CMR Stampede January 2017

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Morp sparkles in 2017 with a Great Gatsby theme

The Stampede

Stampede -- Jan. 26, 2017

WHAT’S INSIDE

C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT January 26, 2017 Vol. 52 Issue 5 www.rustlernews.com

11 Food pantry attempts to cope with hunger in GFPS

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Great Falls home to inexpensive entertainment options

An open forum for student expression since 1965

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Students spend a night in the Roarin’ 20s at Morp

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LEFT: On Jan. 21, over 10,000 Montanans gathered in Helena for the Women’s March on Montana. The march, which was observed by people all over the world, received backlash from figures like President Donald Trump. Photo

by Hannah Pate.

BELOW: CMR and GFH crash the boards for a rebound during crosstown on Jan. 10. The Rustlers fell to the Bison at home. Photo by Rebecca Bergman.

The Stampede

C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT January 26, 2017 Vol. 52 Issue 5 www.rustlernews.com

news editor Katelyn Morley opinion editor Jessica Banks features editor Clara McClain entertainment editor Quincy Schmechel sports editor Ashton Palen online editor Isaiah Vang photo editor Julia Gremaux business managers Emily Cappis Katie Davis

staff writers Allison Hanson Amanda Cornwall Andrew Aron Aurora Oden Chloe Geary Gabrielle Pope Hannah Pate Hannah Pospisil Hayley Woodard Ian Kaiser Lexi Bako Loran Fairhurst Lindsey Robison McKenzie Connell Sarah Ljunggren Zach Mell adviser Beth Britton principal Kerry Parsons

Cover photo by Ian Kaiser.

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

OPINION

16 -- Great Falls on a Dime 17 -- Star Wars superfans, artists of 2017 18-- Thespian show 19 -- Brush Crazy

3 -- Katelyn’s column, entrepreneurs 4 -- Bamboo straws, scheduling 5 -- ACT Prep, finals 6 -- Philosophy Club 7 -- Inauguration 8 -- Jessica’s column, editorial, women’s march 9 -- Protests

15 -- Quincy’s column, New Years resolutions, HS movies

SPORTS

20 -- Ashton’s column, girls basketball profile 10 -- Clara’s column, Mr. Mayes, Recorder Club 21 -- Signing days, 100x100s 22 -- Crosstown 11-- Hunger 23 -- Snowmobiling, injuries

FEATURES

CENTER

12-13 -- Religion 14 -- Maryah Schrock’s menagerie

BACK PAGE 24 -- MORP

Make every day count in 2017 Editor-in-Chief

editor-in-chief Mackenzie George

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MackenzieGeorge

The Stampede staff strives to produce a publication that is relevant to the CMR student body while maintaining journalistic standards. We help to provide a free exchange of ideas and establish a student voice in the school community.

The first lesson I learned in 2017 was how often I take things for granted.

It’s certainly not the first time I’ve realized this, and I say I won’t forget next time (I always do), but this time I think it might stick.

I think I always figured there would be more: football, basketball, cross country, tennis. But now I have just three semesters of high school left. It seemed like a lot. Not anymore.

The time shrinks. People leave.

I did not worry about having any “lasts” as a junior because there was a whole year ahead of me. And by the time I realized what lasts I’d be experiencing this year, they had already passed me by, and it was too late to freeze those memories.

We’re lucky nowadays that we have photographs, phones, and the Internet. Pictures help us remember; phones keep us in touch with those far away.

In less than 90 school days, we’ll have to say goodbye to our seniors. So it might not be my last crosstown basketball game or my last tennis meet, but it will be theirs. The atmosphere

changes as the people do. As I’ve progressed from the back rows of the stands as a freshman to closer and closer to the front, I haven’t always noticed that the people who I’ve been replacing disappeared somewhere along the way. I spent so much time waiting to be an upperclassman that I forgot that it was pretty fun to be a freshman and sophomore, too.

One of my friends has promised me her camo pants after she’s gone. Another, long graduated, passed down a ton of CMR gear she no longer needed. They might have outgrown these items, but they’ll still always be a part of CMR. Is that why graduation is so sad? We finally recognize that we’re saying goodbye to something that’s become so deeply ingrained in our lives for the past four years?

I already know that graduation will carry a different feel this year. I’ll know that next year will be my turn to walk across the stage and receive my diploma. For now, I try to enjoy the school days -- even finals week, constantly reminding myself that there really aren’t that many left.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

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Teens embrace the role of entreprenuer

by Gabrielle Pope, staff writer Trent Cavanagh and Colton Rasmussen are two seniors with more than just a few good ideas. They’re on their way to starting their very own business. “[The judges] didn’t realize that we wanted to be bigger, like they thought we just wanted to stay in Montana, but really we want this to be a large corporation,” Cavanagh said.

Rasmussen has had the plans of making something productive out of used plastic bottles for a while prior to the idea of making a business out of it. After practice one day Rasmussen and his friends were messing around and flipping half filled plastic water bottles to see whose water bottle would land the flip and started wondering how he could make something helpful out of all of the old water bottles.

With that thought Rasmussen went straight to the thought of lacrosse heads, because the heads of lacrosse sticks break so quickly with the brutality of the sport he wanted something that could be continuously recycled with more used plastic.

He went to his business teacher, Travis Crawford, who late became their mentor throughout the challenge, and asked what he thought about the product, which further encouraged to do more with his idea.

Rasmussen went to a seminar about entrepreneurship at MSU for his financial tech skills class where he knew fellow lacrosse player and business savvy senior, Trent Cavanagh would be, Rasmussen had mentioned the idea to Cavanagh, but once the challenge was brought to their attention they knew exactly what they were going to do.

As they went about creating the business plans, difficulties arose. They would have to create the machines and the mold that the lacrosse heads would need.

“Since we wrote up the business plan we had realized that it was going to be a lot more complex than we initially thought,” Rasmussen said.

“Selling the product isn’t the hard part. It is building the machines and parts for it that is hard,” Cavanagh said.

The boys won people’s choice award and got honorable mention for their product. They believe that if they had the knowledge of the plan and the programing that they do now, and if the judges would’ve realized the inclining need for the lacrosse head across the country and not just in Montana then they could have won first place.

“I wish we could’ve written the business plan now, because we are more knowledgeable and we have a better

Seniors Colton Rasmussen and Trent Cavanagh receive praise from Gov. Steve Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney on Jan. 23, 2017. Photo

by Robert Rasmussen.

understanding of the business plan,” Rasmussen said.

“It was also really hard to find the software and equipment to design the head,” Rasmussen said. He found a program called Fusion 360 by Autodesk and it has worked great for him. It has a plethora of different materials he can choose from and has the plastic that is in plastic water bottles as well as the plastic that is usually used on lacrosse heads and he was able to compare the two and show the similarities and differences of the plastics and use that on his business plan that was submitted to the judges. It also shows the effect the head would have on with all that it goes through like throwing and catching and the brutality of the sport.

“The head had to be designed so it could take a beating,” he said.

Although they didn’t get first place they still have a positive and business like attitude about the results of the competition.

“If you plan on running a business you have to be prepared to have your ideas shot down and after every failure you just have to realize that you are that much closer to succeeding,” Cavanagh said.

Rasmussen plans to pursue this in the future and continue being an entrepreneur and starting more businesses. He has intentions of the lacrosse heads turning into a great business that he can help grow throughout his whole career, but he doesn’t want it to stop there.

“My whole life I have never really liked the idea that the workers are the people who work the hardest and get paid the least, so that makes me want to be the guy on top, the one who’s running everything and gets the most pay. Not saying that money is everything, I just want to be financially stable.”

What is the Montana Teenpreneur Challenge?

Montana Teenpreneur Challenge is a challenge designed to find and motivate Montana’s innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders.Students from all over Montana, rural or urban communities can enter the competition. To submit the information for the product that you want to invent, you have to submit a business plan, with everything that is essential to your product. It would include, how it’s made, what it’s made of, the price of it, target market, etc.

If you receive an award, which could be first place or honorable mention for a new business idea, and the same for an existing business; as well as people’s choice award for rural and urban communities, you can receive a cash prize and/or a backstage pass to the Made in Montana Wholesale Trade Show and mentoring. The goal of the challenge is to acknowledge the work done by students in montana, and to reward the most innovative thinkers in Montana.

Visit their website to learn more at onemt.org

Nick Stogsdill When you grow up around parents who own a business, you see the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all, and senior Nick Stogsdill knows that all too well.

“I’m kind of used to being around businesses, I guess I’m just exposed to it everyday,” he said.

Stogsdill’s parents own Electric City Coffee, which means he is used to the business lifestyle and has found that he isn’t very fond of it.

He wants to attend culinary school in the fall.

News Editor

KatelynMorley

The ability to accept change and others’ opinions in 2017 5,4,3,2,1… Happy 2017! As everyone in my house said this it fully hit me that the new year was here. I then began receiving texts from friends with the same celebratory attitude,but with that came comments of this now finally being the year that we all graduate. These comments began to hit me hard with the realization that I will soon be an adult, leaving school, and making decisions that will impact my future.

Days began to go by and the feeling of being a senior really settled in along with the senioritis, which in all actuality probably kicked in halfway through junior year.

My struggle to stay motivated has even been noticed by my family. I still want to get good grades, but when you know you are five months away from graduation the idea of being done is more enticing than doing your math homework sometimes.

Along with the senioritis comes the fact that a lot of colleges look at your grades at the end of senior year to make sure you weren’t slacking through the end of your high school career. This fact adds more stress to the ongoing process of making future decisions.

Aside from the fact that this is now the year of graduation, there are so many other

changes going on. A new President, which no matter who it is creates mixed feelings and with that comes changes in our country.

Now that the first month of the year is almost over I have this feeling that this year is going to involve a lot of change. This change will have a lot to do with my personal life, but I still think with everything going on in the world even our country there is going to be major change for everyone.

While there are so many new things occurring in my life this year, it may be scary, but it is exciting at the same time, which I feel relates to what is going on in our country. I feel that this change should be embraced to the best of our abilities because without this there is no way to grow and learn from these changes.

If we don’t grow then we aren’t making progress whether it be personal or as an entire country. I believe that there are some bad changes and some good. However, that is always up to who you are and what you believe in.

