Building Houses Page 5
Remembering Will Johnson page 8
Volume 87, iSSue 5
Top Ten
Sandpoint HigH ScHool
January 2010
Moose Madness
ways to stay sane in winter Journalism students were asked how to beat the winter blues, here are their answers:
Yell random things at pedestrians as you drive by Dress up as a Super Hero and fight crime Go explore Kootenai... no, really!
Moose Madness
Camera + Walmart = PeopleofWalmart. com
Buddy ChamBers
Bonners Ferry wins antlers for second year in annual competition Sandpoint Bonners Ferry
Have hot chocolate parties with friends Get out of town with some buddies. Take a road trip, it doesn’t matter where. Just get out of Sandpoint Blast your stereo to “What is Love?” and sing and dance to it Play Farmville on Facebook Drink a lot of coffee
finals:
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Editor-in-chief
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espite the Bulldogs being on their own turf, Sandpoint High lost the annual Moose Madness competition to rival Bonners Ferry on Saturday, Jan. 16 for the second year in a row. Moose Madness coordinator senior Caitlyn Reeves believes the lack of fundraising to be the reason for the loss. “We didn’t have enough support with raising money,” she said. “Bonners raised so much more than us, so they got all 120 points.” While Sandpoint dominated the Badgers in many events, such as the Moose Drawing and Cheer Intensity, Bonners retaliated by taking the “All-or-Nothing’ categories: the Moose Call and Fundraising. “We did really well at sportsmanship this year,” Reeves noted. “I think next year, Sandpoint will just have to work really hard on fundraising.” Moose Madness was established last year to promote school spirit and funfilled rivarly among Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry.
Budget Cuts:
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What’s inside?
News.....................................................................Page 2 Opinion................................................................Page 3 Arts & Culture.....................................................Page 4,5,6 Sports...................................................................Page 7
Cheer Dance Stomp Moose Call Moose Drawing Band Fan Posters School Colors Cheer Intensity Fundraising
28 30 25 0 25 30 55 117 20 90 0
28 26 29 30 5 23 54 111 40 30 120
SHS likely to face heavy budget cuts for 2010
A recent letter on the Lake Pend Oreille School District Web site from superintendent Dick Cvitanich raises concern for many students and teachers in the district. Cvitanich says in the letter LPOSD will once again face budget cuts next year. He also says class sizes and offerings will be affected. “Since the district budget is over 80 percent staffing, this means that class sizes will be increased and certain class offerings at the secondary level will be eliminated.” Cvitanich said. It is all a possibility right now; however, SHS can expect all of these, said Sandpoint High School Principal Dr. Kiebert. It is too soon to tell exactly what classes will be cut. “Our school has lost 100 students in the last year, so budget cuts are to be expected,” Kiebert said. Still, LPOSD is much better off than many other districts in Idaho, according
N’Ts
the final results:
Jennifer Prandato
to Cvitanich. LPOSD was the only district in northern Idaho not to declare a state of financial emergency last year. Despite this small success, 2010 will be the most extreme cut in funding SHS has seen in years. The district is still better off than predicted for 2010. If the supplemental levy had not passed, as well as the federal stimulus package, the district would have faced the even more serious consequences of lack of funding. Besides the enrollment drop at the school, the state is also looking at cutting funding for public education. Idaho governor Butch Otter recently proposed a 5 percent cut, which if happens would be a first in state history. State Sen. Shawn Keough (R-Sandpoint) said the majority of the state budget is allocated toward education funding. “The state legislature spends Budget Cuts continued page2 almost 50 cents of every general fund
Men’s Bathroom Etiquette page 6
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Remind yourself school is halfway over
Wrestling is one of the most physical sports there is. Garrett Belgarde, junior
Read more about Garrett’s wrestling on page 7
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Cedar Post
January 2010
TSA heightens Tardy policy changes yet again Students more than 15 minutes late will get in-school suspension security
Bomb scare leads to full-body scanners GArrett dunn News editor
A recent bomb scare has brought about security changes at larger airports that have international flights. The scare happened on Christmas when a Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly snuck explosives onto the plane in his underwear, trying to ignite them during an international flight into Detroit. The failed ignition led to popping and flames in the passenger cabin which passengers and crew quickly put out. The terrorist attempt not only scared the world, but also caused the Transportation Security Administration to make some changes in airport security to help deal with any future threats. In a statement posted on its Web site, the TSA said that these extended procedures will be concentrated on inbound international flights. A large new part of this heightened security is the use of new full body scanners in some of the busier airports around the country. The airports in Las Vegas, Dallas, Miami and Detroit will all get these machines, along with a few others. These allow TSA officers to see under clothing of passengers in order to scan for anything dangerous. Though they add safety, many people aren’t sure they want anyone seeing under their clothes. When asked about security measures such as this, junior Beth DiBenedetto said “At times they’re necessary, but can be too extreme sometimes.” It’s a question of privacy versus security for most, and when asked the same question, freshman Bailey Scrimsher said that the scanners were “probably a good idea, because you wouldn’t want another bomb to go through security.” TSA has also said that most passengers don’t need to be worried about any extra delays, but they should always plan a little extra time to get to their flights just in case. They also said that the extra security measures will remain in place as long as they’re needed to maintain the highest levels of security.
