CMR_Stampede_April29_2021

Stampede April 29, 2021

JAMIE MCGRAW

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UNITED STATES COMPARISON AND OPINION

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TENNIS & SOFTBALL

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INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM STUDENTS Page 18

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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CONTENTS TABLE OF

Editors

Intro Students

Editor-in-chief

Ireland Osentowski Alana Camp Aaliyah Thornton Keira Richards Cadance Durand Aiyana Guerttman Kaydi Taylor Peyton Premo Josiah Favela Melody Lake Annabelle Morse Morgan Lamey John Sparks Chayse Seaburg

Kerrigan Edwards

Video Taylor Willmarth

Staff David Miller Madison McMurphey Marissa McMickle Ava Donahue Lucie Michel Anthony Matury Isabel Foley Justin Bollich Josiah Favela

EDITORIAL POLICY The Stampede -- produced by journalism classes at C.M Russell High School -- is a public forum for all voices on campus. These voices include the students, parents, faculty and the community at large.

The opinions and views in this publication are not necessarily those of the Stampede staff, the student body, CMR employees or the school administration.

The Stampede strives to cover the news accurately and fairlyl; however, when a mistake is made, a correction will be printed in the following issue. All writers are responsible for the content of their articles.

Editors will edit all copies to be free of plagiarism and libel, and all writers will double-check their facts before publication.

Letters to the editor and guest essays are welcome.

Letters are limited to 200 words, and essays 350

words.

All submissions must be signed and include a phone number so authenticity can be verified.

The editors and/or adviser reserve the right to edit all letters for grammar and spelling as well as content that may include profanity, be libelous, obscene or not meet general editorial guidelines.

Anonymous letters are not accepted. Submissions can be dropped off in room 326 or e-mailed to: stampede@ gfps.k12.mt.us.

The Stampede maintains membership in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll.

Some material courtesy of American Society or Newspaper Editors/KRT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

by Kerrigan Edwards, editor in chief

of Contents 02 Table Asian Hate 03 Jamie McGraw Teachers 04 Retiring Tom Cubbage and Masks 05 Vaccines Changes for Fall Olson 06 Steve Hannah Kittleson Activities 07 Summer Alex Thayer 08 Shakespeare States Opinion 09 United and Comparison 10 Going to College 11 Abortion Editorial 12-13 Unique Students 14 Tennis and Softball 15 Track and Field Variety 16-17 Community changes to 18 Introduction Journalism Students 19 News 20 Features 21 Entertainment 22 Sports 23 Academics 24 Games

Cover photo: Sophomore Sarah Faulk gets ready to swing at a softball game on April 17 against Billings West.

Photo by Beth Britton

On March 16, a racially motivated shooting directed towards Southeast Asian women occurred in Atlanta. The attack, allegedly orchestrated

by Robert Long, 21, was fatal for eight people.

However, the nationwide activity that took place after the shooting is nothing short of disgusting.

When former President Donald J. Trump began calling CORONAVIRUS the “Chinese virus,” the name became common, and it was used frequently throughout the United States.

The damage that statements like this cause have irreversible effects on the communities involved.

Ever since the former President refused to refrain from calling the virus by the politically incorrect name, violence against Asians of all kinds has seen an uptick.

Men and women of Asian descent now face fears of being attacked without motivating the attacker.

Xiao Zhen Xie, a 75-year-old woman, was punched in the face by a 39-year-old man in San Francisco, California. Xie fought back, and the aggressor was left bloody and handcuffed on a stretcher.

Georgia Sheriff’s Captain Jay Baker defended Long slightly in saying that Tuesday “was a really bad day for him.” After making this remark and receiving criticism, Baker’s Facebook page featured an image of a racist shirt with the words: “COVID-19, imported virus from Chy-na.”

When individuals in power make statements such as these, much of the American public is convinced that saying these things casually is justified.

Long’s suspected reasoning behind the violence was a sex addiction that he wished to eliminate.

This motivation is disgusting and shameful, and Long should be held accountable, not given a pardon because of “a really bad day.”

The danger that Asian-Americans are facing because of this singular attack is horrifying. The anti-Asian sentiment is a long time coming, yet no progress is showing. It is time for change now.

This lack of change is showing itself in a more recent attack on 65-year-old, Vilma Kari. Kari was assaulted by 38-year-old Brandon Elliot, in New York City’s Times Square on March 29. Elliot repeatedly stomped and kicked Kari while two lobby workers of a nearby apartment building watched without intervening.

This bystander effect is making violence worse and more prominent. If these two workers stepped in earlier, Kari could have possibly faced significantly fewer injuries. But instead, she is suffering from a fractured pelvis amongst other wounds. Elliot is now facing 25 years in prison for his actions.

Innocent lives are being put in serious danger because of continuous blatant racism that has never slowed over the course of history. If Americans really want to see progress within the country, we have to do much better at protecting targeted individuals. This intolerance of other races is unAmerican and unacceptable.

ASIAN HATE

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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NEW CMR PRINCIPAL CONFIRMED FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

by Taylor Willmarth, editor Associate Principal Jamie McGraw won’t officially move into the CMR principal’s office for a couple of months, but she has begun putting plans in place to lead the Rustler family following a year like no other.

“There’s no road map to bring a building this size out of a pandemic.”

A longtime educator and administrator, McGraw has accepted the job of principal at C. M. Russell High School, and will begin her new journey starting July 1.

McGraw was an English teacher at CMR before transferring to North Middle School as an associate principal. She has also directed career and technical education at the district level. She recently moved back to CMR when she traded roles with Associate Principal Anita Ranieri, who is now at North Middle School.

Outside of her work, McGraw values spending time with her family. Her daughter Emma is a seventh grader at North Middle School. Her son Matt, 17, will graduate from CMR next month, and her daughter Katie, 20, will graduate from the secondary life skills program at Paris Gibson Education Center this spring. Her husband of 22 years, Sergeant Brian McGraw, is a law enforcement officer with the Great Falls Police Department.

“One of the most important things we are charged with doing, whether here at work or at home, is raising good human beings,” she said. “We should be kind and compassionate.

I think that we should have integrity and take responsibility. I try to model that.”

McGraw said that her view of teachers has changed since becoming an administrator.

“Honestly, I know that teachers are more important now than I ever did when I was one,”

she said. “I will tell you any day of the week that what teachers do in the classroom is by far more important than what I do down here in the office. There is no doubt in my mind about that.

My job is to make sure that they have everything they need to do the best by their students.”

McGraw said that there are many educational challenges that she is eager to address, but the most concerning issue moving forward is recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“You can’t go to a mentor and ask [for advice] because no one has ever done this before,” she said. “I think that getting back to the things that we enjoy and appreciate in this building will be a challenge. Relationship building is important, but we have to do it safely.”

McGraw says that she hopes that masks will not be required next year because it is challenging to build relationships when you are unable to fully see what people look like.

“I think things are opening up and we will be in a much better place next year,” she said.

“However, I don’t have any concrete evidence that masks will not be required. I can only hope.”

McGraw believes that students and teachers have a renewed interest in school events and traditions because of the pandemic.

“I think that we are more appreciative of the events that we didn’t get to have,” she said. “People are going to be more enthusiastic about going to all of the events from art and music to athletics.”

McGraw said that she learned leadership skills from retiring Principal Kerry Parsons that she hopes to incorporate into her role next year.

“I’m pretty enthusiastic about a lot of things,” she said. “I really admire [Parsons’] sense of grounded leadership, and he has set a really nice example for that. He’s also

always willing to listen to anyone who comes to him and takes input from all parties before making a decision, which is something I have definitely learned from him.”

McGraw said that one of her most crucial roles as an administrator is to help build relationships between staff members and students.

“You need to build relationships before engaging in rigorous academics because students are less likely to embrace rigor if there isn’t a relationship there first,” she said.

McGraw is excited to lead the school next year, and she doesn’t have any plans for leaving in the near future.

“I could end my career here.

I don’t have any desire to go As an associate principal, anywhere but McGraw has placed an here. CMR has emphasis on building school always felt culture and spirit. One way like home.”

JAMIE MCGRAW

A Warm Welcome

she expands inclusivity is by creating green and gold welcome kits for new teachers and staff transitioning to CMR. “This year, we have nine new staff members,” she said.

“We try to make everyone feel welcomed and at home.”

photo by Taylor Willmarth

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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MOVING ON...

Blair, Amanda

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by Isabel Foley, staff writer Between the two of them, this year’s retirees have devoted about half a century to C. M. Russell High School.

Josy Mclean, a longtime science teacher, has taught at CMR for 27 years, and Mitch Maki, who has taught PE and Health, is ending his 25th year as a Rustler.

To Maki, it was his life goal to teach, and he knew as early as his freshman year.

When I met with my freshman counselor at my high school, I knew what I wanted to do, that I wanted to be a teacher and a coach, and I never changed,” he said, adding that before he taught at CMR he coached Rustlers for 34 years and is happy to have devoted his life to teaching.

Didun, Jennifer

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Retiring teachers prepare to leave CMR “I’ve never strayed from it.

I’ve wanted to teach my whole life and I have. Now I’m going to enjoy retirement,” Maki said.

Another teacher who is more than excited to begin her retirement is Josy Mclean.

Mclean said that she got interested in science as a young girl.

“I think my own teachers and the family vet got me interested in science, when I was young, growing up on a farm,” she said.

The hardest part of teaching has been keeping kids interested and wanting to complete work, and she said she has had a wonderful time teaching at CMR. “I’ve had just incredible relationships with everybody at school.”

Fleming, Melody Haag, Matt Hagen, Aric Kohut, Amanda Above: Mitch Maki pictured in his office.