This is a huge thing that is changing in America -- the ability to respect what others believe in is something that is needed to accept some of these events in the nation.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

Teacher Scott Clapp saves Earth one straw at a time

by Ashton Palen, sports editor What’s the first thing you think about when you hear the word bamboo? Many people who hear bamboo turn their thoughts towards cute and cuddly panda bears.

But that’s not the case with senior English teacher Scott Clapp. Clapp saw the wood as a solution to a problem in our society.

Last year Clapp was showing a Ted Talk about Boyan Slat, a 19-year-old Dutchman who discovered a safe and economical way to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Slat inspired Clapp to think about the ecosystem and what we can do to help save it. After a lot of research, Clapp came across a truly frightening fact; according to the National Park Service an average of 500 million straws are used every day, just in the United States. That’s an average of 182.5 billion straws a year!

“After I saw that statistic, along with my other research, I felt like something needed to be done,” Clapp said.“When I was a kid we had paper straws.

They weren’t reusable, but they were safer for the environment.”

Knowing that there were alternatives to all the plastic we consume, Clapp set out to find an economical, reusable, and ecological alternative. After searching a little bit online Clapp found his solution -- bamboo straws.

“Bamboo is a great alternative. It’s safe, sustainable, and biodegradable,” he said.

Clapp chose bamboo over the stainless steel and glass alternatives because of safety.

“Stainless steel can heat up or really cool down depending on your environment,” Clapp said.

“They also have a bigger risk of chipping teeth.”

Clapp is hoping that more students will be interested in buying the bamboo straws in order to reduce their consumption of plastic straws.

“If we start locally, we can make a change.”

If you are interested in buying a bamboo straw, visit Clapp in room 219. The straws cost $1 each. There are many ways to get involved. There is the Dream Team, which is a club that focuses on making positive changes, not just for the ecosystem but for anything. They meet on Fridays in room 215. Another way to help make a change is to sign the pledge at onelessstraw.org. Signing the pledge means that every time you use a plastic straw you donate a set amount of money to ocean-cleaning projects.

Clapp wants students to get involved.

“Change does not start from the top down; change begins with the individual.”

Students set to schedule classes for next year

by Ashton Palen, sports editor Many students would rather focus on surviving second semester than think about what classes they are going to take next year. But counselor Brenda Lowry believes that the sooner you start to think about your schedule, the better off you’ll be.

“Students should begin to look at their graduation requirements on Powerschool, then start to look at the course catalogue to start building their schedule,” Lowry said.

Scheduling starts Feb. 6 during Connections. The final entry day is on Feb. 10, when the counselors put in the class requests for each student in the media center.

“Our classes run on student interest. If only 10 kids sign up for a class, we might not be able to offer that class,” she said.

Signing up for a class is

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no guarantee that you’ll get it. There might be too little interest, or too much interest.

Some classes have limited class sizes so they cannot accommodate the number of students who want to take it.

“Students should challenge themselves when creating their schedule. If you want to take an AP or a dual credit but think it might be too challenging, challenge yourself,” Lowry said.

AP and dual credit classes are classes that offer the rigor of college in a high school environment, which basically means that students have the workload of college, but with teachers that are a little more accommodating than college professors.

“APs are like college training wheels,” Lowry said.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

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ACT preparation begins for spring

ACT tips

by Katelyn Morley, news editor As the first month of 2017 comes to a close, the school is preparing for the ACT testing in April. So is junior Cecelia Grassesch, who has already taken the test once in September in order to get a benchmark score. She is using this experience to get ready for April.

“I’m hoping for a high score and good testtaking skills that will help me in the future,” Grasseschi said.

In order to help herself to prepare even more, she is signed up for ACT prep with Kelli McDonald. She is also taking time to review the material she’s learned at school throughout the year. Since she has already taken the test she feels comfortable enough with getting help from McDonald along with using skills she’s already gained from previous testing, she said.

“It will definitely help me get into a good college if I can get my score high enough,” Grasseschi said.

Besides having these tests to help with college she doesn’t believe that the ACT matters for anything other than the college applications.

“I’m looking forward to the day I can finish with all these tests and be accepted to a university,” she said.

Grasseschi isn’t the only one preparing for the testing in April. Counselor Julie Graham is also starting to work with the school for this time.

She has been planning out dates for the test and when to start preparing juniors for the 19th.

Soon they will be sending letters to students and parents about this being the junior assessment, along with information about the test date,

Eat a good breakfast

Finals week is... brutal, dreaded by all, what makes or breaks my grades.

- Madison Hunter, 12

Finals week is... where you see how far you have come.

Graham said.

“All colleges require a SAT or ACT score,” she said.

Since the date is approaching she is planning on getting information to help students out soon -- along with providing websites for preparing and ways to practice testing. Thanks to feedback from previous test takers they have found that a big problem with testing is the amount of time.

Due to this response they make sure to give an announcement when there is five more minutes left on the test so that students can fill in any empty bubbles to help boost their score, Graham said.

“We think that’s why it’s important for them to do timed practice tests,” she said.

This testing through the school allows students to take the test for free and not give up a Saturday for it. They also have it set up for juniors to send their scores to four different colleges of their choice. Therefore they inform students of this before so they can have a list of colleges making it easy for them to fill out testing information for these colleges.

The school also is working to make sure the students know that most colleges want an overall score of 22 along with math scores being 23 or higher, and writing being a seven out of 12 at least, Graham said.

“I encourage kids to really prepare for April 19,” she said.

Finals week is... wack because it’s not a certain percent of our grades.

- Desi Hauck,9

Finals week is... where you test your knowledge.

- Angelique Sanchez, 9

- Celeste Peters, 12 Art by Katie Weidow.

Get lots of sleep Study ahead of time Use every study tool that you can Study with people who have taken the test before Visit these websites for free http://testprepreview.com http:/www.march2success ACT Online Prep (log on with school provided email) To help get ready for the ACT, juniors, including Savannah Fischer (bottom), use their own study techniques. One uses a free website while the other studies from a booklet. Photos by Julia Gremaux. Art

by Katie Weidow.

Students’ take on finals week

by Katelyn Morley, news editor Finals week is always a topic that comes to mind for high schoolers whether it be a couple weeks before or two days before. However, senior Chido Chikwava has learned to prepare at least a week and a half in advance.

“I look through tests since finals are basically a summed up version of all those,” she said.

After a few years of finals under her belt she has learned how to get herself ready for a week of testing. She has learned to go back and rework problems from tests along with homework or worksheets. To stay organized while studying she gets a separate notebook and uses that to put in all the material she’s redone along with outlining points of review, Chikwava said.

“I like to think of the feeling of relief when you’re all done,” she said.

In order to not feel overwhelmed during testing she focuses on pacing herself and using good time management. Also she makes sure to focus on that sense of relief that comes when finishing the tests, Chikwava said.

“Don’t worry about it too much because even though it is a big grade it doesn’t make or break you, she said.

Unlike Chikwava, some Rustlers -- including freshman Jayla Mitchell -- are new to the process of finals.

As every freshman gets to experience their first week of finals, Mitchell is finding ways to get through the difficult amount of testing. She has found that reading and skimming through her textbooks have helped to get her ready.

“I’ve done study guides and taken online classes,” Mitchell said.

She has found that these things are extremely helpful and that the teachers have set up things to help prepare the students. Even with the slight worry of potentially failing, she has overcome that with study techniques that made her comfortable to get through the week, she said.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

Philosophy club members spend hours pondering life

by Loran Fairhurst, staff writer Plato, Confucius, Aristotle, Rene Descartes, and Friedrich Nietzsche are just a handful of well known philosophers -- both modern and ancient -- and they, along with others, have left a legendary foundation for philosophers of our era to build upon. One such builder is CMR English teacher Jeremy Comstock, and those who attend his philosophy club. For those who ponder in their free time, there is a release, a place to do so out loud with others.

“We try to pick topics that are philosophically deep and pertain to the world nowadays. So our goal is to try and think more deeply about the issues and problems going on in the modern world,” Comstock said..

Meeting during club days and the second Tuesday of each month, Philosophy Club normally starts with a presentation of a certain topic.

“Then we’ll just try to let the discussion grow organically from there. I try not to be too much in control. I try to be a participant more than a leader, and sometimes I’ll just throw things into the pot when I feel like things need to be

stirred,” Comstock said..

The pot in question normally contains a stew of politics, ethics, morality, and a myriad of questions from those arcane to mundane. Some questions are easier to answer than others.

“Politics get people talking -- everyone has an opinion.

But things like the more philosophically arcane topics like: “What does it mean to truly know something?”

People haven’t thought about that as much, so they don’t have a strong opinion, so it gets a little harder to have in-depth discussions,” Comstock said..

If one desires to think deeply with Philosophy Club, it will not take long -only an hour after school on the second Tuesday of every month (the next meeting being Feb. 7, 3:15 to 4:15), and during club days.

Art collage by Loran Fairhurst. Photo of Jeremy Comstock by Loran Fairhurst

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

McKenzie Connell, staff writer The popular hangout Faster Basset closed Dec. 29, much to the disappointment of many in the community.

“I loved the atmosphere,” senior Maryah Schrock said. The crepes were really good too, she added.

“It’s going to be depressing because it was my favorite coffee shop,” senior Tiara Higginbotham said.

“I am so sad that they are closed. I loved their hot chocolate,” freshman Shelby Banks said.

But the buzzing coffee shop won’t be closed for long. Not long after Faster Basset’s doors closed, a local business, Big Mouth BBQ, announced they would be opening in the old Faster Basset space.

“I am fricken’ excited it’s closing,” sophomore Tristan Krum explained.

“Big Mouth BBQ is much better.”

“We are super busy getting the new location at 215 3rd St. NW set up and ready to go,” Big Mouth BBQ owner Sean Knox said. Many students during lunch will be able to quickly go over and get a sandwich.

The adjoining brewery, The Front, will be operating under the leadership of Katie and Jeremiah Johnson.

“We look forward to having the opportunity to make fast, affordable lunches for folks on the Westside,” Knox added. “We will be opening at 11 a.m. daily and having the kitchen open until 9 p.m. except Sunday, in Name; Julia G which we will close at 8 p.m.”

Big Mouth BBQ will be coming soon, to the enjoyment of many students.

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New business moving in

America enters a new stage

McKenzie Connell, staff writer After two years of campaigning, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, with Mike Pence as his Vice President, on Jan. 20.

The celebrations started as soon as citizens crowded into Washington D.C. CMR freshman Quinn Soltesz attended. He was selected, along with 2500 other students from around the world, to attend the Presidential Inauguration.

