S The Stampede
C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT April 28, 2016 Vol. 51 Issue 7 www.rustlernews.com
“Well the biggest reason [we should care] is because you don’t want to starve to death.” Pages 12-13
An open forum for student expression
Batman vs. Superman -- The two heroes battle it out at the theater
page 19
S The Stampede
C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT April 28, 2016 Vol. 51 Issue 7 www.rustlernews.com
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.
2015-2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief
Carli Dieruf
Features Editor
Christina Brennan
Online Editor
Entertainment Editor
Isaiah Vang
Clara McClain
News Editor
Sports Editor
Tamara Miller
Mackenzie George
Opinion Editor
Advertising Manager
JJ Mitchell
Emily Cappis
Staff members
Christy Armstrong Andrew Aron Sophie Aron Josh Botti-Anderson Mary Brown Julia Gremaux Allison Hanson Ian Kaiser Katelyn Morley Quincy Schmechel
Adviser
Beth Britton Principal
Kerry Parsons
The softball team played against Bozeman at the Great Falls sports complex on April 16. Photos by Jozette Wells.
Contents
Cover photo by Tamara Miller
2 - Table of Contents, Carli’s column NEWS 3 - Tamara’s column, GFEA, In the news 4 - React ad 5 - District music festival 6 - FFA awards 7 - Christy’s Boutique OPINION 8 - JJ’s column, editorial, art assembly opinion 9 - Republican candidates, student voices 10 - Abortion, feminism FEATURES 11 - Christina’s column, UM day 12-13 - Saving the bees 14 - Friends, writer profile 15 - Faces in the crowd ENTERTAINMENT 16 - Clara’s column, The Jungle Book, Books 17 - Native American pride 18 - Blue Man Group, reading 19 - Superheroes SPORTS 20 - Mackenzie’s column, Softball 21 - Tennis, JV Track 22- Statistics, the Smoker 23 - Baseball, Pole Vault 24 - High School House
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arli Dieruf
Editor-in-Chief
Lonely is the perfect word to describe how I feel whenever I’m not surrounded by people. I realized this month that I lost my sense of myself as a separate person. The thought of being alone leaves a gut wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel the constant need to be with someone at all times, whether that be Austin, my boyfriend, Anelise, my best friend, or even members of my family. I just can’t stand sitting alone because that’s when I start to think. I’ve been left alone recently and I tried to distract myself by staying busy, but I found out that doing that only generates my anxiety and leaves me on an endless hunt to find ways to fill the empty hours of the day. Anxiety is the last thing that I need right now. I’m constantly fighting to fit into the definition of “the perfect person,” but it only leaves me shaking, sick to my stomach every night as I scroll through pictures and statuses of people on Facebook that I wish I could be. I’ll go to the same three or four girls’ profiles and realize that I’m nothing like them, cry at the fact that anyone would drop me if they
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
walked in. It’s the fear of being left that leaves me thinking these people are better than me. People say “you’re better than them,” and “I wouldn’t take a second look at them,” and things like that. I nod, smile and say thank you. But then I’m back to their pictures another night as I’m wiping endless tears off my cheeks. This is what it is like to have a fear of being alone -- monophobia. Everyone threatens you, no matter how many times someone will tell you and prove to you that nothing will happen. They say something simple and nice, but your brain translates it to something that it’s not and suddenly you’re overthinking. I’ll cry in front of someone because I took what they said the wrong way, and then I realize the transition in their face as they become angry, and right there is the point where my anxiety and depression get the best of me, and I’m laying on the floor, slamming my fists on the ground wondering where I went wrong. What does monophobia feel like? Imagine that your body is paralyzed. You lay there and see someone you love, and they begin talking to you. They start to say that you don’t love them. They keep listing off the the ways that you’ve gone wrong. They’re screaming at you about all of the things that you have messed up on and how you have negatively affected their life, but you can’t do or say anything, so all you do is think about how and when they’re going to leave you. That is exactly what it feels like, every single day. 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.
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April 28, 2016 rustlernews.com
NEWS
amara Miller
News Editor
As we approach the end of the year, I look back at the past and think to myself, “Wow, a lot sure has changed.” From getting my driver’s license my freshman year to enlisting into the military my senior year, a lot has changed, a lot of lessons have been learned but the memories to look back on are legendary. Some of my weirdest throwbacks are meeting the Stampede’s EIC, Carli Dieruf, during seventh grade and naming each other ‘cheesefrii’ because we both had an obsession with cheese fries. Everyone thought we were crazy, but we thought it was cool. Within our small middle school group we had multiple nicknames for each other, and honest to God, I’m glad we grew out of that phase. Looking back to sixth grade, every weekend my friends and I were at the skating rink -thinking we were the coolest kids ever, staying until midnight, knowing all the songs and thinking we ruled the place. That changed as soon as we hit high school and saw middle school students doing the same thing and realizing, wow we look dumb. [insert laughing crying emoji]. As I got older the memories got funnier, and lessons were starting to be learned. I had this rebel streak when I first got my car and thought I could go anywhere, whenever I wanted disregarding my father’s rules. That took a turn FAST. One summer night a car full of friends and I thought it would be a smart idea to drive my old ‘86 Honda Accord to the Sluice Boxes just outside of Belt. About a third of the way there, I got a flat tire. We changed the flat to a donut which was old, and looked rusted and we didn’t think anything about it. We got the the Sluice boxes and had our fun, and as it started to get dark we decided to head home. We were about 10 miles away from town and we smelled something burning and pulled over. My donut was flat, and the rim was rubbing on the ground. Our parents had no idea we left town so we discussed calling a tow truck but we had no money. So we had to suck it up and call out parents. They weren’t too happy, and we did get punished. Lesson learned? When your dad says don’t drive the old car out of town, DON’T DO IT. There were always a few incidents where I tested my parents and their rules. That slowly died down as I got older and started to realize maybe my parents are actually right. The more I didn’t test their knowledge the more trust I’ve gotten back. However, I do live under their roof still and they are my parents so every once in awhile I do still try to test them. It’s what what we kids do. All these years and all these memories I’m very fortunate for. Without them I wouldn’t be who I am today. They shaped me into a better person, a person who is now enlisted in the Air Force, and a person who can admit she learned from her bad mistakes.
Science teacher Shelli LavinderSchwalk elected president of GFEA by Jaylynn Mitchell, opinion editor Walking into room 328, it took me back to when I was in chemistry my junior year, learning formulas and memorizing charts. Shelli LavinderSchwalk has made an impact on CMR and now she will make an impact on the district. She was recently elected President of the Great Falls Education Association, or GFEA. When she found out that she had been elected president of the teachers’ union, she said she had mixed emotions about leaving her home on the third floor. “I remind myself regularly that I can impact more students in the president position than I can here in the classroom,” she said. She was approached last spring and asked if she would consider running for the position. “It actually took me until December of this year, so it was a solid six months and there were several factors. CMR has been my home for 21 years, and the thought of leaving home is difficult,” she said. “It’s hard to do that, and the relationships that I build with my students wasn’t something that I wanted to give away or to lose.” Lavinder-Schwalk has goals that she wants to accomplish while she is in the GFEA position. “I felt like I needed to know more about the president position and to make sure that if I were elected to do that, that I felt that I was competent enough that I knew enough that I could to do that well because I would be representing over 700 teachers,” she said. “So I asked to be added to every committee that we have.” She talks about what the position stands for and how she wants to be there for the teachers of the district, since she knows what it is like being in their shoes. “It’s a position that really looks at making sure our contracts, guidelines the things that are stated in our contracts are followed,” she said. She wants to help everyone that she can when she is in the position. “Being an advocate for teachers. One of the things I want to do more of is providing additional training and opportunities for teachers so that they can do better at what they do and
finding people that are experts in different areas that can help and do presentations,” she said. Being in the classroom environment for 21 years, LavenderSchwalk says that it will be different being outside of an area that she is comfortable with. “My job is to do the best I can to help kids, I’ll just be doing it differently. So I remind myself on a regular basis you’re heloing more kids. I will be helping more students than I would just being here and I plan on being in all 20 of our buildings on a regular basis,” Lavinder-Schwalk said. “I want to promote teachers in the community, and I don’t think our community understands how hard our teachers work and how late they work and the weekends they work.” Lavender-Schwalk said she wants the community to see how much hard work the teachers around the district put into their students and workload. “I want the word out there and to start promoting the positive of our staff that is really a goal that I have in this president position beyond the workload and that is a personal goal that I have just to really spotlight the amazing staff we have in the district,” Lavinder-Schwalk said. She said there will be one thing that she My job is to do the will miss the most best I can to help kids. when she leaves: the people. I’ll just be doing it “I can be here, but differently. So I remind the relationships that myself on a regular basis you build with staff you’re helping more kids. and students. When you’re in and out Shelli Lavinder-Schwalk of 20 buildings the relationships won’t be as strong, and I’ll miss that,” she said. She said she is honored to have the union members choose her to become their leader, and she is ready for the position. “It is a huge responsibility, so I am honored that they have faith and trust in me that I can go in there and do what needs to be done to maintain the quality of our system and make necessary changes. I’ll miss home, but I guess I can now call the whole district my home.”
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IN THE NEWS 2016 Candidates
by Katelyn Morley, staff writer As the race for President continues the candidates make their way through the country. Each side, Democrat or Republican, has to win over the delegates in the states they are in. Each candidate needs a specific number of delegates to receive the nomination of their party at the convention. A Republican candidate must win 1,237 delegates to receive the nomination, whereas a Democratic candidate needs 2,383 delegates to get that party’s nomination. As of April 19, former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton had won 1,930 delegates, while Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont had won 1,189 delegates. It is a close race between the two major candidates for the Democratic party. On the Republican side, Donald Trump had won 845 delegates, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has 559 delegates, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich has 148. As the parties continue to try to win over delegates the question as to who will get the nomination remains up in the air. The Republican party has multiple people running, which could cause none of the candidates
to gain the required delegates leading to a contested convention. A contested convention has usually been on rare occasions in this country’s history. Normally a candidate wins enough delegates to gain the nomination. However, with a contested convention none of the candidates have won over enough delegates. If there is no winner of the majority the candidates have to win over the delegates that are at the convention until they get the majority. As we get closer to the end of the primary caucasus it will be easier to tell if there will be a contested convention for the Republican party. That could lead to a more interesting 2016 presidential election. Sources: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/ democratic_delegate_count.html http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/republican_ delegate_count.html http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/contested-republican-nationalconvention-work/story?id=37003821 http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/contestedconvention-almost-everything-you-need-know-n478736
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News
April 28, 2016
April 28, 2016
r c i t s t Mus i D ic
News
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Festival
Annual MHSA Festival allows students to showcase their talents
Bayley Ginnaty with her viola on April 25. Photo by Clara McClain.
by Clara McClain, entertainment editor Freshman Bayley Ginnaty decided to take on District Music Festival on April 8. She plays the viola and participated in a myriad of events, including a viola quintet and a chamber quartet. “It’s really an amazing opportunity to connect with people who are my age and enjoy the same thing as much as I do,” Ginnaty said. As wonderful as the experience is, there are still some aspects of the event that students are unhappy with. “I participated in a viola quintet that scored a one, but was not able to move forward because our group contained someone who was homeschooled. I think it would be awesome if we allowed them in for the experience and the friendships that are between those who are homeschooled and those who aren’t,” she said. Working with a musician who isn’t your orchestra conductor or private lesson teacher tends to show what aspects of your music on which you need to focus. “It’s an awesome experience working with someone [who] is so far advanced in this field. It really is a great way to learn and absorb as much as possible,” Ginnaty said. Orchestra teacher Steve Olson also thinks that District Festival is a great thing for students to participate in. “I think it’s just great for kids to be able to play and get feedback from somebody else. And prepare for something that is a little bit more formal, albeit in a classroom setting with clunky pianos,” he said.