Photo by Isabel Foley.

Below: Josy Mclean pictured in a Lifetouch school photo.

Wilcox, Karen Yeisley, Joseph

YEARS AT CMR

RUSTLER TEACHERS SAY GOODBYE

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SCIENCE TEACHER ELECTED TO LEAD LOCAL UNION

by Isabel Foley, staff writer

Biology teacher Tom Cubbage gives a lecture and completes work at desk.

Photos by Marissa McMickle and Isabel Foley.

Every year CMR says goodbye to a few of our teachers. Some retire, some move on to other positions. One such teacher was elected president of the Teacher’s Union. Tom Cubbage has been involved in the union for many years and it was a logical move for him. He said that he was elected in May and has many aspirations for his position.

“One of the things I really hope we can do is ensure that every teacher in Great Falls really has the opportunity to do the best teaching that they can do,” Cubbage said. He said that this has always been the goal of the union. To make sure that teachers and students have the best resources possible.

“One of the most important [goals] is To make sure that both teachers and students have the best opportunity to teach and learn in the classrooms in Great Falls,” he said, adding that a proper environment is essential to making sure that teacher can teach to the best of their ability and students can learn to the best of theirs. Cubbage said that all of these decisions on what to advocate for are made by a committee of representatives from many surrounding schools.

“I’m kind of the face of the Union to some extent, we have an executive board that I work with

in order to make decisions,” he said. Cubbage said that he originally started out as a member, then a representative and has worked his way up to vice president over the years. The move will not be easy and the choice was not made lightly.

“I still love teaching. So it was a really difficult decision, because I knew I wouldn’t be in a classroom for a couple of years,” Cubbage said.

Despite how much he will miss teaching Cubbage said that he was excited to begin this new chapter in his life thanks to encouragement from his peers. “ I felt like with a lot of help from a lot of people and a lot of encouragement that I could do a good job.”

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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CHANGES FOR THE FALL: WHAT’S IN STORE?

by Ava Donahue, staff writer

This past year has been complicated and uncertain. Our world changed completely, and we had to learn to adapt to the changes. Now, we are slowly going back to the way things were before the pandemic. This is going to be a difficult process, but next year’s principal, Jamie McGraw, has revealed three goals that will make the process more smooth.

“Our superintendent puts together a list of goals, and in his goals he highlights basically three priorities. He has given us a re-engagement, reintegration, and a remediation priority for the school year. So he wants us to frame our building goals on those tenants,” she said.

Re-engagement, reintegration, and remediation specifically focuses on the students who did online learning this year and might have a hard time returning to in-person learning.

“How are we going to re-engage kids into face-to-face learning? That’s really important in our road to recovery, if you will. And then how do we re-integrate students into face-to-face learning? Then, how are we going to address remediation,” McGraw said. “Remediation just means filling gaps, so we’ve got students who have some gaps based on, possibly, where they were learning, different experiences they have in their home, or traumas they’ve experienced because of the pandemic.”

One of the ways CMR is going to go about completing the three goals is through the summer school programs. Before, there was only one summer school program district-wide.

This year, CMR is holding its own program, which will allow students to recover credits in classes they failed this year.

“Each building gets to have their own summer school program,” she said.

Some other criterias McGraw hopes to focus on for next year is relationship building and providing rigorous, engaging academics for students.

“I am hopeful that we can focus on those two things that I mentioned: building relationships, student to student, student to staff, staff to staff. That we can commit to that and we can focus on that. And then also: engagement and rigorous learning without having to worry about so many of these extra things that have created a lot of stress and trauma and taken our focus away from engaging and learning,” McGraw said.

“We’re having to, rightfully so, manage these other issues, but I’m just hoping we can get back to building relationships with kids and delivering rigorous and engaging academic extracurricular programs. I will be overjoyed if we could really capitalize on those two things.”

Still, McGraw worries that students who

completed distance learning this year will have some troubles returning to CMR. “I’m worried that some of our students are going to struggle with anxiety about returning.

I think that when you’ve been gone from something for such a long time, that your anxiety only increases when you need to engage in it. It’s like having a really long list of things to do, and the longer you wait to start the list, the more anxiety a lot of people will have about tackling the list because it feels overwhelming.”

McGraw hopes to make CMR a place where everyone lives the school’s motto “CMR: a better place to learn and teach where relationships lead to success”. She hopes that next year, teachers will spend time building relationships with their students in the classroom.

“We’ll get to the content, and I think you’ll make up the time in the content later, but if you don’t take the time to build the relationship first, it’s going to be harder for you to provide rigorous content later,” McGraw said. “So I think that giving people permission to set content aside for a few minutes to focus on relationship building, that’s a really important place to start.

Relationship building takes time, but I know that if time is what you’re worried about, I know you’re going to get that back tenfold later if the kids believe in you and you believe in them.”

EDITORIAL: DEMOCRACY HAS PREVAILED; THE NATION NEEDS UNITY TO PROGRESS January 6, 2021 will forever be on the list of America’s most tragic events, and a scar on the executive legacy of President Donald J. Trump.

The Trump administration’s policy accomplishments have been tarnished by the events that occurred at the capitol. Trump did have one major accomplishment, though it wasn’t intentional. He revealed the truth about this nation. Millions of Americans are willing to ignore the truth and risk threatening the foundation of this country. They are willing to follow lies and attack those who dare to tell the truth. Trump didn’t create that truth, he merely revealed it.

However, today marks a pivotal point. With the inauguration of President Joe Biden, America prevailed. The overwhelming majority of Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike, want this experiment of democracy to succeed. This country sent a message that we will not stand for the obstruction of a peaceful transfer of power. In the days, months, and elections ahead, we will hold those responsible for desecrating the United States Capitol accountable.

In his inaugural address, President Joe Biden declared “democracy has prevailed” as he pleaded for unity. “This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day,” Mr. Biden said.

The Stampede staff at C. M. Russell is a remarkably diverse group of students made up of people from all walks of life. In a country that is just as diverse, it is going to take a sense of unity to move forward. The last four years have strained the ties that bring us together, but we are ready to unite behind the idea of America. The Covid-19 pandemic alone will be an uphill battle for the incoming administration, and it will take the support

of every American to end it. We all want to return to a sense of normalcy.

For the sake of this nation, we’re going to give President Joe Biden a chance to bring us together. Will you?

President Joseph R. Biden, whitehouse.gov.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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OLSON SPEAKS THROUGH HIS MUSIC

by Madison McMurphey, staff writer Steve Olson, CMR’s orchestra director, is known for composing music. He said music is language and it’s not just a bunch of dots and lines.

It translates to something meaningful. As long as you add the instriments, it pulls the emotions out of your listener.

“I just think that’s one of the coolest things ever, and that you can re-create that over again and again and so on. Which happens a lot more in our art world,” he said.

Olson said it is enjoyable to take an 18th Century piece and perform it today and experience it the way people did back then.

One of his favorite pieces of music is “A Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky. It’s an orchestral piece, and Olson -- a violinist -- played it a couple times in symphony.

“It’s probably one of the pieces that got me really excited about string playing, the sounds the composer was able to achieve through the use

of traditional orchestral instruments is pretty mind blowing, and overall it’s just a really cool piece,” he said.

During his senior year of high school, he said he first played “A Night on Bald Mountain,” but his first exposure to the music was in fifth grade.

The time it takes him to compose music depends on what he is working on, he said, especially if he has a goal in mind and if he gets really motivated.

It’s more of an inspirational thing than motivation.

It speaks to him, and he can compose really fast.

The toughest part of the process is publishing, he added.

“It’s kinda like this interview. It will go fast but then typing it up, then publishing it and formatting and everything that is taking a long time,” Olson said. “It’s the same thing with making music.”

His favorite part of his job is getting to share the excitement of music with his students and help them, but the biggest challenge with music between teacher and students is that it’s not instant.

“You send a message to somebody and they get it right away. You can’t do that with music, and you can’t wait to do it at the last minute and cram it and hope that it stays there.”

Orchestra director Steve Olson, a violinist, performs with symphonies throughout the state.

Photo courtesy of Steve Olson.

Top left and right photos by Isabel Foley,

KITTLESON TO ATTEND MUSIC CONSERVATORY IN CINCINNATI

by Taylor Willmarth, editor “I decided to play the French Horn in fourth grade when the Great Falls Symphony’s Chinook Winds quintet came to my elementary school.

I absolutely fell in love with the horn player’s sound, and it didn’t hurt that he was playing the song “Let it Go “ from the movie Frozen.”

Senior Hannah Kittleson is well known for her involvement with music programs at CMR, but her career in music started in the 5th grade band at Meadowlark Elementary. Aside from playing in the Symphonic Band and Jazz Band here at the school, Kittleson has performed with the Great Falls Symphony and the city band. She has performed at statewide band and orchestra festivals, and she has also been a part of the All-Northwest Band and participated in the highly competitive NYO2 festival hosted at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Kittleson credits much of her success in the arts to her supportive family.

“My family is very musical and really fun to be around. My mom’s job is band instrument repair, and her primary instruments are saxophone and tuba. My brother plays tuba, and is currently studying music education,” she said. “Being in

a musical family is really important because I have a built-in duet partner and get to go to a lot of concerts.”

Kittleson said that the French Horn itself has a unique history because its original purpose was for communication between hunters.

Each call had a different meaning, and orchestral music often embraces the horn’s roots by incorporating calls like those of the hunters.

“I wouldn’t say the instrument itself is rare, but players are because the difficulty and instability of the instrument tend to scare people off,” she said.

This fall, Kittleson will attend the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. She decided on the institution because of the rapport she has built with the horn professor there and because of its list of notable alumni.