“I thought it was a spectacle and anticlimactic,” Soltesz said.

Aba Trump was sworn in while placing his hand on both his grandmother’s and Abraham ca Pr Lincoln’s Bibles. He promised America that jobs would be reopened. e “For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth” Trump said.

“We are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American people,” Trump said.

“He painted a very bleak portrait of America,” Soltesz said. Unsurprisingly, Trump ended with the famous, “Let’s make America great again!”

“It was humbling to be in the presence of many politicians,” Soltesz said.

There were four past presidents there, and Michelle Obama, he included.

Quickly after the ceremony, the festivities began. The parade consisted of many bands and military groups. The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts also marched.

The parade went 1 ½ miles down Pennsylvania Avenue.

The inauguration is full of performances. Many performers, such as Beyonce and Bruno Mars, turned down the opportunity to perform at the inauguration. But singers Jackie Evancho and Lee Greenwood took the opportunity.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Piano Guys also performed.

Many of these performers’ fans were upset about their decisions. But, all of them said they were there to witness a ceremony, not to come for politics.

After the 2DUI hour long parade, Force Cascade County Task groups divided to go to each of their Inaugural Balls.

Donald Trump was able to attend 3 balls. The first dance was to the Frank Sinatra classic, “My Way”. While his dance moves weren’t Dancing With the Stars material, they marked a historical moment, along with the rest of the 2017 inauguration.

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You’re not just hurting yourself...

Be safe In 2014, Cascade Countyor hadBe 332sorry DUI arrests. In 2015, there were 349 DUI arrests, and in What’s your plan?

2016, 334 arrests were made.

The national news recently reported that in 2016 the .

A message brought to you by the Cascade County DUI Task Force number of impaired driving incidents nationwide had risen to its highest level in 20 years.

What’s your plan?

S Opinion 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 fairly; 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 copy 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 Montana Journalism Education Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll.

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

January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

2017 offers chance for constructive change

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It’s been a year. into something worthwhile. Organizations like Get Out to Vote love With 2016 in the rearview mirror, people haven’t hesitated to drag using young people to spread the word. the past 12 months through the mud. As in any year, there were highs For those still rambling about the presidential election, try bringing and lows. Depending on your perspective, a couple major events could the scope of your focus down to a local level. Local positions like the be perceived as either. But instead of denouncing everything that mayor or city commission can have just as large an effect -- and went wrong, take this fresh start as a chance to work to improve these sometimes more -- on students’ lives as the President. Show up to circumstances in 2017. a city council meeting (held every other Tuesday night at the Civic Whether at the local level -- distaste at what Great Falls has to offer, Center) and voice your opinion to people who are more apt to change criticizing entertainment in our city -- or nationally, such things than your Twitter rival. as disparaging the election, it has become much easier to From What always seems to come up on the list of teenaged complain and sulk than to make a change ourselves. It is complaints is the lack of entertainment in Great Falls. But point of view downtown is burgeoning with new businesses. Escape not enough to voice your opinion and expect conditions to improve. This year, if and when deciding to make the cold and shop local for a few hours. There are several resolutions, consider one that benefits others as well as yourself. museums to visit and nursing homes to volunteer at. Showdown is Some people find it easier to protest, through social media or other at the height of its season right now. Skiing and snowboarding in outlets, than to head to the voting booths or round up signatures on Montana is a must-try winter activity. “Great Falls on a Dime” on page a petition. We at the Stampede urge readers to make constructive 16 has several more opportunities for winter entertainment. changes themselves instead of expecting others to do it for them.

Here’s to a successful 2017, filled with fun, progress, and fewer If the kids who get into Twitter fights about politics are as interested executive tweets. in the elections as they claim to be, they should funnel that energy

OUR

MONTANANS MARCH FOR solidarity and equality

by Hannah Pate, staff writer The morning of Nov. 9, 2016 I woke up despondent and infuriated. The night before, I had gone to the Cascade County Democrats election party, optimistic and glad the election was close to being over. However, as the night progressed, it became clear that the results of the biggest race in the nation were not going the way I wanted them to.

Let’s be honest, I was a Hillary supporter. I was with her, and ready to use the pronouns ‘she and her’ to talk about the leader of the free world. But this is real life, and this is real politics and sometimes the results don’t turn out the way I want them to - or the way that the majority of the electorate want them to.

I took a week to mourn, but as a realistic person I knew that sitting around feeling sorry for myself and the nation was not going to help anything. Fortunately, there were millions of women who felt the same exact way. Soon I was invited to a Facebook page for the “Women’s March on Washington,” and afterwards was intrigued to find out that there would be one in Helena, just 89 miles down the Interstate.

As the date approached, I began to wonder what the experience and mood of the crowd would be like. I also wondered how I was even going to make it to Helena, as I didn’t really have a ride.

Luckily, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art sold tickets for a bus to and from the march. This was thanks to no specific organization, which is what made it so special.

On my way to Helena, it was nice to be around so many like-minded men and women. Young and old, working class and retired, everyone was concerned with the rights of minorities in the future administration.

When arriving in Helena, I began to see people walking to the Capitol with signs. This is when I knew that there would be more than just the estimated 4,000 participants there. Turns out, more than 10,000 people felt the same way I did- passionate and ready to stand for the rights of themselves and others.

No, this was not a march of snowflakes (word courtesy of the Trump supporters) or fake feminists who really just want attention -- this was much more. This was a true reminder of what this country was and is founded on.. This is what democracy looks like.

JessicaBanks

Opinion Editor

On Jan. 21, more than 10,000 Montanans participated in the Women’s March on Montana in Helena. Photo by Hannah Pate.

Standardized tests fail to test a student’s intelligence

The new year brings the exciting or terrifying end of first semester. Some students are excited and optimistic about the grades they worked so hard to achieve, while others fear they might not be able to hold onto their D- they so effortlessly earned.

Whether you have an A+ in every single one of your classes, you gave it your all and barely squeezed in a B or you gave up within the first month of school and decided to live by the old saying “D’s get degrees” and not try to attain any type of good grade, every student will have to go through the feared and dreaded week called finals week.

Finals week is just a week full of tests, tests where you fill out an LXR and hope you bubble your answers dark enough on the form while you wait for your test score to come back. Not only these tests, but most standardized tests anyone takes is a memorization game.

In history class if you repeat dates and names of people back to yourself enough times you might be able to remember them long enough to quickly fill in the right answer on your test.

In math if you use catchy songs or rhymes to help you remember formulas you can punch numbers in where they belong and receive the answer you are looking to find.

Tests don’t measure intelligence or knowledge -- they measure a student’s ability to

memorize.

And of course this is not a teacher’s fault, for some students do very well in a testing environment, and giving them a bubble sheet with a list of multiple choice questions will accurately portray the knowledge they have taken in over the length of a chapter or unit.

However, this is not good way to test all students.

Many students have a fear of testing or get test anxiety, and no matter how much they study, their mind goes blank when a test is placed in front of them.

For example, I am not a test-taking person. I can’t concentrate on a test for a long period of time, and no matter the extent of my studying or memorizing, in a testing situation I can’t always remember what I have worked so hard to study for that test.

However, if I were to give a presentation to a classroom, create a project, or write a paper on the same information, my scores would be a lot different.

I know I am not alone in having an inability to take tests at the same level as some of my peers. Every student is different, and I think it is so important that each student is able to be assigned a grade in a manner that they can accurately portray their intelligence.

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News

January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

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The key to reuniting America lies in respecting one person Accepting the fact that Donald Trump is our President will bring peace to our nation

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor Americans faced a very interesting experience with the past presidential election and the two candidates’ campaigning techniques.

A lot of people were surprised when Donald Trump won. Few were expecting that.

Social media, news, some teachers, and even Saturday Night Live had predicted and was prepared for Hillary Clinton to win the election.

With past elections, there were of course some people who got upset, or reacted badly after the results of the election, however, none have been to the extent of the 2016 election.

This election has been anything but ordinary, so it is expected that reactions after the election are also quite unique.

Across America there have been protests and riots fighting the results of the election.

Right after the election and still continuing many used the phrase “not my president” when fighting the voting system, the question of Russian involvement, and Donald Trump’s victory.

I personally believe this is incredibly disrespectful. Regardless of who you voted for, the election is over, and he is our President.

Protesting and fighting the authority isn’t

going to change the results. It isn’t going to make anything different. All it is doing is causing unnecessary contention in our country and not allowing us to reunite after the ever-sodivisive election.

It is important to understand that in life there are going to be people that you don’t like, but that is something that everyone has to deal with.

I am not saying you have to like Donald Trump or even completely pattern your life after his guidelines and opinions, all I am saying as that as our President, it is important to respect that fact.

This election has completely divided our country in half -- those who support Donald Trump on one side, and those who support Hillary Clinton on the other side; with a very distinct line in between. Of course there has been some people who just don’t support either of them, and support a different candidate, however there is no one who likes both of the main candidates in an equal way.

If our nation wants to begin healing and become whole again, we must unite and respect the fact that Donald Trump is our President.

Donald Trump gives a speech during his campaign in 2016. Photo Creative Commons.

S Features

January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

10

Recorder Club makes (sound) waves

“

I think that a lot of the older kids are either busy or they just decided it’s not what they really wanted to do. Which is perfectly fine. Right now it is small, but it’s a pretty tight rocking group, which is cool.

That’s kind of where we are hoping to go as a club, with this. If more people want to join, absolutely the more the better. But we’re really kind of digging in and taking it seriously. I think to a lot of people at the beginning may have thought that it was just a silly sort of fun, hipster-y, kind of thing to do in a way.

Instead of it being a more serious group. Cause we’re hoping that this summer we will be able to play a bunch at Farmers Market and actually go around and do some gigging, which would be really cool.

”

-Steve Olson

Teacher has a-Mayes-ing attitude

by Zach Mell, staff writer Anyone who has walked past room 308 has most likely heard a cheerful “Have a good day” from inside.

The source of this upbeat attitude? Math teacher Warren Mayes.

Mayes, who has enjoyed teaching at C.M.R for three years now always has such a great attitude.

“It’s a wonderful place to work.” Mayes said.

Mayes says that he loves to teach math, he says it can be very engaging and that it’s really nice when he sees the students get it.

“I know they can take those skills and actually go do something with them, It can make a difference in the world.”

