NEWS...................... Student Government: CMR’s leaders for the 2013-2014 school year pg. 4
OPINION.................. “One nation under
the
stampede
God”: Head 2 Head, religion in school pg. 9
FEATURES...............
After Arab’s Got Talent: Dahlia Chih speaks about competing, moving forward pg. 11
CENTERSPREAD........ “Best of“summer edition: Things to do over the summer in Great Falls pgs. 12-13
ENTERTAINMENT....
The Great Gatsby: From book to movie pg.17
SPORTS.................. State sports: Tennis, track and softball pg. 20
BACK PAGE............. Cake decorating: Julie Anderson’s hobby becomes lifelong passion pg. 28
An open forum for student expression
Double play
Softball team looks for repeat in state tournament c.m. russell high school great falls, mont. may 23, 2013 vol. 48, issue 9
www.rustlernews.com
The Stampede
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.
2012-2013 Staff editor-in-chief lindsey buck
online editor
caroline perkins
design editors
zach pottratz whisper harris
visual content editor sierra rutledge
news editor abby lynes
opinion editor
features/entertainment editor jen verzuh
sports editor
peyton fulbright
adviser
beth britton
principal
dick kloppel
staff
greighsen adams kasey bubnash tanner gliko tom gruner katelin johnson tina keller gemma kern collin marquard paige mauer stephanie mccracken kim michelsen kaitlin mosley chandler pomeroy max roux olivia rudio julia segebarth joey serido emily shaulis katelyn smith jesse whiteman joe wilmoth
228 17th avenue northwest (406) 268-6178 great falls, montana 59404
Table of Contents:
Page 1 -- Cover photo by Peyton Fulbright Page 2 -- Table of contents, Lindsey’s column Page 3 -- NEWS, Student government, Senior awards, Abby’s column Page 4 -- Drama department Page 5 -- AP Tests, Leadership High School Page 6 -- Senior projects, Art sleepover Page 7 -- OPINION, Editorial, Kendra’s Column Page 8 -- Pep Band seniors, Cheerleading Page 9 -- Head 2 Head Page 10 -- FEATURES, Chemistry magic show, Brian Held, Jen’s Column Page 11 -- Dahlia Chih Page 12-13 -- Summer in Great Falls Page 14 -- Yearbook party Page 15 -- Color Guard Page 16 -- ENTERTAINMENT, Super hero movies, Speak your mind Page 17 -- Great Gatsby book to movie, Iron Man 3 Page 18 -- Chart Page 19 -- SPORTS, Student Lifeguards, Peyton’s column Page 20 -- State sports Page 21 -- Coaches, Justine Runkel Page 22 -- American Legion Baseball, Cailyn Shroeder Page 23 --A year in sports Page 24 -- Cake decorating
Lindsey Buck
tayler korb
HERE
business manager
During the performing arts assembly on April 30, senior Tanner Gliko plays with the Russtones as the crowd leaves. Photo by Peyton Fulbright.
THE BUCK STOPS
kendra hix
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 Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/ KRT Campus High School Newspaper Service.
Three years ago, I walked into a room filled with Frooties, a picture of the First Amendment, and lively, intelligent students with minds built to meet deadlines, help others, and handle immense pressure. I walked in as a small sophomore, unconfident in my writing ability and shy. Over the years, I met amazing writers and human beings who were willing to investigate the leads that others wouldn’t, interview the most intimidating people, and write the most compelling stories that a high school has ever seen. There are many beautiful things about journalism; it allows you to express other people’s feelings, ideas, and motives. It allows you to move people, to inspire them, and to create positive action in society.
However, most importantly, it changes who you are. It makes you an open-minded person, it causes you to develop empathy, and it teaches you how to express yourself. I can’t thank the wonderful human beings in room 326 enough; they have laughed with me, we have been angry together, we have cried together, and we have been inspired together. I will never forget the memories and lessons that came along with the Stampede. I am forever grateful that I took part in this experience; journalism is truly a path to finding who you are.
News
Drama department, MAI, Senior projects... Student Body Officers: President: Cheyann Trueman Vice President: Katie Smith Secretary-Treasurer: Marissa Berryman
Taking a stand Student government gives young leaders a voice within their school by julia segebath, staff writer For the first time in 10 years, CMR student council was given the chance this spring to attend the District Two Spring Student Council Conference. “It was interesting,” said Megan Packer, one of the freshman senators. The District Two Spring Student Council Conference took place at Paris Gibson Alternative High School. The 17 members in CMR student government met with 200-250 other student government members from schools throughout Montana. They discussed new ideas to better their schools next year, received a motivational speech
from the head football coach for the Bobcats about making good choices, and represented their school. Freshman English teacher Ryan Anderson is the advisor for the Student Government since second semester. He advised the students at the conference and said it “built more of a community spirit.” “[They] really worked hard, but in my opinion they were more focused on class officers than in a unified group,” Anderson said. The conference allowed the students to interact with other student government members and become more motivated to be involved as a unified
group. “[My favorite part was] seeing how excited CMR kids were getting,” Anderson said. “They’re a great group of kids.” Anderson said they have participated in numerous community services, including two blood drives and hosting a dodge ball tournament in order to earn money for the Girls and Boys Club. Anderson said that advisors are just there to support the students, but the members are the ones involved and voice the opinions of other CMR students.
Class Officers: SeniorPresident: Gunner Mullins Vice President: Maverick Raile Secretary-Treasurer: Chandler Martell JuniorPresident: Karlee Simonson Vice President: Christian Rodriquez Secretary-Treasurer: Alex Strom SophomorePresident: Jacari Murphy Vice President: Hayden Cummings Secretary-Treasurer: Carsen Smith Senators: Lindsay Martinez Cori Enseleit Kameron Mims Gwen Malisani Megan Bahnmiller Kylie Otis Kylie Greenwell Jacob Weill Austin Haney Michelle Braget Micah Leach Stuart Gray Representatives: Daekwon Carter Saydi Harris Torrey Hudspeth Payton Netz Kaydee Parsons Lindsy Pyette McKenna Quinn Brandon Rogers Morgan Smail Joseph Grassechi Brett Williams Megan Packer Caelan Brady Paige Wilson Peyton Fulbright
Scholarships, recognition given to students at senior awards night by kendra hix, opinion editor For 14 years, guidance counselor Patti Ashmore has been helping students fund their dreams. “Everyone needs money for school,” she said. Ashmore was one of many presenters at the Senior Awards night May 7 in Bill Will Hall. She is also in charge of scholarships at CMR. “In the fall I put out Scholarship Scoops every month until about April,” she said. Scholarship Scoops contain information of about new and upcoming deadlines for scholarships that students can apply for. “[Once applications are submitted] I get
READING BETWEEN
THE LYNES
Abby Lynes
Integrity. For the past week, my overly-analytical mind has gone over this again and again. As I lay in bed at night, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling and listening to my breath slow down, I contemplate what the word means; I ask myself if I have it. I recently did something that some may classify
a committee of two or three people from the community together, that aren’t a part of the school district, to read through the scholarship applications,” she said. According to Ashmore, she tries her best to stay out of the decision process but sometimes the members of the committee will call to ask about students and get more information on them. “It would be hard for me to have to choose,” she said. Students who have received scholarships in the CMR district have come back to thank and tell Ashmore of their college experiences and tell her of how the scholarships have helped
them, she said. “It’s really neat to see those students who needed the money to come back and hear their stories,” she said. Ashmore thinks very positively of scholarships and how they can influence lives. “[Scholarships are] a way to get students some money for college. It’s also a way to encourage people to, if they have the means, give back,” she said. “Every year I am surprised at the lack of numbers in students applying for scholarships. I would encourage students to apply.”
as morally wrong; I know I used to. However, what I did harmed no one, and, in the grand scheme of things, was really not terrible at all. Nonetheless, I spent much of my weekend going back and forth in my mind in a state of passive-aggressive guilt, until finally coming to the conclusion that I was feeling guilty for not feeling guilty. In my heart, I didn’t feel that I had done anything wrong, or else I would have never done it to begin with. I have strong moral convictions, and I need a solid ethical system to stand on, or else I crumble underneath the weight of my conscience. My worries really rested in the agonizing apprehension of what people would think. Would they understand? Would they be disappointed in
me? I wasted my Sunday in self-absorbed wallowing instead of simply taking my experience for what it was: not a mistake, but a part of living and growing up. There are far greater things in the world to focus on. There is an overwhelming amount of beauty and love, and in the broken places where it lacks, we are called to help heal one another with open arms, offering up our strength and compassion. In these acts, these moments, we discover true identity and integrity, which is found not in our faults and failures, but in the sum of our selfless good deeds, faith, and graciousness towards all those we touch in our everyday lives.
ATTENTION 2013 JUNIORS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Cottey College is a premier liberal arts college offering 2 year and 4 year programs preparing women to become Learners, Leaders and Citizens, in a global society. Scholarships are available.International study during the Spring Break of the Sophomore year is offered to students at no additional cost. Learn more about this fantatastic educational opportunity from your school counselor and call Jan Wolter, 452-4234, or Sharon Oakland 761-5297 for CMR students and Judy Oveson, 452-0099 for GFHS students or email Vicki Aznoe, Area Chairman, tuquoque@aol.
