October 2017

October 2017

Learn about the history of the ROCK at St. Mary’s |page 2

Get to know North Dakota’s new distracted driving laws |page 6

Look back at homecoming with a court interview |page 10

Senior athletes share tips about their sports |page 13

St. Mary’s Central High School | 1025 N 2nd St. Bismarck, ND 58501 | October 2017

October 2017

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader, It is finally fall which basically means it’s Halloween season!! I know, Halloween is actually only one day, and therefore does not have its own season but I firmly believe that Halloween deserves it! So even though the rest of the world may not recognize it as one, here at the Messenger, we would like to wish you all a happy Halloween season.

Now, I understand that this month’s edition doesn’t come with any actual candy, but it is still full of treats for everyone to enjoy! From an inside look at how the ROCK began and the exciting things we can expect from it this year, to goofy rants about a family minivan, you’ll be sure to find something sweet in this edition to enjoy.

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Jordan Aberle Editor-in-Chief

OUR MISSION We value our readers, plain and simple. We love to see the smiles on people’s faces when their names make headlines. We love to hear people laughing at our bad jokes that always seem to make their way into everything we write. We work our hardest to make the Messenger something St. Mary’s can be proud of.

OUR EDITORS JORDAN ABERLE Editor-in-Chief

ANTHONY VECCHIA Layout Editor

KAMRYN HELLMAN Feature Editor

AUDREY WENTZ Opinion Editor

AMELEA CALDWELL Entertainment Editor

AMALIA THOMAS Religion Editor

ANDERSON HAGEROTT Sports Editor

OUR WRITERS Megha Bharadwaj Allison Braun Darian Coghlan Andrea Frank Kathryn Goettle Julia Jaramillo

Aubrey Roemmich Trysten Ruhland Rachel Rusch Kendall Tibor Grace Volk

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13 NEW DISTRACTED DRIVING LAWS Learn more about new laws that could effect you

MEET THE 2017 HOMECOMING COURT Learn more about the people you voted for and check out this interview with the court

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT Senior athletes give insight into their high school athletic careers

CONTACT US Website: www.smmessenger.wixsite.com/2017-18 Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org Facebook: SM Messenger Instagram: SM_Messenger Twitter: @SM_Messenger

FEATURE

The ROCK: Something Solid

Learn about the history of the ROCK at St. Mary’s before attending the first event of the year | Kendall Tibor & Kathryn Goettle

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ave you been scouring the encyclopedias for some small little article on those nice little pieces of earth known as rocks?

Well congratulations, you have grown in patience because this is not an article about those types of rocks. This is an article about a much bigger and more important ROCK.

THE FORMATION OF A ROCK

The word ROCK at St. Mary’s stands for “Reaching Out to Christ’s Kingdom.” It is an event that was first started by Monsignor James Shea, Mr. Jerome Richter and Mr. Reed Ruggles in 2004. The foundation of the ROCK came about because these three knew that the Bismarck Diocese needed an event that would help students encounter Christ on a deeper level. Monsignor Shea said, “We founded the ROCK as an intense and large-scale experience of evangelization for both students at St. Mary’s Central High School and public school students from Bismarck/Mandan and the surrounding region. We wanted to deepen the experience of faith for SMCHS students while also reaching out to others.”

After Monsignor, Mr. Richter, and Mr. Ruggles decided to start the ROCK, Mr. Ruggles took a trip to St. Paul, Minnesota to consult with a group who had an event similar to the ROCK. On

his way back from St. Paul, the Bible verse Matthew 7:24-25 came into his head. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.”

He was inspired by the verse and came up with the name ROCK. Along with that, “Reaching Out to Christ’s Kingdom” just seemed to fit.

The first year of the ROCK had monthly events, unlike the current four times a year. “Those first experiences of the ROCK were astonishing, and God granted to us deep and consoling fruits from the very beginning. You had the sense that something new was beginning, as Bismarck had not seen anything like the ROCK for young Catholics.” Monsignor Shae said.

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“We

founded the ROCK as an intense and large-scale experience of evangelization for both students at St. Mary’s [...] and public schools.”

-Monsignor James Shea

FAST FACTS

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The ROCK was started in 2004 by then chaplain Monsignor Shea

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The ROCK was originally held monthly

All 9th-12th graders are welcome

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The first ROCK of the year is on October 11th The ROCK is named after the Bible verse Matthew 7:24-25

A chicken roams the gym after being revealed as the mystery prize.