Mayes said.

Mayes always has a smile on his face and greets everyone that walks by his classroom. It’s usually a happy “How are you today sir/mam?” and a “Have a nice day.”

“Good attitude is contagious, If I have a good attitude and spread that around it kind of makes everyone’s day a little better.”

by Sarah Ljunggren, staff editor One student in particular is passionate about Recorder Club. In fact, junior Chloe Geary has been a member for the past two years.

“I have been in Recorder Club since the origin of Recorder Club. I don’t remember the exact date, but it was sometime around the beginning of last year,” Geary said.

The recorder is not the first instrument that Geary has been practicing.

“I also play the clarinet and the harmonica,” she said.

At the beginning of the year, the club had almost 10 students involved. At the end of first semester, the group is down to four students, Geary said.

Even though the club has lost some members, the people are still very close.

“Since there’s only four kids in the club, I feel like we’ve become very good friends. We’re like the recorder club family.”

Left: CMR’s orchestra and Recorder Club instructor Steve Olson poses for a photo in his room. Right: Junior Ryan Banks is also a member of Recorder Club and has a bass recorder, displayed in the picture. Photos by Sarah Ljunggren.

by Sarah Ljunggren, staff writer The instructor of Recorder Club has a lot planned for next year. Steve Olson, Charles M. Russell’s orchestra instructor, plans on taking his group out to perform more.

“We met and played at Albertson’s for a couple of hours and we made like $65 just with people donating money. And we were like ‘OK I guess we’ll take it’ and it was awesome.

Everybody said it was great, and that kind of fired us up to do more of that,” Olson said.

The club has been at CMR for almost a full year, but Olson has been passionate about recorders for a while.

“It’s something I got into a number of years ago, like three or four years ago, as a hobby. I finally decided ‘why not just put together something at school for some other musical hobby or ensemble for the kids to be a part of,’” he said.

Playing the recorder is a lot simpler than some would think. And anyone can quickly learn, he said.

“It sort of just along the lines of band or orchestra, just any instrumental group. Just as long as you can read sheet music, you’re fine. You don’t have to have any previous wind experience since recorders are wind instruments.

You just have to be able to read music and that’s basically it. You learn the new fingering system, and you just jump right in. Which is pretty neat.”

ClaraMcClain

Features Editor

Features editor learns how to find miracles in the small things “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

I prefer the latter simply because I have found that looking on the brighter side of things is better for everyone. This quote from Albert Einstein is a better way to look at optimism versus pessimism than the glass half empty or half full question.

Think about all the things that had to fall into place just for me to be here, at CMR, writing for the Stampede.

Everything has a crazy amount of coincidence and luck backing it up. Meeting your best friend in elementary school and sticking together until high school. Or discovering that one book on my brother’s shelf that would inspire a lifelong love of the medieval and fantastical and dragons. Mostly a love of dragons that has yet to fade to this day.

Little miracles are all around me, and I’ve decided to stop letting them pass me by. I need to recognize them for the wonderful things they are. I need to stop taking everything for granted. Nothing is certain in life -- nothing is permanent. Life has a way of proving you wrong in the worst of situations and knocking you down a few pegs just

when you start to think the world owes you something.

The world owes me nothing, and that’s hard to accept. However, the little things make up for that harsh reality. Like seeing a butterfly take off from the windshield of my car as I prepare to start my day.

Little things like ladybugs and snow make the big problems seem less daunting.

I love watching spring bloom from a cold Montana winter, seeing flowers push against all odds to grow from under the snow. Trees budding while the last of the frigid frosts sweep down from the mountains.

Most of all, I love the idea of the world starting over. If I could pick a new New Year’s Day, it would be the spring solstice, the day when life really begins anew.

It’s a clean slate for everyone and a time to meet new people and create new relationships.

Look for the miracles in your life and remember all the little miracles that had to happen for you to be where you are today.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Features

Many Rustlers fighting with food insecurity, pantry aids the battle

by Hannah Pate, staff writer Every high schooler faces different stressors in their life -- what to wear, how to act, who to talk to.

But for many students, simply getting enough to eat tops the lists of daily struggles.

When somebody thinks about poverty, images of third-world countries or the poorest cities in America may come to mind. Although there is certainly poverty there, it is also prevalent at C. M. Russell High School.

One resource that is helping combat hunger is the CMR Food Pantry. The program was started in 2009 by the Key Club when they realized that there was an immense need.

Currently, the Food Pantry is run by Suzette Bruggeman, who has been involved with the program for four years.

“I started the year my son started seventh grade,” she said.

Starting at the North Middle School Food Pantry, Bruggeman said she realized that there was a great need for food assistance.

Four years later, her son is a sophomore at CMR and she continues to see this problem. She said she is concerned that not enough kids are using this resource when faced with food insecurity.

“I think that not nearly the amount of kids who need the food pantry are using it. There is a barrier for kids to ask for food help,” Bruggeman said.

She has observed that there is an unfortunate stigma that comes with asking for help. There are currently 25 families being served by the program, but there may be more who are scared or ashamed to ask for help.

“I don’t want kids to feel embarrassed. I am really sensitive about the kids feeling embarrassed,” Bruggeman said.

The pantry is much more than just food assistance; it grants another security that many of its consumers need.

“A lot of programs provide food, but they don’t provide toiletries. It gives them peace of mind,” she said.

She has noticed from donations and altogether that it is sometimes forgotten that the students who use the food pantry are just like their peers.

“Kids in the food pantry program want to eat things you want to eat. Regular teenage foods,” Bruggeman said.

This year, a couple of churches decided they wanted to assist with the holiday season by giving each student involved a gift.

The gift was simple but kind: an Underarmour sweatshirt.

“In the world we are so divided. Be kind. Everybody has hard times,” Bruggeman said.

She emphasized that kids with food insecurity should never feel less than, and that if someone knows someone who is struggling, be sensitive and reach out to help.

If you are in need of food assistance, please contact your counselor and e-mail Suzette Bruggeman at suzettebruggeman@msn.com

food insecurity - The inability to access food in a consistent manner, resulting in reduced quality or variety of diet.

Even before birth a baby is still a human.

11

The food pantry at C.M Russell High School provides hope in the form of food assistance and tolietries for many students. photo by Hannah Pate

Items needed regularly at the CMR Food Pantry

“

I think that not nearly the amount of kids who need the food pantry are using it.

There is a barrier for kids to ask for food help.

”

Suzette Bruggeman

Assistance Information If you or someone you know is struggling with hunger or food insecurity, talk with your counselor in the advisement center. There is confidential assistance available.

Food Pantry Hours: Thurs. 2:30-3:30pm

milk eggs syrup cheese ketchup fruits&vegetables mustard salt other condiments Chef Boyardee meals instant ramen boxed mac&cheese hamburger helper Drinks such as: juice tea soda kool-aid water canned meat taco seasonings Toiletries: mouthwash deodorant feminine hygiene products toilet paper toothpaste toothbrushes floss razors shaving cream lotion body wash shampoo conditioner hair brush face cleanser lip balm makeup/baby wipes

Before you encourage someone to have an abortion

GET THE FACTS

For free literature about abortion and the alternatives, write to: Great Falls Right to Life * 500 Montana Ave. NW * Great Falls, MT 59404 *visit nrlc.org or abort73.com

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Features

14

Senior spends her time with a fowl herd Wa

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by Loran Fairhurst, staff writer Most pet owners can boast about the cuteness of their dogs, or the particular sarcastic jaunt of their cat, or perhaps their amount of this, or even the desire of that.

But few pet owners can brag up the fact that they own 18 chickens. Senior Maryah Schrock can.

Having been an owner of chickens since she was 15, a dog owner since the age of two, and a tortoise keeper since 14; her myriad of animal companions did not just appear all at once.

“When we first got the initial 12 [chickens], we got them as chicks from North 40. We got 10 of them, then we got the two araucanas, which are easter egg chickens. The rest of our chickens were just given to us,” Schrock said.

The rest of her chickens were acquired by • Her uncle moving away, • Her grandmother dropping off a pair of them, leaving the Schrocks in a state of “These are our chickens now, apparently;” • As well as they had received a triad of chickens from their neighbor.

Though, it is after the acquisition of all 18 chickens that the herd begins, bringing with it the joys that only chickens can provide.

“There’ll be days where I’m just really down, and I go

outside and just sit, and all my chickens will come and sit around me and just kind of look at me, checking if I’m OK, then they’ll peck the ground around me, and just kind of do their own thing,” Schrock says.

Schrock even boasts that on one particular occasion after her thumb surgery, her chicken had brought her a leaf as a sign of affection- but the herd does not stop there.

Schrock also finds exorbitant happiness in her two dogs -- Harley and Hanna -- and her tortoise named Squirt.

“Harley, she’s lucky she’s cute, because she’s an idiot…” She said “She [Hannah] was my first pet ever so we are very close and now that she’s a lot older, it’s nice to just be able to cuddle with her and not necessarily HAVE to play with her,” She said.

“I do this thing where I get in the recliner and I kind of recline back and set her [Squirt] on my chest, and she’ll nestle up right into my neck, and she’ll just chill there forever if I let her.”

Overall, for someone who lives with so many animals, it is nonstop joy. From chickens that wander their coop and run, to dogs both little and large, to even a tortoise, Schrock truly is a master of a herd.

“I love having them because all animals can tell your emotions.”

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Around are close-ups of all 18 of Shrock’s chickens. Photos by Loran Fairhurst.

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New Year, New you! Start doing nice things for others Mark R. Cappis, CPA Shareholder 21 Tenth Street South Great Falls, Montana 59401 Tel. 406.727.0888 Fax.406727.0895

Meets Mondays in room 325 @ 4 p.m.

Now also a B&B

mrcappis@azworld.com www.azworld.com

S Entertainment High school on the

BIG SCREEN

by Julia Gremaux, photo editor During finals week and the end of first semester grades, extracurriculars and sports have added to the stress factor of student life. Seniors are trying to end school on a high note, juniors are trying to improve before college applications, sophomores are preparing for the extremities of junior year, and freshmen are trying to adjust to their new high school lives. Stress is inevitable at this point of life, but many can find comfort in snuggling on the couch with what they wish was their own high school experience.

