MHS Courier October 2022

about the oveturning

Roe V. Wade and it’s

reproductive

Writing has been my passion from the moment I picked up a pencil. Whether it was writing short stories or essay papers on random subjects I hyperfixated on, I was always writing. Which is why, after being pulled out of class by Ms. Miller to tell me I should write for the Courier, and some persistent persuading from my mom, I decided to join the staff.

Being this year’s Editor-In-Chief for the Courier, I am looking forward to publishing amazing articles for all of you alongside our incredibly talented staff: our assistant EditorIn-Chief and News Editor Lily Giggee, our co-Feature Editor Cambry Fyllesvold, our Opinion Editor Emma Helbling, our Sports Editor Michael Pfliger, our Reporter Emmanuel Dolo, and the newest addition to our staff, Dylan Campbell. With all this being said and introductions out of the way, I hope you enjoy this year’s first issue of the Courier!

Staff

The Courier is a news/feature magazine that is published throughout the school year. As an open forum for student expression, all content online and in print is decided and moderated by student editors. The staff welcomes letters, articles, submissions, of any student, faculty, or community interest. Submissions may be turned into the Courier, room 221, and by message to mhscourier@gmail.com. All submissions must be signed by the author if they are to be published and subject to editing if space is restricted. The Courier strives to be objective in its news coverage. Columns and letters reflect only the opinions of the writers, not those of the Courier staff, administration, teachers, or student body. Editorials that are not signed reflect the consensus of the staff.

The Courier is funded entirely through advertising sales. Contact the Courier at mhscourier@gmail.com if interested in advertising.

Ariana González, Editor-In-Chief

Representative Round-Up

— Dylan Campbell, Reporter

The United States midterm election is an event that concerns every citizen in its nation. Amongst the candidates in the running for various offices, Cara Mund and Kelly Armstrong are in the race for the role of House Representative for the North Dakota district at-large. This election is set to take place on November 8th, 2022. The results of this specific election will determine who will represent North Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Before launching her congressional campaign, candidate Cara Mund has represented the state of North Dakota as Miss America.

“I had the opportunity to represent what it means to be a North Dakotan. Being Miss America is really cool, but being the first from North Dakota adds this whole new element,” Mund said, “and an element that a lot of people don’t understand. Every time I said something, I knew it reflected North Dakota.”

Studying law at Harvard Law School, Mund shares how her education has prepared her for the midterm election.

“When I got to Harvard as a 3L, I got to do my own trial. Which I won. I got to argue for the Massachusetts’ Appeals Court. It prepared me for that next opportunity, “ Mund said. “I’m gonna use what I’ve learned, and how to be a good advocate. Then, recognizing when people aren’t being heard, or when they don’t have a voice. Being that voice for the silenced is very important.”

Mund elaborates on the decisions that lead to her candidacy for North Dakota’s sole House Representative.

“I said as Miss America, I wanted to be the first female governor. As you keep doing more research, there’s a lot of places that women have not been welcome. So, I never want to run for a role, just to run. I want to make sure that there’s a reason behind it,” Mund said. “The house role, specifically, I had been watching the voting record of the incumbent. I disagreed with a lot of his voting. I didn’t think it was representative of North Dakota. Then, it was the supreme court’s decision and Dobbs that solidified that now is the time to run.”

Mund shares the legacy she hopes to leave following the election.

“When someone does something for the first time, it opens doors of opportunity for all the others. I say with this race, there’s a lot of ways to win. If it encourages more women to run, more independents to run,” Mund said. “It makes the party more accountable for their actions. It makes the incumbent more accountable for his votes. There’s just a lot of ways to win.”

Growing up in predominant North Dakotan instrudries, Incumbent Kelly Armstrong elucidates how his prior life experiences help him to represent North Dakota.

“I grew up in the oil, gas, and the agriculture industry. Which are obviously number one and two industries in the state of North Dakota. I have a working knowledge of what the oil and gas industry entails. Particularly, for smaller companies,” Armstrong said. “ Also, what a farming, ranching operation goes through on a yearly basis. In order to try to make a living in North Dakota. I think those two things uniquely help me.”

Armstrong comments on why community is a main component for making North Dakota one of best places to live.

“I talk to high school seniors a lot. If you wanna be anonymous, move to a big city. They don’t get to do that in North Dakota, and you shouldn’t want to,” Armstrong said. “It’s one of the best parts about North Dakota is the opportunity to give back to the community. You’re not anonymous, people recognize it, and see it.”

Armstrong explains how helping out within the community helps it, and as well as themselves grow.

Photo sourced from armstrong.house.gov

Incumbent Republican Candidate Kelly Armstrong

Incumbent republician candidate Kelly Armstrong

“You don’t do it for any benefit. You do it to help your friends, help your family, help the town you grew up in. What you realize after doing any of that stuff for ten minutes, you’re the one who benefits,” Armstrong said. “You learn what it’s like to give back, and it’s a lot of fun. It’s one of the things that makes North Dakota, in my opinion, the best place in the world to live.”

