October 2007 pdf

Underage Prosecution:

The Final Stretch:

Adolescents experience the trials and tribulations of the law

Cross Country Team leaves Competition in the dust

page 11

page 6

Volume 85, iSSue 2

Sandpoint HigH ScHool

october 31, 2007

Is SHS being left behind?

Sandpoint High School was recently placed in alert status when state progress reports showed students were below average Ryan Williams

Staff reporter

S

andpoint High School failed to pass three No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) marks last spring.

SHS is now on alert status after failing to meet AYP for Graduation Rate, Economically Disadvantaged Reading Score and Economically Disadvantaged Math Score.

Only two schools, Clark Fork and Washington, out of seven in the district, were able to pass all of the categories.

Sandpoint’s ISAT math scores have dropped from 79.45 percent proficient to 70.51 percent proficient in the past two years.

The passing proficiency level is 70 percent and the economically disadvantaged category was only 58.75 percent proficient.

“Before you start jumping and pointing fingers, how do you measure natural ability?” math department head Tom Albertson asked when questioned on what was to blame. “You can’t pin it on one variable.”

Reading proficiency also dropped almost ten percent.

“You have a new test,” superintendent Dick Cvitanich said. “Each test is normed a little differently. Often the test is not correlated as neatly as the company says.”

Administrators also questioned the NCLB system.

“The value of a school should not be judged on one test,” Cvitanich said. “Our school board sent a letter to our congressmen.”

The NCLB continues to raise the number of students who must be proficient as part of AYP. By 2012-2013, 100 percent of students will need to be proficient.

“If it’s one indicator its OK; I like the theory,” principal Becky Kiebert said. “The thought that 100 percent of kids will be

proficient in math, reading, and language is ridiculous. You can’t have 100 percent for anything.”

The program comes up for renewal in 2008.

“I believe that, yes, the program should be continued but make some alterations in knowing our population, whether local, statewide or national will never be perfect,” senior Lea Black said.

“Nothing in life is absolute, everything is approximate.”

While the program exists, however, the school must try to make changes to meet the acceptable levels. One program put into place is PLATO English and math classes.

“The goal of the program is to help you pass the ISAT. Teach test taking strategies,” Kiebert said. “24 kids were assigned – [we] took students who were close to becoming proficient.”

School within a school, a credit recovery program for students who would otherwise become a year behind in school, and an English credit recovery class were put in place to help try to raise the graduation rate.

“I talked to the superintendent about separating Lake Pend Oreille High School and SHS graduation rates,” Kiebert said.

If the proficiency levels and graduation rate do not receive the necessary increase, then the high school will go onto a year by year plan outlined by NCLB. Each year more control is taken, and if the scores do not become sufficient, eventually the school is taken over by the state.

“There is a lot of paperwork and hoops to jump through,” Kiebert said.

As the acceptable rates rise, it will be a continuing struggle to show AYP. “My question is not how can we get the kids to this level,” Black said, “but why do we have this program.”

Security remains top priority in schools

Welcome to the Redzone Fundraising operation replaces WBL store

Keegan dunn

Staff reporter

L

Keegan dunn

Staff reporter

The Red Zone, previously the WBL Store, opened for business Thursday, October 11, boasting a selection similar to those of years past despite this year’s stricter federal nutrition guidelines.

“We sell doughnuts in the morning and Arizona iced tea,” Red Zone employee Clayton Weme said.

The store is considered an ongoing fundraiser for the Professional Technical Education department.

Fund-raisers are not affected by the new law.

The store also sells healthy options like Nature Valley granola bars, salad and sandwiches.

“We try to encourage healthy eating,” Red Zone advisor John Trana said.

Many students believe they can make decisions about what they eat without government help.

“We’re in high school, we can decide what we eat,” Red Zone manager Brittnie Boyd said. “Students weren’t dying when they had doughnuts.”

Trana believes food and drink with questionable nutritional value will be consumed whether it’s sold at the Red Zone or not.

“It’s about demand; it’s either met through the store or brought from home ,” Trana said.

The Red Zone is open is before school, during nutrition break and during all lunches.

leigh liVingstone

n InteractIng: Senior mentor Jake Sleyster works with underclassmen in a recent game where they compared their likes and dislikes of a variety of things.

Keeping a positive attitude Mentors help underclassmen peers with their first year of high school Kat VaRdell

Staff reporter

The pathfinder mentor program, an organization that has been at Sandpoint High School for three years, continues to assist freshmen through the complications of starting high school.

The program was created to help freshmen transition into high school and have a positive experience with upperclassmen.

“The purpose of it is for freshmen to feel like they belong to our school,” adviser counselor Cindy Albertson said.

The student mentors are recommended for the program by their teachers.

“They recommend us as the kind of person who could be nice to freshman and not all stuck up about it,” junior mentor Amanda Hulbert said.

Another important aspect of the chosen mentors is that, after they are recommended, they have to choose to accept.

“They volunteer,” Albertson said. “It is a special group of students who choose to be mentors.” Mentor continued/page 2

ast year’s rise in bomb threats and school shootings has high schools across the nation taking a second look at security, and Sandpoint High is no exception.

“Safety is a top priority,” principal Dr. Becky Kiebert said. “If students don’t feel safe and secure, they won’t reach the next level [of learning].”

In the statewide September 7 newsletter, Tom Luna, Superintendent of Public Instruction in Idaho, announced plans to conduct the Safe and Secure Schools Assessment, which will evaluate safety and security practices in all Idaho public schools.

The evaluation was contracted to Boise-based security consultant DACC Associates.

Doug Melvin, president of the company, toured Sandpoint High School Monday, October 3, and will present the results of the inspection

by January 1.

“He thought we were in pretty good shape,” assistant principal Mike Mitchell said.

Mitchell is in charge of the security of the facilities at Sandpoint High, including all emergency drills and cameras.

“I know kids get tired of fire drills and lockdowns, but it’s necessary to have a plan for everything,” Mitchell said.

Last year’s bomb threat prompted school

Security/ continued/page 2

Cedar Post

Page 2 October 31, 2007

A Foundation for Learning Students are working on a project providing affordable housing for the Sandpoint community Ryan Williams

Staff writer

Industrial technology and drafting teacher Frank Gruden is rebuilding the residential construction program, which has not been offered for the last two years.

The goal of the program is to teach students valuable skills, while helping to alleviate the affordable housing problem in Sandpoint.

“The program is supported by Residential Carpentry Program Inc., a non-profit corporation designed to teach students,” Gruden said.

After completing the house, the class will sell it on the open market.

“We’ll take the money and put it back into buying land,” Gruden said, “also, I want to

establish a scholarship program.”

The students in the program learn about many aspects of building a house, including the physics of building, how to meet codes, setting up the electricity and plumbing and how to sell a house on the real estate market.

“Anything I can throw at them, I will.

It’s all applied learning,” Gruden said. “The home will be built to energy star [energy efficiency] standards.”

Energy efficiency helps with the affordability of living in the house for middle-income families.

Junior Stefan Groenhout decided to take the class after helping his dad, a contractor.

“I’m looking at doing contracting. It will definitely help me to decide,” Groenhout said.

Most students enjoy the chance to work on the house.

“I like getting out of school and working outside,” junior Kurtis Gilbert said.

The program will help students to learn the skills that they would need for any construction job, but the advantages don’t end there.

“Students will know more about how to buy a good home and make investments,” Gruden said. “This is more of a life skills program than any other in school.”

Gruden is also working on getting elective college credits at University of Idaho for working on the house.

Before students can take the class, they must take Residential Construction I, and drafting is recommended.

“If any students are interested, they should talk to me,” Gruden said.

GRaphiC by GRaham payton

Briefly: News around SHS New driving restrictions affect under 17 drivers As of July 1, 2007, all drivers under the age of 17 are allowed only 1 non-family member in the car with them for the first sixth months after acquiring a driver’s license. This rule applies to all Idaho drivers under the age of 17, regardless of when they first received their license.