“The professor has done great things for the horn community, including commissioning works for new ranges of the instrument,” she said. “She is a very fun and inspiring person.”

Kittleson said that a music conservatory functions much like other schools but offers

a deeper immersion into the arts. It consists entirely of music and performing arts students, which creates a strong sense of community.

“It allows you to really focus on your major while still getting a well-rounded education,” she said. “While you still need the credits of a normal university to graduate, they are tailored to be more helpful in career-specific endeavors.”

Kittleson, who will major in horn performance, will still need to meet the graduation requirements of the University of Cincinnati. However, her math credit, for example, will be fulfilled by taking classes geared toward her major such as music theory.

Kittleson credits Mike Nelson, the horn player she first heard in fourth grade, and Madeleine Folkerts, her current horn teacher, for her admission into the conservatory.

“In the future, my goal is to be a professional orchestral horn player and have my own teaching studio,” she said.

“I may also explore the professorship route and specialize in training collegiate level horn players.”

Photos courtesy of Hannah Kittleson.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS SUMMER?

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by Lucie Michel, staff writer

Nylie Wilson, sophomore

Plan for summer 2021: This summer, Wilson is going to embrace the outdoors, gather with her friends and hike as much as possible. The sophomore hiked a lot last year, but this year she is hoping to get really into it. She also spends a lot of time playing travel softball.

Every year summer activity:

Every summer, Wilson and her family go out and mountain bike.

They ordinarily go biking every other day.

Underrated summer past time:

Wilson would suggest to people to get out and go for a joy ride.

Just go and drive around town and explore with family and friends.

Best place to spend summer at: Going to spend

time at grandparent’s houses is probably the best place to be for the summer months, according to Wilson.

Craziest/best summer activity ever done:

Wilson got to drive to Portland to go to a concert, then rush back home to go to a softball tournament the next day.

Izzi Rukavina, sophomore

Plan for summer 2021: This summer, Rukavina really wants to focus on getting outside, going for morning runs and hiking as much as possible. She and her friends are making a goal to hike 50 miles together, which she sees as an easy challenge.

Every year summer activity: Rukavina and her mom

hike together every summer with their dogs. They pack picnics for them and treats and toys for the dogs.

Underrated summer past time:

Rukavina recommends to anyone for a summer to find smaller, less used lakes. She always hears people talking about how much they love Holter Lake, but it’s always so crowded. She thinks it’s much more worth it to find those hidden lakes that might be a little harder to get to, but are so much prettier overall.

Best place to spend summer at: One of Rukavina’s favorite places to spend summer is Holland Lake. She thinks It’s a bit of drive, but it’s a beautiful lake that’s just secluded enough. She loves the hiking trails, and renting canoes and kayaks for the lake.

Craziest/best summer activity ever done:

Rukavina thinks going to concerts are some of the best summer experiences. The Kettle House Amphitheater outside of Missoula is really nice.

Senior to pursue career in video production and filmmaking

by Anthony Matury, staff writer Alex Thayer, 12, is an aspiring filmmaker with high hopes and high quality productions, but it wasn’t until his freshman year that he realized how much fun creation videos would be.

After having worked with a cheap, little $20 camera in middle school, Thayer admits that he enjoyed telling stories. He signed up for Video Production his freshman year.

“Once I figured out the software, I realized there were unlimited possibilities for creativity,” he said.He created a YouTube channel named “Porky Productions.”

The creation of his YouTube Channel led to Thayer’s Porky Productions’ exclusive alias, “Hogman.” Along with Hogman, Thayer has also uploaded music videos, how-to videos, podcasts with his friends, and even a Christmas special.

“Filming can be hard at times, but I think the thing that makes it worth it in the end is the people, all the great experiences we have, and they just make it way more fun when I film with them,” Thayer said. “I thank the people that have worked with me on any of my films for the great experiences and great acting.”

This year, as the video editor for the Russellog yearbook, Thayer has shot and edited videos on topics ranging from academics and sports to farewells from members of the senior class. The videos’ QR Codes will appear throughout the book.

Thayer hopes that this inspiration for filmmaking won’t stop there. This fall, he will attend Montana State University in Bozeman to enroll in the Film & Photography program.

“It looks super fun. The nice part about the film program is you don’t just do film. You also learn photography and you learn the art of photography while learning the art of film. You also get to learn acting, editing, using equipment, and it’s awesome,” Thayer said. “The best part is that the program is hands-on, and freshman year I’ll have a camera in my hands.”

As for the future, Thayer said that he hopes his education and experience will lead him to Hollywood or Atlanta.

“Obviously I’d want to be in Hollywood -- that’s the dream,” he said. “But I’ll be happy to do anything video-related.”

Photo by Pat O’Connell

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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Q&A with Shawn Keck How long have you been in drama?

“I started second semester of my freshman year, so by the end three and a half years.”

What is your favorite part of drama?

“The connections with people I made and the realization that it can be a career.”

On April 15, seniors Shawn Keck and David Miller, along with junior Ellaina Bourgeois, perform ‘The Complete Works of Willam Shakespeare Abridged’ for the intro to theater class.

Photos by Marissa McMickle.

SHAKESPEARE CMR drama tackles the Bard for spring 2021

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that’s Macbeth.”

Evans said he wanted to do a Shakespeare play because he wanted to challenge the seniors and give them one last excellent performance before sending them off.

“This has been a tough year.

We’ve done three online shows this year, and it’s been kind of light and airy and fun. I wanted to, just for my entertainment and theirs, put some meat on the bone.”

David Miller

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“This is in a format called staged reading. It’s also going to be online, on Facebook Live. But staged reading is where actors act with the books. There is very little setting, very little ribbons and bows around the package -- it’s the actors showcasing their talent,” drama teacher Chris Evans said. “This is all about Shakespeare’s words and how we present them. We have probably the coolest play to do that with, and

Elliana Bourgeois

Shawn Keck

by Marissa McMickle, staff writer William Shakespeare has been dead for more than 400 years, but judging by the drama department’s offergins this spring, interest in “The Bard” has never been higher.

Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays -- ranging from romance to tragedy -- and more than 150 short and long poems. One of his greatest tragedies, “Macbeth,” was performed April 24 on Facebook Live by the drama department at C. M. Russell High School.

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What is your best memory?

“My best memory was junior year when the cast list for our first show ‘South Pacific the Musical’ went up -- and I was cast as one of lead suppporting roles -- and the enjoyment of trying to get through the crowd at the cast list.”

What was your favorite play you’ve done?

“I think my favorite is the one we are doing now, Abridged. It’s a whole different experience, getting to basically make the rules. Not a strict thing you have to stick to, it’s a lot of improve and what we want to do.”

What has been the hardest play you’ve been in?

“I think the hardest one was last years ‘Trap’ which we didn’t actually get to put on, but we got through a hefty bit of the rehearsal process before it got cancelled. It’s a very ensemble-focused show so everyone matters and if someone’s not there the whole show falls apart, so it’s learning to be reliable and learning to be there even if you don’t want to be.”

What inspired you to want to do Abridged?

“Last year we were building a shelf [for costumes] and I saw a box that had a bunch of props from the show the last time they did it -- we’ve watched it in class -- and thought that it would be fun to do. I’d say the second semester of junior year I kept pestering Mr. Evans, at some point I think I was the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak, and I kind of wiggled him into it.”

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

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A French exchange student opinion on the USA Are these stereotypes about France true?

Stereotypes French people have about the USA

“French people are mean and always complain.”

Every French person would agree on saying everything is bigger here. The cars are bigger, the roads are larger, the buildings go higher, the stores are wider.

From our perspective everything is disproportionate.

1:

F:

If you ever get the chance to visit France and go to Paris, you might think people are not very nice. But Paris is not all of France, and I would think it is just the case in most big cities.

2:

“As you live in Europe, you must travel to other countries all the time.”

F:

It seems to be a common belief in America that because Europe is made of a lot of small countries we get to move more. I got lucky to travel to different countries. It is not the case for every French or European citizen. ‘‘French people are gourmets.’’

T:(almost).

Food is a big part of the French culture. I wouldn’t necessarily use the term gourmets, and I wouldn’t use it for every French person. But I think most of the people in France grew up eating typical French recipes, homemade dishes in sauce, and traditional meals on certain holidays.

“French women don’t shave.”

F:

Some people don’t shave but it’s just as infrequently as people in the U.S.A. It is not a cultural thing.

“You say ohlala all the time”

T: if « oui oui baguette » is Ameri-

can’s favorite expression to represent us, it is far from being accurate. But the expression is indeed used a lot. People say it when they are surprised, shocked or upset.

“American and French flags” by Pierre.Augustin is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

by Lucie Michel, staff writer

Pledges of allegiance and flags in front yards are far from common occurence in France. The USA is well known for its patriotism, but being able to see for myself how proud Americans are of their country is not less impressive. However, because French people are not like this, most of them would agree there is not much to be proud of. From the educational system to social welfare, some of the main concerns of a government are being questioned all the time by most Europeans when it comes to how the United States deals with them.

But as a French person, what astonished me the most is the relationship people have with weapons.

In most European countries, guns are considered highly dangerous and are not accessible to people. Walking to stores and seeing the gun aisles was a real culture shock. But waking up to the news these past weeks was a different type of shock. Contemplating all the damages done, all the innocent lives being taken, and how guns only strengthen issues like racism makes me really scared. But still, when the National Anthem starts, everybody stops, faces the flag and touches their heart.

The number of times I have

heard one of my teachers this year say; “This is probably the darkest moment of our history” is also something that made me wonder what was there to be so proud of. For one of the youngest countries in the world, the United States has a quite dreadful history. And still, with fewer than 300 years of existence, I had people candidly ask me what we were learning about in French history class if not about the United States, like if the world only revolves around them.

