March 2008 pdf

Battle of the Bands: Deuteronomy takes the prize

page 5

Snowmobiling:

VoluMe 85, iSSue 6

Jessica & Justin York excel at competitions

Sandpoint high School

March 5, 2008

page 10

Speaker Craig Scott shares Rachel’s story Sandpoint, Clark Fork, and Lake Pend Oreille High Schools gather at motivational assembly morgan WIlls & chelsea KarDoKus Editor-in-chief & Assistant editor

Tears filled the Sandpoint High School gym as students from not only Sandpoint but Clark Fork High School and Lake Pend Oreille High Schools listened to the story of Rachel Scott, the first person killed at Columbine High School on May 20, 1999. Rachel’s brother, Craig Scott, told the story of his sister who lived a life devoted to reaching out to people, inspiring students with countless stories of how her kindness dramatically affected others.

“I thought it was really good,” sophomore Ethan Kopecki said.

“I thought it was very informative about Columbine and about why it happened.”

The goal of the assembly was to create an atmosphere of kindness and safety around the school by issuing Rachel’s Challenge, a series of five directives that involve everything from eliminating prejudice to keeping a journal.

“The thing inspiring [to me] talked

about the five things you’re supposed the sustaining part,” Scott said.

After the assembly a small group of to do,” Kopecki said. “But this [assembly] is different because he talked students met in a classroom to catalyze about what you should do to prevent the creation of the Friends of Rachel things like this from happening again, Clubs at each school.

“Here’s some of the things that Friends and that was what amazed me.”

In an essay Rachel had written, she of Rachel are for:” Scott said. “Kindness, said, “I have this theory that if one compassion, respect, helping others, person can go out of their way to show making your school a better place, and compassion, then making the world a better place. There is a quote that it will start a chain our organization believes reaction of the same.

You never know how There’s a quote our in, and that is, ‘don’t far a little kindness organization believes in, curse the darkness; light a can go.” and that is, ‘don’t curse the candle.’”

The club will meet It is the hope of darkness; light a candle.’

Tuesdays after school. It Scott that Rachel’s -Craig Scott theory will be proven will have chain reaction groups that consist of 30true at SHS, through 40 students each, and each the creation of a club r e a c t i o n group will have one goal to called the Friends of Rachel.

“It’d be real easy for there to be fulfill a month.

The goals will vary, but will all come emotion, for there to be inspiration, and for us to leave [the assembly], and together to fulfill Rachel’s hopes and then for everything to go right back to dreams. Like Rachel said, “You just may normal. The Friends of Rachel is really start a chain reaction.”

“

”

Isaac Dunne

n getting involved : Friends of Rachel meet to plan activities, create goals, and dedicate themselves to kindness.

Internet filter leaves much to be desired, restricts substantive amounts of educational material mIchael TIberI

News editor

E

verything from real estate searching to trying to access adult content are just some of the responses SHS students get when trying to access web pages through school computers.

The web filter originally put in place to block pages such as Myspace, Facebook, and other inappropriate sites has begun to inhibit students’ effective use of the internet.

“I believe it interferes with learning,” senior Stephanie Fuqua said. “I’m trying to plan prom, and I need to look at a lot of information on the Internet, and every time I try to it says ‘access denied.’”

Some students find their school projects also conflicting with the strict web filters.

“I had to do a report on the AngloSaxons for English, and we had to look up what they drank at that time, which a lot of it was wine, and I was not even able to do that,” senior Katey Caven said.

The interference of the web filter does not permit students to look up even the most random things.

“For Spanish class we weren’t able to access a Madrid zoo because it filtered it,” sophomore Crystal Sheldon said. “It interferes 100 percent of the time.”

Other students have also found the humor in the frustration of not being able to access a web page for a school project.

“I had to do a history project for German, and I typed in World War

I German soldiers in google images, and I clicked on the picture and it said access denied, adult content,” senior Jill Jacobs said. “And the guy was wearing full clothes including a turtle neck and a hat.”

Some would say that certain words for phrases even contribute to the filters being too easy to set off.

“I feel that some of the filters are unnecessary; key words set them off, and then other things just set the filters off,” sophomore John Briggs said.

While some teachers are annoyed with not being able to access certain pages for class lessons, others don’t find it too much of a problem.

“The only things I have problems with is with my genetics units where I’m trying to look up things as they pertain to genetics such as gametes and how that pertains to sex,” Biology teacher Jim Barton said.

Since the web filters will not be eliminated, students and staff need to continue working around them.

Student Council recycling program ceases to exist Program lost momentum when Colin Connor retired Keegan Dunn

Staff reporter

carly rIcKarD

n topping it off: A Starbucks barista, Junior Julana Meredith finishes preparing a caramel Macchiato.

Students consume overwhelming amounts of coffee emIly Thompson

Journalism contributor

H

undreds of students at SHS indulge themselves daily with coffee of all flavors, varieties and amounts.

Some choose to drink just a small quantity of coffee while others enjoy having multiple cups throughout the day.

“Lately, I’ve been drinking 14 cups [a week] with an average of two trips to Starbucks a day,” senior Rebecca Johnson said.

Although these students drink a lot of coffee, many also acknowledge the possible health risk that is involved with constantly filling one’s body with such large amounts of caffeine.

“It’s probably not very healthy, but I maintain a healthy diet and exercise, so I try to make up for it,” junior Julana Meredith said.

Other students also share the view that coffee can be harmful.

“I was running, and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I definitely think it can be harmful,” Johnson said.

On the other hand, others believe that coffee can be healthy for the body if it is consumed with control.

“Recent studies conducted have shown that drinking coffee in moderation can actually be good for you,” Principal Becky Kiebert said.

The recycling program started last year at Sandpoint High School has ceased to exist.

“The recycling initiative? There is none,” sophomore class president John Briggs said.

“Only a couple of teachers really do it. There’s not really anything for the students to do.”

Participation in the program has sharply decreased since last year.

“I think students just don’t really want to put in the effort. . . . .They wouldn’t really respect what [the recycling club] is doing,” Briggs said.

“It’s kind of been forgotten along the way,” sophomore representative Caitlyn Reeves said.

The group, founded a year ago by last year’s sophomore class, floundered after their advisor, Earth Science teacher Colin Connor, retired from teaching at the high school.

The program is just one of the many clubs and student organizations that students lost interest in after an initial spark in popularity.

“The buzz about it is starting to die down....It’s kind of sad to see it. You see these zealous kids go for what they really have feelings for and then in a week or so, it’s no more,” Briggs said.

Students also frequently threw their trash into the recycling containers, resulting in Student Council members being given the duty of sorting the trash from the recyclables.

“It kinda started bringing down the confidence level, that drive to do it. If kids are just going to throw their garbage away into the recycling bin and stuff, then [the recycling club doesn’t] want to try,” Briggs said.

Recycling hasn’t been discussed much in student council.

“I kinda wanted to start it, I just haven’t had a lot of initiative. I actually kinda forgot about it.” Briggs said. “But there hasn’t been much talk about it at all. We’ve kind of been dealing with other stuff.”

According to the National Recycling Coalition, Americans throw away approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper every year, and it costs more than 50 percent less to produce recycled paper than paper from a new tree.

“Recycling paper can eliminate the tearing down of trees. It can eliminate using so much paper; you can just use the recycled stuff. There’s lots of benefits,” Reeves said.

Student participation is key if the recycling program at Sandpoint High is to be revived.

“Like Rachael: start a chain reaction. When one person starts and tries, putting forth that effort, it’s gonna make the next kid go ‘Yeah I should too’, so we just all start doing our part,” Briggs said.

Page 2 March 5,2008

Proposed divesment bill fails in Idaho CaMeron Hay

Copy Editor

The nation-wide divestment movement took a blow Feb 20, when the Idaho State Senate Affairs Committee killed a proposed divestment bill that would have forced the retirement investment system for Idaho public employees to divest from companies linked to the Darfur Genocide.

“We determined that our divesting at this point would not change the situation in Darfur,” Committee Chairman Curtis McKenzie RNampa, said.

McKenzie cast the tie-breaking 5-4 vote to

What’s Hot and What’s Not Classes around SHS keep students stimulated and interested in offered curriculm Hope Woodruff

Journalism contributor At Sandpoint High School, many students find certain classes generall more desirable to take than others. Numerous factors determine a student’s decision in choosing which classes they’re going to take. The most important features of a course, according to students, include the content of the course and the things in which the student is interested, and the teacher in charge of the class.