The Stampede 05.23.13
04 -- News
Spring Shakespearean production replaced by some “Stuff”
Nic Beargeon(Mercutio) - “It’s kind of upsetting, but understanding.” - “[Mercutio] was my favorite character ever.”
Brittnie Stoller(Ensemble) LEFT: The cast and crew of “Stuff” performed on May 5 by gathering in a circle for their pre-show “prayer” ritual that they execute before every show. ABOVE: Less than an hour before show time, junior Hannah Ragland applies makeup on May 5 for the show, “Stuff.” Photos by Jennifer Verzuh.
by paige maurer staff writer
Drama teacher Chris Evans knows just how much pressure is involved when producing a high school show. In fact, it was this pressure that led him to postpone the spring Shakespeare production of “Romeo and Juliet.” “The difference between drama and athletics is the game continues, and we don’t have a bench,” Evans said. Instead of performing the originally planned ”Romeo and Juliet,” the department presented a monologue/ duo scene show called “Stuff,” May 2-4. Evans, CMR’s theatre and stagecraft teacher who is finishing up his third year as a Rustler, decided to postpone the show until next fall because of four responsibilities that were needed to make the show complete. Evans said the first thing
that happened was there was an “extraordinary amount of D’s and F’s” amongst the cast. “If we were held to the swim team standards, three-quarters of the cast would be academically unavailable,” Evans said. The second reason for the postponement was that some members of the cast were skipping classes during the day, he said. “If they don’t think we know they’re skipping, they are wrong,” he said. Something that goes along with not showing up is that people also were also writing their own rehearsal schedules, which Evans said was the third problem. “If I can’t have a full rehearsal, I can’t rehearse,” said Evans. Lastly, Evans said that “lines just weren’t getting learned.” He said that he
thinks it might mostly be because of the difficult Shakespearean language. “It’s a different way to speak; it’s a different language,” Evans said. There were three seniors who had parts in “Romeo and Juliet,” and one that was working as stage manager. The seniors participating were Nic Beargeon (Mercutio), Tristan Miller (Benvolio), Brittnie Stoller (ensemble), and the stage manager, Kyle Spriggs. One of the underclassmen who will return to perform “Romeo and Juliet” in the fall is junior Guil Poelsma. Although disappointed about the postponement of the show, Poelsma said, “I was sad about it, but I knew I couldn’t be mad at Mr. Evans.” Poelsma admits he didn’t have all of his lines memorized, but says he would have had them by the time of the show.
-“I found out on Facebook, so it was kind of shocking.”
Tristan Miller(Benvolio) -“I felt disappointment in all of us that we couldn’t pull it together.” -“I’d come back to see it.”
News -- 05
05.23.13 The Stampede
wide variety of biological sciences. Cubbage said. “AP bio covers one year of four Passing the class isn’t the hardest part, different college classes,” Cubbage said. wanting to pass the class is. The three hour test that students study “My only advice is to study a lot, for all year is made up of 100 multiple have an open mind and want to succeed,” choice questions, five short answer Cubbage said. questions, and two long essay questions. One student who opted out of the The test is graded on a scale of 0-5; a AP test was senior Hannah Patrick. three and above is a passing grade. Although a strong student, she said she Because the credits gained can be was overwhelmed by the complexity of applied to almost any college, the class is the exam. sought out by both juniors and seniors. “The class was hard, but I wasn’t “About a million expecting it to be on a kids take the class whole different level,” nationwide, but only Patrick said. “You get a third of the kids out of the class what you pass,” Cubbage said. put in.” 5 Cubbage is A huge part of the 19.4% surprised by this test requires studying 4 statistic because of outside of school, she over two-thirds of said, and because 16.9% the kids in his class some of the content 3 that take the test isn’t covered in the 14.3% pass with a three or classroom, she said she higher. was not prepared. 2 “The class is Patrick still learned 14.6% difficult,” Cubbage a lot from the class and Information from College said. had an enjoyable year, At the beginning she added. Board AP Bio Pass Rates of the year Cubbage For students who has anywhere from took the exam the class 15 to 20 kids in the class, but by the end of offered a different experience. It was the year only 10-13 kids remain. sophomore Jacob Kerner’s love for science In the end the passing grade is worth it. and junior Cheyann Trueman’s desire for a “Colleges love AP grades, and an AP challenging course that inspired their goal class can mean the difference between of passing the exam with a three or higher. an acceptance letter or a rejection letter,”
2012 Pass Rate
Junior Cheyann Trueman takes one of the final quizzes for her AP class. Photo by Peyton Fulbright.
AP tests begin as the school year comes to an end by max roux, staff writer Unlike a standard honor class, an AP class has much more on the line. For example, AP bio 3-4 has eight college credits on the line. The determining factor? The three hour AP test. In preparation for the test students
must complete 10 labs all at the college level. “Our usual workload is four to six hours of homework a week,” AP biology teacher Tom Cubbage said. Because of the large amount of work that has to be completed, the class covers a
Juniors learn to lead school, community effectively “spend a day networking… surround [themselves] by kimberly michelsen, staff writer Little children sit in little desks, staring with big with other leaders.” Secondly, she said that LHS aims “to become eyes up at the high schoolers who had just entered the room. Whispers circulate around in the German more aware of the issues that impact our city.” Aside from these goals, Schoenen finds her language, until the children’s teacher bids them in participation in LHS to be fun. English to be quiet. “My favorite part is just having the opportunity At this sight, junior Marissa Berryman was once a month to spend time with our overwhelmed by the different “My favorite part is just [future]’s leaders,” she said. way that the Hutterites live. One of next year’s future leaders, “[I loved] seeing how having the opportunity once a excited the kids were to see month to spend time with our sophomore Becca Rutledge, also is looking forward to the experience. us. I totally got a different [future]’s leaders.” “I think it’ll be a lot of fun and will perspective,” Berryman said. Jacie Schoenen help me with my talking to people,” Berryman was a member of Leadership High School this year, and she said she said. Rutledge said she is a shy person, but she hopes that she felt the benefits that being a member gave her. Leadership High School is a program that takes that LHS will help her to break past that weakness juniors to monthly activities to help them learn and become an effective leader. “Most people think that quiet people can’t be how to become better people and leaders in their leaders because they’re quiet. I want to show people communities. The students discover what happens behind the that they can,” she said. Berryman knows from experience in LHS that scenes at places such as a Hutterite colony, the Great Falls Rescue Mission, the Capitol, and local industries. Rutledge can achieve her goal of becoming a leader. “I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And I “It gave me a better sense of Great Falls, [like] think you will learn things that will benefit [you] for what’s going on and how I can help,” she said. Like Berryman, counselor Jacie Schoenen sees the the rest of [your] life.” benefits of LHS. According to Schoenen, Leadership High School has two main benefits. First, she said that it’s important that the students
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With their diplomas in hand, the graduating class of Leadership High School this year enjoyed the graduation ceremony at the Great Falls College Montana State University on March 20. Some of the sessions that the group participated in included getting to know each other at a Leadership High School retreat, traveling to the Capitol while learning about how government impacts youth, and making a difference in people’s lives with the assistance of $50 and the young leaders’ creativity. Photo courtesy of Tom Alfrey.
The Stampede 05.23.13
06 -- News
SENIOR PROJECT presentations Seniors prepare to present projects ranging from ghost hunting, documentaries, and pediatrics by joey serido, staff writer
Rehearsing before her classmates, senior Kelsee Bleskin prepares to present her senior project. Bleskin was one of 41 seniors that participated in the class this year. Photo by Sarah Carpenter.
Why are they here? Is it for revenge? These are questions senior Kierra Refeld asked herself when she began her Senior Project early this year. “I was inspired by the television show Ghost Hunters, and I also have always had a fascination with the paranormal, “ Refeld said. Her project is only one of the many senior projects being presented on May 22. Senior Keegan Noland also did a senior project on a documentary about the controversy surrounding the theory of evolution versus creationism, Noland said. “I have always believed in evolution and looked forward to creating a documentary about it and the controversy.” Along the road to creating their projects, they ran into some problems. “I had trouble editing the video and actually creating it,” Refeld said.” “I am also nervous because many of my friends are coming to my presentation and it is in the Bill Will so it adds even more pressure on me to not mess up.” Noland is nervous for other reasons. “I really hope that I don’t offend anybody with the
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ideas I am presenting,” he said “During my community service I worked at the Great Falls Rescue Mission and helped at the dinner they had at the Civic Center and I encountered a priest that was so anti-muslim, anti-semitic, and anti-evolution that I had to control my temper around him. That was the only bad part about my project.” Senior Madi Rembe worked at the hospital in the pediatrics unit. “I want to become a nurse but go into the pediatrics field eventually,” she said. Rembe worked with babies who had special needs, such as drug addiction or abuse issues. She said that she enjoys working with children and just helping people in general. “It was very sad working with some of the abused kids because some of them are going to have special needs in the future.”