Movies based on the high school life always seem a little far fetched with images of students dancing and singing on cafeteria tables. “High School Musical,” a movie based on a group of high school students bonding during the making of a musical performance, seems to add a little flare to high school that is missed in reality. Although high school is full of drama, nothing is as dramatic as Sharpay Evans and her need to be a star. Sharpay and the rest of the “High School Musical” crew are a joy to watch on a weekend with your own high school friends, and an all-time favorite Disney throwback.

Tired of 2016 trends roaming the halls? You can enjoy the times of fast racers and slick hair in the movie “Grease.” Although all of the actors in this movie were 20 years or older, the concept of young and fun is still clear in the film as portrayed by the spicy dancing, quirky students, and fun in the sun. In the movie, two groups -- the Scorpions and the “T” Birds -- are sworn enemies who are always competing against one another. GFH and CMR have a similar relationship, making this 1950s movie easily relatable. High school is full of known couples and social groups, which “Grease” captures with Danny, Sandy, Kenickie, Rizzo, Frenchy and the whole gang.

Music is an essential part to movies like “High School Musical” and “Grease,” and these catchy tunes playing throughout these films add a fun interactive twist that you can sing along to. No worries if you aren’t a musical kind of movie-goer. There are tons of high school movies that don’t involve random singing and dancing like “16 Candles”, “Napoleon Dynamite,”“Mean Girls,” and “The Breakfast Club.” Although no movie can really capture the high school environment, these flicks are a joy to watch when school has become overly stressful and you’re in need of the comfort of what movies portray as the “best time of our lives.”

January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

15

New Year’s resolutions die fast

by McKenzie Connell, staff writer “New year, new you.”

This phrase is commonly said after Jan. 1. Everyone is making resolutions to eat less sugar and exercise more. Of course, it doesn’t last long.

New Year’s resolutions have the lifespan of a fly: quick, fleeting, and normally coming to a painful end. As a business in Great Falls, Great Harvest finds it easy to notice the short time-

frame for resolutions’ potency.

“January is the slowest month hands-down,” business owner Ryan Connell said. At his downtown bakery, Great Harvest, the goals of the population are very noticeable. While the customer traffic is slow anyway after the glut of Christmas, sweets sales are at an all-time low, he added.

Everyone is trying to less sugar and choose more healthy options.

In comparison, the whole grain options sell better than the sweeter, sugary choices.

“But it’s only until the third week, then it’s back to normal,” Connell said.

Anyone can see the history of resolutions from personal or others experiences. PE teacher Amanda Ferderer, hopes to show students how to break the curve.

“Make sure it is reasonable and attainable,” Ferderer said. “It won’t happen overnight, but with support anyone can complete a goal,” “The best way to set a food goal is to focus on the food groups, but don’t cut anything,” Ferderer said. Going cold turkey is never a good idea. When focusing on eating choices, cut the serving size not the actual foods, she said.

Common goals are to eat less sugar, exercise more, or quit an addiction. Because of these extreme plans, resolutions have the worst reputation. Everyone always chooses too high

of goals to accomplish, which is why they normally don’t last long.

So make a difference, break the pattern. Prove history wrong.

This year, when deciding to change your life or you, think baby steps.

The bigger the jump, the bigger the fall.

QuincySchmechel

Entertainment Editor

Dancing job transforms longtime passion to possible career Patience has never been a strong suit of mine. I’m someone who likes to work for things for myself, but when it comes to others I’m always in favor of instant gratification. Because of this, I never saw teaching as a future career for myself. That took a turn last month, when the coach at Illusion Dance Company, Megan Gray, asked me to step in and take over teaching some of her classes as a part-time job.

With some reluctance, I agreed. I love to dance, and I practically choreograph every song I hear (which can make driving with the radio on somewhat problematic), and I’m not awful with kids. So I figured I’d give coaching a chance, and I was eager not only for a new experience but to also see the impact I could have on the young girls I’d be coaching.

I’ll say now that I never knew coaching would be quite so demanding. I knew I’d have to organize practices, collect monthly payments, order uniforms, choreograph, and pick music. And all those seemed like tremendous responsibilities, but nothing I wouldn’t be able to handle.

However, actually being with students and teaching gave

me a whole new appreciation for the countless hours of effort and care that teachers and coaches put into their work. I say this all without mentioning the incredible amount of patience and energy it takes to work with six to eleven year olds.

The first few lessons I taught weren’t difficult, but they weren’t easy. Learning how to communicate to little kids and how to keep up with them and be energetic while also keeping them focused was tough; it was like learning a whole new language. But once I learned all the names and got the system down, I’d find that I would look at the clock and the kids’ hour-long lesson had flown by. It no longer sapped me of energy to teach them movements and run through routines; the kids energized me. When you’re doing something you love, it’s not really work.

Throughout the month, I’ve begun to leave work feeling more energized than before I went in, despite it being a full workout as I run through their routine with them. And there’s nothing more rewarding than watching one of the girls finally get a difficult movement or combo down and seeing their faces light up when, after so much hard work

and practice, they finally, finally get it. And seeing the routine when everyone finally gets it down perfectly and we can move on to the next sequence is nearly better than unwrapping Christmas presents.

Despite all this, perhaps the most rewarding aspect of coaching has been getting to know each of the twentysomething girls I coach with. They’re all comfortable coming to me with problems, or telling everyone about their day, or celebrating each other’s accomplishments each day. Seeing all of their individual personalities come together to make not simply a class, but a real team, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I no longer see coaching as a simple job, but as a passion, as something I would gladly do every day of my life for the duration of it. And I sincerely hope to never have to stop. At the end of the day, I’m not thankful for the impact I’ve been able to have through coaching, but rather for the impact coaching these girls has had on me. And I’m eager to see not only where we go this season, but where my newfound passion will take me in the future.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Entertainment

16

Great Falls on a dime

by Sarah Ljunggren, staff writer The younger generation in Great Falls has been known to complain about the lack of activities in town. Tenth Avenue South is filled with bars and casinos rather than safe and fun places for teens to hang out. There are still some activities that the youth can do without breaking the bank, however.

One popular activity that seems to be a hotspot for Great Falls is Brush Crazy in downtown Great Falls. Brush Crazy can be expensive or cheap depending on what you choose to paint.

A small ceramic can cost $10 and a small canvas or wood panel costs $15. The bigger you paint, the bigger the prices.

Other attractions in Great Falls include many museums. Most kids in Great Falls went to the C. M. Russell Art Museum in elementary school, but they always have new exhibits on display. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and it costs $4 for students and is free for active military and their families.

The Charles M. Russell Museum isn’t the only one in Great Falls. There is also a History Museum downtown. It displays the history of Great Falls from the past century or more.

The museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. -5 p.m., and admission is free. Another free museum in Great Falls is the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. The museum is free because they have a sponsor that covers the cost. They are open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and noon - 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

When it comes to getting outside, the area around Great Falls is full of opportunities.

The Sluice boxes are a very popular place to be. It’s pretty and you can drive there and back in a day. But there are a lot more hiking spots available in Central Montana. The Windy Mountain Loop is located in the Highwood Mountains and is a 7.1-mile hike. It’s a 34-minute drive, but the beautiful hike is worth it. And if you don’t want to make the trek out to the Highwoods, you can always go to the River’s Edge Trail, Giant Springs State Park, or the Ulm Pishkun State Park.

If you don’t feel like going outside, there are a lot of inside options, too. At Carmike Cinemas, every Tuesday night tickets are only $5 for any movie. Popcorn, snacks, and drinks

are also discounted.

The Great Falls Symphony offers $5 rush tickets for students. Other options around town include the Public Library. At the library, on 2nd Avenue North, there is a foreign The History Museum and the Civic Center host multiple filmed played every month. For activites. Including concerts, films, and displays. Photos by February the film is “Sea Fog” and Sarah Ljunggren. will be shown on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. and on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.

Not only is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center a museum, but it’s also filled with different events for the public to attend, most of them for free. On Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 and 9, at 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. they will be showing the Winter Film Festival.

For classes, lectures and concerts around town, the Hot Ticket section of the Great Falls Tribune, which comes out on Fridays, is a great source to figure out where and when they are. Many of the events are free, and there is a big variety that is always changing.

For the best and most affordable tuxes in the city go to Kaufmans Prom is just around the corner

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com 17

Entertainment

Fans reminisce on past, present and future of

Star Wars Four decades after its initial debut, sci-fi franchise continues to entertain CMR staff members and students

by Lexi Bako, staff writer “It was probably one of the first movies I watched when I was younger,” freshman Aiden Breau said.

As many families understand, Star Wars has become a tradition that parents have passed down to their children. Breau remembers being a child and being introduced to the world of “Star Wars.”

Breau followed in his father’s footsteps and became a Star Wars fan.

With eight movies since 1977, it can be difficult for a fan to favor a certain one.

“I can’t really pick a favorite, but if I had to I really like Rogue One because it took us out of the Star Wars story, I felt, and put us into it more, and answered questions we never knew,” Breau said.

Some people believe that Star Wars is overrated, with movies, clothing, mugs, and other merchandise all together creating a $4 billion franchise.

“There’s is going to be new a Star Wars movie

Artists to look for in

by Hannah Pospisil, staff writer

Current Joys

Current Joys, project of artist Nick Rattigan, may be one of my favorite projects in the realm of indie music.

His songs are delightfully mellow and satisfying to the ears. Current Joys is rapidly becoming more popular by the second, so much that he’s going on tour in 2017. Nick Rattigan is an extremely talented man and I hold him near to my heart. The success of Rattigan’s other project, Surf Curse (a collaboration with Jacob Rubeck), convinces me that Current Joys will be yet another success from Rattigan. If you’re looking for an indie pop artist that has an upbeat sound yet dark, emotion provoking lyrics, Current Joys is the one for you.

2017 Sunflower Bean

every Christmas for the next five years,” Breau said. ”I’m really excited about that, everyone is really excited about that. That’s what I like about the franchise. It brings people together.”

Math teacher Matthew Haag is also a big Star Wars fan. ”Epic storyline, the heroes the villains, the awesome lightsabers,” said Haag, explaining his admiration for the films.

Haag is 29 years old and remembers becoming a fan around middle school. Both Haag and Breau being the fans they are own quite a few Star Wars-themed items, including T-shirts, cups, and lightsabers. ”I have two lightsabers, I would say they’re my kids,” Haag said.

Sophomore Peyton Baker also considers herself a major “Star Wars” fan.

“I liked the new movies. They were very entertaining; it was fun because you watch and it just all nods back to the old movies,” she said.