According to SHS counselor Luera Holt, there are many classes that a large number of students sign up for, but some are pronouncedly more prominent than others.

“Some of the most-requested courses are Industrial Mechanics, Art classes, Dance and Physics,” Holt said.

Art and Shop classes appeal to a variety of students because they allow students to work with their hands.

Dan Shook, who teaches both Basic Art and Pottery, believes that the classes he offers are popular because they challenge students to really work and learn valuable skills; however, there are some students who come in to his classes because they believe they are going to get an easy A. Shook warns that this is not the case. “It isn’t a slacker class… these courses are taken and enjoyed because they are skills that you can carry on forever,” he said.

Those who love to get a good workout and take pleasure in the snappy routines of choreographer Mrs. Smith might be swayed to choose Dance.

“I like Dance because it gives me a whole lot more flexibility, and Cindy Smith is really funny,” Rachael Doty said.

A general consensus of several students indicates that the ‘degree of fun’ of a class can vary depending on what kind of educator teaches them. Physics teacher Mike Martz has been one such educator.

“I like the way he relates the concepts to real-life situations,” senior Physics student Bonnie Snow said. “It makes the subject much more applicable.”

deny Senate Bill 1367 due pass to the senate floor for debate.

“I was concerned about the legislature telling PERSI how to manage their funds based upon social issues,” McKenzie said.

The failure of the bill comes as an awkward defeat to the divestment movement, as 15 states had already passed legislation forcing their employee retirement services to divest from companies involved in Darfur. Furthermore, 22 more state legislatures are considering similar bills submitted to them by antigenocide groups Much of the reason for the bill’s failure in Idaho was because the bill conflicted with state

guidelines that the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI) maximize the returns for investments.

“We couldn’t support this bill because we’ve directed PERSI to maximize their returns,” McKenzie said.

As it stands, the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI), in which all public employees in the state must invest some of their income, offers a Sudan-free 401K retirement option. However, this plan represents less than two percent of the state’s retirement funds, and the company continues to invest in six corporations that are somewhat involved or invested in the region.

In Memoriam Students and staff mourn death of longtime administrative assitant

pHotos Courtesy of sHs MontiCola

ryan WilliaMs Staff writer

Roberta Bostock, office coordinator for athletics and administrations, passed away on February 17. She is remembered throughout the school for her kindness and positive attitude.

“Roberta was one of the most positive people I know,” English teacher Nancy Miller said. “I never heard her say anything bad about anyone, ever. I hope that that’s what people remember her by.”

Roberta was a Sandpoint High School graduate.

“We went to high school together. We were both office aides, we had a lot of clerical duties before computers,” registrar Patsy Sletager said. “She was active in everything. She was an officer in Pep Club. She was a letter girl.

She turned out for drill team.”

At Sandpoint High, she became the office coordinator.

“She was my assistant for one and a half years. For me, she was the person who kept me focused and organized,” Principal Becky Kiebert said. “She had faith in a bigger picture, she would always remind me to pick my

battles and keep my priorities in order. Professionally and personally I’m going to miss her, but most of all personally” Roberta had an impact on many people in SHS. “She was so kind and happy all the time.

Every time I went through the office she had something to say about her kids, how they were doing,” choir director Jon Brownell said.

Roberta was able to influence everyone she came in contact with.

“She always had a laugh, always had a smile.

She always took the time to listen to you no matter what,” Miller said.

Roberta also greeted parents and students when they came for meetings with the Principal.

“She would help solve a lot of problems before they got to me,” Kiebert said.

Roberta will be remembered at SHS for many years.

“The thing I’ll remember most is that she never judged. If a kid was in trouble, she never took a negative end. She looked for the good in a person,” Sletager said. “I don’t know anybody like her. She really cared about the school.”

City of Sandpoint copes with near record snowfall Casey dunn Staff writer

The city of Sandpoint has been hard-pressed this year to keep up with issues of snow removal.

One of these issues has been finding time to widen roads that are down to one lane wide in some places. Since the city only employs a small number of people for snow removal, those employees have been busy carrying out more important duties.

“There’s only about six people that do the [snow removal] work,” city Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk said. “During the time that the roads were getting narrower, the guys were primarily plowing. When the snow quit, that’s when we were able to go back in and start widening roads.”

It’s been a similar problem with the snow buildup at intersections. In many places, the snow has been piled so high as to become unsafe because it has become impossible to see oncoming traffic.

“It just comes down to having enough people to do it,” Van Dyk said. “When there’s six people that do the work and they’re working 16 hours a day, they don’t have time to go and make sure that the intersections are safe, they’re just trying to keep the roads open.”

The city has already gone over budget for snow removal this year.

“We’ve probably spent three times what the budget is,” Van Dyk said. “The extra money will come out of the asphalt and street repair budget.

This means that fewer street repairs will take place this summer.”

The overtime hours the city has had to pay employees was a contributing factor, as snow removal is very expensive.

“It costs about $1000 an hour to clear snow downtown,” Van Dyk said.

“On the bright side, the challenging road conditions did cause some positive changes in the way drivers acted on the road. The police department noticed that people tended to drive more slowly, were more observant at intersections and were friendlier to other drivers,” Van Dyk said.

So will more snow removal personnel be a part of next years budget?

“It’s a question that the Sandpoint city council would have to answer; they’re the ones that provide the funds for snow removal,” he said. “I doubt if they will, primarily because this is the first time in 11 years that we’ve had this much snow. The last time was ‘96/’97. They probably wouldn’t budget for more people for a once in a decade event.”

Now that the snow is starting to melt, the city faces another issue altogether: flooding due to drains and gutters that are still clogged with snow.

However, this hasn’t been a problem so far.

“So far, this has been a perfect melt,” Van Dyk said. “It’s fairly warm during the day, but it freezes at night, so it doesn’t continue to thaw. What we will do when it does start melting quickly is go to each intersection with equipment and start clearing the storm drains.”

Lack of time primar y reason for decreased student reading Galen MaCdonald

Nine out of ten interviewed students said they were not reading a non-required book, and the one that did claim to be in the middle of The Library at Sandpoint High School is equipped with around a book couldn’t remember its name. When asked why they were not 7,500 books, but even with an abundance of written text, it seems voluntarily reading, most answered that they did not have the time that the library’s computers get most of the students’ attention. The to read for their own pleasure, but that if this were not the case, they library offers a place for students to gain access to a fast and reli- might read more for fun.

At the moment, the district is supplying $7,800 dollars to be diable internet connection. Some students have slow internet at their homes, and the school library provides an excellent place to do re- vided among all the school libraries. This money is spent on book purchasing and repairs, and general library upkeep. Though it may search or work on presentations and other computer projects.

Journalism contributor

sound like a large amount of money, it’s 60 percent less than it was five years ago.

“If my math is correct, that works out to about $6.81 per student. That money goes to buying new books, class room sets [of books], and maintaining the books we already have,” Librarian Tony Delewese said.

Right now, the computers are the most frequently used items in the library, but this does not mean that reading is unfavorable or obsolete. It appears that the reason more kids are not reading is lack of time, not lack of desire.

Come by and see Dana, Michelle, Chelsea, and Justin for your after school treats!

Deirde Hill Liz Evans 710 Pine Street Sandpoint 208-263-9012

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, , , , , , , , , , , , , , bLocated in Downtown Sandpointb , , b323 Oak Street b (208) 265-8991b , ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cedar Post

Page 3

March 5, 2008

Our View

Recycling is more than worth our while

Where have the recycling barrels gone?

What about the waste paper baskets? Attempts in the past to make SHS more eco-friendly have been short lived. SHS is behind the curve in minimizing its carbon footprint and there needs to be a change in school policy, starting with a recycling program.

While initially implementing programs to conserve resources can be time consuming and expensive it is becoming increasingly clear that the current rate of resource consumption is overtaxing the earth’s reserves and destroying the environment. Small steps to improve efficiency would include reinstating the recycling policies which have recently fallen to the wayside and providing more bike rack space for the warmer months when the current two that sit outside the school are overflowing.

In the long term, if there ever is a time when the district decides to build a new school they should consider implementing energy saving

technology, such as heat efficient windows, thoughtful design to trap heat in the winter and remain cool in the summer. Other features of green schools are environmentally friendly building components and energy saving appliances such as self-timed faucets and lights that shut off when occupants leave the room.

While they are perceived to be much more expensive, green buildings cost on average two percent more than their less efficient green counterparts, yet green buildings can save schools almost $100,000 a year in resource expenses.