Budget Cuts from page 1 dollar on K-12 education, and when higher education is added in, almost 70 cents of every general fund tax dollar is spent on education in Idaho,” she said. “That being said, K-12 public schools receive most of the general fund tax dollars in Idaho, clearly demonstrating that the state legislature puts it at the top of the list for importance.” Keough also said she feels that “sufficient” needs to be properly defined to eliminate confusion within the legislative bodies. “Some legislators believe that education is ‘sufficiently funded’ and others feel it is not. Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that we’ve not defined what ‘sufficient’ or ‘adequate’ means, and it means different things to different people.” This lack of funding is a result of the economic recession, Keogh said. As more people are out of work, the less people there are to pay taxes, which is where education funding comes from. “What happens next year in Sandpoint and across the state will depend upon whether people go back to work,” Keough said, “whether there will be more taxes paid as a result, and whether school districts have reserves they can use to keep things running the same, or whether there are ways to operate schools that achieve student educational goals but save money by being more efficient.” -Jessie Webster, assistant editor
Jessie Webster Assistant editor
With the start of the New Year, Sandpoint High School staff began enforcing a new tardy policy. If a student is more than 15 minutes late to second, third, or fourth period, they will automatically be sent to in-school suspension for the remainder of the period. This policy does not affect students tardy to first period. A student still must arrive within the first 45 minutes of first period, however, to be considered tardy and not absent. This new policy was designed so that it only affects a small percentage of students who abuse the
45-minute tardy rule on a regular basis. “It’s for people that are already at school, then they leave and go do something and come back after and wait and hang around for right under the 45 minute mark so they can go to class halfway [through] and still have a tardy and not a truancy,” SHS principal Dr. Becky Kiebert said. If an emergency situation occurs while a student is out of campus between periods, the student will not face the same consequences as a normal tardy in excess of 15 minutes. “If a student leaves for lunch and pops a tire, comes back, tells me and has a slip from Les Schwab saying that they popped a tire, then I will let them count it as a tardy,” Kiebert said. “It won’t be excused, because we have no excused tardies, but I won’t put them in in-
school suspension. I’ll let them go to class.” This new policy differs from the regular tardy procedure in that the monthly free tardy pass does not apply. No student is exempt from the policy, no matter what their tardy history may be, unless the emergency is confirmed with the administration. Although the new policy will only truly affect a small number of students, Kiebert said it was necessary to discourage future participation in wasting of class time as well as to prevent possible accusations of unfair treatment. “We don’t want parents to call and say ‘Hey, there’s nothing in writing about this. You can’t make those decisions,’ so we just put it in policy,” Kiebert said.
Sarah Palin revisits her birthplace
Ex-Alaskan governor promotes book at Sandpoint Events Center
AmAndA HAyes Staff reporter
As one of the final stops of her Going Rogue: An American Life book tour, Sarah Palin requested to visit Sandpoint, her birthplace, before returning to Alaska. The former Alaskan Governor and vice presidential candidate enthusiastically met fans and signed books, providing a few words of wisdom as she did so. Sporting a University of Idaho sweatshirt, Palin arrived Dec. 11 at the Sandpoint Events Center just after 5 p.m. She then proceeded to greet readers for several hours, sparing no hint of exhaustion, although she had just come from an earlier signing at the Fred Meyer store in Coeur d’Alene. The tour, which began in November, saw thousands of fans camped in adverse weather conditions to spend a moment with the newborn author. “It’s great to see all of the patriotic people who came out,” Palin said. An estimated 700 books were signed in Sandpoint, and even more were sold in preparation for the evening by Vanderford’s, the event’s sponsor. The atmosphere was welcoming as she visited and signed books alongside her husband Todd Palin. Both aware of the challenges of parenting a child affected by the disorder, the Palins took special care to greet a young man with Down syndrome who attended the event. Their son, Trig Palin, who will turn two in April, also suffers from the disorder.
But the young man in Sandpoint was no exception: The Palins were careful to address and communicate with each guest individually. “Don’t ever let anyone make you feel small because you’re from what America would consider a ‘small town,’” Palin told a group of Sandpoint High School students. Having grown up in a small town herself, Palin acknowledged the difficulties that can result from humble origins, but counseled students not to be discouraged. Released this November, Going Rogue: An American Life, is Palin’s memoir of her recent experience as the Republican vice presidential candidate as well as her childhood in Alaska. “All of the life lessons and the little things you learn about discipline in sports and losing gracefully come back to help you later,” Palin remarked in regards to what helped her through the stressful campaign months. “When you’re in the cooking pot, you pull from everything you’ve learned.” Born in Sandpoint in 1964, last month marked one of the few times Palin has returned to Sandpoint since she moved to Wasilla, Alaska, as an infant. Her previous visit was a long road trip she took with her children, adding that it was important to her to show them, “where I lived and where I was born.” Her father, Charles Heath, was born in Hope and attended Sandpoint High School, where he later became a science teacher
while his wife Sally worked as a school secretary. Of returning to his hometown Heath reflected, “It’s a good homecoming. I wish I could spend more time here.” While greeting guests as well as old friends, introducing himself as “Sarah’s daddy,” Heath was surprised to hear that the Cedar Post is still an active part of SHS, since he was a member of the staff as a student. “You know, I still have a Cedar Post [press pass] and I still use it to get into certain events,” he said as his wife laughingly acknowledged this strategy. “I just say ‘I’m with the press,’ I’ve used it to get into many ball games.” The family expressed bittersweet sentiments about the Going Rogue Tour nearing its end: Sarah Palin said she was kind of sad to see it winding down, and her husband agreed, saying, “It’s a lot of fun to travel together.” He later qualified the statement, saying, “(The tour) has been kind of an invasion of privacy. We get 150 phone calls a day and reporters coming to our house now.” All the same, Sally and Charles plan to support Sarah in every way they can. The following day they were to travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to tape an episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, although Heath expressed his wish to spend more time in Sandpoint instead. “I don’t really like Conan O’Brien,” he said.