Common belief in Europe has it that Americans think they are the center of the world. And I concluded they do, and indeed they might be.

The USA is probably the most powerful country in the world; moreover, its cultural influence is gigantic -- from the movie industry to the music industry, as well as social media. It offers a lot of life opportunities and is still really loved and admired by a lot, which is why I wanted to come here.

There are a lot of things I discovered and learned here and would love to bring back with me to France, but living here made me realize there are no such things as utopias, and the USA is just a country among others dealing with its own big issues.

French people think most Americans are overweight because they eat in large quantities and always have snacks. They also think there are fast-foods everywhere and meals are made only of junk food.

3:

Most of the people in France think American people are dumb. My friends often refers to American people as “the people who shoot into hurricane to stop them” or “the people who thinks chocolate milk is made by brown cows”.

4:

A lot of people just think everything is cool, thanks to pop culture mainly. There are little things in your everyday life you don’t even care to look at anymore, some of them are even things you don’t like. But know that French people love them and envy you for it; prom, green bills, yellow school buses… baseball and American Football...

5:

Obviously the idea of the American Dream is still really present in our representation of the United States. A lot of French people travel over here to embrace their professional life or just to enjoy a new lifestyle.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

10

STUDENTS ON THE FUTURE

JUNIOR AIMS TO PURSUE CAREER AS DIETICIAN

ETHAN JACOBS Ethan Jacobs is a senior joining the United States Coast Guard, “My family has a lineage of service, and nobody in my family has ever been in the Coast Guard so I would like to be the first to do so,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs is looking forward to seeing new places around the world, including the coastal beaches of California to the cool waters of New York.

“I’m getting to see new places [and meet new] people,” Jacobs said.

He said he wants to help others who are in danger at sea such as getting people out of sinking ships, and working to protect the nation’s waters. Depending how well his first enlistment is, it will determine if he wants to make a career out of it.

NOAH HOLLENBACK

Noah Hollenback is a senior committing himself to the University of Notre Dame, located in Indiana.

“I’m really excited to meet a lot of new people in Notre Dame.

No one else that I know is going now, so it will be a good chance to make a lot of new friends,” Hollenback said.

Hollenback wants to major in engineering and pursue a career in civil engineering or architecture.

by Josiah Favela, staff writer Lizzy Jaraczeski is a junior who is getting ready to be a dietitian. Helping others is something that she enjoys, and she wants to help them accomplish their goals.

“I think it’d be fun to help people, and kind of help them reach their goals if that’s what they’re looking for, or just help people become more knowledgeable about food and everything,” Jaraczeski said.

Jaraczeski initially wanted to be a dietitian because of her experiences playing sports. She thought of helping other athletes, and the relationship between food and sports sparked interest in being a dietitian.

“What you eat before a game or after a game kind of just sparked my interest in what you should be eating all the time, and just how nutrition affects your performance in sports,” she said.

Jaraczeski has been preparing for the next steps ahead.

She is looking for schools that are in Big Sky Country.

“I’ve been to a couple of college visits, and I’ve gone to the professor who runs those classes and asked what kind of classes you can take,” Jaraczeski said. “It’s going to kind of depend on sports but [I could go] anywhere in the Big Sky. They all offer super good nutrition programs.”

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE ?

RACE CAR DRIVER

NASA SCIENTIST

SOLDIER/OLYMPIAN

FBI AGENT/TEACHER

VETERINARIAN/SKATER

Jacob Stoneman, 10

Nylie Wilson, 10

Joseph Eagleman, 9

Alayna Haglund, 9

Jade Wyman, 9

Ever since I was little I’ve wanted to race cars. My grandpas had a 228 ‘02 Camaro when I was little, and it really started my love for cars and speed.

I knew I wanted to be behind the wheel racing.

I wanted to work for NASA for the longest time. My grandmother worked for an engineering company in the 70’s and helped with NASA’s missions.

I wanted to be in the Army. My dad was in the Amry, and I wanted to gow up just like him.

Another thing I wanted to do was go to the Olympics and get the fastest mile time.

I wanted to be an FBI agent until I realized I had to be active. I then stuck to being a teacher because I like the thought of helping the future generation grow.

As a child I was indecisive.

I could never just pick and choose. I love animals so I told myself I’d be a veterinarian, then when I got bored of that I said I would be a pro skater.

Doctor, therapist, chef. I still don’t have a clue about what I want to be.

ASTRONAUT Leslie Miller, 11 I wanted to be an astronaut because space intrigued me. I wanted to see what Earth looked like from out there.

PEDICURIST Lauren Mohler, 11 I wanted to open my own day spa where I could give pedicures and do hair. I called in Lauren’s Day Spa! My parents used to let me practice painting their nails and doing hair.

VIDEO GAME TESTER Logan Cooper, 11 I wanted to be a video game tester. I loved playing video games as a kid, but now I have gone more into welding.

VET TECH Jessica Moore, 11 I wanted to be all sorts of things. For instance, a vet tech, which is basically an assistant for a bet, but then I realized I get too attached to animals.

POLICE OFFICER Brandon Brown, 9 I wanted to be a cop and help people.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

11

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT REFLECTS ON MASK MANDATE

by Isabel Foley, staff writer As for lifting the mandate Hoyer said that there are guidelines as to On March 17, the mask mandate for Cascade County was lifted. However, the mandate was not lifted for the schools. Like many others, I was curious when restrictions can begin to be lifted. These guidelines include infection rates, numbers of staff infections, and goals set by the county, ten or fewer as to why. Heather Hoyer, the assistant superintendent for secondary schools, explained why masks are still mandatory in school. infections per 10,000 people.

When schools announced they would be opening one of the “Our current policy is that we’re maintaining masks… our biggest concerts was how students would handle masks, big push right now is that we really want to get our faculty who wants to be vaccinated vaccinated,” Hoyer said. especially younger students. Hoyer said that this was never a concern of hers and she has been impressed with just how Hoyer said that most classrooms are enclosed and crowded, and social distancing can become next to impossible. She well students handle masks.

“Our kids are able to handle masks, and they’ve done said that she believes masks make teachers and students it beautifully. And you might see some wonderful creative feel safe.

“I think it makes our teachers feel safe, and it allows masks, it gives kids ways to express themselves and keep themselves safe,” She said. While masks are a controversial more kids to come back to school,” she said, adding that subject, Hoyer said that we should strive for safety above all. masks will likely remain as a choice in the future.

“We need to keep it safety-focused and not political. When “I would assume that moving forward, masks will always be an option for students and families… [Masks are] something Heather Hoyer. Photo by, Isabel we politicize masks is when we start to really run into a lot of conflict,” she said. we’ll work with them on because we want our students and Foley. staff to feel safe,” Hoyer said adding that safety was the However, teenagers she finds are more willing to work through main concern adding that with covid numbers seeming to any obstacle, no matter how unfamiliar.

We need to keep decline what we are doing appears to be working.

“I’m really proud of our kids… I wish sometimes people it safety-focused and “We know that our safety and our sanitation policies would take a page out of the books of some of our teenagers, not political. When seem to be working, but we want to be sure that we keep because you guys are so understanding and you’re so we politicize masks adaptable. There’s nothing we don’t throw at kids that they everyone safe as we can. So because we’re in an enclosed is when we start to don’t say, okay, I can do this, we can handle this. And they population... we’re going to keep the masks in place or recommend that we keep the masks in place,”she said really run into a lot of figure out a way to make it work, and as a result we’ve had a explaining that it is a school board decision in the end. Hoyer pretty successful year.” conflict said that input from the community was rather balanced between keeping masks and lifting the mandate.

“

3 OUT OF 10 PREGNANCIES END IN ABORTION half of all pregnancies, 121 millon, are unintended every year

6 out of 10 unintended pregnancies end in abortion 45% of all abortions are unsafe 4.7% to 13.2% of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion 40 out of 1000 women will have an abortion when it is unrestricted

36 OUT OF 1000 WOMEN WILL HAVE AN ABORTION WHEN IT IS RESTRICTED source: https://www.who.int/ health-topics/abortion#tab=tab_1

“ Banning Abortion: A blatant

infringement on women’s rights

by Isabel Foley, staff writer Abortion has always been a controversial subject.

It has come into the light for Montana as of January when the Montana House of Representatives passed a series of bills limiting women’s rights to abortion. All are now heading to the governor’s desk, and -- if signed -- will appear on ballots in the next election. This is honestly disheartening.

Abortion should be a legal, an available option for everyone.

Just because someone may not want to get an abortion does not mean that they should prohibit someone else from doing so. The most prominent argument I have heard against abortion is that it goes against what their religion dictates. America was founded on freedom of religion; this does not mean that one person’s religion or even the majority of the population’s religion should dictate any law. Simply because it is someone’s belief system does not mean that everyone believes the same. While it is a valid choice to not have an abortion, it is also a valid option to have one.

Other people may argue that if one does not want kids they can simply give them up for adoption. Our adoption system is already broken.

Pumping more kids into it will not fix it. Moreover,

if someone does not want to go through pregnancy then they should not be forced to grow a human being inside of them if they do not want to. It is no one’s choice but their own.

Once the child is born, the people who want to limit abortion do not care at all what happens to the kid. This leads me to believe that they simply wish to control women. One of these bills is a perfect example of this; HB 140 would force a woman to view an ultrasound and hear the fetus’ heartbeat before having an abortion. This is fear mongering and guilt tripping. It is absolutely not medically necessary in any respect. This is just another method of attempted control.

