Dec. 19, 2019
THE STAMPEDE
Vol. 55 Issue 3
an open forum for student expression
dREAMS COME
true Page 06
sTATE vOLLEYBALL Page 10
sTAMPEDE TRIES:
iCE sKATING Page 09
bEGINNING THE S SEASON WITH A
WIN Read more on page 21
The problem with House Hunters
POINT
HGTV -- also known as Home & Garden Television for those of you who did not grow up with a white suburban mother and cable TV -- is one of the most iconic channels of the early 2000s. I grew up watching “Yard Crashers,” “Curb Appeal,” “Love It or List It,” and “Holmes Makes It Right” almost every Sunday. However, the biggest staple of HGTV is its historic show House Hunters. My normal viewing experience usually ended with me yelling from my couch, “that is not in your budget” or “really, you couldn’t splurge for the ocean view which was at the top of your wishlist?” But no matter my feelings toward the naive homebuyers, the show never failed to bring me joy. Atleast, until a few weeks ago when the show was completely ruined for me. Why the sudden change, you may ask? Well, FROM GRACE’S
OF VIEW
The Stampede
C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT Dec. 19, 2019 Vol. 55 Issue 3 www.rustlernews.com Twitter: rustlernews
it turns out that the buyers already have their house picked out before they even begin filming the show. Which means the hateful comments on paint color, the bickering between couples, and the snide comments to real estate agents were not only scripted, but completely unnecessary. One of my favorite parts of the show was enjoying some melodramatic action while still having a civilized production. Instead, I can’t even start an episode without thinking, what’s the point? They already know which house they will choose, and they haven’t even seen the other two possible options. I guess I am more upset at my peer who informed me of this depressing fact, but I am still deeply disappointed in the reality of television production. Even shows realer than “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” are still fake.
2019-2020 Staff Editors
Editor-in-chief Grace Carr Photo/Design Nancy Beston Sports/News Gloria Baldevia Opinion/Entertainment Maggie Petersen Video Taylor Willmarth Audio Quinn Soltesz Online Holly Spragg Advisor Beth Britton
Staff
David Case Kerrigan Edwards Justin Freeny Shana Fronsee Raef Hamlin Anthony Matury Paige McCorkle David Miller David Mitchell Katie Mygland Zoey Schug Kaylebb Stahmer Amya Terry
Principal Kerry Parsons
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.
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
On Dec. 13, the Lady Rustlers took on Glacier High School in the Fieldhouse. It was the first home game of the season, and CMR beat the Woldpack 51-41. On Dec. 14, CMR’s varsity team beat the Braves of Flathead High School 41-29. Photos by Nancy Beston.
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 Columbia Scholastic Press 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.
Table of Contents
02 04 05 06 07 08 10 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Table of Contents Grace’s Column Ruth Allen Theme Thursdays Fruit Sales R.O.R.T. Promising Freshmen Dreams Come True: an insight on artistic career choices Russellog photo story South Pacific Thespian Show Auditions Volleyball photospread Schools from around the world T.I.A.H. Weighted GPA Why I wear what I wear Decreased Involvement Music vs. Athletics Holiday Traditions Ways to help during the Holidays Wrestling Swimming Basketball Scholarship Essays Harry Styles album review Stampede Tries: Ice Skating Tis’ the Season
Cover photo: On Dec. 13 the Varsity Girls Basketball team plays their first game against Glacier highschool. They won with a final score of 61-51. Seniors, Lauren Lindseth and Allie Olsen lead their team, Lindseth scored 14 points with one foul, Olsen scored 15 points with two fouls. Photo by Nancy Beston.
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
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December 19, 2019 4 rustlernews.com Ruth Allen steps up as substitute DECA store manager
by Paige McCorkle, staff writer Four years after Ruth Allen retired as a special education teacher at CMR, she has returned and can be found mere yards from the classroom in which she taught for so long. “When I worked here about four years ago, I’d come to school every Tuesday and Thursday morning and just the waft of the
popcorn helped me get through the day,” Allen said. Allen retired in 2015 from her job as a special ed teacher and has taken over at the DECA store for Linda Sullivan until the end of December due to Linda’s knee surgery. “I like it really well. The students have been very polite and friendly, and the staff has been very welcoming,” she said.
Being in a cramped space for the majority of the school day, one would think that it is troublesome, but for Allen it is quite the opposite. “I keep so busy I don’t even notice. There’s a window I can open and there’s always something to do,” she said. As humans, we all learn something everyday
DECA Favorites Monster energy drinks Salt and Vinegar chips CHEEZ-IT’s Rockstar energy drinks
Ruth Allen, substitute DECA store manager filling in for Linda Sullivan until the end of this week. Photos by Paige McCorkle.
Popcorn
Theme/Dress-up days
Senior Ryan Lawson dresses up for tourist day on Nov. 26. Photo by Grace Carr.
by Katie Mygland, staff writer When it comes to figuring out what to wear to school, many students spend an extraordinary amount of time each morning staring into their closets in bewilderment. There are, however, a few days on which those students have some guidance -- all thanks to the Theme Thursdays put in place by CMR student government. “I think they are very interactive,” senior Ryan Lawson, a member of student government, said. “They are fun to do and get people to partake in school activities.” On Dec. 5, Rustlers dressed up in flannel, and today’s Dec. 19 theme revolves around festive Christmas sweaters. After the holidays, students can take part in the Western theme on Jan. 16, and after that is a red, white, and blue USA theme on Jan. 30. Students like junior Faith Wardell enjoy the creative fun dress-up days. “I think it is a good way to get people to try new things and get involved with the school,” Wardell said.
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that shocks us. Allen said what surprised her the most is the students having great manners and politeness. “They’ll often say things like ‘have a good day,’ and it really impresses me,” she said. “I enjoy it. I really like it as a side job; [I’m] retired, and this is what I also thought I’d like to do when I retire --just work in a small shop.”
We miss you, Linda
$2.00 $0.75 $0.75 $2.00
$0.75
Raiden Kruckenberg, senior
“I think she’s adorable. She is always inviting and always has a big smile. She’s never angry even though so many kids are really rude to her. She’s always positive and nice to us.”
Sienna Cherry, senior
“I go to the DECA store here and there to buy snacks and drinks, and the lady that works there is always so nice to everyone and cheerful despite being stuck in that little space for long periods of time every day.”
FRUIT DELIVERY (Left) Music students and volunteers load fruit to be delivered. Fruit delivery took place at the fairgrounds on Dec. 12. Photo by Nancy Beston.
(Right) Parker Harris and Alexandra Davidson help unload boxes of oranges at the fairgrounds on Dec. 12. Photo by Nancy Beston. (Right-bottom) Kortney Deaton helps guide volunteers at the fairgrounds on Dec. 12. Photo by Nancy Beston. (Left-bottom) Hailey Finch and Parker Harris unload fruit from the back of a vehicle at the fairgrounds on Dec. 12. Photo by Nancy Beston.
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com by Anthony Matury, staff writer
Worst part about the Holidays Worst gift you got on Christmas “A lot of people around at this time of year.” Lorienne Colson, 9 “The Christmas music playing in stores.” Andrea Miller, 10 “People celebrate [the holidays] too early.” James Jackson, 11
“Just a pair of socks and books.” Taylar-Rae Bush, 9 “American Girl Dolls because I never asked for them.” Addison Elliot, 10 “A pizza night light.” Colsen Slater, 11
“Christmas songs played over and over.” Keefer Marquart, 12
“I got a pair of pliers when I was twelve.” Brandon Walker, 12
Worst food in Christmas dinner Dumbest holiday movie “Stuffing because I dislike the texture.” “The Grinch because there’s no point to it.” Winter Brien, 9 John Huestis, 9 “Fruitcake and ham because I’m picky like that.” “Frosty the Snowman because it’s too young.” Landon Lovec, 10 Summer Dalgarno, 11 “Cranberries because they’re tart and sweet.” “A Christmas story because it’s not funny.” James Jackson, 11 James Jackson, 11 “I don’t like ham unless it’s Black Forest thinly cut.” Nate Stubblefield, 12
Students in Industrial Tech Promisi Ty Herzog freshmneg n
by Kaylebb Stahmer, staff writer
Having a break during your school day from required courses is something that most people enjoy, and in the Intro to Welding class offered at CMR, freshman Ty Herzog says he uses this class as just that. “Getting to be more hands-on and having a little more fun than other classes [is] a break to your day,” Herzog said. “[In the future,] I’ll probably try and get two [IT classes] a year to get something to do in my day.” He says he got interested in the IT program
because his family “is into that stuff,” so that inspired him to take the classes and get involved with welding. Different from his IT classes in middle school, Herzog says the class at CMR gives him opportunities to try doing different things, with more hands-on work rather than bookwork. “It gives you a lot of life skills in general, like for fixing stuff, and if I ever did want to go into a career of some sort, I’d already be ahead in that sort of field,” he said.