Students completing driver’s education courses on or after this date will now be required to drive with a licensed driver 21 years of age or older in the passenger’s seat for at least 6 months before they can get a license, up from the original 4 month requirement.

photo by leiGh livinGstone

Students gather at flagpole for prayer Casey Dunn Staff writer

A

group of students and adults gathered around the SHS flagpole at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26 to pray for school administration and world leaders.

The event has brought up the ongoing controversy that appears when students blur the line between church and state.

“It was a day to gather with fellow students and pray for our nation,” participant Kasey Osborne said. “Schools all over the country were doing it.”

A University of North Carolina study indicates that 4 out of 5 teenagers consider themselves to be Christians.

Nevertheless, opinions vary widely on what level of religion should be allowed in public schools, although most students have a lenient stance when it comes to events like praying at the flagpole.

“I think religion should be kept out of “If kids want to get together in groups and support each other through their religion I schools themselves because schools are a public place,” Metz said. don’t have a problem with “If, during class, you it,” junior Jade Donnigan wanted to go pray, and we had said. to wait for you to go pray, then “There are groups of people that have a I personally don’t think I would have a problem with it,” Flannery said. problem with it,” junior Also, most students agree Laura Flannery said. “But religion should have any that school administration I personally don’t mind place in government. and the government in general if kids do something like -Jade Donnigan should prevent their religious pray outside of school.” principles from impacting Some don’t feel strongly Junior their decisions. either way.

“Politicians shouldn’t let “As long as it doesn’t interfere with time in the classroom it their religion influence their decisions,” doesn’t really matter that much,” freshman Flannery said.

“I personally don’t think religion should Evan Metz said.

However,many students are less tolerant have any place in government,” Donnigan when it comes to the presence of religion said. “But religion affects morals, and people inside schools and in the actual classroom. base their decisions on morals.”

“

”

SECURITY : continued from page 1 administration to create a mass-communication system to notify parents of any emergency. The system would send an e-mail or text message to any parents who pay a small fee.

“Last year during the bomb threat, before the school was even completely evacuated, five parents had received calls from their kids,” Mitchell said. “It’s an instant communication world.”

Officer Steve Chamberlain is the school resource officer supplementing the school’s security.

“I go to all the schools in the Sandpoint city limits,” Chamberlain said. “I educate students about laws and help enforce things like school policies and laws.”

A camera system has also been updated from last year.

“Only 9 [of 16 cameras] are working right now,” Mitchell

said.

Plans are in motion to have them all operational by November. Although there has been no live surveillance over the last five years due to funding concerns, the cameras store a week’s worth of footage that can be reviewed in the case of a serious crime.

There are also plans to install three cameras in the parking lot; however, the lot currently has no security at all.

“We just don’t have the staff to patrol the parking lot,” Kiebert said, “but in about three weeks, someone will be checking ID at the front entrance.”

The ID check will ensure no underclassmen leave campus and will also help with security in the parking lot.

Lockers are perhaps the hardest areas of the school to secure, although frequent inspections help keep illicit drugs

and alcohol from being stored on campus.

“Lockers are school property. We can inspect any student’s locker or car that we suspect of a crime,” Kiebert said.

“We bring a dog in a couple of times a month to sniff for drugs and alcohol,” Mitchell said. “The police department is a real friend at our school.”

But in spite of all the new technology being installed, the best security is still the watchful eyes of students and staff at Sandpoint High.

“The most important security device is people. Students tell me ‘Those two kids are going to get in a fight later,’ and things like that,” Chamberlain said.

Mitchell echoes Chamberlain’s confidencc: “I think 95 percent…no 97 percent of our kids are the finest kids I’ve ever met,” Mitchell said. “It’s nice to see that.”

MENTOR : continued from page 1 The chosen students start off in the spring with a six-hour training session and then get out of class once a month for a one-hour training (September through February).

October’s training was on accepting differences and September was on making connections.

“Topics we choose are on a basis of what kind of issues seem to be brewing in the school,” Albertson said.

Then, once a month the mentors go to the freshmen science classes to bond with their mentees.

“Five to seven mentors go into their science class for a thirty minute connection on the topic they were trained in,” Albertson said.

The mentors get to know their mentees, during the connection time in class, and then throughout the month continue to support them, beyond the classroom.

“We make an effort to hang out with them outside of school,” Hulbert said. “Basically we’re just friends.”

Other ways they might support their mentees at school can be to sit with them at lunch, leave a note on their locker, say hi to

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

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

them in the hall or send them an e-mail.

“They’ll say ‘call me- I’ll try to help you with anything I can,’” freshman Collin Kindred said. “Mine’s awesome.”

“If we need to, we can call them and tell them all our problems in an hour-long phone conversation as long as we have the same network,” freshman Mason Foster said.

The mentors themselves also gain from the program.

“Part of it is to create cohesiveness in the mentor group and [learn how to] take a risk

personally,” Albertson said. “To be able to help people they have to be comfortable.”

Hulbert agreed that being a mentor was a very enjoyable experience.

“I like it a lot. The mentees I have are really nice. I expected them to be really shy but they’re not.”

Albertson noted that she was pleased with the great group of mentors this year taking the program seriously.

“I wish I had a mentor,” freshman Matt Durfee said. His lack of a science class prevents him from having a mentor.

Our View

Cedar Post

Page 3

October 31, 2007

School is for learning, not for standardized testing

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is becoming the sole standard on which the schools in the United States are being judged. Schools must have a percentage of students proficient to graduate, or else the program begins to take control of the school.

NCLB is not a bad idea. The theory that every child in the United States should receive an education and not be “left behind” to work minimum wage for the rest of their lives is wonderful.

Graduation rate is something that should be a major concern for schools. If students are not going to school, then they cannot be educated. The fact that our high school’s graduation rate dropped four percent last year is a problem that needs to be addressed.

It is also fair that a school must be accountable for teaching students to a level where they are proficient at math and reading.

The difficulty comes with judging what is proficiency. How can the whole competence of a school be judged on a test? Some people have bad days or they are just bad at taking tests.

NCLB continues to get more ridiculous. It

is a statistical impossibility for 100 percent of students in the United States to be proficient, but that is what the program requires by the year 2012.

Maybe Utah is doing the right thing by simply deciding to go to a voucher system, where parents get money to pay for their kids to go to school and refuse federal education money. Maybe they will be able to teach students what the teachers feel is important, instead of teaching what they need to know to pass the ISATs. Our high school has done the only thing that it can do by offering a class designed simply to help students pass the ISATs. It is apparent how much NCLB is affecting our school when a student is forced to be taught how to pass a test for a whole year simply so the school can meet standards. Is knowing how to pass the ISATs a valuable life skill for students?

When NCLB comes up for renewal in 2008, congress must take a hard look at what the program has accomplished. Maybe our country can go back to teaching what is important instead of teaching simply for a test.

Thoughtful actions are better than thoughts without actions

By Cameron Hay

This friend of mine needs money, donate!

Sometimes I wonder whether good intentions will be the death of me. Literally.

For instance, I could be driving and then A couple of weeks ago I was perusing the zealously pull out into a lane, propelling news for information on the presidential myself into oncoming traffic. primaries. Clicking on the Democratic I would intend to steer back toward leader, Hillary Clinton, I noticed that she the correct lane, but I may not be able to had already reached the legal limit on several maneuver quickly enough before running of the Federally recognized donations, all of into someone. which have tallied 28 million dollars this Thankfully, however, my intentions quarter and a whopping 90 million dollars about driving aren’t usually a problem for in the race so far. me. But the operation of moving vehicles Looking at the Republicans, the situation aside...well, that’s another story.

Of course, it’s nice to be able to take is only slightly less glamorous, with their fund raising leader Mitt Romney hoarding comfort in that fact that I’m not the only one lacking in follow-through. Between 18 million this quarter.

Yet politicians have a nasty little problem intending to complete academic obligations with fund raising. Under Federal guidelines and intending to pay back that seedy-looking passed during the seventies, there is a set limit to the amount a donor can contribute each time and each year, and since 2002, increasing attention has been put on delimiting the current $2100-per-donation limit.

This left me wondering, “why do they need this money, and why do we keep giving it to them?!”