Aunan promotes intrinsic learning style Exploratory studies joins Sandpoint High School’s curriculum Jules lutz
Staff reporter By definition, education is the process of training and developing the knowledge, skill, mind and character through formal schooling. Although this definition is clear and concise, it is often left to much interpretation. Schools around the country and globe have fought to find the most effective education system for centuries.It is a puzzle that has yet to be solved for a public school setting. Science teacher Woody Aunan has recently introduced an experimental education course, Exploratory Studies, to the halls of Sandpoint High School. Although Aunan consistently changes his teaching styles to fit each class, there is something quite unique about this independent study. In Exploratory Studies, students are asked to expand their knowledge on a particular subject that interests them using the resources of useful and fast technology. “We are finding that we can touch more and more of the world with less and less effort,” Aunan said. “Students should explore their interests with all the tools and freedoms we can give them. Information is changing
history.” With the pass of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, schools in the U.S. have been forced to base more and more of their curriculum on standardized testing. The aim of NCLB is to bring all students across the country up to the same proficient level of learning. This act has received much criticism by
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Why does someone so interested in the world at the age of two, later come to dread it?
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-Woody Aunan Exploratory Studies
narrowing what teachers are able to teach into regulated curriculum and standardized tests. When asked if NCLB had enabled her learning process to grow, senior Savannah
Engel replied: “No, not at all. I’ve noticed way more pointless testing throughout the years; I feel they contribute nothing to my learning.” Many countries in Europe offer separate vocational and higher education schools that divide fields of study for students. With often rigorous schedules, many students do not have room for electives and are required to attend school on Saturdays for a few hours. “We learn the basics and expand it every year into AP level. After ninth grade, you don’t have to go to school anymore. You can work or go to a vocational school, but you have to go through eleventh grade if you want to go to college,” said Yuliya Lipchanskaya, a foreign exchange student from Russia. Although there have been many efforts to improve education, it is a system that is often difficult to change once in place, and is habitually left to much debate. “Why does someone so interested in the world at the age of two, later come to dread it?” Aunan said. With the inability to form a curriculum around each individual, the education system may never perfect all the tools needed for each student in a public school setting.
Internal Medicine Associates Robert W. Carlson, MD. Robert R. Cope, MD. Scott A. Burgstahler, MD. Charles M. Crane, MD.
207 Church Street - Sandpoint Idaho 83864 (208) 263-6876
Cedar Post
January 2010
Page 3
Our View
Overused jokes are lame, and that IS what she said
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verused jokes. You hear them every day (hence the term “overused”), and time and time again they fail to amuse you. Things like “Your mom,” “That’s what she said,” and the classic fruit-related Knock Knock joke plague our day-to-day conversations. Every time you even hear them, you become that much dumber. Saying them increases the effect ten-fold. It’s time for a change. The bad jokes have to come to an end. An age of new jokes must be ushered in to replace the old. A new breed of joke must be created. These jokes can’t be based on a single line like “That’s what she said.” These jokes have to take wit and cunning. These jokes must be genuinely sly comebacks or brutal sarcasm, or a combination of the two. Being judgmental of things that people universally dislike, or don’t understand, never gets old. Make jokes about the healthcare system, for example. The majority of student in our school don’t even grasp what the issue really is — they’re bound to laugh at it! You can’t lose! If you can pick up on a person’s knowledge of a subject and where they stand on the issues, making jokes is simple. Resorting to a single catch phrase for everything to make people laugh displays a weak ability to make speedy and sound judgments. The crappy jokes have to end, people. They’ve been making people cringe for far too long. On another note, being classy never gets old, and jesting about sexual innuendo and using profanity as a backbone for jokes is far from classy. Yes, it goes over just fine among your peers, but what happens when you need to entertain people in different age groups out in the real world? I’m sure the last thing you would want to do when you’re interviewing for a job is reply with “That’s what she said!” when your would-have-been boss is describing the unpleasant odor of your miserable summer job.
evan metz
bama. Obama. Obama. I am so tired of hearing about Obama: His philosophies, his ‘atmospheric
achievements,’ but above all, I am especially tired of having my ear chewed off by his cookie-cutter minions that praise his name every hour of the day. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not an Obamahater. I neither like him nor dislike him, but I definitely do not trust him. There are too many controversies regarding his Cabinet and character that I cannot wrap my head around. The reasons include: The fact that he was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize only 11 days after his inauguration; the fact that he was elected largely due to his charismatic nature after the
presidency of one of the worst public speakers of our time; the fact that anyone who opposes him or the democratic party is ripped to shreds by the media; and silly as it may be, the Swine Flu scare. Seriously, what was that? Hope you got vaccinated, turns out it was nothing! I don’t understand why these aspects are rarely discussed; it is that above all that frightens me the most. On the flip side, I would not associate myself with the beliefs of the loonies who equate Obama with Hitler or the anti-Christ. He is only a man, and yes, men are capable of committing abominable acts, but I do not believe Obama is one with such
ideals. If anything at all, he is merely a puppet for something far larger at hand. All I ask is for these “Obama praisers” know the reason for which he is so grand, know him for his ideals and his accomplishments, not solely because he seems like a nice guy. If you’re going to forcefully throw your opinions on others, back it up. I completely respect and would gladly listen to any opinion that is informed and proven with facts and logic. For the ones who cannot prove their loyalty, I leave you with some advice: Grow a brain and stop following the crowd.