Kolten Lawrence For an aspirant boilermaker, taking the intro-level IT classes would help in following that career, and freshman Kolten Lawrence is doing exactly that. “I am taking intro to electricity, drafting, woods, and medals. So far it’s really good. The electricity has been my favorite so far, but I’ve only been in two of them so I couldn’t tell you so far,” Lawrence said. “They’ll teach us a bit of safety and how to
do basic electrical work and drafting, stuff like that.” His favorite parts of the classes he has taken -- electricity and drafting -- is the circuitry section of his Intro to Electricity class, which he said was really fun. During these classes, he added his teachers were very nice, advocating that the teachers deserve a raise for the work they do.
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DREAMS COME TRUE:
an Insight on Artistic Career choices
December 19, 2019 6 rustlernews.com
Art
Design by: Nancy Beston
by David Miller; Staff Writer happy at the same time. It’s also easy Dreams are meant to be to see where they come from. Acting, followed. Nothing hurts more than for example, is a career that requires discouragement to pursue a passion. an immense amount of hard work and With the ever-broadening STEM dedication. If someone is following field, students are encouraged to focus their passion, they’ll find a way to their efforts toward careers typically thrive in their dreams. regarded for their financial stability. “It’s [your goals] achievable in There’s a stigma against pursuing arts- many ways,” Evans said. “You gotta do based fields, a perception that they what makes you happy.” aren’t as important or reliable, but why Even with parents on board, should that stop an artist with a fiery a student may still experience passion? discouragement from their peers. “[It is] the most challenging and “Follow your bliss...life will sort rewarding career they’ll ever have,” it out,” said Evans for advice on d r a m a ignoring the t e a c h e r discouragement. Chris Evans “Follow your bliss...life will sort “In order to live said about it out,” said Evans for advice on a full life, you students gotta try, you pursuing fine ignoring the discouragement. gotta be brave.” arts careers. “In order to live a full life, you There are Evans, who gotta try, you gotta be brave.” always going to supports be people who students in want to bring taking up fine arts careers, says it’s you down, and it’s going to be difficult Voice over work Accompanist been easier to do with a broadening to always ignore them. It’s important Directing Choral Director job market from stage and film acting to remember that the only person to movie and video game voice-over living your life is yourself, said Evans. Circus Performer Music Teacher work. Above all things, know that Even when it seems that there no matter what, don’t stop doing what Disc Jockey Music Producer aren’t any chances to take part in what you love. The most obvious goals aren’t you love to do, constantly work to always the easiest to achieve. New better yourself. By doing this, you’ll be York and Los Angeles are known to be even more prepared to seize the next creative epicenters, but there are more opportunity, said Evans. options out there. If you need to, start Most parents will agree that in the on a small scale and find work in your fine arts field, there’s no money and community. It’ll take time and work, “A marine biologist because I love sea life, and I think it would be it’s too difficult to ‘make it’. Who can but if you’re doing what you love, Regan Bishop, 12 blame them? A parent’s number one you’ll only ever be happy. really fun.” job is to make sure that their child Wherever there’s a piano, there chooses a successful career and is needs to be a player. “Someone who makes formal dresses and tuxes. I really like sewing
Act ing
Love Music
Other ways to do what you Graphic Design Art Director Art Gallery Curator Commericial Artist
What would your dream job be if you could do anything? Why?
because it’s really neat to make your own clothes, and know where Savanna Solano, 10 they come from.” “ I would want to be a musician. The more you get into music the more fun it gets.” Adonai Gray, 11 “Actor, because I love being on stage.”
Catherine Rangel, 10
“Writer. I like to write; creativity is good. My whole life I have loved telling stories. I have all of these ideas I need to get down on the page.” Natalie Wagner, 11 “Musician or an actor. Mostly a musician. Music has gotten me through times, and is inspiring to me. I want to help people through their tough times with what I love.” Jaiden Miller, 9
“...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;” Theodore Roosevelt
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
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Capturing History Photos and Text by Amber Kegel
Each year students line up to receive their own copy of the Russellog, but do they really know how much work goes into making it? The Russellog staff works diligently on their pages for deadline 3 during period 2 on Dec. 10.
Summer Fun Yearbook editors go to Long Beach, California and Seattle, Washington on July 26- Aug. 1
Planning On Dec. 10, the yearbook staff’s cubbies are full. This is due to deadline coming up. On Dec 10, senior Chantel Dunn and junior Natasha Brown photograph woodshop classes.
Placing Members of the 2020 Russellog staff work on yearbook design in early August.
Designing the yearbook can be stressful, and seniors Sienna Cherry and Raiden Kruckenburg take a nap.
Meet the Editor: Alexys Mouser Senior Raef Hamlin and junior Emma Bray discuss their third deadline page on Dec.10.
During second period on Dec. 10, adviser Beth Britton helps junior Taylor Backen on her page.
After the California yearbook camp, the girls enjoyed a free day in Seattle during a daylong layover.
Q: What is the biggest challenge of yearbook? A: “The biggest challenge with yearbook is ensuring that everyone gets their work done. In years past the biggest challenge was staying focused.” Q: What is the best part of yearbook? A: “The best part is the relationships
Senior Lydia Brown edits a photo in Photoshop on Dec. 10.
Photos by Beth Britton
Period 3 has a meeting at the beginning of class on Dec. 10.
you gain with others in the class and also people you interview. Like, I’ve gained friendships with people I’ve interviewed just from like pulling them out of class. Also, the appreciation with your school.” Q: How long have you been in yearbook? A: “I have been in yearbook for four years, and I also was in yearbook at North for two years. This is my first year being editor-in-chief. Sophomore year I was check editor where you check layout and stories, and junior year I was business manager.”
Perfecting
Junior Natasha Brown photographs a period 3 woods class on Dec. 10.
Design and Theme Editor Nancy Beston checks names in the 2020 yearbook on Dec. 10.
December 19, 2019 8 rustlernews.com Performing arts department returns home from the South Pacific
Above: David Miller, Elli Bourgeois, Lydia Case, and Sofi Moore smile at the end of the final dress rehearsal on Dec. 3 Right: Kairi Lising and Blake Sowers, Act 2 Scene 2 Far Right: Seabees gathering around Shawn Keck in Act 1 Scene 3 Photos by Nancy Beston.
Oak Box incident Thespians try a comedic angle enachap had the shock of their for the 2020 convention
M
lifetime when one of their famous places was invaded in an odd way. The Oak Box theatre in Menachap, California, had people pass out in the theater, everyone still breathing but not responding to anyone. Investigators are still on the scene, trying to figure out who caused everyone to go into a deep sleep. There is one person still awake and the investigators took them in for questioning. No names have been released yet and no one knows exactly what happened. We will inform everyone once we get more information as to what happened at the Oak Box “I can’t share the secret, but it’s going to be different,” Chris Evans said. He’s looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction to the play by Stephen Gregg and for them to have lots of fun watching this. Trap is going to be an interesting play to put together. Evans is letting the stagecraft crew and the drama kids see what they can come up with, letting everyone’s creative minds work so he can see what they come up with to be perfomed Mar. 26-28.
This year, the show for the Thespian Festival is a “peek into the subconscious” of CMR’s drama and stagecraft teacher. “On The Roof ” is written by Chris Evans, and it’s about a drama teacher who ends up going crazy and climbs onto the roof of the school. This is the show he decided to write and take to Missoula in February. Sophomore Savanna Solano plans on being at the auditions on Dec 18. “Mr. Evans wrote it, and I want to [be in it],” Solano said. “[It will] be a lot calmer [at auditions].” She said she is extremely excited for it, wanting to see what the outcome ends up being with the group of Thespians who get to be a part of the play. Like Solano, sophomore Kairi Lising is going to be trying out for this show. “[I] look forward to everything,” she said. “[We’ll be] seeing the shows from a different perspective [compared to what we see in our own department].” Lising said she knows this is going to be something CMR Drama has never done before. Unlike Lising and Solano, senior Alex Ayres is not going to be in the show this year, but is still going to be enjoying the trip with the honor society to the Festival. “[I’m just] looking forward to one last trip with my Thespian friends,” he said. “I’m excited for a fun, memorable experience with friends and the student body. This is going to be the first year CMR has ever decided on a comedy to bring to Missoula in Feb. 7-8. Evans decided to change things up a little bit, and not do something so deep. “In this show, I’m poking fun at you guys, myself, and the school,” Evans told his theatre students after they finished reading through it. Evans wanted to see how absurd he could go with this play, just letting the playwright side of him taking over as he sat down and wrote.
by Shana Fronsee and David Case, staff writers C. M. Russell’s Performing Arts department returns home from the journey of a lifetime the night of Dec. 14, as they conclude their second and final weekend performing a classic musical. “South Pacific” is about a nurse who falls for a French planter on an island in the South Pacific Ocean during World War II. Alongside that romance, there’s a lieutenant who slowly falls for a Polonesian woman, even though there wasn’t a lot of acceptance for falling in love with someone who is of a different race. According to sophomore Kairi Lising, the performance went really well. “First night was the best, especially with the group we have,” Lising said. She did choreography for the musical and didn’t really expect a yes when she approached drama teacher and director Chris Evans and asked if she could create the dances for the show. “[I love seeing the actors] do [the dances] I worked so hard on,” she said. Her process was imagining the number and doing the dance, and then preparing to teach the other actors. Like Lising, junior Kaitlyn Bratten thought everyone in the show, including herself, did an amazing job. “[We] put our all into it, and no matter what the character is, it’s important to the show,” Bratten said.