Overall there are very few reasons not to go green; recycling is a painless step in the right direction and while a brand new school is a far fetched wish, eventually a levy will pass and the district will draw up plans for a new school, hopefully they will utilize new technology to protect the environment and conserve resources.

Intolerance is inevitable, why fret?

No one for President While I think we can all agree that the writer’s strike was the worst thing to happen to television since anything on VH1 ever, the American people have made some surprising steps forward in the lack of fiction on the idiot box.

In the absence of daring and relevant fake political dramas like Two and a Half Men and Ugly Betty, many find themselves drawn to the real political drama playing out in our presidential primaries. And what’s not to like?

There is a little something for everyone in the race for the white house- rich white people get McCain, hipster college kids who don’t know the first thing about politics get Obama, lunatics and NRA members (same thing?) get Ron Paul, Stephen Colbert gets Huckabee and someone must like Hillary. Where do all her votes come from any way?

While it’s nice to have such a wide berth of candidates, this has basically boiled down to a three pony race. The problem is, much like the soul sucking trampire excuse for women of The Rock of Love with Brett Michaels, none of these contestants deserve to win.

Let’s face it: McCain is most likely a robot, and if he secures the White House it means the machines have already won, Obama cannot dance to save his life (a skill that is more than vital when dealing with foreign countries more festive than our own), and Hillary, well, let’s just say that unless the world’s problems can be solved by cooking, cleaning and child bearing, I doubt she will do much good.

Is any one of these people the solution to the American Problem? No. The fervor over the presidency is a result of the American peoples’ desperate desire for a government with a figure head, a constitutional monarchy with temporary monarchs that we can love or hate, re-elect or oust. The renewed interest and participation in national politics is a sorely needed step towards the cure for voter-apathy, but as a nation we must remember that our government does not stop at the presidency, . The right president will not make America a utopia, nor will the wrong one make it a dystopia. It’s fun to care about the presidency, but let’s not have too much fun.

Lack of tolerance is a part of being human, as is finding out that others are able to tolerate things you can’t stand, and vice versa.

For instance, I am unable to handle the taste of canned tuna. The smell alone nauseates me. My brother however, is quite fond of the stuff. He in turn does not understand what about tuna I find so repulsive. Of course, there are many more examples of toleration, or rather, a lack of found in matters less petty than this.

Toleration of individuals comes to mind.

I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where we must interact with an individual whom we consider to be less than tolerable. When this situation arises in my own life, I tend to feel a twinge of pity for the person, in that they are completely oblivious to their less than tolerant nature.

However, I all too quickly become annoyed with them because of their nature, and seek a way of escaping their presence altogether, sometimes by less than subtle means.

Recently, when shamefully reflecting on a situation identical to the one mentioned above, I came to wonder why certain individuals are so intolerable to some, but why, to others, their presence causes little or no distress. (Perhaps I should mention that a question remarkably similar to this involving food preferences was floating in my mind as well.) I was only able to make a cop-out, which involves the belief that individuals are innately born with differing personalities, and that quite simply, different personalities appeal to some and not others.

This then led me to contemplate the sad fact that there are some individuals who

There is a fine line between a teacher’s conversation and a lecture When a teacher decides to share a humorous anecdote with the class, it can be a welcome break from the dull predictability of the day’s activities. However, when the anecdote turns into a life story with morals and values included, I find myself pleading for the resumption of a lecture or lesson.

Don’t get me wrong, I welcome digressions that allow me to squeeze in 10 more minutes of study time for the upcoming vocabulary quiz or cut out the last minutes of class spent watching the clock; however, 30 minutes spent learning about a teachers love for scrap booking can be almost as torturous as if that time were spent actually learning something.

When teachers spend such lengthy amounts of time talking about their personal lives, beliefs,

issues, etc. , the class can start to seem more like a therapy session than an actual lesson. I start to feel like the teacher isn’t there to teach us, but rather to dump their ideals on us.

Just because students are still in school doesn’t mean that we aren’t perceptive enough to realize when a teacher is speaking for their own benefit.

When teachers use students’ obligatory respect for their instructors in order to push their opinons on the students or just to rant and rave without interuption, it crosses a line.

It is true that teachers who take the time to have real conversations with their students are often better liked and better respected, but there is a point when a conversation looses its appeal and starts to resemble a lecture.

are tolerated by virtually no one. In finding the reasoning behind this, I was not at all successful.

So, in compiling all my thoughts on the matter, I came to a brilliant conclusion: Some people are just going to bug you; you will doubtless bug other people. These are unchangeable aspects of life, and this being the case, fretting about them in excess will be unproductive, as the last three hundred words or so of this column have demonstrated.

That is all I have to say on the matter, except....peanut butter and jelly sandwiches probably offer the same satisfaction in sandwiches as tuna, but without the less than appealing odor. Unless you like tuna, which is, how did I put if before? Ah yes, unfathomable.

Morgan Wills Editor in Chief

Chelsea KardoKus Assistant Editor

laura loCKWood Arts & Culture Editor

MiChael Tiberi News Editor

Will hughes & niCole Van dyK Sports Editors

leigh liVingsTone Photo Editor

grahaM PayTon Graphics Editor

KaTie MeeK

Advertising Manager

anna Thorell Office Manager

W

With Cameron Hay

ell, dear readers, it’s time to tell you about another news and foodrelated nightmare. This one was the unfortunate combination of yahoo.com and blueberry cobbler (it was delicious). In the dream I watched as thousands upon thousands of machine gun-toting children paraded down the street firing wildly into the air and chanting “Guns don’t kill people.

People kill people!” They then erected a gigantic sign displaying the names of schools who have suffered from school shootings with a line underneath that read ‘Guns could have stopped this.’

It seemed so ironic to me when I learned that six people died in a school shooting at Northern Illinois University on the same day that SHS saw the presentation ‘Rachel’s Challenge’. Also, it was Valentine’s day. Here the universe was playing a really mean cosmic joke, which I learned the next day had drastic consequences beyond six more orders for the

Allowing guns on campus is not the solution to school shootings coffin industry.

Believe it or not, there is an organization out there that believes that the greatest deterrent to psychotic killers going on a rampage at our universities is to arm as a many (sane) students as possible. It’s called the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC). In the two days following the 2008 Love day massacre at NIU, the SCCC saw its membership go up by more than 2000 members as more and more people became drawn to its message of proliferation. In fact, the SCCC is so successful that as of this writing, several state legislators, including Washington state’s, are making terrific headway in passing laws that would eliminate public universities’ right to establish safe zone laws.

Ok. Let’s think about this. How many of us really think that every kid that goes to college is competent enough to carry a concealed weapon on campus and NEVER ever be tempted to use it except in self defense? I

don’t even trust most mature adults with guns, much less a 20-year-old party hardy who has a beef with that one guy who totally checked his girlfriend out.

Yes, the Virginia Tech and NIU shootings were terrible. Yes, both the killers showed signs of mental instability and depression.

But therein lies the rebuttal of the SCCC’s argument: instead of arming additional bozos and allowing them to conceal their weapons at a place of learning, perhaps we should step up counseling services for troubled students, or enhance university security.

Perhaps we will never be safe from school shootings, safe zones or non. There will always be those who have embraced evil so much that no consequence could sway their heart. But what we must realize is that if we ourselves embrace the method of retaliation, embrace the thought of taking justice into our own hands, we risk creating a greater scene of chaos and murder than we ever had before.

riCK rhodes 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

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Page 4 March 5, 2008

Who do you think is our biggest school rival and why?

Cedar Post

Without caffeine, how are super people s-s-supposed to f-f-function?

Don’t fix it if it’s not broken

Dillon cower

laura lockwooD

Graphics

Shawnee Silvia FreShman “Lakeland I think is our biggest rival for football.”

Chelsea McDonald Sophomore “Probably Sophomore

Priest River because they hate us with a burning passion.”

Zack Kuhl Junior Junior “Lakeland, because they’re in our same disrict and we always have a hard time beating them for state.”

Throughout the ages, centuries, aeons, and other time period-related words, coffee has served not only as a stimulant, carrying tired students on its caffeine-laced wings, but also as a soothing agent, much like a cigarette temporarily calms a nicotine addict. I have been addicted and re-addicted to coffee many times, each failed attempt at hampering my usage reminding me of how much I truly adore it. At the time of this writing, I am going through yet another coffee withdrawal; I’ve now gone several weeks without regularly consuming the delicious ebony, slipping a handful of times for a handful of cups. Each instant that I buckle, that I give in to the desires of my subconscious, that I pour the bitter love that I bitterly loathe, I cannot help but wonder what’s so bad about coffee, questioning why I stopped in the first place. Then, of course, I find what remains of my wits about me and reminisce about the good ol’ times, the times when I required the drink to wake, to stay awake, and to function in what’s as close to a normal pattern as I’d found. I speak, of course, of the dreaded addiction to caffeine – a pseudo-problem facing many in our western society today. Obviously, I make light of the issue; given how quickly and easily one can abstain from consuming caffeine, I really see no dilemma here.