Young artists gather new skills at MAI workshop
by tom gruner, staff writer Wanting to expand her artistic ability, sophomore Tessa Allen, along with 184 other students gathered on April 26 for the annual MAI Art Workshop. “I wanted to try and learn some new art techniques,” Allen said. Gathering at C.M. Russell High School on April 26, the MAI Art Workshop gave students a chance to experience varied art workshops in unique media of their choice One of the roughly 185 students that attended and also spend time with individuals with the MAI Workshop sketches as a model stands in similar interests. Each student chose three various poses. Photo by Tom Gruner. workshops that they were interested in. These with art and also become familiar with other separate workshops and stations varied from artists that they might encounter in their Asian stamping, henna art, and paper batik to future. raki firing, stenciling, and pinhole camera. “MAI is a great opportunity for students The MAI meeting ran from Friday night, who have a great interest in art to come April 26, to Saturday afternoon, April 27. together in o+ne facility to make art,” Brashear Along with the 185 students, there also said. “It’s an opportunity for students who were 24 chaperones made up of various have similar interests to come together and staff members, and 12 students from the meet each other.” University of Montana to help with the varied Brashear said that there was a larger workshops and critiques. meaning for this workshop. Art teacher Kerry Brashear, the main “What they hopefully got out of it was chairperson of the workshop, made sure an interaction with other artists and just everybody was where they needed to be. She being outside of their normal community,” also split her work with the other art directors. Brashear said. “Hopefully it provides them Brashear said one of the main goals of the with inspiration.” workshop was to get students more involved
Opinion
Pledge of Allegiance, Cheerleading, Pep band...
Mill levy needed to maintain building, programs in district With budgeting season in session, district and school “AP classes are supposed to be about students administrators are finding that there simply isn’t enough discussing and talking. When you have 27 to 28 students money currently in the budget to make the district run in a class, the opportunity to talk is much less than with 18 as it should. They hoped for more funding from SB 175, students in a class. When a class is bigger, the opportunity but were disappointed when the $120 million originally for you to get individual attention and personalized proposed in the bill was cut to $50 million. learning goes away,” he said. “Is there more money than if SB 175 hadn’t [passed]? In addition to larger class sizes, some popular Yeah, [but] is it enough?” asked Principal Dick Kloppel. advanced classes have been cut altogether. State laws require that 80 percent of school district “We have requests for classes we can’t offer. This year funding comes from the state, and 20 percent comes from we were not able to offer Analysis because we didn’t have the community surrounding it. Some funds in the 20 enough math teachers to teach it,” he said. percent come from past mill levies, but each year Though there have been many classes cut, the cost of maintaining teachers and programs Our opinion there could be more. The school has had to in the school system becomes increasingly postpone building maintenance projects to expensive, forcing the school board and budget Our school maintain educational programs. Some parts Our voice committee to cut courses and either lay off staff of the facility that need to be replaced are the or fail to replace retired employees. This, in turn, intercom system and the elevator, which are both creates significantly larger class sizes where students get original and their parts are no longer sold. less individual attention. Kloppel used the Industrial “I remember having to carry some of our students Technology program as an example. who are in wheelchairs; we had to carry them downstairs “We used to have nine teachers [in the IT program]; in their wheel chairs every day to get them out of here. now we have six. It’s not because the demand isn’t there. The elevator was gone. This is a big deal,” Kloppel said. [It’s] because we don’t have funding to pay the teachers,” The school also needs handicap bathrooms on the he said. north end (where visitors come for sporting events) and Budget cuts affect every department, not solely some lockers are wearing out. There is a short in the fire electives. alarm system (it doesn’t affect the alarms themselves, but “Your English classes are big. Your history classes are causes some technical difficulties) and out of the three big. Your science classes are big. We used to have a limit boilers the school has, only the two needed to run the of 22 in biology; now our limit is 30,” he said. school are up and running. The increase in class size greatly influences advanced “We need to fix our buildings, and it’s starting to placement and honors courses as well. show,” he said. Do you ever say a word and love the way it feels? I’m not talking about the meaning behind the word though I imagine that has some power. I’m talking about the way it sounds, the way it rolls over your tongue and makes you smile a little bit as you try to pronounce it. It’s kind of amazing. Words are so much more than you think. They are an expression of thoughts and feelings. They breathe life into you. They take your breath away. They can crush you or build you up but either way, they are so much more than we give them credit for. My favorite word is happiness. It’s not a word you can say without smiling. Just saying it or thinking it, makes me feel it.
GINGER SNAP
Kendra Hix
To fix the elevator alone would cost upwards of $1million, and the funds simply aren’t available. One would think that maintaining the buildings students inhabit for at least seven hours a day would be the least that could be done. However, school administrators have had to postpone projects and live with inconveniences because they rightfully place a higher priority on providing what learning and educational opportunities they can. On May 13, school board members unanimously voted to move forward with a mill levy that would raise $981,748 for the district. The levy would increase taxes by $12.11 on a home worth $100,000. Twelve dollars and eleven cents is a small price to pay for what education will put back into the community. “We are an investment. It’s going to make our community grow,” he said. Often, when families are looking into moving to a new city, the first thing they look at is the school system. They want to know that their children will have many educational opportunities available to them. “A strong school system is a sign of a healthy community,” Kloppel said. We believe that education is the backbone of every community, and when people choose not to support it, the results, both direct and indirect, are evident. Droupout rates increase. The city’s economy suffers because new families choose not to relocate to it, and young people have fewer opportunities for economic advancement. The overall public morale suffers when citizens cannot take pride in their school system. The solution to the problem at hand is not to shrink back in apathy and indifference but to take pride in our community’s schools and invest in our young people. The opportunities they receive will shape the future of Great Falls and the world. Should you vote yes for the mill levy? The answer to this question is simple. If you want you and your children to live in a community of thoughtful, intelligent, and successful citizens, vote yes. If you want to invest in the your community, vote yes. If you want to see change and improvement, vote yes. The only wrong answer would be to not vote at all. Indifference and disinterest are incredibly destructive forces. Only when students and parents pour a fraction of the amount of interest that educators and administrators pour into the young people of the community will we begin to see progress and advancement occur.
Happiness is so much more than a word. It’s a feeling where you can’t contain yourself. Where you just want to tell everyone how much they mean to you and what they do for you. That’s why I love it. In my 16 years, I don’t recall ever having this much happiness in my life. I can’t express how fantastic it feels and if it were in my power, I would make every single one of you feel the same way. But due to lack of “bippity-boppity-boo,” and a magic wand, I can’t do this. So, instead, I want you to find your own. This summer, I want you to find that thing in life that makes it. The thing you live for. There are people and places in this world that can make everything beautiful. I dare you to find them and enjoy them for as long as you can. I want you to find something that is just so important and makes you happier than words of any kind could express. I dare you to find your happiness.
The Stampede 05.23.13
08 -- Opinion
Cheerleading, more than a sport
Sarah Carpenter Drum major/ Piccolo 4 years
Tanner Gliko Quads 4 years Keegan Noland Sousaphone 4 years
Britany Gibbs Trombone 3 years
Tim Blystone Trumpet 4 years
Larsen Blake Trumpet 4 years
Will Runkel Trumpet 3 years
Brian Perkins French Horn 4 years
Jake Horton Snare 3 years
Devony Smith and Samantha Sundly Clarinet 3 years
Lynden Beer Trombone 3 years
Mandy LeBrun Saxophone 4 years
Sierra Rutledge Clarinet 4 years
Pep band takes a stand
by katelyn smith, staff writer Senior night. Everyone is familiar with that term. It’s the night where seniors get recognized for their efforts and skills. Basketball players, football players, and cheerleaders get their own senior night. Pep band goes to almost every game, and they still have yet to get recognized. They’re spending their night at the majority of games, just like cheerleaders and the athletes. Why aren’t they getting noticed for the efforts they put towards the games? The pep band practices just like cheerleaders and the athletes do. We work on songs over and over to improve our sound so we can sound good and help the overall experience at the games. I’ve heard multiple people say that they love having the pep band at the games, saying things like we add “pizazz” to the games, and make the experience better overall. Cheerleaders do the same thing and have a senior night. Why not Pep Band? Last year, the Pep Band had practices once a week for
the whole year, as well as the drumline. We wouldn’t end practice until everything was perfect. We do that so when we perform at the games, we sound good and the visiting people, as well as the students enjoy the game even more. Last time I checked, the cheerleaders and the sports teams did the same thing. Practicing until it was perfect. Let’s take the time to talk about what the purpose of senior night is. It’s a night to showcase the skills individuals use towards a certain topic; as well as the amount of time spent to improve their performance. Once again, pep band works as a whole group, just like a sports team would, to practice and work on things. There are 15 seniors in pep band that would go unrecognized for the work they’ve put into the band. 15 students that spent hours on end practicing their instruments to sound better. 15 people who won’t know what it’s like to walk across the field or court with their parents and get the recognition they deserve.