If abortions are banned or restricted then people will simply turn to unsafe methods of abortion, which will only lead to death of the mother, or other possible implications. Banning abortions will not make abortions go away. Instead it will result in an enormous step back in women’s health rights. That is the complete opposite of what women need. Society should strive for everyone to have complete control over their health choices.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

by Marissa McMickle, staff writer

TENNIS 2021

14

Mackenzie Tuss

Everyone has a passion whether they know it or not. Sophomore Mackenzie Tuss found her passion in sixth grade when she took up tennis.

“We have had to spread people out when we stretch out and do drills so we stay six feet apart. When we are not playing or doing drills we have to wear our masks. At matches we are supposed to wear our masks as well. We also have to wear our masks on the bus when we travel,” Tuss said.

Tuss has been playing tennis since sixth grade and loves playing with energetic teammates.

“I hope to make it to divisionals and possibly state,” she said.

QA

Sophomore Mackenzie Tuss practicing tennis on April 26.

Photo by Marissa McMickle.

Leslie Miller

Covid has taken a toll on many lives, but junior Leslie Miller refuses to let it impact the tennis season.

“Not that much has changed. We can’t stay over night for games. we have to wear our masks at practice when we arent running.”

For seven years Miller has devoted her time, hard work and hours of practice to playing tennis. Not only is tennis a physical game, but it’s also about mentality.

“The hardest part is getting your mind set in the right place because tennis is very mental,” she said.

Sometimes not everything is about what does on during the match or in the court, but being able to bond with teammates.

“My favoirte memory’s probably from my freshman year. In Missoula, there was this one time it was raining and we were all in the tent just laughing,” Miller said.

With tennis coach Valerie Scheevel

&

How long have you been coaching?

“I have been either teaching in clubs or coaching high school tennis for about 25 years.”

What adjustments have you had to make due to Covid, and how have you worked around them?

“Other than observing Covid protocols, we have tried to keep practices as normal as possible.”

What advice would you give to new players?

“Take lessons and get good fundamentals and habits started early.”

SOFTBALL TEAM WORKS TO ADJUST AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN LAST YEAR

by Ava Donahue, staff writer Last year our world was brought to an abrupt halt. School, jobs, sports, and many other activities were shut down a result of the pandemic we know all too well. One of these activities was the CMR softball team. This year, although they still face difficulties, head coach Alex Lowry is relieved to have a full season.

“We’re just happy to have a season since we had ours shut down last year,” she said.

Still, the team faces the uncertainty of whether or not they will be able to play a full season. The team uses this uncertainty as motivation to work hard.

“You just never know when you’re going to be done playing softball and if you’re going to be shut down, so I think they’re just more motivated to work hard everyday,” Lowry said. “I think they’re just enjoying being around each other since they didn’t have a season last year.”

The team has a common goal, and they help motivate each other to do well so they can accomplish it.

“They motivate each other every day. They’re very good leaders, especially our seniors, and they know we have one common goal as a team. We want to be successful, and we look to get that state championship,” Lowry said. “They’re all really motivated, and they help motivate each other.”

Although winning games is fun, Lowry said she likes to watch her team grow as people more than anything. Building relationships within the team is very important to her.

“It’s just fun to watch them excel and compete. Obviously it’s fun to win games, but it’s better just seeing those girls grow everyday and be good people, good citizens,” Lowry said. “It’s fun just building relationships with the girls and watching them improve everyday.”

Varsity Lady Rustlers gather before their game against Billings on April 27.

Photo by Beth Britton.

Alex Lowry has a long history with CMR. Before working here as a health and PE teacher, Lowry was a student at the school. She graduated in 2011.

As a student, she played on the softball team as the team’s shortstop. Her love for the sport was a result of her growing up, watching teacher Lindsey Gustafson and her older sister play softball. Her love for the sport continued to grow, and now she is the coach of the same team she was a player on.

ALEX LOWRY

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com As a freshman, Hunter Goad has thrown himself into the events of javelin and discus. Currently, Goad competes exclusively in javelin, until he expands his practice in discus.

The thrower joined track along with many of his friends, which has heightened his team aspect. Goad is spending his time this year improving his form, which he says is hard for him to figure out.

HUNTER GOAD

Ever since 7th grade, sophomore Aliyah Yassin has spent her time in track competing in the events of long jump and javelin.

A track season can be tough on athletes, but staying in shape and in good health is important. “I try to go to the gym and lift. I make sure that I eat right and drink water,” Yassin said.

There is always room for improvement, and Yassin recognizes that she wishes to improve on her long jump strategy through her steps.

CMR track athletes warm-up and compete in various events.

Photos by Isabel Foley.

In his senior year, Anthony Rodden is working diligently to both prove his hard work and acknowledge his teammates when they show their own progress.

R o d d e n looks at the positive side of disappointment.

“If you have a bad meet then you have a bad meet. You always can PR from that and get better,” Rodden said. “You never want to focus on the bad things.

When you focus on the bad things it starts to go downhill.”

ANTHONY RODDEN

ALIYAH YASSIN

15

TRACK & FIELD

Benjamin Skaer, a high jumper, is committing himself to track his junior year and developing stronger relationships with his coaches, and fellow teammates.

“You get a real sense of family in our program, Skaer said.

The jumper makes note of how practice and meets become more enjoyable because of this unified team element.

Skaer keeps himself healthy by stretching, and is working on adapting to obstacles that may face him.

BENJAMIN SKAER

since my freshman year so technically this is my second year of track,” says Christain Buhler, a junior competing in events such as the 100 meter, the 200 meter, the 1 by 4 relay, the 4 by 4 relay, and pole vaulting. To prepare for his events, Buhler spends his time at the gym. “I do bodybuilding so I focus on that before track season comes around and then when track is closer I start doing more power related workouts,” Buhler said.

Ava Mckamey spends her in-season time preparing herself extensively to compete in the 200, short relay, and the 100.

Through squats, box jumps, and deadlifts, the junior is building her stamina. Self care throughout the season remains important to Mckamey. “I ice my legs every night and eat a lot more protein and fiber,” she said. “I carbo load the night before a track meet, and then I eat a lot of bananas and banana smoothies the day of the meet.”

AVA MCKAMEY

“I have b e e n doing track since my freshman year so technically this is my second year o f track,” says Christain Buhler, a junior competing in events such as the 100 meter, the 200 meter, the 1 by 4 relay, the 4 by 4 relay, and pole vaulting. To prepare for his events, Buhler spends his time at the gym. “I do bodybuilding so I focus on that before track season comes around and then when track is closer I start doing more power related workouts,” Buhler said. “I have been doing track

CHRISTIAN BUHLER

by Kerrigan Edwards, editor in chief

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

16

JARACZESKI: “WE HAVE TO SHOW A WILLINGNESS TO INVEST IN OURSELVES”

by Taylor Willmarth, editor Senior Luke Jaraczeski was on a trip to Southern California when he saw an extensive network of bike lanes and pathways far superior to those in his hometown.

“I thought it was pretty cool that you could bike and walk right from your house to a coffee shop, grocery store, school or park with ease,” Jaraczeski said. “From there, I couldn’t help but learn all about zoning codes, and how city planners rebuild urban cores and the opportunity they have to create economic growth through targeted public investments.”

Jaraczeski, who will attend Montana State University in Bozeman to study civil engineering, is interested in a career in planning because he wants to have an impact on the efficiency and efficacy of societal infrastructure.

“City planners decide where new housing or commercial buildings go. They design roads, intersections, and pathways to help connect people to businesses,” he said. “A poorly planned city is spread out and difficult to navigate. A well planned city offers multiple ways to get around, beit by car, bike, or on foot, and is efficient at the same time.”

Jaraceski said that city planners face many challenges, such as the impacts of climate change, the ongoing housing affordability crisis,

and the increasing traffic congestion in cities nationwide.He believes that Great Falls needs drastic change to become more appealing to young people, and that the community needs to be more welcoming to change.

“School and park bonds and other large projects always run into intense headwinds from people in our community,” he said. “For example, the city is currently on track to build a new recreation center, and immediately people were against the building of the facility. Much of this has to do with misinformation that is spread on the internet from unreliable sources with a large following locally.”

Jaraczeski also believes that community leaders need to be willing to take more risks on projects and be willing to drive change. He supports the idea of improving and updating downtown Great Falls, which he believes will end up boosting local business in the area.

Jaraczeski attends city commission meetings to learn about changes that are coming to the community, and to share his ideas with local leaders. He has a special interest in the development of more bike lanes because of the substantial impact he believes they would have on the community.

“Bike lanes are very cheap and easy to install

on roadways, and they have many benefits such as slowing traffic, reducing accidents and pollution, and extending the life of roads,” he said. “Adding bike lanes would help show that we value health, and they would place a continued emphasis on the importance of the River’s Edge Trail in our community.”

Photo courtesy of Luke Jaraczeski.

Young people need to reset constituent focus from national to local politics

by Taylor Willmarth, editor However, decisions made in Helena, Bismarck, Cheyenne, and other At the nation’s founding following the American War of Independence, the state capitals are equally important and deserve abundant attention. widespread sentiment regarding a strong central government was hostile.

The ability for a government to become a black hole of power was fresh in With the disappearance of local newspapers and the increasing number of news deserts nationwide, coverage of city halls across the country is in a the minds of young leaders, and they were determined to avoid any form downward spiral. of autocracy.