She thought Rodgers and Hammerstein did an amazing job writing the music and lyrics, and she was glad the actors were able to bring another classic story to life. Her favorite part was Lising’s choreography and being able to learn it, as it was “so much fun to learn.” “South Pacific” is the second annual musical the performing arts department has done in two years. Last year, students performed in “The Sound of Music.” Director/drama teacher Chris Evans and orchestra teacher/musical director Steve Olson said that they plan on doing a musical every year. Olson said he thinks it’s a great experience for the students. The shows in the last two years have featured a full orchestra, numbers ranging between 20 and 30 people. “[It was a] hard show to put together,” he said. Producing shows is a lot of work, stress levels almost through the roof. The best part about putting on this kind of show, however, is to see what everyone can do. “I think it’s our duty to [give the kids the experiences to be in one],” Olson said. “[I] get the best seat in the house and get to see everyone grow.” The CMR Performing Arts Department used to only do one musical every other year, not giving as many students opportunities to be in a musical during high school. However it seems that is going to change.
Writing Your Own Play
When it comes to writing a play, there is one teacher who will give you any tips and advice on what to do so your piece is worth publishing. Drama and stagecraft teacher Chris Evans has been writing since he was in high school, enjoying the career on top of being a teacher. He has written three plays, including the play he is writing for the Thespian show. He wrote “American Roulette” back in 1999 after getting inspired by a school shooting. “My cause is school safety,” Evans said. He has another play about the danger of school shootings and that’s “Clowns With Guns (A Vaudeville)”, which was published in 2015. He’s hoping he can get “On The Roof ” published too since he never got “American Roulette” published after he wrote it. His plays, all three of them, are only one act plays, even though most plays that are written are usually two acts or more so there was an intermission in between. They were all performed for Thespian shows, “American Roulette” being the only production to be shown to the public on the stage in Bill Williamson Auditorium. He used Montana Colony, which is a summer program the Missoula Repertory Theatre hosts for anyone intrested in playwright, to help with his writing style because “it taught me how to write.” One thing he wouldn’t tell anyone, unless he gets asked about it, is he has many unwritten plays sitting in a drawer at home. He didn’t elaborate if he was going to finish them or not, letting them sit there at home waiting to be finished or scrapped. If anyone needs inspiration to write or just wants to know where to start if they’re new to writing, Evans is available in room 603.
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December 19, 2019 10 rustlernews.com
Fun With
PHONES
Being in high school, we all know how obsessed girls can be with their phones. From Snapchat to TikTok, we can spend an average of eight hours a day on our devices. Long bus rides get boring and girls are constantly taking selfies, listening to music, and gossiping. You truly never know what is going to pop up or be said on the bus, which makes for some interesting trips. Here are some girls glued to their phones. Kendal Stoll holds her phone while havng conversation throughout the bus.
Freshman Jordan Phares looking through social media.
Serve it Up! Senior Allie Olsen, juniors Anna Broquist and Ally Will, sophomores Lauren Lindseth, Tennisen Hiller, and Natalie Bosley celebrate an exciting point earned against Billings West on Nov. 2. Photo by Tori Lapierre.
Tori Wasson looking for music to play.
Natalie Bosley and Brooklyn Dewart take a selfie before leaving campus.
Jordan Belote lays on her friend, Ella Cochran, to laugh and scroll through social
Senior Allie Olsen reminisces on time with CMR volleyball team The Lady Rustlers volleyball team had a very successful 2019 season. The girls won the Missoula Invite and became Eastern Conference champions at the state tournament in Bozeman Nov. 1416. Our CMR team made it to the semifinals and came home with a third place trophy. The varsity team went 12-0 in their conference, but the program overall obtained an amazing record of 73-20 which was the highest of all the teams in Montana. Senior and middle blocker Allie Olsen reflects on her team’s successful season and reminisces about her favorite memories. “I really liked playing with all the girls and going to practice everyday because it was always fun,” Olsen said. Olsen competed well during the state tournament with 16 kills, five blocks, and two aces during their semifinal game against the Helena High Bengals. This was her last season as a CMR volleyball player. “I will miss playing in crosstown games and getting to represent CMR on the volleyball court,” she said.
Olsen was recognized as a Senior Standout by Fox Montana on Sept. 16, 2019. Her 6-foot-3, humble and powerhouse demeanor has earned her a spot on another team. She will continue her volleyball career at the University of Utah next fall. She signed her NCAA Letter-Of-Intent on Nov. 13. The underclassmen are excited to see what they can accomplish in the 2020 season.
Brooklyn Dewart holds her phone with her feet to take a great Snapchat photo.
Melina Cohens and Tori Wasson prop their cellphones up on a Goldfish bag to take selfies.
Photos by Tori Lapierre and Natalie Bosley
The varsity volleyball team lines up in unison as the National Anthem plays on Nov. 2 in the Billings West Gymnasium. Photo by Tori Lapierre. Billings West cheerleaders show their respect towards CMR for the loss of senior David Delcomte by wearing green and gold #42 bows. Photo by Tori Lapierre.
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
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BEHIND Scenes
The CMR volleyball team loads the bus on Nov. 1. Photo by Tori Lapierre.
the
CMR volleyball competes at state in Bozeman
CMR sophomores Lauren Lindseth and Tennisen Hiller are on their toes, ready for any ball that comes their way. Photo by Tori Lapierre. The adventure begins as the team heads to Bozeman.
Sophomore Tori Lapierre braids sophomore Kendal Stoll’s hair the night before the Billings West game on Nov. 2. Photo by Natalie Bosley. Before loading the bus, freshman Norah Allen and sophomore Lauren Lindseth playfully fight in the locker room. Photo by Tori Lapierre on Nov. 1.
Natalie Bosley, 10
Patiently waiting for the bus to arrive, sophomores Tennisen Hiller and Lauren Lindseth, along with freshman Norah Allen, are first in line for the trip. Photo by Tori Lapierre.
CMR bus driver gives safety instructions to the CMR volleyball players on Nov. 1.
Enjoying a long piece of candy, freshman Jamie Martell devours an Extreme Airhead on Nov. 1. Photo by Natalie Bosley.
December 19, 2019 14 rustlernews.com
TIAH There is always hope
club, she’s turning her passion into a reality with a clear vision of what TIAH wants to accomplish. “I’ve been interested in TIAH since I heard about it,” she reflected. “[Mrs. Virts] asked me if I’d be interested in running it, and I just said yes because I was excited about it.” Ingalls admits to feeling in over her head in the beginning, but now she’s raring to push the club into the limelight. TIAH originally existed as a national organization and came to CMR three years ago. Previous to this year, it was directed by Gabrielle Pope and Kylie Giltcher. After their subsequent graduation, TIAH lacked all student representation before Ingalls stepped up and took on the task. Now, with a fresh start, TIAH is ready to take on the problems afflicting our community. “As most people know, Montana has a pretty high rate of
by Maggie Petersen, entertainment/opinion editor As students, we are encouraged to make a difference, to have big dreams, and Jayme Ingalls’ dream is one that applies to us all. “I’ve always been passionate about advocating for mental health,” Ingalls said. As president of TIAH (There Is Always Hope), C. M. Russell’s mental health “Schools are constantly working to ensure “I joined TIAH students are because I have “I saw TIAH provided with mental issues as a perfect the safest and “I joined as well as I have opportunity most effective TIAH because helped others to spread educational mental health is with theirs. I awareness about something that setting possible. thought if I mental health. A key part of this generation joined I could That’s something needs to focus that system help make I see as very is providing on, we see too mental health important, and I many people mental health be a bigger and hope by the end struggling with more important help, resources, of the year it is and education their health subject that more recognized and no one is to students everyone needs at CMR.” and staff.” there to listen.” to learn about.”
Taylor Willmarth
Kaileia Wendt
Jamela Munsinger
Nick Smith
suicide and mental health issues, and obviously CMR has not been immune to that. We’ve have multiple suicides at the school and several suicide attempts unfortunately, and we just are sick of seeing people we love feeling alone,” Ingalls said. With the sobering realities of our environment, taking action has been long overdue. Now, the only question is what to do about it. “We are planning on starting an anonymous text or email hotline where we can direct people to the help they need,” she said. Armed with an arsenal of ideas, availability is one of their biggest goals. However, if there’s any message Ingalls wants to push, it’s the club’s motto. “Everybody has bad days. I don’t feel there should be a stigma about it because it truly affects everybody.”