by tina keller, staff writer Peyton Fulbright was right. For those who read his column in last month’s issue of the Stampede, stating cheerleading isn’t a sport, I’d like to say I agree. At first as a cheerleader myself I was mad. How dare he say we aren’t a sport? We practice hard, sometimes as early as 5 a.m. We condition like all other sports. Cheering is in fact a physical activity that involves cardio and strength. Cheerleaders dance, cheer, tumble, jump, and stunt throughout games and performances. But as I thought more and more about his opinion piece, I realized he was right. I agree with Fulbright. Cheerleading isn’t a sport. It’s more than sport. It’s a lifestyle. Many people don’t understand the level of commitment that goes into being a member of the cheer squad. For starters, our season is long. Tryouts are held in late April, and the season usually ends after state basketball (the middle of March) but that doesn’t stop all the cheer-related events held between then and tryouts. When girls join the team they are held to a different standard. Girls are expected to maintain good grades, participate in community service and be role models. Throughout the year the girls have attend numeral events throughout the community, including elementary schools or the MS Buddy Walk, where it’s no secret the young kids are looking up to you. My coach always told me we might be taking off the uniform after a game, but we never stop being a cheerleader. But the biggest commitment the girls make is to support the school. Along with multiple practices the cheer team is at every home game. The squad supports volleyball, soccer, football, wrestling, and boys and girls basketball. In addition to supporting the athletic department, the cheerleaders support the school in other ways. They take part in Homecoming coronation, graduation, giving pep band cupcakes and so much more. With all the time the girls on the team dedicate to the school, they don’t even get the respect of being called a sport. Actually, they don’t even get the respect of being called talented. Why not support the girls who support you and your school.? I’ve been to games when there were only three students in the student section, so I would imagine having people there who are there to cheer you on to victory would be nice. Out of respect for the girls who work hard to support the athletic department and school, sport or not, they deserve to at least not be recognized for their talent and dedication.
05.23.13 The Stampede
News -- 09
Head 2 Head
One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all
photo by collin marquard
Majority should rule when it comes The Pledge of Blind Obedience: to the Pledge of Allegiance Standing together, but standing alone by jesse whiteman, staff writer To ask if “under God” should be in the Pledge of Allegiance is like asking if you want pastrami with your rye bread or if Paul McCartney was the most attractive Beatle. The answer is obvious: yes. Not to say that there are not those who enjoy salami with their rye, but that is how most Americans enjoy it. Say that there is a sandwich shop. The menu that they have is to please the most people who stop in. Just because someone makes a special order does not mean that the entire menu needs to change to fit that one person. Now, change these sandwiches to religion, the sandwiches on the menu represent Christianity (the majority of Americans) and the special orders are Atheism and other religious tradition. The sandwich shop becomes the government and is trying to please the most people at one time. On the announcements on the first day of every week, whoever is speaking rattles off the phrase, “You don’t have to participate in the Pledge if your religious or personal convictions preclude you from doing so.” This tag on the end of the Pledge’s introduction is in place to insure that nobody is offended. Furthermore, court cases over the last 50 years (since “under God” was added to the Pledge in 1954) have emphasized that the Pledge in its entirety is optional. Respectful? Yes. Mandatory? No. Never are you forced to say the entire Pledge or just the Pledge in general. If you find yourself offended by the words but still want to salute the flag, it was never stated that you absolutely have to recite it. As a pacifist, I do not agree with the War on Terror, World War I, World War II, and the Siege of Kosovo. This per se does not mean that I am against the military and everybody in it. Being a pacifist does not entitle me to be a pretentious snob to those who are in our Armed Forces. Instead I can respectfully disagree with the War without making a big brouhaha about it. But I the end of the day, I am an American, just like them and the majority of the people at this school and reading this. So, feel free to order what you want from “Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe of America” but do not take away the pastrami and rye from the rest of us.
Feb.12, 1948
-Louis A. Bowman was the first person to introduce the addition of “Under God” to The Pledge.
June 17, 1963
- The United States Supreme Court rules that teaching the Bible in public schools is unconstitutional.
1972
by collin marquard, staff writer Being an Atheist in a Christian world is tough. I have been around Christianity for as long as I can remember. My grandmother could, in her own ways, be radical, but I am not any of those things. In fact, I am not Christian at all. I experience being an outcast every Monday during third period. This is why I think, “One Nation, under God,” should be removed from The Pledge of Allegiance. Maybe other religious people could get recognized. During the Pledge of Allegiance I stand with my right hand over my heart and say the pledge with the soul of an American. Whether it’s in school, a sporting event, or on the Fourth of July, you will always see me supporting my country. In my view, the United States is the best country in the world, but there’s that one moment during the Pledge when I stand there, completely silent. I know that this addition was only recently added in 1954, but times have changed. The U.S. has Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Agnostics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Buddhists, Hindus, and many more people with or without faith. The United States has a vast collection of different beliefs. We are The Great American Melting Pot. I used to be a proud Christian like my parents, praying every night, going to church, and praising Jesus. I never had a problem with it until but a tragic event occurred in December of 2002. My little sister died just three days after her birth. I cannot believe in a supreme being who would allow a newborn baby to die. Now every time in my third period class, on every Monday, when that last line comes around, I take my hand off my heart and stand there in utter silence. I get nasty looks pointed my way all the time in the halls, during lunch, and during class, all because I’m not part of the God-fearing culture. That last line in our Pledge means to me that we should all follow blindly in God’s path and do his bidding. Why does this have to be part of our Allegiance to America? We are all Americans, regardless of our religious beliefs. Atheists aren’t the only people who oppose the wording of The Pledge. “[God] should not be in the Pledge because people who believe in different things could be easily offended,” Catholic Nickolis Ryan Mendones said. Mendones said that in a way, the Pledge is disrespectful. He said that everyone should be allowed to have his/her own beliefs without having someone else’s pushed onto them.
-The Supreme Court holds that Massachusetts could not prosecute a person for wearing a small cloth replica of the flag on the seat of his pants based on a state law making it a crime to publicly treat the flag of the United States with “contempt.”
June 4, 1985
- The United States Supreme Court ruled in Wallace v. Jaffree that “Under God” is not unconsititutional because it, “serves as an acknowledgement of religion.”
March 14, 2001
- Michael A. Newdow files a lawsuit stating that “Under God” is unconstitutional.
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Features
Dahlia Chih, Ms. Jordan, Yearkbook release party...
Held’s hope for the future
The Stampede sits down for a Q&A with the newest member of CMR’s administrative team
Chemistry magic show
CMR students present chemical magic show to Valley View Elementary by greighsen adams, staff writer
by abby lynes
JEN
Jennifer Verzuh
IT’S RAINING
Q: What made you apply for the AP position? A: The fact that it’s a great school. There are a lot of things going for CMR, [and] I guess the opportunity for a new challenge. There’s already a great team of administrators there already. Q: How do you think working with high school students will compare with working with those in elementary school? A: In a lot of ways it’s really similar. They’re similar problems; it’s just age appropriate. Q: What do you hope to accomplish at CMR? A: At first, I’m going to be acclimating. I hope to continue the excellent programs they have already. As time goes on, we’ll see what needs to be changed. Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing high school students? A: I think a lot of the outside pressures. We want to make school a positive place. Hopefully, when you’re out of school it will be positive there. Q: What do you think will be the biggest adjustment you will have to make? A: Prioritizing my time. It’s not just my schedule; it’s everyone’s schedule. Q: What do you work forward to about working at CMR? A: The excitement of some new challenges and working with older kids again. The new challenges and opportunities. Q: Is there anything you want to add? A: I’m really excited about getting to work over there. I look forward to working with the students and teachers that make CMR a good school. New York, New York. People of all races, religions, countries, and backgrounds flock here to follow their dreams, like me. I’ll be attending college in New York City this fall and in honor of my big move I’ll be counting down my all-time favorite films set in New York. 5. “Manhattan” Of all of Wood Allen’s numerous films shot in New York, none captures the city quite as beautifully as in “Manhattan.” Allen’s bold decision to shoot his film in white and black paid off big time adding a look of romance to the city in this romantic comedy-drama that pairs Allen with his frequent leading lady Diane Keaton. 4. “Enchanted” Disney’s delicious live action/
On Monday, May 20, Valley View Elementary students sat down to watch the magicians of CMR. Every year, chemistry teacher Karen Spencer holds the honors chemistry magic show. For senior Mason Storm, the experience is all about the children. “I like hearing all the reactions,” Storm said. Like any other student, the elementary kids were most focused on the eye-catching aspects of the show. “[They liked] anything to do with the flames and the active ones,” Storm said. The magic show may have been the main attraction, but the behind the scenes made the show happen. “[I] practiced making bubbles, mixing solutions and imporvising the acts,” Storm said. “It was more fun [to perform] for the little kids. It’s different doing it in front of peers.” Top: Creating smoke rings, senior Mason Storm prepares for his elementary presentation. Photo by Greighsen Adams. Right: Chemical liquids and white powders mix to cause a bubbling, colorful smoking trick. Photo by Greighsen Adams.
animation hybrid showcases the city of New York from Times Square to Central Park at its best, in the midst of summer. And who can forget the incredible musical performance that takes place in Central Park? 3. “Elf” Christmas in New York City is a unique experience and no movie proves that quite as well as “Elf.” The decorations, the ice skating rinks, Empire State Building and snowy Central park are all on full display in one of the best Christmas films to date. 2. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” The most iconic role of Audrey Hepburn’s impressive career is hands down Holly Golightly in this wonderful, classic
romantic comedy, which has inspired girls from all over the world to head to NYC and snack on a Danish outside of Tiffany’s. 1. “When Harry Met Sally” Truly, one of the funniest romantic comedies ever, Nora Ephron’s masterpiece treats New York not as a mere backdrop, but as a character all its own. Filming in such iconic locations as Central Park, Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore, Washington Square Park, and making Katz’s Delicatessen forever known for that classic line uttered by Estelle Reiner, director Rob Reiner manages to capture the magic of the city. Not only is the film a love story, but also a love letter to Manhattan.