Thinking on that for a while, I still could find no justification for these people receiving gobs of liquid cash for merely being a big As I am sure all students at Sandpoint name with a “plan for America”, when any High School have come to realize, our school skeptic would find them to be big heads with administrators are placing increasingly tighter corporate backers to pay off. restrictions on our internet usage. I will admit To alleviate this problem, I came up with that I can see the need for a some moderate form a plan. We change the rules on political fund of censorship when it comes to students’ use of raising so that a candidate can only receive the internet but it seems that this censorship has donations to match how much THEY earn. gone too far.

But wait, it gets better. By “earn”, I mean Now, students cannot even enjoy a picture of an the kind of “earn” my father said when he adorable fluffy baby chicken because its common meant “character build.” title is a homonym for a girl which apparently is Thus, the candidates will get only as much too illicit for our virgin eyes. as they can make mowing lawns, raking I understand that blocking our access to sites leaves, and selling lemonade curb-side in such as Youtube and Myspace might dissuade dangerous urban areas. Want 200 grand a few students from slacking off in class, but for negative advertising? Sell these 50,000 blocking internet searches that contain the word boxes of cookies.

character you borrowed $20 from the other night, we all have encountered instances where what is intended and what actually happens are two entirely different things.

Good intentions run rampant, but the follow-through is often missing. While it may not be a huge deal to let slide that one four-point math assignment, not paying back that certain individual may be potentially, well, problematic.

There are similarly negative results for intentions without follow-through where someone other than the person who flakes is punished. Intending to deepclean the kitchen on Mother’s Day, but instead buying a cheap, though cute, card... there’s no question which is the better gift.

Though the thought may count, the thought

When protection prevents learning “chick” is simply going overboard.

Hypothetically, even if a student were to go online with the intent to find some digitally enhanced hotties or pornographic images the student’s classmates or the instructor would serve as equally effective watchdogs.

What may be even worse is, while school administrators are hustling around making sure we aren’t looking at internet porn, recipes for methamphetamine are readily available to students who decide to type it in on Google.

Administrators need to take a moment to re examine what they see as a threat to our young, impressionable minds. Until then I’ll just have to take the time to type the 6 extra characters if I want to look at the cute little birdies.

accompanied by the action counts a whole lot more.

I suppose that if I felt so inclined, I could now exhort you all in earnest to not just intend to do things, but actually do them.

But quite honestly, why should I suggest something that I won’t necessarily carry out myself? The fact is, although good intentions are best when there is follow-through, there isn’t always a legitimate opportunity for such, either due to lack of time, or memory or simply because you’d really rather just sit on your butt and stare at the wall than do anything else.

So I guess as far as my own intentions are concerned, I’ll just make sure to practice my driving skills, so that when I intend to steer back into my lane, I can actually do so.

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

grahaM PayTon Graphics Editor

KaTie MeeK

Advertising Manager

The difference between what we’re told and what we’re taught

B

ack in the third grade, I already knew a lot of big words. Really big, fancy-schmancy SAT vocab type words. Parents and teachers alike were very impressed with this, and showered me with vague accolades: “Hannah Vogel? She’s going somewhere.”

Now, that girl who tested out of senior English in the fifth grade is flunking out of her English class senior year.

So what happened?

After all, in elementary school, I gobbled up all the praise - “Precocious!” - and I learned bigger words. Everyone thought I was very bright.

Did I fall in with a bad crowd? Did I start sniffing rubber cement? What went so horribly wrong?

The fact is, the American education system bears as little relation to preparation for “real life” as saying that all my gold stars should have translated into easy success.

All of your life you are told that you can be anything, and that’s the beauty of the land of the free. You can become a teacher or a firefighter or a doctor or an astronaut or a movie star or the next President; you are an individual who is important and has something important to give; you can make a difference - reach for the stars.

But, all of your life you are taught how to be mediocre. You aren’t an individual. You’re a member of class of ----, evaluated on a 1.0-5.0; A, B, C, D, F scale.

Perhaps if you are brilliant the post-modern fairy godmother (the concerned teacher) will sweep in and motivate you to be all that you can be and pass that AP Calculus exam and learn how to ballroom dance, even if you are a rubber cement-sniffing degenerate living in the ghetto of Nowheresville, USA. These are the sort of stories we’re told. These are the sort of people we study and are taught to emulate: our dreamers, our rebels, our geniuses.

However, in my experience, any actual attempts to “think outside the box” are quickly smacked down, if your type of “outside” isn’t enfranchised, or wasn’t discussed at the last teachers’ seminar.

They have special classes for kids like that these days, because thinking outside the box is so disruptive to others’ education.

In trying to express my frustration with the hypocrisy I see apparent in our education, I’m often told “Suck it up, it’s only high school.”

Of course it’s only high school, I reply. But don’t you see what a dangerous concept “only”

is? I don’t want to be one of those kids who wake up in their dorm room on the first day of college with the childish expectation that everything is magically going to start happening, the way I’ve been told things happen in college.

We’re told to question authority, but we’re taught that there will be an appropriate time for questions later. So, I ask, which day is the day I’ll wake up and think “Today it’s time to stop sucking things up.”

These people shake their heads in bewilderment at my sheer stupidity and stubborness.

“Don’t you see,” they ask, “that for now you just have to take everything one day at a time, and you are obviously very bright, and perhaps high school just isn’t what you’re cut out for, but if you just get through high school, college is different, college is where things really happen, but you just need to learn to play the game for a little while -” “You’re wrong!” I crow. I’ve seen people who are playing by their own rules - we study them in class. We’re only told we all need to learn how to play the game, but what we really need to learn is how to quit the game on our own terms. And who is going to teach you that?

anna Thorell Office Manager

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

Printed by the Daily Bee

Page 4 October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

Do you think religion should be allowed in school?

Medicine is just what the doctor ordered

“Free” health care has a big cost Kathleen VarDell

iSaac Dunne

Staff Reporter

Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

Joni Johnson FreShman

“I think it should be extrcurricular, but not in class.”

Sam Trulock Sophomore

“It doesn’t Sophomore

bother anybody, so yeah it’s fine.”

Sometimes I wonder: if it weren’t for Michael Moore, what would people talk about?

If you’ve decided to take up permanent residence underneath a rock some time in the past few months you might not realize that Moore’s latest foray into national agitation has quite a few people up in arms about national health care and socialized medicine.

I’m going to be blunt; socialized medicine is perhaps the greatest idea since sliced bread. Those who need the most health care are usually the very poor and the very old, many of whom are on fixed incomes that don’t provide for the expensive medical procedures they require.

The big fear here, as I see it, is that by allowing the government to control our hospitals the whole prestigious institution will crumble before our eyes.

One popular theory is that, because doctors will be dangerously underpaid, all the best and brightest will abandon the medical professions.

Somehow I doubt the thought running through most med school hopefuls’ minds when they take the Hippocratic Oath is “golly gee, I can’t wait to take my shiny new diploma and put it to use making millions of dollars.”

If anything, lowering the doctor’s pay will make for even more qualified physicians, those who actually care about caring for patients, rather than raking in the dough.

Another defense for keeping our health care in its sordid state is that socializing medicine will make medical research unprofitable and medical advances will become stagnant. In reality, these companies will still be competing, they’ll just be competing for the government’s and, by extension, our money rather than the money of greedy drug companies.

The number of people who have difficulties because of waiting lists in countries with socialized medicine are far outnumbered by those who get no treatment at all because they cannot afford it.

The allure of national health care is free treatment for everyone now, but this would be at the cost of quality and improvement in the future.

Socialized Medicine is in practice in Canada, France and England among other countries, and mandatory health insurance is required in some countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

But because of limited money and little competition within their systems, there are inconvenient and even even fatal consequences.

Most improvements in medicine are made because there can be demand for them. When the United States first started talking about national health care, demand for newly developed medical equipement, like the endoscope, plummeted almost overnight.

In a nation with socialized medicine there would be no profit from owning technology like this. That we didn’t convert to this system is why the Unites States, and not France or Canada is responsible for technology to keep premature babies alive, AIDS medicine, and so many other life-saving innovations.

