S The Stampede
C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT December 21, 2017 Vol. 53 Issue 4 www.rustlernews.com
Annual fruit sales provide bounty for music department
Stampede -- 12.21.17
WHAT’S INSIDE
An open forum for student expression since 1965
16 Gift giving guide makes holiday shopping a snap
19
Top groups shine at the Civic Center holiday concert
23
Thunderdome in for some busy nights as basketball season gets rolling
C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT December 21, 2017 Vol. 53 Issue 4 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.
2017-2018 Staff editor-in-chief Mackenzie George editorial board Emily Cappis Clara McClain Quincy Schmechel online editor Gabrielle Pope photo editor Julia Gremaux photographer Sophie Aron adviser Beth Britton
staff writers Grace Carr McKenzie Connell Callan Garner Chloe Geary Sophie Kluge Maygie Li Paige McCorkle Austin McIntosh Gauthier Paget JJ Slater Quinn Soltesz Holly Spragg Kaylebb Stahmer
principal Kerry Parsons
Senior Alex Finch keeps it festive at the Expo Park on Dec. 7 as he helps restock during fruit delivery. Fruit sales are the music department’s main fundraiser for the year. Cover photo by Julia Gremaux.
ENTERTAINMENT
3 -- wInter roads 4 -- Washington Post, short break 5 -- speech and debate, fruit sales, youth risk survey
OPINION
7 -- butter, Gabby’s column, holiday attitude 8 -- Morp, visible hunting 9 -- trophy hunting, lunch 10 -- winter in Great Falls
FEATURES
11 -- Hi-Line, Olympic climbing, Quincy’s column 12-13 -- wrestling 14 -- holiday traditions 15 -- winter fashion, teacher traits 16 -- holiday gift guide
17 -- Clara’s column, interactive Christmas 18 -- “Wait Until Dark”, Mannheim Steamroller 19 -- holiday concert, Christmas break binges, Christmas albums 20 -- “Star Wars” “I, Tonya”
SPORTS
21 -- half-marathon, sports briefs, Emily’s column 22 -- Showdown, JV profile 23 -- swimming, skating, basketball
BACK PAGE
24 -- student photographers
#WHEREIREAD 11myStampede Reading the Stampede in the media center was on the agenda for this festive snowman. The media center specialists put together the snowman for the holiday season.
Each month, CMR students have the opportunity to be featured in the Stampede. It’s easy! Show us where you read YOUR Stampede by taking the latest issue to your favorite place around Great Falls (or some other exotic location). Snap a photo and direct message it to @RustlerNews on Twitter. We’ll pick our favorite and include it here each month.
EDITORIAL POLICY The Stampede -- produced by journalism classes at C.M. Russell High School -- is a public forum for all voices on campus. These voices include the students, parents, faculty and the community at large. The opinions and views in this publication are not necessarily those of the Stampede staff, the student body, CMR employees or the school administration. The Stampede strives to cover the news accurately and fairly; however, when a mistake is made, a correction will be printed in the following issue. All writers are responsible for the content of their articles. Editors will edit all copy to be free of plagiarism and libel, and all writers will double-check their facts before publication. Letters to the editor and guest essays are welcome. Letters are limited to 200 words, and essays 350 words. All
Editor-in-Chief
The Stampede
NEWS
MackenzieGeorge
S
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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 National Scholastic Press Association, the Montana Journalism Education Association, the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/KRT Campus High School Newspaper Service.
Big decisions carry more weight than they deserve My grandma always says that worrying doesn’t change the outcome of something, just how you feel during the ordeal. That didn’t prevent me from rewriting, spellchecking, and otherwise agonizing over my college application before sending it on Oct. 29. And it certainly didn’t prevent me from wondering for the next five weeks whether it had touched the hands of admissions officers, whether my yes or no was already decided and resting in some pile 2,000 miles away. This whole application process has shown me that I cannot base my life on a single decision. There are so many factors outside of my control that aren’t worth worrying about. The countless hours I had poured into academics, sports, extracurriculars, volunteer activities, and writing essays could not guarantee that I would get the results I wanted. There is a certain amount of luck associated with college acceptances, a family friend told me. And she was right--no matter how hard I tried, I knew that I could not squeeze my entire life into 650 words. Adults often talked about finding the “perfect fit” to
spend the next four years. I did feel a certain excitement when I stepped onto the campus of the school I will attend next year. But I know that the name of the university does not a quality college experience make. Even if I hadn’t gotten into my dream school, I know I could still make friends, participate, and learn a lot, regardless of where I end up. One decision does not -- cannot -- dictate our lives. In a season of whirlwind days and big choices, it is important to remember that. Whether seniors are currently searching for a college, deciding whether to enter the workforce, or heading to trade school, this is a time where it is hard not to feel overwhelmed. That said, seeing results from four years of work was incredible. It is indescribable to feel the reward of that kind of consistency pay off. I just got a lot more excited about my college experience, and -- whether it is receiving your diploma, getting that acceptance letter, or landing a job -- I hope you graduating seniors feel the same way.
S News
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
3
Winter roads in Montana have the potential to be extremely dangerous. These photos were taken on Dec.17, near Showdown, Montana. Photos by Sophie Aron.
Surviving Montana’s winter roads... by Chloe Geary, staff writer For many students at CMR, this will be the first year driving on icy Montana winter roads. That thought can be daunting, especially when considering the fact that according to the Great Falls Police Department more than 300 additional vehicular accidents happened last year during the colder months compared to the summer. Detective Nick Taylor, CMR’s SRO, has seen the best and the worst of Montana’s youth on the road. “The advice I would give first-year drivers operating on winter roads would be the same advice I would give to drivers who’ve driven for a while,” Taylor said. The number one thing is to be safe. Be aware of the road conditions before going out. Try to give yourself more time to get from point A to point B. Don’t overdo it. Know the limitations of your vehicle.” Remembering to be safe and take extra time is essential to surviving Montana’s winter roads. However, it’s also important to know that no one is invincible no matter how nice the car is in the snow. “Vehicles with 4-wheel drive are going to do a bit better than vehicles without. But I do know of a few instances where people with 4-wheel drive feel like they have a type of security blanket. People think that they can brake just as fast in the snow and ice. The single most important thing is to be safe and take your time,” Taylor said. Even when a driver remembers all the “rules” of driving on icy roads, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid a collision. That’s a lesson that junior Trey Behling learned when he got in an accident on the Tenth Ave South Bridge. “I was out driving, and the car in front of me put on their brakes, but when they
Keep the holidays merry
Christmas and New Year’s can be some of the most enjoyable days with family and friends. Don’t let alcohol destroy the fun. Don’t drink underage -- and never drive while impaired.
What’s your plan?
started braking, the car started sliding. The same thing happened to me and the car behind me,” Behling said. “It was a sort of domino effect. Once the first car hit the side of the bridge, it came to a stop. The accident happened around 6 o’clock at night. It was already dark out, and it had just started to snow.” Driving in snowy weather can be terrifying because you never really know how icy the roads are until you’re already driving. “The ice was so bad that the police were slipping and having difficulty just walking up to the cars, but I tried to stay calm. I knew that I couldn’t have done anything different, and I knew that there wasn’t anything that I had done wrong. It was just the weather; the bridge was covered in pure ice,” Behling said. Bridges are dangerous in below freezing weather. Unlike roads, bridges are surrounded entirely by all the elements. Where roads only face winds and snow only on the surface, bridges face wind and snow all around. When facing icy conditions, especially on bridges, it’s important to remember not to jeopardize safety. “The number one thing is to be safe. Be aware of the road conditions before going out,” Taylor said. According to the GFPD, 328 more accidents happened in 2016 through 2017 during the colder months (defined as the beginning of October through the end of March) when compared to warmer months. Due to cars sliding on ice, drivers not knowing how to properly operate on icy roads, and weather causing poor visibility on roads. Making certain precautions -- having the right tires, wearing your seatbelt, and driving slower -- will all help ensuring safety on Montana’s icy roads.
S News Shorter break affects students and staff by Sophie Kluge, staff writer CMR counselor Brenda Lowry is excited for the winter break, but she also is saddened that she won’t be able to partake in more leisure time. This winter break, which runs from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, is two days shorter than last year’s break. “I’m going to miss a little longer holiday break,” Lowry said. Although the break is shorter, underclassmen get out of school on June 1 and seniors graduate on May 27, which is a week earlier from the previous year. Last year, seniors graduated on June 3, and underclassmen were released on June 12. Even though students and staff get out a week earlier this year, Lowry said she would rather have longer breaks in the school year than get out early. “I like longer breaks during the school year,” she said. Lowry also mentioned that the breaks during the year are much needed, and allow students and teachers to relax
and “recharge.” Due to the break, students do get out earlier and Lowry thinks that may be nice. “That will probably feel good then,” Lowry said about getting out June 1, but is still upset about the lack of downtime she will get. “It’s nice to have a little bit of time before and after Christmas,” Lowry said. She also said that there is a lot to be done between the start of the break and the end, and she fears that her time will be spent in ways that are not relaxing. Another thing that the short break prevents is traveling. Some students travel during the breaks, but due to the short amount of time that is allotted, traveling may be less popular or less possible this year. “Traveling is definitely something that comes to mind during these short breaks,” Lowry said, adding that she
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
4
would not be traveling this year. For those who do travel, if they take an extended break, they will be welcomed back with cramming for finals. Finals take place Jan 15 through the 19, which is two weeks after students return from the break. “I have not had any contact with parents or kids that are taking an extended break, but I am sure that we will have have an influx of low attendance,” Lowry said. In past years, Lowry said that she hasn’t seen a drop in attendance after the break due to the end of the semester coming up, and is sure that kids will react the same this year even though the break is shorter. Finals do come up relatively soon after Christmas break, and that is another reason she believes students will stick around for the end of the semester.