Cocaine, on the other hand, is a serious matter.

A very serious matter. If I weren’t such a dull, unfunny, unimaginative person, I’d make a joke about coke right now, somehow relating both the carbonated beverage and serious, serious drug.

Alas, I am not on enough of a caffeine high to put out that level of effort.

My oh-so-personal addiction/re-addiction to caffeine is not a result of lusting for the drug; rather, it stems from my love for the taste of that tasty black drank. When coupled with dairy and some sort of sweetening agent, artificial or not, coffee attains a sort of... well... amazing quality.

It’s transformed from a pungent “EXPLETIVE EXPLETIVE WHY DID I DRINK THAT EXPLETIVE” into a savory “Oooooh yes, ooooh yessssss.” Note the number of S’s – it’s just that great. When that combination of cream, sugar, and murky liquid hits my taste buds, I can’t help but squeal deep down inside with glee. I0123.

I just rambled on about coffee, caffeine, and a few related subjects; if you’ve gotten to this point (haha, point), I suppose you already figured that out. To summarize: I love the taste, I hate the caffeine. Decaf for life, brahs. That shaz is dank.

Arts & Culture Editor

Everyone wants to be dependent on a substance, right? Why ever would people go through a day at work or school substance-free when they can inject caffeine into their systems and work at hyper speeds?

Here is the sad truth, my friends: every day, more and more students and workers are arriving at a fate their poor little caffeine-hooked minds never saw coming. One day, they picked up a steaming hot coffee most innocently, seeking either the comfort of a warm beverage or an extra kick to help them finish a task in half the time. Next thing they knew, they were drinking huge travel mugs full of coffee every morning through their commute, sneaking cups between classes or at breaks, at lunch, and any other extra minute they get during the day. They need their coffee to wake up, to get work done, to get through their day and even to relax after they get home. This is a sad and unfair outcome for the innocent people who are unaware of their actions’ consequences.

I just don’t see why a perfectly un-addicted person would go to the trouble of getting themselves hooked on coffee. Do they not realize that they could get the same amount of work done if they just buckled down and did it instead of doing a Starbucks run?

Coffee addicts are wasting time and money trying to get caffeine high after caffeine high, always trying to work at a faster pace than before. These poor addicts get accustomed with the idea that coffee fixes everything – if they’re behind in their work, coffee will catch them up. If they’re sleepy on the job, coffee will provide that extra little kick to get them through the day. Before long, they begin to make up excuses for drinking coffee, even though they know very well they don’t need the caffeine or any other effects the coffee gives them for whatever task they’re trying to complete, but it’s too late. They’re hooked. We all know that we can complete tasks without the aid of this drug; everyone at least got through elementary school without it. All of the high schoolers I know who aren’t hooked on coffee are just as productive as those who are; they just have more dispensable money because they don’t blow it on coffee every morning. If anything, the non-addicts are more productive because they are not weak without a hot beverage in their hand. Someone seeking a more productive work ethic should steer clear of coffee.

That way they can save themselves before giving into the wrath of caffeine that in actuality weakens the body by building up an addiction and therefore making a coffee cup an absolute essential to any work environment.

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.

“

• The vomit jelly beans always trick me.

• Basically you’re awesome, but the tarot cards say that’s about to change.

• What better is there to do than crash an allgirls’ party with a piece of washcloth taped to your face?

• What’s Hitler’s last name?

• I actually watched someone check out a book in the library today.

• It’d be just like holding a 240 lb man. The same amount of squish.

•I thought for sure my head would fit in this stool. It turns out I was wrong.

• The only thing I hate more than terrorism is Kidz Bop cd’s.

• When you get calculator happy don’t forget the halves.

• I am the definition of flab.

• A lot of the time I would listen to him talk about naked statues and stories about the naked

”

statues.

Letters to the Editor Cody Reichart Senior “I would have to say Lakeland because that’s one of the toughest schools we face for baseball.”

Nancy Miller Teacher “League wise it would probably have to be Lakeland because it’s just them and Moscow.”

This is where your thoughts go. Feel passionately about something? We are your public forum. Drop a letter with your thoughts and name in room E8 or e-mail shscedarpost@hotmail.com

Student fights for equal opportunities men’s choir Dear Editor, In case you have not already heard, the “Sandpoint High School Choir” is going to Hawaii this spring! For the past few months, the girls in the Women’s Performing Choir have been working hard to raise the ridiculous amount of money this trip is going to require. The girls have been performing all over town, which is great, but do you ever wonder where the boys are?

Yes, Sandpoint High School does have a Men’s Performing Choir! You only ever get to see and hear the girls, but the boys have their own talented choir too. I know this because I am a former member of the Men’s Choir. In fact, the Men’s Choir just returned to Sandpoint after beating the Performing Choir and winning Jazz Fest this year. This goes to show that the boys are talented too, but Mr. Jon Brownell, the choir director, has an unfair pattern of discrimination against the boys. The girls always get to go on extravagant trips to places such as New York City; Portland, Oregon and Hawaii, while the boys are always unfairly excluded from the benefits of these trips.

This year is a little different, however. Mr. Brownell decided to create a new Men’s Quartet within the Men’s Choir. He handpicked his four favorite students, including his freshman son, and decided that he was going to take these four boys to Hawaii with the entire Performing Choir, but not the entire Men’s Choir. Sadly, the majority

of the talented Men’s Choir is going to be excluded from the benefits of this trip once again, only because they are boys, while the entire Performing Choir gets to go.

The boys in Men’s Choir were not even given a chance to audition to be a member of this quartet. No seniors were allowed to be a member of the quartet either. As a result of this discriminatory policy, Mr. Brownell denied this opportunity to two of the most talented senior Basses, myself and John Hull, who were ranked the numbers one and two basses for Region I to participate in this year’s All State Honor Choir.

Yes, seniors are graduating in only a few short months, but that does not mean we should be prematurely kicked out. Seniors are students, too! As long as seniors still have to go to school, they absolutely have a right to all the same benefits and opportunities as underclassmen. To exclude talented seniors and boys from opportunities is unfair and is not in harmony with the mission statement which reads: “We will encourage and empower ALL students to achieve their full potential.”

The next time you find yourself in a situation where the Performing Choir or Mr. Brownell and his quartet are shoving a bucket in your face and begging you for money to support what they call the “Sandpoint High School Choir” to go to Hawaii, please keep in mind the majority of the talented Sandpoint High School Choir students who have earned the right, deserve the right, and are unfairly excluded from opportunities

Ben Myers

Senior

March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

Page 5

SHS produces many musical alumni Kat Vardell Staff reporter

samantha may

n daddy Banana Bread: Daddy Banana Bread band member channels Modest Mouse and metal influences in a solo.

Battle of the bands

This year’s competition sees surge in punk and screamo bands Karina OlsOn Staff reporter

This year the Battle of the Bands saw a large number of hardcore and screamo bands competing with a smattering of funk and soul bands. Punk rock scored big wins and both of the winning bands hailed from Bonners Ferry.

The bands played in a sold out show at the Panida Theater.

Battle of the bands this year had a large turnout, with 12 total bands competing in two categories, over 18 and under 18. Top honor in the under 18 category was taken by Duderonomy, a progressive metal band out of Bonner’s Ferry and the over 18 title went to Bar 77.

“We [twins Dylan and Derek Deitz and Keith Anders of Duderonomy] have been playing together for four years, we picked Aaron [Hall] up off the street and bathed and fed him. Now he plays with the band,” Dylan said.

Bar 77 was recently signed to the label Talent K in October. They describe their style as punk metal and played their original song Hallows Eve and are one of the most experienced bands, having played together for five years, performing in Bonners Ferry and open mics in Sanpoint. Six months ago they went to California to record a

demo, which earned them a record label.

“Today punk metal is pretty new, we’re trying to keep it original,” band member Isaac Grey said.

Second place for the under-18 category was taken by Blue, the only band lacking a guitar.

