CMR Stampede March 2017

S

Students enjoy Prom in the Palms at the airport on March 25

The Stampede

WHAT’S INSIDE

Stampede -- March 30, 2017

C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT March 30, 2017 Vol. 52 Issue 7 www.rustlernews.com

6

14 CMR suffers cuts after GFPS budget meetings

An open forum for student expression since 1965 Advanced Placement art students excel in their own work

22

School spirit follows CMR girls to state basketball tournament

S

The spring sports season commenced on March 13, and tennis kicked off at the CMR courts. LEFT: Junior Andrea Lane serves during a practice match on Mar. 23. BOTTOM LEFT: Sophomore Anna Rich reaches for a backhand during a long point. BELOW: Clockwise from left, senior Kyle Korb, sophomore Dustin Hassell, senior Tyler Patrick, and sophomore Tristan Krum volley during “streetball.” Photos by Ashton Palen.

The Stampede

C. M. Russell High School Great Falls, MT March 30, 2017 Vol. 52 Issue 7 www.rustlernews.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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.

3 -- Katelyn’s column, Terryn Premo, DC trip 4 --Save the bees, endangered animals 5 -- Norma Ashby, BPA 6 -- Cuts in GFPS funding

editor-in-chief Mackenzie George

8 -- Mormon conference, transgender bathrooms, senior prom hype 9 -- Travel ban, Special Ed treatment

features editor Clara McClain entertainment editor Quincy Schmechel

7 -- Jessica’s column, editorial

FEATURES

10 -- Clara’s column, Summer job hunt, Family traditions, Out West art show 11 -- Student pets, janitors, job shadows

CENTER

12-13 -- Prom 14 -- AP Art students, spring break travelers

ENTERTAINMENT

15 -- Quincy’s column, movie reviews, Netflix top ten 16 - Oscar-winning movies, Dr. Seuss 17 -- Great Falls for spring break, music festival 18 -- Drama dept. presents Shakespeare 19 -- Album reviews

SPORTS

20 -- Ashton’s column, managers, Kloppel, athletes’ expectations 21 -- Powerlifting, tennis Q&A, softball 22 -- State basketball 23 -- Senior reflections, preseason prep

BACK PAGE 24 -- FFA

Tennis season signals wrapup of the school year

sports editor Ashton Palen online editor Isaiah Vang

adviser Beth Britton

photo editor Julia Gremaux

principal Kerry Parsons

business manager Emily Cappis

Cover photo by Beth Britton.

Editor-in-Chief

opinion editor Jessica Banks

OPINION

MackenzieGeorge

news editor Katelyn Morley

staff writers Amanda Cornwall Andrew Aron Aurora Oden Chloe Geary Gabrielle Pope Hannah Pate Hannah Pospisil Ian Kaiser Lexi Bako McKenzie Connell Sarah Ljunggren Zach Mell

NEWS

For me, the first day of spring sports is a breath of fresh air. It is not only a reminder that a new season is about to begin, but it represents turning the corner to the finish line of the school year. Summer is almost in sight. And that is something to look forward to.

The last day of school may be a couple months out, but April and May are easy for me to enjoy. Spring break is usually strategically placed in the middle to break the months up. The weather brightens, allowing for more time outside. And I love attending track meets -- when I’m not playing tennis.

The relaxed atmosphere of the tennis team is a great way to decompress after a long school day. We grab our rackets and head over to the courts -- the newly-refurbished courts, which I can’t wait to compete on. There, the entire team squeezes onto the eight courts for a couple hours. Mixed doubles rules one court while another game fits eight kids on a single side. The organized chaos is a mix of competition and recreation. Some players are there to win; others look at the sport as a way of spending time with friends. Regardless of why each is on the court, they plan on having fun.

Part of what I love about the sport is being able to exercise outside after being stuck in a gym for the cold winter months.

Early on in the season, we can rely on being rained out a few times, but as practices persist into April and May, we enjoy warm afternoon practices, a precursor of the summer to come. I spend most of December, January, and February remembering the warmth and relaxation of the previous summer and wishing the cold, stressful winter months would move along a little faster. Then I blink and it’s spring, and I kick myself for wishing away days I can’t get back now.

Practicing with the team is great, but I also look forward to competitions. Our three big bus trips -- to Helena, Billings, and Divisionals -- are always some of my favorite memories of the season. Everyone bonds during the bus ride, waiting for matches, or at the hotel after the day’s matches conclude.

Whether or not the competition panned out the way we wanted it to, there is still fun to be had on the bus ride home. That’s what I remember most. And that’s what I’m most excited for this season.

S News

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

3

CMR senior Terryn Premo wins Montana Journalist of the Year award, scholarship photos: creative commons

AP Government students travel to Washington D.C.

News Editor

KatelynMorley

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor For some people, being able to travel to and explore Washington D.C. is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. Senior Sydney Dickinson had this experience for a second time with students from Advanced Placement Government.

The students went to Washington D.C. March 12-18 with Advanced Placement Government teacher Brian Halverson.

“I wanted to go again because you can’t go once and get the full experience,” Dickinson said.

She said that she was really looking forward to going to D.C. again. The last time she went was the summer after her eighth grade year on a school trip with other students her age. Dickinson is hoped to have another great experience in the nation’s capital.

“Each time you go, you get something different out of it,” she said.

She said that the trip is guided by the program “Close Up,” and they had the opportunity to listen to different speakers and tour many museums in D.C. Dickinson said that the trip was more history-based and be more of a learning experience as opposed to a tourist experience.

Dickinson is not the only CMR senior who went to D.C. for a second time. Trevor Funseth also went again. He went last year outside of school, and he said he wanted to go again because he really likes politics.

The students were absent from school for a week, and their time in D.C. was full of history and fun things for everyone to enjoy.

“We are touring The Capitol Building, going to The White House, watching an NBA game, and touring other monuments around D.C.,” Funseth said.

Out of everything they did doing, he was most looking forward to the day that they spend at Capitol Hill.

“I, Trevor Funseth have connections, so we could get a private tour at Capitol Hill,” he said.

Aside from the day at Capitol Hill, Funseth hoped to see or spend time with some of the important political figures who work and live in Washington, D.C..

“I probably will have lunch with my boy Donny, who you may know as Donald Trump,” he said.

The students also were able to participate in a mock Congress where students from other states meet and discuss proposed bills and see how the process goes in Congress.

Funseth thinks it will be fun to debate with other schools on how our country should be run.

Dickinson and Funseth had a lot to look forward to.

“I’m excited to learn about the different buildings and monuments in D.C.,” Dickinson said. “Going with such a great teacher who knows history will make the experience that much better.”

Hard work and dedication come out on top

by Jessica Banks, from fonts and color to spacing and photos, opinion editor bringing it all together to make amazing Senior Terryn pages,” Britton said.

Premo has Premo is looked up to by her peers. As participated in Editor in Chief of yearbook she has helped the journalism lead the Russellog staff in creating the department for 2017 yearbook. Now as she advances to all of her high competing for the national title, she hopes school career. She her peers see her in a different way. decided to apply “Winning National Journalist of the year for Montana High would mean a lot to me because I would be School Journalist recognized by my peers as something more of the Year, and recently she found out she than just their EIC,” Premo said. won the $1,000 scholarship associated with Premo has done a lot of work and helped this title. improve the journalism department. She “I had to complete an application does not plan on continuing in a career and create a web site containing pages in journalism, but does want to use the and stories I have techniques and skills written throughout acquired from her work in What sets Terryn apart the department. my journalism career,” for this award is her ability Premo said.

“I don’t plan on Her application and to tell a story through design. continuing journalism website were reviewed when I graduate. However, by a professional She is incredibly creative that being said, I am going journalist, and she said with everything from to use the design skills that she put a lot of work and fonts and color to spacing i learned in high school time into creating a web to pursue my new career, site that would draw and photos, bringing it all graphic design,” she said. in the attention of her together to make amazing Britton is proud of judge. pages.

Beth Britton the achievement Premo Beth Britton, Premo’s earned and will miss her journalism teacher and next year. mentor through this “Since her freshman experience, believes Premo worked hard year, Terryn has stood out with her work and earned the award because she stands ethic and creativity,” Britton said. “She is out from her peers. one of the most talented young journalists I “What sets Terryn apart for this award have worked with in my years at CMR, and is her ability to tell a story through design. it won’t be the same without her in room She is incredibly creative with everything 326.”

“

”

Students should make decisions affecting their education It’s interesting how many decisions adults get to make for us. As understandable as it is that some decisions still need to be up to the adults in our lives, some of the important things that affect us should involve our voices as students.

The Legislature has been working on determining how much funding state public schools will get from Montana for the next two years. Through this time the GFPS have found that funds are short -- especially at the high school level.

Even though the school board isn’t cutting any departments, there was talk of such things among community members at a school board meeting. Some suggested cutting things like culinary arts and other electives, but what these people don’t know is that these classes are the reason why some of us still stay in school. As sad as it is that they don’t realize this it’s because they’re not students still going through school.

When it comes to our education it’s up to us to speak up and show the community and school district workers what’s important to us. They can only see so much of what’s going on from their position of work, but we see everyday what is important to

classmates.

To some students, sports are what keep them motivated to keep their grades up, while others get their best grades in things such as art or shop classes and they get up for school just because of these classes.

Even though there were no programs cut from the school it is important that people realize students are affected by decisions such as this more than the parents or citizens of Great Falls. I think that the most important thing is that students get involved by going to this meetings and speaking up. Or if you are passionate or concerned about something else then do something to make your voice heard. Just because we are teenagers doesn’t mean we don’t deserve the chance to be heard and to speak our minds. Part of growing up is forming your own ideas and opinions about everything in the world so becoming aware of your beliefs and standing up for it helps you grow.

Whether you stand up by peaceful protests or even simply going to the meetings about the issue.

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

4

Saving the bees one flower at a time

by Julia Gremaux, photo editor Pollination is a part of most crop and flower growing processes. In order to reproduce, some flowers need help pollinating. That’s where bees are essential to the food process, not just for humans, but animals, too.

“Honey bees pollinate about one sixth of plant species around the world, and roughly 400 or so agricultural plants. They are responsible for pollinating most of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables that we eat. They pollinate the crops that our livestock eat as well,” says senior Sam Workman, who cares greatly for the bee population, which is in distress.

Like Workman, many Americans are worried about the declining honey bees. That is why people and companies like Burt’s Bees and Honey Nut Cheerios are taking a stand to help the bees. An awareness must be made that not all flowers gardeners plant are safe for the bees, including the pesticides commonly applied to plants.

Honey bees never sleep!

Most bees are females.

Art by Amanda Cornwall

Page by Julia Gremaux and Lexi Bako

Honey never spoils.

Most Honey is 80% sugars and 20% water.

Helpful Plants

Black Footed Ferrets are going extinct in America, and because of the fact that they are the only ferret species native to America is especially disappointing.

If they were to go extinct it could affect the entirety of the grassland ecosystem they live in.

According to reporter Brandon Kelm in the online publication Wired, “More than half of ostensibly beefriendly plants sampled at 18 Home Depot, Lowe’s and Walmart garden centers in the U.S. and Canada contained high levels of neonicotinoids, which are considered highly toxic to bees, butterflies and other insect pollinators. Even when they don’t kill pollinators outright, neonicotinoids can impair their immune systems and sense of navigation, potentially turning gardens and backyards into flowery traps” (How Your Bee-Friendly Garden May Actually Be Killing Bees).

Bumblebees are now on the endangered species list for the first time due to the dramatic population decline of 87 percent over the past 20 years, claims Doyle Rice with USA TODAY. To do your part in helping the bees when you are picking out flowers for your spring garden check its tag for harmful pesticides and prevent the killing of bees.