There are also limits and waits for health care in countries where it has been socialized. In the Netherlands, if you have cancer and are over a certain age they will try to talk you out of extensive treatment.

Although only a small number of babies born 25 weeks premature live, if one this young is born in Holland they will let it die.

My grandfather, a dentist in Montana, treated a lady who had come down from Canada once. She had an abscess in her mouth and had been told that she would die from it if it could not be treated in a month and that she was not going to be able to be seen to be treated for more than a month.

The counter argument is that people who can’t afford health care could get it with socialized health care. But the truth is that it can’t just simply be free.

People argue that the free health care that is available in the United States through Medicare is really bad, but trying to improve it through socializing it would only result in everyone’s being worse, if even making Medicare better at all.

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.

“

• Do girls always have to travel in groups?

• I can’t wait until I’m old so I can just play cribbage all day.

• I don’t want to be Christoper Robin!

• Women shed like dogs.

• I hate snozberries.

• There’s this lady that thinks she’s married to the Berlin Wall.

• You can marry objects in Scandinavia.

•Look at this, like, Mount Everest on my forehead!

• Why don’t we ever have any fun homework? Hey, what about homework for sex ed?

• We’re like the breaded corn wrapped around the weiner!

• Just ‘cause people call you fat doesn’t mean you are!

• I always run into people in the hall! Yeah, hot people!

once.

Letters to the Editor

Jonas Cafferty Junior

”

• Cat’s are so courageous, they don’t flinch

Junior

“No, because it would cause too much controversy.”

Athlete finds cheerleading distracting, embarrassing Dear Editor,

Dane Finney Senior

“Yes, because it’s your right to be able to have a religion in school.”

Dear Editor,

I’m not too fond of the idea of cheerleaders cheering at all the sporting events at Sandpoint High School.

Having cheerleaders show up at memorial for a soccer game against Lake City was an embarrassment! Soccer is an intense sport, not something you have little girls running around in too short of skirts cheering for us. If I walked onto the field at an away game and heard that school’s cheer squad cheering from the sidelines, I would make fun of them.

Now there is talk of them traveling to Districts with us. Can you imagine us walking off the bus and stepping on the field ready to play an intense game and totally intimidating the other team, then the cheerleaders step off the bus to cheer for us. Can you imagine the embarassement? We would be a big joke in the league.

Also the cheerleaders would probably get hurt, either by our team getting mad that they are there cheering for us, or by the other team trying to be funny and hurt the cheerleaders.

I think the sport should have a say in whether they want the cheerleaders at their event or not. Cheerleadering should stick to football and basketball games. It’s in the best interest for both the cheerleaders and us, because they could get hurt, and we would be a joke.

Annie Vogel

Junior

Christians should be able to practice beliefs

Bill Barlow Faculty

“I don’t really have any strong sense one way or the other about it.”

Student outraged over blind patriotism

Dear Editor, I have heard a few complaints about the 180 club praying in front of the school, and I would like to state my opinion.

I think that all the complaining is really stupid.

I mean, Christians do not really ever have the chance to reflect their beliefs at schools.

One day out of the year to show what we believe in won’t kill the atheists out there who don’t want to see it.

Last year, all the people who didn’t agree with the GSA club had to sit back and listen to the debates over it; well, at least I had to.

Everyone has their own beliefs, and I think everyone should be able to portray their beliefs however they want, but not bash on another person’s beliefs while they do it.

Jessica Tucker

Junior

I would like to express my opinion regarding the Pledge of Allegiance. I have not recited it in almost four years, but no one bothered me about it until this year.

I refuse to say it because I do not believe in what this country is doing. I still stand, to honor the veterans of our more just wars.

However, our government is not following the Constituion, or the Universal Declerations of Human Rights. The letter was written by the United Nations after World War II. In response to these faults, I will not be promising my loyalty to a country that does not honor human rights for all humans.

“Detainees” and “suspected terrorists” - are tortured and given none of the rights we enjoy daily. Our Constitution protects us, but we are also forced to follow the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anyone regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, politicol or other status, has the protection of the U.D. of H.R. In case someone cannot understand that, it includes everyone on this earth. But according to our present government, a person’s ideas and beliefs mark them out, and decide how they should be treated.

In this country we allow the Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis to believe what they want. Who says they are not a “threat” to our country and people of Middle Eastern heritage are?

Let’s start following the second article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, shall we?

Tala Wood

Sophomore

October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

Second Chances

Karina Olson Staff Reporter

SHS Student grateful for new life with adoptive parents

According to adoption.org, around 120,000 children are adopted in the US alone each year.

Ten percent of people in the US have been affected by adoption as an adoptee, adopter, surrendering birth parent or close relative of any of the above. While every story of adoption is unique, they all share two facts: surrender by birth parents and retrieval by adoptive ones.

“I was taken from my birth mother when I was six months old, and was in foster care until I was four. My sister and I were taken together,” senior Jamie Norstog said. “The foster home I was in was the best thing that happened to me and my sister. ” While, the foster care system in the US is said to be plagued with problems, there are also foster parents who bring children into a safe and loving environment.

“We were fostered with the best foster parents, they were amazing and affectionate. We got so lucky,” Norstog said.

While leaving the birth family and finding an adoptive home is the initial stage of adoption, many adopted children are either sought out by their birth relatives or go in search of them.

Jamie Norstog sought out his birth father.

“I went to whitepages.com and typed in my birth dad’s name, ” Norstog said. “It cost three dollars to send an email.

I sent it on December 20 of last year and said, ‘I’m looking for my dad. I was hoping you could help me.’

“When I got a response, I sat in front of my computer for 20 minutes staring at the email.

“When I finally opened it, it said ‘you found me.’

“Meeting my dad was terrifying. He didn’t know I was alive. My birth mother never told him about me,” Norstog said.

“Walking from the terminal to where he was, was the slowest walk ever.

“To say hello to a guy you’ve never known but who is your dad. Wow.” Not every adoptee has a positive experience reconnecting with their birth family, but for some it brings a sense of closure and reinforces who they are.

“Its amazing to find that we have so many similar characteristics,” Norstog said. “We like the same foods and walk the same. As close as I am with my adoptive parents we don’t look alike, so it’s amazing to hear ‘you look so much like your dad’.”

SHS drama teacher finds motherhood through adoption “We found out shortly after we were married that we would not be able to have children,” Drama teacher Jeanette Hunter said, “and about two years into our marriage we adopted our first child.”

Over the years Hunter has adopted two children and opened her home to over 35 foster children.

“We both love children, but I have to be honest, my husband has been the primary driving force, he adores them,” Hunter said. “It’s a miracle to watch them come back into themselves when they’ve hidden for so long.”

In order to reach a state where the child is improving there are often periods of rebellion and strife in the family system.

The only way to overcome these periods is by making rules and sticking to them. “[We have] very delineated boundaries,” Hunter said. “You have to make boundaries very clear. Normally the fence (boundary) is just before the edge of the cliff.

“For many of these kids who have never had boundaries you need to move the fence back away from the cliff so that you can catch them before they plow over those boundaries.”

While foster parenting and adoption comes with a variety of issues to cope with, there are also tangible rewards for people willing to make themselves available as foster parents. “(Being an adoptive parent) taught me patience and understanding and not to take myself so seriously.

Sometimes deep bonds are developed between foster parents and the kids.

“Some of [the kids] I really have connected with. There is a special deep connection there and I still keep in contact with those kids,” Hunter said.

“Being an adoptive parent and foster parent is something you choose to do.

“It’s a choice that comes from a different level than making the choice to have a natural born child. You accept the responsibility of taking on something you have had no control in creating.”

Page 5

Improv Team subtracts time to add laughter Kat Vardell

Staff Reporter

T

he Sandpoint High School improv team, or 1/2-Second Heroes, is a unique club. They have fun practicing a type of acting called improvisational theatre and are able to spontaneously entertain an audience with a comic performance.

The performances are generally differen improv games, usually formed by prompts from the audience.

“It’s kind of like Whose Line Is It Anyway,” senior Justin Knowles said.

The team has practices after schoo every Thursday where they improve their technique and get more comfortable with unplanned performing.