Features -- 11
05.23.13 The Stampede
Algerian singer stuns CMR
Arabs Got Talent runner up resides in Great Falls while pursuing her dream as a singer in America, Middle East by olivia rudio, staff writer While most CMR students will be spending their summer getting tans, walking their dogs, or trapped in a summer job, 15-year-old Dalia Chih will be performing across the world in pursuit of her dream. “I have a very whole schedule,” the Algerian singer said. Chih has already left to perform in the Middle East. The tour will take up her whole summer until the beginning of the school year. She is planning to return to Great Falls to continue school at CMR. Last June, Chih placed second in The Arabs Got Talent competition in Lebanon, Beirut. In February she recorded her first QD. A QD generally consists of four songs, and three QDs will make an album. The four songs on Chih’s current QD include: “Need You To Stay,” “The Way It’s Going to Be,” “Take You Over (Paranormal Love),” and “American Dream”. Her songs can be purchased on her website, www.daliachih.com, that was launched in late April. “I put all my heart in the songs,” Chih said. Chih writes her own songs in English, and she collaborates
with her artistic producer, Frankie Biggz Lucio, a Grammy Award winner. While he has played a part in her career, he is no match to her business manager, Dean Asad of Great Falls. In fact, he’s the reason her and her family moved to Montana. “Where I go I’m always with family. That’s important,” Chih said. Immediately after she made her appearance on Arabs Got Talent, he tried contacting her. When she finally responded he began taking her to perform places like New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Bellingham, Wash. and Washington D.C. “All my dreams came true,” Chih said. “I’ve dreamed about America for a long time.” Dalia said she is happy to be in the United States and appreciates performing for her American fan base. “I like to see my fans happy when I sing,” Chih said. “I like to see them smile.” Along with seeing her fans, her favorite part of performing comes from a more aesthetic experience. “I like to feel the wood of the stage,” Chih said. However, it all comes down to the music. Music has followed Chih all her life from singing in a classical Algerian association to singing with her grandmother. Even before her life, music was there. “When my mother was pregnant with me, my older sister put headphones on her belly,” Chih said. “I was born with music.”
The school year is coming to an end... Your hard work has paid off... It is the season of diplomas...
Don’t drink underage and never drive impaired. Visit us on Facebook! A message brought to you by the Cascade County DUI Task Force
Photos courtesy of Dalia Chih.
The Stampede 05.23.13
14 -- Features
The Party
The Book
“It was fun. There was cotton candy. There was pop. You could listen to the jazz band and socialize.” Deston Walker, 12
“I thought it was very put together, and I really liked the colors. The green was cool.” Serena Palmer, 10
“It was fun. I liked that there was cotton candy.” Hannah Ragland, 11
Gathering around the table, students enjoy the cotton candy and Frooties provided by the yearbook staff as they search through their yearbooks on May 16. Photo by Jennifer Verzuh.
Russellog released after nine months of hard work by staff
“The yearbook party went really well. Disorganization makes it all the more fun.” by joe wilmoth, staff writer Brady Bridgeman, 10 Posters were everywhere. Announcements were daily. The students were all talking about it. What could be so important that required so much attention? It was none other than the yearbook release party. The yearbook release party was on May 16 and was hosted by the Yearbook staff. It cost $2 to get in to the cafeteria to see the yearbooks for the first time. According to yearbook advisor, Beth Britton, the money is fundraising for yearbook staff “It was really good. A lot of activities. people came and enjoyed the Editor-in-chief Alyssa McClain was one of the time there.” helpers at the yearbook party. Leila Collins, 9 “I think it was a good turnout,” McClain said. “There was a lot of cotton candy and prizes.” McClain had been wishing for the editor-inchief position since her sophomore year. “My freshman year, I took Intro to Journalism and I loved it,” McClain said. “The second semester, I was transferred over to the yearbook staff and was in it the rest of my high school years.”
Meet with Key Club in room 325 Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
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“I do like it. All the bright colors, and the eye catching baby ads are always one of my favorites.” Dawn Thompson, secretary
This year’s yearbook was McClain’s personal favorite, but it took a lot of work to get there. “Some of the people on staff didn’t get the point of deadlines,” she said. “Me and a few of the editors had to scramble to get it done.” The yearbook party, in contrast, was more fun for McClain to plan than the yearbook. “It’s more fun and not as stressful to make than the yearbook.”
The Russtones fill the cafeteria with music to entertain the students at the yearbook release party on May 16. Photo by Joe Wilmoth.
Good luck on your finals CMR! Love, Key Club
“I like the colors, and how it’s really organized. The stories are very indepth and inspirational.” Safire Hayes, 12
Bathe Your Own Dog
Grooming by appointment Owner/Operator: Ruth Johns Open Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 1100 Smelter Ave.
453-9963
“It’s visually appealing, and the yearbook did a nice job of getting many voices.” Burke Allen, teacher “My favorite part of the yearbook would have to be all the sports pages. It’s because a lot of my friends are in sports. It’s cool to see them featured.” Kathryn Heryla, 9
Features -- 15
05.23.13 The Stampede
C olor guard Jordan reflects on dwindling school spirit, changes in times in her many years as color gaurd coach
by abby lynes, news editor Color guard is about more than flags and marching; it’s about patriotism, selfimprovement, and unity within a team. “If I can teach them self-esteem and selfrespect and respect for one another, that’s my goal,” CMR Advisement Assistant and Color Guard coach Velma Jordan said. The CMR Color Guard is dedicated to presenting the flags at school functions and fostering school spirit. It has been a part of the school since it opened, when CMR guard members rode horses onto the football field at games while Great Falls High brought a white bison, a tradition that ended shortly before Jordan began coaching in 1980. She said school spirit was at a different level during those times, when nearly every seat was filled at basketball and football games. “The kids don’t come out like they used to,”
she said. Jordan said she remembers a time when 90 students would try out for Color Guard, and 30 would make the team. Now the team is smaller, consisting of four members, but it is as active as it has always been. “We probably present the colors 55 times a year,” she said. The team meets year-round on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m., beginning practices before school starts in August in preparation for football season, and ending with softball in the spring. Jordan said she works with students’ schedules so those in other extracurricular activities can participate on the team. Other than committing a few hours of practice and performance a week and a current year’s physical, Jordan said there aren’t any strict requirements to join Color Guard. “You don’t have to have a certain body frame or anything; just a desire to do it,” she said. The team said they welcome anyone who wants to join. “My favorite thing [about Color Guard] is that you don’t have to change who you are,” member Shay Rice said. “Everyone is accepted.” Rice said that team bonding is a large part of why Color Guard is important to her.
“We all have become a big family,” Rice said. Fellow team member Monica Payan agreed that bonding and the support of her teammates has had a large impact on her life. “When my mom went to Afghanistan, Mrs. Jordan was here, and I was able to talk to her,” Payan said. It has also helped with her schoolwork. “I’ve had a reason to keep my grades up,” she said. Jordan feels the same sense of community as the students she coaches, and she said she enjoys watching them develop as Color Guard members and students. “I have fun seeing the girls grow,” she said. Their growth comes from diligent practice and self-awareness, and presenting the colors requires grace and care. “You have to know how many steps you have to take and the layout of where you’re going. All eyes are on you, so you have to get used to it,” Rice said. Along with instilling self-esteem and respect, she said Color Guard simply acts as a place for people to come together and be taken as they are. “I think that the most rewarding thing is having the feeling that you will be accepted and having a place somewhere.”
Left: Velma Jordan has taught color guard since 1980, a time when she remembers that 90 students tried out and only 30 made the team. Right: Jordan leads the color guard at Homecoming; the color guard presents approximately 55 times each year. Photos by Cheyenne Flemming and Peyton Fulbright.