Racing for a third term, Armstrong is the current North Dakota House Representative. Armstrong describes how his life in politics came about.

“I first ran for the State Senate in 2012, through a myriad of circumstances where I was having a hard time getting through to people about a couple different issues that directly affected the two businesses I was in which was law and energy,” Armstrong said. “The state senator of my district retired, and I said ‘Well, if you’re gonna complain about it, you should probably go try and fix it.’”

Armstrong instills his continued priorities he would continue to pursue if re-elected.

Armstrong concludes with parting words encouraging young eligible voters to go to the polls.

“Absolutely vote. I always hear people say, it doesn’t matter who you vote for, just vote,” Armstrong said. “It does matter who you vote for, but more importantly it matters to get engaged and involved in the process.”

Mund outlines what her priorities would look like if she were to be elected.

“Inflation is a huge issue. For our businesses, but also for our parents. The cost for childcare right now is insane. It’s just not sustainable. Codifying Roe, but this race isn’t based solely on women’s reproductive rights,” Mund said. “I want to make that clear, it’s also affordable prescription drugs. Insulin is not a new drug. We know what Big Pharma gets every month from it.”

Clarifying her voice as an Independent, Mund reinforces that she’ll be on the side of North Dakota.

“Essentially, North Dakotans are pretty good at dealing with floods, blizzards, droughts, hail, all of those different things some people call climate catastrophes, we usually call Tuesday. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, our biggest threat is climate policy based on ideology, not reality,” Armstrong said. “People who have never grown anything a day in their lives, trying to tell us how to grow things. People who have never produced energy a day in their lives, trying to tell us how to produce it. My biggest priority is to be honest, and get the federal government out of the way. Let North Dakotans do what they do best.“

“Essentially, North Dakotans are pretty good at dealing with floods, blizzards, droughts, hail, all of those different things some people call climate catastrophes, we usually call Tuesday. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, our biggest threat is climate policy based on ideology, not reality,” Armstrong said. “People who have never grown anything a day in their lives, trying to tell us how to grow things. People who have never produced energy a day in their lives, trying to tell us how to produce it. My biggest priority is to be honest, and give the federal government out of the way. Let North Dakotans do what they do best.“

“We need to compromise, we can’t just vote no because it was brought by a republican, or vote no because it was brought by a democrat. We have to figure out what’s best for our people,” Mund said. “My candidacy as an independent, there’s gonna be times democrats don’t agree with me, and times republicans don’t agree with me. At the end of the day, I’m gonna do what I can to help both sides.”

Mund parts supporting young eligible voters to mark a ballot.

“Go vote. That’s the best thing to do. Especially if you just turned 18. It’s such an important way to make your voice heard,” Mund said. “People say all the time that young people aren’t engaged, and now more than ever we are.”

Photo sourced from caramund.com

Photo By Lily Giggee

ND Pulls the Trigger on Abortion

— Lily Giggee, Asistant Editor-in-Cheif

In July of 2022, the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v Wade. The power to outlaw abortion was passed to the states to decide whether or not to allow it. The trigger law will be put in place in thirteen states around the United States. This means that abortion will become illegal in those states.

North Dakota has blocked the trigger law twice. Burleigh county District Judge Bruce Romanick has blocked it again because of the law suit filed by the state’s only abortion clinic, Red Rivers Women’s Clinic.

With the upcoming elections there will be some new faces on the ballot.

“I think the 2023 legislative session will be with more regulations and laws even though abortions may not be available,” Tammi Kromenaker, Director of the Red Rivers Women’s Clinic said.

The clinic’s lawsuit is a claim that the trigger law is against North Dakota’s constitution. Roe v. Wade was still in effect, arguing that it was not in the right to pass that law.

“We worry about physicians consulting with attorneys first and looking at the law book first rather than relying on their medical training,” Kromenaker said.

The Clinic is still offering abortions to those living in North Dakota and South Dakota. Some patients fear that they can not come to Moorhead to get an abortion.

“Is it legal for her to leave her state and to receive abortion care? Patients who present at emergency rooms that present with ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage,” Kromenaker said.

The clinic has moved out of the state into Moorhead, just to keep providing abortions.

“There is no longer an actively providing abortion clinic becuase we were forced to leave the state to keep our doors open,” Kromenaker said.

The only abortions allowed in North Dakota are those that happened as an act of incest and rape. It may also include medical emergencies that can cause serious illness or sepsis.

“If me having the baby meant that I was going to die, my health is way more important,” Jill Smith said.

The opinions on the topic are widely different from every side.

“I feel like Roe v Wade is going to segway into a lot of different AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) rights taken away right to our own bodies, along with trans men and women rights,” Janet Smith said.

Even before the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion was a hot topic for many.

“It has always been a bit bleak for North Dakota pregnant people,” Kromenaker said.

Overall, the topic will still be an issue for years to come for many different groups in North Dakota.