“When I was invited to join the program, “I personally I had no Idea joined TIAH what to expect. because of the TIAH has impact I saw opened up many it made on doors in my students in its understanding first year as a of mental club. I want health, and has to bring more introduced me awareness to to the stigma our school and associated community with talking and continue to about mental help others!” disorders.”
“I believe in this cause and in the people in “I have always been passionate this club with me. Mental about mental health needs to health. I grew be considered up with poor a vital part of mental health [and] having the student life. From bringing people around awareness to me that I did making help is what got me more available, through it and TIAH is fighting that’s what I to improve the want to do for lives of its peers.” other people.”
“I’m in TIAH because mental health is important in this day and age and so is identifying signs of mental illness in others. And I really like the people who are involved in the club with me.”
“TIAH came as a surprise to me. I originally hadn’t even known it existed, and that makes me sad. Mental health is ridiculously important. Many kids just need that little ounce of reassurance, that little spark of hope, and my goal is to give other teens exactly that.”
Amiya Williams
Jayme Ingalls
Ashton Blake
Reighanna Miller
Dawson Williams
Maggie Petersen
IDENTITY
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
Weighted GPA System Definition:
A weighted GPA is a GPA that takes the difficulty of your classes into account along with your grades. On a typical unweighted scale (which is solely based on grades and not on the difficulty of your classes), GPAs are recorded as numbers ranging from 0 to 4.0.
An insight from Rustlers and Administration
“Not to say that it will never happen in our district,” by Taylor Willmarth, video editor Lily Dinh had a 4.6 GPA when she left Kokomo, Parsons said. “It would be a decision made by the Indiana, earlier this year. Kokomo High School uses a school board and administration [at the district office weighted GPA system in which AP and honors courses building].” Parsons noted that weighted GPA systems are most count for more in the calculation of a student’s grade point average. In addition to the expected difficulties helpful in determining a valedictorian, and colleges of moving to Montana and changing schools, Dinh often convert GPA to the standard scale to eliminate was alarmed to see that her GPA had not transferred inconsistencies. He also said that students who want to make a change on issues like to CMR. “I feel that it’s unfair that taking “Students should get on the this should get involved in the making processes. honors classes does not count agenda,” Parsons said. “The decision “Students should get on towards anything,” Dinh said. She had taken Honors English, school board [references] the the agenda,” Parsons said. Honors Trigonometry, AP discussions and ideas presented “The school board [references] Environmental Science, and AP at the meetings when they vote.” the discussions and ideas presented at the meetings Spanish before moving to Great when they vote.” Falls. She has continued to be a Parsons said that colleges are going to consider motivated student as a junior at CMR, but she said that students who take difficult classes, maintain a high students deserve credit for their hard work. “Kids who take honors classes are getting the same GPA, and score well on the SAT and ACT, whether or amount of credit as those taking general or regular not their report card includes a weighted GPA. Parsons said that students should contact Brenda classes. It kind of discourages students to try harder,” Lowry, the school’s scholarship coordinator, and their Dinh added. CMR Principal Kerry Parsons said that GFPS had counselor for more information about their GPA and considered adopting a weighted GPA system in the the transition from high school to college. early 2000s to increase enrollment in AP and honors courses, but nothing ever came about.
Junior struggles to determine GPA’s importance qualities I know matters to colleges is my GPA. Thus begins my frustration of “harder classes vs. better grades.” Do I continually risk my reputation among colleges by pushing myself intellectually? What, exactly, matters more? By using a weighted GPA system, the number “4.0” no longer represents the loftiest notch of student achievement, and rather just another number on the GPA scale. Following the invention of the school system, which was modelled after the industrial factories of the time, modernization has come with a certain laxing of policy. From replacing physical punishments to reprimands and uniforms to dress codes, education now allows for a more flexible approach to learning than ever before. I believe introducing a weighted GPA system to Great Falls Public Schools is the next step.
As a high school junior, my voice may not carry much weight. What I, or many other students, personally feel has no bearing on the high school experience. But what if it did? What if student government was not just about Prom but also policy? Of course, as minors we will never hold as much power as adults, but if high school is truly meant to shape us into the leaders of tomorrow, maybe what we lack is the opportunity to try being the leaders of today. I want to give myself and my fellow students our best chance for a good future. I want to shift the focus from maintaining GPA to attaining academic growth with more challenging classes. Now, I’m finally learning all the things my older sister talked about, and I want to keep learning. 4.0 or not, I’m eager to see just what the world has in store for me.
POLLS POLLS POLLS POLLS POLLS Design by: Nancy Beston
Do you know what a weighted GPA is?
Yes 55
No 45
Colleges favor students with GPA’s higher than 4.0. Agree 60
disagree 19
No opinion 21
GPA is the main factor colleges consider
Agree 51
disagree 13
No opinion 36
I went to a high school that offered compensation for AP and honors courses prior to living in Great Falls. True 31
False 69
I would be in favor of GFPS adopting a weighted GPA system. Yes 41
no 10
No opinion 49
All information is from a survey conducted on surverymonkey.com. 100 people total answered the poll.
BUY YOURS BEFORE IT’S TOO
$60 BEFORE JANUARY SEVENTEENTH $70 AFTER JANUARY SEVENTEENTH
YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK YEARBOOK
by Maggie Petersen, entertainment/opinion editor Before I’d ever heard of GPA, I’d heard of 4.0. With an overachiever older sister, she entered high school with a drive for success I’ve always strived to emulate. She talked about Honors Chemistry before I knew what H₂O stood for. She talked about AP Government before I knew my own political affiliations. And she talked about Honors Geometry before “proof ” meant anything other than “an establishment of truth.” Now, I’m a junior in the throes of academia and extracurriculars, and the glamour of being an “honors student” has long worn off. Even as someone who knows her career field, colleges of choice, and future goals, I’m continually paralyzed by a lack of understanding of and control over my future. Where do I line up? What are colleges actually looking for? The only one of my
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LATE
December 19, 2019 16 rustlernews.com
Decreased Involvement
CMR students struggle to be involved in extracurriculars by Zoey Schug; staff writer As a youth myself, I can understand why the youth in these days are not involved. There’s so many forms of entertainment accessible so quickly and easily with the technology we have now. So what changed to make children not want to be involved? I think technology gives the most reason to not get involved or make the effort to occupy youself with other activities that may not be as accessable as streaming networks or social media networks such as Instagram or Netflix. It’s not that the young generation is too busy with anything that older generation wasn’t busy with, it’s that the younger generation doesn’t have the push to do anything unessasary. I don’t think that there is nearly enough motivation around
the younger group. There needs to be an effort to direct a young adult or small child to persue a sport, instrument, club or anything similar. There are so many options to reach to every persons diverse palette of enjoyment, but there isn’t the potrayal of a need to participate in any extra curriculars. Still this isn’t the responsibility of the older generation to make the effort to get youth involved. As technology changes, society will too. This is one of the chnages society has to adapt to, because as we grow in technology the lazier we get to become.
WHY the decrease? Dawson Williams, 10 For Williams, it is beyond him for as to why his peers are not as involved. An explanation he believes in is lack of encouragement to participate. “We’re becoming lazier.”
Jonathan Neujahr, 10 Speaking from experience, Neujahr thinks technology impacts involvement. “Kids are too involved with their phones and social media.”
Holly Spragg, 12
WHY WHAT Tenaya I wear
I wear
Gaines
“I do a lot with my hair. It’s a very easy thing to change in an outfit.”
“I’m on pinterest a lot, so a lot of my inspiration comes from there, and other social media.”
“Normally I like to wear jewelry. It can always add something to an outfit. “I really like the look of piercings.”
“My feelings normally contibute to deciding what I want to wear.” “If I’m feeling cold I normally dress comfy.”
“I like round glasses frames for my face shape. They also correlate with every outfit.”
Spragg believes the advanced technology we have provides a lot to occupy ourselves with. She also believes the expectations for our generation have been set too high and are hard to meet.
Zach Marko, 10 Marko believes this generation’s parents push too much onto their children, creating the boundaries that would stop someone from participating in extra curriculars. He also thinks peer pressure can contribute.
Dalton Carter, 10 Carter thinks that kids have other priorities that come before being involved in sports or a club. Finances and paperwork also contribute.
Teri Forde, CMR teacher CMR teacherTeri Forde believes technology is the main contributor to children not being involved. “They can occupy you with games, movies, and series.” Jobs also create less time and energy for extracurriculars.
Erica Davis, CMR teacher CMR teacher Erica Davis thinks that because kids can interact with each other without leaving the house through means of technology creates that barrier of involvement.