They presented Through With You by Maroon 5. The band is the creation of members of the SHS jazz band Ryan Williams [on bass], Zac McDonald [drums], Erik Jansen [piano] and Men’s Choir member Cameron Brownell.

Third place went to Ghandi and the Fat Men from Finland, who shared Ryan Williams and Zac McDonald but added Jacob Craner on vocals and Brian Wolcott on guitar. They performed a cover of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid.

In addition to the three placing bands, two other acts were awarded honorable mention.

Abandon Ship, playing Message in a Bottle by The Police and covered by the five piece band with slightly reggae vocals and Daddy Banana Bread with their screaming-metal original Ugly Child Medley, which sounded something like Modest Mouse on a tough day both won Tshirts from Sandpoint Music, which provided all of the prizes for winners.

The other bands from this category were the folk-emo fusion band The Pregnant Chads,

who were probably the most risqué act of the night, with their eccentric mandolin player Eric Czirr dancing with the prospect of expulsion by coming out in nothing but white tube socks, shoes and a man-bikini brief, the lineup also included the soft-core emo Resonate who covered Evanescence and ABOSA (A Breath of Snow and Ashes) who returned to battle of the bands for a second year with their scream original, Mary’s Mishap of Magical Mistakes.

Rounding out the top three in over-18 were The Raining Pitchforks in second with their original composition Glass Cage, band members Hayley Redinger and former No Cover guitarist Stephen Fredricks played what they described as pure rock and roll with only an electric guitar complemented by acoustic rhythms; Fredricks acted as lead vocalist and Redinger’s wispy soprano complemented Fredrick’s growling baritone.

In third place was Turtle Wax who were the freshest band with a whole four days of practice together under their belt. The only band in this category that didn’t place were the satanic sounding Sinthetic Nightmare who have an almost rabid fan club that crept out of the woodwork to initiate the mosh pit in front of the stage.

PhOtOs by samantha may

n TurTle wax: Senior Brian Hilland wows the crowd with his skills.

n SinTheTic nighTmare: Heavy-

metal screamo band rocks the mic.

n Bar 77: won the over 18 division with their original song Hallow’s Eve.

n ghandi and The FaT men: Senior Brian Wolcott plays lead guitar.

Order your photos and photo gifts ONLINE - TODAY!

A surprising number of upcoming successful musicians today graduated from Sandpoint High School and found much of their inspiration and initial assistance here.

Kristy Osmunson, a fiddler for the country music duo ‘Bomshel’, graduated from SHS in 2001 and is the daughter of Health Occupations teacher Kathy Holm.

“She’s been doing fiddle since she was four years old,” Holm said.

Since then, Osmunson has nurtured a love and talent for music, playing fiddle, singing in high school and studying music in college.

“In college she took two years of jazz and two years of opera,” Holm said.Then Osmuson went went to a private music school, Bellmont University, in Nashville.

“They teach kids how to make a livelihood with their music,” Holm said.

This is exactly what Osmunson has done.

“She was hired by Mustang Sally to do fiddle work . . . and a producer found her, and she’s created a [group duo] called Bomshel,” Holm said. Now Osmuson is performing in the United States with her duo partner, lead singer, Kelley Shepard. Through February and March, they have performances in Indianapolis, Kansas City, Detroit and Cincinnati.

The duo is also hoping to be able to perform as the entertainment for HOSA state this year in Boise.

“I just had to learn that when you sign a record deal, you don’t run your life,” Holm said.

Some of Bomshel’s songs have recently become availble on iTunes, such as ‘The Power of One’ and Osmunson’s original ‘Bomshel Stomp’, which is number six for popularity in line dancing songs right now.

“She’s writing songs like crazy and singing . . .” Holm said. “She’s having a ball because she’s followed her heart and followed her talent.”

A well known musical group here in Sandpoint stars two graduates of Sandpoint High School, the Shook Twins, who graduated in 2002 and whose parents, Dan and Patty Shook also both still work at the High School.

The twins, Laurie and Katelyn Shook, both have a similar, but wide range of musical abilities.

“The do everything the same,” Patty Shook said. “They both sing . . . they play the guitar, the banjo, whistle, that they made, or Dan made . . . and [African drums].”

The twins studied music in high school.

“Through Mr. Brownell they were with concert choir, so really, it’s all his fault,” Patty laughed.

“Since they had been seniors, they started thinking maybe this is what they had to do . . .

They got all their basics from the school system here and then they went to U of I. At the University of Idaho, the twins learned to produce music and mix music better, although they did not go to college with just thoughts of making their music.

“Their first thoughts were actually to be the hosts of the Travel Channel,” Patty said. “Then they started singing more and more and got taken over by it”.

So far the Shook Twins have 21 original songs and two CDs, including their new one, released February 3.

“They’re at that level of success,” said Patty.

Another musician among the alumni of Sandpoint High School is violinist Jason Moody, who started musical studies at five year old and graduated in 1999.

“He’s an accomplished violinist with the Spokane symphony,” Holm, who remembers him attending SHS, said.

As a junior, Moody was the first young artist to be on the Spokane affiliate of NPR’s program ‘From the Top’ which stars young jazz and classical musicians.

In summer of 1998 Moody was a guest violinst with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra at the Festival of Sandpoint.

Page 6 March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

Students scour thrift stores for second-hand treasures

Cougars and manatees and moose, oh my!

Students and staff share stories of close encounters Alex Gedrose Staff writer

ChelseA KArdoKus Assistant Editor

From vintage to glamour, thrift stores provide a unique style and way of self-expression without paying the prices of modern day fashion.

“I thrift store shop because you’re never going to find something on someone else. You can search for stuff; it’s not already laid out on a manican for you,” junior Lindsey Galand said.

“It’s like an adventure; it’s a journey. You can find the craziest things; it’s just fun!”

Thrift store shopping is becoming more and more popular among teenagers because they have found what all fashionistas seek: a balance between cost and product that everyone can be happy with.

“It’s a lot cheaper, and a lot of times you can find the same types of clothing but for discounted prices,” senior Isabelle Guthrie said.

“Yeah, it’s used, but it’s still the same clothing; if it’s not ruined, then why not?”

In addition to offering the latest fashions with better price tags, thrift stores also have styles that can’t be found anywhere else.

“You can find a lot of vintage and retro stuff that you can’t find in real stores that looks exactly like really expensive name brand things,” Guthrie said.

Sandpoint houses several thrift stores all with their own flare. Racks, a favorite of many, is located on 5th Ave. and specializes in vintage clothing and costumes.

“We’re just trying to be a little more unique,” Racks owner Julie Hinchliff said.

Thrift store shopping has even entered the realm of entertainment and has become much more than your everyday search for new clothing.

“It’s just a fun thing to do. When you go with a couple friends and you’re like ‘look at this! look what I found!’ it’s just exciting,” Galand said.

Because Sandpoint is in such a rural area, many students and teachers have a bountiful selection of stories of wildlife encounters.

Math teacher Tom Albertson had a close encounter with a moose.

“I am a cattle rancher on the side, and I have cows that are having calves right now,” Albertson said. “There have been two moose I was aware of that have been eating from the cow’s food.”

Albertson was checking on his cows early in the morning when he met the two moose face-to-face.

“I had plowed a big snowbank, and I didn’t know that they were lying right behind it,” Albertson said. “The mother moose was alarmed and came at me.”

Because there were snow banks blocking him, Albertson had nowhere to hide.

“I had nowhere to go, so I just hit it in the nose with my flashlight, and ran as fast as I could up the snowbank.”

Although most students don’t have the courage to punch wildlife in the face, they recognize the danger of some Idaho animals.

“I was almost eaten by a cougar,” senior Courtney Brown said.

While camping, Brown and her friend,

senior Alison Fister, were roasting hot dogs over a traditional campfire when they heard a strange noise.

“I was really dumb and thought it was an airplane buzzing above,” Brown said. “But it was actually a cougar growling, and it was right outside the fence of the cabin.”

Brown went on to reenact her and Fister’s reaction, which included bulging eyes and various screams of different pitches.

“So we went inside the cabin,” Brown said. “My grandma got her gun, and we even put a chair in front of the door.”

The chair, obviously, was for the possibility that the cougar would decide to infiltrate the cabin by simply walking through the front door.

Some students, such as senior Cassidy Kindred who recently moved from Florida, have more exotic wildlife tales.

“I was swimming with about 30 manatees,” Kindred said. “This baby manatee was nibbling on my face, and then it just pooped.

It was seriously everywhere.”

Although moose, deer, and other critters have to be dealt with on a daily basis, Sandpoint should consider itself lucky that manatee byproducts will never be an issue.