“I think with this overturning of Roe is going to continue to get worse and affect black, indgenous, people of color, rural people, and other demographics”. Kromenaker said.

This pregancy test and condom repersents both sides of a relationship in a pregnancy.

The Four Directions Club Is Going The Right Direction

— Ariana González, Editor-in-Chief

With the new school year coming up, Mandan High School’s clubs are preparing themselves for a long eventful year, with one of those being the Four Directions club. This club revolves around its emphasis around Native American culture and its influence in the school’s diversity and its large student population.

As one of the Four Directions club’s advisors, Robert Birdhorse, is one of the people who organize the club’s activities as well as overseeing the organizational aspects of the club.

Many of Four Directions club’s activities are centered around the club’s focus on community service.

“We are currently planning to do some highway cleanups and some volunteer work,” Birdhorse said. “We are also planning to do some stuff down at United Tribes with their Masquerade Powwow that they put on.”

Compared to last year, the Four Directions club has increased in the amount of members that have joined.

“We have a lot of younger students that are joining the group,” Birdhorse said. “Traditionally, it was a lot of juniors and seniors.”

the support they need and to see all of the other students of different backgrounds who come to meetings to show their support,” Waters-Wheeler said.

Travis Albers is another one of the advisors for the Four Directions club. In September, the members of the Four Directions club got together at the Powwow.

“Everyone was able to meet and watch the grand entry,” Albers said. “We have the best students and it was great to see some of them participating in the Powwow.”

The Four Directions club’s activities tend to be more volunteer work centered. However, one of the club’s main goals is to make the school more inclusive to Native American students.

“We are working to make our Native American Students and students of other cultures feel more accepted at school and to have a better feeling of belonging,” Waters-Wheeler said.

Photo by Ariana González

This keychain was purchased at the Powwow by a Four Diretions club member.

Along with Birdhorse, Tamara Waters-Wheeler is also one of the advisors for the Four Directions club. With the club’s numbers increasing, planning activities has been more possible.

“We are having more and more activities for students and people are becoming much more aware that Four Directions is a place to become involved,” Waters-Wheeler said.

As well as planning the club’s events and activities, WatersWheeler helps with fundraising for the club while helping teach others about the beauty of different cultures especially the Native American Culture and how to appreciate others.

“I am most excited to see our Native American students getting

Coming up on the club’s schedule, a highway cleanup has been scheduled for October 8th for anyone who would like to join.

“We are having more and more activities for students and people are becoming much more aware that Four Directions is a place to become involved,” Waters-Wheeler said. “Sign up with me at tamara.waters-wheeler@msd1.org.”

As well as participating in UTTC’s yearly masquerade, the Four Directions club also has plans for Native American History Month.

“November is Native American History Month, so we are planning a spirit week with activities and a traditional meal,” Waters-Wheeler said.

For any student who may be interested in joining the Four Directions, contact Robert Birdhorse at robert.birdhorse@msd1. org.

The Song Spot

Emmanuel Dolo

Emmanuel Dolo,

Music is thereaputic, more for some than others. But at the end of the day everybody has at least one song that makes them feel something, whether it is a meaningful hymm in church, or a dense diss track from a natorious rapper. To me music is a safe space, I believe the perfect song will always find you when you most need it. As an artist, here are some songs that inspired the start of my musical career. Of course, these are only the tip of the iceberg; even so I am excited to share these tunes with you, thank you.

My future- Billie Eilish

Begins with the soft, shy, voice of Billie Eilish, and mellow, swelling chords. With a slow yet impactful tune, Billie’s lyrics are like a breath of fresh air, giving clarity to the listener. The message sheds light on how uncertain the future really is; in Billie’s case, her own future. She claims that she isn’t present, her mind is focused on what is to come, instead of Eilish shying away from the uncertainty, she falls in love with it. My Future then transitions and leads the listener to a jaunty, lightweight drum beat that instantly sets the mood. Billie goes on to explain that although she is alone, her worth has not changed; She is excited to create her own path, and figure out who she is. Personally this song will always be a reminder that there are better times ahead, that the present, or now will always be changing.

Ivy(Blonde-Frank Ocean)

Right off the bat, the authentic sound of Frank Ocean immediate grabs your attention; With an eruption of airy, loose strums , setting the atmosphere on a mellow pace. He explains how unbelievable it was that he found love, and how although it was over, he is happy for the experience; because at the end of the day, being in love was good. This song gives release to the listener, a chance to let it out, the message is that it is okay to be mad, all while accepting the truth. The volume then gets erratic, with the muffled voice of Frank exclaiming that he is doomed.

Mercury(Gemini Rights-Steve

Lacy) begins with noise, a radio static that erupts into a plehtora of conspicuous guitar strums, Steve wastes no time and gets straight to his expression, with heavy harmonies that leave the Listener feeling leveled, and rejuvenated. This song is a protest and a triumph, to being different, and unique. Steve’s constant references to his zodiac sign help the Listener understand how much confusion lies underneath the mind of a Gemini. This is achieved through the consistent “I don’t know” verse, which reminds the Listener that through all he goes through, he still has no idea what is going on.