Washington Post secures victory against “fake news” advocates, spurs conversation
by Mackenzie George, editor in chief since the days of Pulitzer. News outlets who for the past year have struggled with the label of “fake news” “What’s different today is that all -- by some people, anyway -- media outlets are claimed a small victory on Nov. 27. The Washington Post published a detailed being branded as fake, not just the National Enquirer kind of things,” Britton said. investigative story of a woman, claiming to be one of senatorial candidate Roy This helped Trump survive political mistakes that no other candidate in history Moore’s victims, who was part of an undercover sting operation hoping to fuel the has survived, he said, citing Howard Dean’s “Dean Scream,” President Obama, and fire between the public and the media. Mitt Romney as examples. It could have helped that the mainstream media “probably Jaime Phillips of Stamford, Conn., approached the Post as one of Moore’s victims. does have a little bit of a left-leaning bias,” Halverson said. She had a story to tell, she said, but needed to be confident the newspaper could Senior DeLayne Doucette, a senior in Halverson’s AP Government class, has protect her before she would “tell all.” The Post, adhering to journalistic standards, observed this bias contributing to a negative effect on public opinion. did not publish her unsubstantiated account. “A lot of times [these outlets] will use Later, it was discovered that Phillips worked for information to support their side, and they don’t Project Veritas, whose mission according to their even consider the other side,” Doucette said. website is to “investigate and expose corruption, “And I think that’s how a lot of people get the dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud, and other notion about ‘fake news,’ because they’re only misconduct in both public and private institutions seeing one side of things -- one extreme side and in order to achieve a more ethical and transparent the other extreme side.” society.” Its founder, James O’Keefe, has been That doesn’t mean the media isn’t necessary, quoted as saying, “The media is dead -- we killed Doucette said. it.” “[The media] helps people,” she said. “People The media, very much alive, is in a constant are more informed. They make better decisions state of motion. Government teacher Brian when they have more information, like about Halverson emphasizes its importance by devoting voting and everything. an entire unit to the media. “We wouldn’t know anything about the “Especially for people in Montana or for candidates without the media,” she added. students at CMR, the language that government Journalists need to commit themselves to teachers use is that the media links us to our remaining as unbiased as possible and, according government, so that’s a pretty basic concept in a to Britton, must focus on the middle sector of representative democracy...because those people America instead of the opposite spectrums where are not in position to know what’s going on in outlets spend the majority of their time. the national government every day. It conveys “Most of the American public lives there in information to us about the people who are in As many publications are being branded “fake news,” teachers and the middle. They’re trying to figure things out; governance, the policies, and the laws -- the students alike look to incorporate the concept into schools and news they’re on the fence,” Britton said. things that are important, the problems that need consumption. Photo by Mackenzie George. As consumers of news, most people take the to be solved,” Halverson explained. easy road of reading, watching, or listening to Since the media “is even more important in an election cycle,” it took a “completely information they are comfortable with, Britton said, “because we want our opinions unique” candidate to disrupt the normal workings of news outlets during the 2016 to be validated.” presidential election. That unique candidate was Donald Trump, who Halverson said “If you’re only watching MSNBC or you’re only watching Fox, that’s almost like ran as both an outsider and a salesman and took campaign promises and political fake news because you’re not getting both sides. Whatever coverage it is that you’re hyperbole to a level “we’ve probably never seen before.” The coinage of the term seeking, that’s what you’re going to watch because it makes you feel comfortable. “fake news” was a deliberate and successful one for the Trump campaign. Your brain is not even having to think,” Britton explained. “That bothers me. You “He was able to kind of successfully, at least with his base, basically frame any need journalists to basically enlighten people on what’s happening on this planet. sort of critique against him, whether it was legitimate or whether it was sort of We’re never going to get along if we just remain in our little corners.” liberally motivated, as fake news,” Halverson said. But journalism teacher Beth Britton noted that yellow journalism has been around
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
News
Juniors Grace Davidson and Noah Turoski tied for third place Novice Policy in the Helena tournament. The speech and debate team poses for their photo showing their awards. Pictured are Kier Brown, Maura Hodges, McKenna Osentowski, Samuel Avery, Morgan Campbell, Gail Parambi and Oliver Heaviside. Photos courtesy of Steve Hurin.
A club that teaches more than how to win: Speech and Debate by Gabrielle Pope, online editor English teacher and speech and debate coach Steve Hurin is coaching a team that is a forced to be reckoned with this year. They recently competed in the Helena Tournament, where two of the Novice Policy debate teams placed in the top eight. One of the teams was the only team to place in the top four that wasn’t a part of the Bozeman team. That team was made up of juniors Grace Davidson and Noah Turoski. “Basically we come up with a plan we have to try to pass in Congress, and the other team debates us and tries to tell us why our plan sucks,” Turoski said. He says that their plan was basically sexual education that has specific guidelines that should be taught and focuses more on contraceptives and less on abstinence. “That wasn’t our original plan, but our coach, Mr. Hurin, showed us the topic we ended up debating,” he said. Turoski said he likes being a part of the speech and debate team because he is not involved in other schoolrelated activities. “Speech and debate teaches me to speak up and how to speak publicly in general,” he said.
Hurin hopes that his students are learning what Turoski has learned through being a part of this team. He said he aims to teach the kids confidence and how to properly speak in front of people. “Usually once you instill that confidence in kids, everything else will come. Everything else is teachable. Overcoming that first obstacle of being confident in front of people is the hardest for most people,” he said. Hurin is no stranger to speech and debate; he participated for three years in high school and then continued in college doing debate and Model United Nations at UM. Then before he coached at CMR, he coached at Great Falls High, the University of Great Falls and Central Catholic High School. On Jan. 26-27, the state speech and debate tournament will be held in Great Falls, and Hurin depends on the help of the community to make this tournament as great or greater than last year. Hurin said
Student gov’t analyzes data by Sophie Kluge, staff wrtier Last spring, a handful of randomly picked students took a youth risk behavior survey that allows administrators to get an understanding of high-risk behaviors students are partaking in at CMR. “Our goal is to make this the best high school in the state of Montana,” Principal Kerry Parsons said. Of the 1,300 kids who attend CMR, 198 of them took the anonymous survey. The data that was presented was astounding. According to the survey, in February of last year, 25 percent of students had carried a weapon on school grounds, but it left many people wondering what was classified as a weapon. One in five kids have been in a car with someone who had been drinking, and 6 percent of students reported they have been drinking and then drove. During the 2016-2017 school year, 87 percent of students said that they were threatened with a weapon on school grounds, but only 25 percent reported they got in a physical fight. The survey results left the administration concerned. Parsons said that he was disappointed, but more concerned than shocked. “I think in my job, having done a lot of administrative jobs for a long time, I’m not really shocked,” Parsons said. After presenting these concerning results to the staff of CMR, Parsons decided to open the data up to student government. A Powerpoint was presented and after the
presentation, the students who listened to the seminar got into small groups to address a number of problems such as excessive drug and alcohol use, poor mental health, bullying, weapons and teenage sex. A little less than 20 percent of students said that they had made a plan to attempt suicide, 18 percent said they attempted suicide, and 5 percent said they needed a hospital visit due to their suicide attempt. Last year, 70 percent of the students who took the survey reported drinking, and 40 percent have smoked marijuana. 10 percent of students have tried cocaine, and 5 percent have tried heroin. Parsons said that the data depends on the year and who is taking the survey, but this year was especially rough. “I know there are at-risk behaviors that kids participate in,” Parsons said. Although the results were not what he expected, he says the students who took the survey represent a small population compared to the majority of students that make up CMR but he is still concerned with the results and aims to make improvements for the upcoming years. Parsons, along with Nate Achenbach, Paul Soldano, and Nick Taylor, asked students what they would do, or recommend to do, with the results. Opening the conversation, being accepting, and always knowing what to do in the worst scenario were some comments made. “More than shocked, I’m just looking at how we can move forward,” Parsons said.
5
that last year at the tournament in Great Falls there was a lot of support shown from the community, which is very encouraging. When the community comes to watch they are actively involved. “We rely on the whole community to come out and judge. Not only are they watching; they are watching and observing and critiquing and really taking part in the program,” Hurin said.
Annual fruit sale fundraiser comes to an end
Art by Maygie Li.
Top Sellers Orchestra- Clara McClain $1178 Choir- Bailey Reeves $2805 Band- Brigit Nelson $2315 Apples- 215 boxes at 20lbs each -- 14,700+ lbs Pears- 450 boxes at 20lbs each -- 9,000lbs Grapefruit- 355 boxes at 20lbs each and 72 boxes at 40 lbs each -- 9,000lbs Oranges- 633 boxes at 20lbs each -- 12,660 lbs Hundreds of boxes of fruit, coffe, candy and other various items were being loaded into the cars of students, parents, and family members alike on Dec. 7 as the fruit sales came to an close. Photos by Julia Gremaux.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
News
Caring. Our way of life. Key Club is the oldest and largest studentled service program for high school students. This year, members of Key Club have volunteered at the Children’s Museum, fundraised for Unicef, and helped out at the local Family Fun Festival. They also hosted a Taco Bar for CMR staff members, and ran papers at the CMR Holiday Wrestling Classic. Meetings are held every Tuesday in room 231. Anyone is encouraged to come join the fun!