Raef Hamlin, 10 Hamlin believes the schools don’t promote clubs, sports, and other extra curriculars as well as they could. He also thinks that if children aren’t required to do something that they are not going to do it.
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
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Two Sides: Divided only by The Commons Fine arts takes fine skills A look from both sides by Kerrigan Edwards, staff writer For some students, music is a valuable aspect of their lives, and large amounts of time are devoted to that activity. The years spent playing add up, and as the players improve, the hard work shows greatly in not only concerts, but also everyday practice. Chloe Clark is a sophomore who plays the viola in Chamber Orchestra. Clark plays her instrument purely for enjoyment, but expands her learning by not only participating in the top orchestra but also involving herself in youth orchestra and private lessons. The viola player has been playing her instrument for about six years, and she said she hopes to continue playing. For those who continue to participate in musical groups throughout high school, scholarships are always an option. “I think that it opens up a lot of opportunities for thinking about college because you can go to college on a scholarship,” Clark said. While she does not plan on majoring in music, Clark is open to the idea of playing casually after high school graduation-. “I feel like music makes my brain think in a different way,” Clark said. “They say people who do music are smarter, so I think that it’s something that people should consider.” Sophomore Ian White is also dedicated to his string instrument and the CMR orchestra program. “I feel a lot of pressure to do well, but it is a lot of fun. It’s really satisfying to finish a piece,” White said. White has not yet played his violin outside of Concert Orchestra, but he said he hopes to either take private lessons or join the youth orchestra in the future. While involving himself in other activities such as golf, speech and debate, and track, White still makes sure that he has time for music, fitting in around 11 hours of playing a week. It’s just a lot of hard work that you have to put in,” White said. “I appreciate the effort that we all try to add. It just makes things so much better in the end.”
by David Mitchell, staff writer The perceived lack of respect between music and athletics has been a topic of discussion for years. Both athletes and musicians… Having participated in both activities at the high school level, I hope I can provide a kind of middle ground for this debate. First and foremost, there are obvious differences between the two. Sports are by far more physically demanding than music. Sure, my arm would get tired every now and then playing through some difficult piece for orchestra, but it cannot be compared to the dedication that I and so many other high school athletes have in regards to our physical practices and the weightroom. While sports may be physically demanding, music requires a brain finely tuned to the sound of music. This is where the mental aspect of music comes in; it’s not just about reading notes and playing them in tune. Music is about feeling the sound you’re producing. When it all comes together, it’s really an indescribable feeling. For anyone who’s played football,
Photo courtesy of Minot High School.
I’d liken a good music performance to the feeling of running a perfect route and scoring a touchdown. The years of practice all come together in an instant: That feeling of flipping your defender’s hips, the confidence that you have him beat, the catch, and the score all come together in the celebration with your teammates. That feeling only lasts for a few seconds in football, but can last for hours in music. The culmination of years of practice, all coming to a crescendo in a live performance where you are 100 percent in tune with your instrument and the other performers around you is something else. So why am I rambling on about these feelings of success and accomplishment? Well, I want these two sides to develop a larger respect for each other. Despite the common physical differences between athletes and musicians, we’re more alike than we realize. We both dedicate ourselves to something we love, and we each share in moments of triumph that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
The team placed fourth overall despite being a very young team. Two-year debater sophomore Anthony Bowe shared how he felt after every win. “[It] felt good to see all the hard work pay off,” he said. “The harder you work, the better you get.” For the same tournament, freshman Gracie Galvez earned fourth place in public forum with freshman Kenzi Brown; both of whom are in their first year of speech and debate. “They push you to do good and stay on top,” Galvez said. Speech and debate participants are
High schools all over the country have many activities that provide their students with opportunities, and for many, one dominates the school: athletics. Two seniors at CMR have had their fair share of experience in sports. “I started when I was four with the little soccer and basketball things you do,” David Geisen, football, swimming, and track and field athlete. His fellow teammate, Griffin Held, a member of the football, basketball, and track and field team, stated he started when he was five years old and in kindergarten. They both spoke about teams making bonds between players and how they bring out friendships outside of the sport. “I love how it keeps you in shape and brings everyone together to form something greater than themselves,” Geisen said considering what he appreciates about the experience from high school athletics. Held and Geisen both spoke about the memories they made through their four years of high school but a couple stood out. “[Held] carried about 15 dudes like, 20 yards. That was pretty fun to see [...] Griffin was a stud,” Geisen said about a memory from his freshman year. Held mentioned his favorite memory occured later on in his high school than his friend’s did. “My favorite memory was my junior year when Cole Rearden, he was a senior, he said the F-bomb really loud and he got a flagged called on him, and Hartman stormed the field and got in his face [...] that was probably the funniest thing,” Held said. Along with memories, the game inspires emotions and specific headspaces. “A lot of motivation, intensity, adrenaline rush,” Held said. Contradictory to his friend, Geisen said that he tries to remain calm to keep a clear mindset and a distraction-free mindset. Both student athletes mentioned what role their coaches play in their experience.Geisen spoke about having a teacher that doubles as a coach can build a stronger connection and help navigate your way a little easier. Like any extracurricular activity, high school athletics provides skills and experiences you wouldn’t get in a regular classroom setting. “Just having a competitive mindset - just working hard - not only in sports but in school and any other activities you have going on,” Held said, considering the differences sports made on his outlook. With all the talk of school sports, activities, and spirit, Geisen had one thing left to say. “Go Rustlers!”
Photo by Nancy Beston.
Speech and debate starts the season strong
by Raef Hamlin, staff writer CMR speech and debate starts the season with multiple students placing in the top three. Sophomores Brady Kelly and Hunter Hatfield were public forum partners who earned second place in the Oct. 24 tournament. It is their first year in speech and debate. Aside from the two Rustlers, other students who came home successful are sophomores Riley Hovland and Zander DeRosa. The duo placed eighth for public forum in the tournament held in Belgrade on Dec. 6-7.
Athletes reminisce on high school experiences by Holly Spragg, online editor
encouraging other students to join. “We need more people,” DeRosa said. Sophomore Alex Davidson adds, “it improves your public speaking. It’s fun to emotionally connect with people.” Picture Hovland believes it looks good on applications and “makes you a more intelligent person.” English teacher Steve Hurin, who has been the head coach at CMR for three years, said that next year he hopes to have 30 to 40 kids based on their recent growth. The CMR speech and debate team competed in Missoula on Nov. Speech and Debate looks forward to 15-16. They have had a successful season and encourage more another tournament later this week on Dec. students to join the team. 20-21.
December 19, 2019 18 rustlernews.com
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Holiday traditions
Design by: Nancy Beston
5 Last-Minute Gifts Obscure streaming service
Everyone is always asking: “Disney+ or Netflix?” The correct line of inquiry is “CBS All-Access or Shudder?” Consumers are inundated with streaming services today, and it is near impossible to pick which ones to subscribe to. This holiday season, choose one that is pleasantly obscure. Shudder for horror fans, The Criterion Collection for pretentious foreign film lovers, and CBS for Trekkies. There truly is something for everyone.
by. Justin Freeny & Davide Miller , staff writers
CMR students express joy for Holiday season
New Yorker subscription Full of insightful coverage for everyone, The New Yorker, with its witty cartoons and crosswords, makes the perfect gift. Starting at the low, low cost of $6 for three months, it’s perfect for those who forgot to purchase a gift until Dec. 23. And, as a bonus, gifters can give the subscription and keep the free tote bag that comes with it; otherwise, for
Barnes and Noble
You know, when you go to Barnes and Nobles, you’ve almost completed checking out with your copy of “After” by Anna Todd, and the cashier hands you a coupon for $2 off a free cookie at the cafe? Keep “After” for yourself, read it, watch the 2019 film adaptation, and then gift the cookie coupon to someone special. They collect in the crevices of your vehicle, going unused for months on end. Someone in your life deserves that feeling this holiday season.
Hamlet All of Scott Clapp’s senior English students know the triumph and literary beauty of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” It is a quintessential winter break read, and someone in your life needs it. Find a student in your class who actually bought the play, obtain it from them (any method will do, but I prefer the barter system), and bestow it upon whoever in your life needs a dose of existential angst.
You Finally, the best for last. We’re all so materialistic, so why not give something intangible to the people you love? You are the gift. Spend some quality time with the recipients, perhaps wrap a bow around your head, and become the present. by Quinn Soltesz, audio editor
Sarah Faulk
freshman
Brady Kelly
sophomore
Lily Robertson Keefer Marquart senior
What is your favorite part of Christmas?
What traditions does your family have?
What’s your favorite part about Christmas? Out of the many positive parts of christmas, Robertson really loves to spend time with her family and have fun doing winter activates.
What would you change about the holiday if you could?
Kelly’s family likes to spend time outside. “If it snows, we get on the forweler, and my dad pulls us around the neighborhood”. His family also eat together. “We eat turkey, and my grandma makes mashed potatoes and gravy”
Faulk enjoys cooking with her family. She said that food is her favorite part of the holiday, especially “christmas cookies.”