ife is unpredictable; not everything happens for benign reasons. Terrible things happen to both good and bad people alike. Evil people live luxurious lives off the spoils from human trafficking, while blameless orphans wallow in the streets dying of hunger at the same time in the same world. Despite the indiscriminate unfairness of life, many people feel they are entitled to tomorrow and to the sun that has risen on their smiles every day so far in their lives. They think they can put off the important things and people in their lives because they’re guaranteed time later
to make up for their neglect now. Likewise, many of us live recklessly, foolishly believing that we are for a time immortal — that we will never die until we’re good and old and ready. As a result, we call names, cheat at games, and spread strife like the influenza virus. We do it all on a day to day basis, believing that we are promised the next day to atone for it. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that calamities can happen to anyone. Nobody is invincible. You might be giving a kid the cold shoulder one day, only to sit in at his wake the next, or you might be lying in that coffin yourself, devoid life, frozen in death, powerless to tell them just how sorry you are for the times you snickered at them and cursed them with your ridicule. To say the future is uncertain is to say the least. Certain painters and musicians can spend their whole lives working on their art. They
can live in relative obscurity and poverty, and then they can die. Suddenly, their work is antiquated. Now that the sculptor is gone, his work is appreciated, his statues revered. Everyone who’s anyone wants one of his pieces, and his market values sky rocket past the millions. Unfortunately for him or her, they are no longer among us and therefore they cannot benefit from their booming market value. In the same way, we often have a tendency to ignore, take for granted, or worse, be negative to those who we cross paths with in our lives, never once imagining that they may fall asleep never to wake up again. The dead have many friends, words are wasted on their graves, and their lives are toasted at their funerals. While funerals are extremely good and absolutely necessary in order to further the healing and closure for those close to the deceased, the unanimous support, goodwill
and honor we give to the dearly departed at their memorial services do the actual bodies in the caskets positively zero service for them. It’s too late. The fact of the matter is, you don’t want to do or say anything you’d regret to anyone if it turned out to be the last bit of time you had with them on Earth. Most of all, use your time wisely. Don’t squander it cursing people and bringing them down, but rather use your words wisely to bless them and build them up.
of the tasks were large projects that had been assigned earlier in the week. I could have understood if most of the work could have been done earlier, but rather it was mindnumbing busy work that took up hours. One piece of homework took 45 minutes just by looking up tiny answers in a writing selection. During this exercise, I learned absolutely nothing, except how boring I found the topic to be. That night I spent a total of 7 hours doing homework. If it had not been for a power outage, it might have gone into 9 hours of ineffectual time wasting. Even after the power went out I had to try to continue the rubbish by lighting numerous candles. Me being me, I managed to light a piece of
history homework on fire. I considered this to be a sign from God telling me to quit while I was … well, behind. I decided to go to bed and wake up extremely early to finish the assignments. This was a bad idea. I managed to wake up from my homework coma at a staggering 4:30 in the morning, but around 7:50, the start of class, my body realized it did not like to function on 4 hours of sleep. While usually I enjoy school immensely and have the energy to show my enthusiasm for learning, I was unable to participate in the parts of class that actually help me learn due to the incalculable amount of busy work. The very homework that was supposed to help me understand my classes better made my real education suffer. Ironic, huh?
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usy Work, n— Useless tasks that do not require any real thinking but take up a huge amount of time.
One afternoon, after a long, strenuous day of school, I arrived at my house to find that I had a total of 12 assignments due in the next two days. Needless to say, I was frustrated, as none
Jennifer Prandato Editor-in-Chief
Jessie Webster Assistant Editor
Graham Cole hannah meek
Arts & Culture Editors
Garrett dunn News Editor
eddie oGle Sports Editor
Connor Griesemer Photo Editor
meranda Carter Graphics Editor
tala Wood Copy Editor
brooke Williams Advertising Manager
mikka nostdahl Office Manager
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kay, here’s the problem with certain opinions. When you’ve been proven wrong — with facts, not debate — your persuasion needs to change. Hanging onto a lie or a rumor is not passionately defending your belief. It’s making a complete idiot of yourself. Take Sarah Palin. Her appallingly small experience and intelligence would be bad enough, but her tendencies toward clinging to false rumors are beyond contemptible. She continues to say that the health care plan currently running through Congress has provisions for so-called “Death Panels.” Or look at the “Birther Movement.” Despite evidence to the contrary, these individuals have continued to say that Obama is not legally
qualified to be our President because he is not a citizen. They say that since he does not have his birth certificate — which is available online to the general public — he is not eligible. Others claim that the birth certificate he has shown us is a fake. They have since been proven wrong by the director of the Hawaii Department of Health and FactCheck.org, which is a reputable nonprofit organization known for its nonpartisanship. What these people willfully ignore is that even if he wasn’t born in the U.S., he could still become the U.S. President because his mother was an American citizen. As the Los Angeles Times put it, a person like that could have been born on Mars, and they would still be an American citizen. So why do these people hang onto their delusions? My No. 1 hypothesis is fear. The more their ideas are threatened, the tighter they cling to them. Wrong as they may be, their opinions make them feel secure, and to have them taken away would force them to examine themselves and to change. And you know what seems to frighten them more than anything? Change.
Rush Limbaugh said it best: “They’re changing our country. Fight like Hell.” It does not matter to him whether or not the change is an improvement, only that it is something new. Of course, anything that is new is unknown, and therefore must be the scariest thing in the world. It does not surprise me that reactionaries are the ones who find change difficult. Their entire ideology is focused on moving backwards — back to a “simpler” time. But was “back then” really something to strive for? “Back then,” African-Americans and women couldn’t vote, and depending on how far back you go, a lot of white men couldn’t vote either, because they were not property owners. “Back then,” people died from little things because we did not know enough to be able to cure them. “Back then” is behind us for a reason. There’s a reason things change. Organisms that do not have the ability to change go extinct, and those who adapt survive. One of the most adaptable of organisms is this well-known species entitled Homo sapiens. And if members of our species cannot adapt to the changing world, they will not survive with us.
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.