As a teacher he has a different perspective than student participants. “For large groups, the biggest thing, from a teacher perspective, is to get some additional feedback from other people,” Olson said. “I think it’s also nice for the kids to do the large group festival because it’s something a little bit higher up than a concert, so it is that next bar up.” The only thing he would change about District is the amount of students who perform solos and ensembles outside the large group. “We don’t have enough kids. We always want to have more people to play and be involved. It’s not really a problem because District Festival runs pretty smoothly. Overall, it’s just a fun experience,” he said. Also, transportation tends to be an issue on large group day because the music groups do not perform at CMR. “I know it can be a problem for CMR kids at least when it comes to the large group day with the people being bussed to Great Falls High to perform since we don’t perform at home or the people after school trying to find a ride to get there and having conflicts with other things. That is a problem, but we always work around it.” Participating in District Music Festival is important for all the Montana schools that participate, Olson said, mainly because it gives students an opportunity to perform in a way that they don’t get to do at their own schools.
Taking a stand with the trees by JJ Mitchell, opinion editor Located in the back of counseling center, Records Secretary Nancy Rafferty looks out at the three trees that overlook her office every day. With the possibility of those trees being removed to create additional classroom space, she said those trees have a special place in her heart. “Those trees are in memory of three classmates from the class of 1995, and they were killed in a car accident out on Fox Farm Road and they were planted by the class of 1995,” she said. The three CMR students, Michael Jo Johnson, Tiffany Humble and Ricky Pruneda were remembered by their classmates last year at the their 20-year reunion when the CMR alumni arranged to have plaques made for each tree. “Mr. Hogan made them for the trees to those three classmates along with the rest of their classmates who have passed away in the past 20 years, and so all of the trees have memorable markers on them,” Rafferty said. The plan for additional classroom space -- and the location of that space -- is included in the plans that the district has developed to improve schools across the city, and the topic of the trees came up at an April 6 staff meeting. Rafferty didn’t have a hard time expressing how she felt. “When Mr. Moore first brought it up he said ‘Are there any questions or comments?’ and my hand went up like it was on a spring and I asked him what about the trees and he was not aware they were memory trees which I
find interesting since they had supposedly done all this background work,” Rafferty said. “You would think that someone in a higher authority would figure out that the trees are not there just for decoration.” When she voiced her opinion to the other staff members, some of them were on her side on not moving the trees. “A few other teachers who voiced that these are memory trees and a few have said that they support the idea of that they need to build this and I am not objecting to build any classrooms, if they need the classrooms. I just think that there is a better place to put them, and this is not the place to put them,” Rafferty said. Rafferty, who lives across the street, said the trees have always been in her life. “I look at them 40 hours a week while I’m sitting here, but I see them from my house and so I would much rather look at nice trees,” she said. Rafferty said she would do anything in her power to keep the trees where they are. “I have a personal connection to the memory of these kids. They were in my daughter’s class and she went to grade school with one and took dance lessons with the other,” Rafferty said. “I said at the staff meeting ‘Well I guess if I have to I’ll chain myself to Ricky’s tree.’ I don’t think they need to build On April 19, Nancy Rafferty stands by the three trees that new classrooms out here.” overlook her office. Photo by JJ Mitchell.
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April 28, 2016
News
Meyers thrives at FFA, elected state treasurer by Quincy Schmechel April 6, 2016 marked an important and eventful day for Electric City FFA, or Future Farmers of America. Several members of the Electric City FFA team were awarded a prestigious award, the state FFA degree, for outstanding performance, servitude, and dedication. Many requirements must be met to receive this award, including the completion of 360 hours of FFA-related education courses, 300 hours of work or volunteering, at least $1000 earned or invested, and meeting certain knowledge and record requirements, which members must achieve through at least two years of FFA membership. The members who reached these high standards were senior Matt Ammons, senior Haley Darlington, early grad Katelyn Keplinger, junior Kaitlyn Koterba, senior Josh Meyer, senior Miranda Shular, and senior Chloe Williams. Not only were these awards given to these exceptional members of the Electric City FFA, but a special achievement was awarded to CMR senior Josh Meyer, who was elected 2016-17 State FFA Treasurer. Meyer joined FFA two years ago because of an interest in agriculture. He said he’s worked on a ranch his entire life, so it’s a tremendous part of his lifestyle and his future, too. He said he wanted to see how far
FFA could take him while he was getting an agricultural education. “There are so many opportunities in agriculture. The careers are just endless,” Meyer said. He said that in the future he’d like to pursue a degree in ranch and farm management, but that he plans to further pursue a career in FFA by taking it to the next level. Next year, Meyer would like to run for Montana delegate and then for a position as a national officer. The first step to this plan, of course, was becoming a state officer, which was a multi-step process that Meyer was beyond thrilled about. “A state office [position] is pretty great,” Meyer said. “It’s a huge commitment.” “The specific offices are pretty similar; we all do the same things behind the scenes. In front of everybody we [have] different roles that we’re assigned to. As treasurer I have the additional job of communicating with the Foundation, who are the [sponsors] behind the scenes [of FFA]. They’re the employees who really work to make sure that this is all possible. Without them, we wouldn’t [be able to do this]. It’s my job to attend all their meetings and and report back to the Association, which are the state officers,” Meyer explained. Meyer said the process of being elected included a series of applications, tests, essays,
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interviews, interviews, and waiting. 41 FFA applicants from across Montana applied for state office positions, including six applicants from the Electric City FFA chapter. The applications were turned in Feb. 12 and the interviewing and testing process began March 30. Interviews lasted for three days. “Unless we were competing, we were not allowed to leave the interview room [during the day]. On the Thursday of State convention we were in the room for nearly 14 hours, leaving only for 45 minutes to get lunch. It was actually pretty fun. It’s usually described as being stressful, but if you make it fun it’s [a blast]. I brought Monopoly and Uno, so we could all have something fun to do,” Meyer said. He said that despite having had three days and five interviews of sitting in a room, he was among friends. It wasn’t as stressful as he expected, and he felt confident about the testing and interviewing process. “I felt pretty confident about my performance. It felt like I could have said more [and elaborated on my answers], but they limit the interviewing time [due to the numerous candidates]. I was pretty on the fence,” he said. “I felt like I had a shot at getting state office, but I also knew I might not.” Meyer said that the hardest part of holding a state office position wasn’t all the
responsibilities; it was that he was competing among friends who had tried for the same positions and not been elected. “It’s tough,” Meyer said. “Not only for the people who don’t get [the position], but also for the people who do. Those are our friends, and we’ve been together in FFA for forever, so it’s tough because we’re going to be moving onto our next step and they won’t be on that journey with us.” Meyer said that throughout the journey, there was one remarkable person who helped him throughout everything and whom he’d like to especially thank. “I want to say thank you to Mrs. Koterba for all of the support throughout all of my years in FFA. Without [her], I never would have been able to be [a part] of this journey that I’m on.” Meyer said that he is eager to continue in the organization and exhibit the strengths he will bring as a state officer in the future. “I try to always keep the room comfortable,” Meyer said. “I try to keep people involved and [be social]. I talk to all the members and communicate with people. It’s all about [presenting yourself] well. I try to make people feel like they belong; it’s important to me that everyone is comfortable and confident. It makes me feel good.”
7 News
April 28, 2016
Christy’s volunteers get together for events around Great Falls dressed as characters. Photo’s courtesey of Christy Blee.
CMR students help local business bring smiles to faces of children by Carli Dieruf, Editor in Chief When it comes to having fun and celebrating birthdays and other special events, there is one Great Falls business that is poised to help. Thanks to Christy’s Boutique, people of all ages dress up as princes, princesses and television and movie characters to make children’s dreams come true at charity events, birthdays and many other occasions. Christy Blee, junior Will Blee’s mother, owns the shop on the corner of 9th Street South and 7th Avenue South. The decorated windows are filled with costumes for volunteers. When customers enter the shop, they are welcomed by brightly colored walls and hanging baskets that are filled with bows and various jewelry handcrafted by Blee herself. Blee opened shop in 2012 and said she was thrilled to get started right away. She began doing character rentals in 2013. Her Facebook friends post things about her shop on local garage sale sites, advertising for upcoming events, saying that she has left a large impact on many people’s lives because of all of the things she has done for the community. It is no question that she is busy when looking at her Facebook page, which is filled with 5-star reviews and
Is this a choice?
dozens of thank you’s from parents and friends after each event. Sophomore Lexi Boller is heavily involved in Christy’s Boutique. She said she enjoys volunteering her time as different characters and appearing at birthday parties and events. She says it’s all about the kids. “It’s really an amazing program, and it’s all out of the kindness of Christy’s heart and her love for the community,” Boller said. “It really gives me a great feeling when I walk into a birthday party or just a large event and the little kids run up to you in awe, thinking you’re a real princess. It’s just amazing to watch the look on their faces when they think the actual characters are right there in front of them.” One recent event that Blee hosted was the April 20 “Kolor Me Fun Run, which was put on by the Dandelion Foundation to raise awareness for abuse. The characters were there to cheer on and encourage those who were running. Boller and Will both said it was for a great cause, and they were happy to participate. Boller explained that it isn’t an opportunity that many people get, and Will agrees. “It was overall just fun and exciting. It’s all worth it when you see their faces,” he said.
www.nrlc.org
For those interested in volunteering or planning an event, Blee can be reached on Facebook via Christy’s Boutique Character Rentals.
Fascinating story about life before birth
Conception
All of the genetic information necessary to build our body and brain is present at this moment
First Month
Or a child?
Blee hosts many non-profit events and says she really appreciates the joy that she can see among those who come to her events, whether that be the volunteers or the people who are coming to enjoy the party. “All that matters is the good quality time,” Blee said. “It’s all about playing, socializing, meeting your favorite characters, taking pictures and winning prizes. I do these events to better our community and give our little ones something to look forward to. Those smiles are just so contagious.” Boller agrees. “It’s an amazing thing to do, and I never want to say no to an opportunity to volunteer at a party,” Boller said. “When you see the smiling faces of all the kids at the parties and the happy parents, you know exactly why Christy started this business.”
The heart began beating at 18 days and has set the rhythm of life for this preborn baby
Six Weeks
Three Months
Baby has all the internal organs of an adult in various stages of developement
Baby can make a tiny fist, get hiccups, and wake and fall asleep.
Two Months
Four Months
The skeleton begins to change from the cartilage to real bone.
Now external events-especially touch and noises-will reach the baby and provoke reaction
Great Falls Right To Life 500 Montana Ave. NW Great Falls, MT 59404
Five Months
Baby can make an impressively hard fist, and can punch and kick. Mother can feel kicks and punches.
Seven Months
Baby experiences the four senses of vision, hearing, taste and touch.