SUPER Hero Movies by julia segebarth, staff writer
The man of Steel, formally known as Superman, portrayed by Brandon Routh, is forced to realize he isn’t needed on earth. He then wants to restore the life he was supposed to live therefore has to face his old arch nemesis, Lex Luthor portrayed by Kevin Spacey. Superman was not on my top ten list of Superhero movies but after viewing the trailers of the “Man of Steel” I believe it’ll be worth watching and possibly adding to my top ten list.
Thor: 7.0/10 May 6, 2011
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If you were stranded on an island and could only watch one movie one more time, it would be...
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Thor 2: November 8, 2013
Although Thor, portrayed by Chris Hemsworth, performed many heroic deeds, he was arrogant and broke a truce between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants. Odin, lord of the Asgardians, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, banishes Thor to Earth with his Hammer to teach him a lesson on humility. As he slowly learns his lesson on humility, his trickster brother Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, causes chaos in Asgard. Earth and Asgard are in peril as Frost Giants and Loki take advantage of the situation. In my opinion, “Thor” was an interesting movie that pre-teens and kids will enjoy more than adults. With the mild language, fantasy-induced storyline and violent scenes that aren’t particularly bloody, the movie was enjoyable. I expect “Thor: The Dark World” to be an interesting movie as well, with reviews just as good as the first movie.
The Notebook. I really love that movie after a friend made me watch it over the weekend. I got really attached to it. Dallas Flemming, 10
The movie that I would pick is Lilo and Stitch. The movie makes me laugh. I enjoy watching that movie with my friends. Lance Hewitt, 12
The Wolverine: July 26, 2013
Man of Steel: June 14, 2013
Before continuing onto the next review, no, I did not include “X-Men: First Class” because Wolverine was not one of the main characters but it was still a great movie nonetheless. Psychic Professor Xavier, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, lead a school of genetically mutated humans who believed it was right to protect prejudice human beings. However a mutant with the power of magnetic charge, Magneto, portrayed by Ian McKellen, has also organized a team to strike down enemies that are a threat to their race. Throughout the “X-Men” movies they had a pattern of recruiting new members, battling each other and resolving new outcomes. In “X-Men Origins,” Wolverine, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, was the main protagonist portraying his life before meeting Professor Xavier. Although Wolverine is arrogant, selfish and wild he can also be humorous and will protect those that he loves, which makes him my favorite character in the series. Jackman is plays Wolverine better than anyone I could have ever imagined. Therefore I am anxiously waiting for “The Wolverine” to come out in theatres so I can see more of the greatest “X-Men” protagonist throughout all the movies.
X-Men 3: 6.8/10 May 26, 2006
The Wolverine
X-Men Origins: 6.7/10 May 1, 2009
Superman returns: 6.2/10 June 28, 2006
Superman
X-Men 2: 7.6/10 May 2, 2003
As summer is approaching, we anticipate our favorite super hero movies being released. “Thor: The Dark World,” “Man of Steel” and “The Wolverine” are just a few of the spectacular movies that should be on your watch list this summer.
Thor
S PEA K Y OU R MIN D
X-Men: 7.4/10 July 14, 2000
The Great Gatsby, Speak your mind, Chart...
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Superman: 7.3/10 December 15, 1978
Entertainment
I would pick Hitch. It’s my favorite movie. I watch it all the time. I like Will Smith. It makes me laugh. I know all the words and can replay it in my mind. Canjarri McKinley, 12
I think it would be Clockwork Orange because it’s not just another flick. It would make me think and not make me feel stupid. It’s not just a simple movie. Darron Martinez, 11
Zombieland, because it teaches you step by step how to survive. It goes into detail. Nickolis Ryan Mendones, 9
Entertainment -- 17
05.23.13 The Stampede
Book
stephanie mccracken, staff writer Spoiler Alert: This review contains plot summary “The Great Gatsby” is a story built on lies, romance, and a whole lot of parties. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” is a great story based in the Roaring 20’s. The basic plot starts with Nick, and he is the only honest and decent person in the book. Everything is told from Nick’s point of view, which is great because you don’t get a biased story coming from Daisy or Gatsby. Daisy is Nick’s cousin, and she is married to a rich man named Tom Buchanan. He starts the lies when you find out in the first chapter that he has been cheating on Daisy since a week after their marriage. Gatsby falls into this by being in love with Daisy, and throughout the book we find that everything that he has done has been for her. Long story short, Daisy and Gatsby start to have an affair, one of Tom’s mistresses named Myrtle is accidentally killed by Daisy, but everything is pinned on Gatsby. Myrtle’s husband wants revenge so he kills Gatsby and then himself. Daisy chooses to leave with Tom, then fails to show up for Gatsby’s funeral; in fact, no one shows up for his funeral not, even the thousands who showed up for his parties. I really wanted to like Gatsby and feel bad for him when
Movie
no one showed up for his funeral. It just shows how people so easily take advantage of others. Gatsby deserved what he got, however. He created his entire life by building up lies and corruption. To put it bluntly, he was a bootlegger. Daisy didn’t deserve either of the two men, but frankly she was just as bad. She had a daughter who is only mentioned twice in the book, so I knew that she didn’t care about her child. She destroys people’s lives and then goes back into her wonderful world of riches. The plot of this book is amazing. I would give it four out of five stars. The characters are well developed, and Fitzgerald gets down to the dirty center of the world, the world of lies, corruption, and the life of endless parties. The first chapter starts out slow. It was hard to really get into the book, but after that it takes off into a plot of drama.
The number one thing that worries people when a book is turned into a movie is whether the adaption will be the same as the book. In this case, yes. “The Great Gatsby” is practically spot on with the book, besides a few things they had to take out. Watching the movie before reading the book actually helped me understand the book better. Some parts in the book, because it’s all from Nick’s point of view, aren’t straight forward to the reader, and I had to go back and reread certain parts to understand what it was saying. In the In t h e movie, even though Nick still narrates, I got to see what he was talking about. One of the great things about this movie is the fact that they kept Nick as narrator, and throughout the movie there are a lot of direct quotes straight from the book. The director, Baz Luhrmann, did a great job of keeping the movie as close to the book as possible. I personally loved the movie; the soundtrack used set the mood of every scene and the sets were so well done. The party scene was my favorite, with all the vibrant colors, the dancing, and costumes. It all flowed so well. The party scene is also where we first see Gatsby, and Leonardo DiCaprio makes an excellent Gatsby. Overall, it was an excellent movie, and I would definitely suggest it to anyone.
by chandler pomeroy, staff writer “I can’t sleep,” are the words said by the hero who saved New York and arguably one of the most influential people in the world. After the events that took place in 2012’s “The Avengers,” Robert Downey Jr. returns with another amzing performance in the third installment of the “Iron Man” series. Was this addition worth it? Tony Stark is well known for his egotistical attitude toward pretty much everything in his life. Up until the events of the first movie, he cared only for himself. While this attitude doesn’t change too much, he learns to accept the responsibility of protecting those around him. In the latest section of the story arc, Stark has to fight an enemy that makes his suit seem, well, weak. He also makes up for poor decisions he made in the past. He is falling apart and trying to cover it up by building more and more suits (he is up to mk. 42). The only thing that is keeping him together is his girlfriend Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Events later in the story force Stark to acknowledge he is only human and needs outside help. In the end, Stark makes a decision that many may be skeptical about, but it shows how far he has come as a character. The “Iron Man” series has had an ongoing story of Stark during and after the creation of the Ironman suit. The first film in 2008 created an excellent origin story that everybody could get behind. The events of the second film were almost unnecessary. The only lasting impact left by the second film in 2010 is the new arc reactor Stark created. The third and (hopefully) final piece of the story arc has a dramatic amount of development that will have an everlasting impact on the Marvel timeline. The movie clocks in at 130 minutes and rates in at PG-13 for violence and suggestive themes. It also has a new director, Shane Black, along with Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, CEO of Advanced Idea Mechanics or AIM and the other villion. If you enjoyed the first installment or cool sci-fi action movies, then this is a must-see.
Engineers leave their mark on the world! The Intro to Engineering Class earns credit at Montana Tech, and helps prepare you to make your mark! See your counselor or Mr. Lathrop in room 325 for more information.
What was the last song Everything has changed you sang? -Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran
What was the last compliment you gave?
What was your last indulgence?
I like your skirt
prankster
Nick
Martinez
Andrew
Mendones
Drank my cup
Clairvoyant
The Air I Breathe
-Imagine Dragons
-Bangz Kirko
-The Story So Far
-Our Last Night
You have such a good voice!
A new camera
Not really a
Nick
Shueler
It’s Time
Kit Kat Bar
What do you want your It’s been real. last words to be?
What was the last prank you pulled?
Morgan
Martinez
Lindsay
The CHART
Udovich
The Stampede 05.23.13
18 -- Entertainment
You’re beautiful
Ice cream
You look really short today
My dog got a haircut so I told him he was looking nice and fresh!
G o o d morning amercia
Nutella
Last words are for people who don’t say what they Yell how many think. I have no regrets. shoes I have
DINKLEBERG!