It’s essential to the success of our country that The Constitution was penned to allot only select powers to the federal government, and reserve most decisions of this dangerous trend is reversed, and young people “Young people impact to be decided locally. Yet, as history has marched are uniquely positioned to address this issue. Our on, once very independent and unique states have grown generation has not only the ability to support candidates should support and legislation that emphasize the importance of local increasingly closer. As a result, the power of the national local journalists politics, but to be the very candidates driving the government has grown exponentially and focus nationwide change. has centered on those in positions of federal power. with a passion for This situation is grave as local and state leaders Young people should support local journalists with in-depth coverage govern many of the day-to-day aspects of our lives. a passion for in-depth coverage of local issues. We can demand a public education in our state that teaches Mayors, commissioners, and state legislators are equally of local issues.” accountable to the people as representatives in the national students about the inner workings of local government and informs them about the ways they can get involved. government, yet they go largely unchecked by their This issue is equidistant from both political parties, and it will require constituents today.

A key reason for the lack of constituent focus on local government is that bipartisan support to make change. Above all, it requires passionate young the media focus is largely geared toward the national government. Large people to educate their peers, and leaders from older generations to nurture an accountable political environment that is more true to the vision of the national media firms are financially equipped to deliver high quality and engaging coverage of events occurring in Washington. founders of this country.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

CHANGES IN THE

17

Electric City BENEFIS WOMENS HEALTHCARE

Hub Insurance under construction between Park Drive South and River Drive South, across from Broadwater Bay. Photo by Justin Bollich.

STUDENTS SHARE THEIR WISHES FOR GREAT FALLS

by Justin Bollich, staff writer Students have very mixed opinions on the appeal of Great Falls to younger people with most being mixed or negative.

CMR student Ruthann Stinar said, “[I like Great Falls] because it’s very small and easy to get around, [but] there’s not a lot of stuff to do.” However, student Colt Lalonde said, “Great Falls is a small town, with not much to do, unless you’re someone who likes the outdoors a lot, a very outdoorsy person. But besides that we have very little to do socially, unless you get creative.”

However a few seem to enjoy living here, and while some didn’t have much negative to say, most did want some improvements made.

“I think if we added a little more recreation [Great Falls] could be [more appealing,]” said Catherine Giammateo, and Victoria Ocana said, “[Great falls is appealing] because we have a lot of hometown businesses, like farmers and stuff.”

While many of the students say Great Falls isn’t very appealing for younger people, some said it is appealing to other ages.

Flynn Fuller said, “I would probably say it’s more appealing for older people, like the workforce. It’s not really appealing for young people because there isn’t much to do here, but for the workforce it definitely is.”

Many students enjoy the downtown area of Great Falls.

Cathrine said, “I really enjoy downtown, especially the music stores, and I like going to bookstores,” Ruthann said, “I like going downtown, and I also like going up to the airport and just looking out on the city.”

Others talked about the relatively small size of the city, mentioning the ease of navigation.

Colt said, “I think the [best] part of Great Falls is it’s not packed. You try to go someplace and it’s not as busy, as some of those other cities, where you have to wait in traffic. It’s easy to get places [in Great Falls] and it’s kind of quiet.”

Others still, enjoy the various businesses we have around town.

Flynn said, “There is the bowling alley, there isn’t much, but there is a few things here and there, and we do have a coldstone.”

There were also a range of ideas on how the city could be improved from the students, many talked about businesses they want to see in Great Falls.

“I think [we need] something that brings young people into the city, not just the workforce.” Flynn said, and Ruthann said, “[I think] if we had more teen friendly areas, like arcades or laser tag places, then it would be a lot easier to hang out with people.”

TOWN PUMP CAR WASH ON 10TH AVE S Various buildings under construction shown above and below.

Photos by Justin Bollich.

Downtown murals show floral patterns and other designs. Photos by Stacy Bollich.

WORKING ON A MURAL

NEW DOWNTOWN HOUSING

MURAL PAINTING

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

18 Beginning journalists create pages for publication in

INTRODUCTION ANNABELLE MORSE

PEYTON PREMO

ALANA CAMP

CADANCE DURAND

Introduction to Journalism is a class offered mainly to freshmen and sophomores who want to get involved with The Stampede Newspaper or The Russellog Yearbook later in their high school career.

Students learn to use and operate design software, conduct research and interviews, and produce a quality product in a timely manner.

They also study journalistic history and are encouraged to keep up with local, state, and national news.

Beth Britton, who advises the yearbook and newspaper classes, also teaches the course. She encourages students to be aware of what is happening in their classes, and to always be listening for potential stories.

“There is so much going on at CMR that we miss,” Britton said.

“There is really no excuse for it because journalism students are all over the building everyday. There is so much that needs to be heard.”

Melody Lake, 9, says that she has enjoyed learning about how to incorporate colors into her work and determine which color combinations fit together best.

“My favorite project was when we designed pages about national parks,” she said. “I got to learn about the park and how to incorporate nature and its colors into a theme.”

Ireland Osentowski, 9, has enjoyed becoming less dependent on instructor assistance as the year progresses.

“I’ve enjoyed being able to be independent and show my skills in writing and editing.”

TO JOURNALISM

by Taylor Willmarth, editor

MORGAN LAMEY IRELAND OSENTOWSKI KAYDI TAYLOR

CHAYSE SEABURG

MELODY LAKE AIYANA GUERTTMAN

AALIYAH THORNTON

KEIRA RICHARDS JACK SPARKS JOSIAH FAVELA

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

THE STAFF PREPARES FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 2021 RUSSELLOG YEARBOOK

by Ireland Osentowski, Morgan Lamey, and Melody Lake, intro students While the year progresses towards its end, with that becomes the publication of the Russellog 2021 yearbook. The staff has been working their hardest to make the school yearbook be a good experience for all of the students of C.M. Russell highschool. Not only did the staff create a yearbook, they also created relationships and memories to last a lifetime.

“Being able to create something that you and other students will have for the rest of their life really allows me to use my creativity to my best ability,” Taylor Kolsh, a Russellog staff member, said.

“I’m really excited to distribute the final product and put a smile on students’ faces,” Business Manager Kaetlyn Zuris said. Madi George, editor-in-chief, said she loved making the theme and templates for the book this year.

The three of them have all made

19

Vaccination Polls Have you ever been

If you could get the vaccine, would you?

No Yes 43% 57%

tested for COVID?

We asked the freshman Honors English classes via Google form, their thoughts on Covid-19 vaccine.

No Yes 38% 62%

by Ireland Osentowski, intro student

close relationships with each other,

Yearbook EIC Madi George and staff finalize pages for the 2021 spring supplement.

Photo by Melody Lake.

and people in their classes. They enjoy being together and working while having the ability to create something from scratch. Beth Britton, the yearbook teacher, has been a great support during completion and publication of the book.

Though they are having fun with what they are doing, they are learning skills that can be used throughout life.

Time management, confidence in what they do, public speaking, and staying consistent to a theme teaches the staff responsibility.

“Keep an eye out for the 2021 yearbook and what is to come,” said business manager Katelyn Zuris.

The serious life of CMR’s SRO

by Morgan Lamey, intro student When it comes to handing out tickets to high school students, School Resource Officer Nick Taylor said he only has to on average three times a month.

He said that the main tickets he gives to teenagers involve disorderly conduct for fights and drug offenses; other tickets that he sees often are runaway and traffic tickets.

A lot of kids approach Taylor with problems from inside and outside of school, and he said that the outside of school cases are the most difficult because they sometimes involve sexual harassment, rape, and homicide. Perhaps the hardest one, which Taylor said is actually a noncriminal offense, is teenage suicide.

Taylor spoke about how working with teens is better and easier than working with adults. “Teenagers in general are moldable,” he said. “Kids take life lessons more seriously.”

Taylor said that adults usually go to jail then continue to go back and make the same mistakes, while kids will go once and try to learn from it and not make the mistake again. He said he tries his hardest to not take kids into custody because he wants to give them a chance to learn from their mistakes before it goes that far.

As Covid-19 vaccines are opening up for older teenagers, it becomes necessary to question whether we should get it or not. Introduction to Journalism student Ireland Osentowski asked fifty-six freshman honors english students about the vaccine and if they have been tested.

Overall, the results were fairly even, but more people decided that they want the vaccine. A majority of the students have been tested as well, and everyone knows someone who has been vaccinated.

There were different opinions on whether or not to get it as well.

“I’m young, [healthy, and] I’ve been around a lot of people who’ve had it, and I’m still alive. If I have to take it just to participate in sports and stuff then I will,” Annalie Young said. “Otherwise, I’m not getting tested and I’m not getting the vaccine.”

On the contrary, other students said that protecting vulnerable people is the priority.

“It’s my responsibility as a young, healthy teen to get the vaccine so I can protect those with compromised immune systems or pre-existing conditions,” Julian Cantu said.

When vaccinations become available for younger students, it is important to research what is best for themselves.

Tokyo Olympic Changes

in the eyes of an athlete

by Melody Lake, intro student As most people know due to the Coronavirus pandemic the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games were postponed to 2021. Lots of people includeing myself are interested in the changes that might affect the olympic athletes.

The Tokyo 2021 Olympics have been scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8, and with that comes some COVID-19. While athletes aren’t being required to get the vaccine there are other protocols that the athletes are required to follow such as prevalent testing, less spectators and no international visitors to spectate. Masks and social distancing will also be enforced.

As an athlete and a person, I understand these protocols are there to protect and ensure the safety and health of the athletes and people, but some protocols are sad for me to think about.

The Olympics are not allowing international spectators and fans.

This means that no families of the international athletes will be allowed to watch. I know for me to compete to my best ability I have to have a good audience to motivate me to do my best. With fewer spectators this means less hype other than the energy you can make for yourself.

All I can hope for is that this year the athletes will be able to do their best in Tokyo and continue to train hard as they have for the past year even through a pandemic.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

20 JACK SPARKS, 9

MADDIE ALLEN, 12

JULIA MOYER, 10

Generations wielding social media

by Aaliyah Thornton, intro student Facebook

Known by many people, young, and older, Facebook is a network where people can share moments of their lives and connect to their friends and family. Several people of different generations use Facebook, but the majority usage belongs to millennials and Gen X.