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 0000
Page 4
January 2010
Cedar Post
Curtain drops on ‘1/2 Second Heroes’ Sandpoint High School’s improvisation team is cut because of time and interest Tala Wood Copy editor
confused about the finals schedule? Monday, Jan. 25 (B Day)
Tuesday, Jan. 26 (A Day)
7:55-9:26 1B class 9:32-11:05 2B final 11:05-1:17 3B class/lunch 1:17-2:48 4B final
7:55-9:26 1A final 9:32-11:05 2A class 11:05-1:17 3A final/lunch 1:17-2:48 4A class
Wednesday, Jan. 27 (B Day)
Thursday, Jan. 28 (A Day)
7:55-9:26 1B final 9:32-11:05 2B class 11:05-1:17 3B final/lunch 1:17-2:48 4B class
7:55-9:26 1A class 9:32-11:05 2A final 11:05-1:17 3A class/lunch 1:17-2:48 4A final
Chess tournament scheduled for March Large cash prizes encourage students to participate, win
Molly BurgsTahler Assistant copy editor
Many students see the banner hanging outside Woody Aunan’s classroom every Tuesday after school inviting them to come participate in Chess Club. The Chess Club is now gearing up for their tournament, which will be held on March 6. Only Sandpoint High School
students may participate in the event, but anyone from our student body is welcome. Students don’t have to be in Chess Club to compete. There will be cash prizes for the top eight placers. The money is donated by people and businesses around the community. Like last year, and the cash prizes equal $1,500. Last year there were 57 participants in the tournament, and junior Gerhart Suppiger won first place.
The Sandpoint High School Drama Department has lost one of its principal attractions. The improvisational team, also known as the “1/2 Second Heroes,” has broken up. The team, which was made up of about eight students chosen through an auditioning process, was known for its hilarity and fast-thinking. The team has been in existence for six years. The official reason for the disbanding was administrative. Jeannie Hunter, drama teacher and improv team adviser, met with SHS principal Dr. Becky Kiebert and assistant principal in charge of activities and athletics Tom Albertson, and the three reviewed Hunter’s supplementary contract. “I was way over my number of hours [so] they asked me to cut back,” Hunter said. Teachers generally have two contracts, one for teaching and one for extracurricular activities. The extra one calls for a pay stipend that is based on salary and depends upon certain conditions to be received. For example, in order for the Hunter to receive a pay stipend for the Drama Department, she must meet a certain number of plays each year. “It was going above and beyond what her contract expected her to do,” Albertson said. “[The contracts are] probably something we need to spend a better time reviewing.” Hunter asserted the improv team was the easiest organization to cut. In addition to its small audiences and failure to generate enough money, Hunter said the team was “a lot more time-consuming than it looks.” The unofficial reason behind the break-up was more about the team itself. The current team captain, Amanda Comstock, has been a member of the team for two years, and was the Master of Ceremonies (MC) last year. “Last year was a ball; it was a lot of fun,” Comstock said. “[This year] started out really shaky. There was some tension, starting when some members weren’t there for summer practices. We’ve only had one show [this year, and] we’re supposed to have two a month.” The team has been officially out of commission since December. But prior to that, people had stopped going to practices, and the practices themselves weren’t scheduled anymore. “It just fell apart,” Comstock said. “I know students are disappointed in losing Improv, but looking at the history of Improv, it was used as a fundraiser. Other [activities] would be more lucrative in bringing in funds. I’m not saying [Improv] wasn’t important, but it wasn’t worth the time put into it.” Despite the loss, Hunter sees the ending of the “1/2 Second Heroes” as a new opportunity. “I want to be able to better focus on some of the bigger productions and events that allow more kids to be involved,” she said.
Airport security reaches a whole new level
A
irport security has reached a whole new level. Now, in several airports around the country, they installed full body scanners, checking for explosives and other items that are prohibited while flying. I feel like it’s one more thing we have to worry about while traveling the country! I do feel it is necessary for our safety to check people and to make sure they don’t have weapons on them, but security has gone too far.The full body scanner has the ability to scan your whole body, allowing the viewer to see beneath your clothes. Although they say the scanner has no memory and cannot save or print images, some speculations have occurred and stated that these scanners can be easily hacked and be abused. It made me feel a little bit better when I did some research and found out that the officer viewing the bodies through the scanner cannot see my face. However, it still gives me the creeps knowing some old man or lady is staring at me through my clothes. On CNN they stated the scanner runs through a network and cannot be hacked, but it seems
like the most advanced hackers can break through any system. I feel like this is going to cause a lot of controversy, and most people will defend their rights to their personal body and refuse to go through the full body scanner. (You can opt from the scanner; instead you can have a full body pat down and other not-so-fun stuff.) I’m no political guru, and I understand that what they are trying to do is protect the American people from terror attacks, but isn’t this some sort of violation of rights requiring some unknown person to see through your naked body? I’m trying to look from both sides of the political spectrum and decide why this scanner is good and why it’s bad. It’s good because it protects you and America as a population from future terror attacks. The scanner will make it near virtually impossible to sneak any weapons on your body. This makes me feel safer while flying knowing that if all these scanners were installed at every airport, I am safe the whole flight unless some mechanical error happened. However, there are definitely some cons to the scanner. Since it is
required that you go through the scanner, it definitely violates some of your human rights. It goes against some religious beliefs, most people feel uncomfortable having someone stare at their naked body unless it is your partner. The bottom line is that airport security is trying to make the American people feel more safe when flying and to avoid future terror attacks on our country. Maybe they have taken it too far, however, I would be thankful if it was me on one of those bad flights.