6
S Opinion Holiday season cheer not enough to counteract bad attitudes
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
7
Butter prices affect holiday celebrations
by McKenzie Connell, staff writer Is the “season of giving” that exists hello -- only to be greeted with silence round. Come to more school events Holidays bring delightful in December enough to make up for our and a blank stare. to show your support for your fellow treats. Sugar cookies, attitudes the other 11 months of the We need to be more aware of the Rustlers and tell them they did a good decorated with frosting and year? effect that our attitudes have on other job. Say hello to someone in the hallway, sprinkles. Fudge, caringly sliced From January to November we all people throughout the year, and we even if you don’t know them. If you see into perfect bite size pieces. Or the go through life with a mentality of “it’s need to be actively working to make someone struggling with a subject you delicious apple pie with the flaky, me against the the world a better place every day. enjoy in the library, offer to help them From buttery crust. But the process before h a n d world,” and then It’s like the story many of us were with what they don’t understand. is the true memory making part. First, mixing all Anyone can brighten someone’s day point of view suddenly on Dec. shown in elementary school; “Have the ingredients together, and then painstakingly 1, everyone is in You Filled a Bucket Today?” Imagining and add to their bucket of cheer. In fact, rolling and cutting the shapes out. A crucial part the spirit of giving for the next 31 days. everyone’s happiness as a bucket that as you try to make others smile around of the cookie itself, is of course those delicious Here at CMR we like to pride fills and empties makes empathy a you, you’ll find a smile coming more ingredients. Flour, sugar, and of course, butter. ourselves on the strong sense of little easier for little kids, but why do easily to your own face. Butter is the staple that pulls holiday treats community and belonging that exists we lose this ability later in life? Try to remember this as you exit the together. within our walls, but it’s not hard to How many people have empty holiday season and head into January. But in the past years, the butter supply has spot the angry drivers in the parking buckets the entire year and only And hopefully this consideration of dropped all over the world. Recently in France, lots, yelling at other drivers, or the have other people trying to fix that in other people’s buckets will last longer shelves are completely empty due to the students shoving people out of the way December? than our New Year’s resolutions. European shortage, which is affecting Europe in their walk to class. It’s disheartening We need to be actively trying to fill and other countries in the world. Here in Great to walk by someone in the hall, say the buckets of those around us all year Falls, Montana, the issue is the price. According to Inflation.com, butter prices have an average inflation rate of 3.41 percent a year since 2000. This means that in 2000, spending $20 on butter DEC. FEB. APRIL JAN. MARCH will now cost $35. While these numbers and statistics may not mean a lot, when looking at it on a personal spectrum, it changes. As said before, butter is a staple in holiday traditions. These traditions revolve around baked AUG. MAY JUNE JULY goods. But this holiday season will be different from the following years, even here in Great Falls. Small town businesses, such as Great Harvest Bread Co., have had to travel out of town to purchase the large amounts of butter for the holidays. Those traditional treats bought by the NOV. SEPT. OCT. regulars, or given as gifts to friends and family, are held together by the wonderful creation of Li. ie g y a M y art b butter. So this holiday season, while cooking in the kitchen with your family, or watching your family cook, reflect on the simple things that make the If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest national news they have been tried for most recently. According to The Daily holidays so amazing. trends, then I am here to inform you that they all revolve around Signal, more than $17 billion has been used to pay off those who one major thing that many politicians, movie stars and those in have pressed charges against lawmakers or has been used for the spotlight are going down for: sex. settlements since 1997. Nonconsensual sex, including but not limited to unwanted Some politicians who have been accused have chosen to sexual attention, whether that be in words or touches or gestures. resign from office while others choose to continue to serve. Former The women that fall victim to the accusations are coming out with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, Roy Moore, was the encouragement of other women in the #MeToo movement. accused of having sexual contact with a 14-year-old when he was The #MeToo movement started on Twitter and was aimed to 32 years old. He then ran in the special election for the U.S. Senate unite women who have been in situations that involve unwanted and was projected to win, until Democrat Doug Jones won the sexual attention. The hashtag went viral in a matter of hours. senate seat. there are now men and women in more than 85 countries who All the while, President Donald Trump endorsed Moore in the have taken part in the movement. It takes a lot of courage for election. He made several tweets stating so. Overall, what I am people to come out against their perpetrator, especially when that saying is that those who are supposed to be governing our country person is a leader that the common person is supposed to look up or are in influential positions should be men and women who we to. What makes me feel most betrayed by the political figures in look up to, that we trust and want to represent our country. our country is the fact that our tax dollars went to a fund that was With the trends of many politicians and others of power being created to defend them in court. The government made it possible accused of sexual harassment and things that relate to it on the for a “slush fund” to be available at the lawmakers and political rise, my faith in our government and the goodness of people is figures dispense. hindered. I am hoping with movements like #MeToo and many Recently most of that money has gone to defend those who more that aren’t as popular open the eyes of those around us and have been accused of sexual harassment because that is what we listen to the voices of others and make a change for the better.
OUR
Eleven months of grumps and one full of cheer...
Gabrielle Pope
Online Editor
Influential beings lead by showing us what no to do
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Opinion
VISIBLE For
by Julia Gremaux, photo editor Being raised in Montana as a hunter I take full advantage of the vast wilderness Montana offers, including its open opportunity to hunt many different forms of big game. To be honest, hunting in Montana is not done discreetly; we take pride in our culture and the opportunities Montana offers us outdoorsmen (and women). Social media has become an outlet for showcasing what hunters have accomplished, as hunting is no easy task. Some hunters, including myself, try their best to keep their pictures clean and as non-bloody as possible for those who don’t share our same opinion on visual hunting. At some points it is impossible to avoid showing “the act of killing” in our pictures, as the most humane way to kill an animal is in a very visible spot. As a new generation we have adapted the trend of showing our daily enjoyments on our multi-media outlets, hunting happens to be one thing I devote a lot of time and have a passion for, so it is a common filler of my social media feeds. At this point, pictures of hunters with their animal(s) shown anywhere does not phase me, but to people who do not hunt it is appalling. Although I can put myself in their shoes, I don’t see the inhumanity behind their argument. We hunt to control overpopulation, disease, and our hunting costs go back into helping protect wildlife conservations. As much as we take away from the environment we give back equally. There is a hunting community on every social media outlet; some users have an account just for hunting pictures year round. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service this is a sport participated by 13.7 million people or 6% of the U.S. population. For that reason it is nearly impossible to hide all participation from social media. The best we can do is be respectful to the animals we hunt and the people around us who don’t share our values by keeping our pictures clean.
“
HUNTING Against
These animals should be respected and sharing dead pictures of them is far from respectful.
”
Gabrielle Pope
“
Hunting happens to be one thing I devote a lot of time and have a passion for, so it is a common filler of my social media feeds.
” Julia Gremaux
Junior class looks to excite, entertain with semi-formal Morp We just wanted some by Mackenzie George, editor in chief Solid attendance has been notoriously tricky at Morp for the past few years. This year’s juniors are hoping for a successful turnout at this winter’s girlsask-guys dance, which will be held Jan. 12 in the gym. This year, the theme is semi-formal, which junior class president Jayson Ingalls hopes will increase interest. “We just wanted some kind of occasion where people were allowed to dress up nice,” Ingalls said. “We thought especially girls would like to dress up and see their guys dress up.” The junior class has held multiple meetings to plan the dance. They’ve also set up a Remind101 to keep
8
“
everyone in the kind of occasion where loop. Tickets will people were allowed to dress cost $8 each, or up nice. $12 for a couple. Ingalls and Jayson Ingalls the other student government representatives have several ideas for activities and games to be held in the mezzanine. “It’s always just a lot of fun,” Ingalls said.
”
by Gabrielle Pope, online editor Hunting is not something that I am opposed to. As a Montanan I have come to learn that September through December is the time that everyone is out in the mountains scouting out hunting spots and I am not oblivious to that fact. But living here as long as I have, I know to avoid looking in the backs of trucks or going on social media as much during this time, and I think that there is something wrong with that. I shouldn’t have to adjust my life for four or so months of the year because those who are hunting are posting bloody pictures all over their social media or have a deer strapped to the top of their car. It should be common courtesy to keep things that are controversial off of social media and out of the minds and eyes of others who don’t want to see it. There are so many other things that you can showcase on social media, why show off dead animals? Post about your perfect golf swing, or a great pass you made in football or a beautiful painting you created, those are all things that people want to see, things that are aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for social media. With the era of cell phones and cameras on you everywhere comes the era of posting all life events on social media and as we grow more accustomed to that we have learned cell phone edicate and that same edicate should be applied to what we post on social media as well. People would never post pictures of animals they ran over that’re now on the side of the road, but there is some sort of pride hunters feel when they take the life of any other animal. These animals should be respected and sharing dead pictures of them is far from respectful. There is a stigma that you have to kill things to state your claim in the Montana culture, that we are all rough and tumbley cowboys who rub the blood of animals on our faces and I understand that this isn’t the opinions of all hunters but those that do need to be considerate of others opinions and what they want their social media feeds to be filled with. Then-juniors Isabelle Pellot, Morgan Duncan, and Brooke Crabtree enjoy the photo booth at last year’s Great Gatsbythemed MORP. This year, the dance will be semi-formal. Photo by Mackenzie George.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Opinion
9
Fish and Wildlife decision damages elephant population
by Grace Carr, staff writer On Nov. 15, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced they would release the ban on the importation of elephant hunt trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia. On Nov. 17, Pres. Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the reversal of this decision until more facts have been collected. This issue has caused protest from animal rights groups, conservatives, and even some celebrities. For example, talk show host and stand-up comedian Ellen DeGeneres tried to spread awareness and concern for the African elephant population by posting a tweet with the hashtag #BeKingToElephants. This ban was established in 2014 under Barack Obama’s presidency because the “Fish and Wildlife Service found that the hunts did not contribute to the survival of the species,” according to National Geographic. When this law was created, people hoped it would decrease the risk of elephants’ extinction and boost the African elephant population, since they have been listed as a threatened species since 1978. In the early part of the 20th Century, African elephant populations reached between three and five million. Today, there are only around 415,000. So, why does the government feel the need to suddenly change course? Releasing this ban would only increase the amount of danger facing this species.