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April 28, 2016 rustlernews.com
OPINION
Jaylynn Mitchell
Opinion Editor
When the Native American Young Conference started April 20, I was really nervous. When registration started, 14 schools showed up. More than 300 students attended, got their bags and went to take their seats in the Paris Gibson Education Center cafeteria. InterTRIBAL Strong gathered before we went in to start the three-day conference. Our first keynote speaker, LeAnn Montes. She is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. She talked about how she got pregnant at 16 and she thought that her world was over, but then she got scouted to play on the Montana Lady Griz basketball team. She balanced basketball, having a baby and her school work. Which we all found amazing, half of us can barely manage school and maybe a job, I couldn’t imagine having a child on top of all of it. She continued her education at the University of New Mexico School of Law and earned her law degree. After lunch we headed to CMR to play 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and 19 teams participated. Which was a huge turnout for us. And score keeping was not the highlight of my day. The second day started with a prayer and keynote speaker, a graduate from CMR, Jordann Lankford. And if you know her personally, you know that she cries when she talks in front of a big group. We all told her try your best not to cry before she went on the stage. She graduated from the University of Montana in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in education and a minor in Native American studies. She is currently serving Montana students as a member of Graduation Matters Montana at Montana Office of Public Instruction. We then did an activity held in the gym. We had piece of paper that had two questions on it. What would you like to see changed in your communities? and How can you start? A lot of schools put drugs and alcohol down and how they want it to change by starting a youth group. This activity opened my eyes because I never lived on a reservation, I’ve always lived here. And to see freshmen from seniors experiencing these problems everyday it made me want to help them in any way I could. That night we had a dinner and dance at the Meadow Lark Country Club. Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau talked to us about how she liked to see a group of young Native Americans all together and sharing ideas to make their communities better. The keynote speaker for that evening was Cinnamon Spear. She grew up on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. She talked about her struggles as a young teen and also as a young adult. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2013. Day three, Governor Steve Bullock came and talked to us and we took a group photo with him. The keynote speaker for that day was, Kenny Dobbs a basketball player from Phoenix, Arizona and who performed for us later that day. Overall, the conference was a fun experience and I met people from all over Montana. I’m glad to be a part of InterTRIBAL Strong and I hope to help out next year anyway I can.
Does CMR need another gym? Great Falls Public Schools has introduced a size of the orchestras. Groups such as speech comprehensive Facility Action Plan, and if voters and debate and the art department approve the $98 million bond, schools across the district struggle to secure funding to stay will receive some much-needed improvements. afloat. A little over $11 million of that amount will be We’re not saying that a new gym dedicated to upgrading CMR’s Infrastructure, including will never be a good choice, but as of the construction of a multipurpose space adjacent to the right now we are not convinced that it fieldhouse, upgrading the track and Pride Field, and is the most sensible choice. adding STEM classroom space in the industrial tech area. Windows and the fire alarm system also would be upgraded. Perhaps the biggest change that CMR students would see is the addition of the multipurpose space that would be used for additional gym classes, practices, storage and classrooms. We at the Stampede are not sure that at this point building another gym would be the best use of the limited budget. We can definitely see why many people are supporting the plans to build a new gym. For instance, it is a pain to have to bus kids to different schools for after-school sports practices because of the lack of space at CMR. But maybe a new multi-million dollar building isn’t necessary at this time. There are many issues around the school that need attention, and our goal is to have the district make the wisest choices when it comes to offering some TLC to our aging building. Before breaking ground on the multiuse space, examine what other ways the money An overhead shot of the plan for the construction that will take place at could be used. For example, the orchestra room is inadequate for the CMR. Photo courtesy of the Great Falls Public School Facilty Action Plan.
Assemblies need to recognize more students
On Oct. 30, drama teacher Chris Evans pumps up the crowd during a pep assembly. Photos by Julia Gremaux.
by Julia Gremaux, staff writer With assemblies done for this school year, it is time to reflect on what they have given us. We have seen the pep bands play, choirs harmonize, athletes recognized, students tackle impossible obstacles, drama students perform skits, and much more school spirited leisures. But this is the time to think back to all the assemblies we have spent our freely given school time to watch. Throughout all the assemblies have there been any mentions of Art? Art shows? Speech and Debate? World language? Journalism? Any of those? Don’t get me wrong. This year’s pep assemblies were fantastic and filled with great school spirit, but they lack the “fine arts” part of our school. Emphasis on the “art” part in that phrase. Wouldn’t it be interesting to watch someone speak a different language for just two minutes, or see a walking art show showing the creativity in our school’s art department? Watch a live debate as if the entire gym stadium was the jury? I enjoy seeing new people in the spotlight during school activities,
because you can see the joy in their face of being discovered in the midst of CMR’s many many students. Our school should be considered one big family; we all have our differences that make us unique. We should celebrate these differences and show how diverse our school really is. One of my good friends is on the Speech and Debate team and in my opinion is really good at what she does. I feel she could convince me of anything with just one of her speeches, because she puts so much effort in training for these competitions. Like her, a huge majority of students at CMR work hard at what they are passionate about. Similar to athletes, they spend much of their free time practicing and pushing themselves to do their best. So why don’t they get the credibility in assemblies as sports do? We are overlooking a big portion of people in our school assemblies. I just feel that with credit given to these creative students of CMR, they can thrive and be proud of what they have accomplished.
April 28, 2016
STUDENT
VOICE
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“What do you think school funding should be used for?”
amanda blair , Senior I think that the performing arts programs, specifically musical programs, should get more funding. Our music programs rely heavily on student fundraising for funds, and in order to barely cover the costs students have to raise a lot of money, which can be difficult. A little extra money could go a long way in the music department and could help pay for uniforms, instruments, the tours and trips that the top groups go on, and other things that can improve the programs.
alexis good, junior I think more school funding should go to speech and debate. I’m an officer on the speech and debate team, and we struggle for funding for transportation, hotel stays, food, and paying for our coaches. At competitions we see that almost every other cities’ teams have large memberships, many more resources, and substantially more funding than the Great Falls teams. The skills learned in Speech and Debate are useful and lifelong skills.
Opinion
REPUBLICAN FACEOFF Funseth said.
by Mackenzie George, sports editor The majority of the attention stemming from the Republican party this election is focused on the orange man with the meme-worthy hair. These past months have seen several presidential hopefuls -- most recently surgeon Ben Carson and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio -- withdraw from the race. Now there are just three Republican candidates remaining, with the winner facing off against either former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Donald Trump has won several states thus far, including Florida, Arizona, and Virginia. Trump needs to secure 1,199 delegates to gain the nomination; otherwise, the nominee will be selected at the Republican National Convention in July. Trump’s remaining competition for the nomination includes Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and John Kasich, the governor of Ohio. Cruz has held onto second place in the Republican race for months; Kasich is a distant third. What may be Kasich’s only shot is if the nomination goes to convention. Kasich does have some support at CMR, though. Junior Trevor Funseth said he’d definitely cast his vote for the Pennsylvania-born candidate. “He is by far the most qualified,” Funseth explained of the governor who was first elected in 2010. “He turned deficit into surplus both as governor of Ohio and chairman of the House of Budget Committee.” Thinking strategically, Funseth added that Kasich is the only Republican projected to beat Hillary Clinton, the Democrat frontrunner, for office. Funseth also said that Kasich “believes in a small government that creates opportunity rather than gives handouts.” “The government should spur the economy and job opportunity, but if you continue to make the taxpayers give handouts, then more and more people lose their drive to work hard because the government will cover it for them,”
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Meanwhile, the Republican frontrunner is still collecting supporters. Junior Dalton Sand is a Trump fan because of his success in the business world. “I think he can get this country out of debt because all he knows is money,” Sand said. Trump’s lack of political experience doesn’t faze Sand. “Trump has good and bad policies that he wants to do when he’s in office just like every other politician,” Sand explained. “So I think he’ll do just as [well] as any other politician.” Sophomore Gavin Will, on the other hand, believes Cruz and Kasich would fare better in office because of their political backgrounds. “[Cruz] and Kasich are really close when it comes to qualifications,” Will said. For Will, what sets Cruz apart from Kasich is his dedication to upholding the Constitution. Will emphasized Cruz’s work as a Texas senator. “Everything he promised to the state of Texas, he did: he opposed Obamacare, he upheld second amendment rights, and he really is a true constitutional conservative, which is the most important aspect of it for me,” he said. “Being committed to defending the Constitution is something that has me supporting him.” Funseth has kept track of the United State’s debt and knows that while he might not be able to vote in the presidential race, the next leader of the United States is guaranteed to have an impact on every student’s life. That’s part of the reason he’s supporting Kasich, he said. “Even with ridiculously high taxation, our government still spends way too much money and that’s why we have $19 trillion in debt. I don’t understand how some people in this country can look at that and think we need more spending and more taxes. Kasich has worked all his life to get it under control,” Funseth explained.
STUDENTS SOUND OFF
Alex finch, sophomore I think that school funding should go towards keeping teachers’ jobs. Most kids don’t know or don’t care, but the school district is actually struggling to keep some teachers employed. Paying our teachers’ salary may not be as exciting as getting new football equipment or offering more classes, but if we have to fire teachers to do it, then is it really worth it? Our teachers are the people who care about us and help us become better people every day, so let’s give back a little.
hannah Brennan, freshman School funding is always a problem because everyone wants the money. I went to both an arts elementary and middle school when I lived in South Carolina. So I think that half the money should go to the arts, but I also love athletics so the rest of the money should go to the sports programs.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, with his daughter Ivanka, left, speaks during a primary watch party at the Spartanburg Marriott on Feb. 20 in Spartanburg, S.C. Olivier Douliery/MCT.
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He wants to be more offensive towards terrorism rather than watch it happen. We could put an end to it. I think that Muslims should have a stricter background check before entering different countries. If they are here for good let them in, but you can’t really tell if they’re here for good or bad, so I say keep them out.
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Dalton Sand
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at the Colorado State Republican Assembly at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., on April 9. Stacie Scott/MCT.
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Ted Cruz is really the only candidate -- or one of the few candidates -- that has a strong background on defending the Constitution and upholding the Constitution while he was in office as senator in Texas.
Gavin Will
Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is introduced by Connecticut State Sen. Tony Hwang at Sacred Heart University on April 8 in Fairfield, Conn., at a town hall forum. Patrick Raycraft/MCT.
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In his home state he has a record of spurring job growth, reforming criminal justice, and improving education standards. I support his plan for lower federal spending and lower taxation.
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Trevor Funseth
Opinion
April 28, 2016
Feminism -- Rapidly becoming the “in-thing”
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For feminism to leave an impact, we have to stop teaching theory by Carli Dieruf, editor in chief Today, basic women’s rights are part of many debates. This has started because suddenly being proud of your body and wanting to be equal to a man, you are considered a feminist. The word feminist is now considered a dirty word by many people. They hear the word feminist or feminism and they back away instantly. This generation has made being a feminist a bad thing, because some people have taken it too far. Many people don’t know what a feminist really is. This generation has created an alter ego and have named it “femi-nazi,” meaning feminists are crazy women who run around burning their bras and refusing to take part in women activities and instead will only do things that are seen as “manly.” The actual definition of a feminist: “Believing women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” Every woman should believe in feminism because it means one believes that men and women are equal. It’s OK to be considered a feminist. Although there is a big difference between that and being crazy. People take it way too far. You can have your beliefs and still not make other people’s lives miserable while practicing your rights as a woman. Some women still find it necessary to cut men down because they think they are not treated equal. For me, drawing the line on this topic is difficult. I’ve never really thought of myself as a feminist. To any extent. I grew up looking at the women standing outside of Planned Parenthood every day on my way to school. My parents would make me close my eyes and I’d peek through the cracks of my fingers and read their posterboards. Not all of them were about abortion. Some of the signs were labeled with words about how women are better then men, that women are the majority of the world, and how women should work and men should stay home. I hated seeing those signs. I’ve always thought that the women should stay at home a majority of the time, should cook for the family and be the main caregiver of the
children. Women are naturally more nurturing. It’s a natural-born talent for the woman to take care of the children. They are the ones who birth them, so we are made to care for them as well, in my eyes. I have sat in on feminist groups, listened to conversations about their views on women’s rights, but I usually end up raising my brow to some of the remarks that are made. “I can do all the same work that any man can do,” is what a lot of it comes down to. But why? Men are natural born leaders and workers. They are supposed to care for their wives and children by doing the work and coming home to care for the family at the end of the day. I’ve found myself in a sticky place. When I tell people that I’m not a feminist I get a lot of nasty looks. People usually say “So you don’t care about our rights?” But I do. I also don’t think they are being taken away. I think we have all the rights that we should have. And I think a lot of women just want something to fight about. We are raised on stories and things that explain how men are the leaders of the home and women are the lovers. We learn about Native American culture and old times where that is what happened. The men went out to work and the women stayed at home and cared for the kids. That is what we are taught. Schools teach this to children at a young age and say nothing about that aspect. They don’t explain whether that is right or wrong, so a lot of people grow up thinking that is OK. We teach these theories that we are later supposed to be against? Part of me wants to be a feminist because I feel like less of a woman when I say that I’m not. People think it’s scary when I say that. They think I want to go back to the 1920’s when we didn’t have any rights, but that’s not the case. Women are treated fairly in my eyes. We do what men do. We work the same jobs, drive the same vehicles, get the same voting sheets, fight in the same wars. There really isn’t anything that a man can do that a woman cannot. So why are we constantly fighting?