GIVING STUDENTS A ROCK SOLID FOUNDATION

The ROCK also inspired the formation of smaller groups such as the Knights of Virtue. They now meet every month that the ROCK is not taking place in order to keep students solid in their faith.

There are four ROCK events each year taking place on Wednesday nights at St. Mary’s Central High School. This year the dates are October 11th, December 13, February 7th, and April 18.

Each ROCK has a different speaker, theme, activity and plenty of food.

There is extensive planning that goes into the ROCK each year, mostly done by the assistant chaplains, Fr. Johnson and Mr. Emmel. The majority of which is done in July at the Assistant Chaplains’ retreat. Mr. Emmel said, “At one point during the retreat, we are locked in a planning meeting, and we don’t get out of this ‘conclave’ until all the events of the year take shape.”

An evening at the ROCK would include hearing a dynamic speaker, going to adoration and confession, listening to music, participating in an extreme activity, dressing up to fit the theme, and possibly winning a chicken or another wonderful prize. People can come and go as they please throughout the night. Almost anyone can attend, including youth groups, teachers, and students in grades 9-12. Mr. Emmel encourages everyone to tell their friends because, “No one can come unless they know about it.”

You might not be interested in the prizes, food, or

amazing activities, but Mr. Emmel urges students to attend anyways, saying, “The ROCK is an opportunity four times a year to help students to be rock solid in their faith. Some of the most exciting moments I’ve had at St. Mary’s have been at the ROCK. It’s an opportunity for us to be real with each other, to share Christian joy with our school family and with those who don’t have the opportunity to study the Faith at their high school.”

The next ROCK will take place on Wednesday, October 11th. When asked about the speaker, Mr. Emmel said, “You will soon find out! (Timing is everything).” The theme is something never done before: ROCK-tober. Guests are invited to dress as their favorite punk rockers and rock legends, but dressing up is not required. However, if you do dress up, you will have a chance to win a $50 iTunes gift card or a mystery prize. After the speaker and adoration, everyone is invited to “saddle up for some s’mores, cocktail weenies, and roaring bonfires.”

Each person who attends the ROCK enjoys a different aspect of it. Mr. Emmel’s favorite thing about it is, “It provides students and teachers an opportunity for human formation, where we get to learn, laugh, and pray together.” Victoria Windsor, senior, said she enjoys the ROCK because it “can bring the faith into a fun-filled, exciting environment that makes everyone want to learn more.” Come for yourself and see what your favorite part is. If you are still skeptical about this event named after an earth formation, at least come for the free food!

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2017 Buddy Walk: A Huge Success

Read about the students who helped at the highly successful Buddy Walk event at the State Capitol grounds

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he North Dakota Designer Gene’s Buddy Walk was held this year on a chilly Saturday morning. Although the weather was cold, hearts were warm as twenty five St. Mary’s Leo Lions assisted with the annual walk on Saturday, September 23 The Buddy Walk is an annual walk put on by the Designer Genes organization, a Down Syndrome support network around the world. The organization exists to show support for individuals of all ages with Down Syndrome. The motto of the organization, “We’re more alike than different” says it all. Designer Genes works for inclusion in schools, society, and the workplace for people with Down Syndrome, which is part of the lives of over 400,000 people in the United States alone.

The St. Mary’s Leo Lions assisted in many ways at the walk. First of all, many students joined in the actual walk, a one mile walk on the capitol grounds, to show support for the families in attendance. Our students operated a “Buddy Hand & Tattoo” stand before and after the walk, where children could decorate a Buddy Hand or receive a tattoo with the Designer Genes logo. Additionally, Leos helped where needed with setup, garbage collection, and taking down tents, tables, chairs, and banners at the end of the event.

Kathryn Goettle, St. Mary’s Central High School junior, assisted with the Buddy Walk this year for the first time. Kathryn said she especially enjoyed, “the unique opportunity to support people in our community facing the challenges with Down Syndrome.” At Christmas time, the Leos look forward to helping plan and put on the annual Designer Genes Christmas party, held this year on Friday, December 15.

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“Our students operated a “Buddy Hand & Tattoo” stand before the walk on the capitol grounds and after the walk, where children could decorate a Buddy Hand or receive a tattoo with the Designer Genes logo.”