“We just rehearse our games we play,” member senior Jessica Boehrn said. “They improve us, get us thinking faster on our feet.”

The team also works on new games and skills like not talking over each other.

“There are little tips that you need to know,” Knowles said.

The shows are at the auditorium, generally every other Thursday, and cost three dollars Tryouts to be on the team are every spring.

“At the end of each year we have tryouts You just come in . . . If [Drama Teacher Jeane thinks you’re fast enough on you’re feet you’ll get on,” Boehrn said.

There are generally eight to ten people on the team.

The quality of thinking quickly is emphasized many times in improv.

“Whatever you’re thinking first you go with it,” Knowles said.

Along with raising money for the drama department, the team is a very enjoyable experience for the members.

“Improv is my favorite thing because like to make people laugh,” Boehrn said. “ don’t have to memorize any lines. I just do it.”

Dear Comics, Breast cancer isn’t really that funny

I

don’t know what it is about the comics section in newspapers. It’s probably the most widely read page in any newspaper, but WHY do we read them? Are the funnies these days really that entertaining?

The sad truth, kiddos, is that the comics are slightly less funny than watching puppies drowning in a pool of mercury.

I’m sorry, but when you’re going to go so far as to call your page the “Funnies Page” then I expect something…you know… funny. I turned to the comics page two weeks ago and came across a gem from Funky Winkerbean by Tom Batiuk found below Ahahaha! Notice the punch line? Do you get it? “She’s gone.”

Like, his girlfriend just DIED FROM CANCER. See, that’s the Angel of freakin’ DEATH in the first two panels. AREN’T YOU JUST PEEING YOUR PANTS FROM LAUGHTER, NOW? Death! Oh, Tom, you obviously were the class clown in high school!

I get what Batiuk is trying to do here by raising breast cancer awareness, but, please, I don’t want to read about “grown up real world problems” or else I’d actually read the newspaper. So

unless dying Lisa here is going to spring out of bed and scream, “Just kidding! I just put on this show to get out of jury duty!” get out of my comics section.

The real problem with the comics today is that when they actually try to be funny, they’re so bad that they make Funky Winkerbean look like Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Beavis and Butthead all rolled into one, laugh-aloud entity.

This is simply because the comics gracing the newspaper have been here before paper was even invented (FACT: Garfield was originally chiseled onto a slab of granite in prehistoric times thus introducing the world to lame lasagna jokes).

Come on, does anybody even read Blondie without cringing into conniption fits of disgust? Dagwood, maybe you were funny when you first came out in the ‘30s, but that’s probably only due to the fact that America was facing a Great-fricking-Depression and would probably find a middle-class working man with a wife, two kids and a dog pretty gosh durn hilarious.

And Peanuts? Come on, that strip hasn’t been funny for years! I know, it’s tragic that creator Charles Schultz passed away, and I realize that Peanuts is a timeless classic, but for the love of goodness gracious, continuing to run his strip is jus making Schultz look bad.

Funnies, get your act together. Get more new comic artists We need new characters, new punch lines and, most of all practice what you preach; we need more funny.

rsity Press © Batominc and Tom Batiuk

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

J

Page 6

October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

uvenile ustice

Rachel kennedy Staff reporter

While popular court television shows enrapture millions of viewers, Sandpoint High School students volunteer as jurors or attorneys for the Bonner county Youth Court.

“We focus on seniors, and the government teachers usually give extra credit to students who volunteer,” Youth Court Coordinator Amy Flint said. “However, the program is not limited to seniors; we have several students who became involved as sophomores and juniors and continued through their Senior year.”

Youth Court is similar to most court trials, except for the fact that all participants, besides the judge, are typically high school students. For jurors and attorneys, it’s simply a matter of signing up to volunteer.

“I went and sat in the juror’s spot, and I was with a lot of my friends, so it wasn’t that nerve-wracking,” Senior Hailey Woodruff said. “But it was a little weird to realize that I knew some of the people being prosecuted. That was a little unnerving.”

Because defendants must plead guilty beforehand, there is no use for a prosecution attorney. Most prospective attorneys take a short training course taught by Flint at the beginning of each semester.

“It was weird because it’s the first time going up there [to the stand] and doing something like that,” Senior Will Knipe, a volunteer attorney, said.

In order to be on trial in youth court, first time offenders must plead guilty to their crime--usually misdemeanor offences with alcohol or tobacco violations, vandalism, or fighting--and complete paperwork to attend Youth Court.

“Advantages of youth court participation include no fines, no loss of driver’s license, etcetera,” Flint said.

“Youth court participants who complete their sentences have their cases dismissed.” heatheR allen Punishments tend to be less n BEING REALISTIC: Judge Buchanan of the Bonner County Youth Court discusses a sentence. extreme in Youth Court and can include community service, and give a presentation. We liked being creative with our essays, attendance of Alcohol and Traffic Safety Victim’s punishment instead of just checking a box on one of the panels, and so forth. punishments [suggested].”

“People were questioned. Parents were questioned.

If a punishment delivered by the jury seems too harsh or Then they led us [the jury] into a little room,” Woodruff inappropriate, an adult judge model, Magistrate Barbara said. “It took us maybe ten minutes [to come up with Buchanan, may question the verdict and/or change it. a punishment]. We finally decided on a little bit of Those interested in participating in Youth Court can community service…and to go to an 8th grade health class sign up with Youth Court Advisor Mr. Dickinson.

Looking Inside Juvenile Detention all photos taken by heatheR allen

The entrances to the individual homes within the detention center include security foyers with shatterproof windows.

Students by age enrolled in the Bonner County Juvenile Detention Center 9/30/06 - 10/1/07

This office area enables detention technicians Ed McCullin and Patrick Beck to view security feeds of all the rooms.

Quick Facts: SEPTEMBER 30, 2006 to OCTOBER 1, 2007

• 450 bookings into the Bonner County

Juvenile Detention Center

• 9 days average spent by a juvenile in detention Age

• 177 male juveniles placed on probation

• 51 female juveniles placed on probation • 2,088 service hours performed in Bonner County by juveniles on probation

• $5,383.44 in restitution paid to

victims by juveniles on supervised probation

Number of students

Source: Bonner County Justice Services

Detainees eat in this kitchen. Food comes from nearby Bonner County jail.

Prosecuted Michael tibeRi & Ryan WilliaMs

sent a fa

The names of the individuals used in this story have been concealed upon their request.

In 2006 there were 204 juvenile arrests in Bonner County alone. Some students at SHS have experienced the juvenile system first hand.

The reasons students are admitted to the juvenile detention center on Boyer Street in Sandpoint can range from a wide variety of crimes including; robbery, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault, and underage alcohol consumption.

“The reason I went to the detention center was assault on my father and drug paraphernalia,” former detainee Robert said.

John, who was arrested last February and

upo “ the am said whi und hyg O and ther follo they rang mor

News Editor & Staff reporter

Cedar Post

Page 7

October 31, 2007

Probation officers, counselors improve youths’ lives MoRgan Wills

aeputic tool,” Rowden said.

Even with the best tools, there robation officers and counselors at alter- are still many cause for frustranative schools share one thing in com- tion.

“The stress is never the kids, the mon - they are there to improve the lives stress for me becomes more of tryof children and teenagers who need help.

“We want to hold them accountable, but we ing to get resources,” Stallcup said. also want to make sure they succeed,” Director “I’ll see a kid - I know if they just had a good home, if they just had Debbie Stallcup said. good parents.”

At schools like Monarch, Other times adults working with the youth the frustration there see it the same way. lies in unmet po“We don’t focus on seeing tential. the students as a problem,” “[What’s most Monarch counselor TJ Rowchallenging about den said. my job is] prob“They essentially go ably when you see through a very structured someone (student program that focuses on get-TJ Rowden or parent) who sees ting very honest and accountMonarch school counselor potential for change able with past struggles.” but actively resists it Collaboration is another either because they’re common factor in the work afraid or they’re of a probation officer and an hurt,” Rowden said. alternative chool counselor, both of whom can Understanding this reaction to spend many hours a day talking to youth and hurt or anger helps counselors to coworkers. deal with students who lash out.