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by Tamara Miller, news editor On April 1, I broke out of my bubble in Ed McNamee’s senior government class, due to the topic of abortion. Headlines during that week were, as usual, focused on Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump and his views -- this time on abortion. In an article in the April 15 issue of “The Week”, Trump had an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. Trump said, “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who terminate their pregnancies. He then quickly released another statement on the subject, but he had already offended people on both sides of the issue. In WashingtonPost.com, Ruth Marcus said, “It may have been an accident, but Trump has laid bare the GOP’s gross, “intellectual dishonestly on this most incendiary of issues.” If a woman killed an unwanted child after he or she was born, “no prosecutor would fail to bring charges,” So if a 6-week-old fetus is morally the same as a child, “why not charge the mother?” The article states that, in the past five months, three women in the United States have been sentenced to death or long prison terms for hiring hitmen to kill their
children. With that being stated, that has nothing to do with abortion. That’s the mother’s mental condition and is an entirely different subject. My opinion on this subject is that Trump is an uninformed businessman. At the beginning of this campaign I didn’t really care who the two final candidates were; it’s just been a whole “little kid fight on the playground” kind of thing. I didn’t care. I’m not into politics at all so I just went with the flow and listened to the jibberish and didn’t care. However, when I heard that Trump wanted to punish women who get abortions I went through the roof. I’m pro-choice to a certain extent. For example, if a woman is raped and becomes pregnant she might not want to keep the baby. She should have the right to seek an abortion. A woman who is raped is already punished. The debate in McNamee’s class got heated, a pro-choice and a pro-life student going head to head trying to prove each other wrong. Both sides have their beliefs and both sides have their points, so overall there may or may not be a true answer. However, I have my foot firmly planted on where I stand with this subject.
Features April 28, 2016 11
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April 28, 2016 FEATURES
rustlernews.com
Christina Brennan
Features Editor
Dear Christina, Tomorrow you start your first day of high school. You don’t know it yet, but things are going to change so much within the next couple of days. Right now you’re probably watching a movie with Kota and Kyann, at the park meeting Kota’s boyfriend for the first time and threatening him, or talking to Candra on the phone about how scared you both are for the next chapter you two are about to start. Whatever it is you’re doing right now, I just want you to know that everything will be OK. People will tell you these are the best four years of your life, but I’m letting you know right now they are not. You will be depressed, have anxiety attacks in class, get your heart broken, and be stabbed in the back. You will feel like there is no point to anything and you will want to be done with everything. But everything that will happen is going to make you stronger and help you grow into a beautiful, confident person. Don’t take your friends for granted, even when you think you’re too cool for your middle school friends they are the only ones who know you. Don’t trust people who take your time for granted because they are not worth the trouble and the heartache. Just because someone is popular and pretty doesn’t make her nice. That girl will become rude, stab you in the back and leave you for people who are too obsessed with the TV show “Friends.” You don’t need that girl at all; just stick with the people who value you. There will be a boy who sits behind you in World History first period. You will think he is really annoying, but for some reason you will give him your number when he awkwardly asks for it. Go get coffee with him, just once, actually talk to him while he still lives in town because he will become your best friend when he moves away. Lord only knows why he will keep talking to you after how mean you are, but thank God he does because he will always be there for you. Take him to prom your sophomore year you’ll have a better time because with him. Speaking of prom, don’t get that dress from downtown. It’s awful and you know it. Just because it brings out your eyes doesn’t mean it looks good. These next 48 months will flip you upside down, beat you up, and leave you alone with nothing but Netflix and your cats to comfort you. But the moments of warmth and happiness make all the anxiety and heartbreak worth it. The friends you make will become near and dear to your heart, and by the time graduation comes around you’ll feel your heart breaking slightly. Stop saying how much you want to leave and forget everyone because this is the place you began to find yourself, and these are the people who help bring you up when you feel down. Keep your head up, take some deep breaths, rewatch “Black Swan,” and go to sleep. You’re going to need to be rested, you’ve got a big day tomorrow. Don’t worry, you’ll make it out alive. Love, Christina, a month before graduation.
Journalism day 2016
by Tamara Miller, news editor When Senior Christina Brennan heard about the journalism trip when she first started yearbook her sophomore year, she knew she wanted to attend. “Now that I’m actually in newspaper I was given the opportunity to [go to Journalism Day],” Brennan said. “The whole day was just fantastic, being at the school and getting to know it a little better was great because I’ll be going to UM next year and plan to major in journalism and media arts.” For the past three years the University of Montana School of Journalism has hosted Montana High School Journalism Day for high school students across the state. At the event schools compete in a series of contests that judge on various categories, including best photography, writing, yearbook and coverage. Two boys and 11 girls from the Stampede and Russellog traveled to the event with teachers Beth Britton and Brian Crosby. “This was my first year,” sophomore Sophie Aron said. “The best part of the journalism day was one of the photography-based workshops I went to. [The teacher] talked more about the impact photos can have on a person, which was really neat.” Aron shared the experience with her brother, Andrew, who also enjoyed the photography class. “The best part of the whole day was learning about historic photos,” Andrew
said. “It was interesting to see how we remember events through pictures more than anything else.” The Aron siblings, along with the 11 other students, learned new and fun aspects about journalism. While the day is geared toward newspaper students, there are always a few yearbook students who attend, and this year the Russellog staff won first place for AA yearbooks. This year the group had seven staff members from the yearbook, one of them senior Austin Haney. “The best part was just being in Missoula and getting to see what the J-school is all about,” Haney said. “It really is making me think about my plans at UM. I’m thinking about maybe getting a journalism minor now in addition to getting my teaching credentials.” The journalism school, also known as the ‘J-school,’ offers students many opportunities in broadcasting, photography, design and writing. The classes the students took had all that and more. Junior Emily Cappis took the design class, which she said improved her skills. “I think the best part about the day was the design class I went into,” Cappis said. “I really enjoyed doing something familiar with and getting the opportunity to get better with design.”
Brennan would love to be able to attend journalism day again if she could. “There is a lot of great information to learn while you’re there,” Brennan said. “If you just sit on your phone the whole day there really isn’t a point of you being there. Keep an open mind and absorb as much as you can.”
#MontanaJournalism
Students were able to take part in an Instagram photo contest carli_alwayswrite
terrynashley12
chris.tea.na Settling in before the day’s events, CMR sophomore Mackenzie George studies the Kaimin at the Montana Journalism day on April 14.
Senior Carli Dieruf cringes and weeps at the fact that there are still 4 months until she will be moving into her dorm to start her #journalism career at the University of Montana in August. She aspires to work as an investigative reporter.
bella_cagna_
Walking with a friend in the dark, is better than walking alone in the light.
jayjay_mitchell Great Falls CMR Stampede gathers outside of the UM campus to enjoy the weather before heading to the last class for the future UM journalism students.
I can’t wait to be living here next year and to be attending the amazing school.
14 Features
Senior
AND
April 28, 2016
freshmen s d n Frie
by Julia Gremaux, staff writer “They help me make Friends can come in all kinds of forms, because the decisions that relationships can form from the smallest of similarities. A are best for me bond can overcome many obstacles gender, race, religion, and push me to and even age. do my best. I have definitely Friends like senior Eme McLaughlin, freshmen Morgan tried harder in school and sports than I Murphy and freshman Brynn Klinefelter prove that age does have in the past,” Murphy said. not matter. They began their friendship on the soccer field at One problem may arise when having a friend that is a the beginning of this school year. senior -- graduation. “Soccer definitely brought us closer because that’s what These friends don’t have to worry about being separated, led us to be friends,” McLaughlin said. however, because McLaughlin is going to a college in Great In a way, being friends with someone that is Falls. older than you benefits you as a person. But for “I think we’re close enough as They help me make these three friends age benefits both sides. Their friends that we will maintain the same the decisions that are relationship. Plus I’m only gonna be about advice can help you through what you have not best for me and push had the time yet to learn yourself. two miles away from CMR… literally,” “I have told them what classes I loved and me to do my best. I McLaughlin said. which ones I didn’t so much, but the main thing Murphy said she hopes that their have definitely tried I think I’ve helped them with is soccer. Telling friendship will stay strong. them there will of course be highs and lows, but harder in school and “It makes me kind of nervous, but to work through it and show leadership because sports than I have in since she is staying in town I hope to see that will carry through in their everyday lives,” her a decent amount and maybe work on the past. McLaughlin said. “They bring out the best in Morgan Murphy some soccer with her,” Murphy said.. me and push me to do my best.” These three friends set aside the age It is their first year at CMR and on the soccer difference and bonded through the thing team, and Murphy and Klinefelter have a lot to learn about they love. how the school works and what will help them succeed “I don’t think it is any different from my end of it,” for these coming years. With friends like McLaughlin and McLaughlin said. “They are hilarious and kind hearted, and I Klinefelter, Murphy believes that the school year will end on love being around them. They’re my best friends.” a good note.
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On April 4, Eme McLaughlin, Morgan Murphy, and Brynn Klinefelter are joined by their friend senior Courtney Shovlin in their soccer gear. Earlier in the year on Jan. 13, the three friends pose the perfect picture moment. Photos courtesy of Morgan
Murphy, Eme McLaughlin, and Brynn Klinefelter.
Becoming a
WRITER
Dorie Cameron plans on making her writing career a success
by Allison Hanson, staff writer
While trying to piece together the puzzle for her future, junior Dorie Cameron decided to embark on her writing career. “A long time ago, I was bouncing around ideas on career day. I always loved reading, so I decided to pursue my dream of being a writer,” Cameron said. Anything can inspire people to write, but Cameron got her inspiration from a book called “School Story” by Andrew Clements. It is about a girl pursuing her writing dream. “I wanted to become a writer in sixth grade. My dream is to [eventually] be an author,” she said. After high school, Cameron plans to attend Brigham Young University. “I have a lot of books about writing. The most impactful thing I’ve read is, a story doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be written,” she said. Cameron has also been attending a program called Nanowrimo, which is National Writers Month. In this program, writers set a goal on how many words they can write in a month. “My goal is 25,000 words,” she said. “It [will be] a series of short stories about superheroes.” But her short stories won’t be anything like readers have seen or read about superheroes. It is going to be referring to the phrase, not all superheroes wear capes. “My main goal is to get published. I’ve read books about it. It’s a long editing process. [Also, being] rejected over and over, hoping one day you will actually be on the shelf,” she said. Cameron enjoys reading fantasy and science fiction books, which is where she is
planning to aim her writing. “You want them to have more of an imagination,” she said of readers. Although she wants to become a writer, there are some challenges. “[It’s] making myself sit down to do it. It’s hard to write down all your ideas,” she said. In every fiction book, she said you want the characters to surprise you. “They want to tell you what has happened in the story,” she said. Cameron says that most of the books she reads today are generic and boring. “I want to aim my writing towards teenagers and kids.”