Dethbox Board Supply SKATE SNOW WAKE
525 Oak St. in Sandpoint (208)-265-5566 “The friendly board shop with the scary name!”
Cedar Post
Page 5 January 2010
Building Character:
Sandpoint High residential carpentry students work on building the frame of a house in town Photos: JasPer Gibson
The SHS Residential Carpentry class has been building a house since the beginning of the school year. The house is located on 1213 Honeysuckle Ave. in the Ponderosa Park III subdivision. After completion, the house will be sold on the market. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the spring semester. The construction is sponsored by the Pandhandle Building Contractors Association. Pictured: Logan Edney, Skyler Tucker, Nick Dexter, Isaac Schoonover, Chris Lewis, Coy Etzwiler and Advisor Rick Price. XBUFSGSPOU!EJOJOH GSFTI!TFBGPPE-!! TUFBLT-!TBMBET Csfblgbtu-!Mvodi-!Ejoofs Pqfo!8!ebzt0xffl-!! zfbs.spvoe
3!.$0/).4 )$!(/ "2)$'% 34 !4 #)49 "%!#( \ \ 777 #!&%42).)493!.$0/).4 #/-
12 Month Student Certificate
NJOJNVN EFQPTJU UP TUBSU t )JHI EJWJEFOE SFUVSOT "EE BEEJUJPOBM GVOET NPOUIMZ NJOJNVN EFQPTJU GPS NPOUIMZ BDDPVOU BEEJUJPOT
208-263-2265 coldwatercreek.com
311 N. First Avenue, Sandpoint, ID
Cedar Post
Page 6 January 2010
Winter Formal Dance facts e The Winter Formal takes place on Saturday, Jan. 23 e The dancing takes place on the ballroom of the Sandpoint Events Center e Doors open at 8 p.m. e The dance ends at 11:30 p.m. e Yes, it is underwater themed. No, you don’t have to dress like a mermaid e Buy your tickets at the bookkeeper: $9 single, $15 couple. Ticket prices will nearly double at the door! REMINDER: Bring a few extra bucks because the Cedar Post staff will be selling food and drink at the dance
Spot light the
Senior Raven Quaring: one of the key reasons SHS football is possible Graham Cole
Arts & Culture editor It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of a Sandpoint High School football or basketball game — the roaring crowd and cheering on the talented players. But there is more to the sporting events than meets the eye. Many elements work together to make the games run smoothly. One such element is Raven Quaring. The senior has been recording statistics since the 2007 football season. During the football season, she records stats for the Bulldogs. “I stand on the sidelines and take down the down that we are on, how many yards to go, who runs the ball, who catches the ball, who throws the ball and results,” Quaring said.
“After a game is over, on the Sandpoint High Throughout her statistics career, Quaring has she adds up all the stats and School football Web site. “Raven is doing a huge remained very dedicated. calls The Daily Bee, The “She has done stats for Spokesman Review and the job for SHS football,” Auld SHS Football rain or shine, Spokane television stations,” said. “[She is] researching the sometimes when she was sick Auld said. “On Monday after history of the football program and occasionally all by herself,” a game, she enters all the all the way back to the 1920s and putting it online.” SHS math teacher Quaring likes Wendy Auld said. taking statistics, Although it is a [Quaring] has done stats for but there are some lot of work, Quaring does find enjoyment SHS fooball rain or shine, downfalls to the job. “The coaches in taking statistics. sometimes when she is sick are always pretty “I enjoy traveling and occasionally all by herself. understanding,” Auld with the football team,” Quaring said. -Wendy Auld said, “but the players “And I get to do one of Sports Statistics Coordinator and their parents often get really upset when the things that I love their stats are wrong.” most, which is math.” Raven Quaring is After the excitement stats online on Max Preps.” of the sporting event has Although the football an integral part of the SHS subsided, most people season has ended, Quaring football program. Without go back to their lives, but is still working to benefit her dedication and hard not Quaring. Even off the the Bulldogs. She has work, the program would field she has work to do. started designing a page not be what it is today.
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Check out the History tab on the football Web site http://www.sd84.k12.id.us/shs/ATHLETICS/FOOTBALL/default.htm
Hungry for Drama?
Bathroom Etiquette
SHS puts on first ever dinner theater show amanda hayes Staff reporter
With little time remaining before opening, Sandpoint High School students are bustling about the theater in excited anticipation of the school’s first-ever dinner theater performance. Accompanied by a catered meal from Ivano’s Ristorante, “The Mystery at Shady Acres” will be performed Friday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Sandpoint High School auditorium. “We haven’t done [a dinner theater] before, so why not?” said Jeannie Hunter, drama teacher and director of “Shady Acres.” “It’s a mystery about a stolen necklace; not quite a melodrama or a farce, but certainly a comedy. “The cast is young and excited; I’m very proud of them. It should compare on an equal plane to anything we’ve done in the past.” In encouraging student attendance at Friday’s performance, she promised, “It’ll be well worth your time.” Junior Darian Brown said the play is “very fun and
interesting to perform since it’s set in the twenties.” Brown, who is the assistant director, hopes that attendance will be high, and expects this is reasonable because tickets are selling fast. It’s a show that not only theater fans will enjoy, for “there’s quite a bit of laughs; it’s pretty funny.” “It’s a blast to see, and a blast to participate in,” junior Maggie Miller said. She went on to explain her character, who she describes as being irritating with a very thick accent, but still fun to watch. “[This play] is a fun, family mystery for anyone and everyone!” she said. For freshman Hunter Price, the play marks his debut production at Sandpoint High School. “I’m super excited,” he said. “I like acting and being on stage; hopefully [“ Shady Acres”] will lead to good things.” His character, Stanley Larson, is described as a charming but penniless British chap who “pretty much flirts with all the girls.” Tickets are $15, but seats are limited.
A step-by-step guide to using a public lavatory correctly from the comic minds of George Wood and Evan Metz
1.Moment of Silence
Don’t talk! One of the most awkward things you can possibly do in the bathroom is walk in and start talking. Please, even if you disregard all of the other rules, follow this one. Time spent urinating is one of the few times in the day when a man can contemplate issues and find true mental serenity. This rule can only be disregarded in the rare case of a very good friend being in the bathroom with you. It is slightly more acceptable to speak between stalls, but once again, only if this person is a very good friend.
2. Personal Space
Leave people some elbow room. Let that space between the urinals stay
Co-op
BUY 1 SANDWICH GET 1 FREE! (same price or lesser value)
Must bring School Identification Card
empty between you and the other man unless its an absolute emergency or the stalls are taken. Disregarding this rule is comparable to breathing heavily in his ear. Never go to the urinal right next to someone! If there are three, take the one farthest away. If there are only two, see Rule No. 1.