The government’s reasoning is money paid for permits and hunts will go back in to the conservation of elephants and other African animals. Hunters from across the globe pay tens of thousands of dollars -sometimes more -- to go on a trophy hunt. However, I think by giving American trophy hunters more access to this sport, then we will harm the species more than conserve it. The United States government is claiming to preserve a species by giving permits to those who want to kill that same species. What will be left to preserve if they continue to allow others to hunt these animals? I think the money should be used in a different way. Instead of having wealthy individuals pay to hunt a species, they should donate their money directly into the conservation of these animals if, of course, they are truly hunting to preserve this species. I do not agree with the decision to lift this ban. I believe an endangered species should not be hunted for pleasure or bragging rights. These unique animals should not be threatened because someone with money decided to decorate their home. If we allow people to hunt these magnificent creatures, then we will be responsible for the extinction of the largest mammal walking the Earth.
African elephants have been classified as a threatened species since 1978.
Nov/16/2017 10:23 PMWORLD NEWS ENVAn elephant is seen in the Gonarezhou National Park, southeast Zimbabwe, on September 2, 2015. Situated in southeastern Zimbabwe, the 5,000 sq km Gonarezhou National Park is the second largest national park in the country, and forms part of one of the world’s largest conservation areas -- the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, with the Kruger National Park of South Africa to the south and the Limpopo National Park of Mozambique to the southeast. Gonarezhou, which is translated as “the place of elephants” in local Shona language, also has one of the world’s highest elephant population densities. (Xu Lingui/Xinhua/Sipa USA/TNS)
New friendships start at lunch
by JJ Slater, staff writer In every school across the globe, including CMR, a segment of students dread lunch for the sole reason of being alone. One young man decided to take action. Denis Estimon, a 2017 graduate of Boca Raton Community High School in Florida, started a club during his senior year called “We Dine Together.” The club’s mission is to Lunch hour at Bravo Medical Magnet High School on Wednesday, let no student sit and April 13, 2011. Los Angeles Times/MCT to their fellow Rustlers, the kids sitting eat alone at school. Their club has grown from 15 students alone in the corners of the Commons or in to 80 in the matter of one school year. the second and third floor hallways could In Boca Raton, club members roam the gain new friendships from people they school grounds during lunch periods, would perhaps never associate with on a introducing themselves and conversing daily basis. By integrating this idea of no one with their peers. eating alone, we could have a more According to the club’s website, their purpose is to “create an atmosphere accepting and welcoming atmosphere in where students can be themselves school and fewer students will seclude without fear of rejection.” After being themselves from others. By establishing we could change featured on CBS News, similar clubs are this movement students’ lives and their anxieties of forming across the nation. I think we should be one of the schools lunch and school. We could change adopting this program. If we had students students’ lives by giving them company at CMR who would be willing to reach out and a friend they can trust.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Opinion
10
A Winter Day in Great Falls One student shares his adventure under the Big Sky
Morning It is time to wake up, it is cold outside, and the landscape is covered in white. I get to my car and scrape off the ice created by the cold wind last night. Great Falls is not awake yet, and the sun is playing hide and seek with the clouds. The city is a ghost town, the cold seeps through my jacket. In order to warm up inside and outside, I seek a hot drink and a coffee shop. After I warm up my body, I pass by the park and I see
Afternoon My stomach needs food so I buy a pizza, and I go to Showdown for a powder afternoon with my friend. The snow rolls under my snowboard, the flakes are sticking to my face, and the trees are frosted on the landscape After this super afternoon, I meet my parents not far from Showdown. We are heading out to cut a Christmas tree. We choose a pretty one -- a beautiful and impressive pine.
Night When we arrive back at home with the tree, we bring this huge pine in the house and prepare some candies, cakes, and juice. We light up a fire, and the warmth, the cracks of the wood, and the bright lights spread through the house. We leave the house and go to a Christmas concert. After so much noise in my head, it is time to eat and watch a movie. I take some cookies and candies. The chocolate melts on my tongue and I can feel the different flavors: they taste like Christmas. I snuggle under the blanket and enjoy “The Grinch.” I laugh as the Grinch plays pranks and tries to steal Christmas.
I walked away because I “Rocked the Belt”
XMAS MOOVIE
by Gauthier Paget, staff writter
Buckle your Seat Belt Every Seat. Every Vehicle. Every Time!
EVERY LIFE MATTERS! Brought to you by...
S Features
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
11
Controversy storms the climbing community
Quincy Schmechel
Editorial Board
by Callan Garner, staff writer Controversy storms the climbing community as three disciplines are combined into one score, determining who will take the gold in the newly introduced Olympic sport of climbing. Along with surfing, skateboarding, softball and karate, rock climbing was added as a way to attract a more youthful audience, yet these athletic events were just happy to obtain the recognition they deserve on a worldwide scale. “Overall, I am excited that climbing is being included in the Olympics,”climber Mike Doyle said in an interview on Sept. 23, 2016 for Climbing magazine. The disciplines are sport climbing (aka lead climbing), bouldering and sprint climbing. Sport climbing consists of a much taller wall where climbers set their own route, leading with a rope, instead of the easier, more well known top rope, where the rope is already pre-set for climbers. Bouldering is a strength and power-based ascent on a much shorter wall with no ropes. And speed climbing is the most different, with an auto ascend rope and fully set preroute, where the moves are all similar and it is a vertical sprint. “Other climbers say including speed climbing makes perfect sense. It’s exciting to watch, which could make it vital to attracting viewers who aren’t familiar with the intricacies and nuances of bouldering or sport climbing…. If only [sport] or bouldering was selected as the Olympic Event, our Speed World Cup discipline would ultimately die. Combined, the disciplines Climbers participate in the contriversial form of climbing; speed climbing. Racing up the preset route, retain their value, and they show one wrong move will defeat your chances of winning. the world all the highlights of our Photo: Creative Commons/Wikimedia sport,” Sean McColl, president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Athletes Commission said in an interview for Outside on March 16, 2017. Some believe that speed climbing will add more “flair” to the sport. It will leave people sitting on the edge of their seats, hopefully attracting more viewers.
Editor protests parking lot pick-up pandemonium
As an underclassman, I never thought I’d be using senior lot when I achieved that status of my final year of education. However, as I reached my senior year I was somehow absorbed into a customary parking spot in the lot, which I had before seen as an inconvenience. Now, I see the lot as a way to avoid the cluster of the main lot before and after school. At least, that was the case until parents began to use senior lot as a pick up and drop off point. I appreciate what parents do for kids, and I don’t want that notion to be misconstrued. But I also want to make the point of saying that usually convention has a purpose; things are done a certain way for a reason. I don’t mean to sound critical, but the senior and faculty lots are designated for the parking of those two demographics
within CMR. Twice now, I’ve come within inches of having my car hit by a parent who’s manically tearing through senior lot to pick up their freshman daughter or son. Several of my teachers have complained about similar incidents in the faculty lot. We’re all busy. We’re all in a rush to leave school, go to work, or run errands. But going against traffic as students are trying to pull out of their spots won’t save you any time, and accidents are more of a headache than time saver. The main lot, though hectic after school, is by far the easiest place to pick up or drop off kids, especially with the construction that is under way. Please use the main lot, and please drive safely. Save us all the headache.
Hi-Line Climbing Center brings a new definition of a workout by Callan Garner, staff writer Slightly over a year ago, the Hi-Line Climbing Center opened its doors to the community of Great Falls as the first bouldering gym to appear in the 406. With a passion for the sport, the owners of the gym, Brian and Abby Thompson, knew that something had to be done to allow Great Falls to be a community with “something new to do.” “We always had easy access to indoor climbing growing up,” Brian said. And living in a community where people always say there is very little to do, the two decided to go for it and open their own gym. Opening a new business is always a struggle; looking at 1000 steps at once can be overwhelming, but when you take it just one step at a time it becomes more of a reality said Brian when asked what it’s like to start a business. Really trying to tie the community together, the Hi-Line focuses strongly on trying to get everyone involved. From date and ladies night, to a program they developed with Eagle Mount, the climbing gym highlights how just anyone can participate. “It’s a sport where it is more about play than competition,” Brian said. You can begin just trying something new, and eventually begin to compete in it, Brian added. Senior Aurora Oden agrees that it is a sport where your adrenaline rushes and your fear is sparked, but you can begin at a level that allows you to achieve what you want and begin to make incredible leaps. After climbing for little over a year with her exchange family, Oden climbs often at the Hi-Line. Most of her host siblings climb on their competition team, which gives her a feel of both the competitive side of the Hi-Line and a more relaxed side of it. Oden said just how different climbing outside is compared to working out at the Hi-Line. At the gym, there are no ropes, and it is pure strength and stamina. Yet, the walls aren’t as high, and when you fall it doesn’t hurt. Regular members of the gym said just how diverse the gym is. You can go there for a full body workout or just some fun, Oden added. “Just start with a group of friends and give it a Top: GFHS senior Brandon Hanlon campuses a crimp board at try,” Brian said. the Hi-Line Climbing Center. Crimp boards are a near impossible workout meant to strengthen your fingers. Bottom: The Hi-Line Climbing Center offers many routes that vary in difficulty, meant to challenge everyone at any skill level. The gym changes routes bi-weekly. Photos by Callan Garner.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Features
14
Celebrate the season
Students share their favorite holiday family traditions
New Year’s
Carly Cushman, 11th
“We go to Fairmont every year and watch the ball drop.” She has been going for six years and said she hopes to continue doing so. She enjoys this tradition “because I get to start the New Year with my friends and family.”