Bees are the only insect that produce food for humans.

A colony will die without a queen bee.

Each bee will fly about 800km in her 3-week lifetime.

Out of 20,000 species of bees, only 4 make honey.

A bee flies to thousands of flowers only to make a spoon of honey.

Montana’s Threatened animals

Greater Sage-Grouse is a bird species whose reproduction is threatened by oil and gas production. If these were to go extinct it would harm other species such as Prong Horned Antelope and other birds.

Bison on the great plains are very important, as many animals have become reliant on them over hundreds of years, but as herds have grown smaller there is loss of genetic diversity, making the chances of long-term conservation slim.

Bees are 100 times more sensitive to the smell of flowers than humans.

Honey bees live from 122152 days

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

5

Stampede receives sound advice from longtime reporter Norma Ashby tells stories of her time as a broadcaster and reporter across the United States

BPA

Two juniors prepare for BPA Nationals

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor On March 20, the Stampede staff was privileged to have Norma Ashby, a longtime reporter and broadcaster come and speak to them on her experience in the journalism world.

As one of the first women to graduate from the University of Montana Journalism School, she has a lot of advice for young reporters such as those growing into their journalism career here at the Stampede.

Ashby started her journalism career at Helena High School. She was on the newspaper and yearbook staffs. After she graduated she only had one job she wanted to pursue. She hoped to write for the local newspaper in Helena.

She went to the editors there and strutted her confidence, hoping to win them over and get the job. However, she was turned down. This did not stop Ashby from achieving her goal.

When her family asked her if she got the job her reply was simple and straightforward. “No, but I will,” Ashby said.

Surely enough, she got a call from the newspaper and a spot had opened up. The job was hers.

“If you really want to do something, let them know you want to do it,” she said.

Ashby continued to report for Helena’s newspaper for three summers after that. After she graduated from UM she went to New York to see how she could continue her journalism career there.

New York was a lot different for the young reporter because people did not react the same to being approached in New York as they did in the small city of Helena. However, she said her confidence really helped her in New York. She learned that being a journalist from Montana made her stand out from others in her field.

“We Montanans [are] special, because there is only one million of us as opposed to other states,” Ashby said.

After she spent time in New York she moved to Great Falls, where she landed a job in broadcast, eventually hosting her own show -- Today in Montana --- for 26 years. In her years on the show she interviewed more than 26,000 people.

Out of all of the individuals she interviewed, actor and director Clint Eastwood would have to be the most exciting to her. She said he is as handsome as can be, and when she met him she didn’t know what to say to start the interview.

“All I could think is what can I say to break the ice with this hunk? [I decided to start with] what is a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?” she said.

In her years of experience she has interviewed countless number of people, including Bob Hope, Pat Nixon and rattlesnake handlers.

The rattlesnake handler was quite an experience for her as she is terrified of snakes. When he was on her show he cut open a living rattlesnake only to have a bunch of baby rattlesnakes pour out of the snake’s belly.

“I didn’t know what to say. I was just so shocked. Snakes always scared me to death,” she said.

She shared her experiences in her book “Movie Stars and Rattlesnakes.”

“Everyone has a book inside of [them], only you can write your own story,” she said.

Ashby offers great advice for tips to a successful interview.

She said when asking questions if you are comfortable they are comfortable, and your goal

by Sarah Ljunggren, staff writer On April 9, CMR’s BPA team will be heading to Orlando, Florida to compete at BPA nationals.

Juniors Cece Grasseschi and Morgan Campbell are a part of the economic research team that made it to nationals.

The economic research team is a group that forms an essay and presentation on an economic problem. This year, the issue is the pros and cons of NAFTA in America, Grasseschi said.

Besides being excited for Disney World, the girls are looking forward to the competition.

“It’s just really awesome because only the top two teams in the state get to go to nationals,” Grasseschi said.

This is Grasseschi’s and Campbell’s first time going to nationals, and their first year in BPA.

is to make your guests feel as comfortable as you can, because that will help them open up. Simple questions help to open people up as well, and if you ask individuals questions about themselves they will talk because people like to talk about themselves.

She said the most important part of being a successful journalist is being able to listen.

“You cannot be a good reporter if you aren’t a good listener,” she said. “Be prepared to come back with a related question after someone is done talking.”

For aspiring journalists, the most important thing is to learn all that you can and experience as much as you are able to, she said.

“That’s what’s fun about journalism; you can do a little bit of everything,” she said.

Journalism is something Ashby is passionate about and it has been a part of her life forever, and she said she hopes to continue in journalism for the rest of her life. She even has hopes to possibly write another book.

“Your world is your stage. You can do anything and go anywhere with journalism.”

Longtime Great Falls journalist Norma Ashby visits the CMR Stampede staff on March 20. photos by Julia Gremaux.

They said it has been a memorable first year, and they encourage other students to check out BPA and see if it’s something they would like. “[Students] should definitely know about BPA and that it’s something they should check out. Cause they have so many different events, it appeals to a wide range of people. And it really just have room for something for everyone,” Campbell said.

Not only that, but Campbell has learned many life skills from her participation in the club.

“I like the application of real-life skills and stuff. Cause accounting, you can use that in life. Or presenting and speaking in front of people, and doing research. Those are really useful skills to have.”

,

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

News

6

Great Falls Public Schools to face significant budget cuts

by Hannah Pate, staff writer “It’s not a pleasant feeling,” Parsons said.

On March 27, the Great Falls Public School Board voted to hold an election on an amended The upcoming budget cuts eliminate one or more teachers from certain subject areas. version of a high school technology levy this spring.

Parsons said that this will make it even more difficult to schedule the classes that students want.

The levy asks for $500,000 taxpayer dollars annually, for a 39-cent increase per month in “We are losing eight teaching staff at CMR,” he said. “It will be difficult to schedule offerings property tax for a citizen with a home value of $100,000. Initially, the technology levy was going for students.” to ask for $1,000,000 and was modified to be half of that.

Parsons foresees another challenge: increasing class sizes to already overpopulated classes.

Last October, community members voted in favor and passed both bonds for the Great Despite this, he has faith that CMR, its staff and students will make it through.

Falls Public School system’s decaying infrastructure. However, none of these funds may be “We need to persevere,” Parsons said. “This isn’t ideal, but the staff will make it through.” used for the current budget situation. The bonds that were passed can only legally be put The priority of providing a high standard of education will not change for CMR, and Parsons towards infrastructure, and cannot be spent on instruction-related costs, including salaries and is determined to ensure this. equipment.

“We are still going to provide a quality education for all of our students,” he said.

The current budget predicament arose out of the overall state budget shortfalls, which in Parsons asks that parents continue to be active in their children’s education, and to really get turn affect many areas -- one of them being education. behind Great Falls Public Schools.

About 93 percent of local school districts’ funding comes from the state budget or local “Take advantage of the opportunities that do exist, get involved in education, try to taxpayer dollars. As a result of the shortcoming at the state level, school districts across Montana understand the importance of the support of the Great Falls Public Schools,” Parsons said. are asking the taxpayers to support levies for additional funds.

Great Falls Public School Superintendent Tammy Lacey said she is deeply saddened by the Ultimately, the school board had to decide between four options: an Elementary Operational cuts being made. Despite this, she says she hasn’t lost all hope -- comparing the district to an levy, a High School Technology levy, both, or neither. Each option was discussed with the public apple tree being pruned, hopefully making it stronger and more lively. at a community-wide meeting on March 21.

The superintendent recommended that neither levy be presented to and voted on in the At the March 27 meeting, the Elementary Operational levy was voted against with only Great Falls community this spring, and instead be saved for next year. She fears that there trustees Bob Moretti and Don Ryan voting in favor. wouldn’t be enough time to inform the electorate, and that there are still so many unknowns at School board Chairman Jan Cahill was initially not in favor of both levies at the community the state Legislature. meeting on March 21. Although he acknowledged that technology is vital in the school district, “Our time would be short to teach the people. I would suggest to hold off at this time and to he is not in full agreement with holding a vote for two levies. communicate our needs thoroughly,” she said.

Ultimately, Cahill voted for the amended high school technology levy.

Lacey is disappointed that these decisions had to be made in the first place, and that they Cahill stressed the strong reputation the district holds in the state education community. could affect the quality of education in the district.

Cascade County DUI Name; Julia G “This community is known as the education community in the state.

You canTask be proud Force of “Our students deserve to have their educational opportunities adequately funded; the that,” Cahill said. reductions put this adequacy at peril,” Lacey said.

CMR Principal Kerry Parsons finds the budget cuts extremely challenging as it impacts many The election for school board trustee positions and the high school technology levy is to be jobs and programs. held on May 2.

You’re not just hurting yourself...

It is difficult to change someone’s behavior or belief system Be safe or Be sorry even when they know that particular belief or behavior may do harm to themselves or others. If any change is to take What’s your plan? place, it must come from you, a mental shift to make the . change happen.

A message brought to you by the Cascade County DUI Task Force

What’s your plan?

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

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

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

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

Letters to the editor and guest essays are welcome. Letters are limited to 200 words, and essays 350 words. All submissions must be signed and include a phone number so authenticity can be verified. The editors and/or adviser reserve the right to edit all letters for grammar and spelling as well as content that may include profanity, be libelous, obscene or not meet general editorial guidelines.

Anonymous letters are not accepted.

Submissions can be dropped off in room 326 or e-mailed to: stampede@gfps.k12. mt.us.

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

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

7

What it means to be a Rustler: A how-to guide We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how ‘bout you?” was the chant CMR echoed through the state tournament at the rival student sections.

“This is R town” banners adorned the Four Seasons Arena, and the student section was packed for each theme in white, the signature green and gold, and even cooking wear.

There’s no doubt about it, when the call for school spirit is at its highest, CMR answers. Rustlers blow up Twitter, spreading the word for themes, retweeting anything the Tribune writers have to say about CMR athletes, and From expressing their own personal pride for their point of view school.

However, despite the personal memories everyone may share about state, we at the Stampede think one instance showed what it really means to be a Rustler.

When competing against so many schools from all around the state, the only thing school spirit is second to in importance is sportsmanship. We all see the freshman orientation video that’s updated every few years titled “What it Means to Be a Rustler.”

The video always talks about the same few traits that we hold dear at CMR -- respect, diligence, relationships that lead to success, learning, friendship, and the whole family idea behind C. M. Russell.

Sportsmanship shows so many of these morals we seem to hold dear; it’s about respect, kindness, pride but not cockiness, and picking people up when they’re down. And if you need help understanding any of those, just ask Cooper Crosby.

After seeing the Billings West Bears’ mascot looking down in the dumps while his team was being beaten handily, Cooper turned to his dad, Lady Rustler coach Brian Crosby, and asked if he could give the bear a hug.

Crosby posted a 19-second video of Cooper comforting the mascot, and the response was wild. Garnering more than 400 likes and 100retweets, it wasn’t long before the video went viral.

Bleacher Report posted it both on Twitter and Snapchat, and Sports Illustrated tweeted out the heart-warming moment that needed to be shared. Cooper running up the stairs to give the sad bear a hug was one of those moments that brings happiness not just to faces, but to hearts.

Cooper gave a new meaning to a big bear hug, and he showed that sportsmanship goes beyond shaking hands before a game.

It’s the “good-lucks” wished in locker rooms, “good-games” that are meant wholeheartedly, and yes, even embracing a rival mascot.

And that’s what it really means to be a Rustler.

OUR

Cooper Crosby runs to hug the Billings West bear mascot during state basketball on March 13 after seeing the “sad bear.”