Over the years, the Star Wars movies have created a community where all sorts of people can relate to each other under one fandom.

Rogue One characters Darth “I think it’s awesome, I just like how how everybody is like here’s this great movie that we all love, and you can just Vader, Chirrut, and K-2SO shine on the silver screen. Photos: talk about it with anybody pretty much,” Baker said.

Creative Commons.

Musicians to look for in the new year

What makes Sunflower Bean a fantastic upcoming band in 2017? Is it their intriguing sound, or their mysterious persona?

Sunflower Bean is an indie rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York. In the past few years I haven’t heard anything quite like Sunflower Bean. Psychedelic rock hasn’t been represented much in the music world since the band My Bloody Valentine were in their golden years. I think it’s about time that Shoegaze music like that comes back into style. I also admire the band’s style, as a group and as individuals. Their album cover for Show Me Your Seven Secrets is visually enjoyable as well, it depicts the band looking over a body of water, the words “Show Me Your Seven Secrets” engraved onto the rocks.

Something about their entire presence is aesthetically pleasing to me.

Kevin Abstract

One up and coming artist in 2017 to look forward to is rapper Kevin Abstract.

His projects include MTV1987 (2014) and American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story (2016). Kevin Abstract (Ian Simpson) has been involved with the music world for a few years, but he is finally starting to blow up. By 2017, I expect his career to skyrocket. His lyrics hit home for me. His music doesn’t remind me of other rappers. He speaks differently, he’s thoughtful and has a broad perspective of the world around him. He’s respectful, not spiteful. I find that rare in songs these days. I think basing a musical career around regretful and violent lyrics isn’t the way to go. I love hearing people sing and rap truly meaningful songs that go perfectly with the instrumentals, and that’s what Kevin Abstract brings to the table. Another admirable trait he carries is his beautiful voice. The man not only raps flawlessly but has the voice of an absolute angel.

His unique style is a force to be reckoned with.

Look out for him in 2017.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Abstract.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Entertainment

“ctrl-alt-delete” unlocks post-apocalyptic nightmare in the CMR drama department

by Loran Fairhurst, staff writer Aspiration, determination, and an idea; these qualities have all been bent under junior Mary Brown’s decision to produce this year’s Thespian show for CMR Drama. Starting from the bus ride back to CMR from last year’s Thespian Festival, hosted in Missoula on Feb. 3 and 4, Brown said she, “started by coming up with characters and I wrote each of them a small piece of monologue that kind of described them...and then I just kind of started building a story around it.”

For the next year Brown spent countless hours crafting this story. “[It’s] An apocalypse-type piece, so I started writing a story that would scare me the most,” she said.

Now her show, entitled “ctrl-alt-delete”, is being produced by CMR Drama. Though, with every show where the writer is in the room, there is bound to be an editing process.

“I would say it is [beneficial], because having people read it out loud and putting context to it really helps show any problems that are happening within the script,” Brown said.

“It helped really flush out any mistakes and show where the script needs to be strengthened.

I actually found a copy of the first draft the other day, and I can say that hindsight’s 20/20… always.”

The director of the show, teacher Chris Evans, said he also feels that the show is improving, despite the fact that it was a good script to begin with, and finds no difficulty with it being a student-written piece.

“The thing is, I approach this as if I’m approaching an Arthur Miller piece or a Neil Simon piece,” Evans said Being creative with the words of a script becomes so much easier when a director has the writer of the script in the room. This grants the director of the show the ability to alter lines that don’t seem to flow quite as well out loud than in the writer’s mind.

“It’s real nice to have the writer in the room.

Mary’s still getting used to the fact that I’m asking permission to see if I can change linesand she’s like, “uh-uh-uh… Sure…?”, but what I do when I ask her is say, “You have veto power here.” I’ve said this play is written by Mary Brown; not Mary Brown and Chris Evans,” he said.

Both Brown and Evans are confident in the show that CMR Drama will present to the school once during every period on Thursday, Feb 2, and then again in Missoula during the Thespian Festival.

On Jan. 24, CMR Thespians practice the upcoming play “ctrl-alt-delete,” which they will be performing in Missoula on Feb. 3-4.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Entertainment

19

Brush CRAZY

Beginner appreciates simplicity of new art workshop

by Mackenzie George, editor-in-chief The sign says that “anyone can be an artist.” But a few minutes into painting, Jessica Banks and I weren’t so sure.

Brush Crazy, a relatively new addition to Great Falls’ growing downtown, has become a haven for amateur artists looking for a simple way to dip their toes -- or, rather, brushes -- into painting. The walls are lined with canvases, pottery, and wooden signs. Several three-ring binders display project options, with each picture labeled easy, intermediate, or difficult (for those artistically challenged like me, the answer is always “easy”). Artists simply have to choose a canvas or sign size and a picture, and Brush Crazy workers will help them go from there.

A well-stocked paint bar awaited Jessica and me after we settled in with our canvases and easels. We selected our colors and brushes and headed back to the table to begin our masterpieces.

Neither of us are particularly artistic, and at first the shapeless globs of paint can look unencouraging. But artist Dawn Marsh is usually there to help struggling artists, willingly tracing trees and animals or demonstrating brushstrokes, and she found herself at our table multiple times.

Jessica’s big tip for those in trouble? “A little white [paint] fixes everything. If you mess up, just put white on and start over.”

The end results were really not that poor.

And the finished product isn’t the reason Brush Crazy is so popular, although taking your own painting home is pretty fun. The social aspect of painting with friends is just as important as the creating part; at the

end of the two hours, we’d had a lot of fun despite our creative struggles.

Brush Crazy is the perfect place for those of us who often complain there is “nothing to do” in Great Falls. It’s relatively economical if you choose a smaller sized project (prices depend on the size of your canvas, ranging from $15 to $35 for canvases and up to $65 for the biggest wooden signs). The workshop is often busy -- it’s open every day but Tuesday -- but there are plenty of tables, music is constantly playing, and dozens of colorful pieces decorate the walls.

Don’t think you can paint? Don’t think you’ll enjoy it? Don’t knock it till you try it: I was pleasantly surprised by our end results.

And if all else fails, take a page out of Jessica’s book and throw some white paint on there for a fresh start.

BOTTOM LEFT: Jessica Banks works on the trees in her painting. TOP LEFT: Banks and Mackenzie George display their finished work. ABOVE: George concentrates on the background of her project. Photos

by Mackenzie George and Jessica Banks and courtesy of Annie Lewis.

Banks overcomes apprehension about art and enjoys day of painting

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor I remember when Brush Crazy first came to Great Falls and I thought that it was a really cool new place, but definitely not for me because I am not an artist. However when I went for the first time this past Christmas break, I was pleasantly surprised.

The environment of Brush Crazy is very calm, creative and has a variety of types of people.

When you first get there, you have to decide what it is you want to paint and you get to choose from huge books full of a variety of types of pictures. From sunsets, to wildlife there is really anything you can think of to paint.

After you decide what picture you want to paint, it tells you the colors you need to get for your painting.

Then you are off to painting. The picture you chose to paint has a step by step “how to” of how to paint your picture.

I really liked this part of it because of my lack of ability to paint. It is truly amazing how anyone can go into this business and

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experience what it feels like to be an artist for the small time period they are there.

One thing that I really learned during this experience is that the paint color white, fixes everything. Anytime you mess up, just let it dry and cover it up with white paint and start again.

I sadly had to use this repairing method more than once because of my lack of artistic ability.

This is not just a fun activity for those who are artistically challenged, but they also have higher level paintings for those who are more experienced in the field of creativity.

My favorite part of the whole experience was the fact that there was so many different paintings to choose from. I loved being able to find a painting that my skill level or lack thereof could handle and something that would still produce an amazing finished product.

Anyone that is looking for a fun activity to do during the cold months of winter, I would highly suggest giving Brush Crazy a try.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

20

Athletic department looks forward to second gym

Girls basketball defeats Bison 47-44

James Olsen, senior, Boys Basketball

Lindsey Gustafson, PE/Health

by Katelyn Morley, news editor Due to the new funding for the schools building projects, teacher Lindsey Gustafson is looking forward to having two spaces for gym classes. Thanks to the project she gets to enjoy a second gym, which will help out. This way they don’t have to split the court for gym classes, two classes get to do whatever they want at the same time, and more time with more space, she said.

“I want to say thank you to Great Falls for supporting this,” Gustafson said.

For the teachers and students in the athletics department this is a fantastic opportunity. As the only AA high school with one gym this benefits kids of the school. It also creates high expectations for the teachers who just hope to see a good end result, she said.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Gustafson, who graduated from CMR in 2000.

by Katelyn Morley, news editor As the basketball season continues on senior James Olsen is hopeful for the future of the new gym. Since CMR is the only AA high school with one gym so this makes the school have gym and athletics on the same court for a majority of the day, which leads it to be known as one of the worst basketball courts in the state, he said.

“A new court that is strictly for basketball will help a lot,” Olsen said.

The team finds that with the overuse of the gym floor people slip or have a difficult time getting traction with the bad floor. They also have to share the court with the girls varsity team, and this sometimes causes them to have late practices until 8 or even 8:30 p.m. However, with the new court practices would be done at 5-5:30, he said.

“From what I hear from the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen who will hopefully be able to use it they are most excited about the new weight room,” Olsen said.

Aside from being able to split up basketball practices he has heard a lot of people who are excited to have a bigger, cleaner wrestling room.

Since the current one has been used for over 50 years it is hard to have enough room for practice and to keep it clean enough,” he said.

Varsity basketball player James Olsen plays a game on the slippery court in the fieldhouse. Photo courtesy of James Olsen.

Crosby and Achenbach reflect on crosstown environment

by Allison Hanson, staff writer The clock is ticking; it’s game time for the varsity girls basketball team against the Great Falls High School Bison. Coach Brian Crosby and his team have entered the courts of the rival’s fieldhouse. Their blood is pumping and players start to feel nervous.

“It is as stressful, [as well] as exciting, and as fun as basketball is. It means so much to not just the school, but just the community. It means a lot to people,” Crosby said.

Even before basketball season starts, Crosby gets people coming up to him and saying “Beat the Bison” for the next crosstown game.

It was a huge relief for him and the players to win this game. CMR girls won the game 47-44 on Jan. 12.