Features 15
April 28, 2016
Faces in the Crowd
Training and taming wild winged beasts
Chase Bruggeman trains with his falcon. Photo courtesy of Chase Bruggeman.
by Joshua Botti-Anderson, staff writer Chase Bruggeman, a senior at CMR, has been training falcons for the better half of his life. “I’ve been doing it since I was 10 years old,” Bruggeman said. Training falcons is quite difficult, requiring advanced husbandry skills, as well as persistent care and attention, he said. “They’re very hard to train.” Why? The answer, according to Bruggeman, is quite straightforward. “They do not like to be trained. For one thing, they do not like to be around humans,” Bruggeman said. The only way to train these stubborn creatures, he said, is to entice them with the essential component that motivates every living creature: food. “Most of it comes from food,” he said. “The relationship isn’t built on trust at all - it’s built on feeding.” By motivating these predatory feathered creatures with food, falconers like Bruggeman are able to operantly train them.
Great Falls citizen welcomes poison dart frogs into home by Katelyn Morely, staff writer Breeding certain animals such as dogs and cats is pretty common, but senior Josh Botti-Anderson breeds something a little different. He has been breeding poison dart frogs for a year and a half. The original frogs that he got to start breeding were captively bred, Botti-Anderson said. “I’m into keeping reptiles and amphibians in captivity,” he said. Through breeding these frogs that have always been in captivity he feels that he is indirectly helping the wild population. If he were to release these frogs into the wild they could contribute to the spread of unfamiliar diseases in the wild population. When breeding these frogs he said he is able to recreate their natural habitat easily. In the breeding process the females lay clutches of about a dozen eggs on land then the male carries the tadpoles on their back until they develop,
Falconers oftentimes obtain their trainee by collecting them directly from their wild habitat. “I captured my first hawk, when I was 10. It was a redtail hawk,” Bruggeman said. However, creatures born in the wild have a tendency to stay more wild, and collecting them can turn out be relatively inefficient. Animals born and raised in captivity are easier to work with, he said. “It’s turned out to be more efficient to breed them and to buy them from breeders. They tend to be calmer and more gentle than wild caught ones,” he added. By hand-feeding, the trainer is able to establish a working relationship with the bird. “Everything is built on a certain schedule. You have to keep them at a certain weight. To train them with food, you obviously keep food in your hand, and then it’s their only option,” Bruggeman said. Training falcons is a great way to spend time in the outdoors, but has special requirements, like a license. “It’s a great sport if you’re in to nature and birds. It’s fun to watch, but you have to have a license to practice it.”
Botti-Anderson said. “They’re not poisonous in captivity,” he said. The poison comes from insects eaten in the wild that have toxins in them. In captivity, however Botti-Anderson feeds his frogs wingless fruit flies that were created for genetics testing. “I try to collect offspring [of the frogs],” Botti-Anderson said. He keeps all the frogs together because he said they’re very social. If he spots clutches of eggs he takes them into another tank sometimes. In captivity the breeding conditions are good so they breed fairly often. His plan is to sell the offspring possibly online due to the lack of local demand. He prefers not to sell the frogs to pet stores because they might not know how to take care of the animals, he said. On a typical day the poison dart frogs relax on the leaves “I like being able to watch their development.”
Junior Analise Carrol stands smiling in front of a rushing river. Photo courtesy of Analise Carrol.
in their tank. Photo courtesy of Josh Botti-Anderson.
Student takes a walk on the wild side by Ian Kaiser, staff writer Climbing up the side of hills barefoot to reach a cave full of bird poop doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. But to junior Anelise Carroll, this is just another get together with friends. Out on Bootlegger Trail, past some trailer houses and over a small hill, deep in the side of a hill lies a cave, one that Carroll and her friends frequently hike and explore around. “The funny thing about the cave, is that it’s for birds, and so there’s just bird poop everywhere,” she said. Carroll said the trips to the cave started out by accident. Carroll and her friend had been back roading when they discovered the cave, almost a year ago, and decided the climb would be easy. Since discovering it, she has taken groups of friends to explore it with, often racing to see
who can go the farthest the fastest. The cave itself definitely carries some odd finds. “There’s this huge stick that’s in this pile of mud, and you can kind of try to step down into it and as soon as you put your foot in it, the mud just goes through your toes,” Carroll said, laughing. Weather doesn’t stop Carroll and her friends, either. She said her group has been up to the cave in both rain and shine. She also said her reasons for going back vary, but the most prominent one is also the simplist. “I really love how there’s so much more to explore, like you look at this little section, in a day, and you climb up it and climb down, and the next day you might want to try another section, and I love how much fun it is. It’s clean, sober fun for a lot of my friends and I,” she said.
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April 28 2016 rustlernews.com
ENTERTAINMENT
C lara McClain
Entertainment Editor
Depression. This word puts such a bad taste in people’s mouths in our society. They’re afraid of the stigma of depression. It’s hard to tell anyone when you’re depressed in fear of being mocked or even ignored. So many students in high school suffer from depression without telling their parents, or talking to someone about it and being told that they’re wrong and it’s all in their head. But that’s the thing. Depression is all in your head, and that’s why it’s so difficult to deal with. Often it’s caused by a chemical imbalance of cortisol and noradrenaline in your brain or a stressful event in your life that causes things to spiral out of control. Most people just don’t understand depression. They don’t get why individuals with depression can’t just pick themselves up and choose to be happy. Trust me, it’s not that easy. If it was, I’d be the same person I was last year -- full of energy and motivation. Instead, I’m constantly exhausted, emotionally and physically. I’m always stressed, and even worse, I stopped doing my schoolwork for a few weeks. My grades went from all A’s to mostly D’s in a matter of weeks, and it’s going to take me months to bring them up again. I don’t feel like doing anything I used to love anymore. Reading? Not an option. I’d rather take a nap. Writing? Why would I when no one is going to read it and it really doesn’t matter. Playing my violin? What’s the point? Nothing makes me want to get out of bed anymore, and I hate it. All I want to do is sleep, but even sleeping at night has become an issue. My mind will be going a mile a minute and all I can do is stare at the ceiling while I lay in bed, hoping that I can get a reasonable amount of sleep for once. Sometimes, I can get to sleep easily and I stay asleep, but most nights I’m not that lucky. So I’ve been trying to convince everyone around me that I’m totally fine, but I’m not and that’s hard for me to admit. I’m so used to pretending to be happy and OK even when I’m feeling like the entire world is against me or like I have to bottle everything up until it explodes in my face. I’ll be the first to admit it is not the healthiest way to deal with one’s emotions, and yet, here we are. I don’t pretend to know how everyone else is feeling, but if you need someone to talk to, no matter what time it is, you’d better believe I will tell you I’m always here to listen because sometimes that’s the best thing you can do for someone who is hurting. Listen. Pay attention to what they say. Offer words of encouragement. Send them those ridiculously cliched pictures of a beach or a bridge with an inspirational quote on it. Let them be quiet. Let them be sad. But most of all just be there. Even if you just sit next to them when they’re having a bad day. Or give them space. Just let them know they aren’t alone and that people do care about them. Because in my experience, that’s one of the hardest things to remember when you are depressed.
“Anthem” divides sophomore English classrooms by Clara McClain, entertainment editor “Anthem” has been one of my favorite books for almost six years. I honestly love the message it sends to readers, and author Ayn Rand was such a fun, crazy lady who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. However, not everyone shared my opinion when we read the book in English class this year. Many students thought that the book went from one extreme to another, from only caring about the group as a whole, to only caring about one’s happiness. Echo Sunderstrom, sophomore, liked the message of the book, but couldn’t get into Rand’s writing style and the fact that it was a required reading book put Sundstrom off. “If I’m required to read a book, that’s the absolute last thing I want to do, no matter how good the book might be. For example, I actually really enjoyed reading “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but if I had come across it on my own instead of being forced to read it, I would’ve gotten more enjoyment from it,” Sundstrom said. Sundstrom agreed with the message that Rand was trying to
sell, that happiness is the most important thing, but couldn’t dive in deep to the novel. Sophomore Maura Hodges was on the opposite side of the fence from Sundstrom, she really enjoyed the writing style and thought the story took second place for her. “The writing style was just really beautiful. Some of the lines really hit home for me,” Hodges said. Rand had a way of getting into her head according to Hodges. “She wrote was I was thinking before I thought it. She just knows the human mind so well and knew where my mind was going to jump when she had certain things happen,” she said. If the book wasn’t a required book for her Honors English class, she doesn’t think she would ever have picked it up. “It just didn’t sound like something I would enjoy,” she said. “I heard people talking about it and thought that Ayn Rand wasn’t an author that I could get into.” Personally, I love “Anthem” and would read it everyday if I didn’t think I would eventually get tired of it.