Cooper’s dad, CMR Coach Brian Crosby, captured a heartwarming video of Cooper’s empathetic bear hug, which went viral not long after.

Photos courtesy of Brian Crosby.

Senior anticipates the conclusion of her senior year

Opinion Editor

JessicaBanks

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

When I was a freshman I remember going to senior celebration and watching all of the seniors run to the middle of the gym and crying as they watched the slideshow of their high school career. I remember thinking it was forever until that was me, and thinking how excited I was for three years later when that was me.

I remember each semester as they passed by saying cheesy things like “I am ⅜ of the way done with high school,” or “I just finished my fifth finals week just waiting to one day run to the middle of the gym and cry with my friends as I have watched grades before me do as well.”

Freshman year was full of new freedom, experiencing for the first time what it is really like to have completely different classes and teachers from some of my peers.

When I was a sophomore I took the big step of taking my first 7a.m. class, just to have an extra elective during the day.

Then junior year approached, and this was the year that I had heard horror stories about, like AP classes and the ACT, the dreaded four-hour test that no one enjoys. I remember as a junior just waiting and hoping for that year to be over so I could experience the joys and relaxation senior year would bring.

Well I blinked, and it is already the end of third quarter of my senior year. I cannot believe how fast this year is going, and I can’t believe before I know it, I will be all dressed up in a cap and gown leaving Charles M. Russell High School for the last time.

Senior year is full of so many fun exciting experiences and opportunities that only happen once in your life.

From taking senior pictures to wearing camo pants at football games, the memories will be cherished forever.

When I started this school year I remember hoping it would go by so quickly just so I could be done, and now that it is almost over, I can’t believe where the time has gone. It is unbelievable how fast a year I was wishing away has gone.

Juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen, don’t wish away your time here at CMR. Live in each moment, and enjoy it. These moments only happen once.

As we enter into the last quarter of the school year, not only the last, but probably the most exciting time of the year, I hope to be able to enjoy each moment.

,

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Opinion

Protests at LDS Conference show lack of respect for others’ beliefs

by Jessica Banks, opinion editor Two times a year The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints -- better known as “The Mormon” church -- has a worldwide conference where members of this church have an opportunity to hear from their prophet, who is the leader of the whole church, and other major leaders.

This is such an amazing weekend for members of this church because they hear inspired messages from people who receive revelation directly from God to help them in any way they need.

This conference is known as General Conference and is broadcasted from The Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

People watch it on TV, listen to it on the radio, go to church buildings to watch it, and some even travel to Salt Lake City to witness this event in person.

My religion is the most important thing in my life to me, and I am so glad we are able to have a biannual event to give me a spiritual refresh.

This is meant to be a spiritual weekend for church members and being able to go to Salt Lake to watch is absolutely amazing, being in the same room as those leaders is one of the greatest feelings I have ever felt.

However, some people cannot let members of the Mormon church enjoy this weekend.

Constantly around Temple Square there are protestors fighting against the standards of this religion. However, during these weekends

especially the streets around Temple Square are crawling with protesters who want so badly to lead Mormons to doubt their religion and try to ruin the spiritual weekend.

Because this conference is such a big deal, the church wants anyone to be able to come and watch it in person, so tickets are free. If you do not get tickets ahead of time there is the opportunity to wait in a line to try and obtain tickets. These lines stretch all the way outside of the building and often times, people are turned away because there are not enough.

Some of the protesters go as far as obtaining tickets just so they can go inside of the conference and object when myself and other members of my church show their support by sustaining our leaders.

There are people who would love to have these protester’s seats, but they are stuck in line.

Now I understand that we have the freedom to peaceful protest, and they aren’t breaking any laws.

I just find it extremely disrespectful and in fact unnecessary to protest an event that means so much to my religion.

It is important to respect other people’s beliefs.

You don’t have to believe them or agree with them, but respect them. I hope as this religious event comes closer, respect for other people’s beliefs can become stronger.

8

Transgender protections to change in schools around the nation Legislation removes bathroom rights for students

by Lexi Bako, staff writer be comfortable in locker rooms or On Feb. 22, the Trump bathrooms and may need some other administration overruled protections form of accommodation. for transgender students, leaving it State Representative Carl Glimm to the state and the school district to (R-Kalispell) has teamed up with a decide whether students can use the non profit organization called the bathrooms that match their gender Montana Family Foundation to work identity. on a bill for transgender bathrooms.

President Obama issued laws in The bill is being called the Montana May 2016 allowing Locker Room Privacy The goal here is not to be Act, and it reiterates students to use the bathroom to educational, nor is it for the the statement “Girls match their gender shouldn’t have to greater good of Montana identity, and not change in front of even a year later students, and if it were they boys!”

President Trump would get the opinions of That is the first has brought an thing I saw on the them. end to transgender Montana Family protections.

Foundation website, What does this with a side bar that mean for high school students in said that their main goal is they America? would like to be “informative and For many schools around the educational.” country multiple factors go into who The goal here is not to be has primary control of bathroom laws, educational, nor is it for the greater and whether it will be a statewide good of Montana students, and if it law or go to the individual districts. were they would get the opinions of In Montana and in our district, them. we don’t have a set bathroom policy, The goal here is the like minded but we do have the Equal Education, agenda of these people. Which is Nondiscrimination and Sex Equity only damaging to minority Montana policy, which is placed so no student students. should be denied access to activities, The bill was killed 11-7 in the programs, and services due to not House Judiciary Committee, and is conforming to typical notions of most likely done for the session with masculinity or femininity. the only other possible outcome being This includes a wide variety a member of the House blasting it on of students, not only transgender the floor for further discussion. students, but students who may not

“

”

Senior staff writer reflects on emotions surrounding senior prom

by Amanda Cornwall, staff writer My freshman year I could not care less about prom. I thought prom was overrated and overhyped, and to be fair, sometimes it can be. But, as a senior, at least I can now understand the hype.

Senior prom is a landmark of high school for so many reasons. 1) You’re at the top of the food chain. No more slinking around because you’re afraid of the “big kids”.

You are the big kid. 2) It’s your final moment to go all out and dress to the nines with all of your friends. It’s your last chance to dress up like a princess (or prince) without getting weird stares from people. 3) Once senior prom has come and gone, there’s only roughly two months until graduation, and those two months will almost literally fly by. Once senior prom is done, there’s no more big exciting thing standing between you and the glitter-clad graduation stage.

Senior prom will only happen once ever, and I feel

like it’s the kind of high school experience you just really don’t want to miss out on. To quote Ferris Bueller, a character some of you will know, “Life moves pretty fast.

If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

At one point during the night at prom, I stopped for a second and just looked around. I listened to the music and I looked around at my laughing friends and just smiled. Because while high school as a whole isn’t always great, there are moments you’ll remember forever.

In two months we’ll go our separate ways; off to college, off to travel, off to wherever. Our senior prom was our last big moment with the kids we’ve known since kindergarten and the kids we walked through high school with. It’s gone and done now, but it’s a memory we’ll all have for the rest of our lives, and hopefully it’s a good one.

(From the left) Senior Vanessa Luongo, senior Amanda Cornwall, junior Clara McClain, and senior Hannah Pate pose for prom photos at Giant Springs on March 25. Photo courtesy of Wendy McClain.

,

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Opinion

9

Administration’s travel Ban causes controversy, confusion worldwide

All students deserve respect and equal treatment

by Hannah Pospisil, staff writer Since Donald Trump became President on Jan. 20, a reign of terror has descended upon those who are not straight or cisgender white males. On that day, he signed an executive order that bans people from seven major Muslim-populated countries from entering the United States for 90 days. It also takes away the settlement of refugees over this period of time.

Trump and his supporters are fearful of a terrorist attack in the upcoming future. What’s their solution? Unfairly ban an entire ethnic/religious group from entering a country. It may be extremely racist, xenophobic, cruel, and unconstitutional, but who cares, right?

Racism in America has been in place long enough that nobody will notice and we’re totally free from any threat of a terrorist attack. Wrong. This is a vile way to look at people.

Racism and hatred are taught and can be untaught. Sadly, there are many close-minded people in the country who will do everything in their power to spread their hatred as far as they can. What’s even more alarming is that some of these people have a position of power in the government, in the schools, in journalism, in the workforce, everywhere.

It’s sickening to know that some people think they’re superior because of their skin color.

Isn’t this a religious-based travel ban? Yes. However, it’s even more terrifying to know that our leaders are using their power to exert their hatred and prejudice on the innocent.

This travel ban shakes me to my core simply because it counteracts every civil right that many Americans have fought for so many years. I cannot fathom how we, as citizens, allowed this to happen. We somehow managed to elect a sexist, racist, and xenophobic bigot as our leader. I’m disgusted by the fact that ignorance and bigotry are traits that our President carries proudly, and I’m even more unamused by the leniency that is provided for him.

The ban was placed because Americans are fearful of another terrorist attack, like the tragic event that happened on Sept. 11, 2001. However, statistics show that only nine people have been killed a year by Muslim extremists. 12,843 people are killed per year by guns in America, and 37,000 people per year have been killed by traffic-related accidents (Source: CATO Institute).

These statistics prove that Americans must reevaluate our problems and come up with new solutions. Muslims are not

by Loran Fairhurst, staff writer Hello, reader of the Stampede, Loran Fairhurst writing to you. I am here today with- in layman’s terms- a complaint. Perhaps it is more than just a complaint, but something that I noticed -- a form of discrimination. But I get ahead of myself.

Last semester I was a part of the Stampede full-time, though at the switch from first to second, I exchanged the Newspaper Workshop for an Exceptionalities class -- working as a peer tutor for those with special needs.

Now that I am a couple months into the class, I feel that now is a good time for me to broadcast my informed opinion based on observation.

During my class period, while I am out with Trevor, or Evelyn, or anyone for that matter, there are people in the halls who stare (which inherently I do not believe to be wrong in most cases), shoot my student and I dirty looks, or even blatantly mock us.

I was doing a scavenger hunt one day with a student and heard a student mutter to his friend something about “a retard” then continue to make various grunts and similar vocalizations.

Now, I am a fervent advocate of free speech, and will not say this student does not have the right to do that, but I will say that some awareness needs to be made. Those with special needs are not freaks, or lesser humans, or dumb animals. They are us.

They have thoughts, emotions, and perceptions, and it is only due to a genetic lottery, or a horrible accident, or whatever -- which we all are subject to, and that we just happened to “win” -- that they ended up with whatever mental or physical condition that they have.

I hope I am not going out of my way to embarrass or shed a harsh light on folk, but I do hope, truly, that those people who will call someone with special needs retarded - to their face - will recognize who they are.

the enemy. Punishing all Muslims for the actions of certain extremists is an abomination. Americans are supposed to welcome all people, no matter race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation with open arms. It’s hypocritical to ignore those refugees who are seeking help, seeing as this country was built on the backs of slaves and immigrants, (sadly at the expense of Native Americans as well as slaves).

Seeing such mistreatment of an entire group of people breaks my heart, and I will not stay silent and stand idly by and let bigotry take over the country. I will take a stand for people who cannot stand up for themselves, and I hope others continue to do the same.

Graphc: Tribune News Service/MCT

Before you make a life altering decision

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

S Features

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Student learns family traditions

by McKenzie Connell, staff writer Traditions are the reason why families get together and celebrate. On March 17 every year, the Dean household reflects on past and recent customs of their Irish background.

“My mom is 100 percent Irish, and her family came from Ireland,” freshman MacKenzie Dean said.

Learning Gaelic, the native Irish language, has become a goal for Dean. She has been using books, Youtube videos, and an online program called Rosetta Stone.