“I had to go to work right after,” Kindred said. “I didn’t even have a chance to take a shower. It was horrible.” dillon Cower

n Step One: Approach

n Step twO: Make eye

moose with confidence.

contact.

n Step three: Hit moose in face with flashlight.

n Step FOur: Emerge victorious.

I have seen the apocolypse; it is carbonated yogurt

S

ome of my favorite things to do on the weekends include saving children from burning buildings, inventing better mousetraps and cloning carrots in my basement in order to solve the problem of world hunger.

When I’m not doing any of those things, I’m usually found mindlessly wandering the aisles of Safeway. Actually, I’m at said supermarket so often that you can find one of my makeshift beds behind the donut selection. I fashioned it out of recycled Doritos bags and the squishiest produce I could find.

This is sad. I realize that.

Today, however, was a very monumental day. While strolling past the dairy shelves I happened to spot a brightly colored box with shiny letters that read “FIZZIX”. The neon-green X logo was so catchy, it pretty much jumped out and scratched at my eyeballs.

On closer examination I saw that FIZZIX is a new product from Yoplait Go-Gurt, and it’s advertised as a “fizzy lowfat yogurt snack”.

I am not kidding: carbonated yogurt in a tube. Guys, I can’t make this stuff up.

I let out a squeal that grabbed the attention of most nearby

shoppers, fished out four bucks and ran all the way home with my new discovery, (which sounds impressive until you remember that my home is only two aisles down…behind the donuts).

My FIZZIX flavor of choice was Triple Berry Fusion because it sounded extreme, but not too dangerous. I haven’t actually tried any other flavor. But if Fruit Punch Charge or Wild Cherry Zing or Artichoke Attack or whatever tastes 20 times better than berry, I can easily say that I would rather eat my own puke.

There are these evil marketing geniuses out there who have started to convince the world that kids enjoy pain (see: “Pop Rocks”, “Slip’N’Slide”, “Bop-Its”, “The Disney Channel”).

FIZZIX seems to be no exception. It’s not bad at first when your mouth gets a nice squirt of sugary yogurt. This enjoyment lasts approximately three seconds, or at least until your tongue realizes that it just dipped itself into a mild acid.

Nothing will make you more of a wuss than when your parent calls the school, explaining, “My child won’t be able to make it in today. There was a rough accident with some yogurt.”

FIZZIX isn’t really painful, it’s just not at all an enjoyable experience. When you finish a FIZZIX, you don’t say, “Wow! I am so glad I just ate that!” You probably won’t say anything.

This is because your mouth has dissolved into a puddle of creamy fructose gloop.

I have no idea what puts the fizz in FIZZIX. Carbonation?

Shards of broken glass? I tried to consult the product’s website for answers. Now, I have to admit that www.gogurtfizzix.com

Alpine Shop Assessing all of your ski and snowboard needs:

Photo by: Nate Holland

fSkis & Snowboards fWinter Apparel fWaxing & Tuning

Spring discounts on clothing and equiptment!

fLocated in downtown Sandpoint f213 Church Streetf 263-5157

400 Schweitzer Plaza Drive Suite 4 Ponderay, ID 83852 (208)254-9633 APQS Arm Quilting Machine Rental ...Instructional Classes Quilting Crocheting Knitting

has the coolest loading screen ever. I could watch it for hours.

This is convenient considering it probably would have taken my computer three years to load the entire site.

I probably have better things to do. So, the fizz continues to remain a mystery.

For those of you who are wary of your health, I’m proud to report that I did find some small print on the FIZZIX box that assures that this product--and, again, I can’t make this stuff up--“Meets National Yogurt Association Criteria for Live and Active Culture Yogurt”.

I have no idea what that means, but “live” and “active” yogurt sounds like I just ate something that wasn’t quite dead.

Oh my god.

In other news, let me know immediately if any of you have any connections that would allow me to become a member of the National Yogurt Association. This way I’d be able to find the creator of FIZZIX and then beat him with my seven remaining tubes of acidic crap.

Page 7 March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

Sam Stentz Junior Sam Stentz immerses himself in the study of history Each Spotlight is focused on a randomly chosen student.

Karina OlsOn Staff reporter

S

amuel Stenz, an SHS junior, has been fascinated by history since childhood.

“I love epic action battles and how things work together in history and how it shapes the world as it is today. I mean, one slipup could mean disaster for the entire world. If we’d lost the Civil War? Or what if Hitler won World War II? The world would be so messed up right now,” Stenz said.

Stenz has a particular interest in wars from the past.

“My favorite era is World War II, and my favorite battle is the Battle of the Bulge; that, or Baston. Baston happened in the winter of 1944. They thought the war would be over by Christmas, but obviously that didn’t work out. It was a pretty heroic battle - soldiers were freezing to death, and if they started a fire, the Germans would fire-bomb the forest,” said Stenz. “My second favorite time period is the Civil War.” Exciting advances in technology that accompany war are also especially interesting to Stenz.

“I like the new technology that started during WWII, it really started to advance. There was some new technology in WWI, but sub technology picked up and planes and machine guns had a lot of advances,” Stenz said.

Stenz was lucky enough to find his passion early on, and also

that his interest is required in school. To some, history is boring, but Stenz looked forward to taking history classes in high school.

“For me, (history) just comes naturally. I used to watch the History Channel a lot when I was little,” Stenz said. “I was really sad that history wasn’t taught in elementary school. I was really anxious when I got to middle school to take all of the history classes that I could.”

Stentz tentatively plans to follow his passion for history into a teaching job.

“It would be kind of cool to be a history teacher. I would love what I would be doing. If someone loves math, then they should do something with math. You need to do what you love and what you have a passion for,” Stentz said.

The way history is taught makes all the difference, according to Stentz.

“I like to present the history like Mr. McLaughlin does, telling stories instead of just making us do bookwork,” Stentz said.

Stentz looks at the present day with a historical eye and does not like the way things are heading.

“My dad wants to vote for Ron Paul, the way he wants to make the government stay out of foreign affairs such as Iraq. We should not interfere, we need to stay neutral and protect the country. I heard a quote that says ‘nobody can destroy the U.S. from the outside, but only from the inside out’,” Stenz said. “It seems like the politicians Hillary nusbaum just want to keep the war going, and it’s making other countries mad, like China and Russia, and they’re getting powerful; it’s scary. n working away: Stentz concentrates on the contents of a laptop at school in his English class during the last period of the day.

Messing with Russia didn’t work out so well in the Cold War.”

Student chefs gain experience Skills acquired during high school jobs aid students in future career pursuits Kat Vardell Staff reporter

HeatHer allen

n Crankin’ up the heat: Senior Bryan Buck welds behind the veil of a plastic protective sheild.

Welding Club heads to competition Little-known club makes its way to Portland Keegan dunn Staff reporter

T

he SHS Welding club is preparing for their regional Skills USA competition March 7 at Lewis and Clark state college.

“On the welding team we have maybe 20 that will be going,” Industrial Mechanics teacher and Skills USA advisor Yogi Vasquez said.

The club, part of the Skills USA team at Sandpoint High, was founded last year by Vasquez and Industrial Technology teacher Alex Gray.

Most students enrolled in a Professional Technical Education class are eligible to compete.

“Welding’s part of it. Construction’s part of it.

Drafting and Animation are part of it. Electronics, A+ upstairs, are part of it. They all belong to our school Skills USA chapter,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez hopes last year’s experience will enable this year’s competitors to perform better.

“It’s going to help us a bunch because we found out a lot of the intricacies of the different machines and kinds of welds, and as far as the state meet

goes, the kinds of tests that are going on…how the tests were given and how the performance tests were given,” Vasquez said.

The club meets during 5th and 6th period classes as part of the capstone (PTE) program, and members have been using their talents to raise funds for the state competition in April during class.

“We did metal art to raise money to buy welding jackets [$99 each] and to go to the regional competition. We did moose coat racks, deer coat racks, and we made all kinds of horse shoe art that we sold,” Vasquez said. “We probably raised close to $2000 doing that.”

Not just anyone can join the Welding Club.

“You have to complete Industrial Mechanics I and Industrial Mechanics II and you have to get into Industrial Mechanics III in order to compete,” Vasquez said.

The Welding Club and the rest of the SHS Skills USA team will compete at state at the end of the year.

A number of students at Sandpoint High School benefit from and enjoy jobs cooking at local restuarants.

Cooking is a more complex job than many others held by high school students because what needs to be done to acquire the position.