Holly Spragg, 10th
“My grandpa’s birthday is on New Year’s Day, and his favorite dessert is cherry pie. When I was with my mom we would go over there on New Year’s Eve and eat cherry pie while we celebrated his birthday and watched the ball drop.” She has been doing this since about first or second grade. Unfortunately, her grandpa passed away on Thanksgiving. “We probably will continue the tradition on our own this year.”
Griffin Held, 10th
“I go to Colorado to my dad’s house for one year and the next year I stay in Great Falls with my mom.” Both celebrations usually include the same thing: drinking cider and staying up to watch the ball drop. He has been alternating New Years with his parents for six to seven years.
Breanna Johns, 11th
“On my dad’s side we throw a mini party every year. We drink cider, pop some poppers and watch the ball drop.” Her family has been doing this since she can remember, and she said she would like to continue this tradition. “I like to see my family and friends enjoy being around each other.”
Vitor Rossato
Christmas
CMR Brazilian exchange student Vitor Rossato misses his South American home, but he said he is super pumped to spend his time with his new family. Rossato lives in one of the biggest cities in Brazil so there aren’t many houses that have enough room to decorate their exterior surroundings. In Rossato’s neighborhood there aren’t any forested areas that has Evergreens, so everyone must buy their own Christmas tree. Even though his host
Celia Aizkorreta
The holiday season is the best time of the year to remind people of the important things. Presents!... and obviously family, but this year, CMR’s foreign exchange student Celia Aizkorreta gets to spend her Christmas with her host family. There are some traditions that CMR’s Spanish exchange student Aizkorreta wanted to share. “We celebrate Christmas in Spain. It is a really big celebration. We also have
Juan Gantos
In Mexico City, Gantos celebrates his holidays with a large gathering of his family. He has lots of family members, and around 30 cousins get together for Christmas every year. Gantos misses home, but is grateful for his new host family. During the seasons of winter it’s around 60 degrees in Mexico City, but he said he loves the cold. The first thing that ne noticed when he came to Great Falls, Mont. was the weather.
by Maygie Li and Grace Carr, staff writers
Brazil
family is different from his family at home, their holidays are similar. “Every time that my family gets together, we make a barbecue, and Christmas is no exception. [The Lotts] make a white elephant gift exchange and play lots of board games. I make this type of gift exchange with my family in Brazil, too.” During the Christmas time regardless of traditions they still love, and celebrate the same.
Spain
Santa Claus, but in Spain we call him Papá Noel. We also celebrate the three wise men (or the three Kings), Jan. 6 and it’s like same as Santa Claus.” Aizkorreta explains that they celebrate the three wise men to celebrate the arrival of baby Jesus. CMR’s students with different traditions and cultures all come together from different places to celebrate the holidays.
Mexico
“I love the snow. I could spend all day in the snow,” he said. Christmas isn’t the same without the cold, frosty weather, and that leaves no exceptions for Gantos. A neat tradition that his host family has is that everyone has their own handmade ornaments. Now Gantos has to have his own ornament, too. By the end of the day it’s not about we spend our Christmas, it’s about who we spend it with.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Features
15
Fashion success, not a fashion mess by JJ Slater, staff writer What are the go to fashion statments this winter? What are the most in trends? What are you most comfortable in? We asked some fellow students of CMR their opinions on what is most comfortable in the winter season and some major trends surfacing. Freshman Adonai Gray My go-to winter clothing most of the time is my coat. Being fashion forward isn’t important to me, but it is to my sister so she dresses me up sometimes.
Computer Science teacher Stacy Dolderer works in the business department. Health enhancement teacher Lindsey Gustafson performs burpees along with her 4th period class on Dec. 19. Photos by Julia
Gremaux and Kaylebb Stahmer.
Teachers juggle multiple responsibilities
Sophmore Max Magers “A go-to winter clothing piece is my brown Carhartt Beanie. I wear clothes that are comfy, and I feel like one of the cool kids of 2003.”
Junior Jillian Painter “My go-to winter trend is destroyed/distressed denim and cardigans, but my favorite trend is chunky ankle booties.”
by Kaylebb Stahmer, staff writer Daily routines are what comprise our lifestyles, whether it be a cup o’ joe to kickstart the day, or doing the Five Tibetan Rites, which is a system of exercises, before bed. Health and PE teacher Lindsey Gustafson has some down-to-earth daily traditions thanks to raising two young kids, one of whom was born at the beginning of the school year. “I make a latte every morning before I go to school. I have my latte machine, and coffee is a must,” she said. In addition to this daily staple, Gustafson said she pumps three times a day at school so she has sufficient breast milk for her newborn child. With the addition of two kids in her life, Gustafson said she often struggles to get out of the house in the morning. She lives past Belview, and this makes it hard for her to return to the house if she forgets something in the morning. “When I was staying home for three months, I was exhausted, and I just don’t feel like I was motivated to get up and do stuff,” she said. Since she returned to CMR, her job has helped her feel better mentally, physically, and emotionally. All of the physical activity throughout her day can be
attributed to her high spirits, and it also inspired her to eat better. Computer Science teacher Stacy Dolderer also has some things she does daily thanks to her occupation. She works at both CMR and Great Falls High School. “Keeping in touch with parents and administrators at two schools is a challenge. The fact that I have two sets of administrators [and] two sets of parents... I have to attend all of the parent conferences, [and] it all causes me to feel a little disjointed,” Dolderer said. She spends the first half of her day at GFH and the second half at CMR. She races between schools on a daily basis, catching lunch on the way. She said this can cause some issues on days when there are early outs -- like Homecoming -- as she cannot get to CMR for her classes right away. She also teaches Computer Science Principles, a new class. She writes the curriculum as she goes, and has to do so solo. “There’s really no textbook that I’m using. There’s no budget for a textbook, and I’m the only one,” she said.
limited numbers
FULL COLOR 300+ pages Get s your ! now Senior Shakira Brien “I wear a lot of hats but also cardigans cause they’re like a little sweater. The knee-high boots with tights and then a dress, I really like that in the winter. I myself like looking nice...I dress up for myself.”
Yearbook/Russellog 2018
Get your s now !
Can be purchased in the Finance Office $70 (2nd semester) $60 (1st semester)
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Features
16
Holidays bring joy and stress: a guide to bring one and lose the other st
be e th ... r Fo end fri
Everyone wants gum, but no one wants to pay for it, which is why this is the best forgotten gift for the one who has it all.
“I would probably get him a shirt... it’s not expensive and it’s something that a friend would get each other.” Tucker Thomas, senior
For the parents...
“I want my kids to leave me... just leave your parents for at least 24 hours.” Jeremy Comstock, English teacher
Gift Gift Giving Giving Guide: Guide: CHRISTMAS
do
- Getting someone candy is a great way to show your love for someone if you don’t know what else to get them. - Fuzzy socks are a way of showing someone that you care about them and their now-fuzzy feet. - A cozy blanket is something that you can get anyone and guaranteed, they will love it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or a girl. These things work for everyone.
don’t- Proactive as a gift? Even if
you’re meaning to be nice, it does not come off in that way. - Exercise gear is something that might be OK if they ask for it, but they would not take it the right way if they didn’t. - Getting someone a scale is on the number one list of ‘what not to get someone for Christmas’ and you shouldn’t even think about it. Never get someone these things as a Christmas gift. They are not sentimental.
CHRISTMAS
For the one who regifts...
For that special someone ...
For the one who has it all ...
Get them a gift that applies to their interests, such as basketball for the sport they enjoy. But give them the receipt in case they want to return it anyway. Serena Shultz, senior
“I would give them angel wings and say, ‘what are you doing out of heaven?’” Shelby Banks, sophomore
By Paige McCorkle and McKenzie Connell, staff writers
“I would get a gift that has sentimental value to them.” Peyton Peterson, sophomore
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” “Where friends meet and become our friends, too!”
4th Generation Proudly Serving You! Steaks Chicken Seafood Homemade Spaghetti Sauce & Ravioli
-Unknown
Gena Gremaux Re/Max - Great Falls, MT
In Black Eagle
1800 Smelter Ave.
761-0300
5 p.m. Mon-Fri 4 p.m. Sat & Sun
S Entertainment
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
by Austin McIntosh and Holly Spragg
17
INTERACTIVE X-MAS
by Austin McIntosh and Holly Spragg
Christmas Things BOW BREAKFAST BRIGHT BULB CANDY COAT DECORATE EGGNOG FAMILY FESTIVE FIRE HAPPY ICICLES MITTENS NOEL PUDDING RIBBON SANTA SNOW STAR STOCKING TREE YULETIDE
Down 1. A warm drink that goes great with marshmallows! 2. What you must kiss under during the holiday season! 3. A ballad that includes rats and fairies! 6. Who led Santa’s sleigh? 12. What you hang on the Christmas tree?
Across 4. What you roast on an open fire? 5. Winter apparrel that keeps your neck warm! 7. Circular decoration that commonly goes on front doors! 8. Angry, selfish old man! 9. Santa’s helpers! 10. The season Christmas takes place in! 11. A plant with red berries!
answer key: 1. cocoa 2. mistletoe 3. nutcracker 4. chestnuts 5. scarf 6. Rudolph 7. wreath 8. Scrooge 9. elves 10. winter 11. Holly
Are you Naughty or Nice? by Austin McIntosh & Maygie Li A. Spend
B. Spend it all
it on others on myself! It’s my before spending money after all! on myself
Clara McClain
Editorial Board
A.
What is the best part about X-mas?
A. Spending
time with family and sharing laughs all month!
You made it on the nice list! Santa will bring you some good presents this year!
B. The
presents and the food! A great combination!
B.
IAHCMSRTS
Pick a Christmas Color Set:
A. Red
& Green
B. Blue
& White
LOUPDRH
OTRSFY OMITELTSE RTWEAH
You’ve been naughty! Expect some coal to fill your stocking this year!