3. This isn’t Sparta
When checking to see if a stall is empty, knock first, or slowly push it open. Even if the door is ajar, push slowly. Many men will go to the stalls even when urinating, and in this case they seldom lock the door.
4. “Oh no...”
Check for toilet paper before taking a seat. This rule explains itself.
5. Momma Said...
Wash your hands, especially
with other people around. The worst part about people not sanitizing afterward is knowing that they didn’t. You can bypass this rule if you’re in a rush and you use one of the numerous hand sanitizers the janitors have installed, but if you can, wash up afterwards.
6. Keep It in Your Pants! ...Sort of...
Even if you are in a time crunch, it is unacceptable to unzip prematurely. You see it all the time: Some poor kid comes sprinting into the bathroom and begins the process before he even gets to the urinal — to your absolute disgust. Then, to make matters worse, he decides he’s going to stand two or more feet from the urinal and arc it in from a distance. Disgusting. One of the worst things you can do is leave yourself exposed. People will seldom break Rule Seven, but just
in case, keep it on the DL.
7. One Rule to Rule Them All
This rule shouldn’t even have to be here, but just in case someone has some serious issues, here it is. Do. Not. Look... Ever. Enough said.
8. Serious Business
This rule also shouldn’t have to be here, but, once again, here it is. Bathrooms are for depositing waste, strictly. Stuff doesn’t go down often, but when it does, it can be mentally scarring. Please, for the sake of everyone else, save the funny business for home. Regardless of what it is, anything deviating from the norm has a serious stigma.
— George Wood and Evan Metz
Come by and see John and Michelle for your after school treats! Deirdre Hill Liz Evans 710 Pine Street Sandpoint 208-263-9012
January 2010
Cedar Post Page 7
The Profile Have you ever injured yourself wrestling? “I pulled a muscle in my neck once.”
Barry Wilson Staff reporter
Player
Quick Facts Garret Belegarde Team: Varsity Wrestling Height: 5’4” Weight: 120 Weight Class: 119
Junior Garret Belegarde has been an important member of the SHS wrestling team since he was a freshman. His career started in second grade, and since then he has worked his way onto the varsity team, acheiving the title of State Champion. Although he does not know what his future will bring, his dedication to his sport demonstrates that wrestling will likely be a part of it. T
What’s your favorite part about wrestling and why? “All of the hard work you put in and how much you get out when you win.” How do you prepare before a match? “I warm up, listen to music, and get focused.” What has been your most important accomplishment in wrestling? “Winning State last year.”
Do you have any plans for wrestling after high school? “I’m not really sure yet.”
What is the most difficult part about wrestling? “Getting into shape; wrestling is one of the most physical sports there is.”
How many years of varsity sports have you played? “All of high school.”
Why did you start wrestling? “My brother wrestled. I just wanted to because he did.”
Olympic Bound Brothers
The local Holland brothers plan to compete in the 2010 Olympics EddiE OglE Sports editor
In the upcoming month, Vancouver, British Columbia, is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic games. Athletes train for this event year-round hoping for a chance at representing their country and winning a medal. That includes two Olympic hopefuls born and raised in Sandpoint. Pat and Nate Holland compete professionally in snowboardcross (SBX), a fast snowboard race on a course full of jumps and other challenging obstacles. Both Nate, 31, and Pat, 28, grew up skiing at Schweitzer and then switched to snowboarding as they got older. Both graduated from SHS, Nate in 1997 and Pat in 2000. After finishing school, Pat moved to Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Nate moved to Squaw Valley, Calif. Both brothers now live in Squaw Valley, training in North Lake Tahoe daily in the winter. During the summer, they return to Sandpoint to enjoy the
water activities Lake Pend Oreille has to offer. The Holland brothers were hooked on snowboarding at a fairly early age after seeing an older snowboard film. From then on, they had their one love. Nate began taking the sport seriously when he graduated. He has been successful so far, finishing 14th in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, and has taken the SBX title at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., four years in a row. Nate recently won World Cup SnowboardCross event in Austria. After his victory, he was ranked third in the World Cup. During the 2006 Olympics, Pat traveled with the Holland family to watch Nate compete. Soon after he decided to follow in Nate’s path and star competing in the snowboardcross at the next level. Now they both compete regularly worldwide. To watch the brothers compete at what they do best, watch ESPN on Jan. 28-30 while the Winter X Games go on in Aspen. If that isn’t enough, the 2010 Olympic Games are right around the corner in February.
Scoreboard girls Basketball Sandpoint 38, Bonners Ferry 53 The girls couldn’t get rolling offensively, turning the ball over multiple times in the first half. Sandpoint 35, Lakeland 60 Sophomore Maggie Kirscher and junior Natasha Roop both had ten points, leading the inside scoring attack for the Bulldogs in their inner-league loss.
Wrestling Sandpoint Invite Seniors David Marineau and Leonard Fister both posted two solid wins to lead the Bulldogs on their Senior Night. Although the team lost 45-25 to Bonners Ferry and 46-33 to Lake City, Coach Mike Randles had praise for several athletes who stepped up in their home meet. Junior Kyle Csizmar took his match again Bonners Ferry’s Dusty Koehler to overtime tied 7-7, but lost on a takedown in sudden death.
Bulldog Bench Supporting SHS athletics
Good job Bulldogs!
Courtesy Photo
n Headin for gold: Nate Holland leads the pack towards the finishline in a heated race
Boys Basketball Sandpoint 59, Bonners Ferry 52 Although the boys had a comfortable 20-point lead, Bonners Ferry found a rhythm in the 4th quarter and brought it within four in the Bulldogs victory.