“We do a lot of teamwork here,” Stallcup “You have to be the bad guy somesaid. times,” Stallcup said. “I’ve been But the teamwork does not exempt these called, believe me, every name in helpers from indivividual diversity and flexthe book.” ibility.

But for these professionals “We wear a lot of different hats at a lot of the reward far outweights the different times,” manager Jim Martin said. stress.

As Martin stresses the importance of indi“It’s not just about fixing a vidual flexibility, Rowden stresses the idea of kid, it’s about assisting a famjust being a human individual ily,” Rowden said.

“Who I am as a human is my most ther-

Editor in Chief

P

“

It’s not just about fixing a kid, it’s about assisting a family.

”

heatheR allen

Bonner County School District teacher Laurie Stone teaches in this classroom.

Bedroom furniture is restricted to beds and a bin for personal items (often including only clothes, shoes and a paperback book).

Lead detention technician Michelle Sharp stands smiling at the back door.

Surrounded by wire, this basketball court makes up part of the outdoor facilities.

teenagers grow through detainment experiences

“I was in level 1, which meant I had to waket to juvenile detention, was admitted due to up at 6am, clean my room, and I was only ailed drug test.

There is also a procedure an arrested allowed to leave for meals. Then after that it was back to my room,” individual will follow John said. on arrival at the center.

John was able to attain “I was arrested, taken to a higher level with good center, fingerprinted, and behavior which resulted in mug shot was taken,” Robert more privileges. d. “They give you clothes “I was able to play ich include slip on shoes, basketball and football derwear from there, and a outside once for my good giene kit.” behavior,” John said.

Once a juvenile is arrested -John Former Bonner County Juvenile The adults who run the d in the custody of the center, Detention Center Detainee detention center are viewed re is a strict schedule they in some different perspective ow according to the level by the adolescents. y are placed in. The levels “They were pricks, not nice I guess you could ge from 0-5 with the higher levels receiving say,” John said. “But it’s understandable - we re privileges.

“

They were pricks - not nice, I guess you could say.

”

kind of deserve to be treated like that if we’re in there.”

Some juveniles have to stay at the center for a long period of time depending on the seriousness of the crime they committed.

“They think they’re all badasses, they’re always trying to be tough,” Robert said.

Assimilation is another challenge detainees face.

“I felt like I didn’t fit in there,” John said.

“The kids who were in there did some pretty messed up stuff.”

The juveniles in the center are not allowed any visits from friends, and have limited visits with parents or guardians.

“My parents were sad they couldn’t see me for a few days, they were only allowed to talk to me for ten minutes, and they weren’t allowed to hug me,” John said.

Once the two were released from juvenile they were required to follow a probation.

“I was on probation for about six months, and I had to meet with a probation officer once a week, and I had a 6 pm curfew,” Robert said.

When the the two students came back to school they also received mixed reactions from their peers.

“There was a lot of rumors, I definitely heard a lot of warped stories.” John said.

Ultimately, the two juveniles felt that their experience in juvenile hall, although not the best, was still a learning experience.

“It set me straight, it definitely got me thinking, h John said.

Robert, who also learned from the situation finds it to be a necessity for some.

“If you need to go there, you learn from it, Robert said.

Page 8

March 5, 2008

Cedar Post

Snowskating has growing popularity, shows similarities with other board spor ts 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

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

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.” from plastic and have channels in Not very many adults snowskate. the middle for control on the snow.

“I would say age 10-19. It’s not real Bi-deck snowskates feature a skate hard to do, so little kids can pick it deck with a ski up, but then you attached to the kinda grow out bottom. of it once you “You can you can go It’s fun. It’s entertaining. realize get plastic ones faster and bigger for like, 50 or We snowskate off our roof. on a snowboard,” 60 bucks and Novak said. wood ones -Ashlyn Parker Both Parker that sometimes Sophomore and Novak prefer come with a snowboarding little ski that over snowskating. you can attach to it on the bottom for “(Snowskating) is like like, 150, ” Novak said. skateboarding, but harder,” Parker Snowskating has a few said. key differences compared to “You don’t go as fast, you can’t jump snowboarding. as high, you can’t spin as much or flip,” “You can do flip tricks with your Novak said.

“

”

F.A.S.T. program shows improvement in athletes’ per formance, less injur y Casey Dunn

proven that testosterone levels go up. It has been proven that bone density increases, and it he F.A.S.T (Fitness and Sports Training) has been proven that it promotes healing as far program has become a popular way for as the lactic acid that builds up in you muscles athletes at Sandpoint High School to get from training. The vibration actually releases in shape and improve at any sport or activity. the lactic acid out of your muscles earlier.”

“The programs and what we’re doing here is “It helps different muscles that you would a lot different,” manager TJ Larson said. not normally use,” freshman Ariel Moe said.

The program utilizes specialized equipment A unique aspect of F.A.S.T. is that each person that contributes to a more productive receives an individualized evaluation that workout. targets their specific needs and weaknesses.

“If you want to get better at track, or get “We do posture analysis,” Larson said. better at sprinting, or [have better] foot speed “Everyone that walks through the door we or something for soccer, they have special measure your posture. It just tells you a little bit equipment for it,” sophomore Susan Kovalchuck about how you’re standing and how it affects said. you.”

“We have a treadmill “They can find out that goes 31 miles per everything about your hour,” Larson said. “We body,” Semones said. “I do a lot of our speed Everything you do you do found out my right leg is training on that.” shorter than my left leg. while vibrating.

The treadmill That was pretty funny.” has what’s called an Students say that -Jake Palaniuk unweighting system, Sophmore one of the best aspects which is basically a builtof the program is the in suspension system personalized attention that prevents injuries they receive. while running at high speeds.

“They’ve got specific people working with “They have these vests that they put you just you so you get a lot more help,” Palaniuk in,” junior Jake Semones said. “It’s suspended said. above the treadmill, so if you were to run and “It’s kind of a smaller, closer environment,” slip and fall, you wouldn’t hit the treadmill; it Semones said. “You feel like you’re getting onewould hold you up.” on-one time, it’s not like a big old gym with a “It allows us to train beyond your normal million people.” limits,” Larson said.

The program is also very relaxed and low Special vibration plates built into the floor pressure. are also used during workout activities, such as “You can go there, and you don’t have to lifting weights. worry,” Palaniuk said. “Nobody’s going to judge “Everything you do you do while vibrating,” you about how athletic you are or anything.” sophomore Jake Palaniuk said.

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

Staff reporter

T

“

”

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.

“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. Call 263-3100 or go online at www. fast-center.com for more information.

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.

Page 9 October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

Home-schooled students adapt to life in public school Rachel Kennedy Staff reporter

F

or most students, the basics of schooling hardly vary from year to year. Between getting up early each morning, doing, (or not doing), the assigned homework, and finding friends with whom to eat lunch, the routine is very much similar to years past. However, this is not the case with all.

For those who have been home-schooled, what was once the norm is no longer so, and some adjustments must be made.

“I’ve been home schooled since first grade,” Dashiell Paulson, a senior currently enrolled at SHS, said. “[At first], note-taking I had trouble with. And math.”

For some home schoolers, the benefits are fairly apparent.

“I can work at my own pace,” , said Valeri Kidd, a senior who’s just begun her third year of home schooling.

But there are also negative aspects of home schooling.

“Sometimes I want to go to high school, to be with friends,” John Ruff, who has been

home schooled for two years, said.

Ruff’s sentiments were echoed by Paulson.

“It [regular schooling] is really damn interesting. Being around, seeing people…

I don’t do that at home. I’m sick of home [schooling],” But regular schooling itself isn’t without difficulties.

“I think I’m starting to adjust,” Paulson said. “It takes time. People keep telling me that.”

“

Sometimes I want to go to high school, to be with friends.

-John Ruff Home-schooled student

”

AdvAnced Artistry

Students immerse themselves in newly introduced AP Art class casey dunn Staff reporter

A

n AP Studio Art class was offered this year for advanced art students interested in learning advanced art concepts at a more intensive level.

“First half of the semester they work on what’s called their breadth,” teacher Heather Guthrie said.