Come Together- The Internet

This song plays with your ears at the start, with a clapping tune, over a bass strum and loose chords. Then the elusive, conjoined voices of Syd, and Steve Lacy create a vortex of deep, hollow expression. This song is like that of a funky entity, tying the vocals to your earlobes like knots. As they slowly fade, you are left wanting more. The song addresses The Internet’s hiatus and particle split up, many of the artists wanted to pursue their own careers and dreams, they are said to have concluded their group as of April ‘22.

Animal Shelters Overpopulating Around Bismarck and Mandan

Popoki

Approximate

Date of Birth:

February 2022

Sex: Neutered Male

Date Arrived: February 2022

Bahama

Approximate Date of Birth: June 2022

Sex: Neutered Male Date Arrived: July 2022

Keira

Approximate Date of Birth: January 2020 Sex: Spayed Female

All over America, cats and dogs are being dumped from their homes leaving shelters to pick up these animals. The shelters in the Bismarck/Mandan area are filling up fast with animals.

“Today is a different day from yesterday,” Cameo Skager Director of Central Dakota Humane Society said, “Yesterday we might not have had room but today we might.”

The overwhelming population of cats and dogs in the area can be resolved simply by spaying or neutering pets. All animals thay go into shelters are spayed or neutered to keep the overpopulation to a minimum.

“If you are considering getting a pet, you should give very thoughtful consideration to whether it’s the right time in your life,” Skager said.

Many people during the pandemic adopted animals because they were home all the time and needed a companion. This has created a problem due to people now having to go back to work and do not have time to take care of a pet.

“People can no longer take care of their animals because they can not afford it and are not home to be with the animal,” Skager said.

“Lots of older dogs get overlooked and we hold onto them longer, which is hard because they just want someone to call their own,” Whitney Tennyson Volenteer at Miles of Love Dog Rescue said.

Herford

Approximate Date of Birth: April 2022

Sex: Neutered Male

Date Arrived: December 2021 Date Arrived: July 2022

Shelters and rescues like Furry Friends Rockin Rescue, Miles of Love, and Central Dakota Humane Society are located in the Bismarck/Mandan area. These shelters and rescues are in desperate need of fosters.

“People who foster will say a teary goodbye but know they are saving another life,” Tennyson said. “We call it a ‘happy heartbreak.’”

Fostering and adopting can be a big change for an owner’s life, but anything helps when it could improve the quality of life of an animal.

“People should adopt a pet because there are so many animals that could use a loving home,” Junior Brooke Stetson said.

Photos by Cambry Fyllesvold

— Cambry Fyllesvold, Feature Editor

“Mydogisdressingupas Superman.”

What’syour Halloweencustome?

“Nothing,butScoutis dressingasahotdog.”

What’syour Halloweencustome?

“Anything,butHocusPocus. Totallyoverrated.” “HocusPocus.Idon’tthinkI canbefriendswithMs.Miller anymoreifshedoesn’tlikeit”

What’sthebest Halloweenmovie?

What’sthebest Halloweenmovie?

“Trick.Treatisboring”“Treat.Ilikefood.”

Trickortreat?

Mrs.Bouche

Trickortreat?

Teacher Ms.Miller Teacher

“ScaryGodmother: Hallowen Spooktacular”

“Treat”“Idon’tknow yet.”

Senior MakaelaCastillo

“Trick,‘causeI’m atrickster” “HocusPocus”“Utensils,andI willbeafork”

Junior JayleeWilber

“Trick”“Halloween”“Ihavenoidea.”

Sophomore ParkerBarnick

“Treat” “HocusPocusis good.” “I’mnotreally sureyet.”

What’syour Halloween costume?

What’sthebest Halloweenmovie?

Freshman KaitlynBlowers

Trickortreat?

FLIPSIDE

—DylanCampbell

PhotobyDylanCampbell

PhotobyDylanCampbell

PhotobyDylanCampbell

PhotobyDylanCampbell

PhotosubmittedbyMakaelaCastillo

Monarch Project Takes Off

— Ariana González, Editor-in-Chief

Many programs around the country seek out to help high school individuals with their goals, one of which is the Monarch Project.

The Monarch Project dedicates itself to providing services to Native American high school students in order to help them achieve their goals. Some of these services include providing online courses, providing school supplies and even tutoring.

As of right now, the Monarch Project has Student Success Coaches in 6 high schools: Bismarck High School, Century High School, Solen High School, Legacy High School, Standing Rock High School, and Mandan High School. Mandan High School’s Student Success Coach is Jordan Davis.

As a Student Success Coach, Davis focuses on being there for members of the Monarch Project.

“We help kids by keeping them engaged in school, getting them involved in different activities and helping in any way we can,” Davis said.

Besides helping students stay engaged in school and providing educational help, the Monarch Project also helps provide financial support for school related activities.