“It’s one game, but it’s one big game. We haven’t beat them for nine years in a row. People like to talk about that kind of stuff, streaks and things like that,” he said. “To go on the road and a tough place to play against a really good team, and to get a win was really important.” Crosby said that before a game, he hopes he covered Coach Brian Crosby redirects the girls on the everything he needed for his players. court during the crosstown game on Jan. 12.

“That was the biggest thing. We spent a lot of time preparing for Photo by Katie Koterba. that game. We wanted our kids to have success so we really worked hard as a coaching staff to make sure they were ready. You worry that you haven’t left anything out and you also worry that you have your team fully prepared the way they need to be prepared,” he said. After the game, according to Crosby, it’s certainly a different feeling winning. He said the mistakes don’t seem as obvious.

“They are a good team and you prepare for them. You worry about in particular like Hannah Collins, [a senior at Great Falls High School] who is going to go play college basketball. [As well as,] a really really good player,” he said. “You worry about that, but you also worry what they are going to take away and how your young kids are going to handle that environment.” He said that he thought his team played with a lot of poise and handled themselves very well.

“We talked early in the week, we used the word belief a lot. I was just proud our kids because they believed in each other and the plan.

That’s where my pride comes from as a coach. You get to see those kids have success that have worked their tails off for so long.” As for senior Tristin Achenbach, this was her first experience in this environment as a basketball player.

“It was an awesome feeling. There was like a lot of emotions for everyone. It just felt really good after the game,” she said. Achenbach said it was nervewracking going into this game, but as soon as she got out there, it was nothing new.

Senior Tristin Achenbach lines up for a “Emotions are super high. It’s a game that everyone comes to and free throw. Photo by Katie Koterba. everyone is talking about. There’s a little more riding on it,” Achenbach said. She’s mostly proud of her teammates and everything they did together out on the courts.

“Mady Skawinski went off, and that was pretty cool. She went five for six from the threepoint line on the first half.” she said. “It was definitely like a group effort. It was a really crazy environment. It’s so much fun when the gym is that loud and everyone is that into it. It just makes the game that much more intense,”

AshtonPalen

Sports Editor

Sports compete to become the next new Olympic event As we ring in the new year, let’s take a moment to reflect on one of the biggest things to happen in 2016 -the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

Although it’s often overshadowed by the many events that have happened this year, let’s not forget the importance of these Olympic games to the sports community. The Olympics is the place that every athlete -- the best of the best -- aspires to compete in.

But what about the sports that aren’t in the Olympics?

Many sports have petitioned the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to get their athletes the recognition that they believe they deserve. The IOC reviews these sports and decides whether or not they would be a good fit for the Olympics.

Some of the sports that were accepted for the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo are karate, skateboarding,

baseball/softball, sport climbing, and surfing. These sports were approved for their intensity and their appeal to a young audience. The 2020 summer Olympics isn’t the only one adding sports, however.

The 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea will be adding sports such as big air snowboarding and freestyle skiing. But adding these sports brings up the question -- if sports such as skateboarding, what other sports may be added to the 2022 and the 2024 Olympics?

Many sports were considered for the 2020 summer Olympics, but not all of them were approved. One such sport is squash. Squash made its bid for the 2020 Olympics; it was going to be the sport that replaced wrestling, but the IOC voted instead to keep wrestling for the next Olympics.

Chess is another sport that is recognized by the IOC, but it is considered too boring to be broadcast on live

TV. But even “sports” such as Esports are trying to get recognized Esports for those who don’t know are a series of competitions involving videogames.

Although it currently isn’t considered a sport, the community is pushing hard for international recognition.

But this blurs the line on what truly is a sport. So it will be interesting to see what will be added in the 2022 and 2024 Olympic games.

I think that in order to be added into the olympics a sport must be physically challenging and must contain a part that requires an athlete’s mind to be able to out think their opponent. Sports like soccer or rugby that require strategy and are played worldwide. I think sports like cricket, or Polo. Sports that require athletes to think outside the box.

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

21

Signing days mark one of the biggest days in prep athletes’ careers

by Mackenzie George, editor-in-chief Trisha Carlson has lived in five cities and played six sports. She didn’t think she would end up finishing her high school career in Montana, and she certainly didn’t consider continuing her collegiate career at Montana State University.

“I never really thought I would be able to run in college for an AA college,” Carlson said.

“Junior year would be when I really started thinking about running for MSU.” Bozeman coaches have had their eyes on Carlson, who has run track all four years of high school and competed in cross country for the last two. She was also an integral part of the volleyball team.

After a third-place finish at the state cross country meet this year, Carlson’s future at MSU was cemented. Cross country coach Nathan Gregier said he was proud to see how Carlson’s hard work paid off this season.

“I think as long as she can stay healthy and she continues to grow as an athlete, she’s going to have a very successful college career,” Gregier said.

“I always saw running as a hobby until a few years ago and never imagined myself being able to compete in college,” Carlson said.

The day she signed brought relief as well as excitement.

“It was an awesome feeling. I can’t wait to join the MSU team next year, and signing got me one step closer to that opportunity,”

she explained. “I also loved having all my teammates and coaches there because without the support they gave me through the years, none of this would be possible.”

Like Carlson, senior Xavier Pace was excited to sign with Carroll College, despite being a bit nervous.

“It makes me want to get out of high school that much more just because I’m ready to move on to another stage in life,” Pace explained.

Pace, aware that a professional football career could be a reach, looked for a school with a great academic record as well as strong football program. He plans to major in pre-law.

“Plus, the feeling at home part of it [is key], because you don’t want to go somewhere that you dread.”

Carroll College has a long history of being a prestigious NAIA football team, Pace said. “[The Saints] are always at the top in the Frontier Conference. I love the coaching staff and what they stand for, and I’m excited to join some fellow CMR players there,” Pace explained.

Signing to play collegiately can be a stressful decision, but Pace ultimately knew he’d made the right choice selecting Carroll.

“I had other colleges looking at me so just trying to find the best fit and wondering if it is the best fit...but thankfully, I found that at Carroll.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Trisha Carlson strides through her second mile during crosstown cross country on Oct. 12. Xavier Pace pauses between plays during the Homecoming football game on Sept. 30. Carlson signs to compete for MSU with the support of her track coaches. Photos by Becca Bergman and Jessica Banks and courtesy of Quincey Borggard.

Freshman’s perspective on the hardest swim set of the season

Sophomore Andrew Housten swims the 100 fly at the meet against Havre on Jan. 20. Photo by Sarah Cherry.

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor Over Christmas break some students traveled to warmer places, while others cozied up to the fire to stay warm from the bitter weather outside.

For freshman Shelby Banks, her Christmas break was filled with swim practice.

“Having practice over Christmas break wasn’t as bad as I thought.

Morning practice was hard, but in the afternoon it was fun because one day we played water polo, and another day got to play on the mats and just had fun,” Banks said.

Although Christmas break swim practice didn’t disappoint Banks too bad, it was the time of the hardest swim set of the season, the 100x100s.

The 100x100s is when swimmers swim 100 yards 100 times.

“It was really difficult because every ten 100s the time we had to swim them on got faster, so even though we were getting tired and wanted to slow down, we couldn’t. We had to speed up and push ourselves,” she said.

Banks said this was a really hard set to swim and around five kids were able to swim the whole swim set in the time allotted for each 100.

Even as a freshman, Banks pushed herself to her max, and tried as hard as she could in this set. She was able to swim 79 of the 100 on the interval they were suppose to be on.

“I hope I can push myself even harder next year, my junior year, and my senior year to be able to get all 100 on the correct interval either my junior or senior year.”

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

Crosstown rivalry reverberates through Thunderdome

CMR’s student section supports the Lady Rustlers on Jan. 12 at Great Falls High. The boys basketball team eagerly watches the game from the bench on Jan. 10. Junior Leeanna Schearer cheers for a freethrow, The Rustler crowd shows school spirit. Photos by Becca Bergman and Katie Koterba.

Uncovering river rivals’ clash

Faith Edmister, gfhs sophomore

School spirit soars as Rustlers and Bison compete for hometown pride

by Quincy Schmechel, entertaiment editor As each sport comes and goes throughout the seasons of each school year, students all share their excitement and support for the athletes that represent their school as they compete in their selected sport. This is universal-- all schools take pride in what they do. However, here in Great Falls this is never more evident than it is during Crosstown. The Rustlers versus Bison rivalry has existed for over five decades, since CMR opened its doors in 1965, and it came to light Jan. 10, when the boys basketball team went head-to-head with the Bison.

Although the game was close throughout the third quarter, the Bison pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, ultimately ending the game 60-49.

For senior Reece Green, playing in the Thunderdome had a new meaning this season, as he now isn’t part of the visiting team. Green made the transfer to CMR from Great Falls High last year in search of new opportunities. Playing from the other side of the river during Crosstown was an entirely new experience, he said, but definitely a positive one.

Green said it was difficult to play against the Bison as a rival instead of a teammate.

“But it was fun,” Green said. “I liked it because it made it a lot more intense and more fun. You really just have to play your hardest and try to win.”

He expressed a love of basketball and the rush of scoring for a team he’s proud to be a part of. Green said that the best part of crosstown was that it brings pride to an all-time high, and that the river rivalry is something he admires greatly because of its legacy.

“I really like that [the rivalry] has been around for such a long time,” Green said. “It’s fun that it’s always the most anticipated game of the season. Everybody goes to it and they’re always so anxious. And, of course, it’s so exciting to play that game.”

Green said that he was proud of the game that both he and his teammates played and that he hopes to improve alongside them throughout the season. He continued on to say that games like crosstown are what pushes players to be better, and that the real motivation comes from the crowd.

“That’s the most exciting part,” Green said. “The crowd just brings so much energy and makes everything so much more intense. The fans in the student section react to everything and reacts to everything and pumps you up.”

Junior Courtney Flickner attends almost every CMR games, regardless of what team or age is playing, but she says the Crosstown games produce a new type of excitement in the crowd.

“It’s so exciting [to be in that crowd]. Everyone is so hyped up and acts so silly,” Flickner said.

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She said games like crosstown are important not just to the players, but to the crowd. She said the energy of the crown pushes the players just like the players rile up the fans.

“It’s fun [at games like these] because everyone really shows their school spirit,” Flickner said. “You want to be loud and be screaming and dancing and showing just as much excitement as the people on the court. It’s all about having fun, and it doesn’t matter what side of the bleachers you’re on.”