“I started out as a dishwasher at the beginning of this last summer, then I got promoted,” Junior Tyler Gervais, a cook at Sandcreek Grill, said.

Another local cook, Junior Paul Palmer who works at McDuff ’s also started dishwashing before working towards the promotion.

“When I started to cook, I wanted to cook more than dishwash,” Palmer said.

Working as a cook involves a lot of opportunities and responsibilities.

“I have to make sure all the food gets out on time,” Palmer said. “I have to set all the plates, make desserts . . . burgers, pastas, sandwiches and appetizers.”

Another cook at the Sandcreek Grill, Junior Scott McConnel, agrees that cooking is a more difficult job.

“Sometimes it’s so busy I’m just kind of like- ‘Whoa! What do I do?’,” McConnel said.

“It’s hard at first, but then it becomes routine.”

McConnel and Gervais’ tasks at the Sand-

creek Grill reflect the restaurant’s menu.

“I’m a sushi chef, so I make sushi, and I do the salads and do deserts,” McConnel said.

He finds the the responsibilites enjoyable though.

“I get to do my own thing- I can make the plate how I want to usually,” McConnel said.

Learning to cook in high school is a good preparation for future jobs and careers. “[Cooking’s] not what I want to do, but i I ever needed a job, I could cook,” McConne said. “I have a good resumé for cooking be cause I also work up at Schweitzer at the Lake View Lodge as the line cook.”

Gervais plans to take his skills even farther.

“I was interested in cooking and stuff,” Ger vais said of why he applied for the job tha changed his career plan. “I’m planning on go ing into culinary school to be a chef.”

Overall, most find the opportunity enjoy able.

“The people and everyone there is really nice cool to work with,” Palmer, who did his persua sive speech on ‘Why to eat at McDuff ’s’ said o his work. “It’s a lot better than probably mos jobs.”

McConnel finds another aspect than the pay and actually cooking to appreciate about his job.

“I can say I’m a cook- how cool is that? make sushi!” McConnel said.

leigH liVingstOne

n watCh your fingers: Senior Daniel Maus works away at the Sand Creek Grill dicing vegetables.

Page 8

March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

Snowskating grows in popularity among teens

Sophomore Ashlyn Parker, junior Ryan Novak participate in sport which shows similarities to many others Keegan Dunn Staff reporter

Carly riCKarD

n THAT’S TRICKY: Senior Dane Finney pulls a trick while dropping off the roof of a house on a snowskate. This winter’s record snowfall is perfect for trying new tricks.

Snowskating is gaining popularity across the United States and for various SHS students.

“It’s fun. It’s entertaining. We snowskate off our roof,” sophomore Ashlyn Parker said.

“I saw kids doing it up at Schweitzer, then I bought one,” junior Ryan Novak said.

Mt. Hood, the birthplace of snowskating, was the first major resort to include a snowskate park on its slopes, and many other resorts including Copper Mountain, Mammoth, and Big Mountain are installing parks in their resorts.

Snowskating is appealing to many riders due to the low cost of the equipment needed and the money saved on the lift tickets they don’t have to buy.

“A snowskate and that’s it. That’s all

board: shove-its, like on a skateboard. you need,” Novak said.

There are two varieties of You don’t need a pass to do it, you snowskates: single deck and bi-deck. can just find little hills and go down Single deck skates are usually made them.”

Not very many adults snowskate. from plastic and have channels in “I would say age 10-19. It’s not real the middle for control on the snow.

Bi-deck snowskates feature a skate hard to do, so little kids can pick it up, but then you deck with a ski kinda grow out attached to the of it once you bottom. realize you can go “You can It’s fun.

It’s entertaining. faster and bigger get plastic ones for like, 50 or We snowskate off our roof. on a snowboard,” Novak said.

60 bucks and Both Parker wood ones -Ashlyn Parker and Novak prefer that sometimes Sophomore snowboarding come with a over snowskating. little ski that “(Snowskating) is like you can attach to it on the bottom for skateboarding, but harder,” Parker like, 150, ” Novak said.

Snowskating has a few said.

“You don’t go as fast, you can’t jump key differences compared to as high, you can’t spin as much or flip,” snowboarding.

“You can do flip tricks with your Novak said.

“

”

F.A.S.T. program shows improvement in athletetic performance, decreases injury Casey Dunn

been proven that testosterone levels go up. It has been proven that bone density increases, he F.A.S.T (Fitness and Sports Training) and it has been proven that it promotes healing program has become a popular way for as far as the lactic acid that builds up in you athletes at Sandpoint High School to get muscles from training. The vibration actually in shape and improve at any sport or activity. releases the lactic acid out of your muscles “The programs and what we’re doing here is earlier.” a lot different,” manager TJ Larson said.

“It helps different muscles that you would The program utilizes specialized equipment not normally use,” freshman Ariel Moe said. that contributes to a more productive A unique aspect of F.A.S.T. is that each person workout. receives an individualized evaluation that “If you want to get better at track, or get targets their specific needs and weaknesses. better at sprinting, or [have better] foot “We do posture analysis,” Larson said. speed or something for soccer, they have “Everyone that walks through the door we special equipment for it,” sophomore Susan measure your posture. It just tells you a little bit Kovalchuck said. about how you’re standing and how it affects “We have a treadmill you.” that goes 31 miles per “They can find out hour,” Larson said. “We everything about your do a lot of our speed Everything you do you do body,” Semones said. “I training on that.” found out my right leg is while vibrating.

The treadmill shorter than my left leg. has what’s called an That was pretty funny.”

-Jake Palaniuk unweighting system, Sophmore Students say that which is basically a builtone of the best aspects in suspension system that of the program is the prevents injuries while personalized attention running at high speeds. they receive.

“They have these vests that they put you “They’ve got specific people working with in,” junior Jake Semones said. “It’s suspended just you so you get a lot more help,” Palaniuk above the treadmill, so if you were to run and said. slip and fall, you wouldn’t hit the treadmill; it “It’s kind of a smaller, closer environment,” would hold you up.”

Semones said. “You feel like you’re getting one“It allows us to train beyond your normal on-one time, it’s not like a big old gym with a limits,” Larson said. million people.”

Special vibration plates built into the floor The program is also very relaxed and low are also used during workout activities, such as pressure. lifting weights.

“You can go there, and you don’t have to “Everything you do you do while vibrating,” worry,” Palaniuk said. “Nobody’s going to judge sophomore Jake Palaniuk said. you about how athletic you are or anything.”

Working out while under the effects of “There’s not a bunch of people that you have vibration significantly increases the activity’s to show off for, there isn’t a bunch of flash and effectiveness, Larson said. dash going on,” Larson said. “There’s state of “You muscles actually go through involuntary the art equipment, but it’s in a really homey muscle contractions,” Palaniuk said. “When atmosphere, which is really cool.” you step onto vibration, some automatic However, perhaps the best part about changes start happening in your body. It has the F.A.S.T program is the results that are Staff reporter

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HeatHer allen

n LUNGING TOWARDS HER GOAL: Senior Desi Hutchings does a specialized workout at the F.A.S.T. fitness center to prepare for her upcoming season of track and to decrease the risk of injury.

achieved.

“It really does make you bigger, faster, and stronger,” manager TJ Larson said.

“It produces results,” junior Jake Semones said. “When I first went there, I could run forwards on the treadmill 12 miles an hour max. I’ve only been doing it for around four weeks and now I’m up to around 18 miles an hour.”

“I ran faster; I ran a lot faster,” Moe said. “It was unbelievable.”

“I’ve been there three or four weeks,” sophomore Jake Palaniuk said. “I can already tell a big difference. It’s been a real help.”

The facility is located at 2605 N. Boyer in Sandpoint.

Those people who are still sad about the college football season ending should strongly consider not reading the rest of the article.

I am still a bit touchy now that the season is over, but it was definitely a season to remember. I think its pretty safe to say that any college football fan knew it was going to be a crazy year when perennial power house, University of Michigan, lost to Appalachian State University in their first game of the season.

Don’t forget the University of Notre Dame, always one of the better teams in the nation, finished 3-9. Another game that must be mentioned is the Stanford/ USC game. Stanford, which is usually known for its basketball and wrestling program, knocked off a ranked USC team by one point on a last minute touchdown.

Along with the most unpredictable games, there were also some unpredicted teams cracking the top 25 for most of the season. Teams such as Oregon, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky and even Connecticut made a run at being ranked. No one would have ever thought at the beginning of the season that a game between Missouri and Kansas could possibly have championship implications. Make sure for next year that you keep Missouri in mind for the title as they have junior quarterback Chase Daniels and freshman wide reciever Jeremy Maclin returning.