Students help out at a stand at the 2017 Buddy Walk

OPINION Why Cheer Should Be a Sport | Aubrey Roemmich

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hen you see a group of cheerleaders execute a perfectly timed stunt, do you think of how long it must have taken them to master that stunt? Maybe you think, is the flyer scared or has she ever been dropped? You could be thinking any number of these things, but I know for sure you are not thinking about why cheerleading should be a sport. To most people the very idea seems ridiculous. Why should these girls be called athletes when they wear skirts and bows? Why would they deserve that title when they’re not even competing against another team? Well, let me tell you why cheerleading is indeed a sport and we probably work harder than most teams.

I’m going to go back and talk about stunting again. The first thing you need to know is that stunting is hard and it takes a lot out of you both mentally and physically. On our cheer team I

am a base, I’m the one throwing our wonderful flyers in the air. A lot of times I’m told basing can’t be that hard, because there’s two of us and people bench press more than our flyers weigh all the time. Let me please point out, flyers are not weights! They move and fall and get scared and bail on stunts. Your weights do not do that. On top of all that our number one rule is “flyers do not hit the ground!”. If that means the base gets knocked to the ground, so be it. There have been many times I’ve watched fellow bases, and experienced it myself, being brought to the ground, because a cradle was bad or the stunt didn’t go up. The moral of the story is stunting is hard.

On top of stunting, we also have to memorize and perfect over 20 cheers, 4 dances, and 4 time-out cheers to perform every week. And that’s just for football games. We also have a state competition where we, along with many other cheer teams from around the state come together to compete every year. During competition, we have to execute 2 cheers and a dance as a team along with many smaller group performances like stunt groups who have to continuously stunt for a minute.

I have many more reasons why cheerleading should be considered a sport, but I think the most prominent reason is that cheerleaders practice every day, we strive to be the best, we work hard and usually aren’t recognized for it. The level of difficulty, the hard work we put in, and the amount of injuries we get during cheer season should make us cheerleaders members of a sports team. Even if we wear glittery bows in our hair.

Study Tips: How to Stay Organized This School Year | Jordan Aberle

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ealing with eight hundred classes a day can make it difficult for the average SM student to keep track of everything they need for each class. Between daily homework, knowing when all your tests are, and remembering all of your extra curricular activities, staying organized is essential. I know that if I weren’t organized, I would probably go insane. Luckily, I have been intensely studying the many different ways there are to stay organized throughout my last 3 years here and I think I’ve come up with a pretty good system. These tips have helped me stay organized the past 3 years of school, and I hope some of them can help you stay organized too.

• Get a planner, I prefer to use the monthly and weekly ones so I can write big plans on the monthly pages then stuff like homework and test dates on the weekly ones. The school planners work great too for keeping track of everything.

• Make sure you actually use that planner every day, it really does help more than you may think.

• Get separate binders or folders for each class and another binder just for homework that you take everywhere so you never forget to Bring your work home or to class!

• Find a fun way to help you study for tests,whether it be rereading the textbook/ notes, coming up with a catchy tune to remember vocab, making up an elaborate story about sodium’s quest to bond with chlorine, or writing down some good old fashion notecards, every one learns differently so your study habits may be different than your friends, just find what works for you!

• Remember that even though high school can be overwhelming sometimes, you will get through it so just stay calm.

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Student Polls

We polled 40 students to see what they think | Megha Bharadwaj & Julia Jaramillo

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What was your favorite superhero movie of the summer?

Wonder Woman20%

New Distracted Driving Laws | Megha Bharadwaj

Spiderman: Homecoming37.5%

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North Dakota passed new distracted driving laws this past legislative session that may effect you as a driver!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 227.5%

What website do you use the most?

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ost of us have had times when we’ve been in a big hurry to get to school. Whether it was to retake a math quiz or work on a project, we probably have also eaten our breakfast while we’ve driven or texted our partner “I’ll be there in 5 minutes.” But a law has recently come into place called House Bill 1430. Although House Bill 1430 doesn’t seem very menacing, even though it is a secondary offense, you can get fined $100. The bill is mainly about distracted driving.