Native American students like Burr to make future college plans possible.

“I would describe the project to be an amazing opportunity for Native kids who want to go to school or college,” Burr said.

For Burr, the Monarch Project has also allowed her to take classes which would help her in her future career.

“It has opened up the opportunity to take more dual credit courses for me and has opened doors for what I want to do,” Burr said.

In order to join the Monarch Project, there are certain requirements that need to be met.

Photo by Ariana González

The Monarch Project is ran through the United Tribes Technical College.

“To join, you’d come set up a meeting with me and fill out some basic information about yourself, like your name and your grade. You would also need your Tribal Enrollment number,” Davis said. “If that is not something you have, we can help find it for you. To be enrolled, you have to be a tribal descendant or tribally enrolled.”

As well as providing opportunities for Native American students, the project is also flexible and gives its members freedom of choice.

“We offer to help cover funds for school, through athletics, club entry fees, and a variety of other things,” Davis said.

One of the Monarch Project's many goals is to help increase the involvement in school throughout the Native American community.

“We want to increase graduation rates among Native American high school students,” Davis said. “We also want to decrease dropout rates among Native American students.”

Senior Kylah Burr is a member of the Monarch Project. Burr met Davis while in the Four Directions club and was able to join the Monarch Project.

Being in the Monarch Project has given the opportunity for

“If you sign up for something and you don’t like it, we are not gonna force you to do it,” Davis said. “It’s all your option, we’re just here for you.”

For students who may be considering becoming members of the project, Burr considers it to be a great idea.

“Do it,” Burr said. “It is such a great opportunity for kids, especially if they know they will be going to college after they graduate.”

In order to join the Monarch Project, Mandan High School students can set up a meeting with Jordan Davis by contacting him through his email: jdavis@uttc.edu.

Halloween Madlibs

ADV. NOUN(s)

VERB

Halloween is one of the ______nights of the year. Walking along the streets youll find _______of all shapes and sizes, _____ for sweets.

Emmanuel Dolo, Reporter ADJ

NOUN(s)

NOUN(s)

Moms and Dads of all kinds of _____ walk their mini_____and vampires through every neighborhood , with their candy buckets in hand and ____ sounds erupting through the streets.

You might pick up an ____ apple or two, and see a couple ______s sprinting dow the street. but its all just ______ fun. By the time everyone goes home, the _____ begins, the Goblin can’t wait to dig into all his ______ bars; he ______ empties the candy bucket.

NOUN ADJ. CANDY BRAND

out so late.

When the night comes, witches and _____ begin soaring the skies, snatching all the ________ from each _____ brave enough to be

CANDY BRAND NOUN

NOUN(s)

The moms and dads are tired by now, but their little green goblin ____ and gets his way.

VERB

ADV.

With an electric excitment, he takes his first ____, then another, and another, all throught the night...

NOUN

NOUN CANDY BRAND

At the witches house, she is excited to finish all of her _____s, she opens one, then another, then two more. the witch shoves_____ _______s in her mouth at one time. She couldnt help herself.

VERB Number NOUN

By the morning all the ____ are all worn out, with _____ stomachs, the neighborhood now roars with the sounds of little ___ , barfing up the candy.

ADJ. NOUN(s)

Powderpuff Football Raises Questions for the Future Ahead

— Cambry Fyllesvold, Feature Editor

Around Mandan High School, there has been a big question lurking through the halls. Was this year the last year of Powderpuff football? This has caused a stir in conversation between students.

“It is sad because it is a fun tradition that everyone looks forward to,” Senior Trinn Nybakken said.

The game is a charity event that benefits the public. All proceeds raised in the event are donated to Bismarck Cancer Center.

“I think it’s something that anyone that wants to play should have a choice to play,” Senior Taylen Wetch said.

Due to injuries that have occurred the past couple of years. All players and their parent are required to sign a waiver that explains the risk of injury.

“With the waiver you know exactly that if you get hurt, you get hurt, and you know that going into it,” Wetch said.

Multiple other schools in the Bismarck/Mandan area have ended Powderpuff because of injuries and other various school non sanctioned activities.

“It has not not been eliminated, it is just under review, It has been reviewed on a yearly basis,” Principal Mark Andresen said.

The review of the Powderpuff football game has the potential to end the homecoming activity after any year. Administration reevaluates each year to make sure the charity event can move forward to the next year.

“It is nothing the kids have done or anything, it is just the genuine concern about young ladies being injured,” Andresen said.

For the near future the Powderpuff football game will stay, but will be watched carefully for future years to come.

“It makes bonds, girls look forward to Powderpuff and to take that away, it is kinda a hit to the face,” Nybakken said.

Photos by Michael Pfliger

Junior Michael Storsved showing his support for his class.

Junior Powderpuff players cheering on their teammates.

Senior Trinn Nybakken gaining yards by running the ball.

Students Share Experiences With Adapting To North Dakotan Culture

— Ariana González, Editor-in-Chief

As Mandan continues to grow in population and diversity, Mandan High School’s student body is filled with many people who are both native North Dakotans as well as people who have moved here from a variety of different places.

The North Dakotan lifestyle is unique and different from other lifestyles around the world, or even the country itself.

People who have lived outside of North Dakota can attest to this, one of which is junior Circe Atkinson, who previously lived in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I lived in Phoenix my whole life and I only moved here a year ago,” Atkinson said.

For people who have moved to North Dakota from other places, certain aspects of life living here can be shocking. For Atkinson, they found the community’s close knitness to be surprising.

“Back in Phoenix, everyone is separated and it’s unlikely that you’ll see anyone you know when you go out,” Atkinson said. “However, in Mandan, I run into people I know all the time. That’s something that’s very strange to me.”

Arizona’s education system and North Dakota’s education system are very different. This difference meant Atkinson had some catching up to do.

“Arizona is ranked number 48 in education in the US. A lot of the things I learned were outdated or vastly behind other states,” Atkinson said. “When I came to North Dakota, I was really behind, but I’ve gotten myself caught up for the most part since moving here.”

For Atkinson, one of the hardest things to adapt to in North Dakota was the harsh winter weather.

“Having to scrape my car in the morning or shoveling snow during a blizzard is something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to,” Atkinson said.

Besides the differences in outside factors, like the weather, Atkinson has observed North Dakotans to be what people from other states call “Midwestern Nice.”

“I think that people in North Dakota are very nice, but it sort of feels like artificial kindness,” Atkinson said. “I feel as though the people here are only nice out of obligation and not out of their true nature.”

Senior Breckin Kisse has been able to experience life both in the US and outside of the US. Originally from California, Kisse moved here from Okinawa, Japan.

While Kisse had a positive impression of the people in North Dakota, the language used here threw him for a loop.

“Something that shocked me the most about the people in North Dakota was the slang they used,” Kisse said.

Freshman Silvana Dembiti has lived all over the US. Dembiti was born in Los Angeles and from there moved to Minnesota, Texas, and now North Dakota.

Despite already knowing English, when Dembiti moved here, she was placed in the ELL program.

“I wasn’t bad at English, but English was my second language,” Dembiti said. “That has been pretty hard because I’ve gotten so frustrated on why my English wasn’t good.”

One of the things that shocked Dembiti the most about North Dakota was its limited diversity.

“Being from a big state, you see a lot of different things and people,” Dembiti said. “My family is not from America and finding our traditional stuff here is hard.”

Due to this limited diversity that bigger states seem to have more of, Dembiti has grown used to receiving many questions from North Dakotans regarding her culture.

“There isn’t really a lot of my people here, so I get asked a lot of questions like how I do my hair and things like that,” Dembiti said. “People in other states are used to seeing things like that.”

With the recent surges in population in Mandan as well as North Dakota in general, Mandan High School’s student body can learn to appreciate the beauty of other cultures while appreciating the North Dakotan culture’s many quirks.

Having to scrape my car in the morning or shoveling snow during a blizzard is something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to!

How to: Teen Spending

— Emmanuel Dolo, Reporter

When one gets a job, maybe a license, and starts adulting, they are introduced to a whole new world; where rationality and responsibility demand a seat at the table.

It’s easy to get lost when trying to make the right choices , that is when adulting becomes a maze of tough choices and obligations. Depending on how materialistically attached a person is, their spending can make or break the wellbeing and future of their balances.

“To my family, money was novelty; whatever we didn’t get we just had to work for”? Nieuwsma

A lack of financial knowledge can be detrimental to a teenager’s spending habits. Some parents try to take control of their child’s card and bank account, rather than letting them make mistakes.

Although most parents would like to believe they are protecting thier children from facing finacial crisis, it can be helpful to allow them to go through. When teens face the reality of being broke, it enables them to make better choices.

With that beinhg said, financial education is crucial to preventing overspending and potential money droughts.

Consulting with a parent or taking a class for help in terms of saving/ maintaing money is a step that is often time overlooked, even though there are a plethora of adults today that wish they knew how to save from young.

“I was never directly taught about finaces from my parents or in school abut budeting or money intelligence” Mrs. Quintus says. When a teen lacks the education, and experience, the first few paychecks are oten time wasted faster than they are earned.

5 Steps to Responsible Spending:

- Learn to keep better track of how much you spend, pay

attention to where your money goes each month.

- Focus on needs, minimalize wants.

- Set a weekly budget that you can respect.

- Put at least $50 in savings each month.

- Go out to eat, shop, and overall spend less.

The result of distructive spending habbits, and a lack of financial education is a dry wallet.

Photo by Arianna Gonzalez

Love Of My Life

Emma Helbling, Opinion Editor

Feeling ivisible during a relationship shouldn’t be happening.

What makes a lasting romantic relationship? How are we at fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen; supposed to love another person when we can’t even love ourselves? It seems that as soon as we entered high school, we put some nonexistent pressure on ourselves to get into a relationship.

Our expectations on what love is came from our familial relations and Disney movies. People think they need a partnership to complete the story that is their high school experience.

Feeling pressured to find your soulmate in high school is downright stupid. Your adolescent and high school experience should not be based on the romantic partners of your past. Who you date should not define who you are. That’s why I think relationship envy in teenagers and imposter syndrome go hand in hand.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “Imposter syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.”

Feeling like you don’t know yourself makes it near impossible for someone to be fully invested and there in a relationship. If you’re constantly doubting your accomplishments and achievements in your relationship, it becomes a tear in the very foundation that the relationship is based on.

Relationships should be based on the trust and love between partners. So when you add the ever present questions of ‘Am

I Enough’ or ‘Why Are They With Me?’ your partner begins to question everything about the relationship. All in all it’s just a never ending cycle of doubt that will ultimately cause the relationship to crumble in the end.

I think we teenagers need to remember that life isn’t always like it is portrayed on tv or on the internet. After all, do you see me walking around the school in six inch heels (the answer is no). So why would you compare yourself to people who aren’t real or have no idea who you are? Because I can promise that they don’t care, so stop holding yourself to some stupid invisble standard.

Any type of romantic relationship should not be about doubt or comparison or even loneliness. A relationship should be about love and trust. So when you can’t even love or trust yourself, how are you going to do that to someone else?

Please don’t jump into things like relationships because all your friends and classmates are. If you don’t actually like someone, don’t date them. It’s as simple as that. You can create some very bad situations really quickly if you’re not careful.

Do some soul searching and ask yourself some really important questions like: “Is this really what I want?” before dating someone.

Please remember that there’s no one else like you and you’re pretty amazing. If you or anyone you know is having problems with outsider syndrome please talk to them. A good friend who listens can solve more problems than most people think.

DON’T CRY PRETTY

-Emma Helbling, Opinion Editor

Beware of the water sign women.

According to Urban Dictionary, a female manipulator is “A woman or feminine presenting person (generally ages 15-25) who uses their mental illnesses to excuse their toxic traits or guilt their friends or partners into forgiving them. Generally you can spot them from their sad indie taste in movies, music etc. They are also generally into spirituality and wear a lot of jewelery and rings and passionate about feminism. Also probably showers once a week and never washes off the copious amounts of eyemakeup.”

The female manipulator movement was supposed to be the start of the new age of feminism; getting rid of the cringey boss babe aesthetic and moving towards more authentic type girl power. Instead, it did the opposite.

What once was a trend showcasing women and girls being their unapologetic self, soon became a way to excuse toxic behavior that we shame men for.

Important notice before we get into the issues with the female manipulator movement, this article is not me shaming women. I think that it’s amazing that women can express themselves freely in so many different ways. But using a movement to promote rude or ignorant behavior that we cancel men for is frankly just ridiculous.

Women should be able to build up their confidence without tearing down others. Frankly I think that statement goes for everyone regardless of their gender. Being kind should be a common decency that everyone embraces.

My main problem with the female manipulator movement besides the fact that manipulator is in the name; since when has it been okay to be a manipulator of any sorts? The movement isn’t about people being rude or being malicious, it’s supposed to be about women being confident.

My second problem with the movement is that it could be used to promote other toxic and disrespectful movements. I think anything that is described as a movement but has more bad things than good about it, is beneficial to anyone.

I think that anything in general, whether it be a post or a movement that spreads their agenda based on tearing people down, isn’t good for anyone. The Female Manipulator movement is a prime example of a good thing turned bad.

Why should you or anyone else have the right to shame other people for behavior, but it’s acceptable for you to have those behaviors? Where do we as a society draw the line?

This makes me fear for the future if these so called movements are actually causing more harm than good. Which brings me to my third and final problem with the Female Manipulator Movement.

What are the

positives of this movement? So you want to wear rings and not wash off your makeup whilst listening to Lana Del Rey. What right do you have to bring others down by being a total shrew? Why does being messy automatically equal mean?

The point is people; if these were guys acting this way, there would be riots.

Not washing off your makeup doesn’t make you any better than the rest of us.

“Using a movement to promote rude or ignorant behavior that we cancel men for is frankly just ridiculous.”

BOYS’ TENNIS

BOYS’

CROSS COUNTRY

“We had a couple seniors graduate last year and they played a big role on the team, so really the biggest challenge was just filling in their spots, but the boys have done really well with that,” Senior Brady Helbling

“Are biggest challenge as a team is finishing the game and scoring during the 2nd half,” Junior Wyatt Piehl

“I want all my teammates to keep getting good times every meet and finish top 10 in state this year as a team,” Sophomore Terry Brownotter

Photo by Lily Giggee

FOOTBALL

“Our team has done really well. We have a lot of younger girls who are dropping a lot of time and getting more confident in their swims and dives,” Senior Brooklyn Leingang

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

Senior Makenna Meshke going for the kill agaisnt Legacy.

ROUNDUP

BOYS’ SOCCER

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS’ GOLF VOLLEYBALL

“The biggest challenge this season has been us being able to stay physically and mentally ready for our games,” Senior Jackson Schmidt

“This year we really have pushed to have a short term memory when it comes to defeats. We try and look to improve in every aspect but it’s been hard to put the loses behind us,” Senior Makenna Meshke

“The team dynamic is like a family. We’re all very very close and we do lots of bonding activities to strengthen our team,” Senior Alexis Ritzman

“Coach Johs always tells us our main goal is to have fun, although this is important to us. Some other goals we have as a team is winning tournaments and a huge goal would be to win state and WDA,” Junior Ruby Heydt

Senior Brendan Hust and Senior Kaiden Steele sacking St. Mary’s Quaterback.

Photo By Lily Giggee

— Lily Giggee, Asistant Editor-in-Cheif

College athletes after high school

With many people graduating from high school there are more high school athletes continuing their athletic endeavors in college. Being an athlete in college brings a whole new set of challenges to being an athlete in college versus in high school among them dedicating more time to the sport and higher expectations to perform at the highest level possible.

“In high school there’s less pressure with staying in a sport and you can really work however hard or easy you want. Bismarck state college freshman Riane Skjod said. In college you’re expected to go above and beyond. You don’t get a gold star for doing what you’re supposed to do, it’s in many aspects like a job,”

Along with an increase in athletic expectations there is also an increase in academic expectations with athletes that attend BSC having to maintain a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in at least 12 credits throughout the entire year.

Some athletes prefer college to highschool because they have opportunities that they did not have in high school.

“I love meeting all the new people and being part of new cultures, also the independence it gave me,” Bismarck state college sophomore Sydney Gustavsson said.

Some athletes believe that when entering college everything ramps up and so should they in every aspect.

“College is always intense no matter in the weight room or in practice or even in classrooms.

Everything matters in college as an athlete,” Gustavsson said.

However, there are some negatives to college life whether it is learning about how to live on their own or having to figure out how to deal with the increase in athletic and academic expectations. They have to make sacrifices in some parts of their life.

“College becomes more difficult with the different challenges you face but there’s lots of people to help along the way,” Gustavsson said.

Some athletes find themselves missing high school and their old friends when they enter college. Some leap at the chance to meet new people and have a new routine.

“I kinda miss having a long run with all of my old teammates,” Skjod said.

Transitioning from high school athletics to college athletics can be difficult to some or, it can be something that people look forward to and enjoy. They can start over without their high school reputations following them to college.

“The one thing I wish I could go back and do is be more social. I was pretty quiet in high school and I feel like I missed out on a lot of opportunities because of it,” Skjod said.

Bismarck State College sophomore Sydney Gustavsson at a MHS volleyball game.

Photo by: Michael Pfliger

Bismarck State College freshman Raine Skjod in his BSC running gear.

Photo by: Michael Pfliger

“I love meeting all the new people and being part of new cultures, also the independence it gave me,”

Sports Spotlight

— Michael Pfliger

Junior Riley Myers pepraring to tee off.

Photo by: Michael Pfliger

Photo by: Michael Pfliger

With school beginning, so are sports. Among them is girls’ golf who began their season at the start of the school year. Many athletes see this season as a chance to be better than they were last year, where the team took third and Anna Huttl took fifth as an individual.

“I think members of our varsity team will place at least top 5 at state this season,” Junior Alexie Hagemeister said.

Girls’ golf has also had an increase in participation this year.

“Our team is mostly juniors but we did get a lot of younger girls on the team this year,” Junior Kambrea Jundt said

Some members of the team believe that the increase in team size will affect their season this year.

“Due to our size, I think there’s a little bit more competition for spots on tournaments,” Hagemeister said.

Some team members see golf as a fun passtime instead of as an intense competition where everything is serious. They also enjoy the social aspect of golf tournaments.

“I enjoy playing golf. It’s something I’m actually decent at. It’s also nice getting to meet new people at tournaments,” Hagemeister said.

Some team members see golf as a fun pastime instead of as an intense competition where everything is serious. They also enjoy the social aspect of golf tournaments.

The team has already started to see some success in the season.

“The varsity team has gotten first place quite a few times and Anna Huttl has gotten first too,” Jundt said.

Many athletes began playing their sport, because their parents encouraged them to try and they began to enjoy their sport.

“My dad would take me and my siblings to the driving range every once in a while as kids. So, when I was old enough, I joined the golf team. I actually almost quit after my first season because I thought most of the girls didn’t like me and I felt like I didn’t belong. Hagemeister said. I told my dad this and he said ‘Do you like playing golf?’, I said ‘Yes.’ So he said, ‘then forget those other girls and play it because you like it’, or something along those lines. I then signed up again the next year.”

“I enjoy playing golf. It’s something I’m actually decent at,”

Junior Magdalena Kleinknecht teeing off.