Twitter

Yes, the blue-bird is back! Fun fact: at least 19.4% of Twitter’s users are based in the U.S., while Japan and India make the second and third main users of the platform. Just like TikTok, Gen Z rules the majority of Twitter’s usage.

LIVING THE HIGH LIFE

by Aaliyah Thornton, Chayse Seaburg, and Cadance Durand, intro students

As everyone knows, to get to high school, you must go through elementary and middle school. Out of three, freshman Jack Sparks says, “I like high school more because the California school system sucks. And, there are more opportunities, via electives.”

The majority of Sparks’ education came from the Californian school system. It is currently his second year with the Great Falls public school system.

Throughout high school, everyone has found out more about themselves; both positive, and negative. As each generation gains new information, new perspectives of potential spiral into existence. Information shapes the future of nearly everybody. People gained life lessons and memories they will never forget. Anyone can look back, and remember the glory days of high school, and remember the adventures of their young and naive selves.

by Chayse Seaburg, intro student JADA ROSE, 9 Streetwear is usually a comfortable, but fashionable style, usually worn by followers of popular cultures, and/or styles. It has become very popular with today’s youth.

AERIN MCINTOSH, 10 Goth. It’s a common word people speak everyday. There are several meanings to the word. The style can consist of dark clothing, which can be mysterious. The style is very unique; in fact, it was formed from emerging music, and fashion styles from bands.

EMMA SMITH, 9 What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think “social nonconformity?”

Usually, it’s an act of rebellious nature towards the “normal” standard of society. In the fashion sense, it’s outspoken, yet it screams personality.

ALEX YOUNG, 9 The “skater boy” style belongs to the more comfortable side of fashion.

It’s usually described to be loose, and like stated before, comfortable. The style is light and casual, which accordingly makes it easier to skateboard.

PERSONALITY

EXPRESSING

High school life is different for everyone. Everyone deals with their own struggles, challenges, or other problems. But, everyone can relate to one thing: that the high school experience is a journey of self discovery, and brand new opportunities.

Like many people, CMR sophomore Julia Moyer imagined high school to be a lot different than how it really is. “High school has been overall a relaxing stress.

I know it contradicts, but to me, that explains high school perfectly. There are a lot of stresses, but at the same time I really enjoy the experiences and opportunities I receive.”

While high school is different for every person, everyone has a favorite part of high school. Senior Maddie Allen, sports editor for the CMR yearbook, speaks about her favorite class. “[It’s] yearbook, honestly. You meet new people, and get to know them. You watch history being documented as the book comes together.”

TikTok

TikTok is the new popular social media platform that nearly everyone has nowadays. The majority of the users of TikTok belong to Gen Z. Other users include millennials, Gen X, and finally, baby boomers, with barely five percentage of use.

Canceling ‘Cancel Culture’

by Cadance Durand, intro student

Cancel culture is an Internet phenomenon that takes people, mostly influencers, out of the spotlight or fame because of questionable actions. During this day and age, people get cancelled left and right -- for making homophobic and sexist comments or using slurs and derogative language. Not only can people get cancelled, but so can companies, brands, books, movies and shows. Because of our society evolving and our views on what is right and wrong, people’s current and past actions are coming back to bite them.

Holding people accountable for their actions is necessary in this society, but forcing them to basically disappear for one of their past actions is not the right way to approach it. Cancel culture is toxic. It builds up this huge force of people online that attacks others. The people who are being cancelled can’t do anything about it.

Everyone needs to undertsnad that language and viewpoints change, and what someone said two or more decades ago may now be unacceptable. People change and some past actions should not be used to define who they are currently.

For example, the R-slur was commonly used in the early 2000’s, but now it is not OK to say. Times are changing and we have to develop with them, but removing someone from society and shunning them because of something that they said 20 years ago shouldn’t be acceptable.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

21

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Photo illustration by Alana Camp

A WORLD FULL OF MUSIC

by Alana Camp, intro student From heavy metal to classical to reggae music is as diverse as we are.

Some people like similar music but every person is unique, especially with the music one prefers. People also have precise reasons as to what they don’t like.

Grace Klempel, for instance, likes an extensive range of music but she is also very sure of what she doesn’t like. “Lo-fi and punk rock are two very different ends of the same spectrum that doesn’t include country,” Klempel stated.

When asked why she had excluded country music, Klempel explained that she was only excluding classic country music full of sexism and is full of repetition.

Klempel’s favorite artist is Penelope Scott, whose music ranges from emotional to an almost emotionless feel. This explains why Penelope Scott is currently one of Grace Klempel’s favorite artists.

Senior Anthony Matury leans more towards the definite end of the music spectrum. He, too, doesn’t like country music, but he didn’t have a definite answer as to why. Although he wasn’t able to elaborate much on what music he didn’t like, Matury was happy to share his favorite rappers, which are bbno$ and YungGravy.

Q

What are your 3 favorite apps and why?

A

Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok because they keep me occupied.

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Senior Anthony Matury also shared his favorite song right now, which is “Help Herself” by bbno$.

Senior Kaileia Wendt also enjoys rap like Matury because it is what she was raised around. However, Wendt also says that synth-pop is one of her favorite genres. “It (synth pop) can be modernized but still has a good 80’s sound to it,” Wendt explained.

Wendt said that her favorite music artist is Kanye West because he is talented, and most of his albums are no skip albums. Her favorite song by him currently being New Slaves though Wendt did have a bit of trouble deciding just one song.

Wendt said she doesn’t like country music because she didn’t grow up around it.

People have different opinions on music; some like country music, some don’t, some like loud screaming music, some don’t, and some people like to stay in between the two opposing sides of the music-loving spectrum.

Either way, most people have some connection to music, whether it’s from family, life, or the need for the noise, it’s there, and people seem to be everywhere on what they like.

Kayden Ivers, 12

Q

What is your favorite app and why?

A

Snapchat so I can stay in touch with my friends.

Alexa Bailly, 9

Q

What apps are you on most and why?

A

Snapchat so I can talk to my friends and TikTok because it’s entertaining.

ToP

A book everyone needs to read

by Alana Camp, intro student “Going Bovine” by Libba Bray is one book that everyone should read at some point. The book itself teaches essential lessons in an inventive way.

The storyline is full of twists and turns that can keep anyone entertained.

“Going Bovine” combines themes from Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” and one of Emily Dickinson’s untitled poems.

Dickinson’s poem is a representation of hope in the story while the main character faces death.

The story has adventure, romance, friendship, found family, magic, and Vikings. Every good book needs some sad life lessons, and this book has that as well. “Going Bovine” is a book that everyone should read in their life.

The book has won the Michael L. Printz Award for literary merit, which just more proof that the book needs to be read by many.

“Going Bovine” has themes from older books, like “Don Quixote,” that are taught in schools but with easier to understand words. This book should, and most likely will, become a new classic.

5 GroSSING MoVIES oF 2020

by Kaydi Taylor, intro student

#1 BAD BoYS For LIFE A Mexican wife and son are on a quest to kill all of the people involved in his dad’s trial and imprisonment. A detective on the case gets wounded and has to team up with a special tactical squad to bring justice to the family. #2 1917

Two British soldiers in World War I get impossible orders from their commander. It’s a dangerous race against time. Will they survive?

#3 SoNIC THE HEDGEHoG Sonic the speedy hedgehog finds his new home on Earth. He accidentally knocked out the power grid and now villains are after him. The villains want to use Sonic’s power to create world domination. #4 JuMANJI: THE NExT LEVEL In a fantasy world with many obstacles, a group of friends need to bring someone back to the real world through a game. The game is broken so it was more difficult than they thought. #5 STAr WArS: THE rISE oF SKYWALKEr

It was a surprise that the evil emperor Palpatine didn’t die. The revels now have to race against the clock to find where Palpatine is and stop him.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

22

PREPARING FOR THE FALL

by Josiah Favela, intro student Even though spring sports are just roughly halfway through their seasons, there are some athletes at CMR who are already thinking about next fall..

Brady Kelly is currently a junior and preparing for his senior football season. He goes to the morning meetings, which are scheduled at 6:45 a.m. Many of the team members are working on sharpening their skills with drills. They are already preparing by lifting weights and getting to know the new defense plans coming up next season.

All of the preparation is designed to keep the athletes on their toes.

“For football, what motivates me is definitely just watching [our team] be successful,” Kelly said. “I really want to

Members of the varsity football team charge out on to the field at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 18 before the game against Billings West.

Photo by Beth Britton.

53 Students’ Favorite CMR Sports

Q&A

with Sophie Madsen and Bryce Hall

by Annabelle Morse, intro student

Q: What are you doing to prepare for

sophomore year and playing sports?

A: Just working in the off season in both my sports. I’m in club sports for volleyball right now and then to go into open gyms for basketball.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory or mo-

ment that you had with your teammates?

A: Probably the most memorable moment was last game this year in Bozeman when it was our very last game for the playoffs and we lost.

see our players and our coaches excel to the best of their ability, and I think that this season we definitely have a very good chance of doing that.”

Kelly, a linebacker, is not only excited for the success of the program but also the continuation of the legacy of CMR football.

“It’s not the beginning of the program.

It’s going to be the continuation of the program,” he said.

Kelly said that his teammates think of him as the life of the team, raising morale and maintaining a good attitude.

“We have to also enjoy ourselves,” he said. “This is still high school, but we definitely do win and we need to have a good time doing it.”