“I think it would be cool to speak the same language my ancestors spoke,” she said. The language is rare and dying, and she said she wants to be one of the few who are fluent. Irish runs deep in her family, she added.

Her great-grandparents came to the United States during the potato famine due to being extremely poor. They started in the mines in Ireland and collected gold coins to come to Butte.

In Butte, the family worked in the mine and maintained the Irish traditions, she explained.

“On Saint Patrick’s Day we make pasties,” Dean said. This dish is a combination of new and old habits. Her grandma, who is the direct descendent of the Irish grandparents, started to make them in Butte, and started the now long-

held tradition. The family also loves steak and potatoes, along with whiskey for the older folk, she added.

“My mom’s name is Patty so we call it Saint “Patty’s” day,” Dean said. Wearing green clothes is a must on the holiday, she added. This Irish background is the biggest reason why she is putting so much effort into the language.

Her first and middle name are Irish, and her brother has an Irish godfather. The family also has a long line of freckles, she added.

“When I visit I want to be able to speak the native language. I want to become fluent, and it might take at least a year, maybe more to be comfortable.”

Left to right: A. Eileen (Connelly) Lane, Florence Margaret (Harrington), John Charles (Chuck) Connelly, James Patrick Connelly, and Pat Connelly. Photo courtesy of MacKenzie Dean.

The great summer job hunt

by Chloe Geary, staff writer The great summer job hunt is upon us. But fortunately, the good news is that in Great Falls, there are many employers who are willing to hire high school students.

Currently in the pursuit of a summer job are numerous students, including sophomore Hannah Pospisil.

She’s going to be a junior next year, and she’s been looking for a while now.

“I’ve been looking for a job since I turned 16, because that seems like a good age to start working,” she said.

However, finding a first job isn’t the easiest thing to do, according to Pospisil.

“It’s difficult to find a job for the first time. When you have no job experience and minimal skills, finding a place to work is harder because employers would rather have someone with previous work experience,” Pospisil said.

Her hunt for a job isn’t over yet, but to make it easier she’s narrowed her search to a few local coffee shops.

“I decided that I want to work at a place like a coffee shop because I don’t want to be a waitress. I also want to get tips,” Pospisil said. She said that she

10

thinks that a coffee shop would be a great first job.

Like Pospisil, junior Natalie Carr is aspiring to find employment at a local cafe.

“I want to work at a coffee shop because the shops around town seem laid back, and I think it would be fun to work in that environment,” Carr said.

She also said that she thinks the summertime is the best season for teenagers in high school to look for employment.

“I think it’s important to get a summer job. It’s the perfect time for teenagers to start working and building up a resume.

Also, during the summer you don’t have to balance your first job with school,” Carr said.

For students needing help finding a job in the Great Falls area, visit the Job Service Workforce Center at 1018 7th St. S., or use the internet for help find employment. Or you could just go out, hit the pavement and walk around town talking to businesses.

Of course, make sure to have a resume to have with you when searching for your first job.

Out West Art Show offers Key Club an opportunity to volunteer

by Ian Kaiser, staff writer Of all the events that happen in Great Falls, the Out West Art Show is by far one of the most exciting. Whether you’re there to buy or just to look, it is an experience all of its own.

But for some C. M. Russell High School students, they have a completely different reason for being there -- volunteer work.

The Out West Art Show took place from March 15-18 at the Best Western Heritage Inn. CMR’s Key Club was offered the chance to volunteer to work at the show.

When it comes to volunteering, senior Ronni Kelleher knows best. The current Key Club president, Kelleher has been working the show since she was a freshman. She said that even though she loves working with the artists, she also loves working with her club.

“I love seeing all of my Key Club members do their best,” she said. “It was so great having so many people there

experiencing so many different things.”

Work at the art show can vary. From the front desk to the actual galleries, there is always something to do. Kelleher was trusted to watch over an artist’s room while he was away for two different nights, and she held three pieces during the auction held on the last day.

“It was super exciting and nerve-wracking,” she said.

Kelleher said that besides volunteering for the show, she also works for the chance to meet the artists and become known. She is an aspiring artist and seeks mentoring or advice from the artists at the show, and has even been offered to join an artist on a trip to watch him paint.

For junior Heavenlyee Diaz, though, the Out West Art Show is all about working with friends and meeting new artists. Diaz worked the show for two of the four days and has been working the show for two years.

“I really like the diversity of each different artist, because even though it’s like, the ‘Out West Art Show,’ some of it isn’t ‘out west.’ It’s really cool,” she said.

Despite the many events around town and in the hotel, she says her favorite part was just walking around and seeing each individual room.

“It was really enjoyable. It’s a good experience overall.

More people should do it,” she said. “Especially teenagers.”

Diaz said she can’t stress enough how much of an experience working this show truly is. She encourages anyone and everyone to join Key Club for the chance to volunteer next year, or even to just check out the show.

“I think younger people should go because there’s really not that many besides the group of six that come to volunteer. But not even volunteering, just come in general and see it. It’s pretty nice.”

ClaraMcClain

Features Editor

Romance is not necessary in high school -- this junior is happy being alone Romance is not a necessary part of “the high school experience.” Yes, it’s nice, but I have no patience for people who push the narrative of teenage girls not being complete if they aren’t hanging off the arm of some high school boy who won’t remember their name in 10 years.

Would I like to go on cute dates and have ridiculous photos sprinkled throughout my Instagram? Yes, but I don’t need a boy to do those things. I can hang out with my friends and get the same experience without the possibility of getting mono, which is a nice plus.

I am a whole human being who is not about to change my plans because of a boy. I am going to college, getting a degree in English and teaching English at a high school.

No one will change these dreams for me, except for me. I am the master of my own destiny, and I refuse to allow anyone else to change my mind for me.

I’m extremely stubborn, and once I set my mind to something, come what may, I’m following through.

So no, I am not incomplete since I don’t have a boyfriend. This is a perfectly fine way to go through high school, and it’s my plan to end this experience like I started, surrounded by my friends and loving them and my family. I’m not worried about never

finding someone to spend the rest of my life with; I have college and years after that to worry about those things.

High school is just four years of a life that I haven’t really started yet, so I’m not in a hurry to add someone onto this rollercoaster ride until I’m sure it’s on the way up for me.

There will be bumps, crazy highs, and extreme lows later on, but right now, my future is uncertain and I’m not sure where the next decade will take me. I can’t wait until that isn’t a great big question mark, but that probably isn’t going to happen any time soon.

Maybe in the future my outlook will change, but in the here and now, I need to focus on me, myself, and I. Not a boy who might compromise my goals for going to college in Virginia and becoming a teacher. I want to pass on my love of English.

So for now, I am content learning more about myself as I grow up. I am a complete person on my own and I don’t need anyone to “complete me.” I am whole and I am enough. No romance is more important than my education and graduating high school.

Show me a high school movie where the girl picks herself over any boy who isn’t worth her time. I want that narrative above anything else.

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Features

The unsung heros of CMR

S

Alan Burley

Janette Kemph

The basement is filled with friendly people, including first engineer Alan Burley, who has been working at CMR for 20 years. Burley is a busy man as his day includes unlocking all the doors, doing payroll, setting up school plays, maintenance, fixing furniture, washing windows and doors, mopping up the cafeteria, and checking the boilers and temperatures of the building. Keep in mind this is what Burley does everyday, and not to mention the continuous litter he has to pick up daily.

“We put four more garbage cans in the parking lot,” he said. “We’d appreciate it if people used them.”

He enjoys the environment he works in with all the fun students and makes sure his No. 1 priority is keeping them safe everyday.

Even though Janette Kemph’s desk is located in the far shadows of the main office, her work shines bright. Every pass that a student gets Kemph has written and her aides have delivered. She does things from being a secretary to all the CMR counselors to helping with locker issues.

Kemp does a little bit of everything, including keeping her aides on track and motivated throughout the day.

“I feel like God made me for this job. I enjoy it so much and I’m good at what I do. I think it shows,” Kemph said.

“

She has a personality that matches mine. She’s kind of a jerk, but kind of cute, and cuddly at the same time. She’s completely mine. She’s adorable.

”

- Quincy Schmechel

Quincy Schmechel’s cat

my designated “dog,She’s she’s not my parents’.

- Emily Cappis

” Trisha Elliott’s axolotl

I named him James “Franco.

He is unique, and you never see anybody who has one.

- Trisha Elliott

”

Sky because “she’sI love so sweet and we have the same personality.

We really connect.

Emily Cappis’s dog

- Aiyana Scholten

”

A friendly face is always something you want to see when you enter a room, and in the bustling place like the main office Dawn Thompson is that warm face. Thompson mans the main desk in the front of the office and is the first person you see when you walk in the door. She not only directs students on where they need to be, but she also deals with parking permits, answers phones, dispenses medication, helps with teacher lesson plans, and much more. Thompson’s job is never the same and never boring as she gets to see up to 500 students daily.

“I do see a lot of faces. That’s why I like it, it is never boring,” she added. “I enjoy the pulse of CMR.”

A day in the life outside of CMR

by Gabrielle Pope, Staff Writer One of the many things that students do in Teayre Klosterman’s Intro to Health Occupations class is to job shadow a profession of the student’s choosing.

Sophomore Alexis Gonzales is confident Garrity Wright’s chinchilla that she is going to pursue a career in the medical field.

I love Chin-Chin because “I like to know that what I’m doing is of his personality. He is a helping people, and the pay is good so that’s little rascal most of the time, also a plus,” she said. always getting free and During her job shadow, Gonzales learned running around the house. about the day of a respiratory therapist and But he is also very sweet. found out that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up - Garrity Wright to be.

“I like helping patients, but they had to cough up mucus and that was pretty gross,” she said. Now that she has completed the job shadow, she has decided that it isn’t what she wants to pursue.

She was anticipating a more fast-paced job that kept her energy levels high.

“You just had to stand on two feet the whole time; you couldn’t sit down and most of what we did was just talking to people and it was just sort of boring,” she said. She suggests that building a relationship with the Aiyana Scholten’s horse patients would make it more interesting, but she knows that is hard to do in just one day.

“

My parents surprised me with her in 6th grade, and she’s just my best friend in the whole wide world.

Dawn Thompson

Job Shadow

Students and their pets

”

11

by Julia Gremaux, photo editor “It wouldn’t have been so awkward if I wasn’t just doing a job shadow,” she added.

The students are graded on a variety of things. The person that they are shadowing is given a rubric to fill out once the day is over.

She said they grade on your outfit, overall performance and your willingness to learn.

Gonzales appreciates the opportunity to study with a professional.

“They allow people to see the real world and how the job works. It’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into,” she said.

Senior Trent Cavanagh took a different approach on the field of careers. He decided to go the business route and took a job shadow with Tonya Jorgenson, who markets and advertises for companies in Great Falls.

Business teacher Jessica Goosen has a program that allows students to choose a business field that they want to study, and Cavanagh chose marketing, but who he studied under was not up to him.

“I chose marketing in general, and I got placed wherever they placed me,” he said.

Cavanagh had the opportunity to go to some of Jorgenson’s clients and provide different ways to market their business as well as gaining different demographics.

He got real-life experiences but also thought that his previous knowledge was more extensive than what she was teaching.

He said that he showed her some newer ways of marketing through Youtube and following cookies, instead of just putting out radio and television advertisements.

“I ended up helping out some of the businesses that she marketed for, and we ended up setting up giveaways.”

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Features

14

AP Art students discover new talents

by Katelyn Morley, news editor Photography isn’t the only aspect of art class that senior Cooper Lott focuses on. It’s about so much more, including the relationships formed in the class.

Taking AP Art became a goal of his during freshman year. Lott has learned a lot of new aspects of art through the class and has created his own photography portfolio even though he’s never studied the skill, he said.