As wild and crazy as the regular season was this year, the bowl season didn’t quite fit the trend set during the season. Most games were blowouts and were over by the 2nd or 3rd quarter. For example, Hawaii was undefeated going into their bowl game against Georgia, who had two losses in the season. On paper this game looked like it would be quite a good one, Hawaii’s high octane offense versus Georgia’s stout defense. Georgia’s defense had Hawaii’s quarterback Colt Brennan hearing footstep the entire game.

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Cedar Post

March 5, 2008

Will HugHes

Co-Sports Editor

Christina Johnson

Position: Wing Height: 5’9” Weight: 148 lbs.

Q: How long have you played basketball?

A: I’ve played since third grade.

for playing in college?

A: I would like to play, but I don’t know where at.

Q: What motivates you?

A: My teammates motivate me.

Q: Do you play any other sports?

A: I play volleyball, and I also do track. Right now I’m doing club volleyball and track starts in a week.

Q: Do you have any superstitions?

A: I hate the number 13, but actually, I was that number last year.

you’ve played?

A: That would probably be the Lakeland game at home because it was really close.

Q: Who is your biggest rival?

A: Our biggest rival is Lakeland.

Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

A: We have dance parties in the locker room before the game.

Q: What is the greatest and least amount of points you have scored in a game?

A: The lowest would be zero and the highest would be in eighth grade, and I think I scored 21.

Q: Do you have any ambitions

Q: What is your favorite game

Q: What are your expectations for next year?

A: We’re losing a couple tall people, but I think we’ll be just as good. We’re really athletic. I think we’ll make it to state, but I don’t know how we’ll do.

grapHic by graHam payton pHoto by leigH livingston

4A school rivals raise sea- Poor status of school fason intensity, importance cilities hurts sports teams paulina graloW

Assistant Sports Editor As a 4A school in the panhandle of Idaho, SHS doesn’t have much of a variety of sports teams to compete against for the district and state titles. Because of this, Moscow High School and Lakeland High School, the two other 4A schools in northern Idaho, are the two main rivals for most of SHS’s sports teams.

“Lakeland’s in our league and it’s pretty much us or them… so whoever wins that game goes to state,” varsity football player junior Jake Semones said.

“There’s a sense of rivalry because we know and they know we have to beat them.

No other team matters.”

Similarly, boys’ varsity soccer has an unfriendly relationship with the Moscow varsity soccer team.

“They upset us this year in districts, and it’s just always a big battle when we play them,”

varsity soccer player junior Spencer Swerin said. “There’s some bad blood between us.”

But not all rivals are enemies with SHS teams. Coeur d’ Alene varsity volleyball and SHS varsity volleyball are on relatively good terms, although rivals.

“We know we’re rivals but we’ll go and buy Jamba Juices for each other between games,” sophomore varsity volleyball player Kaiti Lunde said. “We’re friends until we’re on the court.”

Coeur d’ Alene is also a common rival, despite the fact that they are 5A, but Moscow and Lakeland are generally the top rivals.

“There’s a lot of trash talk on the field,” Semones said. “There’s a lot of pushing and a little extracurricular, but there haven’t been any fights.”

And with any rivalry, sometimes it’s a given that the matches are more intense.

“We don’t try to hurt each other, but it seems to always be more physical playing them,” Swerin said.

Heavy snowfall causes damage to gym, leaving teams short of space; flooding to come is most likely to do same ryan Williams

shouldn’t be a problem, but with all of the snow on the ground it looks like it will be awhile unti he large amount of snowfall in the past teams will practice outdoors. month has affected winter sports, and “It is going to be one of the latest outdoor its effects will continue into the spring seasons we’ve had,” Klein said. season.

The track and tennis courts cannot be When the snow on shoveled or snow blown the roofs of Sandpoint without risk of harming High School closed the the surface, and even after school for three days, most of the snow melts If it’s a fast thaw and rain, there sports were not allowed could be problems. there will be flooding. in gym.

“If it’s a fast thaw “Basketball was able and rain, there will be to use the middle school -Cheryl Klein flooding,” Klein said. “The Athletic director [to practice],” athletic baseball and softball fields director Cheryl Klein will be wet and mushy for said. “Wrestlers couldn’t a period of time.” get into the wrestling room for almost a week.”

Until the surfaces are clear, spring sports wil Missing practices is always difficult on both be practicing in the gym. players and coaches.

“The coaches are challenged keeping the “It has both a physical and a mental impact,” athletes interested. When it’s a month inside, i Klein said. gets old fast,” Klein said.

The girls’ basketball districts had to be However, many athletes will keep practicing postponed four times because of bad road and either the snow will melt, or they will trave conditions and school closures. south for competition.

“Fortunately we finally got it all in, except “It’s fun to go down and do well when we Moscow had to forfeit one game,” Klein said. have not even been outside,” Klein said. “I don’ “They couldn’t get up here.” know of another school that has to deal with Now that the roofs are clear, indoor games what we deal with.”

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Girls’ lacrosse team offers new option for spring sport liz stone

Staff reporter Lacrosse, a sport that up until recently was only available to males in Sandpoint, is now available to women as well with the creation of a womens high school team.

A lack of experience among some of the participants could make the going tough but what the girls lack in experience they make up for in athlecitism and stamina.

“The one thing that is really great about

the girls is that they have running in their background,” Holly Rand, the girls’ lacrosse coach, said.

This will be Rand’s first year coaching lacrosse. Lacrosse had been a large part of her life, as she has spent years supporting her sons who participated in the sport.

Hope Woodruff, a sophomore at SHS and a member of the lacrosse team had high praise for the new coach.

“We have a coach who is fantastic,”

Woodruff said, “the coach, Holly Rand, is amazing.”

The team faces an obstacle when it comes to finding other girls’ teams to compete against with Gonzaga Preparatory as the nearest school with a girls’ team. Four games have been scheduled so far.

“It’s a start, you never know, maybe we’ll get an invitational,” Rand said.

Despite the possible difficulties that the team will face this season outlooks seem

positive.

“The whole point of this year is getting i started, getting it off the ground,” Woodruff said.

This year will be one to build upon for the girls’ team, and the players as well as their coach seem to have what it takes to make this season a successful one.

“I think that we’re actually going to get i started and that’s the main goal of this year,” Woodruff said.

Once Again .

New to store men’s consignment quality clothing.

Owner Jill Stuart 819 Hwy 2 next to Goodwill 265-8041

Page 10

March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

snowmobiling York twins BLAHBLAH spread powder Liz Stone

Staff reporter

Samantha may

n rallying: Senior Spencer Eich flies through the air on his Skidoo XP during an extended weekend snowmobiling trip in McCall, Idaho.

Samantha may

n looking up: Snow streams from the snowmobile of recent SHS graduate Nic Myers as he jumps, seemingly, straight up.

Liz Stone

surrounding area provide an environment that is desirable for snowmobiling.

“There are lots of local places where you can snowmobile,” ere in North Idaho, while drivers are struggling to Jessica said. navigate the treacherous roadways and The two siblings enjoy riding with pedestrians are slipping and sliding friends but are also known to partake in down sidewalks, snowmobilers thrive in the snocross, a type of racing that is similar to winter weather.

You can go explore. You have motocross racing.

Two people who partake in this winter sport no limits, really.

“It’s kind of like motocross but with on a competitive as well as a casual level are -Jessica York snow,” Jessica explained. siblings Jessica and Justin York.

While casual snowmobiling has its One aspect that attracts Jessica, a junior at Junior attractions, competitive snowmobiling Sandpoint High School, to the sport is the freedom adds some extra excitement to the sport. of movement made possible by snowmobiling.

Justin York explained why he enjoys “You can go explore,” Jessica said, “you have racing. no limits really.”

“The challenge and seeing how fast you can go without With prime snowmobiling terrain in the panhandle region such as Roman Nose and Trestle Creek, Sandpoint and the wrecking,” Justin said.

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n hitting a drift: SHS Alumnus Adam Eich jumps a snow drift.

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Photo CourteSy JaCkie Carter

Photo CourteSy JaCkie Carter

n above: Sophomore Justin York races in Coeur d’Alene February 17th where he placed 1st in the 440 cc and 4th in the 600/440 cc sport combo classes. n left: Junior Jessica York competes in the Women’s class where she placed second, and in the main sport 440 class where she placed sixth.