Flickner continued on to say that while the rivalry is what sets CMR and Great Falls High apart, it’s also what brings them together and that the important part isn’t just the excitement it brings throughout the schools, but the level of sportsmanship that comes along with it.

“There’s only two of us in [Great Falls], so it’s so important to be hyped up and encourage your school. The rivalry really brings that out. That’s when each school wants to support their school. It’s really just a big competition, but it’s about more than showing who’s better. The most important part is that we still have good sportsmanship at the end.”

Trans-river sportsmanship and excitement was no one hit wonder for the Rustlers this month. Two days after the Bison victory in the Thunderdome, the Lady Rustlers decided to return the favor by beating the Lady Bison on their own turf, coming away with a Rustler victory 4744. The Hawaiian-filled CMR section of Swarthout Fieldhouse rushed to congratulate the girls on their hard-fought victory.

Senior Mady Skawinski took tremendous heart to playing in her second to last crosstown, and it showed. Skawinski scored 20 points for the Rustlers, and she and her fellow lady Rustlers played an extraordinarily solid game all around.

“We really played as a team and we didn’t dwell on the mistakes we made,” Skawinski said. “I think as a team we did a really good job of getting the ball to the hot hand and staying positive throughout the entire game.”

Skawinski continued to say that keeping a level head is the most important part of crosstown, and that while the crowd is incredibly pumped up and supportive, it’s important not to let it get in your head or make you nervous. She added that it’s this energy that the crowd brings that makes crosstown so incredibly important and fun.

“The atmosphere in crosstown is great because there’s a huge crowd and it is super loud” Skawinski said. “The student section is packed and there is always a great turnout.”

Skawinski concluded by saying that the rivalry, respect, and and school spirit is what makes having a crosstown matchup the most fun.

“It is super fun to play against a well-coached team and against players that you know really well,” Skawinski said. “I love the crowd and just the pride you get when you win a crosstown game.”

“The Bison-Rustler rivalry is one of the best in the state.

The results of crosstown are so unpredicatable and you never know what will happen. Our whole town is there divided in the gymnasium, and it teaches [us] about healthy competition and how to still treat each other with respect.”

Harrison Faulk, CMR senior

“I love the crosstown games. There’s always so much energy. The players play with a lot of heart, and it’s just a fun atmosphere to be around. Obviously Rustlers versus Bison is a huge rivalry.

It means a lot to everybody and the whole town really participates in it. Fans, players, coaches -- it’s just a big deal to everyone it surrounds, and everyone really supports it.”

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

YELLOWSTONE ADVENTURE

Freshmen Melissa Purdy experiences the national park from a new angle

by Aurora Oden, staff writer If there is one thing freshman Melissa Purdy liked about her recent trip to Yellowstone, it was the speed of her snowmobile.

“My mom was driving, and I can say that it was actually pretty scary,” Purdy said while talking about her first time snowmobiling on Saturday, Jan. 14.

“After a while it was pretty fun,” Purdy said. “We hit some jumps, went around and did some loops.”

She spent the day with her mom, her brother and her brother’s friend in the national park. They went on trails up around Yellowstone on the frontier between two different states.

“It was weird because we would take one trail and then when we came out by the highway it would say Welcome to Idaho, then the next one would be like Here is Montana,” Purdy said.

But the snowmobiling wasn’t the only new and cool thing Purdy experienced last weekend.

On their way to Yellowstone she saw something that she never seen before. A pack of wolves were out on the fields, which Purdy was really excited about.

Purdy enjoys many outdoor activities. She also goes fishing and hunting during the warmer months of the year. She is a cheerleader at CMR and she also loves four wheeling. She said she thinks four wheeling is similar to snowmobiling --just not as safe during the winter since it’s much more slippery.

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Snowmobile trails in Yellowstone Park on Jan. 14. Photo courtesy of Melissa Purdy.

Trainer works to help injured athletes

by Hayley Woodard, staff writer Injuries happen, and if there’s anyone who knows that it’s athletic training teacher Teayre Klosterman. Klosterman, or simply Ms. K’s, job comes with a lot of responsibility.

“My job encompasses quite a bit. It’s my responsibility to make sure that athletes stay healthy. My job is also to make sure that all of the paperwork is in and quite a bit of other things. But mostly injury prevention and rehabbing should an injury occur,” she said.

Klosterman also covers sports games to help with the injuries that come with them. Covering the games is a lot of work, and unfortunately she doesn’t get any help.

“I do have student managers, which are fantastic, but as far as covering events no,” she said.

Every sports season is busy for Klosterman, but the fall is by far the busiest for her.“I calculated my hours out this year and I worked over 400 hours in the fall. But that’s because I have football, soccer, volleyball, cross country, dance, cheer, [and] golf going on all at the same time,” she said.

With all those sports going on at once, Klosterman sees a lot of injuries.

“We’ve had concussions,a fractured collarbone, a fractured radius and ulna, [and] several dislocated shoulders’ she said While there have been a lot of injuries this year, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad year, according to Klosterman.

“I can’t say it was a bad year compared to other years,” she said. “It was more we had injuries, and those injuries took our kids out for a long period of time.”

Being able to provide all the athletes with the attention they can be difficult, Klosterman said, since she is CMR`s lone athletic trainer.

Although Klosterman`s job is kind of crazy, it`s a labor of love.

“I love my job and and I love my kids and I love what I do even though I work [a] crazy number of hours and everything else. But I love what I do.”

Concussion halts Rustler offensive lineman

by Hayley Woodard, staff writer This past football season, a lot students suffered injuries, including offensive lineman senior Adam Agamenoni. “I had a concussion, I got it the third week [of the season], against Helena high in Helena” he said.

It started out a normal game until until the CMR ran some plays where Agamenoni was blocking, but not in the right way.“Sometimes when I block I lead with my head, which is not a good habit to have. And I learned that the hard way” he explained.

After one of the plays Agamenoni hit and could immediately tell something was wrong “Immediately it felt like I was going to throw up, and I just got really confused. I started not to know where I was”.

After finishing the half Agamenoni went to locker room and someone else noticed was off, Ms.K. “our trainer Ms.K, she kind of noticed I was acting a little funny, so she started asking me questions. Like, name your first five classes and stuff”he said.

Agamenoni answered and Ms.K made the decision to take his helmet so he didn`t go back out. She explained to Agamenoni that he might have a concussion “She said I might have a concussion and when that happened I just started balling”.

After the game he stayed in Helena and returned to school that following monday for his concussion affected him for a while longer “ F or the next two or three weeks I just really wasn't myself. It kind of scared me”. Agamenoni recovered but it did change his thoughts on pursuing football past high school “It definitely steered me away from playing football in college” he said,

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January 26, 2017 rustlernews.com 24

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A Night with Gatsby

“I had a lot of fun! Definitely sad we didn’t have more of them in my years [at CMR]. It was a night to remember for sure.”

Jake Shie

2017’s morp puts a 1920’s spin on cmr tradition

by Mackenzie George, editor-in-chief and there was a nice balance between dancing and

Junior Isabelle Pellot was instrumental in planning Morp, so there weren’t too many surprises when she stepped into Times Square Building Jan. 13 for the dance. After weeks of planning, Pellot was excited to see everything come together.

“It definitely went well,” Pellot said. “[Morp] was really fun, and I “Everyone seemed to be having fun.” had a great time dancing with my Pellot was nervous about Morp going friends.” through due to a lack of interest in recent Karissa Birdsong years. Last year, the dance was canceled since not enough tickets were sold. She said that when she purchased her tickets, she was hoping that others would be buying them as well.

English teacher Danielle Hogan, who worked with junior class student government representatives to plan the event, was concerned about the possibility of cancellation. Up until the Friday before the dance, ticket sales were low.

“But the following week, student government did a great job of promoting the dance, so I was hopeful,” Hogan said. “The most challenging aspect of organizing this large event was making sure that each person followed through with what they Jazmyn Lockwood, had volunteered to do.

Hannah Denio, Vanessa “Luckily, all of the students Luongo involved were committed and wanted Morp to be successful.”

With tables to sit at, a dance floor, a well-stocked bar, and a photo booth, students had plenty to do at the dance.

“Decorations turned out well,

places to sit and relax,” Pellot explained. “My favorite part was dancing with my friends and seeing all of the cute outfits.”

Hogan said it was the minor changes to the longstanding tradition that made this year’s dance more appealing to students.

“I think students liked the idea of having the dance at a location other than the school,” Hogan said. “Making the dance a semi-formal added to the specialness of the event.”

The Gatsby theme provided a chance for students to deck themselves out in Roarin’ 20s gear. Pellot planned her outfit with help from friends and Pinterest.

Meanwhile, junior Layne Sundly used Salvation Army to create his outfit.

“I enjoyed dressing up, and Morp being semiformal gave me another excuse to put a tie on,” Sundly said. “My whole outfit was bought for $5.”

Sundly said he was glad the jazz band performed, as they got more people on the dance floor.

“Any chance I can get to dance, I’m going to embrace it and make sure that my date and I have a great time,” Sundly explained.

Although dancing was his favorite part of Morp, Sundly also enjoyed the social aspect of the dance.

“It was also awesome getting to talk to and be around a lot of other students that I am not normally around outside of school.”

Hogan was grateful for students like Pellot, who had spent time organizing and planning the event. “[They] did a great job selecting a theme, which inspired the tickets, posters, decorations, refreshments, and even the music. Their vision transpired into every part of the night, so I think it went exactly how they wanted it to. It seemed like those who attended had a great time.”

Sam O’Neill and Erynn Murphy

“[Morp] was chill. I really enjoyed it, and the music was a little bit different than usual.”

Vanessa Luongo

“It had a good choice of music, though it didn’t match the theme.

I enjoyed spending time with my friends and dancing. I encourage underclassmen to go next year.”

Marcus Kapptie

Samantha Murray, Serena Schultz, Shaelee Tadman

Shawn Belliveau, Jaetiana Taylor

Aurora Oden and Symbat Slambayeva

Molly DeMarco and Brandon Hanlion

Amelia Flamand, Ayse Mehmke, Aries Jacobson, Shakira Brien, Kevin Shaver Isaiah Vang, Kelsay Jensen, Emily Rogers, Alex Finch

Layout by Clara McClain, features editor Photos courtesy of Pat O’Connell.

Josey Quinn, Erynn Murphy, Katie Huisman, Savanna Voyles