Distracted driving is basically what it sounds like, it includes putting on your lipstick while you’re driving or turning around and looking at the back seat. The law itself states that any activity “not necessary to the operation of the vehicle” that “reasonably impairs or would reasonably be expected to impair, the ability of the individual to safely operate a vehicle,” is considered a “distraction.” Distracted driving itself can’t get you pulled over, but running a red light or not stopping at a stop sign as a result of distracted driving can get you pulled over. Running a stop sign gets you a $20 fee, but if the reason you ran the stop sign was because you were distracted, you could receive a fee of $100 for being distracted. This bill was put into place because in many accident reports, whether it was rear-ending another car or running a red light and hitting a car in the intersection, it was almost always due to distracted driving. So next time you are worried about being late to school, take a minute to put on your shoe or eat your candy bar, before you start driving.

Logan- 15%

Snapchat- 35%

Youtube- 40%

Netflix- 25%

? What is your favorite style of footwear?

Sandals- 17.5% Sneakers- 45% Boots- 7.5%

Converse- 30%

QOTM

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October Question of the Month What’s your best childhood Halloween costume?

DAWSON DOSCH- Senior “Rubics Cube, although I could barely hold my bag of candy.”

NORA FRITZ- Senior “My mom made me a homemade Elizabeth Swann costume. I was mistaken for Beethoven.

It destroyed my confidence.”

We now accept submission for QOTM!

-Go to our website at www.smmessenger.wixsite. com/2017-18/qotm -November’s question is...

What is your family’s biggest Thanksgiving meal fail?

BRITTA CURL- Senior “My favorite Halloween costume was a cowgirl. I loved it so much I used it 4 years in a row.”

ENTERTAINMENT Old Bessie

A student shares thoughts about his dear minivan | Trysten Ruhland

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very day, except for the special occasion where I jaunt my twowheeled steed, I drive my antique minivan to school. She has 260,000 miles and has seen more of life than most. After receiving her from my pops, I named her Bessie after feeling the age sanded steering wheel and the purr of authenticity for the first time. Bessie has been in our family for the past 10 years. She has taken my family everywhere, whether Yellowstone, Mandan or Portland. She has bailed my family and I out of bad situations. It is safe to say that she is an essential part of the family.

Bessie does have her problems though. She smells like merge of a Christmas tree, baby vomit, crusty fruit snacks, and cheap air fresheners. Her captain seat has lost all padding and has completely conformed to my dad’s rump. The seat belts have to be manually fed back in after they get pulled out and she has numerous nicks and dents. The front of her is eternally encrusted with the remains of dragonflies and other innocent arthropods. The gas and brake pedals have been sanded down to the bare plastic and the steering fluid is leaking, but even through all of this it seems that every time I really need her, her 3.5 v6 roars, and sometimes screeches, to life with a turn of the key.

She may not have the “keeping up with the Jones” factor that a vehicle with four rings can give you, but she can make you appreciate the scars left behind and the memories that come with those marks that last forever.

Movie Recommendation: The Mountain Between Us

The Messenger shares a preview of a scary film coming to theatres on the 13th

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his October 6th brings us the best drama of the year. The Mountain Between Us is about two strangers who, after surviving a plane crash, must join forces to survive. Follow them as they work together to stay alive in hopes of being rescued. I believe this will be a good movie because it shows the importance of perseverance against all odds and of keeping hope in dark times. The Mountain Between Us is going to be a great movie, and through it we can all learn a thing or two. This movie is set to be the best thriller yet.

You bet, you’ll see me in the theatres come October 6th.

Trysten, center, takes his bike off of Old Bessie

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Teacher’s Pick: Mrs. Huff

We asked Mrs. Huff to recommend some of her favorite books and movies | Allison Braun THE MESSENGER: What is your

favorite book and why?

MRS. HUFF: Well, it’s difficult to pick my favorite book because there are just too many good ones to choose from. Lord of the Flies, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Outsiders, and Catcher in the Rye are some of my favorite books because they are the ones that I have taught students with. I also love classics like Jane Eyre, and Pride and Prejudice. They really mean something to the students and are special to me because I have been teaching them for so long. When you see the books through student’s eyes, each perspective is different and unique. Betsy-Tacy and Tib, Anne of Green Gables, and the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder are my favorite childhood books. I started reading when I was young mainly because my grandmother loved to read and she gave me books that have become important to me. I love to read mysteries by Dorothy Sayers and Louise Penney. Whenever I am up for something fun and entertaining I usually read Stephen King. In nonfiction I will read anything by Erik Larson because I think that he is a great writer. The Harry Potter books are also very special to me because my son loved them and since they were so special to him they became significant to me as well.”