To Faulk, the day seems to go on much too fast, and she often wishes she could make the day longer. “I mean it’s impossible but making the day longer because it just seems so short. I wish I had more [time],” Faulk said.
What is the best gift you’ve given or received? We all give gifts this year to friends and family alike. These are normally things we have bought, but Faulk enjoys giving sentimental gifts such as pictures.
What is your favorite part of the holiday?
Even though there is so much to choose from. Kelly likes the food the best right now. “I’m really craving some potatoes.” Furthermore, after thanksgiving his family puts up their christmas decorations.
What would you change about the holiday if you could?
Although, there is “a lot of power there,“ Kelly thinks that the winter is the worst time for the holiday because of how cold it is.
What traditions does your family have? Robertson and her family have a really special tradition in their family every year. She and her family reflect on the year that has passed, then they “go to the hallmark store and get an ornament that represents for the year.” After she and her entire immediate family get back, they put their decorations up, and decorate the tree together
What’s your favorite Christmas food?
There is so much good holiday food in the world but Robertson’s favorite food for Christmas is shepherd’s pie. “I love mashed potatoes and I love gravy and just adding super delicious vegetables is amazing,” she said.
senior
Does your hamly have any christmas traditions.
Although his family doesn’t have many traditions, Marquart “open a present on the day of christmas eve.” If someone in his family opens more than one, they have to wait until his entire family has finished opening their presents before they get to start.
What would you change about the holiday if you could? Out of all of a lot of things that could be changed about Christmas, Marquart would most likely change the songs. “Update them just a bit. I don’t mean make a christmas rap song, but their just so old, ” he said.
What’s your favorite Christmas food? Marquart is a food connoisseur. There is very few things that he hasn’t tried, but when it comes to christmas and other family centric holidays he much prefers ham
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
“Shop With a Cop” enters nineteenth year Every year, a handful of students are nominated through their school to partake in an event that truly makes their holiday season one to remember. For over 19 years, the Great Falls Police Department has taken part in the “Shop with a Cop” Fundraising event that sees to it that kids and their families in need get the magical Christmas they so deserve. Detective Nick Taylor, who has worked at CMR for 9 years and the GFPD for 19, goes every year with two families on a festive shopping trip where each child gets to spend $100 dollars on whatever they want. “You always get a little nervous because you never know how the kids will be when you first meet them,” said Taylor, “you start walking a couple of aisles and just see the joy these kids have.”
Parents of the nominated kids are contacted by officers for the opportunity. From that point, parents can either tell their kids or leave them the wondrous surprise. When the day comes, kids are greeted at the businesses, typically Target or Walmart, and made aware of what’s happening. The family then has a shopping trip to remember with an officer. “It’s always been a positive experience, I’d say it’s just as positive for the police members involved in it”. “Shop with a Cop” is run not by the city, but the officers of the GFPD who love and care so much for their community. The program accepts donations which can be made at the Great Falls Police Department or online at www. gfppa.org.
Naruto
1
Let It Snow
Confession: I watched this with my family over Thanksgiving break. It was, in the words of Youtube film reviewer Trin Lovell, “mediocrity at its finest!!” My family felt similarly, but that does not discount the fact that we sat through all 92 minutes of this John Green adaptation. A movie in which several teens run around a Midwestern town covered in snow, romancing and fighting, makes for the perfect viewing experience for the family this winter break. Mediocrity is FUN!
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Kacey Musgraves Xmas Show
Winning Album of the Year at the Grammys, touring the world, and climbing to the top of my Spotify is not enough for country artist Kacey Musgraves. Out on Amazon Prime Video, Musgraves uses her superior musical talent and guest stars (including Lana Del Ray, Kendall Jenner, Troye Sivan, Camila Cabello, and Leon Bridges, among others) to craft a show of lighthearted holiday cheer. If you aren’t currently a fan, watch this, and you will be.
3
Little Women
Six feature film adaptations of the 1868 novel from Louisa May Alcott is absurd, but that is the world we live in. This timeless tale (of which I have never read or watched any of) is the perfect family film. Coming out on Christmas Day with rave reviews, I will be seeing it! Not because I care about the story, but because those associated with it, from director Greta Gerwig to Gen Z Internet obsessions Timothee Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan, are my passion projects.
4
by Justin Freeny and David Miller, staff writers
5
I will preface this recommendation with the simple fact that The Mandalorian, the flagship Star Wars television show for Disney+, is a case of the “too-slow burn.” It is, simply put, boring and not what I, a loyal Star Wars consumer, want. However, I continue to watch for the visionary portrayal that has stormed the Internet: Baby Yoda. Hunt through the episodes for ONLY the Baby Yoda scenes, and you will be rewarded.
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After viewing a channel on YouTube titled “De mi Rancho a Tu Cocina” in Spanish class, I can wholeheartedly recommend the world of homemade cooking shows. “De mi Rancho” is created by a woman in Mexico; in her videos, she makes simple, traditional meals. For a different vibe, check out the Chinese YouTuber Liziqi. With easy to follow steps, these videos are the only way to make cooking with your family fun.
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Adam Sandler movies are NOT my vibe, but I am extremely excited to see this film. Sandler stars as a New York Diamond District dealer who comes into possession of said “uncut gem.” Balancing marital strife with the increasing tripulations that befall him, this thriller comes out on Christmas Day. The film’s other actors include NBA player Kevin Garnett, “Frozen” star Idina Menzel, and Lakeith Stanfield. I don’t know about you, but “Uncut Gems” is how I’ll be ringing in the 2020 New Year.
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A soft poll of the Stampede staff left us divided: Was “You” Season 1 good, or just shocking? I take the side that this bizarre stalker series was entertaining, dare I say, engrossing. The follow-up season is being released the day after Christmas on Netflix, and will surely dominate online discussion in the last few days of the year. Lock your doors, close the windows, and hope that the events of the show don’t happen to you.
Uncut Gems You Season 2
This holiday season, sit down and enjoy this classic about a blond ninja child named after a ramen topping and who is possessed by a fox demon and battles insecurity, lack of family, and other ninjas to become ninja mayor of his ninja village (I make none of this up). You’ll need: 1) time 2) tolerance for filler episodes 3) appreciation of fight choreography. Reach the Chunin Exams and you’ll know duty and sacrifice; reach the Valley of the End and experience heartrending pain. by Gail Parambi, guest writer
Every year, schools and businesses are invaded with boxes saying “Toys for Tots.” What may be seen as just another Christmas time donation means the world to children in need all across the nation. What began as a charity effort in 1947 Los Angeles went national the very next year, spreading their reach across the United States. The Great Falls Toys for Tots Campaign has been around for 15 years and serves the eight counties of North Central Montana. They work with 46 agencies including Opportunities Incorporated, the Salvation Army, Great Falls Public Schools, and Child Protective Services to distribute toys and make Christmas magical to those in need. In 2018, the Great Falls Campaign collected approximately 9,800 toys and aided 5,747 families. Anyone can be a part of this amazing organization by donating to the boxes that are all over the community. You can also find them on Facebook and visit the Toys for Tots website to help.
Home Cooking
by Quinn Soltesz, audio editor and design by Nancy Beston, photo/design editor
Great Falls embraces “Toys for Tots”
The Mandalorian
What We’re Watching
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Over Winter Break
December 19, 2019 20 rustlernews.com
watch list
CMR swim team dives into the new season
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by Amya Terry, staff writer Onika Gray is one of the freshmen that coach Ed McNamee believes has stood out so far; she participates in the 200 IM and is an IMer. “I’ve been swimming all my life,” Gray said. “I swim because my parents mostly made me swim, and my mom has been swimming for a long time in Jamaica,” Gray explained. She participated in swim club during third grade when she came to Great Falls, not joining the swim team in middle school, and joining and enjoying the swim team CMR offers. “ It's way more fun in high school [...] I think high school swimming is more intense,” Gray said. This season she hopes to earn points for the team and get a new, faster time. Brevyn Goosen started swimming at a young age , but didn’t start competitive swimming until about sixth or seventh grade, and continuing on through his high school years. “I swim because it’s a good workout, a good challenge. You really challenge yourself every time you get in the water,” he said. His specialized stroke is breaststroke, and a little bit of backstroke. Goosen enjoys hanging out with friends and kicking during practice because he gets to talk with others. “I hope to get better on my breastroke, maybe try backstroke a little bit.”
The CMR and GFHS combined swim team practices before their meet on Dec. 14 in Havre. Photos by Amya Terry.