“Taking photos without major manipulation is a way to show things that anyone can see, but in my perspective,” Lott said.

Even though he doesn’t plan to pursue art in the future, he hopes it remains a hobby. The most important part of the class for him is the relationships he has formed. The memories that he has made with classmates and his teacher, Jackie Van Heel, are his favorite part.

Lott has found that he is a better artist not only because of making art but by making true friendships, he said.

“I went in to become a better artist, and I’m coming out a better artist,” Lott said.

Lott isn’t the only one experiencing photography through this class. Junior Sarah Cherry is creating her own art.

“I thought because we could develop our own portfolio in this class it would be the most beneficial to what I’m doing with my art,” she said.

As someone who focuses on photography the most when it comes to art she enjoys how this course allows her to do that. Like a normal class deadlines and specific assignments are still given, but it’s still open to each student’s own creativity and artistic decisions, Cherry said.

“The idea is to have a portfolio for college if they ask for it,” she said.

Since she is planning on pursuing photography in the future, including going to college to study it, she has found that the class prepares one for the future pursuit of art. The students work on creating portfolios that can be submitted for jobs or college admission. Also at the end of the year students must have 29 pieces in the portfolio to submit to the college board for scores. After that they display their art and photography from the school year, Cherry said. “[It’s] making me focus on why I do what I do,” she said.

In class, junior Sarah Cherry practices photography edits for a future protfolio.Junior Maygie Li works on the art of her choice: a self portrait. Photos by Julia Gremaux.

SPRINGING into FUN: A Floridian adventure Splash Splish

When wanting to have a fun and relaxing vacation one must book a place to stay that is equally as satisfying. When finding a place to stay both Trevor Funseth and James Olson had no worries about finding where they would call home for the next few days. They had already put their sights on the hotel called Best Western+. “[I’ll] be spending time at the pool. I’m a cannonball type of guy. I don’t go for anything special.” Olson replied when asked to highlight an activity he will do. Olson’s friend Funseth agreed with him but also had a plan of his own, he said “[I’ll] be tanning by the pool, playing video games, and sleeping.”

by Isaiah Vang, online editor

The sun it out and the snow is melting. The flowers will sprout and the weather will be overwhelming. These are the signs that spring has finally come. Spring is the season for life and renewal and no one needs that more than seniors Trevor Funseth and James Olson.

Follow this dynamic duo as they travel across the country to The Sunshine State of Florida and experience their own Floridian adventure.

Their next destination takes these two to a place where movies come to life. This place is called Universal Studios. In this amusement park, there is a huge variety of rides, shows, and activities that can please anyone from the young to young at heart. In this park they also have created worlds from many movies that totally captures you in the moment.

For instance, Olson was really excited about one world in particular, “They have the Harry Potter land which is pretty sweet.” Funseth on the other hand is not into all the rides and shows but instead has his mind on something else. “I hope that they have good food. I like a good [hot] dog.”

Petrificus Totalus

Wrestlemania is an event filled with all-star wrestlers duking it out in the ring. This event is what Olson and Funseth have been waiting for and they couldn’t keep in their excitement for it. “[Wrestlemania] is like 75,000 people, huge stadium, and a lot of energy” Funseth said. Both Olson and Funseth have their own favorite wrestler. For Olson, his favorite is Finn Balor while Funseth is a hard core fan of the Undertaker. “If I see the Undertaker lose, I will cry.”

S Entertainment

Santa Clarita Diet

“The Santa Clarita Diet” is about a trophy wife/ mom who works in the real estate business, and she discovers that after throwing up about 5 pounds of puke that she is now a zombie. The show focuses on the family’s struggle to adjust to the new woman in the house, and she feels more alive than she was before.

Salem 2

“Salem” brings you back to the late 1600’s Salem, Mass. It takes place during the Salem witch trials, but there’s a twist.

The witches are real and are the ones behind the trials. By tricking the puritans into killing innocent people as witches, each death brings them closer to fulfilling their grand rite.

3

The Walking Dead

“The Walking Dead” takes place in post-apocalyptic America where zombies roam the great plains of this once great country.

Trying to find the cure while fighting zombies and facing deadlier threats (Such as Negan), a group of survivors fight their way through the countless hordes of zombies and fierce foes, getting closer and closer to acheiving their final goals.

American Horror Story 4

“American Horror Story” is a collection of different stories between the different seasons. Each season brings a new story with new characters although it may be confusing seeing the same actor play a different role. AHS has horror tales such as “Haunted House” for the first season, “Asylum” for season 2, “Coven” season 3, “Freak Show” season 4, and their newest addition to Netflix, “Hotel” season 5. It’s such a great show, and with each season it will pull you in to watch the next.

5 Supernatural

Emma Watson and Dan Stevens star as Beauty and the Beast. Photo Disney/MCT.

“Supernatural” is one of the longest and best shows to binge watch that I have watched yet. It’s about two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, facing countless enemies such as ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demons, angels, and even God’s sister!? I recommend this show if you have a lot of free time and love the twists on classic lore.

Entertainment Editor

QuincySchmechel

Looking back and moving forward from a memorable season Getting up at 4:30 a.m. sucks. There’s no sugarcoating it. No one in their right mind wants to wake up that early, much less get dressed, pack your bags, and head to school.

That’s tough at 8, not to mention three and a half hours earlier.

But when you’re heading out to perform in front of a truly massive amount of people from all over the state, getting up at an ungodly hour puts a little more spring in your step. Your step gets a little lighter still when you’re performing with a group of people you’ve come to see not only as teammates, but as family. You see other sides of people when you’ve been practicing and performing together for nearly a full year, and not all of those sides are as pretty or as polished as they seem in broad daylight, but they are nonetheless just as lovable-just come join your CMR Wranglers at 5 AM to see for yourself.

Ending our season with state was an incredible experience just by itself, but performing with the people I did made it all the better. Showing up nearly two hours before the CMR games started to laugh and get ready for a performance in front of thousands of people was about the best team bonding you can think of, even if it did involve spandex uniforms and

Zach Mell, staff writer

by Katelyn Morley, news editor Sitting in a crowded movie theater, the lights go dim and the famous Disney castle appears on the screen signifying the start of a movie I’ve been anticipating for months.

The live action remake of “Beauty and the Beast”, a movie which I have loved since I was a little girl. Of course it started with the classic instrumental music that is associated to the fairytale.

As the opening scene continued with the telling of the story behind the Beast’s past, it was easy to tell that Disney as usual was doing a fantastic job with the remake. It then led into one of my favorite scenes where Belle is introduced by singing about her desire to escape the “poor provincial town.”

The show stuck to the original story line while adding some modern touches. One thing that was different, but in a way that made it original in its own way, was that Belle’s father was more of an artist than an inventor. Since they changed the hobbies of her father, Belle invented a machine to wash her clothes so she could read all the books she wanted.

The casting was perfect to make the movie feel more authentic with it being set in France. Most of the actors were famous British actors. Emma Watson, who played Belle, fit the role well with the same looks as the original character, a beautiful voice for singing, and the ability to act out every emotion at the right time.

Fans of “Downton Abbey” will recognize the Beast as Dan Stevens, who played cousin Matthew on the British drama for three years. The movie also had other well-known cast members, including Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts and Stanley Tucci as Cadenza.

This movie that has me listening to it’s soundtrack a week after I’ve seen it was given a 70 percent on Rotten tomatoes. Personally, I think the movie deserves more it was one that I would definitely recommend watching for years to come. The two hours and 10 minutes of fairytale fantasy coming to life is worth the time and it also takes one back to their childhood in a fun way.

1

15

Zach’s NETFLIX Picks

“Beauty & The Beast” live action captures magic of 1991 Disney cartoon

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

eyelash glue. When we headed out to the court each time, there was as collectively shared anxiety and excitement buzzing through the Wranglers. We clasped pinkies and prayed for a good performance-- as we do before each performance, whether it be in the Thunderdome or anywhere else-- but here at state it was different. We didn’t really need to pray that everything went well because we knew that what we were displaying on the court would make both ourselves and CMR proud, for the last time this season and, for our seniors, the very last time ever.

Screams from the CMR student section filled the arena as we waited for the music to start. Standing in the middle of the court, my heart beat faster than I thought possible, and I knew the other girls were having the same experience. And then the music started. Each time we completed a move, the Rustlers went wild, screaming and cheering like never before.

Pretty soon, the thump of my heart ceased to exist as anything but background noise, second to the bass in the music that shook the floor and the student section that seemed to shake the entire stadium. And when we were done and the music

had stopped, in the moments waiting for the band to play Mag 7, all the Wranglers looked at each other and we knew that we were ending the season in the best way possible. We rushed off the court and joined together in front of the student section to perform our famous kicks. Then we all walked back to the dressing room to do the cheer we always do after a performance. There was a sense of pride, happiness, and a sadness for the season being over, but also an excitement for the seasons to come.

As we all changed out of uniforms and into our jeans and T-shirts to take our places in the CMR section I felt just as proud of the people in the stands as the Rustlers on the floor. It was special to be part of that student section at state this year, even if we didn’t take home the championship, but it was even more special to sit with the girls with whom I’d endured early mornings, exhaustion, laughs and smiles, and the rush of performing with. You never understand the meaning of teamwork until you’re part of a team like ours. and looking back I’m beyond proud of what became less of a team and, as cliche as it may be to say, more of a family.

S

Entertainment

CMR through

S euss’ eyes

Senior Junior Sophomore Freshman CMR is full of classmen Some are big And some are small, Some are smart And others tall.

Each student is special in his or her own way, And this is why they come to school each day.

The Bill Will Hall is full of sounds Of students playing music all around.

The opposite side of the building is busy too, With athletes running around with things to do.

Watch your step in the hallways Warn all the seniors, Those skulls are roped off for a very good reason If you accidently step on one, watch out!

The seniors will swoop in, without a doubt.

Now even though CMR is full of students, Who teaches is extremely prudent.

Our teachers are our number one, Always trying to teach us and have some fun.

While Dr. Seuss is an esteemed writer, Here at CMR our celebrations falter.

In my younger years my elementary school All the teachers would dress like fools the principal would always read his books, With him as Dr. Seuss and the aides as Thing one and thing two.

The library would be full of his stories, We always announced his glories.

But CMR is pretty great too, We all love our teachers, The hallways, And you too!

Do you like CMR? Asks Sam I am, “I do love this school, man oh man”

by McKenzie Connell, staff writer

Art by Katie Weidow

The Oscars 2017

by Chloe Geary, staff writer The 2017 Oscars managed to squeeze mountains of speeches, performances, and upsets in its three hours on television.

Three hours is a long time, but everything that happened throughout the duration of the broadcast was spattered across Twitter and other social media platforms for the next few days.

One of the events that took place was the controversy between “La La Land” and “Moonlight” winning best picture.

Actors Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were announcing the award for best picture, when they accidentally said “La La Land” instead of “Moonlight.”

“Moonlight” was the actual winner, but the crowd didn’t know this until the entire cast of “La La Land” was already on stage, and the acceptance speeches were already flowing.

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding “La La Land” already. It was accused of being whitewashed due to the fact that there’s an overwhelming number of white actors, and few actors of other races.

On the other hand, “Moonlight” had an all African American cast, and featured a man facing his sexality and identity.

There were several other Oscar firsts surrounding “Moonlight.” It was the first film with an all black cast, and the first LGBT film to win the Best Picture award, according to CNN.

Director Damien Chazelle along with cast and producers of “La La Land” at the Golden Globe Awards show in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Mahershala Ali, who won Best Supporting Actor for his work in “Moonlight,” is the first Muslim to win an acting Oscar.