Be good...
My friends and I moved someone’s bed outside while they were sleeping.
My friend and I stared at a couple making out in the parking lot until they noticed
Saying “You dropped something” It’s just shenanigans.
Rat tailed my homeboy
Sports
A year in sports, State sports, American Legion Baseball...
Taking the
PLUNGE The Great Falls High School pool is a popular spot for sudents and adults alike to come to swim indoors. It is also the site for many swim meets that are held in Great Falls. Photo by Zach Pottratz.
Students from CMR, GFHS talk about joys, experiences, downsides of being student lifeguards in and around Great Falls by zach pottratz, design editor
STUCK ON THIRD
Peyton Fulbright
The need for a summer job and some quick cash was all it took for junior Alicia Fowler to get engrossed in the lifeguarding business, but the job comes with responsibilities. “The worst part is probably having the responsibility of watching everybody in the pool,” she said. “Especially the kids who don’t want to listen.” Fowler, a member of the Great Falls swim team, started lifeguarding last summer at the Tower Pool, and she has found it to be a memorable experience with its drawbacks. “It’s boring most of the time, but sometimes it gets nerve-racking, especially when there are a lot of kids in the pool. You can’t watch them all,” she said. Through its ups and downs, Fowler says that lifeguarding is a “good job to have.” Junior Brendan Hagins has found another reason to get involved in the business. “So I can help other people, and I’ve always been a fan of water,” he said. Hagins, like Fowler, starting lifeguarding in July 2012 at Melita Island, a Boy Scout
summer camp on Flathead Lake, that offers various activities for Boy Scouts around the nation. Training for lifeguarding is rigorous, Hagins said. He explained that it was a weeklong course where they wake up at 6:30 a.m., and go to bed at 11 p.m. He said they train in a 60-degree lake for Red Cross Lifeguard, First Aid, CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator) and BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Lifeguard Certification. Though the training is difficult and challenging, Hagins said the best part about the job is the people, but he is most afraid of “messing up, and having someone drown or get hurt.” Student lifeguarding isn’t confined to one side of the river. GFHS junior Justice Beckner is one of many Bison lifeguards at the high school. “[I became one because] it looked like a fun, challenging job,” he said. Beckner, along with Fowler, lifeguards in the Great Falls area, though he is currently employed at the Great Falls High pool. The
training, he said, consists of basic lifeguard training and CPR certification. Though the training may be enough for some people to quit, Beckner says there’s something else that frightens him more. “If someone is in danger, it’s hard to remember all of the steps you have to take to save someone,” he said. “[But] I like knowing that I get to keep people safe, and that if I wasn’t there, people could [get hurt].” When he isn’t lifeguarding, Beckner says that watching other lifeguards can be frustrating, especially because “you see things that they miss, and you see nothing happen about it. You always think they’re doing bad, because you see the things that they don’t see.” Beckner knows there are lots of prospective lifeguards out there, as he used to be one, and he has some advice. “Make sure you know what you’re doing; it’s a big job,” he said. “It may not seem like it at first, but people’s lives are in your hands.”
There comes a point when wearing what’s fashionable turns into insane stupidity. Because of this, I’m establishing a set of rules for wearing hats. Rule 1: Never, and I mean never, wear a hat with a team logo on it if you don’t follow that team. By wearing a team hat, you are showing that you support that team, and that team only. As a sports fan, the biggest possible sin is supporting a rival. If you’re seen wearing a Red Sox hat, then a Yankees hat, you deserve to lose your head. That way, you can’t wear a hat at all. And let me say, I’ve shown a lot of restraint because I have seen that exact sin many, many times. Rule 2: Take your stickers off. I don’t know why people think it’s cool to leave the stickers on the bill, but it isn’t. It looks just plain silly. It is no different than leaving the price tag on a shirt, or the annoying cardboard around the waist of a pair of jeans. I don’t care that you have an official 59Fifty, or that your head size is 7 3/8.
What was your best experience while lifeguarding? “Diving into a 65 degree lake looking for a camper that was missing.”
Brendan Hagins, CMR “Getting to mess around when there were no people at the pool.”
Alicia Fowler, CMR “Seeing all the young people and knowing I can keep them safe.”
Justice Beckner, GFHS Rule 3: Pull your hat down off the top of your crown, or else you deserve a hard gust of wind to blow it right off. Now, I typically wouldn’t care how you decide to wear a cap, because it doesn’t affect me. But wait, it does. I like to wear my caps like the ballplayers do, but I’m in the minority. So many people wear them high that New Era makes everything except their on-field caps to accommodate them. Because of that, there are only three Red Sox hats I can even wear. Please, give me a minute so I can cry you a river. Rule 4: If you see me wearing a hat, don’t touch it. I don’t reach out and mess with your hair, so don’t reach out and mess with my hat. It’s annoying because it’s my personal space, and when you move it, I have to readjust the entire thing. If you follow these rules, I’m not promising that I will like you, but there is an increased chance that I won’t hate you.
20 -- Sports
Kylie Otis, 11
STATE
The Stampede 05.23.13
TENNIS
May 16-17 in Great Falls
SOFTBALL
May 24-25 in Great Falls
TRACK AND FIELD May 24-25 in Bozeman
SOFTBALL
by katelin johnson, staff writer Sliding into state, the softball team is preparing to score a home run and bring home the title for a second consecutive year. “[We are] working hard and getting better at the things we need to work on,” Coach Lindsey Graham said. The team is also looking forward to playing in Great Falls. “There is a good base of softball fans in Great Falls and our administration has been [good at being] supportive. I think that if it is nice weather, a lot of people will be [out there watching],” she said. Gearing up for the tournament, the team—which did not play for the week leading up to state— is working to improve. “[We just need to keep practicing], but it is good for us because we can work on our hitting and getting more confident for the state tournament,” she said. Every player is working hard-- the pitchers on hitting their targets, and the defenders on how to react to when the other team steals, bunts, or has runners on bases. In order to win state, the team will have to play and win all four games. If at any time they lose a game, then they have to go back to the loser’s bracket and keep playing until they win. If they lose two games then they are out of the tournament, Graham said. The first team they play is Missoula Sentinel, and if they win they will face their cross-town rivals, the Great Falls High School Bison. The team plays its first game today, followed by two more games on Friday. They will finish on Saturday with their last game at the Multi-sports complex. The team is excited to be playing in their hometown in front of their fellow students, family, friends and fans. “Well, it’s exciting if we make it because it’s in Great Falls. If we don’t make it, it will be a huge disappointment. I think it will be awesome to play in front of our home crowd.”
Lindsay Martinez, 10
TRACK AND FIELD
TENNIS by kaitlin mosley, staff writer This year was the second state tennis tournament for sophomore Lindsay Martinez; this year she came home with fourth a place finish. “Competition around the state was stronger this year than last year,” Martinez said. Last year Martinez and her partner placed third during state. This year, however, she has a new partner, senior Maddie Hazelip, and together they earned fourth place after losing to Bozeman at the semifinals. “I enjoyed the teammates both years; [I] can’t say what one was better,” she said. Her favorite part of the year was going to Helena for the Helena Invite. She said she had fun playing tennis and hanging out. She also did really well at the meet. Martinez said she started playing when she was four or five years old and has been playing ever since. Her entire family plays and it’s a sport they all do together. She said she has always enjoyed playing and is planning to compete all four years at CMR. If the opportunity comes along she will think about playing in college, and she said she plays a lot outside of school. Even though she liked the outcome better last year, she still had fun and enjoyed playing both years, and getting to know other players. “I just enjoyed getting to know my partner [better].”
by kaitlin mosley, staff writer For sophomore Ashleigh Lehotsky state isn’t just another meet. It’s the chance to compete against the best in Montana. “[I like] competing against the best in the area,” Lehotsky said. Lehotsky is one of many competitors who will have the chance to compete at state on May 24-25 in Bozeman. Lehotsky competes in javelin and shot put. Javelin throwers must throw 118 feet, while competitors in shot put must throw 35 feet and three inches to qualify for state or receive one through six at divisionals. Lehotsky said she wants to focus more on her meets leading up to state. “You go in with a positive attitude hoping to do your best,” she said. Lehotsky said that the only way to prepare for state is to practice what she does well and what she did to earn a ride to state. If people are starting to experiment with new techniques now they could end up hurting themselves or even mess up their form. It’s best to improve what they already do well, she said. In the beginning, Lehotsky figured out what she was doing well and what wasn’t working as well. However, some days weren’t as good as she would have like them to be. Some days she was a little off and didn’t throw in her events as well as she would like. But it wasn’t all bad. At the Great Falls Optimist meet she earned first place, she said. Lehotsky comes from a family of track and field competitors. Her brother and her dad have done it, and now she’s next in line. She started doing track in elementary school and continued in middle and high school. She plans to compete in track and field for the rest of her years in high school. “[I got] sucked in when I found out I could throw things, not run.”