EEECDBMR answer key: christmas, rudolph, frosty, mistletoe, wreath, december
When I get money, I...
Unscramble the Holiday!
“Justice League” raises questions with fans of DC comics As someone who thoroughly enjoyed the “Wonder Woman” movie that premiered earlier in the year, I was more than a little disappointed with the portrayal on Diana Prince and the Amazons in the new DC movie “Justice League.” Gone were the amazing costumes that were obviously inspired by old Roman armor; they were replaced by what looked like leather bikinis. I’m not sure how those are supposed to protect your abdomen in the middle of battle, but from what I know about human anatomy, most of the important bits are exposed in armor like that. I enjoyed Diana’s character in this movie almost as much as I liked her in “Wonder Woman,” but she didn’t feel like the same person I had come to love.
She was at the top of the leaderboard for screen time, clocking in at around 47 minutes in the two-hour movie, but some of her dialogue felt forced, like the writers were trying so hard to make her able to relate to these men around her. I’m not a fan of the narrative that DC is leaning towards with Bruce Wayne seeming to pine after Diana, when he should be more focused on saving the world. He’s a grown man, and seeing his inability to separate a romantic interest from the need for a strong leader in the small team he’s trying to build made me lose respect for this superhero who is supposed to stand for the best that humanity has to offer. Batman has always been a symbol of hope, maybe even more so than Superman, especially for the
downtrodden souls in Gotham. In the comics, both Bruce Wayne and Batman do all they can to aid the people at the bottom of the totem pole, working to get better mental health options readily available and giving money and time to attempting to fix the broken system. So seeing this powerful man seemingly unable to contact one of his most powerful allies just rubbed me the wrong way. DC doesn’t need to fix the stories that they are putting on the screen, but they do need to figure out how to keep their characters true to who they are in the comics. I’m not watching superhero movies for the explosions; I’m watching them for the incredible stories and examples of hope. I watch them to feel less alone in this huge world.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Entertainment
18
“Wait Until Dark” a success
CMR’s 4 orchestras and symphonic band play Manheim Steamroller in Bill Williamson Hall on Dec. 15. Photos by Julia Gremaux.
Orchestra boils over with the sounds of Mannheim Steamroller by Quincy Schmechel, editorial board
There’s a certain gravity that one experiences watching an orchestra. It’s captivating to watch each body lean into their instrument, nearly absorbing violas and cellos as though they were limbs, not sovereign from each musician. Watching the Manheim Steamroller concert on Dec. 15 was no different. Under the direction of Steve Olson, all four of CMR’s orchestras and symphonic band joined on the stage in Bill Williamson Hall to play Manheim Steamroller. Known as a contemporary composer, Manheim
Steamroller puts a new, modern twist on classic Christmas music, and CMR proved to up to the task of stylizing the classics. Filled with solos, duets, quartets, and focuses on sections, the concert proved to be dynamic and fun not only for the student musicians, but also for the audience. Junior violinist Savanna Bateman played several parts-- including solos and quartets-- throughout the concert, along with senior recorder musician Matthew Mickolio, senior flutist Angel Buhler, and junior oboist Lily Erikson.
The N’ Thing
We have the dresses you want!
Be flirty. Be fabulous. Be you. 415 S. Main -- Conrad 278-5408 Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
by Holly Spragg, staff writer When it came to creating a world of mystery and suspense, CMR’s drama department just hit a homerun. The department’s production of “Wait Until Dark” successfully re-created the drama first seen on stage more than 50 years ago. The play by Frederick Knott premiered on Broadway in February 1966, and the film version came out in October 1967, starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Jack Weston, and Julia Herrod. In Bill Williamson Hall on Dec. 7-9, the show starred seniors Emma Tovson, Aidan Evans, Andrew Bursiaga, Mary Brown, Joshua Reenes, Tori Girard, junior Jacob Collins, and sophomore PJ Thomas. “Wait Until Dark” tells the story of a blind woman, a doll, a child, and three con men. Tovson tackled the role of Susy Hendrix, a blind woman put in an interesting spot of hiding a doll filled with heroin. She handles three men trying to alter her loyalties and senses with only a child named Gloria to help. Tovson portrayed the blind Susy in such a way as to make the audience truly believe her actions as she searched for outof-place items or knocked into furniture. Brown played the part of Gloria, the child who helps Susy outsmart the men. With her childish ponytails and overalls, Brown left behind her senior status to embrace the persona of Susy’s sometimesannoying neighbor, but one whose wit and intelligence helps Susy ultimately gain control of the situation. It was entertaining to watch Gloria enter the apartment as if it were her own. Collins, a member of the International Thespian Society, played the role of Mike Talman. Talman had fallen in love with a con woman who scammed him. Collins realistically acted like a friend at one
moment, all the while knowing his true intentions. Bursiaga was the second conman, Carlino, who was once an accomplice to Mike Talman. They ended up together again when they were tricked into finding a heroin-filled doll. Bursiaga got the audience to understand what kind of person he was when he took the $20 bill out of the ice box and made a sandwich -not caring whose home it was. Harry Roat, the mastermind to the whole plot and the third conman, was portrayed by Evans. He captured the sadistic, cruel character with both his voice and facial expressions. The audience grew to hate the man, and this is an indication of how well Evans did making Roat come to life on stage. Evans did an impeccable job of bringing to life the creepy character Roat was meant to be. He had to be brutal at some moments. It was not just the acting that assured the success of this production. The set pulled the audience members in as they followed the characters up and down the stairs, into the bedroom and out onto the sidewalk looking into the apartment. Details such as the photographs hanging to dry and specifically placed items that were memorized by Susy really brought the apartment to life. When the lights went completely out in the final minutes of the play, there was an audible gasp from audience members, who were left to listen carefully and visualize what was happening on stage. The lack of light forced the audience members to rely on their hearing, putting themselves in Susy Hendrix’s place of being trapped with a madman in complete darkness, listening for only the movements of CMR’s actors. It was a surprising twist to an already interesting mystery. The performers of “Wait Until Dark” put on the show on Dec. 7-9. Photos courtesy of Nancy Beston.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Entertainment
19
Making Spirits Bright
Top groups spread cheer at Civic Center holiday concert by Mackenzie George, editor in chief With not one but two solos to perform, senior Ryan Banks was suitably jittery for his final Civic Center holiday concert. “I wasn’t so nervous for the jazz band solo, but I was pretty nervous for the Symphonic Band solo, because I started off the song the first two measures by myself, whereas the jazz band we do solos every day in class and I could hide behind the trombones,” Banks said. “It was just a big audience. I’m not afraid to solo in a smaller group or in front of people I know, but around people I don’t know, I get nervous.” Banks and the Russtones provided tunes for about a half hour before opening the concert. Symphonic Band performed four songs, two of English composer Gustav Holst’s, one Hanukkah piece, and “the Russian 15-minute piece in the middle, which showed off most of our talents.” How does a band capture and hold the audience’s attention for 15 minutes? “You don’t,” fellow trumpet player Michael Michelsen quipped. “In my opinion, the song was never boring; it was just long,” Banks said. “There’s not a lot of movements; it just takes what’s usually in a song and extends each of those parts.” A solo that might usually last 10 measures lasts 40, Banks explained. After three years of Civic Center performances, Banks is looking forward to the spring concerts, which include AA Band Festival and District Music Festival. With a few months’ worth of practice under their belts, “we can
take the music that we have and we can play it in our own style,” he said. Liz Baumann’s favorite piece Chanteur sang was “Gloria” from Missa Kenya, since she had a duet with senior Leeanna Schearer. Practicing helped a lot with the nerves, she said, and “once you get to know the people you’re singing with, it’s really easy to connect.” “[Our program had] a lot of variation, from slow and mellow to big and loud and just out there, and it’s good to have a lot of variation,” Baumann said. Chanteur performed two Hebrew pieces, “Hine Ma Tov” and “Erev Shel Shoshanim,” as well as “El Rorro,” a Spanish carol; “Gloria;” and the fan favorite, “Still, Still, Still.” A dress rehearsal on the Civic Center stage helped the choir prepare. “It’s a bigger space for one, and it’s got a bigger audience, [and that] also contributes to sound type,” she said. “I was kind of skeptical at first that we wouldn’t maybe hit a few notes, but we did a lot better than I thought we would.”
Bingeworthy for break: The 90’s
by Emily Cappis, editorial board The first episode hit the tv stream in 1994. It follows the story of six best friends trying to make it in the Big Apple. The six encounter many different obstacles throughout the 10 seasons. A common one being the difficult search for “the one”. The show is filled with the perfect amount of humor, sarcasm, and relatable moments. Friends is perfect for any teen looking for a feel good
Aired in early 1999, Futurama is a staple for the bingeworthy list. This show is filled with comedic raunchyness, that can make any young adult laugh. The title is obvious that the show takes place in a future filled with flying cars, and robots. What the title 4 doesn’t mention is the wild ride that Fry and his six other crew members experience.
Saved By The Bell fits the build of a classic American Sitcom. The show follows the lives of high school students, who are facing the usual teen issues. From tests, fitting in, to trying to understand having a love life. Aired from 1989-1993, this show is an editors must watch!
An editor’s personal favorite. Full House is an American novelty. The show is about a single father trying to raise his three young daughters. He admits he needs help, and his best friend and brother in law come to his rescue. What they don’t realized is the craziness that comes with raising girls. This is the perfect show watch on a cold snowy day.
Top choir, orchestra, and band groups shone on the Civic Center stage Dec. 11 for the annual holiday concert. The large audience enjoyed tunes from around the world as well as holiday classics. Above, Chris Kloker directs Symphonic Band. Photos by Julia Gremaux.