COVID affecting high school sports

by Keira Richards, intro student

Since the start of COVID-19, the United States -- along with countries all over the world -- has set restrictions to cause less spreading of the virus. C. M. Russell High School has also set restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID for a better learning environment for students. The new restrictions and regulations have made life difficult for high school sports.

Athletes are now required to wear a mask at all times, stay six feet apart, avoid sharing belongings, and sanitize the areas they have been in. Furthermore, there is a possibility athletes may get contact traced. Things are now stricter, and if people ignore the restrictions, consequences will occur. Many athletes at CMR have felt that the regulations are quite difficult to manage or deal with. Some sports are left with no subs on the bench due to many of their players -- or the whole team -- being contact traced.

Personally, I have played soccer with no subs on the bench. Throughout the game, I felt

Q: What are you looking forward to most for your next three years of high school?

A: Definitely trying to play varsity in any of my sports and just the dances and the proms and like the mask mandate to be lifted after covid and kind of going back to normal.

Q: What are you going to miss most about

high school?

A: All the traditions this school has and all the friends that you make doing sports and just learning is probably what I’ll miss the most.

exhausted and overwhelmed. Plus, it did not help that my team and I were losing to our opposing team. Honestly, my team and I felt defeated and hopeless. Contact tracing is effective; however, perhaps the amount of time someone is in quarantine is excessive. Conceivably, if my teammates were not out for so long we could have had a better chance of winning.

Not only is the contact tracing problematic, but the masks at times are bothersome. Masks are still required when on the bench, talking to a coach during practice, when a team is in a group and on the bus. Wearing masks can be a burden to deal with, especially when you’re sweaty and hot. The mask restrictions could have more leeway.

Even though this year has not been ideal, I’m glad I was given the opportunity to play high school sports this year. If only the amount of time athletes are out during quarantine and how often we wear masks would change, I’d feel much more at ease.

Q: Who or what inspired you to play sports in high school?

A: My sister for sure just seeing how she’s

gone through it and how much she enjoyed it was an inspiration to me playing as well.

Q: What’s the most difficult thing about

sports in high school?

A: Just the mentality tokeep trying your hardest everyday and trying to do better.

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

23

Do AP classes provide better learning opportunities?

by Jack Sparks, intro student At CMR, there are dozens of classes offered, all with varying difficulty. Among the numerous elective and common core classes, there are some labeled as Advanced Placement (AP).

AP classes have a higher intensity and rigor to them, making them more difficult than normal courses. They differentiate from honors classes, as they can be used to earn college credit. AP classes are often considered the next step up from honors classes, such as in CMR’s chemistry department, where students have to take Honors Chemistry as a prerequisite for AP Chemistry.

However, this is not the same for all AP classes.

For instance, AP Montana Government can be taken without an honors government class first. Many teachers recommend taking AP classes over normal classes if students have motivation to learn.

“It allows an AP class to go much more [into] depth,” said Brian Halverson, who leads the AP Government studies at CMR. Halverson explained that most people become more interested in government when they have to pay taxes, and the class is a good way to increase understanding.

Jordan Hollern, the physics teacher at CMR, agreed with Halverson, saying that there was a definite difference between the rigor of general and AP classes. AP Physics can also cover things such as the Chaos Theory and Butterfly Effect, things that are not covered in general

INTERESTING courses at CMR

by Aiyana Guerttman, intro student

WEIGHT TRAINING

Charles M. Russell High School allows students to take a weight training class. Mostly seniors and juniors tend to get into this course first, but it’s offered to freshmen as well.

Burke Allen’s AP history class reviews for their AP exam.

Photo by Taylor Willmarth. physics due to the fact that they require a more advanced understanding of the subject.

The main differences between AP and normal classes are the intensity, speed, and depth that they require.

Halverson said AP classes are better for students if they’re trying to increase understanding certain subjects.

Rustlers can enroll in AP art, U.S. history, government, biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and English.

DO SEXIST DRESS CODES TOWARD WOMEN AFFECT THEIR LEARNING?

CULINARY ARTS 1-2 /3-4 Students in Culinary Arts build knowledge in cooking, baking, recipes and kitchen etiquette.

DRIVERS ED

by Peyton Premo, intro student This ridiculous logic demonstrates that the schools that enforce these outdated dress codes either don’t trust or don’t believe that their male students have the ability to control their thoughts and actions, especially around their female peers. Even more ridiculous, in practice, it’s the girls who are punished for this.

In one example, Tottenville High School in New York gave 200 students — mostly girls — detention for two weeks for violating the school’s new dress code. The students then planned a protest. If dress codes are meant to minimize disturbances, it seems counterintuitive that other distractions are still fine.

These outdated cultural norms have no place in the 21st Century. Dress codes encourage modest apparel, but John Stewart, above, teaches by doing this they also encourage overly restrictive, and Driver’s ed. Students learn the oftentimes sexist, gender norms of past centuries. The rules for driving and get behind consequences go beyond reinforcing norms. Punishing the wheel. girls for something as simple as bare shoulders makes girls feel embarrassed and ashamed of their own bodies.

Pulling girls out of class to make them change clothes DEVELOPING results in a loss of valuable learning time. While some CHILD clothing is, of course, inappropriate for school, girls are more paid attention to for dress coding.

by Aiyana Guerttman, intro student

Q&A WITH CAELEY LUOMA, FRESHMAN

Q: What’s your overall opinion on masks?

A: I think they’re good, I just think a lot of people don’t wear them so they don’t really do a lot. I just think a lot of people don’t wear them correctly.

Q: I understand you’re in Chanson choir; how do masks affect your ability to perform everyday tasks?

A: It makes it a lot harder to sing and do the daily warm ups.

Q: I heard there’s certain masks you all use specialized for singing, do you find these masks more effective than regular masks?

A: They work but they’re not entirely practical for everytime we sing because the masks are fairly uncomfortable and expensive. They have more space for your lips to move so your mouth isn’t constantly brushing against the mask, so I guess that’s supposed to be helpful.

Q: Do you feel that without masks completely in your class that your choir could operate as one much better?

A: Yes, I think without masks it’d be much easier to hear those around you and blend.

This class focuses on the development of children, the parenting of children, and working with children.

SIGN LANGUAGE

This class teaches ASL. (American Sign Language)

April 29, 2021 rustlernews.com

24

R USTLERS ROLL THE DICE 1

by David Miller, Staff Writer Over the pandemic, people have revisited old hobbies and picked up new ones. A hobby I hold close to my heart that definitely kept me busy was playing board games. There’s nothing better than sitting around the table with friends and family, having a good time and playing some games. There’s a board game for everybody ranging from styles such as card games and word games, to themes like playing as secret spies or paranormal investigators. New and creative board games are coming out every year, exploring interesting ways to play and continuing to attract players in every demographic.

Camden Robertson -- Catan Catan is junior Camden Robertson’s favorite game. A groundbreaking title released in 1995, Catan is a game for three to four players where resources are gathered via dice rolls.

The resources (livestock, ore, lumber, brick, and wheat) are indicated by tiles with numbers 1-12 on them. You can also collect resources by trading with the other players, making the game very reliant on tabletalk. You spend your resources to construct roads, settlements, and cities for victory points. The first to 10 victory points is the winner. Other factors such as development cards, the robber, and ports up the stakes in the game.

Robertson said he likes that the game is fun while also being strategic -- and playing usually never results in screaming matches. He also likes that it’s longer than normal games.

A big plus for Robertson is that random chance is a big contributor to the game. There is no true enemy, and everyone relies on everyone to trade and win.

The world is currently under attack by a wave of unseen enemies. Four deadly diseases are spreading, and it’s up to you to stop them.

Senior Shawn Keck’s favorite board game is Pandemic. Released in 2008, Pandemic has players take up the mantle of a disease specialist such as an operations expert, medic, and contingency planner in order to stop the spread of and eradicate four diseases. Each turn, the diseases spread more across the globe, and a player on their turn takes actions to stop them.

Keck was introduced to the game by one of his friends and has suggested playing it anytime they can.

“It’s a cooperative struggle,” he said. “If you don’t work together, you lose together.”

The game’s theme is a big part of why Keck loves it. When people ask what makes it so fun, usually the idea of racing to eradicate deadly viruses is enough to get other people to fall in love with it.

A game that evolved through thousands of years and still stays relevant today, each player tries to trap the other’s King in a “checkmate.”

Crokinole: 1876

Candyland: 1949

Lucas McMaster -- Sorry!

Sorry! is the game of choice for freshman Lucas McMaster. In Sorry! players compete to round the board with each piece and bring them to the home space. Pieces move based on cards drawn by the player. Some cards, such as the infamous “Sorry!” card, provide added benefits to help the players take the lead.

“There’s a lot of competition in it, and you don’t have to be nice,” said McMaster, who was introduced to the game by his family. He won the first game he played, which may have led to it taking the title of his favorite game.

McMaster said he appreciates that players always have the chance to take the lead. You never stay in last place, but you always have to worry about someone taking the lead from you.

Catan: Photo by Hub/Creative Commons Monopoly: Photo by MTSOfan/Creative Sorry!: Photo by LifeSupercharger/Creative

Chess:501600AD

The game focuses on sliding tiles across a slick board to score points by hitting opponents pieces and landing in a circle.

Shawn Keck -- Pandemic

Crokinole: Photo by SP1365/Creative Chess:Photo by romainguy/Creative Candyland: Photo by John-Morgan/Creative Commons

Board Games over the years

This children’s game centers on moving a piece through a fantastical world of candy by drawing cards associated with the colored tiles on the board.

Catan: 1995

The cornerstone of modern board games, Catan has players gathering resources to spread their settlements before other players.

Pandemic: Photo by Derringdos/Creative Commons