What do you eat? by Raef Hamlin, staff writer
“I’ll start [dropping] two months before the season starts. I’ll take everything bad out of my diet and only eat healthy things. Keaton Jarret, 12 “You just have to watch what you eat. You can’t just go binge eat. Eat healthy and pace yourself.” Nate Preston, 10
Last year the Rustlers had a good swim season, according to Coach Ed McNamee. “Last year was pretty amazing [...] the CMR guys probably had one of the best Saturdays we’ve ever had. The last day of state we came through and went from [starting] day at fifth place and finishing at second,” McNamee said. When a new year comes, things begin to change within a team, but the team is not any less remarkable. “The 16 years I’ve been a coach, this is by far the most coachable group I’ve ever had [...] This season [is] picking up right where we left off last year,” McNamee said, adding that he is passionate about his team and extremely proud of their accomplishments and potential. The CMR swim team is divided by male and female. Standing out in the male swim
sprints and kicking with water resistance. So far, the CMR swim team has been to Kalispell for a meet that took place on Dec. 7. The CMR males finished in third place behind Sentinel and Great Falls High. The Lady Rustlers won their first meet. “It was a big deal. Missoula Sentinel and Missoula Hellgate were both there, with Hellgate being the defending State Champion, so being able to go up there and win that meet was a good job for the girls,” McNamee stated. Overall, McNamee is proud and excited to see how the rest of this season will go with the swim team. The team competes Dec. 20 at Great Falls High School.
Swimming
How wrestlers keep a nutritious diet
“I talk to my coaches see what I should do . I’ve been doing it for a while so I kinda know what I need. I’m never not eating.” Calvin Carroll, 10 “I like to eat fruits and salads to drop wieght. I make sure I’m not starving myself.” Colton Martello, 10
Functioning as a team
Tips from the coach
“Number one, dropping weight doesn’t make you a better wrestler. You should focus on getting better first before dropping weight. Number two, you just need to focus on good nutrition and good habits, just like you should in any sport you play. Aaron Jensen
CMR wrestlers plan to work together
by Raef Hamlin, staff writer As the season starts up, head wrestling coach Aaron Jensen is looking forward to working with his wrestlers. “[I’m looking forward to] working with a great group of kids; they’re hard working, dedicated and they’re great people,” Jensen said. Jensen said he is excited about the wrestlers’ ability to represent Charles M. Russell High School at tournaments. Senior Keaton Jarret said he is looking forward to team development and growth throughout the year. Jarret said this year’s wrestling team is very young, with the majority of the wrestlers being freshmen. Sophomore Nate Preston said his goal for the team this year is to “become one unit,” and he hopes “we all function as a team.” Nate Preston started to wrestle 10 years ago and continues to wrestle today because he loves the sport and is looking forward to just flat out wrestling this year.
competitions are senior Ben Huotari, who is ranked No. 1 in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and junior Jaxon Gronning said he should be in the top five in the 500 freestyle. Nick Houston, Luke Jaraczeski, Adonai Gray, Kyle Carroll, and Mason Spiller have also had an amazing season. Leading the CMR swim teams for the females are junior Raegan Osentowski, who scored last year in the 500 freestyle. Senior Jessica Byrne finished fifth in the 100 freestyle last year. Sophomore Paige Lepard and freshmen Taylor Kolsch, Ava Chauncey and Onika Gray have greatly contributed to the recent successes of the team. All of the athletes on the CMR swim team prepare for meets and competitions with cardiobased workouts to get in shape and to build their stamina. Also included in their practice routines are vigorous training such as
Sophomore Calvin Carroll said he hopes that they “build as a team throughout the year.” Carroll’s personal goal this year is to place in state after 11 years of falling short. Carroll said he continues to wrestle because “it has my heart.” Sophomore Colton Martello won the state championship for his weight class last year and went as far as Iowa for nationals as a freshman, and he plans to win state for the 120 weight class again this year. Martello’s goal for the team as a whole is to develop into a coherent team. He’s been wrestling for 13 years and started wrestling as a way to burn off energy when he was a kid and has continued to wrestle because “the hard work is fun.”
Struggle to win. The CMR JV wrestling team goes to Great Falls High to compete in the yearly JV mixer. On Dec. 12, the JV team competed against multiple schools, including Cascade and Great Falls High.
Bloody battle. In a disappointing loss, JV wrestler Logan Sloan looks forward to the Holiday Classic. Sloan was pinned in the second round.
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
by David Mitchell, staff writer
21
On Dec. 16, the Rustler basketball team practices for their upcoming home game against Sentinel High School. Photos by David Mitchell.
Above the Rim
Cislo’s team seeks return to dominance fter losing a large number of players to graduation in 2019, the CMR Rustlers basketball team will lean on a small group of experienced seniors to try to lead their team to a second state championship in three years. Despite finishing the 2018-2019 season with a winning 13-8 record, head coach John Cislo was left feeling disappointed. “It’s never a good season when you don’t qualify for the tournament,” he said. Coach Cislo pointed to one area that the Rustlers must improve on in order to make the tournament this year: 3-point shooting. During their 2018 state championship run, the Rustlers shot in the high 30s from beyond the arc. Last season, that number dropped into the mid 20s. “We need to be somewhere in the mid 30s to be an effective team,” Cislo said. Not everything about the 2018 season was negative, however. Throughout the years, solid defense has been a staple of the CMR basketball team. Keeping opponents’ points per game in the 40s will be the key to winning big games.
A
Starting Lineup
With a large group of relatively inexperienced seniors, it’s important to Cislo that they quickly grasp the importance of this season. “We need to pick up our pace and understand what it means to play varsity basketball,” he said. Fortunately for the Rustlers, the return of seasoned starter Keegan Barnes and basketball letterman Harrison Goss will set a precedent and provide a strong level of leadership for the rest of the team. When it comes to overall mentality, Cislo believes the team has the ability to count on each other and play as a team to win games. “The big thing we’re focused on right now is playing together,” Cislo said. “Once we do that, I think we can be a pretty good offensive team.” The Rustlers host their first home game against Sentinel High School on Dec. 19.
PG: Tucker Harrison, 10
SG: Keegan Barnes, 12
SF: Bryce Nelson, 12
C: Harrison Goss, 12
PF: Rogan Barnwell, 10
BASKETBALL GAME THEMES Boys Girls
12/19 vs Missoula Sentinel: Christmas Sweaters 1/3 vs Missoula Hellgate: Fraternity 1/14 at Great Falls High: Hunting the Bison 1/24 vs Billings Skyview: Señor Night 1/25 vs Billings Senior: Skiing 2/1 vs Belgrade: Workout 2/13 vs Great Falls High: We Love David Delcomte 2/28 vs Billings West: Construction 2/29 vs Bozeman: Green and Gold
1/4 vs Helena Capital: Jersey Jam 1/11 vs Belgrade: Space 1/16 vs Great Falls High: Wild Wild West 1/30 vs Havre: USA 2/7 vs Bozeman: Toga/Greek Life 2/8 vs Billings West: Neon 2/11 at Great Falls High: Hawaiin Luau 2/21 vs Billings Senior: Cooking/Chef 2/22 vs Billings Skyview: Super Hero
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December 19, 2019 22 rustlernews.com
Ladies and gentlemen, Harry Styles has done it again by Holly Spragg, online editor On Dec. 13, Harry Styles released the album Fine Line and it had eager listeners dancing, crying, smiling, and then crying again. Tracks two through four were released before the album as a whole. “Watermelon Sugar” was first performed on the Saturday Night Live episode on Nov. 16. This song really just feels like an evening on a beach and living like it is summer all year round. “Adore You” was his third song released and had quite an interesting music video. The setting took place on an island called Eroda (which is adore spelled backwards). Styles plays a boy that finds a friend in a fish before he has to let the fish go because he grows too big. While the video was beautiful and the conspiracy theories were thoroughly entertaining, I cannot make a big connection between the video and the song. The song lyrics hold the idea of being so awed by someone, you can just appreciate their beauty and try to keep them safe: “I’d walk through fire for you - Just let me adore you.” Now, his next song “Lights Up,” is low on
my list. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great song and I was impressed and happy when it was the first song to be released, but I listened to it non-stop. However, I have also listened to “Watermelon Sugar” way too much but I still enjoy it every time. “Lights Up” is just a bit different. I have grown a little tired of the whimsical tune, but it could mean many things to each individual that listens to it and I think that is one of the most important things for a song. The next track was one that I instantly hated, but it grew on me and is now one of my favorites. “To Be So Lonely” has an interesting introduction with the sound of a banjo starting it off. Track 8 is my least favorite. “She” just is not for me. There are plenty of qualities that make this song very good on paper but it is just not my cup of tea. Maybe it is the extremely long segment of instrumental at the end or the fact that I just cannot relate to the lyrics. The album starts to pick up the happy vibe from the early tracks with “Sunflower, Vol. 6.” I don’t fully understand the last part of the title but the song is about someone reminding him of a, you guessed it, a sunflower. It is him understanding that he loved this person and misses them but is trying to keep his distance. While the song “Canyon Moon” is nice and cheerful, it feels like I have heard the song a few less than a million times. It isn’t awful, the lyrics are cute, and the bridge raises it up a bit. However, as a whole, I wouldn’t reach for this song. “Treat People With Kindness” is his slogan. It is on every piece of merch and is what he can be recognized by. When he created a song about it, I did not know what to expect, but it certainly was not what it turned out to be. It makes me think of a song that the main characters of Rom-Com would walk out to the endscreen with. It is a mix of different genres but is overall a happy little bop. His last song matches his album, “Fine Line.” It ends the album with a great sound and feeling. It talks about the line between love and hate - fixed and broken: “You’ve got my devotion - But man, I can hate you sometimes.” The album was incredibly personal with special memories sprinkled in songs. There is a song for every emotion and situation. If you need a song to make you sadder when you are already crying, Fine Line has it. If you want a song to dream about summer, track one and two are your friend. If you want to feel happy about life, the end of the album is there for you. Fine Line warmed my heart and my tear ducts. I am happy I stayed up till midnight to hear it for the first time.