2017 Everyday is Christmas This year, Sia ventured out of her bySia signature genre of music and released an album dedicated to the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas! Leading the album strong, the heartfelt song “Santa’s Coming for Us” sets the dancy holiday vibe that carries the album. Each song has its own take on Christmas, from singing love songs to people and puppies in “Snowman” and “Puppies are Forever.” Finishing the album with the beautiful “Underneath the Christmas Lights,” Sia delivers a classic holiday pop album without a flaw in it. I plan on listening to this album every year to get in the holiday mood.
Christmas & Chill As 2015 came to a close, Ariana by Ariana Grande Grande took a week long break and 2015
created an extended play (EP) dedicated to the holidays. In the intro, Grande asks listeners to let her sneak into your speakers with her debut holiday album with an R&B vibe. With the track titled “Wit It This Christmas,” Grande claims that the holidays “tis the season” for some love giving. She slows the six track EP down with “Not Just on Christmas,” singing that she will adore that special someone every day of the year and not only on Dec. 25. Finishing out with the affectionate “Winter Things,” Grande tells the listeners that it isn’t cold where she’s from, but she and
her special someone can pretend that it’s an “ice cold h o l i d a y. ” “Christmas & Chill - EP” is an album about cherishing the holidays with your loved ones. I recommend listening to this album if you are into R&B and also love to jam out to holiday music. It’s on my playlist every year for the holidays! by Austin McIntosh, staff writer
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Entertainment
Star Wars soars back into theaters Then... and Now
“The Last Jedi” hits theaters
by Quinn Soltesz, staff writer “The Last Jedi” was by far the most intimate entry in the Star Wars saga. By intimate, I mean that it showcased not only real-life, personable interactions, but it also took characters and made them realize their most innate flaws and grow into what they were meant to become. The movie, although a bit lengthy at times, had enough gut-wrenching moments to keep me excited and engrossed the entire time. By giving viewers one of the most satisfying endings of any Star Wars movie, highlighting new characters, making old ones shine, and developing new relationships, “The Last Jedi” cements itself as a worthy and beautiful episode in the story of the Skywalker family.
by Quinn Soltesz, staff writer The Star Wars franchise has been an integral part of the American entertainment industry for 40 years since the first film premiered in 1977. Kids who saw the original trilogy when they were first in theaters are now in their mid-50s, and younger people who saw the prequels during the early 2000’s are now in their 30s. With the new Disney-produced films that have come out in the past two years, “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, the Star Wars universe has touched nearly every generation. Sophomore John Shaw, who has loved Star Wars all his life and saw the two newest movies in theaters, said he loves “how big [the Star Wars universe is], and how almost anything can happen.” The franchise has greatly changed over the near half-century it has been around, from the changing graphics to the size of the galaxy to the new actors, but no matter what Star Wars will continue to show millions of people the happiness that one adventure can bring.
1977- “A New Hope” premiers 1999- “The Phantom Menace” premiers
2012- Disney purchases Lucasfilm for $4.6 billion 2015- “The Force Awakens” becomes the highest grossing Star Wars film 2017- “The Last Jedi” premiers
Art by Emma Bergman. Top Left: Lucasfilm Ldt./MCT
20
“I, Tonya,” reminds Olympic spectators of athletes’ fallibility by Mackenzie George, editor in chief To “Tonya Harding” someone has become a verb, though few people understand its origins. But the focus of the new Margot Robbie biopic “I, Tonya” is not the explosive fall from grace capitulated by Nancy Kerrigan’s smashed knee. Rather, the story begins and ends with the making of Tonya Harding -- the domestic violence, hardscrabble upbringing, and lack of empathy that shaped this black sheep figure skater. In history, Harding has been pigeonholed. She rests at the bottom of the totem pole surrounded with phrases like “botched job, “outof-place,” and “criminal.” This movie attempts to tease out the real Tonya Harding and all that she was (is?): a lost, mistreated, cigarettesucking, blue-collar girl in the middle of the high-brow figure skating world. Perhaps mistitled, the movie is just as much “I, Jeff Gillooly” as “I, Tonya.” Director Craig Gillespie incorporates interviews from Harding’s estranged husband to add layers to the already-mysterious he said, she said. Gillooly, who hired the men to take out Kerrigan, shares a very different story than his ex-wife. “I never hit her,” Gillooly says. Harding’s face in multiple scenes throughout the film offer a different reality. The film’s release could not be more well-timed with the 2018 Winter Olympics looming. Although the movie did not appear at Great Falls’ AMC theatre, it is one to watch out for its home movie release. “I, Tonya” is the perfect accompaniment to a January filled with figure skating and reminds viewers that at the end of the day, the athletes who grace the television screen are, in fact, human.
S Sports “A dam great race”
VEGAS
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Left to Right: Cole Arthur Silas Andrews Tristan Krum Hayden Silk Connor O’Hara Savannah Bateman Gordon Gentry Laura Smith Kelson Hickman Grace Suden Katie Robinson Taylor Coon Emma Bergman McKenzie Connell Mackenzie George
Runners, coaches find success in Nevada
Emily Cappis
Editorial Board
Top: Athletes relax and kick back in Las Vegas after a hard race . Middle: Mckenzie Connell and Mackenzie George cross the finish line in Laughlin, NV. Bottom: coach Branch Brady stands triumphantly after winning his age group. Photos courtesy of Ryan Connell.
by Quinn Soltesz, staff writer The average person might think that running 13 miles in the heat in the middle of the Mojave Desert is some creative form of torture, but for members of the C. M. Russell High School cross country team, it is an annual tradition. Eighteen runners and three CMR coaches participated in the Laughlin half marathon on Dec. 2 in Laughlin, Nev., a town that is 98 miles south of Las Vegas and right on the state border of Arizona. This area is known for its endless desert landscape and sweltering heat. As any long distance runner knows, the preparation for a distance race is quite lengthy. The regular cross country season ended at the state competition in Helena more than a month ago, but for a few members of the team, their training continued every day up until the race in Laughlin.
Junior Grace Suden summarized the training for the half marathon. “It was a lot of stretching, and quite a bit of running,” she said. The team’s extensive training paid off. Every age group that the group was entered into was won by either a coach or athlete from CMR. Assistant coach Branch Brady won the 70+ division, head coach Nathan Gregier won the age group of 35-39 for men and took fourth overall, senior Annabella Aline won the age group of 15 to 19 for women, and junior Gordon Gentry won the same one for boys. Gentry also placed second out of all the runners at the competition. In addition to running 13 miles, the group also kicked back and celebrated their hard work. The latter half of Saturday and all of Sunday were spent exploring the world famous Las Vegas Strip.
Excitement for 2018 brings senior hope by Emily Cappis, editor Every year around this time, I make a list of ways I can better myself for the new year. I am a firm believer in finding any and every way to improve My list is fairly basic: eat healthier, work out more, be less sassy to my mom, and enjoy life a little more. I tend to be a stress ball around this season because of finals and the holidays.I have never understood why people are so quick to judge those who are trying to better themselves. I cannot stand when people make fun of those who join the gym during the new year; why does it matter? At least they are taking steps to a healthier lifestyle. I love everything about the New Year; the idea of a fresh start is just so cool to me. The changes people make when they have a fresh start is exciting. One could dye his or her hair purple, change their complete outlook, or even change their name.
Anything is possible at midnight January 1st;you have 364 days to completely reinvent yourself. I always look forward to the new trends that take place -- from makeup to music. It seems like people look for something interesting to represent that year. I for one am truly excited to see what the next “fidget spinner,” “meme,” and clothing fad is. One thing I am definitely excited about is a new beginning in new place,namely MSU in Bozeman where I can make new friends to last a lifetime. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am chomping at the bit for something new in my life. I am one to get bored with the same thing everyday,I need daily variation I truly hope 2018 is the year of a new Emily, who is the best one people have ever seen.
21
SPORTS UPDATE Girls Basketball “This season has been great due to a great coach and a high intensity in games and practice. I’ve been learning a lot and am incredibly happy about it.” JJ Slater, junior
12/8 vs. Flathead 48-34 CMR 12/9 vs.Glacier 44-30 Glacier 12/14 vs. Helena High 57-34 Helena High
Games tonight against Helena Capital start at 4:45
Boys Basketball
“I think the season has started off pretty well. Everyone put in the work over the summer, and I think it has shown so far. We have lots of talent.” Cason Taylor, junior
12/8 vs. Flathead 62-47 Flathead 12/9 vs. Glacier 49-36 CMR 12/14 vs. Helena High 51-33 CMR
Swimming
“I’m hoping this swim season I can drop time and improve my technique. I’m not the fastest swimmer, but I really like seeing myself and teammates improve weekly.” Marissa Bosley, junior
12-9 v.s. GFH & Havre Girls 1st, Boys 1st 12/15 Pre Relay meet Girls 1st, Boys 1st 12/16 Great Falls HS Relay meet Girls 2nd , Boys 2nd
Good luck to all Rustler winter athletes. Rustle Hustle!
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Sports
Barnes snatches coveted JV spot
Showdown Montana opens for season
Skiers,snowboarders hopeful for snowy winter at local hill by Sophie Aron, staff writer For more than 80 years, Showdown Montana has been proving people of all ages with a place to ski or board. This year is no different. After a delayed opening due to a lack of snow, Showdown opened the lifts on Dec. 8 to the public. With clear blue skies and more than 16 inches of fresh snow, it couldn’t have been a more ideal opening day. Showdown offers something for every skier or snowboarder. Whether advanced and skilled or just starting out, there is a lift and run for you. With reasonable lift ticket prices, many CMR students have been hitting the slopes. Senior Cooper West has been skiing a t Showdown since he started skiing, which was in elementary school. A week after opening, West headed up to Showdown to enjoy the snow and get in a a few runs before it gets too icy. “They have gotten a good base, [but] haven’t gotten enough snow,” West said. Showdown had a a record low for amount of snow last year, but skiers are hopeful for a better season this year.