Disney’s “The Jungle Book” returns to the silver screen
by Clara McClain, entertainment editor couldn’t do that while taking myself seriously. He “The Jungle Book” was really fun for me to watch, but managed to bring Mowgli to life on screen in such a I had a hard time imagining a younger audience liking believable way, and I loved every second of it. it as much as I did. It was one hour and 51 minutes that Kaa, the snake, was the coolest character in the were fun for people that watched the original movie, cartoon and in the new adaptation. Scarlett Johansson’s but new fans might be a little frightened by the film. voice is amazing, and I found myself almost as It was a very intense, and almost scary, adaptation of the mesmerised as Mowgli. Her voice was just so soothing, original cartoon. It was still rated PG, so it must not have and I just wanted to take a nap right then. been so scary, but as a child, I was scared of the little shed in Bill Murray voicing Baloo was amazing to hear. He “Charlotte’s Web” so I know the jumps and fire would have just has the best voice for a big, lazy, honey-loving jungle terrified me. I found myself jumping a lot, even now, and bear. “The Bare Necessities” was my favorite part of the maybe that’s just because I get scared easily, but there was a cartoon, so once I heard the first whistled notes of the lot of violent action throughout. I was jumping throughout song, I decided that I loved the new “Jungle Book.” the movie, and Shere Khan was honestly horrifying. Ben Kingsley as Bagheera was a great choice as well. His Disney even made the elephants scary, which I wasn’t a voice was perfect for a big jungle cat. He added the perfect huge fan of. My favorite part of the original “Jungle Book” amount of fatherly protectiveness and concern to Bagheera. (made in 1967) was when Mowgli, a young boy who grew up Luckily, the music was still incorporated in the movie, but in a pack of wolves in the jungle, was walking with Hathi’s it felt a little forced. Seeing a giant Indian Sloth Bear burst into youngest son. That was not at all part of the new version and song while floating down a river just didn’t have the same fun the elephants were more fearsome than I would have liked. feel in the 2016 version as the 1967 version. Also, a massive But I was amazed by Neel Sethi (the 12-year-old actor who orangutan standing up from his throne to serenade a small portrayed Mowgli). child didn’t have He was fun to the same humor watch, especially to it when the size for a child actor. He difference is much was acting alone more realistic. in front of a green So all in all, “The screen, waiting for Jungle Book” was his animal friends great, but didn’t to be added in later. strike me as a There were many movie for children scenes in which he anymore. Instead, was talking and it seemed like a reacting to animals way for Disney that weren’t there. to show off their Artwork by Amanda Cornwall. I editing prowess
17
April 28, 2016 rustlernews.com
ENTERTAINMENT
Movie trailers ruining endings -- nothing to look forward to
by Carli Dieruf, editor in chief A new movie that hit the box office on March 16 was a film titled “Miracles from Heaven” and featured a family whose daughter faced many struggles throughout her life as she lived with a life threatening disease. If you have ever seen the previews before the movie came out then within the first two minutes you were probably eager to hit the theatre and see how it ends. Although that may have been true for the first couple of minutes, the last minute gave away the entire movie. Hoping that there was more to see than what was featured in the previews, I went anyway. It was distressing that I already knew what the ending would be like. The movie was heart touching and brought tears to my eyes a few times, but it was the same tears that the preview brought. The children in the movie played their parts well, and I was impressed by their acting. They were professional and they were able to play the heartwrenching scenes beautifully and make it believable. The movie was difficult to watch as the woman a few seats away was blurting out loudly all of the mistakes that the movie held. If she hadn’t been there I would have never noticed the difference. The woman pointed out that the aquarium that the family goes to in Boston held a problem. As the family is waiting for a call from the hospital, there is a whale shark seen in a large tank in the background, although the aquarium in Boston does not have any whale sharks, and it also looks nothing alike. Another mistake she noticed was the fact that the registration sticker on the family’s vehicle is shown with a 2011 expiration date. I would have never noticed the problem if she hadn’t said anything, but once someone brings up one thing, it’s impossible to avoid seeing it. I think a smart move for the producers would have been to show less on the previews. I was excited for the movie and the ending would have been amazing if I hadn’t already seen it coming. There was absolutely no surprise in the movie. The movie is 1 hour and 45 minutes long. The movie was decent even though it didn’t hold any mysteries. You could tell those who hadn’t seen the trailer that I watched, because their tears were more genuine, while ours were just a sort of instinct due to the situation of the family. “Miracles from Heaven” is based on a true story of the Beam family. Christy, the mother discovers her daughter Anna has a life threatening disease and she does all she can to help her daughter and searches for a solution and a cure. After Anna encounters an accident she begins to show signs of recovery. The family shares their story as they celebrate a miracle that no one saw coming.
On April 20 at Paris Gibson Education Center, InterTRIBAL Strong stands to take a photo. Keynote speaker Jeremy MacDonald watches along while Chontay Standing Rock performs an honor song. Photos courtesy of Dylan Champagne.
Great Falls plays host to second annual Montana Native Youth Conference by JJ Mitchell, opinion editor The second annual Montana Native Young Conference took place on April 20-22 in Great Falls. More than 200 students from urban schools, rural schools and reservations across the state gathered for the event. The conference was held by InterTRIBAL Strong, a group of Native American students from all three high schools, CMR, Great Falls High and Paris Alternative High School. This year’s theme was “Culture Undivided” and one keynote speaker, a CMR graduate Jordann Lankford gave her opinion on what that means to her. “Culture undivided” is a state of being where we recognize our differences but accept our commonalities in a way that no one can break us,” Lankford said. The student-led conference brought people together through group-bonding activities, including 3-on-3 basketball, a film festival, and a dance. They also brainstormed and shared ideas on how they can make their schools and communities better places to live and where those changes need to begin. Problems expressed by students included drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, bullying and pollution. “I like doing the student-led type of conferences because it’s a student voice, and although many people ask for student voice not many listen. We wanted the conference to be student-led so other students from the other high schools will start a program like InterTRIBAL Strong has done. So I like it because it
kind of makes the adults stop and listen,” Karli Burke the chairman for CMR said. “It also reminds them we know there is change needed and we can help change it.” The conference’s keynote speakers included Personal Staff to Superintendent Denise Juneau for Graduation Matters Montana, Jordann Lankford, Box Elder principal and basketball coach, Jeremy MacDonald, LeAnn Montes, Chontay Standing Rock, Dartmouth Grad Cinnamon Spear, Kenny Dobbs, Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, and Governor Steve Bullock. “I believe it was important because they each had a story to bring to the table, and the stories they told gave each of us something to relate to, good or bad, and they showed us no matter how hard their lives were they never gave up, which encouraged us as native youth to fight for our success,” senior Shanell Lavallie said. It is important to develop relationships between the young of our culture, everyone agreed. “We’re losing our culture in the urban communities, and so the reservation schools, we’re trying to get connected back to them because they’re showing their culture every day in their schools, and that’s what we want to show in our urban schools as well,” InterTRIBAL Strong chairman, KeAndre Hairston of Great Falls High said. “An Indian education for all is really our main goal, not just for native students, but for all of Montana and the United States, hopefully.”
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18 Entertainment
April 28, 2016
Blue Man Group takes on Great Falls
by Katelyn Morley, staff writer tiny pieces, and the group showed the audience a piece of the cut up Twinkie then ate it. A large crowd excitedly continues to trickle in the Civic Center on April 14. Everyone After the group ate a few bites, the Twinkie was thrown up through a tube underneath is there awaiting the famous Blue Man Group. the guy’s shirt. Then some came out from the lady’s blue vest that was put on her. The As I took my seat in the fourth row I noticed that the first two rows had plastic covers Twinkie junk was shot out way into the audience and also shot into a to-go container for for the chairs’ occupants. As someone who has never seen the woman. the group in person, I didn’t know what to expect with There was more great music and jokes that started out this. Then something else caught my attention. The stage about a system that connected us all, which turned out to had a thin screen up with a quote on it. be plumbing. The next part was probably to me one of the Once 7:30 p.m. rolled around the lights dimmed and greatest parts. They picked someone from the audience the two small monitors up front began to read off jokes and took them on stage. They put the audience member including people in the audience. One had the audience in a white full body suit with a black helmet and led him congratulate a lady on her bronze medal in synchronized backstage. On the screens the audience watched blue paint swimming. It also stated that third place isn’t losing and being splashed on him and then he was tied up by his that everyone was still “proud of her ish.”These jokes feet. They then swung him up against the canvas and held with random audience members continued for about five him up against the canvas and sprayed pink paint around minutes. him. After the cameras turned off the audience member That was when the real show started. The group was appeared from under a table and was given his giant drumming while there was paint on top of the drums. The canvas of artwork. paint was then continually added to the drums by two of As the show reached a close they talked about the the members. They then held up a canvas above the drums functions of the eye and made various jokes with it. The Before the perfomance the stage had a screen disp;aying the and created a painting. screens and the group began to teach the audience rock One of my favorite parts was when they had stay puft quote above,using the names of medication for the speakers. concert moves while making them act the moves out. The Photo by Katelyn Morley. marshmallows and gumballs. Two of the members had final move was to stand up and shake your rump. They to catch the gumballs in their mouths. One member had played music and went through a long list of humorous a canvas and spit paint on it multiple times, making a fantastic piece of art. The other names for the rear end. member caught marshmallows in his mouth and made a sculpture out of it. They then During the dancing and music they released, into the audience, giant balls that lit up. gave away their art to someone in the audience and a lucky lady got the marshmallow This part was a lot of fun for most of the audience, myself included. They also had toilet sculpture in her purse. paper rolls on a stick being blown into the audience by a fan, along with streamers of Two people walked in late so they brought out a camera that was connected to the paper. Once that fun was over they made an announcement about returning the balls, screens on stage, and zoomed in on their faces. They sounded a horn and played a late along with as most can imagine jokes about the balls. song. Which to the audience -- myself included -- was pretty hilarious. As this seemed to be the end I personally was sad that this amazing experience was Their next act included picking an audience member to come on stage. Once they over. All of a sudden the speakers told the audience to clap in unison to get an encore. So were up on stage the three men and one woman from the audience sat at a dinner setting. the blue men came out and did one last drum performance with paint spraying onto the One blue man brought out a huge box of Twinkies and passed them out. They played drums from the tubes in their chests. While they played awesome music their musicians a joke where one member began to light a candle and another member pulled out a fire were in boxes up above in black clothes with bright neon glow paint on their faces and extinguisher at the lighter. instruments. The blue men jokingly couldn’t open the Twinkie wrappers while the woman figured As the members came out and took a bow the audience gave a standing ovation. it out and had to help them. Then the Twinkies were set on plates, cut with knives into During this cheering I couldn’t help but think that this was one of the best performances
WHAT ARE YOU READING? Kasi Thompson, teacher
WHAT SHE’S READING: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn GENRE: Mystery, Suspense, and Crime
YA
Fiction,
HOW MANY BOOKS DOES SHE READ PER MONTH? 1-2
Alexis Hulse, 12
WHAT SHE’S READING: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen GENRE: Historical Fiction
HOW MANY BOOKS DOES SHE READ PER MONTH? 3-4
Zachary Taylor, 10 Sarah Ekberg, 9
WHAT HE’S READING: Candide by Voltaire GENRE: Fantasy or Science Fiction
HOW MANY BOOKS DOES HE READ PER MONTH? 2-3
WHAT SHE’S READING: Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Red
GENRE: Young Adult, Mystery, and Crime
HOW MANY BOOKS DOES SHE READ PER MONTH? 15+
Entertainment
April 28, 2016
Batman vs. Superman comes to an unexpected end
MUST SEE
19
Superhero/villian movies of 2016 “CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR” After
a fight that breaks
Avengers,
out involving the
there are mounts of pressure
and damage done to the team to ensure failure.
Because
of the problem break-out, the
Avengers
fraction off
into groups of two and one is
Steve Rodgers and Avengers
led by
hopes for the
he
to
remain free so they are able to defend humanity without having
any
involvement
in
Government. The other team is led by Tony Stark as he supports Government the
involvement
and
accountability
he
for
that went downhill.
