

6:00 p.m.

Girls Varsity Basketball District Tournament

5:00 p.m.

B o y s /g i r l s wrestling

home!

7:00 p.m.

Boys basketball district tournament

7:30 SHS Jazz Concert

7:00 Improv Show

7:00 Pretty Kitty Pageant

All Northwest Honor Choir Concert

home!

6:00 p.m.

Boys basketball district tournament

home!

7:00 p.m.

Boys basketball district tournament

COLLEGE DEADLINES? PLAN F OR VAL ENT

INES

LENTINES A V R O F N A PL

SCHOLARSHIPS?

FAFSA?