It was important historically for “Moonlight” to win Best Film over “La La Land.” The story line behind “Moonlight” touched many more people.

While “La La Land” was a movie to celebrate the film industry and modern love, “Moonlight” was a movie of self discovery and accepting sexuality. The themes behind “Moonlight” are things everyone goes through, not to mention the cinematography in the movie was breathtaking.

Also, the Oscars have faced scrutiny for being whitewashed just as “La La Land” was.

“Moonlight” winning Best Picture changes that narrative, as well as several other people of color winning throughout the night including Viola Davis winning Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.”

Despite the controversy surrounding these movies, “Moonlight” was the real winner of the night.

Writer Barry Jenkins of “Moonlight” and cast at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards show in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

CMR’s Opinion on the Oscars

I love movies, and I felt like the Oscars this year were amazing.

Natalie Carr

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

The Oscars are fun to watch because you can see your favorite celebrities. I always feel like something exciting happens.

Sarah Ljunggren

16

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com 17

Entertainment

The Symphonic Band hard at work at AA Band Festival on March 6-7. Junior Katrina Roberts practices her part in with the rest of the flute section on March 6-7. photo by Terryn Premo.

The music department springs into MIOSM, keeps busy in April

by Clara McClain, features editor flute, she’s still committed to Symphonic Band.

For senior Emily Rogers, band was where she found herself after her friends graduated at “It [makes my life a little harder], but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she said. the end of her sophomore year.

Symphonic Band is going on tour on March 30 through April 2. They also had AA Band “It actually started when my ‘clique’ in orchestra graduated my sophomore year and it Festival on March 6-7 in Bozeman, and participated in Music in our Schools Month -- or kind of left me by myself,” Rogers said. “My brother started his freshman year MIOSM -- on March 14. when I started my junior year and he did marching band and then started “There’s so many different activities going on that it makes my life Between AA music going to normal pep band events.” really busy,” Blake said. festival, tour, district music In her final year at CMR, she is looking forward to being a part of the band Blake enjoys the busy nature of being a part of band and being involved and orchestra program, going on tour with both and participating in both AA festival, and the performing in CMR. festivals.

“It has allowed me to express myself through my music, and to learn art assembly we’re pretty “I’m really looking forward to band tour because I get to spend time with more about hard work and commitment,” Blake said. busy. my band friends outside of school -- especially since pep band season ended,” Like Blake, senior Emily Grooms has a safe haven in the band room. she said.

“It’s the one class a day that is different. It uses my brain in a different Emily Grooms way and so I can get a break from all my other classes while still doing As a baritone saxophone player, she knew that band teacher Russ Kellogg would want her to be in the Russtones jazz band, and she jumped at the something productive and fun. I always leave band class happy,” Grooms chance. said.

“Something I like to think is the best way to experience something is to immerse yourself While she has fun in band, it’s no question that it keeps her busy. in it. Eventually I ended up learning symphonic music and playing with the group,” Rogers “Between AA music festival, tour, district music festival, and the performing art assembly said. we’re pretty busy,” she said.

Sariah Blake, a junior, also is looking forward to this busy time in band events.

With everything going on, Grooms still looks forward to each new experience and what it “[I’m looking forward] to be able to meet with and play with the different band groups we will do to enrich her life. are traveling to, and to work on becoming a better player and musician,” Blake said.

“I’m excited to go to the symphony. It’s a great experience to see professional musicians While being involved in band makes her life busier than it would be if she didn’t play the perform live and in such a beautiful concert hall,” she said.

“

”

Great Falls over spring break “My favorite thing to do in Great Falls during spring break is chill at Barnes and Noble, because it’s very relaxing and I like it. You can have your friends come and just chat.”

-Cooper Lott, 12

Mark R. Cappis, CPA Shareholder 21 Tenth Street South Great Falls, Montana 59401 Tel. 406.727.0888 Fax.406727.0895 mrcappis@azworld.com www.azworld.com

“I like to walk my dog on River’s Edge Trail. My dog has a spunky personality so I enjoy my time with her.”

-Katie Koterba, 12

“I enjoy going to Gibson Park and taking pictures and enjoying the scenery with friends. I also like feeding bread to the ducks.”

Savannah Bateman, 10

TELL STORIES GET INVOLVED TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE FUN BE PART OF A CMR FAMILY DESIGN PAGES MAKE FRIENDS SHOOT VIDEOS IMPROVE YOUR WRITING LEARN ADOBE SOFTWARE

photos by Julia Gremaux

Although Spring sports have started make sure to make time to volunteer and do nice things for others

JOIN PUBLICATIONS

NEWSPAPER AND YEARBOOK

FOR INFORMATION, SEE MS. BRITTON IN ROOM 326

Meets Mondays in room 325 @ 4 p.m.

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Entertainment

18

The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged An epic battle of the sexes hit the stage March 16-18

by Clara McClain, features editor Not ones to be outdone, the CMR drama queens were determined to take home to metaphorical trophy by vote of members of our esteemed public in a theatrical battle of “The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged.”

“There’s no prize except for pride,” junior Kaylee Bodge said. “There [was] no actual competition, but we did a poll of it on the CMR drama page and the girls are winning.”

While the battle may have seemed fierce to outsiders, it was all good fun within the drama community at CMR. This was just something that teacher Chris Evans had wanted to do for a while.

“Mr. Evans really digged the battle of the sexes type of thing, and he was talking about it in the beginning of last year,” she said.

The battle took place on March 16-18, as the casts took to the Bill Will Hall stage and showed their stuff. For Bodge, it was her first time being in the main cast of a show, instead of working as an understudy. She isaid she was thrilled that her first CMR show was a comedy.

Bodge has always been interested in the comedy side of drama, preferring to get laughs from her audience instead of tears.

This was a great show for her to break into

GIRLS

by Clara McClain, features editor The drama department was gearing up for a Bard showdown for the ages. CMR’s drama kings dove into Shakespeare’s (abridged) world head first and were determined to win the approval of the masses, even if sophomore Malcolm Contreras didn’t like viewing it as a battle of the sexes.

“Being that I view myself as a Leslie Knope f e m i n i s t , l i k e a full-out feminist, I [didn’t] think of it as a battle of the sexes, but looked at it like a bi gendered social experiment,” Contreras said.

However, he thought that both casts were well received by audiences. girls “Opening night lots of was a bigger Will c r o w d , but that’s and Kyrstin usually how and junior it goes for any production,” Bodge were on he said.

Carrie Lycett, Kyrstin Hagins, and

the main cast for the first time.

“It’s a comedy about a lot of Shakespeare’s works, and most high schools don’t do comedies versus dramatic plays,” Bodge said.

When it comes to comedy, Evans thought the girls took the trophy in that respect.

“Carrie Lycett, who plays the crazy one in the script, was a nut bar. She was insane and funny, man, she was funny,” Evans said.

The girls had the personalities and the energy to run with a show like this one.

“They came out and it was like a freight train,” he said.

T h i s all made for a positive audience experience, they all had fun with the and there were laughs in Bill while seniors Carrie Lycett Hagins, K a y l e e stage.

Kaylee Bodge faced off against Malcolm Contreras, Loran Fairhurst, andMAidan o s t people just came to whichever Evans. photo by Clara McClain.

BOYS cast was on at a time that worked for their busy schedules, but some came to both shows, which Contreras appreciated.

Drama teacher Chris Evans also thought of the two casts as an experiment.

“It was a social experiment I wanted to try. I wanted to see if girls’ humor and guys’ humor were the same,” he said.

He found out that they would get two different shows with the same script. Both shows were completely different, but both shows were insanely funny, according to Evans.

“Aidan Evans in the guy’s show played the same role Carrie [Lycett] played. It was funny seeing this 6 foot 2 junior boy in a wig as Juliet,” Evans said.

The boys managed to get the Shakespeare out of the show better than the girls, in Evans’ opinion.

“I thought they got the Shakespeare out a little better than the girls. The girls had the personality and the energy. The guys had a real tight understanding of the script and they got the Shakespeare out,” he said.

Sophomore Malcolm Contreras, junior Aidan Evans, and senior Loran Fairhurst would have made Shakespeare proud, even if the show kind of butchers his original scripts.

What is “The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged”?

by Clara McClain, features editor “The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged” was written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield as a parody of the bard’s comedies, with many of his jokes made more transparent to the audiences.

“It was a comedy review of everything Shakespeare and what it is ultimately about is 3 actors who want to do a section from every show of Shakespeare and so what you have is you have is complete chaos,” said drama teacher Chris Evans.

Each one of Shakespeare’s show was touched on in the first act of the show, until they look at the program and realize

they forgot Hamlet, so the entire second act is dedicated to recapping Hamlet said Evans. Not only do they touch every show, they didn’t lose any of the spark of Shakespeare.

“Shakespeare didn’t write Thomas the Tank Engine, he wrote blood, guts, and teenagers getting in trouble,” he said.

The show also acts as a way to shine a light on one of Shakespeare’s lesser known works Titus Andronicus.

“Titus Andronicus is SHakespeare’s most violent play about a guy who’s daughter got attacked so he gets revenge by chopping up the people who attacked her, then feeding them in a pie to their mother. So these guys decided to do Titus Andronicus as a cooking show,” Evans said.

Each play has its own twist on the original script. Like Macbeth is done in horrible Scottish accents, Hamlet’s ghost is a sock, and Othello was performed as a rap.

The show is also extremely audience interactive, which had Evans wishing for bigger crowds.

“It’s a shame we didn’t have bigger audiences for this and folks missed some funny stuff,” he said.

This show is all about getting laughs until the last second.

“For the encores they do Hamlet in about a minute, then they come out and do it in five seconds, and then they do it backwards,” Evans said.

Allstate Insurance Company 518 9th St. South Great Falls,MT 59404

Whatever the problem Tammy will solve ‘em 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Auto, Home, Business and Life

Tammy Quintrell-Stubbs

Now also a B&B

Exclusive Agent The Quintrell Agency

Phone: 406.453.9460 Fax: 406.771.7130 Email: tammyq@allstate.com

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Entertainment

Perfect Playlist

1. “Outside with the Cuties” Frankie Cosmos

Start with something acoustic and bubbly to set a happy mood.

Photo courtesy of The Garden (Top Left), Craft Spells (Top Right), Foxygen (Bottom)

by Hannah Pospisil, staff writer Music is important to all of us. It’s essential for all music lovers to understand what it takes to make a great playlist. A wise prophet (me) once said, “One cannot create a superb playlist containing bogus songs. If one makes a weak playlist and presents it to me, thou shalt be labeled as a ‘wimpy poser’ in the public eye for all of eternity,” and I live by that prophecy every day of my life. I will supply you with the skills to produce a perfect playlist in these following steps:

2. “Vexation” The Garden

Kick it up about 500 notches and play something that makes you want to jump straight into a mosh pit with a helmet on.

5. “Sleep the Clock Around” Belle & Sebastian

Put in something neutral to serve as a transition from severe melancholy to a blast of exuberance.

3. “Dancing Queen”

You literally can never go wrong with a little ABBA.

6. “After the Moment” Craft Spells

Boost your mood with something energetic because you have a natural right as a human being to feel joy.

19

4. “Sleep Apnea” Beach Fossils

Sometimes you’re sad so you have to play a sad song that makes you even sadder.

7. “Let Me Be” Current Joys

End with a slow, artsy song that makes you realize you want to major in Contempory Writing and Production in college.

Now that I’ve given you the most wonderful song suggestions and a few tips, I’ll run your through my thought process when creating a playlist. I always start with a song that sets the mood for my playlist. I make long playlists as well, because I never want the playlist to end. I make sure to explore lots of new music every day from other people’s playlists or apps like Spotify and Soundcloud. There we have it - the perfect playlist!