Sandpoint 51, Lakeland 60 The boys had a solid team effort in Lakeland, losing their second 4A league game of the season. Seniors Brandon Lawrence and Skyler Tucker, along with junior Cole Fuhrman all had eight points staying consistent with the Bulldogs scoring.
Be sure to pick up a copy of the Bulldog Insider, a program made by the Cedar Post, highlighting the varsity teams for the winter season at the basketball games.
Over the holidays, Mike Leach was fired after an extensive ten year coaching job at Texas Tech University. His job was abruptly ended a couple days before he was due to receive an $800,000 bonus from the university. Leach had a successful career at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to a total of 84 wins over the last 10 years. Leach, however, was unable to coach in this year’s Alamo Bowl and was soon over. Reportedly, on Dec. 16, Texas Tech receiver Adam James, son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James, suffered a mild concussion during practice. The next day, James was examined and told not to play due to elevated blood pressure and concussion. A source said Leach directed a trainer to move James “to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours.” A different source reported that Leach threatened to kick James off of the team if he left the room. The same source reported that two days later Leach told the trainer to “put [James] in the darkest, tightest spot. It was in an electrical closet, again, with a guard posted outside.” Texas Tech gave Leach five days to apologize before he was suspended, but it is disputed to whether or not he was actually given the opportunity. James “was placed in an equipment room as it was much cooler and darker” than the practice field “after a doctor had examined him and returned him to the field,” said Leach’s attorney. The attorney also reported that James was first secluded with a trainer posted outside the room with ice given to him for one to two hours. The second occasion, James was moved to a “press room with air conditioning and a stationary bike he could use.” Craig James, who was scheduled to report on the Alamo Bowl, made a public announcement over ESPN sharing his reasoning behind trying to get Mike Leach fired. With Leach’s popularity at Texas Tech and the fact that the university fired him one day before he was to accept his large bonus, some fans and alumni are bothered by the way that the situation was handled. Also, many close sources reportedly have found it very hard to believe that with Leach’s character that he would treat a player with such disrespect. Whether people accept Leach’s actions or not, the always interesting coach will not be returning to Lubbock, Texas next season.
Page 8
January 2010
Cedar Post
Remembering Will Johnson
July 16, 1994 - December 22, 2009
Will, you were an amazing friend and a great person. We had many great times together and I will always miss you. I wish we could still go thuggin’ in your truck, and blast some Lady GaGa, make some waffles, and play Artic Thunder. I will never forget you. I love you. You were my best friend.
“There were two muffins sitting in an oven. The first one said, “It’s getting hot in here.” And the second one said, “Whoa! A talking muffin!” -William
-Danny Pfeifer junior
-Matt Pfeifer sophomore
Will loved narwhals. He had a narwhal shirt that he always wore that made me happy. He had a smile that could brighten anyones day, no matter how sad you were. His legacy will live on forever. I love him and miss him.
“The Gold Standard.” Whenever Will was about to tell you something, he would make you hold one of the big candles in his house before he would tell you. He never told me why.
-Leah Heer sophomore
-Evan Rains junior
Will Johnson
1. “Waffles, there’s no where but up.” 2. “The Gold Standard.” 3. “So how’s the miss’s?” 4. “You look very healthy today.” 5. “Ich brauche eine tlandshcue, ha ha ha.” 6. So, how’s your stock portfolio?” 7. “NARHWHAL!” 8. “Biz Markie is the voice of our generation.” 9. “Talk is cheap!” 10. “Here, Rebecca, talk to Kipling.” (X-Box Live).
-Rebecca Johnson Will’s older sister
W wonderful I individual L lively L loving I ingenious A authentic M meaningful
The most memorable memory I have of Will is at the cross country regionals when the other team was dancing to “Poker Face” by Lady GaGa and Will walked over and started hip-thrusting to the beat while their team just stared. Us, over by the Sandpoint tent, were laughing so hard. I will always love and miss you, William “SamanthaClyde” Johnson.
We love you Will and we will miss you! We will carry your spirit in our hearts.
-Rio Pederson freshman
-Matt & Angie Brass Cross country coaches
Things I’ll Do For William n Never talk to a girl who says she just has a friend. n Say hi to Danny Charvoz every morning I see him. Maybe twice for Will AND me. n Let Kyle know what I’m thinking more often. n Definitely go thuggin’ at least once a day to Lady GaGa and/or Biz Markie n Eat a taco n Never allow a woman to understand “The Gold Standard” n Watch Troll and Troll 2 n Make Dolphin Apocalypse
-Riley Hadeen sophomore
Will and I ran around the same time so we became running buddies from intervals to hill runs. During the off season, we would dress up in the most absurd get-up we could find and go on a run. We’d usually run downtown and our enjoyable run would turn into a hilarious benching outing. Will would start crossing the street and ‘fall’ which would usually result in a ‘broken knee’ or ‘twisted ankle.’ It was always a big deal to see if he could break his record of cars stacked up. -Delaina Hawkins
sophomore
Will was probably the funniest person I knew. Like one time in the school parking lot we had a dance party to Lady GaGa and he definitely had the best dance moves. He tried to convince me and Rio his middle name was spelled with a silent “Samantha,” and he always got random bloody noses at the worst times. I’ll always love and miss you, William “Samantha-Clyde” Johnson. -Marissa Rains PHoToS CoURTESY oF DYLAN VoGEL & THE JoHNSoN FAMILY
freshman
Dear Will, You were the greatest friend anyone could have asked for. My life without you isn’t the same. Every day I wake up and have to readjust my mind to realize you’re gone. I miss everything about you. I miss your laugh and your smile. I miss the shenanigans we used to get into. I love you and I will never forget you.
-Jonny Prandato sophomore Will, I miss you already, but I will never miss all of [our] crazy memories. Me and Riley go thuggin’ every day thinking of you.
-Buddy Chambers sophomore