by Carli Dieruf, editor in chief There are two types of people on this planet -- those who love Superman and those who should. March 25 marked the release of “Batman Vs. Superman,” where Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill go head to head as enemies until an interesting twist that left some viewers upset, and someenthused. I was rather upset. Until the day I watched the film, I was a diehard Spider-Man fan and that was about it. Spider-Man has had a place in my heart since the first time I watched it when I was 5. He was my heartthrob during kindergarten, and I tried anxiously to get my mom and dad to buy me the latest Spider-Man school sets. I was amazed by the red and black pencils that were engraved with my favorite hero’s face. April 2 marked a change when I watched Batman Vs. Superman and realized that I was silly to not love Superman from day one. I thought Spider-Man was a true hero, but honestly he has nothing on Superman. “Batman vs. Superman” was a film that I would usually skip right over, but for some reason, the previews had me hooked. I’ve never been a fan of either hero, but after seeing it, I definitely did not regret it. Me and my boyfriend chatted about the film for hours afterwards arguing on what was right and wrong about the newest Marvel movie. If you read the comics when you were younger, there are definitely a few things that will irk you about the film. Let’s first talk about Wonder Woman -- who originally is an athletic, curvy, dark haired Greek woman -- far from the woman who played Wonder Woman in “Batman Vs. Superman.” This woman, played by Gal Gadot, is slim, dark skinned and Israeli. When she was first introduced in the film, I prayed that she was just going to be an unimportant character, but I was disappointed to find out that she was indeed Wonder Woman. This was one of the only weak points in the movie. Batman and Superman both fit the characters well, but she did not fit into the original story. I was hoping that someone more fighting would be playing the part of Wonder Woman, much like Lucy Lawless in “Justice League: The New Frontier.” She fit the part that the comics
descripted, and the producers did well at making sure the characters matched. I enjoyed the romance that was brought into the film because a lot of the hero movies are being re-made to take that aspect out due to complaints of there not being “enough action,” but I think that is what makes the perfect superhero movie. Lois Lane is depicted by Amy Adams and she fits the part perfectly. Superman and Lois Lane make the perfect couple, as Superman flies through the air to save her when she is in trouble. It’s hard to not ooh and awe at the two of them as he fights to keep her safe throughout the film. Cavill does a good job at his part, acting to protect her throughout the entire film. You can tell that there is chemistry between them, whether that just be for the film or even behind the scenes. The movie is 2 hours and 33 mins long and is rated PG-13. It is a fantasy/science fiction film. It is currently still in theatres in Great Falls, and it’s likely that it will stay for awhile. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it. I would rate this movie an eight out of ten, mostly based upon poor character choice for Wonder Woman. That was a serious let down, a lot of people expected the characters to fit their comic characters, much like Batman and Superman. Aside from that, the movie kept me drawn in the entire time. The action was wonderful, and it kept going throughout the whole film. The romantic scenes were sweet and not overdone. A lot of the time, those scenes get to into detail and they think the audience needs to see all the action. But in this case, they cut it out just at the right time. At times it did seem like it was never going to end, but as soon as that thought hit my mind, something amazing would happen. For those who haven’t seen the movie, I won’t ruin the ending. But it definitely had me raging to Austin about how angry I was throughout the last 10 minutes of the movie. I was mad about what happened, but the very last five seconds of the film instantly had my face glowing when I watched dirt rising from the ground and you instantly knew what the next movie might possibly be about. It’s seriously worth the $10.25. Buy the ticket and go.
Releases
May 6.
on
takes
things
“SUICIDE SQUAD” This movie is all about the
anti-heros who are coerced into
going
missions. on the
on
dangerous
The film DC comics
is based
anti-hero
team who have the same name.
This
won’t
featuring
be
a
headline
superheroes,
but
instead it will be all about
our favorite villains who are joined together rather than
having slight appearances in
a variety of media such as
Batman: Assault on Arkham and Justin League Unlimited, but this will be their first
time taking the stage alone.
Jared Leto will as the Joker and
be playing
this should
have people dying to see the film as it is.
He
describes
his character as “a beautiful disaster,”
and
has
said
in
many interviews that people can look forward to seeing him
deep
never
within
breaking
Releases
on
character, the
August 5.
role.
S
April 28, 2016 rustlernews.com
SPORTS
Mackenzie George
Sports Editor
We’ll never be the school heroes. Our games aren’t broadcast over the radio like football or basketball, and where hundreds, and even occasionally thousands, congregate at Memorial Stadium for competitions, few make it to the tennis courts. Still, I love tennis season, and a big part of it may be because of the anonymity that comes with playing the sport. Whenever I am approached by someone considering joining the team, a word I always use is “low-key.” Because it is -- catch us practicing and you’ll find one group of kids playing games while others work on their serves. Tennis is such a refreshing change, and I am always eager for March to arrive. Spring means warmer weather, less snow (usually), and more time outside. I love the first day of practice when prospective players swarm the tennis courts. Within a week or two, the group shrinks to a few dozen kids. Just twenty-four varsity players travel to competitions, so by the end of the season everyone knows at least their teammates’ names, if not more, about them. We might not be the most competitive sport at CMR, but that’s one of the reasons people sign up. For a lot of CMR tennis players, it’s not about the competition, it’s about the team. Meets consist mostly of sunburns and Snapchat, and with school winding down and summer looming ever closer, an easygoing sport is the perfect way to end the year. A lot of memories that are made stem from overnight trips. We get up at ridiculously early hours. To get to the Billings Invite on time, the bus leaves at 3:30 a.m. One has no choice but to get close to someone when sharing a bus seat so early in the morning. The bus rides home are much livelier. Stories are traded about the day’s events, since the boys and girls play at different venues and end up missing out on quite a bit. Whether you triumphed in your match that day or didn’t win a game, the result is the same. One might get teased for losing 0-6, 0-6, but the person who’s giving you flack has most likely lost just as badly as you. Our crosstown rivalry is considerably lesspublicized than the football or basketball matchups, but it’s still there. Each player knows this is no ordinary tennis match, and the scores generally reflect the sentiment. It’s also a fast season. By the time our varsity roster is set and the players shake off the rust from a long break, the divisional tournament is just around the corner. Everyone, from the most casual of players to No. 1 seeds, want to make it to state. By the time July rolls around, high school will be a distant memory for most. Students won’t remember the tests or long hours of studying (at least I try to block it out as much as possible) but what they’ll most likely hold onto is the last couple months of school. Eating at Olive Garden with friends after a long day of competition, recalling the way it felt to win a difficult three-set match -- I can’t think of a better note on which to end my school year.
covering all the bases softball hits it out of the park
by Sophie Aron, staff writer The CMR softball team continued its winning streak against the Bozeman Hawks at the Great Falls softball complex on Monday, April 18. They defeated the Hawks in two games with the scores of 15-0 and 12-0. These shutout scores kept their winning streak going with their 6-0 season. “I feel the games went well. We played like we know we can while staying humble with our victory”, sophomore Abby Allison said after their victory. The Bozeman Hawks are often known for their outstanding performance and strong all-around athletic department. Bozeman, population about 40,000, it is home to only one high school. “Bozeman is a team that seems to improve every year, but we came out on top,” Our bats Allison said. Although were on fire Bozeman has a strong team, the CMR girls and we had were able to pull off a solid defense win. all day. Varsity player Laura Poitra also felt Laura Poitra the game went well. “We were able to win against Bozeman by going into the game with confidence and a strong mindset,” Poitra said. “These were our first conference games of the season so we wanted to jump on them right away to On April 18, the CMR softball team faced the get the wins.” Bozeman Hawks at the Great Falls Multi-Sport The CMR softball team’s next home game is on May 7 against Billings Senior and Complex. Photos by Sophie Aron. Billings Skyview at the Great Falls Multi-Sport Complex.
“
”
M E E T T H E P L AY E R S
Laura Poitra
Abby Allison
GRADE: 11 POSITON: 3RD BASE TEAM: VARSITY YEARS PLAYED: 10
GRADE: 10 POSITON: LEFT OUTFIELD TEAM: JUNIOR VARSITY YEARS PLAYED: 9
Laura Poitra is varsity softball player for CMR. She enjoys softball because of the friendships that the sport has allowed her to make with her fellow teammates. Although she enjoys that asepct of the sport, Poitra says her least favorte part of softball season is having to run hills for conditioning. Poitra works hard during practice in order to overcome her weaknesses and become a better all around player. She plans on continuing softball in a instate college in a couple years. The best advice that Poitra has ever been given is to”play every game like it’s [your] last because you never know when you’ll get the sport taken away from you.” Along with that advice, the team has a motto that they say before evey game. The motto is “Have a day.”
Abby Allison, a sophomore at CMR, plays for the JV softball team. Along with being a volleyball player and a muscian in orchestra and choir, Allison makes time to be an active, hardworking team member. Allison feels that the softball team is a family and without is she doesn’t feel the sport would be nearly as important to her as it is now. Allison doesn’t plan of continuing her softball career into college and rather she wants to focus on the academic aspect of college. When asked what Allison’s biggest struggle was in softball, she said, “The biggest challenge that I face in softball is myself. Softball is a head game. If you aren’t completely confident in your abilities then you won’t live up to your potential.”
Sports
April 28, 2016
21
Doubles team anticipates a successful season by Mackenzie George, sports editor There are team sports and there are individual sports, but few athletic competitions consist of just two people. While the singles side of tennis is more publicized than doubles, junior Kyle Korb enjoys playing with a partner rather than by himself. “It makes it more fun,” Korb said. Korb has been playing tennis for about nine years and has competed on the high school team since he was a freshman. His first year, he said, he didn’t really have a partner, which made consistency throughout the season difficult. “I switched around and played singles
sometimes, too,” he explained. “My sophomore year I played with a senior, Jacob Bernhardt, and we made it to state.” The state tournament is a big accomplishment for any tennis player. “State is really different from normal matches,” Korb said. “The best players in the state are there. You just really have to be on your game.” This year, Korb teamed up with fellow junior Tyler Patrick. Patrick said his goal is “to make a good run at divisionals and go to state.” He said he appreciates having Korb by his side in his second year on the tennis team. “He’s a great doubles partner and a great guy,” Patrick said. “I got a lot better, and he taught me a lot of technical stuff on my swing.” Korb is excited to see what the rest of the season will bring with Patrick by his side. “My partner always helps me on the court. There would be no way for us to get as far as we have without him,” he said.
Tennis players compete in a doubleheader against Conrad and Cut Bank on April 14. Photos by Tamara Miller.
JV athletes contribute to the track and field program
Sophomore Angel Buhler warms up before the 800 meter dash during the Great Falls Invite on April 23. Photo by Mackenzie George.
by Mackenzie George, sports editor One might read about varsity athletes in the Tribune, but every varsity team at CMR is backed by a hard-working JV squad. Track brings in large numbers of student athletes, and not every person can be on varsity in each of their events. Several, such as junior Mackellin Dean and sophomore Angel Buhler, split their time between varsity and JV. Others, like sophomore Nathan Moore, compete solely in JV meets. Regardless, both teams are committed to the sport. Dean, who runs the 1600 meter, 800, and 400, is also a varsity cross country runner for CMR. He considers the mile his favorite event, since “you can pace yourself but you still have to go fast.” Dean appreciates running with the varsity distance team, even if he doesn’t always compete with them. “It really helps you set a goal to run faster and improve,” Dean said. He explained that there are benefits to being on both teams. Pacing becomes much easier when runners compete against people who are faster than them. “In JV meets, [the other athletes] are kind of on your level, but you might be the fastest person so you might win the race,” Dean said. “Then again, there’s that other point where you don’t push yourself hard enough because there aren’t any people who are faster than you. “Then with varsity races, there are people that are faster than you, so you can pace off that and you can really be like, ‘OK, I want to get this guy and beat this time,’ so it varies.” Dean is diligent about taking care of himself during track season. “If you don’t go to bed at least before 10 o’clock and
then get up at seven, you’re just exhausted,” he said. He also works hard to earn good grades, since runners aren’t allowed to participate if they are not passing their classes. Dean recommends track because it teaches motivation and self-confidence. He warns that running isn’t something one will be able to do forever and suggests taking advantage of it. This season, Dean plans on enjoying the sport and “setting a lot of PRs.” Buhler is a varsity runner in the mile and 800. She also competes in the JV long jump. “I just thought it would be a change from all the running events,” Buhler said. “I wanted to try something new.” She enjoys working with the long jump coaches, Travis Crawford and Jolyn Johnson. Jumping for the JV squad is a welcome break from her other difficult events. “The 800 is pretty rough,” Buhler admitted. “But it keeps me in shape and makes me better at other events.” Moore competes in the long jump along with Buhler. He also runs the 100 and 200 meter dashes. The decision to join track, Moore said, was mostly because he wanted to get in shape for football. “It gives me something to do during the offseason,” he explained. Moore has struggled with his running form and said that JV workouts have taught him how to run properly. He added that weighted sprints are a good tool to use for improvement. Knowing that working his way up to varsity won’t be easy, Moore stressed that working hard is the key to moving up the ladder. “Working out with the varsity athletes definitely gives me a drive to get where they are.”