S Sports

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

20

Kloppel returns to the

Athletes share expectations for the 2017 spring season

coaching world

by Ashton Palen, sports editor With the first track meet on Saturday, we wanted to take a look at what the athletes and the coaches felt about this season. Senior Chance Bohlander Pole Vaulting, he feels like his final season will go out with a bang.

“I think I am going to do better this season than I did in my last season due to the fact that I have experience in the competition and a better understanding of form to reach greater heights.” said Bohlander.

Bohlander not only has high hopes for himself but he has them for his team as well.

“I think we have a fairly decent team this year and I feel that we will do pretty good.” said Bohlander.

Thrower Tucker DeBolt, a junior, also has high expectations for his throwing crew.

“I want to see our Javelin crew all push for first through fifth for most of the meets.” said DeBolt He also set his goals high for himself.

“I would like to push myself for a PR (Personal Record) and make it onto CMR’s varsity crew.” said DeBolt.

Although Tucker hopes to make it to varsity, he knows there will be a fight for those spots.

“This season there a lot of really good throwers, a lot of them have the talent. But I think I can make it if I practice more and get my form down.” said DeBolt.

(Top) Junior Tucker DeBolt practices his shot put. (Left) Senior Carrie Lycett mid-vault during practice. Photos by Ashton Palen, sports editor March 24.

Managers help the teams shine

by Katelyn Morley, news editor There are many reasons to become a manager for sports, and senior Lindsey Anderson found one of them. As a first time manager she decided to help the boys basketball team.

“My way to stay involved in sports in my off season,” she said.

During her time with the team she kept score at games.

She created relationships with new people, which created a better experience. For those wondering if they should donate their time, she highly recommends getting as involved as one can and don’t miss out by not talking to the team members and others, Anderson said.

“I wish I would’ve done it more than just the one year,” she said.

Overall, Anderson found that taking the time out of her days to help the team was worth it to expand her relationships with the team and get out there, Anderson said.

by Katelyn Morley, news editor In order to become closer with the girls on the softball team, Garrity Wright decided to manage for the team this spring. During the games she keeps the book and videos the games to help the players improve, she said.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the players better and the bus rides,” Wright said.

As a new manager for the team she is also looking towards the new things she will get to do to help out the team. She is also looking forward to the games to start as she doesn’t go to the practices, then she will get to see the players and spend more time bonding with them, she said.

Proud to be a special part of the team manager Garrity Wright shows off her softball shirt to show pride for the team. Photo

by Katelyn Morley.

by Sarah Ljunggren, staff writer Richard Kloppel is one of Charles M. Russell’s most beloved principals. Kloppel retired two years ago after spending 15 years at the school’s helm, but he soon came out of retirement to return to the place that loves him. Kloppel now coaches sophomores, JV, and varsity girls basketball teams alongside head coach Brian Crosby.

“I really enjoy coaching, and last team I coached was 1987. But then I was a principal or associate principal for the years in between. When I retired, I kept the clock last year. Then Brian [Crosby] asked me if I would be interested in helping him last June so I helped with camp preparation and so forth,” Kloppel said. “And then he said that he really wanted me to join the coaching staff as a program assignment so I did not have a team specifically, but I worked with all the teams and all the coaches. The Monday before the season started I finally met with him and said, ‘OK, I’ll do it,’ and I’m really really glad that I did.”

Kloppel is no stranger to coaching basketball.

He coached at Great Falls High School for 13 years, and in those 13 years he took their girls team to state nine times. Under his guidance, the team won state in ‘81, ‘82, and ‘83.

“We had good athletes and a good program,” he said about his experience at GFH. This year, CMR girls basketball dominated the courts, and made it to state this year, placing fourth.

Kloppel admits that he has great memories of winning state with GFH, and had hoped to win state with CMR as well, he said.

Even so, he is proud of how well and how far the girls made it.

“So far this season, [it’s been great] just watching the growth in the athletes -- in their skills, and in their confidence in themselves and their ability to believe in themselves.”

AshtonPalen

Sports Editor

March Madness makes editor lament on past years March Madness is truly madness. Experiencing it completely for the first time is a major shock. The first time I participated in the hype and gambled on guessing the outcome of the tournament was exciting.

It was sophomore year. I tried to ignore March Madness freshman year because I didn’t necessarily like basketball. But after I saw how many people were having fun, and how much money the winner made, I wanted to participate the next year.

Every class at my previous school in Arizona had a small gambling bracket. In order to enter each person had to pay $20. In the junior class that year, more than 100 kids participated, so the pot was about $2,000. That wasn’t counting the other classes’ pots.

At lunch they’d project the games on the lunchroom wall. That room was loud. Whether it was cheering or sobbing, everyone was invested in the games.

The most intense part of the tournament was whenever the University of Arizona game was on. More than half of the kids who participated had U of A winning it all. So when U of A lost in the first round to Wichita State, everyone went crazy! The kids who

didn’t have U of A winning it all at least had them in the Final Four. After that game there was a definite depression that fell over the school. The night of the loss saw riots in downtown Tucson.

March Madness had made people actually go mad, flipping police cars in the name of a game. The person who ended up winning the $2000 was a girl who hadn’t watched a basketball game before this insane tournament. She had filled her bracket by picking the coolest names. She was the only one who didn’t have UofA moving on, because her family was an Arizona State University family.

The sad thing is, is that March Madness Gambling is illegal in Montana. At least the online, pay to enter NCAA brackets are illegal due to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which exempts government-sponsored sports gambling events, but not online gambling. I think that Montana should exempt online betting for March Madness, because of the fun and exciting nature of it.

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

Students lift their way to the top

by Emily Cappis, business manager Sweat. Muscle.Strength. Endurance. All of these characteristics were on display March 25 at the annual Montana State High School Powerlifting Championship.

This competition is put on by Power Source and is meant for students of all shapes and sizes to compete against one another while testing their personal limits. CMR had multiple participants in this competition, and the team as a whole brought home a first place trophy.

Of the participants, junior Megan Paul is easily a standout. At last weekend’s competition, she placed second in her weight class and had the highest bench out of all the girls participating.

This is her first year involved in the competition, but Paul has been involved with the CMR lifting family for the last three years. To mentally prepare herself for a competition like powerlifting, Paul said she has to find the perfect medium between confidence and the proper weight. She started out with the summer lifting program her freshman year.

“I ended up really loving it,” she said. Paul does not have a bad thing to say about the lifting program at CMR, and she said she intends to continue lifting at the high school level.

“Oh yeah, not another thought about it,” Paul said.

Powerlifting isn’t only enjoyed by students, but coaches like Travis Crawford as well.

“I got involved with CMR’s team when I started coaching at CMR. Coach Johnson asked me if I wanted to form and work with the kids and the team,” Crawford said. “I have been involved since then, and Aric Hagen has joined in helping with the team over the past five years or so.”

Crawford and Hagen coach students through strenuous events such as parallel squat, pause bench, and deadlift.

“Each contestant will get three attempts per lift unless going for a record, they could get a fourth attempt,” Crawford said. He was also involved with the lifting team when he was in high school.

“CMR has typically done pretty well at the meet over the last 15 years,” Crawford said. “We have almost all of the weight classes covered and have some strong competitive kids lifting this year.”

Although the competition has a different number of participants every year, Crawford said he is always on the floor encouraging his lifters to push their limits and continue bettering their skills.

21

Q&A with Emily Cappis

as told to Ashton Palen, sports editor

Why did you join tennis?

I have played for 8 years, and I thought it would be fun.

What is it like when you’re in the moment in the game?

I don’t think, I just go. If I’m in it, I’m not thinking about anything. I just go for the ball.

What do you find fun about tennis?

I think my favorite part is the invites [Great Falls Invitational and Helena Invitational]. You just sit there, goof off, and eat snacks. But seriously, you get to hang out with your team, and the family environment of the team really shows.

What should people know about tennis?

It’s not as boring as everyone thinks it is. It’s fun; you get into the moment of it all. You make new friends that you never thought you would talk to in school.

What is the craziest thing that happened?

This girl would cheer for herself and smack herself in the back of her leg with her racket. After she got a point scored against her she would go crazy, yelling and stuff. Also, the boys always try to start songs on the bus, getting people to sing along.

What are your personal goals this season?

I want to make it to state and to strengthen my serve. I would like to become a better player.

I want to be the best I can be.

Senior Xavior Pace squats his opener on March 25.

Photo by Emily Cappis.

Emily Cappis returns a volley during practice on March 23. Photo by Ashton Palen.

Pitcher-turned-coach passes on life lessons from the mound

by Mackenzie George, editor-in-chief For softball coach Lindsey Gustafson, being the best team in the state isn’t what is most important. It’s about being the hardest workers, the ones who never give up. That philosophy has paid off many a time for the former star pitcher. Last year, her team won a state championship to add to a 2012 rug on the softball wall of fame. That team was also coached by Gustafson. Before that, she led her high school team to four state titles.

“It wasn’t like we were the best team in the state every year. But we fought till the end, and trusted one another...and supported one another,” Gustafson explained of her high school teammates.

Gustafson uses her extensive high school -- and college -- experience when coaching.

Her collegiate career with North Dakota State University began with having to send in a recruitment tape and being rewarded with a half scholarship. By Gustafson’s sophomore year, she was on a full ride, and NDSU played at the national tournament. Her team understands not to give up, but they also know that the sport isn’t everything.

“She always emphasizes how being a good softball player will not take you very far in life, but being a good person will,” senior Tristin Achenbach, Gatorade Player of the Year and pitcher for the Rustlers, said. “I think that is one of the most important things she has taught me.”

“What do you want to be remembered as?” Gustafson said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things in life, is softball’s only going to take you so far. And if you don’t know how to treat people well, you’re not going to go very far in life.”

Gustafson’s high school teammates played together long before they wore CMR jerseys.

Little League was competitive on both sides of the river when Gustafson was a child, she said, so “we didn’t have to travel all over to find that. You just learn how to compete at a young age.”

With strong relationships forming early, Gustafson’s teammates were supportive of each other, a quality she recognizes in her current team.

“Maybe I’m wrong, but I feel like now it’s more like, ‘me, me, me,’ instead of ‘team, team, team,’ and before, I think that you had good teammates that supported you even when they were on the bench. It’s hard, but that’s what I’m impressed with my girls too. I think we keep a good attitude,” Gustafson said. “I’m really thankful for the parents that we have in this program, because they are very supportive and they’ve created the players that we have.”

Achenbach, a transfer from Choteau, has worked with Gustafson for years. Gustafson is excited at the chance to finally work with the pitcher in the role of head coach.

“It’s kind of a dream come true,” Gustafson said. “She’s willing to put in the time to be successful.”

Achenbach said the transition has felt “really smooth.

“I’m excited to play for [Gustafson] because she has so much knowledge about the game,” Achenbach said.

Junior Kayci Edwards, who earned first team all-state for outfield last year, is looking forward to working with Achenbach.

“A lot of us have already played with her through travel ball, and it should be exciting to see what she can do for us,” Edwards said.

S

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

CMR girls

dominate the court

22

Celebrate our

seniors Tristin achenbach

by Gabrielle Pope, staff writer

The CMR girls basketball team started the Class AA State Tournament out extraordinarily well with an automatic bye to state and a big win against Helena Capital on Thursday March 9. Then on Friday March 10 the girls lost their momentum in the game against Missoula Sentinel. And ended their season on Saturday March 11, with a close game that ended in a loss against Billings Seniors, 44-49.