Sports -- 21
05.23.13 The Stampede
New coaches for volleyball, girls basketball, cheerleading hired
Coaches push up their expectations in the coming seasons, hope for success in their endeavors by kimberly michelsen, staff writer A woman with the will to win, a Video Productions and English teacher, and a man in charge of the cheerleading squad all have one thing in common. Only recently, they were hired to coach volleyball, Girls Basketball, and cheerleading respectively. Jared Bonvell, one of the new cheer coaches, decided to help out for one major reason. “What I saw in the team was that they need some of the skills that I have to get better,” he said. Bonvell specifically describes these skills as being able to get along well with people. “The biggest thing that I wanted to accomplish when I became a coach was to eliminate the drama,” he said. Unlike Bonvell, new girls basketball coach Brian Crosby rarely got to watch the girls play because he was always coaching the boys at the same times. Even so, there was one thing that stuck out to him during the games he could attend. “I always thought they played hard. That’s the biggest thing for me,” he said. He said he is excited for the coming season, and believes that the girls can be great. “I know there [are] a lot of kids back; we only graduated two seniors, so that gives us a lot of hope to hit the ground running,” he said. Incoming volleyball coach Stephanie Anderson also has confidence in her girls’ abilities. “I look forward to this season. There’s good talent at the school now and good talent coming in,” she said. She said that mostly what she expects from the girls is hard work. “I mean beating the teams we are capable of beating and just being competitive against the teams that are maybe a little above us,” Anderson said. In general, these three coaches’ expectations will help to lead their teams higher and possibly to victory. “I hope I’m part of that.”
Preparing to score for the team,, sophomore Justine Runkel waits for her chance to hit the ball on March 30. Photo by Peyton Fulbright.
Serving to the family tradition Above: Pausing as he practices his own free throws, Brian Crosby stands in the thunderdome. Left: Leading the girls in stretches, Jared Bonvell prepares them for tryouts on May 1. Photos by Kimberly Michelsen.
by katelyn smith, staff writer Usually for tennis, the player is expected to hold the racket instead of throwing it. For sophomore Justine Runkel, that’s a regular routine. “I joined because my brother and dad both played,” Runkel said. Runkel is one of the many athletes on the tennis team this year. Being a part of the team for two years now, she’s learned some new techniques. “I have to remember to say to myself “watch the ball, watch the ball” while I’m playing,” Runkel said. “I normally don’t watch the ball, which is a bad habit.” That is just one of the many things that she works on at the practices. “At practices we work on a lot of different things. Like LOB,” Runkel said. “LOB is when the ball goes way up high then comes down.” The team generally works on the same things every practice. Anything from their form to actually hitting the ball. The team meets a couple times a week and practices for a while. “I need to work on not hitting people,” Runkel said. “I always hit this other girl on accident because I don’t watch the ball, or what direction I’m hitting it in.” Tennis does have its downsides though. “Don’t play tennis unless you want really bad sock tan lines.”
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The Stampede 05.23.13
22 -- Sports
All for theLOVEof the game by jesse whiteman, staff writer Ratatat playing in the stadium. Dozens of people watching. Baseball is not only America’s pastime, but senior Anthony Bonilla’s as well. “We watch baseball all the time,” Bonilla said about the time he spends with his family. Bonilla started playing baseball at the age of six when he was living in Phoenix, Ariz. “I love it; it’s a lot of fun,” Bonilla said. “I never get tired of baseball.”
His non-tiring love helps him through the 70 games played by the Chargers, the American Legion AA team. On the Chargers, the players share characteristics from last names to batting stance. One thing that all of the players have in common for the game is love. Unlike softball, baseball is not a school-sponsored sport. In effect, this makes the roster smaller. “The kids that really like it stick with it,” he said. While Bonilla also plays basketball for
the school over the winter, when baseball has open gyms he does his best to show up to every practice. “I like baseball a lot better than basketball,” he said. Sharing a love for baseball, sophomore Dallas Farren willfully donates his early summer to the Electrics, the American Legion A team. “I love it; there’s nothing I’d rather be doing,” Farren said. Along with his love for the game, he also likes winning.
“There’s nothing better than winning a baseball game,” he said. He said that he started playing baseball because of friends he made in first grade, but now he continues to play because he enjoys friendships. “I just like making friends,” Farren said. Although some people strive to be the best, Farren does not let that affect him. “You’re not there to impress anyone.” Photo by Peyton Fulbright.
Another one bites the dust
Schroeder bests long-standing shot put record by joey serido, staff writer When Senior Cailyn Schroeder began the 2013 track season, she had one goal in mind: to break the long-standing shot-put record. She said, “At first I had no idea that I broke it. Everybody started cheering and congratulating me but I said I didn’t break it though,” she said. “It felt pretty good doing it.” Coaches Ryan Andersen and Burke Allen got her to do it. “My entire goal this year was to break it. I have two track meets left this season and hope to continue improving the record,”
Schroeder said. The shoulder injury she received did not affect her throwing. “It was on the opposite shoulder of what I throw with,” she said. Although she is graduating, Shroeder is confident in the teams future once she’s gone. “The younger throwers should be good for next year. The team should be good for the next few years,” Schroeder said. She plans to continue throwing all through college. She has a track scholarship to Montana State University.
A year in sports
Sports -- 23
05.23.13 The Stampede
Harly Rowe, sophomore
by peyton fulbright, sports editor This fall, the football team fell to Butte in the state semi-finals after a controversial call. Boys and girls soccer both lost in the state semi-finals to Bozeman. Brian Halverson’s boy’s golf team took 5th place while the girls took 13th. The volleyball team lost their first playoff game against Bozeman. During the winter season, both the girl’s and boy’s basketball teams lost a wildcard game to make the state tournament; the boys to Great Falls High and the girls to Billings Senior. The girls failed to continue their winning streak by placing 4th and the boys took 7th. The wrestling team took 11th in the state tournament. This spring the boys tennis team took 10th place in the state tournament, while the girls took 7th. This weekend, the softball team will enter the state tournament in town and the track and field teams will go to Bozeman for the state tournament.
Darby Semenza, junior
Volleyball team
Jesse Johnson, junior
Eric Dawson, junior
Lindsay Martinez, sophomore
Joel Lechman, sophomore
Kylie Otis, junior
Andre Langhorne, junior
Taylor Varner, senior
Guil Poelsma, junior
The Stampede 05.23.13
24 -- Cake Decoration
Bake, bake, bake me a cake
Julie Anderson proceeds to add delicate roses and fancy piping to one of her many cakes May 17, 2013 in the Culinary Arts room. Photos by Tom Gruner and Katelyn Smith.
Julie Anderson shares her art of cake decoration with Culinary Art students by tom gruner, staff writer What originally was just a simple hobby to keep the artistic side of her alive turned into much more for special education teacher Julie Anderson. “It is a side job, but it still is a hobby for me,” Anderson said. Making cakes since 1979, Anderson has had plenty of time for this skill to develop, starting all the way back in her ninth grade year at North Junior High. “I like to do the shop classes, but my ninth grade year they made me take culinary classes,” Anderson said. “But I’m artistic and I just kept going with it.” Anderson, being more of a classic cake maker, said she has problems keeping up with the modern style cakes, such as those that contain all the extras like fondant, an icing-like substance used for decorating and molding, and Rice Crispy treats. “It’s become more of a challenge, more like art,” Anderson said. “People are starting to challenge me to do more with the fondant, but I tend to stay away from it.” Anderson has been decorating cakes for 34 years, and she said keeping up with the modern-style cakes is becoming more difficult, especially since she has developed tendonitis, which is inflammation, irritation, and swelling of a tendon in her hands. “I have tendonitis in my hand now from doing it all these years,” Anderson said. “So getting all these requests for cakes is becoming challenging.” Despite suffering from tendonitis, she manages to overcome it to become a better decorator. Anderson’s cakes range from simple graduation or birthday cakes to complex, elegant wedding and anniversary cakes. No matter how complex they may get, Anderson
said she likes to keep it old fashioned. One of Anderson’s main specialties is not a specific cake, but rather the frosting. Anderson said that nobody has been able to match it yet, just because there is no specific recipe for it. Since Anderson is the artistic type rather than the baker type, she said she has her mother do all the baking while she likes to stick to strictly decorating. “One of everybody’s favorites would have to be our lemon cake,” Anderson said. Just because their specialty is well known, that doesn’t keep Anderson from doing one of her favorite types of cake. “I love doing caricatures,” Anderson said. “They’re the most entertaining.” Andersons cakes aren’t simply one tier, flat cakes. “Everything I do is 3D,” Anderson said. “I like to build things up from the bottom rather than everything being flat.” Anderson is busy year-round. One of her busiest seasons is towards the end of the school year and the summer, mainly because she gets so many requests for graduation cakes and also wedding cakes. Anderson said it becomes overwhelming when she gets so many requests in such a short time. This year alone, she’s already scheduled to make up to 20 graduation cakes. Even though she may become overwhelmed at times, she sticks with this hobby for one main reason. “I’m an artist and it’s a talent,” Anderson said. “So I love it.”