“It’s their range of ability and style. We work on a huge variety [of artwork], from portraits to landscape, in a huge variety of media.

Students will explore a broad range of artwork.

All types of drawing materials will be used, including paint, pencil, charcoal and even Sharpie markers.

“That’s what they have to do in their portfolio is show that they’re versatile as an artist, that they can do anything,” Guthrie said.

The second half of the course will focus more on a specific subject or idea chosen by the student that he or she is interested in.

“Second semester they will work on what’s called a concentration,” Guthrie said. “They develop 12 pieces of art that are all related to a theme.”

The class integrates an approach to artwork that is less prevalent in other art classes.

“There’s a lot more discussion and introspection on what makes good art; what is that aesthetic that makes a work of art,” said Guthrie. “We have discussion every day, and they also write about art.

There’s a rubric that we work with everyday in class.

We look at art and score it.”

The class is also much more fast-paced than a regular art class. Students have noticed this change from other art classes they have taken.

“It’s a lot harder,” said senior Aaron Herting.

Once Again

n Self-Sketch: Senior Tana Malone works diligently on a self-portrait in pencil..

Large selection of formal gowns!

Jill Stuart 819 Hwy 2 265-8041

samantha may

“We have to constantly be working. We have a new assignment every day. You pretty much have to go in after school, or you get behind.”

“The class is way harder,” senior Brian Hilland said. “You have to work faster.”

“You have to get a lot more done in a small amoun of time,” junior Kelly Adams said.

“It’s a college level class,” said Guthrie. “They [the students] are getting used to it. At the beginning it was more like a high school class, nobody could get settled down. Now, they come in and they are on task.”

Not all students approve of the faster pace.

“You’re rushed for a lot of things,” Adam said. “You want it [your art] to be really good bu sometimes you can’t always get it done in one day You have to work on it a little bit, then set it down and work on it more the next day.”

The artwork is also graded on a much more demanding scale.

“All of your art has to be good,” said Herting “She [Guthrie] grades pretty harshly.”

Being an AP class, the hard work pays off with a 1-point GPA boost, as well as the potential fo college credit. Students send in a collection of thei best work in a portfolio that is scored on the standard AP grading scale from zero to five.

“They submit 24 slides [35mm photographs] and five originals [actual pieces of artwork],” said Guthrie “They get scored just like a regular AP exam.”

Perhaps what makes this class most unique however, is not the class itself, but the students in it.

“I love it,” said Guthrie. “It’s my favorite class [to teach]. It’s a dream job. Their art defines a lot of kid in this class. They want to be artists.”

n ShadeS of gray: Senior Brian Hilland shades in the start of a piece of art.

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Page 10

October 31, 2007

Nicole VaN Dyk Co-Sports Editor

Eric Mann

Sport: Swimming Height: 5’ 9” Weight: 175 lbs.

Q: Which stroke are you best at? Why? A: “Butterfly.

I’ve always enjoyed it. My favorite event is the 200[meter] butterfly. I don’t swim it in high school though because there are no 200m events.”

Q: Do you prefer long distance races or short distance?

A: “Long distance races. In short distance, if you make one mistake, you lose.”

Q: How do you think the teams will pan out at districts?

A: “I think that everyone that’s made state [in the past] will go to state. I don’t think that there will be any big changes. I think the guys will get second. We were 60 points behind Moscow

Cedar Post

in our meet against them, so they would be hard to beat. The girls have a good shot at first.”

Q: I have been told swimmers swim better in cold water. Why is that?

A: “Very true. Well, when you’re swimming you go all out and your body warms up fast.

So when you are in water that’s warm, it’s miserable. Our pool is one of the warmest in the state. Moscow and Boise have cold pools.”

Q: What are your plans after high school? Is swimming part of them?

A: “I’m hoping to get swimming scholarships. I’m looking at schools on the east coast and some on the west coast. I’ve received some scholarship offers, so it looks like my hard

work will pay off.”

Q: Who is your favorite professional swimmer?

A: “My idol in a sense would be Michael Phelps. My inspiration is usually the underdogs like Ian Crocker who don’t get all of the publicity, and don’t necessarily break records. Everyone knows who Michael Phelps is, but not everyone knows who Ian Crocker is.”

Q: What season to shape?

A: “There Christmas season.”

do you in the offstay in swimming is no off-season. day is our off-

Q: What do you find to be your greatest challenge in swimming?

A: “The greatest challenge is working 100 percent every day

twice a day. In swimming, there’s not a lot of scenery change between the wall and the water, so you really just have to work to stick with it.”

Q: What got you started in competitive swimming?

A: “I started with lessons then went up to swim team. I was 7 or 8 years old when I had my first meet and I won all of my events. It really got me excited about swimming, but the second one I didn’t win any.

I really like the meets though because they’re competitive and I’m a competitive person.”

GraPhic By Graham PaytoN

Photo By leiGh liViNGstoNe

Injuries affect final season for senior athletes Some lose last opportunity to play high school sport while others have a changed future without scholarship PauliNa Gralow

Assistant Sports Editor

T

here’s no way getting around it, athletes get injured. Some are lucky and don’t have to miss any games, while many key players are not able to play their best or even participate at all.

Senior varsity football player Matt Lawrence has been playing all of the games this season with a broken foot.

“I haven’t totally missed any, but the first two games of the season I had to just punt instead of play linebacker and quarterback,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence was planning on playing in college, but hasn’t decided where.

“It’s making it a lot more difficult to get a scholarship because I still have to have surgery on it. It’s still broken; it hasn’t healed yet,” Lawrence said. “I have to wait until after season to have surgery on it, and then colleges will make their decision.”

Senior varsity soccer player Alex Crossingham was able to play with an injured hip flexer, but it still hampered his performance.

“It affects me because I don’t play 100 percent. It affects you more mentally than physically because

you have to tell your body to work before she can take off her leg brace and fully participate in cheerleading the way it did before I got injured.” stunts.

Crossingham “I was plans on trying stunting and I out for the was throwing a soccer team When I’m at games I can’t up in the at Northwest do kicks or anything...now flier air,” Chouinard C h r i s t i a n said. “We don’t University in I just stand there and clap know if she fell Eugene, OR. my hands. on my foot or if I “Hip flexor is twisted my foot. just a muscle; I’ll -Chantel Chouinard I broke the three be better by next Senior year,” he said. metatarsals in the middle.”

Senior varsity Chouinard will be missing cheerleader Chantel Chouinard must wait until the end of December the competition season for

“

”

cheerleading.

“We had competition tryouts last Thursday, so if I want to be on comp squad I have to challenge someone for their spot,” she said. “When I’m at games I can’t do kicks or anything... now I just stand there and clap my hands.”

Although all three athletes have been able to play in at least part of their games, it still affects their overall morale that they don’t get to play them all.

“When they’re winning, it’s not so bad, but knowing that you can help the team when they’re losing is the worst part,” Lawrence said.

Paintball: adrenaline r ush with ever y shot fired will huGhes

Co-Sports Editor The fast-paced action and intense rush of adrenaline have hooked people from all over the globe to the sport of paintball.

There are two different types of paintball, Woodsball and tournament style.

“I like to play woodsball because you have the natural environment that you have to use to your advantage,” senior Jake Sleyster said.

More casual players will suit up in camouflage and head to the woods on a weekend where all that matters is how many times you can hit your friend before they say “mercy”.

Tournament ball is a lot more Graham PaytoN competitive and can be played by either two three, five, seven, or ten man teams. The rules are if you’re hit, you’re out. Tournament ball is played on an open field with large, air filled bunkers which are tied down to the ground.

The main equipment you need for paintball is universal for both types of play; all that matters is the price and quality of the gear. Tournament players tend to spend much more o n their equipment than woodsball players, forking out the cash for increased gun accuracy and rate of fire. The first thing everyone needs is a marker (gun), then a hopper, air supply, and finally, a mask. The hopper is used to hold the paintballs, and feeds them into the gun.

“I have an ‘05 Spyder Imagine with a 20 oz.

CO2 tank and a Halo hopper. The whole set up was around $200 on Ebay,” Sleyster said.