22 Sports
April 28, 2016
By the Numbers sports news from around CMR
6 feet, 3 inches
State-qualifying high jump mark by freshman Tucker Greenwell on April 16.
3-6, 6-4 (10-6)
Senior Rylie Carmichael’s score in a long three-set match against Missoula Sentinel’s Kenna Stensrud. Carmichael won on April 21.
12-0
The CMR softball team blanked the Bozeman Hawks on April 16.
11.26 Sophomore Damien Nelson’s 100 meter dash time as he cruised to a win on April 1.
(Top Left) CMR fighter Derrick Price exchanges blows with GFH fighter Dusty Potter. (Top right) Jimmy Oppelt Jr. celebrates his victory over Timmy Hanning. (Bottom Right) Jimmy Oppelt Jr. prepares to fight GFH fighter Timmy Hanning. (Bottom Left) CMR fighter Brandon Lefebre dodges a hit from GFH fighter Thain Johnson. Photos by Andrew Aron and Ashton Palen.
Smoker intensifies CMR and GFH rivalry
Rustlers take on the Bison in blow to blow bout for pride and bragging rights by Ashton Palen, intro student The Smoker is a tradition in Great Falls that was started last year by Todd Foster, who hoped it would add an extra level of rivalry between C. M. Russell High School and Great Falls High School. It added more than just another level; it added even more to the rivalry than anyone expected. Students such as senior Dan Wilson prepared for their fights for three weeks prior to the fight. He worked with his trainer, senior Bryce Bauer. Wilson ran two miles every day along with training with Bauer and sparring with his brothers every It’s going to be a other day. Bauer takes Wilson’s training seriously. Bauer himself has good fight. been boxing for two years, but because he is in a boxing league he cannot participate in the Smoker. The night of the fights the rivalry in the gym was almost palpable as the fighters came out from their lockers. The noise in the gym was deafening. “It’s going to be a good fight,” Wilson said. Wilson ended up being in the third to last fight, and he fought hard. He came out as the most aggressive fighter of the night, although the fight was even. In the end, it was a split decision, but the win went to Great Falls High’s Nate Nova. Bauer disagreed with the judge’s ruling, saying that “Dan won, he was the aggressor and in a close fight the aggressor always wins.” In the end, GFH won the Smoker six fights to CMR’s five. But next year Bauer believes will be CMR’s year to take the Smoker, saying, “The Smoker will go on as long as there are people who want to get their agression out in a safe fight.”
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Spectators from all over the state crowded Memorial Stadium for the Great Falls Invite on April 23. The Invite is one of the biggest track meets in the state. Photo by Mackenzie George.
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CMR VS. GFH
Fight #1 Jace Courchane (CMR) VS John Goder (GFH) CMR Wins Fight #2 Allison Lamere (GFH) VS Fay Richards (GFH) Tie Fight #3 Jon Crawford (CMR) VS Trevor Boss-Bullpumel (GFH) GFH Wins Fight #4 Josh Dwyer (CMR) VS Cayden Gee (GFH) GFH Wins Fight #5 Branson Lefebre (CMR) VS Thain Johnson (GFH) CMR Wins Fight #6 Derrick Price (CMR) VS Dusty Potter (BHS) BHS Wins Fight #7 Garrett Arps (CMR) VS Jenson Poioer (GFH) GFH Wins Fight #8 Jimmy Oppelt Jr. (CMR) VS Timmy Hanning (GFH) CMR Wins Fight #9 Felix Waegele (CMR) VS Devin Logan (GFH) GFH Wins Fight #10 Dan Wilson (CMR) VS Nate Nova (GFH) GFH Wins Fight #11 Trevor Pepin (CMR) VS Antony Maynor (GFH) CMR Wins Fight #12 Eddie Fernandez (BHS) VS Brett Brit (GFH) GFH Wins
Sports
April 28, 2016
23
Baseball players
slide
into the spotlight by Julia Gremaux, staff writer Baseball has gone through many phases and names throughout history. It was once even called “dog and cat,” even though no dog or cat was even involved. True athletes and lovers of baseball have dominate over the course of hundreds of years baseball hasn’t really changed, the sport is still filled with these star athletes. The Chargers are one of the baseball teams in Great Falls and have been for many years. The team is made up of boys from Great Falls High, Foothills, and CMR, including junior Shane Myers and sophomore Liam Sexton. Since Sexton has been a first baseman and also a pitcher for the Chargers for going on two years he is getting to know the team very well. Since this is the beginning of the Chargers season of 2016 (April to August) it also means new players. “My team is just a bunch of dudes who share a common passion for the greatest game on the planet and so we get along. I think we work very well together, but there will always be room for improvement,” Sexton said. Myers plays alongside Sexton as the team’s second baseman and catcher. Myers agrees that the team needs more chemistry to come together on the field, but he is hopeful that it will be a fun year for the team. “To me it’s more than just hitting a ball and running or getting a ground ball. It’s making a summer family with the team and making friendships for life,” Myers said.
Catching up with Tim Wagenius pole vaulter
Baseball is much more than just hitting the ball with a bat and running to a base. Many baseball observers don’t know that there is a lot of math involved into the sport. “Before the pitch arrives I'm usually analyzing the rotation of the ball to try and predict how and where the ball might break. With pitching, the spin you put on the ball will affect the flight of the ball. That’s how pitches like a curveball and a slider are thrown. With a curveball you put a forward spin on the ball which causes the ball to drop which is referred to as the break of the ball.” Sexton explained. With so many concepts hidden in baseball it takes years to master, even then the game is still not as easy as it seems. Sexton has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old, starting with hitting dingers (a.k.a. home runs) with a tee ball, he said jokingly. The Chargers travel quite a bit, and play up to 60 games (including tournaments) during the season. The team isn’t associated with any of the schools in Great Falls so all of the money that gets put into all this play time comes from the sponsorship of local businesses around Great Falls. Sponsorships ease the tension on the team and its players as they get to enjoy the game they love. “Baseball means the beginning of a kick butt part of the year where you have no worries about anything,”Sexton said.
Clearing the bar The moment it all leads up to
Under the heat of the sun on April 19, junior Carrie Lycett performs a feat of athletic strength as she catapults herself into the cloudless blue sky during practice at Great Falls High School. Photo by Christy Amstrong.
by Christy Armstrong, staff writer There are a lot of steps to pole vaulting. Athletes have to sprint, plant, jump, push, turn, land, and a million other things in between. It requires enough upper body strength to be able to lift and toss yourself -- all from the end of a pole you’ve previously been running with. Even getting the angle right can be tricky, requiring plenty of practice to perform. It’s a very tedious effort, and not one that should be taken lightly. For junior Carrie Lycett, it may be tiring but it’s well worth the effort. Being able to travel, compete, and set new personal records alongside her fellow athletes makes it well worth the energy she has put into learning to master the skill. “It’s definitely a lot of fun, and I’ve always been into sports so that helps,” Lycett said. “Also, that feeling when you finally clear the bar. It feels like a real accomplishment, like all your hard work finally paid off.” Lycett began pole vaulting during her sophomore year, and she plans to continue the event next year as a senior. While she said she doesn’t believe she’ll continue into college, she has enjoyed the time that she’s spent with the sport. The inspiration to start pole vaulting, however, came from outside school. “Well, my dad was a pole vaulter back at his old high school in California, and he actually holds his school’s current record for pole vaulting. I wanted to try something new after I quit cheerleading, and it seemed like a natural fit.” she said Lycett has more than enough motivation to strive to be the best she can be, having seen it in her father and her friends. Her current goal is to clear nine feet off the ground, and then 10 or 10-6, which is the current CMR record.
Q: What first inspired you to become a pole vaulter or led you to discover the sport in the first place? A: My dad talked about it when I first tried out in my freshman year; he said I was good at other events and I would be good at this one. I used to do other sports back in Germany, like cross country so I’m still a good runner. Q: What is it like to be on the pole vaulting team and to spend so much time with people you otherwise might not have? A: It is not an activity many people do. It’s kind of an odd activity. I’ve always tried to promote the others to be great at it, to get [better] at it. Q: What is the most important aspect of pole vaulting you’ve had to learn? Would you say this was challenging or came naturally? A: It is a challenge. Because sometimes you would have to learn a better form to get up and over the bar, or have
better arm or leg strength to run with the pole or pull and push yourself into the air. Q: Do you ever feel as though you’ve pushed yourself to your limit and beyond? A: I believe I have kinda pushed myself to my limit; I’m not the strongest guy but I do the activity because it is fun. Q: What do you see yourself doing with this sport in the future? A: I would see this as just being a high school sport, not something I’d continue onto a college activity. Q: In your own words, what is pole vaulting? A: It’s where you are running with a long pole and sprinting to a small pit and high bar, it’s about 20 meters away, and you have to stick the pole into the pit and pull yourself up with the pole then push off to fly above, I mean, get above the bar that is above you.
24 Back Page
April 28, 2015
Building a foundation High School House program prepares students for the future
Everyone says that high school is all about preparing students for the future. The High School House class helps students build themselves a better educational foundation, and teacher Landon Stubbs is enthusiastic about the program. “You’re constantly doing things,” Stubbs said. Every year the program builds a new home for a low income family. Despite the fact that every house is built off of the same plans every house is different, Stubbs said. To get the annual project rolling, it takes three months to set up the plans and funding. This class works closely with a program called Neighborworks, which provides funding and connections with other organizations to get the house made. Stubbs and his class also work with Dani Stark’s interior design class to come up with the color scheme for the house. Interactions such as this help to teach the students in the class what continuing on this career path will entail, Stark said. Another class that helps out is the agriculture class, which places sod in the yard to give the house curb appeal. While 17 students build the house, anywhere from 40 to 50 Rustlers are involved in the project. This year the house was sold about three months ago to a local family. Stubbs said his favorite part of the class is watching the kids meet the family who is going to move into the house. It is a moment that none of them ever forget, he said. The crew was lucky this year because the weather was good, but most years, Stubbs admits, it is the worst part of trying to get the house built. Most of the time Mother Nature prevents them from completing the house on time. Due to the mild weather this year, however, the house should be completed on time, Stubbs said.
Page by Mary Brown, staff writer
Top: Students work with teacher Landan Stubbs on Feb. 9 during sixth period to put shingles on the roof. Far left: Two students work to put a door in place on Jan. 6. Middle left: A student measures out proper siding lengths on Dec. 4. Left: On April 7, the first interior design class paints the accent wall. Bottom left: Officials break the ground to begin the house on Sept. 8. Far bottom left: On Jan. 6, students making sure that the wall is properly structured. Photos courtesy of Pat O’Connell.
Students compete for top design Senior Addison Beagles never dreamed that it would actually happen for her. Beagles is enrolled in the interior design course and got to complete a project that she did better on than she imagined she would. “I loved that it was for a real house and an actual client,” Beagles said. Beagles was the lucky designer who had her board picked by the client as the decor for the house. Every year, the interior design classes at CMR develop a design board with color palettes, flooring, and the lighting fixtures that will be inside of the house. The students tour different businesses around town to pick out the design pieces and are instructed on how to make the boards properly. For about two weeks, those enrolled in the class work meticulously to create the best board. Dani Stark, the interior design teacher, confesses that it is one of her favorite projects the class completes because it gives the real-life experience to kids. Stark also says that she never knows which board will get picked. Normally there is a meeting in the Neighborworks building to pick the design, but this year the boards were given to the homeowner. While the blue accent wall was changed by a shade, Beagles said it was a good experience and that suggests many students try the class.