Serving a variety of coffees and teas, along with pastries, sandwiches and much more! Monday-Saturday 6:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. #4 5th St. S. Great Falls, MT 59401
BUY ONE PASTRY AND GET A 12 OZ. COFFEE
FREE
MUST BRING IN THIS COUPON IN ORDER TO USE. EXPIRES 1.24.18
22
Above: Trail map of Showdown Montana. Left: Distinct Showdown sign at entrance Bottom: Lodge allows visitors to warm up and grab something to eat. Photos by Sophie Aron.
by McKenzie Connell, staff writer Tryouts for basketball are always competitive, but for sophomore player, Keegan Barnes, it was slightly more this year. Barnes and fellow sophomore Bryce Nelson had been pulled from tryouts with the other sophomores to play on the JV team. “It was kind of interesting scrimmaging against sophomores and then moving up,” Barnes said. The size and aggression had changed, he added. After being selected to tryout with the JV team, it was an all out effort to see who would make it. In the end, only one would be able to make it onto the JV team. Once told the final decision, both Barnes and Nelson began training hard for their teams. Barnes was pulled to play with the JV team, and has enjoyed it from the beginning. “I’ve played with nine of the twelve players since forever,” he said. “I was happy that I would get the opportunity,” he added. With the change in atmosphere, Barnes had to notice the challenge and take charge. “I love a challenge,” he said. It’s a different support and atmosphere, but he’s developed better friendships and bonds. “Knowing you can trust the guy behind you is the best part,” he said. “You have to trust, it’s not a one man game,” he added. When preparing for the games, Barnes uses his team and energy to get ready. The day before he carb loads, and eats a lot of protein. Getting a good night’s sleep is also very crucial to his preparations. Before the game, him and his teammates warm up in the locker rooms, and share their goals. “The talking gets us all on the same page,” Barnes said. If they all understand what they are trying to accomplish it makes it easier for us to work together, he added. Barnes has been playing basketball for “as long as he could walk”, but began the more competitive game in fifth grade. Since then, his aspirations have grown, pushing him to achieve more. “My goals this season are to try to keep scoring at double digits on average,” he said. The top goal is to just dress varsity, which is where you’re at the top, even though you’re not playing, he explained. This season will be filled with new challenges for Keegan Barnes, but he’s learning fast and training hard.
SUBS, WRAPS SALADS BURRITOS & MORE BUY A SANDWICH AND GET A PACK OF CINNABABIES
FREE!
MUST BRING IN THIS COUPON IN ORDER TO USE. EXPIRES 1.24.18
Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. 426 Central Ave. Great Falls, MT 59401
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Sports
23
Swimmers dive in to the season by Sophie Kluge, staff writer With swim season in full swing, senior Blair Hebnes has high hopes for her last year on the team. “I just want to have a lot of fun this year,” she said. Hebnes has been swimming for six years, all thanks to her grandma. “When I moved up here she kind of told me about the swim team and that’s how I got into it,” she said. Hebnes participates in the 100 breaststroke and freestyle. Freshman Jaxon Gronning also swims freestyle for the CMR swim team, and he also swims backstroke. Before Gronning started swimming at CMR, he swam with a Fairfield club team. “My club was a lot of sprint-paced. With high school it’s more distance-based with a lot of kicking,” Gronning said, adding that he prefers high school swimming over club swimming. Along with the more distance-based swimming, Gronning and Hebnes agree that the pre-meet pasta parties are great for team bonding. “I really like the pasta parties,” Gronning said. In combination of carb loading before swim meets, both Gronning and Hebnes have their own pregame preparation. Gronning prefers to sleep and drink a lot of water before meets, whereas Hebnes likes to listen to music with a “good beat” and get advice from the coaches. Those are not the only things that these two swimmers have in common. They both enjoy the accompaniment of rival school Great Falls High during practice. “We are just like one big family,” Hebnes said. As the final year of swimming for Hebnes comes close to an end, she takes with her the experience, rather than the materialistic things she got out of it. “Swim for me is not as much the competition but more the environment,” Hebnes said.
Raegan Osentowski getting ready to swim the 200 backstroke on Sat., Dec. 16. Shelby Banks swims the butterfly in the 200 medley relay. The girls swim team took second overall, as well as the boys. Photos by Julia Gremaux.
Emily Funseth (left) and Kelsey Hogan (right) show off their ice skates in the CMR parking lot. The pair have been skating together for a year. Photos by Grace Carr.
Skating into the New Year by Grace Carr, staff writer While Great Falls may not offer many activities to do with friends and family, two friends from C. M. Russell High School have found a low-budget, fun way to spend their time. Sophomore Emily Funseth and senior Kelsey Hogan like to go ice skating at the Great Falls Ice Plex. The Ice Plex is the only ice rink in town, and it hosts many activities, including hockey games, figure skating, and public skate. The reason they said they love to skate comes down to one word: fun. Funseth has been skating for about 10 years. “My brother played hockey so that’s why I started skating,” she said. Hogan, on the other hand, is just learning how to skate. She started about only one year ago. “Emily introduced it to me,” she said.
Catching up with Russell Gagne &
Position: “I swing around a bit but usually I’m playing the shooting guard or small forward.” Grade: 11 Years played: 11
Favorite memory: “Probably having my mom as a coach for travel ball in 8th grade. She worked so hard to help us succeed, and I enjoyed seeing her proud of us and being proud of herself.”
Both agree it can be extremely difficult when you are first learning and it’s easiest to have something to hold on to. “It was hard to stay on my feet,” Funseth said. “I would skate with a chair to stay up.” “It’s really hard,” Hogan said. “I use the wall.” The pair continue to skate and help each other improve during public skate at the Ice Plex.
Ice rink information:
Public skate: Sunday afternoons Some Friday evenings School holidays Adults (18 and older): $5 Children (6-17): $4 Children (5 and under): Free -- helmet is required Skate rental: $3 Visit www.gf-ice.org for more information
Macey Sowers
Position: “I play any of the guard/ball handling spots.” Grade: 9 Years played: 8
Favorite memory: “I remember my [travel] team and I walking into a Billings high school gym and seeing the ‘Twin Towers.’ We heard that their team hadn’t lost in over a year. We ended up losing that game, but a few weeks later we got to play them again. We won that game in overtime. It was a cool experience because we were playing up a grade, and we got to compete with some really good teams.”
Season goal: “My main personal goal for the season is to be a team leader. As a team, our goal is to get to state Season goal: “To do my best and hopefully be able to play in the state championship and to do as much as I can to After running cross country this fall, game.” help the team and get us to the junior Russell Gagne is in good shape and excited for the season. Photo by state tournament and further.” Julia Gremaux.
As just a freshman, Macey Sowers plays for the JV basketball team. She played for North Middle School last year. Photo courtesy of Macey Sowers.
S
December 21, 2017 rustlernews.com
Back Page
PHOTOGRAPHERS
page designed by Sophie Aron
OF
1
4
24
CMR
Students showcase creativity outside of the classroom
Photos 1, 2, 3: by Seamus Jennings Jennings shoots a variety of pictures, including portraits and landscapes. Photos 4,5,6: by Caige Hepworth Hepworth concentrates on portrait photography, but shoots lanscape pictures as well. Photo courtesy of Seamus Jennings and Caige Hepworth.
SEAMUS JENNINGS
2
by Sophie Aron, staff writer Junior Seamus Jennings has his great-grandfather to thank for his love for photography. “I bought a roll of black and white from Public Drug, and I actually used my grandpa’s old camera, one that he used in Vietnam. I didn’t use the meter or anything so I had terrible results, but I was still pretty interested because I developed it myself. It can’t be perfect the first try, and I eventually got a little better at it.” Jennings started film photography at an early age and says he has always wanted to experiment with it. Jennings prefers film over digital because of the look film produces, along with keeping older traditions alive. Film photography runs deeps in Jennings’ family, back to his greatgrandfather working at Kodak as a chemist and having a darkroom of his own. At the beginning, Jennings wasn’t involved in the process of film photography, but rather just used a camera that automatically exposed it. But at the beginning of sophomore year, Jennings began to develop his own black and white photos using the CMR dark room. Although Jennings wasn’t satisfied with the results he received at first, he didn’t give up there. He now develops many of his own pictures and uses a scanner that allows him to post them on social media. Jennings often draws inspiration from his Granfather’s pictures Photo courtesy Seamus Jennings.
3
5
CAIGE HEPWORTH
6
by Julia Greamux, photo editor Starting his photography career while living in Germany, senior Caige Hepworth takes model-like portraiture of his peers and friends. “I started following some photographers on Instagram, and then I got inspired through that and learned about my first camera, a Fuji,” Hepworth said. “I’m new to portrait photography. I’m still figuring out that it’s [hard] communicating with the model because a lot of people at this age don’t know how to model. I have to really try and communicate with them. I somewhat study some photographers, and I’ve seen some videos with Brandon Woelfel, so I take from that and put that into my models and tell them to do certain things.” Although he has some experience with portraiture, Hepworth still has yet to figure out a solid photography style, but he has started creating his own. Hepworth started out teaching himself photography and has continued growing his skills by his own experience. “I did [photography class] for a semester last year, but I didn’t really like it; I like being self taught. I usually just teach myself,” he said. Although Hepworth is unsure about his future endeavors, photography is one option he won’t leave out.
Photo courtesy: (top) Seamus Jennings, (bottom) Caige Hepworth
Hepworth finds inspiration from Instagram famous Brandon Woelfel, who has a unique neon tone to his photographs. Photo: