Students raise money for needy kids
Well Said:
There’s
no value l in something that isn’tt finished ished
Mrs. Watson, Teacher of the Month, gives advice to NS students on finishing what they’ve started
Upcoming events: Today: Minimum day Dec. 24-Jan. 4: Christmas break No school
Photo byy Raberta Garlick
Wednesday Dec 30: Girls basketball Wasatch @
!
!
BY MITCH MCCLELLEN
NS
Friday Jan 15: End of 2nd quarter
By the Numbers:
Amount of money the student body raised for the Sub for Santa drive this year
Number of kids in Sanpete county who will benefi e t from the money raised for the Sub for Santa Drive
This year NS high once again raised money for children in need through the Sub for Santa program. High school students were given incentives and motivation to donate. The school goal was to beat the $5,300 rasied last year, and there were competitions between classes and grades. Teachers also made wacky pleadges to do strange things if certain amounts of money were raised. One teacher, Brad Bentley, agreed to dress up as a woman for a day if the students raised $8,000. “I think it helps the students to see teachers getting involved.� said Bentley. Another teacher, Mrs. Hill agreed to dye her hair blond if the students brought in $5,000.
“I thought it would increase donations to Sub for Santa,� said Hill. Hill and other teachers felt that their pledge amounts were too high because they were based off ff of the $5,300 raised last year. The students fell short of their goal but still collected $2,512. This year has been harder economically, but the money is needed even more. Many students feel that the amount donated this year was a let down. “We didn’t get any large donations like we did last year,� said Bangerter. On top of this NS was not competing against Manti like they were last year and students were not allowed to ask businesses for donations either. The students were still able to raise money using a variety of methods. There were com-
petitions between individual classes and there was a competition between the grades to show what grade could bring in the most change. “The student body did a very good job with the penny wars, especially the freshmen,� said Bangerter. Bangerter and a few other students were also very successful going door to door to get donations from the community. Next year, Bangerter expects that more could be raised if more students go door to door sooner and if the fund raiser was promoted more in classes. “Each teacher needs to push it,� said Bangerter. All of the money raised by the high school goes to the Sub for Santa organization. Sub for Santa is a non-profit, program designed to help pro-
Parking pesters students
Final score of the girls basketball game against Gunnison High School
Approximate number of times a week O Officer Cole gives parking tickets at the High School
Place the NS Spiriteers took in oofficers routine at their last competition at UVU
Contents A & E.................5 Crossword..........6 Features..............2 News...................1 Sports.................3
BY ALISHA HA PECKHAM H As we start to get into the winter months and the snow falls, we all start to see more and more student cars parked in the faculty parkk ing lot. Of course that all makes sense due to the fact that students don’t want to walk in the cold or the snow longer than they have to in the mornings. “Parking in the faculty parking lot has become a real problem,� said Officer Cole Young. “It always does around this time of year.� Many students have found out that parkk ing in the faculty parking will land them with a ten dollar ticket. The inspection of the parkk ing lot are never done at the same time or the same day so many students take chances parking there, hoping they will not acquire themselves a ticket. “Students end up parking in there a lot, and teachers notice it as well as myself,� said Young. “I usually check the parking lot once or twice a week and give three to four tickets on average every time.� Many students on the other hand have suggestions, they don’t feel the parking spaces are being used the way they could be. Starting early in the morning when sports start their training, until the bell rings to go home, the parking lot is never filled to capacity. The teachers only take up about one half of the parking lot and the other half stays empty.
“I don’t see why we cannot park there when the parking spaces just stay empty,� said Laurel Blackham. “I think the seniors should be able to park there after 8:00 after all the teachers arrive.� Junior Carl Peckham feels the same way. “I don’t know why we have to park across the street when there are so many parking lot spaces that never get filled in the teacher’s parking,� Peckham said. There have been some other solutions suggested for this problem by many of the staff and students. “I think it would be a good idea to do a rewards system for students who excel, for example student of the month, athlete of the month or start a program where teachers can nominate students for excellence,� said Young. “Then they would have a parking pass for around a weeks time to park in faculty parking.� Blackham said, “Teachers should be assigned a spot and after that seniors should get their own sticker stating that they are a senior and be able to park there based on a first come first serve basis. Even though there are many suggestions for the parking problems as for right now the parking lot right in front of the school and the one directly behind it are for faculty parking only. Any student caught parking there for school hours will find themselves with a $10 fine.
vide Christmas gifts to children in families in Sanpete County that need financial help during the holiday season. Sub for Santa is entirely made up of volunteers, like Marlene Westlund. “Ninety-nine percent of the money goes back out to the public,� said Westlund. Sub for Santa receives applications requesting needed or wanted items from struggling parents or guardians. “We want every child to have at least one gift,� said Westlund. This year there have been over 270 applications for over 750 children in Sanpete. Times have been hard because of the bad economy, low pay and underemployment here in Sanpete. “Wages here are not what they are in other places. It’s hard to make ends meet,� said Westlund. Almost all of the money donated to the sub for Santa program stays here in Sanpete. “We try to support the local businesses,� said Westlund. The people who work
with the sub for Santa program look for donations year round. They also keep an eye open for good sales through out the year so they can help as many people as possible with what money they have. Sub for Santa usually spends about $25 per child. The money raised by the high school will be able to help about 300 children this year. “Without that money we have nothing,� Westlund said. With the money earned by the school, a few students were able to go help buy the items requested by buy those in need. They had a budget of $2,200 and they spent about $1,800 of it in one day. The students were given applications with children’s names, ages, sex and a short wish list. One of the students that helped with this was Bradi Goble. “It’s sad to see how many people in Sanpete don’t have a good Christmas,� said Goble. She also feels that every one should help more.
Problem solving team looks to implement RTI BY HANNAH ALDRIDGE Response To Intervention (RTI) is a program designed to provided students with more time to work on classes in which they are currently struggling. It gives students an extra 30 minutes to study. In order to implement the RTI program a group of specialists, called the Problem Solving Team, has been set up. The team consists of department heads at NS. Their job is to ensure that RTI works to its fullest potential. Nan Ault, NS Librarian and a member of the Problem Solving Team, believes that the school will benefit greatly from teachers collaborating in this way. “It is a very good move for a school to have teachers involved in the decision making process,� Said Ault “No one person has all the answers.� The Problem Solving teamshould be a great asset to NS High. However many concerns and uncertainties surround this new program. Since RTI requires 30 minutes of extra time for some students, all other class periods have to be shortened. These short periods are called a “Flex Period�. Some teachers are worried about how this will effect ff them. “We will have less preparation time,� said Jeff ff Ericksen, Health and Spanish teacher at NS, and a member of the Problem Solving Team. He believes that less time to prepare for a class a negative. However he feels that this is a sacrifice all the teaches at NS are willing to make. “We’re not entirely sure how it’s going to work out,� said Ericksen. He believes that some of the problems the school will encounter are how to enforce the program, or what to do with student who are already caught up. The Team is currently working on finding answers to these questions. RTI divides students into three separate categories called tiers based on their performance on evaluations. Tier one consists of students preforming at a proficient level. This level is targeted to students that receive normal instruction. Tier two is for students that almost have the concept, but require a little extra help. Tier three is for students who are below proficient. These students require intensive intervention. Often times this category goes to students with special needs and accommodation for learning. By breaking things up into these three sections, NS hopes to use RTI to it’s fullest potential. RTI is meant to increase the graduation rate and prepare students for college. It also hopes to provide students with more opportunities. It allows students that missed a day in school to make up that day, it also gives students extra study time. NS hopes that this program will be put into effect ff in Fall 2010.
2
NS teacher goes out of the way to help students versity where she attended for four years. She majored in home economics teaching and didn’t declare a minor but had enough credits to minor in clothing. Watson has been teaching at NS for four and a half years but will be leaving at the end of this semester. For all this time she has only been working half time and with the A/B schedule she works every other day, on B days. “I call it my light bulb lifestyle,� said Watson. Although Watson enjoys teaching and working only part time, the financial need at her house caused both her husband and her to start looking for full time work. She was the first to find it at a dress shop in Utah County. There she will be adjusting dresses for people and doing what she enjoys: sewing. “It’s kind of what brought me in and what is bringing me out,� said Watson. Watson contributes a lot to NS and many people will miss her and her work when she leaves. “She has helped me a lot,� said Raberta Garlick, this year’s Family and consumer science Sterling Scholar. Watson has spent a lot of time helping Garlick find service opportunities as she has done with other Sterling Scholars in the past. One of the services that Watson found for Garlick was makk ing beanies for the NS volleyball team after winning state. Not only does Watson help out the students but also has an effect ff on other teachers by her hard work. “She spends lots of hours over her contracted time preparing,� said Auralee Brooks, a FACS teacher at NS. Watson’s dedication to what she does reflects the care that she has for students at NS. “I enjoy the kids and the families that they come from,� said Watson. Watson said that she will miss the humor and the love of life that the students have. She also expressed that she will miss the girls giggling. Some advice that Watson gave to students attending NS is to finish what you have started.
Byy Kimberlyy Larsen
BY KIMBERLY LARSEN The classroom of Nanette Watson is obvious to its uses. Sewn wall hangings are tacked to the walls, jars of pins and needles line the shelves, and students can be seen checking out the child development dolls or finishing a sewing project. But soon, seeing these sights will not be a normal occurrence for Watson as she is leaving at the end of the semester. Watson is one of the FACS (family and consumer science) teachers at NS. She teaches child development, adult roles,
and sports sewing. Although she enjoys teaching all of these classes her overall favorite would be sewing. “Sewing is my passion,� said Watson. Watson’s love for sewing started at a very young age and was inspired by her mother who made all of her dresses and clothes. Watson, in turn, also made clothes, but for dressing her dolls in. Her sewing experience didn’t stop in her home. She went on to take sewing classes in high school and went beyond the required sewing courses and really enjoyed them. Watson also took sewing classes at Brigham Young Uni-
Student of the month brings unique style to NS through music and personality BY CARLYY CHAPMAN This month’s featured student is often characterized by a particular item of apparel. He wears this same item every day: a Real Salt Lake scarf, sporting the colors red and blue. “It’s just who I am,� said Zachary Hafen, junior. “I wanted to stick out instead of following the usual fashion status quo. Now everybody knows me by my scarf.� Hafen said the scarf caught his attention while at a gift shop with the NS boys’ soccer team last October. “I guess it shows his support to Real Salt Lake,� said Angie Hafen, mother and Ed-Net facilitator. “[The scarf] is good now it’s winter.� Hafen actively participates on the NS boys’ soccer team, actively persues earning an Associates Degree upon high school graduation, and actively explores his musical talents. Hafen described himself as patient, but still “a man of action.� “I consider myself an ultra-ultraconservative liberal,� Hafen said.
“I’m very humble-although most people wouldn’t know that... I try my best to be a very virtuous young man.� Hafen practices one aspect of his virtue in the classroom. Most of his classes are taken at the Ed-Net Learning Center across the street from NS to complete the requirements for an Associates Degree. He said two years of practically free college are enough incentive to take on the extra academic workload. He said he enjoys plenty of off-time ff and constantly increases his expansion of knowledge. “Along with the perks it gives me gloating rights,� Hafen said. Angie describes the academic Hafen as level-headed, but a procrastinator. “He doesn’t live by a timeline-that’s his weakness,� Angie said. “He’s very relaxed almost to a disadvantage.� Angie said he reads a lot, takes good notes and outlines, and puts quite a bit of research into papers. Sophomore Cameron Sego, Hafen’s cousin, said Hafen loves to learn and has a good work ethic to
reach his goals. “He gives so much time to study and get good grades to accomplish his goal,� Sego said. “He’s very intellectual. He knows a lot.� Sego said Hafen is also fun to hang out with and has a good sense of humor. “Most cousins will only get together at family reunions, but we get together almost every other night to do homework and play guitar,� Sego said. Hafen said that when nobody is looking, they get together and compose songs. “Music is my soul, and I only share that with very, very, very special people,� Hafen said. Hafen said that on occasion he plays inside Subway, the fast-food restaurant. He claims he collects rather large tips from the restaurant’s patrons; but when he gives NS hall performances he said he gathers the biggest tips. The cousins also snowboard together. “We’re two sides of the same coin,� Hafen said of his relationship with his cousin. “We’re different, ff
Textingg at NS has advantages g while excessive texting has disadvantages BY SHAYLA RICKS Texting is a popular trend in today’s youth. Whether it’s casual chatting or being up to date in today’s world, many people are becoming addicted to this now common way of communication. There are many ups and downs that come with texting. Some believe that texting is a very positive attribute to new technology, but according to Mykelin Christensen a sophomore from Mt. Pleasant, it has its disadvantages. “I don’t like texting all the time because it’s not very good communication,� said Christensen. “It’s fun just to talk to people though.� Many teens would agree with Christensen. “I don’t like when someone is trying to explain something and you don’t know what they mean,� said Carl Peckham a junior from Ft. Green. Other disadvantages of texting are running up the phone bill, sending a message to the wrong person or portraying the wrong image to someone. But there are advantages to over typical phone communication. “When you talk on the phone there is al-
ways awkward silences and you have to say something back fast,� said Ana Bentley, a Freshman from Mt. Pleasant. “When you’re texting someone you have more time to think of what to say and you can be doing other things while talking to them.� That is one advantage of texting. More advantages of texting is if you need to know something and if you need to know it fast you can just text someone. “I don’t like talking on the phone very much,� said Christensen. “Because you have to hold the phone up to your ear and can’t use both of your hands to do other things at the same time.� There are a lot of people that send over 5,000 text messages a month. Peckham is one of those people. Peckham said that he texts on average about 10,000 texts a month and the most he has ever texted in one month was 15,000 texts. That would be about 250 texts incoming and outgoing on average a day. “Sometimes I even text in the shower,� said Peckham. This partially explains how he texts that much in a day. There are many positive and negative uses for texting. Everyone has their own opinion on those uses.
Photo byy Carlyy Chapman
but the same.� Hafen associates with many outside of family. Angie describes him as a friend to all. “He has friends... from all groups,� Angie said. “He’s friends
with many.� One need not be surprised if given a friendly smile or a kind phrase from Zachary Hafen, the friendly youth wearing his blue and red scarf.
) !*+) +!&% #!% &) + ), )0 + + *+ + !* %, )0 ,%!&)* 0&, % +& *! % ,' +& + " + + # *+ &% +!$ + !* 0 ) &. * ,#!% 1* ## &,%* #&)* &) &# )* !'* '&*+ &% & ) )&** )&$
%!&)* % &,) +& + " &## $',* +&,)* &%+ + 1 +& + * &&# / ,* $!% ) &*+ &## ''#! +!&%* ) , +. % $ ) % ), )0 %!&)* &) !+!&% # #' .!+ *+ ) ' * &# )* !'* ) ) /'#&) +!&% &## * # +!&% + -!*!+ ... ,+ ,+,) * &) &) +, %+ &$ &) !% &)$ +!&% &) (, *+!&%* &,+ * &# )* !'* % + *+* -!*!+ 1 %* % )! + &) + !* # # + + + &,%* #
1st Place: The little boy watches as the pretty tree burns. -Brady Walker
2nd Place: And finally, after much begging and pleading, the children let Santa go. -Becca Rigoli
3rd Place: I awakened to a muffled
“HELP!� Coming from the narrow chimney. -Zack Ence Honorable Mention: A “winter wonderland� is meant to stay outside of the house. -Alex Sorensen Honorable Mention: I got just what I wanted... so excited, I threw up. -Dax Higgins
3
Hawks’ center inspires team with leadership BY BRA RANDI PEA E HL Towering over many students and athletes, Nathan Aagard has developed a love for sports, especially basketball. Aagard, a senior from Fountain Green, has played basketball for the high school team for four years. He also played baseball until he decided that playing one sport was enough. During his junior year he began starting varsity for basketball. That focus has paid off for Aagard as he has become an excellent player for the Hawks. “Aagard is one of the best players,� said Bull Keisel, the head boys’ basketball coach. One way that Aagard has become a good player is from consistent practice. Having the highest field goal and free throw percentages, along with being consistent, has earned Aagard recognition. Recently Aagard was named KMTI’s Player of the Game at the game against South Sevier. The award is given through the local radio station with support from local businesses. The player gets a free meal and a certificate while the business gets advertising. Aagard has had to work
hard in order to become the player that he is. He has learned many things from playing basketball. According to Aagard he has learned discipline, how to work hard and how to stick with something. He has also developed “sick handles and dunks.� Over the years he has improved his basketball skills. According to Keisel he has gotten stronger, better defensively and improved his shooting and rebounding. “He is a great offensive ff rebounder,� Keisel said. Though coaches find him a great player, Aagard plays for other reasons. “I play just for fun, completely,� said Aagard. While establishing basketball skills, Aagard has also had to maintain a good GPA. He has kept a cumulative GPA above a 3.6 while playing sports. He attributes this to a policy which states that a player must maintain good grades in order to play. Maintaining grades has not been a problem for Aagard. He keeps a positive attitude both on and off ff the court. According to Keisel, he has always been positive and encouraged other players. “I appreciate his great attitude and ability to execute what we’re trying to do as a
!# % # % # "!$%$ &" !# " $$ &# # % ! $% ! !
team,� Keisel said. Not only do coaches respect Aagard’s attitude but his other teammates do as well. “He’s always happy,� said Chaz Jorgensen, a senior of Mount Pleasant. Other teammates respect and look up to Aagard which has helped to establish friendships
both in and out of practice. “[My teammates] are all good friends of mine, especially the seniors,� said Aagard. Coaches also look to Aagard for his on-court leadership. “I appreciate his great attitude and ability to execute what we’re trying to do as a team,� Keisel said.
Being happy has also helped Aagard in other aspects of his life. Having a positive attitude helped him become a student body off ficer. He is now the Activity Agent. “It’s fun to know what’s going on and have a say in something,� said Aagard. Aagard doesn’t plan on playing on a college team but
Photo byy Paul Cook
does hope to join an intramural team. He can use lessons learned in basketball to help him in the future. Lessons such as dedication, calmness, leadership and commitment. “I want to see him succeed,� said Jorgensen.
Ladyhawks rely on seniors to earn 3-4 record Spiriteers struggle at first competition, make strides in second BY AMANDA CLA L RK
Photo provided byy Trevor Ivory
!# & # # #$! $ !& $ !% $% ! % !$$ &% ( $ ' #) !$
BY AMYY BANGERTER A With several games behind them, the NS girls’ basketball team is workk ing hard to accomplish new goals, overcome challenges, and work their way towards a winning season. “We’re getting better but we have a long way to go,� said Coach Cheryl Hadley. “The last games have been less chaotic than the first one. We need to get our inside game working better for us and we just lack experience there.� The team started off ff the season by making individual and team goals to help them be better on and off ff the court. “For the team goals we want to take region, [have] less turnovers for the team, and take state,� said senior Kara Anderson. In order to achieve these goals as a team, each player has to individually work hard to improve on the court. According to Anderson her goals include scoring in the double digits and fewer turnovers each game. There are many challenges to overcome as a team, but the players feel that by communicating they will learn to work together. “I feel that we are still not working much as a team,� said senior Erica Draper. “But we have improved.� Along with communication and teamwork, the girls are working to im-
prove their shooting. “It’s just a matter of more game experience,� Hadley said. “We shoot a lot in practice; we’ve just got to make them in the game.� According to Hadley each player has a different ff day when they struggle on the court. They find ways to make their game work by helping each other out during games. “Shelby has scored well for us,� Hadley said. “When she hasn’t been able to make a basket, Kara has.� On December 4-5, the Ladyhawks attended a tournament in Uinta and won two out of their three games. They beat Orem and Moffat ff and had a close loss against Uinta. The tournament helped many of the players know what they need to do to be successful. “It helped us pinpoint what we need to work on—working as a team and not just having individual parts,� Draper said. “We need to pick it up.� There are many things the coaches and players are doing to “pick it up�. “We’re trying a few different ff combos in the post just to see what we can figure out,� Hadley said. There are other positions that are also getting direct attention due to challenges. “Another challenge is finding a substitute rotation for our guards,� Hadley said. “I have a lot of guards. It’s a good challenge to have because they can all
bring something to the team.� There are many young players on the team who are learning and some of them will have opportunities to step up during the season. “Juniors are going to have to step in there and play,� said Hadley. Many of the younger players are excited to see the season progress, and are hoping for some strong support. “Come support the sophomore games—we matter too,� said sophomore Shakara Merrill. The Ladyhawks are hoping for a successful season and are keeping a positive attitude. “I think we will do good; we have a good team,� Merrill said. “We have some good players with good experience and good coaches.� Merrill is not the only one who can see success for the team. “If we work hard we can take region, and if we work even harder we can take state,� said Draper. Figuring out the right combinations and working together will help the Ladyhawks accomplish these goals, but there will be obstacles along the way. “I think we’re in a tough region,� said Hadley. “I think the same thing—if we get things going in the right direction, we can definitely get first—but it’s going to be a tough region.�
Every morning the NS Spiriteers arrive at six a.m., ready to put forth their energy and get better at what they love: dancing. The season started out with a competition held the first weekend in December. The competition was held in Davis where they competed against other 3A schools and received fifth in officers, third in military, third in hip hop, and third in kick routine. Sadie Ivie, senior captain of the drill team, said that they went into the competition not as prepared as they would like to have been, but they seemed to have stepped it up. “We did the best we could considering the circumstances,� Ivie said. “I am really proud of everyone.� Ivie also mentioned that she didn’t feel intimidated at the competition. She felt like they were on the same level with the other schools that they participated against. “It was pretty good,� sophomore Aubrey Blackham said. “From where we were coming from we seemed to really put it all together.� In order to raise their level of competition, Ivie said the team has a need to stay focused and be productive in all of their practices. Also, concentrating on making routines clean and sharp is what is needed to improve as a team and individually. “We need to have good practices and attitudes and the want to improve,� Ivie said. The team was a lot more confident at the second competition the following week. Ivie said that due to the practices that week and the experience from the earlier competition, they seemed to be less stressed and a lot more confident in what they were doing. “We were a lot more prepared and we felt more confident,� senior Tiffany ff Taylor said. The teams hard work awarded them with a tie for first place in officers, and fourth place in Military and hip hop. In the kick routine they received fifth, competing with eight other teams Team members also pointed out that trying to improve their technique and scores are things they are working toward. “I love competitions,� Taylor said. “They are just so much fun and exciting. I love hearing what the judges have to say.� Each member of the team, whether it’s the rush of performing or the memories made, loves the experiences they have on the drill team and have a great desire to dance. “I like that you can get a team of girls to do the same thing at the same time set to music,� Ivie said. “Nothing is ever the same--we get to act like a certain character to entertain an audience.�
4
Boys’ basketball faces challenges as the season continues
Photo byy Paul Cook
# $ !# $ &# ! $% ! ! !$% %! ! !
BY PAUL COOK Last Wednesday the Hawks played South Summit and gained their third victory of the season. With only a few seconds left in the game the Hawks were up by one when Dallen Bird was charged with a technical foul. After two successful free throws by South Summit
the Hawks were down by one. But thanks to a clutch three point shot by Colton Dunn at the buzzer, the Hawks came out on top. The final score was 46-44. The Hawks also did very well in free throws, shooting eighty-four percent. Though the Hawks pulled out a win, the start of the season has not been smooth.
“We haven’t done too good so far,� said junior Carl Peckham. “We are going to do better we just need to keep our composure.� Other players have similar feelings. “We are still in our learning stage,� said senior Nathan Aagard. “We haven’t done as well as we had hoped but things should improve.� North Sanpete’s coaching staff
is working hard to help the Hawks play their best. Players are grateful for their help. “They are very dedicated and they keep us motivated,� said junior Dallen Bird. Along with help from coaches, teammates do their best to help each other. One player who stands out to other players on the team is Nathan Aagard. “Nathan never gets mad but he always encourages you,� said Peckk ham. In turn Aagard has things he admires about his teammates. “They get all the ladies, and they’re fun to be around, and they have sick handles and dunks,� said Aagard. Since last season, NS basketball has improved in many ways. “We are better at breaking presses,� said Peckham. “We aren’t as intimidated by other teams.� These improvements will help the Hawks reach the goals that they have set. “We want to win a lot of games and be the greatest team to ever walk the face of the earth,� said Aagard. Along with the joy that comes with winning games, NS basketball players play for other reasons.
“I like the flow of the game,� said Peckham. For the first game of the season the Hawks faced the Gunnison bulldogs. The Hawks came out on top with a score of 64-54. One of the highlights of the game was a drive by Dallen Bird that led to his first dunk of the season. The next week NS suffered ff their first loss to the South Sevier 48-28. The Hawks suffered ff in free throw shooting making only forty-one percent from the line. North Sanpete participated in the Sevier Valley tournament where they had one loss to the Wasatch Tigers and one win against Canyon View. Rhett Bird hit four from behind the arc and had twenty-six points total. After the tournament the Hawks returned to North Sanpete to play their second home game against the Ben Lomond Scots. They lost with a score of 45-33. Dallen Bird led the hawks with fifteen points. The following Friday the Hawks played the wolves at North Sevier High School. North Sanpete lost a close game. In the end the score was North Sanpete 67, North Sevier 73. Rhett Bird had twenty-three points, nine of which came from three-point shots.
NS wrestling season starts off off rough, inexperience results in loss
Photo byy Lexi Turley T
# %%$ (# $% $ $ " ! !$ !""! % % %
& % # $$ !&# %
BY CHA HANA T HOMPSON NS starts their season with much difficulty but works hard toward improvement and a winning record. At the end of a long tournament or duel, despite NS wrestling team efforts, ff they usually don’t come out with the upper hand. The first duel NS attended this season was held at
Delta High against the Rabbits. Only three NS wrestlers won, and the team lost by 48 points. This was a hard first duel for NS because Delta has been known to excel specifically in the sport of wrestling for many years in Region 12. Despite the difficulty NS wrestlers look past the negative to what the experience at each tournament or duel can
teach about improving their technique. “I think we’ve made vast improvement in work ethic and leadership,� said Head Coach Tanner Cowan. “We struggle in our tournaments but we’re a really young team.� According to Cowan, he believes the team learns a lot when they wrestle other athletes who may have more experience. At the Millard Iron Man tournament, North Sanpete only won one duel due to the fact that some of the top teams in the state were present at the tournament. NS took 10th out of 11 teams. The Millard Iron Man was challenging for NS because of the lack of numbers in upperclassmen. Mostly varsity athletes from other schools attended, consisting of juniors and seniors. Hawk wrestlers were at a disadvantage since the team is made
up of mostly freshman and sophomores. 21 out of the 33 athletes on the team are made up of sophomores and freshman. “These tough matches get us better faster,� said Cowan. “You’re only as good as the toughest kid you wrestle.� The home duel against Richfield ended in loss, but wrestlers showed some potential. “The duel went well but we could have perfected our movements and shots against the other team,� said Marcos Murillo a junior from Moroni. “We could have won.� At the Juab Winter Classic tournament, NS didn’t do well the first day playing against Freemont, Altamont, Salem Hills and Timpanogos. The only duel they won was against Timpanogos. “It was a good experience for those who needed it,� said junior Taylor Walker. “I got a lot of mat time.�
The second day of the tournament was much better for NS. They beat San Juan, Juan Diego, ALA, and West Lake and only lost to Manti. “It was a good tournament because a lot of guys got their first wins,� said Cameron Turley, a senior from Wales. Wrestling is a very strenuous sport and some may question why one would put himself through all of conditioning, practice and weight maintenance. Rian Sackett, a senior from Moroni, likes the difficulties that wrestling provides. “It’s challenging and it’s worth it in the end,� said Sackett. “It helps me to mentally and physically improve.� Murillo started wrestling when his friends recruited him; he wanted to try something new. “I think we’re a motivated team and that gets us going,� said Murillo.
Cowan believes a couple of the team’s strengths are their stance and their ability to be good listeners. “We are getting better,� said Cowan. “If you don’t get taken down, then it’s pretty hard to get beat.� The coaches work hard to help the athletes improve. “The coaches condition us really well but most of the stuff ff they teach us is technique,� said Sackett. According to Murillo the coaches teach them to never give up and to always work hard. Cowan coaches because he has done it all his life and it’s something he knows how to do. “I know what it feels like to be a good wrestler,� said Cowan. “I’ve felt what it feels like to win and I know how great of feeling that is. I know the life value it’s taught me and that’s what I want them to feel and to know.� The dedication of the coaches helps to better the weaknesses that the team has. The team is improving with their physical techniques, but they struggle with their mental strength. “Our minds are pretty weak mentally,� said Cowan. “If we’re not tough enough we fold. When we wrestle really good guys it’s hard for us to stay with them and to finish because mentally we’re not strong enough right now.� Along with mental weakk ness, Murillo believes that the team is not being confident. Although the team has a lot against them, Cowan feels very sure that they will get better and that the stronger wrestlers who are experienced will be able to hang with the good guys at state. “I think if the team goes 100%, and keeps pushing hard then we’ll take 3rd at State,� said Sackett. Cowan predicts that the team will do okay considering the inexperience and young athletes. “You get out of it what you put into it,� said Cowan. “Every day and in every way, we get a little better.�
5
Choir blends voices for holiday performance BY ALEXIS FRYER On the night of December 3rd the auditorium quickly filled in anticipation for an annual Christmas event. The NS choir, directed by Carisa Roberson, prepared to perform an array of holiday music for family and friends. The concert may have been most meaningful for those performing. “It’s a lot of fun,� said Torri Egan, senior. Egan said that the concert went well, and she enjoyed her part in it. Egan was one in a group of four girls who sang a song called “Angel’s Carol.� Throughout the concert there were five small groups, which performed in addition to the choir. Roberson also included songs with a percussion accompaniment to create a variety. There were few secular songs included in the concert program, the rest being a range of religious pieces. Roberson said that when looking for music she tries to choose a variety of both styles and time periods. “I take a lot of time choosing music,� said Roberson. All the time searching paid off ff when she was able to experience the final product. “I was happy with [the concert] overall,� Roberson said. “We were right where we need to be for this time of year.� Roberson said that she felt it was better than the fall concert and they
had improved in several aspects. She stated it was a good place to be in preparing for the spring concerts and festivals. The students also were aware of improvements that need to be made in further preparation. “We could have listened more to each other and to the accompaniment,� said Dominick Kiefer, senior. Kiefer said the performance was good, but that they could do much better. The performance ended as it has for many years with the singing of “Carol of the Bells,� directed by Dr. Roy Ellefsen. Ellefsen was the NS choir instructor for many years before he retired two years ago. Roberson wanted to continue the tradition that Ellefsen put in place, as well as make the students comfortable with their recent change in leadership. “I wanted it to be a smooth transition,� Roberson said. The students said they enjoyed when Ellefsen came to work with them. “I like his conducting for that song, he gets very into it,� Kiefer said. There have been many adjustments to make over the past couple of years and challenges always come in putting on a performance, yet students still find pleasure being part of the choir and working toward each goal. “It’s a lot of hard work, but the end product is so beautiful,� Egan said.
Bands bring excitement to concert
! "
BY AMANDA JOHA HANSEN The N.S. bands performed on Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00 p.m. With past outstanding performances, they were expected to do well. The evening opened with the Jazz Band. They practice every morning as a zero hour class. “Every single day was worth it,� said Dyllon Tabler, a senior of Fairview. “Every day missed is a day going backk wards.� The music ranged in variety from “The Peanuts’ Theme Song� to “I’ll be Home for Christmas�. Songs were played fluently, and soloists brought the emotion of the music to the audience. With the closing of the Jazz portion by playing a bright, and bouncy version of ‘We Three Kings’, the concert transi-
tioned to percussion. Though their performance was short and sweet, there was some kick to it. A student in the ensemble, Nathan Beck, had transcribed the “Hallelujah Chorus� from Handle’s Messiah. “Kidder did his own ‘Carol of the Bells’, and I just wanted to so something like that,� said Beck. Through time and dedication, Beck’s arrangement was performed in the latter parts of the percussion performance, after which the change to Symphonic Band was made. The final section of the concert opened with humor as band students stood for Timothy Kidder, NS band director, as he entered the stage. The gesture was rejected and Kidder ordered the students to sit down as he introduced the next few songs.
The first piece performed was conducted by Music Sterling Scholar Devin Shelley. Shelley lead the band in “Midway March� written by John Williams and arranged by John Moss. “It was a fun opportunity to experience another side of the music,� said Shelley. The performance continued with compositions including “Greensleeves.� The concert was closed with an arrangement of “Carol of the Bells� by Sean O’Loughlin. Kidder and the students received a standing ovation for their performance. “Though this was not the band’s best performance, as can be expected for a concert, there is proof of improvement,� Kidder said. “They’re starting to play as a band, and not just as individuals.�
Disney’s Princess and the Frogg entertains, but doesn’t dazzle BY W HITNEY NAFUS Disney has returned to its traditional handdrawn animation. This rediscovery has lead to response in large numbers. This 2-D animation comes with lush fluid backgrounds, vibrant characters, and humorous situations that will keep you smiling. The Grimm Brothers’ fairytale, The Princess and the Frog gives a modern twist to the classical tale. Set in the 1920s in jazz-soaked New Orleans, heroine Tiana (Anika Rose) has a dream she would open her own restaurant that her Father James (Terrence Howard) had dreamed. Working non-stop with two jobs, Tiana has no time for fun or princes unlike her rich friend Charlotte ( Jennifer Cody). So, when an actual prince decides to come from overseas, everyone gets excited.
Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) was cut off ff from his parents’ money because of his behavior. The objective for his visit was to find a wealthy bride. Due to the prince’s title, Dr. Facilier (Keith David), known as the shadow man, targets Price Naveen for his wealth. Dr. Facilier has voodoo magic that was borrowed from “friends from the other side.� Wanting to control the city of New Orleans, the shadow man turns the prince’s butler into a look-alike version of the prince. Planning to split the money, the two tricked the prince. Price Naveen escaped, but only after he was turned into a frog. Tiana ends up kissing the prince, who thinks Tiana is indeed an actual princess. Bribed by a promised reward, Tiana kisses the prince and ends up as a frog herself. The two are then forced to travel together in search of
a cure. Along the way they meet a trumpet playing alligator named Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley). Louis wanting to play jazz tells them of Mama Odie ( Jennifer Lewis), a 197 year-old blind women. Hoping she can turn them all to humans, they set out with the help of Ray ( Jim Cummings) a comical, romantic firefly showing them the way. The heroine in this animation doesn’t play the damsel in distress. It shows a girl trying to reach her dream instead of waiting for it to happen. Although the story line is easy to read, it still had some surprises. The songs weren’t as memorable as other Disney classics, but were fun and upbeat. This movie is one to watch with the family and gives a positive message to all the audience no matter the age.
Let’s Talk Holiday Traditions Alisha Chamberlain, junior from Fairview “On Christmas our whole family gets together and we watch a lot of movies; we always watch Elff and Christmas Vacationn. Yes, they’re pretty awesome and really fun. We always have a good time together.� Colton Dunn, sophomore from Fairview “Every Christmas Eve me and my siblings lay on our abdominals on the front room carpet next to the Christmas tree waiting for Santa Claus. I also always snuggle my 3x3 portrait of Jesus.� Ronnie Brewer, senior from Spring City “Every year early Christmas morning, I get up, get my mom’s kitchen-ware and make drums. I’m just pounding, and then I get out the karaoke machine and rock like a rock star. Then me and my brothers run around the block in our underwear.� Kyle Anderson, sophomore from Fairview “At approximately 12:06 a.m. I scamper down stairs and make some hot chocolate and start baking cookies. Then I put in the Polar Express. After I cry deeply at the end of the movie, I put in a happy movie like How The Grinch Stole Christmas. After the movie is over I go back to sleep until morning.� Antonia Ricks, senior from Fairview “On Christmas Eve we open one present, which is always pajamas and slippers. We put on our pajamas and watch a Christmas movie. We all sleep in the same room and stay up late. I love it and it’s so much fun. Matthew, [my brother], talks in his sleep and tell us about his weird friends. It’s hilarious.�
6
Cognitive Quest Freshmen How much money did the school raise for Sub for Santa?
Sophomore What does the acronym UBSCT stand for?
Junior Who is the protagonist in the novel The Catcher in the Rye?
Senior Where will the winter olympics be held this year?
IN THE
Halls
While walking down the halls at the school, you hear some bizarre things g that make no sense when context. Here are a few of the funnitaken out of est ones we’ve heard.
)6477 &.4 /38+66958+* #'=146 ";/,8 7 % ';'6* 75++). &.4 /7 8.+ 2'/3 ')846 /3 8.+ 24:/+ 8 7 &43*+6,91 /,+ &.4 2'*+ 8.+ 1'6-+78 2+6/)'3 ,1'- &.4 5'/38+* #.+ "8'66= /-.8 &.4 /7 )437/*+6+* 8.+ -6+'8+78 .+':= ;+/-.8 ).'25/437./5 (4<+6 &.'8 ,'2497 '(41/8/43/78 ,493*+* #.+ /(+6'846 3+;75'5+6 &.4 5'/38+* 8.+ 43' /7' &.'8 )42547+6 ;'7 )4251+8+1= *+', &.47+ 5+3 3'2+ /7 6 "+977 &.4 ;'7 1'84 7 8+').+6 &.4 ;648+ #;/1/-.8 &.4 ;648+ 8.+ .':+ ' *6+'2 75++). &.4 ;'7 8.+ 6+3). 25+646 /3 8.+ 8. )+3896= &.4 /7 43 8.+ *411'6 (/11 &.'8 (/11/43'/6+ *6455+* 498 4, ./-. 7).441 &.4 ;'7 8.+ ,/678 2'3 43 8.+ 2443 &.4 ;'7 8.+ */6+)846 4, 8.+ 24:/+ 7=).4 &.4 ;'7 43+ 4, 8.+ 1+'* +'81+7 7/3-+67 '3* ('77 -9/8'6 51'=+6 &.4 ;'7 8.+ /3- 4, !4)0 &.4 */7)4:+6+* 8.+ 8.6++ 1';7 4, 248/43 &.'8 393 ;'7 034;3 ,46 .+6 ).'6/8= &.4 .'7 ' 2918/ ';'6* ;/33/3- 8'10 7.4; &.4 ;648+ 8.+ (440 /-.8 &.4 /3:+38+* 8.+ 1/-.8 (91(
4;3 &.4 ;648+ #.+ ")'61+8 +88+6 &.47+ 6+'1 3'2+ /7 1*6/)0 #438 &.47+ 5+3 3'2+ /7 '60 #;'/3 &.'8 '98.46 7 6+'1 3'2+ /7 4'33+ 966'= &.'8 78'6 -48 )98 ,642 8.+/6 ./-. 7).441 ('70+8('11 8+'2 &.4 5'/38+* #.+ &++5/3- &42'3 &.'8 7)/+38/78 .'7 )6'>= .'/6 &.4 /7 8.+ :4/)+ 4, 8.+ -+3/+ /3 1'**/3 &.4 /3:+38+* 8.+ 8+1+5.43+ &.4 .'7 8.+ 2478 741* '1(92 /3 8.+ ;461* &.4 ;'7 '77'77/3'8+* '8 46* 7 #.+'8+6 &.'8 ,'2497 78'6 ;'7 /3 &'/8 $38/1 '60 &.4 ;648+ 8.+ 86'-+*= ')(+8. &.47+ (/68.*'= /7 43 +(69'6= 3* &.4 ;'7 8.+ ,/678 ;42'3 84 ,1= '3 '/651'3+ &.4 /7 8.+ 3* 6/).+78 2'3 /3 8.+ ;461* &.4 ;'7 8.+ 8. $ " 56+7/*+38 &.4 ;'7 8.+ 2478 54591'6 34:+1/78 4, 8.+ %/)846/'3 6' &.4 ;648+ #.+ "8'6 "5'3-1+* '33+6 &.4 5'/38+* 8.+ )+/1/3- 4, 8.+ "/78/3+ .'5+1 &.47+ ,'2497 1'78 ;46*7 ;+6+ 8 89 698+ &.4 .'7 ;43 8.+ 2478 1=25/) 41* +*'17 &.4 78'68+* &'1 '68
( $ $+# ( ( & $ $+# ( %"# $+# % ( %$ $ ! %+" ( " ( # +$ ' $ ' $ " ' # $ ' %#$ $ #$ ( %" % # + $ ' $ ( %( & "( # $ " ( ' $ $ & $ # % & " !! # ! $# $ " # # " %+" #% # %$ % ( %" " ## $ %( ) + $ # "$ #$ " # ( % ' * ) $+# # ( ( %+" $ ' " +# $ #$ $ * + " ## ' " ( $+# %#$ $ ' "$ $ $ $ " ## # $ %$ $ ' $ %(