Writing scholarship essays: for everyone in a panic Write an outline While not everyone likes to make an outline before they begin writing, it can be very helpful in this situation. An outline allows you to break down and organize your essay, saving you both time and stress during the writing process. Begin with a list of important points you want to emphasize in your essay; these should describe the basic storyline. Then, for each point, list information you will use to expand that thought. For example, let’s pretend you are writing an essay about your favorite teacher and the ways in which they inspired you. One of your first points used to start off the story could include the grade level they taught. Sub-points listed below this main idea may include how being taught at this age affected the relationship and how a connection was formed. Using this format will help you brainstorm and form sentences in a simplified manner.
Have someone else edit your essay Ideally, you would want to give your essay to a teacher or counselor who is familiar with the college admissions and scholarship process. However, anyone with good reading and writing skills can help make your essay or better. When they have finished editing, review their comments and ask for any clarifications. Sometimes having a conversation can spark new ideas and be more productive than reading questionable scribbles. In addition, ask a few broad questions: Was the story interesting and attentiongrabbing? Does the essay sound like my voice? Does the essay appropriately and completely address the prompt? Is there anything you would have done differently? Extra tip: Give the scholarship guidelines and requirements to the individual editing your essay. They can then provide you with better advice that suits your specific needs.
Show emotion and personality Make sure it sounds like your voice. Your goal is for the scholarship committee to get to know you and your personality. It is better to be yourself instead of writing what you think the committee wants to hear. For example, do not simply list your accomplishments. Describe them in detail, and tell the reader how you felt during these experiences. Showing emotions is also a great way to get the reader personally invested in your essay and helps them see you as a person, rather than a faceless author.
Use clear, concise, and simple language A scholarship essay is not a scientific thesis or professional research project. You do not need to use big words to impress the committee, especially if you do not use them correctly. A common phrase for this is “thesaurizing.” This means: do not look up synonyms for every other word in your writing. It can throw off the flow of language and the reader may lose interest. Also, do not exaggerate and add meaningless details to your story. Instead, be clear about what you did and the impact it had on you; let that speak for itself.
Revise, rewrite, revise After getting a first draft on paper, take a day or two away from the essay and then come back to it with fresh eyes. Many times I have written an essay and realized days later I should have done something differently. Writing your essay well before the due date allows you more time to edit, rewrite, or add additional points to strengthen the piece. Occasionally, writing a new draft can also inspire you to think of new ideas or a better way to tell your story. by Grace Carr, editor-in-chief
Stampede Tries:Ice It sucked for the first half because my skates were too big, so I used the thing that makes you not fall on your face for a while. I tightened my skates, but it didn’t help at all. I finally got smaller skates, got rid of the thing and started cruisin’.
On Nov. 24, a few members of the Stampede staff strapped on their skates and hit the ice -- or “Elsa’s creation” as described by online editor Holly Spragg. It was the first time gliding on ice while wearing thin-bladed death traps for all but two of the participants. Some were moving effortlessly and laughing their way around the rink. Others realized how difficult it was to get up on ice and some never left the wall. There were even a few “scrapes” along the way. And by scrapes, we mean bruised butts and bleeding ankles. This spread documents the participants’ experience and their traumatic stories they came back to class with. Please enjoy.
Anthony Matury *record scratch* That’s me, you’re probably wondering how I got here. Well, it started on an otherwise normal day...until it wasn’t. I was not aware of what I got myself into until I saw people just walking normally on blades, including a child fresh out of the womb (I still don’t understand). Kerrigan Edwards, an experienced lace expert who had to tie my laces (so tight I couldn’t get them off at the end of my excursion) because I couldn’t even get the laces tied. I rolled my ankle before I even touched the ice, and that should have been my first hint at the adventure ahead of me. It took some convincing
December 19, 2019 rustlernews.com
skating
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I had a really great time. I surprised myself by going out on the ice and getting away from the wall. It was my first time ever skating, and the skates I rented were a little too big and they scraped up against my ankles, but I didn’t get new ones because that’s a social interaction and I’m not for that. All together I had a fantastic time.
Raef Hamlin
Grace Carr from Grace and the others, but I managed to enter the ice cold prison (only after holding on to the doors for dear life and preventing people from leaving) and learned to just pull myself - do not move your feet, whatever you do, do not move your feet. It was going unexpectedly well until the inevitable happened: I lost control of the little movement occuring and started my descent to Elsa’s creation. I gave up for about two minutes considering I had no idea how to stand up on blades let alone blades on ice. My face of pure exhaustion and shame staring back at me through the glass as I tried to gather my thoughts. Meanwhile, there were toddlers skating in circles around us - and that is not just a figure of speech, actual circles if we got in their way. My mother was apparently a really good figure skater, but I guess that gene missed my DNA - maybe it went to my brother. I got around the rink once (I have no idea how others could go around twice or even leave the wall), but then decided that taking pictures might suit my skills better.
Holly Spragg At first, I was hesitant to go in the rink because I know myself that I was not in any way equipped with the essential skills to skate around (though, I would not say that outloud). However, only when I finally decided that I wanted to join in and have fun did I realize another talent: falling… with Grace, literally. To say that I am bad at ice skating is bad enough, but asking a 5-year old girl to teach me how to skate is worse. See, I was told to keep my body straight at all times to keep my balance, but honestly, how can someone defy gravity? Clearly, whoever invented ice skating did not understand physics. In the end, it was a day full of cursing, falling to the ground, and kissing the ice. The only thing that made up for the embarrassment and the awful pictures was my determination. Seeing little children younger than me show off on the ice fueled my competitiveness. I wanted to get better at it, so I am going to try it a couple more times until I go to the Olympics.
Gloria Baldevia
I arrived at my destination with McDonald’s just in case I got hungry. I put my jacket on, rented my skates, and was ready to glide across the ice. It was a little rough at first, but got much better and I was able to skate without holding on to the wall. I had a few breaks and ate, and my ankles hurt at times, but it was fun. Except for when the speedy children continued to pass me even though I could probably step on them. The best part was when others fell down; it made me laugh a lot.
Amya Terry
You forget how hard it is to balance on two blades until you actually have to do it. After a while, I finally got the hang of ice skating again, but the beginning was a little bit rough. I used to take lessons when I was younger and I wasn’t any good then, and I’m still not. I was glad that there were no Tonya Hardings in the rink causing me to really be Nancy Kerrigan. My knees are already messed up and I would not need more pain that is unnecessary. It was nice to try out skating again, but it still isn’t my favorite thing ever. It was fun to be around entertaining people, doing something mildly terrifying.
Kerrigan Edwards
December 19, 2019 24 rustlernews.com
Christmas Stroll 2019
Tis’ the
Season
Every year during the season of giving the Great Falls Community gets together downtown and puts together a grand Christmas Stroll. The stroll features free hot cocoa, the polar plunge, musicians, beautiful decorations for sight seeing, and you cannot forget about the massive, colorful Christmas tree in front of the Civic Center.
“I was so happy to be able to go to
the Christmas Stroll with my closest friends and being able to create amazing memories.”
Malena Houle sophomore
Malena Houle At this time of year what is your favorite family tradition and why? “I believe that my favorite family traditons would be having the family get together. This is my favorite time of year because you can create amazing memories with the people you love and it’s not just like any other holiday. It’s the holiday of giving!”
Kellan Dotseth
“My favorite traditions is that we go to my grandma’s on Christmas Eve and do gifts and go have dinner with my extended family. This is my favorite because being around family and getting to see what everyone got for Christmas is very special.”
“One of my favorite family traditions is that we celebrate Christmas Eve by gathering the family and friends for games and food. This is my favorite because it gets the family together, and I feel it brings us together more.”
Haley Tompers
Madalie Kershner
“My favorite activity is decorating the tree with my family. I believe doing this brought us closer together, and after we finish decorating the tree we sit down and watch movies together as a family. I love this tradition because it gives us a chance
to become closer.”
Rafe Premo
Gage Woods sophomore