Meet the 2017 Homecom | Darian Coghlan

QUEEN VICTORIA WINDSOR

THE MESSENGER: What advice do you have for THE MESSENGER: What is your

favorite movie and why?

MRS. HUFF: Again, it’s impossible for me to pick just one because there are so many good ones. I think that film is just another way of storytelling. When I was in high school, I took a film class and that’s kind of what cemented my interest in film. When I lived in St. Louis there was an old theatre that showed classic movies and I would go there at least once a week. It was wonderful, and I wish we had something like that here.

I love movies from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

I also really like movie musicals and some of my favorites are The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, and West Side Story. I also love the movies Rear Window and Rebecca directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The movie On the Waterfront with Marlon Brandon is another great one. For series, I really enjoy all the Thin Man movies from the 30’s because they’re funny and entertaining.

freshmen?

QUEEN VICTORIA WINDSOR: Visit the chapel, make as many friends as you can, and be kind.

THE MESSENGER: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

VICTORIA WINDSOR: Africa or a beach somewhere.

THE MESSENGER: What was your first reaction to winning homecoming queen?

VICTORIA WINDSOR: Omg what? Seriously?

There were seriously so many deserving people that I wish I could just share the crown with all of them.

KING TRYSTEN RUHLAND

THE MESSENGER: What are you most looking forward to this school year?

KING TRYSTEN RUHLAND: Adult anxiety... It’s

stronger than teenager anxiety.

THE MESSENGER: What was your first reaction to winning homecoming king?

TRYSTEN RUHLAND: There should be a recount. I was surprised. I wouldn’t have bet on myself.

ming Court LAUREN BOTSFORD

THE MESSENGER: What pets do you have?

LAUREN BOTSFORD: Two horses, Devon and Lexie, a dog, Ruger, and two cats, Lafayette and Nala.

THE MESSENGER: If you could live anywhere where would it be?

LAUREN BOTSFORD: Switzerland because it’s pretty there.

THOMAS ABERLE

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite memory from St. Mary’s so far?

THOMAS ABERLE: Sophomore year, during the homecoming game, I got in towards the end of the game and returned an interception for a touchdown.

KAITLYN WANNER

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite part of St. Mary’s?

KAITLYN WANNER: The family atmosphere and knowing everyone.

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite thing to watch on Netflix?

KAITLYN WANNER: High School Musical or Camp Rock.

JOHN NORDBERG

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite part of St. Mary’s?

JOHN NORDBERG: The friendly teachers who make you feel at home.

LIZZY PREZLER

THE MESSENGER: What is your best memory at St. Mary’s so far?

LIZZY PREZLER: One of my fondest memories was junior year when I accidentally dropped a whole plate of taco lunch meat into Britta’s backpack while she was in the ice room filling her water bottle. She was pretty mad!

JOSEPH RICHTER

THE MESSENGER: What activities do you participate in?

JOSEPH RICHTER: Football, Wrestling, Knights of Virtue,

Catholic Athletes for Christ, Assistant Chaplains, and Saints for Life.

BRITTA CURL

THE MESSENGER: What are your plans for college?

BRITTA CURL: University of Wisconsin, possibly majoring in education.

ZACHARY PETERSEN

THE MESSENGER: What will you major in in college?

ZACHARY PETERSEN: Something medical... maybe physical therapy.

THE MESSENGER: What advice do you have for freshmen?

ZACHARY PETERSEN: Take as many semesters of gym as you can.

RELIGION Catholic Trivia | Darian Coghlan

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Which of the fol

lowing is St. Teresa of Avila the patroness of? a. Orphaned children b. Mental illnesses c. Headache sufferers d. Burn victims Which devotion is specifically celebrated in October? a. the Most Holy Rosary b. the Holy Spirit c. Sacred Heart of Jesus d. Holy Name of Jesus

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What is St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day? a. October 2nd b. October 4th c. October 12th d. October 20th

Answers1. A 2. C 3. B 4. A

Questions with Father | Grace Volk

THE MESSENGER: What are your favorite activities to do with Tobin?

FR. JOHNSON: Either early morning walks or driving in my truck.

THE MESSENGER: What advice would you give students who are

deciding between Rome and Peru?

FR. JOHNSON: Start saving your money and do both!

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite thing about Rome?

FR. JOHNSON: Being with the St. Mary’s students.

THE MESSENGER: What is your favorite part of Peru?

FR. JOHNSON: On the last day, we have a ceremony to dedicate the new soccer field. It is always powerful to see how much our students love the people of Peru.

THE MESSENGER: What other trip would you add to St. Mary’s if you could and why?

FR. JOHNSON: To be honest, I don’t know if we could have anymore. I would just like to see the students go on as many trips as we already offer.

Who is St. Augustine’s mother? a. St. Monica b. St. Cecelia c. St. Anne d. St Catherine

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Saint of the Month: St. John Paul II

The Messenger shares the story of the beautiful life of one of the Church’s newest saints | Amalia Thomas

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aint John Paul II was born to Emilia Kaczorowska and Karol Wojtyla Sr. in 1920. His birth name, Karol Wojtyla, was after his father. He grew up in Wadowice, Poland. Wojtyla’s childhood was very difficult. His mother died in 1929, when he was nine years old and in 1932, his only brother (and sibling) died. In 1941, his father passed and he was left with no living family. During this time, World War II was in full swing in Poland and the hardships and oppression hit hard. However, Wojtyla was not alone; he had God always by his side.

Karol Sr. had been a very religious man and encouraged his young son to pray often and well. In 1942 Wojtyla felt called toward the priesthood and began attending a seminary, which was strictly forbidden under Nazi rule. He remained steadfast in his learning and growing in the faith despite Hitler’s ruthless reign.

In 1946, Wojtyla was ordained a priest and moved to Rome. He moved back to Poland in 1948 and was a priest in a parish of a small town there for a while, but his presence and deep love for

Christ drew many towards the faith. He then became a professor at a seminary in Cracow, a position he held until he became the pope in 1978.

The name Wojtyla took as pope was John Paul, after the pope before him. The papacy prior was brief and Pope John Paul I even said a great pope would follow him. Throughout JPII’s ministry, he travelled all over the world, touching the hearts of many and spreading the gospels. He loved love, Mary the Mother of God, the Eucharist, young people, and the cross. There were many assasination attempts on him, most notably in 1981 in St. Peter’s Square during a papal audience. He proved his incredible power to forgive as he pardoned the very man who shot him. Even as his health failed him, he fought through and offered his pain to God. On April 2, 2005 John Paul II died and on April 27, 2014 he was canonized a saint. His feast day is October 22. John Paul II is a modern-day saint we can all look up to and learn from. His life, though difficult, was one of true beauty and devotion to Christ.

Meet the New Priest: Fr. Luger | Hannah Gardner

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eet newly ordained priest Fr. Greg Luger, a St. Mary’s graduate from the class of 2008. He is the youngest of three children in his family. Before he was a seminarian, he studied business at UND college. He went to seminary at Saint Thomas Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fr. Luger is glad to be back with the St. Mary’s family and teaching Church History and Catholicism of World Religions to the senior class. Father said, “I am glad to be where I received my Catholic formation.” He enjoys teaching especially because he loves to teach the future generation about the Gospel. Father mentioned that an influence in his decision to become a priest came from his experience at St. Mary’s, which got him excited about the faith. Fr. Luger’s favorite part of being a priest is celebrating Mass and listening to and preaching the Word of God. This school year, Fr. Luger looks forward to teaching because it is something he enjoys doing very much. Father also enjoys reading classical literature and spending time outdoors.

*Pictures found on ocarm.org and bt.com

SPORTS Senior Spotlight

Senior athletes give insight into their high school athletic careers | Amelea Caldwell & Andrea Frank

JORDAN ABERLE- Cheer

THE MESSENGER: How long have you been doing cheer?

ABERLE: I have been cheering since sophomore year and took a brief intermission junior year, but cheered on the sidelines every game so I think that still counts.

THE MESSENGER: What are you going to miss most?

ABERLE: I am going to miss the bonds I have made with all my teammates and how close we all got as a group.

SYDNEY SMITH- Golf

JESSICA ABERLE- Cheer

THE MESSENGER: How long have you been in cheerleading?

ABERLE: This will be my third year.

THE MESSENGER: Why do you enjoy cheer?

ABERLE: I like the atmosphere of being around all the girls and being part of the school and having a big impact on the sporting events.

JOHN NORDBERG- Football

THE MESSENGER: How has football helped you prepare for after high school?

NORDBERG: Football is the ultimate team sport. Everybody has to be on the same page in order to be successful. So the most important thing it has taught me is to be accountable and work hard.

THE MESSENGER: What will you miss most about football?

NORDBERG: Playing on Friday nights with my teammates. There isn’t a feeling quite like that in the entire world.

THE MESSENGER: How long have you been playing golf?

SMITH: For seven years, since 6th grade.

THE MESSENGER: Are you going to continue playing in college?

SMITH: Yes, I plan on playing at UND. THE MESSENGER: What is something you’ve learned through playing golf?

SMITH: I have learned that in a golf round, everyone has a bad shot and in life you’ll always have a few rough patches, but you can dig yourself out of that hold and turn in all around.

LUKE SWONGER- Soccer

COLE GENDREAU- Football

THE MESSENGER: How long have you been playing?

GENDREAU: This is my tenth year.

THE MESSENGER: What was it like to win two state championships?

GENDREAU: It was really fun winning two state championships, especially after working hard all year and playing our best all season.

THE MESSENGER: How long have you been playing soccer?

SWONGER: I started playing soccer when I was 6 years old.

THE MESSENGER: What’s your favorite memory with the team?

SWONGER: My favorite memory with the team was playing with the varsity in Grand Forks for state my freshmen year.

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A Saint at School but a Demon on the Ice: The Britta Curl Story | Anderson Hagerott

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ver since Britta was a little girl she loved to play hockey. She started playing 13 years ago on the Bismarck Mites. From the moment she first stepped on the ice she was immediately attracted to how ruff and physically challenging the game can be. And it’s that same challenge that keeps bringing her back every season. She now plays for the Bismarck Blizzards and is, without a doubt, the best girls Hockey player in the state of North Dakota. Her many accolades are undoubtedly due to her intense training schedule.

During the season, she spends an hour and a half on the ice every day practicing and lifts weights twice a week. In the off season, she practices on the ice every single day.

Last summer, when many teens were re-watching the season finale of Big Bang Theory for the tenth time, Britta competed at four different tryout camps in an effort to be selected for the United States U-18 National Team. These camps started in May and ended in August. She was one of 22 people selected to be on

the team and the only one from North Dakota. The team competed against Canada three times over the summer, winning two out those three games. She still doesn’t know if she’ll be competing again in the World Championship (IIHT), but if she is selected, she will be one of the few players chosen to represent our country in next year’s games. If you would like to see Britta play in next year’s tournament in person, you’d better start racking up some frequent flyer miles now because the tournament is Dmitrov, Russia.

Outside of Hockey, Britta enjoys playing soccer and running track. She is also a member of Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) and student council. After high school, Britta plans to attend the University of Wisconsin and play hockey for the Badgers. And someday maybe even play in the Olympics. But no matter where she goes or who she plays for she’ll always be a Saint from St. Mary’s.

GET PAID TO WATCH FOOTBALL The Messenger Football Challenge | Anderson Hagerott

T

his year, the Messenger is holding a contest on how much you know football. The game is simple. Just go to the library to pick a sheet with next week’s games on it. Then, just fill out the sheet by putting a check mark next to the team you think is going to win. You can add what you think the final score will be to boost your chances of winning. Then, just turn the sheet into the library before the end of school on Friday. If you guessed correctly the most times you will win a prize. Each contestant may enter only once. Any forms turned in after Friday will not be accepted. Visit our website or read next month’s issue to find out if you’ve won.

DUSTY CALDWELL

4120 Memorial Highway Mandan, ND 58554 www.openroad-honda.com

701-663-4023 1-877-663-4023 Sales@OpenRoad-Honda.com

r o f r e w s n a t a e r g ? h a t e n v o m Ha e h t f o n o i t ques na hear it! an w e W

GET PAID TO WATCH FOOTBALL Take the Messenger Football Challenge and win cash for predicting the scores of upcoming football games! | See page 14 for details

The Messenger now accepts QOTM submissions!

-Go to smmessenger.wixsite. com/2017-18/qotm for more details and to submit answers.

-November’s question is...

What is your family’s biggest Thanksgiving meal fail?

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