The air supply can be either CO2 or nitrogen gas. This air supply provides the propulsion for the paintball. Nitrogen gas is the preferred choice for all players because it is more

efficient, allowing players to shoot 2,000 plus paintballs before a refill. However, tournament players tend to be the ones who buy nitrogen gas because of the hefty price tag.

A mask is the most important piece of equipment you can have. With paintballs moving at 300 feet-per-second, you can get quite a wallop when hit.

About the quality that I mentioned before. Woodsball players usually look at markers that range from $100 to $500.

A simple hopper and Co2 complement these guns perfectly. On the other hand, tournament players spend anywhere from $500 to $1500 on the gun alone, draining every dollar out of the wallet.

Whether it be a weekend warrior running through the woods, or a die-hard tournament player with a $1000 gun, paintball is a perfect game to bring out the adrenalin junky in all of us, one shot at a time.

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Page 11 October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

Swim team, cross country prove skills in pool and on course Liz Stone

Staff reporter

W

ith most of the student body spending their chunk of sport-watching time hanging out under the Friday night lights at memorial field or in the high school gym watching the volleyball players bump the ball around, we may be left wondering about the other sports that aren’t so spectator friendly.

These sports I speak of are cross country and swimming. Although many of us aren’t there to see it unfold, they each have a story of their own.

The girls’ swim team has taken first place at every meet since their first meet in Moscow, Idaho, proving themselves to be tough competitors.

The boys’ swim team has had a good season as well, triumphing over 5A Lake City High School in a dual meet earlier this year, but it has been a struggle for them with fewer than 10 members on their team.

The boys’ main contest be the Moscow High School swim team, whom they have yet to beat this season.

“The boys have been off and on,” head coach Mike Brosnahan said.

For the boys, a smaller team means that they won’t have enough swimmers to compete in every event at state, which makes earning points a lot harder. However, the situation for the boys is far from hopeless.

“If they swim fast enough they can get back all of those points,” Brosnahan said.

Brosnahan spoke of the swim team’s ability to build upon itself and improve.

“Our fast kids keep getting faster,” he said.

“We’ve broken a bunch of team records.”

A swimmer who exemplifies this is Junior Paulina Gralow, a two time state champion in the 100 yard breaststroke who broke the Idaho state record for girls 100 yard breaststroke this season.

The SHS swim team will travel to state in Boise this weekend.

Reflecting the Swim team’s exceptional season, the Sandpoint High School Cross Country team has also made notable finishes in its races this season.

The boys did well at a Bonners Ferry meet, finishing first, and the girls have made numerous finishes that have ranged somewhere in the top three places.

“The season has been really good,” head coach Matt Brass said.

The cross country team hasn’t made it through the season without its share of obstacles to overcome. Tendonitis hampered the performance of Varsity runners Kat Vardell and Rebecca Johnson, and Vicky Vardell was unable to run for two-thirds of the season because of injuries.

“Getting over injuries is our biggest problem,” senior Crystal Crawford said.

The boys team has managed to stay healthy, aside from the usual array of small injuries.

The cross country team’s success is due in part to the abilities of junior Megan Bartlett and senior David Householter, the leading Varsity

CarLy riCkard n Three cheers: The swim team lets out their team cheer at the Sandpoint West Athletic Club before a meet.

runners who regularly place themselves near or at the top in all of the races.

“Megan Bartlett is our top girl,” Brass said.

“David is the lead boy.”

Megan Bartlett made a particularly noteworthy finish at a competition in Bend, OR, placing second in the elite division.

The Cross Country team is a comparatively young team when examined next to teams in

the past, having only fourteen seniors on the team and nine on varsity.

“We lost a lot of experience,” Brass said on the drop in the number of seniors this season.

Despite being a young team, Brass is happy with the effort the team has put forth this season and the results.

“I’m just really proud of the way they stick with it and how they challenge themselves.”

Fall sports take a back seat to a winter wonderland of upsets and stats

n LEFT: Junior Running Back Ricky Lang gets taken off of his feet by an opposing Lake City player during a home varsity football game held this season. The dogs came up short of a win with a final score of 49-28.

The varsity team ended the regular season with a record of 6-4.

n BOTTOM LEFT: Sophomore Tim Householter keeps on track at an elite cross country meet held in Bend, Oregon. Boys’ and girls’ teams both junior varsity and varsity received second place at Regionals this past weekend.

n BOTTOM RIGHT: Sophomore Elli Kiselica beats past a Mead defender during a girls’ varsity soccer game held at Memorial Field this season.

The girls’ team finished sixth at 5A state this year.

PHoto CourteSy of JenS oLSon

PHoto CourteSy of karina oLSon

We are now eight weeks into college football for those who have lost count, or haven’t been watching.

In which case, you should probably figure out by now that you’re missing the best show on television.

Eight weeks in and we’ve had more shake-ups in the top 25 than the Ying-Yang Twins and their salt shakas.

Anyways, I would strongly consider not making too many bets on college football this year, seeing as upsets are in the news more frequently than Britney Spears.

Currently, Ohio State University sits on top with Boston College sitting in second in the top 25. I will tentatively guarantee that by the time you read this article it will be different.

My two picks from the last column USC and LSU, who were supposed to appear in the title game, currently sit 12th and 3rd respectively. I’m still sticking to my picks, but I won’t be disappointed if I’m wrong.

Have you ever seen the Rockies?

You mean the mountain range?

No, that baseball team that plays at Coors Field in Denver.

The Rockies swept their first two postseason series games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona

Diamondbacks.

They have been riding the superb hitting of Matt Holliday and veteran Todd Helton, along with a quality young pitching rotation.

Unfortunately, Mr. Holliday and Mr. Helton weren’t enough to bring in the first ever World Series for the Rockies.

The Boston Red Sox made a clean sweep of the boys from Denver.

Now it’s getting closer to winter which means basketball season is coming soon.

I heard rumors that Kobe’s going to drop 250 at some point this year.

Obviously, I’m just kidding, but seriously, do you think he could?

I wonder if this will be the year that the Spurs finally don’t make the playoffs.

Maybe android man, Tim Duncan, and his regime will be stopped. I heard they were going to stop using the tactic of lulling the other team(along with the fans) to sleep with their boring style of play.

The Phoenix Suns, for example, win quite a few games and are also very fun to watch.

It’s just a heads-up, but if you find yourself being bored, maybe flip on college football and check it out.

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Page 12

October 31, 2007

Cedar Post

License to KiLL

Will HugHes

Co-Sports Editor

L

ook out small and large woodland-dwelling critters. Whether it be a bow or rifle, Sandpoint hunters know their sport.

“My biggest kill was a 6 by 6 elk,” junior Bryce Shreffler said.

Hunters like Corey Hawkins have also had success in the fields.

“The largest elk I’ve shot was a 5 by 5,” senior Corey Hawkins said.

Horned animals are rated by measuring how many points branch off of the tine, or the main, largest antler. The tine is also measured for how thick it is, and finally, the whole rack of antlers is measured for how wide it is.

There are two types of hunting, rifle and bow.

“I prefer archery because you get to call the animal in and you get a better shot at it,” Hawkins said.

Unfortunately, not all hunters enjoy hunting as much as Corey Hawkins and Bryce Shreffler.

“Hunting is alright, I do it but I don’t really like it,” sophomore Leonard Fister said.

If there was one hunter that Bambi would have liked to encounter, it would be Fister.

“I actually haven’t killed anything yet,” Fister said.

With an abundance of animal species located in Idaho, hunters have many seasons with which to keep themselves busy. The most popular of which tend to be both white tail and mule deer, and elk.

“My favorite season is the off season,” Fister said with a chuckle, “but seriously I’d have to say deer.”

One of the only types of animals that north Idaho lacks would be moose.

Now, there are ocassional moose, but there’s no place like Alaska to find a monstrosity of a moose.

“My dream hunt would be an Alaskan moose hunt,” Shreffler said.

Unlike school sports seasons, hunters are able to go year round with hunting. Whether it be deer, duck, elk, or moose, hunters will always have a season to which to dedicate themselves.