Junior Akasia Denton thinks that the loss against Senior on Saturday March 11, might have had to do with the previous loss against Sentinel on March 10.

“We played late Friday night and then early Saturday morning, and I think we still were kind of upset and we were focused on that game. And I think we had the game, they just came out in the fourth quarter more prepared than we did,” she said.

Coach Brian Crosby hesitantly agrees with Denton that the players may have been tired but has a different idea as to what was going on.

“Ehh, I mean we didn’t get out of there until 10:00, 10:30 Friday night and had to play at 10:30 the next morning, but I mean we had a lead and our kids didn’t really finish. And our kids played well and they played hard but sometimes that happens,” he said.

Denton believes that basketball is a mental game and that you have to play for what you want.

“We just kind of lost track of what our goal was, and we were playing more to keep the lead instead of playing to beat them and they just ended coming out prepared to win,” she said.

She was all set to get back on the court and play after a few games out because of a herniated disc in her back.

“I was very ready to be back, and I learned that you never know which game is your last so I think that is why I was playing more aggressive and more to my potential that I had been earlier in the season; and my back was feeling a lot better so that really helped,” Denton said.

She also says that the environment at the Four Seasons Arena had a lot to do with the win on Thursday night in the game against Capital.

“We were all there, we had a huge crowd because it was in Great Falls, and one of my favorite parts was looking out and seeing all the white shirts, I just felt very supported,” Denton said.

Crosby felt that same support and encouragement at the game as well.

“It felt great. It was so cool, it was the best student section I’ve seen. The community really rallied behind us, seeing everyone in those white shirts and it was fun. And I think our kids fed off that, it was fun, it was great,” Crosby said. “You look over in the student section and it was wild. It’s what you dream about when you want to coach in a big game. To have a great crowd and our kids play up to it.”

He mentioned that he even had another coach comment on how great the environment was.

Denton knows that the four seniors who are leaving the team next year all have essential roles on the team but is eager to step

up to the plate.

“Senior year I think the majority of us are going to step up,” Denton said. “I think it will be really exciting to see how we can transition into losing all of those players.”

Crosby also is eager to see how the team does next year and is glad to have had the experience.

“The silver lining is that it was a good experience for us, and I’m hoping that that is something we can build on and next year we will be back to that point and have some more success,” he said.

He knows that there are certain things that are irreplaceable, but he is confident in the abilities of the upcoming classes to step up.

“It’s just a matter of kind of plugging in those holes, you’re not going to replace their leadership, but you can replace their points and things like that. Every team is different and every team evolves, but hopefully it’s a quick turn around,” he said.

“Every year your season ends and that one was kind of abrupt.

We thought we were good enough to be playing another game and the only thing that is going through your head is the four seniors, and having to say goodbye to them,” Crosby added.

One of the seniors that the team will be saying goodbye to is Zuzu Rudio.

“Well, we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted. It is not fun losing, but it was really awesome that we went. It has been a while that CMR has gone to state and performed and had support and momentum,” she said.

Although her basketball career didn’t end in a win she has enjoyed seeing how the program has grown over the last couple years.

“The program has definitely changed a lot over the last couple years, which has been awesome to watch and be a part of. But obviously we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted and that was a bummer,” Rudio said.

CMR girls basketball team battles their way through three rounds in the Class AA Girls State Basketball Tournament. In the first game on March 9 the team defeated Helena Capital, 47-39; the second game on March 10 CMR lost to Missoula Sentinal in the semifinal round, 33-49; and the conclusion to the season ended in a tough game against Billings Senior, 44-49. Photos by Sarah Cherry.

“I loved getting to spend extra time with my team and being together for one last time during Mady my senior year.” skawinski -Mady skawinski “I liked making memories with everyone for the last time and I’m really going to miss the pasta parties and just having a good time.”

-sam Payne

Sam payne

There are some girls I probably might not have ever gotten to know if it weren’t for basketball.”

-zuzu rudio

Zuzu rudio

S ONE LAST TIME

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com

Sports

Seniors head into final sports seasons with higher goals, higher stakes

by Mackenzie George, editor-in-chief has helped coach my attitude throughout the years,” Korb said.

Many senior athletes at CMR have been involved in their sport With his final tennis season underway, Korb acknowledged (or sports) all four years of high school. Each season has meant how fast it goes by. This is the last round of tournaments he’ll new goals set and new memories made. And with the recognition compete in, the last Divisionals, and the last chance to compete at that the spring season is their last opportunity to compete in the state tournament, which will be held in Kalispell. His advice high school, many, including senior Kyle Korb, will be working for beginning players? even harder to accomplish the best results “Find someone that you like playing with possible. that is a similar level as you. That way, you “In previous years, it was always my both get better.” goal to go to state,” Korb, a tennis player, Other athletes won’t have to worry about said. “This year, being a senior I feel like my this being their last year of sports. Senior partner and I really stand a good chance.”

Jake Shie plans to run track in college, but Korb has played tennis all four years of a collegiate career has its own stressors, his high school career. He also played golf such as deciding which university to run for the Rustlers as a senior and was on the for. Shie is deciding between Notre Dame freshman basketball team. Korb doesn’t College, Adams State University, and Salem plan on competing collegiately but will International University. Although reaching rejoin past teammates in Bozeman next the end of his high school career is sad, he year as he studies chemical engineering. said he has made big improvements.

“I’m not expecting to play any sports for This year, “I have huge goals,” Shie said. the MSU teams, but [I] will definitely play He wants to run a 1:55 800 meter and 49 different sports with friends in Bozeman,” second 400 meter. He also plans on being on Jake Shie lines up before time trials on March 27. he explained. the state team.

Korb’s favorite tennis memory is earning The senior anticipates a successful track season Shie started in football his freshman year, before running in college. Photos, including cutout, state berth as a sophomore with doubles but after a season of track he decided to run

by Julia Gremaux. partner Jacob Bernhardt, who graduated cross country for the Rustlers as well. Strong in 2015. friendships with his teammates contributed “[We] lost out pretty early, but had such a great time,” Korb to his love of running. said.

“Pasta parties were my favorite memory because I always He appreciates having had Anne Bulger, now the head tennis got a good laugh,” Shie explained. “I just enjoyed meeting and coach, by his side each season. Bulger, the German teacher, served forming new relationships with people.” as the boys’ coach for Korb’s first three seasons.

“Frau has always been positive and supportive, win or lose. She

PRESEASON PREP: Athletes gear up for spring

by Zach Mell, staff writer

Track ~ Journey Snyder As the track season begins, sophomore Journey Snyder prepares for a great year on the field alongside her friends.

Snyder says that she feels like the season is going to turn out really well because the team has gained new freshmen who she says carry a lot of potential. She also says that the team has a lot of strong athletes.

Snyder has also set some personal goals for the season, including getting a better personal record on her pole vault and long jump this year, and a goal for the team is to win the crosstown game because it’s a big deal to them.

She says that she loves track because she gets to participate with all of her friends.

“I just love doing it because it’s a really good outlet for me,” Snyder said.

Tennis ~ Tyler Patrick

With a new season hitting the tennis courts, senior Tyler Patrick is excited to start the new season and do well on his last year on the team.

Patrick says that the season is going to be really fun and that he feels as though that they are more prepared than they were last year. He has also set some personal goals for himself this year.

“Some personal goals for me this year is to make it to state, and I think Tyler Patrick returns a shot during practice on March 23. Photo by everyone on our team has that same goal as well,” Patrick said.

He says that tennis is one of his favorite sports to watch and play. Ashton Palen.

Not many people watch it so there’s not much pressure, he said.

Softball ~ Savannah Voyles

Senior Savanna Voyles hits the diamond with a lot of courage for this season. She says that one of the things she’s hoping for the team to accomplish this year is to win the state championship. She also says that they have a really good team built together this season.

Voyles says that one of her personal goals is to make fewer errors on the field this year.

“I would like to have a higher batting average too,” Voyles said.

She says that softball is her passion and that she has been doing it since she was little. Voyles said that playing defense is great because she gets to be out in the field.

23

S Back Page Electric City FFA members grow their character while reaping the benefits at 2017 State Convention

March 30, 2017 rustlernews.com 24

by Hannah Pate, staff writer The name “Future Farmers of America” seems pretty selfexplanatory. This leads to many assuming the association is just a group for farm kids, but for participants, it is so much more.

Starting on March 23, Electric City FFA members competed at the State FFA Convention in Great Falls for many state titles and honors.

Senior Katie Koterba took first in extemporaneous speaking, and second in prepared public speaking. She also ran for State FFA office.

There are eight officers annually at the state level, and when they are appointed they contribute one year of service. One of the responsibilities also includes organizing the state convention.

In order to apply for the office, Koterba had to fill out an application which included getting two letters of recommendation.

Proceeding this there was an extensive interview process, with interviews all three days of the convention, two of those days’ were from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

She thought the interview process was interesting, one of the methods being like speed dating.

Candidates also had to take writing exams to assess their skills in that field. This year was different though.

“This was a groundbreaking year because they did something new, they cut the candidates in half on the last day,” Koterba said.

She ended up making the final cut, which means not only was she was the top 19 out of the 39 people in the running, but the one of the best FFA participants in the state.

“To make the final cut to be running for state office is an incredible honor and a huge accomplishment,” Koterba said.

FFA participants can join starting in middle school, and she

started the summer before eighth grade. She joined after the cattle inspection team was short one, as she had participated in 4-H previously.

Since then, Koterba feels as if her life has completely changed and her character has been strengthened by the program.

“FFA has really changed my life because it gave me an opportunity for personal growth and a opportunity to become a better leader.

FFA is an organization that allows students to grow.” she said.

Koterba isn’t the only one who feels this way, Senior Nick Lunnie feels as if he is prepared to take on the responsibilities of the future.

Lunnie received a star in agriculture placement, his state degree, and also participated in agronomy and mechanics.

The application process for a g r i c u l t u r e placement was very extensive.

“Took me like two weeks, I think it was like 27 pages when I printed it out. Two letters of recommendation minimum,” Lunnie said.

The first day of state convention the competitors underwent a short interview process, and Lunnie was really stoked to find out he won.

“I won a belt buckle from Montana Silversmiths and a $500 check,” he said.

Lunnie plans on attending Montana State University-Bozeman this fall, and majoring in Pre-Veterinary studies. He is particularly interested in livestock.

The Electric City FFA took home 14 state degrees and had multiple participants make it to nationals.

•State Degree The highest degree is the highest degree a state can bestow upon a member. To earn this honor, a member must have been in FFA for at least two years while fulfilling many other requirements. (14 members placed) • Proficiency Awards Members who excel in their supervised agricultural experience (their FFA project) programs can be recognized through the proficiency award program. (nine members placed, four going to nationals.)

ABOVE: Electric City FFA had 18 competitors at the state competition on March 23. LEFT: Not only was Saturday the final day of the state convention, but prom night for many students. Photos courtesy of Katie Koterba.

Senior Katie Koterba receives the first place award in extemporaneous speaking from the 2016-17 state president.

Junior Mary Brown and senior Katie Koterba with FFA Advisor -- and their mom -- Jodi Koterba. They are holding their state extemporaneous speaking plaques. Koterba placed first and Brown in second.

Senior Nick Lunnie poses with his family and advisor Jodi Koterba. Lunnie received the state star in agricultural placement.

• Officer Books Chapter officers submit their officer books and records from throughout the year. Each book is judged according to the duties of their office. (Two placed first) • Agri-Science Fair Individual students or teams of two put together a scientific research project on an agricultural subject of their choosing.

• Other Events included Livestock Judging, Agronomy, Agricultural Sales and Service, Farm Business Management, and Mechanics.